#kinda had to escape the Evils Of The Masses because It's Too Many People For My Brain To Handle

[cathalbravecog]

Some screencaps from TTCC Pride 2023 :3

Except without people's chat messages because they gave me an actual headache (But also thank you everyone who hung out with me there even if I needed to escape the masses later)

Cogs Only Club Moment BTW

[thewolfisawake]

Evil Verse Muse Ideas

Kesil: He lost Artemis in a traumatic way (either from one their earlier near escapes or he 'eats' him) and basically became like Vasily, known exterminator of anything with fangs and blood diet. His weird humor gets dialed up to sadistic and cruel and he just has pleasure in harm. Like he maintains his charisma but his aura is like death. Oh and one of those verses he masters his personal power, so untouchable by death and able to bring the curtain down on anyone he wants.

Eriskyne: Basically went full on machiavellian schemer and for some reason views the entirety of the Seelie as their target. And all of it needs to be in shambles. And they want to do it in some method that twists the pride or goal of his targets. From turning the king's paranoia to 100 to causing whispers amongst the gentry of possible (but in reality completely false) method to gain control of the Seelie to starting a rebellion of the humans and other beings that have been taken by the fae. They want bloodshed and torment with as little physical doing on their own part (not that they won't abscond from it).

Artemis: idk the catalyst but he becomes real debonair but he uses it for cold and calculated moves. He is like a perfect gentleman but has so many tools at his disposal because he just drained people for their ability and got really good at them. Dispassionate but so eerily patient in his endeavors. Honestly? Not the worst outcome to me. Basically the definition of 'god had to give me self-esteem issues or I would have bested him in combat years ago.'

Eiji: Aha, there is a possibility within his future where he discovered who cursed him. And there is this and basically his last chance to regain his former life is dashed. The hatred and doubt and fear in his heart manifests scarily fast as a grudge. That grudge consumes him before it consumes the tatarigami that ruined him. So he becomes like a newborn evil curse with the powers at a calamity level. And with the pain and hate, Eiji just wants all to suffer because if his good end has been robbed from him, he will rob the masses of everything.

Aspis: I actually have two versions. One is if he either returned or had from the start dealt with the infernal and like the environment or the time with them changed him. Kinda Y.iling P.atriarch vibes but more just destruction for destruction's sake. And in a way, he uses that kind charm of his to its worst potential to bewitch others do for him and do it willfully. The other is if he failed to have a support system and basically lost all the passion and love that made Aspis...well, Aspis. He became a 'hunter of hunters,' that is a little too into his work and has minions not friends. As in he has beaten a lot of beings and forced them into subservience. That version of him kinda reminds me of Greed from F.MA that he's like 'you are mine so I will care for you because you're mine.'

Altyn: Apparently just Altyn, fewer morals. The ramifications of that terrify me. She is already the lower moral haver between herself and Zhifeng. You add that she is willing to do anything for her pay? Oh man. She is the one that supplied much of the people that are trapped by the village. She seduced them with their greatest wants to enslave them. She bullies investors and even seedy organization heads to take on her business endeavors which range from the selling of the village resources to full on making people disappear. Also she's quite the bastard towards nonhumans because there's 'just a river of gold flowing through them.' And she's capricious as hell, making others afraid because she might just strike you down because she needed some relief.

Crowe: Boy, it sure would be a bad time if he lost his friendship. It's where Crowe's overwhelming fear and paranoia of not being trusted or loved breaks him. He's been hurt for the last time (Queen of Mean intensifies in background). If he's the bad guy then fine, he'll be the goddamn devastation you all will quiver to. Storm summoner, mass hysteria inducer and part time god devourer to take their essence and traits to make him an even better god. Because yeah, he literally cast his humanity aside. While his grandmother likely took advantage of him at his lowest, she underestimated that Crowe is a 'by any means' man and a man with nothing left to lose.

[spittyfishy]

Also in remnant v3 au: would Kaede be a remnant too, a Chiaki analogue or just escaped to the FF?

Oh Kaede is gonna be a remnant for sure, she’s one of my all time favourite danganrompa characters (tied for third place with Tsumugi with Mikan as first and Kazuichi in second) so I don’t intend to just kill her off lol.

As generic as it is she likely fills Ibuki's role of performing concerts to corrupt mass amounts of people to despair.

My friend and I were joking that she should drop pianos on people's heads in a very Loony Toons fashion to kill them, and uh yeah lol we’re going with that because I’m hilarious. Imagine just going about your business in the post tragedy world and suddenly just an entire grand piano hits you in the head. Comedy gold.

(Also like, there probably wouldn’t be that many pianos just laying around during the despair era since it’s kinda the apocalypse so Kaede would definitely get despair from destroying them by using them to bonk people to death)

Aside from that, I think her largest source of despair would come from the other remnants. By the time she realized what Junko was doing with her classmates it was too late, and they were all too far gone for her to help them, even Suichi. So whenever she sees them out and about doing all the despair stuff it’s like haha that’s her fault. (It’s not really of course, it’s Junko’s fault, but critical thinking skills aren’t really the remnants strong suit lol)

I think similarly to Kaito she’d keep her usual personality, and still be very upbeat and supportive, it’s just she’s supporting them to do even more evil lol. Those two cheer on the others and make sure they’re being the best, worst, most evilest Despairs they can be!

Why yes, her outfit is comprised of different bits and pieces of the Evil Queens dresses in Once Upon A Time! It had the right vibes and every once and a while I have to do something that would make middle school era me happy lol. That being said I knew I wanted her to have some kinda necklace/choker thing on her throat (bc hee hoo execution references in designs for brrr) and the music note motif from her skirt can be found on her hair tie and bracelet.

[phoenixyfriend]

Time-Traveled Clones Give Anakin a Mental Breakdown

So @purronronner​ suggested the below on discord:

mental time travel au but it’s only clones (definitely Cody and/or Rex, possibly others)

Which we obviously all took and just... ran with. Contributors include Purrs, @the-lunar-system, and @atagotiak.

Initial brainstorming was just us trying to figure out how many clones did the mental travel, from when, etc. - Ended up deciding on 'significantly post-O66' and 'some but not all' - Mostly it's the angle that the only people who have an idea of what’s coming are the ones who aren’t even seen as people by most. THey have very little leverage to work with but they’ve gotta do something.

(I personally like the idea that Boba travels because Jango has to deal with the fact that His Baby Boy is suddenly much more adult and serious and also telling him that the whole Kamino thing is going to Destroy Everything Including Mandalore, And Revenge Against The Jedi Won't Be Worth It, but that idea got scrapped because he's got too much influence via dad.)

Rex and the clones that died when Rex & Ahsoka were escaping 66. Because Rex would probably be very regretful he couldn’t save them. The others would probably be understanding of the situation and even worse some of them would be thankful that he stopped them. - Strategic mass desertion via faked KIA reports as medics smuggle people out to investigate what's trying to kill the Jedi through the clones - Also they can manage a lot by doing surgeries and reprogramming Med droids and stuff. At the very least Palpatine can’t manage such a sudden and decisive victory without subverting the clones. The political angle is probably still a complicated mess but he can’t just snap his fingers and do a genocide, y’know? - IMO at least Fives is definitely on the list of time-travelers.

The Krell Situation is, uh... handled. Quickly. - Sometimes friendly fire just happens, you know? Accidents.

Mass Distrust of Anakin Skywalker - He knows they don't like him but has no idea why. - On the one hand, they loved them some TCW Anakin. On the other hand, look where that takes him...

Anakin keeps feeling like the clones are mourning him while he's standing right there. More than the other Jedi, even! All the Jedi feel vague grief from some of the clones, usually in a way that makes no sense, but the vibe they have around Anakin is a mindfuck. - Some of them want to get away and fast, some of them want to figure out how to fix him, none of them are at all happy with this.

He does one of those somewhat concerning TCW things where Imperial March plays faintly in the background, and while in the first timeline the clones would write it off as him being a little bit angrier than most Jedi (and he never takes it out on them, y’know?), this time they’re reacting… poorly. - They're scared of him this time. - And lbr the clones... while they’re largely good, moral people, have less rigid ethical rules than the Jedi and are more used to thinking of things in terms of us-vs-them as well as the Jedi-know-best conditioning, so they probably wrote off a lot the first time around (and now blame themselves, just a little, for Vader).

They, uh, they maybe get a bit twitchy... and the specific fear a few of "Vader's Fist" feel is so similar to the fear Anakin sensed around slaves in Gardulla's that he starts having flashbacks. - Anakin at one point spirals so deep into a flashback that he mutters something about how "she" is going to eat him and nobody can figure out who the fuck he's talking about, because nobody knows about Gardulla, possibly not even Obi-Wan, since that was TODDLER Anakin and while Watto may have come up, Obi-Wan probably didn't even think Anakin would have remembered toddler-age stuff, so Gardulla was never really discussed. - All anyone knows is that Anakin is fine with Ahsoka, so it's not her, but she's the only person on board using she/her pronouns so far since none of the clones are socially transitioning yet. - (Apparently Gardulla just ate her slaves sometimes? And Anakin had to live with the knowledge that that was a possibility for him? Until he was three? Fucked up, bro.) - (I'm just really invested in AUs where Anakin's 'not going evil' path kicks off in part with a breakdown where he can't keep himself in denial about the slavery element of the clones anymore.)

"They're scared of me." "Sir--" "They're scared the way we all were at Gardulla's what did I do?"

This would be pretty soon after Return to Tatooine, and Tatooine Three: Electric Boogaloo so Anakin is like... peak slave trauma rn anyway.

Anakin has a breakdown much earlier than in canon, and in precisely the opposite direction, loudly and blatantly enough that the Temple has to ground him for a bit, and even Palpatine can't get that overturned until the medics say so. - Also one of the key points: Anakin doesn’t resent it in the same way. - It’s uh. Less. The “The Jedi are afraid of my power (and Palpatine says that’s why I can’t just do what I want)” and more “the clones are afraid of my power (arguably with good reason)”

people above you fearing (+ limiting) you: hits right in the slave trauma people under you fearing you: still slave trauma but flipped all the way around

This is just back to back: - Mom died because you couldn't save her, on Slave Planet - You slaughtered an entire tribe of Tuskens, including the children, and have been putting a lot of effort into convincing yourself you're not a monster - You got chained up and threatened with public execution via Consumed by Big Thing (and are abruptly reminded of toddlerhood, where you were at risk of being Consumed by Gardulla, a Big Thing) - Clone army, basically slaves, can't think about that too hard or you'll freak out - (Secret marriage, which is stressful but not hitting the slave trauma button.) - You had to save a baby Hutt -- You had to help a slaver Hutt -- ON SLAVE PLANET AGAIN -- WHILE THE HUTT IS THREATENING TO KILL YOU - (Someone just GAVE YOU A CHILD, which is stressful but not hitting the slave trauma button.) - Half the clones treat you like a more impuslive Obi-Wan, and half of them are... scared and wary and you don't know what to do about that - You did something kinda fucked up and now half the slaves clones are fine and the other half feel like they're waiting for you to kill them in your anger - Fuck - Fuck

[extravaguk]

santa&prada

part of my opposites attract! series. 

ksj / knj / myg / jhs / kth / jjk

pairing: rich!jimin x reader

summary: Yeah, Park Jimin most likely didn't even realize he was being a rude and disrespectful son of a bitch.

wordcount: 5k

genre: smut - angst(? - fluff (? idk u tell me

rated: m 

warnings: a christmas fic in late november, cursing, a huge misunderstanding lmao, i call jimin ‘park jimin’ too many times bc i felt like it, car sex, oral (f recieving), some good ole spanking, (kinda) rough and unprotected sex, a lil of dirty talk, spit kink. thats about it. just an excuse to write jimin fucking you in a car. jimin is not as bad as oc thinks srsly.

The first time you meet Park Jimin is through mutual friends. On a firday night on December, with white, red and green lights decorating the streets of New York, filled with the typical hustle of the masses doing last minute Christmas shopping, the freezing weather impacting your body temperature, cursing yourself for choosing tights, a skirt and heeled boots that are too pretty but too uncomfortable to wear.

You had never considered yourself a particular enthusiast of Christmas festivities. You guess discovering Santa Claus was, actually, your parents before the rest of the kids in your class was one of the many reasons that made you grow up too soon and therefore, not allowing you to fully enjoy the month of December. Or maybe it had nothing to do with Santa, and more to do with your parents deciding to get a divorce a day before Christmas Eve. A traumatic event for seven year old you, but completely forgotten and overcome by twenty-four year old present you.

Growing up each Christmas suffering the consecuences of a shared custody would have probably had a disastrous effect on anybody else, but not you. Although the separation was a tough reality to accept at first, fortunately your parents were always capable of raising you in an environment full of love and affection, just like any other kid. And you prided yourself on having moved on from those circumstances a long time ago (even if your therapist disagreed and blamed many of your behaviors on it. Whatever.)

To put it simply, December was just not the month for you. It was just another month, like the remaining eleven of the year, except Mariah Carey's voice was heard every five minutes everywhere you'd go and people gave each other presents as if it was only during that time of the year when they remembered their loved ones. 

The only thing you could thank Christmas for were the well deserved two weeks of holidays our work allowed until the new year's arrival. Fifteen days of rest, peace and baking those gingerbread cookies that Seokjin died for and that you sincerely denoted as nauseating.

You truly had no idea what exactly you did wrong that night. You don't know if it was something you said, or something you did, but what you did know was that Park Jimin pursued a silent and personal vendetta against you that continued nowadays.

"Here are your disgusting cookies, you filthy animal." it might have been that very first sentence you said when you entered the bar and reunited with your friends that didn't cause a good impression. "Shit, it's cold as fuck. My nipples are harder than my life." or maybe it was your selection of words while you waved every familiar face hello until you stopped to look at the only (pretty. too pretty, as well) one you had never seen before.

"_____, it's Chrismtas! Santa Clause will only bring you a lump of coal if you keep cursing like that!" Lisa laughed while she kissed your cheek and made space for you to sit next to her. "Oh, by the way, this is Jimin. A friend of Namjoon. He's a newbie!"

Park Jimin was stunning, you had no trouble admitting that. You weren't blind, you weren't stupid, and you could go as far as theorize that his dark eyes, his light and always immaculate styled hair, his sharp jawline and those plump lips as red as cherries must have been sculpted by Satan himself.

Fuck, you were even sure you'd be on your knees in front of Park Jimin in an alternative universe begging for his dick inside your mouth. But in the universe where you and the real Park Jimin reside, he would never come near you unless somebody was aiming a gun into his skull.

You're not precisely sure what it was, but a brief exchange of glances and an evasive and sligh shake of hands with Park Jimin was enough to make you feel ashamed and withdrawn for the rest of the night.

If Jimin wasn't even able to drop a polite "Nice to meet you", he sure as hell wasn't able to pretend you even existed.

Even the small talk you had tried to engaged with him about his shiny pair of shoes went terribly wrong.

"Oh, are those Dolce and Gabbana?"

"Dolce and Gabbana are homphobic, racist and sexist, so no" the grimace on his face should've been enough to make you regret speaking to him in the first place , but the snarky voice of his made you want to run away and hide from him until next Christmas.

In reality, you swore you didn't care. Seriously. Other's opinions were never something that could easily bother you or keep you awake at night. You had always turned a deaf ear to the cruel children that made fun of you due to your parent's divorce, you had always ignored the amount of men that never considered you "ladylike" enough (what the fuck did that even mean, anyway? what exactly made a lady and what didn't?), and you had always disregarded any envous comment surrounding you.

So, fuck Park Jimin! You had said to yourself. He's just a well mannered rich boy. Somebody who didn't resemble you in any aspect. A stupid, pretentious, spoiled boy who's had everything he's ever wanted in the palm of his hand, unlike you. Who the fuck cares what Park Jimin thinks? 

But apparently, you did. 

You would have never placed such importance to whatever it was that roamed inside Jimin's head if his appearances in your group of friends hadn't been so recurrent.

Because each time you were forced to see Jimin's face, you were also forced to experience a strange knot of discomfort and humilliation growing in your stomach in his mere presence. It's not like Jimin did anything specific to make you feel that way. He might not even do it on purpose, or his intentions might not be entirely evil. Maybe he simply didn't realize how he always avoided being by your side like the plague, or how his body immediately tensed and he balled his hands into fists everytime you were less than two feet away from him, or how he would look at you from the corner of his eye everytime you decided you speak, almost as if he was waiting for you to shut up to finally let out the air he was containing inside his lungs in relief.

Yeah, Park Jimin most likely didn't even realize he was being a rude and disrespectful son of a bitch.

And with time, you couldn't help but attribute that disdain and hostility that Park Jimin always directed at you to the many undeniable differences that constituted each of you. Park Jimin, with his impeccable and always well ironed Prada shirts, his spotless trousers, jewelry that probably costed more than three of your annual salaries, and always emanating that Givenchy fragance that screamed "wealth!" every rare occasion you could experiment his presence next to you. Exactly two years after that first meeting with Park Jimin, you hadn't been able to avoid reciprocating that feeling of contempt towards him. Not when you were the only victim of his arrogance. Everybody loved Park Jimin, and Park Jimin loved everyone. 

Except you.

Clinging to your glass of Don Pérignon and finishing the rest of the liquid in one go, you try to snap out of your own thoughts, reminding yourself to return to the conversation you're currently having with Taehyung about a pretty waitress that he's met during one of his art exhibitions (or at least that's what you think you caught him say) and forcing yourself by all means to stop observing the friendly and kind smiles that Park Jimin was shooting to those present from across the room and that you will never be able to achieve. 

"_____? Are you even listening to me, darling?" Taehyung's voice is what makes you finally look away from the dumb blond standing on the opposite side of the room, blinking a few times before clearing your throat. 

"Sorry, Tae." letting out a sigh, you try to brush back and put in place the strand of hair that escaped the intricate hairdo you had tried and so miserably failed to do yourself to try to fit in and hopefully impress such environment of preppy and privilaged people (ahem, Park Jimin)  falling on your forehead as best as you can. "Just been really stressed this week and I'm on another planet. You know how I feel about Christmas. I think I need a new flute of . Or five."

Taehyung sends you a look full of empathy and places one of his hands in your shoulder, squeezing lightly in a comforting way. "I'll get you another one. I'll be right back." You quickly interrupt him though, to prevent him from standing up before you.

"No, really. I'll go. I need some fresh air anyways, if you don't mind." And of course Taehyung doesn't mind, so you get on your feet as graceously as your tipsy state allowed you to (who told you it was a good idea to drink three glasses in less than thirty minutes of the extremely expensive champagne Taehyung had brought to the Christmas party he had organized and why did it convince you it would appease your anxiey?) and make your way towards the table where the rest of the bottles are. A table dangerously close to the conversation Jimin and that friend of Lisa (whose name you don't remember) were having.

Both are with their backs turned and, honestly, you take a silent moment to thank God or whatever is up there because the last thing you need right now is yet another awkward interaction with Jimin, so you try as best as you can to refill your glass of champagne to get out of there as soon as possible, praying to make your exit going unnoticed.

But no. Because the stars and the universe loved to align to make you suffer! They love to play with your karma and they love making you damn that one day you didn't help that lady cross the street. They love making you regret buying those plastic straws. They love making you feel guilty for hacking your neighbour's Wifi when you run out of money to pay for yours. Because the moment you try to take a hold of the bottle in your hands, it slips out of your grasp, and you're watching in slow motion how the sparkling berverage ends up spilling all over the extremely expensive (or so you assume. Balenciaga maybe) suit pants Park Jimin decided to wear that night.

Everything is kind of blurry and you can't even hear anything. You can only watch as Park Jimin turns around, lips parted and eyebrows furrowed, until his eyes find you, the bane of his existance and immediately recognizing the culprit of his now drenched piece of clothing. And you can watch as, once again, his gaze turns almost black and narrow lightly as to reprimend you for what you've caused. But of course he doesn't say a word. He has nothing to say. He doesn't even look surprised. No. Because obviously, Park Jimin knew that if there was somebody in this room willing to ruin his night, it would be you, and only you.

"Shit!" you're the first one to break the strained silence, but that only makes Jimin flinch. "Shit, shit, shit. I'm so fucking dumb! J-Jimin, I'm so sorry, let me just go grab a paper tow-"

"Don't." his voice cuts through you. Literally cuts through you. Because it's not often that Park Jimin decides to aim his words at you, but everytime he does it holds the same frigid tone. Like knives trying to painfully stab your being. "Just, don't."

In reality, you don't know a lot of things and you don't know what causes what happens next. You don't know if it's the specific time of the year, you don't know if it's your internal stress, or if it's Park Jimin, his voice, or the fact that he will never like you. But it's instant. They way something compresses your chest, and suddenly your eyes are not glaced by the alcohol but by something wet that threatens to flow. You would never admit to anyone they're tears.

So, shutting your mouth and swallowing the uncomfortable feeling of anguish in your throat, leaving your flute forgotten on the table and grabbing the bottle instead. Without saying a word, your feet start moving up the stairs of the ridiculously enourmous house Taehyung owns towards the first free and empty balcony you can find. Free of people and free of Park Jimin.

Closing the large window behind you, you allow yourself to close your eyes and take a deep breath; the icy temperature outside immediately welcoming you. Although the hairs on your arm stand up and you know you're probably going to catch a cold (because the dress you've chosen for the dinner is not at all appropiate for such winter climate), at least the tension in your body seems to disappear while oxygen keeps that ugly feeling in your heart at bay from continuing to choke you.

With shaky hands, you take a big gulp straight from the champagne bottle. Fuck Park Jimin. No man will ever have the power to make you feel what you're feeling right now.  Fuck Park Jimin. And fuck his beautiful face and his ability to make you tremble and fear looking like an idiot. Fuck his fancy clothes and his perfect manicured hands and his marvelous but frigthening presence. 

Knock knock.

The sound makes you jump back from the window, hand grasping your chest while you turn around, coming face to face with the man in question.  Your first instinct is to ignore him. But that thought is already out of the way when it's him the one who struggles with the window lock before opening and taking a step towards you. You step back as he steps in, raising your head up high and puffing your chest. Because your second instinct is to tell Park Jimin to go fuck himself.

"_____, I would like to-"

"You would like to what?" Jimin looks taken aback at your harshness. Alcohol has always been a weapon of mass destruction in your system, provoking words to flow too easily and without filter out of your mouth, more than they already do when you're sober. Especially when it's mixed with the frustration you've been harboring inside of you for two years. That's why when the words start to come out, they won't stop. "To make me feel like shit one more time? To look at me with that fucking conceited face trying to make me feel like you're better than me? Or would you like to ignore me once again as you always do everytime we're in the same fucking room to make sure I know you hate my mere existance, even if it's just the two of us right now?"

The steam leaving your lips due to the accelerated beat of your heart blurs his face for an instant while he looks at you dumbfounded. The silence and his expression makes you scoff, an acidic smile adorning your face while you take another sip of your drink because even with such a stupid face, he still looks delectable with his white shirt and ruined pants. You turn around, removing a tear that you hadn't even realized had fallen during your speech and that, frankly, you were hoping he hadn't either. You would blame it on the cold, anyway.

This time, a gust of wind running through you from head to toe, making you forget of Park Jimin's presence looming behind you, reminding you it's still December and the fabric of your dress is doing nothing to conceal you from the cold.

But before you can do anything about it and blame yourself for being dumb and not taking your coat with you before deciding to step into balcony, Park Jimin surprises you once again, this time by placing his navy blue blazer over the naked skin of your arms.

Your back straightens when you feel his warm breath caressing the back of your neck, at the same time that a voice you have never heard Park Jimin use with you echoes in your ears.

"I really don't hate you, _____. I..." Jimin wets his lips. His body trembles, but it's not due to lacking his own coat, while his brain hurriedly searches for words eloquent and adequate enough to explain voice his thoughts. "I like you very much, _____."

Scoffing again while you shake your head, you push down with all your inner strenght the incipent fluttering of butterflies in your stomach that Jimin has managed to cause in just a matter of seconds. It's probably the longest sentence you've heard from him in two years, and you don't exactly understand why your body is reacting the way it is. But you're also not willing to give Park Jimin the satisfaction of knowing that. He doesn't deserve it anyway. So with all the courage you can muster, you turn around with your hands clenching.

And even though being at such short distance from Jimin is a bit overwhelming and unexpected for you, the irritation still making your blood bubble is enough to not let a man as handsome as him derail you from your current circumstances.

"Well, fuck you Park Jimin. You certainly have a funny fucking way to sh-" his hands cradling your jaw that pull you closer to him and his lips that silent you roughly, but with surprising care. Only for a moment. A moment in which your body betrays you and make you melt into hir warmth. But his voice, low and sinfully husky, murmurs against your lips. 

"God, that mouth of yours..." he goes back to attacking your own lips, this time more firm than before, snatching a sigh from you. The sound has his tongue asking for permission into your mouth, and with your body betraying you once again, you part your lips to allow him in. It's him who whimpers this time, while one of his hand moving until it reaches the bottle in your hand and letting it drop carelessly onto the floor, ignoring the sound of glass shattering and the future scolding you'll get from Taehyung. Instead, he sneaks that same hand on your waist, pulling your body flush against his, fingers digging onto your skin. "It's been driving me crazy for two years. Two years, _____."

He mumbles between kisses and swipes his tongue against yours, while he stars walking the both of you until your back meets the nearest concrete wall. 

"Two years of having to hear the incessant filthy words that leave your mouth..." his own stop their movements and you catch yourself before begging him to reattaching his lips to yours, enjoying instead the path of wet kisses and bruises his lips traile from your chin to the pulse of your neck "...and trying my best to hide the painful boners I get whenever you're nearby." 

With your eyes shut, your hands are back in motion, ignoring the voice in your head reminding you he's still an asshole and finding their way between Jimin's soft golden strands of hair. He hums in appreciation, sending goosebumps all over your body. "So, s-so why not do anything about it sooner?" you say, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe properly.

You feel Jimin's body tensing before you and he ceases the movement of his lips against your neck. Breaking away, your heart stops, afraid you might have ruined the moment. But Jimin's in search of your eyes, eyebrows very lighlty raised, the intensity of his gaze pinning you in place. You don't know for how long you stare at each other until Jimin comes out of the trance, eyes descending over your flushed cheeks, the very same color as your lips and the soft flesh of your neck until they reach your cleavage, the glimmering fabric encasing your breasts, taunting him the same way they had been doing all night long.

"You scare me so much..." and then, one of his hands repeats the same journey his eyes just did, until he touches your shoulder, right under his own blazer. "Everytime I look at you, all I can think of why the hell a girl as real as you like you would even glance my way." he slides the strap of your dress slowly tentatively, just enough for you to stop his advances if you chose so. You don't. "You're smart in ways I could never compare, so funny it makes me jealous, and so pretty it leaves me speechless. You're...You're everything I'm not."

His voice resonates in the atmosphere, and you would love to blame it on the cold again for how your body has reacted, but your body heat has increased so much since he started kissing you that it would be stupid not to admit that it's just the effect that Park Jimin has on you tonight. You're sure he would've had the same effect if it had happened before.

Your now uncovered breast doesn't even has to suffer the consequences of the icy wind, because one of Jimin's arms quickly comes around you to hold your body against his, lifting you ever so slighty until your erect nipple is at the same level as his mouth and his lips are enveloping it in their warmth. You gasp his name, and that encourages his teeth to tug softly before his tongue stars moving in circes. 

"My God, you're so perfect." Your head spins while you hold onto his shoulders as tight as you can, the undeniable heat roaming all over your form, hips involuntarily rutting his incipent erection poking your abdomen. "Been thinking about this since that night we first met." Looking for relief, Jimin mirrors your movements without ceasing the administrations on your chest, as one of his hands lifts one of your thighs to wrap around his waist, closing the short gap remaining between the both of you. 

"Ohmygod! F-fuck, Jimin," trying to form coherent phrases is almost impossible, not with Jimin finding a slow and tortuous rythm with his hips, his clothed cock rubbing against your core. Something shifts in the air, because Jimin stops abusing your nipple with a loud pop, and shuts you up by pressing his mouth onto yours in an urgent, dirty and desperate kiss. You could almost hear him swearing, while his hand keeps your jaw in place.

"S-stop talking like that, ______." his voice, inaudible, and his face now hiding in the crook of your neck, the thrusting of his hips speeding up, more and more frantic this time. The hand not holding your thigh against his hipbone reveals your other breast, hand covering it and giving it a light squeeze before tugging at your unattended nipple between his forefinger and his thumb while his tongue and teeth mark the skin on your neck. 

"Hell, I've been dying to stuff your mouth with my cock to prevent you from such foul language," the soft whimpers leacving your mouth coax him into taking the hem of your dress and bunching the fabric until his fingers easily find the place in your body calling to him the most through the lace.  It's immediate, how his fingers dampen at the first touch, surprising the both of you, and how your body jolts and an embarrassing sob escapes your throat. "How-how are you this wet? Holy hell, I could just slide right in..."

And as he says that, one of his fingers pull aside the fabric of your underwear and glide into you, so easy. You insides burning while he fingers you, another finger being added with his thumb rubbing circles on your nub. And fuck, you're not sure if you're just too horny and Park Jimin is a magician with his hands, or maybe it's the way he keeps mouthing at your chest and whispering how soaked you are, but you don't think you've ever been so close to cumming in such a short period of time.

"W-whats stopping you?" you manage with a voice that doesn't even resembles yours, but before your hands can even make work of the zipper of his trousers, he pulls his finger out from your center, causing you to whine in protest.

Jimin licks his lips, eyebrows framing the dark expression that his eyes ooze. Although the desire in his eyes is more than evident, it is also evident the faint hesitation in them. Because Park Jimin doesn't do things this way. Park Jimin was raised in a world of correct manners and conservationism. A world that has taught him when and how to act. And as badly as he is dying to fuck you against the wall of Taehyung's ridiculously inmense house, he also wants to do the right thing. 

"Let me take you on a date." 

Park Jimin has been spoiled his whole life. Being born in a well-off family has always provided him of everything he had ever wanted and more. From the innecessary number of toys Santa Claus left under his Christmas tree every year since he was a baby, to his fisrt extravagant sports car at the age of eighteen. Park Jimin has never been a greedy or needy man. How could he, when he's had everything he's ever wished in the palm of his hands. He has never missed anything in his entire life. Hasn't missed a roof over his head, warm food on his plate or brand new designers clothes each week. 

It has taken him two years to control himself. He still remembers that night he first met you, just like he remembers every single time you both had coincided in the same place at the same time. He remembered your scent, had memorized your figure over your pieces of clothing and had tried as best as he could to keep a distance from you because he knew you would never give him the time of day. How could you? You probably despised everything he was because he was definitely nothing like you, and that thought intimidated the fuck out of him. He was a mess everytime you wear nearby. Never relied on his voice because he knew he would stutter if you ever spoke to him, could never trust his eyes because if he ever looked at you he was afraid he wouldn't be able to look away. 

And everytime you spoke, shit, that voice of yours always cursing here and there left him wondering how would you sound in a different setting and if you would still be that badmouthed. More specifically, between his sheets. So he did everything he could to minimize your interactions as much as possible. He just never thought he would come across as such a jerk. It was never his intention to hurt you, and seeing you cry that night (although you denied you did, over and over again) seriously made him realize he wanted to make things right. 

He was trying really, really hard to keep it in his pants, to be the same well composed and controled Park Jimin he had mastered himself to be. 

But that damn dress.

After seeing that little black dress hugging your figure when you started taking off your coat at the restaurant, the brief flash of thigh tights that you accidentaly (or not so accidentally) had blessed him with by crossing a leg over the other, that exposed collarbone calling his name and those heeled sandals with straps wrapping around your ankles, reminding him of the snake tempting Eve, Park Jimin was sure he needed to dig into that apple more than anything he has ever needed before.

That's why he surprises you right after you both finish the second course meal by telling the waitress you won't be having desert, at which you look at him somewhat indignant. But the look he shoots you is enough to make you understand if somebody was going to have desert tonight, it would be him. In his Mercedes. 

"I'm gonna-" you gasp, fingers tugging at the soft strands of his now ruined blond hair, his head between your thighs and your legs thrown over his shoulders. His hands have a grip of the meaty flesh of your ass, holding you firmly againt his mouth as it works wonders on your clit. You're sure it hasn't even been ten minutes since Jimin had opened your legs in the backseat of his car, not even bothering to take your underwear off, simply moving the fabric aside before diving in, and you already feel yourself on the edge of an orgasm.

"I know." voice vibrating right into your core, he slows down his administrations, tongue carefully and delicately lapping at your folds while he enjoys the feeling of your fingers loosening their grip and fondly brushing his hair back. You meet his eyes as he pushes a finger inside your core and your whole body twists in agony. 

"N-no!" 

Jimin stops immediately, lifting his head and focusing his concerned eyes on you. He's about to ask you if he's done anything wrong, but you're fast to roughly pull him up by his hair until his face is leveled with yours. You answer him by kissing him and he returns the kiss with the same eagerness, and now it's your hands that are looking for his cock, palming him through his pants.

"Your dick. Inside. Right Now." you punctuate each phrase with a kiss and he only stops kissing you to pout.

"But I wanted you to cum on my tongue." but still, he's putty in your hands when you undo the botton and the zipper. "Wouldn't you rather me fucking you in my bed, where we're more comfortable?" you notice the slight quivering of his voice when you slide his trousers and boxers down, just enough to pull him out. 

"You can eat me and fuck me as many times as you want tonight, tomorrow and whenever you'd like, but right now..." none of you contain the moan in unision that leaves each of your mouths when just the head of his lenght comes in contact with your entrance. "I really can't wait anymore." brushing your lips over his, you lower your voice. "Wanna get on my hands and knees for you."

Park Jimin has tried to do things the right and appropiate way throughout all his life. He's been a professional from a very young age on how to be in charge of his emotions, his desires and his impulses. Always well mannered and well composed. 

But it's in this moment that Jimin comes to the realization that the only thing that has ever made him lose his mind and self control, is you. Seeing you like this, ass up, grinding your drenched and still thong clad cunt all over his precum dripping lenght, he can't control the way his hand bunches the fabrick of that damn dress over your waist, then flies to your right cheek, a sharp sound of skin filling the air, tearing a gasp from your throat.

"God, I'm-I'm sorry. Couldn't help mys-"

"Do it again."

And he does, the palm of his hand now leaving a reddenning print on your flesh, making you jolt back involuntarily, aligning yourself to the head of his cock and like he had hoped, he slides right in. Not all the way, because Jimin is sure he would cream inside you too soon and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he did. He wets his lips, clenching his jaw and dropping his palm one more time, hand more steady and purposeful. 

"You like it rough?" voice hoarse and a hand beside your head holding himself, your back to his chest, twitching beneath him as he soothes the sting with his free one. 

"I like you rough." turning your head slowly to peer at him from the corner of your eye, your hips moving on their own accord trying to take him deeper. Your head is suddenly pulled back harshly, Jimin's fingers tangling in your hair as his own hips close the remaining gap between your bodys in an abrupt thurst. You squeal, Jimin's cock finally filling you up to the hilt just like you wanted him to be, the pleasure making your arms wobble and finding it harder to mantain your balance. 

Jimin's breath fawns over your ear, his tongue darting out to suck on your skin sending chills down your spine. "You're such a dream." he groans, torturously sliding out of your core that's gripping around his shaft for dear life. A whine of protest escapes your lips and he tightens the hold on your hair in response, diving right back in. You fall forward, your arms' strenght betraying you as his thrusts find a new rhythm. With your eyes closed shut, you try to muffle the sound of your voice with the back of your hand as Jimin's lips place soft kisses to your exposed shoulder.

"Don't be quiet." he stands straight, the pull on your hair arching your back in such a enticing way it was Jimin look away for a second, cock buried inside of you and his hips faltering. "Been dying to have you like this for so long."

Another clap of his hand against your right cheek, and a particular stroke of his dick that has you mewling as your climax approached again. "S-so good, Jimin. Oh my god."

"You're gonna cum for me?" his fingertips leave bruises on your skin and the windows of his Mercedes are foggy, just like your mind. You can't concentrate on anything that's not Jimin's cock sliding in and out and how much you wished this had happened way sooner. "Gonna cum for me like a good slut?"

Park Jimin always takes his time. Always does things nice and slow to assure the best outcome possible. 

But he can't contain the acceleration of his hips against yours as your walls clench impossibly tight around his cock, your orgasm finally taking over . Can't contain himself from falling forward again, hand twisting your head in his direction and his mouth searching for yours in a fiery and messy kiss. And he most definitely can't barely contain himself from cumming when your you ask him to spit in your mouth. 

"You're gonna kill me." he breathes, removing himself off you and quickly maneuvering you on your back, his dick finding its way back inside you. Picking up right where he left off, skin slapping against skin in an obscene melody, he collects a considerate amount of saliva in his mouth before dropping it into your welcoming tongue, watching you swallow with a smile he hopes he'll be the only one to see in the future. 

And that's what has the last bit of his self restraint slipping from his fingers. He somehow manages to rip the top of your dress down, fabric tearing until your tits are free and his mouth is attacking your nipples, white strings of his release panting your walls, some of it them oozing out that he fucks back right into you. 

It's between ragged breaths, kisses and tender carresses that Jimin promises you more dates in the future and new dresses that he can't promise not to savage apart again.

[senacal]

Dr. Charles Xavier (Pt. 2)

Request: Requested by @saltysebastianstan​

Pairing: Charles Xavier x Fem!Reader

Prompt: Continuation of this post. (Part 1 , Part 3)

Warnings: Drinking, cursing

Abbreviations: Your Name- (Y/N); Friend’s Name- (F/N); University of your choice- (U/N)

Author’s Note: Thank you guys so much for the love on the first part! It was so much more than I had anticipated. I hope you love this part just as much and thank you to @saltysebastianstan​ for helping me expand it so it wouldn’t be so short Xx.

(Gif Not Mine)

While (Y/N) had attended the lecture hosted by Dr. Xavier, she couldn’t wrap her head around her interaction with the man. He wasn’t rude by any means, which had relieved her, but he seemed rather forward compared to the professional persona she was used to seeing. ‘Beautiful face to match the beautiful voice,’ It wasn’t completely off-putting, but it wasn’t seductive either. She wouldn’t doubt that he used lines like that to pick up women wherever he went. But enough about that, (Y/N) had to force him from her mind during her classes so she could concentrate. It worked for the most part, but he was still lingering in the back of her mind. 

After a long day of classes and Dr. Xavier’s lecture, (Y/N) was now exhausted. Unfortunately, she couldn’t go back to her dorm room like she desperately wanted. Instead, her best friend, (F/N), dragged her to a party. (Y/N) could have easily stayed home to work on her thesis, or watch some TV instead of attending. She had a successful day, so she deserved to rest at home. Too bad her friend thought that it would be better for her to socialize at some wild party. 

While (Y/N) wasn’t opposed to parties, she’s been to quite a few since attending (U/N). There were days she’d rather stay in bed, like tonight. So here she was, standing alone in the corner of the living room of one of the many frats that frequented her university. (F/N) had wandered off to find the restroom an hour ago, so there was a likely chance (Y/N) wouldn’t see her again that night. Of course, that meant she could probably leave without being hassled by her friend. 

(Y/N) finished the drink in her hand and left her spot to dispose of the cup. All because she was at a party where no one cared about cleanliness, didn’t mean she would add to the chaos. Who knows, maybe she’ll run into (F/N) on the way to the garbage and let her know that she wanted to leave. 

(Y/N) pushed her way through the crowd that was blocking the kitchen. One more reason for her to avoid parties, the crowds were a little much for her. She hated being caught in the masses of people so she tried to avoid crowds at any cost. There were shouts of praises and cheering nearby that led (Y/N) to assume someone was doing something idiotic. That was a frat party for you, though. 

“Excuse me” (Y/N) mumbled under her breath every so often.

“(Y/N)! There you are” (F/N) grabbed her wrist and pulled her close, “here, I grabbed you another drink.”

“I didn’t want another drink.” With (F/N)’s attention drawn elsewhere, (Y/N)’s protests fell on deaf ears. (Y/N) begrudgingly accepted the new cup and put her empty one under it. 

“You have to see this! It’s possibly the most impressive thing I’ve seen at one of these keggers,” (F/N) pointed at a man drinking beer from a “yard of ale” without breaking off to take a breath. 

“I’m afraid at what you’d say about people drinking from funnels in the kitchen if you find that impressive,” (Y/N) laughed. 

“You can’t tell me that that isn’t amazing,” (F/N) cheered when the man finished the beer.

He whooped loudly, turning in a half-circle.

“Oh my god, That’s Dr. Xavier,” (Y/N) said in disbelief. What the hell was he doing there?

“You mean that one guy you were telling me about? That mutation professor?” (F/N) asked baffled. 

“Yeah, him,” (Y/N) turned around so he wouldn’t see her. She couldn’t say why, but she didn’t want him to see her. Maybe it had to do with the fact that he flirted with her. Or it’s because she actually kind of liked it. Whatever the case, (Y/N) wasn’t ready to see him just yet. 

“Hey! You’re that girl!” A blonde exclaimed from in front of her.

“I’m sorry?” (Y/N) furrowed her brows. Had she met this girl before?

“Yeah, the one that saved Charles from the conversation about Paris. I’m Raven! We didn’t get the chance to meet because you had already run off,” Raven held her hand out to (Y/N) with a bright smile.

“Oh, uh, I had a class to get ready for…” (Y/N) glanced at her friend, but (F/N) was busy talking to some guy near them. “Are you a friend of Dr. Xavier’s?” She slowly shook Raven’s hand.

“Practically his sister actually,” Raven shrugged, “don’t hold it against me though,” Raven rolled her eyes but laughed. It was clear they were close from the way she spoke about him.

“Raven, who’s your- oh, hello again, Ms. (Y/N), fancy seeing you here,” Charles smiled.

“Right, fancy seeing me, a college student here at (U/N) attending one of the frat parties” (Y/N) raised her brows, “I’m just as surprised to see you here, Professor.”

“Please, call me Charles. I see no reason to hold formalities when we’re at a party,” Charles fiddled with the yard of ale in his hands.

“Right, um,” (Y/N) looked back at her friend and in a desperate attempt to keep the conversation off herself, she yanked her to her side, “This is my friend, I’m sure you’ll both get along just fine. In the meantime, I’m gonna go get another drink,” (Y/N) excused herself as quickly as possible. It didn’t escape anyone’s attention that she still had a full cup of beer. 

(F/N) looked at her friend in confusion, “Sorry about her, I’m (F/N).”

“Charles Xavier,” Charles smiled politely, though he felt disappointed once more now that (Y/N) had made her escape, “I’m going to see if she needs any help.” He handed Raven the yard of ale and followed (Y/N) into the masses.

“(Y/N), excuse me,” Charles apologized to someone, he wasn’t sure who, that he had bumped. “(Y/N), Can we talk?”

(Y/N) sighed heavily and stopped her hasty retreat. She spun around and looked at Charles in question. 

“I know you said you aren’t interested in anything more than the knowledge I have about mutation. But I have a proposal of sorts,” Charles pulled out a crumpled napkin and pen from his pants pocket, “You may call me with any questions you have, and I’ll answer them all. I promise.” He wrote his number down and held the napkin out to her.

“Why? What’s in it for you?” (Y/N) frowned slightly. She took the wrinkled napkin Charles held out to her.

“The pleasure of your company and the mere fact that I’ll be assisting you with your work,” Charles ran his hand through his hair. What he wanted was to see (Y/N) again, but he doubted she’d take to kindly to that; so, he kept that to himself instead. 

“You don’t know anything about my work. What if I were a psycho who wanted to use this knowledge for evil? What if I was lying about knowing anything, and this was all a ruse to take advantage of you?”

“I know none of that is true because someone so invested and passionate like you wouldn’t use this information to harm anyone. I believe I can trust you, I allowed you to see who I was, didn’t I? Let me help you.” Charles spoke just loud enough to hear over the music and chatter of the people around them.

(Y/N) looked around them, she’d be an idiot to turn down his offer. He was the expert on mutants and mutations. He was her ticket to learning more and achieving her goals. Who could it hurt? It wasn’t like (Y/N) had any other opportunities lined up. Plus, it was strictly business. Charles had said so, and why shouldn’t she believe him. He trusted her enough to disclose that he was a mutant to her. The least she could do was take him on his word.

“Okay, fine. I’ll call you with any questions I have. But this is only because I want to learn more and because I trust you to keep this professional, okay?”

Charles nodded and held his hand out, “It’s a deal, then.”

(Y/N) grasped his firm yet soft hand in hers, “It’s a deal.” 

“Wonderful, now that we’ve got that settled, let’s get you that drink,” Charles smiled satisfied and easily maneuvered them around the drunken crowd.

(Y/N) couldn’t help but think that he might have used his telepathy to move them out of the way. “I actually didn’t want another drink, I was kinda trying to avoid you,” She mumbled sheepishly.

“I know, love. It was clear as day, but I forgive you,” Charles looked back at her and winked.

“But we’re still getting drinks,” (Y/N) stated.

“Of course, we’re at a party after all. Might as well enjoy ourselves, right?” Charles held his hand out to (Y/N). 

“Why are you?” She reached for his hand confused.

“Your cup, love,” He laughed.

“Oh, right,” (Y/N) flushed in embarrassment and shoved her now half-empty cup into his awaiting hand. I can’t believe I almost did that.

“There you go,” Charles handed the cup to her and then filled one for himself. “Right, let’s go find your friend and Raven. Knowing Raven, she’s likely stirring up some trouble.”

“If she’s anything like my friend, then they’re probably already in trouble,” (Y/N) couldn’t even imagine the possible mischief her friend could have caused. (Y/N) was usually reserved in herself but her friend always managed to convince her to do something crazy every once in a while. She remembered a time when she went to the bars with her friend, and in the end, (Y/N) had gotten too drunk that she got lost trying to find her way home. Thankfully her friend was more functional than she was and in the end (Y/N) crashed at her place. But she promised herself not to drink that much ever again.

“There they are,” Charles pointed to their two friends, who were invested in a game of beer pong.

“Okay, not as bad as I thought,” (Y/N) sipped at the beer in her hand.

“Would you like to play?” Charles offered. He wanted to see if she’d allow herself to relax in his presence, maybe they could be friends at the very least.

“Uh,” (Y/N) hesitated, “sure, why not?” She shrugged. Like Charles had said, they were at a party, why not enjoy themselves?

Raven and (F/N) had won the last game with two cups left on their end. Raven was clearly excited and (F/N) was looking pretty cocky. (F/N) wasn’t expecting for (Y/N) to join the game least of all with Charles. 

“You sure you wanna play?” She asked cautiously.

“Yeah, how hard can it be?” (Y/N) shrugged.

“Alright,” (F/N) filled the cups with beer and set them up in their triangle formation, “I’ll let you go first then.”

(Y/N) picked up the ping pong ball closest to her and aimed. A little well-known fact about her, she had a horrible aim. It was almost sad seeing her play beer pong but Charles hadn’t made any snide comment about her inability to make a single shot. He even offered to drink the beer for her when it was noticeably affecting her. (Y/N) found herself leaning on him now that she knew she could depend on him, at least for now. Any other time she’d have been as stiff as a board.

In her inebriated state, (Y/N) couldn’t see why she had rejected Charles. He was handsome, extremely handsome. His smile was infectious and his hair looked so fluffy. She kind of wanted to touch it. Hell, what was holding her back? She reached her hand up and pat the fluffiest part she could easily reach. ‘It’s so soft.’

Charles looked over at her, an amused smile gracing his features, “Can I help you?”

“Your hair is soft,” (Y/N) murmured. She pulled her hand away and finished off the rest of her beer. “I think I want another,” She shuffled slightly, her balance thrown off for just a moment.

Charles moved to steady her, his brows raised, “You sure?”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes, “Yes, Charles.” She waved him off and made her way back to the kitchen.

“I guess that’s game, I’m gonna go check on her,” (F/N) grabbed her cup in an attempt to chase after her friend.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got her,” Charles assured. Before (F/N) could respond, Charles was already going after (Y/N). He found her in the kitchen trying to figure out the tap on the keg. “Here, let me help you,” Charles swooped in beside her and poured her a small amount of beer in his attempt to limit her drink now that she was tipsy.

“Thank you,” (Y/N) drank the beer in one go, making a face at the end, “I’ve never realized how disgusting this stuff is until today.”

Charles laughed, “Yes, it’s honestly pretty disgusting, but it’s also not that bad.”

“Says you,” She threw her cup on top of the overflowing trash can. “I think I’m ready to go home now.” 

“Did you want me to get your friend, then?” Charles looked up in search of her.

“Nah, She’ll want to stay a little longer,” (Y/N) waved her hand in dismissal. “I can find my way home.”

“I’ll take you home, it’s probably best that you don’t go walking home alone at night,” Charles held his hand up to his temple, his expression turning to one of pure concentration. His brows were furrowed and his eyes looked stern. 

(Y/N) raised her brows, wondering what he could have been doing. “You okay?”

Charles’s eyes shifted to her, “hmm? Oh, yes,” He chuckled, “I was just letting Raven know that we were leaving.”

“Oh, right. The whole telepathy thing,” She nodded, “Okay, let’s go then.”

Charles guided her through the throngs of people until they were safely outside. The cool air was a welcome embrace compared to the humidity from the party. He ran his fingers through his hair and then across his forehead, wiping the excess sweat away. 

“So, where is it that you live?” He asked.

“Like two blocks down. I live in the dorms,” She started her trek home, not waiting for Charles. She could take care of herself. Or so she thought. It was clear that her balance was off because she kept swerving into the bushes next to her.

Charles guided her away from them in case she were to accidentally scratch herself on the twigs or thorns, he didn’t know what type of bushes they were exactly, but he knew he didn’t want her to get hurt by them. “Easy there,” Charles murmured.

(Y/N) grumbled something about being able to walk without his help, but in the end, she was leaning on him, allowing him to hold her close as they walked to her dorms. It was quiet now that they were a good distance away from the party, the sound of crickets and the breeze blowing through the trees the only noise surrounding them. (Y/N) found herself enjoying the proximity of Charles and the peacefulness of the night. 

“Charles?” She asked softly.

“Yes, (Y/N)?” 

“Thank you for taking me home,” She patted the arm that was holding her. 

“It’s no problem, really,” He smiled slightly.

“Well, here’s my dorm,” (Y/N) straightened up and pulled away from Charles’s arms, “Thanks, again.”

Charles nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets, “You’re welcome, I’ll see you around I guess.” 

(Y/N) nodded and bit her lip, she wondered if she should offer to hang out again. She had fun tonight despite wanting to go home from the start of the party. Charles made the party bearable to her, “Charles, are you free tomorrow?”

“I suppose so, I hadn’t planned on doing anything. Why?” His heart skipped a beat in anticipation. 

Okay, good response, now all she had to do was ask, “Can we meet up to talk about my thesis?” Fuck, that’s not what she wanted to say damn it.

“Oh, of course. We can meet at the library or something,” Charles seemed to deflate where he stood. How could he forget their arrangement was strictly professional?

“Right, uh, the coffee shop is probably best,” (Y/N) smiled, “I’ll see you at twelve.” She waved to him sheepishly and made a hasty retreat into her dorm building. 

Charles watched her retreating figure, ensuring that she got inside safely. He sighed and kicked at the ground. Professional, he could be professional.

______________________________________________________________________

Taglist: @dankpogue​ @theatreandtessa​ @peachykeen3502​ @food-cures-all​ @commissioner23​

Message me if you’d like to be added to the taglist ^.^

[teruthecreator]

okay so uhhhhhhhh fitzroy’s a changeling, right??

like, we’re all seeing this?? this thing that is happening?? 

aight i’m gonna break this down because when i mentioned this theory people were very “???” and i wanna get this out before travis and griffin have a chance to get a gotcha on me. this is gonna be very long and full of spoilers but!! read on!! 

okay so this is gonna be sort of hodge-podged together but i’ve grabbed some quotes and i have some sources and we’re just gonna get freaky w it. 

so changelings, according to the DND wiki, are: 

“subtle shapeshifters capable of disguising their appearance...(they are)  commonly harmless, passive people and are uninterested in politics and social affairs. Due to their capricious ways of life, many people have come to distrust changelings which has led to them becoming social recluses or more commonly has pushed them to create fake identities to escape persecution.”  

now, immediately, there are some arguments that can be made against this theory in the fact that this blurb describes changelings as “uninterested in politics/social affairs”, but this wiki article further breaks down their alignment and says that: 

“Most changelings are neutral. They prefer to keep a low profile and often do not take passionate stances that would draw attention. However, changelings can be any alignment, and often readily adapt to the culture they are raised in.” 

there is something to be said about fitzroy’s passionate devotion to becoming a knight maybe being a product of the environment he grew up in, or perhaps being an outcome of him knowing he will be constantly persecuted unless he makes a solid name for himself. quote supporting this comes from Episode 7 during his talk with Higglemas: 

“If you… do the work, and you stay true to whatever cause you swear yourself to, you can… become somebody. Somebody important. Somebody who may someday become even more important, in a way that is not simply guaranteed in any other sort of way of life.” 

also! from another dnd wiki comes this lil quote: 

“Despite common fears, few changelings embrace evil.” 

and that fact is INCREDIBLY evident in how fitzroy has viewed the villain track this entire campaign so far! 

but what i am most interested in and why i believe this theory so strongly is just how absolutely shifty fitzroy has been. fitzroy talks A Lot, but if you look at what he says, he doesn’t say Much about his actual life. the most he ever goes into detail with is his removal from Clyde Nite’s Night Knight School, which even then doesn’t touch upon his life before knight school. and even when he’s confronted with times to be honest! to actually open up and talk about things! what does fitzroy do? 

he avoids it. 

the first Major instance of this i would say is Episode 6, when leon literally goes up to fitzroy and is like “what do you feel about this situation?” and fitzroy says all this surface-level bullshit and basically talks circles around leon until he drops the subject. 

THERE IS ALSO SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT THE FACT THAT GRIFFIN IMMEDIATELY ROLLED TO LIE WHEN LEON ASKED IF HE COULD KEEP A SECRET. also fitzroy’s deception stat is Pretty High for a half-elf trying desperately to be a knight, i’m just sayin’... 

but also! another moment that fitzroy Completely Avoids Being Honest is this most recent episode (ep 7)!! when higglemas asks fitzroy why he wants to be a knight and fitzroy is immediately like: 

“Why do I care about being a knight? Hm. That‘s a fair question that I… would…rather… not… answer to you? Or anyone. If that‘s okay. Is that okay?” 

this is a private moment between a teacher (a headmaster even), and a student. most kids would typically see this as a safe space to be honest. but fitzroy is either extremely skeptical of this entire school because he Knows shady shit when he sees it (which is valid, given what we’ve seen of the goings on) and/or fitzroy has Far More to hide than this school does. 

which would then make complete sense why the Unbroken Chain would want to know everything about fitzroy. because they’ve started to pick up that fitzroy is keeping A Lot to himself. and that reads as really shady!! even if it is just fitzroy trying to hide his changeling-self so he isn’t persecuted by the masses, like changelings typically Are in DND. 

there are so many little moments, too, that just Scream “he’s hiding something” that feel like changeling stuff to Me. imma just chuck a couple of em out: 

“It is unusual but you know, beggars cannot be choosers. I have sworn fealty to Goodcastle. Who am I to judge their secrecy?” (ep 3; interesting how he considers himself a “beggar”; possibly speaks to a past where he Has had to scrounge for his way up i.e. new identities; him not judging their secrecy Says Something to how fitzroy feels about people keeping secrets) 

“I was just gonna kick it here, I think. No need to bug the folks back home. Uh, Goodcastle is, of course, out of my reach at this moment. Uh, what with my not knowing exactly its, uh, its exact location… upon terra firma. But um, yeah. Just gonna sort of… I guess sit here with the Firbolg and… wait.” (ep 7; fitzroy has been portrayed as this dude who came from a Wealthy Upkeep and has been Consistently complaining about this school, but when the opportunity arrives to go home he decides he’s going to stay??? interesting...) 

“I think maybe doing some work might be a good idea. It would be nice to have something, uh, in the old coffers that the three of us could treat as a bankroll for the new Thunderman operation.” (ep 7; another supporting line for “if fitzroy comes from wealth, why would he care about getting more money?”; speaks to his backstory not being solid) 

this is also not really a piece of Solid Evidence, but my girlfriend realized in episode 2 when fitzroy is describing how he ended up getting removed from the knight school, he says he “catfished” the headmaster. one can see this as the ally-oop to the “i turned her into a catfish” joke fitzroy makes immediately after this line. BUT remember that catfish is typically a term used when someone uses a fake identity on someone. and we all gotta remember, this is Griffin Mcelroy we’re talking about. if there’s anyone to drop those subtle kinda hints on us, it’s gonna be This Dude. 

obviously this theory seems kind of wild, when you read my opener. but i encourage you all to look at the sites i’ve linked and really Look at fitzroy’s character!! i think this boy is hiding a lot more under that charismatic personality and preference for sweet crepes, and this would be a super cool element to fitzroy’s character! 

[measlyfurball13]

Pacific Rim: Into the Black fucking sucked.

It’s problem isn’t that it’s different from the first movie. Look, I LOVE the first movie, but I agree that more of the same might have been boring. I respect the writers for pushing the boundaries a little and making an original story with an original tone. . . If by original story you mean “make it Attack on Titan but worse” and if by original tone you mean “cheap shock value and needless edge that adds nothing”.

Full rant under the cut. Swear warning, whatever.

This series has so many interesting and creative ideas but they’re buried under loads of blundering edgelord tropes that have been done before in every other anime ever. Taylor the protagonist is a flavorless “older brother” trope. Mei is the tsundere badass who’s been traumatized by daddy. Boy (yes, that’s his name) is the mystical superpowered child. Oh, and he pulls this whole Attack on Titan thing and turns into a Kaiju.

You wanna know why this is a problem? Because holy fucking shit it’s a problem. Because it’s stupid. Because it’s magic handwavy bullshit. Pacific Rim, for all of it’s big robots and big monsters, grounds itself in reality by having consistent internal rules. Kaiju are monsters with some occasional cool unique abilities, but they’re all based in biology. Stuff like acid, extra limbs, flying. Even the EMP pulse ability from the first movie feels plausible, because electricity is used in a biological body in the form nerves. Another consistent rules is that Kaiju are big monsters. Big. Monsters. Big monsters who stay big, because they’re established as having so much mass and bulk and presence that they can’t get rid of because they’re biological creatures. The first movie establishes that they eat and breed and even defecate and have parasites. These rules make the Kaiju feel plausible. These rules allow us, the audience, to suspend our disbelief and immerse ourselves into the universe.

So why the fucking hell did the writers throw all that out the window, pull some magic bullshit out of their ass, and make a human that turns into a Kaiju? They don’t even show us the transformation sequence on screen. Flash of blue, and now the little human boy is a Kaiju. The problem is not that it’s unrealistic, the problem is that it doesn’t fit in with the Pacific Rim universe. It’s disjointed. It’s stupid. Any questions?

Now, where was I? Oh, right, characters. Haley, the younger sister, is. . . okay. She feels like the extroverted younger sister cheerleader trope, but then they also give her this character facet (it’s not an arc because it’s never really addressed) about murder guilt? And she also mothers a lot Boy? And she also makes really stupid decisions for the sake of the plot sometimes? Out of the main three cast members, she’s by far the most interesting and bearable, at least, but she doesn’t feel consistent at all. She also gets damseled a lot, too, which doesn’t add to her likeability or agency.  

Moving on, one of the two even remotely interesting characters was killed for shock value in episode five in the cheapest, most abrupt way possible, so I can’t talk about him very much, other than the fact that I’m still pissed that the writers thought killing him off was a good idea. Nothing narratively was gained by it; his death doesn’t even affect any character’s trajectory! He had so much more to give alive than he did dead. But that’s all I can say, since he is dead. The only other interesting character was the Jaeger AI who gets maybe all of 13 voicelines in the entire season and is barely, barely even a minor character. Nothing much else to say.

Remember the part where I mentioned that this show actually has wonderful creative ideas? I didn’t just say that for flavor, and that’s the most frustrating part of this all. The problem is just that there’s so many ideas, all at once, so in the end none of them end up shining. Here’s a shortened list of the great ideas- you could base an entire show around each one:

Interrogating someone with drift technology

Altering people’s memories through drift technology

Australia gets claimed by the Kaiju and survivors have to duke it out to survive with the remaining Jaeger technology with no help from the outside world

Training Jaegers and what Jaeger academy looked like

Jaegers having sentient AIs inside of them- and what happens when to the AI when a Jaeger takes damage or even loses a pilot? Is the drift in a Jaeger technically a three-way bond?

What happens when you drift too much, with too many people? Inheriting someone else’s memories or even skillsets?

(this one is probably my least favorite, but still has merit:) A Jaeger and Kaiju fusion. How utterly terrifying would that be?

These are all incredible. I probably would have adored Pacific Rim: Into the Black if (magic Kaiju kid notwithstanding) it had focused on maybe one or two of these ideas in its meager 140-minute runtime. However, Into the Black tries to tackle all of these amazing ideas at once along with about a dozen other shitty ideas that fall flat. As a result, nothing gets the time it deserves. Fascinating ideas are quickly glossed over, never to be mentioned again despite being extremely relevant to the plot, just so the show can truck through the next portion with the same lack of thought.

The season feels disjointed. Nothing builds on anything else, and plot points don’t lead into each other. Characters make stupid decisions, take meandering courses of action and are constantly changing their mind, or, most of the time, just stumbling upon their objectives by pure chance. The only throughline that even remotely delivers with proper buildup and payoff is the aforementioned magic Kaiju boy. The one competent plot arc they develop is the one that breaks the believability of the universe. Great.

Finally, to top it all off, I’m going to speedrun my more minor nitpicks with the general plot/continuity holes. Here goes:

Multiple breaches and breaches on land. If the Kaiju have been able to open breaches on land this whole time, then how in the everlasting fuck has humanity survived at all? I mean, really- why would Kaiju waste time coming from the oceans if they can just pop up wherever they please?

Mr. McRandom nobody protagonist decides on a whim to be the fourth person ever who solo pilots a Jaeger after piloting for maybe 3 days, tops, and then succeeds. The show explicitly references Raleigh and Pentacost as it does this, spitting in the face of their achievements by implying that anybody can do it, no big deal.

This show acknowledges that Pacific Rim: Uprising exists and builds a lot of its background conflict off that, which pisses me off because that movie sucks ass. Here was a chance for a fresh start and they wasted it.

The protagonists fuck up so constantly to the point where they should have lost their Jaeger several times over, yet it always survives, because (go figure!) this is a show about protagonists piloting Jaegers. The protagonists do nothing to solve their problems and do nothing to earn their clever escapes or sudden powerups, leaving everything tensionless and contrived.

The villain has no motivation at all and is so cartoonishly evil it’s a miracle that he has any minions that are willing to follow him instead of ditching him the first chance they get.

The protagonists sometimes just kinda forget their goal and wander around until they miraculously stumble upon something that just so happens to connect to it.

A lot of edgy, horrifying, traumatizing shit happens, and it doesn’t seem to ever affect the characters in any meaningful way outside of maybe 1 or 2 throwaway lines after the fact?

The show takes place in Australia but only gives asshole characters an Australian accent. What?

So that’s it. Bad characters. Universe-breaking concept. Needless, meaningless edge. Contrived plot. Rushed to all hell. Pacific Rim: Into the Black is capital “b” Bad. I love this franchise and I want to support it, but I can’t advocate that anyone give this show their time.

[zachsgamejournal]

COMPLETED: Resident Evil 7

This is the most I've enjoyed a Resident Evil since RE2 on PS1. May actually like it more than Code Veronica...

I kinda hated the freight ship section. By this point, I felt the game was done. But the designers were like: Nope, we're gonna have an environment as large as all previous sections combined, more enemies to face, start your gear at zero, and halfway through, make you replay areas via a flashback that's length to story ratio is 100:1.

The remote bombs were...a weird addition. I could place them on the floor, but not...you know...toss them. For like, when you're being assaulted by slimy monsters with shark teeth...And still, the game gives you a ton of them!

Turns out, I wasn't far from the end of the freight ship. So that was good. Then we end up at the salt mine. Turns out Lucas was just playing along...weird. So he got his arm cut off and everything on purpose? Like, he's a legit psycho?

I'm really confused about where the fetuses with curing abilities are coming from...ah well.

So we get some background info: Eveline was a fetus that was mutated to have super powers. She could infect folks, and cause hallucinations: presenting herself has a young girl. She, having never had a childhood, wants a family--so takes over a family and has them kidnap folks to add to their "family", but she's a psychotic child raised by other psychos, so everyone under her influence ends up violent and cruel.

And she vomits up monsters, or something...

Into the salt mine. I thought this was gonna be another section of exploring and puzzle solving, but it's actually quite linear. Seems they designed it to be the action section since they constantly send you up against molded, and drop healing items and ammo EVERYWHERE! I didn't need that because I had amassed so many healing items and weapons by playing frugally.

It's just like when I replayed Resident Evil 1--early on every zombie is life or death, and every bullet and herb is precious. But by the end, you become Terminator, can't die and tons of ammo.

There's a spiral climb at one point, and I just ran from everything. If you move quick enough, it's pretty clear of enemies. First molded was an easy side step. The second was a crawler and he trapped me on a catwalk. I was getting hit from behind, so had to kill that one. The third guy was just a walker, so I shot him once to get him to stumble, making the walk around easy.

And that was it. Salt Mine done. Which I was thankful, cause that damn tanker section!!

So we end up at the beginning, in the old house, reliving some Mia interactions via hallucinations. Not worried, cause I'm more well armed than an American Police force with more medicine than a...uh, pharmacy...I guess.

The phase one fight with Eveline was...unimpressive. But it was more about the story...I guess? I'm torn between being done with the game, and expecting a boss-fight on par with previous ones. But alas, we simply stab old-lady Eveline (nice twist) in the neck with a cure. She asks, "Why does everyone hate me" -- heart breaking, then talks about how it hurts. Almost as emotionally confusing as the end of Alien Resurrection.

But then...phase 2.

Instead of dying, Eveline turns into a giant tentacle monster. I guess it's inevitable that Resident Evil end on a ridiculous note. As grounded as much of the game is, they had to go big. But it's a pretty lame fight. You just shoot at mega-Eveline until a helicopter drops you special gun (Kind of like Brad dropping a rocket launcher at the end of Resident Evil 1 - wink, wink).

So she dies...for realz this time. And Chris Redfield appears in an Umbrella Helicopter. I'm glad he's not mega-Chris from Resident Evil 5, but he also doesn't look "his age". I don't know, seemed like unnecessary name dropping, but also no harm, no foul. Ethan hops in the chopper, finding Mia alive. Aw, so it is a love story!

But then the game gives this cheesy epilogue, blaming Eveline for being horrible--even calling her an "it". And then talks about how Mia just wants to put everything behind her. Everything being that Mia worked for a shady organization making horrible bio-weapons, and as part of her duties, helped hold a traumatized child captive and then attempted to kill her when the girl inevitably escaped??

Eveline was the real victim in this story. She did horrible things because she was child that wasn't properly loved and raised. No shit she wants to build a family. Her saying, "Why does everyone hate me", heartbreaking. I have kids. They're selfish, violent, impulsive bastards sometimes--but they're really sweet and just need people to love them.

Eveline wasn't given love. She was given orders, and restrictions. No surprise that she lashed out, and she did so in the ways she could: vomiting up molded zombies and possessing people.

So bosses...talk about unbalanced.

Boss 1: I had a single clip of ammo, maybe two healing items, and a pocket knife. All got used really quickly. I think you're not supposed to shoot him, just get the car keys. But it was confusing and intense, because I didn't know what to do. CHALLENGE: 3/5.

Boss 2: Jack again, but now it gets real. Moving around is awkward, and the second half involves a chainsaw duel. I used up at least 10 rounds of shotgun shells, all my healing items, and died at least 10 times trying to beat this boss. I almost switched to easy. CHALLENGE: 5/5.

Boss 3: Marguerite as a crazy bug lady. This was kind of the scariest battle, as she drops in out of nowhere and from behind. And if you don't constantly attack her, she sends bugs after you. This one drove me a bit nuts, but eventually I found the winning strategy. CHALLENGE: 4/5.

Boss 4: Super molded. I basically hid around the corner of the elevator and used all my shotgun shells on it. A few shots from the pistol and the thing was down. Not sure I even took damage. CHALLENGE: 1/5.

Boss 5: Mutant Jack. He was so big that he couldn't move around and hide like previous bosses. I maybe was hit once or twice, but it was nothing. The eyes were obvious weak points. CHALLENGE: 2/5.

Boss 6ish: Two Super-Moldeds. Kind of reminds of the big infected guys from The Last of Us. While they killed me the first time (very quickly), on my second attempt, I kept the elevator between us and used all my grenade launcher ammo against them (which I had been saving). They didn't touch me. CHALLENGE: 2/5.

Eveline Phase 1: Walk towards her, block when she shock waves. Timing was semi awkward. I died once. CHALLENGE: 1/5.

Eveline Phase 2: Shoot at a giant target that doesn't appear to do any actual damage. Could have been a cutscene. CHALLENGE: 1/5.

It's so weird that the hardest bosses were at the beginning. I guess this is where you have consider experience vs challenge. But for survival horror, challenge is part of the experience. You're supposed to be scared of bosses.

I think the final Eveline battle should have the player running through the swamp. Eveline's tentacles swimming after you, and in front of you, giving birth to molded with familiar faces (Like Mia) to freak you out. And that keeps happening until the player is out of ammo and healing supplies. Once you've used your last heal and bullet, Chris Redfield snipes the molded. You watch as the Eveline Mass rises to attack the helicopter. Chris takes aim with the Wesker gun, fires a shot at a tentacle arm--it calcifies and shatters! Eveline freaks out and smacks the chopper, sending the gun flying to the ground. You see it 10 yards away. You run to it, grab it, turn--Mia appears before you. "I'm one with her now. If you kill her, we'll never be together." If you hesitate too long, Mia kills you. If shoot, she shatters--Eveline attacks, final few shots: END.

Ah well. It was a good game and I'll probably play it again. I could see this being a semi-regular replay for me, right there with RE1 and RE2.

[mcsmmafia]

MC:SM Mafia - Round III 🍪

THE 3RD ROUND OF MAFIA

Story written by Mari

A group of nine village folk were out catching butterflies on a beautiful blue day.  One of them saw a pretty butterfly, catching the rest of the humble villager’s curious eyes. The folk left cookie crumbles to make sure they don’t get lost. The butterfly lead them to a big gingerbread mansion, with cookies, cake, and all sorts of sweets! The group looked at the sweets, absolutely famished. The group followed the butterfly into the dining room, finding a beautiful and grand chocolate table, cake scented glowstone, sugar pumpkins, and the most beautiful grand vanilla doors. The group, astonished by all this candy, broke apart the delicious candy covered furniture, as the butterfly floated away. As soon as the winged creature fluttered away, a voice was heard in the walls.

“Come one, come all, for this candy house is free for all, have a feast, what a treat, but in the shadows will emerge a beast.”

The voice was angelic, yet something wasn’t right about it. One of the 9 village folk rushed to the door, only to find the outside cracker paths covered in candy cane wielding zombies. “We’re trapped! What shall we do?”

“Well this is a house covered in delicous food!”

“But but good sir, listen listen! The voice in the walls said a monster will intrude!”

Humble villager folk, it is time.

To find.

THE EVIL WITCH OF THIS MANSION! 🎩

thunder roll

🌑 Results of Night 1:

Radar skulked off to the kitchen to sleep.

Stella first stayed in the entrance hall, but quickly came to the conclusion that zombie had a very loud voice, so she sneaked off to the attic to sleep.

Jesse also stayed in the entrance hall, staring at the zombies outside, waiting that they would slowly but surely eat their way into the house. However, they were dumb and didn't eat straight on one spot, so at dawn they still haven't made a breakthrough. Maybe it's safe in here.

Dan read some edible pages (the font was made of frosting) with his roommate in the library and enjoyed a sweet sleep afterwards.

Harper showed to be an altruistic redstoner who would disable all the traps in the kitchen.

Mevia did the same as Dan.

CASSIE ended up all alone with the candyfloss pillows in the bed chamber... well, dangit. There was nothing else to do than sleep on the gingerbread beds. On the bright side, it was still fresh, so that wasn't too bad.

Stampy spent a bit more time in the entrance hall, but then sneaked off to the attic to have a safe sleep.

☀ Results of Day 2:

Nobody had the guts to vote someone to at least get locked up. Death awaits them...

🌒 Results of Night 2:

Radar just... ate the wall in the attc. Partially. And then went to sleep. I- I don't even wanna ask.

Stella lingered around the living room for a bit, but then went to the attic for the night.

Jesse took the safety route and hid in the attic for their sleep.

Dan huddled up in the sweet sugary candyfloss of the bed chamber. And probably ended up being very sticky. No, I'm not talking about the bed... soon, a giant mass of sugar just fell on his head to bury him! It's a traaap!! Oh well, we'll keep him in sweet memory!

Harper stayed in the kitchen, ate a cupcake or two and went to the land of dreams afterwards.

Mevia was freaked out about Winslow, so she fled to the... dining room. I mean, why not lol. Surely something you wouldn't exspect!

CASSIE sneaked into the secret passage way and set off a trap or two in the bed chamber, and a random one in the gallery. Then she had her killer beauty rest.

Stampy just hang out in the kitchen, feeling sneaky eating a whole cake in just one second where PAMA was not looking, and eventually, je fell asleep. Or he went into coma because eating so much so fast... I'm not sure.

Dan has died!

☀ Results of Day 3:

Stampy made a trade with Stella and gave her an iron sword.

Stella was being quite the detective! Together with Jesse and Mevia, she was able to narrow down a few suspects. For tonight, CASSIE and Mevia were sent to the closet to be guarded by Jesse. And, I guess the rest just settled to ALL go to the KITCHEN!? 😂

🌓 Results of Night 3:

Radar had to move on to the kitchen because he'd otherwise eat a leak in the roof. And it's probably not so comfortable to sleep under the open sky with this storm going on.

Stella was eager to craft a copy of Stampy's iron sword in the kitchen. It took a while to gather all the materials, and she had to be careful to not disturb the others in their sleep. She eventually got finished a few hours before dawn, but just couldn't fall asleep because of the excitement!!

Jesse kept a very close eye to their prisoners, warily clutching their sword. They would not let them doze off for one second.

Harper stayed in the kitchen, not minding the company, and went to bed early.

Mevia also watched her guard Jesse narrowly, effectively spending the whole night on a staring contest.

CASSIE kinda just went with being locked up and forced to stay awake. At least she still had food.

Stampy was not okay with Harper being in the kitchen, so he fled to the attic.

☀ Results of Day 4:

Stella made a trade with Stampy and gave him an iron sword. Jesse gave the Flint & Steel to Radar. Mevia and CASSIE were sent to the closet to be guarded by Stampy.

Seems like they've agreed on two main suspects! Though CASSIE is in way stronger suspection by multiple people. Also... Could y'all stop assembling at one place!?! 😮😂

🌔 Results of Night 4:

Dan's ghost popped up from nowhere in the middle of the night and threatened Cassie a fiery doom, like a horror ride, in Night 5!! Cassie, seriously, you better watch out!! 😮👻🔥

Radar thought about writing a list again, but then realized it was kinda useless since literally everyone was in the attic anyway. So he only went to sleep.

Stella went to the attic to safely theorize about everything. She was still in thoughts as she slowly fell asleep.

Jesse allowed themself a restful night in the attic.

Harper was paranoid of everyone being in the attic with her, and chose to stay awake just in case.

Mevia was salty at her guard for having to stay awake again. No sugar could ease her mind.

CASSIE quielty accepted her fate of becoming a living zombie in the closet.

Stampy showed mercy to his prisoners and only forced them to stay awake... Although the thought of killing them both was sweet.

☀ Results of Day 5:

Mevia has been sent to the closet to be guarded by Stampy.

Discussions were going on... emotions have been raised... perks revealed... but most of the guests still won't commit to either Mevia or CASSIE. So Stella, Stampy and Mevia voted to throw CASSIE out, but they were short by one vote! Sooo annoying!!

🌕 Results of Night 5:

Radar fell safely into the sugary clouds and rested well in the bed chamber.

Stella followed her suspect CASSIE to the kitchen. Ominously, Lluna sniffed diamond nearby! Stella instantly had bets on a diamond axe, so she let Lluna steal it... then she chose to stay awake. However, the night would not go by that easily; it must've been around midnight when Stella abruptly felt a cold hand covering her mouth and throat! She tried to fight back, but the surprise and darkness weakened her mind, and soon, she passed out... Only to awake one more time, and find herself surrounded by calio cats. Not one, not two... three... five, seven, nine!? HOW MANY ARE THERE, HOW MANY, THIS CAN'T BE REAL, THIS MUST BE A BAD DREAM, A NIGHTMARE... a... night... nightmare... in her head.

Jesse went for the bed chamber, but actually wanted to observe the hallway to the gallery, though not having a bow or an arrow. It was... not very eventful.

Harper felt very safe being alone in the attic with PAMA, and took a long nap.

Mevia had to stand the closet imprisonment one more time - and definitely wasn't happy about becoming a regular here. On the bright side, since she is so used to it by now, she fell asleep even though Stampy tried his best to not let her.

CASSIE saw her probably last chance, and took it - she sneaked up behind Stella like a cat, and instantly covered her mouth to prevent any noise. Then she slowly strangled her to unconciousness, and dumped her in the basement. Now the cats would take care of the rest.

Stampy laughed at his prisoner, and tried to force him to stay awake. However, Mevia was mega-tired, and nearly instantly doze off despite standing.

The Last Day ☀

Finally, the guests had a clear lead! After ages of locking up poor Mevia and Stella being captured and terrorized by cats, her pet Lluna stole the solid evidence: A diamond axe, which belonged to CASSIE!! 🪓

They immediately had an emergency meeting at breakfast to discuss how to get rid of CASSIE the safest way. Then, CASSIE showed up for breakfast too - and one single moment of mutual gaze said a thousand words. Everyone stood up as fast as they could, but CASSIE was already running away - and Stampy, Mevia and Jesse rushed after her! (Without Stella, they stayed at the table because they felt a little labile from the nightmares still.)

Mevia swang her diamand axe and sprinted ahead, full of anger and bloodthirst to take their vengeance on Dan. Stampy was following right behind- oh, a CAKE!! Yum-yum!!! 🍰

For some reason, Sea was fleeing so super fast - oh, right! She didn't have her diamond axe on her anymore... Oh noo, she’s gonna escape the mansion before we can even grab her!! 🙁

Quickly, we need to corner her- Jesse tried to shoot ahead, but they were too tired - CASSIE's already at the front door, nuu- but then- CASSIE opened the front door and found Reuben already waiting for her, ready to push her down! In a matter of seconds, Mevia was there, ready to homicidally eliminate CASSIE herself. However, Jesse yelled to throw them out like planned, as they would not be any better to split Cassie in two halves. Mevia sighed grumpily.

They both dragged CASSIE to the center of the front yard, with the help of Reuben. Arrived, they gave CASSIE a deadly stare; Jesse asked if she had any last words. In fact, CASSIE had:

“LONG LIVE MY CATS! Wait, can someone feed them when I-", Mevia pushed her into the zombies, "TAKE CARE OF MY CATS”.

Then they left CASSIE to her fate.

As Jesse hustled to head back inside, they suddenly heard a splash - which sounded nothing like water. They turned around... Mevia was not behind them. In fact, she was in the back, having pulled out her axe which was now bloody. Oh welp... she really wanted to revenge Dan.

Right before the guests left the mansion for good, they found a small paper on the table. It showed where the cats are and what times to feed them. Nobody would give a damn.

(Worst ending ever... 😿)

The guests have won the game! 🍪

[tfw-no-tennis]

mtmte liveblog issue 19

it’s 2021 now!! time for more transformers 

we start off w/a flashback showing tyrest retrieving ultra magnus’s body from the ship - and we get a look at magnus’s spark, which is the green color of a 0.1%er [eyes emoji]

tyrest punching magnus..... grrrrr leave my dad alone bastard man

‘the divided self’ what a good title 

rodimus is like listen man this is a lot for my poor thot brain to take in

in flashback land, we see tyrest immediately launch into a crazy person spiel about how he can and will edit the law as he sees fit to conform to the situation, because that doesn't seem like a blatant abuse of power or a huge conflict of interest or anything 

oooh the screen in the corner that says ‘thought warfare,’ I see that

oof, poor magnus. its gotta be rough to hear your boss rant about how bad at your job you are....especially bc this is right after overlord called magnus a joke and nearly killed him

its especially brutal bc as magnus says, his job is his life 

augh, I love the panel where the armor is falling off around minimus, and then the one where he’s holding the ultra magnus head...poetic 

its fascinating that there was an ‘original’ magnus who was an actual guy, and then tyrest chose to make him into this legacy symbol - I'm assuming the OG magnus had no say in this, and probably didn't even know that he was gonna become this lawman legacy figure

I do wanna know though - obviously everyone thought that ultra magnus was one dude, but how did the different guys wearing the armor deal w/that? like, did minimus have people coming up to him like ‘hey ultra magnus old buddy! remember when we fought those guys in that one place? good times!’ like, do they have to study up on the lives of the past armor wearers to prepare for the role of ultra magnus?

augh poor minimus, of course he’s been wondering about what happened with overlord after he was KO’d

oof, drift...I feel like minimus looks surprised and a little skeptical at the idea that drift was the one behind the entire overlord thing - which is interesting bc as we saw at the beginning of the story, he doesn't exactly trust drift, but it’s still pretty far-fetched that one person orchestrated the entire thing

tailgate :(

the concept of a load-bearer is SUPER cool, I love it so much

it also puts a much-needed limit on things - as in, there IS a limit to how much weight/mass a normal cybertronian frame can carry, which is why you don't see everybody upgrading to be Massive - bc they actually CANT

oof, the worst part is that tyrest is RIGHT, minimus essentially DID have a nervous breakdown after the war ended bc of the rigid way he views the world

mental health support is clearly in shambles for cybertronians, yikes. they literally have 1 therapist for their entire race, and he’s not even licensed anymore due to hipaa violations. what a mess

the ‘attention deflectors’ thing is so cool and clever and also a great explanation as to why ratchet or anyone else never said ‘hey wait a minute, you're actually a much smaller dude in a trench coat’ 

I love tailgate knowing all the stuff about the autobot code bc of magnus...my BOY

and THATS why minimus was asking about skids specifically earlier!

oh minimus, please don't put so much stock in tyrest being stable and resonable...

aaaand there's skids and swerve! brainstorm says it best - ‘because something unexpected hasn't happened for at least nine seconds.’ lmao ily brainstorm 

finally checking in w/whirl and cyclonus - god I love that. whirl asking cyclonus how many cons he killed and cyc is like psh I wasn't keeping count....................ok it was six

hhhhh cyclonus IS looking for a cure for tailgate, even though he told tg that there wasn’t anything to hope for....excuse me as I go be emo 

and now we flash over to the unethical medical conduct hell zone, where pharma is being weird and horny and ratchet is appropriately horrified 

I seriously love how unhinged pharma looks, the art & colors do such a good job conveying his feral energy 

ratchet has some massive dick energy for taunting pharma when he’s currently just a head and pharma has dual chainsaws for hands 

ugh, I love whirls speech about anger...and I feel like he really does see cyclonus as a peer, despite cyclonus wanting to kill him, which is why he tells cyclonus all of this 

I fuckgin love that cyclonus’s reaction to very suddenly getting stabbed thru the abdomen is to just glance down at the sword, looking mildly inconvenienced 

back over to ratchet - and at first its like oh wow I can’t believe pharma was stupid enough to let ratchet goad him into this contest....but then you see first aid and ambulon and its like UH OH this is gonna be BAD

the idea that getting sliced in half is no big deal for a cybertronian is wild

‘you're gonna let doctor djd cut us in half?’ yeahhhh that's an appropriate reaction, yikes

FUCKING LENGTHWAYS GOD

pharma you piece of shit

poor ambulon :( :( :( that's fucking brutal. amazing panel but....jesus

and like, to further my point from last issue’s liveblog - the fact that this very gore-y panel is okay, but swearing isn't...that's really funny honestly. I guess robo-gore is acceptable, while I'm guessing regular ole run of the mill human gore wouldn't be

then back to cyclonus, who is still looking only vaguely put out by the sword stuck right thru him

and then cyclonus just pulls it right out, which is a very bad idea for humans but probably not as big of a deal for big near-immortal alien robots

circle of light stuck in capitalistic urban hellscape cubicals 

poor skids, being asked to stand trial while having no idea what his crime is due to Big Amnesia 

OH SHITTTT I totally forgot that getaway shows up here

that is super clever though, with chromedome confusing the name ‘getaway’ with the concept ‘needing to escape’

cant believe tyrest is really dumb enough to tell minimus all his evil plans

BUT that means its time for some very important forged vs constructed cold lore

jro spelling ‘program’ as ‘programme’ made me remember when he said that he considers everyone on the lost light to be british, which is perhaps the least valid thing he’s ever said vhbghjsdbfjkhasbjk

the idea that they used the matrix - which is portrayed as kind of a holy object - in reproductive experiments is really interesting

AUGHHHHH this is all so good and interesting...im really fascinated w/this particular brand of like, alien robot racism/constructism/whatever you wanna call it - I feel like it does such a good job as a plot device, where many other ‘fantasy racism’ concepts from other franchises fail, bc there's not really a ‘human metaphor’ being used here (as far as I know/can tell) - as in, this isn't a thinly veiled metaphor for something that happened/could happen in human history

in fact, this type of bigotry (or w/e you wanna call it) isn't something that is even really possible in humans - I guess if there was a stigma against being born via ivf or something...? but there isn't, so there's no obvious real-world equivalent, which I take as a sign of good writing and worldbuilding - it makes the cybertronians feel more Real, bc of course they would have their own types of bigotry based off of completely different things than humans 

additionally - and this is crucial - tyrest is wrong: there’s no like, inherent moral corruption in cold constructed bots. there's no difference at all, other than method of construction. fantasy racism plotlines often flounder here, with the oppressors having a ‘valid reason’ for oppressing the oppressed, but tyrest is just operated on religious zealot bs and some biased science

like, dude, did you ever think that maybe there are other reasons why your trials only condemned cold constructed bots? like, maybe the trial itself was biased? or societal conditions were to blame? correlation is not causation, my dude, especially when the conclusion is ‘cold constructed bots are inherently SINNERS’ lmao 

like, tyrest rlly said ‘FUCK separation of church and state,’ huh

anyways I just think the whole cold construction vs forged thing is really interesting and well-done, and serves as a good precursor to the more fleshed-out functionism stuff we see later 

so tyrest is clearly off his rockers w/the whole drilling thing - dude, you accidentally gave yourself a lobotomy, okay - but I find it kinda funny that he’s right about a lot of that stuff he said at the end, about primus and the guiding hand and stuff being real 

cyclonus saying ‘tailgate and the others’...I see you, man, I see you

also cyclonus looks fine now??? didn't he just get stabbed??? 

ah, tyrest sprinkling a little light genocide onto his plan to find salvation. nice, dude!

MINIMUS NOOOOOOOOO

‘fully deserved’ SHUT UP BIIIIITCH

poor minimus is taking a lot of Ls this arc, geez

oof, great issue! again, as usual....I loved the lore we got this issue, its so interesting...and some good character stuff too. I love minimus, I feel like he’s gonna be my fav this readthru; my first read my fav was brainstorm, second readthru was whirl, and I feel like its minimus/magnus this time. I just love his character arc...

hype af for more B) 

[dontatmethanks]

Part Of Your World

A levihan fic (mermaid AU)

AN: Hello bebes, I come bearing an offering of apology that is chapter 7 for making you guys wait so long again 😭

Chapter 7

————————————————-

Levi woke up with a start.

He wasn’t where he was supposed do be, his body felt like it wasn’t supposed to be.

The mer quickly sat up, steel eyes flashing sharply and his gills flared up in a threatening manner. He looked around to see that he was on a large bed with a thick quilt covering his bottom half.

The raven lifted the quilt to see that he still had those smooth human legs, and was still wearing the shorts and jacket that Hange gave him.

Hange.

Where the hell was that shitty woman?

Levi looked up and noticed that he was in a room, but the place looked like a monsoon had washed over it.

What kind of beast lived in such a place?

The answer came to him in the form of memory, that shitty woman lived here and was responsible for this shitty mess.

Last night’s events came rushing back. After growing a pair of human legs, he checked and yes they were still there, he managed to literally walk out of the medical room he was in and get himself lost while looking for Hange. She found him asleep in the one of the many bathrooms in the research building, completely naked and much more human like. She was shocked at the new development but also because of his lack of clothing, which again he did not completely understand why it was such a big deal. After much convincing from Erwin, the brunette scientist ended up taking him home with her. As soon as they arrived to her humble abode, she took note of the Mer’s exhaustion and let him take her bed, he passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

And now here he was, wide awake and sat up straight on his caretaker’s bed and glaring at the mess around him.

Humans were truly a disgusting species.

Sure, the ocean was just as disgusting but Levi always kept himself and the space around him clean. Always scrubbing out the scum and sea foam from the rocks of the underwater caves he would sleep in with sponges and neatly crafting makeshift beds with the finest peices of sea weed he could find. Other Mermyds would make fun of him for it but he didn’t care.

This mess around him was irritating him beyond belief.

The mer tossed the bed sheet off of him and climbed out of the bed before clumsily getting to to his feet. His toes wiggled comfortably at the soft feel of the carpeted floor beneath him. The half man crossed the room with much more ease than the night before and examined the area with care.

The room itself was modest, there here shelves mounted on the cream colored walls that were stacked to the brim haphazardly with books. Next to the bed he slept in was a dresser table that had a small alarm clock and various of half empty cups of who knows what and random wrappers and crumpled up papers.

There was a desk near the door and closet, it held a mess of books, papers, charging cords, pens and pencils. The Chair in front of it was draped with clothing that was also strewn all over the floor.

Levi sighed and bent over to pick up the clothes on the floor and placed onto the chair with the rest of them when something on the desk caught his eye. It was a picture frame, of course but the ravenette had heard stories about how humans could capture the souls of another into into a small square and was awfully curious if this was what hey were referring to. The Mer leaned closer and cocked his head, it was the image of Hange and two other people both blondes one man one woman, they both looked familiar. The woman’s hair was very short and her skin was fair, the man’s hair was a bit long, the bangs covered most of his face and he also had a prominent mustache. They all had on goofy smiles and Hange had two fingers sticking up in the form of a peace sign.

He may not be completely human but he was pretty sure Hange still had her soul.

The mer padded over to the door and slowly turned the knob just like he’d seen Hange do and peered down the hallway. The house was quiet and a bit dark, the only light was coming from the rising sun outside and spilled through the curtains.

He strolled out into the hall and stopped in front a flight of stairs. Levi glared at the stairs with great determination and began to slowly descend them, one foot after the other while tightly gripping the wooden railing. He grinned as he made it to the last step and turned the corner, his bare foot suddenly struck something hard and caused him to fall over with a surprised yelp.

A hiss escaped him when he felt pain bloom from his stubbed toes and curled up into himself on the floor. After a few seconds he sat up to look at what had tripped him.

A cardboard box.

Many of them were scattered around near the landing of the stairs.

The mer frowned and shook his head as he got back up onto his bare feet. He slowly made his way around the boxes and found himself in another room, the kitchen. Like a lost child in a grocery store, Levi stumbled around. It wasn’t until his stomach gargled loudly did he realize that he was extremely ravenous.

Food

The animalistic side in him protested for sustenance, a low growl rising from his chest as he breathed in deep. The mer sniffed the air around him and followed the scent of what he assumed was food and ended up in front of the refrigerator. It was silver and had a touch pad on the right door. It was a smart fridge, but of course Levi didn’t know any of that.

He sniffed around it and inspected it with a cautious gaze, before grabbing one of the handles and yanking it.

It didn’t open, but the whole refrigerator almost tipped over from the force.

Levi huffed and attempted to pull it open again, a little more gentle this time. Another growl ripped from his throat in frustration before he slammed a hand against it, right where the touch pad was. The refrigerator beeped and he hissed and skittered backwards at the sound. Both the fridge and the freezer door opened, effectively surprising the raven yet again.

Once he was sure the contraption wasn’t going to attack him, he approached it and sniffed inside. He shivered from the cold and tucked himself further into Hange’s jacket as he peeked inside of the fridge.

The scent of fish wafted lightly in his nostrils and made a beeline towards the freezer and produced a bag of frozen salmon. Levi sat himself on the kitchen floor infront of the refrigerator and tore the bag open. He frowned in annoyance when a few fillets fell onto the floor beneath him.

After he picked up the mess he took one and attempted to take a large bite. He hissed in mild pain and extreme aggravation when his sharp fangs met cold hard resistance. The mer continued to gnaw on the frozen peice of fish out of hunger and desperation, his teeth made a loud clacking sound as they hit against the frozen surface. Once he got fed up he just tossed the fish back into the freezer and huffed.

Then a different smell teased his senses.

It was salty and meaty, and it made his stomach grumble loudly.

Levi leaned his small frame into the fridge side and dug around for the source of the delicious smell.

He produced a package of smoked cold cut ham.

The small ravenette wasted no time on ripping it open and shoving the slices of deli meat into his watering mouth. His eyes widened in surprise at the taste and he hastily shoved more of it into his already full mouth, which he would have found disgusting but he was too hungry to care.

It was was absolutely scrumptious, the meat. Of course nothing could compare to fresh fish, but this was absolutely hitting the spot.

“...And while he is in your care, you will be responsible for him and his actions and needs. As long as he is out here in the world the way he is he will be considered human. It will be your responsibility that he understands what that means, we don’t need anymore mass hysteria about Mermyds being dangerous and evil creatures. The tabloids would have a field day.”

Hange chuckled wryly at Erwin’s last comment.

They were all in his office in a meeting about Levi. It was just Hange, Erwin and Mike.

“I will make sure that everyone else here knows about the current situation as well, but for now it’s business as usual”

“Understood,” Hange nodded as she got up from her seat in front of Erwin’s desk. “Permission to leave early today? I kinda left the grumpy fish alone at home, haha.

Her boss gave her an unimpressed glare. “Just go.” He waved at her dismissively.

She just grinned sheepishly before grabbing her bag and waved goodbye to both Erwin and Mike and trotted our of the door.

Half an hour later, Hange arrived home and almost tripped over a box on her way over to the dining room area.

“Jesus I should really unpack those.” She muttered to herself as she caught herself against the wall that connected to the kitchen.

It’s been six months since she moved into this house. It was her mother’s house, she had inherited it when she died those months ago. If she was honest, she hadn’t really felt anything when she died. Their relationship wasn’t really normal nor close. Her mother would leave her with her father a lot to business travel when she was young. She’s much more close to her father, even though now he lives in Germany. But know here she was living alone in a unnecessarily huge house- well not alone, she now had Levi to look after.

Hange huffed and set her bag on the dinner table before making her way into the kitchen. The brunette immediately stopped in her tracks when she saw that both of the doors of the refrigerator were open. She quickly walked up to it and saw that inside was a whole mess of empty containers, bags and wrappers, but nothing inside of the freezer was messed with except for a bag of frozen salmon fillets. The biologist let out a surprised squawk.

“Who the hell ate all of my food?!?”

The culprit waddled into the kitchen with a bored expression, barefoot and clad in the same spandex shorts and her jacket from the day before.

“Levi?! Seriously?!!!!”

He flinched at her volume and gave her a confused but annoyed look.

“Why must you humans be so loud?” He grumbled.

“Oh I don’t know, maybe because YOU EMPTIED OUT MY FRIDGE!”

She knew that Mermyds had a large appetite but damn.

Levi shrunk back away from her, sensing anger rising.

“I was hungry...” he mumbled, not looking her in the eyes.

All of the anger in her drained out once she saw his demeanor. She sighed and closed both doors of the fridge before walking up to Levi and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have screamed like that, you don’t know any better. You were just following your instincts. I also shouldn’t leave you alone anymore.” She told him apologetically.

The raven looked up at her and she gave him a warm, reassuring smile that made him feel weird again.

“I have an idea!” She perks up and Levi flinches away again, this time from her exuberance.

“I was planning on doing some grocery shopping this week...that was before you suddenly become so human.”

Levi gave her a death glare. “Not human.”

Hange grimaced and laughed awkwardly. “Ah, right sorry, before you grew legs, that’s what I meant.”

“... and I can’t really leave you alone again, you’ll probably chew on the furniture or something.” The brunette joked and the mer gave her a confused look.

“You look acceptably human,” his caretaker continued as she examined him from head to toe. “We’re just going to have to conceal the parts of you that are..not human.”

He fidgeted underneath her experimental gaze. The Mermyd was able to keep up with what the woman was saying, he just didn’t know what the hell she was thinking to do with him. And what the hell was ‘grocery shopping’ ?

His thoughts were interrupted when Hange grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him along with her.

“Come with me!” She said over her shoulder as she dragged her upstairs and towards her bedroom.

Levi tried his best to keep up with her, his bare feet often tripping and catching against the steps.

“Oi,Oi you shitty human! What did I say about suddenly doing that?! Are your ears that filthy?!” He spat at her as they finally entered her room and he yanked his wrist from her grasp and rubbed at it with his other hand.

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll be careful next time hehe.” She apologized before heading to her closet to dig through it.

Hange’s companion made a ‘Tch’ sound before sitting himself on the edge of her bed that he woke up in earlier to observe her actions.

“Can you explain all this mess?” He grumbled and Hange emerged from the closet with a sheepish grin and a black turtleneck sweater.

“Haha, I don’t really have the time to do house cleaning. Of course it must have been easy for you, the whole ocean was your home.”

A sudden sadness passed through his system as he looked down at his lap. He missed the ocean, he missed the feel of it’s salty currents against his slick tail as he glided through the blue canvas. He missed racing against Farlan, from the bottom of the reef floor to the surface of the water, not quite breaking through it as Isabel would cheer along. His heart squeezed at the memory as his eyes began to glisten.

Hange suddenly wished she hadn’t said anything once she saw the moisture that began to collect in his silver orbs.

“Oh no, hey I’m sorry, I should’ve known that would have been a sore subject for you.” She said to him softly as she sat next to him, close enough that their shoulders were touching.

The mermyd closed his eyes and shook his head softly, causing a lone tear to escape and trail down his cheek. Hange really had to resist the urge to wipe it away.

Levi wasn’t stupid, he new that he wouldn’t be able to return to the life he had before, living- no surviving in the vast blue. He had lost too much, Isabel, Farlan and his tail, it wouldn’t be the same. He is so much more vulnerable, subjected to live among the humans now. Isabel would be so envious of him, she was so obsessed with the human world. She’d often watch them from the surface as they would walk along the shores of the beach with families and small little humans-children, yes children. Isabel taught him most of what he knows about humans and their manurisms, she would often drag him up to the surface to do ‘people watching’ is what she would call it.

A sudden small noise escaped him, similar to the whine of a dog, when Hange wrapped her arms around his small frame.

“W-what are you doing, shitty glasss?” He sputtered embarrassingly, his face was pressed against the nape of her neck and he’d hope she couldn’t feel the way it burned at their closeness.

She smelled of the water from the place he was in before- the ‘rehabilitation center?’- sweat and a hint of something sweet that he could not decipher. The mixture was kind of weird but it comforted him a little.

“I’m hugging you, grumpy.” The brunette said in slight amusement as leaned her head against his and ran her thin fingers through the shorter side of his hair.

“..and why do you keep doing it?” He asked in confusion, not yet surrendering to her hold, Hange sighed at his tenseness.

“I do it to help you feel better, that’s usually the case with human contact- or any physical contact really. You know that during the process of skin to skin contact a type of endorphin is realeased-”

The ravenette tuned her out, he’s been around her enough to know when she was about to talk his ear off, he didn’t hate it but he really couldn’t grasp everything she was saying ‘endorphins?’ Hah.

He found himself relaxing in her arms, Hange had noticed to but didn’t comment, she just smiled and gave herself a mental pat on the back for her success.

The two of the stayed like that for a while, Levi let his slate eyes droop as he snaked his arms, that were trapped in between the both of them, around her waist and his clawed fingers gripped the back of her shirt just like he had done the night he broke down.

“I’m glad that you’re enjoying this.” The biologist teased as she patted his head gently.

He blushed furiously and yanked himself away from her with an unconvincing glare that made the bespeckled woman laugh profusely.

“That’s enough of that.” The mer stated before crossing his arms in front of his chest and looked at anywhere but her.

Hange chuckled and shook her head, aburn flyaways shifting from the movement, and pushed her round frames up the bridge of her nose as they began to slide down.

“Okay haha, but put this on.” She tossed the black turtleneck sweater that she recovered from the closet at to him and got up to rummage in it once again.

Levi picked the garment up with the sharp nails of his thumb and forefinger, not sure how exactly it worked yet. It did not have an opening in the front like the jacket he was wearing, so he guessed that you had to shove it over yourself. He did just that.

Hange caught him before he could pull it on.

“Wait, wait!” She giggled at him and he paused his actions to give her a confused glare.

“What? I’m putting it on.” He grunted at her and she had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep herself from laughing. He was halfway in the process of putting on the sweater, his head was poking out through the head hole and one arm was halfway in one sleeve while the other dangled helplessly.

“You have to take the jacket off first or you’ll suffocate.” She explained as she pulled the sweater off of him and unzipped the jacket and let him shrug it off.

That’s when she blushed lightly at the sight of his bare chest, it was like she was looking at some kind of sculpture. She shook her head, he had to swim for all of his life so of course he was ripped- it was natural, yes very natural, why was she acting like she’d never seen it before?

Levi sat there in front of her with his usual ‘bored with life’ expression, only wearing a pair of her spandex wet-shorts and waiting for her to come out of whatever trance she was in.

He made a small grunting sound when Hange quickly snapped out of it and quickly pulled the sweater over him and helped him slip his arms through each sleeve. Once it was on, she handed him a pair of her baggy boy jeans and told him to put it on like he had put on the shorts, but of course remove the shorts first. The mermyd nodded and stood up to take off the shorts and Hange quickly spun around and made a mental note to buy him some underwear.

Once she was sure he had the jeans on, she turned around and snorted at the image in front of her. The jeans were a bit too long for him and he left them unbuttoned, Levi frown down at himself and then looked at her for help. She assisted him by pulling the pants a little higher for him, effectively earning herself a surprised squeak from the poor mer, he had to hold onto her shoulders to keep himself upright as she bottoned it up. The brunette then bent down to cuff each of the pant legs so it ended just above his ankles.

“There!” She chirped before getting up to head back to the closet to look for her smallest fitting shoes, she ended up deciding on an old pair of high top chucks. When she presented them to Levi he grimaced and shook his head at her.

“I’m not putting those on.” He states while glaring at the dirtiness of the shoes, and Hange rolls her amber eyes.

“It’s fine Levi, humans wear shoes all the time. You can’t just be barefoot, you’ll hirt your poor little feet and get them dirty.”

The short half human glared at her when she called his feet little, but it was true, his feet were small. Shoes just looked so restricting and uncomfortable, but he also didn’t want to get his feet all torn up and disgusting so he complied and sat on the bed. Hange gave him some socks to slip on, after a long explanation on what they were used for, and helped fit the shoes on his feet.

“Now,” the woman sighed as she sat crouched down on her heels in front of him. “ I will eventually teach you how to tie your laces but for now I’ll do it for you so watch me closely.”

Levi nodded and directed his attention to what she was doing. She grabbed both of the laces and crossed them over each other before pulling one underneath the other and yanked them to tighten the shoe. Them she formed one lace into a loop and wrapped the other one around the loop before pulling it underneath and creating another loop and tightening both of them so that they now resembled bunny ears.

“Ta-da!” Hange cheered up at him while gesturing towards the now tied laces after she finished the other shoe. If he were anybody else they would be embarrassed with the fact the he couldn’t even tie his own shoes and that she had to do it for them like they were a child. But Levi was different, he didn’t know any better, he didn’t know the norms of the human world, hence why he sat there with an impressed look on his face as he studied Hange’s handiwork.

“Don’t worry I’ll show you again later,” she reassured the raven headed mer as she gestured for him to stand from the bed. “Let’s get a good look at you know.”

The brunette looked him up and down, left to right to make sure she didn’t miss anything while Levi stood awkwardly tugging at the neck of the sweater, it covered his gills uncomfortably and it was hot.

“Hm, we’ll this will work for now until we can get you something more comfortable and less warm, especially since it’s summertime, but hopefully nobody will question it- Oh wait your ears!”

She reached a hand over and gently brushed her fingertips against his pointed, web-like ears and Levi shuddered and slapped her hand away before covering his ear with the sleeve of his sweater with a glare.

“Sensitive, huh?” Hange asked him with a sincere expression and he nodded. “Ah, sorry.”

The brunette quickly walked over to her nightstand and rummaged through one of the dressers before pulling out a dark blue beanie and let out a small noise of success. She the walked back over to the small mermyd and carefully fitted it over his head snugly, making sure to cover his unusual ears in the process. Taking a step back to examine hime one last time, she cooed adoringly.

“Oh, you look so cute!” She squealed and Levi’s pale cheeks darkened with a shade of pink.

“Shut up shitty glasses I don-” Hange pulled him in front of a long mirror that hung behind her bedroom door and he frowned deeply. “Oh I look stupid, humans and their stupid ‘clothes’, how ridiculous.” The raven crossed his arms like a pouting child.

“Would you rather have yourself exposed to world? Our society has already deemed your species as dangerous and hostile, once they catch wind that they can somehow evolve to roam on land they will panic, lock you up and subject you to all kinds of unethical experimentation.”

The mer blinked and was silent for a few seconds before catching Hange’s hard gaze with his own conflicted one.

“Levi, it’s my job to make sure that none of that happens. What I- what we do, back where we took care of you, we make sure that all kinds of marine life, exotic, dangerous and all in between, are cared for and protected. You’re no different, i promised you before and I’m keeping it. I promise we’ll find out what’s happening to you as well.” Her voice became more tender towards the end and Levi had never felt so cared for before, it almost freaked him out.

He swallowed thickly before turning to look at Hange in the eyes, his own betraying the emotions inside him.

“I believe you.” He muttered and she smiled widely, light brown eyes shining softly behind her crystal lenses. The moment was ruined when the brunette ruffled his fringe affectionately. He waved her hand away and scowled before turning back to the mirror to fix it.

“Aliright lets go now, to restock the fridge!” Hange cheered and grabbed her wallet and keys from her work bag and gestured for Levi to follow her.

She ended up taking them to a nearby local superstore, after parking she skipped out of the car with newfound energy to open the door for Levi. The half man stepped out of the car with wary eyes as he examined the parking lot. Hange tugged him along with her by the sleeve of his sweater as she went over some rules.

“Stay close to me, if you need to use the restroom let me know and if you see anything that peaks your interest tell me before trying to take it with you haha.” She laughed when she saw him purse his lips and nod.

On their way towards the entrance of the store, Hange grabbed a shopping cart and told him to push it along side her. As they approached the entrance, the automatic doors slide open, effectively startling Levi which caused Hange to laugh loudly and drag the surprised mer through the entrance.

The raven’s eyes became comically wider when he took in the sight of the superstore. Everything was bright and there were so many people talking, walking around and shopping. His senses were on overload, multiple sights, smells and sounds were hitting him at once and it took him a moment to ground himself and focus on pushing the cart and staying by Hange’s side.

An hour and half full cart later, Hange was escorting Levi down the snacks isle when something caught his attention.

It was a bag of Golfish crackers.

He cocked his head at the packages design, its bold lettering and bright oranges, yellows and white coloring. But what most peaked his interest was the pictures of the smiling, fish shaped snacks, it was oddly cute to him.

“Mommy, can I have them pleeease?!”

The mermyd whipped his head to the left of him to see a child shove a package of Oreos up to him mom as he pleaded for her to take them. His mother sighed and nodded, gesturing for the child to place the cookies into their own cart as she went back to her list. Levi took the scene in before grabbing the golfish off the shelf and turning to search for his caretaker.

He found her near the kettle cooked chips with their shopping cart, the moment she spotted him she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Levi, I turn my back for one second and you run off. You can’t just-Oh?”

The brunette is cut off by her companion when he presented the bag of snacks to her with a determined expression. She glanced at the bag then at him before raising and eyebrow.

“Is that what you want?” Levi nodded.

“Oh..kay, we’ll it’s a good thing that Erwin gave me a budget to spend on you then haha. Go ahead and put it in the cart and let’s go get you some clothes.”

A tiny grin formed as he inwardly praised himself for his success before he placed the snacks into the cart and pushed it after the brunette.

They headed out of the snacks isle and towards the non food area of the superstore when a sudden familiar voice called out to them.

“Dr. Hange?”

Both her and Levi whirled around to see Eren, Armin and Mikasa standing there with wide eyes.

“Oh hey kids!” Hange greeted them with a wave, but they were all staring at the now bipedal mermyd next to her.

“Levi?!” Eren said with a befuddled look. “You’re..walking..”

“On two legs...” Armin continued.

“So Jean wasn’t lying.” Mikasa finished with an impressed expression.

Hange chuckled. “Nope it’s all true, Levi has seemed to morph, how and why it happened is still a mystery.”

The whole time they spoke, Levi was just leaning in the cart and glaring at the kids.

“So what’s going to happen to him now then?” Armin asked her curiously as he waved to Levi, who rolled his pale eyes in response.

“I promise I will explain everything to you and the others when I get back to work, but for now I would rather not talk about this in public. I don’t want to expose this to the media, that would only be nothing but problematic.” The woman explained calmly and the teens all nodded.

“Alright, is there anything we can do to help?” Eren piped up.

Hange smiles at the young boy’s dedication. “If there’s anything you can do I’ll let you guys know, perhaps you can help with his acclimation to human society?”

They all nodded and Eren turned to Levi with a grin.

“Don’t worry, we’ll help you with everything there is to know.”

Levi wrinkled his nose in disgust. “I’d rather stick my head in a sharks mouth.”

“I’m still working on his social skills.” Hange chuckled. “ I’ll see you kids later then!”

After bidding them a goodbye, the pair continued their way towards the men’s clothing section. Hange grabbed some underwear for him, boxers, she assumed it would be the most comfortable type for the touch sensitive mer. She also got some socks and basic white tee shirts, making sure she grabbed the the closest size estimate, If anything she could always exchange them. Next came the actual clothes, everything she grabbed for him she had him try on in the fitting rooms with her, which he wouldn’t have minded if the stalls weren’t so small, their close proximity made him hotter than the sweater he was wearing.

They ended up getting a couple of thin, long sleeved turtlenecked shirts in various colors, some regular shirts for when he isn’t out in the public, a couple of beanies including this one cute one that Hange loved, it had little bear ears on them. Levi was opposed but Hange got it anyway, she also bought him sandals and shoes that fit him nicely, some jeans, sweatpants, joggers and shorts.

Hange then moved on to get him some toiletries, that’s when Levi became a little hungry so she let him have his goldfish. The sight of him casually munching on the snack while trailing after the bespeckled woman was almost comical. They neared the section of household items, where Hange was looking for some pillows and bedsheets for the mer, she had explained to him that she’d be ordering him his own bed to put in the guest room she had in her house once she cleared it out. He had nodded as he listened along to what she was saying to him when he suddenly stopped. The woman noticed he wasn’t following her anymore and turned to see him standing a couple feet behind her, one arm holding his bag of goldfish crackers while the other hung limply at his side. She almost thought that something was wrong until she saw the awestruck look on his usually non-expressive fave.

“Hey, Levi don’t fall behind now....” the doctor’s mouth formed into a small ‘oh’ when she realized what Levi was intensely gazing at.

It was a pillow plushie of a cat, but it also had a Mermyd tail.

Levi had read about cats with Hange during their many reading sessions, he found them really cute and soft looking. But this plushie pillow held some sort of spell on him, the cat had a tail and he had never seen something so adorable in his life...well besides Hange’s eyes but he could dwell on them later. The mer quickly placed his snacks bag into their cart before dusting off his hands and grabbing the pillow, it was so soft and squishy that he almost sighed.

Hange found it hard to contain her fondness as she watch the display in front of her. Levi was acting extremely, adorably and innocently cute right now, childlike wonder reading across his pale face, it made her heart squeeze. She found it hard to say no when the ravenette looked to her for permission, she nodded with a smile and was rewarded with a sight she wished she could capture with her phone camera.

Levi hugged the plushie with a small smile that he tried to hide, as a light blush dusted over his cheeks.

Yup.

She could have died contentedly right there.

“Leeeeviii, you’re being unfairly cute you little guppy.” Hange cooed at him and he glared at her.

“Shut up.” He grumbled but still held on to his new pillow.

Hange giggled before gesturing for him to follow her.

“Let’s go now, it’s getting late.” Levi nodded and dutifully followed her like a puppy.

They paid, with the budget card Erwin gave her, and made their way out of the store and to her car where Levi helped out everything in the back while simultaneously never letting go of the cat pillow.

Once she closed the trunk she opened the passenger door for Levi so he could get in, before closing it and climbing into the drivers seat and starting the car.

“I just realized that we almost spent the entire budget that Erwin gave me for you, hehe. Hope he won’t be too angry when he finds out.”

What the two of them didn’t realize though, was the fact that during their whole shopping trip they were being followed by two inconspicuous men. They now were watching them intently from their own car as Hange pulled out of the parking lot.

The younger of the two pulled out his phone and dialed a number. After two rings the person in the other line answered.

“Hey boss.....yeah it’s him, no-yes sir.....he changed-yes-no I mean shifted.”

The older man next to him watched him from the corner of his eye.

“....yes sir, legs sir....very human like. That means it worked sir, does it not?....sorry sir......okay sir.” He hung up and looked to the older man.

“Start driving, boss wants to know where the half is is staying at.”

———————————————————————

AN: Ohohohooo, and the plot thickens 😈 who are the men? Who’s their boss? What do they mean ‘it worked’? All your questions will be answered soo, all I can say is one of the big baddies will be showing up.

As always, thanks for reading! 🥰

[faelapis]

white diamond’s morality

i think one of the reasons i like SU so much is, i feel its approach to morality is more structural than individual.

cartoons tend to be a bit... “great man history” about its conflict resolution. that is to say, entire systems hinge on their leaders, and the masses are easily led in a new direction if the old leader is dispatched. this is seen as unproblematic, and no one clings to everything they were taught under the old system. unless, of course, they’re one of the “bad seeds” (note again the individualism) and must also be dispatched, rather than understood as part of a context.

su definitely has a bit of that, namely the gems who were inspired by rose and chose to fight with her, but it’s more deconstructive about it. they all have personal reasons for joining, rather than the rejection of their old lives being the “default”. they still cling to fears of failing to be what they’re supposed to (especially pearl), and their leader doesn’t have a solution to the gem hierarchy. 

rose is against it, but she doesn’t know how to dismantle it. she carries seeds of disrespect towards those she protects. she may not even think they can truly break free, judging by her dialogue. she plays the perfect leader, because she’s become depressed enough to think that’s what they want her to be. it’s certainly what she was encouraged to think.

moreover, many on the cg side, including rose, thought that “shattering“ pink would be the end of it. that the dear leader was necessary to keep the system alive. but that thought is subverted - not just by the other diamonds, whose ties to pink are close, but by her followers. the ones whose role became their solace, rather than the thing they wanted to escape from. they don’t all become crystal gems, because that’s not what makes sense to them. what makes sense is to... keep going, as before. that’s what made sense to jasper, eyeball, nephrite.

and yes, they all suffer for it, but the worldbuilding of the show is strong enough that there’s inherent understanding that their responses make sense within their world, and that expecting them to celebrate and change sides overnight is... kind of unfair. it was certainly immature of rose, if she ever had that hope.

which brings me to white diamond.

i love the setup of the current arc. the question is never “can white be redeemed or will we just have to kill her”, because there are actual reasons they’re talking to her in the first place that aren’t merely ideological. like, ok, you defeat white, then what? the corrupted gems are still corrupted. her gems will hate you, maybe even seek revenge. i hope your individual moral purity was worth it, because that’s all you get for refusing to talk to her. by treating her as an individual evil, you’re inherently choosing to ignore structural problems at hand.

so the real questions are as following: 1. what would steven need to do to convince white to help him? 2. why does white perpetuate the system, and what does she think would happen without it?

i’m not the oracle who can tell you the former, but the latter is worth discussing. most of the reaction i’ve seen to the idea of white having genuine character motivation is very... well, as the saying goes, “cool motive, still murder”.

but people basically say that about every character before they know that motivation. they said it about jasper. they said it about blue and yellow (some still do, but others substitute that for blaming everything on white). it’s a very easy thing to say, when you assume all it could be is just “maybe they’re sad and lonely :(“... but that’s not what i imagine for white.

to be clear - i do think she’s lonely. isolating yourself in your head (figuratively and literally) for thousands of years will do that to you... and playing puppet with her pearl is kind of a brilliant commentary on what it’s like to be avoidant - you’re there, you can see and hear others, but you’re shielding yourself in such a way that they can’t really reach you. you’re not present enough to open yourself up, or ever tell anyone how you feel. “white never leaves her own head anymore”.

but this isn’t a motivation in and of itself. avoidance is tied to anxiety, so what is white so scared of happening if she lets go of her control?

honestly, i think what she fears is nothing less than the end of gemkind.

becoming a childless god.

the crystal gems are basically ok with that. they have to be, because gem production requires feeding off of planets, and fertile ones tend to be populated - hence the injectors look like irl viruses. they’re a parasitic species. they reproduce by killing their host.

moreover, gem production is highly specialized. you need kindergarteners, and then you need lapis lazulis to terraform in preparation of the injectors, then of course you need armies to conquer the next planet, and then Of Course you need agates to keep those gems in line, and then Naturally you need a court system with zircons to make sure everyone does their jobs, and Obviously guards to keep the peace, and managers, and pilots, and domestic servants, and if everyone doesn’t do these things then nothing will ever get done! there will be chaos and we’ll be defeated and we’ll all die next time we try to reproduce. what’s that, the youngest diamond thinks we should prioritize humankind over our own species? don’t be absurd!

that’s the rabbit hole of anxiety white has fallen down. and those anxieties aren’t merely hers, but everyone who follows the system - and gems seemingly burst out of the ground “already knowing what they’re supposed to be”, which is very much in line with that system. 

we tend to prescribe individuality to the diamonds, that they do things merely because they want to, but i think white is as much part of her court as her court depends on her. she doesn’t just think she’s the leader, she thinks she has to be in order to serve her society. she’s another gear in the clockwork, just like everyone else. why shouldn’t she stay in her room as a perfect queen, shining down on her court without desires of her own? why should she open up about what she wants? such irrational thoughts...

i think how pink creates life (the pebbles, lion, steven’s watermelons) terrifies white, because it’s use of resources without that structure. putting your own desires above your duty, allowing atomic chaos controlled only by each individual, knowing that those individuals could be destroyed and nothing new could be made without a diamond’s essence... feels selfish to her. like. ok, you want individuality and choice, cool, i’m kinda trying to keep everything in its place so we can live on as a species. but go off i guess.

and this is the part where i say what’s obvious but still needs to be said - white’s perspective is flawed. pink may be reckless, selfish, and naive, but white’s system is so deeply collectivist that she fails to see the clockwork as made up of individuals. why shouldn’t she harvest and replace a faulty part, if someone in the beehive isn’t doing their job perfectly? we’re all just machine parts, and we’re all replaceable. naturally. for the greater good. 

it’s fitting that what made her smile in the first place was a synchronized dance of literal machine parts. the end of that order terrifies her.

this is why her design (and homeworld’s) is so heavily inspired by the movie “metropolis” - which was in and of itself a critique of the dehumanization of workers under industrialism. white is the end point of that. that’s also where we got the quote for the configuration of the diamond ship - “the mediator between the head (white) and the hands (blue & yellow) must be the heart (steven)”. 

but it’s not just her. peridot and jasper both think this is perfectly rational, and write the crystal gems off as emotional and selfish (at first). and.. everything taken into account, it’s clear that neither the crystal gems as a collective or rose as an individual have been able to fully cast these ideas aside. rose’s answer wasn’t for gems - it was to put her faith in humanity, who “can choose”. who can reinvent themselves. and she thought right up until her last years that gems are somewhat tied to their purpose. that’s why she wanted to be human, after all.

and that’s why steven makes such a great bridge between these worlds. he’s blunt about how wrong it is, what rose and the crystal gems thought - that gems couldn’t change. of course they can, look at how far garnet, amethyst, and pearl have come! look at how they’ve blossomed, look at how they’ve worked to become their best selves! look at what gems and humans have in common! 

and what’s sometimes a flaw of his - inserting himself into other people’s lives and believing he understands what’s best for them, even before he knows them as individuals, to the point that it occasionally drives people (like lapis and lars) away... who does he have that in common with, if not the diamonds? if not the “impeccable judgement” of white herself?

i think that’s why, ultimately... flawed, biased and shortsighted as he can be (just like his mother), steven can get through to white. maybe not now, but someday. because he understands how these things fit together, how the problems of individuals have structural causes. most importantly, he knows that it’s going to take more than just him to fix things - and maybe he can help white realize that, too. there’s a secret fusion or love affair everywhere you look on homeworld, and so she could never really control a clockwork order... but that’s ok, because she can let go. everything in the world isn’t up to her.

[themadlostgirl]

Not Dead Yet (Part 80)

*These next few chapters are really the final stretch for this fic guys. It is going to get ugly and even I am not prepared for what is going to happen. So have fun thots!*

Pairing: Reader x Peter Pan

Warnings: language

Past me is an asshole!

She ignored her job of getting Henry away from this camp and back to his family and instead spent the night dancing and stealing kisses with the person who kidnapped him. Now as I lay half awake in this tent wrapped in said kidnapper’s arms I have to deal with the other problem she left me last night.

Peter Pan…god help me this Peter Pan.

How can I like someone who has caused such misery for the people I care about? How can I want to stay with someone I basically just met! These memories that keep coming back aren’t helping either. They’re familiar but they don’t feel like they’re mine. It’s like watching snippets of home movies I didn’t know happened. They were there and they showed me what life was like but it didn’t do anything. They made me happy but it didn’t transform me from Marigold to Y/N either. How can the others stand having two lives stuck in their head like this? It’s horrible!

I tried to sit up but Peter tightened his hold on me and kept me in place next to him. This is fine. It’s still really early and I am a little tired yet. If I can just go back to bed…

No! Stop leaving this for future you to deal with! It’s just gonna be you in a couple hours you dumbass!

Yeah but present me is still sleepy and Peter is warm and smells nice.

Get. Up. Now.

Fine!

I removed Peter’s arm from me and slipped out of the tent. If I’m quick about this then I can get back to bed before Peter notices I’m gone. The camp was still asleep. I found where Henry was and poked him awake. We snuck off to call Emma and the others.

After a few tense seconds the mirror showed us Regina’s face. “Henry, Marigold, thank god you two are safe.”

“What made you think we wouldn’t be?” I asked.

“You never checked in last night. I thought you said you were gonna be able to get out last night.”

“Right…” I had completely forgotten about the escape plan last night. Sitting with Peter’s head in my lap as I played with his hair kinda took priority. Not that they needed to know that. “Sorry, things didn’t go as planned.”

“As it is that seems for the best. We don’t have an exit strategy so even if you can get out of camp and back to us we’ll all just be sitting ducks for Pan. Hang tight, we’ll let you know when we can get out of here.”

“Sure. No problem.” I breathed out a sigh of relief. It was too early to start dodging questions I’d rather not hear right now.

Regina woke the others up to say hi to Henry real quick before we ended the call. We rushed back and I crawled back into Peter’s tent. He was still fast asleep and when I laid back down next to him and put his arm back around me it was like I had never left.

We have to stay on Neverland longer. No need to rush things. I can stay here pretending to be Y/N as long as needed. I nuzzled my face into his neck inhaling the sweet scent of wind and jungle that clung to him constantly. It was getting easier to do pretend.

How much longer before it wasn’t pretend though?

~~~

After last night with Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire trying to steal Henry, Peter was in a tough position. Learning that Rumple was the one that had confined and tortured Y/N should have made the decision to kill all the adults and leave their corpses to the mermaids an easy one. The fact that they were using her against him was bad enough but this had pushed him to the edge of mass homicide. If it wasn’t for the fact that Y/N is not entirely herself right now and actually cares for some of these bastards is the only thing keeping them alive right now. One more horrible revelation like last night though and their entrails would be hanging from the trees like garland.

As it is he had a hard time facing her right now knowing that she was abetting the man that had almost tortured her to death. So she was with Wendy while Peter went about trying to figure out what to do about all this. One thing was for sure, he needed an ally. Someone he knew that feared him enough to do as he says but also be trusted by the adults to a degree.

Fate seemed to part the heavens and reveal a perfect opportunity with Hook taking the prince up the cliff to Dead Man’s Peak. They were up a steep stone face and the pirate was about to throw the rope down to help the quickly dying prince before Peter stopped him.

“Pan,” Hook dropped the rope at his feet, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’m here to offer you a deal.” He didn’t have time to beat around the bush. Every second was a moment off his life and he needed this to work, “Come back and work for me, like the old days.”

“I don’t miss the old days.”

“What if I were to offer you something very hard to come by? Say passage off the island?”

“Still not interested.”

“So stubborn.” Peter prowled around him in a slow circle, “What if I said you can take Emma with you.”

“Emma would never leave her son.”

“She did once before, and you can be there to pick up the pieces. We've known each other a very long time, Killian. We've done business before. And I think this is the perfect time to restart that relationship.”

“What if I'm not interested?”

“You not listening to me has never worked out for you, Killian. This whole crusade to save the boy will lead to nothing but every single one of you dying. You really want to keep testing me?” He could feel his patience starting to wear thin.

“I think you don’t have as much control over this game as you think you do and you’re starting to spiral, Pan.” Hook smirked and Peter had to resist the urge to punch him and prove him right.

“I suppose you’re referring to your inside informant.” Peter said and a shadow passed over Hook’s face. “What was that about me not having control?”

“Y/N…” Hook sighed.

“Yes. I know that you have her helping you. I don’t know what you think you’re playing at but know this,” He pressed the edge of his dagger to the pirate’s throat, “No Evil Queen, Dark One, or Saviour will be able to stop me from gutting you all if any harm comes to my Lost Girl.”

“Strangely enough, as Marigold none of us have any qualms with her.” Hook shrugged. “She’s in more danger sitting in your camp than she would be with us.”

“Insult me again. I dare you.” Peter wanted to scream but kept it in. He would not give this walking liver failure the satisfaction.

“And what of the lass? She doesn’t remember you. You really think she’ll choose to stay in this damned jungle with you when she has an entire other life back in Storybrooke? A place with people who have not tried to kill her before.” Hook pulled out his flask and took a sip.

“I see you are excluding yourself and the Dark One from that list.”

“Again, as Marigold, we have no issue with her.” He offered the flask to Peter. He took it after a moment and had a quick swig of rum.

“So that’s all it is. You took away everything she is and are calling what’s left, what you people filled her head with, as the truth? As what she should want to be without bothering to ask her if that’s who she wants to be.”

“How is it any different from what you’re doing?”  Hook barked with a short laugh, “You have a girl who doesn’t remember you and are trying desperately to bring back a version of herself that she isn’t. Did you bother to ask if that’s what she wants?”

Dark clouds started to roll in above them as Peter’s self control started to tear itself apart. He took a deep breath and met the captain’s gaze once more with murder in his eyes. “I’m trying to restore what you people stole from her. What she chooses to do with it after the fact is her decision.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.”

“You know,” Hook picked up the rope again, “I have to pull the prince up at some point before he gets suspicious.”

“Then go right ahead. Dragging him up the cliff should give you more than enough time to mull over my offer.” he shoved the flask back at him. “You have a choice, Killian. Choose wisely.”

In the next moment Peter was gone and back at the outskirts of the camp. Hook’s words about trying to bring back a version of Y/N for his own means itched and festered under his skin. Of course Peter wanted the Y/N he knew back. It’s all he’s wanted.

But what if the drunkard had a point? What if by some miracle Peter was able to bring back Y/N’s memories? Would she still want to stay here? Would the two realities in her head make her question where her loyalties should lie? If she remembered everything what life would she choose?

He wanted to believe that she would choose Neverland. She had more history here. Knew the boys better. This is her home. It has been since he saved her from dying in the cold wood of the Enchanted Forest that night many years ago. From then she became much more than a Lost Girl or a friend.

Peter meant what he said about the choice being hers for whatever life she wanted if he could restore her memory. That didn’t mean he would let her go without a fight though.

~~~

This is bad! This is very bad! I checked my pockets and retraced my steps a dozen times but the looking glass I had used to communicate with Emma and the others was gone. I had asked Henry if he had it but it wasn’t with him either.

What am I supposed to do if I can’t talk with them? If I don’t at least check in then they’re gonna think something is wrong and storm the camp and get themselves killed! I was on my hands and knees looking under leaves and and rocks hoping to god that I could find it.

“Lose something pet?” I heard Peter behind me and sat up straight.

“Just a little trinket from Storybrooke. Nothing to worry about.”

“Good. Cause I want to show you something.”

“Alright,” He helped pull me up and a feeling of wind engulfed us before we stood on another part of the island. I could tell because a huge tree, taller than any building I had ever seen was next to us. It looked like you could fit an entire house in its trunk!

Peter moved closer to the tree and kicked at one of the huge knots at the base. A hole opened up and he gestured for me to hop in it. This didn’t seem a good idea but I was too curious now. I slid down what felt like a dirt slide and was deposited at the bottom. It was so dark I couldn’t even see my hand two inches in front of my face.

I should have moved because a moment later Peter came barreling down the tunnel slide behind me and knocked me over. “Sorry,” I heard his voice and reached for it. “I’m right here, pet. No need to worry.”

He caught my hand and pulled me to him. “We could probably do with some light.”

Instantly various torches and candles stubs sparked to life. I could see now that we were in a much larger underground cavern. Tables, chairs, a few odd knicknacks, a pile of books and a large bed at the back were squeezed in.

More memories came back as I looked around. They were less innocent as the others I had remembered till now.

All of that was shoved from my mind though as I got a closer look at the various drawings scattered across the tables and pinned to the walls. They were beautiful. So detailed and lifelike that it seemed that the landscapes were moving on the parchment. Many drawings of plants and various animals, a couple of the camp and Lost Boys dancing around the fire, scenes of the beach and views from the cliffs. But among all those drawings I kept seeing portraits of myself. Every other picture was a different version of me. It was definitely my face but the figure behind them was someone else. It was the life behind the eyes, the crease in her smile that brought into stark reality that this girl on the parchment and I were so far from one another yet so similar.

“I hope it doesn’t unsettle you.” Peter came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my middle, “I didn’t want to forget what you looked like.”

“You drew these?” I whispered in awe.

“Yes. You gave me a pencil case and a ream of parchment because you knew how much I enjoyed drawing.”

“Right,” I cursed myself for saying anything, “Just a little in wonder I suppose.”

He rested his chin on top of my head, “Do you remember what else we did that day?”

“I um…” I tried to but it was just out of reach just like everything else, “It was so long ago.”

He sighed and held me tighter. “That was the first time we made love.” he whispered in a tight voice, “You’re saying you don’t remember that?”

“Well I…” Shit!

He was shaking slightly. The grip he was keeping on me started to worry me. He knows I’m a fraud. He has to. This is it. This is the end. I tried to trick him and now with one slip up I was going to be left for dead in this cavern.

He turned me around and I braced myself for the blind fury. What I saw though was nothing close. Peter wasn’t angry, he didn’t even look annoyed. He looked...heartbroken. His eyes were glassy as if he was trying not to cry as he held my face in his hands.

“Please, Y/N, please remember. You have to remember.”

“You know--”

“Yes I know.” he cut me off. He sprung away from me like I burned and ran his hands through his hair, “I’ve known for a while now. That’s not the point.”

“I don’t understand.” I tried to keep my breathing even, “If you know that I’m not Y/N then why are you doing all this? I would have thought you’d just kill me or something.”

He looked at me like I had slapped him. “Gods,” he clenched and unclenched his fists to the point I swear the air in the room was constricting with them, “You think I could ever hurt you? That after years of you being my best friend, my second in command, my most trusted confidant and precious lover that I could hurt you out of malicious intent? That I would ever want to see you dead?”

“I--”

“I have spent the last twenty eight years wondering and worrying whether you were alive. Years hoping that you would come home someday. Praying to the gods, the stars, anyone that could give me a sign that you were safe somewhere in the realms. And you think that based on your limited knowledge of me from this past week that I would forsake everything you mean to me, whether you remember or not, because you were betraying me?”

I didn’t know how to react. How could I? This went so much deeper than I originally thought. What Hook told me was barely scratching the surface of the history between Peter and myself.

“Peter, I...I’m sorry. I am so sorry.”

He calmed down almost instantly and came back towards me. He hugged me and left a kiss on my forehead. “You shouldn’t be sorry. It’s not your fault. I promise I’ll get your memories back.”

“Your word is your bond.” The sentiment echoed in my head. “I know.”

“You’re still in there.” he pressed his forehead to mine. “I want to trust you but I also can’t have you helping the adults.”

“Peter?”

“I’ll be back to check on you in a bit. Read a book or something till then.”

“Wait, what do you--”

I blinked and Peter was gone. If Peter knows that I’m helping the others to rescue Henry then what was he going to do? He’s going to hurt them! Hurt Henry!

I ran back toward the hole but it was blocked now. I looked around for another exit but there were none. I grabbed a spear propped against the wall and stabbed it against the ceiling. It shimmered for a moment. A forcefield! I’m trapped…

I threw the spear away and collapsed against the bed. What am I gonna do?

Next to the bed I spotted the pile of books. If I am trapped down here then I might as well do something to pass the time until someone saves me or Peter comes back. I picked up the largest. It looked like Henry’s storybook but instead it was titled Neverland.

Once upon a time there were children. Children who would fly away in their dreams to a land unlike any other where they would play and forget their woes. A place where only children could venture. This place was called, Neverland...

~~~

Peter was really not in the mood to deal with Hook after the confrontation with Y/N. But he couldn’t let him think he was off the hook (pun not intended) for saving the prince. “You really should've taken my deal.”

He noticed with some pleasure that the pirate tensed at Peter’s appearance. “It doesn't look like I need your help with Emma after all, mate. Nor anything else for that matter.”

“What, you think that kiss actually meant something?” Peter wanted to laugh.

“I do. I think it means she's finally starting to see me for the man I am.” Hook said and tried to walk past him.

“What?” Peter stepped in front of his path. “A one-handed pirate with a drinking problem? I'm no grown-up, but I'm pretty sure that's less than appealing.”

“A man of honor.”

“A man of honor,” Peter scoffed in disgust. “Well then, man of honor, I want to know what something like you would do with a big fat secret.”

“Depends on what the secret is.”

“Baelfire. Neal. The guy Emma loves. Henry’s father. He’s alive. Even better, he’s on Neverland.”

“No...no he died.” The fear in his eyes gave Peter all the ammo he needed.

“Afraid not. Now it’s up to you whether you tell the others about this and kill that budding romance of yours or not.” He grinned. Hook met his gaze with both fury and hesitation.

“You’re a wicked little boy.” Hook muttered.

“Nothing wicked about this. It’s equivalent exchange, Hook.” Peter grabbed a handful of his vest and yanked him down, “You messed with my heart so I mess with yours. You could have left here with the woman you care for and had a nice long life. Now you’ll die like all the rest and I will be sure to make yours a painful and slow one. That’s a promise.”

He let him go and stalked away. “Oh and I wouldn’t try contacting Y/N or Henry. They won’t answer.” He held up the little looking glass they had been using and snapped it in two. “Have a nice night, captain.”

~~~

I closed the book as I let the content of the storybook’s pages settle in my mind. I had skipped some parts here and there but what I had read was infallible proof of what I had feared. Y/N, me, whoever, was in love with Peter.

Years of fighting, compromising, friendship, growing, laughing, crying, and trust created something dangerous. Dangerous and powerful and dare I say it...beautiful.

Reading through their story--our story--I felt a longing. A longing to step into the book and relive those moments. Not for the first time I realized. Ever since I came here I wanted to forget about my old life and my mission to rescue Henry and just be a Lost Girl again.

I wanted the dances around the fire. I wanted to run through the jungle with my brothers. I wanted to laugh and play with Wendy and the fairies. I wanted to fall asleep next to Peter for all my nights. I wanted to feel the love and belonging that I used to know everyday. I wanted to be Y/N again.

I can’t let Henry die though. I read that too. If Peter succeeds in this endeavor then Henry was going to die.

I felt a chill go up my spine and inhaled the scent of jungle and wind suddenly upon me. No time to think now. A decision needs to be made.

(First) (Previous) (Next)

[theelegantbookworm]

I’m going to think of a title for this at some point...:P

So in this entry in 12 Days of Fanfic, we get to see Celbrian lead the forces of Rivendell during the second siege of Imladris. I kinda pushed up Glorfindel’s prophesy about the Witch King, but who’s to say he didn’t give it twice?

@independence1776 and everyone else, enjoy!

...

I stare at the map that’s been laid out on the table before me, moving the different pieces this way and that in an effort to find someway that our forces can outflank those of Angmar and break the siege. By some mercy, the passes through the Misty Mountains are impassable because of late snow. It took three months and the loss of hundreds of his soldiers before the Witch King gave up his attack on that front. Even so, our situation is dire. With the weakening of Arnor, we cannot expect aid from the northern kingdom. No matter how I move the pieces, there is no way to avoid a pitched battle. I look up as Lord Glorfindel enters the war-tent, garbed and armored as I am for war.

“What is it?”

“Scouts have brought word that the Angmarim are massing at the ford,” Glorfindel explains, “another assault will come either this day or the next.” He takes the seat next to mine. “Any word from Elrond my lady?”

I wish it were otherwise, but truth forces me to shake my head. The last word I received from my husband was of his departure from Lothlorien with the army my parents had supplied. “With the passes closed, he will have to cross further south. It will take longer, but if we can hold out until he arrives, we can crush Angmar.”

Glorfindel starts to speak, but something on the map catches his eye. “This pass here,” he begins, pointing at a small trail, “How many could march abreast here?”

“It’s little more than a game trail, and the ground there is rocky and steep.” I reply, “mayhap four, five at most.” As I say this, my finger traces the path down to the Bruinen. “How far north are the Angmarim encamped?”

“The furthest northern encampment is more than five miles from the foothills.”

I smile. “Still within the valley.”

“My lady?”

“The storm brought much snow to the mountains, and the source of the Bruinen was already full” I explain, “Should that snow melt, I imagine the valley below the foothills would flood.”

Glorfindel nods with approval. “Manwë willing, my lady, this could purchase for us the time we need.”

Manwë is more than willing as it happens. The snows melt so quickly that our forces barely mange to get into position in time. I lead the right flank of our army, Glorfindel the left as we push the retreating Angmarim into the swollen ford. We had hoped simply to push them back for a time, but the Lord of the Valar gifts us with another blessing. Those who manage to survive the crossing find themselves caught between the river and the arrival of Elrond and the elves from Lothlorien. He runs up to me on the battlefield, kissing me without a care for how many eyes are upon us.

“The children?” He asks first. There had been an argument between Elrond and the twins before he left for Lothlorien; they had wanted to accompany him and he had forbidden it on account of the danger.

“Safe and waiting for us.” I say with a grin, “Though Elladan and Elrohir are still feeling rather dour. Arwen actually told them they were behaving like spoiled children.” He laughs a little, shaking his head at the audacity of our youngest before turning to our warriors.

“We have victory!” he shouts and the cheer that goes up rolls off the walls of the valley with a thunderous echo.

It is a victory, but not a complete one. Once the dead are tallied, it is discovered that the Witch King has escaped. Weakened, he flees back into Angmar, to his fortress of Carn Dûm to lick his wounds a gather his strength anew. 

“We should pursue and destroy him while he is still weak!” Elrohir argues, forgetting that giving his opinion is not one of the duties of the council’s cupbearer.

I give him a look that Elrond swears I have inherited from my mother. Araphor, the new king of Arnor, actually shrinks back. “And how many of our people would die in the attempt? The kingdom of Arnor is too weak to aid us, and Gondor cannot fight a war are two far flung fronts.”

Elrohir will not give up. “But how many more will we lose if we allow him to regain his strength? How can we allow such evil to exist?”

Elrond holds up a hand and our son falls silent. “Lord Glorfindel, what is your council?” 

Glorfindel stares into the distance, at something only he can see. “The Witch King will be defeated, but his doom is not yet near, and not by the hand of any here will he fall.”

[ravenish-huffnpuff]

I love fantastic beasts and all of the characters. However I’ve just noticed that perhaps Queenie doesn’t seem grow as attached to Newt’s creatures as Jacob and Tina do. For example when the thunderbird is released: Tina looks up in awe and wonder (adorable by the way), Jacob is a little tentative but still walks forward. Queenie however kinda lingers back with- I don’t even know how to describe the look on her face. But I just get the feeling she doesn’t like them as much (not that I don’t love her), and perhaps this will cause some conflict in CoG. She also doesn’t step out into Newt’s case- just stays in his shed.

This of course is just my opinion and might be just me reading into it too much- but this is what this short story is about and me explaining why she might not like them as much. Also Newtina. Because I love them. And Tina’s smile when she looks at the occamy kills me every time. 

Ps. this is my first post ever and first fic ever. Enjoy!

Tina clambers down the ladder, two stairs at a time. Once again she has no time to proper inspect the mess that is Newt’s case on the way- Queenie’s heels are coming dangerously close to snitching her fingers. Her feet touch the floor, but still she waits, silently hoping, as her sister hesitantly takes her first steps into Newt’s abode.

Queenie walks straight to Jacobs side, the side which the silvery mass of Demiguise does not accommodate, and roots herself there. Her normally pleasant face is slightly morphed; she’s biting the inside of her lip in the manner usually reserved for the comeuppance of early morning shifts. Tina can’t help but notice her perfect hair has become slightly skewed from their recent adventures.

You okay? Tina thinks, concerned at the lost expression on her sisters face.

“Fine,” she replies out loud and squeakily, crossing her arms. Tina attempts to take her hand, but Queenie flits away, closer to Jacob.

Really? Tina asks again, attempting to think in the most sarcastic yet worried tone she can. Jacob who has said something to make Newt to laugh- a charming burst through his nose- hasn’t noticed Queenie’s discomfort and averts his arm. Tina cocks an questioning eyebrow at her little sister.

“It’s just…,” Queenie jingles her whole body anxiously, “I can’t hear them. I can hear them of course. Just like a crowd of people, but I can’t hear them,” she nods her head minutely towards the door.

Tina leans back on her ankles at a ragged wooden door, which has managed to open itself slightly amidst the chaos in the tiny area. A beam of light shines in. As does a cacophony of twittering, scratching and snorting. A small smile falls onto Tina’s face.

It’s so obvious she doesn’t know how she didn’t realise before. Of course Newt’s case isn’t just a small work area, with several small creatures running around his feet. Not just, an adorable tiny leaf who sits on his shoulder and the extraordinary, life-saving, bat like ‘swooping evil’ in his pocket. He’s a man who likes breaking the rules, after all. This must be only the beginning. How many creatures does he have in here?

In a trance she wanders across the wooden boards, hearing the beastly noises getting louder and louder. It’s like music in a jazz club, intriguing and buzzing. It makes her foot tap and blood race. She reaches out a hand, and goes to slightly push when-

“Tina?” Newt says quietly. She whips round, her hand quickly jumping off the door. The others are all staring at her- Queenie restlessly, Jacob distractedly, and Newt…well Newt. He’s removed his great coat, and she watches his chest breath underneath his musty waistcoat, refusing to meet his eyes. What must he think of her? She’s was about to open what must be the most important room in his life (if there is such a thing for everyone) and without his permission. It would be like a person she just met snatching her old auror badge out of her hands. She can feel the anxiety dancing against her chest by just imaging it.

And worst of all- realisation suddenly hits her like a slap. She already has. She took his case, without his permission and handed it in. To people, she thinks bitterly, who wouldn’t have treated it or the beings inside with the respect they deserved. And not just to one or two creatures like she previously believed. To apparently many, innocent creatures who had done nothing wrong.

But, the reasonable side of her brain argues, you thought you were doing the right thing. You thought he was helping the person causing all the damage to no-maj’s and wizard’s alike. Handing him in to your government was the logical thing to do (at the time). He’d just escaped from your house in the middle of the night with no explanation for Circe’s sake, what were you supposed to think?

Yes, her conscience says quietly back, but you were wrong. And don’t forget what you said yesterday- ‘an extermination guide’. That’s the impression you gave him of what you would do to his fantastic beasts.

Her eyes burn a bit and she swears at them in English and Yiddish until she feels the tears retract themselves. He must hate her. She would. She does.

“Tina?” he repeats concerned. She looks at him properly. His eyes are blue. And gold. With flecks of green. They’re all at once soft, compassionate and sad. They move between her own and the occamy baby, who has slivered out of the tea pot and has made it’s home around his neck. Newt’s expression never changes between her and his creature, and it squeezes her heart a bit.

“I’m so sorry,” she stutters, “I didn’t mean to, well I did, at the time, but now,” she squeezes her fingernails into her palms to the point of pain, begging him to understand the context beneath her words. He does. Newt’s posture straightens. His mouth is set in a solemn line. She gives a shaky intake of breath, wondering if getting on her knees would be enough. Or and most likely, it would make her look even more pathetic.  

“I didn’t understand, but I do now,” she says to her shoes, “I was wrong. I only thought…but I promise, again, I never meant…it’s just” she rocks backwards and forwards on her heels awkwardly. How can she tell him, that after all that she’s done and said, that this place calls to her? In a way she only thought she’d feel again after solving a case or finally getting Credence out of that awful woman’s hands.

A sharp cry breaks her out of her thoughts. The occamy opens its golden beak giving another loud screech. It seems to have gotten sick of it’s post around Newt’s neck and is wanting attention. It’s eyes are just as mesmerising as in Macy’s, deep and dark and completely trusting. It bumps Newt on the head, hard. But he still seems to be frozen, not even flinching although it must’ve hurt. Stuck in time by the job of comprehending her staggered speech, he completely ignores it. The occamy shakes it’s dainty head agitatedly, and leans back again, seemingly going for an even harder hit.

“No darling,” Tina says quickly, pushing her palm between Newt’s head and the assault. The occamy, unable to stop itself, crashes into her hand. Tina doesn’t know which is worse. The pain of a sharp beak or the slight tingle enlightened her skin which came from brushing a few hairs of Newt’s fringe. The occamy stares at her, and Tina feels like she’s inherited Queenie’s talent for a second. ‘Another human!’ it seems to say, ‘will you pay attention to me?’ It slithers its strong body around her wrist, a feathered bracelet. Deciding it likes it’s new home, it wraps even tighter causing her bones to crack.

“Ahh,” Tina breaths out a painful laugh, “like this I think,” she cups her hands, gesturing motherly to the makeshift bowel she’s made and the occamy slips into it. It settles down, testing out it’s new environment- pulling at the buttons on the edge of her sleeve, noticing it’s own reflection in the shiny surface of her necklace. “Yes, there you go,” she whispers, smiling in wonder at it’s acceptance of her.

“It’s okay,” Newt says softly. Tina whips her eyes up. He’s staring at her, in a way she hasn’t seen before. Hasn’t seen from anyone before, “I forgive you,” he offers her a small grin, and gives a slight stroke to the occamy who has nested happily onto her fingertips.

“Do you- want to go in?” he asks, bobbing his head towards the door. Contented again, back in his element.

“Yes, of course. If you’d like me too,” Tina says, a bit too quickly.

“I’d like you to,” They stand there stupidly, nodding at each other, eyes bright. Tina offers up her armful of occamy.

“No, no,” now Newt seems to be the nervous one, “I want you take her. I’ll…supervise,” he gives a huff of laughter. He finally trusts her, Tina thinks breathing out a thankful breath. And I trust him.  

“Okay then,” Tina grins down stupidly at the occamy who has started fidgeting again.

“Well, are we doing this?” Jacob’s voice rings out, re-adjusting his arms around Dougal, whose eyes are currently flashing a bright blue.  

“Yes, yes,” Newt claps his hands together. He moves around Tina, refusing to meet her eyes again and pushes open the door. He walks briskly into the magical environment, and Tina’s eyes burn in the burst of light. She takes one step, then another, looking around in wonder, clasping the occamy closer to her chest. She hears the brusque sounds of Jacobs steps following her. Then…nothing. Twisting her head around slightly, she notices Queenie hanging by the edge of the shed. She hasn’t taken a foot outside.