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bladekindeyewear · 4 years

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HS^2 bloggin’ mainline 2020-10-31

THE SPOOKTOBER SPOOKD8 IS HERE! Time to blog it and hope to the lord of bones that it heavily features the 12-foot Home Depot Skeleton! Continuing from last time.

Will John remember that he should be off protecting the other kids from running off? Or will he search for Vrissy finally, now that he’s spent a literal DAY staring at his house burning down?

> (==>)

This is the last Blood tie with your childhood and the past you were clinging to like a man-child, finally cut. Your psyche is no longer allowed to be....

....Housetrapped.

Now get your Breathy ass over to your more adult responsibilities. Or do something as irresponsible as usual, but more forward focused and thus singularly impressive.

> (==>)

I LITERALLY GASPED

I knew I was a fatally addicted Homestuck fanboy despite the trauma but I didn’t know I was THAT much of a just-over-thirty-year-old fanboy, I literally GASPED out loud. To finally have the joy and confidence for the future that comes with JOHN and KARKAT together IN PERSON and interacting with a common goal.

What a dramatic, perfect shot. This IS Karkat right? That’s what the visuals and my heart and soul said

> (==>)

THEY’RE CLOSE FRIENDS

CLOSE ENOUGH FOR THAT

KARKAT HAS COME SO FAR

Karkat and John conversations are some of the strongest in Homestuck, I ship them as FRIENDS so hard

It brings to mind something I mentioned in the Breath, Blood, and the Flow of Reality explanation/theorypost, which was holy shit SEVEN YEARS AGO wow

I didn’t always understand the appeal of John as a character, ranking him in the middle of my liked characters list. But after a while, I suddenly noticed how enjoyable he was for the things his conversations did to others, making his pesterlogs some of the most enjoyable to read. I wrote the following two years ago, in a character rankings thread, back when we knew jack shit about the import of classes and roles:

“I didn’t really see why I should think John was such an amazing character until I realized his consistent effect on the other party. He’s goofy and doesn’t really understand anything, but he understands just enough about his friends and others to make cutting, hilarious, almost unintentional insights that can change people for the better, even if he’s off the mark. It’s not what he says himself, but what he brings about in others that makes him so great to read. I mean, if you wall him off from everyone else… he kind of fails.

That’s why I take issue with the complaint of protagonist syndrome, here. John is very little by himself, but enhances all the characters around him immensely. Imagine if John were doomed to stay the least powerful and/or game-advancing of the kids and trolls combined; notice how little that would do to the story, or his beneficial role in it.”

John cut himself off from EVERYONE for YEARS in the Candy timeline. He tried to be close to people and just ended up distancing himself from it. He tried to keep himself tied down by his old home and memories of the version of Dad he lost, and all sorts of childish stuff. But that tie is cut, and the bonds he’s forged need to be grasped to bring him out to exercise his maturity, because Breath is futile without real BLOOD.

> (==>)

Awesome shot.

KARKAT: ROUGH DAY, HUH.

youtube

(that was supposed to skip to 2:26 when you click but I couldnt embed it that way -- I haven’t metal geared i just seen clips and super best friends & know some memes)

So many scars. I used to even ship Jane and Karkat a little so they could just be aghast together at everyone’s shenanigans and level criticism at them together, but to think Jane’s fought and hurt Karkat THIS much...

(And yeah, his blood color is shown through his eyes now at this age, that’s correct.)

> (==>)

Oh my fucking god, going from that to Sprite mode that abruptly. XD

This is great.

JOHN: karkat? JOHN: what are you doing here? KARKAT: IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU TOO.

Hah, SO close that Karkat’s immediately critical of NOT being greeted warmly. :)

JOHN: this isn't a battlefield, it's just... KARKAT: THE OBLITERATED, SMOLDERING HUSK OF YOUR FORMER HOME. JOHN: well, yeah. KARKAT: WHICH WAS DESTROYED AS COLLATERAL IN AN ONGOING MILITARY CONFLICT. JOHN: oh all right, fine. JOHN: it just feels weird to call it that. JOHN: i guess i'm used to thinking of home as somewhere far away from all that war stuff.

Yeah John, the burning down from a bomb that was meant for you and ALL of your friends’ children is supposed to shatter you out of that illusion.

I’d continue criticizing, but Karkat’s about to do it for me:

KARKAT: JESUS *CHRIST* JOHN. KARKAT: I CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO LIST ALL THE WAYS IN WHICH THAT CONSTITUTES A SHORT-SIGHTED AND PUKE-WORTHILY IGNORANT THING TO SAY TO ME, PERSONALLY. KARKAT: AND FRANKLY I DON'T HAVE TIME TO BOTHER, THANKS TO THE COUNTLESS FIRES I HAVE BEEN PUTTING OUT ALL DAY, THE ONE PRESENTLY CONSUMING YOUR HIVE NOTWITHSTANDING. KARKAT: YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE MADE THINGS GO A BIT MORE SMOOTHLY? JUST A FRACTION? KARKAT: IF YOU HADN'T JUST DECIDED TO WANDER OFF THE INSTANT SHIT STARTED HAPPENING. JOHN: jeez, i'm sorry karkat. JOHN: i had no idea how much time had passed. JOHN: i must have gotten a bit distracted by my house being blown up.

A BIT DISTRACTED. You empty-headed irresponsible guardian.

KARKAT: NOT WANTING TO POINT OUT THE OBVIOUS, BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS WAS A PROBLEM THAT YOU OF ALL PEOPLE WERE UNIQUELY AND MAGICALLY EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH. JOHN: huh? KARKAT: YOU KNOW. KARKAT: WITH YOUR SHOOSH THING. JOHN: my shoosh thing. KARKAT: YOUR SHOOSH THING. KARKAT: THE GUSTY NONSENSE? THE GIFT OF GAS?? KARKAT: YOUR SBURB ALLOCATED BLOW JOB??? JOHN: uh. KARKAT: THE SUPERNATURAL COMMUNION YOU HAVE WITH ALL THINGS WINDY, YOU ASS!! JOHN: oh right, that. JOHN: that would have let me put the fire out, maybe. JOHN: i don't think there's anything in my skillset that would have unexploded my house though. KARKAT: THAT'S FAIR.

Mhmm. Many of the characters in Candy AND Meat are currently in a situation where due to either years of unpractice in a worshipful society that discourages it by fueling their insecurities or inability to due to confinement in a years-long space trip has caused them to AVOID using their powers for the main beginning stretch of our new story. People have complained about them outright “forgetting” to use their powers, and they’re right, to an extent, but it’s story-justified. They’re almost all physically or psychologically prevented from doing so! But those walls are coming down, starting now. They’re going to come back into their own. And we’re bound to see a LOT MORE of these literal Gods using their abilities to shape the fabric of reality as the story progresses.

JOHN: i suppose i'll add one more notch to the daily tally of crazy stuff that happened which i just have to accept as my life now.

It was all already happening, you just refused TO accept it until now.

JOHN: so... JOHN: what else happened while i was caught up watching the symbolic representation of my former life get consumed in a giant fire ball? KARKAT: OH BOY. WHERE TO START. KARKAT: SO FIRST OFF, IN HINDSIGHT, TODAY WAS PRETTY OBVIOUSLY JUST ONE HUGE BAITED TRAP. KARKAT: I SAY "IN HINDSIGHT", BUT FORTUNATELY IT WAS ALSO EXTREMELY APPARENT EVEN IN FORESIGHT TO THOSE OF US WHO SPENT A FEW SECONDS THINKING ABOUT IT. JOHN: ...right. KARKAT: OH COME ON EGBERT, SERIOUSLY? KARKAT: KIDNAPPING A PERSON OF IMPORTANCE, ONLY TO LET US KNOW PRECISELY WHERE AND ON WHAT OCCASION THEY WOULD BE MOST ACCESSIBLE FOR A RESCUE ATTEMPT? KARKAT: HAVING THAT OCCASION BE NONE OTHER THAN THE CORPSE PARTY OF A HIGHLY NOTEWORTHY POLITICAL FIGURE, WHOSE CASKET MIGHT AS WELL HAVE HAD A GIANT "KICK ME" SIGN DAUBED ON IT? KARKAT: THERE WAS BASICALLY NO WAY IT WASN'T A FRONT FOR SOMETHING HUGE. AND IT WAS! KARKAT: WE HAPPEN TO BE SITTING IN FRONT OF ONE FACET OF THAT HUGENESS AT THIS VERY MOMENT.

Wait. Oh, God.

Someone brought up the possibility that Gamzee might still be revivable by Jane, and I speculated that she’s deliberately CHOOSING not to because she actually doesn’t like him that much or has some semblance of fucking sense left in her.

But what if she PLANNED to have a public funeral for him, and then revive him SOON AFTER to turn him into a Christ-like resurrecting figure? D:

JOHN: well, when you put it like that... JOHN: i guess we all got pranked pretty hard, huh. KARKAT: THIS IS NO TIME FOR YOUR SHITTY NERD PRANKS JOHN. KARKAT: FRANKLY I'M INSULTED THAT YOU THINK SUCH A WORD IS EVEN REMOTELY APPOSITE TO THE PRESENT SITUATION. KARKAT: OTHER THAN TO DESCRIBE THE WAY I AM PERSONALLY BEING "PRANKED" BY REALITY IN HAVING TO EXPLAIN ALL THIS TO YOU.

Pretty much. Get serious, John, actual people are dying by the--

--oh right, he was like this through the apocalypse and death of everyone on Earth.

I guess this is in character. Paradox Space made sure to choose someone empty-headed and disconnected from reality enough to withstand this shit easily. He really is a Breath player.

KARKAT: IT TURNS OUT THAT WE DIDN'T NEED TO PUT SO MUCH EFFORT INTO THE RESCUING YIFFY PART OF THE OPERATION. KARKAT: SHE BASICALLY RESCUED HERSELF WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE. KARKAT: AND TOOK CARE OF KICKING GAMZEE'S CORPSEBOX OVER WHILE SHE WAS AT IT, IN A STUNNING DISPLAY OF EFFICIENCY WHICH THE REST OF US CAN ONLY ASPIRE TO.

Excellent, yeah.

JOHN: it sounds like she'd be a pretty welcome addition to your ranks then. KARKAT: SHE'S A CHILD, YOU MORON.

Yeah, you’re fucking grown up now, John. Stop thinking of the kids as the ones who have to rise up when the adults aren’t all doomed or dead.

KARKAT: THE VRISKAS, PLURAL. JOHN: shit. KARKAT: THEY'VE BOTH BEEN CAPTURED. JOHN: shiiiiiiiit. KARKAT: YEAH. KARKAT: GREAT WORK KEEPING AN EYE ON THEM, BY THE WAY! KARKAT: YOU LITERALLY HAD ONLY ONE JOB, AND YOU MESSED IT UP IN THE EQUALLY SINGULAR WAY IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DO. JOHN: urgh, i know, i know. ):

At least he messed that part up while he was TRYING to watch them, and not when he wandered off and watched his house burn for a whole day instead of protecting the remaining kids.

KARKAT: JANE'S PLAN FOR THIS CONFLICT HAS THUS FAR CONSISTED ALMOST ENTIRELY OF KIDNAPPING VARIOUS HIGH PROFILE CHILDREN. KARKAT: IT'S BIZARRE. KARKAT: AS THOUGH WE ARE FIGHTING A WAR OF ATTRITION, WHERE THE MAIN RESOURCE BEING UTILIZED IS THE OFFSPRING OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE ON THE PLANET. KARKAT: IF IT WASN'T ONE OF THE CORE TENETS OF HER FASCISTIC PHILOSOPHY, I'D BE TEMPTED TO SAY THAT CURBING REPRODUCTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN A GOOD IDEA, IF ONLY TO PREVENT THIS KIND OF FUCKSHIT NONSENSE FROM HAPPENING.

Leave it to Karkat to point out the blatant absurdity of Homestuck’s nonsense in any given situation.

JOHN: wait. JOHN: wait a minute. JOHN: you said that both vriskas have been captured, right? KARKAT: EXCUSE ME WHILE I WEEP FOR JOY AT THE REVELATION THAT YOU HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION FOR ONCE. JOHN: okay, well putting that emotional outburst aside for a moment. JOHN: how is that even possible? JOHN: doesn't vriska, the original vriska, still have her magic alien mind control powers? JOHN: it seems like it should be basically impossible for anyone to kidnap her. KARKAT: YOU'VE STUMBLED ASS BACKWARDS ACROSS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT OF THIS UNFORTUNATE DEVELOPMENT.

...Is Karkat going to put two and two together and realize that Vriska must have been intentionally captured of her own free will for some sort of ploy?

KARKAT: YOU ARE CORRECT, IN THAT WITH HER CASTE-TYPICAL, *COMPLETELY SCIENTIFIC AND NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT MAGICAL* PSYCHOMANIPULATIVE ABILITIES, STAYING OUT OF CROCKER'S REACH SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY TRIVIAL FOR SERKET PRIME. KARKAT: EVEN ACCOUNTING FOR THE FACT THAT SAID ABILITIES ARE NOT NEARLY AS POTENT ON HUMANS AS THEY ARE ON FELLOW TROLLS, THEY STILL OUGHT TO HAVE TIPPED ANY ALTERCATION SQUARELY IN HER FAVOR. KARKAT: BUT SOMEHOW, IT DIDN'T! KARKAT: INSTEAD, THINGS APPEAR TO HAVE GONE GLOBES UP IN CLASSIC VRISKITE FASHION, AND NOW ONE OF THE MOST UNEXPECTED AND UNWANTED BUT NEVERTHELESS USEFUL WEAPONS IN OUR ARSENAL IS DOING TIME IN CROCKERJAIL. KARKAT: THAT'S ABOUT ALL WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GLEAN FROM TAPPING INTO THE BATTERBITCH AIRWAVES, WHICH IS A FANCY TERM FOR EAVESDROPPING ON THOSE OF HER AGENTS WHO TALK A LITTLE TOO LOUDLY IN SEMI-PUBLIC SPACES. JOHN: jeez. JOHN: i really screwed that up, didn't i.

Guh. I guess Karkat is underestimating Vriska a bit or just assuming the worst out of a habit of assuming the worst of everything. (Or, if he has his suspicions, he’s not telling John.)

KARKAT: HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, AND WITH THE RECOGNITION THAT I AM CHOOSING TO NURSE YOUR BRUISED FEELINGS DURING A PLANET WIDE CONFLICT FOR THE FATE OF MY SPECIES, KARKAT: IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO EXPEDITE YOUR GETTING THE FUCK OVER IT? JOHN: i... hm.

Yeah, use your shoosh-paps from Karkat wisely, John. You needed them.

JOHN: i don't really know? JOHN: this all feels wrong, karkat. JOHN: no offense, but when you're around, it's usually a lot... KARKAT: A LOT WHAT? JOHN: a lot funnier. KARKAT: FUNNIER. JOHN: how to put this. JOHN: normally listening to you go on and on about how much we've fucked everything up is just very funny! JOHN: but now it's just not the same. JOHN: maybe it's part of what's going on with this entire reality? i don't know. JOHN: once upon a time i would have put down your ability to pull a silly rant out of your butt as a fundamental law of physics or something. JOHN: remember back when we first knew each other? JOHN: it felt like all you ever said to me was how much you thought i was screwing up and being a useless asshole. JOHN: and once i realized that you were also just a dumb kid who didn't know what was going on, i started to kind of enjoy it. JOHN: but now it's like... the only one who's still a dumb kid is me, and everyone else has something big and important going on that i just don't understand.

Mhmm, Karkat has every reason to be mad. And everything really, REALLY close to you that you care about is in danger from the very things he’s mad about. Karkat is RIGHT for once with every angry seemingly-exaggerated-but-not word, and that’s throwing you.

JOHN: i thought that i finally got what was going on with this whole war and everything. i wanted to be useful! JOHN: i guess i got a little too wrapped up in the feeling of something finally happening again. JOHN: and then watching it all blow up in my face, kind of literally now that i think about it...

...you think maybe something that happens to be A WAR is actually a big farking deal that you should be serious about??

JOHN: it's hard not to feel even more dejected about the situation than i was before. JOHN: and now even the patented karkat vant rant has lost all its sparkle.

IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FUN.

JOHN: maybe if you had like, painstakingly itemized a list of all the things wrong with my plan in a comically overdone fashion or something. KARKAT: I CONSIDERED IT, BUT HONESTLY THERE WAS SO MUCH WRONG THAT I CONCLUDED THAT THE BEST THING FOR EVERYONE WOULD BE TO NEVER SPEAK OF IT AGAIN. JOHN: oh. okay.

Heheh.

KARKAT: IF WE'RE BEING HONEST, YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A PLAN, JOHN. KARKAT: CALLING IT A PLAN WOULD IMPLY THAT IT WAS A STRUCTURED SEQUENCE OF STEPS DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE A GOAL. KARKAT: WHAT YOU CAME UP WITH WAS A CONVOLUTED MESS WHICH STILL SOMEHOW INVOLVED DOING FUCKALL. KARKAT: AND I USE CONVOLUTED HERE IN THE SAME WAY THAT I WOULD TO DESCRIBE THE FRENZIED DRAWSTICK SCRIBBLES OF A SQUALLING HUMAN INFANT.

All Breath and no Blood? All concept and influence and ephemeral accomplishments and no physical impact or results?

Karkat has been fighting this whole time with physical results in mind. He NEEDS to tie that ephemeral shit down, and once added to his plan, once Breath sweeps the tide of actual sentiment of people, inspires them, you have an actual victory in reach instead of just more attrition.

KARKAT: I APPRECIATE THAT YOU SEEM TO HAVE DUG YOUR PAN OUT OF YOUR OWN CHUTE THE FEW MICROMETERS NECESSARY TO NOTICE THE PRECISE DEGREE TO WHICH THE WORLD IS BEING JUDICIOUSLY BATFUCKED RIGHT NOW.

Really need to dig yourself out more than that, John, yeah.

KARKAT: AS HARD AS IT IS TO BELIEVE, THAT'S A FEAT WHICH NO SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE COMPLETELY INCAPABLE OF DOING!

(Which is why your plan of attack needs more Breath!)

KARKAT: BUT NOTICING THE PROBLEM AND MAKING MEANINGFUL PROGRESS TOWARDS SOLVING IT ARE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS. KARKAT: THE NEXT TIME YOU GET THE IMPULSE TO "LEND A HAND", YOU'D BE BETTER OFF CANNING IT FOR FIVE MINUTES AND LISTENING TO THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN TRYING TO SOLVE IT A LOT LONGER THAN YOU HAVE. KARKAT: THIS ISN'T AN EXERCISE BEING CONDUCTED IN ORDER FOR YOU TO PROVE YOUR PERSONAL DEGREE OF MORAL RECTITUDE. KARKAT: AND IF IT WAS, YOU WOULD HAVE ALREADY FAILED MISERABLY! SO DO YOURSELF AND EVERYONE ELSE A FAVOR AND STOP TREATING IT LIKE ONE. JOHN: well... all right. if you say so karkat.

Phew. Let’s hope he takes Karkat’s gift of a worldbound, arms-in-the-dirt sense of responsibility (Blood) and runs with it.

KARKAT: I DO SAY SO, EMPHATICALLY AND AT GREAT VOLUME. KARKAT: AND NOW THAT MY OBLIGATION TO CATECHIZE YOU ON THE SUBJECT OF YOUR OWN LIFE IS FULFILLED, I HAVE A WAR TO GET BACK TO. JOHN: wait, hold on. KARKAT: OH MY GOD WHAT NOW.

--is it gonna be a hug?

> (==>)

JOHN. Put it together.

JOHN: you can't be leaving already. JOHN: there's... so much we still need to talk about!

No, not that!!

...well, yes, I’m all for more of you two talking but. This ain’t just about you two.

KARKAT: WHAT MORE COULD THERE POSSIBLY BE FOR US TO DISCUSS?? KARKAT: PLEASE DO NOT TELL ME YOU JUST HAD ANOTHER EMOTION THAT WE NEED TO DROP EVERYTHING IN ORDER TO DISSECT. JOHN: no, that's not what i'm talking about at all. JOHN: karkat, we still haven't spoken about *you*! KARKAT: ABOUT ME? JOHN: yes. KARKAT: ABOUT *ME*? JOHN: about you. KARKAT: WHAT THE FUCK ABOUT ME. JOHN: well... JOHN: you know, how you feel! KARKAT: HOW I FEEL. JOHN: or just... JOHN: argh, i don't know!

This was more of an intervention than a feelings jam, John. I’m not sure John’s in the condition right now to Breathily inspire Karkat somehow and help his war with an idea and drive he didn’t have before -- like he SHOULD eventually -- but I suppose we’re about to see.

JOHN: it's just been so long since we've seen each other. JOHN: all sorts of things have happened in that time, and it doesn't feel right to just not even mention any of it! KARKAT: LIKE WHAT?? JOHN: oh, i don't know karkat, literally anything! JOHN: i mean, look at you. JOHN: you are decked out in a tight body suit and have an eyepatch and everything. there is simply no way there isn't something to discuss there.

You talked with him plenty while NOT in person, though.

> (==>)

Such MOOD. What a good image.

JOHN: or like, forget the eyepatch, we don't have to talk about the eyepatch. JOHN: i feel as though my point still stands? JOHN: there is basically a bottomless well full of stuff to go through. JOHN: i mean we kind of glossed over it when you brought her up earlier, but what about yiffy? JOHN: this might not come across so easily due to human troll cultural boundaries, but her existing is kind of a big deal?? JOHN: i feel like somehow i missed the part where we all sit around and talk about how strange it is that two of our friends went off and had a secret child without any of us knowing! JOHN: is it too much to ask that we have that part now, karkat?

That’s fair. And they DO need to talk about it! But this is sort of like in the Game -- there’s important shit to do, and not a whole lot of time to do it. You’re going to do a lot of talking, but you won’t be able to do all you want with certain people separated from you by the circumstances of how this war is dividing your responsibilities.

JOHN: i mean, maybe it just doesn't mean that much to you. KARKAT: JOHN. JOHN: which is a little strange, given that it ties in to the whole conflict that you had with jade and dave. JOHN: oh god we have to talk about dave. KARKAT: JOHN. KARKAT: FUCKING HELL! KARKAT: I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT DAVE. JOHN: no, this is what i mean, karkat. JOHN: we need to talk about dave! KARKAT: HAHA! LIKE SHIT WE DO!! KARKAT: I HAVE NO FUCKING CLUE HOW THIS IS EVEN A RELEVANT TOPIC OF CONVERSATION. JOHN: oh come on. JOHN: there's no way you aren't feeling kind of messed up about him, right?

THIS is fair. Karkat does need to talk about this with somebody. Whether John is the right somebody... I guess he is where Dave is concerned. And he has to talk to Jade eventually, too.

JOHN: i know i am. JOHN: whenever i think about how things ended between you two... JOHN: especially now that he's... JOHN: ugh, i'm sorry. i'm SO sorry karkat. sorry doesn't even begin to cover it. JOHN: this whole thing feels so impossibly sad. JOHN: all i'm trying to say is... JOHN: it's not healthy to bottle these feelings up and not acknowledge them. JOHN: even if you aren't feeling anything right now, and i don't for a moment believe that's true, *i* need to talk about dave! JOHN: so can we please just talk about dave for a moment. KARKAT: NNNNGNGNGGGGGGGUUUUUUGUUGHHHHHHHH FINE.

It’s difficult to live in a Daveless world.

KARKAT: IF IT WILL GET YOU TO SHUT UP ABOUT THIS TOPIC FOR EVEN A BRIEF MOMENT, THEN FINE. KARKAT: REGARDLESS OF HOW POINTLESS AN EXERCISE I CONSIDER IT TO BE, I WILL DISCUSS WITH YOU MY "FEELINGS" ABOUT DAVE. JOHN: okay. JOHN: thank you. KARKAT: ARE YOU PREPARED TO BE INUNDATED WITH NONE OTHER THAN AN UNINTERRUPTED SPATE OF HARD, UNEMBELLISHED DATA VIS A VIS MY SWEEPS-SUPPRESSED, BISCUITFELT EMOTIONS ON THE DAVE SITUATION?? KARKAT: WELL HERE GOES.

--it’s not gonna be short, or cut away, is it? --actually it could just switch to a very sad sunset-like vista of the two sitting there, and one poignant line from him followed by a long, hanging pause.

> (==>)

KARKAT: *DEEP BREATH*

A giant expletive isn’t it.

The best sendoff you could give him.

> (==>)

Holy shit. It really IS a rant!

KARKAT: YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW I REALLY FEEL ABOUT DAVE? KARKAT: HOW I FEEL IS THAT I WISH THAT EVERYONE WOULD STOP FUCKING BOTHERING ME ABOUT HIM!!! KARKAT: ALRIGHT, SO HE AND JADE GOT HUMAN MARRIED!! BIG DEAL!!! KARKAT: DO PEOPLE FORGET THAT I WAS THERE?? I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE IS FORGETTING THAT I WAS LITERALLY INVITED TO THE OCCASION. KARKAT: I'VE EVEN COME TO EXPECT THIS KIND OF AMNESIAC BEHAVIOR FROM EVERYONE ELSE, SINCE I ADMIT THAT I DIDN'T EXACTLY STICK AROUND OR ACTUALLY SHOW MY FACE FOR MOST OF THE ORDEAL, BUT YOU EGBERT SHOULD HAVE NO FUCKING EXCUSE! JOHN: wait, karkat, that's not what i KARKAT: SO YEAH! THAT WHOLE THING HAPPENED, AND I CAME TO TERMS WITH WHATEVER THERE WAS TO COME TO TERMS WITH, WHICH WAS FUCKING *NOTHING*, AND THEN I GOT ON WITH THE ACTUAL IMPORTANT BUSINESS OF TRYING TO PREVENT THE WORLD FROM CRUMBLING! KARKAT: WHICH, NOW THAT WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT, IS *STILL FUCKING HAPPENING*! KARKAT: I AM UTTERLY APPALLED THAT THIS IS AN INFO MORSEL I KEEP HAVING TO SPOONFEED DOWN YOUR WINDCHUTE EVERY FIVE SECONDS, JOHN, I REALLY AM. KARKAT: I MEAN HOLY SHIT, NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS! KARKAT: AND ONE THING I CAN SAY WITH ABSOLUTE IRONCLAD CERTAINTY IS THAT IF DAVE WERE HERE, HE WOULD SAY THE SAME THING!!

Okay he dealt with it by keeping his hands in the dirt working on hard-fighting responsibilities, yeah, as a Blood player might. But the way he’s ranting about it seems a little-

KARKAT: SPEAKING OF WHICH, WHERE *IS* DAVE?? JOHN: um. KARKAT: I FEEL LIKE IF ANYONE COULD HAVE PREVENTED TODAY FROM DEVOLVING INTO A HEADLESS CLUSTERFUCK, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN... OKAY, MAYBE NOT HIM, BUT AT LEAST HE MIGHT HAVE HELPED DRAG YOU OUT OF YOUR DEPRESSIVE FUGUE A LITTLE SOONER! JOHN: (oh shit.)

Oh SHIT

> (==>)

Oh no... oh no, they’re BOTH about to let it out together.

They’re gonna have to cry it out. Finally, onscreen. THIS is why they weren’t showing us, why they were saving it. It felt so awkward at the time but it’s because it has to culminate in these two, some of the closest to Dave since CHILDHOOD, get to show us the effect on everyone in a microcosm.

KARKAT: NOT ONLY THAT, BUT MAYBE WITH BOTH OF US HERE WE COULD HAVE DISPENSED WITH THIS ENTIRE SORRY TOPIC ONCE AND FOR ALL, IF ONLY FOR YOUR BENEFIT! KARKAT: OH HI DAVE, JOHN SEEMS TO BE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE UNSPOKEN HISTORY BETWEEN US IS OF SUFFICIENT IMPORT THAT WE NEED TO HASH IT OUT THIS VERY SECOND IN FRONT OF THE BLASTED REMAINS OF HIS HOME! KARKAT: yo karkat that does seem to be a strange thing for my best friend john to be concerned about given that he has spent the past five years wallowing in the depths of deepest divorce fever KARKAT: and especially since jade and i have meanwhile been working as part of your resistance with no complaints, but sure, we can brofist each other and arrange our limbs in an unambiguously platonic way KARKAT: a way which is also flawlessly calculated to communicate to everyone present that here are two guys who are totally and unequivocally over each other JOHN: (oh god. you don't...)

Talk about John’s comment about Karkat’s rants not being hilarious in a situation. THIS situation really tugs it out of them. :(

KARKAT: THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA DAVE, AND WITH THAT MAYBE THAT WAY WE CAN WASH OUR TOUCH STUMPS OF THIS WHOLE ORDEAL AND NEVER HAVE TO SPEAK OF IT AGAIN! KARKAT: WOULD YOU LIKE THAT, JOHN? KARKAT: WOULD THAT SATISFY YOUR CRAVING FOR CATHARSIS ON THE SUBJECT OF DAVE?? KARKAT: WELL WHY DON'T WE TRY IT THEN. KARKAT: IN FACT, WHY DON'T YOU CALL DAVE AND GET HIM OVER HERE RIGHT NOW! JOHN: (oh my god...)

> (==>)

These visuals are ON POINT. This entire sequence since Karkat showed up is masterfully done.

KARKAT: MAYBE WE SHOULD GET JADE TO COME AS WELL! JOHN: ): KARKAT: FUCK, WHY NOT INVITE FUCKING EVERYONE!!! KARKAT: WHY NOT PRESS "PAUSE" ON THE RACE WAR FOR A MOMENT AND HAVE ONE HUGE FEELINGS JAM LAWNMEAL WHERE WE ALL PUBLICLY EXPATIATE OUR VARIOUS CONVOLUTED EMOTIONS. KARKAT: FORGET PEACE TALKS, GET FUCKING *CROCKER* TO COME! KARKAT: MAYBE THE SIGHT OF A DAVEKAT RECONCILIATION IS THE SECRET KEY TO UNLOCKING THE PART OF HER BRAIN THAT STOPS HER FROM BEING A GENOCIDAL RACIST BITCH!!! KARKAT: HOW COULD WE HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN SO BLIND!!!!!! KARKAT: IF GAMZEE WASN'T DEAD, YOU COULD HAVE INVITED HIM AS WELL! KARKAT: HAHAHA, THAT'S OKAY, WE STILL HAVE A VERITABLE MENAGERIE OF PEOPLE WE KNOW WHO AREN'T DEAD. JOHN: ))))): KARKAT: ALL OF WHOM I AM SURE WILL BE SIMPLY DELIGHTED TO ATTEND WHAT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT IN EARTH C'S BULLSHIT HISTORY. KARKAT: IF THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES, EGBERT, THEN I AM PREPARED TO DO IT! KARKAT: DON'T THINK THAT I WON'T!! KARKAT: IF JUST FOR AN *INSTANT* IT WILL GET EVERYONE OFF MY CASE ABOUT THIS, I WILL STAND UP WITH DAVE IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE ***FUCKING WORLD*** AND SOLEMNLY VOW THAT I DO NOT GIVE A SHIT!!!! JOHN: KARKAT!!!!

That last bit with John. I can HEAR the rawness in his voice as he shouts that last bit... he’s about to burst into tears. And Karkat is going to have to with him. And they’ll cry it out together, as they should.

> (==>)

JOHN: ugh, fuck, this is just too much! JOHN: i thought you KNEW! KARKAT: KNEW WHAT??? JOHN: dave's GONE, karkat! JOHN: he's... JOHN: he's dead.

Let’s see it happen.

> (==>)

Just body language, the blow of the words...

JOHN: i didn't mean for you to find out like this at all, i thought... JOHN: i mean, i only heard about it yesterday, but i was convinced someone would have told you already! JOHN: apparently one minute he was there, and the next... JOHN: none of us even know how it happened, and it doesn't make any sense that he's dead, but he is. JOHN: he is dead and he's not coming back. KARKAT: JOHN: talk to me karkat, please. JOHN: please talk to me karkat. KARKAT: KARKAT: HE...

Jade and Rose were on a different part of this battlefield, they didn’t have the ability, time, and/or heart to break the news--

> (==>)

KARKAT: HE DIDN'T EVEN SAY GOODBYE?

aaaaAAAA

What a fucking expression, wow.

And what a regret RoboDave has to have for abandoning everyone without so much as a farewell letter. To think that ditching them like that was IN his Ultimate Soul is going to eat away at him. He may be linked to all of his self of selves, but he’s still an individual with individual regrets.

This was a damned good update. See y’all next time.

(It may be the new meds I’m on, but between this and the thorough love I see put into the unofficial archive, I’m suddenly reminded that despite all the drama, I fucking LOVE Homestuck. Even its current incarnation.)

#Homestuck #hs2 #Homestuck Liveblog #upd8 #Homestuck^2 #spoiler #spoilers #John Egbert #Karkat #Dave Strider #Jane Crocker

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cartoonsaint · 4 years

Text

Luka Gets a Tattoo

[Ao3]

thanks to the AFiT server for enabling me! zero thanks to those who were trying to get me to give him a tramp stamp -- you get nothing, good day sirs

Summary: the prince can have little a bodily autonomy. as a treat Characters: the Prince (pre-Snatcher) Rating: T for college parties, altered states, poor coping mechanisms, and reference to an unhealthy relationship.

Just one night, then you’ll have the whole weekend to study for the final exam, they said.

Please, Your Majesty? Indulge your classmates just this once? they said.

It’ll be fun, they said.

And goodness gracious, Luka thinks as his hooting classmates tilt the tapped barrel of red wine so the last drops of it spill onto his tongue, were they right.

He pumps his fists straight up in the air and the room, already packed with raucous, sweaty, excitable (and very, very drunk) young adults, goes wild. Two — rather, four — no, six? Oh goodness he’s had a lot to drink — an at-present uncountable number of hands reach down and haul him off the floor to toss him, unexpectedly, into the air. Luka can’t help the yelp that escapes out of his mouth as his sloshing stomach flips, nor the laughter that comes after it when many hands catch him and set him back on solid ground, patting his back companionably all the while.

“ALL HAIL THE PARTY KING,” someone shouts, and the crowd takes up the chant. Luka’s used to having a lot of eyes on him, has been literally trained since he was a toddler to be in the public spotlight, but the energy of the crowd and the alcohol in his own system has him pressing his hands to his burning face to muffle his embarrassed laughter.

A madly grinning and particularly beefy young woman parts her fellow students like a ship cutting through the sea. Luka’s gaze is drawn to the item she holds reverently in her enormous hands — and he bursts into laughter again, shaking his head and attempting to back away. The circle of cheering party-goers around him clumsily link arms to prevent his escape. “I didn’t even drink the whole thing!” Luka protests, flapping his hands. “It was practically empty before I started!”

But the huge woman easily spans his slim shoulders (with one hand — goodness gracious) and hauls Luka in. She clears her throat with impressive projection — Luka’s background in performing arts nods in approval — and the clamor of the room dulls to near-bearable levels.

“Esteemed guests and revelers,” she pronounces with minimal slurring and maximal gravity, “I present to you: this evening’s Party King.”

The room cheers as she places the cut-and-taped paper crown atop Luka’s head. His first, honest impulse is to pull it off and take a closer look as it seems to be made out of first-year sample contracts and, well, it’s been some time since he last reviewed those and who knows what will turn up on the final exam? But the exuberantly drunk woman seizes his hand and yanks it into the air like he’s just won a prize fight and someone thrusts a tiny glass of something that smells vile in his hand and he loses track of time for a bit.

When his head, the room, and the kaleidoscope of gleeful faces stop spinning, Luka finds himself squashed between the arm of a lumpy couch and the arm of the enormous muscled woman from earlier. She notices his gaze and offers him a shark-like grin that jogs his memory.

“You’re Natasha,” he blurts out, and then immediately claps a hand over his mouth because of course she is, you fool, she knows that and you ought to have known that, what kind of a person forgets the name of someone they’ve spent years sharing classes with —

But if anything, her grin widens. She turns to the duo sat across from them and says, “Ha! You see?”

“I’m so sorry,” Luka says, pressing a hand to his burning face. He doesn’t usually drink at all, and not just because it makes him extra stupid. He’d normally have spent the night studying or writing letters, but his classmates had been very convincing and tonight is his last chance to spend time with them before the final exam and graduation (and his tutor had threatened him if he didn’t go). “I promise I know who you are, I just didn’t recognize you at first without, ah,” he looks again at her rather… distracting arms, “sleeves.”

“Relax,” says one of her friends. She’s a dark-skinned woman with a ton of dark curls framing her face — Belle, Luka remembers — and she smiles kindly as she passes him a glass of water. He thanks her profusely and she rolls her eyes good-naturedly, leaning back and crossing her arms. She raises an eyebrow at her hulking blonde friend. “Tash does it on purpose — thinks it will make her more effective in the courtroom when she takes her jacket off. Besides, she forgot you were already royalty.”

Natasha grins unrepentantly. “Party King trumps any small-town monarch, Belle. Besides, you really expect me to remember details like that about someone I only ever see in class?”

Luka sinks into the couch, stammering apologies, but the woman laughs and claps a lung-clearing hand to his back — he wheezes, attempting to regain his breath. “Don’t worry about it, buddy. You can make it up to me by telling us what you’re like! We’ve been in the same course for years and we hardly know you. What mysterious responsibilities keep you so busy you can’t come out for a night, Mr. top-of-the-class?”

“W-well,” he says, immediately falling into his practiced lines, “of course, my studies here are very important to me as a future leader of—”

“We already know you’re a nerd,” the last figure of the group says matter-of-factly. Their name eludes him, but they’re button-nosed, with hair pulled back in a ponytail that looks much sleeker than Luka’s ever managed his own. “What else?”

“Haz,” Belle scolds, but when her friend raises a single, archly amused eyebrow at her she sends Luka an apologetic grin. “Sorry about them, they were raised by extremely rude wolves.”

Luka snorts, then covers his mouth in embarrassment, but no one seems to mind. “I… have a fiancée?” he shyly offers.

“What!!” Natasha swaps his water out for her scarily large flagon of beer. “Drink and dish!”

Luka sips obediently, aware his face is already red and only getting redder. “Her name is Vanessa.”

Natasha sighs dreamily, which makes Belle giggle. Luka grins, feeling a little dreamy himself — thinking about Vanessa always makes the rest of the world feel dull. She stands out to him like fine embroidery on plain linen. “I hate to be away from her — she misses me when I’m gone, and my life certainly isn’t as bright without her in it. I write her letters everyday,” he says, alcohol freeing him to talk about himself a little more than he could otherwise stand. “She gets upset if I don’t. I love her, of course, and there’s nothing more important to me than her happiness, but… well, between all the letter-writing, my studies, and princely duties, I suppose there’s not been much time for, ah. Much else.”

He trails off and takes a gulp of lukewarm beer. Belle and Natasha glance at each other, communicating something past Luka’s current ability to parse. Haz leans forward, their eyebrows drawn down.

“So you don’t get to do anything just because you like it? Just for yourself?”

“I like being a prince,” Luka protests immediately. “It’s my duty, and an honor to serve my people. And I love Vanessa.” Luka thinks, briefly, of how hurt she would be if she knew someone had suggested he didn’t, how her magic might react beyond her control. He shivers, even in the stuffiness of the crowded room. “Compared to those things, I’m just… well, not very important.”

The group exchanges looks that Luka hardly notices. Who would he even be, without his work and without her? “Not important” seems about right.

“Well, if you say it’s what you want, then I’m happy for you!” Natasha announces, sounding a little strained. Belle hums noncommittally and swaps his drink out again for another glass of water.

“So,” says Haz, and offers him a small, genuine smile that Luka finds himself quite touched by — must be the alcohol in his system making him even more emotional than usual. “Besides your duties and your fiancée… what else do you like?”

“Ah,” he says, and presses a hand again to his warm face. This evening, right now, is probably the first time in years that Luka’s had a chance to do anything for himself, and he had to be bullied into it. Surely there’s something he likes to do besides, er, read law reviews for fun? His mind is blank. He seizes, only a little frantically, on the view of the night sky out the window. “A-astronomy! You know, the stars?” He chuckles nervously and takes another huge sip of his drink. “You can, ah, actually see them much better at home than here in the city. I used to know all the constellations.”

“That’s great,” Belle says firmly and kindly. “I don’t know anything about the stars, but I always wanted to.”

“My ancestors used to navigate by them,” Natasha adds. “That’s very cool knowledge.”

“What else?” Haz prompts quietly.

“Um,” Luka says into his cup. “Well, ah. I suppose I always liked animals? Like, snakes, and things…”

“That’s great!” Natasha exclaims.

“Great,” Bella says again.

“Hm,” says Haz.

“JIM!!” someone hollers, breaking the tense air of the group. “And Jim’s friend!! SOMEONE GET THIS MAN A FLAGON!”

“Hoho, Jim and friend!!” Natasha exclaims, mood immediately forgotten. “I’ve been meaning to get some work done, bee-arr-bee.” She rises from the couch, claps Luka’s shoulder once again (though considerably more softly this time, thank goodness), and sails through the crowd, on towards the new arrivals.

“Wait, no—!” Belle shoves herself to her feet, then glances at Luka and hesitates. Then, brief and tight, she hugs him — he blinks, startled — but separates herself before he can process it and gives him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, gotta go stop her. Tash, wait!!” And off she goes after her tall friend.

Luka watches her go. Haz clears their throat. “Jim’s friend is magic. Does tattoos,” they say.

“Ah,” says Luka. He should probably head home — he’d planned to leave early in the morning so he could spend as much of the weekend with Vanessa as possible. She needs him, especially after the accident with her mother. He can spend the rest of his evening studying, like he should have done in the first place — it’s the responsible, prudent thing to do.

Haz nudges his knee with their own. He looks up to find them offering a mug of something that smells strongly of alcohol. “You’re allowed to do things just for yourself, you know,” they say, eyes soft.

In a spontaneous move that shocks even himself, Luka takes the mug and downs it in one go. The world gets a little blurrier, a little easier to deal with.

“You know, you’re absolutely right,” he says determinedly and pours himself another.

***

Luka wakes up just after sunrise with a pounding headache, a stinging thigh, and the deep dread of knowing he’s done something he shouldn’t have.

The first thing he does is stumble into the bathroom. His reflection has mussed hair, tired eyes, and is still wearing a crumpled paper crown on his head. He snatches it off, balling it up and tossing it on his desk before running the water and pressing his forehead to the cool mirror.

This isn’t exactly why he doesn’t drink, but it’s an excellent point against it. What he remembers of last night makes him wish he’d had enough to totally block out what he’d done to himself. Though he supposes that would be worse, to wake up and only then find out he’d drunkenly gotten a…

Luka dutifully goes through his morning routine. He doesn’t look at his stinging thigh, doesn’t even think about it until he’s toweled off and staring down at the clothes a cheerfully drunk version of himself had prepared the night before. That Luka had even packed him a travel bag so he could set off for Subcon and Vanessa more quickly.

That well-meaning fool had really thought he was doing a favor for sober Luka of the future. Ooo, hungover Luka of the present hates him.

He stands there for a moment longer, feeling frayed and stupid and sorry for himself. Finally, he sighs — there’s no use to just waiting here hoping — and drops the towel enough to check the damage.

On the side of his thigh, perfectly placed for his non-dominant hand to cover when hanging loosely by his side, is a tattoo of a snake so black the ink looks nearly purple. It wraps around a stylized crown decorated with a crescent moon and a few stars. It’s a kingsnake, he remembers — he’d been adamant about getting that one because they were constrictors, not venomous. “They just want to hug!” drunk Luka had explained, tearing up.

Luka now allows himself one long groan, burying his face in his hands. He’s blown it. He’s totally screwed himself. His parents and his people won’t care, but Vanessa is going to kill him.

He can just imagine her distress that he would do something like this without her knowledge or say-so. Maybe he could fix it if he proposed they get matching tattoos, but she has no fondness for snakes and he’s rather certain you’re supposed to get matching tattoos together. She’s going to find out, she’s going to be hurt, and it’s going to be all Luka’s fault.

Fool, he thinks miserably.

Fifteen minutes he spends experiencing every possible variation on denial, anger, and depression before he can no longer justify wasting time like this. Vanessa is waiting for him and if he wants the time to properly apologize to her then he had better leave sooner rather than later.

Luka gets dressed and scowlingly seizes up his travel bag. He makes his bed and shuts the door to his bathroom. He reorganizes the papers on his desk and is about to toss out the crumpled paper crown before he stops, shoulders tight.

He made a monumentally foolish mistake last night. But despite that… he thinks about the delighted support offered by Tash, Belle, and Haz when he had decided to stay longer at the party; about how freeing it’d been to not worry for a little while about how terribly Vanessa might be feeling without him; about how light and filled with possibility the world seemed without the weight of his kingdom on his mind.

It had been, truly, quite a nice night.

Luka sighs and flattens out the crumpled crown. He folds it neatly and files it away with the rest of his papers.

He’ll buy flowers for Vanessa on the way home. Maybe it will help.

#a hat in time #the prince (ahit)#ahit #saint writes #otm fic #feat. 3 chars who #probably aren't mu bow n hat #but were good practice for them!#tattoos

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lost-eternity · 4 years

Text

Match Up Requests: CLOSED Please read the pinned rules before requesting

Match up for: @ happythoughtfulstarfish

Okie dokie. I match you with...

Peter Parker/Spider man!

First of all, girl, you're very pretty :). Just thought that I would say that. Right. On to the match up.

Like, from appearances alone. You two would compliment each other so well. 🥰

With heels on, you'd most likely be taller than Peter Parker.

Like. How dare you! He would do his best to one up you.

You occasionally catch him standing on his toes to try and match your height. And you look over at him like "???"

Cue mumbled excuses and awkward laughing

Then one day your heels go missing. And as you're looking around, you notice Peter is standing surprisingly tall. Upon further investigation you notice that he put on your heels.

Would this guy actually steal your own heels just to one up you? He'll, yeah he would. It's all in fun and games though and he isn't too serious about it.

But personality wise? Even better.

You are both serious nerds

It's not technically official but I head-canon that Peter Parker is a theatre nerd as well. I could just be Tom Holland seeping through but he gives off those theatre kid vibes.

You know how I mean.

He'd be wholly supportive of your hobbies. He would love to go and spontaneously buy random tickets to musicals on Broadway, even if you two don't get the best of seats.

Just be prepared to watch a lot of cult classics with him.

Like. A lot.

Especially Star Wars. You two will watch those movies so many times. And every single time he will be dramatically (poorly) mouthing the lines along with the film because let's be real- he has all of the movie scripts memorized.

He would also love to learn how to play an instrument from you. He'd be really bad at it. Honestly, he would be playing horrendously with this puppy-like jubilation that makes up entirely for his horrible pitch. It's adorable, really.

Your morals also align perfectly and that works out very well because the both of you are incredibly stubborn and steadfast in your resolve. You both strive to see the best in people, even if it puts you in jeopardy. Critics would call it gullibility. But you would be able to keep each other in check.

Sometimes.

You would be a massive headache for those in SHIELD or anyone assigned to manage you.

I can imagine Peter roping you into one of his elaborate schemes after getting hyped on caffeine and the two of you raising hell together. With the best of intentions, of course.

Like, "no. You cannot kidnap an ice cream truck and drive it to the orphanage for the kids. That is called theft and that's illegal."

"I don't care if it will make the children happy!"

You both have an incredible drive to help others. Peter's just manifests in a way that is a lot more... potentially lethal. Whereas you are content enough to simply volunteer your time.

Just. Don't ask to go with him on one of his super hero missions.

Trust me.

Peter has already lost people in his life. The poor boy would never forgive himself if he lost you as a result of his ineptitude on a mission.

Don't put him through that

Because he is awkward as well, you two would do very well to motivate each other and encourage one another to step outside of your comfort zones.

Meet to new, make new friends

Honestly, you’d be perfect together

You probably met Peter's sophomore year of College.

It's a funny story actually.

You volunteered with a charity service who was hosting a musical, "The Adams Family" The ticket revenue collected during the performances would be put to relief and conservation efforts in foreign countries.

Everything was extremely low budget. All of the cast members were volunteers and very few actually had much theatrical experience.

But you did not mind too much. You were cast to play the role of Morticia. So no complaints there!

The venue you were performing in was actually lent to you for free. It was on a college campus, and the auditorium was actually decently sized.

The previous performances went off rather smoothly. The turn-outs had been decent as well, thankfully.

It was closing night. Your final performance for the night. The audience was slowly filling into the room, that was when it happened.

One of the crewmembers on hair and makeup, completely new to the theatre environment actually asked out loud: "Wait, why can't we say 'Macbeth' again?"

Silence

Dead Silence

So quiet that the muted chatter of the audience could be heard from behind the heavy oaken doors of the female changing room.

The shit storm that followed would have been absolutely hysterical if everyone were not so panicked.

Those in the cast who actually had experience in theatre arts were whisper-shouting at the offending crewmember.

The others looked on, an expression of complete confusion plastered onto their brow

It's not like you could have sent her out to run around the entire college campus. You were on in 5.

Collectively, you all decided to let it go.

It was just a legend after all.

"We'll be fine."

At least, that is what everyone told themselves.

The night, surprisingly, went off without a hitch. There were a few technical difficulties with the lighting (the spotlight "affectionately" named Big Bertha refused to fully open its iris) and a few missed cues, but otherwise, the performance did not terribly fail as many feared.

You and the rest of the cast were now hurriedly darting back from the bathrooms after intermission. It was a frenzied sprint around the back of the building to avoid the audience catching a glimpse of you.

That was when you heard something that caused you to peel off the rest of the group.

It was this peculiar scuttling sound, followed by a darting figure.

You initially thought it was an audience member who had lost their way and turned down the winding path.

The narrow road itself was completely innocuous and actually just led to a dorm site. However, under the dark of the new moon, illuminated by few stray streetlamps, it felt kinda ominous.

Having to remind yourself that you weren't actually in a horror movie, you continued down the path towards the figure, asking him if he were all right.

Then he stepped into the flood of light from a lamp, his movements kinda janky and angled.

This "person" was not a person at all. Rather it was a humanoid beast covered completely in rippling grey fur. Like 'Cousin It' jumped right out of the play and appeared on the street. But this wasn't your cousin. You knew the little girl who played him and she was much... much shorter. This thing cleared 213 centimetres!

You wisely decided to run.

And it gave chase, scuttling after you like some malformed beast.

So here you were, still in complete costume, being chased down the street but a Cousin It lookalike and screaming your lungs out.

You didn't get really far because Morticia's sprawling mermaid dress did little to help you move your legs.

Cousin It caught up to you, a clawed appendage swiping against your ankles.

With a loud rip the dress tore and you fell. Pain flared through your elbows made contact with the grated pavement.

Rolling onto your back, you gazed up at the creature. Its purple fur glowing dimly under the backlighting of the street lamp.

For the first time you noticed its eyes, multiple gleaming plates meshed together to form one bulging eyeball, like a fly or moth. Its mangy hair, overgrown and matted, reeked with a permeating stench you can only describe as rotting eggs.

So maybe you were in a horror movie. And the horror movie was 'Mothman'... or maybe the curse of Macbeth was here and this creature was coming from retribution.

Regardless of the reason, you did not have too long to think about it as the creature took a lumbering step towards you. Then another... and a third... then it paused.

It pulled against something, like a dog heaving against its leash. But it couldn't move another step

"Stay where you are, Mothra." A trilling voice called.

Blinking, you noticed a figure perching on the top of the lamp post, hanging upside down from a glistening web. Another web was attached around the creature's waist, preventing it from advancing.

The blue and red was unmistakable.

This was spider man!

But why is he here?

Cousin it gave a roar of complaint and swiped for the spider. He nimbly dodged out of the way, laughing the entire time.

It was not long before he had Cousin It wrapped up in a thick cocoon of webbing, and was absently dialing something on his phone.

You heard him mumble something about how much of a nuisance "A-Chiltarians" were.

A-Chiltarians?

What was that supposed to be?

Spiderman seemed to notice you for the first time, and apologetically offered to escort you back to the play.

Which was practically ruined as intermission was over and no one seemed to be able to locate you

The audience was beginning to get antsy

To make up for lost time, Spider man grabbed you round your waist

Before you knew it, the two of you were flying

Swinging from tree to lamp as you glided across the ground back towards the theatre.

He dropped you off, literally dropped you, onto the stage, just in time for your next scene.

You could hardly act through the confusion of WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED TO ME

The rest of the night, you were understandably preoccupied

After the performance, the cast stood along the hallway, allowing the audience to meet and greet with them and pass out gifts.

A young man garnered your attention in particular

With hazel eyes and mousy hair, he introduced himself as "Peter" and handed you a bouquet of flowers

And you find yourself looking at him like "Do I know you?"

He seemed rather apologetic for whatever reason and praised your performance

Getting suspicious, especially after the events of that night, you had a feeling that he knew something he was not letting on to.

So you asked for his number.

And to your complete shock, he actually gave it

So. Over the course of one night, you were saved by the legendary spider man and got the number of a cute boy.

Maybe the curse of Macbeth is not so bad after all

#marvel #tom holland #matchups #peterparker #ship #match up #ships #ship request #matchup #matchup request #requests #shipping #peter parker x reader #spiderman #spider man x reader #marvel matchup #marvel ship #marvel match up

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cosmic-affinities · 4 years

Text

Fantasy Meets Reality Ch. 3

The third chapter of my BNHA fantasy AU is here!

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Summary: Of fucking course, it had to be Katsuki Bakugou.

Who else would have a weirdo clone from some kind of ‘Alternate Dimension’ show up to mess up their life? Obviously no one.

Of fucking course, Bakugou just had to be the one who temporarily imprinted on the random-ass third year who had a dimension summoning quirk.

Because why wouldn’t he?

Thank to everyone for their patience, hopefully this 13k chapter makes up for it!

CHAPTER 3 STARTS HERE

“Midoriya! Bro, open up!”

Izuku woke with a start, there was a voice outside his door and he was too tired to recognise it.

“Izuku, what’s going on? Why aren’t you opening the door?” A second voice called out.

To prevent any further yelling and knocking Izuku stumbled out of bed to his door and opened it, not expecting to see Kit and Kirishima waiting on the other side.

“Midobro! There you are! What were yo- did you just wake up?”

With bleary eyes Izuku nodded and moved aside, as to invite them in, they quickly entered the room and allowed the door to close behind them.

“Can I ask why you guys are here so early? It’s seven am.”

“Izuku today very well may be my last day here and I would like to see you figure everything out with Bakugou.”

“Yeah Midobro! Bakugou is always up super early anyways, so maybe we can’t start things a bit early!”

Izuku was amazed at the sheer energy the redhead in front of him was radiating, Izuku was usually a morning person but even this was a bit much.

“Alright just give me a minute to wake up, what did you guys have in mind for the plan?”

“Well, seeing as Bakugou should already be awake, we were thinking that instead of waiting for lunch, we should just do everything after breakfast, Kirishima told me that most people spend their Sundays at the nearby park, it would be beneficial to us if we were the only four in the common room.”

“Yeah! Bakubro tends to wait a while on Sundays-”

“Because he likes the empty common room yeah, but why would it help for us to be the only ones there? Wouldn’t it be good to have someone Kit can go talk to after I turn him down? Maybe we can try getting Todoroki to stick around.”

“You might have a point there Midobro, how are we going to do that?”

“I can just ask Todoroki and Uraraka to take Kit to the park with them, they’ll wait for him so he will have a perfect out. Plus if I tell Uraraka that it's to help me get a move on with Kacchan then she will agree without a second thought. Is that alright, Kit?”

“Yes, yes that is fine. I do expect to see you both there together though.”

“Alright great, can you guys like go now? I literally just woke up, I need to take a shower and get ready.”

“For sure Midobro! We didn’t actually mean to wake you up!”

“Yeah, no, it's fine! I should have probably been getting up anyway!”

“Alright Izuku, don’t be too long though, like we said Bakugou should already be awake.”

Izuku stood up and gathered his bathroom bag.

“I will actually follow you guys out.”

The trio left Izuku’s room quickly, Izuku trailing behind, allowing the two figures in front of him to make their way to the common room. He let his mind wander and it quickly drifted to Bakugou, not an uncommon occurrence. Slowly Izuku started to worry, he hoped everything went alright today because he couldn’t risk losing Bakugou’s friendship. A sudden voice brought him out of his thoughts.

“Oi nerd! What were Shitty Hair and Discount Me doing in your room?”

“Oh hey Kacchan!”

“Yeah yeah whatever hey. So you gonna answer my question?”

Izuku silently panicked; he couldn’t tell him the truth, but he also knew that Bakugou would be able to tell he was lying.

“Oh that? They just wanted to go over the plan for today, Kirishima told Kit about how everyone goes to the park on Sundays.”

Izuku hoped it would be enough, he didn’t lie at all so hopefully he didn’t show it.

“Tch leave it to shitty hair to drag the poor bastard around all day.” Izuku could have sworn Bakugou looked almost relieved, but he couldn’t tell why.

“Yeah, apparently they are going to have Todoroki and Uraraka take them, so the four of them can go together.”

“I’m surprised shitty hair isn’t taking pikachu, guess he didn’t man up and ask him.”

“Maybe he’s just waiting for the right time! There’s nothing wrong with that!”

“There would be nothing wrong with that if I didn’t have to watch them dance around each other all the damn time. Speak of the devil.”

Kirishima came into view in front of the pair, who had, somewhere along the line, stopped to talk to each other rather than continue walking.

“Hey bros! Midoriya do you mind if I steal Bakubro here for a minute?”

“Uh sure I was about to go shower anyway. I was just telling him how you, Kit, Todoroki, and Uraraka were going to go to the park together later, like we said earlier.”

“Oh yeah! It’s gonna be awesome, you sure you don’t want to come down with us?” Izuku was grateful that Kirishima knew to play along.

“Yeah I have another thing that I would like to do today, maybe I can meet you guys after?”

“Yeah yeah, what do you want shitty hair?”

“Oh! Right, come on let's go down to the common room.”

“Tch whatever, later nerd.”

“Bye Kacchan, bye Kirishima!”

The two walked away and Izuku let out a breath he didn’t realise he was holding. In order to prevent further setbacks Izuku walked quickly to the bathrooms and entered one of the stalls.

He moved quickly, anxious about how the rest of his morning would go. He finished and got dressed, stopping back in his room to put his stuff away, giving himself a once over in the mirror he decided that it wouldn’t get any easier with time so he may as well go quickly.

Izuku walked into the common room and saw it buzzing, class A had all been excited for their weekly trip. With a quick glance around he saw Kirishima sitting with Bakugou in the corner and Kit, Todoroki, and Uraraka on a comfy couch. He met Uraraka’s eyes and she gave him a quick nod while pointing at Kit then quickly looked over to the corner that held Bakugou and Kirisima. He nodded back then went to grab himself a bowl of rice.

He ate quickly and moved towards his group of friends situated on the couch. He sat quietly trying to wait for everyone to leave the common room.

“Deku! I’m so glad you are finally trying to make a move!” Uraraka couldn’t help but to get excited.

“Yeah maybe finally you two will stop being so stupid around each other.”

“Oh you’re one to talk Todoroki, I bet I could get you to blush right now without even mentioning you-know-who’s name.” Izuku did not want to deal with any teasing, if someone wanted to mess with him they better expect the same treatment.

True to Izuku’s words Todoroki had a light pink blush dusting across his cheeks, Izuku only smirked at the two-toned boy.

The group slowly became more comfortable and more people started to leave the common room, eventually it was the four of them and the pair across the room in the corner. Kit looked at Izuku and nodded, it was go time.

“Uraraka, Todoroki?”

“Yes Katsuki-kun?”

“Would you wait for me outside? I won’t take long, then we can go to the park.”

As the two confirmed Izuku caught Kirishima’s eye, he brought Bakugou closer to the other pair. At this Izuku became nervous again.

“Izuku? Can I ask you a question?” Kit spoke clearly, commanding the attention from the room while maintaining eye contact with Izuku.

“Sure Kit ask away.” Izuku’s voice shook slightly, the only indication of his nerves.

“I have only known you for a short time, and we do not have much longer together, but you have made a lasting impression on me that I will no sooner forget than my own name. So I was wondering if you would like to accompany me on a date today.” Kit oozed confidence, a feeling Izuku couldn’t fathom at the moment.

“Wow, Kit I am very flattered but I don’t think it would be fair to you if I were to go out with you right now when I like someone else, I’m sorry.”

“There is no need to apologise Izuku, my only hope for you is that the special person that has caught your eye would appreciate you as much as I would.”

“Thank you Kit, that is very kind of you.” Izuku decided to cut himself off early, he didn’t want to say too much while everyone could hear him.

Across the room Kirishima spoke quietly.

“Huh, I thought Mido would say yes.” At his words Bakugou quickly turned towards him.

“Why would he do that?! They barely know each other!”

“Well he does seem like the type of guy he would go for. Don’t you think?”

“I don’t think about who that fucking nerd would date so I wouldn’t know.” At this Bakugou made a move to walk away but Kirishima grabbed his wrist.

“Why don’t you go talk to him? Look, doesn't he look like he could use a familiar face?”

“Tch why would I do that?”

“Well why wouldn’t you? You’re his friend.”

“So are you and I don’t see you jumping up to go talk to the nerd.”

“It's different and you know it. Plus fake you is the one who made him like that, you should at least try to fix it.”

Bakugou pulled away but instead of moving towards the door Kit just walked out of, he made his way towards Izuku.

“Hey nerd.”

“Hey Kacchan.”

“So what the hell just happened?”

There was a small click of the door shutting behind Kirishima.

“Well Kit just asked me out.”

“And..”

“And I said no.”

“Why? I thought you two seemed to be getting along pretty well.” There was an edge of bitterness to Bakugou’s voice.

“Well yeah but he doesn’t check all of my boxes for a boyfriend.”

“Which are…?”

Izuku paused for a moment.

“Well, he’s definitely attractive, he’s got a great body, those two are obvious.” Izuku paused, feeling himself turn very red. “But, there’s just something missing, his personality is slightly off and I really don’t know all that much about him, which I for sure need to if I’m going to get myself a boyfriend.”

Izuku wouldn’t meet Bakugou’s eyes, but at the moment, even if he could, it wouldn’t have made a difference. Bakugou was currently digesting the new information, his brain refusing to allow the obvious dots to connect to each other.

Izuku stood up and began to walk away when he felt a hand grab his. Before he could react he was spun around, directly into the arms of a flushed Bakugou.

With their hands still clasped Bakugou whispered.

“Tell me when to stop or if I got this all wrong.”

“If you are waiting for me to tell you to stop or to pull away, it's not going to happen.” With a newfound confidence Izuku was able to look Bakugou in the eyes as he spoke.

Without warning Bakugou’s other hand snaked around Izuku’s waist, pulling him impossibly closer. The two stayed for a moment, breathing in each other’s air, appreciating the comfortable weight in their hand. Neither of them knew who moved first all they knew is that their lips met and they should have been doing that for a long time.

Izuku was the first to let go of Bakugou’s hand, letting both his hands find the soft spikes that he yearned to touch everytime Bakugou was near. Bakugou wasted no time and allowed his newly free hand to move up to cup Izuku’s jaw, a fit so perfect that it would be criminal to not take advantage.

Once they finally pulled apart they rested their foreheads against one another, still pressed tightly together.

“Why haven’t we been doing this again?”

“Apparently we needed a gigantic push, Kacchan.”

“Fair enough.”

Neither of them wanted to allow more time to pass, they reconnected their lips, slow and passionate, trying to push all of their feelings into this one action.

This time when they separated Izuku took a miniscule step back, still in Bakugou’s arms but far enough away for him to be able to see his entire face.

“If I stay that close to you I won’t stop.”

“And who said that's a bad thing? It sure as hell wasn’t me.”

“Definitely not bad, I can tell you that much. Just not the right time. We should be meeting our friends at the park.’

“Or… we could ditch those extras. Spend the day together.”

Izuku melted at the thought, he was sure that this would end badly and yet here he was.

“Like a date?”

“Exactly like a date. I have seen you spend way too much fucking time with someone who looks like me and now it's my turn.”

“Alright, what do you want to do?”

“I might have a few ideas. This is going to be the best damn date of your life nerd.”

Izuku couldn’t help it anymore, he closed the space between them and trapped Bakugou in another kiss, both of them could feel the other smiling.

As he pulled away Izuku saw a flush on Bakugou’s face that easily matched his own. The pair experienced immediate relief as they finally knew how the other felt.

“Let me get changed. What should I wear?”

“Just make sure you are comfortable, I don’t want to have to cut the date short or carry you back to the dorms.”

The two stood, waiting, neither wanting to break the moment. They shared the first of many small smiles.

“Alright nerd, hurry up we gotta get going, I’m going to date the fuck out of you.”

“Don’t you think you should take me to dinner first?” Izuku said with a wink. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Bakugou immediately blushed, caught off guard by Izuku’s newfound confidence.

“Whatever, just hurry.”

“Aww are you starting to blush?”

“No! I don’t fucking blush just hurry up!”

With a small smirk Izuku leaned forward and planted a small kiss on Bakugou’s cheek, reveling in the warmth of his skin.

“You seem a little warm, you should check if you have a fever, that is if you’re sure you aren’t just blushing.”

Not giving Bakugou any time to respond, Izuku moved out of his grip and made his way to his room. In his excitement he moved faster than normal, getting to his room in almost half the time.

Once there he quickly grabbed an outfit, one that he and Uraraka agreed would be perfect for an imaginary date if he were to ever go on one. Now he was happy for their late night antics, and happy that Uraraka convinced him that the single pair of black skinny jeans he owned belonged in his wardrobe. After he finished dressing, Izuku made his way back to the common room, surprised to see Bakugou doing the same.

“Good, you didn’t take forever. Let's get going, we have to catch a train.”

“Wait where are we going? You never said.”

Izuku grabbed onto Bakugou’s arm, momentarily making him stop.

“It’s a surprise, don’t worry you’ll love it,” Bakugou seemed to have regained his confidence in the time the two were separated.

“Alright… I trust you but you know I don’t like surprises.”

“Oh come on, you’ll like this one I promise.” Bakugou looked at Izuku with such confidence that he couldn’t help but relax. The softness in his eyes was one thing Izuku had never seen before, he was happy to be on the receiving end of it.

“Fine, only for you. Let’s go!” Izuku fully let his excitement take over as he stuck his arm through the loop Bakugou made with his elbow, he knew he would have fun.

The two walked together to the train station, keeping their arms interlocked.

“Are we going to a movie?”

“Nope, I do actually want to talk to you.”

“Ok, how about a fair?”

“There are no fairs nearby, but when there is we will definitely go. You know, it would be easier if you just stopped guessing and found out once we got there, I really don’t think you’re going to guess.”

“It’s more fun this way!” Izuku couldn’t help but light up everytime he remembered that he was actually on a date with Bakugou, and to think just that morning he was sure everything would go horribly.

“Oh whatever, have any more guesses?” Bakugou wouldn’t admit it, but he was happy to see Izuku so excited about their date.

“Yes! Are we going to the aquarium?”

“You’re getting slightly closer but no.”

“How about a ghost tour?”

“How is that anywhere near the aquarium?”

“I don’t know! How is anything like an aquarium?”

“Once you find out where we’re going you’ll understand, come on the next stop is ours.”

The pair let go of the pole they were holding onto and made their way towards the door, as the train came to a stop Izuku stumbled, crashing directly into Bakugou’s chest. In less than a second Bakugou’s arms were firmly around Izuku, keeping him upright.

“Woah, don’t fall over now, you’re not supposed to swoon until we’ve already been on the date.” The small smirk on Bakugou’s lips set off butterflies in Izuku’s stomach.

“W-well I didn’t mean to trip, the train just stopped and I lost my balance!”

The flustered look on Izuku’s face made Bakugou’s heart swell, another thing he wanted to see over and over again.

“You’re cute, you know that?”

“Wh-what Kacchan!” Still wrapped in Bakugou’s embrace Izuku brought his arms up to his face to hide his growing blush.

“Oh come on, I haven’t been able to say any of this until today, don’t try to tell me to stop now.” Bakugou slowly pulled Izuku’s arms down and pressed his lips to his cheek, pulling him closer in the process.

“Alright the doors opened, you can be embarrassed later.”

Bakugou gave Izuku a light push and moved him through the open doors. As they made their way out of the station Izuku continued guessing where they could possibly be going.

“Alright I have another guess.”

“Oh found your voice have you?” Bakugou was still reveling in Izuku’s previous embarrassment, enjoying every moment they were together.

“Oh shush, are we going to play mini golf?”

“Tch I would crush you in mini golf and I don’t want to give you any bad memories of this date, so no, we’re not going mini golfing.”

“Alright are we going roller skating?”

“The two of us and roller skates would not mix, we would leave soot marks and broken walls behind.”

“You’re probably right, ok how about the beach?”

“That would be better around sunset, it's too early.” Bakugou continued to wonder how any of these guesses were anywhere near the aquarium.

Bakugou turned as he heard a dreamy sigh.

“Sunset on a beach with Kacchan sounds perfect.” He said it so quietly, Bakugou was sure he hadn’t meant to say it outloud.

As the words reached his ears Bakugou turned an alarming shade of red, without meaning to Izuku managed to make Bakugou feel like his insides were twisting, somehow in a good way.

“Tch damn nerd you can’t just say stuff like that.” Bakugou wouldn’t meet Izuku’s eyes even though there was confusion evident on his face.

“Wait! Did I say that out loud?” Izuku’s embarrassment grew, he had full faith that thought had stayed firmly in his mind until Bakugou accurately responded.

“Yes you did, whatever it was cute.” He still wouldn’t meet Izuku’s eyes, the obvious flush on his face was endearing to Izuku.

“Well, I meant it. Sunset on a beach with you, that would be amazing.” With this Izuku wrapped his arm around Bakugou’s and continued to walk forward.

The two stayed quiet for a moment, each for a different reason. Bakugou was trying to calm down his rapidly warming face while Izuku was content reveling in their comfortable silence.

“You know what, once we have a weekend off we can spend a day at the beach, I’m thinking we go for sunset and stay until sunrise.” With a sly wink and a kiss on the cheek Bakugou had finally fully regained his composure.

“S-sounds like a plan! I have one more guess, it seems like we’ll be there soon so I don’t have much more time anyway.”

“Alright let's see what you got.”

“Ok are we going to the botanical garden that's near here?” They rounded a corner heading in the opposite direction to the place Izuku was talking about.

“Nope but that’s close to what we’re doing after this.”

“We’re doing more than one thing?”

“Of course we are, what did you expect?”

“Well I knew you would have something great but we literally just decided to do this less than two hours ago I didn’t think you would have such a detailed plan!”

“You wanna know something, it took my fucking clone to come in and get all over you for me to realise that I have been planning this for a long time.”

Bakugou had stopped walking so he could talk to Izuku properly, he looked Izuku in the eyes trying, for a moment, to convey his emotions with a look.

Without hesitating Izuku moved forward and kissed Bakugou, it was the only thing he could think of that would stop the onset of tears. Bakugou’s hands moved up to cup Izuku’s face, his thumbs wiping away the few tears that managed to escape.

The two finally pulled apart for air, foreheads resting against each other, when Izuku started to speak.

“Kacchan, you wanna know something?”

“What?” The explosive blond moved further back so he could see Izuku’s face.

“Kit never actually had feelings for me.” A confused look crossed Bakugou’s features.

“What do you mean? The extra asked you out.”

“Well he told me he actually has feelings for the other version of me. That’s what he told me the first day he was here, when he pulled me into the corner. I didn’t want to say anything to you while we were cooking just in case it made you feel weird, that was the absolute last thing I wanted for the two of us.” Izuku moved slightly farther back, giving Bakugou space if he needed it.

“Then what the hell was his little show of putting his hands all over you?” Izuku was relieved to hear Bakugou’s voice stay calm, mainly curious.

“Well it was exactly that, a show. The thing he originally pulled me into the corner for was to ask me about my feelings for you, well it was actually a statement more than anything but that’s beside the point.” At this Bakugou became more confused, wondering how those two things would connect.

“Were you… trying to make me jealous?” A wide smile broke out over Bakugou’s face, he seemed to enjoy the idea of Izuku working so hard to get the two of them together.

“Maybe…? Yes, ok I admit most of the things that happened were at least a little planned.” Izuku looked sheepish, embarrassed to admit the lengths he went to.

“I would like to say that you didn’t have to go through all of that but hey it worked so who am I to say what you should’ve done. Come on, it's already 10:20 I don’t want to waste time. We’re almost there.”

Izuku was only a little surprised at how well Bakugou took the news, he had expected at least a little more shock.

“Will you finally tell me where we’re going?” Moving past the lack of shock, Izuku was now fully focused on the date ahead.

“Well if you would walk for a couple more minutes we will be there, let’s go already.” With that Bakugou grabbed Izuku’s hand and continued walking, with the sudden affection Izuku started to blush.

“The date hasn’t even officially started but this has already been one of the best days of my life.”

“Oh just wait until you see where we’re starting.” Bakugou took the compliment in stride, fully agreeing with Izuku’s statement.

The two walked for another two minutes when Bakugou stopped abruptly, lightly squeezing Izuku’s hand so he knew to stop.

“Alright nerd, we’re here.” Izuku turned to face the building Bakugou was looking at and immediately dropped his hand in a favour of a hug.

“How did you know?! I’ve been wanting to come here since it opened last summer, I just didn’t want to go alone!”

“Like I said I’ve been planning this for a while. And, for the record, I’ve been looking into coming here too, who wouldn’t want to come to the first hero art gallery in Japan?”

Neither made a move to answer the rhetorical question, choosing to instead look at the building in front of them that read ‘Through The Ages: A Hero’s Moment Remembered’

“Come on, let’s get in there already, I can practically feel you vibrating you damn nerd.”

The two separated from their hug and rejoined hands as they walked through the glass doorway, their immediate sight was one they wouldn’t soon forget.

As soon as they entered, the gallery held statues of some of history’s greatest heros, all in their prime and poised to take down the nearest villain. Spanning back just over a hundred years to the first sets of heroes and villains after quirks manifested.

Izuku had stopped walking and Bakugou only noticed when his hand nearly slipped out of Izuku's. When Bakugou looked back to check on him, he was met with a look of pure wonder, they had barely gotten past the doors and Izuku was already enchanted by the opening pieces of art. In that moment Bakugou felt like the luckiest person alive, all because he was able to witness the pure joy on Izuku’s face, he was nearly always happy but to see him so encompassed in positivity, it felt like a privilege.

“Hey, come on there’s a bunch of stuff for us to see.” It almost pained Bakugou to pull Izuku from his stupor, but they could only stand there for so long. When Izuku didn’t respond another small squeeze of his hand felt necessary.

Izuku finally looked at Bakugou again but before the blond could say another word Izuku threw himself forward and wrapped his arms tightly around his date. In a swift motion Bakugou steadied himself and returned the impromptu hug.

“Ok, I’m not complaining but if we keep standing around here hugging we’ll never get to the silver age All Might exhibit which is kind of the main reason I brought you here.”

Before he could even finish his sentence Izuku had stepped back and grabbed his shoulders, putting a deadly serious face on.

“WHY DIDN’T YOU LEAD WITH THAT!” Izuku promptly grabbed his hand and dragged Bakugou through the rest of the entrance and led him into the first hallway.

Izuku’s initial excitement never wore off, the pair went through room after room of incredibly detailed art, Bakugou was happy to lean back and listen to Izuku tell him every detail of any given hero’s career, even ones he knew about just as well. The ones he did know about allowed him to add in his own comments and clarify any conflicting facts, everytime he did Izuku became visibly more excited.

The two were nearing the All Might exhibit currently passing through a room dedicated to Nana Shimura, the pair were both entranced by the photo-like realism of most of the paintings of her, the art gallery went so far as to specify on the descriptions that they were paintings and not photos.

“Hey did I ever tell you about the seventh holder of… OFA?” Izuku dropped his voice slightly and leaned towards Bakugou, not wanting to be overheard.

“Pfft you dork, really ‘OFA’? I would have known what you were talking about. But to answer your question no you never did.”

Izuku reddened at the tease, grateful that Bakugou was here to talk to.

“Well, this is her. She chose All Might when he was, I think, 15? Kinda like he chose me I guess. Anyway she’s the one who said heroes should always smile in the face of danger, All Might really looked up to her.” Izuku spoke with a small smile, enjoying the memory of All Might telling him all about Nana Shimura.

Bakugou was sure that there was no way he could fall even more head over heels for Izuku but here he was, watching Izuku tell him about someone who, to most people, was just another great hero. It was something he would never admit, but the small smile that currently graced Izuku’s features was one of his favorites, it was the most genuine and the hardest to come by and should be appropriately cherished.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?” Izuku quickly went to clean off his face but Bakugou grabbed his hands in mid air.

“There’s nothing on your face nerd, just keep telling me about Nana Shimura. I was just paying attention to you as you were talking.” Bakugou had fought to keep a flush from appearing on his face, this was not the time to get flustered.

Izuku seemed satisfied with his answer and continued to talk, answering the questions Bakugou had about her and All Might, it wasn’t everyday you heard stories about your favourite hero as a teenager. Izuku also mentioned the love his own mother had for the female hero, wondering aloud if her and All Might ever accidentally crossed paths. Once there was a lull in the conversation about Nana Shimura, Bakugou had a thought come to him.

“One day I’m going to be able to tell these kinds of stories about you.” Bakugou said, while nudging Izuku’s side.

Izuku immediately turned bright red and smiled at Bakugou, who decided to elaborate slightly.

“Once we get out of U.A. and become the best pro hero duo to ever exist, people are going to ask us all kinds of crazy questions. I will sit there and tell them stuff like this, and none of them will even know what to do because they won’t be able to handle what a cute little shit you are.”

Izuku could do nothing but bury his face in Bakugou’s shoulder, turning red at the thought of the two of them together for the world to see.

“You get embarrassed so easily.” He poked Izuku’s side causing him to slightly squeal and jump away.

“Well what do you expect from me! You can’t say stuff like that and expect me to just brush it off! So yes I turn all red but you seem to like that so ha!” Although Izuku had pulled away and looked at Bakugou, his face was still bright taking the edge off of his teasing.

“You’re not wrong I can tell you that much.” Bakugou winked at Izuku, only causing him to turn more red,which neither thought was possible.

“Kacchaaaaan stop! If anymore blood goes to my face and ears I might pass out!”

“Oh don't be so damn dramatic you didn’t even pass out when you literally broke a majority of the bones in your body, a little blushing won’t do anything to you.”

Izuku pouted, leading Bakugou to start laughing.

“You’re too fucking cute to be doing shit like that.” Bakugou stared at Izuku’s protruding bottom lip for a moment.

He swiftly leaned in for a kiss, lightly biting down on Izuku’s bottom lip, the resulting gasp allowed him to deepen the kiss. Izuku melted into it, quickly forgetting his previous embarrassment in favour of focusing on the blond in front of him.

Once the two finally broke apart to breathe they quickly remembered that they weren’t alone. Izuku looked around and giggled as he leaned into the crook of Bakugou’s neck.

“You think anyone noticed?” He couldn’t stop more laughs from escaping his mouth.

“Given the fact that you look wrecked and I probably don’t look much better, I’d say so.”

At Bakugou’s words Izuku took in his appearance. He was right, the red lips and messy hair would definitely give them away to anyone who hadn’t witnessed their display first hand.

“Yeah I might be the only one who would appreciate the way you look right now.” He paired his remark with a wink, hoping he could affect Bakugou in the same way he had previously.

Izuku was happy to see that it worked, Bakugou flushed and quickly cleared his throat, looking down before he spoke again.

“Come on let’s keep going, there’s only a few more rooms and I think we’ve given these people enough of a show already.” Bakugou whispered, not wanting to draw any more attention to them than they already had.

Izuku simply nodded and took his hand, there was no need to say anything more as they both walked towards the next room.

They made their way in and started to make their way around the room with the same routine they had fallen into after the second room.

“Oh! We should take a picture together! I want to get a few selfies of us!” Bakugou looked at Izuku, who had already gotten his phone out of his pocket, and had an idea.

“Tch that's against the rules nerd.”

“No it isn’t, I checked!” Izuku shot him a confused look.

“Look it says it right here,” Bakugou pointed at a small sign near the doorway and read it out loud “Please do not photograph the art. You’re a masterpiece and the gallery strictly prohibits taking pictures of the art.” With a smirk and wink, Bakugou continued looking at the art as he had done before, not waiting for Izuku to stop blushing.

“Kacchan!”

“Yeah nerd?” Bakugou feigned nonchalance, determined to act as if he didn’t plan that line (and a few others) the entire time they were walking through the gallery.

“Y-you can’t just say something like that and walk away!” Izuku had finally moved to where Bakugou was.

“Something like what?” Bakugou met his eye with an eyebrow raise, hoping to get a rise out of his date.

“You know what I’m talking about!” Izuku responded with a small smack to Bakugou’s shoulder.

Bakugou simply wrapped an arm around Izuku’s waist and pulled him closer, electing not to respond and admit to how much thought he put in.

At the contact Izuku leaned in, also wrapping his arm around Bakugou’s waist, finding the familiar warmth relaxing.

“Fine, I’ll let you out of this one but don’t think you can get away with it again.” Izuku tried to look intimidating but, from the view Bakugou had, he only managed to look adorable.

Bakugou just smiled and gave Izuku a quick peck on the cheek, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

The pair, now looking sickeningly adorable wrapped in each other’s arms, finished going through the rooms featuring some lesser known heroes and prepared to go into the last two, both centered around All Might in various stages of his career.

Both of their excitements grew. They both knew the ins and outs of his entire career and were even lucky enough to hear about a lot of it first hand but they couldn’t help but feel their anticipation grow as they approached the entrance.

“Do you think they’ll have a rendition of his fight against Dr. Finch?”

“Nah even though it was epic, their fight isn’t famous enough. I’d say for sure they have One For All, that's pretty obvious, maybe that one guy moonfish, the one with the teeth blades, but that might be a little gross for the exhibit.”

“I think they might even have more of him looking heroic rather than actually in battle, maybe a few battle scenes but most people depict him posing.”

The pair stopped their guessing as they walked in. Their eyes were met with something they never would have guessed.

The art gallery had dedicated one whole room to statues of All Might, significantly smaller than those in the entrance hall but just as detailed. There were around a dozen of them positioned around the room in chronological order, the most recent one being a slightly inaccurate version of All Might beating the sludge villain in an alley.

“He didn’t actually hit it, it was a wind attack. Landing a hit would have meant he could’ve been trapped!” Izuku pointed out quietly. After he spoke, Izuku worried that talking about the sludge villain might hit a nerve.

“They must have thought a wind attack wouldn’t look as good as him just hitting it, or maybe we know more about heroics than they do.” Bakugou lightly nudged Izuku’s shoulder with a playful look on his face. Izuku’s worries were soothed as he saw the positive reaction from his date.

“I think you might just be right Kacchan, we probably know more about All Might and heroics than any gallery curator ever could.” They both continued looking around, stopping momentarily to inspect details. They soon finished their tour of the first half of the All Might exhibit and walked towards the second half.

As they approached the final room neither knew what to expect, they could only hope it had been worth the hours they spent touring the gallery.

As they entered they were met with a room akin to an All Might shrine, one that rivalled Izuku’s childhood bedroom. The walls were painted red, white, and yellow with details reminiscent of All Might’s Silver Age costume. There were commissioned art pieces strategically hung throughout, a small set of photographs displayed off to one side, a four piece sequence drawn out like a comic book scene depicting All Might’s grand move the ‘United States of Smash’, and a perspective art piece that showed All Might’s hero form from one angle and his true form from another.

Izuku was frozen, desperately trying to consume every work all at once, failing miserably. Bakugou was in a similar state, both were amazed with the lengths the art gallery went to.

“Wow Deku it almost looks like your bedroom when we were kids.” Bakugou had finally managed to break out of his stupor long enough to tease Izuku, who truly had it coming with the obsession he once had.

“Hey! I was bad but this is kind of excessive, they definitely could have made this into two separate rooms. Although they would have to consider either getting rid of a previous room, or extending the gallery altogether so I’m sure this was probably the best way to set everything up. But All Might is a beloved hero so many would be willing to go through room after room of art work centered around him. Then again they would have to rebrand as an All Might exhibit which could eventually become one of many seeing as he is the symbol of peace after all.” Izuku quickly cut himself off, he could have continued talking but he realised he had begun to ramble.

Bakugou simply allowed him to talk, listening intently and smiling at the amount of thought Izuku had already put in. Bakugou could hardly believe that, at one point in time, he thought Izuku’s rambling was annoying.

“Why’d you stop?” Shortly after Izuku cut himself off Bakugou shot him a confused look, not understanding why he stopped talking.

“Oh well I was rambling and most people tend to cut me off after about sentence three so I figured I should stop myself.” Izuku instinctively rubbed his neck and leaned away out of embarrassment.

“I didn’t tell you to stop, did I? Now, you were saying?” Bakugou directed Izuku’s hand back down and tugged him closer, putting them back in each other’s arms.

Izuku stared for a moment, no one had ever encouraged his tangents before, especially not Bakugou. It was almost surreal. After he regained his composure he continued, pointing out physical evidence to support his logic. Bakugou continued to listen and even gave his opinion on the matter, successfully motivating Izuku to keep talking.

Izuku couldn’t help but get excited, it wasn’t often he was able to continuously go on about his favorite things, more often than not being talked over or ignored. As their conversation came to a natural end and they stood in a comfortable silence Izuku took a moment to think about their date so far. He quickly realised that the entire date had perfectly catered to him, a hero art gallery where he was able to freely admire and talk about all of his favorite heroes was something he could only dream of. Yet here he was, in that exact situation with the one person that could make it perfect.

The pair made their way through the last room, spending extra time admiring the perspective piece hanging in the center of the room, whispering small inconsistencies to each other, from personal experience of both forms. The two made it to the exit and with a final look around, they left the art gallery.

“Thank you Kacchan, this was better than I could have ever imagined.”

If it had come from anyone else, Bakugou would have gagged at the sincerity in their voice, but for Izuku he would let it slide.

“Don’t thank me yet, remember there’s more than one part to this.” Bakugou was quick to remind Izuku of his earlier promise.

Once they had made it outside, they both finally realised how long they had actually spent inside the Hero Art Gallery, it was already time for lunch.

“Oh my gosh Kacchan! It’s already 12:30, I want to make sure we get back before everyone else coming from the park!”

“Don’t worry Deku, they usually waste their entire day there, we still got a good few hours before they even think about heading to the dorms.” Bakugou was right, the heroes in training did tend to spend quite a while out of the dorms when they were allowed to (and even when they weren’t, in many cases.)

Izuku visibly calmed, allowing himself to enjoy his date rather than worry about making it back in time to see Kit off, he was sure they wouldn’t be gone that long.

“Ok, yeah you’re right. So what is it you have planned?”

“Nerd, we’ve been over this, I’m always right. As for what I have planned, that is for me to know and you to love.” Bakugou turned, grabbed Izuku’s hand, and walked forward.

The pair were now heading back the way they came, Izuku red from the small show of affection. Neither felt the need to break the serene silence, they were both content in each other’s presence.

After a few minutes Bakugou guided them into a turn that took them off of their original path, apparently towards the next thing he had planned.

“Alright nerd, we’re almost there, want to try anymore guesses?”

“Nope! I have decided whatever your idea is, I probably won’t be able to guess it!”

Bakugou smiled at the smug look on Izuku’s face, he was proud of his deduction.

“Oh getting smarter by the minute I see, I guess that means we’ll have to go on dates more often, maybe then you could take over the tutoring sessions the sea of idiots put me up to every week.”

“Oh Kacchan, no need to pretend, I know they’re your friends and you would do just about anything for them. Even if you do threaten them all with murder at least once a week.” Izuku leaned into Bakugou, wrapping his free arm on the muscular bicep just under his chin.

Bakugou put a lot of effort into not throwing his adorable date over his shoulder and taking him back to his dorm so they could be alone, he settled for resting his head on the mop of curls that came up to his ear. The resulting blush on Izuku’s face made up for the fact that they weren’t alone.

“Fine whatever. They’re my annoying friends who don’t know when to quit, happy?”

“Ecstatic!” Izuku managed to make a normally sarcastic jab sound frighteningly genuine, it left Bakugou amazed.

The pair continued walking, admittedly awkwardly with their new positions, soon making it to the entrance of a park. Once they arrived Bakugou straightened himself, stretching his neck slightly to make up for the discomfort, and stopped walking.

“Alright, we're here for part two of the greatest fucking date ever.”

“A park? Have we ever been here before?” Izuku was slightly confused, he had no memories of them in parks aside from the one near their neighborhood when they were younger.

“We haven’t but the park is only the beginning.” Without another word Bakugou walked onto the path, tugging Izuku’s hand along the way.

Bakugou seemed to know exactly where they were going so Izuku let him lead the way, hoping for some of his confusion to clear up. As the pair walked , hand in hand, they made idle conversation mostly about the art gallery they had just left.

After a few minutes of walking they stopped in front of a small booth, Bakugou fully faced Izuku now that they were still.

“Want some ice cream?” Bakugou accompanied his words with a slight nod towards the booth they were standing near.

Izuku’s excitement was visible, he quickly nodded his head with a bright smile on his face.

Bakugou shook his head fondly at his date’s animated response and brought him closer to the counter. Once they reached it, Izuku looked at all the choices listed on a board to their right. Izuku was about to tell Bakugou what he planned on getting before he was quickly cut off.

“Wait, I bet I could guess ‘cause you’re predictable like that.” Confidence flashed through Bakugou’s eyes and Izuku was never one to turn down any kind of competition.

“Fine BUT if you’re wrong you’re buying the ice cream.”

“Tch I’m buying either way.” Izuku was about to respond but Bakugou continued before he could. “Anyway! I bet you’re going to get a waffle cone... with vanilla ice cream on the bottom and then... a scoop of ube ice cream on top.” As Bakugou finished he raised an eyebrow at Izuku.

“What! How did you know that?!”

“I told you, you’re predictable.”

“I’ve literally never eaten ube ice cream before!”

“Exactly, it's the only one you haven't tried, so you would want to try it but you get vanilla on the bottom just in case you don't really like the ube so you can still eat your cone with a flavour you know you like.” Bakugou spoke almost absentmindedly, as if it was the easiest conclusion to come to.

“How did you know I would get vanilla? I like a bunch of ice cream flavours!”

Bakugou spoke with an eye roll. “Obviously because you don’t know what would go good with the ube so you’d choose vanilla, the one that goes with everything.”

“Ok how did you know about the waffle cone?!”

“Anyone with even an ounce of good taste would choose a waffle cone and I know you have good taste ‘cause you’re on a date with me.” He paired his final deduction with a wink that made Izuku go red in the face.

“Well I know you’re getting one scoop of the honey wasabi in a waffle cone!”

“Well obviously, I never said I wasn’t predictable, I only said that you definitely were.” Bakugou’s nonchalance did nothing to ease Izuku’s blush.

The man behind the counter had witnessed the entire conversation and finally cleared his throat.

“So that was a waffle cone with vanilla and a scoop of ube and then a waffle cone with one scoop of the honey wasabi?”

Izuku looked mortified, he didn’t know that anyone was watching them, he could only let out a small embarrassed squeak. Luckily, Bakugou was much more composed and he was able to confirm their order.

As soon as he finished Bakugou looked at Izuku with his face in his hands, trying to cool off.

“Get the fuck over here you damn nerd.” Bakugou opened up his arms for Izuku, motioning for him to come closer. Izuku immediately moved forward and buried his face in Bakugou’s firm shoulder.

“Why didn’t you tell me someone was watching us! That’s so embarrassing!”

“Tch we’re fucking adorable and I don’t care who sees us so I didn’t think you would either.” Bakugou was mainly picking fun, knowing that is not how Izuku meant it, but he enjoyed getting the green haired cutie riled up.

Izuku pulled back slightly to look Bakugou in the face.

“Wait! No! That’s not what I meant! Sure let them look when we’re being cute but come on! I am almost positive that for the duration of that interaction I was completely red! Not fair that you get to look hot while I look like a hot mess!” After fully realising what he said Izuku turned red once again this time, though, he wasn’t the only one.

“Wh-whatever nerd, you never look like a mess and its fucking unfair.” Bakugou turned away, not meeting Izuku’s eyes. The two stood there not making eye contact until the man behind the counter cleared his throat once again. The two quickly corrected themselves and made their way towards the counter.

“Uh, the two cones will be ¥1000.” The both made to get out their wallets but Bakugou was quicker, going at a pace he maintained was natural, but seemed rushed.

The exchange was made and the pair continued on their way. The ice cream captured most of Izuku’s attention, but Bakugou was happy to revel in his happiness.

They walked for a short while, to the soundtrack of Japanese nature, small animals and leaves rustling in the wind creating a nice atmosphere. Eventually Bakugou led them to a small bench where they could enjoy their cold treats. Once they finished they stood and continued walking.

“Alright nerd get ready for the real reason I brought you to this park.” Bakugou had finally spoken up as they rounded a corner, bringing them to a sidewalk lined with beautiful trees.

Izuku gasped, “You remembered?” He met Bakugou’s eyes, his own filling with tears.

“It's not hard to remember your favorite flowers are cherry blossoms and ume flowers, it’s no big deal.” Bakugou looked away and rubbed his neck, he didn’t realise just how much Izuku would like his surprise.

“It is to me, this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me!”

“Well, I remembered that I read somewhere that this is one of the only places that plants them close to each other and I guess it stuck.” Bakugou was selling himself short; he had done research one night after the art gallery opened, trying to see what was close by.

Izuku threw himself into Bakugou again, they both relished in the already comfortable position, they enjoyed each other’s presence for a while before letting go.

“Alright let's go, there are ten cherry blossom trees and ten plum blossoms on either side of us and I have to find a nice flower to put in your hair.” Bakugou spoke matter of factly as if it was a given that Izuku needed to have a flower put in his hair.

Bakugou grabbed Izuku’s hand and led him forward, stopping in the center of the stretch, asking Izuku to wait there. Bakugou jogged towards the nearest cherry blossom and rattled it, causing the fully bloomed flowers to fall. He quickly made his way back to his date and pulled him for a searing kiss.

It was nearly cinematic, the flowers were falling artfully around and on them as the wind blew, they were alone in their own little world, if anyone were to walk by it would be as if they never even existed. The pair pressed impossibly closer to each other, savouring the feeling of right.

Once they finally pulled apart to breathe, both had flowers stuck to them, Bakugou saw Izuku covered in flowers and couldn’t help but snap a picture, he moved so quickly that Izuku hardly had time to react, in an instant Bakugou had his new phone background.

Izuku had his own idea, he started pulling the flowers off of their clothes and stuck them between his phone case, he wanted to make a book that had the ticket stubs from the art gallery, the wrapper from their ice cream cones, and now a few pressed flowers. That was just the beginning, he wanted to commemorate every big thing they did together, whether it was a date or a battle, he didn’t care.

Bakugou looked at him with curiosity, wondering what he could be doing but Izuku spoke up before he could ask.

“I’m saving them, it was really sweet and I want to remember what you did for me.”

“Ugh we’re going to be that couple aren’t we? You know what, I don’t even care. We’re gonna be gross and everyone is going to fucking deal with it.” Bakugou promptly pulled Izuku into a hug, the movement ridding them of the rest of the flowers.

The pair stood there for a moment, revelling in the comfort they had come to feel with the other over the years.

“Alright let’s get the fuck out of here before stupid music starts to play.” Bakugou finally let go and turned towards the way they came.

Izuku debated for a moment on whether or not he should grab Bakugou’s hand, eventually choosing not to.

“Tch, don’t be indecisive.” Bakugou grumbled as he grabbed Izuku’s hand.

Izuku blushed once again, he would have to get used to the casually aggressive displays of affection.

The pair walked back towards the train station hand in hand, both happier than ever.

“We should stop by the park and see everyone else for a while!”

“Of course you’d want to see everyone you nerd.” To an untrained ear Bakugou may have sounded exasperated but Izuku knew that Bakugou was just as happy to see his friends as he was.

The pair quieted down as they entered the train station, not wanting to cause a delay in traffic due to being distracted. They made their way onto the appropriate train hand in hand, happily enjoying the other’s presence. Once they were finally able to board their train, they both relaxed.

“Kacchan?”

“Yeah Nerd?

“Thank you. Today has been amazing.” At the look of genuine joy on Izuku’s face Bakugou couldn’t seem to think of a snappy remark.

“Tch no need to thank me Nerd. Like I said I’ve been planning this for a lot longer than I realised.”

Izuku couldn’t help the fond look on his face as he turned towards Bakugou, it really had been a long time coming for the pair.

“Ugh wipe that look off your face before people see you.” Bakugou halfheartedly grumbled, though he could feel himself smiling despite it.

“By people do you mean the one old lady on the other side of the car? I don’t even think she’s awake.” Izuku retorted, hoping to fluster his date.

“Tch I hate how much I like your sass. It's getting really annoying that I don't even want to stop you.” Bakugou rolled his eyes to punctuate his indignation but still threw his arm over Izuku’s shoulder and pulled him closer.

Izuku settled in, already getting more used to casual affection, even if it still made him blush like crazy.

The pair spent the rest of the short train ride in a comfortable silence, only breaking it to point out a particularly gorgeous set of scenery.

Once they finally made it to their stop and were out of the train station Izuku started a conversation.

“Hey Kacchan?”

He simply responded with a questioning ‘Hmm?’

“Do you think this would have happened if Kit wasn’t here?”

“Eventually, but it would've taken for-fucking-ever cause apparently we both had some hang ups.” Izuku was startled by the nearly immediate response and the open honesty.

“Oh don’t look so surprised we haven't been able to get rid of each other in seventeen years, there is obviously a reason for that. I think if anything it probably would’ve been around graduation.”

“Why graduation?” Izuku couldn’t help but want to know the reasoning.

“Well after graduation we wouldn’t have any reason to see each other everyday and one of us would have stopped that quick. Think about it, the longest we have gone without seeing each other is maybe a few weeks, if that.”

“Huh, I guess you’re right.”

“We’ve been over this, I’m always right.” Izuku shot Bakugou an amused look, secretly loving his confidence.

The two both stopped to think for a moment, both contemplating what it would be like to have this happen after graduation, Bakugou spoke up once again.

“Either way I’m glad we’re doing this now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well the earlier the better, it means I can do this longer.” With his words Bakugou swiftly turned and pulled Izuku close, bringing him in for a kiss.

Once they pulled apart Izuku had an even blush across his features, making his freckles pop out more than usual. They both simply smiled, although Izuku did seem a bit shy, he was still getting used to the extra attention and affection.

“Fuck! Deku you’re making me cheesy, I would have never said anything like that if it wasn’t for you.” Even if Bakugou sounded slightly annoyed he was very pleased at his ability to voice his feelings and not have them invalidated.

Izuku smiled brightly, he was always happy to hear Bakugou be ‘cheesy’ he would never get tired of it. Even though it had only been a few hours he knew he was in this for the long haul and there was nothing that would change that.

“What if I like your cheesiness? Huh what about that?”

“Ugh fine whatever but don’t expect it all the time.”

“Just often enough that I don't forget you have that side!”

Bakugou rolled his eyes in response but he knew if the nerd looked at him with that small, sweet smile he would no doubt say something corny that he wouldn’t want anyone else to hear.

The two were nearing the park where the rest of their class had gone hours ago, joking back and forth. Izuku was trying to contain his laughter as they finally made it to their classmates, the first to notice them was Kit.

“Izuku!” Kit called out, garnering more attention to the pair.

“Hey Kit!” Izuku answered, bringing Bakugou closer.

“I assume everything went well? You guys have been gone for quite a while.”

Bakugou decided to make a point by wrapping an arm around Izuku’s waist and pulling him in closer.

“Uh yeah I’d say it went pretty well.” Izuku said after he composed himself.

Everyone else finally started to notice the new pair and the way they were standing, a bunch of their friends came around to congratulate them.

“Way to go Bakubro! I knew you could do it!” Kirishima was the first to make it over.

“Oh my gosh finally! I’m so happy for you guys! Mina! Come over here and see!” Uraraka had no issues showing all of her enthusiasm.

The rest of the class shared similar sentiment, giving their congratulations and well wishes. Finally Uraraka spoke up once again.

“Wow I am so glad I won’t have to hear Deku go on about Bakugou anymore! I swear if I heard one more thing about your hair, eyes, or abs I might have floated Deku into the sun!”

“Uraraka! Shhh!” Izuku was severely embarrassed, obviously hoping to keep that little detail a secret.

“Don’t shush me! Don’t make me mention the notebook!”

“You wouldn’t!”

“Try me!”

“Deku what the fuck is she talking about? A notebook?” Bakugou’s curiosity seemed to pique at his date’s embarrassment.

“NOTHING!” Izuku quickly retorted.

“Pink cheeks what the fuck were you talking about?” Bakugou made up his mind, he wanted to know about the notebook.

Uraraka completely ignored Izuku’s waving hands and told Bakugou what she meant.

“Oh, it’s just a notebook Midoriya uses almost like a diary, but I’m pretty sure it's mostly about you!” She gave her friend an innocent smile that he met with a look of betrayal.

“Deku is she serious?”

“Um, yeah? Maybe?”

“Oh where’d all your sass go now?” Bakugou had the audacity to wink at Izuku as he spoke, enjoying the flustered look Izuku wore.

“Oh my gosh! Look at how soft Bakubro looks! I have never seen him make that kind of face!” Mina was brave enough to point out the fond look on Bakugou’s face while there was still a small group gathered. At her remarks Bakugou blushed minutely and plastered on a look of annoyance that didn’t have to be faked.

“Tch shut up Pinky no one asked you. Plus I want to hear more about Deku’s notebook.”

“It’s in the bottom drawer of his nightstand underneath a sweatshirt!”

“Hey thanks round face.” Bakugou quickly turned and made to walk away.

Izuku gasped and grabbed Bakugou’s arm hoping to stop him but he wasn’t quick enough, Bakugou was now making his way back to the dorms, presumably to find the notebook.

The two made it to the dorms quickly, Izuku never quite caught up all the way though, meaning Bakugou was in his room first. Once Izuku entered he saw Bakugou sitting on his bed holding the notebook, notably still closed.

“Oi, if you really don’t want me to read it I won’t, even if I seriously want to.”

“No it’s fine, just a little embarrassing.” Izuku started to blush as he looked away.

Bakugou waited a few moments in case Izuku wanted to change his mind but when he heard no objections he started to leaf through the notebook. At first all he saw were sketches of eyes mostly, with the occasional design. Once he looked closer he could see small specks of red, not enough to color it in but enough for him to tell that it was a rendition of his eyes.

Some of the designs looked like more developed versions of his hero costume, something he would have to look closer at on another day.

As he continued to flip through he finally found pages with words on them, he went back to the first one and read it. It was a list of songs, which seemed kind of random given what Uraraka said about the notebook, that was until he read through all of the titles:

I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)

Love Like You [End Credits]

Still Into You

Here Comes A Thought

I Would

A Teenager In Love

The Things We Used To Share

Sad Song

Say You Won’t Let Go

He realised they were all love songs, Bakugou finally thought to look at the top of the page to see if there was a title, he read ‘An Always Kind Of Thing’ and recognised it. He remembered seeing Izuku’s phone put it on shuffle all the time. He looked up and saw Izuku sitting in the chair across from him.

“I knew you’d start at the beginning.” Izuku passed his phone to Bakugou, already open to the playlist in question. Bakugou immediately noticed it was much longer than what was written, but before he could even ask why, Izuku beat him to it.

“I’ve added onto it quite a bit, it’s got all kinds of music in there now but there is something they all have in common. They make me think of you, not that it’s all that hard to do that but still.”

“Mine don’t have names or whatever but for me it's ‘1’ here look.” Bakugou pulled his phone out as well, before he was able to open up the music app, Izuku noticed the picture of him set as the background and smiled. Bakugou was finally able to show Izuku a similar looking playlist in his ‘Recently Played’ section. They shared a small smile and Bakugou continued looking through the notebook.

The next notable thing he saw was a dated page that had only the words ‘Not enough’ written on the first line and what looked like tear stains going down the page. He wondered what that could possibly have to do with him until he reread the date. It was the day he was taken from the training camp. The day Izuku felt like he failed in saving him.

With no preamble and to Izuku’s surprise, Bakugou stood up and held onto Izuku tightly, he didn’t feel the need to say anything but he wanted to hold onto him just for a moment.

“Oh, you saw that.” Izuku simply held on tighter, it felt like it happened so long ago but even just thinking about it could bring down a mood. The only positive thing that Izuku can think of is that, after that incident was the first real time they had acknowledged and worked through some of their issues.

They fought but they also talked, the three days they spent under house arrest together did wonders for them but it was the most difficult thing they had ever been through.

“You should keep going, it gets better. And by better I mean more embarrassing for me.”

Bakugou finally stepped back and grabbed the notebook once again, he slowly looked through more pages until he found a full page written on all in the same day. It read as follows

‘Uraraka told me that she thinks I’m only physically attracted to Kacchan, here’s how I know that’s not all it is:

1. He inspires me in a way no one else can, his drive forces me to push myself further.

2. His confidence. Nothing stands in his way.

3. The way I start acting like him during battles where my focus is winning. Normally I focus on trying to be like All Might but when I don’t think about it I act like him, it’s because when I picture a hero that’s who I see.

4. His honesty, he doesn’t need to sugar coat things or make something unnecessarily complicated. This means I know I can trust whatever he says without wondering if he’s trying to spare stupid feelings or make something sound better than it is.

5. His natural leadership, he doesn’t even do it on purpose but people flock to him because he gives off an air of competence that is intoxicating.

6. His sheer talent. He has spent his entire life making himself the best that he could be and has gone above and beyond, he can back up any claim he makes without hesitation.

7. And you know what? His abs and perfect jawline DO NOT HURT URARAKA

Deku you are SUCH a simp oh my god- Uraraka’

Bakugou stared wide eyed at the page in front of him, he never would have expected all of those things from Izuku. He was used to the standard of ‘Kacchan is amazing’ but seeing it all broken down and specific made it impossible to think straight (ha).

Soon his shock turned into a pleased happiness, he looked down at the page with a soft smile and strange look on his face, one that made Izuku panic slightly.

“Oh gosh what are you looking at now? Why are you smiling, should I be worried?” Izuku knew what kinds of things were in that notebook, he just wasn’t sure what could have possibly made Bakugou smile softly but not say anything.

“I don’t know Deku, is there something in here you’re worried about me seeing?”

“Yeah actually a few things so could you give me a little hint here?” Izuku wasn’t going to make him stop looking, he knew no matter what Bakugou saw nothing would change, even if he was too embarrassed to show his face for a few days.

“Well on this particular page Pink Cheeks called you a simp, does that help?”

“Not really no, since she learned how to use it she’s called me a simp on about every other page. And to my face. Multiple times.” Izuku let out a small laugh, at least she wasn’t too hard on him.

“Fine here, this is what I’ve been looking at.” Bakugou spun the notebook around to give Izuku a good view of the page he was reading.

“Honestly I think the only one that should be news to you is number seven, and maybe not even that one because apparently I don’t know how to keep my voice down. I’ve had people from the support course agree with me while I was talking. Not to mention the fact that Uraraka is tired of me talking about you.”

“Deku you have never said any of this to me.” Bakugou shot Izuku an unimpressed look, obviously making a point.

“That’s not true! I compliment you all the time!”

“Saying that I’m amazing is so not the same as telling me that you admire my natural leadership or what the fuck ever!”

“I have told you, to your face, that I compare you to All Might, except you were actually in my life! What more do you want me to say!”

“That doesn’t count!”

“Why not?!”

“Cause we were in the middle of fighting! Doesn’t count.” Bakugou crossed his arms over his chest and seemed resolute.

“Fine, do you want me to start saying all of this to your face, cause I will! Don’t test me!” Izuku pointed his finger in an attempt to look menacing, but given the topic of conversation Bakugou only thought he looked adorable.

Bakugou thought for a moment, would he really want to hear everything Deku thought of him? If it was all along the same lines as this page he might not be able to handle hearing it all out loud. Maybe only in private.

Apparently Izuku had made a decision before Bakugou did. He was standing up and making his way towards Bakugou on a mission.

Izuku took a seat next to him on the bed and leaned in close, putting his lips near Bakugou’s ear.

“No matter where you are, or what you’re doing, I can’t take my eyes off of you.” He whispered.

Bakugou was quickly turning red, definitely only in private. He turned to face Izuku and without hesitation trapped him in a heated kiss.

Izuku eagerly responded, reveling in the already familiar sensation.

Izuku was soon pulling Bakugou backwards onto the bed, the notebook disregarded next to them. Before they could go much further they were interrupted by Kirishima whipping the door open.

“BROS! We’re baaa- oh sorry!” He swiftly turned and exited but it was too late, they two were embarrassed to say the least and decided to just go out to see their friends.

“Fucking shitty hair! I might just kill him this time.” Izuku couldn’t help but laugh, he knew how much Bakugou appreciated Kirishima.

“Oh yeah right Kacchan, you wouldn’t lay a finger on him unless you knew he was ready to fight.” Bakugou rolled his eyes at Izuku, only because he knew he was right and had no other way to respond.

“Come on, let's go before someone else comes in or Kirishima starts talking.” Izuku made his way out from underneath Bakugou and stood up, grabbing the notebook in the process.

Bakugou followed suit and watched as Izuku put the notebook behind a stack of books on his bookshelf, when Izuku saw the questioning look he quickly explained.

“I really do not need anyone else knowing where that notebook is and Uraraka apparently doesn’t know how to use her inside voice when she has the possibility of embarrassing me.”

“Oh you don’t want to hide it from me?”

“No, I mean it’s basically all about you and now that you’re my boyfriend you’ll experience it all first hand anyways, so no reason to even try to hide it from you. And even if I did try to hide it, I don’t doubt that you know me well enough to find it.”

Bakugou had started sporting a goofy grin as soon as the word ‘boyfriend’ left Izuku’s mouth.

“Oh so I’m your boyfriend now huh? I don’t remember agreeing to that one.” He said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

“Oh yeah I should've mentioned that. You're stuck with me now, sorry!” Izuku did not sound sorry at all, he didn’t even look it as he approached Bakugou. He patted his solid chest with both hands and spoke again.

“It was in the terms and conditions the first time we kissed, even though no one actually reads it.” He paired his quip with a wink that caused Bakugou to flush slightly.

“Ah well I guess I can’t break a binding contract. Looks like I get to be your super fucking awesome boyfriend, Deku.”

“How tragic.” Izuku quickly kissed his newly official boyfriend before he could respond.

Once the two separated they finally made their way to the common room, they came in to see their entire class standing together having a conversation.

“Oi shitty hair! Learn how to fucking knock or next time I’ll rip your god damn hands off!” Bakugou quickly caused all of the room to look at him, not a surprise.

“Oh, so there will be a next time huh?” By this point, no one was too phased by Bakugou’s screaming threats, it was when he got serious that made everyone worry.

“Oh shut the hell up!”

“Wait what do you mean next time? Deku what are they talking about?” Uraraka became quickly disinterested in the previous class wide conversation as she turned her attention to Izuku.

“N-nothing!”

“I walked in on them kissing all gross and stuff!” Kirishima quickly snuffed out all of Izuku’s protests with his naturally loud voice. As everyone turned to look at the couple in question, Bakugou looked smug while Izuku seemed slightly embarrassed at the brash wording no doubt.

For a moment no one said a word, that was until Mina spoke up.

“All I wanna know is who started it?”

The couple looked at each other for a moment, neither of them could be too sure, they both faced the rest of the class and shrugged.

“I’m thinking, probably Kacchan this time.”

“Ok ok, we get it you guys are cute and obsessed with each other, gosh I thought once you were together I would never have to see Deku’s love sick face again, apparently I was wrong.” Uraraka sounded fed up but relieved at the same time, she was happy for her friends.

The rest of the class laughed and slowly separated into more reasonable sized groups, but they weren’t together long. Soon Mr. Aizawa walked in and called for everyone’s attention.

“Listen up. Recovery Girl is doing one last check up on the third year, once she is finished she is going to send him over here and he will reactivate his quirk and send the second Bakugou home, that is all.” With his words Aizawa left the room to go meet with Recovery Girl before she finished up.

The whole class had congregated around Kit, making their way to say goodbye, after making his way around the semicircle he finally came to Bakugou.

“Bakugou, I’m happy for you and Izuku, I know everything will turn out great for you two.”

“Uh yeah, I guess I should say thanks or whatever, you helped me get my head out of my ass and man the fuck up. Deku told me about you and the other him so, my advice? Go for it, he’s worth it.” Bakugou turned to look at Izuku, he truly meant what he said.

“Thank you, I can only hope for the best.” With his words Kit made his way to Izuku, the final person he had to say goodbye to.

“Hey Kit! It was nice to get to know you the past few days, and I owe you a lot for what you did for me and Kacchan.”

“I’m just glad to see you happy, at least you two worked out.”

“Hey Kit? Can I give you some advice for when you get back?” Kit nodded. “Go after him. Tell him how sorry you are and that you’ll find a way to make it up to him. If he's anything like me he will forgive you. You should tell him what you told me the first day you were here and you pulled me aside. You said you feel the same way I do about Kacchan, that won’t just go away.” Kit didn’t know if it was the sincerity in his voice or the fact that Izuku shared a face with the person he loved, but Kit felt the need to listen to him. He was going to take that advice and use it, and if things didn’t end up the way he wanted them to, he would have to learn to be ok with it.

“Thank you Izuku, I’m going to try my best and trust that the best will happen for the two of us.”

Kit and Izuku shared a quick hug, their days spent together had helped each other tremendously, in ways that the other would never know.

Moments after they separated Mr. Aizawa, Recovery Girl, and the third year walked in.

“It’s time, he passed his health check and is cleared to use his quirk, Bakugou are you ready?”

Kit nodded swiftly, as much as he was grateful for the people around him, he much preferred those he knew back in his own reality. He made his way towards the teacher, glancing back momentarily to see Izuku and Bakugou wrapped in each other’s arms.

Without any further warning, Kit felt a strong pull towards the wall, before he knew it he felt as if he was falling, only to be quickly righted, back in his camp.

His last thought before he landed was that he was glad to see one version of himself find love with Izuku, even if he hadn’t earned his yet.

#bakudeku #bakudeku fic #katsudeku #izukatsu #kacchan #deku #izuku midoriya #Katsuki Bakugō #katsuki x izuku #dekukatsu #bakugou x midoriya #deku x kacchan #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #my hero academia fic #boku no hero academia fic #fantasy meets reality #bnha fantasy au #mha fantasy au

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kitkatt0430 · 4 years

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So I’ve been kind of thinking about Cisco in the first half of season 6. About his thoughts and feelings and motivations throughout the Bloodwork arc as the Crisis looms ever closer.

Cisco finds out one of his best friends is supposed to die before Christmas and... all things considered he actually takes the news really well. I mean, yes, he steals alien medicine that only might be able to prevent death by antimatter and does so against Barry’s express wishes, but... considering this in context with the last six years of his life, it’s pretty understandable why he reacted like that.

The show began with Cisco carrying some pretty massive survivor’s guilt. He blames himself for Ronnie’s death because he’s the one who closed the door to the pipeline, sealing Ronnie in with the explosion. It’s in this state of mind that Cisco is introduced to the then comatose Barry Allen and Cisco maybe goes a little overboard trying to make STAR Labs into an environment that might entice Barry to wake up, even going so far as to check out Barry’s social media pages in order to play his favorite music.

Because if Cisco focuses on Barry, he can ignore the ghost of Ronnie in the pipeline. The specter in the hallways that Cisco half expects to see, but then he looks up and Ronnie isn’t there. Because Cisco closed the door. And he can’t talk about this with Caitlin because he’s more than half-convinced she’ll hate him.

And then Barry wakes up and he connects with Cisco pretty much instantly. They’re both geeks and nerds and love the same fandoms and they click. Suddenly Barry is Cisco’s new best friend.

The superhero thing is fun, but Barry keeps getting hurt. He heals fast, which makes it feel less real sometimes. But Barry nearly dies from inhaling a meta who turns into a toxin. Bette shows up and Cisco gets a crush on her and she does die, her death a testament to the existence of people who would exploit metas - exploit Barry - if given even half a chance. The device Cisco made in case Barry turned out to be too good to be true after all is stolen and used to commit murder, to hurt Barry. And then the Reverse Flash shows up to prove all of Cisco’s fears about a speedster gone wrong were far from unfounded.

Cracks start showing up in the untouchable facade of Harrison Wells. Hartley Rathaway forces them to acknowledge the truth that Wells was aware that the accelerator might (would) fail. Cisco’s nightmares about Wells killing him. The discovery of the real Wells’ body hidden on the highway to Starling city.

And Ronnie turns out to be alive and Cisco and Barry help save him. But Ronnie never talks to Cisco about what happened when the accelerator overloaded. They don’t talk about how, if not for the creation of FIRESTORM, Ronnie would have died. Should have died. Cisco never gets that conversation with him, never gets the absolution he needs to know Ronnie didn’t blame him or hate him for doing as asked and shutting the door. And then Ronnie dies. Again. Permanently this time.

And both Barry and Caitlin shut Cisco out.

So he’s left grieving on his own again. This time worse, because he’s grieving for the loss of Harrison Wells, a convoluted mess of feelings because how do you miss someone you never actually knew? Was anything Eobard Thawne said to him real or was it all an act? Can Cisco allow himself to grieve for a mentor who cared about him when that person was a murderer and a sham?

Cisco reconnects with Barry and Caitlin and latches on to Jay, because a friendly mentor is what they need and it fills a hole in Cisco’s life, which he also tries to fill with Harry. And Cisco has to watch as his best friend is nearly murdered in front of him by Zoom. Cisco is the one who shoots Zoom. And so much about Cisco’s decision to become Vibe in season three comes from this moment. Because when Cisco’s friends are hurting, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect them. But he’s also shown, before he can even develop his powers, how monstrous those abilities could make him if he ever misused them.

Jay dies. Cisco mourns a friend’s death, again. And, again, he has to use his powers to prove that friend was a fraud.

He starts reconnecting with his brother, only for Dante to die and its too much for him to take and he lashes out at his best friend. Probably in part because Barry has lost so much too, so how can he get back up? How does he keep going? Keep putting on that suit Cisco made for him and keep getting hurt - keep losing people he loves - and not give up? Flashpoint hurts as much because Barry did for himself what he wouldn’t do for Cisco as it does because it proves sometimes Barry can’t get back up. Sometimes Barry does give up. Cisco had to realize that Barry wasn’t a hero first and foremost and its a hard lesson to learn.

At the same time, here comes HR. HR who isn’t the brilliant scientist he pretends to be and who, despite being badly betrayed by his dearest friend, still finds it in himself to be happy and cheerful and wants to spread that joyfulness to others. And who, for reasons that make no sense to Cisco, wants to impress Cisco more than anyone else on their team. And it’s hard for Cisco to have this dynamic reversed. It takes him a while to adjust, to stop being upset by this weird change. To see HR as his own person and not just another extension of the monolithic Harrison Wells across the multiverse.

And HR dies right as he’s finally starting to let Cisco see beyond the cheerful mask to the vulnerable person underneath, the person afraid that he’s never enough and that his contributions are worthless. And Cisco is left feeling like he massively let HR down.

Caitlin doesn’t trust him with her fears about her powers. He has to confront her at every turn, stage interventions, beg her to let him help. And then she’s injured and dies and what comes back is Frost. All their fears made real. And he doesn’t know how to separate out his friend from this person wearing her body, but he does it. He gives her the choice to become Caitlin again. And Frost both does, and doesn’t take it. Caitlin’s love outweighs Frost’s fear and Cisco’s trust gives them the starting point to eventually find common ground. But she still leaves him behind.

Barry goes into the speed force. He probably intended for Cisco to take over Team Flash even then. But Cisco is too depressed for that and Iris needs to feel like there’s something she can control, so she takes the lead and Cisco throws himself into his research and being a super hero. Being Vibe suddenly means having to live up to Barry’s legacy and even with Wally’s help and Iris running the comms, its hard. He’s not getting the support he needs to make this work.

And then Cisco brings Barry back, only for Barry to be lost in his own head and it probably doesn’t feel like success. It feels like he took too long and he let Barry down. And then to learn he was manipulated into bringing his friend back to further the plans of a villain?

Caitlin comes back, but so does Frost. Their dynamic is changed and trust has to be rebuilt between them all. It’s not easy. (It takes until the end of season five to get all three of them there, not just Cisco and Caitlin, and Frost is well aware of the significance of Cisco making her a suit. And its tailored for Frost’s aesthetics, not Caitlin’s.)

Barry’s framed for murder and Cisco can’t save him. He befriends Ralph against his better judgment and Ralph dies, his body stolen by DeVoe. What good are his powers to him if he can’t save his friends? His powers can’t even fix the strain of a long distance relationship with his girlfriend and he has to learn to accept that sometimes love isn’t enough to hold a relationship together.

Ralph survives after all but DeVoe’s plan creates a serial killer even in his failure. And Cisco is tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of taking hits and being knocked down and having to get back up.

When is it going to stop? It isn’t. The hits are going to just keep coming and there is too much on his plate.

So Cisco resolves to take one thing off his plate. Being Vibe is that one thing that has to go. He can handle his stress with that one gone, surely?

He becomes an uncle to a time traveler who hasn’t been born yet. And she’s his best friend all over again, with her smiles and her cheerfulness and her penchant for bouncing back to her feet when life is so hard on her that her back literally breaks from the pressure. She’s Barry’s kid in the worst ways, so self sacrificing that she runs straight towards her death, her own non-existence, because she feels its the right thing to do.

Cisco keeps losing people he cares about. Over and over and over... even when they come back, he loses them again.

So when Barry tells Cisco that all that time they thought they had to prepare for the events in the newspaper clipping that Gideon’s been holding over their head since season one is gone and that Barry isn’t going to fight to find another way to survive... its no wonder Cisco cares more about saving his best friend, then some person he barely knows.

#the flash #cisco ramon #season 6 #grief and loss #thoughts on Cisco in season 6 #Cisco's been through a lot over the last several years #meta #musing #Ramsey is Caitlin's friend #so Cisco probably would've been a lot more sympathetic to him if not for the looming crisis #but Barry's on the line and Cisco's lost enough friends that he's not going to lose another without a fight

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tjkiahgb · 5 years

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Episode Recap: 3.16, “One Girl’s Trash”

I love when this show deals with serious topics. Just lays out a minefield and dares me to make jokes around it. Guns? Fine! Homophobia? Sure! Racial stereotyping? Let’s do it!

I mean, no, wait, it looks like I’m saying “let’s do racial stereotyping.” Please don’t do that! It’s bad! I’m saying let’s make jokes about the episode which contains... oh forget it, I’m just going to start the recap. Nobody quote me out of context, okay?!

Anyway, remember how the gang was criminals last episode? Well, the justice system works and it works fast.

Andi, Buffy, Cyrus, and Jonah, as part of their community service for garbage theft, pick up trash in a ditch.

Well, they pick up about one in every five pieces of trash. The rest of it they just kind of leave behind.

Cyrus’s allergies are killing him. Buffy’s foot is killing her. Jonah’s miserable. Everyone’s having a bad time.

Well, everyone except Andi, who’s treating this trip through a trash-filled ditch like a trip to the crafts store.

What kind of madman just tosses a pile of paper towel tubes in a ditch? You’d have to have been saving up paper towel tubes. For a while, too, because there’s seven of them, and it takes me like at least a month to go through that many paper towels.

So you go through a roll of paper towels and go, okay, I’m going to hold onto the tube for some reason. A month passes and you go through another roll. Another month, another roll. Seasons pass. You keep stacking up the tubes. They’re piling up in your kitchen. One day, seven-plus months into your project, you look at the tubes and decide, you know what, I’m going to take my tubes for a walk today. So you put on, I don’t know, I assume a full three-piece suit and top hat, and you’re walking down the street, cradling your stack of paper towel tubes and suddenly, you see it. A ditch. A ditch full of trash. You look at the trash. You look at your tubes. Your beautiful tubes. The tubes you’ve dedicated the last half-year of your life to collecting and then you decide, this is it. This is what I’ve been saving them for. I finally know their purpose. And then you full body huck them into the ditch and walk away.

What I’m saying is, if I’m Andi, I’d leave those tubes alone, because the lunatic who did this is still out there, and they might come back for them.

Andi stops and asks if it’s okay for them to keep all this garbage.

Sure would’ve saved them all a lot of trouble if anyone bothered to ask this last week, but at least we know their rehabilitation is working. They’re using their brains now and thinking through their actions, and that’s how you prevent repeat offenders.

They all head to The Spoon after putting in three hours of hard time. Andi brings her bag of trash and sits it at the table.

Why not? It worked for Trash Can Buffy.

If I ran The Spoon, I’d stop this right here and right now. First they brought in a trash can. Now they’re bringing in literal bags of trash. You don’t put an end to this and next thing you know they’ll be dumping their garbage from home on the floor. These kids are going to single-handedly knock your health code rating down to a C.

Jonah excuses himself to go talk to Amber. He tells her he won some tickets from a radio show to a Go Kart track.

Which is a weird contest. Don’t most radio shows give away like, VIP passes to concerts?

��You’re tuned in to 95.4. Other stations may get you backstage to meet Beyonce, but we’re the only station in town that’ll get you day passes to Racer’s Edge! Limit two rides. But if you ask the food vendor real nice and tell him that Beardo and the Hound Dog sent ya, he might give you a free pretzel! His name is Greg. He’s a cool dude. Aw aw awwwooooo! *a series of wacky stock sound effects* *someone saying 95.4 four different ways*”

Amber is thrilled anyway. She’s excited to be getting anything from Jonah.

Amber quickly recovers by saying she “would love to” and is saved from getting any follow up questions only by the grace of having said that to Jonah, who has no interest in such things.

Jonah returns to the table, where he learns Buffy is hangry. Now, I’m not up to date on all the new young folk slang, but I do believe that’s when you feel a bit like an airplane hangar. “I’m feeling very large building with an extensive floor area, typically for housing aircraft right about now.”

Amber comes over and slaps the check down on the table. Andi’s like, we haven’t ordered. Amber says it’s a preliminary estimate. Andi’s like, that doesn’t make sense but Amber plays it cool.

JUST READ THE PAPER AND DON’T TELL YOUR FRIENDS WHAT IT SAYS AND COME OVER AND TALK TO ME. I mean, let me get you all some bread to start.

Andi reads the secret note. It says to meet Amber in the back. Now. Andi excuses herself to go talk to Amber.

Watch my bag, she says, like someone’s going to make off with the loot. A thieving opportunist who sees a chance to add to their collection of worthless junk makes a daring dash, snatches the bag off the chair, and flees the restaurant in a bold heist. Gone in seconds.

Or maybe she’s just worried someone from The Spoon is going to do their job and throw the bag in the dumpster where it belongs.

Andi makes her way to the back and talks to Amber. Amber tells Andi she told Jonah she loves him. To which Andi is like...

...but in an empathetic way.

Andi’s like, you said those words? Amber says unintentionally but Jonah still smiled anyway.

Andi says that’s just what he does. That he’s the only known person with resting happy face. That his demeanor is almost always one of joy. And not just any joy. The sort of vacant joy where you try to look behind the eyes to figure out what he’s thinking but there’s nothing really going on back there. He’s happy just to be alive, and doesn’t want to, or perhaps can’t, think about it much more deeply than that.

Amber’s like, whether that’s true or not, he didn’t recoil in horror when I said it, so that’s a victory in my book. And looking to build off that victory, Amber asks Andi what would happen if she said she loved him for real.

Amber wants to know how it could be a bad thing to say you love someone. I mean, one answer might be if you’ve been in a middle school relationship with that person for only like, a couple weeks, and they’re notoriously weird about commitment and you don’t want to freak them the heck out.

Amber is undeterred. She decides she’s going to do it and she thanks Andi for encouraging her to go for it.

At Bex’s, Bex washes dishes. Bowie comes in and realizes she’s not wearing her engagement ring. Bex took it off while doing the dishes so it wouldn’t fall in the drain. This makes Bowie wonder, should they even still be wearing engagement rings when they aren’t engaged? Bex is like, they’re love rings and Bowie agrees to keep them.

At school, Andi’s class has been gathered in a circle of learning for an assignment from their teacher. They’ve each been given a slip of paper with a classmate’s name on it and have to describe their classmate without saying their name or using what they look like.

Andi volunteers to go first. Her classmate is from Philadelphia.

This kid figures out she’s talking about him.

This is a bad assignment.

I mean, even not going into what comes next, it’s a bad assignment. The teacher is doing this to prove the students are more than how they look on the outside, but by making the other kids pretend to be each other, you’re making them hit the most basic things they know about the other person.

Harris is going to go home tonight and think about how all one of his classmates had to do to pretend to be him was go, “Look at me, I’m a nerd from Philadelphia!” He’s going to be lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking, I knew it. I knew I mentioned I had a twitch channel to people too many times! C’mon, Harris! Get your head in the game. Better burn my Phillies t-shirt first thing in the morning.

So what did we learn? If you look at Harris, you might think: nerd, but once you really get to know him, he’s actually quite into graphic novels. Checkmate.

And let’s be honest, this is like the best the assignment was going to go. The worst the assignment could go?

Well, popular girl Kristina takes her turn. She’s like, oh, I don’t really know this girl. Um, there was the party she threw one time. That was cool.

Struggling to come up with a second thing, Kristina decides to dive head first into racism.

She says the person is probably good with computers.

Kristina, no!

Harris immediately steps in to throw himself under the bus as well.

Harris, no!

Andi’s like, no, that’s not me, but the teacher checks the slip of paper she gave Kristina and it is, in fact, Andi Mack.

I can’t believe how much Kristina just went for it. If I don’t know a thing about Andi and I’m sitting there, looking at her and pretending to be her, I fail the assignment before I jump to stereotypes.

“I like red sweaters and pants with holes at the knees?”

And if the teacher’s like, “Don’t use physical stuff,” then I go right to generic.

“I like certain types of weather, and hanging out with my friends and/or loved ones, and I don’t like car accidents or famine.”

And if I’m still being pressed to continue after that, I fake passing out. Or just keep going like, “And I... and I, um... and I-eee...” like I was thinking of something else but I’d try to make “And I” sound more and more like Andi and hope someone bails me out. I am the most popular girl in middle school, after all. People like me. They want to help me in the hopes that I’ll pay them attention. Perhaps let some of my popularity rub off on them so they may know what it feels like. God, to have such power. What I would’ve done with such power.

Anyway, point is, you had so many options, Kristina!

Later at Andi Shack, Andi tells Buffy and Cyrus about what happened. She says Kristina just thought, Andi’s Asian, so here’s a list of Asian girl things.

Andi says Ms. Frankel used it as a teachable moment about stereotypes, which, let’s be honest, is what she wanted all along. What was the point of the lesson if not to pivot to that discussion?

Andi’s upset people don’t see her as more than that. Cyrus, on his third straight episode now of questionable takes following “Bex and Bowie are manipulating you by saying your feelings are valid,” and “We should consider Mint Chip’s side of this argument as a business,” says that maybe Kristina thought she was complimenting Andi.

Okay, in fairness, that’s true. Kristina isn’t a malicious racist, she’s just a big ol’ dum dum.

Andi feels disappointed that while these kids have known her for years, they’ve never really known her. She decides to do something about it.

That night, Bex returns to the apartment to the smell of Bowie baking a four cheese lasagna.

I feel like I’m intruding on these two in this scene. I should go.

Andi’s not going to be there that night, so it’s just a romantic dinner for them.

First though, Bowie wants to know what they should do with Celia’s snow globe gift. He suggests putting it in a couple of places in the living room. Some are too visible, some too invisible.

Bowie’s like, maybe we can stow this shame globe away in Andi’s room?

The oven dings and the lasagna bails them out from having too much more of this awkward conversation.

Cyrus stops by Andi Shack that night with a box of stuff to help with Andi’s project, whatever it is. Andi still doesn’t know yet. She’s in the gathering stage.

Cyrus gives her the prison jumpsuit.

And the social experiment wristbands.

And the wig he wore at the party.

Oh, would you look at that, a very minor trip down memory lane and it’s already poking me in the heart. It’s all downhill from here, folks.

The next day at Racer’s Edge, Jonah and Amber do some racing.

Amber beats Jonah badly. She laps him. Which is sort of what you’d expect from her. She has that kind of aggressively-fast-driver energy. You know she’s going to wear out the horn once she starts driving real cars, and her car will absolutely have one of those overly antagonistic bumper stickers that says something like, “Drive FASTER or get out of MY WAY!”

Jonah tells Amber she’s so fun to hang out with. She sees this as her opportunity. She tells him she loves him, but is drowned out by passing karts. She tries again.

Jonah’s like, what? You want to race again? Okay! And off they go, leaving a lot of food on the table.

I hope they come back for that.

Later, Amber tells Andi what happened.

Andi says it’s maybe for the best Jonah didn’t hear her say love. Once you let the love thing out of its cage, there’s no putting it back in. Amber doesn’t want to mess up this relationship. She gets what Andi’s saying.

Andi walks down main street and spots Jonah inside Red Rooster. She heads inside and asks him for a frisbee.

Andi asks if he wants to go to The Spoon to hang out, but he doesn’t want to in case Amber’s there. Andi asks why he’s avoiding her.

Jonah tells her he heard Amber say love, but just pretended he didn’t, which I absolutely love. It’s the long con! Dude’s been oblivious for 14+ years, permanent smile on his face. Everyone knows this about him. So when the time came to deal with something he didn’t want to, what did he do? He kept the dumb smile on his face and played oblivious! And no one suspected a thing! It’s brilliant! He doesn’t realize how much in life he can get away with like this.

He’s worried though that he’s used up his “I didn’t hear you” excuse, so what’s he going to do next time?

Jonah thinks sooner or later though, he’s going to have to respond.

I honestly think Jonah can play this out as long as he wants. He just has to keep up the distractions. I lived with a family for three years by convincing them I was their cousin, and every time they asked me how specifically I was related to them, I’d say I had to go to the bathroom or needed a nap and then I’d disappear for two days. It worked like a soft reset. When I’d finally return, they’d have other questions for me, but not about my identity. Jonah can keep this up with Amber, he just has to commit.

Andi’s like, just because Amber said love, doesn’t mean you have to. Jonah’s like, hell yeah I don’t.

Honestly, good for him. Better than lying about your feelings just to appease her temporarily.

Jonah wants to know why it can’t just be fun instead of love. Andi says that for some people, it’s the same. Jonah’s like, well, if that’s what it’s going to be, I’m going to have to break up with her.

At Celia’s, Bex and Bowie run into each other. Bowie’s doing plant stuff. Bex is getting her wedding dress to return it. Bowie’s kinda surprised to hear that, but then he’s like, yeah, yeah, guess that makes sense, it’s just too bad I never got to see it.

Bex agrees to show it to him. Bowie turns to put something down and when he turns back...

Bowie loves the dress, and what’s more, he wanted to see Bex in the dress, and he wanted Andi to wear the dress when she gets married, and now none of this is going to happen because the wedding is off.

Bex wants to know why he didn’t say something before. Bowie thought he made it clear through his actions that he really wanted to marry her. Bex said he told her it was okay when she said they shouldn’t get married. He says it is okay because it’s what she wanted and he wants her to be happy. She wants him to be happy, too. He is happy, he just didn’t realize what seeing the dress was going to do.

Bowie excuses himself. Bex is left to think about some things.

At school, Andi has laid out her project.

Several questions.

1. Where did she construct this whole thing? Did she make this in Andi Shack? There’s no room! Did she make it in the backyard and move it to school?

2. Where did she get these giant panes of glass? They look expensive. And whether she moved the entire thing to the school from home, or brought all this stuff to school and assembled it there, this all looks incredibly heavy. Did she hire people to help her because I can’t imagine her doing this all by herself.

3. Did she get permission to put this in the middle of school? I would think so (hope so), but I just want to check to make sure someone knew this was happening ahead of time. Because, otherwise, a huge, mysterious object showing up in the middle of school with “DO YOU SEE ME NOW?” written on it multiple times feels vaguely threatening.

Kinda supervillain-ish.

And if I saw those paper towel rolls in the pile of stuff, I’d really start to panic. I’d think Paper Towel Tube Man was leaving the school a message.

Final question.

4. Why are Buffy and Cyrus dressed like they’re background dancers in a ‘90s R&B music video?

They look like they’re trying out for the school’s stage production of an old episode of Saved by the Bell.

I guess it’s fitting. Andi fashioned a bunch of garbage into an art project, and Cyrus and Buffy fashioned several different articles of clothing into new tops.

I’m just sad about how many neon predatory cats had to die to make Buffy’s, though I appreciate Cyrus making use of old wallpaper for his shirt instead of discarding it.

Anyway, they’re slightly confused about what they’re looking at. Andi tells them they have to see it from a different angle. She leads them upstairs.

They look down and see the project. They’re amazed.

No, it’s an Andi self-portrait.

This girl in the red is hands-on-chest amazed even though she has no idea what she’s looking at.

Well, either that, or she’s in tremendous fear about what this pile of garbage left in the middle of school means.

Andi’s teacher congratulates her on her project. So do Cyrus and Buffy.

And with just four episodes left to go, she might just be right.

#Andi Mack #Buffy Driscoll #Cyrus Goodman #Jonah Beck #Amber #Bex Mack #Bowie Quinn #Harris Gurney #Kristina the Popular Girl #Ms. Frankel #episode recaps

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magicalgirlfumiko · 5 years

Note

2. An early OC I remember making

I am a loser nerd that has been on the RP scene since 2006 in various means. It really wasn’t until 2009 that I can say that I established a strong world setting and character feel. So I’ll just post two of my main characters from a science fantasy thing I should be writing on as a book but I don’t feel like it:

"We all have to endure crap. No matter the form it takes, no matter what species you may be, hardships come with the territory."

"When it all comes down to it, I'm just a brat who, having spent most of her life doing for others, just wants to live her own life and make her own choices and mistakes. WHO JUST WANTS TO HAVE FUN!"

"There are times I feel if I were to vocalize what really went through my head at times people would look at me much differently. With either awe or disgust or a combination of both. Heh."

"The biggest thing I've ever wanted out of life is to become a strong, ever-evolving person who is more than capable of following her curiosity, exploring and meeting head on whatever comes her way. I definitely have the fire inside of me to do so, but until recently...what I realize what I lacked most is a specific focus for all that energy."

GENERAL CHARACTER STATISTICS

Character Name: Skie JungbluthName Meaning: Simply from the English word sky, which was taken from the old Norse word for “cloud.”Alias: NoneGender: FemaleClan: AetherAge: 24B-Day: March 21Zodiac Sign: AriesPlace of Birth: Eternium, Zeledin

Current Residence: The airship, Ethereal (she did not wish to name it that. Skie lost a bet with her boyfriend Mel. It marks the only time she has ever lost one). Skie is almost always on her custom airship which serves as her main home since her 'assignments' take her all over the known world. As a result, most of Skie's work takes place on her ship.

Occupation: Smuggler, Aryeh's mentor. Professional Gambler.

School/Grade: Finished College

Family: Joshua Jungbluth (Father), Lassilsa Jungbluth (Mother), Bill Jungbluth (Brother)

Gemstone: Diamond

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Height: 167.64 cm

Hair: She has brown hair. Her curls help to soften her square face shape, while the long side-swept bangs bring the focus to those piercing yellow eyes. Skie keeps her hair shoulder length or just a little below. Before she became a smuggler, she often wore her hair long and flowing just like her mother but has shortened it to be look less like a kid in her mind's eye.

Eyes: Yellow and catlike. The reason for this is because of her usage of arcane magic. Unlike Rane, who used external energy from others, Skie is attempting the same kind of mysteries but at the cost to her own body.

Distinguishing Marks: None

General Appearance: Skie’s eyes are usually sharp, alert and often almond shaped. She typically flushes when she feels excited. When Skie hears good news, red color will flood her face. Angry: You can always tell when she is truly angry because she will turn quite red. She also flushes when she is embarrassed or when she over exerts herself such as when exercising. She is handsome and she knows it. Skie is powerfully built but still has a womanly body.

General Clothing: Skie likes to dress classy but comfortably. Her normal wears are a white button shirt, a brown waist length jacket, black slacks, and sometimes a tie. In colder weather, she wears her father’s old brown leather trench coat which is held shut by short leather tabs.

Strengths: Skie is very adept with Aether magic. This is the power from WITHIN. It is based upon the soul, the powers that are deep within the essence of who you are. The lesser known of the styles, Aether powers are often channeled through emotions and desires.

As a swordsman, Skie's abilities are lackluster; however, those around her have noted that her fighting style, however unrefined, is heavy hitting and vicious. As it turns out, Skie's style and progress mirror that of her father.

Weaknesses: The weakness of her magical style is that it comes completely from her own body, so if she is injured or drugged or unconscious, those powers can be interrupted. It is also based upon strong desires, so her emotions must be in tune with what she wants. One of the fundamental issues with her is that she literally has a well of power inside herself. She has to constantly use magic to prevent too much from building up inside her at once.

Skie is prone to have headaches, particularly migraines, and depression because of these powers.

More: Weight: 51 kg, Breast: 81 cm, Waist: 53 cm, Hips: 84 cm

MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS

Allies: Mel and Aryeh. Skie is a good friend, she always looks out for her friends with caring and generosity and will protect them should the need arise and encourage them with her natural optimism.

Enemies: Medus and the Yellow Brother's are her main rivals, but Rane is the bigger danger.

Current Goal/Purpose: She is sent out to find Medus by her brother. He has promised her a lot of money to do so.

Aspirations: She wants to succeed where others have failed. Skie wants to explore the world, change it to fit her whims and do her best at life.

Hobbies: Skie likes activities that involve mobility and less concentration like war games, fast sports, motor racing, gambling, and vibrant music. However, she also likes to grill and come up with meals.

Likes: Action, Coming in first, Challenges, Championing Causes, and Spontaneity

Dislikes: Waiting Around, Admitting Failure, No opposition, Tyranny, other people’s advice

Talents: She’s skilled at games of chance. Skie is also skilled with fixing up and redesigning airships.

Inabilities: Selfish and quick-tempered, Impulsive and impatient, Foolhardy and daredevil, if confronted, Skie can turn to be quite childish; she will fight back with her aggressive nature.

Fears: Feeling that her identity is threatened. Self-preservation is a primal instinct and goal for her.

General Personality: Skie loves to explore new ground. She reminds her friends that every moment is new and that life is about experimentation and discovery. It is through experiences that we develop and mature. We are here to advance our soul growth. We are not here to find a static, comfortable situation. We are here to go for the gold and to answer the call of our soul. We are engaged in an on-going process to release our resistance and to transmute all forms of fear into courage and compassion.

Skie is a courageous leader with a genuine concern for those she commands. Being a responsible lady, it is rare that she will use her subordinates to obtain her own objectives as a leader, but occasionally it does happen. She does not make a very good follower because she is too "taking charge".

Skie may be unwilling to obey or submit to directions for which she can see no reason, or with which she disagrees. She is much concerned with self, both positively and negatively - self-reliant but also self centered (sometimes) and concerned with her own personal advancement and physical satisfaction. Her immense energy makes her aggressive and restless, argumentative occasionally, headstrong, quick tempered, easily offended and capable of holding grudges if she feels affronted.

Skie is intellectual and objective, but can be in rare situations bigoted and extremist in politics. She is a champion of lost causes and last-ditch resistance.

Inner Personality: Skie is quick-witted but sometimes foolhardy and over-optimistic, lacking thoroughness and the ability to evaluate difficulties regarding the undertakings into which she often rushes impulsively. The great need of Skie is to exercise an iron self-control, to discipline the qualities and tendencies of her character to the advantage, not the detriment, of the society in which she moves.

Fondest Memory: Winning all the money out of the casinos that are present in Eternium.

Biggest Regret: None so far, she has lived a pretty good life so far and rarely decides to focus on the past.

Secret: She also loves the color pink.

SPECIALTY CHARACTERISTICS

Special Items: The Ivory Cross that Skie wears. It is the symbol used on Chenoan flags. This is used to show her support of the Chenoan cause against Rane.

Magic: Aether Lightning, Skie’s only usable combat spell as an arcane magus. Raw Aether magic arcs from her hands as lightning allowing limited ranged combat capabilities.

HISTORIC BACKGROUND

General History: Skie's upbringing was fairly typical for an upper middle class family in post-war Zeledin. After the Zeledin War, her father stayed out of the limelight. While Joshua was one of the founders of the Category following Rane's disappearance, he never sought a lot of personal wealth. He believed that it was better for his children to grow up modestly. When she was younger, it never crossed her mind that she’s the daughter of Joshua Jungbluth. Most of her childhood she moved around a lot since Lassilsa didn’t want to stay in the former capital of her queen. Skie and her brother didn’t get along even from this early age.

Lassilsa was her main teacher, since Joshua himself never mastered any magical abilities. Like her father, Skie’s genes were “overspecialized” with a connection to Aether. Thus, with her magical prowess in aether magic allowed her to attend the Eternium Military Academy. At age 22, she graduated with Study in Arcane magic. It was attending the school that she became close friends with Mel Rogero. They have been dating ever since.

Shortly after her graduation, Skie enlisted into the Category's AeroCorps, in Zeldin's capital city of Eternium. She wished to distance herself from the legacy of her father while enlisted, so she was made a junior officer on the CAC Drake. It was an unremarkable time for her on the airship. Her time in the military was very short. She was kicked out for being too hot headed.

At age 24, Skie left the AeroCorps and enlisted herself to be an aging bounty hunter. He gave her a new task; being a pilot and mentor figure. Her new role was to train Ary Fairwater in Arcane studies, which puzzled her. She dislikes being a teacher and doesn’t want a teen getting in her way. To this day she continues to indirectly train Ary. Though, it seems that it is Mel that does a lot of the mentoring.

Skie was recently hired by her brother to force Medus Tenpenny into the Category's Elite Unit. In response, Mel Rogero was hired to be her bodyguard by Lassie. Skie is more than aware that The Category might have plans to make Medus their trump card when they finally intervene on the war between Chenoa and Rane's forces.

Why not? One's gotta feel confident in a uniform."

"Because Skie is amazing. She has been putting in so much hard work and it payed off big time. It doesn't matter if she's not considered a "real" magus by Category standards. She is amazing as her own kinda woman."

"Once, I had a fortune told to me and usually I never take them into thought...This one I did. It said,"Greet your friends with open arms and happiness will come to you." I seriously sat there, frozen while reading it. I took it as, I should stop being so distant and accept my friends...Bring them back into my life, even if I'm not with them. I hope I can though."

"Don't you hate when you really want to say something,but don't know what?"

GENERAL CHARACTER STATISTICS

Character Name: Mel RogeroName Meaning: Mel is a pet name of Maethelwine, which means “Meeting Friend.”Alias: NoneGender: Male

Age: 25B-Day: 2/26Zodiac Sign: PiscesPlace of Birth:ChenoaCurrent Residence: Skie’s AirshipOccupation: Skie’s Body Guard. Seat of Water, Unit ZeroSchool/Grade: Finished High SchoolFamily: MJ Rogero (Sister). Other relatives not mentioned.Gemstone: Moonstone

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Height: 180 cm (5’11”)

Hair: Mel wears his black hair (almost violet) really long, which is considered the sign of an unmarried warrior in the Moon Clan. It is kept braided by white wraps.

Eyes: Blue

Distinguishing Marks: He wears one beaded earring in his left ear.

General Appearance: Mel is a gentlemen and not sloppy in his overall appearance.

General Clothing: Mel loves the color black and wears a military inspired tunic and trousers. When not in combat, he wears a purple cape to add to the ensemble, the sign of his family. This has more to do with tradition than anything else. Since Mel is the only male son in his family, it suggests that he’ll inherit the title of his father someday. It also keeps him warm in the colder regions of Mirabella.

Strengths: Some think of him as weak because, like water, he takes the path of least resistance. But by flowing on, resisting nothing, Mel overcomes all and his freedom from self (his greatest secret strength) provides him with limitless access to imagination (his second greatest secret strength). His emotions are known to guide his heart and his mind. Mel possesses a great trait that allows him to come in contact with a variety of emotions and not pass judgment on an individual.

Weaknesses: Mel does not have many combatant spells, since he put most of his focus on using overclock and natural smarts. Mel is also very meek, while this could also be considered a merit; Mel cannot take the life of an enemy, for he is a very religious follower of the Moon Goddess.

MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS

Allies: The Category

Enemies: None.

Current Goal/Purpose: Mel is Skie’s bodyguard and boyfriend. He is a man who enjoys helping and serving others. Mel is very observant and examines each person and situation closely. He is a dreamer, which allows him to relate intimately to Skie. Mel gives to her, a certain peace and security. He always tries to avoid all possible arguments with her.

According to Ivy Veyado, Mel makes Skie more docile and convenient. He shields her against her enemies and is able to pacify her fears and give her the emotional security she needs. Mel often possesses the fiery command and gentle nature which makes a perfect blend to keep her satisfied and affectionate.

Aspirations: To help everyone he meets to the best of his ability.

Hobbies: Mel finds infinite pleasure in the simple things, like the smile of a stranger, the touch of a child, or the tweet of a bird as it feathers its nest. Mel likes telling stories, painting, cooking, watching good cinema, and collects clothes from foreign nations.

Likes: Solitude to dream in, mystery in all its guises, anything discarded to stay discarded, the ridiculous, likes to get 'lost'

Dislikes: The obvious, being criticized, feeling all at sea about something, know-it-alls, and pedantry.

Talents: Healing magics, cooking, making tea, etc.

Inabilities: Escapist and idealistic, secretive and vague. Can sometimes be bossed around by Skie.

Fears: Upheavals are abhorrent to Mel, and stay with him for days but, it is not always understood, that he absorbs all kinds of atmospheres like a sponge and, just as the power of the sea takes time to settle after a storm, so Mel needs to be allowed time and space alone, to recover his inner calm.

General Personality: Mel possesses a gentle, patient, malleable nature. He has many generous qualities and is friendly, He is good natured, kind and compassionate, sensitive to the feelings of those around him, and responds with the utmost sympathy and tact to any suffering he encounters. Mel is deservedly popular with all kinds of people, partly because his easygoing, affectionate, submissive nature offers no threat or challenge to stronger and more exuberant characters.

He accepts the people around him and the circumstances in which he finds himself rather than trying to adapt them. Mel patiently waits for problems to sort themselves out rather than take the initiative in solving them. He is more readily concerned with the problems of Skie than with his own.

His nature tends to be too otherworldly for the practical purposes of living in this world as it is. He sometimes exists emotionally rather than rationally, instinctively more than intellectually. Mel longs to be recognized as greatly creative. Any rebellion he makes against convention is personal; however, as he often times does not have the energy or motivation to battle against the Establishment.

Inner Personality: Mel has an intuitive and psychic ability more than any other character in the series. He trusts his gut feelings and if he does not, he quickly learns to because he realizes that his hunches are usually correct.

Mel’s downfall is his sensitivity and his inability to reject another person. He does not like rejection and se tries to treat others the way they want to be treated so he will rarely say no to a person for fear of hurting their feelings.

He will help another person with their problems and like to do so because making others feel good in turn makes him feel good.

His inner conflict is extremes of temperament and conflicting emotions. He wants to learn to use his powers and his imagination in a positive, productive way.

Fondest Memory: He has many. But in reality, his fondest memories always involve spending time with Skie and making sure that she is always smiling.

Biggest Regret: He has a tendency to act like a “savior” and these are a number of times in which he was not able to help everyone that he deems needed his help.

Secret: Mel loves Skie with all his heart and secretly wishes to marry her someday. She is one of the few people who have faith in his dreams. His qualities create an excitement within her and she respects Mel whole-heartedly. To him, Skie has enough fire to spark his desires and lead him to great accomplishments, and give him the faith he needs to stand for dreams and wishes. She has always fiercely defends him in the past against those who judge him inaccurately due to his dreamy nature. She brings excitement and vigor to his life and teaches him to be a bit more practical.

SPECIALTY CHARACTERISTICS

Special Items: The Purple cloak that he is often seen wearing. It is a sign that he is from a long family of knights that work for the crown family of Chenoa. While this is more of a honorary role in the present, he is still proud of his background.

Weapons: A blade for back-up. Mel is a technical pacifist; meaning he is willing to beat people up as much as he wants. He may even get a few fatalities through. However, once it comes down to a choice between killing and not an opponent, Mel will not kill. He uses his sword in non-lethal ways to defeat his foes and to defend Skie.

Whip of the Rip Tide: A whip forged from the strongest batch of ather ever found thus far, it is a Class A weapon that is capable of causing major flooding and water spouts. It is a highly dangerous weapon that only Mel can wield with proper effect. It can also be used as a normal whip or lasso.

Magic: Mel’s magic is focused on using Overclock as his main area of study. In this case, he can separate the processes of his brain and excels at multitasking on things like paperwork and cooking. This is how he is able to use his sword effectively.

Mel does have access to using the powers of Dark Flames, which are a purple flames that extend from his palms and quickly engulfs foes in a cold binding chain. Mel’s other magic includes portal openings and displacements of weapons.

The common belief is that no one can best Mel in non-lethal combat.

HISTORIC BACKGROUND

General History: Mel is the youngest child in his family. His mother went out of her way to spoil him and make sure he excelled at something other than the normal soldiery activities of the Rogero family. Though, in the end he still chose the mantle of being a knight.

Being a member of Chenoa’s court, he had access to many of the best schools in the nation. There Mel learned all the trades to be a Knight in the royal court. However, he soon decided that he’d be better off working within the Category, since Chenoa didn’t have all the fun of the modern world like Zeldin did.

After finishing up his basic schooling, he went on to the Military Academy. During his time off, Mel would wander around the city day dreaming. It was on one of these walks that he first met Skie following one of her storming off from her barracks. She was a very different girl from the ones in Chenoa. One could almost say that she was exotic to him. .

Mel would then become an acquaintance of Lassi, Skie’s mother. Lassi’s goal was to attempt to get them to become a couple. Her greatest fear is that Skie will die a soldier. When Skie left the military, Lassi requested that her daughter be barred from Unit Zero. Skie was then recommended to become a mentor, a job not suited for her fiery spirit. Knowing that her daughter might try to run off and doing something foolish, Lassi has hired Mel to be her bodyguard. Mel was more than happy to take the assignment. While still very shy to Skie, they have known each other for a long enough time that he feels that he can get closer to her this way.

#meme #ooc #thx-memorabilia

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jrubalcaba · 6 years

Text

Evie Saves the Day - Part 1

So, @suz-123 and I were talking one day and realized that after the Accords and the bombing in Vienna and the fight in Siberia, we never really addressed how everyone on the Team was able to come and go as they pleased without worrying about being fugitives. Luckily, my brain hatched an idea and thus, The Hearing was born. I am not a legal professional, so do not message me going ‘this would happen like this’ and whatnot, cause I don’t care. This is how I felt that the Team was cleared and if you don’t like it, don’t read it. There are 3 parts to this, all of which I will be posting today before going on a hiatus. So, without further ado, here is part one of ‘Evie Saves the Day.’

“FRIDAY, call a Team meeting, immediately,” Evie commanded as she exited the elevator.

“Certainly, Dr. Collins,” the AI replied. “Is everything alright?” Evie stopped and looked up at the ceiling.

“No. Things are about to get very bad for everyone.” She headed to the common room and waited as everyone slowly trickled in.

“Evie, what's wrong?” Steve asked in his Captain voice as he walked in behind Bucky and Alice. “You've never called a meeting before.” She turned to him and sighed.

“Yeah, because shit’s about to hit the fan.” Everyone looked around uneasily.

“Alright Doc, spill. What's got you so spooked?” Tony asked, any and all traces of humor gone from his tone. Evie wrung her hands a bit before taking a deep breath.

“There's a hearing coming up. A hearing regarding whether or not the Avengers are a danger to the people of the world.” You could hear a pin drop, even without enhanced hearing, the room was so quiet.

“That's….” Tony trailed off, not knowing what to say.

“Yeah, and guess who has been subpoenaed to testify on your behalf?” she asked the room. When no one answered, she pointed at herself. “Yours truly.” Everyone exchanged a look at this.

“Why you?” Natasha asked, murmurs of ‘yeah’ echoing through the Team.

“Because I'm the only person who knows you and knows you. I've worked closely with the Avengers for years, and I've lived with you guys for years. I'm the only person who can be unbiased enough to testify.” Evie started to tear up as she thought of what to say next. “My testimony is the only thing that will keep you out of prison.”

“Wait. Why can't they call Pepper or Fury?” Clint interjected angrily. She shook her head at him.

“Pepper is currently in a relationship with Iron Man, so she can't be unbiased. Fury is technically dead. They can't call Jane either, because she was with Thor. Coulson is off limits due to the whole ‘did he or didn't he die’ thing. Hill is in D.C. now, so she can't do anything because it would be a conflict of interest for her. She is, by the way, the person who tipped me off about all this.” The Team all swallowed nervously as they came to realize that their freedom was in Evie's hands.

“So what happens now?” Bucky asked, pulling Alice closer to him.

“This is what Maria told me: in three days I will leave for D.C. The moment I leave the building, you will be on lockdown. All of you except Vision and Miss Winters. They don't consider him a living person and she's a complete mystery, so I don’t have to do shit on them,” Evie started to explain. Alice looked relieved, but Evie could tell she was still worried.

“We literally can't leave? What if we have to?” he argued, his meaning clear.

“You leave the safety of the Tower and your ass is in cuffs and carted off to prison.” They all tensed at her words. “The moment I leave, government agents will surround the building, to prevent you from leaving. And before you say anything, there are….special restraints that have been custom made for each of you.”

“How do you know that?” Bruce asked shakily.

“That's where I've been all morning. Watching the demonstrations and giving my medical advice on them.” She turned to Steve, as she knew he would listen to her and make the others understand. “Steve, these things have been designed to be the most inhumane way to subdue you. All of the subjects died upon testing. My guess is that you will be a drooling mess on the floor, but that's on the hopeful side.” Evie began to tear up again as the thought of seeing any of them incapacitated like that.

“Hey, it's alright,” he cooed as he pulled her in for a hug, letting her cry into his chest. “We've had worse.” Evie pushed back against him angrily.

“That's not the point Steve! I don't want to see any of you like that, and that's why I'm asking, no begging, you all to not fight back.” She wiped her face and looked to all of them. “If I am unsuccessful in clearing you, those government agents will storm the building and haul you off. They will slap those cuffs on you and if you go quietly, it won't hurt a bit. If you resist, if you fight back, they will turn those monstrosities on, and some of you will die.” Evie sniffled before going on. “And I, as your doctor, will have to sign your death certificate. That is not something I want to do, so please, for the love of all that is holy, when they come for you, get down on your knees and put your hands behind your head.” Steve handed her a handkerchief (1940s bastard is smooth) and she dried her face.

“How are you so sure that they'll come for us? Do you doubt yourself that much?” Nat asked skeptically.

“Nat, this isn't something that I can do over if I fuck it up. Your freedom is at stake, and it all rests on me, and how convincing of a liar I can be under oath.” At this, everyone grew shocked. Evie was gonna lie?

“No, you can't do that. Not for us,” Steve said, shaking his head. Evie rolled her eyes at him.

“I have to give testimony on Bucky, whom I've only known for a month. That's not enough evidence to clear him, so how else do I do it?” she snapped at him. Steve stared at her, knowing she was right.

“So after they arrest us, what happens then?” Scott asked. Evie turned to him with a frown, both not wanting to tell them and wanting to warn them.

“You and Clint, the only ones with families, will get a full day to see them, say your goodbyes. The rest of you, will be processed and then sent to your cells, followed by you two.” She paused, knowing this next bit was going to terrify them.

“And then?” Nat asked, entirely too calm.

“You spend the rest of your natural lives in an 8x8 cell, never seeing the light of day again.” Alice and Wanda gasped, whilst everyone else looked sick. “Thor, Wanda, Bruce, Steve and Bucky have special cells that can and will contain them, by any means necessary. You three,” she pointed at Thor, Steve and Bucky. “However long you live doesn't matter. You will never see anything but your cell walls until you finally die.” The Asgardian actually looked worried for once.

“But, they can't do that,” he argued. Evie huffed out a laugh at him.

“Yes they can, and they will. Solitary confinement. Scott and Clint might get to see their families once a year, if that. But the rest of you won't get visitors, nor will you see each other ever again.” She looked around the room, seeing Vision and Bucky pull Wanda and Alice closer, while Steve looked at Bucky.

“So, that's our future if you fail?” Tony asked her.

“Yes.” They all sighed, knowing this could be the end. “And don't expect any special treatment because of who you are. You three,” Evie said, looking at Rhodey, Steve and Bucky. “It's a dishonorable discharge from the military, ‘cause rank doesn't matter where you're going. Tony? You can't buy your way out. Oh, that's another thing, your accounts have all be frozen.” There were sounds of outrage from everyone. “You're all flight risks, some of you quite literally.” They all grew silent at this as she looked to Thor, Rhodey, Tony and Sam. “Look, I know this is scary, having to put all your faith in me. Trust me, I'm terrified at the thought of failing you when you've never failed me.” Bruce strode over and hugged her tightly.

“Evie, you could never fail us. All you can do is your best.” Though he said it to her, everyone murmured their agreement.

“Another thing,” she said as they broke apart. “If there are any transgressions you've committed, no matter when or where, I must know about them. Otherwise, if the committee springs something on me that I have no clue about, my testimony is null and void. They'll take that as ‘oh, she must not know them very well’ and the hearing will be over and you guys will be gone before I even leave the building. I won't willingly give out secrets, but in this case, I need to know them. It could mean the difference between waking up in the Tower or in a prison cell for the rest of your life.�� Tony nodded with her.

“Yeah, I guess it's time to confess our sins. We've got three days people, so get to it.”

************

The next three days went by so fast, it was like Pietro had run them all there. Evie walked out into the common room with her suitcase, sighing at the sight of everyone there to see her off.

“Alright everyone, gather round,” Tony said aloud, bringing everyone in close. “This is it. The last time we could see Evie, although I have absolute and complete faith that she will give the committee a thorough spanking and clear our names.” They all chuckled.

“Faith in me, misplaced may be,” Evie replied with a wink. “It's my word against theirs, albeit mine’s legit and not fabricated in any way.” More chuckles as they knew she was gonna lie through her teeth for them.

“I find your lack of faith disturbing,” he shot back. They were both Star Wars nerds, and he knew she'd try to Yoda her way out of this.

“Alright, alright, let's stop with the Star Trek crap,” Steve interjected. They all looked to him in disbelief.

“First off, its Star Wars. Secondly, I pull this off? You will learn the ways of the Force, my young Padawan,” Evie threatened with a predatory smile. Steve swallowed thickly, entirely too turned on to respond. Bucky slapped him in the chest.

“Dude, you better hope she pulls this off, or you're gonna die with the biggest set of blu-” he began before Steve punched him.

“Shut the fuck up, Bucky.” Evie was puzzled by the whole exchange, but Sam and Alice sniggered behind their hands.

“Alrighty then. The helicopter should be here soon, so I guess I better go,” Evie said to cover the awkward moment. Everyone took turns hugging her extra tight, as this could be the last time they ever saw her. Bruce hugged her for a good five minutes, not wanting to let her go. Steve was last, hugging her just as long as Bruce had, wishing he could find the words to tell her-

“Love you, Evie.” The words left his mouth before he could stop them. She pulled back and smiled.

“Love you too, Steve. Love you all,” she said, turning to the rest. He hung his head as he realized she only meant it in a friendly way. There was a chorus of ‘love you too, Evie,’ before she grabbed her suitcase and headed to the elevator. She pulled out her phone and snapped one last picture of them before the doors shut.

“Well, at least you tried, dude,” Bucky said, clapping Steve on the back. Sam and Alice chuckled at the blonde’s blush. Everyone sat down on the couches, the TV on so they could watch the live stream of the hearing.

A couple hours later, and Evie was brought onto screen and sworn in.

“That should be Dr. Evelyn Rogers, huh Steve?” Sam asked slyly. Steve glared at him but remained silent. “In your wildest dreams, right?” General Ross came on the screen, and everyone went silent.

Ross already had Bruce in his sights, and now Steve due to the fight over the Sokovia Accords, so making Evie testify on their behalf? Well, that wasn't the smartest move he’s made.

After introductions were made, Evie's testimony began. The committee started with Tony, and Evie did not disappoint. As the day went on, she argued over the lesser known members of the Team. Rhodey, Clint, Scott, and Sam were easy, as they weren't as popular. Six hours had gone by, and only five members of the team had been discussed. Three of those hours were spent on Tony alone.

“You know, for such a tiny little thing, she's got a lot of fight in her,” Clint mused out loud.

“Yeah, Ross definitely didn't think it through when he selected her,” Nat agreed before going silent. Her name had just been said aloud, so it was her turn on the chopping block. None of them have ever seen Natasha look so worried, but she need not worry. Evie defended the former Russian spy, and by the end of it, a few committee members looked thoroughly convinced of Nat's good nature.

Natasha Romanoff shed tears over the fact that someone cared about her so much that they spent three hours arguing her case.

“Wow. Evie is amazing,” Scott said as the first day of the hearing came to a close. There was a huge round of agreement before everyone retired to their rooms for the night.

***********

The next day, the hearing started bright and early. Thor was first up on the docket, and Evie spent almost four hours defending him. He grew proud when her argument was over, as she did an amazing job.

Bruce leaned forward and stared intently at the screen as his name had just mentioned by Ross. The Team all watched as Evie began to smirk, and they knew that she wasn't going down

without a fight. What happened over the next five hours was quite literally the best verbal sparring match between two people any of them had ever seen. Evie met Ross’ vivitrol equally and more enthusiastically as the argument went on, culminating in the smoothest line ever.

“Dr. Collins, might I remind you that you are under oath, just like the rest of us,” Ross snapped at her, much like a petulant child who was used to getting his way. She was answering all of his questions perfectly, along with giving more than enough evidence to back her claims and, furthermore, making his look incomplete and farfetched. Her answering smirk was enough to make even the Devil blush.

“Oh, I know that. Do you?” she said. The look of utter befuddlement that came over the General's face was absolutely priceless. There were a few committee members who had to turn and hide their smiles and stifle the laughs that threatened to come out. Those reactions were nothing, however, compared to the Team's.

Evie may not have enhanced hearing, but she swore she could hear their collective gasp followed by Sam's shout of ‘ohhhhhh shit!’.

After a few moments of silence, Ross cleared his throat and ended their session for the day, reminding her that her testimonies for Wanda, Steve and Bucky were for tomorrow. As Evie left the chamber, the live stream picked up the Cheshire Cat grin she had before it cut away.

“She destroyed him. Oh God, I can't wait for tomorrow. She's closest to Steve after Bruce, so this will be interesting to say the least,” Nat said with a wicked grin. Everyone agreed.

“Oh yeah. Tomorrow is also the last day of testimony before they go into deliberations, so Evie will be giving it her all for sure,” Sam agreed.

Everyone drifted off to their rooms, eager to wake up the next morning to see Evie in action yet again.

*********

The Team woke up the next morning, and when they turned the TV on, it was just in time to hear Wanda’s name being mentioned.

“Oh God. Looks like they’re saving Steve and Bucky for last,” Sam noted. The two super soldiers shared a look, not knowing if that was a good or bad thing.

Evie spent three hours defending Wanda, giving more than enough insight into just how well-adjusted the young woman had become since joining the Team after the Ultron incident. Ross repeated the same questions and statements over and over, wording them differently each time, to try and trip her up. Evie, seeing this from a mile away, replied the same each time, and before long, committee members were calling Ross out on it. Begrudgingly, he ended the debate over Wanda.

“Now, for the final discussion, we figured it would be easier to do them together, so Doctor Collins, we need your testimony on Captain Steven Grant Rogers and Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes.” The General leaned forward, staring her down. The camera caught a glimpse of her face, and she was full on smiling.

“I’ve seen that look before. Oh, this is going to be incredible to witness,” Bruce said gleefully.

And incredible it was.

For four hours straight, Evie painstakingly went over every good deed both men had done, completely skipping over their time on ice and Bucky’s time as the Winter Soldier. She knew that would be brought up eventually, but felt it better to see how it was brought up by the committee to see how they viewed him.

“With all due respect, Doctor, but why are you ignoring the fact that Sergeant Barnes was, in fact, a murderer? Do you have a soft spot for him?” General Ross taunted. Evie’s face, which had been blank, suddenly broke into a smile.

“A murderer? Is that what you would be called if you were forced to carry out those deeds?” she snapped back at him. “And no I don’t have a soft spot for him. My heart belongs to someone else, thank you very much.” The man looked at her, disgust plain as day in his face.

“I wouldn’t be called a murderer.” Evie smiled, as he had said exactly what she wanted him to say.

“Then what’s the difference between you and him? Oh, I know. If it was you, it would be considered ‘terrible’ and ‘being forced against your will’, but because it’s not, it’s considered ‘murder’ and ‘doing it willingly’.” Ross’ jaw dropped at her audacity. Most of the committee members looked to him with the same questioning look, wondering how he would disagree with her. After a few moments, his face clouded over with anger.

“You would do well to mind your attitude, Doctor, and treat me with respect.” At this, Evie stood from her chair so quickly it tipped over.

“I’ll treat you with respect when you fucking earn it,” she growled at him. The entire committee, excluding Ross, all looked to her with the utmost shock, some bordering on admiration for her boldness.

At the Tower?

“Holy fuck. That was hot,” Sam quipped. Scott and Tony nodded in agreement.

“Even I have a hard-on for Evie right now,” Wanda said with a giggle. Steve turned and shot her a glare that said ‘back off she’s mine’, which made her laugh even more.

“Not even I have the balls to cuss on Capitol Hill. That woman is a fucking goddess,” Nat sighed, awe dripping from every word.

“Quiet, they’re talking again,” Bruce noted as he pointed at the screen.

“Gentlemen, I do apologize for my outburst. Please, that is not how I conduct myself day to day.” Everyone in the common room burst out laughing as Evie had the filthiest mouth of them out, even worse than Steve.

“Doctor Collins, we understand that everyone loses their cool once in a while, but, this is a legal hearing that is being televised, so we ask that you please watch your language.” Everyone turned to Steve and grinned, remembering the time he scolded Tony for his ‘language’. “We would now like to move to end General Ross’ questioning, especially since he is not the one who called this hearing in the first place.” The look of outrage on the General’s face was worth everything Tony had in his bank account, and more.

“You’ll hear no arguments from me over that,” Evie replied with a sweet smile. The questioning began again, this time, moving in a much more positive light.

“Now, Doctor Collins, when Captain Rogers contacted you and asked for help, why did you lend your assistance?” They all tensed up, as they knew this would end badly.

“What do you mean he ‘asked for help?’ Steve did no such thing.” When all that met her was disbelief, she scoffed. “Does Steve, does Captain America, look like the kind of man that asks for help? No, he doesn’t. He’d much rather punch his way out of a fight alone than to ask for help.” Bucky and Sam burst out laughing, as she hit the nail right on the head.

“Well, you can’t expect us to believe that he had Clint Barton, Scott Lang and Wanda Maximoff sent to him for moral support.” Evie tilted her head in confusion, much like a dog does.

“He didn’t send for them. I sent them myself.” Her admission was met with gasps all around.

“Then you must realize that you violated the Sokovia Accords, and therefore must be reprimanded.” The committee members all agreed with General Ross’ outburst. Evie raised an eyebrow at him.

“General, the Sokovia Accords don’t apply to me. I’m not an Avenger. And I didn’t send them on a mission, that’s Steve’s job. All I can do is tell them that they cannot go on a mission due to an injury,” she explained. The Team all held their breath, as they realized that she was right.

“Well, then how did you know that Captain Rogers needed them?” Ross was back in control, as the Sokovia Accords had been his project.

“I didn’t. The last time I had spoken to Steve was when I had texted him while he was in a meeting with you, General. You had met with the Team about the Accords, but I wasn’t invited as I’m not an Avenger, just their physician. I didn’t even discuss the Team or the Accords at all. I, rather stupidly, felt that texting and telling him that Agent Peggy Carter had died in her sleep was better than calling him.” Evie had said the magic words. Mentioning Peggy Carter in relation to Steve Rogers was akin to talking to Jesus in some people’s eyes. Most of the committee members nodded, understanding clear as day on their faces.

Ross was losing, badly.

“Well, then, why did you send them?” Even the Team, 204 miles away, could tell that Ross was getting desperate.

“If you must know, there’s a monument in what remains of Sokovia that Wanda wanted to visit, since she lost her country and brother in the same day. Clint, who has become close to Wanda over the fact that her twin brother, Pietro, gave his life to save Clint, volunteered to go with her. Scott, wanting to support Wanda during a tough time, also volunteered. I spent my own money and hired a plane for them. I hired a plane because, as I am not Tony Stark nor Pepper Potts, I didn’t feel comfortable using their private jet. And, seeing that it wasn’t a mission and that I’m not Captain Rogers, I had no authority to send them in a quinjet.” Evie looked so proud of herself, and the Team was too. Ross had obviously planned to blame the Accords failing on Steve, but for her to take the blame blew his plan up in his face.

And the committee members knew it.

“Thank you, Doctor Collins, for coming here and giving your testimony over the Avengers. I hereby dismiss you from the chamber as we deliberate. We will have the bailiff collect you once we are done.” Evie nodded before exiting the room.

“Well, this is it. Whatever the outcome is, we can’t blame Evie. She did amazing,” Rhodey said as everyone got up and stretched.

“Hell yeah she did,” Wanda exclaimed in agreement, everyone else joining in.

The next couple of hours seemed to drag on before finally, Evie was brought back into the room.

“We would like to thank you again, Doctor Collins, for coming here over the past few days to give testimony for the Avengers. Now, before I read the verdicts, I must notify you that we went with a majority vote, although some were unanimous.” The Team all squeezed into one couch, not wanting to be apart.

“I understand.” You could hear a pin drop with how quiet the Tower was.

“In the case of Anthony Edward Stark, it is this committee’s majority vote that he is not a danger to society.” Tony began to breathe again as he realized he was a free man.

“In the case of Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes, it is this committee’s unanimous decision that he is not a danger to society.” Rhodey looked at Tony and grinned, glad to know neither of them were going to prison.

“In the case of Clinton Francis Barton, it is this committee’s unanimous decision that he is not a danger to society.” Clint sank to his knees, overjoyed that he would be able to watch his children grow up.

“In the case of Scott Edward Harris Lang, it is this committee’s unanimous decision that he is not a danger to society.” Scott jumped up and began to dance, happy to not be going back to prison.

“In the case of Samuel Thomas Wilson, it is this committee’s unanimous decision that he is not a danger to society.” Sam sat in shock, not believing that he was free.

“In the case of Natasha Alianova Romanoff, it is this committee’s majority vote that she is not a danger to society.” Nat burst into tears over hearing her name be cleared.

“In the case of Thor Odinson, it is this committee’s majority vote that he is not a danger to society.” The God of Thunder stood and began to laugh.

“That’s our girl!” he bellowed, pulling Natasha and Tony into a hug.

“In the case of Doctor Robert Bruce Banner, it is this committee’s majority vote that he is not a danger to society.” Bruce was frozen like Sam, not wanting to move in case it was all a dream.

“In the case of Wanda Maximoff, it is this committee’s majority vote that she is not a danger to society.” Wanda fell to her knees as well, murmuring in Sokovian. Evie’s name was mentioned, and everyone figured she was more than likely worshipping the ground that the doctor walked on.

“In the case of Captain Steven Grant Rogers, it is this committee’s majority vote that he is not a danger to society.” Steve felt Sam clap him on the back, but he couldn’t move he was so surprised.

“In the case of Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, it is this committee’s majority vote that he is not a danger to society.” Bucky jumped up with Alice and swung her around in joy.

“We’re free! We’re all free!” he yelled before kissing Alice deeply. Steve finally stood and grabbed them both in a hug, not giving a damn that the kiss was progressing in his arms.

“Quiet! They’re speaking again!” Scott yelled, and everyone fell silent.

“Doctor Collins, I know you most likely have a celebration to get to, but I must warn you. Should any of the Avengers commit any acts of terrorism or break any laws from here on out, there will be no second chances. For any of you. Yes, as you have cleared them, your word is their bond. They go away and so do you.” The Team exchanged a worried look.

“I understand sir. They want nothing more than to save the world, so I highly doubt they will do anything to put it in harm’s way.” Evie looked ecstatic over freeing them all, and it didn’t seem to phase her that if they did something wrong, she would go away too.

“Thank you. This hearing is now adjourned.” The gavel sounded and it was all over.

Evie had single-handedly cleared all of the Avengers.

The Team all hugged each other, over the moon that they were free.

“That woman is, without a doubt, fucking royalty and shall be treated as such,” Scott exclaimed to everyone's amusement.

“Oh, absolutely. Now, if you excuse me, I have a family I need to go see.” Clint waved as he headed to the elevator, not stopping for anyone.

“Hey, I'm coming too. I'll drop you on my way to California,” Scott called as he followed him.

“I'm gonna take a page outta their books and go enjoy my freedom. Anyone wanna come with?” Nat asked. The remaining members all looked around, torn between wanting to get outside and waiting for Evie to come back.

“You guys go. I'll stay here and wait for her,” Bruce said. Everyone else nodded before booking it out the door.

@suz-123 @avenger-nerd-mom @aglarelen @amaranthuspetals @amillionfandoms-onlyoneme @bad-wolf87 @bolontiku @brighterlightss @buckybarnesappreciationsociety @buckyywiththegoodhair @caplansteverogers @captainradicalpassion @caramell0w @celeb-fess @delicatecapnerd @doloreschanal @donnaintx @earinafae @etts21 @ghostssss @girlbehindthecameraposts @gramaeryebard @jhangelface0523 @kimistry27 @liz-pbnz @loki-god-of-my-life @magellan-88 @marvel-trash07 @pegasusdragontiger @punkfrog @ruinerofcheese @ryverpenrad @sarahp879 @silver-starburst @the-real-kellymonster @4theluvofall @jamesbarnesappreciationsociety @stars8melanin @getinmelanin011 @honey-bee-holly @lostinspace33 @dustycelt @avengedqueen26 @amandarosemire @diinofayce @sillinessinseattle @lookwhatyoumademequeue @jewels2876

#evie collins #evie saves the day #jrubalcaba #evie saved all their asses

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firstpuffin · 5 years

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The infuriating politics behind Captain Marvel (2019) [with spoilers]

I watched Captain Marvel the morning of writing this and to make things clear: I liked it. It was fun, I enjoyed her character (which I’ll expand on earlier) and best of all it wasn’t in-your-face feminist propaganda. I call myself apolitical, the “a-“ prefix meaning “not” so I am “not political”. I’m not a feminist because there is modern baggage behind that word and there are very few labels that I actually subscribe to. The ones I do usually have the “a-“ prefix, so that probably says a lot about me.

I hate that I have to bring this up but people, including people whose opinions I generally respect, can’t see past the politics of a situation. I’m not not a feminist because I don’t believe in the cause; I do. I’m not some kind of red pill manist or whatever they are called, because I’m comfortable in myself. I’m apolitical because I see the content first and the agenda second. And Captain Marvel has good content.

Yes there are issues. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t find problems with fiction. Where did Mar-vell get the Tesseract after Stark found it in the sea? Why did only Carol get powers from the explosion and not the others who were there? And it most definitely had the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s villain problem.

To make it clear this article is not about the film, it’s about people whose reviews repeatedly talk about the freaking patriarchy. Such as yes, Jude Law’s character is revealed to be a part of the conspiracy to suppress her true self. As a man he is clearly oppressing our female hero-

Or maybe he’s just a bad guy. You know, the bad guy. The villain. And we all know that if he had been a woman instead then the same people would claim there were too many women in the film thus feminist agenda. You know what has too many female characters? The Supergirl television show. But if you were to switch everybody’s sexes then it would look like an ordinary male-lead show. You could consider that as them pushing a bit too hard, but it is not only understandable but is also far from the worst part of that show.

So, our antagonist is suppressing the powers of our hero. Maybe that’s because as we see in the final part of the story (what is known as the Falling Action and is when the heroes turn things around) she is practically unstoppable. Maybe it’s because they are trying to use her. Maybe it’s because he shot her out of the sky six years ago and is responsible for the death of the person she admires most and is possibly the person who wiped her memory. Maybe it’s not patriarchy but assholery.

I started watching one review that said it was bad because it didn’t follow the Hero’s Journey, an old method of story-telling that he claimed is essential to a good story (which it isn’t, especially in our post-modern age) and while it seemed to follow it at the beginning it quickly departed. How? Well the mentor character (Jude Law again) wasn’t actually a mentor character, he just pretended to be one. Except he was a mentor, but the twist (admittedly a predictable one) was that he was a villain. And if you think that doesn’t count, then look at it this way: he’s training her to be a bad guy too. So he’s still a mentor.

And he claimed that there was no “call to action”, which is the reason why the hero ventures out to adventure, saying that she was just “sent on a mission”. And yes, that wasn’t a call to action (except maybe in the most literal sense), the call to action comes later when she discovered hints about her past and found out that everything was in danger if she, the only person in the position to do so, didn’t help; by which I mean she was the only member of her organisation on Earth for the next day. If galactic danger and self-discovery aren’t calls to action then just what is it that motivates most stories?

So clearly this guy wanted to dislike the film. I stopped watching less than half way through his video after he said patriarchy for the fifth time. Like, shut up about it already.

The next complaint that I’m going to cover is that apparently only boys like comics and so a strong female character is off-putting? I’m not sure, this guy confused me. Yes, comics were (and possibly still are; I don’t check demographics) aimed at young teenage boys, hence the silly action and terrifyingly bombastic female figures (like seriously, those proportions would be fatal). But you know what I like? To use my own terminology, capable characters.

I don’t use “strong” as an adjective without purpose because it has connotations of physical power, which isn’t what is meant by “strong female characters”. I use capable because I feel it is a better fit. Carol Danvers is capable, strong and generally badass anyway. Why? Well for one thing, she always gets back up. You know, that thing that Captain America always does? That is important to his character? She does it too, and it is hinted at all throughout the film so it isn’t just some cheap “drama” for the climax.

I’m going to go full nerd here and talk about anime. My favourite characters in the action genre have always been those who stand back up. They get beaten down (physically or mentally) and force themselves back up. It’s cheesy as all hell and it is done in anime better than I usually see in western comics or films and stuff. It’s cool, it’s dramatic and it works really well at getting you to root for the hero.

Many people probably know of Dragon Ball Z and we see it in Goku, the hero of that series. I’d also like to point out that when it comes to raw power, the Dragon Ball fighters are similar yet stronger than Captain Marvel. A character in the series who is less frequently called “strong” is Bulma. She isn’t a fighter and she doesn’t have all of the superpowers of Goku or the others, but she’s a scientist who often provides support. More than that though, she never lets her lack of planet-destroying power prevent her from standing side by side with the fighters. Heck, she stands up to literal gods when they piss her off.

She is what I think of as a capable female character, because she can’t kick ass but that doesn’t make her weak.

Growing up, Carol Danvers is obviously what we call a “tomboy”. She wants to do what the boys do and she pushes herself to do so, despite being condescended to regularly for it. She literally gets knocked down, she falls and she (again literally) crashes and she gets back up. Even more impressive for me is that she is mentally and emotionally shaken, but stands up again to protect others and to regain control of her life.

And there is nothing in that above paragraph that is uniquely masculine.

A girl can fall over and stand back up. A woman can be emotionally manipulated only to pick herself back up. And because they aren’t masculine actions, seeing a female character do so isn’t at all feminism. It’s just a person doing what a person does.

So, what else? Well there are complaints about her character being “snarky” or her being a bad loser (she is beaten in a sparring match and lashes out). Except I loved seeing her cocky mannerisms (which are common in male action heroes) and her obvious pleasure to be doing something, because it’s pretty clear that they haven’t let her do anything but train for the last six years. And this isn’t patriarchy again, she is in a military group with strict guidelines on when you are ready to go into the field (plus as we know, they are scared of her power).

She was bored, she was restless. She’s a character who obviously like to act, being held back. That’s why she lashed out; she was frustrated and angry at not doing anything and yes, it could be seen as a flaw. But it’s a humanising and understandable flaw if you just try to empathise with her instead of looking for things to dislike. And one last point, Jude Law’s character said that if she couldn’t control her power then she’d have to visit the Supreme Intelligence(SI), who is a sort of commanding officer (I don’t know the terminology). So what does Danvers do? She uses it. It is not a stretch at all to suppose that she may have intentionally lashed out so that she could confront the SI. Plus, they are all something that we see again and again in male action heroes.

Yes, I keep comparing her to male action heroes and that’s because she is also an action hero. They will have similar traits regardless of sex or gender. She is confident and willing to have a laugh and it is great to see.

And finally, and this may come across badly but hear me out first, I loved seeing her smile. I don’t mean that in the “give us a smile, love”, but in the “she’s excited” way. I love to see people excited and when she’s about to go on a mission or when she’s figuring out her powers towards the end, she is clearly having fun.

I’d love to see that in a male character too, it doesn’t matter. Seeing action heroes excited to do what they do, is great. Again, that’s something we see a lot in anime so it’s no surprise that I like seeing it here.

This has run longer than I intended so, to conclude: Captain Marvel is an action hero who is frustrated from doing nothing for six years and when she gets the chance, she acts. She is driven, her power is suppressed and she is oh-so clearly a good person. Oh, and she’s confident, which I suspect is a big problem for those who are not used to seeing it.

-Note= I found it interesting that according to the dictionaries I looked at, bombastic means flowery or pretentious language; think of people who use excessively complex language. But as soon as you look at how people use the word (including but not limited to Urban Dictionary) you see that is not only how people use the word. Language is fascinating.

-Note= Releasing these every two weeks isn’t working, I can’t keep it in mind and so I keep missing the upload date. Instead I’m considering releasing a short 500 word-ish between uploads, just to keep myself from slipping.

#first puffin #captain marvel #marvel #movie #opinion #agenda #feminism #thosetagswilldofornow

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insanely-creative-things · 6 years

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Big Hero 7 : the series

www.fanfiction.net

Big Hero 7

Baymax Returns Part 1

*The loud vibrations of a phone along with the song Uma Thurman by Fall out Boy made the person in their futon stir before sitting up.*

Cora: *yawn!*

* Cora got up from her futon and walked over to the bathroom beside her room, rinsing her face with water before brushing her teeth. She then picked out her usual outfit: a sea green plated skirt with a yellow tank top and her favorite rain boots. Once dressed she starts making bento lunches for her family: specifically for her father, grandmother and herself. She was finishing up her bento when an old woman tapped her shoulder.*

Cora: Oh! Morning Grandmama!

Grandmama: 6:30 AM and you're making lunch already? Nervous about attending school for the very first time aren't you?"

Cora: In a way...Is Papa awake?

Grandmama: *Chuckles* As much as a bear after hibernation, though I suppose that is what he gets for staying up late to file papers online at his new job...like a certain someone last night.

Cora: *blushes* Hmm...Anyway there's some leftover food for you and Papa to reheat for breakfast, I'm heading to the Lucky Cat Cafe to catch up with some friends on my way to school.

Grandmama: *smirks* and to see your boyfriend?

Cora: *blushes deeper but smiles* I guess...

* The door opens as Cora runs out, but quickly runs back to give a kiss on her grandmother's cheek*

Cora: * running fast as she shouts to her grandmother* Tell Papa that I'm on my way to school and that I love him!

Grandmama: * chuckles as she shakes her head before looking up at the sky with a wistful smile* Times like these, she is certainly your daughter Akemi...

* The streets become more alive as Cora runs past them, slightly jumping a couple of steps down to the intersection. By the time she arrives at the Cafe she sees Aunt Cass with the gang already seated at the table eating their food*

Cora: Morning guys! Morning to you too Aunt Cass!

Aunt Cass: Morning to you too Cora! I saved a couple pancakes for you and Hiro to share.

Cora: *Smiles* Ok...Oh yeah, is Hiro up yet?

Aunt Cass: Yeah, he's actually been up for a while.

Cora: You mind if I go up and see him?

Aunt Cass: Go on ahead, just don't do any funny business just 'cause you two are dating.

Cora: *Blushes as she pouts.*

*Cora goes to the side door where she quickly runs up the stairs as Gogo yells after her.*

Gogo: Don't be too long love birds, we gotta split soon!

* Cora blushes at this as she reaches her boyfriend's bedroom, about to greet him before she hears a familiar voice.*

Tadashi: Ok Hiro! I'm gonna let you go now! You ready?

Hiro: No no no Tadashi Wait!

Tadashi: Don't be scared little brother, just peddle harder! You can do it!

Aunt Cass: Yeah woohoo! Go Hiro!

Tadashi: Yeah yeah! You got it!

* Hiro was watching an old clip on his phone of the time he learned how to ride a bike, giving a sad smile as he sat on the bed. Cora smiled sadly, knowing that Tadashi is still a huge part of their lives, and still even more so to Hiro.

Cora:* Gives a cough to get Hiro's attention*

Hiro: *looks up* Oh, Cora! You're here already, so I guess the gang is already-

Cora: Uh huh...*smiles and sighs* Still can't believe this is actually happening...After all we've been through...

Hiro: Yup, so * Clears throat as he playfully deepens his voice* Shall we go my lady?

Cora: *Giggles* You're such a dork Hiro, but that's one of the many things about you that I like so much.

* As Cora walks up to stand next to him looking down at the phone too and places a comforting hand on his shoulder, Hiro takes one last look at the video, paused to show Tadashi's smiling face.*

Hiro: Well..Tadashi this is it...First day of Nerd School...All because of you.

*Hiro stands up from his bed and zips up his backpack, but he briefly gets his finger stuck.*

Hiro: Ow!

Cora: You okay?

Hiro: Yeah, just a little nick.

* Hiro than looks down by his feet to see an empty charger for an old friend who had sadly left his life too soon as well. Cora follows his gaze down to the empty charger before she quietly sighs and gently embraces Hiro as she softly whispers in his ear.

Cora: I know Hiro. I miss him and Tadashi too. But they're still here with us.

Hiro embraces her back as well as he sighs from taking a steady breath as he quietly replies.

Hiro: Yeah I know, as long as we remember them...I'm pretty sure I've told you this before already, but I'm really glad your here with me Cora.

Cora gently squeezes Hiro in their embrace before she backs up a little with her arms still around him.

Cora: You have told me this before, several of times before as a matter of fact. But I'm always happy to hear you say it again.

Cora than pecks Hiro on the cheek before they release each other from their hug and take hold of each others' hands as they begin walking to meet up with their friends downstairs, passing by a picture of Honey, Gogo, Fred, Wasabi, Cora, himself, and Baymax*

Newsreporter: Reports are still flooding in about a group of unidentified individuals who prevented what could have been a major catastrophe.

Cora: * looks up to see caught photos of the gang in their super hero gear with a coy smirk on her face*

Newsreporter: The whole city of San Fransokyo is asking: Who are these heroes? And where are they now?

Fred: Having victory pancakes.

*Cora looks beside Hiro, giving another quick kiss on the cheek, causing the duo to blush.*

Honey Lemon:* snaps photo of them* We saw that you know~

*Soon the rest of the gang greeted Hiro and Cora and started to walk out of the cafe, but Cass was quick to catch Hiro with Cora.*

Aunt Cass: Hey sweetie! I made you a lunch! But do you pack lunch in college? I don't know...Is that- is that cool? Ooh I'm so proud! I just wanna squeeze you!

*Aunt Cass gave a very tight hug to Hiro, who was soon loosing breath.*

Hiro: Aun-aunt Cass! I-

Aunt Cass: * lets go and sighs* Ok! You're ready to go!

*Hiro starts to walk away, but when he looks back he quickly returns and gives her a hug.*

Hiro: Last hug.

*Hiro and Cass warmly hugged each other, and Cora couldn't help but smile widely at this. This reminded her of the times when she and her Papa were playing at the beach*

Aunt Cass: Tadashi would be so proud of you!

* Soon the duo catch up with the gang as they headed to 'Nerd School', where various other students sedately walked to their classes.*

Honey Lemon: Are you two nervous?

Hiro: No way! I want this, we both want this! Why would we be nervous?

Cora: Yeah, what makes you think we'd be worried?

Gogo: You two are 14 and going to college.

Fred: Your brother is like a legend here.

Wasabi: Also I hear the new Dean is a hard case.

Gogo: And Cora, didn't you say that you've been home schooled your entire life?

Fred: Aw man! This is literally the very first day of school for you little dudette!

Wasabi: Maybe...and just maybe...The Dean won't be too hard on you Cora since your new to school...in general.

Hiro: I...We...Hadn't thought of any of those things..

Cora: *deadpan* Thanks for reminding us guys, especially about me being home schooled all my life.

Honey Lemon: *pushes Hiro and Cora away* Oh keep not thinking of them!

* The gang however quickly caught up to them as they entered the main building. Hiro and Cora eventually got in line for the freshman ID photo shoot. As each student simply stood still and left once its done, the young teens were not as lucky. when it was Hiro's turn he flinched at the bright flash which resulted in a awkward ID photo, And when it was Cora's turn she immediately jumped up to get her full photo, only to result in a picture with Cora blinking and her hair flounced up in a blur.*

Gogo: *blows bubble* That's unfortunate.

Wasabi: I'll take those. *he grabs the two ID cards and places them on Lanyards, then putting them on Hiro and Cora.*

Wasabi: Don't ever loose these...Seriously its like 20 dollars to replace.

Fred: Ok! Your official Tour Time! Especially for you Cora!"

*Fred then spins Cora around, causing her to yelp and for Hiro to catch her and stand her still.*

Fred: This is the room where people wear goggles and do stuff!

* Said room turned out to be students where they testing VR headsets as they venture into virtual reality*

Hiro: Virtual reality! Huh, nice!

Fred: Yeah that.

* They soon arrived outside in the main plaza*

Fred: And this is the quad! Named after someone with the last name Quad one would presume.

*Gogo was quick to grab Hiro and Cora out of the way as a robotic Frisbee zinged past them and threw another Frisbee at the student. As of while another student is studying the x-ray molecules of a tree.*

Cora: Woah!

The Gang then arrived at the mess hall.*

Fred: And this is the fooding zone!

* As they passed along the mess hall as one student was eating a hot dog out of a robotic stand.*

Fred: As a non-student this is my favorite place on campus- woah!

* Fred had accidentally bumped into a student, which sadly caused the student to spill his food on the floor. However immediately after it was spilled, little roombas rushed in and quickly cleaned up the mess.*

Hiro: Wow!

Wasabi: Cool huh?

Cora: I can't believe all of these things can happen here. How could this get any better?

Honey Lemon: Actually there's one more place to visit, and I think you'll love it Cora.

Cora: What is it?

*The next thing they knew, Fred opened the door to reveal a large hall dedicated to the study of Marine life.

Fred: And this is the ocean zone! Here they look at fish without actually being at sea!...On occasion.

* Cora immediately ran around, trying to take in everything her eyes are seeing in front of her. She gasped in amazement as a holographic Orca swam above her. Hiro smiled brightly at Cora's excitement, knowing how much Cora loves marine biology. Soon they left and reached their final destination, The Ito Ishioka Robotics Lab.*

Hiro: I didn't realize this place is so uh...huge! Awesome, but huge!

Cora: Uh huh! I think this is one of my most favorite places I've ever been in my life! There's so much to do!

Wasabi: Don't be intimidated, just take it one class at a time.

Honey Lemon: I'm happy you're excited Cora!

Gogo: *looking at her class schedule* Ugh, Applied Partical Physics is first.

Honey Lemon: *gasp* Me too! Yay!

Fred: What's your first class you two?

* But the gang quickly noticed the two teens staring at a specific lab in the building...Tadashi's Lab. Cora held Hiro's hand, looking at him with a small smile. Soon after Wasabi placed a hand on Hiro's shoulder.*

Wasabi: You ok Hiro? We miss Tadashi too...and Baymax.

* They stood in a moments silence for their departed friends*

Hiro: Yeah umm..I'll catch up with you guys later.

Cora: My first class won't start for another 10 minutes so mind if I stick around?

Hiro: I guess...

*The group of friends walked away to give the two some privacy. Hiro then opened the door to enter his brother's lab, which have remained untouched since the last time he had been here. This was actually's Cora's first time in this lab, but she simply stared as Hiro walked around the room. Hiro grabbed Tadashi's baseball cap.*

Hiro: Wish you were here big brother.

* After placing the cap back to its place he opened Tadashi's old notebook which contained blue prints of Baymax's build. He then went towards the wooden crate he had specifically asked his friends a while back to place there: Baymax's armored rocket fist. Cora walked over and helped him place it on a table nearby, the teens giving a small smile at each other.*

Hiro:* Fist bump* Ba la la la...

* As the two began to walk away Cora was quick to realize there was something hidden in the rocket fist...a small green chip*

Cora: Hold on..is that?

* Hiro quickly opened the fist to reveal Baymax's healthcare chip!*

Hiro: Tadashi's chip...Baymax!

* Hiro quickly took the chip out of the hand and began to start up the robotic skeleton of the robotic nurse.*

Hiro: Ok! I'm gonna need carbon fiver skeleton, actuators, definitely upgrade super capacity! I can do this! I can rebuild you Baymax!

Cora slightly bounced at the thought of Baymax returning, but then she saw a screen flicker up to show a face of a stern woman. She was on African American decent, with a black turtleneck sweater wearing gold jewelry.*

Cora: uhh...Hiro?

Woman: Good Morning, I'm Professor Grandville, your new Dean of students. Welcome to San Fransokyo's Institute of Technology, I trust that we are going to have an excellent year which means-

* Cora watched as Hiro lowered the volume of the video, making her worried.*

Cora: Hiro! That was the Dean, Wasabi told us that she is not a lady to mess with!

Hiro: Its ok, I'll record it and listen to it later.

*But then Cora froze when she saw the Dean enter the door, with Hiro still focused on the blue prints*

Grantville: Which means hard work!

Hiro: Some of us are trying to work.

Cora: *Hushed voice* Hiro, I REALLY think you should listen!

* But Hiro simply believed he hadn't lowered the volume, which was quickly replaced with confusion when the voice continued.

Grantville: Mr. Hamada! Turn around.

*Hiro spun his chair to see the Dean in behind him, which caused the teen to yelp, then he looked at Cora, who was looking down at her feet while fidegting with her hands.*

Cora: I did try to warn you...

Grantville: Private Labs are not for first semester freshmen.

Hiro: Oh... uh...This is my brother's lab..or was...

Grantville: Tadashi was a gifted young man, he worked hard to earn this as I'm sure you will...someday, when you're ready.

*Hiro quickly turned to talk to the Dean, holding the WIP paper where he was redesigning Baymax's skeleton.*

Hiro: I'm ready now! Look, I'm rebuilding Bayma-uh my brother's health-care companion project?

Grantville: Mr. Hamada If you want to live up to your brother's legacy, you should start by getting to your classes on time... as you should too Miss...?

*Cora looks up and quickly clears her voice.*

Cora: Oh! I'm Cora Mizishio, I'm majoring Marine Biology...With a minor in robotics?..Mam'm!

Grantville: I've already been informed that this is your first time ever attending school, so I hope that you will not have any difficulty with your classes.

Cora: *shakes head* I'll be fine Mam'm, thank you for your concern! And for reminding us about our classes!

Hiro: *quickly zips up his backpack* Could not agree more, punctuality is very important.

* the trio left the lab*

Hiro: It was so nice to meet-

Grantville: Tick-Tock Mr. Hamada. Don't want to keep your thermo dynamics professor waiting, I hear she's tough..But fair, intermittently.

*As soon as Grantville walked away, both Hiro and Cora ran off their respective classes.*

Cora: See ya Hiro! talk to you later!"

Hiro: Kay Cora! See ya!

* Both teens rushed to their classes, whereas Cora barely arrived at the nick of time, Hiro wasn't as lucky...As it turns out his Professor is Grantville herself.*

Grantville: Ah, Teen genius decided to join us.

Hiro: How did you-?

Grantville: Short-cut, I can take them, you can not. Lets begin!

*Hiro quickly got to his seat, but he was too short to fully see his lesson clearly.*

*As of while Cora quickly seated as she was face to face wit her own professor, a tall woman with short hair and dark eyes.*

Professor: So you're the second teen genius huh? You're lucky you got here on time, but don't push it, I'm professor Seto and I'll be your Marine Life Biology professor. Just to let you know, Yyou can ask me during office hours if you have any trouble with our course work up ahead. Now, if you'll open up to your tablet and enter the code I have displayed here..

*Cora pulled out her syllabus, shrinking slightly as she blushed.*

The day soon turned to night as the scene then focused on Fred's mansion, where the nerd gang was having a discussion over...superheroes*

Wasabi: Oh! I didn't realize we were still the whole superhero thing.

*Gogo, Wasabi, and Honey Lemon stared at Fred in his Kaiju armor, posing heroically*

Fred:Uh yeah! Wait, where's Hiro and Cora?

Wasabi: Said something he needed to do after school and that Cora's staying behind to help him. * While he explained he picked up a robotic kaiju toy off his seat*

Fred: But they're gonna miss our first night patrol!

Gogo: Night patrol?

*Fred each gave them a piece of their superhero armor as he explained*

Fred: Where we suite up and patrol the streets, thwart evil doers, dispense justice ect, awesome, ect!

* The Wasabi, Gogo, and Honey Lemon each removed their armor*

Gogo: Yeah, not gonna happen

Honey Lemon: I-I don't think so.

Wasabi: No thank you!

Fred: Why not? You guys have clearly forgotten how sweet it was being superheroes! We caught a revenged crazed villain, we saved the city, we had victory pancakes!

Gogo: And you have clearly forgotten that we're not superheroes.

Wasabi: Also, it was really scary!

Fred: You didn't seem scared.

Wasabi: Because I was pumped up full of adrenaline! Now I'm back to being afraid of things like height, speed, cholesterol, loud noises! I've got issues! You do not want to be Wasabi!

Honey Lemon: Sorry Freddy, we've already lost Baymax, and we almost lost Hiro and Cora, I don't want to loose anyone else.

Fred: But there could be a supervillain right now about to-

Gogo: *shoves armor to Fred* Face it Fred, We aren't in your comic books, this is the real world and in the real world there are no super villains!

*Currently in the city a man is held dangling by his feet. ready to be dropped over the street below.*

Yama: Tell us one more time, where's my money!

Poor sap: I..lost it?

Minion #1: Yama, its him.

* A look of realization struck him*

Poor sap: Go ahead and take the call!

* As the other two minions brought him back to the roof, Yama answered the phone...in private*

Yama: Obake, mhmm whatever you need! I'll-

*The screen behind him flickered, briefly staggering before it showed an odd object.*

Yama: And where is it?

* The Screen flickered.*

Yama: Done!

*As Yama left, the screen stayed its image of San Fransokyo's institute of technology. The main target.*

*Daylight came as the SFIT was already lively with students. Hiro and Cora woke up early to see the fruit of their lobor hopefully blossom; they had worked hard after classes to check over what they needed to rebuild Baymax. As of now Hiro placed the health care chip inside the port of the Computer.*

Hiro: Please work! Please work!

Cora: *crossing fingers* Common please, please, please!

* The screen came online, and a familiar voice came to greet the duo*

Baymax: Hello Hiro and Cora.

Hiro and Cora: Baymax!

*The teens were ecstatic as they were reunited with their old friend, each giving the computer with Baymax's face a hug*

Hiro: Yeah, the hug's not really..we'll have to stick with this for now buddy.

*Hiro gave the mouse soft fist bump while Cora continued hugging him*

Cora: At this point, I don't even care if your not squishy, I'm just so happy your back!

Baymax: Ba lalalalala. Without my body, I am not able to feel.

Hiro: I know...

Baymax: Because I do not have tech tile receptors

Hiro: Oh right, hehe, don't worry, I'm working on it!

Cora: We both are. And as soon as we're done, we'll get the gang to come over!

* And so the two teen geniuses got to work rebuilding Baymax, they each contributed the parts of Baymax's skeleton as time went on, and so the afternoon gave way to evening, and evening became the night. Hiro and Cora continued with their classes, but were double tasking as they drew up schematics for the skeleton to function properly. Course that did not mean their sleeping schedule was not impacted, as they were found at times fast asleep from a hard day's(and night's) work. As soon as the skeleton had the necessary functions, they opened up his system, activating the camera inside the skeleton.

Baymax: My Endo-Skeleton is complete.

Hiro: Finally.

Cora: Whew...

Baymax: You two can now move on to the test phase.

*Cora looked up at the skeleton, trying to imagine what needed to be working 100% while Hiro looked a bit skeptical.*

Hiro: Test phase?! Heh, are you kidding, just have to get you dressed and boom!

Baymax: The diagnostics protocol will take 7 to 10 days.

Hiro: 7? To 10 days?

Baymax: Tadashi always ran an extensive diagnostic protocol.

Hiro: Yeah, that sounds like Tadashi.

Cora: Hiro, I think Baymax has a point, after all, he does knows how his body works and would know if something funky was up.

*But Hiro did not listen to her as he activated the skeletal body.*

Hiro: Here we go.

*the body blinked*

Hiro: Ah yes, see Baymax? Its perfect

Cora: *deadpan* Turn around genius.

* Hiro turned back to see that the skeleton was not functioning as properly as it should, glitching purple sparks as it clumsily wobbled back and forth, knocking any furniture within its perimeter. *

Hiro: No nononnono!

*Cora went to help Hiro stop the crazed ditzy skeleton, but not before yelling an 'I Told You So!' at him, but then the Skeleton jumped out the window and ran off into the night.*

Baymax: Oh no. My body is running away.

Cora: And we are so in trouble...

To be continued...

If you want to read the first chapter, here’s the link!

https://insanely-creative-things.tumblr.com/post/182096455153/chapter-1-the-origins-of-big-hero-7#notes

#Big Hero 7 #Big Hero 6 fanfic #Hiro Hamada #Cora Mizichio #Hiro Hamada x OC #Wasabi #Gogo tomago #Honey Lemon #fred frederickson iv #Professor Grandville #Baymax #long post

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shewantedtobeasecretgirl · 6 years

Text

3. Pleased to meet you a. k. a. androids, reserved groupies, gentlemen and rude boys (Part One)

„Mom, are you asleep?” I whisper as I sneak in her room.

“Not anymore…” she sighs. “I’ve hoped since you turned five that one day you’ll realize how unnecessary this question is…”

“Sorry… I…I go back to sleep…” I feel suddenly guilty for waking her up in the middle of the night.

“I’m just kidding, come here, sweetie!”

I slip under the cover on the other side of the bed and crawl next to her. I can’t understand how she can still sleep in this large bed. Effie and I have maintained the habit of sometimes visiting Mom’s bed when we want to feel like children again, which is maybe pathetic and implies the urgent need of a psychotherapist but makes me feel safer than anything. I smell Dad’s scent on the pillow, which is probably only the cruel product of my mind as the cover of it got washed at least two hundred times since then. I swallow a salty teardrop to prevent myself from crying.

“Mom…”

“Hm?”

“I can’t sleep…”

“Of course you can’t sleep. If you could I would start worrying if you got kidnapped by aliens who put you through a brainwashing or replaced you with an android.” she remarks sleepily.

“Thanks… do you even know what androids are?” I slap back.

“Who do you think I am? Of course I know. Mr. Taylor is a huge sci-fi fan so every time I visit him he makes me check the whole building since he’s convinced that aliens are hiding in his home. Once he even got me to crawl under his bed, of course I didn’t find any aliens. But what I did find were his denture for which we had been looking desperately for almost two weeks. As for androids, he suspected me being one as well since I bought him raspberry yoghurt by chance instead of the strawberry-flavored sort which is his favorite. So please, don’t question my knowledge about androids.”

“And how can you be sure that I’m not an android who’s trying to trick you by saying she can’t sleep?”

“I give up… You’re worse than my clients…” she yawns.

“But at least I can change my own diaper without help…” I snicker, which makes her snort too.

“So what’s the matter? You’re already stressed out by the possible events of the next few months?”

“I don’t know. If something happened to Effie while I’m away and I couldn’t help her, I would never forgive myself.”

“You don’t have to feel guilty for leaving us. Actually, I’ve never told you but I’m as much concerned about you as about Effie’s health.”

“About me? But I’m okay, I’m healthy, I have a degree…”

“But you’re lonely and you live like a recluse. I’ve never heard you mentioning any friends from New York, you don’t see your high school friends anymore, you don’t have colleagues who you could go out with…”

“But Effie is actually my best friend, and…” I cut her off.

“I’m happy for having such wonderful daughters who are inseparable but you should start building your own life too…”

“Oh no, it’s about the “find a husband” thing, isn’t it? I can’t believe…” I sigh.

“No, ford God’s sake, no! I just think you narrow your world to your work and us and I don’t want you to feel later that you didn’t collect enough experiences…”

“With guys?”

“With everything! You don’t go out, you don’t travel anywhere, you don’t date but you’re 24. These supposed to be your most memorable years, don’t waste them, you’re can finally drink legally without any grey hairbreadth!” she nudges me encouraging. “But that’s why I’m glad you accepted the job offer. For the record, Effie agrees with me on that, she’s pretty much psyched about the whole thing and at least her brain is full of these thoughts instead of…”

“I know, she doesn’t leave me alone with her daydreaming… But those people seem to be quite different than me… I don’t know any of them but Karrie… They are probably surrounded by party faces who dance on the table or smoke one joint after the other. Not to mention the job part of it…”

“Why do you try to convince yourself about having made a wrong decision? You haven’t even met “those people” yet! Besides, I’ve known for some time you want to do something surprising, something that is out of your comfort zone. When you came out of your room after the conversation with Karrie, I saw on your face that this was it! But for some reasons you play your compulsory hesitation this time too…”

“Mom?” I interrupt her, not because she’s not right but because I know she can’t help me to get rid of this feeling. “How did you know it?”

“I’m your mother and mothers know everything. Or, I’m an android who can read in peoples mind. Or, both of us are androids and we were programmed by the same person, which created a special connection between us. But androids need to spend some time in sleep mode too…”

“Okay, I get it… Good night, Mom!”

“Good night, my android roadie!”

***

“Carefully with the old bag, my dear!” Granny moans while I’m trying to help her to get out of the car. Mom stands already at the trunk to hand her enormous backpack to Judy. It‘s almost larger than Judy although she sorted its content at least three times to reduce it to the most necessary clothes and personal belongings. Anyway, she’s to spend her next months with guys who share their stuffs and have worn the same shirts probably for months so it was easy to convince her about keeping her luggage as modest as possible. With a few necessary precautions…

Judy looks paler than usual and this effect is multiplied by the dark shadows around her eyes. She spent the last two weeks with preparing for her new job and to stay true to herself she took it very seriously. After the interview she literally panicked and begged me to call Victor, my former high school classmate who works at Rock Candy so that he would show her the basics of a sound system and the tasks of a rock band’s staff. She hung out there after work almost every evening and in the remaining time she was listening to Ten and the tapes with unreleased songs that Krisha gave her until she learnt them to the last note. She got labeled as a nerd by her classmates for reason, her perfectionism made her immediately worrying about the possible expectations of her new employers. But it’s kinda cute how tenacious she tried to become a perfect monitor engineer in two weeks with the same enthusiasm as she studied for being the valedictorian of her class. She can’t do anything in a low-key way.

As we enter the main hall of Sea-Tac Airport I notice that the check-in counter of Judy’s flight to Cleveland has already been opened. Get it over with fast, I don’t want to get too emotional. It’s inevitable, though, Granny will start crying anyway and Mom always cries when Granny cries and so on…

“I’ve got something for you, Sis!” I turn to Judy. I almost forgot about it, the other thing was on my mind all evening...

“Do I want to know about it?” she asks pretending to be desperate.

“It’s very funny… You don’t even deserve it. I’ve changed my mind, I keep it.” I shake my head reprovingly.

“A present? But you needn’t have…”

“It’s a very useful present, if I were you I’d take it…” Mom winks at me.

“So… I think you’ll know for what purpose… ” I place a small package onto Judy’s palm.

As she opens the little box wrapped in paper and recognizes its content her face lights up immediately.

“A mini tape recorder! Effie, this is awesome!” she captures me in a rib-breaking hug.

“But there’s a rule! I want to hear the newest stuffs while you’re away. There are more tapes, we can manage somehow that you always have one with you for recording your ideas. As I receive a tape I copy it and send it back to you, okay?”

“I don’t want to get them lost, we have to figure out the exact method… I don’t know if I’ll be able to find time to record my ideas... or if I’ll have ideas at all, I count with busy days… But if I won’t, I still can use it to that groupie thing!” she raises her eyebrows quickly a few times referring to our recent conversation.

“I’m sure that surrounded by so many musicians you’ll have more ideas than ever…”

“Just don’t forget to eat, sweetie.” Granny warns her. “When you’re busy, you tend to forget to eat. Didn’t you forget your sandwiches at home, did you?” Granny’s biggest fear before travels is that we’ll starve to death so she always makes sure if we have a detailed plan about our meals at least five days in advance.

“Granny, if I wasn’t able to get food when I’m hungry, I would have already died due to natural selection!” Judy gently strokes her shoulders but when Granny begins to share her advice and warnings, nobody can stop her.

“And be cautious with those men! Don’t let yourself get drugged and seduced!” Here we are; the Granny Show has started. I think my favorite part comes right next… I glance at Mom and I can see she’s trying to repress her laughter, just like me. By the way, Granny is always right…

“Those men? Granny, they’re just guys in their twenties!”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about young lady!” Granny pokes Judy in the chest with her index finger. She leans closer to her and keeps pestering her more quietly. “Judy, my little star, it’s so embarrassing to ask this but someone has to do it… Do you have ‘that thing’ in your bag, don’t you?” Oh my God, this episode is better than I’ve thought.

“That thing? What is ‘that thing’?” Judy asks back suspecting she doesn’t want to know the answer.

“ ‘That thing’… you know… if it still happens… you have to take precautions, young men are so irresponsible nowadays… You know, I watch TV a lot, I’ve already heard a lot about that AIDS disease…” I see that Judy realized in the meantime what Granny was trying to say but she wants to trap her with the topic she came up with.

“Granny, I’m more and more confused. Please be more specific!” Judy plays the uncomprehending, innocent little girl. Mom turns in the direction of the departures board but the shaking of her shoulders reveals her.

“Judy, my dear, I’m talking about… you know…” Judy keeps waiting with an amused smile for her uttering the end of the sentence. “Condom!” she whispers in horror and at this point Mom, Judy and I erupt into a loud laughter, which makes her more embarrassed than the word she’s just said.

“First of all, I don’ think I would need ‘that thing’. I’m supposed to work with them, like ‘work’, literally. But if I still would, it’s rather the guy’s responsibility to be prepared. Aaand, if he’s not prepared but I can’t resist the temptation, there are bunch of ways of having fun to which you don’t need ‘that thing’. I’m sure you’re being a widow with one daughter and two granddaughters, there’s nothing new for you, Granny.” Judy grins, which makes Granny get close to fainting. Of course I know that Judy’s cheeky remark about sexual alternatives was only meant to freak her out, I’m sure as hell she would chicken out if someone tried to get so close to her that she would need ‘that thing’. But Granny is always right… And I took the precautions, Granny, even if you think you’re the only responsible adult in this family…

“Sorry Granny, I adore how much you’re concerned about me, I just can’t shut my big mouth.” she embraces her. “But I think I should go…” Judy is still wiping the teardrops of laughter from her eyes. Or are those already different kinds of teardrops?

While Judy is standing in the cue, I exchange a bitter look with Mom. Until now I was focused on Judy’s exciting perspectives and ignored the fact that I would miss her. Fuck, I’ll miss her a lot…

After finishing the check-in process she kisses and hugs all of us in a suspiciously short time and before we could get really touched she sets off with quick steps for the security check. Before entering the security zone she turns back for a second, sends an awkward wave to us and disappears in the crowd immediately.

***

“Sir… excuse me, sir… EXCUSE ME!” I have to repeat the same sentence more times, as usual. People at public places usually can’t hear me when I’m speaking to them, or even if they can, they misunderstand what I’ve said, which often leads to miswritten names, misheard numbers, wrongly taken orders.

“Oh, sorry… Good afternoon, Madame, may I help?”

The receptionist of the hotel turns to me distracted, as if he had woken up from a deep dream.

“As far as I know, I have a reservation for this night.”

“Your name, please?”

“Camden, Judith Emilia.”

“A moment, please… would you repeat it?”

I can’t believe that.

“Camden. C, A, M, D, E, N.” I spell and I can hear my voice getting sharper.

“Sorry, I can’t find your name in the book.”

“It’s maybe a group reservation. I’m a crew member of Pearl Jam.” I explain.

Suddenly his expression changes and his lips form a patronizing smile.

“I’m afraid, in that case I can’t help you, Miss Camden.” he closes the book with a quick move.

“How do you mean…?”

“Well, you’ve been the fifteenth female person today who claims being a stuff member of Pearl Jam.” he emphasizes the word “female” in a mocking tone, which makes me clear what he’s thinking about me. I feel my cheeks reddening. This damn blushing… Even if I don’t have any reason for feeling embarrassed…

“Look, I’m not like those female guests, I have my contract in my bag, I have every single document…” I try to get him to open the book again.

“I’m sorry Miss Camden, but our main principle is discretion, I have to follow strict rules, I’m only allowed to let in persons who arrive with the band or with their manager. You don’t need to show any documents, I can’t help you, I can’t make any exceptions.” he rejects my attempt.

I stare perplexed and frozen at him. But I decide not to beg him and every single brain cell of mine starts searching for a plan ‘B’. Should I call Krisha? She gave me her office number… But if I called her, she would think I’m a loser with the problem solving skills of a pupil in the second grade… The crew is probably not here; Karrie told me something about an afternoon sound check… Yes, this is it! Krisha gave me a list with the names, addresses and phone numbers of the clubs where the band plays the remaining shows of the US tour. If I called the club, I could ask if they’re still there and maybe I could join them…

“Thank you, I really appreciate you efforts, good bye!” I tweet to him and leave the lobby almost cheerful, relieved by my idea. The receptionist gazes puzzled after me, probably the other female persons weren’t so happy after getting thrown out…

I slam into the first phone booth, throw my backpack on the ground and tear off the thick folder from its backside. After a short search I find the number I need and I dial it impatiently. After a few ringing I hear a bored male voice on the other end of the line.

“Peabody’s Down Under…”

This time I’m more cautious.

“Hello, I’m Krisha Augerot from Curtis Management. I would like to talk with Karrie Keyes, from the Pearl Jam crew, it’s very urgent. Are they still rehearsing?” I try to sound impressive.

“Yes, they’re still here, I’ll look for her, hold the line, please…”

I hear a deep boom from the background, the band probably started playing in the meantime.

“Krisha? Hi, what happened? Is everything okay?” Karrie breaths heavily, she must have hurried to the phone.

“Calm down, Karrie, it’s just me, Judy!” I snicker.

“Judy???”

“Yes, don’t ask anything… I had problems with the check-in at the hotel so I decided to use an alias…”

“Problems? Alias?”

“Yeah, the receptionist took me for a groupie or what…”

“Hahaha, you? For a groupie?” she giggles. I feel somehow a little bit offended, although as I look down at myself I have to acknowledge I’m not the archetype of band chasing butterflies. My braids, my glasses, my long, brown and loose dress which ends where my docs begin…

“Hey, the world needs reserved groupies too, they’re also valuable members of society!” I defend myself. “Anyway, the thing is that I can’t check in so I thought I joined you at the club. Is it far from the hotel?”

“No, only a couple blocks away, a few minutes on foot. I tell you how to get here, listen…”

***

I’m standing in front of the stage and watching them play. Right after the last chords of “Even flow” Stone walks to Eddie shaking his head.

“You fucked up again at the beginning of the second chorus. You fucked up at the same part even during our first show, which wasn’t a big deal because we played for survival but we’ve already played this damn thing for one and a half year…”

“Because Dave’s fuckin’ cymbal noises drive me crazy, I can’t focus on anything… And that damn smoke kills my throat…” Eddie slaps back nettled glancing angrily at Dave.

“Hey, you’ve forbidden me to smoke on the bus, which I’ve accepted so I would appreciate if you didn’t want to crucify me for having a few cigarettes anywhere else…” Dave joins the quarrel in a sharp tone.

“A few cigarettes? You fume like a fuckin’ smokestack!” Eddie yells at him.

“Interesting, nobody complains about the suffocating sweet smell of Jeff’s incenses. I’ve already given up counting my allergic reactions to them, I’m basically suffering during the journeys, over and above my wrists hurt like hell. But my problems don’t seem to be as important as those of the others…”

“Hey man, at least I try to do something for our living conditions! That fuckin’ bus smells like a polecat hole, the ape house in the zoo is a rose garden in comparison to that!”

“A hole of alcoholic polecats, to be exact. Mike, you should do something with your messy shirts, they smell of vomit… And if you think that we haven’t noticed that you’re basically hiding a whole bar under your bed, you’re wrong.” Stone targets Mike this time.

“Hey, they’re for sterilization…” Mike tries to explain himself.

“If you don’t want to produce little McCreadys during the tour, just cut your balls off or wash your feet wearing socks!” Stone misunderstands his words intentionally. “Anyway, has anybody seen my guitar tuner?” he asks out of character.

“A missing object again? Seriously Stone, you should see an expert, this level of obliviousness is already pathological. I’ve got fed up with the whole band’s searching for your shit…” Eddie attacks him.

“I wouldn’t be oblivious if I could sleep more but I have to babysit Mike every single night, I get into the bed basically in the morning, I need intravenous caffeine, it’s no wonder I’m insane…”

“Hey, nobody asked you to babysit me!”

“Nobody asked me, but I don’t want to be executed by the furious crowd after we announce we canceled the show since we had left our lead guitarist dancing naked in front of the McDonalds in the last town.”

Everybody shouts with everybody. The roads glance at each other helplessly, they shrug and with that move they basically decide not to intervene. As I turn back I see a short and slim young girl staring the guys on stage with a scared face. She carries a giant backpack – as much as I know about the laws of physics she should fall back from its weight. She might be the new girl…

“Aren’t they supposed to be friends? What if they were enemies…” she asks with a questioning expression.

“They’re just sick of touring… Imagine spending months with the same people, even if they’re your friends… You would probably want to kill them in the cruelest ways…” I step to her.

“I hope this verbal crowd fight won’t get physical. If the singer and the bassist teamed up, the drummer might have a chance to survive but those two bags of bones…” she shakes her head.

“Yeah, the coroner would have a hard job while collecting their residues with a spoon… maybe a mop and a bucket could help…” I grin.

“But the relatives might be able to identify them from their teeth…”

“Or from their internal organs… like ‘oh my God, that liver looks familiar, he had his father’s liver!” we both snicker. In the meantime the guys begin to play ‘Porch’ and as Eddie counts in she clicks with her tongue a few times. “That’s too fast… If the drummer doesn’t take back from the pace the guitarists’ hands will ignite…” Okay, she must be the new girl… “Okay, what’s that guy doing?” she asks when Eddie starts performing a reduced version of his usual climbing show on Jeff’s amplifier to jump back on the stage. As he touches down he loses his balance, ends up on the ground and stays there rolling back and forth. “Is he performing scenes from The Exorcist? I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned out to eat roads for breakfast…”

“Hahaha, I don’t think so!” I giggle, and I decide to delay a bit revealing who I am. I like this girl. I can finally talk with someone sincerely, she’s objective, she doesn’t know who I am and I’m fed up with polite and diplomatic lies which are addressed to Eddie Vedder’s faceless girlfriend.

“If I hadn’t listened to their songs earlier, I wouldn’t understand a word from the lyrics…” she remarks during the last chorus.

“And do you like their lyrics?’ I ask curiously.

“Uhm… A little bit too much of fucked up childhood and family issues, or at least for my taste but it’s definitely a good point that they’ve broken up with the infinite permutation of the girls-cars-drugs combo… Although the singer should take care of his voice, his tone is very unique but he basically yells. On one hand, it sounds flat and on the other hand I guess he’ll have voice problems within one month…”

If you knew… Eddie overstrained his vocal chords a few times in the last weeks. He would have needed a break after the European tour but they didn’t have much time to recover before the next one in the U.S.

“Maybe I can convince him about it.” I smile because the song ends in the meantime. “I’m Beth, Eddie’s girlfriend.” I offer my hand.

“What? Shit… I thought you belong to the club’s staff! I didn’t mean to…Sorry…” she shakes my hand confused. “Anyway, I’m Judy, Karrie’s second cousin.”

“I know; you’re the new girl everybody talks about. And you don’t need to apologize, I appreciate honest opinions… But I think it’s time you introduced yourself to the others!” I push her gently towards the stage.

#pearl jam #pearljam #fan fiction #fanfic #pearljamfanfiction #eddie vedder #stone gossard #jeff amrnt #mike mccready #dave abbruzzese

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