#mini snippet

[thepenultimateword]

Sneak Peak...

...of something I'm writing right now.

"She doesn’t look particularly well-fed to me. Release her.”

The guards broke under the second order; the hold abruptly lifted, and having been half-supported by such, Bryony fell forward onto her hands.

“What is a vampire doing trespassing on Wulfhelm property? My guards think you’re here for me.” He fluffed the fur on one cheek. “I wouldn’t blame you. However, the unconventional manner of your break-in raises some doubts.”

“What break-in?” Bryony said. “I came up the walk like any other civilized person.”

“My point exactly.”

[49-ibr]

"Which fabric blends best with the night sky?" asked the seamstress to nobody at all, holding up the silky fabric to the window.

It shimmered, as black as spilled ink, speckled with sparse white glitter that looked akin to the stars.

Almost perfect - so very close to perfect, in fact, that many would never be able to know the difference - but not quite the right texture to mimic the divine sky.

She hummed, then twisted the fabric.

In an instant, it changed.

Cloth turned to cloth, but a different kind of cloth, this one more like sunset.

Amber and ruby and gold.

She hummed, thoughtful, before making her choice and lying it flat over the table.

(This is based on the magic of Costume in my upcoming book of urban fantasy tales!)

[cokoweee]

Srry drawing these guys make me happy atm

[therobotmonster]

I know I wasn't supposed to.

But I went into the woods.

Another me came out.

We seem to be equally suspicious that the other is the imposter. I keep checking him for roots and he keeps doing the same to me. Is it a double bluff? Is he gaslighting me into thinking I'm the neverwas thing and he's the human being with organs and anxiety? Is he truly unaware he's a mockery given shape? If he can be unaware of it, I can be too.

That's kind of a lonely thought, really.

-

It's been several days and the tests are all inconclusive. We both bleed normal blood that doesn't turn into a spider and jump to the ceiling when you touch it with a hot wire. We know the same trivia. We pretended to know the same stuff we forgot that we were embarrassed not to remember. We both got uncomfortable at the exact same time when we walked into the cathedral.

We arm wrestled and didn't tie somehow, but we weren't sure if winning meant he was more likely to be fake or less likely.

I worry that we don't really know anything about accursed other selves from the woods.

Wikipedia has been less than helpful.

-

Mom claims she knows which one of us is her 'first boy' but refuses to tell us on the basis that she loves us both and thinks we should get along.

He thinks she can't tell and is too embarrassed to tell us. I think its because she wants to double her chance at grandkids. The difference in opinion is interesting, but is it a sign of an imposter, or the divergence of our experiences?

-

We've decided to flip for the job. I won, so I don't have to find new work. I don't know if that's a win.

I think the curse is that neither one of us is an unnatural imposter out to kill the other. Or else whichever one of us is the monster has realized they don't think my life is worth killing to steal.

I know I think about smashing that copy of my own face open with a rusty fire axe, a gush of sea water and blasphemous screams roiling from the empty hole that should contain bone and brains, and it just seems like a lot of trouble and effort.

I think I'm going to start going by my middle name.

-

Another me just showed up on our doorstep.

He's caked in mud, sticks and twigs in his hair, babbling about harrowing experiences. I'm fixing him some tea while the other-other me hands him the pamphlet we made just in case.

Now he's telling us about the Night King. Like we don't know.

I need a bigger place.

[uniquethingtastemaker]

Alright, I had a Rafayel x Reader fanfic idea from Love and Deepspace. I had to throw something out there because I like the idea and I like sharing. It’s a little messy, but it gets the point across. Plus, there’s some actual writing in here. Unedited low key, but still very good. Here it is:

So what if Raf was paired with an MC who’s extremely perceptive. Like they know Raf is putting on an act and they don’t push. Obviously, he’s not ready so you’ll wait and continue to reach out your hand time and time again. Reassure him via your actions, words, communication, and body language that you’re not leaving and that you care. Valuing clear communication is a huge priority for MC.

Raf would be completely baffled by this and also wary and suspicious. Absolutely asks, “why are you doing this? Is this some sort of trick?”

Reader responds with “No, you just look lonely and you seem like a good person, so I want to get closer to you… Although, I have noticed a strange pull to you… If I had to describe it, it’s like the gentle pull of a tide, coaxing you into the ocean. It’s not aggressive or anything. It’s just encouraging you to explore the reality of the sea. Both the beautiful, brutal, and bizarre. At the end of the day, the complete whole of everything makes it complex and interesting.”

Raf is speechless because I think at this point he wouldn’t have told you he’s a Lemurian.

He asks in a quiet, breathless whisper, “Why did you use a sea metaphor?”

You tilt your head with a fond laugh. “Why wouldn’t I? You love the sea. You talk about it constantly, it’s the subject of most of your paintings, you love seafood, and you live on the beach. I used a comparison you would understand best.”

“Do your feelings go as deep as my love for the ocean?” he questions.

He struggles to keep a steady voice. Rafayel involuntarily swallows. His ears glow a warm red. You think about it.

You don’t want to lie, so you hum, smiling, “Not yet, but I would like to get to try. Will you help me get to know the ocean?”

You put out your hand, silently asking for his. The artist hesitates. Then with slow, careful movements, he clasps yours.

“Ok,” the young man agrees.

You grin and pull him closer. ”Thank you. I’ll take good care of you, my pearl.”

Rafayel’s breath hitches as he stares at you with wide eyes. He’s never felt this loved or cared for in his entire life. It’s so much, he almost feels overwhelmed. He wants to keep this. Maybe… Maybe he can have a good thing for once and not fear someone leaving as strongly as before. It won’t instantly go away, but it can be a gradual progression. They’ve shown him that even when he wasn’t at his best, they would still stay by his side after all. He’s still scared and tentative because he knows how deep his feelings are for them. However, they chose to stay even through some rough waters.

Rafayel takes a deep breath, glancing away, overwhelmed by the notion.

He places his hands on their shoulders and palms their shirt.

“Please do,” he murmurs before wrapping them in a hug and burying his head in their hair.

They chuckle, returning the motion and rubbing his back.

“I promise.”

The artist squeezes them tighter. He never wants to let go. He prays they’ll stay with him forever.

[gothamite-rambler]

Spoiler (looking at the ticking bomb): Hood go on without me, get to safety.

Spoiler clutched her leg where she had been shot by the Joker. The bomb ticked down slowly as the two only had a short time to escape. Spoiler could barely stand and she didn't want to be the reason her friend didn't get to finally deal with the Joker his way.

Spoiler (weak smile): Get the Joker and give him hell. I'll... You'll see me again, right?

Red Hood clenched his fists tightly seeing the timer at only a minute, then fifty nine seconds, fifty eight, fifty seven.

Red Hood (picking up Spoiler): Come on, we're getting out together!

Red Hood raced out of the building with his friend. He didn't stumble or trip making it to the last exit. The bomb ticked down faster. Red Hood remembered staring at a bomb before everything went black.

That wasn't happening again!

Red Hood made it out of the building with Spoiler in his arms and he kept running just as the bomb made it to zero and exploded. They were safe. Red Hood placed Spoiler on the ground, breathing heavy.

Spoiler: Why didn't you... Go after him? You could've-

Red Hood hugged Spoiler remaining silent as the sound of flames crackling in the wind could be heard.

Spoiler (beaming): You do care about me!

Red Hood: Shut up.

Spoiler: I'm on the list with Cass and Dick? I feel so special.

Red Hood pulled back and removed his helmet. He smiled softly.

Red Hood: I hate him, but not enough to make someone I tolerate die. Count yourself lucky.

Spoiler tapped her chin for a second then clapped like Cass does.

Red Hood: You know you still have a bullet in your leg right?

Spoiler: Yeah and I'm in such much pain, but my new bestie saved me! So that eased some of the... Pulsing thigh pain.

Spoiler laughed, laying back on the ground. Red Hood smirked, patting the girl on her head to annoy her.

Red Hood: Whatever. You owe me.

[cosmic-seer]

Now I'm just imagining when mc/Juliana comes back, barely clinging onto koridon. She tries to reasure everyone she's ok...while they're too busy staring at her crystallized arm

“Sorry I didn’t say something sooner…”

[assortedcriminality]

snippet #6

contains: blood, cursing

Hero lay on their back, breathing shallowly as blood leaked in a thin stream through their crimson-stained fingers, adding to a growing pool beneath them. If they had to rank every stab wound they’d received, this one would be at the very bottom. Their eyes were shut tight, the electric pain radiating from their stomach so great that they couldn’t sense when someone else entered the grimy alley.

A nudge to their side made Hero’s eyes fly open, immediately locking contact with the pitying gaze of the perpetrator. “God, you look awful,” Villain said. The sharp sting that the nudge sparked through their body had Hero let out a low groan, but they couldn’t attempt to move. “Oh, come on. Aren’t you going to get up and hit me?”

“The knife was poisoned, you asshole,” Hero managed to rasp through gritted teeth. “I can’t feel my legs.”

Their nemesis crossed their arms. “Hmph. How unsportsmanlike. Who did that, then?”

“Your friend, Other Villain. They said they had information about Supervillain.” The idea seemed so stupid now, the trap obvious. This was what Hero got for choosing to trust a criminal. Though they couldn’t say they had learned anything, as the devious mastermind that stood above them was probably the person they trusted most in the city. 

“First of all, they are absolutely not my friend,” Villain objected. “They’re a conniving, backstabbing bastard. You should’ve called me.”

“A bit late for that, don't you think?” Hero’s voice came out higher, more strained with each word.

The criminal leaned over, studying them with a quick, sweeping look. “Can you walk yet?”

“Do you think I’m lying here for fun?” They snapped. “No, I can’t walk!”

Villain tapped a finger to their chin in mock deliberation. “What a predicament we find ourselves in, my dear Hero. I suppose there is no other recourse but for me to carry you.” 

“No—Villain, wait, Villain-” This time, when Villain reached their hands behind Hero’s back and knees, the touch didn’t immediately spark pain. It wasn’t until they swiftly lifted the crimefighter into their arms that agony seared like a white-hot brand in Hero’s side. They cried out, choking on a scream that became a hoarse cough. The feeling overloaded their senses, turning their nerves into nothing but conduits for pain as Hero sank into their nemesis’ strong grasp, head falling onto Villain’s chest. 

“Hero. Hero, look at me. Look at me.” The sudden intensity of their voice sharpened Hero’s focus, if only a little, and allowed their unfocused gaze to meet Villain’s again. “Jesus, you look like shit.” But an edge of fear was creeping into their tone, something that would have alarmed Hero even further had they been closer to coherence.  

Hero was no longer capable of opening their mouth, let alone providing a vocal response. Villain seemed to understand them anyway. “Stay with me, Hero,” they murmured, and both nemeses braced as best they could as Villain turned around and hurried out of the alley. 

word count: 501

@sausages-things

[mediumgayitalian]

i am so tired i left it way too long so no full fic tonight. but i have a TREAT for yall 👀👀

[ranzemn]

LITTLE RIN WAS A CUTIE PATOOTIE, HE'S LIKE, THE CUTEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN

JUST LOOK AT HIM, HE LOOKS LIKE SUCH A LIL DUM DUM I LOVE HIM

[bumblbytrash]

Terminal Snippet- grounded airport au

This is the tail end of a quick game of Keep Away with Vi's wallet + first kiss. Lemme know what y'all think.

Caitlyn leaned back against the wall, up on her toes, and held Vi's wallet as high as she could get it. She was panting hard but laughing harder, almost to the point of tears, and closed her eyes.

Vi had one hand on the wall next to Caitlyn, her other reaching up towards her wallet. She made a few hops to try and grab it, but only succeeding in grabbing Caitlyn's arm. Suddenly Vi stopped, her hand wrapped around Caitlyn's forearm. Caitlyn's laughter was starting to come down, but she hadn't yet opened her eyes. She felt Vi's hand slowly slide down her arm, and Caitlyn grinned through her panting, relishing her victory. Her eyes shot open and her breath halted when she felt Vi's hand on her cheek.

"Caitlyn." The word almost sounded like a prayer, like a soft word spoken to an open sky, not meant to be heard by anyone or anything that wasn't celestial. But it was meant for her.

Caitlyn looked down at Vi, and found her eyes dark and searching. Her mouth was still open from her prayer, and Caitlyn could feel the warmth of her breath. Caitlyn felt hot under Vi's gaze, and absentmindedly lowered herself off of her toes. She was still taller than Vi, but the motion brought their faces, their lips, closer together.

Caitlyn didn't miss the way Vi's eyes darted down to her lips, nor did she miss how Vi licked her own before looking back up. Steel grey searched an ocean of blue, looking for the answer to a question Caitlyn felt didn't even need to be asked.

Vi's thumb circled Caitlyn's cheek, and then her hold was firmer, pulling Caitlyn into her. The kiss was soft, chaste even. Caitlyn didn't respond immediately, frozen and taken aback by the events of the last 15 seconds. When Vi started to pull away, a sheepish, almost apologetic look on her face, Caitlyn dropped the wallet, and grabbed the lapels of Vi's jacket with both of her hands.

"I admit, you took me by surprise, but if it's all the same to you, I'm not quite done yet," Caitlyn murmured before resuming their kiss.

[49-ibr]

"Honey, aren't you tired?" asked the mother with a frown on her face. She reached out, cradling her daughter's cheek. "Aren't you tired of pretending to feel nothing at all?"

The little girl stared onwards.

Her eyes were as empty as cracked bottles of water, most of the liquid having already made puddles on floor.

Another sigh slipped from the mother's pouting lips. "Honey?"

Without even blinking, the little girl looked back up at her mother. "I miss them," she said, in her soft and somber voice.

"Who?"

"All of them."

Brow furrowing, the mother tried to read her daughter's gaze. "All of whom, honey?"

"Everyone who has ever lived," she said with a knowledge that a child never should have held, "and everyone who has ever died."

(This is based on the magic of Grief in my series, 49!)

[cauldron-of-oddities]

A little snippet that came to life on the discord and warm up to get back into writing.

In a quiet moment between, Jinx has a little crisis and Ekko gets his wish.

To Kiss You

Dusk is her time, a friendly, if lonely phantom, sitting by the ledge of his front door, the firelights flickering around her, legs hanging over the edge. For a moment, he hears a steady but muffled beat, rembers a dimmed bar, and party lights floating in the air. And then that hazy gentle insistent pull, the memory of soft lips on his, a warm hand on his cheek and then just… just feeling, falling in the best of ways.

From his spot by the door, he can see her roll her shoulder and the shiver that runs through her. With a fond huff, he steps back in and grabs his coat. As he sits down beside her, he wraps his coat over her shoulders. It enveloples her, and he delights in her little startle.

Jinx humms her thanks as something both terribly warm and vulnerable blooms when she tucks the heavy fabric around her and nuzzles the collar with a deep inhale.

He takes a momet to bask, in finally being able to sit beside her, to spend time just being in comfortable silence. He wonders if he'd break the moment if he tried to lace their fingers together.

“Was she a good kisser?” The question dropping out of the blue.

He almost choking on his own spit. A quick glance from her, and then she's looking out again, away from him.

“Don't look so shocked, doesn't take a genius to put two and two together, ya know?” A self deprecating smile forms itself. He takes a breath, ready to ask how she knows, when she beats him to it.

“I see the way you look when you talk about the other place, the other me…” Jinx wilts as the next words leave her. “And then I see you looking a me, all sad… and sometimes at my lips… She was every I should be right? You should have stayed.” He can hear the tears forming in her voice.

“That's the thing!” He all but shouts. Frustration bubble in his chest. “You. Are. Her. As she is you.” She's right in that he does look at her with longing. But not, for the other her, but for what he had there, for that connection for the little spark of hope of what he could share with her that he took with him.

He twists towards her, tucking a leg under him and leans his forehead to hers. Ekko takes a deep breath and softly tells her so. And then, because she's clever and knows and that pull still hasn't left him, “Do you know how bad I want to kiss you?”

Her mouth falls open and wide eyes look at him. It takes everything in him to not just dip down. “Me?” It's a whisper.

“Yeah, you.” He's more than ever convinced she's the most beautiful girl he knows as red blooms from her cheeks down to her neck.

She shifts her position to mirror his and he feels a hesitant hand on his. She swallows “Can you pretend? Pretend it's the first time?” Guileless eyes find his and that line breaks him. No matter the universe, it seemed they'd always mirror each other. And wasn't that the most comforting thought he'd ever had?

It only seems right, that it's his turn. His fingers rise to her face and slowly trace from cheek to jaw to stopping just shy of her nape. It's the softest tug he gives that has her leaning in her eyes darting down before closing and her lips parting. It's an achingly tender touch, just a breath and then another, before closing the gap completely.

Chapped and soft and a little nip, it's utterly her. The kiss leaves him giddy and he hopes that she feels as warm and home as he does. Glowing eyes, and her toung darting out to trace her lips have him mesmerised and the shy whispered "Again?" tell him all he needs.

[neon-kazoo]

I humbly request to see hero and villain going to build a bear 🥸

(Anything for my bestest beta-reader o7)

Hero and Villain Go To Build-a-Bear

When Hero entered the mall, they could never have imagined Villain’s affinity for stuffed animals, and the chaos it would cause.

The first red flag should have been the look of glee in their eyes when they spotted the “Build-a-Bear Workshop” sign.

Before Hero could blink, about a dozen children were running out of the store, screaming at the villain’s spontaneous arrival. Frantic parents followed, and soon Villain had the store all to themselves.

By the time Hero entered, there was already a deflated animal in their hands. A worker reached for it to begin filling it with stuffing, only for Villain to snatch their hand back and gesture for her to leave. Hero shrugged helplessly.

Who was she to argue with the notorious villain taking over the store?

The employee stepped back as Villain commandeered the stuffing machine, retreating to behind the counter.

Villain completed and repeated the process by heart, filling the animals to their preferred firmness, kissing a small silk heart, and retying the stitching in the back.

After the sixth stuffing, Hero let out a long sigh.

“Are you done, yet?”

Hero certainly was.

“Of course I’m not done!”

Hero sat in the corner, head in their hands as Villain stuffed yet another bear.

This time, when Villain came to present their new child to the hero, there was something suspicious in their smile. As Hero lowered their gaze from their face to their hands, they quickly understood why.

“IS THAT ME?!”

Sure enough, Villain held the Hero-branded teddy in their arms, only its signature suit was swapped for none other than a striped prison jumpsuit.

Why Build-a-Bear even carried jail-themed attire for plushies, Hero had no idea.

Just when Hero thought that was the cherry on top, Villain squeezed the look-a-like bear right in the center.

A creepily accurate voice spoke the words, “I surrender.”

Hero blinked, equal parts impressed and creeped out.

Satisfied by their reaction, Villain turned their sights to the accessories section.

The criminal gasped as they laid eyes on a standing red sign. At the same time, Hero groaned. The sign said ‘buy-four-get-one-outfit-item-free’, and Villain certainly took that to heart.

A purple skirt, a doctor’s outfit, flip flops, red rain boots, two pairs of roller skates, a bucket hat, carrying bag, and so many shirts Hero lost count. The floor was littered in forgotten items, looking like a tornado had hit the store. Hero doubted Villain could see past the items stacked in their arms to even pick up anything they dropped.

Villain heaped their haul on to the countertop in front of the poor employee who definitely did not get paid enough to scan all of that.

The pile contained a pink frog, a green frog, a tie-dye frog (Villain insisted they were a family, and therefore could not be separated), a Darth Vader, a Marvel WandaVision pair, and some kind of fluffy cow with horns.

Oh, and of course the imprisoned Hero bear, complete with sparkly pink sneakers.

Finally, this ordeal was coming to an end.

“Excuse me,” Villain asked, “where do you keep the Villain bears?”

Oh no.

“The…Villain bears?” The confused employee parroted.

“Yes. My bears,” Villain confirmed with confidence.

“Right. Erm…,” she looked around in a show of contemplation, scanning the bins of plushie skins against the wall.

“We seem to be…out of those.”

She typed some probable nonsense into the screen in front of her before putting on a low-effort disappointed face.

“They were limited edition, I’m afraid. Sold out at every store.”

Hero was impressed by the lie. Maybe they needed to speak to the manager about a raise.

The news barely put a damper on the villain’s excitement, they were still vibrating with joy as they put in their email and printed out eight birth certificates.

Once the total rang up, Villain turned to face the hero expectantly.

“Oh no,” Hero stepped back in realization, “The deal was I accompany you peacefully to the mall and you don’t destroy the city. You said nothing about me footing the bill.”

The Villain simply smiled.

“Surely villainy pays enough for this,” Hero questioned, eyeing the amount on the screen with wide eyes.

Shouldn’t a villain just steal it all?

“You do like this city, right?” Villain questioned back, raising an eyebrow.

Ah, the cost of heroics: several hundred dollars.

[bigsnzstanacct]

“O-oh shihhhh…”

“Uh oh, cover your ears, she’s about to blow…”

“H-honey you kn-knuuhhhhh… y’know I h-hate thahhhh… hhahhHHHHH… HHHHUUHHHH… HHHHHEEEEIIIIIISSSSHHHHHHHHOOOOO!!” She all but screamed out.

“Leave in your earplugs, there’s three or four more to come!”

“YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIISSSSHHHHHHHHH!!!”

“Once the cannon starts firing…”

“EEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHWWWWWWWWWWWIIEE!!”

“Doesn’t stop til its blown out all the gunpowder!”

“YYYYYEEEIIIIIIIIISSSHHHH!!! HHHHHHHHEEEEEEIIIIIIIIISSSSHHHHHHHH!!! HhUUUUUUUHHHHHHH… HHUUUUUUUUUHHHHHH… HHHEEEUUUUUUHHHHHHH???”

“Big finale!”

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!”

[culiehua]

Imagine: our beloved shadowhunters in a vampire diaries S4x22/23 type of scenario where the veil between the living and the dead falls and chaos ensues

angry dead people are back for unifinished business with the mcs, you name it, they face it

(hint hint it's terrible)

magnus & co. are looking for a way to bring it back up but it's difficult enough without the now corporeal walking dead terrorists

the veil separates the living and the ghosts of those who are not ready to move on but also other supernatural whatnots

meaning that demons frequently infiltrate the other side bc it's a parallel dimensional death realm but usually rarely find weaknesses in the veil to cross over (and be killed by "stupid hot people")

but the whole thing is gone so demons are flooding everywhere and it is not that great

because the dead can now become tangible again (if they want to that is), they do that, e.g. Valentine and his posse go for Clary, and there are just so many

(we'll get back to them)

Meanwhile in London, Yanluo has crawled his way into Cirenworth because demons can hold grudges forever and he still has quite the bone to pick with Wenyu, Yiwen and Elias' blood (i.e. Jem holds the #1 spot in his deathnote (yes yanluo has a deathnote in canon myth even though it works a bit differently))

and why give up such ample opportunity for petty revenge?

nobody at the Carstairs home knows what is going on however (Tessa is with Magnus in New York)

so Mina is ripped out of her cradle in the middle of the night and held hostage until Jem hears her cry

listen. my chinese violin man has seen some shit

in his long (but not as long as it could have been) life he has spent more time flirting with his death than most and seems practically unflappable atp

but this is a nightmare he's never been able to completely get over (because watching your parents die while being tortured is traumatic™)

so jem is restrained and absolutely terrified to his core bc this cannot be happening again

fate has a really fucked up sense of humor, he thinks

history repeating itself was not on his bingo card and he is not sure if it's him or his sweet sweet baby girl that is going to croak. After all that effort to stay alive

and he prays to the angel it's him. Anyone but little love Mina, and he wonders, distantly, if his mother had felt the same way when she died

(The anguish and agony forever carved into his memory and onto her face tell him she would have)

Yanluo's ready to strike and poison him again but instead get's flung to the other side of the hall

(no minas were harmed in this scene)

things are moving too fast for him to see but in his injury induced haze he swears he hallucinates the image of his mother reaching for him before passing out

when he wakes up again it's to a destroyed foyer and his crying baby in his Kit's arms who looks a lot worse for wear

so the fight had been real. he definitely didn't imagine that

But he soon comes to the realization that he must have imagined his mother in someone else's stead, coming to protect him. How pathetic of him. He'd have to thank them later.

He hasn't spotted the unsheathed Jian coverd in ichor on the left side of the room yet.

For a couple of minutes he takes deep breaths. It was over.

He's as calm as he could get under his circumstamces

But it's Kit's disgruntled throwaway comment that shatters all semblance of peace he's found

"What the heck? Wenyu never told me she could fight like that!"

(amidst it all, young brown eyes and golden ones meet over Kit's shoulder)

Back in New York, a desperate redheaded girl was surprised to see another pair of green eyes joining the chaos and helping her fight off Valentine

and maybe, though she'll never admit it to anyone but herself, a long standing heavy weight was now off her shoulders after this day

(and if she felt lighter than she has in a long time, nobody had to know.)