#the relationship between them is my dinner and brother i am chomping

[cillyscribbles]

such wretched things as us

[kitchenangst]

Before Anything Good pt. 2

Mako x reader (she/her pronouns)

Summary: Barely one month of living on the streets, and Mako has grown skeptical of anything good that’s offered freely to him. When the girl from the other side of town calls him stinky and demands he take a shower, he might just be right about his newfound cynicism.

Word count: 2.2k

Warnings: brief implied abusive relationship, language, dialogue heavy, Bolin being comedy relief, this is literally just filler goofiness lol

A/N: New game, drink water every time anyone is called stinky hehe I was going to update this on the weekend but got too excited! also can we get an F for my keyboard pls it doesn’t want to cooperate anymore,, anyway pls let me know if there are any errors! 

part i | part iii

After exchanging transactions and names, the three sat on a bench outside with a hefty bag of baked goods. Bolin bounced in his seat as he patiently waited for the girl, who introduced herself as Yn, to pass him his bread before eating her own. She reached into the bag with the napkin, making sure to hand over one of the bigger pieces. Grabbing at it with greedy hands and an appetite to match, he immediately scarfed down the brioche, but not before he said his thanks. He sighed in delight as the fluffiness of it melted on his tongue. “So good!!” 

Mako found himself smiling at Bolin’s infectious grin. “S’that so? Want a bite of mine?” He angled his spongy bread towards the younger one, who happily chomped on it. He returned his gaze forward as he continued to chew on his bread, the treat staving off some of the hunger. 

Yn giggled at the interaction, wanting to join the fun, and tugged on Mako’s sleeve. “Want a bite of mine?” Before Mako had a chance to respond, she had already shoved her bread into his mouth once he had turned towards her. After breaking the piece off, she lectured, “You should eat more! These will go bad if you don’t finish them! It’ll be a waste.” She ignored Mako’s flushed face, assuming he just needed water, and passed him his cup. 

Once he cleared his throat, Mako choked out, "Didn’t you ever consider the germs! You could be sick!”

“I’m not sick!” She cried defensively. “If I cared about your germs, I wouldn’t have offered you any of my bread!”

“Did you think that I might care about germs?!”

“I- Well, I-,” she immediately paused, her cheeks flushing as she looked down sheepishly, “-did not think about that. Sorry?” She looked back at him, the fear of losing her newly made friend reflecting in her expression.

“That’s okay! Mako’s just shy with girls,” Bolin helpfully announced. “Like when that one girl who lived across the street tried to offer some fruit and Mako just threw them-” 

“You can eat the rest,” Mako blankly offers, the remaining bread shoved in Bolin’s mouth. At Yn’s gaping mouth, Mako grabs the wrist holding her bread before guiding the food into her mouth. “You should, too.” A playful grin itches the corners of his mouth as he tries to keep a straight face. "It's not good to waste your food." He reaches into the bag to grab a different type of bread as if nothing happened and proceeds to chew on it. 

“Thaz nawht neigs!” 

At her muffled yelling, Mako’s eyes glint playfully. “What’s that? I smell really good?” She shoved him away the moment he tried to lean closer to her.

Once she swallowed, she reprimanded Mako’s behavior, claiming it’s not good to interrupt people talking. 

Mako shrugged, leaning against the wall. “Not really. When you have a brother, it’s okay to be mean.”

Her eyes narrowed, taking in his words. “Then, what about a sister? Would you be mean to her too?” 

He takes a moment to ponder. It was nice forgetting that he was an orphan and just enjoying food in the company of another. But he thinks back to the days he'd chase Bolin around the house and wonders if he'd also chase Yn around if she'd been there. After all, a friend wouldn't be too different from a sibling, right?

“I think it’d be okay to be mean to them, too.” Yn’s head nodded approvingly at the answer, humming appreciatively that there was no special treatment between siblings. “Not sure, though. I never really thought about it until now.”

“What about you, Yn? Do you have a brother or sister?” Bolin chimed in, now on his second bread. 

“None! But I’d like a sister or brother sometime! I think it’s neat to have a friend like that around all the time.” 

“Yeah, you can think of it like that. Or it’s someone annoying you all the time.” With another shrug, Mako pops the rest of the bread in his mouth and dusts the crumbs off his hands. 

Bolin clears his throat, climbs onto his knees, and holds Mako by the shoulders to steady himself before burping in his face. The immediate cringe his brother wears is enough to satisfy him, a triumphant grin settling on his face. “Or someone you can annoy all the time!” 

Yn’s bark of laughter suddenly ends when suddenly the same cringe on Mako embraces her face. “Oh, you two are really stink-” but the other two don’t hear her finish her sentence as someone shouts her name over the stomping of ostrich horses in front of them. 

The lady towering over Yn from her seat inside the carriage looks frustrated, worried, and tired all at once. She hugs the girl the instant she exits the carriage, her eyes clenching softly in relief before she reopens them to look her form over. Making sure there aren’t any visible signs of dirt or scratches, she sighs. “Sweetie, why did you leave my side? You’re lucky I found you before anything happened!”

Yn puffs her chest and sits up straighter. The moment the word “mother” had left her mouth, Mako suddenly felt like he shouldn’t have been here, shouldn’t have gone for the bread, should be leaving, should be running. He stiffens when he makes eye contact with her mom, her eyes scanning their tattered clothes and thin coating of dust, settling on the scarf wrapped around Mako's neck with some form of recognition and pity. The pity. This was the exact moment he hated experiencing when parents realized their kids were around them, the orphans. Mako makes an effort to hold back a scoff, suddenly remembering how it wasn’t proper social etiquette to be rude to those related to the one who have shown you kindness. 

“Mako, can we?” He turns to see Bolin holding his hands together in plea and lips pouting. 

"Uh..." Shit, he was not listening. "I don't know, Bo…"

“Please, I insist. Any friend of Yn is welcome to have dinner with us anytime.” The look in her eyes was hesitant compared to the shakey upward turn of her mouth. “I won’t make two orphans pay, if that’s what you’re worried about.” 

Although they were the same words spoken to him earlier that day, they didn’t feel as sweet coming from the lady than it did from her daughter. Why did she have to mention they were orphans? Did she know them? their parents? the culprit?

“Mako,” Bolin whispers. Tugging his sleeve close enough so that the other two wouldn’t hear, he continues whispering. “House. Stuff. Steal?” Mako’s face remained neutral, but Bolin’s idea did strike a chord… Maybe they had a collection? They wouldn’t notice a thing or two from it missing… Mako assumed position by crossing his arms and making an indecisive face, hand resting on his chin to pronounce the effect. “It’s free dinner! Just this once, please?” With his acting turned up by a notch, Bolin slings himself onto Mako’s shoulders with the biggest puppy eyes he could muster. 

“Well… I could never say no to free food,” Mako returns stiffly. Gee, why couldn’t they just be natural. Even Bolin’s pout turned into a grimace. 

“Then let’s go now!” With no time for them to worry about how bad their acting was, the two of them were suddenly seated in the carriage on the opposite side from Yn and her mom. Yn bounced in her seat and swung her legs, her head tilting from side to side as if she was picking and choosing from a jar of questions to ask them, but only held back because of her mother being in the same space. 

The brothers shifted their eyes around the cart, not wanting to make eye contact at her mom, but not quite wanting to look at Yn either. Instead, Mako fiddled with the ends of his scarf while Bolin asked for another piece of bread. Smart, at least he wouldn’t be asked to talk if he was eating.

“Mother?” Yn’s tongue poked against the inside of her cheek, hesitant on whether she should ask something or not. At her mother’s inquiry, she continued, “Is this what kidnapping looks like?” 

Everyone turned to the sound of Bolin’s choking, who could barely hold the bottle of water being handed to him by Yn’s mother while Mako slapped his back harshly until he calmed down. “K-ki-kid- you’re kidnapping us?” He stared at the water and bread questionably. “Are these poisoned?! Am I going to… going to… melt… from the inside?” The tears in the corner of his widened eyes began to roll down at the thought of a painful death and he turned to Mako, barely comprehensible. “I told you! We shou-shouldn’t have come!” 

“You’re the one who wanted to go!” 

“You’re the one who let us go!” Great. Now he was sobbing. 

Exasperated, Mako groans. “Fine! If it makes you feel better-” he takes a large swig from the same bottle Bolin drank from earlier, “-now we’ll both melt from the inside!” Once Bolin’s sobs calmed down, he quickly added, “Better?” Bolin’s nod of approval stopped at the sound of Yn’s laughter on the other side, her mom simply covering her mouth with a little twinkle in her eyes. 

“I wanna melt from the inside, too!” Yn plucked the bottle from Mako’s hands before chugging the rest, saying something about how poisoned water tasted better than regular water. 

“You’re free to leave anytime after dinner, by the way. We’ll even arrange a carriage to take you back,” Yn’s mother offered. 

Mako nodded slowly, the look in her eyes now seeming more genuine than it had outside the carriage. “Thank you. We’d really like that.” 

The rocking of the carriage and the stomping of the ostrich horses filled the silence afterwards. With nothing to do and the presence of her mother making her hold her tongue, Yn studied the two brothers’ features. She wasn’t sure of what the definition of pretty for boys was, but she was sure these two were it. 

Bolin was on the cuter side with his stubby nose helping his thick eyebrows emphasize his expressions, chubby cheeks filling like chimp-monkeys, and bright emerald eyes practically glowing as if untouched. Mako, on the other hand, had a more slender nose, the arch of his eyebrows curving naturally just before abruptly being pulled up to a mountain peak and dragging downwards on the thicker end, his cheeks close to hollowing out from lack of food, and golden eyes tinted and narrowed in suspicion every now and then. The apples of both their cheeks an angry pink and peeling from being sunburnt, paling in comparison to the deep red and soft cotton of Mako’s scarf. 

That couldn't have felt nice if they just left it alone… She sighed and started folding the empty bag of bread, wondering if her mother had any mud masks she could spare at home. 

--

“And that’s how you turn off the sink!” Yn finished her explanation to the boys with a proud face, the bathroom lights adding just another bright layer to her eyes. 

“We know how to use the bathroom...”

“Then get to brushing your teeth! Your breath-”

“Stinks. We know.” 

Yn’s grin widens at Mako’s admittance, skipping out of the bathroom to help her mom prep for dinner. The dinner prep was simple since neither brothers had any special dietary needs or restrictions. The sound of the door unlocking was enough to stop her from turning on the stove to cook the chopped ingredients. Running to the door, she greeted her father with a slight bow and offered to take his coat and hat back to his room. 

Just as she exited her father’s room, she heard her name from Mako’s distressed call. “Can you get us towels? And some clothes?” His head was sticking out from the door and his damp hair clung to the sides of his face as he looked around frantically. 

“Oh! Sorry, how could I forget? Just wait a bit!” She’s about to turn the corner into the kitchen to ask her mother about the washed clothes, stopping when she hears the hushed whispers that could only belong to her parents. 

“No, those two kids! They’re San and Naoki’s kids!”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Spirits, woman, do I have to spell everything for you? Did you see the damage of their house? They must have gotten some money from selling stuff. Money that they’re hiding.”

“They’re just kids. When are you going to stop pulling this stunt?”

“I’ll stop when I stop. Now, where have you been seeing them hang around?” 

A heavy air of silence hangs around the area, and Yn nearly looks around the wall before her eyes widened at the familiar sound of a harsh clap thundering off the walls of the kitchen. Her hands flew to cover her mouth to repress her gasp. With shaky steps, she was barely able to turn around without tripping on her feet, the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears and blocking off the rest of their conversation as she made her way back to the bathroom.

--

A/n: I did not need 1.7k words before getting to this point in the story but I couldn’t help it LOL this part was split once again :”) also some pieces of dialogue are based on conversations in real life and I thought it fitted the three of them nicely as kids! kinda surprised myself this chapter because i always cringe at what i write but this was kinda cute lol Let me know what you thought of this chapter!!

part i | part iii

Taglist! (if you’d like to be tagged, pls DM me or send in an ask!)

@welovediaaxx​

[theperksofbeingbarbie]

Like a Normal Person (Part Two)

Summary: A vigilante and a reporter go on their long awaited first date. (Requested sequel!) 

Warnings: Language; Suggestive language

Word Count: 1,813

Pairing: Diego x Female!Reader

Part One

A/N: Holy balls, it has been a while but I am back! Things have been a little crazy for me lately. Without getting too far into it, I went to an outpatient program for my opiate addiction and it took up a lot of time and energy. But I graduated and now have that time back! I’m hoping to get back to posting my own writing regularly again! I want to work on the next chapter of New Kids and maybe another chapter of Circuits; so if you liked those, the wait will be over soon! 

If you have any requests, send them my way!! I want to get back into the groove and would love the inspiration! Love you guys!

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

“Look at that, he can use doors like a normal person,” you teased as you ushered your date into your apartment with a playful smirk. 

“You think I climbed through your windows every time? I have lazy days too, [Y/N],” Diego shot back with an ease that he only achieved with you as he closed the door behind him. “You look beautiful.” 

You blushed at the compliment that had no sign of sarcasm or teasing. “Thank you. Sorry I’m running a little late. My editor kept me after to argue my use of a quote,” you explained as you fastened your earring. “You look very handsome. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen you in anything but your… Would one call it a work uniform?” Your heart sped up when Diego smiled at your remark. 

“What? Do I not look very handsome in my work uniform too?” Diego’s fond smile quickly turned to something a touch darker, mischevious. He took a few steps toward you, taking your hand in his. “I really thought you would be the type to like the leather,” he purred, gently pulling you toward him. 

You could easily see yourself skipping dinner when he looked at you like that. Hell, you two had already had dinner together every week, what was the point of an official first date? 

But then you thought about how fun it would be to tease him. 

You hummed, running your other hand up his chest. “Perhaps if you lifted some handcuffs from the station we could make it a whole thing,” you suggested with a flirty smirk. “For the record, you would be the one under arrest. At least to start with.” You let out a satisfied noise when you saw Diego’s eyes flick from your face to the door of your bedroom. Quickly you pulled yourself from him, turning to go to your room. “Let me find my shoes and grab my bag and we can go!” You closed the door behind you, silently letting him know he wasn’t allowed to follow you just yet.  

—————————

Sure, you knew Diego could be a bit of a softie underneath it all, but actually seeing it in action was completely different. He was the perfect gentleman: opening doors, offering his hand as you climbed out of the car and when you stepped up the curb. It almost made you feel bad for teasing him so much. Almost. 

“Thank you,” you said softly when he pulled out the chair for you, watching as he walked around the table to take his place. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about this place. I’m excited.” 

“Yeah? Good.” Diego let out a little huff as he got settled, a slight tinge of pink gracing his cheeks. “Klaus is really into reading those food blogs. Apparently it’s pretty popular.” 

You couldn’t help but smile at the mention of his brother, wondering how much Diego told him about you. Your thoughts were derailed by the waiter coming over to bring you a pair of menus. “I’ll have a chardonnay, please.” 

“I’ll have the same.” Diego gave a polite smile to the man, watching him walk away before looking down at the menu. 

“Do you talk about me with your siblings?” 

Diego’s head snapped up at your question, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. “What?” 

“You said Klaus recommended this place,” you reminded him, only glancing up from the menu briefly as if you weren’t completely interested in whether or not he talked about you. “Did you tell him you were going out with the woman you force yourself to have dinner with every Friday?” You finally gave all your attention to Diego, the playful smirk he usually bought out of you on your lips. 

Diego rolled his eyes, trying to hide the smile that was forcing its way onto his face. “Have no idea what you’re talking about, [L/N].” 

“We’re going back to last names, are we?” You scoffed, leaning back in your chair with an indignant huff. “Fine. Then I’m threatening you with my bat next time you break in, Hargreeves.” 

The faux tension was broken by the waiter returning with the bottle of wine. You both mumbled your thanks, sharing a quiet laugh when the man retreated once more. 

You managed to keep your comments to yourself until the man was able to take your orders, taking a sip of your wine once he left again. “So if I stole your phone, would I find texts between you and Klaus all about what an amazing woman I am and how you can’t live without me?” 

Diego hummed as he considered that, leaning forward a bit. “You’d have to steal my phone first, so I guess you’ll never know.” 

“I’m a half-decent pick pocket, I’ll have you know.” 

“Bullshit.” 

You let out a surprised laugh when a woman at a nearby table glared at him. “Diego,” you hissed, rolling your eyes as you laughed at him. 

Diego gave an apologetic nod toward the woman who continued to look like he personally called her a bitch before bringing his attention back to his date, chuckling quietly as well. “I don’t believe that you can pick pockets. I mean… You’re-” 

“Oh, please. Tell me what I’m like.” 

“You’re good.” 

That wasn’t what you expected. At least not with that much kindness and wholeheartedness. You blushed a bit, taking another sip of your wine. “If I manage to swipe your phone by the end of the night and send a text to Klaus, I get to pick where we go on a date next. If I don’t, you pick,” you suggested. 

Diego quirked an eyebrow, a surge of confidence swelling in his chest at the fact that you were already planning a second date. “You have yourself a deal.” 

—————————

Dinner was just like every other before it: comfortable, familiar, fun. Conversation seemed to always come easy with Diego, as if you had known each other forever. 

“Do you want dessert?” 

“Yeah, I think so.” 

Diego smiled fondly, asking the waiter for the check instead of the dessert menu. 

“What? You said dessert,” you protested, crossing your arms in an attempt to guilt him. 

“You have that look.” 

“What look?” 

“The ‘I want ice cream’ look.” 

You stared at Diego in disbelief. For one, you didn’t know you had different looks for different desserts. Secondly, you definitely didn't expect Diego to notice even if you did. 

“Pick your jaw up off the floor,” Diego teased. “I know things.” He offered his hand to you once he settled the bill, giving yours a squeeze when you accepted it. “We can walk through the park if you want.” 

“I’d love that, actually.” 

“Told you I knew things.” 

—————————

You thanked the woman running the stand for your cone, waiting for Diego to take his before sliding your free arm through his before starting your stroll. “Do I have other faces?” 

“I just know how much you like ice cream and was hoping I was right,” Diego admitted with a smile. 

You gasped, pushing him with your shoulder. “Cheater!” 

“I don’t get any points for knowing how much you like ice cream?!” 

“Two.” 

“Only two points?” 

You gave a curt nod, licking your ice cream a few times. “I docked points for making me think I had an ice cream look.” 

Diego rolled his eyes. “I hate you.” 

“No you don’t,” you sang teasingly. You stuck your tongue out at him, dodging away from Diego when he leaned down, chomping his teeth dramatically. “If you make me drop my ice cream I’m leaving you and dating one of your brothers.” 

“Good luck with that. Klaus isn’t good in relationships, Ben is dead, Five is married to a mannequin, and Luther is a giant monkey.” 

“Giant, hm? Sounds hot.” You tried to look as innocent as possible, focusing on your ice cream instead. “Big, strong arms? Good for snuggling?” 

Diego pushed you, catching your hand so you wouldn’t stumble too far. 

“You’re so mean to me!” You were giggling though, moving so you were in front of him, slowly closing the space between you. “Why I like you, I will never know.” 

“That makes two of us.” Diego thought you were absolutely brilliant and why you would spend time with him still amazed him. 

You sighed, standing up on your tip toes to press a tentative kiss to his lips. Diego leaned into it, letting go of your hand to cup your cheek. You placed your free hand on his side as he continued to hesitantly deepen the kiss. You let out a happy hum as a bit of encouragement, Diego taking the hint in stride. Months of flirting, of pining, of tension finally releasing into the best kiss of your life. 

“Shit,” you breathed when you were forced to pull away to catch your breath. “We should have done that ages ago.” 

“We can make up for lost time.” Diego smirked, leaning back down to kiss you again. 

A moan escaped your throat despite your best efforts, suddenly getting very overwhelmed with the need for more. You forced yourself to pull away, smiling at Diego’s annoyed expression. “At least let me finish my ice cream.” 

He rolled his eyes, following you to a bench. He draped his arm across the back, gently tugging you to snuggle close to him. You happily obliged, resting against Diego’s chest as you ate your ice cream in silence. 

“Smile.” 

Diego looked up to see you holding his phone, taking a picture of his surprised look. “No! You can’t do it while I kiss you! That’s cheating!” He reached out to take his phone back, but the picture was already sent to Klaus. 

“So is saying you pay attention to my ice cream face when you just guessed!” You handed Diego his phone back, sticking your tongue out at him again. 

“You have been a little shit all night.” 

“Yeah? What are you going to do about it?” 

You gasped when Diego caught your wrist, pulling you close to him once more with some force. There was a fire in his eyes that you hadn’t ever seen, but it caused something to ignite in you. 

“Maybe if you’re good,” Diego began, his lips just barely grazing over yours as he whispered, “you’ll get a treat. Sound fair?” 

You were only able to nod in agreement, your heart threatening to jump out of your chest. You were so used to getting the upper hand on Diego that him holding you in place was exciting. Your mind quickly began to wander, and the passionate kiss he finally initiated when you agreed to his lighthearted threat only put fuel on the fire. 

Diego finally pulled away, resting his forehead on yours with a smile. “So? Where are we going for our second date?” 

“Breakfast. Tomorrow morning,” you blurted, cheeks flaring bright red when he laughed at your insinuation. 

“Sounds perfect.” 

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

@1950schick - I’m sorry this took so long, babe! I hope it was worth the wait!! ♡♡♡♡♡

[shoku-and-awe]

In honor of getting stung by chopped-up jellyfish parts at the beach the other day, I present: a history of my relationship with jellyfish.

[2003] I am an extremely picky 16-year-old. At a barbecue in rural Japan, I encounter udon noodles for the first time. I am absolutely convinced that they are jellyfish tentacles. I know maybe 30 words of Japanese, but it feels absolutely imperative that I clarify the situation. I ask my host sister if this is jellyfish. It turns out that the word “jellyfish” is not common, or intuitively understood! I’d never thought about that, and the dictionary is in the car. I ask her if it’s seafood. She says no. I ask her if it’s meat. She says no. This does not reassure me. (The absolute worst thing that I had eaten in Japan at that point, the only thing I had literally gagged on not once, not twice, but three times—the one and only thing I had failed to swallow, had been described to me as “Not fish... but...... like fish. Maybe.”) I ask her if it was ever alive. She tells me that it arrived this morning, in the car, with us. I say, no, aLive. She says ohhh and tells me no, it’s noodles. I ask if it’s she’s sure it’s noodles. She says it’s indubitably noodles, because indubitably is the collective favorite word of all the exchange students that year. (And it is a great word.) I’m out of things to ask. With serious trepidation, I try it. It’s indubitably noodles! And it’s good. I eat a lot of it. I also try beef tongue, which it turns out I also love! Great day. I leave the barbecue 15% less picky.

[2004] At a family party with a Chinese-American friend, I see a bowl of cold udon noodles on the table. I am elated—my favorite noodle! I swivel the lazy susan around and serve myself as much as I can politely take. I bring my chopsticks to my lips, open my mouth, and as I bite down, my friend turns to me and says, “I didn’t know you liked jellyfish!” Staring at her in horror, my brain stutters to a halt, but my mouth plows on ahead and chomps down. It’s like biting into a very long eyeball. Somewhere between a grape and de-stringed celery. The jellyfish had elasticity. It bit back. (Maybe it’s better to compare it to very, very firm konjac. I’ve since started eating eyeballs (with great beauty and elegance, as you may have heard), and they are not actually all that similar. Although... I've never eaten a raw eyeball...)

The jellyfish tastes fine though! Spicy and vinegary and fresh. I finish it.

[2007] I visit the New England Aquarium with two friends. One is a Japanese exchange student, who is driven to absolute distraction, at every exhibit, by how ravenously hungry it’s making her. The other, my soft-hearted Chinese-American friend, is continuously horrified. “Fish are friends,” she keeps saying. “Not food!” Incidentally, the aquarium has an amazing jellyfish exhibit. My Japanese friend is basically drooling. We close out the Aquarium and walk to Chinatown for dinner. We order tons of food, including chilled jellyfish.  “Just like we saw,” says my Japanese friend, smiling. “Why does it have to taste so good?” laments my C-A friend, mouth full. And it does taste so good! I don’t just tolerate jellyfish; I like it.

[2008] After a semester in Japan, I visit Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan with my parents, my brother, my boyfriend, and a Japanese friend. It is a very good aquarium, and I see a whale shark for the first time (awesome). The three Japanese speakers among us spend the whole time absolutely starving. We decide not to mention it to my family.  In front of the octopus tank, my brother turns to me, “What are all these people yelling?” he asks “Are they saying ‘oishii’? Doesn’t that mean tasty?” When I tell him why, he is horrified. We don’t get jellyfish after, but I do convince my parents to try takoyaki. 

[2018] After 10 years in Japan, I sit down at a kushi restaurant in Shimane, take the lid off the appetizer, and go through a Slumdog Millionaire-style series of flashbacks because honestly, it really does look so much like udon. And either one is fine, and I can tell the difference, but it just tickles me. Maybe it’s reverse camouflage, I think. Maybe the jellyfish want us to eat them, so that our droppings plant jellyfish seeds and spread them across the earth. Maybe I’ve had too much to drink. Maybe I read too much sci-fi. Maybe I’ve been a jellyfish this whole time.

[self-fulfilling-prophet]

Mass Effect: Andromeda 30 Day Countdown Ryder Meme

I’ve been super distracted with moving and the shit with my car, so here have a giant info dump for my Ryder(s). Day 15-9

15 Days: Delve into the Ryder family background - how is/was their relationship with their father, sibling and mother? Do they get along, hero worship, close twin connection, sibling rivalry, was it strained, was it distant, etc.

OH BOY ITS A GOOD THING I ALREADY HAVE A POST ABOUT THIS SAVED IN MY DRAFTS. I HOPE YOU ARE READY FOR THIS. (Note: I am very torn between good relationship with Alec (I’m very close with my dad, so the alternative is foreign to me?) and what we saw in the first 13 min preview of the very gruff, strict, standoffish military dad. So I’m building all of this with a grain of salt, as canon may knock it all down.)

Before their father got promoted and basically made it big in the military, they were dirt poor. Scott got braces and it pretty much broke the bank. Sara wore glasses, and by that time laser eye treatment is pretty common place, but they couldn’t even afford that. Being poor+ military brats that moved a lot = unpopular young Ryder twins. It also didn’t help that they were brilliant kids which glasses + braces = GIANT NERDS to the other kids. Scott and Sara were always super close because of this.

Scott was the poster boy for the miracle of puberty. Super awkward with his braces and a bad case of acne. But by the end of the Ryder twins junior year, suddenly he was a total hottie? Sara is confused and also jealous. Girls who made fun of the both of them were suddenly asking to be introduced to her brother. Scott blossomed with his new popularity, while Sara stayed the shy bookish girl. She still got teased and bullied, but god forbid Scott find out because he would BEAT YO ASS. Boy will laugh anything off unless Sara is involved.

Both twins are super genius level smart though, not just Sara. Sara is good at physical sciences (esp biology and chem), english, psychology, and humanities. Everyone thought she was going to be a doctor, and was super surprised when she announced she was enlisting. Scott is better at physics, math, and engineering. He also has a weirdly good memory when it comes to history and dates. (whether or not he recognizes the importance of said events or even cares is another matter) The Alliance wept tears of joy when he enlisted as an engineer.

Their father did everything he could to promote his kids education, which he saw as the most important thing. He trained them in self-defense since they were young, but started them on a specialized regimen based on his N7 training when they were a bit older.

It was actually Sara’s idea; Scott had been getting into a lot of trouble at and outside of school, and poor Alec was super stressed from work already. Sara insisted it was because Scott was bored at school and not being challenged enough. She suggested Alec give Scott some special one on one training. Alec agreed. For a while, it was just Alec and Scott, but after coming home from a few late night training sessions to find dinner already made, Scott realized how lonely Sara must have been by herself. So he swallowed his pride and insisted Sara be included too. Sara didn’t enjoy the training quite like Scott, but she did enjoy the strange “family time” together. (It’s either that, or when Sara first mentioned the idea, Alec insisted that Sara receive training too. She didn’t really want it, but she did as dad said.)

It isn’t until they both enlist that they realize quite how big of a deal their dad is. They always knew, but they didn’t KNOW. Sara is proud to be her father’s daughter, and just wants to make him proud (and not embarrass him). Scott is proud as well, but after countless comparisons to his dad, he starts to grow a little resentful of his father’s success. He goes from worshiping his father to wanting to escape Alec’s shadow and make a name for himself.

Training and being stationed for the Alliance was the first time Sara and Scott had been separated for an extended period of time. It was really tough on them both (though Scott tried to hide it). They chat and send messages as much as possible, with Sara still mothering Scott despite him being on a totally different planet.

There hasn’t been any word about the twins mom yet (HMMM SUSPICIOUS, WHAT IS THIS ABOUT RYDER FAMILY SECRETS HMMMMMM?????), so I don’t want to go building up a too serious headcanon yet, only to have it totally destroyed by canon. But my general thought is that she was a scientist that was working on the AI SAM with Alec. She died when the twins were fairly young. Alec became a lot more distant after, throwing himself into his work on SAM. No one would ever say it to his face, but a lot of people think he is using the Andromeda Initiative to escape his past/memories of his wife.

Also, something I’ve been thinking about lately: Are the twins Alec’s only children? Do they have siblings? (I don’t headcanon that they do, but who knows?)

14 Days: Describe some important or formative events in Ryder’s history. How did these impact and shape them?

-I’ve already talked about how being poor has made at least Sara thrifty and constantly worry about money, and how being bullied made Sara more shy and Scott both hate bullies and also be more protective of Sara. I imagine if their mother DID die when they were young, Sara would have stepped into a motherly role with both her father and brother. Alec never acknowledges it, and Scott only does in indirect ways (helping out with chores, making sure to thank Sara when she cooked, etc). ((One year he got her a mother’s day card. He meant it as a joke, since she constantly mothered him, but she got really emotional and absolutely loved it, thinking he meant it for real. He felt so bad, he never told her the truth. But he gets her a card every year now.))

The only other situation I can think of that is formative is one for Scott, even though it technically happened to Sara. The twins always walked home from school together, but Scott was a horny teenager, and he wanted to stay late at school to “hang out” with a girl. Sara wasn’t happy, but she started home by herself. On the way home, she was attacked by a group of thugs. She already had a few years of Alec’s training under her belt, so she was able to fight them off, but she did get a little beat up. Alec of course chose that day to come home early from work. Scott got home a bit later, and Alec immediately questioned why he wasn’t with his sister. Before Scott had a chance to reply, Sara covered for him, saying that Scott stayed late for a group project, and that she volunteered to go home alone. Alec was hesitant to believe her, but Sara never lied, so he let it go. After that, Scott made a point to make sure she was never alone when she was out, and became extremely protective of her. It also basically cemented his loyalty and friendship to his sister as the one person he could trust above all others.

13 Days: Why did Ryder join the Alliance military? Later on, what were Ryder’s reasons for signing up to the Andromeda Initiative? Were they seeking adventure (or glory, or a challenge), wanting a new start, running from something, following their family, trying to secure a future for humanity, did they simply feel railroaded into it, etc.

-For Scott, it was an easy choice. He idolized his father, and being surrounded by the Alliance his whole life, he couldn’t see himself doing anything else. He was chomping at the bit to enlist, having dreamed of being a soldier like his dad ever since he could remember. Sara’s reasons are a little more complicated. Even she isn’t 100% sure why she did it. Part of it is because of her father’s position. It was an easy in, and she grew up with people expecting both twins to at least consider following in their father’s footsteps. Part of it was also her being cost-conscious for her future. She knew she wanted to go to college and potentially study to be a doctor, and the Alliance had great education plans to help her do just that. There was also the subtle fear of separation and abandonment she had. She was scared that if both her father and brother were in the Alliance and she wasn’t, the distance between her and them would get bigger and bigger, until they were practically strangers.

- When Alec tells them that he plans to depart on the Andromeda Initiative, and invites them along, Scott and Sara have very different reactions. Scott is all for it; the chance for the great adventure and glory he hasn’t been able to get stationed on Arcturus. Sara honestly doesn’t want to go. She likes working with the scientists on Mars, and she is content with her life as it is. BUT, the idea of being left behind, of never seeing her family again? THAT is far worse than the uncertainty of traveling to Andromeda.

12 Days: How will Ryder feel upon waking up from cryo? Relieved, excited, scared, impatient to get going, lost, etc.

-(FIRST 13 MINS SPOILERS BELOW) At first Sara was relieved, mixed in with some disbelief and nervousness. She WOKE UP, which was good. It was a bit too much to wrap her head around the fact that they were in ANOTHER GALAXY at first. But then it was the fact that THEY WERE IN ANOTHER GALAXY. AND SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO HELP FIND A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE A NEW HOME. Not to say she wasn’t excited, but the nerves were very loud. When they crashed, Scott’s pod was damaged, and they found out their “golden world” wasn’t so golden, things got serious really fast, and that only upped her nerves. She was determined to do her best though, her thoughts with Scott the entire time.

-Scott is SO EXCITED. SO EXCITED. Like, golden retriever puppy excited. Here it is, his grand adventure! He was so excited to go exploring with Sara, dad, and the rest of the team!

And then they crashed, Sara’s pod got damaged, and his grand adventure turned very serious very very quickly. It was a bit like having a balloon popped, but Scott is committed to taking care of those still on the ship, especially his sister. He was still going to have his adventure, but it won’t be quite the happy, enjoyable, family trip he was expecting.

11 Days: Once in Andromeda, what are Ryder’s goals? What drives them?

-Sara’s main concern is making sure everyone on the Arc and Nexus are safe and find a sustainable home. There are a lot of people relying on her, and it’s a responsibility she does not take lightly. On a lighter note, she wants to learn everything she can about Andromeda, as everything about it fascinates her.

-Scott came out to have a good time, and is feeling so attacked right now. But honestly, he is committed to being a good pathfinder and finding a new home, though he may not be as serious as Sara on the surface. He just wants to ENJOY himself as he explores. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?

10 Days: Will Ryder ever miss the Milky Way? What things and places will they miss most?

-Sara absolutely does. She left behind a lot of friends, and a life she really enjoyed. She tries not to think about the fact that most everyone she knew is dead now, thanks to cryostasis and the traveling.

-Scott, on the other hand, honestly doesn’t miss much. He had a few friends, and he does miss them, but he wasn’t super close to anyone. He misses places more than people or things. The mountains their dad would take them hiking in. Those spots on the Citadel only someone who was born and raised there would know about. But he has new friends and new places to explore now.

9 Days: Did Ryder have any notable friends or connections in the Milky Way? How about past relationships? Which friendship or relationship was the most significant to them?

-Sara became quite good friends with the Prothean scientists she worked with. She found it nice not being the only “nerd” around, and not worry about what they thought of her. Scott made a few friends on Arcturus, but they were mostly “Wow this sucks, our commanding officer sucks, etc” complaining together because they were in the same boat kinda friends. I also headcanon that they both are probably close with some of the higher ups in the Alliance due to their dad (like calling a high ranking officer “uncle”), but that’s another “lets make sure canon doesn’t destroy the fledgling idea first”.