#not the best explanation but u get the gist

[griddlebait]

when did you start writing?

2nd grade! my teacher invited me to join the after school creative writing class she held for the 5th graders. that’s when i fell in love with writing and i continued to attend after school classes or participated in whichever writing program UIL provided for my grade up until my parents decided to homeschool me in early middle school.

[rogdona]

Look man- just wanna say your art is literally gorgeous bro- It's very catchy and cool- but uh- that aside- I hope ya don't mind the question- but would ya mind giving some few tips on how to draw anatomy and how you color? because your art is so pleasing to look at- like bruh it's so pretty-

first of all THANK UUUUU!!!! im sososos happy u like my art!!!!!!!!!💕🌺🌷💕🌺🌷💕🌺🌷❤️♥️💕🌺🌷💕♥️❤️🌹🌹❤️♥️🌺💕!!!!!

i dont mind the question at all!! ill give u some tips on how i draw!!

BTW! these are just some tips ab what i do to draw the way i do, this is not an universal rule let alone mandatory!!

NOW ONTO THE STUFF U CAME FOR! under a read more so i dont clog ur dash bc i got kinda tecnical w some of it..! IT GOT WAY TOO LONG IM SORRY!!!

lets start with color then!! 🎨

i always see ppl saying that color theory is rlly hard and they never understand it, and tbh u dont need to learn it in depth at all!!

to make colors look good you need to think them as a group instead of choosing them individually...

though what i do is different, theres a post going around that says tinting all the colors w one brings the drawing together, and it does!! its a p good tip if u dont want to eyeball it like i do!!

but heres my process; lets say u have a sketch and an idea of what colors you want; your character is in a forest walking through the trees! what i do is choose background color and start from there

if you chose a cool color, when you start painting the rest of the picture drag the hue a little closer to blue or purple! if you chose a warm one, closer to yellow or red! if you want your drawing to have a greenish tint drag it closer to green or yellow! you get the gist of it, bring the colors closer! if theyre on opposite sides of the wheel it might be difficult, but usually bringing them closer to gray does a good job!!

also unless youre trying to get contrast on purpose, choosing colors w similar saturation(intensity!) helps unify the drawing!

say you want a drawing that is mostly grayish tones, make sure all your colors are desaturated (less intense, pigmented)

-

now say you have an existing character w a set color palette (we'll take my character elias as an example) and want to draw him in green and yellow or bright magenta and blue

i saw this explanation on a tiktok long ago but i literally cannot word it better and found it real useful

to translate the colors properly u need to think them on a scale, which ones are the darkest, lightest, and where does the rest sit?? Once you have that you can make ur own scale w the colors you want to use, and as long as the difference between the colors stay mostly the same u will be able to translate them p much to whatever!!

my drawing was done quickly so its not the best example but u get me

i think thats it for color now, but if i think of something else ill add it and tell u!!

now onto anatomy 🧍🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️

and ill be honest w u here, i have no clue how i learned anatomy, let alone how to teach u but ill try my best here!!

and tbh, learning every bone, muscle, etc is smth rlly tedious to me so i cannot assist u there bc i dont know

ALSOO references are ur best buddy, use them!! even if its not the exact pose or angle ur wanting to draw it can help u visualize what u want and tell u what goes where!!

even if its not for the pose or angle, a skeleton can help u see how the body part works!! i look at animal skeleton legs all the time to help me draw my ocs!!!

but yeah!! i think anatomy is smth that u shouldnt take very seriously bc most of what gives personality to characters is exageration!! or made up parts!!

but like, if u want to know my way of drawing smth specific u can tell me!! i have no problem showing u how i do things!!

but since i wasnt very helpful when it comes to anatomy, im taking the liberty of adding an extra bullet point to the post

composition!! 🌇🌃🌆🏙️

composition is the way you show the image, how you place things in your drawing!!

in school they make us take audio-visual production classes, which truly isnt as interesting as it sounds but they taught us some p cool photography tips that also apply to drawings!!

one of them is the rule of thirds! basically, you divide the canvas in 9 equal parts, and the places where the lines join are the places where the eyes are most drawn to!! heres an example i found on the internet

so if you place something on those spots it will get the attention, bc the brain is used to the focus being on the center so taking it out of there makes u want to look why (or at least thats the explanation they gave me!)

also, to draw even more attention to those spots u can make a visual path that leads there!! here some crude examples by yours truly

the first one traces a path up to his head, the second one all start from there outwards

they also gave us tips for cropping images though these dont rlly matter that much, but like for example it looks better if u dont crop it at the joints, and if a character is looking somewhere you should leave some space in the direction they are looking to! heres some doodles to show u what i mean

i used to have a document full of things like that for photography but i cant find it rn, if i do ill tell u!!

moving onto the final thing, this is not quite a composition thing but rather something to give characters more personality: make them interact w their enviroment!

rather than standing looking at the camera make them use, touch, see whats around them, even if u draw them in a blank space the way they take it up shows u a lot ab them

for ex, if theres a wall they can lean on it, if theres a window they can be looking through it(maybe u can see them from the outside! framing inside framing was also smth that they taught us in that class!) if theyre standing they can be fixing their sleeves, holding their hands behind their back, tucking a strand of hair behind their ear, scratching their neck, etc!

AND YEAH!! thats what i keep in thought when i draw!! i hope u find it at least a little useful or interesting ahdhjska ill admit i got a little carried away but i love drawing and these are topics that interest me

ty for the ask!!! 💕 👋

[staysuki]

Suki, I’ve recently discovered your blog and read through some of your fics. I really love a lot of them, and I’m waiting eagerly for updates to the ongoing ones.

The most recent fic of yours I’ve read is “don’t shoot me” and now I’m debating whether or not to read the entirety of that universe (SLC/HDD). But I’m slightly concerned about the tags (bc I get emotional and sensitive ugh). I need to know. How bad are they? Like, how much angst should I expect, how long is the burn before the angst is resolved, etc.? Are there any possible/prominent trigger warnings (other than the ones in the masterlists)? Even if you could tell me a small summary of them, that would be really appreciated and would help me figure out if I should read it or not. I’m sure your writing is amazing, and I know from DSM that they have happy endings, but I also get rly hung up on fiction sometimes… could you help me out?

Thank you, and I really love and appreciate your works! Take care of yourself, always take breaks for your mental and physical health, drink lots of water, eat and sleep enough, the whole gist. Self-care to the max 😌✨❤️

aw thank u!! that's v v sweet. 🙏🙏🙏💓💓💓

mmm yeah, as for that universe, i can def agree that DSM is the most lighthearted one. i already forgot the warnings in the masterlist so ig i'll just try to add a summary/explanation that's spoiler-free???

SLC: def the core theme here would be the bullying, so keep that in mind. during it's time, it was prob the hardest fic that i had to write (now OATGE is in the lead lolz). there's a lot of ups and downs—betrayal, hurt, and whatnot. but there are a ton of light moments sprinkled in. in terms of getting hung up, i think SLC would be in the middle. it isn't as lighthearted as DSM but not as angsty as HDD either. i think what puts this in the middle of the "triggering" list is because of how bizarre the situations are. i've had a reader before who is triggered by themes of bullying and whatnot so i did my best to over exaggerate those themes to the point that it becomes unrealistic. thus, it's enjoyable for what it is: fiction.

HDD: i think this is on top of the "triggering" list amongst the three because in a sense, it deals with more mental damage. lots of the topics discussed are often scummy and it's more of a social war in comparison to SLC (which has some physicalness aspect to it, not necessarily violence but idk how to explain it). it also has more sexual themes compared to DSM and SLC, both good or bad.

overall, i'd like to think that the payoff is worth it, if the feedback is anything to go by. SLC is more of a slowburn compared to HDD tho, just basing off the chapter count. SLC also has a bigger universe (more characters and whatnot) hence why i was able to expand on its story.

anyhow, it's still up to you if you want to read it, we're responsible for our media consumption afterall, thus the warnings are placed. if anything, i have other fics that are very lighthearted! (jeongin smau is my fave LMFAO).

i'm also over my "edgy/experimental" phase so most of my future fics will definitely be more on the lighthearted side. consider it my retirement phase or smth.

[everyothermouse]

OH I REMEMBER WHAT I WAS GONNA ASK YOU WHEN YOUR ASKS WERE TURNED OFF

tolverse. may I politely request an explanation

Sure! Under the cut cus there's a long image in this lol

The tolverse just refers to the multiverse of alternate universes focused around these characters:

Umm the closest thing I have to a group photo is this, which is only the designs for The Neighborhood (which has some of them as kids :P)

The "main" universe is either forest ward (the one where there all animals in a forest) or The Neighborhood (the one where they all live in a neighborhood, and by all I mean some of them, others go to jays high school or are pops old apartment friends) depending on how u wanna look at it. I've worked on the neighborhood more and it came first, but forest ward is the spring board most of the other aus come off of characterization and story wise!

The basic gist of all the aus is that they're focused primarily on this family of 3: Pop, adoptive dad who's usually pretty chill and also vaguely full of chaos, Jay, son who gets adopted by pop when hes a bit older (varies from like 14 to full blown adult) and acts as tols smartass big brother, and tol, who generally gets adopted younger (also varies wildly tho, from a couple months old to 19 to never) and acts as jays annoying loud little brother (although between the two he's more often the one taking a main character role rather than ever just being jays brother.)

The nature of who on the cast is supporting and starring varies, in some aus tol is THE main character (forest ward), in others it's the whole family sometimes including less consistent family members like cherrybomb (pops best friend/boyfriend/mate/husband depending on what au ur in) and tap (third youngest sibling.) and sometimes it's an ensemble cast which doesn't match the formula (like the time au has an ensemble cast of tol, jay, pop, lune, pipes, pip, and pastel.)

Also it's called tolverse cus tol was the first character and also my favorite :) I made him cus for depression reasons I was sick of all my other interests but still needed characters to daydream about, so I invented The Perfect Mouse Comfort Character (tol) and just made every other character to surround him lol (that was months ago tho, now they're all more developed and I love jay and pop pretty much as much as I love tol ^-^)

[bubbyleh]

Good Things

angst w/ a happy ending cw for unethical science and trigger phrases word count: 8,569 (nice)

Dr. Coomer knows what he’s doing is very illegal and he could get in a lot of trouble. He does not work in Biological Research, and he has no clearance to be here, especially this late. But what else is he going to do, spend the night in his dorm room?

No way. Not since they agreed to go forward with the divorce. It’s stupid and dangerous, but hey, the worst thing he’s going to find is some half-disected cow or something.

And then he finds the tube.

He didn’t realize what it was at first, the back of it was metal and faced the door Coomer came in from. It was just a weird pillar in the middle of the room, he thought, until he found himself in front of it and realized. Suspended in a green liquid, lit by fluorescent lights inside and sleeping, there was a person. He’s wearing a medical gown, and there’s an oxygen mask and other monitoring equipment strapped to him.

“My goodness,” Coomer says without meaning to.

The person in the tube cracks an eye open, clearly having heard him and woken up. He glares at him before moving his hands in a manner that Coomer recognizes as sign language.

Too bad Coomer’s very rusty. Crap, he thinks he still has his old books somewhere. He waves and shrugs with an apologetic smile.

The tube person rolls his eyes, before exaggeratedly pointing at Coomer. Then, by making a hook with his left hand and a fist with his right, he makes the shape of a question mark.

Clearly this man can hear him, so Coomer clears his throat. “Well, I’m Dr. Harold Coomer,” he introduces himself. “I work in Waste Disposal. Who are you, then?”

The question catches the stranger off-guard. He looks around as if confused by who Coomer could be addressing, his dark hair swishing after him. When he turns back, he points to the base of the tube, where Coomer notices for the first time the placard at the bottom.

BU-33Y

“Huh,” Coomer remarks, squinting at the name slightly. “So you’re Bubby, then?”

He facepalms, but the name sticks.

☆*☆

[B is the department. U is the project designation.]

Coomer nods along as Bubby explains his name. He’d been surprised when Coomer returned a week after their first encounter, doubly so when he could actually understand the signs he used. Bubby still seemed apprehensive to speak with Coomer, but he didn’t tell him to leave.

[33 is my number, Y refers to the batch I come from.]

Bubby had told him a lot about himself, or rather, the project he originates from. The Ultimate Lifeform, Black Mesa’s attempt to make a perfect scientist. Incredibly intelligent, superhuman abilities, and government property. Eventually his testing is going to involve him working among other scientists, a prospect Coomer is thrilled by.

“Batch?” Coomer questions. He feels somewhat awkward, sitting in front of the tube. Bubby doesn’t seem to mind, though.

[Same genetic code,] Bubby winces at the thought. [My brothers, I guess. I’m the youngest.]

“Well, where are the other thirty-two, then?” Coomer asks. “And all the other batches?”

Bubby looks past Coomer, deeper into Biological Research. [Gone. Some of them are around, kind of.] For the first time, Coomer notices fear on his companion’s face. [They were out too long. They died, or fell apart.] He kicks, legs swishing through the green tube goo.

“But you’re not going to, right?” Coomer has to know. He’s just met Bubby, so maybe his attachment is a little much, but this person is so smart, so witty, so intelligent! To think he could just… stop being, one day.

[No,] Bubby’s got a confident smirk on his face, but his hands are shaking. [They’re working to fix it. I’m gonna be out of here for good someday.]

☆*☆

Their meetings continue for months. Coomer doesn't bring up his impending divorce with Bubby, mostly because he doesn't want to think about it. It isn’t a crime to want to hold onto the one person who doesn't look at him with pity these days! Besides, Bubby always redirects conversation away from his own feelings, why the hell would he listen to Coomer’s?

Well, part of that assumption is challenged when Coomer finds Bubby in his tube, fidgeting with his fingers with a distant look in his eyes. He doesn’t even notice Coomer at first.

“Good evening, Bubby!” Coomer grins, putting on his best friendly face. Bubby startles, going rigid almost like a goat. “Is something troubling you?”

Bubby shakes his head almost immediately, but seems to pause upon making eye contact with Coomer. He looks away as he signs, [Actually, you might be able to help me with this.]

“Ah, what do you need?” Coomer takes a seat in front of the tube, as he often does when he comes to see Bubby. He waits patiently while Bubby struggles to find his words.

[Do you remember what you told me last week?] Bubby starts, but after Coomer gives him a lost look, he adds, [About being a man.]

Oh, Coomer remembered! He’d been showing off the enhancements he’d received from the Cybernetics department, because while Bubby was familiar with their work, seeing it firsthand was a whole other thing entirely. Bubby was trying to downplay the fact that he was marvelling his Extendo-Arms™ when Coomer mentioned that they had done a few of his transition surgeries as well.

The look of pure confusion on Bubby’s face would be something Coomer always cherished. He gave him a brief explanation on gender identity, sadly not touching on the more intricate details due to time restraints. But Bubby had gotten the gist of it! And now he was asking to know more? It was a scenario Coomer could only dream of.

“Of course I remember!” Coomer exclaims. “Would you like me to elaborate on some of the points I made? I know I had to leave before we could get into my own lived experience, but I hope the general descriptions were adequate!”

[I’ve been thinking about it,] Bubby is obviously uncomfortable. [I’m not a man. Or a woman.]

Well that’s certainly not what Coomer was expecting, but that’s not a bad thing! Finally, a friend who also isn’t cis! He shakes his fists up and down in excitement, before rushing forward to scoop Bubby up in a big hug.

Sadly, there is still a glass wall between them. Coomer slams his face right into it.

Coomer hears Bubby laugh for the first time. Even though it’s muffled by the oxygen mask and tube, not to mention sounding more like a witch’s cackle than something joyful, it’s still the most beautiful thing Coomer has ever heard.

☆*☆

For a few days, Coomer misses his meetings with Bubby. Although they weren't operating on any real schedule before, Coomer had made sure his visits were occurring most nights. But after the divorce was finalized, well… he needed some time by himself.

Bubby’s rapping their knuckles against the glass the second they see Coomer, clearly trying to get his attention. There are less wires connected to them than before, the vast collection reduced to only their oxygen mask.

“Hello Bubby!” Coomer greets apologetically. “I’m sorry for my absence recently, I had a bit of an issue…”

But Bubby clearly isn’t listening. They’re enthusiastic to the point of stimming, excitedly pointing at the large button on the other side of the room.

Coomer walks over to the button and inspects it. It’s been here all this time, yes, but he’s never really thought much about what it does. “You want me to press this?” he clarifies.

Bubby nods, hands flapping so fast there’s no way they could stop to sign. They have that evil look in their eye again, the one that reminds Coomer how vibrant they are and makes his heart skip a beat. He presses the button without hesitation.

Immediately, the liquid in the tube begins to drain, and Coomer worries for a moment that this is going to kill Bubby. But the way they’re lightly kicking against the tube wall, anxious and thrilled beyond measure, tells Coomer that this is exactly what they wanted.

Finally, the tube water is gone, and the glass drops. Bubby takes one step forward, then slips in some of the liquid left at the bottom.

“FUCK!” they yell. It’s the first word Coomer ever hears them say.

“Oh dear, Bubby!” Coomer’s at their side in an instant, helping them sit back up. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Bubby shoos away Coomer’s helpful hands. Their voice is almost exactly what Coomer expected, pointed and snarky. They shoot a glare at him. “Where the hell have you been? I got the all clear that I’m not going to fall apart yesterday.”

Coomer winces, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. Bubby doesn’t even know he was married, let alone in the middle of a bitter divorce up until recently.

“I, um,” he stammers. “I had something happen?”

Bubby rolls their eyes. “No shit.” They take Coomer’s hand. “Can you grab my glasses for me? You’re about to watch me burn shit.”

Coomer tries to ignore the burning feeling in his face and chest when he looks at their hands, instead focusing on the burning feeling that comes from standing way too close to Bubby’s fire.

☆*☆

Things change very quickly after that. Bubby gets their neural implants put in—which they’re rightfully pissy about—but they’re moving forward. After all, limiting the government secrets you can tell is a sign that you’ll soon be around people who don’t know them. Besides, Coomer already knows anything they would have told him without the barrier, so they’ll always have him around!

Just mentioning that halts Bubby’s thrashing against the metal walls and medical equipment. Their hands still, their expression softens, and they tilt their head slightly, as if in wonder of the man in front of them.

Coomer feels seen in a way he never has before.

☆*☆

They wait a few days after Bubby’s “release into the wild” (as Coomer calls it) before visiting with each other again. Give Bubby a few days at work and the plausible deniability that he met Coomer during that time. But now that time is up, and Coomer’s excited to hear how Chemical Engineering has been treating his friend!

His friend. Coomer has long since accepted he has a bit of a crush on Bubby, which is kind of embarrassing to admit as he’s rapidly approaching forty years old. When you constantly catch yourself thinking about running your hand through your friend’s hair, though, or wondering what it would be like to kiss him with all those sharp teeth… it’s obvious at that point.

In stark contrast from before, Bubby visits Coomer’s dorm room. He insists that his own is nowhere near ready to receive guests in, and he’d much rather see what a lived-in space should look like. Coomer doesn’t mention he only got downgraded to this singles’ dorm a month ago.

The second he steps in, while Coomer tries to avoid thinking about how good he looks in actual clothes, Bubby starts complaining.

“What the fuck!? Why do you have a better dorm than me?!” Bubby gestures around him. “You’ve got, like, three different rooms here!”

“I’ve been working for Black Mesa for almost twenty years, Bubby!” Coomer explains. “I have a bit of seniority over you.”

Bubby rolls his eyes. “Big deal, I’ve practically been working here for thirty-eight years! That’s more than you!” He crosses his arms and grumbles about favoritism.

Coomer puts all his energy into ignoring how adorable Bubby looks when he’s grumpy.

☆*☆

“Harold! What do you mean you’re divorced!?”

They’re sitting on the couch in Coomer’s dorm, Bubby clutching one of his throw pillows. It hurt to bring up, but Coomer figures that Bubby would have found out eventually. He really didn’t want them to hear about it from a colleague of theirs that was an acquaintance at best.

“Well, I am!” Coomer attempts to keep a tone of cheerfulness in his voice. “The proceedings started just before I met you, and everything’s been finalized for a few months now.”

Bubby stands, and Coomer’s afraid for a moment that they're about to start lecturing him on trust.

They point a finger at him. “You’re telling me you have an ex we could have been bashing this whole time?!”

☆*☆

Though it takes a while, Bubby finally relents and allows Coomer to come over to their dorm, and while it’s much smaller, he loves it more than his own. It’s cozy! The two of them have to sit on the bed to watch TV, since there isn’t enough room for a couch.

Which is exactly what they’re doing. Coomer has a lot of media he plans on catching Bubby up on, prioritizing his own favorites! But they are currently watching an action movie, which he knows they’ll both enjoy. Acts of heroism and explosions? It’s like the industry was made entirely for the two of them!

They’re sitting very close, Bubby practically leaning against him. Not that Coomer’s complaining, they’re practically a heater. And given how far underground they are, he’s taking any source of warmth he can get. The physical contact is also making him very flustered, and thus, more body heat!

A huge explosion rocks the screen, and Coomer laughs. “See, Bubby! I told you there would be something in here for you!”

“Huh?” Bubby mumbles and sits up. They’re clearly rubbing their eyes.

“Bubby, have you been asleep?” Coomer asks, already knowing the answer.

They blink, the fog clearly leaving their brain. “Oh,” Bubby says, as if realizing that’s what happened. “Yeah, so what? It’s my room.”

“You have company!”

Bubby squints at Coomer, before removing their glasses. “I don’t see any company.”

“Bubby! You can still hear me!”

“The world is just blurry shapes now! For all I know, I’m alone!”

Oh, well if someone’s going to be childish, then Coomer can play their game. Using Bubby’s reduced eyesight to his advantage, Coomer snatches their glasses from their hand. They gasp dramatically.

“Harold! How dare you!” Bubby attempts to swipe their glasses back, but it’s a little hard to do that when their hand-eye coordination is shot. Coomer holds the glasses above their heads, teasingly.

“What’s wrong, professor? Can’t find your glasses?” he grins, waggling the sight aids ever so mockingly.

Coomer was not expecting Bubby to tackle him to the bed. “It’s doctor, shut up!” they growl, reaching for his outstretched hand. “Give them back!”

He does his best to shove Bubby back, but since he’s not putting too much effort in, it’s no use. Finally, Bubby’s hand manages to find purchase on the glasses’ bridge. They yank their glasses back, shouting a triumphant “Aha!” as they do so.

Bubby returns their glasses to their rightful place, smirking with their shark-like teeth showing. “You thought you could-”

Coomer suddenly realizes how close their faces are to each other. And that Bubby’s practically got him pinned against the bed. His hand lingers on their stomach, halted in its effort to push Bubby away.

Bubby seems to as well, as they suddenly stop talking, their cheeks turning a bright red that Coomer’s sure matches his own. After the longest moment of stillness, they abruptly fall back, almost fearful.

“Fuck!” Bubby curls in on themself, gripping their temples with their hands. “That was- it was nothing!”

Coomer sits up, tentatively reaching a hand out. “Bubby…”

They slap his hand away. “Stop it, Harold!” Bubby’s tone is harsh, but Coomer can hear their voice cracking. “Just stop, okay?! It was nothing!” They’re practically about to pull their hair out of their head.

“Bubby!” Coomer grabs onto their wrists, bringing them between the two of them. He looks Bubby in the eye. “Calm down. Breathe with me, alright?”

Clearly biting down whatever they were going to say, Bubby nods as if it’s the only thing they can do. Slowly, Coomer sees the tension fall from their shoulders, their arms going slack. After a few rounds of breathing, Bubby gently draws their hands back, and Coomer lets them.

“Now, what’s the matter with you?” Coomer moves to sit beside Bubby. “And don’t you dare say it’s nothing, again.”

Bubby drops their head onto their knees. “I know you’re in love with me, Coomer. You’re like a puppy, it’s not hard to read you.”

Coomer sighs. This is a rejection, then? As a divorced man, Coomer should be used to this, but… he isn’t. Not from Bubby.

Bubby looks back up at him. “And I know what you want in a relationship, and it’s not me.”

Huh?

“Not you?” The concept is so absurd that Coomer’s sure he must not have heard them correctly.

“Actual person things!” Bubby gestures to the ceiling as they speak. “Like going to the surface, or living together, or going to nice restaurants!” They frown. “I can’t give you that.”

A beat passes while Coomer figures out how to respond to that.

“You know you’re wrong, right?”

Now it’s Bubby’s turn to look confused. “What?”

“While those things are nice, I don’t need any of them in a romantic relationship.” He takes Bubby’s hand. “I just need someone who’s nice to spend time with and is willing to put the effort in.”

Bubby’s face turns bright red again. “Oh,” they say, squeezing Coomer’s hand. “Well, I can do that.”

“Can you?” Coomer’s mostly joking, still riding the high of mutual romantic feelings, but Bubby takes it seriously.

“Of course I can!” They throw their arms around his shoulders, a stupid grin now spread across their face from cheek to cheek. “Just you wait, Harold, I’m going to romance the socks off of you!”

For the second time today, their faces are inches apart.

Bubby doesn’t back away this time. “I can kiss you, right?”

“Oh most definitely,” Coomer responds.

It turns out, kissing Bubby is everything Coomer had hoped it would be and more. Their lips are warm, and the feeling of them smiling into the kiss as they grip the back of his shirt, pulling him closer, is one he’ll never forget.

☆*☆

There are certain things you don’t notice about a person until you spend a night with them. After sharing a bed with Bubby a few times, Coomer comes to several realizations.

The first is that Bubby sleeps like a log. Seriously, Coomer would have expected them to be at least a little bit twitchy. But the second Bubby’s out, they aren’t moving again until the morning.

Which is difficult in combination with the second item: Bubby is a clinger. It’s cute to see someone who’s usually so standoffish be completely affectionate at night, but not so much when Coomer feels pins and needles in his arm and he’s physically incapable of moving it out from between the two of them without waking his partner.

And waking them up is a bad idea because of the third realization, which is that Bubby is not a morning person in the slightest. Coomer already had a sense of this from their first meeting, but Bubby absolutely HATES waking up for the day. They practically need to be lured to the lab with a trail of coffee mugs every morning.

But their annoying sleeping habits aside, Coomer thinks it’s worth it. After all, he gets to hold Bubby for a whole night! Listening to them breathing, running his hand through their hair (they’re starting to go gray), he has never felt more at peace.

☆*☆

Coomer finds Bubby waiting for him outside his dorm room, standing there with his arms crossed and tapping his foot rapidly. His scowl immediately melts into a smile the second he spots him.

“Well, hello there Bubby!” Coomer waves. “What are you doing here so early? I thought our departments let out at the same time.”

“Harold, you will not believe the day I’ve had.” Bubby places a hand on Coomer’s back, serving as both affection and a way to rush him through unlocking the door. “Some idiot almost blew up the entire lab!”

Coomer turns the key and opens the door. “Well that’s not good! What happened?”

Bubby brushes past him, plopping himself on the couch with great flourish. “The man was clearly ignoring proper lab safety! The whole experiment burst into flames while his back was turned!” He seems strangely satisfied as he speaks, a look Coomer would know anywhere. “We got the rest of the day off because of his arrogance.”

Taking a seat next to him, Coomer narrows his eyes at Bubby. “Darling, you didn’t.”

“I didn’t say anything!” Bubby raises his hands in the air, feigning innocence long enough that Coomer almost begins to feel bad. Then he gets that wicked grin on his face again. “I did, though. I spent the afternoon eating chips in my dorm, and it was a million times better than working for this hell facility.”

“Bubby! You were supposed to bring those chips here with you!” Coomer chides him, but in reality, he doesn’t care that much. He’s proud his wonderful partner fucked over the system just a bit.

Bubby stares at him blankly for a moment. “Oh yeah! I forgot about that.” He shrugs. “They were good, though.”

“I’m sure they were,” Coomer sighs, but his obvious smile shows no ill-will behind it.

☆*☆

Over the years, the folks over at Biological Research get a bit more lenient with Bubby. They’re finally able to see some of Black Mesa's surface facilities, which are mostly just a few upper-level labs. The only condition is that Bubby is not allowed to leave the property.

That’s fine for both of them, though. There’s a lot to do on the surface if you’ve never been there before, and they end up sitting in the sunshine together, talking about things they definitely would have talked about below-ground as well. Bubby seems to enjoy the sun on their skin, acting a lot like a lizard basking in a bright light.

“I see you’re having fun,” Coomer chuckles.

Bubby is laying flat on their back, and even though Coomer knows they’ll yell at him for letting them lay down in the dirt, right now he can’t bring himself to stop them.

“It’s so warm out, Harold!” Bubby exclaims, wearing the happiest grin ever. “You know I love the warm!”

When the sky begins to darken and the temperature cools, Bubby sits back up and scooches over to join Coomer against one of the rock outcroppings that litter Black Mesa. They stretch their arm out, subtly wrapping it around Coomer’s shoulders and leaning their head against his.

“You know I love you, Harold,” they whisper. Coomer has never seen them look so peaceful before.

Coomer beams, taking hold of Bubby’s free hand and kissing his partner at the same time. “Of course,” he replies. “And I love you.”

They’re quiet for a few minutes, watching the last of the sun’s rays dip below the horizon. Bubby’s gaze turns to the stars above them. Being out in the middle of nowhere, Black Mesa has very little light pollution. No matter how bright the stars may look, though, Coomer thinks there’s no way they can be brighter than Bubby’s eyes right now.

“They can’t program stuff like this into a person,” Bubby remarks, eyes still glued to the sky. “I’ve known about stars and love my whole life, but…” They falter, their expression becoming grim for the briefest of seconds. Then, they look back at Coomer. “Experiencing it is something different.”

Coomer doesn’t need to respond, not vocally. He pulls Bubby into the biggest bear hug he can muster.

“Ack! Coomer!” Bubby grunts. “Not all of us are ninety-percent metal!”

“Forty-seven point five!” Coomer corrects them, but he releases Bubby with an apologetic head pat. “I’m sorry, though. I just love you too much! I want to hug you all the time!”

Bubby’s face goes red immediately. Even after all these years together, Coomer can still make them blush as though it were their first date all over again.

“Yeah! W-well!” they stammer. “Good! You should want to do that!”

Choking back his laughter, Coomer pulls Bubby in for another, more gentle hug.

☆*☆

They’re curled up on his couch late one night, watching an old movie when Coomer decides to bring up the elephant in the room.

Coomer stops running his hand through Bubby’s hair. “Your hairline is receding. You know that, right?”

Bubby immediately sits up from where he was resting on Coomer’s chest. “Shut the fuck-”

“I was just saying!”

“I do not want to hear it!”

“Bubby, dear, you’re completely gray already. My hairline is also receding!”

“Yeah, well.” Bubby crosses his arms, turning away from Coomer. “You’re a year older than me, so that makes sense.”

Coomer shakes his head. “Well, I suppose there’s only one way to settle this.”

Bubby gasps. “You wouldn’t!” He scrambles to the other side of the couch. “Stay away from me, you bastard!”

“A fight to the death!”

And with that, Coomer lunges.

☆*☆

All good things must come to an end. It’s a concept Coomer is intimately familiar with.

☆*☆

The morning begins in Coomer’s kitchenette, Bubby hunched over the table drinking their coffee out of a mug that says “Total Stud” on it. A gift from three years ago. As they rub the sleep from their eyes, Coomer bounces around preparing breakfast for the both of them.

“You’re heading back down to Biological Research again today, aren’t you?” Coomer asks over his shoulder as he fries a few eggs.

Out of the corner of his eye, Coomer spots Bubby signing, [Yes.] Must be a rough morning, then.

“Medical checkup?” Coomer asks, slipping their eggs onto two plates and serving one to his partner. But Bubby ignores him. They pointedly hold the mug with both hands, taking a long and drawn-out sip.

Coomer bites his cheek as he sits across from Bubby. “You know, they’re dragging me into another meeting down there today.”

[Clone thing?] Bubby absentmindedly picks at their eggs. Scrambled, just how they like them.

“I believe so,” Coomer sighs. “You’re sure it’s different from you?”

Bubby nods. [It’s just you in two bodies. Wasn’t like that for me.]

While it’s a relief that there aren’t going to be any more children brought up in Black Mesa like Bubby was, Coomer’s still not entirely sure he likes the implications of the alternative. A hivemind of himself just wandering around the facility? Is that something he wants?

“But, anyway.” Coomer got sidetracked. “I was thinking we could head down there toge-”

That wakes Bubby up more than coffee ever could. “No!” they shout, rising from their chair in an instant. The second they register their panic, though, it’s gone. “It’s… we shouldn’t go together. I’ll probably leave after we eat.”

Maybe it’s the way they look into his eyes, like a caged animal, but something about what Bubby says next sticks with him for the rest of the day.

“They aren’t good people, Harold.”

☆*☆

Coomer catches sight of Bubby as he’s rushed into one of the offices, through a window into a test chamber. They’re back in a medical gown again (that hurts to see), shoulders slumped as a scientist speaks to them. Their eyes meet for the briefest of seconds, Bubby offering him a small smile, which Coomer returns.

Then the scientist snaps at Bubby, who immediately goes rigid and turns away from Coomer.

☆*☆

“To put it simply, Dr. Coomer, the sequencing of your DNA is ideal for mass-producing clones.”

The man in front of him—Dr. Daniels, as the nameplate on his desk reads—smirks as he speaks, and it isn’t at all close to the endearing ones Bubby has. It’s cold, calculating, and makes Coomer want to squirm. When you’re the head of Biological Research, you get to be intimidating.

In the back of his head, Coomer hears Bubby’s warning. ‘They aren’t good people, Harold.’

“How did you get my DNA in the first place?” Coomer inquires, because he knows for a fact he hasn’t given them any.

Dr. Daniels just laughs at him, more mocking than assuring. “Cybernetics had a few samples on record, in the event of complications during surgery,” he says. “It wasn’t hard to get ahold of them.”

Coomer frowns. Damn, he didn’t think those were still around. ‘They aren’t good people, Harold.’

“You see, I’m worried about the shared consciousness,” Coomer looks for an out. There’s a strange noise in the hallway, but it’s easy enough to ignore. “They’d just be mindless extensions of myself?”

“That’s a simplification, but yes,” Dr. Daniels begins rifling through his desk drawers. “I apologize, I swear I had a paper here that would explain it better.” His brow furrows, but he’s interrupted when

CRASH!!

Another noise from the hallway, this time even louder than before. And people are shouting. It startles the both of them.

Dr. Daniels grumbles, “What the hell is happening out there?”

The office door flies off its hinges in a fiery burst of energy, and a figure steps in. And figure is the right word, because it’s difficult to make out any features beyond pure black and literally engulfed in flame.

Oh fuck.

That’s Bubby, isn’t it?

They look between the two people in the office, finally settling on Dr. Daniels. They point towards him as they speak.

“You.” Their voice is full of malice, more than Coomer’s ever heard from them before. They take a shambling step forward, leaving a trail of fires and scorch marks behind them as they walk. “Get away from him.”

But Dr. Daniels makes no move. “Now, now, Subject 33, there’s no need for this.”

Bubby is careful to avoid Coomer in his approach, made easier by the fact that Coomer has retreated to the side of the office. He can’t really escape without jumping through fire, and, well…

He can’t leave Bubby.

“I’m not going to let you hurt him,” Bubby hisses, climbing onto the desk and raising a hand to strike. “Not like you hurt me.”

Dr. Daniels isn’t afraid. He only shoots a disappointed glance Coomer’s way. “I see.”

He turns his attention back to Bubby. “Thirty-three drop.”

They’re just words, but they have an obvious effect on Bubby. Their flames extinguish immediately, leaving them smoking slightly. Their limbs go slack, and they fall backwards off the desk.

For a moment, Coomer is convinced Daniels killed them.

“What a shame,” Daniels walks around the desk, grabbing onto the back of Bubby’s medical gown. “You were doing such good work in Chemical Engineering. We’ll have to move you, now.”

As Daniels drags Bubby behind him, Coomer meets their eyes again. Despite the limpness in their body, Bubby is wide awake and begging, pleading for help.

But Coomer is frozen still.

Daniels unceremoniously drops Bubby in the hallway, calling out to the survivors of Bubby’s rampage to put them back in the tube for now. He closes the door after that and looks at Coomer.

“Now, as for you…”

‘They aren’t good people, Harold.’

☆*☆

All good things must come to an end.

But, thinking back on it, Bubby wasn’t just a good thing. No, the term “good thing” is not enough to describe the impact they left on Harold Coomer’s life. He knows it isn’t, not with the way he wakes up cold every morning, reaching for a warmth that isn’t there. Coomer finds himself boxing up leftovers more often than not, making enough food for two out of habit. He cries whenever he finds something in his dorm that Bubby left behind, like their mug or a sweater.

All good things must come to an end, but Bubby was more than that. Bubby was always more than people wanted them to be, everyone except Coomer. And when you spend so long living with so much, the absence is terrifyingly empty.

Bubby was an inferno. Bubby was the stars in their eyes. Bubby was passion, and intellect, and bravery, and cowardice, all in one.

Bubby was loved.

☆*☆

It goes like this.

Coomer is transferred to Biological Research, where they can keep an eye on him. He is not given a choice. He will participate in the cloning experiments, and he’ll live with it.

Bubby’s been transferred somewhere else. Their dorm has been moved. Coomer is not to speak with them again, under any circumstance.

Life continues, but it doesn’t move on.

☆*☆

Several times a day, Coomer catches himself thinking about Bubby.

‘What are they doing right now?’

‘Where are they?’

‘I miss them.’

‘Bubby would love this.’

‘Bubby would hate this.’

‘I should tell Bubby about this!’

It always hurts.

☆*☆

Coomer has to figure out grounding methods on his own. Everytime a new clone pops out, a piece of Coomer disappears for good. He loses items more often, because his thoughts strayed to a clone’s at just the wrong second. He still remembers things, but it’s getting harder and harder everyday. Some days his head is cloudy, and he can’t quite figure out what it is he’s supposed to do at work.

If Bubby were here, they would make fun of him. Yeah, they were kind of a jerk, weren’t they? A loving, wonderful jerk. But they wouldn’t have complained, there’s no doubt in Coomer’s mind.

Some days, when he wakes up, Coomer doesn’t remember that Bubby’s not by his side anymore.

☆*☆

Things don’t get better, but over the course of fifteen years, they do get easier.

Coomer starts making friends again, a young man by the name of Gordon Freeman. Coomer can tell he’s stressed out being so young in such a competitive field (especially working in Anomalous Materials, the things he’s heard about that department…), so maybe he takes a bit of a mentorship role to him.

It’s nice. They’ve known each other for a year at this point, and, well, he’s kind of like the son Coomer never had.

Gordon mentions that there’s a big test coming up, apparently his team is pulling other Anomalous Materials teams in just to make sure everything runs smoothly. And though it’s complicated, his job is rather simple. Push a crystal into a laser!

What could go wrong?

☆*☆

Of course Coomer shows up the day of the test to support Gordon! He hasn’t got anything better to do today, so he might as well see what all the fuss is over at Anomalous Materials.

It’s easy enough to bullshit his way past their front desk, having a million clones of yourself running around means there’s a million spots for you to fill should you need to. He briefly greets Gordon in the locker room, wishing him luck as he hurries on his way.

But, finally, he finds his way to the control room. The perfect place to watch from!

There are two scientists inside, both of whom are tall and lanky. One’s pretty young, Coomer thinks he must be around his mid-thirties. And the other-

“I swear to you, Tommy, this man says-”

He stops the second he spots the intruder, face slightly twitching in a way Coomer knows means he's resisting wincing. He’s lost more of his hair since Coomer last saw him, and though it’s been fifteen years, he’s aged pretty well, all things considered.

“Bubby?” The name comes tumbling out of Coomer’s mouth before he can stop himself. There's no way…

That does something to the scientist, dropping his stern expression for something softer. “Harold? Is that really-”

They’re interrupted by a clattering noise in the test chamber, all three of them turning to see Gordon has entered, accompanied by a security guard.

“Fuck,” Bubby swears. “What the hell is he doing?”

The other scientist, Tommy, preoccupies himself with yelling back and forth with the security guard.

“Tommy, do you know this man?” Bubby snaps (Coomer doesn’t remember him being this standoffish), appearing annoyed when he receives no answer.

“You know, he didn’t bring his passport!” Coomer jokes, trying to lighten the mood but…

Bubby is pointedly looking away from him, his attention focused on the computer terminal in front of him. He keeps mumbling about how fucked the technology in this part of the facility is, and honestly, Coomer agrees. Why they’re having Anomalous Materials run such high-risk tests in such a poor state, he has no idea. It’s like they’re asking for something terrible to happen.

And something does.

Things get worse as the test continues. The Anti-Mass Spectrometer begins to smoke, the computers in the control room are clearly on the fritz, and Bubby is still ignoring Coomer. But everything goes wrong after the crystal sample is placed in the laser.

They attempt to shut the Anti-Mass Spectrometer down, but it doesn’t work. Electricity arches throughout the room, striking the walls and loosening panels. All at once, an explosion rocks the test chamber, sending the three scientists ducking to the floor.

While Coomer doesn’t understand whatever the hell just happened, Bubby and Tommy certainly do. The second the test chamber stills, they rush out of the control room, heading two separate directions.

Some little part of Coomer’s heart that remained intact shatters.

☆*☆

Between all the zombies and aliens wandering around and the sheer destruction that’s been wrought on the facility, it’s quite obvious that Black Mesa has become defunct. As their team of five travels through the depths of their workplace, Coomer revels in the fact that he finally has an opportunity to get rid of these clones. With each of their deaths, it’s like a part of himself comes back.

Bubby catches on. Coomer occasionally spots him taking out a clone from the corner of his eyes.

That first night, after they all stop to rest, Coomer is surprised that Bubby chooses to sit next to him. After a full day of nothing from Bubby, Coomer had thought he was losing him all over again.

“This is the end of Black Mesa, isn’t it?” Bubby asks. Despite their proximity, he still won’t face Coomer.

Coomer looks out at the sleeping forms of their companions. Gordon is still stuck in his Hazard Suit, which probably makes sleeping even more uncomfortable. Tommy, meanwhile, has taken off his lab coat and bunched it up into a pillow.

“I believe so, Bubby,” Coomer admits.

Bubby sighs, but it’s not disappointment. It’s relief. Coomer is shocked to feel him take his hand into his own.

“It’s good to see you again, Harold,” he finally confesses. “You won’t believe how much I missed you.”

Coomer chuckles. “I have some idea.” Every nerve in his hand is buzzing, and if he was too old for this when he and Bubby first started dating, then he’s definitely too old now.

“So what are we doing, then?” Bubby’s being vague on purpose.

“Well, we should probably…” Coomer’s thoughts drift back to their final encounter, “talk. About everything. And then, I suppose, if you’ll have me…” He looks to Bubby, hope in his eyes.

Bubby scoffs, trying to keep his voice down. He leans his head against Coomer. “Seriously? You want to pick up where we left off fifteen years later?”

“I don’t see why we couldn’t!” Coomer says. “Who’s around to stop us now?”

Instead of arguing, Bubby lets his head drop down to Coomer’s shoulder. “You have a point,” he whispers after stifling a yawn. “We’ll talk in the morning?”

“We do need our rest,” Coomer concedes, resting his head atop Bubby. “Goodnight, then.”

Bubby falls asleep fast, like he always did. As for Coomer, despite the two of them laying against a concrete wall, it’s the best sleep he’s gotten in years.

☆*☆

While Bubby sticks to Coomer’s side like glue, it’s clear they’re avoiding being alone with him. They’ll slyly take ahold of his hand as the two of them walk side-by-side, but the second the team rounds a corner ahead of them, they’re dragging Coomer forward while shouting “We’re going to be left behind!”

They still haven’t talked about that last day.

But Coomer finds himself unable to complain too much. Having Bubby with him again, smiling and laughing, holding them… it’s everything he ever wanted.

☆*☆

When they finally make it back to the surface, Gordon has a great idea.

“Why don’t we just climb?” He gestures to the rocks in front of them. “Why don’t we just go over the rocks and fucking get out of here? We’re at the surface…”

Bubby tries to deter him, reminding Gordon that they’re in the middle of nowhere, but Coomer gets an idea.

“I could always try to clear the mountaintops with my SuperLegs,” he suggests, and when he doesn’t hear no, he goes for it.

He’s up there for but a few seconds, but what he sees beyond the walls of Black Mesa shakes him to his core.

There’s nothing there.

☆*☆

After the rocket launch, Coomer catches Bubby staring out the window instead of sleeping. Their eyes are trained on the night sky, watching the stars twinkle with a determination Coomer’s never seen before.

“Bubby,” Coomer calls out to them, shocking them from whatever trance they’re in. “You should really sleep.”

To be honest, it’s more for his sake than theirs. He just needs to feel Bubby by his side, tonight more so than any.

“Right,” Bubby moves back to Coomer’s side, nestling their face into his shoulder. “When you- I didn’t realize you were telling the truth, earlier.”

Coomer sighs. “You saw it too?”

They nod, mumbling, “There’s really nothing out there, is there?”

What do you do when facing down the limits of your own reality? What is there to do but seek comfort in that which makes you feel human?

☆*☆

Bubby's been whispering with Benrey. Occasionally the two of them will fall behind or run ahead of the group, mumbling to each other as they glance around nervously. While it is suspicious, Coomer knows Bubby! He hasn't heard anything terrible from him!

But still, he is acting rather strange.

"Bubby, dearest?" Coomer asks. Bubby is apparently back in one of his clingy moods, as he wrapped his arms around Coomer the second everyone decided to take a break and refused to let go.

Something about the word "dearest" irks Bubby. His eye twitches, which is definitely not the effect it had on him fifteen years ago.

"What?" Bubby's obviously fighting against a harsh tone, a contrast to the fact he's currently holding onto Coomer for dear life.

"I wanted to make sure you were doing alright, after yesterday," Coomer continues. "You’ve been on edge today."

Bubby grimaces. "Maybe it's the alien invasion we're fighting off."

"You know that's a flimsy excuse."

"What does it matter?" Bubby huffs. "What does any of this matter?"

In all his years of comforting Bubby, of offering words of encouragement in the face of dire circumstances, Coomer has never fallen short of words like he has now. How can he provide him with answers that he himself is reaching for?

Bubby notices his hesitance and sighs, tired. His eyes are stern and hollow. Without another word he stands, joining the rest of the group and leaving Coomer behind.

☆*☆

Coomer is too trusting. How many times over the years has Bubby called him a fool? Lambasted his desire to look for the good? 'The world isn't as kind as you imagine it, Harold, get your head out of the clouds.'

Bubby and Benrey betray Gordon. Walking towards that dreaded room, Coomer notices that same hollow expression on Bubby's face, his words betraying him.

A second before the lights go out on Gordon, Coomer sees the most twisted grin worm its way onto Bubby's face. A grin he can hear wiped away when Gordon screams in pain, knife tearing through flesh.

The whole time, Coomer is frozen in place. His PowerLegs feel more like stone than advanced cybernetic enhancements. His friend is being hurt, right in front of him! And he can’t…

He can’t..

Do anything.

It's fifteen years ago, all over again.

The second the thought crosses his mind, Coomer makes an excuse to run, hoping at least someone will follow him. He can't let this happen again, he can't be trapped by his own inaction! Gordon might be beyond saving, but they aren't!

Nobody pursues. Coomer finds himself wandering the halls of Black Mesa. Alone.

☆*☆

Stupid.

Useless.

Cowardly.

Selfish.

Spineless.

Coomer realizes it's no wonder he lost Bubby. He didn’t deserve them.

☆*☆

The clones end up being good for something after all.

When you have three hundred subhuman extensions of yourself, it turns out you have what could be described as a one-man army.

☆*☆

Coomer has a plan. Screw everything else, he's fucked up beyond measure in here. He is getting out of this game, one way or another.

He's got all the clones he could find, one surging attack should do the trick. After all, the man is suffering from a recent amputation, he shouldn't be that hard to take down. Well, Coomer didn't anticipate Tommy, but that's not too big of a wrench. He's knocked down, he stands, ready to fight again, but...

But he sees Gordon. So weak, so bloody, so delirious. And yet still walking.

The anger recedes. Coomer stands down, offering peace instead. Despite everything, he can’t bring himself to hate Gordon.

☆*☆

They find Bubby locked up in their tube, and with the way they enter the room, Coomer doesn't even realize they're in there at first.

Coomer is angry, he's furious at Bubby for their betrayal. They sold Gordon, their friend, out to the military! Of all people!

But seeing Bubby back in their tube, pounding on the glass, begging to be let out, for Gordon to understand they were tricked and lied to.

It isn't right.

If Coomer can get a second chance after the stunt he pulled, then Bubby can as well.

☆*☆

They stop for the night in a small room that they climbed into through the roof. As the group talks, Coomer sits next to Bubby, even lays near them when it's time to go to sleep. But he can tell, from the way their eyes keep glancing towards the bloody stump where Gordon's hand used to be, that their mind is elsewhere.

Bubby doesn't reach out for him at night, and after the day they've all had, Coomer isn't sure he should make the first move. Still, even subconsciously, they lay back-to-back as they sleep.

Until Coomer's back suddenly feels cold.

He sits up, noticing Bubby has woken up and is trying to worm their way back onto the roof. Their eyes meet for a moment, both of them silent before Bubby climbs up.

Coomer decides to follow.

The sight Coomer finds is not unfamiliar to him. Bubby sits on the roof, their knees drawn to their chest, gazing up at the starry sky above them. Their eyes are not full of their usual wonder. When Coomer sits down next to them, they finally speak.

"I fucked up," Bubby confesses, eyes still glued to the sky.

Coomer already knew that, but... "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I-" Bubby starts, but they swallow and try again. "When I saw the void, I thought that meant that nothing here mattered." Coomer wraps an arm around Bubby, and they lean into him. "That my whole life, what happened to us, it was all fake and meaningless."

"But we're real," Coomer says, not a lecture, but an affirmation. "We love, we feel pain, we have fun. To an extent, we're alive."

"That we are," Bubby agrees. They pause for a beat, before revealing, "I hated you."

Coomer remains quiet, mostly out of confusion.

Bubby pulls back to face him. "Biological Research knew the whole time that you were seeing me. They thought you were a good influence, so they didn't step in." They grip the sleeve of Coomer's lab coat. "But that day, they mentioned it to me, and I… I just snapped."

Vaguely, Coomer remembers Dr. Daniels saying he had "expended his usefulness" sometime before the cloning began.

"I wanted to protect you, Harold. You were the first good thing in my life, I couldn't let them hurt you," Bubby whimpers. "But when I needed your help, you didn't… you…"

Harold Coomer froze.

Something clicks in the back of his mind. When the soldiers attacked Gordon, Bubby knew that Coomer wouldn't act.

Bubby yanks Coomer back to their chest, holding him as close as possible. "I blamed you, and I hated that I blamed you, and I loved you. Harold, those first years without you were awful."

Coomer can hear Bubby crying, and he knows he's doing the same.

"I'm sorry," Coomer sobs into their shirt, hugging Bubby just as tightly as they hug him. "My darling Bubby, I am so, so sorry."

"Don't say that," Bubby repeats it like a mantra every time Coomer apologizes. "Harold, don't you dare say that."

☆*☆

They make it to the end. They're loomed over by the twisted monstrosity that is Benrey. They destroy their passports, and pour everything they can into knocking this bastard down once and for all.

Bubby erupts in flames, his body once again becoming a vague silhouette. Unlike the last time he saw this sight, Coomer feels no dread. There is no pit in his stomach.

This is elation.

☆*☆

They share their first kiss in years in a Chuck E. Cheese, of all places. After watching the two of them dance around each other for five days, Gordon finally feels comfortable enough to ask them what the hell their relationship status is.

Coomer opens his mouth to answer, but Bubby has a better idea. He tilts Coomer's face towards his own, leans in, and kisses him right on the lips.

It's like nothing has changed in fifteen years. When they kiss, it's like they're young all over again.

☆*☆

They survive after the game. Bubby questions it aloud one day, but Coomer doesn't want to think about it. Whatever has happened that allows their continued existence, it's nothing short of a miracle.

Bubby and Coomer end up crashing in Gordon's house for a few days, considering they don't quite have a place of their own yet. On day three, Gordon's son Joshua calls both of them his grandpas, and Coomer cries for an hour.

They move out eventually, when their government mandated hush money comes in. Not far, but Bubby clearly wants some independence. It's a nice little place, cozy but not too small.

Bubby never starts the conversations about marriage, but they're always an active participant. When Coomer had first brought up the idea, Bubby had to put their magazine down, their eyes blown wide.

"Holy shit!" they exclaim, realization hitting them like a train. "We can do that now!"

After fifteen years of absence, waking up with Bubby by his side, curling their fingers through his hair, is magical. The life they never thought they'd have—a house on the surface, with a family all their own—is reality. Coomer has never been happier.

All good things must come to an end. But Bubby has always been better than good.

[oceancold]

Meet the WIP Tag

thanks @aetherwrites for tagging me !! (this tag is pretty appropriate because i haven’t introduced my WIP on this blog yet adjfksad bc some of it is very much,, up in the air rn but i am very actively working on it !! so that must count for something)

rules: choose a WIP you’re working on (can be a large project, a standalone short story, or anything else!) and answer for the questions below. tag others so you can see their projects too.

title: so funny story,, the book doesnt have a title just yet. but ! the codename is pretty fun, since it’s a pun on the narrator’s name ajdfksja

(codename:) brainestorm

logline (1-3 sentence premise): childhood best friends raine and keira reconnect after a decade of radio silence when keira witnesses her brother’s death and calls raine in a panic. under the impression that keira killed her brother, raine develops an obsession with her as she (once again) becomes entangled in her life.

(that was a very poor explanation but that’s the gist of it)

favourite theme explored: weirdly, loneliness? (though that might just be bc it’s 2020 but who even knows anymore)

a character i’m proud of and why: raine !! she’s lived in my mind for so long but no story felt Quite Right for her because she is such a hypocrite and contains,, many contradictions,, and i didn’t know how to balance that ?? but yeah get ready for her ‘let’s make everything about me!!’ jaunt when she is literally Not Personally Involved in any of the major events at the start of the book :))

that character’s tag (if there is one): welp i don’t have one sorry :/

link to a piece/excerpt/post i’m proud of: i haven’t really posted any excerpts yet (because my current draft is under 1k right now lmao) but i did a ‘find the word tag’ here !! which is basically raine being a little shit to her mother for no reason !! :)

any additional info i want others to know/i’m proud of: um well one of the things i’m excited about is that it’s told in 1st person retrospective referral ?? with keira as the ‘you’ ?? which like Fits So Well and um yea

i tag @cecilsstorycorner @chayscribbles @dreamonade @breadcrumbs @august-iswriting and anyone else who wants to do it!! (also if i tagged u and you dont want to do it -- feel free to ignore)

[harveywritings92]

Soulmate AU: Jacob Frye x Reader 2/3

Soulmate au Chibi clone: basically when you’ve cross paths with with your soulmate a small chibi of them appears to you, it’s about the size of a guinea pig and won’t leave your side the longer you’re in denial of your feelings or until you’ve met your soulmate again, after which they disappear.

-=-=-=

Jacobs's side of the story

Jacob was grouchy, cold and tired when he finally got back to the hideout all he wanted to do was get out of his clothes and crawl into bed and sleep for like a year! He moaned relief to be off his feet and was about to take his boots off... when he saw something scurry out of sight behind a sweet jar... did the train have a rodent infestation?

No, they would've noticed until now. standing up Jacob started lifting up jars and other knickknacks nothing...He hummed confused wondering if he just imagined the whole thing due to exhaustion? Then he noticed his top-hat on the floor was slowly making it's way around the room, it turned as if realizing he could see it! 

Whatever was making it move squeaked and started running, Jacob immediately started chasing it unfortunately whatever had his hat couldn't see what was in front of it and they slammed right into the side Jacob's ottoman hard seemly knocking it out.

Jacob pick the hat up and nearly passed out himself when he pulled a little person out of his hat! he staring a the tiny y/nat thing trying to figure what the hell it was? then he recalled seeing what looked like a tiny Henry running around his sister's room. (no, matter how many times she denied it...) He then thought back to when his grandmother told them about a tiny being called a fairy that would appear resembling your soulmate and follow you around until you encountered them again...

Jacob was stunned that it was true! then he looked down at the little knocked out fae in his hands. He?? at least he thinks it's a male was cute, he won't lie about that! and wondered why people were so private about these faeries? probably a society thing! the rich don't want to be bound by the poor?

 He hummed using the back of his index finger to rub the passed out fae's cheek; they woke up and grumbled swatting his finger away...his lips twitched decided to show Evie.. she should still be awake, maybe she can give him a more detailed explanation? 

Evie said that there really wasn't much to explain, her brother surprisingly got the gist of it. these fairies were basically fractured manifestations of your bonded one's soul, their supposed is to guide you back to your soulmate should you want to pursue them. "So what I just let him r -" Evie cut him off. "Her." Jacob's brows shot up as he looked at his sister bemused.

"Her? how do you know?" His sister cocked a brow and pointed to the counter where he set the fae down; he glanced over and did a double take when he saw mini-Henry blushing and covering his eyes! 

Jacob's fae was now in only a white button-up shirt her y/hc was now down to y/hl and the button's on the shirt were down just enough to show small bust, and that they were indeed female, Henry’s fae immediately tossed a handkerchief over the compromised female who looked around tired and confused. 

All while Jacob was in awe at the sudden wardrobe change. "When the hell did she change into that?!" he looked at his sister who shrugged. "I haven't the slightest Idea how they change clothes ...it just happens." Evie sighed tiredly really wanting this meeting to end so she could go to sleep.

 "Now is that all you wanted to know, or did you have anything else you'd like to share?" she slurred trying to hold back a yawn her brother shook his head and got up and carefully picked up the little lady off the counter she yelped surprised by the sudden motion and looked up at Jacob clearly wary of him.  

The hazel eyed assassin took notice of this and made a point of gaining her trust before convincing her to help him find the woman with his fae double, who the real Jacob might add is one lucky little bastard to sleeping next to the real... his face dropped It just occurred to him has no idea what his soulmates name is! that detail sort escaped him in the excitement. "Oi." the the fae in his hand tensed up at looked at him.

"You don't have to be afraid me, you gotta name?" he asked gently as the y/hc color fae tilted her head Jacob frowned wondering if she could understand English? and winced trying to remember those french lessons his father tried to teach him. "urm...q-Quel est votre nom?" he stammered hoping that was right! Again the fae just stared before making a gesture like she was writing. 

Jacob’s eyes widened and set her down on his bed and looked around for her to use be for settling on some ink and paper, he watched the little y/sc woman dip her hand in the ink and used her hand to write, while he got ready for bed. while taking his shirt off he heard her chirp and looked over to see what she'd wrote down. 

[Y-O-U-R-N-A-M-E ...L-A-S-T-N-A-M-E] Jacob repeated the name a few times it's was kind of odd... but hey! If that's her name then that's her name! He asked where she lived [Whitechapel.] he frowned knowing exactly what goes on in Whitechapel and though Y/n didn't seem the type to sell her body, looks can be ...He was brought out by Y/n huffing and puffing while stomping her foot; her face was red with embarrassment. [I'M NOT A PROSTITUTE!] was messily slathered on to the paper.

Jacob blanched started apologizing as the tiny woman crossed her arms and humph'd at him. Jacob on the other hand mentally sighed relieved that his soulmate wasn't being used in some brothel. "Well what exactly is your profession?" The assassin pressed the y/hl fae eyed him before writing down [Lampworking.] Jacob cocked his head to the side intrigued that's a word he's never heard before. 

"You work on lamps or make lamps?" He asked perplexed as he tried to imagine a woman welding a light-post together or making house lamps... the tiny fae chirped and he looked back the paper [It's Glass smithing for beads, marbles, paperweights...] the hazel eyed assassin hummed impressed marbles have their own blacksmiths?... Huh, go figure. 

He took a small box he had stored under his bed it had little gifts and bobbles the children had given him as thanks for saving them, and took a small purple marble out of it this was a test; he had to see this for himself. 

"Can you tell me what this is?"  He handed Y/n the marble which was the size of a football to her, she scrutinized it giving a serious though as she brought it up to the light letting it shine through the glass as if looking for cracks or impurities and wrote.

[A puple Purie* with an ash-gold swirl, nicely made but not by my shop!] She handed it back to him and Jacob hand her a broken black glass bead with half golden bird on it, the y/hc fae examined it for a few moments and looked stunned the up at him excitedly [I know this, I made this!] Jacob blinked taken aback. "Are you sure?" she nodded pointed at the broken bird.

[See the rook? that's my signature.] the hazel eyed assassin took a breath to process what she had said and almost burst out laughing at coincidence, seriously what are the chances they'd both pick a rook as a symbol? the y/ec fae seem to pick up on his giddiness and wanted to be let in on the joke? 

[What's so funny?] She raised an inquisitive brow at him. "Tell me lass have you heard of a gang called the Rooks?.." She shook her head a smirk appeared on Jacob's face oh boy was the little fairy in for wake up call, by the time Jacob had given y/n the run about the Rooks, Blighters and Templars the tiny fae had passed out exhausted.

Jacob carefully cleaned her hands and let her use his cap as a bed, He settled down for night somewhat somber as he stared at the tiny fae knowing he can't out right peruse the real at Y/n at the moment... it was too dangerous right now! and if the Blighters or Starrick figured out he had a soulmate they'd kill her or use her to get to him, Jacob can't let that happen, For both their sakes! 

He reached over and carefully readjusted the handkerchief she was using as a blanket then caress her cheek with the back of his index finger then rolled over and drifted off to sleep.

Y/n's side

The following weeks were relatively normal for Y/n would go to the glass-smith she used to take Mini-Jacob/M.J with her (as long as he stayed hidden), however he'd get all jealous and stand offish towards her when one of her friendlier co-workers approached her, particularly the sales girl up in the jewelry store upfront, It was obvious the blond haired woman fancied Y/n.. or rather YM/n act and the other male worker knew this and would often tell their younger co-worker to 'Go for it' despite the Y/n's protests and obvious disinterest towards the woman.

This caused a bit of hostility towards her males started getting ideas that YM/n wasn't interested in women...and was more interested in one of them, Luckily the boss shot them down pretty quickly noticing the fae the y/hc woman had snuck in. 

He grabbed him much to M.J's distress and wrapped a rag around him making it look like a dress, then snapped. "Look here ya lazy sods!" they looked over at the old man as he held the protesting fae, luckily it was dark enough in the forge that they couldn't get a good look at the little guy.

"The lad's obviously not interested because he's lookin' for his other half, So butt out!" he huffed as the men stared in awe at for a tick before breaking down into snickering and congratulating Y/n who let out a sigh of relief! That could've ended badly, she nodded at her boss who grunted back at her.

 Needless to say that was the last time she brought the fae with her! He'd thrown a fit when she left him at home, but it was for the best! the last thing she wanted was being ganged up on due to a misunderstanding...

It's was another slow day it felt oddly cold despite the forge being on, which should've tipped Y/n off that today wasn't going to end well... But she shrugged it off to just waking up earlier then usual Jacob was oddly excitable this morning she couldn't figure out why? 

The fae was literally jumping off her walls with so much energy, it was like a squirrel on caffeine! It also took her a while to realize that he was wearing different clothes! large coat, a green vest and a top-hat! She'd be lying if she said he didn't look good in it, It made him seem more mysterious if anything.

She could hear M.J. squeaking and playing around with that Rook bead he's seems oddly attached to it, maybe she should turn it into a necklace or bracelet? He'd probably like that! The Y/nat woman finished getting dressed and put her jacket and hat on before turning to M.J.. "I'll be back at around noon to check on you alright?" the fae hummed before gesturing for her to come closer.

The y/ht woman blinked and complied and was surprised when the Hazel eyed fae gave her a kiss on the cheek! Y/n's eyes widened her face felt hot/looked like a cherry as she gawked M.J. who gave her cheeky grin as she stammered out a goodbye! and ran across the road!

Unbeknownst to Y/n the story of YM/n finding his soulmate had reached the salesgirl's ears and went crying to her older brother who was a Blighter, she spun him a tale of a shameless womanizer who broke her heart and humiliated her! of course the girl's brother ate it up without hesitation, And decided some revenge was in order, He snuck passed the rooks patrolling the area and into the shop he using his sisters directions he found and sabotaged one of the stations; YM/n's station. of course Y/n didn't know that

 ...All she remembered was lighting her forge than a flash going off! Her boss later told her how he heard a huge explosion! she was sent flying out of the building and into the back alley adjacent to the shop!

when he got to her she was bleeding pretty heavily from her left eye at least he thinks it was her eye? and holding her right arm while attempting to get up before letting out this god awful wheeze and went slack! he though she was dead! Apparently so did salesgirl saw the whole thing who being dragged away bystanders. 

Started screaming and crying hysterically "I just wanted to scare him! I never wanted This!" Whatever else she was screaming was soon drowned out by the police and rescuers showing up showing up to control the crowed and Y/n was whisked away to a doctor.

All in sight of Jacob's fae who didn't notice he was crying as he dropped his bead... 

[A purie is a cheap clear glass colored marble, they come in various colors and names like Blood Rubies, deep sea blues, green ghosts.]

[zigsexual]

do you have anymore of the driam bodyguard au 👀 bc my soul literally transcended the physical plane, ur writing is incredible :-)

omg lov u… 🤧💕 for you my final parting gift of the decade!! as i’ve said before this is just some disconnected plotless bullshit, the other parts are in my masterlist if anyone wants to read those too but this au exists in a void so u don’t need to in order to get the gist of it

DRIAM BODYGUARD AU - DRABBLE 3

summary: well guess what they finally kiss

word count: 2900+

• • •

That night, Liam asks him to stay behind in his hotel room, mentioning some security concerns he wants to go over. It’s a bit odd, but Drake doesn’t pay it much attention until the door shuts behind him and Liam’s composure wavers. 

“There’s bad news,” He says abruptly, turning to meet Drake’s eyes. Drake looks back in bewilderment. 

“What is it?” he says, wondering what on earth could be bad enough to involve him in this kind of private meeting. His mind starts racing, running through all the potential threats to the Cordonian monarchy he had been briefed on ahead of the assignment. No way a country that small had a long list of enemies, right?

Liam bites his lip, anxious in a way Drake hasn’t seen before, and says what is potentially the last possible thing he would have expected. “It’s… ah, I think I may have to fire you.”

“What?” 

Liam’s cheeks color, though Drake can’t tell if it’s from embarrassment or shame. “You’ve been… you should know it’s not your fault. I’ll leave you with the highest commendation.”

“You can’t fire me,” Drake says, incredulous. “I work for the federal government of the United States.”

“Well, then I suppose you could say it’s more of an arranged reassignment.”

“Hold on,” Drake crosses his arms, frowning. “What are you talking about? Is this some kind of weird joke?”

Liam sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not explaining this well at all, am I? I just… I was going to have my security chief tell you, to keep it professional, but I felt like… perhaps, it should come from me.”

“I’m not concerned with who’s telling me,” Drake retorts, still looking at Liam in confusion, “I’m concerned with why this is even a discussion in the first place. I’m assigned to you because I’m good at my job, you know.”

“I know.”

“Then care to explain?”

Liam bites his lip, looking more ruffled than Drake’s ever seen him. “I should have stuck with the plan, had Bastien talk to you. I’m not good at these kinds of things.”

Drake raises an eyebrow. “What, you fire a lot of people in your big fancy kingdom?”

“Listen —“

He knows he’s toeing the line of professionalism, but something about the prospect of losing out on such an unexpectedly enjoyable assignment has his stubborn side showing through. He tries to get ahold of himself, shaking his head. “No, it’s fine. You know what, I’m sorry. I should just head out now, get the replacement detail briefed for tomorrow. You don’t owe me an explanation.”

“I feel that I do.”

“It’s just business,” Drake averts his gaze, shrugs in what he hopes is a nonchalant enough gesture. “Not my place. I can respect that.”

Liam just looks at him, unreadable in that way he always is. Must be a royalty thing, a poker face trained since birth. 

“As long as it’s nothing I did,” he continues, “I know I’m a little rough around the edges, and maybe that’s not what you’re used to, being a king and all… but I understand.”

“Drake,” Liam says. 

The informality of his first name is unusual. He lifts his eyes back to Liam’s, trying to maintain a sort of dignity even in the face of his bewildered curiosity. 

“It…” Liam rakes his fingers through his hair again, and the gesture is so human, so normal, that it endears him to Drake all over again. “This is quite an odd situation for me. I’m trying to think of the right words.”

“I’m not picky.”

“Well, I am.”

“Spoken like a true king.”

This makes Liam laugh, which shortly dissolves into another pained expression. “You’re not making this easy.”

“What, firing me?” Drake raises an eyebrow. “You expect me to?”

“Of course not,” Liam smiles, though he’s wringing his hands in front of him. “I should have known better.”

He pauses, his expression fading into a frown. “I really should have known better.”

There’s a silence between them, stretching too long. Drake knows that he’s far overstayed the reasonable amount of time for a bodyguard that’s just been fired, yet something about Liam always has him reluctant to let go. And… well, he could just be imagining it, but he’s fairly certain Liam feels the same way. 

“If you must know,” Liam finally says, his voice softer than usual, “I was… concerned, so to speak, that my encounters with you were veering into something more casual than is appropriate.”

“Oh, I —“

Liam cuts him off. “Before you say anything, I want you to know the blame is with me. I knew that my feelings towards you were becoming a distraction, and it’s unfair to expect you to do your part when I can’t even manage to do mine.”

Drake just stares at him. “Your… feelings?”

Liam sighs. “Do you have to make me say it?”

“…Yes?”

Liam cracks a smile at that, though he still looks embarrassed. “I… well, I suppose I’ve found myself somewhat… infatuated with you.”

“Oh.” Drake’s mind is running a mile a minute, and still he can’t think of a single response. “That’s all?”

Liam is blushing, which is — well. “What do you mean?”

“It’s just… I mean, I don’t see how that impacts my ability to protect you.” Even as he speaks, he’s still processing, still trying to make sense of what Liam has said.

“It doesn’t,” Liam answers, meeting Drake’s eyes even with the flush spreading past his cheeks now. “It’s me, really. You’re my bodyguard, and it would be wildly inappropriate of me to ask you to continue as such when…”

He trails off, looking at Drake sheepishly. It’s the first time he’s seen Liam entirely vulnerable like this, and it only serves to make him more attractive. 

The reality is, of course, that Liam has always been attractive — has essentially redefined everything Drake had thought to be his type — and Drake still isn’t entirely sure that he’s not misreading this whole conversation. 

“When what?” He asks, tentative, hoping for an answer he hasn’t let himself dream of before. 

“Come on, Drake,” Liam says softly, taking a slow step closer to him, “I can’t pretend everything is strictly professional between us when I also can’t stop thinking about kissing you.”

Drake feels his stomach drop in the very best way, like the first hill on a rollercoaster with far too long a line. “Say that again.”

“You know I —“

He doesn’t wait, striding right into Liam’s arms and kissing the words out of his mouth. 

It’s exactly as good as he’d imagined it would be, and then some.

Their lips meet with a heady spark of long-overdue passion, Drake already cradling Liam’s face and twisting into his dark hair. He’s amazed at how soft Liam is, how smooth his skin feels beneath his hands. Perhaps he shouldn’t expect anything less from a king, but then again, he hasn’t exactly made out with any other kings. 

Liam kisses him like he’s thought about a lot more than just kissing, and soon Drake feels him slip a hand underneath his jacket and wrap his fingers around Drake’s side, pulling them flush together. Drake finds himself clinging to Liam’s hair in an embarrassingly needy way, willing him as close as possible as their lips come together over and over. 

They breathe quickly in-between long, slow kisses, both acutely aware of the rarity this moment of unscheduled time is. Liam’s hand tightens against Drake’s waist, and Drake can’t help but drop his hands to Liam’s chest, pushing him back against the door and undoing buttons before he really has a chance to think. 

Liam doesn’t move to stop him, so Drake drops a kiss against his jaw before moving to his neck, mouthing a line downwards to the same movements of his fingers as they free Liam from his shirt. 

He pushes the sleeves off Liam’s shoulders as much as he can, kissing his chest before Liam wraps a hand around the back of his neck to tug him back to his lips. It’s electric and instinctive and consuming, this feeling that shoots through his veins at Liam’s touch, and it’s as though every movement shared between them is communication enough. 

He breaks from Liam’s lips only to shrug off his jacket and start unbuttoning his own shirt. His fingers are shaking, from adrenaline or desire, and Liam meets him halfway to finish out the last few buttons and finally expose his skin. 

Liam takes a deep breath, eyes falling to Drake’s chest, and it’s the first time either have taken a moment to pause since they came together. 

“I…” Liam seems lost for words, another first; in all the time Drake has known him, he’s always been remarkably well spoken despite any circumstance. Now, with his silent admiration, Drake suddenly feels exposed. 

Exposed and… fuck, what is he doing?

He crosses his arms, averting his gaze. “Maybe we should… ah, table this? I just…”

Liam looks alarmed. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to —“

“No, no, you’re good,” Drake looks quickly back up, meeting Liam’s eyes. “Trust me, you’re more than good, Liam. It’s me, I’m… I’m not good at… talking about things.” He sighs. “Which is a stupid thing to say considering we weren’t talking, and honestly I’d like nothing more than to get back to the ‘not talking’ with you, but for the sake of our unique situation I feel like maybe we should… figure out what’s going on here before things get too messy?”

Liam nods. “You’re right, and I apologize for being hasty. I’m sure you understand… I mean, with the way schedules are, it’s so rare to catch a moment alone.” He runs a hand through his hair, sheepish. “And I like you, Drake. I know we haven’t known each other very long, but I like you.”

“I like you too,” Drake can’t help but crack a smile. “You’re something else, that’s for sure.”

Liam returns the smile, so dazzling in his royal perfection that it catches Drake off-guard. His whole body is reacting to the beautiful boy in front of him, and before he knows what he’s doing, he’s swept Liam back up into his arms and proceeded in kissing him senseless. 

So much for talking, he thinks, stroking the planes of muscle down Liam’s back and tracing his lips with his tongue. All rational thought goes out the window when it comes to Liam — everything slips backwards into the instincts of want and need and lust. 

With each movement between them he can’t help but marvel at the this ridiculous scenario: that he, Drake Walker, would be caught up in a sexual tryst with a European monarch while still very nearly on the clock. It’s so unthinkably bizarre that he decides to stop thinking entirely, instead giving in to the way Liam makes him feel — equal parts whole and ravaged.

Ah, fuck it. 

“Do you still want to talk?” Liam murmurs against his lips, his hands doing things a king has no business doing. 

“God, no.” Drake whispers back. “Worst idea I’ve ever had. Table it.”

“Tabled.”

Liam undresses him with a reverent care that is unlike any other person he’s been with. It’s slow and deliberate and marked by kisses against each new plane of skin, Liam’s hands giving him goosebumps at the lightest of touches. He can feel himself becoming more and more infatuated by the second, gazing at Liam with his whole heart in his eyes, letting out a contented sigh when he finally brings their lips back together. 

They wind up tangled together in Liam’s bed, kissing each other in between whispers peppered with platitudes and spurred on by the heady rush of dopamine. Drake can’t stop smiling against Liam’s lips, stroking a path into the smooth skin of his hip. He’s gorgeous, an absolute idealization of what a man should be, and the fact that he wants Drake just as much is dizzying. 

Drake tries to take his time, but the prospect of finally getting his hands on every part of Liam is too tantalizing. They’re breathing heavy before too long, murmuring things that aren’t quite words anymore, and Drake can’t help but marvel at the absurdity of his situation: meant to protect a king, here he is taking him apart. 

Of course, Liam does his fair share too, and Drake never thought he’d be swearing so much in front of royalty, but fuck if he’s not glad he is. Liam pulls sounds out of him that he didn’t even know he had, leaving him panting and sweaty and terribly smitten. 

When at last they both fall quiet, Liam strokes his cheek, propped up above him and gazing down into his eyes. Drake manages a weak smile, voice still shaky. “You do this with all your bodyguards?”

“Only the cute ones.”

Liam leans in to kiss him again and he returns it gratefully, wrapping his arms around Liam’s waist and tracing across his skin. 

“Jesus,” he says, voice low, “I can’t believe I’m not being punked right now. You’re a fucking king.”

Liam presses a kiss against his temple, then his jaw. “And you’re a terrible bodyguard.”

“Hm, is that why you want me fired?”

Liam has moved to his neck now, teasing kisses across the sensitive skin. “You’re supposed to put the bulletproof vest on, not take it off.”

“I told you,” Drake says, “I don’t want you bulletproof.”

“But you do want me.”

“Thought that much was obvious.”

Liam pulls away from him suddenly, looking down at him with a surprising tenderness. “You should know I never do this.”

“Right,” Drake flashes him a smile. “Only with the cute ones.”

Liam shakes his head. “No, I’m serious. I’ve never done anything like this before. Sleeping with someone I barely know…” His voice is earnest, a match to the worship of his gaze. “You’re the only one, Drake.”

Drake blinks slowly, the words settling in as he tries to make sense of the meaning behind them. “You’ve… really? Never?”

“I’ve had relationships before, of course. But when you’re royalty… there’s a certain level of discretion required for this sort of thing. It’s not worth the effort.” He smiles gently. “Or at least, it hasn’t been until now.”

Drake feels his face grow hot, and the embarrassment he feels at the realization that Liam’s made him blush only serves to make him blush harder. “Oh.“

“Yes,” Liam echoes, “Oh.”

“Well,” Drake says, attempting to alleviate the sudden heaviness that has fallen over them, “That’s really a bummer for you, considering I already sold my story to The Cordonian Daily.”

Liam won’t stop looking at him, which is making the whole blushing ordeal immeasurably worse. “You’ll only say good things, I hope.”

“Maybe,” Drake answers. “Maybe bad things too.”

Liam laughs, which only spurs him on more. He leans up on his elbows, only inches away from Liam’s face. “Might tell them they’ve really been deprived of the body on that king of theirs, covering him up in all those medals and shit. That he’s absolutely mind-blowing in bed, way too good at things that have nothing to do with ruling, and he’s got a massive —“

Liam shuts him up with a kiss, slow and deep and breathtaking. He cards his fingers through Drake’s hair, twisting into the strands and tugging him closer, while Drake finds the planes of Liam’s chest and spreads his hands across the skin. He can’t help the sigh that slips from his lips when they finally part, eyelids so heavy he can barely make out the smile on Liam’s face. 

“You mean it?” Drake whispers, “Only me?”

Liam nods. “Only ever you.”

“Shit,” Drake leans his head back against the pillow, looking up at the ceiling. “I can’t believe that. I mean, I do — I believe you — but shit.”

Liam rolls onto his side, eyes still trained on Drake, their legs brushing under the sheets. “Is it so uncommon?”

“I guess not,” Drake turns to look at him too, at the unabashed affection on his face. “But it’s just… fuck, look at you. You’re literally royalty, you probably live in some palace being rich as hell all the time, and you’re Old Hollywood hot like some actual Hallmark character.” He lets his hand wander over to Liam’s hip, slowly tracing the lines of muscle up his side. “It’s a good thing you’re not one of those Europeans wearing Speedos all the time either, because I think if the world saw what’s under that suit of yours they might eat you alive.”

Liam smiles, averting his eyes for a moment, clearly unsure how to handle the flattery. “Well… thank you.”

“Honest to god, the fact that you’re single might mean there’s hope for none of us.”

Liam goes quiet, still against his side. Drake suddenly feels like maybe he’s talked too much; maybe Cordonians don’t see fucking as such an opportunity to open the floodgates of opinion amongst one another. After all, he’d technically been a member of Liam’s staff only a few hours ago. 

“Sorry,” he starts, “Am I being too blunt? I can—“

“Drake,” Liam interrupts, “There’s something you should know. Something I should have told you earlier.”

There’s an unusual tension in Liam’s words that immediately sets him ill at ease. “Okay.”

“I’m…” Liam bites his lip, finally bringing his eyes up to meet Drake’s as he says, “I’m engaged.”

[dragracereviews]

My Ultimate Top 10 Favorite Drag Race Queens

#10 - Kameron Michaels: NGL, Kameron is partially on this list because I would fuck her in a heartbeat. I actually plan on making a list later of queens I would sleep with in and/or out of drag and you will definitely find Miss Michaels high on there. I’ve seen her live on the Werq the World tour and I 100% regret not getting Meet and Greet though I probably would’ve just drooled on her and made a fool of myself so maybe it’s better that I didn’t. It’s a known fact that Kameron is an incredible lip syncer (if you haven’t watched season 10, please do so just to see her in action because honestly, she’s one of the few good things about that season) and she did NOT disappoint. Her dancing was only beat out by Vanjie who you may or may not see later on this list. Kameron if you’re out there reading this (LOL, we all know she isn’t) and you ever feel like experimenting with an actual biological woman, hit me up!

#9 - Sharon Needles: And here we have another attractive man out of drag! Sharon was the OG underdog and while I’m not going to sit here and bash Phi Phi O’Hara because she’s actually talented AF (checkout her Harry Potter cosplay, it’s soooo good), Sharon definitely didn’t deserve all the shade thrown at her on season 4. Her drag aesthetic has always been equals parts spooky and equal parts fabulous, but she’s actually improved over the years and it’s made me love her even more. My favorite Sharon moment ever is during a “Queens Reading Mean Comments” video on WOWPresents’ Youtube channel where someone said they liked her old teeth better and she just goes, “Well my old teeth just looked ridiculous with my new lips!” Get ‘em, girl.

#8 - Jinkx Monsoon: I want Jinkx to be my mom. There, I said it. Also, if you don’t get that reference, get your shit together and subscribe to WOW Presents on Youtube you fucking bumpkin. Jinkx was the loveable weirdo on her season and received a lot of hate from her fellow queens but I loved her from the start. I have since forgiven Roxxxy Andrews for her cattiness because of her rudemption on All Stars 2 (insert her Read U Wrote U verse here) but nothing was more satisfying than watching Jinkx go from the underdog to America’s Next Drag Superstar. I don’t know what’s more iconic; her tendency to fall asleep at inopportune times, her laugh, or all the jokes about her being a full blown swamp witch. Either way, it will always be Monsoon season in my eyes.

#7 - Nina West: Hands down, the DEFINITION of Miss Congeniality! This choice was so obvious, I don’t even know why they took a vote. I think that even if they left it up to the fans, it would’ve been her. I fucking LOVE Nina. I’ve actually met her IRL and my first thoughts were 1: she’s HUGE (hello, she’s a six foot tall man in like 6 inch heels and I’m barely over five feet) and 2. she just radiates happiness! She is the only queen I’ve met that asked me my name (though shout out to Plastique Tiara for calling me gorgeous as if she’s not the most beautiful creature on the planet) and she didn’t make me feel like an idiot when I just stared at her adoringly and just word vomited “you’remyfavoriteiloveyousomuch”. Class act people!

#6 - Bianca del Rio: Do I even need an explanation for this one? Hands down, the undisputed winner of season 6, and that’s coming from a die-hard ***** fan (see entry #2). Did she wear the same silhouette 10+ times? Yes. Can she kind of be a bitch sometimes? Definitely. But is she the funniest fucking person alive? Probably! My love for Bianca is infinite but I still wouldn’t want her to read me, at least not in person. Actually, scratch that, I’ve seen her Twitter feed and getting read online is almost worse. I fucking love Hurricane Bianca and the sequel even though it’s one of those so-bad-it’s-good type of film series. I sadly missed her last tour because it was the same night as Sasha Velour’s Smoke & Mirrors show and as amazing as Sasha was, my heart was broken that I couldn’t go to both. But you better believe the next time she’s in town, I’m forking out lots of $$ for VIP and I may or may not faint at Bianca’s feet #noregrets

#5 - Vanessa Vanjie Matteo: Mother. Fucking. Vanjie. OKAY, I’ve met this bitch IRL and let me tell you, she is the cutest fucking thing. Like Nina, it shocked me how apparent it is that she’s a man (square jaw, hello?) but she can still paint for filth and look fishy AF even with her boyish features. Also, AMAZING performer! I waited 3 hours after the M&G for her to actually come on stage and perform only two songs (that’s a story for another day) but let me tell you, it was worth the fucking wait. I showered that bitch with Canadian monopoly money and I would’ve given her more if I wasn’t such a broke millennial. And to top the whole night off, I got woken up at 5 am to my friend screaming because Vanjie had reposted my photo in her story so I was essentially Instagram famous for all of like, a day. Thanks girl xo

#4 - Bendelacreme: I love me some Dela. This queen proved in both her regular season and All Stars that she is a force to be reckoned with. Season 6 wouldn’t have been the same without her and did I want to yell at Darienne Lake for being a bitch to her? Absolutely! (Gia Gunn pun intended) And I honestly think that if she hadn’t eliminated herself, she would’ve won AS3 (though if you read my #1 entry, I am 100% satisfied with who did win). She completely deserved her Miss Congeniality title, and while I see where the others AS3 queens were coming from when they suspected she was trying a little too hard to keep up that image, I did appreciate her trying to play the game with some class, because we don’t see that often on Drag Race. I also love her friendship with Jinkx and it’s definitely on my bucket list to see one of their shows one day. You know what they say, the Creme always rises to the top!

#3 - Brooke Lynn Hytes: Full disclosure, I’m Canadian but that’s not the only reason why I love Brooke (she is the Queen in the North though, and I’ll fight you if you say otherwise). This queen is fucking TALENTED! Season 11 would have failed without her, IMHO. She can design and sow a complete outfit, read people to filth, sort of sing (I still listen to Queens Everywhere daily, especially her verse), dance circles around ANYBODY, and lip sync like her mother fucking life depends on it. Did she, by the end of the season, forget that’s there’s more to a lip sync than being on pointe? Yes, absolutely. But that doesn’t change the fact that she is literal perfection and I think that’s why Ru gave Yvie the crown instead of her (though I love Yvie so don’t come for me). Brooke’s biggest downfall was the fact that she wasn’t relatable and I am 100% okay with that. Sometimes you just have to worship the unattainable. The only issue I have with Brooke is her and Vanjie not being officially together anymore because yes, I am one of those fans that ship queens together, especially queens that have actually dated. I will never get over #Branjie, just saying.

#2 - Adore Delano: "I'm a fucking Libra!" As soon as these words left her mouth, I knew I was in love with Adore Delano. Season 6 is by far my favorite season (spoiler alert if I decide to make a Top 10 Best Seasons list) and if it weren't for my #1 pick, she would 100% have the top spot. Hell, before I discovered WOW Presents, she WAS my #1 pick (read my next entry to understand what I mean). Adore is simultaneously adorable (pun intended) and fierce AF. She's beautiful, hilarious, and did I mention beautiful?! She is the reason I say "party" at inappropriate times. She is the reason I wish I was a Libra instead of a fucking Scorpio. She is the reason I insist everybody start their first Drag Race binge with season 6 because I know they’ll fall in love with her as much as I have. Adore, if you’re reading this, I fucking adore you.

#1 - Trixie Mattel & Katya Zamolodchikova: Of course these two are tied as my number one spot. Individually, these queens are fucking fierce and extremely talented (go download Trixie's country albums if you don't believe me), but together they are pure gold. If you've only ever watched their run on season 7, you probably don't understand why I love them so much, so do yourself a favor and go watch All Stars 2 & 3, as well as their web shows "UnHhhh", "The Trixie & Katya Show", and “Queens Who Like To Watch”. I can even give you a list of other stand alone videos of them to watch (ex. "Besties for Cash", "Fashion Photo Review", compilation videos of the pair in Palm Springs... I think you get the gist). Truth be told, I'm absolutely obsessed with these two, so much so that I may or may not have indulged in some online fan fiction about them from time to time...don’t judge me, okay?! I love a friends-turned-lovers love story, and I know I’m not the only one wishing #Trixya would happen IRL. I've also shelled out so much money to Trixie alone on her merch and makeup, and I'm waiting very impatiently for them to go on tour together so I can go full Futurama and just scream "take my money" as I buy the most VIP package they have. Trixie and Katya are the ultimate definition of All Stars and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise.

[imjustkindafloating]

isn’t it lovely, all alone? ch 1

its 1 am, i just finished this after 2 days of work.  thank u to the wonderful @high-ashell-hargrove and @loud_anon for helping me write and revising

relationship: soon to be lamp

summary: Patton is sad because he's alone, and plans to go to his kingdoms plaza

words: 1,248 (the longest one in a while)

trigger warnings: slight neglect, pattons mother is very creepy, crying, parents death (mentioned)

ALRIGHT HERE WE GO

-----

One of the first things Patton remembers is laughter, the crinkle of his mother's nose as he sat in her lap.  He remembers his father picking him up from her lap, and throwing him in the air.  He remembered his childish giggles, his parents smiling with him.  He remembers when he was tucked into his bed that night.

“Mommy?  Can you tell me a story.”

“Of course, my dear!”  Patton's mother, Octavia, smiled.  Her soft smile and caramel eyes made him feel secure.  His mother hummed for a moment, thinking of a story in her mind.  Once she stopped humming, she smiled wide.

“Now, dear, have I ever told you the tale of Danielle the Great?”  Octavia beamed.  Patton eagerly shook his head, anticipation creeping up his spine.

“Danielle, you see, was a warrior, one of the best, in fact!  She fought against the most horrid people.”

“What kind of people?” “Corrupted people.  People whose darkness had crept into their hearts and ate at their souls until nothing was left.  Nothing but hate.  Danielle never regretted anything.”

“Nothing at all, Mommy?”

“Well, there was one thing.”

“Mommy, tell me!  Tell me, tell me, tell me, please!”

“Calm down little one.  Danielle was one of the best warriors, yes, but she had one deep regret.  It was that she left her duties.  You see, Danielle was a princess before a warrior, but she gave away fame and riches to fight the evil people.”

“Is that bad?”

“Of course it is, dear Patton.  When one has a duty to their nation, they must fulfill it at any cost.  It's what you must do.”  Octavias eyes grew dark, and her smile turned cold.

“Patton, you have a duty to this nation, you must rule over it with a wonderful wife at your side, once your father and I have let you, of course.  There is a reason we are more feared than loved, my dear.”

“But, mommy, why can’t I rule alone?.”  Patton asked, his childlike innocent never leaving his eyes.  His mother didn’t see innocence.  She saw betrayal.  If it were possible, her eyes would have gone darker.  

She lightly gripped his small arm, a counterfeit gentle smile encompassing her face.“My dear,-” the grip tightened ever so slightly, “You must rule with another, or-” even tighter, “your subjects-” it hurts now, his blood flow was being cut off, making his hand turn red, “will not respect you.”  Patton was crying, his cheeks puffy and red, and it seemed it was time for his mother to snap out of her hateful trance.  

At that moment, Patton realized he didn’t love his mother anymore.

-----

Ten years later, when Patton was in his teens, fifteen to be exact, he was told that both of his parents had burned in a fire.  He didn’t care for the details.  Many called him cold and emotionless when he went to the funeral.  The reason for this was because he didn’t cry, not one tear.  He had his reasons.  He knew his reasons, he did not feel guilty for feeling nothing when they left him alone.  He didn’t need to give an explanation.  

When he arrived home, his father’s royal counselor told him the gist of what would happen next.  “Your highness, I would like to discuss something for the future of the kingdom, and more importantly, you.”  Gavel, the royal counselor said.  Patton at the time was sitting in his room, doodling on his desk, something his parents would’ve killed him over.  Patton gestured towards a chair in the corner of his room and simply said;

“Sit, if you like.”  He then smiled sadly at the man.  The man nodded and went to sit in the comfortable armchair, close to the desk Patton was sitting at.  Once sat down, the man began talking.

“Sir,-”  that one was new, “I would like to start out by saying, my deep condolences, the abrupt death of those who raised you must be-”  Patton nodded along, he had heard this before, the sorrys and the tip-toeing and the overall cloud that followed the entire kingdom around.  Everyone but him. 

“Jarring, to say the least, but I didn’t come here to say sorry for an atrocity I did not commit-” what actually happened was, his parents had gone on a trip for their twentieth anniversary and they had stayed in the family's cabin in the mountains.  Lightning had struck the home, and they couldn’t get it out in time, 

“but despite that, we have serious issues to talk about.  Since you are not old enough to be crowned, you will be once you're eighteen, you will be replaced by me, since I was trained to do so in the case of a fatality befalls your parents-”

“Not to be rude, sir, but won't I have to have a w-” he paused, he never truly liked the idea of a wife, but that's not something he could tell anyone.  He had seen neighboring kingdoms house same-sex couples as kings and queens, and the kingdom thrive, but he knew deep in his bones, that it would’ve had a terrible reaction from his parents if he had expressed his desires.  He shook his head,  “Won’t I have to have a partner?” Patton finished, Gavel smiled.

“That is up to you sir.  A wife, a husband, neither-” the man paused, in silent thought for a moment, “Maybe even more than one.”

“But sir, my mother said the subjects wouldn’t respect me if I didn't have a proper wife.”

“Your mother was a woman with hard beliefs, but just because you believe in something doesn't mean that it is right, or even true.” Gavel spoke.  He had kind eyes, it was one of the first things Patton noticed when he met him for the first time.  Patton smiled.  Maybe he didn’t need to be with a woman.

-----

Patton was crowned, Gavel retired, and Patton was alone once more.  Patton knew he needed company, he was, after all, a sociable person.  Patton often took strolls through the streets of his kingdom (most people called his kingdom ‘The Kingdom of Hearts’, completely ignoring the true name, Sandersvania).  

The streets were always busy, packed to the brim with people.  It wasn’t necessarily a kind place or even a safe one at that, but Patton had tried to rehabilitate his people, but it never worked.  He eventually gave up.  He had also tried to clean up the area, plant different trees, not the ashy grey bark, and ugly brown leaves, but the kind he saw when he and his parents visited other kingdoms.  Patton wished those kingdoms still stood.  Some were plagued with disease, others fell because of their lack of crops, and others because of the king up and left.  Patton was tempted to do the same. 

Back to the point, Patton had tried to find a suitable partner, he tried.  None of them clicked, some used him for his power or money, or sometimes it just didn’t work out.  But Patton still smiled, he may be lonely, but he had a duty to uphold, even when he didn’t want to.  

-----

Patton had told his advisors that he was heading into the plaza.  It was a place filled with shops, food, and children.  He grabbed his boots, a guard, and some coins.  He knew, eventually, the guard would lose Patton, but the thought for protection was there.  And so, they set out for the plaza.

-----

thank you for reading! also the tag for this is ‘isnt it lovely all alone au’ and if you want to be tagged in this, send an ask!

[traincat]

I know you've already sort of discussed this but could you please explain the marvel 2 in 1 ending... what I'm getting is that the gist of it is that Reed and Sue are just like 'lol whoops I guess we sorta forgot about u'... which is really kinda anticlimactic and abrupt. Did I read it wrong or something? All that build up and angst just for it to go down the drain... is there something more to it that I'm missing that you know of?

I can explain it, but the answer’s not going to satisfy you, because it doesn’t satisfy me. Long story short: there were implications there was something more to the story than Marvel Two-In-One’s final two issues said, but Fantastic Four hasn’t followed up on that like, at all, and shows no signs that they’re going to anytime soon.

In the interests of putting all of the pieces together, I’m going to lay out everything that happened between the cancellation of the Fantastic Four title and now, because there are a lot of fuzzy periods. The Fantastic Four disappeared from the Marvel universe and from the shelves back in 2015, following Jonathan Hickman’s Secret Wars event. In Secret Wars, the multiverse has been destroyed and cobbled back together into Battleworld, a realm where Doctor Doom rules as god king, with Sue as his wife, Ben transformed into a huge wall, and Johnny as Battleworld’s artificial sun. It’s a real fractured fairy tale. At the end of Secret Wars, Reed defeats Doom and reunites his family. Using Franklin’s mutant ability to create entire universes and the Molecule Man’s powers, Reed, Sue, and the children of the Future Foundation set out to recreate the multiverse. Ben and Johnny are sent back to their own Earth with comment that “their stories aren’t done yet.” Doom is also sent back with his scarred face restored. 

The cancellation of the Fantastic Four at this point heralds the first time Marvel had been without a Fantastic Four book on the shelves since 1961. We know – partially because it was painfully obvious, and partially because Jonathan Hickman spilled the beans – that the Fantastic Four comics were cancelled because of a film rights dispute; aka, Marvel Studios and Disney didn’t have the film rights, and Ike Perlmutter threw a fit about it. Instead of doing their best to put out a good book that would draw in comics audiences, Marvel instead cancelled Fantastic Four, citing low readership. Marvel has denied this, but the truth is pretty obvious, especially with how the Fantastic Four’s return to comics just so happened to coincide exactly with when it became extremely clear that the Disney-Fox merger was going through. So right from the start we had this very inorganic reason as to why the Fantastic Four were hung up. Reed, Sue, and the kids were retired out of universe under the excuse that they were rebuilding the multiverse – which, to be fair, does work as a pretty good excuse. Johnny and Ben, on the hand, were kept in-universe and distributed to other properties, probably because of Ben – who, let’s be honest, is the most popular of the Fantastic Four and the moneymaker here – and because it made more sense to keep Johnny and Ben than just Ben. 

Immediately post-Secret Wars, there was an eight month (iirc) timeskip in the main Marvel universe, meaning that books that picked up after the events of Secret Wars picked up significantly after it; we see very little of the Secret Wars fallout. Here’s what we do know concerning the Fantastic Four: Reed, Sue, and the kids were largely believed to be dead, although Johnny in particular initially refused to believe that. Sometime during this timeskip, Johnny and Ben had some kind of fight. We don’t know what it was about. Honestly, at this point, we’re unlikely to ever know what it was about. Whatever it was, it was bad enough that Ben and Johnny severed all communication and Ben left the planet to join the Guardians of the Galaxy. What followed was the longest separation between Ben and Johnny that we’ve ever seen in canon. Johnny and Ben are famous for squabbling, but their fights rarely last longer than a few days at most; they’re extremely close, to the point that when Ben was presumed dead, Johnny’s coping mechanism mirrored Ben’s long time love and current wife Alicia’s. This post-Secret Wars separation between them lasted longer than when Ben thought Johnny had gotten together with said longtime love Alicia (it was a Skrull in disguise, but nobody would know that for like 80 issues). This separation between them is completely unprecedented, and like I said, we have no idea what caused it.

This scene from Infamous Iron Man #9 is the closest I’ve gotten to determining a root of the fight – note Johnny says “my family”, all handily bolded for emphasis. Not “our family”, “my family.” Ben is the only member of the Fantastic Four not related by either marriage or blood to any of the others, which has been a very occasional sore spot in the past. But even this scene doesn’t quite make sense – it’s hard to imagine Ben and Johnny having a months long separation over this alone, and to make matters more confusing, before Infamous Iron Man #9, Johnny had tried to get in contact with Ben only to be rebuffed. In Infamous Iron Man #9, Ben gets in contact with Johnny only for Johnny to practically run away from him. Already the new dynamic here feels like it needed more attention in the narrative than it actually got.

I think part of the problem with this whole return of the Fantastic Four storyline – the actual return especially, but even the lead-up – is that it was never established what was keeping Reed and Sue from coming back. On top of that, if they had the power to send Johnny and Ben back, why weren’t they able to send them back with some sort of memory or guarantee that Reed, Sue, and the kids were okay? It would have been very easy to say “well, a supervillain did it!” You know, the easiest comic book plot excuse of all time. But they didn’t do that. And that creates a problem when it’s a well-established fact that Johnny in particular tends to fall into a deep depression and displays signs of self-harm when the team isn’t together. (Fantastic Four #191-193, Robinson’s Fantastic Four run, Ben’s death in Waid’s run.) Which is exactly what happened this time, too, both during the timeskip and in the lead-up to Marvel Two-In-One (2017). 

Marvel Two-In-One (2017) was essentially the test run for the return of the Fantastic Four. The original Two-In-One was to Ben Grimm what Marvel Team Up was to Peter Parker: essentially a team up book that revolved around one character. So it made sense to relaunch it starring Ben and Johnny. In Two-In-One, Ben discovers Johnny at the end of his rope, pulling life-threatening stunts in his grief and depression, and, willed a multidimensional travel device by Reed, decides to – to the best of his knowledge at the time – lie to Johnny and say that Reed and Sue might still be alive. Learning that they’re both losing their powers and will continue to do so unless they’re reunited with Reed and Sue, as their powers depend on the four of them being in the same universe (an interesting concept, though not one we’ve seen before), Ben and Johnny set off, with a worryingly helpful Doctor Doom on their heels, on a multiversal roadtrip to find their family – one Ben thinks will fail from the start because, as far as he knows, Reed and Sue are dead. It’s a really good concept, and a great concept that starts to fall apart as soon as the notion that Reed and Sue aren’t dead starts to float to the surface. In Two-In-One #9, stranded powerless with Ben in the desert in another universe and facing death, Sue appears to Johnny.

(Marvel Two-In-One #10) This brief contact is apparently enough to reignite Ben and Johnny’s powers to full strength. Sue says that her and Reed’s powers were gone, which does seem to track with the plot – except Johnny and Ben lost their powers over a prolonged period of time, not all at once. If Reed had realized he and Sue were losing their powers, he should have come to that conclusion far before this point in time. You can say the times don’t add up because different universes (which the “you haven’t met the Zaklons yet” line would seem to imply), but with no explanation about how Sue was able to contact Johnny – however briefly – at this point, it does make it seem like Reed and Sue could’ve made contact with Ben and Johnny at any point… and simply chose, for whatever reason, not to. Which is, ultimately, the story Two-In-One goes with. 

(Marvel Two-In-One #11) In the very next issue, Reed’s reasoning for why they didn’t take Ben and Johnny with them is that… they would’ve been bored by the science aspect of it all. Which is, I’m going to go ahead say, very out of character and not in the spirit of the Fantastic Four. They’re explorers, and they explore together. This seems like a weirdly brusque excuse to write off the absence so they can get back to the status quo as quickly as possible, using Reed’s science-obsessed image to make him the fall guy. Additionally, in this issue (which I have to say, I overall like – I wrote a whole Doom/Reed fic based off of it), Reed also offers another reason why the world had to believe he and Sue were dead:

In Marvel Two-In-One #11, Reed and Ben visit an alternate universe Doom who exists in a universe where his own Reed is dead. This Doom is a pretty okay dude at the moment – in fact, he and Reed had become, through Reed’s private multiversal travel, close friends. Using this (pretty flawed) logic of “Reed dead = Doom good??”, Reed deduced that if his own Doom thought Reed was dead, he… too would be good? Look, I don’t hate this. I’m a big Doom/Reed fan and the whole thing is pretty shippy and it also depends on Reed having an enormous attachment to Doom and an enormous desire for his own Doom to be like this other Doom, who is his friend. But as far as “why did Reed and Sue stay away as long as they did” explanations go, “Reed was kind of bonkers in love with Doom” is not the direction I expected things to go. Besides, it doesn’t really work, and it doesn’t really work for one big reason: Fantastic Four (2018) #1, the actual return of the Fantastic Four, was published before this, and Fantastic Four (2018) #1 implies a hugely different story.

Fantastic Four (2018) #1 sees Johnny and Ben returned to their home universe after the events of Marvel Two-In-One #10. The reader has no idea how they got there or what they’ve been doing since they got back, or even how long it’s been since they’ve been back. Despite the Sue sighting, at the very end of the issue, Johnny becomes convinced all over again that Reed and Sue are dead, up until… 

(Fantastic Four v6 #1) The staging here is important – Reed and Sue’s battle-ripped uniforms, and the cryptic lines between them, like Sue’s “what you plan to do… seems impossible.” This is compounded by dialogue between Franklin and Val in the next Fantastic Four issue:

“You think you can boost that signal enough… to reach Earth?” “Home? I’m good, but there’s no way I’m that good.” This would definitely seem to imply that, for some reason, Reed, Sue, and the kids can’t contact their home universe, or Ben and Johnny at all. I’m admittedly biased in favor of this version: the more time went by without Reed and Sue contacting Johnny and Ben and leaving them on their own, the more obvious it became that this was the best solution, to create some comic book reason why Reed and Sue simply couldn’t return home. But Fantastic Four (2018) #3 and #4 never really explore this more, and the subject gets dropped altogether, which makes for a very unsatisfying read. The Fantastic Four simply return home together and, some frankly too quickly brushed off anger and resentment from Johnny in Marvel Two-in-One’s closing issue aside, this gets swept under the rug in favor of the Fantastic Four just being back now! Hurrah! Pay no attention to the film rights hungry Mouse behind the curtain! 

If I wanted to, I could make the explanations presented in Fantastic Four (2018) and Marvel Two-in-One (2017) mesh – Reed has massive guilt issues stemming back to the accident that granted the Fantastic Four his powers. He has a bad habit of taking responsibility that isn’t necessarily his, and of not being 100% truthful in situations because he feels it’s for the best for everyone. (The massive amount of time he takes to reveal his powers are failing during Fraction’s Fantastic Four run, or in the two instances during Waid’s run where Reed uses cruel words to distract both Ben and Sue from his plans to sacrifice himself for them.) Reed might have chosen to take the blame on himself – come up with a story he knows will anger Ben, say that he thought he and Johnny would have been bored, because he felt it was somehow easier than admitting that he and Sue found themselves in some kind of situation where they simply couldn’t get back, and couldn’t contact Ben or Johnny. It’s a way of taking 100% of the blame on himself, which would be a very Reed thing to do. But that would be me doing the book’s work for it; this is absolutely not established within the actual canon as of the time of my writing this.

Honestly, I don’t think we’re likely to see this explored more any time imminently – the Fantastic Four were banished from the stands because of film rights. They came back because for three years dedicated fans asked where the Fantastic Four were, yes, but also because of those same film rights. Now that they’re back, there seems to be this huge rush to pretend it never happened: the Four are back together, and that’s that. It’s very unsatisfying, but it’s clear Marvel cared more about pushing the Fantastic Four back together as quickly as possible than writing a coherent, satisfying story that put together all the pieces of their in-universe disappearance.

[bunnywand]

alienating anyone who’s ever asked me how to get into star wars by suggesting they watch them in “machete order” (IV, V, II, III, VI) bcos that just sounds like Another stupidly complicated order to a franchise that’s already complicated to get into.. but i think it’s Objectively the best order, especially for a first time watch, and that’s a hill i’ll die on 😔

if u haven’t heard of it here’s the article where someone came up w/ it and the explanation for it, but the basic gist is 1) episode order sucks for someone watching them the first time cos it means they have to start w/ phantom menace, which altho i’m kinder on it than other ppl, i still agree isn’t a Great place to start 😬 + 2) release order is also confusing, bcos VI ends with anakin’s force ghost appearing which.. if u haven’t watched the prequels before it, is gonna be confusing 😵‍💫

so machete order lets you start in the best place (episode IV), then do V, go back to II + III almost like an ~extended flashback~ sequence and then finish up in the best place, w/ VI, while maintaining all the twists, and also introducing you to young anakin before episode VI!! 🥳

i watched in this order the first time i watched thru the films and thought it was Fantastic, and altho i’ve since gone back and watched episode I, and usually watch them in release order when i rewatch now, i still think this rly is the best way to introduce someone to the films 🥺

[simcophogi]

oh wow oh wow! I hope you don't mind me asking, but how on earth did you make that glitchy, 3d gif for your sim! It's the coolest thing I have ever seen! I would love to know how you made it. It's soooooooo cool!!!!

AAA THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I worked for quite a while on it, I’m so glad you think so!! I don’t mind at all I’m happy to explain! It’s been a while since I actually made it tho so it took me a bit to remember haha

Because it got quite long, the tutorial is under the cut!

So I knew what I wanted to do and searched for tutorials and ended up sort of following this and this tutorial to get the gist of how to do the glitchy thing going for an image/gif. (The second one is also where I got the scanlines you’ll see later!) I’m going to explain what to do right from the start, but if I’m unclear check them out, it might help to see a video! If you already know how to do the glitch stuff, you can skim and jump right on down to where it says “Step whatever”!

HOLD ONTO UR HATS BECAUSE HERE WE GO~

FIRST STEP: Get ur beautiful blank canvas ready for the beauty.

Fun fact, this was not actually my starting size (I originally made it too big and it didn’t run want to run on tumblr so I had to size it down!) I think the gif will work as long as it’s below 1000 KB? Don’t quote me on that tho.

I had two images I knew I wanted to use, so I started by deleting the background from them so I could just have the sim ready to be edited. I’m doing the same to both, but I just wanted them both to be prepped! Line them up as best you can and hide the 2nd image.

Second…third?? Step?? I’ve already forgotten. (I’m terrible at this PFF) Anywho, we’re gonna work one image at a time, so once that’s done, make three copies of your original. It should look like this

We’re gonna be changing up 2 of the 3 we copied. Double click the middle one (or top, it really doesn’t matter, just not the bottom one) and you should see blending options. Disable the green channel.

If they look purple that’s fine!! If it’s the only layer turned on the image will be a nice purple color. If you have all enabled you won’t see really any change. Select the image you just fiddled with and move it left (or right) a few notches and you’ll see the little color change.

Select the next layer and do the same thing, but instead of disabling the green channel, turn off red and blue and move the image in the opposite direction.

NOW, whatever step we’re on, the next thing is to move them into a group, copy the group, and merge! I made one copy now and then another after I fiddled with it because I wanted a transition to happen where the glitch effect..increased? Got more.. glitchy?

(I hope u like picture aids kiddos)

Take your merged group and start making some selections and then shift them over to get that glitchy look. I keep the group visible because I like the look, but it’s up to you! Keep fiddling with pulling/pushing the merged image around to get to what you like. I kept this one ‘simplistic’ because I wanted this to be the “middle” or inbetween image.

Copy this once your happy with it and do it again but with your 2nd copy and make it more trippy! (do more face stuff, body, whatever u like) So you should end up with something like this!

That’s basically it for the glitch effects! If you’re like me and had another image you wanted to transition to, just make sure you do the same thing! I only had one where I pushed and pulled it around because I wanted this monster version of Shay to be like a snap. I wanted her on and off and the trick about animation is the faster you want something to look- the fewer inbetweens you want.

STEP WHATEVER: If you skimmed and you ended up here– hello! There’s still one last thing to do before we put it all together and do the animation/gif part! Tbh, this is entirely optional, but I think it adds another thing to the overall product and I love it!! I mentioned it earlier, but I used the scanlines from this video, but you can either make your own or google some? Whatever you want! It’s super easy I was just being suuuuper lazy.

Moving on!

Add the scanlines above all the images, set it to overlay and I changed my opacity to 8%, but if you want more it’s not gonna look weird. The only thing to note though is that it gave me a headache to look at the glitch effect and lines if I went into the 15-25% range.

(fun fact #2, if you noticed it, I call the action I use for my gameplay and some edits psdfuckery because I made it on accident) So now is your time to apply any other edits you want before you start messing with the timeline because it’s very picky sometimes.

If you don’t want to use photoshop to create the gif, there are other things like giphy that work pretty well, just slap in your frames and go, but I’m already here and I know how to use it so why not.

Once you got it how you like it (Edits, border, lines, glitch, literally everything) it’s time to animate! If you haven’t already get the timeline up (You can find it under Window). Click to create the frame animation.

I have about 10 frames set up, but it’s really up to you and how many images you have/what you want it to look like. You gif will run smoother if you have less images!

So for each frame all your going to do is just display which image you want to show and hide the others. It’s super simple. To add a frame you just click the little page icon in the timeline window. It’s like adding another layer. Sort of. Make sure to change how many times it loops!! By default it’s set to loop only once, you’ll want to change this to forever.

How you set up your frames is up to you and how fast you want the effect to happen. For me I wanted the glitch to slowly build up, monster Shay to flash on the screen and then flicker out.

To really get the most out of it too is to mess with the timing. You can make the frame last longer or shorter by clicking on the little down arrow where it says how many seconds the frame will stay on screen. I believe the default is 0 seconds (which is super fast.) Typically, make all of them at least last .1 - .2 seconds. 0 seconds is super speedy. The only one I have longer is the starting one because I wanted it to pause when it looped around!

Now all that’s left is to save it out as a gif! File > Export > Save for Web. These are my settings if you want to copy/check what you have.

And that’s it!

I REALLY HOPE THIS WAS HELPFUL!!! I haven’t really made tutorials and my explanations tend to be quite terrible as I tend to rant on, so if I was unclear anywhere, please let me know!!

[justanearth-boundmisfit]

Hey! I hope I don't bother u, I have a q about queerbaiting and spn, and I know you see it and are critical of that and I am new, you know since when crew people like Jason Fisher bait shippers on Twitter? Is it recent? I don't get how people can say it's not queerbaiting with that gif of two rabbits kissing with a third on the side. it will not happen on the show but that's baiting right there? Then they turn around because it's not like that and say people are crazy? I don't get it?

Hello! No bother at all! Have in mind though, I’m not an expert on spn, nor I pretend to be, I just rant a lot and say things as I see them. Having said that I’m going to try to answer you the best that I can. 

Under the cut it goes for long reply as usual…..

I’m relatively new to the spn fandom on twitter, I’ve been on twitter for years, but I didn’t follow many spn accounts or fans, I saw some tweets here and there but not much. Until the taw debacle of last December. So I didn’t even know that Fischer existed until this year, when I got a little more involved with some accounts and started following fans. I can’t tell you how long he has been doing that exactly, I don’t think it’s very recent though. He has to have a great deal of interactions with the fans because he even tags some accounts on his “quote of the day” tweets. Is he queerbaiting? Well it depends on the point of view. Mine, is yes, he knows what he is doing. And yes the rest of the production team know it too, how could they not? Is he the first one to do it? No, he isn’t.

I recommend the reading of this article on spoilertv: Supernatural - 9.07 - Dean and Castiel’s reunion and Queer-baiting

I think it’s the best way of entering the big problem spn ALWAYS had with queerbaiting. That article points how the writers and producers “joke” around with the idea of destiel, but never seriously deliver. For example:

“Ambiguity and jokes at the expense of queer people, including lines such as “get out of my ass, Cas”. And that is the problem of queer-baiting.”

And that’s the gist of it isn’t it? The first one to say the truth about the queerbaiting was Misha, he said:

“…But we’re all perfectly aware of how the relationship is, the writers are completely aware of how it’s being written. It may be unspoken but that doesn’t mean it’s not there or not true.“

And he got shit for it. Because he dared to tell the truth, now the bronlies say he queerbaits, when in reality he was the only one telling it like it is. spn is a show that pretty much stands on the hopes of the fans about their ships becoming canon or not. And they know it. Here’s Jim Michaels in an interview with spn Turkey:

Dean and Cas have a sort of chemistry on the show, right? What do you think of Destiel?Well you know I think that’s something that the fans sort of, put gasoline on that fire we maybe hinted at a little bit, you know the fact of the matter is we are a very open minded show and we’ll continue to keep an open mind about a lot of things, and we’re not trying to deceive anybody, but it’s something more talked about by the fans than we ever talk about it I can assure you. So it’s a fun thing that the guys get to play off each other and stuff.

Hinted a little bit my ass. They didn’t want to catch the fire that the other side of the fandom was going to give them, so they always leave things ambiguous. Because they need the ratings, and the money, and because Singer (he is a whole other issue but let’s say the guy is stuck in the 80′s) and because the network too. The CW loves to queerbait. There are also articles about that. 

In the end, why they say it is and then say it isn’t? Well I can’t know for certain, my opinion, like I say above is that they need the audience, any audience, and they know that destiel brings it. They know Cas brings it too. But they never fully deliver, because well, they are cowards, there is no other explanation. Now they are in a sort of crossroads: they need their queer audience because Wayward, but for that they also have to maintain them somewhat happy, hence people like Fischer, testing the waters on twitter. The point is that they baited so much with destiel that if they don’t deliver shippers are going to screech until the end of days and maybe not be there for WS… but on the other hand if they do….fans (and maybe an actor too) are also going to screech until the end of days. It’s absolutely their fault and no one else’s. Destiel shippers were not “seeing things”. TPTB knew it, know it, and have been playing with it for years, and yes, even interacting with the fans. 

Omygods, sorry for the long reply, as I always say the power of edition is something I do not possess, and I left somethings out because it could get longer. 

I hope this clarifies somethings for you, also all the quotes and sources you can find them in the article I linked above. If you’re new to the spn mess, I really wish you a good time, enjoy the show, or your ship and try not to dwell too much on things, believe me it’s only going to give you headaches and anxiety. Take care!

[ajdrawshq]

@gemstonerose im Super glad u asked bc i wanted to look at this again myself and noticed some new stuff so thank u for that!! As for the moments where Terra has visions:

The first time is when Terra is speaking with Xehanort in the Keyblade Graveyard after finishing the first three worlds, right before going to Radient Garden. This is the part where Xehanort tells Terra about Vanitas - and is lying about at least half the stuff he says. This scene is actually super interesting to me and i plan on doing a whole post abt it at some point but thats unrelated.

In the middle of Xehanort's explanation of Vanitas' supposed plans to destroy the light or whatever (which i guess isnt fully wrong but, again, thats besides the point) Terra suddenly gets visions of both the moment Aqua gives him and Ven their wayfinders, and the near end scene in the KG where Ven and Aqua face off with Vanitas. Unfortunately his visions here don't include himself or Xehanort, so he has no warning of what he himself will face in that moment.

(I didnt include the wayfinder pics, but u get the gist here. Also pls ignore the watermark i just snagged these from youtube)

I included his reaction bc Terra is visibly surprised afterwards, confirming that this IS in fact something he can see and not just one of the many flashback moments we get in the series. Xehanort then mentions Vanitas is likely to be found in Radient Garden due to the abundance of light there, and Terra shakes his head to refocus and ignore the fact that he just saw his friends nearly dying in the future, nbd.

The second time is when he travels to Destiny islands, and takes place right before Riku's well known "protect what matters" line. These visions are different from the first in that they (mostly) arent from a specific moment in time, but... well, you'll see here.

This one probably makes better sense if u watch the clip (bc there is a picture limit here), but basically lil Riku there fades into teen Xehanort and the camera cuts to Terra, who once again seems pretty bewildered by what hes seeing. He even does the best "what the fuck" squinty look ive ever seen in a kh game. Then it cuts back to Teen Nort who fades into the kh2 version of Riku, who then turns to face Terra. Cut back to Terra, who (understandably) only becomes more confused by the second.

After that suddenly baby Riku is back to asking him questions about the outside world(s) and Terra pretends he didn't just see... that. Not that you can really explain something like this to some 5 year old you met a couple minutes ago.

Terra doesnt even know whats going on either he just sees shit sometimes and it be like that yknow?? Shits already so goddamn weird. This is like the least of his problems. Makes me wonder if this has happened to him outside of what we see, or if its a more recent thing that developed. No one else has mentioned it about him, or like. Anyone. The only other character we know can canonically see other points in time would be MoM (and.. Maybe Xehanort? Idk how the recusants sigil thing works tbh). And, at least for the first one, Terra probably doesnt even realize its a legit vision, thinking its something his anxiety riddled brain made from the fuel of his desire to protect people he loves. Would make sense on how he just kind of excused that one easier than the other.

Whats also interesting is the fact that his visions seem to occur in certain cirumstances only. So far what ive gathered, both of them follow these lines:

1. Visions can be of both past and future, and in either canon occurance they do include both

2. The visions either include or are centered around at least one person mentioned just before their activation, the closest possible known trigger

3. The previous also applies to the world he is located at when they activate

Other possiblities worth mentioning: they do not happen by Terra's own will, or at least not on purpose, nor do they seem to be triggerred by anyone else in particular (as in Xehanort is likely not causing this himself, although he IS connected to both of them is some way). They both have ties to darkness. They both also have ties to both Terra and others' desires to protect and/or the failure to do so, among other character themes and parallels.

Aaaaand thats mostly all i have to say about this. If i missed anything id love to have someone else chime in!

So like can we talk about how Terra has random visions of the future and/or past for no known reason like can we please just think about this for a sec like

[arvoze]

sorry if im dumb but what is a keroro

“[sergeant] keroro” is the main titular character in the anime “keroro gunso” (also known as “sgt frog” in both the dub and the english translated manga!), and he looks like this:

the anime + manga’s plot basically boils down to like, keroro and his platoon (the “keroro platoon”, consisting of keroro and four other characters) being tasked with invading earth (”pekopon” / “pokopen”, as they call it).

the keroro platoon are a race of frog-like aliens known as “keronians”, from the planet “keron”. i have no idea how long this might get so i’m gonna put it under a readmore! i’m gonna try and be really simple w/ explanations etc.

this is what the entirety of the keroro platoon looks like, along with a moderately boiled-down summary of their roles/what they do/who they are. i’m usin this pic instead of an ordinary pic of them all just standing bc i love this pic lmao

sergeant keroro (keroro gunso) is the green one, and he’s the leader of the platoon. he’s far from a hero-like character, often putting himself in front of others, and is always swayed by greed and gundam models. regardless, he still cares deeply about his friends, and has some form of a “no man left behind” attitude (not all the time, but, sometimes). iirc he’s pretty egotistical and also a lover of comedy which is a big mood.

private second class tamama (tamama nitohei) is the black (/dark blue) one, and he’s the lowest-ranking member. he is young and naive, and is prone to making rash decisions based on his personal emotions. he has a strong love and adoration for keroro (legitimate, romantic love - icr if tamama is canonically gay or bi), and is also notably incredibly jealous of specific scenarios. he literally converts his jealousy into a weapon and can shoot lasers out of his mouth. i love him

corporal giroro (giroro gocho) is the red one, and he’s An Angery Man but also i love him. he specializes in guns and all that kinda shit and is really argumentative with keroro (because keroro just. lazes around and does nothing). he’s very war-driven and commonly makes war analogies. one of my fav things about giroro tbh is that he’s the embodiment of masculinity and All Things Manly(tm) but he’s also incredibly emotional, iirc he cries more than the rest of the platoon members (except maybe dororo), and is genuinely just a Good Character? I Love Him? 

he falls in love w/ a human tho and the human is like. a minor. which is kinda Nasty. a lot of us generally dont associate with/Despise the pairing of giroro + the human (natsumi) even tho the show can focus pretty heavily on it.

sergeant major kururu (kururu souchou) is the yellow one and he’s honestly such a fucking mess i love him so much he’s a big cc. he’s your typical creepy/perverted nerdy guy except he takes that concept and cranks it up to the extreme. iirc he has like little to no empathy for anybody, is generally disliked by the rest of the characters because he prides himself on being a twisted asshole, and happily uses other people for his own personal gain or torments them mentally just because he can/finds it enjoyable. he’s vital to the platoon since he’s the one who invents all the shit for their invasions. i love him so much hes such a fucking oddball compared to the others i love always looking for kururu in a scene because hes doing some stupid shit

lance corporal dororo (dororo heicho) is the blue one and is hands-down the best character in almost any piece of media ever conceived. he’s a highly skilled assassin but he’s also a complete sweetheart who’s like your Classic Hippie who just wants world peace and loves plants and nature and all that shit. every time there’s a reference to dororo doing gardening i cry because he’s such a pure and sweet character. he’s very commonly forgotten by almost every character in the show, and being mistreated by others (namely keroro) developed literal trauma within him (if that’s the right phrasing?). he’s very prone to emotional manipulation iirc and he’s just a very like. whenever he’s upset u just find urself begging for him to be ok

those were really bad descriptions

ok anyways

so these 5 have to like. invade the planet. they get split up when they arrive so the first few episodes are them getting the crew back together (iirc, keroro is of course in episode 1, tamama should be in episode 2, giroro is in episode 3 or 4, kururu is in episode 9 i think and dororo might be episode 14? this is all from memory so i apologise).

keroro is discovered (accidentally) and captured by the hinata family, which consists of fuyuki, natsumi, and aki (aki is the single mother and doesn’t show up often so i won’t talk about her).

im jst grabbing random images off google dfkndkjgd

natsumi hinata (left) is the older sibling, iirc she’s around 14 years old, and she’s one of my all-time FAVOURITE female characters in media. she’s physically strong and athletic, and is shown to be like .. i mean i don’t want to be like ~ooh she’s independent and all that~ but like holy shit is she so fuckn independent. she’s literally heralded as “earth’s last line of defense” because shes TOO good. shes so good. i love natsumi so much. she’s also very easily angered but that’s good and i love her

fuyuki hinata (right) is the younger sibling who i Think is around 12 years old. he’s SUPER big into the occult and all kinds of mysteries, paranormal or not. he obsesses over stuff like cryptids and is just A Huge Nerd. he’s physically like, awful, which is incredibly relatable like me too dude. he becomes rly good friends with keroro and sometimes there’s episodes revolving around them and their friendship and i always cry because it’s so genuinely emotional and touching and i love them so much they’re such good friends id die for their friendship

-

keroro gets captured and ends up living with fuyuki and natsumi in their basement. tamama lives at momoka’s house (a character i haven’t mentioned) but shows up in the hinata household a lot. giroro lives in a tent in the hinata’s back garden. kururu lives in his lab in the platoon’s secret base which is like, in a refrigerator, in keroro’s basement. dororo lives in a simple house with koyuki (a character i haven’t mentioned) and sometimes shows up in the hinata household.

episodes tend to follow the formula of like

keroro has a really shitty invasion plan for earth, they’re usually really awful like “we’re going to invade the planet by making sentient cabinets that detect where your feet are and force you to stub your toe”

kururu makes whatever it is keroro wants for his awful invasion plans but usually has some kind of drawback on said whatever he makes

giroro usually complains about keroro’s shitty ideas because they’re shit

tamama sometimes objects or questions keroro’s ideas but generally follows them and compliments him

dororo usually doesn’t show up, objects to keroro’s plans because they can harm people, or is just straight-up forgotten by the rest of the platoon

keroro fucks up somehow, usually because of his own cockiness or because someone like natsumi stopped him

keroro laments his failures but nobody is surprised by him failing

that’s rly loose but it’s like. the general gist though it’s presented in a way that never gets boring

there’s also episodes that focus around specific characters/character development/character backstories/just fun-filled filler episodes idk i love it

i lost my train of thought LMAO i hope that makes some kind of vague sense

most of the stuff i post about are “orikeros” (”original keronians”) which r just like. like you know bnha ocs? like those except its for this show instead. i’d go into more detail about like anthing but this is long as is dkjghdfkjg