#its 7:50 am and i am so sad now????

[megagrind]

Bitches be like “I’ve spent so long chasing after this person that it’s time I move on and fall in love with someone else” and it’s literally the exact same person

[the-orange-tabby-cat]

Wednesday

joel miller x fem!reader

Summary of the fic: For the last 5 years, every Wednesday you watched a handsome man walk by your street with a lilac bouquet in hands. Except he doesn't stroll on your street this Wednesday, he shows up at your grief support group. 🐾

read on AO3 | masterlist | previous chapter Warnings: No outbreak AU, Grief and its implications, Reader lost her mom, Reader's mom has a name (but no physical description), Group therapy, Grief support group, Parent grief, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Slow Build, Fluff, No use of y/n Word count of the chapter: 3,7k

A/N: For the longest time I've thought "What if Joel lost Sarah anyway?" and this became the answer to this question. I have no clue about how big this series will be, but I do know I want to explore grief and loss with these two in the most delicate way possible. Hope you enjoy it 🐾

I. LILAC

Coffee. Sketchbook. Balcony. Five years of waking up early on Wednesdays, grabbing a cup of coffee, and sitting near the railings to wait for him. Like a clock, at 8 am sharp he appears by the street corner with a lilac bouquet under his arm. 

His strong profile will be the only thing in your vision for a few minutes as he walks by. You drew it so many times that you could do it with your eyes closed. The man will walk by at a steady pace without looking around (brows deeply furrowed in a “don’t fuck with me” kind of sign), focused on his way down the street.

Tall, dark hair and a patchy beard with a square jaw… He is dreamy, but also out of reach. Where is he going? Why the lilacs? Are they for a woman, his wife maybe? Every Wednesday at 8 am, never a minute late, both he and you.

As you took a sip of your coffee, you glanced over the watch marking 7:58 am, he would be here any minute. You prepared the table in expectancy, what outfit would he be wearing today? You hoped for the green shirt, but the blue one wouldn’t be as bad.

7:59 am. His hair is a little overgrown now, but you like the way his curls frame his face. The broadness of his shoulders and how tall he looks next to the other pedestrians. You aren’t sure of the color of his eyes from afar, maybe green or brown.

8:01 am and no signal of him. This is a first. Maybe you mistook the day of the week, check your phone, and… No, Wednesday still. You squirm in your seat, impatiently looking for him. 8:07 am, he never got so late. Should you keep waiting? You don’t even know his name.

At 8:30 am you give up. A wave of melancholy fills the air. Oh god, be for fucking real, are you really sad because a strange man and his stupid lilacs didn’t walk down your street?

“Don’t forget: 9 am at the gate”, you reread your grandpa's text. 

You couldn’t be able to forget it, but deep down wish you could avoid it. Cemeteries aren’t your thing, the constant reminder of the death surrounding you. However, they are Grandpa’s way of dealing with it and who are you to judge?

The sketchbook is opened at the last page you drew, with the man staring in front of him fully angered. How did you end up with over 200+ drawings of a man you never met? The doctor said finding a hobby would help and so you did: drawing. “You see what no one else sees”, your mom used to say and you decided to take a test. Too bad your eyes landed on a strange man walking down the street, holding on tightly to a lilac bouquet. Even worse he had been doing the same path for five years right in front of your balcony.  The only things in your sketchbook are his face, his hands, and the bouquet. This is your third one since you kept running out of pages.

As you put the sketchbook away, your mind drifted away to your mother’s (possible) commentary. “Don’t be silly, he will come by later, I’m sure something happened” and she, most likely, would be right. She was always right. 8:50 am and with your chest tightened from “talking” to her inside your mind, your feet landed at the cemetery’s gate.

“No flowers? Really? Who raised you, pigs?”, your grandpa said narrowing his eyes at you.

He, of course, was an impeccable mess in his hat, black coat, thin-framed glasses that gave him a Bond villainesque look. In his rugged hands a white rose bouquet, carefully made and held by.

“If I remember right, and I do remember it, we are talking about the same woman who said that flowers are for the living, not the dead.” He rolled his eyes in response but in good fun. “Why the flowers then?”

“My biggest mistake was to raise a woman a little too avant-garde, wasn’t it? C’mon, we don’t have the whole day,” he deep sighed while showing you the way. 

You knew the path, but your feet seemed to avoid getting there, that’s why you followed Grandpa’s steps in the hope of not turning around and leave. It was a little ritualistic if you were honest: Grandpa would have some kind of gift in his hands that he would leave at the tombstone, and you would pretend to do not care as you deeply cared about it. She wasn’t there anymore, she hadn’t been for a long time.

Behind his glasses, you could see a lost man driven by grief. His hands shaking as he cleaned her name at the tombstone, the gaze avoiding yours. He would always wear black on cemetery days, as if the time never passed and it was the first visit yet.

“Want to go first?” He asked, you sighed in response. “Don’t know why I still ask.”

“It’s… Fine. You know she was a Buddhist, right? She believed in reincarnation. I feel a little silly talking to her,” you confessed while chewing the lip corners.

“Oh, trust me: I knew her the same amount as you, maybe even more. She was my daughter, for fuck’s sake.” Startled, you looked at him in shock at the rare occasion he would curse. Shit. “I’m not here because of her beliefs or lifestyle. Do you quote her inside your head? Because I do too, I too remember every small detail of her. I’m here because it’s how I tell myself she isn’t fully gone. So sorry if I’m too old-fashioned and feel like talking a few words at my daughter's tombstone with my grandaughter who, honestly? Could show a little more love towards her right now. I want to talk with her like we used to at the kitchen table on Sundays, I want to bring her flowers just like I did on her birthday and there is no Buddha, Allah, or a flying horse that can stop me. Now, can you open your fucking mouth and say something nice to your mom about your week?”

Silence took the space for a second before you simply replied with, “Better?”

“Yes, a lot. Thank you for asking, now go on, please.” He adjusted his hat and cleared his throat. You hummed, getting a little courage to look directly at the tombstone.

“Hum. I got a new couch last week, a velvety green one. A little too sexy, if I might, but you would probably say I need something sexy to attract someone even sexier. Am I rambling?” You asked, raising your eyes from the stone, but he made a motion for you to continue it. “Let me think, oh, the cat hunted a pigeon. It was somewhat disgusting because of the amount of feathers in my apartment…”

“Did the pigeon survive?” He asked, in his eyes with a slight curiosity.

“Yes, but by a thread. It was her cat, a little savage just like her!”

The conversation went on easily after it. Grandpa had found some old notebooks of your mom, including one with a cake recipe he would later send to you. You wouldn’t tell him, it did feel better not because you were speaking to her, but because you could watch him relax in his uptight perpetual state. In the blink of an eye, your mind wandered to the strange man and if he ever relaxed like that.

Grief is a strange thing. It took a little encouragement from your therapist and the need to move on, but you had started to go to weekly meetings of a grief support group at the local church (the only thing that made you enter that space). The first months were awkward, you went but avoided it at the same time. Slowly, it grew on you. Five years of not missing a single Wednesday, even on vacation.

Your grandpa tried once, but it just wasn’t for him. He didn’t want to move on or find a meaning for it, he needed to feel his grief as second skin. You needed it to stop suffocating you, to scream and shout about that weight in the hope of someone taking it from your back.

This Wednesday wasn’t any different. You entered the church's back door with some cookies in hand, even if you were well aware that most people couldn’t eat as they exposed their pain, it was more of a sweet gesture than a necessity. The white walls and the cross in front of you completed the scenario.

“Cookies? You never eat anything,” Henry questioned while taking a bite. His dark eyes staring suspiciously at you.

“My grandpa found an old cookie recipe from my mom. How does it taste?” You replied as you watched him bite. You couldn’t bear to try it first, too anxious about it.

“Your mom was definitely a writer, not a chef. Taste like an old sock.” His face contorted as he spat out the cookie. Well, you tried something new.

“Yeah, no wonder I survived out of Lucky Charms and BTLs.” Henry laughed as you let go of your shoulder’s tension a bit.

The grief support group had grown and shrunk over the years. Sometimes people would feel good enough to leave the support, those were the lucky ones: grief was a period of their life, not an everyday thing. In other cases, they would get too depressed and leave before making some actual change in their being. You, unfortunately, were addicted to bond with the pain part of it.

Well, you and them. Henry was the first you met, totally wrecked after losing his little brother, Sam, to leukemia. He almost left college due to the weight of grief but kept it together, you even went to his graduation a few years back. 

Tess came later. First, her kid died and then, in a stroke of bad luck, she found out she had a terminal disease that would, eventually, kill her. She wasn’t there to deal with the death of others, but her own. She was slowly dying and it was scary as shit. Not that you would know it from the outside, she had more strength (both physically and mentally) than most.

Frank was the group leader, conducting the discussion and creating the safe spaces. Everything you had said while hugging him, no matter how bad, never came back to hunt you. Which was odd on its own, but even odder considering his grumpy husband, Bill, was the exact opposite. Everything you did said in Bill’s direction came back to hunt you right after it came out of your mouth.

People come and go, but you stay there. Grabbing your regular place at the circle, putting the name tag on your shirt, and drinking some water just in case you cry. Except today you have someone new seated across you.

His strong nose and patchy beard hint someone you do know. His square jaw tensed up, brows deeply furrowed in a “don’t talk to me, I want to go home” that you could draw with eyes closed. The name tag reads “Joel”. You were right, his eyes are brown.

It feels weird to look at him without a pen and paper in hand, but it feels just right to see his features up close. Tess brings him coffee - black, you noticed - and gives him an eye silently saying “Don’t fuck it up”.

The meeting starts, Frank asks who is there for the first time. Joel and a woman, Hannah, raise their hands.

“It’s tradition to introduce ourselves at our first meeting. You don’t need to tell the details of why you are here or who you are, just simple information that people can distinguish you from the rest of the group.” Frank explains to a tired Joel, who sighs in response while Hannah overshares who she is.

Of course he doesn’t want to be there. Nobody wants to. You wish you could leave every time you cross the door, but know that the moment the meeting starts to develop you will want to continue in that deep state of pouring your heart out.

“I’m Joel, my friend Tess convinced me to come. That’s it.” He simply states, loud and straight. You catch Frank laughing.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to push you a little on it. Why did you accept to come here?” Joel furrows even deeper at the provocation.

“I didn’t. She trapped me.” Tess raises her very blonde eyebrows at him, who snaps. “You did trap me. Call me saying it was an emergency, I go to your house expecting the worst and you lock me inside there until the time to come here after I said I wouldn’t go to a grief support group.”

“See? He is an asshole, he needs this.” She answers Frank, making sure he gets her points. Your mom was right, something had happened to him.

“So, Joel, why are you here still?” Frank subtly asks.

“I beg your pardon?” Joel’s eyes are softer now, getting caught off guard. He doesn’t have any argument for it.

“Yes Joel, why are you still here? I’m not trapping you in this char, nobody is holding you down.” Tess retorts her mouth in his direction, that scoffs and looks around the room. When his eyes look into yours, you smile coyly unable to retain yourself.

“Sir, please continue.” Accepting defeat, Joel crosses his arms around his chest, fully ignoring Tess's triumphant smile.

“You are free to leave at any point, no need to tell us why. But I guarantee that if you stay, you might learn we aren’t that bad.” Frank nods in his direction, gaining a hard sigh. “Let’s start. Before every meeting, we say out loud the names of those who have gone to allow ourselves to think about them without shame, remorse, or guilt. You know the drill, Henry?”

“Sam,” Henry says firmly.

“Abigail,” you speak loudly.

Another silly little gesture, but you do allow yourself to think about her after it. Every single time. It’s almost as if the weight of her, the one that you carry around all day and pretend isn’t there suffocating you, comes to sit by you, not on you. 

“Teresa,” Tess points at her.

“Sarah,” Joel almost murmurs looking at the ground. His hands are fidgeting, his mind in another place. 

You have been there, you know how strange it is to say it for the first time out loud after a while, sounds forbidden and partly awkward. You aren’t supposed to say it to strangers, it’s sacred just for you, and yet, here you are saying it to whoever wants to share this pain with you.

You wonder if Sarah liked lilac flowers.

Some people speak about how they dealt with grief during the week until Frank asks you how the cemetery visit went. The group knows that meeting your grandpa there gives you a chill up the spine.

“I think I forget that he is allowed to grieve as he needs. I know all these little parts of her, how she lived her life. I’m quick to fight because she isn’t here to defend herself. I’m not even sure she would like for me to defend the memory of who she is… Sorry, was. Of who she was.” You swallow dryly, trying to ignore the miswording. “He bought her flowers. She always said that flowers were for the living, not the dead, and yet, he bought her a bouquet. I got frustrated, felt like he was trying to put her in a box of who he wanted her to be.

“He put me in my place quickly, even said fuck.” Henry makes some noise in surprise, you nod agreeing. “Exactly, it dawned on me: the flowers are for him, not for her. Just like his grief and how he needs to express it is only for himself, not for me to judge. I think he misses her more than he tells me. If I could go back in time, I would have implored him to cremate her and stop this nonsense of going to her grave, checking her tombstone, giving her damn flowers.”

“Maybe the flowers are his way of saying out loud that he cares too. She was his daughter before being your mother.” Joel speaks out loud, getting your full attention. His arms are still crossed, but now his eyes are lost in thought, almost as if he didn’t want you to hear it.

“Maybe. I just wish he allowed himself to stop pretending she is still here. I want to think of her without feeling guilty that she isn’t. He is too busy missing her to notice that I’m missing him.” You answer locking eyes with Joel, who chews the corners of his mouth, once again deep in thought.

“Maybe he doesn’t know how to do it, need help.” His voice soft, just like his eyes.

“Maybe.” You give in, feeling that Joel isn’t speaking about your grandpa. You swallow as you remember the lilacs.

The meeting runs smoothly. The group finishes by drinking coffee before parting ways. Frank is chatting by the corner with Joel, who is running a hand by the nape of his neck. Curiosity gets the best of you and, before you can stop, you question Tess.

“Who is Sarah?”

“A million-dollar question, huh?” She teases as she sips her sugary coffee. Henry looks between you two, waiting for a response. “You both haven’t heard from me, I’ll deny til death that I’ve ever said it. His daughter, she died a few years back. He hasn’t been the same since. That motherfucker goes to her grave every fucking Wednesday.”

“He visits her every Wednesday?” The number of drawings of Joel walking down your street early in the morning with a lilac bouquet makes more sense. His face, his fast speed, how he ignored everyone that walked by, how he never noticed you at your balcony.

“Yes, she died on a Wednesday, he relives that event every week since.”

Frank walks in your direction, Joel right behind him looking everywhere, except your face. If he only knew how much you have looked at his face before.

“I recall you haven’t been a mentor yet, right?” Frank starts and you nod, curious about where he is going. “Amazing! You’ll have your first newbie. Joel, you’re in good hands.”

He leaves before you can say anything, whether yes or no. Fuck. Joel is confused as well, still looking like he would rather leave. You open your mouth and go grab your phone.

“Sooooo… How was your first meeting?” Flipping through your phone until find your own number isn’t a good move to show that you are smart, trustful and worthy but right now you only want to avoid his brown eyes.

“Pass.” You blink at him. “I won’t keep chit-chatting. Cut to the chase.”

“Oh damn, I thought you had softened a little with time.” He fights the urge to roll his eyes and you smirk at him, reading him like a book. “I’ll give you my number in case you need someone to talk to. And yes, you can call me anytime you want to. And no, I won’t get your number. You come to me or I won’t come to you.”

That entertains him a little. It was the first rule of your mentor, she made sure you would look for her and not the other way so you could understand when and what triggered you. Joel just nods as he saves your contact.

“When did you first contact your mentor?” He questions, sounding genuine in his curiosity.

“Diet Coke, couldn’t drink.” The furrowed brows are back, so you continue. “My mom would mostly only drink Diet Coke, after she passed away I would buy canes just to open and hear the sizzling. Couldn’t drink otherwise would vomit from stress. It was really hot and I craved one, made that call and drank it.”

“And you drank the whole thing?” His soft eyes are back and you feel a little foolish for thinking that he could have green eyes, not when the dark brown suits him so much.

“Yes and vomited right away. Still, it was worth the shot.” You smile and for a fraction of time, he smiles too.

He doesn’t call right after and neither shows up at the grief support group. You still draw him, but from memory, the last time you watched as he strolled your street it was three months ago. Something about his grief seems too personal and you feel awkward invading that space, instead, every Wednesday at 8 am you find another thing to do. It isn’t as easy as it sounds, ignoring his handsome profile and the lilacs on his hands, but you allow his privacy. 

The only reminder of your favorite habit is the sketchbook at the table and the fresh lilacs decorating your balcony.

Time goes by slowly and too fast, the weight of your mom still at your back as the life surrounding you goes on its course. You almost forget about him until a Wednesday morning, 8 am sharp, your phone chimes and you pick up at the first beep.

“I can’t eat pancakes. I hate pancakes, but she loved it.” He softly says and you stop everything to listen.

“You made from scratch or store-bought?” You phrased it like it is an important question. He hums back on the phone.

“Store-bought, don’t know how to make the batch. She straight up bought only the mix.”

“Would you eat with her, despite not liking it?” Your hand slides the paper, creating his silhouette line after line.

“Yes.” He simply answered, as if it was the most common question in the world.

“What are you waiting for? Take a bite.” 

And he does. The chewing sound from the other side fills the phone, your hand keeps drawing him in his overgrown hair, almost as if you could see the scene right before your eyes.

“So, was it worthed?” You ask looking at the draw as he finishes his plate.

“Still taste disgusting.” He soft replies after a second, you snort and he laughs. The sound is the most delicious thing you’ve ever heard. next chapter

[thanksjro]

Transformers Holiday Special (2015) — Wishing You and Yours a Delightfully Secular Wintertime, Containing Absolutely Zero References to the Birth of Christ

Despite what some might like to think, Christmas isn’t for everyone; even with all the commercialization, at its heart, it’s still about the Baby Jesus. You can tell that we haven’t shaken the Christian connection, because the cover for this special issue has the father, the son, and the holy spirit, which is hidden behind the company logo.

And if Rodimus doesn’t stop screwing around, his resurrection’s gonna have to happen a lot sooner than Easter.

Because this is a comic special, things are going to be a little different. Instead of one standard-size issue, we’re getting three mini-stories, each with their own writer (from each of the comic runs that were publishing at the time) and artist. Our stories are listed here:

Don’t worry about what Ultra Magnus is up to behind that text.

Now, you may ask, why on earth am I covering this issue, which is a specifically Christmassy one, now, when it’s not currently Christmas? Well, according to Roberts, the story “Silent Light” takes place after MTMTE #49, and #50 is when the crew manifest for the Lost Light gets shaved down some, so realistically, this is when “Silent Light” happens in continuity. So I want you to keep in mind that Getaway’s Christmas isn’t going so great.

I won’t be going back to catch up on the other runs’ plots, as the Christmas stories are stand-alone.

Getting into it, our first story is:

Penned by Mairghread Scott and drawn by Corin Howell. We open up on a cityscape featuring a happy sun and some eye-searing narration boxes.

I went to Howell’s Twitter to see what her deal was, and was greeted with a banner consisting of a sexy succubus lady with her boobies out, so I’m going to assume she simplified her style for this issue, since mecha are hella difficult to draw.

Also, I hope you like the structure of How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, because that’s what we’re getting for the next little while, complete with chunky, white text on painful-to-view red.

Our story opens with all the transformers from the colonies visiting Cybertron and making friends with each other. Everything is beautiful and nothing hurts, which pisses off President-King Starscream to no end. Being the drama queen that he is, Starscream feels that everyone should be paying attention to him 24/7 and feed him grapes as he reclines on a sofa, because hasn’t he done enough for all these sorry sacks of shit? He hasn’t even caused a war, unlike the last guy who was in charge. Bumblebee (who is a ghost) tells him to just be fucking nice for once in his miserable life, but Starscream wouldn’t be Starscream if he could settle down like that.

Our god-king of the planet calls for his aide, Rattrap, who is going to be in his alt mode for the entirety of this story, to help him set up for a public broadcast addressing his need for attention and adoration.

He sends Rattrap off to deliver the tape to the news, which seems to consist of two very sleep-deprived individuals. Because they’re apparently the only two robots stupid enough to attempt to cover the nightmare hellscape that is Cybertronian current events, the last bit of Starscream’s tape is cut off when one of them falls asleep on the switchboard. This turns Starscream’s personal worship holiday into “For the Love of God Be Nice to Each Other” Day. Everyone takes to it beautifully, getting BFF tattoos, going on vacation with their husbands, hugging in the straightest gay way possible, holding parades, giving each other bombs, and getting absolutely shitfaced.

Starscream, distraught that nobody is giving him the emperor treatment like he had wanted, sulks in his twin bed, then moves to his dinky little throne as the night wears on, making the most miserable faces he can the whole time. Eventually, Chosen One Day ends, and he’s been completely ignored. Very sad.

Then, there’s a knock on his door, and Starscream creeps over to the peephole just in time to be smashed flat by Wheeljack slamming the door open. Last time we saw Wheeljack he was assumed dead by most, and floating in a tank at Starscream’s behest. He’s gotten better since then, clearly.

Wheeljack came with friends— the entirety of the main cast for Windblade/Til All Are One, to be exact— and they’re here to make sure that Starscream isn’t completely alone on this friendship holiday he accidentally invented. Everyone toasts to his good, totally intentional idea, and Starscream decides against killing all of them for at least the next 24 hours.

Now pay attention to this next story, because it’s actually canon-relevant, because of course Roberts would write a holiday special mini-comic that ties into his overarching plot. Fucking nerd.

Our artist for “Silent Light” is Kotteri (or Kotteri!, as it’s been written on some of their other publications) the pen name for Ikumi Fukuda. Kotteri is primarily a manga artist, having created their own works and well as working on other projects. I admittedly can’t find much on this person, not even their preferred pronouns, TFWiki itself using “they”, which I will default to. All of the info they’ve provided themself is, of course, written in Japanese, but even running things through a translator only proves that information to be purely professional. Their personal Twitter is protected, and my follow request was never answered, as far as I know. There’s a fan Twitter account for their art that claims “she”, but I have no way to verify, and I don’t want to assume anything based on art style, because that’s sort of shitty. Let it never be said that I didn’t do my due diligence here— I fucking hate using Twitter.

We open with Rodimus having just returned from Meteorfest, a festival where you surf on meteors and avoid your co-captain and SIC’s calls like the putz you are. He’s greeted by said co-captain and SIC decorating assembling a Christmas tree cloaking machine and finishing each other’s sentences like an old married couple. Rodimus tries to deny the existence of Minimegs, then we get our heavy-handed and lampshaded explanation for the crux of the issue. Megatron handles Minimus like a baby doll as the two of them explain that the Lost Light is about to hit Mauler territory.

Maulers are notorious for wanting the Cybertronians dead, but Megatron is too much of a macho man to pussy out and go around them. So instead, the crew will be hiding in special sleeping pods that will mask their spark signatures, and pray to their pantheon of gods that no one notices the ship the size of Manhattan. Brainstorm has like fifteen new inventions, despite being on house arrest from his lab. Megatron’s autobot badge is wearing a hat. Merry fucking Christmas.

Over at Swerve’s, it would appear that everyone’s favorite television junkie is closed for business, as it’s just him, Nautica, and Whirl, sitting on the floor getting absolutely shit-faced on subspace-filtered engex. This might’ve been an issue, as folks are supposed to be bedding down in their B.E.D.s for the next leg of the trip, but Swerve slipped Magnus some Bing Crosby earlier so they’re cool right now.

There’s a banging at the door, and Whirl decides to answer, even though it’s not his bar, because if it’s trouble come a-knocking, it was probably looking for Whirl anyhow.

When Whirl answers, however, it’s not Magnus having caught wind of Nautica disrespecting the Autobot code, but an entirely different flavor of problem.

Now, I know that thing Whirl’s holding looks like a fucked up Hitachi Wand, but it is, in fact, an entire-ass baby robot. It seems that when Cerebros (Fortress Maximus’s friend, if you’ll recall) sent the engex through the subspace, this infant Cybertronian (Luna One-ian?) got mixed in with the other supplies.

We learn a bit about how baby Cybertronians work before we remember, oh right, this kid is gonna get everyone killed if they catch wind of her spark, since there isn’t a B.E.D. for her. Yes, it’s a girl! Congrats to our three idiots on their Cybertronian gender non-conforming little princess.

They gang decides to shunt her back through the subspace hatch, so they head over to where it’s currently being housed— the office of Ultra Magnus. Nautica, using her wits and all the tools in her arsenal, smashes the window to the office and they break in. The empty Magnus Armor sits in the dark like a grim monument to being married to your job. Whirl informs Nautica how to comfort the baby that he super for-sure doesn’t care about, handing her off while he uses his titty glass to replace the window in the door. Swerve tries to bite through iron chains holding the subspace hatch hostage, only to be stopped by the sound of justice coming down the hall.

The gang, of course, looks suspicious as hell standing stock straight immediately in front of Magnus’s office, but Minimus rather likes the change of pace out of these goofy morons, and is maybe also trying to deflect his embarrassment at being caught performing his own personal karaoke. He sends them off to their B.E.D.s, and it looks like all’s well that ends well until Whirl asks where Sparky is.

Yes, he named the baby.

Don’t worry though, he’s totally not attached or whatever.

Nautica, in her panic to not be caught stealing/vandalizing/using equipment she doesn’t have the clearance for, stuffed Sparky in the Magnus Armor. And also put the helmet portion back on the body, for some reason. Anyway, it looks like our little princess is gonna be a load-bearer when she grows up, because Magnus is up and looking for hugs. Nautica, a paragon of level-headed thinking in times of crisis, handles this in the best way she can.

And that’s a wrap on Minimus Ambus! Let’s give him a hand, folks! And let’s also give a hand to the new Ultra Magnus, Miss Sparky Whirldòttir! Where did that little scamp get to, anyhow?

Swerve nominates himself to be the one to drag Minimus to a B.E.D. to sleep off his concussion, leaving Whirl and Nautica to track down the baby.

The scene changes to Megatron announcing a last call for beddy-bye time on the intercom, just as Ultra Sparky enters the room. She looms over Megatron, putting him in a very compromising position as he hits the intercom button with his arm. Rodimus, climbing into his own B.E.D., wishes that his co-captain and SIC would stop being gay for, like, five minutes, or at least wouldn’t do it where it can be broadcasted throughout the whole ship in audio format.

Whirl and Nautica come save Megatron from the onslaught of physical affection, stating that “Magnus” has had a bit too much to drink. Megatron orders them to bed from his fetal position on the countertop.

It’s bedtime, but we still haven’t figured out how to get the kid back to Luna 1 so the Maulers don’t super-murder the whole crew. Nautica leaves Whirl to figure it out, getting into B.E.D. and wondering who the fuck knocked on the door in the first place. Whirl tells her not to worry about it and to go to sleep, so he can be the one to deal with this mess.

Whirl, notorious for doing all the nastiest jobs— former Wrecker, intended bullet sponge for the time travel situation, attempting suicide via Megatron— is going to add another tally to the list labeled “Reasons My Peers Don’t Really Like Me All That Much”, by throwing an entire baby out the air lock.

However, Whirl is being written by Roberts, who would never allow the number of robot babies to go down, so Sparky’s adorable assimilation of Whirl’s signature physical features gets him right in the soft underbelly he swears doesn’t exist.

Wow, Roberts put a baby in that robot. Surely this is as overt as we’re going to get with this imagery, since we’re in a major publication and not some fan-fiction!

ANYWAY

Whirl wakes up in the Medibay, emptied of infant and freaked the hell out about it. Velocity— who I will remind you is basically the only medical doctor on the Lost Light, since everyone else is too busy getting railed by weeaboos and joining unethical polycules to do their actual jobs—informs him that his daughter is, in actuality, a massive colony of scraplets that combined to look like a newborn.

It turns out that Nautica is a bit of a snitch, having spilled the beans after she woke up. Whether or not she thought Whirl had thrown the baby out the air lock isn’t really addressed, but thank god he didn’t, because then we would have had to send everyone’s favorite gun-addled dipshit to jail for the rest of forever. Checking security footage revealed who the mystery knocker was— it was the scraplets, forming the shape of an arm.

When Nautica asks how the hell they all survived this, seeing as Whirl kept the murder baby, Whirl informs her that he cut off power to his own spark to allow everyone else to live, including his sweet baby princess, winning him a #1 Dad mug, and also several emails from Rung to please make an appointment with him.

Whirl’s miracle Christmas baby lied and stole with the intent to murder everyone on board, and that makes her the ultimate daddy’s girl.

I hope you’ve all enjoyed this canon-important holiday special story about Whirl becoming a father.

In our third and final story, it appears we’ve been transported to Whoville, by the talent of our MTMTE Season 1 colorist, Josh Burcham. Within Whoville resides Anna Log, a human woman who owns two turbofoxes and sleeps in full military body armor on her couch. The wall in her living room suddenly explodes, revealing a late-night visitor.

Motherfucker, you are supposed to be on the ship right now.

Mega-Claus fusion-cannons Anna Log, and we cut to a film noir office where none other than Thundercracker has his feet up on the desk. The art grayscales for this section, as he narrates that he’s a detective. He’s wearing a fedora. It’s January 7th. He has a mysterious past and probably thinks that makes him very sexy.

The phone rings, cueing Buster, Thundercracker’s puggle, to put on her own fedora, and the two go to see the crime scene, where Thundercracker is the same size as a normal human man and wears a trench coat.

It turns out that Anna Log is the director of security for the entirety of planet Earth, which is sort of a big deal. When Thundercracker and the cops look at the security footage, they see who did it— Santa Claus, played by Megatron himself. Fucked up.

Sure, pal.

Thundercracker must now fly to the North Pole and kill Santa, because that’s how the law works. He transforms, flies by Club Penguin and a Coke commercial, reflects on his job, and then gets ready for a fight with Santa’s security measures, as Busters glowing nose warns him of incoming danger. She’s very talented, Buster.

Thundercracker makes quick work of the cybernetic security reindeer with his twin energy katanas and Buster’s jetpack. He kicks down Santa’s door to find the jolly elf himself standing in the dark, potentially rabid. The two start kung-fu beating the shit out of each other. It should be noted that this Santa isn’t the Megatron Santa, who shows up behind the two as they brawl, but rather original-flavor fat man Santa. How Thundercracker didn’t notice this isn’t addressed.

Thundercracker demands to know why Megatron dressed up as Santa Claus to commit a murder— the murder part made sense, Director Log and Megatron would be diametrically opposed— and Megatron reveals the greatest slight against himself he’s ever known.

Framing Santa for murder ain’t exactly gonna turn that coal into a diamond, Meggy baby.

Thundercracker clocks Megatron, he becomes besties with Santa Claus, and they ride a flying tank into the sunset. Thus ends Thundercracker’s most brilliant writing project yet, which he was reading to Marissa Faireborn this entire time.

Marissa isn’t terribly impressed, poking holes in all the little nonsense bits, while also not feeling thrilled about having been killed off in the first two pages of Thundercracker’s book. While the two argue, Buster and Ayana Jones make a Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! reference together, and the issue closes out with a big ol’ Autobot symbol, even though Thundercracker was a Decepticon, Ayana and Marissa are humans, and Buster is a goddamned dog.

Thus ends the Holiday Special. Up next, more direct story progression!

[intotheelliwoods]

-> -> -> 2AL playlist drop!

Answered all the music related asks under the cut!

Question reference btw!

---

@teainthesnow

4 - a lyric you like

"Triangles are my favorite shape" From Tessellate by Alt-J !! Do I know why? Nah. I just also like triangles :)

11 - a popular song you think is Good, Actually

On Time by The Disco Biscuits !! Its not popular more than it is mainstream? Its one of those songs you swear you have heard everywhere, because its very much played everywhere, but like its actually good! Either its played everywhere or it just gives me loads of nostalgia? Eh whatever, its still good and im bestowing it upon you.

13 - a playlist name without context

"To Enter The Beyond" Past Human City Soundtrack

18 - a song or lyric that reminds you of the asker

Oh this for sure belongs on your AMW playlist!! Gives some absolute Tea vibes!

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@dandywonderous

5 - ramble about a song

FORGIVENESS BY ALICE GLASS!!!!!!! OUGHOUGHOGH I LOVE THIS SONG WITH ALL MY HEART god something about it just vibrates my insides and tickles my eyes. I dont know how to describe it other than each time I hear this song I feel nothing but pure power and hopelessness at the same time. Drifting along in never ending darkness, and the only thing you have with you are the spirits and memories of those who have passed. The spirits call for freedom. You should listen to them. This song gets real for me alright?

7 - a song for which you like a cover more than the original

Not really a cover moreso than it is a remix!? But im counting it! Silk by Giselle, the original, somber and sweet but just sorta missing something you know? This remix by Favored Nations though? SLAPS. Its so upbeat and I am so here for it!

11 - a popular song you think is Good, Actually

Honestly literally anything by Electric Light Orchestra. Though to be more specific, Evil Woman!! Alright is also a good one, but less popular!

16 - do you sing or play any instruments?

No instruments here! I actually have one really nice/complex song memorized that I can do on the piano but unfortunately thats about it whoops~ As for singing apparently I actually sing good when I try!?

23 - a song you remember liking as a kid

You are going to laugh at this one. Actually. I still like it. But damn was I a weird kid. I once had a solid 150 digits of pi memorized because I would just play this stupid song on loop for like a whole ass hour every now and then???? I think I still have about 50 memorized thanks to this song.. whoopsies

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@thimbell

5 - ramble about a song

YESSSSS YESSSSS I GET TO RAMBLE ABOUT ANOTHER SONG The World Is Ending by Matt and Kim !!!!!!!!!!!!! good GOD this song is so dear to me. Not because of the song really, but because of what the song means to me? The connections I have too it?????? Longish story short, someone made a killer AMV using it? The AMV using clips from the show Final Space! No clue if you have seen the show but no matter. Final Space is definitely up there as one of my favorite shows, not only because its good but because it actually helped me get closer with my dad, we watched it together! In other words I associate this song with just so much joy. The AMV if you were curious btw!

14 - an unpopular music opinion

Glass Animals is overrated <3 <3 Dont get me wrong I love their music! It just gets so tiresome hearing them everywhere!??? Probably just a me problem though

24 - a song people often misinterpret

I dont think I have much an answer for this one, apologies! Mostly because its not too often I pay attention to lyrics, and even then I think its cool that everyone has their own interpretations of someones song!

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@wraenata

17 - a song that has made you cry

... honestly? Any song in a tv show that is played during a sad scene! A REALLY sad scene... one that comes to mind is Enter One by Sol Seppy (would recommend skipping to about 2:30), because it is played in the death scene of one of my all time favorite characters... alright im going to weep about that death scene more now because listening to this again is NOT helping pfft... oughh honestly now im tempted to add it to the 2AL playlist... maybe.

24 - a song people often misinterpret

Answered above!

30 - a song that makes you nostalgic

Divinity by Porter Robinson, listen this used to be my favorite song for the longest time... and it might even still be my favorite song?? Either way, I DARE not listen to it anymore for the sake of I fear for the day where this absolutely nostalgic gem gets tiresome for me...

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@unfortunate-songbird

17 - a song that has made you cry

Answered this one above! Though for a less serious answer, any of the finale songs in Centaurworld... oops.

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1 - which artist(s) have you listened to the most lately?

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour has been a fav in the past month! Heres a good song by them if you would like~

I am going to use this ask as a chance to also say how much I love Hugo Kant!! He makes great stuff to chill too when working! If I could log hours on youtube, my most listened to videos are so just listening to the guy live!

21 - favourite album

Not to pull out my inner cowboy, but Harlequin Dream by Boy & Bear. I fear for the day I get sick of this album its such a trip for me!

28 - rank the songs in an album

THATS IT IM RANKING ALL THE SONGS IN PAGANS IN VEGAS BY METRIC. I love this album.

#1 - Celebrate. This is the song that introduced me to the band and gives me SUCH a blast of nostalgia each listen, and it shows. Best song in the album by far. Its so weird though since I knew this song before I knew about the rest of the album, so when I finally discovered the whole album each time this song comes up its so out of place pfft! Still such a bop though!

#2 - Blind Valentine. This is just one of those songs I love singing too whenever it comes on alright!?????

#3 - Lie Lie Lie. This is the first song in the whole album, and honestly? What a knee slapping way to start an album too god damn!!!!

#4 - Cascades. I am begging you to skip to about 3:15 in this song, its a little on the plain end before that end, but THAT ENDING??????? SLAYS.

#5 - Too Bad, So Sad. ITS SO GRINDY I LOVE IT. I FEEL LIKE A PUNK IN A DESERTED WASTELAND

#6 - For Kicks. The beat is just so unique here!!!!!!???????

#7 - The Face Part |. Just some funky cool down beats at the end of the album that are very enjoyable!

#8 - Fortunes. A decent enough second song in the album, helps sets the tone for whats coming!

#9 - The Shade. Its actually a good song, just nothing special about it you know??

#10 - The Governess. vibes are there, the vibes are sure there

#11 - The Face Part ||. Just more cool off tunes to end the album with

#12 - Other Side. No. Why are you here. your ass does NOT fit with the rest of this god-tier album. goodbye.

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Edit: @kiaxet Thought I should add you to the masterpost here!!

5 - ramble about a song

Ok. Adventure Time by Yoann Turpin. I am usually not too big on 16 bit video game sort of vibes but this??? Is such a MASSIVE exception. Holy????? THE HEART THE GUY PUT INTO THIS SONG MAN. The beat is just so unique, its impossible to try and guess whats going to happen in the song next, you strait up feel like you are on an ADVENTURE. I am so here for this song, god and its so upbeat I am in LOVE.

By the way, I linked the whole ass album because the whole album overall is so nice to listen to to pump you up when doing dishes or something lmaooooo, the first song in the album is also an amazing trip!!

8 - an artist you think underrated

HUGO KANT!!! God!!! mentioned above as well, I love Hugo Kant with a passion! He makes such good stuff just to chill too, and him live is absolutely incredible!

With the ask above I linked a video from him preforming live, so this time around I bring you two favorite albums of mine!! Far From Home and Out Of Time

I get in SUCH a zone listening to his stuff!

9 - a song you think is underrated

Phleps by C418!!! C418, the producer of the original music behind minecraft, but the guy has so much underrated personal music that is SO underrated! This song in particular, is vastly different from his usually stuff and I love it for that. Definitely underrated for being overshadowed by his work on minecraft and his work that isnt minecraft but sounds like minecraft..

29 - what do you look for in a song or artist?

I always look for something where you can tell it has genuine love and heart put into it! That + something that just sounds truly unique in its own right!

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - A New Entry My Top 10 BLs of All Time

March 2023 Wk 4

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Bed Friend (Sat YT, GaGa & iQIYI uncut) ep 7 of 10 - the plot remains much the same and I am getting very concerned they extended this one as it’s starting to flag. Might have been my first high heat 10/10 candidate if they had kept it at 8 eps. Bummer. I mean it’s still good and I’m still enjoying it, but... character development is a thing.  

Future (Thai Sun YouTube & Gaga) ep 2 of 5 - Drunken gathering is such a hallmark of this franchise. Tiny bit of James flirting! (He’s my fav character ever since Love Mechanics original and the punch). Fuse is right to be worried about getting drunk bc he wants to be able to take care of Ana. I love the actor who plays Top (the ex). I’ve said it before (Remember Me) I really want him to get his own series. Also adventures in translation, Top did not say “I can’t believe you’re dating this man”, he said “I can’t believe you’re dating this kid/child”. These two are the ULTIMATE over dramatic college gays. Their relationship has NO drama but they will make it anyway. 

Pastsenger (Thai Weds Gaga) 4 of 12 eps - I like it more and more each new ep. The leads are developing a fun playful relationship. It’s a bit slapstick for me but it’s not offensive or boring. 

A Boss and a Babe (Fri YouTube) ep 5 of 12 - I don’t know. I’m just finding this one kind of boring now. Although, it looks like we are getting cute boyfriends next week so that might be nice. 

Tin Tam Jai (Tues Gaga & iQIYI) ep 6 of 12 - Side couple advanced into lap sitting and tongue kisses out of nowhere. Good tongue kissing, even if surprising. Higher heat! Yay! They’re a great pair, but would it kill Thailand to give us character development with our high heat?

Chains of Heart (Sat iQIYI) ep 7 of 10 - the confusing whateverness of waisted chemistry continues to confuse. 

The Promise (Thai Weds YT) ep 5 of 10 - I don’t know what’s going on with this show. That’s it? He just fell in love with bestie and then punished bestie for his own feelings? Seriously? WTF. ON HIATUS UNTIL APRIL 19. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Our Dating Sim (Korea Thurs Viki) eps 7-8fin - Absolutely wonderful. There is a time laps but it’s the good kind - NO SEPARATION. Couple of moments when I doubted they could pull it off. But CONGRATZ! We have a new entry into the very rare 10/10 club. I have go change all my best of lists but this was worth it. Final thoughts below. 

Unintentional Love Story (Korea Thurs iQIYI) 5-6 of 10 - (here’s how I’m getting it) KBL rarely gives quality sides dishes but these two are legend. Poor tattooed player hottie is always getting punched. Don’t get me wrong the leads are great too. It’s fun to watch two sets of bisexual identity crisis being handled entirely differently because of good characterization. I say “ouch” a lot while watching this show. Also “awwwww.” I do worry their cafe has no customers tho. 

The Eighth Sense (Korea Weds Viki) eps 1-2 of 10 - With 10 episodes of about 40 minutes each this has got to be one of the longest BLs Korea has ever given us. However from tone, filming style, opening credits, and trailer I am guessing this could be sad. If its KBL doing JBL style then we are in His the series territory, but it could be more in the Blueming vein. I’d give it 50/50 odds. There’s always a chance it wants to be “taken seriously” which is the death knell of BL. Also if a lead smokes it means that one or both will cheat. (I don’t make the rules, the Japanese yaoi gods do.) OK, but do I like it? Yes, actually, it’s... interesting. It’s got a bit of an age gap, country boy/city boy, the acting is great, characters complex, good chemistry and tension. It’s a bit chewy and sticky and less perfect than most KBL (do I detect a touch of Taiwan?). This one is deploying BL tropes (messy eater, shoulder sleep, protective seme, there’s even some hyung-slinging) but it isn’t in the KBL bubble, there’s sharp edges, we may get a coming out sequence or even a bashing. It certainly will stay interesting. But proceed with caution. 

A Shoulder to Cry On (Korea Tues Viki & Gaga) eps 5-7fin - What both these kids need is a little affection and a lot of therapy, not romance. The punishment for flirting in class thing was funny. They are such boyfriends by ep 5 - Sitting together, sharing a glass etc…Terrible awful grueling confession rejection. 2 year time gap. Much needed in this case. Then another 2 before the epilogue. Honestly, the most unlikely thing about this show (after the casting) was the prospect of an out gay Korean cop. No kisses for us. Narrative indicated that there should have been at least a fish kiss, but not happening with them in the same Kpop group. I’m starting to think I really just prefer KBLs where they use actors and not idols (Semantic Error excepted, of course). I’m assuming the next 2 eps are bts. Final thoughts below. 

It’s Airing But ...

Love Syndrome (Thai Sat WeTV) stopped at ep 2 of 12 - I’m just not into any aspect of it (except Lee Long Shi and I can watch him in Tin Tem Jai - see above pic, awesome side dish action) - saving to binge if the end is solid.

Venus in the Sky (Sat YouTube) pilot/tester?) 0 of 10 - not entirely sure what’s up with this one distribution-wise, but the pilot was cute, classic university-set pulp. I hope it happens because the leads are cute with good chemsitry and I thought it was fun. However, it totally holds together as it’s own little short story too. 

Cafe In Love (Thai ???) 10 eps on Ch3+ - Thai pulp, about trying to save a coffee shop. FairyGodBLer came through for me, but I’m collecting to binge just in case. It’s my new policy with the grey stuff. 

Destiny Seeker (Tues WeTV Thailand) 10 eps - it’s not on any WeTV I can get ahold of. Bad Buddy the pulp rebirth meets Japanese handsome host club action. Same as above.

Make a Wish (Thai Weds ?) from WaGa Creative staring Fluke Natouch (OhmFluke UWMA etc...) & Judo (The Miracle Of Teddy Bear) in a medical-fantasy. It seems to be a light-hearted romance with a comedic flair. About a doctor who sees ghosts and a deity who resides in a Bodhi tree that earns merits whenever he fulfills a wish based on a y-novel by Sammon (Manner of Death, Triage). Too hard to find.

Finished this week

Our Dating Sim (Korea Viki) I enjoyed every aspect from the casting to the very simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s very low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story. Do we call this cozy BL? Why not? This one is going to live in my rewatch pile, I can tell already, and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping with this one, it might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent. It perfectly suited KBL’s short-length tendencies. Full review. 10/10 I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS SHOW HIGHLY ENOUGH

A Shoulder to Cry On (Korea Viki & Gaga) - Adaptation of a manwha, high school set bully romance, staring Jaehan & Yechan BOTH from Kpop group OMEGA X, so no kissing. All in all this was a painfully awkward watch for me, and while beautiful and decently acted, the story and characters rendered it ultimately disappointing. I think we shouldn’t let Korea do bully romance. 4/10 FATALLY FLAWED 

Jack O’Frost It was fine. I never really cared about the characters or their relationship. Not to slag off the acting (which was superb) but the narrative bored me. 5/10 WATCH ONLY IF YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO 

In Case You Missed it

Ai Long Nhai got a special ep on iQIYI. 

Eternal Yesterday is getting a movie version with additional content if you want extra suffering. 

A few things have been announced but mostly Thai, Japanese, and 2 (yes, 2) Chinese Omegaverse (Desire and Couple or Not). It’s doubtful these will pass censorship, so I’m not gonna bother tracking until they actually get international distribution. For Thailand, I’m excited about Waterboyy 3, which NOT a remake (hally-fucking-luya) but a new installment, and stars KaownahTurbo (Love Stage!!! et al). Although why the fuck they don’t put Est Supha (swim champ) into one of these is a mystery to me. For Japan, they’ll start airing sooner rather than later, so expect me to start tracking those. 

Next Week Looks Like This:

04.06 Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku (Japan Gaga) - I AM SO EXCITED I LOVE THE MANGA 

04.07 My Beautiful Man Eternal (Japan ????) - 3rd installment, movie which means it’ll be a pain to get hold of. 

No proper post for April but remaining releases are: 

04.14 Naked Dinner AKA Zenra Meshi (Japan Gaga) - not really my thing but yes I’ll watch it 

04.15 My Story (Pinoy YouTube) - not my fandom but I will give it a go

04.18 Step By Step (Thai WeTV) - office age gap, I am all in! Even though it’s WeTV. Sigh. 

April is looking a bit slender so I might start watching Destiny Seeker or Cafe in Love, or both. 

2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED)

Adventures in Captions

Ai Long Nhai special both reviewing its own plot and having fun with English. 

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

The danger in dating an older boy. (Future) 

Love triangle in one photo! (Promise) 

(last week)

Current Kpop earworm? Nada, the comebacks have been disappointing recently. 

[thealmightyemprex]

Disney Review Request Princess and the Frog

Requested by @themousefromfantasyland who wanted me to discuss Princess and the FRog ,the PRincess film that isnt really talked about and why it is a bit under the radar ....And yeah I wanna talk about that too .See I remember the HYPE for this film :It was Disney going back to their roots ,a princess fairy tale musical in beautiful 2D animation by Ron Clements and John Musker AKA the best directors Disney has ever had ,this was it ,this was going to bring back Disney for a modern age.....And it did fine ,not the game changer Disney was hoping for and as a result instead of bring back Disney 2D after a long hiatus,it was more of a swan song befor one last gasp in the form of Winnie the Pooh .I also saw the film in the theaters right when Disney had kind of become an obsession and for a few years it was the fave movie of my lil sibling.....Till Frozen came out .Also spoilers ahead

The plot of this 2009 film concerns a waitress named Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) who dreams of opening her own restraunt ,and meets Naveen(Bruno Campos) a selfish Prince who has been turned into a frog in a scheme by the evil Dr Facilier (Kieth David ) ,and going by the Frog Prince fairy tale ,Naveen convinces Tiana to kiss him in exchange for enough money to pay for her restraunt .....Only for her to turn into a frog as well ,and the two set off on an adventure to find a way to make them human

This is a film I wish I loved ,cause there is a lot to love .The animation is beautiful ,and everytime I watch it I get a little sad cause 2D has been completly taken over by CG ,at least in America .I like the side characters .Louis the Trumpet playing gator while not having a lot to do is brilliantly animated by Eric Goldberg and played masterfully by Michael Leon Wooley (THough I will confess ,since I found out he played Audrey II in the Broadway version of Little Shop of Horrors ,I keep expecting him to go "Feeeeeddd Meeeee" ).I ADORE Mama Odie ,a 197 year old blind voodoo priestess .She is kind of a deceptively goofy yet wise character which is an archetype I love and Jennifer Lewis gives it her all ,I had no idea the actress was only in her 50's she convinced me she was much older . I think my favorite character might be Tianas friend Charlotte ,a rich girl obsessed with marrying a prince ,she is just so energetic and funny and I love that she genuinely cares about Tiana .Ray the firefly is a character I thought I wouldnt like when the film was being advertised and I confess I dont like his design .....But he is actually the heart of the film ,Jim Cummings givers a great performance ,I love his sub plot about being in love with a star ,Evangeline ,and I remember how shocking it was that Ray DIES .At the end of the film Dr Facilier KILLS him ,and I remeber the audience gasped in the theater .Now I have seen people who either think Rays death is emotionally powerful or straight up silly ,for me....Im a big ball of emotion ,so when that second star eppears next to the wishing star meaning Ray is finally with Evangeline ......I tear up

I really love Naveen as a character ,a disinherited playboy who loves jazz and his arc and romance with Tiana is good.I also just adore the setting ,I think 1920's New Orleans is the perfect place for a 20th century fairy tale (Wish they used it better but I will get into that ).I also love the use of jazz music and speaking about the music lets talk about the songs by Randy Newman .Now I am not a big Newman fan but I think the songs are really good though some are just OK and I am gonna talk about them from my least favorite to my most favorite

8.Never Knew I needed-the obligatory end credits pop song that is good ,but I dont love it ,I kind of forgot this one existed

7.When We're Human-Sung by Tiana,Naveen and Louis Its cute but kind of meh for me

6.Gonna Take You There-Sung by Ray and his Firefly family ,its just OK

5.Down in New Orleans(All versions)-I actually really like this song ,its a good opener and closer

4.Almost There:Tianas song that is really damn good, Anika Noni Rose does a fantastic job ,I think it is also my third favorite song animation wise ....I just like three other songs better

3.Ma Belle Evangeline -One of the most underrated love songs in Disney ,I think the sequence is beautiful(One of my favorite scenes in the film honestly ) and Jim Cumming really shows off his singing skills

2.Dig A Little Deeper :Mama Odies song and its just got a good message while also be8ing a ton of fun and Jennifer Lewis just sells it .I got a weakness for Gospel style numbers

1.Friends on the Other Side-OK I have opinions that are unpopular about Doctor Facilier but I will give him this ,he has one of the BEST Villain songs in Disney .Kieth David really shows off his amazing singing skills here,the animation is perfect ,I like how it builds up to being completely insane ,its fun ,its creepy ,its just a great villain song.....With a perfect reprise ,but I'll talk about that later

I'll talk about Tiana later ,so lets go into what I think is the flaws/things I am kind of meh about/thing that almost work but dont but-...*Sigh* lets just get into it

In the meh category ....The use of celeb voices here are weird.Like usually you get a big star to play the main character or the sidekick or the villain.....But aside from getting the great character actor Kieth David to play the villain,which I get but the other three BIG STARs play supporting characters.Now I kind of get Terrance Howard and Oparah Winfrey for the parents but...I'm just gonna say it ,why is JOHN GOODMAN IN THIS FILM ??I love John Goodman ,dont get me wrong ,and yeah he is a plot point, (FAcilier wants to kill him and gain his wealth ) but he doesnt do much so I am always distracted when I hear Goodmans voice

Annnnnnddd lets get to the part that I think might get me some flack....Lets talk about my issues,AND what I like about Dr Facilier .I KNOW this guy is super beloved he is the part of the movie people REALLY like....And I'm sorry I got problems with him .I'll start with what I like :His design is great ,evoking classic DIsney villains like Captain Hook ,his villain song like I said is marvelous ,I like his evil plan to take over New Orleans and feed all the inhabitants souls to his Friends on the Other Side ,he's got menace to him,I love the fact his shadow is alive .he is played by one of my favorite actors Kieth David who delivers a phenominal vocal performance and I like that beneath his cool facade he is actually a desperate and terrified dude when it comes to his otherworldly buddies ......But while he is made of cool parts ,they emphisize his greed ,his motive is he wants money and power ......Thats boring and it doesnt really vibe with "Im going to let spirits devour New Orleans " .The other is he is more plot villain and not a good foil to the heroes . He has no connection with Tiana really ,they only have one scene together and she apparently knows who he is but thats never explained .I say to make him a better villain

1.Emphisize his back story that he was someone who used magic to fufill his desires the easy way ,and his desperation to pay off his debt is his motive

2.Have him pursue the heroes ,and tempt the heroes.

I wll say he is a fun character ,I just wish he was great .....Oh his death scene is AMAZING and TERRIFYING though, dragged to the spirit world by his own shadow as his own villain song is sung by monstrus spirits ,that was such a jaw dropping scene in the theater ,possibly my favorite Disney villain death

As for things in the I dont like section.....The film begins strong,and ends strong too.....But that middle section in the bayou is just kind of dull.Up to Ma Belle Evangiline that whole part of the film just drags ,including these three minor bad guys that dont add anything ,theres some terrible jokes ,and two of the songs dont do it for me .Humor in general is hit and miss .Oh I almost forgot ,Lawrence is one of the most forgettable villain sidekicks in Disney,I kind of forget he is in the movie

Well Question time

1 - What do you think about Tiana as a character?

I like Tiana ,I think she is a good protagonist ,Anika Noni Rose soes a good performance ,I find her likeable and I like her romance with Naveen.

2 - Do you think this movie would be better if Tiana didn't turn into a frog, or if the frogs journeyed through New Orleans more inteastad of the bayou?

Yeah I wouldve preferred mor human Tiana,and while I like swampy settings ,I wanted more in New Orleans .

3 - Is this movie good, bad, or just watchable?

Its... on the good end of Watchable .I dont return to it a bunch it has flaws ...But its got its good stuff in it .I dunno I always go in wanting it to be better then it is

Overall it almost works but it feels undercooked ,but I still reccomend it .If best is A+ this is about a B

@ariel-seagull-wings @princesssarisa @filmcityworld1 @the-blue-fairie @angelixgutz @amalthea9@goodanswerfoxmonster

[quodekash]

im exhausted and could very easily pass out at any point in time, but it’s our skyy and it’s 11:30pm so here we go again

(because I’m so exhausted my commentary will very much be either very incoherent or there won’t be much of it at all)

theyre so cute omg

AYO THAT WAS UNSETTLING

IM SO USED TO HEARING THE ICONIC WOMAN SAY 'viewer discretion advised'

IT WAS WEIRD TO HEAR SOMEONE ELSE SAY THAT, JEEZ

maybe not QUITE like you love him, i think you'd get jealous

I FREAKING KNEW IT

DID I NOT CALL IT??

I THOUGHT THERE WAS SOMETHING BETWEEN THEM, HUZZAH I AM A GENIUS

does this mean phum also likes men?

cos if so... my man had a lot of internalised homophobia going on, jeez

its okay, you dont need to come out to anyone at any point in time ever. but telling nueng took some real guts, that was really brave of you, and im proud of you

WU AND DAVID

WU AND THE-ONE-WHITE-GUY

I LOVE THEM

im pretty sure i cried when he proposed to him

it makes me happy to know they remember them

EJRHDFBKV

ITS ALREADY WORKINGGGG

EYE CONTACT LETS GOOO

am i about to cry? are my eyes welling up with tears this very moment as i type this? we may never know.

but the answer is yes

AAAAAAA

THEY MADE IT TO 7 FREAKING HELL YES

THEYRE SO EXCITED FOR THEM

to the surprise of literally no one, i am quickly becoming more obsessed with the side couple than i am with the main characters

AWWWW

theyre back now yayyyy

my bro now has ✨visual impairment✨

but... if he's his ancestor... then petch had sex with a woman?

i guess they had to

as long as they were together and happy tho, it's alright

and as long as the woman/women were aware that like. the guys didnt love them like that.

HOLY QUACK

HELL YES

FREAKING HELL YES

THEY ARE WONDERFUL

THEY ARE PERFECTION

THEY ARE HAPPY

I AM OFFICIALLY OBSESSED WITH THE SIDE COUPLE

everyone act surprised

the letters are so cute

WHAT THE HELL FLASHBACKS???

IM CRYING AGAIN

i aspire to one day have a hawaiian shirt collection as plentiful as palm's

THEY HUG

THEY KISS

THEY FOREHEAD TOUCH

i strongly believe that forehead touching is more intimate than kissing and i will die on this hill

but. why. life in modern times is just generally better for literally at least two reasons that i can think of off the top of my head (shut up its nearly 1am im not thinking properly rn) 1. gay tights, 2. health

i meant to say gay rights but honestly gay tights is also a plus

so theres three reasons

1. gay rights

2. health

3. gay tights

OHHH, THAT ONE

YOU WANNA ENEMIES TO LOVERS YOURSELVES??

thats it. that's the only reason.

palm, you astound and confuse me (in a good way)

wHY

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO GO TO WAR

WAR IS BAD FOR AT LEAST 6 REASONS

1. death

2. sad

3. i think lots of dead bodies are probably bad for the environment

4. none of the wars in the past are cool. id wanna see a war like 50 years into the future, what if there's like space lasers or something

maybe i should just watch star wars instead of time travelling

5. killing people makes you feel like a mean person

6. picture this scenario: you really want a snack, your favourite snack, whatever your favourite snack is, you're just really craving it. but you cant have it, because you're fiGHTING IN A FREAKING WAR

GERIKJDBF

i was right

IM FALLING APART AT THE SEAMS

AND NOW THEYRE PLAYING IT IN THE BACKGROUND AGAIN???

I AM DEAD. DECEASED.

THAT WAS FREAKING LOVELY

hey, you were just here!

^D^ i am excited for simm

my final thoughts: GUJERKDNGREJKVDBNREUJDFLGHNEOIRLHGPI34EHRNGP9O34EJTPGOJ34ERPOTGJ3P4IERHTG9P34HEJ9TGFH34EI0RHOTGF893UOWB4E0TIOFHJ3490WEIHGUVIBERNDGOIVHEROIDSUFJ390I4OWEHCUOBJREFDNICGOBVPREIODFN

thank you and goodnight

[hazellevessque]

2, 7, 12, 14, 17, 18, 43, 44, 50 for oc ask game! sorry if its too much lmao

SO MANY QUESTIONS LETS GO

2. I already answered this in a previous post

7. Are your OCs a part of any story/stories?

None of mine (not anymore lol) but Aarav is a part of No One Mourns The Aftermath by Stellarlunatic on Wattpad (and Dea is mentioned in that). Dea is in Broken Bruises by -lxve-key on Wattpad also

12. Already answered!

14. Introduce an OC with a tragic backstory

Aarav Thakkar is the 17 year old son of the founders of a successful AI company. His parents were never around, so he grew very attached to his girlfriend, Dea Yadav when he met her and started dating her. One night, Dea convinced him to go to a party (he’s an introvert and didn’t want to be there) and while she was talking to her friends and a group of boys camp up to him. They peer pressured him into drinking a lot and the next day, he woke up next to a girl he had never seen before and learnt he had blown off all his money. His parents kicked him out and Dea broke up with him after learning he cheated on her

Now he’s sad.

17. Any OC OTPs?

No, but Aarav and Dea are exes

18. Any OC crackships?

There’s an ongoing Aarav/Aria joke going on with everyone with NOMTA OCs (Aria is @izzy246girl’s OC). Not for any of my OCs with eachother

43. Is there any specific traits that are shown with your OCs?

Uh…a lot of them are Desi but it’s not my fault everyone in applyfics has White OCs and I want to spice things up. Also, they all like reading or learning of some sort

44. Something you like about your OCs in general

I feel like I could be friends with any of them. Like, they’re not all mean. Some a bit bratty, but none mean

50. Talk about anything you want

AARAV IS HAVING THE WORST TIME EVER I HOPE HE’S HAPPY AGAIN SOON (then again I am living for the angst)

[khaleesiofalicante]

I don't think you know what you've done to me. I was obsessed with Malec. As in I watched the show and read selective parts of the book just to get more of my OTP.

And then I, like an idiot, read TRUE LOVE NEVER DIES, which destroyed me and then put me back together. Every week I would dread seeing a chapter update but couldn't wait to read. But you know what else happened? For every Malec scene, I would be screaming 'where are my Mavid babies and Rosales power couple?!?!'.

Now, I just want so much more of those 4. But #IALS, sweet baby universe, the brain rot is real. My brain keeps concocting scenarios where things could be better. But also worse! What is wrong with me?!?!?

Like, what if, somehow Max has a relative out there who passes away and through DNA testing they find Max is the only family left of this little girl. Now Max can't have biological children but this little girl could be his sister or niece, I don't care!! I just want a baby girl for Max.

Now I'm thinking of how Malec would completely lose their minds and just move in with Max. How Max would probably hold back from adopting her because he's punishing himself and is afraid of hurting her, which just makes it so obvious that he's already totally gone for her. And maybe he recognizes that he can't punish himself when there is this little person who actually has no one but him, wants no one but him.

And then Max has a child to take care of 24/7 and he realizes he can't be in DC anymore. He needs his family and his baby girl should get to grow up as close to her big brothers as possible. So Max moves back to NY and transfers to the FBI HQ there (it exists, I googled it!).

So now there Max is with a daughter who only sees her brothers on the weekends and he sees how sad she is to not have them around. So Max asks for 50/50 custody.

And there's David, who doesn't get to be Papa to a baby girl with Max's smile and bright eyes. I feel like more than Max moving on, this might be what could break David.

Like what if because the little baby is basically like a mini Max, its hard to be around her. And this little girl would grow up thinking that weird blond is just not a nice man. Cause how could he be, since he hurts her daddy?

But David is just so obsessed with her that he can't help himself but want to know everything about her and be around her constantly.

And, oh my gawd, big-brother coded Arthur and can you imagine Lance who is already a menace having a little sister to do some menacing with?

Do you see what you have done?! I will sue!

I am obsessed with this.

LIKE. OBSESSED WITH IT.

Can her name be Gwen 🥺

This made my heart so warm. Thank you for sharing this with me 💜

[academiaipromise]

everything i want everyone to know about the return of true tv pt 2 (riverdale season 7 episode 2)

jughead (who of course no longer remembers the present storyline) submitted a story to a comics company and they STOLE it i get it jughead i really do

oh thank god we’re having a sock hop this week 

fun fact about this comic book theft storyline is that every person i know (including me) who works in creative industries has a story like this. i feel like someone in the writers room is taking out some frustration. protect your work!!!! no one else will.

i forgot to say last week but betty and kevin are dating in this timeline...so i’m sure that’s gonna go well. i wrote this comment about kevin famously being a flaming homosexual with no regard for his own safety but i am watching archie and betty dance together and they actually might be the more immediate issue 

ETHEL “WE’RE GONNA BE A SHIP” MUGGS IS BACK (good for shannon purser i guess?) 

“we’ve been dating for months and we’re not even going steady yet...you haven’t even pinned me yet.” i’m in PAIN. 

they introduced clay walker in this episode, who is kevin’s husband in archie comics. eat your heart out mcu film bros i am an easter egg master. 

ARCHIEKINS has made its first appearance in the 50s timeline

i somehow missed how toni moved here an episode ago and joined a gang. sorry to those who rely on me paying enough attention to follow this but there’s a lot going on. anyways, she is threatening the sock hop! so cheryl has narrowed in on her enemy (to lover, obviously)! 

archie coming out in his suit that doesn’t fit is very high school musical 3 to me. no further comment. 

“ah jeez mom” AGAIN 50s archie is oddly endearing. 

archie writing a poem for veronica but then giving it to betty to read...i never said the writers weren’t plotting. 

VERONICA INVITED ALL OF THE POTENTIAL DATES OVER AT THE SAME TIME?! perhaps i am anti girlboss i’m sorry to admit this during the week of barbie supremacy 

“what if we went together?” “like...for kicks?” [i am on my 50s jughead canonically ace agenda i don’t have time to get into it here but this made me laugh] 

molly ringwald is kind of chewing her dialogue a bit good for her she really called her son simple (affectionate) 

maedchen amick is also...kind of terrifying in this episode. i support the older riverdale cast just doing whatever the hell they want at this point 

....is the show. implying that hal cooper was also gay in the way kevin is gay. or am i reading too much into that dialogue. anyways, we don’t have time to get into this. 

is ethel still in a cult in this universe or did everyone get a blank slate? perhaps she’s just still creepy 

betty clearly on her way to ask archie to the sock hop now that veronica is no longer taking him only to be stopped by kevin to give her this PIN so that they can GO STEADY genuinely makes me kind of sad like there is no way for this to end well. pinning someone won’t fix your problems kids!

ethel muggs didn’t show up for the detention she got for drawing her illustrations for jughead’s story and hurray! they got the job! take back ownership of your work kids

fangs breaking out into tutti frutti really got my “watched grease/other 50s-setting content as a kid” fight or flight instinct 

damn if my principal singled me out to wax homophobic righteousness i think i would have to resort to something drastic 

well okay cool yeah happy the creepy music following ethel around went somewhere (the sock hop episode ended by implying ethel killed her parents). 

important follow-up: again, the episode ended with ethel, covered in blood, saying “something terrible’s happened.” this was the immediate trailer for the next episode:

anyways. who’s excited for veronica’s make out party??? (my eye twitched writing this)

[officialgleamstar]

maybeee V, X, and Z? :]

fandom meme :D

hiiii lex! thank you !!!!

V - 3 OTPs from 3 different fandoms

well i answered my dndads one earlier, so thats cheating. lets see, what fandoms am i in LOL (me <- guy who hopped quickly from a years long hyperfix to my current dndads hyperfix so all my other interests are mush in my head).

Dimension 20 - Evan Kelmp/K "Dream" Tanaka <3 I absolutely adooore them and it makes me sad there's not more content for them!!!

All For the Game - Andrew/Neil/Kevin !!! kandreil my guys of all time. literally a life-changing ship for me. i think about them on a weekly basis at minimum

Young Justice - I'll be honest, I did not watch past the second season. BUT for the start of YJ/Batman in general! Nightwing/Kid Flash! I literally have fan art I drew in high school of them on my wall still LOL

X - top 5-10 characters who are yoUR PRECIOUS BABIES AND YOU WILL DIE DEFENDING THEM

oh my god UHHHH

NICKY HEMMICK (aftg) HAS NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONG. EVER.

Carol Wilson (dndads) <3 no elaboration needed.

Ylfa Snorgelsson (dimension 20) is my daughter and is always correct when she chooses to kill someone

Beverly Toegold V (naddpod)! literally the epitome of this question to me. hes my precious baby, my actual son, he has grown and developed from all of his mistakes and hes turning into such a lovely young man and i am just so proud of him-!

Erlin Kindleaf (naddpod) and while we're talking about beverly! obligatory erlin mention because he lives in my head rent free. boy i love you so much.

Blue (this is how you lose the time war) <333 ive only had blue for like, 50 pages so far but if anything happens to her, i am going to tear the universe apart. i know something is definitely going to happen to her but i need to live in obliviousness for now

grandma highforge (drawtectives) is actually perfect. actually just count 7 through 10 as all three of the drawtectives because they can do no wrong in my eyes

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go (prompts optional but encouraged)

i need you to know that youve sent me the most impossible questions for me specifically to answer. my mind goes blank whenever i get asked any questions like these. this isnt a negative, im having fun and this is exactly what i need rn, but i need you to know LMAO

more of a general fandom thing rather than anything specific, but i reeeally wanna get into fan-binding. i talk about this sometimes, but i actually specialized in bookbinding in school, and it makes me sad that i dont, like, have a reason to do it anymore? so i think getting into fan-binding would be so fun! plus i see some of the books people make and i am just BLOWN AWAY. ive always been very, like, utilitarian i suppose, with my books? my professors always say i make them plain, lol, so i love love love seeing the more inventive covers and bindings that people do!!! i really need to push my craft some more, so i need to like, find fanfiction to print out and bind. i have one in mind already, but its for a fandom i left, so it would probably function more as a gift for a friend than for me ^-^

[cammerel]

tl;dr if you don’t want to read a lot but do want to do what’s right, if you are new here, if you are NEW to tumblr, stop clicking the heart, and start clicking this button:

That button keeps creators of those posts happy, helps them thrive, breathes new life in them, and makes them want to continue creating.

If you LOVE a post, reblog it (click those arrows), plain and simple. If you want to remember it and know that you’ve seen it, click the heart.

Now, if you want to learn why/how that is, and the community behind this site, if you want to know what is BEST and most advisable to do, keep reading, there’s a lot more under the cut...

So this like... tumblr/tiktok like/reblog thing is making me really uncomfortable and I’ve finally looked at numbers on things to visualize it myself, and it’s... startling.

I’ve seen a lot of these posts and I’m going to try my best to talk to new people on their level. This is speaking as someone that has been on tumblr since its infancy, I’m talking dawn of time, I’m ancient, I’m a dinosaur, but like any culture has, I do hold something very valuable that you new people will be able to take and utilize: knowledge.

Now I don’t have big posts and I never have even on my sideblogs, not by any stretch of the imagination, I am but a humble creator that floats about and throws things out there mostly for me and sometimes for others.

But I’ve had what I consider to be /healthy/ posts. So, let’s compare. Let’s break down some numbers so I can show you why this is important to learn. I know, I know, it’s a lot, but please, for the sake of this site - if you are staying and you LIKE WHAT YOU SEE, and you want to see MORE of it - you want to know how this works.

I’ll be looking at a couple of posts for these examples.

One post I made recently and I consider to be... horribly received, because it died in the water.

It reached almost 1,700 notes. It should’ve continued to thrive. Once a post hits that high it normally will sail pretty well because it’s in circulation.

1000+ is healthy, but it’s NOTHING when the majority are likes (the heart is likes, and the heart is the devil, it is satan’s kiss, it is the end of DAYS when a set has even like... 50 likes more than reblogs at this number).

Now, to compare this sad, dead in the water set to sets that FLOURISHED before all this nonsense? Y’all wanna see some normal numbers?

A post from 8 years ago, gorgeous gorgeous numbers:

A post from 7 years ago, even MORE gorgeous, thriving:

A post from 6 years ago, see the ratio slipping:

A post from TWO years ago and hmmm, smth feels off:

This last one is a post I consider to be unhealthy. And, at the time, I considered it disGUSTING, appalling. I took offense to it, and any other creator would. Because reblogs are king on tumblr and reblogs mean that someone loved my work enough to share it with others.

We don’t work like tiktok, here.

The heart is not what you think it is, it doesn’t convey or affect in the way you THINK IT DOES because it does NOTHING. All it does, is put it in a little box in your house, a box that literally no one else ever looks at and/or sees, EVER.

It dies.

The like button is death.

Throw out what you think you know. That information is wrong.

Here on tumblr, the most important symbol you want to remember, and the one that shows a person that you LOVE their work, you LOVE what they made and you want to see more, is this button:

^ That button is our god, that button is our savior, and that button keeps creators GOING. It is not stealing, it is not appropriating, the creator still keeps credit (our signature stays with the painting here, darling).

The reblog button helps you curate a blog of things you adore and want to show other people, to collect, to make an exhibit of. It is the equivalent of sharing a link to another person, friend, family, like-minded people.

Your followers will see this thing you loved, and they will love it too, they will love YOU, they will follow you, and more people will enjoy what you love.

Reblogging is SHARING.

And it goes on and on, and on and on, and the creators make more, because they know you want more.

That’s how tumblr works, and if you are going to click that like, and never click the reblog, then you need to leave. No, really, see yourself out, you are a ghost, you are a shell, and no one here wants anything to do with a person that doesn’t LOVE anything.

You chase the good away.

Stop it.

[asoulofatlantis]

I forgot to post Class7 meeting for what would be “christmas” for us - no idea if they actually celebrate christmas too ^^’

As Fie is portably already telling you, this plays after the end of the first Kuro no Kiseki game. Fie even brought something sweet from that famous bakery as you can see.

This picture is part of the 2023 Calendar and I was VERY tempted to get it, just for this picture. I am very class7 starved and I could barely keep myself from wasting money on that calendar that I otherwise didn’t exactly wanted ^^’

Thankfully someone posted the picture on Reddit. (Thanks to whoever that was. It made my day!)

I want to point out a few things here:

1. Millium looks absolutely adorable in that outfit! You know I usually find it sad that physically speaking, she want mature anymore, because I would have loved to see her become as beautiful as the other girls did. BUT I guess she would not have looked half as cute as she actually does here, if her body would have matured. So... I guess its fine.

2. Jusis and Millium sitting next to each other and Jusis looking at Millium makes me feel like everything is right in the world. My shipper-heart can rest in peace, when it comes to those two I guess.

4. I think Crow will be wearing glasses now. I believe we’ve seen him were some at one of the Hajimari-Epilouge Pictures too. (I might have to mention that he look quite hot in that damned casual black outfit... but I should not say that over the man who I nicknamed “the azure traitor” for a reason ^^’)

5. I overall love the fact that they all wear casual clothes (slightly festive, but overall casual) because its such a huge difference from what we usually see in the game. And while we are at it... can you believe that none of the girls show of their cleavage? That is so freaking rare. 

6. Almost all boys wear a necklace. Did they ever wear some in the games? I’ve noticed this necklace on Rean already in the post Hajimari-picture. Makes you wonder if it has any meaning, if he still wears it with different clothes. Crow wears a similar one. Maybe they shaped their stupid 50 mira coin into two pendants for their necklaces? I wouldn’t put it past them XD

7. I love how Falcom just casual has decided to show us our class 7 characters favorite alcoholic drinks XD Rean apparently prefers bear, Alisa likes white wine and Emma red wine and someone who sat next to Alisa (maybe Laura) apparently had a glass of champagne or something like that. It does not matter at all, if you ask me, but I still find it funny that Falcon took the time to decided that they have the time to think about what drink which Falcon character would like, instead of just giving them all read wine or something like that. (Also, we put ice and a straw in Milliums drink, to make sure that everyone sees that it is non-alcoholic ^^’)

8. I’ve been wondering ever since Hajimari, if Falcon plans to make Laura Gaius squiere. They interact a lot with each other since then and we know that its not supposed to be a shipping-hints. And I mean ever kind of wanted to travel the world, that would be one way to do that. But I could be wrong. Maybe they just get along because Witches and Grahlsritter work well together.

9. Look who is peaking through the window XD Apparently, Towa, Angie and that damn Traitor were not invited but still decided to check on class 7 and their besty Crow.

10. I had to laugh so hard when I locked at the comments under the reddit post, because something MULTIPLE people actually pointed out is that (not very surprisingly) Rean and Alisa wear matching colors as per usual. And while I would say that is just Falcom being assholes to everyone who doesn’t ship them some people went as far as saying that they are wearing a couple-outfit. You know, as in Rean and Alisa as characters chose it specifically to match with each other. (Someone even said that the picture purposefully hided Rean and Alisas left hand because there might be a ring hidden there but trust me Falcom won’t go that far. Especially not without us XD No, seriously, Rean will stay in Limbo with Lloyd and possible (depending what Falcom decides for him, when it comes to romance) Van as well - not that they won’t keep hinting certain girls stronger than others XD

It really felt amazingly good to see Class7 and ONLY Class7 (and no new class 7) back together again.

Bonus: I think the reason we don’t see new class 7 here is because they are now over 2 years older and would have physically matured significantly. I think Falcom wants to show them off in the game, instead of on a Calendar that not everyone gets.

[grumpygreenwitch]

The Fairy and the Prince #42 + #43

Part 1 - Part 2 - Parts 3 & 4 - Part 5 - Part 6, 7 & 8 - Part 9 & 10 - Part 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16 - Part 17, 18, & 19 - Part 20, 21 & 22 - Part 23, 24, 25 & 26 - Part 27, 28, 29 & 30 - Part 31, 32, 33 & 34 - Part 35, 36 & 37 - Part 38, 39, 40 & 41 - Part 42 & 43 - Part 44 & 45 - Part 46 & 47 - Part 48, 49, 50 & 51 - Part, 52, 53 & 54 - Part 55 & 56 - Part 57, 58, 59 & 60 - Part 61, 62, 63, 64 & 65 - Part 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 & 72

Again, I added a few extra tags just in case, because this is sad. It’s meant to be.

Adam's birthday came and went without much notice. The fear that once might have cowed him before the Dowager had died when he'd realized, during that near-year away, that she couldn't afford to lose even one of the boys in her care, just in case he were the one that would break the stalemate between her and the Prince Beyond the Woods. She might take much from him, she might take everything, but he would still have Linden in the end. He would have their endless conversations and the golden years full of memories, and the slow growing thing between them, unnamed and treasured.

She seemed to feel the shift. The interview was as perfunctory as it had been when he'd been younger, quickly over.

He was surprised to be summoned by Master Leminy after. He went into the office and went a little pale when he found a small glass of sherry set out for him at the table. Without a word, Everidge Leminy took the glass away and replaced it with a cup of tea.

"Thank you, sir."

"Think nothing of it," the old Master of Scions said. He laced his hands on the table and stared at this astonishing young man that had balked him in every possible way for nearly every year that he'd been at the palace. "You are nearly of marriageable age, Prince Lestrelle."

Adam burnt his tongue on the tea and sputtered. "Uh..."

"Has your family made plans accordingly?"

"Not that I'm aware of, sir. Given. You know. Everything."

Master Leminy's face puckered in silent disapproval. It meant more from him than it had from the Dowager, Adam realized. "An unfortunately common excuse. I must believe the lady Arditty Seath at least saw to your education as to husbandly duties."

"Oh, gods -" Adam couldn't put the cup down nearly fast enough. "Yes, um. Yes, she did, I should go, I have to -"

"Sit."

The one word pinned Adam in place after too many years trained to obedience. More so, the unexpected kindness hidden under its steely sternness. "This is a conversation your father should have had with you several years ago, Prince Lestrelle. I have waited far beyond what is appropriate for him to do so. It is obvious by now that he will not." Adam, who'd only ever heard that level of disapproval used against him, squirmed a little in guilty glee at having it wielded on his behalf instead. "I am asking. Do you need the conversation?"

Adam chewed on his lip. "Does Master Leminy remember Prince Gracian?"

Master Leminy became thoughtful. "I remember all my princes," he replied, and for a moment Adam saw him look old beyond counting, old and weary and full of grief and sorrow at too many losses. "The young Duke Armitage went home two ye- ah."

"What," Adam asked carefully, "would you have told him, if you'd had to have this conversation with him?"

Master Leminy nodded and gestured. Adam picked up his cup, and the Master of Scions began to speak.

It was a relief, to some degree, to have someone of whom he could ask questions without shame. Adam had long realized that beyond the kisses, beyond hiding with Linden under a blanket and basking in each other's presence, there was nothing else he desired. He might have blamed Arditty and her callous disregard for anything involving intimacy, but it wasn't her fault; it was a part of him that had always been that way. He had no curiosity as to what might be hiding beneath Linden's clothing, because as far as he was concerned it would all be Linden, of a piece. But Adam figured that if Linden should ask such things of him, he ought to at least try to be prepared no matter what.

He was late to his lessons, but Master Leminy gave him a note to present to his teachers. He raced to his rooms all the same, crashing through like a whirlwind as he snatched up books and notes, listening to Beli with one ear while he shook his coat, giving Trout ample time to sneak unseen into a pocket. "Beli," he said at last. "Do you think I've got any wiser with numbers in one day?"

"These are things you should pay attention to, Adam!"

"I know, and I do try to. But let's remember I'm also the idiot who didn't know I got a royal stipend until you found out about it."

Beliwick sighed. "You're not an idiot, Adam. You're a clever creature. But your mind is always going in fifty different directions. I dread to think of what you could achieve if you focused on just one."

"One thing, probably, " Adam agreed cheerfully. "While missing entirely the other forty-nine." He caught the slender shoulders of the young man. "I trust you, Beli. I always have. I will trust you no matter what. But please, for the love of the Night-mother, I can't read numbers like you do. Do you need me to make these decisions?"

Beli blew the most exasperated and resigned sigh possible. "No. Go on, then. And happy birthday!"

Adam raced to his lesson in geography and found the teacher, bereft of his student, asleep at the vast desk by the windows of the library. The image made him smile, his heart aching with a shining, golden, unforgettable memory. He slipped out, though not through the balcony, instead finding his way onto the rooftops from a broad terrace in a tiny drawing room, leaving his boots hidden under a chair.

He would have sought Dane, but his friend was courting a maid in the kitchens, the niece of one of his mother's friends, and Adam had given him leave to take as much time to himself as he desired as long as he didn't miss their training sessions. He had no intention of denying someone else their heart's desire when he scarce could believe he had his own.

He greeted the water-spouts, though they couldn't greet him back just yet, the weather too cold still for spring runoff to give them a voice. He checked the cisterns, but they were still frozen, though the bubble-words of the fish in them floated past the ice to greet him back. There were no nests that he could find. "Spring is taking its time," he told Trout.

The pixie crawled up to his shoulder and shook itself sharply, flecks of gold flying off its wings. "'Twill be here soon enough. Mayhaps I'll fly before - Adam, look out!"

Adam threw himself down, a hand instinctively coming up to protect the pixie, who scrabbled under the lapels of his coat. Neither of them need have bothered; the sparrows, having found him, peeped and cheeped and hovered before him, screaming warnings and battle cries, and a single terrifying word.

Linden Linden Linden.

Adam flew over the rooftops. He dropped and leapt and slid with reckless speed even at his youngest he would have never dared. He raced into the palace and out once again, taking shortcuts that a lifetime lived in  the same vast place had taught him, with the flock escorting him like the most ferocious of honor guards. He launched himself out of a balcony onto the thin edge of a garden wall, raced on before gravity could claim him, tumbled off it and sprinted on, his lungs on fire, his heart threatening to burst.

The old fountain was frozen solid, and the benches still had snow nestled in their shadow. Adam was just close enough to hear a high, angry cry.

"Let go of me!"

Rage gave him wings.

Behind the stone plinth of the dancing lady forever wrapped in her granite veils, Linden struggled in a man's grip. The sparrows fell back, crying furious encouragement. Common courtesy forbid them from the fight, but they weren't even a little happy about that, and even less afraid of it.

Adam didn't carry dagger or sword; he had too many friends that would have been hurt by the iron in the steel. What he did have was a gift from Boul, a beautiful obsidian dagger with a hilt of polished amber. His hand was on it and it flashed very dark in the light before anyone there could blink. "You heard Linden. Let them go."

"Or what?" the man asked in a snarl, and turned to fully face Adam. Surprise flickered over his exquisite features at the sight of the prince, wind-blown and disheveled from his flight, bearing a weapon any of the Folk In the Woods would have been proud to call their own. A flat, false smile curled up his beautiful, perfect mouth in his beautiful, perfect face. His eyes were mismatched, as those of fairy twins so often are, one gold and one green. His hair was long and black, an exquisite cascade pinned back partially by a beautiful silver clip in the shape of a wolf's skull. He wore a black shirt with a wealth of ruffles at throat and wrists, a silver frock coat over it with its black stitching full of ravens, and elegant riding pants and boots. He looked like someone who had not changed their fashion for the last forty years.

And yet Adam saw to the heart of him, to the truth of him, long-limbed and lithe, pale and dark both, inhuman and crackling with shadows.

He'd been more afraid of the kelpie.

Canemore tightened their grip on Linden's arm. "Finally we meet, Adam," he declared in a tone that was both courteous and threatening.

"We've been meeting for a while, Prince Canemore," Adam replied in nearly the same tone. "You've just not been polite enough to introduce yourself."

The Prince Beyond the Woods stared in disbelief. Linden nearly slipped from his grip, and he caught them by the back of their neck, teeth bared in fury before returning his attention to Adam, his expression stern and disapproving. "You've not been taught to properly address your betters."

Adam had just come from a very productive and friendly conversation with the only authority from whom he'd ever feared that look. "I have too. Point them out and I'll address them. Take your hands off Linden."

"She's mine," Canemore hissed, and the light went out of the world. The sun went to a dim flicker, a starving candle drowning in a puddle of wax. Winter snarled from the snow-touched shadows.

"I am me and I'm not yours!" Linden clawed at Canemore's grip.

Trout's hands clung to Adam's chest under the folds of his cloak, and the pixie's little talons bit into his skin past the fine linen of the prince's shirt.

Adam blinked as if roused from death by the barest glimpse of golden light. "Linden," he breathed out, "is Linden. And Linden is no one's, except Linden's!"

The Prince Beyond the Woods laughed shortly. "Linden is, and will be, whatever I deem her to be. I am Canemore, and I so will it. I so declare it. I so -"

"I will so bite you," Linden snarled, "if you don't let go of me right now!"

Canemore shook them violently. Adam made to surge forward in the unnatural gloom, but before he could take even one step the Prince Beyond the Woods yowled like a wounded cat; Linden had done exactly what they'd threatened. "You," the Prince gritted out, trying to pry his captive from his arm, "have been taught better manners than this. You are not a feral thing! You are my bride in grace and beauty and elegance!"

Linden growled between their teeth and bit harder.

Most of Canemore's glamour, potent as it was, slipped right there and then. It wasn't pain as much as shock, sheer disbelief at what was happening. Fury at being balked stole away his false cheer, and he spun, slamming Linden hard against the stone plinth. Adam leapt at him as Linden cried out, and Canemore caught him mid-jump by the throat.

"Kill me, then," Adam choked out. "Go on. Break your promise."

The Prince Beyond the Woods was no longer a beautiful thing. "You have done this," he snarled at Adam. "You have ruined this. I took a thing that hardly knew itself and made it a fit companion for a King -"

"Linden was always perfect," Adam snarled right back. "All this time and you're still too blind to see that."

Canemore flung him aside.

"Adam!" Linden cried out.

"They didn't even know themselves! I named them mine and they should have known that mine they were!"

"I could say the river's mine," Adam picked himself up slowly. "Or the sky, or the air. That doesn't make them mine. That just makes me a braggart." He met the mismatched eyes with his own deep blue gaze, and spat out, "And a liar."

The bleak gloom turned into howling darkness. "You were meek. You were demure," he accused Linden, sinking a punishing grip into the soft new growth on their head, making them cry out in pain.

"I was stuck with you in the hills beyond my woods," Linden accused him right back. "You thought me not wanting to be near you was demureness because you couldn't stand the thought that I was not as you saw me! Let go of me!"

"Let them go!" Adam cried out a third time.

"No!" Challenged a third time, Canemore had to challenge back or abide. He made the obvious choice. "You are both taking liberties that I forbid. That I deny. That I will not abide!

"Fine words from a man who'd force themselves on someone who doesn't want him!"

"I will be wanted!" Canemore howled at them both. "I will be loved, I will be adored, I will be crowned, I will be King! I granted you the freedom of the woods," he told Linden tightly. "Obviously that was a mistake."

"You gave me nothing!" Linden hissed back. "I was born to the woods. I grew with them. I am theirs and they are mine. They, my freedom, me, we were never yours to take, and we never will be. Never, never, and a third time never."

Adam saw Canemore's eyes widen in shock and hurt. "Never," the Prince Beyond The Woods breathed out. The darkness became a solid, frozen thing. "You would rather this mortal than me, a Prince of the Sidhe, your equal, your better." He leaned close to set a stolen kiss on Linden's cheek. "I would have shared everything with you," he whispered to the Danu-sidhe.

"Shared what?!" Linden spat at him. "All you've ever wanted is mine, not yours! You would have taken it and destroyed it all to match the poison inside you -" Linden cried out suddenly. There was hoarfrost forming on their skin where Canemore had hold of them. "Adam!"

"Linden!"

"No," Canemore said, barely a whisper, and the air became thick around Adam, became water, mud, a slurry of clay.

Through it he saw ice flow from the prince's hand over Linden, drowning them, surrounding them, encompassing them completely, withering them, a linden flower caught in a freak frost. He clawed at the power trapping him even as Linden struggled against the spreading ice, but Linden had been caught off guard and whatever part of Adam could normally defeat fey magic without even trying was simply overwhelmed under the immense power of the Sidhe prince.

If not mine, Adam heard the Prince Beyond the Woods whisper, the words echoing across a vastness of years, exactly as he'd spoken them once before.

Canemore picked up the shapeless form that entrapped Linden until it was nearly a foot off the ground.

And dropped it.

No one's.

Adam screamed. The ice shattered into a hundred pieces, and within it, so did Linden.

***

Someone was calling for him.

"Mortal prince!"

The voice was familiar, a whispering breeze fluting through dry reeds. Some part of him knew he was duty-bound to answer, but most of him didn't want to. To answer would be to awaken to a world that had no right to exist, to be fair and beautiful and merry anymore.

Oh, Linden.

"Adam!" the voice persisted, its panic a desperate undertone. There was a moment's sharp pain, yanking at him like Culli-maid stealing his blankets away when he tried to sleep in late, harmless and vexing and impossible to completely ignore.

Reason came back. On its heels came memory, and Adam curled up on himself with a desperate, ragged sob.

"I know." Trout pressed itself over the young prince's cheek, as hot as if it'd freshly come out of the oven. "I know, wee prince. Wake up."

"No."

"You can't stay here, you will die."

"Good."

Trout bit his ear again. "And how well the Danu child would like that attitude from you!"

"They're not here to tell me otherwise. They never will, Trout. Never." Adam curled up and wept, and Trout could do nothing but huddle close against the heartbroken young man's neck, useless wings slicked back. At some point when Adam had lain senseless at the feet of the dancing statue it had begun to rain, the sort of dismal and endless downpour that came from the struggle between winter and spring.

"It's not true, you know." Trout said quietly at last. "I know it feels like it, but it's not. If they weren't here you would not weep over them. The only way it wouldn't hurt is if you'd forgotten them. But you remember, and so you hurt, and so here you are." An immense sigh took the tiny golden pixie and in the silence that followed only the rain wept aloud.

After an eternity under the rain, Adam wrapped a hand over the small creature, and shifted just enough so he could draw it under the lapels of his coat; scarce protection, but protection all the same. "Trout, don't make a habit of biting me," he chided, his voice hoarse with his grief.

"I've not a lot of other options, mortal prince."

Adam sat up. "I think I've just figured out why you call me that."

"Aye," Trout agreed. "The other doesn't fit the first bit and doesn't deserve the second. Now come on, up you go. We need to get out of this misery."

"Are you cold?"

"No. But mortals sicken easy."

Adam couldn't help a smile, faint and broken though it was. Trout's wings perked up minutely, then fell again when it saw the gesture reached nothing beneath Adam's surface.

The prince dragged himself into the palace; if he was spoken to, he didn't hear it. If someone tried to stop him, he never noticed. He made it into his rooms; Beli took one look at him and shouted for Culli-maid. As soon as she got there he sprinted away to fetch Dane.

Culli peeled his soaked, half-frozen clothes off. Adam didn't even realize he was shivering violently, his lips blue and his fingers and toes white. She rubbed him dry with a blanket, and belatedly he realized she was begging him to tell her what had happened. He couldn't. No words would come out. Trout had to come out of hiding to tell her, startling a scream out of her. Then the pixie, too, got rubbed down dry despite its shrieking and hissing. And then, with both of them seen to, Culli collapsed on her chair and wept until it felt as if her heart would break from the force of her sobs.

Adam was put to bed. He spent an uncounted number of days there, and later on he couldn't have said if he'd taken sick from his hours sprawled senseless in the freezing downpour, or if he'd slept, or eaten, or done any of the things that came with life going on. Every time he thought he might be able to catch his breath he heard the terrible shattering sound, the venom of those words whispered in magic.

If not mine, no one's.

He would jerk upright in his bed, struggling to breathe, clawing at himself.

Culli had to trap Trout in a sewing hamper and take it out of the room when the priests of the Tree-Father and the Night-Mother came, warned that something terrible had happened to Prince Adam Lestrelle. They could find nothing wrong with him, and in the end all their prayers and magics allowed them only to report that it was indeed the prince in his bed, that he nursed a physical malady, and that no power of the Folk in the Woods nestled in him waiting to ambush the Dowager.

Adam found her sitting alone by his bed in the dark, rousing with a shock that, for once, had nothing to do with Linden's death. On the pillow next to his Trout was growling very quietly. It was night-time beyond the windows, and there was only the pixie's golden glow and the light of a lamp that sat on the table next to the elderly Queen.

She stared at him in silence for a long time. When Adam's bile had nearly risen to the point where he might start speaking words he'd later regret, she beat him to it. "They will tell you, at some point, that you are young," she began, her voice calm and composed. "That you don't know what love truly is, because you've not lived long enough to recognize it." She touched lightly the signet ring on her slender finger. "They are idiots."

Adam forgot everything he'd been about to say.

"You can be young and love," she assured him in the dark. "In fact, you love better when you're young, because you believe you will love forever. You truly believe that nothing and no one can possibly destroy that love, because it's all that you are, and you cannot imagine a world without it. You wouldn't be in that world, and what would be the point of it? I could never love like that again at my age."

He watched tears slip down the age-fragile skin of her cheeks. She never acknowledged them, and Adam remembered Needlemaw's words, spoken it seemed an age of the world ago.

There was naught she loved more than him.

"I think I should be dead," he said hoarsely. "It doesn't feel right, that I should be alive."

She merely gave him a very small nod. "That never truly goes away, I'm afraid," she admitted. "It dulls, with time. You grow busy, because life makes it so by never stopping. But eventually everything that you can do in a day is done, and night comes, and right before you go to bed, or for a moment before a meal, or in those few minutes when one person's gone and another's yet to arrive, you have nothing to do and nothing to distract you. And it will hit you then, like a fist around your throat and a dagger through the heart."

"I don't want to live like that."

"That is your choice," she said. "But it would be a selfish choice."

"I don't care. It hurts too much."

"You are a clever young man, Adam. And you have your mother's heart, though I wish right now you didn't. I wish you were harder, so this wouldn't wound you so. But whatever you choose, you must remember this: love has two halves, and one of yours is gone. If you die as well, it dies forever."

He wept then, and she reached out and set a light hand against his brow, and let him cry himself to sleep.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Saturday 10 August 1839

8 20/..

11 50/..

very fine morning sun and F71 ½° at 9 ¼ am breakfast at 9 ½ in ½ hour – before and after till now 10 ¼ inking over pencil memoranda and S- came immediately –

for Roman history they (the students) read Niebuhr one the origins of Romans 3vols.

pour la culture Rotteck  3vols. 8vo. (in German Stuttgard)

pour les guerres et la politique Lassen Norwegian 3vols.

1 for the [ ?], 1 for the moyen age, and 1 for the modern history but not yet finished – in Norwegian

on the Literature 1 vol. in German by Ficker

on the antiquities une collection des Leçons d’un de nos professeurs laquell collection est imprimée (af Bukker) now directeur de l’école métropolitaine

Pour l’histoire des Grecs les mêmes auteurs

Bekkers’ universal history 17 or 18 vols. in German

Beckmanns’ technology is translated into Danish (that is, Norwegian) printed, S- supposes, at Copenhagen –

the grand ouvrage de Kraft in several volumes new edition on Norway in Norsk

Anchovies Anschovis pronounced Anshooser or Anshoovĭs

had S- till now 1 ½ (i.e. from 10 ¼ to 1 ½ = 3 ¼ hours) at the pronunciation of the Norsk alphabet and his written notice lè dessus, and reading p. 1 (work itself) of our little Norsk history bought yesterday– and talking over the map of the country etc .

Divided into 5 stifts  bishoprics

17 amter

44 Fogderie

Xtiania stift called Agershuns stift

from the old castle here mentioned in papers of the 11th or 12th century

the present Xtiania founded by Xtian iv. about 1642.

then till 3 ½ studying over what we had read – S- went to the Landlord to make sundry inquiries, and A- and I read on – I wrote while A- translated and read aloud till now 5 35/.. and then went out – sauntered along the streets past Kappellen’s and Dahls’ booksellers shops – and then to Jaegers –

SH:7/ML/TR/12/0023

August Saturday 10 – could not get the work on mineralogy for me to look at – had seen in Dahls’ window a cookery book S- knows nothing of this – all this left to the femmes – dames, all, the countess Vedel [Wedel] de Jarlsberg herself, who is the head arranges the table – fait la cuisine – Do the ladies dine at table – can they cook and preside? – yes! all is arranged before dinner time and the servants do the rest – we passed a nice looking lady – she acknowledged S- he coloured I inquired if she was de la plus haute société – yes! she was in the same house with him last winter – chez le Storthingman célèbre............ captain of artillery, whose picture we had seen in Dahls’ window – one of the 1st men here – the lady an actrice at the theatre! but very respectable – not publically known but it is said she is fiancée to the Captains’ son – he 24 she 22 – the captain objects but not because she is an actrice but because she does not understand cooking! But is it not easy to learn – oh! no! can she not learn in 6 months? oh! no! il faut cinq ans – comment? est il donc plus difficile d’apprendre faire la cuisine que d’apprendre une langue étrangère? on peut apprendre une langue dans 6 mois – mais oui mais si il faut parler bien etc. etc. il faut......... toute la vie (sad I) – yes! true – for the gents here are très difficile pour la cuisine! – poor S- afterwards explained that it was not only cooking but the whole science of le ménage – the husband provides the meat (earns the living) and the wife prepares it and if she cannot manage well, nothing no income can suffice – he spoke of his mother as très savante i.e.

August Saturday dans la science de faire la cuisine – and his fiancée is also I suppose savant after the same sort – came in at 6 ¾ and dinner immediately – anchovies 1st time very good – highly seasoned and spiced – 4 marks or more per barrel containing 200 to 300 fish – Dans la société, a little side table with anchovies, herrings, etc. with which one begins the dinner – says our Swiss garçon – had just written so far at 8 ½

neat, good, farmstead stand book says looks flourishing looks as if well doing – pretty little picturesque hamlets each generally on its little [looky] [?] and [?] orchards and wood – everywhere the wooden buildings with a charpente [?] in squares which are filled up with brick or plaster – cattle and houses and a few sheep – Rye the chief corn – [?] in sight at 3 25/.. and its pretty fjord – alight the Stadt Copenhagen at 4 40/..

then walked about the room with A- and finished inking over writing out at the other end of this book Saturday 13 July the pencil from my account book –reading over Norsk again till 10 40/.. – fine day – F67 ¼° at 11 20/.. pm

[bbnibini]

PSISLY: AN OBEY ME!CYOA – SEVENTY🔖

[ "I feel the same way. Meeting you almost feels like fate, Barbatos."]

(Barbatos’ affection +50)

{  OPEN STATUS : YES > approved > displaying capture targets

Mammon : 85♡/100♡ Satan : 85♡/100♡ Barbatos: 100♡/100♡ Lucifer : 5♡/100♡ @#&)(@)€RR0Я : ∞??!@????♡/10000000000♡

CLOSE STATUS : YES >approved  }

“Fate…” You heard him repeat your words, stunned. “Do you remember?”

“Remember?”

Barbatos took a while to respond, carefully considering his words as usual— “It’s almost the evening bell. We must remember to leave before we get locked in.”

“Oh…you’re right!” You got up as soon as he also did, taking the hand he offered you.

“Is everything okay, Barbatos?” He had avoided the topic, so you couldn’t help but worry. “Did I make you uncomfortable?”

“…no.” Or so he says, but somehow, after that…you couldn’t help but feel that he almost looked sad beneath his veneer of propriety.

“I would rather such a thing to not exist, is all.”

“Fate?”

He smiled in reply. “It’s rather sad if you look at it at a different angle.” He’s beginning to lose you, which you admitted, but he did not laugh at you. Instead, he asked for your hand and when you offered it to him, had kissed it gently.

“Accepting my kiss is entirely your decision. But what if you had come to realise it was all fake?

.

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What if we were destined to be here, at this exact time and place? What if somewhere out there, a written proof of this moment before it even happened exists? Wouldn’t the illusion of choice disappoint you?”

“…I’m sorry,” You replied. “I didn’t realise I have offended you with my poor choice of words.”

Barbatos shook his head, placing his hand on top of the one you had offered him and squeezing it. “No apologies necessary. What I only mean is, fate or not…I am happy we’re both here.”

“O-oh…”

“I would like to return your question, if I may.” There was mirth in his tone as he let go of your hand.

“Did my candidness make you uncomfortable?”

You didn’t realise he had such a playful side to him! Ignoring your rapid heartbeats, you shook your head. “No. But…hearing you say that all of a sudden…”

“I understand. Let’s take it slowly.”

Oh, there was nothing slow about your bodily reactions to his boldness at all! But you agreed.

“Except maybe on getting out of here? I can hear the guard calling out to us.”

Laughing, the demon butler agreed.

[Leave the courtyard] (WIP)

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“Fate, is it?”

“For someone who calls Himself benevolent, He’s quite the hypocrite. No matter how those writers sweeten such a word, its cruelty retches through the surface. Their existence itself is evidence of his contradictions, but they chose to live such a rigid life, following His example anyway. Do they realise this? They’re their own brand of fools, the lot of them. Moreover….the human those brothers cherish…”

“….”

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“It’s…confusing. What do I really—”

!!!

“You.”

“Now, now. I have a name, you know. Had your prided manners abandoned you, timekeeper?”

“Very well. To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Christopher Peugeot?”

[MEMORIA 2: Author's Riddles unlocked.] **Endgame warning. Recommended for second reading

[ MEMORIA 3/KEY 7: His Name was Nathan unlocked.] **Endgame warning. Recommended for second reading

[Congratulations on unlocking the seventh KEY! As promised, meet me here and I will help you find him.] **Endgame warning. Recommended for second reading

💌masterlist

💌 tag request: @krussyfed, @lilliansstuff , @cupsof-tea