#also take home the art the kids don’t want when we re-decorate the room some of them are really really cuute

[preciousthingsareprecious]

That Time Tim Totally Terminated Ra's Al Ghuls Entire Empire Part 1

So. I wrote something very silly. The title says it all, except it doesn't because this bad boy spiraled out to being over 10k and deserving of 2 chapters. Anyway, here is the first chapter featuring all the times Ra's kidnapped Tim because he wanted to recruit him.

Summary:

"Let us not beat around the bush,” Ra’s started, after taking a sip from his tea, “I have brought you here to make you an offer.” Tim nodded, that was obvious enough. Ra's had no reason to kidnap him this time beyond something like this.

“As you know, I’m always on the lookout for enterprising young individuals with both leadership and fighting experience to join the League of Assassins. Right now I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect person to fill a brand new executive role in a new chapter of my organization.”

AO3 Link

~

Tim wasn’t entirely sure how he’d ended up in this situation. No really. One moment he’d been in Gotham, crouched behind an old BMW that had been in the same spot for a month, waiting on Batman’s signal, the next he’d woken up in some lavishly decorated room. Was that silk? Or maybe velvet? He had no idea what was hanging around the bed he was laying in, but Tim really didn’t care.

What he was concerned about was his own personal state. He raised his arms --that alone was a good sign-- and confirmed that his mask was in place. He pushed himself up on the ridiculously plush bed, -which was unreasonably plush by the standards of a kid who'd grown up rich, and then gone to live with a guy who had both more money and even better beds.

The point was, the bed was so soft Tim actually had a bit of trouble sitting up.

When he did manage to right himself, he finished taking stock of his own situation and his surroundings. His Robin uniform was intact aside from his belt, but he saw that set on a trunk that looked at least as old as Bruce, a few feet away. The room was, as he already determined, lavishly decorated.

Tim pushed himself out of the bed and onto a carpet so thick he kind of wanted to pull off his shoes and curl his toes in it, but seeing as he still had no idea where he was, who took him, or why, he figured that was probably out of the question. He did make a mental note to ask Bruce for some better carpet when he got home. As a kind of gift for surviving a very weird kidnapping.

Instead, he moved to walk carefully around the room. He found no obvious traps, no cameras or speakers or microphones that were either hidden or out in the open, and both doors were unlocked.

The first he opened revealed a bathroom. The second he cracked open to peer out of. His eyes locked on that of an honest to goodness ninja standing guard outside the door. The man locked eyes with him and Tim snapped the door shut with a click.

Welp, that answered the who and maybe even the where of Tim’s abduction. Ra’s Al Ghul. He was pretty sure if he gave the ninja ten minutes to go find Mr. al Ghul himself, he’d have the why too.

While he waited, Tim snapped his belt back around his waist, comfortable to have its weight back, even if being in a League stronghold meant all the tricks in his pockets were basically useless on his own. Still, it was nice to feel fully like Robin again.

After that it was a matter of waiting.

Tim paced an actual trench into the thick carpet as he waited. Batman was of course looking for him. That was a given, he just had to wait for the man to find him. Or for Ra’s to send him home? He really wasn’t sure why the Eco-terrorist would have taken him in the first place beyond a really weird obsession with Batman's various sidekicks.

How come all of Bruce’s baddies seemed to have a strange fixation on Robins? It was weird how many went out of their way to kidnap and attempt to recruit him, Dick, and if the stories were to be believed, Jason too.

Just as Tim was starting to turn that particular thought over in his head, the door to his room opened and Ra’s himself strolled in.

“Timothy.” the man drawled.

“Ra’s.” Tim replied, suddenly totally and completely unsure what to do with his hands, voice, feet, and general self. This wasn’t a fight after all.

He settled for crossing his arms and being terribly glad his domino hid his eyes.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I brought you here.” Ra’s said.

Tim shrugged, “It doesn’t take the world’s greatest detective to guess that.”

The man frowned at him, and Tim started to wonder if maybe he should be watching his words a bit. He wasn’t in Gotham with Batman at his back after all. But then again, Ra’s must need something from him right? So a little sass was okay, what was Robin without a smart mouth after all?

“I mean--” Tim started, unable to stop himself now that he was thinking about it, “I can probably start to guess. You didn’t kill me and I’m not in a dungeon so you’ve got to want something from me right? I bet this is some blend of trying to win me over and also hold me above Batman because you--” he paused for a moment trying to remember if Bruce had been on Ra’s’ trail at all lately.

He dropped his arms and clapped, remembering, “You’ve been trying to break into energy and you want Wayne Enterprise to back you and legitimize your business. So you’re holding Tim over Bruce, but you probably want Robin because you and like half of Batman’s rogues have this weird obsession with teen heroes for some reason."

At some point he’d stopped looking at Ra’s and actually started pacing again. When he stopped talking his feet stilled and he looked back up at Ra's and grinned, ""So, am I hot or freezing cold?”

He expected Ra's to looked angry or irritated, instead he looked amused.

“You are quite warm. Though I would contend the assertion that I have a weird obsession with teen heroes. I am only interested in the exceptional, and you Timothy, are exceptional indeed.”

Tim gulped, “I mean--not really? But thanks.”

Ra’s waved him off, “We will speak more later. You are correct, I do intend to use you as a bargaining chip against your guardian--”

“Dad.” Tim interjected.

The man raised an eyebrow but continued, “However you are not a prisoner in the traditional sense. You may wander the compound with one of my men by your side to ensure you do not get into trouble. If all goes well you will be returned to Batman within a reasonable amount of time. Unless, of course, you do decide you would like to stay and learn from me.”

“I don’t really see that happening.” Tim said, “But I'll be sure and let you know if I make a sudden turn towards world domination.”

Again, Tim expected some kind of retaliation, but he was thankfully ignored. Ra’s left him with a warning not to cause undue trouble and soon Tim was alone in the room again.

He spent the next couple days wandering the compound somewhat aimlessly. He had a phone call with Bruce where he promised his dad that he was totally fine if a little bored, and spent the rest of his time trying to avoid Ra’s. The man was kind of relentless in his attempts at winning Tim over to his side and sought him out at meals, when Tim was trying to train a bit at one of the many gyms, and even once while Tim was wandering a rather fantastic garden. Each time, Tim did his best to wiggle out of the man's suggestions and just get back to wiling away the time between then and getting home.

Thankfully, it was all over in four days when Batman came crashing in with Nightwing and Batwoman to rescue him, and soon Tim was home and settling back into normal life.

He’d actually almost forgotten about the whole Ra’s kidnapping him until it happened again. Once had been a surprise, two times was starting to look deliberate.

This one lasted a week with Ra’s claiming it was because he still really wanted that energy deal and he just couldn’t understand why Bruce wasn’t willing to trade that for his ward (son Tim had ground out in irritation).

Tim almost believed him, until he woke one morning to find a pamphlet had been slipped under his door, it was literally a flyer promoting hiring in the League. Tim looked over it and had to laugh out loud. The text was done in a mix of papyrus and other fonts and whoever made it had used clip art. It looked like someone had typed it up in Microsoft word in like half an hour.

He spent the rest of his time there re-designing the flyer, with a ninja hanging over his shoulder as he used one of the League computers. The new one wasn’t the best flyer in the world, but Tim was pretty proud of it, and it was much better than the first draft.

When he was done, he pocketed the original, then pinned a note to the new one that said: Ha! Not until you get better designers.

Batman rescued him again, and Tim pushed the double kidnapping and Ra’s’ weird obsession to the back of his mind until the next time he was with Steph.

They were in the manor watching a Chopped marathon and Tim was telling her about both kidnappings.

“So he’s super into energy? How come he didn’t nab Dick? We all know he’s Bruce’s favorite.” Steph teased, popping a chip into her mouth.

“Setting aside that obvious lie, that’s the thing,” Tim continued, digging out the flyer he’d kept, “It has nothing to do with energy or Dick. I’m pretty sure Ra’s is trying to recruit me.”

He showed her the paper and Steph snorted, spraying chips out as she laughed, “No. Freaking. Way. I have to tell Cass. Let me show her this, please I’m begging you.”

Tim groaned, “Yeah, sure, but don’t you think it’s weird?”

She shrugged, taking the flyer to look it over, “Of course, but the B-man attracts weird like ice cream dropped on the ground attracts ants. Give him six months, and Ra’s will move onto a different way of trying to piss off Batman.”

“I hope so.” Tim said.

The third time Tim woke up in the elaborate room he was getting really sick of the decor and the headache that came with being knocked out and dragged halfway across the world.

“You know.” Tim started, the moment Ra's walked into his room (and it was actually Tim’s room he’d learned from one of the ninja guards), “You could have waited a month this time, to at least pretend this wasn’t all about your super weird plan to try and convince me into letting you adopt me.”

Ra’s opened his mouth to respond, but Tim wasn’t done.

“Which, by the way, I’m taken already. B did the whole adopting thing, so you missed that window. Though, I guess that probably doesn't really matter to you in the grand scheme of things since you keep kidnapping me. You are aware that kidnapping isn’t the best way to convince someone that your way is the right one, right?”

“Also, would it kill you to pick up some --I don’t know-- books on recruitment or something? I don’t understand how you’ve managed to get so many guys on your side it’s--” Tim started, but Ra’s had caught on to Tim’s mood at this point, conceded temporary defeat, and made a hasty retreat.

Tim didn't see him the whole rest of the day, and by the next morning Batman showed up, swinging in for another rescue and all was fine and good and normal for a while.

Until, of course, it wasn’t.

It was the fourth kidnapping that really set Tim off.

He woke up back in that stupid room with it’s stupid decor and those stupid posters ready to burn the place to the ground. But something stopped him, a premonition. Like if he was patient for just a little longer he’d find a good and proper form of revenge to take on Ra’s for his total inability to take a hint.

At some point two ninja came by to take Tim to meet with Ra’s. As they walked Tim couldn’t help but notice the posters literally lining the hallways they walked through.

They were of two wildly different styles, but both struck a thought of familiarity in his mind. One was obviously a play on the classic “I want you in the army” poster. The other ripped off old “pin up” recruitment posters. Both made him laugh, and Tim pulled a couple of each down to save to show the Titans. He had a feeling Bart and Kon would lose their minds over these.

He had just folded them up and shoved them in his back pocket when they reached an office. Inside, Ra’s sat in a chair and motioned Tim to sit in one across from him.

“Thank you for joining me, Timothy.”

Tim sat and shrugged, “Not like I had much of a choice.”

Ra’s waved him off. As he did, a different ninja from either of the ones who’d escorted Tim to the office came in with a tray of tea. He handed Ra’s a cup, then gave one to Tim, and left the set on a table between them.

The whole vibe was kind of awkward and strange. Tim felt very much like he had one time a year ago when he’d realized halfway through a date that things were not going to work out. He hadn’t been able to end the date then and there, and had spent another two hours awkwardly making small talk and trying to avoid promising a second date.

“Let us not beat around the bush,” Ra’s started, after taking a sip from his tea, “I have brought you here to make you an offer.”

Tim nodded, that was obvious enough. Ra's had no reason to kidnap him this time beyond something like this.

“As you know, I’m always on the lookout for enterprising young individuals with both leadership and fighting experience to join the League of Assassins. Right now I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect person to fill a brand new executive role in a new chapter of my organization.”

Tim took a sip of his tea in an attempt at avoiding having his mouth drop open in shock. Ra’s sounded like something out of a “Executive success seminar” that was just a veiled multilevel marketing scheme.

“To put it plainly, Timothy, I want you to become my apprentice. I know you and assume you might be hesitant to accept this lifestyle so I’ve prepared for you something of a presentation on what that might entail.”

Tim couldn’t stop a laugh from bursting out of him, but he did manage to turn it into a kind of cough.

“Wait--wait.” he said, almost choking on his tea, “Are you about to show me a powerpoint?”

Ra’s looked a bit put out at that suggestion, almost like he wanted to sigh, “Of course not, it’s more interactive than that.”

Tim held up his free hand, incredulous, “Is this--a job interview Ra’s? I thought you were pitching this to me.”

“No, no. It’s an interactive presentation designed to show you just what you have to gain from joining me.” Ra’s explained, as he did so Tim took another sip of his tea.

He lifted his cup and waved it lightly, “Oh yeah, so I’m just in one of those fairy tales then where you make me do three impossible tasks and at the end I get the happily ever after dip in the lazarus pit?”

“It’s only one trial--”

“So it is a task!” Tim declared, almost standing.

“Timothy.” Ra’s snapped, sounding a bit like Bruce whenever Tim and Steph’s antics pushed him a bit too far.

Tim crossed his legs and leaned back into the chair, “Tell me I’m wrong.”

Irritating the man was a bad idea, Tim knew that, but this was just ridiculous. He wasn’t going to be sent on a wild quest that might end up with him dunked in a Lazarus Pit or whatever else Ra’s had in mind that would supposedly prove how great it would be to work for him.

“If you are not going to take this seriously, then there are other ways of showing you why joining me is a good idea that are not nearly as pleasant.” Ra’s growled.

Tim held up his free hand, “I’d rather not find out, give me your pitch or send me off with your best ninja or whatever you were planning.”

He figured playing along would work for now. He could put off giving Ra’s an answer until Bruce came in for a third rescue. When he was home, they were going to have a serious conversation about ninja proofing the manor. Ra’s could not keep kidnapping him like this, they had to have some kind of security measures in place.

“Wonderful. I’m sure after your tour you’ll have a better understanding of what I have to offer you.”

Tim ended up following someone Ra’s called his “best general” around the compound for an hour. The guy showed Tim the training rooms, the medical suite, sparring rings, a variety of ninja’s actually practicing, and at one point they even ended up in the library. The general had been given instructions to pause anywhere Tim wanted him to, and so they lingered in the library for a bit.

He had to admit, Ra’s had a fantastic library.

The general didn’t seem worried about Tim getting lost, or escaping, and waited by the door while he wandered the massive room.

And boy was it huge. It was bigger than the main floor of the cave, with stacks and stacks of books on two floors. Some of the volumes looked ancient, and there were even scrolls shelved on the second floor.

He gingerly pulled one out to examine.

“That is worth more than you could ever imagine.” a sharp, young voice, declared, behind him.

Startled, Tim dropped it back onto the shelf and spun. Before him stood a kid, probably 8 years old, with tousled dark hair, dark skin, and a face that almost echoed some of Bruce’s school photos. It was startling.

“Hi.” Tim said, dumbly, “I know, it’s Ancient Sumarian right?”

“Tt.” the boy crossed his arms, “You are not an idiot then.”

Tim shook his head, “Nah, apparently I’m smart enough to be selected for recruitment.”

The kid nodded, “So you are Grandfather’s young detective. He speaks highly of you.”

Grandfather? Tim’s brain spun. This kid was Ra’s al Ghul’s grandkid? He ran the numbers, the kid’s mom was either Talia or Nyssa. If he had to put money on it, Tim figured the boy before him looked more like Talia than her sister. And his other features--like Bruce’s?

No.

No.

No. Freaking. Way.

“That is hardly language to use here.” The boy said, arching an eyebrow at him.

Tim hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud, but apparently his surprise had been so great he had. He cleared his throat, “Sorry, I just never expected Ra’s to have a grandkid.”

“It is not surprising to me, I am his heir. Born to inherit the League and rule the world one day.”

Okay, that was a lot to unpack. Just a totally wild amount, but Tim wasn’t super focused on the world domination thing just yet (maybe later when he had a chance to process all of--well, all of it), “Sorry to keep pressing but, doesn’t having an heir kind of--I don’t know, put his whole Eternal Ruler of the League thing in jeopardy?”

“Tt. It is not my place to question my Grandfather’s plans. I simply know what I have been told, that I will inherit the League one day in his stead.”

“Well,” Tim rocked back on his heels casually and grinned, “That might be a long loooong time.”

The kid’s brows furrowed as if he had not really considered that idea before. He opened his mouth to say something else, but seemed to decide against it, dropping his arms to his sides to shrug, “If that is his wish then so be it.”

“True.” Tim said, not really knowing what to say. Instead he settled on changing the subject, “You know, if your grandfather gets his way I’ll be spending more time here, so I guess introductions are in order. I’m Timothy Drake-Wayne, but most people just call me Tim.”

He held his hand out to the kid, smiling at him. If he really was Bruce’s then they’d be getting to know each other for sure. Just not here. Tim had zero intentions on letting Bruce’s child stay with the League. Did B he even know he had a kid? Tim thought he’d better figure that out first before kidnapping his little brother.

Little brother. Just that idea made something flutter in Tim’s chest. He’d always wanted a little brother.

The boy scowled at his hand, and did not take it, “You may be correct, even if I do not see what Grandfather seems to. I am Damian al Ghul, heir to the Demon’s Head.”

Tim bit back a grin at just how serious this kid was. He sounded like a little prince, all imperious and haughty. Damian, even his name fit him. He wondered how Damian would do around Dick? Or Stephanie. They’d figure out how to bring a smile out of him.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Damian.” Tim said, “I know we’ve really only just met, but I’m sure you’ll see what Ra’s does in time.”

Damian looked him over again, then gave a sharp nod, “I am interested in seeing what you have to offer.”

“Damian, I found it, where’d you go?” A voice sounded from deeper within the stacks.

Tim started at the sound of the voice. He knew it. Knew it from nights spent chasing shadows, from recording’s Bruce had watched a hundred times when he didn’t think Tim was watching. From Tim’s own desire to know and learn more about his predecessor. It was Jason Todd’s voice.

But that couldn’t be. Jason was dead.

“I am coming.” Damian returned, his tone more childlike than Tim had heard in their whole conversation. He turned back to Tim, “Do not ruin that scroll, I will see you later.”

Then he spun on his heel and walked away.

Tim stepped forward, reaching out for the kid, “Wai--”

“Master Tim, we really must be going.” Tim’s guide was back, stepping into his view as if from nowhere, and stopping Tim’s chase as short as it had been.

“Can we wait just one more second?” he asked, “I wanted to ask Damian something else.”

The man’s mouth turned down in a frown, “I do not have clearance to let you speak with Master Damian. Come, we have more to see.”

Frustration bubbled up in Tim, but unless he wanted to start a fight he wasn’t going to get a chance to talk to Damian right then. The kid had promised to see him later, so maybe he’d seek Tim out. If not, Tim would find a way.

As he followed the man out of the library, he kept searching the stacks of books for a sign of the others. It wasn’t until they’d left the room that Tim caught sight of Damian again, his small form waving animated at a taller, broader one. One that, while older, was unmistakably Jason.

Before Tim could say screw everything, the two turned around a corner, and someone else was clearing their throat. His guide seemed eager to move on, and so they did.

Tim tuned out most of the rest of the tour, and eventually found himself back in the office from before, once again seated across from Ra’s.

“Timothy, I hear you have met my grandson on your tour.” Ra’s started.

“I did.” Tim said, a bit hesitant to go into detail, his guide had seemed like talking to Damian was a pretty serious thing, and suddenly Tim was afraid he’d gotten the kid in trouble.

Ra’s smiled, “He is magnificent is he not? Already he is a skilled warrior, and well trained in his studies.”

“He said he was your heir?” Tim ventured.

The man waved a hand dismissively, “Of course he is, he is my grandson, but that does not mean he will inherit. The boy is valuable to me, for many reasons. He is an excellent tool to wield against my enemies already, and will only become more so as he grows.”

Anger bubbled up in Tim. There was something in Ra’s’ tone that made Tim sick, to call a kid a tool. To plan to just use him his whole life?

“And what, do you want to do that with me too? You said you wanted me to be your apprentice, but if your Heir is just a tool then--”

“No, as I said I want you to take over a branch of the League. You have talents and skills Damian will not. The boy is--” Ra’s shrugged, “Let us call him a vessel. A shell for me to wield in one way or another.”

Well, that just made Tim even more angry. Damian was his grandkid. What Tim wouldn't have given to still have his grandparents, and for Ra’s to just--If Tim wasn’t already dead set on getting Damian home, he would be after this conversation.

“You know what, Ra’s. Let me think on it a while. I’ll get back to you on my answer. I kind of want to see Damian in action a bit, learn what this training looks like in someone closer to my age.”

The man considered this for a moment before nodding, “I will let you watch his sparring session tomorrow. For now, I think we’re done. Have a good evening, Timothy.”

Tim nodded, and left. His mind was racing, he wanted another look at Jason. Wanted to tell Damian about his dad. Wanted to make sure both his brothers were okay.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he missed the black and blue clad arm that reached out from behind a curtain and yanked him back. Nightwing put a hand over Tim’s mouth to quiet him, and then pulled him out the window the curtain had been hiding. They dropped, into nothing--except it was solid?

Tim found himself inside the invisible jet. Inside, and flying away from his newly discovered siblings before he could even argue they needed to be rescued too.

One flight with Wonder Woman and Nightwing later, and Tim was home again, being told in stern tones by both Batman and Nightwing that he really needed to stop allowing himself to be kidnapped by ninjas (like he didn’t know that).

Then he was in his room, in bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind whirring. He had learned two things on this trip. Two impossible things. Two things he was going to leverage as soon as he could.

It was late, and he should be sleeping, but instead he texted Steph and Cass in their little group chat.

Tim: Want to cause some chaos?

Immediately he received a response:

Steph: Always

Cass: Who are we going after?

Tim smiled, his fingers dancing over his phone:

Tim: Ra’s.

Cass: Time to teach him a lesson?

Steph: I've been waiting for this, I’ll get the kerosene

Tim: There’s more.

Cass: Tell.

The light flashed on out in the hallway, Tim could see it flicker to life under his door.

Tim: Tomorrow, lunch at that place with the sweet potato fries. Come ready to plan a kidnapping or two.

The next day Tim found both Steph and Cass waiting eagerly for him at the restaurant, a heaping plate of sweet potato fries between them.

“Spill, Bird Brain.” Stephanie said, as he sat down, pushing some fries towards him, “I want to hear everything about this crusade against Ra’s.”

Tim rolled his eyes, and snagged a fry, dipping it in one of the sauces they’d gotten to accompany it.

“As you’ve probably already guessed, I had another visit to the League compound yesterday.” Tim started, “It was more of a day trip this time, but Ra’s did his very best to sell me on signing up.”

“More posters?” Cass guessed, then shook her head seeing Tim’s expression, “What did he do?”

Tim snagged another fry, “Yes more posters, but more than that he gave me a speech right out of a How to Recruit for Dummies book, then sent me on a tour of the building.”

Steph snorted, “Please tell me you recorded it.”

“I did not, but you will never believe what I found on my tour, or to be precise who.”

Both girls paused their snacking, waiting on him to continue.

Tim dropped the first bomb, “Jason Todd, alive and breathing.”

“What, no way.” Steph said, “How’d he even get there? I thought He was buried here?”

He shrugged, “I don’t have any of the details, but they’ve got a Lazarus pit, and Ra’s is weirdly obsessed with recruiting Robin’s, so I’d say his resurrection tracks.”

“Who else was there?” Cass asked, brow furrowed.

Now this he knew neither of them would be expecting. Tim hadn’t expected it. He still couldn’t believe it.

“Ra’s al Ghul’s grandson, Damian.” Tim said, watched both girls look even more confused, then added, “The son of Bruce and Talia. At least, I’m pretty sure he’s their kid.”

The fry Stephanie was holding dropped out of her hand.

Tim watched Cass processing the information, saw her realization that there was another child being raised in the League, then saw the determination cross her face at her own personal decision.

“We are taking them both, correct?” Cass asked.

“We’re taking them both, and burning the place down.” Tim confirmed, “That should properly pay him back for all the time’s he’s kidnapped me this year.”

Steph’s lips turned up into a sharp grin, “The law of equivalent exchange.”

Tim laughed, “You’ve been watching too much tv.”

“It’s prepped me for this very moment.” she shot back, voice falsely grave.

“Batman prepared you for this very moment.” Cass elbowed her.

“No.” Tim said, “I’m going to prep you. And then we’re going to put everything in action.”

They talked, and planned, and debated the pros and cons of letting Tim get nabbed again over just going himself, and eventually after many many sweet potato fries and sodas they were ready.

It was to be infiltration first, fire and kerosene second. Obviously the place was going to go up, but only after they set the stage for rebellion and convinced Damian and Jason to go home with them. Tim didn’t think it’d be a hard sell for Jason, but the kid was another matter altogether. If Tim couldn’t convince him to come along, they may actually end up having to kidnap Damian.

A key to the plan was that only Tim, Steph, and Cass were in on it. There was no way Bruce was giving the green light for such a thing. Besides, Tim wanted to see his face when they presented him with not one, but two, rescued sons from the League.

Over the next week Tim made himself the most kidnappable he’d ever been. He wandered outside, kept to himself, and tried to look as wide eyed as possible. He lingered in parking lots, and took shortcuts down empty alleyways. Basically, he did everything he could to signal he was alone and vulnerable besides hanging a sign around his neck that said “Take me to your (ninja) leader”.

At one point he even stopped, dead center in the middle of an alley and declared, “Wow this sure is a dangerous place to be! I hope I don’t get attacked and kidnapped by ninjas!”

The only response he got that time was from an older woman who stopped at the edge of the alley and very seriously called out, “Careful, young man. Don’t you know there are killer clowns out? You best be on your way before you get hurt.”

Then, at long last, Tim caught sight of one of the League members ducking behind a shadow. He paused his walk, and leaned over as if fascinated by something on the sidewalk in front of him. By the time he’d stood, the ninja was in front of him.

Tim held up his hands in surrender, doing his best not to actually look excited. Then, he was successfully kidnapped for the fifth --and if Tim’s plan worked successfully-- final time.

[groovybaybee]

Greener - II

Greener - I

(4.2k)

cw: mentions of abuse (not this chapter and nothing too intense but better safe than sorry) also alcohol consumption

There are moments in life that conjure up intense emotion any time you think about them. Happy or sad, whenever your mind flicks through its rolodex of memories and lands on it, you feel that moment come to life. You brain must have logged every detail of that time and packed it away in the back of your brain for you to stumble upon later down the road. Your mind takes you back to that moment and brings your senses along with it. My mother always reaches for these moments in times of strife, dipping her hand into a lucky dip of ‘happy places’ and allowing the sensation to wash over her. Her favourite is a family holiday to Spain, sipping ice-cold drinks as we swung our legs in the chilly waters of the pool below us.

 Not all the moments I remember are so positive, but I feel them just as strongly. Instead, I created my own ‘happy place’ to escape to whenever I felt overwhelmed.

 I stand, waist-deep, in warm water. Waves lap around me, hugging and kissing my naked skin as I breathe gently under the moonlight. The sky above me is clear and an audience of stars shine down on me. I bare my soul to the universe and feel love and appreciation in return. The night sky watches over me as I let my eyes close, leaning my head back, chin high. My shoulders relax more than they ever have as a warm but refreshing breeze wraps around me, hugging me tightly. I hear trees rustle somewhere behind me, whispering sweet sentences to one another as the sand beneath my feet reaches my ankles, anchoring me securely to the world, grounding and protecting me from floating away.

 I let my eyes open and I am back in my kitchen. No gentle breezes or salty air. Just my kitchen, with its colourful, mismatching crockery and photographs blu-tacked to the wall. However, there is a clear change in the room since the time I shut my eyes tightly, my chest feels looser, my throat no longer feels as though it is closing, and my breathing has slowed drastically.

 Raising my phone from my side, I return to the source of my sudden panic.

A news article, forwarded from my manager, Jim, a simple ‘Didn’t know you were dating’ preceded the link to the website. Of course, he was joking, not realising the stress I was about to feel.

 Quickly clicking the link, I remind myself to breathe deep and slow as I am redirected to a webpage.

 BACK ON THE HORSE? HARRY STYLES SPOTTED GETTING CLOSE WITH MYSTERY WOMAN

Hunky heartthrob, Harry Styles, caught canoodling outside hot Los Angeles restaurant, Spago. Despite reportedly having only split with model ex-girlfriend, Camille Rowe, a mere two months ago, the pop sensation was witnessed cosying up to a new woman.

 I am skim-reading at this point, desperate to get to the end with some shred of mental stability. My eyes land on the articles singular piece of ‘evidence’, a video taken from across the street. It begins with Harry and I talking and laughing outside the restaurant, follows us as we migrate closer to one another, my head thrown back in laughter before we are nearly pressed together. I had not realised quite how close we had gotten. The video ends when Harry and I are blocked from view, Harry’s car obstructing the camera’s line of sight. No one would be able to tell we did not kiss. My stomach squeezes uncomfortably as I read the video’s caption.

 Keep it in your pants guys!

 It is all a little dramatic. A small part of me wants to laugh at the way this has all been exaggerated and made into a big deal. That amusement fizzles as I continue to read the article, pausing after reading the final line.

 All this has us wondering, has Harry really moved on so quickly?

 Good question.

 Quickly replying to my manager, I send the words ‘Blind date’, before glancing at the comments beneath the article.

 Big mistake.

 Despite the article not naming me directly, not something I am shocked or offended by as Harry is clearly the more famous of the two of us, the comment section of the webpage has not mirrored the same unawareness. Almost every comment mentions me by name, the majority questioning how we even know each other.

 I allow myself to be sucked into the vortex of curiosity, taking in every opinion possible. Many of the replies to the news make it clear that they do not know who I am, and therefore that is reason enough for me to be nowhere near Harry. A lot of comments debate whether or not Harry has fully dealt with his breakup, suggesting that this was a PR move to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. I make the mistake of googling her.

 Well I don’t think the jealousy tactic is likely to be effective.

 She is stunning. A French model. Could I be more of a cliched parallel to her? I try not to compare the two of us, however, a few comments bring attention to the bloat of my stomach and it becomes very difficult not to feel vulnerable after that. It was a blind date. Harry and I were set up. That is the only reason he would ever look at me twice.

 But he wants to see me again.

 I cling to that thought and close the webpage on my phone, pocketing it and deciding fresh air is what I need. Stepping through the patio doors of my house, I peek out into the sunshine, letting the warm rays soak into me instantly. The small house is built on a hill, the garden demonstrating this the most as it is split into two grassy tiers. I walk up the concrete steps until I reach the patio furniture at the top. Sitting myself on one of the wooden chairs, I take a second to appreciate the view; the back of my house shaded by the incline of the hill which allows me to peer over the top of my roof and look out at the hills. As a kid, I had pictured living somewhere warm enough for palm trees, now I am able to watch them arc in the wind.

 I did this, and this is far more important than a few words. I am alive, I am good, and I am kind.

 Pressing my toes into the soft, cool grass beneath me, I slip my phone out of my pocket and compose a text.

 Sat in my garden and I reckon the view would be fun to paint, fancy it?

 The soft yellowy horizon gives me a sense of security as the evening creeps in. There is so much beauty in the world and I am glad I took the time to sit out here rather than obsessing over some meaningless gossip. It will all blow over and people will either forget about us or realise that we are not actually together. A small smirk tugs at my lips as I imagine pinning this on Lucy and using it as an excuse to get a free drink out of her.

 My phone vibrates twice against the wooden table.

 I love that idea. Tomorrow work? (I’ll bring wine) – Harry

 I cannot help but grin at the small screen, quickly typing a reply.

 4pm? Catch the last of the sun that way. Also you don’t have to keep signing off!

 Only a few seconds after placing my phone back down on the table, I have to pick it back up to read his latest message.

 Sounds perfect. It’s harder to stop than you’d think – Harry

 Giggling at him, I lock my phone and set it down, excitement pooling in the bottom of my stomach. This time tomorrow Harry will be sat beside me, paint-covered and maybe a little bit tipsy. I make a quick mental note to go shopping for food to line our stomachs, not wanting to let him be exposed to my drunken self just yet.

 I spend the next day getting my house presentable, or at least as tidy as possible despite the numerous large, brown boxes which clutter my living room. I also spend the day doing errands, shopping for food and drinks Harry might like (probably going a bit overboard and buying enough options for five people rather than two), and picking up some art supplies for the two of us.

 Once home, I unpack the groceries, setting some of them out on plates and dishes, making an attempt at a charcuterie board I had seen on Pinterest the night before. Setting up the area we would be spending the most time in, I move the two small canvases I purchased earlier outside, along with paints and brushes and cups of water for rinsing. It seems a little bit amateur, but I do not have time to dwell as Harry texts me that he is just leaving his house and will be here in half an hour.

 Dashing back inside, I take the speediest shower of my life just to freshen up and rinse the day away. Chastising myself for my lack of planning ahead, I smear on a touch of makeup and quickly style my hair. I am still pulling on a pair of dungarees, clipping the straps into place, when I open the front door.

 “Hi,” I greet breathlessly.

 Harry is already smiling when I meet his gaze, looking down at me with an infectious grin. I allow myself a second to drink him in. Obviously, he is dressed more casually than two days ago, dressed in a simple but figure-hugging black t-shirt, a golden chain peeking out from underneath. Alongside them, he is wearing a pair of brown, straight-leg corduroy trousers. He looks good. It should not surprise me, but it does anyway.

 “Hi,” he offers brightly.

 Stepping aside to let him enter, I try not to check him out, mentally telling myself that I am still not certain where he stands re us kissing each other’s faces off. Probably for the best to err on the side of caution.

 Closing the door behind him, I walk us through the living room and to the adjoining kitchen, feeling a tad embarrassed by my decorating style. Splashes of colour litter the house, the walls are mostly covered in photographs, interesting drawings and potted plants.

 “When did you move in?” Harry asks, noticing the stack of boxes. My heart pangs slightly at the question but I try not to let the dread within shine through.

 “Few months now, I’m just terrible at unpacking,” It is not a total lie, so I do not feel totally bad about it. There is, however, a small part of me that resents not being completely honest with him about why a certain box remains closed and sealed. “I might have gone overboard with snacks, so please eat anything you want,” I tell him when we reach the kitchen and he sees the spread I had laid out.

 Suddenly, it all feels like too much and heat prickles my cheeks in embarrassment as I watch Harry eye the full countertops. I had bought far too much and probably seem incredibly eager. Bread touched three types of meat, touched three types of cheese, touched olives, touched sundried tomatoes. There was another plate full of fruit, washed and sliced and displayed daintily in concentric circles. Then there was the bags of crisps, pretzels, biscuits, and chocolate buttons. This was enough for a family picnic, not a light grazing, and definitely too much for a second date. If that is even what I could call this.

 “This is amazing,” Harry utters quietly, and I almost do not hear him, my internal monologue reprimanding me so severely it almost overpowers him. He turns back towards me, gazing at me softly, his face a beautiful light pink. “Feel bad for contributing so little now,” he says, a gentle teasing lilt to his voice which makes me smile, a breathy and grateful laugh falling from my lips.

 “Trust me, your contribution is the most valuable,” I say, stretching up into a cupboard to grab two wine glasses.

 We manage to carry a disproportionate amount of food outside, giggling as we stacked our arms high until I could barely see over the top of my pile. Once outside, we settle on the wooden chairs and Harry pours us each a glass of merlot.

 “Matches your hair,” he muses, smirking as he hands the glass to me.

 “Never heard that one before,” I tease, trying to ignore the voice in my head questioning if he thinks the colour is ugly.

 Harry settles back in his chair, looking out across the hills and valleys before speaking again, “This was a good idea,”

 “Yeah, the view is the main reason I bought the house to be honest,” I mumble into my wine glass.

 There are a few moments of silence. It is not particularly uncomfortable, but I decide that we could use some music. I dash inside to grab a speaker and connect my phone to it.

 “Can I leave it up to you?” I ask, holding out my unlocked phone for him to take, “I’m indecisive.”

 He lets out a chuckle, muttering a soft, “Sure.”

 Taking the phone from my hand, our fingers brush momentarily, and I have to remind myself that I am not in the middle of a romcom. I feel my cheeks redden at the interaction and quickly turn to my canvas. Placing the wooden end of my paintbrush in my mouth as I scan over the paints in between the two of us. The soft opening notes of The Chain begin to play, mingling with the warm breeze that swirls lightly around the garden.

 “Listen to the wind blow,” I sing under my breath, unable to hold myself back.

 From the corner of my eye, I see Harry picking up his own brush, dipping into a little bit of blue paint and brushing across his own canvas. I dip my brush back into the yellowy orange colour I had been mixing and paint the outline of my house. It is messy and a little childlike, but I am having a good time. Harry and I both begin to relax as we paint, singing along, and doing embarrassingly enthusiastic seated dance moves when the guitar solo plays.

 “I love Fleetwood Mac so so much,” I admit gleefully, catching my breath as I giggle and take a sip of my wine.

 “Me too,” Harry replies, a bright smile pairing with beautifully pinkened cheeks.

 “What’s your favourite song?” I ask happily, popping a raspberry into my mouth.

 Harry pauses for a moment, lowering his brush and giving the question some good thought. He makes it impossible not to admire him, watching as his brows furrow ever so slightly, lips puckering temporarily as his brain ticks over.

 “I always come back to Songbird,” he tells me, looking up at me and nodding to himself. His eyes look so bright when they catch the light, reflecting into mine. I almost have to look away.

 “It’s a beautiful song,” I admit softly, my voice quieter than either of us had expected, suddenly nervous again to be in his presence and having a conversation which means so much to me.

 “What’s yours?” Harry asks, his gaze not wavering for even a second. He is undeniably intimidating, not even due to his status in the world, but simply being beside him feels as though I have won some sort of contest. There is something in his general being that makes me feel both small and powerful all at once. Simultaneously, I cannot believe that he is here in my garden when he could be anywhere else with anyone else, nor can I believe the way he is looking at me, observing me with such delicate looks that it appears he is afraid of scaring me away.

 “Storms,” I blurt out. Taking a second to collect my thoughts, I explain, “Skies the Limit is my go-to, but Storms made me feel when I felt numb.”

 Realising that I have most definitely overshared, I quickly dip my brush in the nearest colour and spread it across the top of my canvas, accidentally painting the sky pink.

 “I think that’s really special,” Harry utters softly, his gaze still on me as I pretend to be focused on my painting and not the spectacular man beside me, or the way his eyes feel on the side of my face. “I want to make music like that, you know?” he says, turning back to the view ahead of us and finishing off his own skyline.

 “I think you have,” I confess, feeling his eyes back on me in an instant. I force myself to turn to meet his gaze, urging some sense of bravery to course through my veins. When our eyes meet, he is looking at me like water in the desert, some sort of miracle before him that his brain does not fully believe. His mouth opens, pauses, then closes again. A second later, a smile pulls at his lips.

 “I like your pink sky,” he tells me, grinning brightly, not breaking away to look at the canvas in front of me.

 I laugh, “Started as a mistake but I think I prefer it like this,” I admit, pursing my lips as I take a long look at my painting.  

 “I like the way your mind works,” Harry says, smirking when I turn to him with knitted eyebrows, “I feel like you’re so bright and full of joy. Just walking through your house felt like I’ve known you years… I don’t know if that sounds mental.”

 He looks at me cautiously, afraid he has revealed too much, and maybe he has, but I enjoy it more than I could even tell him. I like his perception of me. No matter what happens, how much he comes to learn and dislike about me, at this moment he likes me. And, oh boy, do I like him.

 The thought of kissing him pops into my head, bold and illuminated in neon. I let it pass, determined not to ruin the moment. Instead, I look at him, and he looks right back. We share a brief period of peace, the sun on our faces with a light wind blowing between us.

 “Oh!” We both exclaim enthusiastically as What Makes You Think You’re the One plays on the shuffle. Smirking at our joint reaction, we turn back to our paintings.

 For the next hour or so we fully relax into our little world, grooving along as we paint. There is a real sense of calm throughout the space, even the birds in the trees seem to chirp softer, almost as though they were part of our garden party.

 The only moment in which there is a break in the bubble of tranquillity is when Harry desperately reaches for a strawberry, stopping himself whenever his hand, covered in a rainbow of paints, gets close. Impossible to tear my eyes away, I watch him for a moment, a delicate smirk on my lips as he attempts to approach the task from a multitude of angles. He lets out a small sigh and I decide that it is my duty to intervene.

 “Need a hand there?” I ask, failing to hold back a giggle as I pluck a strawberry from the plate with paint-free fingers.

 “Thanks. Can you-- You could… Thanks,” Harry stammers while I hesitate as I raise the fruit to his face, temporarily feeling awkward about feeding a man I barely know.

 I quickly get over myself and lift the berry to his lips, already somewhat parted. Taking the fruit into his mouth whole, his lips graze my fingertips ever so lightly. Our eyes lock the second it happens.

 Things start to move slowly. My hand lowers into my lap. Harry chews the fruit and swallows, his tongue poking out to catch a stray bead of juice that had escaped from his lips to the corner of his mouth.

 No way are you letting yourself be turned on by this. So cliché.

 Despite the mental chastisement, I find myself drawn to Harry. The need to feel his lips on my own is overwhelming me. Every second spent not knowing whether he is a good kisser feels like torture, my mind in agony.

 It appears that he feels the same way, gaze hesitating over my parted lips, hopefully not focusing on my clear breathlessness. Our bodies seem to be migrating towards one another, some unknown gravitational pull guiding our chests together until out faces are almost touching. I feel his breath on my cheek and quickly I worry that mine does not smell as good.

 Why did you eat that slice of manchego?

 Surely, he won’t want to kiss me anymore. He must not have noticed yet. But he will, and I will be humiliated. Better to stop now, while for some reason he actually is not appalled by the thought of kissing you. Why does he want to kiss me anyway? He could kiss anyone he wanted. He could have anyone he wanted. It is probably the wine.

 The wine has probably stained your teeth as well. God you’re a mess.

 I stop dead in my tracks. Swiftly, I pull away from him. It is harder than I had expected, his cologne sucking me in so that it feels like I have to stop breathing in order to separate from him.

 “Sorry,” I mumble.

 I cannot look at him. Unable to face the reality of the situation and see his bemused, beautiful face. I would only want to kiss him if I did look up at him, so instead I fidget with the hem of my sleeve, nails picking away at the firm stitching.

 “I’m sorry,” Harry says, his voice is so quiet that it hurts my heart to hear him so small and dejected, especially since I was the cause.

 We sit in silence for what feels like an eternity. I can feel his gaze on me, soft and apologetic, but I am still unable to bring myself to make eye contact.

 “I’d be happy just being your friend,” I tell him.

 It is a lie. Partially, anyway. Of course, I would love to be his friend, but I also want to kiss him all over and have heart-to-hearts in the early hours of the morning. I want to hear about his first kiss, find out his favourite sweets and his happy place. I wonder if he is there now, desperately trying to escape the awkward bubble of tension surrounding us.

 “Yeah, I shouldn’t have assumed… I’m sorry.” Is all he says.

 “No,” I pipe up, a well of guilt forming in my stomach as I regard his sunken features, “It’s not you...”

 “It’s not you, it’s me?” Harry says with a quirk of a smile.

 I let out a breathy chuckle and we finally meet each other’s eyes and understand. It’s all alright.

 We keep painting. By the time the sun starts to set and the water for our brushes turns a murky grey, I have finished mine and sit teasing Harry as he adds the finishing touches to his own.

 “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” Harry counters with a grin as he adds a sweep of dark red to his canvas.

 “Better be some painting,” I mutter into my wine glass.

 “Okay!” Harry exclaims excitedly, “She’s done. Ready for the reveal?”

 “Yes,” I laugh at his question, as if I have not been waiting to share for twenty minutes.

 Harry had insisted that our final products should be a surprise for the other, so for the last hour we painted in secrecy, occasionally peering out from behind our canvases to try and sneak a peek at the other’s.

 When we angle our paintings towards one another, the difference in our styles is clear. Mine is bright with exaggerated shapes, almost cartoonish. Meanwhile Harry’s painting is more true to life, a meta portrayal of the view, two little figures of him and me seen from behind at the bottom of the canvas.

 “I love it,” I tell him, the picture bringing a grin to my face as I observed the tiny version of myself; a little blob of shoulders and messy hair.

 “I’m calling it ‘Friendzone’.” he tells me, a wicked smirk on his lips.

 “Hey!” I whine with a gently nudge to his arm, however, the bout of laughter he has elicited really weakens my protest.

 Harry helps me clear up the garden before he leaves, carefully carrying his precious painting out with him. After bidding me a sweet goodnight, leaving no doubt in my mind that he had a nice time today, I finish cleaning up. As I am washing the two wine glasses, I peer over at my painting, smiling as I remembered Harry’s comments about my pink sky. Maybe being just his friend would be easy after all.

masterlist

[suchdan-veryphil]

I’ll Be In Touch- A Dad!Ben Solo Imagine

Request:

Anonymous said: hi idk if ur taking requests atm but i absolutely loved ur dad ben solo fic i always re read it. Could u do another dad!ben solo where he’s like a single dad and the reader is his child’s teacher and he gets all flustered at a parent teacher conference cos he’s like woah?? thank uu

Word Count: 1,976

Trigger Warnings: I don’t even think there’s swearing here. Pure floof.

A/N: I LOVE DAD!BEN SOLO !!!!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR THIS REQUEST! Also I’m trying my best to make some of these more gender-inclusive. If there is anything that I can do better, please let me know! 

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

Ben’s POV: 

If it were up to me, I’d get a long note in the mail about how Maya is doing in class. But, here I was waiting on the world’s smallest chair to meet with her teacher. I looked around and down the hallway, the walls covered with drawings and pieces of art by the children. Curious, I stood up and walked across the hall to look at the hand turkeys on the wall. 

I looked closer at all of them, looking for Maya’s name on one. When my eyes landed on it, I knew it was hers. The black scribbles covered the page and she decorated it in blue and purple stars. My lips curled into a smile as I compared it to the other kids’ pieces that were splashed in neat bright colors. I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped me. 

Definitely my kid. 

I was brought back to where my feet were by the sound of a couple being escorted out by Maya’s teacher. 

“Thank you, guys! I’ll see you at the family game night!” their voice was soft and gentle, but also full of excitement, catching my attention. I turned to face them, knowing my time-slot was next. 

I looked down expecting to see a 72-year-old grandmother hunched over a cane, wearing some reading glasses. I was pleasantly surprised as my eyes were met with a young adult, shorter than me, with a smile that blinded me. I felt a pull at my chest that I hadn’t felt since I met Maya’s mother 8 years ago. I stayed quiet as I walked closer, unsure of what I would even say. I forced a smile that I’m sure came out as more of a grimace, and I instantly regretted it. Rarely did I leave my house except to go to work and go shopping with my spunky 5-year-old so human interaction was not my specialty. 

“Mr. Solo? Maya’s dad, right? Come on in!” They turned to walk into the classroom and sit behind their desk. I looked around at the walls and tiny tables, all decorated in bright colors, broken crayons, and welcoming feelings. 

“Take a seat! Make yourself comfortable,” 

I sat in the only other adult-sized chair in the room across from the person who hung out with my kid 5 days a week. 

“Mr. Solo-” 

“Ben, you can call me Ben,” I cleared my throat as I crossed my ankle over my knee and made my best effort to make eye contact with them. They smiled at me and nodded. 

“Ben, thank you. You can call me Y/N, then. Thank you for being on time, a lot of parents are rolling in here five or ten minutes late,” they smiled at me and pulled a folder off of the top of a pile. 

“Oh, yea- well I usually try to be a few minutes early to everything to avoid … being la- being late...” I mentally slapped myself as I cleared my throat. 

Idiot... Just focus on Maya.

I watched as they smiled and nodded at my comment. “That’s a sturdy plan, Ben. So, I guess I’ll start with Maya’s strengths in the classroom and then we can move into some challenges and any questions that I have or that you have, okay?” 

I nodded and leaned in as they opened the folder and took out a few worksheets. “So, in kindergarten reading levels is really what we focus on and Maya is a very strong reader. I can see her moving into the first grade level before the year is over!” They took out two pieces of paper from the folder and placed them in front of me. 

“She loves reading non-fiction, and she will memorize a book before she puts it down,” Y/N said as they chuckled a little. I smiled and nodded, knowing exactly what they meant.

“Yea, well, I blame myself for that. I did the same thing when I was little. I still do it sometimes, it’s weird. But, there are lots of useless facts up here, thanks to that weird …. thing …” I stopped myself and laughed a little as I read over Maya’s reading scores. I couldn’t prevent the smile of pride that spread across my face as I read the comments on her persistence and positivity. 

“Well, I personally don’t believe in useless facts, Mr. So-Ben,” 

I looked up and smiled at them before I put the paper back on the desk. 

“Her math is a little bit more of a challenge for her, I’ve noticed. She wants to know, and she wants to learn but I find that when she doesn’t understand after a few tries, she gets frustrated and needs to take a break, which is completely encouraged except she doesn’t want to return to the task at hand.” 

I nodded my head and shifted in my seat a little bit.

Stop fidgeting, they’re gonna think you’re weird. 

Focusing back on Y/N, I looked at the papers they were showing me. They continued to go into detail about how Maya is a great student and that she just needs help with being persistent. Although, I would be a hypocrite if I said that I didn’t also have a short fuse at times. I was fully aware of how similar my daughter and I were, from our temper to our preferred activities but I was proud of myself and of her. 

“How is she doing socially?”  I asked and sat back. 

“She is thriving socially, Ben. Your daughter is the cutest little munchkin in the mornings. She stands right where you’re sitting and she’ll greet every single one of her classmates by name. She’s quite the charmer.” 

“Really? That’s too funny. She talks about her two best friends, Jordan and Tia. She told me how she likes to sit with Tia on her right and Jordan on her left because the two of them like to talk to each other and she doesn’t want to be distracted, so she separates them,” I chuckled at the thought of my 5 year old plopping herself between two other tiny humans to prevent them from distracting her from the coursework. 

“Oh Tia and Jordan. The three of them are something else. I had to separate those two one time and Maya has taken it upon herself to be the peacekeeper ever since. It’s very sweet. It seems like you’ve got quite the leader on your hands,” Y/N smiled as the words flowed.

It was refreshing to talk to someone who wasn’t my mom about Maya. I truly had a lot of pride in the way I’ve been raising her despite my struggles. To hear that she was doing well and was a pleasure to have in class took a weight, that I wasn’t even aware I was carrying, off of my shoulders. 

“That’s Maya...” I trailed off and bit my lip as I thought about it. 

“Did you have any questions for me, Ben?” They asked as they began to pile the papers back into the folder. 

“Um...” suddenly every question that I had for Y/N was gone. I sighed and shook my head. ‘They’ve all left me,” 

They chuckled and nodded their head. “That’s okay. Do you want to take down my cell number? Some parents use it for really urgent questions or updates on their kiddos during a hard day,” 

For some reason, I could feel myself get giddy over the fact that they were offering me their personal number. 

Don’t freak out, they just said that other parents have it, too. Get it together, Ben. 

“Sure, that would be very helpful. You don’t mind if I text you if I remember those questions?” 

“Not at all, that’s what I’m here for,” 

It took me a second, but I finally went fumbling for my phone to take the number down. I handed it over so that they could just plug it in and I could save it. When I got it back, I noticed that they had texted themselves a quick message saying, “Ben Solo’s number”. I slid the phone back into my pocket, trying to hold back the smile that was beginning to pull at my face. 

“Perfect, so uh... did you have any questions for me?” I asked, unsure of what to say now.

“I don’t at the moment but if I think of anything, I’ll shoot you a text,” They seemed so confident when they spoke, which was not helping my growing-by-the-second crush on them. 

“Perfect, so then I’ll be in touch. Thank you, Y/N,” 

“Of course, any time Ben.” With that, they handed me the folder with Maya’s work in it and smiled as they stood with me to escort me out. 

“Talk to you soon,” I mentally slapped myself again. I really couldn’t just shut up for an entire thirty seconds. 

“I sure hope so. Have a good night and tell Maya I said hi,” they stopped at the doorway and bit their lip gently as I turned to face them. I wasn’t sure if I was being flirted with so I just smiled and waved. 

The entire ride home, all I could think about was how absolutely ridiculous I must have sounded during that entire twenty minute meeting. I also questioned whether or not we were flirting or if they were just the nicest person on the planet. 

I parked in the driveway and as I turned off the engine, I could see Maya run out to the front yard. 

“Daddy! You’re home!” 

I smiled wide and climbed out of the vehicle to meet her. She continued to run towards me and I picked her up as soon as she got close enough. 

“I miss’t you daddy,” she said as she wrapped her arms around my neck. 

“I missed you, too, ewok,” I squeezed her a little to let her know that I meant it before looking over to see my mom standing with her hands on her hips. 

“She is exactly like you were as a child, stubborn and charming.” 

I smiled and nodded my head as I walked towards her, Maya still snugly hanging onto my body. 

“I know, but where do you think that I got it from?” 

“Your father,” Mom didn’t miss a beat, and I didn’t argue with her. “How was your meeting?” 

I suddenly felt awkward again as I recalled my interaction with Y/N. “Fine.” 

“How’s our little one doing in school?” 

“Nana I am doin’ amazing, I read and I write,” 

“And she needs help in math, isn’t that right kid?” I looked at her with a small smile before I kissed her cheek and started walking into the home. 

“Well that’s good. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” My mom held the door for me and Maya before making her way to the kitchen. “I was just finishing up dinner,” 

I sat on the couch with my little rebel and rubbed her back as she sat contently with me. My phone chirped in my pocket and I reached in to grab it before it went off a second time. Confused, I took a hard stare at it. 

Y/N: I have a question. -5:23PM

Y/N: Are you free next weekend? -5:23PM

I didn’t even realize what my face was doing until Maya poked my cheek. “Daddy, you’re happy! Who is that?” 

I locked my screen and put my phone down calmly before I shook my head. “A friend, sweetie, that’s all.” 

“Do they want to eat dinner with us?” 

I laughed a little and shrugged. “I don’t think Nana made enough for that many people, maybe another time.” I chuckled and rested my cheek on top of her head, just thinking about Y/N and asking myself how in the galaxy did they not find me absolutely weird. 

But, I wasn’t complaining. 

[edie-k]

The Art of Segue

Title: The Art of Segue

Pairing: Ron/Hermione

Rating: PG (language and mild suggestive dialogue)

This is a sequel to a story I recently re-posted called “The Art of Christmas Tree Selection”. Originally written prior to the publishing of Half Blood Prince, this is slightly AU but not so much that it significantly bucks canon. It can be read separately but I really like the first one so, you know, read it.

Disclaimer: HP and it’s characters aren’t mine.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“What has you so happy?” asked Warren Granger as he entered the kitchen of their home.

“Oh, it’s Christmas time! What’s not to be happy about?” asked Judy, drying her hands on a kitchen towel and turning from the sink where she was finishing washing the dishes. “Everything is so beautifully decorated, everyone is in such good moods, our daughter is home for the holidays…”

“With her boyfriend,” Warren said, as he pulled a chair away from the table and sank into it.

“Whom we both love,” Judy reminded him, as she opened a cupboard door.  

There was a lot of truth in all of her statements. Warren was ecstatic to have his little girl at home. Since Hermione finished school three years ago and the violence that troubled the magical world had been over almost as long, they were able to see her more often. Still it was never enough. Having your child home for the holidays was the best present a parent could receive. And Warren enjoyed having Ron there as well. After four years of dating Hermione, Ron seemed comfortable among their family.

Warren wondered if he was too comfortable.

“It seems different this year, doesn’t it?” Warren asked.

Judy smiled and turned to her husband. “Do you need me to explain why it’s different?”

Warren sighed. “Definitely not.”

Judy laughed. “It’s the exact opposite of Ron’s first Christmas.”

Warren chuckled at this as well. When Hermione brought her boyfriend home over Christmas holiday during her seventh year, Ron avoided the two of them as much as possible and clung to Hermione as a buffer. Warren managed to drag the boy away for proper questioning by forcing him to come along to retrieve a Christmas tree. Ron looked as though he might have jumped out of the moving vehicle. However, when pressed, Ron gathered up the courage to tell him in plain terms what Hermione meant to him and Warren admired his bravery in an uncomfortable situation. Warren felt a bit guilty for cornering the poor kid (although it lessened when he remembered how pale Ron became when he mentioned keeping his hands off his daughter) because he could remember very vividly being questioned by Judy’s father. Ron would understand someday when he did the same thing to his own daughter’s boyfriend.

He and Hermione’s daughter.

Because Ron wanted to marry Hermione.

Oh yes, Ron made it clear three Christmases ago that he wanted to marry her someday. And for the past three years, Warren happily lived in the world of “someday”. But this year was different.

“You can’t avoid him forever!” Judy said with a smile.

“I’m not avoiding him!” Warren insisted.

Oh Lord, was he avoiding him. Or at least being alone with him. Ron and Hermione had arrived two days earlier. During the day, both Judy and he saw patients at the office and the only time they saw Ron and Hermione were in the evenings. Today marked what was supposed to be the beginning of he and Judy’s ten-day holiday, but Warren had offered to fix a patient’s broken crown even when a perfectly capable on-call doctor was available. After this, he went shopping for Judy’s Christmas present, which occupied most of the afternoon. He arrived home shortly before dinner to a knowing but disgruntled look from his wife and a scolding from his daughter.

“Where have you been?” Hermione screeched the instant he entered the living room.

Warren stepped back, startled at her outburst. Ron glanced up from the magazine he had been flipping through and gave Warren a sympathetic look. Warren realized that Hermione had been fuming about this all day.

“I was out Christmas shopping,” Warren said quickly.

“All day? You were only shopping for one person!”

“I-I treated a patient this morning,” Warren said. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was reminded that even though she was an adult, he was the parent and Hermione was his daughter. However, it was hard to validate this when Hermione was in the right.

“Don’t you have a perfectly good on-call doctor for that?” Hermione asked.

“Love, maybe you should just-” Ron started to say but Hermione gave him a withering look and he mumbled, “Never mind.”

“Yes,” Warren said. “But this particular patient is very squeamish about dental work and he preferred to have me as the attending dentist.”

“Well, I hope it was worth wasting a day that you could have spent with your only daughter,” Hermione huffed, sinking into her seat on the couch next to Ron and returned to her book. Ron looked up at Warren and threw him another sympathetic smile.  

And he still had not found a proper gift for his wife.

“Are you continuing not avoiding him tomorrow?” asked Judy.

“Well I-I haven’t quite finished my holiday shopping,” he admitted sheepishly.

“Can I suggest taking your daughter along? She may be helpful and I think she would enjoy the time with you,” Judy suggested.

“An excellent idea. I think I could use a female perspective,” Warren answered. “But wait. That means you’ll be here alone with Ron tomorrow.”

“I’m not the one that’s scared of him,” Judy answered, a large grin forming on her lips.

“Ha, ha,” he said dryly. He stood from the table slowly and stretched. “I suppose I will find Hermione and run the plan by her.”

“Now wait one second,” Judy said, putting a hand up to stop him. “Hermione isn’t the only one who wasn’t happy with your all day disappearing act. But I do have a way for you to make it up to me.”

“Do tell,” he smiled, noticing his wife had gathered various bowls and other baking tools on the kitchen counter.

“You can run to the store and pick up these ingredients so I can start my Christmas baking,” she answered, handing him a slip of paper.

“I think I can handle that,” he replied with a smile.

“Can I come with you, sir?” The sound of the unexpected voice caused Warren to jump in surprise. He turned to meet the eyes of his daughter’s boyfriend. Warren could feel Judy’s smirk penetrating the back of his head.

“I’m just running to the store,” Warren said weakly.

“I know,” Ron replied. “But I’ve been cooped up in the house with two women all day. No offense, Dr. Granger.”

“None taken Ron,” she said, now smiling broadly. It was horrifying how much pleasure the love of Warren’s life could take in his pain. “And I’ve told you- Dr. Granger is unnecessary. You’re an adult, you may call me Judy.”

“Sorry,” he replied, ears reddening slightly. “So, is it alright if I tag along?”

“I think it’s a splendid idea,” Judy replied. “Warren got so distracted while shopping this afternoon, it will do him good to have someone to keep him on task.”

Warren nodded numbly.

“I’ll just run upstairs and get my coat,” Ron replied, turning and leaving the room.

Warren turned to his wife, mouth open.

“He is scary. Look how he crept up on you like that!” Judy exclaimed, the mocking evident in her voice.

“What should I do?” he asked.

“Get your keys and your jacket,” Judy said. “And maybe your checkbook. I heard that the wizarding world is a bit old-fashioned so they may require a dowry.”

“JUDY!” he cried. How could she even joke about this?

“Relax,” she chuckled. “You’ll be fine.”

He sincerely doubted it.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The first time he and Ron were alone together, there were a few moments of awkward silence before Warren began his interrogation. In the times they were together since than, conversation flowed naturally with comfortable pauses. But Warren knew that this time, if he left a lull in the conversation, Ron was liable to make his move. So in the five minutes Warren had prior to meeting Ron at the car, he brainstormed for every topic unrelated to Hermione that he could think of to fire off questions about.

“Is it difficult to be spending Christmas away from your family?” Warren asked first. Ron was related to so many people that it was a topic that could keep him talking for awhile.

Ron snorted. “It’s fine. I see plenty of them the rest of the year and we’ll be spending New Year’s there. Besides, I know exactly what I’m missing.”

“And what’s that?” Be descriptive. I want all the details.

“Bill and Fleur will be arguing over baby names. Mum will be nagging Charlie and Cory about when they’ll have a baby, Fred and Angelina about wedding stuff, George about settling down, and Percy and Penny about the baby’s cough. Dad will try out some Muggle device he has no clue about. Mum will continue to not-so-subtly hint to Harry and Ginny that the love of their lives may be right under their noses and make way too much food.”

“It sounds like you know the routine,” Warren laughed.

“Oh, there’s variation. Sometimes Bill and Fleur argue over who the godparents will be,” Ron said with a grin.

That exchange ate up about 45 seconds of the car trip. Warren grasped for another topic.

“Harry is joining your family for Christmas?” Ron nodded. “How is Harry? We haven’t seen him around recently.”

“He’s fine. He likes being an Auror and I think he’s enjoying no longer having the weight of the world on his shoulders.”

“Ah, yes. And how does it feel to actually be out in the field?” Warren asked. Warren glanced toward Ron. Ron was a specialized law enforcement officer now. He must carry some sort of weaponry right? Did he have it on him right now? Warren knew that Ron didn’t have a firearm because two years ago, they viewed a program on television and Ron had not known what a pistol was. Perhaps he carried some sort of knife? Or did wizards just hold the perpetrators at wandpoint?  Wandpoint did not sound very intimidating but then again, Warren was not familiar with what exactly a wand could do. Wandpoint also did not sound like a real word, at least not in his dictionary. He made a mental note to ask Hermione about it later.

“The increase in wages is definitely something that I enjoy,” Ron said with a laugh. “It’s nice to be out there making a difference.” Warren glanced at Ron and noticed that he looked a bit hesitant.

“Is something wrong?” Warren asked and then mentally slapped himself. Yes, he could be nervous about asking his girlfriend’s father for his permission to marry her, Warren chided himself. But don’t worry; you were right there to prompt him along.

“No, no. Not really. I’ve just had a difficult choice to make and I think I made it but- I find myself second guessing.”

This could not be regarding Hermione. Even if he did not want Ron to propose, he knew that Ron was certain about Hermione. So what was he uncertain about? “Maybe I can offer some guidance?” Warren suggested.

“The afternoon before I started my vacation, my sister-in-law called me in her office.”

“I thought she taught Interrogation to trainees,” Warren said.

“She does but Cory is also the assistant interrogator in the Auror department,” Ron said.

“I don’t understand why she would call you in,” Warren said, confused.

“She called me in to tell me she received a promotion. She’s the head of interrogation for the Aurors, in addition to her training duties.”

Warren nodded. He could see where this was going but was baffled as to what the problem was.

“She told me that her and Shacklebolt, who heads the Aurors, were offering me the assistant interrogator’s position. And that’s a huge job. There’s room for all sorts of advancement and the pay is excellent.” Ron paused for a second and reddened slightly. “Told me it’s rare that someone with as little experience as me would be offered the position but I was one of the best at interrogation. I mean, they have all sorts of other people that are already in the interrogation department that would die for that job.”

“Then I fail to see the problem Ron,” Warren replied.

“At first, I was worried about not making a difference. Field work, catching the bad guys- that’s why I have wanted to be an Auror since I was fourteen. It’s why I went through all those years of training.”

“But interrogation is an important part of the justice process,” Warren argued.

Ron chuckled. “Believe me, Cory made sure to point that out many times. The fact is that even three years after the war-” Warren still cringed every time he heard that word and thought of Hermione’s involvement in it. “Death Eaters and war criminals are still being caught. With all the rebuilding and with how corrupt the prosecution department was prior to the war… without thorough Auror interrogation, people are going free,” Ron said and his eyes darkened slightly. “I can’t stand the idea of any of those bastards- er, I mean-”

“No, it’s okay,” replied Warren, thinking of the man who left Hermione unconscious in a hospital bed for two painstaking days. Bastard seemed to be the only appropriate term.

 “I just don’t want any of them to go without punishment,” Ron said. “What’s the point of field work if they aren’t going to prison?”

“There isn’t one,” Warren answered. “That’s why they want the best people possible.”

“I feel sort of guilty being promoted above all these other people already in the department but Cory says we have personality traits that make us naturals for this work. She calls it persistence but I’m not sure that’s what our family members would call it.”

Warren laughed. He himself was feeling a bit guilty for avoiding Ron this week. He did like the boy. He liked that Ron was soliciting him for advice and seemed genuinely interested in his opinion. It was almost a conversation between a father and a…

Bloody hell.

“There’s another reason why I’ve decided to take the job,” Ron said and suddenly, Warren was thrown back in time.

It was two summers ago and Warren was sitting outside with Judy during a gathering at the Burrow. Ron, Hermione, and Harry were sitting at the opposite end of the picnic table as Warren and Judy. Hermione was quizzing both boys on terms for their Interrogation exam and Ron seemed to be doing well. Harry on the other hand-

“What’s the best way to get all the details from a reluctant witness Harry?” Hermione read from the pieces of parchment in front of her.

“Take their word for it?” suggested Harry. “Bloody hell, I don’t know! What does this have to do with being an Auror? Why do I need to learn about questioning witnesses? I’m never going to be an interrogator!”

“Not with that attitude!” scolded Hermione. Ron smirked at his friend from across the table. Hermione sighed. “Ron, do you know?”

“Make the witness feel comfortable, talking about matters unrelated to the case. Be sure to obtain responses from them. Smoothly transition into your actual questions and do not let up until you have your answers. The lull and ambush,” Ron explained.

Harry scoffed “That will never work.”

Without even realizing it, Warren had been lulled. And here came the transition.

“First of all, it’s safer. There’s still plenty of risks, although I do have to be on emergency field call two nights a month. Criminals have been stripped of wands and weapons prior to interrogation, so they can still be dangerous but much less so.”

“Uh huh,” replied Warren. He wanted to stop Ron so badly but he felt compelled to listen and respond. Harry was wrong; the lull and ambush worked brilliantly.

“And I already mentioned the raise. And the hours are excellent. Except for those two nights on-call and the emergencies that are few and far between, it’s daytime hours. Hermione hated me working nights. She’ll be so happy. It couldn’t have come at a better time.” Ron stopped and took a breath. “Because I have something to ask her and something to ask you as well.”

In her sixth year, Hermione wrote her mother a letter that he wasn’t supposed to read. She informed Judy that she and Ron were dating and exuberantly listed all his virtues. Of course, she had left “master of segue” off of the list.

They approached a stoplight and Warren let his eyes close. This was it. He had three options. He could throw the car in park, get out, and run like mad. He could shove Ron out of the passenger’s side and slam on the gas pedal.

He really didn’t like option one. He loved this car. He had waited years to have this car. The thought of abandoning it broke his heart. And option two seemed even less viable. Ron was a bit taller and due to his Auror training, much fitter than him. He doubted that he would be able to push him out. That just left option three.

Accepting his fate. Warren kept his eyes closed as Ron began to speak.

“D-Dr. Granger, I-I love your daughter,” Ron started. Warren’s eyes flew open. Was he actually nervous? After that brilliant ploy to lull him into complacency? He stared at Ron for a moment until he heard a car horn sound angrily behind him. Warren pressed on the gas and drove under the green light, still processing this shocking revelation.

“And she makes me- she makes me the happiest man in the world,” Ron continued. He was stuttering!

“Hermione, she’s-she’s perfect. She’s everything that a person could possibly be. There’s no one that is even close to being worthy of her, no one that can give her everything she deserves. But out of everyone, I think I would try the hardest.“

Ron looked so serious, so earnest. Warren had no clue as to how he should reply but before he could open his mouth, Ron charged on.

“Sir, I want to marry your daughter and- and I’m asking your permission to do that,” Ron said. He paused and wrung his hands. “To ask her to marry me,” he clarified unnecessarily.

Warren took a deep, calming breath and turned to take a good look at Ron. He was extremely white; his freckles standing out against his pale cheeks and his hands were shaking ever so slightly. Realization hit Warren like a ton of bricks.

He held the power. All week, Warren was- all right, Judy, scared- of Ron and there was absolutely no reason to be. Ron held no power in this situation. Ron was forced to seek out his permission! He was practically begging! All Warren had to do was say no, send this boy on his way, and keep his daughter a little girl forever.

But even as the delicious thought formed in his mind, he knew that it was wrong.

Here was a boy- no, a man- that promised him long ago that he would defend Hermione and do anything for her. He was a man whom his daughter loved and whose name never failed to bring a smile to her face. After today’s conversation, it was obvious that his job would allow him to be able to take care of her (not that his daughter could not take care of herself but it was reassuring nonetheless). Ron even admitted that he could never be worthy of Hermione but still swore to give her everything that he possibly could.

Could he really say no to that?

Sure he could. But Hermione was going to marry him whether she had his blessing or not. And since Ron had properly and respectfully come to him, Warren may as well resign himself to maturity as well.

“Well, Ron, if you’re going to marry my daughter, you’ll need to drop this ‘sir’ and ‘Dr. Granger’ nonsense,” Warren said, forcing himself to be more jovial than he really felt. “But uh, let’s hold off on, Dad. Warren will be fine.”

Color flooded back into Ron’s cheeks and his tense face relaxed began to relax. “Really?” he said, his tone a bit incredulous. “You mean, you’ll let me marry Hermione?”

Warren laughed, more genuinely this time. “Yes, I will.”

“Wow,” he said quietly. “Wow. Now I just have to get her to say yes.”

“I doubt that will be much of a problem,” Warren replied. Ron still looked somewhat uneasy about how Hermione would really answer.

“When’s the big day?” Warren asked.

“I don’t know, I don’t even know if she’ll agree to marry me yet.”

“No,” Warren chuckled. “When are you proposing?”

“Oh, um, I have it sort of set up for New Year’s Eve. Do you want to be there? I mean, you and Judy? My whole family is going to be there and I know my mum would love to have both of you there,” Ron said nervously. “We’re all- I mean, we’re all sort of going to be family I hope.”

Warren glanced back at Ron for a second. As Hermione got older, she became more and more involved in the wizarding world and one of his fears concerning Hermione marrying Ron was that it would draw her completely away from their world. Maybe those fears were unfounded. Ron often joined them for holidays and the Weasleys regularly invited him and Judy to join them for family gatherings.

“I’ll have to check with Judy but I doubt we have anything more important happening,” Warren answered, as he steered the car into a parking space. He and Ron exited the car and head into the store.

“Oh, and would you not tell Hermione?” Ron asked.

Warren laughed as he fished Judy’s list out of his jacket pocket. “I’m not going to ruin your proposal!”

“No, about the job. I haven’t told her about it yet. I was waiting- well, I was just waiting to tell her. I thought I would surprise her after I was able to actually accept the job,” Ron said. His ears started to turn red. “I just- I just thought it would be better to tell her once we were back home.” His face had begun to catch up with his ears. “So it wouldn’t interfere with our Christmas.”

Warren looked at him curiously. Why would he be holding off on telling her? “I would think that it would make a nice Christmas present for-”  

Ron was staring straight ahead, face aflame as Warren put the pieces together. Ron wanted to wait until he could properly celebrate with his daughter, which couldn’t happen under her parents’ roof. Warren glanced down at the items on Judy’s list.

He may need to add a bottle of scotch.

The Grangers’ parent names are shout-outs, Judy to sproutgirl and Warren to lavenderbrown. Love both of those stories.

Also, I want to thank allybee for permitting me to use Ron’s line about trying the hardest from her story “Love, or Something Like It” on Checkmated. It’s my second favorite romantic line (I swear, one day, Ron will say “I remember everything.”) and I’ve been dying to use it. Blatant plagiarism is only cool with permission.

[spaceschool]

🎄That’s right! It’s time to start getting ready for Space School’s 7th annual 12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS! 🎄

It’s that time of year again! Time to start getting ready for this year’s Spacemas!

BASIC INFO:

I need to fill about 10 guest comic slots.

Comics should be at least 1 single page. (Max 4 pages)

Comics should be in full color.

Comics need to be X-mas/Winter themed!

I also accept illustrations, but they must have a clear narrative or dialogue!

Tone can be humorous, serious, anything like that. As long as it’s Space School and X-mas/Winter themed all at once.

DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 13TH FOR ALL FINISHED ART!

HOW TO APPLY:

DON’T send me any completed art, instead just send your idea/pitch for what you’d like to do for said comic.

Link or attach example of your art or portfolio!

Send all of this to my e-mail colinxzain@hotmail.com

Label e-mail “Space School Guest Comic Pitch”

And  that’s about it! It’s pretty flexible and this is all in good fun! I  would be honored if some of you applied to make a guest comic this year!(If you applied last year, feel free to apply again this year if you’re feeling up to it. I loved all the artists I worked with last year and would love to work with ya’ll again.)

This full post on Tumblr has more info about Space School and Christmas/Guestmas in general in case you're curious!

Below is more info about Guestmas and Christmas time in Space School:

Space School Christmas Illustrations by year:

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016 (PART 2)

2017

2018

2019

Original 12 Days of Spacemas announcement image

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2014

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2015

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2016

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2017

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2018

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2019

I would love to see some of these past outfits re-created in any comics but new ones or just general winter themed outfits are fine too. Zeggy should most always be Santa though, unless joke calls for otherwise. BUT! Jokes trump everything– if it’s funny, I want it.

SPACE SCHOOL AND THE HOLIDAYS:

Because Winter-time has always been a time of hoilday-stuffs for lots of places and planets (especially those who were colonized by Earth or Nubia) Space School most often gives the whole school lots of time off in December from school-life.

All holidays are accepted to celebrated within the walls as long as everyone is being respectful of each other– as with most things in Space School. The School decorates mostly with lights and tries to stay away from leaning one way or the other. Students are allowed to decorate inside their dorms as they please, obviously.

Most students leave home to their respective planets for the holidays but some students and teachers stay at the school thru the whole month– sometimes celebrating together!

It’s an exciting and peaceful time for everyone~

Alkaline, Zeggy, and Toggy usually go home for the holidays (sometimes together) and Joe stays at the school. Sometimes Joe joins Toggy, Terrago, and Omnivera at their homes.

Dude, Maleena, and Vava either see their separate families alone or all stay together in their home near the school.

Dennis and Booker spend the holiday cooped up alone at Booker’s apartment avoiding everyone but each other.

ZEGGY AND HIS PLANET’S CULTURE:

Zeggy is canonically the most all about Christmas out of the whole group.

X-mas was an adopted holiday by Ollce when Earth colonized the planet and as such, it resembles Christmas as we known it with some key differences.

As far as the tree goes, it starts out as a sculpted pile of dirt resembling a tree or other X-mas object that is watered thru the month with various glowing mushrooms and other fun alien-glowy-bits appearing as it’s watered– so by the time Christmas rolls around the tree will have grown it’s own ornaments to light up the room!

You buy bags of seed/spores each year for the tree, these bags make great gifts and are often put in stockings!!!

Otherwise, a lot of the traditions are the same with either having different looking aesthetics. They do stockings, presents under the tree, and Santa– who instead of having a sleigh– instead rides a single giant mole (which is a creature from purple planet, I can provide reference for) and is of course, purple himself. He rides this mole– who is named Rudolf, around all the underground cities of Ollce delivering presents to all the kids.

Zeggy gets into the holiday spirit way too early and way too fast. He decorates his whole dorm room as well as wearing as much X-mas accessories as he’s allowed over his school uniform.

He’s the type of person to put everything non-Christmas away and replace it with Christmas themed things.

He absolutely spoils Alkaline with tons and tons and way too many gifts– all of which are extremely personalized.

Otherwise, he only buys presents for his parents/grandparents, Joe, Toggy, and gives cards to his teachers. Most of his efforts go towards Alkaline.

He eats a billion food, sings a billion songs, and is fucking obnoxious. It’s beautiful.

ALKALINE AND HIS TRADITIONS:

Alkaline likes Christmas just as much as everyone else and is definitely not as hype as Zeggy because who could match Zeggy’s energy, honestly. But, he definitely gets into the spirits! Enjoys the food, drink, songs, presents– etc.

Christmas on Earth is very similar to what we think of it now which some differences– many of which haven’t totally been decided upon so feel free to have some fun interpretations.

Christmas has most definitely become a non-religious holiday in most all senses on Earth. It’s more just about the aesthetics and being with family members, buying fits, eating food, etc.

Alkaline is either with Zeggy in his home on Ollce or has Zeggy over on Earth. He stays with his Mom and Sister, visiting extended family on Christmas Day for dinner.

Alkaline buys everyone he knows presents– even if it’s just something small!

I usually draw Alkaline as a reindeer because Alkaline with antlers is super cute.

JOE’S ‘CHRISTMAS’:

Christmas isn’t celebrated where Joe is from– they have other traditions. However; Christmas Day is actually Joe’s birthday– which he usually chooses to spend alone or with Dennis or Lorna (his girlfriend)– depending on the age.

As such, Joe doesn’t care too much about Christmas and see’s it more of just as “his birthday” but starts to appreciate the holiday more when Zeggy’s festive spirit invades him. And, he likes the presents.

I’m sure Zeggy and Joe have some special X-mas moments together with Zeggy trying to show Joe all about “The Christmas Spirit”!

TOGGY’S TRADITIONS:

On Nubia, they don’t really have a Christmas but rather a big celebration of a New Year like holiday where they begin the new calendar year.  Like Christmas, it’s a time to celebrate with family and loved ones.  

Typically people travel long distances to spend the two days reunited with family, and everything shuts down.  The most important part of the festivities is to tell stories about the year–letting out stress or frustration while also reliving good moments and bonding with family members.  

This is always accompanied by large amounts of alcoholic beverages, which are enjoyed by all ages.  

Oftentimes everyone gets really smashed the first day and then sleeps it off the next.   Food varies from region to region but typically includes mostly unprocessed foods such as berries and vegetables, or dried lizard or fish jerky. As the festivities mark the beginning of the new year, many Nubians will dye their hair to a different color or get a new piercing around this time. Presents aren’t really a thing on Nubia, though it is common for parents and grandparents to give their children small sums of money to encourage them to have new adventures in the new year.  

Toggy’s family is a bit more accustomed to Earth traditions though, and so he tries to buy his close friends gifts for “Christ-mass” but they are always strange and often food.

DUDE, MALEENA, VAVA:

The 3’s traditions are similar to Alkaline’s since they’re all from Earth– so not much to say there.

Dude spends a lot of time in an apron baking cookies, cakes, etc as presents for everyone he knows and Vava and Maleena definitely gain some weight this time of year.

They all get drunk a lot and laugh a lot and just have a good time together BEING A LIL FAMILY.

Dude always makes sure to exchange presents with students he’s helped thru the year; since he often takes troubled students under his wing.

DENNIS AND BOOKER:

Booker nicely decorates his apartment and spends a lot of time with Dennis on the couch eating food and talking. They frick a lot too.

It’s chill.

OMNIVERA AND TERRAGO:

As the resident “gays into roleplays”, Omnivera and Terrago do a lot of dressing up for X-mas.

There’s a lot of time Terrago will be with Toggy’s family with them– and so I’m sure Omnivera is there sometimes as well. In a billion, expensive outfits.

The two of them absolutely spoil each other and nobody else in presents– except for Toggy who they buy something for– OF COURSE.

NOTE ABOUT REX: Due to some wild stuff happening with the creator of Rex, Rex will no longer be appearing in Space School and therefore should not be appearing in any Guest Comics! Sorry!

AND PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO ADD NEW HEAD-CANONS OR INTERPRETATIONS FOR FUTURE HOLIDAYS!! REALLY, THIS STUFF IS JUST HERE TO GET YOU STARTED SO GO HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tsarisfanfiction]

Grounded pt4

Fandom: Thunderbirds Rating: Teen Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Family Characters: Scott, Tracy Family

7k words later and this thing that was supposed to be a short explanation for what I saw as a plot hole in Venom is finally at an end. Got rather out of hand but since when is that unusual with fics? This’ll be proof read, edited, and then posted on AO3/FFN soon; I’m still undecided if I should chapter split it or have it all as a oneshot but it won’t be exactly as it’s been split here because I’ve posted this as I wrote it.

Someone mentioned ‘what if the ep was really like this’ so I’ll reiterate some of my earlier notes: this fic is a reaction to the lack of TB1 or Scott doing any sort of piloting in the S3 Venom despite it being a rescue where speed was important.  All the events in part 2 fit around the events we see in the episode seamlessly (I literally watched it in 5 sec bursts as I was writing to make sure of that), so to them and everyone else who thought that: this fic is designed to be that episode, just viewed through a different lens.  And then I made it worse after the episode was over because why not.

The reaction to this has been fantastic so far, way beyond anything I expected!  Thanks for that, and I hope you enjoy this last installment as much as the rest of it.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

There was a steady beeping, calm and methodical.  Beep… beep… beep… it went, more of a reassurance than an irritant to the dregs of his consciousness.  Scott recognised it, but couldn’t place it, and found himself more interested in the fresh air flowing around his mouth and nose.  That was more immediately familiar, a constant from his last bout of consciousness, and it didn’t take his stirring brain long to label it as a rebreather.

Was that really necessary? Frowning slightly, he lifted a hand to his face and tugged the machine away, fresh air replaced with warmer air that had just the faintest tang.  The air of the sea.  He’d been on Thunderbird Two, but Thunderbird Two’s air didn’t taste of warmth and salt, rather the recycled air of an enclosed plane in flight, crisp and just a little bit off.  If this wasn’t Thunderbird Two and he was tasting sea air, there was only one place he could possibly be.

He smiled, hand still holding the rebreather falling to his side limply.  He was home.

Opening his eyes was a little more of a challenge, eyelids still heavy and eyelashes catching on each other, but as he blinked his way into awareness, beads of moisture forming in the corners of his eyes but not falling, he realised that he was almost sitting upright, the bed raised to its full extent so he was facing the wall with its fake holographic window rather than the plain and boring ceiling.

Scott appreciated that, letting the rebreather fall from his fingers as he wiped the sleep and moisture from his eyes.  He’d spent far too many hours staring at the ceiling that never changed, and at least the hologram could change.  The actual reasoning behind his positioning was more likely his rib, which Scott would worry about later.  It wasn’t his rib that had tried to kill him, and he looked down at his left arm.

A neat band-aid – a childish one, decorated with bright red biplanes soaring across a blue background that he’d always fought for as a kid – stood out against his bare skin, just below the elbow, and he smiled, wondering which of his brothers was responsible for that one.  On that same forearm he also saw a cannula, attached to tubing with translucent liquid passing through, and grimaced.  He never liked being on a drip.

He was no longer in his uniform.  Part of him – the part that contained his pride – bristled at that, wondering who had stripped him while he was unconscious and why, but the clothes he was wearing were comfortable, well-worn, and unmistakable as his favourite pyjamas even without him looking at them.  His comfort-pyjamas, although he was fairly certain he’d never made the mistake of letting that slip to anyone.  The ones he turned to whenever things got particularly rough, a plain unassuming dark grey with worn patches from the times he’d needed all the support he could get.

It could just be a coincidence, although Scott was uncomfortably aware that if there was one person he couldn’t keep anything truly secret from it was John, but whatever the reason, he was glad of them now.  There was nothing like comfort clothes after a near-death experience.

Considering he’d just had a near-death experience, the lack of anyone in the room with him was somewhat unusual.  Virgil in particular he’d expected to see, his younger brother blaming himself for bringing him out on the mission even before he’d been bitten, let alone afterwards. Kayo hovering unassumedly in the corner, sharp eyes full of concern.  John flickering by his side, watching him for the slightest change. Grandma, retired from caring for strangers but never too old to stay up all night with her family.

Scott eyed the drip. If none of his family were with him, physically or virtually, then that meant something else was going on that trumped his condition.  In their family, there was very little that trumped an unconscious brother or grandson. And if they weren’t with him, he had no intentions of staying put.

He’d removed drips hundreds of times – his own and other peoples’.  By this point, he had it down to an art, even if his sneaky family had tried to make it harder on him by putting it in his dominant arm; there were benefits to being ambidextrous.  He reached across with his right hand, fingers gently probing the needle, and had just found the sweet spot when there was the unmistakable hsss of the door sliding open.

“What do you think you’re doing, young man?” Grandma demanded, striding in and gently but firmly forcing him to release his grip.  “That’s there for a reason.”

“Hey, Grandma,” he greeted, grinning at her and ignoring that she’d just caught him trying to escape. “How long was I asleep?”

“Your siblings brought you back four and a half hours ago,” she told him, picking up the discarded rebreather and placing it on the bedside table before perching on the bed.  Scott watched her carefully, accepting the hand cupping his cheek as a thumb swiped at what was presumably some sleep he’d missed.  “Trust you to wake up the one time I have to use the toilet.  This old bladder can’t hold it in like it used to.”

Scott grimaced good-naturedly at the tmi and she chuckled at him, patting his cheek lightly twice before letting her hand rest.

“You gave us all a scare there, Scott,” she said softly, eyes running over him once before meeting his own.  “You don’t have to try and beat Gordon on that score, you know.  It’s okay to let someone else have that crown.”

“I’d appreciate it if he never gave me another scare in my life,” Scott admitted, before glancing around the room again.  “Where are they, anyway?  Not to sound self-centred, but I don’t usually wake up here alone.”

“Alan and Kayo are dealing with a stalled freighter just outside of orbit and Gordon and Virgil are responding to a sinking cargo ship,” Grandma told him.  “They’ll all be back soon, and delighted to know you’ve decided to re-join the land of the living.”  She tangled her fingers with his, pressing them to her chest with a hand that was almost trembling.  “It was a close call, Scott.  Your brother almost didn’t make it in time.”

His brother? Virgil?  John?  John had had a plan, he remembered that much, although he wasn’t sure he’d ever heard the details.  Wait…

“I heard Thunderbird One,” he said, recalling the roar that had soothed him to sleep like a purr.  It could have been a figment of his imagination, but he didn’t think so.  A smile spread across his grandmother’s face.

“Of course you did,” she laughed.  “You boys and your machines.  Well on your way to see your mother and you still recognised your ‘bird.”  The smile was bright for a moment before it dimmed again. “Alan flew all the way to a lab in China to collect a dose of the antivenom before rendezvousing with Thunderbird Two to deliver it.  I’ve never seen that ‘bird fly so fast without you in the hotseat.”

Alan.  Scott could well imagine his youngest brother, face screwed up in concentration and fear, sat in the pilot’s seat.  The idea tied a knot in his chest, but at the same time there was pride, and an unexpected thankfulness for the rib injury that had kept him grounded and subsequently given Alan more flight hours in his ‘bird. Without that…

Without that, he might well have died.  The realisation doused him like cold water, his eyes leaving his grandmother’s to stare blindly at his lap.  He’d known he was dying, remembered a desperate fight against whispered promises of the stars and seeing his Mom again, but sitting in the infirmary, home and safe, it carried a different weight.

“Oh, Scott,” Grandma whispered, releasing his hand and cheek only to draw him in to a careful hug around his shoulders.  “It’s okay. It’s over.”  After a moment his hands found the back of her always there purple onesie, fisting around the fabric as his head rested in the crook of her neck.  “It’s okay.”

There was the slightest of cracks in her voice, a reminder that no matter how much steel she was made of, she wasn’t immune to the idea of loss.  Her parents, long ago, before Scott’s memories began.  Her husband, daughter in law.  Her son, who might still be alive and waiting for them.

“I’m okay,” he repeated, as much for her benefit as his.  “I’m okay.”

Her hand found the back of his head, fingers threading through his hair softly as though he was a young boy woken from a nightmare again.  It was the sort of treatment she didn’t give him in front of his brothers, knowing that he preferred to keep up the illusion of strength in front of them, no matter what.

“I want you to take it easy,” she told him after a minute or so, releasing him and instead gripping his hands in hers.  One pair was trembling, but he didn’t know if it was his or hers.  “I know that’s not in your vocabulary, but I refuse to let you throw yourself back in harms’ way until you’re fully recovered after what happened today.”

“But-” Scott protested, complaints and reasons why he shouldn’t be bedbound queuing up one after the other on the tongue.  A single look from his grandmother quelled them all before he could vocalise any.

“If you can’t do it for the sake of your own recovery,” she said, something in her voice implying that she thought he should treat himself better – he treated himself fine! – “then do it for our peace of mind, Scott.  We were all terrified when we heard what happened. Virgil was stuck watching you slip away with no way of stopping it.  That fear doesn’t magically go away, Scott.  We all know that.”

He was saved from answering by the swish of the door opening again.  He glanced over, wondering who it could be when he hadn’t heard any Thunderbirds come in to land.  Brains and the Mechanic were the only others on the island, and while it wasn’t unusual for Brains to check up on the infirmary, Scott didn’t want the Mechanic near him in his current condition.

It wasn’t the Mechanic. It wasn’t Brains, either – or MAX, for that matter.

“h’Oh, you’re h’awake!” Parker said with a surprised but delighted grin as he fumbled his way into the room carrying a tray laden with food.  “h’I was just bringing food for Mrs Tracy…” he trailed off, but continued to approach the bed.

“Parker, you shouldn’t have,” Grandma smiled, releasing one of Scott’s hands to move the rebreather off of the bedside table.  The older man set the tray down before stepping up to Scott’s side.  He didn’t reach for him, keeping his hands loosely behind his back, but sharp blue eyes raked him up and down.

“’Ow are you feeling?” he asked after a moment.

“I’m fine,” Scott replied, ignoring the eye roll from his grandmother, who clearly didn’t agree with his assessment.  Aside from some token weariness, which he knew was normal after a spell of time unconscious, he really did feel perfectly fine.  Even his rib wasn’t bothering him.

“h’I suppose that’s because you’re h’on the good stuff,” Parker shrugged, making Scott pause.  He should have realised that, especially after all the trouble his ribs had given him on the mission.  The temptation was there to ask how badly his recovery had been set back, but that would have just given Grandma even more ammunition to stay in bed. Besides, he’d be told eventually. Of more immediate interest was Parker’s unexpected visit.

“What brings you to the island, Parker?” he asked, glancing around the room again.  “I don’t see Lady Penelope around?”

“M’Lady’s in the lounge,” Parker told him.  “We came ‘ere to drop off the Centurion-21 fuel for Brains, but ‘eard h’about you and M’Lady requested to stay h’a while.”

“You’re always welcome here,” Grandma reminded him, and Scott smiled in agreement.  “Is she making any progress?”

“h’I couldn’t say for sure,” Parker shrugged.  “But I know M’Lady and Master John won’t stop h’until they get their way.”

Scott frowned.  Combined, John and Lady Penelope were an almost unstoppable force, but he couldn’t think of any reason for that tag-team, not right now.

“What are they doing?” he asked, because anything that big, he needed to know about.  Especially if working on that was a higher priority for John than checking in on him – John, the brother who was too used to sitting out of the loop and firmly inserted himself virtually into any situation with a brother operating at less than one hundred percent.  Scott knew he wasn’t at one hundred percent, not even by his own standards.

“Making sure today’s events never happen again,” Grandma answered, curling her hand back around his again.

Today’s events. The rescue?  Him being bitten?  That was all bad luck, how could they possibly ensure it never happened again? Although, he supposed, if anyone could, it would be the duo currently working on it.

His confusion must have shown on his face, because Parker took it upon himself to explain.  “h’It transpires that the reason the ‘ospital ran h’out of h’antivenom was a funding problem,” he said, sounding somewhat unimpressed.  Scott didn’t blame him – whenever money was the problem, he found himself wanting to strangle whoever had decided lining their pockets was more important than human lives. “M’Lady h’is setting up a charity to make sure all ‘ospitals can ‘ave all the h’antivenoms they need.”  Admirable and welcome, but that didn’t explain John’s involvement.  He certainly hadn’t been needed in any of her past charity ventures.

“So what’s John doing?” he asked, hoping his brother was not ruining whoever had decided money was more important than lives.  It wouldn’t be the first time, and while Scott agreed that they deserved it, sometimes John could go a little too far.

“Arranging for International Rescue to have our own stock of all known antivenoms,” Grandma told him, squeezing his hands gently.  “We might not be able to stop spiders sneaking into our Thunderbirds, or you boys throwing yourselves in front of each other, but there is no reason why you should have had to suffer for an hour because you didn’t have the right antivenom on hand.”

That made sense, and Scott nodded his approval.  International Rescue did have a stock of common antivenoms, as well as everything they needed to deal with the local fauna on Tracy Island, but if they could broaden that, at least to the most dangerous venoms, it would only be a good thing.

It was also a typical John reaction – finding out why something had gone wrong and immediately finding a way to stop it happening again.  That, at least, told Scott that John was okay.  If he’d found a solution to the problem then he would be satisfied. No doubt Scott would find himself under close holographic scrutiny in the near future so John could see for himself that he really was fine, but with a solution the what-ifs wouldn’t be playing on his mind.

His other siblings would be less easily pacified.  He had no idea what Gordon knew, having not seen his water-loving brother at all that day thanks to a fishing trawler in trouble, but Virgil and Kayo would be kicking themselves black and blue, and Alan would be stuck in the what if I’d been too late loop.  Scott knew that feeling very well indeed.

He hadn’t yet decided if the fact that it had launched rather than exploded made the fact that he’d reached the Zero-X too late better or worse.  He wasn’t sure he’d ever decide.

“Still, I think we’d better let them know you’ve woken up,” Grandma said, releasing his hands.  “I won’t be long, so don’t even think about getting out of that bed, young man.”  She shared a look with Parker.  “If you’re hungry, see if you can eat some of that food Parker’s brought in.”  A gentle hand touched his cheek lightly before she stood up and left the room.

One look at Parker told him he wasn’t going to be going anywhere, especially when the man perched on the section of bed Grandma had just vacated.  Parker was the one he’d learnt many of his escaping tricks from – if there was one person that would see through them all, it was the butler.

“h’I wouldn’t be in too much of a ‘urry to h’escape, Master Scott,” the older man said, and Scott found himself relaxing back against the bed.  Master Scott.  It was his favourite of Parker’s ways of referring to him, but also the rarest.  He’d graduated to ‘Mr Scott’ after the Zero-X, the man’s acknowledgement that he was now the head of the family without using the dreaded Mr Tracy.  Parker never called him that, not even in public when the rest of the world insisted. Sir was a substitute when society demanded, and Scott always appreciated that.

Master Scott only came out when Parker was being fussy, and never with an audience.  Just like Grandma, he knew and accepted there was a front to be held in front of younger siblings – even if neither of them approved.  If he was Master Scott, he wasn’t expected to make any decisions or take on any of his father’s responsibilities.

“Some food?” the butler asked, gesturing to the tray.  It was homemade, but not by Grandma, and Scott would have to be far worse off to even consider declining that.  In answer, he reached for the toast, only for Parker to lightly touch his wrist and stop him. “You’ll get crumbs h’everywhere if you h’eat like that,” the older man scolded lightly.  “Stay still, there’s a good lad.”

The tray was relocated to his lap, and Scott tore into the offering as soon as Parker retracted his hands, to an amused chuckle from his companion.

“h’It’s not going anywhere, Master Scott,” Parker reminded him.

“He’s just trying to finish it before the others get home and want to share,” John commented, and Scott’s head jerked up to see his brother’s hologram materialise alongside him. He looked tired, not that that was an unusual occurrence over the past few weeks.  “You’re looking better, Scott.”

“I can’t imagine that’s hard,” he managed through a mouthful of food.  The last time he’d been aware of John’s presence, he’d been deep in the clutches of deadly venom.  If he’d looked half as had as he’d felt, it would have been an awful sight.  “How’s the campaign going?”

John pulled a face.  “They’re asking for money, which by itself isn’t a problem because I expected that, but they’re trying to charge us triple what they charge hospitals, and as Lady P’s working to get those rates reduced because they’re extortionate, I’m not letting them use our lives to line their pockets.”

Scott grimaced along with him.  Money grabbers were the worst.

“So what’s your plan?” he asked, because there was no way John was letting that slide.

“Persuading them that it’s better in their interest long-term to not try and bankrupt us,” John offered, a bemused look on his face.  “We could afford it, but if they think that they’ll be driving the prices up with every new shipment.  More realistically, I’m talking to Colonel Casey to see if the GDF can’t pull some weight. As they’re military and not private, the companies couldn’t charge them as much.  It would leave us needing the GDF’s good will for access, but we already know the GDF don’t dare put us out of business.”

It was Scott’s turn to pull a face.  He hated getting the GDF involved in anything; for as long as Colonel Casey was a dominant figure in the organisation International Rescue wouldn’t have any issues, but in the longer term he was brutally aware that she was their father’s generation.  At some point, she would be forced to retire and then they’d – he’d – have to handle the full force of the GDF without inside help.

Still, he trusted John and Colonel Casey.  Anything they implemented would be beneficial to International Rescue.

“Let me know what you come up with,” he requested, and John nodded, turquoise eyes briefly scanning across him.

“Alan and Kayo will be returning home in five minutes,” he told him.  “Do you want me to tell them you’re awake or let them find out for themselves when they check in?”

“Tell them once they’ve landed,” Scott decided.  “Virgil and Gordon, too – what’s their ETA?”

“They’re racing Thunderbird Three home,” John shrugged.  “But Thunderbird Three will win.”  Scott chuckled.  Alan somehow always won their races home, no matter how much further away he’d been.

“What are they betting this time?” he asked, and John grinned.

“Loser gets to be your slave for the week,” he said.

“Mine?”

“Well you’re not doing much on your own any time soon,” John told him matter-of-factly.  “Has Grandma given you the rundown?”  Scott blinked, pausing mid-bite.

“I thought I was supposed to be walking around with the ribs,” he ventured tentatively.  “But no, I haven’t been told what the damage is yet. Care to fill me in?”

John glanced away at something Scott couldn’t see.

“Your rib re-broke,” he started bluntly.  “Which I’m sure you’ve realised.  So that’s another six weeks grounded, and this time no-one’s sneaking you onto a Thunderbird before that’s up.”

“Six weeks?” Scott groaned.  John raised an eyebrow in his direction.

“Well what did you expect?” he asked.  “Kayo filled us in on the mission details once you were stable.  You’re lucky it wasn’t worse.”

“But-” Scott protested. “What about the mission to find Dad?” John shook his head.

“The new Zero-X will take longer that to construct,” he told him.  “Brains and the Mechanic finished the T-Drive while you were out in Brazil and we’ve got the fuel, so they’re going to test fire it tomorrow to make sure it’s all working before they start on the craft itself.”

“Tomorrow?” Scott asked. “If it’s ready why not today?”

“Even engineers need breaks sometimes, Scott,” John scolded lightly.  “They’ve been working almost non-stop for the past five weeks, which I know you know.”  There was a slightly accusatory tone at the end of his sentence, and Scott realised John knew how closely he’d started watching the two engineers.  “Besides, Grandma and Virgil won’t let you out of that bed for at least twenty four hours, and we all know you won’t be happy unless you see it for yourself.”

Well, they weren’t wrong.

“You still haven’t told me why I’m getting a slave for a week over a broken rib,” Scott realised, and John once again raised an eyebrow at him.

“You haven’t tried to get out of bed yet?”

“Don’t h’encourage ‘im, Master John,” Parker groaned.  “Mrs Tracy ‘ad to stop ‘im h’earlier and ‘e ‘asn’t ‘ad h’a chance since.”

“It was an hour before the antivenom reached you, Scott.  The damage doesn’t get miraculously fixed just because the venom’s gone,” John continued.  “Your blood pressure is still low so I’d wager you’ll probably pass out if you try to stand right now, no matter how ‘fine’ you feel, and we don’t yet know for sure if it’s done any damage to your heart.”

“My heart?”  The soft background beeping caught Scott’s attention and he turned his head to the EKG.  It was on, signalling that it was receiving data from wireless transmitters.  He put a hand to his chest; underneath the pyjamas he felt the tell-tale patches, leaving him with no doubt that it was his own heartbeat it was recording.  “Oh.” That was low.  Not dramatically so, but lower than his normal resting rate.

“It’s recovered reasonably well, but Grandma and Virgil still aren’t happy with it,” John told him. From his tone, it wasn’t only the family medics unhappy.  “I know you don’t like staying in bed, but unless you want to fall over and make your ribs worse, I would suggest you stay put.”

Scott scowled.

“You’re also recovering from dehydration, so drink up and leave that drip in,” Grandma added, walking back in with a large cup, complete with straw.  “I see there’s nothing wrong with your appetite,” she observed. Parker obligingly removed the now-empty tray away from Scott’s lap and stood so that she could sit back on the side of the bed.  “Drink.”

Obediently, he took the cup with both hands and sipped at the liquid, which revealed itself to be simply water.  A dull rumbling even through the soundproofing of the infirmary told him Thunderbird Three was back.  John confirmed that before signing off to talk to their returning siblings.

Scott made a note of the time, wondering how long it would take before he had visitors.

Three minutes later and the door slammed open to find Kayo and Alan shoulder-to-shoulder, clearly racing each other.

“No running in the house!” Grandma barked, but neither of them looked the least apologetic.  They did at least walk the distance from the door to his bed, where Grandma had slipped off to let them get closer.  Both stopped short, Alan fidgeting from foot to foot at he stared at him with open relief, and Scott rolled his eyes.

“Come here,” he told his youngest brother, spreading his arms in demand of a hug.  As always, Alan needed no further invitation, crashing into him and wrapping his arms around him tightly, although it didn’t miss Scott’s attention that it wasn’t Alan’s usual rib-squeezing hug.  He appreciated that, curling his own arms around his brother’s shoulders.

Alan was trembling.  “I thought I was going to lose you,” he mumbled into Scott’s neck.  “I thought-”

“I’m still here, kid,” he interrupted quietly.  “And I hear I have you to thank for that.”  The sniffle he got in response told him it was Alan, the baby brother, rather than Alan the emergency responder he was dealing with.  “You did good.”

“I thought I was too late,” Alan mumbled, and there were tears against Scott’s skin.  He tightened his grip on his brother.  “You looked d-dead.  I d-didn’t think you were breathing.”

“I’m here and breathing,” Scott reminded him, letting him sob on his shoulder as long as he needed, rubbing the neoprene – both siblings were still in uniform – underneath his hand reassuringly.  He remembered the same reaction after EOS had first made herself known to them, only that time it had been John Alan had clung to in tears, post-adrenaline rush. They needed to stop putting their lives in Alan’s hands like that.

But Alan would settle, barring the new nightmare fuel that never went away, once he’d let out the initial emotions.  It was either a blessing of youth, or a coping strategy he’d been forced to employ too young. Kayo, who was watching with unguarded relief across her face, was like John; pragmatic and level-headed.  A serious conversation would settle her, although when she met his eyes, he linked his hands together behind Alan’s back and made them flutter, shooting her a quick grin.

The resulting glower she sent him didn’t hide the softening in her eyes, or the way her shoulders slumped. Satisfied for the moment, he returned his attention to his youngest brother, who seemed content to stay where he was.  Scott let him, nodding at Parker when the older man gestured that he was going to leave the room.

No sooner was Parker gone than Gordon burst through the door, Virgil hot on his heels.

“Scott!”  Gordon skidded to a stop just behind Alan, reaching out to put a hand on Scott’s shoulder where he could.  “Don’t do that again,” he demanded, amber eyes flicking to the EKG for a split second before he found some space to perch on the bed behind Alan.

“Like you’re one to talk,” Scott shot back.  Gordon grinned.

“I won’t if you don’t,” he said.  “Deal?”

“Deal.”

They couldn’t really promise that, not in their profession, but Scott saw something lift behind Gordon’s eyes, the banter regardless doing something to reassure him.  Gordon had always used humour to cope.

Four siblings down, or at least addressed, and one to go.  Somehow, Scott didn’t think a hug or joke would work quite so well on Virgil. Guilt was deep-set in brown eyes, but Virgil didn’t look at him directly, focusing on the EKG and drip as he bustled around.

“Virgil,” he said, pulling one hand away from Alan to catch his brother’s arm the moment Virgil got in reach. It was the arm with the needle in it, bright band aid stark against his skin.  Virgil’s eyes focussed on it and Scott sighed, tightening his grip on the neoprene beneath his fingers.  “Look at me.” He couldn’t do much, not while Alan was still clinging to him, but hell if he was going to let Virgil shut himself away and stew in a self-inflicted puddle of misplaced guilt.

Virgil stilled, but didn’t obey.  Scott closed his eyes and sighed again, squeezing Alan lightly.  The blond snuffled but didn’t otherwise move.

“Virgil.”  That was John’s voice, his final brother reappearing holographically at the foot of Scott’s bed.  The middle brother ignored him, too.

“Kid, your brother’s talking to you,” Grandma chipped in.  “At least have the manners to look at him.”  Despite the words, there was no scolding in her tone, just a quiet encouragement.  Virgil glanced up at her, and a look passed between them that Scott couldn’t see before Virgil slowly turned to face him.

“Thank you,” he said before Virgil could apologise, or say something else nonsensical.  Whatever his brother had been gearing up for, it clearly wasn’t that; he blinked, startled, before opening his mouth to probably-protest. “I know it was Alan that got the antivenom, but you’re the one that kept me alive long enough to get it.”

“I’m the reason you needed it in the first place!” Virgil snapped, looking away again.  “If I’d paid more attention… if I-”

“If nothing,” Scott interrupted, conscious that they had an audience but unable to ask anyone to leave.  He wanted his family there, with him, and knew they were all busy reassuring themselves that he was going to be fine.  “You’d have done the same thing if our positions were reversed, except I’m not as good as you with all the medical stuff.”

“You’d have done enough,” Virgil mumbled, and Scott rolled his eyes.

“And you did enough,” he returned.  “No what-ifs, Virgil.”  Hell knew he’d told himself that enough through the years, with varying levels of success.

Virgil at least met his eyes again, even though Scott could see it wasn’t enough to lift the guilt. That would take much longer, including him making a full recovery and a conversation without the rest of the family listening in, intentionally or not.

“You’re staying in that bed,” he said instead, and Scott made a grumbling noise of protest.

“So I’ve been told,” he replied.  “I can’t say I’m happy about it, but John made quite the compelling argument.”

“Does this mean you’ll listen to me for once?” John asked disbelievingly, arms crossed and eyebrow raised.

“What do you mean, for once?” Scott asked.  “I listen to you!”

“When it suits you,” John rebuked.  “I have a list, if you’d care to hear it.”

Scott wouldn’t put it past John to actually have a list.  He turned his attention back to his other brothers without responding, to an amused noise from the space monitor, and gave Alan a grin as the youngest finally pulled back from his shoulder, eyeing him with teary blue eyes.

“I’ll sit on you if you try and get up,” the youngest told him firmly, look somewhat ruined by those eyes. Gordon laughed.

“Alan, you’re a twig.”

“Am not, fishboy!”

“Are, too!”

“Not!”

“Boys,” Kayo interrupted, taking a few steps closer to the cluster on the bed.  With one arm now free, Scott reached for her and got a light hug at his silent request.  It didn’t last long, but it was enough for the rest of the tension to leave her shoulders before she stepped back, out of his reach again.

“Hey, where’s my hug?” Gordon demanded, and Scott raised an eyebrow at him.

“You want a hug, you’ve got to come get it yourself,” he said.  “I’m not moving.”

Permission gained, Gordon shoved Alan out of the way, the younger falling off the bed with a squawk of indignation, and wrapped himself around Scott.  It was far looser than his usual hugs, but out of all his brothers, Gordon was best at gauging what an injured person could take.  Scott rested his chin on his shoulder, feeling the dampness of the neoprene that betrayed that Gordon had been in the water during his mission.

Tension drained out of his aquanaut brother’s powerful shoulders and Scott found himself relaxing as well.  He’d always found it easiest to relax and wind down when his brothers were okay, and with three out of four openly reassured, his own nerves were less on edge.

“I’m still sorry,” Virgil said after a moment.  Scott still had hold of his bicep, and glanced up at him as he spoke.  That pain and guilt was still there in brown eyes, but it was Gordon and Alan that Virgil was looking at.  A big brother himself, he too was being drawn into some sort of reassurance by the youngest two calming down.

There were many responses Scott could give, and maybe later once it was just the two of them he’d dive deeper in if Virgil hadn’t managed to settle himself and needed a stronger release, but in that moment, with his family around him and the knowledge that whatever happened next, they’d survived this hurdle, there was only one thing to say.

“I know.”

Surprised brown eyes met his, as though Virgil had expected another rebuke, another it’s not your fault, but Scott knew better.  He didn’t blame Virgil at all, but it wasn’t his forgiveness Virgil needed; his brother needed to forgive himself for his perceived transgressions, and that he couldn’t do as long as Scott stayed stubborn.  He tugged at the bicep in his grip, coaxing Virgil closer with an inviting smile.

Virgil hesitated, understanding but unsure.  Scott didn’t say anything else, didn’t push harder, but then Grandma put a hand on Virgil’s other arm and whatever remaining fight there was seeped away.

It was Gordon’s turn to squawk as he found himself nudged out of the way, but he went willingly, surrendering the space to Virgil as Scott’s dark-haired brother wrapped his arms around him cautiously.

“I’m okay,” Scott murmured into his brother’s ear, returning the hug as fiercely as he could.  Like Alan before him, Virgil shook ever so slightly under his touch, but unlike the youngest, no tears were shed.

“I thought I’d lost you,” Virgil mumbled.  “You stopped breathing for a minute just before Alan arrived and I thought that was it.”

“I heard you,” Scott admitted, just as quietly.  “I don’t think I’d have had the strength to keep fighting without you.  Alan might have got the antivenom, but you saved me, too.”

Virgil gave a shuddering breath and his arms tightened, just a little.

They stayed like that for several minutes, Scott managing to relax further now that was the fifth and final sibling’s immediate concerns addressed, but eventually Virgil pulled back, the ghost of a smile on his face.  He looked like he wanted to say something, but before he could, Gordon crashed into him.

“Group hug!” he declared, reaching out to snag Alan and pinning an unprotesting Virgil in place as Scott’s three youngest brothers gathered as close as they could for a tangle of arms and bodies on Scott’s bed.  Alan flailed in Kayo’s direction and the woman stepped closer, slipping an arm delicately around the back of Scott’s neck and more tightly around Alan.  Scott grinned at her before looking past the mass of brothers to lock eyes with the one he couldn’t reach.  John grinned back at him, and even though he wasn’t physically there, Scott didn’t need it to know his immediate brother was just as relieved.

The hug lasted until Grandma intervened, suggesting that they let him have a little bit of space. He didn’t need space, but they all heard the underlying reminder that he was in that bed for a reason.  After that, it was back to business as usual, his on-Earth siblings scattering to change on Grandma’s order and reconvening later in their civvies with various forms of entertainment while John went back to his latest project.

Lady Penelope poked her head in later, but he didn’t see Brains – or the Mechanic – until the next day.

“I-it’s time to t-test the T-Drive e-engine,” the engineer told him the next morning, after checking him over in his own desire for reassurance; there was some guilt there as well, for pushing him out on the rescue, but thankfully Brains was much easier to calm than his brothers – the fact that Brains hadn’t seen him almost dead helped.

“Give me five,” he said, reaching for the drip stuck in his arm.

“Make that ten, Brains,” Virgil rumbled, catching Scott’s hand.  “Scott’s not up to walking even if he thinks he is.”

Scott groaned, but Virgil raised an eyebrow at him.

“I thought John made a convincing argument for you to stay in bed?” he challenged, and Scott shrugged.

“That was yesterday.”

“And your heart rate still isn’t back to normal, so it’s the hoverchair or nothing,” Virgil rebuked, rolling his eyes.

Scott sighed but dutifully held out his arm for Virgil to remove the drip instead.

“No, that’s coming with you,” Virgil corrected, gently pushing it down to his side again.  “Just the EKG.”  The machine was turned off, but Virgil made no move to relieve him of the transmitters, telling Scott that it was being linked back up later. Wonderful.  “Now then, let’s get you out of this bed-”

Scott leaned forwards and swung his legs around, placing them on the floor and pushing himself to his feet.

“Woah!”  Virgil sprinted around the bed and caught him as his vision fuzzed.  “John’s compelling argument?”  Scott was vaguely aware of being shifted around as the world spun around him, but it was a surprise to find himself in the hoverchair by the time he was fully aware of his surroundings again.  Usually, Virgil would dump him straight back in bed.

“Okay, John’s compelling argument still holds,” he admitted, leaning against the back of the chair and closing his eyes briefly as the world tried to spin a little more.

“Let’s get going,” Virgil sighed.  “Hands off the controls; I’m steering.”  Scott grumbled, but had no doubt that the controls had actually been disabled.  “As soon as the test is over, you’re coming straight back.”

“I don’t have a choice, do I?” he asked, and Virgil chuckled.

“Not at all.”

They were last to the balcony; it didn’t escape Scott’s notice that the Mechanic was the other end to the rest of them, talking quietly to Brains but otherwise ignoring the Tracys. That suited Scott just fine; if the test worked, he was well aware he owed the man an apology for his accusations of sabotage.  Although maybe he’d keep that back until the Zero-X2 launched successfully and Dad was home. Just in case.

“You look pale,” Grandma commented.  “Did he try to stand up?” she asked Virgil.  Scott glowered as Virgil rolled his eyes in answer.

“What do you think?” he asked rhetorically.  “He didn’t pass out entirely, otherwise the test would be happening without him, whether he liked it or not, but it was close.”

“He is right here,” Scott grumbled.

“And he’s going to keep his mouth shut and drink this up,” Grandma informed him, pressing a cup of water, complete with straw, into his hands.  “You shouldn’t be out of bed at all, young man.”

“T-test is ready,” Brains announced before Scott could find a retort that wouldn’t get him taken straight back to the infirmary.  “I-igniting T-Drive in three, two, one.”

Without binoculars, it was difficult to see what was happening on the platform, but nothing exploded and after several moments all that could be seen or heard was the whining of an engine.  It was higher pitched than the engines Scott was used to, but there were none of the warning noises suggesting that something was wrong.

Beside him, Virgil sighed in relief while Gordon and Alan whooped.

“C-cutting engine,” Brains called, and it powered down easily.  Smooth as any of the best plane engines Scott had piloted – and he’d piloted many.

It had worked.  They had a T-Drive engine.

They could go find Dad.

“Scott?”  Virgil sounded worried, and he opened his eyes – when he had closed them? – to look up at his worried brother.  Alan and Gordon hovered nearby, and he looked at them all in turn, even John’s silent hologram – his ginger brother hadn’t been there when the test had started, hadn’t been expected after he pointed out their holotech’s range didn’t reach that far.  “Are you okay?”

Was he okay?  He had a broken rib, was recovering from a near-fatal spider bite and its side effects of dehydration, bradycardia and hypotension, and the man who had almost killed his brothers multiple times was standing the other end of the same balcony.

But they were one step, one significant step closer to Dad.

“Yeah,” he said, staring out past them, at the platform cradling the most important engine International Rescue had ever created.  For the first time since that horrid trash mine day five weeks earlier, he could honestly say, “I’m okay.”

Fin

[kanasmusings]

[Translation] TsukiPro Yaminabe Drama Track 5 - “Gray Fate”

AH!! I completely forgot to post this translation! I had it in my Word drafts and I was going through them thinking like I was forgetting something orz Anyway, here it is~! You’ll bear witness to doting Papa Kurotsuki Dai in this drama track~! They also talk a lot about destiny www 

The focus is on the managers this time around~! After this will be Arata’s drama tracks and the rest of the Yaminabe Vol. 2 tracks~ 

※ Please don’t re-post the English translations without permission. Please just like/reblog them instead ^^

Under the cut, enjoy~!

Track 05: [灰色の運命] “Gray Fate”

[0:00]

  KUROTSUKI: (sighs) My oshis, Procella, were super cute and cool today, too~!

HAIDUKI: I won’t deny that they were but, are you alright in the head?

KANADE: (nervous chuckle) Haiduki, your real thoughts are coming out.

KUROTSUKI: Hey, you guys!

HAIDUKI: (laughs) I was just kidding!

KUROTSUKI: Geez, this is my happy time admiring the unit I’m in charge of, you know?

KUROTSUKI: Don’t make fun of me for it.

KUROTSUKI: I mean, look! Look, Haiduki! Look at this magazine that was sold today~!

(Kurotsuki waves a magazine in front of Haiduki)

KUROTSUKI: It started with a poster but now, the special feature for them is 26 pages!

KUROTSUKI: There’s multiple pages for each of them~!

HAIDUKI: Oh~? Isn’t that amazing?

KUROTSUKI: Man, for real~!! When I think of how the little baby birds I was raising then would be given a special feature like this, I~

KUROTSUKI: (sighs dreamily) It makes me reminisce~

HAIDUKI: (quietly) It’s not like… I’m jealous or anything.

KANADE: (chuckles before whispering to Haiduki) I’m so sorry about Kurotsuki being so lively, Haiduki.

HAIDUKI: Ah, no, it’s okay!

KANADE: I think that’s a coping mechanism for him.

HAIDUKI: Coping…?

KANADE: Hm… It seems like his mother back home kept grinding him about when he’ll get married or if he already has a girlfriend and all that.

HAIDUKI: Ah, I see now. Kurotsuki-san’s mother does send matchmaking pictures to the agency.

HAIDUKI: I’m pretty sure she really wants him to get married. That mountain of files on Kurotsuki-san’s desk…

HAIDUKI: Weren’t they all matchmaking pictures?

KANADE: Hm… I have met his mother and greeted her but normally, she’s a very kind and compassionate woman.

KANADE: But, lately… There have been people bragging about their grandchildren in their neighbourhood so… You know…?

HAIDUKI: Hm, I understand the situation now. People marry early in local areas like that and it’s like marriage is an absolute must-do thing, huh?

HAIDUKI: Kurotsuki-san’s hometown is in Aomori, isn’t it?

KANADE: Yeah, and so…

KUROTSUKI: Ah~! This cut is so cool! Maybe I’ll take it with me and decorate my room with it~

KUROTSUKI: This is what they call a manager’s privilege, right~? AHAHAHAHAHA!!!

KANADE: His super doting “I love my children~” is worse than normal…

HAIDUKI: Isn’t that just called “running away from reality”?

KANADE: (chuckles) I won’t correct you there.

[02:33]

  HAIDUKI: Kurotsuki-san, who’s my senpai as a manager, and is seven years older than I am is—

HAIDUKI: His former job was an SP, a bodyguard in the Metropolitan Police Department’s special defences department.

HAIDUKI: He was a policeman in charge of protecting important people, in other words.

HAIDUKI: That man who has a strange history of professions, stands taller than me even though I’m already 180 cm tall.

HAIDUKI: He’s a good man with a good build.

HAIDUKI: Since he is often in shot on camera with those important people, it seems like he worked on having a manly build fitting for an SP. He’s pretty smart, too.

HAIDUKI: And yet these past years, not only does he have no girlfriend but he doesn’t seem to be interested at all.

HAIDUKI: And because of his mother’s fretting, his desk has slowly become a stockpile of matchmaking session pictures.

HAIDUKI: Normally, it’s one’s own decision if they want to get married or not. I think it’s no big deal if one chooses not to get married but…

HAIDUKI: It’s undeniable that his “papa tendencies” towards the unit he’s in charge of has increased since he passed 30 years old.

HAIDUKI: Before, we joked about calling our units our “kids” but lately, he’s been taking it so seriously…

(Haiduki starts remembering what Kurotsuki once told him)

KUROTSUKI: My kids are so cute…!

HAIDUKI: (sighs) Honestly, it’s a bit scary…

HAIDUKI: Of course, since he’s a capable manager, he never excessively dotes on his unit when they’re on set.

HAIDUKI: But, when he’s talking about them, it’s like he’s a different person and his eyes shine so proudly.

HAIDUKI: Excited and sparkling eyes, really.

HAIDUKI: And I slightly, just slightly, understand why his mother, who probably wants to do the same thing, would want to tell him to hurry up and get married so he can have his own kids.

[04:45]

  KUROTSUKI: Shun’s as carefree as usual and the photographer had a bit of trouble giving instructions to him but, it’s because of his very playful heart that they could come up with something like this! Isn’t that amazing~?!

KUROTSUKI: Look, look! They look so amazing~! They’re works of art, right~??

KUROTSUKI: Man, it’s cute, huh~? It’s troubling, isn’t it~? My kids are so cute and so cool!

HAIDUKI: Please calm down, Father.

KUROTSUKI: As if I can! It’s my children’s best looks yet, got it?

HAIDUKI: It’s not rare for Procella to get featured in magazines, you know?

KUROTSUKI: You don’t understand! You just can’t, Haiduki!

KUROTSUKI: No matter how small an article it is or no matter how small the picture is, every page of my kids’ best looks are important!

HAIDUKI: Yes, yes. I understand that it’s special but please, arrange the papers on your desk. Some of them are spilling over to my desk.

HAIDUKI: I’ll throw them away if you don’t.

(Kurotsuki panics and stands up quickly from his chair)

KUROTSUKI: AHHH!!! YOU GLASSES-WEARING FIEND!

HAIDUKI: Glasses-wearing fiend?!

KANADE: Please let him off the hook, Haiduki. I said this a while ago but Kurotsuki’s been tired lately.

KANADE: He got a very long call from his mother right after he came back from a location shoot.

KANADE: It seemed like they talked for three hours about why he won’t go to a matchmaking session.

KANADE: He’s a bachelor who just wants to escape from reality.

HAIDUKI: I guess you’re right~

HAIDUKI: But really? For three hours? That’s kinda like a long movie already, huh?

KUROTSUKI: Don’t say it! Don’t make me remember! I’m in the middle of doting on my cute children!

HAIDUKI: Eh…? Kurotsuki-san… Aren’t you being teary-eyed…?

KUROTSUKI: I’m not crying! Even though I want to…!

HAIDUKI: (nervous chuckle) There, there. The people of the Kurotsuki Household are passionate in a lot of ways, huh?

HAIDUKI: Their love is deep or rather… Heavy, I should say…?

KUROTSUKI: Don’t say it! I’ve started thinking that, too…

KANADE: (chuckles) Kurotsuki, how about trying to go to one matchmaking session at least?

KUROTSUKI: Impossible!

KANADE: Why? If you go to one, won’t your mom feel at ease for a bit? You might get to meet someone great, you know?

KANADE: Maybe they’ll be your “destined person” or something similar~

HAIDUKI: Destiny? Kurotsuki-san, you were wishing to meet your soulmate?

KUROTSUKI: Sh-shut up! It’s not bad to wish, right? In any case, a matchmaking session is a no-go!

KANADE: It’s okay! We’re not telling you to abandon those feelings. We’re just saying to try a matchmaking session once in a while.

KANADE: Your destiny and romance might be waiting beyond, you know~?

KUROTSUKI: If I say it’s impossible then, it’s impossible!

KANADE: (laughs) You’re so hard to convince, huh? I don’t think it’s something you should reject strongly though.

HAIDUKI: He’s right, Kurotsuki-san. Don’t say that love can’t happen in a matchmaking session.

HAIDUKI: It’s a great way to meet, too, after all.

HAIDUKI: How about entertaining your mom’s wishes once in a while instead of just focusing on work?

KANADE: Yeah. My parents got married via matchmaking session, too. They get along very well even now.

KUROTSUKI: EH?!

HAIDUKI: (suddenly standing up) Is that true?!

KANADE: Yeah, it is.

KUROTSUKI/HAIDUKI: I can imagine…

KANADE: E-eh…? Is it even common to have parents who got married via a matchmaking session?

HAIDUKI: Ah, no, somehow… It’s the atmosphere…?

KUROTSUKI: You might think this laughable but…

HAIDUKI: Hm?

KUROTSUKI: I think this is fate, too.

KANADE: “This” being?

KUROTSUKI: My meeting with Procella.

KUROTSUKI: It might not be with a “soulmate” and all but, I think that this is destiny, too.

KUROTSUKI: I mean, even though it’s not love or if we’re not related, to be able to think “I want to treasure them!” or “I want to support them!”… I think it’s kind of like fate, too.

KUROTSUKI: No, it’s destiny without a doubt.

KANADE: Kurotsuki…

HAIDUKI: Kurotsuki-san…

KUROTSUKI: That’s why… I want to spend more time with this “destiny” of mine. Just to see how far I can go with them, you know?

HAIDUKI/KANADE: (smiles)

KANADE: Kurotsuki…

HAIDUKI: Kurotsuki-san.

HAIDUKI/KANADE: Your love is too heavy.

KUROTSUKI: WHAT?! That’s how you react?! This is where you’re supposed to be moved since you’re both managers, too!

KUROTSUKI: Listen, you guys! As a manager—

(Kurotsuki knocks the coffee on his desk and it spills on his papers)

KUROTSUKI: AH!

(Things continue to get knocked off his desk)

KUROTSUKI: AHHHHHH!!!!!!

HAIDUKI: W-wait, Kurotsuki-san!

KANADE: Ahhh, go get some tissues!

KUROTSUKI: My precious magazine!!!

(Kurotsuki begins sobbing loudly)

KANADE: This is because you were getting too wild.

HAIDUKI: I told you to not— Just hurry and bring some tissues, come on!

(Their voices fade out)

[09:34]

  HAIDUKI: Hm… Destiny, huh…

SHIKI: Haiduki, is something wrong?

HAIDUKI: Ah. (chuckles) Just a little something.

SHIKI: Hm? Ah, what is it?

HAIDUKI: Oh, it’s nothing. I was just thinking about how you have the eyes of a music idiot. (smiles)

SHIKI: Huh? You’re being rude all of a sudden.

HAIDUKI: (laughs)

HAIDUKI: Those narrow and straightforward eyes are definitely the eyes of a music idiot.

HAIDUKI: They look dull but they’re very sharp and yet sometimes, it’s the opposite.

HAIDUKI: He’s a music idiot and a work-a-holic to boot. He was my co-worker before but now, he’s the leader of the unit I’m in charge of.

HAIDUKI: I think that his simple honesty towards people is really very fun. He’s that kind of guy.

HAIDUKI: That kind of guy made a unit and I, under direct orders of the President, became their manager.

HAIDUKI: They’re all very unique on their own but, unlike me, they’re kinda like me when it comes to not bearing any ill will at all.

HAIDUKI: They’re all beautiful, they’re smart, and their personalities are… Well, they’re quite honest.

HAIDUKI: No matter what angle you look at it from, it looks like they’re all living the easy life and yet, they’re a unit who was formed because they’re all still somewhat awkward and pure.

HAIDUKI: That’s who SolidS is.

[11:25]

  HAIDUKI: Hey, Shiki. Do you think that “destiny” exists?

SHIKI: Hm? That’s pretty sudden. Did you fall in love at first sight in a bar again?

HAIDUKI: Again, you say. You sure bring up some old stuff. That’s from a pretty long time ago, isn’t it?

SHIKI: As if I’d know. You’re a guy who’s fickle and has a lot of love to give after all.

HAIDUKI: What sort of false information is that? I’m unexpectedly wholehearted, you know?

HAIDUKI: So? Shiki, do you believe that destiny exists?

SHIKI: … “Destiny” sounds dramatically romantic but, at the same time, it’s fickle and unreasonable.

SHIKI: That’s why, I don’t overthink too much on the topic of destiny.

SHIKI: Destiny is something you grab with your own power.

SHIKI: Though, I might put something different if it’s for a lyric.

HAIDUKI: (laughs) That answer’s so like you!

SHIKI: I feel like I’m being made fun of if you laugh after I answered but… You’re the one who asked, aren’t you?

HAIDUKI: I’m not making fun of you. I just—I just really felt like laughing after thinking that answer is something you’d definitely say.

SHIKI: Isn’t that normally making fun of someone?

HAIDUKI: There, there~ It means “It’s so like Shii-kun that it’s wonderful~”

SHIKI: Hm. I wonder why I can’t honestly accept it when Fumi-chan says it like that~?

HAIDUKI: You’re so mean~

  HAIDUKI: I don’t know if being with SolidS is my destiny or not.

HAIDUKI: But… I’ll make sure to work my best to make it my own destiny.

HAIDUKI: It’s true that it’s fun providing back-up for them. To someone like me who rarely gets excited over anything, that much is already amazing.

HAIDUKI: It might be enough.

HAIDUKI: I… I put my destiny in my own hands with my own power.

  ==END==

※ Please don’t re-post the English translations without permission. Please just like/reblog them instead ^^

[sharmap12]

Cup of Serendipity

Chapter 1: Flying high

Coffee shops are one of the most common places for people to meet new people, make new friends, meet old friends or bump into old relationships.  It was the summer of 2009 when Divya was accepted in Arts program at University of Arts, London. She was excited but nervous about starting a new phase in her life. Leaving her past back in India. She left Delhi with a big smile on her face, nervousness in her heart and confidence in her thoughts. She landed at Heathrow airport where her best friend is desperately waiting to pick her up. Nisha; Divya’s best friend since 5th grade. The moment Nisha saw Divya at the arrivals, she jumped up and down with happiness and excitement of seeing her best friend. Nisha ran towards Divya and hugged her so tight that Divya could barely breathe. Nisha whispered to Divya in her ears “Welcome to London, bi**”. Divya, smiled and hugged her back tightly. Nisha’s father was also very happy to see both the friends and said to Divya “Welcome home kiddo”. Seeing the love and affection in Nisha’s father’s eyes, Divya had tears and was very emotional. She said “Thank you uncle for coming to the airport to pick me up”. Nisha and her family moved to London when she was in 9th grade. Her dad is a decent businessman and they lived just outside London.

Chapter 2: Friends forever

Divya couldn’t describe her happiness in words but her eyes were filled with joy and gratitude of being with a loving friend and her family.

Divya was eagerly looking forward to start her new school in a week and before that she had to find her own apt to live. Nisha was upset with her decision because she wanted Divya to stay with her. Nisha said “Divya, are you upset with me or mad at me? Why do you want to stay in a different place away from me?” Nisha was sad and Divya knew that her friend was in pain. Divya, said “Nishu, I am not mad at you. I am grateful that I have a family away from family, but I need to become independent and that is the reason I applied for Art school in London. I need to learn to live by myself. I can never forget what and your family has done for me but now it’s time for me to take the next step in my life.” Nisha, knew exactly what Divya meant and didn’t want to push her to stay with her. Nisha agreed and both decided that this last week of her stay at Nisha’s house has to be memorable and fun. Nisha had a big surprise planned for Divya and the week started with a day of bicycle riding all around the “London eye”. Divya always loved riding a bicycle and the summer near the London eye was gorgeous and filled with people.

Divya laughed at seeing a little girl and stopped her bicycle. Nisha was slower than Divya and seeing Divya stopped, Nisha stopped and asked “Divya what happened”. Divya replied “Nishu, do you remember when we were kids, we used to swing on the swing set in the park near our houses. I just remembered our first meeting om the slide”. Nisha immediately went in back in her memories and remembered that day on the slides when and how she met Divya. Nisha said “Divya, I can never forget that day when you saved me from that guy who used to bully me on the swings and taught that guy a good lesson”. Divya smiled and said “Look at that little girl. She is also doing the same thing, saving her friend from a naughty boy”. Nisha and Divya re-lived their childhood days biked around the Ferris wheel.

They laughed, danced with street musicians and enjoyed themselves. It was the second day of the week and Nisha woke Divya at 6am and drove her to the beach for morning sunrise. Divya has never been morning person and hence Nisha wanted to annoy her but waking her up early. But to Nisha’s surprise, Divya had changed and got ready before 6 am. Both left for the beach with hot ginger tea and old hindi songs. Divya, just enjoyed the drive, tea and the effort that Nisha took to make Divya feel happy and nice. Divya had never felt so relaxed and free than before. Looking at the sunrise, Divya knew that this year will be a new beginning in her life and it will be full of joy and happiness. After enjoying the sunrise, both of them spent the rest of the day pampering themselves. Nisha took Divya to a day spa with clay mud bath, sauna, massage, manicure and pedicure. Divya had never been to a spa before and seeing the spa, she was excited but nervous about different services as they required her to take her clothes off. Divya hesitantly said “Nishu, I don’t think I can do this. I am not comfortable taking my clothes off for the services”. Nisha smiled and said, “Divya, it’s a private session and it will be all women so just don’t worry and be shy. They will take care of us”. Divya, as usual trusted Nisha and got ready for their first service “clay bath”. Both were submerged in the clay mix with wine glasses on their side and lavender and vanilla candles lighted around their tub. Divya had never experienced anything like this. She felt extremely relaxed but little ticklish. She said “Nishu, I feel nice but I feel little mushy and ticklish”. Nishu grinned and said “Dude, this is how it’s supposed to feel”. And for the next 1 hour, they both talked and reminisced their friendship and childhood. Next stop was sauna. Divya has always been very sensitive to heat so she told Nisha that she cannot take the sauna and that Nisha should continue with her sauna appointment. Nisha said “if you won’t come to sauna then I don’t wanna go alone. Let’s go for massage”. Both smiled and went to the massage room and enjoyed a 90 min deep tissue massage followed by manicure and pedicure. They both enjoyed their day, full of wine, scented candles and deep tissue massage. The day couldn’t have been any better. Divya saw her manicured nails and was so happy that her eyes filled with tears. Divya said emotionally “Thanks Nishu. I can’t thank you enough for such a memorable and lovely day”. Nisha’s reaction from happiness changed to anger and she said angrily “Don’t talk to me Divya”. Divya was upset and confused but didn’t know why Nisha was angry. Divya asked Nisha in tensed voice “What happened Divya, why are you angry with me, what did I do to upset you. And, even if I did something unintentionally, then please forgive me”. Nisha was angrier than before and ran out of the spa and stood at the curbside waiting for her driver. Divya ran to her and looked at her worriedly. Nisha said “Divya, do you think we are best friends?” Divya was perplexed and scared as to why Nishu was asking this question. Divya instantly replied “Of course, Nishu, why are you asking me this question”. Nishu replied “Divya then why did you say thank you for everything that we did today. You say thank you so this means that you don’t consider me as your best friend”. Divya, was relieved to hear the reason behind Nisha’s anger. Divya gave a back hug to Nisha and said “I love you sexy, and I promise I will never say thank you again. Are you happy now”? Nisha dropped her act and started laughing. She said “Divya, you are my sister please never say thank you again. Thank you and sorry between us feels like we are having a formal relationship and not emotional”.

Next morning, Nisha had planned for a family outing to some of the famous gardens in London. Divya, Nisha and her parents all left early morning to cover all the prominent gardens. They all had fun and best family time together. Divya felt like she was with her family and not away from them. They all returned back home that evening with bunch of pictures and souvenirs from the gardens.

Two days left and Divya was now getting nervous about her semester, new apt and staying alone. Divya and Nisha planned next day to finish Divya’s shopping for the new apt and everything that she would need to set it up. Both of them went to a home décor shop and Divya’s eyes lighted up seeing ceramic jars for sugar, coffee and tea. She just couldn’t help herself from buying and she bought the set for her new apt.

From that store, Divya also bought some cushions for her couch, new bedsheets, corelle dinner sets and kitchenware. Divya was very happy and excited to move into her own place, set it up and decorate it just like she dreamt of.

Divya and Nisha ended up going to different stores and finishing up shopping for the apt. Finally, at the end of their shopping schedule, Nisha had a surprise for Divya and she took her to this boutique with exquisite dresses. Nisha blinded folded Divya and took her to the store. Divya was very confused and surprised at Nisha’s actions and she said “Nishu what are you doing? Where are we going?” Nisha replied “Divya, be quiet and keep walking with me”. Divya said “But Nishu, I don’t understand, all this”. Divya would not stop asking questions. Nisha finally took off the blind fold and presented her the best dress for her first day at the art school. Divya had no words and had tears of joy, love and gratitude. Divya couldn’t keep her emotions within after seeing that gorgeous laced neck black dress with silky satin black bow at the back. Divya ran back and hugged Nisha and said “Do you think I really deserve such a friend like you? You have been more than my family and I am not sure if I can take this”. Nisha lightly slapped Divya and said “Shut up bitch and just try it on”. Divya took the dress and went inside to try it on and when she came out wearing the dress, Nisha and sales girl’s eyes and mouth were wide open. Divya was looking stunning, sexy and exceptionally gorgeous. Divya never felt so confident and pretty before. She said “Nishu, how do I look?”. Nisha smiled and winked at Divya and said “You look and alright”. Hearing that Divya lost her smile and started walking towards the changing room. Nisha hugged her from back and said, “If I were a guy, I would have proposed you today”. Divya screamed and hugged Nisha back and said “Thank you Nishu”.

Both of them took the dress and went back home with lots and lots of shopping bags.  

It was the Friday, just before Divya was moving into her apt, they were passing through a street market and saw a cute coffee shop. They decided to stop there for a cup of coffee.   She didn’t know that coffee shop will change her life completely. 

Have you ever felt sudden jitters in your heart, butterflies in your stomach not because of happiness but because of something that is about to happen, good or bad? That’s exactly what Divya felt in that coffee shop.  She couldn’t put words to her restlessness but she knew something is going to happen. She was about to face her past in the most unexpected place.  Divya was standing in line at 5th position and he was in the front of the line at the counter ordering his coffee and he said “Can I get black coffee”. Hearing those 5 words, Divya’s heartbeat increased and she could hardly breathe. She started looking around to see who ordered that but couldn’t see the face of that person. She left the line and rushed outside. Seeing Divya run outside, Nisha rushed to see what happened to Divya suddenly.  Nisha asked her “Divya what happened, are you ok?” Divya couldn’t speak a single word. She was hardly breathing, Nisha tried to calm her down and by the time, Divya came to her senses, the person who ordered black coffee was gone.  Wanna know who this person was???

Chapter 3: Present meets Past

The mystery person was none other than Divya’s ex-bf; Ishaan.  Nisha and Divya left from the coffee shop and came back home that evening. 

Weekend passed by and Divya was ready to move to her new apt. Nisha and Divya forgot about the coffee shop incident in packing and moving to Divya’s new apt.  Weeks passed by and Divya enjoyed her Art classes and finished her first semester with amazing grades. She was all set to go back to India for her vacations and meet her parents. Her flight was in next 2 days and while she was shopping, she stopped by the same coffee shop where she heard Ishaan voice for the first time.  Divya ordered her coffee, turned back and boom... bumped into Ishaan. Their eyes met and, in an instance, all her past memories came to life in front of her eyes.  Ishaan and Divya stood there for 5 minutes looking into each other’s eyes. Divya suddenly comes back to reality and runs out of the shop. Ishaan was all confused, shocked and stumped with what just happened. He couldn’t believe his eyes and what they had seen. It then hit him that he just stood there and didn’t do or say anything, not even a “Hi”.   What would happen now??? I am sure you all are thinking that this story will have happy ending and they will live happily ever after. Hmm...  You will have to read ahead to know what happens next.

Chapter 4: First meeting after breakup 

Ishan was standing with his coffee outside the shop staring at the road. He was feeling a rush of mixed emotions, anger, sadness, shock and strongest was love. Ishan was in denial that he still loved Divya.

Divya went to India for her 2-week vacation and while she was in India meeting friends and family, all she could think of was Ishan. She had questions. “Does Ishan live in London, was he just visiting? Did he remember everything? Why didn’t he speak to me?” and so on.

2-weeks passed by in a flash and it was time for her to go back to London for her next semester. She was happy and sad at the same time. But she couldn’t wait to meet Nisha and tell her all about Ishan and how she met him in that coffee shop.

The moment Divya landed in London, she called Nisha and asked her to meet her at the apt. Hearing the desperation and worry in Divya’s voice, Nisha rushed to Divya’s apt as soon as possible. She rang the doorbell and without any delay Divya opened the door and hugged Nisha so tightly that she could hardly breathe. Nisha said “Divya, I can’t breathe”. Divya realized that she was almost choking Nisha and quickly left her. Nisha worriedly asked “Divya, what’s wrong? What happened. Did something happen in India or someone did something? I am very scared please tell me what’s wrong and why are you crying”. Divya said “Nishu, I saw him. He is here”. Nisha was confused and didn’t know whom Divya was talking about. Divya continued and said “Ishan is here in London”. Nisha was speechless. Nisha stood up and held Divya by both her hands and said “WTF. How do you know? Did you talk to him or meet him?” Nisha’s voice had anger and concern for her best friend and she wouldn’t let go off Divya’s hands. Divya told her the entire incident and said “I just ran away. I didn’t know what else to do”. Nisha consoled her and said “Divya, I am sure that he was just visiting and doesn’t live here. He won’t hurt you again. I am here and will not let you get hurt again”. Both of them hugged each other and Nisha wiped Divya’s tears and said “Let’s do our most favorite thing. Watch a nice movie with popcorns”.

For a moment, Divya forgot about Ishan and enjoyed the movie but Nisha was scared in her heart and was determined to protect her best friend this time. She had some friends doing computer engineering and who were good at finding people. She spoke to them and started looking for Ishan to conform if he is living in London.

Meanwhile, Divya and Nisha started their second semester and Divya was getting back to her normal routine. But Nisha never stopped looking for Ishan and finally after a month’s search, Nisha’s friends came back with all the information on Ishan.

Chapter 5: Who is Ishan?

Ishan was indeed living in London with his family. He and his mom with his grandmom were living in Chelsea. He was studying International Law from King’s College, Cambridge.

Nisha wanted to tell Divya but she didn’t know how to break this news to her.  She couldn’t keep this information from her and hence decided to tell all about Ishan in her favorite restaurant and over her favorite food. Nisha and Divya met at “Lucky da dhabha” in city and ordered spicy Indian paneer curry with daal and garlic naan.  Divya had always been a big foodie and she was so happy smelling and seeing all that Indian food. Divya said “Nishu, I am not waiting for you, I am eating”. Nisha thought this is the best opportunity to tell Divya about Ishan.  Nisha hesitantly started “Divya, I need to tell you something”. Divya was so happy eating the food that she didn’t notice Nisha’s facial emotions and slight fear of the conversation that was about to begin. Nisha continued “I want to tell you about Ishan”. Hearing his name, Divya dropped her bite and screamed “what”. Nisha knew this would be her reaction but food has always been the calming remedy for Divya. She didn’t run away or freak out on the dinner table, but she was perplexed that Nisha brought the topic again.  

Nisha said “Divya, just hear me without panicking and freaking out. After you told me about Ishan being in London and your encounter with him in coffee shop, I snooped around and found something that you should know”. Divya’s heart was sinking with suspense and fear about what was coming next. Nisha said “Unfortunately, you were right Divya, he is here. He lives with his mom and grand mom in Chelsea and he is doing International Law from King’s college in Cambridge”. Divya couldn’t believe that her worst nightmare was turning into reality. She asked Nisha “Are you 100% sure? Maybe you have mistaken and its someone else”. Nisha held Divya’s hand and said “I am sorry Divya, it is true. I confirmed multiple times and I even went to his home and saw him there. I am sorry Divya but I wanted to be sure and protect you this time. Please don’t be mad at me.” Divya stood up feeling devastated and helpless and walked out of the restaurant quietly and slowly. Nisha had tears in her eyes and guilty feeling in heart that she betrayed her friend. She paid the bill and ran after Divya. Nisha knew that she can’t handle this situation alone and she needed someone else to handle Divya with her.

Here comes the entry of their super woman friend, Ashima. Ashima was their neighbor in India but she was elder to Divya and Nisha by 6 years. Ashima had a big influence on Divya and she was the one who helped Divya first time when Ishan came to her life. Ashima was married and moved to Belgium with her husband. Nisha had recently connected with Ashima through facebook and thought she is the best person to handle Divya at this time. While Ashima’s thoughts were going on in Nisha’s head, her heart was crying for Divya because she had not spoken for over an hour to Nisha. “Divya was never quiet; she couldn’t sit quietly even for 5 min and today she hadn’t spoken a single word for past hour.” Nisha was even more terrified. To break the silence, Nisha stopped Divya and pulled her towards her and said “Divya, please say something to me else I will die of fear”. Divya couldn’t snap out of her mental state and looking at her miserable state. Nisha had to do something. Nisha said “I am sorry Divya”, and slapped her. Tears rolled Divya’s eyes and she screamed “why me God, why did you bring me here”? Listening those words, Nisha panicked and she said “Divya, nothing has happened, everything will be fine. This is a big city, the chances of him finding you or hurting you are very low”. Divya said “Nishu I can’t live here anymore. I need to go back to India”. Divya couldn’t let her leave and run away from her career and life. Nisha took Divya to her home and forced her to stay the night at her place. Divya couldn’t stop crying. Divya kept her head in Nisha’s lap and said “Nishu, I am not mad at you, you were thinking best for me and therefore you looked for him but I can’t do this again. History cannot repeat itself”.  Nisha said while brushing Divya’s hair “I am sorry Divya but you have to get over it. You can’t live in your past. You have to face it and be brave.” Nisha knew bits and pieces of Divya’s past but she never knew the whole story. She thought, she should ask her about it to help Divya get over Ishan. Nisha said “Divya, what happened in the past, would you share with me”.

Chapter 6: Down the memory lane

Divya wipes her tears and goes back 5 years when it all started. “Nishu, it all started in my first year when I met Ishan on the first day of my undergrad. Even today I remember what he was wearing. He was wearing a dark blue jeans and white t-shit with a denim jacket. All the girls in the college were staring at him when he entered the college gates. He was one of the most handsome guy in the college. But I never paid attention to him because for me excelling in undergrad and getting into best art school was more important. Ishan and I were like opposite poles in studies. I was always focused on performing best in academics and he focused on girls and performing best in extracurricular activities. We never spoke and met each other for almost a year. But who knew our paths will cross and merge on the day of love -“Feb 14”. He was flirting and going around with almost all the girls in the class and had brought red roses for all of them. I never liked the idea of Valentine’s day and hence I took off that day. My friends kept calling me to college but I kept saying no and then one of my friends came home, spoke to dad about taking me out for lunch to celebrate Valentine’s day. Dad, gave permission and I had to go with her. I didn’t like all the fuss about Valentine’s day and what boys did for girls on that day. I always thought that love is not about roses and teddy bears and chocolates. Love is the soul of all relationships and it can never be expressed in materialistic things. It can only be shown in love, care and unspoken understanding. But everyone is so in love with love and romance that no one really cared about the real and true love. My friends thought I always behaved like a 90-year-old lady. They always teased and taunted me for my old – fashioned thoughts. My friend took me to a very cute café that served best coffee and pastries. You know how much I love pastries, so I was excited about the café and the pastry. I ordered my favorite black forest pastry for myself and couple others for my friends. I took my first bite and there he was in that café with my friend. He gave her a rose and wished her Happy Valentine’s day. The smile on friend’s face was from one end of her cheeks to other. I have never seen her smile and blush so much. This was all Ishan’s so-called charm and magic. I could never fall for such crap. I continued with my pastry and he walked slowly towards me and said, Happy Valentine’s day with a red rose. I smiled and said “No thank you. You can keep you rose and wishes”. He looked around and saw people were staring at him and thinking him as a loser that a girl said No thank you to his charming and cute Valentine’s day wish. He said to me, “are you serious? Did you even hear what I said?” I said, yes, I heard what you said and I have replied appropriately. I don’t believe in V-day, and I am sorry, but I don’t need this rose from you.

His eyes were wide open in surprise and anger because someone actually rejected his flirting. I left from the café and went back home. I felt bad for him but it didn’t really matter or mean anything to me. Finally, the valentine’s day madness was over and classes were back on. Ishan made all efforts to talk to me during or in-between classes but I tried to avoid him. I knew that talking to him and being friendly with him will just distract me and I couldn’t afford that. He kept trying day after day and I tried my best to keep my distance by either hiding out in library or leaving for home immediately after my classes. And one day, right before our final semester exams, he came up to me and said “All the best Divya”. I was shocked and speechless. He was staring at me and waiting for me to say something and I was just staring at him and his eyes. Immediately realized that we have an exam and I wished him same and rushed in the exam hall. He wished me every exam day and I wished him back without any additional word. Finally, it was the last day of exam and while everyone was celebrating and planning for parties and how they will spend the semester break, I was biting my nails in stress and tension for the exam. I hated history and I knew that I might not excel in this course and that feeling was killing me. As usual, he came to me and today he said “Don’t worry you will do great in history too, good luck Divya”. Trust me Nishu, those words had some magical effect, I felt so nice and confident that all of my stress just vanished. You won’t believe, I scored highest in history. I didn’t even realize but I had started feeling something for Ishan. I was so stupid that I thought that butterflies in stomach was some kind of sickness and ignored them. Semester break also helped in ignoring the actual feelings. Time passed and finally it was time to get back for 2nd year.

Chapter 7: I love you

First day of 2nd year started with welcome back celebration and new batch of 1st year students. It was a regular day with everyone trying to find their classes and schedule, when Ishan entered the college. He had a small beard with white shirt and jeans. This time I did notice him and admired him. He saw me with my friends and stopped by and said “Hi Divya”. I replied with a smile “Hi Ishan”. I thought he would ask about my vacation and how I have been but he didn’t ask anything and left. I didn’t like it. As basic courtesy he could have asked about my vacation, but he didn’t. I was upset but knew all this is nonsense and I need to focus on my studies. Our classes were now separate as he took law and I went into Arts. We would only meet either in library or in college canteen. He and I never had any interaction more than Hi or Hello. And one day, on my birthday, I was in library and he texted me “Happy birthday, can we meet today?” I didn’t know who it was and how to meet. I just ignored the text and continued with my studies. I didn’t realize that he was hiding behind a bookshelf and was looking at me. He texted me again but this time it had “Divya, I really want to meet you today at 6pm in front of college gate – Ishan”. I didn’t know what to say and how to react. I couldn’t stay in college after 5pm but somewhere down the heart I wanted to stay and meet him. I called papa and said “I have to stay late for art practice with my classmates”. Didn’t feel right for lying to papa but then somehow, I was happy doing so. I gathered courage in woman’s restroom and then met him at the gate at 6pm. He didn’t come. I waited for 10 min but he didn’t come. Then suddenly, a girl came by with a yellow rose and gave me a note that said “come inside the library”. I smiled at the yellow rose and I went to the library. He was standing at the entrance with a big bouquet of yellow and pink roses. His eyes were shinning and had a big smile on his face. I came up to him and was blushing like anything. I was so freaked out that I just stood there without saying anything. He knew what I was feeling and to make me feel comfortable, he started the conversation by giving the bouquet to me and said “happy birthday, Divya”. I took the bouquet, gave him a smile and said “thank you”. He lifted my hand gently and walked me inside the library. I went with him without any hesitation. He had a room decorated for me with balloons, rose petals and cake. He wrote a love letter too. Nishu jumped and said “What? A love letter? He wrote for you? Yes Nishu, he wrote a very interesting love letter, just that it wasn’t meant as love letter at that time. I smiled and said “Ishan, what’s all this?” He said “Divya, I wanted to surprise you on your birthday. You didn’t like my valentine’s day wish and rose so thought will wait for your birthday”. I was having butterflies and may be birds flying in my stomach. He said that so innocently that even today I can feel that moment. I said “Thanks Ishan but you didn’t have to do all this. You could get in trouble for doing all this in college and in library”. I asked him why he was laughing so loudly and he said “That’s probably the most I have ever said to him and that is also about not breaking rules”. I also laughed with him and he softly pulled me towards the table and said “please make a wish and cut the cake”. I wished this moment never ended and then slowly cut the cake. Guess what cake it was. Nishu, it was my favorite black forest cake with caramel cream icing. He took the sliced piece into his hands and then brought closer to my lips. He said “Would you mind eating from my hands”. I couldn’t say anything but opened my mouth and took the bite. It was the most delicious cake I have ever had.  Till today not sure if the cake was that good or it was him feeding me with his hands. I offered him a piece of cake but didn’t have courage to feed him with my hands. I said “Ishan, the cake is really good and my favorite. How did you know I love black forest”? He smiled and said “I know everything that you love and hate”. I was happy but little scared to know that he knew everything about me even though we never interacted before. I was curious to know how did he knew about me so much. So, I asked him “Ishan, how do you know all this about me, my birthday, my favorite cake, my favorite shade of rose?”. He said, I asked your friends about all this. At that moment, this answer was good enough for me and instead of probing him more, I asked him “why did you take so much pain to find out all this about me and doing so much for me?”. He took both my hands in his hands and said “Divya, I really like you and I want you to be my girlfriend”. Hearing those words, my heartbeat probably skipped a beat and my eyes were left wide open. I just didn’t know what to say, so I just ran away from there. He came running behind me but I didn’t stop and went home. I just couldn’t go to college next day and face him. I stayed back and gave an excuse of headache. He waited for me that day and when I didn’t come to college, he texted me in the evening asking what had happened. I didn’t respond because I knew this was not right. I couldn���t take any distractions. Mom never supported me for picking up Arts as my career and I wanted to prove her that I can make a name for myself in Art. And Ishan would definitely cause problem in proving myself. Therefore, I decided that I will stay away from him and focus on my studies. I went to college next day. He ran towards me the moment I entered the college gates, took my hand and pulled me to a corner and said “Why didn’t you come to college yesterday? And why did you run away that day?”. I pulled off my hand from his grip and said “Ishan, I am not here to be your girlfriend but I am here to study and excel in my class. I don’t have time for all this. I am sorry but hope you understand and find someone else to be your girlfriend”. I walked my class and he just stood their speechless and heart broken. I was upset too because somewhere down my heart, I liked him and had feelings for him. But this was the practical choice and I knew he would be fine and find someone new in a day or two.

Days went by and my eyes kept searching for Ishan in the college but I couldn’t find him anywhere. Every day I came to college in hope of seeing him and making sure he is alright. Finally, after a month of searching him and failing, I decided to break the silence and inquire about him. I went to his best friend and asked “Rohit, is Ishan alright? I have not seen him in college for a month now. What’s wrong?”. Rohit’s face turned almost red with anger and he took my hand, held tightly and dragged me out of the college and to a hospital where Ishan was admitted. Rohit said “See for yourself, what’s wrong”. I couldn’t believe my eyes and my heart sunk. I felt a gush of pain and fear at the same time. Filled with emotions and pain, I asked Rohit in a heavy voice “what happened? I didn’t know he was in hospital. How is he?”. Rohit said “you are responsible for this”. Without a second’s delay, I said “what the hell? How am I responsible for his condition”? With a bitter and furious tone, he said “After you ran away that day, he was so upset that he drank for the very first time and slipped from the stairs in the restaurant. Since I was with him, I brought him immediately to hospital and doctor said that he broke his right leg”. I felt a big, sharp knife in my heart. I couldn’t move or say anything. I slowly walked inside the room where he was sleeping with plaster on his leg and bandages on his head. I didn’t want to wake him up so I turned around and he help my hand. I was so happy and excited that I hugged him tightly and said “I will be your girlfriend. I am so sorry Ishan. I never meant for all this”. Nishu, you should have seen his smile. It was the most innocent, cute and childish smile. Seeing him happy, I couldn’t stop my tears of happiness and joy. He wiped my tears and said “I knew. I knew you liked me but Divya, I love you and I can’t live without you”. Those three words filled me with immense happiness, joy and content. I didn’t need anything else in life and nothing was important than that moment for me. Eagerly waiting to hear my reply, Ishan asked “Divya, do you also love me?”. I decided to punish him by not responding him. I said “I need time to think about it. Because of your foolishness, I will not reply immediately. You will have to be punished for your carelessness.” I left from the room and before leaving, kissed his forehead and said “get well soon”.

All the way to back to home, I kept thinking why did I stay away from him. Why did I ever ignore or avoid him? I felt so light in my heart for accepting his proposal.

Chapter 8: Beginning of a fairy tale romance

After a week of playing hard-to-catch, I met Ishan in a park and heavy breathing and trembling voice I said “Yes, I love you too”. He was ecstatic and hearing those words, he lifted me up in his arms and kissed me on my cheeks. That kiss was my first kiss of any sorts. I know Nishu, what you are going to say, Divya that’s not called kiss, it’s a peck. Nishu laughed and said “you know me so well girrrrrrrrrrl”. Anyhow, Divya continued “I was trilled and felt a tsunami of love and togetherness. I couldn’t get over Ishan but I promised myself to keep up the grades and prove myself”.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #217

“roses are red, and my heart is black. we creep about the floor to indulge like rats.”

Do you know anyone who works in a laboratory? No. What was the very first social media site you signed up for? MySpace. Can you see yourself marrying your current partner? (if you have a partner) Easily. If you were in a coma, who would be making healthcare decisions for you? My mom. Are you the type of person who knows exactly what they want in life? Not entirely, but mostly. Do you have commitment issues? Not at all. What was the last thing you had an allergic reaction to? Silver. Have you gone out to dinner in the past week? No. What’s something you’ve done that sounds too crazy to be true? The only thing I think someone would actually find "crazy" would be I've been in a psychiatric hospital five or six times (I seriously can't remember). Are there any flowers planted outside your house? No. Well, not by us. There's a camellia tree by our back door that we didn't plant. What’s the weirdest decoration you’ve seen in someone else’s home? I'unno. I generally don't find decorations strange. Spice up your house with what you like. Did you have your own bathroom when you were growing up? No. Do you know anyone who never disciplines their children? I know of people. What’s the longest you’ve gone without leaving the house? Weeks. Are you more of a practical thinker, or more of an imaginative thinker? I think I can be on either end depending on the situation. Does anyone in your family smoke? My dad does. How well do you know your neighbors? I've never interacted with the ones to the right of us, but Mom knows the woman to the left, and she's apparently very nice. Mom was talking about her just the other day about how she always brings our trash can back to the fence, actually. How far are you into the book you’re currently reading? N/A Have you ever had a pet escape and run away? I don't believe so, at least not permanently. Do any of your exes know each other? Jason and Juan did. Girt and Jason know each other because of me; we all hung out a few times. It's both funny and sad now to know how friendzoned Girt was... ha ha. Sorry man. What’s an opinion you find impossible to take seriously? "Dinosaurs didn't exist." What the fuck are fossils then, bitch. What was the very first election you voted in? I haven't voted in any yet. Do you know how to make omelettes? No. I could probably figure it out, but I don't know for sure. What is your favorite summer month? Fuck summer. What do you want to be for Halloween this year? One of the witches from Hocus Pocus would be super cool, but yeah, I don't have the money to even try to make a costume. Do you have a desk in your room? If so, do you use it as a desk that you sit and work at? No. Do you wear band tees? if yes, which one is your favorite? Yes. I love my Metallica one. It's got a really cool design. Would you ever want to live in a home with all-white walls and furniture? "Not white furniture, no. That seems like it’d be a pain to keep clean." <<< Definitely. Do you have pajama days often? I'm literally always in pjs unless I have to leave the house and get out of the car. There's no point in changing otherwise; I'd just be creating more laundry. What is one thing you’re behind on? Instead of the usual "life in general" answer, I'll make it more interesting. RP. Jesus fucking holy Christ, I am over a year behind in SO MUCH because I just haven't had motivation, all the while plots have grown like mad. Thank god my partners are really damn patient, lol. And/or have other business, too. Do you ever re-arrange your room? No. I HATE moving/changing shit. Do you share a room with anyone? No. Who was your first roommate? Jason, Jacob, and Amanda. What season do you want to get married in? AUTUMN!!!!!!!! FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Frosting: chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate. Ice cream: chocolate or vanilla? Vanilla. Milkshake: chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate, more often. Do you drink protein shakes? EW that shit mad gross. What was the last type of candy you ate? Uhhhh what was it. I don't have candy a lot now, so uh... I think Airheads? What was the last craft project you completed? It was VERY weakly a "craft," but Sara's first Valentine's Day present. Which is better: starting things or finishing them? Finishing. I start things all the damn time and never finish them. What is the highest name-brand thing you own? Good question. What color GameBoy did you have as a kid? Red. What was your favorite GameBoy game? Hm. I liked a lot. We had a whole case of different ones. I suppose maybe the Spyro one I could never get far into. But I liked it anyway because yeah. Spyro. What was your favorite Backstreet Boys song? "The Call" probably tops the list, but also you're full of shit if you thought "Larger Than Life" wasn't a fuckin BANGER. Damn, "The Shape of My Heart" was great, too. BSB were/are just great, man. Did you ever wonder what it felt like to get slimed? Ha ha you mean like on Nickelodeon? Yup. Did you ever name a pet after an imaginary friend? I never had one. Do you believe in angels and demons? I don't know. I believe in spirits, but I don't know about actual angels and demons. Do you have a PayPal account? No. What race do you consider yourself? ... You can "consider" yourself a race? You don't get to pick that. Whatever, I'm Caucasian. Should unwanted animals in shelters be killed to make room? Fuck that shit. Should cows be killed for human food? See, this is why I want to return to vegetarianism. TECHNICALLY, no. It's murder upon a conscious, feeling, living being. But at the same time, humans are designed as omnivores, and surviving off of a plant-based diet is, sadly, extremely difficult. It's difficult to obtain the proper nutrients and their advised amounts to be healthy. Therefore, I can't confidently answer this question. I wish they didn't have to be, but human civilization would have an incredibly more difficult time continuing with all meat products removed for consumption. Does the technique used to kill an animal matter to you? I mean if I KNEW, yes, but at least from the research I've done, there's no real "humane" method used to kill livestock. Most live in awful conditions/are already unhealthy, too, and that should matter . Should farmers be allowed to cause suffering in animals to save money? Fuck off. Should production of medicines be justification to cause animals to suffer? No. We neeeeeeed to find other ways. Use pedophiles or some shit. Should violence against animals; such as rodeos/ bullfights be legal? Fuck to the hell no. I get some kind of dark pleasure out of hearing about shitheads being gored and stuff for it, honestly. Should homosexuals be allowed to work with children? This shit pisses me the fuck off. Of course they should be. Like I'm sorry, but your children aren't going to be hidden from them forever. Do you believe homosexuality is caused by genetics? Well yeah. You don't get to choose your sexuality; something has to be responsible. Are Americans are truly free, or suffering from controlled freedom? CONTROLLED FREEDOM JFC TRY TO DENY IT. Are there other countries that offer more personal freedoms? Not that I KNOW of. Like yeah, my above answer clearly states I think America could be better, but I don't know I place where it's actually better. Do you trust your government? Fuck no. They hide a lot of shit. Should religious beliefs outweigh science in the making of laws? Lolololololol no, hunny. Separation of church and state. What is one moment that you missed out on that you wished you didn’t? Hm. OH, that solar eclipse that happened I think last year? We saw nothing here. :< Do you or have you ever had braces? For a long time. Got them on, then didn't have the money to take them off for a while. Can you text? Yeah, but not quickly. I am - usually - very thankful for autocorrect. Have you ever had a nervous breakdown? OH BOY HAVE I!!!!!!!!!!!! What are you scared to death of? My mom dying, for one. I DO NOT know what would happen to me. Are you good at art? I'm told so at least; I'm aware I'm at least decent. It also depends on the art form. Are you afraid of needles? Nah. What TV show is the stupidest to you? I honestly had a really big problem (and have, if it's still even on) with the Teen Mom series. Yes, I do in fact believe it made looking like one cooler and more normal than it is. Do you hate being ignored? Yes; I start to think I'm not cared about, badly. Especially if it's family or "friends." Like no, I don't at all expect attention constantly, or even a lot of it, but I think it's only natural people who claim they love you should not pretend they don't know you, particularly when you actually reach out. THEN it hurts. Where do you currently live? North Carolina, please get me out. Do you like marijuana? I wouldn't know. Do you donate to charity? I can't. I seriously don't have money. Where is your favorite place to go out to eat? Olive Garden. What is your favorite TV station? Discovery. Do you think you’re clever? No. Did you wear socks today? No. I avoid wearing socks as much as I can. Know any magic tricks? I don't remember the ones I learned as a kid. Do you sleep well most nights? No. When’s the last time you baked a cake? Never. What’s your preferred frozen snack? Ice cream, yum. Do you work better in a clean or messy environment? CLEAN. It inspires me to do well and with an organized strategy. Do you know any vegans? I don't believe so. Earphones or headphones? I personally prefer earphones since they go into the ear and are just more comfortable than a weight on your head that can move easier. Do you like bananas? Yeah, but the timespan in which I enjoy them is short. They have to be "perfect." What’s a film you’ve seen that confused you? I know there are some, but none are coming to me curr- WAIT NO okay so I saw Warcraft when it came out into theaters, and I barely understood a single thing because the orcs' voices were way too deep. I need to rewatch it with subtitles. Do you ever wear black lipstick? I pretty much always do if I wear lipstick. What would you change about yourself appearance-wise? HEY can I Please fix my fucking weight??? Because I do like everything I can do already & nothing works??? :') How long do you normally spend in the shower? Just short of ten minutes, I think. If you were to get a tattoo, what would it say or what would the graphic be? *opens novel of ideas* Don't make me pick just one. When trick-or-treating as a kid, was there any kind of candy that you didn’t like to get? Tootsie rolls, ew. What is your favorite memory of Christmases past? The time my mom, sisters, and I went to a Christmas light show one night, and we got back to the car only to realize Mom left the keys in there. Sooo while we waited for my drunk dad and brother to come help us, we all chilled on the car's hood with chocolate covered peanuts and THE best hot chocolate. That place is no longer around, and I'll forever be mad tilted about it. What is the most outrageous thing you’ve done for God? Lmfao remember the days I denied evolution and gay rights? Them were the wild times. When you were in grade school, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why? First, paleontologist because I adored (and still adore) dinosaurs, then a vet as I wanted to help animals. In high school, it changed from movie director to game designer. Name the most famous person you’ve had a face to face encounter with. No one. If you could spend 15 minutes with any living person, who would it be and why? Um like have y'all ever heard of this guy named Mark Edward Fischbach because I have time to enlighten you of all the reasons- What article of clothing most closely describes your personality? Pj pants, lmao. Who was your hero when you were a child, and what did you do to be like them? Steve Irwin. I adore animals in general, push very firmly for conservation, and madly support proper education of wildlife, especially your local kinds. How did you learn to ride a bicycle? I had a bike with training wheels at first, then my dad took them off and would jog alongside me, holding the bars and then releasing them after a few moments for me to go on my own. Repeated 'til I got it! Based on something you’ve already done, how might you make it into the Guinness Book of World Records? This is going to be VERY embarrassing to share, but fuck it. I have so little reason to leave my bed that my legs have actually experienced muscle atrophy. My knees especially are extremely prone to awful pain when standing or walking. I don't really have a way to exercise in this tiny house, my road is too sketchy to walk along, and at least this time of year, I physically can't handle the heat if I was to walk in the back yard. I'm dying to go somewhere where I can swim to fix this shit. I could ramble on forever about how painful it is to be on my feet. I'd be happy enough with even just a treadmill. When was the last time you did something for the first time? What was it? Hm. I guess foreplay with a girl. I don't exactly experience new things much. What is your concept of a fruitful day? Actually doing productive shit. If you could rid the world of one thing, what would it be? Violence. What is your best personal characteristic? I am like, incredibly passionate. If I believe in something, you'll know. If I love something, it's to an insane degree. If you had to enter a competition for the “Most Uselessly Unique Talent,” what would your talent be? Being able to hide my thumb under my palm to where it looks like it's entirely non-existent lmao. What is your worst personality characteristic? I am VERY sensitive. I also have a hard time taking criticism without beating my ass up because I feel like I did something "bad." I don't get defensive, I just get hurt. Man, I could go on. There's a lot I don't like about myself. If you had to be a teacher of something, what would you teach? I'd be most interested in teaching science. How would you like to be remembered? I loved ferociously and spoke strong of peace. What is one thing that you constantly think about (other than material things)? The future. Does your country have free healthcare? *points at top five list of things America needs to fucking fix* Does your job allow visible tattoos? N/A How is your road rage? I drive so timidly and rarely that I don't think I really even have a clue. Who are your closest friends and how did you meet them? I'll exclude Sara as she's more than "a close friend." I don't have many close friends otherwise tho, so really... I think only Girt applies. We met in high school band. Well, then there's Alex, but considering she now acts like I don't exist as well, I don't know how close we really are. But anyway, we met in WoW because we were both camping the time-lost protodrake and talking w/ others in the general chat... but she and I really clicked. That was an awesome day. Started some damn adventures with her lmao. Are you still cool with any of your exes? The only two who may still have a problem with me are Jason and Tyler, but I have no bad feelings towards them. What Hogwarts House are you in? I took quizzes once for a survey because I was curious, but I couldn't answer most of the ones I found bc they had HP references I didn't get. But anyway, I think Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were pretty much tied. What’s the next special event in your life? Returning to school. :') Whose birthday is coming up soon? My nephew's. :''''') Do you delete people from Facebook if their views are vastly different than yours? It depends on the views and their severity. Usually I can handle averse opinions if you're actually a friendly person and composed and mature about what you believe and how you express that. What’s your favorite thing to put on bagels? Cream cheese. What’s the most important key on your key ring? I only have one, and that's to my house. What was the last argument you got in about and who was it with? AHAHAHAAHAHA okay so. There was a video on FB of a pet meerkat having its belly rubbed, and it was chirping happily. It was very cute, but especially because this video was on a big page, I commented how awful and unhealthy of an idea it is to have a pet meerkat for both it and yourself. It's illegal in a lot of places for good reason. I got a lot of agreement, but of course there was one imbecile who disagreed enough to tell me to shut the fuck up. Now I am normally very, very terrified of confrontation or even the HINT of it, but for once in my life I couldn't have been more unfazed. At what age did you start picking out your own outfits? I don't know. I've come to find via surveys that I can't really remember events by ages. How spicy do you like your food? Pretty spicy. Spicier than most like, but I don't enjoy it when it's just pure pain. What was the last really intense pain you felt? You know that awwwfuuuulll pinch of pain you sometimes get in your ribs when your lungs expand to a certain, small amount? That. I couldn't take deep breaths for anything. What is the best thing that’s ever happened to you? Recovery from the breakup. What are three things you have been a victim of? Uhhhh. Idk, nothing major. What is your passion? Wildlife conservation, probably more than anything. When was the last time you truly felt alive? Ha, good question. How many siblings do you have? Technically six, but I don't know one at all. Are you married? No. Are you dating someone? Yeah. If not, do you wish you were dating someone? N/A Do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding? I'm not sure. What states (or countries) have you lived in? Just one. Does your first crush know you liked them? No. Do you wish on stars? Nope. Are you happier now than you were 10 years ago? I don't know. I can't really remember exactly what I was like at 13. I think I'm maybe happier now? Are you happier now than you were 5 years ago? Yes. ^If not, why not? N/A ^If yes, why? My depression is under control. Do you live in your dream house? Definitely not. What was your first job? Sales clerk at GameStop. ^Did you like it? No, thanks to feral social anxiety. Have you been bullied? No, very thankfully. What do you wish people knew about you? I sincerely care about my loved ones, a lot, even though I have trouble being the one to reach out first. What health issues do you have? A lot. Don't even feel like putting them all together. Do you still cross paths with your first crush ever? No. What is your favorite Bible verse, and why? None. Do you have a secret nobody knows? Yes. It's nothing major, just little things I don't want to share. Who are some of the most selfish people you have ever met? I don't know. Is there anyone you want back in your life? Yes. What color was the house you grew up in? True shit, I somehow don't remember for sure. I think it was brick? What was the name of the first pet that you loved? Charcoal, a cat, was the first pet I had a serious, deep bond with. Do you receive more insults or compliments? Compliments, I guess. Do you meditate? No. Do you pray? No. Have you ever seen a spirit/ghost/shadowy figure, etc.? I've sure as hell seen something. What would you ask a genie for, if you had three wishes? World peace, end of disease, and the end of poverty. When someone messages you and you know it’s going to be rude, do you ignore it and not read it, or do you read it and reply? Honestly, most of the time, I ignore it. I am so, SO sensitive, so my feelings are super easily hurt by what others have to say. Do you find online drama stressful? Yes. Even more than irl drama because you have to wait painstakingly for them to reply, and you can't hear their tone of voice. How stressful is your life? I'm pretty damn stressed for someone who's trapped inside their house lmao. Was any of your home decor inspired by Pinterest? No. Do you do yoga? No. What is something you have tried and hated? Oral is NOT my jazz. Do you have regrets? Yeah. Are you mad at someone? No. What is this month’s calendar picture? I don't have a calendar. What is your last ex-boyfriend’s or ex-girlfriend’s name? Technically Donald. Do you have an ex-friend that you miss? Yep. What color do you want your wedding dress to be? Most likely black. Would you rather go out for pancakes or steak? Pancakes. I like them more in general, and I'm also suuuper picky with steak. What’s your favorite Ramen noodle flavor? The only kind I've ever liked is the Yakisoba brand of spicy chicken. How do you feel when you read the Bible, if you read it? Encouraged? Angry? I don’t read it. Have you ever suffered from anxiety? I had some anxieties as a little kid, and I was officially diagnosed with it in the 6th grade. Have you ever suffered from depression? Since the 7th grade. What is something a lot of people like but you don’t? Pie is what came to mind first. What’s an uplifting song you like to listen to? "High Hopes" by P!ATD. Think about the person you fell hardest for. Why do you think your feelings for this person were so strong? How is he/she different compared to everyone else you’ve had feelings for? Well, he was my first real love. They're always special. I was fucking crazy for him, and it grew to an unhealthy degree. Trust me, you can love too much. He made me happy when so few could back then, and we had a connection unprecedented in my whole life. He himself felt like my home. I could write you a goddamn novel on why I felt so strongly. Have you ever caught your friend cheating on their boyfriend/girlfriend? If you have, what did you do about it? If you haven’t, what do you think you would do? No. Quite honestly, I'd tell them. I could NOT keep that a secret. Whether they believe me or not, I'm not withholding that from them. When your last relationship ended, how long was it before you felt ready to think about being with someone else? I know this technically sounds bad, but Sara and I started dating the day after I broke up with him. One of the reasons we split is because I realized I liked her. It was so quick because I never had to "move on;" I never came to be truly interested in him romantically. Who was the last person you talked to before you went to sleep last night? Do you remember what you talked about? Sara and I were texting, but I don't remember about what. When are you at your happiest? When I'm with Sara. How many people have you kissed? Three or four. I don't really remember if I ever kissed Girt. How many of those people are you still friends with? Two. Where did you go, the last time you left your house? Mom and I went to multiple places. She had errands to run. Do you like your singing voice? Rarely. I think it fits only a few songs. Are most silences awkward for you? UH-HUH UH-HUH. Name someone you wish you had never met. Why? Jabari. He was scary and almost assaulted someone in my family. Who has the nicest singing voice, that you know personally? Probably Sara. Say something nice about someone you really don’t care for: He loves his kids to death. Ever won school awards? Yes. Do you drink more soda than anything else? Not anymore, thankfully. Do you curse a lot? I curse possibly more than anyone you know. Have you ever been in a courtroom? Yes. Do you eat a lot around Thanksgiving? No. I actually don't like 99% of Thanksgiving food. Were you a chubby child? No. Are you afraid to sing in front of people? Yes. Do you enjoy your family? Yeah. When did you last dance with someone? I forced Sara to last June lmao. Do you feel awkward watching sex scenes? VERY. Did you ever have senior photos done? No. Are your parents protective of you? Mom is for sure. I don't see my father much, and he's changed a LOT since the divorce, so I can't really answer for him. I know he is to some degree, I just don't know how much. Have you ever been bullied? I've had some mean shit said to me, but I don't believe I've ever really been consistently "bullied." Do you ever help decorate during the holidays? No. I just don't have the motivation and don't really care enough to put things up that're only coming down in two months. Do you have carpeted floors? Only my room and my sis's old one. Can you count to ten in another language? German, yeah. Have you ever been arrested? No. Do you always lock your door at night? Yeah. Do you get allowance? No, never did. Do you have a Facebook? Yes. Do you enjoy the presence of children? In most cases, no.

[estelofimladris]

My Longest Day Ever in Fandom

This has been one of the hardest 48 hours for me as a fan. Really they’ve been pretty bad in the scope of me being a person, but in my fandom experience, this shit takes the cake.

** WARNING: THERE ARE SPOILERS FOR The Magicians as well as some minor spoilers for Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Flash, and Supergirl. **

** ALSO: This shit gets super personal. Don’t read if it makes you uncomfortable. **

I get that I’m specifically interested in stories of struggle and triumph. I thrive with stories about how the things worth having aren’t easily obtained. And sometimes people fail and sometimes people lie. There are horrible obstacles and things to conquer.

A bit of my fandom-inflicted past:

Will Turner was my favorite Pirates character. We had tickets not only to the three-movie marathon on opening day, but then the midnight screening. I nearly didn’t go to the second screening.

Sirius Black is why I got into Harry Potter. I got into it at the weird middle place when the books were still coming out and the movies were being made. I had been forced to read the first book when it was first published and it had left a very bad taste for me so the fact that anything could draw me into the fandom was insane. I watched Prisoner of Azkaban entirely by chance while hanging with my cousins and had read all the books by the time Goblet of Fire was released. I lived in and loved a fandom where my favorite character was dead before I even got a chance to know him.

Grant Ward was one of my two my favorite Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. characters. I rushed a Ward cosplay for WonderCon, which happened to be scheduled about a week after the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and less than a week after the AoS episode “Turn, Turn, Turn” aired, revealing that Ward was a brainwashed and abused Hydra sleeper agent the whole time. I then nearly scrapped the entirely completed cosplay. Instead I wore it to WonderCon and had people whispering “Hail Hydra” to me all weekend.

I spent at least three years living with a TV curse. Every show that I watched before its renewal for a second season was cancelled. To this day, I struggle to watch new shows because I fear that I will fall in love with a show only for it to be cancelled.

In the past year, I have lost 5 of my favorite characters to sudden deaths/departures:

Bucky Barnes (Avengers: Infinity War)

Harry Wells (The Flash)

Leo Fitz (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

Winn Schott (Supergirl)

And this is about the most recent one, Quentin Coldwater (The Magicians)

I also know that there are more to come:

Avengers: Endgame comes out next week.

Arrow is ending at the end of this year.

There are more stories of woe and uncomfortable spaces in which we want to see our favorites succeed and they fail or lose or die. But this, this is more than just someone failing or losing or dying.

I survived all that other shit. I was a little off for a few days following or weeks or months or even years. But we always come back to Fandom. Maybe not the same fandom, but the big idea of Fandom. Being a fan isn’t something you can really just stop.

I got into The Magicians because of serendipity. Two of my closest friends got into the show at some point last year and had mentioned that I’d liked it, but it was one in a malaise of fandoms that I’d been told that about and I only have so many hours in the day and space in my heart. One of the people I was rooming with at SDCC this last year had freshly gotten into the show and was going to the panel. Another of my friends was going to the panel as well who had freshly gotten into the show. When I asked about it afterwards, the lovely human said they’d met a lovely other new fan. My friends had met entirely by chance at the panel and I got to hear all about how lovely the fandom was and that it was a really great panel with a lot of promise for the new season.

I got home from SDCC and, one day while curious, watched the pilot of The Magicians.

I finished the show in less than three weeks. I watched it again. I’ve probably watched this show more than any other media since August.

A bit of background about me and why this show struck a very deep chord with me:

I met my entire close group of friends, my found family, because of Lord of the Rings. I learned Sindarin (elvish) in high school. Every screen name I have is related to my love and foundation of loving Lord of the Rings. I have a tattoo in elvish.

I grew up around a lot of mental illness. I myself have been diagnosed and treated for adolescent/adult ADD, but members of my family as well as every best friend I’ve ever had, has been depressed and most were suicidal. I had to confront my best friend over suicide attempts at 13. My brother was treated for extremely aggressive childhood depression when I was a kid.

I’m also queer. Still working to unstick myself from some definitions I’ve given myself, but I’m definitely genderqueer and androphilic and exploring my romantic identity in part because of this show.

I’ve delt with death my whole life. My first grandparent (maternal grandfather) died when I was 5 or 6. My last grandparent (paternal grandmother) died when I was 22. I had a dear friend die in a motorcycle accident in 2015. I’ve been there for people who have lost loved ones suddenly and held people’s hands through the deaths of parents, loved ones, and children.

I also am about to complete my third and final year of an insanely rigorous graduate costume design program.

This show felt like it was made for me to love it. It made it so easy.

The fandom was a loving community that welcomed me immediately and I have thrived there. I would come home from a crazy day at school, put on an episode of the show, and get lost in the lovely fandom that I’d found myself in. I mean that both ways. Yes, I tripped and fell and found myself among excellent people. But more importantly, I found myself in ways I didn’t expect through The Magicians.

Through a series of very unfortunate events, I stopped reading Fan Fiction about 7 or 8 years ago. I would occasionally write something, but nothing that I cared about what anyone thought about it. It was only writing that had to be written not writing for an audience in any way.

The Magicians got me reading Fan Fiction again. I drew fan art. I participated in discussions on the meta. I joined in when I don’t really have the free time, but it felt so good.

In Quentin in particular, I found a part of myself that was seldom voiced. This melancholy nerd who was Doing His Very Best™ all the time tapped into the kid who loved something so much it transformed their life. It spoke to the parts of me that I don’t talk about that feel like a fraud and a floundering fool. The Magicians told me that I’m not some pathetic thing. That I’m part of my world and that I belong. That it’s ok to re-think about sexuality and romance as an adult. It spoke to my struggles with school and creating something from absolutely fucking nothing.

Something that I’ve not told many people: I’ve struggled with feeling worthy of love. I’ve had some really big relationships that ended poorly and ever since coming out as genderqueer and living my truth, I’ve been single. Watching Quentin be so worthy of love and struggle with that himself, he really shifted my views on relationships.

So, Wednesday was, needless to say, rough.

The fun twist though, I have a mandatory class on Thursday mornings. I had a lot of anxiety about this finale already because I had a notion that something horrible was going to happen because its a Magicians finale. I really struggled to work on homework for the past week. (I texted a friend on Wednesday “How am I supposed to work under these conditions!?” partway through the day.)

This anxiety resulted in not all of my homework being done by the time I had set aside to cook a delicious dinner and settle in to watch the episode with friends. So at the end, after I had cried, drank, nearly threw up from being upset, and was all-in-all a complete wreck, I then proceeded to work on homework until I couldn’t, then I put myself to bed with an alarm set to wake up early and finish, but woke up with a nearly-vomiting anxiety attack (which I don’t get ever) an hour before my alarm.

I finished my homework on my 1.5 hours of sleep, went to class, tried to be eloquent and not burst into tears. I sorta succeeded at both, thankfully. My work was... sub-par, but present, which was the only real requirement. Despite some close calls, I didn’t cry until I was in my car driving home.

I got home, cried a lot, tried to eat and sleep (and failed at both) and ended up having a second wake with another friend and drinking, which finally made me fall asleep.

Throughout the day, I seriously considered deleting every Magicians post from my queue and even my Tumblr as a whole. I thought about dropping out of fandom entirely, including conventions, cosplay - all of it. I thought about selling or donating all of the considerable amount of Magicians merch and related items (cosplay, decor, fan-made merch) that I’ve accumulated in the past few months. I thought about shaving off the hair that I grew out specifically for Quentin that helped me re-shape my queer identity over the past few months.

I woke up in the middle of the night again with more panic attacks. It took sitting with my best friend to make me really fall asleep and stay asleep.

Today, I’m looking back at this whole experience up to this point and I’m so exhausted. I’m tired of crying over something that just brought me so much deep joy. I miss my fandom. We’re all in mourning and its chilling.

I decided somewhere in my insanity yesterday that I need to reclaim The Magicians that I loved. I posted about how it will take time, but they can’t kill the love that transformed my life.

I’m still not sure how to get out of this horrible raw place, but I know time will help. And actually eating a real meal.

I’m sharing all of this because I’m not the only one in this place. If you’re struggling, you are not alone.

I see you. I feel you.

Thank you for being a part of this fandom that has so heavily enriched my life. You are loved. We will find ourselves again.

[somerandomwriter1234]

Riley and Maya: Complicated Parenthood - Chapter 8 (New Good Days)

Summary: As the final three chapters of the series begin, Riley and Maya who are completely back together again finally have to now fully move forward with their lives now after the loss of their daughter. However the two learn through helping others that they are indeed allowed to have “new good days”.

Scene 1:

-In the before and after care auditorium, Maya and Grace sat in front of each other at a table while working on an art project together.

Grace: That is so awesome that your wife is getting better Miss Maya. Is she gonna get out of the hospital and come home today?

Maya: Well, not today. When people come out of a coma they don't just get up and start walking around. But with that being said… the doctors have told me that Riley's condition has improved faster than anything they've seen before… and she may be up and about pretty soon. It's all one amazing miracle really.

Grace: That is so nice. I'm so happy for you Miss Maya.

Maya: Well let's not make everything about me right now. How was your weekend Grace?

Grace: It was nice. I read stories to the little kids at the orphanage for six hours straight.

Maya: Six hours? Wow. That's pretty impressive. I bet all of those leaders where you live really appreciate your help.

Grace: Well I know Ms. Wilson does. I don't really know any of the other people that work there.

Maya: How could you not know any of the other people that work where you live?

Grace: It's just a bunch of different volunteers every day. Ms. Wilson is the only person that's there all of the time. Most days she only has one or two helper adults.

Maya: One or two helpers? For all of those kids!?

Scene 2:

-In a hospital room, Riley was sitting up in her bed while Maya was taping a picture to the wall near the bed. As Riley watched Maya tape the picture to the wall, she made a small smile.

Riley: You know Maya, you don't have to decorate every square inch of the walls in here with these amazing drawings. I should be getting out soon.

-Maya then finished taping the picture to the wall and then sat in a chair facing Riley.

Maya: But my students had heard about how you were doing and just really wanted your room to look nice.

Riley: When you say students, are you sure you're not referring to just one particular student who I know has done every single drawing in here?

Maya: Uh… what makes you say that Riley?

Riley: The art style in every picture is similar, the way the coloring strokes match up… the fact that I see the name Grace in the corner of every picture.

Maya: Oh. I guess that would give it away.

Riley: She's a really nice girl to give me these pictures. But she can't be giving me all of these pictures just from what she's heard about me. She must've done this because she adores you a great deal. Why don't you talk more about her?

Maya: Oh… because, I… didn't want you to feel uncomfortable. I didn't want you to feel weird with me talking on and on about some other woman and…

-Riley began to laugh and then spoke.

Riley: You are too cute. Yet another reason why I'm glad I married you. Maya, I am not jealous about you spending so much of your time to make the life of a little girl a little better. During the entire time I was in that coma, it was the kind of thing I wanted you to do. And… it's what I know Erika would've wanted you to do.

-Riley looked downwards with a sad face for a moment as Maya noticed.

Maya: Are you going to be okay Riley?

-Riley then lifted her head up and looked right at Maya.

Riley: I'm never going to be completely okay ever again Maya. But that doesn't mean I won't stop loving those around me. Just like you haven't stopped with those amazing kids you've come to know. And if it's ever possible, I'd like to meet this amazing Grace and the other children you've gotten to know, and if I can: do something nice for them too.

Maya: Well… there is. You remember how before and after care now takes care of a bunch of kids from the local orphanage?

Riley: Yeah, I remember setting that arrangement up. I'm glad it's worked out.

Maya: Well Grace is one of those kids. And she was just telling me recently how there's barely any adult help there. I checked with the woman in charge: Ms. Wilson and she confirmed that. Their funding is incredibly low and with barely any help to take care of the children, they've had no way to let more people in the community at large know about these many kids who need help and need families. And to help them out with their needs, they require your help Riley.

Riley: And what kind of help can I give?

Maya: You were able to set up a grant from the county to get those kids into the before and after care program. So use your connections and skills to get some kind of bigger grant to help out the orphanage as a whole. Get them more workers, and more connections to people that can find those kids some parents or at least some kind of good foster care arrangements.

Riley: Maya, I can't just start bossing around government leaders and tell them where to send their money.

Maya: Come on Riley… who can say no to a woman who just came out of a coma with a dream to improve the world?

Riley: I… I… I think you're starting to turn into one of the most influential people I know Maya. Okay… I'll do what I can. But if I make this happen, we don't just give these children more money and resources. I want us to give those children a chance to feel like children.

Maya: Sounds good to me.

Scene 3:

-In a large room at the orphanage, many children of different ages were sitting together as Ms. Wilson stood in front of them.

Ms. Wilson: I have some wonderful news children. We have two new volunteers that promise that they'll be here to help us every weekend from now on. Let me introduce you to them now.

-From a doorway, Maya then walked into the room with Riley. From the crowd of children, Grace jumped up.

Grace: Miss Maya!

-Grace then ran over to Maya and gave her a hug. Maya hugged Grace back.

Maya: Hey Grace. Good to see you.

Grace: I usually never see you on the weekend. This is so awesome!

-Maya smiled as she then looked at all of the other children.

Maya: And hello to all of my other friends here I recognize from before and after care. For those that don't know me, yes: my name is Miss Maya. And this is my wife Riley.

Riley: Nice to meet you all. We'll be here every Saturday and Sunday afternoon from now on. And today, we actually brought you all some nice presents.

Maya: We were able to get our hands on a bunch of new sports equipment, and overnight we were able to install a brand new basketball hoop in your yard. It's all outside right now if you're ready to play some games.

Riley: And for those that aren't the biggest sport players, we also have a ton of new books for you all to read.

Maya: All right. If you're ready and wanna play outside, follow me!

-Maya then began to head outside as many of the children began to follow her. Riley meanwhile took out a bag full of many books and put them on the ground. Many of the other children began to crowd around the books as Grace stood near Riley. Riley then looked at Grace and motioned to her to come closer.

Riley: Hi Grace. Maya has told me a lot of good things about you. Thank you for all of those pictures you made for me while I was in the hospital.

Grace: Oh. You're welcome.

Riley: By the way, there's some new art supplies in the back pack behind me. You can grab whatever you want. Just make you share some of them, okay?

-Grace then looked in the backpack hanging on the floor and her eyes lit up with excitement as she saw the art supplies in the bag. Out of excitement Grace immediately hugged Riley.

Grace: Thank you Miss Riley! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

-Riley smiled as she hugged Grace back.

Riley: You're welcome Grace.

Scene 4:

-Maya was standing in the kitchen of her home as she hung a drawing on the refrigerator. The drawing was a picture of herself and Grace standing together near a basketball hoop. From nearby, Riley walked into the room and sat down near Maya.

Riley: How was your day?

-Maya turned to look right at Riley as she smiled.

Maya: Good.

Riley: So I see we have yet another picture for our refrigerator. Or should I now call it the Grace Givens Movable Wall of Art?

Maya: Oh? Well at least I didn't take all of the socks out of the drawer and turn that into an art collection depository.

Riley: Well I had to after you re-purposed my filing cabinet.

-Maya and Riley both began to laugh but after a moment of laughter they immediately stopped. Maya suddenly sat in a chair facing Riley as Riley began to speak.

Riley: Was that the first time we've laughed together since…

Maya: Yeah. It was.

Riley: Are… are we allowed to enjoy life like that again?

Maya: Well… yeah. I… I think she would want us to.

Riley: Maya, I… I don't ever want to forget the good days we had with Erika but… as much as I wish she could've had more with us… I don't want to let that stop us from having new good days with each other.

Maya: Riley… no matter what kind of day we have, I'm glad I get to still share more with you.

-Tears began to come out of Maya and Riley's eyes as they hugged each other, while the day came to a close.

END OF CHAPTER 8

Upcoming Chapters For the Series:

-Chapter 9: Happy Mother's Day (Coming 5/11)

-Chapter 10: Finally Home (Coming 5/13)

[theprincessgarden-blog]

Welcome to my first post on my new blog  💖

This is something I have been thinking about doing for ages now, so I hope everyone will enjoy it as much as I think I am going to! I am hoping to make a post every day - or at least a few times a week - and plan to cover quite a wide variety of topics! The name of my blog is inspired by my middle name, Eden, and its connection to the Bible story. I have always loved the story and connected to it a lot. Unfortunately, just “The Garden” was taken, so I decided to make it a princess garden since most of my daily life is dedicated to caring for my two little princesses.

For those that don’t know me, I’d like to give a bit of a background about myself, and to get an idea for what my blog will be about. I’m a 24 year old wife, mom, and step mom with 3 small dogs. I currently live in a house built in the 1950′s in Texas that we are slowly remodeling - the same house I grew up in as a kid, which I love. I have a wide variety of interests, that range from things like reading, writing and drawing, to fashion and sewing, philosophy, psychology, mental health and eating disorders, mixed media art, home decor, design, re-purposing and DIY, movies and TV (including my guilty pleasure, trashy reality TV), food and watching my husband cook, religions of the world and theology, vintage toys and collectibles, thrift shopping and making things work on a budget, and more that will probably come to mind after I make this post. If any of those things sound interesting to you, then I would encourage you to follow along as I will eventually be covering a very wide range of subjects as they come up in my life and I feel a need or want to blog about them I have constantly been told by my friends and family that a lot of the things that I do would be inspiring and/or helpful to others, so I’m hoping this can serve as the one place for me to post my thoughts and ideas.

To start the blog off, I want to talk about the kitchen and dining room remodel that we are currently working on! Unfortunately we don’t have the resources to spend 30k to remodel our dream kitchen, but we are doing what we can and so far we are loving it! My husband Zach and I have been discussing our color scheme for about a year, and now seeing it in person is feeling fantastic! I am planning to post in a bit more detail about what we do, but for now I will give the blog the first peek that anyone - besides my closest friends - has seen!

Here’s the before:

As you can tell, I had pretty much given up on trying to keep it cute and organized. I had been feeling so uninspired with how old the cabinets looked and felt. If you look closely, there are hinges leftover from the doors that use to be on these cabinets, and during my home renovation process, I’ve realized it’s small things like that that REALLY affect a room. They’re the kind of thing that you look over and sometimes don’t realize would only take a few minutes to take down, and would significantly change the object or room. When my husband took them down before we painted, it immediately made them look better! And I wondered why we hadn’t at least done that YEARS ago! (These cabinet doors have been missing my entire life! lol)

Quick phone shot of our progress, ft. my husband touching up a spot:

I am LOVING the color! With the cabinet hardware taken down, holes covered from where the cabinets hung, and this beautiful, fresh coat of paint, our cabinets are looking deliberate and stylish! It’s truly feeling like a dream come true. I’m super excited to buy new plates and decor. 

Our next step is going to be prepping our walls for wallpaper! We got the most gorgeous wallpaper off of amazon and it’s going to go perfect with our vintage farmhouse feel. 

I can’t wait to continue to update with more of the things we learn during this process. I also will try to post some past projects in the future once I get things going! 

Thanks for reading ✨ Be on the lookout for tomorrow’s post!

[culturalgutter]

We really should have had a mystery series featuring a sensible lesbian couple by now. Something like two Miss Marples sharing a sensible home and sensibly solving extremely–some might even say overly–complicated murders together. One wakes the other up when she turns on the nightstand lamp to do a crossword puzzle, her favorite occupation when she is trying to crack a case. It helps her think. There should have been something based on a series of books written in the 1920s and 1930s, just after the War–either one. It should have been written by female author with three names and set in a quaint village outside London, the kind of village with many corpses in the shrubbery. Or maybe set in the city, with someone like Miss Fisher, but including the women she has had affairs with. Her dressing table or mantle featuring suggestive photos of the detective on holiday in Malta or visiting Paris with Josephine Baker, Marlene Dietrich, Anna May Wong, Djuna Barnes and even, possibly, Garbo herself. Our detective’s tux would be divinely tailored.

Yes, we could have them now, a retro 1930s correcting the oversights of the past. But we should have already had these drawing room mysteries long ago. They should have played on Masterpiece Theater, A&E and the various BBCs. They should be so prevalent that there are Sesame Street parodies teaching children how to count or the letter “L” or the word “sensible.” Old mystery and film fans should patronizingly explain to us that Zasu Pitts or Theresa Harris, Margaret Rutherford or Maude Eburne, in fact, performed in the first film versions of these films back in the day. “The earliest performance of this character dates back to Sarah Bernhard,” a random pedant would interject*.

The realized this terrible loss in the very same moment I saw it almost presented to me in Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate (1971) and its spin-off series, The Snoop Sisters. The Snoop Sisters ran as part of NBC’s Mystery Movie from 1972 to 1974. Though it stars two sisters, aunts to a police officer, I think it will get hard to read them as anything but a married couple in the future. I discovered The Snoop Sisters while watching old, made-for-tv mysteries and thrillers with the Gutter’s own Beth Watkins. We watched one where Barbara Stanwyck’s house is probably possessed and another where someone is trying to drive her mad. One where a theater troop re-enacts a murder to get a confession. One where Shelley Winters’ passion for Debbie Reynolds gets the best of her, demonstrating that there is something very much the matter with Helen. Another called, A Very Missing Person (1972) in which Eve Arden plays Hildegard Withers, a character who was variously played by ZaSu Pitts, Edna May Oliver and Helen Broderick in a series of 1930s films based on the novels of Stuart Palmer**. Ms. Withers is an ex-schoolteacher with an intriguing taste in hats and another good candidate for sensible lesbian detective. And we watched Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate. Helen Hayes, Mildred Natwick, Myrna Loy and Sylvia Sydney. They are retired women who occupy their time with luncheons, amazing outfits and creating the profile of a much younger woman for a computer dating service. Unfortunately for them, their profile attract a serial killer. Unfortunately for him, these ladies have moxie. Watching the movie, I realized that I would love to see these women solve a mystery every week. Apparently someone at NBC felt the same, because while the movie was not picked up as a series, it is somewhat reprised The Snoop Sisters, with Mildred Natwick taking on Myrna Loy’s role as Helen Hayes’ sister. It is the snazziest Mildred Natwick has ever been in a film, as she plays the fashionable Gwendolyn Snoop-Nicholson, “G.” for short. It is one of the only times I can think of that Mildred Natwick has outdressed nearly everyone else on the screen. Helen Hayes plays mystery novelist, Ernesta Snoop. And now both are instigators.

The Snoop Sisters has the things people like in 1970s made-for-tv mysteries—women in their 60s and 70s, magicians, Roddy McDowell, switcheroos and twists. The Snoops solve mysteries, scoop the police—led by their own nephew Lt. Steven Ostrowski—and charmingly prove what everyone thinks is happening is not what’s happening at all. Except, that yes, Alice Cooper is happening, and so is a fist fight between Vincent Price and Roddy McDowell. Also, classic film star Joan Blondell is a medium, Bernie Casey wears pants no one should be able to successfully look handsome in and Steve Allen hosts Ernesta Snoop on his television program. There are so many outfits—fantastically printed caftans and ties; wide lapels; loudly patterned suits; sweaters with ring pulls. And there is a lot of decor—including Gloria Hendry’s amazing octagonal waterbed.

Sadly, there were only five episodes produced, but fortunately they have been collected in a dvd set.In “The Female Instinct,” the Snoops solve the murder of an old Hollywood icon Norma Treet (Paulette Goddard) while Barney tries and fails to keep them out of trouble. There is a sweet screening of one of Goddard’s films, The Ghost Breakers (1940), presented as one of Treet’s. Their nephew***, police Lt. Steven Ostrowski (Lawrence Pressman) as their nephew, Lt. Ostrowski sets Barney, a retired cop played by Art Carney, to keep the ladies out of trouble. But no one, not even Art Carney—an Art Carney who does a stunt—can stop the Snoops from doing what they want to do. And they want to write mysteries, solve mysteries, meet amazing people, and disguise themselves as anything from “stuffed animal fluffers” to exterminators and a bowling team.

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And they wear amazing outfits. G.’s wardrobe is very much from the 1970s, including a beautiful coat I covet. Ernesta’s much more turn of the Twentieth Century. I will also note that Ernesta is butch, but hers is a butchness leaning towards Gertrude Stein but with a fondness for ridiculously feathered hats. It’s from a when wearing a certain cut of jacket was more meaningful in gender coding than wearing a skirt. In this case, most of Ernesta’s skirt suits are “mannish” in the parlance of the thirties and forties. And I am pretty sure she is straight up wearing men’s or boy’s gray striped flannel pajamas.

My favorite part is the peek into Ernesta’s creative process as she works on a book while G. takes dictation.

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We also get another glimpse of their home life as Ernesta works on her embroidery in bed and Mildred asks to borrow her liniment, after a close call with a potential assassin required that they both run.

By the second episode, “Corpse and Robbers,” there have been some changes. Now Bert Convy plays Steven. And rather than a retired cop, Barney is now a paroled convict doing the lieutenant a favor by watching his aunts. Played by Lou Antonio, Barney is also twenty or thirty years younger than the Snoops and too hobbled by his respect for their ladyness to come close to contending with them. In the episode, Ernesta tries to discover what happened to her dear old friend, and toy-making genius, Franklin Birdwell (Liam Dunn). Ernesta also hopes to prove that she is not imagining that he has called her. The Snoops disguise themselves as “stuffed animal fluffers” to infiltrate a toy factory that specializes in toy dogs that bark and wag their tails, Winnie the Pooh stuffies, and giant devil masks. I assume the factor is one of the Joker’s old hideouts and, in its off hours, the site of many a giallo murder.**** Ernesta and G. also go jogging in knit outfits.

Their activewear.

In “Death Is A Free Throw,” we discover many interesting things, such as that G. is a basketball fan and that their Lincoln limosine’s license plate just happens to be 473 FEM. Oh, and as Ernesta and G. defend a man who has come flying out of the green room for the Steve Allen show, “We warn you, Mr. Bates, we know kung fu.”

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Fortunately, fisticuffs prove unnecessary and the Snoops quickly befriend basketball great, Willie Bates (Bernie Casey). Willie wears some amazing outfits that only Bernie Casey could make it seem like a good idea for anyone else to wear. I mean, some other people could look handsome in them, but, seriously, don’t think you could because he could. Meanwhile, everyone has stomach trouble and G. becomes a suspect.

“The Devil Made Me Do It!” might contain the most wonders per hour. The Snoops find themselves the target of a Satanic coven that would very much like its ancient relic back, thank you. Classic film bombshell Joan Blondell appears as a medium, Madame Mimi. And Alice Cooper not only appears as a witch, but sings a song to a very interesting audience at the Frou Frou Club.

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But my favorite character is the Honorable Morlock (Cyril Ritchard), the proprietor of an occult shop who specializes in providing New York’s covens with human skulls, in any size and painted in any color you might like. He assures us that Henry Ford had the right idea in only offering one model of car in one color. He blames the government for the rapacious frog bone suppliers. He wears a wig, red eye shadow and stunning ritual magick robes. (The Honorable Morlock definitely spells magic with a K and probably deplores the confusion of stage magic with the Art). And he speaks in rhyming couplets whenever he can. When Barney asks how the Honorable Morlock knows he has a bad back, he declaims: “Lucifer, give me strength! Do you think you’re dealing with kids? Because I’m a pro—that’s how I know!”

He’s a pro!

And if The Snoop Sisters had to go out, at least it went out with an episode featuring both Roddy McDowell and Vincent Price. The episode begins gloriously with Ernesta and G. cosplaying that most romantic of classic horror couples, Frankenstein and the Bride****. Ernest is the creature, of course. And Mildred Natwick makes a remarkably elegant Bride. They are dressed up to attend the Michael Bastion Film Festival, a revival of classic horror films. We see among the attendees people dressed as vampires, a werewolf, the Metaluna Mutant and a mummy. That’s right, G. is a horror fan. She’s seen all of Bastion’s films and is excited to meet Bastion himself. Bastion and his wife arrive in an old hearse. His wife leaves from the passenger side. Muscle men in silver masks pull a coffin out of the hearse, lean it up and open it to reveal Bastion to his adoring fans*****. There is a fun movie-within-a-tv-movie starring Bastion, and, of course, a murder during the screening. Bastion is the accused and the Snoops investigate. Like Price himself, Bastion is a noted gourmet cook and G. distracts Bastion by taking him up on an offer of a gourmet luncheon. There is a very fine drunken-crepe making scene. And Ernesta wears an indescribable golfing outfit. I do not think I am spoiling anything but informing you that there is also a fistfight between Roddy McDowell and Vincent Price. This is obviously an enticement.

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While I willingly admit that the Snoop sisters are, in fact, sisters, no matter how queer coded the relationship and the show seems, The Snoop Sisters does satisfy some of my desire for weird old tv mysteries starring a lesbian couple. Sure we could do something retro now and that would be fun, but it isn’t the same. And it’s a reminder of how much we could have had without prejudices limiting art.

*One must take the good with the bad if one is truly sensible.

**A Very Missing Person also stars Julie Newmar and Pat Morita. Morita plays a hippie, which is so, so worthwhile.

***I will note the long tradition of couples who are coded gay having nieces and nephews. I also suppose that if Steven were Gwendolyn’s son, she would not be considered so free to gallivant around with Ernesta because she would be a Bad Mother somehow to the series perceived audience. Even if Steven’s all grown-up and a police lieutenant now.

***I have been thinking about gialli a lot while watching this made-for-tv mysteries with Beth.

****For my thoughts on calling the creature, “Frankenstein,” and on the poor Bride, please see “The Specter of Frankenstein.”

*****Bastion later arranges to meet someone in the men’s bathroom, but I am resisting the temptation to say anything about that.

Two other queer and queer-ish, made-for-tv movies: The Judge and Jake Wyler starring Bette Davis and Doub McLure; and, What’s The Matter With Helen? starring Debbie Reynolds and Shelley Winters.

 ~~~

If you need her, Carol Borden will be consulting with the Honorable Morlock.

Snooping Ladies Sensibly Solving Mysteries We really should have had a mystery series featuring a sensible lesbian couple by now. Something like two Miss Marples sharing a sensible home and sensibly solving extremely--some might even say…

[spaceschool]

🎄That’s right! It’s time to start getting ready for Space School’s 6th annual 12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS! 🎄

It’s that time of year again! Time to start getting ready for this year’s Spacemas!

🎁 BASIC INFO:

I need to fill about 10 guest comic slots.

Comics should be 1 single page. (2 pages can be combined into one page if you wanna do more!)

Comics should be in full color.

Comics need to be X-mas/Winter themed!

I also accept illustrations– but they must have a clear narrative or dialogue! (Comics are obviously preferred.)

Tone can be humorous, serious, anything like that. As long as it’s Space School and X-mas/Winter themed all at once.

DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 13TH FOR ALL FINISHED ART!

🎁 HOW TO APPLY:

DON’T send me any completed art– instead just send your idea/pitch for what you’d like to do for said comic.

Link or attach example of your art!

Send said idea/pitch + art examples to my e-mail colinxzain@hotmail.com

Label e-mail “Space School Guest Comic Pitch”

And that’s about it! It’s pretty flexible and this is all in good fun! I would be honored if some of you applied to make a guest comic this year!

(If you applied last year, feel free to apply again this year if you’re feeling up to it. I loved all the artists I worked with last year and would love to work with ya’ll again.)

And if you wanna know more about Space School and it’s Spacemas traditions, there’s lots and lots of info under the cut!

Space School Christmas Illustrations by year:

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016 (PART 2)

2017

2018

Original 12 Days of Spacemas announcement image

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2014

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2015

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2016

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2017

12 DAYS OF GUESTMAS 2018

I would love to see some of these past outfits re-created in any comics but new ones or just general winter themed outfits are fine too. Zeggy should most always be Santa though, unless joke calls for otherwise. BUT! Jokes trump everything– if it’s funny, I want it.

SPACE SCHOOL AND THE HOLIDAYS:

Because Winter-time has always been a time of hoilday-stuffs for lots of places and planets (especially those who were colonized by Earth or Nubia) Space School most often gives the whole school lots of time off in December from school-life.

All holidays are accepted to celebrated within the walls as long as everyone is being respectful of each other– as with most things in Space School. The School decorates mostly with lights and tries to stay away from leaning one way or the other. Students are allowed to decorate inside their dorms as they please, obviously.

Most students leave home to their respective planets for the holidays but some students and teachers stay at the school thru the whole month– sometimes celebrating together!

It’s an exciting and peaceful time for everyone~

Alkaline, Zeggy, and Toggy usually go home for the holidays (sometimes together) and Joe stays at the school. Sometimes Joe joins Toggy, Terrago, and Omnivera at their homes.

Dude, Maleena, and Vava either see their separate families alone or all stay together in their home near the school.

Dennis and Booker spend the holiday cooped up alone at Booker’s apartment avoiding everyone but each other.

ZEGGY AND HIS PLANET’S CULTURE:

Zeggy is canonically the most all about Christmas out of the whole group.

X-mas was an adopted holiday by Ollce when Earth colonized the planet and as such, it resembles Christmas as we known it with some key differences.

As far as the tree goes, it starts out as a sculpted pile of dirt resembling a tree or other X-mas object that is watered thru the month with various glowing mushrooms and other fun alien-glowy-bits appearing as it’s watered– so by the time Christmas rolls around the tree will have grown it’s own ornaments to light up the room!

You buy bags of seed/spores each year for the tree, these bags make great gifts and are often put in stockings!!!

Otherwise, a lot of the traditions are the same with either having different looking aesthetics. They do stockings, presents under the tree, and Santa– who instead of having a sleigh– instead rides a single giant mole (which is a creature from purple planet, I can provide reference for) and is of course, purple himself. He rides this mole– who is named Rudolf, around all the underground cities of Ollce delivering presents to all the kids.

Zeggy gets into the holiday spirit way too early and way too fast. He decorates his whole dorm room as well as wearing as much X-mas accessories as he’s allowed over his school uniform.

He’s the type of person to put everything non-Christmas away and replace it with Christmas themed things.

He absolutely spoils Alkaline with tons and tons and way too many gifts– all of which are extremely personalized.

Otherwise, he only buys presents for his parents/grandparents, Joe, Toggy, and gives cards to his teachers. Most of his efforts go towards Alkaline.

He eats a billion food, sings a billion songs, and is fucking obnoxious. It’s beautiful.

ALKALINE AND HIS TRADITIONS:

Alkaline likes Christmas just as much as everyone else and is definitely not as hype as Zeggy because who could match Zeggy’s energy, honestly. But, he definitely gets into the spirits! Enjoys the food, drink, songs, presents– etc.

Christmas on Earth is very similar to what we think of it now which some differences– many of which haven’t totally been decided upon so feel free to have some fun interpretations.

Christmas has most definitely become a non-religious holiday in most all senses on Earth. It’s more just about the aesthetics and being with family members, buying fits, eating food, etc.

Alkaline is either with Zeggy in his home on Ollce or has Zeggy over on Earth. He stays with his Mom and Sister, visiting extended family on Christmas Day for dinner.

Alkaline buys everyone he knows presents– even if it’s just something small!

I usually draw Alkaline as a reindeer because Alkaline with antlers is super cute.

JOE’S ‘CHRISTMAS’:

Christmas isn’t celebrated where Joe is from– they have other traditions. However; Christmas Day is actually Joe’s birthday– which he usually chooses to spend alone or with Dennis or Lorna (his girlfriend)– depending on the age.

As such, Joe doesn’t care too much about Christmas and see’s it more of just as “his birthday” but starts to appreciate the holiday more when Zeggy’s festive spirit invades him. And, he likes the presents.

I’m sure Zeggy and Joe have some special X-mas moments together with Zeggy trying to show Joe all about “The Christmas Spirit”!

TOGGY’S TRADITIONS:

On Nubia, they don’t really have a Christmas but rather a big celebration of a New Year like holiday where they begin the new calendar year.  Like Christmas, it’s a time to celebrate with family and loved ones.  

Typically people travel long distances to spend the two days reunited with family, and everything shuts down.  The most important part of the festivities is to tell stories about the year–letting out stress or frustration while also reliving good moments and bonding with family members.  

This is always accompanied by large amounts of alcoholic beverages, which are enjoyed by all ages.  

Oftentimes everyone gets really smashed the first day and then sleeps it off the next.   Food varies from region to region but typically includes mostly unprocessed foods such as berries and vegetables, or dried lizard or fish jerky. As the festivities mark the beginning of the new year, many Nubians will dye their hair to a different color or get a new piercing around this time. Presents aren’t really a thing on Nubia, though it is common for parents and grandparents to give their children small sums of money to encourage them to have new adventures in the new year.  

Toggy’s family is a bit more accustomed to Earth traditions though, and so he tries to buy his close friends gifts for “Christ-mass” but they are always strange and often food.

DUDE, MALEENA, VAVA:

The 3’s traditions are similar to Alkaline’s since they’re all from Earth– so not much to say there.

Dude spends a lot of time in an apron baking cookies, cakes, etc as presents for everyone he knows and Vava and Maleena definitely gain some weight this time of year.

They all get drunk a lot and laugh a lot and just have a good time together BEING A LIL FAMILY.

Dude always makes sure to exchange presents with students he’s helped thru the year; since he often takes troubled students under his wing.

DENNIS AND BOOKER:

Booker nicely decorates his apartment and spends a lot of time with Dennis on the couch eating food and talking. They frick a lot too.

It’s chill.

OMNIVERA AND TERRAGO:

As the resident “gays into roleplays”, Omnivera and Terrago do a lot of dressing up for X-mas.

There’s a lot of time Terrago will be with Toggy’s family with them– and so I’m sure Omnivera is there sometimes as well. In a billion, expensive outfits.

The two of them absolutely spoil each other and nobody else in presents– except for Toggy who they buy something for– OF COURSE.

NOTE ABOUT REX: Due to some wild stuff happening with the creator of Rex, Rex will no longer be appearing in Space School and therefore should not be appearing in any Guest Comics! Sorry!

AND PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO ADD NEW HEAD-CANONS OR INTERPRETATIONS FOR FUTURE HOLIDAYS!! REALLY, THIS STUFF IS JUST HERE TO GET YOU STARTED SO GO HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[movingforwardsf]

Relocating For Work? You’ll Need This Essential Relocation Checklist.

                       The Essential Checklist for Relocating for a Job

Moving for a job is a major decision -- you’re uprooting your whole life to take the next step in your career. Whether you’r moving your entire family, moving closer to family, or going it alone, there’s plenty to be excited about … and even more to plan! Between the pay raise and the up and coming art scene you’ve heard so much about, it’s easy to stay excited about that move. Don’t lose sight of those things, because there will also be a lot of logistics to sift through, and those aren’t so much fun (unless you’re the Marie Kondo type). For the rest of you, take a deep breath. You’re going to get through this just fine! As long as you take care of the essentials, everything else will fall into place in good time. So what are those essentials? We’ve made a quick list of essentials to knock off your list for a smoother transition to your new home.   Negotiate Relocation Support Many companies offer relocation benefits that include living stipends, airfare, moving and hauling expenses and temporary housing until you can find your home. Some companies even provide job search support for your spouse if you are moving together. Speak with HR about relocation benefits that are available to you. You may be surprised how much of your moving budget is already covered. We recommend negotiating relocation benefits first, so you can fit that support into your moving budget. Create Your Moving Budget Moving expenses can add up, especially if you don’t have a clear idea of what you need. Take some time to sit down and research moving budgets to get an idea of what you can afford, and where you can cut expenses. Remember to use your resources like friends and family when you need supplies. Moving supplies are often the most costly expense for a move, so take advantage of used boxes and pay attention to what you already have in your home that can be used as a packing material. Additionally, get really clear on the food part of your move. You have to east, so if you want to make room for takeout and cooking at home, determine what’s the most realistic and plan from there. Some nights you’ll just want to order a pizza and not feel guilty about it. Make room for that in your budget. Envision the Transition In many ways, you’re starting your life over, which means there’s plenty of room to envision what you want your new life in your new home to look like. As you envision the decor and your daily routines and commute, consider where you may run into some pitfalls or obstacles. Is traffic more congested where you’re moving? Do you live far away from your office? Where are your kids’ schools, can they take the bus or ride their bikes? It will help to walk through your daily routine and look for these potential obstacles or new experiences. Then you can properly plan for them. Take time to also be realistic about the transition. While you may usually make your kids’ lunches each morning, that’s probably not in the cards the first few weeks. You may also need to get used to taking public transportation rather than driving to work if your car is delayed from being hauled across the country. So what solutions can you come up with? Pay for a public transportation pass. Sign students up for hot lunches for the first month of school. You’ve got this!

Prepare Travel Arrangements How far is your home from the airport? Will you need to take a cab or will the train work out just fine? What time will the movers arrive and will you be able to meet them on time? These are all details to consider as you make your travel arrangements. Not only are you the one traveling, but all of your belongings are traveling too, likely in a moving truck right behind you. Make plenty of time to coordinate flights, travel time, and the moving truck. Ideally, everyone and everything will arrive around the same time. If you need to get the key from a real estate agent or landlord, make sure they are available to you upon arrival. You don’t want to be standing out in the cold with all of your moving boxes while you wait for a key! Research Your New Neighborhood A new neighborhood means new routines, new amenities, and new opportunities! What opportunities are in your new neighborhood? Consider your current daily routines and the shops and stops you rely on. Is the post office by your house? Is there a local tavern to meet up with new friends? Is there a coffee shop where you can grab a latte or catch up on work? Can you walk or do you need to drive? Where is the nearest pharmacy? How about the nearest grocery store? Map out the stores, parks, gyms and other essentials community spots you will likely visit on a weekly basis. Then you won’t have to scramble to find them when you arrive. You can get a sense of your new routine--where you stop for dinner supplies after work, where you attend yoga, where you take the kids out for the birthday dinner, that kind of thing. This is incredibly helpful if you have young children, because if you know where things are, they will feel liess shaken up by that lack of routine. Start Connecting with People Hop online and start connecting with people at work or in your neighborhood. Sign up for apps like Nextdoor and Meetup to find out what’s going on in your neighborhood. Don’t hesitate to join a new exercise class or community center. You never know where your new friends are hanging out! This is also a great time to try something new that you thought your old friends might judge you for back home. Embrace a new you and finally sign up for martial arts or pottery. Who knows, your new kindred spirit could be sitting right next to you. Hire a Reliable Moving Company If there’s one thing you need perfectly taken care of, it’s packing and hauling your belongings. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to vet companies for credibility, reliability, coverage, and customer service. Check their Yelp page and take a look at the BBB profile as well. Look out for moving companies without websites of who will not do an in-person quote. Pay attention to hidden fees too. Ask as many questions as you can about where you may be charged extra for something. Common fees include: long distance moving, handling bulky items, moving insurance, storage, cancellation, and disassembly or re-assembly. Conclusion Here at Moving Forward, we believe moving is a chance to start fresh and build a life the way you want it. Congratulations on this big step in your life, and try not to lose sight of those exciting things as you begin to dive into the move. When you’re ready to discuss packing and hauling, give Moving Forward a call. We’ll set you up with a free quote and a few tips about moving that we’ve gathered over the course of our careers.

San Francisco Movers  

[im-a-meteorite]

Fic Recommendations

I’m bored so i’m making this list of all the fics that I’ve read (and liked). I’ll be updating this every now and then. I’ll also probs put it in my bio. I’ll be categorizing them by main ship then I’ll have the links and their summaries. I’ll also add their ratings  

Namjin 

Charmed - kaythebest  (Teens and Up) 

"So you’re not going to eat me?" Seokjin asks, just to confirm.

"Why would I eat you?"

"Because you’re a dragon," Seokjin says slowly, because it should be obvious, despite Namjoon not looking very dragon-y at all.

Namjoon looks unimpressed. "I may be a dragon, but I’m not an animal."

before things come together - brightlight  (Explicit)

Namjoon didn't expect to run into the TA from his philosophy class at the gay bar Taehyung and Jimin drag him to, he really didn't expect him to look this nice outside of class, and he really, really didn't expect to have a crush on him.

It's going to be an interesting semester.

그 손을 내밀어줘 - sugavevo  (General Audiences) 

bangtan as kids ft. namjin as parents

Let’s Not Hurt Anymore - exfatamorgana  (Mature)

They don’t talk about it, and usually no one thinks to ask. But if you did, Namjoon and Seokjin would tell. They aren’t keeping secrets, and if you asked them, they’d answer. It just so happens that on a Sunday, not much different from any other Sunday, the other boys think to ask.

So how do two people who are always together end up… together?

you have 1 new message - bazooka  (Teens and Up) 

r u n c h r a n d a. fuck this is going to sound like the weirdest shit okay look i used ur selcas to catfish and this older dude is gonna buy me stuff but i have to send him a selca with a peace sign

~ * ~ pingkeu jin ~ * ~ hahahahahahaha wtf

Creating a Home - CheekyBrunette (General Audiences)

Seokjin is used to getting calls from social workers at all hours of the day, but never this late at night.

(In which Hoseok loses a mom and gains two dads and four brothers.)

Spanish Doll - saengie (Mature)

What Seokjin expected of his summer holiday in the wine country of Spain had been wine, sleep, and more wine. Being the muse for the recluse painter Namjoon and arguing the finer points of post modern art as pillow talk had never crossed his mind.

Yoonjin

(cause i) i’m a fool for you - onrainydays (General Audiences) 

yoongi wakes up in the middle of the night to feed seokjin's sugar gliders

of sweet kisses and raspberries - onrainydays (Teens and Up) 

seokjin loves soft things.

yoongi isn't a thing but he's soft. really really soft.

and seokjin loves him.

give me the warmth of your love - onrainydays (General Audiences)

just a drabble of tired seokjin craving cuddles

Namseok

The Jung-Kim Family - onrainydays (General Audiences)

The kid was dressed very Namjoon and smiled very Hoseok. He looked like a perfect combination of the two in every picture, melted his parents’ hearts and made their eyes shine with the purest love.

or, namseok's child was too cute not to make him a model

Yoonmin 

An Aperture in Fine Balance - blurrylines  (Teens and Up) 

Fake Marriage AU in which Yoongi is an up and coming rapper whose fame had blown up in Korea, traveled throughout Asia and has now landed him in the States. Meanwhile, Jimin is in America to study photography and find success in this land of freedom. Except for one problem. His school's policy for financial aid requires him to be either over the age of 24, have a child, or be married.

Considering the fact that he’s only 21 and can’t have a kid, Jimin is left with the last option.

That’s where Yoongi comes in the picture.

a+++ cutie - yururin  (General Audiences) 

“Are you sure your name’s Jimin and not Jinyoung?” Yoongi asked, feeling extremely dumb, but the laugh that Jimin answered him with was worth it. Sort of.

“I’m sure, hyung,” Jimin replied softly, leaning both arms on the table as he grinned at Yoongi, “finally figured it out?”

85 Days of Summer - yururin  (Explicit)

When his friends dragged him to some secluded, intimate beach resort for their summer break, all that Yoongi expected to get were cheap souvenirs, sand between his toes, and a lot of sunburns.

He didn’t expect that a beautiful boy with honey skin, soft copper hair, and a smile so bright and happy would steal his heart instead.

you are my sunshine, my only sunshine - yururin  (Mature) 

On their second anniversary, Yoongi proposed to Jimin. On their third anniversary, Yoongi woke up to the news of Jimin's untimely death. On Jimin's first death anniversary, Yoongi met Jimin again.

The Letter Thief - d4wndust  (Teens and Up) 

Min Yoongi receives a text from an unknown number and it seems to be a suicide note. Park Jimin says his goodbyes through a text, but to a wrong number.

Min Yoongi makes Park Jimin live a little longer and Park Jimin makes Min Yoongi start living.

Truth or Dare - fratboyyoongi  (Not Rated) 

Based on a prompt I got from otpprompts on tumblr that goes like: (Imagine that Person A and Person B (who are not going out yet, but have crushes on each other) are playing Truth or Dare with their friends, who can tell about their feelings toward one another. One of their friends dares B to kiss A. B leans over and kisses A on the cheek. Very tired of B’s BS, A tells them, “Come on B, you know that’s not what they meant” and grabs their head and kisses them on the mouth.)

we pass in front of a flower shop (and i catch the scent of roses) - groovystars  (General Audiences) 

Jimin's a florist who sings to the flowers and crushes hard on the mint-haired man who just came in to buy a cactus.

The Boy in the Music Box - MissterMaia  (Teens and Up) 

Yoongi doesn’t really expect anything special when he finds an old music box in his grandmother’s attic and she tells him to keep it. Oh sure, he expects the music box to be a pretty decoration to add to the stale interior of his small apartment. He expects it to play a tune and he might even dare to expect the barely-functioning little ballerina to dance along to the soft chimes, but that's it, really.

The last thing he expects is for the little ballerina to take human form at night and throw his life out of balance with radiant smiles, soft giggles, and a heart-wrenching story.

Sunshine on a Rainy Day - MissterMaia  (General Audiences) 

It’s a fact as well-known as water being wet that Min Yoongi hates mornings. He hates the lethargicness of waking up, the temporary lack of complete motor control, the slowness of his sleep-drunk mind as it attempts to power up again after the six-hour long reboot session. Truly, mornings are the devil’s work.

But maybe Yoongi hates them a little less thanks to the cute weatherman he watches over a cup of coffee every morning.

The Songbird and the Sea - MissterMaia  (Mature) 

In a world where dominance of the sea is an endless battle between pirates and mariners, Park Jimin is content living in his little village on a small, uninteresting island by the eastern mainland. He wants nothing to do with the bloodshed of good and evil, the heartless killing of both innocents and condemned, the constant establishment and disruption of order. What he wants is peace, to live his life in the same town he was born in, to spend his days in the beautiful forest, and to use the powers of his Blessed Rune to nurture the home he loves so dearly.

But when his island is attacked by pirates, Jimin will have no other choice than to do as they command and leave all thoughts of peace behind in favor of boarding the Agust, a pirate ship captained by the infamous Min Yoongi, Black Fox of the East.

Hey, Piano Man - MissterMaia  (Explicit) 

In which Yoongi, after having his evening completely ruined by a drunk asshole on his way home from a rough day at the studio, decides he himself needs to get drunk and wanders into an old-fashioned pub. He may or may not find his bad mood washed away by the cute bartender, and he may or may not end up completely and utterly smitten when said bartender gets on the small stage and starts singing in the most angelic, beautiful, seductive voice he's ever heard in all his life.

“You play the piano?”

“I... yeah, I do, actually. How'd you know?”

The bartender's smile is shy and confident all at once, and Yoongi's heart lurches in confusion. “Just a feeling,” Jimin says softly, busying himself with drying a glass. “Your hands are beautiful. They look like they were made to play an instrument.”

Soul Bond - springrain21 (Teens and Up) 

Everyone is born with a Soulmate, but not everyone gets to meet their other half in their lifetime. Twenty one year old Park Jimin suspects he will never meet his Soulmate. When he accidentally makes skin-to-skin contact with the cold, distant Min Yoongi, he discovers that the two of them are Soulmates. But what happens when Yoongi doesn't even believe in Soulmates? Will Jimin develop the deadly condition known as Soul Sickness? And will Yoongi make it in time to save him?

Love is fulfilment of the law - Yoongi_trash (Teen and Up)

"They were a strange couple, Jimin knew it. He knew that it was wrong on so many levels. On every level. He'd read the books, knew the laws; homosexuality was a sin and it always would be. But Jimin couldn't help it, couldn't deny his feelings for Yoongi."

AKA the church AU in which Jimin is a probably an angel sent from heaven and Yoongi's nickname is the Antichrist

time follows you (and fades) - thebestofme (Teen and Up)

hp!au - how half-veela!jimin and yoongi fall in love in the Slytherin common room.

(or, two sides of one story: Jimin worries about the effects of his Allure and hides his veela nature; Yoongi loves Jiminie but is too confused by mixed signals to act on it).

you and me (are the difference between real love and the love on tv) - inkingbrushes (Teen and Up)

Yoongi is pretty sure his friends are conspiring against him.

Or: that stupid college au where they're all drunk and playing the "of course" game.

smile like silver - jflawless (Teen and Up)

Anonymous said: could you do a yoonmin fic where yoongi gets a tongue piercing ? and jimin just really likes it

when you’re in love all the lines get blurred - jflawless (Teen and Up)

Jimin isn't sure what possessed him to lie to his mother and tell her that he had a boyfriend, but now that he's opened the position, he has no choice but to fill it. Yoongi is, apparently, his only option.

It’s your Birthday but you’re my Gift - smoljean (General Audiences) 

Yoongi celebrates 5 birthdays with Jimin over the course of 20 years. (aka Yoongi growing up with Jimin only to realise he's falling for his childhood friend).

you wish i was yours (and i hope that you’re mine) -  awsuga (Mature)

Jimin is getting ready to sleep his summer away now that all his friends have left for college except for him. That is, though, until he meets Yoongi. A boy two years older than him from the city, who has been kicked out by his parents and is now living with his aunt.

Because of Yoongi Jimin learns more about himself in one summer than he has his entire life.

give me a sign - iwillalwaysbelieve (Teen and Up) 

Yoongi thinks the universe is a dick for a lot of reasons. Reason #1: It gave a deaf person a soul-mark that revolves around speech. Reason #2: Once he decided to hate his soulmate no matter what they were like, the universe gave him a really attractive soulmate. Reason #3: Said soulmate is overly kind, no matter how much of a dick Yoongi is. Reason #4: Yoongi is definitely fucked.

Midnight Dreamers - ghuns (Teens and Up)

Soulmates. They're something vague and the only clues to them lie within your dreams.

Speak to Me - noonatha  (General Audience)

Yoongi might not be able to hear what he's missing out on, but he can see it.

 give me thirty days (to fall in love with you) - kstorms  (Teens and Up)

"Hi! I’m Park Jimin!” when he gets no reaction, Jimin pushes on, a little hesitantly. “As in, your soulmate?”

or

Jimin meets his soulmate, and it doesn't go the way he's planned (nothing ever does, really).

Once Upon A Dream - yururin (Teens and Up)

“Somebody once promised they’d find you, and that they’ll love you more than they already do,” Yoongi murmurs, a smile on his lips when recognition sparks in Jimin’s eyes, “somebody once promised they’d ask you to be theirs when they can finally do so again.”

Jimin doesn’t say anything—just leans into Yoongi’s touch, that same shy smile Yoongi has grown to love still on his face.

“Be mine, Park Jimin?”

(or alternatively: "that yoonmin soulmates AU where you can see a glimpse of your past life on the eve of your 18th birthday and Jimin dreams of a forbidden Joseon era love story with an upperclassman Min Yoongi, popular basketball player in uni, 18384/10 out of his reach".)

Time Lapse - NomNams  (Explicit)

Min Yoongi is a time jumper, and Jimin is tethered to his timeline. Or he's tethered to Jimin's. Who knows. All Yoongi knows, is that no matter where he jumps to, Park Jimin will be waiting. __________

"Give me a reason not to think you're some spy working for the government who plans to..."

"You have a cow lick above your right ear. There's a scar on your right knee cap that you got when you were four falling off a pony in Daegu. You have a birthmark patch low on your left butt cheek, and another on your inner..."

"Fine. Fine. Just... please stop there." Yoongi begged, blushing five shades of red.

Bullet Boy - sugamins  (Explicit)

If you want to make it big, you’ve got to start off small. This is something that Jimin acknowledges, for he just carries on singing features for underground rappers in the hopes of breaking into the mainstream scene even when the lyrics mean nothing to him.

If you want to make it in the scene, you’ve got to fake it in the scene. This is something that Yoongi understands intimately. But he’s never been one to be a poser, and there’s only far stuntin’ can get you before you burn out like the end of a cigarette.

Yoongi finally wants to move on from his bad past and take the gamble so that he can drop his first mixtape as ‘D-boy’, and he can’t think of anyone more perfect to feature on it than rising talent: Park Jimin.

Jimin really wants to break free from nights spent singing at hip hop clubs for a pittance and finally have his name on an official track in the music charts, but he’s going to need some help navigating the brutal world of music contracts and the paparazzi; and being involved in a scandal the likes of which the industry has never seen before.

Multi-Ship (is that even a thing?)

Namjin, Yoonmin and Taekook: 

Nyctophile - yururin  (Mature) 

"Like I said, monsters aren't real, Taehyung."

Jimin quickly pulled the closet doors open.

At the bottom of the closet, sitting on the floor and leaning heavily against the walls, was a man with dark pink hair clad in dark clothes, bleeding and injured and looking positively close to death.

Jimin didn't know what to do.

Craigslist Date - springrain21 (Mature)

Main Ship: Yoonmin

Min Yoongi's family are judgmental and unsupportive of his lifestyle and his mother won't stop nagging him about how he's still single. When he finds Park Jimin on Craigslist offering to pose as someone's fake date to mess with their family, Yoongi can't help himself. What starts as a prank on Yoongi's family turns into something more when the two of them quickly develop feelings for each other. Will Yoongi, who doesn't know how to handle feelings, let his chance at love slip away, or will he go after the silver-haired boy and hold onto him forever?

Inspired by that tumblr post about the guy on Craigslist who you can hire to be your date for Thanksgiving to screw with your family because that post makes me cry laughing every time I see it.

Soulmate? No, Thanks - Bookworming (Teen and Up)

Main Ship: Yoonmin

Min Yoongi has been waiting to have his first colour dream since he was 17 because a dream in colour is the dream of your soulmate, whoever they are. In a world where all humans have only black and white dreams the only colour dreams one gets are those of their soulmate, if they have one. Soulmates get each other's dreams in colour and can speak to them through those dreams, a privilege Yoongi has coveted for a long time. Yoongi has also coveted his best friend Kim Seokjin for a long time but unfortunately for Yoongi, Seokjin's soulmate loves sleeping and occupies his mind in a way Yoongi never does. Park Jimin made the worst mistake of his life by getting drunk and driving himself home one day before his 17th birthday. When he wakes up, things have changed drastically, the biggest change being the sexy voice that interrupted his first pleasant dream in a LONG time.

Yoonminkook, Namjin and Vhope: 

Let Me Know - TheOrgasmicSeke  (Mature) 

Main Ship: Yoonminkook

Talking about it, of course, became harder as the days passed by. Yoongi could never find the right time to bring it up. He was still wondering if he was just imaging things. If he was just thinking he was feeling the things he was feeling. But that was quickly disproved every single time Jimin curled up around him and Jungkook kissed him. He was a fucking idiot in love with two bigger idiots and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. Except probably ruin it by talking about it. Hell, maybe it was better to just never mention it and pretend it wasn't happening.

Namjin, Yoonmin and Vhope:

Can I Get Your Dewey Decimal Number? - melecs  (Teens and Up) (a series)

Seokjin loved working at the library, but some patrons got on his nerves. Take, for example, the grown man who sat in the corner every day and leeched off of the Wi-Fi. And Seokjin worked in the children’s department.

Namjin and Yoonmin:

When life gives you elephants… - tired angry egg (Mirabelle)

(Its a series so each part has a different summary and rating)