#uuuugh is this too long does it need a read more?

[nozunhinged]

Okay okay okaaaayyyyy I swear I also have smart thoughts that are NOT related to boys artistically smashing on screen BUT korntonkla in 4 minutes is such a prime example of plot driven intimacy if not THE prime example in all of the BL I've watched so far. We all know mystery and timejumps and how they are done well and visuals we need to look for but when it comes to physical intimacy as a plot device everything suddenly goes to shit so here I am.

I'm going to explain why korntonklas scene was the perfect way to establish their relationship and how this is so, so, much more than just a "NC scene" (btw I HATE this acronym with a passion), it's an essential part of the story that cannot be left out.

But I do understand it's not everyone's cup of tea so I am going to seize screenshots or GIFs but plssssss keep reading the scene deserves it! Even more if you've skipped it!

Ok now with the disclaimers out of the way, let's talk about Korn and tonkla.

The flow of their scene was absolutely perfect from start to finish and not a single second was wasted. Their sugar relationship is established immediately with the topic of work as the center. Thanks to that we learn what their relationship is in the first place, which purpose it serves korn and what that says about him. His sweet words are the turning point to shift the focus on tonkla. They are too sweet, almost cheesy, they're empty and meaningless but we watch tonkla eating them up like candy and the stage is set for the exploration of their dynamic.

Tonklas way of rewarding these words, which brings us the iconic bareback moment.

Tonkla turns from cute and confident to incredibly needy the moment the heat turns up and we understand in a split second that he wants more from his daddy than just his dick. He wants his trust, a true connection, the level a relationship could potentially reach and his only chance in their current setting to articulate that is by yeah, asking if Korn could go in raw.

And how he doesn't even say no, he just rips the condom open.

Oh boy no dialogue in the world could replace THAT, I'm telling you. Now we know he uses his power in this moment to cover up his cowardice and acts like the one whos in control. I have a feeling this way of dealing with things will bite him in the ass later.

Meanwhile tonkla just takes everything he could get. And if that wasn't enough to let us know what's going on here, we double down with a round of helping tonkla cum.

That makes him look generous and loving and of course it would make tonklan even happier because that's (unfortunately) not the norm. Another way of covering up his uuh...let's call it mediocre performance.

But in tonklas eyes, he's so lucky to have him. Korns knows he has to take good care of his puppy if he wants to keep him. How do we learn that? Well in their afterglow all tonkla does is cling to Korn to bask in every moment he gets with him while Korn is completely out of it, visibly enjoying his stress relief.

And let's be real here, he may have jerked his boy off but dude held it for like 10 seconds before he busted whimpering like a damn loser no amount of money makes you this happy in the way tonkla is clinging to him. Puppy is down bad.

The conclusion of it all—the make out scene before they get interrupted—is the cherry on top, now we know how their dymanic works and how it functions in the overall story. Chefs kiss, I'm telling you.

I could go on how many plot points we've established in this one intimate scene but this is already too long uuuugh.

Korn and his relationship with tonkla painted a perfect picture of his character and the issues he has and will have to deal with and I'm telling you there was NO BETTER WAY to establish than with this scene.

And I haven't even touched on the natural movements of the actors, the realistic flow of things that make everything so palpable, tiny details like Korn holding his dick after he lubed it up. It's not relevant to the plot but makes the intented plot points SHINE because you don't stumble over clunky or unrealistic execution and can concentrate on what's happening with the characters UGHHHHHH SO GOOD!!!

Man that's A+ direction and I'm in absolute awe.

[bluenightcomedies]

uuuugh i keep procrastinating cuz i wanna make new refs n' arts n' all for us all but art slow so fuggit placeholder pinned abt the system better pinned with comm details, other accs, etc later :3 will reopen for commissions once arty verifies me! as a whole we're legally deaf and disabled! we can all draw but have diff styles/preferences :3 body is 30 (eugh i don't like admitting that) so am adult BUT we don't wanna be involved in nsfw art so pls respect that⭐ We can't get a formal diagnosis due to various real life issues, so we're not going to claim any particular diagnosis, but we can't exactly ignore the symptoms and stay masked forever. We're going to stay out of syscourse as much as possible, of course. 🌙 each alter has an assigned emoji so ppl can tell us apart easier if needed, use em as our tags too (when we remember) note- using they/them for any of us fine too!⭐

(doesn't include alters that rarely or never front) ⭐star emoji = Blue! she/her pls~ guess i'm the honorary host cuz i front most. uhhh... nothing rly too fancy i can say abt myself, i'm p affectionate and love y2k art and hanging out, i try to be as nice as i can >w< my art's usually sketchbooky, with thin lines and soft colors/shading!

💠this blue gem/flower emoji is Azure! she/her, she's kinda new to the system. looks n' acts a lot like me but uh... more childish i guess? very silly, very 'cringe culture is dead'. loves to rp, say silly things, n' cling to people. hyperfixates on Dot Hack (RIP) her art looks like mspaint x3 🌙 (Writing for myself since I'm available.) The name's Lune, hence moon emoji, and I use she/her pronouns as well. Formerly "Starry" but people kept confusing me with Blue due to her star symbolism. Used to be the designated mask, I'm glad I don't have to do that anymore... Sometimes I re-mask out of habit so if something sounds like me but wasn't marked as an alter, it probably is me. I have a flat tone and chronic paranoid anxiety so uh... Let me know if I come across as rude, I usually don't mean to. I enjoy doing research and organizing information, so I'm often the one to fact-check things or find guides and how-to's for the system. My art's very bold and colorful, and friends describe it as 'angular'. Clashes with my personality, huh? 🗝️key emoji = Sylverwynd! he uses he/him! he's super laid back and chill, i've never seen him upset or anything, but he's rly long-winded talks... kinda poet-y? he loves reading and talking abt lore and myths so he'll pop in if ur talking abt something he likes or if he has trivia 2 share! fave genres r horror n' fantasy he's still experimenting w/ style but likes drawing rly soft

❌cross emoji= Laceburner! it/its or they/them pronouns! tbh i'm not used to it/its pronouns but Lace wanted em; it's very uh... emotionally empty i guess? aroace, agender, can't socialize or empathize v well. it usually fronts when the rest of us are tired or in pain cuz it just ignores all that. likes 2000's scenemo aesthetics though which is surprising but ye idk how to describe its style, but it's trying to mimic emo art n' likes bright colored lines with dark bg/colors 🗡️the dagger is Kal! he/him pronouns, he gets angry and stressed abt things really easy but he gets too hostile abt it so he tries to not front too much; need to find him a way to de-stress n' chill out... when he's not mad at smth he's a good sympathetic listener imo, still swears and talks all rough tho hasn't drawn much yet but does rly harsh lines and fast/messy sketches when he does (and gets riled up by mistakes =w=;)

❤️heart is Weiss! genderfluid, goes by any pronouns, usually uses whatever they like at the time x3 has a hard time fronting but tries to. flirty, loves dumb jokes, overly confident... (we worry they'd get us in trouble sometimes cuz the shit they want to say) loves demon and monster-related stuff! still experimental style but uses bold colors and thick rough lines a lot, may get suggestive (forbidden from outright nsfw, don't ask >:c) btw ur always welcome to direct asks @ someone specific >w< we just might take a while to respond

[isca-tide]

6x08 aka I'm just steamrolling my way through these episodes tonight so I can get to the tiniest semblance of Tim and Lucy being a little bit okay Ugh. Monica. Why do they keep trying to make Monica such a thing. Seriously.

Ugh. Blair. So many ughs this season. I do wonder why he has so many alarms set for her birthday. Maybe he is just bad at technology. Or maybe he had something planned and didn't want to mess up any steps. Have I read too many fics where he had an engagement ring ready and waiting? Maybe. But also I suck a remembering birthday, even my own, so I don't find it that weird. Boy was in love, is still in love, and wanted to make sure he didn't forget his wife's special day. Uuuugh my heaaaart. Tim definitely sus about Blair though. Maybe he's not sure why, but he senses something is up. TO Lucy yes. Look, I've said it a million times and I'll say it a million more, Lucy would make an amazing TO. I don't want her to not be a detective, she'd make a great detective too, but unless the show gives her a golden ticket or Primm gets investigated, she's not getting there in the next two years. So why can't she be a TO in the meantime? She can still do UC as a TO, and it helps her advancement to detective or sergeant or whatever she wants to do. I know people are annoyed it's a recycled plotline from Nolan, but Nolan never even got close to being detective. He chose TO with his bloody magic golden ticket (even though, hello, Lucy has done just as much as him if not more and deserves that ticket 100% more but she'd never use it because she'd probably feel like she hasn't earned it because she's fucking amazing). Ahem. What I'm saying is, yes it sucks that she's not detective and she hasn't got stripes and she's constantly being overlooked and underappreciated despite everything she's done, but her being TO doesn't mean she stops there. It's still an advancement from P2, and I just think she's an amazing teacher. Moving on. Grey is adorable, such a good dad to his daughter after a few rocky episodes of not giving her the support she needs. Grey, yes. I approve. Her face is so adorable when he does the hand thing. Ugh, my heart. And yes, Tim, you need to fix it. You need to sit down and let Lucy talk to you. Hell, just let her talk at you. Let the woman talk. You owe her that. You might be working on yourself but you haven't given her a chance to do the same for herself. And yeah, sorry Tim. Again, this is the best you could've gotten out of all of this. Losing a bit of command sucks but you could've lost a lot more, job-wise anyway. Grey picking his daughter. Yes. I know he's known Tim for longer and he's seen him go through a lot and he knows he's going through a lot, but he also knows that Lucy had no choice in any of this. Lucy shouldn't have to be the one to lose her station along with everything else. So thank you for that, Grey. Lucy is sorely lacking anyone in her corner right now. Side note, is it St Stephen or St Stephen's? Because St Stephen sounds weird. I love how Lucy checks in with Celina before they start. Making sure she's not uncomfortable before they go ahead. God, she's such a good teacher and leader.

Tim, hey, some of us sweat. Deal with it. I would be a fucking puddle in that uniform in that van. I'd be deceased. I'm glad the whole Bailan pregnancy/baby storyline doesn't go on too long. At least from what I know it basically ends in 6x10 anyway. Unless they go adoption route? But it could've dragged on a lot longer, so at least we didn't get a whole season or two for it. What exactly is Luna's job? I'm not complaining but she's basically running the hospital now, right? And apparently the social care side of things? Patient admittance. I mean, she's good at it. Once again, Smitty. Outranks Lucy somehow. And Lucy looking after him because she's a literal angel. She's obviously been roughed up herself and she's just out there gently teaching Celina and protecting Smitty. No-one deserves her.

Tim's sad little smile when Aaron mentions the spa day he got her. He knows she'd love it. They probably would've gotten a couple's gift if they'd still been together. They could've been pampered. Had sexytimes at a fancy free hotel. Watched her be looked after and treated like the queen she is. Monica. UGH. Should we not be shutting down the hospital at this point to visitors? Because...well, this happens. Lucy and Celina, best team-up yes. Absolute queens. Everyone always says how good Nolan is at getting people to talk to him, but Lucy really does have such a way of getting through to people. Tim was right, her superpower is empathy. I get that it's sad for Tim to not be in control, especially when it comes to protecting men he used to lead, and is probably giving him all sorts of army flashbacks...but it just seems like they're putting all the focus on him losing Metro and missing that and literally nothing on him losing Lucy and missing her. Maybe they're mentioning it a little, and it's not something he'd be open with in front of most people so it's understandable he's not showing it much. I'd just like to see a few more moments. Show that it's hurting him as much as it's hurting her. Oh I would kill for some fics with Lucy seeing Tim all banged up and checking he's okay before leaving. Because she can't help herself. But also him seeing her all banged up and wanting to check on her but she brushes him off and leaves before he can. Blair, you're terrible at not being suspicious. Lucy instantly reaching to protect Bailey when they hear shots being fired. My absolute queen. Ugh. Monica. Sincerely fuck off. Does this hospital not have cameras in the hallways?! Ugh. Blair. Sorry Liz. Lucy Chen, literal sunshine. Oh god KOJO. BABY. Shouting at the screen for Lucy or Tim to go to each other but it's just way too soon. But oh my god the card and the pawprint. I do wonder if Tim might've been tempted to go see her if Mad Dog hadn't texted. Or god, can you imagine if Lucy gave in and went dow the hallway and he was already gone? Why does my mind crave angst so much? It can't handle it. My brain really is broken.

Oh Tim. Honey. God I just want Lucy to be there to help him. But it's not fair for her to be his only support system and she would be without question. But oh, Tim.

Can we please give these two just all the goodness in S7? Please? They've been through enough. Please.

[yoolee]

Compliments | SLBP {Shigezane x MC}

A/N:  Shigezane fluff. This was supposed to be dirty, but, whoops, it went to fluff instead and I’m okay with that and hope you will be too! That said, they’re naked, so, maybe don’t read this at work? As always, the wordsmithing queen and tremendously talented @juniperotome is wonderful and edited this for me! So, thank you!

“Hey.” Though they had been closed in a brief moment of embarrassed hesitation, you opened your eyes at the gentle tone of Shigezane’s voice. The hand he wasn’t using to support himself cupped your cheek.  His thumb stroked smooth skin once, twice, before he withdrew his hand and leaned in to nuzzle your nose. His touch was light and slowly, he pulled away from you to sit back on his heels. Whatever you had expected, it wasn’t a retreat, not from him, and not after what you had both just started, and you cursed your earlier moment of hesitation, knowing that was why he paused now.

“Listen,” His voice was still light, but gentle where teasing was usually to be found, and though his hand darted up to tweak your nose, his tone betrayed an earnest need to be heard for the truth it contained, “You need to know, whether we do this or not, that I think you’re beautiful.”

Your cheeks burned, knowing he’d caught it, your moment of insecurity that came from knowing he’d had others, far fancier and more experienced; you’d seen them yourself, leaving the room Lord Masamune kept available for his use when the nights stretched out too late to travel. “Hey, I mean it!” He said, grinning. You believed that he meant it, but couldn’t keep from pulling a face in response.

The humor in his smile faded to simple sweetness. The bright mischief in his gaze warmed to sincerity, as though when he looked at you he saw something familiar and loved, like the hearth of a home he’d been away from for too long.

“It’s not just me, Doll.” His head lolled to the side, allowing an exaggerated, exasperated sigh to escape. Then he sat up straight, his eyes meeting yours. “Kojuro thinks you’re just precious, and even Masamune—who, you may recall, isn’t the world’s biggest fan of the fairer sex at all—would tell you the same.” Shigezane reminded himself that he’d have to deal with his lingering guilt over that particular point later, and instead, for now, focused completely on you.

He leaned forward and insisted, “We could do a survey. Ask everyone in the castle, and the results would be unanimous. ‘Oh her’? They would say, ‘She’s as lovely as the moon!’”

You snorted, slightly indelicately, but he ignored it.

Imitating another retainer, he pressed, “'Stunning creature, really. Puts Izumi no whatsit to shame.”

You giggled, unoffended by his hyperbole, and your mirth elicited his in return. Shigezane’s hands reached, gently pulling you upright—his hands first featherlight on yours before wrapping around your waist and pulling you into his lap.

Shigezane then continued in a grandiose voice, “She has eyes that sparkle like a thousand shining jewels in the sky.” Nasally, with enthusiasm, “And hips to send a man to his knees.” He squeezed them gently for emphasis, adding an appreciative groan.

Amused, you swatted his shoulder and wrinkled your nose in indication that he should hush, lips curling onto one another as you tried to keep them closed, muffling the laughter that threatened to escape.

But this only caused the sparkle of mischief in his gaze to grow brighter. A bellow of sound, from the belly, then high and sweet as fine lady’s, his voice conjured pictures of friends and imaginative strangers alike, alongside the rather colorful commentary, “She has grace to make a tiger weep in envy! She has hair with the enviable shine of…” he trailed off, blinking, and turned to ask you in his normal voice, “Aaaah, I already used shine, didn’t I?”

You were giggling too hard to confirm, attempting to gasp that you were quite certain it had been sparkle, actually, but he continued without the confirmation, nonplussed.

“Doesn’t count, those were eyes!” Shigezane drew a great breath before pronouncing, in a pitch with the gentle rasp from years of a kiseru pipe’s use “Her hair, now, her hair shines with the enviable glisten of Bontenmaru’s shell in the morning dew—”

“What?” You manage to interject, utterly off-guard. But oh! A turtle! And to imagine—but he was still going, and you had no time to linger on the image his imitation produced.

“—She has legs that stretch to the heavens!” His hands traveled down them now, then back up, tickling mercilessly in a way that had you helplessly lost to laughter. “Skin that glows like fireflies in the night, breasts that—”

You whirled in his lap, straddling him to clap a hand over his mouth, quite certain that if your hair shone like turtleshells, then you could certainly do without whatever descriptive comparison your breasts might warrant. There was a moment of stillness, then his hands flew from your legs to the area in question, content to playfully explore for himself if he was going to be denied an opportunity for verbal description. His hands remained there, cheerfully occupied until you leaned in against him, still lost in waves of laughter. Somehow, you manage to get out, “Shigezane—enough! Stop!”

You meant his words, but his hands stopped too. He drooped like a scolded puppy, pulling his hands sulkily away from your chest, only to send them up to cradle the hand of yours that was claiming his silence— capturing and turning it with aching gentleness to brush his lips against its back. He kept his lips against your skin as his eyes held yours, quiet and still. You felt your laughter catch and stop in your throat, silent.

Shigezane pressed a final kiss to your hand, before pulling it over his heart and holding it there, “She carries the sun in her heart, and shares it freely. And all her warmth in this world gives yearning to weak men that covet her kindness for their own, in fear of being abandoned to starless night, should she leave.”

“Oh…” You hadn’t expected that, “Oh, Shigezane,” Your voice rasped, barely sound at all, and if your heart stopped in that moment, it only meant you could feel his with even greater clarity, fluttering in nervous truth against the fingers he held warmly against it.

And then he winked, moment gone, and mouthed in a too-loud stage whisper, “Psst, this is the part where you say, 'Take me, Shigezane! Take me now!’”

You gaped, barely recovered from the last swing in tone. But he only barreled on, voice light and eyelashes fluttering, “You could add, 'you’ve set my maidenly heart aflutter!’” He wrapped you in a hug, flopping to his back and pulling you along as you dissolve once more into helpless fits of giggles. In an even higher pitch he persisted, “Shigezane, you charming, gloriously handsome and sweet-tongued man, you, you’ve stoked the flames of desire, oh! Ravish me!”

“Ravish me?” Equal parts astonished and amused, you still couldn’t help but imagine it, and your cheeks burned, though not unpleasantly. This hardly escaped Shigezane’s notice, ardent eyes sharply watching yours and catching when they darkened.

His hands took their pleasant time sliding back down to your hips, pulling them to meet his, and he raised his eyebrows, waggling them with suggestive enthusiasm. “I,” he announced proudly, “Am an excellent ravisher. Date Shigezane, professional and proficient ravisher, expert services rendered include virulent, lustful bodice-ripping—"

“Stop!” You could barely breathe, laughter or lust at this point you didn’t know, or you did, you supposed, because it was both, because both were him. Shigezane rolled, flipping your positions. His body was above yours, letting you bear just enough of his weight to know he was real, though he held the rest off with chaste patience lasting precisely a second. Then he was nibbling on your collarbones, warmth in his lips, clearly unwilling to wait for you to finish your fits of laughter. It was only when he found the space where the curve of your neck went hollow, and bit, that a moan mixed with the high, gasping humor, and, grinning wickedly, he pulled back once more. He rested on his elbows for a moment, gazing softly at your shaking frame, hands clapped over your own mouth now in futile attempts at stifling sounds from his words and actions alike.

“Want me to ravish you, Doll?”

Oh, but what else was there to say? You pulled him down for a kiss, feeling as breathless as the laughter preceding it, and right before his lips met yours you murmured, as clear and bright as the light in your lover’s eyes, “Oh yes.”

taglist: @jemchew @shioune If you ever want to be added (or removed!) from my taglist, just say so - I won’t be offended, I promise :) 

If you enjoyed this, I’ve written other things too! You can find them here.

[wilhellmine]

Sam and Colby - The Stanley Hotel - A Fangirl Review

Just my reactions to whatever happened in the vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOO04RwLa9M

1:55 Sam and Colby buying plane tickets for Corey, because they know he wouldnt go if he should buy them himself :D 2:45 Jake just casually curled under the blanket XD 2:55 Corey leaving then remembering the guys picked him up so he isnt able to get home and returning with that "oh shit" look on his face is priceless XD 5:49 Ghost Adventures are mentioned and it made me screech up loud XD 9:05 Corey leaving, because he doesnt want a psychic to tell him whats about to happen, being like "I know we are haunted! I dont want more proof! Lets ignore it!" XD its a whole mood 12:30 - The psychic. Yeah, I believe people have these talents and I... well, I feel some sort of "things" too. Tarot car readings, automatic wrting, spells, yep, thats me. I also learned that if youre good at psychology, 70% things about a client can be actually told because of the things they told you, they way they react on your questions and things like that. So, although I wasnt with them in the room, I would say the same colours maybe, I feel Jake being more purple/silveri-ish around his shoulders, so I think he is/could be very good at being a psychic himself. Coreys brown... I feel hes surrounded by pink in his chest and stomach area, what I would say m eans that hes a very shy, caring, but also very insecure person, but also brown is the aura of someone, whos connected with earth and could work very well with animals. 18:00 Corey dissing his friends being another whole ass mood, I love him 19:15 - "Bro my palms are sweaty, kneas weak, arms are heavy... might start rappin an Eminem song..." GOLDEN 20:45 Coreys story about playing with qouija board and summoning Zozo. I nearly pissed myself, I was just like "uuuugh..." at that moment he said that name, like.... yeah, Im kinda concerned about GAC and their... connection with Zozo, but like... its them, they can handle it, Zak being a haunted objects collector who probably read the real Necronomicon a long time ago and Jay being their "desperate house witch", theyre fine. But oh well, I got pretty scared for Corey 22:05 - Corey telling the guys like "Ok, Im coming, but Im sure there is a new movie out tommorow..." being a total ME trying to cancel my plans and Sam "You wanted watch that?" and Corey agreeing and Colby just "ItS caLLeD thE ShiNnING paRT TWo." 22:19 - Jake just sleeping on the couch, like he always does, with that "Nah, Im fine, just chilling, youre doing great" vibe XD 22:31 - Psychic starting to fangirling over the boys and caressing Colbys arm, but like... who can blame her, I was just like "Yeah, psychic, I fking feel you. Me too, DAMN, me too..." 23:05 Colby wanted to shake hands, but the fangirl in the psychic acted just like I would and was like "Fck that, man, give me a hug" and I was like

23:11 Yeah, lets hug every one of the boyz, Im totally in it, I want to do it too 23:55 Oh, yeah, the slash fangirl rising, a little bit of guys holding their hands in a circle and breathing deeply never hurt anyone, I like that, thank you, psychic 24:55 I definitely want to see Colby in a green shirt, Im gonna print that shit out, hang it over my bed and worship that for the rest of my life. 25:08 Jake just... what TF did he do to Colby? Smack his ass? XD I loved that shit, repeated it a few times, enjoyed every second 25:30 ¨Colby "Im tired and I want to die" is me 100% of the time XD why is this not a meme? Im gonna make it myself, goddamit

26:20 I needed to pause the vid because I heard a loud thud in my kitchen. Although Im pretty used to moments like this one, Im fricking scared tonight :D 28:00 thank you again, psychic, because I was able to witness the boys, holding hands, dancing in a circle singing " ring around the rosies" and then theres Sam like "We all fall down....oh, I actually did" lying there somewhere on the steps next to the camera 28:20 but yeah, I immediately thought the same things as Corey "maybe they shouldnt do fun of it" 33:00 just a few words - Jake falling down the stairs, antilopes, mirror selfie, love you Shane Dawson 37:05 Got caught in the mirror vortex thing, so yeah, I have nothing :S 37:14 Colby "look at all these butterflies man, Im turning gay... which means good luck and prosperity"... did he really say that or am I just hallucinating? XD 38:10 boys joking about "exploring each other, their sexuality and smoking" literally made my day better, my skin clear and my anxiety gone... wait, no, the anxiety is still here, I cant get rid ot it XD 39:50 Jake being his clumsy self and hitting his head here XD Also getting Aaron Goodwin vibes from that XD 45:00 Corey getting those weird calls again, scary as hell... of course Sam dances around with joy while Coreys eyes are probably watering -.- Like... probably a demon is calling Corey and Sam is like "Oh, great" and his eyes are glistening 52:12 intense ghost activity, but yeah, at this moment, Colby climbes on the bed to Jake only in his underwear, youre welcome 53:18 "So Sam finally came out of the closet" XD 55:50 Colby asking the ghost if he closed the door while they were sleeping, ghost being like "it is real" and then Colby just running away like "fck this shit im out" 56:44 Colby getting freaked out during the spirit box session, that he just falls to the ground with Corey whos trying to catch him XD 59:00 Jake playing on the Aaron Goodwin note again and breaking the fcking spirits box by dropping it XD 01:00:00 Jennifer coming to the scene... and yeah, I agree with the guys that shes a little creepy... wonder what they would think if they ever would meet me XD 01:02:30 Jake being like "ugh, maybe it wasnt Colby who touched my wiener" and Sam just goes "yeah, were not going to talk about it" ... me, being the fangirl, taking out a note pad "oh honey, tell me everything NOW" 01:13:30 Scary fangirl leaving the scene, guys, the photos Corey captured, thats insane. Got too caught in the whole part, so I have nothing else to say XD 01:18:50 just a closeup of coreys ass, found it interesting, so Im sharing it XD 01:21:55 Im sorry, but Colby talking about using sage pleased my inner witch so much, 100% perfect, I love that, yeah yeah yeah, excellent, like... Colby holding a sage smudge stick is for some reason hot as hell 01:25:30 The start of the seance and... I wonder why they are OUTSIDE the fricking salt circle?? O.o Luckily I watched enough Supernatural and similar shit to know that Im supposed to be inside the circle to be protected XD 01:26:00 The blanket moved, according to Colby, and I rewinded the footage about 10 times, didnt see shit. Am I just blind or what? O.o Did somebody actually see it move?... Well, the blanket maybe didnt move, but at least we got a pretty shot of Colbys ass XD 01:27:15 Corey really doesnt want to do the seance and Sams like "You can be outside this circle and just not asking questions" to convince Corey to stay in the room and Im just watching it, being like "you ALL are outside the circle, no matter where  you are in the room, because you are OUTSIDE the salt circle, Sam, honey, I think you got some wrong info..." 01:29:16 Sam forgot to open the doors for the ghosts to try to close them and he asks Corey if he can open the doors and Corey just goes "NO!" ... and thats fking me XD but then he collects himself and goes to open them, what a brave guy 01:32:00 I will never stop to be amazed by Jakes calmness, like... there could be ghosts throwing stuff, spinning his head like an owl and shit and he would be like "yo, bros, calm TF down, its not that bad... I might actually take a little nap, if you dont mind..." 01:33:00 No matter how much Corey refuses, Sam always drags him to do the seance, like.... they promised him that he just can sit there and watch them and now Sams like "you ask a question, Corey, yeah?" O.o and the boy actually does it, oh my... 01:34:00 ...and Corey actually gets an "answer", something is making sounds in the closet and Corey just runs away, Sam being after him, telling him to chill, but also being like "WTF was that?", Colby has this panic look on his face and Corey just says "We should get another hotel" and I agree so much XD 01:37:20 Colby "I dont want to freak us out, BUT what if were not going to haunted places, what if haunted things are following us?" .... yeah, Colby, thanks for not freaking everyone out XD 01:38:15 The look on Coreys face as he hears that they cant run out of the hotel as they hear something, because they would get kicked out, which means he needs to stay in that haunted room till morning XD obviously regretting his life decisions XD 01:41:45 Everyone talking about those scary dreams they had and what did Jake say? Like "I dreamed about driving a hot wheels car" or what? XD 01:44:00 Sam reeeeeally doesnt want to go to meet the crazy creepy fangirl Jennifer, its clear as day XD and I wonder why? Is it because she exchanged numbers with Colby? A little jealousy there? A little Solby material to screech over? 01:45:23 The way Sam looks at Jennifer like "so, you bitch survived, but dont you even dare to EVER touch my man, Im gonna be worse than any demon you can imagine" XD 01:47:20 Everyone saying their goodbyes and leaving and creepy Jennifer goes "Oh, if you ever want to poop your pants, just visit this scary forest, probably haunted by some ancient demons that are gonna kill you, its nice there" XD and the guys are like "No way in hell...." and then theres the new episode and of course its taking place in the haunted forest Jennifer told them about XD

[rebel-ezra]

hello friends! another star wars review

here’s what was going on in my mind when I was watching the rise of skywalker:

last one of the skywalker-saga :( also this is a long one I am so sorry congrats if you read this entire thing

why do I have the feeling poe is going to die in this one aklsdjfsk I guess we’ll just have to wait and see

starting it off nice and easy with angry kylo ren lol

what is that glowing thingy

oh he maaaadd he is GOING FOR IT

“JSALKJSDFLAJ  I KNOW THAT FUCKIN VOICEEEEE!!”

it’s Ugly Emperor 

EEEEE THIS MAN IS SO UGLYYYY FUCKING ROTTEN HANDS EEEEW

that…. is a big fleet…

finn an poe <3 my absolute babies

HI REYYYYY HI BB8

why does kylo keep anakins skull around tho

“OHHHH FLASHBACK TO HAN OHHH I WAS NOT READY!! I WAS NOT FUCKING READY!!!!”

the falcon is on fire oh no baby nooo

the absolute chaotic energy that is rey, poe and finn <3

“alone with friends” :’)

wooooow festival!!

OHHH FORCE MIND TRICK AGAIN WHAT IS UP KYLO REN

jdfklsajfl run babies RUUUNN

nice shot but who are you

JALJDFLKA JSLKASJDFL LANDO!!!

‘I got a bad feeling about this’ YEA NO SHIT LANDO ME TOO

OH SHIT THEY FLY NOW

‘excellent job sir!’ ‘terrible job sir’ this is what c3po becomes after spending too much time with poe

WHAT IS THAT?? SINKHOLE SHIT

‘I’ll tell you later’ ‘you mean when poe’s not here’ ‘yea’ ‘we’re gonna die in sand burrows and we’re all keeping secrets’ god I LOVE THEM

‘I dont like bones’ 

THEY GOT CHEWIE

oh god fucking damnit kylo is still alive

OHHHHHH WHAT THE FUCKKKK THE FORCE LIGHTNING CHEWIEEEEEEEE AJDLKFSJFJ

AAAAAA CHEWIE ALKFDJKLJSK CHEWIE IS ALIVE

‘poe dameron spice runner, runner of spice’ I love them so much

BABU FRIK IS ADORABLE

‘one last look at my friends’ AJLKDSFJS SIR

JALDKFJSKLD POE SAID ‘can I kiss you’ well he can certainly kiss mE

THEY SHOT POE

“it’s just his arm it’s just his arm he’s okay he’s fine calm down”

‘hey fellas’ 

terminate them??? LETS NOT NONO DON’T SHOOT THEM

hux u bitch dont do it

OOHHH HUX

“HUX IS THE SPU??”

tell the truth kylo

FAJLKSDJFA REY IS A PALPATINE????

OHHHH HE SHOT HUX!! MANS FLEWW

“don’t destroy palpatine rey that is literally The Path to the dark side”

yea no great landing boys 

rey didn’t have time to just quickly heal poe’s arm nice and easy hmm

OHHHH THERES THAT THING THEY NEED

“OH WHAT THE FUCK DARK SIDE REY???”

oh great kylo’s here as well

of course he is

dick

NOO HE BROKE IT

what if rey is going to die I don’t think I could handle that

HE CANT FUCKING DO IT HAHA it takes big dick energy which you do not have sir 

omg leia pls go and persuade your stupid ass son

“OOOOOHHHHHHHHH REY IMPALED KYLO BUT LEIA DIEEEEEEED”

rey why are you healing him he is literally trying to GET YOU TO THE DARK SIDE

MY DUDE KYLO IS STILL ALIVE WHY DID YOU DO THAT REEEEYYYYY

“DON’T SHOW ME LEIA PLS THAT IS LITERALLY STILL SO FUCKING FRESH SHUT UP”

‘goodbye dear princess’ FUCK OFF

don’t show me crying chewie please U THINK MY HEART CAN TAKE THAT?? SPOILER ALERT; IT CAN’T!

‘hey kid?’ “WHO??”

“OH NO OH NO OH NOOOOOO ITS HAN”

yea no I am full on bawling my eyes out right now

HALDJLSKDFK HE CALLED HIM DAD SHUT UUUUUUP

kylo yeeted that lightsaber

define ‘planet that they know’ please

ITS KJIMI

omg now poe is going to blame himself cause his friend couldn’t get away because she gave him the medal

‘cone-face’

omg rey is on luke’s island

“OOOOOOOO WHO IS THAT IS THAT WHO I THINK IT IS OH MY FUCKNG GOOD HOLD THE FUCK UP IT IS FORCE GHOST LUKE!!”

I am an emotional wreck now

I do love the sound of “general dameron” tho

“poe this speech is making me EMOTIONAL”

WOOOOOW SPACE HORSES

such an epic battle I love this please let them all survive

WHOM THE FUCK?? SO MANY FUCKING WEIRD VOICES

“oh Ugly Emperor is here”

AKSJDKLADJ LOOK AT HIM UGLY ASS NUT SACK FACE

“nice they did it nOW GET THE HELL OFF THAT SHIP"

finn dont do anything stupid

kylo do something good

‘go without us’ NO

“NO REY DONT BECOME A SITH”

hi kylo please go help rey do something good for once

OHHHHHHHH SHIT LIGHTSABER TRICK

kylo with a blue saber tho

OHHHH KYLO AND REY WITH A BLUE SABER OH WHAT THE FUCK IS HE GONNA KILL REY AND KYLO

they’re losing :( POE what now

‘my friends I’m sorry I thought we had a shot but there’s just too many of them’ ‘there are more of us poe’ YEAAAAAAAAAAAAA OH MY GOD THERES SO MANY OOOO 

‘it’s jut people’ ITS THE RESISTANCE U BITCH

please tell me rey is alive

“NOT FUCKING UGLY EMPEROR AGAIN”

KYLO IS ALIVE

OOOOOOOO he went zooming

did he just die 

kylo are you alive

“OH SHITTHATS A LOT OF FUCKING LIGHTNING”

I was so hopeful and now ugly ass nutsac emperor is back fucking bitchass 

REY IS ALIVE

“OBI-WAN OBI-WAN OBI-WAN!!”

ALKSDJFLAD OBI WAN

FALKJDSFKLASJFLKSJF SO MANY JEDI

nut sack is like “oh shit she is alive uuuugh”

‘I am all the sith’ ‘and I am all the jedi’ YEAAAAAAA poetic cinema

poe please get finn or lando whatever  SOMEONE get finn

“REYYY NO REY DID YOU DIE NO NO NO  NO PLEASE GOD NO”

kylo is somehow still alive I gotta tell you he’s got some real strength tho

THIS IS SAD SHUT UP THE WAY HE’S HOLDING HER

can he heal her or at least try it

come on rey come on baby

LAJKLDFJSAKLDFJKSLDJFKLSAJF REEEEEYYYYY

OH THEY KITH YEAAAAAA AAAAA

“lksdjfklasjflsk this is cute this is niceWAIT NO KYLOOOOO!! NO DID HE DIE?? OH MY GOD HIS FINAL ACT WAS TO SAFE REY”

omg they did it they took down the whole fleet

“DID I JUST SEE STAR WARS LESBIANS??”

FINN REY AND POE HUG

OAJDLKFJSDLF TATOOINE???

REY’S LIGHTSABER IS YELLOW

who is that

OHHHH FORCE GHOSTS!!! LEIA AND LUKE!!!

‘rey skywalker’ ALKDJAKLSFJLSKADJFLK YEAAAAAA

oh my god loved it that was amazing

sorry this was so long if you’ve made it to the end congrats

[thekytchensynk]

Happy Birthday Sero

Have some nonsense because why not right?

“So, surprise party. What do you think?”

Jirou just stared at him for a long few seconds, chewing on a piece of pocky. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“A surprise party,” she repeated, inflection turning it into a question. 

Sero nodded, then looked around the room. Had he … interrupted something? Sure, being asked to help plan a surprise party wasn’t exactly an everyday occurrence but his classmate was acting like she expected him to be pulling a prank on her.

Leaning back in her chair, Jirou gave her silence another few seconds before asking, “Why me? Why not Kaminari? Or Kirishima? No offense, I like Mina and all, and I’m happy to help. But aren’t you guys like her best friends?”

It was Sero’s turn to let a silence settle. How to explain without it sounding kiiiinda mean. His eyes meandered over the fresh-cut grass of UA’s lawn, the scent of which still hung on the air, but no easy answer presented itself in the landscaping.

Defeated, he slumped back over his knees. “Have you met them?” he muttered. “They’re great, seriously, but Mina can sniff out something like this at a hundred paces. If I ask them for help, this will stop being a surprise party within a literal minute.”

Jirou sighed. “You know it won’t be that much better with me, right? She can see when basically anyone is hiding things from her, right?” Her voice dropped to a mutter as she added, “‘S like a radar, I swear.”

“Yeah. But you and I have a little cover when it comes to birthday planning around now,” Sero said.

Jirou looked pointedly away. “How do people find this stuff OUT.” When she looked back at him, he raised an eyebrow and she rolled her eyes. “How? How does she always…”

“It’s a gift,” Sero agreed. “A really irritating gift sometimes. It’s like she can see into your brain. Which is kinda why I wanna do this?”

“So like … the surprise is the present?” Jirou asked. 

“Yeah.”

After considering this for a few more seconds, Jirou nodded. “All right, fine. We plan a surprise party for Mina? And if people ask, we claim the party’s for each other? That’s not gonna raise some eyebrows?”

“We’re teenagers living in a dorm building together. Passing someone a pencil in class raises eyebrows,” Sero said. 

“Fair. All right. Let’s do it.”

“So, a surprise party! What do you think?”

Kaminari and Kirishima exchanged a look. Then, as though acting on an impulse from a single, shared brain cell, they looked back to Mina and said in unison, “We’re in!”

But almost immediately, Kirishima added, “But … if we’re all in on it, isn’t he going to get suspicious?”

“He might suspect, but he’s not going to get, like, aggressive about it,” Mira said. “So if you feel like you’re about to let something slip, just leave. It’s only for a week anyway.”

Kaminari looked thoughtful, frowning at the floor with a somewhat unwarranted intensity. The other two stayed quiet, glancing at one another and then just watching, curious where this was going to go.

“Won’t we need a lot of stuff?” he asked at last. “I mean, food, and a cake, and music, and decorations?”

Mina dismissed this with a wave of her hand. “It’s not that big a deal,” she said. “You handle the music, yeah? Kirishima, can you work out the decorations? And I can do the rest?”

The grins on their faces told her all she needed to know.

This was gonna be fun

A couple days later, Sero and Jirou sat on a couch by the window in the common room between classes. Outside, bright summer sunshine slanted down toward them and only the tinting in the glass kept it from blinding the pair. 

“So, I stopped by his room and asked him about it,” Jirou was saying, staring down at her phone as she talked. A music playlist took up the screen. As she spoke, she thumbed down the list, scanning the songs included. 

“And?”

“He can’t,” she said. “Maybe you should have asked him. Aren’t you two friends?”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “Sorry to ask you to do it. I’ve just been trying to figure out the rest of the food. I asked about it at the cafeteria, but they said we’d need a teacher’s permission.”

“And we can’t get that?” Jirou asked, finally pocketing her phone again. 

“Who am I going to ask? Mr. Aizawa?” Sero groused. “I-”

“Whacha talking about?”

Both Sero and Jirou jumped at the voice that materialized between them, and they slid in opposite directions on the couch. Leaning her elbows against the back of the couch, Mina continued, “Woah. Sorry, Was I interrupting something private?” She grinned wickedly at the two of them.

“We were hoping to get permission for a pizza party in the dorm for the end of term,” Jirou said smoothly. “Never thought there’d be this many hoops though.”

Mina’s eyes narrowed as she studied Jirou for a long few seconds. Her searching expression was enough to make Sero struggle not to fidget, and he wasn’t even on the receiving end of it. 

After an excruciatingly long few seconds, Mina straightened up and added, “Aww man. A pizza party sounds awesome.” Then with a wave, she wandered off, heading apparently up to her room.

The pair watched her go before both basically collapsed back onto the couch. 

“Like a radar!” Jirou hissed. “How does she do it!”

Mina scowled at her phone. Was anything going to go right?

Sorry, but Mr. Aizawa caught me with the streamers! He thinks I was going to use them for some sort of prank and took them. Forgive me!

Kirishima’s text wasn’t long, and didn’t contain anything that took more than a cursory approach to decipher, but she kept reading and rereading it, hoping that this time it would say something different than she’d read the last dozen times.

It wouldn’t be so bad if this were the only thing, she mused as she closed the app and leaned her head back to stare listlessly at the ceiling. But first Kaminari had managed to fry his speakers. Then when he’d asked Jirou about borrowing hers, but she’d said they were too heavy to be safely moved down to the common area, and too delicate to be trusted around their rowdy classmates.

She half suspected sabotage, especially given all the time Jirou and Sero were spending together lately. Could they have figured it out and be trying to mess with her?

No. She didn’t think they’d do that. What would be the point?

She had to admit to herself that maybe, she was just feeling a little bit lonely?

She liked Jirou -- she was absolutely cool and smart and had great taste in all sorts of things. But Mina also liked the comfortable camaraderie of their little squad, and lately, that had been fractured. Most nights, either Kaminari or Kirishima were out later than usual helping her. Sometimes she herself was. Bakugo, who thought the whole surprise party thing was stupid, was just avoiding them. And Sero…

He had to suspect something, and his instinct about the source seemed preternatural. Lately, it felt like every time she walked into a room, he walked out. If she walked up to talk, he’d get nervous and excuse himself. He seemed to have replaced hanging out with them with hanging out with Jirou.

To be honest, it kind of hurt. She was starting to regret the whole thing.

“Two more days,” she muttered to herself. “Just two more days.”

“Tomorrow’s the big day,” Jirou said around a bite of her breakfast. 

“Thank god,” Sero said, pushing food around his plate. “This is way more stress than I wanted. I know she knows we’re up to something. I just don’t know if she knows what yet.”

Jirou glanced over his way. “Of course. You act like a toddler with his hand in the cookie jar whenever she walks in the room.”

“I’m not good at this sort of thing!” he protested, before giving up entirely and pushing his barely touched meal away. “And nothing is going right-”

Which was an understatement. After the cake failure and the food failure, Iida had come up to him, awkwardly and entirely unasked, to convey that the teachers had told them there were to be no defacing or making a mess of the dorms as part of their end-of-semester celebrations. And while their planned decorations weren’t for the end of the semester, he assumed Mr. Aizawa would not appreciate the difference in this particular circumstance.

Not to mention, he thought people would be psyched about the idea of a party. But once he started inviting some of their classmates who could keep their mouths shut last night, the reactions were … let’s go with “uninspiring.”

Oh. OK.

I’ll try to make it.

Huh. All right.

You’d have thought he was inviting them to a study session instead of a birthday party.

It was frustrating. 

“Oh, and about the music,” Jirou said.

At last, the one thing that would be going right.

“I forgot I agreed to let some upperclassmen borrow my speakers for a tournament,” she concluded. “Sorry about that. My phone has an OK speaker though, so we can use that.”

“Ah. Right.” 

Looking down at his own phone, Sero wondered what god he’d offended.

“Uuuugh, this is a disaster.” Mina whined. She “sat” in a chair upside down, with her back on the seat, her legs up  over the back and her head toward the floor.

“It’s not a disaster,” Kirishima said bracingly. 

She raised her head and looked over at him. “No food, no decorations, music off your computer speakers and almost no one except us three definitely coming,” she said, leveling a stare at him despite the odd angle. “How is that not a disaster?”

“Maybe everyone’s planning on coming and just didn’t say so?” he asked awkwardly.

“Yeah! You know people like to keep their weekends open,” Kaminari threw in. 

“Right, right. Well, maybe you can save the day, Kaminari.”

“Me?” He sounded genuinely puzzled. “What?”

“Did you ask Satou about the cake?”

He brightened up. “Oh, yeah!” But then his face fell again. “He said he wouldn’t be able to though. Sorry.”

With a sigh, Mina let her head drop back toward the floor again. “See?” she said, gesturing vaguely in Kirishima’s direction. “Disaster.”

This time he didn’t object.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help?”

Jirou waved for him to stay in his room. “I mean, with what? There are just a couple decorations, so that’s easy enough. And if Mina corners you, you’re going to spill the beans.”

Probably not incorrect. Whatever she thought about the party, he was honestly going to just be glad to have the whole thing behind him, he thought as he puttered around his room wasting time.

What if she hated it? She wouldn’t get mad -- she generally took things in the spirit they were intended. But he didn’t want to disappoint his friend. Or make her uncomfortable. Not that a party would. But maybe he misjudged? What if the surprise bit did?

He glanced at his phone. Five minutes to 2 p.m. Time apparently flew when you worried yourself slightly ill. Just about time to go down and prepare for the “surprise” part of the surprise party.

As he reached the fourth-floor landing, he heard footsteps and turned to see who it was.

Ah crap.

Mina looked as surprised to see him as he was to see her. Hadn’t Jirou said not to worry about keeping her in her room, that she’d set something up? Why was she here?

For her part, Mina’s accustomed bright smile took a couple seconds to make itself seen. He wondered if his shock was showing too clearly on his face, because it seemed like she looked uncomfortable to see him.

“Hey!” she chirped. “Heading somewhere?”

“Uhh,” he said articulately. “Yyyyeah.” Idiot!

“Where to? She asked, starting down the first couple steps to the third floor, then looking back and waiting for him to follow.

Well, this was it. There was literally no way he could get her to go back to her room. There was no real way to warn the folks downstairs she was coming down early -- assuming anyone was there except Jirou, of course. 

Time to just get this over with. He followed her down the stairs. 

“So hey, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a couple days,” she said as they headed down. 

“Yeah?”

“Have you been avoiding me lately?”

 You act like a toddler with his hand in the cookie jar whenever she walks in the room, the memory of Jirou’s words prodded him helpfully.

“Huh? No, not really. Heh heh,” he said, trying to brush it off, but he could just feel the awkwardness in his tone and posture and this was turning into a total mess. How did these stairs get so long?

Mina looked a little doubtful, but nodded. “OK. Then are you and Jirou like…” she trailed off.

It took him a couple seconds to put together what she was even asking. Once he did, his face heated up. “Wh… no!”

“Because you know if you are, we’re cheering for you.” That mischievous grin on her face told him they might also needle him. But it didn’t matter.

“That’s seriously not it. She’s cool and all, but … that’s not it.”

Her smile faded again, just a little. “Something I did then?” she asked as they rounded the corner and stepped onto the final staircase, to the ground floor.

“No! Seriously Mina, I’m not avoiding you or anything. It’s just been kind of a weird week.” He supposed the one good thing about how she kept peppering him with questions was that it hept her focused on their conversation instead of peeking ahead and maybe seeing all of the nothing they’d put together for her party. “Sorry if I gave you that impression though.”

“All right.”

“We good?”

She sighed. “Yeah, we-”

“SURPRISE!”

Sero thought Mina jumped at the sudden chorus of shouting voices. It was hard to know for sure, because he definitely jumped at the sound. He’d been expecting it as they reached the ground floor, of course, but that had been a bit louder than he was prepared for. Turning to look at the common room, he saw ...

He saw a party. There were streamers, and a “Happy birthday” banner and food and a cake. Jirou’s sound system was set up in the corner.

And as far as he could see, everyone from their class and a few more besides were here.

He gaped. This was … unexpected. Then he looked over, to see Mina looking just as flummoxed. 

As people got the party started, Kaminari hurried over and grinned at Mina. “So, what do you think?”

“Where did all of this come from?” she asked. She sounded as confused as him, actually. 

Wait a second.

Before he could voice his suspicions, Jirou wandered up. “You should see your face,” she said.

“I thought everything fell through,” Sero said.

“Well of course,” Jirou said with a wry smile. “We were all conspiring against you both.” Kaminari looked over at her and nodded, still looking totally pleased with himself. “It’s a good thing you never compared notes.”

“Wh.. how could we?”

“And that’s what we were counting on.” she chuckled, then gave him a little wave and wandered off.

At nearly the same time, Kaminari gave Mina a little shove toward where Kirishima stood near the food. “Come on, he’s been like this close to spilling the beans for four days or something, if you don’t let him finally tell you everything, he might literally explode.”

Still a bit bemused, Sero watched them go before wanding off to join … whatever this was.

It was about an hour later when Mina found him chatting with Asui and Uraraka about some new single that had recently come out. As Asui leaned over to show Uraraka her phone so she could pull up the video, Mina plopped down on the couch next to Sero.

“So,” she said, settling in.

“So.” he agreed.

“Has the last week been as frustrating for you as it’s been for me?”

“Yuuuup.”

By design, apparently. It had taken less than a day for Kaminari to spill the secret to Jirou, who informed him of Sero’s side of the equation. From there, the planning had spread until the only people not in on it were, funnily enough, the two who started it.

“I owe Kaminari and Kirishima an apology,” Sero said, shaking his head. “I was sure if I asked them they’d give it away. Instead, everyone kept it from us.”

“I thought I was noticing a few little things,” Mina said thoughtfully. “But you were acting so suspicious that I didn’t really pay the rest of the weirdness as much attention.”

“Yeah. I was pretty sure I was going to give it away too,” he laughed.

“I didn’t suspect this at all, honestly,” she said, looking around. “And I definitely didn’t expect they’d all play both of us.”

“Well, I appreciate the sentiment,” Sero said. “Thanks for trying to plan a party for me.”

“Thanks for planning one for me too!” she replied. Then her smile turned sly as she added, “But mine would have been better.”

“Yeah yeah.”

They sat there for a few seconds, surrounded by the music from Jirou’s speakers. Then Mina hopped to her feet and held a hand out to him. 

“Let’s go. Birthday dance.”

“Come on, I’m terrible at dancing,” he said, taking her hand and letting her help him up.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a birthday dance,” she said matter of factly.

And who could argue with that?

[movedthechangingman]

(1) I am watching atla for the first time and I know why zuko redemption worked while other’s (kylo, catara) failed, Zuko always has honor and was shown to care and make good decisions and be a good person even at his lowest points, like when he cared about his crew or tried to help and save a little kid even though the family and the kid ended up rejecting him, he never did something outrageous and he had time to learn and sort out his feelings before making a turn around and join the gang

putting this under a cut!

(2) azuko always acted upon what he believed was the right thing, once he was exposed to the outer world he learned how awful the fire nation was and the chain of abuse he was living in, he by himself made the decision and has 2 season in order to redeem himself while characters like Cassandra (tangled) and Catra had seasons of upping the stakes and acting more and more awful each time and only one season where the narrative are like “they were under someone else control and they were abused” (3) “so they nice blonde best friend who acts more like their sister and who they were abusing and victim blaming has to forgive them for everything bad they did because they were uwu abused too” and it seems many people like that which fine, if this was characterized as a delicate situation, where it could turns bad, which could turn to be even toxic, I wouldn’t have a problem with, but it is framed as beautiful and as good and as “true love!” (4) without the main aggressors Catra and Cassandra putting as much in their relationship as their blonde counterpart Adora and Raps who are forced to act as a matyr till they get fed up with their friends abuse and toxicity and put their foot down yet they always end up forgiving their abuser’s transgressions by the end somehow, it seems like the classic tale of “if he pulls your hair or means he likes you” which it’s most similar to (5) To the honeymoon or the reconciliation stage of an abusive relationship cycle’s, nothing assures you that the abuse won’t continue on but they sell it out as this wonderful and beautiful love story which it’s plain wrong, and I feel that it doesn’t receives as muy flack because it’s F/F but in reality in a relationship one has to be consistently good and reliable and as a bisexual women I feel like they are doing a disservice and it’s worse because it’s directed towards kids (5) and lastly both Wlw parings were being either outright mentioned or hinted at by the show or crew as this characters having a “sister bound” with Cassandra and Rapunzel Being outright being described as sisters in the show and Catara and Adora being described as that by the crew and with them growing having the same motherly figure and having a clear case of golden and scapegoat child, which coupled with the abuse they suffered at hands of their paternal figure and at each other hands makes the situation very gross

i have never seen ATLA outside of the first 3 eps but that is the general consensus ive heard. i have also never seen rapunzel TAS but i watched/read a bunch of spoiler stuff for it but i think my understanding is still loose. i also heard that he wasnt a villain very long idk how true that is though. but youre right from what im reading! i think it is important for your character to have an appropriate amount of time to make up for their actions... its also important with these redemption stories for the character to address the things they did, like not a “sorry for the things or whatever” but “i am sorry i did x , x, and x” etc IMO and there needs to be work put into making things right. and the victim should not necessarily be the one pushing them through that...

like i can say for certain if c*tra was a dude there would be a HUGE discourse about the fact that yeah, she really is that “mean because they have a crush on you” BS and whats most horrifying is that it seems like noelle saw NO problem with how she portrayed that relationship and all the guilt and suffering adra went through bc of ctra was really supposed to be romantic. fcking insane. like if it was just a fandom ship w.e.... ppl always gonna ship characters if they hate eachohter... but the actual creators saying its romantic is SO WTF abuse isnt negated by it being el gee bee tee rep and whats awful is i think people REALLY believe it is. not to mention uh your WLW love interest being an physically + emotionally volatile fascist who canonically does not care that she goes out to her way to aid violent takeover of innocents for a dictatorship is already like. huh.

(i mentioned also like even seagawk and mermista - her constant “uuuugh youre so annoying” about him is supposed to be cute apparently.... like noelle posted a pic of her in a shirt that says “im with stupid” pointing at seahawk and... like... that would be funny if they had healthy communication and she didnt seriously treat him like he was an idiot 24/7... but if this was reversed it would be a huge problem and everyone would flip out.)

i never thought catra and adora were written very sisterly since its undeniable that there was a clear attraction between them in the early part of the show but holy fck if the crew did say that.... ugh... although i agree it is really skeevy that their plot revolves around an abusive mother which i feel inforces the “adoptive siblings arent real siblings” pseudo incest trope as much as i think the interactions between catra and adora were not sisterly in how they were written. if that makes sense

i hate to bring up SU but i think it covers this topic really well w spinel - whos so toxic she literally poisoned people - while steven does set her on her path, he does not make himself responsible for her redemption. we get a snippet of that later ofc - where we see that she is trying to become better while also helping the other abusive characters through their change (which we also see is still ongoing - those behaviors havent been fully unlearned - nothing can be fixed that quickly). and most notably the victim (steven) while tolerating them through their attempts at change and encouraging them, does not forgive them and makes an open effort to distance himself even while his abusers still want him to help them 24/7.

whats bothering me the most is not that ppl enjoy these ships bc no matter what people will and you cant stop them but rather that ppl refuse to admit that something they like is abusive - either bc they want to save face as a unproblematic fandom blogger or bc they are 100% unwilling to take critique on something they like, to the point where now ppl wont accept any criticism on she ra at all as a show even if it has nothing to do w the awful excuse for romance.

[smhalltheurlsaretaken]

Birthday prompt #2

(uuuugh between Ao3 and Tumblr these are taking so long to post)

Read on AO3 Birthday prompts masterlist

@strictlynofrills

[Hmm. Kirk accidentally getting them into trouble (could be serious or completely ridiculous) and then getting them back out of it, maybe? With lots of grumbling and snark from McCoy.]

“Come with me, Bones. It’ll be great, Bones. It’s not like we could get in trouble for this, Bones.”

“Shut up, Bones.”

“Shut up, Bones. You never want to do anything fun, Bones. You’re old and boring and I wish we’d never met, Bones.”

“I never said that!”

“Yeah? Well I’m saying it, Jim! I’m saying it because I like being old and boring and never doing anything anything fun! I’m saying it because we’re locked inside an Admiral’s office and we’re dead meat the second someone finds us there!”

“It’s not my fault!”

“How is it not your fault?!”

“You can’t blame me for being too good at hiding, that’s the whole point of hide and seek. And keep it down, somebody’s going to hear you.”

“Jim, I swear—”

“Shhhh! … Ow, ow, ow. Bones, stop it!”

“Oh no, absolutely no way. I’m going to kick the ever loving heck out of you. That way, when I get booted out of Starfleet, it’ll be for something I’m actually responsible for! … Jim. Jim, you get down from that closet this instant.”

“No way.”

“Way. There’s a window, damn it! Somebody’s to fly by and see you.”

"What, cowering under the desk with you is so much better? That way, if somebody walks in, they won’t get ideas.”

“Jim, I swear to God, you get down before that thing breaks under you or I’m pushing it over and throwing you out of that window.”

“Bones, for the last time, it’s not my fault the codes for the Admirals’ offices change every hour. You should be impressed I even got us in.”

“I would be impressed if you got us out! I can’t believe I didn’t realize it was Admiral Beckett’s door you were hacking.”

“But we won hide and seek!”

“Jim. There is one single thought sustaining me right now, and it’s slowly suffocating you in your sleep with my pillow or slipping a fun drug in your next meal. I swear to everything that’s holy, if you don’t get done I’m shooting you.”

“Is that a hypospray? Why do you have hyposprays on you? What’s in the hypospray?”

“I’m a doctor, Jim. We’re always armed.”

“Bones, I’m your friend. Your Jim. Your best buddy. Don’t use the hypospray.”

“I’ll drug your ass into the fourth dimension if you don’t get down to the floor now and start devising an amazing plan to get us out of here.”

“That’s not even a thing! You’re making up expressions!”

“Jim.”

“I’m down, I’m down.”

…

“Bones?”

“Yeah?”

“You ever regret meeting me?”

“Oh God, yes.”

“But like, on a scale of zero to your ex-wife, where do you put regretting meeting me? Zero is like… Your kid, or something.”

“You’d be a solid 7.”

“How much is your ex-wife?”

“6.”

“What? That’s not how scales work!”

“Do I look like I care, Jim?”

…

“What’s that?”

“What’s what?”

“I heard a noise.”

“There’s no noise.”

“Damn it, Jim, there was a noise.”

“Maybe you heard wrong.”

“I didn’t hear wrong, there was a noise.”

“How d’you know that you didn’t hear wrong?”

“I’m a doctor, Jim. I didn’t hear wrong.”

“Because doctors have perfect hearing, like Vulcans and cats.”

“Shut up, Jim.”

…

“Bones?”

“Shut up, Jim.”

“No, Bones, I’m hearing the noise.”

“… Shit.”

“Shit. … Hide under the desk, hide under the desk, I take the potted plant.”

“You have a red uniform, you idiot. What do you think a green potted plant is going to do for you?”

“Do you want the potted plant?”

“No way, I’m keeping the desk.”

…

“So.”

“So.”

“There wasn’t any noise.”

“No, I guess there wasn’t.”

“Well.”

“That was just great.”

“You’ve got dirt all over, Jim.”

…

“Bones?”

“Jim?”

“You’re not calling me kid today.”

“You want me to?”

“I dunno. It just feels weird. Like I’m being scolded by my stepdad instead of my best friend. You always call me kid.”

“Fine, guilt trip me into being nice to you. Kid. … Oh, and wipe that stupid grin off your face, you don’t deserve me.”

…

“Bones? Bones? Bones?”

“What?”

“Is it true than an apple a day keeps you at bay?”

“...”

“Because Beckett has three apples on his desk, and you're here.”

“...”

“Seriously, Bones. What happens if I start eating the apples? Are you going to vanish? Does it make you nicer? Do they have to be non-replicated? Do green apple works? Boooones. What do the apples do?”

…

“Bones?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you gonna hit me again if I tell you something you don’t like?”

“I might. What is it?”

“… Err… I might have a way to get us out of here.”

“… Let me guess. It’s something you could have done hours ago.”

“Maybe? I just realized that I have my communicator.”

“JIM! I SWEAR—”

…

“Brilliant plan, if I do say so.”

“Well I couldn’t exactly ask Uhura to hack Admiral Beckett’s door again, it’s just not done!”

“Yeah, because hacking the same door to play hide and seek is so much more acceptable. But really, Jim? Really? Bribery?”

“Hey, whatever works.”

“And how do you know Beckett’s secretary won’t rat us out once we’ve payed him?”

“He’s Gaila’s older brother. … Hey, get out from under there, I think it’s him.”

“You sure? I— Oh...”

“...”

“...”

“… Cadets.”

“… Captain Pike.”

“… Sir.”

“Do I want to ask?”

“Uh, hide and seek?”

…

“Come on Bones, it’ll be fine Bones, no way in heck we’ll end up on janitorial duty for the next three weeks, Bones. It’s not like we have four exams coming up that we won’t be able to study for because of this, BONES.”

“Gee, Bones, I get it.”

“How?! How do you always manage to make me go along with your stupid plans and your insane games and your moronic ideas? One day, you’re going to ask me to break into the Commander in Chief’s personal apartments so that you and Gaila can hook up on his desk, and I’ll say yes, because that’s how much of an idiot I am. Damn it, Jim! I’m a doctor, not the sidekick in the sitcom that is your student life.”

“We played hide and seek with the first years and Pike grounded us. There’s really no need to make it into a big deal.”

“...”

“… Bones. Bones, is that the same hypo? What’s in the hypo, Bones? What’s in the hypo?”

…

“Hey, McCoy, where’s Kirk?

“Sickbay.”

“What? Why?”

“Didn’t eat enough apples.”

[wheremytwinwatches]

[Where My Twin Watches]: Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood Episode 16

Work continues to drive me crazy, so of course I make my life more complicated by getting online classes set up for the fall. That, and I kinda don’t want to see our babies learn about Hughes. Blissful ignorance, am I right? *sigh* Onwards with Brotherhood.

Do we have captions this time? We do! Awesome, it was so irritating last time not knowing if I was mangling names or not. We’ve got the second intro featuring the Xing contingent, curious how influential it’ll be having a foreign prince bopping along with the Elrics. (Also, I continue to be juvenile and giggle at one of the lyrics in the new song being “shite”. Hee.) We open up with a bird's-eye view of Central, then with Ed yawning at the train station. Al mentions that being spied on for hours is pretty tiring. Right, Ling’s ninja squad don’t trust the Elrics. But where’s the Prince? The Ninjas proceed to freak the heck out, Fu runs around the traintops calling out for the young lord as Lan Fan worries about him collapsing. Is Ling fainting a common thing, then? Ed just shrugs his shoulders at the absence of the freeloader and heads off with Al and Winry. Huh, music’s getting ominous. Oh, there he is, doing a Brooding Anime Rooftop Stare on the station’s clock tower, looking towards the center of the city. [Ling]: “Something about this country doesn’t feel right.” Well, the current speculation (backed by the freaking Fuhrer being a Goth!) is that they’re sacrificing people to make Philosopher’s Stones, so… don’t know much about Xing so can’t say if they’re any better, but it’d be pretty hard for them to be worse. Episode 16 - “Footsteps of a Comrade-in-Arms” In a run-down area of the city, a car stops and the blond-haired smoking guy (Havoc?) of Roy’s crew is checking in with the grey-haired member (I’ll get their names some day, I swear), dropping off food from the colonel. Oh, guess Grey’s been guarding Barry, who cheerfully recognizes “the smokin’ guy”. Not tied up and playing chess? Are they keeping him prisoner to try and get more info or more protecting their only source? Well, I suppose for a serial killer like Barry being kept inside at night and denied any chances to chop someone up would be uncomfortable. Still, Grey’s bored with the assignment, asks how much longer it’ll be. Havoc just says that Roy apologizes for the dangerous assignment, that Grey’s absence it being treated as sick leave… and if he’s seen in public by anyone he’ll get court-martialed. Yikes, ok then. No breaks for poor Grey. Any good news? [Havoc]: “Falman, I found myself a girlfriend!” ...well that’s nice and all for you, buddy, but I think Falman (thank you!) was looking for good news for him. Poor, poor Falman. Hey, it’s Ling! Taking another impromptu nap? A couple of cops are asking if he’s ok, he whispers about food… ah, trying for another free meal? Unfortunately for Ling, the cops less interested in feeding him and more interested in seeing his entry visa. Cue irritated cops dragging a crying Prince away. [Cop 1]: “Outta the way, everyone!” [Cop 2]: “Illegal alien coming through!” The Ninjas continue to freak over the absent master, while Ed says that they should stop by the military offices. Winry… decides to go straight to the Hughes’ house. Oh boy. [Winry]: “I can’t wait to see Miss Gracia and cute little Elicia!” Uuuuuugh. Make it stooooop. The Brothers are off to meet up with Hughes himself, while they think Hughes might have been stymied by Bradley’s orders to stand down they have info on the Homunculi now (and still don’t know the Fuhrer himself is one, gah!). Off to the court-martial office! Quiet somber music as the brothers run through the park. And right by the phone booth that Hughes was murdered in. Bleh this episode is not going easy. In the office, Sheska’s carrying around some books when another lady officer asks for a key to Room #3. Which freaks Sheska out, and she babbles about cleaning up the mess first? What, have you made that your private reading lair or something? Nope, not your lair it seems, but Colonel Mustang’s private napping chamber. Yikes, hope you had an alarm set, and it only wasn’t Sheska waking you that kept you from being late to a freaking Council Meeting. Wait, Council? I don’t think I’ve heard of that group before, I’m just assuming by the tendency for Anime Councils to be Big Deals that it’s the same in the FMA universe. The highest-ranking officers of the military? Sheska worries that Roy’s not getting enough sleep, he just waves her off and goes to the meeting. Staying up late doing research on the conspiracy, I gue- GAH new voice! Sheska freaks and identifies them as Captain Focker, who asks about the open storeroom and what Roy was doing. Uh oh, a watcher sent by Bradley? Double uh oh, in her concern for Roy’s state Sheska is telling Focker about how he seems to be researching the Fifth Laboratory. And the Hughes case. Bleeeeeh, more Hughes feels as Sheska gets sad about her getting her job through Hughes. Captain Focker walks away deep in thought, glasses obscuring his eyes. Uh oh. But then the looks up in surpr- That’s Captain Focker! Oh my Leto, that’s the real Captain Focker! Real Focker’s too busy looking at some piece of paper to notice a shapechange and red electricity as Envy takes on a new disguise. Shapeshifters: A security nightmare.

But it looks like Envy might have made a mistake, as Real!Focker’s now saying good morning to Sheska, who is rightly confused. A simple “Laugh at this clueless character” moment, or a break for the good guys? Roy’s washing up in a bathroom for this Council Meeting, takes a moment to stare mournfully into the mirror- until with a flush of a toilet his angsting is interrupted by The Mighty Armstrong, glinting manfully in his bandages while towering over the stall door. Hah! Armstrong remarks that Roy looks a bit peakish, who asks why Armstrong is bandaged. Oh right, Armstrong was involved in killing all of Greed’s human-chimera crew down South. He mentions that he ran into the Elrics down there, on their visit to their old teacher. But he couldn’t bring himself to tell them about Hughes. Armstrong makes his way out- [Roy]: “The Fifth Laboratory and the Philosopher’s Stone; the Stone’s key ingredients are live humans.” Armstrong comes to a halt. Roy continues about how Hughes died following up on the Elric brothers’ investigation, and how if/when they find out they’ll blame themselves. He says Armstrong not telling them was kind, and Armstrong compliments him on figuring out so much. But warns him that he never knows who might be listening. Riza’s waiting out in the hallway when Ed walks up and says hi, although he’s not as happy when Roy joins them. Oh yeah, Elric didn’t know about Roy’s promotion. Now if he’s hanging out in Central it’ll be the same place as good old Colonel Mustang. The sarcasm in Ed’s “Great” is astounding. As for the Elrics, they’re just doing some information gathering. And might pay Hughes a visit later in the day. Where is he, anyway? Roy… says that Hughes retired. Went out to the country with his family to run the family business. Really, dude? I get that it’s a sore subject, but the “he went out to the farm” excuse only works for so long. They deserve to know what happened. Well, with the false story the boys think that they should tell Winry, they spin around only to run into Lieutenant Ross. She asks about the rush, Ed mentions that they heard about Hughes… and Ross isn’t in on the “tell them the farm story” excuse. Oh boy. Uuuugh, the two conversations sliding right past each other here is painful! And here’s the kicker: [Al]: “He retired to the country and they promoted him?” Ross realises she did a no-no, covers her mouth to keep from saying anything else. And Ed realizes the truth. Mid-episode cards: Captain Focker with an Envy silhouette behind him, and a downcast Gracia Hughes on the second. Notable for both Narrator “Full-Metal Alchemists” being the sad, somber one. Out in the city, Winry’s shopping for apples, presumably to give to the Hughes’ family. And Ed races out of the building after hearing the new. [Lt. Ross]: “Brigadier General Hughes is dead… He was murdered shortly after you were discharged from the hospital, Edward. I’m afraid we still haven’t found the person responsible.” As he runs and cries, Ed blames himself for pulling Hughes into the investigation. Flashes of Happy Hughes and his family, a memory of Hughes seeing them off at the train station and inviting them to drop by again, hosting dinner, first meeting them and inviting them to his home… Al catches up with the suitcase and then stands there silently as Ed slumps against the wall. And now we’re with Winry, who’s arriving at the apartment. The door swings open- [Elicia]: “Daddy?!” Oh no, that’s fine. I didn’t need that heart anyway, go ahead and use it as a footrest show. The Elrics have arrived at the apartment building, when Al asks what they should do Ed tells him to go back, that he’s “the only one who has to take the blame for what happened.” Oh my Leto kid you have enough self-imposed guilt from Mama Elric and Nina, stop taking the weight of the world on your shoulders! Al argues that it’s on both of them, and double all my protests that Ed does not deserve this for his little brother as well. Ed tries to dissuade Al again- [Al]: “We made up our minds; We said we were getting our bodies back, no matter what. But if people are going to die because of that… then I don’t want mine back.”

Freaking A, Al. I cannot overstate how much damn respect I feel for you right now. You are a poor boy, trapped in a cold metal body from a horrible accident. Getting your body back has been your driving purpose, along with healing your brother. But when you discovered that the cost of making a Philosopher’s Stone was human sacrifice, you discarded the method. And when you discover that a friend has died in the process of helping your investigation, you are fully prepared to renounce your goal in order to protect others. I salute your selflessness. Gracia opens the door, and gives the Elrics the same sad smile that she gave Winry, telling the brothers that Winry’s already arrived. The mechanic’s sitting quietly in a chair with Elicia curled in her lap, she looks up with Ed quietly enters. Ed then asks to talk to Gracia and Winry about Maes. The quiet sad theme starts playing as Gracia recaps the Elrics’ message; that Hughes looked into the Philosopher’s Stone, and was killed as a warning against the brothers. Gracia looks down at sleeping Elicia, as Ed bows his head in grief and gasps out “sorry” again and again. [Gracia]: “That would be just like him, dying while trying to help someone else.” The Trio look up in surprise. [Gracia]: “My husband. He always was a busybody and a meddler, and it got him into trouble. A lot. But you know… I don’t think he ever had regrets. Not any… not even in his dying moments, Edward.” So many people to respect in this episode, seriously. Al being prepared to give up on getting his body back, and Gracia insisting that they can’t give up, or else Hughes died in vain. With a little smile, even. Forget about the dead end of the Stone, there still might be another way. [Gracia]: “You boys have to keep moving forward… any way you can.” The door closes as the Trio exit the apartment, Ed turns to look at the others- [Elicia]: “Mommy?... Mommy, please don’t cry.” ...damn you, show. Later in the day now, the sun is setting as the Trio walk through the streets to a sweeping cello melody. The Elrics see Winry to a hotel room, and then go to their own. Right, because they… used to stay at the Hughes’ residence. Winry’s quietly resting on her bed, Al’s sitting in the living room, and Ed’s downstairs in the restaurant too upset to eat. Now he’s knocking on Winry’s door, asking if she’s eaten yet, and she should hurry because the dining room is closing soon. The parallels are strong here: when they were children the Rockbell’s fed the Elrics, and now Ed’s trying to make sure Winry keeps up her strength now. When Winry doesn’t make a move Ed excuses himself to his room, but Winry grabs his automail hand. Aw, aw no. She still has the basket of apples she was planning to take to the Hughes’ family. Seems she was planning to make apple pie. And had hoped that Mr. Hughes would get to try some too. Winry cries as the screen fades to black. WOW OK talk about rough transitions, we’ve got Chimeras in cages. And eff you it’s the Goths, Lust leaning on Gluttony as she talks with still-disguised Envy. Now they know that Roy’s been looking into the matter, and may have found some things out. Lust gripes that they orchestrated Roy’s move to Central to keep a closer eye on him, and it’d be a waste to lose an important sacrifice candidate. Wait… [Envy]: “Haven’t been able to learn anything from your new boyfriend?” Aw hell no, I’d thought that Havoc gushing about having a girlfriend was just a little joke at the beginning of the episode, like a running gag about his relationships or something. You’re telling me Lust is playing Havoc? Run dude, run! Lust goes off to gather more info, calls for Gluttony like a loyal little attack dog. Envy chides Gluttony for leaving some bones scattered around… but then gets an idea. Uh oh, we’ve got string music as Envy suggests making another “play”, giving Roy a bone to chew. What are you up to? We’re at what appears to be a cafeteria now, when someone comes up and taps Lieutenant Ross on the shoulder, introducing himself as Henry Douglas from the Provost Marshal’s office. Flanked by goons, he says that Ross has to come along with them, and demands her gun? Wait, is Ross being arrested? Brosh, where the heck are you, come defend your partner! Whoa whoa what?! They’re accusing Ross for Hughes’ murder?! What the heck, how can you make that claim? What evidence do you have for that absurd claim? Besides… well, besides the shapeshifter accosting Hughes in the phone booth while looking like you… uh oh. Riza is updating Roy on the situation, saying that Ross (man, there are a lot of R-characters involved in this case, huh?) is pleading not-guilty on all charges. The Flame Alchemist just tells Riza to gather all the info on the suspect that she can, secretly. Dramatic string music continues as we see Havoc buying some flowers and then running along to his “hot date”, stubbing out his cigarette as yup, “Solaris” is Lust. Who demurely asks Havoc to sit down and tell her about his day. AAAAAAARGH! Ok then! Was putting off this episode because I knew there would be Feels about Hughes, and damn if it didn’t deliver. But like Gracia said, they can’t let Hughes’ death be in vain, and they can hardly just give up and let the killer go free. Speaking of, framing Ross? As if I didn’t have enough reasons to hate you jerks, Goths! Ugh, this is gonna get complicated, isn’t it?

[dorky-arsene]

Day 6 - Demon

@shuakeweek​

Much like my Day 3 entry, this one’s going to be a fic as well, using the “Demon” half of the prompt. This one’s also gonna have an art attached to it, since I kinda went all out. -shrugs-

Like the last fic, this one’s probably best suited for a teen-rating. It also has slightly more cursing and like the last fic has some mild spoils for Persona 5.

(as for the art, do NOT repost it)

Goro frowned at his notes as he set up the cheap candles he’d picked up half an hour ago, trying his damnedest to make sure none of the candles ended up dumping wax on his cheap carpet. After all, it’d be a bitch to clean off the wax, and the company I’m renting this apartment from will probably want to take my damn soul if I so much as spilled a single drop of wax..

The stressed high-schooler sighed, brushed hair out of his face for the 20th time, and looked over his notes again. So.. here it says I need a sprig of mistletoe.. How inconvenient, I’ve got none, he thought to himself, mentally slapping himself. Goddamn it. Why did I forget to get that.. ugh... It’s literally key to his mythological lore, and yet my tired ass forgot it!

Guess I’ll have to use something else as a replacement, Goro thought to himself, having to brush yet more of his too-long hair out of his face again as he shook his head in self-disapproval. The best thing Goro could think of on a whim was, oddly, coffee beans, which were sitting innocently in his kitchen on the counter.

“...Can’t believe I’m using fucking coffee to commune with a supposed trickster god,” Goro groaned aloud, narrowing his eyes at the cheap bag of coffee beans before shaking his head again and getting off his knees to go get it. “This had better work properly or I swear I’m going to chew Mifune-san out for even suggesting this.. Uuuugh... I spent real money for this..”

He swiped the coffee beans off the counter, then a culinary torch he normally only used for attempting crepes, turning off the lights in his tiny kitchen after that. It left only the light coming out of the glass doors leading to the tiny, crappy balcony of his apartment, which wasn’t a lot of light to go off of considering it was April and sundown had already passed. Somehow, though, by a miracle Goro could see just well enough to tell where the candles were.

He had a mat to deposit the chalk dust and coffee beans safely without fucking up the carpet, and now all he had to do was light the 6 crappy candles and deposit everything. The candles went first, bathing the little cleared-out living room area in orange-golden light as more and more of them got lit up. Then he deposited the chalk dust, in a little plastic bag with a corner cut off, forming a circle with vaguely wing-like marks.

In it, he wrote down the characters he thought was supposed to spell out Loki’s name, also in the chalk dust. It seemed a little longer than it was supposed to, but.. Goro was admittedly too tired to try and look up the damn proper words at the moment. He wanted it over with.

The last part was, of course, putting down the coffee beans and injuring himself just enough to deposit blood. That, and according to his notes, he had to make some stupid vow-thing..

“Here we fucking go,” Goro said to himself, scooping up some of the smelly beans and dropping them in the middle, carefully so he didn’t undo the circle and mess up the spell. After brushing more light brown hair out of his face, Goro grabbed a sewing needle off the ground he’d placed earlier, jamming it into his palm with an angry hiss and holding it above the coffee bean offering. He didn’t want to watch this part, so he squeezed his eyes shut, reciting the lines he’d practiced at least what had to be a hundred times over the past week and a half.

God, did Goro’s stomach feel pretty stormy right now..

“I.. I am thou, thou a-art I..” Goro stuttered, feeling his blood dripping off his hand uncomfortably. “F-from the sea of my soul.. I summon you.. I.. I bear the strength of my soul..”

...Crap, what was the rest..?! Damn it, Goro, you’re flubbing it..! he thought briefly, before the rest clicked into place. The needle in his palm got loose, and he hesitantly let go of it, practically hearing it drop against the likely soaked coffee beans.

“U-uh..” he tried again, eventually getting the courage again to speak. “I bear the strength of my soul.. to ascertain all on my own. N-now come to me, Loki!”

Still with his eyes closed, Goro felt the atmosphere of the room change somehow, and what little light he saw seemed to change to a blue-ish color. Goro sensed a foreign warmth a bit where he’d set up his mat, and so he backed away, feeling himself shake as he fumbled for the black towel he’d gotten specifically for the communication attempt. Besides that, he’d used his main hand, his left hand, to do this, so it stung like a bitch the whole time as he awaited whatever result.

...Still, curiosity and a hint of fear struck the tired highschooler’s heart, so he opened one eye to take a peek. The coffee beans and blood had entirely disappeared, and the circle’s color was no longer boring cheap stone white, rather becoming a strangely attractive shade of red and glowing. The candles’ flames actually turned a stark blue, burning in both light and dark shades of it, and most noise had disappeared from the environment, save for Goro’s frightened breathing and the flare of the candles.

...Then, a rush of wind knocked Goro to his bottom, and just like that, a quasi-humanoid being appeared above him. Black feathers fluttered around Goro and on him and his floor, their source being half-feathered wings attached to the humanoid. He found himself gazing into the face of the being, with his eyes seeming to have golden-colored outsides and red irises, and the demon had a sharp, cunning smirk to go with the already distracting eyes.

Besides that, the demon appeared to have black, red-tipped hair that half-hid nubby horns, a dual set of two, one set gold and the other silver, and as for clothes, he seemed to have an armored vest of sorts with a bright red ribbon hung loosely over. He also wore semi-armored gloves, and thin pants with leg armor, with no shoes to speak of. It was a contrast, certainly, to Goro’s simple thrift store nightgown and pants, both of which were more of a mild stormy but light grey and nothing else, save for whatever chalk, wax and blood he’d gotten on himself in the past 10 minutes.

The dark-haired demon chuckled softly, his voice apparently no older than someone Goro’s age.. which felt really weird. Perhaps weirdly attractive, if Goro were being honest to his closeted heart.

“Oh my.. I seem to be a little off-course,” the teenaged demon spoke, floating in midair as if he’d done so his whole life. “It’s not a whole loss, I suppose.. What a cute summoner~.”

Goro felt his cheeks flush at the compliment (or flirt), and he tried to glare at the demon. “Uh, off-course? I’m pretty sure this was intentional on my end. Does the name “Loki” sound a bell?”

Quizzically, the demon’s thick eyebrows furrowed and he tilted his head, his smirk fading into a thin line.

“Loki..? What’re you on about? I’m called Satanael, and I’m as far from a Norse god as can be. A trickster, when I feel like it, but I’m more of a rebel than anything,” the demon introduced, stretching out his arms and smiling. “I can see you wrote my name instead of the intended one.. That’s probably contributing to me being off-course and all.”

Goro looked where Satanael had pointed out, and upon re-reading the kanji the summoning circle currently produced.. It struck Goro that it was, indeed, the wrong goddamn name.

“Fuck my life,” the brunette responded, facepalming. “Now I’m stuck with you, I guess.. First I forget the damned mistletoe and now it turns out I wrote the most incorrect thing of INCORRECT THINGS--”

Satanael seemed to be sweating nervously upon hearing Goro berate himself, and he gently placed a hand on the tired teen’s shoulder.

“Hey, hey, don’t get all worked up. I can already feel your soul wearing itself out faster. Panic only nets you passing out, human. I mean, I’m sure you’d be as cute as a sleeping cat when passed out, but--”

“Off!” Goro yelped, swatting at the demon with his towel. “Get off me, will you?! Can’t I panic in peace around here..?”

“..The circle’s still in effect, so not for a while,” Satanael pointed out, in the most awkward way in the world by using two of his six massive wings that kept poking the curtains of Goro’s sliding glass door. “You wanted assistance, right? You got the rest of the incantation down properly, so you must want help in something, right..?”

“...” Goro sat up properly for once, and he wrapped his hand around his towel, trying to ignore the pound of feathers Satanael shed all over his stupid living room like some cat with too much fur. He needed a second, and it seemed the demon got the memo, magically scooping up his shed feathers and dumping them as the brown-haired novice of a summoner tried to cobble his internal brain back together from the panic disaster mess it was.

Ugh.. Dammit, this is what I get for trying to summon demons by myself, Goro complained internally, nursing his aching hand and watching Satanael trying to clean up his feathers successfully. He’d gotten most of them by the time the stressed teen got back to breathing as if he wasn’t biking at 60 miles an hour, and another self-deprecating thought passed his mind before he’d next opened his mouth. Maybe I should have asked Kitagawa-san to help me out.. He studies stuff like this on his off time for his artwork, so I probably could have gotten the right fucking god instead of a random-ass demon..

“..Hey, Satanael-san? Where were you supposed to be going, anyway?”

With a bundle of feathers in his arms, Satanael turned his head. “Oh, you mean being off-course. Uh, kick the circle, will you? I don’t mind being in the human realm for a bit while we reorganize, yeah? And thanks for the coffee beans. I appreciate the gift, human.”

Goro kicked the circle with his bare foot despite his lingering confusion, and the candles promptly turned back to their usual color, the chalk having gone back to normal. Well, now the coffee beans, blood and needle were gone, but everything else was still right where it was, save for the streak of chalk from Goro’s bare foot.

“Anyways,” the demon continued, “I was off to confront some asshole human who just so happens to be a reincarnation of one of the main “Sin” groups your sort likes to put my kind into. Ah, he doesn’t go by Samael anymore, but that’s the name I knew him by before he decided to up and betray me.”

“..Betray?” Goro questioned. “So why come all the way up here for one measly human anyway?”

“Hrm. Correct yourself to say “falsely powerful” human, friend. That nasty son of a bitch decided to try and give himself a foothold in Japanese politics with so many violations of the point of my movement that I want to punch him back home,” Satanael hissed, the cores of his eyes flashing gold as he dumped the feathers onto Goro’s kitchen counter. “..Actually, now that I think about it, I don’t think you summoning me was a mere accident. You feel a bit like he does.. Only a little.”

“...Huh??” It didn’t quite click to Goro, what Satanael meant, despite something telling Goro a certain bald-headed bastard might’ve been involved.

Satanael gestured to the circle, which still had his name’s characters in it. “I’m not so sure it was coincidence you wrote the name of a particularly rebellious demon, now, is it? I am the very representation of rebelling against authority, at least for some.

I’ve got a few names under my belt, because of it. Some call me “Satan”, since I’ve already rebelled once and gotten kicked out. Others like to call me “Lucifer” or “Helel”, too. But Satanael’s the preferred one. Get my drift?”

“..Wait, go back,” Goro said, standing up off the ground, while still holding onto his towel in his left hand. “A.. A rebel demon? ..W-well, I.. I wanted to rebel against my biological father.. He keeps trying to make me do his dirty work and I have a hell of a time trying to get him off my damn back.”

The teen huffed, and Satanael folded his wings, blowing out Goro’s candles and essentially helping pick up the mess all over the living room floor as the mortal of the pair turned on the kitchen lights again.

Goro opened his fridge to check for food, but was only met with a supply of apples and water bottles, and old leftovers he didn’t feel like trusting to the half-broken microwave he had to get off some sketchy online shop.

“..Uh, just out of curiosity, Satanael, do you eat?”

Kneeling in the middle of the floor with the mat, the demon lord just shrugged. “If coffee comes with it, I have no problem with what you have. I’d prefer you eat something, though. It’d be unbecoming of you to faint in the midst of teenage rebellion-ing your father.”

“Touche,” Goro responded blandly, pulling out the leftovers and a few apples. He also took out a water bottle and his coffee machine, the one other machine besides his alarm clock and his P.A.D. that worked without being too shitty, and he filled up the coffee machine’s water tank. “Oh, also.. I feel like I was rude earlier to you, so I apologize for that. My name is Goro Akechi, by the way. I’d forgotten, almost, to tell you that.”

“..Goro.. I like it,” Satanael chuckled, closing his eyes and smiling cheerfully as he placed Goro’s sewing needle back on the kitchen counter, bloodless. “I.. I suppose a more personable name I normally use while hiding among your kind is Akira. Akira Kurusu.”

“If I may.. have you been in Japan for a long time, before?” Goro asked, quietly, while he looked in the demon lord’s direction. The newly-dubbed Akira simply nodded, but in a wistful way, as his smile shrunk slightly to match.

“I’ve been here once before. Not, well, in your current capital.. but in the country. A little place called Inaba. I once happened to meet Izanami there, right when this other nasty human decided to invoke her power and try to cover the damn place in poisonous Yomi fog, all while I’d been in my human disguise. Let’s just say some humans close to your age a few years back had to put her in her place by summoning her very, very angry former husband.. I didn’t get involved much beyond observation for obvious reasons, really.”

“...” The much too tired teenager didn’t grace the little story with a response, finding it too tiring to follow beyond a basic repeat of legends he’d known since middle school. Well, besides the “Yomi fog” and the familiarity of what Akira may have been talking about.

...Oh, right.. Maybe Akira-san’s speaking about the Inaba fog murders. God, that was a disaster for their police force.. I ended up studying that for my current crappy job..

Reluctantly, Goro tossed the leftover food from the previous night onto a pair of plates, just a split-up beef bowl with noodles, and one plate went into the sketchy microwave, leaving the prep of the coffee. Another quick check of the kitchen yielded sugar and little creamer cups he’d snuck out of the office at work, and Goro turned around again to the demon lord, who had surprisingly ditched the demon form in favor of a mild, unassuming human look, complete with removed shoes already put near the apartment entrance and glasses.

“..A-ah.. Is that what it looks like?” the highschooler asked, instead of what he’d intended to ask. “It’s.. it’s a bit different, to say the least..”

Not to mention, Goro thought privately to himself, the unassuming-ness of this look feels.. cute, almost? The glasses are so nerdy, though.. The hair, though.. it helps balance that nerdiness out.. And he’s pretty tall, even as a normal human..

Akira just smiled slightly at Goro from his spot on the couch, twirling a bit of his now horn-free hair. “Well.. Sometimes, my kind has to regenerate a little at times. Sort of like those “Time Masters” from “Doctor Whom”, or whatever that human show is.

Except I just have roughly the same face, hair and voice every time. I’m halfway through at the moment, so in human terms, I am currently, in both mind and body, 16 years old... again. Does it make you feel more comfortable for me to look like this? You don’t seem too unhappy about it-”

Goro felt his cheeks heat up, and he just tried to not think about how alluring Akira’s new grey eyes looked, instead interrupting Akira in his tracks and turning his tomato-red face away again. “J-just tell me your coffee preference, please.”

“Just a touch of sugar and no creamer,” Akira reported, and the other teen could practically feel the disguised demon lord’s wink being sent in his direction as he grounded up the coffee beans in a bowl with the butt of a nearby hammer.

Dammit.. This’ll be a long however-long-he’ll-be-here, won’t it.. he thought with a frown, silently regretting ever going through with his little demon-summoning plan to ruin Shido’s day. Jeez, and on top of me getting the wrong otherworldly being, I end up with one that’s attractive!! I wish so badly to scream, Goro further thought, feeling his cheeks go on fire as he dumped the ground coffee into its filter, practically slamming the door on the filter hole shut just to snap himself out of it.

Evidently, he now had the craving to just go sit and talk with Akira for awhile instead. Goro was grateful for the stinging pain of his left hand when he grabbed the sugar bowl, grateful for a distraction from his mind’s silly, likely insomnia-caused thoughts. 

Goro shook his head at himself again, sighing as the microwave beeped to indicate the leftovers somehow didn’t get burnt.

I guess I really am wanting to date a demon lord.. Practically inevitable since he’s taken up flirting with me.. I guess this’ll just. Happen. Why not.

---

END

[cadenreigns]

Star vs the Forces of Evil: The Last Magic (part 2)

So here’s part 2 of my movie idea, which presents the driving force behind most of the remining decisions and events of the story. So enjoy.

6

Black screen slowly fades back into Marco’s POV, which shows Jackie kneeling over him with Tom and Rich Pidgeon looking over her shoulders. As the view becomes clear the repeated word “Muscles” changes into Jackie saying “Marco”

Marco: “Uuuugh.”

Jackie (while Tom lets out an exaggerated breath and Rich wipes his brow with his robot arm): “Oh thank goodness.”

Jackie helps Marco sit up while Janna pushes her way through Tom and Rich. We see that Marco now has a black eye.

Janna: “I’ve got ice!”

Janna practically punches Marco with the ice as she pushes it against his black eye.

Rich: “I’m terribly sorry, Marco. I guess I don’t always know my own strength.”

Janna (scowling at Rich while Jackie helps Marco hold the ice to his eye and stand up): “Strength?! You’re in a robot suit! The only reason his head didn’t explode is probably because his skull’s so thick!”

Marco: “Uh…what?”

Jackie: “She’s kind of got a point, man. Do you even need limbs that powerful for everyday life?”

Rich: “Oh dear” (holds robot hand over his cockpit) “Do you all feel this way?”

Tom (takes deep breath and holds hands together at the fingertips in front of his face): “Rich, maybe you should get out of the robot for now.”

Rich (hanging head): “I see. I’ll return to my dwelling henceforth and not bother you again with any future mechanical misfortune.”

Rich walks off towards the horizon, the camera following him for a few seconds before returning to Marco and the others.

Marco: “I’m not sure what all just happened, but did someone say something while I was on the ground?”

Jackie: “I said your name a couple times while trying to wake you up.”

Marco: “Oh, I thought I heard…never mind. Let’s...get back to class.”

Jackie (after exchanging slightly worried glances with Tom and Janna): “Actually, why don’t you let Janna take you to the nurse’s office. Tom and I will make sure the rest of the day goes the way it’s supposed to.”

Marco: “But-”

Janna (slides behind Marco and starts pushing him back towards the school): “No buts mister. She might not have magic anymore, but Star would kill us if we let you just walk around after that.”

Marco (sighing): “Fine.” (looks back at Tom and Jackie while still being pushed) “Just make sure no one eats anyone else, or steps on anyone else, or, and this is important-”

Tom (shouting): “Alright, we got it bud. Feel better!” (then more quietly to Jackie) “So how’s this feet ball game work anyway?”

Jackie shrugs.

7

Cut to the city hall exterior. The sun is setting and it’s much darker now. Star hugs Moon and River goodbye before River carries Moon home on his eagle queen. Star still has bags under her eyes. It gets a little darker and the streetlights come on one by one, eventually revealing Marco and Nachos waiting by the street corner. Initially Marco would be turned just enough to not show his black left eye.

Star (starting towards them): “There’s the best boyfriend in the world. I almost thought you were going to make me wait.”

Marco (trying to act cool): “You know me, just trying to make an entrance.”

Star (giggling): “Oh for sure, that’s the thing I know you for most. So how was your day?”

Marco (rubbing back of head): “Well, it had a bump or two.” (turns to face Star)

Star (horrified, grabs Marco by the cheeks and pulling him closer to look at his black eye): “Oh my cob! What happened to your eye!?”

Marco: “Well we were outside for the activity session and I thought football would be a good idea and, well…it turns out Rich’s robot arms are even stronger than they look.”

Star: “Well here’s something to make you feel better.” (kisses cheek)

Marco (pulling away and holding a hand over the cheek she kissed): “That does feel better”

Star (smiling): “Good. Ready to go home?”

Marco (mounting Nachos): “Actually, I was thinking we might stop somewhere else first.”

Star (tilting head slightly): “Where?”

Marco (smiling): “It’s a surprise.”

Star” “Oooh.” (jumps behind Marco and wraps her arms around him) “Well then lead away mister mystery.”

Marco revs up Nachos and they take off.

8

Cut to Marco with something bundled under his arm leading Star up a slightly wooded path while she holds her hands over her eyes, Nachos at the base of the hill they’re ascending.

Marco: “Almost there.”

Star: “I can’t wait I can’t wait.”

The camera, positioned so that it’s pulling back as Marco leads Star towards it, stops as they approach what looks like a cliff edge, then pushes in towards Star as he steps to the side.

Marco: “Alright, you can look now.”

Star removes her hands and her eyes grow wide and sparkly before the camera swings in place around her to be behind the couple as they look on over Echo Creek, the combined skyline sparkling beneath the mish-mashed like a reflection of the stars above.

Star: “It’s so beautiful.”

Marco (unfurling the blanket that was under his arm so they’ll have some place to sit): “I thought you might like it.”

Marco sits and gestures to the spot beside him. Star smiles and drops into her place.

Star: “You’re the best, Marco.”

Marco: “Only because I have someone so amazing to be my best for.”

The camera starts to pan down as it looks like they’re going to kiss, revealing that directly below their lookout point is a giant (as in big enough to house several trees) enclosed cage with a sign the reads “Spider Habitat: No trespassing.” Three shadows approach the cage, two revealed to be monster kids and the leader being Jeremy.

Monster kid 1: “Are you sure we should be doing this?”

Jeremy (waving him off): “Don’t go chicken on me. We’re just going to get a look at them. If they were really that dangerous they wouldn’t have gotten caged so quickly.”

Monster kid 2: “If you say so.”

Jeremy: “I do say so. Now keep quiet or someone’s going to hear us.”

The three kids go right up to the main gate on the spider cage, with Jeremy climbing a bit onto the gate itself and using the rusty chain keeping the gate shut as foot hold.

Jeremy: “Can you see anything?”

Monster kid 1: “No.”

Monster kid 2: “Told you we should have brought flashlights.”

Jeremy: “Yeah, because making it easier to see us is exactly what you want when sneaking around.”

Jeremy starts to climb a little higher up the gate for a better view, putting all his weight on the foot using the rusty chain as a foothold. “They’ve got to be here somewha-”

The chain snaps, the new ends wrapping around Jeremy’s leg as he goes tumbling to the ground, pulling the gate open a bit with him.

Monster kids 1 and 2 scramble over to him.

Monster kid 2: “Are you alright, man?”

Jeremy (cringing): “Yeah, fine. Just help me up.”

The monster kids attempt to help get him to his feet, but can’t seem to pull or untangle his foot from the chain. As they continue to try and get him loose, several sets of eyes in the cage start to light up in groups of eight. A clicking follows, causing all three kids to slowly look up. A long, hairy spider leg reaches out of the shadows. Then another, and another, and another until the first of many giant spiders is revealed. All three kids start screaming as the monsters continue to try and free Jeremy from the chain, but all their struggling just pulls the gate open farther.

The camera pans back up as they continue to scream, returning to Star and Marco as they appear to have just pulled away from their kiss.

Star (eyes narrowing as she looks around): “Do you hear something?”

Marco (also now looking around): “Yeah, it’s like something shrill and annoying.”

Star inches towards the edge of the cliff and looks over, gasping and then pointing when she sees what’s going on below them: “Marco look. Something’s happening at the spider habitat.”

Marco (straining his eyes to see): “Are those kids? Is that gate open!?”

Star (standing up quickly): “We’ve got to do something!”

Marco (also standing) whistles for Nachos, but Star doesn’t wait. In an instant she’s jumped off the cliff edge.

9

The camera zooms back to the children just as the first giant spider slams the gate open the rest of the way. This throws the monster kids away and pins Jeremy between the gate and the side of the cage. The spider looks between the three kids and just before it seems to decide which to feast on first, Star comes down boot first into its head. Two more leap through the open gate, but are intercepted as Marco comes falling down on them. An exciting fight scene would follow where Marco and Star beat the spiders back into the cage, but just when they think they’re done the first one wakes back up and starts to strike. At the last moment Nachos zooms down and smacks it with her tail, sending it flying back into the cage. Marco grabs the gate and pulls it (and Jeremy) back closed while Star grabs a branch that broke off during the fight and jams into the slot the chain had been wrapped through.

Just as it seems like everything’s going to be alright. with Star checking on the monster kids and Marco reluctantly helping Jeremy finally get un-tangled, lights flood the scene. At first they’re too bright to tell where they’re coming from, but then a figure steps between the lights and it becomes clear they’re sets of headlights from several military vehicles. The initial figure that’s still approaching is joined by several soldiers that encircle Marco, Star, Jeremy, and the monster kids.

Marco: “Eh, this guy.”

The leader of the soldiers finally comes into view, showing him to be a high ranking military leader (I imagine him being played by James Woods for some reason, so I’m just going to call him Major Woods).

Major Woods: “Well, well, well. I’m honestly surprised that it took this long for one of you monsters to try something like this.” With a hand signal, Major Woods has the soldiers closest to Star grab the two monster kids by the collars and start to drag them away.

Marco (stepping towards the Major and leaving Jeremey still chained to the gate): “Major Woods, it’s pretty obvious this human (emphasized) kid-”

Jeremey (looking annoyed): “You know my name.”

Marco (ignoring him): “-was the one to open the gate, whether he meant to or not. And look at them, they’re just kids who wanted to see some giant spiders.”

Star: “Yeah, you can’t drag them away for being…what’s that thing cats are…”

Marco (eyeing her briefly): “Curious.”

Star: “Right, you can’t blame them for being curious.”

Major Woods (rolling his eyes): “Mr. Diaz, Ms. Butterfly, why is it that every time something happens you two try to get in the way of my job? That’s not actually a right your mis-assigned government positions actually affords you.”

Star: “Well we have to since every time something happens you act like it’s some monster conspiracy.”

Major Woods (looking increasingly terse as he turns his attention to Jeremey): “Kid, is what they say true?”

Jeremey: “Kind of.”

Marco gives him a death glare.

Jeremey: “Kind of certainly I mean. We just wanted to see the spiders and the chain broke when I was trying to get a better view.”

Major Woods makes sort of a growling/sighing noise then turns to the soldiers restraining the monster kids. “Find out their addresses and then take them home” (looks at Star and Marco as he says the next part) “And make sure their whole families are aware they might not get off so easily next time.”

The soldiers let go of the monster kids collars and start more genially escorting them to one of the military vehicles while another pair start working on Jeremy’s still chained foot.

Major Woods: “You two can go now, we’ll take it from here.”

Marco shakes his head as Star glares at the Major, then he whistles and Nachos, seemingly having been ready to pounce the whole time, rolls out of the shadows and up to Star and Marco. They mount her and take off.

10

Screen starts black, but a crashing sound (with a very subtle “Muscles” line beneath it) causes it to open and reveal that we’re in Marco’s point of view as his eye opens to see the clock next to his bed read some time between 2 and 3 in the morning. There’s another crash from downstairs and the camera switches to a view of him getting up and out of bed. Taking his sword-hand dance-stance, Marco quietly steps into the hallway as more rustling goes on downstairs. He makes his way down the hall, pausing when he comes to Star’s doorway and finds it open. He peers in, where a beam of moonlight reveals her bed to be empty. Looking confused and worried as another crashing sound comes from downstairs, Marco picks up the pace as he reaches the stairs and starts down them. At the base of the stairs there’s a glow from the kitchen and taking the corner its revealed to be the fridge faintly illuminating the kitchen, which is now a mess as half the fridge’s contents have been tossed all over the floor. Star, who is standing in front of the fridge and has obviously been the one making the noise and mess, grabs something else and squints as she looks at it. The bags under her eyes are even bigger than before.

Star: “Is this… (mouths the words on the milk jug label) “nope.” (tosses milk to the side with a sploosh sound effect)

Marco (dropping his arms and side-stepping tossed food as he approaches): “Star, is everything alright?”

Star (looks up and gives a kind of half smile, she’s obviously very tired): “Oh hey…you (emphasized). Do we have any of that brown goop?”

Marco (looking increasingly worried): “The pudding? No. You finished it all. Remember? We talked about it yesterday.”

Star (turning back to the fridge): “That doesn’t sound right…and I could really go for some brown goop. You…you know I like my goop.”

Marco (places hands gently on Star’s shoulders and turns her to fully face him): “Star, what’s my name?”

Star: “What (draws out word), that’s a silly question.”

Marco (places hands on either side of her head to keep her focused as her eyes start to wander): “What’s my name, Star?”

Star’s eyes close tight as it’s obvious she’s trying to think of Marco’s name really hard, but the more she tries to think of it the more the corners of her eyes start to water. When she finally opens them, she can’t stop the first tear from rolling down her cheek.

Star: “I…I can’t remember.”

[larksinging]

alright it’s @rumtumtuggers birthday today!!! happy birthday hunter, now you can finally leave middle school,

but no really im so glad we’ve started talking more?? honestly being able to bounce ideas off of you and hearing all the great and creative ideas you come up with has made me feel so much more creative and i cant possibly thank you enough for that. thanks for joining rwby hell with me! im so happy we started talking more and really became friends. anyway! i hope you have a good year coming up....

in honor of rwby hell, here is some actual rwbies from “hell”, aka some random white rose scene from demon au 

“Do you dream?”

“What?” Ruby rolls over to face Weiss, who just glances at her demon and then back up at the canopy.

“The way you were talking before. It sounded like you didn’t know. Do you actually dream?”

“No,” Ruby admits. That’s not entirely true. She thinks she used to, once. But it was so long ago that she’s forgotten. “What’s it like?”

No matter how many contracts Ruby takes with mortals, she’ll never get used to the mind numbing boredom of waiting for them to finish sleeping. And they get so fussy if she tries to wake them, too! It’s sooo annoying. And sure, she could sleep too, but that’s boring and unnecessary and she has much better things to do during her limited time in the mortal world. 

Sometimes Ruby just wakes up her contracted human and bothers them until they entertain her, but she won’t for Weiss. She actually likes Weiss. So instead she’s lounging on the luxurious couch on the other side of the room (Weiss got all huffy the first time Ruby tried to lay on the bed, so exiled to the couch it is). 

The tip of her cape lays on the floor while she sprawls on the fancy pillows and holds the “tablet” above her to play the silly fruit game Weiss showed her. The screen and the moonlight filtering in through the windows lights the room up silver and blue. 

She just beats level 945 with a soft “Oooh yes!” when Weiss makes a choked gasp and sits upright in bed. 

Ruby glances up lazily to make sure that Weiss isn’t actually dying, but she’d be able to sense that. Contract stuff -- it’s no good to contract to a human who ends up dying. It kinda stings. But no, she can tell Weiss isn’t dying. Cool. It’d be inconvenient if Weiss died, and also a little sad. 

“Good morning,” Ruby drawls. 

At her voice, Weiss nearly jumps out of her skin. “Wh...?” She blinks at Ruby, and then the clock on her bedside table. “It’s... it’s not morning,” She stammers. “It’s two am.” 

“You’re awake, aren’t you?” Ruby swipes another combo on the screen. “Then it’s morning. Let’s go!” 

“I didn’t wake up for you,” Weiss hisses. “I just... woke up.” 

“Noooot seeing a difference.” 

“I had a nightmare, okay?” Weiss’ voice pitches up in a strange way. It’s enough to get Ruby to put the tablet down and look over. “It’s not important. I’ll go back to sleep in a minute.” 

“Oh. That’s rough. I think.” Ruby offers helplessly. “I know some demons who eat nightmares. Nightmares are the bad ones, right? Or maybe they cause them, and it was that one angel who eats them. Or...” 

“You-- Never mind. I’ll pass.” 

“Suit yourself.” Ruby fumbles around the couch to find where she threw the Scroll, until she hears a low whining noise. She looks up, but Weiss is looking at her hands clenching the blankets. 

For all her impatience, this time Ruby knows to simply wait and watch. And just as she expected, Weiss eventually unfurls. 

“I don’t want to be alone,” Weiss says, her voice soft and almost wavering. 

“I’m right over here,” Ruby replies with a shrug. 

“That’s not--” Weiss frowns. “Just... come over here. Please.” 

Even if Ruby doesn’t totally get it, she obeys and wordlessly crawls onto the bed. There’s plenty of room for both of them, but Weiss still scoots over to make space for her. Taking the cue, she lays back against the pillows, even if she’s still on top of the blankets. Weiss doesn’t say anything and Ruby just stares up at the canopy. 

“...Am I supposed to be doing something?” 

“Just be quiet for one second, you dolt.” 

“Oooookay. One--”

Weiss smacks her shoulder and Ruby just grins, but she’s quiet after that. 

“Do you dream?” 

“What?” Ruby rolls over to face Weiss, who just glances at her demon and then back up at the canopy. 

“The way you were talking before. It sounded like you didn’t know. Do you actually dream?” 

“No,” Ruby admits. That’s not entirely true. She thinks she used to, once. But it was so long ago that she’s forgotten. “What’s it like?” 

Instead of answering her immediately, Weiss stares up at the ceiling. “It’s like…. Watching a movie. No. It’s like someone telling you a story, but you’re living it, except everything’s kind of hazy. Like... a cloud?” 

“Hmmm.” That sounds strange and alarming, the way lesser demons describe being bound by their true names, but Ruby can’t quite imagine it. “I love stories. Yang used to read them to me.” 

“Very old stories, I imagine,” Weiss adds. “Like ‘The Death and the Farmer’?” 

Ruby laughs loudly. Weiss frowns at her. “What’s so funny?! That’s one of my favorites!”

She has to wipe the tears from her eyes, but eventually Ruby manages to settle down. “Yeah, Yang told me that one, sorta. A veeerrry different version than the one you know, I bet.” 

“The version I know is probably better,” Weiss rolls her eyes. “But... maybe sometime we can compare notes.” 

“Mmm, alright. If you’d like that.” 

Weiss wraps her arms around one of Ruby’s arms and rests her head against Ruby’s shoulder. Ruby blinks up at the mild darkness, but allows it. 

They fall into silence again. She hears Weiss’ breathing start to slow, so she must’ve fallen back asleep. 

With Weiss so close, Ruby’s reminded of just how warm humans are. They’re a good few degrees cooler than Ruby herself -- though even Ruby doesn’t run as warm as Yang -- but there’s something charming about human’s more gentle warmth. It’s soft and radiating, like an old memory. 

“Goodnight, Weiss,” She murmurs gently, and closes her own eyes. 

Ruby doesn’t dream, of course. That much wasn’t a lie. She’s not in the business of lying. 

When she does fall asleep, it’s usually either empty blackness or a swift drop into a different plane of existence. Mortals might call it a ‘dream realm’, which is nice if she and Yang want to meet up from halfway across the world (if they can sync up right). 

But sometimes, if she lingers just on the edge of the darkness and the drop, she remembers things. Faded bits and pieces.

Even though she hasn’t said anything, she can tell that Dad knows what her decision is going to be. The way his smile doesn’t reach all the way to his eyes, the sad glint in his gaze when he thinks she isn’t looking. Ruby wishes she could tell him that he’s wrong. He’s not. 

Technically she’s not supposed to tell anyone yet. Ancient rules and all. On sundown of her ...th birthday, she must choose. She can’t live with one foot in two worlds at once. Mortal or demon. Such is fate for halflings like her. 

Dad’s been sad ever since Yang left .... years ago. And Ruby loves her dad, but she loves and misses Yang too, and she wants to see her and Mom more than once a year. 

At least she’ll get to see them today before she decides! That’s the benefit of her birthday falling on ... (In the future they will call it All Hallow’s Eve, and then Halloween, and many other lost names). It’s the one time Mom and now Yang can visit. 

Dad kisses her forehead when they leave the house. It’s a small farm house in the middle of the ... forest, on the island of ...., but Ruby loves it. She’ll miss it. Zwei barks and circles her legs as she picks up basket of food. The most morbid picnic ever. 

They trek through the forest turning red all the way up to the cliffside meeting place. The meeting place is beside a marker stone, older than the town, which reads: 

............... .................... Death knows this place .............

 When they arrive, it’s close enough to dusk that Mom and Yang are already waiting for them there. 

There’s something different about Yang now. Even if it’s been ... (Two, yes, two years), Ruby’s still not used to it. It’s a sharpness in her eyes or the way her hair almost glows. Her laugh seems to echo. It’s that unreal quality that Mom’s always had, she just never thought about it before because it was Mom. 

Yang immediately runs to hug her. Ruby nearly suffocates in her grip, but wraps her arms around her sister anyway. Summer doesn’t, of course, because there’s only one time she can touch Ruby or Dad. Still, she laughs and smiles and tells Ruby how much she loves her. 

They all sit down to watch the setting sun and have their own feast. Dad and Ruby eat the pastries they made this morning. Summer takes an apple and watches it disintegrate in her grasp, which is like eating for her. Yang eats some of the dried meat they brought in a single bite, and Ruby thinks she sees sharp teeth. She shivers, and only most of it is excitement. 

Then the sun finally sets and everyone looks at her. She smiles sadly and says, “Sorry, Dad.” Because, to be honest, it was never a question which she would choose. 

He hugs her tight and says goodbye, and then he and Zwei alone go back to the forest and towards home. She’s left on the cliff with Mom and Yang. Mom smiles, but Yang looks apologetic. 

“I should warn you,” She says, “This is gonna hurt.” 

“I… okay,” Ruby says, lightheaded from the realization of what she’s done. “Why?” 

“The human part of you has to die,” Mom answers, with the infinite gentleness she’s always possessed. “I’m sorry. But we’ll be here for you.” 

They’re not lying. About any of it. 

“I thought you didn’t need to sleep.” 

Ruby blinks away to white hair tickling her nose. She sneezes and Weiss reels back with a yelp of disgust. Eventually Ruby sits up and rubs her eyes. 

“I don’t need too,” She yawns, “I just choose to sometimes.” 

“Well, choose to be awake right now.” Weiss puts her hands on her hips. Ruby deliberately moves slowly just to annoy her. “We need to be at a dress fitting in an hour.” 

“Uuuugh, why? I’m pretty sure I’m older than, like, the concept of dresses. Why do I have to do this?” 

“I highly doubt that.” For all her huffing, Weiss does offer Ruby a pastry she must’ve stolen from the kitchen. How rebellious! “We have that ball to go to this weekend, and we need to get appropriate attire. Mostly for you.” 

Ruby devours the croissant in one bite. “Why do I have to go?” 

“Father insists on it. It’s customary in Atlas to show off a bound demon.” 

At first, Ruby rolls her eyes. She’s not really bound, even if she won’t tell Weiss that. It might spook her to know that Ruby’s not chained here by anything more than own amusement. The enjoyment she finds spending time with Weiss is a much stronger spell than anything else mortals try to use on her. 

What she does do is narrow her eyes at Weiss and then grin wolfishly. “Aaaaand you want me to keep you company around all those stuff Atlas folks.” 

Weiss frowns and looks away briefly. “...Perhaps.” 

“Awww, Weiss, it’s okay, you can admit that you like m--” 

Luckily for Weiss, her Scroll beeps. She promptly ignores Ruby, who flops back onto the bed. She waits until Weiss finishes typing out a message and come back over to the bed to glare at Ruby before pestering Weiss. “Who was that?” 

“My fr-- that pen pal of mine. You remember.” 

“The one with the blue hair?” “No! Not him. The one with your sister.” 

“Oh.” Ruby sits up. “Oh! Did she mention Yang? How is she?” 

Now it’s Weiss’ turn to roll her eyes. “She sounds fine. We’re just commiserating. She’s got a stupid event for work the same day as the ball.” 

“Misery loves company!” 

“Just get moving. Please. I am begging you.” 

Pouty Weiss isn’t as fun as Cheerful Weiss, so Ruby does eventually get up. She smooths out her cape and watches at Weiss moves around the room to get some appropriate clothes for going out. She side-eyes the jacket Weiss is approaching with. 

“If you don’t make me wear that, I’ll tell you demon secrets,” Ruby watches with a feral glint in her eye. 

Weiss hesitates and lowers the jacket. “You need to look presentable.” 

“No I don’t. I’m a demon. And most of the ones roaming around here look way worse than me.” 

Eventually, Weiss sets the jacket down. “Alright.” She turns to leave and Ruby, automatically now, falls in step beside her. 

“How about I tell you how wrong your version of ‘Death and the Farmer’ is?” 

“That’s not a very good secret.” 

“But it's fun.” Ruby folds her hands behind her head. “But first you’ve got to tell me the version you know.” 

There’s a moment of silence as Weiss frowns and struggles to remember. “Once upon a time there was a farmer who lived in the middle of a forest on a lonely island. He had two daughters--” 

“Nope.” Ruby pops her lips on the p sound. “Only one daughter.” 

“What? Every version I’ve heard, he has two.” 

“Oh, he does. Just not yet.” 

Weiss furrows her brow. “If he only has one daughter before Death comes, then who’s the other daughter’s mother?” 

“Did they seriously write that out?” Ruby laughs. “I guess they didn’t want to encourage people to date demons.” 

“Death is her mother?” 

Ruby just smiles. 

[italicwatches]

GAMERS! Episode 07

So.

Last time sure happened.

Let’s see where things go from here. It’s GAMERS!, episode 07! Here we GO!

-We begin, with loading the game save for up to this point. Whoever’s playing this game is very irresponsible with their save data, you always cascade down the list, never lock into a single save file. That’s just too risky.

-But into the actual show! A bus, where some generic anime boys, so standardized you can’t see their eyes, watch. And they can see HIM, the fucker who managed to get Karen…And Keita is just trying to ignore them, even as he deals with the frustrations of people disconnecting on his mobile game and not actually playing…

-Opening! After PUBG, our next game reference is…It’s Super Mario Bros. You know Super Mario Bros. I did an entire writeup for the game’s historical relevance for Nintendo back in the lead to the Switch’s release as part of the 30 Days of Switchmas. Crazy successful, redefined the platformer genre after Nintendo themselves essentially invented it with Donkey Kong, was originally designed as the peak of a cartridge-based game with the Famicom Disk System rapidly coming up…None of this is news.

-DAY 07: Amano Keita and Karen’s best entertainment

-To the class! Where Keita is talking to Tasuku, and has decided to, and I quote, “stop indiscriminately blowing up normies”. Tasuku, who slept like shit, has no idea what he’s talking about but good for you, man. Also, people are all staring at Keita. Because of what Tasuku did, in part. But hey, hey. Tasuku had no idea it’d turn into a relationship! Of course, Keita thought Karen was more into stylish guys like Tasuku…

-And Tasuku is also dealing with the rocky state of his own relationship. Aguri’s been…Well, it’s been messy, since the guy she’s into is with Karen now. But, Aguri likes Tasuku, so Keita can only assume that Tasuku really was two-timing his girlfriend! This is horrible! No wonder he has no idea how to talk to Aguri about it!

-Which explains everything, including Karen accepting a confession from little old him! It’s all to try and build up a plausible deniability. …He needs to get out of this. His head is full of deep, weighty thoughts as he goes to the restroom. He doesn’t want to be part of breaking Aguri’s heart, she’s a sweet girl who deserves better. Maybe he’ll ask Karen to let him rescind his confession…

-And when he comes out, he runs into someone, almost literally! Oh, sorry, he wasn’t…Oh god it’s Karen. And then Karen has a freakout because the boy she’s super into, who is now her boyfriend, is heeeere…But oh dear, something seems wrong! Are you okay? You look pale…

-Um, er, he’s, um, he’s gotta get back to class he’ll talk to you later bye! And then he’s gone, leaving Karen confused…And as Keita starts to head back, everyone mumbling about him…That’s when Chiaki spots him and waves him over into an empty room! Oh lord what do you want, Chiaki? Can’t you see his day is going wrong as it is?

-Can’t You see why Karen stuck her neck out for you, you idiot?! Well, yes, of course he does…(Oh god one of you use your words) Good, good! But that was a crazy move, and should keep that pink-haired fiend from…What was that? Nothing nothing forget she said that part! Look the point is, they might be enemies, but she respects you enough to not want to see you hurt. And that Aguri girl was never gonna be your girlfriend.

-Well, yes. He knows that. Oh, good! You’re moving on really well, Keita!

-Cut to after class. Keita has a long string of furious emojis in his texts, and is across from Aguri, who is…Really not happy with him. Also she has a really crazy looking drink. But, but she’s sorry. She’s mostly not mad at you. She’s mad at Tasuku, who’s two-timing her. Keita tries to use his logic, because the only evidence that Aguri has is the guilty look Tasuku gave her, but why ELSE would a guy give such a look to his own girlfriend?! Huh?!

-…Okay you have him there. But uuuugh. Her life’s gone to hell ever since she met you! That’s…Harsh. But all those floozies hanging onto Tasuku only met him through you, ya damn enabler. Well, well, it was Tasuku who used him and egged him onto talking to…both of them…Keita quietly ‘realizes’ that he might have been used as a cover for all of Tasuku’s cheating. And now Aguri’s got to try to pull out of this nosedive and convince Keita that Tasuku really is his friend and not just using him from the start. But Keita’s gone into a deep depression.

-FOCUS DAMMIT! Karen accepted your confession! Whatcha gonna do about it, huh? He’s…He’s gonna tell her the full truth of what he knows, so they can break up honestly, and handle this maturely. (God you kids are the furthest thing from mature. The only way you could be less mature is if you were using mud to inoculate yourself against the terrible spread of cooties.)

-Well. Good for you. But how do YOU feel? And are you really gonna let someone else decide something that matters so much? …You’re right. He’s got to decide this himself! And then she realizes how fucking gross this drink is now that all the layers have mixed. She’s…She’s gonna go buy a new drink.

-New scene! Karen is up on the roof freaking out because Keita asked her to meet him here oh god what’s going to happen? Is this about their new relationship? Is it going to go sideways? Was that confession some kind of mistake? Is she about to be dumped, on the eve of her confused but delighted triumph?! No, FOCUS, girl! Don’t let him see you sweat…! But she’s terrified of how this could go…

-And then Keita arrives, and OH GOD PANIC! She doesn’t want to look at him and face the end…And so he finally just asks, if she hates him. No, never! Then, then why won’t she face him?

-W-Why don’t you?! …But he is. Y-You want to stop dating her, don’t you? She, she gets it, she’s seen how people around school are acting…You can take it back, she’ll, she’ll just…

-She’s not speaking from her heart. Deep breath. Be honest with herself…

-As Keita admits, he’s glad to hear she doesn’t hate him. He thought, with the way she’d been almost avoiding him…But…But he’s got to ask something difficult. Of course. Can they go on a date?

-And there it—Wait what? Wait what?! Karen is so shocked that when she turns around she’s in a fighting stance. Oh you adorable little dork, never change. So Keita says it doesn’t have to be right now, it can be whenever she’s free…And Karen is so confused that her world turns to crayon drawings. She doesn’t know how to parse this. She expected a rejection, and got confessed to. She expected a retraction, and got asked on a date. None of this was fitting her worst-case scenarios, or the Plan, either.

-Well…They’re, they’re in a relationship…Right? And just hearing that from Keita sends chills up Karen’s spine as she goes tomato red. As Keita panics a bit, and admits that yes, there will be hardships, and of course people are saying shit behind his back…And…And he knows he’s got no chance against a bishonen like Tasuku. He’s going to lose out in the end. But…But dammit, you don’t rage quit, you play the match until the end! He’s not giving up until it’s over!

-And oh, Karen just glows she’s blushing so bad. You could just put Karen in a dark room, repeat that line to her on a loop, and her blush would give enough light to read by. But she manages to catch herself, and try to act like the Magnificent Tendou Karen-san, as she accepts his offer as nobly and honorably as she can manage. As she also insists they do this in the right order, like a proper relationship! A-And they should disband, for today! Wow this managed to get weird, as Keita lets off a salute from her authoritative tone. but this isn’t what she had in mind and oh god this just got weird as she barely manages to get past him before she panics and flees to the stairs.

-Commercial break!

-And we’re back! It’s date time, and Keita and Karen are at the bowling alley, slash karaoke place, slash arcade, slash…well it’s a big entertainment center is the point. Karen dressed her best, Keita’s best is his usual outfit, and he’s kind of freaking out a bit as he tries to be all cool and make this work…Until finally she just tells him they can just goof off and have fun and not make this too crazy.

-So…I’m gonna let you in on a little secret.

-Keita fucking sucks at analog games. Karen beats him in ping pong, he manages to get a dart stuck in his thigh when they play darts, and he takes a cueball to the face though I think that might have been Karen’s fault, and he loses terribly at bowling. By the time they stop for lunch, Keita’s energy is drained, and Karen is at full power. But even with how draining this is, Keita is finding it really fun…And Karen has to keep herself from admitting how much being here with him is making it fun.

-As he looks over the map, seeing what else they could do today…There’s a pool. Swimsuits. NOPE DO NOT GO THERE. He immediately covers it with his hand, and oh, hmm, there’s basically just the arcade left…

-But she saw a huge pool on all the maps.

-…Oh. So you did. Well…Um…They could just go check it out for fun! Unless you don’t want to see her in a swimsuit? D-Don’t be ridiculous! But now she’s all blushy because he called her bluff and oh god this got nerve-racking. Keita’s low self-esteem comes out but Karen can only hear the parts where he doesn’t want to be at the pool with her and now he’s gotta pull up pull up.

-And that’s how he ends up at the pool in a rented pair of trunks, waiting for Karen to come out. He has truly betrayed all humanity. And then out she comes in a cutesy but revealing bikini and Keita’s brain just kinda…

-Poof?

-Poof. He feels like he just lost a precious life in a video game from the sheer impact of that outfit, and things get awkward again as she has to guide him into being at least mostly normal.

-When Karen spots a couple playing splashy games in the pool, and kind of wants to do it too. But some clear rules to keep it safe! It’s a turn-based water attack game, and whoever gets the other’s hair wet first wins! You’re…You’re ridiculous. And as soon as they’re in the water, this becomes legit serious competition, a war of water that looks like something out of Jojo and then Keita is splashed and down. VICTORY IS KAREN’S!

-And then they see the couple who are, you know, goofing off and having fun and just being silly. …Suddenly they feel like huge nerds. To the arcade, where they belong? To the arcade.

-But that’s when Keita and Karen spot…is that Chiaki? It is! Some guys are trying to harass her…And when she spots Keita, she races for him, needing someone she knows, enemy or not! She clings to him immediately because save her! Er, that is, she’s gonna, help, you…With…Give her a minute she’ll think of something good.

-The guys leave, though, not wanting to cause enough of a scene that they actually get noticed by someone who might do something about it…And trying to get a girl who’s here on a date would definitely cause a scene.

-There’s just one little problem.

-Keita’s here on a date with Karen, and she’s…really not liking seeing this blue-haired strumpet cling to her Keita. So you know, Chiaki, he’s KIIIIND of on a date, so…So you are, Keita! SO WHY DO YOU KEEP TUGGING HIS ARM INTO YOUR CLEAVAGE?!

-Okay, fair. She should not have interfered in a date from a fake relationship.

-Okay now Karen is more mad. Chiaki, what would you like your gravestone to say? I’m thinking…”With my last breath, I curse Keita”? Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?

-But soon everyone’s sitting down and talking and Chiaki has the good grace to apologize for all of that…But why’s she here on her own, anyways? She’s not! Her sister invited her aaaaand then ran off on her own. So she’s gotta find the kid…Well, they’re willing to help. And Chiaki realizes there is an honor in Keita, one she can respect!

-But, no, Karen will do all the helping. Keita, you don’t need to be looking for a cute little sister. Please go to the arcade and wait for her at once! YES MA’AM! AMANO KEITA, GOING FORTH! Jeez. Chiaki is a little scared now.

-Eventually, Karen arrives to the arcade, with a Chiaki whose sister apparently already went home. And as Karen goes to find a game to play, Chiaki pulls Keita aside and do you get why she’s here with you, you stupid idiot?! Do you understand the favor Karen is doing for you?! You need to do something for her! …You just want to join the games, don’t you. Sh-shut up.

-But Karen’s date-mind has been overtaken by her game-mind and YES THEY CAN PLAY BIG MULTIPLAYER STUFF INSTEAD OF 1v1 NOW COME ON CHIAKI

-And that’s how they end up playing totally-not-Mario-Kart. Where Keita spins out right at the start, but starts to learn the mechanics, holding close behind the others in third place…When he gets the mighty BOMB ROULETTE! It’s so exciting that even the children in the arcade are watching!

-The bomb roulette, the ultimate chance item…A flip of the coin. Either you explode…Or everyone else does. Will he dare to use such a risky item, especially on this track, so close to the finish? He…He lines up with them both, and SLAMS IT DOWN! And whatever way the bomb went, all three got caught in it.

-Karen is just silent until they get to the bus…When she finally just breaks down into the giggles at how ridiculous of a play that was! And that it still ended in him losing when he could have pulled a solid second or even first place if he hadn’t bothered…But she also sees something about Keita. He didn’t use it so he could win. He didn’t throw the match, either. He went for the interesting option. He did the crazy thing that would, win or lose, make for a good story, that would excite the kids watching them play…

-And she’s finding she likes that about him. That wild spark in him…While Keita, Keita respects how she always goes all-out with him. There’s never any going easy…And that’s what he likes about her. As now she’s all blushy and nervous…And he ends up asking if she got that new game Fire Tactics? Of course she did! She’s wanted to talk to someone about it! And so everything relaxes, as the two fall into a shared passion.

-Credits!

You know, these crazy kids might just make it all work out…

…I mean, if it weren’t for the other three people in their life. Between Chiaki, Aguri, and Tasuku, someone is gonna fuck it up. We’ll see who breaks the whole thing next time, in episode EIGHT of GAMERS! Wait for it!

[onebangtanstan]

Power Style - Chapter Nine : The feeling

I'm surprised at first, but once that feeling is gone, I completely lean into the kiss. This feels like a movie scene. His right hand is behind my neck, while his left hand holds me against him. His lips are so soft and so passionate. I can sense that he's been wanting to do this for a while.

We keep going for a bit before I lean back and look at him. His eyes are now full of desire, but he respects my unspoken wish.

"Goodnight, Gina" He says to me.

As I head up to my apartment, I can't help but smile at the feeling in my stomach. It's been a long time since I've felt butterflies.

I get into my pyjamas as soon as I'm home and head for my couch. It's a Netlfix and wine kind of night.

An hour into the cringiest rom-com I've ever seen, my phone starts ringing. Hobi's name is on the screen.

"Hey Hobi! How are you?" I really am happy he called.

"Oh my Gooood! Jin told me everything! I hope you don't mind by the way, we talk a lot together" He starts ranting "I don't care about Namjoon, he's an ass to be honest. You guys kiiiiiiissed! This is epic! JIN AND GINA SITTING IN A TREE! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

I burst out laughing hearing how cute he's being. "Yeaaah that happened" I'm smiling again, thinking about this evening. But this time, a chill goes up my spine. Weird.

Hobi and I stay on the phone for hours talking about Jin, the shoot, life and finally Namjoon.

"He's so weird around you. I mean he's always been an asshole, but I've never seen him go this far."

"I don't know, I guess we just won't ever get along. There are some people like that, the energies just don't match" I tell him

"Yeah but it's not an excuse for what he said."

I stay silent, not knowing what to say. "Anyway, it's quite late, I'm gonna head to bed"

"No problem babe, I'll talk to you soon."

I get all comfortable in my bed and doze off as soon as my head hits the pillow.

I wake up around noon, and start working on the video, not before making myself some coffee. I spend all day on it and on ideas for the upcoming tour. Hobi and Yoongi both texted me during the day, asking how I was doing.

Jin called me around 6, but I didn't answer. The strangest feeling appeared in my stomach when I saw his name on my phone. Instead, I sent him a text reading "Sorry, working, will call you during the week"

I have trouble concentrating again on work so I watch the end of the movie I had started the night before.

I go to bed around 10 and remember that tomorrow is Jimin's shoot. Uuuugh I hope everything goes well.

I struggle to fall asleep that night, my mind not letting me. I can't stop thinking about the feeling I had when Hobi mentionned Jin and when he called me. I can't shake it off but I also can't figure out why it's here.

The same feeling is here as I wake up, but I figure it's just because of today's schedule. I get ready as per usual, but this time I'm not as happy to go to set. It's not a great mindset to start the week off.

My staff is already setting up when I get there. After greeting them and checking if everything is good to go for today, I head to the bathroom. When I walk in, I hear someone coughing from one of the stalls. Almost immediately, I hear the person rushing to flush the toilet. The door open and I see Jimin come out, eyes red and sweaty forehead, panting. I stare at him, not knowing what to say. I kind of gathered what was going on in there, but I'm guessing no one was supposed to be here.

"What are you looking at?" He spits as me as he walks out, not without bumping my shoulder on the way.

Shit. I rest myself on one of the sinks to process. No wonder he acts the way he does. He's not arrogant, it's a defense mechanism. I'm guessing he's very insecure about himself. Now I get why Yoongi said Jimin wasn't great with the tour coming up! He must put a lot of pressure on himself because of it.

I won't bring it up to him, this is clearly not something he wants to be known. I go back to set and see that he his all ready for the shoot to begin.

"You look amazing Jimin, keep going" I encourage him. He actually does. The lighting hits his skin perfectly, his poses are incredible. He truly is a beautiful man, almost angelic.

The day goes by smoothly, apart from a few comments he makes towards me, but after this morning, I don't give into him.

We wrap up while Jimin is getting changed. As soon as he's done, he walks straight to me.

"Whatever you think you saw or heard this morning never happened. But if it gets out, your are dead meat, do you hear me?" His face is so close to mine that I can feel his breath against my skin. His eyes are pure wrath as they stare me down, a long way from the divine-like pictures we just took of him.

I gulp as he's still staring angrily at me and barely nod as an answer. Satisfied with that, he turns his heels and storms out of the place. I take a long breathe, realizing I had completely frozen during this interaction.

I need some air.

I quickly gather my things and walk to my office. Today is particularly cold. The breeze is hitting my skin like a thousands little knives. This isn't helping. I can't unsee Jimin eyes right in front of mine. I pick up my phone to call Yoongi. I struggle to hit the screen, my fingers numb from the cold.

"Hey Gina!" He answers after 2 ringtones.

"Hey Yoongi. Am I bothering you?"

"No not at all! What's wrong? Why do you sound like you're about to cry?"

"For your information, I don't cry. But yeah if I were a cryer, I would be weeping right now."

"Do you want to talk about it?" This is why I called Yoongi. I could've dialed Hobi, but I knew there would be too many questions. Yoongi will just listen to me if I need to talk.

"I guess so yeah" I start. I don't want to be too direct about what happened. "So it was Jimin's shoot today, and I heard something in the toilet this morning and he got super defensive about it and-"

"Okay stop." He doesn't let me finish. "Whatever he said about it, don't listen. You heard it so I'll tell you. He has an eating disorder. I believe it's important for you to know, everyone we work with does."

"I see." I knew it. "Is that why he acts that way?"

"Yes. That's what I almost spilled at the restaurant the other day, but we had only known each other for 2 days. Given the new circumstances, you needed to know."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you don't know." He pauses. What is he saying? "Did you talk to your boss recently?"

"Not since last week, but I'm meeting with him in an hour, why? Please tell me Yoongi." I'm starting to get anxious. Why do I have to talk to my boss?

"It's not my place to tell. Talk to M.Yi and we'll talk about it after."

I run to the office, and try calling my boss. No one is in his office. Fuck. I have to wait an hour.

I imagine every single scenario as I wait. I'm pacing in my office while my mind is spiraling. My anxiety levels are through the roof by the time I have to meet M.Yi.

My stream of thoughts is interrupted by a knock on my door.

"Ms Douglas, are you ready for our meeting?"

"Of course M.Yi!" I try to hide my impatience.

"May I?" He points to the chair facing my desk.

"Please!" I gesture him to sit down, and I do the same in my chair.

"So I've got some feedback from the BTS project" He starts. Fuck. What is he going to say? "I have to say I'm very impressed with your work. Pulling that off with only a few days of preparation is quite an achievement!"

Okay this is a good start. I can feel my muscles relaxing just a bit.

"Well I couldn't have done it without my team"

"Give yourself some credit Ms Douglas, you're good at what you do."

I smile as I bow my head to him as a thank you.

"But more seriously, the band and their team all agree in saying that you did an amazing job. As you already know, we are sponsoring their world tour that starts next month. At first it was only a trailer and some clothes to wear, but now they want to make it into a documentary." I don't see where he's going with this, but I enjoy the fact that my work is appreciated by our partner. "The thing is, since we're sponsoring it, we have to make sure that the clothes they wear are properly represented in the movie." He stops, looking for an answer.

"M.Yi, I'm sorry but I don't quite understand why you're telling me this."

"Well, long story short, as Visual Creative Director, you're going on tour with BTS to make sure our products are promoted in the right way. You leave in 3 weeks."

My jaw drops. What? I'm going on a world tour with the biggest K-Pop band?

"I - um - wow.." I'm startled. I gather myself to form a proper sentence. "Thank you so much for this opportunity, M.Yi."

"Don't thank me, I'd rather have you here. Thank the members, they pushed for you to join them."

I smirk at that statement. I doubt it was a unanimous decision, but who cares. I'M GOING ON A WORLD TOUR!!!

We talk about all the details, and straight after, I organize a meeting with my team for the next day. We're going to have to make a plan for this.

As soon as I leave the office, I type a text to the group chat. "Hi all, I would like to thank you guys for the opportunity. I'm sure we will work wonders during the tour."

The answers come in one by one :

- Hobi : "FINALLY YOU KNOOOOW!!! CAN'T WAIT! 🎉🎉"

- Yoongi : "You deserve it."

- Jungkook : 🤗🤗🤗

- Tae : "Well I haven't seen you work yet, so don't think it's a done deal! Just joking, you're safe 😉"

I get a personal text from Jin stating : "Can't wait to see you everyday xx" And there's the weird feeling again. I don't have time to analyze it, because my phone bings again. It's from Namjoon.

"Don't think everyone is onboard. You better not fuck it up." My stomach turns into a knot, and tightens even more when I see that Jimin reacted to his text with a thumbs up.

I won't let any of this get to me. I have the biggest opportunity of my life waiting for me, and I plan on making everything work.

I call Sarah to tell her all about it. We end up Facetiming the entire evening and let her in on everything that has happened. The shootings, the guys, Namjoon and Jin. I eventually tell her about the weird feeling I've been getting these last few days.

"And I don't know, it's strange.. Like every time I think of this kiss, every time his name shows up on my phone it's the same feeling in my stomach and up my spine.." I tell her

"Gina..would this not be because of Pete?" There's a long silence after she says that. The sound of his name sends shivers down my spine. I immediately close off.

"No, and don't mention him again." I answer harshly. "I'm gonna go, I have to get up early tomorrow"

"Gina, I'm sorry, please don-" I hang up.

How could she do that? Not now, not when everything is going great for me for the first time in my life? I block out any thought about this conversation and go to bed.

I jump up at the sound of my alarm. I'm on the wrong side of the bed, covered in sweat, my sheets on the ground. Last nights conversation comes back to mind. I head straight for the shower to gather myself. I give myself a mental peptalk. I absolutely cannot fall back into this. I have an amazing life, an amazing job, my past isn't who I am.

The peptalk didn't have the desired effect, and I'm a mess when I get to the set. It's Taehyung's turn, and I really don't him want to see me like this. My skin is pale, my eyes look tired, even more because of the huge bags under them, my hair is up in a bun (which almost never happens).

I see him walk through the door but he's not alone. Jungkook is here too. They both walk towards me.

"Kook wanted to see what the set looked like, I hope you don't mind." He says as he's walking. "Are you okay?" He's close enough to see the state of my face now. He actually looks worried.

It's that obvious, huh "Not a problem, nice to see you both." I turn away. "Just tired."

"Gina, I'm sorry, but you look like shit." He's not wrong. "What's wrong?"

"Not here, let's just get to work." They both nod, but still look very concerned. They look at each other, then back at me. I gesture Tae to go get his makeup done and does as I ask.

We start the shoot, and I'm not as into it today as the other days. My team notices, and of course, being the best team in the world, they take control of the shoot.

Tae is killing it, and he doesn't even need the directions he's given. He's a natural. Everyone looks over to me as I look at the results.

"We're good to go guys, thank you for today."

Tae and Jungkook come straight to me "So where are we going?"

I check the time "I have to go to the office, I have a meeting in 30 minutes."

"Okay, but come to my place as soon as you're done." Tae orders me. I don't want to talk but I also don't want to be alone. They leave when I agree.

I rush back to the office. I get there just in time for the meeting. We spend the whole afternoon figure out a plan, but we don't go too deep. We know we have a bit more time to prepare than for the campaign.

After we settle everything at work, I grab a cab to go to Tae and Yoongi's place.

I'm greeted at the door by an even more concerned Taehyung. His eyes are darker than usual, maybe because his brows are frowning.

I follow him to the living room, where Jungkook is already sat on the couch. Tae comes forward with a bottle of wine and 3 glasses. We wait for him to open it and pour some into each glass.

He sits beside me. « This is a safe space, Gina. It's just the 3 of us, say whatever you want. »

I do feel safe here. Both of them are sat beside me, surrounding me with a comforting energy.

I usually don't talk about this but I feel the need to do so, which is strange for me.

I start telling my story.

[yoolee]

About Lee

@cavern-of-bells made a FUN LIST OF THINGS so I answered them.

1. What kind of food can’t you stand?:  I fervently avoid all food that squelches – like grapes and ‘gelatinous snow fungus’ (that is a google-translated name for a mushroom in a soup my roomie from China made me once – aside from that ingredient, it was interesting). I’ve never, not once in my life, eaten Jello. 

2. If you could choose one minor inconvenience to never have to deal with again, what would you pick?:  Smoke alarm chirping. I could also happily do without pharmaceutical ads, which I think should be illegal, and election campaign ads.

3. Have you got any useless talents?:  AHAHAHA. I can sing the chipmunk Christmas song and say the alphabet backwards? I’m also hypermobile—did a stint in the local circus as a contortionist in high school. (non-animal circus – just acrobatic acts)

4. If you could be really really good at one thing, what would it be?:  Making people smile.

5. Name a few people you think are extremely good-looking: Mila Kunis, Barbara Palvin, Wendell Lissimore, Chris Evans, Zendaya Coleman, Natalie Portma, Godfrey Gao

6. What was your favorite way to pass the time as a kid?:  READING (/daydreaming about book worlds) but also figure skating while we could still afford it. It was as close to flying as I could get! 

7. What is something you’re proud of?:  When I was in my MBA program, my 59 classmates voted me ‘Most Likely to Change the World’. It’s framed next to my diplomas. Though, to be fair, it also sort of haunts me because I feel like I’m not living up to it. 

8. What’s one character flaw in people that you just can’t tolerate?:  I despise being patronized. Being ignorant and refusing to admit it in the face of facts.

9. Do you consider yourself to be more of a leader or a follower?:  Leader -  not a good one, but, I’m not a follower.

10. What kind of student are/were you?:  A really lazy, procrastinating one who still got A’s/B’s. I was a really good test taker.

11. Butterfly effect question! Has there ever been a seemingly minor decision you’ve made (at the time) that ended up having a profound influence on your life?:  Reading in class in 7th grade science. My teacher made a deal with me – if I could pass the pre-quiz at the start of every week, he’d let me read instead of pay attention, but he would get to pick the book. He introduced me to Michael Crichton and Anne McCaffery, which were my first forays into sci-fi, and my involvement in that has rippled through most of my major friend groups since. Alternately, attending a training at my first career job, which introduced me to the career I now have.

12. Name your most irrational fear/aversion: Ants. I hate ants. Where there’s one, there’s hundreds, and there’s nowhere I can go that they can’t get too, and they’re small enough to crawl in your nose and stuff. I sat in a fire ant hill as a kid, which was strike one. Strike two was moving into a house that had been abandoned for seven months when I was in third grade – turned on the tub water and it came out black there were so many ants in the pipes, and they just POURED into the tub and swarmed up the sides oh god it was like a horror movie. Other than that, most of my fears are pretty average – failure, my family being hurt, etc.

13. Are there any fictional characters you find especially relatable?:  I am self-centered enough to find myself in most characters – there’s usually one or two aspects that line up. Unless they are Lawful Good then I’m like…uuuugh. Nope, nothing there.

14. If you drink, what kind of drunk are you? Alternatively, what sort of person are you at parties?:  I am a giggly, ballet-dancing drunk. I get hyper paranoid about my spatial issues so I literally go into ballet-mode because the movements are naturally slower and more flowy. I am also pretty clingy drunk. I like to snuggle, which is funny because sober me is not big on touching or being touched. Not to overanalyze, but I think being drunk takes away the fear of that. At parties I am that awkward wall-hovering introvert who likes to find an extrovert and make them talk while I nod and wait to GTFO. I spent the entirety of my bro’s wedding reception babysitting a 4 and 5 year old because it was so much less stressful than making small talk (simultaneously playing Go Fish AND Who’s Who Monster Edition LIKE A CHAMP)

15. Do you fall in love easily? Or does it usually take a long time for you to trust someone?:  AHAHAHAHA no. I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever honestly been in love – just more fond of one person than most. Invariably, I find I prefer my own company to theirs after a time.

16. Would you rather have one close friend or 100 casual friends?:  This is a really hard one. 100 casual friends means more people to do stuff with, but, I treasure my close friends. I don’t know. Pass!

17. Do you consider yourself to be more of a slob or a neat-freak?:  I. AM. SUCH. A. SLOB. *sobs* My room should have a hazard sign.

18. Describe a place (imaginary or real) that you would find incredibly cozy: I am not feeling creative – a bedroom that cleans itself, with lots of soft, fuzzy blanket piles and pillows, with tea services (including scones!) and lots of bookshelves. A view of a duck pond would be appreciated too lololol. 

19. Do you have kids? If not, do you want them someday?: I don’t have kids. I truly treasure spending time with the kids in my family, and I work part-time as a princess/elf/storyteller at the local zoo – I like kids, but, I am a really selfish and self-centered person, and I move on to new things—including people—with serious regularity. I don’t think I would be a good parent at all. I wish I could be, but, knowing my flaws, it would be really irresponsible to have kids.

20. What was your favorite book as a child?  Elementary school – it was a book about a little black cat who went to boarding school, and there was a yellow spotted cat with a fire truck. Don’t remember the name. I also love the Wizard of Oz books (SO DARK). As a middle schooler – The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. I needed a Mary Sue at that point in my life. Also loved the Dragonsinger series by Anne McCaffery, and everything by Mercedes Lackey and Tamora Pierce. In high school…The Things They Carried, I suppose. Now, probably Fuyumi Ono’s Twelve Kingdom’s series. It’s YA, but, the characters are so flawed, and so redeemed, I find it really interesting.

21. Name one thing you just don’t get what all the hype is about: Disney World  

22. Name one thing that you think is tragically underrated: The Emperor’s New Groove is the best Disney movie ever. ALSO, Mary Sues. Middle School me needed Mary Sues. I think most do. Go easy on ‘em.

23. If you had to be glued to a person for a month, real or fictional (who you have never met), who would you choose?: UM. HM. Someone who doesn’t need to shower to smell clean? XD Lady Luck, maybe. It would be fascinating to watch – both good and bad luck – unfold all around.

24. What’s something you’d like the chance to do someday?: This feels super arrogant – but I’d like to be a good enough author to have a book published and do a book signing. With people who actually come to get the book signed!

25. Do you typically speak your mind when you have a controversial opinion? Or do generally prefer to not rock the boat?: I like to work behind the scenes. Usually I write like a multi-page rebuttal with linked references, but I rarely post it. Sometimes I do. I call my senators roughly weekly, for what that’s worth, but public discourse is not my thing.

26. What’s the dumbest fad you’ve been caught up in?: ….uuuum. Hmm. Butterfly clips, maybe? But then, it was the 90s and I was eleven, so. 

27. What’s something you thought was cool as a kid/adolescent, but now cringe at yourself for?:  I DON’T CRINGE AT MYSELF but Dragonball Z. XD I forgive my kid/adolescent self for a lot, okay.

28. What’s a trait you consider to be very admirable?: The willingness to publically, and politely, engage in debate in service of someone else. Genuine ability to interact with other people in a way that leaves them feeling better for having interacted with you.

29. Is there a particular kind of item people always tend to give you as gifts? (For instance, people always get you things with ducks on them because you like ducks, etc.): LITERALLY, DUCKS. I love ducks. People give me ceramic ducks all the time. Also socks, because my grandma collected fancy decorative perfume bottles and one Christmas my mom and I went to like 10 stores looking for one she didn’t have and I pitched a FIT saying when I was older I was going to collect socks because you always need more, and there’s no way people would run out of options for me. My family thought this was hilarious and took me up on it. My grandpa shipped me socks from the dollar store once a month while I was in college.

30. Do you speak multiple languages? Which ones?: I wish I did! I can cuss in quite a few, and I know some conversational Irish from studying abroad there and studying it. 

31. Would you rather live in the big city or the countryside?: Having lived in both – the big city. It’s too easy to self-isolate in the countryside, and for me, personally, that’s fairly unhealthy. Countryside is definitely prettier and more peaceful, just, not for me.

32. Has there ever been something you were certain you’d hate, but ended up loving?: Literally all the time. Like, Mitsunari in SLBP for example!

33. Do you mind being the center of attention, or do you prefer the spotlight to be on someone else?: Ahahahaha give me all of the attention please /sigh

34. Favorite holiday?: Halloweeeeen. But I also really like Diwali even if I feel a little bit like I am trespassing/being a tourist. It’s just beautiful.

35. Are you a more go-with-the-flow type of person, or do you need to have things planned meticulously?: “PLANNED” AHAHAHA WHAT IS THAT WORD IDK. I am so last-minute and haphazard it’s absurd.

36. Is there something you loved so much you wish you could forget it and experience it all over again? (A tv show, book, series–anything.) : The pleasure of reading books in middle school. Those ‘first’ exposures, without expectation or standards. EVERYTHING was magical and exciting, and I devoured it all. Alternately, college. 

37. What hobbies do you have?: UM. I dress up as a princess/superhero and visit kids in the hospital which is…weird, I know. I get paid to do it at the zoo, and some parents reached out to them and asked if we could visit and then it became a thing. Less so now that I’m in a new city. Martial arts (Hapkido, Judo, Taekwondo), ballet, baking with zucchini, photoshopping, reading, writing SLBP fanfiction, playing otome games…XD

38. If you could have a superpower, but it was only mildly useful, what ability would you want to have?: THE ABILITY TO FEEL WELL-RESTED AT ANY TIME. Or good luck, but I’d argue that would be more than mildly useful. Ability to find the right thing to say to cheer someone up!

39. Something people are always surprised to learn about you: Online folks are usually surprised to learn I’m old? Friends IRL are usually surprised I’m Chaotic Evil (I won’t say I’m two-faced, I’ll say I try really hard to be nice, and I act like it well, but it is an act – I don’t genuinely possess any empathy to speak of. I will listen to you, but I probably don’t actually care, I just want to – there is a difference) and work folks are usually pretty surprised at the Chemistry background. FOLLOWERS OF THIS BLOG won’t be surprised but, I friggen love Waffle House. That usually throws people for al oop.

40. Something that took you way too long to figure out: That I’m bi? I was on BC for so long I thought I was ace, so when I finally developed a drive in my late/mid-twenties it was sort of shocking to realize it’s only rarely set to hetero, and like, I still don’t know how to act on that. ALSO for years I had no idea there was a little arrow on your gas gauge to tell you which side the gas pump’s on – comes in super handy in rental cars.

41. Worst injury you’ve had? Physically? Fell out of a tree as a kid and snapped an arm bone in half – one half went on top of the other. Other things have happened that took longer to emotionally recover, but, physically that was the worst probably. Weirdly, I fell off of the roof with no injury, but…idk I’m weirdly durable.

42. Any morbid fascinations?: Snake venom. I could probably write a dissertation. 

43. Describe your sense of humor: I LOVE PUNS. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. I like ‘smart’ humor (puns are clever) and nerdy humor, but I don’t like mean humor. I also laugh at gallows humor a lot.

44. If you had to be born in another era/place, which would you choose?: Okay this is really hard because I would be useless in most other eras and I would miss indoor plumbing and women’s rights and people not regularly dying around me. I am probably biased by being interested in times with the best myths/stories. Ancient Egypt? Viking Age? Basically any time period in China or Japan because my US-centric world history studies seriously failed me they are a bit of a fascinating mystery. 

45. Something you are irredeemably bad at: LOL this would be a long list. (you said ‘thing’ singular, I am taking that as a friendly suggestion not a mandate) Push-ups (hypermobile elbows, okay). Cleaning. LOGISTICS AND PLANNING OH LORD. Editing my own work. SMALL TALK oh god I am the worst at small talk I even took a class on it trying to get better. Gracefully accepting compliments - how does one do that and not come off as obnoxious ;.;

46. Something that sucked but you’re glad you went through: Most recently, dumping a Really Good Guy. A past me would have just quietly let it fade into oblivion and that would have been worse. I think? 

47. Would you rather have a really godawful ugly tattoo in a place that is only slightly inconvenient to conceal with clothing (upper arm, thigh, etc.), or the coolest, most beautiful tattoo ever in the middle of your face? (Neither tattoo can be removed or concealed with makeup, and the ugly tattoo will deeply offend anyone who sees it.): lololol oh my gosh. I don’t like offending people. So. I guess pretty one on my face.

48. Are you more of an optimist or a pessimist?: Eeeeeeh.I guess optimist, but that’s mostly laziness.

49. What would be the most flattering compliment someone could give you?: That I have made their life better or brighter somehow. 

50. Something you feel people often misunderstand about you: I am simultaneously incredibly confident about things and incredibly craven about people! And that’s hard for people to get sometimes. Like, my writing I am wholly confident of and proud of to the point of arrogance – as a thing. But the moment someone talks to me about it I get petrified because oh god what if I, as a person say or do something that turns them off to the point where they can’t enjoy the writing (the thing).  It’s greatly exacerbated by the internet where I can’t read tone or facial expressions – but I’m still pretty bad about this offline too. Like, I hate even going to Chipotle or Qdoba where there isn’t a big line of people (if there’s a big line of people everything is hustling and bustling and moving along) – I greatly dislike social interactions that lack a script. But, put my project in front of a board of directors or the company president, and I will kick tush and take names. It’s a weird dichotomy, but that’s how I’m wired.

THIS WAS FUN. GOOD QUESTIONS

I TAG YOU, PERSON READING THIS.