#how it happaned where i was in that moment

[poppy-purpura]

wait how i missed info about lyss's oc

i will draw something better but for now i have only this

[lectric0onme]

just remembered of a thing I started but never ended on The View Between Villages (by Noah Kahan) as Remus' song when he's getting back to Hogwarts.

Still a draft tbh

"Air in my lungs ‘til the road begins As the last of the bus leave their homes again He eventually had got himself to quit it, the smoking habit, for so many years; how many? ten?, twelve maybe. Those years where he had tried to quit everything that held memories in it. Everything that even slightly could bring him back to images of his past.

He found himself agreeing that forgetting, or at least pretending to forget, could be his only salvation. Because he couldn’t take it.

Of course he fucking couldn’t. You know what fucking happaned.

But here he was again. with a rolled cigarette between his fingers, close to his face. And, oh if everything was as easy as this! Smooth and controlled movements of poisonous air slipping through his lips.

It's not that he was ready to face it all together again, surely he wasn't. He knew it, everyone knew it, even Dumbledore had to know it.

When things like that happen to people; when you're left alone, so alone and in so much pain that even being remembered every month of the monster that's in you isn’t as big of a problem, and when betrayal happens to people, that type of betrayal that leaves you broken and shattered as those bottles of alcohol on the kitchen floor, it’s not something that can go away in a lifetime.

Remus doesn't know how many more lives he’ll have to live for the ache to go away.

It's also true that you grow to be grateful for it, because you reach a certain point where you know that pain is the only thing keeping the sharp pieces of your heart together. And, if you still have a little bit of rationality in you, you’re fucking grateful for it because you don’t want yourself to get lost. so fucking lost as in Barty Crouch Jr lost. But so, yeah, he was smoking, waiting for all the students to finally get on the train. And he was proud of himself because he wasn’t thinking about Them (yet). Even though he had been away from the Wizarding World for so long, away from all the lazy magic and snob looking robes, he had controlled himself not to think of Them now that he had it all in front of him again.

He was 'just annoyed to go to work', that’s what Remus said to himself. And I’m splittin’ the road down the middle For a minute, the world seemed so simple And he tried to keep his mind cool, of course he did. He was so deeply thinking of not thinking about it, about Them.

He got on the train and found an empty carriage; he sat, without thinking of how empty it was and how it was different and how it could have never been the same again because all his friends, well, all his friends were d–; anyway. He took his coat off, he sighed, he closed his eyes for a moment forcing himself to relax.

He couldn’t get emotional, he had to repeat to himself how the things really were. By now he had become good at forcing himself to think of his life as split in two, and he realized that in this way everything felt easier. He had learnt how to distance himself from his past life.

So, he thought, it’s easy, repeat it. you had a great life, love, happiness, your friends brought these things to you. But now they are gone, and it’s been long since it happened. You’re not that person anymore. Don’t think about them, he encouraged himself, because they’re not here. They are all dead.

(well not all of them but he preferred thinking it this way, it’s easy to think about Him as something that no longer existed in those same places).

So it was easy, wasn’t it? We had been happy and now he wasn’t anymore, because he was alone. Simple, right?

Of course not. Feel the rush of my blood, I’m seventeen again The train is now moving and the carriage has never been this quiet. And it will never be not quiet again. Remus can feel himself starting to lose his cool.

His mind starts floating back to all the little moments that happened here. He can smell the chocolate frogs being unwrapped, he sees the rolled eyes at bad jokes and recals the shyness of talking about his summer.

He lives through all of that again. and it brings him chills. I’m not scared of death, I’ve got dreams again He didn’t want to, but as he nostalgically feels all that (now gone) love again he can’t stop himself from confronting it to what he has now.

Because, once, he had dreams. He had dreams because he had people he would have liked to realize them with. He had the fucking love of his life by his side, for god’s sake! He dreamt of a warm summer in a cottage back in Wales and a cozy winter in some pubs in 'Muggle' London. With Him.

But now, of course, he doesn’t have dreams anymore. How can a man dream when he can barely live?

And of course he is not scared of death, he is alone here, he hasn’t something worth living for. Actually he hopes for it. He hopes death will come to him him by surprise and hold him gently and never stopping.

And it’s not that he didn’t thought of “forcing” it on himself. He just didn’t want to be like his fucking father. It’s just me and the curve of the valley And there is meanin’ on Earth, I’m happy Again, Remus thinks of the differences. And, yeah he’s nostalgic but he has control over what he's thinking. He is rationalizing it. It’s still easy because he has his life split in two.

A long time ago he was happy. his friends, their love, made him happy. Remus knows that he is cursed, he knows that without them, alone, he would have never found peace. He was grateful for them. he loved them so fucking much because they were his entire life. They were his meaning of everything.

But now, as he lazily brings his eyes on the scratched window on his side, he can not ignore how lonely and far away that feels.

He is alone, in the place where everything good in his life had started. The place that for six years he thought of as the train that reunited all of the people he loved. But now he only is there, alone. Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh Oh, oh, oh And so he keeps his eyes focused on the landscapes passing by. He should probably fall asleep. He's not scared of nightmares anymore. Yes, he should probably close his eyes, stop watching outside the window.

But, oh.. Passed Alger Brook Road, I’m over the bridge A minute from home, but I feel so far from it...

That's it (for now, maybe??), thanks.

[saltynsassy31]

Part 2 of this fic for @mossy-fruit

It was not supposed to have a part two, but in a hurry to get into class, I failed to check if I had saved it in drafts and accidentally posted it TwT

Anyways, enjoy :,D 👍

Genre - comedy

His mind was racing, Patch had never had this happen before! It's not like people dying right on his couch was common, he didn't want it to become a common occurrence either, who'd want that, really? Only a sicko would.

He will have to start thinking of other ways of doing this type of trading, he doesn't want to be responsible for burying randos that decide his workshop was a good grave. But he couldn't help himself but wonder what had caused him to die? It was so sudden, a heart attack maybe? He didn't know, he wasn't a medic.

Though, amidst his panic he had failed to notice the distinct lack any rotting smell of a deceased body as he placed the shovel down and began to pick up Orca to begin dragging him outside, where his new home would be, six feet underground.

Not that that would be new for Orca, he's been further down, but Patch didn't know that.

As he began to wrap his hands under the other's armpits there was a sudden jolt that made Patch freeze.

"Huh....?" Orca softly breathed out, confused at the sudden movement, he rubbed his eyes as he let out a yawn. "Ugh, did I fall asleep?" He mumbled before looking down on the floor. "Is that a shovel?" He asked, ignoring, or maybe not even noticing Patch holding him.

Once the situation finally settled in, Patch let out the loudest, most blood curdling scream as he basically flew to the otherside of the room. "PLEASE, DON'T EAT MY BRAINS, ITS NOT THAT GOOD!"

Orca had to pause for a moment to understand the situation at hand, and once he had, he had become immediately flustered but his expression remained cold and unchanging. "I'm not a zombie." Although he had tried to sound reassuring, he sounded anything but, which didn't really help the situation.

"B-but yo-you were, were... your pulse! It was g-gon--" Patch fumbled with his words, Orca raising a brow at him expectantly as he got up to help the poor inkling back to his feet, but as soon as he reached a hand over, Patch quickly grabbed it and tried to search for that missing pulse but his heart dropped to his ass once he realised, "it's still gone...."

Orca quickly pulled away from his grasp, rubbing his wrist as his face flushed in embarrassment. "I just have a weak pulse, okay? It's there, just really hard to find." He said, almost spitting out the words, the audacity Patch had to ask that!

"What? But what about the lack of breathing? Your freezing to the touch skin? And no matter how much I shook you, you didn't wake up!" Patch asked exasperated as he pushed his shaky body to a standing position.

"My breathing is very shallow when I sleep and I'm a naturally cold person! As well as a heavy sleeper." Orca tried to defend.

Patch started to get slightly annoyed at the situation now that the initial shock was gone. "So like a medical condition?"

"You could.....say that."

Patch huffed. "Weird medical condition but fine, I know to call the hospital next time."

Orca's eyes widened, panic clearly setting in. "DON'T!"

The yell made Patch jump, startled, making Orca quickly retract. "I mean, um, just, you don't need to, it's not fatal and this won't happen next time, I was just tired and closed my eyes for a moment, I didn't expect to actually sleep. I'm sorry."

An awkward silence fell between the two, the atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife. "Sooooo, about your weapon."

"Right, yes."

They made the exchange quick and easy, neither saying a word to each other, not the fact that Orca had partially lied and not the fact that Patch was going to bury him alive.

And when Orca returned the next week? Well, nothing happaned before, why should they worry?

End

[am-i-sans]

dnd adventures 31

cam returns from eeby deeby and lands on undyne! they apologize for landing on her and fall to the ground. undyne tells them to scram cause she wants to be alone. cam heads back to the shop.

frog is still resting on dans. suzy is still crabby. cam tells us what happaned. frog says they should go have fun. frog goes to a random person and asks if theres anything fun around here.

they dont know they just got here, why is that building destroyed? frog tells them about the zombies lol. shes like 'really? where did they come from?' cam says it was a necromancer. 'well thats a bother.' dans is still zoned out. cam tries to think of what to do.

she calls herself annika crow and walks off ok cool. museum? dinosaurs cool! dans is still zoned in the shoe shop oh no they just left him. the kids are in the dino petting zoo. frog can talk to the dinos! tori also talks to them lol. one if the dinos preens cam.

undyne cools off and now is lost again dammit. she got a crit she finds the dinos! meanwhile dans was wandering the city in a daze. a guy runs up to him. he looks like a normal guy but somethings off. he hands dans something and then leaves. dans checks for anything sus. its a brown package and has a weird staticy magical energy he hasnt felt before.

dans opens it. theres a foldable wooden board and an envelope with no signature. in the envelope is a jack of clubs! with a weird shine.

its dess why?! dans reads a letter inside, their instructions. typewriter? 'unfold the board on a flat surface, put the card face up' dans looks around then finds a spot to put the board down. the card turns black! dess pops up out of nowhere?! 'oh im back here. hi.' dans is fucking flabbergasted. 'did you hop out of the card or something?' 'yeah kinda thats employee storage.' 'does that...hurt? are you conscious?' 'nah the last thing i saw i fell to the ground so i guess i was put away.' 'so no eeby deeby?' '...what?' 'did you get your egg?' 'no. i think? now when i got put in the card.'

dans blinks a bunch then slowly tells dess what they missed. 'thats a lot of stuff. sorry im out of it.' dans says to find the others and get them some food. dess tells him to keep the board and stuff and into the bag it goes. we find the dinos!

undyne looks at the dinos and says cool your here and dinos are here nice. she just needed a moment to cool down. she asks if they let you fight dinos here. cam says she isnt allowed to fight dinos cause she would kill them immediately. 'id only knock them out!' tori offers to be a dino if needed. frog is stoked their mom can be a dino lol. tori says she feels smart when she talks to undyne lol.

attika speaks up and asks how you can be a dinosaur? undyne starts asking if she can turn into various plants and her lol. shes now a 9 ft tall undyne lol. now 11ft sksksk. now she picks up undyne lol. cam says she could pick up undyne oh no. dans and dess walks in as undyne is taking off her armor lol.

'uhhh dess is back did we...miss something?' undyne says whats going on and dans gives cam a sly look. oh no undyne is gonna run at her. tori waves at dans as she shrinks to normal. CAM FUCKING DID IT THEY CAUGHT UNDYNE LETS FUCKING GOOOO!!! they forget cam is a fighter lol. 'its not the size' says dess lol. frog tosses confetti hehehe. tori is mildly shocked. undyne tells cam to yeet her at suzy. 'dont break her undyne' undyne crushes suzy oh no lol. suzy cant even shove her off. she finally gets her off and kicks her.

now undyne asks tori oh no. she sighs and agrees. yes she caught her! annika speaks up and says they should stop cause this is a museum. dans is just smiling fondly at them. oh no. undyne. no. nonono. oh no. 'do you wanna be the reason god says yes?' tori throws her at dans oh god. HE GOT A FUCKING CRIT! hes just like how did this happen? she reaches down and fucking picks him up shes pumped now lol. then she puts her armor back on.

so whats the plan? that artifact right. undyne finally notices dess lol. dans says dess teleported in but we assume its weird eeby deeby shit. dans is fucking attuned to dess's board so shes stuck with him wtf. hes gonna be horrifed when he realizes lol.

annika perks up and asks about the artifact. cam asks if she studies magical items. she says magic in general, recently graduated. undyne shows her and annika asks to come along cause she might know of it. undyne tells her its dangerous and some of us have even died and she cant guarantee her safety. also we have a curse where we get stuck lol. annika says shes been in danger before so its fine. undyne calls dibs on the artifact but says she can come.

time to get on soupnik! annika is surprised to see them and undyne explains its her spiritual summon. tori asks if shes sure she wants to stick with us. shes studying soupnik now lol. frog actually introduces themself and blobbo to annika.

tori asks what field she was in. evocation. hmm. vani crawls forward and curls up against annika. we eventually land cause its dark and they need to rest. dans is making dinner. were in a swamp gross. vani is chasing a frog. not our frog like the animal. tori argues with undyne that no she cant magic the water away. undyne asks dans whats for din-din. dans is still kinda out of it and says its sliders.

frog is playing with blobbo who is now splashing around in the swamp lol. so is suzy lol. annika is reading after failing to help with the fire. dans told the local bugs to fuck off lol. tori for fun casts detect magic. she senses something weird in dans backpack hmmm. but she doesnt bring it up cause he IS a warlock.

suzy calls out to cam and throws a mudball at them! cam screeches and ducks under the log after it hits lol. undyne laughs and chokes a bit. cam yells that their shirt is ruined but dans yells they have magic for that. cam yells about the mental toll. dans tells them to throw back but cam says they dont like to get dirty. 'your already dirty.' 'fuck off.' suzy grabs cam and drags them into the swamp. undyne sighs and goes after them and picks them up.

suzy keeps trying to drag them into the swamp. undyne just picks her up too lol. suzy is just feral i swear. undyne offers to play in the mud if she lets go. now its on! cam goes and clings to dans and he sighs and uses presti. cam says they have something to tell dans. its a jar full of those feathers they pulled off of themselves. they say dans has no hair. cam wanted to braid them into his hair but the beard will do.

cam says its a social thing. if your close to someone you give them a feather. an old legend said the feather let the other person have influence over them. cam is a halfling but growing those feathers was so exciting. why is everyone giving dans influence over them lately lol. its to establish a connection aww they wanna share with everyone. dans gets misty eyed and says he would like that very much. cam combs through it and braids a feather into it.

cam looks at undyne and says she needs presti before getting a feather. undyne is too busy wrestling in the mud to notice lol. time to brain tori! then frog! frog gives cam a cool rock.

undyne finally wins and their both exhausted. dans cleans her off with presti, the most useful skill.

moss had to go so we had to stop.

[sailormoonfan32]

A simple accident (Part 1)

Classes were going smoothly that day as you were returning to Ramshackle dorm that day until you heard from one of the teachers that an accident had happaned in Alchemy that day as you had rushed to the alchemy classroom as you saw 5 tiny childern on the ground.

“Huh? Why do i see Childern that look so similar to my Heartslabyul friends...?” You hummed out as you got tackled by them onto the ground.

Riddle was holding your arm tightly in his as he’d look towards you before walking towards you as he’d still be clinging to your arm as he’d look at you with puppy dog eyes.

“....R-Riddle...?! How did you end up like a child?! and where are the others?!” You had stuttered out briefly before looking around.

“..Y-Y/N! Some Savanaclaw student just dropped a potion on all of us and we were aged down to the size of childern! Please take care of us until we’re our normal sizes again!” Riddle had let out a cute small huff of annoyance.

“Alright Alright Riddle...But where are the others...? Don’t tell me they’re roaming around the school...the headmage will not be happy about this if he finds out i allowed your dormmates to get away...!” You had quickly picked up Riddle and ran out of the alchemy classroom to find the others.

Ace was grabbing art suppiles from spaces where he can find stuff as he began to draw all over the school walls happily without Riddle stopping him as he’d giggle enjoying it.

You on the other hand had grabbed Ace by the back as you’d slap him hardly leaving Ace crying on the ground like a child as you had smirked before setting down Riddle to give Ace a scolding.

Riddle had crossed his arms before letting out yet another annoyed huff as he’d glare towards. “We’ll be in Y/N’s care for the time being and you’ll have to be on your best Trappola or your going to be slapped!” Riddle had stated clearly for you.

“Riddle is excatly right dear Ace~” You hummed out before snickering as you picked up Riddle and Ace as you left to find the other 3 to bring them back to Ramshackle with you until they turn back to normal.

Of course next you had to search for Trey and you knew excatly where he’d be as you went into the cafeteria kitchen as you had quickly picked him up off the ground as you crossed your arms.

“Huh...?! Y-Y/N! Your so big compared to me!” Trey had looked shocked as you quietly giggled to yourself.

Next it was the course to find Cater of course you had a good feeling of where Cater would be as you had headed to the closest shop near campus where of course you saw Cater trying out all the new phone models as you had quickly picked up Cater.

“No phones for you Cater...! Your too young for those right now...!” You had scolded Cater before leaving to find the final member of your heartslabyul boys.

You had no clue where Deuce would be so you had decided to check Ramshackle because you had a feeling you would find Deuce there and guess what? You were correct

When you entered Ramshackle and setted down the other 4 members you looked up and saw Deuce on the couch watching TV in that moment as he waved towards you happily.

“....Welp....Guess I’m a mom now til my percious boys are back to normal.....” You letted out a sigh of defeat.

[ratabrasileira]

Proving that Feysand x Helion had sex.

I'm rereading ACOSF and now I can say with 100% of certain that they had sex between the timeline of ACOFAS and ACOSF.

Don't believe? C'mon let's go, we will enter in ACOSF rigth now.

Helion grinned at Feyre, who’d watched the stallion soar into the clouds with wide eyes. He said, “I’ll take you on a ride if you wish.”

Of course, it was implicit that Helion would let Feyre ride him, the story of her riding on the pegasus was just a innuendo to repeat what they had, but SJM didn't let it explicit so we wouldn't take our focus off Nessian. Now, what shows that they had sex before that scene? Just pay attention that he grinned to her.

Helion’s eyes widened, going right to her middle, where her hand now rested against the small swelling. He let out a laugh. “So this is why you needed to learn about impenetrable shields, Rhysand.” Helion leaned in to kiss Feyre’s cheek. “My congratulations to you both.”

Here, here: he is kissing her cheek. Does Rhys appear to be annoyied about it? No!

Helion smirked, picking an invisible fleck of lint from his draped white robe, then faced Rhys. His dark brown skin gleamed over the strong muscles of his bare thighs and legs, the golden sandals that laced up his calves useless in the snowcapped terrain around them. (...) The male drawled to Rhys, “Well? You wanted me to do some digging into a spell? Or was that an excuse to get me to your twisted pleasure palace under this mountain?”

Do I need to explain this one? Really? It's obvious that they had something, but if you still thinking that they didn't: why would SJM put that Helion's skin gleamed after he faced Rhys? More: "Or was that an excuse to get me to your twisted pleasure palace under this mountain?" Here we can clearly see that their first time happaned under the pretext of doing some other thing and turned out that THEY HAD SEX IN THE HEWN CITY. Such dirty High Lords and Lady.

Rhys sighed. “Please don’t make me regret bringing you here, Helion.” Helion’s golden eyes lit. “Where would the fun be if I didn’t?” Feyre linked her arm through his. “I missed you, my friend.” Helion patted her hand. “I’ll deny it to the grave if you tell anyone, but I missed you too, Cursebreaker.”

Please, this part exhales: we had sex.

Nothing in the Hewn City had seemed to disturb him until that moment. Not the towering black pillars and their carvings, not the wicked people who occupied it, not the utter darkness of the place.

Of course it didn't, Cass silly, it's because he had already been there doing some dirty stuff!

So now you say: "omg naah why helion?" or "this is bullshit you're so dumb" about latter: dumb I may be, but I'm proudly dumb for Feysand + Helion.

Anyways, even in ACOWAR we had some foreshadows that it would happen!

The three of them in bed ... with him? I must have been blinking like a fool because Rhys said to me, Helion favors both males and females. Usually together in his bed. And has been hounding after that trio for centuries. I considered—Helion’s beauty and the others ... Why the hell haven’t they said yes? Rhys barked a laugh that had all of them looking at him with raised brows. My mate just came up behind me and slid his arms around my waist, pressing a kiss to my neck. Would you like someone to join us in bed, Feyre darling? My skin stretched tight over my bones at the tone, the suggestion. You’re incorrigible. I think you’d like two males worshipping you. My toes curled.

Guysssss. I even dare to say that maybe Azriel joined them! It was already settled! And if Rhysand, Feyre's mate (mate who is supposed to know everything about each other) thinks that she would like that, who are you to say no?!

But I didn't answerd: why Helion? Well, let's see here:

Helion drew his gaze from Mor long enough to ask Rhys, “You and pretty Tarquin had a moment today. Do you truly think he’ll join us?” “If you mean in bed, definitely not,” Rhys said with a wry smile as he again sprawled on his spread of cushions. “But if you mean in this war ... Yes. I believe he means to fight. Beron, on the other hand ...”

Don't make a fool of yourself, of course they had something in the past so it's logical that he will invite Helion to have sex with him and his mate since Helion is the most trusthfull! (Maybe latter they will invite pretty Tarquin)

So here ends my analysis, but now I have a great question that may change the course of what we are expeting for:

What if Nyx is actually Helion's son?

"Oh but Nyx was born with wings" So what? Feyre was having sex with wings that explain things! "Oh but it's clearly Rhysand" Well we though that Lucien was Beron's son until ACOWAR came, unh

AND OMG HOW WOULD LUCIEN FEEL ABOUT IT??

[dreamersleeps]

Helloo! I really liked your last post on Endeavor being Ra and all of your posts about myths. It reminded me of something someone told me once. They said that myths are intriguing since they teach us lessons. The gods act no different than us. They make mistakes and these things are told through stories. One of the things they told me was how underworld myths usually mean to accept the past. Your post makes think that it represents Endeavor accepting the past and then being born again.

Hello hello, I am really happy to know that you really liked the Endeavor and Ra post, including my other ones! Thank you for sending in your comments, they’re very interesting. Before anything else, I’d like to apologize for responding so late. I took some extra time to think about how I wanted to reply to your comments. This post ended up becoming super long as well (mostly because of the images). 

As you state, I love reading through myths and stories because the majority of them contain lessons for us. You are right when you state that the gods act no different than us, and because of that they make mistakes. Although the numbers who worship and take part in some of these polytheistic religions have greatly diminished over the course of history, in the present time we like to explore these stories and continue to be influenced by them. It is because of their human mistakes that sometimes we even relate to these gods and goddesses. These stories capture our imagination and I’m sure plenty of us have once had daydreams of being a demigod or another mythical figure/creature. 

I do think that the High End vs Endeavor fight was a pivotal moment where Endeavor confronts himself, begins to face the past, and is thus “born again.” The depiction of Hawks and Endeavor’s quirks combined together, of flaming wings had a phoenix like imagery to it. 

Although Endeavor is “born again” it of course does not mean that he is free from all the horrible things he did to his family. It does not mean a new, fresh start. I think that him being “born again” here represents symbolically that he has made an internal change of mind, accepting a different perspective (although to what extent is up for debate). Phoenixes do not d/ie and resurrect once. Similar to how the sun rises and sets everyday, the phoenix lives a cyclical life of d/eath and rebirth. 

I did not know that underworld myths can be tied with accepting the past. If that is true than it definitely does relate back to some of the things I was talking about in my Ra post. So yes, the High End vs Endeavor fight was a very important moment for Endeavor. In a sense, he is “born again” but not with the fresh start it suggests. If he has begun to accept the past what does this mean and how might the next step look like? 

As readers, we all bring very different past experiences and beliefs to the table, and that’s the thing about life. We all think differently. The majority of people have valid reasons as to why they think they do, however I am very much against all the attacking, insulting and discourse that have emerged over Endeavor’s character. 

Personally, on the topic of redemption: I believe that Endeavor will most likely not be redeemed. This is something that he too also believes. However at the same time while we may have opinions, the question of redemption is not for us to really answer. We are mere observers. 

I’ve wanted to do a close read of a certain group of chapters during the Internship Arc for a while. Of course if you don’t agree with what I have to say here or are not interested, than that’s fine. This “analysis” is not written in defense of Endeavor but to take a closer look at how Horikoshi’s been developing and writing him. If anything, please take any excitement you may detect in my writing as my love for “analyzing” and sharing my thoughts.

Chapters 249 through 252 are important chapters after the High End vs Endeavor fight that delve further in to his thoughts and his family’s thoughts as well. You can do a close reading of many of the pages in these chapters but I will only focus on some of Endeavor’s own inner thoughts. 

Unfortunately, since I can not read the raw Japanese text, I’m building everything on top of the “official” English translations so please keep that in mind. If the nuances in the translations are off or lost in translation, then my interpretations may be “wrong.” (Btw, I’m only like 95% sure that the panels I’m using below are all from the official English translation). 

Let’s begin. The two panels below are from Chapter 249 titled “The Hellish Todoroki Family.”

“I’m trying to make amends... going forward.” The “going forward’ definitely suggests that there was some sort of turning point either during the High End fight or shortly after. The definition of amends in the dictionary is:

reparation for compensation for a loss, damage, or injury of any kind

“It might be too late... but I fall asleep every night thinking about... what I can do for my family.” Endeavor expresses that he falls asleep every night thinking about what he can do for his family. We can only take him for his word but keep in mind that these are his inner thoughts. He isn’t talking to anyone but to himself. I acknowledges that it may be too late for him to do anything, all the damage he’s caused. Despite realizing that there’s a good chance that there’s nothing he can do to amend anything, he still thinks about it.

“Lately, it’s been the same dream. The wife and kids, looking happy... at the dinner table. But I’m... never there with them.” Here he states that he’s been dreaming the same dream. This means that it’s been heavy on his mind. In his dream, his family is happy and he is not there with them. Perhaps he believes that their happiness can only become a reality if he is taken out of the picture. 

Now let’s jump to Chapter 252, titled “The Unforgiven.” These panels occur after Natsuo is kidnapped by Ending, and he is rescued by the teamwork of Bakugo, Midoriya and Shouto after Endeavor hesitates and fails to do so. 

Endeavor had his flames on while they’re after Ending but he gets rid of them right before or when he catches Natsuo and Bakugo. So Endeavor usually has his flames on and that’s how we saw him depicted until around the High End fight and onwards, where we see him more without his flames. 

(This has nothing to do with the analysis but this has to be one of my favorite interactions between Endeavor and Bakugo. He does not hesitate to make comments and remarks... hahaha, gets me every time.) 

“Natsuo. Believe it or not... I was never trying to neglect any of you.” Well first of all, Endeavor saying that he was never trying to neglect any of his children is a big slap in the face and to be honest I’m appalled that he states that. Ultimately, it may be absolutely one hundred percent true that he means what he states, however whatever his thoughts may have been, Endeavor neglected them. Period.

Let’s look at Endeavor’s body language. His eyes are cast towards the ground as he can not meet Natsuo’s eyes when he gives his “confession” and it looks like his upper body is bowing towards Natsuo. 

Just in general based on what I’ve read and from my own experiences, bowing is practiced for the purposes of respect, courtesy or apology. Typically it is the younger person who bows to the older person or someone from a “lower” position bowing to someone from a “higher” position. Part of Natsuo’s expression of surprise in the left most panel probably has to do with both the words that are coming out of his father’s mouth and the fact that Endeavor is bowing his head down towards him. 

“But... all I could do was blame others and dodge responsibility. WIth Toya too... I might as well have killed him myself!” Here he admits that for a while he’d place the blame on others and dodge responsibility, including with what happaned to Touya. He admits that he may as well have killed Touya himself. Personally when I first was reading this, it was actually very interesting to see Endeavor confess these things. Isn’t it kind of surprising to see that he’s admitting to all this instead of continuing to be a character who ignores and refuses to recognize faults and consequences of his actions? Or is it just me. 

Natsuo responds with “Didn’t neglect us...? So what...? Toya has always told me everything. It’ll be a cold day in hell... before I forgive you. Cuz I’m not as caring as Shouto.” Natsuo states that “it’ll be a cold day in hell” before he forgives Endeavor. A “cold day in hell” is an idiom meaning: the time of occurrence of an event that will never happen. It looks like he’s kind of smiling probably at how absurd his father’s confession sounds and his eyes are tearing up, a reaction to his sudden confession. He brings up Touya and the estranged state that their family had been living since for possibly as long as he could remember. 

“Even so... Even so... you keep showing up for Fuyumi right? And for your mom’s sake?” Here Endeavor’s addressing Natsuo’s statement claiming that he’s “not as caring as Shouto.” Forgiveness is one of those things we are told that we need to do at some point and if we don’t, that it says something about our character. The one who forgives is the one who has had wrong done to and it takes a lot for someone to give forgiveness after all that has been done. So here, Natsuo says that he can not forgive Endeavor because he is not as caring as Shouto but I feel like there’s also a part of Natsuo that feels like he could be a bad person if he can not forgive. 

Endeavor’s response is to tell him that despite what Natsuo thinks of himself, the fact that Natsuo continues to show up and try to do things that he doesn’t want to do because he cares about Fuyumi and his mother speaks otherwise. Notice the faded background in this panel as well. Btw, here we can see that Endeavor is indeed kneeling in front of Natsuo. They both are sitting on the ground, together, close to eye level but not quite. 

“Your sister loves the idea of being a big happy family... because... that’s exactly what I ruined. She wants that back... she’s so eager to fix everything. And that’s why YOU’RE trying at all. Because you care about how she feels right...?” Each of the Todorokis have different feelings and perspectives about Endeavor. For example, Fuyumi wants to be a “big happy family” which Endeavor acknowledges and claims responsibility for ruining. Even though Natsuo may not want what Fuyumi hopes for, he still comes to visit home despite if Endeavor is there because he cares about his sister. 

“Because you ARE caring. So...” Endeavor states that Natsuo is a caring person. He’s been watching what Natsuo will do for Fuyumi and his mother because of how much he cares about them. Another thing that stands out to me in the English translation is that Endeavor says, “Because you are caring” not just “You are caring.”

Shout out to the guy in the car (o_o)

“You’re getting yourself to be able to forgive him. Because you’re so caring.” In response to Endeavor’s counter that, no Natsuo IS caring, Natsuo responds to this by thinking back to Midoriya’s earlier conversation with Shouto when they were cleaning up the dishes after dinner. Midoriya is someone who does not know about the Todoroki family situation as much as we may but he knows Shouto: his classmate and friend. However, we see that Natsuo overheard those words and I think it made him feel like he wasn’t a good person because he feels like he does not want to or can forgive.

We get a closer angle and view of Natsuo and Endeavor sitting on the ground. Again, the fact that Endeavor is kneeling may be why the guy in the car has the expression they have. So I kind of went looking around to see what the way Endeavor is sitting is called and I think the closest would be the seiza pose. 

Seiza, is the formal way of sitting down based on ancient Japanese standards. In Japanese, Seiza is very aptly translates to “sitting with a correct posture.” In a historical context, the correct posture is defined to have neatly-folded legs and an erect spine. One’s feet must be neatly tucked in place, underneath the body. 

The Japanese consider Seiza with only the highest of regards, as it represents two important values in Japanese culture: courtesy and apology. They believe that Seiza is an essential tool to channel those specific values. 

Another important representation that Seiza upholds in Japanese culture is that it serves as a symbol of apology. Someone who wishes to ask for an apology may place his or her hands in front, with the head lowered down. This form of apology is referred to as “dogeza.” This serves as a position of submission, having one accept his or her mistakes (yabai). 

The picture below is depicting someone in the seiza pose, apologizing. 

This ties in to how Endeavor and the Todorokis live more “traditionally” compared to other characters. We’ve seen the traditional Todoroki house and Shouto’s dorm room at UA as well. Earlier, we saw Endeavor with his head bowed towards Natsuo and here he is no longer bowing but he is still in the seiza pose: a symbol of courtesy and apology. It’s a physical sign of sincerity and humility. 

This is how Endeavor is apologizing, even if it is not as direct as some of us would like it to be. And Endeavor tells Natsuo: 

“You don’t have to forgive me.” Endeavor tells Natsuo that he has no obligation to forgive him, even when he is his father. What a way to say it though. “Because you ARE caring. So, you don’t have to forgive me.” It was kind of confusing for me when I first read this chapter. Currently, the only way I can read this is that (1) Endeavor realizes to a certain extent of the hurt and pain that he caused his family and (2) it is because of what Natsuo experienced as a Todoroki and what happened to his brothers, sister and mother that he can not bring himself to forgive his father. He hurts for his family because he cares about them. “You don’t have to forgive me.” 

We get three panels with Shouto, Bakugo and Midoriya listening in on to this conversation. Notice the white, empty backgrounds in all four panels. Usually this is done to highlight a moment that has gravity and weight. This is them processing what has just been said. The bustling city highway and life fades away and we are left with this moment where time feels like its paused. 

Then Endeavor speaks again: “I’m not looking for forgiveness. Just atonement.” We see Endeavor’s left eye, the side of the face that has been scarred after the High End fight. His right eye, the part of his face that has remained unchanged is hidden behind the speech bubble with the words, “Just atonement.” 

Seeing as how Horikoshi likes to intentionally place speech bubbles to hint at something from time to time, I’m wondering what this particular placement might mean. I will touch on this later again, but Endeavor has a habit of hiding and standing off to the side when it comes to his family and past. Additionally, this is the first time we’re looking at Endeavor’s face from the front and not from the side during this conversation with Natsuo (excluding the panel from the first page from this chapter when he’s holding Natuso and Bakugo before the conversation begins). 

What is atonement? According to the first definition that comes up on Google: 

reparation for a wrong or injury

In general religious contexts, it is: 

reparation or expiation for sin 

In Christian theology, it is: 

the reconciliation of God and humankind through Jesus Christ

So in religious contexts: to receive forgiveness there must be a sacrifice which “atones” for the sin (tastethehoney).

Basically, what I’m trying to point out with the latter two definitions is that this word is often used in religious contexts. I’m assuming that Endeavor is the one referred to as the “The Unforgiven” in the title of this chapter and I think that it’s very interesting that Endeavor’s fire quirk is called “hellflame,” which I’m pretty sure that I can safely say is in reference to the Judeo-Christian/Western concept of hell. 

(Forgive my choice of using a simplified statement here but for the purposes of getting a point across...) They say that those who are not forgiven burn in hell.

“Wow. You got a real way with words... all of a sudden! I know how happy it makes sis, having us all together! But... when I see your face... Those memories come rushing back.” Natsuo’s reply comes from Endeavor’s sudden display of apologizing. And as Natsuo correctly points out, they’re still just words. Words do not mean anything unless actions come with them. He mentions how hard it is for him because the “memories come rushing back.” Even though the life they live now is different from the past, the past keeps coming back. 

“Why do I gotta be the one to come around? Atonement? How’re YOU gonna make that happen?” Again, when someone apologizes or is looking for forgiveness, the person who was wronged or hurt has to come to a certain place to forgive. As we’ve already established, Endeavor is not looking to be forgiven. So this could be Natsuo’s reply to Endeavor’s claims that he wants to change and be better, because it still kind of requires the other party to “come around” as well. Here Natsuo also asks about atonement. Endeavor can not turn back time and do things differently, what’s done has been done. So, how can Endeavor atone, and what will it look like? 

Let’s skip a couple pages to when Endeavor and Natsuo arrive home. 

“I’ve let you shoulder all of that. . . and I stood by while you worked hard. But it’s okay now.” This is referring to how Fuyumi has been planning on welcoming her mother back home. Endeavor states that he’s been standing off to the side, perhaps there is a note of apology as he talks about how Fuyumi’s been working hard by herself. Then he states, that “it’s all okay now.” 

��It’s always the same dream. My whole family’s there, but not me.” So, Endeavor’s thinking back to his dreams of his family’s happiness. He believes that they can only be happy if he’s not there. 

“Because I’m building a new house for you all. One that makes sense for your commutes. And one where you can give your mother a warm welcome back.” He states that he’s building them a new house. One where they can welcome their mother back. This is Endeavor’s idea of what “atonement” might begin to look like 

“If I really care how they feel...” He wants to respect their feelings, and not do something because HE wants to. 

“I’ll remain here.” It seems that Endeavor believes that one way he can “atone” for his family is to remove himself physically from their lives. 

Through this post, am I claiming that Endeavor will be redeemed? No. However, let’s look at what redemption means. According to the first two definitions that comes up on Google, it is: 

the action of saving or being saved from sin, error or evil

or

the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment or clearing a debt. 

There really is not a way Endeavor can “pay the debt” for all the hurt and pain he’s caused. 

So that was a lot but I’m going to point out some things here. Yes, Endeavor is in a position where he is acknowledging the past, and he seems to have begun taking more responsibility for it. He states that he is not looking for forgiveness and is only looking for atonement. However, similar to how he neglected his family because he was running away from the blame and did not want to accept the responsibility due to his actions, he is still in a way running away from it. His idea of “atoning” includes removing himself physically from his family’s lives, partially because he wants to be considerate of his family’s feelings and partially because he believes that they can only be happy if he’s not there. He could be right, but I disagree. 

As many others have stated before, it seems that part of the answer to atonement lies with Todoroki Touya. As I suggest in the Ra post, there were two outcomes of the High End vs Endeavor fight: 1) Endeavor, the public hero establishing himself as the Number One Hero and 2) Todoroki Enji as a father beginning to accept the past and its responsibilities (again, although to what extent is debatable). 

The fight concludes with Endeavor’s first official meeting with his son, Touya as Dabi. To accept and address the past and its responsibilities, Endeavor’s been taking a passive approach to “atone” partly because he’s kind of treating the past as only the past. 

In Chapter 290, titled “Dabi’s Dance,” where we get the Touya reveal, Dabi finally is able to call Endeavor out: "You were finally number one! It’s all you ever wanted! But it must’ve weighted on you, right?! Or was all the praise and admiration like chicken soup for your soul?! When at long last, you could stare your kids in the eye... didja finally start to feel the warm and fuzzy bonds of family?! You must’ve thought, ‘As long as I face the future, I can be better!’ I can tell you’re at a loss for words, so here’s the answer!” 

Being Touya, Dabi’s existence brings the past right back to the present. Endeavor can not keep responding in a passive way, dodging the past even if it weighs heavy on his mind and heart. 

I suppose this is where the real test of atonement begins. 

[ephrampettaline]

[ chatzy log with @alessafalling, @isadelavega, and @ephrampettaline ]

Black dust returns to normal. A merm, a fairy, and a witch walk into a bowling alley. First impressions aren’t great. The team picks up a 7-10 split.

Essie leads the way to the bowling alley, much happier in mood since Isa had said she'd hang out, they'd had a great late lunch on the beach, and now they were headed for more amusement. "Been to this place before or is this your first time?"

Isa shook her head. "Never been here before." She didn't really have anyone to go with, and bowling alone was just depressing, so she didn't even consider coming to this place, but now she was excited to have some fun with Essie. She pushed the door open and a rush of fog came streaming outside and as she stepped inside, she looked over her shoulder at Essie. "Is this some extra feature of the place? Will we be bowling in this fog?"

Essie grabs Isa by the arm gently pulling her back a little as they step inside the door closing behind her. "Not usually." she says looking around. It didn't feel right, it felt oddly familiar and it set heart heart at a quicker pace. "Doesn't feel quite right in here." Looking around into the gloom, usually the lights on the lanes were cute and flashing, but now they looked dulled in the mist, hauntingly so.

The moment the words left her mouth, Isa was already feeling something was off. It couldn't be some extra feature of the bowling alley, it made no sense, and when Essie grabbed her hand and pulled her back, it was confirmed. Something wasn't right. It was hard to see through the fog at first, but Isa squinted her eyes - she didn't know how the place usually looked, but all the black everywhere and the destroyed look of it all must have not been the design the place was going for. "What the hell happaned here?" she whispered and despite knowing that it was probably not a good idea, she took another step inside. There was some kind of weird noise coming from the back of the room, maybe from the other side of the lanes, Isa couldn't exactly tell, but that didn't sound promising. "Did you hear that too?" she whispered, not daring to speak more louder.

Essie had already whipped out her phone, she had the department on speed dial at this point, she'd had to call them so many times. But the call didn't connect, her phone didn't even try to connect. It was daunting and Essie sucks in a breath of air as if to steady herself. "I heard it." she whispers, not willing to attract any attention. Her wings tuck back into her shoulders and she clutches the bag that holds Finn a little tighter. "I don't know if we should go look or not, this place looks wrecked."

Ephram didn't recognize the other woman, but Essie, he hoped, would be able to recognize his presence as he carefully approached the two. "Hey," he called in a low voice, holding his hands up, "Essie, it's me, Ephram. I'm here too." He still came towards them cautiously; who knew what all was going on in this strange flipped Soapberry? "Are youn's ... are you yourselves?"

Isa jumped a little when she heard the unfamiliar voice coming from behind them. The name sounded familiar, but Isa didn't have time to focus on actually remembering where she heard the name from, he seemed to know Essie and that was good for now. "What do you mean are we ourselves? Who else we would be?" she asked, frowning at the question.

Essie -still holding onto Isa by the hand- whipped around and gave Ephram the most stricken expression she'd ever worn. "We're us, we just came for a game. What's going on? Is this? A crime scene?" she asks quickly her grip on Isa increasing slightly. "It feels like the mold, but it doesn't look black?"

Ephram nodded at Isa, although he didn't stay looking at her for long; the noise they'd heard from behind the pin setter was getting louder now, more ... /aware/. "That's the question, ain't it. How much of what exists here that's real and not fucked-up." He unslung a golf bag that he'd been carrying over his shoulder, setting the bottom down with a thump against the waxed floor. "Freddie and me -- that's my husband, ma'am, pleased to meet you I'm Sheriff Pettaline -- found ourselves in this messed-up version of a bakery we was headed to and I reckon same thing's happening all over town." Ephram looked at Essie, then at Isa, and rattled his golf bag. "I got clubs, one baseball bat, a rifle, and two revolvers. Pick your weapons, ladies."

Essie was holding onto Isa tighter and she reached up and squeezed the woman's arm in some kind of reassuring gesture. Essie's point about the mold was right, and now she realized what felt off - she felt that uneasiness now that she felt whenever she was near her dressing room. Isa wasn't sure if hearing that this wasn't the only place where something screwed up and weird was happening was reassuring in a way or made her even more anxious, but as if it wasn't enough, the man introduced himself as the sheriff and Isa instinctively took a step back. Just her luck - the one person who walked in on them was somebody she desperately been avoiding since she found out he was a witch. As if this day couldn't get any better. 

Isa took a few more careful steps backward not even trying to be subtle as she stepped in a way that Essie was in between the sheriff and her now. "How did you find us here exactly?" she asked suspiciously, completely ignoring his question and the fact that they had bigger problems at the moment.

Essie noticed the steps Isa took to be away from Ephram and shot her a look. She was incredibly glad the Sheriff was here, and most would be, but Isa was putting her between them. Not willing to waste time trying to figure it out Essie crouches down to the bag. "It's this bad?" she asks Ephram with apprehension at the noise getting more ominous from the next room. She points to the rifle "How quick could you talk me through this model? I've been shooting before but never at anything."

Ephram did look properly at Isa now, his height giving him an unobstructed view over Essie's short frame; he fixed a gunmetal-blue stare on the merm that took rapidly into account her general reaction, what use she might be in a fight, and how much he'd need to factor her into his current list of Shit To Deal With. "I found you same way whatever yon monster is gonna find you," Ephram said flatly. "You're here and I'm here existing in the same space. If you ain't got the means to defend yourself, ma'am, I suggest you stay behind Essie and me here." 

He hefted the rifle out of the golf bag and handed it to Essie, saying, "Same as what we got at the station -- real basic model so you're set. It's got an enchanted scope, but I don't know yet how good our magic works in this place. Freddie's dust worked fine. I ain't tried my own magic so we may yet find out." Ephram slid a hand against one of the revolvers he wore at his hips. "You might wanna reconsider a weapon, ma'am," he told Isa, "even if you ain't planning on gettin' in the thick of things."

Something -- whatever it was behind the lanes -- was moving with more intent now, slipping through the heavy mist enough that they could see a long, thick, crusted tentacle reaching along the dull shine of the floor. And another, and another, and then so many, many more.

Isa felt like she was in between a rock and a hard place, really. Whatever was behind the lanes wasn't too inviting, but being anywhere near the sheriff and his magic and his weapons didn't give Isa any comfort either. If she could have just teleported out of there, she would have, but that really wasn't an option, and then the sheriff had to go and insult her as if her question was dumb (he was the sheriff and this was happening in his town and then /suddenly/ he happened to be there, it was suspicious, of course she had questions) and insinuated that she wasn't willing to fight whatever those things were, and Isa's ego was sufficiently wounded, to say the least. 

"Eres arrogante..." she started muttering in Spanish under her breath, but she didn't have any chance of finishing it, because suddenly tentacles started appearing out of the mist, more and more, coming towards them with intent and Isa reached her hands out in a demanding motion towards over Essie's shoulder the man, "Give me those clubs, damn it." She could at least protect herself more from him with a weapon in her hands too, if she needed to.

Essie ran her fingers over the components of the rifle, just making sure she knew what she was doing. The last time she'd shot a gun had been two years previous at a range back in Scotland. She hoped it wouldn't come to this, but with Ephram saying he'd seen this before with Freddie she trusted that he knew what was required. She'd rather be long range than short range anyway, no bat was going to do her any good she was hardly strong enough. "Dust worked fine." she looks worriedly down at her bad at her side, Finn inside looking up at her chittering in worry. She steels herself for the sight of black dust returning but it comes out it's usual plum purple. Doing the only type of glamour she can she shifts the bags canvas for metal, hard thick metal. Finn will be protected. "Please don't make this a person on person fight." she says standing back up handing a club over to Isa. "We've got bigger things to deal with."

Essie draws the rifle up at the sight of the monster, not making any sudden movements, as if taunting them into action first.

Ephram grunted at Essie's plea for him and Isa not to get into a scrap, reaching the baseball bat out of the bag for himself in addition to his sidearms. "Whatever this beastie is," he said, gripping the handle of the aluminum bat, "it's gonna be a fuckin' nightmare." 

As they watched, it seemed the beast had every intention of going above and beyond Ephram's dire prediction; as the long chunky tentacles sprawled across nearly all of the lanes, a huge bulbous main body squashed out to follow. It looked almost like a scabby brick-red octopus ... if an octopus's head was covered in leaking, misshapen eyes, some of which (grotesquely) had long multiple fringes of eyelashes. Rising up on a thick wedge of its tentacles, the octo-beast displayed the hideous yellowed beak that lurked under its body, as big as a hatchback car with jagged razor edges. 

"MotherFUCK," Ephram yowled, and then to Essie: "Shoot, SHOOT!" as he brought his baseball bat down on one of the reaching tentacles, splitting through the crusted clots to half-sever the limb.

Isa took the club from Essie. "Sure," she muttered, her focus split between the sheriff and those tentacles coming closer and closer. She gripped the club hard, watching as the monster got bigger and bigger and when Isa thought it couldn't get any bigger and she kind of wished Essie and her would have just remained on the beach. They could have been able to avoid this huge octopus at least. If this was happening all over town, however, who knew what other beast they would have encountered there. She wasn't willing to admit, but the sheriff's assesment of the situation was on point, and when a tentacle came around to wrap itself around her, she hit the thing with the club as hard as she could. She didn't have too much upper body strength, but the spikes at the end of the club helped, it was wounded and it was enough for the tenticle to retreat.

Essie took only a split second to decide her priority before taking aim at the main body of the beast. The tentacles coming at them were horrifying but take out the brain and hopefully the threat wouldn't persist. The recoil from the rifle has her take a step back, a string of absolutely filthy curses falling from her mouth. Her first shot hit, but only seemed to sink a foot into the giant. Taking aim again she lets off another, trying to aim for the same spot but the monster was on the move, somehow hefting it's body closer still, while it's limbs came at them.

Ephram smashed his bat into whatever part of octo-beast was near him, tentacles gaping open at the wounded areas and waving high in the air to spray ichor and blood over them all, some of them falling dead and inert. "Keep on shootin' it, jes like that!" he hollered, whacking at tentacles that were in his way as he tried to get over to Isa. She was closer to the main body of the beast, club in a death-grip; Essie at least had some distance to use the rifle from. Ephram had almost reached Isa when he felt one of the tentacles wrap around his leg, over his knee and up to mid-thigh, yanking so hard that he dropped flat on his face with a muffled curse. 

Twisting, he snatched one of his revolvers from his holster and shot into the meat of the tentacle as he was dragged up into the air; the monster gave a hideously high-pitched shriek, recoiling from both Ephram's shots and Essie's, and let Ephram go. He hit the ground hard but scrabbled up again and lunged, shoulder-first, at a tentacle that was moving towards Isa at top speed. "What are you?" Ephram yelled at her, then decided to throw politeness to the wind and grabbed at Isa's face, feeling the tingle of his witch magic revealing her species. "A merm, fuck, that ain't no help, fuck."

Isa kept smashing her club at any of the tenticles that were coming towards her. She knew she wasn't too big of a help, but she was determined not to be useless and at least be able to protect herself from the beast. The spikes on the club was doing some kind of damage at least, and as the same tentacles kept coming towards her, she tried hitting it at the same spot to deepen the cuts she made. She could feel something was happening near her from the corner of her eyes, but she only shot her head over to the action when she heard several shots fired and she saw the sheriff drop to the floor, next second already moving towards her and Isa let out a scream and jumped back, with no luck, because he was faster and grabbed at her face and damn the promise she made to Essie about not going man against man, she shoved the top of her club hard against Ephram to push him away from her. "Don't touch me," she screamed and didn't realize the monster used this moment of no defense to wrap its tentacles around Isa's body and with a loud shriek from Isa, it slammed her against the nearest wall.

Essie was taking ever shot she could, same spot, different spot, it didn't matter the more this fight unfolded. At some point she ran out of bullets however and she had been slowly moving around to get the best aim, too far from the bag left on the ground to scramble for something else. Becoming useless all at once Essie watches Isa shove at Ephram and screams angrily. "WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM HE-" but her words die as Isa is thrown. There was no time to be yelling at each other. As angry as she was about this damn infighting she needed to get back to the bag. The bag had been kicked and shoved all the way around to the other side of the giant. A distraction. She needed to be a distraction. 

She lets her wings unfold and she takes to the air. She'd always been fast, but now she needed to be faster. Essie steels herself once again, but this time she takes a drastic flight path right towards the body of the beast. In front of it's eyes she flies, it's attention drawn to her she throws a handful of dust in it's face, shifting the handful to be bright, as bright a light as she could make it trying to daze the thing as she hits the floor on the other side of it, on top of the bag she scrambles to find something to reload.

The golf bag was well stocked with ammo as well; although Ephram hadn't had a chance to tell Essie about it, he was gratified (and considerably proud, the fairy being one of his squad) to see that she was going after it as well as causing a distraction to the octo-beast. What was a little less fortunate was that Ephram looked directly at the flash-bang of her dust, which made spots go off in his vision too. But at least it /really/ fucked up the octo-beast, whose many seeping eyes started to blink and ooze as it thrashed around in pain and confusion.

 Rubbing hard at his eyes, Ephram blinked around until he located Isa again, and ran towards her. The tentacle was still holding her fast, drubbing her against the wall in angry lashes as the octo-beast tried to simultaneously rid itself of Essie's more immediate attack, so Ephram drew both his guns this time and filled Isa's captor tentacle with bullets. A veritable wash of briny blood flooded the floor between them, and he almost skidded onto his ass more than once as he made his way over to the merm. 

"You awright?" Ephram asked, refraining this time from touching Isa and instead holstering his weapons so he could grab hold of his bat again. "Did it crush anythang? Break anything? Tell me if you're awright!" She'd been good with the club, what he'd managed to see of her wielding it with dogged intent, but right now he was more concerned with her ability to function than her skill at doing it.

The first hit against the wall knocked the air out of Isa and her body aching from the hit, but the octopus didn't give her a chance to recover, it kept hitting her against the wall, and after the second hit, the club slipped out of her hands and rolled a few feet away on the ground. She needed to do something, though, she knew, so she found herself digging her nails - her not to big or sharp nails -, into the tentacle that was holding her, trying to break the skin of it, hoping to cause at least some kind of pain that would losen the monster's grip on her. Thankfully she didn't have a chance to see if her weak plan would work, because several loud gunshot noises came and the next thing she knew, she was dropping down onto the ground, a painful grunt leaving her mouth. 

She was trying to catch her breath as she pushed herself up onto her arms, her eyes seeing stars from the pain but still looking for the club as Ephram came rushing towards her. She still felt uneasy just with his closeness, but he just got her down from the tenticles' grip, sos he had one good point to him now. "Not sure, probably not," she groaned as she pushed herself into a sitting position, looking around to find the club. The moment she noticed it, she could see a tenticle coming towards them and she yelled, "DUCK," dropping back down onto the floor to avoid the tentacle attack and then started crawling towards the club. "Keep shooting at the thing!" she yelled back over her shoulder towards him.

Essie had been being ignored up until that point. Smallest of the group, though only just a tad shorter than Isa she apparently posed the least threat. That was until she'd blinded the giant. Now she was a heavy target, a thing that could fly a thing that could disorientate the monster and it started to take note. Scrambling in the bag she kept an ear out for the other two, glad to still hear two other voices. Finding the ammo it felt almost surreal as she reloaded. 

But as soon as she raised the gun she was met with multiple eyes directly on her. Still swimming wildly at the other two it had two tentacles specifically for her. She shot at them but a rifle was much slower than a pistol and she lost all her ground. Kicking her metal bag away from the firing line she took the hit. She shot. She took another. And then she was in the air not by her own means. "How do we kill it?!" she yells in anguish as she's squeezed hard, her ribs cracking slightly under the pressure. There had to be a way.

Ephram sprawled flat on the floor at Isa's warning, feeling all that salt-stinking blood soak instantly into his clothes. It itched and stung, but as the tentacle that had been aimed towards them whooshed through the air where they'd been, Ephram let go of his bat and took to aiming his guns again. "Gawd dammit," he swore as one ran out of bullets, then the other, Essie's frustrated and pained cries raising from across the alley. He had more bullets on him, but in a wash of desperate anger, Ephram wrapped his fingers more tightly around the grips of his revolvers and shoved magic through his palms as he banged the bases of them together. Silver-green magic, fairy and witch, streaked up into the barrels, and Ephram fired them off again -- one aimed at the closer tentacle and one towards the octo-beast's body. 

The apple-green projectiles sped faster than his normal bullets, and the octo-beast leaked gushes and spurts of its brackish blood where they embedded. It rose up, smashing Essie against the ceiling and knocking a number of ceiling tiles to the ground -- but it was shrieking loud and cacophanous in pain, its horrendous beak gnashing up boards from the lanes. "Essie! Shove your dust in the bullets, shoot it with your dust!" Ephram bawled, managing to get up to one knee in the slick pool he was flailing in. "You, merm, whatever your name is, jes keep on beatin' up on whatever you can reach, make sure it don't grab you again, and keep away from that godforsaken--" 

Ephram had to cut off there and heed his own advice, flinging himself to the side to narrowly avoid being crunched down on by the octo-beast's beak. It grazed through the leg of his jeans and he snarled, scrabbling away further on hands and knees until he could haul himself upright on a ball return. One that, actually, had a few bowling balls in it. "Well, shit," Ephram said to himself, and picked up one of the balls, letting it fill with silver-green magic before hucking it down his lane towards the underside of the beast.

There was another tenticle swipe before Isa reached the club and she grabbed onto it quick, her grip stronger than before. She tried pushing herself up, but the tentacles were coming so she didn't want to risk getting hoisted up again, so she turned onto her back and hit the tentacle above her several times before it gave her a moment of peace and she pushed herself up onto her legs finally. She didn't pay attention to her surrounding until now, so when she was standing, lookin around, she saw Essie up in the air, getting knocked against the ceiling several times so hard the tiles were breaking, and she started beating the nearest tentacle as hard as she could. 

"Let - Essie - go - you - big - ugly - piece - of - shit!" she yelled, every word emphasized with a hit onto the tentacle - by the end it broke off and she moved onto another, hitting whatever kept coming her way, trying to keep upright while she ignored the pain in her body.

Essie had thrown her arms up over her head, trying to lessen the blows she was getting as she was jabbed upwards into the ceiling tiles. Gun still in her hands she doesn't think using her dust will do anything good within the gun. She's not got good enough control of glamour to be able to do anything of that sort but maybe, just maybe she can rain some more explosive dust down. One of her hands clenching to build up a handful to throw, her teeth grit against the pain, tears in her eyes. Letting the dust go she closes her eyes firmly, letting both hands once again brace against the ceiling as the dust goes off like firecrackers in her giants eyes once again.

The octo-beast dragged Essie along the ceiling before dropping her near where Isa was, using the bulk of its remaining undamaged tentacles to wrap around its now terribly-damaged eyes. Entire eyelids ripped off and sloughed onto the wet alley floor, the lashes clumping grossly, and the beast listed to the side as it vainly, blindly, tried to slap at its assailants without knowing where they were. Isa's club-jabbing made it recoil, exposing more of its beak and drippy underside, and as Ephram's magic-charged bowling ball rolled up into its guts and shattered as if it was glass filled with electricity, the octo-beast screamed and slammed its tentacles down with no aim or thought. 

Lunging for the golf bag, Ephram slung it up onto his shoulder and picked up his baseball bat as he ran back towards Essie and Isa. "We gotta git out," he barked, panting as he grabbed at them to make sure they were okay, round them up. A couple of blue-tinged faces peeked out from the end of one lane, the ghosts they belonged to crawling out and starting to come towards them -- but they never reached the little trio. They floated up as they walked until they shimmered right out of existence. "This is where all them ghosts're trapped," Ephram said. It was only a hypothesis at the moment but hell, it was a good enough working hypothesis, and he reached out to help Essie up--

--only to find himself back outside of the bowling alley, in normal Soapberry. Covered in stinking blood and with a long gash from the octo-beast's beak down his left leg. "Dammit, no!" Ephram yelled, glaring up at the building in frustration. Wherever he'd been, he couldn't get back there now. 

Essie and the merm were on their own.

[scaberix]

BIRTHDAY PARTY ─ Momotarou Onzai SSR

Momotarou’s new role in a drama that features delinquents is giving him some troubles. The rest of MooNs try to help him out, but it’s still not good enough. As someone who takes things always too seriously, he tries to research about the “bad side” of society; when the problem seems to be solved, things get a little dicey... 

Happy Birthday, Momo!

Tsubasa: Since they’re on a break earlier than planned, it might mean that the recording for the variety show is going well.

Hikaru: You pickin' a fight? Come at meee!!

Mikado: Bring it on! Let’s go, one on one!!

Tsubasa: !? Tsubasa: These voices... Hikaru-kun and Mikado-san? ... Don’t tell me, they’re fighting!?

Tsubasa: Excuse me..... Stop fighting!!

Hikaru: ... Ah, good morning, Tsubasa-chan!

Mikado: Tsubasa-san, good work.

Tsubasa: Huh?

Tatsuhiro: You could hear all the way to the corridor? Sorry if we took you by surprise.

Kazuna: They were not fighting so, relax?

Mikado: Ehh, we were showing Momotasu how to be a yankee!

Tsubasa: You mean, you’re preparing for the role in the drama Momo-kun will appear next?

Mikado: As expected of you, Tsubasa-san; you guessed right.

Tsubasa: If I remember right, it was the role of the leader of a group of yankees  loiterhang in Kabukichou*.

Momotarou: That’s right, Tsubasa.

Mikado: The drama depicts a dispute with an opposing group and everyone thinks Momotasu is a delicate and intellectual leader, but in reality he’s stronger than anyone.......! Mikado: It’s a very appealing role!! And to that! The day they finish filming it’s Momotasu’s birthday!

Momotarou: Mika, you know me very well.

Hikaru: If it’s about Pi-chan, then Mikachi knows everything!

Tatsuhiro: However, Onzai’s role... it looks more like a low ranking yakuza than a yankee.

Tsubasa: What's the difference?

Tatsuhiro: Hmm, it’s difficult to explain with words.

Momotarou: I feel the difficulty of this role, this time. When we talk about yankees there are various types, so the other members were showing me their idea of a yankee.

Tsubasa: I see, that's what you mean.

Mikado: Momotasu, how were our yankees? Did you get the image!?

Momotarou: .... Sorry.

Tsubasa: Ah, Momo-kun.... looks sullen.

Hikaru: It’s impossible. We have no punch.

Kazuna: Right....

Mikado: But, Tatsu-dono’s was quite good.

Tatsuhiro: Whaat? Where was mine...

Hikaru: Oooh-! Tatsu, you’re good!

Tsubasa: Amazing, Nome-san!

Tatsuhiro: I didn’t do anything.

Kazuna: But, your good qualities showed up.

Tatsuhiro: I’m not a yankee!

Momotarou: This role’s not going to be that easy.

Tsubasa: Looks like preparing for this role is quite troubling Momo-kun...

*Kabukichou is the red-light district of Shinjuku (Tokyo) and location of many host/hostess clubs, love hotels, etc. ___________ 

Tsubasa: Only Momo-kun’s off today... I heard he shut himself up in his room, so he should be at home.

...

Momotarou: ........

Tsubasa: .........!

Momotarou: Tsubasa, what’s up?

Tsubasa: Ah, no...

Momotarou: Well, come in.

Tsubasa: Very well, thank you for having me.

Tsubasa: For a moment, Momo-kun's face was very scary... but it looks it was just my imagination.

Tsubasa: It looked like you were having troubles preparing for your role, but how are things going since then? Tsubasa: I’ve also heard from the other MooNs members that lately you’ve locked yourself inside your room...

Momotarou: Is this why you came to check on me? I'm sorry I made you worry. Momotarou: After that, I’ve been researching.

Tsubasa: Researching...?

Momotarou: In the beginning, I’ve wandered around the streets at night to get hints for the role from real yankees.

Tsubasa: Ehh, please stop doing dangerous things.

Momotarou: Hm, I went back home almost immediately. I thought I’d meet a real one, but I didn’t.

Tsubasa: I, I see.

Tsubasa: That almost gave me a heart attack, but I’m glad nothing happaned...

Momotarou: From then, I’ve been going through yankee stuff, like movies and comics.

Tsubasa: I get it now. Did you find any work that might be a hint?

Momotarou: Yeah, a yakuza movie starring Kenzo Matsukura* was the most helpful reference.

Tsubasa: Yakuza movies and yankee movies are slightly different, though...

Momotarou: I interpreted it my own way and got a satisfying yankee image. Then I will build it up by listening to the director's opinion on the scene.

Tsubasa: A refreshing look... I’m glad his troubles have finally disappeared. Tsubasa: He might have sensed a kind of kinship with Matsukura-san’s performance whom he respects. I’m sure Momo-kun will be fine.

*Kenzo Matsukura is Ryuuji’s dad. ___________ 

Tsubasa: Momo-kun’s drama’s crank-in is in a few days.... I haven't been to the scene yet, but I heard from Daikoku-san that Momo-kun’s performance is going fine... Tsubasa: I also want to go take a look as soon as possible. ... Ah, the phone.

Hikaru: Hello, Tsubasa-chan!?

Tsubasa: What’s the matter, Hikaru-kun? I thought of coming to your apartment now...

Hikaru: Tsubasa-chan, help! The situation with Pi-chan is extremely serious!

Tsubasa: Eh-!

...

Tsubasa: Momo-kun, what’s wrong!?

Momotarou: What?

Tsubasa: ......!

Tatsuhiro: Onzai even glared at Sumisora.

Kazuna: Sorry, Sumisora-san.

Tsubasa: N, no... What on heart....?

Hikaru: Pi-chan has been in this state ever since the drama shooting has started!

Mikado: Aaaaah, Momotasu has completely turned into a yankee! Please, my cute Momotasu, come back!

Momotarou: How noisy, Mika.

Mikado: T.... Thuuuuuunk! That look is tantalizing! I’m tingling with pleasure! A tough-looking Momotasu is also cool!

Tatsuhiro: Are you happy or are you grieving, just make up your mind!

Mikado: True, that's a real problem!

Kazuna: Momo is the type that gets into character, though this has never happened up until now...

Hikaru: What should we do?! Tomorrow it’s the variety show’s recording!

Tsubasa: Right, it’s tomorrow...

Tsubasa: Momo-kun tomorrow has the recording for the variety show with MooNs after the drama shooting.... If Momo-kun were to be like this...

Momotarou: No need to worry. I’m doin’ whatever it takes for the variety.

Mikado: Momotasu, where are you going!?

Momotarou: Back.

Tsubasa: W, What to do....

___________

Kazuna: Next, Momo and Mikado’s team challenge!

Mikado: Let’s do our best, Momotasu!

Momotarou: HUH? Chill.

Tsubasa: Momo-kun... even when rehearsing, he’s still not out of character. The staff is also starting to notice anomalies....

Staff: Onzai-kun, what’s wrong? Shall we stop for a while?

Kazuna: Thank you.

Hikaru: Pi-chan, that’s not very idol-ish?

Mikado: Momotasu, please come baaaack!

Tatsuhiro: Right now, we’re working as MooNs, so come back!

Momotaro: Shut your trap, I get it already!

Tsubasa: He doesn’t even comply with the other members’ persuasions.... At this rate, we’re not gonna make it to the real thing.

Tsubasa: Sorry! Please, give us a bit of time! Momo-kun, come here for a moment to talk.

Momotarou: ... What talking?

Tsubasa: Mo, Momo-kun... switch back to work mode with MooNs now and let’s forget about the drama for a while. Tsubasa: If this keeps going on, we’ll trouble the staff. 

Momotarou: ... I get it. Momotarou: It’s a first for me. I can’t go back to my previous self even if I wanted.

Tsubasa: Even Momo-kun is confused by his current self... Tsubasa: Momo-kun likes plays more than anyone, it might be because he’s too serious that things got out of control...

Tsubasa: Then, how about trying to change in thinking?

Momotarou: What....?

Tsubasa: Rather than returning to your original self, try playing the part of MooNs’ Momo-kun. Think of it like a continuation of the play....

Momotarou: .... Play the part of Onzai Momotarou? Momotarou: ....

Tsubasa: .... Momo.... kun....?

Momotarou: Tsubasa, let’s go back to recording.

Tsubasa: Ah, his  facial expressions has softened...

Momotarou: Sorry for the inconvenience. I’ll be in your care.

Mikado: Momotasu!

Hikaru: Yaaay, it’s the usual Pi-chan!

Tsubasa: I’m so glad that the recording has ended without problems.

Tsubasa: Momo-kun, good work!

Momotarou: What? Did you say somethin’?

Tsubasa: He’s back to his role-self.... Until they finish filming, getting the old Momo-kun back looks difficult.

___________

Mikado: Momotasu! Congrats on finishing filming and happy birthday!!

Hikaru: Pi-chan, congrats~!

Momotarou: Thanks.

Kazuna: Good work for the drama shooting, too.

Tatsuhiro: We, too, want to watch it as soon as possible.

Tsubasa: I was allowed to see it in situ. It was really compelling and cool!

Mikado: I’m so happy that my Momotasu’s returned!

Tsubasa: As soon as they finished filming, Momo-kun returned to his usual self...

Momotarou: I’m sorry for causing problems.

Hikaru: Seeing a valuable side of Pi-chan was quite interesting!

Kazuna: Indeed, it was refreshing. Though, during the variety recording it was almost a close call.

Tatsuhiro: Yeah. But we survived.

Momotarou: That was because of Tsubasa’s advice.

Tsubasa: I didn’t really...

Momotarou: At that time, if you weren’t there, Tsubasa, the rehearsal would have been suspended, causing trouble for the staff and the other members. Momotarou: Thank you, really.

Tsubasa: No, I’m glad I could be useful.

Momotarou: I like plays, but as a member of MooNs I also trasure our work. If the same thing were to happen again, I’ll remember your words and deal with it.

Tsubasa: Yes. Me, too, since I’ll be standing by your side as the A&R, Momo-kun, from now on please face your plays with confidence! Tsubasa: Let me wish you happy birthday again. This is a present from me.

Momotarou: ... A cover for scripts?

Tsubasa: Yes. Since, Momo-kun, you read scripts a lot...

Momotarou: Thanks, Tsubasa. I’ll use it with care.

[yunohawkeye]

Kenshin x Child!MC

This One Shot was requested by @datemasamunemaiwaifu I tried my best!~

Word count: 1468

It was evening while Kenshin and MC were cuddled up in their shared futon. His arms were curled aroud her and her head seated on his chest. With a loving gaze directed at her almost sleeping face he whispered “I love you” The last thing Kenshin saw was a sincere smile on MCs face as she drifted off into dreamland. With a warm feeling inside of his stomach he allowed himself to close his eyes and let her breathing lull himself to sleep.

The moment Kenshin opened his eyes he knew something was wrong. At first he thought MC wasn’t with him in the futon anymore until he felt something small and fragile move against his lower abdomen and he froze for a moment. He slowly lifted up his blanket and saw MC cuddled up to him. But she wasn’t the grown women he loved. She looked like a little child! What kind of witchcraft was this? But there was no time left to stare due to the child waking up. MC stirred because of the chilling freeze coming over her. After some blinking she looked Kenshin in the eyes. In the exact moment her face lit up and a girly giggle escaped her little mouth accompanied by a yawn.

Kenshin.exe stopped working

After a few minutes of Kenshin just staring he stood up muttering under his breath “I need some sake” and rushing out to Sasukes room, leaving the child confused, alone and on the brink of tears.

MC tried not to cry while being cuddled up in the blanket. But her attempt was interrupted when the door slipped open again, revealing a tall man “MC? I just saw Kenshin storm down the hallway. What happe-?” SHingen stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the little girl sitting there. During some sniffles MC spoke up “Shingen?” After sorting his thoughts he replied “Yes, little princess?” “Why doesn’t Kenshin like me anymore?” “Oh, he does! He loves you very much, my dear. But... want me to show you how much I love you?” Suddenly MCs face lit up and she beamed a heavenly smile in SHingens direction. “Then come! I’ll treat you with as much sweets and toys as you demand, little princess” he promisedwhile holding out his hand for her to grab. She jumped up without hesitation and followed him out of the room.

“...so there shouldn’t be any problems. She should be turned back to normal tomorrow and won’t remember anything that happans today“ “Hm... I guess I can work with that“ Kenshin spoke while lowering the sword on Sasukes throat. “So I jsut have to wait and keep her from harm until tomorrow?“ “Correct“ Kenshin left with an unamused grunt and made his way back to MC. What am I going to do with her? What do girls her age like? I have to keep her away from any sharp objects and danger in general. And most important, apart from Sasuke, nobody is allowed to know about her current condition.

But the moment he opened the door to their shared room his plans were destroyed. MC was nowhere to be found. He instantly started to search everywhere in Kasugayama castle. He would search for her in whole Echigo if needed. After half an hour he overheard some vassals talking “Have you seen lord Shingen today?” “Yes, he went arounnd with a little girl today. Do you think it may be his daughter?” “No, I don’t think so. Maybe some other kinf of relative?” “Where did you see them?“ Kenshin asked bluntly. Both vassals froze up and after some moments of intense staring one of them answered “U-uhm... I saw them heading to lord Shingens room“ “Thanks. That’s all I need“ He immediatelly turned around and left with a dark aura surrounding him.

“Want some konpeito, too?“ “Yes, please!“ “Here, have some“ Shingen replied and hended MC some. “Thank you!” She smiled and stuffed way too much to fit in her mouth which led a sincere smile oto the warlords face. But the carefree atmosphere vanished when the dor was opened forcefully by a boiling Kenshin whose blade found its way to Shingens throat in a mere second. “You’re dead” “My, my~ I just took care of our little princess after you left her alone. I don’t really think I deserve a sword on my throat for that” “She isn’t our princess” Kenshin answered while staring into Shingens eyes with a deadly glare. After some time he let his weapon down and looked at MC. She was scared. His guard instantly dropped when he saw her at the brink of tears because of HIM. Shingen was instantly frogotten. He jumped over his shadow, held out a hand for her, gave her a sincere smile and asked “May I take you out as an apology for making you cry?” Not completely sure if she could trust him after he threatened someone with a sword she glanced over to Shingen who just gave her an honest, friendls nod which encouraged her to go. She let her hand glide into his and followed him out of the room.

After they arrived on a little field Kenshin stopped and sat down with his back against a tree. With a move of his hand he offered her to sit in his lap whick she accepted. A few moments later an army of bunnies approached them and snuggled themselves onto Kenshin which made MC lighten up and giggle at how cute they were. “Want to hold one?” “Yes!” With a swift motion of his hand he picked one up and laid it on her lap. MC immerdiatelly let her fingers glide through its fur and smiled. Kenshin on the other hand stared at her all the time. Her smile, which was more innocent then normal, made his heart beat faster and fall in ove with her all over again. His thoughts drifted away as MC fell asleep while still holding the bunny in her lap which deided to join her slumber.

He thought about what it would be like if this wasn’t MC but her daughter. And it wouldn’t be temporarily like the situation they were in at the moment. He would be able to watch his daughter grow from a baby into a child into a beatiful woman. Kenshin wasn’t able to fight the smile that crept over his lips. He decided that this was something he wanted. 

Deep in thoughts he didn’t realize MC was waking up. She slowly reached for his sword and put it out to inspect it. But this triggered something in the god of war and he instantly grabbed it. “WHat do you think you’re doing?” “I... I’m sorry. I jsut wanted to take a look” After some silence he let out a sigh  he released it and said in a sharp tone “Okay... But only this one time. And you have to promise me to be careful. I couln’t stand the thought of you hurting yourself” MC answered with a nod and let her hands roam over it slowly. After some time she put it back where it belonged and yawned. “Come” “Huh?” “It’s time for bed” “But why? I’m not tired!” “You just yawned” “That doesn’t mean I’m tired!” “That exactly means that you’re tired. I had some conversations with Sasuke about it” “No! It doe- *yawn* -sn’t!” After an are-you-kidding-me-look from Kenshin he spoke up “I’m bringing you to bed” Without giving her time to answer he picked her up and went to their room while almost losing a gifht against a 5-yer-old that didn’t want to go to bed. The moment he lied down with her MC catched him completely off-guard. “Can you sing me a lullaby?” “Wha-? No!” “Pretty please!” “I just said that-” “Please!!” A little bit startled and accepting his defeat Kenshin muttered almost unaudible “Is it okay if I hum? I... don’t really know how to sing” MC repied with a really happy nod. With a sigh escaping his lips Kenshin jumped over his shadow and started humming a lullaby until she fell asleep and after a while of staring at her peaceful face he drifted off to sleep, too.

The next morning he woke up to MC being her normal self again and the thoughts from yesterday returned in his mind. The happiness he felt when she was seated in his lap and the thought of her being their child. Slowly MC started opening her eyes and smiled as she saw Kenshins thoughtful face staring at her “Good morning Kenshin” “What do you think about children?” “What do you think about children?” came the same question bluntly from him again. “Where does that come from all of a sudden?” “Just a thought... and a great experiece”

Phew~ I finally finished it! I hope it isn’t too OOC ^^

And requests are still open~

[sanderssidecanons]

The Heart of an Alchemist

Chapter 1: Clay and Water

Words: 1614

Warnings: None I can think of

If people like this I will upload more. I’m just going to tag everyone who said they were interested, alright? Good.

There was a story the children of the village heard. A story, every kid is aware of an retells on any given circumstance. The story of the alchemist, that lives in the house up on the farthest hill from town. It was more of a horror-story than anything else by now. It started as a simple fairytale, about the man on top of the hill that was able to turn iron to gold and water to wine, he was able to cure sickness and supply the villagers with enough wood, iron and water. No one knew how or why he got water of such excellent quality, but the people were thankful for it. At first.

Then they started to actually ask themselves how the alchemist got these excellent materials. They started to get suspicious. They wanted to know if he got these materials in an unethical way, which he declined. But it only caused the fire of rumours to spread even further, to burn down trust and bonds he made over the years. It resulted in everyone avoiding him. It got worse as the rumors spread that the children that went missing got killed in the alchemists house for cruel experiments.

A drunk claimed to hear horrible screams from the alchemists house. And even though he was a drunk, everyone believed him over the alchemist, resulting in him being alone for the longest time. He only came out to buy groceries and materials before vanishing in his house again. The stories got wilder with every year, the rumors scarier with each day. The alchemist became a living legend, but not of the good kind. He became a  living monster, a beast you tell naughty children about so they will finally behave. A person you avoid at all cost if you value your life.

And this alchemist, this monster, this heartless maniac…. was currently seated at his desk in his lonely and dark house, buried in notes and scripts and writings. He sighed deeply as he ran a pale hand through his disheveled brown hair. He had prepared for this day for a long time now. The crude rumors got to him over the time, even though he didn’t hear them anymore, but it was the loneliness that was nagging at his heart.

He decided to isolate himself, he couldn’t take the judging and hateful gazes of everyone, concluding that no born human in this village would ever see the truth and respect him as what he was. There was no way, the rumors were far too deep into everyones minds, he would never be able to get rid of them. No. Everyone treated him now like he was the bringer of the plague, the mere thought causing the alchemist, Logan Sanders is his name, to sneer. Ridiculous. Humans were so ridiculous.

And since he couldn’t trust any human with anything anymore, he just had to come up with his own solution. It took him a long time to get the necessary ingredients and the right pattern for the alchemist circle, but he was certain that he did everything right. The room was big enough, the circle was painted onto the ground with white paint, three circles outside of the inner circle to place the ingredients. The light of the moon was shining onto the wooden ground, illuminating the scenery in an ominous light.

Logan was determined to do the impossible, to do the forbidden, to create life to fill this dark and lonely house. His gaze shifted to the ingredients on the wooden table, all neatly arranged and ready to be used. He was just thinking which ingredients to use. He couldn’t use everything, it would make the being overwhelming, it would be frail since the body doesn’t know what it is supposed to be. It happaned once and never again. He still remembered how he lost this one, how he had to buried them in the yard and make a tomb stone for them. It was heart-wrenching.

He wouldn’t make this mistake again. He observed his ingredients with a critical eye before picking the white clay at the edge of the desk. He placed the powder into the circle, before turning his head to the liquids he needed to give the body life. The clay would form the body once he started the ritual while the liquid would give life. He chose water this time. Water meant life, no living being couldn survive without water, which meant that it was the essence of life. It had to work. He the clean liquid into a glass and set it in the other outer circle before placing himself in the third outer circle, observing his work. He was almost done. If he remembered everything correctly he just had to murmur the words, make the right movements and create a soul with his mind. It wouldn’t work if he wasn’t passionate about it.

But it had to work. He closed his eyes as he relaxed his body, murmuring the words he memorized by heart from the endless nights of reading and learning, finally ready to create proper life! He didn’t realize the way the circle began to actually spin on the ground, even though it was just painted and how it began to glow, the clay-dust slowly forming actual clay and starting to form a body in the middle of the circle while the water got out of the glass, covering the clay body in it’s essence, allowing it to move, to speak, to see, to hear, to sense, to remember.

Logan gasped as he felt a stabbing sensation in his chest, right where his heart was, remembering in that moment, that every life he created a part of him was, he had to sacrifice a little bit of himself to create this living being, but it would be worth it. He was ready to take the sacrifice. He opened his eyes, not believing what he saw. The life was forming. The circle was spinning, shining, the part of his soul he sacrificed was inserting itself into the body. And just like that, just like that, it was over. The light faded, the spinning stopped and the body fell to the ground, just like Logan. He didn’t expect it to take so much from him. He had to recover for some seconds before he was able to stand up again. The alchemist slowly inched closer, inspecting the body before him.

He knelt down, gently brushing the white hair aside. Their skin had a yellow tint and was soft but also rough, like sand. Logan cradled the body protectively, holding it, shielding it, waiting for them to wake up. He hoped they would wake up. Their body was so close to the body of an human, but it seemed like something went wrong. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t survive. They would take good care of them. The body stirred, eyes scrunching together before slowly opening one eye, then the other, eyes widening as they saw Logan while the alchemist could only smile. 

Their eyes were beautiful. The life was radiating from them. They looked like melting chocolate. It was a colour similar to Logan’s, just a little bit darker. He was never as proud as he  was now. They opened their mouth, not trusting their voice yet, and asked: “Wh-who are you?” Their voice shook and cracked, they are just getting used to speaking. Logan gave them a warm smile as they answered: “My name is Logan.” They nodded weakly before asking: “Who… who am I?” They were so confused, but Logan understood, it was only logical. “You are…” He took a deep breath. He prepared his words for such a long time and even now, it still felt odd to say them. “You are my child. Your name is Patton and I am Logan, your father.”

Patton blinked, a small smile gracing their beautiful face as they whispered: “My… father…”  Patton was still weak, Logan understood, it must be hard to just come to life like this. Patton’s head rested on Logan’s chest before their eyes slipped close and their breathing evened out. Breathing… Patton was breathing. They were alive and well. Logan felt like crying, but he had a lot of  time for that later. He had to take care of his child first. He slowly rose to his feet, keeping Patton in his arms, and leaving the room he created them. He walked down a short hallway, opening a door and entering the bedroom he made for Patton. It was nothing too special, he decided, that he wanted to decorate it with the life he would create, if he was succcessful that it.

But he was successful. Patton was right here, in his arms. They laid Patton down onto the bed before walking to the closet, opening it and inspecting the already prepared clothes. Which one would suit Patton best? He wasn’t even sure as what gender Patton identified themselves… He had to ask them once they woke up. He chose something easy to put on and as neutral as possible. It wasn’t common for females to wear trousers, but Logan wasn’t someone to forbid a girl or woman to put on trousers if they so desired. He put the blue shirt on Patton’s body and helped them put on the comfortable white trousers, before tugging them into the comfortable sheets, giving them a kiss on the forehead, gently petting the white hair. He was successful… He created life… He created a child… a child that would stay with him… He wasn’t alone anymore.

Tag List: @at-least-seven-pretty-potatoes @anxietystatement @lovinofelivargas @creepy-cupcakes @hellomusicalnerdhere @mysticnachophilosopher @romanasanders @ccecode @fandernerdforever @hamiltrash-kimliza @oxyphara

[medleyofswag]

You know those videos of [ first kisses - social experiment ] between strangers on YouTube? There are a million of’em so this link is just a random one.

Well I really like’em and I imagiened Sam and Rafe in one while I made this edit. So. Naturally. I drabbled it- hope ye dig! 

Safe as Strangers. 

A sweet woman pointed him toward a spot in front of lights and cameras. There were soothing tunes in the background, which accompanied the two shots of rum nicely, to calm his nerves. If you’d ask him this very moment why he’d sign up for this experiment, he couldn’t say. Some extra merit, some experience, something different? Who knew.

If you ask him why now, about five seconds later, he wouldn’t know what to say becuase he simply didn’t care. A tall man, ruggedly handsome, brown-haired, frankly gorgeous stranger walked up to stand with him in front of the cameras where they were to be recorded. Or already were being recorded that very moment. Who knew, who cared, look at this man.

A minute of staring seemed appropriate enough, and he stuck a hand out for the stranger to take. Who eagerly took it. Cool. “Hi, I’m Raphael. Or, Rafe.” The smile wouldn’t stop pushing up, so who was he to try and push it down. “Hey. Hi Rafe, I’m Samuel. Or Sam.” The handsome stranger mirrored, displaying pearly whites.

“Hi Sam” Rafe let his smile loose, then.

Another second passed. His hand was so warm. Comfortable.

“You’re very tall.” The smaller man observed intelligently, chuckling with nervous waves in the sound, he started letting go of the other’s hand reluctantly. Sam all but wheezed with similar nervous levels. “Thank you, yes, I’ve grown all by myself.” Both grinned and shuffled slightly, seemingly unable to stand the hell still. Rafe knew exactly what he was doing there. He was there to be recorded while kissing a stranger and see what happaned. He knew, yet it struck him just then that this handsome length of hunk was who he had been assigned to kiss. He watched Sam looking at him, seeming equally aware. And equally pleased. Cool. Cool.

“So…” Rafe smiled still, while pushing his hands in his own back-pockets, tilting his head to the side. “Ever kissed a guy before?” He swayed a little back and forth forming his lips into a line. Sam chuckled shyly before pulling a hand up to scratch his neck. “Ah, well uhm, yeah. I dated a guy. Long time ago.” He shrugged at the information. He didn’t think that telling this, earily beautiful stranger that he usually only had flings and one-night stands and that his relationship-count could amount to about, three serious ones.

“It was actually the first guy I came out to as bisexual, and uh..” He clicked his tounge, glancing from his shoes to Rafe. “Yeah, we were pretty young. It was good, but he moved away.” He felt like every word came out flimsy and like this story had no relevant red string what so ever. Might be the very mezmering, distracting eyes, gazing at him curiously. “I get that.” The shorter man suddenly acknowledged, nodding.

“I came out to my best friend, as gay” He gestured toward himself as if self-explanaroty. “who replied with ‘me too’, though she’s a girl, so nothing more exciting happaned with that info.” He huffed a laugh. The tall man chuckled deeply, giving a few nods of his own. This guys was so easy to talk to. Huh.

“Uh, so, uh,” Sam fumbled a little. He turned to some of the crew, just a couple that payed attention to them, while the rest went around and about doing stuff to make the situation feel more natural. “How uh,” Sam held a thumb toward Rafe to gesture between them. “How much are we allowed to talk? I mean, do we ruin it if we talk to much?” One of the people behind the camera simply shaked their head and waved toward them, telling them to have at it, let it feel natural.

“So, it’s your first time in a.. stranger’s experiment too, I’m assuming?” Rafe continued, pulling up his hands, clapping them a little. “Uh yeah, yeah I- I mean I’ve met a lot of people, strangers, through work, which involves documeting a lot, but uhm,” He threw a look towards the machines filming them. “This is very different.” He huffed in laughs again. “Yea, I know what you mean. I meet strangers for a living but..” He dropped his hands to his thighs, smacking lightly.

Sam suddenly watched him with wider eyes, something looking like shock. Then it hit Rafe, who threw a hand up to his mouth to cover it in realization. “Oh god.” He muffled through the fingers. Sam started showing teeth again in an slowly-growing amused manner. Both of them felt blood rushing, faces easily heating and giggles hard to surpress when minds flew head-first towards innuendos in the company of a stranger.

“I’m in antique-sales business,” Rafe voice pitched, sounding defeated. “I mean I meet a lot of strangers and I have to find a bond with them in order to- I, oh my god” He flailed with both hands while speaking, though giggling the whole time, hands eventually stopped to rest and cover his whole face.

Samuel looked down at the smaller man shaking in snickers, adapting the happy shaking to his own shoulders too, his arms hanging at his sides until they moved up to cross his ribs. “I mean, I suspected but I don’t actually judge, so” His grin left his jaw ajar after speaking. Rafe dared to look up, and let go of his face. He sniffed and wiped under an eye. “Well that’s great, becuase I’m making a great impression here.” Even if he had been working in any type of escorting business, that would be a weak way to introduce it. The taller looked at him still grinning. Expression full of fondness. Rafe let his hands stay under his chin, fingers twirled together, looking up at Sam. 

He cleared his throat, licked his lips.

“So uh, what do you do?” He let his hands fall down, fingers still twirled. “Well, Hey- ironic,” Sam gave him a look and his mouth made small smack after swallowing. “I’m somewhat of an archaeologist, not fully-licensed yet, but finding antique stuff isn’t unusual for me.”

Rafe let a looped grin fall into place. Meeting someone his won age who understood anything at all about his own work was extremely rare. “Wow.” He managed. “Yeah, I… I’ve been doing it, pretty much my, uh, whole life. It kinda runs in the family.” Sam managed to continue, a little lost of words from looking back at Rafe like that. Rafe tore his eyes away eventually and threw a look to the crew again, then tried whispering. “..you think they did this on purpose?” He gave the taller a suggestive look, pointing inbetween them. “Well to be fair, I really wouldn’t mind if they did, either way.” Sam raised a brow in a suggestive look of his own. It made the shorter snort lightly. “Me neither.”

They shuffled and fidgeted a little more. A little lulled from the high of letting a stranger know they were allowed to kiss you. A stranger who made you feel safe, for some reason.

“Uh, am I allowed to ask how old you are?” Rafe suddenly looked puzzled. “Not that it matters, but uhm, curiousity.” “I think so,” Sam threw a look to the people around but noone payed any real attention to them right now. “I’ll be a rebel and tell you anyway,” Sam winked, which made Rafe’s face tint a little. “I actually turned 30 last month.” Sam let his under-lip push a little pout, unintressted in his own age. All he recieved at first was a blank face at that. It took Rafe a moment. “I don’t know wether to congratulate you or call you a liar, 30, really?!” Rafe looked next to bewilired. “You look like 26, atleast.” He shook his head in disbelief. Sam threw him a side-look. “Is it a compliment if I say you look about 26, too?” Sam leaned back a little and made a braced face, cranking a wink. The other man just snorted again. “Yeah, why not. I’m almost 25, so looking older than I am is still kind of a sexy thing. Or irrelevant, you know, whichever.” He shook his head again, not actually minding who thought he looked like what.

“Almost 25 huh, I’d say 'that’s a great age’ but that makes me sound like 60, so..” The taller ended with a 'pffft’ sound.

The shorter man made a face at him, smile reaching his eyes. “That is kind of a grampa-thing to say.” “My little brother does more-or-less call me a grampa.” He frowned, shifting from looking at Rafe to the roof in thought. Rafe chuckled again, it was a great sound. Beautiful. It made Sam look at him with that fondness again, grinning in success for helping that sound leave those lips.

And he kept looking. Rafe looking back. A beat went by.

“Your laugh is amazing-” “Your eyes are gorgeous-”

Both stopped in their tracks, catching up what the other had said and broke out in grins. Rafe tilted towards the floor again.

The taller man licked his lips and moved to take a hold of Rafe’s hand. His thumbs caressed softly. The action made the younger look up. Sam met his eyes with much more intent now. Not that he hadn’t been watching him carefully this whole time, but his eyes held a deeper meaning suddenly. He was visibly leaning. There’ wasn’t any confusion to being here. He knew what he was looking for, what he was doing. He was on a mission, searching. “You know you’re eyes are, insane.” He announced in realization. “Like- stunning. Insanely stunning.” Mission complete. Now he’s free to admire his finding. In fact, finding it impossible to look away.

Rafe looked like he’d just seen a star fall for the first time. Or a winter-wonderland. Or a red moon. Or a clear double-rainbow in a rainforrest or something equally amazing to put him in awe. 

He inhaled, taking a step closer. It caused Sam to streach his back up again, and it almost entirely closed their distance, just half a foot remaining inbewteen them.

Air started to come a little shorter.

Rafe reached slowly toward the older stranger. 

“Uh, I,” Rafe whispered, a hand hovering over Sam’s ribs. The latter reached in return towards Rafe’s hips, guiding him to come closer. In response Rafe did, and let his own hands rest on each side of Sam’s ribcage.

The shorter man let out a little sound when their bodies nudged. The scent of cologne, something like gasoline from a vehicle and a hint of smoke suddenly very strong. Very alluring.

“Do you, uh…” Rafe tried again, looking down to the man’s colorbones. The hands on his hips were gentle. Inviting. Distracting.

“You smell very good.” Rafe finally breathed. Finally daring to look up at him again. Sam met Rafe’s eyes. “So do you.” He tossed a glance to his lips. 

“I really wanna kiss you.” He said quietly. Voice steady. A beat. “Kiss me.”  The other whispered.

His tummy felt tight from fluttering. That exciting kind, like when the roller-coster is about to send you flying down after feet upon feet of rolling upward.

Sam leaned in. By instinct eyelids closed just before the first touch. Almost nothing but a tickle, followed a second later by a soft, gentle push. 

The flutters in Rafe’s tummy released into a million pieces, now all bouncing around in there. 

He inhaled through is nose. One of his hands automatically pulled up instead, behind Sam’s head, holding his breath until he felt the taller man move again. The kiss pulled off slightly, lips never completely parting before pushing close again. A tounge carefully pecking, as if asking if a visit was okay. Rafe parted his lips along with his own tounge darting forth in search of the new companion.

Sam made a sound when they met.

He tasted sweet, but not too sweet. A tad bit of coffee. A hint of ciggarette and, something minty or citrus-y. Maybe from gum.

Bodies pressed closer, movements grew more freely, quiet grunts and breaths let out. Sam held Rafe tighter around his back when the kissing resulted in Sam practically dipping him. The following kisses lingered. They slowed down. Parting to get air became essential eventually. Even if they didn’t part more than an inch or two at first. They stood up properly, still flushed close together.

Maybe they were shaking a little. Maybe their shaky breathing gave it away. Maybe they would need a moment, or several, before they could fully part.

“… uhm.” Rafe breathed. “So,” Sam started, smiling lazily, dazed from the man in his arms. “Call me?” Rafe asked with a hopeful tone. All inhibitions be damned. “Friday?” Sam lit up brighter than a ray of summer sun. “Yeah!” Rafe nodded, pleased and excited. 

Flutters going wild in his chest.

In retrospect, if the whole studio had gone quiet or not during their encuonter, the two men who’d been recorded would never be able to answer. Atleast that’s what they told them three years later in an interview for the experiment-partaking couples who are still dating.

[saltynsassy31]

erm erm drop cringey pokemon thoughts pretty pls

FKDKSKAKQ EEEEEE IM GLAD YOU ASKED!

So like, first things first, my favourite pokemone is decidueye, mostly because when my friend got me into playing unite, he was the first pokemon I got (ignoring pikachu who is the default tutorial guy)

I named him Rowley cuz I like how Rowlet sounded lol

And I have a whole little world thought out for my persona and Rowley, specially how they met

Before I go on, I gotta clear up something. Unite is the only pokemon game I ever played, and not out of interest, I just 1. Was never allowed to and 2. When I was, it wasn't in my priority then and now I don't have money for it fksjsja

I loved pokemon growing up! But it was the "demon's" work, so like, yeah, my knowledge is very skewed, but I did run it back to my pokemon encyclopedia friend and they gave the thumbs up so yeah--

But basically, Salty, when she was aroumd 12, was struggling to get a pokemon compared to her other classmates, so she decided to venture out, at first, it was supposed to be on her own, but she wasn't allowed since she was too young, an older, for now, unnamed figure who I'm yet to fill the role of with a proper character, catches her and they join her in her journey.

After still struggling to find one after hours, they stumbl upon a Rowlet

She, before even approaching it, she made noise and called its attention on her, everything was still for a moment until a snack slid out of Salty's bag due the position she halted, they stared at it for a moment before the Rowlet jumped at it, grabbed it and flew off

Salty, irrationally, took chase as her guardian (imma call them that) yelled out for her to stop

Very dumb move but she was always very impulsive

She ran through foliage and rocky ground, calling for the Rowlet who did not hear her please, or simply ignored them

Eventually she lost track of him and was out of breath, body filled with tiny cuts and scratches. Her guardian eventually caught up, equally out of breath and comforted her as she noticed the girl's distraught look.

"Hey, it's alright, there are plenty other pokemon out there"

"Yeah, but it's the first we've seen in hours and it was so...cute...also it took my favourite snack! Can it even eat that?"

"Don't worry, that one specifically isn't bad for them, let's go back to camp and get you patched up."

"Okay..."

They go back, Salty gets patched up and she sits in the log they made to a makeshift bench where she had left her bag sitting while getting taken care of when she heard some rustling. She freezes and slowly glanced down at her bag, that looked heavier and fuller than before. A hand slowly reached down for it and gently opened it, and a gasp escaped her lips.

The rowlet she had taken chase to not moments before was resting in a pile of wrappers, stomach full and currently in a food coma.

She stared at it for what felt like forever, waiting for it to move and fly off again, but no such thing happaned, so she, without taking her eyes off of the bird as if it would disappear the moment she turned away, grabbed one of the pokeballs in her belt and used it on the pokemon, miraculously working, a smile began to build on her face.

"Guardian! Guardian! Guess what just happened!"

She stood up and ran towards her guardian who was fixing up their stuff to start moving.

This is just their backstory tho, I'm still planning her actual story, but their dynamic is very sweet to me

Clumsy, danger magnet girl and a bird who is only there for the food but actually really cares for his trainer

He acts like he doesn't care but is very protective of salty

"If she's gone, my free ticker for a buffet is gone too" he'd say if anyone understood him

Salty's also a bit sensitive so he's usually there to glare at anyone who dares step out of line XD

She'd probably give him a friendship bracelet and it would go something like this:

"If you don't want it I can take it back"

"No its mine now"

[endless-vall]

A ray of sunshine - Nick x Scarlett fanfic

Summary: Nick reflect on his stay in Winter Haven. Author’s note: I know many don’t like this ship... But I do. This is mostly the events of the previous chapter, from Nick’s POV and his intake on those. I’m pretty sure there’s something behind all this ‘holiday gloominess’ of his, but since it’s a short book probably the writers won’t bother going into it and explaining it. Hope you’ll like it! 😄

Book: Home for the holidays.

Nick sat on Scarlett's bed after a long day of exploring the city and going through manuscripts. He didn't know what he was doing here. Actually, he knew exactly how he ended up there and a little voice in the back of his mind was even thankful that it was Scarlett's hometown he ended up stuck in and not some of their other, unbearable coworkers. Just a little while ago, he didn't even know who Scarlett was. He just knew this intern's writing was too good to pass on, and finally gave her the promotion she deserved. Scarlett turned out to be an outstanding editor, as well as a hardworking and pleasent person. And with all that she was also a ray of sunshine in his gloomy world, with just the right amount of wit to shake him out of his stoic figure. He'd hate all of her holiday cheerfulness if it wasn't for how charming she herself was.

Scarlett gaped at him as he stood in front of her porch. "Nick?" She finally blinked at him. "What are you doing here?" She asked. He hated to drop all this work on her all of a sudden, but he knew she'd understand. "Freezing to death, apperantly." He shrugged, feeling the snow falling around him. "Right, sorry, of course. Come on in." She invited him into her house, a puzzled expression on her face along with a faint hint of a smile. He follows her into the house, and introduces her mother and brother. He makes a note about how well Scarlett have been preforming at work and tells her mother she should be proud of her, before her mother and brother rush out of the room, letting Scarlett and him talk. "Let me guess. You're here because... You missed me so much!" She offers, with the biggest, goofiest smile smeared across her face. Nick scowls at her, and she immediately shakes the smile off her face. It's not an angry scowl, though, but almost an amused one. He can't believe how helplessly cheerful this girl is. "Ha... ha?" She shrugs, he rolls his eyes, and they continue. He lifts a huge box with a pile of manuscripts in it into the kitchen table, and it lands with a thud. He asks her to read all of them till January, explaining the error of an intern resulted in those manuscripts being piled off unattended. "I need someone I can depend on to look these over. The next big american novel can be in one of these." Nick tells her, and Scarlett agrees desicively. He means every word. He really does trust her.

Then all the helicopter fiasco happaned, and they ended up stuck in Winter Haven. Nick couldn't lie and say he wasn't disappointed to miss the meeting with the promising author in Barbados. But he'd also lie if he said he'd prefered to get stuck in any other coworker's house too. The joy family was very welcoming, even let him stay in Scarlett's childhood room. He was entirely fine taking the couch, but Scarlett's mom had none of that. Later, while they were sipping whiskey and going over manuscripts, he suggested to Scarlett to switch places once again.

"I can take the couch, if you'd like." He told her, making her glance up from a certain manuscript that was taking all of her attention. "mmhm?" She made a wondering sound. "The couch. Your mom was so quick to offer your room and make you sleep on the couch. I'm pretty sure this isn't how you imagined your trip back home for the holidays going... So if you want to sleep in your room it's totally okay. I can take the couch and make up some excuse. Say I wasn't feeling comfortable in your room or something." He shrugs, offering her. "Oh- No, no... It's totally fine. This is the Joy's family way of hosting. Unless you really do feel uncomfortable sleeping in my room.... Do you?" She eyed him, eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Not at all. It's lovely." He assured her, smiling lightly. He did make fun of some of the books her bookshelf had to offer, but ultimately her room was indeed lovely, and gave Nick a little peek into her world. "Then, I'm more than happy to sleep on the couch for this." She winked at him, one last time, before digging back into the story in her hands.

He changed into his sleepwear, and got under the covers, thinking about the promise he made to Scarlett. He'd try to have fun this 'vacation', while she'd do everything in her power to finish the task he gave her on time. It wasn't a bad deal, even though Nick really disliked the holidays. Too many people let him down, especially during those times of the year. His parents, his ex-girlfriends... Even his friends. So the holidays only really reminded him of these failures. At the end, it all really just came down to himself and his dreams. He wanted this company to work, to succeed, and while people found it a workaholic and a bitter behavior... Nick was just glad to have something in his life that couldn't let him down. If the company fails... This was on him. It would be his own mess-up. And letting himself down was somehow better than opening up to people, trusting them, and than seeing all of it shattering before his eyes as they let him down. For some reason, even if it wasn't the same situation at all - he had a feeling Scarlett wasn't going to let him down.

He even admitted it, though only to himself - he did have fun today. Scarlett even made him get on a slide today, with her.

She dressed up nicely. Nick was even sure he blushed when he told her that she looked wonderful. She always looked stunning, either way, but that way the least interesting thing about her. She was showing him and Charles aroung Winter Haven when they bumped into an old friend of Scarlett’s, and then they continued to the the snowy hill, where children and adults alike were sledding around. At first, Nick thought it was stupid. Like all the Christmas decorations this city had. It really was too many. But then Scarlett picked up a sled, and grinned widely his way. Oh no... He knew that grin. "That means you, Mr. Boss Man." She motioned him over, still beaming. "You honestly expect me to go sledding down the hill with you?" He questions, almost miserably. Though, as he says it... the idea sounds less horrible than it was in his head. Especially after the 'with you' part. "And have fun doing it." She notes, jumping in her place. He sighs heavily, almost over-dramatically. "A deal's a deal, I suppose." He let's out. It’s mostly an act, though, since he can feel a grin rising over his lips as he thinks of spending more time with Scarlett. "That's the spirit!" She exclaims, and preps the sled on the fresh snow. He didn't have to make that deal with her... But he was starting to like it. It was... refreshing. Scarletts settles in the front spot, and Nick climbs behind her. "This is absurd." He jokingly complains. He is still kind of irritated by sledding, considering he didn't do it for at least twenty years, so maybe his face wasn't giving away his joke. He's sure, though, that Scarlett caught on it. "That's what makes it fun." She winks at him, and notices he's set his hands on his knees. "You'd want to hold onto something, trust me." She makes a point, then a faint smile creeps to her lips. One he wouldn't have had caugh unless he's been looking. Nick swears he wasn't looking at her lips purposely, but he doesn't have time to think it over before Scarlett adds "You should hold onto me." She smiles, and only god knows how glad he is she suggested it. "I'll keep you safe and secure." She grins, then turns around. He wraps his hands around each side of her waist, feeling the slight excitment of holding her like this for the first time. "Oh yeah.. I feel so much safer now." He says sarcastically, and both share a chuckle, before Scarlett begins sledding down the hill.

His eyes flutter shut, his exhaustness making him drift away to sleep. The following morning, he wakes up to the dim light shining through the windows of Scarlett’s bedroom. He gets up and washes his face, noticing he has one unread message. It's from Scarlett, to his surprise. He wipes his hands and takes out his phone, checking the notification.

'I have to show you something!!' - Scarlett. Sent in 04:55 AM.

Nick blinks at his screen for a short moment, before putting his phone back in his pocket, and getting ready to go downstairs. He reaches the living room, seeing Scarlett smeared over the couch, with something that looks like a finished manuscript in her arms. He's intriguated in what she has to tell him, but... in one swift moment of instinct he decides to let her rest instead. He could wait awhile until she gets enough sleep. It's not like he's going anywhere anyway... And, she just looks way too peaceful - even for him - to wake her up. Taking a blanket from the top of the couch, he lays it on top of Scarlett, and she snuggles against it quickly, making herself comfortable and mumbeling in her sleep. "Thanks..." She says sleepily, and turns her back to him. "... No problem." Nick smiles to himself.

[emiyaseraph]

Character Analysis : Qrow Branwen

Here we go, let’s talk about the most popular character in RWBY since Volume 3, our favorite uncle : Qrow Branwen. Sure, he was always cool, but did we understand his motivations or anything else important ? No, I say ! So allow me to analyse Qrow so we can all appretiate him better !

Anyone who thinks Qrow isn't a complete train wreck of a character is lying to themselves. Sure, he's cool and he has this super awesome sword that does this clinky clanky thing and turns into this super awesome scythe that shoots shotgun shells and he's got this radical red cape that's all tattered and he's one of the only characters to wear a cape like wow, what a badass ! He's messed up. Big time. This poor guy's never had it easy. He has a lot of psychological issues that make him one of the most vulnerable characters in the series. It's why I love him so much. Complex characters FTW, am I right ?

Qrow, like Raven, was most likely raised by a bandit tribe, which seems to resides in Mistral. As to wether he was born between a bandit couple or if he was just taken in by the tribe remains unclear.

Now, there's two possibilities as to how Qrow was during his time with the bandits.

1. He was completely one of them : He may have been a lot like Raven, thinking of the bandits as his "family", completely turning a blind eye to what they are really doing.

2. He never agreed with them : He could've never truly felt like he belonged among the bandits, disagreeing with their way of doing things.

Either way, the next big event would change his life forever.

At some point in time, Raven and Qrow decided to attend Beacon Academy, most likely just to become even stronger than they already were, to ensure the bandit tribe's survival. Once again, there's two possibilities as to how events turned out when they decided to go to Beacon.

1. Raven was the one who decided that : Quite simple. Raven was like "lol training sequence" and Qrow was like "lol k" and tagged along. Not much else to say.

2. Qrow was the one who wanted to attend Beacon : This is the more interesting variation. If Qrow was the one who first said he wanted to go to the huntsman academy, then it might've been that he used training as an excuse to get away from the bandit tribe.

So, what happaned during Qrow and Raven's time at Beacon ? There's really only one confirmed story of team STRQ's time at Beacon, and that would be the story of Qrow wearing a skirt. One might think that that story only has comedic value, but let's think about that for a second: Qrow was so oblivious to fashion, that he litterally didn't know what a skirt was, or at the very least what a uniform was supposed to be like. In my opinion, this illustrates perfectly well just how seperated Qrow was from regular society.

The next thing to talk about is obviously... So Qrow became an uncle. But what does that truly mean to him ? For the first time in his life, Qrow had a real "family", other than Raven of course. Taiyang more or less became his brother-in-law and after Raven went back to the tribe (leaving Yang), he would later meet his second niece, whom he technically isn't related to if you think about it.

Ok, but before we get to Qrows relationship with his nieces, let's first go back a little to the part where Raven leaves for the tribe.

Surely, that must've been cause for an argument between the Branwen twins. On one hand, Qrow didn't want to go back to the bandits, and on the other, Raven was willing to leave behind her newborn daughter. Neither could accept what the other was planning on doing. In short, I think Qrow had a falling out with his sister.

This line of thought also lines up well with Tai saying that the team fell apart due to Raven. I actually wondered if Tai and Qrow came to blows over Tai thinking Qrow knew where Raven went, but wouldn't tell him. If Qrow did know, I could see him staying silent out of fear of Tai getting killed by their tribe or Yang getting taken by them if he went looking for Raven given that he didn't want anything to do with the tribe. Summer probably would've tried to smooth things over though.

Now, let's finally get back to Qrow and his nieces. Quite honestly, I think he thinks of them like his own daughters. They are (or at least Yang is) his first blood related family besides Raven. Qrow loves his nieces nontheless, which is quite evident, seeing how he always helps them out, gives them advice or even protects them from the Grimm, as shown during episode 4 of volume 4 and Yang's flashback from volume 2. He obviously cares deeply for them.

Now, his drinking habit most likely originated around the time Summer died. It is still very unclear as to what happened at that time, so I can't say anything about that....did you really think I would say that ? No ! There's a lot of room for speculation. Firstly, Qrow seems to know much more about how the world works than Taiyang for example. And judging by the fact that he seems to know Salem, or at least what kind of being she is, we can guess that he may be the second most knowledgable person after Ozpin himself.

He knows about the Maidens, the Silver-Eyed Warriors, Salem, where Raven is and what the "relic" is. There are probably many more things that we've never even heard about, that he knows about. So, what does all of that have anything to do with Summer's death or Qrow's alcoholism ? Quite simple ! We should ask ourselves:

Why does he know all that in the first place?

It's easy to just say: "Oh, Ozpin told him all this because he trusted him !", and it would probably be correct. But why, of all trustworthy huntsmen and huntresses, was he chosen to join Ozpin's "brotherhood" ?

It's because he was already deeply involved. He found out about the Silver-Eyed Warriors while fighting alongside Summer Rose, his sister was the leader of a presumably powerful bandit tribe, with whom he can trade information with and finally: He found out about Salem most likely when they had directly confronted her, ending with Summer's death.

By the way, I also have a little theory about that : Taiyang might've been absent during that mission Summer died in. Why do I think that ?

For two reasons in particular :

1. The way Yang described the day Summer disappeared : Yang, in volume 2 during her flashback, stated that Summer had 'one day gone on a mission and never came back'. Notice the wording here ? She never said that BOTH her parents had gone on that mission.

2. Qrow and Taiyang’s frictional relationship : During this mission with Summer, I think Qrow came back home alone. Maybe Taiyang blames Qrow for not being able to save/protect Summer, or if Taiyang is aware of the effect of Qrow’s semblance, he grudges him to be one of the causes of her death. I don’t know it’s just a theory, but it’s the wibe I fell from their interactions with each other. In volume 4, when Qrow speaks in his sleep which refers to Tai and one of his wives. It is implied that Qrow blames himself for her death because of his misfortune but that is still up in the air.

Plus, that friction between Taiyang and Qrow arose because Taiyang is still trying to protect the girls from the world, while Qrow feels that they're ready to confront it on their own. Also, during the volume 3 finale, Qrow asked Taiyang for a moment alone with Ruby. During which, he told her about the silver eyes.I think the reason Qrow wanted Taiyang to leave for that part of the conversation was because Qrow was telling Ruby where to go when she leaves, something Taiyang would obviously disapprove of. And, I might simply be reading too much into this, but my theory is that Taiyang might not even know what the silver eyes are yet. That in turn makes me think that Taiyang is still mostly oblivious to the bigger picture.

And finally, what’s make him more a wreck mentally : his Semblance ! After Qrow has been posioned by Tyrian, he once again explains a lot of information to RNJR, showing his knowledge off once again. He also explains that he followed them from a distance because of his semblance, misfortune. This made his character even more interesting, making me want to learn a lot more about his character and made me feel for his character. This also explained why he drinks so much because of how his misfortune may of affected some events in his past.

Before we wrap this up, there's one more trait of Qrow we haven't discussed: His womanizing aspect. Granted, the womanizing is mostly Taiyang's thing, but Qrow shows this trait as well sometimes. So, does that have any significance to his character ?

Maybe. Unless RT just added this for the heck of it, it may be that Qrow's womanizing illustrates a secret wish to start his own family as well. A man of his age thinking about children isn't really such a weird thing either. In fact, I think these two would make a cute pair : I LOVE SNOWBIRD/QROWIN !

Overall, I love the way Qrow has been presented as a character and I cannot wait to see how he develops as a character in Volume 5 and what we learn about him. Thanks for reading !

[strawberry-alarm-clock-blog]

The promise

It was just a ordinary night he was stareing into her eyes drifting far away forgeting where he was at that moment he felt her soft lips press againest his lips he opened his eyes truely seeing how beautiful she was at that moment she sank into his chest and he heard her say never leave as she started to tear up he brought her close to his chest and said i never will, they fell asleep and when morning came he was the first to wake up he layed there stroking her hair thinking about how lucky he was to have her, at that moment he swore he would not let anything bad happan to her or let anyone hurt her she was the one he wanted to protect forever even if it killed him he would never leave for her...