#guh... hold on this needs to be its own post

[trenchgardens-ooc-ooc-ooc-ooc]

your mommas lyin'... what's she tryin' to do...

[majorasnightmare]

throwing your questions RIGHT BACK AT DIRGE

3, 6, 8, and 10 please :3

GUH!!! THE DREADED UNO REVERSE

at least we can all hit this pinata together for candy 🫶

3: How's shit with their LI going? Did they have one? Is it going well even after the post-epilogue party? What's the vibe here? Did they maybe even find a new partner?

Minthara got Dirge to transition so *I* say its going well! Dirge's brain injury finally fired off that Chekov's Gun without the tadpole to hold it in stasis, so immediately on the docks Dirge started Actively Dying Of Being Stabbed In The Head. Which is a great time to start bleeding out because everyone had exhausted all their class resources and spell slots fighting the big bad, and also two more crises kicked off, that being Astarion being vulnerable to sunlight again and Karlach's engine overheating. Fun times were had by all!

While Dirge got medical treatment from Omeluum (THANKS BRO 🫶), his body went into essentially torpor to finish knitting itself back together as best it can, which means Dirge was not present to decide everyone's epilogue endings for them. This forced Minthara to forego the comfort of returning to the Underdark to resume a stressful but familiar life of militaristic politicking and betrayal, to instead make the hard choice to build something new in Baldur's Gate and force it to work, as it was unclear when (or IF) Dirge would even wake up. His condition being too delicate to risk a long journey back to Menzoberranzan, Minthara instead commandeers property in the Upper City from a deceased patriar, and begins construction on a manor home utilizing funds taken from the Temple of Bhaal and varying rewards for heroism and any number of political favors.

The end result is that Dirge awakens to a new life with his beloved already semi established, Minthara already having started to set down roots for long term living arrangements. Its a little rough adjusting to domesticity after his entire conscious existence was spent in a desperate bid for survival, but its stable, and engaging, and most importantly the weight of responsibility isn't primarily on him. It frees up a lot of mental space for Dirge to really work on establishing an identity for himself and conceptualize the kind of person he is and wants to be, and it also provides Minthara with much needed security, stability, freedom, and independence. Shes much less prone to simply standing aside as Dirge decides their course of action, because she was forced to spend so much time trusting her own decision making abilities. It builds the foundation for both of them to start healing properly as individuals, and not just as a unit conjoined at the hip.

Dirge is very open to having multiple partners (though his relationship with Minthara is singular and unique to them), its mostly Minthara who has to adjust to the idea. I think she would be open to it, at some point, once she feels secure in her relationships and not at risk of losing them, and by extension losing her safety and stability with them.

6: Have we learned from the mistakes of our predecessors, or are we fully embracing the Abdel Adrian route? Are they trying to establish themselves as an influential figure or trying just to live a lovely little peaceful life?

GET HIS ASS OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT HES GONNA START BITING PEOPLE

Dirge doesn't actually KNOW his predecessors all that well, Gorion's Ward is a figure more myth than fact to him, existing primarily within stories told by Jaheira, and as a vague heroic concept enshrined within children's stories. As such there isn't many lessons to be learned from them, especially since Dirge is unaware he personally got GW killed in the first place. Despite this, hes naturally fallen into a path of avoiding the public eye. Dirge still regularly struggles with his kill instincts, and while they aren't at risk of overtaking him without The Urge, it isn't enjoyable to be around crowds of loud unfamiliar people. He's very satisfied being Minthara's right hand man and working in the shadows towards their joint aims, and while Minthara is pursuing influence, Dirge is trying to blend into the background behind her. It isn't working all that well, because hes 6'5" with several distinctive facial features, and is also known as the Destroyer of the Absolute, but god is he trying.

8: How's it going in terms of faith? Serving Jergal, another god altogether, are we faithless nowadays? What's the situation here?

Dirge maintains a pragmatic, functional, business-like relationship with gods. They're just yet another entity to bargain and negotiate with. Withers/Jergal is more or less his grandfather through adoption of the Dead Three, and Withers never really composes himself like a god anyways. Its less standoffish than Dirge's other divine relationships, but it isn't all the way to service. More like doing favors for family, like helping peepaw mow the lawn cuz his arthritis makes it difficult. Jergal usually also has an argument waiting as for why it'd be good to do whatever he's asking in the first place, which is also usually enough to motivate Dirge. He responds well to reasoning.

Jergal aside, Dirge also frequently devotes pain to Loviatar as a mutually beneficial arrangement. Less "worship" more friendly transaction. Abdirak's philosophy on pain really resonates with Dirge, and he's engaging in his masochism in a way thats less obsessive-compulsive and more something thats vaguely resembling what could be considered healthy coping methods. Dirge's Faith however, capital F religious worship, is reserved exclusively for Minthara.

10: Do any of the traits they learned in their old profession ever come in handy later down the line? Have they opened a clinic, do they get by as a mercenary, are they staying far away from everything even slightly connected to their past life?

Dirge combines most of his hobbies and skillsets into pioneering a new form of necromantic magic utilizing the Necromancy of Thay: that of fleshwarping. Blurring the distinction between living flesh and dead flesh, Dirge's fleshwarping necromancy animates corpse tissue without utilizing Negative Energy that would make it undead; instead Dirge alters its "state", where something "dead" instead arcanically registers as "alive", and can be healed, conjoined, regenerated, fused, and warped as normal flesh could. This practice can also be used to meld together corpseflesh of different species, to be molded and sculpted into new organisms. It utilizes Dirge's medical proficiencies, his hobby of human taxidermy and preservation, his studies of forbidden arcana, his skills with alchemy, and his love of minions while satiating his curiosity and fulfilling his bargain with Caiphon to provide it with novel information, even as his life has settled down. He also continues to dabble is poison crafting, and remains the go-to adventurer for Situations and Crises. Unfortunately lmao.

[huevobuevo]

Gonna make a post ohhhh im gonna make a better post but but but i just i im gonna put some like stuff I’ve noticed down for future reference guh guh guh guh

- the factory’s dehumanization of its work force as tools of manufacturing

- almost earthly version of cosmic horror when it comes to being a cog in the capitalist machine ; the factory is a literal manifestation of this concept

- constant stress and abuse of isaih crawford’s body within his time as a factory worker ; something something Karl marx’s paper on the alienation of the laborer from his product , use concepts from that essay in regards to the laborer BECOMING the product in a sense

- Isaiah becoming Reginald Wondertainment but still retaining scars both literal and metaphorical from his time in The Factory and how it corrupts his work despite the whimsy involved with being the Wondermaker

- disconnect from the self to the physical body, some aspects of Plato’s dualism, explaining Reginald’s constant disregard for bodily autonomy (for others AND himself)

- body and its connection to selfhood ; Reginald constantly switching bodies and identities until he literally becomes Nobody ; masks upon masks upon masks

- Ruiz’ speech on his recklessness and inability to accept responsibility because of a lack of identity ; think it was Locke or McIntyre I need to look at my notes again but whatever. Philosophy C discusses the self as vital to the creation of law and morality because the fundamental idea of these concepts is that someone must be responsible for their actions , and in order for them to be responsible they must OWN and be the Actor of these actions, meaning that an Identity must be attributed to the action that is equal to the person that stands trial

- ^ Reginald moving through bodies left to right in order for a sense of control that he was denied of during his time in the factory ; obsessed with more power and more autonomy ; simultaneously because of his lack of identity he lost more and more control as time went on ; grasping at straws becoming desperate

- the little misters as a concept of living sentient products = isaih crawford in the factory as a living sentient tool for production

- turning people into tools = some of the little misters as part of the Miss Heir project ; Felicia’s autonomy stripped away because Reginald needed a child ; Smiles having his entire life ruined because Reginald couldn’t bear the Rust , which in itself is the Factory once again asserting its control over him and reminding him of his lack of autonomy ; the explanation of Redds origins in yes/no

- the toymaker and the doctor = not one to one with reality, Definetely biased from Redds point of view, but hints at how disposable people are to Reginald ?

- once again , Mr Collector as another attempt for Reginald/Isaih to escape the inevitable and assert control once again over his own life by taking someone else’s autonomy away (whoever collects the little misters and becomes Collector; in this case O5-4); his plan fails once again as he becomes a literal prisoner in the Foundation for being an anomaly

- Isaih Crawford can never be in control , and it’s all his fault

- maybe tie in Pico’s relationship to corpses as a result of Redd’s physical abuse , which in itself is ALSO a result of Reginald using the physical body as objects rather than something that holds a soul

- how tied are we to our physical bodies that warrants a connection to the self?

Scratching myself vigorously. I need to read SCP REDD.

[fandomfluffandfuck]

S! I see you've seen Seb's Met look, the Everything Hot Pink? yeah... are we thinking everything is hot pink? 😏 because Chris did like that picture pretty quickly

I wonder if he got a little sneak peek of what's underneath? 👀

(assorted photos of Seb at the Met- here, here, aaaand the after-party here)

I have seen yes! (And I'm sorry this is so late, I've not had time to answer asks recently)

Oh, well, you said everything hot pink and there was really only one thing I could think of instantly that was pink-

This pretty rose, glass buttplug

And all I can think of branching off of that is Sebastian bent over their bathroom counter. It's still going to be a while before Sebastian needs to get going to his stylist's hotel room where he will get dressed for the night. Chris will be using all the excess time because:

Seb is freshly post-shower, flushed from the hot, steamy water and now flushing harder from the hot, pleasurable attention he's still receiving from Chris...

He's so fresh out of the shower that his skin is still damp and glistening even more as he sweats from pleasurable excursion.

Seb is naked from head to toe, towel already lost but shaking and moaning and gasping.

Seb's hands are white-knuckling it on the counter.

His ass is pressed back at Chris, desperate for more. His spine in arched too, helpless to not give into the most primal desires when he's stripped down to nothing but lust.

His chest is heaving.

His thighs shaking.

Sebastian has his eyebrows furrowed tight together too. And his eyes squeezed shut. And his mouth dropped open wide. The brightest flush of his skin is his cheeks.

All of this- all of that gorgeous reaction is being pulled from Sebastian because... Chris is fucking wrecking him with his mouth in prep for that pretty pink plug. Licking him.

Chris is licking him, really, truly fucking Sebastian with his tongue. Fucking that pink, sensitive little hole with his tongue and holding him open with his thumbs so he's spread wide and vulnerable 🥴

Its all so knee-weakening. The hot, wet spit dripping down the clean, freshly-shaven skin between his legs. The scratch of Chris' beard on that bare, sensitive skin. The wet, slick tease of his tongue and the even bigger tease of his thumbs at his rim, right there to stretchhh him open but not give him something more to clench down on...

Guh.

And Chris occasionally stops the constant pleasurable assault, licking, fucking, nipping slightly, teasing teasing teasing him with wet and hot and good to bite his ass juuust hard enough to leave an indent and slight bruise on the meat of his asscheek as he watches his hole - wet with spit - twitch in response. His little masochist. So cute. Getting off on the pain. On the ownership of the mark. If Chris didn't know that it would send Sebastian into a tailspin of subspace that he couldn't possibly climb out of before the gala, he would go and grab a collar and lock it around his throat so he could have an even more potent sense of being owned. But he doesn't move.

Instead, Chris just stays on his knees behind Seb, rimming him unashamedly, without any inhibitions, burying his face in his ass, working him up with his mouth. He loves the way he shivers and moans and- just, responds. His Seb- his sub... so sensitive. Chris has the plug cradled in the bend of his knee, between his calf and thigh as he kneels to keep the glass toy body temperature. Warm and just waiting to be picked up and used- slipped into Sebastian's stretched hole to remind him who's he is all night long.

Its been long enough without it.

Chris presses it into him, watching with a growl building in his chest, his hungry little hole flutters and twitches and swallows it whole. All the way to the artistic base.

Sebastian pants wordlessly. Gasping. Unable to speak through the pleasure.

Chris presses on the base of the plug with the heel of his hand.

"Ah! Chris! Sir-!" Sebastian cries out, nearly sounding like he's choking as the end of the toy rubs against his prostate and adds to the overwhelming sensation. He already went from not very full to full with the plug and now-

Now Chris is pressing the plug into him with one hand while with his other hand he uses his fingers to tease and rub and press on his perineum. Playing with his prostate from the inside and outside.

And that-

That pulls a hell of a sound out of Sebastian. A choked scream. Pulling his lower lip between his teeth at the last second. Overwhelmed with the influx of pleasure that he still can't get used to. He's desperate. Squirming and whining and-

And dripping.

Chris isn't going to touch his cock tonight, he's just going to melt his sub's mind, playing with his prostate and milking him.

Sebastian chokes again, sounding like he's on the edge of tears. Chris twists the plug around inside of him. Sebastian pushes back into the plug, pressing it harder against his sweet spot and nearly squealing with the pleasure.

Chris has to remind him, "don't cry," because it really sounds like he's there, worked up to a crackling campfire by his lips and tongue and thumbs and now burning his way toward a forest fire, all of him engulfed, now that his sweet spot is involved. And his sweet spot is so, so sensitive. Evident by the glistening wet pre-cum running in little rivers down his throbbing, flushed shaft. There's gonna be a little wet puddle on the floor by the time he cums. Chris knows it.

"I- I know," Sebastian struggles to get out.

Still toying with his body, Chris casually explains, "as much as I wanna see you cry, pretty baby, can't tonight. You can't cry. Everybody's gonna see that pretty face on the carpet later and if you've been crying they'll know. They'll see your red eyes and swollen lips from you bitin' them and they'll know- they'll know you were such a good by who got such a good reward that the pleasure made him cry. They'll know, sub-"

Chris isn't playing fair. He knows Sebastian is an exhibitionist. Part praise kink and part want for attention equalling one hell of a fantasy for everyone seeing him being the best sub. He knows it'll get Sebastian closer.

And it does.

He squirms and whimpers and whines.

Chris kisses - wet and a little sloppy but still sizzling hot - every part of him that he can reach. He pulls the plug nearly all the way out. Thrusts it back in. Grabs Sebastian's balls and strokes them, tugs on them a little to give him that lovely jolt of pain... he goes back to playing with his prostate from the soft flush between his open hole and heavy, hanging balls.

"S-sir! Oh, oh, ah, God-"

He's struggling now.

Chris knows he just needs a little push. Then he'll fall over the edge gloriously. He talks him up to it and through it-

"Though," he clicks his tongue, "your stylist did say he had some sunglasses for you, right? Maybe he knew that you wouldn't be able to help yourself and you'd have to be fucked right before the gala, he knew you'd be a crier and he knew what trouble we would get into... he planned for you to show up disheveled and wrecked from being fucked. Knew you'd show up with red eyes and swollen lips and a plug in your ass, wobbling and breathing kinda funny still. He knew. He knows. And so will everyone on the carpet. You can hide tear stains behind pretty glasses but you can't hide being mine. My good boy. Mine-"

Sebastian breaks through his attempts of stifling his desperate little noises with a sob. His cock twitches and spills, violently, untouched. Messing up the bathroom vanity and floor and himself.

Chris' lips twitch into a smirk, yeah, he knew he would get him there. Continuing to fuck him eagerly with the plug, stretching his orgasm out, Chris rumbles, "good boyyy- that's it, yeah, good boy."

[ghostnebula]

Sincere and Dignified

“Eddie's twenty-first birthday + The entire Losers' Club + Las Vegas + Being in love with your best friend = Well, exactly what you'd expect.”

[read it on Ao3]

(or here)

    Eddie’s birthday is in November. Which makes him the youngest member of the Losers’ Club. Which makes him the last Loser to turn twenty-one.

    Which means they go all-out to celebrate, since it’s the first time they can all (legally) celebrate together. And because they’ve kind of forgone “proper” twenty-first birthday festivities for everyone else, so no one would ever feel left out. Finally, no one needs to be left out of it.

    They’ve all been living together for over three years now, they’re all getting close to graduating from college, and they all saved up for this one, because this is pretty much it. The last big, fun, tangible milestone in their young lives. The last “new” thing they’re earning the right to do (legally) after driving and voting. You bet your ass they go ham on Eddie’s birthday plans.

    That’s how they end up in Vegas. Several long weeks of planning, lots of money they scraped together into jars over the last few years ready to be spent, checking and double-checking every class syllabus to make sure no one misses anything important on Friday (they have to be at their hotel in time for check-in or, between Stan and Eddie, someone will pitch a fit). Then they’re all piling into Ben’s station wagon with as little luggage as they could manage to bring for a weekend trip (the station wagon is “spacious”; it is not a fucking miracle vehicle).

    Roughly ten hours later (five hours for driving, two for check-in plus cramming all their crap into the motel room and then attempting to organize it, one for figuring out and agreeing on where to even start with the partying, two more for getting ready) Eddie Kaspbrak has his first legal drink as a proper twenty-one year old, on this night of November third, and there’s no aftertaste of guilt like usual. He’s got Richie pushing shots into his hands, Mike making sure he’s eating some snacks once in a while so he doesn’t get too trashed too fast, Bev directing bartenders to make the most delicious fucking drinks he thinks he’ll ever taste in his life (Porn Stars, or something else inappropriate like that).

    He has Bill, the oldest, practically under oath to stay sober (at least for tonight) so there’s one semi-coherent Loser present to keep the rest of them safe and sane until he can drag them all back to the motel.

    He has a wad of cash in his pocket, a chunk of his savings from the past year, ready to blow on booze and gambling and whatever the fuck he wants, because it’s his birthday, so he’s allowed to do whatever the fuck he wants.

    It’s safe, and more importantly, it’s legal, and most importantly, it’s Vegas. He never thought he’d ever have the balls to set foot in a place like this -- the kind of place his mother would demonize when he was a kid. Drinking, before he left Derry and his mom and the vice grip she had on his life, was completely out of the question, let alone getting hammered in a casino in Sin City, of all fucking places, under the care of the “evil little shits” he calls his best friends.

    He more than lets loose. He lets twenty-one years of virtually non-stop anxiety unwind in one night.

    When he wakes up the next morning, hung over for the first time in his life, it’s almost worth it. Bill’s the only motherfucker awake already, being that he’s the only one who doesn’t have several bottles of vodka et al. to sleep off, and he’s draped across the ratty arm chair in their ratty motel room, channel-surfing with the television volume as low as it can get. The light burns Eddie’s eyes, still, when he lifts his head and -- instead of turning, his head just kind of lolls on his shoulders until he can look at Bill properly.

    He wants to ask him to end his suffering, which he can only assume he has yet to see the worst of. Suddenly he understands why aspirin exists. He wants Bill to pump him full of painkillers until he stops feeling like he’s made of electrified cotton. Instead, he says, articulately, “Guh.”

    Bill turns his attention from Scooby-Doo to where Eddie is half-lying, trapped under the weight of Richie’s arm and half his chest. Richie is snoring away, glasses askew on his face, a cooling puddle of drool soaking Eddie’s shoulder. It’s gross, but he can’t really complain at this point. He’s accustomed to it by now.

    “Ah, he lives.”

    “Ugh,” says Eddie.

    “I bet,” says Bill. “So, do you want a recap of the events of last night, or did you keep your promise and remember every life-altering decision you chose to make?”

    Bill’s voice, which he’s hardly putting much effort into keeping down -- owing to the fact that all his effort is being channeled into trying not to laugh, and Eddie can’t even begin to fathom what’s so funny -- is causing the other Losers to stir. His splitting headache doesn’t want him to try to figure out what’s funny. He must have fried a metric shitload of braincells with all those Porn Stars last night, or whatever the fuck sugary booze Bev was pouring down his throat before everything went hazy.

    “Life-altering?” he repeats after a few moments, as Richie’s arm finally stops crushing him. It’s the only word that really stands out to him in the jumbled mess of hangover discomfort his brain is fighting, and it should cause him anxiety but he’s more worried, right now, about drinking some water. Richie sits up beside him, yawning.

    Bill hums. He looks terribly pleased with himself, which can be good or bad depending which side of the story you’re on, and Eddie’s got this sneaking suspicion he’s on the wrong side, here. “Yeah, that life-altering thing I tried to talk you two dipshits out of for longer than the actual ceremony took?”

    “Ceremony?” Eddie asks, trying to feel back through his poor, poor brain to remember anything after slot machines and vibrant chatter and deceptively sweet beverages being passed to him. Richie’s head drops onto his shoulder as his arms wrap around Eddie’s waist. “Guh,” he says into the fabric of Eddie’s rumpled shirt. Habitually, Eddie reaches up to pat him consolingly on the head. Richie’s not one for mornings.

    “Why don’t you take a look at your ring finger, birthday boy?” Bill says, but Eddie’s already frozen, because there was a flash when he raised his hand and he’s not entirely sure he’s believing what he’s seeing, and where the fuck did he even get the ring anyway, let alone a ring as nice as this? “Or, sorry, I should say: Mr. Tozier?”

    Eddie... mostly ignores him, in favour of smacking Richie a few times on the skull to get his attention, hangovers be damned. “Richie,” he hisses, heart going a mile a minute. “The fuck did I do?”

    Richie grumbles some kind of complaint, lifting his head from its safe space on Eddie’s shoulder, and when he follows Eddie’s gaze he lets out a kind of... laugh? More of a squawk, really. His left arm jerks off of Eddie’s waist lightning-quick, and then he’s holding up his own hand beside Eddie’s to show off their matching rings. “Oh my god,” he says, quiet (for Richie). A little bit of tension melts out of him. Then, “I think you mean, ‘the fuck did we do?’”

    “Oh my god,” Eddie squeaks, and Bill loses his battle and dissolves into peals of laughter, remote slipping out of his hands and landing somewhere on the floor. “Bill, you were supposed to be babysitting.”

    It takes a while, but Bill manages to regain his composure long enough to say, “Well forgive me, but you were a man on a mission. I distinctly remember a lot of, ‘we’re practically dating anyway’ and ‘no time like the present’ and ‘Bill, if you don’t step the fuck off I’m gonna shove this ring so far up your nostril you’ll be sneezing gold until you’re ninety.’ What was I gonna do about it?”

    “Oh my god,” Eddie says again, red-faced, mortified, heart still going-going-going. They aren’t dating, though, is the problem, and yeah, he’s always had this stupid little idea in his stupid little head that they might as well be, but he’s never asked, because he wasn’t sure if he should. Wasn’t sure if it was safe. Wasn’t sure if Richie wanted something proper or to just stay very, very close friends until the grave. They weren’t dating, and now they’re married, and ohJesusMaryandJoseph why did he let himself get so drunk last night?

    He doesn’t expect Richie to be resentful or anything, but he’s also an anxious mess by default, and post-drunken-haze Eddie is a different, apparently less chill person than mid-drunken-haze Eddie, because he doesn’t remember having this freakout last night.

    He doesn’t think that Richie will be pissed about it, necessarily, but he’s terrified that Richie’s going to want to... undo this, somehow.

    He expects regret.

    He doesn’t expect Richie to slide his hand against Eddie’s so that their rings clack together, letting out a soft little, “Aw,” as he does so, or to press his scratchy, stubbly face against Eddie’s cheek to plant a kiss there, or to say, just as quiet and soft as ever, “We’re married, Eds.”

    “Is that okay?” Eddie asks, heart in his throat, wondering if he somehow forced Richie into this when he wasn’t in full control of his faculties.

    “More than okay,” Richie says. “Is it okay with you?”

    Eddie nods dumbly, staring at their rings again, wondering what the fuck possessed them to make such a rash, life-altering decision like this, yet understanding all too well that his love for Richie is too big to contain and it has to spill out in little doses like this, or it’ll probably kill him, or make him go crazy. “Yeah,” he says finally, nodding perhaps too fast. “Yeah, Richie, it’s more than okay.”

    He turns in Richie’s arms to kiss him properly, apparently not for the first time, and just the action brings a couple snippets of last night’s escapades abruptly to the surface.

*

    “$25 Weddings,” a pink neon sign outside a squat white chapel proclaims, “Sincere and Dignified.” And below that, in smaller, baby blue lettering: “Can provide: Flowers, Rings, Witnesses, Transportation, Attire...” The list goes on. It’s a wonder Eddie is coherent enough to read it, let alone comprehend it, but he’s rounding on Richie, whose arm he’s hanging off of, with the best fucking idea already leaping from his lips.

*

    “Ffffffuck Kaspbrak,” Eddie slurs as a reluctant Bill helps him slip on a suit jacket, fiddling with the purple clip-on bowtie Richie threw over the divider at him. “Fuck Kaspbrak, right, Rich?”

    “Right,” Richie says enthusiastically -- probably too enthusiastically -- from the other side of the thin wooden divider that separates their “changing rooms.”

    “Fuck that name,” Eddie decides, nodding to himself. Bill takes the bowtie out of his hands with a sigh, and Eddie lifts his chin to let Bill fasten it to his shirt, grumbling all the while about how stupid they both are. “And fuck my mom.”

    “Fuck your mom!” Richie shouts. There’s a beat of relative quiet, then, “Not, like, fuck your mom, obviously. Fuck... you, maybe?” And then Bev’s raucous laughter echoes through the whole room.

    Eddie can’t help laughing with her, even though Bill’s insisting he stay still “so you can at least look semi-presentable for your pictures, c’mon, Eddie, this is a big moment for me, too.”

*

    “How are you the bridezilla, here, Bill?”

    “Could you please just work with me here, I swear to-- agh!” (More laughter from Bev. Stan saying something incomprehensible but loud and boisterous. Mike trying to shush them.) “I’m just trying to make sure this is actually special since you absolute buffoons refuse to just wait and do this right.” Is Bill fucking crying?

*

    Richie’s tongue down Eddie’s throat, over and over and over: in the chapel; in a bar; in front of the bar; just before Bill drags them away from the casino they’re trying to sneak back into and instead towards the station wagon he’s doing his best to herd the Losers to; in the station wagon; in front of the motel.

    Bill prying them apart with minimal assistance from a piss-drunk Ben who insists he’s “helping,” telling them once again that they are not allowed to consummate their fucking marriage in public, and especially not allowed to do it in the motel room all seven of them have to sleep in--

*

    He hears Bev’s little “aww” behind him somewhere as he and Richie break apart, and Stan’s grief about how fucking early it is “for this shit.” Eddie can hear something like a smile in his voice, if not just plain old amusement.

    “We’re married, Rich,” Eddie repeats incredulously, and Bill is saying something about their marriage license in his wallet because neither of them can be trusted, but Eddie couldn’t care less about licenses or whatever, because Richie’s smiling down at him in that way that makes his heart feel too full. And he doesn’t mean to, but a choked noise bubbles up out of him, almost a sob, maybe a laugh. Tears burn in his eyes.

    But that’s alright, because Richie’s crying already, and he wraps himself bodily around Eddie, rolling them over so he’s squishing him into the mattress while he kisses all over his face and his throat until Eddie’s squealing with laughter despite his agonizing hangover. He almost feels too good to care about it now, but he’s definitely getting some water and painkillers into his system the second the weird high he’s feeling subsides.

    “Okay, okay,” says Stan, standing above them suddenly, swatting at Richie’s shoulders. “You’ve had your fun. Noisy assholes. We were too drunk for proper congratulations last night. Move over.”

    All the Losers squeeze themselves onto the queen bed, somehow, and water bottles and aspirin get passed around. At some point Bill gets up to start the coffeemaker and comes back with (good fucking lord) their “wedding photos” in a crisp manila envelope. They’re just as gaudy as he expected. Leave it to Richie to find the ugliest possible outfit for his literal wedding.

    Eddie gets hugs and shoulder-squeezes and cheek-kisses from everyone, over and over, and Bev actually cries for about ten full minutes while she holds him, then at least ten more while she holds Richie, and then Ben cries, and... well, they all end up crying all over each other, but it’s awash with joy. “We’re happy for you,” they keep saying, and Eddie’s happy for them, too. He didn’t expect to accidentally do things this way, but he has to be glad it happened.

    “God,” he says a while later, shaking his head as he sips sugary coffee from the mug he and Richie are sharing (this room is meant for four people, max, not seven, and is equipped accordingly). He’s still examining a picture of Richie attempting to give him a piggy-back ride out of the chapel. Bill is visible in the background, eyes red and puffy, a wad of tissues clenched in his hand while Mike tries to console him. Eddie has been making fun of him for about half an hour now. “My mom would flip if I told her about this.” But the thought doesn’t scare him. He doesn’t get scared of her anymore. Not like he used to. Not when he’s so far away and he feels so safe with these six idiots who bring so much joy to his life.

    Richie’s thumb rubs over the skin of his lower back where his hand has crept up Eddie’s shirt. “Good thing you don’t have to,” he says, and that familiar mantra of “You never have to see her again,” bleeds through, plain as ever.

    Eddie hums. Passes the coffee back to him. “I know. But... I kinda want to. Just to watch her head explode,” he says with a shrug and a grin, earning a chorus of easy laughter from his friends. He stares at the ring on Richie’s finger as Richie throws back the rest of their coffee, something warm and familiar blooming brighter in his chest.

[dreadnought-dear-captain]

Happy (Slightly Belated) Birthday, Baghdad Waltz!

*CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BAGHDAD WALTZ UP TO CHAPTER 37*

I know these are stressful times right now, but I wanted to post a little something for BW’s third birthday on 3/13/2020 (and I’m a little late because I had a lot to say). THREE!! I cannot believe it. Truly, I cannot, but here we are. I know there are still a few stragglers hanging around from when I first started posting this story (extra hearts to you all), so many people who have come and gone and sometimes return again, and so many new people joining this crazy journey all the time. 

You are all so great, and you make it possible for me to keep writing this. I probably would have quit a long time ago without your support, because this shit has been quite hard to sustain sometimes. I know I am very bad at keeping up with comments and things, and I’m so sorry.  I am terrible with social media, too. People IRL will say the same thing about me. I am super old school and still talk on the phone with my friends. I KNOW. 

(Heyyyy Bayside High)

I’ve prepared a couple of things for BW’s birthday. First, a few statistics I thought I’d whip up. Then a few questions and answers about BW, both from myself and from my beloved beta, @pitchforkcentral86​. And I’m still trucking away diligently at chapter 38! I just have a few scenes to go. 

 -- BW Statistics -- 

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

Words to date: 526,011

Chapters to date: 37

Shortest chapter: 3,821 words (Prologue)

Longest chapter: 31,395 words (Chapter 33)

Number of words per chapter: 12,530 (median), 14,257 (average) (note: the median is probably a better measure, since this is such an abnormal distribution - see below for the changes in chapter length over time)

Estimated total work to date: 2,890-3,120 hours (approx 18-20 hours/week). This includes writing, rewriting, editing, research, conversations with beta, outlining, and a small portion of the brainstorming. This is a conservative estimate and only includes a fraction of the ambient thinking I do about this story. And God, I do so much processing when I sleep! Perhaps I will be a BW “expert” -- estimated at around 10,000 hours I guess? -- by the time I am done with the story and all my revisions hahahahaaaaaa D: 

Money spent to date (estimated): $600-700. This includes books on various subject matter and writing craft, video access to therapy education resources, and other educational materials. This does not include the incalculable sum in lost productivity from thinking about BW when I’m supposed to be doing other things!

Most of you probably don’t know this, but @pitchforkcentral86​ is not just a beta reader. She is my partner in crime with BW. She knows my characters as well as I do, sometimes better. She helps me troubleshoot scenes, she tells me when my writing sucks, when my I’m not being true to my characters, when I’m not being real enough (sometimes when I’m being TOO real). She gives me porn inspiration and listens to me bitch and calls my bullshit and makes this story what it is. I really mean it - this story would not be nearly as good without her, and you can see how much better it gets once she starts to get involved around chapter 17. 

So I decided I would answer some silly little questions about BW. Just my own personal opinions about stuff! And asked @pitchforkcentral86​ to contribute as well. See below. 

What are my favorite scenes in BW and why? 

In no particular order: 

The 9/11 memory (Chapter 26): When Steve is in therapy with Hope remembering when Bucky returns from Ground Zero. This was one of the first times I experimented with writing in a sort of stream-of-consciousness way (though certainly not the last!). I have done several tweaks to it since the original version, texturing it more. It’s so rich in detail, visceral detail, little details about their relationship, pieces of Bucky’s past, clues about his alcoholism, the way he handles stress, his difficulties letting Steve in, the love Steve has for him, Bucky’s need to be loved and cared for and his aversion for it, it’s so, so rich. Gah. I love it. (GUH and @buckydunpun​’s ART - just murder me. Thanks.)

The Thor “breakup” scene (Chapter 28): This is the moment I think that many people realized Bucky is not a reliable narrator. Maybe they suspected it before, but this is when it’s very obviously apparent. His entire interpretation of his relationship with Thor is thrown into question. He built a rich fantasy about what they were, holding hands in the grass, all this bullshit, and he could actually say they were boyfriends, which makes complete sense because there were never any stakes. It was always surface. There was never any intimacy except as veteran/soldier friends who had sex, which is about as deep as Bucky can go anyway without getting utterly terrified. 

This is in such stark contrast to Steve, where there is actual intimacy, ongoing demand for more intimacy, and this relationship feels VERY real to Bucky, and it’s very frightening to him. And that’s why he runs from the term “boyfriend” with Steve. It’s all so real. It’s easy to engage with a fake boyfriend. But still, he didn’t deliberately realize he was doing this, so it was devastating to find out the truth of his own self-deception. And to hear that he’s not the kind of guy you settle with, he’s the guy you fuck… wow. But how can you really hate Thor? (I’m sure some of you can but…) He’s a nice guy. Even Bucky knows it. So he’s run from something good and real (Steve) to something good but false (Thor) and then he gets rejected from both. It’s horrible and so self-defeating and so quintessentially Bucky. I love it. 

A Close Second (Spent Brass fic): This whole side fic came together like a glorious dream. I love everything about it. It’s such a wonderful look into their relationship, into their dynamics, into their individual personalities, their idiosyncrasies, so much push-pull between them. Whispers of things that have happened to Bucky in the past, a lack of understanding from Steve, a desire to know, so much affection. Some good sex. I love this SB. But I love all the Spent Brass fics. They are so close to my heart. 

Honorable mention: Bucky’s masturbation scene during his bender (Chapter 32). I had an absolute BLAST writing this. Thanks to @pitchforkcentral86​ for proposing that Bucky’s core sexual/romantic desire is just to be kissed. Dayum. It all unfolded from there. 

Who is the character I think about the most? Bucky. I think because he’s got the most complex history and the most complicated psychology. He’s actually fairly rule-bound in terms of how he operates, but he’s got a lot of back story that explains how he became the way he is, and I spend a lot of time considering what happened to him and how he developed his self-image, his coping strategies, and his ideas about others and the world. I think a lot about his relationship with his parents. I think a LOT about bby Jamie. It’s not because Steve is not important or any less complex. But Bucky’s childhood experiences have shaped him in very specific ways, and I want to make sure that I represent them very thoughtfully. 

Who is my favorite character to write? Bucky. His voice and thought processes come to me more easily than Steve’s. Perhaps in part because of my personal penchant for the word “fuck.” I love writing his perspective, his preferences, his interpretations of situations. I love imagining the way he imagines the world. 

Who is my favorite supporting character? Winnie. I know she’s a very polarizing character, but I have so much affection for her. I think she’s a badass. She joined the military as a female officer back in the 1970s, which is incredible and rough. She kept her maiden name. This is a Southern conservative woman, an Air Force brat, raised by very conservative Southern people in a very conservative Pentecostal church, but she has always had an irrepressible rebellious, feminist badass streak in her even before she knew what feminism was. She might not even define herself as a feminist now. She has always done the best she can under very difficult circumstances, and she loves her kids, even though she sometimes sucks quite badly at mothering them. I love her for her imperfections. 

Favorite topic to research this year: I’ve been really enjoying researching emotionally focused couples therapy, which was developed by Sue Johnson, EdD. I’ve been watching therapy videos of couples going through this and having a wonderful time imaging Bucky and Steve going through something similar with Claire. I don’t think Claire is the strictest adherent to EFT, but I think she’s informed by it. It’s tough, because I’m very used to cognitive behavioral type therapies, so this one has been different to think about writing. I’ve also been really getting into reading about childhood sexual abuse and its effects on boys and men. It’s greatly helped my conceptualization of Bucky and Bucky and Steve’s relationship. I mean, it’s a grim topic, but there have been some fascinating threads in terms of understanding one’s self perception of sexual orientation, etc. and thinking about how Bucky would consider and contextualize his experiences. 

Am I more of a Steve or a Bucky? Hmm. I don’t strongly relate to either, but I think if I had to choose, I’m a bit more of a Steve. I’m pretty expressive of my affection and positive emotions, and I’ll complain about daily life things enough. However, when it comes to major life events that really bother me, I tend to err on the side of not processing them and turning my feelings into headaches and other physical afflictions. In other words, I’m a suppressor of major emotions and events. It’s FINE. I’m FINE. Nothing to see here. But I am definitely not as tidy as Steve, nor as smart, and definitely not as buff or hot. So that’s where most of our similarities end lol. I do eat a lot of tofu though. 

Who would I want to hang out with for a day? I initially thought Rikki, but like @pitchforkcentral86​, think she’s actually too cool and smart for me, and I would probably just make an ass out of myself. I think probably Elektra. I know, this is a left field answer, but it’s one day! To do whatever with anyone! I want to choose someone who’s going to make it worth my while. So many of the characters are either too busy, too rigid, too anxious, too conventional, etc. I would want to run around NYC with Elektra for the day and have drinks with her and Matt afterwards at some weird-ass underground bar. My more infield answer would probably be Hank. I want him to tell me gay stories about gay things. I want to see his apartment. I want to drink coffee with him. I want him to tell me about what the AIDS crisis was like for him. I want to hear about his relationship with Howard. I want all the shit that Bucky takes for granted every day. He can be my fairy godmother any day. 

Who would I want to be friends with? Probably Sharon. She’s one of the most reliable, loyal, and level-headed people in this world. She’s smart, she’s flexible, she rolls with things pretty well but also doesn’t take a ton of bullshit. She also has a good sense of humor about things. I feel like she’s someone I could call with my Zack Morris phone and talk with for hours about all sorts of things. We could also split a bottle of wine and talk some real shit. 

Wait - Why not Bucky or Steve? I don’t think these two are entirely likable, to be honest. They’re good humans, they mean well, but I don’t think they’re very well equipped in the friendship department.  I care about them very deeply (I hope that’s clear), but I don’t know if I’d want to be particularly close to either of them at this point in their lives. They’re both lacking in the skill and perspective to be good friends and partners, which is a major reason why they are in therapy. 

Who would I want to be my therapist - Hope, Bruce, Scott, or Claire? Claire. Given how much I suck at talking about the things that are really deeply bothering me, I think I would need an emotionally focused therapist who is going to dig in there and really get me to focus on all the emotions I’m trying to shove away. I would probably try to over-intellectualize everything and deflect, and I don’t think she’d let me get away with that. 

Okay, on to @pitchforkcentral86​~~~~~

What are my favorite scenes in BW and why? 

Oh boy. Well, this is a difficult question to answer since it feels like every chapter becomes a new favorite simply due to sheer amount of time spent planning and composing and revising and whining and complaining. And also my memory sucks. BUT, with that said, I think I would like to mention three scenes specifically:

1)      Bucky on deployment, cleaning a Humvee (Chapter 7), Steve standing nearby. This scene conveyed the tension of deployment and between Steve and Bucky so well, and, perhaps more importantly, built my respect towards Bucky as a competent, caring NCO (to that effect, the small scene in which we see Bucky the NCO on film telling all the little grunts to eat so they can become big and strong is another favorite).

2)      Beautiful Boy (Spent Brass), Steve’s memory from childhood with Sarah at the park, naming animals. I really don’t have a good reason other than that scene was so clear to me in my mind and was especially tender.

3)      Steve sleeping with Sharon in DC (Chapter 33). Honestly, it was just a great scene, and we had a really good time planning it out.

I can include many more, and certainly the ones Dread mentioned are favorites too, but I have to stop or this will just be a squeee fest.

Who is my favorite supporting character?

 Hank. His particular brand of honesty is extremely appealing to me, and I think Bucky secretly, or not so secretly, loves him too. And also Quill, just for shits and giggles because he is reliably there as an ice breaker, that lovable Mountain-Dew-drinking goof.  

Favorite topic to research this year: 

Well, I don’t do the research myself, but I spend many, many m-a-n-y hours listening to and conversing with Dread about all the things he’s delved into for this fic. So I guess maybe I’ll turn this question into favorite topic to discuss/conceptualize. In that respect, Bucky’s and Jack’s relationship has been by far the most intriguing, grueling, fascinating and difficult aspect of this fic to conceptualize – those were some of the best talks in the process. [Dreadnought edit: You will see much more of this in future chapters, folks!] And for a fun answer, planning out sex scenes is hilarious.

Am I more of a Steve or Bucky?

Bucky, no doubt. Sometimes it feels like Dread has climbed into my brain, found a horrible nugget of truth about me, and then put it into words coming out of Bucky’s mouth. Those moments are both wonderful and terrible in equal measure.

Who would I want to hang out with for a day?

For a whole day? Can it maybe be a coffee or, like, a quick lunch? I honestly don’t know… Neither Steve nor Bucky will be very good company, I think. Not in their current versions, anyways. Rikki is hella cool but she intimidates me, so, not her. Um.. Huh. Nope, don’t have an answer.

Who would I want to be friends with?

Probably Hank, again. He has a really good attitude. I’m starting to feel like not picking Steve/Bucky is selfish because it’s like “oh, they have too many issues and it won’t be fun”. But it’s also true! Friendship is reciprocal, and I really don’t think that’s where they’re at. (But I would have totally been dying to be friends with Steve in his bookshop days). 

Who would I want to be my therapist - Hope, Bruce, Scott, or Claire?

Hope or Claire. Both are no-nonsense competent therapists. But I think maybe Hope will be too put-together for me. So, yeah, probably Claire. 

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

Okay, everyone. Back to the grind. I’ll update as soon as I can!  Remember to wash your hands with the fastidiousness of BW Steve Rogers. (And also remember to sing the “happy birthday fucking everyone” song, which should actually be sung TWICE or resentfully enough that it lasts 20 seconds.)

[wheremytwinwatches]

[Where My Twin Watches]: Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Episode 4

Tephi: Okay, guys, it's that episode. And, as I told Ranubis, I would like to speak for my discipline and say that we do not condone Tucker's actions. #not all biologists (You know what, it's really hard to try to be funny after reading this recap, so I'm going to stop.) Onwards with Brotherhood! Last time the Elric Brothers revealed a corrupt priest, and now they’re going to report to Colonel Roy Mustang. And learn about bio-alchemy, according to the last post-credits? Let’s get to it!

We get the Narrator recapping last episode, and he says the priest used alchemy and… ‘a’ Philosopher’s Stone? Wait wait wait, what? He had the real thing? ...that raises many questions, some of which I asked last time. I’ll just keep watching to see if I get some answers this go-around. Ok, never mind then. Should have waited a few more seconds until the Narrator said “revealed to be a fake.” Episode 04: “An Alchemist’s Anguish” Well that’s not an ominous title at all. Late at night in Central (is that the town’s name, or just the keep?) with a freaking-huge moon taking up most of the screen. A State Alchemist is walking along a street and good Leto man, what is going on with your mustache?! Hold on, have to take a screenshot.

What, did you strap a boomerang to your face? How much mustache wax do you use to make those razor-sharp points? Really now, that’s just excessive. Ahem. Anyways, Mr. Mustache comes to a stop and grunts. He sees someone? [Scar] “You are Basque Grand, the Iron Blood Alchemist… correct?” Huh. So we’ve got a name for Mister Mustache, but given how we’ve never seen him before, and someone apparently named “Scar” is confronting him at night… taking all bets folks, how long is the Fresh Meat going to last? My money’s on him bowing out in under a minute. Waitaminute, I recognize you from the intro! Your sunglasses don’t fool me, you’re that guy with the white X scar on his face! Appropriate name, I guess. He says Alchemists who have turned against God shall be punished. Another Leto follower? So Basque recognizes him as a “bloodthirsty murderer” who’s been targeting State Alchemists lately… which implies that he’s faced multiple Alchemists, and is here to tell the tale. Uh, Basque? Buddy? You think you might want to call for some backup against someone who’s faced a bunch of… nah, nevermind. You go ahead and equip your engraved gauntlets, I’m sure you can handle it. Ooh, nice power! Punch the ground and summon a bunch of cannons. How effective is it? Not at all! Some chains! The same. Stick him in a vault? Maybe- oh come on dude. “That wasn’t so difficult”? You’re just asking for it now. Yup, grabbed by the face. “Now you perish.” And oh jeez that face-zapping was uncalled for… and right past the minute mark. Seriously, that “battle” went from timestamp 2:54 to 3:54. I think Scar’s credentials have been established. Hey, I know that voice! And THAT voice too! Good to see you guys again, Hughes and Armstrong! And… oh dear. Hughes warned Armstrong to be careful, that he could be the next target, and The Mighty Armstrong… just said “Understood.” No bravado, no boasting, just business. This is serious, isn’t it? Fuhrer Bradley/Fury arrives at the scene, and every Alchemist immediately salutes. Fury looks over the scene, and authorizes Hughes as the officer in charge of the case any additional personnel he needs to track down the traitor. The next day at Central, Riza’s doing paperwork and hands something to a Lieutenant Breda, and ooh a cast of unique characters sitting at a table? Breda gripes about the Colonel letting work pile up, asks for Havoc to help but the blond guy says he’s got enough already. Then [Falman] identifies some guy in the paperwork as a crooked State Alchemist that the Elrics exposed. Messing with a radio is a little guy with glasses, Master Sergeant… aw come on, really? *Sigh* Guess I have to give up on Fuhrer Fury, since we’ve got this little guy named Fuery now. Way to ruin the joke, dude. Anyways, Fuery’s saying he’ll probably have to replace the radio’s receiver… when a familiar white glove in a red sleeve reaches into frame and touches the radio, leaving it good as new. Man, Alchemy sure is handy. Good to see you guys! Now hurry up, the Colonel’s expecting you, and wipe that grimace off your face. Congrats on the Liore incident are in order, although Ed gripes that he didn’t do it for them. And the stone ended up being fake, but Cornello still got power from it. How does that work? Neither brother knows much about the field of bio-alchemy. Roy recommends they consult a specialist, pulls a file on The Sewing Life Alchemist, Shou Tucker, who’s done research into chimera transmutation. Well that’s nice of- for Leto’s sake Ed, stop ranting at your boss. He is your boss, remember? But Roy insists he’s trying to repay them for the Liore case, as “doing you a favor is better than being indebted to you.” Panning across the city now, Roy talking about how two years ago Tucker transmuted a chimera that could understand human speech, earning his certification as a State Alchemist. So it could talk? Huh, interesting. I assumed chimeras were brute-force creatures like the one Cornello used. But bio-alchemy can create communication-capable creatures? Not sure what to think about the ramifications- Oh what the hell. Concerns multiplied. “It only said one thing: ‘I want to die.’” And then it refused to eat until it got its wish. Um. Ok. I am now rather suspicious of bio-alchemy. Standard alchemy that we’ve seen has mostly been similar to basic magic or elemental control. But creating a communicative creature that wishes only for death? That sounds more like the thing a State Alchemist would be sent after to shut down, not say “Nice job, here’s a badge!” Alright, moving on. The Elrics and Roy are at a house now, Ed’s remarking on how big it is- Dog! Giant dog just glomped Ed, Al’s all worried about his big brother who’s stuck under a cheerful dog. Then the door opens? A little girl (Nina) tells her father there are people outside, he gently reminds her this was why she needed to keep the dog tied up. Heh. Inside, the camera’s panning over a bunch of dusty books and scrolls, and some very… used dishes in a sink. Tucker apologizes for the mess, ever since his wife… “ran out”? What’s the story there? Tucker fixes some tea, says that he’s pleased to meet Edward. And he’s more than happy to show his research. However, he does ask that if he’s showing some of his tricks, that Ed could show some as well. “It’s the code we live by - equivalent exchange.” EEC: 7 Outside, Nina’s playing with the dog, braids it a headband of flowers. Daw, that’s cute. Bit of a contrast with the inside, as it seems Ed’s told Tucker the story of their attempted Human Transmutation. Which begs the question, if Human Transmutation is taboo, what makes bio-alchemy different? In any case, Tucker lets the Elrics take a look at his laboratory- gah! Head in jar! Cerberus creature! Lots of other creepy stuff in jars! Guh, I’m not a big fan of biology, sorry. Tucker’s apologizing, saying he’s regarded as an authority on chimeras, but it hasn’t been going well that lately. What does that mean? They move on, reaching Tucker’s library and forget the creepy lab I wanna be there now. Look at all those books! The brothers dive into reading, and Roy says he’ll head back to work and have someone pick them up in the evening. But Ed doesn’t even hear Roy he’s so focused in the book. Tucker chuckles that they don’t even know they’re there anymore… Um, Tucker? What’s with the glasses push and grin? Like, you smiled in the lab at one point and I didn’t mention it, but now here’s a second smile and a glasses-push? Really getting some Bad Scientist vibes here. What’s going on? Uh, ok. Moving on, it’s later and Ed’s surrounded by piles of books now. Al’s over by a shelf with his own and- hey, it’s Nina! The little girl just poked her head around the aisle to look at the giant suit of armor, runs off when Al notices her. Then pokes her head back around to [Playful Music]. Ed breaks out his studies at hearing [childlike laughter], walks over to see Al giving Nina a piggyback ride. Daw. But of course Ed has to be a grump, yell at Al for playing horsie instead of- Dog! And Nina says Alexander wants to play too. Ed enters Dramatic Mode, saying that the dog’s bested him twice, but no more! And Ed races after the “mangy mutt”, while Nina just laughs. Late afternoon now, Havoc is telling the “chief” his ride has arrived. Ah, Havoc was sent to pick the brothers up. And looks like Ed wasn’t very successful against Alexander, he’s down for the count again. Havoc’s walking the boys out now, passes on a message to Tucker that “Assessment Day is coming soon”. What’s that? And why was Tucker so serious when he said that he knew? I’m guessing it’s like a checkup exam for SAs, to renew their certification. *Sigh* Look, Tucker? I’m getting a lot of mixed signals from you. First you made a creature that wished for death, but then you were a kind father, then you smirked and did a Glasses Push, then you made a dog pun, but now you’re all serious about “Assessment Day” and clutching the door handles? I’m not sure what I’m supposed to think about you. Nina asks what “Assessment Day” means, Tucker confirms SAs have to do a research report once a year to keep their certification. Last year Tucker didn’t get a very good evaluation, and unless he does something really impressive this year he won’t be a State Alchemist anymore. Nina proclaims that Tucker will do great, with how much he studies. But Tucker just [laughs nervously], says that he’ll try hard… ‘Or we’ll be left with nothing… again.’ Bad feelings keep gathering. Not sure what’s happening. [Sentimental Music] the next day, the Elrics are back and studying. Al’s talking with Nina about her mother, who left two years ago to live at her parents’ house. Why’d she leave? I mean, Tucker said she “ran off”, did they have an argument? Assuming about his studies or something, not sure why though. She was clearly with him long enough to have a child who I’m fairly certain is much older than two, so she would have been around for all the bio-alchemy. So what caused the split? Al remarks that it must be lonely, the two of them in a big house. But Nina’s happy with her daddy and Alexander. Although Tucker’s been studying in the lab all the time lately. Cramming for his exam? Ooh, flashback! Baby!Elric Brothers looking through a door - hey, I know that hair! That’s that blond ponytail guy from the intro, can’t see his face to confirm the beard but I recognize the ponytail! So he’s the absent Elric father? What’s his story? Ed just shut his book? Oh, good for you! He claims his shoulders are stiff, and when Al suggests he move around some Al goes and challenges Alexander again. Daw, props to you Ed, putting aside studies for Nina. That’s really nice of you. As [Goofy Happy Piano] music plays, Ed runs around with Nina chasing him on Alexander. But then he turns the tables, transmuting his arm into a sharp-toothed puppet (complete with the little spring of blond hair) as he chases them! Al serves as a slide for Nina, Alexander gets the drop on poor Ed again… lots of happiness and laughter outside. But inside… Tucker’s sitting at a table, head in his hands. What’s wrong? Why are you so worried about Assessment Day? You’ve done it before, right? And you’ve been studying like crazy. So what’s the problem? Back in Central, Hughes is wondering about Scar, why he’s targeting State Alchemists instead of easier targets like the military police. Armstrong thinks that the fact they’re State Alchemists is the reason he’s attacking them. But for what reason? Their pay, their status? Or failure to uphold their creed: “Alchemist, be thou for the people.” A concern that alchemists are supposed to be pillars of science and truth but are turning into weapons for the military. And there are many people who have not forgotten the role of State Alchemists in the Ishvalan Civil War. There’s Ishvale again, another mention of this mysterious conflict prior to the show. What’s the story there? It’s been mentioned so often I know it’s gotta come up soon, but right now I know next to nothing about it. What was the deal? An orderly interrupts the conversation, reports that a man with a large scar on his face was seen the night before at the train station. So he got away? Later that day, [Melancholy Music] at Tucker’s house, where he’s telling the Elrics about life before his State Alchemist certification. The family was poor, Mrs. Tucker couldn’t stand living like that, and we’ve got a picture of Tucker and the wife yelling at eachother while Nina cowers behind Alexander. Jeez. Tucker’s saying he can’t afford to fail the examination. Hmm, maybe you could ask the Elrics for help? I mean, they’re crazy-good at alchemy, I’m sure they could help with your studying. Or maybe take up Nina’s offer of her and Alexander growling at the test-givers until they say yes. Aw, Tucker just offered to play with Nina the next day. Yeah, there you go, spend some time with Nina, then study with the Elrics until you’re ready! The next day… it’s really cloudy. Why is it cloudy? Oh no. No no no. Do not do this to me, show. You do NOT make things go bad when they were so cute earlier. Do NOT do this. Ok, so what’s going to happen? Doorbell’s ringing, but no-one is answering. Al opened the door, called for Mr. Tucker, but nothing. Al and Ed are walking through the house, calling for Tucker and Nina, but nothing. And I mean nothing, there isn’t even any music playing right now. Door opens to to what no nonono nonononononononononono tucker is kneeling in front of something something with dog paws and long brown hair what did you do what the FUCK did you do “I did it boys. I finally did it.” A chimera that understand human speech. Ed. Al. What the hell are you both doing just standing there. Do you seriously not realize what’s going on. Do you realize where Nina Nina The thing is just repeating “That person… Ed… ward.” I don’t want to see this. “Big Brother Ed.” And the penny drops. Ed asks when Tucker first got his certification. He confirms it was two years ago. And his wife “left” two years ago too. Oh, don’t you act so surprised that Ed figured it out so quickly, you bastard! Ed, kick his teeth in! Did… did you really just say “this is how we progress” in regards to transmuting your dog and your own daughter to make this creature?! To maintain your fucking CERTIFICATION?! Human experimentation as a necessary process? For WHAT?! You’re comparing yourself to Edward, saying you’re the same? Far from it! He made a mistake trying to bring back a family member! You’ve used yours to get paid! Al just grabbed Ed’s arm, said that if he keeps the beating up that Tucker would die. I am really, really having a hard time seeing that as a bad thing right now. Oh. “Edward… no.” Not in front of his daughter. “Daddy, do you… hurt? Daddy?” I can’t. Al’s apologizing to… the chimera. Saying that with all their power, they can’t change Nina back. The chimera just asks if they can play. And Tucker just rants about how he “passed.” Riza and Roy are discussing the case. Ed and All are sitting on the steps outside of Central in the rain. Roy tells the Elrics that they are likely to see more cases like this in the future. And have to get their hands dirty. Then he asks if they’re going to shut down like this every time. Ed says that them being called dogs of the military, cursed as devils… it doesn’t matter, they’re still going to get their bodies back. They’re not devils. They’re not gods. They’re only human. They can’t… “even do anything to save one innocent little girl. So what good are we then?” … In a room, the chimera and Tucker are facing each other. Tucker is whining about how “no one’s capable of understanding me.” And then someone enters the room. It’s Scar. “You’re Shou Tucker, correct?” … … ...do it. But the chimera saw it. Scar walks towards the chimera. “God… hear me. Two human souls have just been returned to you. Please accept them into your loving arms. Please grant these poor, lost souls everlasting peace and salvation.” ...credits. “The rain pours down in East City. Still grief-stricken over the death of Nina, Ed and Al are attacked by the mysterious man, Scar. In a moment of crisis, Ed must make a desperate decision, while the life of his brother hangs in the balance. Next time, on Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood-” Episode 05: Rain of Sorrows”

[sander-sides-stories]

Chapter one

Chapter one is finally here! If anyone wants to review chapters for me before I post them, feel free to message me at this blog, @virgil-the-anxious-anxiety, @thomas-the-great, or @zeliahoutcast! I don’t have a name for this au yet. Meet the boys Logan and Virgil!

“Entry class P, subclass A, number 38. The fire appears to have given the soil nutrients for new plants to emerge. Small to medium sized animals have returned.” The android continues to report his discoveries to seemingly no one. Occasionally, when the android collects a sample, he beeps.

A small, feral boy spots the android. He sneaks up behind it, nearly silent, to watch the unfamiliar creature work. He wasn’t expecting the android to detect him.

With two beeps, the android stopped scanning various plant life and spun their torso around to face the boy who had set off his alarm, whirring as he did so. It’s eyes darting around until they rested on the creature behind him. Virgil had no idea what the android was doing. They beep as they scan him, eyes lighting up, and forcing a smile. "Hello, humanoid."

Virgil jumps back and hisses, mostly out of fear. He stills and remains tense, ready to fight or flee because this strange creature made unusual noises. These creatures that made strange sounds were usually trying to take him to places that had frightening barriers, food, and nests.

The android spun his legs around, taking a step back from the creature. "Need not be afraid. What is your number? I'm designation L064N. Or, ‘Logan’ for short."

The boy slowly relaxes and creeps forward. "... Num?" He tilts his head as he tries to mimic the unusual creature's words. He stops a few feet away, close enough to touch, but far enough away to run should the creature making familiar noises try to grab him. "Mmm... Loon?" He tilts his head more.

The android blinked, processing Virgil’s attempt to speak.. "No, not-" He played back the recording of what the creature had called him- "I'm Logan. Lo-gan. What are you?" he tried to ask again.

"Loo... Ain. " He sits down and looks entranced by the android. He lets out a happy sigh as he somewhat successfully mimics the creature's words.

Logan nodded once. "That was 64% accurate, so, as my mechanics like to say, close enough." He turned around again, making another loud whirr noise as he went back to scanning the area. Suddenly his arm beeped, and a transmission came through, telling him to return to the ship. "Yes, sir. On my way," he told the captain over the transmission before nodding at the creature. "One day you will be educated enough to say my name properly." He told the humanoid before turning around and walking back to the starcraft.

Virgil tilts his head as the strange creature walked away. He follows the android to the ship, keeping a good distance away in case the strange creature decided to turn around and grab him.

Logan entered the ship, nodding once at the human crew members in a practiced manner as he was taught to do before. He hadn’t noticed the creature following him as his mind too preoccupied with downloading information of the planet. He walked down halls, nodding at more crew members until he reached his own charging room, starting to type away at the super computers as he quietly muttered to himself.

Virgil somehow manages to sneak onto the ship and he wanders around, avoiding as many of the intimidating creatures as possible. He ends up finding himself in some empty, unused room. He explores it, and after finding the bed's unusual texture was nice, he falls asleep on it.

Logan had been typing away on the computer for less five minutes. An alarm went off on his arm, notifying him of a potentially hostile life form on board. He blinked in confusion, telling the captain that he would take care of it as he left his room, walking briskly down the hall. After turning left and opening the door to chamber 147, his eyes lit up to shine a light on the life form, blinking in confusion when he realized it was the same creature from earlier. "Humanoid? Why did you come here?"

He wakes and yawns. The boy rubs at his eyes and blinks sleepily at the android. "Mmm... Lo-ain..." He sighs happily and stretches before pushing himself up into a sitting position.

"It's Logan. Why are you- Well, I suppose it's useless to ask you that. I keep forgetting not all humans are educated properly." He walked into the room, reaching to grab the creature's arm. "You must leave immediately. You lack the required authorization to be in this area."

He hisses when Logan grabs him. The boy seems to fully awaken and try to free his arm from the now terrifyingly strange creature's grip.

He picked up the creature with both hands, carrying it by the waist as he walked out of the room, other educated humans glancing at the panicking child warily. "You are not authorized to be here," he said again, walking down the hall towards one of the exits. "You belong on your planet."

Virgil continues wiggling in an attempt to get down and away from the scary creature. He claws at the androids hands as he grunts, hisses, and screeches in fear. Eventually he resorts to biting down on the android's arm.

The scratches and bites didn't affect Logan in any way due to the inability to feel pain. He reached the back of the ship, letting go of the humanoid, before realizing that the creature was stuck on his arm, teeth sinking into the synthetic skin. "Please get off my arm." After realizing the boy didn’t understand him, he instead attempted to shake the human off his arm, his shoulder making violent whirring noises.

The boy refuses to let go and instead wraps his arms around the android. He starts crying. Virgil didn't want to leave. It would mean staying with scratchy and painful nests and struggling to stay warm during the cold seasons, and when the season’s grew colder, food was harder to find. He didn't want that. So he kept his teeth in Logan’s arm and tightened his own arms around the android's.

The android blinked, stilling his arm when he realized that the shaking wasn't working. He glanced around, scanning the empty storage room for something he could use to get the creature off of him, but there wasn't anything he could use. He looked back down at the creature, tilting his head slightly. "Why are you so intent on staying? I would think you would want to be at your own planet. Aren't you..." He paused, searching his databanks to find the correct word. "Aren't you content at your own planet?"

He sniffs and looks the android in the eye, freeing the arm of his teeth. He's still crying as he sadly calls out "Looain. " he headbutts the android's arms.

He stared at the creature for a moment, thinking of his options. The creature most likely wanted to stay because it didn't want to be at its planet, for whatever reason. He could kill the creature, but he wasn't authorized to, and that would result in repercussions. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't be trouble to drop you off at the next planet." He raised his arm, talking into the radio. "The life form is proving to be mildly difficult. Permission to hold until next planet capable of sustaining life?" He got a yes in return, and he began to walk back to his room, not making an attempt to pull the human off of him.

Virgil walks with Logan, refusing to let go of his arm. "... Loo-dain?"

"It's Logan," he said again, entering his room. "Lo-gan. Lo-gan. It shouldn't be difficult." He began to type away at the computers again, this time searching for information of the type of humans that lived on the creature's planet. He needed some insight on how to take care of the thing before it was released.

He tries to make the "g" sound but the only thing that comes out is a high pitched "Huhhh"

"No. I don't know what that sound was, but it almost reached over eighty decibels. Please be careful." He found old records of the planet the creature was found on, but instead of reading them like he normally would, he simply stuck his finger in the USB port and downloaded the information, his eyes displaying the words and his mouth mumbling them at a high speed.

He continues trying because he'll get it, damnit! He watches to Logan's computer screen and reaches out to touch it. "Loo-hain, Lo! "

Logan was unresponsive for a moment as the information downloaded, before he jumped to life once again. "No. Logan. It's Lo-guh-an." He didn't understand the struggle of speaking, he was programmed with the ability to move his mouth properly when he was built. "Guh. Your tongue should press to the back of your mouth, the air that escapes pushing through to make the sound. Guh."

He watches and mimics the tongue movement. "Gahh."

Logan blinked at him. "Close enough." He walked away from the computers, once again trying to shake the creature off his arm as he walked to his desk. "Assuming you haven't lived with any colonies, considering your inability to form a sentence, you must have been abandoned at birth. I need to find you a proper home that specializes in untrained humans."

"Edias! Edias!" He bounces happen and repeats "Edias" as if it held some sort of meaning. He shakes Logan's hand. "Lo-gah-ain! Edias!,

Logan looked down at him, squinting in confusion. "Edias?" He searched the phrase in his mind, looking for any sort of record, but either there was no record of an 'Edias' or the creature didn't enunciate it properly. "Explain. What is Edias?"

The boy frowns. "Ho-me. Edias! Edias! E-Edi-o-lan?"

The android only squints, replaying the different variations of the phrase in his mind, putting them together until he could figure out how to spell the word by it's pronunciation.  "Edias. E-D-I-A-S. Is this correct?" he asked automatically, before realizing the creature probably didn't know. "Searching records for E-D-I-A-S. Edias." He became unresponsive, a few records showing up as he downloaded them all.

He whines and shakes Logan. He draws a shape in the air and says "Eddiolan. " he points in it and says "Ho-me."

He blinked in confusion, the creature's voice interrupting the search and download process. "Searching instead for: Eddiolan. Edias- Error. Scrapped. Uncompleted Command- RESTARTING... RESTARTING..." The lights in his eyes went dim as he slumped forward, before turning on again. "Welcome. Please wait while updates are put in place..."

Virgil screeches in fear as he lets go of the android. He runs to a corner and curls up in it as he silently watches the creature makes terrifyingly loud noises that hurt..

Logan stood there for a few moments, unmoving before he jumped to life again, looking around until he saw the creature. He gave a weak smile, scratching his neck as if he were embarrassed. Embarrassment? That was new, he must have been updated. "Apologies, human. What did you say again? Eddiolan? E-D-D-I-O-L-A-N?" He straightened up, eyes lighting up once more. "Searching for: E-D-D-I-O-L-A-N. Seven Records Found. Downloading..."

Virgil hisses as Logan continued to make weird noises. He curls up more and wraps his arms around his head.

"Downloading... Downloading... His eyes dimmed once more, and he looked at the human again. "Was 'Eddiolan' your colony? Did they abandon you, or did you run away? They don't seem to keep any records of their people... At least, not ones that have been found by any starcraft." He paused, realizing maybe the creature didn't understand. It looked afraid of him again. "Was 'Eddiolan' once your home?"

"Eddiolan! Ho-me! Hap ho-me..." He perks up and slowly creeps towards the android.

Logan sighed. "If Eddiolan was your home on your own planet, then why did you even come here? If you had a home..." He shook his head. This creature wasn't to be reasoned with. "Did you, erm..." What was the word? "Did you like it in the Eddiolan colony?" He didn't know why he kept asking the creature questions; he supposed it was because he was programmed to ask the nearest human a question if he wasn't yet programmed with the knowledge of something. A bugged habit, he supposed.

"Hap! E-Eddiolan ho-me, ho-me hap!" Virgil bounces excitedly and sits beside the android.

"...'Hap?' I don't..." He searched the records for a 'hap,' but nothing relevant showed up. "I don't know what that means. I suppose I could try to find this Eddiolan, but with hardly any records on the place, it would be nearly impossible to find. It's a large planet." He paused in thought, glancing at the creature again. Maybe these Eddiolan people would know what to do with the thing. He looked at the damage the creature did to his arm, furrowing his brow at the damage. "Well, I know one thing. You can't stay here with us. You might chew up the wires."

"... go ho-me?" He tilts his head and grabs onto the  android's arm. "Go Eddiliolan?"

Logan shrugged, shoulders making a whirr noise. "We aren't too far away from the planet. I suppose I can scan the area. If there is any record of an 'Eddiolan', then the scanners should pick up on the place." He walked out of the room, briskly walking down the hall towards the minishuttles. He supposed it would be fine if he dropped the creature off quickly, it would take thirty minutes at the most.

He bounces in excitement. He follows quickly and chirps occasionally. He makes happy little noises and skips. "Home!"

He talked into the radio of his arm as he prepared a shuttle. "Keep going on path, don't travel warp speed just yet. I found records of the creatures home and will return in an estimated 23 minutes." He entered the shuttle, waiting for the creature to follow as he typed in coordinates. "I hope you have some idea of where Eddiolan is. There wasn't exactly any human life around when you found me."

The boy runs in before freezing. He lets out a quiet whimper and slowly backing out of the shuttle.

Logan perked up when he heard the creature run out, torso spinning around 180 degrees to face it. "Is something the matter?" He scanned the shuttle he was currently in, eyes lighting up. He looked back down, eyes dimming once more. "It isn't dangerous. You are safe. I thought you wanted to go back home."

Virgil freezes up and looks pale. He stays frozen for a few seconds before whining. As he whines he turns around and runs away from the shuttle in terror.

Logan blinks, not comprehending the creatures behavior for a moment. He raised his arm to his face once more. "There's a complication. The creature does not want to enter the shuttle for unknown reasons. Delay time expected at 4.6 to 10.3 minutes." He got a word of confirmation in response, and Logan activated the levitation feature in his feet, hovering at a fast speed toward the human. "I thought you wanted to go home. To go home you must get in the shuttle. I don't want to have to cage you, the free cages we have aren't exactly built for your size."

He wiggles into a small gap in the wall and cries. "...loo-hain..."

Logan froze as he watched the creature hide. Did- Did the human just hide in that open power cell station? "Don't hide there, that area is extremely radioactive! You're human, you should know this..." After he remembered the lack of education, the android simply reached a hand into the space, grabbing at the human's arm and attempting to pull it out. He would have to order a mechanic to make sure no important wires were removed. "This is why you can't stay here. If you don't get yourself killed, you'll kill all of us."

He cries harder and wiggles further into it. "N-not me!" He grew more terrified by the second. His breaths quickened.

Logan let go in surprise, flying backward a small bit. "Was that a sentence? Or, at least, part of one? I didn't know you were capable." He hovered there in thought for a moment before grabbing the creature with both hands, attempting once again to pull the human out of there. "You can't be in there. You're soaking up radiation, if you don't have cancer by now, I would be shocked."

He cries harder and grabs onto the android's arms. He lets himself be pulled out, and as soon as he's free, he hugs the android tightly. "... not m-me..."

Logan held the boy up, scanning it. Scanning... 18% Non-melanoma skin cancer. Well, it was nothing a bit of antibiotics couldn't fix. Nothing too serious, thankfully. "Don't do that again. And why are you..." Searching... "Why are you hugging me? I'm not programmed to provide comfort." He hovered back towards the shuttle room, before realizing that was probably a bad idea. He stood there, floating in the hall as he looked back down at the human. "Why don't you like shuttles? What does 'not me' mean?"

"... Not me..." he shakes his head and hides his face. He's still crying and his breathing is weird. "... home..."

Logan squinted. "I don't know what that means." This human has obviously had some negative experience with a shuttle. He turned, instead heading towards the med bay. "As I said, if you want to go home, you need to take a shuttle. We can't just turn the entire starcraft around just to drop off one creature. We have a schedule." He entered the med bay, trying to pull the creature off of him. "Sit down. You have cancer."

He sees they're in the med bay and tries to run out. "Not me!" The smell was wrong and bad and brought bad things and he didn't like that, so he wanted out. He vaguely recalls the cold, sharp pain and the unnatural fuzz that was in medical rooms.

Logan tensed in surprise, his grip around the creature tightening as it tried to jump out of his hold. He held the human by the wrist, staring at it incredulously. "Med bays are negative as well? Hmm. You must have had a bad experience with a starcraft. Surely not one of ours, we're sworn to protect all planet life. Maybe a goon ship? Or a black market seller." He connected his brain to themed bay door, making it close and lock automatically before letting go of the human. "Not to worry. No harm will come to you here."

He curls up against the door and claws at it. "Not m-me! Momma!" Memories started resurfacing, causing the boy to panic and get more frantic.

Logan blinked. Momma? That was a new word. He added it to his folder of words and phrases that the human seemed to know.  "What is a ' Momma'? Please, don't claw at the door, you might scratch up your nails." He turned away, searching through drawers to find some antibiotics for the creature to take.

He continues scratching, and when he realizes it doesn't work, he hugs himself tightly. Virgil yells for "Momma!" And "Poppa" followed by "Not me!" Some syllables were extended and warped slightly from not knowing it was pronounced a different way.

Eventually, he wears himself down to the point of almost falling asleep from exhaustion.

"Hmm." Logan watched the creature tire itself out, perhaps that was for the best. He grabbed an injector tool, placing an antibiotic pill inside and walking over to the creature. He paused for a moment, studying the human. "Searching records for: keywords: Momma & Poppa. Searching..." His eyes lit up in understanding. "Oh. You're calling for your respective parents. I didn't realize you had parents. You are human, I suppose, so that would make sense."

He sniffs and rubs his eyes in an attempt to get the tears away. "... m-momma..." he yawns and refuses to look at the android.

Logan reached out for the creature's arm again, bringing the tool to his skin. "This should help with the cancer. Do not worry, it should only sting for 0.6 seconds." He wondered how the creature would react to being caged. Poorly, most definitely, but he didn't know of any other way to safely bring the creature home. He couldn't drug it, or else it wouldn't be able to help him find his home. "You are proving to be very difficult," he sighed.

He flinches and whines, but doesn't resist to the tool. "... home..." He looks up at the android and makes grabby hands towards him with a sleepy yawn.

Logan stepped back a bit, raising an eyebrow. Analyzing behavior... Human status: drained. "Oh, you're tired. Well, I suppose you can sleep in here. Would you like an, uh..." Searching... "Would you like a bed?"

He continues making grabby hands towards Logan. "... up?"

"Up? Oh. Uhm, sure?" He picked up the creature, slightly confused. "What is the purpose of this?" He didn't understand why the creature always clung to him. He wasn't exactly a comfortable thing to cling to, made of rough synthetic skin and metal.

The boy clings to Logan because it was the closest thing to physical contact he had in awhile. He snuggles closer and ends up falling asleep.

Logan sighed. "I don't understand this, but if you insist." He let the human cling to him, supporting the young human with one hand as he walked over to the computers, typing on the keyboard with the other. He had to find a way to deal with this human. They certainly couldn't keep him.

Virgil stays asleep, occasionally twitching his leg because of his dream. A quiet purr escapes him as Logan holds his small, thin form.

"Hmm... Humans don't normally make that sound." The android scans Virgil to check on his recovery. He looked back to the computers. "Well, I suppose that's good news." He sighed, other arm locked in place as his free arm made a whirr sound.

Tag list:

@royallyroman @dr-emile-picani @guardian-of-cookies@bestbluebouquet@mightyvirgil54 @virgilsandersakaanxiety@blue-fluffy-dragon @avocados26  @nirascharacterdump @amazable01  @imfadingfromtheworld @fandomrandomqueen @thatnoulguyorsomething

[sieben9]

“hyperion heights” impressions

{Quick request to anyone reading: I’m watching OUaT for the first time, and I want to avoid spoilers. So, if you want to discuss something spoilery, I’d be grateful if you could start a new post for that. Thank you!}

::plays “New Season” from Galavant::

…look, I’ve got the thing stuck in my head, and I thought I’d share.

I liked the episode? I think? There’s a lot of set-up and not a whole bunch of plot, but I think I like the things that were set up. And the characters definitely got off to a strong start (with one little problem I’ll get to later), so that’s always a plus for me.

More under the cut.

OK, so the flashback was a good, solid foundation for further conflict. Henry and Cinderella had some solid chemistry, and the twist to her particular version of this tale was one I did not see coming.

murderous Disney princess in a poofy dress on a motorcycle is definitely a Look™

I have to say, getting in a traffic collision with your future partner is... actually very on-brand for every single part of Henry’s family. Glad to see you’re keeping traditions alive, pal. (And yes, that explicitly includes Regina, who found her first girlfriend through breaking and entering.)

And it’s ...let’s say “nice” to see that Lady Tremaine, in whatever universe we see her, still continues to be The Worst. More on that below, but I found it interesting that one mainstay of OUaT seems to be that no, she’s horrible to all her children and not just her stepdaughter. It’s just different kinds of terribleness. I’m also wondering if Cinderella just has the one step-sister in this version (I know for a fact that there are some out there where that’s the case) or if it’s a plot point. And if there really is only one sister, the next question is: where is she? Did something horrible happen? And if so, was it the result of her mother’s terribleness or (part of) the cause? So many questions, so little time~

…can you tell I’m loving this bit? I mean, I hate her guts, but she intrigues me, which is always great. (Me? Latching on to a villain? What a strange thing to happen.)

The closing shot for the flashback plotline is very promising, with Henry deciding that no, home can wait, the strange lady who punched him in the face and almost framed him for murder needs help, first. …you know, I can’t even tell which part of his family he gets it from, because they are all completely bananas.

you grew up great, buddy

Also, just as a closing question: does he have a magic motorcycle? Is that why it doesn’t need fuelling up in however long it’s been since he left Storybrooke? Just asking.

I mentioned my one problem with the modern-day cast at the top, and I’ll just get right into it: my biggest problem at this point is not comparing everyone’s “roles” to the original cast configuration. Like, “Roni” doing Snow’s job (even if her temper is very different from Mary Margaret’s). Henry isn’t Emma, even if he’s the “new guy in town”, and Lucy isn’t Henry, even if she clearly inherited his “little shit” genes. (I love her so much, but how her mother manages her on her own, I will never know. Victoria Belfrey sure as hell isn’t Regina, because Regina would never treat any child of hers this way, thank you very much. In fact, I wonder if she and Cora went to the same school for being a terrible mom together. That’s the level of “I do not like this person” I’m on.

Still, the Hyperion Heights people seem like a good bunch, and I look forward to seeing more of them.

Henry is a lovable fuck-up who thinks he made up the entirety of the show so far and managed to squeeze it all into one book. My guy. I know what the transfer rate from TV to prose is. You could never fit that in one volume.

at least not that one. that’s... what? 600 pages, tops?

And is it just me or did his particular role in the curse take a fucking dark turn? Because it’s bad enough to separate everyone from their loved ones, but giving the guy fake memories of his wife and child burning to death in a house fire? Just… wow. Please let the poor man remember soon because this will be haunting me until then.

Speaking of things that will haunt me…

They didn’t recognise each other and I was not prepared for the complete gut-punch that was. They were sitting there, looking at each other, and they didn’t know. Guh! (And yes, I am 100% convinced that Roni is, in fact, Roni and not Regina, because she might have kept up the pretence for a good enough reason, but she’d never have kept that good a poker face; I also doubt she would have given her son and his not-quite-date strong liquor at before 4pm)

Special mention goes to Henry’s line of “imagine if I were to walk in here and say that I’m your son”, because yeah, imagine you doing that. To anyone. What a crazy thing, right? (

And while I’m on the topic of Roni…

I love her so much. Everything about her. Her attitude, the way she moves, the Looks™ she gives people, her voice… Yeah, I may not be entirely objective on the topic, why do you ask. I am also looking forward immensely to seeing her butt heads with Belfrey. Because of reasons.

this scene is 95% of the reasons

I also wrote in my notes “so the villain this season is gentrification?” and honestly, I don’t think I was that far off. There’s definitely a strong theme of class in this set-up, and I hope the writers carry that through at least a little.

A quick rundown of the other characters, while I’m at it:

I like Jacinda well enough, although her main character trait at the moment seems to be “really, really stressed out”. Which is fair. She’s a single mom with Belfrey as her only family connection. Her scene with Henry in the bar and with Lucy at the well was extremely adorable, though, so I’m optimistic as for future developments. (And Cinderella bought her some goodwill because she was determined and vulnerable and scared and generally amazing in all the right ways. I liked that version of her, and it’s been established that your cursed self hardly puts your best traits on display.) I definitely smiled when she made that wish at the well.

Good on you, not giving up hope. (And I immensely appreciated the way it was set parallel to Henry finally writing that first sentence of his.)

I’m… not 100% sure who her roommate is meant to be, which is going to irk me until I am, but I can live with a little mystery in my life *g*

I have no idea what Weaver’s deal is, but I really hope he isn’t awake this one time around.

please take that man’s head out of the water

Rumple as a police officer is… uh, a special kind of hilarious. A really terrible one, too. And now he’s partnered up with not-Hook, which, to coin a phrase, I’m sure they’ll all laugh themselves sick about some day. I’m interested in seeing what his connection with not-Alice is. Both in the modern-day plot and in the flashbacks, because there’s usually some kind of interplay between the two storylines.

Rogers is… not on screen that much. He seems nice. Which is already a better opinion than I had of uncursed!Hook, and that is a crying shame because they’re all bound to wake up at some point. Still, I’m holding out hope. People have said good things about Hook in this season.

Apart from all that, there’s also an implied mystery in this season that I really like, and it’s “who, exactly, cast the curse?”

I mean, it’s clear that the show is setting up Lady Tremaine as the Big Bad, but 1) I’m not new here, I know how much these writers love their villain fake-outs, and 2) I get the feeling that her whole “magic can be taken away blah blah” speech might be meant to give a hint that it’s not, in fact, her.

god, I hate her so much already; it’s delightful

Which leaves the question of “OK, then who?” and I… have a few thoughts. Which I will keep to myself until at least three episodes in because I doubt that we’ve met all parties involved at this point.

In short: on strength of its characters alone, I am cautiously excited for this new season. Bring it on!

And, because it didn’t fit anywhere else:

The keychain made it through!

[justapanda]

Tokyo Ghoul:re Chapter 175/176 Headcanon

Seeing as we’re about to reach the climax of the Kaneki vs Furuta fight, I thought I may as well post my headcanon of the events I personally wish to take place, but will very unlikely happen. I hope other people enjoy reading this if they hold similar sentiments to my own.

*Kaneki backs away and stands firm, facing towards a heavily injured Furuta whose kakuja gradually breaks away*

Furuta: Haah... Haah...

*Furuta looks downward with his hair covering his face, as he clutches onto his torn abdomen which slowly regenerates*

Furuta: Hahaha... Well done. You've won, haven't you?

*Kaneki looks on with a somber tone on his face*

Furuta: This is the part where you finish me off and celebrate to everyone how you "saved" Tokyo, and killed that evil bastard Furuta...

*Kaneki remains still, his facial expression shaded out*

Furuta: Well? What are you... fucking... waiting for.

Kaneki: No. You're right about me.

Furuta: Hah.

Kaneki: Up until now, I couldn't understand you.

Kaneki: I thought of you as trash, who nobody should care about, someone who should be tossed aside without a second thought. But...

Kaneki: I'd just be saying the same about myself, wouldn't I?

Furuta: ...

Kaneki: I said to myself that I wanted to start taking responsibility, yet even now all I do is find ways to ignore the things I've done.

Kaneki: You chose to play as the villain, and I chose to play along as the hero and point at you, so that I could distract everyone from seeing the real me.

Furuta: Oh? A little late to admit your shortcomings now, don't you think?

Kaneki: At the end of the day, We're both mass murderers who have taken countless lives. If anything, all I did was perpetuate the system.

Furuta: Come now, enough of those predictable lines. It's as if you're reading straight out of a book.

Kaneki: Furuta, you...

Kaneki: You just... wanted to be loved, didn't you?

*Furuta twitches*

Furuta: Idiot, idiot. You, understand me? ....Hah. Hahahaha.

Furuta: Look at you. Making that pathetic face. Trying to sympathize WITH ME?!

*Furuta's kakuja emerges once again, taking on an even more distorted form than previously, with kagune, mouths and eyeballs sprouting from every angle of his body*

*Kaneki is surprised by Furuta while his guard is lowered. Furuta swings a massive kagune arm which Kaneki failed to dodge, being swatted away by the blunt force of the strike*

Kaneki: Guh!

Furuta: THAT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY, FOR SOMEONE WHO ALREADY HAS EVERYTHING!

Furuta's kagune: This world!

*Kaneki tries to regain his footing, but Furuta continues to lunge at him, even quicker than before, the two of them continue clashing*

Furuta: WHY IS IT THAT YOU'RE THE ONE WHO HAS EVERYTHING, AND NOT ME?!

Furuta's kagune: Let’s laugh!

Furuta: YOU'RE JUST AN IDIOT WHO CAN BARELY TIE HIS OWN SHOE LACES!

*Kaneki shows signs of struggling as Furuta continues lashing wildly at him, this time breaking through Kaneki's kakuja and grazing him several times*

Furuta: DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE

Furuta's kagune: Stupid!

*Furuta forms a huge blade which slices off one of Kaneki's wing blades*

Kaneki: Tch!

Kaneki: Furuta! Stop this!

Furuta: Haah...

Furuta: Who the fuck do you think you're talking to, trying to give me pity...

Furuta's kagune: How fun!

Furuta: SHuT uP AnD KiLL Me aLReaDy.

Kaneki: I won't.

*Kaneki surprises Furuta by wrapping his wing blades around him, then proceeds to violently drag him across the ground*

Furuta: This isn't... ENOUGH!

*Furuta breaks away from Kaneki's hold by releasing his kagune in all directions*

Furuta: ...Just looking at you pisses me off.

Kaneki: You're right, Furuta.

Furuta: Urgh...

Kaneki: You're right, I do have everything. To be honest, if I didn't have Hide when I was growing up, and if I didn't have Anteiku when I became a ghoul, I think...

Kaneki: I would've ended up a lot like you.

Furuta: ...

Furuta: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Furuta: ENOUGH OF THE SENTIMENTAL BULLSHIT!

*Furuta impales his kagune into the ground which suddenly rises from Kaneki's feet, which he barely manages to avoid, losing another wing blade in the process*

Furuta: I'm not inferior to you, just because you have friends...

*Furuta's kagune divides and twists around Kaneki from all directions, followed by an onslaught of attacks*

Furuta: I didn't need anyone to get where I am! I done it all on my own!

*Kaneki continually blocks Furuta's oncoming attacks, his kakuja gradually being torn off while doing so*

Kaneki: Guh...

Furuta: But you! You always had someone there to lick your boots! Yet even with all that support, you still manage to fuck everything up!

Furuta: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A FAILURE AND A MURDERER!

*Furuta's rambling is cut short as Kaneki detaches one of his wing blades and hurls it directly at Furuta, impaling him through the chest and sending him flying into a wall*

Furuta: AAAARGHGRRGHH!

*Furuta pulls the blade out of his chest as blood spurts out and his kakuja breaks off once again, his body slowly regenerating*

Furuta: Haah... Haah... Urgh...

Kaneki: I don't want to kill you Furuta, I'm tired of killing.

*Kaneki's kakuja completely dissipates as he comes to a standstill*

Kaneki: Don't you feel the same?

Kaneki: You don't need to be alone, you know.

Furuta: ...You're telling me this? Seriously?

Furuta: How can anyone take what you say seriously. Why is it that you're the one who's loved by many.

Kaneki: Honestly, I don't know why.

Kaneki: I'm not that smart, I'm not that caring. I push people away from me. I try to take everyone's burdens and destroy myself in the process.

Kaneki: Among all the unfortunate humans and ghouls in this twisted world, maybe I was just lucky.

Furuta: ...Luck, huh.

Furuta: ...

Furuta: Then I guess you were dealt the Joker card.

*Furuta looks at Kaneki with sincerity and regret in his eyes, before lunging at him once again with his kagune, its form now taking on a smaller and no longer distorted appearance*

*Kaneki promptly blocks Furuta's kagune with his own, which also takes on an equally smaller appearance, both of their kagune now resembling Rize's original kagune*

*Kaneki and Furuta continue battling, neither of them having a clear advantage in the fight, as they progress they both become more bloodied and bruised, their regeneration gradually slowing down to a halt*

*As they continue their life and death struggle, they begin to smile in a sinister yet sincere way, as if they were enjoying the battle*

*Some time after, both of them are seen lying on the floor, trying desperately to get back up, using every ounce of their remaining energy just to stay conscious and breathing*

Kaneki: Haah... Haah... Furuta...

Furuta: What... do you want...

Kaneki: Before... You told me...

Kaneki: That you were doing all this for Rize.

Kaneki: I think... I understand why now.

Furuta: ...Good for you.

Furuta: (Rize...)

*Both of them become motionless as they fall unconscious, the surrounding area being covered by a blanket of silence*

[kounfetti]

[Diabolik Lovers: Lost Eden] Kou Mukami Maniac Prologue Translation

(TN// This is another long translation!   Please don’t put this translation anywhere outside of tumblr- link back to this post only. I don’t mind this being translated into other languages as long as you link back to my blog and ask for permission before hand\\\)

Kou’s Monologue 

Because of the Vibora clan’s king, Reiji sent a letter to him. But, I am alone in going to rescue Yui.

But I dont know if I should leave, because of my lack of strength.

......But, I would hate to see that even a finger of her was hurt. 

However, I believe that in myself, I have enough strength to save Yui.

The familiar of the Sakamaki family is flying to where Ruki and the others are, but it seems confused and can’t see them because of the dark night. 

-----And so, Its my turn to go into the forest. 

Scene: Forest 

Kino and Kou are together in the Forest

Kou: ...hahh...

Kou walks away

Kino: Ah! Hey you better wait!

Kino pulls him back

Kou: What? Do you need something?

Kino: I didn’t say that. Are you going to save Eve? I’ll help you.

Kou: And do you want something out of that?

Kino: Fufu, of course. 

Kou: I can clearly see that you want something. I have nothing to offer you. I dont have Subaru’s power. 

Kou: And because of that, the only thing I can give you that I’ve ever earned is  money...

Kino: Money? Thats fine. I’ll help you out.

Kou: ...Ha?

Kino: I’ve said it before? I love playing smartphone games.

Kino: In the underworld, I’m a little low on bills for my house. So I dont mind getting money in return. 

Kou:.....Alright. If you’re doing it out of your own will then. 

Kino: Hahah. Thank you. It seems interesting too, so, I’ll follow behind you. 

Kino: Alright lets go, together, to the Vibora clan! 

Kou: .....

Kou: (I wonder if its ok to let him tag along with me....)

Different area in the Forest

Kou: (...Where is the Vibora clan?)

Kou: I’m gonna go explore around. Kino, you stay here. 

Kou leaves

Kino: .....

Kino: Yuri, where are you? You’ve been following us right.

Yuri comes out of some bushes

Yuri: ....Sorry.  I was doing this to monitor your behavior and see if you were doing alright. 

Kino: I’m going ot keep up with Kou until he has the heart to forgive me. I think that it will be ok. 

Kino:  I’m going to try to win him over, since I’ve gotten on bad terms with him. 

Kino: And going together, it will take me straight to Eve, which is a great bonus. 

Yuri: I understand. You want to find out Eve’s location in the underworld and use it to your advantage, right?

Yuri: ....And on that, I’ll leave that to you. I will stay following you to check up on your stat every now and then. 

Scene Change: Vibora Clan Castle’s Dungeon

Azusa: ...haa....uhhh..ha...

Azusa: Hurry up and.... rescue Eve....

Someone enters into the Dungeon

Azusa: Who.. is.. that?

Vibora Maid A: ----Hey, did you hear about the rumor? 

Vibora Maid B: Of course. A girl called Eve is to be engaged? 

Vibora Maid B: It was so sudden, I was surprised.

Vibora Maid A: Apparently that girl has the heart of the princess and daughter of the demon king, Burai. 

Vibora Maid B: Aahh. Thats why. I congratulate them.

Vibora Maid A: Eeh! We will be busy for a while now. 

Azusa:...uh... Eve, is to be engaged? Could it be...!

Azusa: ... S-Someone---

Azusa is taken out of the Dungeon

Scene Change: Guest Bedroom in the Vibora Clan’s Castle

Azusa: ..guh.. Let me go!

???: ..Uh ouch...

Azusa: eh..ah.. Kou? Why...?

Kou: Maa-- Thats awful! I’m not an enemy~

Azusa: So-Sorry.... Could it be you came here because of...

Azusa: Hey, Kou. Who is that other person here with you? 

Kou: Ah---....He is Kino-kun.

Kou: Uh lets see, You know the vampire who attacked the Sakamaki family? This guy is him. 

Azusa: Eh...?

Kou: I have a reason for allowing him to tag along, I’ll tell you later. 

Kou: Anyways, Right now, its more important to go rescue M Neko Chan. 

Azusa: ...uh... Oh yea, about, Eve....

Azusa: Just now... I overheard....something really bad!

Azusa: The Vibora king and Eve, they are to be engaged!

Kou: Huh?! Why!

Kou: I definitely can’t allow that! I’ll never forgive him! Allowing something like that to occur....!

Azusa: Ye-Yea... So we should definitely do something....

Kino: Well... I dont know if we can do anything? 

Kou: What did you say?

Kino: Right now, in the Underworld, everyone wants Eve. Her very existence is rare and precious. 

Kino: The word of her having the heart of the daughter of the demon king because of Karlhienz is spreading. 

Kino: Kou, just like how you are a celebrity in the normal world,  your girlfriend is just as famous in the demon world. 

Kino: Every man here wants your girlfriend’s hand in marriage.

Kino: It seems that she is a suitable person for anyone of status in the demon world. 

Kou: ...uh...!

Azusa: So.. Kou seem to really care for Eve...

Azusa: This is going to be dificult...with all those people who want Eve...? 

Kino: Hmmm... since its practically impossible, we shouldn’t even try. 

Kino: Unless of course, we are able to recieve the power and strength. 

Kino: Having her doesn’t mean anything unless you have power. 

Kino: ....Kou, even you can understand that, right?

Kino: Eve can only make someone Adam if he is something close to one of the demons. 

Kou: ......

Azusa: ...You dont need to listen to what Kino is saying....

Kou: ....I’m not worried. Sorry for taking your time. 

Azusa: ...Kou...

Kino:  Well, you cant be worrying about this forever. We cant go help if you are undecisive yourself. Hahaha.

Kou: ...ugh...

Kino: I dont care if you’re angry with me, after all, shouldn’t you guys go save Eve? 

Kino: Its not like I know where she is or anything~

Kou: Huh?! Reallu?!

Kino: Its something like that. If you just look for signs, its easy. 

Kino: The Vibora king, Tsbaik, inside his room, there’s a balcony. It seems like theres something there. 

Azusa: Is... that true...?

Kino: What? You think I would lie?

Azusa: Well I mean, weren’t you the one who attacked hte Sakamaki family...?

Azusa: ....Because of that....I cant trust what you say since you have no credibility to me....

Kou: ...Its ok, Azusa, Here, I can believe what Kino says.

Azusa: B-But....

Kou: Its alright. Since I’ve acted before, and since I’ve been with him for a while, I can tell whether he’s lying or not. 

Azusa: ...Understood. I will believe him on your behalf....

They all leave the room

Scene Change: A Different Bedroom

Tsbaik: Eve, is there any inconvenience here?

Yui: N-No. I’m fine. 

Yui: (...I dont know why but I feel uncomfortable and awful here.)

Yui: (Even though Tsbaik is kind to me, it still strikes me as odd...)

Yui: (I feel like I’ll never be able to leave this room, since I’m still a captive here. But I cant do anything about it.)

Yui: Hey... Tsbaik. Could I go outside for a bit to get some air?

Tsbaik: Eh? Of course. I’ll go with you. 

Yui: (As I thought, he’ll never leave me alone.)

Yui: ( I dont know what Azusa and Kou are doing... I cant understand it....)

Yui: (I’m going to need to make up for lost time the next time I see him...!)

Yui: Uh hey... Before we go outside, I want to change my clothes, If thats alright with you.

Yui: It will only be brief. So, could you please wait outside?

Tsbaik: I understand. But....

Tsbaik grabs her hand

Yui: ...uh! Tsbaik!

Yui: (He squeezed my hand?!)

Tsbaik: I’ll help you with changing. It will be faster, after all. 

Yui: N-No. Thats....

Yui: (I hate this...!)

Yui: (I dont know if I’ll be able to get through all of this....)

Screen goes black

Kou: (Wh..Whats this?!)

Kou: (The Vibora king.... He’s holding her hand...!)

Kou: (When I was just trying check up on her to see how she was, I saw this! This is unbearable!---)

Azusa:----Kou, you’re going to need to be patient....

Kou: Uh! But....

Azusa: It’ll be alright....just wait. Because Tsbaik will have to leave the room at some point....

Scene Change: Yui is alone in the Bedroom

Yui: Haa...

Yui: (Somehow... I was able to get him to wait outside, however, only to buy some time.)

Yui: (Through this time gap...maybe I can try to escape now----)

Door opens

Yui: ---Ah?!

Kou, Kino, and Azusa appear

Yui: Eh...Kou, and also Azusa.... and who is...

Kou: ----Yui!

Kou runs up to her and hugs her

Kou: I finally get to see you...! I’m sorry, for making you worry...!

Yui: ah... It should be me saying sorry, But, I’m glad that you are safe...!

Azusa: ....

Kino: He..y. We’re here too. We should probably leave soon?

Kou: Ah.. Yea thats right. Sorry....

Kou steps away

Yui: (This unknown person... who is it...?)

Yui: Hey, Kou, Who’s him..?

Kou: Uhhhmm... He goes by Kino, But, its a long story! I’ll tell you all of it later!

Kou: We need to get out of here quickly befor the king comes back!

Kino: Well, we’re gonna leave to somewhere far away, cause it would be troublesome to anger the Vibora king. 

Kou: Far away.... Will that work?

Kino: Proabably. I know a place that the Vibora king wont think to look for us in. 

Kou: ...Understood.

Yui: ( Eh? Kou believes what he says..?)

Azusa: Eve. Just now, You know what Kou and him said, right? We’ll do that....

Azusa: Until the circumstances are right, tthats what we’ll do. We'll explain it all then...

Yui: Ok.

Yui’s Monologue

I didn’t quite understand but, All four of us jumped out of the castle. 

On the way, Me and Azusa wondered what kind of person Kino is. I only heard of what Kou and Kino did together. 

Overall, I was surprised. Kino wants to bring despair to Karlhienz. He was the vampire who attacked the Sakamaki family. 

And of all the things I heard about him, when I heard that Kino and Kou worked together I couldn’t hide my shock and what I thought. My face said it all.

But even so,  I listened to Kino’s story of his past. Kou and Kino seem to have felt similiarly.

And then----......

As we escaped, Kino showed us to where he lived with the ghouls in Rotigenberg.

Even though it was desolate, and filled with madness, it was still somewhere to stay. 

It smelled of rot and decomposition, and we were still unintentionally raising our eyebrows in discomfort. 

There was a chronic smell of decomposing trees. But it seemed that Kino and the others didn’t seem to mind it. 

Yui”s Monologue Ends

Scene Change: Field 

Kino: Fufu. Are you all surprised? For a ghoul, this is all their reality. 

Kou: uhh...!

Kino: Demons automatically discriminate against me, I had no other choice but to live here. 

Kino: Either way, this is the safest place you could possibly stay in. Any other race wont want to step anywhere near here. 

Kino: There’s some empty houses around here that you can use. 

Azusa: Well then, Kino...Could you perhaps lend me and them seperate rooms.....

Kino: I dont mind, but you dont want to be together with them? 

Yui: Ok then, But how come?

Azusa: Because you two seem happy to see each other, I dont want to disturb you two. 

Kou: Wai, Azusa! You wont get in the way of anything....

Azusa: Its alright. Now, you and Eve will be able to properly talk to each other.

Kou: ..Yea. Thank you, Azusa. 

Yui’s Monologue

For the first time, thanks to Azusa, I was able to spend time together with Kou. 

Making up for lost time, we cuddled while talking about what happened to us in the time we were apart. 

I found what Kou was telling me very interesting. 

But at the same time, I knew reality was bound to hit soon. And that our happiness would be in trouble again soon, as I got that awful pain in my chest again. 

Now that Tsbaik knows I have escaped, what will Tsbaik do? 

So far, Kino has been showing us around, but I dont know what his real intention could be. 

And also, Ruki and Yuma will be waiting for us in Eden. 

While I’m together with Kou, I want to avoid reality. 

Yui’s Monologue Ends

Scene: Ghoul’s Living Room 

Yui: ....

Kou: ....Whats wrong? You’re silent.

Yui: Hey, Kou. I wonder about what will happen to us. 

Yui: I am glad that we were able to see each other....Since after all, I was so worried. 

Kou: Sorry, I dont understand.

Kou:...ha... But, I’m sure it’ll all be fine!

Kou comes closer

Kou: I’ll definitely never let you go. 

Kou: Because, as long as we’re together, we can tackle anything, right?

Yui: Yep.

Yui: (Thats right.)

Yui: (I can believe what Kou says. I’m no longer going to be alone....)

Dark Epilogue ♥ Maniac 01

[kirishimahinami]

Golden City, Golden Heart

Ayahina Network Gift Exchage Work for @reimz

Summary: In which Hinami goes to the underground city expedition with Ayato. Slight AU.

Notes: first of all!!! i want to say how glad am i that finally the day to publish this had come! I was super excited for the @ayahinanetwork gift exchange and I’m super glad we can finally post everything. 👌 this story was written a month back, so bear with any stupid mistakes that don’t go with canon, rip. in this story i tried to channel el dorado’s myth, but idk how well i managed to, rip! still, i hope you all enjoy it - especially you rei!

Deep, deep underneath the bustling streets of Tokyo, they were walking in strangely well constructed paths, gasping and breathing in the cold breeze that flown by them from an area unknown. The ground was uneven and the area was dark. Hinami was listening very carefully to Ayato's footsteps in front of her - he was leading their small expedition group, his strut loud and clear. Hinami was almost reminded of her days in Aogiri, when he silently and pridefully led the missions to success. They have been walking for around three days in this eerie one way path, continuously going down. Their legs ached and the unknown refused to reveal itself, but Hinami was hearing sounds from where they are heading, and Ayato's gut feeling was never proven wrong. They were determined to discover what lies beyond, and they were craving the success of this mission, if only for the possibility of providing Goat with info that will prove valuable.

Some of the grunts in the group were panting, tired of walking nonstop in this seemingly endless path. Ayato looked back at them, evaluating the situation in front of him, before huffing. “Let’s rest here, for a bit.” He said, all the exhausted grunts let themselves fall to sitting positions on the ground.

Ayato huffed, and sat leaning on the cold wall behind him. Hinami sat beside him, the edges of her long skirt surrounding her. Her eyelids were fluttering every once in a while, as if she was a child trying awake, even if just for a few seconds more. It was endearing to to see her as she was getting frustrated at her own antics, her nose scrunched up, and her fingers massaging her eyes to ease the sting the tiredness has brought upon her.

The rest of the group has gathered around them after a few minutes, a few of the older members grinning at the sight of Yotsume-sama acting like the child she is. “If you need to sleep, sleep, you know.” Ayato reminds her. She deserves her rest - she had been on alert all day, listening to every noise that had reached her sharp ears, analysing each and every sound as if they were a discovery to be made in themselves.

“I want to stay awake.. for a while longer. The sounds are becoming more coherent..” She tells him in a slightly faint voice, but with a soft smile on her face. She looked sort of goofy, as if she was in another world, one of her own, staring to the distance.

“Fueguchi-san, go to sleep! We probably won’t find much anyway. We can stay awake for now.” One of the younger expedition members said. Hinami smiles at him, she knows he’s trying to be considerate. But she already knows that a moment can change everything. Whatever treasure that is found ahead of them, if there’s a treasure, would be fleeting, and she wants to sense it, before it disappears.

“You know, I have once read about a treasure city. A city made of gold.” She said suddenly. All eyes were on her, brows raised at the unrelated statement. “El Dorado. A city made up of gold and riches, filled with gemstones and and valuables. Many expeditions, led by many people, had been either fruitless or ended up disastrous.” She told them, her voice compelling them to stay quiet and listen.

“Its folklore says, that over the mountains of the moon, and the valley of the shadow, ride, boldly ride, if you seek El Dorado. Look around us. We’re walking in a dark path, on our way to find something. Something we don’t know. If it is valuable, there is a high chance the path to it will be hard on us.”

“We do not know what we are chasing. It might be the golden city, or it might be a disaster impending. But I rather be ready for it, for all of us. I want us to be prepared, for anything. Even if there’s nothing beyond, I want to be sure. For the sake of all of us.” Hinami said, her eyes set on the dark path that lies ahead of them.

The rest nodded at her, understanding, but Ayato just stared. It’s Yotsume talking, not Hinami. Ayato already knows, that she wants to believe that a discovery on the scale of a golden city is ahead of her.  The belief is still alive in her - she wants that treasure, to become useful to the people surrounding her.

In the back of his mind, he’s already praying. Praying that what they find won’t leave her disappointed.

Five days into the mission. There is little food left for the journey back home, and they are starting lose hope in finding something at all. Ayato is starting to think about turning around, telling Kaneki this expedition could not be executed with the amount of food they have in store.

They are still holding onto the small hope that Hinami’s hearing has not been failing her, that there is something out there. She keeps on going, Ayato in tow, similarly so believes there has to be something here.

They walk in silence. He wouldn’t interrupt her while she is so focused. The grunts behind them are walking slowly, and for them, it already seemed an aimless walk across the dark road that would not leave them a ray of light to be led by.

“Ayato, I don’t think we are going to be find anything…” A grunts tells him, and he glares at him as he sees Hinami’s face scrunch up, her hands behind her ears trying to keep herself focused on what is ahead of her.

Don’t say it, when she’s trying so hard. Not yet.

“Ayato, it really doesn’t seem to end-” Another says, but is stops as he sees Hinami dashing ahead, her eyes wide and excited.

Ayato and the rest run behind her, following her lead, up until they finally see the actual end to the path. and beyond that path, stood an underground city. A city broken and torn down to pieces, yet a city.

“An underground city?...” Ayato questions, standing by Hinami who panted from the run, hands on her heart as she’s breathing the dirty air of the city. “What is this thing…?” He muses to himself at the sight of something that looks as if it could be a shell of some sort of a monster.

Before Ayato knows it, Hinami takes a hold of his wrist. He looks at her, slightly surprised.

“Ayato-kun… I heard somebody talking.”

Hinami already heard them coming. She already whispered it in his ear that there are people following them. They were prepared, their steps matching each other, even if Hinami walked a little behind him. He was stoic and on guard and Hinami was right there, telling him of any suspicious movements. He prepares and takes off his jacket, knowing there might be a brawl.

“Somebody is running towards us from the behind.” She tells him and he stands in place, his kakuhou already begging to burst out. He could already hear the enemies now. He looked back, wearing his signature scowl back from Aogiri days. A short ghoul with their rinkaku out rushed for an attack.

Ayato’s ukaku shot out of his shoulder, his eyes turning black and red. At the same time, he saw Hinami’s Koukaku and Rinkaku erupting from her back. Her rinkaku limbs went forward, hitting the other ghoul, sending him to the wall. Ayato crystallized a bit of his kagune, sending it in the form of a ranged attack. It pinned the ghoul to the wall by his clothes.

“Ahhh!” they heard a scream from their side, and another ghoul, with a kagune shaped as a sword came towards Hinami, jumping towards her in order to get close enough to slash her. She shielded herself with her Koukaku. Ayato leaped from his own spot as he gritted his teeth. The ghoul was still trying to get through the Koukaku wing. Ayato sent him backwards with a kick to the shoulder, looking back at Hinami. She glanced at him with an awkward, yet grateful smile.

Her ears suddenly somehow perk, and her eyes are wide open in seconds. She sends one of her Rinkaku limbs straight at his direction, before it passes by his side and curves to catch one more ghoul that he did not see.

He huffs. “Is that all of them?” He asks her, as he goes and grabs the one that tried to hurt Hinami by the collar of his shirt, dragging him along as he walked. He looked like a kid, but it’s no excuse to shitty behaviour. Not that I am one to talk, though.

“You okay?” He asks, as he approaches Hinami. He notices her left Koukaku wing is injured. It’s healing quickly, but it’s not a nice sight to take in. Hinami nods at him as she reverts her Koukaku, it returning underneath her skin. She probably noticed he looked.

“Ye’et mi guh!” The brat Hinami caught struggled under the grip of her Rinkaku. She was obviously a preteen, just like the rest of them. Hinami looked at the girl with a sympathetic gaze, looking almost guilty, but she didn’t let go. “Dun’ etting ush up!”

“...What did she say?... It was a bit… jumbled…” Hinami eyebrows furrowed as she tried to decipher what the girl was saying. Ayato could barely tell himself, but he was more familiar with 24th Ward accent. Not on Touka’s level, she was always very good with it, but still, good enough so he could understand quite a bit.

“Something along the lines of don’t eat me and let me go, I think.” He replied, scratching his head with his finger. Hinami cringed, probably at the thought of eating another ghoul. He frowned at her disturbed face, and looked at the kids. “We’re not going to eat you. Relax already.” He says. Both of the kids look at him, their mouth stuck in an o-shape.

“Rolly? Rolly bolly not etted up?” The boy in his grasp asks, and Hinami almost giggles at the sight of his eyes lighting up the way they do. It’s amazing how their mood changed with just a single sentence spoken. Ayato nods and both children start cheering.

“Ayato! We’re finished reviewing the area-” The other grunts in the mission are once again in sight. They went to other parts of the city to explore it more efficiently. They are all surprised as they see the kids in their grasp, and the one that is currently basically hanged on a wall. “...Do you need help?” One of the grunts asks.

“Yeah. Take the kid over there off the wall. Later on we’ll gather them to ask a few questions. Also, someone else watch over the girl, Hinami can’t keep her Rinkaku out forever.” He says and the grunts do as asked without qualms. Hinami’s Rinkaku fades back into her body as the girl is passed to another grunt, and he can see the back of her shirt, torn apart.

He lifts the jacket he took off earlier, putting it on Hinami, who glances up at him surprised. “Let’s get in, we would have to gather them up soon anyway.” He says, mumbling while pointing at a small wreckage of a building.

Hinami notices the shifting in his eyes, that fact that he suddenly started walking and sped away from her - how could she not as the boy with him started yelling at him for the sudden move. She doesn’t say anything, but she smiles, holding the jacket closely to her.

The attempt to talk to them has barely yielded any fruit, if he doesn’t count the bits of information they received. The fact they have thought they were humans was puzzling enough, but the Naaga they have talked about was even more so. Ayato sighed. He felt like he was only getting into more mysteries, instead of solving them. It wasn’t helping him that their accent was so heavy - only if Touka was here, maybe she could understand better. He’d have to talk with her when they return.

He rubbed his temples. What is the entire story?

He watched those children talk with a very confused Hinami, trying to understand them but very much failing at that. Hinami has never been to the 24th ward before they joined Goat, so even if he and a few others here do understands, she probably feels stumped due to that accent.

He walks over to her and he sees her trying to communicate with tender gestures, much like how she treats the Aogiri children - the gentle voice and the considerate approach. She tried to appease them as they yapped on and on, but for Hinami it must be like trying to understand a whole new language, despite hearing it for the first time.

Hinami’s head turns to him. She looks still a bit confused from all that is found. “I think the one in the middle is the one I heard talking. I’ve told them I like to hear stories, so I think they’ve been trying to tell me one? I’m not really sure, though.” She laughed awkwardly, scratching her head.

He could’ve understand why she thought that - those ghouls were jumping around, sharp hand movements tossed all over, declaring things as if they were stuck in their own made up adventure, for them to elaborate on and for them act out.

Ayato joins in with her, to listen, to maybe shed some more light on all of it. He can see how badly she’s trying to understand them, her face all scrunched up in thought as she even writes notes with her fingers on the dusty floor. He can’t understand them either, especially with them running their mouth like that, but at least he can separate a few words from their sentences.

Naaga. Giant. Battle. Forces. The forces that beat the Naaga. One of the kids falls on the ground dramatically as the other two play as if they were knights. Ayato tilts his head as he pieces everything together in his mind. He has an idea in his head. He puts his hand on Hinami’s shoulder. She looks back at him. “I think I’ve got it.”

Ayato lowers himself to their eye level. “Can we go see the Naaga remains better? We want to see the result of the story.” He asks, and the kids share a confused look, though they didn’t seem to care much as they shrugged their shoulders at each other and nodded at Ayato and Hinami.

The started skipping away, as they signed to both former Aogiri executives to follow them with their hands. Ayato went after them and Hinami excitedly rushed right behind him. She was beaming, her smile reaching from one ear to another. Ayato felt almost proud that he was the one that caused it, but he reminded himself to not get too excited himself, after all, they have still yet to seen anything but clues.

They’ve ventured into the city, reaching the deeper, central parts of it. The children in front of them seemed to know all the shattered entrances and exits like the back of their hands, running through them, giggling. Hinami almost fell a few times as she tried to keep up with them, stepping in broken brick pieces. Ayato caught her hand though, taking it in his, pulling her along with him so she’s at the same pace as him.

Suddenly they’ve stopped in place, and his hand leaves hers. She didn’t notice it, but she was holding her breath. Hinami wasn’t sure why she was holding her it at all, but she didn’t have much time to ponder, as she took in the sight of the huge monster remains that laid sprawled on the ground and on top of buildings alike. It was shaped almost like a slithering, giant snake and it height rivaled the houses around it.

The children stared at Hinami and Ayato, that still processed what’s in front of them. “Ish det.” One of the kid told them as he touched the body of it, the top layer shedding off as his rough fingers scratched it. Ayato’s lips curled forward. It looked ridiculously gross. The boy just waved it around with a grin on his face.

Hinami, on the other hand, joined the boy in front of her within a few steps forward. She reached to touch the body, her hand open and she could feel the rough texture as felt the top layer peeling underneath her gentle fingers. She gathered some of it in her hands, examining it with her eyes.

It’s definitely a kagune… She remembers Eto’s kakuja - it occasionally left flakes if a limb was torn off, unable to heal. To reach that kind of kakuja would be insane, though, and to think that it laid dying in front of her, defeated? she couldn’t imagine the fight that tore through this city, even with it remains showings her the damage and consequences of it. Information on that fight, of how it was won - it will probably prove valuable.

“Ayato-kun… Do you think we could find a way to understand them better? If we could find out what happened, we could probably find something that will help in the future… To think someone beat that…” She’s staring intently in the lifeless shell, as if trying to reveal its secrets. Ayato can see the sparkle in her eye. She was right, it would be helpful - and this mission will not turn to be for nothing. If they found a discovery like this, they might as well go all the way with investigating.

“Not right away. We need somebody who can talk in 24th Ward accent well - the only one I personally know of that fits that criteria is Touka.” He might as well fill her in on the fact Touka knows the accent well. Since they started talking with those ghouls he thought his sister would be a good addition to this mission. Hinami would’ve definitely gotten the results she yearned for already if she was.

“Then… Should we bring them with us? Back home, I mean?” She asks him, sounding the tiniest bit worried as her eyes linger on the children brats that seemingly did not care for their talk much. “I don’t think we have enough food above to make another expedition like this…” She tells him, remembering the tight situation back at the Goat base concerning food. There was truly not a lot left, and they had plenty of mouths to feed.

Ayato was aware of it, as well. They lacked a lot of things, actually. Beddings, food, clothes, hiding spots - they were truly in a disadvantage. And honestly, thinking about it - where the hell did those kids get food for themselves? It doesn’t seem like there’s any humans, or other ghouls here for that matter.

Are they alone here? Do they have no family?

Won’t they just die off here?

“I think.. I think we should take them home. It’ll be better for them too, probably.”

The night arrived and the breeze that seeps in through the openings in the broken buildings gives Hinami chills. To her side she sees three children sleeping, their faces relaxed and sweet compared to how they’ve looked when they were caught earlier, and in front of her she sees Ayato, shuffling through the bag they’ve prepared ahead of time for some blankets.

When he finds one, he tosses it at her. “Cover up, it’ll get colder.” He tells her.  She catches the blanket in her hand, but notices he doesn’t have one himself. With how gross it sounded, she could actually hear his teeth chattering from the low temperature. Anyone else would have not heard it, but Hinami was always the special case.

She looks to her side once again, and realizes that their covering is actually Ayato’s. Hinami exhales as she smiles. He is truly too nice for his own good. Glancing down at the blanket in her hands, she decides she has a better idea than just letting him freeze. Not bothering to get up from the sitting position on her knees, she scooted over to his side, laying the blanket he gave her on both of them.

Hinami sometimes wondered if she were imagining all those sounds around her. From this close, she could hear him swallowing in nervousness, the sounds of his fingers moving restlessly and if she focused well enough, maybe even the sound of his heart beating. Or was it hers? She just had to break this silence. “It’s sweet, how you take care of them.”

Ayato tries not to look at her direction, but there’s a tiny grin on his face, his mouth tips twisting just the slightest bit up. His cheeks were reddish, but she couldn’t really tell if it was blush seeing that his nose was too. He was probably really cold. He never talks much about his discomforts. He probably just thought of handling it as it is. “Don’t know what you are talking about.” He answered her, and she just rolled her eyes, trying not laugh.

“First you are acting like an old man and now you are a dad. Ayato-kun, it’s hard to keep track of your change already.” She giggled to herself, and he turned scarlet at the comment. He was pouting at her, now rolling his eyes himself. “You should take care of yourself though, as well. Are you cold?” She asked him sincerely.

“..A bit. Nothing I can’t handle.” He replied. To Hinami it sounded half-hearted.

She shuffled a bit closer to him, huddling up, leaning on him as she held onto his arm. “...Still, it will only get colder.” She said shyly, not looking at him. Ayato barely moved a muscle at first, but after a few hushed, deep breathes he settled against her just she did to him.

Silence filled the room around them, but neither are planning on letting go anytime soon. Ayato, not wanting her to get to uncomfortable coughs up, and decides to make small talk, despite the fact he is usually the last one to initiate one. “Are you disappointed?” He asked her quietly.

Hinami squinted her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“This place… It’s not exactly the golden city you wanted. Are you disappointed, in that?” He replied uneasily. He was frowning, but he seemed more regretful than he was angry. “I know you. You hoped for something big. Most of what we found is a big mystery we’re not even sure if we can solve…”

Sometimes, Hinami just can’t with him. He’s always undeniably sweet to her, thinking of her and how she feels. “It’s not what I expected, to be honest.” She tells him truthfully. He’s always honest with her, so she won’t just lie. “But… I don’t think what we’ve found is bad, either, you know?” Hinami let’s herself head fall against his shoulder.

“Even if this doesn’t amount to much, I think… I think we’ve found something better. A forgotten part of history, these children that seem very attached to you, may I say, and… I realized, being with you on missions like this, was something I missed… I missed being with you generally, really..” She told him, and instantly bit her lip after saying that. That’s embarrassing, why did I just say that--

“I just missed your smile.” He moves his head to look at her. His gaze is focused on her, and she melts under the intensity of it. Her face darkens with the blush dusting her cheeks, and Hinami is in complete daze until she feels his nose touching hers, and she becomes self aware to how close she is to his face.

He isn’t moving forward, but he isn’t moving away, either. Her heart is racing, almost painfully so, begging her to do something about it. Hinami is always scared losing those she cherish, but her biggest fear was being useless. Doing nothing, and regretting about it later. She doesn’t want to regret, not anymore.

She closes the gap between them, pressing her lips onto his soft ones. Maybe she shouldn’t have chewed on her hers a minute ago, but she tries to ignore her insecurities as kisses him softly, moving against him slowly. It takes him time to actually respond, and Hinami grows nervous, but her worries fade as his hand falls on her shoulder, and he’s kissing her back.

It’s quiet in the room except for their kiss, and the darkness around them is the victor against the soft candlelight. It’s their own secret from the world as they discover each other, and Hinami wouldn’t have it any other way. Even if the cool air makes them shiver, they are fire that sets each other ablaze.

They separate to breathe and Hinami’s head falls on his shoulder again, her mind hazy. His hand goes around her, and he leans his head on hers, nuzzling into her soft brown hair. Hinami decides he feels nice against her. That they should be like this more, that she was missing out something all of this time.

“Ayato-kun… Don’t worry anymore. I found you.”

It’s only when she is home, when she finds her book about El Dorado, again. A week has passed and the underground children we’re getting used to all of the new people, and she looked for books to read them so they could get used to the accent.

She doesn’t meet to open it at first, but it seemed so dusty, she had to clean a little, and with no time, her eyes skimmed through the pages. All of this were things she read before - all of these except the origins section.

When Spanish explorers reached South America in the early 16th century, they heard stories about a tribe of natives high in the Andes mountains in what is now Colombia. When a new chieftain rose to power, his rule began with a ceremony at Lake Guatavita. Accounts of the ceremony vary, but they consistently say the new ruler was covered with gold dust.

As Hinami read that, she could hear the sound of Ayato playing tag with the underground children, the sun showering the scene with beams that made it shimmer and look as if it was scene out of a movie.

Hinami chuckled to herself.

El Dorado was found.

[cutepresea]

3-7 Kimono Rumble: Japanese Gear’s Might

Again, sorry for the spam.

If you want to blacklist these, you can use either the tag #kimono rumble for just this event, or #xdu event scripts for all these posts in general.

Reminder that these are copied straight from XD Unlimited itself, so any grammatical weirdness, mistranslations, and/or mischaracterizations are not my doing.

Chris Yukine: "Say, before the Muramasa accident, how often did the Noise appear?"

Dr. Ver: It's not that they never appeared, but reports of them were very rare."

Dr. Ver: "Perhaps it's a coincidence, but they have appeared more often ever since the abnormality arose."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "You had no Gears until now, so how did you defeat the Noise?"

Dr. Ver: "I'm ashamed to say this, but we relied on sheer material superiority."

Dr. Ver: "Conventional weapons have no effect on Noise, but we found that there was one method that worked."

Kirika Akatsuki: "You mean you'd just shoot them with everything you had until they went down?"

Dr. Ver: "Yes. By using SDF's heavy weapons all at once, we can force the Noise into our world to damage them."

Dr. Ver: "But that means you need a mountain of artillery to fight just one Noise. That's about as inefficient as it gets."

Dr. Ver: "Still, at least we were able to defeat them. That is, until the Warrior Noise came along."

Dr. Ver: "So when you girls appeared with your songs, it was as if you came down from the heavens!"

Dr. Ver: "Whatever the Noise, you can defeat them, and overwhelm them with song!"

Chris Yukine: "But we won't be here forever, you know?"

Dr. Ver: "Yes, I'm fully aware of that."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "What are you going to do after we leave?"

Dr. Ver: "Well... Things will likely return back to how they were prior to the accident."

Dr. Ver: "The regular Noise are bad enough themselves, but the Warrior Noise are an even bigger threat."

Dr. Ver: "The damage caused by the Warrior Noise running amok is incomparable to the regular Noise."

Dr. Ver: "It's why retrieving the Muramasa fragments is top priority."

Chris Yukine: "Doing that would stop the Warrior Noise from appearing at least."

Dr. Ver: "Yes. And those government fools might learn a lesson for once and be more prudent with relic experiments."

Dr. Ver: "And once the abnormality is resolved, the rate at which Noise appear will likely return to how it once was."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Then what we should do now..."

Kirika Akatsuki: "...Is hurry and gather all the fragments to eradicate the Warrior Noise"[1]

Chris Yukine: "Yeah. None of those Warrior Noise are making it out alive."

Dr. Ver: "I shall leave the collection of the fragments in your capable hands, then."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "What we're collecting isn't a relic, but a philosophical armament."

Dr. Ver: "Huh?"

Dr. Ver: "So there are philosophical armaments in addition to relics... How fascinating."

Dr. Ver: "Philosophical armaments aren't categorized in this world."

Dr. Ver: "And the Noise fusion with relics does seem quite odd, considering they don't have absorption abilities."

Dr. Ver: "I must thank you for this valuable information."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "More Noise!"

Chris Yukine: "They came at just the right time! Let's go and collect those fragments!"

Chris Yukine: "Guh! It's just regular old Noise!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "We won't gather any fragments from them."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "But as long as we keep defeating Noise, a Warrior Noise might appear."

Chris Yukine: "Right. In any case, we can't let the Noise roam free. Let's show 'em who's boss!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "On it."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Okay."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Diiiiiiie!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "That's the small fry out of the way!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Yeah. Here it comes."

Chris Yukine: "You sure took your sweet time, huh!"

Chris Yukine: "That fragment's as good as mine!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Time to meet your maker!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Now we just sound like the bad guys..."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "But above all else, we need those fragments to save the world!"

Chris Yukine: "Steel yourself, Noise!"

Chris Yukine: "What?! It regenerated?!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "What's going on?!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Our attacks aren't working, and..."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "It's just gotten faster!"

Chris Yukine: "This isn't some ordinary Warrior Noise!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "But there's nothing wrong with our Kimono Gears."

Chris Yukine: "It doesn't feel like our link coefficients are going down, and it's not like we're rusty either... Rgh!"

Chris Yukine: "Stop dodging everything, dammit! Raaaaaagh!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Attacking without a plan isn't going to work!"

Chris Yukine: "What else am I supposed to do?! Just match my movements!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "You're being unreasonable."

Kirika Akatsuki: "You're asking us to match your movements, but how should we do that?! We won't know if you don't tell us!"

Chris Yukine: "Do you think there's time to explain that crap on the battlefield?!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "We've got no choice. Kiri-chan!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Got it!"

Chris Yukine: "There!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Wha--?!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Huh?!"

Chris Yukine: "Hey! Don't get in my line of sight! How am I supposed to hit it if you get in my way?!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "We should be saying the same thing!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Your attacks made ours go way off mark, Chris-senpai."

Chris Yukine: "Fine then. Let's get closer and finish it off!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Haah... Haah... Haah... I'm spent..."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "We finally managed to defeat it..."

Chris Yukine: "What was up with that thing?!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Hey, there's more than one Muramasa fragment."

Kirika Akastuki: "There're loads of them."

Chris Yukine: "So there are Noise that can fuse with multiple fragments. Is that what made it stronger than normal?"

Dr. Ver: "Good work, everyone. It would appear that each Noise can hold a differing number of fragments."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Does that mean Noise with more fragments will be stronger than those with one fragment?"

Dr. Ver: "Something like that, yes."

Chris Yukine: "Of course, things couldn’t just be simple, could they? Stupid annoying-ass Noise..."

Kirika Akatsuki: "It'll be tough if they keep regenerating like that. They're almost like the Karma Noise."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "It might just be worth going back for a bit and talking to Elfnein about."

Chris Yukine: "That sounds like a good idea."

Dr. Ver: "In that case! Would it be at all possible for me to accompany you?!"

Dr. Ver: "I have an insatiable fascination with your world!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "That won't be possible."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "You can't cross into parallel worlds without a Gear."

Dr. Ver: "Gah! I hadn't even considered such a pitfall!"

Chris Yukine: "You'll have to give up on that little dream then. Now let's get moving."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Yeah."

Elfnein: "There are Noise which can fuse with multiple fragments?"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Yeah. Our attacks had little effect on them."

Kirika Akatsuki: "They were also fast and pretty tough opponents."

Elfnein: "And the number of fragments they can fuse with directly affects its battle capabilities..."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "If you've come up with any countermeasures, let us know."

Elfnein: "Unfortunately, I do not have any as of this moment."

Kirika Akatsuki: "I see..."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Your opponent was a powerful Noise, and yet you managed to defeat it. How did you pull that off?"

Kirika Akatsuki: "We all worked together..."

Chris Yukine: "But it was all pretty on the fly."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Then I'm sure you already know what your next step is."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Working on our teamwork?"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Yeah! If we team up for reals, those Noise won't stand a chance!"

Chris Yukine: "Well there's no use sitting around and twiddling our thumbs. Let's do this thing!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "What's it like on the other side? It sounds like there isn't much they can do against the Noise."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "It seems like they don't have any surefire way to deal with the Noise."

Chris Yukine: "The SDF and US Military are definitely more thinly stretched than they are here."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Oh, I know! How about teaching the people on the other side about the Sakurai Theory and Symphogears?"

Genjuro Kazanari: "Hmm. It would make things simpler if it were possible. But to give you my honest opinion, I think it's a no-go."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Why's that?"

Genjuro Kazanari: "The Sakurai Theory and Gears could ruin that world's power balance. It's not something to be taught lightly."

Elfnein: "I agree. The first government that learns of it could then possibly conceal it and use it for personal gain."

Elfnein: "Furthermore, the Sakurai Theory itself has many aspects that even I haven't fully understood yet."

Elfnein: "The Symphogear system especially is like a giant black box."

Elfnein: "Thus, even if we did provide them with the Sakurai Theory, it would be difficult for them to comprehend."

Genjuro Kazanari: "If you force progress in that world, you'll create distortions. It has its own timeline to follow."

Genjuro Kazanari: "Forcing the parallel world's timeline forward isn't necessarily the right thing to do."

Chris Yukine: "But what about all the Noise victims in that world?"

Genjuro Kazanari: "That's... a difficult question."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "It's mostly the same road, but once you start walking down it, it becomes clear that it's not quite the same."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Sometimes, I find myself looking for shops that were in the parallel world."

Chris Yukine: "You don't say. You know your home isn't this way, right?"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Whoops. Force of habit. I was going back to our place in the parallel world"[2]

Chris Yukine: "Snap out of it already. I'm heading this way. Be careful on your way back, got it?"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Thank you very much, Senpai. Have a good night."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Nighty night!"

Chris Yukine: "Yeah, night."

Chris Yukine: "Geez, they're always getting into trouble. Are they really going to be okay?"

Chris Yukine: "...Well, no point worrying about it now. Time to go home."

Chris Yukine: "......"

Chris Yukine: "Man, it feels weird being by myself after hanging around with those pipsqueaks for so long."

Chris Yukine: "But why? I finally get to relax at home by myself. Can't wait to kick back and relax!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Dinner's ready."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Awesome! Hey, Shirabe. Why are there three bowls?"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Oh... But look, Kiri-chan. You put out three sets of placemats and chopsticks."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Wait, what?! I didn't notice at all..."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "I understand why. Chris-senpai was with us in the parallel world the whole time."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Now that you mention, it's just me and you tonight, isn't it?" [3]

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "After all that time we spent with Chris-senpai, it feels kind of lonely when it's just the two of us."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Hey, don't be all down in the dumps."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Dinner's supposed to be fun!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "You're right. Thanks, Kiri-chan."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Now, let's enjoy this meal you made!"

Genjuro Kazanari: "All right! Time to get training underway."

Chris Yukine: "Yeah, let's do it."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "We need to get more used to our Kimono Gears."

Kirika Akatsuki: "We also have to practice our special combo attacks."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Hey! You're all back here for a little while, right?"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Looks like their training's going well."

Maria: "I'm wondering how their fighting style has changed."

Genjuro Kazanari: "You came at just the right time. Could one of you spar with Chris-kun and the others?"

Hibiki Tachibana: "You want us to spar?"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Seeing as I was their teacher, I would be honored."

Maria: "Oh? Trying to get the jump on me?"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "That's not a nice way of putting it. That wasn't my intention anyway."

Maria: "Sure. But still, I'll let you do the honors, Tsubasa."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "A-Anyway! I'll be your opponent for this battle. I hope you're all ready for a fight!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "This is going to be a tough one!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Much, much tougher than the Noise."

Chris Yukine: "I'm not complaining. Now we can see what these Kimono Gears are made of!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "I was naive thinking I could do it alone..."

Chris Yukine: "You should've expected that. We're not complete pushovers, you know."

Maria: "That's enough warming up. Time for me to join the fray."

Kirika Akatsuki: "Y-You too, Maria?!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "Another tough opponent."

Hibiki Tachibana: "Ooh! Me, too! I wanna join!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "Heh, now we've got a three vs three. This'll be an even match."

Chris Yukine: "Now you're talking! We'll show you that this is more than a game of numbers."

Chris Yukine: "We've got a combo attack that we perfected on the other side just waiting for ya!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Yeah! Let's do this!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "But I thought were were going to practice it first..."

Maria: "Are you sure about this?"

Chris Yukine: "You two follow after me!"

Kirika Akatsuki: "Chris-senpai! You're supposed to be in the back line! Don't go up so far forward!"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Seems like your coordination is lacking."

Chris Yukine: "N-No it's not! Anyway, I'm gonna kick all your asses!"

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "We won't let you win that easily."

Kirika Akatsuki: "I'll show you want I have!"

Tsubasa Kazanari: "That's the spirit! Now, let's begin!"

Hibiki Tachibana: "Wow, Chris's team was pretty strong."

Genjuro Kazanari: "That was a great match! How's your Gear doing?"

Chris Yukine: "It's doing great!"

Maria: "But your combo attack isn't there yet. You'll be at a disadvantage if your teamwork stays so sloppy."

Tsubasa Kazanari: "I'm with Maria on this. You all need to be more aware of each other's positioning."

Chris Yukine: "I... I can't really say you're wrong about that."

Kirika Akatsuki: "We have to be even more diligent."

Shirabe Tsukuyomi: "We'll try harder."

Chris Yukine: "Now then, let's head back to the other side!"

Notes:

[1]No punctuation again

[2] No punctuation again

[3] Should probably read "Now that you mention it"

[shuturquibble]

Finding You Chapter 1: receiving

Fandom: Hibike! Euphonium/Sound! Euphonium Pairings: Kumiko/Reina; Natsuki/Yuuko; implied Asuka/Kaori/Haruka; Nozomi/Mizore; Hazuki/Shuuichi Summary:  Two years have passed since Reina left after their second-year. Two years have passed and Kumiko is now a freshman in college. Two years have passed and she receives a letter from Reina. Two years have passed but something Kumiko thought she lost is making its way to her. Words: 3.8k+ Links: FF link is here! AO3 is here!

hi friends. another kumirei story, but this time, it's multi-chap! and i actually finished! it's a miracle! i actually completed the story a while back, and intended to post it as a big oneshot, but i thought it would be better to post in chapters. the main story is roughly four chapters long, and i'm considering about creating an extra chapter. this has been, to say the least, a very personal project of mine in more ways than one. all the relationships portrayed in this story isn't necessarily what i ship, but they all serve a purpose in telling the story. i hope that you guys enjoy. 

i also recc reading it on AO3 because the formatting of the story is much easier there.

Kumiko never got much in the mail.

 Well, no, that wasn’t entirely true. Kumiko did get mail (she wasn’t that much of a recluse), but mail, more often than not, disappointed her. Whenever she went down to her PO box as part of her morning routine, her mailbox would hold bills, bills, the newspaper if it was Sunday, a sheet of coupons if she was lucky, and even more bills. Checking her mail was always a dreary start to her day (although, Kumiko had to admit, she did get giddy whenever she saw the coupons because who wouldn’t want a buy-one-get-one-free meal?), and it was certainly not one of the most eventful aspects of her life.

 If anything, checking the mail reminded her of the struggles of young adulthood, and that never failed to get Kumiko down.

  Kumiko stifled a yawn as she trudged down the stairs of her apartment complex, clad in her pajamas and rabbit slippers. She tasted the inside of her mouth, scrunching her nose at the rancid flavor; maybe she should have brushed her teeth before going down.

 But then again, no one would be down except for the landlady on a Saturday morning.

 Kumiko grunted as she pushed through the stairwell entrance, the door creaking with protest. The smell of lemon-scented cleaner and sunlight greeted her. She squinted as the door slammed shut behind her, trying to get used to the sudden change of scenery.

 “Kumiko-chan?”

 An elderly woman poked her head out the counter that overlooked the entire lobby (which wasn’t much in the first place). The chains of her glasses rattled, and the sound made Kumiko smile.

 “Mornin’, Gram,” Kumiko greeted.

 The wrinkles on Gram’s face made way for a smile. “Aren’t you on break for college? Why are you up so early?”

 Kumiko gave a one-shouldered shrug as she shuffled her way over to the PO lockers next to the counter. “It’s a habit now, I guess,” she said, fishing for her keys in her pajama pocket.

 Gram chuckled. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re here so early. Here”—Kumiko looked back at Gram and saw that she was holding out Tupperware full of food—”for you.”

 “Thanks,” Kumiko said with a crooked smile as she took it.

 It was still warm.

 “You take care of yourself, hm?” Gram said.

 “I will.”

 Gram’s laughter filled the air as her head disappeared from view. Kumiko’s smile, on the other hand, stayed where it was, even when she struggled to open her mailbox.

 Kumiko never knew her grandparents, maternal and paternal. Gram was the closest thing she ever had to one, and, quite frankly, Kumiko loved her with all her heart. Though their conversations were mostly short-lived, Kumiko always felt at-ease whenever she was around Gram.

 “Oh crap.” Kumiko watched as her mailbox vomited its contents on the floor, envelopes and sheets of coupons scattering everywhere. She sighed and rested her food inside her locker, bending down to scoop her mail in a haphazard pile she tucked under her armpit.

 As she stood up to take the Tupperware and shut the locker, she noticed her food rested on a lilac-colored envelope.

 Kumiko’s heart lurched in her chest.

 The color purple made her uneasy because it reminded her of high school.

 And high school reminded Kumiko of her.

 A chill went down Kumiko’s spine as she gathered her food and the envelope. Sparing the front of it a quick glance, she noticed that there was no return address, and the only thing decorating the envelope was her name and PO box address in flawless cursive.

 Kumiko couldn’t deny how clammy her hands were getting as she tucked the letter with the rest of the mail. She had to wipe them on her pajamas when she stuffed her mailbox keys into her pocket.

  You’re stupid for getting antsy over a letter, a part of her jeered. It’s words on paper. It’s like the other things that you get in the mail. What’s so special about this one? The possibility that it might be from her?

 Kumiko didn’t know the answer to her own question as she flung the door open.

 -X-

 The heat her living room was suffocating.

 Even with the miniature fan blowing at her face on full blast, Kumiko felt sweat rolling down the back of her neck. It was almost eleven now, and on a normal day, Kumiko would have been in the bathroom enjoying a blood-chilling shower.

 Instead, she was staring at the purple envelope like an idiot.

 Kumiko didn’t know what she was expecting. It’s an envelope, said Logic, and it’s going to sit there like all the other envelopes beside you. It isn’t going to grow a mouth and start screeching at you.

 She took a breath and decided to listen to Logic for once. With a gentle hand, she grabbed the envelope and swept a finger under the flap to break the seal. She took the letter out of its purple case gingerly, and unfolded it as if it were text from a time long forgotten.

  Kumiko,

  You probably won’t be expecting this letter. But, knowing you, you probably don’t receive many letters in the first place (and no, bills don’t count).

  I would start out by saying that it’s been a long time, but that’s something that the both of us know. There’s no need to be redundant when it comes to correspondence; there’s only so much space on a piece of paper.

  I’m writing to you now because I want you to know that I’m back from my time abroad so that I can finish my studies here. You would think that homesickness would go away after two years of being in a foreign country, but there was always something pulling me back here.

  You can find my mailing address below.

  Reina.

 Kumiko’s lungs froze once she reached the end of the letter.

 She had a gut feeling that this letter was from her.

 She knew it

 She expected it.

 She anticipated it.

 Why couldn't she believe it?

 Kumiko found herself scanning the letter over and over again. Each time she did, the stitches she sutured on her heart began to snap with every word. She had to put the letter down, lest her wounds reopened.

 She sunk into her couch and sighed.

 She mused that if Reina had sent this letter a year earlier, Past Kumiko would have been over the moon sobbing her eyes off with snot dribbling down her nose. She would have been so happy, touched, and relieved.

 Present Kumiko’s, on the other hand, didn’t know what to feel. She didn’t know if she was happy, touched, or relieved. Hell, she didn’t even know if she felt anything positive toward this turn of events.

  She honestly has the audacity to send you a letter after all this time? It’s been nearly two years, Anger fumed.

  But why a letter of all things? Confusion asked.

  At you least know she’s doing well, Optimism whispered. It could be a chance to find some answers….

 Frustrated at her thoughts, Kumiko got up from her coach with a sigh.

  Maybe a cold shower would cool you down, Logic suggested.

 For the second time, Kumiko agreed with Logic and shuffled to the bathroom.

 -X-

  Call Transcript

  Asuka Tanaka → Kumiko Oumae

  12:33 PM

  AT: Hello? Oumae-chan?

  KO: [voice sounds far away] Guh—ah! [rustling is heard, and her voice is clearer] Hi, I’m here.

  AT: Did I startle you? [laughs]

  KO: More like scared the living shit out of me because my phone rang on full-blast right next to my ear. Think my soul’s on the floor with the rest of my stuff.

  AT: Well, that’s not good. Sorry about that.

  KO: [scoffs] No you’re not.

  AT: It’s the thought that counts.

  KO: So…why’d you call?

  AT: What do you mean why did I call? It’s time for our monthly talk, Oumae-chan!

  KO: That time already?

  AT: Indeed! Shall I start?

  KO: If you want. [rustling is heard once again, and her speech sounds muffled] Crap, the pen’s under the desk...

  AT: Mm…what haven’t I told you yet?

  KO: [muffled] A lot.

  AT: [with light sarcasm] How specific.

  KO: Well…has school ended for you, yet?

  AT: While ago. About…two weeks ago, I think?

  KO: [still muffled] Really? Same here.

  AT: But Kaori’s on her last week this week. Since her university started late and all.

  KO: [rustling] That kind of—[a loud bang is heard] OW, FUCK!

  AT: [laughs raucously] A-are you—[sharp inhale]—o-okay?

  KO: [groans] Never better. [rustling once more, and then her voice is clearer] Glad to see you haven’t changed since the last time we’ve spoke.

  AT: Why would I ever?

  KO: Good point. Are you still working on majoring in music?

  AT: [in English] Of course!

  KO: You’re doing…instrumental performance, right?

  AT: Indeed! Although, I did consider instrumental conducting.

  KO: You?

  AT: Hm? What’s with that tone?

  KO: Well, it’s just surprising, you know. Seeing you lead a band isn’t really the first thing that comes to mind.

  AT: Why’s that? In case you’ve forgotten, I was drum major during your first year.

  KO: Well, I don’t know. I think it’s because whenever I think of band director, I think of Taki-sensei, you know? Someone serious, full of tough love and secrets, but always has good intentions, you know?

  AT: [chuckles]

  KO: W-what?

  AT: It’s funny how you remember a lot about high school.

  KO: Is that…bad?

  AT: No, not at all. It means you’re observant. [chuckles] I don’t even remember half the things that happened during those three years.

  KO: [laughs nervously] Well, a lot of things worth remembering happened during high school….

 [A door opening and closing in the background is heard]

  AT: Welcome back!

  ???: [very faint] Who’s that?

  AT: Oumae-chan.

  ???: Oh! Tell her I said hi. It’s been a while.

  AT: Kaori says hi.

  KO: Hi, Kaori-senpai.

  AT: She says hi.

  KN: [sounds closer] I know, Asuka, you have her on speaker.

  AT: Just making sure. [laughs] How was class?

  KN: Same thing as usual. Boring. Tiring.

  KO: What’re you studying, Kaori-senpai?

  KN: Business management. I want to open my own café one day.

  KO: I can see that happening. I’ll be sure to stop by once you open it.

  KN: [laughs] Thanks. Hey, Asuka?

  AT: Hm?

  KN: Is Haruka here?

  AT: In the room. She has the PM shift for the shop today, so she’s probably resting.

  KN: Oh okay. I’ll leave you two with your “monthly talk.” [laughter]

 [Shuffling is heard, and in the distance, another door is heard opening and closing.]

  AT: Okay, you’re off speaker now.

  KO: Did you always have me on speaker?

  AT: Only when Kaori was inside. [chuckle]

  KO: …Why?

  AT: Why not?

  KO: [sighs] I’m not going to continue with this line of questioning.

  AT: [laugh] Anyways, what’s new with you?

  KO: Eh, you know….

  AT: No, I don’t.

  KO: Well, er, school ended.

  AT: You already told me that.

  KO: Oh. Right.

  AT: Did…something happen?

  KO: Well, yeah. But it’s not anything bad…I think.

  AT: You think?

  KO: Well, I got a letter.

  AT: [laughter] How old-fashioned.

  KO: And it’s from Reina.

 [Silence]

  AT: Now I can see how that’s a problem.

  KO: Glad we’re on the same page. [laughs half-heartedly]

  AT: So…what’re you going to do? Reply to her?

  KO: That’s what I’ve been trying to do for the past…hour and a half.

  AT: Knowing you, you probably haven’t made any progress.

  KO: Went through an entire packet of stationary. Still nothing.

  AT: [whistles] Those poor trees.

  KO: [laughs] That’s what you’re worried about?

  AT: Trees are very important for the environment, Oumae-chan.

  KO: Okay, you got me there.

  AT: So…. [pause] How are you feeling? About all this?

  KO: Honestly? I don’t know what to feel.

  AT: I’m listening.

  KO: It’s just—God, I don’t know—so complicated. Like, why now? Like, I understand why now because she just came back from studying abroad, but, like, why now? You know? She just disappeared without a trace, even after all that shit that happened between us in high school, she just had the audacity to just go up and leave and—[sniffles] G-God, it just hurt, Asuka. It hurt so much….

  AT: [softly] I bet it did.

  KO: L-like, I know she wants to pursue music and she’s so stubbornly set on being special, whatever the hell that means. But she could have said something, you know? [strained laughter] It’s kind of ironic, you know. I always told her that if I ever left her side, that would give her the right to kill me. But I don’t think it ever crossed my mind what I would do if she ever left me.

  AT: [still quiet] I’m sorry, Kumiko.

  KO: [quietly] She never said goodbye. She didn’t break our relationship off. She left a note and she was gone. Like the wind.

  AT: [in her regular volume] Maybe she didn’t know how to break up.

  KO: Maybe.

  AT: Or maybe she thought that when she came back, everything would be normal again between the both of you.

  KO: [sighs] Maybe.

  AT: Or maybe she was abducted by aliens.

  KO: Okay, now you’re just pulling shit out of your ass. [weak laughter]

  AT: Anything for my precious protégé.

  KO: Gee, thanks.

 [Pause]

  AT: Say, Kumiko?

  KO: Mm?

  AT: I—mm—Sorry. For not being a bigger help. Haruka and Kaori are better at this than I am. [chuckles]

  KO: It’s okay. You listening to me is more than enough.

  AT: ‘m glad about that.

  KO: Me too.

  AT: We’ll talk later then, hm?

  KO: Yeah. Later.

  AT: Take care of yourself, Kumiko.

  KO: You too, senpai.

  Call End

  1:26 PM

 Kumiko sighed and set her phone facedown on her desk.

 Despite how liberating venting to Asuka was, Kumiko suddenly felt very sluggish and drained.

 Maybe taking a nap would ease her for a bit. She could worry about the letter later.

 With another sigh, Kumiko wiped away a stray tear that rested on her cheek. She raised herself from her chair, and shuffled her way over to her unmade bed. She collapsed on the mattress and took a deep breath.

 The moment she closed her eyes, she was out like a light.

 -X-

 lights are blinding

you always knew that

but you also knew that

her radiance was

something greater

 she was brighter

than the town lights

on a dark evening

she was brighter

than the sun

on a summer’s afternoon

she was brighter

than your alarm

on an early morning

 her brilliance showed

in the smallest of gestures

like whenever she

brushed back her hair or

spoke to you or

played her trumpet

 like the sun

you thought

she would stay

but

the sun always sets at night

and there will be a time when

it won’t rise

 it was cloudy the morning she left

and the only thing that

brilliant girl left was

a purple note with the words

“i’m leaving today, i love you”

 the hole she left in your heart was

bigger than a black hole

and whenever you walk by

the old rendezvous you remember

that the brilliant girl is

no

longer

there

 -X-

 Kumiko woke with a start when she heard her phone vibrating against her desk.

 Groaning, she rolled off her bed, clumsily landing on her feet. She shuffled her way over to her phone, and picked it up.

 A reminder for her to go buy groceries at 5:30 PM was printed on the lock screen of her phone.

 Kumiko sighed as she rubbed the sleep out of one eye. Almost a three-hour nap and she still felt tired.

 Her eyes hovered over to the blank stationery sitting on her desk, and opted to ignore the pile of crumpled papers next to it.

  Work on it later, a voice told her, it’ll still be there tonight.

 Without saying a word, Kumiko threw on a nearby hoodie, grabbed her wallet, and walked out her room.

 As she shut the door behind her, Kumiko wondered if Reina was just as bright as she remembered.

 -X-

 “Kumiko?”

 Kumiko stopped in her tracks before she exited the grocery store. Turning her head, she saw a familiar face—and horrible-looking pants.

 “Natsuki-senpai,” Kumiko said with a growing smile. She noticed how Natsuki’s hair now curled under her chin in a messy bob. Kumiko thought it suited her. “When did you come back from Tokyo?”

 “Got back a couple of days ago.” Natsuki said as she walked alongside Kumiko out the store.

 “How’s college?”

 Natsuki shrugged and shoved her hands into her pants. “Well, it’s school. So boring. Tiring.”

 A sense of déjà vu hit Kumiko. “Seems to be a popular thought.”

 “Well, ain’t much you can say about it.” Natsuki laughed. “Honestly, I’ve been thinking about dropping out.”

 Kumiko widened her eyes. “Really?”

 Natsuki nodded. “School just isn’t for me. Even back in high school, the only thing that really kept me in was band. Everything else about school isn’t my forte—music pun intended.”

 Kumiko cracked a smile at the quip. Natsuki’s down-to-earth sense of humor was something she missed.

 “Say, do you still play?” Natsuki suddenly asked, kicking the pebbles that dared to stand in her way.

 Kumiko blinked. “U-uh, what? Euph?”

 “No.” Natsuki rolled her eyes. “Duh, euph. What else? Trumpet?”

 Kumiko forced out a laugh to mask the sound of another stitch on her heart snapping. Natsuki’s comment was too soon. “O-oh r-right. Yeah, I still play. Once or twice a week, running through several scales, long tones. Sometimes I even go through an old song or learn a new one if I really feel like it.”

 “Wow,” Natsuki began with a chuckle, “you’re still pretty dedicated, huh?”

 “You can say that.”

 “I honestly think that the last time I’ve touched an instrument was…when I last visited Yuuko in Osaka about two months ago? She said I sounded like a rusty motor.”

 Kumiko raised an eyebrow. “You visit Yuuko-senpai?”

 “A-ah, yeah, well”—Natsuki turned into a bashful shade of red as she scratched the back of her neck—”we’re kind of…dating?”

 Kumiko felt a burning sensation under her gut. “Really? Since when?”

 “Mm…last month was our first year anniversary. We got together sometime after we graduated. It’s a pretty long story.” Natsuki laughed again. “Looking back on it, it’s kind of funny. We used to hate each other’s guts back when we first met. Now, we’re together. We’ve come a long way since high school.”

 Kumiko found herself wishing that she could relate.

 The embers in her gut combusted into a flame.

 “Does…this change who I am to you?”

 Kumiko blinked, and she turned to Natsuki. “What? No, of course not.”

 The tension in Natsuki’s eyes melted as she laughed. “Oh, good. You looked upset, so I thought it was because I was dating, you know, another girl. Haven’t told my parents yet, so I’m still on edge about the whole thing.”

  She’s not entirely wrong, something whispered in her ear, about her dating another girl. Because that should have been—

 Kumiko mentally slapped herself.

 “No, don’t worry about it. I mean, I’m kind of in the same boat.” Kumiko chuckled.

 “You gay?” It felt more like a statement than a question.

 “Yeah.”

 “Explains why you always ignored Tsukamoto’s advances. Or, ‘advances’.” Natsuki curled her fingers into air quotes and laughed. “That guy was kinda pathetic. Made me almost feel sorry for him.”

 Kumiko gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I’m sure he found someone by now.”

 Their conversation died once they stopped at a corner. Natsuki pointed across the street. “My place’s thattaway.”

 “Mine’s the opposite way,” Kumiko said, pointing with her thumb.

 “Looks this is where we part.”

 “Seems like it.”

 “Don’t be a stranger, okay?” Natsuki grinned and tapped Kumiko’s shoulder with her fist. “I know you still have my number. Don’t be afraid to call.”

 Kumiko smiled and nodded. “Got it.”

 “Natsuki!”

 The both of them looked in the direction of the voice, and across the street, Kumiko saw the faint figure of a woman, wearing a comically-large ribbon in her hair, waving.

 The flame in Kumiko’s gut grew, and she suddenly recognized the sensation.

 Jealousy.

 Natsuki waved back. “I’ll be there!” She cried out. She turned to Kumiko and gave a salute. “See you ‘round, kid.”

 Kumiko lamely waved back, watching as Natsuki jogged across the street once she was prompted to do so.

 Kumiko ignored the bitter taste in her mouth as she turned around.

  That should have been you and her, Jealousy jeered. You wish you had that, didn’t you?

 “Shut up,�� Kumiko mumbled under her breath.

 Jealousy said nothing else, but the flame still burned her gut.

 -X-

 Kumiko sighed, running a hand through her hair, and read over the letter she finally finished. It was certainly not the best response, Kumiko thought, but an answer was better than none.

  Hi, Reina.

  If I’m being honest, I have no idea how to write a letter. It took me much longer than it should have to write this.

  But here goes, I guess.

  It’s been two years since you left, and well, a lot has happened since then. I don’t know if you’re interested (because you were never into that sort of thing in high school), but I need something to talk about to fill the space on the page.

  I’m in college now. I moved out of Uji, but I’m still a two-hour train ride away. I wanted to get out and see new faces, but I still see some familiar ones once in awhile, like Natsuki-senpai (her family moved after she graduated and it just so happened to be in the same town as me, so I see her around when she’s not in Tokyo for college).

  Midori-chan moved to England for college. Hazuki-chan is still in Uji, I think. It’s been awhile since I last called those two. I don’t know where Shuuichi went. He’s somewhere.

  You know, I’m surprised that you moved back to Uji. I always had the feeling that you didn’t want to come back to a town like that. Something like that.

  Anyways, welcome back. Tell me something new.

  Kumiko

 Stifling a yawn, Kumiko folded the letter into thirds and tucked it into a nearby envelope. She scribbled Reina’s address in the middle and her own address in the corner. After she sealed the envelope, she made her way to her bed and collapsed.

  Is it safe to talk to her after two years? Fear asked as Kumiko crawled under the sheets. What if she leaves you again? For good? How would that feel? You know how heart-broken you were when she left.

 The thought chilled Kumiko.

  She came back for a reason, Logic piqued. She said that in her letter.

 Pessimism scoffed. Probably not for you.

 Logic couldn’t think of a rebuttal.

  Well, whatever the reason, Optimism began, all that matters is that she’s back.

  But for how long? Fear asked.

 A chill went down Kumiko’s spine, and she burrowed herself in her sheets, despite the heat.

 No one answered Fear.

[fictionalrat]

let it happen | chapter 4

read on ao3

9:40 A.M.

Lance saves the document, closes it, stares at his laptop desktop image until his eyes start to sting, groans in frustration, and slams his laptop shut. Puts it aside. He crosses his arms like a petulant child, he chews on his bottom lip, his eyes roam around his room.

He watches as the wind plays lazily with his curtains, making their shadows dance, swaying back and forth.

Something moves in his peripheral vision. He rolls his head to the side, fingers hovering over the keypad. The sight that meets him makes him pause, his fingers freeze, Keith looks so peaceful, he looks almost… ethereal. It’s kind of disturbing, yet mesmerizing at the same time.

Keith’s pale face glows a tender hue under the morning light, the sun tinges his chapped lips a deep pink, the scar under his left eye looks almost translucent.

Keith’s so… unfairly beautiful.

He catches himself tracing down the slopes of Keith’s face, the lines of his jaw, the curve of his upper lip with his eyes like a piece of chalk on canvas. He’s never seen something quite this stunning before in his life (granted, he’s only 22, but that’s beside the point), if only he knew how to draw like Keith does.

Lance can’t take this, his heart’s too weak.

He wants to bury his face in Keith’s ruffled hair, wants to breathe him in, wants to have him in his arms, wants to touch, but he seems so out of reach like this. Lance curls his fingers into fists, aching to touch. He restrains himself from charting pale, fading freckles down with his fingertips.

It… it’s very distracting, is what it is.

Keith scrunches up his nose, grumbles and throws an arm over his eyes. Lance’s breath catches in his throat.

Lance… Lance is fucked, he knows he’s fucked, he already knew that then (when Keith suggested this… arrangement), he knows that now, he’s known that for some time now, but it never fails to catch him by surprise. This… feeling never fails to overwhelm him. He fucking hates this… whatever this is, he has no fucking word for this… feeling. It claws at his throat, it kicks him the gut, it scorches his heart, it clenches his heart in a death-grip, it steps on it, it rips his heart apart.

Lance covers his face in his hands and rubs, groaning in frustration. This is ridiculous. He forces himself to look away, and focuses on drilling a hole into the wall with the force of his glare instead, running his tongue over one of his canines.

Do not distract yourself with cheesy rom-com bullshit, bitch, he scolds himself, Write. Yes, writing is good. Stressful, but good. Go back to writing. Avoid contact. Don’t look. Avert your eyes. Work. You’ve got work to do, so do it.

After about five or so minutes of glaring despondently into fucking space and hating himself for being pathetic, he does. He’s always been good at taking all his frustrations on his writing.

He pulls his laptop into his lap, opens it, double taps, and the document appears on the screen. The cursor blinks curiously at him, he blinks back, and sighs. He starts scanning it for typos, and corrects them, all the while grumbling about how fucking stupid he is, and how fucking stupid all those mistakes were.

He adds some of the worst expletives in big, bold and italic capital letters next to shitty, weird ass sounding paragraphs that don’t ever seem to get any better, even after rewriting them seven thousand three hundred and eighty-four fucking times. Doesn’t matter how many times he tries, how many times he bangs his fists on the keyboard, how hard he hits the keys, the words don’t ever seem to come out quite right.

Rinse, lather, repeat.

“¡BESA MI CULO, PUTO!” He snaps at one particularly dumb typo, and deletes its whole sentence out of spite.

Keith stirs, and groans next to him, turning his body towards Lance. Lance tenses, holding his breath and sitting very still until he’s super sure, 100% Keith won’t wake up. Keith sighs obliviously in his sleep, and turns on his stomach. Lance lets out a relieved breath, closing his eyes.

He snaps them open and shakes his head in frustration, “No seas tonto, Lance.”

He hits ctrl-z and skips the paragraph entirely, jumping to two paragraphs bellow, he reads it and gasps, “¿Qué carajo? Who wrote this? A fiveslgfjdjdfds.” A hand lands on the side of his face with a smack, smooching his cheek. Lance screams, - of course he does, how could he not. - and almost falls off the bed.

“SHUT YOUR ROTTEN MOUTH, I’M TRYING TO SLEEP,” Keith growls at him, voice raspy, and low, and terrifying. Even muffled by the pillow and drowsy, his voice doesn’t lose its aggressive edge. What the fuck.

Lance, after recovering his soul, turns his head so he can stare at Keith with raised brows, and huffs, “Hella lot of words coming from a sleeping person, I’d say.”

Keith groans and lifts his face off the pillow, glaring at him through squinty eyes, “Shut that fucking trap, you moldy piece of bread, or get out.”

“This is my fucking room, Keith,” Lance sputters, snapping his laptop shut for added effect, “you get out.”

“I’M SLEEPING, PISS OFF,” Keith kicks at Lance’s leg with enough force to bruise.

“OW! CAREFUL WITH MY COMPUTER, YOU BRUTE!”

Keith grumbles, turning his back to Lance and covering his head with Lance’s comforter. He curls into a ball, shutting Lance out.

Lance relocates his grumpy ass to the couch after flipping an oblivious, snoring Keith off.

He loves the guy, but damn, can he be an asshole so-

…Wait, did he just-

Oh, hell no.

10:34 A.M.

stud muffin so………….. do i even wanna know? probably not, but you’re gonna tell me anyway pidge, cover ur eyes

pidgeotto shut up hunk im not 5 GIVE ME DA DEETS LANCE

space boi lance AWWW MAN MY DUDES MY BROS MY PALS MIS HERMANOS

pidgeotto oh boy here we go…….. im regretting this already

space boi lance SHUT IT BIRD TURD anyway where was i before i was so rudely interrupted??? ah yeah OH MY GOD MY DUDES hes a screamer KEITH KOGANE OUR KEITH IS A SCREAMER ITS LIKE AAAAAA GUYS boi so thicc too goddem cant wait to have him up my ass honest such a nice dick 11/10 reallygreat work of art grade a AND DAT ASS!!!!!!!! GUH SO FUCKING SMOOTH he looks really nice when hes sleeping too so soft i want to chomp on his cheeks ughhhhhh how can he be so perfect its so unfair im swooning i swear to GOD he looks hot even when hes kicking me out of my own room which UNFAIR

A facebook notification pops up at the top of his phone screen in the middle of his rant.

Hunk Garrett tagged you in a post, it says.

Lance arches an eyebrow, “Huh.”

He taps it open.

Hunk Garrett is listening to the less i know the better, by tame impala i’d like to dedicate this song to my good pal Lance Martínez you know /why/ Pidge Holt and 5 others 

Pidge Holt  HOOOOOO BOY THE BURN THATS Y UR MY MAIN HO HUNK I LOVE U

Matthew Holt lol babe look at The Shade Takashi 

Takashi Shirogane Ah yes, that is indeed The Shade Of It All *scratches chin* Lance Martínez shiro i love u but dude ure embarrassing get off the internet Matthew Holt dont trash talk the baby lance Matthew Holt he’s sensitive Matthew Holt (ure adorable babe) Takashi Shirogane I take offence to that Lance Takashi Shirogane No more dog memes for you Lance Martínez NOOOOOO DAD NOT THE DOGGO MEMES Takashi Shirogane ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Pidge Holt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Hunk Garrett ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Matthew Holt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Lance Martínez u guys are absolute TRASH

Lance Martínez the WORST I TELL U WORST

Lance Martínez I NEED NEW FRIENDS ASAP 

Pidge Holt awwwwwwww lance i love u too Pidge Holt u can tell me everything later i’ll allow it Pidge Holt bring food Pidge Holt and redbull Pidge Holt tons of redbull Lance Martínez ure… ugh Lance Martínez i hate u Lance Martínez u tiny bird turd Pidge Holt URE tiny Lance Martínez GASP U TAKE THAT BACK Pidge Holt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Hunk Garrett ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Matthew Holt ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Takashi Shirogane ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Allura Ourania ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Lance Martínez LULU NOT U TOO Allura Ourania ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

11:35 A.M.

He’s avoiding the huge ass, one-sided, and glittery elephant in the room, he’s avoiding the fuck out of it. He’ll avoid the fuck out of it until it goes away, until it disappears for good, until it goes to fucking hell, until it’s burning in the fifth circle of hell.

He has no time for this.

This project is worth 40% of his grade.

His prof’s a mad man, yeah, but that’s how it is. He won’t flunk this class just because he can’t control his feelings.

He can’t, won’t, jeopardize his project just because of fucking feelings.

¡No, de ninguna puta manera! 

He needs a shower. 

And a joint. 

And coffee. 

Tons of coffee. 

But a shower first, then facials, then weed, then coffee.

Tons of coffee. 

He’ll also down a shot of tequila, because he’s feeling adventurous. 

(Reckless, he means reckless.)

1:45 P.M.

Lance’s minding his own business, stirring his way into his fifth?? possibly, probably, he’s not sure, cup of coffee, and stuffing his face with ham and pineapple pizza rolls in the kitchen after smoking a whole joint by himself in the bathroom, when he hears it. It is terrifying. A dull thud reverberates through the apartment, echoed by it; the most earth-shattering, ear-splitting shriek he’s ever heard.

“LANCE!”

He freezes, his heart plummets.

His spoon drops and clatters on the floor.

“LANCE, YOU’RE FUCKING DEAD,” the deity roars.

Lance squeaks like a fucking mice, and squats, hiding behind the counter.

Run. Pack your things and go, get out of town. Flee to Europe, change your name-

He presses his overheated cheek to the counter and sighs, so good. He grins wide.

Keith’s feet smack on the floor as he stomps, over-aggressively, I dare add, out of Lance’s room, “What the fuck did you do to my ass, you rotten egg?” His voice is louder now, much louder. Lance jumps mid giggle-fit, which sets him off into another one.

“ME!” Lance peers over the countertop and raises his hand, waving sluggishly and cackling, bloodshot eyes wide. Well, as wide as they can go, which, honestly, isn’t much, considering, “I DID THE FUCK! I PUT MY DICK IN - HAH - YOUR ASS! YOU LET ME - HAHAH - IT WAS WILD!”

Keith takes a long look at him and, like a flip has switched, his scowl melts and he bursts out laughing, his nose crinkling up. It’s so fucking adorable, Lance’s heart hurts. It burns. It screams in pain. Lance laughs the pain away like the idiot he is, or maybe just because he’s high as fuck. One can never be too sure, ya feel.

“I know that, you fucking stoner, I mean THE BRUISES.” He points at his bare hips, trying to catch his breath.

Lance’s eyes travel south.

Helloooo there, legs.

Wait, he went too far.

Go back two frames.

There, hips.

Lance blinks, and tries to open his eyes further. He can’t.

He blinks again.

Oh.

Ho boy, he did a number on the guy alright.

Also, this part is super wild, bare with him, it looks weirdly… beautiful? It’s gorgeous, actually. It’s a masterpiece, Lance is an artist.

The red and purple splotches scattered across Keith’s skin are… kind of blurring together in one big ass bruise, that reminds him oddly of the Milky Way. Lance fights hard against the white urge to draw an alien-head above Keith’s hipbone. Keith probably wouldn’t mind it, though. The nerd. Lance chuckles.

Keith clears his throat.

Lance flicks his eyes up at Keith, blinks languidly at him several times. Keith’s waiting for something, isn’t he? What is it again? He rakes his brain for an answer. It beeps.

Ah, yeah.

An answer, right. He needs to answer Keith, duh.

Lance cackles at his stupidity.

“Oh, that.” Lance wipes his eyes on his sleeve in between chuckles as he finally answers, sniffing. He braces his arms on the counter and pushes himself up on his feet, winking, “I’m not sorry about that.” He lies his torso on the counter, smooching his cheek against the cool surface, and shoots Keith a lopsided smile.

Keith shakes his head, “You’re an idiot.”

“Yeah, but you looooooove me,”  Lance sing-songs, finger gunning lazily with a grin.

Keith rolls his eyes fondly, and gets closer, dragging one of the stools from under the counter, and sitting down gingerly, wincing a little. His eyes flicker swiftly to something as he settles, before they land on Lance again. Keith frowns, “Should you be drinking coffee?”

Lance frowns back, puzzled, turning his head so he can look at his mug. “Shouldn’t I?” He wonders.

Keith leans over the counter, elbows propped up, and starts picking idly at one of the pizza rolls sitting pretty on the plate in front of him, “It doesn’t affect your high?”

Lance gasps. His pizza rolls. “No touching, you fugly mullet, it’s mineeeeee,” Lance whines, reaching forward and swatting Keith’s fugly hand away. He snatches the plate from Keith and brings it closer to himself, tucking it in between his arms, away from pizza roll-thieving mullets. Lance sticks out his tongue at him, before fitting two of the biggest rolls in his mouth. At the same time. For emphasis. His cheeks puff out.

Keith ducks his head to hide his grin. “You look like a chipmunk,” he comments nonchalantly, tapping his knuckles idly on the surface.

“Nhobowdshy ashkd yuh, Puhtrish,” Lance shoots back.

Keith rolls his eyes and flips him off with both hands, leaning back on his stool.

Lance flashes him the half-chewed food.

“Fuck, that’s gross.”

“Ah.” Lance struggles to swallow all of it dry, but manages, “I forgot to - clears throat - answer, coffee doesn’t affect my high much.” He shrugs, taking a bite off one of the rolls. Keith hums.

Lance swallows, “Pass me the straw, please. The long, bendy one.” He gestures a thumb back.

Keith slides from the stool in one smooth movement, makes his way around the counter and goes for the drawers. Lance hears as it slides open, “Which color?”

“Purple,” Lance answers over his shoulder.

He stretches his arm when Keith pulls the straw out and makes a grabby hand at him.

“Oh no, you don’t,” Keith holds the straw over his head.

“Gimme, or I’ll punch your di-I-i-aaAAAAAah,” he tries to steal the straw from Keith, but loses his footing and almost dives face-first into the cold, hard floor. “¡Coño!” He fumbles to keep upright, hooking a hand on the edge of the other side of the counter. Thank fuck for long fingers.

Lance manages to get his balance back by planting his feet firmly on the ground. Keith makes his way back to his stool, and once he’s settled, he hands Lance the straw already stretched. Keith’s lips quiver in a poorly concealed attempt not to laugh, eyes twinkling mirthfully.

Lance rolls his eyes as he throws the straw into his cup, propping himself on his elbow and resting his chin on his palm.

Keith makes gagging sounds, bangs falling on his eyes.

Lance ignores him in order to bring the straw to his lips with his free hand, and suck the coffee, swallowing in an obnoxiously loud gulp.  

Keith’s nose wrinkles in disgust. “You’re gross,” Keith comments, tucking his hair behind his ears.

“Thanks, I try,” Lance grins around his straw, then frowns at Keith’s bare chest. “Shouldn’t you put on some clothes, though?” Lance asks, eyes half-lidded, “It’s freezing, Keith.”

Keith raises an eyebrow, looking down. “Off-topic, but no, Lance, it’s not,” he shoots Lance a look, rubbing the bridge of his nose, “And how would you know, anyway? You’re high.”

“What’s this jealousy I’m feeling? There’s more, you know.” He pats the breast pocket of his sweatshirt with a dopey smile, and meets Keith’s eyes as he takes a sip, waggling his brows. He swallows and winks, “Don’t need to get all broody on me, grumpy pants.”

Keith hides his face on his arms and groans. Lance can see the blush rising on Keith’s neck, and allows himself a mental pat on the back as he pushes himself upright.

“Okay, let’s go,” Lance trots towards his bedroom.

3:32 P.M.

When they sober up enough to get stuff done, they throw themselves on the couch, legs tangled because why not, right? It’s not like Lance’s life makes any sense, anyway.

Lance with the camera in his hands and laptop on his stomach, Keith with his headphones around his ears, and one of his weird, edgy sci-fi books resting on his thighs.

Lance rests his head on the armrest and hits play.

Keith’s feet tap a comforting rhythm against Lance’s.

4:02 P.M.

Keith falls asleep against the couch, mouth slightly open.

Lance does a poor job at reducing the volume of his laughter at his dramatics on video. Even though Keith’s got his headphones on, Lance still manages to wake him up, and ends up getting kicked in the shin by a very rumpled, grumpy, and over-sized baby with a fugly mullet for that.

He tries not to laugh again.

…He fails miserably, and both his shins suffer.

Terribly.

4:30 P.M.

Because Lance has shit luck, and the universe is out to get him, they didn’t manage to catch Keith’s o-face on video. Life is unfair, God hates him, Jesus hates him, even Buddha must hate him, because this, right here, has got to be some sort of twisted divine punishment. Maybe it’s Karma, maybe he was a murderer in his past life, he doesn’t know. What he does know, though, is that this must be fixed.

“Dude,” he kneels on the couch and shakes Keith’s knee to wake him up, “Dude. DUDE!”

Keith’s eyes flutter open and he squints at Lance, blinking blearily, utterly confused.

Lance sits back on his heels and he offers Keith the camera, “Look.”

Keith, while frowning up at him, sits up and takes it. He yawns, unplugging his headphones from his phone and into the camera. He hits play.

Keith snaps the camera shut after about ten minutes, a furious blush burning his high cheekbones and the bridge of his nose. He still looks mildly confused, though, and astoundingly flustered, bringing his knees to his chest.

Lance bites on his bottom lip and heaves a huge breath. “We’ll have to tape chapter 1 again,” he clarifies.

Keith lifts an eyebrow, face still bright red, “Because…”

“I can’t see your face when you’re coming, dude.” Lance explains, waving his hands at the camera in exasperation, “That’s unacceptable, you know. really preposterous. I can’t have this, I can’t WRITE like this. This is a disaster. We gotta redo this, Keith. It’s a matter of life and death.” He grabs both Keith’s knees and shakes.

“But- I’m awake now, dipshit, quit shaking me,” He snaps, batting Lance’s hands away from his knees, “But… don’t you remember my face when I was actually coming yesterday?”

So, you see… remember when Lance mentioned he has shit luck, and the universe is out to get him, and some sort of divine punishment is being inflicted upon him? There’s another reason to back up that assessment.

They not only hadn’t caught Keith’s o-face on video, but he also didn’t get to see Keith’s o-face in living color yesterday because he had his fucking eyes closed. Which rude, Lance. That is just plain rude. There’s no excuses. That’s probably why God, Jesus, and Buddha hate you this much.

Lance hangs his head. “I- I had my eyes closed,” he confesses, accepting defeat.

“You’re hopeless.”

Lance’s head shoots up and he gasps, “Excuse!”

“No,” Keith stands up abruptly, almost kneeing Lance’s nose in the process.

Lance squawks and reels back, out of reach, eyes wide, “Wha-”

“Shut the fuck up, you dry raisin,” Keith glares accusingly at him and Lance flinches, “I’ll fix this.”

“Kei-”

Keith’s arm shoots up, and he points his index finger at Lance, thick eyebrows pinched. “Stay put,” he warns, waving his finger, “don’t fucking move, don’t breathe.”

Lance is too confused to react, or even say anything, so he just gapes.

“Just… stay there, I’ll be quick.”

Keith returns buck naked, with a dildo and the lube in hands.

Lance’s at a loss, he’s a loss for words, his sass is gone, along with his ability to form coherent thoughts. Keith has that effect on him, apparently. Keith always finds a way to give Lance whiplash.  

Keith dumps the stuff on the coffee table and turns his attention to Lance, he chuckles at what he sees there, “Shut your mouth, Lance, you’ll catch a fly.”

Lance finds his voice. “Wha-” he clears his throat, and shakes his head before continuing, “What the fuck?” (Eloquent.)

Keith rolls his eyes as he picks up the camera, “You’re gonna tape me as I touch myself.”

Keith hands Lance the camera.

“I don’t…” Lance takes it, still completely dumbfounded.

Keith cuts him off, “I told you I’d fix this, didn’t I? So this is me, fixing it.”

Something in Lance’s brain seems to click.

“Oh,” he replies dumbly.

Oh no, is what he means, no fucking way. He’s gonna die today.

Yup, today is the day.

“Okay, so…” Keith claps his hands, “scooch over, I need the space.”

Lance’s eyes widen, “You really gonna do this here? On the couch?”

“Is there a problem?”

Yes. There’s a ton of problems, actually. Not with Keith doing it on the couch, but still, there’s a problem. Tons of problems. These problems have problems. For one, Lance will probably die. For two, he can’t do this anymore. He can’t but he has to, and he will because his project is worth 40% of his final grade, he will because he has to. He has the moral duty to prove to Keith, and to himself, that he, as a matter of fact, can do this, even if he’ll end up hurt. Fuck his feelings.

“No, no, nope, no problem at all. I’m all up for jerking off on the couch, sign me the fuck up. It’s just…” Lance blows a raspberry, scratching the back of his head, looking around the room, uncertain. He can’t meet Keith’s eyes, “it looks too cramped, I think? I was just, uhm, thinking that maybe, I don’t know, you’d prefer doing this on a bed?”

Keith snorts, “Nah, it’s okay.”

Lance finally looks at him, searching his face, “You sure? Like, 100%?”

Keith rolls his eyes, “Yes Lance, don’t worry, just… keep the camera on me.”  

Lance sits upright, crisscrossing his legs, and points the camera at Keith.

[xadoheandterra]

@hail-to-the-damned replied to your post: Title: Salt and Sugar (Cont. 7) Fandoms: Overwatch...

Ana is a mother, that’s why she knows when someone lies to her! I actually almost cried on this chapter. It made me feel for Gabe, the poor guy :’( he needs more love. I love that Ana just basically ripped Jesses arm off!! :D so Gabe has a split personality that protects him by having this dark and cold entity take over when he’s to hurt. I love it!!!! Also I need to know what Sombra does to make the world quiet! That sounds interesting!!! Wonderful chapter I need more! It’s so good!!!!

YOU BET YOUR ASS THAT'S WHY. Woman not only had to essentially deal with grown ass men who acted like babies, but she has her own little one too. She's been mothering these jerks since the Omnic War, and it DEFINITELY helped her with Fareeha in those early days (and later raising Fareeha helped her with the boys) SO YUP.

Yeah Gabe needs some TLC. Also have I mentioned Ana is badass?

For Gabe Reaper isn't so much as a split personality as more Gabe is disassociating hardcore. I'm not really 100% knowledgeable on the psychology behind split personalities, but from what I understand alters tend to be born when a person is young. While there is a chance that Reaper MIGHT (and I'm stressing this, mostly due to bits and pieces that have cropped up in Salt and Sugar so far) be a potential alter for Gabriel, it's far more likely that it's Gabriel disassociating and hiding his actions behind another 'identity' so to speak.

I know disassociation. I...tend to do that myself sometimes. Especially when things get overwhelming. One of my longstanding, unhelpful coping mechanisms that was a precursor to severe disassociation on my part was to imagine myself in a padded room incapable of feeling anything when I got overwhelmed with my own emotions.

What Gabriel has done here is similar, because the best I can do is draw upon my own experiences with my own mental health, or what I've learned in exploring my own mental health about other disabilities and issues.

I actually have a lot of headcanons about Gabriel/Reaper as a whole beyond SEP. Same with Jack.

Personally I think Jack's a self-entitled asshole and Reaper/Gabriel is a murderous, bitter, in need of some major anger management fuckwad. I honestly don't have high opinions on EITHER character despite that I love them so. My headcanons are more there to align their current selves in Overwatch canon with presumed fanon in regards to background, and unreliable narrative in regards to their relationship provided in canon from media sources.

I say unreliable narrative because most of what we know about Switzerland and the whole HQ blowing up IS ONLY from media in canon, and we all know what media is honestly like...at least in america. I know there are some laws that control what is written elsewhere, but there is enough to media that makes me distrust about 85% of what it says, and consider it to be a source of "unreliable narrative" overall.

For headcanons into Reaper I have to saw I've taken a lot of inspiration from other fanfics. There's one that's a "five times Sombra hacked Reaper" story that is where I draw in the whole Sombra can hack nanites involved in a person idea, alongside the Sombra "quieting" the world for Reaper that's mentioned. It's a good, cute read. Found it on AO3, can't remember the name of it for the life of me.

Another was a time travel story -- resurrection tech that Overwatch had broke down, so Winston made a time travel device based upon the chronal accelerator. Jack was to go back and steal documents from the HQ before it exploded. Reaper ended up being sent in to kick the OW agent out and steal the information himself. It turned into a huge mess, Jack and Reaper were forced to work together, Jack essentially committed suicide and fucked up the timeline. It was a break-it, fix-it story that was beautiful as it was painful. I got my ideas on Talon and brainwashing/reconditioning there. I definitely headcanon that Talon had something to do with Reaper's revival. Also that Talon had something to do with Overwatch's destruction, and the introduction of the Petras act. A lot of 'Talon's fingers in different pies' deal I'm pulling from Sombra's "Conspiracy Theory" that has that one central controlling factor. We have no idea who or what that is (it looks like an eye to me, which...has worrying implications) but we can see the branches off of it in her introduction and how they're controlling shit.

Including, it seems implied, Reaper.

I also like the idea of body-horror/monster Reaper. That sometimes his face forgets its a face, or sometimes he gets extra limbs (another good fix-it story has literal extra limbs and explains the odd back brace thing as a way to help hold him together--again I can't for the life of me remember the name--I might be able to find it on my subscriptions on AO3 though if given time) and the whole he has to eat souls to fix himself up came from that place too....

A lot of my headcanon are mixes of information we've gotten, theorizing, and seeing some brilliant fucking stories to pull inspiration from. Or people dropping some "LOOK AT THIS" stuff on me.

I will say this: there is definitely something up with Reaper and being dead/revived as a thing. You look at the exposed part of his arms and he's ash colored, not dark like he looks as Gabriel Reyes. I have a few things working for that too, especially in regards to headcanons post Switzerland (damage caused by the explosion, portions of him that might've been completely lost and had to be rebuilt from nanites, etc)

I have ideas and theories behind is powers and how he's Reaper now, too, but those theories shift a little between Salt and Sugar (a strictly non-magical story) and Wanted (where HP elements can mix things up and make them work!)

The basic deal is it'd take me forever to write down all of my headcanons, especially in regards to Gabriel (or even 76, the Shimada's, Jesse....) but I'd be happy to toss out some headcanon posts on them when I can get my thoughts organized enough (keep bothering me about it; that'll remind me I said I'd do this XD)

For the basics though:

Switzerland DID kill Gabriel Reyes. and he WAS revived (Mercy, Talon, some combination thereof) Gabriel Reyes came back WRONG (his nanites didn't take right, the SEP injections fucked shit up in the resurrection process, too much of him was lost etc) Reaper is a mix of severe disassociation of self and brainwashing/reconditioning (Talon, PTSD effects, revival problems, unable to handle how fucked up his life currently is) Reaper is roughly 75-85% nanites now that shifts shape way too easily Reaper runs with too many eyes/teeth/limbs to completely losing shape when emotions are extremely high Sombra helps provide "maintenance" He's got long hair and an undercut (because I FUCKING LOVE UNDERCUTS guh; also see long haired gabe fanart fuuuuuuck me up) Reaper's right side is the side most fucked up / damaged from the explosion and tends not to recover even when he's properly "fed" himself Reaper IS blind in one eye (his right)

Those are the basics. ;p