#there for 53 minutes and i’m like ‘ah. nevermind’

[fingertipsmp3]

I’ve got a pokemon that’s been in a gym for over three weeks and one of the three people defending the gym with me has fed it so many berries that it’s at 3/4 health again. Why are you prolonging my suffering???

[ua-monoma]

@ua-deku​ 1:41 PM

Uh--- Hello....? Is anyone here...?

@ua-syren 1:42 PM

Hello there!

@ua-tsuyuasui 1:42 PM

hey midoriya!

Monoma Neito. 1:42 PM

Midoriya-kun... Long time no see.

deku! 1:43 PM

Heh...hey everyone!! How have things been???

Monoma Neito. 1:44 PM

Pretty calm, actually. As surprising as I'm sure that sounds...

Iris1:44 PM

^^Oh monbon You still owe me that movie night. You're not off the hook

Monoma Neito. 1:45 PM

Haaah.. truly can't escape that, can I?

Iris1:45 PM

^^Nopw

@ua-uraraka1:45 PM

Midoriya! You’re back!

deku! 1:46 PM

Calm....? Ah...that's good to hear, haha. I was half expecting to come back to the school in rubble...

Hey!!! Long time no see!

Monoma Neito. 1:47 PM

Rubble, ahaa... Funny joke. No no... the worst thing that's happened recently is just the same old silly gossip...

deku! 1:49 PM

Phew....that's good.... And ...uh...how's Kacchan been?

Monoma Neito. 1:49 PM

... You're asking me? Why would I know?

I have better things to do with my time than check up on the likes of him.

tsuchan 1:50 PM

brooding, as usual

as far as i know anyways

deku! 1:51 PM

I see....so nothing's changed then. That's good...

Monoma Neito. 1:53 PM

Guess not.... How was your... 'vacation'?... Haha.

deku! 1:58 PM

It was fun!!!! I mean, there were some times that weren’t so fun... but America is really cool! Have you ever been, Monoma?

Monoma Neito. 2:00 PM

Hmm, no. I've never been very interested in the culture there and it's a little far out... Maybe I've been there briefly as a kid but I hardly count it.

Lucky you for getting to go, though... It's a good place for heroes. Bet you got to learn a lot, huh.

All expenses paid, maybe? Ahaha

deku! 2:05 PM

Yeah!! There were a lot of cool pros there. I felt bad for having to leave classes here, but I’m glad that I still got to practice and train. 

Still, though....was kind of lonely without all of you there. 

So all in all... I’m definitely glad to be back.

Monoma Neito. 2:06 PM

Aww. You missed us. >:3

deku! 2:08 PM

Hahahah, hey- I can’t deny that!! America lacks a certain flair that you give, Monoma. 

But.. I missed everyone. Hah...

tsuchan 2:12 PM

the class missed you too

it really isn't the same without you around midoriya-chan things are always a bit more... tense

deku! 2:17 PM

Oh... really? Well I don’t know if I can really do anything to make things less tense, haha 😅 I’m sorry I couldn’t really contact anyone... it was for- security reasons, you know. 

But I’m really excited to see everyone again... I could use something familiar and friendly right about now.

tsuchan 2:43 PM

we should have a little welcome back dinner tonight

deku! 2:56 PM

We should!! That would be fun!

@ua-kacchan 3:59 PM

Don't talk about me when I'm not here, dickwads. Hope you were keepin' up out there,

chosen one

. Keep taking these vacations and you'll never surpass me. :/

deku! 4:00 PM

Kacchan!!! It’s good to see you’re still your usual self....haha  😅

Bakugou Katsuki 4:02 PM

What's that supposed to mean? Who else would I be?

Monoma Neito. 4:03 PM

😒 Didn't miss hearing this nonsense...

deku! 4:04 PM

I just...!! I like seeing everthing back to normal, that’s all...

Monoma Neito. 4:05 PM

I can smell your thinly veiled desperation from here, haha...

Bakugou Katsuki 4:06 PM

Ugh.Fuck off, copycat.

Monoma Neito. 4:07 PM

Make me.

tsuchan4:07 PM

alright guys

deku! 4:08 PM

I missed you too, Monoma, don’t worry!

tsuchan4:08 PM

a little bit of positivity would be nice, you two

our friend just got back

Monoma Neito. 4:08 PM

😒

Bakugou Katsuki 4:08 PM

Ahh? Is that a challenge?

deku! 4:08 PM

Ah geez...

Monoma Neito. 4:09 PM

Always so ready for a fight... glad your barbarian nature still hasn't changed much.

Bakugou Katsuki 4:10 PM

I can't wait for the opportunity to wipe the floor with your smug face.You act so above it all when you're the one picking a fight. What a joke.

deku! 4:15 PM

😯

Bakugou Katsuki 4:16 PM

What???

Monoma Neito. 4:16 PM

Tch.

Kama  4:17 PM

Oh, fun.

Bakugou Katsuki 4:19 PM

Whatever. Assholes.

Monoma Neito. 4:22 PM

Charming as ever...

Bakugou Katsuki 4:26 PM

Watch it. I'll kill you.

Monoma Neito. 4:26 PM

You can try.

@ua-todoroki 4:26 PM

Wow.

Monoma Neito. 4:27 PM

Oh, great...We got the whole trifecta of annoying personalities now.

Todoroki 4:28 PM

Don't leave yourself out of it.

Monoma Neito. 4:28 PM

You're right! Yours can hardly be considered a personality at all, let me correct myself right now...

deku! 4:29 PM

Todoroki!!!!! It’s good to see you!! 

Guys, can we stop fighting for just five minutes? I just got here....

Bakugou Katsuki 4:29 PM

I'm with copycat here. Ugh.

Todoroki 4:30 PM

It's good to see you too.

Bakugou Katsuki 4:30 PM

🙄

Monoma Neito. 4:30 PM

Well, you wanted things to be normal, didn't you? Wouldn't you say this childish, brutish behavior is quite normal for the lot of you?

deku! 4:30 PM

I swear.....

Bakugou Katsuki 4:31 PM

Who you calling childish? You're the dick here

Monoma Neito. 4:34 PM

Me? I'm the one who actually knows how to behave myself in a public setting without siccing myself on people like a feral dog.

Bakugou Katsuki 4:35 PM

It's called experiencing the full range of human emotion, shitface. You should try it sometime.

Monoma Neito. 4:36 PM

Oh? Speaking of the full range of human emotion, you sure took your time integrating back into society after what happened in November. What, did the trauma finally wear off or are you just looking for the opportunity to lash out at your favorite victim again?

Bakugou Katsuki 4:37 PM

[Bakugou has signed out.]

Monoma Neito. 4:37 PM

Hahaaaa~... That's what I thought.

>:3c See that, everyone? I won, heheheh...

Points for me~~~

Iris 4:37 PM

By playing dirty

deku! 4:37 PM

That was too far, Monoma...

Monoma Neito. 4:37 PM

Oh, he'll be fine, he started it...

@ua-chargebolt 4:37 PM

Congrats! You've won a new low.

Monoma Neito. 4:38 PM What a convenient time to show up, Kaminari.

Iris 4:38 PM

I'm...gonna go bake... 

[Iris is offline]

deku! 4:39 PM

Who is- nevermind. Good to see you, Kaminari.

Todoroki 4:39 PM

And you say the rest of us are childish...

Monoma Neito. 4:40 PM

Oh, shut up. He'll get over it. He's the tough one of the class, isn't he?

Kaminari 4:40 PM

Ditto, Midoriya. And Iris is a student from 1-C

It was still too low. Like, even for you.

Todoroki 4:42 PM

And still childish and stupid.

Monoma Neito. 4:43 PM

Blah blah blah... You're all just upset because I'm right.

Todoroki 4:43 PM

... No, we're upset because that's our classmate and you're fucking obnoxious.

Monoma Neito. 4:44 PM

Blah blah blahhh...

Kaminari 4:44 PM

Right about what, having a normal reaction to Trauma Friday?

Monoma Neito. 4:44 PM

That's a stupid name for it.

deku! 4:45 PM

Monoma.

Monoma Neito. 4:45 PM

What.

Todoroki 4:45 PM

Shut up.

deku! 4:46 PM

Basically... yeah. Shut up.

Monoma Neito. 4:46 PM

Tch, whatever...I have better things to do than waste my time talking to you all.

[Monoma Neito has signed out.]

[journeysintowebcomics]

Worm Liveblog #53

UPDATE 53: Retribution

Last time the Undersiders delivered to Coil the data they got from their mission, and the Slaughterhouse Nine were introduced via exposition, effectively building what may start being the plot of the next arc. Before that there’s still an intermission, though, the next arc will start in the next update. Onwards!

Okay, there are a few things that are clear straight from the very first line. The first is that Regent is the character this will be following, since otherwise the other option would be Shadow Stalker and she already got her turn on the spotlight. The second is that this intermission tells what happened after a certain point last chapter. The third one...

“I’m letting you go,” Regent lied.

...is that this is going to be interesting. A lie, huh. Shadow Stalker isn’t going to be happy about this. But yeah, it’s just like this first line says: Regent lied about having let Shadow Stalker free in that moment. I had thought he had actually done that, to make an example of how easily he could take control over her again, but nope. Everything Shadow Stalker did last chapter after that line was Regent still making her move. I was fooled, let me admit.

I believe he wasn’t lying about how easy it’ll be for him to control her if he’s ever near her, though.

Once the charade is over, Regent makes Shadow Stalker leave through the door, doing just like he had said, ordering her to go to the other side of the city before letting her go. I still wonder how large his radius of action is. It sure must be considerably large, given how he’s taking her to the other side of the city without any trouble, instead of she snapping out of the body control just a few blocks away. No wonder he’s the highest Master classification in Brockton Bay!

Something I really like of these intermission is not only that they allow the reader to see better how a character thinks and how they behave – one of Mr. Wildbow’s greatest strengths as a writer is that he can make each character have their own voice – but also that there’s more insight about how their powers work.

For long minutes, he exercised her power, the ability to be as light as a feather, enjoyed it.  He even liked the running, too, when he turned off her power and just legged it

It seems Regent can feel the puppets to some extent. I don’t mean he shares sensations with them, but it seems to me he can have...some sort of vicarious enjoyment in what they do. Makes me wonder if he has captured other capes before. It’s unlikely, I guess, given how it’d require kidnapping a cape and staying in close-quarters with them for a long while, so maybe he’s more used to doing this with normal civilians.

Fighting had been much the same way, but it had been even better.  Her muscle memory had been so primed for punching, kicking, takedowns and evading that he’d almost been able to let her go on autopilot, let her body handle things on its own.

Not that he could, really.  But it had been easy.  He loved that sort of thing.  Maximum reward for minimum effort.

Ah, he can access her muscle memory too? Like, all he has to do is give some sort of vague direction, he doesn’t have to plan every single of her movements. Convenient! Another advantage of controlling a cape.

Also what a relatable philosophy, hm! He uses it to not stand out, just doing what he wants, when he wants. Staying under the radar, even in the team, is advantageous when he has to deal with his puppets. While the Undersiders are en route to meet Coil, he sits back and focuses on making Shadow Stalker move further away, nobody notices he’s focused on something else. In his opinion, it’s better that way. He likes doing this. This brings forth a memory of the time he was a child, living with a couple of her sisters, his father and some of his father’s ‘girls’.

Hah! He as prone to tantrums, apparently. Even when everyone tried to appease him, he just kept going, until Heartbreaker was forced to come into scene. That wasn’t good for anyone, to say the least.

Father had taken two or three seconds to assess the situation before using his power on Alec, his two sisters and the ‘girl’ with a hand over Alec’s mouth.  He hit each of them with stark terror.  The kind of fear you experienced when you were claustrophobic and you woke up in a coffin six feet underground.

Charming. Quite the way to get them to be quiet...and it doesn’t sound like it happened only once or twice, given how Regent wonders if Heartbreaker doing this may have influenced his actual behavior.

That was only one of a dozen or so experiences that came to mind.  So yeah, maybe father had broken something in the process. Maybe it had been the emotional equivalent of staring into the sun for far too long, too many times, being left almost half blind.

...maybe? It’s possible it may have influenced, yeah. I also wouldn’t be surprised it’s also a side effect of Regent’s power. True, he may not have had a trigger event, given how he was the son of a parahuman, but it’s possible his power may have made it easier for him to make use of it, like slowly conditioning him and making him able to use the power to its maximum extent. Look, Regent was surrounded by so many factors that may have contributed to how he is now, it’s hard to blame a single one!

And now he says maybe it’s his power what made him like this. It’s always nice to see when my thoughts are echoed, makes me feel like I’m going in the right direction.

It doesn’t take long to get far away. Regent enjoys the sensation of controlling another person, basking in all of Shadow Stalker’s feelings. Unlike him, her emotions aren’t dulled at all. Yeah, that may be a reason why he likes so much to control other people. He can experience what he can’t experience so well by himself.

“Funny thing about having this control over you, I can feel your emotions, your body’s reactions.  Like a really, really good polygraph test.  I wasn’t even half done saying my piece back there when I caught on to the fact that you were too pissed and too angry to back down and walk away. There’s no way you’re going to leave town if I let you go, right?”

...in hindsight I took at face value that nod. I should have known someone as defiant as Shadow Stalker wouldn’t simply leave the town just because of what happened. She’d be hellbent in vengeance. Why did I take that nod at face value? I’m not sure, honestly...

Since he has nothing better to do right now and the rest will have stuff to deal with, Regent decides to have some fun flexing his power, and he does that by throwing Shadow Stalker’s stuff to the trash and committing some privacy breeches. He’s no Tattletale, but he can find out the password to Shadow Stalker’s phones by using muscle memory. One is the Ward-issued cellphone, which has the contacts stored. I bet it has excellent protection, even against tinkers. The other is her personal phone.

Browsing through the sent messages is a tedious task, so he goes for the saved messages. It confirms to him who Shadow Stalker is – since Taylor accidentally mentioned the names of two of her bullies, it seems. The message that confirms it, well...hm...let’s say it still feels rather uncomfortable to read plans to bully someone, especially when they’re written so flippantly.

Long seconds passed.  He knew he should feel bad for the dork, but he only felt annoyed.  He felt worse about the fact that he didn’t feel bad than he did about what he’d just read.

Something to thank father for, maybe.

...at least he felt something. Of course this something isn’t really directed towards Skitter, since it’s nothing like sympathy or the such, but since the concept of right and wrong didn’t rely on his emotions, he seems to be able to decide to...punish Shadow Stalker for her bullying campaign. She’s not taking it well, seeing Regent calmly getting ready to send the incriminating proof to the teachers of the school.  Eeeeh...can’t say I have much faith in them doing anything about that, after how things went in that meeting many arcs ago. Maybe he’d get better results sending them to Director Piggot as well, who knows. Give her some more headaches to deal with.

Oh, nevermind, she’s adding the police force to the email recipient list.

When he’d added that email to the list, he added another line:

contacting police to make sure something is done

In a way that’s kind of a brilliant move. These messages are about Sophia Hess, not about Shadow Stalker. Civilian identities are something the heroes need to be careful with, trying to not reveal anything to anyone who shouldn’t know. If Piggot tries to make some damage control regarding PR, she’d pretty much giving away what Shadow Stalker’s civilian identity is, as well as what kind of stuff she does at school. That’s going to be difficult to twist with PR. Even if there are people in the police force who already know about Shadow Stalker’s civilian identity, that doesn’t guarantee they’d cooperate to bury this situation away.

All in all, either something actually happens and Sophia Hess receives some retribution, or Director Piggot has to spend many, many hours dealing with this major mess. Either way she’s not going to be happy at all with Shadow Stalker. How much longer will it be before she decides it’s not worth it to have her around?

Once the messages were sent, Regent makes Shadow Stalker go around, walking on precarious railings and calling Emma at 3 AM. Hah! She asked to be called later, yep, but not at three in the morning, that’s for sure!

Well...Regent isn’t really very good at imitating Shadow Stalker, but that’s not important. She’s annoying Emma a lot, there’s some satisfaction to be had in that. And theeeeen he makes her confess her love to Emma. Well alright then! If there were any doubts in Emma’s mind that something was up with Shadow Stalker, this will dispel them. Not that it matters much, after all, what can Emma do about anything? She’s somewhere else, and she’s just some random civilian. In the big scheme of things, she’s a largely unimportant character.

Emma didn’t believe not even a single word of that love confession. Figures. What’s next, Regent? He hasn’t gotten fed up of messing with Shadow Stalker’s life yet. He takes out the map application of the smartphone and studies the last request for directions Shadow Stalker did.

...

He’s going to do something at her home now, isn’t he? He sure is being thorough in this methodical dismantling of Shadow Stalker’s life. Her work as a reluctant Ward had been ruined already, and now he’s ruining everything about her civilian identity. That’s rather messed up, definitely.

But who knows if he’ll actually be able to do anything. The further away he is, the harder it’s for him to keep Shadow Stalker moving. She’s already moving sluggishly; it may be matter of time before she recovers all control over her body. Oh, nevermind, they got closer later. Shadow Stalker won’t ever know it, thankfully.

These people are awake at three in the morning, huh. Waiting for Sophia to arrive, perhaps? The young man who saw Shadow Stalker first seems to be unable to believe what he’s seeing, while the woman who’s likely to be Sophia’s mother reacts with...that behavior parents do when they want to talk something they don’t want their kids to hear.

“Chill, bro,” Regent was making a guess here. From the way the boy stared at Shadow Stalker, he knew he’d hit the mark.

“Sophia!?”

“Yeah,” Regent grinned behind her mask.  “Duh, moron.”

She has been keeping her hero identity as a secret from her family! Or at least from everyone who isn’t the mother. Now that I think about it, that makes sense. It’s not like the Wards surreptitiously induct people into the group. Kid Win had talked with that budding spy while the spy’s mother was present. Sophia’s mom must have known about the hero job.

There was a flurry of hissed words between Terry and Shadow Stalker’s mother.  Among them was a surprised, hurt, “You knew!?”

Hm. While I still feel some retribution towards Sophia’s action was deserved, this is starting to get other people involved and therefore it’s starting to go rather far. Emma was one thing, because she was directly into the bullying plans. This family, well...I doubt they had anything to do with all the poisonous mess Sophia is. Things are going to be very awkward for this family for a while.

This truly illustrates how someone like Regent having the ability to control other people’s bodies is a rather fearsome thing.

You know, I can’t tell if Sophia would behave so dismissively towards her mother. Apparently yes, since the mom isn’t realizing something is off about Sophia’s nonchalant behavior. The woman gets angrier with each flippant line, and even more when Sophia yawns. Wow, Regent really knows how to piss people off.

“It’s the rules in my house!  If it’s going to keep you out of prison and on the straight and narrow, fine.  But I will not have you glorifying violence-”

Hoh, nothing kept her on the straight and narrow at all. But yeah, looks like this explains why only the mother knew about Sophia’s hero role. She doesn’t approve any of this at all, and I have a hunch Sophia’s extreme vigilantism from before she joined the Wards can’t have helped to earn her support.

It must be horrible to watch someone else make you dig your metaphorical grave deeper and deeper. Showing the lethal arrows to the woman who disapproves of violence in the first place isn’t going to convince her she’s on the straight and narrow. The mom is appropriately horrified, and demands to know what’s going on – with her violent behavior, that is, not what’s happening right now.

“You do not have the right to complain about something like being bored!  I work two jobs for you three!  I put in overtime, I attend every school function, I come into the office every time you get reprimanded because you’ve got anger issues! You aren’t even taking care of your sister, or helping out around this house!  What do you think-”

What she does goes beyond anger issues, that’s for sure. But yeah, I feel a lot of sympathy for Sophia’s family, frankly. They didn’t ask for any of this to happen, and their lives were already hard enough before this night. I hope they will be alright.

Shadow Stalker stood at Regent’s directions, then pointed the crossbow at the mother. The woman’s eyes widened, and she hurried to back away as Shadow Stalker advanced.  They stopped when the mother’s back was to the wall by the kitchen door, with Shadow Stalker’s crossbow bolt pressed against her throat.

My sympathy is increasing exponentially. I don’t have children, and it’d be extremely hard to imagine how it must feel to be in this situation, but...having your kid pretty much threatening to kill you must be awful, to say the very, very least. Is this something she and Sophia can leave behind? ...who knows. I have a hard time believing they will. It’s simply too big of a shock to just...talk over.

Once Regent is done terrorizing Shadow Stalker’s mother, he makes Shadow Stalker go to her room, ignoring the brother who just found out his sister is a messed up hero. Sophia’s room is rather normal, with the usual furniture and many photos on the wall. Most are of Emma and Sophia. There’s also a photo of Sophia’s family.

He found a picture of Shadow Stalker – Sophia – with her family.  Her mom looked younger and far less tired there, and was pregnant. Shadow Stalker looked twelve or so, and her brother looked sixteen or seventeen, sporting a fantastic looking afro and a less fantastic attempt at a moustache.  They were clustered around one another, but only the mom was smiling.

I don’t know, in my opinion Shadow Stalker keeping that picture pinned there with all the rest says a lot, even if she’s not exactly happy in the photo. There’s also the fear and anger Sophia felt when Regent made her enter the house with the costume on. I think she does care a lot about her family, despite how she’s like.

Could it be that Sophia’s father leaving is related to her trigger event? Like, he leaving caused it, due to the stress and hatred she must have felt back then? There’s not really any detail about what happened back then. What’s for sure is that whatever happened with him, and he leaving, really took a toll on the mother.

Regent makes her burn Emma’s face off a couple photos, and reveals he has been dismantling Sophia’s life with a goal in mind. He’s...

...he’s making her write a suicide note. Wow. I don’t feel nearly confident about how to treat this. Seriously messed up, that’s for sure. Regent’s going rather far. I’m not sure if I should have imagined this’d happen. Then again, Rachel and he are the two that’s said to have killed before. Maybe that’s not why I feel surprised this is happening, or surprised about how cold Regent can be while doing this. The fact he’s a villain also makes it less shocking. None of that makes all this be any better, of course, but yeah.

“Here’s the thousand dollar question,” he mused, as he began following the steps outlined in the video, putting the knot together, “Will your boss tell your mom what happened with me controlling you?  If she keeps her mouth shut, well, this paints a pretty ugly picture, doesn’t it?”

For some reason, I keep trying to think about how Emma would react, since that call was a love confession and all. I simply can’t imagine how she’d react. After how she left Taylor behind, I just can’t envision her having an emphatic response to anything, even though she clearly isn’t unfeeling.

“But if she does tell, if she lets mommy know, then shit hits the fan.  It looks pretty fucking bad for her, and if word gets out, it’s as bad as it gets for public relations.  Scary, dangerous parahumans.  Not just lives at risk, but you could be controlled.  Ooooh, scary.  Nobody would ever be able to trust their coworkers or neighbors.  It’s the kind of stuff they want to keep quiet.”

You mean nobody in this city has ever imagined there may be a parahuman with the ability to control minds or bodies? Parahumans have all kinds of abilities, and the heroes are rather good examples of some of them. Has nobody in this city ever thought that, hey, there may be someone who can use you as a puppet, better hope it’s not a madman? I guess just imagining is fine, confirming there’s one in Brockton Bay would be the part that’d terrify everyone.

I never thought I’d be feeling anything resembling sympathy towards Sophia Hess, but there it is.

Regent gives Sophia enough control to say stuff, and of course the first thing she asks is why he’s doing this. He outright says it’s because of what she has done to his teammate, and thankfully she doesn’t make any connection to Taylor, she immediately thinks of Grue. That’s a bit of a relief...

“I dunno if I care all that much, but it’s the sort of thing I’ll do because it feels like I should.  Dunno. There’s also the fact that you’re dangerous, and you’ve outlived your usefulness, so… unless you can give me a convincing reason.”

“Please.”

“Not that convincing.”  He raised one foot, then kicked the chair, hard.

It rocked, but didn’t tip over.

He chuckled lightly, feeling the confusion and the relief from his host.  It was a thrill unlike any other.  “I think I made my point.”

I hadn’t realized I had been holding my breath with trepidation until now. True, I despise Shadow Stalker and all, but I can’t say I ever wished for her death. She’s, well, she’s not going to be okay, but at least she will live. That’s always a relief.

Regent is right, now Shadow Stalker has even less of a reason to stay in Brockton Bay, now that her life was completely destroyed, both in her hero identity and in her civilian identity. There’s also Regent’s threat about taking control over her again.

“I can feel your emotions.  I know I’ve convinced you.  You leave town, and if you don’t want me paying a visit, wherever you wind up, you keep your mouth closed about tonight.  They don’t need to know this was all my doing.  Things get messy that way, yeah?”

The more I read, the more it feels like this really may be Shadow Stalker’s last appearance. She has been convinced about leaving the city, she’s terrified...all in all, she’s not in condition to be an enemy to the Undersiders anymore. I can’t see how she can be integrated back into the story now. Quite a way to end her role in this story, if this really is the last time she appears. Well then...

This is pretty much how the intermission ends. I can’t think of anything else to say. Quite the shock, honestly. Mr. Wildbow doesn’t pull any punches in his writing. I feel a bit exhausted, for many reasons. All in all...wow. Yeah. That sure happened.

So! Next time the next arc will start. See you then!

Next update: in seven updates

[face-turn]

Little Talks

Pairing: Kenny/Kota (golden lovers)  Words: 1.8k Rating: G Warnings: Swearing, Kota’s self-effacing internal monologue  A/N: good luck trying to keep me from writing d/s next time

His back aches and his phone won’t stop buzzing, buried somewhere around his kidney. Kota rolls to the side like he’s slow-motion kicking out, every inch of his body complaining at him for even thinking about being a wrestler.

Received: 10:45 PM Do you know what room Kenny is in?

Kota narrows his eyes at the screen, too bright in the dimness of his hotel room. All of the lights are off because he’s sulking while pretending to sleep, and the white background of the text makes a headache threaten around his temples. He doesn’t recognize the number, but that doesn’t mean much. Having friends who wrestle isn’t exactly conducive to keeping any sort of delicate electronics intact.

Received: 10:48 PM This is Nick Jackson, sorry. Young Bucks.

Ah. Somehow, he had expected the Bucks to use chatspeak. The dissonance is a little jarring. Kota begrudgingly enters the contact information into his phone. He doesn’t like them, particularly-- how loud, how obscene, how (constantly hovering around demanding his attention)-- no. But turning down contacts when he’s just now returning would be foolish. Even if he hasn’t lost that many friends.

Sent: 10:53 PM No.

Sent: 10:53 PM Why?

Already, Kota has a sinking feeling in his belly and it forces him to sit up in bed. The typing symbol at the bottom of the screen flickers on and off and Kota stares at it like it can teach him how to turn down a dare. This is pathetic, he tells himself. There’s no reason for any amount of concern over someone who had chewed him up and spit him out three years ago. And yet.

Received: 11:03 PM He’s having a bad night.

Kota drops his phone into his lap to drag both his hands down his face. He remembers Kenny’s bad nights, when they had been friends instead of-- whatever. Not that what they’d had had ever been just friendship. Kenny had always been prone to agonizing self doubt. No one is harder on him than he is on himself, and it makes something twinge a little funny in Kota’s chest. Sent: 11:04 PM What can I do about that? He hasn’t spoken to me in years.

Not true, technically. Kota hasn’t spoken to him in years. Kenny had texted him directly after his beautiful match with Okada-- the one that had been called better, objectively, than their shared match had been all those years ago. That makes Kota’s heart ache a little, too. Replaced in all respects. He rubs absently at his chest.

Received: 11:04 PM Come on, man.

It’s almost enough to make Kota laugh. All of these Westerners, so familiar. Come on, man,he mouths to himself. Called out for his faux-ignorance from five thousand miles away. Somehow, when it comes to Kenny, it’s always been him. Kenny-and-Kota, Kota-and-Kenny.  Kenny this, Kenny that. Not even America is far enough to escape Kenny’s long shadow. Apparently, he can’t get out from under it in Japan, either.

Sent: 11:10 PM Give me the address.

It turns out, of course, that they’re staying in the same hotel. No excuses left. Kota gets dressed in entirety, because he has a feeling that he’s going to need to go for a long soul-searching walk after this whole situation. He wastes five minutes combing his hair, avoiding his own own eyes in the mirror. Idiot, they will tell him. You dumb, dumb motherfucker. He doesn’t need that from his own face.

He turns all the lights out before he leaves and lets the door click softly shut behind him. The hallways are silent except for the hum of the ice machine, somewhere in the tangle of bland carpet. Kota debates taking the elevator for a moment-- the temptation to stall is so strong, but the guilt threatens to build in his chest. Kenny is hurting, the text had said. Kenny is having a bad night.

Kota hopes he still knows how to help.

The walk seems endless, but in reality Kenny’s room only two floors up. Kota takes the stairs two at a time to make up for his brief existential crisis in the bathroom, then counts the doors. Two four six eight-- there. The door, of course, looks like any other door in a hotel. Kota doesn’t know what he had expected, frankly. Maybe a sign warning innocent passerby-- herein lies Kenny Omega, the man who will make you want to ruin your own career for him and thank him afterward. Tread with caution.

Kota knocks immediately. If he waits even one more second, he will turn around and go back to his own room, down all those stairs and through the identical-looking hallways to bury himself in bed and feel miserable. The door cracks open, but no one is behind it. Kota nudges it open a little further with his knuckles and slips inside, hoping that he’s not breaking into a random person’s room. What is it that the Bucks had called that one video? A harmful rib? Breaking into someone else’s hotel would be a harmful rib.

But no, there Kenny is, all curled up on the bed. It looks like he could be resting, wrapped up in himself, if it weren’t for the way his sides heave and shudder with each labored breath. His hair spills over the pillow, a fall of silver-blonde and dark that Kota wishes he could find unattractive. He’s shivering, a little, and it’s enough to make Kota kick the door closed behind him.

“Oh, Kenny,” He says, lingering in the entryway. Kenny curls up tighter and shakes his head. Futile denial. He sleeps like this too, Kota remembers, smaller than his frame would suggest. He’s always taken up so much less space than his in-ring personality does. Seeing him like this makes Kota hurt in a way he thought (hoped?) his body might have forgotten, deep under his ribs and all the way up his throat. All the pretending crumbles in a bare second, leaving achey emotion without any stoicism to get in its way.

“I can’t--” Kenny’s voice sounds as terrible (beautiful? --no) as his hair looks. He hasn’t been drinking enough water. “I can’t, I can’t, don’t leave.” As if Kota could. It’s always been Kenny leaving. There’s only so many times a boy can leave you sobbing over him in front of a crowd before you catch a fucking hint.

Kota smooths a hand through Kenny’s hair before he can stop himself. Stupid, stupid. Kenny presses into it like he hasn’t been touched in years. He’s never done well in hotel rooms by himself. Oh, Kenny. Kota makes soothing noises at him, incapable of resisting the gravitational pull that Kenny has on him.

“I’m not leaving,” Kota says, finally giving into the urge to stroke through Kenny’s hair. It’s sticky-- left-over product, maybe, from the press conference. Kota hadn’t noticed if Kenny had done something different with his hair, too focused on keeping his head down and studiously not peeking out of the corners of his eyes.

Kenny takes a shuddery breath, but his shoulders don’t relax. Kota rubs a thumb into his temple and Kenny’s eyes flutter shut. His eyelashes cut dashes across his cheekbones. He’s so beautiful. Kota can’t believe he’s doing this to himself.

“--I’m so close.” Kenny’s voice cracks a little, and he shoves his face further into Kota’s hand like he’s ever been able to find what he feels from him. “I keep-- I keep thinking that if I just win this next thing, I’ll be worth--” He cuts himself off, but Kota already knows where his mind is going. He wraps one of Kenny’s curls around his finger and lets it bounce free when it cuts off his circulation.

“Everyone is already very impressed,” Kota says neutrally. “You have a six-star match.” A six-star match that no one would shut up about in interviews, as if Kota had anything to say about it. As if he had anything to do with it. It burns a little, still, that he didn’t have a six-star match with Kenny. Jealous of a fight. Stupid. He changes tracks, because thinking of Kenny with Okada is going to give him a fucking migraine, nevermind that he’s never been jealous of Okada in his life. “Your friends are worried about you.”

Kenny shrugs into the bed listlessly, pulling his knees up closer to his chest. He’s still wearing his shoes. How hadn’t Kota noticed that? He strokes Kenny’s knee through his pants and starts unpicking the laces of his ugly running shoes. Kenny turns onto his back to make it easier and drapes an arm across his eyes.

“I’m so tired of not being good enough,” Kenny whispers like he’s telling a secret, his entire body straining towards Kota in an arch of don’t leave don’t leave don’t leave me alone. Kota drops one shoe over the side of the bed and starts on the other. He doesn’t know how he could have thought he’d ever be able to leave Kenny alone. How can he possibly look at the fragile blue-green veins under the thin skin of Kenny’s wrists and not want what’s best for him?

Kota curls his fingers around the strangely delicate bones of Kenny’s ankle. He wants to wash Kenny’s hair. He wants to kiss him better.

“You’re good enough,” He says, serious as a heart attack. “I’ve always thought you were good enough.” The unspoken ‘don’t I still count?’ lays indolent between them.

Kenny moves his arm just enough to blink up at him, pupils blown wide. He looks stunned. “You never talked to me,” He says. He doesn’t sound angry, Kota thinks. Resigned, maybe. Confused. “Being a dick doesn’t mean you’re anything less than amazing,” Kota says tenderly. “Just like being amazing doesn’t make you any less of a dick.” He tangles his hand up into Kenny’s hair again, using it as a handle so he can press a not-terribly-gentle kiss to his forehead. It feels like winning a championship when Kenny laughs.

Kota isn’t joking, but he knows now isn’t the time to have a serious heart-to-heart about it. Kenny still looks fragile around the eyes, even though he’s smiling, and Kota wants to bundle him up and feed him or something.

“I’m going to wash your hair,” He decides instead of struggling to articulate any of that. Kenny looks up at him with big hopeful eyes, and even with three years of space between them they’re still the prettiest that Kota’s ever seen. He pats Kenny on the cheek and slides off the bed, leaving Kenny to scramble ungracefully after him.

There’s so much they have to talk about, but for now? It’s a start.

[squaredancing-weston]

para || Romancing the Cards

Time: Saturday night, 18 February 2017

Setting: Online

Summary: On the heels of Valentine’s Day, the staff decides to play up their less-than-romantic side with a new game of Cards Against Humanity…

Part 1b

Note: Yeah, the first Round was accidentally set to 15 Points for the win, so it was really long

[5:35:42 PM] <Brody> So Blaine-- how'd the grams go? [5:35:59 PM] <Brody> you said like $300? was that the final net? [5:36:13 PM] Finn wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:36:28 PM] <Blaine2> Pretty well. We ended up pulling in about 350! So a good little last minute push there! [5:36:52 PM] <Brody> that's great [5:36:59 PM] <Brody> How far's the goal then? [5:37:08 PM] Marley has joined the game. [5:37:19 PM] <Marley> (I swear i am seriously on) [5:37:22 PM] <Brody> You guys need to get one of those thermometers or something to put up in the cafeteria [5:37:26 PM] Kurt wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:38:08 PM] <Marley> Sorry about that.. Batsky decided she wanted to go crazy.; [5:38:10 PM] <Brody> Did we put any blanks in this deck? [5:38:45 PM] <Blaine2> I don't think so, no [5:38:48 PM] <Brody> lame [5:38:53 PM] <Brody> can we change that? [5:39:00 PM] <Brody> or do we have to start a new game? [5:39:04 PM] <Blaine2> I don't think you can until the next game [5:39:07 PM] <Brody> I mean next game, can we change it [5:39:24 PM] <Sebastian> Or we could start a new game now [5:39:34 PM] <Brody> because you're losing? [5:39:34 PM] Brittany was skipped this round for being idle for too long. [5:39:35 PM] <Kurt> Says the guy losing [5:39:53 PM] Marley wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:40:02 PM] <Marley> Wooo [5:40:03 PM] <Sebastian> It's not my fault these cards suck. [5:40:04 PM] <Kurt> Soon to be the guy in last place [5:40:23 PM] <Brody> probably the only thing in your life that does right now [5:40:25 PM] <Kurt> technically you are the "guy" in last place [5:40:56 PM] <Sebastian> I guess you're the girl in first place. First time for everything, eh, Kurt? [5:41:02 PM] Marley wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:41:03 PM] <Kurt> Yawn [5:41:09 PM] <Blaine2> I give up. [5:41:16 PM] <Kurt> You keep coming back to the same insults, Sebastian. Grow up. [5:41:36 PM] <Brody> Blaine, come on-- talk to me [5:41:40 PM] <Marley> Be nice, boys [5:41:51 PM] <Brody> I've got like half a dozen girls dying to know what the hell's going on with Prom [5:41:54 PM] <Sebastian> Says the person that wanted to go to the cinema with kids. [5:42:05 PM] <Brody> which is really annoying since I teach Ag [5:42:18 PM] <Finn> I agree with Marley. Be nice [5:42:28 PM] <Kurt> . . . I wanted to see the same film as some of my kids. Who invited me. I ended up not going, so shove it, Smythe [5:42:44 PM] <Blaine2> They've been toying around with a Rockstar theme, which could be fun, but there's still debate. [5:42:59 PM] <Blaine2> they need to figure it out soon though, we need to start planning and making decorating decisions [5:43:00 PM] <Brody> like the drink? [5:43:07 PM] <Sebastian> Clearly they felt sorry for you. [5:43:08 PM] <Kurt> I'm allowed to want to see a film, Sebastian. At least my students like my enough to invite me places. [5:43:08 PM] <Brody> kidding [5:43:10 PM] Brittany was skipped this round for being idle for too long. [5:43:19 PM] Brody wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:43:24 PM] <Brody> Rockstar would be cool [5:43:32 PM] <Sebastian> Sure - at least the children like you enough. They're young. They'll learn. [5:43:34 PM] <Brody> I mean, more relevant if the game was still cool [5:44:09 PM] <Brody> but the concept always works out [5:44:15 PM] <Sebastian> ((I am not kidding - these cards legitimately suck lmfao - he's going to be such a sore loser)) [5:44:23 PM] <Brody> Seriously guys-- I will //pay// you to talk about something else [5:44:32 PM] <Brittany> Last time I did this, I got laid after. Is that gonna happen again? [5:44:33 PM] <Brody> (poor guy) [5:44:41 PM] <Kurt> So Brody what's next year's theme? [5:44:46 PM] <Brody> for what? [5:44:47 PM] <Kurt> You can't repeat [5:44:49 PM] <Kurt> birthday [5:44:50 PM] Finn wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:44:58 PM] Play 2 cards, in the order you wish them to be judged. [5:45:01 PM] <Brody> oh-- firstly-- I've been repeating that theme for three years now [5:45:06 PM] <Brody> it's a damned good theme [5:45:18 PM] <Marley> You've been over the hill since you were 29? [5:45:23 PM] <Brody> and b) not a clue. it was brought up that everyone's getting old [5:45:36 PM] <Brody> that's when I hit seniority, yeah [5:45:53 PM] <Kurt> what the heck it won't let me pick a second card.. [5:46:08 PM] <Sebastian> Hey, 29 is young. [5:46:08 PM] <Brody> no it did-- it just glitches sometimes [5:46:09 PM] <Kurt> Hmm nevermind it apparently worked but just looked like it didn't. [5:46:12 PM] Brody wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:46:26 PM] <Marley> 29 is super young. I have 5 more years till I hit that! [5:46:27 PM] <Blaine2> I don't know, 29 seems pretty old to me, Bas. [5:46:29 PM] <Brody> ah, the good old TSA [5:46:59 PM] <Sebastian> No, no, 29 is the "hot older guy" category. 31 is the Old Age Pensioner category. [5:47:36 PM] <Brody> You're just upset because you're verging on Little Blue Pill category there, while I'm still up and running [5:47:40 PM] <Brittany> I'm confused. And bored. [5:47:55 PM] <Marley> You're almost there, Bas... [5:48:07 PM] <Brody> what do you want to talk about Britt? [5:48:10 PM] <Finn> Lol [5:48:11 PM] <Marley> I guess this is just prepping me for caring for you when you're old :P [5:48:16 PM] Finn wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:48:39 PM] <Sebastian> I'm perfectly functional. Finn's the one having problems with keeping it up. [5:48:44 PM] <Brody> I believe Brittany would like a Sex Story\ [5:48:49 PM] <Brody> is what she's saying? [5:48:53 PM] <Finn> What? [5:48:54 PM] <Brittany> No. [5:48:54 PM] <Marley> You mean one of Brody's stories? [5:48:58 PM] <Brittany> I don't want stories. [5:49:07 PM] <Brody> what do you want then girlie? [5:49:08 PM] <Finn> No I am not. Anyway...how would you know, eh? [5:49:11 PM] <Brody> gotta ask to get [5:49:22 PM] <Marley> I think she wants actual sex. [5:49:37 PM] <Sebastian> I mean, your date went wrong. Speaks for itself, really. [5:49:43 PM] <Brittany> See? Marley understands. Also I can't follow conversation. [5:49:57 PM] <Sebastian> Aw, Britt - come out with me tomorrow. [5:50:01 PM] <Blaine2> I'm there in that boat, too, Britt [5:50:05 PM] <Blaine2> ... [5:50:05 PM] <Marley> So am I [5:50:11 PM] <Blaine2> I didn't mean to actually send that [5:50:13 PM] <Finn> Yeah. That was my fault. But it was nothing to do with anything else [5:50:18 PM] <Brittany> Sure Seb! Anytime [5:50:33 PM] Sebastian was skipped this round for being idle for too long. [5:50:34 PM] <Sebastian> Blaine, we've talked about that. Offer's there. [5:50:34 PM] <Marley> Ohhh you should come over here, Britt. I mean I can't promise sex, but I can promise cookies and nails, and a movie. [5:50:58 PM] <Brittany> ...you sure you can't promise sex Marls? ;) hehe but yes! Girls night! [5:50:58 PM] <Sebastian> (gah, wouldn't let me pick) [5:51:20 PM] Brody wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:51:35 PM] <Brittany> (lmao britt is losing hard) [5:51:40 PM] <Marley> I mean if you get me drunk enough, who knows? [5:51:47 PM] <Marley> OHHH I am beating Bas and I missed half the game! [5:51:52 PM] <Sebastian> (so is Bas lmao) [5:52:01 PM] <Sebastian> That's because you're cheating as usual. [5:52:04 PM] <Marley> Oh please [5:52:12 PM] <Blaine2> If I wasn't a little agitated, I may have taken you up on that Bas. [5:52:16 PM] <Marley> You're just jealous I am better than you at everything. [5:52:20 PM] <Blaine2> Give me a few hours, I may get there. [5:52:25 PM] <Finn> [Is anyone going to catch up with Brody? Lol] [5:52:30 PM] <Sebastian> Nothing like a good orgasm to calm you down. [5:52:37 PM] <Marley> (No) [5:52:39 PM] <Brittany> I agree! [5:52:49 PM] Blaine2 wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:52:49 PM] <Brittany> And I dunno Marley I wouldn't wanna take advantage of you [5:52:50 PM] <Marley> You're still recovering, Bas. [5:52:54 PM] <Kurt> good card, Blaine [5:52:57 PM] Play 2 cards, in the order you wish them to be judged. [5:53:06 PM] <Blaine2> Hey, thanks ;) [5:53:30 PM] <Brody> Bas- I just want you to know I saw these and thought of you [5:53:33 PM] <Blaine2> And probably not, Bas, but thanks for the offer [5:53:44 PM] <Marley> I was kidding! [5:54:06 PM] <Sebastian> It's always open, B. [5:54:23 PM] <Sebastian> Brodes, you're always thinking of me. Or my ass. Nothing new there. [5:54:33 PM] <Brody> haven't mentioned it once [5:54:42 PM] <Sebastian> Tonight. Yet. [5:54:48 PM] <Sebastian> Only a matter of time. [5:55:04 PM] <Brody> anyways, is Kurt even still here? [5:55:21 PM] <Marley> He played. It's waiting on Brittany [5:55:25 PM] <Blaine2> Can't say I'd blame him if he's not... [5:55:27 PM] Brittany was skipped this round for being idle for too long. [5:55:52 PM] <Kurt> I am, why? [5:55:54 PM] <Kurt> I miss something? [5:56:00 PM] <Brody> just looking for conversation [5:56:20 PM] <Marley> I am cold. [5:56:32 PM] <Kurt> Sorry-- wasn't a fan of some of the company and turned on This is Us to watch while playing [5:56:41 PM] <Brody> never seen it [5:56:43 PM] Marley wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:56:45 PM] <Brittany> I can bring big blankets Marley [5:56:51 PM] <Blaine2> Ohhh that reminds me that I need to watch this past weeks episode [5:56:52 PM] <Brody> Aw come on Bas [5:56:58 PM] <Brody> those were handmade for yuo [5:57:04 PM] <Brody> *you [5:57:11 PM] <Sebastian> Sweet. You shouldn't have. [5:57:36 PM] Error: You don't have that card. [5:58:39 PM] <Marley> Am I here? [5:58:41 PM] Hurry up! You have less than 10 seconds to decide, or you will be skipped. [5:58:51 PM] Brody was skipped this round for being idle for too long. [5:58:53 PM] <Blaine2> Yeah, Marls [5:58:56 PM] <Sebastian> I don't know, Marls - are you? [5:59:05 PM] Marley wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [5:59:11 PM] <Marley> Thanks, I wasn't sure. [5:59:18 PM] <Brody> crap-- I may have killed my game [5:59:31 PM] <Marley> Open it in a new tab [5:59:33 PM] <Marley> that is what I did [5:59:33 PM] <Brody> okay-- never mind [6:00:59 PM] <Brody> Okay, it's my birthday-- we need a story [6:01:07 PM] Sebastian wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:01:18 PM] <Blaine2> I still haven't even heard one of your stories [6:01:30 PM] <Marley> Yay! Go Sebastian! [6:01:41 PM] <Brody> one of //mine//? [6:01:51 PM] <Sebastian> Thanks, Marls [6:01:52 PM] <Blaine2> Mhm, I haven't heard one [6:01:58 PM] <Brody> no wonder you don't have a favorite sex position... [6:02:08 PM] <Sebastian> Wow, Blaine, you're /asking/ this guy to tell you stories? [6:02:11 PM] <Brody> okay-- for my birthday, my son needs a good storub [6:02:14 PM] <Blaine2> .... [6:02:16 PM] <Brody> *story [6:02:25 PM] <Blaine2> Kurt I have a feeling you're about to learn a lot about one of your old teachers [6:02:34 PM] <Brittany> I can give you a sto...rub ;) [6:02:35 PM] <Marley> You should cover your ears, Kurt. [6:02:37 PM] <Brody> pick a topic any topic [6:02:47 PM] <Marley> Unicorns? [6:02:48 PM] <Brody> lmao [6:02:51 PM] <Brody> awesome Britt [6:02:54 PM] <Blaine2> Haha Brittany XD [6:03:05 PM] Blaine2 wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:03:09 PM] <Brody> which I guess is the topic then? [6:03:18 PM] <Brody> Oh man-- okay [6:03:19 PM] <Sebastian> Just keep furries out of it. Blaine doesn't wanna hear that shit. [6:03:32 PM] <Kurt> ... [6:03:35 PM] <Brody> seriously Bas> [6:03:44 PM] <Brittany> Make it sexy [6:03:44 PM] <Brody> keep your obsession with projecting off of me [6:03:49 PM] <Brody> save it for your dead guy [6:03:51 PM] <Brody> okay okay [6:04:13 PM] <Brody> so this one time, I was with this guy my first summer after college [6:04:23 PM] <Brody> and I was still getting used to whole...guy thing [6:04:54 PM] <Brody> so he takes me out to this club [6:05:21 PM] <Blaine2> Okay... [6:05:23 PM] <Kurt> (don't forget to pick, Brody!) [6:05:33 PM] <Sebastian> Brodes, before you get caught up in this weird sex fantasy of yours, pick a damn card. [6:05:36 PM] Kurt wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:05:43 PM] <Kurt> Thanks! :) Okay continue now [6:05:46 PM] <Brody> I was thinking [6:05:46 PM] <Sebastian> You picked wrong. [6:05:52 PM] <Brody> you guys chose shitty cards [6:05:59 PM] <Brody> it was between that and velcro [6:06:03 PM] <Sebastian> You were distracted. I forgive you. Carry on. [6:06:30 PM] <Brody> anyways-- it was my first gay bar [6:06:45 PM] <Kurt> d'aww [6:06:54 PM] <Marley> Ohhh those are fun [6:06:56 PM] <Brody> and it was very noisy and very crowded, and it got...kind of intense [6:07:23 PM] <Brody> like a fucking sauna and grinding up against a lot of guys in SF? [6:07:28 PM] <Kurt> define "intense" [6:07:29 PM] <Brody> yeah, a little intense [6:07:31 PM] <Kurt> ohhh [6:07:41 PM] <Brody> so I told him that it was getting kind of hot and I needed some air [6:07:44 PM] Brittany was skipped this round for being idle for too long. [6:07:57 PM] Marley wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:08:00 PM] <Brody> which apparently is code for "Hey let's go take this party outside" [6:08:05 PM] Play 2 cards, in the order you wish them to be judged. [6:08:09 PM] <Kurt> ohhh... [6:08:11 PM] <Kurt> yeah [6:08:20 PM] <Kurt> Depending on the guy, I could see that. [6:09:06 PM] <Brody> so we start heading outside, except legit the guy gets as far as the check in before he's on me like a cat [6:09:19 PM] <Brody> which, you know-- surprising, but a little awkward [6:09:28 PM] <Brody> because-- you know, still a little new at this [6:10:24 PM] <Brody> so I'm like kind of forgetting myself, because there's a twenty-one year old guy grinding up against me and pulling me into a coat closet [6:10:42 PM] Marley wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:10:50 PM] Play 2 cards, in the order you wish them to be judged. [6:10:51 PM] <Brody> and I swear-- we're just going like teenagers at this point [6:11:10 PM] <Brody> and then the freaking bouncer walks in [6:11:18 PM] <Kurt> ?! [6:11:31 PM] <Brody> because I learned that day that apparently I'm not that quiet when I'm turned on [6:11:40 PM] <Brody> I used to be, at some point [6:11:46 PM] <Brody> I swear I got away with a lot of shit [6:11:54 PM] <Kurt> With..girls... [6:12:03 PM] <Brody> but this was the exact moment I basically lost the ability to keep my voice down [6:12:09 PM] <Brody> at the time [6:12:12 PM] <Kurt> .... XD [6:12:24 PM] <Brody> I mean, it's not like I don't still have good sex with girls [6:12:51 PM] <Brody> just not...loud sex, apparently [6:12:58 PM] <Brody> it's just different-- I don't know [6:13:14 PM] <Kurt> Boring? [6:13:18 PM] <Blaine2> Wouldn't that almost imply that sex with guys is better, though? [6:13:21 PM] <Kurt> I mean.. I'd take loud as a good thing personally [6:13:27 PM] <Kurt> (Yeah! See Blaine gets it) [6:13:33 PM] Brody wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:13:35 PM] <Brody> not necessarily [6:13:48 PM] <Brody> I mean, I dated Nat for a year and a half, and that sex was amazing [6:13:54 PM] <Brittany> That's only cause you haven't had sex with me, Brodes. I'd make you totally loud [6:13:55 PM] <Brody> girl had a great imagination [6:14:34 PM] <Brittany> (i really think i'm just geting shitty cards) [6:14:37 PM] <Brody> I think you'd make my head explode Britt [6:14:42 PM] <Blaine2> Daaaammmn Britt, get it [6:14:46 PM] <Brody> insert dirty joke here [6:14:54 PM] Kurt wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:15:08 PM] <Sebastian> (seriously I am too, but it makes for the hilarity of Bas being a sore loser) [6:15:31 PM] <Kurt> Pretty sure I have Brody to thank for almost all of my points at this point :P [6:15:35 PM] <Blaine2> My card is so true that I really need you to pick it Britt [6:15:40 PM] <Marley> (Hahhah I missed half the game too ;) [6:15:53 PM] <Kurt> Ohh these are good cards [6:16:05 PM] <Brody> Not wearing pants is the clear winner here [6:16:06 PM] <Brittany> I don't think any of you could handle me. [6:16:09 PM] <Sebastian> That;s cheating, Killer. You can't hint at what your card /is/. [6:16:20 PM] <Blaine2> Oh yeah, what's my card, Bas? [6:16:22 PM] Brody wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:16:26 PM] <Blaine2> NO [6:16:28 PM] <Sebastian> The gays. [6:16:30 PM] <Blaine2> yes [6:16:30 PM] <Brody> YES!! [6:16:33 PM] <Marley> That one was mine :p [6:16:48 PM] <Brittany> But. Girls. Slo-mo vollyball [6:16:50 PM] <Blaine2> It was the gays that took my virginity [6:16:55 PM] <Kurt> Mine too [6:16:57 PM] <Sebastian> See? I know you. [6:17:02 PM] <Brittany> Mine too [6:17:06 PM] <Kurt> -shrugs- [6:17:08 PM] <Brody> no it wasn't [6:17:17 PM] <Brittany> He just didn't know he was gay [6:17:19 PM] <Kurt> Britt? [6:17:22 PM] <Kurt> Oh. [6:17:24 PM] <Brittany> Yes? [6:17:35 PM] <Brody> what he said [6:17:39 PM] <Kurt> It's nothing, sweetheart. [6:17:42 PM] <Blaine2> Well, yeah, Bas, I'd say you do [6:18:31 PM] <Brody> SB-- how many rounds does this game go? [6:18:35 PM] Brittany wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:18:42 PM] <Brittany> FINALLY [6:18:51 PM] <Sebastian> Up to 15 points. [6:18:56 PM] <Brody> crap-- who chose that? [6:18:57 PM] <Sebastian> Well done, Britt! [6:19:06 PM] <Brody> we're changing it down next round [6:19:45 PM] <Blaine2> Well for a while there I thought you were going to get to 15 pretty quick [6:19:59 PM] <Blaine2> Mine's true this round too lmao [6:20:00 PM] Error: It is not your turn to play a card. [6:20:00 PM] Brittany wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:20:08 PM] <Brody> yeah, I was left no choice on that one [6:20:10 PM] <Kurt> Well would you look at that [6:20:12 PM] <Kurt> hmmm [6:20:18 PM] <Sebastian> ((HAHAHA SEBASTIAN'S LAST)) [6:20:25 PM] <Kurt> everyone's got at least three points now! [6:20:26 PM] <Kurt> Oh wait [6:20:40 PM] <Marley> Haha [6:20:41 PM] <Blaine2> ((dammit kurt, that's fucking hilarious)) [6:21:01 PM] <Finn> Everyone except Seb [6:21:11 PM] <Brody> Yeah...that was kind of the joke Finn [6:21:12 PM] <Kurt> Well spotted, Finn [6:21:13 PM] <Sebastian> Wow Finn, you catch on fast. Well done. [6:21:29 PM] <Blaine2> Aww, Bas don't be a sore loser [6:21:31 PM] <Brody> Come on Bas-- it's not so bad [6:21:32 PM] <Kurt> Hey lay off, Sebastian. Finn's got double your score so you've got no room to talk. [6:21:51 PM] <Finn> Yeah...what Kurt said [6:22:19 PM] Marley wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:22:30 PM] <Marley> Yay me :D [6:22:57 PM] <Brody> God, I'm winning and I'm tired of this game [6:23:04 PM] <Sebastian> 1) Man, Kurt, you need to get over this obsession with me. There I was doing the favour of ignoring your little bitch fits. 2) Way to fight your own battle, Hudson. [6:23:11 PM] <Brody> like not the //game// obviously [6:23:15 PM] <Brody> but this particular one [6:23:36 PM] <Marley> I thought this was going to have like.. expansion packs (I guess this is more ooc but I am lazy) [6:23:41 PM] <Brody> Bas, come on man-- cool your jets [6:23:59 PM] <Brody> I mean, think of this as a slow immersion back to teaching [6:24:06 PM] <Finn> What would be the point in me repeating what Kurt said [6:24:09 PM] <Brody> where your kids are now watching documentaries [6:24:18 PM] <Brody> or I guess "documentaries" [6:24:29 PM] <Brody> Finn-- stop fanning the flames [6:24:29 PM] Brittany wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:24:39 PM] <Marley> Go Brittany! [6:24:41 PM] <Kurt> Everyone's got FOUR points now! [6:24:42 PM] <Kurt> :) [6:25:03 PM] <Brody> I have horrible nouns [6:25:10 PM] <Blaine2> Kurt, you stop fanning the flames too [6:25:17 PM] <Kurt> me too, throw away card [6:25:32 PM] <Kurt> And fine.. I'll admit that was a cheap shot. Sorry. [6:25:40 PM] <Sebastian> Saint Hummel finally getting into trouble? About time. [6:25:46 PM] <Marley> I have a lot of crappy cards I need to get rid of [6:26:00 PM] <Kurt> About time?! [6:26:06 PM] <Brody> Bas will never say sorry Kurt-- I apologize on my son's behalf, who will probably apologize on his behalf [6:26:25 PM] Brody wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:26:27 PM] <Kurt> While appreciated, you know it doesn't work that way, Brody. [6:26:31 PM] <Blaine2> What do I need to apologize for?? [6:26:32 PM] Play 2 cards, in the order you wish them to be judged. [6:26:48 PM] <Brody> I figured you would, since he's your Evil Mentor [6:26:49 PM] <Sebastian> I don't need to apologise for shit. [6:27:06 PM] <Sebastian> Therefore Blaine doesn't need to apologise for shit. [6:27:21 PM] <Marley> Seriously you guys? [6:27:25 PM] <Brody> Hey Bas-- so how are the Nazis? [6:27:35 PM] <Brody> (looking to talk about anything else) [6:27:46 PM] <Brody> (my baby has poor phrasing) [6:28:06 PM] <Sebastian> Still suffering from getting punched in the face, apparently. [6:28:15 PM] <Blaine2> I mean, I obviously don't condone any of these, from anyone, but I'm also not going to shove words into other people's mouths, especially when I know they won't mean them [6:28:26 PM] <Blaine2> Okay, now I'm done. [6:28:36 PM] <Sebastian> Feel free to use my mouth for anything you want. [6:28:41 PM] <Kurt> gross [6:29:26 PM] Brittany wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:29:32 PM] <Brittany> I'm gonna use your mouth for brownies [6:29:33 PM] <Marley> Seriously, Sebastian? Its just a game. Stop being so snippy. [6:29:46 PM] <Sebastian> Offer wasn't open to you, Kurt. [6:29:48 PM] <Brittany> Shove them all in til you're quiet :P [6:30:03 PM] <Sebastian> Snippy? [6:30:09 PM] <Marley> YEs [6:30:12 PM] <Marley> You're being an asshole [6:30:15 PM] <Marley> Is that a better word? [6:30:35 PM] <Finn> I'm staying quiet now. [6:31:17 PM] <Brody> Lily says hi by the way [6:31:24 PM] Hurry up! You have less than 10 seconds to decide, or you will be skipped. [6:31:27 PM] <Marley> Oh? Hi Lily? [6:31:33 PM] Error: It is not your turn to play a card. [6:31:38 PM] <Sebastian> Send her to me ;) [6:31:49 PM] <Sebastian> Being an asshole how? [6:32:00 PM] <Sebastian> What did I say that was me being an asshole? [6:32:03 PM] <Sebastian> Just so we're clear [6:32:11 PM] <Brody> She brought food-- we're preoccupied [6:32:22 PM] <Marley> I mean in all honesty, you're both being assholes. It's a game. [6:32:29 PM] <Marley> Preoccupied? *Raises eyebrow* [6:32:31 PM] Brody wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:32:33 PM] <Sebastian> Whatever, Marls. [6:32:47 PM] <Brittany> Guysssss stop fighting [6:32:52 PM] <Marley> Seriously, Sebastian? I mean this is a game, and instead it's arguing. It's frustrating, that's all. [6:33:13 PM] <Blaine2> Okay, guys, everyone, we need to chill the fuck out. [6:33:20 PM] <Brody> Okay, seriously guys-- I'm with the other Bs here [6:33:26 PM] <Sebastian> I'm actually genuinely confused. I was asking for clarification. [6:33:39 PM] <Brody> Bas-- I totally missed what needs clarifying [6:33:51 PM] <Brody> I was asking about your Nazis and you didn't answer I don't think [6:34:00 PM] <Marley> Fine. [6:34:02 PM] <Brody> Also, Lily asked if you were ever coming back [6:34:08 PM] <Sebastian> I told you they were sore from getting punched in the face. [6:34:09 PM] <Brody> is it okay if I tell her no? [6:34:13 PM] Sebastian wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:34:21 PM] <Sebastian> Give her my number [6:34:21 PM] <Brody> so they aren't singing anymore? [6:34:39 PM] <Brody> she doesn't need you number [6:34:46 PM] <Brody> she wants a lawyer [6:34:51 PM] <Sebastian> Well clearly she misses me [6:34:51 PM] <Brody> and she doesn't need one [6:35:07 PM] <Brody> she's being a lame ass [6:35:23 PM] <Brody> you two are actually kind of perfect for each other in that respect [6:35:31 PM] <Brody> and she's stealing my toppings [6:35:53 PM] <Brody> Aw, Bas-- was fucking a corpse you? [6:36:08 PM] <Brittany> ...I don't know what's going on anymore. [6:36:08 PM] Sebastian wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:36:22 PM] <Blaine2> No, it was me, Brody. I was trying to pull a fast one [6:36:22 PM] <Brody> my friend Lily knows Bas a little-- she's being a nerd [6:36:34 PM] <Sebastian> She misses me. [6:36:37 PM] <Brody> and Bas likes musicals with Nazis in them [6:36:38 PM] <Marley> God my cards suckl [6:36:46 PM] <Sebastian> Who doesn't? [6:37:33 PM] Sebastian wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:37:33 PM] <Brody> I guess they're okay-- I can think of better musicals [6:37:39 PM] <Sebastian> Huh. Look at that. [6:37:49 PM] <Kurt> I smell collusion. [6:37:49 PM] <Brody> I mean, not saying Julie Andrews isn't well worth the effort [6:37:59 PM] <Blaine2> I'm trying to make it up to you, Bas, obviously [6:38:21 PM] <Brody> obviously [6:38:38 PM] <Brody> my son is the compassionate one in the family [6:38:42 PM] <Brody> he takes after his mother [6:38:59 PM] <Brody> they both have nice asses and are too good to their friends [6:39:14 PM] Brittany wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:39:17 PM] <Sebastian> I can't even argue with that one. [6:39:23 PM] Play 2 cards, in the order you wish them to be judged. [6:39:28 PM] <Sebastian> He does have a damn good ass. [6:39:30 PM] <Blaine2> Awww, you're making me tear up, Elphie [6:39:38 PM] <Blaine2> .... [6:39:49 PM] <Blaine2> Couldn't just be sentimental, could ya, Bas. [6:39:53 PM] <Blaine2> Though, thank you...again. [6:40:19 PM] <Sebastian> You're welcome ;) [6:41:53 PM] Brittany was skipped this round for being idle for too long. [6:42:34 PM] <Brody> I mean, I'm starting to think Britt's might be better, now that I'm thinking about it [6:42:36 PM] Brody wins the round. The next round will begin in 8 seconds. [6:42:44 PM] <Brody> but guy faculty? hands down is you SB [6:42:47 PM] <Kurt> Congrats, Brody [6:42:52 PM] <Brody> OH THANK GOD