#we wanted to get a spot in the main camp site but it was already full when we got there but bc we were tenting we got a good overflow spot

[alex51324]

North American Total Solar Eclipse, 8 April 2024

This is your friendly heads-up that if you want to travel to see the total solar eclipse coming up in the spring, now* is a good time to start making your arrangements!

This one will be visible as at least a partial eclipse to most of North America, with the path of totality cutting a diagonal from Sinaloa, Mexico to Newfoundland, Canada, including 15 US states from Texas to Maine.

Although we just had one a few years ago in 2017, we won't have another solar eclipse visible in the continental US until 2045--and the path of totality for the 2024 one is within driving distance for a much larger proportion of the US population than either 2017 or 2045. The Northeastern US won't see another until the 2070's.

For millions of people, including me, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a total solar eclipse without getting on a plane. Hotels in major cities along the path of totality are already starting to fill up.

Last time, in 2017, I was able to see the partial eclipse from where I live, but it wasn't feasible to travel to see the totality. I heard from people who did see the totality that it's really quite something, so I decided back then that I was going to go to this one. (The one in 2079 might be a bit closer to where I currently live, but I'll be 101 by then, so I figure I'd better not wait.)

Erie, PA is the closest place for me to see it, and I figured I'd camp. I started looking into it last night, and pickings are pretty slim already. I lucked into a camping cottage at a park 20 minutes' drive outside the path of totality--I think someone must've cancelled recently, for me to get it, because out 87 spots, all they had left was 9 tent/trailer sites, and the one cottage.

So anyway, if you want to go, it's an overnight trip for you, and you don't want to end up sleeping in your car at a rest area, now's* the time!

(*Actually several months ago would have been the best time, but the second-best time is now.)

[bahja-blix]

Helluva Boss S2 EP 5 (Unhappy Campers)

Helluva Boss S2 EP 5 Review! 

🌵My opinions and views might be different from yours and that's okay! I'm entitled to my opinion and so are you! It is a free country where we should express how we feel about whatever it may be. Use your voice and let it shine! 

🌵🌵I've done some research on blogs that shared their thoughts and watched Helluva Boss S2 EP 5 (Unhappy Campers) several times over to get an insight of my own thoughts and put them all together in one. In other words I will be using other pieces of info from others whom have already critiqued the show and use their thoughts as inspiration! 

🌵🌵🌵I will be answering asks about this episode or Helluva in general so send away your thoughts especially in the comments section! 

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I'm going to highlight some things I actually did like about the episode before I critique it as I don't wanna completely end off on a negative note and throw in a bit of positivity, So let's begin!! 

🌵 Number 1 I really liked the fact that *Gasp* IMP is actually doing their job? 🥳🤯 I can't believe it neither because I nearly forgot about it lol! Man, If only there wasn't so much pointless filler in the previous episodes where they don't do their job and just screw around. I was genuinely surprised and I'm glad the episode went that route! 

🌵 Two, in the beginning Millie was spot on in this episode when it came to figuring out who they needed to kill as She quickly found some clues and facts like an actual detective from a far. I really liked that! 

🌵 Three Moxxie was funny in the episode to me. When he was interacting with the gals I couldn't help but laugh at his attitude and him getting roasted. 

🌵 Four nitpick but I like how good Millie looks as a tomboy and the clients design I like too so ya! 

🌵 Before Barbie ruined it for me I liked this one line she said in the episode! That line being: 

"Do you have any idea how easy it is to manipulate teenage humans?"

To me, I felt like it was a commentary on my own generation and real life. How my generation is very easy to manipulate and influence especially nowadays. I felt like it was relatable because that's the truth! 

Teenagers and kids in general *cough* gen z can be Very influenced or manipulated. The younger a person is the more likely they are to be influenced by bad people especially if that said person is seen as cool, popular, or in with the IT crowd. Trust me I've been there as an actual Gen Zer back in my edgy teen years. Only difference is I grew the hell up! 

🌵 With that done let's get into how I feel about the episode because….There's a lot to unpack here!

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🌵 When I first saw the title card I thought that Moxxie was going to be the main, Main focus in the spotlight and not Millie because of how the title card looked alone with a confident Moxxie and a disappointed Millie. Just like how Moxxie got the spotlight in other episodes such as Harvest Moon Festival (Where Millie should've had the spotlight in that episode) and just like how Stolas and Blitzo did in multiple episodes because God forbid the Stolitz show actually fucking ends so we can get actual character development for our fucking female characters that desperately need it.  However, that wasn't the case this time! It was Millie who actually got the spotlight most of the episode more so than Moxxie. 

🌲 We open up with Blitz looking for his sister Barbie Wire, where we find out (Later in the episode at 18:47) that he wants to help his sister and catch up her and it's all sweet in stuff, except I don't care. Blitzo is angry and upset over the fact that he can't find his sister so he storms to his office while Moxxie and Millie are trying their best to help a client who got killed at their camp site. Moxxie asks Blitz for advice and Blitz tells Moxxie to figure it out himself therefore Moxxie is put in charge as the lead. Mox promise's to find his killer and he says He says and I quote "This will be the cleanest, well prepped, most surgical hit they'll ever have" end quote… implying they will solve this case quickly only to completely contradict itself because it takes them a whole week (according to their universe) to drum up some BS they pull out of their ass to get some Jimmy guy killed by the end of the episode and while Moxxie is supposed to be the most logical one in IMP Moxxie messes everything up and the plan takes longer because the writers wanted to shit on Moxxie again because

"hee hee funny funny no one like him lol"

🌵 Moxxie sets up a plan where they go to a campground and play dress up again, Like they did in the cherubs episode.

I have several questions!

How come Barbie Wire who is an imp, can literally fucking shape shift without using any sort of magical source however, Moxxie, Millie and Blitzo can't? In Seeing Stars they had a chance to actually explain why but chose not too! Where's the fucking grimoire? They can use the grimoire to open portals, use spells, summon, but they can't use it for disguises… The Grimoire itself is so flippin useless that it shouldnt've even been introduced in this show. Furthermore, Why the Hell is Everyone in this goddamn universe so utterly stupid? Okay I know why but still… Like okay the girls Moxxie tries so incredibly hard to befriend, question him for the way he looks n stuff but when they see Millie they don't question her at all like???¿?¿? K lmao

🌵 At the campground Moxxie and Millie recap their plan in the most cringy way possible and then they move on And part ways. 

🌵 Moxxie tries to befriend the gals in the most wack ass way but gets his ass roasted. The gals leave and Blitzo continues to find his sister. 

🌵Millie is the most badass at the  camp because that's how Millie is… Moxxies badass wife that doesn't even have to try at all in fact the episode makes sure that everyone loves her because Viv said so that's why! 

🌵First off all the song Millie sings is God Awful, her being overly popular at the camp grounds is so fucking forced and completely out of knowwhere. She joins a volleyball game and dunks on some kid and that's what makes her popular? Lmao K, 

🌵 Mox gets jealous of Millie because he's not the focus in the episode! It's Millie for once. After a small argument Millie suggests that Mox does something that he's good at so they can go and continue with their plans. 

🌵 Oh come the fuck on dont tell me Moxxie is this fucking cringy like he has shown he can perform and sing better that that! *Facepalms* 

🌵 Moxxie screws up yet again and everyone hates him even more so he goes crying on the toilet. Millie comforts him and that's sweet and stuff. Mix tries again, and again, and again, he fails spectacularly and then Moxxie gets upset Yet Again! 

🌵 Mox goes on about how he has a "Job" to do and that the job has to be done "His way" because God damnit he said so! Only it wasn't Millie that messed up the plan at all because had Moxxie actually listen to his wife this time the episode would've fucking ended and the filler wouldn't happen now would it? Moxxie is the one that messes everything up and it takes Millie up on stage to unintentionally kill who their looking for with a firework that just so happen to go flying into the location that Moxxie, Blitzo and his sister were fighting at. 

🌵 The Falling Out

Millie and Mox *gasp* have an argument? Couldn't believe it either lol! Millie admits she doesn't feel important. That no one is proud of her and this and that. Millie sweetie you fucking LOVE killing, killing is your life. it means the whole world to you and now you're pulling this outta your behind? They literally could've finished the job had Moxxie listened to her. Then Literally not even a minute and a half later this shit happens… 

🌵 Moxxie gets up on that stage like the diva he is and constantly validates his wife for being the biggest badass ever to walk earth while at the end of his speech creeps everyone out then goes and looks for the suspects but only after Millie points out some sus activity. Mox runs into Blitz and gets called out for his fuckery not finishing the job he was tasked to do.

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🌵 The Barbie Wire Situation

Okay I'm going to be tapping into sensitive ground here so please keep in mind I'm going off of the themes in the episode that are presented to me as the viewer. I have read others posts about Viv and the backlash she got about Barbie but regardless, these are my thoughts, this is your final warning and here we go!

🌵 Going back into the beginning At the 3:44 minute mark when Moxxie and Millie go and find out whom possibly killed their client Moxxie states "Hm, You know, these kids are a bit younger than I was expecting" and then followed up by telling Millie to not be sexual around them Implying that the campers are minors which is why I (like others) questioned the situation especially later in the episode more as time went on! (Moxxie telling Millie to not be sexual is completely contradicted in the last bit of the episode simply because horny ass Viv just couldn't hold it in anymore)

🌵 Barbie was okay until she decided to be a creep ass in the episode at the beginning of the 16 Minute mark of her flashing her boney ass at the audience… Viv once again gets her ass in that hot water when people call her out for her abysmal writing. I've heard that people saw her say that The "Teenager Jimmy" is 18 or 19 but the scene itself to me was unnecessary and still downright creepy. 

Like? The show literally could've thrown in a bag of weed or edibles if the show really wanted to go there knowing the nature of the show anyway and that would've made more sense since you yourself Barbie are a drug addict who makes young impressionable teenagers smuggle drugs. 

🌵 Later Barbie says "I don't wanna hear it "Kid". She calls him kid which is really weird but I mean…there's literally grownups irl that call older teens kids anyway so I mean I Guess it can be taken either way. But here's the thing though this Jimmy guy sure acts like a dumb immature kid with his "WHAAA?? Heeeyyy No I'm not" attitude like lmao 😂 which is it is he older or is he younger? Pick one! 

But I mean hey, Who knows maybe this guy who sounds nothing like a 18/19 yr old really is an adult or maybe Viv is just a damn liar that's pulling something out of her ass to get herself out of that hot water that she put herself into! It was the first day of the episode and people will talk more as time goes on! 

🌵 A slow-ass fight within the episode ensues but it's nothing really all that special compared to what we previously got like with Truth Seekers and Western Energy as examples.

🌵 In the end regardless if Barbie tried saving him that Jimmy guy died anyway because of Millie and her fireworks that blew his ass away... quite literally LMAO

🌵 Glad we actually get some sort of context or insight on Barbie and Blitzo's relationship within the 18:44 minute mark, Where we learn that Blitz literally ruined her life in the past however, here's the thing… we don't even get to see what actually happened in their past. It's just a bunch of filler instead of developing this character you tried hyping up. Why did Barbie go to rehab? Was it the drugs? Or something else? Why does Barbie hate her brother so much and never wants to see him again? Why doesn't the episode fucking explore their relationship properly? Viv why the hell did you try so incredibly hard to hype up this character if there wasn't going to be jack shit with her? 

Hnnnnggg

🌵 The episode DID NOT need the incest "joke" at all in any way shape or form. Viv and her horny writing staff just Had to add that in there be shocking and subvert expectations when in reality it didn't like? We've already seen Those two humping in the air on stage before in the goddamn cherubs episode. lmfao sweet home incest Alabama am I right? 

The End! 

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🌵 Wow! Definitely NOT a fan of this episode at all! It's a meh episode that actually did get me to laugh a few times. This episode should've been split into two parts. One where we could get to explore more about Barbie and her relationship with her brother Blitzo and another where the writing staff could write an actual BETTER Millie episode where she actually gets better character development than small pieces of development! Those Asmodeus crystals are unexplained and never explored on! The Grimoire is fucking useless as hell, this episode should've been in season one based on the fact that unlike season one of Helluva Boss season two is completely different! They actually do their jobs in season one but two? Nah Fam! Like every episode of helluva boss there's a ton of errors in it, Blitzo is an asshole but that's how he always been, Moxxie being ranchy AF especially when talking about his period as if he's the greatest thing in the universe was Not Funny! Barbie is a groomer, regardless if Viv claims this Jimmy guy is, 18 it's still creepy and was completely unnecessary. The incest jokes in the episode were completely horrendous and didn't need to be in the episode at All, and lastly… 

🌵 Loona Does shows up at the very last second of the episode! She sure does exist does she? There's the bait! Come and Get It!

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Did I miss anything you'd like me to talk about? Ask me anything! Do you agree or disagree? 

Comment, like, share around, critique and always give feedback as everything is appreciated!

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[thessalian]

Thess vs The Fate Of HADES

Didn't entirely finish that particular part of the main quest line, but it's late, and that very convenient save point suggests to me that there is going to be a very long period of searching ruins and/or cutscenes (and brief checking confirms), so nah. Still, not like I wasn't productive in Horizon-world.

Right. Rebel camp. Kill leader, others ... optional. Let's see; can the Focus pick out leaders?

...The Focus can pick out leaders! Okay, how good is this sharpshot bow really?

Well. Okay. Given that I one-shotted the leader from a very long way away, I'd say this sharpshot bow is pretty damn good!

Sooooooooooo ... you tell me that killing the other rebels is optional, buuuuuuuuuut you also want me to search the rebel leader. In the camp where everyone is freaking out about their leader having an arrow through their face, and also firing arrows in my general direction. I mean, they're not really hitting me, but we can call this self-defense now. And in no way padding my headshot count.

Wait. Rebel Tenakth wear dog tags?

Ooh. Shinies. Great. Okay. Now, there are a lot of options, but let's go check out that Carja camp.

Dudes. DUDES. GET. A. ROOM. Also that is not a tray. It is too small for-- Y'know what? Never mind. I'll go check on things at your dig site.

But first I'm going to wander around these Carja ruins. Because Exploration.

More Firegleam. And another metal flower. WHEN DO I GET TO GET RID OF THIS SHIT ALREADY?!? Oh well; I got some good out of it - three Burrowers down and at least some shiny.

Okay. Dig site. Scrappers and ... why do they want Widemaws here? I guess because water-adjacent? Now, I could hide in a bush, and I will for these guys, but ... that's not a great angle. How about I quietly go up to the top of this post and shoot from there?

Well. This is good. TRY CHARGING ME NOW, DIPSHIT ROBOTS!

Right. So. Underwater. Ohyay.

Now, see, here's another thing I want RightTheHellNow. WHERE IS MY REBREATHER? Well, I apparently need access keys or some shit first.

This ... must be where my first access key is. One Skydrifter, a couple of Scroungers. And a friendly bush. Bye, guys!

...AND green shiny! My cup runneth over.

Ouch. Poor Old World Fighter-Dudes. None of that sounded happy. Right. Not much else in here, but there is an access key, so grab that and moving on...

Access Key The Second is apparently in another blocked path spot. Yaaaaaaay. I will get there eventually. (This is why I feel no shame in having my interactive map open at all times; I need to be able to reference back to where all the stuff I couldn't open is when I finally can open it.)

Welp, I'm pretty close to Sylens' coordinates, so I guess it's about time for main quest.

Thaaaaat's a Titan. And some data points / codex entries / whatever.

Sylens ... you tortured HADES for nearly two weeks?!? So how do you torture an AI?

...Well, that's ... one way to torture that particular AI, I guess. (Interesting to note that one of my most-used tags violates HADES' version of the Geneva Convention.)

WAIT, YOU HAVE A GAIA BACKUP, YOU SMUG LITTLE--?!? GAAAAAAAAH!

Okay. Just want to check a thing. Because we have a workbench, a main questline, and a bit patch of Firegleam. I have a feeling I know what one of the rewards for this is, and I want to make sure I'm right.

...YEEEEEEEEEEEEES.

Oooh, nailed that Skydrifter right in the chillwater reservoir. Aaaaaand now everything else wants me dead. Fine. Alternate between knocking you away with the spear and taking pot shots at you at short range. Because I can adapt, when I have to.

Huh. There's a campfire and a vendor right here. And a supply cache. This feels like a "If you need to pee, eat, or sleep, do it now because you're in for a long period of uninterrupted STUFF" save point to me. Lemme check a thing.

...Yeaaaaaaaah, no, better to do this tomorrow when I'm fresh. So the mystery can wait for now. I haven't got a big cutscene in me right now. (Then again, it could not possibly be as bad as some of the cutscene chains in FFXIV. Still.)

Yeah, pouring one out for Lance Reddick, because he does give exceptional dickwaffle. I just want to be awake enough to appreciate the sheer range of dickwaffle he portrays here.

[ellies-cycling-notes]

Day 10: Vienna to Jordan Junction

Distance Covered: 79.80 miles

Total Time (including rests): 7:47 (8:14am-4:01pm)

Time spent riding: 6:27

Average Speed: 12.4 mph

Apples Eaten: 4 (fuji - 8.5/10, fuji - 7/10, fuji - 6/10, jazz - 7/10)

Today's ride was a pretty good one. It was most on bike trails, first the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, and then the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Trail. First trail was really good and busy, a flat, paved trail with a bunch of bicyclists, but not so many that it felt crowded. The C&O trail was a lot less busy, but it was also mostly a light gravel path, and got somewhat uncomfortable at times. I did have to ride on state roads for about 15 miles to get from the first trail to the second, and that part wasn't pleasant, but it was more than made up for by the fact that there couldn't be any cars on the other 50 miles or so.

I did ended up getting a flat on the C&O trail, at one of the rougher parts, but even that isn't enough to spoil today's mood. It was a quick fix, and I was even able to then pump it up all the way to full due to my new hand/floor pump.

I made two intentional stops on this ride. The first one wasn't until 40 miles in, near the beginning of the C&O trail, and it could've gone even longer if I hadn't needed to go to the bathroom. My other stop was a lunch break about 15-20 miles before my campsite, at another hiker-biker campsite.

Oh yeah, that reminds me: today's camping experience is quite interesting! I'm staying at a hiker-biker campsite off the C&O trail. These are basically just clearing with a single port-a-potty and a water pump that occur approximately every 5 miles or so along the trail, and you just are able to setup your tent, spend a night, and then continue on your ride. In fact, if I didn't already have a plan for what sites I'm staying at to even put the distance I bike each day, I probably would've kept biking to a hiker-biker campsite further along, because I didn't get too tired on today's ride.

Small Notes On/After the Ride

Cap & Gown - on the W&OD trail, there was a pedestrian fully decked out in a red cap and gown, walking along while carrying a selfie stick, taking pictures of himself

Lack of Pictures - Both trails were actually quite beautiful, and made we wish I had a go-pro, because I didn't want to stop my bike just to take pictures

Tent areas - I've already mentioned the hiker-biker campsites as places to pitch your tent, but all along the trails there were also other small clearings that just felt like they would be the perfect spot to just pitch a tent for the night if you were allowed

Deer on path - similarly to when I was biking to Philadelphia, there were multiple times in the C&O trail where deer were either crossing the path, or just standing on the path, and then darted off when I got closer

Water Filter - the water pump at the campsite is non-potable, so I had to pull out my water filtration device and use it - I'm really glad I decided to bring it, cause otherwise I would be quite parched right now

Fellow bikepackers - there are 2 other guys at the campsite with me, both also with bikes. I had a very nice conversation with one of them, who's doing a loop, where he'll bike up north to the end of the trail, then take a train back to the beginning.

Design Notes

Today's design notes are a continuation of the time loop board game I first discussed on day 8.

Time loop

I have decided to go ahead with this game having an assisting app to manage various things. Here's a list of things which the app will probably manage:

Initial placement of objects in rooms - at the start of the game, objects are randomly placed in rooms for players to find. The players won't know what objects are in what room until they enter that room. However, every time they go through a time loop, these objects return to their original positions, so having it be tracked in the app makes it work easier

Position of players - the app needs to track player position for 2 main reasons. First, so it can tell players when they enter a room what occurs in that room. And second, in case there's an event or enemy that might react to a player's position without the players knowing it

Events - there are various events that happen throughout the game, and the app tracks when and where they happen, so that they will happen again in the same way when the players go through a time loop.

Note-taking? - this is not for certain, but it's possible there will exist a limited note-taking mechanism that carries over between time loops, making it easier to remember certain details. If so, the notes would be taken in the app.

Overall, the app serves 2 main purposes: (1) it tracks information that will need to repeat in a time loop, so players don't have to do all that by hand; (2) it tracks hidden information so that it is only revealed to players at the right moment.

What are events in Time Loop?

Events are semi-randomly generated things that occur that can be either good or bad for the players (I know that description is very bland). Events will often increase or decrease the Temporal Stability, which is the mechanism that decides when a time loop will occur.

There are 3 main types of events:

round events: every round, a random event occurs in one or more rooms - these events will always happen in the same room no matter the loop, and will be the main driving force in the game. Players will have to remember when and where certain events occur, so that they take advantage/avoid them in a future loop.

cause/effect events: these are events that trigger as a result of some action or lack of action and are usually related to player "mini games". These events may happen at different times depending on when a player takes a certain action in a loop, so they can also be planned around and sometimes avoided entirely.

time events: these events occur when some issue in the time stream occurs. Most commonly, this would be when you take an item w/ you back in time, and then try to get the old copy of the item, causing a paradox. These events are not the same in every loop, and should usually be avoided because they cause undue chaos. However, they can have rather swing-y effects, both for good and bad, so sometimes it's right to make use of them. Time events will sometimes have effects that carry over between time loops.

Items: each player can carry one item - they can pickup another item by dropping their current item in the room they're in. When a time loop occurs, each player who's still alive may take the item they're carrying with them to the new loop, but this can cause paradoxes and time events. Because you can only carry an item back with you if you're alive, one of the largest penalties for dying in a time loop is having the item you're carrying be reset to your original item.

Subcategory: Starting items: there are items that each player starts the game by carrying. If the player takes a different item w/ them back in time, their original starting item is put on the floor of the starting room.

Narrative: here's my current idea for the basic narrative of the game - players are the crew of a spaceship stuck in a wormhole/timestream - they must fix up the ship and find a way out of the wormhole - as the game goes on, temporal instability rises, and when it reaches a certain point, they go through a time loop back to the beginning, but keeping their knowledge and whatever they may be carrying on them

Temporal Stability: temporal Stability is a meter in the game that rises and lowers as actions are performed and events occur. When it reaches a certain threshold, the time loop immediately occurs. This, it is in the players' best interest to keep the stability away from that value, so that they can maximize the information gain for the next round, and possibly even beat the game.

I'm really enjoying thinking about this game, I think I might discuss why I started thinking about it in a future post. I kinda wish I had someone to talk to just to bounce ideas off of, because I have a lot more than what I've put here, these are just the easiest to put into words in a way that might make sense to other people.

It's quite bug-y tonight, and it's getting somewhat annoying to not have any spray. Despite that, today was a relatively relaxing ride day, and I hope it continues on being this way!

Previous -- Today's Pics -- Next

[blasphamoustraitors]

We went camping last night in the mountains and it was pretty cool!!!

[bikeit]

Montana gravel bike camping + GDMBR (5 days)

I never really got into "mountain biking", because for years I associated it with going fast on rough terrain and dodging obstacles, while I like to ramble and mosey and stop a lot. I also like rides where I can walk out my door (or hop off a train or plane) and get on the bike without having to drive somewhere.

I realize my impressions were a narrow caricature of what mountain biking can be, though, and I've always enjoyed the bits of off-roading that sneak into rides-- the last mile of dirt getting to a camp site from the road, strange muddy paths I find myself on when trying to bypass roads, or detours through parks to avoid main roads, and even when "road biking" I generally run 32mm+ tires to give myself more comfort and flexibility for unexpected detours.

Maybe "gravel biking" and "bikepacking" are the hip new marketing terms for what I want to do more of, and I can do that without seeking out technical singletrack...

I didn't know a lot of people locally who were interested in this, and I wanted to get a bit more out into the wilderness than the Bay Area, so I looked around for an organized group and found the Adventure Cycling "Intro to Gravel Touring and Bikepacking" class. It was already full, but I put my name on the waitlist and forgot about it.

Then, a month before it was supposed to happen, a spot opened up-- and I said yes. Five weeks later, I was here, fully-loaded with camping and cooking gear (no support van!), with a dozen friendly strangers on a gravel road in grizzly country, somewhere in Montana along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route:

This ride was organized as an introductory 4-day / 3-night loop from Whitefish (plus an extra day at the beginning for a gear shakedown test ride). About two days of that were paved roads, or at least smooth "oiled gravel" roads that felt like riding on pavement, just slower.

The two middle days were more rustic surfaces, ranging from the gravel in the first photo, to rough gravel on NF-114 / Trail Creek Road (the photo at the top of this post is one of the milder sections), with regular fist-sized rocks requiring you to ride slower and "pick a line"-- as a mountain bike novice I found it took a lot of concentration to be constantly surveying the road for sharp rocks and moving back and forth.

My favorite riding was forest road doubletrack, with soft pine needles muting some of the noises and a center strip of grass showing how few motor vehicles had been this way. So peaceful.

This ride was more focused on touring on gravel and dirt forest roads, not mountain bike singletrack. The most "bikepacking" of the days was actually our "shakedown" ride on the first day-- just a 9-mile loop ending at our hostel (we didn't camp this first night) to try out different ways of strapping on gear and making sure the bikes held up.

This turned into some more rugged riding than intended due to trees downed by a recent storm, but everyone worked together to portage across these sections.

This trip had too many experiences to list-- from eating fresh huckleberries (and a huckleberry bearclaw in the "frontier outpost" of Polebridge), to finding a bubbling, ice-cold natural spring based on tips from a local, to swimming crystal-clear rivers to cool off after a long day, to talking about adventure travel with other riders, to waking up at 3AM to a mysterious animal sniffing at and licking my tent (thankfully, it was a deer, not a grizzly, but I had my bear spray out and ready and my heart was racing). Well, I supposed I can list some of them, but each could be its own story. A few other memorable photos out of the hundreds I took:

It was an amazing five days away from city life, feeling self-reliant with a group of strangers (and two excellent tour guides). That level of depending on each other really brings out community among people from different backgrounds who might otherwise never talk. Every time I do a group tour of this sort I've forgotten (but then remember during it) how much the community part is important to me.

I also had a chance to learn-- both in some formal daily sessions (bear safety, group meal planning, map reading) and from the day to day-- improvised bike repairs in the field, edible and invasive plants, water filtration, how to pass messages between a dispersed group without cell service.

The overall route (not their standard route as the wildfires had shut down one of the canyons), about 30 miles/day:

I rented a bike and tried out some new gear for this trip (planning ahead a bit for three larger bike touring trips I'm hoping to do in the next few years -- mountain biking in Utah, a self-supported GAP/C&O canal trail ride, and something multi-week overseas when Covid is more under control). I'll post some notes about my "rig" some day...

[redboarambo]

Joy.

Elation.

Regis had surprised Aulea with a trip to Altissia, one of their favorite spots to get away. They would camp on the way, their tent several paces away from the guard, just to give themselves some more privacy. It was the time when they could mostly be themselves. In the castle, there were so many people that would interrupt and bring them back to their lives as rulers. People that wanted to vie for her husband's attention, even if they were both busy. But here?

Here Aulea could be who she wanted, and they could enjoy their time as they so wished. Especially when they weren't traveling for some royal matter, but for their own enjoyment. It was t he time that the Queen loved the most. Perhaps that's why she was humming that morning as she walked down to the stream - another reason they had stopped where they had, there was a close enough location for herking to go fishing. The though alone had her rolling her eyes, a small chuckle leaving her lips as she leaned down, gathering enough of the stream water in a bottle, and cleaning her hands, before she straightened back up.

Straightening up, she looked out towards the horizon, her lips pulling up into a smile. This was everything she had been needing. It was-

The feeling of something - someone- kicking at her ribs had the queen's hand falling down to rest on her stomach.

"I know, my darling. I'm telling him when I get back to camp. He'll be so excited to meet you."

The words were quiet, murmured to the air more than anything since the baby in her stomach wouldn't be able to hear her. She had just gotten past the first trimester and was finally at a point where she felt comfortable enough to tell Regis. It was something she had learned the hard way, waiting until she was far enough along, so she wouldn't get his hopes up. They had been trying to give Noctis, their sweet little prince, a sibling for a few years now. Finally? Finally it was happening.

All she had to do now was to tell the father.

With a soft breath, and the thumb on her finger swiping along her clothed stomach, Aulea turned and started back towards the camp.

Fear.

Anxiousness.

She only got about halfway back to the camp site when she noticed something was wrong. There was far more noise than there should have been for this early in the morning, too much yelling and a noise she couldn't register. It made her hesitate, just for a moment, before speeding up, a furrow between her brow.

When Aulea was just a turn away from being able to see their tents, through the bushes came Clarius. Normally the sight of the man would make her smile, usually she'd hold her hand out towards him for him to take. While most only knew the solider as Regis' personal guard, he was so much more to the queen than that. He was a friend. A confidant. A lover. She needed him almost as much as she needed her king.

Normally, when Clarius reached out to grab onto her shoulder, she'd lean into the touch with a chuckle. The look on his face, though, froze her to the spot. "Clarius, what's wrong? You don't look-"

"You have to go hide. We don't know if there's anymore that might show up."

"What are you talking about?" His words confused the queen, her head tilting to the side to try and see through to the camp. To where the sounds that she now registered as swords clashing had faded, replaced only by silence. "What happened?"

"Soliders from Niflheim. They came out of nowhere. We were able to finish them off, but there could be more. You have to g- Aulea!"

The queen had already took off, running down the path the rest of the way. The tents came into view and her blood ran cold when she saw the bodies on the ground. Most of them were those of the foreign tech, but she could see several of their guards as well. Her eyes ran across every face, but none of them were Regis.

Silence.

Empty.

Aulea could hear Clarius calling to her, but she ignored him as she made a straight line for her tent, throwing open the canvas flaps. The moment she saw him on the ground, she crumbled to the floor. Her king. Her husband. Father to her babies, best friend and the man that meant more to her than any title or any kingdom ever could. The blood pooling from his chest was dark against the white of his skin, eyes thankfully closed.

Pulling herself along the ground, she lost track of everything. She couldn't hear herself sobbing, couldn't hear the footsteps coming up behind her into the tent. There was no noise, nor could she feel the rocks under her palms as she reached him.

"Aulea...."

There was pain in the way the man said her name, but she didn't let it stop her from reaching out to pull Regis' head into her lap, her own moving to rest their foreheads together. "Come back. You have to come back." Aulea's voice was already hoarse from sobbing, her entire body shaking as she rocked with his body back and forth. "I'm pregnant, Regis. T-the baby needs you, Noct needs you. I...."

She broke down to the point of not being able to speak, his blood starting to seep into her clothes, staining them crimson. She was oblivious to the arms wrapping around her from behind, to the voice telling her she needed to let go.

Aulea wasn't sure how long she sat there before everything went black.

Anger.

Grief.

The next thing that she actually remembered was opening her eyes in their room. She had passed out from stress and exhaustion, sobbing and shaking on the ground of that tent. Clarius had carried her back himself, Regis being taken care of by several of the guards. There were no words spoken in the car on the way back, only the man's hand running along her back and through her hair to try and soothe her.

As if anything would make this better.

As if anything would make this go away.

Aulea shuddered as she looked a round, her cold body reminding her of the fact that everything had happened was real. Her husband was gone, the kingdom had lost their king, and Noct... the baby...

Her hand fell to her stomach, wanting to hold the little one close as she she pushed out of the room. She couldn't be in the room she shared with Regis. It was too much being able to smell him, see things everywhere that reminded her of him. Without thinking, her legs carried her through the halls to the main throne room, pausing in the middle of the room.

She didn't notice the guards hesitating by the door, obviously wanting to give her her space, but refusing to let her be alone given the current situation. Clarius was farther in the room, but even he knew not to touch the queen at the moment.

Aulea's eyes took in the banners, proudly showing off their family crest, and the flowers that were on stands through out the room. She had picked them all out herself, instructed the attendants to get them prepared while they were gone to surprise Regis when they got back. She had thought they'd have something to celebrate.

For a long moment, all she did was stare at them, feeling everything building inside of her chest. He was gone. The kingdom was going to be in chaos, and all she could feel was anger. Anger at the MT's for taking her husband and her kids father, anger that he had surprised her with this trip in the first place, anger that she had left him that morning instead of asking him to come with her.

Screaming, from as deep in her chest as she could muster, she reached for the banners and started to tear them down, knocking over the pillars of flowers to the ground. She kept screaming as she went up to the throne and hit the seat with her hands, falling down to her knees.

Aulea didn't think she stopped screaming for hours, before her voice was all but gone.

Everything was leaving. Gone. Vanishing from in front of her eyes.

And it all started with Regis.

[popculturebuffet]

Lilo and Stitch Crossover Arc: “Rufus” (Kim Possible) Better and Worse (Paid for by WeirdKev27)

Aloha all you happy people! It’s back to Kauai for the third of my look at LIlo and Stitch’s crossover episodes! This retrospective was made possible by WeirdKev27, who had the idea for it and paid for me to review these episodes. You too can buy reviews for only 5 bucks a pop. Just go to my ask, Direct Messages or discord.

Now with my plugging out of the way, this one, out of all four is the one I looked forward to the most, and out of the four shows in this crossoverathon to make the trip to the Kauai, this one is hands down my faviorite. 

Kim Possible was just damn good and having rewatched a handful of episodes and the movie (Easily one of my faviorite Disney movies and the best DCOM, I will not back down on either), I can say it holds up every bit as good as it did in the early 2000′s. Frankly like Danny Phantom i’m surprised I never thought to get to it till now. But no time like the present: The show proper is a fun super spy sendup, but still feels unique: Instead of i’ts Teen Superspy working for some knockoff of MI6 or S.H.I.E.L.D., Kim is self employed, simply helping people because it’s the right thign to do and not for any reward with the help of her bumbling  but loveable sidekick and future boyfriend Ron, though the romance angle wasn’t overplayed with the two, just hinted at here and there, enough to make it plausable for Ron to realize he has feelings in the movie and for Kim to return them and frankly it’s probably the best handled “Friends to lovers’ plot i’ve seen in a children’s cartoon. I”ll get more into that if I hit my stretch goal for it on patreon, more on that at the end of the review, but while it has no baring on this review I still felt it worth noting as that trope is NOT easy to pull off.

Point is, the show was smart, funny, engaging and had two great characters, a tremendously talented voice cast, and more anchoring it. It was a treasured part of my adolsence. It also had one of the only succesful “Save our show” campagins from fans i’ve ever seen. Despite So The Drama having been written as a finale and having reached Disney’s episode count, fan demand for a fourth season was so incredibly high we got one and it’s to this day one of the very few Disney shows to live past three seasons as a result. The show is in full on Disney Plus, along with the movie, which I HIGHLY recommend and hope I get to talk about, and the recent live action remake movie which .. is not bad. Not GREAT but the leads do make a good kim and ron, paticuarlly my boy Sean Gambone as Ron, and for a live action remake it really does get the spirit of the show. 

But obviously we’re not here to talk about the show proper, though I REALLY want to now, but instead it’s crossover. So far the crossovers for Lilo and Stitch have been, much like said live action remake, OKAY, but nothing amazing, often shoving in sideplots related to Lilo and Stitch proper we didn’t need, forced morals and not really having a good amount of character intraction. The good news is this crossover DOES fix a lot of that.. the bad is that it also has some new problems, and still falls into some of the same traps the other episodes have. See what I mean with the full review under the cut!

We open at night, with Lilo and Stitch playing hide and seek. Adorably though Sttich dosen’t quite get the hang of it and proudly announces where he is. However things are quickly interupted when he’s kidnaped by a mystery ship out of the blue. It’s a good hook to start with, leaving us wondering who it could be...

And thus, if you hadn’t gone into this episode knwoing it was a crossover, giving us a hell of a reveal with a cut to Dr. Drakken being the one to kidnap stitch!

Look I love this Doofus. He’s easily one of John DiMaggio’s best roles, up there with Jake and Bender, and the one along with Bender that cemented his career. as one of voice acting’s finest. He’s just so loveably incompetent, over the top and quick to bicker with Sheego, which leads to some of the funneist moments in his home series as she’d either skewer him good or he’d shove his boot in his mouth and help her point instead of his own. He’s just such a great character and he not only fits neatly into Lilo and Stitch’s world, but the writers clearly get him perfectly. We get a hilarious bit where, fed up with Hamsterviel, who he’s teamed up with, he simply fakes the radio going out, adjusting the dials purposfully to make it come in buggy something I GUARANTEE he put in for SHeego and I gurantee she saw right through. His plan is to create a clone army of Stiches.. meaning Hamsterviel’s big evil plan.. is a copy of someone else’s.

Lilo goes to Jumb and Pleakly, the latter of whom has been collecting magazines adorably. Lilo plans to go after Stitch but Jumba says she can’t go on dangerous missions without him and to get a professional and this part.. does not work for me. Most of the time Jumba ENABLES Lilo’s behaviors and while not wanting an 8 year old to run out into the night is a good call, he also suggests getting help.. instead of you know GOING WITH HER WHEN IT’S LIGHT. It sounds more like Nani’s idea... it fits her more to not want Lilo to run out and to want to get help versus Jumba whose admant about keeping secrecy yet very lax on things, and you know would BE concerned that his prized creation was suddenly stolen and actually think about it. He’s just so horribly out of character it hurts. 

And Nani’s absence really hurts the episode. See the last two, as much as I missed the lovely and talented Tia Carrere’s presence, didn’t really need her, though still could’ve included her: she could’ve made a cameo at the start since Lilo was there to visit her and she woul’dve made a better target for Spats than trudy, with Oscar fighting Jumba instead, allowing us some crossover interactions instead of having Jumba argue with a random asshole the episode wrote in. But it’s minor stuff. Here though? Her being the one to tell Lilo not to go would’ve made more sense: She’s protective by nature, and while she’s let go more since the movie, it’d make sense for her NOT to want Lilo to blindly chase after someone who beat stitch of all beings, as well as for her ot be the one to later tell Kim not to let lilo be involved. It’d be stronger coming from her sister and surrogate mother than Pleakly and it would’ve been a better arc to have Nani let Lilo off the leash so to speak and accept she needed to save kim. Instead she’s just gone for no reason and Jumba is grosly out of character and i’m disapointed. 

That said the setup is the best and most intergrated so far: Pleakly sees an article about kim so he reaches out to her via a message on her site, while Lilo is stubborn about not being help.. obnoxiously so to the point it hurts the episode. While her being inscure about someone else saving Sttich would be fine, the episode never adresses that and instead just has her say she can because shut pu instead of accepting help. The episode would’ve flowed better if instead she accepted kim but Nani had Kim push her away, and thus create more problems. More on that in a bit. 

But as I said this setup is great: it uses BOTH shows for once isntead of feeling like the first two, and honestly the next one judging by the blurb on the wiki, where its just “Hey x character visits Kauai”, here it blends both: The two main villians team up, and Kim is logically called for help since that’s what she does and they don’t want to risk lilo’s saftey. It’s good stuff. 

So our other heroes enter the episode, on a ritzy jet as Kim’s dad had an old college friend with an airline. I admit the episode weirdly downplays Kim’s penchant for getting rides, getting a helicopter that appears to be a touring one and getting this one via her dad instead of the usual person who owes her a favor. IT was a neat part of her character: that she got help from people she already helped on adventure’s we hadn’t seen to establish she can’t drive herself yet and to show she’s an experinced heroine with a lot of history before the show started. I also like how a handful of episodes after season 1 had returns from people we HAD seen before or linked to them, a clever way of having callbacks. 

It’s simple stuff Kim is ready for the wrold saving mision and ron hopes to get a vacation in. Nothing too out of the ordinary. 

So the next day Lilo tries to go it solo but is spotted before she can leave, while Pleakly has built a.. photo colloage of Kim’s face on the wall...

... no wait i’m getting paid for this. Nevermind. 

It is funny as it is unsettling though and Kim arrives and Pleakly faints.. Ron also arrives doing fake kung fu moves. This episode gets ron about half right... they overdo it a bit on the shenanigans, but Will Freidle’s natural charm and talent mean that even standard ron bits coughed up by a cat onto a page and used for this script still work simply because he’s that good at delivery. 

We also get the who’s on first bit you all knew was coming as Kim asking what’s the Sitch confuses lilo and i’ts .. pretty funny. Again you could see it coming from a mile away, but Daveigh Chase and Christy Carlson Ramano really sell the hell out of it and we get a nice runner after of Kim misprouncing his name and trying NOT to say her usual catchphrase. 

She also gets filled in on the alien thing... and while she admits i’ts a lot to swallow, she also admits she’s seen weirder. And given this episode would, by airdate (ignoring the one for So the Drama as that aired before the last batch of season 3 episodes but continuity wise takes place between seasons 3 and 4), take place around the same time as the season 3 intended finale “Team Impossible”, by this point she’s seen vengeful fishteens mutated by a horrifying summer camp, a rogue gentecist who basis her crimes against nature on a beanie baby knockoff, magical monkey based kung fu, a magican egyptian amulet, killer robot’s resembling teenage girls, a body swap episode, a plan using a barcode to destroy the internet, an attack on canada, a giant poodle, a complicated time travel plot, a trucker with a mullet, her sidekick getting turned into a surprisingly competent supervillian, and draken’s plan to use his rap career to promote brainwashing shampoo. And that’s just a handful of the things I was reminded of on the episode list. So yeah, this isn’t THAT much of a stretch. Oh and lest you think Kim never encountered aliens the series finale was an alien invasion by aliens Draken had pissed off earlier in the season. Suprised Lilo didn’t you know have Stitch and the family army pitch in. Maybe Leory and Stitch was going on at the same time? 

Point is she’s in but goes with Pleakly in trying to keep Lilo out of it. And here’s yet another place the episode missteps: Kim’s REALLY patronizing to Lilo, treating her like she can’t do anything and later ignoring her advice when she brings up the current later, something that ends up getting Kim caught. The latter part especially bugs me since Kim normally listens to her clients pretty well, and had she doubted him could’ve at least asked Waid since she contacts him in the same scene. Speaking of which THAT’S why I feel her patronizing “not now kiddo” atittude dosen’t work: her spy master IS a child, her brothers have helped out multiple times, and the incident I mentioned from where she met her younger cousin who idolized her at an old west town was understandable: Her cousin was getting into dangerous stuff and throwing herself out there recklessly with no regards to her own saftey and impeding the mission with her well meant antics. Lilo.. knows who their looking for, knows the island well, and knows stitch’s weaknesses. And she goes from being annoyingly hostlile to kim to helpful, so it makes kim even more obnoxious for not accepting said help. It’s just.. draining as when this part of the plot ISN’T in play, Kim is fine. She’s her usual self.. not AS well written as the parent show, a bit too reliant on her catchphrases, but still not half bad and Christy Carlson Romanao, like Fredle helps paper over the weaker bits of the script.  She’s not even out of character in her actions, as she does have a tendency to think she knows everything or undereistmate people.. the problem is it’s written poorly enough she comes across as insufferable, and unlike the show, where she actually learned something here.. she just learns to work as a team? When she does on a regular basis with Wade and Ron? 

It’s just so frustrating because they almost had it just right, but instead just had to try and put some half assed moral about teamwork in there. They broke from the formula of having an experiment of the week but they still just HAD to keep to their own formula. And look Kim Possible has it’s own formula.. but it used that to great effect, often using the episode’s plot to shake it up in fun ways, and the plots were still diffrent enough and the villians bold and intrestin genough that it didn’t grate.  This is starting to grate. And I do remember good and intresting episodes of the show.. but i’m starting tor ealize why I don’t remember NEARLY as much of Lilo and Stitch as I do the other shows it’s crossing over with: it’s so bolted to the formula they all just sorta blend together. It’s really fucking disheartning to realize something you loved so damn much as a kid just.. isn’t as good as you remember. And with these other shows.. I don’t have that as much. I accept proud family’s fault, Jake Long actually seems MORE intresting than it was at the time, and rewatching kim possible it’s excellent, same with recess coming up. I really need to watch more Recess. The most disheartining thing about this arc is the crossover just shows how BETTER the other shows were. Lilo and Stitch wasn’t a BAD show, and it isn’t here.. but it’s a mediroce one. it has a good premise. but it feels like they just don’t break away from the premise enough. This just... hurts a lot to type and realize. I really loved this show and movie as a kid and while the movie likely still holds up this.. this just dosen’t. 

I need a moment... i’m breaking open the glass case containing my emergency patrick stewart clip excuse me...

That.. I needed that. 

So before the bicker sisters can head off, we get our goofy comedy subplot: Jumba thinks Rufus is one of his experiments, one that could destroy the universe if not cancel and is highly unstable. As for why this one wouldn’t of worked out, I get why: it’s TOO powerful. Stitch is a weapon of mass distruction in a cuddly package, but he’s also easily deployable, kind of like Wolverine if he was in the body of a cartoon mascot. Having the THREAT of destroying ap lanet is fine and good for the long term but it does you no good if you can’t control it and i’td just destroy you too. 

So he and Pleakly try to steal rufus without telling Ron why after Ron naturlaly refuses to sel land a chase insues. So while the boys and gender fluid person have their comedy plot, the girls head to where stitch was taken and find Draken’s glove.... they know it’s his because he put a note saying “return to dr. draken, his mother gave it to him”. That’s just.. fucking precious. And entirely in character. So kim aranges a ride, and dives into the ocean, but finds lilo in her parachute, and tries to send her back despite LIlo offering valuable advice both about the area , the current I mentioned earlier, and about stitch, i.e. Draken’s base is underwater (something Kim didn’t realize which feels odd for her), because Stitch can’t swim, something I genuinely forgot. 

So while Kim sends Lilo back, or rather intercut with that but I choose to compress plots for my own convinence we cut back to Drakken and Shego. And I WAS worried that Shego wouldn’t show up, she wasn’t in the synopsis or anything and was delighted to find that nope she’s here. Drakken just isn’t the same without her.. I mean I liked the recurring subplot in season 4 where other villians would break her out, that was great, but in the end the two need each other. I may not ship them romantically but as a comedy team one just needs the other: Drakken needs Shego to cut down his ego and Shego needs someone to snark at and complain about. Sullivan and DiMaggio just had perfect chemistry and it’s easy to see why Drakken and Shego went from just another part of the Rogue’s Gallery to Kim’s arch enemies. 

Which is why I am sad Gantu and 625 don’t show up for this one. I mean I can buy it: Hamsterviel likely is doing this on the sly to see if he can find a better minon, but the two sets of villians have similar dynamics and i’d love to see Shego and 625 dunk on their bosses together. It’s a really big missed opportunity but I do get it as they may of just nto been able to fit the two together or it may of been hard to block a lot of scenes iwth the human sized drakken and the giant sized gantu. So unlike a lot of missed opportunites in the other episodes, this one I at least can understand. 

We get some GREAT banter with the two though. Out of the four guest characters in this one the crew really got Drakken and Shego down and the two bicker like any episode of Kim Possible, with Shego pointing out the massive bill on Stitch’s cage and how Drakken’s tried cloning about five times now and it’s never worked, and of course how he’s 50 50 splitting with a hamster bellow his station. Seriously why get rid of Gantu and 625 but keep the annoying rodent, I don’t get you episode. 

Of course while they quack quack bicker bicker Stitch escapes and Shego gives chase. Sadly we don’t get a fight between the two like we did with Jake, another missed opprotunity but Stitch getting out of her grasp by licking her is objectively funny. Stitch finds he’s underwater though and gets recaptured. 

Kim gets captured for the first time shortly after as the current caught her, but luckily she has kimunicator gloves and calls waid to call ron. Meanwhile Ron finally catches rufus back and Jumba explains the situation.. but Ron understandably dosen’t want to give up his buddy especially since Rufus has shown no signs of being a planet killer before. He’s not mooncake... althought i do think those two could hang. God now I just want a final space kim possible crossover to wash this out of my mouth. 

So it’s down to Lilo, the really not all that ambigiously gay their pretty darn gay duo, and Ron to save the day. Lilo finally gets to do what she kept asking kim to do: use jumbas hot rod car spaceship thing to go down under the sea, and they send Lilo and Rufus in since hteir small enough to get in and suriive the pressures. Our heroes arrive and Drakken is nonplussed.. only for Lilo to prove WHY she can keep an alien in line by freeing stitch from teh leash drakken has him on using kim’s grapple gun, and then frees kim. The good guys win and the bad guys loose and the base starts to self destruct.. eh they’ll be fine. They still have the movie to get to. 

So time for the wrap up: Stitch sniffs Rufus and confirms what the audience knew... that he’s a naked mole rat not an experiment. Which didn’t make sense to begin with for either show: Jumba’s archive should’ve been able to scan him or something (And if not he could build something to do that), and Kim Possible not only implied from day one Ron had Rufus a while, long before the rain of the pods, but A Stitch in Time outright confirms Ron bought him years ago in middle school. It just makes no sense and while it thankfully dosen’t take up a ton of the episode it still takes up too much. 

But with that our heroes prepare to part on good terms but Pleakly decides to celebrate with  Luau. Kim’s repsonse “Well I can do anything...”

And we get a gratuitous luau sequence! I do love a job that allows me to type the phrase “Gratuitous Luau Sequence’ They clearly ran short and we just get a good minute of everyone doing hula dances for no reason. I mean.. you could’ve done a quick gag with the experiment who was mistaken for Rufus... who I now realize given the finale was befriended by someone. I’m headcanoning now Kim and Ron came back for that one and Kim had him sent to space as part of one her dad’s projects where he and earth would be safer and he could help with space missions or something. 

Final Thoughts: As you could tell I had mixed thoughts. As a crossover this melded things better, had a more original plot and the actors from Kim Possible brought their a-game.. but once again some disapointing characteteriztion and downright stupid decisions really let the episode down. These episodes just depress me every time and I’m looking forward to being done.. which given how excited I was going into this.. yeah. Like all of these despite their flaws I recommend checking it out if you like Kim Possible, if nothing else than for some extra drakken shego banter but.. keep your expectations low.

Next Time on Kim Possible: A team of spiteful assholes who are in a way repsonsible for Kim’s Career try to shut her down. It’s the intended finale episode outisde of hte movie people buckle up.. or you would if I was doing any of these. Though I should do “Team IMpossible” at some point. 

On the finale of these crossovers: The Recess Gang are the final visitors to Kuai as Lilo must find and stop a lazy monster... no i’m not guest starring too. 

Tommorow: Another kev one this time by patreon as I put two similar episodes of a show or franchise against each other and ask “Who Did It Better?” This time it’s two episodes of Celebrity Death Match, original versus revivial may the original.. probably win. 

If you liked this review, please consider supporting my patreon, YOU CAN FIND THE LINK TO IT HERE.  For just 2 bucks a month you get access to my discord, to pick a short each time I do one of my shortstravaganzas, and acess to my Patreon exclusive reviews! Next month I intend to do one for the show whose crossover gets the most likes within a week of it’s relase. Proud Family has already passed American Dragon so you have a week to get it ahed. And if you like Kim Possible, help me reach my 25 dollar stretch goal! At that i’ll review So The Drama, along with the Recess and Proud Family Movies. So check it out and i’ll see you at the next rainbow. 

[ttttaehyungie]

sincerely, but no longer yours | chapter 3

previous | next

series masterlist

sincerely, but no longer yours | ex!kim namjoon x reader

genre | angst, exes au

summary | It started as a coping mechanism as getting the words out provided a form of catharsis. But now you can’t stop writing these love letters, even with the knowledge that they’ll never get sent. After all, who writes love letters to their ex?

word count | 3.9k

chapter rating | PG-13

warnings | none

a/n | here we gooooo!! part threeeee c: can’t believe I actually churned this out when my life has been in c h a o s also this is barely edited im so sorry

Percussive knocks rap crisply on your apartment door. You fling the door open and your heart leaps in your chest at the sight. There he stands.

Up and rising dance instructor. Groove personified. Ball of literal sunshine.

And in your experience, the best big brother on the planet.

The overnight bag hits the wooden floor with a hollow thud as he abandons it in favor of yanking you into a tight embrace. A grin widens on your face that you're certain mirrors his.

"Hoseok," you breathe into his chest, your face smushed against his oversized yellow shirt. The enveloping warmth of his arms around you has you melting. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you more. Let me take a good look at you." He puts you at arm's length. "You've grown so much in the time we've been apart."

"Hoseok." You roll your eyes, but the smile on your face doesn’t falter. "It's only been a month."

"Hey. A lot happens in a month."

The truth of his words, unknown to him but oddly relevant nonetheless, has you biting your lip before you can stop yourself.

"Here, I'll help you with your bag," you say, hauling the duffel bag off the ground, giving you something else to look at. You can only hope that Hoseok hasn't already picked up on the nervous blips. "It's been a long ride for you."

"And they say chivalry is dead," he jokes, but follows after you without further comment. Guess you're in the clear.

But you steer the conversation to a topic that you know will engross him for sure. Y’know. Just in case.

"So, what classes did you sign up for this weekend?" you ask over your shoulder, managing a tone so casual that you celebrate internally.

"You'll never believe it.” The words come tumbling out, voice shimmering with excitement. Even without turning to look at him, you can picture the way his eyes are surely set alight. You know this tone, and it has you hooked now, the anticipation of amazing news builds in your chest. "Y'know that choreographer, Jo? The one that's completely booked out every single weekend?”

You nod quickly, turning to look at him with wide eyes.

“Well.” The smugness in his tone is thick. “Guess who got a slot for her class!”

Genuine surprise elicits a gasp from you. "No way! How'd you even manage that?"

"Hard work and sheer determination.” A fist pump punctuates his words. “I camped on the booking site on multiple devices with multiple accounts so I could snag a spot the moment the slots open."

You snort at his antics.

"I can't believe I'm going to be learning from such a giant in the industry," he says, unable to resist breaking into a little dance as he pushes the door to the study cum guest room open. "It feels like I've won the freaking lottery."

The effervescent excitement is uncontainable. Even the task of unpacking can’t interrupt his rave about the choreographer who shot to cyber fame with her fluid movements. You let him let it loose, leaning against the doorway, watching him.

"Ok," he says, putting his hands on his hips. "That's enough about me. How did your lecture go today?"

The breath catches in your lungs, the shock of seeing Namjoon coming back in a second wave.

“It was alright,” you attempt to mask it in the same casual tone you mustered up just minutes ago. But there’s an unmistakable tightness to your words.

Hoseok’s eyes bore into you. Damn. There’s no escaping now.

“____?” he probes, his tone laced with the same concern lying in his gaze.

"Hey, um," you rub at your arms, "we have an unexpected dinner guest tonight. Is that ok with you?"

“____,” he repeats, firmer this time. “What happened?"

You exhale heavily, grounding yourself with the feel of the carpet underneath your scrunched up toes as you tell him, "I bumped into Joon today. At the lecture."

Chancing a glance at him to gauge his reaction, you watch as he schools his features into an expressionless mask. But his eyes widen by just a fraction, betraying his surprise as he processes the information.

After a second, he nods stiffly, and turns back to the duffel bag on the bed to take the last of his belongings out. His tone is measured and even as he asks, "How was it?"

The plush mattress provides you marginal comfort as you plop onto the bed next to him.

"Honestly? Like a punch in the gut." The laugh that escapes you is bitter. "When will I stop being winded just by the mere sight of him, Hobi?"

The smile he shoots you is empathetic but sad. He reaches over to muss up your hair, the action tender and fond. "It'll happen in time," he promises.

The restrictive tightness in your chest is uncomfortable and you attempt to expel it in a sigh as you lean backwards, propped up by the elbow. Staring at your toes as if they’re a source of endless fascination gives you an excuse not to look your brother in the eye.

“But would you care to explain what convinced you to invite him to dinner?”

“Hobi… I just…” Your back hits the mattress as you flop back entirely, groaning up at the ceiling. No choice but to spit the truth out now. “His eyes, they just do things to me.”

Craning your neck to look at him, regret hits you when you catch sight of his frown. You drop your head back down. The ceiling's a much better option to look at.

“You have a soft spot for him.” It’s less a question and more a statement. A statement that you assent to with a strangled noise.

“Look. I get it. It’s just, I worry for you. The state you were in when you came back that night…” This time, he lets out a sigh of his own. The bed shifts, accommodating his weight where he takes a seat next to you. "You were a wreck, ____.” He shakes his head, his brow furrowed. “I don't want to have to relive those days.”

He’s not speaking out of turn. Guilt gnaws at you and you turn your head to face the wall. Bringing Namjoon back into your life implicated Hoseok too. Your brokenness had not been yours to bear alone. On the nights when you felt like you were falling apart, it was your brother who’d held you as you sobbed damp spot after damp spot into his t-shirts.

“Do you think it's too soon?” Your voice sounds small even in your ears. “Even though it's been years?”

“I can’t answer that for you, ____.”

You remain quiet, still staring at the blank wall.

“Well." He slaps his hands on his thighs and hauls himself off the bed, breaking the silence. "I owe him a long overdue meet-up anyway. He's been bugging me to have a meal together with him for the longest time now- which is next to impossible, y’know, with the way the studio just keeps getting busier and busier.”

A hand enters your field of vision, outstretched and waiting. "Dinner?"

You grasp it and he pulls you up. His grip is a firm anchor, both physically and emotionally.

"Dinner," you echo. "I can do this."

You can’t do this.

Whatever idealism you had possessed an hour ago within the safe confines of your apartment was gone now, mellowed out and boiled down to unforgiving reality.

At least you have Hoseok.

Despite your earlier hesitation to tell your brother about the events that had transpired through the day, you're now relieved you did and infinitely thankful for his presence. If any iciness remains from whatever lingering unsaid tension that exists between you and Namjoon, it quickly melts away under the warmth that is Hoseok's affability.

It was awkward at first, no doubt. As you slid into the booth to sit across Namjoon, it definitely didn’t escape your attention how he was unable to keep eye contact with you, his shifty eyes stoking the nervousness that simmered in the pit of your stomach.

The conversation had been polite but stiff, filled with small talk about each other’s jobs. As if you didn’t already know all about how he’d made it as a published author from all the times you eavesdropped on Hobi’s phone calls. He was in the middle of narrating his book’s main plot when your mind’s eye jumped, involuntarily, to the books guiltily buried away in the corner of your closet underneath a bunch of t-shirts. It was an impulse buy, you lie to yourself.

Yes, you’ve read his books. Multiple times. Pored over every word and analyzed every character in search of snippets of yourself. Hoping to know whether he’s forgotten you and moved on from you or whether he’s still affected by the breakup in the same way you don’t dare to admit that you are.

But that’s just in your times of weakness. Everyone has those, you reason, and you’re allowed to too.

Make no mistake- you did get over Namjoon. The box of letters sits in your desk drawer as the fruits of that. There’s a reason why you can’t bring yourself to dump those letters out after all these years. They’re unfiltered and ugly and raw, but they’re an archive of the journey you went through. You’re over it.

Or you were over it. Being in this city and seeing him triggers something in you and seems to throw you back a couple of steps somehow.

Maneuvering your way through the exchange, carefully feigning ignorance about the plot of his novels, you were walking a tightrope. But thankfully, before you could get caught in your self-spun web of lies, the conversation takes a sharp left.

In a sudden outburst of, “Why are we speaking as if we’re at some corporate networking event?!” accompanied by a smack on the table, Hoseok shattered the cordial but fake and, frankly, uncomfortable atmosphere that had settled over the booth. The three of you broke into genuine laughter for the first time in the evening. And finally, the dinner conversation took a more casual and informal turn.

In spite of your wariness, the pull that Hoseok’s words exerted was irresistible and you found yourself gradually loosening up. It began with unbidden smiles that progressed to quiet giggles- not unlike the one that followed Hoseok’s earlier outburst- that quickly gave way to carefree and unfiltered laughter.

And now?

"Remember when you broke the swingset at our house?" Hoseok jabs his fork at Namjoon who sits across from him at the table.

"That was not on me,” he quips. “That swingset was rickety before I sat on it."

Your throat constricts around your food slightly painfully with the way you gulp down your food to interject, "No way, Joon. We only had that swingset for two weeks before you broke it."

Hoseok nods in corroboration, his features colored in a grave seriousness. “She’s right. I remember my joy on that swingset being extremely short-lived.”

"Can't believe you care more about that swingset than me." Namjoon pouts. "My butt was bruised for at least a week from that accident."

But Hoseok dismisses this with a wave of his hand. "Bruises heal. Swingsets don't."

You smile around the rim of your glass, taking a swig. Cheeks sore with how much you’ve been smiling, you think, you really can’t do this.

You've missed this. You’ve missed the days filled with this innocent and untroubled feeling of happiness. When it was just this pair of best friends and you were the little sister that just tagged along at first, but got pulled in as a real member of the trio. You were the little sister that Hobi adored, and the little sister that Joon had always wished he'd had, and you looked up to both of them so much.

The playful teasing between mouthfuls of food and the easy laughter shared as all three of you let loose over a couple drinks has you warming up in a way that's not just from the alcohol.

You’ve missed this. But you can’t.

You glance upwards and the softness in Namjoon’s eyes all crinkled up by his beaming smile has you realizing just how much you’ve missed him. But you can’t, you can’t, you ca-

Next to you, Hoseok’s movements interrupt your internal self-admonishment. He sets his utensils down with a clang on his empty plate. "Hey, I’ll go pick up the bill."

"Let me." Namjoon fumbles for his wallet as he gets on his feet. But Hoseok puts a hand on his shoulder to sit him back down.

"Nah man, you paid the last time and I've been meaning to give ____ a treat too. This one's on me."

Hoseok disappears off to settle the bill, leaving just you and Namjoon. In stark contrast to his earlier inability to maintain eye contact, he’s now staring intently at you. The intensity of his gaze has your cheeks growing warm.

It’s your turn to struggle with eye contact. Unsure what to do with your hands or where to look, you're just about to succumb to the urge to start fidgeting when Namjoon sighs, inciting a stolen glance at him. His gaze is on his hands now where they sit on the table, a gentle smile gracing his features.

"I've missed this,” he says softly.

You can’t, you can’t, you can’t.

"Me too," you admit. You’re weak.

His gaze darts back upwards to look you in the eyes, and your heart rate picks up.

“I've missed you.”

It’s shy. It’s barely audible. But you catch it. It startles your heart into a racing pulse, pounding in your ribcage.

"Namjoon.” You don’t miss the way his face falls slightly at how you revert to his full name. “You can't-"

He leans forward as he shakes his head. "I'm not... I..." He cuts himself off with a huff of frustration. His long fingers tap rapidly on the table the way they always do when he’s collecting his thoughts.

"I'm really sorry for what happened, ____.” His eyes bore into yours with a pleading sincerity that has your hands fidgeting under the table and out of sight. “I'm really sorry that things ended the way they did. And I know I don't deserve to be asking this, ____. But I've really missed... all this." He gestures to the booth, to your trio. "And I guess what I'm asking is, will you forgive me? And... will it be okay to see you again? Just as friends. Nothing more."

You can’t. You can’t. You can’t.

You fold your hands in your lap, still hidden away from sight so he can’t see the nervous energy they exude as you deliberate your next words carefully.

"Joon, you really hurt me the last time. Really deeply.” The temptation to avert your gaze is immense, but you power through. But that leaves you to witness the flicker of guilt in his eyes. “And as nice as tonight was, I'm just not sure if I'm ready to have you back in my life completely yet."

“Ok, I understand. That's fair. I have no rights to make any demands on you when things ended the way they did.”

His eyes are downcast and he trails off into silence.

But just as you’re about to heave a sigh of relief, thinking he’s dropped it, he starts again, the hesitation clear in his shaky voice, "Can I give you my number? So you can think it over and text me if you ever want to be friends again. Like what you said, tonight was really nice."

His hand hovers over where your phone sits on the table, tentative without your go-ahead.

“Or you can just decide to throw it out and delete me from your life forever,” he begins rambling nervously. “I'll respect that too. I just can't leave things the way they are without doing anything I can to attempt to make reconciliation happen.”

You can’t. You can’t. You can’t.

That’s when you make the fatal mistake of looking him in the eye. The way he's looking at you…

You can’t. Or can you?

Like what you told Hoseok, you’re close to powerless when Namjoon looks at you like that.

Relenting, you flip his hand around and place your phone into his waiting palm.

"Okay. Fine. I'll think about it."

"Thank you,” he says breathily. His dimpled smile and eyes aglow send your heartbeat stuttering.

As Namjoon's keying his phone number into your phone, Hoseok returns. The action doesn't go unnoticed by him, and the way he eyes your phone in Namjoon's hands has you squirming in your seat slightly. But Namjoon, gleeful with the hope of possible reconciliation, is none the wiser.

You, meanwhile, know that you’re in for a lot of explaining.

“It’s just a number, Hoseok,” you say the moment the subway pulls out of the station and away from Namjoon’s waving figure. It’s been sitting heavy on your tongue ever since the restaurant, and you take the first chance you get to spit it out. Never has the walk from the diner to the station felt so long.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Yeah,” you fold your arms, stumbling slightly on the rickety carriage, but you maintain your indignant expression, “but your look said everything.”

You exhale heavily as you grip back onto the grab pole. You continue, softer this time, “He’s just asking to be friends.”

Hoseok purses his lips and the silence sits for a moment.

“What are you thinking?” he eventually asks.

“I don’t know.” You shrug. “It’s just… a lot. What happened between us was a lot.”

You clear your throat and continue, “But the years of friendship in our little trio were a lot too. And tonight was a huge reminder of how good things used to be… of how good things could be.”

“So, what are you gonna do?”

“I don’t know.” You repeat, looking back at Hoseok now. “What should I do?”

“I can’t decide that for you.”

What a classic Hoseok response. Why did you even ask?

“He’s genuinely sorry,” you murmur, speaking more to yourself than to your brother.

“He is,” Hoseok affirms, his eyes softening now as he nods in agreement.

“And it’ll be just friends, nothing more.” Again, you’re not entirely sure of whether your words are meant to be consoling your brother or yourself.

“Do you want that? Being friends with him again and having him in your life again?”

Do you?

You try to consider it rationally, you really do.

But the emotions overtake you. Perhaps it’s from tonight’s dinner, a sampling of what it’d be like to have him as a friend again. Perhaps it’s the recognition of how wasteful it truly is to dump decades of friendship out the window.

Or perhaps it’s the revelation that you could never be angry with Namjoon, as much as you want to be. And you really want to be. He deserves it. After the way he let your relationship end without putting up a fight, after he left you shattered and the way you had to piece yourself back together shard by shard in the aftermath, he deserves your wrath.

But you can’t do it.

Especially not now when his repentance is so sincere. Not when he’s earnestly trying to make things right.

So do you want him back in your life? It’s irrational, it’s dumb, it’s risky, but you honestly could never help yourself when it comes to Namjoon.

“Yes,” you decide. “I’ve missed him, Hobi. I know it’s dumb to miss him after all these years and after what he did, but I still do.”

Hoseok slings an arm around you and pulls you into his chest. “Yeah, it’s pretty dumb,” he says, and you snort as you swat at his chest. “But if that’s how you feel, then that’s how you feel.”

“It’s been so strange,” comes your quiet admission. “He’s just always been there, y’know? And not having him around feels like having a limb missing.”

“Mmhm.” It’s barely a sound, but you know it’s Hoseok’s way of saying he understands, and it fills you with a deep sense of assurance and validation.

The train pulls to a stop, and you realize with a jolt that it’s your station. Reluctantly, you pull away from the hug and tug Hoseok out the doors. “C’mon.”

The apartment is just a few streets down from the station and, with your hands stuffed into the pockets of your jacket, your fists rubbing against the rough denim, you walk along silently. The sound of Hoseok’s footsteps beside you fades into rhythmical ambient noise the deeper you fall into thought.

It’s when you’re unlocking the door to your apartment, keys jangling, that Hoseok asks the very same question that you’ve been mulling over on the walk back.

“Can you forgive him?”

It’s surprising. Even to you. You always imagined it’d play out in either one of two ways- cutting words or punishing silence. But now that the moment has really arrived, you realize just how willing you are to extend forgiveness to him.

“I think I have to,” you begin slowly. “Not for him, but for me, y’know?” You nod, your certainty growing as you verbalize your thoughts. “Yeah. I have to do this. It’s getting tiring carrying all this resentment and bitterness around.”

The lock clicks open and you move to enter the apartment.

“Hey,” Hoseok says, placing a hand on your shoulder gently that has you pausing. “Whatever decision you make, just know that I support you.”

You wrap your brother in a quick side-hug. “Thanks, Hobi. That means a lot to me.”

Rolling over to switch your alarm off, you nestle back under the covers to catch a few more winks.

That’s when it all comes rushing back to you, and your initial plan to snooze is screwed. Did all that really happen? Did you really sit down to have dinner with Namjoon?

And did you really not reject his attempt at a peace offering? Young ____ would be so disappointed.

It feels a little unbelievable. I mean, sure, you’ve run into him more than a couple of times now. But never would you have imagined you would have him truly in your life again.

That is- if you would let him in. You haven’t replied to him, wanting to sleep on your decision for extra clarity.

Clarity, your ass. Through the thick fog of heavy sleep, it all feels like it could be nothing more than a fever dream.

But you can hear Hoseok’s snoring coming from the next room. And the memories of last night- the yellow lighting of the diner, the overly salty fries you kept picking at regardless, the jab of Hobi’s elbow into your side as he teased you, the way your sides ached from laughing so hard, the way those obsidian eyes pulled you in as they set on you from across the table- they’re too vivid to be made up.

And the one thing that will conclusively prove it- you prop yourself up to scroll through your contacts list. There. Sitting in your contacts is his name. The name you’d deleted off your phone all those years ago in a fit of anger, but now restored to its rightful place.

[8.03am] ____: hey joon, it’s ____.

You chew on your lip as you type and delete and re-type and repeat.

[8.07am] ____: do you have any plans for today? wanna do something?

[insomniamamma]

Greenhorn: young!Ezra x F!reader

A/N: This was inspired by @opheliaelysia and our conversation about how Ez wouldn't be able to resist squishing an aurelac pod, but it ended up turning into something more. ALSO, though reader and OCs refer to Ezra as "the kid" I am picturing an early 20s Ezra. None of these people are minors.

Warnings: Language. Canon typical violence. Death. Slight gore. Angst. Hurt/comfort. A lil bit of fluff. Implied may-december romance. No beta.

___________________________________________________________________

This is a bad idea, you think, as your drop-ship hits atmo, small squarish windows limned in fire, deep vibration that thrums up through your spine, the ship trying not to tear itself apart, and the kid is still talking. No one can hear him above the vibrations and the scream of superheated molecules shredding themselves apart against the heat shield. Del sings out

"We're at max pressure--" "Copy--" "There was this one time--" "No one gives a fuck, Greenhorn---" "All of you shut the fuck up--" "We're through," says Del, "Drogue deploy in 15--' 'There was a whole fuckin nest of em--" "Oi! Shut it!" "3-2-1, deploying drogues." Del punches the button at his right hand and the drogue 'chutes fire out and the drop-ship does a sick lurch, its pace slowing from suicidal to absurdly dangerous. You've got the ability to soft-land, but so long as Del lines it up right you won't have to, the bog should cradle you. Fuel saved on the way down makes the lift safer. "Deploying mains," you say, and flip the toggle, a loud thump and another jolt as the main chutes deploy, sprouting out from the top of your lander, like the days of Apollo on Old Terra. And still the fucking kid is yapping. In writing the kid seemed half-decent, a big, raw boned boy with a rakish, dimpled smile. Had his own suit and kit and filters. Was polite enough when you asked questions of him, all yes Ma'am and no Ma'am, and three bags full Ma'am. Never would have considered his green ass if Marko hadn't bailed, or, more precisely, if Marko hadn't gotten himself in trouble with the locals and run with his  tail between his legs, well, so now you had the kid, who could not for the life of him seem to shut up for two seconds. At first you thought it was just nerves, but he's been yammering away since you requested release. An uninterrupted, stream of consciousness narration. You are wondering if he is, indeed, brain damaged somehow.

"The thing about channel rats--" "For the love of Kevva no one gives a sweet jewel encrusted crap--" "Ezra! For the love of all that's holy, if you do not shut up I will shoot you in the face," you snap. "Clear?" He gives you a little wounded look. "Clear," says Ezra. And, for a brief, miraculous moment, there is silence. The drop ship lands, lurches in the boggy ground and is still. "How we lookin, Del?" "Nav dropped us right on the button," says Del, "We look great." The tight quarters fill with the sound of bodies unstrapping from the crash-couches. "Alright people. Let's suit up. Sooner we get our pull, sooner we get back up to connection orbit." You walk through the Green in loose formation. Del put you down not 3 clicks from the dig site, but the Green is tricksy and, lately, full of dangerous people. Del and Big Pete have rails. You and the kid have your throwers strapped to your hips. Del takes point, you and Big Pete hang back a hair. The kid is supposed to be bringing up the rear, but a look over your shoulder shows him entirely transfixed. This is probably his first time off whatever backwater sprung him, all shiny and new and dropped into the Bakhroma Green, his big brown eyes all agog, trying to look everywhere at once. And you feel this keenly, a spike in your chest that recalls your first time dirtside, the great, broad blue arc of the sky was enough to fuck you up, after only knowing smoothly curving station walls and blunted angles. You recall your wonder, setting foot on this lush and deadly ground, never had you seen so much life, never seen life that wasn't controlled and carefully cultivated. The Green is a truly wild place that obeys no rules but its own. "Is it all like this?" he asks, "So verdantly forested?" "Yep," says Del, "Once in a while you get a soft-spot like we landed in, but most of it's trees and roots." You slog along. The site is close, but it's already warm. And by the time you get there, the kid is mostly silent and that is truly a blessing, likely the effect of slowly poaching in his suit, not accustomed to the heat like you and the rest of the crew. "Should be getting close," says Del, brow furrowed, peering at a battered topographical map, a red x inside a red circle. You stop a beat and peer through the patterns of shadow and trees, the haze of winkling purple dust. "There," you say, hand reaching out to point without even thinking about it, a patch of dark, slightly sunken earth, devoid of brush. Plants don't like to grow over aurelac nests. You don't know why and it doesn't matter. "Right. We set up here. Trade me the rails, Del, you get to play teacher. Listen up, Ezra, Del is one of the best harvester's you'll meet. You listen to him, clear? You do what he says and nothing else." "Clear," says Ezra, grinning all big through his fishbowl helm. "Um...boss?" Says Big Pete, "Why we bothering with this boy?" "What if Marko can't get himself out of the shit this time, huh? We'll need another set of hands...we'll--" "PUT THAT DOWN!" Del's voice squeals loud and offended over the comms, "The fuck are you doin?" And before you can even think, you and Big Pete are running for the dig and would you look at that, there's the kid, gloves pulled out of their ring-seals and piled on the mossy ground beside him. He's got an aurelac node husk cupped in his bare hands, not even safely cut yet, it's umbilicus disappearing into the black dirt. "EZRA! WERE YOU BORN THIS STUPID OR DID IT TAKE YEARS OF RIGOROUS PRACTICE?" And, look at him, the kid smirks at you through his fishbowl helmet. "Sorry, Ma'am, " he says, "It seemed uncannily squishy. I just had to find out for myself--" You close the distance between you and grab his wrist, hard enough so that his idiot smile fades and you actually see some fear prick in those big brown eyes. Fear is good in the Green. Fear is your friend. Unlikely this kid has ever had cause to be afraid, but, by Kevva, you're going to give him some cause. You pull your knife from your belt and press the business end into Ezra's palm, right between the heart and head lines, just enough to dimple but not enough to break skin. He tries to jerk away, but you know how you hold him, grind those wrist bones together like marbles in a sock. "Ezra," your voice is soft, yelling does no good, this kid's probably been yelled at for most of his formative years, and it's obviously made no impression. "You see all this purple shit floating through the air? Pretty, isn't? Looks like fairy dust--" "Ma'am--" he tries to pull free. "Shut it, fool," you push the knife tip just a hair harder, feel him flinch, flinching is good, might save his idiot hide someday. "I break your skin, I give your the faintest kitten scratch of a wound and the spores will get in there and fest black. These spores will eat you from the bones out. You rot from the inside, clear?" "Clear." You let go and he scrabbles his gloves back on. "Fuckin hell," says Del. Big Pete just shakes his head.

Thank Kevva for small favors, the kid is a quick study. Those big hands are surprisingly clever, and even Del is impressed by his ability. The idea licks around your mind that maybe it's time to cut Marko loose for good, Ezra has plenty of raw talent even if he can't shut up. Your time in the Green is almost done, a half cycle to button up the dig, break camp and lift. You've given Del back the rail-gun, traded for harvesting. The thrill of splitting open those strange membranes has never gown old for you, the finicky work of dissecting the carom blisters away from the inner sac, the fizz of the fazer and then your prize revealed, in this moment your mind is fully on the pull, you don't notice anything off until you feel something thump into the back of your helmet, and hear the whine of a primed thrower. A voice crackles ever the common channel. "Drop your weapons boys, or this stupid cow gets one right through the brain pan." Big Pete already has his hands in the air, Petey always was a softy, Del still has his rails, looking at your face for a sign and you shake your head. Take the shot, you think, you try to think it AT him, but you see the rail-gun slide out of his hands. God Damnit.  You would have expected them to act selfishly. You always expected you'd die out here and the business end of some thrower. And, of course, the kid is nowhere to be seen. Probably wandered behind a tree to take a leak or already caught a blast to the skull. "Right then," Your assailant says, he's got your air-hose doubled over in his free hand, "You open up that case so I can--" The thrower discharges and you pitch forward, there is no pain, just pressure,  and suddenly you can breathe easier. You heave against the dead weight on your back, scrabble back down into the slick of dead leaves and needles and then the pressure is gone and you sit up. The dying man crawfishes over the loam, peering out of his helm with wide eyes and blood spattered lips, eyes that plead until they are obliterated. Ezra stands with his thrower smoking, his face pulled up into a rictus of fear and rage. "Del. Petey. Circle back. Comm channel zero. Anything flinches you take it out. Clear?" Big Pete :"Clear" Del: "Clear" "Ezra. Get his filter," "huh?" "Did I stutter? You get his filter and any other kit that's any good." You stand, but your legs want to betray you. You take a couple shambling steps and plant yourself on a fallen tree, watching the kid strip the corpse, peels the filters and o rings and hose like he's done it a million times. Your breath comes hard and ragged. Nausea grips you. All your time in the Green and you never get over that feeling of almost dying, the taste of it on your tongue like hot smoke, and here's the kid gripping your shoulder, helping you up. "We going back to camp?" "Yeah," you say, "Thrower out. There might be more of them."                                                                                                                                                                                         "I didn't want to--" You know where this is going. You remember hearing the same arguments spill out of yourself the first time you had to use a thrower, "I mean, he woulda--" You stop so you can look at him through the foggy business of his helmet. "You did right." You say, "he meant to take our whole pull." Ezra nods, but his eyes are still white-rimmed and shocked. You reach for him and give his arm a little shake. "Let's go. Eyes peeled, clear?" "Clear."

You keep expecting that shaky, nauseated feeling to dissipate on the walk back to camp but it does not. The suit seems suffocating, and you practically bolt for the tent, in and fumbling with your suit before Ezra can even turn on the scrubbers. You reach to doff your helmet, something you've done daily for years, but your hands shake and you fumble the catches, two attempts and you feel like you're drowning in your own exhalations, you need this fishbowl off your head right now, but your hands won't stop shaking. "Here," Ezra pushes your hands away and does the catches himself, lifting the helmet away from your face. His own fishbowl's gone, his sweaty hair sticking up in crazy quills, that little blond streak screaming up from his scalp like an exclamation point, and before you can properly process what's happening, Ezra pulls you into a hug, his arms wrapped tight around your shoulders. Your hands, which, by all means, should be shoving him the fuck off of you, turn traitor and creep around his middle. You're still shaking, but you feel him shaking too, the two of you vibrating with spent adrenaline like plucked guitar strings. His warm palm grips the back of your neck and nestles your head into the space between his neck and shoulder. You let out a watery breath. "Fuck. I'm getting to old for this shit." Ezra makes a dismissive sound. His fingers dig at your nape, pressing into the tight, cabled muscles there. You let yourself lean against him, lean into his warmth. You can't remember a time you've been this close to someone without expecting a backstab. Ezra murmurs. It's okay, we're safe, I've got you, we're safe, reassuring himself as much as you. "Ezra?" "Yes, Ma'am?" "Don't make this your life," You lift your head and look up at him, his brows are furrowed. "I'm afraid I don't understand."  You poke his belly. "Get yourself maybe three solid pulls and then you get the fuck out of here," you say, peering into those big, dark eyes, "Get out and don't come back." "Ma'am?" "The Green changes people," you say, "And generally not for the better." He gives you a hard squeeze that you return and then he releases you, but only partially, one arm still slung over your shoulder. "You know," he says, "I have among my personal effects a bottle of Kanvian fire-water. Once we lift we could find a quiet place on yon freighter and share it." "Kanvian, eh?" You turn up your arm to look at your chronometer. "We boost in, what, a third of a cycle? Manage not to do anything catastrophically stupid between now and then and I'll consider it." His lips pull into a smirk, his dark eyes glittering, crinkling at the corners. He raises his hand to his head in a mock salute. "Yes, Ma'am." "Del and Big Pete should be done with their sweep soon. Start system checks on the ship, then help break camp." "Yes, Ma'am." He scoops up his discarded helmet under one arm and heads for the entrance. "Oh, and, Ezra?" "Yeah?" "You say anything about..." You gesture vaguely, "Whatever this was that just happened--" "Not to worry, fair maiden," he says, grinning, "No word of our tryst shall pass my lips, because I know that the second I let things slip you will undoubtedly shoot me in the face." "The fuck outta here, smooth talker," you laugh. Ezra jams the fishbowl back on his head and steps out into the sticky heat of The Green, zipping the tent behind him. He's a fool, you think as you set about grading and stowing the day's pull, he's a fool and likely to get himself killed. You just hope you're not the one who has to see it.

[diaryofabeautyfiend]

Small Time Witch (19)

Settled inside of Tongass National forest Sector Juneau responds to the most treacherous of missions in the Pacific. They are hosting members of SHIELD and the Avengers and offering support for any civilian casualties. The servicemen at Sector Juneau do not venture too far into Tongass as those are tribal lands. This was the perfect place to hide a smallish Hydra encampment. There were dormitories already in the building. The Haida people inhabit these lands and know it well. They noticed some movement weeks ago. Tribal stakeholders already tried to intervene when they spotted children on the grounds and men with large weapons. When they were told this place was property of the US government they called in support from other known entities. They saw no other adults and feared the worst. Now the Avengers were on their way though they were not exactly who the Haida had in mind.

The first plane to land on the airstrip was the X-jet. On board were Logan, Wade, Ororo, Jean Scott and Kurt. They were greeted by Colonel Sterling Davis. He was a hard man who successfully carried out thousands of deep water rescue missions. Now he teaches at Sector Juneau. Ororo introduced herself and they were escorted to a conference room to wait for the other two teams. Next to land was the Quinjet. Col. Davis sent a few men out to bring them in to the same room. Logan was on the edge of his seat ready to pounce on whomever was holding you. When he didn’t see you his heart sank. Ororo greeted Steve and introduced him to the rest of the team. Tensions were high. Leave it to Wade Wilson to make matters worse.

“Holy. Oh my goodness. It’s Captain America! You are outstanding.” He inhaled deeply as he circled Steve, “Smell that? It’s freedom.”

“Wade! Sit down.” Logan barked. “Where is Y/N? We received a distress call from her friend a few hours ago.”

Steve straightened his spine making himself look more menacing than he actually was. “She was taken on another aircraft by Tony Stark. We weren’t meant to be here.”

“He’s the boyfriend, Logan.” Jean offered.

“The boyfriend?” He walked over to Steve with his claws peeking through the skin of his knuckles. “So you’re the one who got her into this mess.”

Steve’s hands curled into fists. Bucky was at his side poised to fight. Hitting Clint wasn’t enough. He was ready to get into it.

“As much as we would love to see this fight, and trust me we do, we have a more pressing matter to take care of. You’re here. We’re here. She’s not.” Wade stepped between them praying that Steve would hit him. It would heal but for a few precious hours his face would be dented where Cap slugged him. The men retreated to their neutral corners still seething.

Sam went to find the Colonel to ask if any other planes landed or if they spotted anything on radar. Everyone in the conference room was quiet. Everyone was worried. They were entering this operation with very little intel. Jean tried to reach out to any of the children who may share her same powers. She touched the fringes of one of the children and recognized him as Franklin Richards. “Franklin! They have Franklin Richards. They’re children. Oh my...” She brought her hand to her mouth looking horrified.

“I’ll call Susan and Reed!” Ororo was up and out of the room.

“Susan and Reed run a small team out of the Baxter building in Manhattan. Their son Franklin has been missing for a week. This whole camp is housing children. All mutants.” Jean explained.

Wanda started to panic. If this place was anything like the place Hydra kept her and Pietro these children were terrified. They were likely experimented on and tortured until their powered peaked. “What are his abilities?” She asked her voice breaking.

“He’s a lot like you, Wanda. He was born with his abilities and is extremely powerful. More powerful than any of us.” Jean held her hands to show her. She saw him as a young man battling demons and monsters. He made them weep in pain.

“That’s it. Those are the powers they mean for Y/N to take.” Steve was at her side.

“Wanda, what happens if she does?” He stood up and looked at Jean searching her face for an answer. They both looked away. The door to the room swung open. Ororo came back in with Strange and two very frantic people he assumed to be Franklin’s mother and father.

“She won’t be able to absorb his powers. If she tries it will kill them both.” Strange heard the whole exchange as he walked in. He was of no comfort to anyone. Steve thought he must have the worst bedside manner.

Everyone introduced themselves and the team discussed the safest way to get into the building without any children getting hurt. Kurt could carry three small children at a time and get them to safety. The rest would have to fight. This was a balls to the wall dangerous fight that some of them may not make it out of safely. None of them cared least of all Steve.

“Cap! A plane landed thirty minutes ago on the east side of the complex. It has to be them. There are vehicles waiting outside.” Ahead of them lightning crackled announcing Thor and Loki. Steve didn’t even care at this point. He just wanted you safe and whomever it was who saved you was not important. The plane was empty. A member of the tribe boarded one of the vehicles carrying Col. Davis to show them to the site. Steve shook their hands and asked them to wait with transport on the other side of the building.

Jean reached out once more finding you inside of the building. You were already with Franklin. She asked if you were ok which you responded with yes. She asked who you were with and was Franklin safe. You didn’t know the doctor’s name and Franklin looked to be physically safe yet unconscious. He had puncture marks on his skin. He was fading which would open him up for you to take his powers. Allowing his mind to roam free would be dangerous. He is a child who can alter reality. No telling what dreams he could manifest.

You counted five guards outside of Franklins room. Fury and Tony stood outside. Nat and Rhodey stayed at the main corridor. Nat knew Steve would come for you. Knew Clint would not stand in his way. She wouldn’t have either. They saw the guards moving children. Some walked on their own some were on gurneys. They hoped the rest of the team showed up soon. Rhodey wasn’t sure how he was going to get all these kids out. He knew Tony better than this. He wouldn’t let these kids just stay behind. Would he? Some of them looked to be no older than five. No way Tony would let this go now that he’s seeing it. A clap of thunder never sounded as good as the one they just heard.

You held Franklin’s hand pretending to do something so you could hear Jean. You showed her what you saw of the building and where there may be trouble. None of these men would have any qualms about hurting a child. You thought about how you could take out all of the guards and the doctor but you feared for Franklin. You wouldn’t leave him. You pet his hand and hoped he knew you were a friend.

Once you got the message that everyone was ready you threw the doctor against the wall knocking him out and slammed the door closed. You barricaded it with whatever furniture you could and froze the door shut. Your whole body crackled ready to take out whomever got through the door. Something heavy was slamming against it now. The wood started to splinter. There was another heavy thud this time against the wall. You took out the entire power grid leaving the room pitch black. You saw Kurt’s eyes shining from the upper corner of the ceiling above Franklin’s bed. You disconnected his heart monitor and IV. “Take him to safety!”

“I’ve come for you too, love.”

“Get him out of here. Get as many kids as you can!” He nodded and disappeared delivering Franklin to his mother’s waiting arms.

Ororo followed your lead freezing the doors to the entrance to the dorms. Scott crumpled a wall and they started handing the kids off to Sam and Wanda. Once you knew the medical wing was clear you blew the door open. You grabbed the doctor by his collar and dragged him into the room where he conducted experiments. You saw your friends fighting and dodging bullets. Wade saw you and fought his way over to you. Without having to say a word he knew what you were doing. He shielded you so you could get away with the now conscious doctor. You pushed him into a chair that was so small he barely fit. You pulled a sword from Wade’s belt and speared him through the shoulder effectively pinning him down. He screamed and blood sprayed all over your face. Wade wouldn’t stop you. None of them would. They all knew a doctor like this no named freak. This insignificant shit stain who no longer had the right to be called human. When the last shell hit the floor and all the children were safe only the doctor’s screams echoed through the halls.

Loki had a very small girl wrapped in a blanket on his lap. She was barely breathing and her heart was beating in a terrible rhythm. Her eyes focused on him. He held her close whispering words of comfort in her ear. He handed her off to a nurse who promised to take care of her. He had never seen anything like this before. He vowed by all the nine that he would find the people who did this and they would pay dearly. Steve, looking just as shocked, found him sitting on the ground. “Where is she?!” That’s when they heard it. A quick scan of the crowd showed you weren’t there. When they found you you had a blade in your hand peeling off his skin layer by layer. Slowly. Methodically. You were covered in blood. It was greased into your hair and stained your skin.

For a moment Loki stood with Wade not willing to stop you. You were a woman possessed. The doctor screamed and cried under your weight. You felt Loki’s hands on your shoulders. You fought against him. He turned your head to look at him and that’s when he saw your eyes were completely white and you looked feral. With a strength he didn’t know you had you broke away from him and propelled him across the room.

Steve and Tony ran into the room. Steve was horrified. Tony launched himself toward you trying to break you away from your work. “I hate to say I told you so, Cap but...” before he could finish you held your hand in the air towards him and started crumpling his suit around him. He finally let go and initiated the protocol to take it off.

Loki bear hugged you from behind and Wade grabbed your feet. You fought so hard that Wade almost lost you a few times. After checking on Tony Steve was at your side. Your eyes went back to normal and you started to cry. Loki and Wade set you down. You crumbled into a heap on the floor. Loki kissed your head whispering to you, telling you it was over.

“No!” you screamed, “he deserves to die!”

“Y/N, no!” Steve grabbed your hand, “We don’t make that call!”

“Yeah well I can’t say I agree with you, Cap. When you’ve been tortured within an inch of your life you can decide who makes that call. He’s one of a hundred doctors and scientists who want to touch our no no spots.” Wade’s eyes were not focused on anything in particular. He was deep in a memory of when he was in a place just like this.

“They’re babies, Steve.” you sobbed.

“I know and he’ll pay. Justice will...”

“Who is going to check him? You are so naive! This isn’t the work of Hydra! Our own government did this. Project 66 is turning our children into weapons. Tell him, Tony.”

“Tony what is she talking about?” Steve was beyond anger. Tony looked away from him with tears in his eyes.

“I didn’t know that part. I didn’t know. Ok? I thought this was a rescue mission.”

“Bullshit!” You freed a hand from Loki and pushed towards Tony sending him back to the ground. Loki held you down tighter. He placed his hand on your forehead and saw the memories of your own torture. You were just a girl. You were terrified. It was two days before Logan found you. You cried out at the memory. He loosened his grip on you.

Steve and Tony continued to argue when you broke loose. You summoned every bit of energy you could and raised your hands. Steve stood in between you and the doctor. “Move, Steve. I have to end this.”

“Don’t do this, baby. You take a life you can’t come back from that. It’ll haunt you. Please. We don’t come back from that. I can’t let you do this.”

“What are you going to do, Steve? Arrest me? Go ahead! Just let me finish.”

This place echoed with the screams of innocent souls crying for their mothers and fathers. The level of cruelty this man brought down upon them should not go unpunished. A jail cell was too good for him. The government will dismiss this as a rogue agent. They’ll sit before Congress and ask to be forgiven but they’ll never know the atrocities seen here. This is justice.

Tears left streaks in the blood that was smeared on your face. “Loki, get him out of here.” You pushed them both out. Steve fought hard but Loki was stronger.

“She’ll never be the same, Loki. This will ruin her.” Loki let him go into Bucky’s care. Bucky didn’t run in to stop you either. None of them did.

Wade stayed with you knowing you’d need someone when you were done. You pushed Tony out of the building through the already crumpling wall. With all of your strength you sent a bolt through the doctor that liquified his innards. You collapsed into Wade’s arms. He carried you out to Kurt who transported you to the X-jet. Wade hopped in a vehicle with Logan and they sped away.

🌩🌩🌩🌩🌩🌩🌩🌨🌨🌨🌩🌩🌩🌩

When you woke up you were in a hospital bed. Professor Xavier and Logan were at your side. “Am I in trouble?” Your voice was low and husky.

“No. Considering what we’ve uncovered the FBI was more than willing to let you go with a warning. There are two very worried gentleman outside of your door. Logan was insistent that they wait outside.” You smiled up at Logan who was holding your hand. Xavier left the room to give you some privacy.

“For someone who is not my father you sure act like it sometimes. Is Wade ok?” He stroked your hair and rolled his eyes.

“Wilson is fine. I stopped him from giving you a teardrop prison tattoo under your eye. How are you?”

“A little upset with myself. I don’t know what came over me.”

“We’ve all been there, kid. We’re here for you. You’ll come out ok. It takes time.”

“I killed someone, Logan.”

“Yeah, you did. The day you can live with that is the day we’ve lost you to the dark side. One day it will get easier. It won’t hurt to breath. Until then, you stick around with us and we’ll get you through it.”

There was a knock on the door. Steve entered slowly, “Can I come in?”

“I’ll come back later.” Logan squeezed your hand and ducked out of the door.

In the hours before you woke up Steve sat alone at a table in the cafeteria at the school. Tony went back to the tower. He had a lot to think about. Fury was headed back to DC.

Steve rested his head in his hands and sobbed. He cried because of what you did. Cried because he lied to you and hurt you. Cried because he couldn’t save you. Cried because he couldn’t save some of the children who were held there. They lost four of them. The tiniest ones who couldn’t handle what the doctor had done to them. Cried because the remaining children are traumatized and our own government let it happen. The Professor was working on finding all of their parents. Some of them were in hiding. Perhaps they had secret powers of their own. Some of them downright didn’t want their children back. They would remain in the care of Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Maybe they would find a family there. Maybe they would feel abandoned. More than anything he cried because you were forever changed in his eyes. He didn’t know if he could ever again trust you. You lied to him about a lot of things. He lied to you too.

Later when he got to your room Loki was pacing in front of the door. He shared a glance with Steve letting him know he should go in. Loki knew he was the victor here but the cost was too great to be smug now.

Steve sat on the edge of the bed. You curled your hand around his. “Was my first instinct right? Should I have trusted you?”

He searched your face for any answer. You weren’t giving anything away.

You stared at him holding his hand letting his fear wash over you. “I can’t answer that for you. I can’t say that I’ve atoned for my sins. I haven’t. I stand by what I did. Doesn’t change how I feel about you. It has changed how you feel about me though.”

“We lied to each other. Big lies. Can you really forgive me for going behind your back? Can I get passed this? Will we ever really trust each other again? What does this mean for you? You can’t work with us again.”

“I’ll stay in Westchester until I figure it out. I can work with Logan and Wade.”

“That makes me trust you a whole lot more.”

“Hey! I’m not proud of what I’ve done here. And I’m not on some murderous mission.”

“Everyone here has done something they aren’t proud of.”

“Not you. You are the best of us all. You’re a good man, Steve. You shouldn’t have to live with something that goes against everything you stand for. You deserve to be happy with a sweet girl who bakes and wears sundresses and wants a whole mess of kids. That’s not me. I love you so much I feel like my heart could burst. Asking you to compromise your beliefs would be cruel. I want nothing for you other than for you to be happy.”

“I’ll never love anyone like I love you.” His voice cracked. The last thing he wanted was to let you go. He wished he could turn back the clock to before you fell in love. He wished he could spare you from each other.

“Yes, you will. It only feels that way right now because it’s ending. When you find her...the one. You’ll know.” He scooted next to you on the bed and pulled you to his chest. You clutched each other for a long time. He kissed you and it was passionate and deep. A kiss you reserve for a moment like this. He wanted to imprint this moment on his heart forever. This was the first time he kissed anyone like this and the last time he ever would again. This was the last time you’d see him for a while.

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

You went home with Loki after you were given the all clear. You talked a lot about Alaska. He assured you that he didn’t care about what you’d done. He only wished it didn’t torment you so. “What happened doesn’t change you, Pet. A small child nearly died in my arms. If you hadn’t done it I would have myself. Let me get my hands on the putrid waste of skin who hurt you. It will be far worse.”

In the days that followed you had little contact with the Avengers. Wanda texted a few times so did Nat. You checked on Steve via Bucky. You sometimes had Bucky to the house. You had trash tv marathons and he supplied the trash food. He told you he thought about his victims every single day. Being with people he loved helped bring him back. He wanted to do the same for you.

You wouldn’t go back to work for Tony. Loki assured you that you would be fine. Set financially for the long haul. And, if you needed more, he’d get it for you. Nothing to worry about.

You spent your days doing spell work. He taught you things you never imagined. You expanded the garden and added a few trees. You read a lot and made him watch ridiculous movies. You were currently binging Game of Thrones. No surprise to you Danerys was his favorite.

You had nightmares every night. He would hold you tight and help you ride them out. Sometimes sleep would elude you entirely. When you were too afraid to close your eyes he would take baths with you. He cast a spell to keep the water toasty. You’d stay in until your skin was wrinkled. Other times he would make love to you until you couldn’t fight sleep any longer.

When your birthday came around he convinced you to have a few friends over. It was very low key affair. A dinner really. He watched you looking at yourself in the mirror applying your makeup. You frowned at the lines forming next to your eyes. “Lok, do I look old?”

“Not at all, Darling. You are perfect as you are.” He answered rather quickly. He meant what he said but knew enough now not to hesitate with his answers.

“I wish I could stop time. Just stop aging all together. It will be centuries before you’ll look old. I’ll be a wrinkled old bag and you’ll be young and hot still.”

“I have something that can fix that. Come with me.” You follow him into the kitchen where he pulled out two of the herb drawers. In one hand was the cutting from the Yggdrasil and in the other sap from the manzanilla de muerte. “This one, when fused with a piece of me, will grant you immortality. You won’t age a day as long as you wear it. The catch is you die I die and vice versa. This one will make me mortal if I drink it. The choice is yours.”

“You’d give up your immortality for me?”

“If that’s what you wish.” Though he hoped you really didn’t.

“What about when we have children? Can they be immortal too if they choose?”

“If they choose I suppose they can be.” You asked if you could sleep on it. This was a huge decision. You had to give it some thought. Forever was, after all, a very long time.

You heard the telltale thrum and crackle of the bifrost in the back. “Thor and Jane are here. Can you let them in?!” You called. You heard Thor’s voice echoing off the walls. His laugh made you smile.

Loki peeked his head around the corner to see you standing in a beautiful navy blue dress. It was long and flowing with blousy sleeves and a low back. You checked yourself in the mirror a few more times. To him you were absolutely perfect. The way the candlelight illuminated your skin took his breath away. He couldn’t fathom you being anything less than stunning even if you let time ravage you. Your bracelet slipped down your arm when you hung your earrings. On your other wrist was a delicate silver watch with a brilliant blue face. He had only seen it in your jewelry box. You never wore it. Tonight was a special occasion and it did go so well with your ensemble. With a final pop of your rose petal colored lips you declared yourself ready.

He took your arm and lead you to the back garden. Everyone was passing dishes talking and laughing. Darcy was telling the story about how Dr. Selvig ran around Stone Henge in his underwear. You had heard it a hundred times and belly laughed the same way you did the first time she told it. The night ended late enough for everyone to have fun but early enough to get everyone home safely.

Loki sent you to get ready for bed promising he would have the kitchen spotless. You heard him cursing and dropping things. Domesticity would be hard for him. It was hilarious to see him bumble through something as simple as loading a dishwasher.

As you were wiping off the remnants of your makeup a text came in from Steve.

SR: Happy birthday. Hope it was a good day. Love, Steve

Y/N: Thank you. It was a good day. Hope you’re doing well.

He didn’t respond. You smiled at the watch on your wrist. The face the same color as his eyes. When you put it on you hoped he would think of you. You set it back in the jewelry box when Loki was walking into the room. “That’s a nice watch. Have you had it long?”

“A little over a year I guess. It was a birthday gift.” He didn’t ask who had given it to you. He already knew and he would not let such things ruin his mood. It was your birthday and you needed to be properly celebrated.

He moved behind you and unzipped your dress making sure his knuckles grazed your skin the whole way down. He trailed kisses from shoulder blade to shoulder blade pushing your dress off and letting it cascade down your body into a beautiful pool on the floor. Underneath you were trussed up and corseted and layered with enough spandex to choke a man.

“Norns, Darling. How do get into all of this nonsense?” He stared at you bewildered. You smiled back at him slowly unhooking and untying. He helped unlace the front of your corset with all the wonder of a child on Christmas morning. Your breasts were pushed up making them more round and pillowy on top. He thought of resting his head there. You wouldn’t stop him. He had undone quite a few corsets in his time but none excited him like this one.

Once you were free he ran his hands over your torso kneading out the sore spots where the wires pressed into your flesh. It was your softness that beguiled him so. He savored the weight of your breasts in his hands and the elegant curve of your hips. He loved how your skin always smelled of spices and alters and flowers from your garden.

He held your hands and lead you to the bed. “Relax, gorgeous girl. Let me take care of you.” He pushed your legs back and positioned himself at your entrance. Long graceful fingers swept through your folds. He lapped at your slit drinking in all of your wetness. You twined your fingers into his hair running your nails over his scalp. The more you scratched and pulled the harder he fucked you with his fingers. You rocked your hips fucking him back. You felt the wave building in your belly ready to break. You reached your peak and shattered around him.

“Lok, please fuck me.” You were breathless writhing in his grip. He did not stop licking you.

“One more, Pet and then I’ll give you what you want.”

“Oh please. I need to feel you.” He ignored your request and continued to suck your pearl between his lips. He held you down on the bed and brought you to your next orgasm. Your whole body stiffened and threatened to clamp shut around him. He kept his fingers working as he moved on top of you. He spread your legs wider with his knees. Your eyes were screwed shut the pleasure was overwhelming.

“Look at me, my queen. You’re so needy for your king’s cock aren’t you? Tell me.” You could barely speak. He ran the dripping head of his dick around your cunt and let it just enter at the very tip. Your hips moved to take more but he pulled away. “Tell me, pet.”

“I need your cock, my king. Please. Please fuck me.”

His face split into the most dazzling smile and he sheathed himself in you. His lashes fluttered when you clamped down around him. You wrapped your arms and legs around his body like the vines claiming the windows. You held each other’s eyes. His pace became more urgent. He untangled you so he could lean back and drive deeper into you. You were ready again. You pulled him back down to kiss him. “I love you, Loki.” You whispered. Your words were his undoing. He slammed his hips into you pushing you over the edge with him.

He kissed you again and settled next to you. Your thighs were sticky with the two of you. You couldn’t bring yourself to care.

“Happy birthday, my queen. I love you endlessly.”

“Enough to spend eternity with me? That is of neither of us is too reckless.” He laughed knowing eternity may not be quite as long for the two of you fools.

[not-majestic-bluenicorn]

Crescent || Chapter 1

Fandom(s): ATEEZ

AU: Treasure Hunters

Genre: Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Relationship: Everyone x Everyone, Established Hongjoong x Yunho

Language: English

Status: Ongoing

Chapter WC: 2,913 words

Warnings:  Character Death, Stabbing, Fighting, Blood, Aliens, War, Funerals, Kidnapping, Attempted Kidnapping, Mentions of Child Abuse / Child Work, Explosions, Murder Attempt, more will be added.

Chapter Warnings: Character Death, Stabbing, Fighting, Blood, Aliens, War, Funerals.

Summary: 

After the death of his oldest brother, heir to the crown, prince Hongjoong embarks on a journey to find the mythical Treasure of the Seven Galaxies. Wanting the treasure to finance the war against the people who killed his brother, prince Hongjoong will travel across space with the help of old friends and new, facing enemies he never expected. Together Hongjoong and his new crew will have to decide what they are truly fighting for: what is your treasure?

AO3

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Taejoong held the hilt tightly as he lifted his foot and kicked the soldier away, retrieving his sword. He had lost his helmet some time ago during the fight, and his face was covered in dirt, sweat and blood. The fight had been going for hours, but dusk would soon come and the enemies would fall back to cover themselves from the cold that enveloped the Sierra desert, the biggest in the Bazara exoplanet. 

The Elgen had done an excellent job at choosing the site of attack, and Taejoong had to congratulate them for their strategy. Their thick, scaly skin provided them protection against the harsh weather, they could easily withstand the sandstorms and fight throughout the day. Their only disadvantage was the cold of the night. However, without a satellite to provide natural light in the darkness and the time they needed for recovery, the humans had been unable to perform a surprise attack at night, when the Elgen were at their weakest point.

Bazara was considerably small for a planet, and mostly consisted of deserts, but under its surface it was bustling with coveted resources. The planet was under the rulership of the Kim Empire, the biggest human made empire in that galaxy and the neighboring ones, which certainly made it the target of other empires and species. This invasion had already been going on for two weeks, but it was not slowing down.

Another soldier lunged forward and Taejoong retreated, earning himself time to activate his shield. He deflected the opponent’s sword by pushing it away and brought his long sword forward, piercing the arm of the Elgen soldier. Taejoong pressed a button on the hilt and electrocuted the enemy, who fell to the ground unconscious. He kept up his guard as he approached the soldier and leaned down to check on his vital signs; he was unconscious but alive, which meant they could take him back to camp and try to obtain information from him.

Taejoong wasn’t fond of taking prisoners, but he was less fond of stabbing someone unconscious or leaving them there to die. As he took a look around, he noticed that the rest of Elgen had already retreated, and all that was left was to gather those who were still standing and take the wounded back to camp. His sword shrunk into a dagger and his shield became once again just a gauntlet. When he crouched to pick up the fallen Elgen, he noticed a familiar coat of arms and smiled.

“Right in time!” Taejoong exclaimed, sitting up the Elgen and passing their arm over his shoulders. “Tell the others to start gathering our injured and dead, we need to send them back to their home planets and reward them for their service. Night is falling soon so we need to be quick before the sandstorms start and make it impossible to see anything.”

With great effort, he stood up and brought the unconscious soldier with him. Taejoong continued voicing his orders as he turned around and started his way back to camp; maybe if they were fast enough they could change their location to cover the terrain they had just recovered from the Elgen. As he walked away, he felt pain through his back and chest, which spread quickly to the rest of his body. He fell to his knees, and when he looked down, he managed to catch the sword piercing his chest as it pulled back.

—

“We were too careless!” Yunho screamed as his sword locked with another and he pushed forward to deflect it, retreating once he had succeeded. 

“What are you talking about! Don’t you like surprises?” Hongjoong mocked, way too excited for his own good.

He stabbed an Elgen soldier clearly in the stomach before kicking them back. He pivoted on his right leg as his sword became a throwing dagger, attached to his arm firmly by a chain, and threw it towards an enemy that was running to them. The dagger sank onto the Elgen’s shoulder and Hongjoong pressed the button to electrocute them, quickly sending them to the ground. He felt Yunho’s back press against his and he smiled, of course he could count on his right hand to keep him safe.

“You’re so boring, dear Lieutenant general, relax a little.” Hongjoong smiled as he retrieved his dagger, turning it into a short-sword.

Yunho huffed. It was so easy for Hongjoong to say that because he wasn’t the one taking care of his own back. Yunho couldn’t complain though, Hongjoong was vicious in battle, second only to his older brother, almost invincible. And that little part of him that was vulnerable to defeat was what Yunho protected. He wouldn’t be able to let Hongjoong get out of his sight if he tried, anyway, so might as well protect him.

The Elgen were tall but thin, and because of their reforced skin the Empire had fortified their weapons in order to make them more effective. Soon enough, Hongjoong’s troop had finished off the battle, and won. They had been inspecting some caves for a new base when the Elgen attacked them. The attack had been unexpected, an ambush, but they had been able to defend themselves and emerge victorious.

“Round up and count the injured!” The lieutenant in charge of the troop ordered and he was answered by a chorus of ‘yes sir!’. “Sir,” Lieutenant Hwang saluted Hongjoong and then Yunho, who saluted back.

“Lieutenant,” Hongjoong acknowledged him with a nod. “Do you think there will be enough men to guard this spot so the Elgen can’t claim it again?”

“It is still difficult to say sir, I’ll inform you once the headcount is done.” The lieutenant explained. “The battle was quite brutal however, and we need to get the injured back to the main camp. We might need to call for reinforcements.” 

“Alright, keep me informed.” Hongjoong nodded, but before the man walked away, he stopped him. “Good job on leading your troop through the ambush Lieutenant Hwang, I expected no less.” 

The lieutenant saluted before going back to check on his soldiers, and Hongjoong allowed himself to relax for a second. Yunho chuckled next to him, wiping off sweat from his forehead. Hongjoong pushed him softly and shook his head; he looked around to make sure no one was close enough to them before he began talking. Yunho looked at him with a soft smile on his face and listened.

“I know you already know, because he’s your prince-”

“Not more than you are.” Yunho interrupted briefly, causing Hongjoong to blush profusely.

“Not the point!” The General said through gritted teeth. “My brother’s birthday is next week and I am so excited for it! I insisted aunt Mira until she taught me how to cook his favorite dishes.” Hongjoong explained, obviously too excited.

Everyone knew that Hongjoong looked up to his brother. Taejoong was his role model and Hongjoong’s favorite person besides Yunho; he had been planning his brother’s birthday celebration for almost a month, and he talked so much about it it was almost certain his brother knew already. It was difficult to dissuade him of talking about it, though, since it brightened his expression so much.

“You? Cooking? It should be considered treason, you’ll probably poison your brother.” Yunho chuckled, earning himself a punch and a death glare from Hongjoong. Yunho was not deterred by this though, as he grabbed Hongjoong’s arm and pulled him closer, pecking him slightly on the lips.

“Don’t do that! We’re in public.” Hongjoong almost yelled, pushing Yunho away. “And my cooking is not that awful.” He crossed his arms. “Is it?”

“Of course not!” Yunho smiled, looking apologetic. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel insecure.” Hongjoong shook his head.

“Do you think he’ll like his gift?” Hongjoong bit his lip, eyes trained on the floor.

“I’m sure he’ll love it.”

—

Taejoong held his hands to his chest, pressuring the wound, dropping the Elgen soldier as he tried to keep the blood from pouring out, but it was impossible. He fell on his side, and looked up when a dirty boot pushed him so he was lying on his back. Pain flooded his body as he felt sand and dirt press into his back injury, and groaned and winced in pain.

His sight became blurry from the mix of tears and agony, and when he looked up, he couldn’t quite make the face of the person that stood before him. He knew just by the colors that it was one of his own though. The soldier stabbed the fallen Elgen multiple times before looking back at Taejoong, who had begun to shake uncontrollably.

“Who… are you?” He managed to sputter out, coughing blood. The man laughed but didn’t reply. “Who sent you… why?” 

How was no one seeing him bleed out? Surely, someone must have noticed when he had stopped given orders, when he had stopped guiding them. And yet he couldn’t hear anyone coming to help him. Taejoong was going to die by the hands of his own soldier, and he couldn’t find a reason why.

“Hongjoong…” He whispered, because even then he could only think of his youngest brother, fighting his own battles somewhere in that deserted planet. What if he was in danger too? “I’m s-sorry…” His breathing stopped.

“Help! General Kim has been attacked! Somebody help!” 

—

“I promise you he will like your gift!” Yunho insisted, trying to hide his smile. “You’re literally his favorite person in the Empire, no- in the universe.”

“I’d say Livia is pretty high up there too.” Hongjoong mumbled, making Yunho laugh.

“Princess Livia is Prince Taejoong’s wife though.” Yunho said with a smile. “It’ll be fine.”

As Hongjoong was about to retort, a slider parked outside of the cave they were in and a hurried soldier ran towards them. Her face was livid as she made her way up to Hongjoong, but there was no hesitation in her voice when she gave them the news.

“Sir,” she saluted. Her shoulders were strained with tension. “General Kim Taejoong has passed away in combat.”

Hongjoong’s face became pale, and a second later he was running towards the slider. Yunho followed him in a hurry and stopped him right before he mounted, holding him in place. Hongjoong battled in his arms and threw a punch at his face, which Yunho barely avoided. He held him down nonetheless and boarded the slider first.

“I’ll drive, before you kill yourself on the way.” Yunho explained.

Hongjoong boarded behind him and held tight. Sliders like this one were made for messengers, one person who needed to deliver a message quickly, and it really wasn’t supposed to hold both Yunho and Hongjoong on it. However, Hongjoong wasn’t about to be left behind, and Yunho wasn’t going to let him drive it, so he would hold on for dear life until they had made it with his brother.

Yunho started up the engine and they bolted out of there. Through their communication network, he asked for the coordinates and in just a few minutes they had already arrived. When Hongjoong let go of him, Yunho felt the sting of the cuts that his nails had left behind from holding so tightly. Hongjoong didn’t wait for him to turn off the engine and jumped off the slider, running towards the mass of people.

“Let me through!” He yelled, and the soldiers in front of him parted, letting him see.

The army nurses had already loaded the body on a stretcher and were taking it to the medical slider. No one saw it coming when Hongjoong threw himself at them, trying to stop them from taking his brother away. Yunho ran towards him and pulled him away, shielding him with his body, but it was too late, Hongjoong had already seen it all.

He became violent, hitting Yunho and demanding him to move. But Yunho didn’t budge. Instead, he took Hongjoong away from the masses so they wouldn’t see him in that state. When they were finally alone, away from the prying eyes, Hongjoong broke down in his arms. He cursed Yunho out, demanding to return his brother, to let him go see him. And through it all, Yunho just held him.

—

Hongjoong stood next to his middle brother Yijoong and his father, the Emperor, on the front row at the palace's ballroom. The space had been adapted to hold the funeral, and as far as Hongjoong remembered, this was the second time he got to see it like this. His memories of the first time weren't too clear. He had been too young when the Empress, his mother, had passed away as a victim of illness. And now he stood there, waiting for his older brother to be brought to the front.

His eyes were fixed on the thrones as the soldiers carried the coffin on their shoulders. Hongjoong couldn't really hear anything besides the noise in his head. He was vaguely conscious of a few people crying, but the royal family was somewhat small and most of their family friends were in the military. Everyone expected them to just remain serious and wait.

Yunho had embraced him all throughout the previous day while the preparations for the ceremony were carried, but it wasn't enough and Hongjoong wished he could be there by his side. As it was, though, Yunho was probably standing a few rows behind him. The only good thing was that, at least, he had cried enough in the previous 24 hours that he didn't have a tear left to cry in the ceremony. Yijoong and his father were stoic as well, and Hongjoong couldn't help but think they certainly made an exemplary family of soldiers.

The emperor was the first to give his farewell speech. Hongjoong couldn't help but look away when the words died in his father's throat, as he looked over at the coffin for a long minute, just contemplating it. His father had lost his wife and a son. Yijoong and him had lost their mother and now a brother, how could they not break apart even just a moment? And still, the speech ended with no tears.

As Yijoong went to the front to speak about their eldest brother, Hongjoong put his hand inside his coat and pulled out a compass. It was a round black box the size of his palm, engraved with his initials. Taejoong had given it to him as a birthday gift when he had completed his studies in navigation, as it was one of Hongjoong's passions. The outside was simple, but the inside was beautifully designed and the golden needle never failed to show him the way. He wished it would also show him the way to bring his brother back.

When Yijoong was done speaking, it was Hongjoong's turn to stand up and walk to the front. As he stood up behind the stand, he looked at Yunho, whose eyes were fixed on him with intensity, body tense. Hongjoong guessed that the younger wanted to run out of his place and hug him, to protect him from the pain of loss. Yunho was silly like that, ready to throw away everything for him. Hongjoong nodded, and after Yunho nodded back, he fixed his eyes on the coffin and began talking.

"Everyone knows this already, but my brother was the most amazing person in my eyes, in my life." Hongjoong's voice was firm as he spoke. "He encouraged me and guided me to become the person I am today, and I would never be here without him.

"He was loved by everyone who got to meet him personally, and admired by many more who never got a chance to speak to him." As he felt his voice falter, he stopped for a moment and breathed deeply. "He was the strongest swordsman and soldier in the Empire, yet he had the kindest heart and always strove for peace and negotiation, only raising his weapon when it was to defend his people, and still never aiming to kill.

"Everyone will remember him as an amazing leader and General, but that is not everything about him." Hongjoong smiled slightly. "My brother was the kindest person I have ever known, always discussing new ways of improving the empire. But he was also an amazing brother, taking care of me and Yijoong, looking for his family and friends.

"He made all of our lives better, and he would have been an amazing emperor." This time, Hongjoong looked at the front, looking for comfort in Yunho's expression. "He lived with kindness and died being kind, as the enemy whose life he had chosen to spare, as he often did, stabbed him in the back." Hongjoong sighed. "And still, I'm sure he wouldn't have hesitated to do it again even knowing the outcome.

"I'll miss him, but I hope that wherever he is, he'll continue to guide us through the legacy he left to us." Hongjoong spared one last glance at his brother before getting off of the stand and walking back to his family.

The rest of the ceremony went by but Hongjoong paid almost no attention to it. If his brother was anywhere, it was not in that expensive ceremony to honor him. So Hongjoong held the compass tight to his heart and mourned in silence, hoping that wherever he was, his brother was still looking at him.

[83serk]

A Fun Camping Story, I guess.

“Were going camping!” Father yelled excitedly. “Whatever, I’m only going if i get to take Tammy with.” My sister said. Chelsea can be annoying sometimes, but since she is so relatable to Mean Girls I’m fine with being around her because it makes me laugh. “If Chelsea gets to bring Tammy, I want to bring Jason.” I said to dad. “That fat nerd, no way!” Chelsea said angrily. “Leave him alone Chelsea, its only fair.” Mom said in a calming voice. Chelsea looked at me and stuck her tongue out. Jason is kind of fat and a nerd but he is the only kid that would be my friend. Chelsea is 16, and i’m 14, which makes us two years apart, and even dad and mom think m more mature than her. I can’t help but feel that they love her more than me though, unless shes blackmailing them to buy her whatever she wants. “We are leaving in two hours so call your friend now, before you forget.” Mom said. I walked up stairs to my room. I packed a couple t-shirts, a pocket knife, a jacket, shorts, socks, a small hatchet, some rope to practice my knots,underwear, a garbage bag, a shovel and a pair of hiking boots. I picked up my phone and called Jason. “Hey Mike! Whats up?” Jason said. I could here everything going on in the background. “Do you have any plans this week?” I asked. “ Ya, I’m going to my grandmas in like an hour to spend the rest of the week.Why?. Jason questioned. “No reason, well i have to go, bye.” I hung up the phone before he could say anything else. I walked downstairs with my blue suitcase and put it next to the front door. I saw Tammy’s mom’s car pull up the drive way. The car was a white sedan. Tammy walked out of the car, and walked back to the trunk. She set all her pink baggage down and slammed the trunk. As her mom pulled out of the driveway she walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. I stared out the window and watched her sit there and wait. Tammy was the same age as Chelsea, she had blonde hair, silver like eyes, she was wearing supper short khakis and a pink crop top cut t-shirt. Chelsea came down the stairs “Pervert, your getting your drool all over the window!” Chelsea said in disgust. Chelsea opened the door for Tammy. “OMG you look amazing, what is that a new skirt?” Tammy said. “Ya, I bought it at Kohl's.” Chelsea answered. I walked away as they blabbered on up the stairs. Bummed out that my only friend couldn’t make it, I through myself on the couch and watched the white swirly wave like  ceiling move. About thirty minutes have passed, my phone starts to ring. I take my phone out of my pocket and read that it was Jason calling, i pressed the green answer button. “Hey Mike, so my grandma had something come up and she wont be able to pick me up yet,do you still want to hangout?” Jason asked. “Sure, oh and i didn’t tell what i was doing but I’m going camping for the week...do you want to come with?” I asked. “That sounds way better, so sure let me just tell my grandma and I will be on my way, I already have my bags packed so i will be there in a couple of minutes.” Jason answered. “Alright see you then. bye.” I hung up the phone. I jumped off the couch and ran to the door in excitement. Waiting like a dog at the door, I see Jason run across the street to the front door. I opened the door before he even got a chance to take a breath, he jumped back scared but realized it was me. “Jeez, Mike you scared me.” Jason said while still catching his breath, he took out his inhaler and breathed in. “Sorry about that, i just got excited.” I replied apologetically.  As Jason walked inside i shut the door behind him. He set his bags next to mine and walked over and sat on the couch. As I was going to go sit next to him dad and mom came into the living room “Are you guys ready? because we are leaving now.” Dad said enthusiastically. “Yes, Mr Anderson!” Jason replied happily. dad looked at me. “And how about you?” “Yes, dad, everything is packed.” I talked in a lazy like voice. “Alrighty then, go get your sister Mike, we will put your stuff in the car.” I got up with a grown and walked up the stairs. I opened my sisters room and saw Chelsea and Tammy frenching each other. “Ewww gross, so your  a lesbian now?” I asked “No Mike, we are just practicing just in case there is some other hot male campers there.” Chelsea and Tammy both looked at each other and giggled. “Well were leaving now.” I walked downstairs and out the door and to the car. The only reason why we could bring so many people is because of our mini-van it has a navy green color to it. Jason had already claimed his seat in the very back with all our bags, mom went into the back to lift up the middle seat, where i will sit, then Tammy would have no choice but to sit on the right or left side of me. Then the worst most possible outcome happened, dad and mom sat in the back blocking all points of escape. I had forgot Chelsea had just gotten her permit. Chelsea and Tammy finally came out of the front door, they handed dad their bags and he through them in the back by Jason. Oh great, now I’m stuck by dad and mom, and Jason can go through our bags, hopefully he doesn’t. We drove the for the next 4 hours until we finally got there, we had to stop so many times because everyone had different bathroom schedules. At one of the stops i managed to switch spots with dad. Once we finally got to the parking lot, we took all of our bags out, then we had to literally hike to our cabin because its so far away. Thankfully, it was kind of remote there. There were no showers, and our cabin only had a toilet and a sink. Once we got in we found our rooms, me and Jason had to sleep in the living room because there were only two room cabins open. Dad should have booked a place early so we could have had a bigger cabin, but i didn’t mind it. “We’re gonna go out and explore the place for a little bit, we will be back later.” Chelsea said. “Bring your brother and his friend to.” Mom said. “No, why?” Chelsea said. “Because i said so, now go and leave me and your father alone for a couple of hours, bye love you guys.”Mom said cheerfully. Chelsea made a moan of disgust “Whatever, lets go.” She demanded. Me and Jason got up and followed them out the door. As we got closer to the main camping site where a giant lodge was and a park next to it where other kids were playing, me and Jason decided to go to the park, “ We are gonna go to the park, see you in a little bit.” I said to Chelsea. “I hope not.” She whispered to Tammy but loud enough to make sure i heard it. As me and Jason walked up to the park, two kids ran up to us and asked “Do you want to play tag with us?” It was two twins that looked identical to the ones from the Shinning movie. “Sure!” I said to them. I was just trying to make Jason tired for later. I can’t wait, I’m so excited. “Why are you smiling so big?” Jason asked. I just looked at him then ran over to the kids playing tag, he followed behind me. “Hey Chelsea,” Tammy said, “Do you see that guy over their, he looks kind of hot.” “Eww he definitely is not” Chelsea said in disgust. “Well, I’m going to go talk to him.” Tammy said excitedly. “Whatever, you whore.” Chelsea said in a jealous voice. Tammy walked towards the guy. Chelsea watched as they flirted up a storm. Tammy came back running towards Chelsea all happy like as if she had won the lottery. “He wants to meet up by the lake later.” Tammy said while do a little happy dance. “Good for you, I hope you get an STD.” Chelsea said furiously and walked away. Chelsea walked inside the giant lodge and ran to the bathroom as she started crying. Tammy trying not to be ugly for when she meets up with the new guy named David she just talked to went to go prepare at the cabin. I saw Chelsea run into the lodge crying, so i ran in after to see if she was okay, completely forgetting about Jason. As I walked into the women's bathroom, i could hear Chelsea crying loudly, “Are you okay?” I asked her. “Why are you in the women's bathroom Mike, your such a pervert.” She said why trying to hold in tears. “I saw you fight with Tammy, what was that about, a guy?” I asked “NO, I’M CRYING BECAUSE I THOUGHT SHE WAS INTO ME!” she yelled and started crying even louder. Damn, I do not want to get mixed into this and ruin my plans with Jason. I walked out of the bathroom hearing behind me, “YOUR SUCH A DICK MIKE!” As it got dark, me and Jason started to head back to the cabin, we saw Tammy all dressed up, heading towards the small lake a few minutes away from the cabin. We didn’t bother to ask what she was doing, so we just ignored each other. We walked to the cabin and we heard moaning coming from it, “Stay out here,” i whispered. I’m gonna sneak in and grab my bag.” “Why?” Jason asked. “Because were gonna go to the lake and watch Tammy.” I smiled. I sneaked inside and heard the moaning coming from the parents room. “Gross.” I said to myself. I grabbed my bag and ran out the door. We started heading into the direction that Tammy was walking in before. As we got farther and farther into the woods i turned around and told Jason to take a break for a minute. “ I’m gonna go pee.” Jason said “Alright, don’t get lost.” I said back. Jason started walking off the path, I put on gloves and tore a couple holes in the garbage bag so i would get my clothes stained from the mud and stuff, then I grabbed out my hatchet,tied my rope around two trees to see if he would end up tripping over it for later, picked up a small rock, and followed Jason. Once he stopped i waited behind a bush for the perfect moment to scare him. As he zipped his shorts up he turned around and started to walk back to where we stopped. i threw the rock i grabbed to scare Jason a little. It hit a tree making a little dink! sound. “Who’s there!” Jason turned at yelled towards where i through the rock. I leaped out of the bush with my hatchet “BOO!” i yelled as loud as i can. He started bolting towards where we were before, and just as i predicted, he tripped over the rope and sprained his ankle. “This isn’t funny!” Jason yelled. “I ran at him with a murderous grin to scare him more. I jumped over the rope, took my hatchet and swung as hard as i can into Jason's chest. I put my foot on his chest and pulled the hatchet out. He touched his wound and put his hands to his face. “HELP, SOMEBODY HELP!!!!!”  As he struggled to move, i grabbed my pocket knife out of my bag, then turned around to see Jason crawling down the path leaving a trail of blood behind him. I walked up to him, stomped on his back, then grabbed his hair up to show his now vulnerable neck. “Time to die piggy!” I said in a gruesome excited voice. I stabbed him in the jugular and then slice all the way across his neck. I dropped his head, Jason put his hands across his next to hold in the blood. I grabbed the shovel out of the bag and started to dig a hole. I was to tired to make it deep, so just dragged his body and threw everything i used in the hole i dug then covered it with twigs. As I started walking down the path i remembered that Tammy was going by the lake with a guy. I started running towards the lake to see some action. As i got there i saw them all ready putting their clothes on, but someone else was watching them. He started running towards the guy with an ax? Then really fast swung the ax chopping half way through his head then swung it again, but this time it went right through cutting the whole head off. Blood sprayed all over Tammy’s face she started running to the woods screaming. The guy with the ax chased after her. I chased after them trying to make sure the ax guy doesn’t see me. All of a sudden i heard a “CLAMPING” sound and more screaming of pain coming from Tammy. I finally caught up to them when i saw Tammy on the ground trying to pull open what seems to be a bear trap biting at her right leg. I heard the person with the ax say to Tammy  “ If you wanted it off so badly then why didn’t you ask?” His voice sounded familiar but i couldn’t tell. The person with the ax swung at Tammy's leg until it fully came off. Tammy turned on to her chest and started pulling herself away but the person with the ax started swing it at her back. Each time it hit her back her screaming would get louder then she would go back to crying for help. Once she stopped crying, the person mocked her, then walked casually away as if nothing had just happened. Once the person was out of sight. I walked up to Tammy’s body one last time before i started back to the cabin. I got there as the same time as Chelsea did. “Where have you been?” I asked Chelsea, as if she was the one who killed that guy and Tammy out of jealousy. “I’ve been in that bathroom at the lodge since you left it why?” I looked at her in disbelief. “Whatever.” I said to mock her. We walked into the cabin and i noticed that the moaning hadn’t stopped. I went up stairs and knocked real loud on the door “Mom, Dad can you stop!” I yelled. “It’s disgusting.” But nothing happened. i tried again even louder but nothing. I opened the door and saw Mom’s half naked body and the bed covered in blood. There was a tape playing on repeat. I walked over and turned it off. “Dad just got...back...” Chelsea's speech started to slow down as she saw Mom covered in blood laying there lifeless. I looked at  Chelsea, her face in shock. Then all of a sudden an ax swung at the top of her head cutting her face off. She walked backwards and fell off the edge of the railing with a big thud as her body hit the floor of the cabin. The guy with the ax moved in-front of the door way. Still in shock, I heard the person say “Hey Mike, like father like son am i right?” He asked, making me fall into a deeper state of shock only to be broken as he charged at me and hit me on the side of my head making me fall unconscious. I woke up in a hospital next to my dad waiting for me to finally wake up. “Oh my gosh you are okay!” He yelled and ran over to give me a hug. “What happened?” I asked. “ I was picking up dinner when i got a call saying you were in the hospital.” Dad said. “Do you remember anything?” “No I replied.”That’s good. That’s very good.” He whispered to himself. “Why am i handcuffed to the bed?” I asked dad. “And why are there cops outside my room?” A lady came in answering the question “You have been charged with killing your mother,sister, Tammy Daryl, David Honester, and Jason McNeil. “NOOOO!” I screamed and started crying as everything from that night filled my head.

Hope you liked my story. This is my first one and i plan on writing more. Have a nice day :D

[amethystroselilith]

Ooh okay! Thanks for answering. I'll leave the scenario up to you for Gavin x MC, but if you're up for writing, how about using the sentence as an inspiration piece or in the piece itself, "Why did you do that?! You could've been killed!"

Prompt:  "Why did you do that?! You could've been killed!" Sorry, this took so long! I had classes and commissions to work on! ~~~

First fanfic for Mr Love :)

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26422249

~~~

“This feels nice.” MC sighed happily as she breathes in the fresh air, staring at the camping site in awe. 

Big trees surrounding them, the chirps of the bird filling the air, the soft sound of the stream beside them adding to the relaxing atmosphere.

“Let’s hope you still feel the same without your electronics.” Gavin snickered as he unloads their camping stuff from their car.

MC huffed as she crossed her arms, “I’ll be fine, Gavin! Don’t be so mean.” 

Her boyfriend just shook his head before walking to her and wrapping her with his arms, “I’m just saying you don’t owe me anything for us doing your own thing, I enjoy them as well, you didn’t have to come with me here, I’ve been doing this alone for years now, I don’t mind it.” 

MC rubbed her head against his chest. She’s doesn’t really have much experience outdoors, used to living with what technology has blessed her, but after accidentally overhearing Gavin and Minor talking, she can’t help but think about how Gavin would always be willing to do whatever she wants.

“Isn’t your camping trip coming this weekend?” Minor asked before he takes another swing from his bottle.

“Yup, why?” Gavin raised an eyebrow at him.

They were both at Gavin and MC’s place, Minor had decided to invite himself in and watch a movie. While the behaviour is a common occurrence, MC just smiled and pulled herself away from Gavin’s arms to prepare some food, Gavin can’t help but feel a bit annoyed that his night will be filled with Minor’s commentary over the movie instead of just him and MC having their own little bubble filled with cuddles and just talking. But he did owe Minor for helping him finally ask MC out. MC is his everything so he guesses he owes Minor a lot, listening to his annoying commentary included.

“I mean, are you going to take MC with you?” Minor asked.

“Hm, never really thought of it. Last year I just asked her to stay with her friend while I’m gone.” Gavin asked, “She won’t really be interested in that.”

“Have you asked her though?” Minor raised an eyebrow.

“Er… no.” Gavin scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment, “To be fair, I know MC well, and I don’t think she’ll enjoy or be comfortable being out there.” 

At that point, MC had been curiously listening behind a wall, bowl of chips and sauce in hand. 

“Of course I do, I think it’ll be nice to spend time with her out there with just the two of us, but I would much prefer she be comfortable.” Gavin sighed.

“I don’t know, Gav, I mean think of the outdoor sex.” 

The couple blushed beet red at the statement, MC almost dropping their food and Gavin hitting Minor with their sofa pillows, “I’m not a  perv like you, Minor.” the brunette huffed.

“Yea and I didn’t have a glimpse MC’s neck full of hickeys and limping to her office last week.” Minor rolled his eyes.

“Can we change the subject?” Gavin grumbled.

“More like go back to the subject.” Minor laughed softly, “I really think you should ask her, I’m pretty sure she’d appreciate the atmosphere, we just finished a really big project so you don’t have to worry about her work, she needs to unwind and it’s only for the weekends anyway.”

Gavin hummed in thought, “I’d consider it.”

They didn’t say anything else after that so MC had revealed herself. Minor must have gotten impatient or didn’t trust Gavin in asking herself to his trip so he asked MC, much to Gavin’s annoyance. Without thinking, MC had agreed to it and she swore Gavin’s surprised face and the happiness in his eyes melted her heart.

“Is that how you feel?” MC frowned up at him, “That I went with you because I owed you something?”

The statement surprised Gavin, the look of hurt in his lover’s face stabbed a pain in his heart, “It’s not that… I’m just worried you’re not comfortable.” he explained.

MC pouted, “I’ll be fine! I wanna spend time with you.” she said with a smile, “Plus it’s not often we go to trips, as long as we’re not in a crowded place, I’ll enjoy every second with you.” 

Gavin, not being that great with words, just gave her a soft smile and a kiss on her forehead, “Well, let’s set up everything then, let’s do everything together.”

~~~

MC giggled as she submerged her feet in the water, enjoying the coolness of it, “So, we’re doing fishing?” she asked while watching Gavin cast his line, admiring how his arm muscles flex, “Didn’t we pack enough camping food already?” 

“Yes, but it still feels different from eating your own catch,” Gavin explained as he tries to cast his line farther, setting the rod between the rocks to keep it up when he found a promising position, “Now we wait.” he smiled at her before sitting next to her and pulling her inside his arm.

“What else do you do here?” MC asked as she leaned on him.

“Well, after lunch I take a stroll in the forest and just enjoy the walk. There’s already a designated path for campers to take so it should be safe for us to go there later.” Gavin explained, “How are you feeling so far? I hope it’s not boring for you.”

MC chuckled, “No, this is nice. The scenery is peaceful, no work popping out to stress me, the temperature is cool, plus we’re here together.” she hummed, “It’s really relaxing.”

Gavin chuckled, “There’s also some pretty flowers in the forest, I think you’ll really enjoy those too. Plus the stars will be beautiful tonight according to the weather.”

MC perked up at that, “Then I’m looking forward to it!” she exclaimed in excitement.

The line of the fishing rod began to move, getting the attention of the couple. Gavin had quickly moved to catch the fish.

While MC isn’t really the one controlling the fishing rod, she still can’t help but feel excited as she cheers on Gavin.

“I think I got it,” Gavin said.

They excitedly wait for their catch to reveal themselves.

“...” 

It looks like the fish escaped.

“Uhm…” Gavin blushed in embarrassment.

“That was exciting! No fish but it was fun watching!” MC said in amazement, “Let’s cast it again!” she smiled at Gavin.

The encouragement made Gavin grin as he cast his line again, hoping now Mother Nature wouldn’t embarrass him in front of his girlfriend this time.

~~~

Excited as she was, she didn’t think she would dare watch Gavin prepare the fishes for cooking. They had caught 2 large ones and Gavin think they have more enough since they had also packed some other stuff to cook. 

MC had just placed their campfire stew on the fire, humming to herself as she waits for Gavin.

It didn’t take too long when 2 fishes on a stick joined the fire.

“I can’t wait to finally try a real campfire smores later!” MC said excitedly as she watches the fire, “I bet it will be a hundred times more delicious!”

Gavin sat next to her as she pats her head, “You and your sweets.” he chuckled.

MC laughed, “I’ll have you know that it’s pretty much the reason I’m here.” she teased.

Gavin gasped playfully, “And here I was thinking I’m the main reason.” 

“Smores is number 1, you’re a close 2 though.” 

Gavin just chuckled before pulling her in a tickle fight.

~~~

“Wow, this is so pretty,” MC said in awe as she looks at the beautiful patch of different coloured flowers in front of her.

Gavin can’t help but feel happy as well even if he was only watching her. He appreciates the flowers before, but the contentment and happiness feeling he has this time when he’s with her is way more satisfying.

It was really peaceful until they heard a whining noise.

“MC, get here.” Gavin immediately said.

MC quickly went behind Gavin, holding his arm as they look for the source of noise, “Gavin, look.” she said quietly when she spotted something brown and furry.

After checking their surroundings, Gavin and MC had cautiously walked to the animal.

“Oh, poor thing,” MC said in sympathy when they saw an injured baby bear, an ugly wound on his leg, “What should we do?” she looked up at Gavin.

“His mother doesn’t seem to be closeby, she should’ve rushed to him by now.” he observed, “That wound isn’t lethal but it would help if I clean it up a bit. I have a medkit back at camp, so we should head there now, but unfortunately, I need you to stay there just in case his mother would arrive, it’ll be a bit dangerous.” he looked at MC.

MC frowned, “We can’t just leave him alone in here! He’s still a baby and helpless! What if something hurts him?”

“MC, I’m not leaving you here, if his mother did come and find him, you’d be in danger.” Gavin said sternly, “Let’s go.” 

MC stayed on her ground, “Gavin, no.” 

Gavin sighed, “MC, please, I can’t take it if something happens to you.”

“I know, Gav, but I’ll feel so bad when something happens to it. I promise I’ll be fine, I can hide somewhere I’ll spot the mother, even from a distance, I swear I’ll hide or even go back to camp.” MC explained, “Please?” she begged with the eyes she knows Gavin can’t resist.

Gavin sighed in defeat, “Promise me, even if it’s just a glimpse or even a random sound that’s out of the birds or water stream, you’ll come back to me. Got it?” he looked at her straight in her eyes.

MC nodded, “Promise.”

Gavin took something from his pocket, “Here’s a pepper spray just in case, and my pocket knife, I’ll be quick.” 

They shared one look before Gavin rushed to their camp. 

“Don’t worry, little guy, Gavin will make sure you’d be fine.” MC cooed at the bear whose cries are now quieter, MC liked to think it’s because the cub felt safe with them.

~~~

‘Gavin is taking a bit longer.’

MC thought in worry before turning to the cub. The cub was just staring at her as well, can’t really move with how he must be hurting with his leg. 

A growling noise grabbed their attention, and like she promised Gavin, she quickly hid on a nearby tree. Her eyes widened when she saw a lone wolf sniffing nearby, at this point, she should really go back to Gavin, but the cub had begun crying again, making MC’s heart too heavy to leave the cub. 

“Gavin is going to kill me,” she mumbled under her breath as she stayed close to the cub.

The wolf had spotted them now, he’s eyeing the cub hungrily. MC swallowed the lump on her throat, she grabbed the knife and prepared just in case the wolf would attack them. It’s growling at them now, hunger glazing its eyes. 

“Stay back! I don’t want to hurt you!” she glared at the wolf. 

MC’s heart races as they stared at each other until the wolf decided it’s hungry enough.

It runs to them with a growl. It leapt and about to land on MC, thankfully for MC’s instinct. She had raised her hand and used the pepper spray as she dodged. The wolf whined as it hits its eyes, however, it still tried to get a bite out of MC. In the middle of panic, MC had slashed her knife blindly.

“MC!” she heard Gavin’s voice.

The knife had hit the wolf on the leg, it wasn’t deep but just enough to draw out a wound. Hearing another voice, however, discouraged the wolf to attack and instead limped away as fast as he could.

"Why did you do that?! You could've been killed!" Gavin can’t help but raise his voice in worry. 

He had immediately gone to check on MC, “You promised to come to me!” 

Gavin had proceeded to lecture her and MC had just bowed her head. She had never seen Gavin so pissed and now that she did, she can’t help but feel horrible. 

“Don’t ever do that again.” Gavin’s voice cracked, like MC’s heart.

“I’m sor-” she was cut off with Gavin pulling her in a tight embrace.

“You did great in defending yourself, that’s my girl.” Gavin breathed, “But I should still teach you some self-defence. I was so worried.” 

“I’m sorry.” MC rubbed her head in Gavin’s choice, “I was-”

“It’s fine. It’s over now, I’m just glad you’re safe.” Gavin said before pulling away, “Now let’s just fix the cub up. It took me a while because I had to call the wildlife control.”

MC nodded, “Well, let’s fix him up.”

Gavin nodded before tending to the cub.

The wildlife control didn’t take too long to arrive and took care of the rest. 

MC and Gavin bid their goodbyes and started their walk back to their camping site.

“Today’s really something,” MC said as she sat on the log.

“Would you still want to go back after that?” Gavin asked curiously as he sat next to her.

“Of course! As long as there are no more injured animals.” MC chuckled, “And of course, as long as we’re together.” she said before giving Gavin a kiss on his cheek.

Gavin smiled at the gesture, “Well, next time I’d probably bring the medkit with me already so you don’t have to stay there alone.” 

MC hummed in approval, “It’s getting dark.” she looked at the sky.

“Well, we still have some leftover stew, and since you’ve been very brave…” Gavin trailed off and just let the treats in his hands finish the sentence.

“We’re finally making smores!” MC said in excitement as she accepts the ingredients Gavin’s handing out to her.

Gavin can’t help but feel content and relax again, and after watching MC squeal for the third time of closely setting her marshmallow on fire, Gavin had gently pulled her on his lap, hand wrapping over MC’s as he angled them to a perfect position for marshmallow roasting.

MC can’t help but melt at the position, she smiled softly and made herself comfortable as she leaned in Gavin’s embrace.

She could get used to this.

[neverneverlouisland]

summer love [l.t]

fandom one direction/louis tomlinson

pairing louis x reader

word count 2811

summary reader is a teacher in Australia is also a mentor and counselor at the school’s summer camp. her second summer there, a new teacher is hired and the two are drawn to each other. the seasonal months roll by and at the annual end-of-camp party, they realize their time is running out.

warning(s) none

a/n any extra characters mentioned by name will play a bigger role in future fics

-

If there was one thing they were sure of, it was that their lives changed after meeting.

For the past three years, she’d been a teacher at a school down in Australia. While it was thousands of miles from home, it was an opportunity that both allowed her to see more of the world and gave her hands on experience handling kids in a high activity location. She wanted to be a traveling teacher. It sounded a bit unusual, and she had instances of needing to prove that it was a legitimate career choice, but if she could bring knowledge and joy to such small kids while being able to see the international sights, that was all that mattered. After graduating college with a bachelor’s degree, she decided to take a couple of years off to get experience doing what she wanted to do for her long term job.

With the amount of money saved up, she managed to get temporary substitute and teaching assistant positions on other parts of the globe. After some hopping around that first year, she found that the city of Melbourne was where she needed to be. The sights from the plane’s view her first time flying over captured and ensnared her, so much so that all she wanted to do was explore instead of going to the meeting about the teaching job.

When that first summer in the Southern Hemisphere came to, she was offered a summer job as a counselor at the camp the school hosted every year. It was a program that cost families money when it came to transportation; all the kids and their chaperones would fly over to Cairns, Queensland in order for everyone to stage their tents and settle themselves in the camping grounds of Daintree National Park. She remembered being awestruck by the stretch of winding rivers, long, sandy beaches and forestry that went on for miles. Going along the trails that lead to the tops of the rainforest with her group was one of her favorite activities, and the admiration for it only grew when a man from England made his way over just a few months later.

Having just graduated from his own degree program, he fished for the perfect place where he could both enjoy his surroundings and be able to educate children in the best way he knew how. Being accepted into the program was a sight for sore eyes - all he could do the day he received the email was stare blankly at the worded screen in surprise. He was fresh out of university, so he was sure someone more qualified would have been given the job over him. Still, nothing was able to beat the excitement he felt about working abroad, and he was ecstatic to what the future there would hold.

What he didn’t expect was to meet an American who was so passionate about her work and ensuring the happiness of others that she ended up pulling him in.

When he first arrived, she was set as the tour guide. It was a whole week of showing him around the site, leading the hikes and co-planning the lessons and activities they would be doing with the children each day. There was zero judgement on her end when she learned that he didn’t have much experience in the field prior to the work that was done during his years of schooling. “If you love what you do and you’re good at it, that’s all that matters,” she said, and those words stuck with him for the rest of that night.

The time flew quickly, and he found himself falling for her more each day.

He lived for the hour-long sessions where both of their groups would be sharing a class or going down the trails towards the waterfalls buried within Daintree Rainforest. The heartfelt talks, encouraging compliments and bonding over their goals and love for the children they watched over would play in his mind like a movie each night following the one he realized his feelings.

Summer nights passed by in a blur of smiles and laughter, each moment spent with everyone was only leading up to the bittersweet moment of the end. For most of the kids and faculty, they attended or worked at the very elementary school that hosted the camp. This year, however, the addition of himself never came with a warning label. He was only hired for the summer position. It was a seasonal position that - while he thoroughly enjoyed to his heart’s content - was only meant to be a learning experience. He never expected to become so endeared by her. To become attached and obtain something so pure it would take months or years to be rid of.

Every second counted today, and each one flipped through his thoughts as he made his way to the program director’s cabin after being called down. The sky was getting darker by the minute, the crescent moon already a faded image in the changing atmosphere and the rolling clouds blending in with time.

He passed by the one she shared with the girls of her faction. The door was ajar and music could be heard from inside, along with small, extra voices belting out lyrics to a song by an American band he didn’t know the name of. The curtains of the two front windows were drawn back to have a light filter into the room, and with that he could see her almost perfectly. Seeing her dance around the confined space with the little ones was a sight for his bright eyes. It didn’t even occur that he hadn’t moved from his place until she spotted him a moment later, brows furrowed as she moved went to poke her head out of the open door. “Did you want to join us?”

“What?” He blinked, the realization hitting him once he took a look around and saw no one else in his vicinity. “Oh- no, thank you. I mean, I’d love to but I’ve been called to see the director.”

She smiled at him, suppressing a giggle at the dumbfounded expression on his face. “Alright, well-”

“Louis- there you are!” A raspy voice called out. The younger man turned his head to find said teacher walking out of the main cabin of the grounds, walking over to him as soon as their attention was on one another. Louis stayed as much in his spot as possible, wanting to continue the conversation with her even if it was only a distraction to what he actually had to do. The elder of the two counselors reached them in two minutes, a light smile on his face as he greeted the girl before addressing the one he was looking for. “Are you ready to talk about what we discussed?”

“Yeah, I am.” He responded, nodding his head to return the smile with his own.

“Great! Let’s be off, then. We don’t want to linger and miss the start of the closing campfire.”

“Right. That would just be tragic, wouldn’t it?” He questioned sarcastically, issuing a form of a laugh out of not only his superior but her, as well.

When he went to excuse himself, she was already shaking her head. “It’s fine. I was kind of keeping you from your meeting,” she laughed out, making his heart sing.

He gave her a sheepish smile and went on his way, calling behind his back to ensure that they would just see each other later in the evening. She waited until the men were out of earshot to show any hidden emotion, letting out a sigh as she sat on the tiny porch attached to the set of three steps. She folded her arms over her legs, letting the music from inside fill her with joyous warmth as the children continued to sing along as loudly as they could.

There was plenty to say when it came to the British addition to the mentors, and yet she could never say them when she was in his presence. It felt straight out of a romantic comedy - the way she found heart tumbling and stomach fluttering when he was mentioned or near. Even with all the time they spent together once she was assigned his tour guide, she never once thought the first person she would truly fall for would be someone she wouldn’t be seeing nine months out of the year. Though long distance was an option if it all worked the way she wished, those were always hard to maintain. She could only imagine how tough it would be to keep one between countries afloat. The head counselor calling him down for a talk made her even more nerve racked. He was originally hired for a seasonal position, meaning he would only be in Australia from the first day of camp to the last. What if that offer was being revoked? Or he changed his mind and decided this location wasn’t for him, so he went to look for one that suited him better? He was amazing with the kids here and they all loved him to pieces. 

“Miss Y/N? Are you done dancing?”

The counselor turned her attention to the small girl exiting the cabin, a smile on her face. “For now, yeah. I’m just thinking. You can go back and play with the others if you want.”

Now, while she always insisted that she didn’t have any favorites in the sizable group that dragged her around, she most certainly had a soft spot for this one. Evelyn was part of a newer academic program at the school - one that gave foster parents the opportunity to send the less fortunate children towards the best education that was offered in Queensland. It was a random selection each year for the past three years but she was one of the kids that got accepted, and deserving of it.

The attention she paid to what went on around her and others always left the twenty-six year old astounded, even more so once the eleven year old took a seat beside her. “Are you sad that Mister Louis is leaving?”

“What? How did you know he was leaving?” She glanced over to find wide, green eyes looking up at her innocently. The way someone so young could ask such a question without knowing what meaning could lay behind it was beyond her.

She shrugged her small shoulders, “I heard you talking last night.” She began wiggling her feet around on the wooden step, looking down upon them with a tilted head. There was a pregnant pause between the two of them as they watched the rest of the campers and mentors walk around with plentiful arms to decorate the area for the night. The notes and competitive singing were still finding their way out the jarred doorway and into the open air of the camp. “I don’t want him to go. He’s really fun to play with, and he always finds extra snacks when we go to the beach.”

“I think those are actually meant for him,” Y/N chided, making the little girl giggle. A large smile graced both their features, although hers was more loose. They enjoyed all the time the groups had together throughout the twenty one weeks, yet she never fully took the kids into consideration. She wasn’t the only who would think about him or recall all the silly moments they’d had visiting the sandy shores, rainforest or waterfall sanctuaries. The more she thought about it, the more she reached the epiphany that life had a way of doing things. “I don’t want him to go, either.”

-

It was lively.

Since there were so many new recruits who joined the program this year, it was decided that the ending event would be done down on the beach. The volleyball nets were set up on opposite sides of where everything was set up, fairy lights decorating them both in erratic fashion. The sun was already set, showcasing a few dozen stars and the moon that finished its game of hide and seek to display itself for the night. There was one table farthest from the beach that held all the food, snacks and gift bags put together by the team for the young ones to enjoy on the way home.

They stood a distance away from each other while Louis talked to some of the higher ups and she hosted a game for anyone that was primary age by the edge of the moving sea. He watched from his peripheral as the large band of small members spun and danced circles around the other counselor with sparklers in their hands, the joy on her face making a mark in his memory.

“I’m sorry, will you excuse me?” He pardoned himself with a quick nod and wave, making a beeline for the only person he really wanted to speak with before his departure. His speed could only increase so much while crossing to the other side in the uneven sand, his arms nearly brushing the sparks from the thin sticks being waved in the air.

“Louis!!” She spotted him when he was a mere three feet away, the grin on her face growing even wider if it was possible. Right when he reached the edge of the wide circle of little dancers, a hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him through an opening.

“I’m not that good of a dancer.”

“That’s okay - neither am I.” She gave him a close-eyed smile, her dark/light eyes meeting his baby blue ones. “I’ve actually been wanting to talk to you,” She went on, placing a hand on the back of her neck sheepishly, “but for the moment I’m kind of stuck here.”

His head tilted as he gazed upon the soft expression on her face and twinkle in her gaze every time she made eye contact with one of the many children surrounding them. He gave her a gesture that reassured her he was going to listen to what she had to say, however his thoughts on the fact were delayed. Should he ask her what she wanted to discuss or should he tell her his news first? He wasn’t sure what the priority should have been if he did the latter, a debate in his head making an appearance. There wasn’t much to lose no matter how he chose to approach everything; there were only a thin multitude of ways this night could end. He only hoped that he made a choice that impacted both their lives in a positive light.

Her lips parted before closing, the anxiety of the situation beginning to get to her. How much was there to lose on her end if this didn’t go the way she hoped? Would they stay friends or would it become too much or too awkward for either of them and they would gradually stop communicating? There was only one way to find out, yet it was also the only thing holding her back from actually telling him.

The pair examined the other’s features closely and as discreetly as possible while being so close. Neither knew how to act or bring it up - it started to look as if the only option was direct with a bit of faith and confidence on the side. With the children around and the other counselors lost in their own worlds of conversation, he almost hesitated to do what he decided upon. Still, being able to analyze and take a guess on the way she was acting made him believe there was a good chance. As she opened her mouth once more and took in an anxious breath, he took the open opportunity to lean in for a quick peck, wanting to express everything without displaying too much in front of the kids.

Her eyes widened. Silence ensnared the shared bubble.

He looked on in worry, the event processing in her mind. After what felt like an hour passed by, she looked up at him with a grateful smile. The confidence that was temporarily slipping away made a reappearance, relishing in what had just occurred. “It’s only been three months, but is it too early to say I love you?”

He was able to put on an act almost instantly, stroking his chin in pretend thought, “I’d say give it another year or two and come back to me.” She nudged his arm with her elbow, giving him a small grin that eased his fretfulness immediately. The gentle laugh that resonated from him made the butterflies in her stomach rampage; her heart feeling as if it was beating miles a minute.

“I love you, too.” He finally countered, giving her a more lingering kiss, earning them hues of youthful disgust that only caused more laughter to ensue.

[alex51324]

Thomas and the Island of the Gays, excerpt #3

Thomas endeavors to understand the appeal of camping.

(Content note:  Early-20th-century racial attitudes and language.  There’s a whole running theme in this episode about Mr. Braceridge (the former Scoutmaster) being a huge woodcraft nerd, and his husband, Father Timothy, constantly having to rein him in.  Unfortunately, Scouting/woodcraft culture of the time was infused what might best be described as “patronizing admiration” of Indigenous Americans.  He means well, but it is, as they say on Tumblr, problematic.  TL;DR, he talks a lot about “Red Indians,” and it should be understood that he is referring to the Indian of the white imagination.)  

***

The room was even dimmer than the parlor-slash-dining-room, until Richard lit a candle that was stuck in a bracket by the door.  Thomas was relieved to see the promised bunks, two sets stacked atop each other like the berths in a railway sleeping car.  Each berth had a striped tick—stuffed with straw, as Thomas determined when he poked one—and a stack of folded blankets, most in Army khaki.  

Thomas was undecided about whether he wanted an upper berth or a lower one, until Morrow put his pack on one of the lower berths, saying, “Wilberforce can’t climb.”  

Thomas was as fond of dogs as the next person, but he didn’t wish to be joined in the night by a wet and smelly one.  He claimed the berth above Morrow’s.  “No sheets?” he asked Richard, unfolding the blankets.

“Apparently rugged backwoodsmen don’t need them,” said Richard, starting to make up one of the lower bunks for himself.  

“Lovely.”  It could have been much worse—a trench, for example—but Thomas didn’t think he’d ever understand why anyone would subject themselves to primitive living conditions when they didn’t have to.  

When they returned to the main room, the fireplace boasted a candle-sized flame, into which Mr. Braceridge was feeding needled-sized twigs, and Father Timothy was saying, “Well, as you have that under control, I’ll just go and see to things in the cottage, shall I? Perhaps someone could put the kettle on,” he added.

Richard volunteered to do so, and Thomas, lacking any better ideas, went along to help him with the pump. Father Timothy had picked up his and Mr. Braceridge’s packs and was carrying them toward the ramshackle cottage. “They’re staying in there?” he asked. It barely looked habitable.  

Richard, working the stiff pump handle, nodded.  “I had a look inside last time I was here—it’s a bit cozier than it looks. Father Tim figures it was the gamekeeper’s cottage.”  

Thomas wasn’t sure that was much to recommend it, but didn’t argue.  The pump, at last, began to flow, and once the kettle was full, they went back inside and began the process of coaxing the Primus stove into life. Fortunately, Thomas had used something similar in the War, and this one, having been stored out of the damp, was less fiddly than some.

Over a late luncheon or early tea of cold meat and bread, the group discussed what they would do with the rest of the afternoon.  Thomas was a bit alarmed to hear Miles and James express their hopes that the rain would slow down enough to allow a little shooting, and Henry declare that he was going fishing whether the rain slowed down or not.

“Didn’t you say we’d stay inside and play cards if it rained?” Thomas asked Richard, under his breath.

“This lot seems a little keener than the ones that came last time,” Richard whispered back.  

“I’m going to stay here and read,” Morrow declared flatly, and remained firm in the face of Mr. Braceridge’s suggestions that he borrow a fishing rod, or at least walk along with the shooters.  

“John,” said Father Timothy, “he is a grown man; I daresay he can make up his own mind.”  Turning to Morrow, he added, “Only I do hope you won’t find it dull.”

“Thomas and I will stay as well, and keep him company,” Richard said brightly.  

“There, that’s settled,” Father Timothy said.  “What about you, Victor?”

“I think I’ll stick close to General Headquarters as well,” he said, stroking his beard.  “There’s plenty I can sketch from the veranda, without risking spoiling my sketchbooks.”

“In that case,” the vicar said, “I’ll show Henry where the best fishing spots are.  You’ll go with the others, won’t you?” he asked Mr. Braceridge.

“Yes, yes,” he said, then brightened.  “I’ll take my bow and arrow.  You chaps will be interested in this,” he informed Miles and James.  “I learnt the art from an American Scoutmaster, who learnt it from a Red Indian….”

He went on talking about archery and Red Indians at some length, and insisted on Miles and James learning the rudiments of what he said was the sign language used by Red Indian hunters to communicate without alerting the prey to their presence.  

As they got up from the table, Richard volunteered himself and Thomas to do the washing-up.  Once the rugged outdoorsmen had left, he explained, “Mr. Braceridge is quite keen on everyone doing his share of the camp chores. Best to keep ahead of it—lowers your chances of being stuck with something nobody wants to do.”

“I see,” Thomas said, though he privately wondered if the gentlemen in the group would really end up doing any of it.  

As they heated the washing up water, Richard also explained, “They went with the others and left us on our own because four is probably enough not to get up to any hanky-panky, but in an hour or so Father Tim will toddle back on some pretext or another to make sure we haven’t paired off.”

An hour would have been more than enough time with anyone Thomas had ever paired off with, but he only said, “Noted.”

“He isn’t terribly pleased by gambling, either,” Richard added.  “Not there’s much that makes sense to play with only two.  Last time, we had to play for matches.”  

“Those might be valuable property out here,” Thomas noted, with a glance at the fireplace.  

Richard nodded.  “We’d best make sure not to let it go out.”

The washing-up finished, they went over to the parlor area, where Morrow was already ensconced in the most comfortable-looking chair, with his book.  The mantelpiece held a small selection of indoor amusements—a worn deck of cards, a draughts board, a few books, and a fairly dire-looking jigsaw puzzle. After ascertaining that Morrow was not at all interested in playing cards, they opted for draughts, setting up the board on a camp stool.  

As they started the first game—and as Thomas tried to remember what little draughts strategy he had ever bothered to know—Richard said, “Admit it—I was right, wasn’t I?”

“About what?” Thomas asked.

“That it’s rather pretty here.”

Thomas hadn’t really been paying much attention.  “Oh, yes. It’s nice.”

“I’d never done this sort of thing before—unless you count going with my employer to his shooting lodge—but I think I rather like it.”  

“As long as you don’t swear off matches and start wearing a pith helmet,” Thomas said, without thinking.

Fortunately, Richard took it in good spirit.  “No, I won’t get that carried away.”

**  And a bit later **

Their walk took them over to the stream, which ran down the hillside with some speed, tumbling over rocks and making a considerable racket, then slowed down and spread out below the camp-site.  Wilberforce nosed along the bank for a bit, before suddenly scrambling down and entering the water with a sizeable splash.  Thomas glanced at Morrow, who did not look alarmed.  “Can he swim?”

“He’d better,” said Morrow.

Wilberforce paddled over to a rock that stuck out from the middle of the stream, climbed up on it, and assumed a heroic stance, forepaws on the highest bit of rock and water streaming from his fur.  He barked, a single sharp yap, and a moment later the rest of them heard voices coming up the path from the other direction.  

“—bit better up at the loch,” Mr. Braceridge was saying. “Have you got a fly-rod?”

Mr. Braceridge’s voice was the one that carried best, but Thomas made out a few other things, about fly-rods and deer, and another mention of the loch.  

“We’ll have to see what the others think,” said Father Timothy.  “They must be nearby, since we heard little Wilberforce.”

“Over here!” Richard called, and after a few moments of rustling, the rest of the party popped into view, on the other side of the stream.  Wilberforce hopped down from his rock and clambered up the other bank, going from one person to the next and sniffing at their trousers.

“Ah, good,” said Mr. Braceridge.  “There’s an expedition in the works—track the river to its source, what?”

Father Timothy translated, “If the weather’s fine tomorrow, we thought we’d walk up to the lake.”

“Good fishing up there,” Mr. Braceridge amplified.  “And shooting.”

“All right by me,” said Richard, and glanced at Thomas and Morrow, who made noises of vague agreement.

Mr. Braceridge started talking about sorting out stores and oiling rifles, but Father Timothy spoke over him.  “Perhaps you chaps wouldn’t mind popping the kettle on—we’ve got to go around the long way, to get to a place we can cross.”  

Mr. Braceridge took a step closer to the bank, eying the rocks that dotted the stream.  “Could make it here—hop from rock to rock.”

“You’ll fall in and catch your death,” said Father Timothy, tugging him back from the bank.  Mr. Braceridge didn’t look particularly impressed by this argument, until the vicar added, “And if the others were foolish enough to follow you, they’d spoil their guns.”  

With that, Mr. Braceridge assented.  Morrow whistled for Wilberforce, who splashed back through the stream to them, and they started back for the bunkhouse.  

“It’s only supposed to be about an hour’s walk up to the loch,” Richard told them as they walked. “I didn’t see it last time, since it rained the whole time.”

“I don’t mind going,” Thomas said, since it sounded as though Richard wanted to.  

“Is anyone going to ask if I mind?” Morrow asked.  

“You can read there just as well as anywhere else,” Richard pointed out.  “The rest of them will be too busy shooting and fishing to bother you.”

“Oh, all right,” said Morrow, resignedly.