#who happens to be 40 and very worn out with stress from having to turn the second oldest down all the time

[sqlmn]

OC RNG stuff.

-Lucinda is engaged to the oldest prince in a family of nine where there are 8 brothers and then the youngest is the only girl. She adores her future husband. -Ink Blot is a really dumb mage who acts as a street performer using fake magic despite being an actual mage. He just wants to be the center of attention. -Ruby and Luce are from the same plot (thank you RNG I love the dream wardens). They're part of different pairs and basically just patrol to keep dreams in check. Ruby and Luce also don't really meet each other in canon. Their routes don't overlap but they both interact with the main duo which is Colette and Marcus. (Ruby wants to beat Marcus up while Luce wants to kiss Marcus for what it matters.)

[regencyslxt]

Another Year Older

1385 words.

Imagine being the first person to celebrate Hulk's birthday with him.

(PLATONIC!bruce banner/hulk x reader.)

“No, Y/N. You’ve asked me so many times and the answer is the same each time.”

“But why?! Please Bruce I promise I won’t annoy him, I’m sure he’d love it, just look…”

You had been sitting in the lab on the Stark tower for around 40 minutes now, having made your way straight there to see Bruce when you had arrived with Peter. You tilted your phone to let Bruce see the screen and the video currently playing. The ghost photoshoot trend was all over your timeline and you honestly couldn’t get the thought of the hulk posing with a massive sheet over him out of your head. You thought I’d be cool. Bruce on the other hand was firmly against it.

“Y/N I don’t know how he’d react. I can’t put you in that situation, I’m sorry.”

You slouched over placing your head on your arms which were crossed on the table.

“We could always do it here so he’d be comfortable, we don’t have to go outside to do it. I just thought I’d be fun to do before the c…” you stopped talking as Bruce stared at you through questioning eyes.

“Before the what?”

“before the cake,” you whispered into the sleeve of your shirt.

“Y/N I can’t quite hear you, before what?”

“Before the cake Bruce, I thought it would be fun to do before we ate his cake.”

“What cake?” he asks completely confused.

“Birthday cake…” you smiled.

“It’s not my birthday until December. I thought you knew my birthday Y/L/N.”

“I do. That’s why it’s not a cake for you, but for him…” you said timidly.

Bruce looked at you strangely, the skin on his neck seemed to turn green. He clutched the edge of the desk and questioned you.

“Why would- why would you get him a birthday cake?”

“Have you ever bought him a birthday cake? Has anybody on the team?”

“Well no, but…”

“Exactly, the poor thing has helped save this planet from freaking aliens and not once has his birthday been celebrated. So, tomorrow there is a chocolate cake with extra sprinkles on top being delivered just for him. I’m hoping he likes chocolate, but then again who doesn’t.”

Bruce can’t do anything but stand there, mouth open, eyes blinking, shocked at the fact someone other than him cared about the big guy. He always got along with you; your inquisitive nature was similar to Peter’s, but you seemed to gravitate more to him instead of Tony. Maybe it was because of his shy demeanour, or maybe it was because you had this weird need to be liked by everyone. He didn’t mind though; it was nice having someone actually want to learn about what he does. He also knew that Hulk liked you, he could always feel him trying to push his way out. Truth be told he just didn’t want you to get hurt, he would never forgive himself. So, as he stood there frozen, he thought about what could happen if he let the big guy out, which seemed to be more than likely to happen considering he had made it clear he was very excited to eat his own birthday cake earlier.

“Bruce? Are you alright?” You asked, he had been still for around a minute staring at the blank space between you. He snapped out of the trance he was in.

“Um, yeah, yeah. I’m fine.”

“Good, well I’m gonna go get food because I am starving, I don’t know how Peter can eat the school’s lunches. Everything tastes like cardboard,” you explain as you move to leave.

“Y/N?” you turn.

“Come back tomorrow okay? We can try if you want…” he said. Your heart jumped and you pulled Bruce into the tightest hug you could muster.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

He just laughs and pats your back a few times. You let him go and rush off to tell Peter the good news, ecstatic about tomorrow.

…

As you made your way to the lab, the next day, you had a visible spring in your step. The excitement you felt yesterday hadn’t worn off if anything it grew. You carried a box in your hands, being careful to not drop it. You knocked on the glass door, silently asking Bruce to open it. He made his way over and let you in. You could tell he was nervous as he stared at the box.

“We don’t have to do this if you aren’t comfortable, I know I went on a bit yesterday but it’s okay if you don’t want to.” You comfort him.

“No it’s alright, he’s been hard to control this morning. I think he’s excited, “he chuckles.

“I am too.”

You look around and notice that all the equipment had been oved around, and the worktops had been moved to create more space. You sat the cake down and opened it up. You popped the LED candles in (you didn’t want to scare him with real fire or anything) and motioned for Bruce to come and see. He grins at you and places a gentle kiss on your temple.

“You’re a good kid, Y/N. He’s gonna love it.”

…

“Greenie stop stressing you’re fine, see.”

You pulled the sheet over your head and placed the glasses over the top. You grabbed his hand, more like his finger and pulled him down to sit next to you as you stood. You had been setting up the camera when you had realised he was too big to fit in the frame standing up. That didn’t matter though, you’d make it work.

“Flower, can’t see,” he grunted.

He had taken to calling you flower because of the pin you were wearing on your collar, a sunflower. You quickly reached into your bag and pulled out a pair of small nail scissors and hoped that they would be able to cut the fabric well enough. You removed the party glasses from his face (they were the only ones big enough) and carefully pinched the fabric blocking his vision.

“I need you to stay still okay?” He let out a huff and you started cutting two holes to make sure he could see through. When you were done you popped his glasses back on, and placed yourself in between his crossed legs, he gently grabbed you and moved you so your head was tucked under his chin. You let out a quiet laugh and felt the vibrations of his chuckle on your back.

“The camera is gonna take a whole bunch of photos at once okay? So just do any pose you want,” you told him calmly.

Moments later the camera flashed continuously and you both modelled for the camera. As the flashing ceased, you rushed to get to the camera impatient to see the results. There was picture upon picture of you both, your favourite had to be the one where you were both holding up the peace sign. It was simple but funny too. You felt him peer over your shoulder as you found your way back in front of him.

“Look cool,” he laughs.

“We do look pretty cool, don’t we?”

You took the sheet from his and your head and popped them into the bag you brought them in, grabbing the paper plates you had brought.

“Do you want some cake greenie?” You awed at him as his eyes seemingly lit up at your words.

He hummed in response and waited patiently for you to come back with the cake slices.

“Here you go,” you hand him the plate with the bigger piece.

“Happy Birthday to you!” you cheer.

As you tucked into your cake, he couldn’t help but smile. Nobody had ever been so nice to him apart from Bruce and sometimes Nat. He knew he was big and sometimes he got angry, but he didn’t mean to scare anybody. When he had heard you talking to Bruce about celebrating his birthday with him, he felt his heart swell, and the happiness he felt on his own rather than through Banner was a tad overwhelming. But as he sat with you he understood why Bruce liked you so much, you were a good friend and he was glad you wanted to be his too.

[itspufflehuff]

According to Plan - Bucky Barnes Imagine

Summary: You like Bucky and Bucky likes you. So whats the problem? The answer should be nothing but when Bucky tried to ask you out for Valentine’s Day things dont always go according to plan.

MATERLIST // TAGLIST

Thank you so much @not-another-fangirl​ for putting a request in! I always have fun writing out the ideas you all give me so please if you ever have anymore send them my way! 

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I hope you all have an amazing and safe day with your friends, family, and/or partners! This is one of three imagines I will be posting today.

Word Count: 3,143

~~~~

There was no doubt you and Bucky liked each other. Everyone could see the way he looked at you and you looked at him.

Well everyone except you two.

The moment Bucky saw you he thought you were the most beautiful person he'd ever seen. Then when he saw you fight for the first time it was like Cupid struck him. You were strong, beautiful, smart, and independent. The perfect girl for him.

You read all about the Howling Commandos and Bucky Barnes when you were in school. You saw his pictures and wondered why a man like that couldn't live in your time. Then to your surprise, a man like that was living in your time and it wasn't just any man, but Bucky Barnes himself. When you first met him you played it cool but inside you were screaming with excitement because the man you crushed on from the history books was standing right in front of you.

However despite the lingering looks, the partnering up on missions, and the touched shoulders every time you sat next to each other neither of you could see just how much you liked each other.

This would be your first Valentine's Day as an Avenger. You and all the other single Avengers were planning on spending it together as a group. What Bucky really wanted was to spend it with you alone, but he was too unsure of himself to pluck up the courage to ask you. That was until Steve talked some sense into him, "What is wrong with you?"

Bucky looked at his best friend confused, "Excuse me?"

"There is a beautiful girl a few rooms down who is clearly into you like you're into her, yet you still don't ask her out?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Bucky stuttered.

"Oh come on!" Steve threw his arms in the air, "Everyone can see the way you look at each other. You're clearly smitten. You should as her out for Valentine's Day."

"You really think so?" Bucky asked unsurely.

"Yes. You need to ask her out before someone else does."

So he set his plan into motion. Valentine's Day is less than 24 hours away so he'll make the most of the time he's got to ask you to be his Valentine and set up a date.

No pressure.

First up on his checklist: ask you out. As the day went on it turned out to be easier said than done. His first attempt was to send you some chocolates with a note attached. He walked to the nearest store selling boxes of chocolates and picked the biggest of the bunch. When he got back to his room he found some nice parchment paper in one of his drawers, ripped a piece off, and wrote, "Will you be my Valentine? -B" Using one of Tony's robotic helping hands he sent the chocolates to your room. He told the machine to come back to him once it was delivered so he could walk in and ask for your answer.

However, things did not go according to plan. Somehow there was some miscommunication and the chocolates got sent to Natasha's room. Upon reading the letter she assumed the 'B' stood for Bruce. Natasha happily visited him in his lab agreeing to go out with him. Bruce was very confused but decided not to ask questions, whatever happened got him a date so he didn't care!

"I hate technology," Bucky whispered to himself when he saw Natasha eating some of the chocolates on the common room couch.

His second attempt was to buy you flowers and ask you face to face, seeing as how that was the only trustworthy way to get it done. He put on his nicest shirt, making sure to save his fancy outfit for the big day, and went to the florist that happened to be a few streets away. He wasn't sure why but he was not expecting it to be so busy when he got there. Workers were running around to get orders, loading flowers into the back of trucks, and people were trying to cut in the line.

Bucky was ready to walk right out of there but then he thought about you. He sucked in a breath preparing for the chaos inside. The further he walked into the shop he saw the abundance of roses seemingly covering the whole shop. He didn't want to give you the same bouquet every other girl would be getting for Valentine's Day. You weren't like every other girl to him, you were special so he wanted to give you special flowers. The bouquet he picked out for you was yellow poppies with pink coral bells mixed in. He felt so proud of himself and was ready to ask you out.

Confidently Bucky walked back to the tower and straight to your door. He knocked three times and waited as he held the bouquet in his hands and swayed back and forth on his feet.  

When you opened the door you weren't expecting to see Bucky. The only time he went to your room was when he walked you back after training. "Bucky, hi." You smiled at him. Although you weren't expecting him you were glad to see him.

"Y/N, hi. Um, I got brought you some flowers." He said holding them out to you shyly. The moment he saw you all of his confidence flew out the window.

You were so distracted with being happy to see Bucky and excited that he brought you flowers you didn't pay attention to what kind of flowers he brought you. The only thing you noticed was they were yellow and pink. You took them flowers from him smiling as you felt your cheeks heat up, "Thank you Bucky you're so sweet."

"I was also hoping to ask you something."

"Yeah, sure. What is it?" You leaned against the frame of your door as you held the flowers close to you.

He was starting to get nervous and stumbled over his words, "Well you know tomorrow is Valentine's Day, so I was thinking, well hoping actually that maybe-" He didn't get to finish his sentence. When he looked up at you he noticed red blotches on your hands and neck that were definitely not there before. "Are you ok Y/N?" He looked to you concerned.

You were confused about what just happened, "Of course why?" You furrowed your eyebrows and tilted your head.

He took your hand and laid your palm flat against his, "Look."

Still confused you looked down at your hands finally seeing the rashes. You gasped as your eyes quickly turned to the flowers. "Poppies."

"Please don't tell me you're allergic?" He pleaded.

"Not deathly, I just break out into hives."

He took the flowers from you not wanting to cause any more damage, "I'm so sorry Y/N I didn't know."

"It's ok Bucky, really. But if you don't mind I'm going to shower and put some cream on to get rid of this." You rushed back into your room closing the door.

Disappointed, Bucky walked back to his room setting the flowers down on his desk. He threw himself into bed with a sigh trying to come up with attempt number three.

What would the old Bucky do? He thought himself.

He would just walk up to the girl, flash her a charming smile, and ask her. The old Bucky had no problem with the ladies and he radiated confidence. That's all he needed to do. Be confident. Ask her out. He spent about half an hour building his confidence and hyping himself up. When he was ready he held his head high and walked to his door.

As soon as he opened it he saw you standing there. Your hair was damp and the rashes were fading. You had your hand up ready to knock on the door instead, you were face to face with his chest. You lowered your hand, took a step back, and looked up at him, "Hi, again. I thought I'd stop by so we could finish that conversation we were having before." You smiled sweetly at him.

He chuckled, "Once again I am so sorry. But um," He felt himself growing nervous again so he took a breath in. Confidence. "Tomorrow is valentines day and I would love to take you out as my Valentine."

"Yes. You can pick me up at 7:00." You smiled then turned to walk away. As soon as you got back to your room you jumped in excitement as you silently squealed.

~~~~

That night Bucky called around trying to make last-minute reservations until he finally found a restaurant with open tables at 7:00.

After such a stressful day Bucky needed to let off steam so he headed down to the gym. He didn't even realize how fast time went until two and a half hours later the sun was gone and he was sweating profusely.

He got back to his room and went straight for the bathroom to wash off the days' troubles. As he was getting dressed he looked over to his desk seeing the flowers he got you were gone. He just shrugged it off assuming one of Tony's robots threw it away. He spent the rest of his night planning for the next day and set out his outfit.

He tossed and turned all night too excited to finally be able to take you out.

~~~~

Seven o clock came sooner than expected the next day. Bucky was dressed in his finest clothes, a white button-down long sleeve, a black vest, and black dress pants. Very 1940s fashion.

You wanted to surprise Bucky by wearing something similar to what would be worn in the '40s. You put on an army green dress that was belted around the waist and had a collar at the top. You paired that with tights, or pantyhose as some may call it, and t-strap heels.  You slept with curlers in your hair to get the authentic 1940's curl women had back then. You lightly brushed them out and pinned your hair to the sides.

When Bucky saw you he felt like his breath was taken away. In a way seeing you dressed like that made him feel like he was back in the old days. He was James 'Bucky' Barnes the man who loved to goof off with his best friend and live his life to the fullest, no Bucky who had a dark past and a metal arm to show for it.

He held his arm up for you to take, "Shall we?"

You smiled sweetly at him quickly putting a coat on before lacing your arm with his, "We shall."

Steve let Bucky borrow his motorcycle for the night seeing as how Bucky needed it more than him. Bucky was ready to have a romantic evening with you, that was until you got to the restaurant.

"I'm sorry sir but there is no reservation for a James Barnes." The hostess said.

"Are you sure? I called yesterday, Sydney helped me over the phone."

"Sydney? I'm sorry we don't have a Sydney here. If you don't mind me asking what number did you call? I may be able to help you find the right restaurant."

He pulled his phone out, reading the number back to her. She held back a smile as she spoke, "I am sorry sir, that is a California area code."

Bucky felt his neck heat up and his heart drop. Why can't anything go right? He thought for sure the night was ruined and he would have to find somewhere else to take you or just take you back home.

"Damn, I really hate technology," Bucky said to himself. You stood behind him trying to hold in a laugh at how adorable he looked. You knew he was already embarrassed, you didn't want to make it worse by laughing at him. Instead, you put a hand on Bucky's shoulder feeling the cool metal through his shirt. You moved your hand up to his skin so he could feel you behind him. He turned his head as you stepped forward to speak to the hostess. You leaned close to her so Bucky wouldn't hear you, "I'm not sure if you know but my boyfriend here is a man out of his time." You both giggled, "And clearly has not gotten used to the internet. Is there any way we can take out food instead of dining in?"

You pulled away with your eyebrows raised in question. She thought for a second before she smiled, "I'll see what I can do for you." With a quick wink, she walked into the restaurant.

Bucky wouldn't tell you this but your attempt at whispering failed as he could still hear what you said. He felt his heart flutter when you said 'boyfriend'. When the hostess left he acted like he didn't know what was happening,  "Where did she go?"

"Oh, she just had to grab something from inside." You acted casual.

She came back out about ten minutes later with two bags full of takeout containers, "For the lovely couple."

"Thank you so much!" You smiled at her as Bucky took the food. You were so glad you stashed some cash into the belt of your dress. Taking it out you tried to hand it to her but she waved her hands at you shaking her head. "Don't worry about it. Anything for our favorite heroes."

Thanking her again you and Bucky made your way back to the motorcycle. "Where are we going to eat this?" Bucky laughed.

"In my room duh." You said as if it were obvious.

"How will we take it? Were on a motorcycle."

In response, you opened up the seat of the bike pulling out the folded backpack. "How?" Was all Bucky managed to say.

"Steve always keeps a backpack in here. We just put the food in and I'll wear it."

When you got back to the Avengers tower you and Bucky walked in laughing. You still had the backpack full of food on as you both made your way to the kitchen to grab some plates and utensils.

"What're you two doing back so early?" Steve called out.

"Change in plans we're having a picnic in my room!" You called back.

Bucky held onto the plates with one hand and put the other on your lower back as he walked you to your room.

You walked in feeling giddy about having a picnic. You grabbed an extra blanket from your closet and set it out on the floor. As you did that Bucky looked around your room. His eyes landed on a clear block that stood on your bookshelf. What caught his attention about it was that inside the block looked to be the flowers he gave you yesterday. "Y/N? What's that?" He pointed to it.

Following his fingers, you stopped throwing pillows on the floor and blushed, "Oh. It's the flowers from yesterday. I figured you went through the trouble to get them and they're so beautiful I didn't want them to go to waste. I had Steve get them from your room and I poured resin all over them. This way I can have them and not break out in hives."

His heart warmed. He was glad you liked the flowers so much to keep them preserved in resin.

You sat on the floor first then Bucky followed a bit hesitant.

"I’m sorry, nothing has quite gone according to plan for me. I doubt you've ever had to save your past dates like you did tonight." Bucky joked.

"No," you laughed shaking your head, "but I never cared much for those dates like I do this one."

You started opening up the food containers, setting them up around the both of you to serve yourselves.

"Whoa, it looks like they gave us the house special," Bucky said impressed.

"Anything for their favorite heroes." You quoted the hostess with a playful smile.

"I'm no hero." Bucky shook his head looking down.

"You are to me." He looked up at you with surprise. Ever since he escaped Hydra he wasn't able to see himself as the nice charming man he was before. He liked hearing you call him a hero, even if he didn't believe it.

"So, why did you join S.H.I.E.L.D? Well up until they fell and you became an Avenger." Bucky asked curiously as he started eating.

You let out a small laugh, "Um, well it was actually because of you and Steve."

He tilted his head, "Huh?"

"My parents loved Captain America and his Howling Commandos. I grew up hearing about your heroism, and we learned about it in school too. You guys weren't just about fighting for your country. You were about fighting for people everywhere and doing what's right. Then I read about Agent Peggy Carter. She was the only woman there throughout it all. I wanted to be like all of you. I worked my way up into S.H.I.E.L.D and worked hard alongside Natasha."

"Incredible. You know we would've loved to have you in the Howling Commandos."

"Really?" You said a bit too excited. Bucky noticed this and chuckled, "Yes! You're a great fighter. You have so much heart, passion, and ambition. You probably would've kicked all our asses."

"You're just saying that." You laughed.

"No, I mean it!"

The both of you finished your meal with lots of talking and laughing in between. It was the best date you'd ever been on, even if it took a while to get there. By the end of the night, you were both sitting with your backs against the foot of your bed. Halfway through diner, you put on some jazz music to fill the air as you two talked and it was still playing as you two sat there soaking up the sound. You were so close your shoulders were touching. There was a pillow laying on your lap, on top of that you rested your hands. Your eyes were closed and your head was facing the ceiling. Bucky looked over at you and smiled at how peaceful you looked. He looked down at your hands. You were sitting to the left of him, the side where his metal arm was.  He wanted to hold your hand but was nervous. After debating about it in his mind he reached out and grabbed your hand. You didn't flinch, instead, you interlocked your fingers with his cold ones and smiled still with your eyes closed. Even though he couldn't feel your hand on his he smiled too.

You both sat there for a while hand in hand, eyes closed, enjoying the music and each other's presence. You were the one who finally broke the silence.

"Just kiss me already."

And so he did.

[baoshan-sanren]

Chapter 55

Emperor Wei WuXian And His Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Birthday

Google Docs file

Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 Part 1 | Chapter 8 Part 2 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 Part 1 | Chapter 15 Part 2 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Chapter 21 | Chapter 22 Part 1 | Chapter 22 Part 2 | Chapter 23 | Chapter 24 | Chapter 25 | Chapter 26 | Chapter 27 | Chapter 28 | Chapter 29 | Chapter 30 | Chapter 31 | Chapter 32 | Chapter 33 | Chapter 34 | Chapter 35 | Chapter 36 | Chapter 37 | Chapter 38 | Chapter 39 | Chapter 40 | Chapter 41 | Chapter 42 | Chapter 43 | Chapter 44 | Chapter 45 | Chapter 46 | Chapter 47 | Chapter 48 & Chapter 49 | Chapter 50 | Chapter 51 | Chapter 52 | Chapter 53 | Chapter 54

“I want to see A-Yuan.”

WangJi suppresses a sigh, and makes no response.

Jiang WanYin, who has likely never suppressed a single thing in his life, bristles like a cat, “Are you deaf, as well as stupid? The Lan Sect Leader has ordered that you rest. Granny Wen has ordered that you rest. You are not going.”

Slumped against the pillows, Wei Ying does appear feeble and weak, his body motionless in a way that suggests an exhaustion too deep for needless activity. It had taken a long time to remove all the trappings of rank necessary for the audience he had held. It had not taken nearly as long as the initial preparation, but long enough where even Lady Jiang had looked worn down by the process. WangJi’s task during this time had involved standing on the other side of the screen, listening to the faint mutters, and being handed layers upon layers of silk. The disrobing process had resulted in a succession of whispering, slithering sounds, both of silk against silk, and silk against Wei Ying’s skin, sounds that will doubtlessly haunt him in his dreams.  

He is not precisely tired, but he is beginning to feel brittle in an unfamiliar way. The day had been long and stressful, allowing no time for contemplation and reflection. There will be consequences to the assistance the Lan Sect had provided to the Emperor. There will be consequences to such a blatant attack on the Divine Ruler, and these consequences may range anywhere from a set of executions, to an outright war. There will be consequences to Wei Ying’s actions today, the audience he had held, his defense of Wen RuoHan, his order for the immediate release of the Wen Sect from the Imperial dungeons.

Only days ago, WangJi would have disregarded the majority of these events as issues beyond his scope of understanding and responsibility, but today, he cannot. Soon enough, this will be his world as well. The Second Young Master of a disgraced Sect need only obey. The Emperor Consort must understand the complexities of ruling an Empire, the consequences of each decision made, the hierarchy governing the sect relations, and the full scope of the delicate balancing act that keeps the Empire peaceful and prosperous.

This is the cost of marrying Wei Ying, a price that WangJi is more than willing to pay. But it is a cost made no less overwhelming by his willingness.  

Wei Ying’s expression turns stubborn, “He is alone among strangers, thinking I am on my death bed. I want to see him.”

“Wei WuXian,” Jiang WanYin says tightly, “if you can get up right now and walk out of this palace on your own two feet, you can go see A-Yuan, or go straight to hell for all I care.”

Lady Jiang may have acquiesced to his request, but she had taken her leave. The Imperial guards could have been ordered to carry Wei Ying anywhere he desires to go, but this would defeat the purpose of keeping the child hidden.

Wei Ying had been ordered to sleep.

WangJi thinks, if he could only be persuaded to close his eyes and stop speaking for a moment, the exhaustion he is trying so hard to ignore would accomplish the rest.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying whines, turning his head, his eyes large and shining, “I want to see A-Yuan.”

Wisps of hair are stuck to his cheek, curving around the line of his jaw. His face is pale, but his lips are no longer bloodless, hovering just on the verge of a pout. WangJi knows that this is an expression Wei Ying has used before; he has seen it turned on Lady Jiang, and he has seen it throughly shatter her resolve. He remembers thinking Lady Jiang too easily swayed by such obvious tactics. He remembers thinking that he, himself, would never fold so easily by a mere hint of a pout.

WangJi is a fool. Love must permanently remove the most essential parts of one’s brain, because he can say absolutely nothing in response to Wei Ying’s plea.

Instead, his mind unhelpfully provides the memory of Wei Ying’s braid coiled in his lap. Wei Ying’s temple pressed to the side of his neck. The rich scent of ripe pears. The curve of Wei Ying’s waist through the heavy silk of the Imperial dragon robes.  

Underneath these memories, his mind is hopelessly sifting through possible solutions to the issue. Wei Ying most certainly can not walk out of the palace on his own two feet. He can not cross his own chambers without being supported, and would likely need to be carried any longer distances. A-Yuan cannot be brought to him, as the situation at court is still dangerously tense, and the child must remain hidden.

“If you attempt this,” WangJi says carefully, “you will fall ill before you reach him. It will scare the child, to see you so weak. But if you must go see him, I will carry you.”

Jiang WanYin splutters.

Wei Ying’s eyes widen.

The expression on his face, the baffled disbelief slowly melting into a familiar softness, is so open, so transparent, that WangJi feels his own face heat in response. He is suddenly finding the embroidery on Wei Ying’s bed curtains extremely fascinating.

“You are both right,” Wei Ying says after a few moments, “I should not go tonight. Tomorrow is soon enough.”

“Ugh,” Jiang WanYin says, “Now I feel ill too. Just go to sleep.”

“You leave first,” Wei Ying says, “I want to speak to Lan Zhan.”

Jiang WanYin makes a noise. It is a wordless one, but it still manages to perfectly express a hefty dose of disgust. He leaves quickly, as if afraid that Wei Ying will begin to speak to Lan Zhan before he has managed to make his exit.

Wei Ying reaches out, but seems to do so unthinkingly, the motion immediately interrupted by a hiss of pain. Perhaps the wrist injury is not the most serious one he had suffered, but WangJi has noticed him forget that particular pain often enough, where each resurgence catches him by surprise. In two steps, he finds himself by the bed, but once there, he is forced to stop and practice some self-restraint.

“You promised to be more careful,” he says, “The Head Healer should have strapped that arm to your chest.”

He means it as an admonishment, but his voice does a poor job conveying anything other than worry.

“It does not hurt,” Wei Ying lies with a smile, “Come sit next to me. That way, I do not need to move much.”

Only moments ago he had insisted that he is well enough to visit A-Yuan. Now, he is too weak to move on his own, and must have WangJi sit by his side.

WangJi wonders why these brazen tactics, which would be abhorrent in anyone else, are so irresistibly appealing when employed by Wei Ying. He wonders if there is anything about Wei Ying that will ever be unappealing. He is, again, forced to consider the possibility that love makes one unbearably stupid, and that this is precisely why he has already moved to sit down by Wei Ying, without giving the consequences of such action any further thought.

Wei Ying reaches for him again, the moment he has settled on the side of the bed, and WangJi takes his hand carefully, supporting the splinted wrist with his palm.

“You said you would not move.” 

“I forgot,” Wei Ying says shamelessly, his fingers warm against WangJi’s pulse.

“You should sleep,” WangJi admonishes.

“I will,” Wei Ying says quickly, “but I have not-- had the chance to speak to you. After-- the Gifting Ceremony.”

His gaze lowers to their joined hands, fingers restless against WangJi skin, despite the fact that even this small movement must pain him.

“A great deal has happened,” he goes on, the words rushed, “There is so much I was not aware of before. About YanLing DaoRen, and his use of resentful energy, and this-- apparent affinity for demonic cultivation present in his descendants. The Lan Sect takes pride in the purity of their cultivation techniques. Over the centuries, they alone have remained unblemished by unorthodox practices.”

He falls silent then, letting WangJi try and make sense of the words on his own. This feels much akin to Wei Ying’s proposal, where WangJi must separate the words, then place them in a different order, just to discern the meaning behind them.

Once he does, however, he feels frustration and fondness flood him in equal measures.

“I still want to marry you, Wei Ying.”

“You--“ Wei Ying shifts, “Are you not worried? This affinity does not bother you?”

“Will you begin practicing demonic cultivation?” WangJi counters.

“What? Of course not!”

“Then it does not matter,” WangJi says firmly.

“How can it not matter?” Wei Ying says, agitated, “YanLing DaoRen nearly destroyed the Empire. He slaughtered thousands. How can you be sure that his madness will not become my own?”

WangJi, prepared to call his assertion utter nonsense that it is, pauses before speaking. It had not occurred to him that Wei Ying would be so throughly rattled by Nie HuaiSang’s revelation.  

In retrospect, it seems obvious that this had to have been the purpose of Xue ChengMei’s story. To sow doubts and fears, not just in Wei Ying, but in all those closest to the Emperor. A filthy tactic, meant to cause chaos and uncertainty. It is no wonder that Song ZiChen had demanded no one speak to the boy.

“Wei Ying,” WangJi says carefully, “You are not YanLing DaoRen. I am not Lan ZhongYi. We exist under the shadow of those who came before us, and bear the burdens they have placed on our shoulders. But we are not them.”

Wei Ying’s breath stutters, his fingers pressing against WangJi’s wrist.

“But--“

“We spoke of Lan ZhongYi, and the reasons behind his actions. Do you remember what I said to you?”

“My mother did not kill Xu XiaoYun,” Wei Ying says softly.

“And I did not kill the Empress,” WangJi responds.

The words feel much lighter than he had imagined they could be, if ever spoken out loud.

Wei Ying falls silent, a rare enough occurrence where WangJi allows it to happen. There are now dark shadows under his eyes, and it takes a great deal of restraint not to issue another reminder about the necessity for rest, and long, uninterrupted sleep. Perhaps Wei Ying’s stubbornness requires a different type of approach. WangJi is starting to believe that any firm insistence on a specific course of action is more likely to propel Wei Ying in a completely opposite direction. This is something that will require further thought.

“You still want to marry me?” Wei Ying says, the corner of his mouth now slightly lifted, an expression that is not quite serious, but not quite teasing either.

“Yes,” WangJi says, “I still want to marry you.”

Wei Ying grins, shifting a little closer, “Will you allow me to make the announcement? Before the Lan Sect departs?”

WangJi is certain that the events of the last few days have already reached Cloud Recesses. The delay to consult with the Elders seems pointless now, as the rumors of the betrothal have been running rampant since the last Sect Leader meeting. Uncle’s actions, during and after the Gifting Ceremony, must have only served to reinforce these rumors.

It is difficult to decide which course of action will result in greater impropriety. An immediate announcement, or a lengthy delay, during which the entire court will ruthlessly judge his every interaction with the Emperor. The Emperor who is wholly unashamed of expressing his affection, and insists on behaving as if they are already betrothed.

WangJi sighs, “You must obtain uncle’s approval for the announcement.”

“Will you come and visit A-Yuan with me tomorrow?”

WangJi nods. It is a small enough request, and he is fond enough of the child where a visit would not be a chore.

“Will you spend the night?”

“Wei Ying!”

It is unbearable, the sheer number of times Wei Ying can make his face heat in a single day. How can an Emperor be so utterly shameless?

“Ahh, Lan Zhan, do not be angry. I only meant that you should stay in the Imperial chambers. What if I were to fall ill during the night and need assistance?”

Carefully, WangJi places his hand back down, and rises from the bed, “If this is the case, we should summon the Head Healer right now, and request that she spend the night in the Imperial chambers.”

Wei Ying splutters, “Wait-- that--“

“I would not want to take the chance of you falling ill during the night.”

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying whines, “Why are you so cruel? Can I not ask my future husband to spend the night with me?”

“No, you may not.”

“What if I were to find myself unable to sleep, and in need of company?”

“Summon the Royal Companion. I am sure he will be equal to the task.”

“But--“

WangJi bows deeply, “Good night, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now.”

“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying’s voice follows him out into the hall, “Hey, Lan Zhan! Wait!”

WangJi closes the door behind him, and turns to the nearest guard, “His Majesty requires the presence of the Royal Companion. And the Head Healer.”

The guard does not question the order.

[lilypixels]

...............all of them.....?

It took me an hr to do this....🥲💀

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

Teacupsss

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

Lollipops

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

Uhhh cotton candy

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

Probably quiet and smart lol I did my school work and was friendly with everyone so I was a favorite and heard all the nice things 🙈

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

I kinda like bottles more but like the glass ones with the caps that could slice your fingers-

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

I’m for all but sports lol

7. earbuds or headphones?

Earbuds

8. movies or tv shows?

Shows cause I’m the type to watch an hr long episode vs hr long movie idk why but I’m rarely in mood for them

12. name of your favorite playlist?

Drop the beat (ie songs that are upbeat and I like most)

13. lanyard or key ring?

Hmm...I guess lanyard?

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

Skittles or twizzlers

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

I had lots I had to read in school but only ever finished a handful lol my favorite I think was maybe Macbeth? I would say Odyssey but I don’t think we read the full thing cause I remember being disappointed about something like that...

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

Sitting with my legs bent up in seat with me in some way

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

Converse and some nice but cheap sneakers from Walmart

18. ideal weather?

Not too hot, not too cold, mild like before/after a rain (most the time), idc if it’s raining or sunny but as long as temp is comfortable I’m fine

19. sleeping position?

On my side most often

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

Phone and notebook

21. obsession from childhood?

Oh gosh uhhh I guess my like of dolls maybe? Or obsession with anything ✨unexplained✨ like ghosts, aliens, cryptids, etc

22. role model?

Kim Namjoon lol just kidding (sorta)

23. strange habits?

Ok I know I have some and my friends would be more than happy to point them all out but hm let me think...idk if these count as habits but I’ll never place a mirror facing a bed (this is more superstitious I guess than habit,,,) I can’t stand my food touching, if I have a tray like in cafeteria I have a certain spot for everything and uh my mind just went blank-

24. favorite crystal?

Moonstone, lapis lazuli, and I feel obligated to say garnet cause it’s my birthstone

25. first song you remember hearing?

Circle of Life maybe who knows xD

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

Walk or clean,,I’m more active and about with warm/nice weather

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

...stay inside where it’s warm

28. five songs to describe you?

Not this again😭 uhhh idk you tell me ajdbd

29. best way to bond with you?

Indulge me when I go off about things I like or learn 😔✊ I know I’ll talk your ear off and I’m sorry but know I don’t often talk about these things with people so once I start it’s hard to stop,,and it makes me really happy when people do listen to me about these things and send me related items every so often or even look into it themselves to learn more 🥺

30. places that you find sacred?

For some reason this feels like a trick question...um cemeteries and anything with ages of history I guess

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

Oof do I really have a true outfit?? I have shoes for this which are just black platform sneakers I call stomping shoes

32. top five favorite vines?

I never,,,watched these,,,

33. most used phrase in your phone?

“Yes”...?

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

State Farm and McDonald’s, always

35. average time you fall asleep?

10-11...usually...

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

Uhhh that one with the ginger dude (I think it was someone’s yearbook photo??) I don’t remember much else about the meme but it was on ifunny, or whatever the app was, a lot

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

Suitcase

38. lemonade or tea?

Easy, tea

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

...neither

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

Dude these questions really testing my brain power here- for senior prank someone put cereal in some bathroom sinks I think

41. last person you texted?

My mom

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

I’m gonna say jacket since I wear those often

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

Hoodie or cardigan

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

Fantasy

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

Usually whatever shirt I’m wearing that day and some pj/lounge pants 🤷

47. favorite type of cheese?

Mozzarella

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

I-what kind of question is this? How does one even answer this?

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

What comes around goes around lol (yes I’m a heavy believer of karma)

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

Lol who knows, probably something dumb me and my siblings were doing or something we watched cause there’s been plenty times of that xD

51. current stresses?

Homework vs free time e-e

52. favorite font?

I like the gothic looking ones but it’s usually not practical to use so idk

53. what is the current state of your hands?

My hands...? They’re fine ??

54. what did you learn from your first job?

How to care for babies and little kids, how to put on a diaper lol

56. favorite tradition?

I can’t remember a particular one off hand but I’m trying to start few new ones like decorating cookies for Halloween uwu

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

Uhhhhh like personally or...? Cause we’ve overcome homelessness before, um finishing assignments idk😭 oh maybe bullying?? That’s all I can think of since I still struggle with a lot,,

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

Alright let’s do thisss: creativity (mostly in writing sense), I can bake/cook, I have amazing organization skills and many work places have used that lol (bonus is I don’t mind, I actually really enjoy it, very peaceful), surprisingly good balance all things considered, I’m a quick learner

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

“I’m too tired for this.”

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

Good question good question🤔 I don’t think I’d last in any of them/have a terrible side character role so 💀

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

“Life’s too short to hold grudges.”

62. seven characters you relate to?

Dude this is gonna get embarrassing I can feel it🤠

Itaru, Iori, Sogo, Belle, Simeon (obey me), Nozaki (he’s clueless about romance irl and doesn’t know when someone has a crush on him yet can write romance well enough and yeah it’s me lol), and uhh Swindler/Ordinary Person in Akudama Drive (still can’t believe no one really has names in that anime but the way she gets wrapped in everything felt like something that’d happen to me lol)

63. five songs that would play in your club?

Like nightclub...? I’m skipping this ajdbd

64. favorite website from your childhood?

Probably the Barbie site, me and my sister played all the dress up games almost daily istg

65. any permanent scars?

Appendectomy scars and then looks like I have one on a toe but it’s possible it still might heal...

66. favorite flower(s)?

Nightshade, foxglove, baby’s breath, bellflowers, roses

67. good luck charms?

I don’t think I have any...

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

Lemon

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

Let me think...I read something once about flowers having ears(?) but like not ear ears just something about having a part that picks up sound waves

70. left or right handed?

Right

71. least favorite pattern?

Lolll animal print I think

72. worst subject?

Physics...the worst science

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

6...?

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

I don’t remember, it probably happened when i was 6. I do remember losing one of my front teeth during my birthday one year and I was happy since the tooth had been loose for some time xD

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

Chips I guess or just like fried in skillet

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

A succulent probably

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

Neither ew

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

They are both about equally terrible

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

Earth

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

Fireflies

82. pc or console?

I am on pc side now

83. writing or drawing?

Writing

84. podcasts or talk radio?

Podcasts I guess

84. barbie or polly pocket?

Barbie

85. fairy tales or mythology?

Mythology, it’s too fun and chaotic lol

86. cookies or cupcakes?

Hm...cupcakes

87. your greatest fear?

Uh,,,I don’t have many fears but I guess one would be falling from a great height? So I would get scared of crossing a bridge and it collapsing or riding a plane and it falling easily

88. your greatest wish?

World peace🥲

89. who would you put before everyone else?

My mom maybe...?

90. luckiest mistake?

I honestly don’t remember but something I do remember is I out semicolon instead of period and turned out to be correct grammar lol

91. boxes or bags?

Boxes

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

Sunlight or fairy lights, I don’t require much either way and prefer more natural lighting

93. nicknames?

Lassie, twinkle toes, Ash, poody butt (by 3 yr old I sometimes watch and play with lol he means it affectionately; I call him monkey butt and it’s catching on slowly instead)

94. favorite season?

Starting to be fall just a little more but I like transition times most

95. favorite app on your phone?

Let’s go with twitter

96. desktop background?

It is a moriarty and gang pic

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

2: mine and my moms

98. favorite historical era?

Ooo tough one but I’ll say renaissance as some of the coolest things came from that time

[gaypretzle]

not sure if you are allowed to do this but whatever

i have been writing a fantasy book (i know it wont ever be published) and would like opinions on it so here it goes.

Main characters-

Aine (A-n) - a 9 year old girl, she is cautious and skittish, she usually wears a purple sweater, dark teal leggings and blue slip on shoes, she has long, brown hair that veen styles for her and hazel brown eyes.

Dion (die-on) - a 19 year old dark skinned fellow that is non-binary. They are kind and cheery, they love to help but they have a much darker side that they refuse to talk about. They usually wear bright clothes but their favorite outfit is an oversized muted red hoodie and dark blue jeans with white tie shoes and a few hidden rainbow bracelets. They have bright blue eyes and black hair.

Veen (v-EE-N) - a 19 year old guy, he is often flirtatious but very protective over his younger sister, aine. He wears a black hoodie and blue jeans with black tie shoes and a few hidden rainbow bracelets, he has tanned skin and short orange to red ombre hair (dyed) and amethyst eyes.

Delta - a 23 year old girl, she is daring and sarcastic. She is thin and agile with short blonde hair and brown eyes and a thin eyebrow slit, she wears camo jeans, a torn and dirty tank top, military boots, she has several weapons on her, most of them are military grade and bloodstained.

Marrow (aka mar) - a 20 year old girl, she has fairly dark skin and thick black hair that is mostly down with an undercut, she has green eyes and a thin eyebrow slit. She wears all black and usually has a knife or two on her

Lono - of unknown age, male, he wears a faded and breaking cat mask, he wears grey, charred clothes and has many burns on his ghostly pale skin, he has a leather bag and seems very off and scared often looking around

Chapter one

I looked around waving the others in, I lifted the wire fence herding them in, I entered last, bending the fence back to shape. I glanced at Aine's scared expression as she hugged her brother. Something seemed off about this little place, it was a small city but many children wore a plastic animal mask and the adults wore clothes that looked like they were from the 1910’s-20’s . The masks looked old and worn but the eyes were pitch black. The last thing I heard was aine shrieking as a mask less man with pitted eyes knocked us out and dragged us into a concrete building. I thought I woke up first but veen was already conscious. Aine was missing but then i heard a familiar cry but when we looked up aine was wearing a chipped, faded, and cracking grey rabbit mask and her eyes hadn’t yet been pitted, she ran towards delta who slid out of the way aine went toward veen and he grabbed the mask and yanked it off, aine screamed and black goo spilled from her mouth as she cried, veen tossed the mask to the side but slowly and painfully the mask grew back on her face, the screaming subsided as did her pain, she stumbled back and ran. Veen almost vomited when he saw the black goo “where is mar” delta asked me but I shrugged my shoulders “dunno” but just as I had spoken, a thin figure cloaked in black slipped down from a hole in the ceiling and landed on the ground without a noise. I heard footsteps getting closer and I grabbed one of mar's knives but grabbed it the wrong way, without noticing the blood spilling from my palm or the pain. It was a young child wearing a monkey mask. Mar saw the cuts on the poor little boy’s body and knelt down to help the boy but he lashed out at her. His small fingers like talons, I had dropped the knife and pushed the boy away, blood smearing on his clothes. Aine ran inside, she wore the grey uniform all the other children wore but still her eyes were not pitted, she ran to her brother who pulled the mask off once more. She began to scream again as black goo spewed from her mouth “i can’t help you” he cried. Aine froze in fact everyone froze it was like the world had gone silent. Mar and veen looked at me the mar grabbed my wrist and pulled me down a dark hallway, veen was close behind her and once we made it far enough away from them i realized delta was missing, i went to call for her but mar stopped me “she’s too far away” mar whispered laying her hand on my shoulder. I turned around and sighed, leaning my head on the wall behind me. I slid to the ground just wanting to scream from the stress I put on myself, blood still trickling down my hand making a little pool. Veen knelt down and looked at my hand “what happened” he asked but i just shrugged “Dion'' he said, trying to get my attention “what happened” then, before i could answer, i blacked out. “Are they ok?'' veen asked the person who was bandaging my hand. I tried to tell veen i was ok but it sounded like a jumbled mess. The person trying to cover up my hand began to move my sleeve up so it would be easier but I pulled my hand away. Veen saw this movement and grinned “Dion, are you ok” he asked me softly and i nodded “better than ever” i weakly said, veen laughed ‘that smile, that laugh, like a thousand cars coming at you but never hitting you’ i thought to myself. I held my wrist, making sure my bracelets were still there veen took the bandages from mar and double wrapped my hand to try and get it to stop bleeding. He helped me up and i brushed myself off when i heard footsteps nearing us “run” i whispered and we took off down the twisting hallway, my heart was pounding, i grabbed a knife from off of mar, properly this time, but suddenly there was a dead end, the three of us were trapped. The footsteps sped up, growing closer still. Mar looked at the cold concrete floor, her back pressed against the wall behind her. She slid to the floor and just broke down crying, veen took my hand that held the knife and we looked up as the footsteps stopped in front of us, my heart almost stopped as our eyes fell upon the thing that stood before us, it

towered over us as we looked into it’s dead eyes.

Chapter two

The beast entered the fading and flickering light; it was like an abyss of darkness though thin and wiry with bright, glowing, wild, golden eyes. we felt like the temperature had dropped 40 degrees, we could see our breath. veen lurched his arm forward and lodged the knife into the abdomen of the beast, when he pulled the knife out the beast let out a horrible cry that sounded a bit like delta, veen looked at me then down at the mangled and bloody corpse that laid before us. In a confused, scared, and horny, heart beat I threw my arms around him and pulled him into a kiss. Then when I realized what I was doing, I tried to push away but he had dropped the knife and was holding me close. Tears formed in my eyes “you’re all I've ever wanted Dion, i was so scared to tell-” veen began but i cut him off, kissing him again. It was like our whole bodies had become synchronized, like we were one single being. It felt like the kiss was hours long but it broke apart in seconds when i broke down sobbing in veen’s arms "i love you veen" i whispered "I've loved you for seven years, ever since we met I've loved you" veen smiled and pulled me into another kiss, holding me tightly, one of his hands through my hair, the other at my waist, my heart beat faster and faster. our tongues knotting in our connecting mouths i felt my bad memories with the love of my life fade away, all i could see was veen's kind smile, his perfect orangy red hair, his glistening amethyst eyes, i leaned into him, wanting to give myself over so he could kiss every inch of my body. he pushed me up against the cement wall, roughly kissing my soft lips and grabbing at my body but it only drew me closer, i breathed heavily and shut my eyes tighter "Dion K marken you are mine and only mine" he growled, lifting my chin up , my heart pounded in my chest 'is this real' i thought to myself but when he kissed me again, my head hitting the cement wall behind us i knew it was. he slid to the floor, our lips still pressed together. he laid me on the ground and kissed me deeper. i tried to push out those horrible thoughts but it didn't work. veen pinned me to the ground (and you get the drift so i'll just be moving on) it lasted 2 hours but it felt so much shorter, i just wanted to fall asleep in his arms but we needed to keep moving. i pecked him on the cheek as we dressed and began to move back the way we came.

if you guys do happen to like this just comment you want to see some some more and i will gladly write more :)

[lovemesomesurveys]

weird asks that say a lot

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans? I choose 3: Coffee mugs, water bottles, and soda cans.

2. chocolate bars or lollipops? Chocolate bars.

3. bubblegum or cotton candy? Cotton candy.

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you? I was the “pleasure to have in class.”

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups? Cans or bottles. 

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear? Pastel.

7. earbuds or headphones? Earbuds.

8. movies or tv shows? Both.

9. favorite smell in the summer? The smell of the ocean/beach air, coconut, and sunscreen.

10. game you were best at in p.e.? I sucked at everything.

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day? Over-easy eggs and Eggo’s.

12. name of your favorite playlist? My main playlist on Spotify is my “Starred” playlist.

13. lanyard or key ring? Key ring. 

14. favorite non-chocolate candy? Candy corn.

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment? One of them is A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

16. most comfortable position to sit in? I sit with my legs crossed or to the side.

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes? My black Adidas.

18. ideal weather? Fall and winter weather.

19. sleeping position? I sleep slightly turned to my side.

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)? My laptop.

21. obsession from childhood? I was obsessed with Barbies.

22. role model? My mom.

23. strange habits? My eating habits. I pick apart my food and eat it that way, I’m very picky and particular about my food, I like some odd pairings, my appetite is up and down, I don’t eat edges...

24. favorite crystal? Rose quartz and amethyst are really pretty.

25. first song you remember hearing? I have no idea. Probably something on Barney, another childhood obsession I had when I was really little.

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather? Go to the beach

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather? Enjoy hot cups of coffee. I drink it year round, but it’s even more special during the cold months.

28. five songs to describe you? *shrug*

29. best way to bond with you? Watch the same TV show series.

30. places that you find sacred? The beach.

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names? I have no such outfit. I’m not a badass, I’m a a lame ass. ha.

32. top five favorite vines? Vine is dead.

33. most used phrase in your phone? Uhh, I have no idea? 

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head? I don’t have any.

35. average time you fall asleep? It really varies.

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing? Pfft, I have no idea.

37. suitcase or duffel bag? Both.

38. lemonade or tea? Tea.

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie? Lemon cake.

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school? Nothing I’ve experienced.

41. last person you texted? My mom.

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets? Jacket pockets. 

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket? Hoodie, leather, jean, and bomber.

44. favorite scent for soap? The typical soap scent for body soap. I like various scented ones from Bath and Body Works for hand soaps. I’m obsessed with their foamy hand soaps.

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero? I enjoy all 3.

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in? Lounge shorts or t-shirt dress.

47. favorite type of cheese? I love a variety of different cheeses. 

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be? I don’t know.

49. what saying or quote do you live by? There isn’t one.

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have? Uhh, I have no idea.

51. current stresses? Health stuff as always.

52. favorite font? Tahoma, Verdana, Georgia.

53. what is the current state of your hands? What?

54. what did you learn from your first job? I haven’t had a job.

55. favorite fairy tale? Is Alice in Wonderland one?

56. favorite tradition? Holiday ones.

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome? Various surgeries and health related things.

58. four talents you’re proud of having? I have no talents.

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be? I don’t know.

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be? I don’t know.

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.? I have a lot of those.

62. seven characters you relate to? I don’t feel like spending a bunch of time thinking about it.

63. five songs that would play in your club? Five upbeat, catchy songs ha. I’m too lazy for this.

64. favorite website from your childhood? Neopets, dollcentral or something like that, Club Penguin... I can’t think of the others I frequented.

65. any permanent scars? Yes, several.

66. favorite flower(s)? I don’t have one.

67. good luck charms? I don’t believe in luck.

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried? Seafood and alcohol.

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned? Blah.

70. left or right handed? Right.

71. least favorite pattern? Animal prints.

72. worst subject? Math.

73. favorite weird flavor combo? Dipping my sandwiches that have mayo in it in my ramen cause I like the mayo and ramen flavor combo.

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen? Well, I’m on a pain management regimen so I’m on a schedule to try and keep the pain manageable. 

75. when did you lose your first tooth? I think I was 6.

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)? I love potatoes in a lot of different ways.

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill? I have no idea.

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store? Coffee from a gas station. I don’t like sushi at all from anywhere.

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo? I don’t have a driver’s license, but I never liked my school ID photos.

80. earth tones or jewel tones? Jewel tones.

81. fireflies or lightning bugs? No bugs.

82. pc or console? PC.

83. writing or drawing? Writing.

84. podcasts or talk radio? Podcasts.

84. barbie or polly pocket? I had both, but I was obsessed with Barbies.

85. fairy tales or mythology? Fairy tales.

86. cookies or cupcakes? Both.

87. your greatest fear? Losing my loved ones, death, never getting better/getting worse, never doing anything with my life...

88. your greatest wish? To get my health under control and do something with my life.

89. who would you put before everyone else? I put my loved ones first.

90. luckiest mistake? Uhh.

91. boxes or bags? Depends?

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights? Fairy lights.

93. nicknames? Steph and Sis.

94. favorite season? Fall and winter.

95. favorite app on your phone? Kindle, DoorDash, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

96. desktop background? Alexander Skarsgard.

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized? Just a few that I’ve known forever.

98. favorite historical era? Hm.

[faecaptainofdreams]

Story time! The start of this story has a bit of a theme song, because i just always think of this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyGSe7… Sad and awful as it looks, this actually has a majorly happy ending! Major thank you to my friend Sumi-Sprite for collaging this for me! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When Walter is 22, he goes on a very dangerous mission with Lance. While they wait for backup (which Lance is willing to accept most of the time now on account of personal growth), the duo storms a chemical lab, where the "final battle" takes place. I don't have a lot of details worked out, but long story short, they succeed in their mission (with several casualties as a result of what comes next), but fire and blow-outs in the lab lead to a very terrifying situation. The men find themselves in a space with only one oxygen mask for emergencies. Lance forces Walter to wear it,  but even after being taught compromise, the latter is very stubborn. As Lance begins to lose consciousness from being stuck inhaling smoke and various chemicals, Walter takes advantage of this. He shoots him in the neck with his own tranquilizer (a familiar scene, no?), and as Lance is passing out, Walter gives him the mask instead. Lance passes out from the tranquilizer, and Walter slowly begins to suffocate until he too, is rendered unconscious. Lance wakes up in the medical bay at the H.T.U.V. Delirious but suddenly remembering the mission, he starts to panic and call out for Walter. Not a few moments later, the younger of them reveals he's in a bed right beside Lance's, groggy with an oxygen mask strapped to his face, an IV in his arm and an EKG hooked up to him, but he's smiling and reaching out for Lance. Lance takes the boy's hand firmly and says "You scared me." Walter answers with "You scared me first...!" He sleepily explains that backup came and rescued them and brought them back to the agency, where they've apparently only been for a short while. In better shape than Walter on account of the latter's sacrifice, Lance gets up and lays beside him, jokingly threatening a "quadruple fire" if he ever does something like that again. Walter very softly smiles and says "I'm not sorry." When Marcy eventually shows up to visit them after hearing the news, she finds them laying there in the bed together and jokingly asks if she's interrupting something. "Nope, just two grown men cuddling after they almost died, nothin' to see here," answers Lance in a similar tone. Marcy informs them that most of their targets were saved and are in custody (some of them being in the hospital), but a few of them died from the fire and chemical blast. Walter is sad to hear it, but accepting of it, and glad that not every life was lost. About an hour or two later, he's stable enough to be off of the oxygen and other attachments. With all the smoke and chemical inhalation, the medical staff advises giving Walter a bronchoscopy to check for potential damage to his lungs. Such a procedure often only requires conscious sedation with a numbing of the nose and throat, but when they get him to the operating room, Walter panics at the thought of being awake while having a scope down his throat; after having nearly suffocated to death just hours ago, the thought of being awake and the fear of suffocating again is too much to bear (even though he would be fine). So instead, they decide to give him a general anesthesia and put him under for the procedure. It's just safer for everyone this way. When it's over and he's beginning to wake from the anesthesia, Walter is wheeled back to his room on the bed, and is happy to see Marcy and Lance waiting for him. But anesthesia is a funny thing, and as he's wheeled in, he's singing the Disclaimer Song in a very loopy fashion. Once settled, he chooses not to finish the song. This conversation ensues: ------- "Lance: You're not gonna finish the song? Walter: *mildly sassy* Ffffhhh, youknooww... I sing...ALLLL the tiiime, anndiiiffinishh all of them, anndd it'ssfuunn, buut... Whyy issitt aalwaayys me...? Why'd's WalterrBeckkett onlyy siing??? YOUU finishth'sonng... Lance: *"well shit" face* Wow, all right then, I'll finish the song. ♫Don't try this at home, if you do, you might--♫ Ey, aren't you gonna sing? Walter: ...Mmm givinng youaheadd starrtt..." ------- He joins in eventually. There is a lot of talking about various things, and lots of Marcy and Lance laughing to themselves at the rambling and singing. Oh yes, more singing. Lots of singing. Lance records some of the rambling, including an entire conversation that begins with Walter casually asking if they'll have to "take his lungs out." After being told no, that he's perfectly fine, he says it would be hard to breathe without lungs, and then regales his company with the thought of the lungs being replaced with balloons. Specifically, the left one would be blue, and the right one would be red. Why? He doesn't know, it's not his call, apparently. At the thought of them popping if he took too deep a breath, a laughing fit on Walter's part ensues. A little while later, this conversation happens: --- "Walter: Whenn I'mmbetterr, 'm gonna drriiveyou'round in the e-tron... Lance: You wanna drive me around? Walter: Yeaaah... Ohh, waait... Imight craash... Lance: Naaahhh, i think it'd be worth the risk. You can drive the car. Walter: Buutt youuloove that carr... Lance: Yeah, well... I love you more. Walter: Hmm..... Whaat...? Lance: *softly* I said I love you, Walter." --- Lance has told him this before, but in his drugged up state, the blatant expression of love swiftly turns the tide of the mood from funny to pitiful. Walter bursts into tears and tells Lance he loves him, too. And Marcy. And Killian, and Joy, and Lovey and Jeff and Crazy Eyes, and Terrance even though he ignores him, and August (OC) and Ramsey (OC [sorta]) and Shannon (OC) and that he thinks it's mean that people nickname Joy "Joyless," all while bawling his poor eyes out. Endeared, Marcy and Lance try to calm him down. But Walter reveals that he hasn't forgotten his conversation with Lance when they first woke up in that room together. He says he's sorry for scaring Lance, that he just didn't want him to die because he "doesn't want to be alone again," but that he understands Lance has the same fear and he just couldn't win. Somewhere in the rambling mess of emotions, he mentions fear of Lance "dying like his mother." Basically, every subconscious or pushed-down negative thought and feeling he's had since the mission comes blubbering out in a heap of drunken tears and sadness. Seeing how very real his distress is, his company is quick to try and ease his mind and offer him comfort. Walter asks if Lance really is going to fire him again, to which Lance says no. He then asks if Lance is mad at him, which earns another "no." Lance says no one is mad at him, that he just needs to close his eyes and try to take a nap. After a few minutes of quietly crying to himself with his eyes closed, Walter comes to a terrifying conclusion... What if he never stops crying?! Of course, Lance almost bursts out laughing, but a death glare from Marcy forces him to keep it to himself, lest he risk further upsetting Walter. It may sound ridiculous, but for someone who's been anesthetized, every feeling is very real. Marcy comforts him, tells him no, he's not going to cry forever. It's not long before the tears slow down. They don't stop, but they slow down. [fun fact: crying is reported in 40% of patients who wake from anesthesia, be it for a presented reason or for no reason at all. Very little is known about why this occurs, though it's suspected that the stress and fear from whatever they had to be put out for manifests itself in that drugged-up state. This is referred to as "the boo-hoos."] But it's late, and Marcy must go home. She and Lance talk off to the side, and the lady gives her man a kiss to remember her by for the evening.~ After Marcy's departure, Lance decides that after everything they've been through and with how upset Walter's been, he will sleep in the bed with him. He reclines him, crawls in, and holds him tight until morning. Walter wakes up around 1 in the morning, mildly confused, but Lance tells him to go back to sleep. Happy that Lance stayed with him and choosing not to question this unexpected all-night cuddling party, he submits without a word. By morning, everything is fine, and the anesthesia has worn off. Before the lad can even put his clothes on, Lance just HAS to show him the video he took of him while he was all loopy. Walter is embarrassed and cringes through it, but also laughs at some parts. It's a happy ending. "Okay but for real, don't ever do that again."        "No promises." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------- This movie is something else. Lance, Walter and Killian have all experienced trauma and loss, but in different ways. Walter and Killian are the extremes; one copes with loss through love, wanting desperately to let people in and let others know they aren't alone. Killian has no way to cope, and expresses his pain through hatred and a desperate longing to make the one who hurt him feel what he's felt, and then end it all in his own death. Lance is right in the middle. He has acquaintances, he talks to people, he cares, but he holds everyone at arm's length. He pretends everything is fine, he acts cold and aloof, "too cool" for playing on a team or working with others. But really, it's a fear of letting others in, because life could take it all away again. He still bears a lot of empathy, but also exercises carelessness on criminals. He and Killian are not so different, but with Walter's help, both men learn to open up (we can see Killian's expression for redemption in his final scene in the movie, we know he was a little touched that Walter saved him. Also consider, Killian didn't know Walter survived that fall at the time). So now that they're partners and each have someone in their lives to love -- multiple people now, in fact, it means feeling desperation to keep them close. It means taking a bigger risk, it means work. After everything they've been through, no, Lance is not ashamed to hug and hold and love on his little nerdy white gay son. He's not afraid of intimacy anymore, no matter the form. He'll take what he can get, because tomorrow is never a promise. Would you die for the ones you love...?

[moscowjackboot]

See You Tonight

Plot: You’re sort of going out with Andrew but you’re not sure what’s happening.

Word Count: ~1.9k

You met Andrew after one of his shows at a hole in the wall kind of bar near the theater he’d just performed at. He’d sat next to you and asked if he could buy you a drink. Not used to receiving attention from men you actually found attractive, you were pleasantly surprised that not only was his approach very polite, but he could hold a pretty good conversation. You exchanged numbers and began calling and texting each other regularly. Sometimes the conversations grew flirtatious, but the two of you mostly focused on building a solid friendship for the first few months you’d known each other.

The thing you loved the most about Andrew is that you always felt safe with him. There was just such a comforting quality in his existence. His physical presence was so familiar. He felt like home. You loved being around him from the moment you met him. You were ecstatic when he shyly asked for your number at the end of the night because you weren’t sure if you had the nerve to ask for his. Being with Andrew unlocked a piece of you that you didn’t know existed, a piece of you that you needed.

Most of your dinner nights were unmistakably platonic. You two had gone out a few times when he was in town for a tour or “other work engagements.” He never specified exactly what brought him to you, but given that he usually wrote his music alone, you had a feeling he really just came to see you. Whenever he was in town, he stayed in a hotel, so you drove the two of you to various restaurants that you’d picked out. He always paid for the meals without question, which you figured was just him returning the favor for giving him a ride.

Andrew told you he’d probably be in town this weekend. You decided to make the first move this time around. You weren’t sure if you should call him or text him. If you called him, you’d get to hear his voice again, which always brightened your day, but he also might be able to tell how nervous you were. If you texted him, you’d have time to plan your responses to him as the conversation went along, but you also ran the risk of waiting hours for a response. What if he was writing or recording right now? Oh, you could even FaceTime him, but that’s not something you ever did without warning. You didn’t even like it when your best friend FaceTimed you without warning, so you certainly didn’t want to put Andrew on the spot like that. You hated leaving voicemails, and waiting hours for a guy to text you back was an even worse kind of torture. You knew that crushing on Andrew was unrealistic, but you couldn’t help it.

Even through the veil of his shyness, he had such a radiant spirit. He was sweet, funny, and such a gentleman. He wasn’t the old fashioned type of guy that thought chivalry was about treating a woman like she couldn’t do anything for herself, but he always opened and held doors for you and told you you looked beautiful whenever he saw you. He wasn’t one to talk too much about himself, but when you asked him questions, he gave you the most in-depth and thoughtful answers. In turn, he asked you questions that showed you he really wanted to get to know you without prying. He was just good.

Before you could overthink it any more, you decided to call him. The phone rang several times, and you were pretty sure you were going to get his voicemail. But then you heard his voice, sounding bright and cheery, his accent strong.

“Hey! Y/N! What’s up?”

“Andy! Um...nothing! I’m good. How are you?” What the hell was that?

“I’m good, I’m good. It’s great to hear from you. I was actually about to talk to you. I wasn’t sure if I should call or text,” he said with a chuckle.

Your heart fluttered. He was overthinking things too. “Well, I’m glad you picked up.”

“I’ll always pick up, hon.”

Your heart skipped a beat. He’d never called you anything like that before, but you liked it. It gave you butterflies. It had been years since anyone had given you butterflies, especially from something so simple. You realized he couldn’t see you smiling and you needed to say something before he thought he’d make things awkward.

“Good to know….I’ll always pick up for you too.”

“Oh, stop it,” he said with a laugh.

“I mean it.”

“I know you do,” he said coyly.

The two of you spent the next few minutes catching up with each other. He asked you about work and your family (stressful as usual on both counts). You asked him about his flight (not great, lots of turbulence) and what he was doing in town. For once he didn’t do his usual routine of making up a reason that didn’t make much sense, like an interview that you never ended up seeing, or a song with a producer that never came to fruition.

“Actually, I came to see you,” he said plainly.

You were suddenly very glad you decided not to FaceTime him. You were grinning like a schoolgirl in love. It was ridiculous. You decided to play it cool. It’s not like he just told you he loved you or anything.

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Well, that’s very sweet of you.” You hesitated. That’s so sweet is what girls say when a guy they don’t like that much does something romantic. “I’m really glad you’re here. And it means a lot that you came here just for me.”

“Well, I missed you.”

You smiled. “Oh, I missed you too, Andy. I missed you a lot.”

“Good. I mean-,” he started tripping over his words.

“I know what you mean. It feels good to be missed.”

“Yeah. Usually, it’s just my dog who misses me,” he joked.

You laughed. He was so cute.

He waited until you were done giggling to pose his next question. “So...you got any plans tonight?”

So much for making the first move. “No, I uh, I actually don’t have anything planned for tonight. You got anything in mind?”

“Any restaurants we haven’t been to yet?”

“Yeah! A bunch of them, actually. What do you feel like having? And don’t say you want whatever I want.”

“I’m in the mood for whatever, really.”

“Andrew,” you said sternly.

“What? I didn’t say I’ll have whatever you want. I just said I’ll have whatever.” You could tell he had a shit-eating grin on his face. You hadn’t known him for long but you knew him well.

“Pick something, Andy! I’m serious,” you said giddily. This exchange was making you too happy.

“Fine, fine, fine. I’ll pick somewhere new and text you the address. What time do you want to meet? I’ll take a cab or something.”

“You sure, Andy?” You were a little disappointed. You loved the drive to whatever restaurant the two of you went to. The conversation was always great and it was so heartwarming to watch Andy be mesmerized by your hometown.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. Now, what time were you thinking?”

“How does 8:00 sound?”

“So, 8:30? I know how long you take to get ready.”

“Shut up!” You waited a beat. “Yeah...8:30 sharp.”

“Okay. 8:45.”

You rolled your eyes. “See you tonight.”

“Looking forward to it, my dear.”

Dinner went even better than you’d expected. Andrew picked a steakhouse about half an hour from your apartment. True to form, you’d met him in the waiting area at 8:40. In your defense, you’d actually arrived at 8:25, but after finding parking, making a last-minute lipstick change, and walking from your car in heels, you’d lost 15 minutes. Andrew’s eyes widened when he spotted you, looking you up and down. He was wearing a dress shirt with a waistcoat, dress pants, and the sexiest leather jacket you’d ever seen. You’d worn a cleavage-bearing lacy blouse with dark wash skinny jeans, a blazer, and heeled black ankle boots.

“Andy! Hi!,” you greeted him, hugging him tightly.

“Y/N! It’s so great to see you again,” he said, looking down at you. “And you look…amazing.”

“Oh, hush,” you said, exasperated.

“No, I mean it. You...you’re breathtaking.”

You didn’t know what to say. You realized your arms were still around his waist, and his were still around your shoulders. “Thank you. You look very handsome tonight, Andrew.”

Just then, the hostess called his last name to let you know your table was ready. The two of you separated, but he kept a hand on the small of your back as he guided you to your candlelit booth. That’s when you realized why he was so hell-bent on you not driving him to the restaurant tonight. He wanted you to know that it was a date.

At the end of dinner, Andrew offered to drive your car back home because you’d had a few drinks with dinner. You definitely weren’t drunk, but you weren’t okay to drive, and he didn’t want you getting hurt or in any trouble.

Outside the restaurant, he held your hand and looked at you tentatively, as if to ask if that was okay with you. You smiled and squeezed his hand. You lean your head against his arm.

“Thank you for taking me out tonight, Andy. I had a lot of fun.”

“Me too, baby.”

On the way home, Andrew remarked that you should’ve gotten dessert. Feeling bold, you suggested that the two of you go back to his hotel room and order room service.  He smiled and agreed, one hand on the steering wheel, the other one on your knee. Once you got to his room, you didn’t hesitate to get comfortable, kicking off your heels and taking off your stiff blazer, leaving you in your revealing top and jeans. You could tell that Andrew was making a pointed effort not to look at your chest, which made you smile.

“What?,” he asked, smiling back at you.

“Nothing. It’s just you.”

He chuckled. “What about me?”

“You. You’re sweet.”

“So are you.”

You looked down, your face growing warm. When you looked back up, you caught him looking at you. He began to blush, embarrassed about being caught staring. You walked up to him, grabbing both of his hands and looking up at him, a smile on your face. “I’m really glad you came to see me.”

“Me too,” he said, his hands leaving yours.

He gently cupped your face along your jawline and leaned down a bit. Your heart began to beat faster, anticipating what was coming next. “I know that we’re just friends and all, but tonight...to me at least, it- it felt ehm, like it could be something more. Like we could be something more.” He was so nervous.

“I feel it too, Andy.”

“Good,” he said with a chuckle, loosening up a little. “Can I…?”

You nodded. “Kiss me, Andrew.”

He leaned down further, bridging the gap between you two, and closed his bright green eyes. You stood up on your toes so he wouldn’t have to strain so hard, silently scolding yourself for taking off your shoes so soon. You felt his lips gently touch yours. They were soft and pillowy. You reached your arms up to his neck, bringing him down further so you could deepen the kiss. He was an amazing kisser. The kiss wasn’t aggressive, but it wasn’t a limp, lifeless kiss either. When he finally pulled away, he whispered, “I’ve been wanting to do that for months.”

[someonefantastic]

I think I’ll Just Collapse Right Here, Thanks

Huh, another fic where people get lost in the woods. I think I'm mourning the fact that it's cold now and I can't go outside comfortably. Anyways, I love this girl gang and I hope we get more of them in the third movie! Summary: Marlowe, Selene, and Juliet are trying to make their way to safety. It's made particularly difficult by the fact that one of them has been drugged. Warnings: non consensual drug use, nausea, small LCH spoilers also on ao3 ___ "O’Hara, so help me, I’m going to kill you.”

She rolled her eyes, crossing one arm over her chest. “Look Carlton, this wasn’t my idea. You think I wanted to bring your and Gus’ wives along?”

"If anything happens to my wife…” His tone was sharp but after so many years of familiarity, she recognized the worry underneath. He sighed. "I trust you, Juliet, just keep them safe.”

“Don’t worry, nothing is going to happen to them.” She left out the part where they had already been in a fight, receiving multiple scrapes and bruises, and the part where some lowlife had stuck her with a syringe, injecting her with who knows what. Thankfully the drugs hadn’t kicked in yet but she knew she was just buying time until they did.

After finishing up her conversation and hanging up, she eyed her companions. Marlowe had proved pretty effective in a fight, her time in prison having apparently taught her some skills. Who knew she still carried a shiv in her boot? Selene wasn’t too bad either, if push came to shove, she could throw one heck of a punch. Though that didn’t mean Juliet felt any better being stuck with them.

Sure they were close, Selene was her best friend and she and Marlowe had bonded a lot during Lassiter’s recovery. Whenever they were all in one place they made sure to have some girl time. But… neither of them had any police training. They were technically civilians, and if that wasn’t stressful enough, they were also her friends and the wives of two people who meant a lot to her. She would die for them if she had to- she just hopped it wouldn’t come to that.

Noticing that she was done with her phone call, Marlowe spoke up, “What did Carlton say?”

“Well, he’s annoyed that we were able to find the Camino’s compound before him.”

At that, Selene laughed, “Wow we did better than the Chief of Police. Suck it, Lassie.” Marlowe shot her a look and she smiled sheepishly, “Sorry, got carried away.”

“Anyways,” Juliet continued, “Since we’re in the middle of the woods, we need to make our way south, there’s a town that way and he’ll meet us there with backup.”

“Perfect let's go.” Selene nodded, turning, and beginning to walk away.

Juliet furrowed her eyebrows, “Uh Selene… that’s east.”

“Right.”

As they headed in the right direction Juliet froze, the world surging around her. “Guess the drugs have kicked in.” She muttered.

“What?” Selene questioned, throwing a look over her shoulder.

“Nothing.” She shook her head, willing the world to right itself again. There was no point worrying them, she just had to power through it, get them all to safety.

Apparently, though, it was hard to head south when the world kept shaking. She had given up trying to lead the group, opting to let Marlowe take over- the woman having an acute sense of direction- while she took up the rear. The drugs were in full effect now, her body tingling and waves of nausea rocking through her. She felt incredibly aware of her surroundings and yet everything also seemed muddled and foggy. Luckily Marlowe and Selene talked pretty much the whole time which gave her something to focus on rather than the pounding in her head and the pain in her body.

“See you can’t compare cats and dogs because they’re different species and have inherently different pros and cons.”

“Okay, I see your point but I still prefer dogs to cats. Hence why we have Morrissey now.”

Juliet rolled her eyes at their continued discussion, the action causing her to miss seeing a low hanging root. Her foot snagged and she tumbled forward, meeting the damp forest ground with a thud.

“Oh my gosh, are you okay?” Selene called, racing towards where she lay, Marlowe on her heels.

“Is anything broken? I know emergency training.” When Selene sent her a questioning look she shrugged, “My brother had a lot of health issues growing up.”

“I’m fine,” Juliet groaned, getting up on her knees. The world swayed dangerously and she shut her eyes tight.

Marlowe was frowning. “Are you sure? You look really pale.”

“I’m fine,” She repeated, brushing strands of hair away from her eyes, “I just tripped.”

“That was one heck of a trip.” Selene deadpanned before grabbing her arm and helping her to her feet.

Standing was way worse than lying on the ground. She swallowed heavily, fighting away a surge of bile. “Don’t worry guys, let’s just get out of here.”

They were both eyeing her warily but she was thankful that they let it drop, turning and heading on their way. She shivered, hugging her jacket tighter around her. Her skin felt like it was crawling, suddenly very aware of every stick that brushed her leg and every clothing fold that rubbed against her. Moving seemed slow like her body was trapped in jello and she tried to fight against it. Her head was throbbing and she could feel her heart beating heavily in her chest. She couldn’t think of anything outside of her body, the ache all-consuming.

They had wandered quite far- or at least that’s what she thought. She wasn’t really sure if they’d been walking for fifteen minutes or fifty, every tree blurred together in a mess of brown and green. Marlowe and Selene were just blobs of blue and yellow and she was thankful for once that they had worn bright colors. It hadn’t been much help in sneaking into the compound but it was nice now.

Her chest tightened and she gasped for air as her skin started burning. Tearing out of her jacket, she considered removing her shirt too, needing to escape the fire that was enveloping her body but her movements became choppy. Hands barely grasping the fabric, she only managed to pull it up a little before a pair of hands grasped her wrists.

“Woah woah, Juliet, keep your shirt on. It’s like 40 degrees out here.” Selene chided, her eyebrows furrowed. She stepped back, arms crossed, and fixed her with a pointed look. Or at least that’s what Juliet thought, it was hard to tell through the haze. “Out with it Jules, what’s going on?”

Marlowe was soon at her side, her soft voice comforting, “Are you okay? Do you want to take a break?”

Juliet tried to shake her head, tell them to keep going but she couldn’t get the words out. The edges of her vision were growing dim, the world surging violently around her. It was getting harder and harder to breathe, her chest rapidly constricting, black spots beginning to appear.

“I think… I’m going to... pass out.” She gasped out before her eyes fluttered shut and she pitched backward.

They gasped and rushed forward, reaching out to catch their friend. Groaning, they hooked their hands under her arms, standing shoulder to shoulder as they struggled to keep her up. Even with Juliet’s small frame, deadweight was still deadweight.

“This just got a whole lot more difficult.” Marlowe’s eyes were wide as she stared at her.

Selene nodded, eyebrows furrowing as she examined her unconscious best friend, “Guess we’re not out of the woods yet.”

[coffee-stained-brain]

What I wish my students knew

Found this list way down in the depths of my notes app (which is honestly a pretty scary place to be poking around). These thoughts still resonated with me, so I thought I’d put them here for the start of the new semester.

There are many things that I hope you get out of my class. A high score on a multiple choice test is not one of them.

When you tell me that you are stressed, overwhelmed, busy, I understand. More than that, I empathize. Really, I do. Unfortunately, it doesn’t change much.

When you tell me that something is too hard or when you get Google to do your work for you, you are insulting yourself. You are so much smarter than you give yourself credit for.

When I assign reading, the assignment is not for you to look at each page before you turn it. The assignment is for you to know and understand what has happened. When you come to class and say "I read it but I don't remember", you have wasted your time. Why spend 40 minutes moving your eyeballs across a page if you aren't going to get anything out of it? Underline, take notes, do whatever you need to do to make sure you have absorbed the materials. Otherwise, just save yourself the 40 minutes and don’t do it at all, because the results will be the same anyways.

It is not my goal to make your life easy. It is not my goal to make this class fun. It is my goal to help you think about and clearly communicate complex ideas. Sometimes that is hard. Sometimes that is boring. Telling me that it is hard or boring is not going to change anything.

When you come to class the day after an essay is due and ask for your grade, it is disrespectful of my time, and more importantly, it is disrespectful of your time. You spent a lot of time and effort working on that paper and your ideas deserve more than a few seconds of my time and thought.

I cheer for you always. When a good homework grades bumps up your overall average, I do a silent cheer. When you make a fabulously insightful point in discussion, I do a (not at all silent) cheer. When you are out on the field, or even on the bench, I am rooting you on. When I tell you to have a good day as you leave my classroom, it is not just a worn out phrase, it is a genuine wish.

When I ask you to stop whispering during class, or to put away work from another class, I am not asking for your benefit. I am asking for the benefit of the student sitting next to you, who doesn’t understand the material we’re discussing and now is distracted by what you’re doing. You might have a very thorough understanding of the material and you might really be able to tune out and talk to your friends or do work for another class, and that’s great, but you are part of a classroom, and your actions have consequences for everyone around you. It is my job to be aware of those unintended consequences, even when you are not.

I give detailed directions not to make your life more difficult, but to make everything run more smoothly. Following them can only be beneficial. At the very least, read them.

Formatting matters. When I take points off because you have forgotten a line in your five line header, I am not doing it to be mean, but ten years down the road when you've made a breakthrough in curing cancer and want to present your findings, the very same formatting you didn't want to include on your high school essays will act as a signal to the editors that you are professional, that you take your work seriously, and that you are willing to work within the rules of the business to create the greatest good. I refuse to allow my lack of enforcement be the reason that your research is turned down.

Just because I am your English teacher doesn't mean that I don't also want you to succeed in math, science, history, and religion.

As it turns out, life isn't divided neatly into subjects. Please prepare accordingly.

I have seen students spend more time and energy trying to memorize questions, answers, and definitions word for word than it would have taken to learn the concepts for genuine understanding. It is very possible that by trying to make things a little bit easier, you are actually making them much harder.

Please submit assignments to the proper place. If you accidentally pay your power bill to the cable company, your power will still be shut off. Similarly, when I ask you to submit an assignment to a specific drop box, don't submit it to a random one from five weeks ago and just assume that I will find it.

Before you ask a question about your grade or other housekeeping issue, keep in mind that I have 134 other students. If I tell you I can’t answer your question right now, it isn’t personal, it just means I can’t keep track of every detail for every single student without referencing my planner, grade book, or notes. You will have a much higher chance of getting a helpful response if you ask your question in a time and place when I have access to those things.

[okay-j-hannah]

My Life is a Mess Without You

Smosh : Prompt

Damien x Reader

Word Count: 1968

Warnings: Just the most classic Damien Haas fic scenario... but I made it ENTIRELY in his point of view

Request: “20 with Damien Haas” - @caswinchester2000

Prompt:

20. “You are the least subtle person I know. Your ‘I have a secret’ vibe is literally visible from the moon.”

A/N: Damien just didn’t get it - what could he have done that would make you ignore him for so long?

Damien sighed, moving his eyes from the TV to the phone in his hand, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.

He was completely disheveled – his hair unkempt and the blue streaks fading. He had reverted to only wearing old sweatshirts and faded jeans, his glasses worn more frequently as the task to order more contact lenses seemed daunting compared to other problems.

His house was incredibly untidy with plates stacked by the sink, movies and games littering the living room floor, and piles of miscellaneous garbage speckled every surface. 

Even his cats had noticed the decline in activity as Damien remained more sedentary, normally retreating to the couch upon return from work.

The Smosh Family helped with what they could, also noticing (Y/N)’s avoidance. Damien could hardly manage to keep up with filming and script reads when all his focus was residing on her.

(Y/N) wasn’t talking to him. And it was wrecking him.

Pushing his glasses back in place, he scrolled through his unanswered text messages, a pain in his chest. It had been weeks since their last sincere conversation, a moment he had replayed in his mind over and over.

It sat at the forefront of his mind as if it was yesterday. Something was definitely wrong with (Y/N), that much he was sure of.

With their daily carpool to work together, she didn’t say a single word that day. She normally was running on slight caffeine adrenaline or singing at the top of her lungs to the morning radio.

Today? Absolutely nothing.

She just stared out the window, her arms folded very tightly across her chest. It was apparent that she hadn’t been getting her caffeine; her eyes were dark and heavy from the possible lack of sleep.

Damien even attempted at a conversation, “No new ‘Ian did this’ or ‘Monica said that’ this morning?” He had a smile on his lips even if concern was consuming his gaze, flickering from the road to her turned head.

She vaguely muttered a dull response, “Haven’t seen them. Been very busy.”

“You’ve been busy? Is that why you look so tired?”

Something clicked in her brain and she finally faced him, “Hm? Oh, my coffee maker sparked a few days ago – haven’t been able to get my morning fix.” She attempted at a makeshift smile, but Damien saw right through it.

Why in Heaven’s Above would she try to hide something from him? He hated it when she felt like she had to hide from him.

As soon as they parked in the Smosh Office lot, Damien turned to give his full attention to one of his best friends.

“What’s wrong?”

She seemed taken aback, “Nothing.” She tried the handle of the door, finding it continuously locked.

“Something is obviously wrong, and I don’t think you should bottle it up.” He was leaning towards her, almost hovering over the seat compartment between them.

“I told you, I’m busy and stressed and tired,” she sneaked a half-way smile, shrugging her shoulders. “I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

Damien raised a suspicious eyebrow, “What kind of stuff?”

She seemed strained between answering and jumping out of the vehicle, “Sh-Shouldn’t we get inside? We still have work today, you know?”

He sighed at the humor she was forcing through her teeth, “You’re worrying me, (Y/N).”

“And I’m telling you there’s no reason to be.” She met his gaze but swallowed hard. Was that a blush creeping onto her face?

“And I’m telling you that I know you better than you think. And I know that something is bothering you! You can trust me – I’m your friend.”

Her gaze immediately dropped from his face at that statement. Her hands were starting to fidget in her lap, “Well… there – there might be something.”

Damien bit the inside of his cheek, anticipation consuming his worrying thoughts, “I told you I knew it.”

She let a small laugh escape, “How do you always know?”

“You are the least subtle person I know. Your ‘I have a secret’ vibe is literally visible from the moon.”

“I – I might… there’s th-this boy. And I can’t s-stop thinking about him.”

He tried to have a relaxed reaction, his focus on her continuously fidgeting hands, “A guy? You have a crush on a guy? Do I know this guy?”

She resisted a smile, “Maybe. He’s a friend.”

“Hm.” He wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about this. Something pushed him to make a retort, that she didn’t need to like another boy because she already had one right there, “Is he a good guy?”

She nodded a little more enthusiastically than he liked, “He’s very sweet and very kind. He’s always a gentleman and always does whatever he can to make me smile.”

Damien found himself holding his breath, “Do you hang with him often? Like does he consider you guys friends?”

“Oh, yes,” she sighed, keeping her gaze away from Damien’s. “I see him every once in a while and we always have so much fun. We surprisingly have a lot in common – we both like filming, we both like reading and playing games, we even have similar views on less partying and more movie nights.”

“Sounds like a great guy,” Damien gave a close-lipped smile, he had to decide between this strange feeling of jealousy and his fierce friendship with (Y/N). “You should definitely go for it – I mean, if that’s what your dilemma is. If you can’t stop thinking about him maybe you should make your move.”

He chose to be her friend first.

“I don’t know,” she bit her bottom lip, “I don’t think it’d work out – I don’t think he sees me like that. I guess I make a better friend than anything else.”

Damien scoffed, catching his genuine reaction to her words. This caused her to whip her eyes to him, confused.

“What are you talking about? Any guy would be lucky to have you! The only reason he would ever turn you down is because he’s too blind to see the perfect package right in front of him. And if that ends up being true, then good riddance because you deserve someone who thinks about you just as much as you’re thinking about him.”

Damien found his hands flailing around slightly as his smooth conversation turned a little heated; but the expression on (Y/N)’s face softened him again.

“You really think that?”

He found her wide eyes staring at him with desperate confirmation, “Why would I ever think otherwise?”

But very quickly he realized that there was still something incredibly wrong. Ever since that conversation (Y/N) had made it a special mission of hers to completely dodge every advance Damien made.

Their usual friendly greeting with the crew? She was excusing herself for the bathroom.

The walk Damien made to see how her directing was going? Matt Raub said she asked to help with editing.

The spot he always saved for her in the meeting room? Neglected as she sat far from him.

Their frequent lunch breaks together? She was nowhere to be found.

The hours they spent recording Smosh Games? She ignored his smile, plastering on an expressionless face.

The special treat he got her to cheer her up? She found him coming towards her office, so she skidded off in the opposite direction.

It was a pattern that continued throughout the entire week, something Damien was fed up with. What could he have possibly done to drive one of his best friends away?

Now as he sat on the couch sulking and dismissively scratching behind Zelda’s ears, he kept his mind trained on (Y/N).

First a confession about a boy. Days of consistent avoidance. And now it was like she hadn’t ever existed.

Damien never realized how big of a part she played in his life, staring at these past text messages with more and more regret:

III AT&T LTE 5:58 PM 23% 🔋

Mon, Aug 5, 11:26 AM

“You felt like editing today?”

1:40 PM

“Hey, are you feeling okay?”

“Is it about that guy? 😉”

 Tue, Aug 6, 10:14 AM

“Has your coffee maker been fixed yet?”

3:52 PM

“I was thinking we could hangout this weekend, you down? 😊”

6:51 PM

3 Missed Calls

“Are you ignoring me?”

 Fri, Aug 9, 11:38 PM

“No, seriously, (Y/N). Are you ignoring me?”

“(Y/N), if Shayne and Mari put you up to a practical joke like this, it’s not funny anymore.”

12:22 PM

2 Missed Calls

“I couldn’t find you for lunch, so I left something on your desk. Your favorite. ❤”

Wed, Aug 14, 5:09 PM

“You seemed off in SG today. Did something happen?”

7:44 PM

“I applaud your efforts in pranking me, but can you please talk to me?”

Sat, Aug 17, 10:31 AM

2 Missed Calls

“(Y/N), where are you?”

1 Missed Call

2:15 PM

“I bought you a little something to cheer you up – I left it by your bag. Will you please tell me what’s wrong? I miss you.”

 There was a knock at his door – something not uncommon recently. Courtney would usually bring over some Chinese take out or Wes would drop off an early release of a game Smosh received.

So Damien thought nothing of it as he reluctantly shuffled to the door, opening it carelessly.

And there was (Y/N) – wringing her hands and cautiously looking into his shocked gaze.

“Damien,” she muttered, her face blotchy and obviously raw from crying.

He didn’t even let her a second to explain before he ran over to sweep her into a bone-crushing hug. He wrapped his arms around her, lifting her easily off the ground and hiding his face into her shoulder.

“I thought… I didn’t think…”

She pulled away, heat rising to her face as she cast her eyes down, “I… I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t know what to say or how to say it. So I just ran. But I – I’m trying something here.”

“(Y/N),” he felt his tired eyes burn, his glasses askew. “What did I do? Where have you been? I feel like I haven’t seen…”

“I’m in love with you.”

She had whispered it so quietly that he was afraid his ears didn’t hear correctly, “What?”

She swallowed hard, “I am utterly and completely in love with you Damien. And I didn’t know how to tell my best friend that I wanted to be more than just that with him. So I avoided you in hopes I’d stop getting so flustered being around you, but that only made it worse. And honestly, running away sounded like a pretty good idea until about ten minutes ago when Joven gave me an awesome pep talk – and I just…”

They stood there in silence for a few seconds, (Y/N) wringing her hands and Damien’s limp at his sides.

“This might have been the most pointless mental breakdown I’ve ever hand,” Damien finally muttered, replacing his shocked expression with a slight smile. “Did I really neglect getting more contacts because of secret feelings we have for each other?”

She didn’t seem to process what he said, “You know I’ve always liked your glass… wait – did you say…?”

“I’m in love with you too, (Y/N).” He grinned, taking a few steps towards her, “Please don’t you ever try to hide something like that from me again. I thought I’d just lost the greatest thing that ever happened to me.”

She let out an unexpected giggle, wiping at her eyes, “Greatest thing that ever happened to you?” She reached out and ran her fingers through his hair, bumping his glasses into place, “But you’re looking kinda rough.”

He reached up and grabbed her hand, holding it tightly in his, “Because there were four weeks and three days where I hadn’t talked to you once.”

“I had to bunk with Mari for a week just because I couldn’t stand not coming over here every other day,” she responded, laughing.

“We’re gonna have to change that.”

~~~

Buy Me a Coffee?

Tag List:

@wierdlywonderful

Remember to check out my tag list so you’re updated when a fic you like is posted on my blog! Tag List

[far-off-flower-fields]

Weird Questions that say a lot

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans? Teacups!

2. chocolate bars or lollipops? Lollipops

3. bubblegum or cotton candy? Cotton candy

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you? We call elementary school primary school. It depended which teachers you asked, my favourites always said I was “conscientious, kind, and a pleasure to have in class”.

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups? Glass cups or bottles.

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear? I have like 4 looks, pastel, boho, and goth/witchy/grunge, also vintage-inspired which wasn’t mentioned but I love it.

7. earbuds or headphones? Depends on the shape, I love my Razr headset because it doesn’t squash my ears, and I like galaxy bud shaped earbuds, the ones with the little rubber doo-dads that fit actually in your ear. Apple or a lot of older flat earbuds cause me a lot of pain.

8. movies or tv shows? TV shows. Movies are getting longer and longer and my focus is getting shorter and shorter

9. favorite smell in the summer? Rainy days!

10. game you were best at in p.e.? The game of queue-ducking (where you go to the back of the queue to avoid your turn), or dance, or the less strength intensive parts of gymnastics. Or crying, always been great at that xD

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day? Muesli, or nothing.

12. name of your favorite playlist? I prefer to listen to full albums rather than playlists, but I have a few favourites on Spotify. Born to Run 150BPM, Infinite Indie Folk, Irish Folk: Jigs and Reels, All Out 80s/90s/00s. I also love scene/pop-punk playlists.

13. lanyard or key ring? Key Ring

14. favorite non-chocolate candy? Message Hearts (or anything with that texture), the red pack of starbursts (the UK version is vegan). Does Turkish Delight count because if so then that is my fave. I also like gummies if they’re vegan.

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment? To Kill a Mockingbird (high school), or The Bloody Chamber (uni), or Hamlet (uni)

16. most comfortable position to sit in? One foot under me, the other foot out to the other side, but both in the same position (if the surface is flat), or knees up.

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes? I own a lot of shoes so there isn’t really a single pair I wear the most. Recently my Air Force 1s, I’m trying to wear them in because the previous owner didn’t so the cause blisters.

18. ideal weather? Cold, overcast, rainy, still. Or without the rain. or snow (as long as I’m not going in the car and I can go crunch my shoes in it xD

19. sleeping position? Either side, but my body is kinda rotated towards the bed so it’s like half way between on my stomach and on my side. 

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)? Notebooks

21. obsession from childhood? Animals, dinosaurs, goddesses, magic, crystals, neopets, sims. I still love all of these things, I am a rotating door of obsessions, usually a bunch of the same obsessions on repeat.

22. role model? I don’t have one particular role model, I do have tons of people that I love and respect.

23. strange habits? I have so many strange habits that I have become one myself. Nothing actually stands out though because 99% of it is because of my brain.

24. favorite crystal? rose quartz or moonstone.

25. first song you remember hearing? Maybe Dancing Queen by ABBA, definitely the first I remember dancing to, but my dad loves music so I grew up with a constant stream of it.

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather? Suffer xD when I’m able to do so comfortably I’d love to go out looking for pretty stones, and nice sticks with my fiance, also would like to go on picnics with him, or a friend if I had one.

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather? Baking, drawing, crafts, standing in the rain. Everything.

28. five songs to describe you? 6/10 - Dodie Robert Frost - Mal Blum Caught in the Middle - Paramore Side Effects - Jade Bird Snitches Get Stitches - Onsind  Bonus track: The Seed - Aurora I wish I still had the playlist I made of songs I relate to, several of these were on it though.

29. best way to bond with you? Oversharing, or telling me about things you’re into.

30. places that you find sacred? Nature. My favourite spots are little creeks/rivers in wooded areas, but just like, all of it is special and should be treated as such. Also bedrooms.

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names? I think maybe I’m not gutsy or whatever enough, but also unpredictable. I wear whatever I like, and I’m just as likely to cry in all of them as I am to accidentally get in a fight.

32. top favorite vines? I feel so basic because I never really did the vine thing.  There was one that nearly killed me because I literally started to choke that was in some kind of office and the bit like can you run this past me again, and they just fucking legged it past them holding a folder up, Saw it once, never saw it again. Road work ahead. Why you can’t lift a house (might be a tok?) Brass dad and oven kid Look at this graaaaph Never learned how to read I can’t sit I have hemorrhoids The one with the people in blankets bobbing the nana nanana song Fr esh avo ca do Look at all these chickens

33. most used phrase in your phone? I love you - if I had to guess

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head? right now, nothing. I often get the old Super Liquor jingle lodged in there though.

35. average time you fall asleep? 6am?

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing? Charlie the unicorn or that one Noodles video by Cyanide and Happiness. Are those even memes?

37. suitcase or duffel bag? Depends. I mostly use a bag though since I never go anywhere for long.

38. lemonade or tea? Tea? Usually if you ask for lemonade here you get Sprite which is not lemonade.

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie? I had a vegan lemon meringue pie once, so good. Cake is easier to make though, and I can eat more in one sitting without getting sick xD

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school? Um, the principal in my last year of school got caught for being a peeping tom a few years after I left.

41. last person you texted? My Fiance.

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets? Jacket pockets

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket? Depends on the rest of the outfit and the weather. I wear Jean jackets most though.

44. favorite scent for soap? I love lavender, or vanilla/candy/fruity/baked goods type scents. I still have a bottle of Sugar Fairy spray from lush from a year ago and I love the smell of that.

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero? Fantasy I think.

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in? Nekkid?

47. favorite type of cheese? As a kid it was feta. Now I only eat vegan cheese. I was never a huge cheese fan tbh.

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be? Rotten xD um probably a cranberry or something because I’m small, and I’m not a fan of cranberry.

49. what saying or quote do you live by? An it harm none do what you will. Or treat others as you wish to be treated.

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have? Probably one of the vines I listed above, either “run it past” or “can’t lift a house” because both of those resulted in crying and choking.

51. current stresses? My cat has been throwing up and having diarrhoea the past week or so, she’s been to the vet, it got better for a bit, but tonight suddenly got worse. Living with my parents who I have a very toxic relationship with. Living in a single very overfilled room. Trying to not spend money so that I can save up to move next year. Nightmares about my trauma. Either the house is haunted or there’s a build up of negative energy (probably that).

52. favorite font? I always liked the look of all of the script style fonts (freestyle, french, lucida, lucida calligraphy, Edwardian, Palace) but they’re not accessible so for anything people will actually see (which is literally nothing) I always go with arial.

53. what is the current state of your hands? Slight rash on one finger because I’m sensitive to what is in a lot of hand washing products apparently (never an issue until the pandemic), one broken finger nail that is a bit shorter than the rest. Not painted nails because energy. I always wear my engagement ring, usually I wear several other rings but with how my skin is being I thought I’d better not for a while.

54. what did you learn from your first job? Bakeries are hell, my circadian rhythm will not adjust to anything besides its natural state for longer than a couple of days at a time no matter how long or hard I try. I can absolutely fall asleep standing up.

55. favorite fairy tale? Ugly Duckling

56. favorite tradition? I don’t have anyway... Yet? Hopefully when I move this can become a thing.

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome? I’m interpretting overcome loosely here, meaning “I have not died from this” - Suicide of my first love - Bullying - 3 different jobs that all nearly killed me

58. four talents you’re proud of having? Literally can’t think of one. I’m not talented. I’m passable at a couple of things, but I worked for those things and I’m still not good enough for anyone to confuse me for being talented xD Those things I care about that I’ve worked on a lot are singing, art, languages, crafts? I still struggled to come up with 4. My bad.

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be? Aw jeez xD

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be? Magical Girl! This is an easy one, give me the powers and the clothes yessss.

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.? Literally sitting here drawing a blank, so instead of favourite here is the first one that came into my head “eyes are the genitals of the head” (may have that wrong, I’m watching the Office for the first time rn)

62. seven characters you relate to? Clementine from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Amelie from Amelie Matilda from Matilda Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notredame (also my favourite plush as a kid) Iris - The Holiday Jess - New Girl Amelia Shepherd - Grey’s Anatomy Struggled with this because suddenly I drew a blank and also couldn’t remember who my Fiance was talking about every time he’s watched a character and said “that’s you” repeatedly.

63. five songs that would play in your club? Starlight - Superman Lovers Pump It - Black Eyed Peas I Bet that You Look Good on the Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys All the Things She Said - tATu Doctor Jones - Aqua Bonus: Push Up - Freestylers These are ones  I have memories of dancing to when I was younger so that’s how I picked, but I’d absolutely be a themed night club with different music on different nights.

64. favorite website from your childhood? Neopets, which I still play daily. The first I played was MaMaMedia, then Bubblegum Club.

65. any permanent scars? That’s a SORE subject heh get it heh

66. favorite flower(s)? Lavender, rose, peony

67. good luck charms? I usually carry gemstones if I’m needing to be particularly lucky, or sigils.

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried? I hate anything spicy. I had rootbeer candy that tasted like literal dirt. I can’t eat banana stuff without gagging and getting a headache. I hate anything that is artificial blackberry or blackcurrant, tastes like shitty cough syrup.

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned? Sea Monkeys breathe through their feet, but I remember where I learned that.

70. left or right handed? right

71. least favorite pattern? depends entirely on the colours, I like patterns. but certain stripes do make my eyes feel funny.

72. worst subject? If PE counts, then that. If not, math.

73. favorite weird flavor combo? I love pineapple on pizza but that’s not weird. Iused to eat cheese and jam sandwiches as a kid though.

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen? I operate on how long it has lasted instead of how bad it is, essentially I get so desperate so I’ll try it even though it probably won’t help. I have the resistance of a rhino to most meds.

75. when did you lose your first tooth? No idea, like 4 I think? I did keep them in a weird little box for no reason though because they never got taken away from under my pillow.

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)? I’m a fan of a good mash if it has lots of flavour (like gravy). Otherwise, crisps or fries.

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill? I grew a radish once! Something cat safe though these days, also maybe something heavy, and hard to knock over?

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store? Grocery Store sushi, if it’s just veg.

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo? My only ID is my passport, and it is BAD.

80. earth tones or jewel tones? Both.

81. fireflies or lightning bugs? Fireflies (ten million of them to be precise)

82. pc or console? Grew up with PC. Now play my switch mostly.

83. writing or drawing? Both. Wrote more as a kid, draw more now.

84. podcasts or talk radio? Podcasts.

84. barbie or polly pocket? Both. But I prefered pollies as a kid

85. fairy tales or mythology? mythology

86. cookies or cupcakes? cupcakes

87. your greatest fear? Based on my nightmares, stairs.

88. your greatest wish? To live in a comfy house, in the country, with my Fiance, I have travelled the world, we have pets, I can function, we are free.

89. who would you put before everyone else? My Fiance and out animals.

90. luckiest mistake? Can’t think of any, most of my mistakes have been more like bad choices, also never turned out well for me.

91. boxes or bags? Depends what it’s for?

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights? lamps, or fairy lights. Unless I’m particularly anxious, then overheads.

93. nicknames? None.

94. favorite season? Winter

95. favorite app on your phone? LINE, it has my fiance, and animated stickers.

96. desktop background? Little Twin Stars

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized? My own.

I never get asks and needed to distract myself so I’m going to just answer these anyway, like a survey or something. Original post by tr33-g1rl 

[transcendencism]

3 for Hyroh and Xaheer - going on a bit of a tangent from the q but what was/is their relationship like. Also 40 & 41 for both of them.

x. character solidifying

3.  Brothers, sisters? Who do they like? Why? What do they despise about their siblings?

Hyroh and Xaheer are brothers from different litters (that’s why Xaheer is ~8 years older than him), and while they originally had more siblings when they were first born, the others didn’t survive; their family has never been very wealthy and the medical care for Cathar on Ord Mantell was subpar at best, not to mention their biological mother’s numerous health issues, including a immunodeficiency disorder that got passed down to Hyroh.

Xaheer never hated or even disliked Hyroh, he loved him, honestly, but being expected to look after him put a huge strain on their relationship. Hyroh often got too sick to attend school, and since their moms were always working at the hospital, Xaheer also had to miss school to look after him. So, as endearing as his little brother was, it was just... hard to take care of him.

Hyroh always idolized Xaheer though; Xaheer was his big brother that always looked after him and let him stay home when he was sick. Xaheer also knew a lot of stories, and Hyroh loved to hear them. But when Xaheer packed his bags and left shortly after he turned eighteen, Hyroh lost a lot of faith in his big brother, and it vanished completely once his parents died a year later. To Hyroh, it felt like Xaheer had abandoned him and left him behind.

I still haven’t figured out when the two meet again; one idea is that they met during SOR, with Theron or Lana hiring Xaheer to play up the pirate appearance. But SOR is already a big confusing jumble of emotions with the growing relationship between Hyroh and Theron, so I don’t know if I want to throw more in there.

Regardless, they’ll probably know each other by the time of KOTFE/KOTET, and... it’s rough. It’s really rough. Hyroh never forgives Xaheer for leaving, even after Xaheer (who has matured a lot more since then) explains his reasoning. Hyroh just... can’t. His big brother, who was supposed to look after him, protect him, left him behind, and Hyroh was left orphaned; he could’ve ended up in foster care or worse if Le’raya hadn’t found him. And Hyroh just can’t forgive Xaheer for leaving him like that.

They probably end up having a positive, but distant relationship. Xaheer tries to get closer to Hyroh, but there’s always going to be that wall. Obviously: it’s not Xaheer’s fault all of that happened, and just because he was born first doesn’t mean he has a “duty” to always look out for Hyroh, but that’s how Hyroh sees it.

40. How is their sense of humor? Do they have one?

Yes, indeed! His serious side has worn down over the years from his exposure to Le’raya, Kira, and then his Padawan, Janith. He’s not constantly cracking jokes and snarking like Kira, but he is a bit of a smart ass occasionally.

However, Hyroh is serious when he thinks he needs to be: any situation where people are dying or getting hurt, or something similarly bad is happening, Hyroh doesn’t joke around. Unless the joke is really inappropriate, he’ll probably only brush you off.

41. Is your character aware of who they are? Strengths? Weaknesses? Idiosyncrasies? Capable of self-irony?

Mostly, yeah. Hyroh has a very accurate understanding of his physical strengths and weaknesses, which is something of a running theme in his character. Like, the reason why I emphasize his physicality so much is because it’s the biggest thing that grounds him, and how he expresses more intangible concepts like emotion.

When it comes to mental strengths and weaknesses, I think he overestimates himself. He bites off more than he can chew and ends up getting bogged down by emotional stress, which he then tries to push aside so he can take on more responsibility. Hyroh doesn’t allow himself time to rest, physically or mentally, if I’m being honest.

40. How is their sense of humor? Do they have one?

Oh, very, very much. Unlike his brother, Xaheer is shit at taking things seriously. After eighteen years of being the rock of the family, Xaheer has... let loose, to make up for it. There’s never an inappropriate time for a joke (however, there are inappropriate materials for jokes), and Xaheer loves to be a sarcastic smart ass.

Teasing you is Xaheer’s way of expression affection; unlike his usual brand of teasing that is more of picking on people, the jokes that he makes to people he actually likes are a lot more light-hearted and innocent.

41. Is your character aware of who they are? Strengths? Weaknesses? Idiosyncrasies? Capable of self-irony?

Like Hyroh, Xaheer is confident in his talents (the Kaah family sure are a self-assured bunch), maybe even more so. A few years riding with a gang of smugglers and acting as a sort of deckhand taught him a lot, and he’s carried those skills with him into his own career.

Xaheer, however, doesn’t overestimate himself. He over-exaggerates for the sake of show and humor, but he knows where he falls short, and he won’t take jobs that are too risky. He has the aura of a dumb ass, but he’s fairly cautious and apprehensive when it comes to business.