#sorry this took so long I literally started it the second after 59 came out

[libr-0-cubicularist]

So how y'all coping with chapter 59?

I am incredibly normal about This is an Adjuration by @not-freyja (lies)

[atla-hcs-and-bakoda]

Bato’s Backstory

ok so this is gonna be long, buckle up. This is my personal interpretation of bato’s backstory, it likely makes no canonical or reasonable sense, but canon does not exist and i make the rules. this is purely self-indulgent crack-treated-seriously. This is what all the other hcs, unless stated otherwise, will be set in.

Note about Bato: in my interpretation of him, he has teal/cyan eyes and darker brown hair than in the show, his skin tone has not changed.

(unfortunately this is not a zukka au, just a bakoda one. bato’s backstory is kind of an au in my mind, so when i do ship zukka, its not in this au)

(the bold letters at the beginning of the paragraphs are for accessibility)

‘Present’ (only a few months after zuko’s coronation) ages: Hakoda & Bato - 41 Kya - 42 Iroh - 65 Ozai - 47

under the cut because oh boy this is long, sorry asdfghfd

So, our story begins in the fire nation, about 59 AG, Iroh is the 25 year old crown prince, and recently had a child with his wife, Minami, on the coldest day of winter. They named him Shui, and they, quite frankly, spoilt him with their love. Minami stayed in the castle while Iroh was at war, and always sang to Shui while putting his hair up or putting him to bed.

One day, when Shui was 9, Azulon decided to take his family to Ember Islands on vacation, like the royal family has been doing for generations. However, there was a bad storm, and the ship got thrown near the south. Little Shui followed Iroh onto the deck, and fell overboard when a big wave hit the other side of the boat, rocking it and making him fall.

The royal family and crew tried to save him, but the waves dragged him under, and once the storm cleared, he was presumed dead. Iroh and Minami mourned the loss of their first son, who died so young that he hardly got to live life at all. Ozai mourned to a minor extent, as he was 15 at the time and wasn’t as bad as he is in the present, but not for as long as Shui’s parents, or grandfather, did.

Meanwhile, in the southern water tribe, little 9 year old Hakoda was wandering down at the seaside with his father when he came across a young boy unconscious in the snow, the cold water nearly freezing him to death. His father hurried him back to the tribe with the young boy’s body. For days, Hakoda sat beside the bed, rarely moving from the spot, keeping watch on the mystery boy. And eventually, he woke up.

Hakoda introduced himself once the boy was fully awake, but when asked his name, the boy said “i...i don’t remember...” So, instead, Hakoda decided to pick a name for him; Bato. The boy agreed to the name, and after a week, got adopted by one of the tribesmen, a close friend of Hakoda’s father. After that, the two children were an unstoppable duo, they did many successful pranks on everyone, including Hakoda’s mother, Kanna.

However, every once in a while, Bato would blurt out something without thinking, and when questioned, wouldn’t be able to remember it at all. For instance, Bato and Hakoda were once watching the stars late at night, when Bato pointed at a constellation and called it Druk. Hakoda laughed, but Bato insisted that was its name. Hakoda asked where Bato learned that, since thats not what their tribe calls it, and Bato had no recollection of learning it.

(This continued well into teenagehood, when Bato realised at the ripe old age of 14 that he was, in fact, in love with his best friend. He didn’t come out for a long time, in fear of his tribe’s reaction. Deep down he knew they’d accept him with open arms, but his anxiety said otherwise.)

At 12, there was a fire nation raid while Bato was at the seaside, and he recognised both the ship and flag instantly despite not being told prior about the Southern Raiders. He ran to tell the chief, and thanks to his quick reaction, saved the tribe to a degree. Many waterbenders still died, however.

At 15, Bato and Hakoda went ice-dodging with their respective fathers- and eachother. Hakoda recieved the mark of the wise, and Bato recieved the mark of the brave.

One night at 15, they were cuddling in Hakoda’s bed (because thats what best friends do, of course. its cold, no other reason, totally not) when Hakoda noticed Bato’s eye color; Teal. not the regular water tribe blue, not a dark blue, or even a light blue, but pure Teal. Although hakoda would still argue to this day that bato’s eyes are cyan. When questioned about his eye color, Bato shrugged and brushed it off as an uncommon trait. But Hakoda realised nobody else in the tribe had cyan eyes, just blue.

Then, at 16, the boys got into a bad avalanche that resulted in Hakoda getting knocked out. Bato woke up hours later, and pulled his best friend out of the snow. He realised Hakoda wasnt breathing, and started to cry, taking his gloves off to cling to Hakoda and try feel the warmth of his pulse, to no avail. He closed his eyes and cried, when his hands lit on fire. When he realised what he just did, he put the flame out and made a plan, carrying Hakoda to the dog sled quite a bit from the avalanche, and set them on course for the tribe while he carefully lit his hands back on fire after a few attempts, and kept Hakoda warm. 

Just before they got to the tribe, Hakoda started breathing again, shallowly, and his father quickly took both of them to the healer when they arrived back. This time, it was Bato who sat beside the bed and waited for Hakoda to wake up, refusing to eat much until his friend woke up.

He never told anyone about his bending.

A few months later, Hakoda met and started dating Kya, and Bato’s heart broke. he was happy for hakoda, he really was, but deep down it still hurt him to see him with someone else.

At 20, Hakoda’s father went off to war.  At 22, Hakoda became Chief, and Bato became the second-in-command.

At 23, Hakoda proposed to Kya after like 20 failed attempts at carving a betrothal necklace. Bato’s heart broke a tiny bit more, but he ignored it to be happy for his friend. Bato had to sleep alone for the first time since he joined the southern water tribe, he didn’t sleep much when alone.

2 years later, at 25, Sokka was born, and Bato babysat him a lot when Hakoda and Kya were busy. Bato admittedly vented to baby sokka quite a bit, and showed him very minor firebending tricks he practiced during sleepless nights, which was most nights.

At 26, Katara was born, and Bato now babysat two little children, both of which he adored with all his heart. He himself is infertile, so Katara and Sokka were the closest thing he had to his own children.

Things went mostly peacefully for years, until 34, when Kya got killed. After the raid, Hakoda wouldnt eat for days at a time, completely depressed and exhausted. Bato would offer him small plates of food and sit with him, letting him vent or cry or whatever Hakoda needed to do to get the stress and pain out. He also looked after Sokka and Katara while Hakoda couldn’t, and usually slept next to Hakoda’s bed, watching over the chief, along with his kids, as both children were terrified to sleep by themselves, Hakoda was scared of losing them, and Bato couldn’t bare the thought of not keeping them safe.

After years of recovering, Hakoda eventually had to head out to war with the men of the tribe, Bato included. Bato’s heart broke watching Sokka beg to come with them, but he knew it was for the best.

3 months after leaving, Bato came out to Hakoda in the Chieftan’s private room in the boat, and Hakoda accepted him with open arms, and promised to not tell anyone until Bato was ready. Bato fell a lot more in love.

At 5 months, he started very carefully dropping hints to Hakoda that he likes him, slightly-too-friendly-to-be-platonic compliments, cuddling him in hakoda’s room “because its cold” (they were nowhere near cold climates), and other vaugely homoerotic stuff like that. All of it went over Hakoda’s head.

(At 6 months he straight up told Hakoda at night on the deck “Your my stars, Hakoda. Whenever i’m lost, you always bring me home.”, and Hakoda responded “Thanks Bato, I’m happy your my friend too.”, Bato stayed awake all night in utter disbelief. He still teases Hakoda about it.)

1 year after leaving, Bato realised he might not be as much of a guy as he thought he was. He silently decided to put that train of thoughts on hold until the war was over. (In his heart he knew the war would never be over until the fire nation won. especially with sozin’s comet only a year away and- he doesnt remember what sozin’s comet is.)

When his arm got burned, he burned the soldier right back with his good arm out of sight of everyone else, and managed to shove them overboard before the pain hit him. He’s always had a high pain tolerance.  After the fight ended, Hakoda carried Bato to the abbey, and they had a tearful goodbye, where Bato quietly confessed his love as Hakoda walked out the room. Hakoda thought about it until he saw Bato again.

When they reunited, Hakoda confessed his love back to Bato, and they kissed right in the open, it took a lot of self control for the other tribesmen to not cheer, they had known for literally forever, the only person in the tribe who didnt know bato was in love with hakoda was hakoda.

Somehow, it took until the war was over for Sokka and Katara to find out they had a step-dad. They already considered Bato to be their second dad, so not much exactly changed.

The day of Zuko’s coronation, Bato got talking with Iroh, and when the topic came to children, Iroh explained how both his sons were dead, one dying at 9 from a storm, and the other dying at 20 from war. When Iroh says his youngest (eldest?) son’s name, Shui, Bato remembers the storm, and Iroh notices Bato’s rare cyan eyes.

They have a nice reunion, although Bato has to sit down for a while to process all this and figure out his family tree. He decides not to tell Hakoda yet, but he does spend a while walking through the palace with Iroh and remembering parts of his early childhood. He cant bring himself to go into the room of firelord portraits.

A month after zuko’s coronation, he sits Hakoda down and explains that he’s a bender, and he’s apparently fire nation royalty. Hakoda gets temporarily mad, but eventually calms down and hugs Bato when his friend told him that his firebending saved both himself and hakoda, and that he would never be like his forefathers or uncle. Hakoda takes a while to fully accept it, but eventually warms up (heh) to the concept, and continues to use Bato as a personal space heater.

Two months after zuko’s coronation, he finally decides to tackle the “i’m not as much as a guy as i thought” issue, and he decides to go to Iroh and Toph for advice over tea, where Iroh suggests some wise stuff, but Toph simply explains what non-binary is, and suggests Bato may be Demiboy. (Although Bato prefers to call himself Demiguy, he doesnt like being called a boy) The Gender Crisis continues for about another week, and takes another half a month for him to come out to Hakoda. Bato was somewhat internally afraid he wouldnt be counted as one of the men, but Hakoda was overwhelmingly supportive, and admitted that he knew Bato wasn’t exactly cis, he just never knew the words to use.

Bato spends a while at the palace after the coronation to get his bearings on being half fire nation and a prince, he learns purple is a very good color on him.(Hakoda later jokes that it was foreshadowing for Bato realising he was enby, as he wasnt blue or red)

He bonds quite a bit with Zuko, Iroh, and Toph during his stay, but eventually goes back to the southern water tribe, the place he truly considers home. Although, he does go and visit the fire nation every once in a while. He even goes to Ember Islands and has a vacation day with both of his families.

After about two years, He finally makes a betrothal necklace for Hakoda, with the symbol of the water tribe on it and flames coming up from the waves, both of them totally cry happy tears when he proposes privately under the light of the aurora.

[smilebouquet]

somewhere to go, someone to love

my secret santa gift (@ducktalessecretsanta2020) for @kvanderquack!! i’m sorry for tagging again after i already sent my gift via dm-

also on ao3!!

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For as long as Lena lived (all fifteen years), she’d always been alone. She was born alone on the heights of Mount Vesuvius, from the remnants of her Aunt Magica’s shadow. She travelled to Duckburg alone, with no one to keep her company other than the voices in her head and the harsh whispering of her shadow. She bore the brunt of Magica’s lashings and whining alone, hurt and angry and bitter.

A happy family felt like such a foreign concept to her. Magica was always her one and only kin, the only person who had a connection to her. And she hated every second of it. If having just one aunt was so exhausting, imagine having two aunts. Imagine three. Criticizing your every move. Yelling at you for screwing up. Demanding nothing but obedience and respect and returning none of it. 

Lena didn’t think she would be able to take it. Family just didn’t sound like something she’d like.

That’s what she thought, anyway, until the Sabrewings took her in.

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1.

Lena can’t sleep.

Or to be exact, she can’t sleep peacefully. Ever since she came back to the land of the living, she’s been having dreams. Dreams where she found herself running from her. Into the woods, where the screeching of bats rang in the air, and the ground was muddy and made each consecutive step heavy. Or within a mansion suspiciously similar to Scrooge’s, her voice bouncing off the walls and getting closer and closer until they were literally screaming into her ears. She could do nothing but run.

She never dared to look back, but Lena always managed to glimpse her in the corner of her eye. The swish of a velvety black cape. A gloved hand, reaching out to snatch her. A flash of purple magic. 

Lena always manages to wake up before Magica could grab her and do god-knows-what. She would always be grateful for the fact that she awoke easily. But every dream ended in To Be Continued — never The End — and Lena didn’t want to know what The End would look like, because she has the sinking feeling that it won’t be a Happily Ever After.

Tonight is no different. She’s staring up at the ceiling of Violet’s room, letting the muffled snores of her roommate fill the still air. It’s getting increasingly hard to stay awake, and she isn’t sure how much longer she can take it.

Sighing, she rolls out of bed and leaves the room, making sure the door creaked as quietly as possible and that it clicked shut. She heads down the stairs and into the living room. A bookshelf stands in the corner, filled with all sorts of books from encyclopedias to photography books.

Lena instinctively grabs a cookbook (and accidentally knocks off a few more, but she’ll deal with them later) from the second topmost shelf. Yellow sticky notes jut out of the pages, all written on with dark purple ink. Walking into the kitchen adjacent, she flicks on the light, then flips the book open. Vanilla Cake, reads the title in big bold letters, followed by the exact quantity of ingredients needed and the instructions on how to bake one.

This should keep her up until tomorrow.

"...Lena? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

She freezes. Ty is standing at the door, a wooden baseball bat loosely held in his grip. He chucks it aside and steps into the kitchen.

"Hey." She waves half-heartedly with a sheepish smile. "I, uh, couldn't sleep."

"And you're in the kitchen with a cookbook, why?"

Because Aunt Magica haunts my dreams every night and I don’t wanna deal with it anymore?

“...I wanted to do something nice for my friends for once, so I thought baking a cake for our sleepover would be neat?”

Ty’s gaze flickers between Lena and the clock currently showing 12:59. He pinches the area between his eyes. “Lena, it’s late. I think you should go to bed—”

“No!” He flinches. Lena’s eyes widen. “I mean— no, I can’t go to bed until I finish this cake!” she backtracks, her voice cracking. Her heart is pounding. She can't go to sleep, she can't...! “If you help me, I’ll go to bed sooner! Maybe!”

Ty scratches the back of his head. “Well, Indy’s the dad who bakes, not me... but I suppose I can try.”

Relief washes over her. She flashes him a tired smile, handing him a bowl and some measuring cups. “Thanks.”

––––––––––

2.

“We’re back!” 

Indy looks up from the couch. “Welcome back. How was your sleepover?”

“Pleasant,” Violet replies, already halfway up the stairs. “Ate some cake. Played a video game. Saved Lena from getting dragged into a mirror and possibly losing her within a lucid dream to the witch responsible for the shadow war several months ago. The usual.”

“Sounds nice,” Indy remarks. Then did a double take. “Wait, what?”

Ty laughs, following after Violet. “It’s a long story. Took the whole car ride for them to finish telling it.” Indy glares after him, but shrugs and returns to his book.

Lena drops her own bag on the floor and flops onto the couch with a heavy sigh. She could shower or whatever later. Right now she just wanted to rest.

“Long day?” Indy asks, barely moving from his position on the right side of the couch.

“Kinda. I’ve been through worse, though.”

There's a beat of silence.

The unspoken Like what? hangs over her head uncomfortably. Is this the part where she spills her entire life story? Should she play it off as a joke? Would it be wise to pretend she hadn’t said anything? She can feel Indy’s stare on her shoulder, burning like a pair of red-hot lasers—

He either noticed her discomfort, or is really good at reading minds, because he hums quietly and says, “You don’t have to elaborate.”

“...Ah. Right. Okay.” She sits upright, then lets out a short laugh. Her eyes wander over to Indy, who’s still reading his book with a content look on his face. “What is that?”

Indy shows her the book. There’s a bunch of pictures of Violet, Ty and Indy together. “It’s one of the family photo albums,” he explains. “Photography is one of my hobbies.”

Lena grunts in response, then peers at the photos more closely. “Is that Violet in the library?”

“Oh, that’s from the first time we visited the public library together. We had just moved into Duckburg, and wanted to do a little sightseeing. Violet insisted that we check out the library. That girl always did love reading. She gets it from Ty…”

They spend the rest of the hour looking through the photo album together. There’s a surprising amount of photos in this one tiny album, each preserving a special memory that Indy knows by heart and tells Lena about with nothing but fondness. She now knows that Violet used to take ballet classes (and hated it), has won at least two national spelling bees by the age of six, and is part of the Junior Woodchucks.

Photos from before Violet was born are also in it, located near the end of the album. Indy tells Lena that he first met Ty at a college entrance exam. They had entered the building at the same time, and Ty thought it would be neat to strike a conversation with him. They hit it off pretty much immediately, but forgot to ask for each other’s phone numbers before they went their separate ways.

“But you’re married now?!” Lena blurts out, jumping from the cough to point a shaky finger at him. “How?!”

He chuckles. “We met again at a supermarket several months later, I believe, reaching for the same can of beans. Ty’s first words to me ever since were ‘Holy shit, you like beans, too?!’ This time we remembered to exchange contact information, and here we are ten years later.”

“I— Wow.” Lena sits back down. “Some luck you have.”

“I wouldn’t call it luck,” he admits. His fingers gently caressing the old photo of them. “I like to think of it as fate. If we’re meant to be together, life will find a way to get us together.”

(Lena thinks about Webby.

She thinks about their “chance” meeting at the amphitheater.

She thinks about how she almost lost Webby by sacrificing herself to protect her.

She thinks about how lucky she had been that Violet was there in the library that day, reading a nerdy old book.

She inwardly decides that Indy is probably right.)

Once they reach the end of the album, Indy moves to close it. The corners of several photographs stick out from the side. Lena blinks.

“And those are?”

He looks down. “Oh.” Tucking them back in, he replies, “Those are some of the newer photographs. Haven’t gotten a new album for them yet, so I keep them here for the time being.” His fingers drum on the hard cover. “Come to think of it, I don't have any pictures with you yet. We’ll need to remedy that.”

“Hm, why?”

“You’re family, after all. I think you deserve a spot in the photo album.”

Family. She’s family. The thought of it makes her heart flutter.

It takes her a minute to realize Indy stopped talking, and is looking at her with the slightest hint of hesitation in his expression.

She beams at him. “That would be nice. You should get a new album first, though.” As if on cue, a photograph falls out. She picks up. “Hey, what about this one?” Indy lights up, and starts going into a tangent about the one time they lost Violet at Duckburg’s largest department store. As he does, she zones out for a bit, testing the name.

‘Lena Sabrewing’, huh…  She can feel her smile widening.  Sounds way cooler than Lena de Spell.

––––––––––

3.

This is terrible, Lena concludes.

They’re on the way to the Junior Woodchuck Campgrounds for Violet’s upcoming graduation. She’s a little hazy on the details, but she does know that each year only one senior junior woodchuck can become a senior woodchuck (“That’s dumb! Why can’t you all just become senior woodchucks?!” “Don’t question it, Lena.”), they decide who graduates with some sort of obstacle course, and Violet’s opponent this year is likely going to be Huey.

Lena also knows that the campgrounds are located waaaay out on some island in the middle of nowhere, and if she sees another “NOW LEAVING DUCKBURG” sign she’s going to lose it. She lets out a groan as she slides farther down her seat, watching the pine trees blur into a strip of green on the landscape. “Hey, Vi, how much longer ‘til we’re there?”

No answer.

“Vi?”

Again, no answer. Lena knows that Violet has a tendency to be quiet during car rides, preferring to admire the scenery as they drive, but Violet should’ve at least spared her a grunt at this point.

She decides to turn and look at her. Violet is staring at her lap, perfectly still. Her fists are clenched so tightly she can see the white knuckles beneath her purple feathers, and they’re trembling.

“Vi, what’s wrong...?” Lena begins to ask, and then immediately Indy’s voice from before echoes in her head.

“Third time’s the charm, right Vi?”

The gears click into place. Oh.

She inches closer to Violet’s side — as much as she can with her seatbelt on, anyway — and reaches out to place a comforting hand over Violet’s. The hummingbird looks up.

“Hey,” Lena says, “you’ll be okay. You’re the best nerd I’ve ever know. What’s Huey got, his stupid guidebook? You’ve got this.”

“Actually, the Junior Woodchuck Wilderness Challenge prohibits use of the guidebook,” Violet corrects, then sighs. “Sorry. I know you’re trying to comfort me, but I…” She trails off. “I know failing is natural, but it still terrifies me every single time.”

Silence.

Indy, from the passenger seat, pipes up, “Violet, you know that just being willing to go back and try again is… really brave, right? Yeah, failure is inevitable, and very terrifying, but not a lot of people are able to bounce back from it like you do.”

“What Indy said.” Ty peers at them from the rearview mirror and gives them a thumbs up. “We love you no matter what, and I bet you’re gonna crush the competition this year.”

“Yeah! What they said! You’re Violet Sabrewing. You brought me back from the Shadow Realm. If you can do that, you can do anything!”

Violet stares at her for a moment, then Indy, then Ty. Her eyes are glassy. She opens her fist to hold Lena’s hand and squeezes it weakly.

“Thanks,” she whispers, with a smile that doesn’t exactly reach her eyes.

...At least she’s smiling a little. Lena frowns, but gets an idea. She leans forward to ask Ty, “By the way, how long until we get there?”

“Five hours, I think,” Indy answers.

“FIVE HOURS?!” She can feel a vein pop in her head. Five hours. Five. Hours. It feels like she’s been in this stinkin’ car for decades already. Well, no matter.

She turns to Violet. “Alright, since we’re basically stuck here, why don’t I teach you how to smacktalk?”

Violet raises an eyebrow, clearly unamused. “Is that really necessary? Also, I doubt Hubert would appreciate—”

“Of course it is! And of course he won’t. You can’t have a healthy rivalry without a little back and forth! Where’s the fun in that?! Now, the key to good smacktalk is...”

She spends the rest of the ride lecturing Violet on the essentials of smacktalk (read: making most of it up as she went). As they drove, Violet’s shoulders began to relax and she allowed herself to laugh more, and Lena felt more at ease than she had in a while.

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4.

Lena wakes up with a gasp. Frantically, she feels around. Her arms are intact. Her legs are still here. Nothing hurts. Phantom Blot isn’t here. Okay. It was just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream.

“Lena?”

“Vi?” Lena calls, but it sounds more like a choked sob. She’s suddenly acutely aware of the tears messing up her feathers and her pounding heart.

Violet sits up. “Another nightmare?” she asks, her voice quiet. Lena nods. She gets up from bed and leaves the room. Lena sits in the darkness, her hands gripping her knees tightly. Breathe in, breathe out.

Violet returns with a tall glass of water and hands it to her. Lena takes it and brings the glass to her beak. The water is cool and soothing.

“They’ve become increasingly frequent. Shouldn’t we talk to our fathers about this?”

“No,” Lena says immediately, finishing her glass and setting it on the night table with shaky hands. “I don’t want them to get worried.” 

Violet gives her a glare that pierces even in the dark, then sighs.

“Very well.”

✿ — ✿ — ✿

On Christmas Day, Lena wakes up to Violet dumping a bucket of cold water over her.

“Merry Christmas.”

“Ack—! Violet, what the hell?!”

“Apologies,” Violet says, her tone betraying her words. She’s already dressed in a plain cream turtleneck. “You wouldn’t wake up no matter what I did.” She tugs at her sleeve. “Now, come. Fathers are already in the living room. You were literally the last to awaken.” Without waiting for a response, she drags her out of the room and down the stairs.

The living room feels… warmer than usual. There are string lights, giving out a gentle multicoloured glow, both around the Christmas Tree and hung up along the walls. Someone took the time to hang a wreath on every door in the house, each covered in mini ornaments and topped with a red bow. The bright orange fire in the fireplace is crackling.

Ty and Indy are already waiting, wearing matching Christmas sweaters. “Merry Christmas!” they greet, pulling the two girls into a hug. 

“Merry Christmas,” Lena says back before pulling away. The cheeriness of the season was beginning to catch up to her. “So! What do we do first?”

“Well, the presents are under the tree but maybe eat breakfast first—”

Lena was gone the moment Ty said ‘presents’. She rushes to the tree and begins checking the tags for her name. Not that there are that many presents to check. Violet follows soon after with a much calmer demeanor.

She ends up with a limited edition of The FeatherWeights’ newest album from Ty and Indy (“How did you know they’re my favourite band?!” “Your shirt is all we needed to clue us in.”) and an exact replica of the Caw-nverse shoes she loves wearing. Violet receives two books — an encyclopedia the thickness of one and a half dictionaries about magic and a thinner book called Tales of the Peculiar.

She’s ready to head off to the dining table to eat when Violet stops her. 

“Wait.” She pulls out a neatly wrapped present from her pocket and holds it out to Lena. “Here.”

“Wh— But I didn’t get you anything!”

“It’s okay.” Violet shoves the present into her hands. “Just take it.” Lena peers at her suspiciously before tearing the wrapping paper clean off and opening the box.

A dreamcatcher. The hoop used is a nice beige, and a flower-like design had been woven within it with colourful threads. White feathers suspended from twine, with beads adorning the strands at intervals, are attached to the hoop. Lena dangles the dreamcatcher above the box and looks at Violet questioningly.

“It may not be as beneficial as actual therapy since I couldn’t infuse it with any magic, but it should help keep the bad dreams at bay,” Violet explains. “Probably. I made it myself so it might not work.”

Lena stares at the dreamcatcher again. Upon closer inspection, the feathers and beads appear to be glued to the twine, and the twine was wound imperfectly around the base of the hoop. The flower design is also uneven, having slightly larger ‘petals’ on one side. She feels herself tear up. “Violet. This is the sweetest thing you’ve ever done for me.”

“I can’t believe saving you from roaming in the shadow realm for all of eternity isn’t the sweetest thing I've ever done for you,” Violet replies, completely deadpan. But the corners of her beak are twitching upwards.

“You wanted to summon evil spirits! I was a byproduct. It doesn’t count,” Lena jokes, putting the dreamcatcher away. She envelopes her in a crushing hug. “Thank you.” Her voice is wobbling. “This is just— It must’ve taken ages. Now I feel even worse for not getting you anything.”

Violet hugs her back just as tightly. “You’re welcome. Just make sure you get me my own personal library next year.”

As if your room isn’t filled with enough books as is, Lena thinks, but she can’t help but laugh.

Ty clears his throat. “This is great, but it’s already nine and you girls haven’t even had breakfast yet, so chop chop! We’ve got a whole day ahead of us.”

(They end up at the ice rink, where Lena learns that she’s actually terrible at ice skating. Violet offers to teach her like the Samaritan she is, but doesn’t hesitate to throw jabs at her incompetence. Fortunately, she’s not the only one who’s suffering, if Indy’s screaming and Ty’s guffawing are any indications.)

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In the first fifteen years of her life, Lena had been alone with no one to turn to. Being part of a happy family felt like something out of a movie or fairy tale. Happiness seemed like an unreachable dream.

But within two years, she found a best friend in Webby, a sister in Violet, and two dads in Ty and Indy. She found a family to call her own, one that loved her and made her feel good about herself. She was finally content.

The dreamcatcher and family photo hanging above her bed would need to be pried from her cold, dead hands.

[fucnhg-slee-p]

Hard times

Robert Pattinson x liza

prompt: something stupid leads to something epic

___


This was it, the stupidest idea you’ve ever had.

“We can call it... uh, No cum december”

“What? That’s the worst name ever!” Rob laughed.

You and robert were having game night and having the oh so normal conversation about how you’ve never actually participated in no nut november and for some god forsaken reason, wanted to try it out.

This conversation would have been quite weird with anyone else but you’re known robert your whole life, and when college came around ended up being roommates, the luck was unbelievable. He was your closest and practically only friend so of course you could talk about things like this without it being weird.

“Okay, well I’d like to see you come up with something better then!” You retorted, laughing.

“Uh...well I don’t know, no cum December is fine i guess” he said chuckling, obviously not being able to come up with a better name

“Ha! Uno!” You said putting your last card down.

“What! That’s not fair, you definitely cheated” rob said jokingly

“Yeah yeah whatever you say.” You laughed while putting the cards away and pull out another game.

—-

By now the games were put away and the two of you were watching tv, cuddling.

“Hey! It’s almost 12. In 20 minutes you wont be able to cum for 31 days” you stated, pointing at the time on your phone. Robert looked away from the tv in order to look at you. “In that case ill be right back..” he quickly got up and you both laughed. “I guess I should take advantage of it too”

Both of you were very open with each other so mentioning that you were going to masturbate wasnt really that weird. the only issue was that right now all you could think about was him.. for most of your life you’ve been in love with him, you’ve been in other relationships but it never felt as good as being around robert so of course none of them lasted. It felt wrong to think of him while you were doing this but you couldn’t help it, especially when you knew what he was doing in the next room.

——

11:59

by now you were both back in the living room as if nothing had happened, talking about how dumb this episode of fresh prince was.

12:00

“It’s twelve now, if either of us fail we have to tell each other” robert said, reaching for the popcorn on the coffee table and eating some. “Yeah we have to be honest about it, no cheating” you replied, taking the bowl from him, leaving robert with just a handful. “Hey!” He exclaimed, mockingly upset that you took his popcorn, he threw his handful at you, laughing.

You retaliated by dumping the bowl on his head, “alright, thats it” robert said moving from his spot on the couch to get closer to you, he put his hands on your waist and started tickling you until you had tears in your eyes from laughing too much and begging him to stop. He was laying above you laughing from how cute you looked.

———

It’s been 6 days and you feel like you’re going crazy, everything he does is the hottest thing you’ve ever seen. You feel like hes doing it on purpose, what an asshole.

After a long day (or week) of studying going from class to class, you just needed to relax but you were constantly on edge and robert was making it much worse. Right now he was just standing by the fridge drinking water but it was somehow the most sexual thing you’d ever seen

“Robert?” You sounded kinda pissed off but you really didn’t mean to

“Yeah?” He took a deep breath after completely finishing the bottle, with some water dripping down to his shirt, what the fuck

“What the fuck are you doing?” You were done with his bullshit, yeah it had only been a week but it was torture especially with the way he was acting

“I’m.. drinking water..” he answered with a confused expression, throwing the empty bottle away and walking towards your spot on the couch

“Ok well stop being annoying” you looked back at your notebook to continue with your studies. “Hey! I didn’t even do anything,” he laughed “i think someone needs to get laid, you’re getting a little frustrated huh?” He teased, only making it worse.

“No im completely fine” you lied “I’m just frustrated with all this shit” you said gesturing to your pile of books. you put your head in your hands “god this is just so hard” you were talking about both situations but if you were being honest the main reason for how stressed you felt was because of this stupid challenge it wasnt even for money or some prize, its literally for no reason.

“I’m sorry Liz, i can help out if you want”

“What?” You quickly looked up at him with a slightly shocked expression that you’re sure he didn’t notice “if you need help with your classes and stuff I’m here for you”

“Oh.” you sighed in both relief and disappointment “no its okay”

“Well if you need me I’m here” he put his hand on your shoulder and it sent a spark through your whole body. “How are you doing with this challenge anyway?” You changed the subject back to the only thing you could think about

“I’m okay, it was really hard for the first few days but now its kinda fun, especially when you think about how it’ll feel at the end of the month, you know? Waiting so long and then finally-“ “ok shut up!” You cut him off, this was all too much. He laughed “uh, do you wanna play Mario kart?” He asked softly, rubbing your back “yeah sure, i think i need a break from this anyway” you smiled at him, making sure not to stare too long.

——

After about 2 hours of playing and him winning almost every time, you ordered pizza and played uno while you waited. The whole time you were stuck on the way his hands moved and how his arms looked so good in the shirt he was wearing, he knew you were half zoned out but he figured you were just stuck thinking about school again.

The knock at the door pulled you from your haze “ill get it, you put the cards away” you said getting up to open the door.

You both ate in a comfortable silence for a while, little did you know he was suffering just as much or worse than you were. At this point you were both shamelessly staring at each other without the other even realizing.

Eventually you realized he was looking you up and down as if you were the only girl in the world and hes been waiting his whole life to have you, you slowly looked away as not to startle him or let him realize you were staring too, or even caught into the fact that he was looking at you with such hunger, which by the way was extremely painful to see from how hot it was.

the tv was quietly playing avatar “if you had a flying bison what would you name it?” You broke the silence

“Hm? Uh.. I don’t know, maybe Bryan”

“That’s an ugly name” you laughed

“Okay well what would you name a flying bison?”

“I would name it robert” you said, forgetting that you were talking to robert

he smiled “aw you’d name him after me?”

your eyes widened subtly “no.. i would just name him robert”

“Yeah ok” he joked, his hand brushed your outer thigh, for a little too long

You inhaled sharply at the sensation. It was only a short moment but it felt like forever and as wild as your thoughts were running it was much much worse now.

You don’t think he even realized how intense that was for you, it must’ve been all in your head, you need to calm down.

———

Now it’d been 10 days, you’re surprised you lasted more than 24 hours, really. But god these last few days have been hell, you’re sure roberts teasing you on purpose, trying to see how long you’ll last when he ‘bumps’ into you or takes his shirt off because ‘it’s too hot’ even though it was freezing. If one more thing happened you were done. You were at the library, trying to catch a break from the stress, listening to music and reading a short novel that caught your attention, sitting in the library always made you feel good. After a few hours of being there you decided it was time to head back to your dorm, on the way there you got a hot tea from the local bakery.

Walking into your dorm you were greeted by robert, sitting on the couch watching some documentary about something stupid. “Hey, i got you a muffin” you said putting your stuff down and taking your coat off. “God its so cold out there”. You handed him the muffen and sat next to him, silently watching the documentary and drinking your tea, figuring out it was about aliens. Without your knowledge he wasnt watching the tv, he was intently watching the way you drank the tea, the way your lips wrapped around the cup was addictive to him. And then it happened, he stretched and you glanced at him from the sudden movement, right then you knew it was over, you took a second look and you could’ve died, his stomach was peaking out from the hem of his shirt and his head was tossed back, showing off his collarbone, and his arms stretched above his head showing off his muscles. You were done. You were completely lost in a trance, staring at him for far too long

“What?” He asked sounding worried.

“I cant do this anymore” you let out a breath you didn’t know you we’re holding. Your eyes trailed down to his lips for a moment and he realized what you meant.

“You need me, don’t you?” You almost whined when he said that, he knew exactly how badly you wanted him, there was no denying it.

You both leaned in slowly, testing the waters before your lips finally crashed together, your whole body felt electric, you were on fire.

Pulling away for a moment, you felt dizzy. Resting your forehead on his to let your lungs catch a break. All you could do was smile “you don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that” you said leaning in to kiss him again. It felt just as intense as the first time, he pulled you into his lap without breaking the kiss, your hands gripping into his hair while his hands roamed over your whole body.

He pulled on your bottom lip with his teeth and deepened the kiss, if that was even possible. He rubbed his hands up and down your thighs taking his time to get where you wanted him. “Please” you groaned, desperate for more

Obliging, he started to rub his fingers over your underwear delicately, gradually building pressure “mmh fuck” you moaned into his neck. “I’m already so close”

Suddenly he stopped and pulled away to look into your eyes. “Wake up”

“What?” You asked, voice laced with confusion

“I said, wake up” he said more aggressively this time, reaching to pinch you.

Your eyes opened and you were in bed, out of breath and covered in sweat. “What the fuck” you rubbed the sleep out of your eyes and got dressed quickly.

Walking into your shared living area you grabbed a snack and headed out to class — you were running late so you kind of rushed out. On your way there you texted robert, making movie night plans for when you both got back to your dorm.

Every time you closed your eyes you could see everything from your dream so clearly. You were barely hanging on at this point

—

Walking back home was dreadful for a number of reasons, one, it was freezing, two, youd have to see robert and be the way you always are with each other and not accidentally let your feelings slip out

Your phone buzzed

You got a text from robert

“I got Wendy’s, get home asap! I’m gonna eat your food >:)”

Smiling to yourself you sent a quick response warning him not to and started walking faster. Forgetting how hard it was to keep your feelings down, you were just excited to hang out with your best friend for the night, even though you spent most nights together, you were never tired of each other

—

You opened the front door and walked inside “Robert! You better not have ate my food” you yelled through the small apartment

Robert walked out of his room half naked, his only covering being the towel wrapped around his waist. clearly he’d just gotten out of the shower. “Dont worry i waited” he laughed. There’s no way this wasnt on purpose.

“Go put clothes on so we can eat and watch our movie!”

“Why am i distracting you” he smirked, his tone changing drastically. Still standing by the front door He walked up to you caging you between the wall and his body “is it hard for you to focus when I’m practically naked?”

It felt as though all of the air left your body, you closed your eyes for a minute to try to keep your cool— “liza?”

You opened your eyes again and robert was standing in front of you, at a normal distance — fully clothed

“You okay?”

“Yeah sorry, just stressed. Everything’s fine”

These daydreams are fucking brutal

You both ate in a peaceful silence and watched Scott pilgrim. After it was over you were having a regular conversation on the couch

“I think I’m gonna head to bed, its getting late” you said, about to get up.

“Wait” rob stopped you, “i have to tell you something”

He said nothing, just stared at you while trying to figure out the best way to get the words out. “You failed didnt you?” You teased, knowing whatever he had to say was more serious than the stupid bet “no no, thats not it” he chuckled, getting lost in your eyes

He moved a strand of hair out of your face and kept his hand on your cheek. Both of you just staring, too scared to make the first move. “Rob?” He hummed in response, eyes flickering to you lips “what did you want to tell me?”

He leaned in and softly kissed you. Before he could pull away you held onto his face.

“I have a crush on you” he whispered into the kiss, deepening it.

You moaned in response, climbing into his lap “is this real?” You said with desperation. “I hope so” he said putting his lips back into yours, pulling himself off the couch and walking into his room with you in his arms, not breaking the kiss

he gently laid you on his bed and held himself above you, moving his lips down your neck and sucking on a sensitive spot. He tugged at the bottom of your shirt, you sat up to help him get it off and he continued kissing down your body, stopping here and there until he made it to the waistline of your pants, he looked up at you while slowly pulling them down “please” as much as you loved how gentle he was being it was torture to go this slow “patience baby girl” he said kissing over your panties softly, moving them to the side he swiped his fingers through your folds then bringing them to his mouth, licking them clean “so wet already, how long have you wanted this to happen huh?” He said putting his fingers on you again. “Too long” you moaned.

Stopping his movements he pulled his ring off and put it on your finger, then continued his work, sliding his fingers inside of you now, slowly pumping them. “faster please” you cried out, grabbing into his hair. He thankfully started going faster, and faster and holy shit “fuck I’m so close don’t stop” your words were slurring together and you could hardly concentrate on anything going on beside the way his fingers felt “pleasepleaseplease” at this point the only thing coming out of your mouth was a string of cursing and pleas to keep going, and finally after two weeks of barely hanging on you felt so good it almost hurt, but he didnt stop there. He kept going, keeping up with his fast pace and now licking and sucking on your clit, you felt so sensitive it hardly took much to fall over the edge again and he still didnt stop until your third time and you couldn’t feel your legs.

“Holy shit” you said out of breath as he moved up your body to kiss you softly “did i hurt you?” You shook your head in response, moving your hand down his body, “no, you don’t have to”

“I want to”

He stayed hovering over you as you stroked him at an agonizingly slow pace. After a while you pushed him down to lay beside you and you continued to take your time. It felt so intimate. “I love you” you whispered onto his lips as you kissed him. “I love you too” he said with so much admiration in his eyes. You moved your lips down his body and kissed his tip gently “I’m close” he pushed his head into the pillow and squeezed his eyes shut “please. Faster”

You obliged, moving you hand faster and taking him in your mouth, matching the pace of your hand. “Liza” he moaned quietly. You hummed around him in response. “I love you so much”. With a few more strokes he finished and you pulled off oh him, “i love you too” you said laying down on his chest “i cant feel my legs”

“Good” he said, wrapping is arms around you.

[orange-waterfalls]

Assistant

Darkiplier x male!reader

@just-bts-trash-00 ty for the request!

A/N: ok listen, I have zero clue how offices work or what assistants do. All I know is that lunch is at NOON. NOON is the time for lunch, I will fight you on this. Darkiplier not knowing how to handle feelings. We love an emotionally distant demon boi. Rated PG cuz 1 curse(that I'm aware of. I'm not reading it again cuz I'll want to change everything). Uh office romance yay. That's it. Enjoy.

Asks are open!

Word Count: 2.4k

--

You were the assistant of Darkiplier. The only reason you were his assistant was because nobody else wanted to be. When I say you were desperate for a job, you were desperate for a job. You had asked your friend, Bim Trimmer, if he knew about anyone who could give you a job. You figured, since he was famous, he might have connections.

He scratched the back of his head before saying "Well… there might be one guy… but I don't think you wanna work for him…". You then told him you would take literally anybody. The next day, you were introduced to Wilford Warfstache.

"Well, good morning!" He slurred a greeting to Bim. They hugged for a moment before Wilford saw you and gasped. "And who is this?"

"Wilford, this is Y/N L/N." Bim explained. "We were hoping you could give him a job." Wilford stroked his mustache thoughtfully before snapping his fingers.

"I know! You could be my assistant!" He grabbed your hands. You chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Oh, this'll be so fun! I've wanted an assistant ever since my last ones died!" Your smile dropped.

"Died?" You asked and turned to Bim. He rubbed the bridge of his nose under his glasses and groaned. You turned back to Wilford, who was still smiling at you. You retracted your hands.

"Yes, all my previous assistants have died." He said nonchalantly. "It's not my fault the gun went off." You began to worry.

You told Wilford that, respectfully, there was no goddamn way you were working for him. He said he understood and suggested a job as an assistant for one of his friends.

That's how you ended up working for Darkiplier.

When you first started at this new job of yours, he barely acknowledged your existence. You tried to tell him about his schedule and he wouldn't even bother sparing you a glance. Whenever he did pay attention to you, it was only to judge you. Your handwriting, your clothes, your voice…

After the first two weeks, you got sick of it. You planned a whole monologue on how you were going to tell him to respect you. You got as far as "you need to respect me" before he agreed to treat you better.

He wasn't as bad as he seemed.

He began to actually listen to you when you talked and took your advice about whatever you suggested. You could tell whenever he was stressed and made him a cup of tea, leaving it on his desk for when he came back. It was always warm because you timed almost everything perfectly.

You liked your job, but the man was still scary.

You took a deep breath in before entering Darkiplier's office. You held your clipboard close to your chest and walked up to his desk. He was reading a book, not paying much attention to anything else. You cleared your throat, making him look up at you.

"Problem, Mr. L/N?" He asked, voice echoing. You blinked before shaking your head and looking at your clipboard.

"Um, Mr. Warfstache called for a meeting." You informed him. You heard him groan, but kept talking. "He has an idea for a… club…"

"A club?"

"Yes… a dance club." The demon pinched the bridge of his nose.

"And why does he want a club?"

"He's been banned from all of them."

"In the city?"

"In the country, sir." Darkiplier rubbed his temples and you frowned, beginning to worry. "Migraine, sir?"

"I'm fine, Y/N…" he sighed. You raised your eyebrows. He'd never called you by your first name before. He realized what he said and looked up at you. You smirked playfully.

"Um…" he cleared his throat. "Tell them… that I'll be down in a minute." You nodded and left the office. Darkiplier sighed and buried his face in his hands.

You were his assistant, and you were a good one. You helped him manage his time, you catered to the other egos so they'd leave him alone, and you knew how to calm him down. You made him happy.

That was a problem.

Darkiplier wasn't good with feelings. The only ones he knew how to portray were anger and indifference. All he knew was that something had happened to him when you started working for him.

Anytime he was around you, his heart started to race. His palms would sweat, he'd feel his face heat, and he felt a knot in his stomach. He honestly thought you were, somehow, killing him. He then asked Dr. Iplier what his problem was, and the man chuckled before saying Dark was in love.

In love?

He thought there was no way.

But then he saw you laugh at something Wilford said, and it started to make sense.

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" He mumbled.

You were obviously scared of him, no matter how much you helped. He couldn't blame you. There was no way you'd like him. Besides, he was your boss and you were focused on your job. He didn't want to seem like he was taking advantage of you. He didn't want you to quit. He wouldn't survive. He couldn't tell you. He couldn't. Not yet, at least.

He'd figure it out.

--

Three months. Three months you'd been working there, and Darkiplier still hadn't gathered up the courage to confess to you. Everytime he decided he was going to, you were busy. Making a schedule, talking to another ego, making him tea…

He couldn't do it.

Everytime he tried to speak to you he just ended up telling you to do something for him. It was your job, technically, but he felt kind of bad. He was making you do menial tasks just because he was a coward.

But today. Today was the day. He would confess to you in the meeting room, before the meeting started.

He took a deep breath and walked into the room, seeing you already there. You were sitting in his chair, scribbling words down on your clipboard. He stared at your focused face, not wanting to bother you. He stood there like a weirdo for two minutes before you finally glanced up, seeing him. You looked back down before realizing he was there and jumping up out of the chair.

"Sir! Hi! Sorry, I figured you wouldn't mind if I sat here…" you rambled. "I'm sorry, I didn't notice you, I-"

"It's alright, Mr. L/N." He reassured You sighed in relief and began to walk out the door. He gently grabbed your arm before you could leave, and you gave him a confused look.

He looked… frustrated. Angry about something. You frowned. Did something happen? Did you do something wrong?

"Y/N…" he began. You raised an eyebrow. He said your first name. He looked around, noticing the other egos beginning to enter. He had to say it right then and right there. "Y/N, I-" he was cut off by the fire alarm going off. Wilford burst into the room.

"Ok… so I may or may not have blown up the microwave…" he said guiltily. Dark let go of your arm with a growl and went to the lounge, while you and all the other egos went outside.

Dark sighed as he sprayed the fire extinguisher and Wilford hid behind him. He thought about you. You were right there. He was just about to tell you!

He would have other chances. He'd be fine. It'd be fine.

--

Darkiplier groaned as he laid his head on his desk. He wanted to confess. He did! He really, really did! But… he got nervous. You were just so handsome! Especially since you'd taken up a new hairstyle. You looked so… confident. And outgoing. And sexy!

He couldn't. He refused to.

That is until Wilford waltzed into his office and claimed, "If you don't ask out that strapping young lad, I will!"

Now he had to ask you out. He figured it was a joke, but he couldn't take any chances with Wilford. The interviewer would probably kill you.

So, he made a to-do list of everything he was going to do that day. He was going to confess to you during lunch. He wrote it down in a small notepad you gave him for Christmas. He sighed and looked at the list.

Convince Warfstache not to kill everyone who annoys him: Meeting, 10:00 a.m.

He looked at the time.

9:45

He took a deep breath and stood up. He might as well get there early. Not like he had anything better to do. He left the notepad open on his desk and went to the meeting room.

--

You walked out of the restroom and headed towards the lounge, shaking your hands of water as you walked. You knew he was in a meeting, so you went to make him some tea for when it was over. You knew how aggravated he could get.

You made him a cup of Chamomile tea and walked to his office. You entered the room and sat the tea on a coaster he kept. You looked around the room for a moment before deciding you should meet Dark at the door of the meeting room when it's over. You go to pick the tea back up, but something catches your eye.

The notepad you gave him was open, and the page was titled, "To Do List". You raised your eyebrows. He had things to do? You were going to have to implement them into his schedule.

You picked up the notepad and read through the list. It was normal, for the most part. Meeting, meditate, nap, lunch…

There was just one thing you didn't really understand.

What did he mean by "confess"?

At 11:59, right before lunch, it said to "confess to Y/N"

Firstly, it was 12:15, so he was late.

Second, what did that mean?

The first thing that popped into your head was that he was going to confess his love. But he doesn't like you like that… right?

Well… he did act a bit strange around you… and he was nicer to you than the other egos… and you could swear you saw his face turn bright pink one time…

And you did hear Wilford say something about if Dark didn't ask out "that strapping young lad", then he would…

And Wilford asked you out a week after.

Oh.

Oh God.

He liked you.

Darkiplier liked you!

How did you not notice this before? Were you really that oblivious? How long had he liked you? You had so many questions!

And then Darkiplier walked in the door.

He didn't notice you at first, but smiled a bit when he did.

"Good morning, Mr. L/N. How--" he stopped his greeting and froze when he saw his notepad in your hands.

You turned to him, a confused look on your face. He looked at you, slight worry and fear in his eyes, before he sighed and walked over to you. He took the notepad from your hands and sat it on his desk. He walked around the desk and sat in his chair.

"Sit," he gestured to the chair across from him. You plopped down.

"You…" you breathed out. He smiled sadly and looked down.

"Yes."

"You love me…"

"Yes, I do…"

"How long?"

"How long have you worked here?" You both chuckled. You shook your head.

"I don't believe it…" Darkiplier stood. You stared up at him, wondering what he was going to do.

"I understand if you would like to quit. I will give you a recommendation for your next job."

"Excuse me?" You asked. He blinked and looked up. You were no longer sitting, as you were resting your palms on his desk, leaning over it slightly. "Why would I quit? I love this job!"

"What?"

"Everyone's so nice! I have never been in such a wholesome work environment!" You gushed. Darkiplier looked at you, confusion evident on his pale face.

"But… I-"

"Yeah, you love me. But guess what, dude? I love you, too!" You blurt out. Dark was taken aback by your sudden confession.

"I thought you were focusing on your job…" he pointed out.

"Technically, you are my job," you smirked. Both of you stared at each other for a moment before laughing. Well, you laughed. Darkiplier just let out small chuckles.

He let his eyes trace over your face. You looked so happy. He loved to see you happy…

He set a hand on your cheek and you stopped laughing. He was cold, but you didn't care. Your smile fell as you watched him. He leaned over the desk, like you were, and stroked your cheek with his thumb. He gazed into your eyes and just stood there. Just appreciating the moment.

You let your eyes flutter closed, hoping he'd understand.

He did.

You felt cold lips on yours. It sent a shiver down your spine and gave you goosebumps, but you didn't pull away. You both tilted your heads for a better angle, and you deepened the kiss by running your fingers through his hair and keeping them tangled.

And then the moment was ruined by Wilford letting out a wolf-whistle. You quickly pulled away from Dark and dropped yourself back in the chair.

"Well, Dark, I didn't know you had it in you!" He laughed. Dark turned towards him and you saw the red and blue auras around his grow. You looked back and saw Google and Bim give some money to Dr. Iplier, both egos grumbling in annoyance. You flushed and turned back, hiding your face in your hands. Dark stalked towards the egos, a threatening gaze daring them to say something else. All of them were smart enough to run. Except for Wilford, who asked "Can I be your best man, Dark?"

You then heard a scream of terror from Wilford and him running out of the office. Dark removed your hands from your face, his aura still large, and kissed one of your palms.

"Be right back, handsome…" he said too softly for the anger in his eyes. You grinned at his messier-than-usual hair and nodded. He stormed out of the office.

"Wilford!" He bellowed. You snorted and shook your head as you got out your schedule. You looked at the time.

12:30

You missed lunch. You'd have to make room for some food…

Among other things…

[artificialqueens]

Lemon's Misadventures in Dating, Chapter 3 (Lemon x Everyone) - Mermelada

A/N Hi everyone, I’ve been sitting on this chapter for a wee while but couldn’t quite get it right, so I hope this will do! Lots of love to you all!

As soon as Lemon had arrived home after her date with Kyne – at 9 o’clock the following morning – she flopped onto her bed and checked her phone. She opened the app to be greeted with a number of new messages.

[08:48] Hope you got home safe baby, please try not to fall in love with me now xx

The first one she read, from Kyne, made her chuckle, she’d actually had a really, REALLY good time last night. It turned out that there was actually a very easy way to get the girl to stop talking. Kyne had every reason to be cocky, and Lemon hadn’t been made to feel so good for a very long time. She had even managed to go a couple of hours without thinking of her. Speaking of her, they still hadn’t matched, which was definitely for the best, as Lemon didn’t think she could stand the inescapable mutual awkwardness if they did. But then did that mean that Juice had swiped left on her? Deciding to stop the mental tennis before it got out of hand, she pulled up the bottom message on her list, from yesterday.

[16:04] Bonjour hi, Miss Lemon! Tu parles français? Or am I needing to practice my English? :-) 

Rita. From her profile, she looked every bit the no-shit-taking dom top with a major mommy’s little girl kink, but her message was kind of sweet. The fact she had even bothered to check what language Lemon spoke was cute, she supposed, but she crossed her fingers that Rita had an edge and wasn’t all politeness and niceties. Now that Lemon had had her first taste of Tinder hook-ups, she was ready to dive in with no fear. Well maybe just a tiny bit of fear. She quickly typed out a reply, partly assisted by the internet, and sent it off.

[09:09] I’m assuming you don’t count ‘voulez-vous coucher avec moi’ as proper French 😉

Is it completely cliché and unoriginal? Yes. Has Rita probably already received hundreds of messages saying the same thing? Yes. But I’m tired and still feeling fucked out, so it’ll do. If she likes me, she’ll bite. Hopefully for real, soon…

Following on, she finally had a reply from Kiara.

[19:20] Hi girlie! I am SO sorry for replying so late, I have been working all day and all night this week ☹️ but seeing your profile made me feel better 🙂 how are you??

Double-checking quickly in case she’d missed something important, she realised that the girl’s profile didn’t say what she did as a job, so that seemed like a good place to start.

[09:13] Don’t worry at all, hon! But I’m glad I can help 😉 I’m doing okay thanks, and u? What do you do for work? x

Is a kiss on the end too forward or too friendly, she pondered, trying to remember if she’d done the same for Rita and Kyne before her. It’s done now, I’ll soon find out, I guess!

[23:56] You’re named after the wrong fruit, because you’re definitely a fineapple

The third message was from Boa, who she must have matched with during the night. She loved it. She wanted it on a cross-stitch, framed above her bed. She’d definitely made the right choice with this girl. Now, how to match her at her own game… 

[09:15] You udderly impressed me with that one!

As soon as it had sent, Lemon was hit with a massive wave of self-doubt: what if Boa didn’t get the pun and just thought she was weird? She’d always thought she was quite funny, but what if that was all a lie? There was still time to rectify it.

[09:15] Because of the cow costume, get it?

[09:15] It’s so cute!!!

[09:16] You seem really fun 😀

[09:16] And it helps that your hot

[09:16] You’re^ 

Shit shit shitting shit, that is way overboard for a reply. What the fuck have I done? Oh dear lord, well Boa, it was nice knowing ya! I don’t blame you for blocking me and running to the hills!

Some more general swiping ensued as Lemon awaited some replies, she started aimlessly swiping again through the single ladies of Ontario.

Scarlett, 29

Within 10 miles

Hmm, she looks like she has a bit of filler in those lips but she still looks hot, I like her tattoos, and HOLY SHIT SHE’S EATING FIRE fuck yeah, okay Scarlett! I’ll take that!

Ilona, 25

Within 10 miles

Okay I love her make-up, I love her style… all her photos are selfies, does that mean she has no friends? Don’t be silly, Lem, my camera roll is full of selfies and I’m just fine. I think. Hey, Ilona!

Starzy, 38

Within 10 miles

Oh wow, she’s hot. Her bio literally says, “Call me mother”. That has to be the hottest thing I have ever read, yes please!

After a few more likes and dislikes, Kiara’s name lit up at the top of her screen. Not wanting to seem too keen, she waited a monumental thirty seconds before checking the message.

[09:22] I work on a movie set, but nothing glamorous, I help with hair and makeup. It pays my rent 🙂 I am pretty tired today but I have a deadline soon so I have to keep writing ☹️ where do you work? x

Just as she was thinking of the best way to word her current, work-less situation, a reply also came in from Rita, which Lemon accidentally clicked on sooner than she meant to, completely blowing her cool façade.

[09:25] I’ve never heard that one before…

Lemon’s heart sank at the thought of her impending rejection, but a new message arrived seconds later.

[09:25] At least look up how to say it less formally, I’m not that old!!!!

Smiling at the thought of Rita not automatically hating her – not outright rejecting her – Lemon started to type a reply, but stopped when a third message appeared.

[09:26] Mais si je dis oui, es-tu vraiment libre ce soir? ;-)

Somehow, the more Lemon stared at the words, the less sense they made. She now severely regretted passing her time in French class admiring Madame Benet’s assortment of leopard-print clothing, rather than actually learning. But there was a winky face at the end, which made her heart race, even without understanding the rest of it. Highlighting the text and taking it straight to Google, she couldn’t help but bite her lip as she got Rita’s point.

[09:30] Wee wee, madame 💛 give me a place and a time xx

As much as she may have been looking forward to a good night’s sleep tonight, she still felt the swarm of butterflies flap around her tummy at the thought of Rita’s hands on her, telling her she was a good girl… Don’t get carried away yet, dummy, save it for tonight! I need a cold shower if I’m going to survive the next few hours. Before jumping into action mode, though, the first thing Lemon needed was a nap.

Rousing awake a few hours later, she padded downstairs to make herself a sandwich and a tea, continuously checking her phone with the hope tha Rita had replied. Met with silence, she then took her time to shower, deep conditioning her golden blonde hair and shaving everywhere she could, so she could at least feel better prepared than she had yesterday. Not that a grown-up adult lady like Rita would mind, of course, but it’s all part of getting in the zone, Lemon hummed to herself as she let the water wash away any anxiety she might have had about tonight. 

She already knew what underwear she would wear: her favourite black bra with a light furry trim around the cup, and a lacy black thong. She was so sure that Rita was on the same page about how the night would end, she felt like she didn’t have to worry too much about what went over it, opting for indigo skinny jeans and a beige polo-neck. By the time she had finished her makeup, it was almost 5pm, and she still didn’t know the plan. Sitting up on her bed, contemplating how she would explain to her parents that she was spending the night out again, she once again opened the app, hoping that Rita hadn’t backed down. With still no reply, she couldn’t help the frustration which bubbled inside her, she didn’t spend so long stretching to shave the backs of her thighs for nothing! Even more discouraging was the lack of reply from Kiara… until she looked at the last message sent, and realised that she’d unwittingly left the poor girl on read.

Shit, I thought I’d replied already! That explains it… now how to explain that I’m a dancer who doesn’t dance anymore and has moved back in with my parents with no ambition to find anything else anytime soon?

[16:58] You’re a busy lady! What do you study? 😊

[16:59] I’m a dancer, currently hopping from audition to audition, hoping somebody likes me enough!

The reality was that Lemon hadn’t attended any auditions for over a month. She had tried to throw herself into her work after the break-up, but had soon realised that with a broken heart came an enormous lack of drive. She told the contemporary company she was a member of that she needed a break, and they told her to not bother coming back. So here she was, hoping that one day she’d once again wake up with a flame inside of her. Luckily, Kiara didn’t push her to expand on anything just yet.

[17:04] So a bit like Tinder then! Don’t worry, I’m sure lots of people will like you enough… in dance and Tinder!

[17:05] I study film and theatre, it’s fun 🙂 but a lot of essays to write in English which takes me forever lol

[17:06] That makes me sound like an idiot!! I promise I’m not, just Québéquoise!! 

[17:06] Are you from Toronto? 🙂

Well at least if tonight doesn’t go ahead, I’ve still got a French option for the future, she sighed, running her fingers through her hair as she thought of an answer. 

[17:08] Haha, I believe you 😉 my dad is from Portugal, but I think there are 2 year olds who speak better Portuguese than I do 🥺 

[17:08] That sounds super interesting! Your job on the side must help a bit then?

[17:08] And I am, Toronto gal born and bred! How long have you lived here?

Just as she was about to put her phone down for the evening and fall into another nap, the message she’d been waiting for finally arrived, and Lemon found herself scrambling to read it.

[17:09] Sorry, lovely Lemon, work was kicking my ass all day. Does Mado’s at 8pm work for you? X

Lemon couldn’t resist one final reply, cementing her intentions.

[17:10] Sounds great, I’m sure I can help that ass feel better 😘 see you soon!! 💛💛

A/N It’s me again, your friendly neighbourhood translator!

“Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?” - Do you want to sleep with me tonight?

“Mais si je dis oui, es-tu vraiment libre ce soir?” - But if I say yes, are you really free tonight?

[ofsvnlightt]

Was that [AMANDA ARCURI]? Oh no no, that was just [JESTER LAVORRE], a [CANON CHARACTER] from [CRITICAL ROLE]. They are [UNKNOWN/ LOOKS TWENTY FOUR] years old and [ARE] aware that they are not actually from Washington DC. Too bad they can’t stray from this city for long. 

** this is an updated intro bc the one i did when i first brought her in was....bad. i didn’t know her very well yet,  i had pretty much just started watching campaign 2 and brought her in with memories only up through episode 49 or something. now she’s fully aware!

because of the amount of content, this is going to be a looong intro. (i’m actually sorry for how long this is..i think it’s longer than vex’s)

all hidden washington info will be towards the bottom if you don’t want to read everything.

background: • jester is from a d&d stream called critical role (thursdays 7pm pst on twitch and youtube!) • she’s played by laura bailey (like vex!) • she has a (i think?) slavic accent just search jester critical role and you can find a clip of laura/jester talking (or here’s on of my favorite videos) • she is a blue tiefling! though with the magic of the city, the only things that stayed are her fangs and blue hair. - • she grew up in nicodranas in the lavish chateau, a very fancy inn where her mother is a performer known as the ruby of the sea, and works as a courtesan. • she stayed in her room most of her childhood, thus growing up pretty sheltered due to her mother’s job • she worships a deity called the traveler. he's not actually a god or deity..but that's a long story. (see: ep 108) also [c1 spoiler] his name is artagan and he’s fey. he was able to leave the fey realm and come to the material plane because vox machina created a gateway for him. he met them in either ep 58 or 59 of c1 but i think made the deal later in the campaign. • after a prank gone wrong, jester had to flee nicodranas. she met a half orc (fjord) from port demali, which is also along the menagerie coast, and later human monk (beau) on the amber crossroads and ventured to trostenwald together where they met a few more strangers who together they eventually became the mighty nein • the m9 consists of 7 people her, a cleric -- abilities beauregard, a human monk fjord, a half orc warlock-paladin  caleb, a human wizard nott veth, a goblin halfling rogue mollymauk, a tiefling blood hunter yasha, an asimar barbarian  and caduceus, a firbolg cleric - this is straying from her backstory a little, but here are a few important points that will explain all the strikethroughs above SPOILERS FOR CAMPAIGN 2 (eps 91-93, 26, 28, 111) • when the nein first met, veth was a goblin who went by nott the brave. during a goblin attack in her (halfling) village, she killed some important goblin’s spouse and a hag came in and drowned and cursed her, changing her into a goblin. after attempting a transmogrification spell and it not working, nott shares some of her backstory and beau realizes the hag is the same one that her father talked to. going back to her home of kamaordah to get more information, the nein find out where the hag lives and pay her a visit. after an insane play by jester, the curse is broken and caleb tries the spell again later in nicodranas. this time it works and nott becomes her true sellf, veth brenatto, a halfling. • molly was an original member of the mighty nein. after jester, fjord and yasha were taken one night, the remaining members tracked down who took them, a group called the iron shepherds. cutting them off on their way back to their base, molly, beau, caleb, nott, and a temporary ally keg, battle with them. though aware of his low hp, molly activates his scimitars, getting a hit or two in before going unconscious. the leader of the iron shepherds, lorenzo, gets the final blow on molly, stabbing him through the chest, thus killing him.  • a day or two later, heading through the forest, the small group come upon the blooming grove. there, they meet caduceus clay, who joins them in saving jester, fjord, and yasha from the iron shepherds. • much later, the nein find out about something called the “eyes of nine”/somnovem/nonagon, and travel along the glory run road once again, they make a stop at molly’s grave, planning to speak with dead and see if he knew anything about it because he had nine eye tattoos on his body. when they arrive, his grave has been messed with and his body gone. jester scries on him, seeing him in furs and a snowy environment. they later find out this is lucien, molly’s “original” self. he is nothing like molly at all and is more focused on trying to release the somnovem - a portion of aeor, an ancient city - gone mad and floating in the astral sea. at this point in the campaign (ep 130), lucien is still a threat and the nein are still pursuing him, trying to stop him from bringing the city to the material plane. - -  i literally have no idea how to condense 130 episodes of content (~4hrs per ep) to give you a good overarching tldr of jester’s time with the nein..and so to not make this post a mile long, i’m actually going to put it in a second post (which really defeats the whole point of doing this new intro post but whatevs) in washington:

how long has your character been here? 5-6 months now!

what is your character's job? unemployed/freelance artist

where has your character been pulled from in their fandom? the most recent episode, 130!! (instead of 126)

has any magic affected your character? Nope!

any other information: here’s a synopsis of what happened in episode 130 and where i’m taking jester from as of right now (instead of making an ‘updated memories’ post lol): spoilers, obviously escaping the fire plane, jester plane shifts everyone back to the material plane, to zadash. there, she leads them to the evening nip, where below the gentleman (her father) heads his operations, hoping he can watch over her mother and veth’s husband and son, giving them a safe house while the nein head back to aeor to hopefully defeat the floating city/somnovem and the tomb takers. some parent trap-y shenanigans ensue and after a couple hours, the nein head to the blooming grove. while the savilirwood as a whole is still corrupted by an unknown source, the corruption in and around the grove is gone. (seemingly healed by the crystals referenced in ep 96) while this is great, it doesn’t line up with the dream that caduceus got just 2.5 days ago. whatever these dreams or premonitions are, his family members are also getting them. this is concerning to them of course, but mostly calliope, his older sister. cad storms out, she follows.  before bedding down for the night, everyone kind of goes their separate ways for a little bit within the grove. the mood overall is grim, most all of them thinking this fight in aeor isn’t going to end well. putting on a brave face, jester promised her mama she’d come back, but she doesn’t think she will. she has a small conversation with fjord and asks if he’d like her to send a message to vandran or scry on him. he says no because he’s going to see him, being that rock and voice of determination and positivity jester needs in her time of uncertainty. 

[justlightthefirstspark]

United vs Chelsea - Conti Cup Semi Final - 29/01/2020

So the line up and bench for this one was interesting. Aimee Palmer was cup tied for this one, having already lined out for Sheffield United earlier in the season, Ella Toone is currently serving a 3 game suspension following a (questionable) red card vs Spurs, and both Kirsty Hanson and Leah Galton are out injured, which led to a very sparse bench, and pretty much the same XI as vs City. Lauren James started in place of Jane Ross, which was very clearly a good idea.

First half:

This game was a little cagey to start with, but ultimately a lot better than Saturday’s showing vs City. LJ had a decent shot around 6 mins, after some great build work from Groenen.

Abbie’s constant back passes to Earps returned, as did my anxiety. To be honest, Earps never looks completely comfortable to be on the receiving end of back passes so I don’t understand why the majority of that back 4 insist on playing that way so often?

Aside from those back passes, I though Abbie had a really good game. At least until she was forced off injured deep into the second half. She played an absolute stormer from the first whistle, and she was literally everywhere. Had a decent chance to get the first goal too around the 25 minute mark, very unfortunate to have that header go straight at Telford. She really, really redeemed herself after that performance vs City at the weekend.

‘27 - some Wales on Wales crime. Sophie Ingle booked for an almighty challenge on Hayley Ladd. Fair enough, the way Hayley fired herself into Ingle may have made it look more than it was. Entertaining tho. I’m also gonna take this opportunity to confess that I may be a little bit (a lot) in love with Hayley Ladd. I gotta be honest, I didn’t really know much about her before she signed in the summer, but she’s really, really great. I feel like she’s kinda underrated a little bit? Anyway, I genuinely don’t think this girl feels any pressure, like at all. A little bit like LJ I guess. She just gets her head down and does her job - calm and cool 100% of the time. I would very much like her to stay forever. I’m definitely gonna have to start watching more of this Wales team aren’t I?

‘34 - Earps with a cracking save. I feel like she’s more of a shot stopper than anything else, her distribution can be a little off sometimes, but she did really well to deny Chelsea there.

I think James and Arnot linked up quite well last night, especially around the 40 minute mark, unfortunately Lizzie was called just offside. She’s really impressed me (whenever she gets a shot) this season tbh, I hope she manages to get herself in the XI more often from now on.

‘42 - Jess Sigsworth pulling double shifts again. She’s constantly down around that back four, helping out and sometimes doing other people’s jobs for them and I’m kinda terrified that she’s gonna run herself into a brick wall at some stage? Like I think it’s fairly clear that we need to reinforce and add depth and quality defensively but I also think it’s pretty clear that Jess isn’t the answer to that particular problem, as impressive as her drive and her work rate is.

‘43 - United should have been clear and away on the counter there. There was an earlier challenge from Ladd (I’m pretty sure) that the ref took an age to make up her mind on, and by the time she decided to call it back, Groenen (again, I’d have to rewatch to be 100% certain) was up and over the halfway line on the break. Annoying af.

Halftime:

Tbh I thought United did really well to not have conceded and to still be in the game at the half. The first half as a whole was pretty decent, Chelsea ultimately had the better chances and were the slightly stronger team. I just wish we could have taken the few chances we had in the first half and made something from them, Telford isn’t the world’s best keeper and I feel like we could have tested her more and I was kinda disappointed we didn’t.

Second half:

‘47 - a fairly decent (surprisingly. It’s no secret we’re pretty piss poor at set pieces) from Zelem resulted in Amy heading just over, which hurt my soul. (I wanted her to score so bad youse have no idea)

‘52 - Arnot had a decent chance, and was 100% in cause Telford came about 82739 miles off her line, but unfortunately it was cleared away. (Sidenote: I HATE when keepers come off their line and out of their box like that, even opposition keepers. It just really shits me out. Anyway)

‘53 - a decent Chelsea opportunity goes wide. I saw somewhere (twitter probably) that it took a deflection, but I’d have to rewatch to be certain. FA Player get your shit together and upload the game so I can double check challenge 🙄

The game really started to come to life around the 50 minute mark. Both teams had decent chances within about a minute of each other, and United’s intensity really stepped up - they came out guns blazing in the second. Both teams pressing and passing really cleaned up around this time too.

‘61 - decent chance for Sigsworth. Angle was just too tight, but I think the build up was massively overworked. She passed it off the Zelem who held it for a little too long imo, before sending it back to Jess who lashed it into the side netting. Think Jess could have made something of it first time but hey, what’s done is done now.

Game started to get a little scrappy heading into the last 20 mins - back to the rushed and mismatched and intercepted passes of the first half.

‘70 - Chelsea free kick saved well by Earps.

‘71 - Goal - Chelsea. Really tight angle, just about squeezed home. Really good work from Mjelde in hindsight but I feel like Earps could have saved that one. I hate to blame her entirely but she really should have done better with closing that one down.

‘72 - almost an instant response from United. LJ had a fantastic chance to equalise but unfortunately scorched it over the bar. I’m not gonna lie, I expected a little better from her there, but I understand the urgency.

‘73 - pretty soft yellow for Sigsworth

‘74 - Ross 🔁 Arnot.

Seemed like all the wind was sucked out of United after that goal, approaching the 80 minute mark. Most of that intensity and urgency was still kinda there and evident in small bursts, but was mostly lacking.

‘80 - United forced into a change. Harris (don’t talk to me) 🔁 McManus. Abbie took a bit of a blow around 20 minutes in, committing a challenge she was ultimately booked for. Fair play to her, she played through it, but she was definitely struggling for a while there. Apparently she was on crutches after the game, so I hope it’s nothing too serious. Also interested to see what Casey does with that back 4 if she’s out for a while. Amy obviously goes back in and CB but it would appear Martha is higher than Ökvist in the pecking order, which is annoying. I get that Casey is more defensive minded and might not want to play two more attacking FB’s at once (Ökvist & Smith) but Martha... 🤐

‘84 - James had a great ball in that forced a corner that - you guessed it - nothing came of

‘85 - Earps had a great block to deny Chelsea a second (and really and truly kill me off)

‘88 - Harris decides to try her luck from a little way out. It was a decent shot to be fair, given the circumstances, just couldn’t get the dip it needed and never really troubled Telford on it’s way over the bar.

4 minutes at the end of the 90 but United couldn’t get anything to stick, which was massively unfortunate.

Two semi final defeats in a row is absolutely gut wrenching, and very hard to take, but last night taught me a lot about this team. I personally thought that this game was miles better and such an improvement on Arsenal away last season. They were much better all round, in every position than last weekend vs City. To come so close against the 3 best teams in the league 5 times now and walk away with nothing is hard, and I feel so bad for those girls. They give their all everytime they step out on that pitch, and they deserved more. This week in particular. Seeing them all in literal bits at the final whistle nearly broke me tbh.

But it’s becoming more glaringly apparent as the season goes on that we are in desperate need of a more clinical, stone blood killer up top. I’d also be open to giving Mikalen a run in goal to prove herself - I think Earps has been a bit off lately.

Galton and Hanson were massively missed last night, and I think we could have done with Toone as well, but oh well.

I had my issues with the ref as well last night, I have to say. I thought she handled the knocks and (most of) the bookings correctly, as well as the penalty shout (which was not a penalty, sorry Jess) but she missed a clear foul on Jackie (59 mins) as well as a clear tug on Arnot (64 mins) in the second half. I also thought LJ was very lucky to get away with just a yellow for her foul on Ingle at the end of the first half, looked a little more like a red to me 😬

Hopefully Galton will be back for Sunday - she absolutely tore Reading to shreds the last time out and I would very much like to see more of that 🔥, but I’m kinda worried about that midfield trio too. The last thing we need is three defeats on the bounce, but they must be dyinggg cause they literally never, ever stop.

I know this one is a little later than usual and the format is slightly different too, but I was watching the men (for some reason) as well, and it was kinda hard to keep track of two games at once lol. Plus I just wasn’t really in the mood to try and to this last night. Also - if anyone has critiques or corrections or questions about my opinions or anything else pls don’t hesitate to drop them in my ask and I’ll edit things and answer whatever as best as I can ✌🏽

[love-and-monsters]

Alien Encounter (Pt. 1)

So I thought I wasn’t going to upload anything this week, but I got struck with a strong idea for a multi-part story and I couldn’t help but write it! Hope you enjoy.

I stumbled off my ship. The ground was murky and soft, like heavily saturated mud. My feet slipped in the muck and the effort it took to get them unstuck jostled the broken wrist I’d secured into a sling. Simply walking was a slow, painful effort.

It did not help that I wasn’t sure where the hell I was going. The star map I’d been using suggested that the planet was uncivilized, at least as far as the Human Alliance was concerned. There was nowhere to go to make a distress call, no place to get parts from to repair the damaged ship, not even somewhere I could wait for my employers to track my distress beacon all the way to my ship.

In short, wandering away from the ship was probably a bad idea. But staying in the ship was a worse idea, because the damn thing was sinking. The murk was able to support my weight, as long as I kept moving, but inch by inch, the ship was going down. Luckily my distress signal would still reach my employers (the signal could travel through miles upon of space; a few feet of mud was no problem) but it did mean that I couldn’t stay in that relative safety. I’d gathered up everything I’d thought would be useful into a backpack, slung it over my shoulder, and set off to find somewhere to kill time until my employers found me.

I set out close to sunrise. By midday, I was starting to realize exactly how fucked I was.

I’d taken enough water and food for at least four days, but I hadn’t accounted for the fact that I would be moving around in high humidity. I’d plowed through most of my water allowances for the day and I felt sick with thirst. Oh god, I felt sick. Sweat plastered my clothes to my body and my hair to my brow. It was hard to breathe, even with the mask. Even taking a break was impossible. If I stayed standing in one place for too long, my feet started to sink into the muck and it took far too much effort to extricate myself.

I staggered along, trying to find somewhere to catch my breath. My legs burned from the effort of walking. My chest ached. Only the fear that if I stayed still for too long, I would sink kept me moving.

The longer I walked, the more oppressive the panic in my chest grew. Progress was minimal. It took so much effort just to move forward. I could feel my muscles cramping and failing. The mud clung to my ankles and calves and I realized I could no longer move my legs.

Shit. Shit! I couldn’t move my legs! I pulled against the clinging muck and it held tighter. There was nothing close enough to grab onto to pull myself out. Every effort to lift my legs only pulled me down further. The mud sucked up to my knees. I pressed my palms down against the mud’s surface, but they just sank uselessly down. Panic clawed wildly up my chest and throat, choking me. I couldn’t move!

Something to my right gave a strange mewing noise. I whipped my head around. Standing next to a tree, no more than a few yards away, stood an alien.

It was tall and blue-skinned. There was a slight gloss to its skin and a darker blue color mottled the backs of its limbs. Its face was somewhat human and also somewhat feline, with bright yellow eyes. Pointed, fin-like ears twitched constantly on either side of its head, scanning for sudden sounds. There were fins running along the top of its head, a little like three small mohawks. A massive, powerful looking tail swung behind it, tipped with a strangely colored and frilly fin. Its legs resembled the hind legs of a dog or a cat, with elongated, paw-like feet.

It was wearing clothes, I was pretty sure, which was a good sign. Not every intelligent species wore clothes, but no unintelligent species did. As I watched it, the creature stepped cautiously closer. It seemed to be able to almost hover on top of the mud and, as it stepped closer, I saw why. Pale yellow fins spread out on either side of its feet, creating a sort of snowshoe effect that allowed it to distribute its weight evenly over the mud.

It took a few more bipedal steps toward me, then sank down onto all fours as it drew closer. The approach was cautious, but when I made no move to attack, it seemed to grow more confident. Within a few moments, it was next to me.

I waited while it circled me. “You can’t understand me, can you?” I asked. It stilled, peering at me with wide eyes. “Is that a no?”

It stared for a few more seconds, then grabbed me by my armpits and pulled. With a wet slurping noise, I popped out of the muck.

The alien pulled me out onto the surface of the mud. I scrambled, trying to stand back up, but my limbs immediately started sinking back into the ground. The alien grabbed the back of my shirt and held me still until my struggling stopped. Then it released me and waited.

This time, I spread my limbs out over the surface of the mud and didn’t move. The alien made a noise that I assumed was approving. It circled me around again, then settled back down. With a quick, fluid motion, it slipped under me, pulling me up onto its back. It positioned my arms around its neck, securing me on its back, then it took off, running on all fours.

The alien moved quickly over the ground, springing over the mud far more quickly than I could. After only a few minutes of running, the alien paused by the base of a tree. After a moment of rearing onto its hind legs, it leapt up, scrambling into the tree branches.

There was a small house nestled in the tree branches and the alien crawled inside. As soon as we were inside, the alien slid me off its back.

The floor was woven out of thin reeds, like the walls. The entire shelter was small, barely bigger than my ship. Small pieces of wooden furniture were pressed up against the sides of the room, things like cabinets and even a table. I sat up and looked at the alien. It was sitting most of the way across the room from me, staring.

“Hi,” I said. “You really can’t understand me, huh? Not even a little?”

The alien stared at me for a long moment, then it made a series of gentle, mewling, chittering noises. After a few seconds of silence, it repeated the noises.

“So, you can speak, at least,” I said. The alien frowned at me, then chittered and mewled again.

The back of my neck, right at the base of my skull, gave a sharp, electric buzz. I slapped my hand to the sensation. The alien started, stepping back. The buzzing sharpened in the back of my head, then resolved into a sharp, whining voice. “Translation function at 59 percent.”

I let out an excited giggle. The alien peered at me, obviously unsettled. “No, no, it’s okay! I just need you to talk. Talk!” I made a motion around my mouth. “Talk to me!”

The alien blinked at me. Its ears flattened. Hesitantly, it chittered and mewled some more. “Yes!” I enthused, trying to encourage more speech. “Keep going.” It cocked its head to one side, but kept speaking, more slowly this time.

 “Translation function at 90 percent. 91. 92.” The number ticked up as the alien kept talking. “98. 99. Translation complete. Commence.”

The buzzing sharpened to a whine so high pitched it made my head ache. I choked out a cry and the alien positively bristled. It reared back, hissing anxiously. It chittered out a few more words before they morphed into something understandable. “-don’t know how to help you!”

The pain faded, leaving me with only a faint ringing in my head. “Sorry, could you slow down a little? I just have a little bit of a headache.”

The alien froze. Its eyes, already pretty wide, practically bulged from its head. Its mouth opened, closed, opened again. “I… You can speak!”

“The two-way translator just came online. Now I can understand you and you can understand me.” The alien gaped at me. I was fairly certain he was a male, given the deeper tone of his voice and the large, somewhat frilly tail fin. “Sorry about literally crashing in on you like this, but thanks for the rescue.”

He stared at me, slowly closing his mouth. His eyes narrowed and his tail swished slowly over the floor. “What are you?”

“I’m a human. We’re the dominant species on ten planets and three additional star systems and members of the Interstellar Unity Alliance.” The alien blinked at me. “Guess that doesn’t mean anything to you, huh?”

He shook his head. I could see his nose twitching slightly as he sniffed. “Why are you here?”

“Oof.” I slumped back against the wall. “That was a mistake. I’m a courier for the elite, the people who can pay for both discretion and speedy deliveries. But, uh, sometimes that means taking shortcuts and sometimes that means cutting corners on some ship maintenance. I maybe should have let the shipyard take a look before I took off again. One of the engines malfunctioned when I was passing through. I crashed.”

The alien leaned forward, glancing around testily. “Where is your ship?”

“At this point? Probably all the way under the mud. Damn thing started sinking as soon as I landed.” I sighed. “Usually we’re supposed to stay with the ship until rescue arrives, but staying in there would have meant a slow death, so I had to find somewhere else to stay.”

The alien’s ears pricked as he stared at me. “If you’re not with the ship, will your rescue party be able to find you?”

“Sure. Once they get to the right planet, they can use the translator chip in my head to find me. I’ll be fine. It just might take a while.” I took a deep breath and stood up. “Look, I’m sorry for barging in on you like this. If you give me a secluded place where I can wait out the rescue, I can just go there and I’ll be out of your hai- well, out of your way.”

The alien stared at me, tail tucking close to his body. “You can’t breathe underwater, can you?”

“Nah, humans are a land-only species.” The alien clicked his clawed fingertips on the ground, ears twitching.

“I don’t know anywhere you could stay, unless you can sleep in a tree.” He considered for a few moments. “I suppose you could stay here.”

“Here in your house with you?” I said. The alien nodded. “Really? You’d just let some random alien stay with you? I could be here to, I don’t know, probe your brains or something.”

The alien snorted. “I’m afraid I’m not terribly threatened by someone who’s more easily defeated by the landscape than a toddler.” He tilted his head, peering at the arm I had carefully folded over my chest. “I’m also not threatened by someone with a broken wrist.”

“Oh.” I’d almost forgotten about it in all the chaos, but not that I was reminded of it, my wrist started to ache again. “How’d you know it was broken?”

“I’ve broken mine before.” He crossed the floor to sit next to me. “I have a medical kit. I can probably bind it, maybe give you some painkillers?”

“No drugs, but if you could splint my wrist, that’d be great.” He nodded and rose, crossing the small room quickly. After rummaging in a cabinet for a few minutes, he returned, holding a box with a black X running across the front.

“Give me your arm.” I held out my hand and his fingertips probed along my wrist. It took a considerable amount of effort to stay perfectly still when he touched the location of the fracture. “Sorry,” he said, glancing up from my wrist with an apologetic expression. “This is going to hurt.”

I gritted my teeth. “Just get it over with.”

He took hold of a spool of bandages and unraveled them, then turned my arm so the underside was facing up. “I have to bind it tightly so it doesn’t move,” he said. “You’re going to have to stay still.”

“I know. Please just get it over with!”

He took a deep breath and started binding my wrist. The pain made my eyes water and my stomach turn. “Agh, shit, shit, shit!” I spat under my breath.

The alien tied off the bandages and the pain diminished from ‘excruciating’ to ‘awful.’ I gulped air, fumbling for the bag of pain pills in my bag. When I’d managed to take them with a hasty gulp of water, I sagged back onto the floor, staring up into the concerned face of the alien.

“Lucky our hands are similar,” I said. “How’d you learn to splint a wrist like that?”

“I broke my own wrist during guard training, so I needed to set it.”

“Guard training?”

He nodded. “I’m an outpost guard for Solemnia. It’s usually peaceful enough, excepting the occasional spaceships.”

“Aren’t guards supposed to report unusual incidents like me?” I asked.

“We’re supposed to report threats. You haven’t seemed like a threat so far.” He curled his tail close to his body. “And I’m not sure what exactly my superiors would do to something like you.”

I snorted out a laugh. It was shakier than I would have liked. “You think they’d dissect me or something?”

There was a long pause. The alien stared at the ground. I swallowed my laughter. “So, uh. That’s a yes, then? On the dissection?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t know what they would do to you. I trust my superiors in most matters, but I do not trust that the bureaucracy of my planet would let you live. At least, they wouldn’t let you go free.” He frowned. “Unless your people came for you, I suppose.”

“They wouldn’t,” I said. “They’re not going to risk an interplanetary confrontation just to get a courier back. I’d be considered lost.”

The alien nodded like I’d confirmed something for him. “You can stay here until your people come for you. How long do you think it will be?”

“A few days, maybe. Not too long. My ship should have pinged them as soon as it went down. They’ll take a few days to confirm the signal, get a rescue ship online, and actually get out here.”

The alien nodded. “Then that should be okay.”

I took a deep breath. “Thank you.”

He nodded again and gave a short, breathless little giggle. The expression on his face was slightly hysterical, but also strangely adorable. His eyes were wide, bright yellow all the way around and his mouth kept twitching into a small, constrained smile. “This is a bit exciting, isn’t it? I’m harboring an alien!”

His humor was strangely infectious, and I felt a giggle slip form my lips too. “Yeah, I guess it is.” He giggled a little more and slumped down to the floor, covering his mouth slightly with his hand.

“Hey,” I said. “What’s your name?”

He moved his hand away from his mouth. “Valain. What’s your name?”

“Anya. It’s nice to meet you.” He grinned back at me.

“Nice to meet you too.”

[almaasi]

reaction post typed while watching Good Omens (ALL OF IT)

my favourite novel is now my favourite mini-series and IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL

under the cut: a very long, spoilery six-episode reaction to MY NEW FAVOURITE THING EVER

--

may 31st 07:36pm nz

i posted my episode 1 reaction a couple hours ago but that got ZERO NOTES so i assume people are either avoiding spoilers or aren’t interested, which is fine, but i’m just gonna put all my reactions in one big post so anyone who IS interested doesn’t have to read 6 separate posts c:

edit june 1st 04:08am: btw i watched using a free trial on amazon prime, which i’m pretty sure is worldwide. soooo if yOU WANT TO WATCH THIS, YOU CAN, FOR FREE

--

EPISODE 1: In the Beginning

--

04:03pm

idk how much i’m gonna type, whether i’ll post a reaction to the entire thing in one post....... or how much i’ll end up watching right now

kinda want to spread it out and save it as a treat for after i’ve done some writing

but right now i wanna watch before writing

so maybe i’ll do one ep, write something, then return to this?

edit: aahhaha that didn’t happen

-

04:04pm

I’M SO EXCITED

I’VE BEEN WAITING SO LONG

well... since 2011 when i first read the book

but regardless it’S BEEN 84 YEARS

-

04:05

okay first off i did not know amazon prime did adverts at the start of their videos. so i was like SINCE WHEN WAS CHILDISH GAMBINO/DONALD GLOVER IN GOOD OMENS

and then

yeah

no

either way i thought it was a good opening

-

W A R

NING

cool cool cool cool cool

-

omg i’m used to where the netflix full-screen button is, and on amazon prime that’s the “next episode” button so i gotta be real careful

-

dear god my video quality is TERRIBLE

i.......... i might torrent this show and watch it offline

this is horrendous i can’t see a damn thing

i have never seen pixels this big

-

04:11

okay the quality calmed down after a minute

i loooove the intro, i love that it’s basically word for word from the book

i feel like i’d find it funnier if i hadn’t read the book 3 months ago

-

also? god is a woman? yes

-

04:13

is it just me or does the snek have a slightly david tennant-esque quality about it

-

i’m so happy adam and eve are black

-

04:17

omfg. aziraphale said “ineffable” and now CRAWLEY’S CHECKING HIM OUT TRYING TO SEE IF HE HAS ANY JUNK

WOW

...or y’know, looking for a flaming sword. SAME FUCKING THING.

-

also i looove how FLUFFY azi is

-

azi: “do hope i didn’t do the wrong thing”

i fucking love them both uhrgughhhuhuhughuhhh

-

04:21

small sob for cuteness

umbella wings

-

04:23

in the opening titles, crowley just stopped a spaceship and aziraphale turned it into fish

i feel like that was a douglas adams reference and i’m on board

-

04:25

the entire time i read the book, up until i saw video promos of this show, i thought “crowley” was said the same way as spn’s “crowley”, as in “crahwlee”

not “crOhwlee”

i definitely like that they’re different though

both probably named after aleister crowley tbh. all of whom are queer.

-

THOSE SWAYING HIPS

i haven’t found david tennant attractive in about 9 years but WHOOOP HELLO AGAIN

somehow attractive for entirely different reasons than before. like. my taste changed but tHEN

-

i’m on crowley’s side, taking down a cellphone network is VERY ANNOYING

-

04:35

crowley: shitshitshitshithsit

:D

i can’t wait for aziraphale’s big swear

-

04:37

i miss eating sushi

sushi was great

-

04:43

this baby delivery thing is sTRESSFUL

“aaaaurthurrrrr”

nooo

poor lady

-

04:45

“little toesie woesies”

where’s the sister mary loquacious fan club and where do i sign up

-

i’m glad they colour-coded the babies and did the playing card explanation because this part of the book always tied my brain in knots

-

05:00

this is reminding me how utterly gross england is

-

“MY POINT IS............. DOLPHINS”

YES

-

05:06

see in the book

i never once realised that the nanny was crowley in disguise

-

05:11

digging the snake tattoo sideburns

-

05:14

and yeah the short hair looks good

-

05:15

fINALLY crowley called azi “angel”

-

05:17

crowley: “oh no no don’t do your magic act, pleeease”

the magic act scene is one of my fave parts of the book <3

-

05:20

aw man they cut out the best part

i mean i get why

the kids shouted a bunch of gay slurs at aziraphale

and there were no secret service people with guns

but aw mannn

AND THEY CUT OUT THE BIT WITH THE DEAD DOVE AND CROWLEY BRINGS IT BACK TO LIFE FOR AZIRAPHALE

THAT WAS MY SINGLE FAVOURITE BIT OF THE BOOK

AND IT’S GONE

;C

-

OH WAIT

THERE’S THE DOVE

OH GOOD

-

aw man aziraphhale just brought it back himself

i liked it better in the book

they sat on the steps outside and crowley comforted azi and took the dove and fixed it for him, and then it flew off

idk i just had such a perfect image of that moment in my mind and this was..... good but not the same at all

could be gayer

-

05:27

good dog

-

05:28

crowley: *snifsnif* something’s changed

aziraphale: “oh it’s a new cologne, my barber suggeste--”

crowley: “no no i know what you smell like”

gayyyyyyyyyy <3

-

05:31

okay that’s ep 1 watched!!! i’ll watch more maybe later tonight :D

ENJOYING THIS SO FAR

not as gay as expected ........YET

needs 400% more “angel” and “dear”

--

EPISODE 2: The Book

07:42pm

pillar of salt guy: “something smells evil”

the fact crowley smells evil and yet aziraphale likes his company regardless says a lot

-

07:49

fully expected crowley to say “i didn’t fall, i sauntered vaguely downwards”

-

07:50

iiiii’m finding the narrator a little annoying

maybe it’s because i read the book so i know what’s going on

but saying “he has four items to deliver in his van. he works for this postage company and he’s making his first delivery in a formal warzone”.... idk i feel like all of those things could be shown visually? saying it rather than showing it probably saved seven seconds of airtime, but damn

-

07:56

i wonder if the narrator was a later addition to this, for new audience clarity? the script for god just seems a little stilted, idk

edit: i kind of got used to it, but it was still jarring, which i’m sure was the opposite of the intended effect

-

08:09

the saddest newt

-

08:13

she’s kind of exactly how i imagined her in the book

and definitely my fave next to aziraphale and crowley

-

08:17

i feel so bad for crowley’s plants

poor babies

-

08:19

for some reason i imagined her as a redhead. kind of more like mrs weasley

-

08:33

these wee children......... so soft.......... so smol

-

08:25

v happy with the casting for pepper

tiny downside is that we lose another redhead

-

08:29

i find the kids’ conversations hilarious because they’re the same age as harry potter when he goes to hogwarts the first time

idk if this is what eleven year olds are like in real life, but when i read the book i did feel distinctly like they spoke like eight year olds

-

08:35

crowley: “i like spooky. big spooky fan, me”

he just sounds like the tenth doctor

-

08:36

YEEE FINALLY CROWLeY DOING NICE THINGS FOR AZIRAPHALE

-

08:48

"you know, crowley, i’ve always said that deep down you really are a--”

“SHUT IT”

DON’T YOU CALL HIM NICE YOU PRETTY BASTARD

-

loquacious: “sorry to break up an intimate moment”

-

08:45

i imagined anathema’s tripod thing to be about 5 feet tall, not a cute little knee-high thing

-

08:48

freddie mercury: BIIIII CYCLE

BIIIIIIII CYCLE

yeah i was waiting for that

-

crowley: “get in, angel”

HE MURMURED

DON’T MURMUR YOUR TERMS OF ENDEARMENT noo

-

09:00

end of episode 2!!! i freaking loved aziraphale vs the book <3

-

the credits for this ep credit konnie huq as someone named pam but idk who that is? i had a crush on konnie huq as a kid when she was a presenter on “blue peter”

OH WAIT RIGHT the lady on the breakfast show on crowley’s tv. aw such a small part. hoping we’ll see her again later

edit: nope. might rewatch that part to pay more attention. obviously i didn’t even recognise her after like.. 15 years

--

EPISODE 3: Hard Times

09:05pm

brb gotta get some food

-

09:14

and now i wait for food

EPISODE THREE LET’S GO

is this the one that’s just crowley and azi’s backstory?

-

09:16

i can’t even put my finger on why but he’s getting more attractive

-

09:21

ah yes

aziraphale is eating shellfish and trying to tempt crowley

“oh... that’s your job”

i love this part of their dynamic

-

09:29

i adore when crowley makes aziraphale smile <3

-

09:43

SAUNTERED VAGUELY DOWNWARDS

YEE

-

i like seeing how crowley’s sunglasses differ throughout history

-

09:36

“if they knew i’d been... fraternising”

this is such a forbidden romance i love ittttt

-

09:49

CROWLEY SAVED THE BOOKS

and SOFT VIOLIN PLAYS

THIS IS A FUCKING LOVE STORY

k this is my favourite part of the show so far <3

-

09:50

this angel just fell in love

right in that moment

i see cartoon hearts around him

-

09:54

just had to pause for a second bc there was some broccoli in my tea :c

-

09:56

awwwwwwwwwwwwww 

he got him holy waterrrrrrr

-

UNIVERSAL ANGLE OF HETEROSEXUAL LONGING

-

definitely feeling a lot of “NOW KISS” right about now

-

09:59

LAUGHING BECAUSE THE OPENING CREDITS ARE LITERALLY HALFWAY INTO THE EPISODE

-

10:03

throughout the entire book azi just came across as the kind of person who wore glasses even though glasses were never once mentioned

I AM GLAD TO SEE GLASSES

-

10:12

i like this colour palette and the gold in their makeup

-

10:27

“we can go off together”

omg the world’s ending and crowley’s all RUN AWAY WITH MEEE

-

10:31

okay then

good eyelashes

edit: i also like how their relationship was explained with a simple tap on the wrist: hurry up, you’re on the clock, i’m a sex worker, finish your call because i’m leaving

-

10:32

episode three DONE

these eps don’t feel long enough

maybe that means the pacing is just right? who knows

i feel like i should be doing something other than watching this but..... why

--

EPISODE 4: Saturday Morning Funtime

10:48pm

aziraphale is SOFT and he’s perfect like that <3

fuck u gabriel and your body shaming

-

10:53

i want delivery guy to be okay BUT I READ THE BOOK

so............... i know he will be...... eventually

-

10:55

how did they get photographs taken in the 1600s

-

oh gabriel’s eyes ARE purple, i thought i was seeing them wrong

-

11:02

“maud i love you”

noo ho hoooo

-

11:09

a little douglas adams, definitely

BUT NO PEPPER POT DALEK

AWW

-

11:10

the season is very much jumping between summer and autumn

though i suppose that’s the point, tadfield is just perfect

-

11:12

“which the internet has begun to refer to as the kracken”

i wonder if good omens inadvertently inspired me to write The Wireless a couple of years back. wouldn’t be surprising

edit: no, couldn’t have, because the internet wasn’t much of a thing (or a thing at all?) in the book, given its publish date

-

11:20

that’s a v nice dress/top combo

gosh she’s so pretty

-

11:30

crowley: “we can run away together!!! alpha centauri!!!”

aw baby

-

crowley: “i’m going home, angel! i’m getting my stuff, and i am leaving. and when i am up in the stars, i won’t even think about you!!”

THAT WAS A V SAD BREAKUP NOOOOO

why has there not been a single “dear” yet :c

-

11:37

oh no, this part

i loved this in the book but i am NOT READY for maggots

damn you gaiman

-

11:39

he’s so cute

and so gay

-

11:42

uriel: “don’t think your boyfriend in the dark glasses will get you special treatment in hell”

he looks kinda delighted uriel called crowley his boyfriend

i would say he looks worried but this shot was used without context in the trailer and it came across as genuine joy, i actually thought he was looking at crowley

-

11:46

i thought it was a strange throne before

a spider at the centre of a web

dark halo

yeah

-

11:51

oh now she’s a redhead???

-

also i’m glad they implied newt and anathema just kissed because the sex thing was weird in the book

-

okay never mind

hmm

-

12:05

aziraphale: “oh.................ffffUCK.”

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH

-

12:07

oh no

it’s happening

oh no

i hate this part but i love what happens because of it

-

12:29am

i have eaten and now i have tea and i am back from MORE BOOKSHOP FIRE

-

EPISODE 5: The Doomsday Option

12:31

nuuuuuuuuuu

and “you’re my best friend” playing while crowley’s tryna call azi

nuuuuuu

-

“somebody killed my best friend”

jfhsdfjsdj

/sobs

-

12:36

freddie mercury: “somebody find me somebody tooo ooo looove”

edit: the narration WRECKED this. it was so dramatic and visually emotional but the voiceover completely screwed with it and it was SO UNNECESSARY.

-

12:46

crowley: “i lost my best friend”

he says, while crying, while talking to that friend

-

THE ONE BOOK HE WANTS IS THE ONE CROWLEY SAVED

THEY’RE SO FUCKING BEAUTIFUL TOGETHER

-

azi wanted to share crowley’s body

and then said they had to get a wiggle on

-

12:52

they cut out the hell’s angels / lesser horsemen

i figured they would, but still a shame

-

1:54

in the book tracy’s “spirit guide” was native american but daaaaaamn that part really needed to go

now she’s irish which is... better, probably

-

01:01

ron: “SHUT. UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP”

this guy’s having the time of his life

-

01:03

he wave

-

01:05

1926 bentley; sexiest car right next to the ‘67 chevy impala

-

01:08

omg gotta translate and explain the road

-

01:13

OH NO the maggots are about to happen

they changed the placement of this but it worked for the pacing

-

OH NO

-

k well the maggots were gross but not as bad as i imagined

-

01:31

omg the dog turned upside down rather than be picked up

i wonder if that was intentional

dog: I DO NOT WANT UP

-

01:34

pfff he’s reading “american gods” by neil gaiman

-

01:44am

10/10 flaming car

-

EPISODE 6: The Very Last Day of the Rest of Their Lives

01:51am

here we go...

-

01:55

azi so happy that crowley said the dress suits him <3

-

01:57

rip bentley

-

01:59

aziraphale: “we are here to lick some serious butt!!”

crowley: “kick!! kick, aziraphale, for heaven’s sake”

-

02:06

i freaking love the parallel between the Them and the horsemen in the book

and i love that they did face shots to show the parallel

pepper = war

wensleydale = famine

brian = pollution

adam = death

the parallel is less clear for brian and wensleydale, at least in the show. was more obvious in the book. but at the same time i kind of got confused between them a lot, brian was always eating, but wensleydale was named after cheese

-

02:14

pepper: “i do not endorse everyday sexism”

/STOMPS ON WAR’S FOOT

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

-

02:25

shadwell: “anyone who wants ta get ta the hoore of babylon will have to get past me”

earlier anathema said “boyfriend”

may i point out that all the adults are paired up

shadwell & madame tracy

newt & anathema

......and....

aziraphale and crowley

-

0:28

crowley: “we are FUCKED”

these two need a holiday

-

azi: “come up with something... or.... or i’ll never talk to you again”

he knows crowley loves him aww

perfect blackmail material

-

02:32

they went from trying to kill him to being his gay angel parents real quick

-

02:35

thought they were holding hands for a second there

edit: regardless, a whole damn airfield and they’re 2cm apart

-

02:39

happy ending for the postman, hooray~

-

crowley about the bookshop, softly: “it burned down. remember? you can stay at my place”

awwWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

-

02:42

CROWLEY GOT HIS CAR BACK AND YET HE TOOK A TAXI

-

02:45

anathema: “why is your car called dick turpin?”

newt: “dick turpin is a famous highwayman. it’s called dick turpin because everywhere it goes, it holds up traffic”

i laughed

this wasn’t in the book and i always wondered

-

02:51

i wonder if holy water wouldn’t burn him because he’s too good

-

03:00

gabriel: “don’t talk to me about the greater good, sunshine, i’m the angel fucking gabriel”

really enjoying these swears

-

03:03

i thought so

-

03:30am

paused for a bit to get ready for bed

i thought it was after 4am but nope

-

“there would be other summers, but not one like this. not ever again”

that genuinely makes me emotional

i think that’s why it’s my favourite book, i can relive that summer with them

-

03:35

omg

-

OH MY GOD

WAIT

THEY

OH MY GOD

THEY WEREN’T IMMUNE, THEY JUST SWAPPED PLACES

HOLY SHIT

edit: THIS WAS NOT IN THE BOOK AND IT’S BRILLIANT AND I’M GLAD IT’S HERE

-

crowley: “let me tempt you to a spot of lunch?

azi: “~temptation accomplished~!”

THEY’RE SO STINKING CUTE

-

“just enough of a bastard to be worth knowing”

perfect

STILL NO USE OF “DEAR” THOUGH AND IT’S KILLING ME

-

that ending with the bird made me teary-eyed

-

credits: BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AS SATAN

WOW

OKAY

AKSFJDSF /snorts

-

the end credits and the song i just wanna bawl my eyes out

i loved this so much and i’m so glad it was GOOD

i loved that they added so many people of colour. in the book i imagined crowley played by alexander siddig (star trek: deep space 9 era) but i guess david tennant makes a pretty good crowley too

i’m trying not to be upset that my favourite scene with the dove and aziraphale’s affectionate use of “dear” was taken out

but 

this was damn good regardless. even gayer in places than in the book

-

this nightingale song is my new favourite song

i never got the reference before

“and as we kissed and said goodnight, an nightingale sang in berkeley square:

GAY

SO GAY

i love

-

the end of the credits “For Terry”

ACTUAL OUT LOUD SOBBING

TERRY YOU WOULD’VE LOVED THIS

NEIL DID YOU PROUD

-

oh this was so beautiful

i’m gonna watch it again with my family probably within the week. i’m so emotionally tender now

azIRAPHALE WAS SO FLUFFY AND CROWLEY WAS SO NICE ABOUT THE BOOKS

ugh i love them more than ever

anathema...... i don’t know if i relate to her, want to be her, look up to her, want her to mentor me, live with her, or find her attractive. maybe all of the above. but she was freaking PERFECT. PE R F E CT 

the casting was so... just right. thank you casting people for anathema.

like... i also didn’t mind the newt/anathema thing so much now. it was hard to tell in the book how much of a relationship they had after, but that smile she gave while lying in bed the morning after, that worked, it said a lot. and i like that it was her choice to burn the prophecy sequel rather than newt’s suggestion

gabriel was amusing. like.. i’m glad he wasn’t in the book. but he was great here. also really like michael and uriel. uriel was so damn beautiful.

i also would really have liked to see a mention of the fact crowley and aziraphale are both agender and potentially asexual. not even a hint of it here. buuuuuut it guess i know from the book. so.

my favourite episode was of course episode 3 with crowley and aziraphale’s 6000 year backstory. especially the 1940s bit where crowley saved the books <3

this show was was less confusing than the book too. ugh it was done so well

OH

we didn’t see where the soldier guy went when aziraphale zapped him away!!! in the book he reappeared safely back home and went out to see his family. to be fair i don’t know whether he died and went to heaven, but it was a nice thing to happen

and they took out the Them’s bully/rival gang, who was led by the third baby from the baby swap, and who won awards for his tropical fish. at least that’s what i remember. which meant the parallel about heaven/hell being rival gangs was lost here. but the parallel between the horsemen and the them was stronger than ever and i loved that.

look, i mean, 10 out of 10, EASY.

favourite thing? yes. yes, absolutely.

--

shoutout to the one time i wrote a Good Omens/Destiel crossover fic The Angel Cake Challenge

IT’S 04:02am THIS TOOK ME 12 HOURS

04:40am AND FORTY MINUTES TO EDIT

congrats if you made it to the end of this!!! thank you for reading <3 AND GO WATCH THE SHOW IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY

[gingerwritess]

Please, Kiss Me (Part 2/6)

Summary: (Loki x reader) five times that Loki kissed you, and the one time you kissed him: you and Loki share a midnight kiss to welcome the New Year.

Warnings: kissing *gasp* and alcohol

A/N: thank you so much for all the love on part one! FYI I’m a sucker for drunk Loki. And drunk lovers in general. It’s my favourite ugh

If you have any ideas or requests for special kisses, drop me an ask!! I’m not completely set in stone for the last few parts of this series, so I’m open to suggestions!

Masterlist

Moodboard by @marveloussupernatural !!!!!!

You didn’t know it was possible for gods to get drunk. Granted, it had taken well over four bottles of Asgardian liquor, but it had finally sent Loki into a drunken tizzy. He just couldn’t turn down a challenge: a chance to prove that he could handle his liquor better than Thor (who was at the moment running up and down the stairs to the loft and living room, waving his hammer wildly and screeching the Bob the Builder theme song at the top of his lungs).

It was awesome. The last thing you had ever expected to see was Loki, the definition of sophistication and upholding a powerful image, stumbling about the party with a rosy tint on his normally gaunt cheeks. Yet here you were, lounging against the bar, laughing at the god across the room as he began to work his way towards you.

He smiled cheekily at you, taking another swig of his drink as he came to a halt in front of you. “I did it,” he told you proudly. “I beat Thor.”

Before you could respond, Loki brought a finger under your chin and tilted your head up for a sudden victory kiss. Unfortunately he completely missed your lips and ended up smashing his mouth against your cheek under your left eye.

“Loki!” You burst out laughing, grabbing his arms and pushing him away from you. “What the hell was that?”

The frustrated look on his face only made you laugh harder as he realised his mistake.

“I missed!” He exclaimed, obviously upset with himself for messing up his attempted kiss. He moved in to kiss you again, but you pressed a finger to his lips with a laugh.

“Save it for midnight, my love.” You winked at him and took the drink out of his hand, bringing it to your lips for a sip.

Loki’s brow furrowed as he watched you take his drink, mulling over your words. “Two things,” he mumbled, confidently holding up three fingers. “One: you haven’t had enough to drink. You can’t be more sober than I am. And two… what’s at midnight?”

“It’s New Year’s Eve!” You answered in shock. “You don’t know? At midnight, a new year starts, and the tradition is for everyone to kiss right at midnight.”

Loki reached for his drink back, but you held it just out of his grasp. After a moment of struggling, he dropped his head in defeat to rest on your shoulder, unable to reach his drink.

“That’s it?” His voice was muffled by your shirt. “Humans are so… odd. Why can’t you just kiss whenever you want?”

You chuckled, running your fingers lovingly through his hair. “We can. But some kisses are more special than others, like the first one of a new year.”

Loki moved to place a sloppy kiss against your neck, humming in understanding. “If you give me my drink,” he began, raising his head to stare you in the eye. “I promise you. I’ll give you the best New Year kiss in the world.”

You pretended to mull it over, taking another drink just to tease him.

His eyes widened, and he grabbed your face to cradle it in his hands. “No! I’ll give you the best kiss in all the nine realms.” He spoke with such determination, you couldn’t resist him.

With a chuckle, you tugged his hand off your face and handed him his drink. “Fine, here you go. But don’t you dare let me down.”

He nodded firmly. “I won’t, don’t you worry, Y/N.” He suddenly slammed his fist on the bar top to get the bartender's’ attention. “Excuse me! I need five shots of your strongest liquor, now,” he demanded, then turned to you with a mischievous grin. “Four for you, only one for me. You need to catch up to me, darling.”

—————————————————————-

The night flew by, drawing closer and closer to midnight. Cups had been overflowing, almost everyone enjoying the party in a tipsy daze.

You and Loki sat on the couch, you on his lap leaning against his chest, your arms around his neck to keep him close. You were giggling hysterically as Loki whispered sweet nothings to you, cheeks flushed and heart fluttering at his words. His long fingers traced up and down your thigh, each time reaching a tiny bit higher under the hem of your dress.

“I want you to be my queen,” he murmured in your ear, his breath against your skin smelling of hard liquor.

Pushing away from him, you reached up to tuck a stray lock of his hair behind his ear with a drunken grin. “Me too. Where do I sign up?”

Loki let out a laugh that was much too loud for your dumb comment, then pointed at his face. “Here! On my mouth, please.”

You both seemed to have forgotten that other people were in the room. You eagerly moved to straddle his waist, leaning in for a kiss when Sam spoke up from the seat next to you.

“Damn Loki, want to spell it all out for us? Just in case we don’t understand?” he teased.

You giggled at his comment, but honest concern immediately spread across Loki’s drunken face.

“I-I want you to put your mouth on mine!” He explained to you seriously, pointing at his lips. “And then move them around, and-and oh! Can you put your tongue in my mouth?! I love when you do that.” His eyes lit up in excitement.

Everyone in the room burst out laughing at Loki’s obscenely honest requests.

“Shhhhhhhhh!” You sloppily pushed your forefinger against his lips. “You shouldn’t say that in front of everyone!”

His eyes closed as a smile grew on his wonderfully relaxed face. “Sorry, sorry,” he half-whispered, pursing his lips in an attempt to kiss your finger.

Taking another gulp of your drink, you pulled your hand away from his face, reaching down to grab his collar and pull him closer.

His eyes widened eagerly at your sudden movements. “Is it midnight yet?” He whined, reaching for your face.

“Four minutes to go,” you mumbled, peppering his cheekbones and forehead with kisses. The music continued to blare, minutes ticking away as all your friends partied on.

“Almost midnight!” Someone yelled, breaking you out of your daze staring into Loki’s eyes. 11:59!

Excited chatter filled the room. You hopped off Loki’s lap, clapping your hands together eagerly.

30 seconds.

Loki threw an arm over your shoulders, pulling you tightly against his side. His eyes twinkled in anticipation, drunk and happier than you’d ever seen.

“Ten! Nine! Eight!”

You joined in the countdown, yelling as loud as you could, and Loki quickly caught on.

“Three! Two! ONE!”

Deafening cheers erupted in the room. Champagne bottles were popped, confetti thrown, turning the room into a beautiful mess.

You turned to Loki and had just enough time to glimpse the confetti littering his disheveled hair before his lips smashed into yours, knocking you back onto the couch.

The shock lasted for just a moment before you melted under his weight. The hint of liquor still on his tongue was intoxicating, and you could tell he was kissing you with everything he had.

Oh, it was simply magnificent. Different, sloppy, but magnificent all the same. He moved against your lips messily and explored your mouth with a newfound, drunken interest, treasuring your touch as he held himself above you.

Feeling adventurous, you grabbed his bottom lip between your teeth and gave it a tug. Loki let out a grunt in surprise, his eyes flying open. His arms holding himself above you lost all strength and gave out.

Suddenly all his weight was on you, knocking the air out of your lungs with a loud “hmmph!”

Realising he could be hurting you, Loki scrambled to get off you, but you burst out laughing and latched your arms around him. Unfortunately his balance was already thrown off, so the sudden movement caused the two of you to tumble off the edge of the small couch onto the hardwood floor with a crash.

Oops.

The chatter in the room screeched to a halt and you felt every pair of eyes in the room turn to look at you.

Loki’s hands dug into your waist to keep you on top of him instead of hitting the ground, and you buried your face into the crook of Loki’s neck in embarrassment.

“Are you ok, darling?” He mumbled, trying to lift your head up to look at you.

“Well shit. Don’t ever let these two drink again.”

You barely heard Tony’s comment, but it brought a snort of laughter to your lips. Soon you were shaking with laughter, and you lifted your head up to look down at Loki with tears of laughter in your eyes.

“Just… just kiss me again,” you giggled breathlessly, watching his embarrassed expression go from concern to amusement at the situation you had quite literally fallen in to.

His hand snaked up your sides to grip the back of your neck, pulling you down to lock his lips on yours once more.

Taglist:

@lisalisa007 @agarwaeneth @fuckthatfeeling @thatweirdwalangpake @antisocialxxxx @lou-makes-me-strong @angelrosepotter

[captaincanarygotmelike]

CC Scene Compilation!!!

LINK

Okay so this has all been a lot, but I finally have the CC scene compilation ready!!! Thank you to those who sent suggestions about how to upload it because it was a challenge, and it is available here as well as the link above. It is quite lengthy, and like I said, there are some serious stretches so below the cut (bc it’s literally five pages in a doc and I’m 10/10 not gonna take up your feed with it) is a commentary of sorts that sorta resembles my old snapchat recaps. Anyway I had a lot of fun doing this and I hope you enjoy watching it!

0:00 - how fucking dARE THEY delete this scene

0:21 - you can’t tell me he isn’t checking her out aLSO birth of killer, klepto, and pyro

0:44 - walk walk fashion baby

1:00 - OKAY i have so much to say about this scene here we go

          1) captain canary song

          2) len and mick’s expressions

                2a) mick already knows len’s in trouble

          3) can we talk about how fuckin dramatic len is like mick paid two whole dollars for those beers you did not need to throw them onto   the ground with such passion

2:40 - i know people have said this before but when ray says “whats the point of us even giving this a second thought” hE LOOKS RIGHT AT SARA

3:01 - the way i cut these scenes makes it look like it’s not cut at all whoops but also len is saying a wedding thing cOINCIDENCE? I THINK NOT

3:28 - i’m laughing so hard look at how his expression changes when he’s talking to sara vs carter

3:48 - in sync

3:57 - look at rip’s expression when len leans down to sara he knows somethings up

5:10 - i literally just put this in bc it’s super badass

5:24 - prison break reference #687574848 also their fckn expressions at *5:59* like subtlety is not their strong suit

6:03 - it took until 1x5 to get a one-on-one CC scene like wtf is up with that also *7:10* THE WAY HE SAYS HER NAME also *7:11* birth of crook/assassin

7:23 - what a good husband trying to stop her from killing one of their teammates #relationshipgoals

8:00 - Sara is backseat driving as a fuckn corpse and I can’t handle it

8:52 - gimme a second this scene will make sense here i swear

9:29 - to continue WHAT A FCKN HYPOCRITE he wanted mick to leave ray in a whole russian gulag but he’s super chill about leaving mick in the middle of rampaging prisoners to find sara yes this is indeed a callout post

9:40 - what a good husband pt. 2 also absent rip ex machina

10:26 - the way len looks at her literally destroys me

10:35 - acknowledging the husband’s achievements

10:51 - i put more of the scene in than i needed to bc the convo between rip/mick makes me laugh every time aLSO len and sara are talking about the in-laws

11:15 - len is all chill and then when not-slade mentions sara he’s like dafuq did you say

11:35 - the way sara looks at him i can’t handle it

11:58 - first of all, everything mick does is mood, second of all look at them playing cards

12:35 - eYE SEX 

13:23 - once again i cut two scenes to look like-ish one but the way she looks at him i can’t handle it

13:51 - okay so i’m not a doctor or anything involving medical anything but why are they gonna die? hypothermia? this is a lot of drama about a room that’s uncomfortably cold also if gideon knows that two team people are gonna die if the door doesn’t open, she should be able to open the doors. she says that “the bulkhead is designed to stay shut” but isn’t she the “designer”? like can’t she just change or override the code or whatever? okay rant over

14:16 - aww look at them bonding also *15:00* Sara you’re lYING

15:53 - okay i feel like they’re dragging this out a long time but aLSO SOMEONE tell me there’s a fic of when Len gives sara his jacket ALSO isn’t this about when Len switches over to wearing just a normal leather jacket cOINCIDENCE? I THINK NOT

16:43 - Sara’s expression i literally can’t aLSO *17:00* nOBODY can tell me he looked back at aNYBODY except Sara

17:11 - once again this will make sense in just a moment alSO note that at the end of the scene *17:39* captain out-cold is still lying in a fckn heap on the floor

17:40 - this means that Leonard somehow dragged himself to wherever the fuck mick and sara are to help her i mean like when i fall up the stairs i always have to take a second and be like am i okay? did i survive this? and literally seconds ago he was unconscious or something yet here he is and if that isn’t love idk what is

17:51 - okay i swear len and sara are looking at each other over the holo table

18:07 - i literally just put this in because of how he says her name

18:16 - aww he did the thing where you’re looking at someone and then they look over and you pretend you weren’t checking them out

18:20 - first of all why the fUCK is rip putting in those eye things FIVE FEET AWAY FROM THE GUARD HE DID NOT COME PREPARED also that look between len and sara like are they married or what

19:04 - this banter i can’t handle it also rip is so done with them

19:40 - they’re finishing each other’s sentences

19:52 - she’s talking about her husband

20:22 - guys this is probably my favorite cc scene no joke

20:25 - okay so i don’t remember why i put this scene in but they’re standing really close to each other and i’m here for it

21:34 -  look at them fighting this is relationship goals

21:45 - captain “let’s all just calm down” my ass this is another of my favorite scenes like he’s normally so chilled out (pun intended) but then he sees sara in danger and he’s like uh fuck no

23:04 - first of all the cut at 23:12 is the worst editing i’ve ever seen like how did they get away with that they’re literally standing in completely different places but also LOOK AT LEN’S SMILE AT SARA PLAYING WITH THE GUN

23:37 - is this not the most badass thing you’ve ever seen

23:49 - sara crossing her fingers is fckn adorable and also len looks over to her don’t even argue with me about it

23:55 - the banter i can’t handle it

24:04 - okay so this might be a biiiit of a stretch BUT i sWEAR len is checking out sara’s ass look out i’m gonna get scientific here but considering how far he had to look over to watch stein there is no way he was looking at the holo table just sayin

24:18 - kendra knows things also this whole scene is adorable

25:06 - i don’t remember why i thought this was a cc scene but they’re together and i’m 10/10 here for it

25:12 - they’re talking about the in-laws again

25:20 - height difference

25:33 - i spy a bit of jealousy

25:46 - listen to the marital banter

25:55 - someone save me from this scene there’s like nine seats around them and sara chose to sit on the ground where she’s closer to len and also they’re passing the bottle back and forth and they look like a goddamned married couple and i cAN’T HANDLE IT

27:19 - killer klepto and pyro back at it again

28:16 - this implies that he’s tried to distract her in the past and all i can say is where’s the fic?

28:36 - guys i have so much to say about this scene and i already have here but i sWEAR TO GOD its the scene sara realizes she’s in love with len you can fight me on this aLSO gideon is an asshole

30:32 - banter game real strong

31:00 - this is starting to make me so sad bc i just feel like there’s a such a strong connection between the two of them here and then it all blows up (too soon) but also their little smiles at the end of the scene is so freakin cute i can’t handle it

32:08 - sara keeps looking over at len also he’s finishing her sentences and also ray came here to have a good time and honestly he’s feeling so attacked rn (although tbh nobody is hitting him that hard) also sara’s smile at the end in conclusion this scene is hella underrated

34:08 - okay this scene is too much for me but also to all the people who said “it came out of nowhere” like first of all wtf were you even watching the last 14 episodes? but also i think len’s line “it’s the things i didn’t do that keep me up at night” is the perfect way to be like hey so this was going on but len doesn’t like to talk about his feelings okay so this scene is too much for me and his smile at the end is hurting me

35:25 - guys i’m not ready

35:43 - guys i’m actually crying like it’s so not fair that we got to see len become such a good person and i know i’m biased but i truly believe that captain canary was the best developed ship we’ve ever had on the show and it sucks so hard that we never got to see them in an actual relationship like i really feel like it would have been so good but it literally never got mentioned again after this episode like even in 1x16 like wtf is up with that anyway sorry i’m ending this on such a sad note but literally all i want in life is just a bit more CC before the show eventually ends like is that too much to ask for

also i didn’t put in the scene where the oculus blows up bc look did it actually ever happen idk

[stupidpianist]

27 october 2018

10:00: Shut off alarm, hit snooze. I set my phone’s snooze to ten minutes, I should probably lower it to five because of the frequency with which I “snooze”...

10:10: Shut off alarm again, put it to snooze.

10:20: Turned off all alarms until alarms at 11h. Got up and chugged giant glass of water from Brita.

10:21: Back in bed. Trying to sleep more, not ready to “start the day” yet.

10:40: Woke up from strange nightmare in which the world was experiencing an apocalypse, hard to remember exact details, remember being on an ark-like massive boat, trying to escape from some kind of antagonistic war force? Remember there being a corrupt leader. Almost 99% of my dreams are about banal things, like, literally Googling things and reading Wikipedia, the other 1% are always really dangerous apocalyptic or life-threatening situations in which I’m trying to save as many people as possible.

11:00: Shut off alarm, turned over to right side, went into “fetal position,” thought, “wow, this is comfortable, wow, this is so comfortable.”

11:30: Woke from another weird dream, dreamt that I was seeing the band Ghost perform in Montreal, only, the crowd was really diminutive, and most of the people in the audience were inexplicably not paying attention to the show at all. I was able to go right up to the stage. They played a few songs. I woke up. Weird. Going to get up now and clean my bathroom, it needs a “thorough scrubbing.”

11:31: Chugged another massive glass of water from Brita. So satisfying, one of the most satisfying things, waking, feeling dehydrated, taking glasses of water “to the face.” Mm. Yum.

11:32: Cleaning bathroom. Have probably super-harmful-to-environment chemical thing that is used to scrub porcelain surfaces. Have my “trusty,” “handy dandy” cleaning sponge. Have paper towels. First scrubbing tub, it’s gotten so grimy, wow… I remember when I used to work in a local ice cream parlor in my town, and one of my favourite things to do would be to mop the floors. The other employees and managers found this really weird, always said, like, “nobody wants to mop the floors,” but I always explained that it was one of the few activities that you could see the 1:1 results of your efforts immediately after doing it, and so I found it really really satisfying. Feeling the same way right now, scrubbing the tub, seeing all the muck and filth wash away with every little sponge motion.

Moving onto the sink now, first have to clear everything off of it. Electric toothbrush, check. Plastic comb, check. Gatsby hair product thing, check (when Phoebe came to use my wifi she was like, “of course you use Gatsby,” and I thought “oh crap, I’ve been ‘caught,’ I’ve been ‘pigeonholed’”). Toothpaste, check. Razor, check. Scrubbing sink now, scrubbing hard, scrubbing efficiently. This chemical stuff really “works wonders,” there must be some seriously bad stuff in here… Should I be using gloves? I don’t have sensitive skin, I’ve never really had problems with… With chemicals and my hands? I don’t know, seems like I should be using gloves right now.

11:43: Okay, deep-clean scrub finished, going to shower now, been looking forward to showering since last night. Don’t know why, I shower every day? I don’t know, maybe it’s from excitement that I’m, like, “preparing for the night,” going to meet up with person I met for drinks with a few nights ago this evening, extremely excited to do this, so, like, the shower is, like, propelling me into the day? Which gets me closer to the evening? I don’t know I DON’T KNOW I’m just trying to say I’m really hyped for this shower, okay? Going to put on some sweetass shower music. I got the best shower tunes, hit me up if you want the “sickest, dopest” shower playlists. I can curate them to your specific genre or BPM preferences. Just let me know, “drop me a line.”

11:48: Putting on clothes now. Going to “throw on” my “edgy pants,” and a thermal top, and “FUNERAL” hoodie, and Walnut Hill jacket. “Standard attire,” heheh. Wondering if I should also wear my raincoat? It’s supposed to rain steadily this evening, but I don’t want to be, like, sweating… I also don’t really mind the rain, it’s just water, it’s really not that big of a deal, it’s just like, you’re wet, so what? I’ll just bring my super crappy umbrella with me, that should be enough to mitigate any “water damage” my body could take. Read in Disaster Artist yesterday that Tommy had a daily routine of drinking five Red Bulls. Reminds me of me in middle school. “Fiending for” a Red Bull today, really “jonesing” for one, going to put some change in my pocket and grab one from a dep on my way to school.

12:00: Backpack: PACKED. Wallet: IN POCKET. Keys? I GOT THOSE TOO, BABY. Going to head to school and update this liveblog, and then practice piano for however many hours my brain lets me. Not sure what kind of “piano vibes” I’m getting today, but I hope it’ll be good?? Have also been putting off listening to Daniil Trifonov’s newest album, it’s Rachmaninov’s second and fourth concerti, and some Bach transcriptions. I really don’t like the fourth concerto, and I only sometimes like the second, even though I was super obsessed with it when I was younger, in my early-and-mid teens. Remember texting one of my friends, someone I feel more fondly towards than almost any of my friends, Alex, how long it took him to learn the first movement of the second concerto, just as a baseline so I could compare my own timeline and see if I was “on par” with how good at learning new pieces I wanted to be, and he told me he learned it in something ridiculous like one afternoon. He’s one of the most self-determined people I’ve ever met, maybe the most self-determined, miss him a lot. Should send him a message, why haven’t I done that...

Sorry sorry yeah so I’m going to take some time too and listen to the album in the practice rooms. Will probably/inevitably give me more practicing motivation. I am a huge fan of Trifonov. Will let you people know how the album is.

16:25: Packing up my piano books. Hey hey hey! Hi hi hi! What’s up YouTube!! If you’re wondering how the practicing went, it was… Satisfactory. I started warming up with some Schubert, his last sonata, and promptly started like sobbing uncontrollably. Can never seem to make it more than a few pages in before this always happens. Played through the first movement and second movement, no repeat in the first just to “save time” as I intended it to be a warm up, and created a pretty substantial pool of tears on the practice room floor by the time I was done. How the heck does anyone practice pieces like this without becoming a giant mess of tears?? Dissociate? I don’t know.

Felt really really good to play through it, though; one of my favourite pieces that I love the more and more I work on it. I thought I sounded really good in the Schubert, so I moved to Alkan, which was substantially worse. Felt like I had really heavy brain fog, like, a dense miasma of brain fog. Was able to play, but felt distinct disconnection between what my hands were doing, and what my head was thinking. I really hate that sensation, when you don’t feel in control of what you’re playing, so I switched to Thalberg, which was a bit better, but really just felt off. Played it through and did a little passage work before turning to Beethoven, opus 110, another one of my favourite sonatas, and my favourite Beethoven sonata by a long shot. After working on this pretty intensely I was like, okay, so you practiced for an okay amount of time, four hours or so, and even though you didn’t sound good, or feel good, you still did work, and you still put in effort.

Haven’t gotten groceries in a long time, going to head to Provigo to get supplies for massive Greek salad and pasta, here’s what I’m gonna get:

-bell peppers

-cherry tomatoes

-english cucumber

-lemon

-kalamata olives

-dill (maybe, if i want to “splurge”)

-red onion

-feta cheesee

-pasta sauce (i’m lazy i don’t wanna make it myself don’t judge me okay)

-mushrooms

Have the rest of the ingredients like dry pasta and stuff for Greek salad dressing at home. Gonna try and “beat the rain,” too.

16:45: Success in the grocery store. Also ended up buying a large scented candle as a bit of an impulse purchase; I really like things that create pleasant/comfy/cozy scents, and my Airwick thing I plug into my wall ran out of oil, and I don’t have any more incense, so I was like, “yeah, my mom loves scented candles, I love scented candles, let’s get a scented candle, yes.” Chose “Cashmere Woods” scent. It’s brownish in colour. Hope it smells as good as the name implies, one can never tell just by pure sniffing of the unmelted wax… Very… distrustful… Oh, oh! Also got bananas. Need some breakfast food that I can take and run out of the door.

16:56: Home. Going to unpack groceries and then read more of the Disaster Artist in bed, I think. Will also catch up on some YouTube tech videos. Feeling like a real nerd right now.

16:59: Got a Facebook message from the person I’m seeing again tonight!!! Okay so we’re going to meet at 22h, that gives me enough time to be productive before then, getting really cozy in bed, “settling in” for a nice read. Heheh. Ho ho ho. Something about “hehe” is just so funny to me, I still can’t place why, can any of you help explain it to me?

18:13: Got through a whole slew of tech videos, a whole mess of tech videos. Was just starting to read Disaster Artist when I heard the notification sound from my speakers hooked up to my laptop on my esk that notifies me when my younger brother signs into Overwatch. “Chatted him up” and he said he could play A FEW ROUNDS. MULTIPLE. Do you people realize how huge this is?! Usually he just has time for one! Maybe it’s because he has a long weekend? Monday for him is a teacher’s day or something, so he gets it off. Either way, here we go!!!!

19:37: Wow those were some INTENSE games. Played tank for some of it, then DPS for most of it. Haven’t actually played Tracer in so long, I used to main her so hard. Still my favourite champion to play alongside Junkrat. We played pretty well, won most of our rounds, wow, my adrenaline is so pumped up from that, can’t believe it’s been over an hour?! Holy heck that flew by. Brother going to eat dinner now, recommended that I make greek salad. Will probably do that, or maybe go for a run?? I don’t know, I’ve been so physically inactive the past week, I feel like a slug, I should at least do SOMETHING.

20:08: Yeah my adrenaline is pumping way too hard. This always happens, as a kid even if I was just having a “playdate” with a friend, I would get so so so, uh, not anxious, but like overly excited? Manic? That I literally couldn’t focus on anything or sit still, so I’d just run around doing menial activities while sweating through my palms profusely and just feeling a huge tightness in my chest. This still happens to me, but not as strongly, I think?? Unless I’m super excited to see someone, which I am tonight?? I need to “burn off some steam,” think I’m going to go on an intense bike ride, okay, see you guys soon, yes yes YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

20:13: CHRIST ON A CRACKER I forgot it’s raining now!!! OH NO HOW AM I GONNA crap crap I don’t have a flipping fender for my bike so if I go biking I’m gonna get soaked crap crap crap maybe I’ll just take a walk and blast music?? Yeah that’s feasible, won’t get too “wet” from that it’s gonna be great, I’ll do that, okay!!!! Just “thinking out loud,” here, folks, move along, nothing to see here, nothing at all.

20:41: Back from walk. Was really nice, rocked out to some Ghost (Rats, Con Clavi Con Dio, Cirice, Faith, in that order, I think?) and just chose some side streets off of Saint Laurent. Picked up a “quille” of 10.1% Labatt that the person mentioned wanting to get after she taught me the Quebec slang for those 1.17L, or 40oz dirt cheap big bottles of beer. Can’t call them 40s here, different system of measurement, can now call them quille. Seems astounding it took me this long to learn the term for it. Also got some Unibroue beers to “balance out” the pond scum that is 10.1 Labatt, even though it seems like my best friends here and I all concur that 10.1 Labatt is strangely delicious? Like we’d voluntarily, and do voluntarily drink it. Ooh, and some Powerade, lemon-lime flavour, my favourite. I’ve always preferred Powerade to Gatorade in terms of taste for as long as I can remember. You may be asking, “George, that’s a lot of liquids, why did you even get the Powerade, that’s just sugar water.” You’re right, but I just got my pay stubs from the last two weeks so I know how much I made so I was like, “you can go crazy, it’s the weekend before Halloween, do it, loser.” And you know what??? I DID IT. Going to eat a turkey sandwich now. Internal monologue repeating, “a nicely stocked fridge means a nicely stocked mind.” Hehe. Eheheheh.

[otdderamin]

Transcript Critical Role C2 Ep014 0:13:00 Molly's Backstory

This transcript is largely scaffolding for multiple analysis. We learned an awful lot about Molly in this episode, both what he knows and doesn't know. This post is one of a long series examining Molly’s story and character. There will be an index on my blog collecting all of them.

If you like this transcript, please consider donating your time to Critical Role Transcripts, @CRTranscript on twitter, to help them provide closed captioning to Critical Role. We'd like to share this wonderful show with as many people as possible, regardless of hearing ability or English language skills.

 Also, consider buying me a coffee (ko-fi.com/otdderamin). This transcript came about after a terrible bout of pain has kept me from working for nearly a month, and I’ve already been struggling with adjusting to disability. Donating helps me justify spending time on these projects

  Scenes run

1. Introduction to Cree. 13:00 to 0:33:56

2. Blood for security. Cree is examined. 0:54:10 to 0:58:23

3. How did everything end? 1:04:01 to 1:12:11

4. Truth or Truth 1:55:03 to 2:22:00

  1. Introduction to Cree & The Gentleman. Blood is drawn.

0:13:00 Matt: "As you guys all watch, this dark furred tabaxi giving this big strong hug around Mollymauk's shoulders, pulls away and kind of looks at you and goes,"

0:13:08 Cree: "It has been… it has been too long. Two-"

0:13:11 Molly: "Far too long!"

0:13:13 Cree: "Two years!" She reaches out to Molly. "Ah, look at you! You grew out your hair."

0:13:16 Molly, laughing: "Yes, ah, it's been, it's been quite an interesting two years."

0:13:19 Cree: "And you are covered in tattoos."

0:13:21 Molly, waving her off: ""We'll catch up! We need a table, we need drinks, for me and my compatriots."

0:13:27 Cree: "Of course. You, ah, you—These are your friends now?"

0:13:30 Molly: "It's a long story. I'll get into it. I can't tell you everything right now. You know how it is."

0:13:35 Cree, with a short sigh: "Very well."

Molly laughs.

0:13:38 Cree: "Well…" She looks behind her.

0:13:40 Matt: "And as the tabaxi turns around, you can see there's posted right off to the right and around the corner, a hulking figure that is leaned around the edge that leads to this kind of L shaped tavern. A hefty, muscular-looking ogre that is wearing patchwork hide armor and is holding a giant maul, just kind of resting on the ground. Looks back around the corner with these beady, dark eyes and large looming jaw with angry broken teeth protruding from underneath. Just going," he gives a growling exhale. "Just kind of looks at the rest of you. Other folks around are looking a bit confused at your entry. Right immediately to your left is a table with what looks to be a rough and tumble cutthroat sitting there eating a sandwich with a half drunken drink whose kind of chewing slowly with this glare of mistrust in your direction.

0:14:29 "There are two balconies up above you in the chamber. You now get a better look up at the top. There are a number of individuals posted in—some of them appear to be drinking, but there are at least one of them immediately in your view has two skulking individuals with kind of long dark cloaks and dark armor. Carrying what almost looks like a heavy crossbow, but it's a long metal rod. You've only seen them used here and there, but these are some sort of a rifle-like firearm."

Taliesin looked concerned and quizzical at the start of the weapon description.

0:14:56 Taliesin, silently, wincing: "Fuck!"

0:14:56 Matt: "That are usually reserved for the armies in Bladegarden and to the far east of Xhorhas. A recently emerging technology that has been largely guarded within use of the Empire itself."

0:15:08 Taliesin, looking mildly dismayed: "This is literally everything coming back to haunt me. Okay cool."

0:15:11 Travis: "If we had to ballpark it, how many persons would you say are in this-?"

0:15:14 Matt: "Um, 13 or so people in this tavern. Including the bar tender, the individual who rushed you as you entered, and various patrons around that you can just get a quick bead on."

0:15:26 Taliesin: "The second she turns I'm going to just turn and give Fjord a little pat on the back and make a whisper really quickly."

0:15:33 Matt: "Okay."

0:15:33 Sam: "Make a whisper?"

0:15:34 Taliesin: "Yeah, I'm just going to whisper in Fjord's ear,"

0:15:35 Sam: "Oh, okay."

0:15:36 Molly, quietly but intensely: "I'm sorry. This is my nightmare. Please just go with it. It's Lucian."

0:15:39 Taliesin: "And I'm just back around."

0:15:41 Molly, in a hissing whisper: "Pass it on!"

0:15:41 Matt: "Okay. Which, as you say that, you back away and look right behind Fjord as you all are standing there, and there's Yasha."

0:15:47 Sam: "Oh, what!?"

Molly laughs nervously at her.

0:15:50 Sam: "Just at the bar?"

0:15:51 Matt: "Just- No, right behind you. As if she'd just come down the stairs with you."

0:15:54 Sam: "What!?"

0:15:55 Molly: "Yasha!"

0:15:56 Nott: "Ahh!"

0:15:56 Yasha: "Hey! So-"

0:15:58 Molly, reaching towards her shoulder then stopping. "Yes. I'm apparently-

0:16:00 Yasha: "Wait-"

0:16:00 Molly: "It's Lucian from two years ago."

0:16:03 Caleb: "You are just-"

0:16:03 Molly, subtly nodding at Yasha for her to go with it: "From two years ago. It's Lucian, remember?"

0:16:05 Yasha: "Oh!"

0:16:06 Fjord, quietly to the group: "Hey, uh, it's Lucian around here's what we're supposed to call him."

0:16:06 Molly: "It's been ages."

0:16:07 Yasha: "Okay. It's been ages. It's been a minute."

0:16:08 Molly: "Yeah. Right."

0:16:09 Yasha: "Uh, hey, you guys walked right past me in the bar upstairs, so I just decided to-."

0:16:14 Caleb: "You are like a bad penny."

0:16:15 Nott: "We did not walk right past you. We looked around."

0:16:16 Beau: "You keep showing up."

0:16:17 Yasha: "Or a lucky one."

0:16:19 Nott: "You're big. We would have seen you. Are you-"

0:16:21 Yasha: "I've been right behind you the whole time. I don't know how you didn't know I was here."

0:16:24 Nott: "She's a shapeshifter."

0:16:24 Molly, relieved: "I'm so glad to see you. Hi."

0:16:26 Yasha: "I'm glad to see you, too, Mollymauk."

0:16:27 Molly, emphatically: "Lucian."

0:16:29 Yasha: "Lucian."

0:16:29 Molly: "It's Lucian."

0:16:31 Yasha: "It's Lucian."

0:16:31 Fjord: "Do you want—"

0:16:31 Liam: "There's nothing private about our situation at all, right? There's people everywhere?"

0:16:35 Matt: "Well, there's people all throughout the tavern but there's some music playing. There's two musicians that are in the process of plucking away at two instruments. Everyone seems- Further in the chamber, rather absorbed in their current rigmarole, but you guys have just stepped down the stairs. You haven't left the stairs. You're literally standing right at the entrance of this tavern, and you've all been kind of taken by that encounter, the realization that Yasha had followed you down the stairs, and kind of whatever's about to transpire."

0:17:01 Molly, nervously grinning: "I'll explain later. Just go with it please."

0:17:02 Marisha: "Oh, Yasha followed us, she wasn't starting down here.

0:17:05 Matt: "No."

0:17:05 Travis: "Yeah, she-"

0:17:06 Marisha: "Gotcha gotcha."

0:17:07 Fjord: "I don't mind rolling with this name, Lucian, but does it bring any extra trouble with it?"

0:17:11 Molly: "I don't know. We'll find out."

0:17:13 Fjord: "Fair enough."

0:17:13 Molly: "Just go with it. I'll explain later."

0:17:15 Fjord: "Alright."

0:17:16 Caleb: "And it all makes sense to you?"

0:17:18 Molly, very nervously, his voice raising in pitch: "I'll explain later."

0:17:21 Beau: "This club is awesome!"

0:17:22 Molly, faltering nervously, exasperated: "I hate you."

0:17:23 Nott: "Do I have to change my name in this club?"

Molly looks at him deadpan, and nervously laughs.

0:17:27 Beau: "Are we all supposed to change our names?"

0:17:29 Nott: "We should all come up with different names."

Molly facepalms.

0:17:32 Molly, nervously to himself: "It might be easier just to have them all killed right—I didn't say that out loud. I didn't say that out loud. I'm just thinking out loud. Oh god."

0:17:37 Fjord: "Wow."

0:17:37 Molly: "It's going to be fine. I'm not panicking."

0:17:39 Beau: "Let's go get drinks."

0:17:40 Molly: "Let's go get drinks."

0:17:41 Matt: "At this point, a hand claps,"

0:17:41 Nott: "Do tieflings sweat?"

0:17:43 Molly: "They do!"

0:17:43 Matt: "and the tabaxi is now at one of the tables and has kind of shooed off one of the drinks, and goes,"

0:17:49 Cree, beaconing: "This way. I found a table for everyone."

0:17:53 Taliesin: "I come sit down. I give the Tabaxi another hug as we sit down."

0:17:57 Molly: "How have you been? It's been ages."

0:17:59 Cree: "Too long. I…" She chuckles. "I apologize for using your old name. Nonagon, it's a pleasure to see you again."

Molly smiles and nods graciously.

…

[They establish that Nonagon was a name she was calling Molly, correcting herself from Lucian.]

…

0:18:42 Molly: "Who can keep track these days? Again, a long story."

0:18:44 Cree: "Nonagon… what happened? We watched you die."

0:18:51 Molly: "That… is a story for another day and another drink. What did you see? God, what was…? I don't know what that looked like from the other end of things."

0:18:59 Cree: "Well, uh, it all went belly up two years ago. We, uh, you told us to scatter and vanish if it didn't, you know, if things went wrong wait until you returned. We buried your ass in the woods outside of the hideout. I mean I'm…"

9:19:17 Nott, quietly: "Buried your ass?"

9:19:18 Molly: "That may not have been, necessarily, my ass that you buried." He grins.

9:19:23 Cree: "Apparently."

9:19:25 Molly: "I had a few tricks up my sleeve."

Molly and Cree both quietly laugh.

9:19:29 Cree: "Well, uh, that spell-spittle lady from the capital, she said you were gone, and… she took the book and left. And her contract said she was in the right, and that we knew better than to go toe to toe with her and her ilk, so…"

9:19:43 Molly: "Obviously. Is everybody else alright? I know I- it's been a while; I had to stay underground."

0:19:49 Cree: "Unfortunately, uh, Jorell met with the axe of the law shortly after you left us."

9:19:56 Molly: "Damn shame."

9:19:57 Cree: "Zora and Otis and Tyfel have all scattered amongst the empire."

0:20:03 Molly: "Damn shame."

0:20:03 Sam, quietly, gesturing to his notes: "It's too much!"

0:20:03 Cree, pausing then eagerly: "Uh, but do you want me to find the others?"

0:20:05 Molly: "No, no! No actually I'm still-"

0:20:06 Cree: "I know where Tyfel is!"

0:20:08 Molly: "Where is Tyfel? I would rather, obviously, deliver everything in person. Honestly if I'd have known you were here, I'd have made arrangements. I didn't want to shock you."

0:20:15 Cree, intensely: "Well, she's up in Nogvorat. We can travel there. I can send a message and have her come down to us."

0:20:20 Molly, holding up his had to stop her: "I'm working on something very delicate. I need everything to be very quiet."

0:20:26 Cree: "Very well, Nonagon."

0:20:26 Caleb: "I apologize, I'm not very observant, did you- I missed your name."

0:20:31 Molly: "Where are my manners?"

0:20:31 Cree: "My apologies. My name is Cree."

0:20:33 Caleb: "Cree?"

0:20:35 Cree: "I am a member of the, well, the family around… Uh, how… how much do they know?"

0:20:45 Nott, too quickly and a little flat, definitely bullshitting: "We know a lot!"

0:20:46 Yasha, also a little flat: "Pretty much all of it, so…"

0:20:47 Nott: "We were told the name of the group that you traveled with, but I can't remember it now."

0:20:52 Molly: "You- They don't know a lot, but they're… they're trustworthy. I've been putting my trust in them, so far."

0:21:00 Yasha: "I do. I know all of it,"

0:21:02 Molly: "Yeah."

0:21:02 Yasha: "so you could just tell me if you wanted."

0:21:04 Molly: "That's actually fair."

0:21:07 Matt: "Make a deception check, both of you."

0:21:09 Sam: "Me?

0:21:10 Matt: "Yeah."

0:21:11 Sam: "I'm the worst!"

0:21:11 Liam: "Actually fair."

0:21:12 Sam: "13."

0:21:15 Taliesin, bargaining in a high voice: "Technically advantage cause it's kind of the truth?"

0:21:17 Matt: "Technically… alright, sure, I'll give you that."

0:21:18 Taliesin, squeakily: "Thank you. It wasn't entirely a lie?"

0:21:20 Travis: "She gets advantage? You get advantage?"

0:21:21 Liam mimicking Jester: "Technically…"

0:21:22 Ashley: "I got a 10."

0:21:22 Travis: "You get advantage."

0:21:23 Liam: "You get advantage. Roll again!"

0:21:23 Ashley: "But yeah, technically I know half of it. I'm rolling at advantage?"

0:21:25 Taliesin: "Yeah, yeah, I think that's advantage. I'm calling it- I beg for advantage on that one."

0:21:30 Matt: "I'll give you that."

0:21:30 Ashley: "16."

0:21:31 Taliesin: "Okay, thank you."

0:21:35 Matt: "Alrighty."

0:21:35 Liam, whispering, watching Marisha erase a bunch of notes: "Bad notes bad notes."

0:21:37 Marisha: "Bad notes! Get rid of those notes!"

Liam mimics flamethrowering the notes.

0:21:37 Cree: "We, um, we were all part of the same order at one point, and, uh, we splintered off. Luc- Nonagon, um, had a different path in mind for us. So, we went north to Shady Creek Run and we started the Tomb Takers."

0:22:01 Sam/Nott: "Tomb Takers."

0:22:03 Cree: "And ah…"

0:22:04 Travis/Fjord: "Grave robbers."

0:22:05 Cree, looking at Molly in awe: "It's just so good to see you."

0:22:07 Molly: "It's good to be seen again, but again, it's got to be very quiet right now."

0:22:12 Cree: "Very well."

0:22:13 Molly, with a laugh: "It's been like three other names since the last time I saw you."

0:22:18 Cree, softly laughs, then intently: "I should inform the other."

0:22:21 Molly, holding up his hand again: "Please, keep it quiet for now. That book caused more trouble than you think, and it all laid on my shoulders. I was trying to protect the rest of you from some of the worst elements of that. And I don't want..." He sighs. "I don't necessarily want any heat dropping on anybody who doesn't know it's coming yet."

0:22:36 Cree: "Of course."

0:22:38 Molly: "But yeah, let me know where they are, and I'll get a hold of them. But don't let them know why, yet."

0:22:43 Matt: "The tabaxi kind of curls in a little bit, kind of leans over the table a little bit with this big grin and says,"

0:22:47 Cree, intensely: "Does this mean that it worked?"

0:22:50 Molly, sighing: "That's… again, mixed company and public company."

0:22:57 Nott: "No, you can tell us about the ritual. Ritual?"

Molly waves her off.

0:23:03 Matt: "There's a look of recognition."

0:23:04 Nott: "Yes, it was successful." Squeakily, "Remind me what it was again? There's been so many rituals lately."

0:23:18 Molly: "Mixed results."

0:23:18 Caleb: "Were- You are mentioning this group, the Tomb Takers, you had another name before. Were you a group, and our friend joined you at some point?"

0:23:29 Cree: "Um, well, uh, led us away from the original order. They were a bit, um… clouded. We had a new path."

0:23:40 Fjord, deadpan: "Wow. Wow."

0:23:41 Beau: "And what was the name of the original order You were a part of." Cree looks suddenly very wary. "Once, uh, sorry just-"

0:23:46 Nott: "Not the Tomb Takers. That was the splinter group, right?"

0:23:49 Caleb: "The one that came before."

0:23:51 Matt: "There's a few looks now of… kind of… the euphoria is washing away from the face-"

0:23:56 Molly: "You don't have to tell them anything you don't want to tell them; that's alright."

0:24:00 Cree: "Of course."

0:24:00 Yasha: "Was he," she points at Molly, "your new path?"

Molly nervously laughs.

0:24:03 Cree: "He brought us onto a new path, yes."

0:24:08 Molly, yikes grinning: "Yeah…"

0:24:08 Caleb: "What was your unifying trait, or pursuit?"

0:24:13 Molly sighing: "Foolishness and thinking I knew what I was doing."

0:24:15 Nott, firmly: "That is not a good answer!"

0:24:17 Molly: "That's the answer you're getting."

0:24:19 Fjord: "Yeah, this is all well and good and kinda fucking boring. I couldn't help but notice that surly looking crew up there. Who might that be?"

0:24:26 Cree: "Oh, uh, these are all members of the Gentleman's troop. As am I."

0:24:31 Matt: "At which point the tabaxi turns back, Cree turns back and looks, and you can see in the far back right corner of the chamber, there is a long, dark, kind of mahogany, well carved table. There you see standing arms crossed, a very muscular looking goliath female. With a very short, almost like a leather strap top, shaved sides of the head and what- kind of tuft of a mohawk that curls down into a long ponytail that goes down the back. Who's just kind of glaring in your direction.

0:25:02 "Sitting beside this burly looking goliath, you see a high back chair, with a red velvet mat. And sitting feet crossed up on the table in like a nice, long, deep blue coat, leather gloved hands, what appears to be a light teal skin, jet black hair that's long just past the shoulders, with like a widow's peak in the center, and bit of a dark goatee, a male figure standing there, hands kind of entwined and crossed, just looking at you from across the way with a curious grin."

0:25:41 Cree, gesturing to him: "The Gentleman."

0:25:42 Molly: "You work for the Gentleman these days?"

0:25:44 Cree: "We had to find work, and we didn't know if you were ever coming back. We thought… so we had to move on. We knew- you'd eventually return, I just did not know how long, and we had to make ends meet."

0:25:57 Molly: "How is it working for the gentleman?"

0:25:59 Cree: "Work is fine…"

0:26:00 Matt: "You hear a," he claps three times. "From the Gentleman."

0:26:04 The Gentleman: "So! We have company. Strangers in our midst." He laughs.

0:26:12 Matt: "Rights himself in the chair."

0:26:14 The Gentleman: "Please, come before me. Present yourselves. I want to know who has graced us with their majestic presence. Come, come!"

0:26:26 Matt: "The finger goes up and you watch as everyone holding the rifles cock them and point down at you."

0:26:29 Sam: "Oh, Jesus."

0:26:31 Nott: "Fjord, say something!"

Molly gestures "What is this?" or "Is this really necessary?"

0:26:32 Taliesin: "I'm looking at our friend."

0:26:36 Matt: "Cree. Cree goes,"

Cree gives a reassuring gesture.

Molly opens his hands in a gesture of "I don't know what this is about."

0:26:41 Taliesin: "Alright. I'll saunter over with my drink and sit down at the table."

0:26:41 Fjord: "After you, Lucian. Nonagon."

0:26:49 Molly: "C'mon everyone."

0:26:50 Fjord: "Uh-huh."

0:26:50 Molly: Let's do this."

…

[They start their conversation with The Gentleman.]

…

0:30:11 The Gentleman: "Alright. So, interesting. Now you know the way in. That's… dangerous. As we've just made acquaintances, and you now know the direct path into my domain. So, to make this a comfortable conversation, and possibly an arrangement going forward that we can all agree upon, I have one small request."

0:30:35 Fjord: "Oh, I'm sure we'd be all ears."

0:30:38 The Gentleman: "Cree! Please."

0:30:41 Matt: "And the tabaxi who was in the back goes,"

0:30:42 Cree: "Yes, of course."

0:30:44 Matt: "Steps over to the side of the bar and picks up a small leather satchel. Kind of puts it over her shoulder, walks up behind the table, opens it, and pulls out what looks to be an alchemist rack of a bunch of corked vials, like small vials, and kind of opens it. Says,"

0:30:59 The Gentleman: "I need, and bear with me please, just a small bit of your blood. The reasoning being, if I can't trust you, and you can't trust me, how am I to know you aren't going to turn me in immediately upside to the King's Hall. And I need some means in case you just abscond with this information, perhaps make an arrangement with me, and then leave town. I need to find you."

0:31:23 Fjord: "Oh, of course, and forgive my ignorance, this would be used to locate us? Is that what this would be for?"

0:31:28 The Gentleman: "Oh, that is Cree's specialty."

0:31:32 Molly: "It is definitely Cree's specialty."

0:31:35 Fjord: "Yeah, fuck it." He bites his finger."

0:31:37 Matt: "Alright. As you put your hand out, Cree kind of does a flick of the finger, and you watch as the blood kind of trails off on its own like a small serpent of mercury. And just " swooshing sound. "And for a second, even though it was a small wound, it's bleeding quite a bit. And you're like, 'Uh…?' It makes you a little uncomfortable, and then all of a sudden, the blood flow stops. The vial is filled about an inch full. Then she caps it."

0:32:00 Cree: "Thank you so much."

0:32:02 Fjord: "How'd you…? How did you do that?"

0:32:05 Cree: "It's, um… the gift that I learned, uh… in the same place where the Nonagon's gifts were found."

0:32:12 Molly: "Lucian at the table is fine."

0:32:14 Cree, with a small laugh: "Lucian."

0:32:16 Fjord: "Right."

0:32:17 Cree: "Next."

0:32:21 Molly: "I trust you with this. Don't get… fancy." He cuts his finger on his teeth."

0:32:26 Matt: "Same thing. Fills the next vial. A strange, almost an arc, of crimson finds its way and fills a secondary tube. And there's, like, twelve tubes there, but she'll fill as many as needed for this one."

0:32:39 Fjord laughs, looking at Nott's uncomfortable posture: "Don't like it do you?"

0:32:42 Nott, squirming a bit, nervously laughing: "Nuh-uh, no."

0:32:43 Beau: "Can I borrow a tusk."

0:32:44 Fjord: "Yeah."

Beau cuts her finger on Fjord's tusk.

0:32:48 Matt: "Goes ahead and acquires the blood from you. Jester goes,"

0:32:51 Jester, excitedly: "Me! Me, me, me too!"

0:32:51 Matt: "Feeling left out in the moment. Gives her blood as well."

0:32:58 Nott, hesitantly: "Caleb? Are we doing this?"

Caleb looks around suspiciously.

0:33:02 The Gentleman: "No harm will come to you unless you bring harm to me, so this is… this is just a precautionary measure. I appreciate your, uh, trust."

0:33:10 Fjord/Travis, counting: "Three to go?"

Caleb cuts his finger.

0:33:20 Matt: "With that, your blood is taken into a vial."

0:33:25 Nott: "Alright, I'll follow suit."

0:33:27 Matt: "Your blood is also taken into a vial."

Nott hisses as she bites into her finger.

0:33:29 Matt, laughing: "Easy enough to do." He mimics a blood spurt.

0:33:36 Yasha, sighing: "Fair enough."

0:33:37 Ashley: "I just take my finger and I just run it across my blade as I stare at him."

0:33:40 Sam: "Oof."

0:33:41 Matt: "The blood is drawn into the vial. The final vial is capped. Cree closes the satchel, places it on the shoulder, and then bows and steps back, paying direct attention to The Gentleman, and then out of the corner of her eye towards you." Indicating Molly.

0:33:54 The Gentleman: "Fantastic. I really appreciate that."

0:33:56

…

[Description of The Gentleman. Card Game with Fjord. Learn Lord Sutan is in prison, and Molly and Beau are being looked for. Nott tests the Gentleman and he pulls off the ultimate power move. Agree to the task with The Gentleman to prove themselves and get Horace out of the city.]

  2. Blood for security. Cree is examined.

0:54:10 Yasha: "How long do you keep our blood for?"

0:54:12 The Gentleman: "Oh, as long as we have our arrangements."

0:54:15 Yasha: "But we get it back when we're done? Or if we decide to not work with you anymore?"

0:54:19 The Gentleman: "If… If you've proven yourself trustworthy enough, in the long term, perhaps. But understand, this is just a, uh… precaution. Who's to know, perhaps things go sour in a few months? I want to make sure you don't double cross me and send the guard down."

0:54:41 Yasha: "Understood."

0:54:41 Marisha: "Does he look like he's speaking from experience? He's a little twitchy."

0:54:45 Matt: "Make an insight check."

0:54:50 Marisha, grumbling: "14."

0:54:53 Matt: "It seems that he's exis- It's more that he's lived this long by being careful. And when a bunch of strangers suddenly find the secret pass into his lair, he wants to be damn well sure that he knows where to find you if need be."

0:55:11 Ashley: "Okay. Okay."

0:54:14 Fjord: "Fair enough."

0:54:14 Yasha: "Fair enough."

0:55:15 Molly: "Remember, the name Lucian doesn't leave this bar. Outside, I never want to hear it uttered."

0:55:21 The Gentleman, with a soft laugh: "I don't know who any of you are outside of this bar."

0:55:23 Molly: "Brilliant!"

0:55:23 The Gentleman: "Don't worry. Anyway…"

0:54:25 Matt: "And he throws his feet back on the table. Drinks are on me until you make your leave."

…

[They look around at the other patrons.]

…

0:57:46 Taliesin: "I'm taking a long look at Cree and I want to see if I see any of the things that I expect to see when I look at her."

Taliesin indicates upper jaw, temple, and shoulder.

0:57:52 Travis: "What so you expect to see there, T?"

0:57:54 Sam: "You know, dander."

0:57:56 Taliesin: "Yeah, yeah. I wanna- I wanna see if there's any markings or any- otherwise that I would expect to see."

0:58:01 Matt: "Oh. Make a perception check."

0:58:03 Taliesin: "Alright."

0:58:06 Liam: "We'll find out in episode 102."

0:58:07 Travis: "Yeah."

0:58:08 Sam: "Why are you lock your iPad between every move!?"

0:58:10 Taliesin: "Because it's better that way. Uh, perception check?"

0:58:12 Liam: "Because he's got [all of us?]"

0:58:13 Travis: "Trust no one."

0:58:14 Taliesin: "Wow! That's a terrible roll. Uh… That's a 5."

0:58:19 Matt: "A fur-covered tabaxi, it's hard to make any details out beyond the fun, unfortunately."

0:58:22 Taliesin: "Alright. That's fair."

0:58:23

…

[They interview the guys that failed the mission.]

 3. How did everything end?

1:04:01 Molly: "Yasha? Do I do this? Or do I not deal with this?"

1:04:05 Yasha: "Well, I think you should deal with this."

1:04:06 Molly, with an exasperated sigh: "I don't want to deal with this."

1:04:07 Yasha: "Does any of this sound familiar to you from your past?"

Molly gives a stressed sigh and taps the table.

1:04:13 Molly: "I hate this."

1:04:14 Taliesin: "I'm going to stand up and walk over to Cree."

1:04:16 Matt: "Okay. Cree is kinda of still standing by the bar with the satchel on. And as you stand up and start approaching, she kind of smiles."

1:04:24 Molly: "A lifetime ago."

1:04:27 Cree: "Indeed. I can't tell you… it's so good to see you."

1:04:30 Molly: "I have a- I have a weird question."

1:04:32 Cree: "Yes?"

1:04:32 Molly: "And I apologize for it. The spell I used to get away, it- meant I wasn't there for as long as you- thought I was. I missed… how a bit of everything ended in the end. I hate to ask, but… I was long gone before anything really started to go down. How did- How did everything end? Can you just-? I just-? I'll explain why in a moment."

1:04:59 Cree: "Well, uh, I mean… You had acquired the tome with the ritual spell that you required to- to attempt to reach the city. And that- that lady, I don't remember her name,"

1:05:15 Molly: "I don't either."

1:05:16 Cree: "the spell-slinger from the capital-"

1:05:18 Molly: 'Yeah."

1:05:19 Cree: "she came and oversaw and performed the ritual for you that- Eh, I don't trust those folk, but I trust you, and if you trusted them that was enough for me. And you gave us a speech, we had a fine meal, and we all got ready there in the forest."

1:05:40 Molly: "That's where I lost you, then."

1:05:43 Cree: "And, uh… She said it would be hard for us to tell whether or not it worked at first, but we went and checked, and you were not breathing. For a good hour you are not breathing, and you were gone cold. So, we… we knew then that we… that we had lost you. We checked—and I, I'm very attuned to vitals, as you know, so—there was no heartbeat. So, we waited longer. And… The sun rose, nothing. So, as you told us, if anything were to go wrong, we had to… get rid of any… sign, any trace. So, not far from the… Tomb Taker Hideout, we buried you, and we went our separate ways. She took the tome, the mage woman. That was part of the arrangement you had with her."

1:06:50 Molly: "Going to have to find her again at some point. The reason I've stayed quiet… It was never going to work. Somebody was working against me. I don't know who, but I can't trust anyone. I saw how you reacted to seeing me and it was… I'm willing to believe it wasn't you who turned. But it could have been- It could have been her, but it could have been one of us. That's why I need you to keep it quiet, please."

1:07:20 Matt: "Make a deception check."

1:07:21 Taliesin: "Thank you."

1:07:21 Matt: "You're starting to get in deep into this, now."

1:07:23 Taliesin: "Mmhmm."

1:07:23 Travis, suspiciously: "Deception check?"

1:06:26 Taliesin: "Uh… 13."

1:07:28 Sam: "Can I wander over to see if I can overhead anything?"

1:07:32 Matt: "Make a perception check."

1:07:34 Molly: "I can't…"

1:07:36 Sam: "12."

1:07:38 Matt: "You start wandering over, but there's too much noise and general din in the chamber around you to make anything out."

1:07:43 Molly: "There'll come a moment where I can tell you everything, but… it's so complicated. Please just keep it quiet for now."

1:07:50 Cree, unsure: "Of course."

1:07:51 Molly: "Until I know that everyone's going to react the way that you did to seeing me."

1:07:57 Cree: "Right. Of course, Lucian. I…"

1:08:01 Molly: "I will tell you everything eventually."

1:08:04 Cree: "Please. Please do."

Molly sighs.

1:08:07 Taliesin: "I give a hug."

1:08:09 Matt: "There's like a moment's pause and Cree then kind of takes in the hug too." Cree nods.

1:08:14 Molly: "Too long."

1:08:14 Matt: "Kind of, there's like a faint purr in the ear. And then you hear the voice, kind of whisper, say,"

1:08:19 Cree: "It's good to see you."

Molly nods.

1:08:22 Molly: I'm sorry for everything."

1:08:24 Taliesin: "And I give the pat and head back to the table.

1:08:27 Cree: "Me too."

1:08:2 Matt: "As you walk away."

…

[Caleb confronts Fjord about gambling]

…

1:10:18 Taliesin: "I'm gonna to walk over with a new round of drinks."

1:10:21 Molly: "Here, drink this. I'm told they're stupid."

Molly downs one and sets it down hard.

1:10:26 Beau: "Molly, you have- sorry," she laughs, "Lucian."

1:10:30 Fjord: "Naw, that's not it, either."

1:10:31 Beau: "Sorry, Nonnonnongatek."

1:10:34 Fjord: "Yep."

1:10:35 Molly: "It's Lucian for the moment. We'll talk about it later."

1:10:36 Yasha: "Would you- Would you like us to call you Lucian, or do you want us to call you Molly?"

1:10:39 Molly: "In here we're Lucian."

1:10:40 Caleb: "How many names are there? Is it over ten or under?"

1:10:43 Molly: "Uhh… Let's have that conversation somewhere else. I don't know who's listening here."

1:10:48 Beau: "She seemed like… real into you."

1:10:42 Fjord: "Yeah."

1:10:43 Beau: "But not like an into you like, 'Oh I'm gonna tap that!' kind of into you, but in like an 'I've seen you walk on water' into you."

1:11:01 Molly: "Yeah. That was a weird amount of into you, wasn't it?"

1:11:02 Beau: "Yeah."

1:11:03 Molly: "Yeah."

1:11:04 Fjord: "Can you change that alcohol into wine?"

1:11:07 Beau: "Yeah."

1:11:09 Taliesin: "I'm going to cut my finger, just a bit, and bleed into it."

1:11:14 Liam: "With one of your long finger nails?"

1:11:16 Beau: "Holy shit. You know, to a dumbass that's actually is kind of convincing."

1:11:21 Fjord: "It's alcohol one way or the other. I'll fucking drink it."

1:11:24 Sam, grossed out: "Ugh!"

1:11:26 Taliesin: "Is it wine?"

1:11:28 Matt: "No."

1:11:28 Taliesin, laughing: "Well, that-."

1:11:28 Matt: "It's bloody water. It's water with a hint of iron."

1:11:33 Travis: "Achievement unlocked!"

1:11:35 Taliesin: "Well, worth a try."

1:11:36 Liam: "Write what you know, Taliesin."

1:11:38 Fjord: "Molly, oh excuse me, Lucian,"

1:11:43 Beau: "Nantucket."

1:11:44 Fjord: "Yeah. How many others around here might we expect to have that same reaction towards you?"

1:11:48 Molly, increasingly on edge: "We will have- We will have this conversation outside this bar."

1:11:52 Marisha: "This is basically Taliesin at Ren Faire."

1:11:53 Molly: "Lucian-"

1:11:54 Travis: "Yeah! Yeah! 'Oh, Lord Taliesin, oh Lord Taliesin!' 'What the fuck?'"

1:12:01 Taliesin, facepalms: "This is not- This is not untrue."

1:12:01 Liam: "Taliesin there's fucking tabaxis coming out of every stall! What the hell, man!"

1:12:07 Taliesin: "Lucian's not going to answer any questions. Molly will answer every question you have later."

1:12:11

…

[They ask Yasha about why she leaves. Nott says everything that happened with the Drow. Yasha is from Xhorhas. Molly points out that people in the bar are listening to everything they say. They confront Kara.]

[Break]

[They talk to Horace.]

…

  4. Truth or Truth

1:55:03 Fjord: "Anything we want to do before we go out on this errand?"

1:55:07 Nott: "Oh yeah, I think there was one thing." To Molly, "Tell us everything about you!"

Molly points to Horace.

1:55:13 Fjord: "Horace-"

1:55:14 Nott, annoyed: "Oh! Are you fucking kidding me!? Leave! Leave, Horace! Leave!"

1:55:17 Fjord: "Horace, do you mind going upstairs for a second?"

1:55:20 Horace: "Uh, yeah, I'll- I'll step in one of the other rooms Do you have a key I could-?"

1:55:24 Beau: "Here."

1:55:25 Marisha: "I toss him mine and Jester's key."

1:55:26 Matt: "He heads into the next chamber."

1:55:28 Beau, accusingly: "Just don't steal any of the pillow cases or go through any of our luggage."

1:55:32 Fjord: "Yeah, they're booby-trapped."

1:55:33 Horace: "Okay."

1:55:35 Matt: "He leaves the room. Soon as he's gone from there, Jester asks,"

1:55:37 Jester: "Okay, so, tell us about you! Each!"

1:55:44 Yasha, looking surprised and incredulous: "I mean, this is not about me right now."

1:55:47 Nott: "It could be!"

1:55:48 Yasha: "It doesn't need to be."

1:55:50 Nott: "Well, you have secrets, too!"

1:55:52 Molly: "So do you."

1:55:53 Nott: "And you're a pair! You know, I distinctly remember a moment when we were the shady pair of this group, but now it looks like you guys are."

1:56:02 Molly: "Everyone's a shady pair in this group. Somehow even as individuals we are all somehow shady pairs. It is just inevitable."

1:56:09 Nott, Molly joining at the end: "Now I'm hungry for pears."

1:56:12 Travis: "Sounds like a retirement home. Shady Pears."

1:56:14 Marisha: "Shady Pears!"

1:56:21 Liam: "Just outside of Whitestone."

1:56:22 Marisha: "Yeah."

1:56:25 Fjord: "I mean, Lucian, Noganon,"

1:56:28 Molly with a sigh and cringe: "Oh god."

1:56:29 Fjord: "what the fuck?"

1:56:29 Molly, covering his eyes in frustrations. "Alright."

1:56:30 Beau: "Lucian sounds very, like, 'I'm trying to find myself,' by the way; just throwing it out there."

1:56:35 Molly: "No, That's fair."

1:56:36 Nott: "Angsty teen."

1:56:37 Beau, with a laugh: "Yeah, it's very angsty teen, yeah!"

1:56:40 Fjord: "Is your real name Peter?"

1:56:41 Beau: "I dated a few Lucians. Like, way too many Lucians."

1:56:46 Taliesin, quizzically: "Is this… Marisha? Or is this- this?"

1:56:50 Marisha: "This was- this was… Beau"

1:56:51 Taliesin: "Okay, okay, never mind. I don't want to know. Too much."

1:56:53 Marisha: "Beau, but it's still not necessarily untrue." Taliesin echoes her in understanding.

1:56:58 Liam: "Reality in story."

1:57:00 Travis: "An undetermined percentage is still," he gestures up and down on himself.

1:57:00 Taliesin: "I have been the Lucian in a relationship before, I feel you. We've all been Lucian."

1:57:03 Liam: "Six of one, half a dozen of another. Forward of the story."

1:57:09 Marisha: "A lot of guys in bands, yeah."

1:57:12 Molly, struggling for words: "So, uh… Well I was born on the continent of Em-" He sighs. "I- I really-" He signs again and covers his mouth in frustration."

1:57:20 Fjord: "No, no, don't stop; just keep going."

1:57:21 Nott: "Would you like a drink?"

1:57:23 Molly: "Yes, please."

1:57:23 Beau: "This was super epic, yeah."

1:57:24 Nott, holding out her flask: "Here. It's filled with many alcohols from different taverns."

1:57:25 Molly, to Yasha: "I genuinely thought I would have some bullshit together by now, and I'm really sort of stuck."

1:57:33 Yasha: "Listen, I know I never pushed you to talk about anything, and don't- if you don't feel comfortable…"

Molly sighs and rubs his temple.

1:57:37 Yasha: "You don't owe any of us anything.

1:57:40 Molly: "It's dangerous, though. It's officially dangerous."

1:57:43 Fjord: "What? To tell us what you're about to tell us? For us or for you?"

1:57:48 Molly: "At this point, what's the difference?"

1:57:51 Fjord: "Well, one's us, and one's you."

1:57:52 Beau: "We definitely left our vials in a shady cellar with a bunch of underground criminals. I don't…"

1:57:58 Nott: "I… I stole 3 empty vials from that place. I'm very excited about them. They're empty, but they're still really shiny."

1:58:05 Liam mimics blowing on vials to make music.

1:58:10 Travis: "They're all the same note 'cause they're all fucking empty."

Travis mimics playing vials that are the same note and botches the end.

1:58:15 Travis: "Oh no, I went up."

1:58:22 Nott: "But seriously…"

1:58:24 Molly: "But seriously. I have- I have- I have been part of a shady group- I have been dealing with shady friends for as long as I can remember. If there's one thing I've learned about dealing with people that you can't trust is that you… kind of have to trust them where you can, and not trust them where you can't. And… I'm not saying I have- I'm not saying I'm- I know what I'm doing, or anything, but…" He sighs. "I don't want anybody- I want this to work. I need this to work. So…" Looking at Yasha, but mostly to himself, with increasing resignation, "I've not done this in a while… alright."

1:59:00 Fjord: "I noticed that she, uh, kinda had the same influence over the blood that you have. But different."

1:59:07 Molly: "Yeah, that's uh… that's interesting, isn't it? This might even be easier if you just ask questions. I really don't know how to tell this story."

1:59:13 Caleb: "Why do you have so many names?"

Molly sighs.

1:59:22 Molly, struggling for words, looking more resigned and frank: "I woke up without any names, or any past, buried in the ground two years ago."

1:59:31 Fjord: "Buried in the ground?"

1:59:32 Caleb: "You woke of buried in the ground?"

1:59:34 Nott: "Were you dead?"

1:59:35 Molly: "Obviously not."

1:59:37 Fjord: "In a- in a box? In the dirt?"

1:59:38 Molly: "In the dirt."

1:59:39 Caleb: "And you are saying that you have no memory?"

1:59:42 Molly: "My first memory, my oldest memory, is dirt in my face underground."

1:59:47 Beau: "Is that what that-"

1:59:48 Sam, mimicking Jester's voice: "Jester would like to cast Zone of Truth."

1:59:51 Travis, drawn out: "Ooo!"

1:59:52 Marisha: "Oh snap!"

1:59:54 Travis: "Oh no!"

1:59:56 Matt: "Alright."

1:59:57 Ashley: "Good girl."

1:59:57 Liam: "Keeping it real for the field line!"

2:00:00 Sam: "She says,"

2:00:01 Marisha: "Let's play Truth…"

2:00:01 Sam!Jester: "I would like to play Truth or Dare, but without the dare."

2:00:05 Taliesin: "How honest do I have to be?"

2:00:07 Matt: "We'll find out in a second."

2:00:08 Taliesin: "Okay."

2:00:08 Liam: "Well, you can say whatever you want, but whatever you say has to be true.

2:00:12 Sam: "You cannot speak a lie."

2:00:12 Liam: " That's how it works. You can also just say, 'I don't feel like talking."

2:00:14 Matt: "Alright, all of you, who are in the 15-foot radius it's being cast in, which would probably be…"

2:00:22 Sam: "Everybody."

2:00:22 Matt: "everybody,"

2:00:23 Marisha: "It's not a big hotel room."

2:00:23 Travis: "I take 16 steps away."

2:00:23 Matt: "if you're all standing close on this, everybody please make a charisma saving throw."

2:00:26 Liam: "Wow!"

2:00:27 Sam: "Oh boy."

2:00:29 Marisha: "Saving throw?"

2:00:29 Travis: "Charisma saving throw."

2:00:30 Matt: "Charisma saving throw."

2:00:30 Sam: "I got a 1. Hey natural 1! $10 to 826 LA!"

2:00:34 All: "Hooray!"

2:00:36 Marisha: "It's $100!"

2:00:37 Ashley: "$100."

2:00:38 Sam: "Oh, what!? That's even better!"

2:00:39 Marisha: "$100 for every natural 1."

2:00:41 Taliesin, disappointed: "I rolled a 4."

2:00:42 Matt: "Alright."

2:00:43 Sam: "Oh, you're in."

2:00:43 Ashley: "13."

2:00:45 Liam: "13."

2:00:46 Marisha: "16."

2:00:47 Travis: "22."

2:00:47 Matt, indicating Marisha and Travis: "You are the only two who succeeded."

2:00:49 Liam: "Wow."

2:00:49 Matt: "Everyone else, you have to speak the truth for the next…"

2:00:51 Marisha, quietly to Travis: "Good cop, bad cop. Bad cop, good cop. Hard to say."

2:00:52 Liam: "But, if I'm- DM, we know that that's- we feel it, according to the spell."

2:00:57 Travis, quietly to Marisha: "Sure."

2:00:57 Matt: "Yes."

2:00:57 Liam: "Yeah."

2:00:57 Matt: "You all sense the kind of, the energy come over you, and for a second you're a little confused by it."

2:00:58 Travis, quietly to Marisha: "Dumb cop."

2:01:00 Marisha, quietly to Travis: "Yeah. Posturing cop, posturing cop."

2:01:04 Molly: "Alright that's not- that's not entirely true; it's a vague memory. I don't really remember it. It's kind of all jumbled. It's what I've been told… about some of it. I- It's…"

2:01:14 Beau: "Is this that ritual that she was rambling about?"

2:01:17 Molly: "I don't know."

2:01:19 Fjord: "So, before you woke up in the dirt, nothing?"

2:01:21 Molly, slightly agitated: "There is no before. Whatever happened before is not me. It's not part of anything-" He sighs with frustration.

2:01:28 Nott: "Like your life reset somehow? Or you just don't remember?"

2:01:36 Molly, internally struggling: "Some asshole got buried in the dirt. Fuck him. I am enjoying what I'm doing. I want nothing to do with that. Anything that came before, I was happy to just leave it be."

2:01:47 Caleb: "Yeah, but do you have any theories for what happened before."

2:01:50 Molly, pointedly: "No."

2:01:51 Beau: "Did you… look… the same, or did you come back…"

2:01:58 Molly, mildly incredulous: "How would I know?"

2:02:00 Nott: "So everything before two years ago is nothing to you. Black."

2:02:03 Molly: "Yeah. That's somebody else." He shrugs.

2:02:05 Fjord: "Two years ago, did you have all those tattoos?"

2:02:08 Molly, thinking: "No… Not exactly…"

2:02:10 Nott: "Any of them?"

2:02:11 Molly, covering his eyes again and looking pained: "Some of them, yes."

2:02:12 Caleb: "How much time passed between waking up in a dirt box and the circus?"

2:02:17 Molly, looking dejected: "Days."

2:02:18 Caleb, surprised, quietly, nodding: "Days."

2:02:18 Molly: "I was a bit out of it. Uh, it's hard to remember; I wasn't… speaking… really. It's all… Do you have memories from your childhood?"

2:02:27 Caleb: "Yeah, many."

2:02:28 Fjord: "Sure."

2:02:29 Molly: "It felt like that? It's all… bright? And…" He sighs, searching for words. "More meaningful than it should be. There was just nothing- I, uh… I was practically catatonic; I was barely speaking."

2:02:47 Beau: "Did you wake up to people? Or alone?"

2:02:51 Molly, wide-eyed and closed in: "Alone."

2:02:52 Caleb: "Are you a good guy?"

Molly takes a long time contemplating this.

2:02:59 Molly: "I'd like to think so." He smirks, but it collapses quickly.

2:03:03 Fjord, nodding: "Why did she seem like she looked up to you so much?"

2:03:07 Molly, shaking his head, getting more agitated: "I don't know. I don't know who that was, I've never heard the name Lucian before, or that other name. I-"

2:03:18 Caleb, quietly: "Nonagon."

2:03:18 Molly: "I've never heard of any of it."

2:03:21 Yasha: "I didn't realize you didn't- You did a good job at pretending."

2:03:26 Molly: "Yeah, well, I like pretending. Pretending's great. I… Who cares where anybody came from?"

2:03:34 Beau: "How do you know she actually thinks it's… you, and not, you know, maybe she just mistook you for someone actually named Lucian."

2:03:42 Molly: "That's possible, except, of course, she had weird… blood powers."

2:03:46 Beau: "So, this happens to you a lot?"

2:03:49 Molly: "A few… A few months after I came to, uh… I started noticing I could do things. I- knew things that I didn't necessarily know I knew."

2:04:00 Caleb: "Are you talking about your abilities?"

2:04:03 Molly: "Yeah… I can… Um…" To Nott, "Pass me that dagger?"

2:04:10 Nott: "I have three of them."

2:04:11 Molly: "Pick one."

2:04:12 Sam, mimicking passing Molly a dagger: "Dink!"

Molly cuts his arm and stabs the dagger into the table.

2:04:15 Molly: "Ice!"

2:04:17 Matt: "You watch as this large cluster of moisture all of a sudden solidifies around the outside of the blade, and the blade is now encrusted in jagged ice shards that just kind of stick out. The steam coming off of it. Mist."

2:04:29 Fjord: "That's menacing."

2:04:30 Nott: "That's amazing; I would- I would ask about how you discovered that, because that would not be something that I would ever just do, just to just see, but we'll leave that for another day."

2:04:41 Molly: "Oh no, I can- we're here, this is happening, that's fine. Umm…"

2:04:48 Nott: "Question. Go back two- two beats. You said, 'Who care about what happened before.'"

2:04:56 Molly, incredulously with an "obviously" gesture: "Yeah."

2:04:57 Nott: "Do you really not want to know your past? Answer truthfully."

2:05:05 Molly, very pointedly, looking annoyed and frustrated: "I really don't. I… Whoever that was… came to that end. And I want nothing to do with that. Whatever it was, it doesn't feel good when I- the moments when something creeps through, I don't like it. I don't want anything to do with it. I was happy. I… I liked the circus. The circus was great."

Liam!Jester slaps her hands on the table and leans forward excitedly.

2:05:30 Liam!Jester, coyly: "Ooo! I have a question? Is there anyone in the group that you find super attractive?"

2:05:38 Liam: "It's a text from Laura."

2:05:39 Travis: "Oh."

2:05:40 Molly, deadpan: "Yes."

2:05:41 Matt: "I think she was asking Yasha."

2:05:45 Liam, reading the text: "Oh! Ask Yasha; oh."

2:05:47 Ashley: "Too late!"

2:05:51 Liam!Jester to Yasha, leaning forward again: "What about you?"

2:05:52 Matt: "And as the nature of the spell, you know you're under the effect of it, and you can be dodgy if you need to, but it's up to you."

2:06:00 Liam!Jester, sing-song: "You can tell me!"

2:06:03 Taliesin, laughing: "That's a good Laura."

2:06:04 Yasha: "I feel like I-"

2:06:05 Ashley, laughing: "That's a very good Laura."

2:06:07 Yasha: "Uh… yes, of course there are people here that I think are very attractive and charming. But, that doesn't mean that I will act on that."

2:06:19 Molly: "I- You can be monosyllabic if you like with these people."

2:06:23 Fjord, clearing his throat: "Molly?"

2:06:24 Molly: "Mmhm?"

2:06:24 Fjord: "In the years that have gone by-"

2:06:27 Nott, quietly: "Yasha has a crush on me."

2:06:31 Fjord: "Has anyone called you any other names besides Molly, Lucian, or…"

2:06:36 Nott: "Nonagon."

2:06:37 Fjord: "Yeah. Mahna mahna."

2:06:37 Molly: "Nonagon; whatever that was. Not without me feeding it to them first. I mean, I've… I mean I've conned people. We've all conned people. I've used other names before. And-"

2:06:48 Fjord: "No, but did they know you? Did they come up and give you a name?"

2:06:50 Molly, shaking his head and looking troubled: "Never."

2:06:51 Yasha: "This was the first time that's happened."

Molly points at her in agreement.

2:06:54 Molly: "I…" He gestures to himself up and down. "A lot of this was in the hopes that maybe it would never happen. Keep moving. Keep quiet." He shrugs.

2:07:02 Fjord: "You don't know anything about the ritual that she was talking about."

2:07:04 Molly, shaking his head: "Nothing. But… I'll say this,"

2:07:07 Taliesin: "And I'm going to put the- put the knife down, and uh, is- is there anything sharp around? Anything at all?"

2:07:20 Matt: "Uh, I mean-"

2:07:21 Travis, laughing: "This group?"

2:07:21 Matt: "Yeah. Plenty of things that are…"

2:07:23 Taliesin: "Something that's even ridiculous. Like something not normal."

2:07:27 Matt: "Uh, yeah, there- well, there are jagged parts of the wood frame of the bed-"

2:07:32 Taliesin: "Perfect! I'm going to just cut myself again on the wood frame, and grab it, and use Radiance."

Sam winces hard.

2:07:37 Matt: "Okay. You watch as this bright, vibrant light just billows out of it. Kind of glowing in the vicinity. Similar that you've seen it encase the scimitar."

2:07:47 Molly: "I'll admit, this is new."

2:07:50 Fjord: "Huh, yeah, that's a hell of a thing."

2:07:51 Molly: "You all got to see the first time this happened."

2:07:53 Fjord: "Right."

2:07:54 Caleb: "And how much of this was under wraps? You knew none- any of this? In you time in the circus with him?"

2:07:59 Yasha: "I… knew that he woke up and he did not know who he was." Molly takes his hand off the bed and releases Radiance. "But this is the first time this has happened when someone has come… to us and recognized him from his past."

2:08:14 Liam!Jester, boisterously: "Molly! What have you ever pooped your pants!?"

2:08:17 Travis, looking at his phone: "That's actually in the text thread, too."

2:08:18 Liam!Jester: "Ever any time?"

2:08:21 Taliesin, quietly with a smile: "This is art."

2:08:22 Molly, looking perplexed: "Not that I'm- Well, no… That's fair. Sure."

2:08:26 Fjord: "Did you ever gamble on a fart and loose?"

2:08:27 Molly: "It was worth it every time."

2:08:29 Jester, triumphantly sing-song: "Thought so!"

2:08:30 Nott: "I'm sorry to belabor this, but… what if you had a good life before this? What if you were famous or rich or had friends or family?"

2:08:41 Yasha: "She seems to think you were quite an amazing person."

2:08:45 Molly, very pointedly, looking really annoyed again: "Okay. Here's the thing that you're not catching: that wasn't me. This is mine. I don't want anything from that other person anymore. That person is someone else. I don't want anything to do with it. I did not feel good coming out of that. I- I… was…" He pinches the bridge of his node in frustration. "uh… I'm in for a penny, might as well. I am told, although I don't entirely remember this part, that I… only said the word 'empty' over and over again for the first week."

2:09:18 Fjord, Beau, Caleb, and Nott: "Empty?"

2:09:21 Molly, shrugging: "I don't know what that means."

2:09:22 Caleb: "'Empty' or M T?"

2:09:23 Molly: "Empty."

2:09:24 Caleb: "Empty."

2:09:25 Molly: "I don't know! I can barely remember."

2:09:27 Caleb: "Jester, I feel your touch on this conversation. Is this all accurate?"

2:09:34 Matt!Jester: "As far as I can tell, yes. He did indeed poop his pants."

2:09:39 Caleb: "And the rest?"

2:09:40 Matt!Jester: "Oh that, too, yes."

2:09:41 Caleb: "Yeah."

2:09:41 Nott: "Empty…"

2:09:45 Molly: "That sounds terrible. I… I don't want anybody- I don't want to remember anything, I don't want anybody else's baggage in my head, I don't want anybody else's problems, thoughts, ideas." Tapping the table for emphasis, "I like this person right now, is a good person, is a fine person, is a happy person."

2:10:05 Beau: "She kept referencing a book."

Molly shrugs.

2:10:08 Fjord: "No idea?"

2:10:09 Molly: "Sounds shifty."

2:10:09 Beau: "What if we could find the book."

2:10:12 Molly, firmly: "I don't want it."

2:10:14 Caleb: "Well, I will say, I'm a little concerned about, you know, loose ends coming to bite you and us in the butt. However…"

2:10:27 Molly: "We all have a few, I assume."

2:10:28 Caleb: "I believe in second starts, and uh… that's enough for me."

2:10:35 Molly: "There-"

2:10:36 Beau: "You know-"

2:10:36 Molly: "Can you imagine what it would feel like to not feel anything about anything that had happened to you so far?"

2:10:41 Fjord: "No."

2:10:41 Caleb: "No."

2:10:42 Beau: "Yes."

2:10:44 Molly: "Why am I not surprised?

2:10:46 Nott, incredulously: "What do you mean, 'yes'?"

Beau gives a "yeah, what?" shrug.

2:10:49 Nott: "You can imagine what it's like to not feel anything before this moment?"

2:10:55 Beau, shrugging: "Yeah."

2:10:55 Nott: "Have you died before?"

2:10:57 Beau: "No. Doesn't mean you have to find meaning in meaningless things."

2:11:01 Molly: "It's very freeing. It's… the best thing… It's the thing that happened to me. it's not the best thing that happened to me, it's the thing that happened to me. I- I found… Peace? in… building a new person. The Moonweaver…"

2:11:26 Beau: "You know, just because if you know about your past doesn't mean you have to be beholden to it."

2:11:32 Nott: "That's true."

2:11:35 Beau: "If you…"

2:11:35 Yasha: "It's not that important."

2:11:36 Molly: "What if it feels that it- that I owe it something?"

2:11:40 Beau: "You don't owe your past shit. if I don't feel anything about my past, but I still remember it, and I still don't give a fuck about where I came from, then why should you care about shit that you don't even remember?"

Molly sighs, and grins somewhere between "you get it," and "you are so naïve."

2:11:56 Fjord: "That's a layered question."

2:11:57 Molly: "I-"

2:11:57 Nott: "I don't know about that."

2:11:59 Molly: "I… spent two years, before I met you all… cajoling people… occasionally ripping them off, occasionally doing a good turn here or there; never trust the truth. Truth is vicious; the truth thinks that you owe it something; none of that. I like my bullshit. It's good, it's happy, it makes other people happy."

2:12:30 Nott: "But it's not who you are."

2:12:32 Molly: "It is exactly who I am!"

2:12:34 Fjord: "Can I ask you, when you're praying over your swords at night, are you actually doing anything?"

2:12:39 Molly: "Uh, well, do you know who the Moonweaver is?"

2:12:42 Fjord: "No."

2:12:43 Molly: "Excellent. Uh…" He shrugs. "The swords are… cheap carnival glass. There's nothing special about them."

2:12:51 Liam: "May I make a check to see if I have ever heard of the Moonweaver?"

2:12:54 Matt: "Make a religion check."

2:12:54 Yasha: "Wow."

2:12:56 Molly, muted: "Eh, fuck it."

2:13:00 Nott: "Is the Moonweaver not real?"

2:13:01 Fjord, quietly: "cheap carnival glass?"

2:13:03 Liam: "23."

2:13:04 Matt: "Oh yeah, you've definitely heard of the Moonweaver."

2:13:04 Molly: "I literally decorated a pair of swords to make them look special."

2:13:09 Matt: "The Moonweaver is, uh, classically more of an Elven deity, but is… kind-"

2:13:14 Molly, quietly, mumbled, frank and dejected: "Thought maybe I'd make it less likely they'd think there's something special about me."

2:13:15 Matt: "They are a god over the night, of shadow, music, there's a lot of variations to what they go over, but they're definitely not one of the approved religions in the empire, and is considered- not considered one of the Betrayer Gods classically. But is an inspiration for a lot of art in classic elven history, and even some modern. The caretaker of evening trysts. Has a lot of- a lot of unique history to the Moonweaver."

2:13:48 Fjord: "So it's you that's special, not your swords."

2:13:51 Molly, with a soft smile: "That's true."

2:13:52 Beau: "Molly, you seem like you have a pretty solidified identity for someone who has only had consciousness for two years."

2:14:02 Molly, with a half shrug: "Things came back quick, and the circus helped." A bit sadly, "They were good people. They did a lot for me. And joy can fill an awful lot of a person's life."

2:14:12 Beau: "If things came back quick, do you feel like there are still remnants of whoever you once were that help- informed who you are now?"

2:14:19 Molly, after thinking about it: "Maybe. I feel tinges of things on occasion. Nothing I like."

2:14:27 Beau: "Interesting."

2:14:28 Nott: "If you always lie and bullshit, how are we ever going to believe you?"

2:14:32 Molly, flatly, mildly annoyed: "Because I always lie and bullshit."

2:14:36 Beau: "I can kind of agree with that. Cheers to bullshit!"

Beau and Molly clink mugs.

2:14:41 Molly, increasingly irritated: "I'm not a- I may be a liar, but I'm never a betrayer. I'm always honest in my work, and I believe in doing a good turn." He takes a swig. "I've never cheated you out of money." He pointedly looks at Nott. "I've never robbed from you." Again, pointedly looks at Nott. "I know how- I stayed with that circus for two years and I know how people treat each other. It's important." To Nott, "And all that stuff you told me before, I gotta admit I didn't listen to any bit of it; I was just trying to teach you a lesson. I don't care where you've been; I don't care what terrible things any of you have done; you're here now; this is how it works."

2:15:14 Liam!Jester, coyly resting her head on her laced fingers: "Molly?"

2:15:18 Molly, grinning: "Yes, darling?"

2:15:19 Liam!Jester: "I have a question."

2:15:20 Molly, leaning in, mirroring her conspiratorial body language: "Of course."

2:15:22 Fjord/Travis: "Oh no."

2:15:22 Liam!Jester: "Can you really read fortunes?"

Molly's grin falls away, his body language closes in a bit, and he looks just a bit dispirited and contemplative. He very briefly winces.

2:15:28 Molly, measured: "I use fortunes… to tell… people what I see in them." Brighter, "But sometimes, sometimes… I feel like maybe there's something… that tickles the back of my head, I will admit."

2:15:46 Liam!Jester, eagerly: "You have a feeling?"

2:15:47 Molly: sitting back with a small smile: "Some days."

2:15:50 Beau, looking at Molly distrustfully: "Don't believe him, Jester."

2:15:52 Taliesin/Molly, defensively toward Matt: "Am I telling-? Am I lying?"

2:15:53 Nott/Sam: "No, he has to be telling the truth."

2:15:55 Matt: "Yeah."

2:15:55 Taliesin, smugly: "Thank you."

2:15:56 Fjord/Travis: "That's why she asked him."

2:15:56 Yasha: "I do feel like you actually, weirdly, have a gift for that."

2:16:02 Molly, frankly: "I always try to be helpful with- when I turn cards for people."

2:16:05 Beau: "You ever think you could be doing damage, though?"

2:16:08 Molly: "No."

2:16:08 Beau: "Setting people on false paths?"

2:16:12 Molly, shrugging: "If people are looking for a path, they're looking for a path. And I'll tell you—and this is true—I did my best every town I went to and every town I left, no matter how they treated me, and a lot of them treated me, " a pang of anger flashes across his face, "with deep disrespect,"

2:16:25 Beau: "Some people are vulnerable and looking for answers."

2:16:27 Molly, measured and insistent: "I left every town better than I found it."

2:16:32 Nott: "Which- Which tattoos are the old ones?"

Molly considers, tapping some of his frustration on the table.

2:16:39 Nott, waving him off: "I mean, you don't have to- I don't want to see your naked body or anything."

Molly briefly reaches towards his pants and then laughs, waving off the joke and his frustration.

2:16:46 Molly, glancing at Yasha for help then sounding resigned: "Is it- Yeah, no."

2:16:50 Taliesin: "Um, so, I show off the peacock a little bit, and one of the peacock feathers on the neck."

2:16:58 Liam, cheekily: "What about your tattoos, though?"

Taliesin sticks his tongue out at Liam.

2:17:01 Taliesin, grinning: "Thank you, Liam. Um, one of the eyes in one of the peacock feathers is a bright crimson read. Which any of you if you'd ever made a fucking insight check would have noticed. Gah! You!" He points to Travis? "I was waiting for you to fuck with me. It's also the same place that he bleeds every time that he uses any of his powers. There's also a red eye on the snake on the palm, and there's a red eye on the snake on the opposite side of the head."

2:17:23 Nott: "What does that mean? What does it mean!? Caleb! What does it mean!?"

2:17:27 Caleb: "That's a lot of ink, man."

2:17:30 Nott: "Red eyes, or something?"

2:17:31 Molly: "There are various- there are various- Not in-"

2:17:33 Liam, to Matt: "Hey, does any of that symbology mean anything to me?"

2:17:36 Matt: "Not at the moment. How much do you show?"

2:17:37 Taliesin: "I'm just showing- I'm showing the snake, the two snake eyes, I'm showing the peacock eye, and then I'm going to show the eye in the floral arrangement."

2:17:45 Matt: "Okay."

1:17:46 Marisha, clapping, to Ashley: "C'mon Patterson, c'mon. Help us out here right now! This is your day job! Okay!"

2:17:52 Ashley: "Okay, let me look at my tattoo database…"

2:17:57 Molly: "I tried to cover them, but they wouldn't take ink. So, I just… did my best."

2:18:02 Nott, surprised: "They're not tattoos!?"

2:18:03 Molly: "No. I don't know what they are."

2:18:08 Nott: "They're just markings?"

Molly examines his hand and arm.

2:18:12 Fjord: "But you…"

2:18:12 Molly: "I don't know."

2:18:13 Fjord: "You don't remember getting them, or you… They just appeared?"

Molly shakes his head.

2:18:16 Nott: "They were just there."

2:18:17 Liam!Jester, clearing her throat: "Caleb? I have a question."

2:18:23 Travis: "You don't have to just do every one of these that she's gonna fucking write."

2:18:23 Liam!Jester: "Do you shave your butt?"

2:18:31 Marisha, laughing: "You do yours."

2:18:31 Caleb, looking at her quizzically: "Uh… I can truthfully say…"

2:18:32 Molly: "I don't."

2:18:34 Caleb: "No! That was for-

2:18:34 Molly: "But now that you bring it up because I'd never occurred to it, I might start."

2:18:38 Fjord/Travis: "It was to Caleb."

2:18:39 Molly/Taliesin: "Oh, that was for Caleb. Never mind; sorry."

2:18:40 Beau/Marisha: "Well, that's good. Now we know.

2:18:40 Nott/Sam: "No, that's very interesting! Good to know!

2:18:41 Matt: "But you've learned!"

2:18:44 Caleb: "Now you know that neither Molly or I shave our butt."

2:18:47 Molly: "Who butt shaves?"

2:18:48 Caleb: "And also, there's not a lot of hair there anyway."

2:18:49 Nott: "You wax your butt! You don't shave it."

2:18:52 Matt: "And also, there's only a couple minutes more left on the spell, so…"

2:18:55 Molly: "Anything else before we're done here?"

2:18:57 Beau: "Did you ever know anyone who did used to try and set people on wrong paths with their fortune telling?"

2:19:06 Molly, earnestly, shaking his head: "No. We tried…" He shrugs. "That's… that's dangerous work and it'll usually backfire. No interest in that. It's mostly just trying to help people get their shit together." With realization, "Did someone send you on the wrong path?"

2:19:23 Beau: "No."

2:19:25 Molly, mildly disappointed: "That's fair. I don't care, to be fair."

2:19:28 Beau: "Still in zone of truth, no."

2:19:29 Fjord: "Is there anything about you that you don't want us to know?"

2:19:32 Molly: "Yes." After a long pause, "Everything. I like… the safety of it, but… And if I had had my way, this would have been a conversation for a later date. But… I need… to protect you and myself from whatever that is, so you need to know that… that is a wild card."

2:19:52 Fjord: "I appreciate that. I appreciate that."

2:19:58 Beau, brightly but sarcastically: "Well, this was fun."

2:20:00 Nott: "I feel like we should do this every night. But I will say this… Lucian?" She winces.

2:20:06 Molly: "That's a terrible name."

2:20:07 Nott: "It's terrible!"

2:20:08 Molly: "I don't want to ever know who that person is."

2:20:10 Nott: "It's like a kid with a soft mustache that's not like a real, you know, like a real…"

2:20:10 Caleb: "You're sticking with Mollymauk?"

2:20:12 Molly: "I'm Molly!"

2:20:15 Travis: "All the Lucians out there are super pissed right now."

2:20:16 Molly, firmly: "Let me make this abundantly clear: my name is Molly. That person is dead and not me. That's just a person who had this body. They abandoned it, it's mine now."

2:20:30 Nott: "I think that you need to know where you've been to know where you're going, and… I am… I respect your… your feelings. But I feel-

2:20:41 Molly, bitterly: "And I feel you are frightfully ignorant and filled with platitudes. But I still like you regardless."

2:20:46 Nott: "I feel like, when you're ready to know your past, I would- I would support that, and I would help you find it."

2:20:58 Molly, very irritated, goading: "Maybe he killed goblins. Maybe he was a goblin hunter. Maybe he ate them. Raw."

2:21:07 Nott: "As long as he didn't- eat me."

2:21:07 Caleb: "I think perhaps we have learned all we need to learn from this conversation. Maybe it is time to turn in. We have some things to do tomorrow. I am satisfied, Mollymauk Tealeaf. For now."

2:21:21 Molly, resigned: "This was not how I expected this to go." He runs his hand down his face. "Thank you."

2:21:29 Beau: "For what it's worth, I like you a little better now."

2:21:31 Nott: "Me too."

2:21:34 Beau: "You don't have to reciprocate it."

2:21:35 Molly, flatly, with a laugh at the end: "I'm waiting for the spell to dissipate before I say anything."

2:21:40 Matt: "About now, the spell has dissipated."

2:21:42 Molly: "I both like you more and less at the same time."

2:21:46 Beau: "I get that a lot."

2:21:47 Nott: "Is the spell gone?"

2:21:48 Matt: "The spell's gone."

2:21:49 Nott: "Goddamnit! Yasha! Tell us everything! Fuck!"

2:21:53 Matt: "I mean, you can still press her."

2:21:55 Molly, laying a hand on Yasha's shoulder: "Thank you, dear."

Molly gives a long sigh.

2:22:00

[artificialqueens]

I Like me Better (Aquameron) Part 1 - Saiphl

I LIKE ME BETTER (Aquameron) Part 1 - Saiphl

Given the chance that my inspiration finally found a way to properly work, I’m back with a little statement with, what I call an odd pairing, but I found kinda appealing trying to bring it to life, so here is the attempt and I’d really appreciate your kind words and feedback.

Also, this is a two shot adventure regarding the kind requests by some anons at AQ of a story with Aquaria and Kameron, also the request -that I couldn’t find again- of an anon requesting a fic inspired in “I like me better” by Lauv, this is the outcome, so I hope all of you enjoy the story.  

Finally, I need to remind you that english isn’t my first language, and this text isn’t betaed, so I apologize for the possible mistakes that you’ll find in the writing.

This one goes from the taping of the reunited to the crowning party, so I hope you enjoy it.

“I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT I GOT THAT FEELING…”

When they called a wrap in the theater after taping the reunion, all that Dane could feel was a severe urge to run away, to escape from the judging eye of the other queens, for the first time in a long while, being Kameron didn’t felt as a safe place anymore, so he stood from the chair on the stage and giving some sweet and totally fake smiles, he started walking faster and faster until he finally realized the tears rolling down his cheeks and that he was barely breathing.

The cold of the wall through the hair of his wig was soothing and he felt like his legs will not carry him any further.  Dane had been told that the sisterhood between season competitors was something to rely on when the hard times come, but after what all of them said, even when he exposed his own vulnerability, led to the heartbreaking revelation of being totally alone, also to know that he has to regain composure before the other queens came to the same corridor to the dressing rooms.

In a titanic effort Kameron got back on her feet and regally walked step by step to the dressing room, foreign to the quick click-clack that was following on her track -Kam… Kameron, wait!-; from all the things he was expecting, certainly the Aquaria’s voice wasn’t the first thing coming to his mind, so slowly turned to face him -listen… if you forgot to say something save it for later, I’m not really up to be beaten up again and…-  Aquaria put a slim nailed finger on his lips, - shush… I forgot to say I’m sorry, they’ve been rude and awful, and I don’t feel like they were fair to you, and most of all, I’m sorry I didn’t stop them, they had no right to treat you like that- .

As soon as Aquaria removed his finger, Kameron exhaled, looking tired and deflated, a soft hand cupped his right cheek -it’s our last night in LA… let’s go somewhere Kam… Dane, let´s do something- Aquaria whispered, giving a mischievous grin to the other queen, who reluctantly smiled back -ok Gio… just-, Kameron stared to one side of the hallway and Aquaria nodded in agreement and mouthing “just the two of us”. Aquaria smiled sincerely, and then stepped aside, giving Kameron a chance to step ahead when the click clack of the other queens’ heels could be heard over the hallway.

When all of them arrived to the dressing room, Dane had already stripped, and was wiping Kameron off his face, Dusty approached to him, with a somber expression and clear shame in the back of his eyes -Kameron I… I want to say I’m sorry-, the queen said, clearly struggling with her own feelings  -we all were total bitches and at least from my own, I wanna apologize, cause that wasn’t fair-; Dane put down the wipe, and turned to face Dusty -y’know Dust? it’s ok, thanks for being kind enough to come and conceal, but I really  need some space, all that happened back there was hurtful and I feel so vulnerable right now; please give me some time- Dusty hugged him without asking and whispered an I’m sorry before releasing him, by that time, Dane was barely capable to keep himself together, and over the edge of his own nerves.  He just tossed his drag on his gym bag, and walked away totally foreign to the intense gaze that followed him all the way out of the dressing room.

Giovanni took his phone and started typing quick and precisely, hoping that his messages reach Dane in the right time.

[7:30] Aquaria:  Hey Kam… you ok? you left without a word

[7:30] Aquaria: ok, that was dumb, I know you’re not ok, but please let me know if you need something…

[7:31] Aquaria: Anything, you know I mean it.

Some minutes passed and Giovanni felt it as literally hours, he was wiping his face, when the phone finally buzzed.

[7:40] Kameron:  it’s ok… I’m fine, see you at 9 at the hotel entrance

[7:40]Kameron: and thank you, for everything

Later that night Giovanni was trying out some clothes, his always confident facade crumpled on the floor with almost all the tees and tanks he had already discarded, even when he tried to convince himself to chill, something was bothering him, something that he didn’t understand at all.  He had gone partying with many of his season ten sisters, and never felt this unsettled -you’re doing this for him… Kameron needs to urgently cheer up, so stay cool you dumbass-, he hissed to his own reflection on the mirror, just minutes later, finally convinced that he looked well, Gio blew a kiss to his own reflection, took his hotel room card and wallet, totally ignoring the constant buzzing of his phone.

Dane was another tale, in a flawless routine, he shaved, put on some lotion and dressed up with some skinny jeans and a tee that looked like a second skin over his strong body, something in the image on the mirror made him smile with some confidence -you look good-, he whispered, just to laugh a little thinking of how dumb he might look talking to himself in the middle of an empty room. Somehow he felt lucky, cause after all the shit he had to take at the reunion, he won’t end up feeling miserable buried alone under the covers of his bed, he was not just going out, he was going out clubbing with (if allowed) the sexiest of the season ten girls, and they were going on their own.

Both of them left their rooms, foreign to the party girls that were going on cabs to the Precinct, and when they finally met, the moonlight shone all over downtown LA, and Dane found Gio cursing over the screen of his phone, typing furiously on what seemed to be whatsapp.

[8:55] Monet: oh come on Aquaria, you can’t stay at the hotel, night is young come with us

[8:55] Aquaria: I’m not feeling like going out tonight girl

[8:55] Monet: but it’s our last free night before going to NY and all the crowning shit

[8:57] Aquaria: I know, but I’m tired, some of us had been working our asses out with promotion and gigs and all that jazz

[8:57] Monet: whatever bitch, we’ll be at Precinct, the Boulets are throwing a hell of a party there, we don’t wanna miss it

[8:58] Monet: so if you wanna come we’ll see you there

[8:58] Aquaria: Thanks again, but I pass, have fun!

[8:58] Monet: -rolling eyes emoji- alright, be safe kiddo, and Cracker says you’re a granny

[8:59] Aquaria: Cracker can eat my pussy, if I’m a granny she’s a fucking mummy!

[8:59] Monet: hahahahahahaha, you should see her face, see ya tomorrow morning bitch.

-Hello stranger-, Dane said in a husky voice, making Giovanni jump on his feet -hey there! didn’t see you coming- the younger said, regaining his cool face, making Dane smile wide, making Gio mirror it -so… are you ready? I found a place nearby where none of the girls would be at, so we can have a night just for us-. Dane nodded, still smiling to him and feeling what he could describe as a swarm wildly partying on his belly, something about that “just for us” made this feel more like a date than it was… cause they weren’t going on a date, or were they?

Gio tossled his hair a little, getting Dane out of his thoughts, only to get mesmerized, there was something about that awkward and goofy boy that he couldn’t get, but certainly, was totally up to find out, -I’m up for a night out, I’ll follow  you-. The both of them walked to “La Cita”, the bar Gio found, and it happened to be a nice place, crowded for the time they were, but really comfortable to go by as two random guys having a fun time, and not as half of the final four of a hyped TV show.

A couple of hours and some beers later, they were dancing close to each other, surrounded by a drunken happiness that Dane hasn’t felt in some time; Gio seemed to be in his element, drinking, dancing and having fun, both his forearms resting lazily over Dane’s shoulders, holding a beer behind his head, while Dane gripped firmly by his right hip, both of them swinging to the rhythm.  Gio’s previous nervousness evaporated and suddenly he thought that there was way too much space between them, even though Dane’s face was less than an inch close to his, with a soft and inviting smile that he found inevitably seductive, so he reached for those lips in an urgent but still gentle kiss.

Dane didn’t know what to do at first, it actually took like a couple of seconds for him to kiss Gio back, and that was it, both with eyes closed and still swinging to the music, they didn’t even realized what was happening until they broke the kiss to get some air.  When Gio opened his eyes, he found himself face to face with Dane, feeling his warm breathing blowing on his blushed face -hey there… - said Dane, releasing his grip from Gio’s hip to softly cup his cheek; the smile on the younger boy was mischievous and after he mouthed “hi”, Dane reached for his lips once more.

The walk back to the hotel took half the time they spent while going to the bar, they were walking side by side.  Dane didn’t know if he should hold his hand, and Gio was thankful that they were not touching each other, cause otherwise he didn’t know what he would do if he had to feel that burning skin on his again, both of them were craving each other, and once they reached Gio’s room, they jumped on each other, touching, kissing, biting… exploring their bodies inch by inch.

-You’re beautiful Giovanni, and I want you so bad- said Dane, while Gio was sucking on his pulse point, getting a strangled moan from him, unable to hold it back anymore, Dane’s hands buried under Gio’s jeans, squeezing his perfect little butt, who instinctively started grinding against him -you’re perfect Dane… I need you-, Gio whispered on his ear, making him shiver.  Once said, Gio slipped to his knees, stripping the other man from waist down, Dane hissed feeling his shaft getting freed from the tightness of his clothes, to feel the blissful warmth of Gio’s mouth.

With his hands tangled on the other’s dark hair, Dane couldn’t help himself and grunted, rocking Gio’s head with his hands in a rhythm that he could swear that matched the thumping of his heart, feeling himself reaching the edge, he slid his hands to cup the other’s cheeks and making him going up; by that time, Gio’s gaze was wild, he was heavily breathing and as soon as he had Dane on his reach, kissed him urgently, like he wanted to get him under his own skin.  

In a blink, they were butt naked, taking just a minute to look at each other, in absolute conscience that they were exposed to the other Gio was the first to reach, craving to trace the patterns of Dane’s tattoos, the other, unable to restrain himself, started caressing the milky skin of the boy in front of him, hypnotized by the smoothness of his body, touching him as if he was the most expensive piece of art that deserved to be worshipped. They’ve spent the night buried on each other, finding shelter from the world on the other’s arms.  

The sunlight caught them tangled on the bed sheets, a full mess of limbs that got in motion with the buzzing of Giovanni’s phone; the boy opened his eyes, to find Dane still asleep, a peaceful expression on his face and he didn’t restrain himself from smiling.  Waking up to that sight was certainly a great way to start a day, it wasn’t just that Dane’s body was impressive, but the kind spirit and heart of gold he had made the whole experience be worthy. Gio stretched to reach the damn device to get it shut, taking a moment to kiss softly the hollow of Dane’s throat, which made the other man open his eyes slowly and give a little bite to his bicep, both of them giggling like idiots, just until Gio started cursing over the screen of the phone when he found more than ten calls and more or less the same amount of messages from the other queens

[8:10] Monet:  hey whore, good morning, wanna hang with the girls for breakfast or are you too hungover?

[8:20] Monet: alright sleeping beauty, remember they’re picking us up at ten, make sure you’re ready

[8:30] Monet: this is not funny Aquaria, answer the phone, now we are all worried

[8:35] Eureka: Aquaria quit playing the dumb and answer the phone, Monet is about to call 911

[8:45] Monet: five calls bitch, you never get pass two buzzes to answer, where the fuck are you?

[8:50] Cracker: Aquaria please, answer the phone or the fucking messages, we’re worried

[9:00] Asia: where are you bitch? answer the fucking phone!

[9:05] Monet: for god’s sake Aquaria, answer the phone or I’ll take down your fucking door

[9:25] Cracker: Giovanni please let us know you’re alright, everyone is wondering where you are.

[9:25] Blair: Gio please… we’re all worried, neither you or Kameron are responding

[9:30] Cracker: I’ll help Monet to take down your door bitch, they’re coming for us in less than 15!

[9:31] Blair: oh… oh! nevermind, I’ll try to stop Monet and Cracker

[9:31] Monet:  you asked for it bitch…

[9:32] Blair: I’m sorry girl, it takes more than one Blair to stop two crazy paranoid bitches.

[9:32] Blair:  you still have to tell me, otherwise I’ll tell the others everything I know!

[9:33] Blair: jk, I’m just nosey and I really, really want to know if my theory is right

A loud hitting on the door made Dane actually leave the bed  just to fall down, feet totally tangled on the sheets -what the fuck?-, Gio jumped to the other side of the bed to cover Dane’s mouth with his hand -shhhh… those are Monet and Cracker, go to the bathroom, I’ll take care- ; Dane nodded and crawled to the bathroom, locking himself behind the door.

-Open the fucking door Giovanni!, I mean it-, Monet spoke loud and clear, starting to get annoyed and judging stares of the goers in the hotel corridor -I’m counting down to three, then I will hit this door open- he threatened.  -Come on guys, be reasonable, maybe he just overslept- Blair said, pretending to be a reasonable voice in that mess, -oh no Andrew, you’re not going to convince us of that, Giovanni NEVER oversleeps when he has to travel in the morning, he’s such a fucking control freak- Cracker said, looking at Blair with some suspicion -what the hell do you know blondie?-, he asked, staring straight to the eye the boy, who started to lose the  “I’m the reasonable adult here” facade he used to get those two away from Aquaria’s room door.

Gio wrapped himself with the comforter and went back to the door, making his best impression of someone that’s barely awake.  When the door opened, Monet almost fell on his face -hey guys, what’s all these about?-, Giovanni yawned, rubbing his right eye with one of his hands.  Max stepped under Monet’s arm, to see the boy with the sleepy face -so, you really overslept bitch… we have less than fifteen minutes before they come and pick us up to the airport, so you better hurry up, and for god’s sake, stop ignoring our messages!- even being half a head shorter than Gio, Max looked threatening -now that I know you’re alive, I can go and get my shit and do my check out… fifteen minutes Palandrani, and if you’re not down, I’ll make sure they leave you here, lazy bitch-, then turned on his heels and left the room unceremoniously, while Monet was looking at Giovanni with a confused look.

-You better get ready, let me help you to finish your packing while you take a shower-, Gio didn’t have a “no” answer figured, so he was kind of babbling when Blair intervened -you haven’t finished your packing either Monet, do your thing, I’ll help Aquaria-, reluctantly, Monet nodded and after hugging and checking on Gio once more, she left -alright, see you down… I’ll get you something to eat on the road Aqua-; Blair closed the door and looked at him -so… where’s Kameron? I bet my right hand he’s here- she stated, looking to Gio, who was nervously biting his lip -I don’t know what you are talking about, Blair-, Andrew rolled his eyes and smiled sympathetically, -I’m talking about the mess of your bed, and Kameron’s jeans crumpled beside the couch… that’s what I mean-.

Gio cursed and heard the bathroom door unlocking, and Dane stepped out, wearing nothing but a towel around the waist and his hands up in surrender -ok… now you know, could you please check if  those monsters left so I can go back to my room?-.  Andrew nodded barely managing to keep his shit eating smile away, at least while they were looking at him; then, Dane collected his clothes and started getting dressed, Gio staring at him, still biting his lip, recalling all that happened the night before, not really thinking, he approached him and kissed him shamelessly; Dane reciprocated the kiss, gathering all his self control to break the kiss before they started again -we have no time… and they’re going to start worrying about me and my not presence-, Gio joined his forehead with Dane’s, and sighed -guess we’ll need to talk-.

-Lovebirds, I’m sorry to break your moment, but the hallway is safely empty, you should hurry Kam… I bet they’re going to look after you, if they’re not doing it already- Dane nodded, getting away from Gio, who stared at him for a second, before going to the bathroom to get ready to go.  Andrew went after him taking long steps -I know you’re not ready to talk about this, but I’d like to know how will I have to cover you both up, right?-, the dark haired boy nodded, and gave a grateful smile to the blonde boy, who went back to the door to leave him alone in the empty room.

Once they were dropped to the airport and were safely waiting for their different flights to depart, Gio gave one last check on his phone before turning it off, just to find a message from Dane.

[12:40] Kameron: hey stranger… hope you flight safe back home

[12:40] Kameron: I… I just miss you

[12:40] Aquaria: I do either

[12:41] Kameron: -blushing emoji-

[12:41] Aquaria: Waking up in this bed next to you…  swear the room got no ceiling

[12:42] Kameron: -smiling emoji- I got this feeling… u know? don’t know what it is but I can feel it

[12:42] Aquaria: yeah, I feel it too

[12:43] Kameron: can’t wait til next week, be safe, right?

[12:43] Aquaria: be safe too -kissy face-

[12:43] Kameron: -kissy face-

Dane turned his phone off with a wide smile  in his face; David, by his side looked to him curious -good news? I’ve never seen you smiling like that-, Dane looked at David and just said -It’s just that I have a feeling, and I really like it-.  David just smiled him back, just in time for the plane to take off.

[lokidiabolus]

I just saw your update on Ao3 - the one-shot was amazing :) I loved every single one of you Newtmas story and I was wondering if you'd like to write a second part of 'Husbands'? The one in which Thomas lost his memory and Newt is a sad little bean xx ily anyways

Husbands - part 2

AO3 version.

Hi! Sorry the Husbands update took so long, and even more sorry it doesn’t end with the second part x.x I sure hope it does with the third! Have a great day ^^

“It thought Newt could come over fordinner today.”

Thomas hummed, his eyes skimmingover the text on his phone, and it took him few seconds before he realized hiscompany around the table quieted down abruptly. He raised his head in questionjust to see his whole family staring at him expectantly.

“Uh, what?” he blinked and Ava’sface told him there was something big hanging in the air right now.

“Newt?” she repeated with raisedeyebrows and Thomas cleared his throat.

“What ‘bout him?”

The conversation they had in their flat was the last one so far andthey haven’t spoken since. Thomas had several weak moments where he wanted toat least text him, but he always stopped at hey,because he had no idea what to talk about. Reminiscing about the pastendeavours was out of the question when he didn’t remember even meeting the guyand he didn’t want to ask him about it because he stubbornly wanted to rememberby himself. But the memories didn’t come no matter how hard he stared at thepictures in his phone, and he was ashamed he couldn’t bring anything to his ownmarriage at the moment.

“Today’s dinner,” Ava repeated patiently.Was a little weird for her to be this meek, but Thomas counted it towards herbeing careful with the whole business around Thomas’ malfunctioning brain. “Ithought Newt could come over?

“Sure?” Thomas replied simply. Itwas no big deal, right? He wasn’t uncomfortable around the man. At least hethought he didn’t – the convo they had back then broke some ice so having himover in the house with his whole family that could eventually distract himcould do them good. It wasn’t like Thomas was nervous or anything (he thoughtthat while trying to force down a weird feeling tickling him in pit of hisstomach).

“You don’t mind?” Ava’s expressiondidn’t change and the rest of the family was peering at him with similar looks.

“No?” he let out and the tightanticipation in Ava’s face finally eased off.

“Alright then,” she relaxed backinto her seat and Aris with Teresa started to eat their breakfast again, likethey weren’t just staring at him for minutes like two vultures. “I thoughtlasagne is a good choice.”

“Yeah, whatever,” he mumbled,glancing back at his phone. Was it Newt’s favourite food or something? It was alittle annoying all of them could say much more about his own husband than hecould.

“Call him to come over, would you,”Teresa’s voice flew over the table to him with faked sweetness and he shot hera glare. She just smiled at him, but he damned well could see the horns peekingfrom under her long black hair.

“Yeah, whatever,” he repeated in alow grumble and after that they finally lefthim alone again.

***

Thomas [10:11]Come over tonight. Dinner time.

Newt [10:14]Sheesh, don’t be so friendly, my heart can’t take it.

Thomas [10:16]Was perfectly friendly and I even threw in a food invitation. You have no rightto say no to free food.

Newt [10:20]Crap, you won me over.

Thomas [10:22]Was there ever any doubt?

Newt [10:25]Hell, I dunno. Maybe like constantly.

Thomas [10:27]You’re so fun. Expect you at 5. Wear a tie.

Newt [10:30]A tie?

Thomas [10:32]Or a dress, I won’t judge.

Newt [10:34]I have my nicest at the cleaners’, sorry.

Thomas [10:37]A tie will do then.

Newt didn’t text back and Thomas tossedthe phone on the bed with a sigh. He didn’t know how to talk to him. He had noidea what to talk to him about either. It was like a person made of glass, likeapproaching it without the right tactics could shatter it, and it just didn’tmake any sense. The photos were clear as a day – they were a couple, they werein love, yet now a brick wall was standing between them.

He crashed next to the phone,bouncing on the mattress few times before the motion stilled, and buried hisface into the pillow. It was already difficult enough to get acquainted in hisjob he had no recollection of either, but people were at least helpful there.

Not that Newt wasn’t helpful. Well,quite frankly not that he was either. He just… existed. There, somewhere, intheir flat, alone. And Thomas left him there because he didn’t know what elseto do or what his husband thought orwanted. When he didn’t even remember meeting him, maybe it was uncomfortablefor Newt as well? They were basically strangers now.

He groaned and turned to his side,his sight immediately falling on the golden ring resting on his bedside table. Wearingit felt wrong, not wearing it felt wrong as well, so Thomas just left it there– on sight, but not on him. When talking to Newt a week ago, it was fine andThomas even thought being around the blond wouldn’t pose a problem. But thenext day and the day after, and basically all week later he just didn’t knowanymore. So he didn’t text him, didn’t call him and Newt kept the silence aswell.

And now the dinner. Newt seemedpissy over the texts as well. Was it because Thomas didn’t call him again? Ormaybe something at work happened. Or he just didn’t feel like going for dinnerwith the whole Thomas’ family. Or with Thomas specifically.

He blindly reached for the phone andstared at their conversation as if he could deduce something else there – acoded message or a sign. He found nothing.

Thomas [10:55] Are you mad at me?

He wasn’t sure what to expect afterasking that, but he still clicked send and waited. He expected no, of course not, because that waspretty much a standard when dealing with unpleasant topics while being in thegrey area. Thomas didn’t need the politeness, but quite frankly wasn’t surewhat exactly he required instead of it.

The phone finally beeped and Thomasstared at the answer for whole minute before the word reached him properly.

Newt [10:59] Kinda.

“Kinda,” he repeated and rubbed hiseyes. Another message beeped.

Newt [11:00]Kinda don’t even want to see you rn.

That stung and Thomas sat up with afrown. Okay, fine, so he played the dead bug, but he didn’t deserve this. Hedidn’t do anything wrong and if Newt wanted to talk to him, he could have,nobody was stopping him from taking a phone and sending a text or call.

Thomas [11:02] Tough luck, you are invited and I will be there.

Newt [11:07] Wellthen. Tell Ava I am busy.

Thomas [11:08] You tell her.

Newt [11:09] Fine.

Thomas cursed and tossed the phonenext to him again. What the hell was wrong with that guy? He was like hot andcold from Katie Perry and he hated that song.

Ava was not going to be pleased.

***

He didn’t see Ava the wholeafternoon. Basically he didn’t really see anybody that much – Teresa went out,Aris was in his room playing videogames and Ava nowhere to be found. He roamedthe house like a ghost, not entirely sure what to do with himself, until henestled in the living room and turned the TV on to some dumb cooking show.

It took about five minutes ofwatching the food being made, which reminded him of today’s dinner probablyhappening in less festive manner, until he grabbed phone again.

Thomas [14:47] What exactly is your problem anyway?

Newt [14:48] Ohwait, let me think.

Thomas grumbled. This was literallyleading them nowhere. He gave Newt five minutes and when no other text came, hedialled his number with a childish need to at least tell him he acted like ajerk for no purpose whatsoever.

Newt picked up on tenth ring,seemingly wanting Thomas to give up, and his what sounded like a death sentence.

“Why did you put me on your goddamnshit list?” Thomas skipped the pleasantries as well and Newt on the other sideof the line scoffed. Alright, so they were already in the arguing phase, whichwas just great. He wondered how often they argued normally.

“Bloody hell, Thomas, do you reallyneed me to spell it out for you?” his accent was more prominent when he wasangry, Thomas noted. “I’m in no mood for that right now.”

“Well, I am,” Thomas shot back. “Iinvited you for dinner and you turned it into a shit show, so what’s up?”

“Youinvited me for dinner?” Newt snorted over the line. “Ava made you.”

“What difference does it make?”Thomas rolled his eyes and heard Newt whisper Jesus under his breath. “Just come for the stupid dinner!”

“Oh yes, now you definitely changedmy mind,” Newt uttered and Thomas heard door being shut somewhere in thedistance. Was Newt out somewhere? “For what even? So we would glare at eachother over lasagne?”

“Well, if you keep this up wedefinitely will glare any given moment,” Thomas said sternly. “Are you mad Ihaven’t called you over a week? Is that it?”

Only a sigh came from the other sideand Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn’t want to argue. He didn’twant to make a drama out of it, no matter how weird or uncomfortable or forcedit would feel in the beginning. He didn’t text him over a week because thewords just didn’t come, not because he didn’t want to see him ever.

“Look, I didn’t know what to tellyou,” he dropped the voice lower. “I just don’t know how to talk to you cuz itfeels like you expect me to be somebody who I don’t know how to become.”

“What?” Newt finally spoke andThomas took a deep breath.

“It’s just…” he tried, but the wordswere stuck. “Just like. I am not him, you know.”

Silence.

“The guy you married,” he tried toelaborate clumsily. “I don’t know how I to become him so you’d be fine with itand-,”

“Don’t do that,” Newt interruptedhim quietly.

“But why?”

“Because that’s not how it works,”the voice over the line sounded sad. “And because I don’t want that.”

“Me?” Thomas croaked out.

“What?”

“You don’t want me?” anymore his conscience supplied and ithurt. Yes, he didn’t remember meeting him, he didn’t remember falling in lovewith him, and marrying him and cutting the cake at the reception and makinglove to him in the bed, but he knew he would one day, or maybe never, butcutting him off completely was just… not it. Not right. Not ever.

Newt’s voice hitched on the otherside and it was painful. The silence stretched between them infinitely, onlythe faint noise of the cooking show was filling the background.

“I want you,” Newt finally said.“Bloody hell. I want you so much here at home with me, you have no idea. But Ican’t have you and it’s just too much.”

“Who said you can’t have me?” Thomascountered immediately.

“Tommy.”

“I haven’t said that,” Thomasinsisted.

“C’mon, you know it’s like-,”

“Come for the dinner,” he didn’t letNewt finish because it scared him to hear it’snot like that now or it’s not likeyou love me now since that bullshit was way over the line. “Please.”

Another sigh.

“Yeah, okay,” Newt replied faintly.“Okay.”

Thomas spent the rest of the afternoonin front of the TV, while clutching his phone close to his chest.

***

When the doorbell rang, Thomaswasn’t surprised nobody went for the door, but expected him to do it. He didn’tcomplain when getting up from the sofa, and when approaching the door, he stillfelt reasonably calm and controlled, until he grabbed the handle and the entrywayrevealed his lost husband in a leather jacket and jeans.

“Look who’s here,” Thomas welcomedhim and Newt offered a small smile while raising a hand with bottle of wine init.

“I brought a treat,” he let Thomastake the bottle before walking after him inside of the house, automaticallyputting his jacket in the closet without further prompting. He moved around theplace with ease and Thomas had to remind himself Newt was part of the familyand not a random guy who came over for dinner, no matter how alien it looked. Whenhe started heading towards the living room, Thomas’ hand grabbed his wrist andstilled him.

“Wait a bit,” he said quietly,pulling Newt back to the hallway, and the blond went relatively easily. He hadstrange expression though, something akin to fear, and Thomas hoped he would beable to get rid of it someday.

“What is it?” Newt prompted him,when Thomas kept quiet even after they stood in on the spot for a minute incomplete silence and Thomas was still holding Newt’s wrist in his hand,squeezing it gently.

“Thanks for coming,” he saidfinally, hesitantly looking up to Newt’s confused face. “I really appreciateit. And sorry for not calling for so long.”

“I didn’t really expect you to,”Newt commented in a low voice. He didn’t move away though. “It’s fine.”

“It’s not really fine,” Thomasinsisted. The conversation they had over the phone earlier today still rang inhis head, and he didn’t know if it was guiltiness that kept urging him to makeamends or not. “I don’t want you to be alone.”

“Oh please-,”

“No, I mean it,” he stopped Newtfrom pulling away. “I want to know you better too.”

The blond shook his head with asigh.

“Look, if this is about the phonecall we had…” he vaguely gestured with his free hand, but then no other wordscame out of him. Thomas hummed and let go of his wrist just to slide his handlower to brush against Newt’s fingers.

“I hate the thought of you beingsad,” he mumbled unhappily, looking at Newt’s long, slim fingers he gentlytouched one by one. Newt didn’t move his hand away, but his breath hitchedseveral times during it. Thomas decided he kinda liked the sound. “I just-,”

“The ring,” Newt stopped himsuddenly and Thomas glanced back to his face.

“Huh?”

“You’re wearing the ring,” the blond’seyes were glued to Thomas’ left hand and for a fraction of second Thomasthought Newt would freak out and leave. He took the ring shortly before thedinner party started and it was more of an attempt of how he would feel with it– he absolutely planned not to leave it on. But it felt good, like it belongedon his finger (which was true anyway), so he left it there because it was hisanyway. Nobody from the family commented on it, if they even noticed.

“Well. Of course,” he let Newt togently touch it, like it was the most fragile thing in the world. “It’s mineafter all.”

“Yes, but-,”

“I want to leave it on, if you’realright with it,” Thomas didn’t let him say anything and Newt took a shudderingbreath before nodding.

“I’m alright with it,” he concludedquietly. It made Thomas feel a lot better about the whole day.