#considering she didn't have anything negative to say on them either i already guessed that she didn't hate them

[airenyah]

so i showed my mom the 10 years ticket trailer and long story short we're gonna watch it together when it airs

[danlous]

I've probably said this before but when considering the unreliable narration in iwtv i think what we don't see is much more important than what we see. Like i think people have been since the beginning focusing too much on what is a 'fake' memory or narrative or lie. Especially Lestat fans have a tendency to do that when trying to explain away things he does saying that isn't 'real Lestat'. But there is actually very little in these first two seasons that contradicts Lestat's established characterization; what we lack is Lestat's point of view and more information. It's not about the existence of all the negative things and memories, but the absence of positive ones. We know there were good things in Louis and Claudia's relationship with Lestat but we see very little of it. There is nothing in Lestat's abusive and cruel treatment of them that contradicts that he loved them and that good things existed too. Even if he had been a hundred times more abusive it wouldn't have dimmed the reality of his love in the slightest. But that love, especially the love he has for Cladia, isn't necessarily clear for viewers or characters other than Lestat in the show because it's not shown.

When we get Lestat's version of the story in s3 it's going to be different than Louis' or Claudia's or Armand's version - but i think probably less so than most people assume. In 2.07 we already see that Lestat's version of the revisited scenes is more like an extended version and doesn't really even contradict Louis' and Claudia's story. In Lestat's version of Claudia's night of turning Louis begged him more desperately and he warned Louis more strongly, but it's actually very similar - we just didn't see everything they said. In ep5 flashback he's vague and doesn't tell everything he did (if we only got Lestat's version you'd have an impression that the assault was less violent than it was) but doesn't deny anything either and openly admits that he 'broke' Louis to hurt him. The additional scene is just what Claudia didn't see because she wasn't in the same room and it doesn't change anything, it just tells us more about what Lestat was feeling. In the same way i think Lestat's narration later is going to give his perspective and clarify his motivations and emotions, but it's not going to erase anything we've seen before. You can already guess that Lestat felt extremely lonely and abandoned and paranoid, and that he was worried and protective of Louis and Claudia and tried to control his fears and insecurities by controlling his fledglings. We'll see much more of him being vulnerable and loving and learn a lot about his past and trauma. But none of that means that everything we've seen didn't happen, and likely Lestat isn't going to claim it didn't happen either. And it most certainly doesn't excuse anything.

For example in 1.06 when Lestat forced Claudia to return, in addition to dragging her home so that Louis would stay with him i think he was also genuinely trying to protect her because he knew that other vampires in Europe would likely kill her quickly if and when she found them. But that doesn't make the way he treated her in that scene any less horrendous and abusive. The depiction of Lestat and Claudia's relationship in the show has actually been in line with their book relationship, where in Interview Lestat is often cruel to her, threatens to kill her, and indicates that he only made her to keep Louis with him. We only learn later from Lestat's own narration that he actually always loved her. The scene at the end of Interview where he's crying while clutching Claudia's dress after her death is arguably the first time we see proof of him loving her. I think it's pretty likely they're going to include that in the show, with Claudia wearing a similar yellow dress and Santiago pointedly snatching it from her ashes, and that is going to be a reveal to viewers that Lestat's feelings for Claudia were much more complex than shown so far.

I think Lestat's love for Claudia, which i'd argue is a core part of his character in the same way his love for Louis is, is the most significant part of the story that has been erased, and that erasure makes sense since Armand's narrative relies on the presumption that Lestat hated Claudia and wanted to kill her. But it's Lestat's own doing that narrative is so believable that even Louis believes his husband wanted their daughter dead. This is a tragedy that Lestat created himself. The greatest horror of the story is the continuous coexistence of deepest love and deepest cruelty. The most upsetting thing isn't that Lestat was a victim of some false narrative and didn't actually do the things he was shown to do, or that he didn't really love Louis and Claudia, but that he loved them, both of them, and still did those things

[accirax]

initial thoughts on DCAS episode 14

top 10 sentences said moments before disaster

choose your fighter: Derek "Kristal really isn't that bad once you get to know her" Johnson versus Kristal "I miss when Derek and Trevor weren't a part of this show" McLane. even though the Krisvek shippers are technically winning, i feel like they're really losing. Kristal continues to serve aro realness, though.

Grett and Gabby being actual friends makes me so happy :D (another entry on the top 10 sentences said moments before disaster)

seems like the villains' alliance is over? probably? still, if Grett won't forget this sentiment, we shouldn't forget that she said it.

this honestly makes a lot of sense, even though i hadn't thought about it before. there wasn't really anything keeping her from jumping ship and joining the villains alongside Gabby-- it might've been strategically better for her to be 6th in a 6-person alliance than 5th or 4th in a 5/4-person alliance. she didn't really have any relationships with the villains, but she didn't with the heroes, either. we stan characters making decisions for character reasons!

there was this one boomer meme that my friends used to send to each other every morning: "morning (can't be a good morning because i'm not out fishing)". i think Connor would appreciate that meme.

cackling at the realization that Jake is playing Aiden's gay best friend

okay, spreading this "lie" (they don't actually know it isn't directly true) is a decent enough reason why you think telling the other campers about the kiss would be detrimental to the villains' alliance. thank you for finally explaining yourself, Aiden.

but also, i told you so.

buddy. you don't need a game defining move because, unlike Survivor, there's no jury vote at the end. every finalist's game defining move is just surviving until the end of the game.

Trevor... you're 32, not 12. you can't act like a child when you're six feet and four inches tall. (apologies, i'm going to keep clowning on their ages and heights because so many of them are so funny to me.)

Disventure Camp has so many immediately iconic lines and scenes. this part was hilarious.

SIGHHHHHHH. i obviously have thoughts on this, but we'll get to those when we get to the elimination.

so obviously Ally could just be wrong, but if she's right, it has really interesting implications. looking at the teams, Alec and Connor are clearly the underdogs here. was production trying to get Connor out of the game? it's probably just that they were trying to create teams to "make the most drama," but they seemingly weren't that worried about losing Connor, at least.

congrats for fully getting over your fear of heights bestie

i understand Ally's worry, because she doesn't want to go down if her and Jake lose. however, is it really important how good the dance is if you make it to the end first? Jake is totally right here: they should just move on and try to end the challenge first. not too surprising that we're supposed to side with Jake, though, as this episode is Ally's first step towards villainy.

the faces that all the characters make whilst doing the various dances are so... (/pos?)

i know that this is probably meant to illustrate Grett's character growth but. girlie you literally did the exact same thing when you helped Fiore in the s1 finale. is that why Gabby is grimacing?

THE SHARK WASN'T EVEN MOVING THAT FAST WHEN YOU HOOKED IT??? i love it when Alec defies the laws of nature to win a challenge.

... was the phone not already in the water prior to this? i guess it's more about the proximity from the shore than the wetness, because otherwise the phone Grett is holding should have been destroyed as well.

sighing resumes. look, i hate to be negative, but... sometimes some constructive criticism is needed, especially for beginner writers. (not to say that i couldn't be considered a beginner writer as well, just that we should cut the ONC writing staff some slack for being young and not even starting off trying to become writers.) this elimination was really bad. the whole thing reeks of not knowing how to write yourself out of the supposed deadlock you put yourself in.

however, coming up with a random non-vote elimination was not the way to solve things. there are plenty of ways that this episode could have gone that wouldn't have resulted in a 4-4 vote. i still think that the most natural thing to have happen this episode would have been everyone piling votes on Alec. but, if you really need to keep Alec in the game, you could have changed the prior episodes. as @venus-is-thinking suggested, you could have just let the villains take out another hero (like Aiden) last episode, and then have Grett and Gabby flip on Yul this time. or, you could have gone with my plan, and had Yul flip on the villains to work with the heroes (who had already taken a shot at Gabby once) and vote out Gabby last episode. then, Grett would work with the heroes this episode to take out Yul (likely flipping the order the challenges occurred). that way, you would still have Gabby and Yul out of the game, but not do so by arbitrarily shaking up the rules to disturb Gabby's super stable position.

even if you were going to go with this "the last two players to arrive are at risk of elimination" thing, couldn't you at least have had the other players vote on which of Gabby and Grett to eliminate? that could even have an extra level of intrigue if you decided to pay off on that plot thread of Gabby lying about having an idol right before the merge. all you need is a line from someone in the Gabby vs Tom vote about "we're trying to blindside Gabby here at a time when she wouldn't think to play her idol," and a line from Kristal confirming to the players that "to make it extra spicy, people in the sudden death vote out won't be able to protect themselves with idols or advantages." then, Aiden can tell the group that this would be another good opportunity to take Gabby out when she can't use her idol to protect her. thus, Gabby would be eliminated as a result of lying and playing villainously, AKA what Ellie warned her about.

instead, this vote out comes off as incredibly convoluted, from the premise itself to Gabby having to trip over a rock and having a shark hit their boat to justify why Grett and Gabby came in last in a challenge they otherwise should have been good at. the whole phone swap thing only added insult to injury by making the elimination needlessly complicated. i understand if they didn't want to have Grett win of her own merits, because then it might feel like spending time with Yul was what protected Grett. however, all of that could have been avoided if they'd just had a regular vote out!! or, we could've had Gabby volunteer to step out or something. "even though i love Ellie, i can recognize how braving some time without her really helped me grow as a person. you've barely had any time without Yul yet. i think you need this time more than i do to figure out who you really are without Yul."

i once said that "it's the mark of a great writer if you know how to avoid unnecessary cons, but also turn the ones you do have to deal with into creative, entertaining, and unexpected solutions," and i stand by that. unfortunately, i feel like the writing team struggled to come up with a creative or entertaining solution to the con they found themselves faced with. i certainly don't think that the writers deserve to be at all bullied or harassed for writing a subpar episode of their overall well-made and engaging free internet cartoon, but i do hope they can stomach some of the backlash to this episode and prevent things like it from happening in the future.

shoutout to Grett's VA, she really nailed it in this scene.

to paraphrase Venus, "how is Jake being the emotionally mature one the world that we've come to?"

REAL (affectionate)

i'm so glad that they went in this direction with Connor's backstory; i think it's much more interesting and fitting for him. prior to this, i had felt like they were gassing Connor up too much, and making him out to be some boringly perfect guy. now i know that all those compliments had a point behind them! and honestly, knowing how different Connor and Riya's backstories are, it's probably a reason why they have such different takes on things and might ultimately be incompatible...

yeah, more of this! let's make Connor a bad person!!! :D (/lh) (<- villain enjoyer)

Jake's winner cut grows stronger and stronger by the day. if he or Grett isn't the season winner at this point, I'll be pretty surprised.

thus ends one of the DC episodes ever. i hope and suspect that we'll be back to the regular vote out system next week, which will hopefully be kinder to my power rankings. oh, my power rankings... we'll check back in on the damage there on Wednesday.

overall, i still didn't hate this episode. even if the elimination was kinda BS, the dances were pretty funny, and exploration of Ally and Connor's characters was fascinating and needed. also, i'm going to tentatively put my trust in the writers that they made this choice because they really strongly felt that Gabby's elimination was the best thing for the future moving forward, no matter what they had to sacrifice along the way. if that means great things from Grett and/or Alec and/or whoever else in the future, I'm all for it. see you next time, and sorry for the negative vibes.

[fandom-hoarder]

I was also there for the argument that drove zero out of Rav’s server and I think she overreacted but I think it was a long time coming. He’s like a dog with a bone, he had no clue when to drop the conversation after people wanted to, condescended to people constantly, insisted on having the last word all the time, constantly talked over people and mocked people to their faces under the guise of “it’s just a joke” I think Rav snapped at him but it was about time.

Thank you, anon. I appreciate this perspective.

Cut to spare the dash~~~

[Final thought burger: Let's take some time to rest and heal, remember the good friends and vibes we still have in this fandom, the good things we've created together, and come back together stronger.]

~

Interpersonal things are rarely purely one-sided, but that doesn't mean the assessment of the situation as a whole wasn't valid. Again, since I wasn't there, I can't speak as to the facts or specifics of the situation. All I can say is, everyone in the situation was reacting from their own perspective and life experiences.

Not everyone gets along with rav, I get it. Not everyone gets along with me. Typically, everyone is going to have at least one thing that rubs them the wrong way, even in people they like. I cannot speak for rav here, but from my own interactions with her, and seeing her interact in other servers and on tumblr, I would guess her reactions during the argument were based on her total assessment of red flags, whether consciously or unconsciously, and the ripening tendency of our generation to have zero patience or fucks to give about being 'nice' past a certain point.

Sometimes red flags are nothingburgers. Sometimes they're not. Sometimes they stack to a point you can't ignore. The point of a red flag is a warning. Hey, pay attention here! Is there something more? There may be things that are thought of as common red flags, and there are personal red flags developed over time and personal experience. The people that were/are worried about zxro's behavior, as far as I can reasonably tell, have had varying degrees of negative interactions with him that have raised red flags for them. Some more worryingly than others.

For instance, I've already explained my own very little experience with zxro, but him saying he hated Sam and didn't watch the show was a red flag to me, even if he'd been joking (which I was unsure of at the time, and turned out to be real). Now, that red flag didn't mean he was an evil person, just that he might not be a person I wanted to hang out with. I didn't feel the need to go preaching about it to everyone because I felt at the time that I needed more information, and how he treated them in fanfiction would decide.

Other people, including people I'd consider not just mutuals but fandom friends, have told accounts of different sorts of worrying interactions with zxro, but once again since I do not have firsthand knowledge of those, I really can't comment on what my reaction would have been in their place. All I can say is that I do not have reason to distrust these people, and tend to regard their opinion similar to mine.

And I debated bringing it up, since I don't actually know zxro's age, and I'm not at all privy to anything about their relationship; but I can say I would not be comfortable with a 30+ year old dating my daughter at her age. Everyone's maturity level is different, but an adult that young I would be cautious about the idea, and want to counsel them to ensure they were safe and had autonomy and equality in the relationship. It would be a red flag, typically, yes, due to the disparity in lived experience vs general naivete. However, I do have personal knowledge of situations where this age gap was not predatory and worked out the way normal relationships do. Sometimes relationships just are, and they might work or they might suck but it doesn't make either party solely responsible. So, though a red flag, it requires other factors.

I really, truly hope that gwen is happy and autonomous in her relationship; it would break my heart to learn she is being manipulated or preyed upon; but many people have expressed concern over manipulative interactions with zxro, so they feel those other red flags are there, too. And that makes a difference in how seriously people react to this situation. Unfortunately, some people's reactions were despicable, childish, and dangerous-- and calling them out on it is just as important as calling out any other dangerous fandom behaviors.

Now, much as I DO appreciate this more even keeled perspective from the server, it would be kind of awesome of we could let this whole issue be put to rest on the dash. I'm pretty sure everyone is raw and exhausted. I, for one, was answering DMs all through my normal sleep time, and have had 2 (two) hours sleep and 1 (one!) oatmeal cookie with milk.

Let's take some time to rest and heal, remember the good friends and vibes we still have in this fandom, the good things we've created together, and come back together stronger.

[kilannad]

First thoughts on Campaign three

I LOVE them, your honor. That's all you need to know.

Okay but seriously;

Let's start with Ashton and FCG (and no, I cannot believe we have a he/they robit that goes by Fresh Cut Grass. Sam and Liam--what the actual fuck?)

I really enjoy the thought that FCG met Ashton and was like "yes, I like your gender, I'll do the same." These people also have such a cool dynamic. Ashton will be the Beau of this campaign--constantly saying fuck, absolutely zero shits, vague morality that will one day show a marshmallow center. Pairing this with a legit therapy robot that seems to have been created for the purpose of helping people is fantastic. Big asshole enjoys tiny friendly BFF. I love them.

The fact that FCG seems to have given us his sad backstory in the first episode just convinces me that Sam has something incredible in the works. Also, whatever subclass--clearly homebrewed from what i can tell--apparently has the ability to take half pain from others which is wild and has such angst potential, I'm ready to cry already. (Also, from a mechanical standpoint its WILD. The half damage is first moved to temp hit points and then, from what I can guess, whatever of those t.h.p don't get used after a certain length of time--maybe a minute?--give FCG damage from their actual hp. So weird, I love it)

Ashton...I'm not sure where they're going. Something wild, considering Tal. Tho, honestly, how has this eldritch horror given us a literal Punk Rock that is a Gender??? Apparently they have a dunamantic subclass, also clearly homebrewed. Or maybe just wild magic barbarian. Something like that, which is also WILD. Makes me wonder where they learned their abilities.

Alright, let's hit the next two: lesbian queens Imogen and Laudna. First, I feel like I should say I would absolutely offer my heart to either of them and have never been so horny at a creepy undead in my entire life.

Let's hit southern bell, Imogen, first since we know the least here: young, polite, southern girl just wants to figure out where her powers came from. Honestly, loving the callbacks to Fjord and it's a really sweet first layer of what I'm sure will turn out to be a more complicated backstory. And, oh yeah, she can READ MINDS. I don't know anything about the psionic subclass, but I'm excited to see where Laura goes with it. Seems like a lot of opportunity for shenanigans, though this might turn out to be a 'discover your roots' kind of story, which I support.

Now: Laudna.

I've gotta say, my first instinct was De Rollo, and I'm sticking to it. That, or a Briarwood. Maybe one of Percy's sisters got killed/turned. I've seen a lot of dhampir/undead floating around. I saw one post that said one of the Briarwoods is her warlock patron which would be SO COOL. Maybe Marisha is just fucking with us, which is a possibility. Thus far, we haven't really seen any of the PCs with close ties to PCs from another campaign except Orym, and even that seems to just be a simple working relationship. It would be really cool to see what can be done with this connection if it does exist.

As for Laudna herself--she's so freaking cool. I love how she's naturally so creepy and off-putting but just doesn't seem to notice. Carries a dead rat on her belt, asks FCG if they kept the bodies of their fallen comrades, and is surprised when children run. It's amazing and I have no idea where she's going or how she possibly met Imogen. I expect fantastic dynamics from these two.

Next, let's talk about everyone's favorite silver fox; Bertrand Bell

I should prefix by saying I haven't seen either of the one-shots he appears in. He is also an easy way to address all of the negative comments which seem to derive from the cast reusing old characters--I have no idea who this fucker is. Didn't even know he'd shown up before until I saw a post about it. That being said; within that first episode I got a really good look into his character and I was instantly caught by his personality and how well Travis plays him. I don't know shit about the one-shots but I know Bertrand Bell and I think if Travis wants to explore him more then he should be able to.

That being said:

I agree with a lot of people that he doesn't seem like a permanent character. The fact that he's two levels above the rest of the group, plus that he's apparently gone back in levels in the last thirty years doesn't show great things. The fact that he's also apparently the first quest giver instead of an NPC is also really strange and doesn't seem to indicate he'll be a recurring character for long. Maybe Travis is just going to appear as a series of new characters instead of sticking with just one. Maybe his real character will show up later. Either way, I'm all for it. I think this is a really cool new way to start a campaign.

Now, probably the most controversial part of the party: Dorian, Orym, and Fern.

Now, I LOVE the Crownkeepers. Adore them. And I'm also super excited for them to show up here for a few reasons. Liam and Ashley both expressed desires to further explore these characters and I'm vibrating to do the same. We got such hints of little pieces of them in EXU and I want more. Of the Crownkeepers, they are also the most likely to split off from the group--Orym because he only went to Emon for Keyleth in the first place, and Fern because she always said she "had things to do". So, no, I don't think Fern and Orym are temp characters like some people are suggesting. Especially not since, as Matt said on twitter, they had the opportunity to re-roll their stats, tho Orym didn't take the option.

The fact that, if Bertrand indeed is only temporary, it means Orym at 13 has the highest INT is hilarious. He thought the Crownkeepers were the exception, but Nah, they were the rule.

Dorian...is different. We just learned that he's apparently from Marquet in the first place, which is really interesting and explains why he didn't seem to know anything about Tal'Dorei. It does make me wonder how long he'll stick around for--will he just go back to Tal'Dorei? Will some crazy part of his backstory show up and take him away and thus be the next EXU plotline? I'm not sure, but it'll be interesting.

What's even more interesting is how, exactly, this new campaign fits with the EXU storyline. It's been a year since the events of EXU and Matt said Orym was contacted while the Crownkeepers were in Byroaden. Now, last we saw them they were about to go south into Betrayer cult territory, tho they discussed going to Byroaden after for Opal to look into her family some more. My guess is that we WILL get a season two of EXU to finish the Tetrarchs stuff and that campaign three takes place after that season two. Maybe. It does beg the question of if the Crownkeepers ever went back to Emon to speak with Gilmore which was the original goal that they never finished.

The reason I see so many people complaining, I think, is partly because one: EXU was pretty controversial on it's own because of it's guided style which is different then the freeform of the main campaigns. I disagree, but that's a different post. The second reason is that people wanted to be able to start this with no needed knowledge about past campaigns. I still think this holds true. I mean, heck, not watching EXU might make it more interesting to see these three interact. I mean, we don't know how Imogen or Laudna met, or Ashton and FCG. We aren't complaining about that, so simply watch Orym, Fearn, and Dorian and enjoy the mysteries of their pasts.

The fact that this group started at level three and the WILD twists we've already seen within the first episode alone really tells me that CR is going all in here. The set, the characters, whatever wild story they're about to tell--it's going to be amazing. I trust in the CR team and cannot wait to watch them go on this adventure together, wherever it may lead.

[classysassy9791]

Fandom: Inuyasha Genre: Romance/Humor/Fluff Pairing: InuKag Rating: T

Originally written for @inukag-week on tumblr circa 2016, now officially being updated. Its been a hot minute, hasn't it?

For InuKag Week - Day 2: Warmth

Part 1 l

Part 2 Word Count: 2,600

Can also be found on FFN and AO3.

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Kagome couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard.

Sometime between the moment she met the arrogant, rude man known as Inuyasha and the three shots she had consumed, they had fallen into a flirtatious banter that she rather enjoyed. Gone was the pompous jerk who had so rudely called her audacious names, replaced by a man who proved to actually be decent company.

No, she hadn't forgotten about their initial meeting, but as she downed another shot of whiskey, she realized she didn't much care. For the first time in months - maybe longer - Kagome found herself enjoying her evening. With her shackles removed and her inhibitions lowered, she relished in the sweet taste of freedom that had been sorely lacking from her life.

"You did not!" she squealed with absurdity in her tone, clamping a hand over her mouth.

Inuyasha chuckled, tilting his glass and giving a half-shrug. "I did," he confessed sheepishly, but not at all ashamed of his actions. "Miroku ran down the dorm hall, completely naked, screaming after me."

Kagome shook her head. "I can honestly say I have never stolen my roommates clothes while they were in the shower. Or pulled any pranks on them, really."

"To be fair," he continued, signaling the bartender for another round. "He actually met his girlfriend that way."

"By running naked down the hallway?"

He nodded. "Knocked her down and stopped to apologize."

"Still want to leave the tab open?" Kouga interrupted.

"Yeah, that's fine." Inuyasha finished off his beer. "Another round of whiskey shots while you're at it."

Flashing Kagome a smile, Kouga took their empty glasses. "You're going to dry me out."

"It's still early," Kagome barbed playfully. "Your bar will last until midnight at the very least."

He chuckled, filling up their shot glasses and handing them another drink. "Oh, thanks. I was afraid I'd have to close up soon."

Leaving with a, "flag me down if you need me," Kouga wandered to the other end of the bar where a busty blonde waved at him.

Typical, Kagome thought sourly. On the one hand, she didn't like the way her thoughts were turning, considering she didn't really know Kouga, and hated grouping him in with the rest of the spineless male population she had become accustomed to - especially since he was a bartender and it was literally his job to tend to the needs of his customers. But on the other hand, she couldn't help but feel bitter about his attention leaving her. Maybe it was because she had so blatantly been deprived of it for so long, that her longing for companionship had been exacerbated ten-fold.

Taking a sip of beer - which she had switched to once they started doing shots - Kagome heard her phone buzz in her purse again; it had already gone off several times during her conversation with Inuyasha. She finally pulled it out and unlocked it, frowning at the array of messages popping up on her screen.

Inuyasha raised a brow at the irritable look that overcame her expression before Kagome sighed and locked her phone. She quickly downed her shot of whiskey, not even bothering to 'cheers' him.

"Everything okay?" Inuyasha questioned, against his better judgement. There was a reason people showed up by themselves at a bar on Friday nights - either to drown their sorrows in whiskey or to find company for a few fleeting, midnight hours.

Kagome pressed her lips together. She didn't come to the bar to talk about her problems. She wasn't some sad case that needed a therapist to pour her drinks. If anything, she wanted to forget about the emotional damage that had been inflicted earlier that day. Her heart had been broken, her ego bruised, and no matter how many times her friends had told her he wasn't worth it, their sympathies didn't make her feel any better.

But, alcohol had a funny habit of turning into truth serum, and she found herself spilling her guts before she could stop herself. "Just my ex-boyfriend - er, fiance - blowing up my phone."

Inuyasha chuckled. "Can't take a hint, huh?"

Kagome shrugged with a bitter smile. "I mean, he broke off the engagement. Not sure why he can't follow through with his decision."

She had expected sympathy, perhaps even empathy. That's what most people offered in a situation like this, when they didn't know what to say or how to react. But Kagome was caught off-guard by Inuyasha's next question.

"How long were you together?"

Kagome eyed him curiously, his honey gaze hiding a wealth of understanding. "Five years," she answered him, twirling a strand of her dark hair around her finger. "Planned our life together, put a ring on it, and even booked the venue. But… I suppose he got cold feet a long time ago."

"His loss. What kind of bastard would put someone through that?"

She hummed thoughtfully, but didn't answer. It wasn't in her best interest to start talking about the past now, and she would rather take the spotlight off of herself all together. "What about you?" she asked her barstool companion as she took another sip of beer. "Any lucky ladies in your life?"

Inuyasha chuckled mirthlessly. "Nah, not anymore."

Kagome arched a brow. "Dare I ask?"

"Not much to tell. Her career and ambitions drove a wedge between us, and she decided they were more important than me. Simple as that."

"Sounds high maintenance."

He grinned. "Something like that. I mean, she knew what she wanted and didn't care what stood in her way. Even me."

Kagome felt an ache beneath her breast for the man beside her. She knew the pain of rejection very well. "Put out in the rain just like a dog. Doesn't that bother you?" she asked, tilting her head.

He frowned at her choice of words, and Kagome knew she may have touched a nerve then, but the alcohol had stripped her of her filter apparently.

"Well, I guess we're all damaged somehow," he replied with a shrug.

She scrunched her nose. "That's a bit thoughtless."

"What can I say? Shit happens. Get over it."

And then Kagome suddenly remembered the arrogant, rude, condescending jerk she had met when she had sat down at the bar earlier in the night. She narrowed her eyes. "Why are you such an ass?"

Inuyasha smirked while bringing his beer to his lips. "You are what you eat?"

Kagome let loose a growl of frustration. She had only known him for a short time, but she had quickly learned that Inuyasha was the most infuriating human being on the planet! "Your immaturity is revolting," she stated matter-of-factly, waving down Kouga for another shot of whiskey. She was definitely not drunk enough to deal with the way the conversation had turned.

"I'm not known for my friendly disposition."

Kagome glared at the man sitting next to her. "Is it fun being a jerk to me? Does it satisfy you?"

Inuyasha chuckled. "Actually, it is pretty entertaining."

She rolled her eyes. "You know, Inuyasha. You can hide behind that fake bravado all you want, but I know you're just a big softie underneath."

"Keh," he grumbled, finishing off his beer.

Kagome threw him a glare. "What? No witty repartee?"

He set down his empty glass with a little more force than usual, grabbing Kagome's attention. "I know your type, wench," he snapped, his amber eyes boring into hers. "I know exactly the kind of person you are; all high and mighty, acting as if you're better than everyone else. You think you can show someone how great life can be and how fantastic it is if I would just try. Well, sorry to break it to you, sweetheart, but not everyone is worth saving, all right?"

His words left Kagome stunned into silence for a brief moment. How did their witty banter only a few minutes ago turn into this? This… This denied anger and unadulterated cynicism had Kagome reeling, her thoughts turning to what exactly had penetrated Inuyasha's life so completely that he had such a negative outlook on such.

She pursed her lips. "How much do you think you're worth?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Like twenty bucks. Or two twinkies." He grinned at his own comment, but Kagome didn't find it very funny.

If anything, Kagome felt pity for him. No matter how bleak her life became, she always managed to find the good in it. If a person couldn't do that… Well, that was a pretty sad way to live. "As much as I would love to hear you divulge all of your secrets, this is a great song and I feel like dancing."

"Look, wench," Inuyasha barked out, his anger palpable. "I'm not looking for your validation. I'm pretty fucking happy with my life of dirty pennies and whiskey bottles. We don't all need to be Barbie."

She looked over at him, the low dim of the bar lights shining off his silver hair, and found she could only nurse one wounded heart at a time. "I just wanted you to leave tonight and think the world is a little less horrible than you thought."

"Hey, pretty lady," Kouga greeted as he appeared at the perfect time with another shot of whiskey for her and a full beer, stealing her full attention away from Inuyasha.

Kagome immediately downed the shot and chased it with her beer, ready to forget half of the night and lose herself in the music pounding through the speakers. As the evening wore on, the bar became busier, and the DJ had started up a round of tunes that had half the customers on the dance floor.

Kouga watched her curiously, arching a brow. "You alright there?"

"Dance with me?" she called over the bass pounding through the speakers. Oh yes, it was now the time of the night in which she had no qualms for asking for what she wanted.

He chuckled and glanced over at the other bartenders who appeared to have things under control. "You can steal me for a few minutes."

Kagome grinned and giggled like a school girl, leaving Inuyasha behind without delay. Kouga met her at the end of the bar and took her hand in his as she pulled him out onto the dance floor.

Some upbeat dance music blasted through the speakers. Kagome moved and swayed through the bodies crowding near the DJ, the vibrations of the music becoming part of her energy, raising her up several levels at once. Gone were her heartbroken wallows and the biting arrogance of her barstool companion. Her mind buzzed with pure joy. She moved in her dress like her hips were made to sway, the black sequins catching the disco ball that twirled above, causing her to glitter on the dance floor.

Kouga pulled her close, his strong hand pressed against the small of her back, his chiseled chest pressed against hers. She ran her fingers through her messy hair and pulled it to the side, feeling the beat of the music pound with each beat of her heart. Bodies pressed in tighter all around them. Kagome felt the part of her that was really her come out to play, to feel the vibe of the music and let her body go free.

"You're beautiful," Kouga's voice whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

His lips looked soft and very kissable, and Kagome knew her decision-making skills were indeed hindered by the alcohol that buzzed through her veins. And then his attention was caught by something else, his royal blue eyes pulling from hers to the outskirts of the dance floor. He said something to her, attempting to shout above the music, but his words were swallowed up by the electric beat that kept her entranced.

Kagome felt his hands slip from around her waist and he disappeared into the crowd. She didn't bother to follow, her hands playing with her hair, her hips moving to the music as she lost herself within it. This was what her heartbroken soul had fiercely needed; a night to forget all the troubles of the day.

Large, meaty hands found her waist, but they were unfamiliar and too warm to the touch. Kagome felt a warm flush find her cheeks as she gazed up to meet a stranger's hazy stare. He pulled her in close - too close - and even in her alcohol-ridden mind, she felt mild panic begin like sparks in her abdomen.

She tried to push him away, first gently and then forcefully, pretending to laugh at his behavior. "Thanks for the dance, but I need some fresh air."

"C'me on, baby," he slurred, pulling her tighter to his sweaty frame, his hot breath rolling over her skin. "We just met. Let's dance s'me more."

Kagome frowned. "I said no." Before she could stomp on his foot and fight her way out of the throng of dancers, the man was forcefully pulled away from her. They became separated by another man, one with very familiar silver hair who had his back to her. She didn't hear the words exchanged, but whatever was said was enough to send the man scampering off to the other side of the bar.

Inuyasha turned around, his piercing honey eyes studying her expression, before his hand gently wrapped around her waist. His grip on her wasn't strong like Kouga's, or possessive like the stranger. Inuyasha's hand was warm against the small of her back, and the anxiety she felt moments ago melted away.

"You okay?" he asked, swaying his hips in tune with hers as they continued to dance to the beat of the music.

She grinned up at him. "Were you worried about me, jerk?"

"Keh," he grumbled, his lips pulling into a smirk. "I despise you more than any other human I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. You're loud and wild and apparently have no sense of self-preservation. You also act like you have the mental capacity of a five year old."

"Are you flirting with me?" she barbed in return.

"Maybe."

His hand found the back of her neck, his fingers finding purchase in her hair, his hips grinding against hers. Warmth pooled into the pit of her stomach, his breath caressing her skin, and she moved her lips to find his.

Kagome barely had a moment to react before he pressed his tongue to the seam of her lips and delved inside her mouth. It was a very sloppy kiss with the strong scent of beer being exchanged between their billowing breaths. Her arm reached up and tangled around his strong neck. She pulled away and arched up into his broad chest, letting a moan escape in the contact of body heat against her own, before she drew back into his lips.

She could nearly taste the slight bitterness of the beer as it rolled off her tongue and seeped down her throat with every push of his tongue against hers. The kiss coupled with the beer and whiskey humming through her system obliterated every thought. For the first time that day, her mind was locked into the present. Her usual concerns for her life were suspended, and she had no wish for the kiss to end.

But as the music changed, they pulled apart. Inuyasha's skin shimmered with sweat and his amber eyes flecked with gold held her gaze. The beat of the music consumed them under the crazy neon lights, and Kagome felt alive during a night that was still so young.

[straykidsworldwild]

Duskwood

Phil Hawkins x MC

Part 2 (2/2) : MC and Phil have lunch but it doesn't turn out as planned.

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Heyy guys!! Here's (2/2) of part2! 😁

(I just made the collage. Credits go to the creators of Duskwood and owners of the pics)

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- Why didn't he want you to have a break? He asks me gently, sounding confused.

- Because I arrived late by one minute this morning, I respond to his question. I look up at Phil as I hear him chuckling. He doesn't believe me...

- Right… he says before looking down at me. I give him a look, showing him that I am being serious. That's enough reason for my boss... Oh, you're being serious? He asks me with surprise. I nod positively as I notice the exasperation growing over his face. What are you waiting for to change your job? He then asks me as we are walking through a small path. Green grass is surrounding it accompanied by flowers. There are two benches every 50 meters. It's one of the most peaceful areas in Duskwood. That's where I usually go by when I need to clear my head. It’s just sad, in a way, that it is next to might work… Oh well...

- Trust me. I looked everywhere. But have you seen a lot of job offers around Duskwood lately? I haven't, I answer to the man as we approach a wooden bench. We take a seat on it while he puts down his bag.

- You could work with me at the Aurora, he proposes to me, using a suggestive tone mixed with a hopeful one.

- Mmmh... I'm not sure it'll be a good idea, I reply and smile playfully to his comment.

- Why not? He asks me, looking a little disappointed. He's actually being serious...

- Well, one, because the others would start to wonder why I am working at your bar, I say as I pull one finger out. Two, will you still manage to work? Won't I be distracting you? I question him playfully, pulling a second finger out while smirking. I know he takes it seriously and I do too, but it makes the atmosphere lighter this way. There's no need to fall on an argument because of that… and Phil is the last person I want to argue with.

- Well, I admit having the beautiful sight you'll be giving me constantly will clearly take my mind off work but, I'm sure I'll manage, he responds with his charming smile, which is contagious, as he enters my game. It's impossible to not smile when he does. I smile as I feel my cheeks lightly burning. It's awful how easy he makes me blush... Phil begins to open it before I hear him rummaging in a plastic bag. Oh… I didn't take anything to eat… I look away, getting nervous. I don't get why he makes me so nervous. It's… a weird feeling. It's a crazy feeling. Here, for you, I turn my head and look at what he is holding to me. Oh…! Cobb salad with a fork, something to drink, he pulls out a bottle of water and gives it to me. I take it. And I heard someone liked dark chocolate so I got some, he tells me, pulling a tablet of chocolate out of his bag. It's terrible… I can't control myself. I can't stop smiling, appreciating his attention.

- My favorite! How did you know? I ask him happily as stars must be filling my eyes. I mean, chocolate is just everything! Phil laughs amused and winks at me. You asked Jessy? I demand him with surprise, yet, kind of… scared of his answer. I don't know why I'm scared about Jessy finding out I accepted to have lunch with her brother. Is this a date in the end?

- No, why would I ask my sister? He asks me back, frowning confused.

- Because she knows me well. And I thought you would have told your sister about this lunch, I simply replied to Phil, telling him my thoughts on how he might have done things before coming here.

- Well, I didn't, he answers calmly, shaking lightly his head left to right. I nod understandingly, keeping a small smile. Did you? He then asks me. I look up at him and start shaking my head negatively. Though, before I could say a word, I was being interrupted.

- MC? Phil? I widen my eyes in surprise to Phil before I turn my head to look at the person. She approaches us, smiling and looking confused at the same time. How…? What are you two doing here? Asks us, Jessy, coming to stand before the both of us. She looks at me with her usual smile, waiting for an answer. Oh God… What am I supposed to tell her? Will she take the truth well? What will she think? I hold onto my fork nervously as I give her a shy smile.

- I saw MC having lunch here by herself while I was walking around so I stopped by to talk a bit, responds, Phil, getting me out of this awkward and nerve wracking situation.

- Mmmh... Shouldn't you be at the bar? She asks him back, looking suspicious. It's hard to hide things from Jessy. Especially since she knows us well… Too well...

- It's pretty empty at this time, Jessy. It's noon. Why do you think I'm eating too? He says and asks her back, sounding calm but also a little annoyed that she stays here and asks all of those questions. I mean… I love Jessy but I'm going to die of nervousness here. I hate keeping secrets from her… Especially when it involves her brother.

- Right, she tells him, not so satisfied by the answer. When does your break end, MC? She then asks me.

- I have to get back in, in like... 15 min or so, I respond to her, looking up at my best friend after checking the time on my phone.

- Let me guess, your boss is being the same dick as ever? She tells me, looking sorry for me. Jessy knows absolutely everything about what my boss said or did to me or my colleagues.

- Bull eyes, I reply, nodding positively. I see Jessy weakly shaking her head left to right, upset with my boss. Oh! Oh, Jessy, before I forgot, could you stop by my mother's for me, please? She wasn't well because of… You know, the loss of my uncle, and I think she needs to take her mind off a little bit, I demand her gently as I know mom considers Jessy like her second child. I'm sure she would be happy to see her. Though, it was hard for me to mention Uncle Alex. Harder than I thought.

- Oh right, I wanted to send you a message. I am so sorry about your uncle, MC. Alex was amazing, she apologizes sincerely to me, her eyes showing sadness. Jessy knees Uncle Alex as well. Duskwood is a small town and, well, Jessy was often at home so she knew him too.

- Thanks… I thank her with a small smile as I frown sadly. I tried...

- Well, I have to get back to work before Richy thinks I quit, she tells us playfully. I smile at her comment. It's true, I think Richy would be lost without her at work. Don't be a dick to her, Phil. I'll know each of your moves, anyway, she warns her brother as she begins to walk away.

- Right… he simply says, sounding annoyed. It was almost as if he didn't mumble to himself. I hear Jessy softly laughing before she finally leaves. I follow her with my eyes before meeting Phil's ones. So gorgeous... So I'm guessing you didn't tell her either, he says with a smirk.

- We all have our secrets, don't we? I reply to the boy before winking back.

- We do, he agrees. The two of us continue eating our lunch as time is passing by. I don't have much time and I won't be able to eat anything before tonight. It's going to be long until then… I look up as I hear a car honking. A little breeze hit my face and pushed back some of my hair. A lock came over my cheek so I gently pushed it away. The sun is so bright in the sky today. You look tired, MC, he suddenly tells me. I do…? I'm not surprised...

- I didn't sleep well. I didn't sleep much. I couldn't with... You know, I answer to Phil as my lock of hair comes over my face again. Though, I couldn't mention my uncle a second time. I couldn't bring myself to do it.

With his hand, he reaches the lock of hair and pushes it gently back behind my ear. Oh… Once again, our eyes meet. As always, there is this connection. They're so deep and… Gorgeous. I mean… How can you not get lost in them? For a moment, we stare at each other as if nothing was surrounding us anymore. I want to get closer to him. I want to know him a little more than I already do. You can't imagine how strong the feeling is… But all of this is so scary. I notice Phil's eyes falling on my lips a few times, desire seen behind them. He is as eager as last night. Without controlling it, I smile at the boy before breaking our look. And back to reality… How can a simple look be so intense? Biting lightly on my lower lip, I feel some heat on my face.

- You're so cute, MC, he tells me with a smile, his voice sounding so… Deep and lovely. I feel myself blushing a little more to the sound of his words.

- And you're a little Devil because you do see that you're making me nervous, I tell him with a chuckle as I push him playfully. Phil laughs along with me before he grabs my hand in his. Oh… My body tenses up due to the surprise and the nervousness he is giving me. But it soon relaxes under his comforting hold. I look down at our hands loving the feeling of being held. Not alone. His hand is so soft and warm. I slowly move my hand and intertwin my fingers with his. Phil lets me do and actually holds it back with a firm, but gentle tight. It's so comforting. I look back up at him and see that the man has been staring at me for a moment actually.

- I do. But blush looks good on you, he suddenly tells me, commenting my previous sentence. Oh come on… How did my heart not give up yet? The two of us smile at each other, sparks certainly illuminating my eyes. I don’t need to see my reflection to know it… This feeling of happiness is enough to say how I feel about him. It’s actually betraying me...

- Hey, Phil, I suddenly hear an unfamiliar voice which gets me out of my thoughts. What…? I retrieve my hand from Phil’s and look at where the voice came from. A blonde is approaching us. Oh… I’ve seen her at the Aurora before. She was “close” with Phil usually. Didn't expect to see you out of your bar, she tells him with a flirtatious look. Right...

- Hey, Lola, I have a life too outside the bar, he responds to the girl, sounding just as annoyed as when Jessy was here. Actually, he sounded more than annoyed. But I can’t describe this feeling...

- Yeah, apparently, she tells him as she looks at him up and down with hungry eyes. Oh please… I look away, staying quiet. What are you doing here anyway? She asks him, putting her hands in her back jean pockets, winding-up. Like it’s not already obvious what you’re trying to do...

- I'm with a good friend, answers, Phil, not revealing anything about this lunch. Right… It’s better this way. Reluctantly, I look up at the girl and give her a small smile. The girl looks at me up and down, clearly judging or being bothered by my presence.

- Right... She says before looking back at Phil and smiles at him. Maybe I should go… I feel like I'm being too much here right now. Can I see you, tonight? I need a little distraction and I'm sure you do too, she asks and tells him with that same flirtatious tone.

- No. I'd rather not, responds, Phil, not even taking time to think of the answer.

- Oh come on, tell me you don't need to relax a little bit. I'm sure the last few days must have been stressful. I could help you with that, she replies with the same annoying flirtatious tone while biting her lower lip and twerking some of her hair with her finger. And Phil liked that…?

- No, it was pretty calm, he tells her, shaking his head lightly. My absolutely not confident self kicks in again… Is he telling her "no" because he knows I want to hear this? Is he doing it because he really doesn't want anything with her? Or will he contact her right after I go back to work? Is it just a play from him? I look away upset and thoughtful. It was going so well...

- Fine, as you want. You know my number if you change your mind, she tells him, sounding disappointed at first but quickly uses that annoying voice and tone again. Even better… Of course he has her number… Well, he can do whatever he wants. We're nothing technically. Just friends. And I'm not jealous of this girl. I just don't like it… The girl leaves us, swaying her hips. Oh God… seriously? Watch where you're going instead...

- I'm sorry… apologizes to me, Phil. I look up at him, disappointed and… I guess, hurt. I'm not disappointed by him. I guess I just don't understand why I didn't see it coming...

- No, it's fine, I say standing up from the bench. I mean, you're mister popular-with-women and it's obvious we couldn't avoid this… I say with a serious tone, a point of jealousy in my voice. I think it's the first time I ever hear this emotion in my own voice. I mean… I'm not jealous… am I? Well… I guess I am...

- No, MC, I'm serious. I don't… He quickly tells me, interrupting me while standing up from the bench as well.

- MC! I suddenly hear someone calling my name. Really? We can't be alone for 30 seconds? I turn around and see Angie approaching rapidly. Oh… I know we're next to the restaurant but why is she here? She should be working... Sorry to interrupt but I just wanted to tell you that you have 2 minutes left before the boss comes to look for you. I'm kind of keeping him in my sight so he doesn't come yelling unnecessary at you again, she tells me seriously, having my back. Thank God for having her as my colleague! She actually saved me from two situations… My boss and Phil's...

- Thanks, Angie, I thank my friend. The girl nods before turning around and starting to run toward the restaurant. I face Phil again, watching the boy looking at me with a small frown. He looks… A little nervous? Disappointed? I have to go, Phil. Sorry, I tell him while shaking my head lightly. Thanks for lunch, I give him a quick and very small smile. I turn around, not waiting for his answer and start to walk toward my work place.

- Will you call me? He asks me, coming after me. I stop and turn around again. Once you're out of work, will you call me? I think we need to discuss what happened, he tells me with a surprisingly pleading tone. Hum… Please, MC, he pleads me all of a sudden. I stare at him a little moment, actually surprised by his tone… Of his emotions. I'm lost… I'm not sure what to believe anymore. Maybe the lunch wasn't right after all? Or was it? So much happened in half an hour...

- Maybe... See you, Phil, I reply with a small nod. Phil lightly nods back to me all while he looks down. He’s... Hurt? It’s actually weird to see this expression on his face...

Without another word, I turn around and walk back to the restaurant before my boss comes looking for me. I already don't know what's going to happen since Phil "argued" with him…

My afternoon passes slowly… Slower than this morning. And just like my boss said, I couldn’t leave work before 6pm… Anyway, I’ve done my day, that’s the most important thing. I mean… One of the most. I wanted to go to my mother’s to bring her the little surprise and to spend some time with her. I wanted to see her. It’s been hard lately for the both of us. I need my mom just as much as she probably needs me. When I reached her front door, I knocked on it, but nobody answered. I knocked again, but still, nobody answered. I took my phone out and only noticed then that my mother had contacted me. Why didn't I look at my phone first…?

- “Hey, baby. I’m going to go see Sarah around 5:30pm so I don’t think I’ll be home when you’ll come see me. I’m sorry, MC.” I read her first message. Oh, she’s not home... “Jessica came to see me this afternoon. You told her to come, didn’t you? Well, I’m glad you did, baby. It felt really nice to see a familiar face and to talk about everything and anything other than the situation we are living currently. Thanks, baby.” I read her second message which brought a soft smile on my face. She’s still sad, I can tell, but she seems to have also realized that life isn’t done for her. My uncle is gone, but not us. We still have to live. That’s what Uncle Alex would want us to do anyway… I know it. I crack a small smile again despite the sad frown. Tomorrow is going to be another long and emotional day… I let my little surprise for mom in front of her front door and walk back home. We live ten minutes from each other’s house. I don’t need my car…

Three hours have passed and I am sitting on the floor of my living-room. A piece of paper is set before me, I am holding a pencil and the TV is on. However, I am not watching it. I only have it on to have some noise in the background. The night has fallen and a small warm light is illuminating the living-room. I am preparing my speech for tomorrow. I’ve been trying to write it for… For a good hour and half now. I have so much to say… And yet, I can’t find a way to say them. It’s hard to find the right words. I try. I wrote a dozen drafts already but all of them sucked. It’s so hard to say how I feel. I don’t open up like this easily. And it’s hard to recount a memory when I know that… It just won’t ever happen again. Not with Uncle Alex at least… I had so many good family moments with him and mom. Vacances… Festivals… When I graduated… My birthdays and Christmases… So many good and memorable moments. I think what blocks me is that, no matter how I try to put it in words, there's just not this magic or this thing that made this moment amazing for me. I just want it to be perfect…

Suddenly, I hear my cell phone buzzing. I gasp as I get out of my thoughts. I wasn’t ready to hear it buzzing… I look at the I.D. caller before answering the call.

- Hey… I say to my best friend. I sounded tireder than I thought… What time is it anyway?

- What did you do or say to my brother? She asks me with a confused tone, actually interrupting me. Huh? What is she talking about?

- Wh... I... I'm sorry, I don't follow, I respond to Jessy with a confused tone. I put the pencil down and lean back to lay against the sofa. I look up at the ceiling, frowning confused. Why is she asking me what I’ve done to Phil? What does she mean by that?

- Phil. Did you say or do something to him? She asks me again, reformulating her question. She sounded just as confused as before. And not upset.

- Why would I have done something to Phil? I ask her back, not answering her question. I mean… Phil is certainly the last person I would hurt… I know I left him kind of on a disappointed note, but… I had to go back to work anyway.

- MC, he told me, she says with a slightly annoyed tone. Though, it wasn’t an annoyed tone to tell me I am bothering her, it was more in a way saying “I know, just spill it out”. He did…? What?

- About the lunch? I ask with an unsure tone. Yet, a point of sorry is heard in my voice as I know that I’ve hidden this from her. And I hate it to have hidden something like this from my best friend… We usually say everything to each other.

- About everything, she responds. Oh… Well, there’s no need for an explanation then… I guess... I've never seen Phil like this for a girl before. I almost didn’t believe him when he told me, she tells me, still sounding like she doesn’t believe what he… Did or said to her. He's really trying, you know? She suddenly tells me. Oh… Trying? I mean, it's true that he did put in some effort for lunch earlier today and he did reject the girl… Lola...

- I'm supposed to call him, I just… I admit to my best friend before pausing. I didn't forget to call Phil. I’m going to call him. I don't hold grudges and I don't dwell on a situation that didn't turn out the way I would have liked. I’m not like that. I just wanted to do the speech first... I am writing what I want to say to my uncle for his funeral tomorrow morning, I admit to Jessy as I stare blankly at the white paper in front of me.

- Oh, MC, I'm so sorry. I thought... You didn't reject Phil? She apologizes to me before a brief pause takes place. Then, she asks me a question, sounding confused. Reject? Now I am the one being confused.

- Reject? How can I reject your brother? He never asked anything, I ask her before stating a fact. I mean, shouldn't I be the one who thought I would get rejected?

- That idiot, I hear her mumbling with a disbelieving tone before sighing.

- I will call him. I just need to finish this first, I tell her my plan sincerely and seriously.

- He told me about Lola, too, she tells me. Oh God… Please, don't mention her. He told me what she said and the way she looked at you. He didn't like it. He hated that she looked at you as if you were a cockroach ready to be smashed and how she talked to him before you. He doesn't want you to think what's not true, she explains to me seriously. She's having her brother's back… It’s not surprising. That’s actually good that she’s having his back. But... How much did he tell her?

- And what's not true? I ask her. He's a womanizer. He's good looking. He owns a bar. He likes girls. That's his nature to run after them, I reply to Jessy, feeling so unsure about myself. Wait… Did I really just tell her that her brother is good looking…?

- MC... She calls me gently as I hear lightly sighing. He rejected her for you. He even deleted her number from his phone. Don't you see what this means? She admits and asks me. I look down with a light frown. He did this? I think it's the first time he actually comes to see me at work because he needs to talk, she says with seriousness, a point of disbelief heard in her voice. Work? Wasn't she with mom? She must have gone back to work after...

- “Comes”? As calling? I question her, unsure.

- “Comes” as walking inside Richy's garage, she corrects me. Oh… It's true that I've never seen Phil going to Richy's garage except for his car, maybe? I'm not even sure about that...

- Phil likes me like... A potential boyfriend would like his potential girlfriend? I mean... Not like he likes Lola? I demand her with a slight shy and confused tone. Yet, some hope in my voice. I hear Jessy softly giggling.

- Phil is Phil. He has his way to do things, which aren’t always the best, and his past. But I can tell you he isn't playing with you. I'd be the first one to yell at him for hurting you, she tells me seriously. She's the best! Wait… But I would never let her choose between Phil and I if things go wrong. I would rather want her to side with her brother than with me. Their siblings bond is much more important. Even though she means everything to me as my best friend. Anyway, there's still something off...

- Wait... You're not mad? I demand her with surprise. I mean, I was expecting her to kind of yell at me for not telling her the whole thing with Phil. Or to just yell at me for having lunch with her brother and maybe more… If it ever happens...

- Why would I be? She asks me back, confused and surprised by my question.

- You're my best friend and he's your brother. Isn't it weird to you? I remind her and ask her with a confused tone. I'm just really surprised...

- Well, I’m definitely caught between two stools but, if you two like each other I can't stop that, she replies sincerely which makes me smile. Why can't I control myself?! I keep smiling crazily when something involves Phil and I. I must be so obvious how I feel for him... I feel my cheeks slightly burning again. It's awful how I can blush so easily with that guy... He was right, it's cute how you blush when someone mentions you both, I hear Jessy saying with a playful tone. What…?

- How do you know I'm blushing? I ask her with a surprised tone as I widen my eyes.

- I didn't but now I do, she says as I hear her laughing. She tricked me… I laugh along with her, amused by how much she knows me. She doesn’t even need to see me anymore to know my facial expression. Anyway, I'm not going to get anything done right now… Maybe I should call Phil first and then get to my speech.

- Thanks, Jessy. I think I'm going to call Phil now, I tell her gently as I keep a small smile on my face.

- Okay. I'll go then. But don't tell him I called to tell you all of this, okay? She asks me with a giggle. Oh, she wasn’t supposed to tell me? The little Devil… I chuckle at her comment.

- Of course, I agree with her. Oh wait! I suddenly stopped her before she could hang up. Thanks again. For my mother this time. She told me that she was going to see her best friend. I'm sure your talk must have helped her realize that things are still going on and that it is just a hard moment to pass, I thank and say with sincerity to my best friend, holding the phone before my mouth as I put her on speaker.

- No problem, she replies with her usual cheerful tone. Oh, before I forget, I'll need your help tomorrow night, she tells me rapidly, sounding excited this time. Just in time… I was about to hang up… Let me guess...

- For your dress as the birthday girl? I demand her even though I already know the answer. I smirk.

- Exactly! She exclaims while giggling.

- Of course. Can you come to my place though? Tomorrow is another long day for me and… I ask with an unsure tone before trying to give her an explanation.

- No need to explain. I'll be here at 7:30p.m., is that alright for you? She responds and asks me.

- Perfect! Thanks Jessy. For everything, I thank my best friend truthfully. I hear her giggling cheerfully as usual before we say our goodbye and hang up.

My head is just so full of thoughts right now… With being concerned for my mother even though she is dealing with the loss of her brother at her pace, dealing with the loss of my uncle at my own pace as well, thinking about Phil, thinking about my stressful job, or more about how much money my boss owes me for cutting my pay so many times, thinking about all the work I have to get done for college… There’s just so much at once. I feel like I haven’t been resting for weeks… Why is it so complicated? Everything seems simple when I’m with Phil though… His calm behavior is just so relaxing and just his presence in general makes you feel comfortable and safe and… Good. Jessy is right, I should call him. What else do I have to do anyway? And let’s not lie to myself, I’m dying to call him to hear the sound of his voice...

[lowkeyorloki]

BC ANON BECAUSE OH OKAY IM SPRINTING TO THE BOARD RN TO UPDATE MY THEORIES IM GETTING OUT THE RED STRING BC I THINK IVE FOUND A CONNECTION Okay listen listen listen if one of my theories was correct I’m gonna guess the correct one was the one about Loki being a father BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUSE Loki was caught off guard by something thor said but thor is clearly happy about it and the snippet before that was about Loki wanting kids w y/n. fatherhood comes up a lot in this chapter I think and also in asis in general SO ANYWAY I THINK JANES PREGNANT AND THOR TOLD LOKI THAT that’s why they were talking about Loki being a good father and also that’s why Loki has been thinking even more about how he wanted kids with y/n and agonizing over the fact that she doesn’t want them with him. Anyway who sent in the ask about Jane possibly being pregnant when we were still debating y/n being pregnant was it cass??? I think it was cass but I could be wrong so wherever the person that sent in that ask is YEAH YOU WERE RIGHT JANE IS PREGNANT 12/10 THEORY anyway yeah I’m not getting any work done today it’s all asis in my head there’s no space for anything else. Anyway these theories better be correct bc otherwise im gonna look insane (I already look insane but it’ll be worse if I was just speculating wildly and was way off)

I'M IGNORING MY PHILOSOPHY HW TO ANSWER THIS YES I AM LET'S GO

Okay so first I have to point out that the two excerpts I posted in Cass' asks aren't actually close at all - the one about y/n being pregnant is towards the beginning of the chapter and the part about Thor is near the end. BUT no worries because I don't think it impacts your theories at the end of the day so all is good!!

You're 100% right that fatherhood is one of the main focuses of the Loki chapter. As for who sent in the first ask abt Jane being pregnant I can't remember who that was either - but a lot of people on ao3 think Jane is because she turned down a glass of wine a couple chapters back (and by a couple I mean around ten lol). She said she wasn't feeling well and on top of that, the road to Loki's is established to be twisty and turny because he lives deep in the woods. However I think people quickly forgot about the 'Jane is pregnant' theory because soon after that the story started ramping up with y/n having to go get Narvi. Then people started theorizing about WandaNat and THEN people started to try to figure out what happened with Loki and Clint and so poor Jane and any thoughts + guesses + attention for her kinda got buried.

Jane actually plays a massive role in the Loki chapter. The word count is around 6.5k and she takes up at least 2k (if not 3k) of those words. I'm not sure how that contributes to your theory, but... yeah! There's a lil tidbit for the board hehehe.

I have to say I think the question of if Jane is pregnant or not is a lot more exciting than if y/n was! This is just a fun theory. It's a big deal if it turns out to be true but it isn't... intense in the way all the other guesses/theories about asis have been so far (like, it's cool if Jane is pregnant and it's cool if she turned down the wine because she really did just feel sick that night. It doesn't dramatically change the story and neither outcome is negative in the slightest).

Ofc I have to pick ur brain BC anon... how do you think it would make Loki feel to see someone he's close to be pregnant so soon after the whole y/n debacle?

Finally I feel like (and maybe this is me being self centered?) there are a few ~author~ things to consider: First, would I put ANOTHER pregnancy fakeout in asis? Secondly, would I make Jane pregnant right after y/n's scare? Or did I just make Jane refuse wine to call more attention to y/n forcing herself to drink that same wine so she could feel like she fit in with the ~real adults~ (for the comedic effect ofc) (that I bet nobody thought was funny) (but also it was to emphasize y/n's youth around Thor/Loki/Jane) and didn't realize it made Jane seem like she could be pregnant?

Much to consider 🤔

[thoughtfulpaperback]

CHARMED 03X09 REVIEW SPOILERS!!!!!

Am I the only one who thought that the breaking of Jordan's Curse was weak as heck? I'll go into further detail about why I didn't care much for it but I feel that it is the main reason I am giving this episode a 7/10. It was solid as far as entertainment goes, but it wasn't as exciting to me as some past episodes have been.

Anyways I guess I will continue on to the dislikes now.

DISLIKES

1) The end of Jordan's curse

Okay y'all, I get the poeticness of jordan being released from his curse by convincing a projection of Florence with his whole the past can't be changed and I am not going to be a violent person/I'm different. My whole issue with this is that the whole curse said you had to balance the scales of justice and that was kinda of exciting to think about how the show was going to go that route and what it might mean as far as tasks go.

This was a decidedly weak way to end a potentially exciting curse. Because the curse wasn't actually "broken" Jordan was released from it.

And on that note, I also have issues with that logic. So the spell was just a simple containment gone wrong because of Jordan's curse....so why was Florence real in it?. Like it is technically trapping then in thier heads in a way. You telling me that Florence's spirit just hangs around in Jordan's mind?

Well since the curse made the spell go haywire that's why Florence was there.....

Okay so this curse can bring back the dead in your mind?

Its magic its fine however they try to explain it. I just wish they'd (the writers) would put more effort into making it make sense in the show. Not in the Q&A section of thier social media pages/interviews.

I am honestly getting tired of having to be Sherlock Holmes all the time and me having to discuss and question on go back to previous episodes to figure out how what they did makes sense in canon. It's exhausting.

And listen, I know that people might see this as negativity, but in the spirit of the episodes message, am I saying it. The writing does not need to be exceptional, but it shouldn't be lazy.

The audience shouldn't have to put in all the work to figure out what's going on. It be one thing if we trying to solve a mystery or speculate on where the show is going , but in general solutions to problems should make sense and be connected to what you've already set up. They spent so much build up on the idea of this curse and the price of "balancing the scales of justice" to have the curse ended all in a simple spell gone wrong narrative. Again, if they felt it was the best to have Jordan released from his cure rather than "break it" thats cool but not in a containment spell gone wrong. I personally didn't need an action scene or anything, but maybe in a spell/plotline actually related directly to the curse. It just came off as an easy out for the writers.

2) Introducing Josefina as a possible recurring character.

Don't hate! I love Josefina as a character and would love to see more of her......but this plate is already full. I have felt it a lot this season, but felt it was a nit pick not worth mentioning because I didn't expect it to get worse, but I am just going to say it.

Every episode has like three or so storylines. And while I dont mind them when they are all equally interesting and feel not too split, I feel that sometimes its too seperate and dis jointed. Its too much time apart and not enough together time. The more character they have introduced the more they have split the stories and I just would prefer that we'd see more together time than separated.

That's kind of what I complained about season two. That it was too much of everyone doing thier own thing that it felt off.

Thats said all I mean is that either they need to figure out how to write in a less disjointed way or to drop some characters. Which would be sad since they have spent a lot of time in the two recurring characters (Jordan and Abby) they already have.

I dont know exactly where they are going with Josefina or if she is going to be as recurring as Jordan and abby or if its more like a few episodes or just one more.

I would like to see more, but I dont trust the writers.....I feel like I say that a lot and that's sad.

LIKES

1) issue of the episode: Exceptionality

I have nothing to say other than thank God someone said it. It's exhausting being pressured into being a "model minority".

2) Josefina

Love the idea of the character and getting to learn more about Marisol and her side of the family.

Also like the idea of witch training. We never actually got to see the PO3 Learn about magic and study magic all that much. Even on season 1 a big issue I had was that they never really put as much effort into showing how the ladies are going about learning and training to fight demons/evil. The training orb was a simple way to do so but we didn't get to see very much of it. It was all mostly assumed off screen.

3) Language issues

I like that they brought up (briefly) the whole language issue in the Latinx community. So I assume most of us know it but ill just go through it a bit.

There are many different voices in the community and there are some that believe that the language (Spanish and/or other native or native based jargon) are essential to the experience. Some go as far as to say you can't really consider yourself latinx if you dont speak Spanish.

Which is bonkers in my mind because (as in episode with Maggie) latinx people face similar issues based on thier appearance and last name whether or not they speak Spanish. There are many latinx people who do not speak Spanish and yet it is assumed they do.

No being raised in a Spanish speaking (or other native language) household does open you up to different experiences (language erasure, ESL school experiences, etc) those aren't soley latinx and shouldn't be a "admissions" requirement.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Macy letting Harry go to Abby alone (I am to be that secure that Abby aint gonna try it)

Maggie mad that Antonio swooped in because he speaks Spanish - that ain't his fault take notes.

Jordan-sorry-it-was-instinct-I-wanted-to-protect-you-Chase

Brujeria wasn't stigmatized until the colonizers

"Stay for that whiskey"

Scorpions

[solar3lunar]

3.𝕆𝕟𝕖 𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕥✔︎

𝚆𝚎𝚎𝚔𝚜 𝙻𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛

Ayama POV

My alarm went off at 6 am. I turned my phone off and got up to go get my uniform out of my closest. I went straight to the bathroom to take a quick 3 minutes shower.

I get out of the shower and quickly dry off. And apply lotion on my body. I quickly brushed my teeth and put the uniform on. I went open the bottom cabinet. Underneath the bathroom sink.

"Where is it?" I see all my hair products, but couldn't seem to find the one thing that I needed. I then heard something put on the bathroom counter.

I look up and saw the plastic purple spray bottle and saw my dad walking away. "Thanks Dad!" "Next time. Remember where you put things." He sighed.

I spray water onto to my curly shrinkage hair. I put the bottle with the rest of my hair products and close the cabinets.

I went to my room go straight towards my phone turning it all the way off and putting it in my backpack. I notice the cats were still sleep.

Putting my new books inside my bags that we'll probably never use at least that what my dad said. I went downstairs. I went to the kitchen to make those pre pancakes really quick. Which was simple.

I put the frozen pancakes in the microwave for 3 minutes. Then took it out and butter it up and put syrup on them.

Once I ate those. I put them in the sink and head towards the door. I was so close to leaving the house as I put my shoes on. "Turn around." "Seriously dad?" I asked. "Yes. My daughter is growing up. I like to save these moments." He said.

"Smile." He said. I hold up both of my hands doing a peace sign, smiling while closing my eyes. I hear a camera click. "Alright, I'm off see ya Dad!" I tell him. "You sure you don't wanna ride with me?"

He asks. "I think I'm handling fine." I sang to reassure him. I look at the clock school doesn't start until 8:25. "Besides I wanna be there early but not too early," I told him. "Alright be careful." He said. "I will. Love you," I said. "Love you too." He said.

I then walk out of the house and walk towards the train/bus stop sign that's out side the neighborhood I live in. I pull out my dark blue headphones and put them on.

{Grown~Chloe x Halle}

~~~~~~~~~~~

I start walking towards the school building. I'm not in a rush, because it was only 7:36 when I got off the bus. So I started to speed walk towards the school. It took about ten minutes. The bus was only fast that day because of the entrance exam.

I got to the school door and went inside. I quickly change my shoes and put them in my small locker.

Then quickly went looking for class 1-A which I found quickly, but who in the world is that really tall for this big door. Unless you're talking about Aunt, Mt. Lady. I hear a voice calling my name. I then turned back.

"Oh hey, Midoriya." I greeted. "Thanks for waiting." He said. "No problem," I said as I open the door. The minute I did hell let loose. One student was scolding Bakugo for his feet being on another desk.

That desk happens to be Midoriya's desk. I was a bit shock at what was happening, but not that much. I mean it's Katsuki Bakugou.

"Take your feet off that desk now." The boy with glasses said the same one who called Midoriya out. Maybe he can redeem himself. "Huh?" Bakugo reply with a wide smirk.

"It's the first day. And you're already disrespecting this academy by scuffing school property, you cretin!" The boy with glasses spoke. "You're kidding me, right? Your old school put a stick up your ass? Or were you born with it?" He asked with a wide grin.

I see Midoriya making an awkward face, blue shadowing his face. I'm guessing he didn't want a class with either of them. "Just my luck." He mumbled.

"Uh--" he then cut himself off. "Let's start over." Glasses said. Like that going to help with anything. "I'm Tenya Iida from the Somei Private Academy." So that his name. Iida got it.

"Somei, huh? So you must think you're better than me." The loudmouth said. God his ego has really gone up. "Why must you think just because he went to a private school, He thinks he better than you, Bakugo?" I asked him.

He seems shocked when he heard my voice. The whole class turns towards me and Midoriya way. "Ayama?" Momo spoke up. She seems excited when she saw me. "Hi, Yaoyorozu" I greeted.

"It's them," Iida said. "Hello," I said. "Um. Hi," Izuku said blushing of nervousness. My small tight curls kept moving with my head.

"Good morning!" Iida said as he was coming our way. "I'm name is Tenya Iida from-" He was about to continue, but Midoriya cut him off.

"Yeah, w-we know." He said in the nicest way possible. "I'm Izuku, Midoriya." He said. "And my name Ayama." I said. "What's your last name?" He asked. "She doesn't tell anyone," Bakugou said. "Aw. You remember." I teased.

He just turns the other way with a tiny blush on his face. "Shut up dumbass!" He shouted. "Language!" Iida warns him. "Whatever four-eyes!" Bakugou shouted.

Iida looks down for a bit. Then looks back at us. "Midoriya. Ayama. You two realized there was something more to the practical exam, didn't you two?" He asked us. Leaving us both confused.

"Huh?"

"You guys must be very perceptive. And I completely misjudged you, Midoriya, I admit." He said, looking shameful. Midoriya looks at me and gives me a nod.

"As a student, you're far superior to me." He said. "Iida?" I asked. "What is it?" He asked. I put my hand on his shoulder. "It's okay you're forgiven." I smile nicely. He then a bit of a nose bleed. "Oh, you're, bleeding. Here I gave him a tissue.

"We're going to be needing one as well." I look at the class. They were all getting a nose bleeds. I pass the box of tissues to Izuku first then he passed it on.

"Jeez, you're a cute (lady) Dame." The first student said. He had blonde yellow hair and sparkly purple eyes.

I said thank you, but I found it strange. I mean from family sure, but a person with my skin color out in the streets of Japan 2I just get stared at. I love myself but I never expected to get that type of compliment.

"Hey, I recognize that messy hair and tights curls!" A voice behind us said. "Oh hey, Uraraka." I said. Midoriya looks like he was lost for words. "Oh yeah, I should probably start thanking you guys for going to him." He said.

"Huh, how did you know about us doing that?" She asks. "I'll let you inform her, Midoriya." I said as I went to sit in front of Momo. "Oh, Ayama you grew up on me." She said as she was patting my head. Not that much. I only grew two inches." I turn around to face her. I'm only 5'3.

"Your smile is going to be the death of us all. I just chuckled. I notice it was 21 one of us. Uneven class. Strange. Most classes only have 20 students.

I notice the three we're still rambling on. I only sighed knowing what was coming as I look at the clock it said 8:25

"If you came here to make friends you then you can just pack up your stuff now." My Dad told her. I'm surprised? No. Although I didn't know what he was wearing, The three were all making a creep out face. I thought I was going to get a homeroom teacher that wasn't my Dad. I'm not upset or anything though.

"He probably in that yellow sleeping bag of his," I mutter under my breath. "Welcome to UA's hero class course." I heard him say. I then heard a zipper. Then the sound of him sucking all the jelly left in that jelly pouch.

"Oh yeah definitely. The sleeping bag." I mutter again. I saw his figure outside of the doorway. "It took 8 seconds before you all shut up. That's not going to work. Time is precious. Rational students would understand that." He said.

I notice Izuku analyzing my dad. He must've of been confused because of how worn out my Dad is and how he's a pro hero. Which I could understand, because of paperwork. And how late he stays up. But me knowing Izuku, he'll figure it out sooner or later.

My dad proceeds to introduce himself. I don't blame him for the way he did. (Lazy) "Hello, I'm Shota Aizawa. Your teacher." Just like that my Dad in my life for this school year. I was very interested to see how this year would go.

"Right, let's get to it." He said while looking for something in his sleep bag. He took a gym uniform out and show it to us. "Put these on and head outside." He said then walk away.

"You heard him let's get a move on!" Iida shouted. We all got up and went towards the gyms lockers. "Hurry up, although I wouldn't mind sleeping." My dad said. We went inside the gym lockers.

"Ayama, you have a great figure." A girl with pink skin said. I not use to hearing things like that. Unless it meant something negative.

"Mina Ashido." She said while holding her hand out. I shook it. "Nice to meet you. And I just have a regular figure." I told her. "Your joking?" The invisible girl said. "Toru Hagakure." I turn towards the girl with just gym clothes on. Couldn't see her at all.

"Ayama, but I don't really pay attention that much. You guys have great body figure too. Beside I still a bit chubby around the waist" I said. "By the way. Why is your hair like that?" A girl who resembles a frog asked. "Tsuyu Asui, but call me Tsu." She held her hand out to shake.

"Well, my hair mixture between 3a and 4c. So that why it's like this. I get it from my mother." I explain. If they don't like it well, that's them.

"It's really pretty, Ayama." She said tilting her head and giving me a warm smile. I'm relieved. "She right." The girl said with earplugs hanging from her ears. "Kyoka Jirō" She said. I shook her hand. We start to go outside making our conversation shut down.

While we all were listening to what my Dad had to say which shock everyone, but me I knew Momo would be the second and last one to catch on to what my dad is doing.

"What? A Quirk assessment test?" They all ask my dad confuse as ever. "But orientation! We're gonna miss it!" Uraraka said. "If you really wanna make the big leagues, you can't waste time on pointless ceremonies." He said. I agree with him with that. Considering every orientation in my life has been useless. Everyone gasp a bit shocked. But I saw this coming from a mile away.

"Here at UA, we're not tethered to traditions. That means that I get to run my class however I see fit." He said looking back at us. "You've been taking standardized tests most of your lives. But you never got to use your Quirks in physical exams before. "He said while some were students gasping, others stayed quiet. He then holds out his phone.

"The country still trying to pretend we're all created equal by not letting those with the most power excel. It's not rational. One day, the Ministry of Education will learn." He stopped talking only for a second then went to Bakugo.

"Bakugo, you managed to get the most points on the entrance exam. What was your farthest distance throw of a softball when you were in Junior High?" He asked him. Junior high was probably one of my best school years because of Momo.

"67 meters I think." He said. "Right. Try doing it with your Quirk." My dad said giving him the softball. So the baseball technique. Bakugo walks to the circle and wait for what my father has to say.

"Anything goes just stay in the circle. Go on. You're wasting our time "My Dad tells him. Bakugou grunts a bit. "All right, man, you've asked for it." He then got into throwing position.

"Die!" He yelled. He used his exploding quirk. "Did really just say die?" I whisper. "Sadly, yes." Momo nodded. "Oh, Woah," Izuku said, clearly nervous.

"All of you need to know your maximum capabilities. It's the most rational way of figuring out your potential as a pro hero." My Dad said showing us Bakugo record which was 705.2. Most students gasped, but I wasn't too impressed.

"Whoa, are you kidding me?" One male student said he had dark yellow color for hair, but not too dark. And yellow eyes as well. "I wanna go! That's looks like fun!" Ashido said which was the wrong thing to say.

"This is what I'm talkin' about, usin' our Quirks as much as we want!" Another student said. He had circle tape for elbows. I just put one hand over my eyes, sighing.

"So this looks like fun, huh?" My Dad chuckled a bit not in a good way. Making the students nervous. "You have three years here to become a hero. You think it's all gonna be games and play time?" My dad said leaving the others students a bit in fear.

I took my hand off my eye. "Idiots. Today you'll complete in eight physical tests. to gauge your potential. Whoever comes in last has none, will be expelled immediately." My Dad said with a sly smile. "Huh!?!?" The students shouted.

I would've been shocked if I wasn't his child, but I am. "Like I said, I get to decide how this class runs." My Dad then lifted up his hair to look us all in the eyes.

"Understand? If that's a problem, you can head home right now." I notice that Bakugo had a huge evil grin on his face.

"You can't send one of us home! I mean, we just got here! Even if it wasn't the first day that's isn't fair!" Ochaoco shouted. I would rather have me explain to her why he doing this, because I don't want her to be embarrassed by my Dad.

"But Uraraka-san. Nothing in life could be fair. Think about Natural disasters or Power-full hungry villains." I told her. " Your right." She said. I knew she didn't take any affect to my words because she knew I wasn't trying to embarrass her.

"Let me add on to that. Catastrophic accidents that wipe out whole cities? No the world is full of unfairness." My Dad continue. "It's a hero's job to try to combat that unfairness. If you wanna be a pro, You're gonna have to push yourself to the brink."

"For the next three years, UA will throw one terrible hardship after another at you. So, go beyond. Plus Ultra-style." My Dad finish with those words then point one finger up as come towards me, but not really.

"Show me it's no mistake that your here." He finished. I seen this side of my Dad before. But it's still shock me to this day. Everyone seem to have gain their confidence back thanks to Dad's words. If I'm being honest I would be lost without his words.

"Now then. We're just wasting time by talking. Let's the games begin." Dad finished.

'Welcome to the devil's home.'

First test was 1:50 meter dash. This is very simple to me. I was first up against Tenya Iida. "Why are you face backwards?" Tenya asked. "You'll see and sorry if you're ears hurt." I told him. Leaving him confused.

The sound of a gun went off and I scream my way to the other side landing on both of my feet. "2.10 seconds." Leaving the class shocked. I just stood there with a netrual face. Both of my hands on my hips.

"3.18 seconds." The measuring machine said. "How are you that fast?" He asked me I just shrug. I went to line up with the other while Iida said he'll go again with Tsu. I stood with the others while watching him and Tsu use their quirk. He came in first this time. I notice my Dad say something about his quirk,but I didn't listen fully.

He was faster this time. "3.04 seconds" measuring machine said. Tsu gotten 5.58 seconds. I'm was a bit worried about Izuku though. If he doesn't show his quirk yet then... No way. I won't believe it.

Ochaoco went up against Mashirao. Mashiro got 5.29 seconds. She ended up with 7.15 seconds. But she seems proud of it. Mina went up against Yuga, who seems very confident at first when using his Lazer beam. Until it went out. Then Mina came in first, before him. But he was close when he using his Lazer beam again.

"What a tool." I heard some students say. "Uh oh." I said. "What is it?" Uraraka ask me. I point to the next two people up. Izuku and Katsuki. "What about them?" Yaoyorozu asked. "I'm worried about Izuku and what Katsuki might say." I told them. "Bakugou does have a big ego.*ribbit*" Tsu said.

"Let's just watch." Hagakure said. I nodded. "4.13 seconds!" The measuring device said. "7.02 seconds." I was a bit shock he did better than Ochaoco did, but she use her quirk and he didn't.

"My power is more uses than anyone elses in this school." Katsuki said while looking at his hands. I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you say.." I mutter. I notice Midoriya looking a bit stressed, but after a few seconds he had gain his confidence back.

Test 2: The grip test.

Test 3: The long jump.

Test 4: side repeated side step.

Test 5: Ball throw

I look at my Dad. He gives me a nod. I had the ball in my my hand. I start to activate my quirk. My eyes went red. My hair started to float upwards. I quickly looked at Uraraka then look back.

{Cliffs Edge~Hayley Kiyoko}

The beat starts to play so everyone could hear it. "Swing a little further higher." I then threw the ball. When I sing that lyrics it made the ball go even faster. I then stop both of my quirks.

My Dad show me the score which was the exact same as Uraraka. Chatter was among the students. I turn around. Only to see their faces in shock. "You have two quirks!?!" Bakugo shouted at me. "Something like that." I said. "Oh Uraraka sorry for the bit of drainage." I told her while walking back towards the group.

"But I didn't stop your quirk though I said." I told her. "It's alright." She smile as I smile back. She's cute when she smiles. Izuku was up next. I saw that he was worried.

I was a bit worried for him. Because my dad could send him home. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I look at who it was. "Momo?" I whisper. "Hey. It's going to be fine." She told me. "I hope you're right." I said.

"If Midoriya doesn't shape up soon he the one going home." Iida said. "Huh? Of course he is.

He's a Quirkless loser." Bakugo reply. "He has a Quirk." I told him. "Since when." Bakugo ask with a smirk. He's freaking difficult.

"Did you not hear about what he did at the entrance exam?" Iida back me up. "Huh?" Katsuki said. I just ignore him. Anymore seconds and he's a goner. Midoriya finally started to power up.

He threw the ball, but like any normal child would. "Hey Ayame why you stop it." He asked me. "I didn't." I said. "I did." My dad was suddenly in front us. His hair was floating upwards.

"I erased your quirk." My Dad was now in front of us with his back facing us while he was looking at Midoriya.

"The judges for this exam were not rational enough. Someone like you should never be allowed to enroll at this school." I hate to admit it, but he was right. Unless he can prove to my father that he should be at this school.

"Wait- you did what to my--" he stop mid sentence. I think he now knows who my Dad is. "Ah! Those goggles. I know you! You can look at someone and cancel out there powers. The Erasure Hero. Eraser Head!" He said.

"Okay it's nice that you know, but that still doesn't really help you with the situation you're in." I thought. All of the others students were just plain confused. Which I don't blame considering he an underground hero.

"He's a hero he just doesn't like to be in the spotlight. An underground hero." I told them. "Ohh." They finally understand.

"You're not ready. You don't have control over your power." I would tell my Dad, but I can't. I won't betrayed their trust like that.

"Were you planning to break your bones again? Counting on someone else to save your useless body?" He asked

"No! That's not what I was trying to do!" As soon as he finished with his sentence. My Dad had got one of his strings of scarf and had them bring Midoriya closer to him.

"No matter what your intentions are, you would be nothing more than a liability in battle." My Dad told him. "You have the same reckless passion as another overzealous hero I know." Uncle All Might, huh?

"One who saved 1,0000 people himself and became a legend. But even with that drive, you're worthless if you can only throw one punch before breaking down." My Dad is right you can't keep fighting if you know you're going break at one point.

"Sorry Midoriya. With your power, there's no way you can become a hero." My Dad finished. Midoriya was shocked. He let Midoriya go. "I've returned your impractical Quirk. Take your final throw. Hurry and get it over with." My Dad walk away back to his spot. Midoriya had his head down.

I look at Momo and she nods. If he makes it he'll stay. 'Don't give up Midoriya.' We were the only one listing careful while the others were just lost.

"I wonder if teacher gave him some advice." Iida start off, but then got interrupt by Bakugo. "Probably told him to start packing." He said.

I look at Midoriya as his expression change. He then threw the ball. I look closely. "He'll put all his power into that one finger." I said quitely.

"Smash!"

The ball went up into the air. "Alright Midoriya!" I said. "You can never stop so being loving and kind, can you?" Momo ask. I shook my head with a small smile.

"Mr. Aizawa." My Dad seem somewhat shocked about his score. "You see I'm still standing." He said. Alright Midoriya. I saw my dad smile although it may look creepy to some. That smile is the one of the smiles I care for the most.

"This kid..." I heard my Dad said, but was blocked out by the cheering me and Uraraka was doing. My Dad show us his score. 705.3

"He threw it over 700 hundreds meters!" Kamninari shouted. "Nice, He finally showing us his true power!" Uraraka said. "Nice one Izuku!" I said.

"But his finger is appears to be broken now. Just like in the exam. This Quirk is very odd." Iida said. "It wasn't a very pretty throw." Aoyama said. Not like it really matters.

I saw Bakugou gasp in shocked. I was hoping he be nice for once. But that wouldn't be Bakugo, now would it. I saw him getting angry. "Hey!" He had his hands exploding mini fire bombs. "Deku you bastard! Tell me how you did that or your dead!" He always has to threaten somebody.

Izuku was screaming in panic while standing in fear. But the Bakugou got held back by my Dad scarf. Bakugou grunts as he got held back. "What?" Bakugou shouted as he was looking back to see who cause it. "Why the hell is your damn scarf so strong?" He asked.

"Because it a capture weapon made out of carbon fiber and a special metal alloy. Stand down. It'd be wise to avoid making me use my Quirk so much." My Dad said finally looking up.

"It's gives me serious dry eye." He said. "Too bad. that Power amazing!" Students said. "Hey Ayame your power reminds me of his." Tsu point out. "Yeah she right." Ashido agreed. "I didn't choose my Quirks." I said calmly.

"She has a point."Jirō said. "But her singing was amazing." Hagakure said. "She right. How come you didn't sing so much in middle school?" Momo ask. "I guess I didn't feel like it." I said.

"You're wasting my time now. Whoever next can step up." My Dad went back to his spot. Why do I feel like this could be punishment for not riding with him earlier today. Izuku came running back towards us. As everyone congratulate him.

Test 6: sits up.

Test 7: seated toes touch.

Test 8: long distance run.

"All right, time to give you your result. I rank you all from best to worst. You should probably have a good idea of your standing already I'll just pulled up the whole list. It's not worth going over each individual's score." My Dad then show us the virtual pop up rank from his phone that was like a projector.

My Dad wasn't going to expelled anyone. I had gotten second place. Momo was first I was happy for her. Todoroki gotten third Bakugo gotten fourth place. I went to the list of names. And Izuku was last, 21 place. I saw the fear in his eyes. But I want to laugh because :he thought he was going to get expelled.

"And I was lying nobody going home." My dad said leaving everyone, but me and Momo in shock. "That was just a rational to make sure you gave it your all in the tests." My Dad said with a smile.

Everyone had yelp. While Momo sighed and I chuckled. "I'm surprised the rest of you didn't figure that out. I'm sorry. I guess we probably should've said something." Momo said.

"You guys should really see the looks on your faces." I giggled. "Yeah you should've." Jirō, Mineta, and Kamninari said. "It's not that funny Ayama!" Izuku, Ochaoco, and Mina whined. "Your right I'm sorry." I said chuckling a bit.

I looked at Bakugo smiled warmly at him. He turn around hint of blush on his cheek. "That's it we're done for the day. Pick up a syllabus in the classroom. Read it over before tomorrow morning." My Dad then walks away and then we all go in the locker room to put on our uniforms. Then back to the classroom.

The rest of the day went fine. As I expected. I would get most my aunts and uncles as my teachers.

"See you later Ayama." Mina said. "See ya!" I said. I was the last person in the classroom. I then got up and left out the classroom. Closing the door behind me.

"Ayama is that you?" I pause in my track. Please don't say who I think it is. I turn around. "Oh so it is you." Dang it that boy. "What is it, Kiyoshi Enomoto." I ask him. He'd always bully me when I attended middle school.

(Only lasted for the 7th grade. After that her dad took her out.)

He had dirt blond hair and big green eyes. Tan skin. Typically jerk. A lot girls want him. So why am I his target?

"I just wanna know how you, Miss puff, got into class 1-A." He questioned me. I didn't answer. He knock my phone out of my hand which I grabbed, before it hit the floor. "That's none of your concern." I said. He pushes me be against the locker. I push him away from me.

"I'm not putting up with you. Just know. You won't be getting anywhere with that attitude." I said about to walk away until he use his Quirk on me. His Quirk: Mind torturing and. He can torturing someone in there mind and and even after you still feel pain.

"On your knees. Now." My mind was numb. I was somewhere the sky was red. And grass black. A black figure with a sword came my way. My eyes widened. It helped my up one of my arm. It made an K on my wrists. I hissed. Just as it was about to stab my wrists. It was gone. I was back inside the school.

I feel to my side holding my wrists. I saw Momo slap him. I hissed. "Ayama!" She quickly rush to my aid. "What your problem?" I asked him.

"You're my problem you little dipshit." I blink twice. I showed no emotions in my eyes. "Come again?" I asked him.

"You heard me. You're a fucking little dipshit!" He told me. I walked up to him and punch him in face. "I told you. I'm not putting up with you." I told him. "You really have grown since the last time I've seen you." Momo said.

"I wouldn't say that." I told her. I looked back at Enomoto. "I apologize that your mother and father couldn't raise you right." I said. I start to walk towards Momo. "At least I have both parents." I turned around and look at him.

"Is that supposed to phase me in anyway?" I asked. "You've always been like that. You don't care about anything or anyone. I bet you don't even care if I-" Before he could even go on.

"Enough! If I see you doing this to her again. I will report you to the the school staff members." Momo said. "Like they'll do anything to me." He said.

"Don't worry about him Momo. He'll learn." I told her as we walk away. The guy who gave me pain and suffering during my middle school year. I won't be surprised if he tries to do the same thing.

I walked inside the staff room. With phone in hand. "What took you so long?" My Dad asked me. "Umm.. I bumped into someone." I lied.

I then go to sit down at the empty desk that was near aunt Midnight's. "Oh hello sweetie. I can't wait for you to be in your hero costume." She hugged me. "I can't believe both of you guys convince me to her outfit." My Dad sighed.

My Dad was about 2 second from grabbing the paper I design and redesign it and by that I mean him completely redoing it. "Well of course! As her favorite aunt I need to make sure my niece show off some skin." She said bring my face towards her chest.

I don't do favorites. Unless it's comes to Aunt Mirko and Uncle Hawks. They're just funny. But I still love them all equally.

My outfit that me and my Dad agreed on is a black long sleeves v shape jumpsuit with a hoodie.

Although the top of my breasts are a bit expose because how the jumpsuit is designed. So I came up with the solution of a plain sleeveless and strapless black crop top I'll wear underneath the jumpsuit.

My capture weapon or "scarf." The color of it is midnight blue and it's just goes around my waist above my black utility belt. As for my shoes their just black combat boots.

"Hey Ayama you think you can sing a song for me?" Aunt Midnight asked. "You can't get uncle to help you. I'll let you walk back home tomorrow." Dad said.

"Deal!" I said. As I grabbed some stack of papers from my dad. “Losing track under the water. Looking for something that I been missing.” The music starts to play for them to hear.

{Open spaces~Just A Gent}

"Find me in open spaces." The beat faded out as I finish. "Aren't we lucky to have you in our lives." My aunt said while hugging me with my face in her breast. She done this all my life I would've thought I be use to this by now.

"Yeah. We sure are." I heard my Dad say. I looked at my phone lock screen. It was a picture of me and my Dad. I believe I was four or three at the time. We were at Disneyland in California.

Making that my second time being out of the country. I was on my dad shoulders wearing glowing Mini mouse ears. Although my two afro buns kinda block it out of the way.

We were watching the fireworks that night. It was truly magical. My Aunt Midnight had took that picture.

"What you looking at, kiddo!" I jumped up a bit. "Nothing!" I said. "Doesn't seem like nothing." Uncle mic said. "Oh! I know! It's a secret crush isn't it!" Aunt Midnight said. "A what?" I looked towards my dad. He had his hair flying and his eyes were glowing red.

"No!" I said. "Then what is it?" They both asked. "It's just a picture from Disneyland!" I said embarrassed. "Why didn't you just say so?"

We said our goodbyes. And got in the car. While Dad was driving I decided to ask him a question. That's always on my mind.

"Hey Dad?" I ask. "Hm?" "Do you think Mom would be proud of me?" I ask him. "If I'm proud of where you are then I know she is as well." He said. "Oh and Dad." I said. "Hm?" He asked. "Love you." I then turn my head towards the window. I get embarrassed when I said it.

I heard him chuckled then pat my head while saying. "Love you too, Lyric." He said. When we got home. I took off my shoes and went upstairs to in my room.

'He still dead when you're done with the bottle.' What the? I'm not even going to think about it. I got my PJs and decided to take a shower for 5 minutes then change into my PJs and slippers I put my clothes in the hamper then walk down stairs and grabbed the syllabus on the table to read.

"Hey Leo." I felt his tail brush against my leg. I looked down from the syllabus and saw Leo looking up at me. I pet his head.

I felt something jump onto my lap. I looked at my lap. "Hello to you too, Nebula." I scratch her chin a bit and she seemed to have a comfort in that.

I picked her up and put her down. "I got it." I notice my Dad was gonna poor their food and water. I got up and went in the pantry and got the cat food from the floor.

I poor their food and water. Then watch as they came to eat. I put the food back in the pantry. I was about to walk out, until a purple bag caught my eyes.

"If you eat those hot chips. You're not getting dinner." I heard my dad say. "Then why did you buy them?" I whined. "For me." I just gave him a look.

"Betrayal." I walked out of the kitchen. "Ayama, I was just kidding." I didn't even answer him. "Where are you going?"I walked up the stairs. "To my comfort place called "Lunar vill." Where I'll have my blanket and cry over my father who won't let me have chips!" I tell him

"Food will be ready in 5 minutes, Ayama."

I sat down at the table. I have this song in my head that I remember my mom and someone else singing  to me when I was a toddler. "Brown skin girls skin. Skin just like pearls best thing in the world." I really just remember that part.

"I'm surprised you remember that." My Dad said while setting my plate right in front of me. Itadakima."Thanks, and yeah I forget how old I was when mom sing it to me." I said.

"You were 2 year old, that's what's shock me is that you still have memory of that time." He said. Which is true because I don't really remember alot except when I turn 3 year old.

"Hey Dad?" I asked. "Hm?" "Did mom have any other siblings? Other than Aunt Miyoko." I asked him. "She had 7 siblings her being the 8th and the youngest out of them all." He said while rubbing his stubble beard.

"What happened to them?" I asked. "After your mother death. We just haven't kept in contact. Although two of them did enter UA before me and your mother went. They were twin brother and sister." He said. I don't want to push him any questions that might make him upset.

I got up and wash the dishes and hug my dad saying goodnight. Then went upstairs to brush my teeth. I took my slippers for a feel a sleep in my full size bed.

Taglist: @mypimpademia

~Wishlist~

~Luna Lyric~

~Universe navi~

[notthatiwilleverwriteit]

Hi 👋🏻 I hope you're doing okay and staying save with everything that is happening in the world right now. how are you coping with it? and if you don't mind answering I'm interested to know if this update didn't happen what would you wanted she li and mo backstory to be? I've seen your post that you didn't expect that, so I'm quite interested to know what you would have wanted it to be or what would you add to it 😊

Hello, dear anastasia-blue-april!

The world has definitely changed a lot in a short amount of time, but I’m coping pretty well. I had a little moment of panic in the beginning but it passed as I think the overall situation calmed down. Social distancing itself isn’t a problem for me, so all is relatively well. I do a weekly supply run and take good care of hygiene.

I hope people are following the instructions to take care of themselves and those around them. The important thing is to remain calm and patient. Everyone is having to put up with various inconveniences right now, but we will surely get through this!

Thank you for your concern, and I hope you’ll stay safe, too!

“what you would have wanted it to be”

The latest update of how SL and MGS met seemed to divide the readers. Some were happy with it while others were disappointed. The fandom had been waiting for this revelation for quite a long time, so a lot of different theories had been put together and expectations were high. Personally, I’m hovering somewhere between the two ends of the line but leaning more towards “disappointed”. There were things that I loved and found interesting in the chapter, but as you said, it wasn’t what I had expected. Now, I can roll with this version of how it all went down but overall, it left a bit of a “...wait, that’s it?” aftertaste in my mouth.

I have talked about my thoughts regarding MGS and SL’s past a couple of times by now:

Overall thoughts about their relationship

Development and what might have happened in the past

What might have happened (vol. 2)

My “main” theory of how SL and MGS were acquainted and how MGS ended up owing SL has pretty much always been connected to how MGS was treated as a child by other kids (ch. 242):

His father was in jail which automatically made him a criminal in other’s eyes. MGS was a son of a criminal, so surely he must be a bad kid, too. If something happened or went missing, it was easy for people to think that the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree. Of course, a child doesn’t know how to handle that kind of situation. When they’re wrongly accused of something they lash out. It’s not unheard of if they even attack other kids physically which is what seemed to happen in MGS’s case. Not only was he made guilty based on prejudice but he also felt very sensitive about his family and father.

Unfortunately, that kind of reaction only made things worse for him. Lashing out and getting violent confirmed people’s prejudices after which it’s that much more difficult to turn things around. No one was listening to MGS, and all they saw were his (re)actions. He was seen as a problem child with whom you shouldn’t associate and who wouldn’t amount to anything respectable.

That’s where I imagined SL coming along in some way. My main idea was that SL was running his own group and took notice of MGS who liked to keep to himself. MGS was ostracised by others, and being discriminated against had planted the first seeds of bitterness and anger already in him. I thought SL would have picked up on that and taken advantage of his emotions. He would have offered MGS a place in his gang which had given him at least some kind of group to belong to. I don’t think it’s a far-fetched idea at all that a kid who’s being pushed out and rejected by the “good” will be picked up by the “bad”.

Of course, yet again, that would have been another step in the wrong direction. Associating with people like SL would have worsened MGS’s image and reputation in other’s eyes even further. Juvenile gangs aren’t also the ideal environment to better one’s image of themselves. I could have imagined how being involved in a gang life had stoked and fed MGS’s negative image of himself and self-esteem. He wasn’t a criminal or a bad kid by any means, but when you hear those kinds of things about yourself for long enough, you start to believe that’s what you’re good for. It wouldn’t have been difficult for SL to tip MGS over in that sense and tie him to his gang by his own volution.

Joining SL would have also made MGS owe him on a level that was pretty deep. Being picked up by someone and given a community of sorts to belong to is one of hell of a debt that’s not easily paid back, if ever. That’s not just doing someone a favor but rather you’re a part of something from that point on. And I imagined the way SL saw it, the only way MGS could have ever repaid him was his absolute loyalty. Anything short of that SL would consider not enough and betraying him after SL had “saved” him.

Another theory of mine that I thought could be interesting albeit perhaps less possible was about them meeting as kids before middle school. Maybe MGS and SL had started out as somewhat friends. Maybe as a child, SL had been seen as an odd weirdo by other kids, and MGS had been the one who befriended him one way or another. Maybe he would have seen SL being treated like he was and decided to stand up for him or reach out for him.

But in a lot of ways, SL was already heading in the wrong direction. It seemed like his home life was quite miserable. He also struck me as a kid who’s very peculiar but in a creepy way. Maybe his quietness and stare made other kids uncomfortable. Maybe he had violent tendencies that seemed...disturbed. I have always also had this idea that even as a child, SL’s mind just worked...differently. Maybe his sense of right and wrong was a bit warped even back then, and no matter how good of a friend MGS had been for him, he couldn’t have prevented how SL ended up. Admittedly, the whole “you owe me” and “I saved you” would have been a challenge to work into all of that, but I think it would have been interesting and given their relationship and SL’s character even more complexity.

“or what would you add to it”

As we all know, nothing that I had been thinking ended up happening. Well, I guess it’s still too early to say “nothing” since most of how their relationship progressed after SL saved MGS is still hidden from us. Maybe there will be something about how being in a gang at such a young age molded MGS as a person. But I would say most of what I had had in mind didn’t happen.

None of that is, of course, to say there wasn’t anything in the chapter that I liked. I was disappointed by the origin of “I saved you”/”you owe me” but I found MGS’s guilt very interesting. I still haven’t completely wrapped my head around it but I think carrying that kind of burden all this time definitely added an interesting layer to his character. And of course, as a MGS enthusiast, I’m always down for some of that! It broke my heart how that incident had been weighing on him so heavily and how he had been carrying it by himself. The overall themes of guilt, confession, and atonement/absolution are very interesting to me. I’m excited to see how things will progress for MGS from now on.

It’s difficult to say what I would add or change about the chapter if I could. If I couldn’t have any version of what I had thought their backstory was, I think I would change the origin of MGS’s guilt. I don’t know if I’m the only one but the deal with the homeless man and mentions of the accident left me confused. It also didn’t help that different versions of translations seemed somewhat inconsistent. It remained a bit unclear to me what were all the things MGS was feeling so guilty about exactly. I can recognize the overall “why” but details were left a bit hazy.

Either way, I would most definitely keep the idea of MGS having this crushing feeling of guilt, but maybe its origin could have been different? I had this idea that maybe MGS had accidentally done something that would have gotten him in trouble. He hadn’t meant it and it maybe hadn’t completely been his fault. Maybe it could have been one of those cases in which he would have easily come across as the responsible one. And given his situation, no one would have probably believed him anyway. Maybe it could have been something that - if found out - would have worsened MGS’s situation regarding the prejudice considerably and required his mother to get involved. Maybe MGS could have felt like he didn’t want to burden her and that whatever had happened had been his fault. Maybe he was alone in the situation and didn’t know what to do.

And that’s where SL would have stepped in. MGS would have known of SL, him being a transfer student, and his reputation but not really more than that. SL would have happened on the scene of MGS being scared and panicked and thinking he was going to be found guilty of something bad he hadn’t meant to do. Maybe SL had suggested he took the fault for MGS or “made it all go away”. He could have said it was no big deal for him and MGS could join his group since he seemed to be alone anyway. Or something along those lines. Maybe later if MGS tried to oppose SL’s orders, SL would remind him of the favor he had done and threaten to reveal who the real guilty one was.

Maybe the chapter could have still been about the homeless guy attacking MGS and him doing something in panicked-hazed self-defense that ultimately resulted in the man being knocked out or somehow injured. And that’s when he spots SL watching them...

But this chapter is what OX decided to go with, and I can live with that. It was a plot revelation that ended up becoming one of my least favorite ones, but either way, I’m happy we finally got to see this part of MGS and SL’s history. Given the pacing of 19 Days, that in and of itself is a small victory that I’m grateful for. I’m also happy about what a big development point this marked for MGS’s character and Tianshan.

Thank you for your question, dear anastasia-blue-april!

[jjungkooksthighs]

finally got enough time to read yearn for you and girl!!!!! where do I start from? first of all, I'm sorry you did not receive enough love for this fic but I'll try my best to try and express all the gratitude for you. ok so, this is gonna be messy because english is not my first language and I'm a bit dyslexic so forgive me😔... I remember reading edacity and thinking damn! she can write! and got soooo hooked on the way you write. then I stumbled on claws of carnality and I already told you anything I had to say about this fic: a masterpiece. then I decided to read undercurrent (I couldn't read it straight away because of how long it is and how hectic life could be) but then again, what else could I have expected from you? the way you described the scenes (don't wanna spoil anything if people didn't read it yet).. it was like I was there (this applies for all of your fic but this one has something different to it? can't really describe it, I'm sorry). you are such a talented writer, so elegant, so eloquent, so detailed, so entrancing, so attractive in a way? so when you announced you were going to post another story I was thrilled! and you delivered, god, did you deliver. I was so frustrated with jk at the beginning of the story, you pulled me in your story with just a few sentences.. but at the story went, I felt so content because of how you described their relationship, the trust they have in each other, the desire to please the other, the love you can basically feel through the words and when I was reading about the flashback, I could feel the love. I also loved how even if he is a hard dom, he is so whipped for her... when she stands after he strips her and he sees her kick her heels off and he grins? my heart beat a little faster, don't ask me why. I loved how even if jimin was there, he could also have not been there at all and the after care? the way he is basically going around, calling her his fiancee, love them. at the end, my greedy, curios brain (and heart, who am I kidding) wanted more lmao. I have a few questions if you don't mind.. what happens with taehyung? because he was a bit of a brat, trying to get in her pants and then complaining when he got a bit left out? honey, you got a big storm coming. will you ever write little drabble for this couple? like, how did he propose? not gonna lie, kinda curious about the dress he picked out for her for the gala.. no pressure tho baby, feel free to ignore this part. I also loved how he called her petal and flowers and how he didn't even think twice about buying the necklace. want something like this for me, it would be the life, having someone you love who loves you back and is always ready to remind you... anyway, this is all for today, gonna go read yean for you a few more times now☺️🥴. hope you are having a good day, we love you💙

Your english is very impressive for someone that doesn’t speak it primarily, darling. You don’t need to apologize for being dyslexic, either. You can’t help that and should not apologize for something beyond your control. Anyway, you found me through Edacity, huh? It’s always interesting hearing about how you guys find me, I have to say. That one was written in a lust filled craze following the video that the gif used for that fic was recorded from. Manbun Jungkook really took my pussy (and fingers) and said WORK FOR IT. Ugh, he’s just so hot istg I really couldn’t help myself when I wrote that fic, lol. Anyway, it’s cute that you cycled through like all of my fics and I’m glad that you liked my work enough to keep reading through everything that I had posted on here! I will say that Undercurrent is very precious to me because it’s the very first reader x member fic that I wrote and posted to Tumblr. I love that story so much and I’m so elated to know that you appreciated it as much as you did! It took about two weeks for that like YFY, but every time that I sat down to write it, I just would smile like an idiot whenever I’d read through it at how cutely I encapsulated the lovers to be in their feelings for each other. 

Truly, who else writes a damn novel for their first ever fic? Gah, I am still so soft over Undercurrent. That fic is like my first child, lol. It is very special to me. So is COC, but we all know my sentiments about that fic at this point. I feel like I’m being annoying with it, but the self-consciousness and insecurity about that one still persists and whenever I hear about it from my readers, I get nervous because I have this lingering anxiety that more negative comments will be given on it. Well, this ask isn’t about COC, so I should move on, I think. Sorry about that mini-rant, anon!

Switching back to YFY, Jungkook’s personality in this one is a little different than what I have done before and I am glad that you liked the way he’s built in terms of his characterization. I wanted to show a Jungkook that was so in love with you that he is willing to give you anything you want (even if that means fucking another man) while also staying true to the possessive creature that we all know he is in real life. He adores reader very much and because of that, he just wants to see her happy at the end of the day. She is a constant in his life and gives him stability where the world would fall apart under his feet and he cherishes her for that for sure. I adored their relationship just as you did because they care about each other so much and each one of them just wants to please the other always. It’s funny that you say that Jimin could have not been there because the person that commissioned this fic from me actually wanted just a CEO!Jimin fic in the beginning, lol. Kook wasn’t even factored into the story in the initial stages and it actually was going to be a hybrid CEO!Jimin fic where he goes into heat while at work, but that idea was never fully fleshed out because Jungkook had to come out with his D’ICON stuff and really, it was over for me when I saw that video of him in the leather fit. 

I talked to my commissioner about it and she was more than eager to have Kook involved in the fic (even though she originally thought that I would not go so far as to write 31.5k words worth of shit that Kook was responsible for over 22.3k for before Jimin even makes an appearance, lol. I couldn’t really help it being the Jungkook slut that I am, but hey, it brought such sin out of it and I can’t apologize for THAT because it was too much fun to keep writing the lewd escapades of reader and her fiance that loved his future wife too much to deny her of anything so as long as he is part of it. 

As for Taehyung, well...let’s just say that Jungkook had a nice “chat” with Taehyung and the two ended the discussion with Jungkook sat in his office while Taehyung got to listen to a recording of reader fucking herself with Jungkook’s name falling repeatedly from her lips. Taehyung may or may not have had a tent in his pants while Jungkook gave a cruel smirk and when you’re summoned to his office, let’s just say that Taehyung gets a nice show while Jungkook fucks you over his desk. Now, this is done AFTER Jungkook orders you to bind Taehyung’s wrists with his tie so that he can’t do anything while he watches, his lips drawn between his teeth the entire time that Jungkook fucks into you like a crazed man. When it’s all over and you lie boneless on the desk, Jungkook eats the sandwich you brought him off your stomach before eating you out and let’s just say that when Taehyung leaves the office, his cheeks have never been more red both with embarrassment and rage. 

Wow, I really let myself keep going with that, huh? I guess that shows just how much I’m fond of YFY, lol. 

I would consider writing a drabble for YFY, but that would have to be commissioned as I am facing a financial crisis right now and can’t really afford to spend time writing anymore unless I will be compensated for it! It’s very sweet to ask that because it shows me you want more of this story and that’s very heartening to know!

As for the dress, I would be more than happy to show it to you if you message me (you can go through anon again if you prefer) once more with that question because this ask is already really long! 

Also, I’m pleased to know that you liked the pet names! I have a weakness for them, you see, so you’ll find an abundance of that in just about everything you read from me. 

It would be quite a life to have a man like YFY Jungkook in it, wouldn’t it? You would never want for a thing with him, that’s for sure. You also would never feel deprived of attention or love because he’d readily relinquish both to you 24/7. I wanna swoon over YFY Jungkook because he’s just so dreamy, isn’t he? 

Anyway, I am so happy to hear you liked the story. Thank you for reading my work and taking the time to say all of that, lovely. It really makes my day so much better when you guys tell me things like this and I can’t thank you enough for being nice enough to let me know all of this!

[lizzybeth1986]

Quick Thoughts on DD Book 1 Chapter 5

• Content Warning: There are references to slut shaming while speaking about opera singers, and I speak about executions in the Hamid scene (I've not added grisly details or anything, but to me what I have included does sound a little macabre). I don't know if those warrant a warning, but I'd like to err on the side of caution and ensure that anyone comfortable with that knows this before they make the decision to proceed.

• Okay on with the QT!

• Why hello there, fancy hot looking Ottoman prince dude.

• Looks like not one but both of my MCs will be living the thot life.

• Apologies for the huge delay guys. There was a LOT to unpack this chapter, and it took me a while to actually explore, confirm my research and get a clear idea overall of how I wanted to approach this one. I'm hoping once TRR ends I can get these babies out earlier.

• You know what I realised? The Lady Grandma LIKES a sassy bitch. There are several times this chapter she's actually been more approving of my headstrong Marianne than she has been of my more mild-mannered Florence. See all of this:

She's mostly approving of this, however, when Henrietta is the recipient of this behaviour, but there are also points where she appreciates the MC's candor (if she chooses to show it) such as if the MC refers to the art of the fan as "ridiculous". If there is one thing that consistently gets on Dominique's nerves, it is occasions where the MC might speak of herself and her former background negatively, mostly out of annoyance because it shows she hasn't comfortably settled into her role yet, and Dominique needs the MC to do so if Edgewater is to stay within in the family and bloodline.

• Also I love the subtle streak of independence we get to see in Annabelle. She is someone who is doing what is expected of her, someone who tries to make the best of her circumstances the only way she knows how, but she is also refreshingly open about how stressful it is for her to go down this path, even in her free scenes. She is also playful and mischievous and doesn't take herself too seriously, which makes a lot of her scenes a joy to do.

• I also really really liked the option where you tell her she's the one you want to marry, and her reaction is both a disbelief that such a dream could come true alongside a receptiveness to the idea. It's soft and sweet and beautiful.

• So we start out with a crash course on the nobility we'll meet in London (Alfred Halloway, whose daughter Felicity is debuting this season, and the Barrymore family, who are related to the Halloways by marriage). Only this time, Annabelle wants to be a snarky little boss and fill the MC in on all the juicy gossip that Lady Grandmother won't give her.

• Lady Grandmother: Alfred Holloway is the viscount of Lochdale. His daughter, Felicity, will be coming from her estate at Bellington Hall to make her debut this season.

Miss Parsons: Alfred Holloway is an arrogant prig who looks like an Easter ham studded with cloves.

(For the record, this is what a clove-studded Easter ham seems to look like:

Holy shit Annabelle you savage af)

Lady Grandmother: Miss Holloway's family is also tied by marriage to the Earl of Barrymore...

Miss Parsons: Oh, avoid the Earl of Barrymore. His bed has more traffic than Drury Lane!

Annabelle here must be referring to the crowd that tends to flock around the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, which was popular as a source of entertainment for its plays and had a seating capacity of 3000 people.

• The free scene with Annabelle is important because it eases us gently into the main themes of her scene later on. The women get to speak about the whole concept of a "marriage market", and straight off the bat Annabelle lets us know how uncomfortable she is with having to go through a wedding to another man.

• She also speaks about what else - besides the fact that Harry was her closest friend - about his death affected her. Having been promised to Harry, Annabelle didn't have to go through the rigamarole of finding a husband. She had learned to settle with the idea of being married to someone who she knew and liked at least, if not loved. It's sad to us modern readers now that Annabelle would have to settle for less than passion or love, but back then I don't think she could have imagined a better deal. And now...and now she will have to settle for even less than what she had with Harry. This was a pretty neat way of easing us into the larger conversation she has with us in her diamond scene.

• A few days pass, and Briar is now helping us get ready for the trip to London. You have the option of encouraging her romance with Mr Woods, which...cmon. They cute 😊

•

Ooh so our House Colours are navy blue and gold! (considering that the Earl's default outfit itself is navy blue, I should have figured that would be a house colour). It's nice but MY NECK WHERE IS MY NECK.

Did You Know: that up until the middle of the 19th century, men's and women's riding habits were largely made by men in a distinctively masculine style. This is what Candice Hern's article "Regency Habits, Overview" on her website Regency World, says:

"Though the style and cut of riding habits changed with time and fashion, they continued to be tailored in a masculine style throughout the 17th and 18th centuries and into the early 19th century. In La Belle Assemblée in 1815, we read that: “Habits have, ever since they were first brought into fashion, been considered as decidedly calculated to give even the most delicate female a masculine appearance, and the wits of our grandmothers’ days were unmercifully severe on the waistcoat, cravat, and man’s hat which were then the indispensible appendages to a habit.”"

•

YOU'RE NOT COMING WTF DAD NO.

• WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'LL DO TO YOU WHILE I'M GONE.

• I'm having a sinking feeling about leaving my old dad around in this house while Henrietta is still there, Grandma had better be his bodyguard (or maybe not. Cordonians seem to have weird ideas of what constitutes a successful bodyguard *COUGHCOUGH Mara and Bastien COUGHCOUGH*).

• Like most of the fandom I have a feeling the Earl will die sooner than we think. @i-dream-so-i-write once mentioned that it could well be towards the end of the book, and I think that's a fitting dramatic turn this book would take into the next. I'm going to miss the hell outta this guy though 😟

• Henrietta sent Mr Marlcaster and Miss Sutton ahead of time so they can screw things up for us, so we will need to butter them up like no tomorrow when we reach there, apparently.

• Hello Luke! It's been exactly one chapter!

• Kinda like the bonding the MC and Luke have with regards to the horse. Their first real conversation began with Clover, so it is fitting that their bonding continues over her at least for their initial interactions.

• Aww man, Henrietta wants Clover the horse to be sold and they give you a diamond option to keep her, name her and get extra scenes with her. Florence calls her Moonstone, Marianne calls her Pepper. Moonstone suits Florence's particular sense of whimsy, and I figured Marianne would want something short and snappy and it helped that Luke gave the horse some salt before the diamond option came up 😂

It's a fairly nice scene I guess, but it drives me batty because this book is already taking astronomical sums of money early on in the book, and people are already beginning to get frustrated. Even TRR, which is a pretty expensive book, took more than half the book before they pushed forward the option to buy the Derby horse. It just is beginning to feel like too much too soon at this point.

• Of all the free scenes this chapter, my favourite has to be the exchange among the four in the picnic en route London.

I found this particularly interesting because all of these people, so far, have been outside the rigors of the Season in some way or other. Briar is the most outside of this system of doing things: she has grown up completely out of it and will probably always struggle to understand the way things work within the gentry. Luke has spent years in that environment (that of the gentry) so he knows some of it, but he still is and will always be an outsider. Annabelle has grown up in this environment and is perhaps the closest to it, but has never had to take active part due to her association with Harry and the Edgewater Estate. And the MC straddles both these worlds. She is an heiress, part of this high society, but she was born in and more familiar with Briar's worldview. And I love how this scene captures all this in just a few bits of dialogue.

• Also Luke's sensible response to Annabelle's question and Briar being a teasing little imp is super cute, I will fight anyone who disagrees with me on this 😂😂😂

• So many gems nestled in Annabelle's scene guys I can't even. There's so much going on in this one. So much.

•

The main thing this scene does is to - without a doubt - establish Annabelle as a closeted lesbian. She's still at the stage where she's aware and finds it odd that she doesn't hold any affection for any man, that the idea itself of marriage frustrates her, and her growing confusion that she's now feeling for a woman all that she "should" be feeling for a man. There are points where she almost welcomes it, like the scene I mentioned earlier, but she still is clearly struggling.

The MC has three ways of responding to this - one where she misses the point completely and says "you haven't found the right man yet" (Marianne, unfortunately), another where she states that she "understands" (which is left open - either it is a gesture of support from an ally, or it is from someone who understands her dilemma to...well...some extent. Florence is the second. She is bi, so her "I understand" was basically "I've fallen for some men sure but I also have a hard time figuring out what my sexuality is"). My favourite is the response where the MC speaks of facing a similar dilemma in her life and is an excellent choice if your MC is also a lesbian. I couldn't use this one for Florence or Marianne because it didn't ring true for either of them, but I did see the screenshots on tumblr and it's quite poignant.

Did You Know: Lesbian/sapphic relationships and sex were not as much seen as illegal as invisible...and this was an attitude that a later monarch, Queen Victoria, would uphold as well, refusing to sign a legislation to criminalize it by insisting that "women do not do such things". Obviously as we all know, she couldn't be any more wrong. Today we know of famous lesbian women of the Regency as Anne Lister, owner of Shibden Hall, and the Ladies of Llangollen - two women from Ireland named Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, who had a romantic relationship for over 50 years. Gail Eastwood, in an article titled "Queer in the Regency: a Slice of Once-Hidden LGBT History" says:

Defying their families, the two established an estate in Wales, called Plas Newydd, rather than enter into marriages with men they did not love. Though they incurred significant debt in order to have a staff, they survived on the generosity of friends until a fascinated Queen Charlotte convinced King George III to grant them a pension.

Plas Newydd became something of a haven for writers during the Regency era, especially since the couple living there could afford to keep it. 

Part of me wonders if elements of this story may be found in the Annabelle x MC route. Or like Anne Lister, who was well-endowed enough financially that she could refrain from marriage and have relationships with women. Maybe, or - given the limitations of having to chart out a storyline that will suit every LI - maybe not. Whatever it is, I'd be very interested in finding out how they'll handle the MC's romance with Annabelle.

• The second most interesting thing is Annabelle speaking about her poetry, and the restrictions her father has kept on her talent. She mentions him looking down on women's poetry as being "all bad rhymes and flowery sentiment", and that - in keeping with the times - he prefers Romantic Age poets such as Wordsworth, and that famous influence on Romanticism, Shakespeare. If we choose to ask her about showing us her poetry, she tells us her writing is "of a...delicate nature" (get it, girl! 😀) and if we choose to encourage her instead, the MC makes references to Mary Wollstonecraft, whose ideas of gender equality were considered radical for the times, and who is seen as one of the earliest feminist icons.

Did You Know: that in a time when female education was mainly geared to prepare women for their domestic roles, Mary Wollstonecraft advocated for women to receive an education that would help them survive beyond the home and the marriage market, stating that the one real barrier in the way of gender equality was the disparity in the education women received compared to men. She says, "this homage to women’s attractions has distorted their understanding to such an extent that almost all the civilized women of the present century are anxious only to inspire love, when they ought to have the nobler aim of getting respect for their abilities and virtues".

Her daughter, Mary Shelley, would write the famous novel Frankenstein in 1818, two years following the events of Desire and Decorum.

• Within this scene also lies a little tidbit that will hold some importance in Chapter 7: the MC tells Annabelle that her mother used to sing in the opera:

So this could be the root of some of the snarky remarks Henrietta makes about the MC's mother. She has close pretty darn close to calling her a "prostitute" on more than one occasion, and her comment after the MC sang along with Annabelle in chapter 3 about how it was "no wonder" that the MC could sing, given her mother's profession.

Did You Know: Opera singers had a very different reputation in the Regency era, not all of it very positive. Shana Galen, who is described as a Regency adventure author, speaks about how opera singers were viewed at the time: Of course, it was perfectly acceptable for a young lady to show her talents on the pianoforte or to sing in front of a small group of family and friends, but performing on the stage at Drury Lane or Covent Garden were frowned upon.

Female performers, especially, were shunned by society. One example of this sort of attitude was seen in the ridicule faced by a singer named Dorothea Jordan, who had an long-running affair with a Duke, bore him ten children, and who was the subject of a "satirical cartoon that showed her in her bedroom, gazing adoringly at a duchess’ coronet, which she hopes someday to wear by marrying her lover. A map on the wall purports to show the route from “Strolling Lane” (i.e. prostitution) through “Old Drury Common” all the way to “Derbyshire Peak.” A genealogical chart of the nobility lies on her dressing table, and her bed-hangings are crowned by a Phrygian cap, symbol of the French Revolution. The latter is intended to ridicule her pretensions to nobility; as a common woman, let alone an actress, she should know her place" ("Glimpse at Opera during Jane Austen's Lifetime" by Maggi Andersen, for the blog Historical Hearts).

• Luke's scene on the other hand is lighter in content but is important if you look at it from the viewpoint of establishing his role in the MC's life before they reach London. As a neutral friend, he is happy to serve her and considers her a vast improvement over Countess Henrietta. He tells her that she possesses what Henrietta lacks, understands something that Henrietta would never understand in several lifetimes: that looking down on people she believes as her 'inferiors' will leave her at a disadvantage eventually.

But if you hint at having feelings for Luke, the entire mood of the scene changes, and you see him feeling torn between his growing affections for her and his recognition that any relationship beyond the professional will end badly for them all.

• The thing with both Luke and Annabelle is that to not fall for them is to maintain the status quo. So even if there is an element of attraction, the MC not reciprocating does not tip the delicate balance that governs their lives at Edgewater over. But when she does...it gives rise both to moments of joy...and moments of fear.

• Ooh I love the animation for the train!!

I mean...just...look at this!

• The MC and Briar get to react in awe to their first sight of London before they get down from the carriage. We find out that we're pretty much stranded on the streets of London and no one has come to pick us up. Gee thanks, stepbro.

• Not gonna lie, but seeing Prince Hamid's shocked!face on his full-body shot made me giggle a little.

• He introduces himself as Imperial Prince Hamid, cousin to "his Imperial Majesty Mahmoud the Second, Caliph of Islam, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and Custodian of the Two Mosques (the last especially was used in royal titles for many Islamic rulers, and refers to the Al-Haram Mosque (al-Masjid al-Ḥarām) of Mecca, and the Prophet's Mosque (Al-Masjid An-Nabawī) of Medina).

• In a sense he kinda reminds me of Kamilah: he is a fictional character positioned as being related to an actual historical figure, so they will give us plenty of background about the countries they were from (Egypt and Turkey [Istanbul in this case], respectively) but keep the actual historical figure at a distance. Making the fictional character a cousin and a person of an important position in that court is a smart choice to make: they're important enough to represent the royals of the times but distanced enough that it doesn't seem unnatural if they aren't that close and ergo can't tell you personal details about said historical figure.

• Did You Know: Sultan Mahmud II (the cousin Hamid mentions) was seen as quite a progressive ruler of his times. 1829 onwards, he tried to bring many, many reforms into the Ottoman empire, including (according to the Encyclopedia Britannica article on him) "adopting the cabinet system of government, provided for a census and a land survey, and inaugurated a postal service (1834), introducing compulsory primary education, opening a medical school, and sending students to Europe. In addition, the sultan’s right to confiscate the property of deceased officials was abolished, and European dress was introduced". It looks like some elements of this way of thought could be reflected in Hamid, from his talk of diplomacy in his diamond scene.

• Hamid not only positions himself as a bit of an outsider to England but also as a man who travels: talk of travelling and seeing the world is his ice-breaker when they get into the carriage. This will allow him not only to help familiarize the MC with London, and his home Constantinople, but also give her (and us) a view of what the world looks like at this point. For instance, if the MC speaks of even London is unfamiliar territory to her, he mentions the Blue Mosque, the construction of which was completed exactly 200 years prior to the events of the story.

• The other very essential point of this scene is to provide a bit of a parallel to Luke, but also as a counterpoint. Luke is disadvantaged both by his class and his race - ergo he has a very layered perspective. Hamid has privileges, but he is also aware of and in some ways used to the reception he gets in England, and has figured out how he wants to respond. Both Luke and Hamid find their ways to cope with their situation, and the MC is allowed - according to the ethnicity chosen for her - to relate to both.

Florence, for instance, relates heavily to this as someone is visibly a foreigner even though England is the only home she has ever known. Marianne does not fully understand this, but she can tell him like any decent human being would that she thinks it's wrong of people to treat him that way.

• Just prior to this the two manage to see the Tower of London, notorious for the imprisonment and execution of many, many people including royals and nobles. There is a short but rather poignant conversation on the "many people tortured and murdered over who had the right to sit on the throne" (among the people executed, you will find names like Anne Boleyn, Thomas More, Lady Jane Grey, Guy Fawkes and Walter Raliegh).

• Did You Know: For a long long time in England, executions were seen as a bit of a spectator sport. The more unusual the criminal, the bigger the crowd. The Capital Punishment UK blog speaks of the kind of atmosphere usually present around the time:

In many counties, executions were held on market days to enable the largest number of people to see them and school parties would be made to attend as a moral lesson, something which is certainly recorded as happening at Lancaster Castle.  Public houses and gin shops always did a very brisk trade on a hanging day.  

However, attitudes towards executions experienced a shift around the late 18th-early 19th century, and by 1864 Parliament established a Royal Commission on Capital Punishment, with a declaration that executions would take place inside the prisons rather than in public.

I'm not sure if this was intentional, but possibly the MC's and Hamid's reactions to the tower may be reflective of their times.

• Interestingly, Annabelle is shown to look jealous if you've been romancing her, and giving you a sly grin if you're just friends. I quite liked that little touch. Luke meanwhile is a little less open about how he feels at this point: whether you're romancing him or not, he is described as "watching you carefully" during your exchange with Hamid.

• So Mr Marlcaster got the letter from the Duchess to send a groom for picking the MC, but didn't...as per his mother's demands, surely. But AT LEAST you should have been a little prepared to answer me in case I dropped by anyway, dude? Instead of just standing there and staring at me like a scandalized goldfish.

• Looks like Edmund is still going to try screwing things up for us, and we'll need to find a way to get him on our side. After all, we get relationship points with both him and Theresa Sutton, and Lady Grandmother did tell us we could find a way to get them to be with us rather than against us.

• I'm looking forward to Chapter 5...but it's Chapter 6 I REALLY want to see. We're going to learn a bit more about the MC's mother's background!

General Thoughts:

• OMG so much was there to unpack this chapter!! A lot of it to do with Annabelle and Hamid, and Luke has taken a bit of a backseat this chapter but I'm hoping that's a taster of what's to come in his case.

• Look I love this story but IT COSTS SO MUCH. WTF. Keeping Clover was a nice option but it really added nothing to this chapter and could have easily been shifted elsewhere. I want this book to do well. I'm happy with how they're writing it, the effort they're putting into their research and into their characters so far...and I would hate for it to not be appreciated because they made it so hard for people to get into the book by making it this expensive so early.

• Florence is going for Annabelle and Luke (leaning more towards Annabelle at this point), and Marianne for Hamid and Sinclaire (I'm not sure yet but Hamid is a very very strong contender!!). Who would have thought I'd have my first polyam MCs in a book on Regency Era England!! Who woulda thunk!

• Annabelle particularly intrigues me at this point. She is clearly established as both inside and outside of this system, and vocally critical of it at least to the MC. She writes about her desires against the chargin of her father, and states that she doesn't want to merely settle into a 'safe' relationship like her mother, not unless she can know and trust that person (which is mostly why she agreed to the match with Harry even if she didn't love him). She is confused, and open and honest about her confusion. I really think the foundation of this character is immensely strong, but they really need to keep working on her and not just drop their efforts on her halfway. And I've seen that happen enough times with female LIs to be afraid.

• At this point, we now have three male LIs (one Master of Horse who is African-American, one family-approved eligible bachelor and one prince of the Ottoman Empire) and one female love interest. Is there space for one more confirmed female LI? I sure hope so but at the same time I don't want keep my hopes up.

However...IF the plan is to keep just one female LI, then they'd better do a pretty darn phenomenal job of her. If you're not going to give wlw players other options it's only fair to make sure the only option is given really, really good writing - consistently. They're doing a good job so far...but there's a long long way to go before I can fully trust PB to do justice to her.

• That's it for now! On to Chapter 6!

• Tagged: @boneandfur @liamraines @thespiritpanda @alanakusumastan @ernestsinclairs @private-investigator-nazario @bcdollplace @thedepthsremember @mcbangle @queenodysseia @novaelaras

If you'd like to be tagged on these QTs, do let me know! 😀

[nightshade-imagines]

Heya !! How are you ? :3c Teen!Sibling time 8D Reader and [character] didn't say yet they see each other like siblings. One day, as the three of them are walking down the street, a group of teenagers come of nowhere and start laughing. "Oh look, it's the freak ! They're friends with monsters !" Reader frown, crossing their arms and stepping in front of [character] "They aren't my friends." 1/2

I’ve always been a sucker for those types of moments! Also, sort of my first time writing for Underswap Alphys!

(Note: For any of the Fells, experiencing any kind of familia/platonic relationship with anyone outside you’re real family is confusing (especially if it’s a human). The main problem being the mind set of: This person has no biological connection to me, we are not bound by blood or magic but I continue to stay close to them, this person hardly serves any useful purpose to me for me to be risking anything for them, but I do it anyway, this person offers me no essential elements to my survival but I keep them around anyways and this person does things that others would be dead for doing but I let them go with a laugh. This mindset is what makes it so hard, for the Fells and it often leaves them dumbfounded. At least when it comes to romance they understand that if nothing else, it’s just a monsters natural reaction to hormones an all that crap, so that is why Underground, romance was more accepted than just keeping someone around because you’re really good friends with them.)

⭐UT Papyrus: Papyrus was initially dumbstruck by those kids’ rude behaviour and was about to step up and correct them when you quickly moved in front of him. Your first reply caught him totally by surprise and he stammered out an uncertain and questioning response, “HUMAN, WHAT DO YOU MEAN I’M NO-” But he was quickly cut off by your follow up statement and gave you a look of disapproval, “HUMAN! SUCH LANGUAGE IS NOT NECESSARY AND BESIDES I’M SURE THAT THEY…”, he freezes mid sentence and his eyes snap open in realization at what you just said, “AWWW, HUMAN!”, he pulls you into a hug and there seems to be a light blush dusting his cheek as he bears the most genuine smile than you’ve ever seen. “I-I SEE YOU AS FAMILY TO, HUMAN.” You hug him back and he seems to pull you even closers and you giggle, “THIS IS WONDERFUL! I’VE…I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A BIG BROTHER! I MEAN I GUESS SANS IS TECHNICALLY SMALLER THAN ME, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!”, “Heh, of course.” The two of you completely forgot about the entire reason this conversation started and the bully’s were left sanding there watching your display until one of them spoke up again, “Uh, gross!” You and Papyrus payed no mind to the comment as Papyrus continued to chatter excitedly about how he was going to be the best big brother ever and something about reaching maximum “friendship power”. “*Gasp* HUMAN, WE MUST INFORM SANS OF THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT AT ONCE, HE’S GOING TO BE HAPPY AS WELL, THOUGH HE WILL PROBABLY BE TO LAZY TO SHOW IT!” You laughed to yourself again as Papyrus bolted back to his house with you in his arms. Needless to say, you were pretty sure that that defiantly wasn’t the outcome the bully’s were hoping for.

⭐UF Sans: Red sensed the hostility in the bullies’ souls when they approached you and readied his magic just in case they tried anything. While their attack may not have been physical it still pissed him off. This certainly wasn’t the first time he had seen or heard about you getting trouble for hanging out with him and his brother but you never seemed fazed by it. It was amazing in itself that you not only willingly put up with his brothers “eccentric” personality but you did so with undying determination. Like, even though both of them were huge jerks at times, you held tight to the light you saw in them even if it meant you got dragged through the mud to keep your grip. These thoughts raced through his mind in split second and he bared his teeth in a smirk. These kids were either really brave or really stupid to be messing with you while he was there, he’d put his money on the latter. “Freak huh? Well see who’s the freak after I’m done with yah.” He took a step forward only to be blocked by you, “Hey, what’s the deal, kid?” His eyes widen for a moment at your response to the bullies but before he was hit with any form of indignation, you ad your follow up. At first, he could only smirk at the bullies’ obvious surprise at your threat, then what you said really sank in. Family? You actually saw him and his brother as family? That……what? Did he feel the same way? Now that he thought of it, it seemed almost like his brother thought of you that way already. While Boss would never openly admit it, Red knew his brother had an unusually strong soft spot for this human. Heck, just the other day you were freakin’ holding onto Paps piggy back ride style and peppering the top of his skull with kisses just to fluster him! Never once did Boss make any violent move towards her and was rendered totally helpless. Red had to admit, it was pretty hilarious to watch The Great and Terrible Papyrus flail around with a beet red face as he tried to reach his back and pull you off all while spouting out empty threats. It finally ended when you blew a huge raspberry onto the side of his face, dropped off his back and booked it down the hall with Boss chasing close behind. It didn’t take long at all for him to catch you and carry you back out over his shoulder as you continued to giggle your head off, It reminded Red so much of how he used to mess with Boss when they were younger. After a rant from Boss, her “punishment” for “assaulting” The Great and Terrible Papyrus was taste testing his newest recipe, which in itself wasn’t bad considering Boss was an ace in the kitchen, but he tended to remake the dish over and over again until it was up to his standards. “NOW, HUMAN, WOULD YOU SAY THIS ONE IS BETTER THAN THE LAST?”, “Yeah, sure.” “WOULD YOU SAY THAT THIS ONE IS THE BEST SO FAR?”, “Yep, paps, you nailed it!” Boss leaned in closer and examined your every expression, “SO YOU’RE SAYING THAT THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY FOR ME TO MAKE IT ANY MORE PERFECT THAN IT ALREADY IS?”, “I-uh…yes?”, “I DON’T BELIEVE TO YOU, BACK TO THE STOVE I MUST TRY AGAIN!”, “*Sigh*.” Heh, poor kid, any longer and you probably woulda’ gone into a food coma. That’s an over exaggeration of course but you defiantly crashed on the couch afterwards, apparently humans do that to. *Snirk* The look on your face, “Heh, I guess you really couldn’t stomach that much pasta”, “Sans, please stop talking…”, “You can’t really blame paps for remakin’ it so many times, just thing of all the pastabilities!”, “Sans, I’m going to die on your couch now.”, “Alright, alright, I’ll short-cut ya home later.” You just offered a small thankful groan in response before going limp on the couch and Red chuckled. Thinking back to that made him feel a strange fondness in his chest. Guess I have a soft spot for you as well, kid, you really were something else. Heh heh…heh…did some human seriously fall into his and his brother’s life and end up becoming a part of their family? Finally realising that he had been reminiscing far to long, he snapped out of his trance and turned back to the situation at hand. He wasn’t sure what exactly happened while he wasn’t paying attention but things certainly seemed to be heating up and he mentally slapped himself for just standing there while you dealt with these jerks. One of the bully’s actually swung at you and Red immediately jumped into action and grabbed their wrist in a tight grip. He started at their hand for a minute then slowly turned his head to look at them. His left eye lit up and a sharp, sadistic smile snapped onto his face, he defiantly looked terrifying as he spoke, “You did not just do that…” The bully stammered in fear and tried to pull his wrist away with no avail, “Oh, now you’re in trouble!”. The bully continued to stammer out fearfully as Red pulled him closer and their faces were almost touching. Red smiled again as he whispered to them, “Or, you could apologize and run away with your tail between you legs like a good little boy”, Red turned to you and winked. The bully quickly nodded and looked to you before quickly apologising and Red let go of his wrist, “Now run!”, the bully immediately turned tail and booked it out if there and Red turned around to you again with a proud look on his face. The two of you just smiled at each other for a few minutes before bursting out in laughter, “Did you see the look on that guys face when when you caught his fist, priceless!”, “Ha, yeah, and the way his “buddies” took off the second we started to fight back!“, ”What a bunch of jerks! It’s kind if a shame though I wanted to be the one to teach them a lesson, but thanks, Sans, for standing up for me.“ “Hey, don’t worry about it, kid, you’ll get your chance.” The laughter died down and you flashed him a real smile and he hesitated for a second, “And, uh, kid, about what you said, about us being yer family…"He looked away, “I don’t…not feel the same way”, you smirked, “Do you want to try that without the double negative?”. “Nope!”, Red turned and resumed walking the way you were earlier, “C'mon, the Boss is gonna be pissed if we’re late for dinner again”, you jogged to catch up to him, “Okay, Okay race you there…bro!”, you laughed and rushed ahead of him quickly as he looked at you in shock that then morphed into a smile, *sigh* this soft spot is gonna be the death of me.

⭐US Alphys: Alphys wrapped an arm around your neck and gave you a noogie as she excitedly talked about some new anime she and Undyne started watching. It still kind of amazed you that someone as hardcore and intense as Alphys would be into girly animé and other cute, fluffy stuff (or kawaii as she called it). You just smiled to yourself at the thought when you noticed some kids walking towards you. After they spoke, Alphys snarled at there words, “You wanna try saying that again, punk!” You stepped in front of her and she turned to you in shock at your response but that quickly turned to a sly smile when you finished and she stepped up beside. Despite being considerably shorter, she still managed to look threatening. Alphys looked up to you and winked with her good eye and there was a look of uncertainly in the bullies’ eyes as they all took a step back when she spoke up, “What say the both of us us teach these chumps a lesson?”, you returned her sly smile, “It would be my pleasure!”

(Oh also, I noticed that I messed up a little on this ask I did earlier: https://nightshade-imagines.tumblr.com/post/168212653238/heya-how-are-you-3-sf-brossibling-time-so#notes and posted the ruff draft instead of the final version so I went back and corrected a few things. It was just some grammar mistakes and a few rewordings that were supposed to be in the final version.)