#she SAYS people do it in england and she got desensitized and now she's like 'idk I haven't gotten sick yet haha' dude no! no!!

[blujayonthewing]

[LAYS ON THE FUCKING FLOOR] MY MOM LEFT THE GRAVY AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP SHE MADE YESTERDAY JUST OUT ON THE STOVETOP OVERNIGHT AND ALL DAY TODAY AND THEN TRIED TO FEED IT TO US

[colour-outside-the-liness]

Oh wow, you two have been friends for a long time then! I know what's that like, I've known my best friend who lives in Spain since we were 8! Definitely awesome to have someone like that in your life. Are you still going to be roommates when the baby comes? And that was really thoughtful of your ex making sure you didn't travel alone.

Canada is really cold tho, so if you're okay with that you should def move there! Ah well, I'm doing better now so that's what matters, all the horrible worries I had when I lived back home are gone atm.

Yeah, that's the spirit! you can do all US states even if it takes you 43 years, that's plenty of time! hahaha And your welcome, it's one of my favourite fics.

Your mind is great, don't worry. At least something good came out of it haha.

Oh so people make her a pisces then, I see. I've met a pisces who was kinda like Dani once so that's why I said she has that kind of energy, but she def has fire on her chart too. And yeah I can see some virgo traits in her, but she's very sensitive and a bit naive so I guess pisces makes more sense.

I had to look up what a badger was hahaha never heard of them before.

I'm sorry you had to go through that. Sounds scary. And you still have to take medication bc of it. The threat of catching covid must've made that 10x worse too. And I can only hope to learn from my mistakes at the very least.

People who made thobm are fucking savages tbh hahaha. 😂 Kinda wish they had cast Oliver as Jamie like they originally intended but then we wouldn't have our damie... don't know what's worse honestly.

Oh Yorkshire accent is pretty cool too, isn't the lead singer of the Arctic Monkeys from Yorkshire? Honestly think all the language variations and different accents that come with each region are really fascinating. And that happens with all languages, not just English. Wish I could speak all languages in the world, that would be a cool superpower! I guess it makes sense you like American accents more bc it's so different from yours. I've become desensitized to North American accents just bc I hear them all the time, but I see how it would be more appealing to you.

Oooh I love that possibility of it becoming a real fic soon hahaha. Worst part of letting it cook is that I already have the finished illustration in my head but the transferring to reality part is not working rn. Wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy tbh.

You def had a busy weekend and start of the week! I have a virgo in my life rn too I know the struggle. Her birthday is this weekend in fact. I had an okay weekend thank you! Managed to catch up with that pirate AU you recommended and I'm already planning fanart for it that will probably never see the light of day haha! Are we going to have more smut this next MoU update? (need to know for scientific purposes 🔬)

Yeah we've been friends for years we met when we were 14 and are still friends now at 27 so it's been one of my longest friendships I have a friend that I met at 4 but we're not as close as we once were still really good friends but not best friends haha!! aww that's so cool that you guys have been friends for that long!! Yeah we're still gonna live together when the baby comes- we're looking for a bigger place right now to make room for the baby and her boyfriend (he still doesn't live with us yet but will soon.... *insert gif of Monica Gellar one friends saying "And now I have to live with a boy" while crying* Yeah my ex is a super thoughtful person and she just didn't want me travelling so far alone when I had never flown before because when I went to Paris with my college we drove there and went on the Eurostar and it took us 13 hours to get there but I had never flown before going to LA and I picked an 11 hour flight for my first one so she wanted someone to fly with me she's a very thoughtful person I LOVE the cold weather I am so sad right now because it's bene quite warm in the north of England I can't wait until it's like -3 degrees Celsius during the winter nights again so I am sure I would love Canada I am fine with it taking me 43 years if that's what it takes haha I just wanna hit all 50 states I think it would be so fun to do it and to be able to say I'd done it.  Haha thank you!! As long as something good comes out of it that's all I can hope for but there are times I've done things and people are like "And you're allowed to teach kids?" Like I can be really dumb sometimes haha.  Yeah I've seen a couple of fics where she has been a pisces I think with it never being said and with VP never saying what she thinks she is people have looked at her personality and matched it up to zodiac signs- a lot of the pisces I've met haven't been like Dani like I said but I do trust what people who know more about zodiac signs say because I know nothing and I just pick a random date each time so CBML she's a Leo and MoU she's a virgo and in SLS she's gonna be a Scorpio because that's just how I've done it haha but I really know nothing about zodiac signs other than what you have told me!! There different types of badgers there are honey badgers and they're more in America here we have a different type of badger and they look so cute but they are really vicious if they feel attacked or scared so try snd avoid badgers... more than that though we just have cows, geese, ducks, swans... lots of foxes but noting dangerous like bears or anything its a very boring place to live!! Yeah it is pretty scary but I just take everything one day at a time- I actually caught Covid last year because of how much time I was in the hospital having treatments for my condition I caught Covid and ended up in the hospital for a week while they had to give me loads of medication and blood transfusions and had to put me on a fluid drip because I was really dehydrated and that was really scary but luckily I was okay and now I am fully vaccinated so hopefully I won't catch it again. I think you will definitely learn from your mistakes I feel like some mistakes have to be made in life so you can grow from them Oh they were definitely savage but I love Bly Manor so much and I will watch it so many more times I can't wait for it to come out on DVD!! Like it was heart breaking but so beautiful and we got such an incredible wlw relationship from it and some great representation and I love that!! Would be interesting to see how it would've affected people had Oliver played Jamie though Yeah Alex Turner is from Sheffield which is South Yorkshire so again we have a similar accent but it's different because I am from further North but there are things that we say in a similar way because we’re from Yorkshire just different parts of Yorkshire... there are four Yorkshires: North, East, West, and South haha and all are in the north of England  Yeah I think that’s the case every where I think accents and languages are so interesting and I would love to be able to speak any other language but I only speak English in my school it wasn’t seen as being overly important to learn a language and I have tried learning them since leaving school but I struggle now  There are some American accents I love (Southern and Midwestern) so when I heard Dani speak I was like 😍🥵🥰 because I love that type of accent I have become desensitised to some American accents that are just standard ones from watching so many movies and TV shows but there are some accents that just make me do heart eyes haha  I am hoping it can become a real fic soon but I am struggling with some stuff but keeping hopeful with it!! Awwh no I’m sorry it’s so hard for you I hope it gets better soon that you’re able to get it onto a page!!  I have had such a busy weekend and part of the week had a bit of a busy day today too and looking after my niece again tomorrow not rest for me it would seem but it’s fine I don’t mind keeping busy!! Well happy birthday to her I hope she has a great day!!  Oh yay I’m glad had an okay weekend and that you were able to catch up on the pirate AU and that you already have fan art planned for it- even if no one ever sees that fanart!! No there is no smut in this chapter of MoU some implied smut but no actual smut- there will probably be smut in chapter 9 though because y’know... it’s me haha 😂 

[mashitandsmashit]

America’s Got Talent: The Champions - Auditions 3 (Review)

Alright, comparing these acts is gonna be tough, because I have pretty mixed feelings for all of them...

10: Tom Cotter. Yeah, I remember really liking this guy way back in Season 7, because up until that point, there hadn't been any comedians like him on AGT...And by that I mean Grandma Lee was the pinnacle of stand-up comedy we've gotten up to that point (yeah, I'll admit, I liked her too...Though my standards have gone up significantly since then...) But watching him now and comparing him with some of the other comedians from later seasons, he does come off as very old-fashioned and basic...I do have to give him credit though: He must have served as a big inspiration for AGT comedians that have followed (Comroe in particular), and there were a few mild chuckles in his set...I'd still say I like him more than Taylor Williamson, Vicki Barbolak and DEFINITELY Gary Vider! Not the worst comedian I've seen on the show, but like Grandma Lee, my standards for comedians have gone up quite a bit since his respective season...

9: DJ Arch JNR. I'm legitimately impressed by how talented this kid is for his age (and even more impressed by how old he was when he won SAGT...But I guess that's what happens when you start developing your talents while you're still in diapers...) That said, the performance was very short, and once I get past the age, this isn't exactly a show I'd pay to see...Honestly, this is one talent where I probably would prefer a singer...But I'm still impressed, and he's got the cute factor going for him...

8: Prince Poppycock. This was the one act I was REALLY looking forward to in this week's line-up...But I think I'm gonna have to agree with Simon, because the song choice was very safe (especially since I remember him being compared to Lady Gaga in the past) and it didn't lend itself the best to his vocals...The highlight for me would be the beginning part where he's just sitting like the White B***h of Narnia...I guess he's still the guy who puts performers like Hans and Puddles in their place, but compared to what I've seen from him in the past, this was pretty disappointing...

7: Darcy Oake. The trick was cool, though I think I do agree that his showmanship is a little lacking...

6: Samuel J. Comroe. Not my favorite set from him...But to be fair, he set a pretty high bar last season...

5: Angelica Hale. This actually was one of the less flawed performances of the night, and she has gotten better over the last two years...But I can only give her this rank, because singing “Fight Song” can only get you so far in my countdown lists...Though I guess I won't argue with Howie's GB pick...

4: Paul Potts. I've grown pretty desensitized to opera singers by now, but I'm willing to accept this guy advancing...That said, if only the other opera guy picked a better song, it might have been him instead...Though I guess we already have a flashy pop-opera diva in the Finals...In fact, we're getting quite a few older European classical performers in the Finals...You know, even among the singers who are advancing, there's not a whole lot of variety...I don't want to have to root against Jackie Evancho in two weeks!

3: Jon Dorenbos. There is kind of a formula to these kinds of tricks by now, but it was still just seamless enough, and this guy's still such a cool personality that he sells it!

2: Billy & Emily England. I was actually kind of reluctant to put them this high on the list, because this was essentially just them doing every trick they already did in Season 12...Hell, even the song choice wasn't original...Sure, it's a DIFFERENT Imagine Dragons song, but it sounds so much like the other one...Regardless, I guess it's been a long enough time since we've seen them last, and it's still great to watch all these tricks! That said, if they were on last week, they'd be near the bottom of the list (which just goes to show how big a step down this show was from last week...)

1: Ryan Stock and AmberLynn. Out of all the “Champions” acts, this one has got to be in the Top 5 that I was not expecting to give #1 on ANY of these lists! And again, if this was a better week, they would rank lower...But out of everyone in this show, this is the act that REALLY stepped it up! Granted, I don't remember all the tricks they did before, so perhaps there was repetition here as well...But they sure as hell succeeded with the arrow trick this time, shooting that steel wool through a funnel down his throat! Like I said, this is far from my favorite AGT performance, but in a show as mediocre as this one, I feel that they deserve the most credit out of everyone...Not surprised at all that they didn't make it, but that's okay...They can at least say they went out on a high note!

Like I said, very mixed bag of a night! No wonder two singers went through...

So, going back to the spoilers I've read...Well...I only read them for the first three weeks...After finding out that Darci Lynne, Prince Poppycock and Light Balance get edged out by foreign singers and Deadly Games of all people, I just couldn't bring myself to spoil the later weeks...So I will be going into Week 4 completely blind...(DON'T SPOIL IT TO ME!!!)

And let me tell you, this is the week that has me especially nervous! The line-up includes four acts that are among my absolute favorites! Granted, Week 2 had five of those, but there's just something REALLY special about this set! Just keep in mind as you read my ranking of all the acts based on how much I'm rooting for them, the Top 4 is REALLY, REALLY close!

But it also includes three singing acts that are among the biggest spoiler acts in the history of AGT! And I guarantee you that Simon will be pressing his Golden Buzzer for one of them...In fact, the preview for the show might have inadvertently given away who it is, in which case, I won't complain TOO much (and I kinda predicted it ahead of time). But hopefully I'm not disappointed by who makes the Top 3, let alone who advances...

Anyway, let's rank 'em!

10: The Texas Tenors

9: Kechi

8: Brian Justin Crum

7: Issy Simpson

6: Moonlight Brothers

5: Drew Lynch

4: The Professional Regurgitator

3: Tape Face

2: Paul Zerdin

1: Kenichi Ebina

[scuttleboat]

510 reactions

INDRA IS THE BEST OMG lol I love her so much. If she had a morning alarm app it would be "Rise and face the day. You will die, but proudly, and that is good." *beep*

Gaia was an fun surprise this episode and I loved pretty much every scene she had with Indra. The fight was great.

I loved the assassination attempt and I loved Octavia's reaction to it? That was the one really unpredictable moment in the episode for me and I thought the suspense > to > diffusion of tension by throwing back the spear was just... wonderful. In an episode with some great dialogue and some painfully creaky dialogue, that little screenwriting moment was a delight. It was the most #powermove thing that Bloodreina could do in that moment and that speaks in interesting ways to how she's become so sensitive to politics and drama while becoming so desensitized to the people around her.

The Blake stuff was all the drama I could ever want and I think Bob and Marie showed off their wonderful screen chemistry. But I admit I'm a little unsure what this means for Bellamy's character? This feels like it should have been a turning point for him. His insistence not to fight felt genuine up to the moment, and then he did fight, like I was expecting. I guess I wanted more out of that moment? Like, that should feel like a huge thing--his choice to survive over waiting for Octavia to save him--but somehow, it didn't? Nor did it feel like a switch that really indicates him in person conflict over his near- pacifism stuff. I think it was the fact that Monty arrived and saved the day, there preventing Bellamy from actually having to hurt someone he considers an ally in order to survive. So he skates by on being Soft Bellamy still, in the episode where I was hoping he'd be a little bit more of Rough Bellamy. I've been thinking that he has a building up of internal conflict this season wrt "can I be the new me or the old me?" and I was hoping we'd see that reach a major point this episode. Now I'm not quite sure if that's what they're doing with him. I'll have to wait to see. If Bellamy's major conflict really is just about his sibling and his childhood this season, that would feel like a missed opportunity. I want some meaty self-examination!

The other sibling got a solid WHOLE EPISODE of self-examination, lol. Marie was splendid. It veered between powerful and heavily melodramatic. The whole mirror thing was WAY over the top cliche. Come on, t100. Come on, HIC. You can be a little better than that! And "You can't save someone who's already dead." Really? Okay then. I guess it's not t100 if there aren't at least two lines per episode that make me roll my eyes. Even the good episodes! Which this was, to be fair. For about 90% of it I was quite entertained, although I think it's too dark to have a fun rewatch factor. Snarkiness aside though, I did enjoy seeing the dark workings of the soul of a female character being given such deliberation on screen. Octavia Blake genuinely is a unique character in television, and is allowed to go places female characters rarely are. I feel like my read on Octavia this season has been dead on correct: to her, Bloodreina = Wonkru and Wonkru = Bloodreina. Octavia doesn't see herself as a person anymore, just as the figurehead of this system. She is also terrified of everything and Bloodreina is her only way of facing world she created so that her people could survive. She can't give up being Bloodreina, therefore she can't give Wonkru to someone else because if Wonkru and Bloodreina can exist separately, that flies in the face of "all of me for all of us", which is the only thing that kept her and everyone else sane (mostly) in the bunker. If that's structure falls apart or if Octavia loses it, then all she has is the memories of the terrible things she did. And even if she did it to save them all, to lead them to the next day and the next, without Wonkru she would have to bear those memories alone, and she cannot.

Hmm what else? 

The flashbacks to their childhood on the Ark was very moving. I liked getting more details of their life. I liked the balance between the weight & pain Bellamy endured to protect Octavia and the weight & terror Octavia endured being raised as the source of fear for her family. It was clear that the trauma of the Ark was terrible for them both, infecting even happy the memories.

Monty telling Octavia no was a classic Monty moment. I liked his scene a lot, but tbh I was hoping for something a little more creative or complex in how they used him? One of the drawbacks of this episode's slower, more character-based tone is that it seemed fairly predictable what was going to happen from scene to scene. That's why I like the moment when she threw back the spear, because I genuinely didn't know how that scene was going to go. Monty saving the day with flowers though was not exactly shocking when it came around. I feel like a reaction video to this episode will just be a consecutive sequence of "hmmm" and "HMMMM" and "ooh nice" and "okay then if you must", none of it rising above conversational tone.

I liked the bunker departure scene because we got to see everyone in the open sunlight. That was nice. Octavia's blood makeup was so ~artistic walking out of that bunker, you know she had to apply it and wash it and re-apply it 2 times at least. I've been there, girl.

The farm burning means the bunker society idea is torched and I'm sighing a little over that. Do we REALLY need to write out EVERY possible solution with salt-the-earth finality? Where is this series gonna end, with 11 people on a life raft floating out to sea? If there is a sea, still. This show is so bonkers.

The stuff with the chip is still firmly in my zone of "but really DO WE HAVE TO BE DOING THIS?" but it could have been worse. I was confused at one moment when Madi said "I just put it back in." Maybe I need to re-watch it, but I honestly don't understand that line. Was that the A.I. talking through Madi, claiming her as a host? Or was that Madi saying she'd taken it out and in again?

The Lexa stuff was just.. can we not. Give the child. Memories of her mom's dead lover. That's so skeevy on so many levels, and that's skeevy BEFORE even getting into the 'lover' part of Clarke's past with Lexa.

So... Becca was burned alive as a witch by Cadogan? Or whoever. That seems really weird to me. Like, super out of place for the show. I don't understand how that fits into t100 at all, since the people burning her were like, people from future-modern New England and shit. Even if I started living in a Mad Max Society tomorrow, I don't think 4 years of apocalypse would be enough to convert me to the idea that "Yeah, you know what humanity's real problem is? SPACE WITCHERY. Let's just BURN HER." How does that even come up? I totally get it if they blamed her for killing the world, and if the mob executed her for it. I also get it if they distrust the A.I. she brought down. But come on, they'd just shoot her! That's what you do with rich people when the end comes and everybody's backs are against the wall. They wouldn't waste firewood for a witch burning; that's ridiculous.

I have a feeling like they're gonna leave the chip in Madi. I hope not. My best case scenario for this unnecessary plot they forced us into is that by experiencing the memories, Madi retrieves some vital piece of new information that will help save everyone. Maybe she finds out what is going on with the other Elegius mission, since Becca worked on that stuff. Hopefully then Madi can take it out? But honestly, the fact that it seems like the show is going to decide "well we'll leave it in if she says she wants it" is really uncomfortable for me. If she couldn't consent to getting it last episode, she can't consent to keeping it this episode. The same problems with the situation exist regardless of whether Madi thinks she's getting something valuable out of it, or if it makes her feel powerful in a world where she is otherwise powerless. Letting a child use dangerous mind altering substances to help them feel more powerful and safe is NOT the same thing as actually keeping that child safe or empowered. It's the opposite of that. Of course, Clarke can't really do much about that right now without re-traumatizing Madi on top for the trauma she's already experiencing. But the longer they leave it in, the harder it will be to remove without psychological damage if Madi's developing brain becomes dependant on it. Because, you know, SHE'S ELEVEN. Maybe twelve? But her brain is literally growing, as children's brains do, and right this second it's growing with a cyber-parasite shaping it. That seems profoundly wrong and gross to me. ...Ideally they give it to Gaia or Indra. Just let them have it.

Oh that's a bit of a down note to end on? I am not sure where this takes us, but I think the episode was good. I'm not sure it was actually the episode they needed it to be though. It seemed to accomplish several things, but I'm not sure the particular things that it accomplished were the best choices. Vinson finally eating people was lulzy. I just wish the stuff that Abby was doing in that scene wasn't filmed and directed in such an amateur looking way. But finally, SOME CANNIBALISM! Now we wait til next week to see what else comes out.

[worlds--avenged]

Professor Tom: Chapter 12

Summary: This wasn’t the first time a student had fallen for him. Hell, it wasn’t the first time this year. But something etched deep in his bones told him that she was different. Surely there could be no harm in talking to her after class… Right?

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A/N: Last flashback chapter! Don’t worry, we’ll get back to the juicy stuff tomorrow. Chapter warnings include drug and alcohol use, just to make your day extra sunny and happy. Thanks for reading, and please send me some feedback so I can see how you’re liking it!

Tom had never felt so depressed in his life than when he could physically sense when Sebastian was getting bored of him. He was burning out, and quickly too. The drugs, the partying, the nonstop highs and passing out on the couch. The only time Seb showed a glimmer of happiness or content with Tom when he was treating him like a fleshlight or got to snort cocaine off his body.

But Tom stayed. His motives weren’t entirely selfless; of course he cared about Sebastian, but their arrangement wasn’t more than skin deep. It was convenient for the both of them, and that was that. Tom got his writing inspiration, Sebastian got his pocket pussy.

If he was being completely forthright, Tom thought he got the better end of the bargain. He hadn’t had this much inspiration since he was in high school writing alternative universe fanfiction about actors he would consider fucking.

“Inspiration” was the commonplace name for it, but Sebastian coming home drunk and high or whatever variation of fucked up was the experience. This man was a mess, like every tragic character in every good novel combined. He was a modern day Hemingway or Fitzgerald with no writing ability whatsoever. What else would get him a Pulitzer like the misadventures and debauchery of an alcoholic, pansexual drug addict? Tom tapped the pen to his lips and imagined what he would say when they presented him with his award. Something classic. Plutarch, maybe.

The icing on the cake was what young Tom thought would be the ending to their story. He had started attending classes again, but he was still living with Seb, even though he had been expelled and technically wasn’t allowed on campus. Although he had been living there for close to 4 months, it still didn’t quite feel like home. He unlocked the front door and the smell of smoke welcomed him before he even stepped into the house. He was about to kick his shoes off and hop in the shower, but there was a body on the floor that was blocking the path.

He’d become desensitized over the months to Sebastian’s episodes, but his heart plummeted into his ass when he saw the blood pooling around Sebastian’s head. This wasn’t normal. Panic shook him where he stood, but he still managed to dial 911 as black spots danced in his vision and he struggled to stay upright. Cocaine was smeared across his face and he could see where the tears had run down his cheeks moments before blacking out. Sebastian, his Sebastian, who was decidedly not his Sebastian, was dying. He didn’t need a doctor to hand him a chart to see that he was in bad shape. He slid down to the floor and stared at Seb’s crumpled body lying in a heap by the bathtub.

“I would have made you immortal.” His lips hardly moved, the adventures of the past couple months flashing in front of him. The nightclubs, the women, the drinks, the drugs; Tom had weathered it all for the sake of his novel, but he was struggling to find a resolution as the waning chapters began to occupy the thinning pages of their book.

The paramedics whisked him away on a gurney, but Tom didn’t follow him into the ambulance. Didn’t trail behind them in Sebastian’s station wagon. Didn’t check in to see how he was doing.

Their novel was finished. He didn’t have to see him ever again. He packed his things and moved back to England after the year was finished and didn’t think twice about returning.

Four years passed and he never sent the manuscript in. He changed the wording, the setting, the time, the tense, everything down to the color of Sebastian’s eyes and he still couldn’t bring himself to submit it to the publisher’s house. He was Holden Caulfield and he could deny it all he wanted but he wasted a year of his life pretending to be someone he wasn’t for the sake of making a story out of it. The drugs and the sex were novelties to him at the time-- but after letting it all fester for years, he could only think about how unapologetically bland he had to have been to try to write a story out of someone’s reality. It wasn’t real. It wasn’t revolutionary. Youth and hubris steeped in his own insecurities and he had created a monster that had no business being on a bookshelf.

So he did what any burnout does. He taught English.

To do this he went to this workshop and that seminar and those night classes, trying to scare up enough credentials to even be considered for a job at any institution. It wasn’t anything brilliant, but it was enough.

The day of his education licensure test rolled around, and he pulled up to a random school he’d never seen. The American summer was sweltering to Tom, whose polo was sticking to the sweat pooling at the small of his back. He cut off the ignition and immediately the heat seeped in through the windows. It wasn’t long until another car pulled up in the spot beside him, blasting Black Sabbath. The bass made Tom’s windows shake and he cautioned a sideways glance to see who the offender was.

Sitting there in the car next to him was the real Ghost of Christmas Past smoking a cigarette. Sebastian sensed Tom’s shocked gaze and looked into the next car. He jumped a little in his seat, his alarm still present behind his tinted sunglasses and unsmiling mouth.

They stared at each other for a moment, unsure of what there was to say. What there was left to say between the two of them. Seb jutted his chin downwards in a nod and Tom mirrored him. Just like old times.

They both got out of their cars and walked into the building, pretending not to look at each other.

The test itself wasn’t so bad. Tom had practiced this stuff ad nauseam and it was practically stitched into his brain. The only thing that gave him pause was that Sebastian was seated the row in front of him, and Tom found himself unable to stifle his curiosity. For each question Tom answered, Sebastian wasn’t far behind. When he turned a page, Sebastian’s papers rustled seconds later. Tom would be annoyed if he wasn’t still stunned that fate had dragged them back into each other’s lives, even if for just a moment.

Seb was the first to break the silence when they walked out.

“That wasn’t so bad.”

“Yeah.” Tom’s focus fell to his feet. One foot in front of the other, don’t look into his eyes. Don’t fuck it up. Tom could feel Seb looking at him from his position beside him. He could always tell when Seb was holding something back.

Seb mumbled, “I missed you.” Tom stopped in his tracks and glanced at Sebastian despite his best interest. The words felt like acid rain to him.

“As a friend. Don’t worry.” Seb seemed like an almost castrated version of himself now, which eased Tom’s nerves a bit.

“I went to rehab. I’m clean now.”

“That’s good for you.” Tom hesitantly said.

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

“Calling 911.”

“Oh.” Tom paused. “You were making a mess on the floor.”

Seb chuckled like he always did. Like he used to.

“I’m sorry for everything. I wasn’t...good.”

“It’s fine. Let’s just never go that far again.”

They agreed, and a month later, out of friendship and New Teacher Poverty they moved in together, as friends. It was better that way.

Seb found a job as a girl’s soccer coach for a University desperately lacking in teams and English teachers. So, when he suggested they hire a friend of his, whose qualifications he might have over exaggerated, they were ecstatic to have him.

And that is where their story took a tentative pause-- with Sebastian’s fire run out of forest to burn, and Tom’s starving artist finally satiated. They just hoped that they wouldn’t hate the people they were without those dominating aspects of themselves.

But just as forests rebuild after being torched to the ground, they had rooted and regrown together, always a branch outstretched for when they needed it the most.