#called in sick for tomorrow cuz head is exploding again

[vexalia]

.

[the-firebird69]

There's a few other things to note the first is John remillard is dead we hate him and we need to get him out of there I'm so sick of hearing about this idiot he doesn't know anything he's trying to go down there and he can't get there and he's pitiful he's a horrible idiot we need them in and that's all I'm saying and I'm going to write why he puts Bob's everywhere too many bombs everywhere and we need them out he wants to have a meeting with Duke Nukem Blockbuster and have him headed up and he said he will so I'm going to schedule it so sick and tired of having so much s*** out there he keeps saying we don't need to do this we don't have to have so much stuff out there of theirs and we don't feel like hardly anything for a while and they're just sitting there doing nothing they had spaceships we do see what he's saying there's no real reason for for it and he wants it trimmed and we need it trimmed it's gross we're just about to do it and we're planning to do it but we mustn't let it ever happen again we need the upper hand and we don't need this much cover we're going to hurt ourselves and our people it's wrong

Thor Freya

We need to have a meeting with everybody up there and we need to have it down here and it has to be about urgency we're fooling around with stuff here and we're messing with these people and we're pushing them and it's to preempt and it's probably my cadre they're not wrong in doing it because we never seem to have enough troops or back up or things under control it is our fault for not properly communicating to our people that we need them in and we need skilled people and immediately I don't care if they're from Timbuktu in France they're going to sign on and they're going to do it now to save themselves and us there are people and I'm tired of this nonsense we need to tell them to do it they need to be instructed. Furthermore we need the troops now right now to keep ourselves from exploding not want to blow up and miss out on seeing my wife and my children and my friends have helped me my whole life including them I don't think it's fair that we don't recognize this is a simple task and we're hiding from me from it not me I want everybody called in from everywhere and then down here the same meeting and to talk about why are people are not signed on and how to get them to and I want to notice it out tonight and everyday we need skilled people immediately we are in trouble we're in our need this is a war we need people for space defense immediately to catch space to breathe Earth blows up we don't need to have a device down there to prove there could be one that we can't find necessarily 100% we need to explain that and not allow them to do it to prove that they can I'm sick and tired of this s*** I want someone to listen to my f****** order

Zues

Hera

What is saying is true we need to have a meeting and have Duke and Blockbuster headed up we're playing with fire and we cannot keep doing it and we need him to say it correctly and we need all of us in and we need to hire skilled people and move the others into their jobs right now and train where we are it's a great idea he had it just now with her he says if you're over there they're over here you're still going to sign on cuz we need you and we're going to make a mandate of some kind there's a way to say it and I'm going to write it down right now and we're writing if you have these skills you are requested and required to report to duty something like that we're going to send it out

Thor Freya

I want every man woman and child who's active duty in a certain rank at this meeting tomorrow and we're going to write it up and we want it and he's going to have a little meeting himself you know he's been working all sorts of stuff and all of its recruiting and he's saying is start doing it and we'll have to hire and people are not doing it and they have permission and everything and the reason is they're busy doing other stuff so he says we need transportation and we do I said we're not going to get to and from anywhere infiltrating without it and we need to get on it and this is very slow so we need a few hits we have one he's right we just need to do it and we need to start complaining and get it done and we need to do it backwards bja said it you're not getting it so you make the beer and send it to him and we use it and you're asking for it and we get our money back now we have to activate this stuff and we're going to send it out tomorrow and we will have a list of things to activate and run with the cart in front of the horse the beer is one of them there's a few of them the Pontiac is another kit cars we discussed with the panels and plant-ons there's a monstrous crowd that we do that

Olympus

[callemreine]

It hurts a little bit too much

'It’s time to grow up. I’m finally doing something that people enjoy! Something that people take time to pay attention to! Why can’t you understand that!'

Au August

Day/Prompt: Day 2 - Acting

Ship: Prinxiety, brief platonic moxiety

Word count: 1780

Cw: swearing / yelling (I'm sorry) / self-deprecation / crying / La la Land spoilers? (some people haven't watched it)

A/N: This is solely based on La La Land but I changed a few things that may change the direction of the story than what was actually in the film and this is my first time writing something angsty so forgive me angst gods </3 Also, Roman wants to be a Broadway actor but signed as a pop band singer instead. Virgil is still like Mia but not as headstrong

@tsshipmonth2020

Virgil has been with Roman for quite a while now. Roman has recently signed a contract for a pop band with his old friend, Janus, despite their doubt about the guy. Virgil wasn’t exactly pleased with what he witnessed when he was invited to one of his partner’s concerts. With the single confused tear left on the venue floor, Virgil has been worried since then about what Roman has gotten himself into.

~*~*~

Virgil was returning home after his dinner out with his friend, Patton; the only person keeping him stable since Roman left for… Boston? Maybe Dallas? He stopped keeping track a while ago.

When he reached the porch of their apartment, he hears the faint instrumental of ‘Only Us’ playing inside. He continues inside to see his partner setting up the table, his back facing him. “Roman?” The man suddenly drops the pot he’s holding on the table and turns to him. Roman let out a sigh of relief before flashing a small endearing smile to Virgil. “Surprise?” The taller man says in a small breathy voice, almost a whisper. “I have to leave in the morning but, I just had to see you,” he continues.

Virgil freezes for a moment before rushing to Roman, dropping everything he’s carrying, wrapping his arms around the other’s neck to kiss him. Roman wraps his arms around Virgil’s waist to keep them steady.

~*~*~

“I’m so glad to be home,” The taller man says with a smile. “Stay,” Virgil replies with a hopeful look; only to be returned with the same look from the other.

The pair are now seated at the dining table across from each other, instrumental music playing in the background.

“How’s your play? Hope you’re not too nervous,” Roman breathes out as he notices the other’s mood shift as he mentions the play. “You know me. I’m nervous about everything,” Virgil jokes with a chuckle. “Plus, what if people show up? I’m gonna perform in front of them. They’ll think I’m terrible,”

“Fuck ‘em” They laugh a little before Roman continues, ”They should be lucky to see it. It’s gonna be incredible. YOU’RE gonna be incredible. I can’t wait.” Virgil looks down on his food with a sad smile.

“I have to leave early tomorrow,” As much as Roman thinks that the statement sounds wrong when it left his lips, he doesn’t want Virgil to worry. “Boise, right?” Virgil inquires still looking at his food. Roman hums in agreement and continues, “You should come,”

“Wish I could. I still have to rehearse cuz’, we’re not all gifted in acting like a certain prince-like man I know,” Virgil teases with a smile. Roman chuckles, “Well, if you wanted me to help you, you could’ve just said so, darling,”

“I guess it’ll have to wait until you’re done with the tour,” Virgil replies with a forced smile. Roman’s face falls. “When are you done?” Virgil continues. “Uhm. Well, we’re only touring so we can make the record. After we’re done, we’re gonna record then, we go back to tour that record…” He trails off.

Virgil processes this information and decides to just let his brain talk. His heart is too soft for this conversation but, it can’t continue hurting for months. Or years.

“Do you like it?” Roman was caught off guard with the question and was confused with what Virgil meant. “The music, the band, the tour, singing on stage. Do you like it?” Virgil clarifies.

“I…” he trails off. “I don’t know how it matters,” Roman doesn’t like where this is going. All this time. All this touring. He thought it was what Virgil wanted him to do. Roman looks Virgil in the eyes, “Do you like the music?”

“I do. I just didn’t think you did…” The pair fell in uncomfortable silence, letting Virgil’s last statement linger between them.

“Why are you doing this? I thought you wanted me to do this. This is what we’ve been waiting for,” Roman is deep into confusion at this point. He’s been in this band for a while, he just wants to know why Virgil hasn’t anything before he signed on the dotted line that would seal his life.

Virgil sighed, “I just wanted to know where you’re theatre is gonna fit into all of this.” He said in such a small voice that, Roman wanted to just sweep Virgil off his feet to make everything better again. “There’s a reason why there are no theatres here because no one is like me. No one likes musicals here. Not even you,” Roman explained.

Virgil can’t take how pathetic Roman thinks of this entire situation. Yes, it’s Virgil that usually overthinks these things and, it’s not entirely impossible for Roman to as well but, this is just pure non-sense to Virgil. “I do like them now, because of you!” He blurted out with a slightly raised voice.

“Well, what am I supposed to do? Wait for you to be successful only for me to build something no one likes? It- It’s time to grow up. I’m finally doing something that people enjoy! Something that people take time to pay attention to! Why can’t you understand that!” Roman exclaimed, determined for Virgil to understand his point of view, not bothering to look at the other.

“Since when did you care about being liked? Why do you care so much about being liked-”

“You’re not an actor! How would you know?!” Roman immediately regrets his statement, knowing he doesn’t mean it. To him, Virgil is the greatest actor he has ever seen and, nothing would ever change that. He glances at Virgil and, sees the destruction his statement has caused slowly unfolding.

“No. No- I- I didn’t mean that, Virgil. I’m sorry. I promise it’s not true-” he tried to reverse his mistake but, to Virgil, the destruction has always been always there, this was just what he needed for everything to fall apart.

“Maybe you just liked me because I made you feel like a better actor,” Virgil stated blandly in a matter-of-fact manner. Roman knew that he was never better than Virgil, as an actor or not. He was heartbroken to hear that his partner thinks that he was just being used. His statement earlier was just a slip-up but this… What Virgil’s feeling is all his fault.

“Are you kidding?” Roman can’t bear to lose someone that he loves so much. Tears well up in his eyes, tempting to let them fall.

“No,” Virgil calmly replied, keeping a stern face.

Both of them, heartbroken, stared at each other, not letting go of what’s left between them.

But before any of them could say anything, Roman’s phone, which he left in the kitchen, rang. His ringtone echoing through the apartment. Roman sighs at the sound but doesn’t stand up. However, Virgil does and eyes for the door. Roman stays frozen for a moment before going after Virgil.

“Virgil, wait-” before he could continue, Virgil had already slammed the door.

~*~*~

You guys can use your imagination to fill in what happens after the argument up to before the next part.

But, if you haven’t watched La La Land, basically, Virgil did the one-man play and Roman didn’t show up and only a few people show up then, he goes back home to his parents in a different state, leaving everything behind. I think that’s all you need to know??

~*~*~

It’s been a few weeks since Virgil came home to his parents. He was devastated to see his old stuff and how hopeful he was to become an actor. Yet, he can’t bring himself to take it all down.

Virgil had abandoned his phone and his laptop to the very back of his closet and sticks to using his mp3 in the meantime. He has been needing some time to rethink his life decisions before facing the real world again. Leaving Roman to pick up whatever he left in Los Angeles.

He was finally enjoying peace and quiet for the first time in a while, until…

HHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

~*~*~

“The fuck are you doing here?!” Virgil whisper-yelled as he walked towards the man, wondering what’s so important that Roman had to follow him all the way to another state.

“Thomas Sanders. The casting director. He was at your play-” Roman began. Just at the mention of the name, Virgil had become more troubled but hopeful at the same time.

“And he loved it so much, he wants you to audition for this HUGE-” Roman stated as he slammed his hand on his car for emphasis, startling Virgil a little. ”-huge movie that he’s got,” He continued with visible excitement.

Virgil shook his head with a little chuckle before running his hand over his mouth, “I- I can’t- I’m not going to that- That.. will kill me,” he continues to shake his head.

“WHAT?!” Roman exclaims, startling Virgil again. “What?! Shh shh! You have to be quiet cuz’ if my neighbors don’t call the police on you, I will,” He attempts to calm Roman down. “No. You have to make sense. You can’t stay here and be miserable for the rest of your life. You need to be reasonable here,” Roman persists.

“Because it’s just another goddamn audition!” Virgil explodes with all the hurt and anger he’s gathered through the years of auditioning for shows. “I’ve been to hundreds of auditions and it’s just the same thing over and over again! I’m sick of it! Yeah, sure, I get callbacks but, where does it end? Another fucking rejection! All of those countless hours of waiting for the phone to ring. Be- because maybe I’m not good enough,” Virgil pauses.

“I’ve been wanting this for years. And, now... Now that I don’t want it anymore. Now that I gave up on it. Another one fucking presents itself to what? Another rejection? I’m- I’m not giving myself another heartbreak, Roman. It hurts a little bit too much,” Virgil admits, already crying. It hurts Roman to see Virgil this way. He’s seen Virgil become so passionate about his play, he needs to let him see that this is not ‘just another audition,’ it’s the reward his hard work is all for. He needs to know.

“You’re a baby,” Roman bluntly states. “Maybe I am,” He couldn’t continue arguing anymore. “But, you said it’s time to grow up. And, I’m doing that so, why won’t you help me?” Virgil continues.

“You have an audition at 5:30. I’ll pick you up at 8,” as much as Roman wants Virgil to grab this chance, he can’t force him to if he doesn’t really want to. He loves him too much for that. At least he tried. “You’ll be out front or not. I don’t know,” Roman continues as he gets in his car and drives off, leaving Virgil standing in the middle of the road, staring at the library in front of him. The library that once helped him set his path to acting.

~*~*~

Perhaps Virgil was out front at 7:30 and got accepted in the audition.

Perhaps he wasn’t.

Told ya I'm not good at angst ;-;

[littlemissagrafina]

Oooh maybe 25 for Irondad if you're feeling angsty or inspired :) No pressure to fill it though

(I'll add a read more tomo when I'm less tired. I'm not really happy with this but I needed to get it done cuz I'm busy tomorrow. I hope you like it and I'm really sorry it's so bad.)

Peter was having a really good day for once. He'd aced the pop quiz in his history class which had given him a considerable mood boost since it was one of his weakest classes. All of his homework was completed for the weekend so that he could head to the lab with Mr. Stark and not have to worry about forgetting to complete it. He hadn't even been bothered by Flash since the boy was home sick.

His bright mood carried on right through the rest of his school day and not even Happy's disgruntled facade brought it down.

-

When Peter had walked into Tony's lab, or rather more like their lab at this point, the older hero couldn't help but brighten from the infectious positivity that Peter was exuding.

"Hi, Pete." Tony grinned at Peter, reaching out to ruffle his curls when he got close enough. "Not that I'm complaining, but what's got you so happy?" 

With a shrug Peter leant into Tony's hand, bringing his arms up and shifting forward enough so that he could give him his usual greeting hug. Yeah, they were there now.

"Just a good day." Peter said with an obvious smile in his voice.

Reluctantly pulling away, Peter grabbed his backpack and dumbed it next to his workspace. "What are we doing today?" He called back to Tony, unaware of the soft smile being directed at him.

"Thought I'd let you take a look at one of my old suits, maybe you can refurbish and update it. All of its defences and mechanisms have been scrapped so you can tinker to your heart's content."

The only acknowledgement he received to his statement was a squeak and thud followed by a crash. "I'm okay!" Peter's excited voice rang through the lab, echoed by Tony's laughter.

For someone who could stick to anything, the kid was clumsy as hell.

-

It all started to go downhill when the mission alarm sounded while they were eating some take out that they had ordered. 

The two left quickly to suit up, meals abandoned behind them.

Tony had agreed to let Peter tag along on more missions and emergencies as long as he obeyed every rule any order that was given to him. Peter was fine with that, happy to be allowed to help in the bigger fights and battles. 

Yeah, he had a rough time listening but he usually always obeyed orders.

Obviously, one of the times that he deviated those rules and orders entirely had to happen when Tony had come down harder with his requirements.

This battle was serious, a rogue sorceress that had built up an army to try and take over New York. Why was it always NY? Did the rest of the world not exist?

She was ruthless, never hesitating to target civilians and buildings that would cause the most damage under attack. That was what scared Tony.

There were always consequences of the battles they fought, but when the villain of the day was so heartless in their pursuit of victory, they were that much worse.

Tony had taken one look at the limited information that they had on the sorceress, as well as the magic and weapons she was throwing around, and ordered Peter to get the civilians a safe distance away and to take care of the structural damages that he could with his specially synthesized web formula.

Peter, although begrudgingly, had understood. He knew that this was way above his level of capabilities, that he needed to let the other heroes above him deal with it. He had grown a lot in that way over the last two years. It was one of the big reasons that he was actually allowed on missions.

It was a pity that he had to blow that trust to pieces.

-

One minute Tony was deflecting a barrage of attacks from one of the sorceress' minions, the next he was slammed into and sent careening to the side by a blurred figure covered in red and blue.

He never saw the blast that was meant for him hit the building next to them. He didn't see the way Peter's shoulder was hit and jerked back my a flying piece of debris from the small explosion. Never saw the attack at all in his sudden fear fueled rage at the blatant disregard of his orders. He'd noticed Peter getting closer and closer to the heart of the battle, had given the kid a warning and told him to get back to a safe distance. He didn't know that Peter had ignored his warning on top of his orders. 

Tony righted himself, grabbing onto Peter instinctively to stop him from falling.

"What the hell are you doing?!" He snapped at the younger hero as he navigated them to a relatively safe spot.

Not wanting Peter to argue, he carried on. "You're supposed to be with the civilians!" He didn't see the increasingly panicked breathing from Peter.

Turning away without sparing the spandex glad vigilante another glance, he spoke again in a hard voice. "Get back to your job, Spider-Man. We'll discuss this when we get back."

And he was gone.

-

Sitting through the stony silence of the debriefing was one of the worst things Peter had to do. The physical ache of his shoulder paired with the emotional hurt of disappointing Tony only adding to the discomfort of the almost cold shoulder he was at the brunt of.

Once the rest of the team had started clearing out, Peter had stayed in his chair. Tony rose and walked to stand in front of one of the floor to ceiling windows, his arms crossed.

Only when the door shut behind the last person did he turn and look at Peter. Softening only slightly at the obvious stress on the boy's face, he addressed him.

"We have those rules and orders for a reason, Peter, you know that. It was part of our agreement for you to come on these missions." He said sternly, trying to tame the fear he had felt when Peter had appeared in the battle.

"I know–" Peter started to say before Tony cut him off.

"So then why did you break them if you know?"

Silence. The kid wasn't even looking at him.

"I want an answer, goddammit!"

And suddenly Peter was looking at him. It was then that he noticed the pained and fearful expression on his kid's face.

With tears welling in his eyes, Peter answered. "Because my spider sense told me to. You were gonna be hit from behind by one of the sorceress' minions and I couldn't let you be hurt." He choked from the lump in his throat as his tears fell.

Tony was looking at him, his mouth slightly agape and guilt and sadness written on his face. 

"Kid–" now it was Tony's turn to be interrupted.

"I couldn't lose someone else."

Without saying anything, Tony crossed the room and wrapped Peter in his arms, holding him tight as he ran a soothing hand up and down his back.

"I'm so sorry, Pete." He murmured. "I got scared and angry when I saw you and I let it cloud me." 

"It's okay. I got scared too. I'm sorry I didn't listen." Peter couldn't smother his wince when Tony's hand pressed against his bruised shoulder.

Tony immediately drew back in concern. "What happened!" 

"I was hit by something when the shot exploded against the building." Peter admitted knowing that Tony would find out anyway. "I'm okay, it's just bruised and sore."

That didn't reassure Tony though, it only made him feel more guilty. He hadn't even noticed that his kid was in pain because he was too busy being an ass.

"I'm so sorry, Pete. I didn't know." He apologized again, horrified that he hadn't known.

The honest forgiveness shining in Peter's eyes didn't make him feel better either. The kid was too kind and selfless for his own good. "I'll forgive you again if you sit and eat our take out with me. I just want to eat and get cuddles from you."

Instead of arguing a losing battle, Tony relented. "Okay. I am sorry though, bud. I shouldn't have reacted that way."

"I forgive you."

And this time Tony listened. He still felt bad but they were okay.

He would do better.

[dyavania]

Hector x Forgemaster!Reader — Rescue

Request: “an imagine of Hector’s s/o rescuing him from Carmilla’s castle (before L*nore but her hands on him SHE HURT MY BABY UGH) and then wanting to protect him? I just need some shy fluffy hector cuz UGJ SOMEONE LOVE THAT BABY!!”

A/N: hard agree anon! I’m more than happy to give Hector some love, so here you go and I hope you’ll enjoy it!

Warnings: canon-typical violence, and Hector having been previously hurt, spoilers for season 2, and I think that’s it!

You ordered the charge on the castle towards the end of a sunny day. It wasn’t ideal, but it still meant that your night creatures could be out, while the vampires wouldn’t be able to. Mor than anything, it would create chaos. You had various creatures flying in from everywhere, piercing the walls to let the sun in, and the vampires were completely overwhelmed. In that situation, you managed to slip in, unnoticed, flanked by some of the strongest creatures you’d created.

Of course, you held on tightly to your scythe. In the village where you had been living, where Dracula had come to find you when he had decided to avenge his wife, people whispered about you being Death personified, and if anyone stood in your way, they were about to find out just what you could do with your scythe.

You ran through the corridors, pulse racing desperately. You had been shocked by Hector’s betrayal, but you couldn’t believe he had done it willingly. When you had left from Dracula’s castle, wherever it was, you only had one thought in mind: finding him again. You had lost precious time traveling and asking around. It had taken you a while to realize he had left with Carmilla, and you had even doubted him for a second, until you’d been told that the vampires dragged him behind them, enchained and bleeding.

You hadn’t let up since.

From what you’d been told Carmilla and her army had walked through the last village just a couple of days ago, and you prayed they hadn’t had time to hurt him any more.

Finding an isolated guard, you ordered at one of your creatures to grab him. He tried to fight it, and that was a stupid mistake. Sure, he’d probably received a training, but not to fight that. Well, too bad for him.

“A forgemaster was brought here. Where. Is. He?”

He seemed to hesitate, but you weren’t in the mood to play games.

“If you don’t answer me, she’ll rip out your arms and legs.”

“D-downstairs, in the cells, please, please—”

You gave a nod, and the creature ripped out his head. Less painful and faster than the arms and legs — you considered yourself merciful.

You started running again. It didn’t take you long to find the place he’d mentioned. You sent your creatures in to clear the room, then walked in without so much as glancing at the bodies of the vampires who had been in there.

Your breathing stopped when you saw Hector’s naked and trembling body, huddled up on the ground in one of the cells. You felt sick, and tears burnt in your eyes. You wiped them away with anger. Now wasn’t the moment.

“Hector?” you called, and you almost didn’t recognize your voice. It was so fearful, shaky, broken.

His head moved up slowly and you let out a small cry of relief. Thank God.

“(Y/N)?” he asked hesitantly, like he couldn’t quite believe it. He was squinting to look at you in the half-light, he had a black eye and he seemed much skinnier than last time you’d seen him, but at least he was alive.

“Yes,” you sobbed, and this time treacherous tears did fall down your cheeks. “Yes, Hector, it’s me, oh God, what did they do to you?”

You reached out for him through the bars, and he tried to push himself up, but yelped in pain as he did. You bit your lower lip harshly to stop it from trembling.

“Blow up the door. Don’t hurt him,” you ordered one of your creatures, moving away from it. “Don’t move,” you then told him, your voice much softer. “I’m going to get you out of here, my love. This will be over soon.”

You glanced away from the bright light as the door exploded, then rushed in, yelling at the creatures to find a blanket. There was nothing Hector could have covered himself with, but he didn’t seem hurt by the explosion — or rather, you couldn’t tell if he was any more hurt, with all the small cuts covering his body. You wanted blood, you wanted Carmilla’s head on a pike, but all of this would have to wait. First, you wanted to get Hector to safety.

You took his face in your hands gently, and he whimpered at your touch, pressing himself against you, for warmth, but also for your contact, for the comfort your presence brought him.

“Carmilla—” he said, voice dry, “I didn’t want to—”

“Shh,” you whispered, pulling him against you, your hands moving soothingly through his hair, the motion as much for him as for you, to try to convince yourself that he was here, after all this time looking for him. “I know. We can talk about it later, but first we need to get out.” You glanced at your creatures, and took the blanket one of them was holding. You draped it over him carefully, then moved back, and he whined when you moved. That sent a strong ache through your chest, but you doubted the creatures would be able to fly carrying two of you.

It didn’t take long before you were out under the sun, taken away by the flying night creatures. It seemed your army had been reduced by half, if not more, but that didn’t surprise you.  You weren’t equipped to take on a whole vampire army. You’d have to be more prepared next time. When you’d come back for Carmilla’s head.

You cupped your hands around your lips and let out a loud howling sound. In a matter of seconds, your night creatures were running away. Good. You didn’t want to lose them all.

“Find us a house,” you ordered at those that came to fly around you. “People are leaving the mountains for the winter, so there must be empty ones. When you get there, make a fire and heat some water up for a bath.” You glanced over at Hector’s still shaking body. You needed to warm him up quickly.

You started by rubbing hot water over his body so the temperature shock wouldn’t be too violent. He stood there, trembling, hands covering his crotch, mostly silent, unless you touched one of his many cuts, in which case he’d let out a whimper. You apologized every time. When you felt satisfied, you helped him step into the wooden container that was probably used by bath. He moaned when he got in, and you spent the next minutes washing and rubbing his back carefully, pouring water over his head to get his hair wet, and entangling his hair.

You loved touching his hair, and you knew he liked it when you massaged his scalp. For a while, there was nothing but silence and the sound of water in the room. You’d sent most of the creatures away, letting them know they could feed on wild animals.

Hector melted in your touch. It was like all of the horror, all of the pain of that past month was washing away. His muscles were sore and the cuts stung, but his shoulders started to relax a little. He had forgotten what this felt like. All of this. The bath, the gentle touches. Someone caring about him. He started to tremble again, remembering Carmilla, and your hands stilled. You moved to rest your cheek against his back, and he felt your hair against his skin. Your fingers started moving up and down his arm, and he closed his eyes.

“How are you feeling?” you asked, very softly.

“Like a complete fool,” he replied sincerely. “I fell for Carmilla’s lies, and if you hadn’t found me— If you hadn’t wanted to look for me—”

You got up quickly so you could face him.

“Hector,” you said, taking his face in your hands. “Hector, look at me, please, my love.”

He did, and his eyes were as breathtaking as they always were. But oh, how sad they were…

“I will always look for you. I don’t want you to think, even for an instant, that I could want you to rot in one of those cells. No matter what.”

“I betrayed Dracula,” he said, voice choking. “I betrayed him, and now he’s dead. I— Didn’t I deserve to be there?”

“No!” you protested, horrified. “No, no, Hector, I swear, you did not deserve that.”

He gritted his teeth.

“I… hope I’ll be able to believe that, too. In time.”

It broke your heart to hear him say that, to know that he felt like that, but all you could do was nod. You leaned in and brushed your lips against his, very gently. It was soft, your skin barely touching, but you felt him grab your hand and hold onto it tightly. When you pulled away, he pressed his forehead against yours and sighed.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

You smiled, and twirled a lock of his hair around your finger.

“You deserve the world and more, Hector. If I can, I will give them to you.”

He didn’t say anything, just gave your hand a squeeze.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here,” you said, standing up. “I saw some clothes in a chest, and then you probably need to rest.”

He did, indeed, and only half an hour later he was fast asleep in a bed that wasn’t quite perfect, but that did have a mattress, and sheets, and a thick duvet. You watched over him as you got ready to join him yourself.

Never again, you promised yourself as you laid by his side, watching his restful face. Never again would you let him be hurt like that. You would do everything that was in your power to protect him. You snuggled against him, and he wrapped his arm around you, like he used to. It had been so long since you had slept in the same bed as him…

Tomorrow, you’d start planning your next attack on Carmilla. Tomorrow, the two of you would probably talk a lot more, and make plans for the future. But for now, you were going to fall asleep in the arms of the man you loved, and in a world that had so much wrong with it, at least this felt right.

[kusunogatari]

[ ObiRyū October | Day Twenty-Five | Pent Up ] [ @abyssaldespair ] [ Uchiha Obito, Suigin Ryū, Nohara Rin, Hatake Kakashi ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ Vulgarity, blood ]

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Why, why, why is it so hard to keep ahold of his temper…?!

So much more seems to grate at his patience than it used to when he was younger. Sounds, touches, even smells can start chipping at his mood, making him more and more agitated until something has to give. It’s like his brain has turned into a ticking time bomb, randomly exploding when just the right criteria are met.

Needless to say...it’s made most people wary of him. And now that he’s starting his senior year back in the district he once hailed from, he’s especially wary of being labeled dangerous, unstable, a freak.

He��s already embarrassed himself once. The pool party, barbeque, whatever that Rin invited him to ended in disaster when he had one of his seizures. Right in front of everyone...they all just stared in horror as he seized up, plunging into the pool.

But then the girl who lived there had dragged him up, spurring the rest of them into action. The damage, however, had already been done. By now he’s sure everyone already knows about it before he even steps foot into the high school this morning.

...he just has to stay calm.

Finding his locker, he ignores the dubious looks he gets, the whispers that seem to follow him. Even at the reformative school he’d been transferred to after his accident had seen him an odd one out, mostly due to his appearance...but his breakdowns and spasms hadn’t helped, either. By now it’s all just white noise, fiddling with the combination lock on his locker door.

“Hey!”

Half a second late, Obito realizes he recognizes that voice, if only vaguely. A turn shows the girl from yesterday...Ryū? Admittedly he remembers almost nothing about her - only that she used to tag along with Rin when they were younger, and how much harder that made getting the other girl alone.

...of course that doesn’t matter now. Rin’s with Kakashi, for...some reason.

He just blinks at her, watching her approach with her books clutched to her chest.

In turn, she offers a smile. “So, you made it. How are you feeling today?”

The question earns a reflexive tick of annoyance. He gets really sick of people asking him that, but...there’s a genuine concern in her expression most people tend to lack. Usually they’re more exasperated than actually worried. “...I’m fine. Stiff, but it’ll pass.”

“Ah, good...that must have been so scary…”

“I’m used to it. It’s been happening for five years.”

Further sympathy wilts her brows. “...that must be really tough.”

He doesn’t have an answer, simply grunting and opening the door once the lock gives way.

“Well...if you need anything, let me know! Maybe I’ll see you in some classes?”

“I doubt it. Most of mine are pretty low ones compared to a lot of seniors.” And surely she’s not at his held-back level. She seems pretty smart, from what he can tell.

There’s a small awkward pause. “Oh...well, maybe a club…? I’ve been in the theater club since I was a freshman. It’s a lot of fun! But there’s a lot of others too, if you’re looking for something to do.”

Ugh, clubs...aren’t classes bad enough? “I’ll think about it.”

She seems to realize he’s getting annoyed. “Well...okay! I’ll, um...I’ll see you later, Obito. Have a good morning!”

He watches her go. Is she really one of those people that’s constantly peppy and good-natured? Isn’t that...exhausting? Well, whatever. He better get to first period. Last thing he needs is to be late on the first day. People are going to have enough reason to give him crap.

Thankfully he doesn’t have any confrontations on the way there, taking a back row seat and folding arms atop his desk to rest his chin. He’s barely been here ten minutes and he’s already sick of it.

...but he told his grandmother he’d try. She’s so eager to see him graduate from a proper school. All Obito can think is that he hopes she lives that long. She’s not exactly a spring chicken anymore. Out of everyone in his life right now...she’s his rock. The one person he never gets angry with, never gets upset by. Sachiko feels like the only reason he’s been keeping it together.

Even his old friends have clearly changed. Rin, while still friendly, seems a bit more...conscious about talking to him. Especially when Kakashi’s around. And Kakashi’s still quick to butt heads with him over practically nothing. Like yesterday with Rin’s invite to the party. It would have pissed him off...if Rin hadn’t rolled over for him so easily.

...he can’t expect them to be the same, but...he’ll admit, he’s not a fan of these changes. He knows things can’t be the same, but...even Rin no longer feels like a friend.

...maybe this whole ‘coming back’ thing was a mistake.

Morning classes pass in a bit of a fog, Obito in no way motivated to pay much attention. He just wants to check off this day from what will surely be a very long list of days until the year ends. The sooner that gets here, the happier he’ll be.

Come lunch, he’s realizing he’s now going to have to confront a few things. One being the crowds, and the noise. Another being trying to find a seat

Cuz he knows no one’s going to want to sit by -

“Obito!”

Jolting a bit with his tray in hand, he spots Ryū waving at him from a table. Nearby, both Kakashi and Rin seem to hesitate.

That narrows his eyes...but he decides to sit anyway. If they’re going to treat him like a stranger, he’ll just do the same. He doesn’t need them. He doesn’t need anyone. They want to distance themselves from him? Fine.

Instead, he sits next to Ryū.

“How were your classes?”

“Boring. But about what I expected.” He pointedly avoids looking at the other pair, working on getting his food arranged on his tray. “You?”

“I already have homework in two classes, but...hopefully it won’t be too bad.” There’s a mild silence, Ryū seeming to notice the awkward air between the three former friends. “...what about you guys? Any hard classes this morning?”

“I had three AP classes but that’s usual,” Kakashi replies, also obviously ignoring Obito. “Schedule’s pretty full, but it’ll be fine. Need them for my college apps.”

Across from him, Obito scowls at the casual bragging.

“Rin?” Ryū gives a bit of a strained smile.

“Nothing too, uh...bad. Pretty typical. One homework assignment so far. Also not sure what club I want to join...I liked gardening club last year but apparently the damage to the greenhouse from that storm over the Summer means it’s cancelled for this semester at least.” Rin’s mouth falls into a disappointed frown. “So I dunno if I should wait, or...join something else in the meantime. Cuz depending on repairs and stuff, it might not happen at all.”

“Aww! That really sucks...you could join theater!”

At that, Rin gives a short laugh. “I...don’t think so. Not really the acting type, and...it’d be weird being there just one semester or one year. You guys are a pretty close-knit group, right?”

“Well, yeah. But we welcome new freshmen every year!”

“Mm...I’ll think about it.”

“What about you, Obito?” Ryū asks, turning to him. “Want to join any clubs?”

“Or you could play a sport!”

“Not sure a sport is a good idea with my condition,” Obito replies, making Rin balk.

“O-oh...right. Sorry…”

“Well, doing some kind of extracurricular activity is good for your educational resume,” Kakashi offers nonchalantly.

“Not sure my educational resume is really going to impress anybody, given the circumstances,” Obito retorts, looking annoyed.

“Doesn’t mean you should just give up.”

“I’ll do whatever the hell I want.”

“Hey, guys, it’s fine,” Ryū cuts in, a placating hand rising. “Everybody does high school differently. APs or not, clubs or not, it’s whatever.”

“Yeah I only got into one AP this year,” Rin confirms with a nod before shooting Kakashi a look.

All the while, Obito tries to keep a hold on his temper. He can tell Kakashi is just trying to get a rise out of him. And while he already has pent up anger concerning the other boy, he doesn’t want to let it win.

So he instead focuses on deep, even breaths while the girls try to diffuse the situation. Now, if only it weren’t so loud in the cafeteria...it’s grating on his nerves.

“I’m gonna go get ready for class,” Kakashi eventually relents, standing and taking his half-empty tray with him.

“Kakashi -!” Looking a bit flabbergasted, Rin tries to call him back to no avail. “...I dunno what’s gotten into him today!”

“Just his typical asshole self,” Obito mutters. “Has to boss everyone else around, has to make himself look good when no one gives a shit.”

“I think he is worried about what you’re going to do after graduation,” Rin replies, looking a little nervous. “I mean...you’ve got an uphill battle ahead of you, given your...um...setbacks.”

Obito’s expression only sours, temper fraying further. “Well he doesn’t have to be such a shithead about it.”

“...it’s just...going to take some adjusting, y’know? Everyone...being back together. We’ve all changed, right?”

That does it. Appetite ruined, Obito stands without a word and dumps the rest of his food, tossing the tray into the wash pit.

Behind him, the girls both jolt in surprise. But only one gets up to follow him.

“Obito!”

He doesn’t stop, shoulders hunched and hands in his pockets as Ryū jogs to catch up.

“Don’t listen to Kakashi, he’s just -?”

“Just a massive prick and a pain in my ass,” Obito growls. He can feel the embers of his temper starting to flicker with flame.

“I’m sorry...you didn’t have to sit with them. I just figured -?”

“It wasn’t your fault. You -” You’ve been nothing but nice to me. “...Kakashi’s picked fights with me since we were kids. And...I’ve picked fights back. We’re just not meant to be around each other that much. Don’t worry about it.”

Managing to come around to his front, Ryū cuts off his path, expression guilty. “...still. I...should have read the room.”

“I didn’t have to sit there. It was my choice.”

“...well...tomorrow we’ll sit somewhere else, okay? That way it won’t happen again.”

Sighing, he stares at her. “...why are you being so nice to me?”

The question seems to take her aback. “W...why wouldn’t I?”

“Cuz no one else seems to want to.”

“Well everyone else are just a bunch of jerks. I know this is awkward...for everybody. And maybe Rin’s right, maybe things have changed, but…” She sighs. “...you still deserve to be treated kindly, and given a chance to meld back into things here. So I’m, at least, going to try to help you do that.”

It’s his turn to exhale, far more curtly than her. “...just pisses me off. Rin invited me yesterday, and then let Kakashi walk all over her. She just...abandoned me when she was the only reason I showed up! Then today she lets him say all that shit, and only stutters out excuses. She’s letting Kakashi blindside her.”

“...maybe she is. But...she might come around! You guys just...have to get reacquainted. And that’s not going to be easy. For now, I guess all you can do is...just try to be patient. See how things go. Maybe they’ll settle down, and...maybe they won’t. Only way to know is to try. In the meantime. I’m not going anywhere.”

For a moment he scoffs. She’s not going anywhere, is she? The person he knows the least out of this group? But...then again, maybe that’s a good thing. Whereas he has soured memories and expectations for Kakashi and Rin, Ryū is...a blank slate. Known only briefly. Vaguely.

And already making a good impression.

So despite his original intention to blow her off, he sighs. “...guess you’re right.”

“...I think for now, you guys should give each other some space. Kinda...ease into it, you know? I mean...five years apart is a long time. Trying to act like all that time didn’t pass will only make this more difficult. Take a little while for yourself. Get settled in overall, then you can worry about anything else.”

He considers that silently.

...that is until a pack of unruly freshmen make their way down the hall.

Loud, obnoxious, and clearly not yet learning any respect, they push through between the pair. Ryū, slighter in frame, stumbles back and slams into the wall, head knocking with a hollow thunk.

Something in Obito clenches.

“Watch it!” the ringleader taunts, pulling a face. That is, until Obito grabs him by the shirt front. “Whoa whoa whoa!”

“Apologize,” the Uchiha growls, ignoring the sudden attention they’re getting.

“Jesus man, you look like you got into a fight with a weed trimmer and lost! What the fuck is wrong with your face?”

Clutching her head, Ryū looks up with a wince before panicking.

“Funny, I was just going to ask you that. Cuz you look like a little prick that just got decked in the nose.”

“Wha-?”

With a crunch, Obito reels back and...does just that. The freshman falls to the floor hard, clutching at his face.

“What the fuck, man? What the fuck?!”

“You hurt my friend. Seems only fair you get a taste of your own medicine. And I’m really tempted to teach you a second lesson…!” His heartbeat is rushing in his ears, his whole body hot with anger. All he can focus on is the blood on this little asshole’s chin...and how much more he’d like to see.

“Obito, stop!” Ryū pulls at his arm, trying to waylay him.

“You’re gonna regret -!”

“Stop!” Desperate, Ryū instead steps right in his path, latching onto him tightly. Face in his chest, she clings arms around to his back.

He freezes.

“...don’t. It’s not worth it. He’s just some little punk. You’ve done enough!”

Blinking, Obito feels the heat receding. His tensed form slowly goes limp.

And all around him are staring eyes, whispering mouths, pointing fingers. But what tops it all off is seeing both Rin and Kakashi. The former stares in horror. The latter glowers.

A shaking seems to overcome him. It’s too much, he - he can’t -?

Urging Ryū aside, he flees.

Not one to give up so easily, she follows even as the warning bell rings.

Ironically, his hiding place is the storage room for theater club props.

“...Obito?” Navigating her way around the odds and ends, she finds him crouched in a corner of set pieces. “...hey…” Carefully, she takes a knee beside him. “You all right…?”

“N...no…”

She sighs before just...sitting beside him. “...this has been a really shitty first day, huh…? I’m sorry. How about we just...stay in here for a bit? Let things...settle down?”

“I’m gonna get in so much trouble…! First day back and I’ve already fucked it up! I just...I wanted…” To Obito’s frustration, his voice starts breaking and tears sting at his eyes despite rubbing at them with the backs of his hands. “...I wanted...to get through this. F-for my...for my grandma. She wants me to…”

At that, Ryū softens, laying a hand gently on his arm. “...it’s gonna be okay. I’ll tell the staff what happened. Because to be fair...I did get hurt…”

At her sheepish smile, he looks over, sniffling. “...you okay?”

“My head kinda hurts, but...I’ll be fine. Freshmen are just...brats. Punching them might not be the best way to get them to shape up, but...it is a way,” she admits with a hint of a giggle.

“...I got angry. I shouldn’t have done that, but...I’m just so…!” His hands lift, to bury into his hair, pulling at it in frustration. “...I get so mad! I dunno why!”

Wilting again, Ryū leans against him softly. “If...I had to guess, it probably has to do with your condition. Did you...have any cranial trauma?”

“...yeah…”

“That can really mess with your emotions, depending on where it happened. People even develop new addictions or behaviors after they get hurt like that. But...you can get therapy for it. Maybe...that’s something you could look into?”

“We can’t afford it,” Obito counters bitterly. “...it’s just me and my grandma. She can’t…”

The thought trails off, and Ryū hums in response. “...well...maybe something will come along. But it sounds to me like this anger isn’t entirely your fault. A lot of it probably comes from the trauma you went through during your...your accident. But I bet you can overcome it…! It’ll just take time, and the right resources.”

Obito, knowing he can’t really access the latter, just stays quiet.

“...how do you feel now…?”

“...tired. Frustrated. But I’m not angry anymore. Not for now,” he adds with a sigh.

“That’s good, though! Think you can go back to class…?”

Another sigh, arms folded atop his bent knees to rest his chin. “...I dunno.”

“Then we’ll just stay here a little longer.”

“But you need to get to class.”

“This is more important.”

Obito’s brow furrows, watching as she stands up. More important?

“I’m really excited for the plays this year...we’re going to do Beauty and the Beast this Winter, and then Grease in the Spring! I hope I get good parts, since it’s going to be my last year…” Ryū looks over props from past productions, a fond smile on her face. “...it’s been a lot of fun. I’m going to miss it…”

“...can you do it in college?”

“Maybe. I dunno if I’ll have time, but...I’d like to. If all goes well, I’d like to go into nursing, like Rin. But theater and choir have made me really happy, too. They’re just...not really stable careers,” she adds sheepishly.

“...but they make you happy.”

“...they do.”

Breaking his gaze from her, Obito looks over the props around him. “...did you guys...build these?”

“Mhm. Well...I didn’t. We have people who work on props, or the lighting, or music. It’s not just actors, after all. But we all have a lot of fun.” She looks to him thoughtfully. “...I’d still say you’d enjoy joining us, if you want. Gives you a creative outlet, and you can make some friends! You don’t have to be an actor if you don’t want to. Maybe...stop in a few times, see if you like it? You can always quit if you don’t.” Ryū smiles at him. “But...maybe an outlet would be good for you. Something to think about and look forward to. Something...new. And fun!”

He mulls that over, looking unsure.

“...well, just think about it. We don’t have our first meeting until Wednesday - last period is cancelled so people can look at the clubs and pick one. Maybe you’ll find another one you can do instead, too!”

Almost immediately, Obito pushes that notion aside. If he’s going to do a club...it would probably be this one...if only because he’d already know someone in it. “...okay.”

For a while, Ryū finds some memorable pieces in the room, showing them off and recounting memories about them. Obito finds himself enthralled, glad for something else to think about.

...but all good things have to come to an end.

A knock sounds on the door, the pair of them looking up as the school secretary comes in. Her arms fold. “There you are. You’re both quite tardy to your next classes. And you’re to come to the office about a fight that happened during lunch period.”

Ryū tenses. “Obito wasn’t -!”

The woman holds up a hand. “A few witnesses said the freshman started things when he pushed you and injured your head, and that it ended when mister Uchiha punched the assailant. Both he and the freshman will be serving detention after school today. Guardians have already been called.”

Behind Ryū, Obito’s face falls. So...Sachiko already knows.

“Obito has a medical condition the school needs to take into account,” Ryū retorts. “Ignoring that will be grounds for discrimination for his disability!”

“You can discuss that with the principal,” the secretary retorts. “To the office. Both of you.”

To Obito’s surprise, Ryū glowers the whole way down, arguing quite haughtily with staff once they arrive. Jiraiya has already shown up, listening quietly to his daughter’s arguments.

“Obito shouldn’t be punished, he needs help! Punishing him won’t address the real problem and leave the possibility it happens again!”

“The school is not responsible for mister Uchiha’s health or disabilities,” the principal retorts, waving a hand. “If he has issues, they’re to be handled on his own time to ensure he attends school properly without resorting to violence.”

“And if he doesn’t have the means?”

“It’s still not the school’s responsibility. Obito’s job while here at school is to attend his classes and pass them, and refrain from poor behavior. If he can’t do that, we’ll have to remove him.”

Ryū bristles, but pauses as Sachiko is ushered into the room. Worry tightens the old woman’s face.

Obito’s head bows in shame.

Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, Ryū looks pleadingly to her father.

Glancing between everyone present, Jiraiya heaves a heavy sigh. “...the way I see it, we have a student on our hands that lacks the resources to be able to attend school as he is. Which means we need to get those resources squared away, so he can use the school his granny’s tax dollars pay for, and that he should have the right to use.”

The principal perks a brow.

“If we get the kid into therapy and his behavior improves, he can stay, right?”

“...correct.”

Arms folding over his barrel chest, Jiraiya simply replies, “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

Ryū’s expression brightens, Obito’s slack in shock.

“Oh, sir...you don’t have to -?” Sachiko lifts her hands, looking hesitant.

“Nonsense. Any friend of my daughter’s is a friend of mine. Friends help each other. We’ll get this little snag taken care of, and then everything’ll be fine.” He gives a cool, pointed look to Obito. “...right?”

“R...right.”

Looking exasperated, the principal waves them away. “Just...make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

The four of them then leave the office, Jiraiya talking to Sachiko as the teens idle uncertainly.

“...is he serious?”

“Mhm,” Ryū replies, smiling. “Dad helps a lot with stuff at the school - admittedly he’s...made a good amount of money. So he tries to give back. The party yesterday? That’s one of his ideas. He’s been doing it since I started school. He takes a lot of pride in the community, and maintaining it. I think yesterday already made him realize you need some help.”

“...I don’t -?”

She cuts off Obito’s retort with a hand on his arm. “It’s not pity. It’s help. A tool you can use to succeed. Besides, I’m sure he’ll find a way for you to make it up if you want. I know he hates mowing the lawn, so...expect him to wrangle you into something.” Her expression softens. “...it’s gonna be fine.”

Still looking conflicted, Obito just sighs. He’s not...used to this. How is he supposed to react…?

“Well, you two better get back to class,” Jiraiya then offers. “Sachiko and I are gonna hash some things out. You’ve still got your detention Obito, but that should be it. Just try and keep a lid on that temper until we get something figured out.”

“...yes sir.”

“Then off you scoot!” He ushers them down the hall.

“Well...guess I’ll see you later,” Ryū offers. “Think you’ll be okay?”

“...I guess.”

“I can wait after if you -?”

“No,” he cuts in firmly. “You...you’ve done enough.”

“...okay. Well, I’ll see you after class, then.” She gives a little wave, branching off down another hallway.

Obito watches her go.

“...thank you.”

     Oof, this is very late OTL Almost finished it last night but I just...had a really bad day and an even worse night so I call it quits. Came back with a fresher mind and got it done. Still not 100% sure about it, but it’s done kjdfgjkdhfg      I always struggle with modern and this one felt really hard to write, idk why. I’m not very good at writing grumpy characters kjfdjdhfg but I tried :’D      Anyway I’ve got irl stuff to do so idk if I’ll get more done tonight or not, but I’ll try. Thanks for reading~

[elejah-wonderland]

Cuz I Love You/4

Fanfiction

Part 4

Elijah Mikaelson x Elena Gilbert

Kol Mikaelson x reader

ft Bamon

a TVD/TO human story

tags

@rissyrapp20 @dendrite-lover @captainshurley @cassienoble2000 @goddessofthunder112 @elejahforever

______

At the hotel, Elena got into her office. She called the kitchen, ordering breakfast. Then started the computer, and it was like it was any other day. And she read her e-mails, replied to some. Breakfast was brought to her, but as soon as she had a bit  of the pancake, she felt sick and quickly ran to the bathroom, throwing it all up.

A few minutes later, Bonnie, who now came up to the offices, looking for Elena, found her in the bathroom sitting on the toilet seat, sobbing.

"Hey, sweety. Oh, what's the matter?"- Bonnie now crouched down to her friend.

"Everything is a mess. It always is."- Elena said taking the roll of paper, ripping it and brushed her wet face.

"That thing with Elijah?"- Bonnie said.

"Yes."- Elena admitted.

"Ok. It's clearly that you really really like him and it's so obvious he likes you. And it seems like he was not phased about the baby, and it's not good you being miserable."

"I know. But it's - you know what it is. What if I get into it and he decides in the middle of everything that he can't do it. This time, it's not just me. It's the baby, too. And it's someone elses baby."

"Didn't he say that he loved kids? He so wanted one with his ex, but it didn't work out. And- then later, in the future you can have another one with him."- Bonnie said.

"This sounds so fairy-tale like. Remember, I've been there with Enzo and it - I believed in the fairy tale wedding and he just walked away. Puff. All gone."- Elena said.

"I know. It was hard."

"And then I messed up things with you and Damon."

"Didn't we say that we are not bringing the past out ever again?"- Bonnie said adding-"New Orleans is a fresh start. Give yourself a break. Give Elijah a break. He is a good guy. He was left, too."

"Yeah- huh- I saw his pain that night and that is why I kissed him. But- I just - I am so scared to be so disappointed - again."

"I get it, Elena. But give it a chance. What if it really turns to be great and by sabotaging it you will miss a great thing?"- Bonnie said.

"Yeah, huh, I am so stupid. Ok. I am going to call him."- Elena said.

"Good."- Bonnie said-"Come on. No more crying."

As they got out of the bathroom, they bumped into Y?n, who was looking for them.

"Everything all right?"- the woman asked seeing Elena’s eyes all puffed up.

"She is fine."- Bonnie said-"it's just an Elijah crisis, but it is diverted now"

"What do you mean?"

Elena explained her decision to give Elijah and her a go.

"Finally!"- Y/N exclaimed-" I don't know why you have - been so-"

Bonnie shot a look at her friend not to say what she meant to say.

"I am stupid. I know"- Elena said as they walked back to her office.

"I didn't say that."- Y/N said slightly in a defensive manner.

"You are right." - Elena said-"I have to stop - thinking it will end up bad."

"He really is a good guy!"- Y/N stressed out -"Kol told me that he really is a one to commit to a relationship. He is not on a rebound. He really is into you. You should have seen his eyes when I told him-"-

Y/N now stopped there like someone cut her tongue out.

"Told him what?"- Elena looked at her friend like she was going to explode any second.

"Told him - ok- I just wanted to explain you - and why you have pushed him away."- Y/N knew she got herself into a muddle-"you should have seen him Elena- he was gutted, as Kol would say."

"You told him about Enzo?"- Elena said.

"Just - something."- Y/N admitted-"Elena, you should have seen him. I really felt bad for him. He is a good guy."

Elena sighed and then said-"Ok. It's - ok."

"You're not mad? I know it's this private thing and- "

"It's ok. I am not mad. Right.  I am going to call him."- Elena said taking her phone.

Unfortunately, it went straight to the voicemail. Elena left a message nevertheless.

"Hi. It's Elena. Can we maybe meet and talk? Ok. Bye"

"Voicemail, ha?"- Bonnie said.

"Yeah"- Elena replied.

"He might be working."- Caroline said.

"I guess."- Elena said feeling like her stomach was going to turn from all the excitement, sighing now-"or maybe he doesn't want to pick up the phone."

"There she goes again!"- Y/N said frustrated-"don't think the worst. Right. I got to go. I have things to sort out here and then I am going for lunch with Kol and his sister. But when he calls you back- call me or send me a message."

Elena nodded as a yes.

"I also need to do some stuff."- Bonnie said-"see you later. Call me too."

"I will"- Elena now smiled a little and reassured her friends once again that she will do it. 

Y/N and Bonnie scampered off and Elena sat in her chair and now looked at the phone. In a way, she was glad that it went to voicemail. If he answered she didn't know how she would react. 

"Work!"- she now muttered to herself, to sway her thoughts away from him and her current state of strange kind of anxiety.

And in the Mikaelson Mansion, Elijah was sleeping like a log. He had to go to work in the evening, and he had to catch up on as much sleep as possible to function in a double shift that was waiting for him, so he had his phone on silent mode. 

  💕  

Outside the hotel, Bonnie now bumped into Damon, who had a day off from shooting his new series. Bonnie just greeted him cooly and walked by, but Damon turned around and said-

"Hello to you, too."

Bonnie knew that tone of voice, meaning are you really that bitchy. She turned around and said-

"I've got a lot on. I didn't mean to be - rude."

"It's fine. I didn't mean to be so touchy." - Damon said.

"Yeah. So, I hear your series is being picked up for a full season."- Bonnie said.

"Yes. Ratings are good. We are sticking around. I didn't know that you are following it?"

"I am not.  I just - well. The staff is. I am kind of wondering if you will be staying in the hotel?"- Bonnie replied.

"Ah, this is about business."- Damon said with a whiff of disappointment in his voice.

"Yeah, why would it be about anything else?"

"Nothing."- Damon said, his blue eyes streaming some hurt adding-"I think that I will rent something out. Or the production will since I am their main character lead. But, the executive producer really loves your hotel, so I guess he will stay on."

"Right."- Bonnie said-"well, I am happy for you- your success. You know"

"That is one thing about you- you genuinely care."- Damon now said keeping his eyes fixed on hers. 

"I mean what I say. I have always done."

"Yes, you have."- Damon nodded a little. 

Bonnie now swayed her look a bit, as suddenly his piercing ocean blue eyes seemed to feel like they were compelling her to do something she thought her heart would never want to do. She now made a mental gulp and said-

"I got to go. There's loads I have to do. See you - around."

"Yes, See you around."- Damon said. 

Bonnie turned around and walked away. As she walked down the street, she still felt Damon's eyes set on her. 

  💕  

The day passed, and the evening came, and both Y/N and Bonnie were impatiently waiting for Elena to tell him about Elijah's return call. And as the sat down in the evening for a drink, Elena's phone rang and she gulped saying to her friends- it's him, as she saw it on the display.

Elena took a little bit of a breath, and answered it with a faint-"Hi-"

"Hi."- Elijah replied on the other side of the line- "I just went through my voicemail. I - was asleep, cuz I got this double shift and- ahm- I need to be there in half an hour, so - I have no time to meet you now. Can we meet tomorrow when I finish? But it will not be before six or seven in the evening, as I have a meeting with the Chief."

"Yes, sure. That's ok."- Elena said nodding as if he could see her. 

"Ok. So, I will see you- in Rousseau's or-?"- Elijah suggested.

"Rousseau's is fine."- Elena said-"I will see you there then?"

"Yes. See you there then."- Elijah said.

"Ok. Right."- Elena said clumsily-"later, yeah-"

"Yeah. See you."- Elijah said.

And with that, both clumsily hang up. And if you could split the screen now- you would see Elena with her friends smiling as she was retelling them about him being asleep, and that was why she waited so long for him to call back. And Elijah on the other side also smiling saying a big YES! Same as when he heard her message as he played the voicemail.

Now he went to work, feeling the happiest he had ever been. 

*

That evening

Just as Elena entered Rousseau's, Camille approached Elijah as she came from the bathroom, who was at the bar with Kol waiting for Elena. His brother's phone rang and Kol went away, leaving Elijah with the blonde doctor, who smiled charmingly at the paramedic, looking at him sultry, saying-

"That night was amazing. And - if you are not doing anything we can slip out of here- what do you say?"

Elena was no fool. She put two and two together in seconds, and as Elijah turned to  greet her, she slapped him  hard on the face. 

“Elena”- he gulped and looked at the brunette’s angered eyes. As she was about to leave, he took hold of her hands and now said openly that he had had spent   night with Camille, that there was nothing that excused his behaviour, trying hard to convince her that he was not that guy-

"I know that it looks - like I am the same scoundrel like - those who have hurt you before- but- I am not. Really I am not"

Elena was quiet and now stepped back from him, pulling her hands out of his.

"But, you don't believe it. There is nothing that will convince you that I am not- that I - messed up- and I really didn't want to -"- Elijah said.

Elena shook her head and then said-

"Are you done?"

"Yes. I am really, really very sorry."

"Me too."- Elena said and now turned around walking away from him. 

Elijah stood in the street looking at her walk away. There, the woman, that his heart so wanted to envelop with his love, walked hurriedly away. He felt that some kind of curse was set on him. Or was he is just plainly unlucky in love. Whatever it was, it seemed the stars and the universe was against him. Resigned, he now hailed a taxi and went back to the house.

****

A month later

"Hey"- Rebekah said to Kol as answered his phone, walking out of a shop -"I got Elijah's present."

"I am at jeweller’s."- Kol replied.

"What are you doing at the jeweller’s? You are not getting him a watch? He has like five and always wears the one dad gave him."

"I got Elijah's present. No. This is for Y/N."- Kol said.

"Where exactly are you?"- Rebekah asked.

"LaRue's."- Kol replied.

"All right. I'll be there in a minute."- Rebekah said hanging up.

🌻 But how did the month really pass?

Y/N and Kol were falling deeper and deeper in love by day. Y/N was practically now living at Kol’s. 

Bamon - well, after the kiss and Damon's declaration that Bonnie is still his one and only, and her walking out on him. Nothing. Bonnie felt terribly guilty about the kiss, and all the emotions that rose up, as a consequence. She tried hard to eliminate them, but were not letting her be. Kai picked up on her being pretty distant at times. And so he confronted her. Bonnie then told him what had happened. Resulting in Kai suggesting they go on a break, till she figures out her feelings.

And Elejah - just like Rebekah said- the friend thing was not going to work. Elijah was into deep. Elena as well, put her feeling hurt over his one night stand with Camille, who turned out to be her OB/Gyn made things even worse. 

A little flashback

One evening, in Kol’s house

Elijah sat down on the porch after he got home from work. Rebekah joined him bringing a couple of beers out, handing him one.

"Hey you. How was work?"- the blonde asked.

"All right. No big stuff today."- Elijah replied taking a swag of the drink.

"So, work is good? Happy that you finally do what you are best at."

"Yeah. The team is great. How is the renovation of the house going?"

"So far so good."- Rebekah replied-"so glad we decided to move back here. Three more weeks and we are out of here. Finally, Kol and Y/N will have some privacy. I think he will ask Y/N to marry him.”

“What? Is she pregnant?”- Elijah now looked at his sister wide-eyed.

“No. But - there are signs.”- Rebekah replied.

“Signs? What signs?”

“Ah, nevermind.”

"Good luck to him."- Elijah said kind of absent-minded and his sister knew that mentioning Y/N, and her being there day in and day out, brings Elena to the fold.

"You're thinking about Elena."

"It's so obvious, ha?"- Elijah sighed.

"You were not like this when you fell for Hayley. And I thought she is the one."I don't get it. You like - only kissed twice. Never really dated or anything. How can you be so hung up on someone, who obviously doesn't care about you."- Rebekah said.

"Rebekah, please."- Elijah said getting up.

"Sorry, didn't mean to upset you. But I just hate to see you like this - "

"I will get her out of my system, I just need time."- Elijah said.

Elejah saw each other once or twice, in the Rousseau's when they all had drinks (Elena of, course always sticking to OJ) with their mutual friends. But, she they kept to themselves.

Elena spent nearly all her time working and looking for a new house.

¤¤¤ Going back to Rebekah and Kol in the jewellery shop.

"Do you think she would like this ring?"- Kol said.

"You are going to propose? I knew it!"- Rebekah said still sort of in shock.

"Yes."- Kol said-"she is great and I want to marry her."

"I can't believe it. You want to marry someone?"- Rebekah said.

"Yes. I do."- Kol said-"why is that so strange?"

"It's not and then again it is. Elijah and I have always been the mushy ones and then there is you who have dated endlessly and I don't thunk you really had one serious relationship- well, apart from Y/N. And now you will be the first to marry. The world is the craziest place sometimes."

"Help me choose."- Kol said-"this one"- he held up a diamond ring that was very plain-"or that one"- now he took out the more intricate one diamond ring.

"Oh, that one is so Y/N"- Rebekah said going all mushy -"wouldn't mind getting one like that."

"Well, I think I need to subtly suggest Alexander to pop the question."- Kol smirked a little teasingly.

🌻

Elsewhere

Elena, Caroline and Bonnie finished their lunch in the office.

As Elena got up, Bonnie asked if she wanted her to accompany since the brunnette had an appointment with her realtor.

"No, it's ok. I have only two houses to see.  I don't think I can afford them, but the Agent insists I see them. Tomorrow I got the baby scan. I will find out if it's a boy or a girl. Would you both like to come?"

"Yes"- Y/N said happily. Bonnie sounded a big of course off. 

🌻

Hours later

Elena walked around a house that looked pretty good and she loved it.

"This could be great for a nursery"- the woman said.as they walked in the room overlooking a gatden.

"Yeah"- Elena said, suddenly feeling somewhat breathless. And the moment after, she felt faint and as she wanted to lean on the side of the window, she slumped down on the floor. 

The Agent was panicking as Elena fainted and appeared to be bleeding.

Immediately she got her phone out and called 911. Not long after, two paramedics one of them being Elijah, rushed in.

Seeing it was Elena, Elijah felt his breath stop in the throat, but he was very professional and together with his fellow paramedic Aiden, assesed the situation and got  Elena on the stretcher, with Elijah that she would be taken to hospital. He also added that  he knew Elena and that he would notify her friends.

In the ambulance, Elena regained consciousness. Seeing Elijah, and realizing she was in the ambulance, she looked at him distressed.

"Hey"- Elijah said in a very sweet calm voice explaining a bit what had happened to her, calming her down.

"The baby? Is it all right?"

"Soon, we will be in the hospital. They the team is the best in all NOLA."- Elijah said in a sweet voice. 

Elena gripped the paramedic’s hand saying-

"I am so scared, Elijah."

Elijah caressed her hand gently calming her down.

"I lost a baby before. I don't want to lose this one."

"Elena, don't think bad thoughts."- Elijah said.

They arrived at the hospital and they now got Elena out of the ambulance, Aiden giving the ER doctor the loadown.

"Please stay with me."- Elena said as the doctors took over now and he had to let go off her hand.

"Our shift is done"- Aiden said to Elijah-"go be with her." It was so obvious to his new friend and colleague that there was something more between hum and Elena.

Elijah nodded a thanks at Aiden and went to the ER, calling her friends, before he got in there.                        

Franscesca Guerrera, who was a consultant OB now came down to the ER as the resident requested her opinion.

Elijah was with Elena now and as she now examined Elena, seeing them both worried, said-

"Your baby is going to be fine."

"Ahm- this not - he is not the father."- Elena said.

"Yeah- I am not the father. We are - friends. Very good friends"- Elijah said.

"Right."- Francesca said-"Anyway, do you want to know the sex of the baby maybe?"

"Yes."- Elena said.

"It's a boy. And he is very well. But you will have to take it slow and rest more. We will have to manage your blood pressure. And this very good friend of yours should look after you a bit better."- the OB said smiling at the both of them seeing them holding each other's hand like they were a couple.

"So, the baby -he is really ok?"- Elena asked once again.

"Yes."- Francesca confirmed it -"but we will keep you here for a day or so. Just to be sure that your blood pressure is stabile."

"Thank you."- Elena said tearing up now looking at the doctor and then Elijah.

"You don't have to thank me."- Elijah said, adding-"I am so happy that the baby is ok."

"A boy"- Elena now smiled.

"Yeah. And he looks great."- Elijah said. He now wished it was his.

Y/N and Bonnie now came storming in and Elijah left Elena with her friends.

*****

Meanwhile

Camille’s private practice

Gia Fernandez, the lab nurse, knocked at the door of Camille's office entering-

"Hey, can we talk?"

"Yes."- Camille said.

Gia now nervously put some lab paperwork in front of the doctor.

"What is it?"- Camille said taking the paper.

"Look at the sample number - I really don't know how this mixed up could have happened."- Gia said.

"OMG."- Camille exclaimed as she read the lab sperm sample number-" 159596 - that is -" she looked at Gia.

"Yes. That is the sample number of Elijah Mikaelson."- Gia confirmed, adding-"and we were supposed to have inseminated Ms Gilbert with the sample number 159569."

"The one of Lucien Castel."- Camille said looking angrily at the nurse-" if this comes out- both of them can sue us. This could damage the Clinic. Elijah Mikaelson wanted his destroyed and now"

"I know"- Gia said-"I needed to tell you."

"Keep this to yourself"- Camille said-"I will deal with this."

"All right."- Gia said and walked out of the office. 

_____

[roll-for-stupidity]

5E (Take 2) Recap #3: Grungeons and Dragons (Day 2 of 2)

Alright so if it wasn’t apparent by the “Day 2 of 2″ above, the party got done with this conflict pretty quick in game time (but fuck if it ever took forever in real time. I think even I, the person who came up with this shit, was sick of these little froggies by the end of it. But let’s break down what happened.

I think I’ll start with the green group (even though when we played we started with blue, and we actually held different sessions with only the players in the group present, which now that I think about it was better than the two alternatives which were either one group doesn’t play and just sits there or I bounce back and forth and go insane. So yeah, different sessions).

Oa, Thespin, and Debbie all followed Ea to a hunting party and introduces them to Snuck, the de-facto organizer for dividing up hunting groups and explains that this is their first day out. He divides up the other groups, then takes the four greens (get it? cuz they’re newbies? green? I love hate myself)

Side note: you might be thinking, 

“In a closed society of grungs surely they all know each other and an outsider would be really fucking weird and unusual. Also how do they continue to find stuff to hunt in this forest? Wouldn’t there be a case of overhunting? This world and society are not sustainable. Obviously not much thought or effort was put into the creation of this world. In this essay I will...” 

In response to that: I honestly didn’t think of it, so fuck you for asking. DMing shit is hard. I forget stuff. Remember that time I forgot to mention a very crucial detail that would tip @baumguy off to the fact that a door might be trapped? It happens.

Back to the action

Snuck shows them the territory they hunt in, bringing them all the way out to the edge of the treeline on the northern part of the forest. Stretching out in front of them, and in an arc to the east and west circling back towards the mountain is that giant gorge Oa spotted from the cave at the top of the mountain.

Up close, this gorge is massive, even for the party at their normal sizes concealed by Bahamut’s magic. It’s easily 100 feet across and so deep that the bottom is indiscernible, the shadow of the far wall casting its full blackness before the bottom is visible.

The only interesting feature this gorge contains is veins of a red, clay-like material woven into the grey stone composing the walls of these cliffs. The only thing Snuck can tell them about it is that it’s in the wall all the way around the gorge.

The party then engage in some hunting themselves, and whether it was due to their larger size, good rolls, luck, or a combination of the three, both Thespin and Debbie brought down a large buck each, easily meeting the green grungs’ quota for the day.

Back at the green camp, the grungs all celebrate the good haul, some going to bed early for probably the first time in awhile, others enjoying some of the meat from the previous day’s job Tak’erak and the other guards didn’t bring back with them. Around a campfire as the sun began to set, Thespin plays a tune as bards tend to do, and Debbie and Thespin settle in for the first (relatively) calm evening both of them have had since this whole thing began.

Oa had other ideas. Using his aasimar ability to grow wings for a short span once a day, he decides to make me as the DM improvise shit as he flies across the gorge. 

Which is great, it’s honestly fantastic when my players do that, because I think it helps me to get better as a DM (and it definitely helped prepare me for something coming up soon). And it plays into why I love D&D so much. Sure for a lot of people, it’s just a game, something to do that’s a little more involved than a board game or even some video games. But as a writer and a storyteller, the allure of D&D to me is to be able to tell a story collaboratively, and I think the collaboration aspect only makes the story better because it gives my players a sense of agency that it’s really, really easy as a DM to take away out of a desire to control the story, and I try my hardest to refrain from doing that.

Sorry, tangent, I know. But it’s an important tangent for me. But moving on

In my design of this world, I did not have anything important across the gorge, and I think in hindsight, the only thing I was thinking there was, I didn’t want my players to think that they had to search an entire world to find what they were looking for, just search the area I presented them with.

But, having to think on my toes, I think I came up with a way to give my player a clue without feeling like I was trying not to reward a good solid play. On the other side of this gorge, Oa found a bit of that red clay, kind of balling it up in his fingers a bit. After feeling the consistency, he dropped a ball of it, deciding to move on until he heard a sort of sizzling behind him, followed by a loud “POP,” and where the ball of clay fell, a small crater lay smoking in the ground.

With this strange discovery, Oa pressed on, until he reached where the gorge intersected the mountain. The gorge didn’t pass through, but rather just ended, with a sheer cliffside preventing any discernable way to climb up to the more snowy region down which the party sled after their entrance to this world.

He did however see a small square hole that he couldn’t quite see into, but he could see a faint, flickering light inside. And then another hole, twenty feet away, and then another hole twenty feet away from that hole. 

These holes continued a good way down the side of this cliff face at regular intervals until for about sixty feet there were no holes. Then the holes began again, and just as Oa was about to turn back, he realized he could hear voices. Very faint ones, but voices nonetheless. And the voices were quite familiar, because they were the voices of Sunflower and Ramen. But we’ll get to that in a sec.

Our other grung friends, the blues, which

Another side note: the SECOND I divided them into two groups, they each started talking shit about the other group SO hard. Which like, was perfect because that’s literally what both groups do anyway when they’re not trying to meet their quota so their groups don’t fall apart

Anywho, Ramen, Riker, and Sunflower made their way with the blue grungs to the mining camp, where they talked to the grung in “charge,” Ragga-Bom

Another side note, I say like “leader” and “in charge,” but really there is no top dawg on either side. Every grung is just as likely to be picked for each day’s Weigh-In, except for the elders. Any grung who lives to a certain age (I can’t remember the actual number, but just think senior citizen but in grung years), is exempt from being chosen. The only other way to gain immunity is to either win the Rite of Ascendency (something I’ll get to), or be directly related to someone who did.

Ragga-Bom doesn’t question the blue grungs he’s never seen before rolling up because I’m a dummy, but he gives them a tour of the mine, which consists of a long straight tunnel into the mountain, with side tunnels to either side every 20 feet or so. 

The three follow past some of the tunnels deeper where it seems the majority of the grungs are working, then they come to a tunnel that has been closed off with rubble making any attempt at passage almost impossible. Ragga-Bom explains that there was a mining accident that caused the tunnel to collapse after an explosion, and they decided to refrain from digging in that area. 

Past the closed tunnel a little ways, the mining tunnels start back up again. Riker pops inside this one to investigate while the other two make their way towards the current back of the main shaft. Inside, he sees torches casting flickering light on the walls, and he can see veins of red clay snaking across the wall, something that was not in the mine tunnels close to the entrance.

Before he gets the chance to investigate further, an explosion from a few tunnels back from the closed shaft shakes the mine, and running back with his party members and Ragga-Bom, he and the others can see two blue grungs limping out of the tunnel.

Ragga-Bom orders an evacuation until they can get a handle on the situation, and when everyone is outside, Ragga-Bom asks one of the injured miners where the third member of their three-man party is (grungs always mine and hunt in threes), and the two just shake their heads.

With that harrowing note, the party are horrified to see the uninjured grungs make their way back into the mine because, despite the tragedy that just occurred, they know things will be much worse if they cannot make up for the lost time and resources caused by this accident before tomorrow.

Sunflower and the others decide to make their way back into town, and when they do, they see a curious sight. A blue grung, but hunched over with his fingers drumming against his lower lip beckons the party to follow him.

They do so, cautiously, and he takes them to a tent, ratty and probably insufficient cover for any rain or any other sort of force of nature. But he darts inside and rustles around until he finds what he’s looking for: three round balls, probably the size of golf balls, of that red clay.

He tells the party with a crazed raspy voice that his name is Taka, and these things he is holding are called Taka Bombs (a very clever and original grung, this Taka), and when the party asks him what they are, he giggles excitedly and jumps up and down then throws one at a tree not far from where the party stands.

At first, it doesn’t seem to do much, sticking to the bark, but other than that appears to be a ball of clay sticking to a tree. But then the clay starts to fizzle, spreading out until the clay itself is almost paper thin wrapped around the trunk, and then the clay explodes, knocking down the entire tree in the process.

The party, absolutely gobsmacked (gobstopped? idk, their gobs were doing something that means they were blown away (heh, get it? no, I won’t stop, you can’t make me)) immediately want to purchase a million of them, but Taka explains he only has the two now, and demands a million gold for each. Ramen explains to the crazy little fella that he has a “special gold” worth all that and more, and he’ll give it to him for the balls of clay

The small blue grung mulls it over, stroking his chin and muttering to himself before finally grabbing the “special” gold excitedly, and stowing it in his tent, the party carefully storing the bombs in their pack.

Sunflower takes Taka aside and asks him about the Weigh-In ceremony, and his eyes kinda light up a bit, before looking downcast suddenly, muttering to himself again, mentioning how “you can go up, yes, up. but you can also go down, down, down....” and kind of trails off, looking dejected.

Sunflower then cautiously asks, “Did you come down, Taka? From the trees?”

Taka spasms and yells out “I was red in the trees but now I am blue on the ground” and howls, sounding absolutely heartbroken.

The party seem genuinely concerned for this little frog, but he runs inside his tent and closes the flap, and they can hear him muttering softly. They decided to head back, the sun quickly setting behind the trees.

Before they go to sleep, Sunflower tries to speak with one of the grungs just beginning their shift about Taka. He tells Sunflower that he personally didn’t know him that well “before the accident,” but they could talk with “the twins” when they got off at midnight. And with that, the grung walked into the mine, and Sunflower and the others went to sleep.

At midnight, Sunflower catches the twins, who introduce themselves as Ching-a-Ting, and K’Boom (don’t roll your eyes at the names, the MM literally says that grung names are onomatopoeia for various things, so bite me lol). She asks them about Taka, and they kinda sigh, telling Sunflower that Taka had been brought down from the castle, transforming him from a red grung to a blue, and the process had driven him a little insane.

But even that did not result in the way he was today. After weeks of trying to adjust to life as a blue grung, he finally decided to start mining. But he refused to work with anyone else, and no one really wanted to work with him anyway. They explained that they had kind of taken him under their wing and genuinely grew to like the guy.

But then he had a major accident when the shaft he was mining exploded. He pulled himself out of the rubble, but from that day he was completely batty.

Taking all that in, Sunflower asked about the bombs Taka had “sold” them, and when they saw the clay ball and confirmed that she knew just what that did, they tell her that she needs to speak with Ragga-Bom immediately.

Sunflower wakes Ramen, but is unable to rouse Riker, and so the two party members followed Ching-a-Ting and K’Boom to Ragga-Bom at the mouth of the cave, who looks absolutely exhausted. But when the twins explain what Sunflower has, he instantly is wide awake.

He explains that he’s been trying to keep his miners away from the stuff by having them dig in the tunnels closer to the entrance as that area seems to be more free of the stuff, saying that the explosion today should be all the explanation he needs for that. But he also motions for the four blue grungs to follow him into the mine.

They pass the main area, pass the closed off tunnel where they now know Taka had his accident, deeper a ways until they reach one of the deeper tunnels. This one is lit with only a few torches and inside is a single mine cart. But the walls of this shaft are filled with the red clay, which the twins explain that they have called tak after the grung who essentially discovered how it works.

Inside the mine cart are small balls of the clay that the grungs have seemingly taken great caution to gather. Ragga-Bom explains that when tak takes nearly any physical force, either colliding with something or being hit with something, it reacts by spreading to nearly flat, then causing an explosion. The larger the surface area after it spreads, the larger the explosion.

Ragga-Bom gestures to the mine cart and chuckles, saying that if anything will destroy the Weigh-In and the grungs who oversee it, it’ll be this. The party are horrified for a second, but slowly come to realize that this might be the only way to get to Nangnang, and the two present slowly begin to work with the twins, who despite having just finished their shift, seem eager to fill this cart and gain a second wind.

And it is these voices that Oa hears as he is making is late night stroll past what you all now know are air vents for these mine tunnels (if you didn’t figure that out, don’t worry, my party didn’t either).

Oa takes a good bit of the tak and throws it against the outer wall of the tunnel and the explosion blows the tunnel right open. Ching-a-Ting and K’Boom are speechless, and Ragga-Bom instantly steps in front of them and the mine cart as he witnesses an absolutely confusing sight: a green grung entering from outside of the cave, where the grungs cannot go due to how cold the mountain is where the tunnels end. 

(See, sometimes you just gotta accept that there are rules about a world that make no sense. Like gravity! Ask any scientist how gravity works instead of what it does and they’ll throw their hands up in the air. Why don’t grungs mine through? Maybe it’s cuz there’s no ore out there! Maybe it’s cuz it’s too cold! Maybe they don’t want to! Mystery hour)

Oa basically pulls the, “it doesn’t matter how I can do what I can do, I can do it. Next question” and I honestly don’t know if they stayed and helped mine out more tak or if they went somewhere else, but they were doing something until dawn which is where we catch up with our other two favorite half-elves.

Thespin and Debbie wake up and decide to take their remaining time until the Weigh-In to talk to some of the other green grungs in the camp, specifically a very elderly couple whose names were Hooel and Cricka. They ask about the Rite of Ascendancy, and the couple explain it only happened once in their lifetime. An aunt of theirs, Thwippip, went out and killed a bear and brought it back, and the purple grung was so impressed, he invited the green grung up with them back to the castle.

Cricka explains that they never saw Thwippip again, but that she and her family were granted immunity from the Weigh-Ins, allowing her to grow as old as she has, her husband Hooel surviving on pure luck.

Debbie instantly decides that they have to go get a bear, and she and Thespin remember exactly where they found bears: on the mountain. Debbie’s enthusiasm was matched in equal measure by Thespin’s incredulity, but when Debbie met the rest of the party coming back from the tunnels, all six of the party got on board

I’ll save you the literal HOURS of combat this fight took (literally I think it spanned two sessions), but the party got some bears, the Weigh-In started, they dragged out the bears, and Tak’erak looked amused, but invites all six of them up to the dais where the ceremony took place. Before they could leave, the twins and Ragga-Bom shout to hold the show and bring up their offering, a mine cart seemingly full of gold from a “vein they just hit last night”

Tak’erak, perhaps in an attempt to avoid any confrontation, allows them to bring the minecart up, and leaving the bears and the minecart on the dais, knowing no grung would dare touch them, the six party members, three blue gruns, Tak’erak and three orange grung guards ascended the tree on the spiders that bring them up and down (yeah I think I forgot to mention these. If I had maybe the party’s not immediately attacking the grungs at the Weigh-In day one would have made more sense)

And from THIS point on, I fucking pulled everything out of my ass because I honestly genuinely did not think we would make it this far in the session we did so I had not planned it yet because I was busy as hell and just assumed it would take fucking forever to do the shit leading up to this. Like I said, DMing is hard

BUT, like I also said before, improv only gets better the more you do it, and I am pretty proud of how the entire rest of this arc went down.

Tak’erak brings them into a hanger of sorts where the spiders going up and down are kept, and explains to them that before they can see Nangnang, they need to go through the transformation ceremony, as Nangnang refuses to see the lower castes.

He then takes them into a large chamber with a long desk with three chairs facing the entrance, behind which are five large tubes of liquid. The first and second tubes have quite a bit, blue and green respectively. The next two have less, being red and orange. The final tube has very little liquid, but the liquid is purple.

The party soon realizes that the liquid drained from the grungs at the Weigh-Ins is what is in these tubes, but they don’t have time to process this thought as Tak’erak clears his throat and announces, “Welcome to the transformation chamber. I, as you probably know, am Tak’erak, and my fellow grungs here, Captain Brack,” gesturing to the orange grung to his right, “and Master Soong,” gesturing to the red grung on his left, “are here to realize your true potential. Obviously you all are very qualified to bring in the work that you have. Soong and Brack will explain to you their castes so that you can make an informed decision.”

Soong explains that the red caste is in charge of the arcane, dealing with various magicks and the like. Brack tells the group that the orange grungs not only protect the Weigh-Ins, but are the militia should any of the lower groups revolt.

Tak’erak gestures to the assembled grungs and says, “There you have it, you may choose, otherwise a caste will be chosen for you.”

The three blue grungs instantly request orange, while Thespin, Oa, Sunflower, and Riker each pick various colors (tbh I don’t remember who chose what because it isn’t important after what happens next).

Ramen and Debbie haven’t chosen, and when Tak’erak sees this, asks, “Are the two of you wanting us to choose for you? We can conduct a short assessment to see which would be the best fit.”

Both Ramen and Debbie find this agreeable. Ramen goes first.

Brack approaches Ramen and asks: “Would you rather lose a battle but have no casualties, or win and have your forces be nearly destroyed?” Ramen answered the second.

Soong approaches Ramen and asks: “Which appeals to you more, knowledge or power?” Ramen answers power

Tak’erak approaches Ramen and asks simply: “What does it mean to rule?” (And now I don’t remember this word for word but I think his answer was along the lines of:) To be the strongest of all those around you

The three take a seat and inform Ramen that they believe the orange class would be the best fit for him, and he undergoes the ceremony

Finally, they come to Debbie and ask the same questions.

To the first she answers that she would rather lose and have no casualties, to the second she answers that power appeals to her more. And to the last question, she answers (again, paraphrasing to the best of my ability): to have unquestionable authority

Now as another aside, I would like to remind everyone that this ENTIRE interaction was improvised. Transformation room, grung leadership, the damn questions, all of it. So like if you take ANY issue at all with this making sense or being cohesive or whatever I don’t wanna hear it lol. Flying by the seat of your pants is terrifying and once you say something those vocal chords don’t unvibrate.

The council take a seat again, and Tak’erak clears his throat and says, “This is something that has not happened since I took over my predecessor’s position many years ago taking this very assessment, but I believe it is time for me to pass the torch. We are giving you my current position as Nangnang’s voice by proxy, the highest position that can be afforded a grung of our standing. No one else can bear this title,” he says the last part looking right at Debbie, his purple eyes unblinking as he finishes this sentence

Every grung in the room save Soong and Brack are stunned. The party is horrified at the prospect of having to spend any more time in this wretched plane of existence. The three (formerly) blue grungs are furious that this grung they have never met has just taken something they didn’t even know was a choice and that their one opportunity to bring this whole caste system crashing to the ground seems to be quickly fading

Tak’erak does not take in any of this however, as he requests all of the assembled grungs to give him a moment with Debbie (who had a different grung name, I just can’t remember it). Once the doors close behind the grungs though, (and Debbie’s player and I walked where the rest of the party couldn’t hear) Tak’erak turns to face Debbie and says simply, “You can drop the disguise Princess Debdelaena”

I’m pretty sure Debbie’s player squeaked. But Tak’erak continued, “No? I can always drop them for us.” And when Tak’erak waves his hand, Debbie’s grung form disappears, along with Tak’erak’s. And standing in the room before a very half-elf Debbie is Frulam Mondath.

Now you may be asking yourself, who the hell is that? It’s been like a million years since we’ve even read that name it’s taken so goddamn long for you to tell this stupid frog story. Well, my rude obnoxious reader with a terrible memory, Frulam Mondath is the lady Sunflower witnessed disappearing through a portal in the temple devoted to Tiamat’s black dragon head

Frulam blows right past Debbie’s gobstamped (at this point I don’t even wanna know what the real word is) expression, and tells her that Nangnang isn’t here. She was looking for her as well, but for the months that she has spent ingraining herself in this society of frogs, Nangnang has not once been here.

She also tells Debbie that despite the fact that she knows Bahamut is trying to stop her, she doesn’t see Debbie or the others as enemies. She tells her that as long as she and the party stay out of her way, she doesn’t need to have anything to do with them. She even offers Debbie this world to rule now that her chance at royalty in Thultanthar is impossible. Her offer to be a purple grung and rule Niik still stands.

After all of this, Frulam waves her hand again and their two grung forms return, this time both of them purple. When the doors open again, Debbie fervently gestures the party over and explains what she was just told. While this is happening however, Tak’erak, quietly slips away.

When the party realizes what has happened, the dash through the castle to the hanger where they see two spiders missing, one of which was just starting to descend with the orange grungs on it.

The party rush into the hanger and Debbie, now a purple grung and in charge, grabs an orange guard and orders him to have all the grungs assemble at the base of the mountain, wanting to make an announcement. Then she runs after the party who all descend down to the ground.

On the ground, Thespin works with the guard to get as many grungs as they can to the mountain for the speech, Oa and Ramen look around furiously for Tak’erak but cannot find him anywhere. Also, the bears are still on the dais, but the minecart has disappeared and the orange grungs are nowhere to be seen.

In the throng of grungs making their way to the mountain, Sunflower spots Taka and scoops him up onto her shoulders and everyone makes their way to where Debbie has set herself up on a rock to be fully visible to everyone.

When all the grungs have arrived, the party is still looking around for Tak’erak, but still see nothing as Debbie begins her speech:

“As you may know by now, I am your new ruler. And as your ruler I want to make a very important announcement that all of you deserve to know: Nangnang, your god, is dead.”

Almost as if timed by a very dramatic DM, there is an absolutely massive explosion.

Grungs run everywhere, not knowing where to go. Taka wriggles off of Sunflower’s shoulders and goes dashing for the mine. Riker and Ramen run after him as Sunflower runs, scoops up Debbie, and grabs Thespin and begins to run up the mountain. This mission is over.

Oa, seemingly unfazed by the events around him, just takes a seat at the base of a tree. Ea (who I definitely never forgot about), walks up to him, sighs, and just says, “You guys should probably get out of here. I’ll stay and run damage control as best I can. But y’all’s job here is done unfortunately.”

Oa kind of shrugs his shoulders and begins walking up the mountain.

Meanwhile, Taka bolted into the mine, dodging the grungs running everywhere, trying to figure out what made that explosion and what needs to be done to fix the damage. Riker and Ramen have a harder time getting through, and when they finally make it into the mine, Taka is a good deal in front of them.

He darts into a tunnel, and when the two pursuers reach that tunnel, they realize it’s the closed off tunnel where Taka had his accident. The two of them have to clear some of the rubble away, being bigger than grung sized. When they do, they run after the little grung who is now almost at the end of this tunnel.

As they do, they almost trip over something, which on closer inspection, is the shriveled up body of a dead grung. And this grung is wearing a cloak and underclothes identical to the Taka who has now turned to face Riker and Ramen, and they realize this is Taka. Or at least it was.

And they know this for certain when they see the figure at the end of the tunnel begin to transform as they shout a single word: “Nikek!” And as white flames begin to lick up the body of this changing form, they realize the Taka they knew is becoming a woman with dark purple robes, jet black hair, and purple eyes. Taka is Frulam.

Right as Frulam is about to disappear, Riker charges after her and the two of them disappear in a bright light, leaving only a rune that Ramen recognizes as the same rune they used to bring them here.

Ramen drops to his knees, his world shattered. And he probably would have remained that way for a good bit longer, were it not for the fact that the rune began glowing again. But it wasn’t taking anyone away this time. It was bringing something back.

That something was a giant wave of water that nearly washed Ramen out of the tunnel, and in this water was a giant orange shark, which snapped at Ramen until the water settles and the shark flops helplessly until it cannot anymore. And Ramen cries.

Ramen and Oa march back up the hill together, and when the party is together again, they say the command word to bring them back to Bahamut: “Nogoorsa.”

So now we’re all caught up! This post alone literally took me uhhhh 3 hours to write, but now y’all know what your favorite characters have been up to. We’ll be starting back up again very, very soon, so stay tuned for the recap of our first session back! Till then, I’ve got a few more posts planned. Ciao for now!

P.S. Thanks to my handy dandy queue schedule, I know this will post on my birthday!! Now if a police officer busts down our door while we’re drinking and playing D&D all he can do is say “fucking nerds” and go away instead of arresting me!

[melblogsgfreethruptsd]

Health update

So I made it through our 2 wks of camping, avoiding getting contaminated w/ gluten or dairy. Any time I had iffy IBS stuff, I just took half an Imodium.

So the day we came home, My body just exploded. I got a migraine that made me nauseous, and I blew up the toilet . I thought, maybe it’s bc I didn’t eat all day, I didn’t have my coffee that morning, maybe it’s cuz I had to sit in McDonalds while DH and lil man had food… But day 2 rolls around, still having D. 6+ times during the day. Day 3 , still blowing up the toilet. Onto day 4… And 5… Still averaging 6 times a day, massive urgency, gas. Doesn’t matter what I eat, and seems like food makes me have to go more, therefore, I’m afraid to really eat anything.

NEVER have I had any effects from food go on like this. Usually I pass it, and done. I doubt a virus, bc it’s remaining constant and no one else has an issue. I wonder maybe bacteria, but again, why is the rest of my family fine? IDK, but I thought it’d be better by now, so I called to make an appt w/ my PCM. The lady tells me there’s NO appts available! Like, nothing ! My options are get a referral to urgent care, or try to call tomorrow and hope for a cancellation opening… Wtf kind of medical Care is that?! The closest urgent care that takes Tricare is 25 min away. I need a Dr, but not THAT inconveniently. I don’t have fever or blood or massive pain. Those are the only things that would put me into a must go now situation.

Well DH is shaking his head about this runaround bs so HE calls the appt line for me, and THIS lady not only checks availability of other providers, but takes my info so someone can call about getting me in eventually. I still never got a call back today though.

So I’m still all kinds of nervous about wtf is going on and when will I actually get to a Dr. 😬��

I have no idea if this bowel problem is related to camping, or if my body just finally brewed into distress and banked off all the other symptoms I’ve had for 8 months (back pain/ joint pain/ fading period/ insomnia/ hair loss). I’ve already lost 4 lbs and half the size of my food baby belly.

Lord knows I can’t go on long like this. I was already planning to see my Dr, but I never thought it’d be on these terms.

Ironically my colon had actually been stable a long time. For the first time in a long time, I had to miss out on the plans made by DH. I was supposed to go to Great Wolf Lodge, but stayed home while they went. I really felt bad and wanted to cry. But poopy guts are frowned upon in a water park. Really, staying by a toilet was the last thing I wanted to do anyways.

*Update* Cultures came back with nothing. My bowels have slowly lessened, so at 2 weeks since it all started , I'm almost back to my "regularity". So another big fat nothing. And still no one else was sick but me... If it was a food reaction, I've never had one that long and severe, so that troubles me. I'll have to submit the Drs note to try to get into my PCM to take blood tests for thyroid and all the other stuff. If they still won't get me in, I'll have to find a Dr off post. Ugh. I hate shenanigans.