#obviously the general consensus agrees that they are husbands | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

collymore · 1 year

Text

Unerring proof that there are intelligent life forms across the Universe!

By Stanley Collymore How many times is this pathetic story going to be told when in fact it has been going on both unceasingly and absolutely increasingly for several decades now? And, rather basically so because these very dimwitted, British pillocks are so self-evidently, literally self-centred, rather simply nepotistic and clearly intellectually challenged idiots, unquestionably and basically delusional, self-important, morons; comprised primarily of vile trollops, racist Karens of all ages, distinctly and adequately, supplemented by their simply, generally likeminded customary piss-artistes Gammon Queers living essentially the two sets of them in their very deeply embedded, naturally evilly state of self-denial: one lot constantly pretending to be typical women while the other, quite laughably so literally real men! So frankly let's truly move on, and fittingly expectantly hope that the likes of obviously inept, tabloid rags such as the Daily Mail sensibly call it a day; since, realistically there's distinctively nothing at all really new, or effectively of any interest whatsoever to be seen in these cretins actions! (C) Stanley V. Collymore 4 August 2023.

Author's Remarks: Accidents are an inherent feature of life; and while it's possible to take apt measures to prevent foreseeable or likely ones there is evidently no real guaranteed process to either forestall or even avoid all accidents.

Laughably, significant numbers of you so up yourself with your fittingly egotistically styled self-importance and quite hard-core delusional notions of your biological racial superiority itself attendant with a staunch belief in your top class social significance or invariably both of these features, are in effect and quite substantially so, evidently nothing of the kind; and quite clearly and most effectively are cast-iron examples of unequivocal accidents of birth, even if you don't want to accept that hurtful reality, or more likely than not are totally ignorant of that actuality.

A basic one night stand; where those two passing ships never ever, or did ever, really intend to meet up again. A true casual fuck where the unknown man who fathered you didn't like using condoms, as frankly it was distinctively like sucking a lollipop with the wrapper still on it; while having to ejaculate outside your biological mother's fanny was basically like having an urgent shit with his underpants still on. While on your mother's part, she didn't insist on that John using a condom because she liked feeling the real thing; and similarly, intentionally not being on contraceptives literally gave her a huge buzz and made sex much more enjoyable. Evoke any fond memories for you trollope mums out there?

Similarly involved were and still are those whoring, lascivious and adulterous wives and partners, queen, I dare say, of all that they quite earnestly surveyed and wished for. Wilfully gets pregnant by her married lover who either doesn't want to know, or it's actually consensually agreed between them that in such cases, if the woman is herself married or in a clearly meaningful relationship the cuckolded husband or her partner would unknowingly be classed as the baby's father. Significantly however in British monarchical, hereditary and aptly elite circles these cuckolded men actually know the score; and evidently, appropriate financial payoffs to ameliorate the pain, lol, have them put a zipper on their lips and as well still be openly accepted in these most hallowed circles, do nicely, thank you!

However, for all of those obviously married whores; evidently very untrustworthy live in partners; and distinctly, clearly white racist Karen social climbers, who're undoubtedly, literally unquestionably, not that privileged or societally connected, kids conceived by such women usually go the dustbin or else left on some doorstep route, with the very fortunate few quite physically taken on by a married brother or sister of the evidently unwed mother; and subsequently, in every respect, distinctly brought up as their own child, without that said child ever knowing the true facts concerning either their birth or their real parentage. And a practice that was entrenched across Wales.

And both experience and detailed research have taught me that those who're the most castigatory and quite unwarrantedly so of others: the white racist Karens, their rather likeminded Gammon equivalents; and also the plethora of sycophantic, odious British plebeian, monarchical serfs that obviously readily fall into this same category of evilly, toxically verminous and quite malevolently egregious scum, are invariably without fail among the same breed of those who don't have the foggiest idea of who they literally are; and with hosts of them basically dying and never ever finding out they really were; who they quite arrogantly, concertedly and similarly, thoroughly, patently self-servingly made themselves out to be; but effectively and most significantly, truly honestly never essentially were, or really could have been! Such pathetic specimens of humanity, the lot of them! And that's putting it mildly!

As I've previously stated and once again most unequivocally reiterate here, I do emphatically and very convincingly believe that there's extraordinary intelligent life forms, call them beings if you care to, spread across the entirety of the universe of which Earth and our own galaxy, which Homo sapiens although themselves being relatively a very salient part of it, evidently all the same despite having been here for several millennia years, are unquestionably nevertheless still considerably ignorant of; and from this human perspective requisite not only to our own galaxy but likewise the broader universe, humans are undoubtedly and significantly of miniscule importance; the equivalent, in their particular case, of a solitary grain of sand, characteristically to be found on an ideally pristine and ideally tropical Barbadian beach.

Therefore, and crucially so, if any of these super extra-terrestrial beings either care to or have effectively, however temporarily or else perfunctorily, visited Earth in the past, premeditatedly so or purely accidentally as an English ship that literally got lost on the open Atlantic, eventually came across the most easterly of all the Caribbean islands Barbados, docked there - this was in 1625 - and so desperate to emulate the Spanish and Portuguese: the key European powers then with some very formative colonies of their own in South America, in climbing on that same colonial ladder, notwithstanding that Barbados: well populated, undeniably well known to both these European Iberian powers for over 2 centuries, and who also regularly traded with it but never sought to colonize Barbados, then an integral part of the rather influential Arawak/Carib Empire that evidently stretched across the entirety of the Caribbean; these English sailors, as discernibly there wasn't any realistic entity then called Britain far less so any creation known now as the United Kingdom so in essence they were English, simply during their respite and hospitality, clearly rather than being grateful their lives were saved thoroughly arrogantly, took to cutting into a neighbouring tree quite near where they actually came ashore in Barbados, these very letters and words:

"James K of E and of this island too." In essence, James King of England and of this island too. That tree with that quite clearly legible inscription on it remained permanently standing in its very original location and significantly also nationally protected until 1955 when it was clearly very obviously significantly damaged by Hurricane Janet and removed. Ironically, Barbados doesn't lie at all, in the path of Caribbean hurricanes but quite rarely, as happened in 1955, has significantly been unfortunate to get the back end of some of them; and previous to the hurricane of 1955 it was 1898 one.

Eventually on returning home to England these sailors reported what they found in Barbados; a most glowing report by them that really delighted the authorities within England; to the crucial extent that in 1627 England essentially, arbitrarily decided to colonize Barbados but self-evidently as a self-governing entity, creating the island's own parliament in 1639 that continuously has been going unbroken ever since then and is the second oldest in the world after the House of Commons located in London England. The rest requisite to Barbados is not simply history, but quite fascinating to say the very least. Go check it out and see for yourselves how deeply and undeniably, considerably indebted most of England as well the entities Britain, and subsequently too the UK, as it became after its creation with Scotland, are to Barbados financially and in myriad other progressive respects!

Those stranded, very dozy English sailors whose lives were distinctively saved when given succour in Barbados in 1625 clearly did nevertheless make it back home thus giving rise ultimately to England becoming the colonial power and empire it ultimately did. Which prompts this question, if such a thing could essentially occur as the direct consequence of basically inept actions on the part of Earth men wasn't the proverbial sky the limit relative to far more advanced and infinitely superior, intelligent beings?

So sensibly, why then would such evidently crucially, distinctly mega-intelligent beings with the clearly, unquestionably enormous, technological skills, resolute determination and, additionally, the essential navigational knowledge and skilled expertise on how to reach Earth, having obviously arrived there only to encounter, either by observation or through physical contact a predominantly very backward species calling themselves Homo sapiens and who not once following their emergence, ever crucially ventured or actually possessed the technological skills that could enable them even temporarily to vacate their earthly home even out of very basic curiosity actually pertaining to what was basically going on around them inside their own galaxy.

Prompting me obviously to essentially ask another very pertinent question. Why then, in a patently absolutely given situation like this one would such very characteristically super, extra-terrestrial beings eventually in decidedly returning home make a point of studiously leaving behind all this valuable technology and doing so with people who significantly hadn't the foggiest idea of what it was, or essentially what to do with it. And if such technology was accidentally or enforcedly through a mishap, like an accident to one of these super beings space crafts, it still doesn't explain why with the technology to essentially get to Earth in the first place, a recovery space craft wasn't dispatched to physically retrieve this crucial technology and likewise the damaged space vehicle?

And why is this allegedly extra-terrestrial, super technology that's being found and also surreptitiously we're quite earnestly led to believe, generally not only located within the USA, but uniquely and literally very obviously exclusively hoarded there too? The USA is only 247 years old. Iran completely in contrast, is fundamentally one of the quite oldest nations basically situated on Earth, with this undoubtedly rather impressive, unbroken history that quite unquestionably clearly dates back tens of thousands of years. Essentially, crucially significantly important as well, China is similarly an ancient civilisation, however as in the case of Iran we never hear of the phenomenal findings, or the discovery of extra-terrestrial technology within these countries or any others for that matter! Just simply the USA.

The equivalent in Earth terms of obviously paying considerably far more attention to what a toddler actually tells you regarding an incident while blissfully either ignoring or actually fundamentally discarding what essentially, clearly seasoned, trustworthy adults basically divulge to you. Prompting another question. Why would undoubtedly significantly, thoroughly obviously, basically super intelligent extra-terrestrials purposely ignore Earth's actually ancient civilisations for all those several millennia of years just to incomprehensively deal with a 247 year old kid, the USA, quite newly on the block? But it's significantly what the West's most dominant power clearly and self-servingly wants the lot of you to obviously think and even believe; and so you idiotically as well as fawningly go along with it!

Which obviously brings me to my very last and significantly, distinctly crucial element in all of this literally contrived, intellectually challenged and pathetic baloney regarding aliens on Earth. However, prior to my quite sensibly and logically doing so let me also Express the very sane view that it wouldn't be in the least either uncommon or simply unnatural for essentially literally genuinely extra-terrestrial beings to in effect actually want to check out Earth residents if rather seriously they thought that in doing so was either crucial to their interests, or evidently significantly beneficial to them in doing so. No different basically, to you checking out new neighbours undoubtedly for your very own personal reasons. Nevertheless such a categorically distinctly, specifically initial association effectively only continues and undeniably essentially prospers if you and your neighbours discernibly basically have much in common actually with each other and do want that relationship to continue; otherwise you go your separate ways.

So what other than rabid arrogance on the part of today's narcissistic Homo sapiens makes you think that because some of you can now shoot a few fireworks beyond the surface of the Earth, but still haven't as yet acquired the requisite capability to actually even temporarily leave the environment of our galaxy that Homo sapiens are actually of any interest: either real or imaginary, to specifically enlightened and, undoubtedly unquestionably too, really significantly far superior intelligently, aptly extra-terrestrial life forms!

But yes! There are aliens on Mother Earth, several millions of them to be precise that are liberally dotted across our planet. Very noticeably so in Australia, New Zealand, in South Africa, neighbouring Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa; basically throughout the entire region known as Latin America; equally too the Caribbean Islands, Canada and crucially, rather significantly the USA, where at the last official census count in 2020 there were in effect 231.9 million of them.

These aliens actually well-known generally to the several other indigenous inhabitants of Earth and were themselves undoubtedly preceded there in multiple millennia terms, being in effect distinctly the last beings to arrive on Earth, have a tendency to always want to control everything; invariably quite delusionally, usually regard themselves as vastly superior to every other living person or thing; actually have a marked penchant for genocide and malevolently odious acts of barbarism in complete conjunction with several other forms of evidently egregious behaviour; love nothing better than clearly, actually and tenaciously clinging on to the countries, lands, other properties and also the wealth, and natural resources of those people that they've brutally purloined them from; yet very conceitedly want that region of Earth where they regard as their own to be inviolate of people who obviously don't look like them! And who exactly are these Aliens? Distinctively white Caucasians!

#inspirational

0 notes

raven-at-the-writing-desk · 3 years

Note

I don't Eliza has ever heard of consensual marriage before. I honestly never liked her. First, she and her ghosts invaded NRC- a place that didn't belong to them and terrorized the students. She KIDNAPPED poor Idia and forced him to be her groom without asking what he wanted. Third, she slapped all the boys who were attempting to rescue Idia (who ungratefully trash talked them in the process). And then there's Eliza's old-fashioned ideals. I could go on, but it'd get too long eheh

!! 👀 No, no! This is actually a really interesting topic of discussion, lemme word vomit my thoughts out, Anon!

I have a lot thoughts on Eliza and on the Ghost Marriage event itself, so I'd like to take this chance to share them. Please take what I say with a grain of salt, as much of it is personal interpretation based on the information presented to us in game.

***Ghost Marriage event and Groom-for-a-Day card(s) spoilers ahead!!***

You're perfectly valid in saying that you dislike Eliza. Everyone's allowed to like and to not like whatever characters they want.

I agree that many of the things she did and said were over-the-top and unwarranted, but I think that was the entire point of Ghost Marriage: to be a parody of the "traditional Disney fairy tale romance", much like how the film Enchanted was. There were just too many not-so-subtle jabs at common romance tropes for it not to be.

For example, Eliza has unrealistic expectations of her future husband, and she thinks everything will magically work out, even though Idia is clearly distressed and against the marriage. Later, when the other boys are deployed to rescue Idia, there are even more jokes made using Eliza's extreme ideals as a springboard to jump off of. Yes, it was wrong of her to slap people around, but it was played off as something to laugh at because she would always be set off by the smallest things.

The highlight here definitely has to be Leona and Trey's attempt to woo her with song. Disney is especially known for its songs in movies, and Eliza just takes that idea and runs with it. She expects her ideal prince to perfectly finish any song she starts/serenade to her, as if they're actually in a Disney musical number. Obviously, if anyone attempted that in real life, you'd react the same way the TWST boys did: with confusion.

I think Idia trash talking the rescue attempts is meant to add to the humor. There's a huge contrast in how the boys of NRC see this courtship and "romance" and how Eliza sees it--that's where both the event's conflict and where the bulk of the humor comes from.

What I personally appreciate about Ghost Marriage is that it offers a realistic portrayal of love and marriage when you look past all the silliness of the event. Well, not on Eliza’s part, but on the part of the TWST boys we all know and love.

A mistake that people outside of this fandom often make is that TWST is an otome game, based simply on the fact that the cast is all male and full of pretty boys. However, despite TWST not being an otome, the fandom is very yume-centric and romance focused, because the characters are so appealing. The fact that TWST is based on Disney properties--Disney, who is known for their interpretations of classic fairy tales and their stereotypical happily ever afters--has set up this expectation of romance.

But Twisted Wonderland, the game itself, has a very nuanced and realistic approach in how it addresses romance. It’s played mainly for laughs in Ghost Marriage (and the main story does a good job of highlighting the boys’ unsavory points), but delve into the lines spoken by the characters and the Groom-for-a-Day personal stories, and you’ll see even more of this.

The most obvious example here is our groom, Idia. From the very beginning, he expresses not wanting to marry Eliza, but it seems that this sentiment extends to beyond just Eliza. He has a very negative outlook on romance in general, which is corroborated by many of his Groom-for-a-Day lines. Idia mocks the concept of living “happily ever after” and “eternal love”. He remarks that love is an illusion created by the brain, and even points out that everyone is still a student, so they should prioritize their studies over romance.

While Idia does seem to enjoy romantic materials (games, anime, etc), Idia himself has a very cynical view of “real world” love, and he makes that abundantly clear. To me, Idia represents the person that enjoys romance in media, but is not interested in the pursuit of romance himself. He can enjoy it when he’s an observer, but to actually be involved in romance is a big turn-off.

Okay, but about Idia’s rescuers?

Let’s start with Rook. Of the TWST cast, I would say Rook is the most positive in regards to love. He’s always willing to help others out, and he’s always appreciative of things, even when they’re grim or the circumstances aren’t in his favor. Ace points out to Rook that when he goes around praising everything, it makes Rook seem less trustworthy. To this, the huntsman only says they are his true feelings--he wants to love everything equally.

Rook is a free spirit. He loves whatever and whomever he wishes when it suits him. He can be fickle, but he can also find goodness, something to admire, in everyone and everything. Rook’s love is an all-encompassing and unconditional kind.

Riddle’s personal stories don’t revolve around love in an super overt sense. It’s about him running into Malleus and discussing what makes a worthwhile leader. See, Riddle is a traditionalist (which suits his personality). He expresses that if he gets married, he wants to have a marriage like that of the Queen of Hearts and her husband, which to him was a “loyal” marriage. He wants to have a textbook definition of marriage, and that’s perfectly valid.

Riddle’s personal story also reiterates something that is mentioned briefly in the Ghost Marriage event: that Malleus is royalty, so his proposals are not to be taken lightly.

This is a feature that helps to define Twisted Wonderland as its own separate entity from other Disney titles and properties. In Twisted Wonderland, being royalty means something. In almost all other forms of Disney media I can think of, being royalty equates to dressing fancy, being rich, and having all the power without any responsibility. But in Twisted Wonderland? They remind you every so often that this character is royalty, and there are strict terms of service and rules that come with that position, including being sheltered and burdened with royal duties (actual politics and governing), and not being able to just “love” whoever you want, even if just for a rescue mission.

Moving on to Epel! In his personal stories, he’s questioning if the “ideal prince” even exists. The line that pops out to me the most is that “the bride seems to care more about the image of an ideal prince than blood lines or family names”. This ties back into how the rest of Disney media often portrays romance as opposed to how TWST portrays it. Heck, in recent years, Disney has tried to subvert its own standing on romance (example: in Frozen, Elsa tells Anna “you can’t marry a man you just met”, whereas in Disney classics like The Little Mermaid, the plot revolves around quickly getting the main couple together).

Obviously, characters can be “perfected” with the magic of media. The image of an “ideal prince” DOES exist because of media, but Epel’s pointing out that it’s not realistic. He’s implying that Eliza is in love with the idea of perfection, and she has lost sight of things that should be important, like blood lines (genetic dispositions and diseases that could carry over to children) or family names (meeting your spouse’s family, getting to know them, etc.). It’s a criticism that can be easily overlooked while you’re too dazzled by Epel riding in on a white horse.

Lilia represents another type of person in regards to love. He’s the person that knows exactly what he wants, but not in the traditional sense. At no point does Lilia ever detail his ideal life partner. Instead, his personal stories are littered with subtle hints that Lilia has no plans to settle down. He never outright says it, but he implies it in other ways, like saying how it’s a shame that Sebek and Silver will never get to see him in a groomsuit.

I don’t think Lilia is as bitter or cynical about love as Idia is, but I think he definitely has his own reasons for not pursuing love. I don’t think it’s related to his age, since Lilia has always marched to the beat of his own drum and done whatever he likes, regardless of his age. He acts super youthful for a fae that’s several hundred years old. No, I believe Lilia just... isn’t ready, nor does he want to, commit.

I don’t have concrete proof or any real information to go off of, but Lilia was able to raise Silver just fine on his own. He may very well just be used to doing things alone, seeing as he enjoys traveling the world by himself. Not to mention, he’s a war veteran. He must have seen many of his loved ones perish in combat--so maybe that’s made him hesitant to be tied down, in case he loses more of them. The reason could be more innocent than that, like maybe Lilia just wants to focus on his duties as Malleus’s retainer, or he just likes his solitude.

In any case, Lilia lacks Idia’s cynical views on love, but he, like Idia, doesn’t plan to get married... and that’s okay. We can see that Lilia is totally happy with himself without romantic love. He has his family and duties to keep him feeling fulfilled. Lilia is a demonstration that platonic love--specifically familial love--is just as valid as romantic love.

And finally, we have Ace.

ACE.

Okay.

You can call him an asshole all you like for ghosting his ex-girlfriend, but honestly? Hats off to Ace. I’m not saying what he did was necessarily right (it’s definitely a jerk move), but it’s realistic.

First of all, it’s pretty rare in these types of games to mention canon romantic relationships at all. I think the reasoning for this is because the mere MENTION of another person being with a character that is pulled from gacha takes away from their “worth”, their “availability”. You’re less incentivized to pull for your waifu or husbando because they’re already “taken”, so good on TWST for changing it up a bit.

Alright, back to Ace’s asshole move. Remember that this dude is 16. JUST 16. Ghosting your S/O or losing interest in them is perfectly reasonable for an immature teenager to do. You’re still young and learning--and heck, many adults still do this. No one is a perfect prince. To quote Trey, “I’m just a high school boy. What do you expect from me?”

Ace is an imperfect boyfriend, despite that speech he gives to Eliza about what the “ideal” partner is like. Ace may know what he wants in a partner, but there’s no guarantee he’s prepared for a relationship himself—and that’s a reflection of what happens in real life. People are imperfect, they fuck up in relationships.

After all, real relationships are the antithesis of Eliza’s ideals.

Real relationships don’t involve one person aggressively imposing their will on their partner. It should be equal parts give and take, and it shouldn’t be rushed or forced.

Real relationships aren’t perfect. Your personality won’t fix itself because of your partner, and your partner’s personality won’t fix because of you. You’ll disagree, you’ll fight, you’ll make mistakes. That doesn’t make the relationship necessarily a bad one, it just depends on how you work together to resolve your differences and move on from the disputes.

Real relationships don’t involve perfect people, either. You’re individuals with your own strengths and weaknesses. You shouldn’t cling to your partner and act like they’re infallible--and neither should they to you.

Real relationships take time and work.

With all of that being said, we can see that TWST has a very unconventional approach to love and romance compared to its contemporaries. They make fun of many common tropes and actually have a more realistic portrayal of “love” than most other mobage I’ve seen. There are some subtle things they do that also lend to this, like not running a traditional Valentine’s Day or White Day event in February/March (instead giving us Vargas Camp), or the Halloween Groovies being actually scary art rather than being traditional fanservice art.

I don’t know, I guess I just wanted to express my appreciation of minor details like that. Ever since the Ghost Marriage rerun, and the addition of the Idia and Lilia cards, I’ve been thinking long and hard about all of this, because I personally resonate a lot with those two in their views on love. I really like the lore and the representation that their Groom-for-a-Day cards add to TWST, that love isn’t treated like this infallible solution for everything like in so many other Disney properties.

You can praise TWST for a lot of things, but I feel this is something that isn’t appreciated enough... So I wanted to express my gratitude for it.

1K notes · View notes

licncourt · 2 years

Text

louis as a female-coded character (or not)

I'm fully aware that this is a controversial topic and it's obviously been argued quite a lot in both directions, namely Louis as female-coded vs Louis as an example of white male privilege. I'll start by saying that, as is the case with many things, I don't see the answer as a clear "he is" or "he isn't". He has features that pull both ways, and that's really to be expected.

In general, Louis exists almost exclusively in shades of gray, in a state of almosts and not quites. That near-total ambiguity is integral to Louis as a character and I think trying to apply one universal reading to him is reductive. If he can be almost moral, almost evil, almost disciplined, almost human, why can't he be almost female-coded or almost a picture of white male privilege?

To make this less complicated, I'm going to split it into three main sections: the compelling arguments for reading Louis as female-coded, those for reading him as an all-encompassing white masculine figure, and where I think things shake out in my personal opinion.

Louis as female-coded:

PSA: I have spoken already about my dislike of characterizing Louis as a misogynistic stereotype of a woman in late canon and some fanon. I see this as an entirely separate issue, female-coding =/= misogynistic stereotypes. At least not always.

I think there will always be some validity to a reading of Louis as female-coded simply by virtue of his origin. You can never separate him entirely from the woman who inspired him, who created him as a self portrait. Anne Rice crafted Louis as a fictional reflection of herself in the midst of maternal grief and that will always exist as a baseline reading.

Another controversial topic in VC debates is the abusive nature of Loustat in IWTV, specifically if/to what extreme Lestat was an abusive partner. I'm not going to discuss that at length here, but there are some (I think) generally agreed upon harmful behaviors on Lestat's end and a lot of those end up creating situations for Louis that parallel common female experiences.

The first of these is Lestat's means of exercising control over him. Louis is (at least in his mind because of Lestat's insistence) ignorant of important information about vampires and vampiric nature. This makes him dependent if he values his own well-being. For many women, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, minimal or a total lack of formal education restricted their ability to function independently. This also extended to an ignorance of their own bodies. Louis' forced reliance on Lestat's knowledge of life and his physical form mirrors this rather well.

Another way Lestat secures control is with Claudia. This one is very obvious, clearly a "baby trap". This act could actually code Lestat as female in some ways, but I would argue it's more analogous to a husband forcing a pregnancy on a wife to keep her from leaving. His previous method of control failing, Lestat takes advantage of Louis succumbing to his hunger in order to create Claudia.

Through a sexual lens, the feeding becomes the "intercourse" itself (I know, I'm sorry, please stay with me) and then Lestat, without Louis' consent, takes the potential that's held in the dying Claudia and creates a daughter. By turning Claudia, he's mimicked an "impregnation" that mirrors a man sabotaging birth control or forcing unprotected sex during a sexual encounter. The initial act is consensual (the feeding), but it's extended to cause an unwanted pregnancy (ie removing the condom, not pulling out).

At this point, Louis feels an emotional attachment to Claudia that's compounded by his own part in her creation, as if he created the potential for "life" that was "fertilized" (fed with blood). This is very common with mothers in cases of unplanned pregnancy, and it often pushes the woman to attempt reconciliation with her male partner for the sake of the child and to keep the family unit intact, especially if she, like Louis, feels that leaving would risk the child's safety or force her to forfeit custody (we know Lestat made implied threats against Claudia to Louis and could certainly have physically prevented him from leaving with her).

Within the power dynamic Louis and Lestat create, there are some ways (not all) in which Louis takes a more feminine position, at least in a stereotypical manner. In a mutually toxic hetero relationship, the quintessential model is often an outwardly aggressive man (in this case Lestat, the one who appears to have done most of the yelling, breaking objects/property damage, threats, displays of physical strength, etc) and a manipulative woman playing mind games (here that was Louis, leveraging his intelligence to punish Lestat by feigning apathy, undermining his self-esteem, withholding affection, etc). Obviously this is not the case for every toxic straight couple, but I would argue that these are the general assumptions.

Outside of his relationship with Lestat, Louis is also written and described by AR in strangely misogynistic ways. Again, I've talked about this before, but I'll run through some examples. The first is what is essentially slut shaming (I hate that term, but it gets my point across). At the end of TotBT, David and Lestat have a discussion that boils down to the idea that being turned into a vampire against your will (being raped) is preferable to consenting to being turned because it absolves the victim of any moral responsibility and makes them stronger.

Obviously the implication is that Louis is immoral (a "slut") for asking to be turned (consenting to and having sex). This is a disturbingly common belief in our culture. Not only is a woman having and enjoying sex immoral, but a victim of rape (or a vampire who was turned against their will) is better and stronger for it having happened (unless the woman was "asking for it", but that's another issue).

David (the truest representation of white male bullshit in the entire series, perhaps ever) comes up again as the AR-appointed perpetrator of this kind of idea, this time in Merrick. Instead of being morally weak for asking to be turned/having sex, his narration is deeply disparaging when it comes to Louis' mental health. On numerous occasions throughout the book, David speaks negatively of how emotional Louis is, trivializing and seeming disgusted/annoyed by his grief, suicidal thoughts, depression, and later, his sexual assault.

This is a terrible and deeply uncompassionate way to frame mental health in general, but what tips this dismissal of emotional pain it over into some very unfortunate female-coding is the simultaneous emphasis on Louis' beauty, sex appeal, and "softness". Really the only unequivocable positives David seems to see in Louis are how beautiful he is (this is mentioned many times and culminates in an unwanted sexual overture) and how soft/gentle he is in a very infantilizing manner. He's overly emotional, but at least he's quiet, non-confrontational, and well-behaved with nice, appropriate hobbies <3

The misogynistic female-coding goes even farther in the Prince Lestat trilogy, but that discussion/my rant about submissive tradwife Louis is linked in the PSA.

Louis as an embodiment of white male privilege

Right off the bat, it's easy to understand why people see this archetype reflected in Louis. He's white, he's wealthy, he's educated, he's a family patriarch, he owns slaves, and dictates the life of his mother and sister. He's the embodiment of what privilege looked like in the 18th century colonies. Even further, it's clear that this really is the lived experience Louis identifies with and that it's how he sees himself based on his reaction to Lestat's control over him.

Louis taking on a somewhat female-coded role in his vampire life is especially interesting since he doesn't start the story that way. By gaining vampiric power (becoming sexually involved with/marrying a man if we go back to female coding), he actually loses a portion of his autonomy, something that is obviously disturbing and foreign to him. Fortunately for him, a lot of it remains intact. His race is still visibly white, his gender visibly male, his economic status remaining unchanged or improving. He's the unchallenged breadwinner of the family and the sole manager of their business ventures and finances, something that in itself refutes the idea that he's entirely female-coded.

These static realities are a significant factor in his ability to exist as a vampire and it shields him from a great deal of potential hardship. He doesn't have to attend a day job to have a reliable income, he has access to slaves and servants to do tasks he couldn't complete on his own, and his wealth, gender, education, and race all come together to deflect suspicion and protect him should any arise (of his vampiric nature or of his sexuality/relationship with Lestat).

Furthermore, he seems largely unaware and/or unconcerned with this fact. His relationship with his privilege and how it informs his his intellectualism and moral compass is demonstrated pretty effectively in IWTV and it really permeates his narration and his character flaws. That lack of awareness is a privilege of its own. He's never in a position where he's required to examine his own complicity in the suffering of others or his part in larger frameworks of power because he's never the victim of it or of people like him.

So where does that leave us? In a pretty interesting place as far as I'm concerned. Louis comes out as a character who is at the top of the social ladder but pretty lacking in autonomy in his personal life. He's an almost maternal figure to Claudia but also the paternal backbone of the household. He's a predator and a victim, a devoted intellectual who's emotional to his own detriment. My favorite thing AR ever did in VC was refuse to mold Louis into an existing shape. He's contradictory and cherry-picked in a way that feels authentic.

Personally, I much prefer this blended masculine/feminine reading for both Louis and Lestat because it makes their relationship feel much more organic and less like a heterosexual "who's the woman/man" stereotype (which I think it very much is later on). Some gay couples have a distinctly masculine and distinctly feminine partner who take on larger gender roles, but more often that isn't the case. Both Louis and Lestat are Claudia's caregivers/parental figures and seem to invest equal effort in her upbringing. Lestat is physically stronger but Louis is the sole source of income. They're both predatory through vampirism but have noticeably effeminate traits.

The fact that both of them exist as fully fleshed out characters with a blend of masculine and feminine traits (like most real people have) and an obvious amount of gender non-conformity is part of their draw and what makes the story and dynamic of relationship work so well in the trilogy. They become far less interesting and far less complex individually and together once AR makes them "married" for real. She puts them into "man" and "woman" boxes by playing up Louis' feminine traits and Lestat's masculine traits to an absurd degree, even if it comes in direct conflict with their established personalities.

All of this is what makes that late-canon simplification and feminization so disappointing to me as a fan. The compelling nature of Louis as a character is so reliant on his dualities and committing to one reading or the other takes away from his dimensionality. It flattens him out and sticks him in a box, and one of my favorite things about him in the trilogy is that he isn't one thing that can be nailed down.

That's why I never find "Louis vampires" in pop culture (Edward from Twilight, Stefan from TVD, Angel from Buffy, etc) to be as interesting as the source material. Boiling him down to "sad vampire who doesn't like to kill humans" fundamentally misunderstands him and forgets about the conflicting traits and cognitive dissonance that makes Louis Louis.

Declaring him a masculine or feminine caricature and committing to reading him as such takes away from the experience and I hope anyone who falls firmly on one side or the other of this debate gives this perspective a chance.

#vc #meta #louis de pointe du lac #the vampire chronicles #loustat #interview with the vampire

105 notes · View notes

mustlovemustypages · 4 years

Text

Yuletide 2020 Letter

Dear potential writer,

I truly hope all is well with you and yours. No matter what state you find yourself in, my wish is that Yuletide boosts your spirits and gives you the extra jolt we all could use to usher in the new year.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and thank you in advance if you decide to write anything for me!

Below are my desired fandoms and pairings along with story ideas that I would love to see written. Please don’t feel stifled by my prompts; I’ve also listed my general likes and dislikes at the very bottom of this letter if you decide to go a different route.

Little Women (2019):

Characters: Amy March and Theodore “Laurie” Laurence”

The main reason I adore this adaptation is because it made me see why Amy and Laurie ended up together. They had very similar worldviews and fit so well what the other needed. Both deserved to be with someone that valued them for who they are. With Laurie, Amy was not just financially secure but with someone who encouraged her to express herself creatively, politically, or however she chose. With Amy, while she grounded Laurie in reality and challenged him to be the best version of himself, he didn't have to fundamentally change to make her happy.

Story ideas:

These quotes really show how Amy's perspective on life was different than her sister's: "You are your family's hope." (Aunt March) "I’ve always known I would marry rich." (Amy March) That's a lot of pressure on someone so young. We heard some of Laurie's thoughts, mostly that he didn't think Amy should feel ashamed for wanting that. How would some of that pressure continue even after she got married, and what would Laurie say to make her realize they were in life together as a team and she didn’t have to suffer the weight of the world alone?

The conversation between Amy and Laurie in the painting studio showed just how level-headed and intelligent she was. Laurie, while not wholly agreeing, was respectful and didn't discount her thoughts. It would be interesting to see the impact on their story if Vaughn hadn't arrived, and this had played out more. Would the proposal have happened earlier and/or how would later scenes be altered as a result of further conversation?

What did the other characters think of Amy and Laurie's relationship, and how did it change after seeing them interact more as a couple? It would be interesting to read about Meg, Marmee, John, or some of the other characters realizing they were genuinely a good match for each other.

Post-canon, I'd love to get a glimpse of what kinds of conversations they had. Did Amy encourage Laurie to pursue a career and find what he was passionate about (music perhaps as Laurie mentioned writing an opera)? And similarly, did Laurie encourage Amy to pursue her art? Did they continue to have in-depth conversations about societal pressures and expectations of gender in certain economic classes?

Tenet:

Characters: The Protagonist, Kat, and Neil

Tenet is the first movie I've seen in theaters since Star Wars IX. There have been some mixed reviews, but my love for Christopher Nolan sci-fi films combined with the experience of stepping foot in a theater again made it a wonderful experience for me. Sure, the plot could be confusing at times, but it was fun trying to fit certain puzzle pieces together and oh so thrilling when things just clicked into place in the most satisfying ways.

I adored the dynamic between Neil and the Protagonist. The easy friendship, the banter, the suits... everything. I also loved the relationship between the Protagonist and Kat. It started off as each using the other but transformed into one of genuine care on both sides. Ever the romantic, I definitely saw something more than just friendship between the two and was slightly disappointed the movie didn't explore that aspect more.

For pairings, I’m interested in friendships between all of the characters. I’d be interested in seeing a romantic relationship between Kat and the Protagonist if you’re up for that, but not between Neil and Kat, nor Neil and the Protagonist. If you really want to give a romantic partner to Neil, I'd be fine with Laura (or an original female character if she’s not the focus of the story), but please, no slash. While I’d be ecstatic to see all three characters together, if you can only find a way to fit in two, that’s wonderful as well!

Story ideas:

Even though Andrei Sator is gone, there are still other players in the game, some like Priya, who want to eliminate Kat or even abduct her with the delusional idea she can continue her husband's work. The Protagonist (and Neil, if you so choose) ensures no harm comes to her, and he realizes that keeping her at a distance may not have been the best idea.

I personally don't buy into the fan theory that Neil is Kat's son Max; however, I do find the idea intriguing and would be up for reading about how that worked. The Protagonist breaks his rule and sees Kat, helping to raise her son Max/Neil and eventually teaching him about inversion.

The Protagonist doesn't have to wait quite as long as he'd thought to see Neil again. It can be the Neil who had already met him and knows about Tenet or the Neil who knows nothing about inversion.

What conversations did Neil and Kat have while the Protagonist was asleep after almost freezing to death? Maybe Neil explained the finer workings of Tenet and inversion more in-depth. Perhaps they discussed the Protagonist.

Clueless:

Characters: Cher Horowitz and Josh Lucas

This movie set the bar high for teen romantic comedies. How can anyone ever beat 90s Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd? Plus, the relationship between their two characters is fantastic. Josh and Cher just bring out the best in each other. Cher shows Josh that he doesn't need to be so serious all of the time and that people are more than their outer appearances. Josh makes Cher want to be a better person, and he believes that she's not just a pretty face. Their banter and playful moments always make me smile.

Story ideas:

Knowing Josh and Cher end up together, this brings a heightened awareness to rewatches. They have so many casual touches and exchanged glances (when did Paul Rudd's eyes get so blue?) that it's hard to miss their natural chemistry. It may take quite some time for Cher's dad to notice anything has changed because they don't act all that different from before. Is there something that makes him finally take notice? How does he react?

Sort of related to the last prompt, there's a moment where Josh decides to go to the dance to keep an eye on Cher and Christian, and you can tell by Mel Horowitz’s smirk he realizes Josh has a crush on Cher. Does he do anything to push it along or play matchmaker just like his daughter?

I've always been curious about whether or not Josh believes Cher's story about being assaulted in the car by Elton and then held at gunpoint. We skip over Josh pulling up to the phone booth and go straight to Cher already being in the car. How did Josh react when she reiterated the story, and does he instantly believe her, or does it take some convincing? I'd like to see if he comforts her and if they both go together to tell Cher's dad what happened.

Cher is obviously very intelligent socially, if not always so much academically. When it comes time to apply for college, what does she major in? And how is Josh a positive influence in Cher's life, encouraging her to be ambitious and not letting negative comments from guidance counselors or teachers dissuade her?

Things I don’t like:

Alternate Universes – For the specific fandoms that I picked, I really like the universes as they are. I’m definitely okay with deviations from canon, but please don’t make Little Women into a supernatural werewolf story or have Tenet take place in a mundane coffee shop setting. (I don’t mind Soulmate AUs or something similar because those can be incorporated into canon with little change to worldbuilding).

Non-Con/Rape/BDSM/Sexual Violence/Graphic Sex – I like my characters to be happy and everything within ships to be 100% consensual, no question about it (mentions of non-con if it occurred in canon is fine). I also prefer plot over porn, especially with one-shots.

OT3s – Two people per romantic relationship, please. Any more than that makes me uncomfortable.

Character Bashing - Unless a character is a bad guy in canon, I don’t want to read hundreds of words about how awful they are, especially if they are one of the characters that I requested. Don’t take it out on the characters. If you hate my pairings, just write gen.

Things I love:

Hurt/Comfort – There is nothing I love more than one character comforting another. The hurt can be physical, psychological, or both.

Happy Endings – I’m all for the realistic endings… but if they could be plausible AND at least happy-ish, that would be amazing.

Expanded Scenes/Contorting Canon – Feel free to expand scenes and change up the canon to your heart’s content as long as it makes logical sense.

Humor/Banter/Snark – I thrive on this stuff.

Bonding/Building Relationships – Whether it be a friendship or a romantic relationship, I adore reading about two people growing closer together. When characters know each other so well that they can have conversations with just their eyes or anticipate the person’s next move (especially if it’s to the surprise/confusion of everyone around them), my shipper heart is thrilled.

Dark to Light – Seeing a character come out of a bad mindset or situation and get better is so satisfying.

Happy writing and I hope you get the Yuletide gift of your dreams!

- Maddy @mustlovemustypages (on Tumblr, Ao3, and FF.net)

#little women #little women 2019 #amy x laurie #theodore laurence #laurie #amy march #tenet #the protagonist #neil #kat #clueless #josh x cher #cher horowitz #josh lucas #yuletide 2020 #yuletide letter #yuletide

37 notes · View notes

dwellordream · 4 years

Note

Hi Ms.Dwell! I've a question after reading Leona's (heartbreaking) chapter, regarding Westerosi attitudes and morals concerning the circumstances of Leona's conception - While some characters comment that Osric commited a sin by sleeping with a married woman...nobody is really that shocked. Is it simply because he was like,say,Robert when it came to women, or does everyone believe that it was within his rights to sleep with a married woman, since she is of the smallfolk? In short,did Leona's mother simply cheat ( and how was her husband willing to tolarate this, given all the societal stigma), or was this a Roose+miller's wife situation(just much less grim or deadly)?

This is actually something I wanted to leave a little ambiguous, as Leona herself is never quite sure of the circumstances of her conception, or if people are telling her the honest truth about it.

To break it down into parts, the Rogers do not express shock about the idea of Osric having a bastard because he was a known womanizer, though not to say a King Robert degree. He didn’t frequent brothels or ever have any mistresses, but he was known to casually sleep with women from the town of Amberly and the surrounding areas. Branda never knew any of this about him before her marriage to Hal but sort of got the gist of it afterwards.

Hal does not share the opinion that it was his brother’s (or any lord’s) ‘right’ to demand sex from serfs or peasant women, and he does not believe Osric raped Leona’s mother, or any women, but that it was a spur of the moment, brief affair between a bored and flattered common woman and a cocky knight.

However, Hal is clearly biased, as Osric was his brother, and he really has no idea the details of what happened. Part of the privilege of their class, even if he and Branda and his mother obviously don’t agree with rape, is that he naturally assumes *of course* Moira was willing ie. ‘Osric was young and handsome, girls always liked him, etc’.

The actual circumstances of what happened that night is only known to two people: Osric, who is dead, and Moira. Daven was visiting sick family and not present at the inn that night; Moira confessed it to him weeks later and framed it as a moment of weakness and that she’d succumbed to Osric’s flattery. Daven was infuriated but eventually chose to forgive her and when she was obviously pregnant, carried on as if the child was his.

Whether that is actually what happened, or if Osric made actually unwelcome advances on Moira that she felt she could not reject, or if he threatened or harassed her into a position where she felt she had better just ‘go along with it’, is unknown. This, and in general, themes about consent and how the nobility exploit their servants and common people, will definitely reoccur in Leona’s arc, and she will at some point question whether she was the product of an assault or not.

My purpose in leaving it ambiguous as to how consensual it actually was is not to excuse Osric’s behavior (even if it was consensual there was still a power imbalance there, a huge one), but to illustrate I suppose how problematic and muddied Westerosi attitudes towards this kind of thing are, and how that ties into Leona’s very troubled feelings about her origins and her family.

#aouh #leona storm #ask #anon

12 notes · View notes

diamondcitydarlin · 4 years

Text

So, after that last episode (that mysteriously I also seemed to have predicted- the whole Guillermo finding a group of hunters thing) I’ve run away with my second theory that Guillermo may find himself in a relationship with Craig Robinson’s character, just complicating things further and putting certain things to light between him and Nandor that neither of them really explored before. Namely jealousy. But in talking about this with my husband we ended up writing/RPing a scene, following Nandor noticing that Guillermo’s been getting distracted by his phone a lot more, smiling and laughing at it in a way he didn’t before.

Nandor takes his confusion to the other vampires at some point, and they had this to say,

Nadja says definitively, “Well, I don't know how human phones work, but I'm telling you, he's got a bit of crumpet on the side.”

Nandor grimaces. “Nadja...I know Guillermo isn't...small but you didn’t have to go there. Also I don’t see what any of this has to do with human food.”

Nadja rolls her eyes. “NO. I mean he's fucking someone. Regularly, even. And probably sending lots of naughty little nudie pics to his new lover.”

A look of simultaneous horror and realization crosses Nandor’s face before he’s decided that is an impossibility. It must be. It has to be.

“....nooo....that's silly...” he laughs, albeit nervous. “That wouldn't happen...!” But his look at the camera seems searching, as if he needs more confirmation that what Nadja’s suggesting absolutely, definitely would never, ever, ever happen. Ever.

Laszlo meanwhile, pauses from nursing his pipe to add in no uncertain terms, “She's right, he's definitely getting it up the arse from someone.”

But this is more insult than Nandor can humor and he stomps his foot. “Ok that's enough! None of that is happening!!!”

“I actually agree with them,” Colin adds from his corner chair where everyone to this point had forgotten he was sitting. “All the signs are there.”

And Colin indisputably has more knowledge towards modern, human behavior than any of them present...but then, he is Colin.

“Do you ACTUALLY agree with them or are you just trying to infuriate me?” Nandor challenges, to which Colin replies flatly, “Yes.”

“What does it matter, anyway?” Nadja interjects with a sweep of her hands. “Has it affected his ability to serve?”

Nandor thinks for a moment, perhaps desperate, because he needs a logical reason to be consumed by this.

“Well, he-...! He gets distracted sometimes and it’s very irritating!”

Laszlo does a cursory look around the space of their library. “Seems to be the same mediocre work he’s always done.”

“He obviously still grooms you, as you don’t look like a complete cretin,” Nadja adds.

Having seen that this was a complete mistake to bring up with his roommates, Nandor backtracks. “Alright, let’s just forget it. There are other, more pressing matters to discuss-”

“Oh no, I think this is worth exploring,” Colin says, because of course, and then in his usual unassumingly ignorant tone of voice, “Why would it bother you that Guillermo has a private life if he’s still doing his job? I’m confused.”

To be sure, he isn’t.

Nadja’s eyes go wide in realization. “Wait, wait, wait!!! You-...!” She points to Nandor as if there was some confusion as to who she was talking about. “You’re jealous, aren’t you?”

“You haven’t gone soft for that little creep after all this time, have you?” Laslzo asks, though his tone is more grave and warning.

“I-...I haven’t-...! No, what-...I don’t even know what you’re talking about...!” Nandor attempts to deflect, but it’s less than convincing.

“Perhaps...” Colin suggests, once again in that grating, flat tone of voice. “Perhaps you wish...that you were the one...he was sending naughty pictures of himself to?”

“He does!” Nadja exclaims before Nandor can defend himself, and then she’s gripping to Laszlo’s arm in panic and remorse. “Oh, my darling...he’s fallen in love with his familiar...”

“That is very dangerous ground to tread, old chap.” Laszlo’s gaze is fixed firmly to Nandor’s; meanwhile the latter looks like a deer caught in the headlights.

Nadja, now overly sympathetic, has risen from her seat on the couch to give Nandor’s hands a patronizing pat. It’s somehow worse.

“Nandor, believe me when I say this...it’s never a good idea to entertain feelings for a mortal. It doesn’t end well.”

“Mainly in old age and death,” Colin needlessly adds.

Nandor once again attempts to assert his position as former warrior-conqueror, that this is not the case and he will not tolerate anymore suggestions of this nature, but Nadja has silenced him quickly with a maternal finger to his lips and a soft, “Hush now, you stupid, stupid, dumb little lovesick vampire. We will sort it all out.”

Then to (mainly) Laszlo, “We will have to sort this out.”

“You’re damn right we will,” he agrees. “We’ll have no truck with vampire that thinks there’s any kind of future with a bloodsack. Either you turn him or he goes.”

Nandor’s gone from aforementioned deer-in-headlights to little lost duck adrift on the ocean, shaking his head ‘no’ in a panic. “N-n-no...no, no, no, it doesn’t have to come to that-”

“It’s going to come to something!” Laszlo rallies back.

“Yes,” Nadja agrees, though softer. “We have few options left at this point. He must be turned and live as your eternal mate, or you must dismiss him, or-”

Then, Laszlo’s very helpful, demonstrative miming of a slice across the neck. “We -WHIIIEEECKK- him. Post-haste.”

Nandor’s shaking his head ‘no’ very violently at this point and trying to backpeddle the whole situation, but it seems the consensus has been made.

“Very well,” Nadja agrees, albeit with the same remorse as before. “Perhaps a month then? A month to make a decision. This can’t be easy.”

“Gizmo’s very lucky I cannot deny my good lady wife anything,” Laszlo says pointedly to Nandor. “A month seems generous...but so be it. Do something about this, or we will.”

Nandor’s companions begin to disperse then, and as he is still desperate and a bit disoriented from the whole confrontation he panics.

“Eh-!! Uhm-...wait!” And once he has their attention, “Listen to my wooords! You will forget eeeverythiiing I just saiiid...”

He must have known somewhere deep down this was going to be as embarrassing at it was futile. Laszlo’s glaring unimpressed, Colin gives him a judgmental eye-narrowing, and Nadja now pats him insultingly on the cheek.

“Poor, poor, stupid little vampire...” she sighs sadly to no one in particular, and then they’re all gone, leaving Nandor in the wake of this all-too-sudden, all-too-disturbing revelation.

#wwdits #wwdits tv #wwdits season 2 #wwdits spoiler #spoilers #guillermo x nandor #nandor x guillermo #laszlo cravensworth #wwdits nadja #colin robinson #ficlet #guillermo de la cruz

103 notes · View notes

dvp95 · 5 years

Text

throw your head back laughing

pairing: chris kendall/pj liguori rating: teen & up tags: outsider pov, au, established relationship, idiots in love word count: 1657 summary: Cara has to wonder how much of it is performative. Of course she does; everything she knows about this game points to them being in a Scene of some sort. They seem to genuinely enjoy each other's company, if nothing else.

written for the LOVELY @jestbee <3 happy goddamn birthday jane!!!!!! you’ve been such a good pal to me and i hope i can make you smile with this stupid thing!!!!!

read on ao3 or here!

"Hello, welcome to -" Cara cuts herself off in the middle of her spiel when she looks up from the podium. Two men stand in front of her for probably the ninth time this year, matching grins on their faces as they watch the recognition wash over her. She smiles, closer to a real one than a customer service one, and gestures behind her. "Your table is available. Do you need me to escort you?"

"Thanks, love," one of them says with a wink, "but I think we can manage."

He takes his companion by the sleeve and makes a beeline for a table near the middle of the restaurant, the same one they always go for. Cara bites back a laugh as she makes eye contact with one of the waitstaff.

Nate makes a big show of sighing and turning back around to tell the kitchen at large about their arrivals. She can't hear it from here, but Cara knows that people who have been here long enough are either thrilled or frustrated, and the new hires are probably just confused. When Nate is looking at her again, Cara taps her glasses and holds up three fingers. He makes a note on his order pad. She wonders how big the betting pool is going to be this time.

The men are, as always, ensconced in their own little world the moment their asses hit the seats. Their long legs overlap under the table in a comfortable, familiar sort of way, and they talk to each other with such dramatic hand gestures that Cara wishes she could hear the topic that's got them so riled up.

Sometimes she makes excuses to walk by their table and eavesdrop. So far she's learned that they're passionate about science fiction, craft supplies, what specific colour the ceiling is painted, and gender expression. It doesn't seem to matter if they're talking about the sliding scale of acceptable femininity for men to show in public or how easy it would be to build a robot out of cardboard - they have the same amount of enthusiasm, every time.

Cara has to wonder how much of it is performative. Of course she does; everything she knows about this game points to them being in a Scene of some sort. They seem to genuinely enjoy each other's company, if nothing else.

It's always a strange atmosphere for the first half hour or so after they've been seated. They talk and they eat and they seem oblivious to the wary eyes of the staff around them, even though anyone with half a brain knows they're fully aware of the attention on them. The only time they left without anything happening was when the place was practically empty and there was no audience of unsuspecting patrons for their nonsense.

That had been a different sort of anticipation. Like the whole building had been waiting for a beat that never dropped. The men had left without fanfare, and every employee had gone home perplexed.

The general consensus, up to that point, had been that they did this for the free food and champagne, but their need for some kind of audience opened up a Pandora's box of possible motivations. Nate's convinced that they're doing some sort of social experiment, one of the line chefs thinks they must be YouTubers or something, and a very optimistic new waitress has been positing that maybe it's genuine every time.

"Maybe one of them has short term memory problems," she'd explained to Cara. "Or they're very on-again off-again."

Cara had nodded along at the time, but she's not buying it. It's the grins on their faces every time they meet her at the hostess podium that convince her they know exactly what they're up to.

As far as Cara can tell, they might just do it for the hell of it.

Forty-something minutes after the men are seated, the signs start to show themselves. Cara drifts over to Nate and nudges him, interrupting his bussing for something much more entertaining. He grins and turns around. Neither of them make an effort to hide that they're staring, because it's happened seven or so times before.

The man in glasses is twitching like he's nervous, all of a sudden, and keeps patting at the same spot in his jacket. Cara might find it sweet if she hadn't seen it so many times.

"Ha," she whispers. "Told you it was him this time."

"They don't have a pattern," Nate argues. He's always a little prickly when he loses.

"But only one of them is wearing a jacket," Cara points out. "So obviously, it was going to be him. Is it a 50/50 split again?"

Nate sighs and shakes his head, pulling out his notepad as the men start talking in low voices across the small table. "No, most people guessed the other guy. You're only splitting the win with two of the cooks."

"Nice."

It seems like Nate wants to whinge some more, but then the man in glasses is standing up. The waitstaff all pause in what they're doing and turn to look, prompting the other diners to look as well. With hilariously awkward movements for how practised Cara knows the motion is, he drops to one knee and takes his companion's hand in both of his own. Some of the diners gasp or whisper amongst themselves; the waitstaff mostly just seem annoyed to lose the pool.

"Christopher," the man starts. His voice trembles the perfect amount, and Cara is reluctantly impressed by how sincere they make this seem every time.

"Oh my god," Christopher stage whispers. Cara wonders if that's actually his name.

"We've been friends for so long," the man continues, "and I've been so deeply in love with you for most of those years - I couldn't believe it when you first agreed to see a film with me in a non-platonic sort of way."

Out of the corner of his mouth, Nate murmurs, "What the hell is that accent? I can't place it for the life of me."

"Not sure," says Cara. "He just sort of sounds like he's on telly, doesn't he? Like a presenter?"

"D'you think there are hidden cameras?"

"Surely we'd have seen it somewhere if there were."

"But why else -"

"Shh," says Cara.

They're all so familiar with this song and dance that she knows Christopher is going to fan at his face with his free hand and then start tearing up. Watching him cry on demand is her favourite part. They can argue about motivations once they've left.

Sure enough, Christopher is wiping at his eyes and grinning down at his partner in crime. "Are you serious? Of course I'll marry you."

The other diners applaud politely when the men embrace. Cara makes a mental note of those who aren't, those who roll their eyes and mutter things to their companions, those who look upset when Christopher tugs the other man into a short, sweet kiss. She's not sure if it's a perk or a curse to know which of their regulars hate her, but it's certainly useful to know who to sit by the loo.

"Better bring them their celebratory fucking champagne," Nate sighs.

"Every goddamn time," Cara says, unable to hide the fondness in her voice. She can't help but root for these idiots. "Don't forget to comp their food."

"That's not even why they do this," says Nate. He's whinging, but Cara knows it's not actually a bother to him.

Nate's right; the free food and champagne clearly isn't the reason they've proposed to each other a half dozen times in the middle of their restaurant, but it's probably a bonus. Just like weeding out the homophobes on the staff is a bonus.

When everyone goes back to their dinners and their jobs and the newly-engaged-again men are back in their seats, Cara approaches them.

"Congratulations," she says, tucking her hair behind her ear. She sees the way Christopher's eyes linger on her interlocked Venus tattoo. He holds tighter to his fiancé's hand and gives her the same shit-eating grin as whenever they ask her for a table.

"Thanks, love."

"I'm Cara," she says, tapping at her name tag. "Just so you know how to address the invitation."

The man in glasses laughs, loud. He still seems like he's performing in some way, but a look passes between them and makes his voice softer, less put-on. "I promise that we would," he says, "except that we got married eight years ago."

Cara bites back a cackle of her own and shakes her head, trying not to make eye contact with any of her curious coworkers. She's definitely keeping this one to herself - you never know when another opportunity to win a betting pool will present itself, after all - so she doesn't exactly want to draw attention to the conversation.

"Alright," she says. "I better go back to work."

"Don't you want to know why we do this?" the man in glasses asks, sounding a bit put out.

Cara shrugs. "For the hell of it, right?"

Another look passes between them, and Christopher tips an invisible hat to her. "Pretty and smart, eh? Do you accept tips?"

Technically, no. And while she thinks she probably deserves one for this, Cara knows she's got a good chunk of everyone else's tip money tonight.

"Do you?" she asks instead. "Because I've got a tip for ya. You should try saying no next time."

"Saying no?" Christopher echoes, grinning across the table.

"We haven't tried that," his husband agrees. "Not as much fun, maybe, but surely the sympathy from it will make up for that."

"Plus, I can cry more."

Cara snorts and heads back to her podium. As curious as she is, she thinks it'll be more fun to wait and see how it pans out the next time they wander in to shake things up.

#words words words

13 notes · View notes

surveys-at-your-service · 5 years

Text

Survey #234

“don’t take care of me - be scared of me.”

Does it bother you when people beg? I mean, it depends on the consistency, intensity, and the subject. Do you ever eat cookie dough raw? I have, but salmonella will punish me some day. Are you one of those people who are always cold? I am the exact opposite. When was the last time you rode a rollercoaster? Pf, never. Don't want to. Do you like hot dogs? I hate the fact that I love them lol. Do you have any weird rings? I wouldn't consider any "weird," no. Have any bad addictions? Ugh, caffeine. Are you anything like your siblings? I am very, very different from my two immediate sisters. Ma says I'm extremely similar to Katie, my half-sister, though it's odd because we don't seem to agree on very much? I don't even think she likes me. When was the last time you shaved your legs? Literally not since like... February. It's not like anybody but family sees my legs anyway. It's just stupid societal expectations for a woman, and I've never been prone to obeying those to begin with. Do you like long bike rides? I used to LOVE riding my bike when I lived in the woods/by an almost-dead road, but I haven't that in... god, years. I don't even have that bike anymore. My knees would never, EVER survive riding one right now. Do you know someone who is blind? My sister is in one eye, but I can't remember which. Do you have a YouTube account? how else would I like every Mark video in existence and I wish I was kidding?????????????? How many cell phones have you had? No clue. Not many. Maybe like, four or so. When was the last time something bothered you? Yesterday 'cuz I was getting weird fuckin phone calls. Do you ever try free samples at the store? Sure, if they seem like something I'd like. Can you speak French or Spanish? No. What school year do you think will be/was the saddest? 8th. Anxiety and depression were getting bad, puberty was A Thing, confused about life in general and why all this sadness and fear was happening to me. Do you like boys with long hair? I mean this depends on the person, but in general, yes. I think I prefer it over shorter, in most cases. Have you ever had plum juice? No, but that sounds decent. If I can even remember what a plum tastes like... I loved them as a kid, haven't had one in like, years. Have you ever passed out? Once, almost twice not long after the first time. Was today someones birthday that you know? No. Have you drank any water today? A little bit. When was the last time you had a crowd at your house? Holy shit. Probably not since we MOVED here in '17. Are you worried about anything right now? When aren't I at least a bit worried about something, really. Are you keeping anything from your best friends right now? No. Do you currently have any mosquito bites? Not currently. A- blood, hell yeah man. Do you have Twitter? Yes. Literally to like. um. one somebody's stuff. If you found out you were pregnant, who would you tell? God FUCKING forbid. Obviously my family. Sara. If it was from consensual sex, I'd tell friends eventually. If it was, uh, any other way, probably not EVEN some family because there are some that would probably never speak to me again if I got an abortion. Is your driveway stone or pavement? Stone. Have you ever caught something on fire? Yeah. Y'know, s'mores, sparklers, wood when making a bonfire or something. Regular stuff. How many people have you kissed in a car? One or two. Idr if Sara and I ever have. Do you and your best friend have an inside joke? "buzzfeed" Do you have a gym membership? Not anymore. How long was your last shower? Not even ten minutes. Get clean and get out. What is your favorite color fingernail polish? I think red tends to be the prettiest. If you had to get a tattoo, what would it be of? Man, don't ask me this. I have a billion ideas. If I had the money for it though, I'd probably finally get this (Denialism) as a tat on my left upper arm next. It's like, my favorite drawing ever, and I've already gotten the artist's permission. What is the best fast food place, in your opinion? Sonic has had my heart lately. What is your favorite eye color in the opposite sex? I just generally like vibrant and/or light blue eyes, but I really don't care about someone's eye color. What is your mom’s maiden name? Yeah, let's share that on the Internet. Would you rather receive balloons or flowers for valentine’s day? Flowers. Balloons are nothing but waste and wind up as litter anyway. Do you follow the crowd when it comes to trends or do your own thing? Do my own thing. Trends 'n shit don't matter to me; I don't care how "cool" or "uncool" something is. I like what I like. What is your worst bad habit? Assuming the worst of absolutely everything within .01 seconds. Do you believe in happily ever after? No. Things aren't always gonna be happy, sorry. What is your average phone bill? I don't know, Dad pays it. Which is better: chapstick or lip gloss? Chapstick. Have you ever been proposed to? No. Do you take certain medicine on a daily basis? A decent number. Have you ever seen two people together and you got sick to your stomach? I remember seeing a picture of Jason and his girlfriend after me once after they got together and I. Don't know how to describe that feeling. I think I felt more murderous than anything. Do you prefer laptops or desktop computers? Laptops for portability's sake. Have you ever had a really bad haircut? Looking back, the haircut I had before this one wasn't great. Only at some angles did it look good. I mean I don't regret it though, it's how I realized I think I'd like short hair. Did you ever order any clothes from the Alloy catalog? Never heard of them. What brand, color, and type is your favorite eyeliner? I love black eyeliner, but I don't have any favorite brands. I hate liquid, though. My hands aren't steady enough for that, and it's just messy. What’s your favorite type of yogurt? Meh, not a big fan. Idk. Do you have any overdue library books right now? No. Do you have a piggy bank? No. Do you remember your locker combinations from high school? Nope. Do you own plaid pants? No. Have you ever had to wear a school uniform? Yeah, through all of middle school. What was your high school’s mascot? A firebird. Who were your best friends in high school? I had various ones. Excluding The Ex, there was Hannia, Alon, Megan, Maria, Girt... There was a few. Have you ever been to Chicago? Once, with Sara and her dad. At night. And the lights and cars and shops and towers and everything was too much for my rural ass. I'm not a city person, but because it was SO different and just incredible in scope and all, I still thought it was absolutely beautiful and so exciting. Would you rather sleep on the top bunk or bottom bunk? Bottom. When my sister and I were little and shared a room though, I almost always had the top bunk. As I got older though, that inverted. Have you ever had a secret admirer that left you notes? I THINK Aaron did once, but I can't remember for sure. Are you close with your cousins? No. Are you close to any aunts or uncles? Not especially, but only because, like my cousins, I pretty much never see them. Are you close to your grandparents? All but one is dead, and that one is dying. Barely knew any, save for my remaining grandmother, and we've never gotten along well/agreed on much, but I mean, I still care for her. I also pretty much never saw her. Who betrayed your trust? Plenty of people. Who was your first best friend (apart from a sibling)? Brianna. What was your favorite thing to do at sleepovers when you were younger? I don't know. Probably play make-believe or go swimming. What kind of popcorn is your favorite? Normal with butter and salt. Does your town have a big fountain in it? The next town over does. What is your town known for? "You mean Tennessee?" Don't think that's too much of a giveaway. What’s one way in which you’re still a child? I am very dependent on Mom. What’s one way in which you’re old? My knees are at least 107. Do you know what you want to do for your next birthday? gooooooood take me to get a tatTOOOOOOO What would be the best surprise you could receive right now? Mom buying tickets to the Ozzy concert next year alksdjfalwe. I've been losing my fucking mind since the new single came out and album was announced. Do you usually forgive when someone hurts your or try to get revenge? I'm not a vengeful person at all, really. I tend to forgive. Were there any subjects in school that were really easy for you? English has always been a breeze, and usually science. Did you ever skip a grade or get held back a grade? No. Do you think you look better with dyed hair or natural hair? Just about anyone looks better with dyed hair to me. I just like colorful, interesting hair. Has your hair color changed since you were a toddler? Yes. I was born dirty blonde. Do you own an American flag shirt? No. Do you own a British flag shirt? No. Do you have a seashell collection? No. We used to have a box of them, though. Do you have a rock collection? No. What is your favorite thing to do in the pool? Just chill. Casually swim around aimlessly. Cacti or seashells? Hmmmm. I think seashells, but that's tough. Dreamcatcher or wind chimes? MAN, this depends on the design. Have you ever taken a picture at the perfect moment? The only one I have that I consider the absolute *perfect* moment was at Ashley's gender reveal when she and her husband found out the baby is a girl. Her face especially is priceless. What color was your first car? N/A Was your first car used or new? N/A What was the last thing you said in complete caps? HAHAHA I sent Sara a fucking CURSED picture of Pennywise as a good morning text. Do you enjoy playing board games? Not really. Are you good at playing Hide and Go Seek? I guess I was as a kid. I'm sure I wouldn't be now. Elephants can't really hide. :^) Do you live in an apartment or a house? A house. Is there a music artist that never ceases to amaze you? As far as truly *amaze* goes, probably Amy Lee. Her voice is just fucking incredible. What is your favorite term of endearment? Probably "love." Or "dear." I dunno. Do you like Twizzlers? NO. They're gross as hell. Do you sneak in candy/soda when you go to the movies? Yeup. Fuck those prices. What was the last song you had on repeat? I adore Ozzy's new "Under The Graveyard" beyond words and so have been binging it like mad since yesterday lmao. Where are your favorite pair of jeans from? I don't have jeans. Do you tap your foot when you listen to music? No. If I respond to it in any voluntary way, I'll most likely be tapping my hand with the beat. Will you get your hair cut anytime soon? I need to, yeah. I hate when my hair starts getting long enough to curl a tad upwards in the back. Are you uncoordinated? VERY. Have you ever listened to Jane’s Addiction? I know and enjoy "Jane Says" and "Been Caught Stealing." What’s the worst thing you’ve ever experienced? Heartbreak. What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? I dunno, there's a lot. Do you write “Dear Diary” when you write in your diary? I don't have a diary. I don't think I ever did. What is your escape from your problems? Music, playing WoW, stuff like that. Just give me a distraction. Do you watch YouTube videos a lot? Literally every day throughout the day. It's at least background noise. Do you have an embarrassing period story? No, thankfully. Would your life be at risk if someone knew everything about you? No. Is your life at risk? I mean, more than like by disease, some psycho, an accident, shit like that, no? Do you feel safe in your hometown? No. Never did. I miss our house and the childhood memories, but that place was dangerous. Where do you dream of moving to? The mountains of NC. What fascinates you more: outer space or the bottom of the ocean? Space. Have you ever seen a UFO? I guess by the definition of "unidentified flying object," yes, but I think it was some sort of natural phenomenon with a star, not an alien. Maybe. Does anyone encourage you to go after your dreams? Yeah. :') What is the stupidest thing anyone’s ever said to you? "i'Ll AlWaYs LoVe YoU, bRiTtAnY!" What’s the most amount of weight you’ve gained from a medication? LET'S. FUCKING. NOT. Do you name inanimate objects? No. What do you think the constellations mean? "Nothing? Just humanity reaching to ascribe some type of meaningfulness to the world around them." <<<< This, I like this. Did you like the venue your senior prom was held at? I mean it was at the local college's gym. Nothing special. Which spelling do you like best: Hayley, Hailey, or Haley? Hm, I think "Hailey." Which name is better: Hailey, Bailey, Kailey, or Shailey? Ummmmm I think "Kailey." Are you mad at someone? I'm always going to be mad to a degree. Do you feel like your life was stolen from you? I guess in a way by mental illness? Do you have a professional camera? Yeah. What would you change about your hair? Ugh, I want to COLOR it. I really want silver hair atm. When was the last time you changed your hairstyle? Last year. Do you like rose gold? I love it. What’s your favorite color gummy bear? I don't... care? Oh wait, maybe green. Those normally have an apple kinda feel, right? Or do they all thaste the same? What is the sexiest part of the opposite sex’s body? I like s h o u l d e r b l a d e s. Have you ever made up/sang a song for someone you cared about? Only ever poems. Ever had a song sang about/for you? I mean, I've had like songs /dedicated/ to me, but never actually made for me specifically. What is your middle name? Marie. Like every other white girl known to man. What do you smell like? My house, I guess? Ever hurt yourself playing Wii? I don't believe so. Do you have freckles? Not on my face, but random ones on the rest of my body, yeah. Can you do the alphabet in sign language? No. Do you like your feet? I seriously hate feet. That includes mine. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever had in your mouth? uhhhhhhhhh Has anyone ever threatened you with a knife? No. (If you’re a girl) Has anyone ever called you "shorty" instead of "girl"? Ugh no, thank Christ. Have you ever sent an embarrassing moment of yours into a mag to be printed? No. What IS your most embarrassing moment? I've told it before but now I don't remember it??? What’s the last thing to make you scream? Like a small, quick one, I think a loud noise scared me. I've been extremely sensitive to those lately and idk why??? Do your parents knock before coming in, or just barge on in? My door's never really closed, but when it is, Mom doesn't. Dad does. Do you think you’re more cute or sexy? BOY neither. Do you own any mini skirts? Bitch I wish I could wear mini skirts but I would blind people with my body rn. Do you draw little hearts and stuff with eyeliner next to your eyes? Nah. What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever lost? Good question, idk. Has your mom ever lied to you? Yeah. Do you have a deep voice? It's definitely deep for a girl, but it's not like, manly. When’s the last time someone made breakfast for you? I guess the last time I was out for breakfast? Idr. When someone knocks on the door, who do you think it is? A mailman/woman. No one else comes here unexpectedly. Has anyone ever licked your foot? UM NO Do you play games with boys/girls, like "hard to get"? I never did and never will. I'm definitely not easy, but I don't play games. Oh wait, unless we're already a serious couple and I'm sexually being a tease. Hobby. When’s the last time someone told you they were in love with you? Some time back. Is there a Sonic where you live? mmmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM- Do you smile with your teeth? Usually. What do you like on your pizza? Pepperoni, jalapenos, sausage... stuff like that. I'm WEAK for meat lovers pizza sobs heavily in wanna-be vegetarian Do you know anyone who lives in Newfoundland? No. How ‘bout Alberta? No. Anyone in Canada at all? Yeah, a friend's ex. She's cool. If you could trade houses with a friend, who would it be? I wouldn't damn anyone with this house, lol. I mean it's not bad, it just has its issues. Are you a good person to come to for advice? It depends on the subject we're talkin' here. Do you sleep naked? No. I'd feel so vulnerable. Favorite place you've been: Through the NC mountains. Which of your Facebook friends lives closest to you? UHHHHHHHHH how do I not know this?? When was the last time you cried? Idr, actually. Who took your profile pic? Where? What’s your favorite season? Autumn. What was the last book you read? The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Fucking read it. Are you a good influence? This also depends on the area of focus. Does pineapple belong on pizza? NO. Sweet and savory do noooot mix in my world.

#survey #quiz #questions #random #bored

5 notes · View notes

theshatteredrose · 5 years

Text

A Gathering of Guardians - Prologue (Chapter 6) - Etrian Odyssey Nexus Fanfiction

AN: Another long chapter for this update :’D Hope you’ll enjoy reading~!

Ao3 | Wattpad | FFNet

Chapter 6:

Remedy watched as Lynus and Axel left the room, Zadkiel awkwardly but eagerly taking the lead. He couldn’t help but noticed that Axel had his hand resting on the small of Lynus’ back as they left. He already knew that they were married. He just got the feeling that they were rather affectionate toward one another. His brother and Jemella could be the same at times.

It was nice to see. Especially in regards to how relaxed they were around other people.

Remedy turned his gaze toward his fellow Etrians and gave them a questioning look. “What do you guys think?” he asked.

“They certainly seem nice enough,” Simon answered truthfully, a thoughtful look on his face.

Zircon nodded his head in agreement. “Yeah. I don’t get any bad vibes from them at all.”

“Axel possesses a very powerful aura,” Lindis stated matter-a-factly.

“Yeah, I noticed that, too,” Zircon was once more agreeable. “It’s not…completely off-putting, though.”

Remedy felt Axel that he was far stronger than he looked, and he looked pretty impressive. Quite the power stance without the arrogance or over-confidence. He just gave the impression that he could take the head off a dragon in one swing and then joke about it.

Honestly, Lynus had quite the presence of his own. Opposite of Axel’s. Axel had protective strength. Lynus felt warm and nurturing. Quite formable.

“Lynus is much the same,” he mused before he turned to look at Simon. “Right?”

“Right,” Simon immediately replied. “I’m most interested in learning from him, to be honest. If his reputation is anything to go by, then I have a lot left to learn.”

“Aiding them with their search and rescue missions are sure to be highly interesting as well,” Lindis mused aloud, his expression thoughtful before a small smile made its way to his lips. “Hm. Maybe we can teach them a thing or two in return.”

“This expedition should be fun,” Remedy couldn’t help but state, smiling also.

“We’ll have to wonder about the troubles we might face later,” Zircon suddenly stated. “Maginia will take flight some time today, so we better get ready.”

Oh, he was right. Whenever Maginia took to the air, or even hit any turbulence, the whole city would shake and tremble. It was disconcerting for those who weren’t used to the quirks of a flying city. So, the city council had to issue out departing times, allowing for everyone to prepare by tying down loose items, gather materials needed to keep inside for hours or even days on end.

The city was pretty self-efficient and sheltered when in flight, but it was still strongly advised that they limited outdoor activities. That was why the buildings were so large and made of sturdy material.

“Let’s get to work, then,” Simon said. “This shouldn’t take long.”

With that said, they parted ways briefly to ensure that their personal belongings were securely taken care off. After that, they were likely to make a few rounds just to ensure that the building was structurally sound. The way the city would shake and tremble as it took off was really, really worrying. It wouldn’t be surprising if some structures were damaged, despite their sturdiness.

After Remedy inspected his room, shoving some of his books and belongings into the draws and closet, he decided to head out into the playground to remind Quinn of Maginia’s departure time.

He subconsciously moved to a jog when he rounded a corner, only to crash all-but face-first into something, or rather someone tall. He stumbled back a step as a hand immediately flew up to touch his nose.

“Oh, sorry!” Remedy said as he smiled sheepishly and rubbed his nose absentmindedly.

He looked up at the one he ran into, another apology on his lips when he fell still. A man he had never met before stood before him. His long blond hair fell over a red scarf that was covering the lower half of his face. His eyes, a bright blue, were piercing. And honestly a little intimidating.

“Um, I-I’m really sorry,” he uttered again.

The blond-haired man simply looked at him with narrowed eyes. Suddenly, they didn’t look…all that intimidating anymore. Well, he looked intimidating in appearance, but his gaze was more…searching than frightening.

Suddenly, another blond appeared from behind the man and stepped to stand next to him. This man looked far more friendly. Short blond hair, and bright blue eyes, though a shade darker than the other man. He appeared rather tall and with subtle muscles.

“Ah, no harm done,” he said in a polite and friendly tone. “Don’t worry about it.”

Remedy took a moment to look at the two. “Hm? Are you members of the Guardians?”

“That’s right,” the short blond-haired man replied before he tilted his head to the side in curiosity. “And you, you must be Remedy, yes?”

Remedy blinked before he lifted a hand to point at himself. “Do I look that much like what Lynus did?”

He laughed lightly and nodded his head. “You do, honestly. Though, I hope you don’t take any offense, he was a lot scrawnier and meeker than you appear to be.”

“R-really?” Remedy found himself stuttering, honestly finding it difficult imagining the benign man he had met could be meek. “I can’t imagine it.”

The man’s eyes took on a faraway gaze while the one who had been silent seemed to mutter darkly under his breath. “He’s…been through a lot, you could say.”

Remedy felt a strange sense of intrigue mixed with surprise.

However, before anything more than could be said on the subject, the taller blond placed a charming smile on his lips once more. “Oh, let me introduce ourselves. My name is Jhon. And this is Tobyn, my husband.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Remedy replied instinctively before he raised his hand in an inquisitive manner. “Um, question? Is everyone from your guild married?”

Jhon laughed once more, sound genuinely amused. “No, not all of us,” he said before the smile on his lips turned softly playful. “The rest have fiancés.”

Wow…they feel way more mature and well put together…

“Remedy, there you are.” Zircon’s voice interrupted before Remedy could form a response. “Are you-?”

Remedy turned to look behind him, curious as to why Zircon stopped mid-sentence. He seemed to be looking at Jhon and Tobyn curiosity, Simon and Lindis doing the same behind him.

Jhon and Tobyn appeared to be gazing at Zircon with equal interest. Tobyn just looked, however, while Jhon tilted his head to the side questioningly. “Hm?”

“Oh, ah, let me introduce you,” Remedy said to break the small fragment of tension that seemed to have fallen over them. “Um, you already know my name. This is Zircon, Simon, and Lindis.”

While Tobyn continued to remain curiously silent, Jhon righted himself and nodded his head, placing another pleasant smile to his lips. “Pleasure to meet you. My name is Jhon and this is Tobyn. I assume you’re all here because of Villard?”

Remedy nodded his head. “That’s right.”

Jhon seemed sincerely pleased to hear that. “Ah, that means that we may be working together in the future. Have you met anyone else from the Guardians?”

“Well, we’ve met Axel and Gerald,” Remedy replied. “And I’ve met Azure. But that’s it.”

“Well, there’s a lot more for you to meet,” Jhon said before that somewhat playful smile returned. “I best leave that to Lynus, shall I? He loves prattling about his guildmates, after all.”

Remedy felt himself perk up slightly at that. “I certainly got that from him. He doesn’t like talking about himself, though, does he?”

Jhon shook his head. “No. He’s extremely modest. He has nothing but praise for everyone else. I’m sure you’ll get along well.” He then paused and furrowed his brow slightly. “By the way, do you happen to know where Axel and Lynus went?”

“They were asked to visit the Explorers Guild,” Remedy immediately replied. “They’ll probably be back soon.”

Jhon looked relieved. “Ok, thank you.”

Tobyn still hadn’t uttered a single word and Remedy was beginning to wonder if he was in fact mute. He honestly hadn’t met anyone quite as quiet as him. That hexer fellow, Zalaph was it? He was pretty quiet, too, though.

Jhon’s eyes suddenly flickered over the top of Remedy’s head and he smiled warmly. “Ah, you’re back.”

Remedy turned to look behind him to see that Axel and Lynus had indeed returned. With them were Jemella and Zadkiel. They walked together, so obviously had returned from the Explorer’s Guild together.

“Hey,” Axel greeted as his group met up with the others. “Looking for us?”

“Yes, actually,” Jhon said as he turned to give Axel his full attention. “Apparently, Maginia is getting ready to take flight and Villard feels it would be best for everyone to be gathered within the dining hall.”

“Hm. That would make sense,” Axel idly replied.

“Oh good, you’ve met Jemella,” Remedy piped up.

Jemella turned his attention toward him and gave him a half grin. “Hey, kiddo. I’ve got good news. From today onwards, the four of you are members of the Guardian Guild.”

“…Huh?!”

Apparently, Remedy wasn’t the only one surprised!

Axel gave a short laugh as he folded his arms across his chest casually. “Mueller’s idea. He thought it best that we have one guildname for everyone who agrees to help Villard to explore under. Make things easier at least.”

“The general consensus is that the Guardians is a fitting name for what Villard hopes to do,” Lynus explained further before he turned to look curiously upon Remedy. “We hope you don’t mind?”

“N-no, not at all,” Remedy stuttered a reply immediately. “We were just surprised.”

Axel turned slightly and unfurled an arm from his chest. He then used that arm to loop around Zadkiel’s neck and pulled him closer. Zadkiel stumbled forward. He probably would have fallen on his face had Axel’s arm not be secure around his neck and shoulders. Zadkiel blushed a bright red, but didn’t attempt to dislodge himself from Axel’s hold.

“We’ve already signed up Zadkiel here,” Axel said. “Still need your signatures on the forms, though.”

“You’ve got some high expectations to live up to, but I’m sure you lot will be fine,” Jemella unexpectedly stated, seemingly aiming that toward everyone present.

He soon focused his attention in on Remedy, however. And Remedy half expected the other man to make some kind of sarcastic comment or remark about Remedy needing to stay out of trouble. And how that would be a feat in of itself. He could be quite rude when he wanted.

Instead, he asked him a question. “Anyway, where’s Quinn at?”

“He’s at the play park with the kids,” Remedy answered.

Jemella nodded his head. “Better go round them up. Catch you lot later.”

With that, Jemella turned and head in the direction of the doors that led outside. It wasn’t at all a surprise for him to immediately go in search of Quinn when he returned. Now that they were no longer in Etria, no longer in their important roles, they both had the habit of just seeking each other out. Not so much to keep an eye on each other, but rather to simply spend time together.

This was their ‘vacation’ time, after all.

“Lynus!”

Lynus lifted his head up and turned in the direction of the new voice. From the hallway that led directly to the dining hall, three more figures appeared. One that Remedy recognised to be Azure, Lynus’ apprentice. But the blond-haired man with a ginger and white cat sitting on his shoulder, and a shirtless man with black hair and golden armbands were new to him.

They were obviously more members of the Guardians.

“Hm?” Lynus hummed, his brow furrowed slightly in concern when Azure immediately took hold of his arm and the blond-haired alchemist (by appearance) stood directly in front of him. “Is something wrong?”

But the blond-haired man shook his head. “N-no, we just wanted to make sure you both had returned before Maginia takes flight.”

“Ah.” Lynus relaxed and raised an arm toward the feline on the man’s shoulder, scratching it under the chin. “Is everyone starting to gather into the dining hall now?”

“Y-yes,” Azure answered over the really quite loud purrs of the cat. “We just wanted to make sure everyone knew.”

“That’s fair,” Lynus said in acceptance. He soon remembered that Remedy and his companions were still there and he turned to give them a short, apologetic look. “Ah, excuse me. Let me introduce you. This is Magnus, Shen, and Azure, my apprentice.”

“Nice to meet you,” Remedy replied politely. “I’m Remedy, this is Zircon, Simon, and Lindis.”

They had better get used to introducing themselves, hadn’t they?

Lindis unexpectedly walked forward, toward Magnus, and stopped. “Is this little one your mascot?” he asked.

Magnus nodded his head. “Her name is Zanna,” he replied, the cat swishing her tail as if in response to her name. “You can pat her, if you want.”

Lindis did just that, scratching Zanna under her chin. Something she seemed to appreciate, if pushing her head further into his hand for more scratches was any indication. “She’s very beautiful.”

“She’s also a snuggle-bug,” Lynus chuckled before a contemplative look appeared on his face and he turned his attention to Shen. “Speaking of which. How’s Chi-hung and his little wolves?”

Wait, wolves?

“They’re really nervous about their new surroundings,” Shen replied simply.

Lynus sighed and nodded his head. “That’s to be expected. We best stay with them as much as we can.”

“Shen and I will keep them together in the dining hall,” Magnus immediately offered, earning himself a small smile from Lynus.

“Yes, please do.”

“We’ll help,” Jhon volunteered before he turned regard Remedy and his companions. “Nice meeting you.”

“Ah, you, too,” Remedy automatically replied.

And watched as Jhon and Tobyn walked past him to join Shen and Magnus. Zanna settled back down on Magnus’ shoulder, the blond giving Lindis a small, almost shy wave as a farewell before he joins his guildmates. Lindis returned the small wave before he, too, moved to stand with Simon.

Azure, however, stayed clinging to Lynus’ arm. He appeared very meek and almost skittish. He seemed only really comfortable staying close to someone he knows quite well. And it was obvious that Lynus was the one he trusted the most. And Lynus was just as protective of him.

“Staying with us, Azure?” Lynus asked Azure softly, receiving a nod in response. “That’s fine. Oh, good news; Zadkiel is a member of the Guardians now. I’m sure you’ll both get along.”

Azure glanced over at Zadkiel, lingering there for a moment, before he turned back to Lynus. And nodded softly.

Lynus smiled in reassurance before he turned his attention back to everyone. “Well, shall we go to the dining hall, too?”

“Of course,” Remedy replied.

Remedy took the incentive and led everyone toward the dining hall. As they approached, he could hear voices of those who were already there. It was somehow comforting. In a way. When they first arrived, it was so quiet, just them in such a large place.

But now that there were thirty-three more of them with more to come, it was only going to get louder.

“And this is the dining hall,” Remedy explained as they walked into a large room.

Four long tables with chairs were within the very centre of the room. Cupboards surrounded two walls of the hall, and two swinging doors on the western wall. They, of course, led to the kitchen area. A sizeable kitchen, too. Which was excellent as they were going to have a lot of mouths to feed.

Hmm, Villard was likely to ask everyone to pitch in with certain chores. He’d probably get to that later. Or everyone would figure it out for themselves.

“The dining room is far larger than I had expected,” Lynus confessed.

“Villard is hoping to use this an impromptu meeting room should there ever be a case where he needs to speak with everyone,” Simon added.

“There are a lot of chairs here,” Lynus commented as he made note of the number of the chairs. There had to be at least a hundred or more. “No doubt he’s hoping to amass a huge gathering.”

Remedy glanced around and rubbed his arm. “Yeah. It was really empty when we first arrived.”

“Well, it’s going to be about half-way full now,” Lynus said with a as other began to file into the dining hall, too. “Why don’t we sit and I’ll tell you all the gossip about my guildmates?”

Remedy had to chuckle and nodded his head. But as he turned to look for a table where to could seat themselves, his eyes landed on two men as they walked in together. One was Villard. And the other was a certain detective who made himself quite renowned in Etria for his investigator skills.

“Oh, that’s Austin,” Remedy said as he motioned toward Austin with a wave of his hand, both Lynus and Axel turning to take a look himselves. “He’s a detective, like Villard apparently.”

“Austin, huh?” Axel repeated, his tone contemplative as he continued to stare at Austin for a few seconds longer. “He has a punchable face.”

The small statement surprised Remedy, but it earned a slight eye-roll from Lynus, a soft giggle from Azure, and a half laugh, half snort from Lindis.

“Yeah,” Lindis unexpectedly replied. “Absolutely. Five minutes into speaking with him and you’ll want to sock him in the teeth.”

“He can be rather…insufferable at times,” Simon added, trying hard to be more diplomatic than Lindis. “Nice enough, just very confident.”

Axel gave a short laugh as he turned to face them again. “I better avoid him, then,” he said with a grin and gazed toward Lynus to tell him something. “We should probably keep Zeryn away from him, too.”

Lindis perked up and furrowed his brow questioningly. “Zeryn? Six-foot-six with blond hair?”

Axel immediately turned to look at him once more. “That’s him.”

“He’s from my village,” Lindis explained.

“Really?” Surprise was evident in Axel’s voice. “You wouldn’t happen to know someone call Gage, too?”

“Six-foot-seven with brown hair?”

“Right.”

“I haven’t seen or heard from either of them in years,” Lindis murmured as he glanced around at the occupants slowly filling the hall. “Are they both here?”

“Yep,” Axel replied. “You’ll hear Zeryn before you see him. And Gage has the habit of sneaking up on you. They’re total opposites.”

“Why don’t you reunite Lindis with the two before Zeryn finds him first?” Lynus suggested.

Axel thought that over for a moment before he nodded his head. “Yeah, that could lead to untold chaos.” He then wrapped an arm around Lynus’ shoulders so that he could pull him toward him and press a kiss to his lips. “We’ll be back for the city takes off.”

Lindis turned away from the affection to glance over at Simon. To offer him his own reassurance, it seems. “Won’t be long. I’ll introduce you to them later.”

“Alright,” Simon replied with a slight frown. “Be back before we take off.”

“Of course,” Lindis promised before he turned and walked away with Axel, the redhead seemingly chatting with him as the moved.

Lynus watched the two as they left with a small smile on his lips before he turned to regard Remedy once more. “Well, shall we find a seat?”

Remedy nodded his head and moved to take the led once more. “Sure.”

“Coming, Zadkiel?” Lynus called out questioningly.

“Ah, yeah,” Zadkiel murmured as he followed Lynus and Azure closely behind.

Remedy led the small group over to one of the tables. The chose to sit across from each other. Lynus with Azure and Zadkiel on either side of him took one side. While Remedy sat on the other. With Simon and Zircon on either side of him.

Lynus seemed to take a moment to ensure that Azure was comfortable before he turned and folded his arms atop of the table in a relaxed manner. “Well, let’s start with who you haven’t met,” he murmured as he looked around. “Hm. Oh, there’s Ryker. The survivalist with the turquoise hair. He’s absolutely amazing at finding high quality materials. If you’re looking for something specific, he’ll find it for you.”

Remedy looked in where Lynus indicated. He saw two men that were talking with each other. One was obviously Ryker. The other appeared to be that of a medic.

“Redhead with glasses is Darrell,” Lynus continued. “He’s a medic and has a lot of hospital experience. He’s here to help in the construction and management of the Maginian Hospital, actually. He also has experience as an explorer.”

So, he was a medic. That was reassuring to know that there was going to be at least five medics on this expedition. They’d have to be in some serious trouble if they needed more.

“Oh, and there’s Shiki!” Lynus suddenly exclaimed. “I was wondering where he’s been all this time.”

Remedy turned to look in the same direction that Lynus was. He saw that his brother had finally returned to the dining hall with Jemella and the kids. Gerald, the gunner he had met earlier was also with them. As was his son and another man.

“The ronin with the bandages,” Lynus pointed out. “That’s Shiki. Gerald’s husband. He’s a dad-dad, if you know what I mean? He has the habit of adopting vulnerable people. Or just anyone, really.”

Quinn and Jemella seemed quite comfortable with the two already. They seemed relaxed. Jemella even sharing a laugh or two with Shiki. It was honestly good to see. They appeared to have a bit in common, so it was nice for hard-working Quinn to make some friends of his own.

Ghali suddenly broke from Gerald’s hand to run over to a tall, muscular man with blue hair. And hugged him tightly around the waist.

Lynus had also seen the sight and chuckled. “Ah, the man with blue-hair? That’s Simmons, Shiki’s son. He’s a very sweet, innocent man. That family…has been through a lot. It’s unfair, really.”

Another man appeared. Shorter than the first, but dressed similarly to that of a dark hunter. And Ghali hugged him around the waist, too.

“The white-haired dark hunter is Rahas,” Lynus continued to explain. “He is Simmons’ partner and extremely protective of Simmons and his family. And I mean, extremely.”

From across the hall, a voice suddenly boomed above all the noise, startling Remedy enough to jump in his seat. “Aye, Lindis! How the fuck is ya?”

Lynus winced lightly before he smiled. “That’s Zeryn. You really do hear him before you see him. Though, he’s not as bad as he used to be. Topaz has calmed him down somewhat.”

“Is Topaz the blue-haired man following him?” Remedy asked as he watched Zeryn, the tall highlander make a bee-line for Lindis, a rather regal man at his heel.

“That’s him,” Lynus chuckled.

During his walk to Lindis, Zeryn bypassed another with short green hair and a cape. The little crown he wore gave the indication that he was someone of royalty. Or someone who liked to think himself as such.

“Hey, little Dickie!” Zeryn greeted as he swiftly moved past.

The kid spun around with a dramatic flare. “It’s Benedict, you uncouth swine!”

“And that’s Benedict,” Lynus said with a laugh. “Benedict Richardson the Third. He’s…special, I suppose you could say. Don’t worry; if you forget his name, he will remind you.”

They certainly had some colourful characters in their guild.

A hexer in maroon robes strolled past Lynus and their end of the table. He suddenly dropped to the floor, face first, making a loud thud. It caused Remedy to jump in his seat yet again and he saw the others do the same as they simultaneously turn to look toward the source of the noise. However, Remedy also noticed that Lynus didn't look. Instead, Lynus had closed his eyes and drew in a slow breath.

"Mahogany," he murmured under his breath.

He didn't look annoyed or agitated, but there was obvious exasperation in his voice.

A hand suddenly reached up and slapped against the table, startling everyone once again. Slowly, the hexer, likely called Mahogany, used the table to struggle back to his feet. He drew in a sharp breath before...standing straight and idly fixing his hair. Like nothing had happened.

"How odd," the hexer murmured.

"Don't say it, Mahogany," Lynus unexpectedly warned.

"I've matured past that, now," Mahogany replied with a careless shrug. "If you're interested, it’s the one with white hair."

Lynus eyes flickered over toward Simon. Sympathy, perhaps even empathy, caused his gaze to soften. It was a fleeting moment, but Remedy caught it all the same.

“You really need to stop scaring people, Mahogany,” Lynus chided lightly as he turned his attention back to his guildmate.

Mahogany shrugged, apparently either dismissive or nonchalant about his startling behaviour. “I don’t do it on purpose. Most of the time, at least.”

With that said, he turned and walked away, completely oblivious to the discontentment he left in his wake.

Lynus broke the uncomfortable silence that followed with an audible sigh. “He’s always like that. You’ll have to forgive his…quirkiness, I suppose.”

“Hexers are renowned for their particular skills,” Simon responded before he glanced over the rims of his glasses to give Lynus a rather…pointed look.

Lynus unexpectedly sighed as he folded his arms atop of the table and leaned against them. "He always leaves me to explain. Mahogany has a particular...skill, you could say. One that allows his to see past events of the lives of...other people. The more traumatic the event, the easier it is for him to receive that vision."

They fell into an uneasy silent after Lynus’ explanation. Simon in particular was unnerved. Remedy could almost feel his unease.

“What could he…?” Simon muttered under his breath as his gazed off to the side. That breath was soon caught in his throat, gasping in realisation.

“He did the same thing to me,” Lynus quickly admitted, likely in an attempt to calm or reassure Simon. That admission earned a surprised glance from Simon. “It’s very unnerving, to be quite frank. Sent me running.”

Lynus was absolutely attempting to disarm the tension that had fallen over the group. Finally, Simon nodded his head and idly pushed up his glasses.

“We’re all explorers,” Simon said. “It’s an unfortunate fact that we’ve endured trauma in our lives.”

“Very true. And the fact that we’re all still here proves how stubborn we truly are,” Lynus added with a smile.

“We’re back.”

A flicker of relief appeared in Lynus’ eyes upon the sound of Axel’s voice. Zadkiel scooted to the side to allow for Axel to slip in between him and Lynus. While Lindis walked to the other side of the table and sat next to Simon. Whom of which also wore an expression of relief.

“Seems like Maginia is about to take flight at any minute,” Axel explained as he slipped an arm around Lynus, intentionally pulling him closer.

“We’ll soon see how we’ll handle this, then,” Lynus commented.

“We heard Zeryn,” Simon said to Lindis, likely looking to change the topic subject. “I’m almost afraid to ask how he greeted you personally.”

Lindis gave a short laugh as he rested his elbows on the table. “He’s actually gotten better. Still, I understand why Elder kicked him out in frustration.”

“He’s very proud of that,” Axel quipped.

Again, Lindis laughed and shook his head. “Doesn’t surprise me. But it was nice meeting Gage again.”

A loud siren that blared for several consecutive minutes interrupted everyone. Other then the siren, no one else made a sound. They remained silent when a rumbling noise was heard. Tat indicated that the engines were powering up to lift Maginia up off the ground.

Remedy instinctively held onto the table in front of him, while Axel and Lynus reacted by reaching out to one another. Axel kept an arm firm around Lynus’ shoulders while Lynus used one hand to latch onto Axel, his other reaching out to comfort Azure. Out of the two, Azure had the most negative reaction; immediately scooting over to Lynus and burying his face into his shoulder.

They didn’t immediately panic, however. They remain relatively calm throughout the trembling and noise around them.

Perhaps they had been warned beforehand. Perhaps they knew that they were fine once that got to cruising level, as it were. The take off always rattled some buildings and nerves.

Thankfully, where they were located, they didn’t have to deal with the constant hum or roar of the engines. They were located close to the centre of the city, away from the powerful winds and engine noise.

Finally, the noise and rattling began to subside. And it was replaced by a new sound; children crying.

Remedy immediately looked over to where his brother sat with Jemella and the kids. Quinn had Benji on his lap, comforting the boy. He had reacted the same way when they lifted off for the first time. The loud noise and rumblings frightened him.

And it appeared as if he wasn’t the only one startled by the event; Gerald was comforting Ghali, the blond-haired boy clinging to him with his arms around his neck.

Poor kids. They’ll likely be afraid of every take off. The sooner they got to Lemuria, the better.

Turning his attention away from the frightened boys, Remedy looked back toward Lynus. Axel still had his arm around his shoulders, but Lynus seemed to be comforting Azure more than reacting to the events around them. Azure, for his part, had lifted his head from Lynus’ shoulder, but he was obviously still unnerved by what had occurred.

“You handled that rather well,” Simon complimented as he relaxed a little. “Austin dropped to the floor in a duck-and-cover position when he experienced take off for the first time.”

“Ah. This isn’t our first time in a flying city,” Lynus unexpectedly revealed.

“You’ve been to Maginia before?” Remedy asked, clearly surprised.

But Lynus shook his head. “Maginia, no. There’s a stratum in Lagaard’s labyrinth we called “Heavenly Keep”. It’s a flying castle of sorts.”

That immediately gained Simon’s interest. “Really?”

“Oh yes,” Lynus said with a smile. “I’m sure we’ll be able to tell each other of the quirks of labyrinths, hm?”

“Speaking of which, what our next stop at?” Axel asked.

Remedy thought for a moment. “Well, from what I understand our next port of call is Armoroad.”

“Hm? Armoroad?” Lynus perked up a little upon hearing the city’s name. “Oh good. I hope to find Flavio there.”

Simon tilted his head to the side. “Flavio?”

“Yes, he’s also from Midgard Library.”

“Yes, I remember him,” Simon murmured as he straightened his posture. “Him and Fafnir were inseparable. I’m afraid I haven’t heard anything about the two for at least two years.”

Lynus’ bright expression suddenly dimmed slightly and he looked apologetic. “It’s a very long story, but Fafnir was stranded in Armoroad and Flavio, of course, went off to find him immediately. His party member and friend, Bertrand, accompanied him to find Fafnir.”

Simon frowned. “I sense that this has an extraordinary story behind it.”

“Flavio will be able to tell you more than I could,” Lynus said with a sad smile. He trailed off for a moment, lost in thought. He soon shook his head, however, and rested his arms atop of the table once more. “What other cities will we be visiting?”

“Ah, Tharsis and Iorys,” Remedy answered.

Again, Lynus seemed to brighten. “Oh good, we are visiting Tharsis. I have a penpal there. I’ve been wanting to meet him and his guild.”

“Iorys is going to be interesting, to say the least,” Simon added. “It’s an isolated island that rumours state they have their own unique races and skills.”

It was a shame that Maginia only stayed at their chosen ports for a day or two, using that time to gather materials. It would be nice to visit other labyrinths, to see for themselves that kind of environments and materials that could be discovered.

Oh well. They’ll just have to deal with the surprises that Lemuria had in store for them.

#Etrian Odyssey #etrian odyssey nexus #fanfiction #A Gathering of Guardians #Simon #Lindis/Highlander

5 notes · View notes

theladyoflove · 5 years

Text

Newbie Devotee Challenge: Day 18

WE’RE COMING TOWARDS THE END! I realised this challenge will be completed just in time to begin Aphrodite April so AAAAAAAH

Day 18: More research! Today, research the deities that are either related to or close to your deity. Include family, friends, lovers, and enemies. Who is your deity closest to?

I have been reading this ancient texts for hours and they’re actually a lot easier to read than I thought they would be! I’m really enjoying having some harp music in the background while I read through these. I’m putting a read more so you don’t have to scroll for like 30 seconds to get past this post lol.

[WARNING: THIS IS LONG]

All of this information is thanks to theoi.com!

Aphrodite’s first lover was Hesphaistos, a crippled god of blacksmiths and crafts. She was given to him as a prize for freeing this mother Hera from a golden thrown he has purposefully trapped her in, in resentment for his treatment as a baby (he was thrown off of the mountain of olympus by Hera and Zeus for his disabilities). There are some texts which show a loving nature between them such as this one:

"Venus [Aphrodite] . . . spoke to her husband, Volcanos [Hephaistos], as they lay in their golden bed-chamber, breathing into the words all her divine allurement [persuading him to forge armour for her son Aeneas in Latium] . . . Since Volcanos [Hephaistos] complied not at once, the goddess softly embraced him in snowdrift arms, caressing him here and there. Of a sudden he caught the familiar spark and felt the old warmth darting into his marrow, coursing right though his body, melting him; just as it often happens a thunderclap starts a flaming rent which ladders the dark cloud, a quivering streak of fire. Pleased with her wiles and aware of her beauty, Venus [Aphrodite] could feel them taking effect. Volcanus [Hephaistos], in love's undying thrall [conceded to her requests] . . . Thus saying, he gave his wife the love he was aching to give her; then he sank into soothing sleep, relaxed upon her breast."

Reading this made my heart feel so warm, and it made me feel like at one point they did care about one another. However, after Hesphaistos finds out his wife was sleeping with Ares he demanded a divorce (not before quite amazingly and funnily shaming the lovers).

Her next lover was obviously Ares, who she is later on in the Iliad said to be the consort of, which assumes they were married. To him she bore Phobos, Deimos, Harmonia and Eros. I really love the pairing honestly. Two forms of passion, love and anger, makes for such a dynamic and beautifully destructive relationship! I feel with Ares she is the most happy and loved compared to all her other affairs.

During a one on one duel with Athene, Ares is badly injured and Aphrodite comes down to rescue him:

“...But taking Ares by the hand the daughter of Zeus, Aphrodite, led him away, groaning always, his strength scarce gathered back into him.”

Which I think is extremely sweet of her to put herself in the way of the most deadly (and most favoured) goddess in order to protect her lover. Later on in this text it also calls her, “ ...Aphrodite glorious-crowned, the Bride of [Ares] the strong War-god...”

Her next lover in the sources is Hermes, who famously bore him Hermaphroditus. Hermes fell in love with Aphrodite’s beauty (who wouldn’t), and advanced onto her, to which she rejected. Zeus, witnissing this, pitied him. He sent an eagle to steal one of Aphrodite’s sandals and give it to hermes. In return for her sandal she agreed to sleep with him.

A source to the short translated texts here

The next lover is... not really a lover. It details the attempted unconsensual encounter of Zeus. (I don’t want to use the other more blatant word because I know how strong it can feel to read that. But keep in mind, in ancient greece “r*pe” meant anything from out of wedlock, consensual sex to kidnapping.)

"Wild his [Zeus'] desire had been for Kypris [Aphrodite], when craving but not attaining he scattered his seed on the ground, and shot out the hot foam of love self-sown, where in the fruitful land horned Kypros flourished the two-coloured generation of wild creatures (pheres) with horns [Kentauroi (Centaurs)]."

Later on, Aphrodite sleeps with Zeus out of her out own volition. From him she bore the god Priapos. A god made ugly by the curse of Hera, Zeus’ second wife. Aphrodite hurled her hideious child onto a moutain where he was found by a sheppard, who claimed the child had genitals growing from his behind.

I can’t go through all the lovers but I’ll list the rest here and the children she bore them:

DIONYSUS - bore no children (though some texts say Priapos is their child). POSEIDON - bore him Rhodos and Herophilos. NERITIES - bore no children. ADONIS - bore him Beroe. ANKHISES - bore him Aeneas and Lyros. BOUTES - bore him Eryx PHAON - bore no children. PHAETHON - bore him Astynoos

The true story of Aphrodite’s birth is something that’s very confusing and the majority of mytho-nerds and hp’s alike have come to agree-to-disagree on which one if her main birth story.

Aphrodite Ourania is the Aphrodite who is said to have been born from the severed gentials of Ouranous. This is personally the one I am in favour of because I enjoy the idea of Aphrodite being above even the king of the gods in terms of kin. That love comes before all.

Aphrodite Pandemos is given the birth story of being the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Dione, this story also gave her the epithets Aphrodite Diôniaia and Aphrodte Dios thugatêr

Now there is another text which states: “... he [Ouranos] also was the father of Mercury (Hermes) by Dia, and of Venus by Hemera.” However in the same text it also says: “ Out of the drops of his blood sprang the Gigantes, the Melian nymphs, and according to some, Silenus, and from the foam gathering around his limbs in the sea, sprang Aphrodite” So I’m not sure if this one can be completely trusted.

Aphrodite also has SO many people she has scorned and punished. So I also wont be able to go into detail on all of them or even give a brief description, but here are a small few:

MENELAOS - who had promised the goddess a hundred cattle heads for her blessings to wed Helene. However, when he did not keep his end of the promise, she enloped his wife with Troy.

THE SIX SONS OF POESIDON - Aphrodite attempted to seek refuge on their island after birthing from the ocean. They drove her away and as punishment gave them unheathy sexual drives which lead to their deaths.

EOS - As punishment for sleeping with Aphrodite’s lover Ares, she cursed Eos to have an unquenchable thurst for younger men.

PSYKHE - Originally to be punished for her beauty, she was destined to fall in love with the most horrible beast. But her son wounded himself with his own arrow and carried her away to be his secret bride. When she betrays his trust by gazing upon his face, Aphrodite gives her many seemingly impossible tasks which she succeeds all. In the end Aphrodite accepts Psykhe as her daughter in law and she marries her lover.

MAN THIS TOOK FOREVER BUT IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! I felt an overwhelming feeling of calm and joy and I think Aphrodite is very happy that I took so much time out of my day to read about her myths!

#newbie devotee challenge #devotee challenge #aphrodite

5 notes · View notes

sidgenoheatwave-blog · 6 years

Text

Heat Wave Prompts 2018

You can write for one prompt, or multiple, or be merely inspired by them. Check out the nsfw prompts below! (Please be aware that the tumblr app may not include the read more.)

Kinks:

Dirty talk, or they are otherwise very loud.

Sexting/nudes

Dirty talk, sexting, really turning the other on until they can't take it and jump the other. Optional: semi-public sex

Public sex in general, the more shameless the better.

Fucking in public/trying not to be obvious

Shower sex. Optional: exhibition

Exhibitionists at a high rise

Sid fingers Geno in public

Locker room sex

Car Sex, with a high chance of being caught.

Voyeurism - Geno catching Sidney masturbating

Sex toys. Who has them? Who wants to use them?

Butt plugs, teasing with them, wearing all day, between sex "sessions"

Anal beads

Using a remote vibrator

Toys, toys are good. Not a gang-bang, as such, but fingers in a mouth, a dildo or vibrator for penetration, a mouth on a dick; all of those at once, until it's just overwhelming and perfect and maybe it feels as if more than two people were involved -- they weren't -- because of how wrecked they are when it's done.

Sid wants to get tied up, but he's not sure how to ask for it.

Hockey tape bondage

Handjob while recipient is handcuffed to a bed or a chair.

Figging and discipline with a dominant Sid, please and thank you.

Spanking

Sid spanking Geno

Pressing on bruises, maybe on accident first, and hearing a gasp.

Edging and oversensitivity

Angry wall sex

Competitive orgasms.

Neck touching

Body worship by either Geno or Sidney

Sid's giant dick

Sid has a big dick and Geno’s really, really into it

More monster dongs, more monster-fucking

Slits! -- cloaca with maybe a retractable dick. You know. Normal fish fucking stuff

Monster transformation and doin’ it with weird genitalia

Tentacles

Scenting/marking/animal trait!possessiveness

Alpha/Beta/Omega:

Geno getting double knotted (by two Sids? by a dildo? you decide)

Female alpha/male omega

Alpha!Sid/Omega!Geno, mpreg

Inconvenient knotting

Omega/omega

Mpreg - Sid and Geno decide to make a baby.

Oviposition

Eggpreg

Lactation

Someone’s got really sensitive nipples.

Medical fetish with Dr. Sid and patient!Geno. Be as dirty as you want.

Bathing/washing kink. Sex optional but intimacy would be wonderful.

One of them naked, the other fully clothed.

Hockey garters and jockstraps (it can be Sid’s jock if you wanna get REAL nasty)

Reward blow jobs

Intercrural/intergluteal.

Someone is secretly a virgin (preferably Geno). The deflowering can be tender or filthy.

“Just the tip.”

Anal penetration for the first time. Just fingering, or full on penis penetration.

Hair-trigger and multiple orgasms.

Coming in pants.

Pet names and rough sex.

Daddy!Sid/Geno

Detailed instructions for fucking. (Either just the two of them or with others.)

Cock warming.

Consensual somnophilia

Object penetration. Things that are phallic but not a penis. ...popsicle? Hockey stick? Hairbrush handle? Fucking video game controller? Anything.

Sex and magic. Does magic make it better? Unpredictable?

Sex pollen.

Genderswap / Rule 63

Scenarios:

Sid learning Russian dirty talk and Geno just about dies.

Geno exploits Sid's language kink by not speaking English in bed.

Sidney loving on his handsome russian husband- bottom Sidney

Wedding night/honeymoon, having deliberately not had sex for [length of time] beforehand to make it extra special.

Fucking in every room of the house. Christening a new home?

Geno is moving back to Russia; emotional goodbye sex.

Life-affirming sex with tears.

With the Cup.

A bye-week romp -- assuming they can agree on a compromise between snowy mountains and sunny beaches -- in which it doesn't really matter where they are because they never really leave bed.

Sidney enjoying his first time getting rimmed.

Geno discovers his prostate + Sid doesn't like anal = fucking machine

Sid ties Geno up and leaves a remote controlled vibe in him while he goes out and runs errands. Geno comes untouched while Sid is out, prompting him to use a cock cage next time.

Sid and Geno aren't dating, as such. But sometimes Sid needs to get laid. And he and G are really good friends who trust each other. They have their regular dinners and hang out a lot as friends. And sometimes Sid asks G to spend a day/night/weekend with him, and they actually make "friends with benefits" work. (It could evolve into more after hockey is done. But there's no real pining happening in the meantime, because they're both really happy with what they have. The sex is amazing and the friendship is easy.)

An actual heatwave in Pittsburgh and Sid has all the fans. And a generator for ice-based drinks. Russian vodka in his freezer. Lots of beads of sweat for multiple reasons in this one.

Sex on the ice. Gear: Optional

Sid likes to use Geno for stress relief.

Fucking after one of them gets a hat trick.

We know Sid’s superstitious. Geno fucks him bare before a game, and after that Sid needs a creampie until his point streak’s over. Alternately, he has to give Geno a creampie.

Sid has FANTASIES about other players and Geno does his best to roleplay, but he's not the best actor.

Geno leaves one of his Pens hoodies at Sid's -- maybe forgetting to pick it up from the "coat" pile on his way out the door after a team gathering. When he comes back the next day to retrieve it, he walks in on Sid -- so distracted that he didn't hear the gate alert or the door open -- getting off on his couch with his face buried in G's hoodie. (Or maybe wearing it -- and nothing else -- though he arguably then could claim he mistook it for his own.) (If the timing is right, maybe Sid is so far gone that seeing Geno doesn't instantly send him rushing to cover up but actually pushes him over the edge.)

Sid has a repressed daddy kink until he blurts it out in bed and it turns out Geno is super into it.

Sid masturbates to hockey highlights. Mainly Geno's 'best of' videos on YouTube. Then just aroused by anything Geno does or says. Awkward locker room times ensue.

Someone goes on Sid’s phone and see the many nudes of Geno he has saved, or alternatively Sid taking pics of Geno.

Sid and Geno have had a FWB situation since their first season together as Pens. Neither of them has ever wanted more than what they have, and they’re both happy. No one suspects anything. It’s good. Then their third Cup party is at Sid’s instead of Mario’s, the champagne and liquor are flowing, and someone untrustworthy with a camera catches Sid and Geno in Sid’s bedroom. Cue the media storm.

Geno picks up a girl/guy early in the season (ignoring real life relationships no infidelity please), and they give him their number. At the same time Sid finally gets a new phone, also a new number. They get mixed up. Que heavy flirting and maybe even some dick pics.

Summers are tough when you live on different continents but thank God for Skype and jerk sessions.

Geno facetimes Sid over summer break, horny and frustrated because jackin’ it hasn’t been enough for him. SKYPE SEX ensues, Sid, folding his laundry at home, talks him through it and then jerks off for him on camera after Geno’s come.

They make a sex tape to watch over the summer.

Phone sex when only one is called up for the All-Star Game.

Sid and Geno are best friends that talk about everything including sex. Or, well, about everything except the fact that they are in love with each other/secretly pining after on another). One day, Geno talks about the wonders of the prostate and prostate milking. Sid, never having been with a guy before (another reason he is hesitant to tell Geno about his feelings) is intrigued/has never done it before and decides to try it. Cue lots of frustration as Sid can't figure it out. Geno, tired of hearing about Sid's failures, decides to lend a helping hand.

Friends to lovers: their first time together.

One of them walks in on the other one jerking off.

Nevernude Sid is suddenly naked all the time and is distracting to poor Geno.

Sid does a Sports nude shoot and Geno has FEELINGS about it.

Naked distraction in the locker room after a game while the other is trying to give an interview.

Sid walks around his house naked a lot. Geno uses his spare key when he thought Sid was out of town ONCE and all hell breaks loose. Good hell. Very sexy hell obviously.

Geno finds a Fleshlight at Sid's house.

Sid just wants to rub off on Geno. All. The. Time.

Sid likes big dicks. There’s a practical reason for this... his ass is so big and basically a solid chunk of muscle, most guys can’t get deep enough to hit the good spots. But Geno’s dick though, it’s just the perfect size to scratch his itch very nicely.

Vancouver Games hook-ups

This tweet [Overheard phone conversation: "And you had sex how many times? Hmm. Yeah, that's not technically a bromance."]

Teammates hooking up at a gay club but neither initially knowing the other liked guys or were at the club.

It’s not cheating if you join in.

Training the rookies together. For sex things!

Sid and Anna overwhelming Geno.

Sid/Geno, Ovi/Nicky, groupsex. Geno and Ovi share Sid and Nicky with one another, watch Sid and Nicky play with one another, and fuck the hell out of the both of them. Bonus for Geno holding Sid down while Ovi fucks him, or vice versa with Ovi holding Nicky down for Geno.

The teammates in the next hotel room won't shut up, so Geno starts making Sid moan.

Sid comes on Geno’s face in a bar bathroom during an ill-advised one-time tipsy hook-up but he can’t stop thinking about it afterward and it EATS AT HIM until they fuck again. Geno’s eyes closed and his mouth open, waiting for it?? Good stuff.

Geno getting rimmed on the bench during a game.

At the movies.

Someone gets rawed in a barn.

Straight-faced shenanigans on the plane. // The one where they fuck on the plane.

Fucking during an interview.

Long-time neighbors putting on shows for each other and finally, finally hooking up. Begging the other to come over via whiteboard.

Geno loves getting Sid horny and hard in public when Sid can't do anything about it.

Quickie in the men’s room at the NHL Awards (or the All Star Red Carpet Day)-- Sid gets Geno into a stall and tugs down Geno’s pants and eats him out until he cries.

They're out to the team but Geno gets off on hiding: secret closet sex that has the team rolling their eyes like why do we have to be a part of their fucking foreplay.

Exhibitionists at a six corner building facing oncoming traffic. Very specific, but I drive by a building on a six corner and can’t help but imagine.

I like the idea of public sex far more than I like the reality of it. And the appeal is not in the possibility of getting caught (really, that's the horrifying part) but in the fact that they just need each other so much in the moment that they can't wait (don't want to wait) until they get home. So something in which there's no real chance of them being caught, even if there's a party with the entire team going on in the next room.

BDSM + Dom/Sub AU:

Geno and Sid are in a Dom/sub relationship. Geno is a huge fan of public sex, but since Sid worries so much about the press, Geno keeps the public displays to the locker room. The guys get treated to seeing Sid on his knees blowing Geno in the locker room, or Geno fucking him in the shower, or Sid riding Geno in his stall.

In which both are doms or both are subs.

Geno and Sid are in a serious Dom/sub relationship. Geno likes to share what's his sometimes. Sitting in his stall, his fingers curled in Sid's collar, he keeps Sid on his knees and lets some of the other guys fuck Sid's mouth. Maybe as a reward for playing well or being the stars of the game. Sid's reward for being such a good boy is Geno fucking him in his stall in front of everyone.

Geno wants nothing more than to serve Sid, but Sid's not great at being served.

Geno gets lovingly tied up and rawed until he cries.

Kink discovery.

Geno’s really into breathplay which he discovers when Sid accidentally chokes him during oral; they experiment with it together to their intense mutual satisfaction.

Geno is really into the idea of nipple rings but he doesn’t want to get his done so Sid buys nipple clamps and they have a good time.

Geno got a Gordie Howe hat trick against Philly, so Sid agrees to be tied up in bed

Geno is really into the idea of nipple rings but he doesn’t want to get his done so Sid buys nipple clamps and they have a good time.

Magical AU where people can't really feel sensations fully until they meet their soul mates. Sid and Geno suddenly discover they can feel everything but haven't told anyone or each other! They just want to be in the bliss of all the new sensations for as long as they can. Once they figure it out they can't stop touching each other any and everywhere!

It's a good ole classic body swap! How will they manage? How guilty do they feel being able to explore each other's bodies? How do they find out about it? When one is walking a little funny because he went a little too hard with that extra large dildo??? Gosh! do they have to sleep with each other or something to break this spell??

Sex rituals: it’s midwinter and they have to fuck in the snow and jizz on the ground for spring to come. This can be a fantasy AU or just a magical realism in the NHL type thing. (Or maybe it’s at center ice in order to ensure a fruitful season or postseason. Whether it’s their own magic/ritual or something Strongly Encouraged by management is up to you.)

Sid is a monster or alien and his saliva and various juices get humans a little bit high. Geno discovers this and likes Sid to jack off onto him when he’s had a rough game. Maybe he likes to rub it into his skin and let it dry there like a wild animal and showers it off later when it’s all itchy. This is weird to Sid but he likes coming on Geno’s ass and upturned face and it makes Geno happy so like whatever.

Sid got cursed as a teen and his dick is surrounded by a mess of tentacles and normally it's glamoured and looks/feels normal but he Really Wants To Fuck Geno With All That

One of them is a mermaid with all kinds of exciting fish bits -- the other gently fingers his gills while they fuck

Vampire sex somehow

Vampire Sid making Geno his human, fucking him while biting him.

Sid goes with Geno to Russia for the lockout but they’re WEREWOLVES and Sid fucks Geno raw, filling him with cum, and bites him very aggressively so everybody knows that Geno might be playing for this team For Now but he belongs to Sid’s pack.

Werewolf AU with wolves taking mates and mating outside in the forest.

Werewolf AU pack bonding sex when Geno joins the Penguin pack

Werewolf AU Geno and Sid hooking up during the Olympics - a time when they aren’t pack. Maybe they are mates, maybe their instincts are messed up and sex becomes rough and almost like a fight.

Alpha/Beta/Omega:

Geno goes into heat for the first time upon arrival in Pittsburgh, Alpha!Sid accidentally bonds with him.

The thought of Geno/being around Geno always has gets Sid super wet. Like, it gets everywhere. Luckily, you can't smell it, or else it would be super embarrassing for Sid to be around him...especially since they are not together. Sid goes to extreme lengths to make sure no one around him figures out exactly the effect Geno has on him...until one day, Geno accidentally walks in on Sid fantasizing about Geno while getting off. What happens next....

Omega Sidney and Alpha Geno - alpha chasing omega trope

Alpha!Sid is a late bloomer, and after his third or fourth season with the Pens, he returns and scents omega!Geno for the first time.

Omega!Sid and alpha!Geno, with full consent and a really relaxing few days of tv and sex and laughs, but also a lot of submissive, fake innocent sid wanting a big strong alpha to protect him

Scent marking without realising it, and scent marking on purpose

Heat sex! With geno presenting late as an alpha and experienced omega sid

Alpha!Sid in pre-rut and Geno enjoying every second of it (mostly making him wait)

Knotting in Geno’s heat nest

Sid catches Geno stealing his nasty sweaty clothes to jerk off into

Geno goes into heat on the plane for a road trip and it hits him hard and fast and he’s MISERABLE and every alpha on the team is Uncomfortably Worked Up and concerned about it because it’s their instinct to help him somehow. Sid eventually crams him into one of the little lavatories and fucks him with his legs spread, bent over at the waist and braced behind the toilet. Everyone can hear them despite the ambient plane noises because neither of them can be remotely quiet. Nobody minds. With Geno a little settled and smelling like Sid’s sweat and jizz, everybody’s pinged instincts relax. (Whether or not their boners do the same is debatable.)

Mpreg - sex for the first time after the baby's born

One tries to get the other pregnant but they’re not having immediate success so they have to fuck a LOT.

Genderswap au! Geno pretending to knock Sid up. Or vice versa.

Genderswap Geno shaving Sid’s legs, his hands on her thighs and Sid watching him bite his lip in concentration.

Age difference + daddy kink: rookie Geno and captain Sid. Geno likes to be taken care of. He earns everything he gets, but if he likes to lay his face in Sid’s lap and jerk off while Sid praises him in a steady stream of english he can only kind of understand? WHO CAN BLAME HIM?? Geno is exceedingly smug about the entire arrangement.

Captain!Geno gets rookie!Sid as a reward

A Rookie's Welcome to Pittsburgh (Sid bangs Geno who speaks like 3 words of English)

On the street proposition/cash for sex

Client!Geno and rentboy!Sid // Escort Geno

Seducing the new neighbor

Masseuse AU. Sid rubs Geno down. // Masseuse/P.T.

Knight Sid carrying Geno off to ravish him

Regency or Historical AU. Sid fucks Geno in some back room while a ball is going on.

Regency - repressed touching, etc.

Inspired by the verse “save a horse, ride a cowboy”. Sid learns that horse back riding is really good for quad development and hip flexibility, but their insurance prohibits such a dangerous activity. Luckily, horses aren’t the only thing you can ride.

Fishing trip: camping outdoor sex with blankets and campfire (bears optional)

Prime Minister and pretty aide finally getting together à la love actually (make it above board, please).

Guy you’re hooking up with is a porn star and he prefers banging you above all others. Say no to angst, please.

Getting more than an autograph from your favourite star.

Getting a monthly pass from their significant others. No angst, please.

Geno likes to wear perfume sometimes (think Flowerbomb by Vikor and Rolf, maybe Bloom by Gucci), and Sidney likes the scent of Evgeni’s skin.

Single Dads: Sid fucks Geno in the kitchen over the counter in the few minutes they have in an empty house. It’s fast and dirty and maybe Geno pushes the fruit bowl onto the floor on accident he can’t HELP IT and also he does not care because he’s getting dicked SO! GOOD! by his kid’s hot hockey coach and he feels slutty about it but not in a bad way just in a “he’s so deep inside me I feel like I’m gagging on it” way that he’ll think about in the shower tomorrow morning. The children do not feature.

Ancient Greece gymnasium/olympics AU/competence kink - nude, oiled up from head to toe, wrestling. (If it's just an exhibition match cause they're at the same gym maybe they oiled each other up, part of the whole ritual of it?). They WRESTLE and it’s slick and slippery and they're so well matched and really into just how good the other is that afterward they bone down.

#heat wave main #thank you all for contributing!#this is ten pages on google docs #you might want to take notes #edit: fixed some things!

62 notes · View notes

inalandofmythandtimeofmagic · 7 years

Text

Moose

This was supposed to be my secret Santa gift but oh well

Fluff with optional sad ending brief analogical and brief Royality, oh and a puppy

A/N: a series of snapshot memories of Thomas and his puppy. Sad ending optional because I didn’t know how else to end this, sorry.

The entire mindscape was a buzz with anticipation. Today was the day. Logan had done all the research, Virgil had asked all of the what if’s, Roman had been proposing names at a mile a minute, and Patton had yet to stop squealing. Today Thomas would bring home a puppy.

Finally! Finally! - seemed to be the general consensus. The second Thomas walked through his front door the sides freed themselves from the mindscape, appearing in the living room as they usually did. A sort of unintelligible,yet happy, sobbing was coming from Patton’s corner. Virgil felt that, roughly translated, it was something along the lines of “OH MY GOD A PUPPY! A PUPPY! SHE IS CUTE! SHE IS SO PURE AND SWEET AND WE DON’T DESERVE HER!” or something like that.

The sound increased in volume when Thomas set the chocolate lab puppy down and she took her first stumbling steps across the carpet.

“We should call her Pippa. No! Jacqueline! No! Something Disney related, like Jasmine! Or Lady! Or Ana! Or we could just call her Disney, I like that. No, no,” Roman continued, shouting out names and dismissing them just as quickly. Patton sunk down to the floor, cooing at the pup and coaxing her closer.

“Well she is a chocolate lab, we should name her after a dessert.” Patton said, finally calm enough to speak.

“Isn’t that a bit on the nose?” Logan asked and Virgil nodded with him, but Roman had already taken the idea and ran with it.

“Fudge! Fudgesicle! Brownie! Hersey! Candy! Uh Cake”

“Roman those are all terrible,” Virgil rolled his eyes at him, and at Patton who was crying again with the puppy held close to him and liking his face. Virgil fought hard to keep the soft smile off of his face.

“Come on Roman, think! Chocolate …. Chocolate milk! No, no, chocolate pudding. Chocolate mousse! “

Thomas snorted, “We could call her Moose. I think it’s kind of funny.”

“No Thomas, don’t be ridiculous.” Roman dismissed him, but Virgil shrugged.

“I like it, it’s unexpected, different.”

“And a play on words!” Patton piped up, trying to tug his cardigan sleeve out of the little pup’s mouth.

“A chocolate moose. Even I can appreciate that it’s clever, and she has a similar coloring.” Logan added.

“So then it’s settled, your name shall be Moose.” Thomas beamed at the puppy who was now sniffing around an affronted Roman’s feet. He swooped down to pick her up and raised her to eye level.

“Where is the dignity in that name, huh girl? Where is the grace? Oh Gracie is a good name!” The little pup growled and nipped playfully at Roman’s fingers. Roman gave her a stern look, obviously trying not to smile. Of course Moose chose that exact moment to adorably sneeze all over his face. “Ugh, perhaps Moose is the right name for you after all, you little rascal.”

“Come here Moose. Come on girl. Come here Moose,” Logan said, crouching down. Moose cocked her head to the side, listening, which got an aw out of everyone except Logan, who quirked a half smile at her. The puppy barked at him once before bounding over to him. “Hello Moose, it is lovely to meet you.” He said, holding her close and scratching behind her ear.

“Logan you big softie,” Patton teased, and to Virgil’s amazement Logan actually blushed.

“Here Virgil, would you like to hold her?”he asked to cover his embarrassment, trying to hand her over the stair railing.

“What? No, what if I drop her or I hold her too tight or she doesn’t like me?”

“Virgil,” Thomas said in that soft, chiding voice he used whenever Virgil said something too self derogatory. Patton’s influence to be sure.

“She is going to love you kiddo,” Patton reassured him gently.

“Moose is a puppy, not a glass figurine, you will not hurt her.” Roman nodded at him.

“I promise I won’t let go until you have a good hold on her.” Logan said lowly, just to him, refusing to break eye contact with him. For a second Virgil forgot all about the puppy, because for a second his stomach was a roil with butterflies the way it was whenever Logan looked at him this way.

“Go for it buddy,” Thomas’ voice interrupted. He didn’t look up from Logan who nodded at him, lifting Moose higher. Moose who was whimpering, having been held aloft far longer than is comfortable for any creature so small.

Virgil cradled her close to his chest, marveling when she immediately quit whining. “Hi there Moose,” he whispered to her, laughing quietly when she began to lick his face.

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

Virgil smiled as he tucked a blanket around a snoozing Roman, Patton and over grown Moose, who despite no longer being a small puppy, happily sprawled herself across their laps.

It wasn’t an uncommon sight, the three of them piled together and dead asleep after playing fetch or tug-of-war. Virgil had noticed a new, sort of comfortableness, between the two. Accidentally snuggling via puppy was one thing, but there were between them now,passing touches and nights spent with their heads leant together. Don’t get him wrong, he was happy for them. He knew that comfort like that was hard to come by. It did mean , however, that they saw a little less of them than normal. The loneliness had eaten at him at first, but as the puppy grew so had other things.

“They’re cute huh?” Thomas said, leaning over the back of the couch to pet Moose’s head.

“When they’re not being a nuisance,” Logan agreed, coming up behind him and resting his chin in his shoulder. Virgil leaned back into him, his smile growing wider.

“Moose is just a puppy, not a nuisance. She’s still learning.” Thomas chided.

“I wasn’t referring to the dog,” Logan grumbled, Virgil chuckled and Thomas rolled his eyes at him.

“So what’s all this then?” Thomas asked, gesturing to the chin resting on Virgil’s shoulder and the arms now also wrapped around his waist. Virgil shrugged noncommittally.

“I believe it’s called a courtship, Thomas.” Logan smirked.

Virgil dropped his blushing face into his hands,and Logan tightened his arms around him as even Thomas blushed. “Okay, I’m just going to not think about that, come on Moose, let’s go to bed.” The now overgrown pup barked happily before jumping over the back of the couch and following Thomas. This caused Prince to frown ,and grumble in his sleep before pulling Patton even closer.

“Do you still wanna watch your movie?” Logan asked when Virgil dropped his hands, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“Nah let’s let them sleep, we can watch the show another time.”

“Follow me to my bedroom and we can watch the sheet show.” Logan said between kisses pressed to his neck. Thomas made a distressed noise from the kitchen where he had paused to make a midnight snack, wich made the other two laugh. Thomas stalked out of the room with his hands pressed over his ears, muttering the word no under his breath with Moose on his heels.

~~~~~

Patton lay on his back in the grass, letting the sun warm his face as his fingers scratch though the fur on Moose’s head, which was resting on his stomach. It was a perfectly perfect day. Big white fluffy clouds floated overhead and there was a gentle breeze. The sounds of slightly argumentative collaboration came from inside where Joan and Thomas were writing a script, with the help of Roman and Logan of course. Moose, who’s pupishness had given way to bouts of laziness, was snoring slightly, making the smile on Patton’s face grow. His own eyes were just sliping closed when Moose suddenly raised her head with a whimper.

“What is it girl?” Moose ran across the yard, pawing at the door and whining to get in. Patton’s brow drew together as he too crossed the yard. “Alright girl calm down, I’ll let you in if you want in that bad.” The dog bolted up the stairs as soon as he had opened the door wide enough. Patton followed her, his confusion morphing into concern when he saw Virgil slumped against the wall at the top of the stairs. His breath was uneven and his fists clenched and unclenched the material of his hoodie. Moose nosed at his hands until he wrapped them around her, burying his face in her neck. She sprawled in his lap as much as she could, and Patton watched in amazement as Virgil’s breath began to even out.

“Sorry, the arguing is getting intense down there, but I didn’t want to interrupt them.” He hiccuped into her fur.

“Nothing to be sorry for kiddo.” Virgil looked up in surprise, wiping the last tears away with his sleeve.

“I’m sorry Pat.”

“Does Moose make you feel better?”

Virgil nodded, smiling down at her.

“That’s amazing”

“Yup, Moose and Logan.” Virgil cringed good naturedly at Pattons loud ‘awww’

~~~~~~optional ending cuz tears ~~~~~~~~~

Thomas sat in his car, hands gripping the steering wheel as he cried alone in a parking lot. Well not alone in the truest sense, his always present sides were there. Patton was sobbing, unabashedly. It was a harsh counterpoint to Logan’s silence as tears he refused to acknowledge slipped down his cheeks. Roman angrily dashed the tears away from his cheeks and Virgil was soaking Logan’s shirt. A rough sob was torn from Thomas’ chest as the passenger door opened and closed, unable to tear his eyes away from the white rectangular box now resting on the lap of the seats occupant.

“Thomas, she lived a long time. It was her time.” A hand rubbed his shoulder and his own hand came up to cover it, letting his fingers trace over his husbands wedding band. Letting it comfort him like it had so many times before. “We made the right choice, she was in a lot of pain.”

“I know,” Thomas wailed, leaning into his shoulder, ignoring Logan’s jerky nod and Patton’s watery yet reassuring smile inside his head.

~~~~~~~~

Thomas smiled at the memories , sitting cross legged in the sunlight streaming through the trees. “Thanks Moose,” He said, pressing a kiss to his fingers before pressing them to the small marker. His husband offered him a hand up, smiling at him as they walk out of the trees.

36 notes · View notes