#what is a fish DOING on the ground anywyas

[asherasgayagenda]

some memorable enstars stage clips that i have seen:

-the eichi and ritsu slutty dance battle which ends in both of them collapsing at the exact same time and keito launching himself off the side of a staircase to check on eichi

-the one where arashi tries to glomp izumi but izumi moves and she ends up eating shit on the stairs

-the hiyojun trap for you kiss (the choreo was different in the stage version)

-the one where ryuseitai do their cheer and then chiaki sees a fish on the floor and he and kanata skip offstage giggling and holding hands while shinobu tetora and midori stare after them in confusion

-the one where shu does a KAKAKAKAKA and he and mika go offstage before mika sprints back onstage to return kuro’s bag

-the one where ritsu fell asleep in the audience and izumi started reciting his phone number to wake him up

-the one where leo shuffles onstage, does a finger gun to the head, and naruto runs offstage

-the one where nazuna and eichi are having some sort of important conversation and shu shows up 30 seconds late to gesture dramatically while mika spends the whole time copying all of shu’s dramatic gestures right next to him (except for when wataru decides to chase him around the stage for funsies) and the rest of rabits and akatsuki just stand onstage clearly unsure of what they’re doing there

I LITERALLY LOVE READING THESE… ENSTAGE IS ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS

[livthechoochieslayer]

505

When two people meet in an unexpected way, love is usually not something that comes out of it.

Story warnings: Nothing crazy, mostly fluff but the end does feature 5k words of smut. HA.

Summary/intro: When Lia went on a girls trip New York, she never thought writing her phone number on a bathroom wall would lead to a relationship, let alone meeting a man she has only seen on camera. Dominic would have never imagined he would be catching an airplane across the country for a girl, especially one he has never met.

Chapter TWS: Slight suggested stuff?? Nothing intense.

2 OF 9

Link for part 1

____________________________

After the first text, surprisingly, Lia and Dominic hit it off. 

The conversations were awkward and sparse for awhile, but for some reason they both kept wanting to talk to each other. The time difference was annoying, and conversations would span days due to it. 

After an especially mentally draining week and way too many shots at home, Dominic needed to talk to someone. 

He had friends he could call up, or even his parents, but something in him decided to click on Lias name and typed away.

Dominic: Hehyy! U up????

Lia: Yeah… it’s only 10pm here meaning it's 1 for you. Why are you up?

Dominic: I dntno I was aat work topay and man. PEOPLE piss me off?

Lia: r u drunk?

Dominic: Maybe.,,... 

Dominic: Anywyas! This guy his namse Tyler right, he never shits the fuck up!!!!!

Lia: Dominic, go get some sleep. 

Dominic: Hes my boss or watevr but heseems to alwys got sometgn bad to say aboutme.

Lia: Dominic that sucks dude, but go to sleep, it will help. We can talk in the morning if you want.

Dominic: realy Lia? Youd do that? Talk to poooor old me?????

Dominic: thanks. I got to go feed ma fish htne ill go to bed. Promise youll talk tomorrow?

Lia: Yes. Now go sleep.

Dominic: Yes maam!

  Dominic texted the next morning apologizing, but they ended up talking about Dominic and his shitty boss for over 2 hours that morning. The transition from surface level acquaintances to friends happened after that, and their conversations became more frequent. 

For a while, they mainly communicated when one was drunk. They had many late night text chains where one person was laughing their ass off as the other was rambling aimlessly either through text or through Siri crafted messages.

It evolved as the weeks turned into months and summer slowly started fading into fall. One fateful night at the end of September was when things started to change. Their texting had definitely increased leading up to the first call, but it was still a big step for Lia to take. 

“Dominic? You there?” She spoke into the phone, the cold screen pressed against her rosy cheek. It was late and brisk outside, the ocean wind not helping her stay warm in her thin long sleeve and jeans. Lia’s hands were cold, and her hair was flying everywhere despite the clips she had put in that morning. 

She had just finished a shift at the local diner she worked at and was walking home like she usually did. Once the sun sets, the small diner fills with locals while only a few tourists stick around. 

Usually, the locals stay as respectful as old drunk men can be, but today featured a group of men who were new in town. They never did anything worth saying something about, but their eyes liked to wonder and she just didn't have a good feeling about them.

Lia was unfazed by men being men, but she kept seeing shadows on her way home that freaked her out a bit. Plus, the fact she could barely hear the sound of her own boots clomping on the ground over her racing heart spooked her further.

Hence why she called Dominic. She didn’t have many friends, (there was really no one below the age of 35 in her town,) so calling Dominic was her first, and what seemed like the best idea at the time. 

“Who is this?” Dominic had groggily asked, and Lia realized it was 2AM in Manhattan. She winced at the realization that she woke him up and due to the big gust of wind that blew her hair right into her face. 

“Sorry to wake you, maybe I should have just called someone else,” she responded, wondering if walking the next 4 blocks with just her mind to scare the shit out of her was a good idea. 

“No, no. It’s okay Lia,” His yawn cut his message in half, “Nice to hear your voice for the first time, you sound sexy.” Lia could hear the smirk in his notably hot, gravely sleep-filled voice and rolled her eyes with a scoff. 

“Why did you call me? Are you alright? You lost after drinking too much or something?” Dominic became serious then, hearing how strong the wind sounded even through his crappy phone speaker. 

“Wow thanks, but no. I’m not.” Her lips tilted up a little. She had drunk dialed him once, but she was too far gone to remember if she actually even said anything to him. 

“I just got finished at my work and I’m walking home alone. I guess I just got spooked from the wind and wanted to talk to someone.” Her voice became small, feeling vulnerable about sharing how she really felt. 

Dominic understood and talked to her as she made her way all the way home, back into her warm, dimly lit living room where her cat lounged out waiting to be stroked. 

“Thank you,” Lia spoke after a long pause. “I really appreciate that, especially since it’s almost 2:30 there now.” She laughed, making it more casual as she got up and made her way to her bedroom. 

“Yeah, no problem. Anytime you need, just give me a call okay?” He sleepily replied, while rubbing his eyes slightly. 

What either of them knew at the time was that Lia would take up Dominic’s offer and call him on her walk home from work every night for the next 2 and a half years. 

The second time they called, it went much smoother than the first, and the conversation flowed easily. Lia was less on edge since the sea decided to mellow out, and her new addition of pepper spray attached to her keychain helped ease her fright.

Dominic was just happy to be there. 

He would listen to her talk about how her day was at work while he lounged in bed filled with cream silk pillows and smoke colored sheets. He would often watch Peanut, his fish who sat on the black window sill as he and Lia would chat late at night. 

Peanut’s tank faced the west, and Dominic wondered that if he looked far enough, he would see a stretch of the Oregon coast. Maybe on the blonde sand sat a beautiful girl who would laugh and smile at all the bad jokes he told her. 

She asked him one time, months later in the dead of winter, how after the first time they called, he always seems to be awake at the same time every night. His answer was simple. Dominic told her he could never fall asleep at a decent time usually, and she believed him even though that wasn’t the truth. 

What he would do was set an alarm for 2:00 in the morning just so he could hear her voice over the phone and talk with her about the most mundane events of the day.

____________

Their relationship blossomed just like the flowers did as spring came around, and soon those evening calls were happening not just in the evening. They would talk in the mornings, in the afternoons, at night, and any time in between. 

Of course, it grew into more than just friendship as constant texting became a thing between the two and the first selfies were being sent.

Both Dominic and Lia were astonished by each others’ looks, happily surprised how they seemed to compliment each other perfectly. 

Both had darkish hair, Dominic’s a lighter brown that seems to always be messy and never really set in one specific style, while Lia’s long dark brown hair always seemed to be up in some creative way.

Lia’s skin was naturally tan, but she noticed how the Oregon coast's cloudy skies had not been helping her keep her skin golden the way California’s usual rays did. She had definitely noticed how pale she felt since moving up north. 

On the opposite side, Dominic had very fair skin, with freckles almost everywhere, mostly on his face. He was teased for them growing up, but started to like them once he got into high school and appreciated them even more since Lia seemed to love them.  

They were both uniquely beautiful in their own way, from Dominic’s hazel eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses to Lia’s brown eyes that were complimented with thick, curled lashes. 

Soon after seeing each other for the first time, the idea of FaceTiming started to float around their minds. Dominic was the one who did it first, conveniently spilling his guts out about his feelings to Lia at the same time. 

The first thing he did on the call was tell her how beautiful she looked. She thought that was a load of bullshit. 

She woke up with her naturally wavy hair knotted and ugly, her face bare of any makeup, while squinting slightly at the bright screen.

He had his glasses on top of his nose and headphones on his head as he quickly navigated through the mobs of people down in the subway. He explained to her how much his feelings had grown with hardly any worries about the people around him hearing, and he said what he wanted to with no shame. 

At this point, they knew each other for around 7 months, and Lia was delighted to hear her feelings that had developed weren’t one sided. She thought it was adorable the way he couldn’t wait any longer until he told her. 

He was quite literally weaving in between people who were on their way to work as he talked on and on nervously about wanting to take things further than just a friendship. 

“I mean, we’re just so close you know? I feel like you know everything about me and I know everything about you, and I’ve been thinking recently… Well,” he paused, quirking his head as a small smile popped up, “I’ve actually been thinking for quite a while now how my feelings have grown for you. And it’s okay, you know, if you think it’s too much or something or the distance is too far for this to wor-“ 

Lia laughed at him, burrowing her face into her light sunset orange colored pillows. 

“Don’t worry,” she lifted her head up to look back at him, “I like you too.” She paused before she spoke out loud, cheeks dusting with red like a slight sunburn on a warm day.

He smiled wide in return, and Lia swore she could hear him say ‘Yes!’ in excitement under his breath. Dominic let her sleep after that, and went through his day with a smile on his face and a little extra pep to his step.

They both had felt such a deep connection with the other person, despite having very different backgrounds and ways of life. Dominic felt like she knew him on a deeper level than most, and Lia finally had someone she could be herself around. 

After that, their relationship skyrocketed. FaceTimes became regular, addresses were being shared, and gifts were being sent. 

Packages included things like favorite snacks, cat toys, sweatshirts spritzed with perfume, letters, and jewelry. 

Their relationship also evolved in a different sense. Late phone calls often turned into something more when the other person was feeling lonelier than usual. It took awhile though, more than a year, for anything to become explicit. 

It all became real after Lia got home from work one day and called later than usual. 

She was already at home when she tapped on his contact, wanting to talk to Dominic as she got ready for bed. 

“So that’s how my day went, it was pretty slow to be honest.” She sighed into the phone, smiling slightly as she tugged a cream colored shirt over her head that Dominic sent her a few weeks ago. 

Her phone was perched against her moss green dresser, speaker on with no response from Dominic. She frowned and all she could hear from the other side was blankets rustling like he was trying to get more comfortable. 

They had been talking about her day at work like usual, and Dominic abandoning the conversation was out of the ordinary. 

“Can I ask you something?” Dominic spoke after his long pause, his voice sounding quieter and deeper than usual. 

Her eyebrows furrowed in question, but she said sure anyways as she walked into her bathroom to put her hair up.

She never wore her hair down to bed since she hated the feeling of it on her neck, especially because of how long her hair had gotten recently. She would either put it in braids or a ponytail, both helping her manage her hair the next morning for work.

“Are you wearing one of my shirts right now?” He asked her, and she was pulled out of the hair rant she was having in her mind. 

She frowned again, confused why he asked. She ended up walking out of the bathroom with her damp hair in a loose braid that cascaded down her back.

“Yea, why?” She questioned, genuinely wondering where he was going with this. She was standing in the middle of her room, one hand on her hip while the other held her blue phone up. 

“What else?” He remarked in that same quiet, low tone. 

“I don’t know, clothes? I’m in your t-shirt and underwear like normal.” She laughed slightly,

“What about you? Are you in a onesie or something?” She grinned, picturing in her mind how silly he would look in a panda suit. 

“No,” he sighed. “I’ve got boxers on, but that’s it. It was hot here today.” He told her, a simple sentence left hanging like his mind was caught up on something else.

“I was just thinkin’ of how good you would look in my shirt,” he slipped in, and her heart skipped a beat. 

They might have both participated in sending slightly revealing pictures in the past, but none that went lower than a belly button. Lia had drooled over Dominic’s lean, fit body and Dominic definitely had to take a very cold shower after seeing his girl in nothing but underwear and a small tank top. 

Lia didn’t know what to say after Dominic’s comment, but he thankfully continued. 

“You know that picture I saved from our FaceTime the other day? The one with you smirking in that pink tank top?” She nodded as she remembered the picture, but realized she was on a call and verbally added a small, ‘Mhm.’ She made the decision to turn off her main room light and lay down in her bed, snuggling up into her cozy, lamp-lit room. 

“I wanted to see you in person so bad after that, you don’t understand.” Dominic muttered, seeming to have a hard time keeping his voice even. The energy between them started to progress into something intense, maybe even heated. 

“You okay? Feel like you haven’t said anything.” Dominic commented, and Lia could tell he knew that she was internally freaking out. He’d sent some dirty texts before and even then she didn’t know how to respond, let alone in real time on the phone. 

His texts were never too bold, but they definitely caught her attention. They spanned anywhere between, ‘I’ve missed you extra today’ to, ‘I wish you were here right now’ and, ‘I could make you feel so good if you were here.’

They would come all hours of the day, sometimes when she knew he was at work and other times when she woke up to them in the morning. The texts had time stamps, showing how late he was up when he pressed the blue glowing arrow.

She might have even received a picture of something in his pants but never responded to it, too flustered to know what to say, yet eagerly wanting to. 

She will admit, she might have pulled that picture up more than once in the past while he was asleep, quickly getting comfortable before tucking her hand under the sheets. 

“It’s okay baby,” he exhaled, “you don’t have to talk, I can do it.” He reassured her, almost in a mocking tone in response to her long pause. The more he talked, the more flustered Lia felt. 

Butterflies were going crazy in her stomach, and she felt like she was floating in a way. This didn’t feel real, but if it was a dream, she certainly didn’t want it to end. 

“I was thinking about you earlier, around 1:30 when you were still at work. I thought about you with me here, in my bed.”

“What about me?” They were both surprised she was able to speak, even if it was quiet and somewhat breathy. 

“Just wanted to see you.” Lia could hear rustling and wondered what he was doing. “Wanted to see you in that tiny little shirt again, maybe even without it.” He tested the waters with his comments to see how far he could go. 

Lia was feeling fine, other than the fact she felt something growing in her lower stomach that didn’t want to leave. Her lips quirked up in interest at his comment, but she didn’t have the guts to say anything back. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll do all the talking, and you can just listen.” He told her, knowing from other conversations how shy she felt in these types of situations. Lia and Dominic had talked about boundaries and what was okay and not, and Dominic had never once made Lia feel uncomfortable. Even with the unsolicited pictures and dirty texts, Lia never felt objectified or used. She wanted those pictures and she wanted to send them. 

“I wanna see you Lia. In person. I’m craving someone I’ve never even fucking met in person before. That’s how much control you have over me, baby.” He told her, and Lia didn’t seem to notice the subtle change in his voice that was caused by Dominic’s hand trailing down his bare chest. 

She was getting flustered sitting there and listening to him, hanging on to every last word he was saying. His voice was like a blanket of comfort, but at the same time it helped stir up something hot inside her. 

Dominic’s fingertips eagerly brushed the waistband of his boxers at that point, waiting for some sort of response from Lia. He just hoped that he was creating the right environment for this to take place. The last thing he would want to do is make Lia feel uncomfortable in any way.

“How you feeling, baby?” His question was genuine, and Dominic’s voice only had the sound of reassurance in it.

“Good,” she stated, “really good.” She was breathing faster than normal and her cheeks wouldn’t cool down. 

“I’m glad. Now, whatever you’re comfortable with, do it. If that’s just to sit there and listen to me talk, that’s perfectly fine. Might ask you a couple simple yes or no questions. Otherwise you can join me, or simply hang up okay?” He explained, and Lia took a deep breath as a sort of calm washed over her.

She could be herself around him, and there was no need to be out of her comfort zone. 

“I just want to listen for now, I think.” 

He liked how she said for now, maybe another time hopefully sooner rather than later, she would join him. 

“That’s wonderful, baby. Now how are you feeling? You comfortable in bed?” He reached down under the loose waistband of his boxers, feeling the rough wrinkled material of them. 

“I’m feeling good, ‘m feeling hot though.” Lia quietly told Dominic, wiggling further under the safety of her blankets and listened. 

“I'm feeling hot too. I really wish you were here, want you to know how much I want you.” It almost sounded like a whine, the way he said it, desperate for Lia to hear how much she means to him in every way possible. 

That night was the first night of many for the young couple to experience each other in a closer, more raw sense.

_________________

Slay its getting intense.

[softforjackson]

ur fave got7 era and/or concept 💖🌷💖🌷💖

waht up karoline my love! uh this got really long so i put it under read more ahdhddjjd my fave got7 era n concept….. oh boy adhsajk !! i would have to say fly bc it means so much to me,,,,,,, not only is fly the most gracious thing to have ever existed on this planet, lyrically, vocally, rapwise, background track wise, n aesthetic wise n every time i hear that ‘bwwAAHHH oh oh oh BWAAAHH’ i start crying,,,but its also such an iconic era in that they got 5 wins which was the first time they ever got that many, n they also had their first world tour, n it was the start of their first trilogy, and it was the first time they all truly took part in songwriting for the album! its iconic! its also the first time a got7 member wrote a title song,,, jaebum wrote home run n even though its, okay its not strictly the Title title it was still promoted solely for a period of time ahdjsa liek every single song on that album is worthy of not only the most intesne body roolling, but also that joke dance yugy does where he like. u nkow he grooves n has that smile n stares right at the camera,, like okay heres a rundown of each side songbc im too extrato hold back n not do this,,, see the lgiht: fuckigb body rolls til my back snaps! therap n alaso jacksons singing part n the beat n the chorus nyes. yes thank u very muchu mark n yugy.thank u  cant: first glimpse of jinyougns msuic composing gneius oh booy also the dnacne broke both my legs n the rap oh goodness”!hARmoneies also backtrack lmao fish: frickin! hoyl what ab op! not hyped enoguh bc everytime that oooooooh woop wooP WOOp hits its like it smacks me onto the ground w no redemption! n i shake its hand n say thank u rewind: thank u yonugjae. thnak u youngjae for everytihng u have done for me i owe u everytihng ,,, thye backtrack especially its,, the bass dropoh bbbboy! also the hrewidin Rehiwind Rewiidnd reiwiind rewqwIIND thanks beehhhhiin on my knees; fricokihgn! cool! the beat! the feel! the verse! the precchorusu where the back is like ooooooooooooooh whooa ooooooooh ooooooooh n then theyre singing all cool and then hes all ‘begiing on my knees go me begigin oon my kennes’’ then oh boy were i stranded on a desert island this song would give me strengfth n something good;o ahahahah ohh boy this song not only helped me rekindle my relaltionship with my parents but also gave me 50 quid! thank u song. anywyas the fucki nharmonies ! holy moley thank u jabeum  n the naalso! oop this is already super long but the frekicijng concept!!! honey. Honey the baggy sweaters???? the pastel blue n pink colours???? the dreamy concept like especially in the dance wheere theyt all jstu like in the prechorus where they all slide n reach into the air n they jstu !!!! ALSO tjhey kept makign ahgase symbosl w their hands n it sjkust syper iahdjhsajkhd wowo i lvoe fly !! fuckiin love got7 ! oh boy

[voidcat]

characters: tartaglia, you

wc: 2.9k

warning: obsessive and (more or less) yandere-like behavior

a/n: Mhy already screwed me over w electro abyss mages before I could write and post my first childe fic… so when they mentioned teleport points in the new quest, when I say I was filled with furious panic- anywyas enjoy this mess<3 (when I planned this fic it was A lot shorter in my head, how did we reach to this…)

The air in the cave system cold, you feel yourself shivering as you wait.

How long has it been so far? Half an hour? An hour? Time surely doesn’t seem to pass, especially on such events.

The lights illuminated from the crystals above and near, you can see the uninterested expression on the boy’s face.

Though the magnificent light show holds no competition against the sun high up in the sky, above the surface, you cannot help but reminisce about the old days, allow yourself this much at least for a minute.

Despite the cold that surrounds them for long times, not to mention the reputation that comes because of what a certain group of their nation does, Snenzhnayans are warm, above all.

Warmer than the soil of their land, the wind that bites their faces every day, their fish, their lakes, their god, known for holding no love for anyone, not even herself– or so they say.

And above all, Snezhnayans love traditions.

It’s unclear where most of these come from, some say history, some say a silly game turned into a big event.

The sound of a droplet hitting the stone reaches your ears, but not the the horn you are still expecting to hear.

It must be the latter you assume, at least for this one. For you can recall yourself playing in these endless caves and its countless tunnels as kids, before you were all taken once more, for tradition.

Then it begins, the sound breaks into the silence, and before you can even look around to see the others, the kid in front you has vanished.

He dashes and you follow, closing the gap in no time; no matter the distance, the separation, you are still familiar with these grounds after all, engraved into memory, into your bones and to your very core. He might be good, but you are better.

Hearing your steps behind him, he begins conversing with you, continue the one sided conversation as the two of you met would be a better way to explain. About the newest toy he had, the new kids he has played with, what an amazing brother he has, practically shining, oh how happy he is for the past few days that some of his favorite people have returned already! A sour expression takes over your face as you hear the last one.

Without a care, without a burning ambition, like the one fueling the other kids, he hops over creaks, gets under, jumps and slides accordingly to the scene before him, almost as if it is the caves that is his home and not the place he hopes to return soon and have a warm meal amongst family.

Family, now that, is a word that doesn’t sting one bit.

The emerging lights of the sun start to slide into the cave from the little creaks and that’s when you know the two of you are almost finished.

Then before you know it, the cave spits the two of you out.

A deafening applause follows next, with half a mind, you look around feeling lost, and with half a mind left in that skull of yours, your hand reaches down to grip his wrist and raise it in the air.

Just… how fast was this exactly?

In such a short notice and the first ones to emerge, and he still doesn’t seem to care. A word or two about his newest toy in the garden waiting for him to play, teucer doesn’t seem to care that he has won, and out of a generation with a great number of peers too.

Yet it is not over, there must be a wait, at least for a second and third in place, and so you do, with Teucer standing next to you, speaking to himself altogether, as if from the very start he was talking to himself and you were an intruder.

And in a way, you are.

Eyes observe the people gathered in the crowd, their houses blending into the background.

Besides the warmth and the love for traditions, Snezhnayans are known for always finding their way home.

Home.

Such an unfamiliar word, now that it’s gone; it leaves a sour taste in your mouth.

And perhaps, that alone, should’ve been the signal for you to follow, and never return, not even just for one day.

Eyes going over the dull ones in the crowd, all cheering and seeming happy for Teucer and in a sudden, you feel yourself tense up. Frozen. Like an animal trapped, the gaze of a predator locked onto them.

Such lifeless eyes staring back at you, in as much a surprise as you are, though he is quick to wipe that look off his face, not that anyone else has taken a notice.

You should’ve known, when Teucer talked about having some of his favorite people back. You should’ve known, when he gave an incredibly detailed description of devices not to be messed with as his newest toys waiting for him back at home.

You should’ve known, that he would somehow find his way back, find you.

The cheers from the crowd multiply, a second voice gets added into the mix and that’s when you realize, it has come to an end for this generation of kids.

As you look back into the dispersing crowd, Tartaglia has disappeared.

With Teucer tugging at your clothes, you half heartedly offer him a hand and set foot to locate his mother in the sea of people.

It doesn’t take long though, the family finds you first. Brimming with anticipation and still high on adrenaline- yet it seems you are the topic of interest more than the little victory of their precious son.

The guilt sinks away into the pit of your stomach, heavy, you do your best not to swallow.

Insist on leaving, you try, you really do, but once again you are reminded exactly where he takes his stubborn nature from.

‘At least stay for dinner, we missed having you over!’ and with those eyes staring back at you, it gets harder and harder each second to muster a ‘no’, an excuse on how a long road awaits you- because then, you know, they’ll insist more, say you should use a rest and tasty food to charge up before you take off for who knows how long again.

Again.

That is the one word you wish to never say or think, especially regarding Snezhnaya and your once-life in it.

Walk the familiar paths, hear the crumpling sound the snow makes, grouch grouch, it crunches under your feet as the never leaving worry of when he will appear surrounds your entire being.

Every house, every tile, every face and ever smile feels like a lie, feels like something that once was, something that has never existed, that it was just a dream, a rather hopeful one, of a child’s, naive and stupid.

You can feel a hand squeezing your shoulder already, insisting you stay for dinner, for that is least you could do, after leaving everything behind.

The lifeless eyes follow every movement, you pass by every house that is a home, bursting with warmth and a cry that says ‘I’m alive!’.

The hand never leaves your shoulder, that feeling won’t stop eating up your insides, feasting on your organs one by one, waiting for dessert, to move onto your soul and any feeling you have filling your bottle of a body- 

After all, people seek out what they don’t have the most.

Everyone greets you with sincerity and genuine emotions, hearts on their sleeves.

The mother is happy, the father is happy, the siblings are happy, rushing around, preparing for the big dinner tonight, Teucer is happy, but he is busy with his friend ‘Mr. Cyclops’ right now.

And Ajax?

Ajax is dead, he has been for a long while now.

Who stands in his stead is Tartaglia. And his emotions vary from all kinds.

You ought to watch out, not let your guard down.

“Why don’t you sit next to Ajax? Just like old times.” Tonya suggests as she brings out an extra seat, open an extra serving.

“Let’s hope those ‘old times’ do not include the ruckus they used to make as well.”

They shouldn’t feel like extras, it used to be part of a routine, not a day would go by that the two of you would be separated.

One big theatrical act, is what it feels like for you.

Bells of danger ring even louder inside your head when he takes his seat next to you. ‘how have you been’s and ‘what you up to’s begin to increase as your mouth delivers the practices lines, all prepared just in case.

He doesn’t get touchy or antsy like he once did when you were kids.

You suppose, that’s because that kid no longer exists.

Despite your nerves jumping in place whenever you brush arms or legs, or whenever he addresses you, only to ask if you could pass that plate; you figure this is better than having him across from you–

watching and waiting your every move, for your smallest slip up.

The eerie eyes cannot focus on you as much, now that it requires him to turn to you fully, and ignore everyone else on the table.

Oh, no, please, our Ajax dearest would never do such a thing; and neither would Tartaglia– not when he has an image to keep.

Everyone digs in, everyone takes a sip, yet the real fest begins once the firewater is brought in.

Everyone is cheering, everyone is laughing, everyone is so happy, and everything is so perfect, everybody is drunk, minus the kids, but they’re too far gone inside their little imaginative lands to be paying attention to anything.

And not a soul can notice that absolute dread in your smile.

Once it gets darker and later, and everyone else a lot laxer, you place your hands on the table and stand up straight. 

“Well I better get going.”

You begin your departure even before the words leave your mouth.

The pleas of ‘nonsense’ and ‘stay here’s do not even reach your ears, yet that dreaded hand does, with its iron grip on your arm-

“Let me walk you home at least. It’s gotten pretty dark, we don’t want you getting lost or bruising a limb now.”

The voices of agreement fill the air and you have no choice but to nod slightly, letting him fall side by side with you, soon matching your steps yet the motion holds no comfort.

It doesn’t take much steps for you to see your plans and hopes of having fleeing from a drunk Tartaglia has failed.

Passing house after another, they start to get older and darker as you near the end of the town. With another one to your right passed, there are no lights left burning ahead of you, no sign of life.

Your steps come to an end, standing over the remains what was once a home, the outline still clear to the eye but not much left of rooms or walls.

“It doesn’t seem like anyone has lived here for quite some time, huh?” He breaks the silence first.

Keep it short and clear, “Seems like it.”

“So where is it you’re staying at, then?” He speaks, “not so far, I hope.”

“It wouldn’t be a problem even if it was actually, there’s nothing I can’t handle.”

He speaks and speaks and will not stop it, speaking to himself, speaking as if nothing has changed, as if he is unaware how you’re itching to leave this place.

“Truth be told, I wasn’t planning to stay-“ “Oh, is that so?”

Brows furrowed, you decide to push this away, for once, “I have work waiting for me to be back soon. The life at academia isn’t as calm and easy as people assume it to be.” 

“More important than people you’ve not seen in years, I presume?” Maybe it’s the cold, maybe it’s exhaustion taking over, but his voice sounds a little different.

It catches you off guard, and that, is your mistake, for letting confusion reflect in your voice, “I- What?” 

“Your work, I mean. Since you’re so eager to get back that it never crossed your mind to stay.” Steps get slower, shoulders straight, body tense and ready to be fired any second, more and more he takes the form of a predator. 

When did the two of you begin to walk? Weren’t you still by the wreck of a house just now?

“But that has always been the case, hasn’t it? Since it was, again, for this work, and academia that you left us all behind.” A smile begins to appear and it is not the one he has used all night for his parents. 

Not the cold, nor the exhaustion, you were right all along; it is impossible to miss the sharp edge to his voice and the poison his breath is laced with.

“What are you talking about Tartaglia?” He winces at his title as the smile gets unnerving to see.

“Just how you left all of us without a word, and never bothered to pay a visit up until now.” Bringing a hand to his chin, he looks up in a mocking manner.

“Come to think of it, it wasn’t even on your free will to come back today, was it?” he lets out a chuckle as if he made the discovery of the year. “Probably happened to pass by and couldn’t decline the looks of hope in people’s eyes.” His stern gaze finds your eyes. 

Eyes of a mad man, lifeless eyes, shining dull like a cheap piece of glass orb under the dead moon hanging in the sky.

This should’ve been your second warning, as his words get louder, breaths shorter and rigid, “Tell me, at least, did you ever think back, about us, about me? Did you ever feel guilt for leaving me behind?” Hand over his chest, over the place that should contain a heart-

Bullshit, your brain screams, fed up with this nonsense, with the chilling cold, the strained smile that lies before you.

“I left because of you!” someone’s yelling can be heard in the air.

It takes you a while to register that is your voice.

“Do you think I walked away from everything I’ve known my entire life, as if that awaiting unknown didn’t stand tall in front of me?” 

Once the words start spilling, the rest follows easily.

“You think it is easy to get stuck in such a state, to the point I avoid any hilichurl because I cannot bear to see the fragments of what they used to be? That I will walk through an already demolished camp, all that is left behind is the discarded masks?..” 

once a broken damp won’t stop until all that is inside is out, there is no fixing up now, it won’t make up for the loss.

“Hey, Tartaglia, say-“ you spit the title you had heard several times over the years, and it works like a charm, he twitches an eye, “do you know why all they left behind is their masks when a hilichurl has taken its last breath?”

“Did you know everything there is to Tevyat and its history is like a pierce through the heart? Between the pages it’s all just people robbed of their lives, branded as monsters-“ you shake your head with closed eyes, you know he won’t do anything, not now.

With one last breath taken, you open your mouth and face him, all those years of exhaustion and dread finally making its way to your features– no more masks,no more veils covering your face: 

“You think it doesn’t hurt to witness all that with my hands tied, unable to help the one person I left my life for?”

And with that, you turn around and finally take that first step you should’ve years ago.

One, another, slowly the steps gain a speed, their frequency increase; and without much of a wait a second set of steps come from behind, sinking into the snow, stepping on it with a force.

It has never been a choice but a chase long overdue.

And after years of tailing after the memory of one another, it is set into motion.

Older footprints of kids chasing each other from earlier remain as your feet carve never ones into the ground.

Ajax had been from a family of hunters, and you suppose, whatever is left of him inside Tartaglia carries that same instinct.

They might be good, but you’ve always been better.

He might’ve always chased you yet you could never be captured.

He can be ruthless and careful as much as he likes but you’ll always slip between his fingers.

You could’ve found it interesting, how your heartbeat doesn’t drum in your ears, how your breaths haven’t gotten shallower, how despite the reality of what is occurring to you, right now, right in this very moment, it is dead silent, the world is calm.

An endless white before your vision and before you can feel your body reach its absolute limit, you see it– that flickering red light of salvation.

Uncovering the truths of Tevyat and the many secrets it holds was never an easy feature. And even with all the knowledge under your hands, most keep their mystery.

What peculiar devices teleport points have always been.

Focusing your attention to the tip of your finger prints one last time, you aim at the little puddle of wetter pile of snow you’ve jumped over.

Reaching out one arm from behind, you send a bolt of electro to it and your other arm forward, all you see is a sudden burst of light as your hand makes connect with the candle-like point.