#and yeah a lot of them are wrong and overconfident and bad at listening but you find these ppl in academia too lol

[beeseverywhen]

Saw a post talking about how it's stupid that literary analysis is seen as this boring excruciating thing and yep. Couldn't agree more. But it got me thinking about how much I love how ppl on this site talk about ideas that were traditionally pretty inaccessible things, restricted only to an academic elite, so casually. Like yeah there's no running from how there are people here who are determined to be anti intellectual and those that have their head up their own arses and are determined to think that they are way more intellectual than they are lol but there are even more people just talking about these ideas casually and I just think that's so important and so cool and honestly that's what the internets all about??? Its about getting exposed to people and ideas you never would have gotten exposed to irl.

Like its so fun! I love that ppl talk about philosophy and sociology and literature analysis as these everyday things that you can joke about and make memes about. Yeah loads of you are wrong lol and tumblr is the home of net zero information, but acting like there aren't idiots spouting shit in every university worldwide is ridiculous. Sometimes people are wrong and they are really sure they are right! And part of the fun of learning is accepting that and reading between the lines. Being ready to challenge people and challenge your own ideas! Yeah I just love it tbh. I love getting to see ppl sharing this specialist knowledge like it's nothing. I've been introduced to so many fascinating ideas and texts through tumblr. I love to bump in to someone raving about their speciality and let what they've told me lead me in to a total wormhole of research and end up knowing way more about an idea I never would have even considered

[jaydenix]

20 years on, Sokka is still one of the best male role models in all of media

We need more young men written like him

What's there not to love about Sokka? As ATLA's resident comic relief guy, crazy shit that happens to him is always a good laugh. He's full of himself and overconfident which combined with a stellar voice acting performance by Jack DeSena makes for a very fun character. But one of the most intriguing things about him is his relationship with manhood.

Sokka begins the show very close-minded on the subject of gender, he believes he's just innately better than woman (especially Katara) because he is a man. At this point he thinks he's on top of the world and he knows everything. After all, he has been put in a great position of power in protecting his tribe after the men left to fight. For what his world currently is his quite on top of things, but his world is about to expand 100 times over.

Once Aang arrives he's tasked with coming along with him and and his sister to head to the North Pole, but early on they arrive on Kyoshi Island and meet the Kyoshi Warriors, this is what begins to break down his superiority complex where he challenges his later girlfriend Suki to a fight and she fucks up his shit. This causes him to unravel what he believes about gender, that he is better than women because he is a man. But his adventure with becoming a man has only just begun.

Throughout the rest of the show, we uncover more about Sokka having to be left behind by his father, he was just barely not old enough to go away to fight and that hurt him real bad, he feels his ability to fight made him a man, but this robbed right out from under him due to his age. Though having spent 2 years stuck without seeing his father and having spent several months out flying around on a bison taking on the Fire Nation, of course he becomes way stronger and way smarter perhaps not dissimilar to how he would've done if he was able to go off and fight 2 years prior. Eitherway, when he finally sees his father and the men of the Southern Water Tribe again at the end of book 2, he's understandably incredibly nervous because he's unsure of how they'll respond. He's left wondering whether they will see him as a man? And of course, they all do, they shake his hand and one of them is comparing heights as he's gotten a lot bigger, he's now an equal to them. They left him a boy, but they reunited with a man. And the classic moment where Hakoda says to him "aren't you listening? I said the rest of you men get ready for battle" like FUCK yeah man Hakoda doesn't even give a second thought here to his son's manhood he just knows his boy is all grown up I love him.

Now, you all know this, so why am I talking about it? Well, Sokka is such an incredibly positive representation of masculinity: his journey to manhood doesn't involve being better or putting down women or anyone for that matter. It even challenges him on this when he thinks thats what it involves. Being a man to him is knowing where you're needed the most, and he fulfils that by trying to bring about peace in the world and helping his friends and others. This is what masculinity should be.

It seems right now a lot of young men are being radicalised into far-right red-pill ideologies which promote masculinity as mistreatment of others. How on earth do we solve this issue to prevent men diving head first into the brazen misogyny of people like Andrew Tate? I don't know, but a lot of people are increasingly frustrated with hardships in this modern world and look for some kind of scapegoat. Now, don't get me wrong, it's really easy to not be a flaming misogynist, and the grievances that the MRA/manosphere lobby enjoy highlighting like idk men being more lonely supposedly? Or not being able to find "ideal" partners because of the woke anti-men feminism mob or whatever? Whereas feminists point to you know things like rape? And abortion restriction? And domestic violence? Real actual issues that affect millions of women all over the world every single day? Undoubtedly I think a lot of men need to do a bit more critical thinking. But perhaps a small part of solving this problem might just be more shows and movies and media portraying young men like Sokka who learn to embrace a non-toxic and healthy form of masculinity. Maybe this will help even just a few young boys not be pulled into these dangerous ideas as they have their own independent idea of how to be a man that was guided through well written and interesting characters. Though of course there's a lot more to it as well, this is just one thing I've thought of.

"One is not born, but becomes a woman" is a common quote thrown around in feminism, and to me Sokka is the perfect example of someone who wasn't born, but became a man through his own good actions.

👏 More 👏 Young 👏 Men 👏 Like 👏 Sokka 👏 Please 👏

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

I'd love to read any of your HC posts about the older brothers having a trying time when their younger brothers go through the rebellious teenage stage.

Undertale/Horrortale Sans & Papyrus - Papyrus was complicated to deal with. As he grew up, Sans struggled to stay updated about his personality changes. One day he's all bubbly and overconfident, the next day he's goth and doesn't want anyone to talk to him anymore. He's a bit confused about what's going on. Added to that, Papyrus' ways to dig into people's stuff that everyone found cute when he was little turns out to not be so cute anymore so he struggles a lot with loneliness and his inability to make friends. He comes home late, or he doesn't even come home at all, which worries Sans a lot. It became worse when Papyrus started talking about his yellow flower friend that Sans had never seen, so Sans got a little more worried for his brother. But the fact he could talk to at least someone -imaginary or not- is a relief, because that was never Sans' best skill.

Underswap Sans & Papyrus - Honey never really had a rebel stage. Around his teenage years, he shut down and told nothing to his brother anymore. Blue felt guilty, because, with his dreams to enter the Royal Guard, he kinda pushed away his brother a little bit because Honey was too needy and holding him back. Blue tried to talk to him, but never got more than a growl or a nod as all answer. It became worrying when he found more and more cigarettes and bottles of alcohol around the house, and Honey immediately became defensive when he tried to talk about this, saying he didn't need help. The brothers were not really close during that time. Honey got self-aware of this after a few months and tried to get closer to Blue again, but Blue was in training for the Royal Guard and clearly didn't have time for him. So instead of talking to someone, Honey fell into depression and just kinda let the world move on without him, waiting to see what would happen.

Underfell Sans & Papyrus - "I JOINED THE ROYAL GUARD." "the hell you mean you joined the royal guard?! you're barely 15!" "YOU SAID YOU WERE TIRED TO HAVE ME AROUND AND TO BE USEFUL FOR ONCE!" "i didn't mean enroll in the army and go die stupidly for monsters who don't give a shit about you!" "WELL THAT'S TOO LATE NOW SO PISS OFF." Yeah. Edge was something. It's mainly Red's fault though. Red never asked to raise a child on his own and he was harsh on Edge, doing his best to teach him how to survive, even if he had to be mean to do that. He didn't mean Edge to enter the Royal Guard though, he never wanted that. But Edge never listened to him anyway so he didn't have the last word on this. He didn't have enough anxiety, you know. Now he has to live with the fear his brother might die any day.

Swapfell Sans & Papyrus - That's around Rus' teenage years when the brothers stopped talking to each other. Nox entered the guard at a young age, while Rus was manipulated by rebels and educated on how bad the Queen and the Royal Guard were. Obviously, when Rus learned his brother joined the guard, he got mad, and then left the house and didn't come back. Rus met the wrong people, and he slowly let them convince him to try alcohol as a solution to any problem, which obviously didn't help him feel better.

Fellswap Gold Sans & Papyrus - Wine was very conscious about Coffee's different ways of seeing the world. He didn't know what autism was at the time, but he knew for sure that his brother didn't understand the way the world worked and that eventually, the world would have crushed him before he got a chance to defend himself. So Wine, young captain at the time, kept him locked and busy so he didn't get killed. With his new status, he knows Coffee is more protected but also more of a target, so he's scared to find only his ashes in the morning. That actually makes Coffee's social anxiety even worse, as Wine prevented him to develop any social skills. Coffee was only talking with his brother and that weird Temmie he sneaked in when Wine was leaving in mission. He had several rebellion phases, where he escaped the house and gave his brother panic attacks, but Coffee almost died during one of the runaways and decided Wine was right, even though he's sick of being locked in the house all the time. Wine has definitely a part in Coffee's social problems, and safety doesn't explain everything.

[arcaneglitch]

I was VERY interested in Tommy's conversation with Foolish so I took the liberty of transcribing it, starting from Tommy telling Foolish about L'Manberg

Transcript below + a bit of analysis in the notes

Tommy: You see this? L’Manberg.

Foolish: Oh yeah, I’ve heard this before.

Tommy: This was mine and Wilbur’s na- it was Wilbur’s nation. It was Wilbur’s, which makes it all the more heart-wrenching, right. And he decided that even- and he doesn’t mean this, but even though at the time when we made this, it was to get away from Dream. Because Dream wouldn’t let us do what we wanted to. He told us that we have to live under his big iron fist. But we went “no Dream, that’s not fair.” Is it? Right? You don’t think that’s fair, do you Foolish?

Foolish. No, no. (under) So you were a couple revolutionaries- revolutionists basically.

Tommy (over): People wanna do what they want, so we made this nation, yeah? We made a nation and it was glorious and it was amazing! People challenged it, sure, but we got through it. (sigh) And then to try and con- you really don’t know the story?

Foolish: I mean-

Tommy: And then to try and consolidate our power, we held an election. Now…

Foolish: Oh man, there used to be governments here?

Tommy: Now, the problem with an election is it kinda puts all your life on the line, which can be good if you’re confident but perhaps we were a little overconfident… And because of that Foolish, well we um… we lost… to the hands of JSchlatt. Right here, actually! Right about here is where we lost.

Foolish: Oh.

Tommy: And Schlatt banished us. Now, we were ok w- I was ok when we were banished, I knew that we’d get it back. And we’d talk about it, right. As you said, peace is the option.

Foolish: Mm-hm.

Tommy: But here’s the thing, Foolish… Wilbur didn’t wanna do any more talking. He’d given up with that. Because some people aren’t strong enough. Some people stop talking. You know the phrase “treat others how you want to be treated,” Foolish?

Foolish (over): Yeah! Yeah!

Tommy (under): That’s a really important phrase and people hear it- you hear your teachers say it and you hear it when you’re young- people don’t ever listen to it. Treat others how you want to be treated. Wilbur disregarded that rule. He decided he wanted to be treated poorly so he’d treat everyone else poorly.

Foolish: Why do you think that?

Tommy: (sigh) Honestly, sometimes I don’t know myself. But this block here... (points to TNT) He used this and he blew up L’Manberg and shattered it into a million pieces. Now Wilbur, he was a good man, he is a good man, deep inside him, alright? But he-

Foolish: So you’re saying there’s still redemption for him?

Tommy: Well he’s been a good man deep inside him. But he’s been a bad guy for a very very long time. And I know that there’s still good in him, there’s still good in everyone really, Foolish. Even if they are all arseholes and wankers. But-

Foolish: You believe in second chances?

Tommy: No I don’t. I don’t really believe- I don’t- I- that’s not a thing for me, Foolish, it’s just that… (sigh) I believe everyone’s got a little bit of good in them. And I know that Wilbur had good in him, alright? (sigh) So I won’t-

Foolish: You said “had”?

Tommy: Yeah, he did ‘cause when we made this nation, although now he seems to clai- he claimed to me, Foolish, that the nation we built together… he claimed that it was all just a ruse for power. Now I think Wilbur’s just being a bad guy, alright? And that’s ok, we’re all bad guys. Everyone messes up, it’s- you learn the most from your mistakes.

Foolish: Oh yeah.

Tommy: He’s made so many mistakes. So many that have hurt so many people, but… what this is gonna be about isn’t giving him a second chance, isn’t giving him a third chance, it’s not about chances, Foolish. It’s about making sure you don’t give up on the people you care about. So I know you’re still really new to this server-

Foolish: Yeah.

Tommy: -and I know you’ve built lots of things. So if you ever care about someone, do not give up on them, Foolish. Don’t give up on people, right?

Foolish: You know what, Tommy? I think I had you-

Tommy: ‘Cause that’s how you lose.

Foolish: I think I had you wrong.

Tommy: Oh, I don’t know what that means.

Foolish: Well I just- y’know? You’re a little bit more mature than I thought you would be. I thought you were just a loud, obnoxious, you know what I mean? Do what you want, y’know, couple muggings here and there, but maybe there’s more to you than meets the eye.

Tommy: I still do that, obviously, ‘cause it’s funny and it-

Foolish, laughing: Well then- nah, I understand. Maybe there’s more to you. Maybe there’s more to you, Tommy, than I thought.

Tommy: ...Thanks, I guess. Maybe there’s more to you too.

Foolish: Oh, there’s so much… Do you consider yourself to be the good guy or the bad guy? Tommy: That really depends who you ask, doesn’t it, y’know? If you ask Dream, he’d say I’m- he’d say I’m his little- I’m his little play- his little toy that he plays with, y’know? It doesn’t… Foolish honestly I used to- I used to consider myself the good guy. Y’know the fucking second in command going round going “yeah let’s do this!” but I’m- recently… these past… (sigh) These past, like, six months or so, Foolish. Everything got so much harder than it was before. Because before it was us fighting the bad guys and it was all so clear, you know? It was all so clear.

Foolish: Yeah-

Tommy: But it’s not been clear for so long, alright? It wasn’t “these are the bad guys, these are the good guys.” Now it’s “he’s doing this, that makes him a bit worse, that makes him-” it all got so fucking complicated, so... I don’t know. It depends who you ask, but…

Foolish: I don’t know, it just all seems strange ‘cause just from, y’know, hearing from others and y’know learning a little bit, it seems like you’ve been the hero, you’ve been… the villain, the conqueror, the savior and even now I still have no idea what you exactly are.

Tommy: That’s up to you to decide, isn’t it? I’m just a… I dunno, these days, Foolish, I’m a little weaker than I used to be. I’m not who I- I’m not who I want to be, but… (sigh)

Foolish: You know, to be honest with you, Tommy? That’s the same case for me as well.

Tommy: Oh, really?

Foolish: Yeah.

Tommy: Here’s the thing, Foolish… Unlike you, I don’t really have a choice. I have to try and be who I want to be. ‘Cause if I don’t… very bad things are gonna happen on this server.

Foolish: Y’know-

Tommy: And I- now. Now Wilbur’s back, Foolish, I can’t… quite frankly, no one can risk that. So I don’t really have a choice. I’ll just keep on mining, I’ll keep on pogchamping…

Foolish OOC: You’re just gonna pog through the pain?

Tommy OOC: I tried to and then Twitch deleted the pog emote.

*They then continue speaking about the pog emote*

[dawnmon]

Foolish Tommy Lore Transcript

Title says it lol, on May 6th they did lore that I transcribed at the time; the whole stream is great but I only transcribed the lore bit just for funsies, regardless of if it already exists. If it does, welp; I promise this is my own typed out thing that took an hour or so lol

Copy pasted from a google doc; whole 2.2k word transcript beneath the cut: 

*Text*: Sound effects *Laughs* *Sighs* *Pickle sounds*

(Text): Actions, descriptions, or lulls (Pause) (Long Pause) (Looks away) (Loudly)

/Text: Overlapping lines

Pickle: Pickle.

https://youtu.be/Djy6uPtIKiE 

Starts at 2:52:50

Foolish: I am a rich man, Tommy. 

Tommy: Well, cool. I’m not.

Foolish: *Laughs* You’re wearing full Netherite armor. Well, besides the iron boots.

Tommy: Well I borrowed from Tubbo, so I could go and fight Dream.

(Pause)

Foolish: ...Oh, how’d that go? (Pause) ...Wait, you fought Dream?

Tommy: …*Frustrated sigh*

Tommy: (Heading to the Pickle) Do you hear that, do you hear that?!

Foolish: N-No no, no, nono, no no no, that is an important question!

Tommy: Do you hear that?!

Foolish: That is an important question!

Tommy: *Pickle sound effect* Ayyy! /Amen brother, amen! 

Foolish: /No no, bad, no, shut up Pickle!

Foolish: What do you mean, you fought Dream?

Tommy (Quietly): ...W-Well, y’know… you’ve seen Wilbur, haven’t you?

Foolish: No, no, actually. Well, actually, it’s been a while since I’ve seen Ghostbur…. Probably, like, a few weeks ago. Lovely guy, I like Ghostbur.

(Long pause, Tommy looks down at the floor)

Foolish: Do you need Pickle time? You seem upset.

Tommy: Nope. We just mine.

Foolish: Just mine? Okay! Okay..

Tommy: *Long sigh* … Ghostbur’s, um, Ghostbur’s not here anymore.

Foolish: Oh, did he pack up? Move out? Got bored? He seemed like a free spirit.

Tommy: Yeah, he moved out, um, to this little train station, far away. There’s a little train station, you know, right near the world border. There’s a little train station. 

Foolish: Oh, well that’s cool! I wanna see that sometime. (Pause) ...I was thinking about building a train myself, actually, I was gonna call it The Hype Train. 

Tommy: ...That’s really cringe.

Foolish: Well, I-I disagree, That depends on your definition of cringe. 

Tommy: You hit it, the nail on the head.

Foolish: No, I disagree, I-

Tommy: There’s a little, um, there’s a little train station, out near the world border, and Ghostbur went, but he left Friend. 

Foolish: He left Friend?

Tommy: But we’ll get Friend to him soon. 

Foolish: Oh.

Tommy: Because then he’ll be happy. ...But no, um, Ghostbur left, and I, I went to prison, to go and….

Tommy: (Pause) How much can you… take, Foolish? 

Foolish: Take? What do you mean?

Tommy: Blood. Blood. Does that upset you?

Foolish: Uuum, mm, see, okay, okay, I-I don’t really, do that anymore. I haven’t killed a soul since being here. I don’t really do killing.

Tommy: (Slightly shaky) Ouh...well, um. I went to go and kill Dream, Foolish, you see, you know he killed me, don’t you? /And uh-

Foolish: /Yeah, I’m aware that- Wait, speaking of which, h- I never really asked you, you know, I knew it was kind of a touchy subject… How exactly are you back?

(Long silence. They stare at each other.)

Foolish: Okay, okay, maybe wrong question, wrong question…. Y’know, one step at a time…

Tommy: Alright, I don’t really feel comfortable talking about that with you, Foolish, /if I’m honest.

Foolish: /Okay, okay, no, fair enough,

Tommy: But, um…. *coughs* No.

Foolish: So, you fought Dream?

Tommy: Yeah.

Foolish: Recently? 

Tommy: Well, I tried to, and then Wilbur, uh, was revived, he was revived, and he came back, uuuh, and now he’s… I don’t know where he’s gone, (Energetically) but all I know is I’m proving that bitch wrong, ay?!

Foolish: Wait, what do you mean-

Tommy: Because he told me, he told me I’m weak! He told me I couldn’t even lift… lift my whole weight, six-foot-three, and now, I’m, what I’m doing is I’m going and I’m picking up all this stone to prove him, I’m gonna get it and I’m gonna fucken go “Yeah, bitch!”

Foolish: You’re… gathering stone… wait okay, I have so many questions, but we'll just stick to one question at a time…. You’re gathering stone… to prove that, you’re a…a man? 

Tommy: Well, I already know I’m a man, just to, fucken prove him wrong. And I need to, uh-

Foolish: That you can… gather stone? 

Tommy: (Pause, quieter) Well, y-yeah. Fuckin’, I don’t know how to speak to you, man. 

Foolish: I don’t really see how this solves the problem…?

Tommy: Well, it doesn’t solve the problem, it’s preventing the problem, Foolish, alright? Have you noticed that all the problems come, the-they don’t get solved, do they, alright? It ends up with some madman screaming he’s solved it, alright, and now he’s- and then look at ‘im, alright, now he’s taken away everyone's favorite man. Ghostbur, alright? Problems don’t really get solved on this server.

Foolish: No, no, yeah, I-I suppose you’re right….

Tommy: Yeah. /Well, that’s what I’m doing- 

Foolish: /Well, how do we go about changing that? By gathering stone?

Tommy: No! Well, what I’m doing, my friend, is preventing the problem. Before it gets out of hand, like it did before, alright? *Sigh*

Foolish: So… Wilbur’s back… Uumm, okay, yep, I’ll just- I’ll- I’m not even gonna ask how he’s back, that’s-that’s a question for another day-- and you’re here, just, you’re trying to stop him? You don’t- You don’t like that he’s back? I- Weren’t you guys friends at some point? 

Tommy: Listen. Listen, alright. /Come over here Foolish,

Foolish: /I’m still a little fuzzy on everything,

Tommy: Let me-Let me show you something, alright? You-You’re still very new ‘round here, /I’m not really sure... what you are, but, come over here, alright? 

Foolish: /Yeah yeah yeah.

Tommy: (Leads him to L’manberg) You see this? L’manberg. 

Foolish: Oh yeah, I’ve heard this before.

Tommy: This was mine and Wilbur’s na- It was Wilbur’s nation, (shakily) it was Wilbur’s, which makes it all the more heart-wrenching, alright? And he decided, that even, *sigh* and he doesn’t mean this, but even though at the time--when we made this?--it was to get away from Dream, because Dream, wouldn’t let us do what we wanted to. He told us that we had to live under his big, iron fist, but we went “No, Dream, that’s not fair, is it?” alright, you don’t think that’s fair, do you Foolish? 

Foolish: No, no, /so you were a couple revolutionaries...revolutionists, basically.

Tommy: /We can’t- People want to do what they want. So we made this nation, yeah, we made a nation, and it was glorious, and it was amazing! People challenged it, sure, but we got through it! 

Tommy: *Heavy sigh* And then to try and con--you really don’t know the story?-- /and then to try and consolidate our power... we held an election. 

Foolish: /I mean...yeah.

Tommy: Now… *Sigh*

Foolish: Oh man, you’re saying there used to government here? Oof.

Tommy: Now, the problem with an election is it kinda puts all your life on the line, which can be good, if you’re confident, but perhaps we were a little overconfident… and because of that, Foolish, well, we, um…. We lost! To the hands of JSchlatt, right here, actually, right about here is where we lost. 

Foolish: Oh. 

Tommy: And Schlatt banished us. Now, we were okay, when- I was okay, when we were banished, and I knew that we’d get it back, that we’d talk about it, right, as you said, peace is the option.

Foolish: Mhm.

Tommy: ...But here’s the thing, Foolish. Wilbur didn’t want to do anymore talking, he’d given up with that, because some people aren’t strong enough, alright, some people stop talking. 

Tommy: ...You know the phrase “treat others how you’d want to be treated”, Foolish? /That’s a really important phrase.

Foolish: /Yeah! Yeah (nods)

Tommy: And people hear it, you hear your teachers say it, you hear it when you’re young, people don’t ever listen to it, “treat others how you’d want to be treated”. Wilbur disregarded that rule. He decided that... he wanted to be treated poorly, so he’d treat everyone else poorly.

Foolish: Why do you think that? 

Tommy: *Sigh* Honestly, I…. Sometimes I don’t know, myself. (Pause). But this block here, (Gestures to TNT at Wilbur’s shrine), he used this and he blew up L’manberg and...shattered it into a million pieces. Now, Wilbur, he was a good man, he is a good man, deep inside him, alright? /But he’s been a-

Foolish: /So you’re saying there’s still redemption for him? 

Tommy: Well, he’s been a good man deep inside him, but he’s been a bad guy for a very, very long time. And I know that there’s still good in him, there’s still good in everyone, really, Foolish, even if they are all assholes, and wankers, and… but-

Foolish: Do you believe in second chances? 

Tommy: No, I don’t. I don’t really believe in second chances, I don’t- that’s not really a thing for me, Foolish, it’s just that… *sigh*...I believe everyone’s got a little bit of good in them. And I know that Wilbur had good in him, alright, so I won’t g-

Foolish: You said “had”?

Tommy:...Yeah, he did, because when we made this nation- although now he seems to claim- he claimed to me, Foolish, that the nation (slams fists on irl desk) we built together! *Shaky inhale* ...He claimed that it was all just a ruse for power. Now, I think that Wilbur’s just being a bad guy, alright, and that’s okay, we’re all bad guys, everyone messes up, it’s- you learn the most from your mistakes. He’s made so many mistakes, so many that have hurt so many people, but, what this is gonna be about isn’t giving him a second chance, isn't giving him a third chance, it’s not about chances, Foolish! It’s about making sure you don’t give up on the people you care about. So I know you’re still really new to this server, and I know you’ve built lots of things, 

Foolish: (Nods) Yeah, yeah,

Tommy: So I know if you really care about someone, do not give up on them, Foolish, don’t give up on people, alright? /Because that’s how you lose.

Foolish: /You know, Tommy, I think I had you wrong. I think I had you wrong.

(They leave L’manberg)

Tommy: Oh, I don’t know what that means. 

Foolish: Well I just, y’know, you’re a little more...mature than I thought you would be. I thought you were just a loud, obnoxious, y’know what I mean, do-what-you-want, y’know, a couple muggings here and there, but no, maybe there’s more to you than meets the eye.

Tommy: Well, I still do that, obviously, because it’s funny. And it’s fun-

Foolish: Well, *Laughs nervously* Nah, I mean- I understand…. But maybe there’s more to you, Tommy, than I thought. 

Tommy: Thanks, I guess. (Begrudgingly) ..Maybe there’s more to you, too.

Foolish: Oh, there’s so much….

Tommy: Okay.

Foolish: Do you consider yourself to be the good guy or the bad guy? 

Tommy: ...That really depends who you ask, doesn’t it, you know? If you ask Dream, he’d say I’m- he’d say I’m his little- I’m his little play- (shakily) his little toy, that he plays with, y’know? It doesn’t… 

Tommy: *Inhale* Foolish, honestly, I used to consider myself the “good guy”, y’know, the fucken second in command, going around and going “yeah, let’s do this!” yeah, but recently… these past….

Tommy: …*Shaky breath* (Quietly) These past 6 months, or so, Foolish, everything got so much harder than it was before, but, because before it was just “us fighting the bad guys!” but it was also clear, y’know, it was all so clear,

Foolish: Yeah, nothing muddy,

Tommy: But it’s not been clear for so long, alright? It wasn’t “these are the bad guys, these are the good guys,” now it’s, “he’s doing this, and that makes him a bit worse, that makes him a bit-”, it all got so fucking complicated, so… I don’t know. It depends on who you ask, but… *sigh*

Foolish:  I dunno, it all seems strange, cause, just hearing from others, and y’know, learning a little bit, it seems like you’ve been… the hero, you’ve been, the villain, the conqueror, the savior, and even now I still have no idea what you exactly are. 

Tommy: Well, that’s up to you to decide, isn’t it? I’m just a… I dunno, these days Foolish, I’m a little weaker than I used to be. I’m not who I want to be, but… *long sigh*

Foolish: I’m gonna be honest with you, Tommy, that’s the same case for me as well. 

Tommy: Oh, really? 

Foolish: Yeah, yeah yeah yeah

Tommy: Here’s the thing, Foolish, unlike you, I don’t really have a choice. I have to try and be who I want to be, ‘cause if I don’t… very bad things are going to happen on this server. And now Wilbur’s back, Foolish, I can’t… quite frankly, no one can risk that. So I don’t really have a choice. I’ll just keep on mining, I’ll and keep on pogchamping. 

Foolish: You’re just gonna pog through the pain? 

Tommy: I try to, and then Twitch deleted the Pog emote.

(They talk about Pogchamp and Lore Man for the rest of the stream [a very funny bit])

Ends at 3:03:23

[aggressive-positivity-network]

Tf2 headcanons? Aw yeah! So let's say a new merc joins the team. They're a total asshole: Cocky, sarcastic, overconfident, refuse help. But both Spy and Scout see right through that, it's a defense mechanism. How do they go about making this person comfortable enough to not be an asshole?

*chanting* HURT COMFORT HURT COMFORT HURT COMFORT HURT COMFORT HURT COMFORT HURT COMF

Okay, jokes aside, this is one of my favorite tropes. Maybe I’m too naïve to believe that some people are just mean to be mean, or maybe it’s a sort of comfort to know that even the worst people can be understood, but either way, WOOOOOOOOO!

*****************

An Ass For An Ass

Headcanons

Scout:

To be honest, Scout’s threshold for asshole-ery is pretty high. Growing up with eight brothers will do that to you.

But when the new recruit came around, something immediately rubbed him the wrong way.

Recruit always stole his thunder with the crass jokes and over-the-top displays. Every battle turned into a competition, which messed with Scout’s system of fighting. He never had to focus much on his own team before, and now he had to worry about keeping his own reputation upheld while trying not to get stabbed, shot, or blown up.

Recruit also kept hitting on Miss Pauling - even after reminding them again and again that she was lesbian, and was not and never will be into dudes.

“Come on…you just haven’t been with a real man yet…”

“No, no, I’ve been with a lot of men. Real men. I just wasn’t into any of them. After a while, it was kind of obvious.”

But what really pissed a lot of people off was Recruit’s fighting style.

They were an absolute monster on the field - that’s why they were chosen - but every interaction was treated as some sort of survival scenario.

One would think that would be a good thing, but Recruit was ridiculous.

No matter what the situation was, he was fine, he was okay, he could take it, he could fix it.

He could be killed only inches away from a Medic because he would never yell for one. Sometimes Recruit would even show visible anger at being healed. It got to the point where Medic didn’t heal him at all, and just allowed him to die as to not waste time he could give too more grateful patients.

Missions were even worse.

He followed orders to a T, but Pauling had to beg him to leave a failed mission, or to leave without completely destroying the site.

Everyone just took it as Recruit showing off, or having something to prove as a rookie.

It was annoying, but ultimately harmless in most circumstances.

However, it all came to a head when Recruit tried disengage a sentry by himself and was severely injured.

Both Engineer and Medic, who had had to fix most of Recruit’s past and current recklessness, ripped him a new one, one chewing out after the other.

“What we’re you thinkin’, son?! One crossed wire and you woulda blown the whole base!”

“Zhe only reason you are allowed in my lab at all is because it’s in my contract. Personally, I vould have rather left nature to it…”

Since then, Recruit did exactly as he was told, and nothing else. And most of the team liked it that way.

But Scout recognized some warning signs immediately. Fatigue, near silence except for missions, self-isolation, snapping when people got too close…it all paved the way for a pretty nasty (and, for Scout, very familiar) result.

One night, Recruit was sitting on the balcony, and Scout came out with two bottles - a beer for Recruit and a root beer for himself.

(Scout can only drink on the weekends because one, unlike most, he can’t go to work hung over because his job requires a lot of movement, and two, he has no restraint and can’t stop once he starts.)

“What do you want?”

Scout shrugged. “Depends.”

“On what?!”

“What are ya willin’ to tell me?”

Recruit just looked at the beer and sneered.

“Can’t we just skip this?” Scout said. “Maybe get to the part where you tell me what kinda Sally Sob Story we’re dealin’ with here?”

Recruit looked away.

“Aw, c’mon, don’t tell me you don’t got one. ‘Cause you do. I can see it a mile away. So what happened? Pop leave? Somebody died? Lotta brothers and sisters? Ma had a few too many and smacked ya around?”

Recruit didn’t turn around, but Scout could tell he was crying. He had hit a sore spot. Hard.

“Hey, pal, listen…”

Scout trailed off, then slowly began again.

“…the only reason I know is ‘cause I’ve been through it, ‘kay? Outta everybody I knew, I only trusted me. And that was great when I did a good job, ‘cause I knew I put me there.”

Scout opened his bottle of root beer and took a long swig.

“But when I screwed somethin’ up, it’s like everybody I ever knew just let me down. The one thing I could count on was gone.”

Recruit looked at Scout with tears in his eyes.

“But ya can’t do everything by yourself,” Scout continued. “Believe me. I learned that the hard way.”

Scout laughed, but it was mostly to clear the air. He didn’t get serious very often.

Recruit hadn’t touched his beer, but was leaned over the balcony with his head in his hands.

Scout sighed and looked up at the stars.

“But here’s somethin’ that nobody told me - it gets easier, y’know that? You just gotta relax and cut yourself some slack.”

Recruit shifted uncomfortably. “But the Administrator said…”

“Yeah yeah yeah, I know what she said. Gave ya that whole speech about how bein’ part of the team means discipline and focus and whatever. It’s all bull crap. She don’t know the first thing about bein’ on the field. If she did, why’d she hire us?”

“Sh-she said my perseverance was an asset to the team.”

“Perseverance, my ass. You know what would be an asset to the team? Stayin’ alive for more than fifteen minutes!”

Recruit looked at his feet. He had blinked away his tears, but he still looked on the verge of falling apart.

Scout put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it a little.

“You’re a great fighter, Recruit. You’re one of the best…that’s why you’re here. You got nothin’ to prove to nobody. Not to me, not to the team, not to the Administrator…not even to yourself. You’ve made it, kid. You’ve made it.”

Scout slid his hand off Recruit and started to walk away.

“Hey.”

Scout turned to see Recruit in the process of opening his beer.

“Thanks.”

Scout smiled. “No problem, pal. Plenty more under Demo’s mattress.”

“No, I mean…for that. I needed that tonight.”

“Oh…yeah! Sure. Don’t worry about it.”

Scout went back inside and to his room - but not before checking the cameras on the balcony a few times. Just in case.

Over the next few months, Scout kept helping Recruit break some old bad habits.

Recruit learned to take criticism without getting angry, to leave tanked missions, and to take care of himself.

He still occasionally flirted with Miss Pauling, but it was now more of an inside joke than anything.

Recruit still isn’t perfect - he still cringes a little when he’s healed, and falls back into survival mode when times are stressful - but he is now a much happier, much healthier person.

Spy:

Spy’s asshole wasn’t a merc, per se.

They were more of an informant, usually giving out important facts about locations, missions, and a target’s history.

Sometimes they would even use the Administrator’s PA system to announce new rules and reminders.

This would be perfectly fine - after all, you get kind of tired of hearing the Administrator all the time - except for the fact that Informant was the most sarcastic, most nasally, most apathetic, most matter-of-fact person on earth.

Even outside of a work setting, which was rare because they stayed in their office most of the time, Informant would go out of their way to be as condescending as possible.

Especially to whoever they considered to be in the “less intelligent” category: Heavy, Pyro, Scout, Demo, and Soldier.

To all the “others,” he turned every briefing into a contest to see who knew more at any given time…which, of course, usually meant he won.

“Now, does anyone know where his address is? Come on, any takers? Yeah, I thought so.”

Unlike Recruit, which would only warrant a few grumbles here and there from the team, Informant was the subject of a lot of hissed complaints and terrible rants from even the calmest of members.

Informant was the only one who could get under Heavy’s skin - a personal pet peeve of his was being considered less intelligent or less of a human being because English wasn’t his first language, which Informant chose to remind him of constantly.

It began with a few simple jabs at his grammar or word structure, but once Informant figured out that Heavy wouldn’t hurt a fly outside of battle, the taunts grew more and more daring.

Heavy would usually ignore Informant, which would only exacerbate their need to be noticed. This led to some pretty nasty interactions - from spouting the statistics of Russia’s average intelligence to even saying Heavy was a disgrace to his country by being a literature major.

“How’s that Russian literature major treating you? You know - in America.��

Sniper and Medic had tried to set Informant straight, but Heavy refused to accept any help. This was something that was his to bear, and his alone. He knew that they both took their own helping of harassment.

But one day, Informant went a little to far.

He did the one thing you should never do: insult Heavy’s family.

“You mother and sisters can’t do anything more than wait for you. No wonder you’re the only source of income.”

Before he knew it, Informant was against a wall, struggling to breathe, blood running into his eyes.

Heavy walked away after the incident, and told Medic about it, but he refused to heal him. Informant had called Medic a Nazi on more than one occasion.

This, finally, is where Spy comes in.

Spy was walking by Informant’s office, when he heard a strange sound - barely suppressed hiccups and sobs.

Despite his aversion to displays of emotion, the promise of seeing one of his greatest enemies as their lowest was too amusing to resist.

He knocked lightly on the door, then slowly opened it - always the master of drama.

Informant was under their desk, bloodied and bruised, sobbing into their knees.

Spy entered noiselessly, sitting in Informant’s office chair and lighting a cigarette.

It was only when Spy made a dramatic exhale of the smoke that Informant looked up, tears streaking their face.

They stared at each other for a moment, and then Spy finally spoke.

“Oh, how the mighty fall. Flown too close to the sun, have we?”

Informant couldn’t do much more than snivel and retreat farther below the desk.

“Who did it?” Spy asked. “I want to give them my regards…and maybe a bottle of wine.”

“H-Heavy…”

“Oh? Well, if anyone can bring him to blows, it’s you.”

Spy put his feet on the desk and continued to blow smoke out of his nose, thinking.

“It’s strange,” he said. “Most offices have at least a few pictures of family. A trip to the beach, perhaps the zoo…?”

He took a quick glance around.

“No children. No army mates. No graduation photos or a large catch at a local lake. The only personal item you have is this…”

Spy picked up a Rubik’s Cube. The plastic still around it crinkled.

“Unused.”

Informant looked at the floor.

“I like to keep my personal and professional life separate.”

Spy pursed his lips and squinted.

“How noble of you. But I don’t think that’s the case. You know what I think, Informant?”

Spy took his feet of the desk and bent down, looking Informant in the eyes.

“I don’t think you have a life.”

Informant’s eyes went wide for a moment, then his face immediately crumpled. Bullseye.

Spy smirked and got up from the chair, starting to leave.

Informant’s sniffling turned into sobbing, and before Spy could put his hand on the doorknob, muffled wailing filled the office.

Spy closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. He was trying not to remember something. But the imagery was too strong.

He remembered hiding under a table, like Informant was. People screaming and cursing at each other in French. His knees all scarred and his nose runny from a cold that should have resolved weeks ago. Waltz music coming from next door, trying to drown out the fighting. Glass breaking. Biting his knuckles so he wouldn’t whimper or cry.

Spy’s hand closed into fist. He took a deep breath, and turned to face Informant again.

“But to be fair…”

He walked towards the desk, putting his hand in his suit pocket. He got on his knees and pulled out a pink handkerchief.

“…I don’t have one either.”

He offered the handkerchief to Informant, who put it to his face, still staring at Spy through red eyes.

The pair were silent for a moment, with Spy putting out his cigarette and lighting a new one while Informant cleaned themselves up.

“But the difference between you and I,” Spy said, his voice wavering a bit, “is that I am a Spy. If my information got into the wrong hands, it could be the end of me and my team.”

He tapped his cigarette on a nearby trash can, letting the ashes fall into it.

“But what are you hiding from?”

Informant took a shaky inhale, the handkerchief still covering his nose and mouth.

“W-what?”

“Why do you feel the need to be, as Scout puts it, a tier five jerkazoid?”

Informant sniffled. “I…I didn’t think I took it that far.”

“Took what that far?”

“I just…snrk…I thought that’s what I had to do to get them to take me seriously.”

Informant laughed, but their heart wasn’t in it.

“I’m five foot four with red hair and freckles. I look more like someone’s Andy doll than a contract killer. I thought maybe if I knew everything…I’d be worth it.”

They shrugged.

“At best, they’d be impressed. At worst, they would never get close enough to me to know the truth: the only reason why I’m here is because I can rattle off a few names and that I had good grades in school because I had nothing better to do.”

Spy’s chest ached. He didn’t know why, but it was a strange feeling to him.

“Mon ami…”

He cleared his throat.

“If half of the team is any indication, you don’t need to be Nikola Tesla to be hired. Hell, the fact you can read is an anomaly in itself. But there is something you must understand…”

Spy cleared his throat again. His voice had gotten quite unstable all of a sudden.

“Intelligence is measured in different ways. Scout could never read even the simplest of children’s books, but his physical intelligence - reflexes, spatial awareness, aim - is phenomenal. Medic would have to put my spine back together if I even attempted to do what he does on the field.”

Informant snickered at the joke, or perhaps the image it conjured.

“And me,” Spy continued. “I can speak almost any language, adjust to any social setting, charm anyone, fool anyone…kill anyone. Just like you, I can remember, and I use the information I absorb mostly to show how superior I am to all my lowly colleagues.”

Spy furrowed his brow and looked away.

“But I know less about myself than even my enemies. I have hidden it so deep within my mind that I can hardly remember…or perhaps would rather not remember…who I was before this mask of mine.”

Informant hesitated. “I…I’m sorry, Spy.”

Spy sneered and puffed a few smoke rings.

“I don’t want your sympathy. I want you to have some self-respect - and respect for my teammates. Because next time you are beaten within an inch of your life, you might catch me in a less generous mood.”

With that, Spy got up, reached into his suit pocket and presented a small MediKit, which he tossed to Informant.

“I’d suggest freshening up before going to any more briefings.”

Informant nodded, and set to work healing himself.

Spy started to leave, then stuck his head back in.

“And hang a few posters, would you? Your office looks like a prison cell.”

Finally, the Frenchman took his leave, adjusting his suit and nodding solemnly to the team members he happened to pass - or scowling at them, depending.

He glanced over the security feed, and once he was satisfied, made his way to his smoking room.

Spy closed the heavy oak door, poured himself a small glass of scotch, and sat down in his chair next to the fireplace.

He put a magazine on his knee and began to flip through the pages, but his gaze soon started to wander.

He closed the magazine, tossed it into the fire, leaned into his hand, and wept.

…So what became of Informant?

Well, after a reluctant heal from Medic and a few well-deserved apologies, Informant began to try and break the cycle of self-sabotage.

The process took a lot longer than Recruit’s did - especially since Informant’s transgressions were a lot more egregious - but, little by little, they began to heal.

A lot of the time, the other mercs would have to tell them to tone it down a bit, or to cut him off completely if necessary.

Informant still almost has a panic attack if he doesn’t have the right papers, and his office is still pretty bare, but he took Spy’s advice - a few AC/DC posters hang on the leftmost wall.

As for Spy, well…he needs to have a talk with Medic.

******************

I am so sorry…this is all so messy and weird. One is so much longer than the other, and I’m not even sure half the dialogue sounds right.

The two headcanons were just typed out at different times, the first where I had less motivation and the second when I had more motivation. This wasn’t on purpose, it just happened.

I hope you still like it, though!

[multimilfs]

Young!Eda Clawthorne x Young!Fem Reader: Confidence

Summary: Anon sent in “I can picture cursed!reader in her Hexside years to be this shy, insecure witchling at first, but after she met Eda, becomes this (as Odalia puts it) overconfident witchling. Just, high school years between the two that ends with reader finally standing up to Odalia and Eda comforting reader after she is cursed by her bully (but like you said, she doesn’t tell Eda who cursed her).”  

A/N: Writing Young Eda was a little more difficult than I expected, ngl. 

Warning(s): Mentions of Bullying 

Walking the halls after class, you kept your eyes focused on your shoes. Your body ached and you didn’t want anymore trouble today. It was too bad that you never really got what you wanted.

“Oh Y/N-!” Odalia’s voice came from behind you, dripping with fake sweetness.

Gulping, you walked faster, rounding a corner quickly in hopes of losing her. Instead you knocked into someone. Someone who was extremely sturdy.

Looking up, you met the confused eyes of Hexside’s resident prankster, Eda Clawthorne. She looked a bit ruffled, but she always did. You stepped back from her quickly.

“I’m so sorry!” You said, a bright blush creeping up your features. In your haste to get away from Odalia, you hadn’t been looking where you were going. You felt mortified.

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” She said with a friendly smile, showing off a gap in her teeth that you found adorable, “I’ve definitely had worse. Where were you going in such a hurry anyway?”

As if summoned, Odalia rounded the corner with a devious smirk. She stopped short of you when she saw Eda.

“Clawthorne.” She snarled.

“Hey there, Greenie.” Eda smiled, enjoying that she could anger the other girl without having to really try.

“What are you doing here?”

“I don’t know, there is this crazy new thing called learning. Aren’t you supposed to be training for the Emperor’s Coven? You might need to do a little bit more studying.”

You watched as Odalia’s face went bright red and her fists clenched at her sides. She glared at Eda, then you, then Eda again. But she couldn’t manage to form a decent retort, so she let out a growl before turning and leaving the way she’d come.

“Talk about a pain in the neck,” Eda muttered, “Anyway, where were we?”

“Oh,” You said, suddenly realizing all of her attention was on you.

Searching through your mind for any reason of where you’d been going, but you came up short. And you didn’t want to admit that you’d been running away from Odalia when Eda had so easily dealt with her. Luckily, you were saved by the bell.

“Dang. Miss Jenkenmeyer is not going to be happy with me,” Eda said, “Sorry for making you late too.”

“D-Don’t apologize. It was my fault.” You insisted.

“Nah, I kept you. I’d still like to know where you were going though. Come find me during lunch, yeah?” She asked, giving you that confident smile again. You found yourself nodding, feeling a bit awestruck.

“Y-Yeah.” You stuttered out awkwardly, blushing brightly.

You prepared yourself for some kind of joke or comment, but none came. Instead, Eda let out a laugh. She gave you a look that you couldn’t decipher before heading on her way, only turning around before she was out of sight.

“See you later!”

She didn’t give you any time to respond before hurrying away. You offered a shy wave, but you weren’t sure she’d seen it.

“Yeah, see you then.” You muttered to yourself, failing to stop the smile that was spreading across your face.

—

“Hey Y/N!” A voice came from your left, making you startle slightly.

Looking up, you saw Eda moving over to you quickly. She always moved so fast. You never quite understood why, though.

Plopping down on the seat next to yours, she looked over slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of what you were reading. You hid it. The last thing you wanted to admit to was reading a flowery human novel. You knew she hated them.

“What are you reading?” She asked when she couldn’t get a look at it.

“Nothing important.” You said evasively. Eda raised an eyebrow, before shrugging.

“Alright. Do you want to come over tonight? Lily is going to be out of the house, so she won’t be around to complain that we’re ‘too loud.’” Eda said, before letting out a snort at her impression of Lilith.

You smiled at her before realizing what she’d asked. It had been a really difficult day for you; Odalia had managed to get to you when Eda had been called to Principal Bump’s office, which had exhausted you both physically and mentally. You really just wanted to go home and relax. But you felt horrible saying no to Eda.

“Sure. That sounds fun!” You offered her a smile.

Something about your tone must have been off though. Eda stopped laughing, looking at you seriously. You shrunk slightly under the gaze.

“You know it’s okay if you don’t want to, right?” She asked.

“I-What? What are you even talking about? Of course I want to come over!” You spluttered.

Eda just shook her head. She reached out and took your hand, which forced you to stop trying to explain yourself and listen. It made you nervous that she was so serious. That wasn’t like her.

“There is nothing wrong with having your own wants. You don’t always have to do what makes other people happy.”

It felt like her eyes were staring through you, reading all of the secrets hidden in your brain. You looked down, embarrassed. Doing what you wanted was difficult. You always worried that people would get angry with you or get hurt if you didn’t want to do what they wanted.

“It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with you,” You said softly, “I’m just really tired today.”

“That’s okay. Don’t be afraid to tell me that. In fact, I want you to do it right now. Say, ‘Eda, I’m really out of it today and I don’t feel like coming over,’ just like that.” She said.

“Eda, I can’t-“

“Ah, Ah. You can.”

Taking a deep breath in, you reminded yourself that this was Eda. She wouldn’t get angry. It wouldn’t hurt her feelings. She wanted you to do what you wanted.

“Eda, I’m really out of it today and I don’t feel like coming over.” You said, attempting to sound as confident as you could. It must have worked. Eda smiled proudly at you.

“See! That isn’t so hard!” Eda said encouragingly.

“It wasn’t, but it’s… hard, for me.” You admitted, feeling ashamed as you admitted it. When it came to academics, you were brilliant. But when it came to being you, you often felt like a witchling.

“I know. But we all start somewhere. It will get easier,” Eda’s tone was uncharacteristically soft, her gaze the same. She leaned over and kissed you on the cheek sweetly, trying to hide her own blush, “I’ll see you soon, okay? Get some rest.”

“See you soon.” You said in the same soft tone, a small smile on your face. It didn’t go away until she’d left completely and you realized how much you’d miss spending time with her, even if it was only for an evening.

—

“Y/N, do you think you could help me out?”

One of your potions classmates, Balon, had come up next to your desk. He wasn’t rude, but he usually wasn’t so friendly; so you were a bit wary of what he wanted.

“Maybe.” You said slowly.

“Amonei said you were really good at creating potion essences. I have a lot of work tonight, and I’m really out of it, so could you do mine for me? I’ll pay you for it.” Balon said, playing up how tired he seemed to be.

Your eyebrows raised in surprise. He’d approached you so that you’d do his homework for him. You probably shouldn’t have been surprised; he never paid attention in class anyway. Despite probably needing the money, you refused to get in trouble for doing his work. Principal Bump had zero tolerance for it.

Summoning all of the confidence you’d slowly been gaining, with Eda’s help, you met his eyes and shook your head.

“Thanks for the offer, but no.”

“What do you mean ‘no’?” He asked, his voice a little louder than it should have been.

A few heads turned to look at the two of you. One of them being Eda’s. She took in both of your expressions and made to stand up and come over, but you held your hand up, stopping her.

“Exactly as I said; no. You can do your own work just like the rest of us.” You spoke confidently, channeling Eda as you looked at him.

His face burned bright red. Balon was a notorious charmer, known for getting his way no matter what. Nobody had ever told him no before.

“You’re going to do it or, or else.” Balon spluttered angrily, grabbing your arm in a vice grip.

You froze for a second. Which happened to be a second too long, as you saw Eda get out of her seat quickly. Before she could reach you though, an intense anger came over you, like you’d never felt before.

How dare he try and force our hand? A voice in the back of your mind questioned angrily.

Motivated by that anger, you put your hand on top of his, digging your nails into it. He let out a small yelp before releasing his grip.

“I. Said. No.” You growled.

He took a step back in shock. The few people who’d been paying attention were as shocked as he looked. Eda stepped between you two just in time, as you felt your confidence slowly faltering.

“Back off, Balon.” Eda said fiercely.

“Screw you, Clawthorne.” Balon hissed, but did as she said.

As soon as he was back in his seat, Eda whirled around quickly, making her bright hair nearly smack the person next to her.

“Well look at you, big shot,” Eda said with a proud smile, “Way to stand your ground.”

You blushed, looking down at your hands as you fidgeted.

“Did I do okay?” You asked nervously.

Eda’s smile softened and she nodded, pulling you into a hug. You buried your face into her neck. It felt safe there.

“You did amazing, sweetheart.”

—

Your limbs felt heavy and you couldn’t stop shaking. Every little sound around you was heightened, every smell stronger. And your whole body hurt so bad.

You had no idea how you’d transformed back. Maybe you didn’t want to know. Then every bit of the world seemed too much, too overwhelming. And the only person you wanted was Eda. Eda could help you make it all better.

Eda had been dealing with her curse for some time now. You were well versed in how to help her, but had no idea how to apply it to yourself. She was the only person it felt safe to share this with.

Trudging around the Clawthorne house, you came up to her window. You’d never been so grateful that her room was on the first floor. Tiredly, you rapped your hand against it, wincing at the feeling. Your skin was still aching from the transformation.

Shuffling could be heard from inside of the house. Then, with sudden, jerky movements the curtains moved aside to reveal Eda’s face. Her eyes widened when she saw you.

“Y/N? What are you doing here?” She asked worriedly after getting the window open.

“I-I’m sorry, Eda, I d-didn’t know where else to go.” You admitted, feeling your throat tighten as the day’s events threatened to overwhelm you.

“What happened? Did someone hurt you?”

You watched as Eda hopped out of the window, landing next to you. She reached out to pull you close, but you let out a cry when she touched you. It hurt so much. You slowly bundled yourself against her chest, hissing every now and again when you moved too fast. When you were both settled, Eda slid down, until you were both sitting against the house.

Everything felt like it was building on top of you, pushing down on your chest like a weight. You closed your eyes and did your best to focus on Eda. Her arms wrapped lightly around you, the way her jacket smelled like burnt foliage from grudgby practice. Everything.

“Sweetheart?” Eda whispered after a while, not bothering to hide her worry.

“They,” You started, your voice sounding scratchy, “They cursed me, Eda.”

You felt Eda’s chest stop mid-breath. Her hands were shaking against your back, clenching in your shirt. You wanted to look up into her face, but felt too tired to move.

“I’ll kill them,” Eda growled after a while, “Give me their name. I’ll take care of it.”

Her voice was stone cold. It sent a shiver down your spine. Part of you wanted to tell her, but you were so tired. You felt so low and defeated. Since meeting Eda, you’d grown so confident in yourself and your abilities, thinking it was finally time to stand up to Odalia. But she’d been prepared with something far worse than any hex or insult. She’d chanted out a curse while your back was turned. Then everything had gone black.

“Sweetheart? Tell me.” Eda said.

“I… I don’t remember.” You lied.

Knowing the way her voice shook, she was about two moments away from a blow-up. You couldn’t tell her. You didn’t want to. Defeat set into your bones, making you feel weary. All you wanted was for all of this to be over.

Eda’s frame relaxed slightly. She didn’t remember who cursed her either, so her anger was replaced by sympathy.

“Okay,” She whispered, “Come inside. You can stay over.”

Eda helped you in through the window, doing her best to avoid bumping you. She remembered keenly how sensitive her skin was the first time she’d gone through the transformation. After you’d managed to get in relatively unscathed, she wrapped you up in her arms, holding you close in the bed.

“I’m scared, Eda,” You whispered against her chest.

“I know. We’ll fix this,” She whispered back, “Everything will be a little bit better in the morning.”

[husbandograveyard]

Henlo all! This is my extremely-close-to-the-deadline-submission for @some-piece​’s AU event. I got these 5 characters to chose from: Rebecca - Hachi - Hawkins - Zoro - Paulie. And after contemplating for a long while I decided to put Zoro in an animal shelter AU which automatically became modern AU setting as well as slight!college AU but the main focus will be on the shelter.

2nd person. Genderneutral reader. slight mentions of animal abuse, nothing too bad. 99% fluff!

“Can I help you?” 

A young man about your age had walked into the shelter where you worked. He had opened the door quite harshly, making the bell at the top ring, and making you put down the cat you had been brushing for a bit and put it back in its cage. You walked up to the little desk area at the front, where he was standing with his arms crossed, an unreadable expression on his face that only seemed to relax a bit when he heard you speak up. 

“Yeah I sent an e-mail, I needed to be here for the volunteer program?” 

You thought for a second, suddenly remembering that you had posted an ad at local universities and colleges to come volunteer at the shelter. Most of those students didn’t have the time to come volunteer, but you had gotten a handful of mails. Most of the students never showed up and the only one that had made an appointment for today had made the appointment for two hours earlier so you had just assumed it was going to be another no-show. 

“Oh… you’re…” “-Late I know, I got lost.” You furrowed your brow wondering how someone could get lost for two hours coming from a campus that was only a fifteen minute walk away, but didn’t pry any further, just happy to have some possible assistance.

“Okay! Well, I’ll go get the stuff in order then, you can wait out here for a bit.”

After you got the papers he handed you some form from the school as well and explained that he had to fill in a couple of hours a week with other things than his sports curriculum to get his degree to be complete, and he had jokingly added ‘how hard can it possibly be to look after a bunch of critters’. The statement in itself did not seem to be meant to discredit your work or the animals, but you already saw that he was vastly underestimating just how much effort went into your work. So as soon as all the papers were signed and in order, you could prove him wrong. 

“You’re in luck, all the cleaning is already done. It’s feeding time now, and I was doing a round of brushing today, so maybe you could help with that and if we still have time left we can take some dogs out for a walk.” 

The grin on his face was confident, and you were taking a little pleasure in knowing it would be wiped off his face in an instant. Your main focus was to make sure he wouldn’t accidentally harm the animals, and to make sure they were properly taken care of. But if it meant this overconfident jock got his ass handed to him, you’d take it. 

The day had proceeded as you had expected. Zoro, as he had introduced himself once you got over the formalities, had not been really good with the animals. He was strong, and a hard worker you had to give him that. But the animals… seemed to not really like him, even if he did do his best? Cats hissed, dogs barked, the one abandoned parrot you were temporarily housing had pecked him so hard his finger started bleeding. Luckily for you, he didn’t physically lash out at the animals, but you had heard a whole new array of curse words and insults that you previously didn’t even know existed. 

You had spent most of the day explaining all the things to him and helping him out whenever he was really struggling but most of the time you had actually been occupied with trying not to laugh too hard at his failing ministrations. 

“You have to be kind, try not to come across as so intimidating. You’re a big bad man that they are scared off, and they’re all just trying to defend themselves,”  you said as you petted a big fluffball of a cat while Zoro put fresh water and new food in its cage. The cat was now happily purring and nudging your hand with his head while a few minutes ago it had been aggressively hissing at your volunteer. 

Zoro just angrily grumbled in response, finishing up his task so you could put the cat back. You eyed the clock, noticing it was already time for him to leave for the day. “I’ll release you from your suffering then. See you next week?” “Wait but you still have all these cages to do?” “I’m used to doing this all by myself, no worries” He frowned, and he seemed to be deep in thought for a second. “I’ll stay until it is done.” You raised one brow: “are you sure? These hours won’t count towards your total and it is getting quite late.”

He only shrugged in response: “My roommate is gone and I don’t have much better to do. I am volunteering time anyway, what is one extra hour going to do?” 

You smiled widely. “Let’s get to it then!” 

Even though the animals didn’t seem to like him very much, you couldn’t help but admire this green-haired man and his incredible work ethic. He showed up late often, because even after a few weeks he still managed to get lost regularly. You had just started to say that he needed to be there an hour earlier than he actually had to be there, so with his geographical skills he’d be there on time or even a little early. 

Most of the animals still were not that much of a fan of him, but you’d worked out a nice system that ensured fast and efficient work, and as little scratches and bites as possible. You got work done faster, had more time for social media and such, and thus animals got adopted out faster. It was a win-win, and you noticed yourself always looking forward to the days he’d come to help. 

Zoro wasn’t really talkative, but would listen to your endless ramblings as you talked about the shelter, all the animals, but eventually also things about your life, your family, your home… he was an excellent listener, and his very blunt character made that he usually came up with very honest opinions and helpful solutions, even when he didn’t necessarily intend them like that. And sometimes, when you stumbled over your words cause you were too focused, or said something that didn’t make sense he would laugh. It was a deep and loud laugh, making his whole upper body shake, and lately whenever he laughed, it made your heart flutter a little. Another reason to look forward to his help, which had already exceeded the number of hours he had to do for his extra credit. 

But the semester was coming to an end and you very well knew that even though he seemed to be enjoying his time way more than he initially did, that he would not do extra time. He had his sport’s practices to focus on and his group of friends that frequently went on weekend trips and such, and he had been missing out on a lot of that because of the volunteering he did. You felt a little sad, but had made peace with it. Still, a little voice in the back of your head was nagging more and more often to ask him to meet outside of the shelter. But you didn’t want to seem weird or creepy. Besides. He was obviously a popular college student, finishing up his degree, with a big group of friends that obviously adored him, and model-grade gorgeous. You were just a high school dropout that managed to get a job in a local shelter of which the owner died only a little after you got settled. You were struggling to make ends meet, had little social life besides the animals. You kept telling yourself that the only reason you were feeling so strange whenever Zoro came out to help, was because he was the only one who had made you feel like your life and stories mattered even a little. But you could get used to being all alone in here again with the occasional customer or 1-day volunteer. It was what you were used to. You had already taken far too much advantage of this gorgeous man’s free time.

And then the last day of the semester came. You were finishing up the chores of the day with a heavy heart. You would have to say goodbye, and you would have to keep it professional, since you never worked up the courage to really deepen the connection the two of you had besides working together. Zoro seemed a little uneasy as well, but neither of you was going to bring up the tense atmosphere. Tense was still better than awkward so you rolled with it. 

“Well then”, you started as you put your broom away, “you’ve been an amazing help this semester.” You walked over to the front desk and handed him all the papers he’d need to get his credit in order. 

“You more than deserved these, too bad I can’t give you a grade.” He chuckled in response. “I wish I could say I would miss it a lot, but I think my arms are better off scratch-free” You laughed a little as well, but felt yourself dying on the inside. Of course he wouldn’t miss this place. Or you. 

He put the papers away in his bag, and you were staring at the desk, desperately making up sentences in your mind, of which you could utter maybe one, just one, to say what you were feeling and what you really wanted. But anything you came up with seemed so lame, so stupid, so hopeless, so desperate, and even though you felt like all of these things, that was not how you wanted to portray yourself in front of him for all people. 

He softly touched your arm, his hand warm, and you jumped at the sudden contact. He stepped back in surprise at your reaction. “Sorry”, he mumbled, “I just wanted to say that I didn’t mind my time here. You really helped me out well”. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, clearly not too used to being soft in someone’s presence, and he smiled an adorable smile as he said those words, a mix of embarrassment and sincerity on his face. You felt like melting, and had to suppress the urge to just wrap your arms around him in a tight hug. With those broad shoulders and strong arms, you were quite sure that the hug he’d give back would be heavenly. But you didn’t, because again, that would be so strange with no indications beforehand that that was what you wanted. 

You nodded, a soft smile on your face as well. “You’re welcome. If you ever have some spare time and get bored, you know the way… or well, you don’t but you’ll find it.” He frowned a little at your remark, but the glint in his eyes betrayed that he found it quite amusing too. He picked up his bag, and opened the door. “Bye then?” “Goodbye Zoro”

A box of kittens. You had nearly tripped over them when you left the shelter to go home for the day. The box was in front of the door and weak, tiny mewls already betrayed its content as you did your utmost best to regain your balance. You kneeled down next to it, carefully opened up the top. Four little kittens, way too young to be away from the mother yet. Already emotional from the happenings of the day you felt tears well up in your eyes. You picked up the box and placed it inside, immediately grabbing whatever supplies you could find to keep the kittens warm, furiously wiping at your eyes in order to clear the tears before they could stream down your cheeks. Things like this could make you so furious. And oh, if only Zoro was still here to calm you down and help out a little. 

You had to take a few deep breaths and gather your thoughts. You had to get out, running for some kitten milk. These babies needed their nutrients and you’d probably spend the night in the shelter making sure they were fed whenever they needed it, keeping an eye on them. So you’d have to go get an overnight bag. But that would mean you would be away from them for a considerable time. You decided that the food was the most important part and literally sprinted to the most nearby pet store, mentally reminding yourself to book an appointment at the vet asap when you were back. 

Sunken deep in thoughts, you weren’t seeing where you were walking, running straight into someone, stumbling and falling on your back in the process. Great. That was what you needed. Some public humiliation while you were already at the verge of a little breakdown. You started to mumble a string of incoherent apologies when you looked up at a surprisingly familiar figure. “y/n?” “Zoro? What are you doing here?” “The apartment I live in is right here. What are you doing here?” He pointed upward at an apartment building and offered you his hand to get up. You grabbed it, and for a split second you wondered how he could possibly take up to two hours to get to the shelter from his apartment that was even closer to the shelter than his college campus was. But then you were back on your feet and you remembered the kittens. Your mind immediately regained some focus again. “Kittens” “What?” “Someone dropped a box of newborn kittens at the door. They will die without supervision, milk and warmth. So I'm getting some food for them and I’ll be staying the night with them to keep an eye on them” You managed to get all things out in one breath, almost turning to start walking again. No matter how much more time you actually wanted to spend in his presence, you knew it was a race against the clock to help the little babies, and those were your top priority right now. 

Zoro’s eyes grew wide. No matter how much he didn’t always connect with some of your furry friends that he had to take care of, he too was filled with rage when he had heard tales of people mishandling them and the reason why some were so scared and defensive when he was too loud or too brisk. You apologized again, explaining that you really had to go, that time was of the essence, and started walking. You were surprised to notice Zoro walking with you. 

“I’ll come with you.”  “What?”  “I’ll come with you. You need food too. And probably some blankets or something for the night right? You need some rest if you are going to take care of everything we usually do and then the new kittens on top of that. I’ll help” 

It was not a question, not even an offer. More a matter-of-a-fact-statement and even though every polite fiber in your being was telling you to follow etiquette and politely tell him that that was absolutely not necessary, you couldn’t push away the overwhelming relief and admiration you felt for this man in that moment and you accepted his help immediately.

You were back at the shelter in a matter of minutes, basic supplies for the kittens in hand, and the vet already on the phone as you followed their instructions on how to take care of them overnight, so you could bring them in for checkup and more detailed advice first thing in the morning. Knowing that Zoro would come and help you out, had done wonders for your mood, your resolve and your nerves. You felt more steady, like you could actually pull this off without neglecting either the kittens or any of the other animals that also needed your attention. 

Zoro had promised to go get some things to make the night at the shelter a little more comfortable and something for you to eat, because he figured you probably were starving at that point. And while you had not eaten yet, the adrenaline made you not feel the hunger. Now that things were calming down and the adrenaline was wearing off, you could feel your stomach grumble and you were mentally thanking your green-haired hero for his considerate streak. He had literally no obligation to help you out in any way. He was no longer officially volunteering. He had nothing to gain. He was probably on his ways to get a couple of beers and blissfully pass out after an evening of fun with his roommates. But he had seen you in distress and decided to help, and it had warmed your heart and given you renewed energy. 

The kittens were left to sleep a little after you had given all the first help that you could under the phone-guidance of the local vet clinic, and now you were nervously waiting on the couch for Zoro to return. You were nervous cause of the kittens, but you also caught yourself being a little nervous about the fact that he’d be keeping you company for the night. Not that you were seeing this as a date of any kind, but just the mere idea gave you the shivers in a nervous kind of way. 

He arrived only a little after you sat down, bag with a big blanket and some drinks in one hand, and another one holding a steaming bag of takeaway food. “I’m sorry it took me so long, I got -” “lost” you chuckled, “no worries, I got the first things taken care off” 

You patted the spot next to you on the couch. “Sit down, thank you for getting food. And thank you for helping out… I… I think I might have had a little breakdown if it wasn’t for your presence” He shrugged off the praise. “I am already used to helping out here, and besides, I kind of liked spending time with you, so a little extra won’t hurt”. 

He said those words so easily, you wanted to smack him for how casual he was about it,  and how bluntly and honestly he expressed his feelings, while you shared the same feelings but didn’t dare utter a single word. You grabbed the food instead and the blanket, sitting down so you could both sit down comfortably, keep an eye on the kittens and eat without too many problems. He got the hint, and made himself more comfortable on the couch as well.

The evening flew by. You had food, checked up on the kittens regularly per the vet’s instructions, and since there were no other chores to do, you could actually have some proper talks with Zoro. He was still not really as talkative, but he answered your questions, told you some more details about his life that he had not mentioned before. You could almost physically feel yourself growing more and more attracted to him, and nearly felt guilty about it. 

Despite all the adrenaline wearing you off and making you tired, you stayed up a remarkably long time, Zoro’s company and the kittens keeping you awake for longer than you had expected to stay up. But now it was nearing 4am and you were feeling your eyelids grow heavy. You were telling Zoro something about why you dropped out of high school, but you kept losing track of your own sentences. You had to think long and hard before repeating the few words you had already said. The playful smirk that was present on his face as you were struggling to find cohesion in your story didn’t help either. He thought it incredibly endearing, and when your eyes finally shut without opening again, and a soft snore could be heard, he very carefully moved you a bit so you would lay more comfortably. He crossed his arms and legs and leaned back in order to get some shuteye as well. 

You woke up to your alarm, that you had set up to go off every few hours, just so you could check up on the kittens and go through all the steps again. Your eyes and whole body felt heavy and it was harder to get up than expected. Not only because you were incredibly tired still, but also because a muscled arm was snugly resting around your midsection. You were sure you had fallen asleep on one end of the couch, but for some reason, you were leaning on Zoro, and he had wrapped an arm around you to secure you and make sure you didn’t slip off the couch. 

Your heart skipped a beat and you got up rather briskly. Of course, the sudden movement made Zoro wake up as well, and he seemed just as embarrassed as you were about the slightly compromising positions you had been napping in. You quickly cleared your throat, muttering ‘kittens’ before standing up, checking up on the babies and going through the motions. Without having to say anything, Zoro got up and started the morning chores already. It was way too early for those, but before you could protest he said that he’d get them started as long as you were working on the kittens, so you both could have a little more rest before your planned vet visit. You gave him a grateful smile. 

When the work was done, you called Zoro back, and you both sat down on the couch again. He seemed incredibly relaxed, almost as if he had forgotten that you were practically cuddling a little while ago, the mere thought of the sensation of his strong arm holding you making your heart race again. You shifted positions seven times in the span of three minutes and you could feel him staring at you, one brow raised in confusion at your almost yoga-like contortions you were trying in order to get comfortable. 

“Are you okay y/n?” 

“Yeah...I...I just… I don’t know how I could ever thank you properly” “Well… I already got my credit. But your head resting on my chest was kind of nice. Maybe a goodnight kiss before we go to sleep again for a little while?” He sounded casual, but he was avoiding eye-contact, regretting the words as they left his mouth. Your eyes grew so big they were about to pop up out of your sockets. “I mean, if you don’t mind if not… I…” Now it was his turn to get flustered, the little bit of smooth talk he had had earlier completely gone as the inner panic set in of maybe misunderstanding your previous actions, glances, words, and ministrations. 

You gathered up all your courage, and gave him a soft peck on the lips, seeing his eyes widen in surprise and the tips of his ears turn red before you rested your head on his broad chest. “You know for that payment, I’m willing to hire you as a full time worker here.” you hummed contently. He let out a few confused grunts, surprised by your bout of confidence, not seeing that you were trying to hide the insane embarrassment on your face. Face red, he managed to utter just one response before you drifted off into sleep again. “I’m gonna need a little more payment than just that. But well, I’ll consider it” 

fin. 

[itsclydebitches]

Is there a reason why the writers refuse to give RWBY and co flaws, or rather, have the show acknowledge said flaws? They have no problem demonizing any other character, yet for them, the show bends over backwards to make them always right.

I obviously can’t speak to the writers’ thought process (outside of what they might say in interviews, anyway), but I suspect it’s a matter of them thinking they are giving the group flaws and tackling them appropriately, rather than deliberately avoiding them. 

First, that’s just common sense. A staple of writing. “Give your characters flaws” is Fiction 101 and I don’t think any writer - unless they have a specific reason for doing so, like creating a parody - is going to go, “My characters are 100% perfect and they have nothing to improve upon!” because even the newest writer recognizes that this isn’t something to strive for. So I find it unlikely that RT would be doing this consciously. 

Second, we’ve seen in the fandom that a large number of viewers DO think the cast is compellingly flawed and that this is acknowledged by the text. One of the more recent examples I’ve come across is last volume when, while commenting on Ruby, a number of people pointed to her conversation with Qrow as evidence of her complex characterization. “But Ruby acknowledged that she doesn’t know what she’s doing!” At that point, it becomes a matter of explaining that having a character say a token line about being unsure doesn’t compare to actually seeing that flaw develop and influence the plot on screen - and we know it is a token line because Ruby’s hesitance only comes up when it doesn’t harm her. Ruby will be conflicted while sitting safe with Qrow, but knows precisely what she wants when confronting Ironwood. Then, crucially, the show never draws a connection between that admission and her action, telling us (and eventually her) that she should return to questioning her decisions because she just chose wrong (or at least acknowledging that there’s no “right” answer here). In a similar vein, the show has Ren outright say, “We were wrong” and then that’s dropped the second he encounters the Ace Ops. A lot of viewers seem to miss that there’s a difference between having characters announce that they have flaws and actually watching those flaws impact the story and their development. If so many miss that difference in watching RWBY, I wouldn’t be surprised if RT missed it in writing RWBY. “What do you mean the cast isn’t flawed? Ren gave a whole speech about it!” Yeah, and then you had the other characters say how ridiculous that perspective is and he teams up with them again to rescue Oscar, implying that this conflict is over. The takeaway is that the cast is NOT flawed, only Ren is for thinking that. 

Third, the cast obviously is flawed - very much so - but the writers don’t seem to recognize which characteristics are the flaws. Ruby’s current flaw is that her idealism is getting in the way of any practical approach to making change, as well as her unwillingness to compromise, prioritizing hard stances that axe allies the moment they - to her mind - put a toe out of line. These two flaws are intimately tied up with one another, requiring that Ruby understand one in order to improve on the other and, as a result, setting up a fantastic character arc. So what flaw do the writers acknowledge? She has trouble with hand-to-hand. Seriously, that’s the last ACKNOWLEDGED flaw that Ruby got, overlooking Yang’s generalized “Things are bad” accusation that, like Ren’s speech, has yet to go anywhere. So not only are the real flaws considered “solved” via characters verbally acknowledging them, but other flaws are ignored in favor of making up something that is easily solved: one training montage and headbutt later, Ruby gets to move on. 

Combine these two things and my guess is that RT thinks they’re doing a great job. Look, Ruby had a flaw that she had to work to improve upon. Same with Yang’s PTSD. Same with Weiss’ racism, etc. It sounds great on paper, until you look at the story itself and see how quickly these life-long problems were “solved” (Weiss and Yang), or that this flaw seemed to come out of nowhere (Ruby), and that in order to spend time on this we’re ignoring other, more compelling flaws imbedded within the text (her overconfidence). It’s a complicated situation where we’re forced to go, “Yeah. You technically wrote a flaw and technically spent some time on it, but--” except RT doesn’t seem interested in listening to the “but.” Or they’re listening but don’t yet possess the skill needed to implement the improvements they’re aiming for. Again, I can’t speak to their thought process. But RWBY as a whole is filled with “Technically”s that, on a surface level, make it appear better than it is. RT seems to hear something like, “Give Oscar something to do already” and they technically do that by giving him this plan with Hazel. So that’s good, right? Except it ignores everything surrounding that change, like how we needed to drop his merge conflict to make room for the new one, we skipped over his reconciliation with Ozpin, it makes no sense for Hazel’s characterization, it’s unlikely to have an impact on the story moving forward because RT doesn’t plan ahead, etc. Writing is so interconnected that you can’t just Do The Thing without changing everything else around it. Writing is like a puzzle and instead of re-thinking the whole picture, RT just keeps shoving in the latest piece labeled “a flaw,” ignoring how it doesn’t fit the one next to it and is unlikely to fit the pieces they’ll put in later either. But they put the piece down! So to them it probably looks like they’ve succeeded, while paying attention to just this one piece, whereas those of us who are looking at the picture as a whole are going, “This is a mess. The picture doesn’t make sense.” 

It takes a long, long, long, loooooong time to recognize when you’re failing at something in writing. 95% of the time we think we’ve Done the Thing satisfactorily - I wrote a thesis, an emotional scene, a character arc, a flaw, good evidence, etc. - and it’s only when someone else (teacher, editor, viewer) points out the mistakes and WHY they’re mistakes that we’re able to start seeing where we went wrong. That we went wrong at all. But even then, it’s pretty much our default state to assume we’ve achieved our goal after attempting it. That’s why you need to edit, revise, read, and practice all the other skills that help you learn what mistakes exist and how to spot them in your own work. So my guess - and it would be just a guess - is that RT is in that phase where they’re really proud of what they’ve accomplished and think that’s that. They’ve achieved their goal... and either haven’t had someone point out these problems, or aren’t willing/able to fix them yet. 

[flowerwrites06]

could you write angst ending in fluff following a silent treatment after fight for park jimin?

warnings: jimin is a being lil double standard-y in this one sorry, it’s not like full on fluff but like a sort of resolution??

The backyard was your safe haven when the house felt stuffy. Garden lights shining against the green hedges and rainbow flowers. You enjoyed peaceful moments, listening to the soft bamboo fountain that you made on a day off or the crickets softly chirping. Anything to take your mind to another place. You never really thought Jimin would be the reason you would sit here on your gingham mat. 

Every morning and afternoon when you took a break from painting, you’d eat here instead. Wanting to stay away from Jimin for a while. The memories of your fight in the weekend flooded a little to frequently. It festered in your mind. 

Last weekend, you mentioned the topic of having children. 

“Two boys,” Jimin answered immediately with a smile. 

“What about a girl?” 

Jimin chuckled nervously. “No.” 

“Why not?” 

“If we had a girl, it’d be chaos.” 

You shook your head. “Well yeah, if they’re kids. They’re gonna be chaotic. A little girl version of you.” You grinned. 

“That’s the problem.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Well, I was a little overconfident when I was younger. Very flirty and a little sexual. I don’t want my girl to be like that.” 

You scoffed lightly. “There’s nothing that wrong with it. So long as we teach her to be safe and smart about it.” 

“Then she’d be like you.” 

“Why is that a bad thing?” 

“I mean you were probably worse with all the guys you invited in. You really want your daughter whoring around like that?” 

The one comment ricocheted into a explosive fight. Yelling and screaming until your eyes watered and your throat was dry. You ended the fight saying you changed your mind about having kids with him which silenced Jimin immediately. 

It’d been a few days now. You were sleeping in separate rooms and the gap between you two widened every hour. Jimin hated it. You did too but you stood by your word. It was already anxiety inducing to think about having children but his words created so many doubts in your mind about his fatherhood. Maybe even your own motherhood. It’s not like they could really control the sex of their baby. What if they did have a girl? Could you truly fall back and hope he catches you when that time came? Was it worth the risk of having a full child? 

A few more deep breaths, you entered back into the house where you saw Jimin standing at the dining table. You tried to walk past him.

“Wait, please...please.” Jimin stood in front of you.

“What?” Your tone was sharp, anger more subdued but still present. 

Jimin sighed. “What I said was wrong. I’m sorry, I’ve just—there’re a lot of traditions and things I was taught about parenthood. I didn’t think that some of them might harm our child rather than help them.” He played with his fingers. “And what I said about you, I didn’t mean it. I was just trying to make some stupid point.” He shook his head. “I want to grow a family with you. It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl or maybe neither. I only want a family with you.” 

You felt a small sense of relief hearing him but there was still that nudge in your head. “Thank you for trying to understand. But—” 

Panic spread on his face. “But?” 

“I don’t think I really want a family right now.” 

“Babe—” 

“It’s not because of you, I just—a lot of things resurfaced after that fight and I want—” You took a deep breath. “–a little more time to really get back into my enthusiasm again. Please understand that.” 

“A-are we okay though?” 

“We will be. I’ll try to make sure.” You wanted to be honest. There was no real reassurance that you could give him without generating a white lie. But at least you felt the air grow lighter in your own home again. 

[omg-imagine]

⊱ Persistence ⊰

Pairing: Johnny Utah x Reader

Request: Could u do one where the reader is a nurse who runs into Utah a bunch of times and he flirts and she just isn’t impressed but he keeps going and then she finally sees it - @jadore30​

Words: 2.6k

Warnings: Language, mention of alcohol

A/N: Thanks for requesting this! Love Johnny Utah and I’m glad that I finally wrote a little something with him. I’m sorry for the terrible title, I couldn’t think of a good one lol. But anyways, I hope you like it!

Johnny Utah was an overconfident, cocky bastard.

The other nurses would fawn over him whenever the FBI agent dropped by the hospital after a case goes awry. You, however, couldn’t understand the appeal of him. Sure, Utah had an irritatingly handsome face and a body seemingly sculpted by the gods themselves. However, they still weren’t enough to make up for his arrogance.

Not to you, at least.

It was close to midnight when you were paged to the emergency room after taking a short break. You had rounded the corner, noticing how empty and quiet it was before heading towards bed number twelve where your new patient was waiting. Pushing aside the privacy curtain, you cursed under your breath when you saw Johnny sitting on the hospital bed, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

“Seriously, Utah?” You spoke, exasperated. “This is the third time this month alone.”

“What can I say? I wanted to see you tonight, darling,” Johnny winked as you examined his injuries, which all seemed very easy to treat. Well, that’s what you had thought until you saw him holding an ice pack on top of his swollen wrist, most likely from a sprain.

Shaking your head, you might as well do your job now so that he could soon go on his merry way. With a deep sigh, you took a pair of gloves from the supply cart nearby and put them over your hands. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Johnny watching as you gathered the things you needed to clean the gash on his arm.

“What went wrong this time?” You asked him, gently cleaning the tender skin around his wound with a cotton pad dipped in solution. The cut was deeper than you had initially thought, and he definitely needed stitches for it.

“Drug raid,” he answered, and you caught sight of his tongue darting out, licking his chapped lips. “One guy got away and put up one hell of a fight. I didn’t see his knife at first, so that took me by surprise.”

“You didn’t wait for back-up?”

“There was no time, and I thought I could handle him by myself.”

Johnny flicked his dark hair to the side, his chestnut-brown orbs then staring at your concentrated gaze. You noticed the heat rising up in your cheeks when you briefly locked eyes, and you felt something—unexplainable. Swiftly, you looked away, your focus returning to the task at hand.

“And your wrist?”

“Tripped and landed on it. Doesn’t really hurt though, I’ve been through a lot worse.”

You nodded before you threw out the dirty cotton pad. You then switched to a new clean pair of gloves before threading a needle. “So, do you call the main desk first and check to see if I’m working before getting yourself injured while on the job?”

“Is it bad wanting to get treated by the best nurse in California?” Johnny let out a low chuckle before wincing at the stinging sensation of the needle’s sharp end piercing through his skin. “But if I say yes, will you finally agree to go on a date with me?”

“Not happening,” you declined, but you couldn’t stop a smile from appearing on your face. “Not in a million years.”

“Come on, please?” He pleaded, batting his lashes at you as if it would help his case. “Just one date, that’s all I want.”

You were used to this by now, the constant flirting and his silly attempts in asking you out. Ever since you met him four months ago, Johnny had been quite relentless, doing everything he could to convince you to give him a chance. But you simply weren’t impressed by him, and you would much rather keep your relationship with Johnny strictly professional.

“No, thank you, Utah,” you responded as you finished up your meticulous stitching, wrapping the inflicted area with a bandage afterwards. “I think we’re all done here. I’ll have you brought over to imaging and get your wrist checked out.”

Johnny gave you a short nod while you peeled off your used gloves and tossed them in the bin. For a minute or two, you watched in silence as he inspected your handiwork. Seemingly satisfied, his attention reverted back to you, flashing a cheeky grin at the same time.

“I don’t do it on purpose, by the way,” he noted, pushing himself off the edge of the bed before standing close to you. You could feel Johnny’s warm breath against your skin as you glanced up, locking gazes once again. “I don’t get hurt just so that I could see you. I guess it’s one of the perks that come with the job.”

“Sure it is,” you added incredulously. “Well, I’ve got rounds to do in a bit. You can wait here, and I’ll let the technician know that you need an x-ray.”

“Are you coming back?” Johnny wondered out loud.

“I’ll have Barbara bring you there,” came your response. “She’ll take good care of you, I promise.”

“But is she as beautiful as you, angel?” He tilted his head to the side, amused by his own inquiry. “If she’s not, then I’m not going.”

You laughed, taking a step back from him. “Okay, it’s your choice, but I have to get back to work.”

Turning around to leave, Johnny’s uninjured hand suddenly reached out to grasp yours, causing you to look behind. A quick second passed, and you swore that there was a shift in the atmosphere. You couldn’t think of a proper word for it other than electrifying, and truth be told, it had left you confused. His unwavering gaze sent a shiver down your spine, and you recognized the feeling as a sign that you were attracted to someone.

But this was Johnny you were dealing with. You weren’t supposed to feel like this, you had thought that he was the worst. You didn’t really know him, and he didn’t really know you. To him, you were probably just another pretty face that he wanted to sleep with and couldn’t take no for an answer.

“Desperation is not cute, Utah,” you stated as he pulled you towards him, your feet allowing it.

“I’m not desperate, I’m persistent. There’s a difference,” Johnny explained. His eyes drifting down to your mouth, quietly imagining how it would feel on his. “You know, I’m not going to give up on you that easily. Go ahead, play hard to get. But I can see it on your face—you like me, too.”

“Did you also manage to hit your head during the scuffle?” You raised a brow at Johnny, who shot you a faint smile. He then lifted your hand up to his mouth, kissing the back of it softly before gently lowering it down.

“I’ll see you around, darling,” he said sweetly, and you felt your heart skip a beat. With a small wave, you then made your exit, walking to the nurses’ station down the hall.

As you prepped for the last three hours of your shift, you couldn’t help but reflect on what had happened between you and Johnny. It was odd because for one moment, you had forgotten about all of the reasons why you weren’t interested in him. Instead, you could only think of how gentle his calloused hands were as he held you, and the strange spark you felt when your eyes met.

“Thinking about Agent Utah?” Barbara’s voice pulled you away from your thoughts, and you tried to act naturally in front of the older woman. “Don’t even lie, hun. I knew that Utah would eventually get to you.”

“God, no,” you denied with a shake of your head. “How’s his hand?”

“Not too damaged, fortunately. But we did have a lovely conversation about you on our way up to imaging.”

You abruptly stood from your seat, almost stumbling backwards as Barbara giggled at your flustered reaction. “Nope, I don’t want to hear it.”

“Of course, you don’t. You’ve always been a stubborn little thing, especially when it comes to Johnny. How many more hospital visits will the poor man have to make until you finally realize it?”

Narrowing your eyes, you stopped yourself from launching into one of your usual tirades about Utah, not having the energy to do so right now. Sinking back down on your chair, you exhaled heavily and did your best to forget about him for the rest of the night.

Go ahead, play hard to get. But I can see it on your face—you like me, too.

Johnny’s words echoed in your mind. You didn’t know how he got to that conclusion, and he couldn’t be further from the truth.

A crush on Utah? The mere thought of it was absurd.

.

.

.

But was it?

---

A week later, you found yourself sitting at a local dive bar after a particularly exhausting shift at the hospital. The place was as busy as it could be on a late Friday evening, and with a stiff drink in your hand, you tried to ignore the ruckus happening around you. Emptying your first glass of the night, you were about to call the bartender over when a man took a seat right next to you.

“What’s a nice lady like you doing in a dump like this?” The stranger asked, his breath reeking of cheap liquor.

“How original,” you said dryly, not even turning to look at him properly. You just wanted to be left alone in peace. Was it too much to ask?

The man simply brushed off your comment as he ordered two bottles of beer, not giving you the chance to ask the bartender for a refill. Huffing, you rolled your eyes at him as he tried making awkward conversation with you. You couldn’t have appeared any less interested at that moment, yet he was oblivious to the fact.

“Babe! I’m sorry I’m late.”

You whipped your head to the side and saw Johnny approaching you with a wide grin.

“Babe?” The stranger hissed, his face turning red once Johnny was standing near you, an arm draping behind your shoulder and pulling you close. “You didn’t mention that you were with someone.”

“She doesn’t have to,” Utah answered for you. “You shouldn’t be bothering women like that. Didn’t you see her face? You were boring her to death!”

“Johnny,” you chided him. “Enough.”

“Yeah, listen to the lady, Johnny,” the other man sneered. “You don’t look like you treat her right. I think she’s with the wrong person.”

“Dude, just please leave us alone,” you spoke, hoping that the situation would die down.

“Whatever,” he muttered as he got up and began walking away. “She ain’t worth it anyway.”

Johnny was ready to throw a punch when you quickly gripped the back of his shirt and held him back. “Stop, it’s okay.”

“Asshole,” he mumbled bitterly before his attention went back to you. “You alright?”

Nodding, you smiled a little at Johnny as you patted on the empty seat beside you. “Yeah, I’m good. Thanks for that. I was ready to walk out of the door until you showed up.”

“I’ve always had great timing,” he chortled, sitting down on the bar stool as the bartender came by to take his order. “I’ll have a gin and tonic, and—what would you like, babe?”

Babe. The word fell from his lips so effortlessly, and you froze for a second. You thought you would have scolded Johnny for calling you that by now. But as the two of you continued to gaze at each other, it never came.

“I’ll have a margarita this time,” you requested without glancing away from Utah. “Are you stalking me now?”

“What? No, I’m not,” he chuckled as the corners of your mouth curved slightly. “Honestly, I’m not. I was in the area and decided to get a drink.”

“Okay,” you responded, believing him. “How are your stitches?”

“Still intact. My wrist is also doing fine now that the swelling’s gone.”

“That’s great,” you pointed out. “I thought I was going to have to treat you if a bar fight were to erupt back there.”

Utah shrugged slightly. “I would have gone through with it if you hadn’t stopped me. No one should speak to you that way.”

“Thank you, I really appreciated your help, Utah. Perhaps I’ve been too tough on you.”

Johnny blushed as your drinks were set in front of you. Raising your glasses, you clinked them both together before you each took a sip from it. You had never imagined having drinks with Johnny, but now that you actually were, you thought that it was quite fun. You felt at ease, the stress and tension from today’s shift melting away.

You talked the entire night, sharing laughter here and there. You weren’t sure if it was solely the alcohol to blame, but you found yourself letting your walls down for Johnny, no longer feeling guarded around him.

And it was blissful.

The conversation flowed so smoothly between you two that you didn’t realize how much time had flown by. The more you learned about Johnny, the more you started to believe that he was a genuinely good guy. And if tonight was any indication, he truly cared about you. As you chatted, you wondered in the back of your head if Johnny had been right all along.

Maybe you did like him.

“So,” he said as he slid some money across the counter to pay your tab along with his. “About dinner?”

You giggled before hopping down from your seat. “You are a very persistent one, Agent Utah.”

“After tonight, you owe me one,” he remarked, moving near you to offer you his arm, which you gladly accepted.

Together, you exited out of the establishment, a soft and chilly breeze blowing through your hair. The streets were silent as you strolled down the sidewalk hand-in-hand. A part of you didn’t want the night to end yet since you were enjoying your time with Johnny.

“Surfing? The FBI paid you to learn how to surf?” you questioned him, approaching the steps leading up to your apartment building.

“Yeah, they did since I was undercover,” Johnny revealed as he halted, his hand still holding yours. “And before you ask, it turns out I’m pretty good at it. I should give you lessons one day.”

“One day,” you repeated as you felt him squeeze your hand. Nearly a full minute went by before you cleared your throat. “Well, um, I should really get going. I don’t want to keep you for too long.”

Johnny released a light chuckle, the butterflies immediately fluttering inside your stomach at the sound of it. Feeling bold, you leaned up, pressing a soft kiss on his cheek before you let go of his hand. He gave you another one of his charming smiles, causing your heart race.

“Until next time, sweetheart,” he grinned as he watched you head up the stairs, only to stop when you reached the last step.

“Hey, Utah,” you called out. “I’m free tomorrow night if you still want to have dinner.”

“I’d have to check my calendar,” Johnny quipped, and you pretended to look annoyed. “I’m just teasing you. Of course, I would love to have dinner. I’ll pick you up at 7?”

“Sounds great,” you agreed, waving goodbye to him one last time before walking up to your door, a smile tugging at your lips.

Johnny Utah was an overconfident, cocky bastard, but not anymore. Not after tonight.

Not when you were finally his.

[eventidedaydreamer]

What is everybody's strengths and weaknesses in your Bendy Au?

:) oh >:) okay

Joey Drew: 

Strengths 

he knows a lot of things, 

Intelligence

he can be very charming and can win people over easily, 

he’s the kind of person that you immediately like when you meet him, 

he knows how to leave a good impression.

If you actually get to know him he can be very bubbly and excitable.

Weaknesses 

he can’t read people, 

he’s brain smart but he isn’t emotionally smart, 

he doesn’t get it when someone shows emotions in a way he isn’t familiar with. 

He lashes out when he’s reminded of unpleasant things.

He knows how to turn everyone into ink creatures through sacrifice but he doesn’t stop to think if he should.

His coping mechanisms are not very healthy

Jealousy, clingy, its hard for him to consider that people can have more than one friend

Henry Stein:

Strengths 

He’s very tough (have you seen how much he falls?? and he’s OLD) 

Probably broke some bones when he was a kid so now he has stronger bones. 

He can handle a LOT of pain, 

he’s cool under stress and pressure, 

he’s a hard worker and a very talented artist.

He has a good memory

Weaknesses 

He has trouble expressing himself 

He’s a people pleaser and has a hard time saying no (something he’s worked on and is better about after he met his wife), 

He underreacts to things and overthinks a lot (overthinking is another thing he got better with after he met Linda)

Wally Franks:

Strengths 

One of the FRIENDLIEST people you will ever meet, 

and hes really really funny

He somehow knows everyone’s name even if he only met them once three years ago, 

It’s like he’s living life at a different speed because it seems like he spent the whole day with you but he also had time to see ten other people the same day?? 

He seems innocent and as if his perfect bubble of the world would pop if you mentioned something upsetting but the reality is he’ll listen to anything you need to get out and then give really good advice followed up with his usual humor.

He trusts that there is good in everyone and gives people second chances

Weaknesses 

He does really stupid things a lot

He’ll connect pipes wrong, resulting in later damage and messes

He’s always getting himself hurt, jumping too many stairs at once, making someone really angry and running for his life (Sammy’s the main one that’ll actually chase him down)

It’s like he has no sense of self-preservation 

(HOW IS HE NOT DEAD?!)

He is really trusting and some people take advantage of that

He opens himself up to everyone and forgives a little too easily

Sammy Lawrence:

Strengths

He knows how to stick up for himself and others

Hardworking

He is damn good at his job and won’t let you forget it

Sarcastic

Honest

Mature

He can hear the music as he’s writing it, feel it in his head when he sees sheet music

Very independent 

If he considers you a friend, he will go to extremes to get back at anyone that hurts you (Just ask Jack, he’s been friends with him the longest!)

It is unknown how many instruments Sammy can play, the band make guesses all the time and Jack is asked on a weekly basis but refuses to comment

its an ongoing discussion 

Determination, he’s the only one that will actually chase Wally til he catches him

Weaknesses

He’s angry almost constantly

The glass is half empty

Doesn’t hold back snide remarks (but if the remark is about music in some way you better listen there’s advice hidden somewhere)

Yelling, but it’s mostly just a very loud “WALLY FRANKS!” followed by running footsteps and Wally’s giddy laughter

I N S O M N I A C

constantly has bags under his eyes

A Perfectionist, Only the best can come from the office of Sammy Lawrence even if he forgets to eat while doing so

yeah thats another thing, he forgets about things like eating, sleeping, ya know, human things

He’s intimidating, the string of constant negativity doesn’t make many friends

Workaholic 

He’s become dependent on the few friends he has to break him out of his  work until its done mode and remind him to eat and sleep (Jack, Wally, Norman and Susie a little.)

because :) it would be a shame :) if one of them :)  went missing :) huh?

Susie Campbell:

Strengths

Hopeful and optimistic

Friendly

She has a really pretty face, shes really pretty in general

she gets a lot of attention because of it

shes tougher than she looks and uses it to her advantage

she is really clever

Flirty and a romantic 

an exciting storyteller, she can make a trip to the refrigerator sound interesting

Weaknesses

Possessive

she wants to hear all the gossip until its about her

is really jealous of the smallest things

she may seem like a little innocent flower but she’s the thorniest rose in the garden and you are growing a little too close to her

Alice Angel means everything to her, its the best way to distract her from anything else :)

the second best way is to mention her star-shaped birthmark/freckle

Norman Polk:

Strengths

Observant 

He’s very good at guessing things correctly

He seems to know something about everything and everyone

A really great listener

He also just has good hearing in general, easily eavesdrops 

Physically strong, he can lift anyone with ease

Wise and careful

he has some pretty sound advice in him if you ask for any

has a very good control on his temper and is calm and cool even in heated arguments or dangerous situations

a good people reader

is very understanding

Weaknesses

He’s scary, just how he likes it

People get the wrong ideas about him (He’s just sitting there! Is he watching me?)

to be fair, he might be

He doesn’t attempt to get to know people unless he sees a reason to

gets into other peoples business 

He’s always lookin’ for trouble

too curious for his own good

doesn’t talk about his feelings

Jack Fain:

Strengths

He’s so good at rhyming that he does it subconsciously on a regular basis

Creative

Empathetic

He’s not afraid to show emotion

Forgiving

Generosity

Gentle and soft

Humble

Patient

Selfless

Weaknesses

He can be really emotional a lot of the time

He spaces out a lot

he can seem like a crybaby

Doesn’t take credit for things he should

Lies about how he really feels to make other people comfortable, he doesn’t want to be a bother

puts himself down to make other people look better

Really shy

doesn’t stick up for himself

too passive

worries a lot

Johnny:

Strengths

He really loves his job

He’s a romantic at heart

very sweet and considerate

Loyal and devoted

Sees the best in people

Weaknesses

He falls in love way too easily

ignores flaws even when they’re concerning

can easily become an emotional mess

fears being rejected more than anything else (bro just love him he’s too sweet)

Shawn Flynn:

Strengths

He’ll tell someone off when they’ve done something wrong

believes in karma and justice

likes sewing while he’s talking/doing something else

really good at multitasking

Luck of the Irish

like he misses getting injured by mere inches

this makes him the perfect Go and Do Something Stupid companion with Wally

He’s really proud of his heritage and his work

Weaknesses

Shouts a lot

He can be too prideful and overconfident

isn’t into mercy or forgiveness 

can and will turn anything into a rivalry if its the last thing he does!!

the downside to being his friend is that its dangerous to hug him because he puts needles through his clothes so he can find them later

he says its built in protection

and Wally says ow

Thomas Connor:

Strengths

He’s been good with anything technical since he was little and only got better at it with age 

Honorable

Hardworking

Mature

Weaknesses

He believes in a one strike and you’re out ideal, leaving him to not trust some genuinely nice people (but he also doesn’t trust some questionable people so he sees it as justifiable)

Reserved, doesn’t attempt to get to know anyone

he can work too hard

Pessimistic

Allison Pendle:

Strengths

Boy can she give an inspirational speech

She’s very generous

Brave 

Levelheaded

She’s a lot stronger than she looks

you should hear her belt out a song

Weaknesses

prefers to fix other peoples problems rather than deal with her own

she’s really competitive 

she gets herself hurt a lot

can be a little too fierce

Grant Cohen:

Strengths

Math, he’s good at math

he was like yeah i can do numbers I’ll be an accountant! (bro im sorry u got Joey as a boss)

He’s a good singer (which seems random unless you know)

Weaknesses

A N X I E T Y

really cannot talk to anyone

his words get all jumbled up

if he had the internet he’d constantly be searching things like, how to explain to your boss that his decisions are putting the company in dept? how do you stand up to your boss?

has bad panic attacks

Bertrum Piedmont:

Strengths

He’s super confidant

Not afraid to get his hands dirty

Even though he almost always is dressed up nice

He makes sure he looks presentable

He acts like a dad to people he likes

Cultured

Very determined 

He can and will do anything out of spite and you can’t stop him because that will only give him more reason to

Weaknesses

Really prideful, gets offended over little things

is pretty arrogant as well

it’s really hard for him to change his mind after he’s made a decision 

refuses to lose, even if it’s really obvious that he has

he can be condescending 

doesn’t like or participate in humor, he’s always deadly serious

He can be over dramatic a lot

Lacie Benton:

Strengths

nothing seems to surprise her

calm and chill

a really good listener, the kind that you know can keep a secret

doesn’t take herself too seriously or anyone, (Bertrum finds her company to be one of his favorites after he figures that out)

shE WEARS WHATEVER SHE WANTS BECAUSE SHE DOESN’T CARE ABOUT YOUR OPINION SHE JUST LIKES WEARING PANTS

Weaknesses

stays quiet about important things, she ain’t no snitch, who cares if she witnessed someone stealing something

Super apathetic about life

kinda isolated (Norman says hi)

Lazy but only because she can do it really fast and well so you can wait for her

Linda Stein:

Strengths

It’s a good thing she’s so confidant else Henry would have just looked at this pretty lady and never introduced himself

shes like really good at gardening, talk about a green thumb!

Affectionate 

knows when to be gentle and when someone needs tough love

and shes good at distributing both

shes so brave

Eager and excited easily

super patient 

Understanding

Weaknesses

she can come off as too forward and a little too fast

can get a little frazzled

Forgetful (Henry helps with that)

she doesn’t want to invade anyone’s boundaries but doesn’t ask what they are so its a tug of war within her

Sorry this took so long, I wanted to really think about it and do it justice! :D

[birb-tangleblog]

I mean... it's possible for Cassandra’s feelings to make sense and for her to be justified in some ways, AND for her to have treated Adira poorly too? And actually, these two ideas are complementary and kind of go together?

In S2, Cass is defensive and assumes the worst about Adira. But her instincts aren't entirely wrong- Adira does withhold information, and she sometimes endangers the group. 

I think Cass’ attitude there is understandable as a response to this in combination with her own insecurities and internal conflicts. 

So starting from the top, I think that on the most basic level, Adira and Cassandra have a pretty big personality clash. Cass is guarded, slow to trust, and insecure. Adira isn't dishonest, but she is very cryptic, and socially she's extremely blunt. Cass is hot-blooded while Adira is... cool. This isn't the only reason for their conflicts, but it definitely contributes; the high stakes of the quest they're on just exacerbates the tension and their differences.

That said, their first meeting is kind of a trainwreck, and I do put that one squarely on Cass. It IS reasonable that she's suspicious of Adira and doesn't want her to be alone with Rapunzel, but she actively escalates that situation into a full blown fight. Adira asks her twice not to touch her so they can do things "the nice way", and Cass' response to this simple request is to ask "where's the fun in that" with a smile- she's raring to go.

(Let's also note that Raps doesn't handle this situation fantastically either: she says they should hear Adira out, but her attempts to deescalate the situation are pretty feeble. She joins the fray, then lassos Adira's wrist when she tries to make peace with Cass.)

But beyond that, I think there's more ambiguity. Like a lot of discussion centers around Cass and Adira butting heads in RatGT, and her hostility towards Adira in that episode. 

But honestly? Going through the Tree was a terrible judgment call. Adira led them there because of her overconfidence as a guide. Camping out in the Tree when they’re being actively pursued, as Adira suggests, was also a bad decision with disastrous consequences. 

Cass is the only one who speaks up that these are bad ideas, increasingly aggressively because no one is listening to her or acknowledging her valid concerns, and she’s the one who ends up paying the price for their choices when Hector inevitably catches up like she’d warned.

Her being justified, feeling like the group (Rapunzel) isn’t listening to her, and lashing out at Adira/resenting her are connected. 

Going back to Adira being cryptic and that being dangerous- objectively, she doesn’t tell the party that the Great Tree is associated with ZT, or warn them about the possibility of Hector (or Edmund) being a threat until he shows up. She also doesn’t tell any of them that Rapunzel could die from uniting with the moonstone until they're already at the DK. (Tbf, Rapunzel thought not returning was a possibility as early as Freebird- but it's still something Adira fails to disclose.) 

And S3 Cass is a victim... of bad writing lmao. The mind trap is the big thing there, and yeah obviously it's bad.

The writing in the show does not treat Cass mind controlling her enemies seriously or give it the gravity it deserves as a plot point, we know this and I've talked about it before. A lot of problems come back to that. 

Notably, in the series finale, there's a moment where Rapunzel mentions Adira in the context of the moonstone and Cass just kind of scoffs.

To us in the fandom, it seems a bit insulting that Cass would roll her eyes and not express any remorse at the mention of the woman she's been using as her puppet (and it's equally bad that Rapunzel wouldn't say anything!), but it's consistent w/ the show's treatment of the mind trap plot. 

So while I enjoy taking that plot at face value in some ways, the writing being iffy and the consequent characterization wonk is smth I think is good to keep in mind when considering stuff like Cass’ treatment of Adira- just as it’s good to keep that in mind w/ S3′s treatment of the Brotherhood, or Edmund, or Quirin, or Lance.

Anwyay TL;DR my takes:

S2: Solidly written, poor communication skills and personality conflicts at work. There’s a lot of interesting greyness.

S3: Messy writing in some respects, and the characterization on almost everyone suffers. Grey but in a muddled way. 

[chierafied]

All According to Plan

Written for the SessKag Valentine’s Big Bang!

Partnered with my darling @jafndaegur​ without whom organising this event would have been so much more difficult.

Go check out her lovely companion piece for this fic here!

At first, Sesshoumaru had been furious. But by now, only weary resignation remained as he watched the hopeful demoness tilt her head to bare her throat to him.

Sesshoumaru pinched the bridge of his nose.

He wasn’t sure how much more he would be able to take, how many more demonesses he would be forced to shake off.

He needed it all to stop, but he knew only too well that his mother would never give in until she would get what she wished.

And to Sesshoumaru’s ire and consternation, his mother’s heart was set to see him mated.

Why his mother had been struck by such a fit of lunacy, Sesshoumaru did not know.

What he knew, however – without a shadow of a doubt – was that he was not even remotely inclined to go along with that nonsense. 

And he did not appreciate this parade of willing and eligible female youkai seeking him out.

He looked at this more recent candidate and swallowed his sigh.

“No,” he told her, in a voice that brooked no disagreements. “Leave, now.”

The demoness’ lips pinched, but she bowed her head and left.

Sesshoumaru watched her go, grateful that this one at least hadn’t presume to argue with him.

Some of the other youkai sent to him by his mother had not accepted his rejection as gracefully. 

Weariness overcame him. 

How many more candidates would there be?

How many more until his mother would wear him down?

Because it had happened before. 

In a battle of wills against his woefully obstinate mother, Sesshoumaru seldom emerged as the victor.

If he was to have any hope of winning against his mother, Sesshoumaru would need to find a way to fight back.

Reasoning would not work; he’d already paid his mother a visit and demanded she cease the ridiculous affair but it had been to no avail. 

He supposed he could start killing whatever candidates his mother presumed to send his way but they were innocent in all this, caught in the web of his mother’s latest scheme.

Besides, it would not be worthwhile; while such slaughter would undoubtedly send a message to his mother, it would require too much effort on his part. 

His mother likely would not be deterred in any case.

No, from what Sesshoumaru could guess, the only way to halt his mother’s efforts would be to…

He paused. Frowned.

The only way to force his mother to stop sending any more candidates his way would be to introduce a candidate of his own.

Though that would only be adding fuel to the fire of his mother’s madness.

Unless... 

A slow smile spread to Sesshoumaru’s lips.

Finally, he had a plan that would ensure his victory in this matter.

All he would need to do was to produce a candidate of his own – someone who would be so utterly inappropriate to take as his mate that his mother would refuse to consent to the match.

And he knew just the female to suit that role.

------------------------💙 ------------------------

It was a nice and perfectly normal – if unusually productive – morning for Kagome. 

She’d been able to get a lot of her regular chores down and had now decided to take on the task of doing some long-neglected mending.

And then Sesshoumaru came for a visit.

That in itself was unprecedented.

Of all the unexpected visitors she may have had, Kagome would’ve put Sesshoumaru on the top of the list as the least likely to show on her doorstep.

Although Kagome liked to think they got along fine these days, she couldn’t in good conscience call Sesshoumaru friendly.

But there he sat across from her, earnestly explaining his dilemma and his great solution to it while Kagome could only sit there and wonder if she might have unknowingly slipped into some alternate dimension where Sesshoumaru had lost his goddamn mind.

She put down the overcoat she’d been mending when he finally finished his spiel.

For a moment she struggled to gather first her thoughts, then to form any words as she frowned at him in growing disbelief.

“You want to bring me with you to meet your mother,” she said at last in a summary of Sesshoumaru’s speech. 

Because she couldn’t have possibly been hearing anything he’d told her in the past five minutes correctly.

“Correct,” Sesshoumaru replied. 

He was the picture of calm patience, with his hand resting on his knee and his face impassive while Kagome struggled with her listening comprehension.

“And pretend we’re in love with each other,” she said next, this time with a slight, shameful squeak.

“My mother would perceive infatuation an obstacle not easily overcome,” Sesshoumaru said.

His tone of voice was reasonable, the words themselves anything but.

A cold, sinking feeling weighed down Kagome’s stomach.

He couldn’t really be serious about all of this. He couldn’t.

“Sure,” she replied, making no effort to hide her dubiousness.

In a vain attempt to calm her badly frazzled nerves, Kagome tried to pick up her mending again but promptly stabbed her finger with the needle.

She hissed, and stuck the finger into her mouth before she spilled any blood on her overcoat.

From bad to worse, Kagome thought, sinking into a gloom as she sucked on her sore finger. 

Sesshoumaru, unfazed with her grim incredulity over the whole situation, carried on.

“If there is any way I might repay you for imposing on you with this request, please inform me of it.”

And that didn’t improve her mood the slightest.

“You’re already certain I’ll agree to this, aren’t you?” she muttered.

He deigned to rise one imperious eyebrow.

“It is not in your nature to refuse a request for your aid.”

Kagome sighed. “No, I guess it’s not.” Damn it. “But just so you know, I think this is a terrible idea.”

Sesshoumaru, of course, disagreed. Any sense he may have once possessed had clearly deserted him long ago, probably around the same time he had come up with this ridiculous plan.

“I do not mind that as long as it will work,” he told her.

And therein was Kagome’s biggest problem with this whole thing. 

For one last time, she tried to plead with the glimmer of sanity that might still be hiding somewhere deep, deep down Sesshoumaru’s labyrinthic mind. 

“I do feel for your… situation,” she said, trying to sound as earnest as she could. “I just don’t know if lying to your mother is the best way to resolve it.”

“That is because you have not met my mother,” Sesshoumaru deadpanned.

True enough. But that would soon be remedied, because it didn’t seem like Sesshoumaru would be swayed by something as inconsequential as reason.

“And you’re sure she wouldn’t want us to be together?” Kagome prompted, because in her opinion, this “grand plan” was full of holes the size of Toutousai’s cow.

“She does not think very highly of humans,” Sesshoumaru said.

What a surprise, Kagome thought wryly. 

Although it did take her aback that Sesshoumaru appeared less than happy about the fact.

“Besides,” he continued, “she would think that the fact you are a miko would make you wildly unsuitable.”

“Of course she would,” Kagome grumbled, this time unable to keep her comments to herself.

“You need not have any qualms,” Sesshoumaru said. “I will not behave dishonourably towards you. And I will only need you to follow my lead.”

He was trying, she could admit that. It was almost sweet. 

But she did have qualms, many of them, and would not be so easily reassured.

Sesshoumaru’s possible behaviour towards her was the least of her concerns; the entire plan was terrible.

Kagome was neither an accomplished actor nor liar, and she wasn’t so sure about how convincing Sesshoumaru could be either. Pretend they were in love? Would Sesshoumaru recognise love even if it bit him in the ass? 

Kagome tried to picture Sesshoumaru being loving.

She failed miserably.

Yeah, they were gonna be so screwed.

“I’m less worried about that,” she replied, “and more worried about everything that might go wrong.”

But Sesshoumaru was nothing but stubborn and enviably overconfident.

“Fret not,” he declared. “Everything will go according to plan.”

------------------------💙 ------------------------

Sesshoumaru landed on the stone steps of his mother’s floating castle with graceful ease. His hand steady at the miko’s back, he set down her warm and surprisingly light weight. She straightened herself, then offered him a wide smile. Her dark hair was tousled by the wind, her blue eyes were bright. 

Though it had not been the first time he had taken flight with her in tow, the miko had not shown any fear as he had presumed.

Quite on the contrary, she’d appeared to be exhilarated.

That would serve them well, Sesshoumaru thought. Perhaps his mother might mistake that sparkle in her eye for something else, of more romantic a making.

“Come,” Sesshoumaru told the miko, and started up the stairs.

There was a small part of him that wished to dawdle here a while longer, and that was precisely why it was best to go right away and get this sordid business dealt with. 

The miko fell into a step beside him and Sesshoumaru silently approved.

The fact that his mother would disapprove of the miko had not been the sole reason why Sesshoumaru had decided to approach her with his request; that fearlessness and strength of character would serve her well when facing against his Lady Mother.

The stairs ended all too soon. Ahead, on its dais, the giant throne loomed.

And there, his mother sat in her usual, regal manner.

No going back now.

Sesshoumaru reached for the miko’s hand, entwined his fingers with hers and pulled her along.

Her hand felt warm and small engulfed in his own. And at the same time, oddly reassuring.

He did not bow and scrape as he stopped before the throne.

He met his mother’s assessing gaze, his head high.

“Sesshoumaru. What an unexpected pleasure,” his mother spoke. Her golden eyes flicked to the miko, then back to Sesshoumaru.

“Mother,” he replied with a curt nod. “I have come to ask you to cease your meddling.”

“Oh?” One elegant eyebrow rose in a show of surprise. “And what meddling would that be, then?”

“This quest of yours to find me a suitable mate,” Sesshoumaru said, barely keeping himself from gritting his teeth. “You had best to abandon it.”

His mother tilted her head. Her attention was now fully focused on the miko.

“Because you have found someone you deem more suitable than any of the fine demonesses I have sent your way. I assume this human is your pick, then?”

To the miko’s credit, she calmly met his mother’s gaze. The only outward sign of her nervousness was in the way her fingers trembled in Sesshoumaru’s hold. 

“Yes. She is the one my heart has chosen.” 

His mother turned to regard him. “Your heart? My, that is truly unexpected. But perhaps I should not be so surprised; you are your father’s son after all.”

Sesshoumaru clenched his jaw as he stared down his mother.

His mother carelessly shrugged a shoulder, then with her clawed fingers beckoned for the miko to come closer.

“Come then, let me see you, little human.”

------------------------💙 ------------------------

Kagome was not sure what she had expected Sesshoumaru’s mother to be like, but she was awed by the demoness before her.

She was poised and elegant, but there was a glimmer in her eye, a twist to her lips she simultaneously found both intriguing and alarming. And the youki, coiled in the air around her, was staggering.

Kagome took a step forward, to do as she was bid, but then realised that Sesshoumaru still hadn’t let go of her hand.

She looked back to him.

His golden eyes boring to hers, he raised her hand to her lips, brushed a swift kiss across her knuckles before he released her hand.

She wasn’t sure if it was the look in his eyes or the unexpected gesture that had her heart trembling in her chest.

Heat fanned Kagome’s cheeks and she pulled back her hand, her nerves much more jittery than they had been just a moment ago.

She walked over to the throne quickly, all too aware of Sesshoumaru’s presence looming behind her.

Kagome stopped before the dais and bowed her head.

One thing was clear to her – this daiyoukai on the throne was every inch a lady.

Strong fingers tipped with deadly claws grabbed her chin in a firm grip and jolt of alarm shot through Kagome’s body. Her reiki flickered in response, coolly licking at the demoness’ fingers.

Behind her, she sensed the shift in Sesshoumaru’s youki. He felt tense, poised to attack.

The grip of her chin gentled and then Sesshoumaru’s mother tilted Kagome’s head and their eyes met

“Ahh, I see. She is a miko.”

Kagome stared back at her, silent but defiant.

“What an interesting choice you have made, my son,” the demoness said. “Compared to the human of your father’s choosing, this one lacks the beauty.”

Irritation flashed in Kagome’s eyes before she had a chance to rein in her temper.

The red lips of the demoness curved up immediately.

“But it would seem your pick has more spirit,” she pronounced, glancing at Sesshoumaru. “That is good, she shall need it.”

Kagome wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or an insult. 

She suspected that sort of confusion was a common experience when dealing with Sesshoumaru’s mother.  

“We do not need your approval,” Sesshoumaru said, his voice terse. “I am determined to go forth with the courting regardless of your opinions, mother.”

“I am sure you are, if your heart is involved,” the demoness replied.

She let go of Kagome’s chin.

Kagome breathed a little easier.

But the examination was only beginning.

“What is your name, little miko?”

“Kagome.”

“And have you accepted my son’s offer of courtship?”

“I have,” Kagome lied.

The demoness lips twisted and Kagome thought she was displeased of her answer.

A moment later, she realised the expression she’d just seen flit on Sesshoumaru’s mother’s face had been amusement.

Somehow, that terrified her more than the daiyoukai’s displeasure.

“And has your heart chosen my son, as his has you?” she asked.

Kagome swallowed, fighting an urge to squirm. She wondered if there was some meaning lurking behind the formal words she did not recognise, some significance youkai gave to the phrase.

Her heart hammered in her chest, silent of any choices to make.

Oddly enough, it was Sesshoumaru’s youki, wrapping around her shoulders like a warm cape that calmed her down, reassured her.

Her stomach still felt heavy with the weight of the deceit, but she managed to get the words out.

“It has, my lady.”

“Hmm,” was the demoness’ noncommittal reply.

They studied each other a moment longer in silence.

Then, the demoness leaned back on her throne.

“You may address me as Lady Kidoku,” she told Kagome.

Kagome bowed her head, unsure how to respond to that.

“You may step down now.”

Kagome quickly retreated back to Sesshoumaru’s side, feeling relieved.

She flashed him a victorious smile.

Unbelievable as it was, it looked like his hare-brained plan had worked.

But Sesshoumaru didn’t return the smile. His eyes had narrowed, and he was regarding his mother with suspicion.

His hand came to rest at the small Kagome’s back, but it didn’t feel like he was putting a show for his mother’s benefit. His fingers were pressing in, belying his agitation. 

Kagome set her hand on his arm, hoping the gesture would help reassure him, as his youki had her.

“Well,” Lady Kidoku said at last, regarding the both of them. “A miko is not what I would have chosen for you, my son. But in the matters of the heart, the only choice of significance is one of your own making. In the end, my dearest wish is not seeing you mated to a suitable demoness, Sesshoumaru, but your happiness. And so, though you said you would not need it, I give you my blessing to proceed with your courtship.”

Kagome gripped Sesshoumaru’s arm. Her head was whirling. Had this insane plan really worked so well that it had now completely backfired on them?

Sesshoumaru was bowing his head, and Kagome quickly followed his lead.

“Thank you,” Sesshoumaru said, the words stiff.

Then, he turned and pulled Kagome away with him.

 ------------------------💙 ------------------------

Safely back on the ground, on clearing at the edge of Inuyasha’s forest, Sesshoumaru brooded in silence while Kagome babbled, trying to settle her rattled nerves.

“Well, that didn’t go as expected,” she said. “But I guess it could have been worse.”

“Worse?” the word came out as a snarl, but used to Inuyasha’s foul temper Kagome didn’t as much as flinch. 

Even when Sesshoumaru whirled around, his glowing golden eyes trained at her.

“Pray tell me, miko, how that could have gone any worse than it did.”

Kagome blinked.

“She believed it, didn’t she? The lie? If she had found us out, it would have only added fuel to her fire. She would have kept sending you candidates, likely doubled her efforts.”

“Hnn.”

“But because she thinks we’re in love, she’s going to leave you alone now. So in the end, your plan worked.”

Kagome smiled.

Sesshoumaru glowered.

“The plan backfired splendidly,” he growled. “And you have met my mother now, Kagome. Do you truly believe she will leave me alone, now that she believes I have a worthy prospect?”

“I…” Kagome faltered. “...guess not,” she finished in a mutter, and bit her lip.

She understood the predicament they were in now, and why Sesshoumaru was so glum.

But Kagome wasn’t so easily defeated.

“Okay then, new plan,” she told him. “We play along for your mother’s benefit but the courtship will fail. I can be the bad guy, turning you down, so your mother can’t blame you.”

Sesshoumaru shook his head. “If the courtship would fail my mother would be sure to find fault with me. And then she would once again start trying to find me matches. No, that is not an option.”

Frustration building up, Kagome propped her hands on her hips and glared right back at Sesshoumaru.

“Well what do you suggest we do then? It’s not like we can just go and proceed with a courtship.”

Sesshoumaru didn’t reply. He was looking at her, his head slightly tilted and his gaze piercing. Assessing.

The bottom of Kagome’s stomach sank and her throat was suddenly all dry. Her hands fell from her hips, their strength gone.

“Sesshoumaru?” she said. “Please tell me it would be totally ridiculous to go ahead with the courtship.”

“It would not be a choice I would have considered making before,” he said at last. “I would have preferred not to take a mate at all. But if one is forced to choose between the only options available, he will take the most appealing course of action.”

Kagome swallowed.

Her heart was racing and she couldn’t really tell if that trembling in the pit of her stomach was from building dread or something else entirely.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, clinging to the fraying threads of calm.

Sesshoumaru stalked forward and somehow Kagome managed to stand her ground, even though her knees felt frightfully weak.

Sesshoumaru stopped in front of her. He reached forward and caught a strand of her dark hair, wound it around his finger.

“It would seem,” he spoke at last, “that this Sesshoumaru is going to court a miko.”

------------------------💙 ------------------------

Lady Kidoku propped the stem of her pipe against her smiling lips and inhaled the sweet smoke.

She had been glad to see her obstinate son taking some initiative at last, though it was laughable to think that he believed his little charade with the miko would have been able to fool her.

Lady Kidoku blew out smoke and chuckled. 

No, her oblivious son would not know love even if – or rather, Lady Kidoku suspected, when – it would sink its sharp teeth deep into his behind.

Even so, her son’s visit with the delightful little miko had left Lady Kidoku hopeful.

Knowing her son, it would probably still take quite a long while until she would see him happily mated. 

But pretending though they had been, Lady Kidoku had detected something real. 

In the way her son had been obviously protective of her and deeply offended when she’d remarked the miko’s beauty had not been on par with that of his father’s hime. In the way the miko had blushed at her son’s unexpected gallantry.

Lady Kidoku had seen it all; especially that spark. Small and tentative, perhaps, but unmistakably there. The start of something great, or so she hoped.

And she hoped, that by granting the two her blessing, she might have likewise given them the first nudge into the rest of their lives together. End.

[spnreactions]

15x16: Drag Me Away (From You)

The time has come!! 

Let’s get some questions answered and see some young Sam and Dean! I’m pumped! 

Oof. I can tell this episode is still gonna be pretty plot heavy just based on this “then” alone. 

AHHHH my baby crying again. :’( :’( :’( :’( 

Okay quick side note on Cas’s reaction to what Jack tells him: I read something from Matt Cohen that said he just kept the camera rolling for unusually long takes during that scene to see what Misha would do with what Jack was saying, and that, in the process, he totally saw a touch of Misha’s fatherly side when it comes to his own kids. I completely agree, and that is a hardcore acting point for Misha and a definite directing point for Matt. 

YEAH CAS! TELL US! 

UGH! Since it’s a MOTW, we have to wait and watch someone die in the first five minutes before we get resolution. Gosh darnat. 

Also this is a very interesting music choice? XD 

My Mom: “Doctor’s orders.” Do you think that means his shrink told him to go there? 

Oof. “Long time ago.” Suspicious. 

Nice cinematography. Cool shot of this hallway. 

I’m gonna take a wild guess here and say that something happened in that room forever ago that traumatized him. 

Wow. That is a swanky hotel room. (My mom and I said basically the same thing at the same time. XD)

Whiskey. Great start. 

Ope. Music changed. Dude’s gonna die. 

Hey, for future reference, if you’re trying to convince yourself it wasn’t real, it was probably real. 

UMMMMM

LOOKS PRETTY REAL TO ME TRAVIS!!! 

Wait a second...that’s one of the kids from the promo videos?? Isn’t that young him? As a...ghost? 

I’D SAY THAT’S PRETTY REAL TRAVIS!!! 

Jesus...

Okay finally! Resolution. 

Ummmm...this doesn’t look like resolution!!! 

Dude did not slit his own throat, but okay then. 

Ummm...you have a lot to do?? 

Oh da**it...THIS AGAIN??! REALLY DEAN??!! DIDN’T WE LEARN FROM THIS BACK IN SEASON 9?? (No, of course we didn’t, because these two never learn anything.) 

LIAR!! 

Wait wait wait. Can we talk about the fact that Sam’s first thought was that Cas left because he and Dean got into a fight? *cough cough* The Destiel is real *cough cough*. XD XD XD 

SAM YELLING AT HIM FOR TEXTING AND DRIVING OH MY GOD I’M DEAD!!! 

ALSO THAT TEXT FROM CAS HOLY FRICK!!! “Did you tell Sam yet?” I’M LAUGHING SO HARD RIGHT NOW!!!! 

Because the thing is, I can totally imagine Cas just SAYING that, knowing full well that Dean probably didn’t tell Sam, and I read that text with so much sass and scolding in it and I’m dying laughing oh my god. 

And no, of course he didn’t, because WE DON’T GET TO KNOW WHAT IT IS! 

But also...if Dean hasn’t told Sam yet, this is making me think that Cas didn’t tell him about the Empty, but rather about what Jack told him...which means I was wrong. 

Unless I wasn’t. But if it was about the Empty, why wouldn’t Dean tell Sam? 

Although, actually, if it is about Jack, WHY wouldn’t Dean tell Sam? 

DEAN JUST TELL YOUR BROTHER SO WE CAN HEAR WHAT THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION WAS GOSH DARNAT!!! 

Also tell your brother because we should know by now that lying doesn’t get us anywhere. 

Anyways. Moving on. 

God that texting and driving interaction. XD XD 

Ooh! Nice transition! 

When do I get the backstory?? I want the flashbacks! If this is our last flashback episode, I want to revel in it gosh darnat! 

OH WAIT HERE IT IS!! 

LITTLE SAM AND LITTLE DEAN AHHHH!!! 

DEAN’S WEARING THE SAMULET OH MY GOD!!! 

I know it’s, like, not a surprise, but it’s BEEN SO LONG since we’ve seen him wearing it!! It’s SOOO good to see it back!! It’s such a subtle little detail, but man it’s a good one. 

“I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.” XD XD EVEN AS A KID, SAM HAD SO MUCH SASS OMG!! XD XD 

BROTHERS! XD XD 

The way that actor just said victory was SOOO Dean omg. The casting on this show is INCREDIBLE. This kid is already ROCKING the Dean personality and he’s only been on screen for two minutes. 

Young Sam’s actor is nailing it too, for the record. ESPECIALLY with that sass. 

...ouch. That was rude Dean. 

Very Dean (at least at that time), but still rude. 

That music. Yikes. 

DUDE THAT’S THE SAME SOUNDTRACK USED IN SWAN SONG DURING CHUCK’S NARRATION OH MY GOD!! THEY 100% DID THAT ON PURPOSE BECAUSE SAM’S TALKING ABOUT GOING TO COLLEGE AND IT ALL CONNECTS BACK TO WHERE THIS STORY STARTED AND IT’S OUR LAST FLASHBACK EPISODE AND OH MY GOD I LOVE THE SUBTLETIES OF THIS SHOW!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 

This small scene is so poetic wow. Between the music, and Sam setting down the college book to pull out his hunting gear...just...wow. Well done Supernatural. Well done. 

THERE’S FLANNEL IN THAT BAG! It really is a Winchester trait! 

...dude WHAT? I wanna be able to do that. 

YEP! YOUNG TRAVIS! 

Okay so...a monster who imitates their victims...as their younger selves? That...Sam and Dean have fought before? I’m just gonna let them tell me lol. 

Dean has always been suave with the ladies. XD 

Do...do kids of cleaning crew people usually stay in the hotels that their parents work in? Cause I didn’t know that was a thing, but okay. XD 

HA! Yeah, these two were 100% a thing, even if it was a small thing. 

Alright, I like her. She’s fun. 

OOH! Nice transition into older Caitlin, with young Caitlin echoing in the background. 

Okay something about those hugs just made me “awww” out loud. I don’t know if it’s because we haven’t seen them hug anyone in a while or what, but that just felt so sweet. <3 

I would be too, girl. :( 

WHAT DID HAPPEN?! (I know they’ll tell us, but I’m impatient.) 

Oof. See, in most cases, I am all for immersion therapy, because I think it can be useful, but when it’s a monster we’re talking about, that is a hard pass. 

Also my mom just said “ha! Called it.” about the shrink thing. She is significantly better at predicting things in this show then I am...sometimes anyways. XD 

Wow. I loved their reactions with that. Dean knew, probably because he was older, but Sam seem confused. Plus, that change in music was great. It was just the right amount of dramatic. 

She needs you to hunt it. 

WHY DO YOU THINK, SAM?! 

WHO IS “SHE”??!! Someone please tell me. The suspense is killing me. XD XD 

Awww...poor Travis. 

Ummmmm....

JESUS CHRIST!! HOLY FREAKING...

My mom and I both just screamed! AGH! WHAT THE FRICK IS THAT??!! 

Yeah this episode is definitely digging into this show’s horror roots. 

“You okay, kid?” is one of the most Dean lines to ever Dean. 

Yeah okay I can understand how that could be traumatizing enough for him to need therapy. 

Yeah that’s what they all say. 

I mean, I believe you, because I saw it, but...

EVEN AS KIDS, SAM AND DEAN GAVE EACH OTHER THEIR LITTLE NODS I LOVE THEM!!! <3 <3 <3 

The talk--simplified. 

THE FAMILY BUSINESS! <3 <3 

Also Sam not being old enough to be included in the hunting business yet, but old enough to know about it is a big oof. 

Sam backing up his big bro. <3 

Watching young Dean try to ask questions in order to figure out the hunt  is great, because you can tell he’s super inexperienced compared to now in the way he says it, but also that he definitely knows what he’s doing and I love it. 

Oh. Maybe that nod is just a general sibling thing, because Caitlin and Travis just did it lol. It’s still the best when Sam and Dean do it though. XD <3 

Huh. Yeah, I’d call that pretty weird. 

That was a great shot. Down the line like that. I’m really digging this half of the season’s cinematography. 

THAT WAS SUCH A GREAT TRANSITION OH MY GOD! And it just proves how well that young Dean actor (Paxton Singleton) is doing, because young Dean and older Dean’s expressions matched EXACTLY. <3 

Dean do you just not want to admit that you might have not actually killed it? 

Oh. That makes more sense. The lore doesn’t line up. Okay. 

...okay maybe it’s also him being a little overconfident. 

NICE TRANSITION AGAIN! 

I KNEW THAT PROMO PHOTO WAS OF ALL OF THE KIDS HUNTING! 

Welp. That’s it then. 

“Got a knife, got a gun. I’m good.” That is so Dean, and also so dumb. 

“Dad wouldn’t like this.” “Dad’s not here.” Haha I love them. XD <3 

Awww...Dean still protecting his little bro. <3 

Goonies reference. XD 

He does not got this. Calling it now. 

Dean don’t get hurt. 

Either Sam or Caitlin is gonna show up. Calling it. 

Probably Caitlin, ‘cause Sam still listened to him at that age lol. 

YEP. 

Also the way he pointed that gun at her omg. Have I mentioned that Paxton Singleton is doing an AMAZING job as Dean? Because WOW. 

Ha! Yeah these two totally had a thing. A small thing, but a thing. 

Ha! Okay, I like her sass. She’s cool. 

My mom is not digging the high-pitched tone that’s attached to this music lol. 

Yeah okay this episode is scaring me (in the best way lol). I’m loving it! We haven’t seen a horror-based episode in a while. It’s good to have one. 

Awww...little bros bonding. 

“Whatever it is, my brother will kill it.” He’s always had so much faith in him. <3 <3 <3 

Although...the fact that they’re showing us the two boys back at the motel pretty much tells me that the monster isn’t where Dean and Caitlin are, but where Sam and Travis are. So...that’s great. 

Ha! Too true. 

Nice shot with the flashlight and the cobwebs. 

Okay, now your optimism and chattiness is a little unnecessary, girl. Dean’s scared because he knows what could be out there. So shush. 

But also I like your sass. XD 

Oh...frick. What’s under there? It looks like the stuff from the kids. 

YUUUUP. Called it. The monster is with them. Friiiiick. Sam still knows...how to hunt, right? He can handle this, right? 

Remains? Mangled bodies? Something like that I bet. 

Wow. Dean you hid that panic REALLY well. He really has been burying his emotions for years. No wonder he’s so good at it. 

FRIIIIICK. 

FRICK FRICK FRICK!! 

*screams* *jumps* 

Yep. Horror based episode. Lots of jump scares. But it’s AWESOME. 

...okay, that young Sam actor (Christian Michael Cooper) has been doing really well, but that “Travis!” shout was really bad acting...

FRICK! DO SOMETHING SAM! 

Dude I LOVE how that just went down. Sam rescuing Travis even if it meant putting himself in harm’s way and Dean immediately coming to his rescue. It’s very characteristic of them. 

Oh...so it has...fingers. That can be cut off. Which means it isn’t a ghost like I thought it was all this time. 

Also great shot with the slicing off of the fingers. 

Nice Dean! 

Sam holding a protective arm in front of Travis I love it. 

Oh frick. It’s the ring. That’s why she’s back. (And hey! We know who the she is now! Still don’t know what she is, but we’ve seen her.) 

Wait a second...wasn’t Travis wearing a ring on his necklace? Could it be the same ring? 

That’s...that’s weird though. Why would he have kept a ring from the most traumatic moment of his life? 

I love that Caitlin’s a hugger and runs to her brother. 

That look that Sam and Dena share there is awesome. 

OOH! GREAT TRANSITION AGAIN! 

Dean, why on EARTH would that have been Sam? 

Okay yeah, so this monster is manifesting itself as younger versions of its victims. 

Hey Dean, just a thought, but I’m feeling like your instinct that it wasn’t back is the wrong instinct. 

OOOOOF. 

Ummm...excuse me? 

HEEEEEEEY HOLD ON!!! 

WHERE IS SAM??!! 

SAMUEL WINCHESTER COME SAVE YOUR BROTHER!!! 

DEAN STOP!!!! 

DEAN!!!! 

OH THANK GOD! 

HOLY FRICK THAT WAS TOO CLOSE!! 

Wait..what? The knife...wasn’t even...real? And Sam didn’t see the monster at all...does this thing make you hallucinate? Cause that’s terrifying. 

Yeah no DUH. 

My Mom: Well, there’s only one of it, and it can’t imitate them both, so as long as they stay together, they should be fine, right?  Me: Yes, theoretically, but when do they ever actually stay together?  My Mom: True. 

Ummm...our visual just cut out? All we’re seeing is the CW logo. We can hear it though. 

Oh shoot it’s starting again. Hopefully this fixes itself soon. At least we can still hear it? 

Feelings/hunches are valid, Caitlin. Especially with this kind of thing. 

Dean that’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself. I can hear you blaming yourself. 

Oh good. Visual’s back. Phew. I was getting nervous. 

“She’s scary.” Me too girl. XD 

She 100% plays with people. 

“Lore?” XD That’s hilarious. I’ve gotten so used to them saying it that it doesn’t even occur to me as a weird thing, but that’s a good point that normal people wouldn’t understand what he means. XD 

Ope. That’s what he saw. 

Yikes...though gotta admit, that was a little less gruesome than I was expecting it to be. Still sad and scary though. 

Awww Dean. :( :( :( :( :( :( 

God he really has been shoving feelings down all his life. That’s super not healthy, Dean. 

Awww...poor Dean! :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( 

“We used to keep a lot of secrets from each other.” USED TO? Sam where have you been for the last fifteen years? XD XD 

Or is he just referring to this season? Because in that case, that’s a good point. There hasn’t been a lot of lying this season. Well, excluding the fact that Dean is hiding whatever Cas said to him from Sam....

Welp. I can already see that parallel...so you better come clean, Dean! 

“Cause I know my brother’s gonna ask”. 

HA! Me too, server lady. 

BILLIE! JESUS! 

“Working a case? Now?” HA! I said the same thing! 

...hoh boy. That’s not good. They’ve spent so much time talking about how close he is to being done, but now he’s actually done. That’s...super not good. 

Yeah no Billie. We’re not doing that. 

So it WAS about Jack! GOOD! Then they’ll all know and they can all stop it! (So Dean tell your brother already.) 

YES! Dean is upset about it!! That’s a good sign! Screw you and your plan, Billie!! 

HEY!! HOLD ON A SECOND BILLIE! Are you telling me, that you’re the one who put that thought into Jack’s head?? WTF??!! SCREW YOU!!! THAT IS SO NOT OKAY!!! HOW DARE YOU!!! I don’t care HOW badly you want Chuck dead! That manipulation was NOT the way to go!!! I didn’t hate you, but now I do. Now I really really do. Screw you. We’ll find another way. 

Yes. You were wrong. 

...Dean you better tell her she was wrong. 

HA! 

Gotta be honest, I can’t believe we’re still having the conversation about Sam and Dean being normal--especially Sam. I mean, I can believe it, because it makes sense, but at this point, it’s just so hilarious to me. Like, “yeah no, that ship sailed a LONG time ago. Sorry girl, but there’s no way Sam’s getting out of it now.” XD XD 

Awww... :( :( 

Ummm...say what now? 

SERIOUSLY Billie??!! SERIOUSLY??!! You’re just gonna...set up our beloved kid to be a bomb and then walk on out?? Wow. Yeah okay I’m really mad at you now, I don’t care if you brought Jack back. Not if this was the endgame. Screw you. 

“One Messenger of God’s Destruction right here.” XD XD 

YES we have a problem! TELL HER WE HAVE A PROBLEM!! 

DEAN!!! 

GOD DA**IT DEAN!!! It is not worth sacrificing your SON!! DIDN’T WE ALREADY GO THROUGH THIS??!! WHATEVER HAPPENED TO NOT LETTING ANYONE KILL HIM??!! TO THAT BIRTHDAY PARTY??!! WHATEVER HAPPENED TO FORGIVENESS?? TO FAMILY!! HE IS YOUR SON GOSH DARNAT!! ACT LIKE IT!!! 

Jesus Christ. This show is making it harder and harder for Dean to be my second favorite character...

He better not let it happen in the end. It better be like what happened with Season 14. No matter how mad he is, he can’t lose Jack. It better stay that way, or I’m gonna be super pissed at him all over again, just like in 14x19. 

YOU HEAR ME DEAN?! STOP IT!! DON’T BE AN IDIOT!! 

HA! Billie saw RIGHT THROUGH YOU Dean. 

Welp. Now I know why Dean hasn’t told Sam. Because Sam is not gonna like it. 

You know what Billie? Screw you. Shut the f**k up. 

He doesn’t have his house in order. There’s conflict there, and it’s not gonna happen. Shut up, Billie. 

Please Dean. Please help me out here. Don’t let your son die. :( :( :( :( :( :( 

Wait wait...Baba Yaga? As in...that witch that that security friend dude Kurt is so afraid of in Ant-Man and the Wasp? (Look at me, mixing my fandoms. XD)

So that’s a yes then. 

I CALLED IT! I KNEW IT WAS THE RING! (I mean, they kind of made it obvious, but still.) 

Oh friiiiick. That’s why she disappeared for a while, but then came back...in time to kill him. 

...she’s gonna go get the ring. She must have it. 

But also TAKE SAM WITH YOU CAITLIN! ARE YOU AN IDIOT?! 

Ummm....

...where’s the ring? 

FRICK! 

I TOLD YOU TO TAKE SAM WITH YOU!! 

She dead. 

SAM! 

FRIIIIICK! 

Oof. 

My Mom: NO! Don’t split up!  Me: I told you! They never learn.  My Mom: They really don’t. 

Alright, let’s take bets. Who’s gonna get attacked? Sam, or Dean? 

Ope. Looks like it might be Sam. 

CALL YOUR BROTHER FIRST GOSH DARNAT! Seriously. You two are the worst. 

Oh! Never mind. XD XD 

My mom just burst out laughing. XD XD XD 

Okay yeah, that was a good comedy reveal. XD XD XD 

So...it’ll be Dean then. 

Better find your bro quick, Sam. 

Oof. The vending machine. Original attack. Must be close. 

Dean don’t roll your eyes and act like you never watch (or do) that kind of thing. XD XD 

“I’ve seen this movie before.” PROMO! CALLING IT! 

YES! I was right! XD XD 

I love him. 

Okay, so I’m mad at him for the Jack thing, but I still love him okay? He’s just too great. XD <3 <3 

DEAN DON’T GO IN ALONE ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! 

You literally saw it coming. 

YEP! EXACTLY! 

Okay wait what??

...that’s not what I was expecting. 

Wait...hallucinations, right? So that must be what this is. 

But...I think he found her nest. 

Oh yep. Definitely a hallucination. 

One of my favorite things about this show is that any time Sam or Dean has a bad vision/hallucination/nightmare caused by a monster, the other brother is always dead in it. Like, it makes perfect sense for their relationship, and as sad and scary as it is, it works beautifully. 

Wow. Yeah I can totally believe that that gave Dean nightmares for the longest time just on that acting alone. Now Dean was terrified even re-living it a little bit. :( 

Oof. 

Ummm...you know what she is, but CAN YOU KILL HER? 

...welp. Guns don’t work. What’s Plan B, Dean?? 

EEP! 

That feels very Pennywise yikes. 

HURRY SAM!! 

SEE?! THIS is why you shouldn’t split up! 

Welp, at least their fighting is loud. 

Yep. Hallucination. 

Oh. Caitlin isn’t dead. That’s good. 

Sam to the rescue. 

YES DEAN! 

WOW! Now THAT was awesome. The way he smashed that ring, and the shot--it was all beautiful. 

WHOA! Green fire. That was cool. 

Okay. I liked that monster, and how it went down. Very cool. 

Ha! 

“You tell the truth more because you know that lies...they don’t make anything better.” My Mom: I have never, ever heard anyone say that about getting older. XD 

Yeah I’m with her on this one. Not a great line, but it was definitely in there intentionally to make Dean feel guilty about not telling Sam the truth about Jack. Which means...he’s going to tell him, RIGHT?! 

Awww! A sweet little hug again! 

THAT TRANSITION!! 

I knew she was holding a business card in that promo photo! 

...oof. 

Yep. Dean’s definitely gonna tell Sam. They showed that scene of him lying to Sam as a kid about the bodies, and they keep talking about how he’s changed. He is definitely going to tell Sam before this episode ends. ...and I bet it’s not gonna go well. 

“That I handled it.” XD <3 

“WITH A LITTLE HELP!” <3 <3 <3 <3 

AWWW DEAN!!! Still being a supportive bro!! 

“We do make a good team, right?” “Yeah, we do.” I’M SERIOUSLY ABOUT TO CRY OH MY GOD!!! :’( :’( <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

Awww...we don’t actually get to see a version of young John. Just an arm from a stand-in lol. 

Nice shot of Sam, though. 

AWESOME transition. 

Ope. Here it comes. 

OOOF!! Dean you better say something, or Cas will! 

THERE WE GO!! FINALLY!! 

Oooooh...this is gonna be rough. 

Ummm....okay. Good start. 

THERE YA GO! 

Well...okay then. Just...come out with it I guess. 

Dean...doesn’t sound happy about that. And he doesn’t seem to be handling it well. I really really really really REALLY hope he doesn’t let it happen. I’m gonna be really upset if he does. 

Ope. Here it comes. 

Uh-oh...Sam is mad. 

Oh FRICK. Wrong answer, Dean. 

Dean I’m with Sam on this one. 

Oh god...this fight. :’( :’( 

DEAN!!! 

NOOOOO NO NOOOOOOO!!!! 

Oh my god...the way Sam just yelled at him. :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( 

That was even worse than I thought it was gonna be holy frick....

“Just drive.” :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( 

...well....

God. That was a TERRIBLE ending, Jesus Christ. All the bonding and family teamwork that’s been happening this season just went out the window with that fight.:’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( 

I‘ve always loved Dean, obviously, but Jesus Christ dude. Ugh. This better resolve itself. :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( 

GOD! Could SPN please STOP with the emotionally charged endings that are hurting my heart! Because this was a DANG GOOD EPISODE, and then they just HAD to do that!! :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( 

Welp...my heart hurts, but review here we come. 

I really really loved this episode. I mentioned it already, but I’m really glad we got to see some of Supernatural’s elements of horror in this episode. It was genuinely terrifying at several points in time, and we haven’t had an episode like that in a while. 

Also, as I often do, I loved the flashback scenes, and all the subtleties that came with it. One of my favorite things about flashback episodes is getting to see just how close Sam and Dean have always been, and I really love seeing them at different times in their life with how their relationship has changed over the years and how it compares to how they are now. It’s nice to see how much they’ve grown, but also how much about their relationship has stayed the same in the sense of that they still love and care for each other and have such a strong bond. It’s a beautiful thing, and this episode conveyed that really well. 

Paxton. Singleton. Oh my god. What. An. Actor. I don’t know if he watched episode after episode of this show before being in this episode, but WOW did he NAIL Dean Winchester. I pointed out several specific instances in my reactions, but seriously, his interpretation of Dean was incredible. I was totally able to believe that that was a younger version of Dean, easily. It was amazing. This show’s casting team will always impress me. 

All of that said....let’s address that ending. 

Holy frick. God that hurt. First of all, as if I haven’t made this clear enough, I really really need Dean to acknowledge that he loves Jack and can’t lose him so that we don’t lose my precious baby, okay? That’s a thing that definitely needs to happen. 

Second of all, I do not at all blame Sam for the way he reacted. In fact, I’m actually really impressed with how upset he got, because it plays so much into what’s been going on this season and what’s bound to come. 

At the end of Season 14, our team was divided. Between Dean and Cas’s fight over Mary’s death, Sam and Dean locking Jack in the box, and then Sam and Dean fighting over Dean wanting to kill Jack, our boys were a mess. Then, Jack was dead, and Sam and Dean and Cas were grieving, which meant taking things out on each other and being angry and distraught. But within the first several episodes of Season 15, they started to latch onto each other again, and they stayed that way and only progressed further. For the majority of this season, we have seen them bonding and being a family again. We’ve barely seen them fight, and the only exception to that was Dean and Cas’s tension with each other. However, once they made up in 15x09, everything changed. That’s when the OG team was really back. And then when Jack came back, everyone was together again. They were all starting to learn to be a family and work together to take down their enemy. And, I already analyzed this, but after Last Holiday (15x14), even Dean and Jack’s tension was released, to a degree. Sam and Dean and Jack got to bond, and it felt like everyone was ready to take on the enemy together. And then SPN hit us with this. 

With Jack and Cas’s emotional turmoil--Jack feeling like the only way to ever have Sam and Dean forgive him was for him to sacrifice herself. Cue the divide between Cas and Jack. 

And then this. Dean hiding something from Sam again. After everything they’ve been through this season, after trusting each other more than anything, learning to communicate with each other again, and having each other’s backs every step of the way with no secrets...Dean hid something. And it tore them apart.

Our team is broken again, and right when we need them to be together the most. 

And as much as it hurts my heart and made me break into tears and scares the heck out of me for what’s to come, it makes perfect sense, and it’s beautiful. 

Because the next episode is called “Unity”. And that’s exactly the opposite of what we have right now, but the hope and the thought is that, when it comes down to it, they’re still a family, and they all still love each other, and they’re all going to be there for each other, and they’re not gonna let anyone go down without the rest of their family’s support. 

At least, that’s what I’m hoping. 

And maybe I’m over-analyzing. Maybe I’m being too optimistic or hopeful for my boi Jack’s future. But honestly, I feel like I’m right, because I feel like this is exactly what the writers are going for. And I’m excited to see it. 

So, obviously, I loved that episode. It had horror, it had great representation of Sam and Dean’s brotherly relationship, it had flashbacks (our last ones :’( :’( :’( :’( ), and, at the very end, it had some very intense feels. But it was a great set-up, and beautifully done, and I absolutely loved it. 

My Rating: 10/10

[sapphirestarxx]

Through the Night

Summary:

Modern AU. Miroku x Sango with a healthy dose of Inuyasha x Kagome.

Sango is a demon slayer in a world that is unaware of the existence of demons and evil spirits. When her best friend and priestess Kagome calls her and tells her she wants Sango to meet her new “boyfriend” she meets not only him but his best friend, Miroku. After a confrontation in an abandoned house, secrets are revealed and they all must work together to defeat a foe they know very little about. One that has been leaving behind strange runes and attacking those with spiritual powers, leaving them in mysterious comas. Along the way feelings start to develop between the two pairs.

Chapter 1 also posted on my AO3

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Sango sighed, wondering how she had ended up here. The abandoned house loomed before them. Why did she always let Kagome talk her into things?

2 DAYS AGO    -

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Sango made sure her weapons were in their proper places before allowing the glamour to settle back around her. The demon slayer armor she wore became fitted black jeans and a green shirt, her weapons disappearing from sight all together. To the average passersby, she would now appear to be completely ordinary. The glamour was a nuisance but a necessary evil.

To the rest of the world demons "didn't exist." Of course that wasn't actually true or she would be out of a job. She also thought her latest clients would beg to differ on that sentiment.

It had been a pair of snake youkai infesting the home of an elderly couple and ended with the demons attempting to eat their visiting grandchild. Their neighbor's kid had gone "missing"...the third in a string of missing people in that community and Sango had made the gruesome discovery that all of them were long dead at the hands of the demons. They had convinced the nice older couple they were two hungry and homeless children, which wasn't surprising considering snake youkai were known for their shapeshifting abilities and gluttonous natures. What was surprising was encountering this type of demon so close to actual civilization. Wilderness was their preferred habitat, after all. There had also been a strange symbol burned onto the wall of their makeshift den, a symbol that was a match for ones she had been seeing at the site of other recent demon attacks. Many of those attacks had also claimed casualties. Mulling it over in her head, Sango wondered what it could mean. 

'Well, that's a job for another day,' she decided. Current job completed, Sango started to head home, looking forward to a nice long shower. With steam. Lots of steam. She checked her phone and paused. A missed call from Kagome. Hmm. Curious, Sango called her best friend back. The line rang twice before the other girl picked up.

"Sango!"

She smiled at the obvious warmth in the other girl's voice. "Hey, Kagome. I saw your call."

"Right. Okay, before I say anything don't freak out."

"Okay...I'm listening."

A hesitation. Then--

"I want you to meet my boyfriend."

At that, Sango stopped mid-step. Her friend was quiet on the other end of the line.

"I'm sorry, what? Your boyfriend?" She finally managed.

"Yes."

"Kagome, since when do you have a boyfriend? Since when were you even dating someone?"

"A month ago."

"A month?!" Sango echoed incredulously. "And you never told me?!"

Kagome let out a nervous chuckle. "I'm telling you now, right? Please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad, just...surprised." She took a breath. "And okay, maybe a little mad. I can't believe you're only just now mentioning him to me."

Kagome. With a boyfriend. And for a whole month! That she hadn't told her stung Sango a bit. They were best friends! She was sure Kagome had good reasons for not telling her sooner and she was going to demand those reasons just as soon as she got over the shock of Kagome having a boyfriend.

"I'm sorry! Forgive me?"

"Fine, fine. But you owe me an explanation." Sango grumbled, giving in.

"So as I was saying, I want him to meet my best friend." Kagome's voice turned crafty. "By the way, he'll be bringing his best friend, too. I've seen pictures and the guy is really good looking. You should wear something cute."

Immediately suspicious, Sango narrowed her eyes.

"Kagome, if this is another one of your matchmaking schemes…"

"I'm just trying to introduce my best friend to my boyfriend and he just happens to be bringing his own best friend. Who is single, by the way."

Sango stayed silent. The last time Kagome had tried to set her up had ended terribly. The guy's name had been Kenjiro, the son of a wealthy family that made regular donations to the shrine Kagome worked at. He had liked to flaunt his status, making constant not-so-subtle allusions to his wealth. Sango hadn't been able to pronounce anything on the menu of the fancy place he had taken them to for dinner, and then made comments about how any wife of his would need to know such basic things. That obviously was the wrong thing to say to her, and long story short, she had ended up walking out and walking home.

The time before that was Kuranosuke. He had been sweet but there was no spark between them. At least not on her end. Not to mention his nose had been running their entire date, grossing her out.

"Come on, you want to meet my boyfriend, right?" Kagome reasoned, all innocence. Sango wasn't fooled. Still…

"Okay. Fine. Yes."

She did really want to meet this boyfriend. She also hadn’t seen Kagome in weeks and missed her friend terribly. If that meant going along with more of Kagome's matchmaking shenanigans then that was just the price she would have to pay. How bad could this one be?

"Yay! Okay, I'll text you the time and place. You're busy tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah. I have another extermination."

Sango didn't elaborate. Kagome was the Head Priestess at the Higurashi Shrine and knew exactly what she was referring to. That was actually how they had met, when they had both been in middle school. Sango had still been in demon slayer training at the time and was assisting on a mission gone wrong. Her father had been struck in the arm by the stinger of a scorpion demon while protecting her. Feeling overconfident she had been careless and charged in headfirst leaving herself wide open to attack and her father had paid the price.

While the wound itself hadn't been too bad, the demonic poison had turned the shallow scrape into something much more deadly. Purple tendrils of miasma had been snaking through his veins, working their way from his arm to his heart and an immediate purification was needed. They had rushed him to the nearby Higurashi Shrine where Kagome was the attending priestess at the tender age of thirteen. She had also still been in training herself but her vast spiritual powers had propelled her into a more prominent position. With a little help she had saved Sango's father and they were fast friends to this day, ten years later.

"That's the fourth one this week, right?" Kagome's voice was quiet. It worried Sango, too. A typical week usually involved about two jobs, three if things were really crazy. That number had doubled and this was the third week in a row she was being kept so busy. Most demons left humans alone in this modern world, out of disinterest or self-preservation. Something was going on that was agitating them. Something to do with that strange symbol that kept turning up.

"Fifth one, actually." She responded.

"Be careful."

"Always."

Sango hung up.

~☆~

Two days later Sango stood outside the cafe, checking the time. Worried she was going to be late she had left with time to spare. It had worked in her favor as she had arrived a few minutes early.

'Wear something cute.' Kagome had said. After some internal debating, Sango had given in and decided to listen to her friend's instructions. She had dressed in her best jeans, the ones that hugged her every curve. For her top she donned a cute sleeveless blouse that allowed a hint of cleavage to peak through as a tease in a shade of pink that matched her eyeshadow. Unsure of what to do with her hair she had opted to leave it down, dark brown locks framing her face. As a final touch she had grabbed one of her daggers, strapping it to her right leg in a thigh sheath, glamour hiding it from view.

Not that she thought anything would happen. She was here to meet Kagome's boyfriend, not to slay demons. Still it never hurt to be prepared. Especially with the way the demons had been acting up lately. She hadn't become so good at her job by being careless.

After a deep breath she opened the door and stepped inside. And promptly tripped on the turned up corner of the entrance rug, stumbling a little and dropping her purse. Stifling a sigh of frustration Sango bent over to pick it up. It took a few attempts and some fumbling before she finally grasped the offending object. She gave it and the rug a glare like her sudden clumsiness was somehow their fault. As she straightened she became aware she was blocking the way for the person who had just entered behind her. She turned to apologize and the words died on her lips as she took in his appearance.

'Oh God, he's hot,' She thought faintly.

Thick black hair just a little too long was pulled into a short ponytail, strands escaping to fall around his face, bangs brushing his forehead. Gold glinted at his ears, one small hoop on his right and two on his left. Roguishly handsome features dominated his face, with a sharp jawline and firm lips. Eyes the most interesting shade of cool blue verging on indigo regarded her under a strong brow, one of which was quirked up at her. Right. She was staring. And standing in his way. She swallowed.

"S-sorry." She stammered. 'Nice, Sango,' she thought. 'Way to stun him with your wit.'

"Are you all right?" He asked. His voice was low and smooth and it was doing funny things to her insides. She reminded herself to breathe. 'Get it together,' she told herself. 'Stop staring at his perfect face and answer the man.'

"Y-yes." She cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take up the whole entryway." There. That wasn't so hard. He was probably enjoying watching her make a fool of herself in front of him.

"No worries. Besides I should be thanking you for treating me to such a breathtaking view." He replied, eyes bright with amusement.

The what?

"The view?" Sango repeated. He couldn't mean-- … She had been bent over with her ass up in the air for a few long moments just minutes before. Surely he wasn't referring to that, was he?? She was trying to decide what else he could have possibly meant and if she should be offended when he spoke again, answering her.

"Your lovely face, of course. When I saw you the room instantly became beautiful." He winked.

She blinked. Then laughed. It sounded like such a bad pick up line she thought he had to be joking. Yet somehow it was still making her blush. The hell??

He smiled at her reaction. "And now I've been graced with your smile. I'm truly a blessed man."

His lines were so cheesy but she couldn't help but be affected. What was wrong with her? She hadn’t thought she was a sucker for a pretty face but apparently she just hadn’t found the right pretty face to make herself act foolish for. She just looked at him looking at her, and they stayed that way for a few heartbeats, her skin flushed at his compliments while she cast about desperately for something to say in response. What did someone say to something like that?

"Uhm, er, thank you. You're really full of one liners, aren't you?" She finally said, a bit awkwardly. It had to be obvious she was flustered which was ridiculous because those were the lamest lines ever. She should have been rolling her eyes. "I-I'm actually here to meet a friend. I'm sorry, I don't want to keep them waiting." Good, now she could make her escape with some of her dignity still intact.

"What a coincidence, me too." He paused. "Wait a second, are you Kagome's friend Sango?"

So much for escape. Also…

'How does he--' And then it dawned on her before she could finish the thought. Of course this would be him. ‘He's really good looking.’ Kagome had said and, well, she definitely wasn't wrong.

"Oh, you must be-- "

" --Inuyasha's best friend." He finished for her. She assumed Inuyasha had to be the name of Kagome's boyfriend. Kagome hadn't mentioned his name to her but had clearly mentioned Sango's name to both of them. That hardly seemed fair.

"I'm sorry, you seem to know my name but she never told me yours." 

"It's Miroku." He told her with another smile that made her heart pound.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Miroku." Sango said, his smile so nice she couldn't help but return it with one of her own.

"Likewise, Sango. Let's go find our friends, shall we?" He gestured gallantly with his arm in a 'ladies first' motion. Sango did roll her eyes a bit at that but there was still a smile on her face as she turned to face the inside of the cafe for the first time since arriving. She immediately spotted Kagome sitting at a booth, the other girl watching them avidly. No doubt she had witnessed the whole exchange with Miroku, including her dumbstruck expression upon seeing him for the first time. That was definitely something she was going to be hearing about later, she knew. In the meantime Kagome was waving them over.

Sango's eyes shifted to her friend's companion, taking him in curiously. He was also pretty good looking, she had to admit. As she and Miroku approached the table she was able to get a better look at his features, which included a strong jaw and a mane of jet black hair reaching to his waist, two forelocks framing his face. His sharp blue-gray gaze was screwed up in a small frown at whatever he and Kagome were discussing. 'He seems like a happy guy.' She thought flippantly. The most interesting thing she noted about him, however, were the purple and white prayer beads around his neck. They were completely at odds with the rest of his otherwise modern appearance; red pants and a plain white t-shirt.

Kagome looked up at their approach. "Hey guys!" She greeted them.

"Hey!" Sango returned with a smile.

"Hello, looking lovely as always, Kagome." Miroku said. Sango noticed how smoothly he said that and started to wonder if he was just a flirt by nature. They slipped into the booth seat, Miroku being a gentleman and allowing Sango to go first.

"Hey yourselves. It's about time. We've been waiting for ten fucking minutes." Inuyasha complained. Kagome shot him a look.

"Hey, Miroku and I are on time." Sango said, frowning a bit at his confrontational manner. Was he always like this? She chanced a look at Kagome who was mouthing 'sorry,' and Miroku who looked like this was nothing new. 

"Sorry, Inuyasha is just moody because he's hungry," Kagome said, taking Inuyasha's hand in hers. "Isn't that right, babe?" Inuyasha reddened a bit at that, which Sango found interesting. Weren't they supposed to be dating? Maybe using endearments was something new to their relationship, she reasoned.

"Anyways," Kagome continued, turning back to them, "You two already met?" She looked delighted.

"Only just now." Sango said. "So this is your boyfriend?" She prompted, trying to change the subject. This was why they were all here, after all.

"Right. This is Inuyasha, my boyfriend. Inuyasha, meet Sango, my best friend. And you've already met Miroku." Her brown eyes sparkled a bit at that last sentence.

"If I had known how beautiful your friend was, I would have insisted on meeting her sooner." Miroku replied, causing Sango to blush but also groan inwardly. Kagome had to be eating this up. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Kagome grinned and then looked at Inuyasha expectantly.

"I didn't mean to snap at you," he said gruffly at Kagome's prodding. "I wasn't tryin' to be rude."

"We're working on his people skills." Kagome told them.

"It's fine." Sango said. Her opinion of him improved a little bit at that. Maybe he was just having an off day. "So Kagome tells me you guys have been together for a month now. How did you two meet?" 

They both froze and shared a look before speaking at the same time.

"I was taking a walk when--"

"She came to the forest and--"

"I mean--"

"That is--"

They both cut off, Kagome's expression a little panicked. Weird. What was going on? Telling the story of how they met should have been one of the most basic things to answer.

"You met when she was taking a walk in the forest…?"

Miroku covered a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Inuyasha and Kagome were saved from having to reply at the appearance of their waitress, who had arrived carrying a tray with four waters. 

"Hello, my name is Himari and I'll be taking care of you this evening! How are you all doing?" She greeted them cheerily while setting their waters on the table.

"My day just got even better at the sight of you." Miroku smiled up at her and the waitress practically swooned. Sango frowned at that.

"Oh my, you're too kind." She demurred, a blush high on her cheeks.

"It's not kindness if it's the truth." He insisted. Himari fluttered her eyes at Miroku. Inuyasha looked disgusted.

Sango felt her own expression souring. Just like that the spell was broken. So he was just a flirt, then. She didn't know why she had expected him to actually be genuinely interested in her. Maybe it was just the sincerity in his voice when he had spoken to her. Or the intensity in his eyes when he had looked at her. Kagome had also hinted that this was meant to be a double date of sorts. And here he was trying to smooth talk their waitress. She should have known better than to be swayed by a few pretty words.

"Oh my," Himari was saying. "Well I'll be back in a few minutes to take your orders." She slid a coy glance Miroku's way before scurrying off.

Beside her, Miroku was lifting his glass to take a drink. Extremely annoyed now, Sango raised her arm to grab her own, "accidentally" elbowing him in the process. This made him slosh his water, causing some to spill on his shirt.

"So sorry," she said in a tone that was not remotely contrite. "I'm sure our waitress would be happy to clean it up for you, though."

Miroku paused in dabbing at his shirt with napkins to shoot her a weird look. Inuyasha choked on his own drink while Kagome was staring at her wide-eyed. Sango pretended not to notice and studied the menu instead.

"It suddenly got a whole lot colder on that side of the table." Inuyasha commented. His observation was followed by a long awkward silence.

Himari came back and took everyone's orders, all the while making flirty remarks to Miroku. Sango tuned it all out, already done with the evening. How stupid to have allowed herself to be taken in by a pretty face and prettier words. So what if he was charming and ridiculously hot, and time had seemed to move in slow motion when she first saw him. She told herself she wasn't interested in him anymore; the guy clearly wasn't picky. Any girl would do, and she wasn't about to be one of them. She had standards.

"So have you guys heard about this haunted house that's nearby? There's a local legend about it, it's very interesting." Kagome said in an obvious effort to diffuse the tension.

Sango wondered where Kagome was going with this. They were a priestess and a demon slayer respectively, so they both knew these types of stories tended to have some truth to them, not to mention they had both already heard of this particular urban legend. The guys they were with on the other hand had no knowledge of the world that was really out there. She was trying to communicate this to Kagome with her eyes but the other girl was determined to avoid her gaze. 

"I haven't actually. What's the story?" Miroku replied, sounding genuinely curious.

While Kagome explained the history of the legend their food arrived. The story went that the broken down house was haunted by the spirit of a man who had killed his family and then himself. Unable to move on or accept the horrible things he had done in life the man's spirit became affixed to the house, haunting it and bent on making those who crossed his path to suffer. It was said that anyone who went in never came out, their bodies never found. The place was located a couple miles away off the road, a relic from another time and now since surrounded by overgrown woods and shrubbery.

"I think we should go check it out! It'll be fun." Kagome finished.

"You sound like one of those people in horror movies who make terrible decisions." Sango said dryly. From beside her Miroku laughed a little at her joke. She was still annoyed at him so she refused to acknowledge it, even though it secretly pleased her a little. 

"The house is supposed to be haunted and you wanna go check it out? Are you fucking stupid?" Inuyasha burst out.

"What? Are you scared?" Kagome teased.

"Of course not! I'm saying we shouldn't go looking for trouble." He looked pointedly at her.

"Well I'm not opposed to the idea." Miroku said, eyeing Sango. She wondered if he was trying to impress her and suppressed a laugh. If only he knew what she did for a living. The idea of a murderous ghost didn't scare her in the slightest. She shrugged.

"Sure, why not?" She said. After all, the evening couldn't get much worse.

"Alright, it's decided." Kagome said happily. Inuyasha grumbled indistinctly next to her and she cheerfully ignored him.

As Himari dropped off their checks she pulled out a piece of paper, writing something down on it. When she was finished she took Miroku's hand and placed it in his palm. He looked at it then at her. "Call me." She said with a saucy wink.

Sango fumed. Unbelievable. She was supposed to have been getting set up with this guy and the waitress was giving him her number. And worse, he was taking it! He smiled as he placed it in the pocket of his black leather jacket, though there was a nervous edge to it. Maybe it was because of the gimlet eye she was giving him. She didn't care anymore. She half hoped a demon did make an appearance tonight and ate him.

~☆~

Since it wasn't too far away they had all agreed to walk there. Upon setting out Kagome found herself beside Sango, with Inuyasha and Miroku up ahead talking amongst themselves.

"So that's really your boyfriend," Sango said, and Kagome could hear the disbelief in her voice.

"I know he's a little rough around the edges but he's got a good heart. Well, mostly."

"I'll take your word for it. I know we just had dinner together but I still feel like I know nothing about him."

"Yeah...tonight didn't exactly go the way I had hoped." Kagome responded with a small sigh. "I really thought you and Miroku would hit it off, too."

"He was too busy hitting on the waitress," Sango said sourly. "You didn't tell me he was a hopeless flirt."

"I'm sorry. I think he really did like you though. You should have seen his face when he first saw you. I don't think he meant anything he said to that waitress, to be honest. It just sounded like empty flattery." Kagome insisted.

"He accepted her phone number!"

"Yeah...there is that."

Kagome didn't know what else to say. Or rather there was only so much more she could say. She had only met Miroku a handful of times before and while he was charming and a bit flirty he didn't come across as a player to her. After a few more moments she said, "I'm going to go catch up with Inuyasha now. But I think this will all work out. I just have a feeling. Trust me."

She escaped while Sango sputtered behind her and came up beside Inuyasha, grabbing his hand. "I'm going to steal him from you now, Miroku."

Miroku gave an easy smile and allowed himself to fall back into step where Sango was walking. Kagome gave Inuyasha's hand a soft squeeze.

"Do ya have to do that?" Inuyasha asked, looking at anywhere but her. Despite his words he let her keep his hand in hers. Even hand holding was difficult with him still. Kagome sighed.

"Well you are my boyfriend right now, so yes I do. This is a normal thing for couples to do. You're not convincing at all." Kagome replied. "We've known each other for a month now. You have to get used to me eventually."

"Keh, whatever. This is stupid," he said, but the words had no heat behind them.

Meanwhile Miroku had been walking beside Sango in silence. Once it had stretched a little too long he finally decided to say something.

"Have I done something to offend you?"

"Of course not."

"Really? Because you seem to be ignoring me, quite spectacularly I might add."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Sango replied. "Why should I care if you decide to flirt with our waitress or accept her number. It's none of my business."

He glanced at her but stayed quiet.

"It's not like this was an actual date." She continued.

"A date?" He echoed looking at her curiously.

"I shouldn't have listened to Kagome. She always tries to set me up with the worst guys."

"Set you up?"

"Are you going to repeat everything I say?" She snapped.

"I'm just trying to understand what's going on." He explained. 

Sango frowned at that. What was there to understand? "Listen, it doesn't matter."

"Were you under the impression this was supposed to be a date?" He asked.

With a sinking feeling Sango realized Inuyasha must not have phrased this as a set up of any kind to Miroku. Here she was acting like a jealous girlfriend when the guy had just been trying to have a good time. He owed her, a girl he had just met, absolutely nothing. She was going to strangle Kagome for leading her to believe this was some kind of date. She was absolutely mortified. Her face burned and she was glad it was dark out so he couldn't see.

Miroku smiled like he had just been let in on a little secret and reached into his jacket, pulling out the piece of paper with the waitress's number.

"I think I understand now. If this is bothering you, then here. I wasn't planning to call her, anyway." He crumbled it up and tossed it away as she watched. "I'd much rather have your number instead."

She was skeptical of the feelings his words stirred in her; she knew from prior experience that pretty words were just words and meant nothing. Actions proved everything. And if she had to admit it to herself, she was also scared to let someone like him in. Better to keep her walls up than risk anything happening and getting hurt. Her first impressions were mixed but they weren't favorable enough to convince her to trust him.

"Maybe if you weren't such a flirt." She finally said. A sudden wind gusted by, raising goosebumps on her arms and causing her to shiver. Her thin sleeveless top didn't offer much protection from the elements and she was regretting not bringing a jacket of her own. Miroku noticed her shiver and frowned. "Are you cold?"

"A little." She admitted.

"Here," he said, removing his jacket and holding it out to her. "Take it." 

Sango looked at him in surprise. She was hesitant to accept something like that from him but she was cold and she supposed he was just trying to be nice. And get back on her good side. She took it from him after a slight hesitation. "Thank you."

Putting it on she gave a soft sigh of contentment. It was still warm with his body heat and she tried not to notice how that seemed to warm her more than the jacket itself.

"We're here!" Kagome called out and Sango stopped, looking up and taking in the scene.

Another cool breeze fluttered through the trees of the surrounding wood. Branches shifted at the disturbance, moonlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves to shine upon the ruin they all currently stood before. Held together by splintered planks and rotting boards it was a minor miracle the structure was still standing.

'Of course,' Sango thought, 'it probably wouldn't have gained such a reputation for being haunted if it wasn't in such disrepair.'

"Wow! It really looks haunted." Kagome said. There was actual excitement in her voice.

"Yeah, exactly. So tell me why the fuck we're here, again?" Inuyasha groused, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh come on. Don't be such a spoilsport." She nudged him playfully with her shoulder. "This is supposed to be fun, remember?"

"You have a strange definition of fun."

"Hmm. Fun, you say?" Miroku said, stealing a glance at Sango. Her skin all but glowed in the pale light as she tugged his jacket closed around her to ward off the chill in the night air. Their gazes met briefly and she quickly looked away, a light blush coloring her cheeks. So she was embarrassed to have been caught looking at him. How cute. He bit back a smile and shifted his attention back to Kagome. "So what is this fun plan of yours?"

"I'm so glad you asked, Miroku!" She practically gushed. Inuyasha had a long-suffering expression on his face next to her. "I was thinking a game of truth or dare would be exciting."

Sango had been studying Miroku out of the corner of her eye but she jerked her head up at those words and leveled a death glare Kagome's way. 'Don't do it, do NOT do it.' The other girl forged gamely onward, as if her best friend wasn't shooting daggers at her with the mere power of her gaze.

"In fact," Kagome continued, beaming, "Why don't you start it off with Sango?"

That's it. She was going to kill Kagome. Kill. Her. Obviously she was ridiculously attracted to Miroku and her best friend, well aware of this, hadn't given up on trying to match them up. And the guy had lent her his jacket and okay it smelled kind of nice which meant that he smelled kind of nice. And he was undeniably charming. But he was bad news for her heart. A total flirt. First buttering her up with pretty words then coming on to their waitress right in front of her. No matter that he had told her he hadn't actually been interested in Himari. She had no time for a guy like that.

"I'd be happy to," Miroku was saying. "Sango, my dear. I dare you to either brave the depths of this haunted house alone or spend an evening with me."

She would not be pulled in by his words again. She wouldn't. Also what the hell did he mean by 'an evening'? Why did he have to phrase things so weirdly? 

"No thanks. I'd rather take my chances with a homicidal ghost over a womanizer." She marched into the house without a backward glance. Let a ghost try to attack her. She could use the outlet.

Miroku sighed. "Well, it was worth a try."

"Did ya have to accept that girl's number?" Inuyasha asked dryly. "Probably would be having better luck if you hadn't."

"I didn't want to be rude. Besides, I threw it away." Miroku protested.

"So then give her a nice tip!" Kagome exclaimed. "You're never going to win Sango over by flirting with other girls."

Miroku thought about that for a second. Was he trying to win her over? Sango had said she thought it was supposed to be a double date and he had had no clue. Typical of Inuyasha to conveniently leave out that detail. He thought back over their brief interactions so far and found himself intrigued by the combination of her shy innocence and fiery attitude. And the way she had looked at him when she first saw him had stuck in his brain, beautiful brown eyes widening in surprise and attraction. He realized it was from that moment on that yes, yes he was.

"You're absolutely right, Kagome. And I would be remiss in letting such a beautiful woman chance danger by herself." With that flowery speech Miroku followed Sango into the building.

"Well it's a good thing he went after her in case something happens. There's a strange aura around that house." Inuyasha commented.

"Hmm. I don't know. Sango has a few tricks up her sleeve." Kagome said.

He looked at her askance. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You'll find out." Kagome replied with a small, knowing smile. "Anyways, I agree. It's good he went after her. Maybe this can bring them closer."

He stared at her. "They just met…"

"Exactly! They need something to act as a bonding experience to help bring them together. Relationships have to start somewhere."

Inuyasha looked at her like she had two heads. "What the fuck are you on about? Relationship? Not likely with that womanizer." He snorted.

Kagome made a face. "Yeah, he seems like kind of a flirt. But you saw the way they both looked at each other when they first saw each other. There's something there. And he's your friend, right? He has to have some redeeming qualities. Besides, I just have a feeling. I can't explain it."

"Keh. Whatever." He scoffed. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"I think you'll be surprised." Kagome responded, smiling up at him.

-----

Meanwhile Sango was carefully picking her way through the ruin. The floor had rotted through in several spots that, coupled with the darkness, made it a minefield to walk in. Decay hung heavy in the stale air along with the scent of dust and earth. There was a feeling of foreboding in the atmosphere that she hadn't noticed when standing outside. She admitted to herself it was probably because she hadn't been paying attention to such things. A hand crept to the hilt of the hidden dagger at her thigh.

Her thoughts circled back to the source of her distraction. 'My dear,' he had said. She let out a dismissive laugh. Hardly. There was a sudden noise behind her and she whirled, drawing her dagger from its sheath to hold it in front of her in a ready stance.

"Whoa! It's just me." Miroku said, holding a hand out. She relaxed, letting out a breath. He noticed the weapon in her hand. "Where did you get a dagger?"

She didn't answer him. It was like her thoughts had conjured him. She became annoyed. "Why are you here? I thought I was supposed to do this alone."

"I got worried." He shrugged. "If something were to happen…"

"Thanks, but I can take care of myself. I don't need--" she broke off noticing something on the wall behind Miroku for the first time. She stalked forward and Miroku almost took a step backwards at the intensity of her approach. Stopping beside him, she raised a hand to touch something on the wall. He turned to see what it was that had caught her attention. A complicated twisting of shapes formed a rune that was etched onto the surface. Dark splashes coated the wall and the floor beneath it...dried blood. He frowned. This was…

"I've seen this mark before." She said by way of explanation. He looked away from the symbol to look at her in interest.

"Really? Where?"

Sango opened her mouth to respond and that was when all hell broke loose. 

There was a flash of greenish light that momentarily blinded her and while she was disoriented something knocked her sideways with bruising force. She collided with Miroku and they both crashed to the floor in a heap of limbs. Shit. Looked like there was some truth to the rumors after all.

She scrambled to her feet, gripping her dagger tightly, just in time to see the thing that had struck them circle back for round two. Glad she had had the foresight to bring one of her weapons, Sango wasted no time charging forward to meet it. This was what she was made for. She wanted to check on Miroku but there was no time for that. Springing into a somersault she avoided the creature's mouthful of teeth attempting to bite her in half and brought her dagger up to slice a line down the length of its serpentine body. It screamed in pain before collapsing into itself and dissolving from sight.

Breathing from exertion Sango rushed over to Miroku who was standing now. She had just reached his side when he grabbed her roughly by the arm and swung her around, holding her close to him. Massive jaws bit the air where she had just been standing. What?

"It's an evil spirit, not a demon! Your attacks aren't going to do more than anger it!" He told her.

Sango looked at him in shock. "How the hell do you know that?!" She demanded while dodging another strike from the afore-mentioned angry spirit and pushing Miroku away in a purely instinctual move to keep him from harm. 

Her foot got caught in a hole in the floor and she stumbled, her momentum causing her to pitch forward and fall. The spirit wasted no time taking advantage of her misstep, bringing a clawed hand down to crush her head. She freed her foot and rolled to the side at the last minute, striking out with her dagger as she did so and savaging its neck. It roared in anger and pain and she used the distraction to right herself and gain some distance.

"Evil spirits give off a different aura than evil demons do." He explained.

"No, I mean how do you know any of that!"

"Because I'm an exorcist! And by the looks of things you're a demon slayer. Physical attacks won't do any good against an opponent like this. It requires something spiritual."

Her thoughts went instantly to Kagome, but her friend wasn't currently there to help them. She wanted to take the time to process this new revelation about Miroku but she had her hands full at the moment. Defeat this thing, then figure out what the hell was going on.

Miroku was chanting incantations, dodging the strikes of the ghost with practiced ease, never missing a word or a step. It grabbed a broken table and flung it his way and he ducked to avoid it, eyes narrowed in concentration. Sango could feel his spiritual powers rise up in challenge to the evil spirit. The house around them began to groan from all the abuse. Much more and they risked bringing the whole building down around them. 

He had almost finished his spell when it broke free of his hold, rushing him. In a desperate move Sango threw her dagger, hitting it squarely between the eyes and divesting herself of her only weapon. It was her turn to grab him and pull him to her to avoid the path of the rampaging spirit. The spirit crashed into the wall next to them, the force causing wood to splinter and making them fall to the ground again, with her on top of him. 

"I wish I could take the time to enjoy this." Miroku said from beneath her. Before she could respond he flipped them so that he was now on top of her and then brushed a hand along her side, stroking upwards.

"Hey!" Sango yelled. "What--"

"Calm down," he said, reaching into one of the pockets of his jacket that she was currently still wearing and retrieving a small stack of white papers. "I just needed these." He rolled to his feet, pulling her up with him as they avoided yet another charge of the enraged ghost. "You could have just asked for them!" Sango said indignantly. 

Miroku didn't reply and rushed the evil spirit, casting the papers towards it and calling out, "Evil spirit, begone! I banish you from this place forthwith!" His power surged as they stuck to the spirit and crackled with blue light and the force of his energy. Sutras, Sango realized belatedly. Of course. She was momentarily impressed that, like her with her dagger, he too had come prepared in case of any trouble. She respected that. He clearly knew what he was doing.

The evil spirit struggled for a few minutes longer, screaming in outrage before Miroku's power finally overwhelmed it. With one final screech and a burst of light it vanished, exorcised. He slowly lowered his hands, breathing hard from the effort.

Sango walked over to where her dagger lay on the ground and retrieved it, placing it back in its sheath. She turned to look at Miroku, a million questions running through her mind. He caught her look and gave a half smile. "We should probably go see Inuyasha and Kagome. They must be worried."

She followed him outside in silent agreement. When they emerged she caught sight of the concerned faces of their friends. Kagome was looking a little pale and had clearly been in the middle of arguing with Inuyasha about going in after them, judging by the firm grip he had on her arm and the way she was pulling at it.

"I fucking told you it was a bad idea to come here but you didn't want to listen!" Inuyasha was saying.

Kagome had opened her mouth to respond but broke off from whatever she was about to say at their appearance. "Sango! Miroku!" The relief in her voice was palpable. "Oh my God, are you guys okay?! What happened?! We heard such a huge commotion and Inuyasha refused to let me go in!" This last declaration was punctuated by a glare at Inuyasha. He glared back.

"An evil spirit attacked us." Miroku replied. Sango noticed this announcement was met with zero surprise from Inuyasha, who just scowled harder at the information. Kagome didn't seem shocked that Miroku was aware of ghosts either and thus had to have known he was an exorcist.

"I noticed a mark on the wall that matches other runes I've been seeing at recent demon attack sites. Along with bloodstains," she added. Obviously she had been wrong in her deductions that Inuyasha and Miroku knew nothing about the world of demons and ghosts that existed alongside humanity. 

Inuyasha's gaze landed on the now-visible dagger at her thigh and his eyes bugged. "Is that dagger made of demon bone?" He demanded.

Miroku muffled a laugh. Sango blinked. "Well, yes."

"You're a demon slayer?" He rounded on Kagome. "Did you know?!"

Kagome looked at him like he was slow. "Of course I know she's a demon slayer. She's my best friend."

"And you didn't think that was important to mention to me?!" He said, his voice rising.

"Again, she's my best friend! It's not like she's going to slay you! Would you calm down!"

Now Sango was confused, not to mention tired of not knowing what the fuck was going on. This had been a very trying evening and her patience was running thin. She was about to start demanding that someone give her answers when Kagome spoke again. 

"You said there was a strange rune on the wall?" She directed her question at Sango who nodded. 

Kagome seemed to think something over before arriving at a conclusion. She turned to Inuyasha. "Take them off."

He looked at her. "Seriously? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He removed the prayer beads from his neck, the ones that had seemed so out of place with the rest of his appearance, and the change was instantaneous. It must be a focus for a strong glamour, Sango realized as she took in his transformation. 

Black hair became bright silver, his blue-gray eyes shifting to a startling gold, and nails lengthening into claws. She was sure if she looked in his mouth she would find a set of fangs. The most interesting part of his change however was a pair of dog ears atop his head in place of the human ones he had worn moments before. A set of traditional hakama pants and a haori, both in the color red, completed the picture, with a sword tucked into the sash around his waist.

So. Miroku was an exorcist, most likely a Buddhist monk if she had to guess based on the incantations he had been reciting. Inuyasha was definitely not human. Both were things Kagome quite obviously already knew. It was time for some answers. Sango looked at her best friend.

"Kagome, what is going on?"