#my first ever attempt at rainbow set

[leeeeeeeeech]

Don't Wanna be your Friend Anymore

"B-Beee." I slur, leaning against the ghoul, my vision swimming behind my drooping eyelids. The alcohol kicked in much quicker than I would've liked it too. This game was a dumb idea.

"Told ya," He chuckled, tucking some of my hair behind my ear with a delicate claw. "You cannot hold your liquor fer shit, tootsie pop."

I go to argue with him, but the bile that jumps into my throat beats me to it. I practically launch myself from the couch to stumble towards the bathroom. Beetlejuice cackles, triumphant that he'd won. I come back, sweatier and a couple shots lighter, to Beetlejuice sipping on another bottle of tequila. His hair a subtle purple hue.

"Damn, Beej, you goin' through something?" He jumps, a little startled, before he jerkily shrugs his shoulders, the purple retreating into his hair line, quickly replaced by his signature electric green.

"Nah, I like the burn," He takes another gulp, making a sour face as he set the bottle down. "Augh yep! That's the stuff."

"Come on, what's wrong? You're purple."

His eyes widen, hands jumping to his hair, attempting to cover it up. "N-Nothing's wrong. I just.. ughhh fuck okay okay." He sighs, gritting his teeth. My heart breaks as the purple comes back full force, it even bleeds past his hair. His tie and the white stripes of his suit a faded plum color.

Oh no.

"I miss you." He whispers, his voice strained. I sit next to him on the couch, scooting closer until our legs bump together.

"But I'm right here, Beej." I reach for his hand, but he smacks it away.

"No! No, you're not. Ever since you took that dumbass job you never have time for me!"

"How? We hang out every night."

He shakes his head, red sprouting into the purple, like splotches of blood.

"No. We really don't Y/n. This is the first time we've had an actual conversation in weeks, and it's only happening because we're both drunk!"

My head is swimming from this revelation. Was my new job really affecting him this much? I thought that things were good between us. I... I really fucked up, didn't I?

"I'm sorry, Beetlejuice, why didn't you say anything before?"

He shakes his head. "I didn't want... fuck.. this shit is really somethin' huh?" He gestures to the half empty bottle of tequila. "It really makes ya just say anything!" He laughs, but the joy doesn't reach his eyes, or his hair, or..anywhere really. A mirthless noise.

"Beej, you can be honest, I'm sorry we haven't hung out like we used to. I've been a terrible friend to you."

Beetlejuice mutters something angrily under his breath, crossing his arms and turning away from me. "What?" I lean towards him, grabbing a hold of his shoulder to balance myself.

"I don't want to be your friend." He says, punctuating each word with a pained hiss. I feel like complete shit. I took him for granted. "Beej, I'm so sorry! I wish I knew how to make all this better."

He's quiet for a while, seemingly contemplating, his hair changes from color to color. Red, blue, purple, orange, yellow....pink. I continue to watch in silence as he broods. A soft pink remains at the root of his hair as it fades through the entire rainbow. He pauses for a moment, noticing that I hadn't said anything to him. His eyes meet mine, the pink crawling through his hair slowly, the purple sliding into the forefront of his head. His gaze flickered down to my lips for a beat.

"Beetlejuice, I know I messed up, and if you don't want me-"

"Shut up for a second."

I clamp my mouth shut, watching him carefully as he scoots closer to me.

"I-"

He cuts himself off, turning away from me with a scoff. I hear him grumble, "Fuck it." but before I can comment on it at all, his hands are cupping my face, and his lips are pressed up against mine. My eyes fluttered closed as he presses into me, my hands wandering up into his hair to pull on the ever-changing strands. He groans into the kiss, the vibrations reverberating throughout me. It makes me shiver

He leans into me further, more hands groping, pinching, pulling. His tongue, cold and wet pressing against my teeth. His heavy breaths, and little groans are too much for me to handle. I push him off, panting and wiping at the slobbery residue of the kiss. Beetlejuice looks upset for a moment, but his eyes flick to my lips again and his hair goes bubblegum pink, strands of red settling in random patches. it makes him look like cinnamon candy.

"Bee-" He holds up a hand to my mouth, shushing me. He runs his free hand through his hair, a few mold spores falling out as he did so.

"Listen, Y/n, I.. I like you. A lot. Anytime I think about you and me it's like my heart's havin' an orgasm." His confession is rushed and stumbled through, but I quit listening to him once his hair started glowing. The pink shining so bright that it cast a soft light throughout the living room. I smiled at all my things being in Beej's light. I interrupt his ramble by kissing the hand that covered my mouth. He flinched, stopping mid sentence.

"You give my heart orgasms too, Beej." I laugh, holding on to his hand with both of mine. His shock quickly fades, replaced with that flirty cockiness that I've come to love.

"I bet I can make you feel like that all over~"

I lean forward into his space, grinning as his cheeks darken at my being so close. Liquid courage or love, I didn't care. I was going to see my ghoul pink for as long as possible.

"Let's test it."

(lil note): this is also on ao3!

[laenordeservedbetter]

Just idea to look over for if/when you feel like doing requests.

Sam and reader have always been close. The two grew up together. But after everything that happened in Woodsboro and them moving to New York, the two have grown even closer. Closer to the point where Sam sleeps in Readers bed because of her nightmares and one night when Sam thinks reader is asleep, she confesses her feelings to rs 'sleeping' figure.

Sweet Nothing

Words: 1.2k

Pairing: Samantha Carpenter x GN!Reader

Warnings: Mention of nightmares, cussing, fluff, humor in things that are supposed to be serious

This is set before the events of Scream VI. Reader is Tara and Sam’s roommate here, not Quinn.

Title is based on the song ‘Sweet Nothing’ by Taylor Swift :)

not my gif. || masterlist || previous work

Sam sleeping in your bed had turned into a customary routine pretty quickly after you moved to New York. It was no surprise, really. The two of you have stuck by each other your whole lives. Though, given everything that befell the town of Woodsboro, it’s safe to say that you and Sam had gotten closer.

However, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Moving to NYC helped, sure, but that did not fully erase the remnants of the trauma it has given all of you. Especially Sam.

The nights were often hard to endure because of the nightmares. It was why Sam didn’t get much sleep. You found that out when you saw her on the living room couch staring blankly at the television with bloodshot eyes. She was barely moving when you saw her. That was when she opened up about her nightmares, how she couldn’t sleep well. In turn, you invited her to rest in your room.

It seemed silly at first, but it proved to be fruitful when Sam admitted the next day that because of the sleepover, she had had the best sleep she's gotten in months since the murders.

From that day onwards, Sam has been staying in your bed and is rarely found in her own room to the point where Tara suggested that the three of you should get a new roommate who’ll occupy Sam’s space since the older Carpenter sibling doesn’t sleep there anymore.

But as much as your sleepovers are helping Sam, it is also torture for her.

It was no secret that she harbored feelings for you. How could she not? You grew up together, went through so much shit together, and left the fucked up town of Woodsboro together. Still, those things can’t encompass how she feels about you. Every minute you spend with each other singularly adds fuel to an open fire. Even if you spend time apart, it won’t matter. The feelings are still there to eat her up. But she’d rather take that any day than losing you.

“Are you awake?” Sam glances at you over her shoulder. You have your back turned, eyes closed. She sighs when you don’t reply. “Guess not.”

She tries to fall asleep as well, but it is proving to be difficult since this is one of the nights where her affection for you threatens to eat her alive. If nightmares aren’t her problem, it’s her feelings. No matter what she does, there’s always something keeping her up at night. Although if you were to ask, she’d say that she very much prefers the latter. Looking at you brings Sam a calmness that pulls her back to reality when the darkness is trying to drag her away.

In a split-second decision, Sam attempts to impart a description of how vast her love (it took her a long time to agnize that it was no longer a stupid crush) is for you to your sleeping figure.

“I didn’t find a safe space until I met you. To other people, I’m strong, despite all the fucked up shit I went through. Only in your arms do I allow myself to break. You see who I am and not who I appear to be. You are who I look forward to seeing at the end of the day. It is you who I would do anything for. You’re who I… love.” Sam breathes out, smiling at her own words. “Feels good to finally say that out loud.

“Loving you has been the easiest thing I have ever done. Though it took me a long time to understand what I feel, I am grateful because I finally found a name to the crazy storm of emotions that I experience whenever you look at me. And, fuck, I’d do anything for you to keep looking at me the way you do. But I’d never have the guts to say that when you are awake because what if you stop? That would certainly change things. I don’t want to lose you . . . It is enough for me to love you from afar. I don’t want to be selfish, pining for someone I can’t have. So, I’ll settle for this, hoping that that would be enough.”

Sam feels an invisible weight lift off of her shoulder. She did it. She finally confessed her feelings despite knowing that it doesn’t count since you aren't conscious to hear this. If Tara saw what is happening, she would likely call Sam out on being a chicken. The Carpenter girl closes her eyes, sleep creeping up on her before…

“You know, out of all the confessions I had imagined I would get from you, I would’ve never expected hearing that.” You turn to your side, facing Sam and you look on with amusement as her eyes widen in fear. “Not complaining, by the way. What you said was sweet.”

Sam looks away, her hand covering her eyes as if that would make this situation any less embarrassing. She waits for the ground to swallow her whole, but that moment never comes. “I’m sorry.”

Your brows furrow, “For what?”

“I’m sorry I feel this way.” She clarifies, “I understand if you don’t want to be friends anymore. I ruined everything. I’m so sorry.” Tears start to prickle in her eyes.

You seem to think ahead, considering how you sit up, gingerly pulling Sam’s hand away from her face before she can hurriedly wipe out the tears. “Sam, you didn’t ruin anything.” You assure her. It hurts you to know that she thinks that she is ruining what you have by falling in love with you, as if you haven’t made it obvious that you feel the same.

“I didn’t?” Sam appears confused, half-expecting you to turn away and leave.

“I love you too.” You admit, sheepishly. “I had a whole plan to declare it. I was gonna take you out tomorrow to your favorite diner. Then, I would have asked you to walk with me and confess my feelings while watching the gorgeous scenery, including all that sappy shit that we’ve only ever seen in movies, but I guess this works too.”

Sam blinks repeatedly (you would’ve thought she was malfunctioning if you didn’t know her) prior to getting on top of you to hit you with a pillow. “So you’re telling me that we could’ve gotten that instead of whatever this is? Why. Did. You. Pretend. You. Were. Sleeping. This. Whole. Time?!”

You put your hands in front of your face to shield yourself from the attack. Laughing, you manage to say, “In my defense, I didn’t know you were going to say that! For all I know, you could’ve been planning to tell me you have diarrhea or something!”

“Unbelievable.” Sam scoffs, getting off of you. She stands up, heading for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“To my room.” She answers, pointing an accusatory finger at you, “You’ll make it up to me tomorrow by taking me to that diner.”

“We’re not even gonna kiss?” You pout.

Sam shakes her head indignantly, “Nope. Not until you take me out to dinner.” Seeing how affected you are, she chuckles teasingly, “It’s not the end of the world, Y/n. Be patient.” Then, she disappears, leaving you in your room alone with your thoughts.

You slump back into the bed, giggling like someone with a school girl crush.

And to think that this was only the beginning.

[animebw]

Seasonal Reflection: Winter 2024 Anime

My feelings on the first anime season of 2024 can be summed up thusly: Most of my favorite shows from winter 2024 were continuations of shows that were already great from last season, not new entries. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and there were plenty of new anime I at least enjoyed watching. But it became clear about halfway through the season that aside from a couple fall 2023 holdovers, there was barely anything truly exciting going on here. Most of the adaptations I watched didn't do much to truly elevate their source material, and most of the few original series we got ended up the worst of the bunch. I can't say nothing good came out of winter 2024, but if this is any sign of how the rest of the year is gonna go, we may be in for a slog. For now, though, let's take stock of the anime I watched this season, and which ones are worth your time.

Metallic Rouge: 3/10

If you asked me what the worst show I finished this season would be at the start, I never would've guessed Metallic Rouge. I mean, it's a cool-ass original sci-fi anime from Bones with slick 2D mecha animation, surely that's gotta be at least a little cool, right? Sadly, no. Because this is, without question, one of the most baffling scripts I've ever seen in anime. Almost every single detail of its world and plot are barely explained, if at all, and the mechanics of what's even supposed to be going on are so nebulous that every attempt at a plot twist feels like a twist on something that never actually existed. Characters are plopped into the story without even an introduction. At times it feels like whole scenes have been cut out entirely. The only thing I can compare it to is the original Suicide Squad movie from 2016: a story so cut to the bone in the editing room that you can barely tell what's supposed to be happening half the time, and yet enough of the original story remains to suggest it was never any good in the first place. The one thing it gets right is the prickly chemistry between its two leads, and then it fucking keeps them separated for like half the damn runtime! How do you even unforced error that badly?

Bucchigiri: 3.5/10

Man, this was not a good season for original anime. Bucchigiri might not have been as staggering a writing trainwreck as Metallic Rouge, but its sin is arguably even worse; it's boring. It's a wacky, colorful high school delinquent romp with rainbow-haired Jojo's punks beating the snot out of each other with genie powers, it's sort of a re-imagining of Aladdin, it's got freaking Hiroko Utsumi at the helm, and it's boring. Why? Because this show gets absolutely stuck in the quicksand of its own status quo and refuses to budge an inch. Character growth is nonexistent, the protagonist is an aggravating loser wimp who never learns his lesson, and nothing of actual meaning happens from the first episode to the end. Literally everything you think is setting up a character arc where someone learns a lesson or grows as a person, all of it amounts to nothing. It's a limp, inert world that perpetuates the same overdone jokes and contrived, misunderstanding-based drama over and over again until all the outsized Utsumi visual personality feels like a tacky coat thrown on top of a lifeless corpse. What an utter waste.

Urusei Yatsura Season 2 (1st Cours): 5/10

I'm still not quite sure what to make of the Urusei Yatsura remake. is it charmingly dated? Annoyingly dated? A welcome throwback or a sign that some things should stay in the past? If nothing else, it never fails to get at least a couple chuckles out of me every episode. But the more it tries to lean into being actually sincere, the more its inherent cheesiness and lack of depth starts becoming a problem. I'm sorry, this cast of characters is just too abrasive and purposefully insane to take seriously, and none of their relationships are healthy enough to unironically root for. Lum and Ataru are not a couple I want to see actually get together, at least not unless Ataru stops being such a fucking shithead. And if him being a jackass could be charming in season 1, then this season is really starting to test my patience with him. It's one thing to be a serial skirt chaser, but his actions this season regularly cross a line from womanizing to unambiguous sex pest, and there's only so many wooden mallets he can get knocked over the head with before it stops feeling like like he's getting punished as much as he deserves to be.

Undead Unluck (2nd Cours): 5/10

Good news, everyone: Undead Unluck finally gave up on those awful groping gags that were ruining its central romance! Bad news: at the same time, it spontaneously developed one of the worst cases of recap padding I've ever seen! I'm not just talking overlong recap segments at the start of the episode, I'm talking constant flashbacks to events we just saw just moments before, straight up playing the same footage again just minutes apart, all climaxing in a truly unforgivable episode that spends seven goddamn minutes on recycled footage. Not even Tokyo Revengers was this bad with its time-wasting. And to add insult to injury, once it finally gets its feet unstuck and returns to a reasonable amount of recap for the final arc, it's probably the best arc of the entire show! It's some of the most bonkers high-concept emotional storytelling I've ever seen attempted, let alone pulled off so spectacularly. It's proof that there is so much brilliance to Undead Unluck, if it could just get out of its own way. But as long as it continues suffering from such massive systemic flaws, it's only ever going to be an also-ran.

Solo Leveling: 5.5/10

Okay, look; is this show dumb as a bag of rocks? Absolutely. Is it as nakedly an adolescent power fantasy as any anime has ever been? Ditto. Does it solely exist for dweeby incels to feel like swaggering douchebag chads getting revenge on all the normies who looked down on them by becoming The Bestest Strongest Chadliest Awesomest Of All Time? You know it. But god dammit, it's actually fun. I cannot pretend I'm too mature and sophisticated to enjoy a big, helping heaping of dumb edgy schlock when it's actually done well. I'm the one person on the face of the earth who still caries water for Akame ga Kill, for crying out loud. And Solo Leveling makes two really smart storytelling choices that keep it (mostly) on the entertaining side of dumb fun: building a genuinely interesting and intricate world that exists well beyond the scope of the protagonist's actions (for now, at least), and making sure that no matter how stupidly overpowered Jinwoo gets, his opponents are always just a little bit even more stupidly overpowered, so he's still pushed to his absolute breaking point and barely scraping together a win by the skin of his teeth every time. There is an art to edge that's too often taken for granted, and this show is proof that being the living embodiment of a twelve-year-old boy's wet dreams is no excuse not to be at least a decent version of that. That said, let's be real, Jinwoo was so much more attractive before his supposed glow-up. Give my boy back his scraggly rat locks, you cowards.

Bang Brave Bang Bravern: 6/10

What happens when a campy, cartoony 70s-style super robot anime crashes headfirst into a much grittier real robot anime? Well, what happens is Bang Brave Bang Bravern, the latest ten-car pileup of mismatched genres from the Cygames masterminds behind "What if horse racing but idols?" Take a desperate war story of survival against impossible odds, airdrop a skyscraper-sized superhero into the mix, and watch him completely shatter the original tone one cheekily ironic powerup and power-of-friendship speech at a time. It's a beautifully bonkers sendup of mecha tropes that has some of the funniest individual moments in this entire anime season, and the absolutely wild twist it pulls with the titular robot's identity in the back half is more than worth the price of admission on its own. Unfortunately, if it wanted to be as perfect a parody-until-it-isn't mecha series as Akiba Maid War was a parody-until-it-isn't mob flick, it probably should've tried being as long as most mecha series tend to be, i.e. more than just twelve measly episodes. There's just not enough time to develop any of the characters or world beyond the most essential parts, resulting in huge chunks of the supporting cast hanging around with nothing to do but take up space. And it leads to this show, which is trying to be so big and over the top, instead feeling so small and half-formed. Also, the secondary romance is gross. Like, really gross.

A Sign of Affection: 6/10

I think this show has helped clarify something for me: I'm really getting tired of how quickly modern romance anime get their main couple together. As much as we rag on the endless will-they-won't-they of ages past, taking so much time to build up the characters and their relationship before they finally make it official can result in some truly one-of-a-kind storytelling when done right. I might agonize over how long Sawako and Kuronoma take to get together in Kimi ni Todoke, but the payoff is so transcendent that none of those complaints matter. Whereas Yuki and Itsuomi getting together so quickly in A Sign of Affection... I mean, they're cute, I guess? His cool demeanor plays off her sincerity very well? But it feels like the show's in such a rush to get to the good stuff- and so determined to make Istuomi the dreamiest, most perfect boyfriend ever- that it skips over so much of the careful character-building that makes all the best anime romances so special. It's a sugary sweet confection, but wipe the frosting away and there's just not that much cake underneath. Honestly, I find the side characters a lot more interesting because they're allowed to have messy internal conflicts with a bit more meat on their bones. But hey, props for putting a deaf heroine at the center of your shoujo romance and taking so much time to explore how that affects the way she interacts with the world. That's a cause well worth celebrating.

Sengoku Youko: 6.5/10

Rejoice, everyone, we finally have an adaptation of a Satoshi Mizukami work that doesn't look like absolute garbage! After the flaming disaster that was Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer's barely animated hackjob production, Sengoku Youko has arrived to give the cult fave manga artist a chance for his work to actually shine on the silver screen. As someone who only knows him through Planet With, I've always wondered if Mizukami deserved the reputation his manga gets, and with White Fox delivering as tight and intense a production as they gave Re:Zero, I guess it's time to finally find out. And the answer is... mostly? Like, the biggest problems in this sci-fi/feudal fantasy mashup are the characters being a little too eager to state the themes out loud and one pretty crummy death that's about as hamfisted and over-telegraphed as I've seen in a while. But there's a shockingly gripping narrative underlying it all, a story about the scars trauma leaves on people, of characters making bad decisions and facing real consequences for them, of hatred and poisonous ideology forced to reckon with the more complex reality of the world as a whole. And it all climaxes in an absolute barn-burner final episode that knocked my score up a half point all on its own. If future seasons can make good on all the potential this first season has set up, then I may just end up a Mizukami fan myself when all is said and done.

Blue Exorcist Season 3: 6.5/10

I'm of two minds about Blue Exorcist's second return after a six-year gap between seasons. On one hand, it's clear the new staff is just nowhere near as talented as the folks who first brought this series to life at A-1 Pictures. The action is abysmal, the storyboarding is clunky, and the animation feels like it's constantly fighting for its life to maintain a passable standard. And it sucks that a series that once brought such great life to its story is now held back by such a mediocre production. But on the other hand... holy fuck, am I glad Blue Exorcist is back. I once described The Devil is a Part-Timer as the mathematical average of anime as a concept, but if you were to ask me what the best possible version of that mathematical average looks like? It would be Blue Exorcist. This is, hands down, one of the best straightforward shonen action stories in the whole medium, a reminder of why all the most generic and overused tropes were once powerful enough to become generic and overused in the first place. It's proof that even the simplest of "superpowered teens kick demon butt with the power of friendship" concepts can result in a wonderful goddamn series when handled with good old-fashioned storytelling fundamentals. And not even the rough-as-hell production is enough to keep season 3 from delivering on the thrills, tears, laughs, and cheers that make this series so magical. Just, please, give the next season more time in the oven so it doesn't feel like it's wading through molasses to hit those heights. Okay?

Delicious in Dungeon (1st Cours): 7/10

Delicious in Dungeon's biggest problem is that it takes a while to really settle into itself. The opening scene of the protagonist's sister being devoured by a dragon sets the tone for an intense and desperate rescue mission, but the actual series that follows this harrowing opening is as lackadaisical as can be. And it's jarring to be thrust into a gag-filled, character-driven fantasy cooking comedy where the harsh tone of that opening scene and the ticking clock of Falin's digestion completely disappear from the characters' heads in favor of how beast to cook and eat the various fantasy monsters they encounter in the dungeon. Yes, it makes a little more sense once the mechanics of death and resurrection are explained later on, but it's a weird note to start on. Which is a shame, because once Delicious in Dungeon gets a handle on what kind of story it's trying to be, it's really fun! Its sense of deadpan comedy coupled with Trigger's expressive animation makes for some really unexpected gags, and the way it explores its fantasy cuisine is genuinely some of the most creative stuff I've ever seen in the cooking anime genre. Plus, with the dark tone coming back in at the end of the first cours- and landing much more naturally this time- I have high hopes for how this series will marry those two sides of itself moving forward. If the manga fans' reactions are any indication, I think we're in for a damn good time.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2nd Cours): 8/10

So remember in my last post how I said that it was kind of disappointing whenever Frieren turned into an action show because of how disconnected the fights were from the beating heart that makes this show so special? Well, apparently the writers heard me and decided what I meant was I wanted this peaceful, meditative tale about grief, change and the passage of time to turn into the goddamn Hunter Exams for ten episodes straight. It's one of the most shockingly ill-advised storytelling swerves I've seen in an otherwise good show, discarding all this series' strengths in favor of a half-baked tournament arc with tonally jarring grimdark elements and a bland, overstuffed cast of characters who only start becoming interesting in the rare moments they're allowed to stop slinging spells at each other and just, like, talk about life? You know, the stuff that Frieren's actually good at? Not this brainless slice of shonen envy that only avoids being a complete slog thanks to how spectacular the action is across the board? Ugh. Look, Frieren is officially the most beloved anime on the goddamn planet right now, and its best moments are so incredible that I wish I could join that chorus as well. But it's so disappointing to me that a show this singular and special has so often chosen to be the least interesting version of itself.

The Dangers in My Heart Season 2: 8.5/10

It's official: director Hiroaki Akagi is the master of middle school rom-coms. No other creator so perfectly grasps the specific blend of immaturity, awkwardness, cringe, and heart-on-sleeve sincerity that defines the love stories of early adolescence. That was already clear with his work on Teasing Master Takagi-san, but now that he's pulled it off twice, there's no room left for argument. And just like with Takagi-san, the second season of The Dangers in My Heart takes a show that was already shockingly good and catapults it into all-time greatness. This is a coming-of-age triumph, a soaring tribute to embracing your own cringeworthy self, flaws and all, and sharing that self openly with the people who matter most to you. Ichikawa's journey toward maturity, Yamada's journey toward self-love, and the way their romance sparks the best in both of them is the stuff that dreams are made of. I laughed, I cried, I squealed like a little girl, and I felt my heart grow three sizes by the time it was done. This is a new gold standard for anime rom-coms, and if you can stomach a bit of groanworthy fanservice, it more than deserves your attention.

The Apothecary Diaries (2nd Cours): 8.5/10

Most of the time when I cover a two-cours show on these seasonal reflections, I end up in a pretty different place by the end of the second cours than I did at the first. Either it sort of fell apart in the second half, or found its footing and took it to the next level, or it changed in some interesting way that affects how I view the show as a whole. But The Apothecary Diaries has stayed the course from the first episode all the way to the end. Start to finish, it's remained pretty much the same show, with the same ideas and attitude, exploring the same themes in the same ways. And you know what? When you're as good as The Apothecary Diaries ended up being, there's nothing wrong with that. This is a spectacular historical drama that builds such a rich, compelling world for its equally rich, compelling characters to inhabit. It's a powerful exploration of how old society treated the disadvantaged- women, poor people, people with all severities of disability- and how one deeply abnormal girl carves her way through this viper's den with her body and soul intact. It's the kind of mature, thoughtful series we so rarely seen done this well, and with the announcement of a season 2 already confirmed, we may well end up with close to 50 episodes when all is said and done. That, folks, is what a true shoujo/josei renaissance looks like. And I'm so happy such a deserving series is leading the way in reminding us how damn good women's stories can be when they're given a chance to shine this brightly.

DROPPED

Cherry Magic: Dropped at 2 episodes for looking like butt and the central romance feeling pretty lifeless.

High Card Season 2: Dropped at 1 episode because I realized I didn't care anymore.

Ninja Kamui: Dropped at 2 episodes for being dull tryhard edgy bullshit with overdone fight scenes that are impossible to follow.

[pebbleswritessometimes]

Hello!! ☺️

I saw your post for Larissa prompts. Well, we're getting near Valentines Day and I'd like to request a holiday fanfic. In a staff outing Larissa finds out that Reader never received a Valentine's card for whatever reason (maybe no one ever gave them one or for cultural reasons, in Brazil for example, only established couples exchange cards). So Valentine's Day arrives and Reader starts receiving many cards from students and from the staff (platonic love), she ends up finding out that Larissa gave the idea for everyone and wanted Reader to feel loved. Maybe she even ends up asking Reader for an actual date? (Super corny but it is what it is 🤣)

Valentine’s

Sorry this is so late, not proof read <3 words: 943

“You’ve never been given a Valentines card? You’re joking!” Larissa had responded in disbelief, alongside your coworkers. You couldn’t help but chuckle at their reactions,” Pffft, no! It just wasn’t something that we did, unfortunately. If you weren’t in a romantic relationship, then you didn’t get things like valentines cards, or those cute little bears.”

Someone could’ve assumed that you had just insulted each of their mothers individually, with the way they stared at you, mouth agape. “Close your mouths, we’ll all have to be back at the school soon. Finish your food,” you laughed, shaking your head, and each began to shovel their meals in, in an attempt to complete them before you had to drive back to Nevermore.

“Alright, Class!” smacking your pages upon the desk in an attempt to get them to line up, “I’m proud of you all for doing your best on your tests this week. I figured maybe you’d all enjoy an early dismissal.”

Smiles spread from one side of the room to the other, each student offering a “Thank you,” and giving their praises to you as a teacher. You propped open the classroom door, prepared to greet each student on their way out. Glancing over in their direction, they were all hovering with small colored envelopes held in their hands. Curious, you inquired, “Are you all alright? What…what’s this?” extending your hand towards the pink sheet of paper that your eldest student had pushed out in your direction.

Flipping over the card and tilting your head, you gently dragged your fingertips across the letters. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Miss Y/N!” Followed by words of the students admiration for their favorite teacher. You. Each of your students had signed and left their own little note on their envelopes. Trying your best to not make the tears welling in your eyes noticeable, “Why, thank you. You’re all so sweet!”

Collecting another card each time a student left the classroom.

Taking the stack of cards to your desk, you sat and carefully read each one. Chuckling at each silly joke, sniffling at the heartfelt words, and growing ever so grateful for your home at Nevermore. You carefully placed them all in your bag and set off to join your coworkers for lunch, you couldn’t wait to show them your very first valentines cards. How truly lucky you felt.

“Miss! Woah-“ you spun around to see who was calling for you, catching Enid on her way towards the floor. “Oh goodness, where’s the fire, Miss Sinclair?” helping her stand up straight, she straightened out her uniform and grinned. “Sorry! I was just so excited to run into you in the hall so I could give you- oh wait where’s..” patting around her blazer in search of something. “Oh, no no no. I’m sorry, Miss Y/N. I must’ve left my card for you back in my dorm. I-“

“Here.” There’s that unmistakable monotone voice of the lovely, Miss Addams.

“Oh, Wednesday! Thank you thank you!!” Buzzing with excitement, Enid handed you the rainbow envelope. You were about to thank her, before you noticed that Miss Addams was also shoving an envelope in your direction. Matching her signature black attire, it was adorned with a wax seal. “You too, Wednesday? Goodness. What did I do to get so lucky to have students like you all,” you opened your cards and listened to Enids bubbly chatter. “Well, when Principal Weems had mentioned her idea of everyone chipping in to give you your first real Valentine’s Day we all-“

“Weems? She put you all up to this?” You instantly felt the butterflies that fluttered in your tummy and prickled your cheeks pink.

Thanking the girls for their cards, you practically ran to Larissa’s office.

Without knocking on the door, you waltzed into the office. You smirked, “Principal Weems? The craziest thing happened today,” leaning over the edge of her desk, pulling out the cards from your bag.

“Oh? And what’s that, Miss Y/N?”

Handing her the envelopes, you went over how each student and colleague had gifted you your very first valentines cards. Searching for something within her gaze, “Any clue on how they might have gotten the idea?”

Fiddling with her fingers, Larissa had bashfully confessed, “Well, I- you’ve just been such a lovely addition to our family here at Nevermore and to know that you’ve never received a valentines card? Oh, we simply couldn’t have that, now could we?”

Smiling as thanks and grabbing your things to go, you laughed and headed for the door.

“Oh, Miss Y/N! I nearly forgot. Here, I got one for you as well,” Larissa spoke with a smile. Yet, her voice seemed a little shaky. “Larissa! You didn’t have to, really, you’re so sweet- you…” blinking a few times, trying to make sure you were reading her beautiful handwriting correctly. Looking up at her through furrowed brows, you wouldn’t have been able to stop the smile that grew on your face if you had tried. “Are you asking me out on a date, Principal?”

“I- I understand if you would rather not, you’re my employee after all, but…but you know-“

“I’d love to, Larissa,” cutting her anxious rant short. You bit your lip and stood upon your tippy toes, leaving a small kiss on her cheek.

Watching her fumble her words and blush like crazy was the simply a joy to witness. You danced out of the room and leaned against the hall wall, clutching the card from Larissa to your chest. You’ve been pinning over this woman since you started working here, God.. how worth the wait it was.

[maya-tl]

Hm?... maybe something about Medic trying to find the right time to propose to Spy but ended finding Spy was also planning the perfect proposal moment. Cuz that might be a good fanfic?

(sorry to bother you, it's also my first time to ask someone with sheer confidence— )

They had talked of marriage before.

They had talked, oh yes, but they had been new and fragile then, a bloom waiting for either the right rains to make it blossom or the right drought to make it wither. The topic of marriage had been a simple conversation starter, something to keep them awake through the night when sleep didn’t matter.

Medic had been married before. An arranged thing, something his parents had agreed to in his stead—she had been too tame, too traditional for him, and he too wild, too sharp, too different, too much for her. It had been a bitter and miserable affair, a laughable attempt at normalcy, and in the end the only thing they had ever agreed on was that they weren’t for each other.

Spy’s story was a different one. He had loved her, certainly—the proof was right in front of their eyes, loud and brash with a side of Bostonian fire—but they had never been in love, and she had never asked him for more than he could give despite everything it would have meant for her.

“I would’ve stayed,” Spy had told him in the quiet of the night, looking more vulnerable than Medic had ever seen him, “I would’ve given it all up and settled, spent all my remaining days in that house with her if she only said the word. I would’ve been comfortable.”

Medic had simply turned to face him and whispered, “But would you have been happy?”

Spy had fallen silent. Looking at his tortured profile in the moonlight slipping through the window, Medic knew it was as close to a confession as he would ever get. They hadn’t spoken about marriage since, even as the months turned into years and they learned everything there was to know about each other, even after they swore their teammates to secrecy and stopped hiding themselves behind closed doors and false pretences.

Medic had looked at him one New Year’s celebration, just as the clock hit midnight and their team erupted into cheers in the background, had watched Pyro’s fireworks dance off his eyes and highlight the curve of his soft smile and decided that he was the one. He was his only choice, his forever after, his today and all of his tomorrows.

The engagement ring came a month and a half later—he’d had it custom-made, of course, and spent a fortune on the design and a little under a fortune on the jeweller’s silence. Spy had told him once that he wasn’t too fond of golden accessories and found that silver tones better complimented his complexion, and so Medic had kept that in mind and gone in the opposite direction of tradition. He’d chosen a split-band, beautifully carved platinum ring inlaid with white moissante and topped with a one-of-a-kind, trillion-cut blue diamond.

When he first held it up to the light it shone like a rainbow in the water, so brilliant it left him blinking spots from his vision. It was perfect. He set it within a thin, royal blue velvet ring box, also custom-made so he could easily conceal it, and then went about trying to do the actual proposal.

Trying being the key word. He didn’t debate much over the words he would say—a simple ‘marry me’ would be more than enough for Spy, who would appreciate the gesture far more than the words themselves—or even the place—ideally somewhere private enough that they were unlikely to be interrupted. No, that was all fine. It wasn’t even that he was nervous.

It was the timing.

He couldn’t do it on the battlefield. The tides of a battle could turn at any moment and there were too many things to focus on, such as crushing the enemy and not dying. Medic himself had to keep an eye on all his teammates and Spy had to keep an eye on all their assailants, and even if they somehow got a moment to themselves in the middle of the carnage the atmosphere simply wasn’t right.

He couldn’t do it during dinner. Besides not being private in the slightest, the team ate all of their meals together and one of them was bound to do something inappropriate the moment Medic pulled out the ring box and ruin the whole thing. Spy would immediately catch on if he made a big deal out of them dining alone too, so that option went out the window early on.

He couldn’t do it in public, much as he’d like to treat Spy to a fancy meal at a fine restaurant and a walk in the park at sunset. The world, sadly, just wasn’t ready for that.

He couldn’t do it in the bedroom. No one would interrupt them, sure, and it was as intimate as it got, but Medic was more than familiar with Spy’s complicated history of setting apart the pleasures of the body from the feelings of the heart. They’d gone down that road before, and the last thing Medic wanted to do was to blur that line again now.

The time of day mattered too. Medic didn’t want to do it in plain daylight or in the middle of the night, even if proposing under the stars was tempting. Spy struggled with insomnia, and preferred sunsets over sunrises besides, so an early morning proposal didn’t feel quite right.

It was maddening.

It also didn’t help that their schedules had begun to conflict lately. Medic knew the reason for his own odd behaviour, late nights spent agonising over the right moment disguised as research projects, and had initially assumed that Spy was going through one of his distance phases. Medic tended to be very hands-on in every aspect of his life, and while Spy welcomed and often even encouraged that, he’d made it very clear that sometimes he simply needed his space. So Medic hadn’t questioned it much, willing to wait it out for a few days—it gave him more time to think and plan.

By the time a week had rolled by, he began to suspect that something else was up. Spy wasn’t exactly avoiding him, they spent roughly the same amount of time together, but there were—quirks in his behaviour that hadn’t been there previously. Medic, who was well-versed in his moods, picked up on them easily, but it was significantly more difficult for him to figure out Spy’s train of thought than it was for Spy to figure out his, no matter how close they were. Only one of them had been trained in espionage all their life.

When he returned to his room from another late afternoon spent in the lab—actually researching this time, more to take his mind off things than to achieve any scientific breakthrough—and found Spy’s suit jacket folded over the desk chair, but no actual sign of Spy, he decided that he’d waited long enough. If the right moment never came, so be it. Neither of them were getting any younger, despite his best efforts and the effects of the respawn system.

He took off his gloves and his coat and hung them in their proper place in the closet, stuffed the ring box in the folds of the front pocket of his pants and set off. It was almost dinnertime and it was Engineer’s turn to cook, so most of his teammates would be swarming the kitchen, which gave him the opportunity to search the base at his leisure.

Spy wasn’t in his own bedroom or his smoking room, or in the firing range, and Medic knew he wouldn’t be hanging around in the living room when he could be fashionably late to dinner. That left only one place that Medic knew he frequented.

The sky was alive with the colours of sunset, soft pinks and warm oranges and fiery reds. A light breeze was cruising over the desert, making the few scattered trees growing near their base shiver and the tumbleweeds dance on the nearest horizon, and the tors and mesas burned like a mirage under the light of the lowering sun.

Spy was leaning against the railing of the balcony, his back turned to the door, and he didn’t acknowledge Medic beyond the miniscule tensing and then relaxing of his shoulders. His tie was loose and the top button of his undershirt undone, which Medic found out when he snaked his arms around his waist and leaned down to press his mouth to his skin.

“Something on your mind, mein schatz?” he murmured, and Spy hummed. He turned his head, allowing them to touch foreheads.

“Many things, lately,” Spy said, too casual to be genuine, “Have you had any success?”

“Success?”

“With your experiments,” Spy said, and Medic caught a knowing glint in his half-lidded eyes, “The reason you have been spending most nights in the laboratory, non?”

Medic huffed out a laugh. His heart felt full. “No,” he said, unable to stop himself from smiling, “Not quite.”

Pop, came a noise, and Spy looked down. Medic held up the box to the light, and the platinum ring glimmered giddily under the rays of sunset, casting shimmering reflections over its soft velvet cushion. The blue diamond shone like a miniature star set into the band—the same colour as Spy’s eyes.

Spy’s head snapped back up, and there was shock there as he searched Medic’s expression for any trace of deceit. Medic knew he wouldn’t find any even if he tried to make it up, as he sometimes did in his more paranoid moments—and indeed Spy seemed to realise this was not some overly complicated prank, because a sheen came over his eyes, and he seemed torn on whether to cry or laugh.

Medic gave his waist a reassuring squeeze. “Marry me,” he said, two words that for them meant a thousand things.

Spy choked out a little laugh and then shook his head as if in disbelief, and for a split moment Medic thought—

But then it was his turn to look on in shock as Spy reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet box, revealing an exquisite rose gold ring set with swirling gemstones of a dark and rich red sitting prettily on a white silk cushion.

“There was a manufacturing issue, so it only arrived last week,” Spy said, voice choked up with emotion. Medic thought of how tired and stressed Spy had looked up until the previous week. “I was debating on a time and place, but I—I didn’t think—”

Medic surged forward and pulled him into a deep kiss, and their respective boxes dug into their ribcages as their bodies met in the middle.

“Hey guys, Engie says—what the fuck—”

They broke apart with a gasp, and Scout yelped as Spy shoved him back into the hallway and slammed the door in his face with enough force to make the building shudder. “I’m being proposed to!” he yelled indignantly, and Medic felt his cheeks begin to hurt from all the smiling he was doing.

Spy swivelled back around, ring box still in his hand, and pulled Medic in by the collar of his shirt. “Ask me again,” he whispered against his lips. Medic could do nothing but laugh, and he kissed him one more time just to feel him smile.

“Marry me,” he said.

“Yes,” came the answer, and the sky bled colour behind them as the sun sunk beneath the line of the horizon, signalling the end of today and the dawn of another, brighter tomorrow.

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Fluffy Fridays--Chapter 176: The Intervention

Fluffy Fridays—Chapter 176: The Intervention

Summary:   A series of unrelated, fluffy one shots featuring Killian Jones and  Emma Swan and the relationship that makes us all swoon. Will contain  both canon and AU stories. My contribution to Operation Rainbow Kisses  and Unicorn Stickers (aka, my attempt to drown out the season 4 finale  angst with ridiculous levels of fluff.)

Other Chapters: (from the beginning) (previous chapter)

Tagging a few people who may be interested (Let me know if you want to be added or taken off the list): @sailormew4 @annaamell @flslp87 @emmateo26 @bethacaciakay 

@ultraluckycatnd @effulgent-mind @ilovemesomekillianjones @kat2609 @brooke-to-broch 

@missgymgirl @galadriel26 @the-lady-of-misthaven @charmingturkeysandwich @jennjenn615 

@laschatzi @kimmy46 @snowbellewells @iamanneenigma @daxx04 

@nickillian  @gillie  @britishguyslover @ginnyjinxedandhanshotritafirst @kmomof4

 @linda8084 @golfgirld @captain-swan-coffee @searchingwardrobes @hollyethecurious 

@laughswaytoomuch  @allyourdarlingswans  @winterbaby89 @facesiousbutton82 @therooksshiningknight 

@lfh1226-linda @tiganasummertree @jrob64  @anmylica @booksteaandtoomuchtv

 @i-will-sing-no-requiem @bluewildcatfanatic @laianely

(ao3) (ff.net)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notes:  A little over a year since my last installment of fluff?  Sorry about that!  All I can say is that the muse has been a fickle mistress.  Happy (belated) 4th of July to all that celebrate it.  Enjoy some holiday themed CS-enjoying-their-happy-beginning fluff!

Emma swiveled back and forth in her chair at the sheriff’s station before bringing her mug of hot cocoa with cinnamon to her smiling lips.  She couldn’t seem to stop smiling.  She was so happy it almost–but not quite–scared her.

Two months ago she’d won the final battle with the Black Fairy, and the next day, she and Killian had headed out on their honeymoon.  With the town finally at peace, she and her brand new husband decided to take a long overdue and much needed break for some of the steamiest and most romantic R & R she’d ever experienced.

They’d had no real destination in mind, no specific plans.  They’d simply boarded the Jolly Roger and set sail (after Emma had once again put a cloaking spell on the magnificent vessel.  After all, they might get some stares sailing an eighteenth century vessel around the Land Without Magic.)  They’d largely followed the East coast, Killian after all, being fascinated to learn of the journeys and stories of this realm’s pirates of old, and had ended up in the Caribbean.

Emma’s smile widened as she remembered the couple of days they’d spent in Savannah, and in particular, Killian's reaction to the famous Pirate’s House restaurant.  He’d been fascinated with the history and pirate memorabilia, of course, until he’d learned that the institution bragged of its connection to Captain Flint.

“That absolute ponce?” Killian had scoffed. “He’s the one they idolize?  He makes bloody Blackbeard look like a worthy opponent.”

He’d been so adorably flummoxed by the reaction to Flint, that she’d immediately taken him back to the Jolly and had her wicked way with him.  (Not that she really needed much of an excuse.  This was their honeymoon after all.)

They’d returned to Storybrooke last Friday, taken the weekend to settle back in and returned to normal life this morning.

Normal life.

They actually had a normal life.  They’d had a full two month honeymoon with no frantic calls from Storybrooke talking about a new villain in town.  They’d returned to a normal, sleepy little town that wasn’t under a curse, a memory spell or any other enchantment.  Life was just…normal.

In fact, it was so normal that Regina had instituted monthly town meetings, and in the last one, the town had made plans for Storybrooke’s first annual Independence Day celebration, as the Fourth of July was right around the corner.

“If we’re gonna be a part of the Land Without Magic now,” Granny had argued, “we best start doing normal Land Without Magic things.”

“Maybe start by not calling it the Land Without Magic, sister,” Leroy had grumbled.

There was to be a parade, a big town festival, fireworks.  The whole patriotic thing.

Emma had so much work to do in order to coordinate security for all of it, but she couldn’t be happier.

(Maybe a certain husband who she couldn’t seem to get enough of had something to do with that happiness, but who could blame her, really?)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two days later, Emma was awoken by a sweet and rather passionate kiss from her husband.  Outside their window came the boom of a firework exploding.

“They’re still at it?” Emma asked, pulling slightly away and shaking her head.  “I don’t know who’s setting off those fireworks, but this is getting to be overkill.  The whole big display last night–and the night before–were kind of understandable given the time of year, but it seems like they never stop.”

“Aye,” Killian agreed.  “It would seem we have a veritable pyromaniac within our midst.”

“Well at least the 4th is tomorrow, so maybe they’ll knock it off after that.”

“Perhaps so,” Killian said with one final, lingering kiss, punctuated by another loud boom from outside. “At any rate, we’d best be up and at ‘em.”

Emma gave him a heavy lidded look.  “You sure about that?  I was kind of thinking we might need a little more….rest…this morning.  After all, last night was pretty….acrobatic.”

His grin turned wicked, before he leaned down and kissed her again. (Boom! from outside)  “Something tells me if I returned to our bed, we wouldn’t be leaving it until noon–but we wouldn’t be getting much rest.”

She shrugged and grinned.  “What’s wrong with that?”

He laughed.  “What’s wrong with that is that Regina will have our heads if we don’t attend the mandatory town meeting she called for nine a.m. sharp.”

Emma pushed herself up and tossed off the covers.  “I suppose you’re right,” she grumbled. “But I say, the minute we’re free, we pick up where we left off last night.”

“You’ll have no complaints from me, love.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The first thing Emma noticed when she and Killian arrived at Town Hall hand in hand, was that someone had strung a big sign over the raised podium that said “Intervention.”

Was it just her, or was this town getting even weirder?

The second thing she noticed was that when they sat down beside her parents, David and Mary Margaret wouldn’t even meet their eyes.

“Okay, you guys, what is going on?” she asked.

Her mom gave her a big–way too big–smile, and simply said “Guess you’ll…I mean we’ll…find out.”

Emma was on the point of asking for further clarification, when Regina walked briskly to the podium and banged the gavel.

“I think we all know why we’re here,” she said grimly.  “We have a problem, and something needs to be done about it.”

Emma and Killian gave each other a bewildered look.

“Are we missing something?” he asked.

“The fireworks,” Leroy said.  “We’re here about the constant, round the clock, fireworks.”

For some reason, the dwarf glared at them ferociously while saying it.

Yeah, this town was definitely getting weirder.

“We were just talking about that this morning,” Emma said.  “Please tell me we don’t have some new, patriotic villain in town.”

“Nothing quite so dramatic, Mrs. Swan-Jones,” Regina said.

“So you found the culprit?” Emma asked.  “Why not just confront him–or have me arrest him?  What’s with the whole big town meeting?  And what’s with the ‘intervention’ sign?”

“That’s why we’re here, honey,” Snow said, her voice far too sunny.  “We…um…we think we figured out what’s going on.”

For some odd reason, beside her, David groaned, loudly, and muttered something like “I don’t want to be talking about this!”

“Okay….” Emma said, drawing out the word.  “Anybody want to elaborate?”

“It’s quite simple,” Rumple said, from the far side of the room. “We’ve noticed that you and your pirate have been exhibiting nauseating levels of affection.  PDA, if you will.  We believe the results have been rather magical and explosive and, in short, have led to our dilemma today.”

“You believe we are to blame for the festive displays all day and night?” Killian asked.

“Wait, this is an intervention for us?” Emma asked at the same time.

“We first noticed the fireworks after you came home from your honeymoon,” Aurora said.  “Small things at first–sparklers when you kissed her cheek, escalating up to…well…”

“What precisely were the two of you doing last night at approximately 10:15 pm?” Regina asked crisply.

Emma’s face flamed while Killian’s grin turned positively sinful and David…well, David turned a sickly shade of green.

“We were… we were,” Emma spluttered.  “Come on, Regina! We’re newlyweds!  What do you think we were doing?”

“Would you like all the sordid details, Your Majesty, or would a summary suffice?” Killian asked cheekily.

Beside them, David put his head in his hands muttering “Make it stop!”

“That’s what we thought,” Regina stated matter-of-factly, ignoring Killian’s question altogether.  “And did you notice when the fireworks display started last night?  Did you notice how it grew in intensity about half an hour later?”

“Oh my gods,” Emma muttered, imitating her dad, and burying her face in her hands, wanting nothing more than for the floor to swallow her and her husband whole.

“We aren’t blaming you, honey,” Mary Margaret said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.  “We all remember what it was like to be newlyweds.  Your dad and I couldn’t get enough of each other.”

Surely this had to be in the most awkward town hall meeting in the history of the world.

“But,” Zelena said, “we need to find a way to put a stop to it.  If my toddler is awoken in the middle of the night, one more time, I might have to turn wicked again.”

“If I’m understanding correctly,” Killian said, “you believe that when my wife and I show each other physical signs of affection–when we’re intimate–we create magical fireworks?”

“Indeed,” Regina said.  “And thus the intervention.”

“Ridiculous!” he stated.  “Surely my wife would realize it if she were performing magic.”

“Maybe not,” Granny said, reaching into her bag for a fresh skein of yarn to continue her latest knitting project.  “You both seem so consumed with each other, you don’t notice anything else around you.”

“There is a way we could test the theory,” Belle suggested.  “An experiment, if you will.”

Killian’s eyebrows rose.  “Surely you aren’t suggesting we engage in…relations…right here in town hall?”

Belle’s face flamed.  “Of course not!  A simple peck on the lips would do.”

Leroy began tapping his water bottle with his pen in the way wedding guests do when they want the newlyweds to kiss at a wedding reception.

Killian gave her a glance, and she shrugged.  “I guess it couldn’t hurt.”

He leaned down and gave her a quick, chaste kiss.  At the front of the hall, a sparkler materialized and began buzzing through the room.

“Whelp, I guess that gives us our answer,” Leroy said.  “The question is what are we gonna do about it?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that night, Emma lay in Killian’s arms, idly stroking his bare chest.  “Well that had to be one of the most embarrassing mornings of my life,” she said.

Killian nodded and then chuckled.  “Did you get a gander at your father’s face throughout the ‘intervention’?  I thought he would keel over from apoplexy.”

Emma laughed.  “Serves him right after my mom’s comment about their own activities as newlyweds.   So, do you think the town’s solution actually worked?”

Following Leroy’s question this morning, Killian had stated vociferously that under no circumstances would he stop making love to his wife, short of her refusing his advances.  Emma had then further traumatized her father by insisting–equally vociferously–that she didn’t see that happening any time soon–probably never.

Several rather ridiculous suggestions had been tossed out, including Zelena not-so-helpfully stating she’d have been more than willing to curse Killian’s lips again if only she still had her magic.  

Finally, a workable solution had been agreed upon.

Regina would put a magic dampening spell on both Emma’s and Killian’s lips until they had left the honeymoon period behind.

“Just their lips?” Leroy scoffed.  “I think you ought to curse their nether regions too, just to be sure.”

Fortunately, Regina had stated in no uncertain terms that she had no intention of getting anywhere near either of their “nether regions”.

And as soon as the spell was applied the town hall meeting had mercifully come to a close.

“Pardon, love?” Killian asked, bringing her back to the present.

“The magic dampening spell,” she said.  “Do you think it worked?

“There’s only one way to find out,” he said, swooping in with a kiss for the ages, the kind that made her knees weak and had her forgetting her own name.

When the kiss ended, he pulled away, and they both listened closely.

Silence.

“Looks like we’re in the clear,” Emma muttered, reaching up to bring him back to her.  “And now that we don’t have an entire town of voyeurs knowing exactly what we’re up to, I’d say it’s way past time we get back to the fun.”

[iaus]

prompt for a mini fic: jace and porter at elmville pride

crying i did my best but i will admit..... i haven't been to pride because....... the pride scene in my local area is.......... uh. well. i would share the tiktok my friend shared with me about this year's pride but it will absolutely doxx me.

anyway. unrelated. do you think porter would wear something like this.

T / 475 words

The idea originates with Lucilla.

The problem with Lucilla is that even Jace has trouble being cruel to her at times. It doesn’t help that he was her mentor for her first two years at the academy. He’s become indulgent with her as apology for his hands off approach with mentoring. He’d said to her, once, when he was a few too many drinks in that he wishes she had more backbone.

He’s his own worst enemy it seems.

Lucilla is peering at him, already smiling. She knows. She knows she’s already won.

“I think it’d be a fun bonding experience,” she says sweetly. He hates that he knows she truly means no malice from it. “We’ve put so much work into the Pride features this year and it would mean a lot to me if you came.”

He hates good alignments. He hates them for their propensity for kindness.

“We’ll be sure to drop by,” Porter drawls, answering for him before Jace can even attempt an excuse.

Jace hates him too.

Lucilla smiles—all sunshine and not knowing what she’s done.

“I told you—”

“You said you wouldn’t go Bastion City. Never said anything about Elmville.”

He’s infuriating. “I will not go if you wear cargo shorts.”

Porter winks at him—Jace cannot believe this is the man he is sleeping with.

-

He almost slams the door in Porter’s face when he comes to pick him up.

“It’s not cargo shorts,” Porter says, as if he’s completely unaware of what he’s doing. Jace knows better. “Not my first rodeo, y’know, but I figured it still fit—”

He’s going to have an attack.

He should have known, but now he’s here. Standing on the stoop of his townhouse in linen shorts and an unbuttoned silk, pink shirt and Porter is in leather. He has to not pull Porter back in and—

Lucilla asked him to show up. She’s performing. He’s going to do this. He will ignore the fact that Porter is in a tiny white shirt and leather pants and jacket, and he will stink by the end of the day. Jace feels warm.

“You good, sweetheart?” Porter’s grinning. He puts a hand on Jace’s cheek. “Seem a little flushed.”

“You realize it’s June. It’s summer.”

Porter laughs, he throws an arm around Jace’s shoulder. “C’mon, you’ll have fun. Promise.”

-

The worst thing is Porter’s right. Lucilla’s right. It’s fun. If a bit too loud, a bit too warm.

He might end up tipsy—clinging to Porter like he’s a lifeline in the surge of more people than he would have ever anticipated. Porter wraps a rainbow scarf around his neck at some point and he’s so heat exhausted and fuzzy from the drinks that he accepts it.

Doesn’t even mind it when Porter kisses him at the end of Lucilla’s set.

[michiruze]

Lkyt. - Thoughts

In times of despair, we seek light. But when the light exposes the rotten core of destiny, where does your heart go?

After a year of "I bought the game, and left it there", I finally gave the much-anticipated Lkyt. (2020) a go. I went into this game knowing nearly nothing except the fact that I shouldn't expect another No, Thank You!!! (2013)

And it worked. This game is nothing like I've expected, and I was left with the feeling of both fullness and emptiness. The kind of feelings that comes from witnessing a profound piece of fiction that tells so much.

And so much it tells. Lkyt. (2020) ended up piercing my heart, going straight to the jugular and consumes it.

This is not a story of heroic warriors. This is a story of betrayal by nature.

What happens when you are born in a rotten world, destined to be hollowed out?

(Music to listen to while reading)

The concept of a story that focuses on letting the audience experience what living in a war-torn reality feels like isn't new. In a sense, there's nothing new about Lkyt. (2020). What this game brings to the table, however, is the characters, and how the setting interacts with the horrors plaguing it.

The first thing you see in the game is that it's set in a fictional medieval Japanese setting with a twist --- there's a cosmic horror thing as their common (and only) enemy. And this thing unites the people, mobilizing themselves to face it, with willingness to die for the safety of others. You are seeing the story of unity against a force of death. 'Till death do they part.

This gives the game an opportunity to explore the values of 'heroism' and 'warriors' without overstuffing it with real-world signifiers, and without the risk of turning into a soapbox for the game's writer(s) to be 'right' about their opinions on serious topics. Not only there are cosmic horrors inbound, there's a lot of political intrigue in the story that is guaranteed to keep the audience glued and frustrated over how relevant all of it is.

The setting also allows the game to explore certain topics such as grief, nihilism, loyalty through the eyes of war-torn people.

It certainly reminds me of 28 Days Later (2002) and Annihilation (2018) where the science fiction setting allows the movie to explore themes of familial bond, survival, love, and the dark side of militarism through the eyes of survivors of dark times.

The gist of this is that the setting allows the themes to emerge by itself and let the readers draw their conclusions.

And it's certainly stuffed with interesting topics to think about. Betrayed by history, belief, and destiny. Betrayed by the nation.

When all you know is "war" and "the enemy" and nothing else....what happens when both are gone, and defeated? Do we stay in unity?

When the values of the world you live in was built by darkness, what happens when light shines through it?

Lkyt. (2020) in a sense, is about the fragility of our reality. Through the horrifying reality that the characters live in, it exposes fragilities that we face in real life.

Having the game written around this dark fantasy setting also gives the game the chance to actually provoke powerful messages of hope as well. Darkness can be overcome, it's how we decide to shine the light that matters.

Lkyt. (2020) tells said tragedy in heartbreaking ways. It is not an exaggeration that this is one of the heaviest BL games to ever come out.

But this being an utsuge obviously means that it's not all rainbows and sunshine. What happens when you decide to shine a light in a world overrun by darkness to the core? Lkyt. (2020) also tells the tragedy of what happens when innate darkness resists light. In this case, the determination to end suffering, in a world where the concept of 'light' seemingly does not exist. What if the darkness has penetrated the world so deeply that an attempt to end suffering is seen as a disgrace to the existing values and beliefs built by fear, violence, and hatred against darkness? What if light suddenly penetrates darkness? What if people who had never seen what 'hope' is, suddenly sees it?

All that this world knows is violence, fear, and darkness. And light becomes a force of threat as a result.

Make no mistake, it's not only heartbreaking, but also depressing and disturbing. This game is written by Tatsuya Kurashiki, who wrote chunks of NTY!!!.....but before he wrote Lkyt. (2020), he also wrote the infamously gory and extremely disturbing Maggot Baits (2015). In fact, this game shared the same writing team as the latter.

You can tell that there are remnants of Maggot Baits (2015) left in his writing for Lkyt. (2020), and several parts (especially the goriest parts of the game) seems to be a callback to his time writing it. (You can turn off gory CGs but NOT gory texts)

However, the hopelessness and darkness is not without reason, nor it's done as shock value. They have a concrete reason to be written that way, and it's ultimately not for nothing. The game's title (it's an acronym for an English sentence!) even supports this.

It's not all darkness, though. Of course, there are obligatory comedic elements you'd find in parade titles, as well as horny jokes and light-hearted lines referring to having gay relationships for diplomatic reasons. That alone makes me want to recommend this game to everyone. That said, let's talk about the characters.

Tasuku is markedly different from previous parade protagonists. For a horny top, he is a purely selfless human being with devotion to his belief to protect the powerless. The game obviously puts him into situations where his views gets challenged and rejected, and part of the 'fun' of Lkyt. (2020) comes from how Tasuku overcomes it. By the third part of the story you really want him to prevail, survive, and win.

Tasuku's selflessness gets complemented real well with the assortment of love interests who has their own beliefs and are challenged by Tasuku's selflessness. Takeru's unconditional loyalty, Yael's numbing nihilism, Ango's despair, and Towa's extreme responsibilities in shouldering pain....all of them complements their bond with Tasuku, where their bond becomes the beacon of light.

One thing to know about their bonds is that it is not 'romantic' in a traditional sense. Their bonds, while sexual and leads to loving bonds, are more of 'necessary bonds in order to survive the apocalypse'. The kind of bonds you form to accept the apocalypse.

There's a persistent feeling of "the end is near and all I want to experience intimacy before we all die" in each route, with these bonds forming a resistance against darkness.

That's all I can say about the game's substance. On the 'style' front, Lkyt. (2020) is absolutely made with love, even when you can spot signs of small budget (reminding everybody that parade is CLOCKUP --- not known for big budget story games!)

The art by CLOCKUP's Norizane is the biggest winner of the game. She draws characters in a way that lets their features shine and be different. Her character designs are very memorable and you can tell that she's giving something for everyone from how each love interest's bodies are drawn (skinny bishies, burly men, hot priest). I hope she continues to make art for parade's games.

The game's color palette, whilst limited to greys, reds, and browns to give it a barren, desolate feel, does not feel 'bland' at all through the integration of the memorable character designs to the background details, like a movie with a cinematography that elevates the 'bland' setting. At times it feels reminiscent of director Alex Garland's work, especially Annihilation (2018).

One thing I have to praise this game for is the option to turn off gore. It's very helpful even though there are only 4 gory CGs (but BY GOD they're GORY as fuck!). The completion status feature also rules, as does the game listing all scenes and completion indicators, allowing readers to find out parts they have not read yet!

While the music feels pretty okay (especially if you've played parade's other games --- even moreso if you played CLOCKUP games too) since the budget probably only allows few songs, the opening theme is absolutely amazing, sets the tone properly for the game and is appropriately emotional.

However, the small budget attributed to this game makes it that there's simply not enough CGs for the story (possibly due to Norizane's commitments to couple of CLOCKUP titles at the same time of Lkyt's development). Some parts of the game feels that it needed CGs to explain things, and for readers who finds overly descriptive texts confusing, it could make them feel lost.

Seeing the liner notes reveals that the game could've benefitted from having a longer development time for story and character writing and I agree. Some parts of the routes felt repetitive and the decision to cram the love interests' backstories near the end feels like a rushed attempt to wrap up stuff.

So, how's this game, overall? For people expecting another No, Thank You!!! (2013), this game isn't it. It's a completely different experience, a story-heavy experience much closer to Nitro+Chiral than anything else, that can be attributed to the fact that it's written by Tatsuya Kurashiki, a writer cut from the same mold as Takashi Masada, whose CV consists of mostly long, story-heavy chuuni games

Lkyt. (2020) is great, but in the end, it's an acquired taste thing. It's certainly not for everyone. It's heavy, touching, disturbing, and depressing. You really need to be in the right mood to engage.

Though, Lkyt. (2020) is a very profound experience full of meaning and journeys through the darkness to find light. If you go the might....please do experience it!

As a small P.S, describing Lkyt. (2020) as "Sekiro if it was made by Alex Garland" means that I had to watch Civil War (2024) right as I had finished the game to write my thoughts clearer and.....Lkyt. (2020) is what this film tried to be, so there's that.

Lkyt. (2020) certainly is the movie that Alex Garland desperately tried to make. The "story where it's about how war feels like" thing that he wanted to make.

[timeagainreviews]

The Monster Makeovers of Modern Who

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought I would get back into the swing of things and talk about some monsters! No, not Rishi Sunak. Of course, I mean the monsters we actually enjoy! Daleks! Cybermen! And other horrors from the beyond that don’t try and turn trans people into scapegoats for their lack of policy. They say what you really mean- EXTERMINATE! Honesty, transparency, efficiency. Words so alien these days they belong only in Doctor Who! Mr Sunak, you’re so vain. You probably think this blog is about you. But it’s really about fashion. Specifically- makeovers!

I’ve been interested in filmmaking ever since Levar Burton took us to the set of Star Trek on Reading Rainbow. Like Doctor Who, “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” had its own makeover to attempt. They needed to establish a new look from the original series, while still implying continuity. Whole teams came together to reimagine the look of the ship’s interior, the look of the aliens, both classic and new, and even how the characters should dress. It’s truly inspiring to see these crews at work. These passionate people did their best with the available budget and resources. That said, I plan to deconstruct some of the makeovers of modern Doctor Who villains on an aesthetic and (at times) narrative level.  It’s just a bit of levity for the horrors of Halloween, so let’s have some fun.

While the topic of updating classic baddies remains subjective, I’d like to think I’ve highlighted ways in which it can be objective. There are no hard rules to the process, but perhaps there are guidelines. I’ve noted a list of classic Doctor Who monsters that have since returned in the new series to discuss which designs I feel were successful and which ones missed the mark. Some of the criticisms I express will already be known to you. The Paradigm Daleks were notoriously reviled amongst fans. But hopefully. some of my opinions may surprise you. I’ve decided to exclude certain redesigns like the Movellans due to their lack of screen time. And while the Ood and Minotaur are cousins of the Sensorites and Nimon respectively, they’re technically not a proper redesign. I will however be covering the cousins of the Silurians- Homo-Reptilia, as they are very much meant to serve the same purpose. I’m presenting this list in alphabetical order, but some creatures will be listed together as a subspecies of another. Buckle up because this is going to be a long one!

Autons

As a child growing up in 90s Kansas, one of my favourite places to visit was the mall. The mall my grandpa used to take me to was known for its extravagant features. One of my favourite things, however, was a clothing store that used mannequins that interacted with the space around them. I don’t mean they moved, but rather that they were dynamically posed. My favourite leaned against the shop window with the palm of its hand. I had never seen that sort of display before. It made them feel as though they were merging into the real world. They were hip if not a touch creepy. I couldn’t tell you the name of the store, but I remember those mannequins. And aside from a granite finish, they looked like the Autons from 2005’s debut episode “Rose.”

Had the Autons returned looking like 70’s mannequins, they would still look creepy. But it would evoke more of a kitschy retro shop than something from a London high street. The creepiness of the Autons isn’t anachronistic, but rather in being timely. The less we notice them, the better. They wear their mundanity like a tiger wears stripes. You only noticed it move when it’s ready. This is a roundabout way for me to say they are brilliantly redesigned. They look modern, and you wouldn’t even notice them if you weren’t predisposed to Doctor Who. They’re exactly the featureless dummy you expect to see in a shop window. The moment their hand gun opens, you would be taken by complete surprise.

A benefit of the Autons coming first alphabetically is that it allows me an opportunity early on to address performance. Because like they say- looks aren’t everything. A Doctor Who baddie is so much more than a costume. And a minor sticking point for me is that the Autons can seem as though they hired a bunch of pop-lockers to stand around in sweaty suits. I’m reminded of the movie theatre scene from “Human Traffic,” where the employees mechanically go about their work. It’s a small grievance, but I wish they would have created a less familiar form of movement than the robot. They’re a hivemind and yet each dancer is doing their own form of popping. I know it costs time and money to do, but it would have been cool to see those dancers come up with a more alien system of movement. It’s not as though the ballet dancers chosen to portray the Weeping Angels were performing pirouettes. 

This problem persisted into the Moffat era with Roman Autons. While they were under the impression that they were human, they moved about and spoke like humans. But the moment the Nestine consciousness takes root, their bodies move into a sort of robotic marching. Suddenly whirring can be heard from alien actuators and servos that make no sense for living plastic. Once again, it feels as though they would rather speak in a familiar voice of filmmaking than create one. We all know that little android sounds and robotic movements mean they’re mindless automatons, hell it’s the root of Auton. But the idea of living plastic is so much weirder than a robot. I would love to see them lean more into that.

Cybermen/Cybermats/10th Planet Cybermen

Having started my foray into Doctor Who with Paul McGann and then moving on to the 2005 series, most of the baddies on this list were brand new to me. When I did finally work my way to classic Doctor Who, I was a bit surprised to find the early Cybermen leaned more into the “men,” aspect of their name. Not only were they more articulate than repeating “Delete,” ad nauseum, but their bodies were less robotic. They moved like men. The Cybermen may be the first time I looked at a Doctor Who villain and thought “Oh the old versions were much better.”

This isn’t to say that I disliked the RTD Cybermen, but rather, I find classic Cybermen more effective. While the Cybus Cybermen felt dangerous and militaristic, they lack the humanity present in the Tenth Planet Cybermen. They remind me of the zombies from Return of the Living Dead- they’re smarter, faster, and they feel like the reanimated body of a dead person. You do get glimpses of this in these Cybermen, like in “The Pandorica Opens,” where you see a Cyberhead open to reveal a rotting human skull. The glimpses of the conversion process also imply a deeper dread of body horror.

I would argue that the Moffat era understood the walking dead aspect of the Cybermen better than the Davies era. In “Dark Water/Death in Heaven,” Moffat even pays homage to Return of the Living Dead by reanimating a graveyard of corpses with tainted rain. By this time, the look of the Cybermen had been streamlined from their Cybus look to their svelt “Nightmare in Silver,” look. I liked this redesign as it reminded me of the 80’s Cybermen with their silver space boots. They look more like men than robots. This slimmed-down look was realised even further in the Chibnall era, while also going for a more classic head style. As much as that era of the show disappointed me, its Cybermen were fantastic.

Not every Cyberman update aimed to reinvent their look, however. The updated look for the Tenth Planet Cybermen in “World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls,” merely added detail to their original appearance. Much like the Type 40 TARDIS the 12th Doctor steals from Gallifrey, the idea was to modernise the look for the high-definition cameras of the modern age. Because of this, these Cybermen may be my favourite of the modern era. It was a risky choice to change their bare hands to flesh-tone gloves, but I understand the decision. I had always liked that the Tenth Planet Cybermen’s hands were bare skin. Historically, hands are one of the hardest things to reproduce in robotics. It also felt that the Cybermen’s hands were the last remaining vestige of their humanity. None of this is lost with the inclusion of gloves. These Cybermen are a nightmare to behold. They languish in physical pain, calling out for solace. The conversion process is still traumatic and bloody. They are horrific.

Another element of the Cybermen that was updated for the new series were the Cybermats. The look of the Cybermats, much like the Cybermen, has always changed, so it’s hard to feel too precious about a redesign. And their appearance in “Closing Time,” is no different. I’ve always liked the look of the modern Cybermat. Their eye shape is a pleasing nod to the Cybermen’s eyes while also calling back to their original appearance. Their segmented tails give an armoured appearance which evokes small creatures like armadillos and insects. My only real complaint about these little munchers would be their very organic teeth. I always figured the “mat” part of their name was meant to be a play on “rat,” so if you were to give them teeth at all, why not rat teeth? What tiny creature was converted to make these little abominations? In the classic series, I never really thought of Cybermats having anything organic about them. You could argue that the Cybermats from “Revenge of the Cybermen,” were snakelike, but I never really thought of them as organic. Regardless, I’m now trolling eBay for one of the 1:1 replicas they sold. 

Daleks/Davros

Before their return in 2005, the Daleks made the briefest of cameos in the 1996 Doctor Who TV Movie, sort of. Since we only ever hear their voices, we have no idea what the Daleks would have looked like. Judging by those voices, it’s safe to say they probably would have been a bit of a departure from their general appearance throughout classic Doctor Who. Especially when you consider that adaptations in the ‘90s were known to go for new extremes in design. That’s not to say they would have been bad. The Eighth Doctor’s cathedral-like TARDIS interior was a far cry from the brightly lit round things of the ‘80s TARDISes, and it’s probably my favourite interior. But there is no denying it would be challenging to redesign the universe’s most iconic monsters.

By this measure, I consider the black and bronze Daleks of the RTD era to be a stonking success. Their redesign is mostly effective because it doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel. It maintains the overall silhouette of the Dalek in a way that makes it immediately recognisable. The changes we do see feel utilitarian, lending these Daleks a tanky quality. You can imagine these Daleks as a product of war. They’re reinforced for battle and feel powerful. Honestly, zero notes. I can’t find a single area for improvement. They even look good in other colours and attachments. Even the mutant inside the casing was given some much-needed continuity in appearance. Where the mutant of the classic series often changed in appearance, it’s now established that Daleks are one-eyed brain squids under all that metal. Simple as can be. No need to change anything.

Enter the Paradigm Daleks. As I said above, the Paradigm Daleks aren’t exactly well-received by the fandom, and not without good reason. I’ve seen at least four different Mighty Morphin’ Power Daleks mash-ups of their big reveal in “Victory of the Daleks.” But is being a big colourful hate machine that bad? I will admit, their silhouette is a bit chonky, giving them bumble-bee bums. But their eye stalks look lethal and their voice modulation fills me with dread down to my stomach. The creepy goat eye nestled in the end of an eyestalk that looks like it would cut to the touch is a great change. I also really like the idea of them having different roles indicated by colour rank. What the hell is an Eternal Dalek? I still want to know. 

The biggest issue with the Paradigm Dalek redesign is that unlike it’s predecessor, it seems to miss what is actually scary about Daleks. For starters, Daleks have no concept of elegance, so why the clean lines on the casing? Those neck louvres (that’s what I’m calling them), are far too stylised. Gone is their tank-like appearance, save for their brutal eyestalks. They made them taller as to appear more formidable, which further bolsters why they miss the mark. If you can’t make an hate-filled monster covered in armour scary, the problem isn’t height, it’s writing. Also, we stan a short king in this house.

It’s hard to take the Chibnall-era Dalek redesigns too seriously, because neither of them ever felt like they were meant to be permanent. One was meant to look like a Dalek made of scrap metal, because it was, while the other was the bi-product of two evil forces- the Daleks and the Tories. The “Revolution” Daleks do look a bit like a bootleg toy of a Dalek you could win at a fun fair. Or the result of an AI prompt for the word Dalek. Regardless, they’re fit for purpose and don’t affect my opinion one way or the other. If they had stuck around, I may feel a bit different.

Not to be excluded from the redesign process is the Daleks’ crazed creator- Davros. By the end of the classic era, Davros had a bit of a Rickety Cricket thing going where every time we see him, he’s progressively more mutilated. In the end, he was just a Futurama-style head in a jar. The Davros of the new series is back to a more classic silhouette. His one arm has returned as a cybernetic limb, while the other remains suspiciously under his keyboard. Typing one-handed eh Dave? He’s been given some gimp leather to wear, and his chair has taken on the same armoured look of the Davies Daleks. Much like the mutant inside the casing, Davros has been given a baseline appearance and it's an effective one. Couple that with Julian Bleach’s perfect performance, and you’ve got another success.

Ice Warriors

Who doesn’t love a good Ice Warrior? They’re forever cool (no pun intended). While not always villainous, they are fierce and formidable. They’re also a bit weird. The original Ice Warriors stood taller than your average Doctor Who alien. And there is something about their deep green carapace that feels believable. These battle-hardened reptiles wore their outer shells like armour. At the joints of these plated segments sprang tufts of fur. From a costuming perspective, these patches would have been used to hide seams and add points of visual interest for the average black-and-white television. From a narrative perspective, the hair only added to their weirdness. In short, I like the classic Ice Warriors very much.

The Ice Warriors are also the first classic baddie redesign I had to wait to see. By the time I had started watching Doctor Who, Matt Smith was filming series six. The Ice Warriors don’t make their return until series seven, which gave me ample opportunity to imagine what they would look like. What we got was bang on what I had hoped for. They leaned into the weird and won in a big way. When “Cold War,” aired, there was a bit of contention about the reveal of an Ice Warrior outside of its armour. Perhaps it’s because their helmets possess a sort of Judge Dredd quality that in turn causes people to think you can’t show Ice Warriors without their helmets. But they’re going full Stallone and it’s fine. Dare I say it’s even a bit cool? 

A sticking point for me on the redesign was the lack of their stupid Lego Minifigure hands, which I love. But when you see their long skinny fingers reaching with their claws out, you might need to give the suit some fingers as well. Their reptilian aspects are also celebrated in their redesign. The Empress is a ferocious take on the look of the commander rank Ice Warriors. I said in my review of “Empress of Mars,” that the guns that turn people into cubes were a bit silly, and I still feel that way. And sure, I would have appreciated the odd "Ssss," at the beginning of an S word. But in the end, they allowed the Ice Warriors to shine for what they are, and that’s all that matters.

The Macra

One of my least favourite Pokémon designs is Raichu. You have Pikachu, an almost perfect marriage of form and cuteness. How do you improve on such a design? You can’t. This is why Raichu’s little curly-Q ear tufts and embellished lines look less like an evolution, and more like someone who didn’t know how to stop drawing Pikachu. Or when to stop spelling bananana. You just can’t improve on perfection. Now you’re probably wondering two things right now- 

Why the drive-by on Raichu?

What does this have to do with the Macra?

To answer the second question- “absolutely nothing.” And that’s the point. There was no perfection to mess up in the case of the Macra. The originals looked like a pile of playground equipment. The only place to go was up. First order on the list- does it look like a giant crab? Yes. List over.

Changing the Macra by devolving them into dumb beasts only adds to this winning revamp. Why were they at the bottom of the motorway of New New York? Had their nefarious plot backfired reducing them to mere monsters? It’s a great little incorporation of characters lesser showrunners would have called "embarrassing." I love the Macra. I love that they didn’t overdo the Macra. I love that they don’t tell us everything. Whatever crab rave they had going on down there will be lost to time. Or until Big Finish takes a crack at it.

The Mara

I will admit, this one is a bit of a cheat. It’s one of two on this list that you may think of as a cheat. But hey, they brought the Mara back in the web short “The Passenger,” for the season 20 Blu-ray release. I’m counting it! I’m also counting it because the Mara have been updated not once, but twice to a modern CGI standard. Plus it gives me a chance to talk about “Snakedance,” which I will always relish.

The practice of replacing old footage with newer CGI is not without its detractors. George Lucas released the special edition of the original Star Wars trilogy in 1997 and people are still arguing about it. I’m in two minds about it myself. I like some of the changes they’ve made to Star Wars, ‘60s Star Trek, and even Doctor Who. I dream of the day when they take a crack at Babylon 5. But it also has its limitations. I would be upset if they updated the model shots of Scaroth’s ship in “City of Death.” But in the case of a goofy pink snake puppet? Fine by me.

That is not to say I don’t find the snake puppets of both “Kinda,” and “Snakedance,” charming. They certainly are. But they’re also so very distracting. There’s the suspension of disbelief and then there’s the stifling of laughter. If you can get past the snake, you will see both “Kinda,” and “Snakedance,” for what they are- some of the best of Classic Doctor Who. The CGI snake does exactly that and nothing more. It’s not even a fancy CGI model. Someone probably downloaded a rattlesnake asset and coloured it pink, and that’s absolutely fine. It’s another Macra situation. Does it look more “snake,” than “snek?” Yes. List over.

The Nestine Consciousness

In the words of Vito Corleone- “Look how they massacred my boy!” Ok, maybe massacred is a bit harsh. But even by series one standards, that CGI pool of molten plastic is pretty damn awful. I say this with a handful of caveats. Yes, this was essentially a pilot for the relaunch of the series. Yes, the production crew was brand new. No, the budget wasn’t huge. You could probably list more reasons, but my point is made. They did their best.

I don’t need to ask why an amorphous blob was easier to depict than a giant space squid. Hell, it was too expensive in the '70s. We only ever saw it’s tentacles back then! I had to use Andrew Skilleter’s illustration from the Target novelisation of “Terror of the Autons.” Mostly because the show never shows the entire squid and also because Skilleter owns! But the kid who grew up on ‘90s Nickelodeon and Beetlejuice in me will never think of a pool of goo as an upgrade from a space squid. It’s just not gonna happen.

As returning readers may have noticed, in the “rad vs. trad,” debate, I have always sided with rad. I like Doctor Who a bit weird. So weird that I am arguing that something is weirder than a glowing vat of sentient plastic. But here I am. The beauty is that RTD explained the change as a devolved form of the Nestine Consciousness. Maybe it was temporary. The squid may return yet! Furthermore, Doctor Who audiences have been watching Talking Tree and Raccoon movies in the intervening years. People are more open to weird these days. Add a bigger budget and we may see the comeback of the cosmic cephalopod!

Rutans

This is the other entry on this list that you may feel is a bit of a cheat. The above illustration on the right comes from an official Doctor Who video game titled “The Gunpowder Plot.” It is a redesign of the Rutan Host for the Matt Smith era. Seeing as their new design is meant to represent the style of the modern series, I’m counting it.

As redesigns go, this one had a lot of wiggle room. Usually only mentioned by name, the only time we ever got to see a Rutan onscreen was “The Horror of Fang Rock.” Throughout most of the story, the Rutan looks like a quenelle of green jelly sloughing slowly up the stairs of a lighthouse. When I was five, my trip to Cocoa Beach was cut short due to an outbreak of jellyfish. The one I almost stepped on with my bare foot looked a lot like that. It’s not hard for me to imagine a little green blob as dangerous.

It feels almost too perfect then that the Rutan redesign would land somewhere in the vicinity of a jellyfish. While they are capable of shapeshifting, tentacles do add to their base physical prowess. You can imagine one of them holding their own against a Sontaran. You can imagine one wrapped around one of their potato noggins and it being lights out. Whoever worked on that game has done the show a favour if they ever bring the Rutans back. Green electric jellyfish will do just fine.

Sea Devils

Back when I reviewed “Legend of the Sea Devils,” I mused that it followed the tradition of Sea Devils stories being “not very interesting.” So it came as a bit of a shock to me back in June when Doctor Who Magazine readers ranked it the eighth-best story of the Pertwee era. What were they seeing that I wasn’t? Because by my standards, it’s about two episodes too long. My thought is that people love it mainly for two reasons- cool vehicles and the Sea Devils themselves. Much like the St Paul’s Cathedral shot from “The Invasion,” the shot of the Sea Devils emerging from the sea is doing most of the heavy lifting. Such is the legacy of effective imagery.

The element of the Sea Devils’ look that has aged the poorest has to be their netted tunics. They look dingy and cheap. I imagine on some level, they helped, as Adam Savage would say, “hide the crimes,” of the costume department. The costumes weren’t playing on camera so maybe they added the netting. I’m just speculating here. After all, their cousins, the SIlurians, walked around in the buff. The next time we see the Sea Devils in “Warriors of the Deep,” they’re decked out in a sort of Samauri attire. Just because they lived underwater doesn’t mean the Sea Devils were unaffected by Feudal Japan. Nobody seems to have cared about this change in costuming. Or perhaps they were busy recoiling from the Myrka. The Silurians remained true to their nudist lifestyle.

Other than the Daleks and the Weeping Angels with Paul Dano’s face of the Chibnall era, I rather liked most of its character redesigns. I particularly liked the Sea Devils. I like that they kept their big fishy eyes and turtle beaks. And did you catch that adorable Baby Sea Devil from “Defenders of Earth?” That thing looks like a cross between Grogu and my own pet tortoise and I would kill for it. Like the Dalek update of the Davies era, they kept the silhouette intact and simply gave it a more believable appearance. Are the eyes a bit more cartoony? Yes. Is that fantastic? Also yes.

The major change to the look of the Sea Devils are their costumes. They’re a sort of mash-up of Asian influences with little references to the netting of their first appearance. If you’re a big fan of the Sea Devils, I think it would be hard to complain about their appearance here. Their bismuth-encrusted swords are a nice addition (just don’t let them touch your skin). You can imagine them as swashbuckling monsters who once ruled the sea. Now if only someone could come along and give them a proper adventure to star in!

Silurians

Much like the Royal Family, Doctor Who writers get a lot of leeway out of the word “cousin.” It covers a multitude of sins. Such is the case when dealing with the Silurians and their cousins- Homoreptila. It’s a blink-and-you-miss-it line of dialogue that I unfortunately missed the first time around. I was too busy blinking in disbelief at how depressing Broadchurch with lizards could be. It wasn’t until revisiting the two-part story “The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood,” that I finally heard the line explaining the discrepancy.

Why that matters is that it’s the reason I had a two-year chip on my shoulder about the Silurian redesign. This isn’t to say I thought they looked bad. The makeup job on the modern Silurians is very good. They just don’t look like Silurians. It bothered me because one of the things I liked about Doctor Who is that it often set itself apart from Star Trek. Star Trek aliens are more often than not- rather humanoid. This has always felt like a storytelling device more than anything. Less makeup equals more of the actor’s performance shining through. Doctor Who, on the other hand, asks its viewers to see something relatable in something inhuman. You can still make this complaint against “The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood,” because it does feel like they wanted you to see the human inside the Silurian costume. They couldn’t resist the Spielbergian desire to give the lizards soulful human eyes. 

Any design change seems to stem directly from this need, so it feels difficult to judge them otherwise. Even their dehumanising masks were more of a measure to save money on facial prosthetics, though they do add an air of mystery. Those black-eyed masks were downright exciting until they took them off to reveal a very human face. Had they gone with those masks as their faces, I might have been able to overlook the exclusion of their third eye. It would have been very easy to modernise as well. Many reptiles and amphibians have what is known as a parietal eye on top of their heads. They can even sense fluctuations in light. Incorporating one into the design would have been very easy. That said, the ridges on their heads are in keeping with their original design and very striking. Especially on Madame Vastra.

Along with their masks, these Silurians are different in that they are no longer nudists. They now wear clothes. It makes sense that they did this. Their new humanoid appearance makes clothing essential. No need to adapt “The Lusty Argonian Maid,” for television. The costumes aren’t bad either. The netting feels like yet another call-back to their other cousins- the Sea Devils. Even their new guns do a good job echoing the disc-shaped guns the Sea Devils carried but with the aesthetics of the modern era. All in all, this redesign is fine, but I still yearn to see a proper Silurian in the modern style.

Sontarans

Tumblr user “zagreus-eats-your-bread,” once said of the Chibnall era Sontarans- “Big fan of the redesign. They finally look like absolute shit again. He looks like a knee.” While to some, that sounds like faint praise, I couldn’t agree with their sentiment more. The Sontarans looked awful in classic Doctor Who and I love them for that. There was something unsettling about the way Linx’s tongue would pulsate in “The Time Warrior.” The whiskers poking from his brow and mottled face only added to his vile appearance. His helmet towered over others as he sized them up. A striking foe if there ever was one.

It’s odd then, that the Davies era decided to make the Sontarans squat in stature. They even explain that it is due to the high gravity of Sontar that they’re so short. Their bodies developed for load-bearing. It made sense narratively and wasn’t really a problem. Like I said above- we stan a short king. The problems arose sometime in the Moffat era. The Sontarans had gone from dynamite in a small package to comic relief. I hesitate to blame Strax, but he is when this started to happen.

Cynicism is likely the cause. Writers looked at the Sontarans and said “Ha, potato head and a short body!” One of the fiercest races in Doctor Who history was reduced to an army too stupid to realise that an invisible tank left them completely visible inside. It’s like when people think of the Daleks as embarrassing because they look like pepper pots and completely ignore the fact that they’re also genocidal maniacs. This is why I appreciated Chris Chibnall’s desire to add some ferocity back into the Sontarans. Their stature had returned to that of the classic look, which is fine. Unlike the Daleks, there was a precedent for a tall Sontaran. And yes, they looked like shit again. We could see the Sontarans as a threat once more. Oh, they’re stuck in an off-license eating chocolate like Augustus Gloop? Oh. Right.

Time Lords

I hemmed and hawed about whether I should include these guys or not. Do I add the Master while I’m at it? But in the end, many Time Lords are monsters and they too received a makeover. Though it isn’t much of one. In fact, I once read that aspects of their costumes were reused from the classic series. You could argue that their biggest redesign happened somewhere between their first appearance in “The War Games,” and “The Deadly Assassin.” They started out looking like a cult that formed in the basement of an Apple Store. But somewhere along the line, they got seriously into collars. It was the ‘70s after all. People’s shirts were 30% collar back then.

Sadly, while the overall look of the ‘70s Time Lords carried on into the modern era, they abandoned their love for colour. Rassilon being the Regina George of Time Lord society decided that we only wear red on Wednesdays. And seeing as they’re time travellers, it’s always Wednesday somewhere! So the Time Lords left their saffron and purple robes at the cleaners. Even the citizens of Gallifrey are shown in “The Day of the Doctor,” wearing variations of red and white. Everyone fell in line and fashion suffered.

When we see the Time Lords in “The Timeless Children,” they’re now wearing very stylish Cyberman headgear. Their red hoods have now been replaced with gold numbers laser-cut with Gallifreyan writing. I would call it a fashion breakthrough if not for the fact that everyone was still decked out in drab silver. I don’t want to see the Time Lords again until they take a page from the Fifteenth Doctor’s book and learn to diversify their wardrobe. Yas hunty! Werk!

Zygons

If you’ve not been to Neil Cole’s Museum of Classic Sci-fi in Hexham, you should do yourself a favour and change that. It’s a great day out, and if you’re lucky, Neil might even be available to chat. Something I learned when talking to Neil is that he has some rather strong opinions about the redesign of the Zygons. Primarily, their head shape. Throughout this article, I’ve praised some of the redesigns for their adherence to the basic silhouette of the baddies. If you were to show me either version of a Zygon in a silhouette I would identify them both as Zygons, but dammit Neil, you’re right. The head just isn’t right.

Initially, I thought it was the mouth shape, which is definitely different. When they redesigned the Zygons for “The Day of the Doctor,” my thought was “What happened to their kitty cat faces?” You may not see it, but I have always looked at classic Zygons and thought “Aw, there’s a Mister Kitty!” And they replaced their little button nose and philtrum with a set of far more human features. Seriously Moffat, what is it with you? They’re aliens! Let orange squid men covered in suckers have cat faces!

The top-heavy ridge of their heads gave them a sort of lumbering look, which may have been the impetus to change them. The Zygons of the 50th anniversary needed to do a fair bit of running. But it also detracts from the iconic lines that made them so striking back in 1975. Below the neck, the design choices make a lot of sense. Like the Ice Warriors, the goal seemed to be to add more texture and detail. The ribs seem more defined as do the suckers. Even their bio-tech devices are appropriately slimy and detailed. When they find Kate Stewart in that purple bubbly skin poncho, none of us are offering to trade places with her. Unless that’s your thing. Don’t let me yuck your yum.

My main qualm with the modern Zygon is less with their design and more with their physiology. The Zygons have always been squidgy shapeshifters. But since when do they turn people into smouldering balls of staticky hair? They tried to explain that this was a new development of technology, so why is one of the refugee Zygons able to use it on himself? It’s not as though the Zygon’s body is not already teeming with venomous stingers. If you’ve ever read Mark Morris’ “The Bodysnatchers,” you’ll know exactly what I mean. Mark does such a good job delving into the physiology of the Zygons that he set the standard by which I judge all future Zygon depictions. It’s seriously great stuff.

Aaaaand we're done! Phew! This one took a long time for me to write. I wanted to return with a bit of a long one because I haven't written anything in a while. My sister came to visit from July to August, so I had been very busy. Then I got ill, yadda yadda yadda. Expect to see more of me soon as I plan to cover the 60th Anniversary Specials and beyond. I may even review some classic Doctor Who in the meantime! Stay safe and take care!

[thececeverse]

˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ NAMIE AT WATERBOMB 2024 ... !

The industry's pretty girl finally made her Waterbomb debut! After four years of being one of SM's most successful solo acts, she finally made her long-awaited appearance at the hottest festival of the summer, and like everything Namie does, her set was gold! She had previously said herself that she didn't want to perform at Waterbomb as a soloist until she had enough summer hits, and after releasing the song of the summer this year, she undoubtedly made a splash. So, let's go over what happened, shall we?

˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ( WHAT SHE WORE ... ! )

˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ( THE SETLIST … ! )

WHY DON’T YOU KNOW

OPENING MENT … !

BUBBLEGUM

BLUE CHAMPAGNE

KNOCK

INTERMISSION … !

HEY GIRL

NO. 1

HIGH ROLLER

I’M NOT COOL

OBSESSED

BE MY BABY (LOVEY DOVEY)

CLOSING MENT … !

CUTIE HONEY

˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ ( WHAT WENT DOWN … ! )

She's finally here, y'all! Namie's at Waterbomb! We did it!

Namie nation was so pissed every time she didn't go for the last two years, but once SM announced that she'd be going, it was all sunshine and rainbows for the first time since 2022!

She reached the peak of her fame (again) this year, so she and the rest of Pink Marmalade were trending like hell!

Namie has always had quite a lot of creative control over her solo work, and it was obvious here! She was so involved when it came to her styling for the festival (because of course she was), and she went full Y2K! She was taking inspiration from Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Ciara... like in the weeks leading up to Waterbomb she was quite literally making whole moodboards. Like, girl, it was serious.

And speaking of styling, let's get into those boots! No one knows how Namie's stylist even sourced those, but somehow it happened. They were truly the cutest thing that any idol has ever worn to Waterbomb, and "HER BOOTS" was trending for hours. So many people were attempting to find them, and Depop crashed a couple times as a result... oops!

Her Versace bikini top was also quite the hot topic! Like, fashion icon we know this already!

Aside from that, Namie's setlist was insane. She literally had all of her hits, all of the summer bops... but a good chunk of her fans were wondering where her debut singles were. And surprise, surprise, it wasn't SM behind the lack of debut era Namie.

It was Namie herself, actually. 😭

She didn't want any of her debut work on her setlist because not only did she kind of outgrow that (she's 24, y'all, come on), but those tracks really didn't fit the whole vibe of the festival. And yeah she's definitely right, but the people would've loved to hear just a wee bit of "Heart Attack," Namie!

But my God her set was incredible. She was smiling the whole time, interacting with the crowd like they were her best friends, and dancing like SM's lights were hours away from getting shut off. Like she bodied the choreography for "I'm Not Cool" like we all knew she would!

And the way she threw her hat once the chorus started... mothering.

For some reason, no one expected Namie to perform "Hey Girl" or "No. 1," but she did! Those are two of her biggest hits, and the crowd couldn't be happier!

At the time of her set, "Obsessed" was literally an unreleased song. And it was fully in English. No one in her crowd knew the words because it wasn't even on streaming services yet and it came out of nowhere, but it sounded good! It was a hit! Everyone loved it!

"NEW SONG" started trending on Twitter the second it started playing lol.

She sang one of her Japanese b-sides, too, which was also a pleasant surprise! And since the song was so long, everyone thought that was it, and then Namie and her cheeky self went "I have a surprise for you guys" right after her ending ment... as if there weren't enough surprises already!

And then "Cutie Honey" started playing... everyone cheered!

Namie is always so expressive every time she performs this song, and it was no exception here! She was up there acting like she was about to win an Oscar and making full use of that stage.

And the best part of all? Right before the first verse started, Namie took off her cute little tube top and quite literally flung it into the crowd! The way the crowd got so loud.

Whoever caught it (either accidentally or on purpose) didn't get to keep it, though lol.

Namie was all over the water guns, too. She shot at the crowd, at her dancers, and she even shot at the rest of Pink Marmalade because of course, they were front and center for their leader! But Jasmine did not appreciate that one-sided water gun fight one bit like for some reason she got hit the most!

And guess who was also in the crowd? Venus! Namie spotted them and waved like her hand was about to fall off like... leader of Constellation nation I fear lol.

After Namie's set of course the girls had to hit the festival circuit themselves! They saw Hyo, Nayeon, Taemin, Hwasa, Kiss of Life... like they got to see all of their faves!

They took so many pictures and filmed so many TikToks, and Waterbomb was essentially just a Sixteen girls reunion! Like Natty, Nayeon, and Namie were all in one room together after nine years!

All in all, Namie was one of the It girls of Waterbomb. She had a great time, #NAMIE_AT_WATERBOMB was trending for a full day, and a fancam of her performing "Cutie Honey" went viral with over nearly 3 million views on Twitter. We love that for her! ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗

ocs mentioned ... ! — venus (@venusvity) ♡

[randonauticrap]

New Beginnings

Pairing ~ Luke Randolph x Reader

Event ~ Spring Showers, Spring Flowers hosted by the lovely @aquagirl1978 and @violettduchess!

Author's Note ~ Requested by my friend @queengiuliettafirstlady! Here is your darling Luke with some cottagecore vibes. I hope you enjoy!

Jade was befitting of its name. It was an incredibly green country; lush with vegetation and flowers. There were reaching fields of daffodils, snowdrops, crocus, and tulips, bursting with the color of a rainbow that tired of sitting in the sky and came to rest upon the earth instead. This is where you and Luke had settled at last, away from Rhodolite, away from his past and his pain. Your cottage in Jade was a home in which his ghosts could not haunt. The spirits passed through every now and again, in the shadow reflected in his face when the sun set, in the life he shared with you - a life his sister never got the chance to have, in the weathered bear that had made the journey with them all the way from Rhodolite. But they passed, the wind carrying them back to Luke's childhood home and away from the heart he had patched as best he could, with your help.

Your days passed in a tiny kitchen, filled to the brim with plants bearing exotic blooms, cooking honey-filled treats to sate the bear's ever recurring appetite. Your adopted cat, Alba, waited in the wooden chair your lover made for her - you were certain he loved the cat as much as he loved you, if not more - eager to taste whatever new treat you were attempting. Your nights passed in your lover's warm embrace, tracing the lines of his face as he slept peacefully at your side. You often lay awake watching him, especially in the beginning, fearing the moments you'd see his face twist in pain from the unpleasant dreams that plagued him. For the first week and a half you were in Jade, you refused to sleep until morning, insistent on being awake to soothe your lover's every moment of suffering. But after many nights of fear, when nightmares did not plague him, you allowed yourself to relax ever so slightly, into the new life you had promised him.

Pressed up against him, his skin soft and warm against your own, you were able to rest at last. Alba would slink in each night and curl up at Luke's feet, assuring you that he had the two most vigilent women in Jade there to care for him, and that he had the life he had always wanted. He was home. He was home. And you had never felt more at ease anywhere.

~

Tags for the Lovelies: @aquagirl1978 @violettduchess @rhodolitesroseforclavis @ikehoe @atelieredux @queengiuliettafirstlady

[mouse-fantoms]

Inspired by my tags in this post

Alex was slumped in the couch of the garage. He opened his tired eyes and looked over to the chair beside him and saw Reggie still sound asleep. Sure, falling every night on a couch in a garage wasn’t idle to the average person but considering Alex wasn’t the average person anymore it wasn’t a half bad circumstance.

Ray always offered to spiff up the garage to accommodate for their sleeping arrangements which was nice to know that if they ever wanted a change Ray would easily be on board. Ever since he found out about them, he welcomed the boys with open arms. It was reliving to have this supportive parental figure, at least for the time being.

Alex had had that supportive parental figure in his own parents for the longest time until they knew about his… “lifestyle”. Then it all changed. They only saw his “lifestyle” not him. Why would Ray be different? At least for the time being it was nice to have that again.

Alex excepted to see Luke on the opposite end of the couch but was surprised to see he wasn’t there. He never was an early riser before but of course now with Julie in their afterlives she changed that. He was probably bugging visiting Julie at school if he wasn’t in the garage.

Speaking of, the blond noticed a pink envelope sitting in the coffee table in front of him. In Julie’s neat writing was his name.

He opened the envelope and saw a handmade card for him (another one of Julie’s creations) and signed from her, Ray and Carlos.

It brought a soft smile to his face. That was a nice.

All of the sudden, he heard Luke poof in.

“Alex!” Luke seemed urgent.

He responded by putting his index finger to his lips and then pointing to the chair with the sleeping Reggie.

“Alex.” Luke dropped his voice seeing the still sound asleep bassist. “I need to show you something.”

“Wow not even a good morning?”

He rolled his eyes. “Good morning now would you- Oh, you got Julie’s card.” His tune immediately changed.

“…Did you tell her?”

He shrugged. “Reggie and I might have said something. It was only fair since you two told her about mine.”

He nodded understanding the reason. “Thank you.”

Luke lightly nodded smiling with him. “…Can you show now?”

“I guess?” His answer came as a question considering it was early in the morning. Where could Luke have been so early that made him want to bring him along?

~~~

“Where did-” Alex started to ask Luke where they were going. He looked around and noticed they were in a house. The living room looked oddly familiar.

He looked and saw Luke sitting on the kitchen’s counter. The kitchen that also looked… …like it hadn’t changed in 25 years.

“Look.” Luke pointed to the dining table.

Emily Patterson was sat at the table, using a knife to smooth a cake’s white frosting. She looked looked calm and content as she smoothed. The cake was a double layer one, with red frosting spirals that went around the cake’s top.

“It’s red velvet.” He heard Luke say behind him.

Alex turned his attention when he heard footsteps.

“There we go.” He saw Mitch Patterson put an already opened pack of single stick candles on the table as he took a seat.

“Did you get the matches?” Emily asked, setting the knife on the table happy with her smoothing job.

“Right here.” Mitch opened his hand to show her.

“Perfect.” She bought the pack of candles to her.

She at first went to grab the light pink candle that was in the pack but then switched and grabbed the rainbow spiral colored one instead. She placed the candle in the cake and looked to her husband to light the match. It took a few attempts to get the flame on the match but once it was, he lit the wick of the candle and shook out the match. They grabbed each other’s hand once the candle was lit.

“…Happy birthday Alex.” Emily said out loud with hesitation considering who it was for.

They had… made his favorite cake. They had decorated his favorite cake. They had put a rainbow candle in his favorite cake. They had done all of it for him on his day. All for… him. They made his favorite cake… that Emily chose to put a rainbow candle in? They were… supportive? Supportive parental figures? Had they done this same thing for him all his past birthdays for the past 25 years just as they had for Luke?

Alex approached from behind them, closed his eyes for a moment and then blew out the candle.

“Happy birthday by the way.” Luke spoke up.

“…Thank you.” He swallowed trying to keep the water in his eyes. “…Really thank you.”

[tanat-a]

Hi, I've been a lurker here for a long time, and I have begun to write my first novel. It started as a personal thing, but then a friend of mine recommended me to post it here to see if people like it, so here it goes.

(This story is my attempt to merge a western magic system and an Eastern magic system so if you have any thoughts about my writing please tell me.)

Chapter 1 Rainbow Crystal Cave

Huang Lei awoke with a groan in the darkness of Rainbow Crystal Cave. He tried to get up, but a searing pain permeated the entirety of his body. Looking at himself, he could see that his cloak was tattered and frayed, while his tunic and pants had holes in them. Compared to the rest of his apparel, his hair was unblemished.

"That's the last time i don't secure my rope tightly" He said to himself.

Huang came here in search of some crystals to sell ,crystals from Rainbow Crystal Cave are higly priced making it a profitable venture to go and collect them even when one considers the danger, he had climed Steep Star mountain to get to the mouth of the cave, and even avoided a few shadow stalker wolves on his way here. The first step he took he saw that the cave had many levels and tunnles but he didn't see any crystals, so he secured his rope to a rock and descended. But the rope he was using got loose from where he secured it. Sending him tumbling down the cave.

Ignoring the pain he forces himself up and goes to a nearby puddle to look at himself. There he sees a man with black coarse hair tied into a topknot with a silver hairpin sideways into the top knot. His face was angular like that of a finely cut diamond, his complexion was deep like that of a dark amber, his eyebrows were thick and arched, his nose was straight and sharp and his mouth was thin and straight. His deep-set eyes were as blue as the ocean and as clear as gemstone. Most people who met him discribe him as a saphire due to his eyes and complexion, Some would say he was wasting his looks by beaing a wayfarer instead of working as an entertainer for the nobles of The Crimson Star Empire.

But Huang never liked living a life of monotony. Haung grew up in an orphanage in Verdant Meadow City, ever since a young age he liked exploring and experiencing new things even if it left him dirt-poor most of the time. Having left the orphanage he has spent five years travelling through the Bountiful Hills reagion of the empire. He had heard of a merchant willing to pay one jade carp for a Rainbow mana crystal from the Rainbow Crystal Cave, most people weren't interested in a sure death even for that much money. But Huang thought it would be interesting to go see Rainbow Crytal cave too, so he thought it would kill two birds with one stone.

Huang looked to where he had fallen from and saighed "If you fly too close to the sun you will get burned. It seems that I overestimated myself this time... again." He fell a quarter of a li ,which is about 125 meters, it was a miracle he even survived.

'It seems the heavens favor the foolish today' he tought to himself. looking around to see if he could find anything to help him get up and out of the cave. He found his backpack which had five packaged meals, a torch, and a knife.

Lightning his torch he ventured deeper into the cave. While walking along a cave tunnel he saw something reflect the light of his torch back at him.

Rushing towards the object Huang suddenly heard hissing coming from in front of him. Waving his torch forward he found that the object was a scepter, but the scepter was entangled in a large spider nest. The spider nest was so large it was as tall as Huang and had so many webs woven together that it was impossible to see what was underneath. Only the top of the scepter was poking out. On top of the nest was a Yin Venom Spider. The Yin Venom Spider was as black as tar with ivory white eyes and fangs.

The spider hissed at Huang and lifted it's front legs trying to intimidate him. Huang was frozen he had never face a beast like a Yin Venom Spider before.

Thinking to himself Haung though of his options. 'What now Haung? A Yin Venom Spider is staring you down maybe you should backup and go back and try to climb the cave... But that scepter would Fetch a nice price, and there might be something in the nest to help me get out.' So he decided to attack.

Unwrapping a packaged meal and putting on the ground in front of the spider, he then stepped back. The spider climed down and started to eat the meal. Huang turned his back to the spider and ran but it lunged at him nearly biting his leg. Haung pressed his torch into the spider's face with a sizzling noise and a piercing shriek the spider pulled back and tried to bite Huang. He block it in time with his torch, but the spider pushed Huang down on the floor with its superior strength.

The spider used it razor sharp legs to rain a flurry of piercing blows against Huang Lei. Clothes were pierced and bones were broken as the spider landed blow after blow on Huang. He took his knife and stabbed it into the spider's neck, making it jump away.

Getting up Huang took note of his injuries. He had a broken rib, a broken left arm and a broken left leg, and had holes in his flesh the size of a coin on his upper torso.

The spider jumped and opened it fangs preparing to bite Huang. He tried to block it but his injuries prevented him from moving his torch quickly. The spider bit his arm and he felt yin Venom flowing into him. He tried to scream but no noise came out. It was like his body was becoming ice. He saw the knife was still in the spider's neck, he grabbed the knife, and kicked the spider in its abdomen to move it to his right side and dragged the knife across the spider's neck.

The spider was still moving. He stabbed it again, and again, and again. Stepping back he collapsed. The sound of his breathing and the crackling of his torch was the only sound in the cave.

Huang tried to get up but his muscles wouldn't move the yang Venom having turned it into something akin to ice rather than flesh and it kept felt like it was shifting and changing under his skin. Reaching for his torch to warm him up he only moved his fingers before he passed out.

Waking up Huang felt that something was off and very, very wrong. His bones were not broken anymore, but his flesh didn't have holes in it like it should have. His chest felt tight, and his hair felt longer and smoother than before.

Huang was panicking. 'This is not normal, not normal at all. Did someone come and patch me up or something?'

Getting up he went to a small puddle and looked to see if he was really healed. In the puddle he looked he shifted his face and paused each time, pausing longer and longer each time he shifted his face. A second passed, then ten, then a minute. He than spat blood.

"EEHHHHHHHH!!!" A loud shout sounded throughout the cave, bats woke up and flew in massive swarms, insects skittered aimlessly hoping to avoid a being capable of creating such a sound, birds on the surface woke up and fled from their nest, and a merchant near the area heard a noise coming from the Rainbow Crystal Cave he ignored it and continued on his path. Though he did note that it sounded feminine.

Huang was fully panicked now pacing back and forth and occasionally checking his reflection in the puddle. Blood kept pouring out of his mouth due to the nature of what happened to him.

"NO, THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING. THIS HAS TO BE A DREAM." Huang shouted in a feminine voice throughout the cave. A single thwack was heard, then more thwacks were heard. " I HAVE TO WAKE UP. I HAVE TO WAKE UP." Huang was slapping himself.

What haung saw in the puddle wasn't the man that was him what he saw was a woman, with a heart-like face, a small thin nose, thin arched eyebrows, thin delicate lips, and a complexion that was as pale as porcelain. The woman's black hair was straight and silky, a part of her hair was put up in a bun with bangs sweeping to her left, while the rest of her hair flowed to the middle of her back. There was a silver hairpin sticking sideways in the bun. Her eyes were as blue as that of saphires and were as clear as if they were made of glass. Her body was like that of a hourglass, her limbs were thin and delicate looking, their lenght perfectly complementing her frame, with no blemishes in sight. Those who saw her would say she was a jade beauty who came from the heavens to grace the mortal plane.

This was now Huang Lei's body.

(This story will now start to use female pronouns to refer to Huang)

"Why me?" Huang said with a dejected tone. Sulking next to the spider nest she saw that her torch was still lit. 'Maybe there's something in there that can help me.' Huang though as she looked to the spider nest, after all there must be something there that could help she tried to reassure her self of this delusion.

Burning the nest what was left after the fire finished burning was a skeleton, held in its hand was what looked like a diary. The scepter that Huang had seen clattered to the ground, she picked it up.

Shen then swung it around madly while shouting for it to turn her back into a man. She spent ten minutes trying... it didn't work. Exhausted she went to the diary and began to read it.

The diary was a diary of a mage who was studying cultivation and cultivators. While reading she saw a section on Yin, it might help with what happened to him considering she was bit with yin venom she though, it read that

"In the dark of night

Where formless is ice

Where Moonlight is bright

Where winter's in sight

Silent and passive

The night sends missives

That calm is elusive

Yet it is submissive

The girl watches from below

The woman readies a bellow

To greet the moon's glow

Which they all follow"

Huang sat there unmoving considering the poem for moments on end, until she took a breath and closed the diary.

"WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?!" Huang having not understood what the poem meant. Skipping ahead hoping that she would find an explanation on the poem, afterall a wizard had to do research right?

"Yin and yang are opposites, no not this one... there is always balance between... enough with the flowery prose already... Ah, here it is, the cultivators believe that the Yin represents the feminine aspect of a person... the more Yin they have the more feminine they are... This males it so that a man with and excess of Yin qi will turn into a woman, and vice-versa for the effects of Yang qi" Huang sat there still contemplating the new information.

She sat there for an hour. 'That means I can be a man again as long as I get more of this yang stuff in me right?' Yet her hopes were dashed as she continued to read. "One can only switch between Yin and yang once in their life, anymore and they will die. Due to this fact many sects have used the switching of Yin and yang as an execution method. I heard that the Vituous Flower Sect..."

Huang sat there motionless. "This... this can't be real... it can't... it can't..." she muttered weakly hoping the words she was speaking was true. But the reality was Huang was stuck like this for the rest of her life.

Huang just sat there all day, sulking, dead to the world around her. Until her hunger made her get up and unpacked a meal. 'Three more meals... I have to get out of this cave fast... but do I want to. My life is changed beyond any recognition, i didn't choose this fate the heavens chose it for me. Should I just stay here?' Huang though to herself succumbing to depression at having her entire world turned upside down, at being in a cave underground one li away from the surface, having her fate dictated by something else, alone, and without knowing if she will ever get out.

Suddenly she stood up and grabbed the diary stowing it away in her pack picking up the knife and the scepter. With fire in her eyes she looked up and made her decision.

"NO, I won't let this be the end. So what if my entire world view just did turned upon its head. I'm still alive and kicking, and if the heavens have decreed that my life isn't a thing that I can decide for myself, then I shall face the heavens." She declared to the heavens themselves and as if responding to her will a ball of light gather on the head of the staff.

[sequinsmile-x]

Driving Home for Christmas - Chapter One

Emily and Aaron's first Christmas together.

A Christmas fic, set in The Way Home universe

Rating: M

Warnings: Mentions/reference to canon typical violence, mentions/reference to addiction and recovery, Injury recovery, smut

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

December 1992

“Get your feet off the dash.” 

Emily rolls her eyes at her boyfriend as she’s done as he’s instructed, sighing and making a show of it as she lowers her legs back down to the floor of the car. 

“You’re such a dad.” 

“Even Jack knows not to put his feet on the dash in a moving car,” he quips, reaching over to squeeze her thigh, his hand warm through the material of her pants. 

“Aaron, Jack is 6. He couldn’t get his feet up there if he tried,” she replies, smiling lovingly at him, “But he is a mini you…so I guess you’re right.” 

She rolls her right wrist back and forth mindlessly, trying to relieve some of the ever present ache that seemed to live under her skin. She rubs at the surgical scar there as if it would bring relief, something she had gotten into the habit of almost as soon as it had started to heal. 

“Is it bothering you again?” Aaron asks, briefly looking over at her before focusing back on the road. 

She hums, “It’s the cold. The doctor said to expect it,” she smiles tightly at him, “the metal is just under the skin.” Aaron reaches for the button to turn up the heat inside the car as if that would cure her, and her smile turns genuine, “Thanks, honey.” 

He squeezes her thigh once more before putting his hand back on the steering wheel. She doesn’t miss how he grasps it tightly with both hands, his knuckles briefly going white. He still blamed himself for her getting hurt, all of his frustration at what happened that evening with Ian outside their old apartment building turned inward because it was the easiest way to process it. 

It had taken over two months for the bruises around her neck to fade fully. A rainbow of violence splattered across her skin, Ian’s mark left behind long after he’d been refused bail by the courts. She’d worn a turtleneck sweater to Aaron’s graduation from law school, completely out of place for the weather and the time of year, in the hope to cover the last remnants of how forcibly Ian had pressed on her throat. 

She could still feel it sometimes. She’d wake up gasping for breath, the ghost of his grip around her throat, still as tight as it had been that cold night. She’d feel the pain in her wrist, which had been surgically put back together, aching as if it had just been smashed into the wall, and the cold of the sidewalk through her jeans as she fell to the ground, unable to hold herself up. 

The only thing that was able to bring her back to herself in those moments when it felt real was Aaron. His gentle words, his soft touch as he reassured her that it was over, that Ian couldn’t hurt her anymore. 

She’d been dreaming about it more frequently lately. According to her therapist, that was because the trial was just around the corner. Ian had pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, his last grasp at control over her as vicious as his hold around her neck that night, as he insisted on putting her through the rigmarole of court. It was due to take place just after New Year, and Aaron, in his unrelenting love for her, had taken the time off of work despite being relatively new at his practice to provide her support the entire time. 

“The hotel is about an hour away,” Aaron says, drawing her out of her thoughts, and she smiles at him, “What time do we have to be at your mother's?” 

“It starts at 7 pm, so I’d say we aim for never,” she quips, and he chuckles, shaking his head at her, “Probably around 7.30,” she says seriously, “We’ll show our faces, speak to some people and then hopefully head back to our hotel without my mother and I arguing.” 

“We don’t have to go, sweetheart,” Aaron says, and he offers her a kind smile, his eyes flashing to her before he once again looks back at the road, “I’ll turn the car around right now and we’ll head back home.” 

“And I love you for that more than I can possibly say,” she replies, reaching over and placing her hand on the back of his neck, playing with the short hair there, “But it’s best we do this. She’s…trying.” 

Shortly after the surgery to fix Emily’s wrist Aaron had called Elizabeth to tell her what had happened, his girlfriend still unable to talk well enough to face a conversation like that. He was sure he’d always remember the pain in the older woman’s voice as he explained Emily was in the hospital, that she would be for a few days, and that Ian had attacked her. Elizabeth had been at the hospital the following morning, her eyes wide and her reaction at seeing her only child in such a state clear to see, despite how she tried to cover it. 

Emily had told her, her voice still cracking and her throat burning, that she knew she was the one who had told Ian’s ex-girlfriend about her, unknowingly setting off the chain reaction that had led to this. To Emily being stalked for a year by a man hell-bent on vengeance and looking anywhere but inwards for answers as to why his life fell apart. To his attempt on her life. 

It had caused damage to the already tenuous relationship between mother and daughter. Emily’s already shaky trust in Elizabeth almost cracked beyond repair. It was difficult, and Aaron could see how they were both trying to save something that had never really suited anything. 

Elizabeth had kept her mouth shut when they told her that they were moving in together, even though Emily hold him she clearly thought it was too soon for them to do so. She’d simply bought them some furniture without comment, having it delivered to their new apartment with a note.  Emily was still so angry at her mother, for the disarray she had sent her life into, even though she knew this would never have been her intent, she was doing her best to get past it. 

Which is how they found themselves driving to DC the week before Christmas for one night to attend Elizabeth’s annual holiday party. 

Emily smiles when she thinks of the Christmas the previous year, how she’d attended the very same party alone - thinking of Aaron all evening as she attempted to convince herself that nothing could happen between the two of them. That he would never feel for her what she felt for him. It was only two weeks later, on New Year's Eve, when he proved her wrong, kissing her in the rain outside of a party he’d invited her to last minute. 

“I’ll be with you the whole time, Em,” he says, grasping her hand as she removes it from his neck, kissing her knuckles before he lets her go, “I promise.” 

“Good,” she replies, laughing at him, “Otherwise I’d have left you at home.” 

___

Aaron can’t help but smile at the sight of her, the beauty that radiates off his girlfriend at any given moment still enough to make him feel in awe of the fact she was his almost a year on. He watches as she stands in front of the Christmas Tree in her mother’s house, decorated to perfection. The lights from it illuminated her, the dark hair that cascaded down her back standing out against the pale skin that her dress was showing off. 

He walks over, closing the gap between the two of them, and he passes her a glass of champagne before he presses his hand to her lower back, his thumb skipping over the notches of her spine where her dress ended and her soft skin began. She turns her head to look at him, the lights of the tree shining in her dark eyes. 

“So,” he says, smiling down at her, “If we snuck upstairs to your childhood bedroom, would we find lots of posters displaying the embarrassing music taste of your youth.” 

She scoffs in face annoyance, turning and leaning into his side to look at him properly, “For a start, there is nothing embarrassing about Siouxsie and the Banshees, and you really can’t say anything considering you share your favourite album with a cult leader,” Aaron squeezes his arm around her a little tighter, any attempt to seem annoyed with her lost as it always was, “And secondly, we were never here long enough for me to really put my touch on the place,” she smiles wryly, in the way she always did when she spoke of her childhood, “Even if I had, Mother would have redecorated it all by now anyway.” 

Aaron sighs, kissing her forehead in a silent show of his love. Anytime she mentioned something about her mother and the way she had grown up he found himself feeling angry, overwhelmed by the thought that she deserved better. 

“I can always buy you a Siouxsie and the Banshees poster for our place if you want.” 

Emily chuckles, and wraps her arm around his waist, her hand slipping under his tux jacket as she leans in to kiss him, smiling into it as he kisses her back.

“That’s sweet,” she replies, “But I think I’m good,” she kisses him again, biting her lower lip as she pulls back and looks him up and down. “Have I mentioned you look good in this tux?” she says, her smile widening as she takes a sip of her drink.

“You’ve said it once or twice since we left the hotel,” he replies, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

She hums, “Seeing you dressed up like this makes it worth coming all the way here.”

He moves his hand up her back so his palm is entirely pressing into her bare skin, and he smirks as she shivers against the heat of his hand.

“You look pretty amazing yourself, sweetheart.” 

She beams at the praise, “We could always sneak upstairs later anyway,” she says, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Aaron opens his mouth to reply but is cut off by Elizabeth approaching. 

“Emily, Aaron,” she says, walking towards them with a polite smile on her face. Aaron shifts so he’s standing next to his girlfriend, his arm around her waist as he provides silent support, “I didn’t realise you’d made it.” 

“Hello Mother,” Emily replies, smiling back at her in the exact way she was smiling at them, “You were speaking to one of the Senators when we arrived, so we thought we’d leave you to it.” 

Elizabeth nods, “Are you both well? How is college, Emily?”

“We’re good,” Emily says, leaning slightly further into Aaron’s side, “I can’t believe I’ve only got one semester left.” 

“You’ll have to start thinking about masters programmes,” Elizabeth replies, and Emily smiles tightly.

She’d already made her decision and had applied to, and had responses from Social Work programmes back in DC. She, Aaron and Haley had discussed their plans between them, aware that any decisions they made would have to work for all of them. It has always been Aaron and Haley’s plan to move to the DC area when they graduated from college so he could work there, and it worked for Emily too.

She hadn’t told her mother yet, aware that she’d believe such work would be beneath Emily, still convinced her daughter would find a job in the political world as she had.

“Actually, Mother-”

Elizabeth is distracted by someone behind Emily, her gaze drifting past her daughter and her boyfriend as her society smile spreads across her face. 

“Tom, Andrea how lovely to see you,” she says, stepping past Emily to shake their hands, “Emily,” she says, turning back to her and Aaron, “You remember Tom and Andrea Benton and their son Matthew.” 

Emily’s smile falters ever so slightly as she turns to face them, coming face to face with her old friend and his parents. He looked better than he had the last time she’d seen him, frantic and standing in her old apartment as he asked for money. Aaron holds her even tighter, silently trying to let her know he was there. His eyes fixed on the man opposite them who he’d had to ask to leave her place before he held her as she cried afterwards. She’d only told Aaron half the story that night, the final pieces of the puzzle of what had happened in Rome, and why she felt so indebted to Matthew coming months later. 

“Yes, Mother,” she says, taking a sip of her champagne, “I remember Matthew.”

___

Emily isn’t sure she’s ever loved Aaron more for getting her out of that situation quickly, leading her further into the party under the guise of mingling with other people. They find a relatively quiet corner together that happens to be on the path of one of the waiters with a tray of champagne. 

“Are you ok?” Aaron asks, drawing her attention to him, and she sighs, taking a sip of her drink before she places it down on the table next to them. 

“Yeah,” she replies, smiling tightly at him, a humourless chuckle escaping her, “You’ve really got to commend my mother’s ability to hit me where it hurts…even when she doesn’t actually realise what she’s doing,” she clears her throat, wrapping her arms around herself as she looks down at the floor, “It’s quite the skill.” 

Elizabeth knew nothing about Rome, about what her daughter had endured there, and therefore could have no idea of the impact it had on Emily’s once very close relationship with Matthew. How he’d reacted himself as he got older, the spiral he’d fallen into that had led to him stealing from Emily to feed his habits. The money she would have given him if he’d asked, and a necklace from her grandfather she couldn’t replace gone, falling through the cracks of a friendship that would never be the same. 

“Sweetheart,” Aaron says, stepping towards her and wrapping his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace, “We can go if you want, this is why we booked a hotel instead of staying here.” 

“I’d love to,” She groans, kissing him before she pulls back, wrapping her arms around his neck, “But then she’d only ask why and…it’s just easier to stay.”

Until she’d met Aaron, until she’d known what it was to be loved by him, that's what her whole life had been. Stuffed full of things that were never said because it was easier not to, almost suffocating in the silence she had grown up surrounded by. 

“Whatever you want, Em.” 

She smiles up at him, “Maybe we could have sex when we get back to the hotel, that would make me feel better.” 

He makes a big deal of making it look like he’s considering it, “Well, if it would make you feel better I’m sure I could do that.” 

She laughs at him, shaking her head, “You jer-”

“Emily?” 

She freezes, sighing before she turns around, grateful when Aaron’s grip on her loosens only enough for her to do so, his arm still tight around her. 

“Matthew,” she replies, smiling tightly at him as he takes a couple of steps towards the couple, “Happy Holidays. I didn’t expect to see you here.” 

“I’m staying with my parents at moment,” he replies, clearing his throat slightly, “I hoped to see you here,” he looks at Aaron and flashes him a smile, “Aaron.”

“Hi Matthew,” Aaron says, his eyes fixed on the other man, unsure about anything other than the fact he knew he wasn’t going to leave Emily’s side. 

“Can I have a couple of minutes alone, Em? I want to talk to you.” Matthew says, his eyes flitting  back and forth between the couple. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Aaron says automatically, realising he hadn’t even given Emily a chance to speak for herself only afterwards. She places a hand over his on her hip and squeezes and she doesn’t let go, which is enough of a sign for him that she doesn’t want him to go either. 

Matthew chuckles slightly, looking back at Emily, “Adesso è la tua guardia del corpo?” 

“I’m not doing that, Matthew,” Emily says, purposely replying in English, not willing to get pulled into anything as she had in the past, “Aaron knows everything, anything you want to say to me you can say in front of him.” 

“Everything?” Matthew says, frowning slightly as if he was surprised that she’d told her boyfriend what they had gone through when they were still children. 

“Everything.” 

There’s a beat of silence before Matthew sighs and nods, clearing his throat. “I wanted to apologise, I…” he chuckles humourlessly, “I tried to come to see you but that really stern building manager told me you didn’t live there anymore, and your mother wouldn’t give me your address again.” 

“That isn’t because I’ve told her anything,” she says, feeling the need to reassure him, even though she knew she didn’t owe him that, “We had to move and she is under strict instructions not to give my address to anybody.” 

Matthew nods, looking between her and Aaron again, clearly picking up on the implication that they now lived together. 

“Anyway, my parents would only let me stay with them if I got help, and there’s this whole thing about making amends and…you’re the person who actually tried to help me and I was awful to you,” he explains, “I’m sorry, for everything. And I hope one day you can forgive me.” 

“Matthew,” she breathes out, closing her eyes briefly, pushing back the emotions she doesn’t want to set free, “Of course I forgive you,” she says, smiling tightly at him as he beams, “We won’t…I can’t be what we were before,” she adds, feeling a spark of guilt as his smile fades, “We’ve grown up, and we’re different and I don’t think I trust you as I did then. But I will always be grateful for what you did for me, so I forgive you.” 

It takes a moment, but he slowly nods, “I can accept that,” he looks at the necklace around her neck, the bird pendant sparkling in the light, “You found the necklace?” 

She lifts her spare hand to it and grasps it, smiling as she does so, “No, I didn’t,” she replies, “Aaron got it for me.” 

Matthew smiles, “It’s lovely,” he looks behind him, aware of his parents looking at them, “I’ll leave you both to it, Happy Holidays.” 

They repeat it back to him, and once he’s turned around Aaron speaks, “Matthew?” He waits until he’s looking at them again, “Mi prenderò cura di lei.”

___

Aaron sighs as he opens their hotel room door, stepping aside to let his girlfriend in before he follows her. 

“Can you stop laughing at me please?” 

She chuckles, biting her lip as she turns to look at him, “I’m sorry honey,” she says, sounding anything put as she steps towards him, “But it was so cute.” 

“You’re the one who taught me some Italian.” He grumbles, making sure the door to their room is locked before he turns back to her.

She smiles, wrapping her arms around his neck, “And clearly we need to work on your pronunciation,” she quips, leaning in to kiss him when he raises his eyebrows at her, “But it’s sweet, and I love you for it.”

“I love you too,” he replies, holding her closer, “Even if you do make fun of us mere mortals who can only speak one language fluently.” 

She grins, pressing her lips against his, letting herself get briefly lost in it, her fingers trailing through his hair. 

“Thank you, for coming with me to this,” she says, as she pulls back, “It means a lot.” 

“You don’t have to thank me, Em,” He replies, his hands running down her spine, settling at her lower back, “I always want to be wherever you are.” 

She shakes her head at him, “You’re ridiculous,” she stamps a kiss against his lips, groaning as he deepens it, biting her lip as she pulls away, “I seem to remember you promising to have sex with me to make me feel better.” 

He hums, kissing her again, “I remember that too,” he smiles, kissing her, his tongue swiping her lower lip, “I guess we all have our burdens to bear.” 

Her outraged response is cut off by him kissing her, sweeping her off her feet as he hoists her upwards, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist. 

She’s already forgotten what she’s supposed to be annoyed about by the time her back is pressing into the mattress.  

-x-

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[hekateinhell]

it's #vcficfriday and I just want to highlight a few fics I've read recently that I really enjoyed - one for each of my ships!

here beneath my lungs by @rainbowcarousels

Lestat/Armand | E | 3.6k

Set in the same universe as Rainbow's the stars still conspire for us, this fic starts out with Lestat and Armand attempting to navigate their evolving relationship during the PL-era within the context of their other loves and their own turbulent history. Armand and Lestat's power dynamics (separate and together) are one of my favorite things and Rainbow just nails it here with their voices and characterization. So visceral, desperate, and sweet with an excellent dose of humor courtesy of Daniel and Louis. ALSO, it's the first chapter out of five so you can subscribe and follow along! 💖

Fate as it Flows by @apoptoses

Armand/Daniel | E | 15k

LORD. LORD. LORD! I feel like this is one of those fics that makes you feel as if you've just lived it yourself alongside Daniel and Armand (apoptoses' specialty). The whole progression of this fic from the way it opens with an innocent question to the (literal) climax and finishing off with the aftercare is insanely erotic and tender -- truly an artful character exploration vis a vis the importance of intimacy and communication. Trust apoptoses and trust me! ♥️

Christmas in New York by @darkangel1791

Armand/Louis | G | 6k

I'm so sentimental about this one because it's one of the first VC fics (specs as they used to be called) baby me ever read! It's still so rare to see any fic at all of Armand and Louis during their IWTV era and this one perfectly captures the "gentle intimacy" Armand described between them in TVA. Armand's POV, soft and compelling -- reminiscent of the narrative tone of IWTV. I've thought about it for years and I'm beyond delighted to see it on ao3! 🖤

[the-girl-who-didnt-smile]

Last but not least, Damballah (Hazbin Hotel)

In the actual religion, Damballah is a really important deity because he’s the first Loa that was created by Bondye (God). He’s super ancient and takes the form of this beautiful, giant white snake. The actual deity Damballah is a very peaceful god to be in the presence of. Here is my attempt to create a Hazbin Hotel Deviantart OC based on this actual voodoo deity.

In my fanfiction, Damballah is the first Loa that was created by Bondye. He’s giving off Dr. Manhattan vibes, but Damballah is a lot nicer than Dr. Manhattan. This is an extremely peaceful man, simply being in his presence calms you down. 

He is the least human looking of the Loa because his lower half is a giant white snake. He can also go into a fully snake form, which is actually his preferred form. For you see, his human half is actually the inside of his snake form’s mouth. To transform into his fully snake form, first you just see a cascade of beautiful white scales crawling up his spine and spreading across his back. He then folds his body down and transforms it into the inside of a snake’s mouth. This has got to look really mesmerizing when he does it. The snake’s mouth closes and his human half metamorphosizes into the most gorgeous white snake head you have fucking ever seen in your entire life. His human form has gold eyes because those are his fangs. His snake form has the most beautiful gold fangs, but you rarely ever see them because he rarely ever displays them. Of course, his snake form also has very beautiful gold eyes, and they are always very peaceful and gentle.

This man is supposed to be beautiful to look at. As the original Loa, he was crafted in the image of the ideal male form. No homo, but he may or may not be the hottest bitch who ever fucking lived. This is a lie. Erzulie is the hottest bitch who ever lived, he’s just a close second. 

Full homo, but I think the only thing I want to fuck more than his human form is his snake form. If you think his human form is gorgeous, his snake form is even more gorgeous. Damballah resides in a pocket dimension removed from the rest of existence. There is an enormous garden inside of this dimension, full of all sorts of colorful, beautiful, magical plants and fruits. Garden of Eden’s got nothing on this. Most of the time, Damballah is in his snake form, gracefully crawling around his garden. He should look so mesmerizing that even people with the worst fear of snakes are completely calm in his presence. You know that he is never going to bite you, and it is extremely relaxing to watch this beautiful snake crawl around its garden.

Damballah is a very gentle soul. I picture him setting up a canvas in the middle of his garden and painting the garden with rainbows in the background (Damballah, the actual deity, is associated with rainbows). He loves gardening, drinking Ashwagandha tea, and classical music. You could spend all of eternity in this garden, watching this beautiful man paint rainbows and do all his favorite snakey shit. I don’t know about you, but that sounds very peaceful to me.

This god transforms his upper half into a human because human hands are very convenient for painting and gardening and shit, but he often shifts freely between full- and half-snake forms. He does not like having human legs, and he does not like wearing clothing because it gets in the way of transforming. If forced to wear clothing, he dresses ultra classy. All his shit has gold details on it, and he makes everyone else in the room look like a complete prole. He still wears suits, but from the way he dresses, you just assume he is the King or Prince of some foreign country. He is, quite literally, the ultimate gentle man.

Damballah is completely mute. He hisses sometimes, but he does not talk. He communicates with you telepathically using his psychic powers. When he does this, you feel a faint buzzing behind the back of your ears. There should be some special effect too when he is speaking to you. I’ve been picturing it like he’s actually voiced by three different overlapping voices. I’ve actually been picturing it as two men and woman, all overlapped. I think two of the voices should be male, but that last voice could be any gender. Something about it being two male voices and one female voice sounds really cool in my head. Alternatively, you could just do some Wan Shi Tong shit with his voice. He should sound really fucking ancient, calming, and otherworldly. You really feel like you’re in the presence of a god, because this man has existed for all of eternity. He is the first god who was ever created. When he speaks to you, he offers sage advice.

You may be wondering how the jazz band of the gods could include a mute man in their band, to which I respond: How could they not? I will explain this more later, but these guys are family to each other. They love each other, and they love making jazz together. Damballah is really good on the piano or the saxophone and tons of other instruments. Even if he wasn’t, they wouldn’t not include him. They would just have him turn into a snake and give them cool visuals. He does that anyways. It would never once occur to them not to include him.

Damballah is a very peaceful man, but he’s also very reclusive. This is where the Dr. Manhattan vibes come in. He’s such an ancient god that human lives are completely insignificant to him. Any one of us barely registers on this man’s radar. He’s not as callous as Dr. Manhattan, but anything that involves only one or only a few human souls is just not worth this man’s time. No matter how bad it is, he cannot be bothered with something that insignificant. He’s just gonna leave that shit for the other gods to deal with. He does not like being interrupted in the middle of all the slithery snakey things he's up to unless it’s something really important.

The other thing is he's also really Avoidant. This man really doesn't like conflict. There's so much conflict in the world, he'd much rather hole himself away in his garden for all eternity than deal with all that.

There’s a “door” in this pocket dimension that allows travel to the rest of existence. In theory, Damballah can leave his pocket dimension, but he really doesn’t want to use that door.

This is just really funny to me.

One of the gods is just a fucking recluse.

He’s just fucking in his room playing video games all day.

Let’s talk about his powers.

DAMBALLAH’S POWERS

As I mentioned before, Damballah is a psychic. He is a very powerful psychic. He is quite literally the most powerful psychic who ever fucking lived. 

Let’s say you do something that really pisses Damballah off. It is impossible to do this, because Damballah really hates conflict. He is a pacifist. The one thing that I can think of that I think would piss him off a lot is if you burn down his garden. This man loves his garden. 

So yeah, you burn down his garden and piss him off a lot. So his eyes turn completely white, he uses the same psychic powers he was using to communicate to just make your head explode. He really does not like doing this, he would much rather just make you go unconscious then throw you out the dimensional door with his snakey snake tail.

This psychic attack he uses is also really really strong. Mob got nothing on this. Mob gets no-diffed by this guy. Some psychics have “god-like” strength, but he’s an actual god. He is literally the strongest psychic who ever existed and ever will exist.

His psychic powers don’t do shit to the other Loa, they are completely immune to psychic attacks because they are gods. Let’s talk about when Damballah gets serious.

DAMBALLAH GETS SERIOUS

When Damballah gets serious, he turns into his snake form and displays his fangs. This is why he almost never displays his fangs. The two tips of his fangs are points that deal INFINITE damage. Anything that makes contact with the very point of each fang is completely destroyed. His magic is white in color, and he is the fastest of the Loa. 

His snake form is insanely fast. He basically has INFINITE speed. 

This is how fucking fast he is. You know how I said it is basically impossible to dodge three rounds of “CROSSROADS!!” ? The adjective “basically” is there because there exists one being who can dodge three rounds of “CROSSROADS!!” - that being, Damballah. He can dodge way more than three rounds of “CROSSROADS!!” He can dodge countless rounds! That’s how fucking fast he is. Big Papa would eventually get his ass, but it would be a real pain in the ass to chase this super speedy snake man.

This guy is a real problem for pretty much everyone, except for the other Loa. He gets fucked on by the other gods so hard. His Battle IQ is not that high, since he’s a pretty inexperienced fighter. Erzulie low-diffs his ass, he gets completely no-diffed by The Baron (even without Maman) and Big Papa.

Realistically speaking, he would probably flee the fight and try to slither off into some secluded section of the multiverse. He really can’t damage these other guys, so he’s going to try to run away as much as possible. The best shot he has at surviving is if they just give up, because he’s such a pain in the ass to chase down.

DAMBALLAH IS ACTUALLY EXTREMELY POWERFUL

In the Official Databook for my One Piece fan pirate crew, I have described Damballah (Hazbin Hotel) as the weakest of the gods. But I think, in terms of potential/true power, he is one of the strongest of the gods.

Being “the fast guy” is not nearly as cool as being the guy with the high attack stat. But in terms of utility, speed is a really good stat to have. Especially when you get to the level of the gods.

When I say “he slithers really fast”, he is not slithering at all. He’s doing some CRAZY physics-defying shit to get up to the speeds he does. It is absolutely mind-boggling how fast this man moves. My fragile human brain is struggling to process and explain what he is actually doing when he “slithers away really fast”.

I think he has to be the only other god who can manipulate the dimensions themselves, or he’s doing something even more NUTS than dimensional manipulation! This is the only possible way he could move at the speed he does.

This is just really funny to me. The weakest god is not actually the weakest god. In terms of true power, he is actually the second - maybe even, the most - powerful of the gods. But because he is such a peaceful gentle soul, he has no ruthlessness and bad Battle IQ. This man, he…he has no Battle Experience. Every time a fight breaks out, he just flees right at the start of the battle. If he was just a little smarter and a lot more ruthless, he could probably kill these other guys. He is only as weak as he is because he completely underutilizes his power!

In my mind, this also makes Erzulie (Hazbin Hotel) cooler. She has the weakest power. She has the most broken Devil Fruit ever than she won from the Celestial Dragons, but compared to the other gods? This woman only moves at a speed of INFINITY - 1. She’s slow as fuck!

She’s the Crocodile of the Loa (Hazbin Hotel). She’s the guy with the shitty power, but her Battle IQ is so high that she has honed her power to perfection. She’s just so fucking smart, even with her dogshit power she can keep up with these other guys!