#with other people and it gets to the point where quark has to sit him down and tell him they're not a couple just because they fucked once

[hooved]

just remembered that i've discussed, genuinely and in-depth, the possibility of barclay/quark (quarclay, if you will), and how horribly that'd go

[thegeminisage]

i guess it star trek update time. last night we watched ds9's "armageddon game" and tng's "sub rosa."

armageddon game (ds9):

this one was so fun and evil. i LOVE when obrien and julian are besties and yes they fought once but they were besties in most of this

NIGHTMARE scenario for keiko. im glad they actually put her in this instead of it happening offscreen but im sad there was no reunion :(

keiko realizing the recording had been tampered with bc of the coffee thing and then finding out that wasnt true is actually lowkey terrifying. they came THIS CLOSE. what a twist ending

quark's toast was like...strangely sweet. good for him.

i cant believe DAX was gonna keep julians journals instead of sending them back to his parents?? i also cant believe julian kept a diary for years and then decided to hand all of his diaries to his crush lol like he is insane

julian foot fetish also. don't think i forgot. i didn't. what a loser <3

these aliens being so committed to peace they'll kill people is actually kind of funny. you missed the point by lightyears

i liked how serious sisko was in this episode. he was wearing his very very very serious face. he was not fucking around. i also liked that he believed keiko INSTANTLY. on tng picard would have offered 1000000 other reasons why keiko was out of her mind bc in fairness she does sound fucking nuts but sisko believed her right away and immediately started an investigation because he trusts his people and also by extension their spouses. ugh i love him SO MUCH sisko for PRESIDENT

sub rosa (tng):

wow. wow wow wow wow wow

where do i even. BEGIN. with sub rosa

so, i knew there was a sex ghost in this episode and i was sort of aware that the sex ghost fucked or wanted to fuck beverly. but i had NO IDEA what i was truly in for

firstly, let's get this out of the way, this is a FAMILY SEX GHOST. "all the howard women have green eyes" "nana was over 100 and had a lover!" can you IMAGINE having like a family vibrator. the same vibrator your grandma used. getting off to her erotic diary entries. getting off, i repeat, to your grandma's stories about your grandma HAVING SEX with the SAME SEX GHOST who is chatting you up. beverly is INSANE

deanna took all this with so much good sportsmanship. first of all, i'm so thrilled that they're the kind of girlfriends who can share their wet dreams with one another in GRAPHIC detail. secondly, her fucking face journeys when beverly was talking about this shit in ten forward I REPEAT IN PUBLIC SHE WAS LIKE YEAH I WAS GETTING OFF TO MY GRANDMA'S DIARY

picard SOOOO put off that beverly would leave his ass to fuck a 30yo with long hair. JUSTICE! who's skipping breakfast now bitch. run around on her one more time i fucjing dare you. you WILL respect the woman you impregnated with the affair baby

speaking of affair babies, when beverly was like yeah all my family members have green eyes except mom and me i was like......is SHE the affair baby? sadly, no. but i know she had one

beverly looked the most beautiful she's ever been by the way. real bodice ripper shit. picard you blew it so bad

speaking of bodice ripper, there is a version of this where it's very serious and an allegory for abuse and the sex was dubiously consensual etc etc etc. this has happened to deanna so many times and it was so icky because it was obviously a male fantasy which objectified her. fortunately i don't think anyone can be expected to take a story seriously when it involves your grandma's sex ghost so i was perfectly happy to have a good time

WHEN THEY EXHUJED THE BODY. BY SIMPLY BEAMING IT OUT OF THE GROUND.

nana who looked not even a little bit dead sitting up in her coffin bc she was possessed and zapping the daylights out of geordi and data. PLEASE.

also, sorry, i nearly forgot, but picard walking in on her while she was quite literally fucking the sex ghost. ohhhh i KNOW he was sick

OH YEAH AND. the gravestones saying vader and mcfly. set designers i love you forever

anyway, hands down the funniest and perhaps my favorite tng episode of all time. that was the first real laugh i've had in almost a week

TONIGHT: ds9's "whispers" and tng's "lower decks."

[mmoxie]

Part 9- History Lesson

News was starting to spread about the sudden disappearance of Sean Gracie, the young mayor of Eureka, NV and producer of the popular Mayor Sean YouTube channel, where he cultivated an audience of politically active conservative men between the ages of 18 and 34.

Craig was keeping Dani apprised of these developments on their weekly visits, but the other six days when she retired to her motel room, she was much happier to put on an Ancient Aliens marathon or professional wrestling.

Work was fine, but Fourth-In-Charge Redd Lake was starting to make more advances on Gina Lincoln. He wasn't bad looking or anything, but he was aggressive in a pitiful way, flexing rank and saying things like, "I think you owe me," as he tried to leverage Dani into dinner-dates and venues outside of Fish Camp.

The thought of reducing him to ash had crossed her mind, but she was supposed to be better than that. She had completely let herself come unglued from the world and its consequences when she immolated Mayor Sean- and according to Craig, the only way to duck those consequences was to go to Peru.

After a while, it dawned on her what she actually had to do. She was up late in her room, sitting on the edge of the bed with a pint of moose tracks and watching Star Trek. Profit and Lace, the episode where Quark has himself a couple sex changes.

Man, people hated this one, she thought, twirling her spoon around in the carton, pushing around the few bits of chocolate she saved for last. I dunno, Quark looks kinda good like that. The writing was disastrous, but the costuming was spectacular. Dani wasn't the turn-your-brain-off style of watcher, but she tended to find something to love about the worst of it, like getting excited over seeing a pug, despite it being a complete ruin of a dog.

Drink Slug-o-Cola, the slimiest cola in the galaxy!

Stupid show. Unforgivably boneheaded writing. Total ass.

She loved it.

And that's when it clicked. She found all this affection in her heart for anything that made her laugh, anything that gave her brain- her complete nightmare of a brain, which fired its neurons wherever the hell it wanted, whenever the hell it pleased- another handhold. Actor names, cameos, slogans- wasn't Andy Dick in Voyager? Must've been around the same time he was in Just Shoot Me. No, wait, that was David Spade. God, I should watch Joe Dirt again- her train of thought snaked through mountains of bullshit to get from any Point A to any Point B.

But by god, it had gotten there. She couldn't un-kill Mark LaGrange, and she'd have to reckon with that. Hell, she wanted to reckon that. The thought had occurred to her of attending his funeral, if ever he had one. No telling if they were still searching, but she'd find out.

No, what she had to do was fall in love with this dangerous new ability, and to do that, she had to make herself laugh with it. It couldn't just be "you ignite when you're suicidal" if it was ever going to be anything other than a means of lashing out in deeply sick circumstances.

Still, she was suicidal from time to time. Mayor Sean being in the news didn't help with the urge to disappear. But she had a feeling that if Craig heard this idea, the old cokehead might get a kick out of it.

She slept, eventually, worked, eventually, and returned to the houseboat on Sunday for her weekly check-in with Seebs.

"I'm glad you've been introspecting, Dani. I've got pamphlets for some retreats you're gonna enjoy. But, uh- tell me again, how I'm supposed to help with this?"

Dani leaned back on Craig's sofa and held Seebs in her hands. The old man was slow and saggy as ever, but excited to see her as always, in his own way. She listened to him purr for a a little while before replying.

"You remember the field test, on firetower road? You said something about not being comfortable triggering... the kind of emotion that would lead to me blowing up."

"I'm still not comfortable with it."

"That makes two of us. But it got me to thinking- I've got perfect recall, but only for garbage. Go ahead, ask me anything about a show from the past forty or so years."

Craig shook his head and opened a bottle of Inca Cola. "Alright, I'm game. We all know Peter Falk played Columbo, but -snif- what about... Missus Columbo?"

"His wife or the spin-off show?"

"You tell me."

"Well, she never had an actress in the Falk show. But Kate Mulgrew played Mrs. Columbo. She was gorgeous in that role, and all those years before she'd pick up in Voyager. Imagine getting your face out there with a show that bad, and then turning around and being the best c-"

"Jesus, Dani."

"See, man? When I like something, it's always like this. I can't just be all, 'Hey, I liked the new Hulk movie," it's always, 'I wish Lou Ferrigno and Arnold Schwarzenegger did more together. They were both in Pumping Iron, can you imagine if they were in this? Arnie could be Juggernaut and they'd just be hucking buildings at each other-"

"I get it, you have brain damage. How does this circle back to the fourth-dimensional pit of repressed anger we're working on?"

"Well, this sense of recall I've got. I know it's a stretch, but if I have this good of a grip on bullshit, maybe there's a way to extend that grip to... all the bad stuff."

"What, you want to watch -snif- Dan Akroyd reenact you vaporizing Sean Gracie?"

Ugh, don't remind me.

"No, man. I just think if I could like myself the way I like all this junk, I might be able to reach into that pit and grab what I want."

"All the more reason to go to Peru! Great place to clear your head. Clean mountain air, friendly wildlife, affordable living..."

"Craig, you called yourself a cocaine engineer recently. Now, I don't know your life, but it sounds to me like you didn't always make the most responsible choices."

"Now Dani, I'm not sure we ought to dig into that..."

Dani chuckled and relaxed her grip on Seebs. He curled up on her legs and was back asleep in seconds.

"I mean, it can't have been that bad, right? I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing. Sounds like a bunch of nerds getting high."

Craig adjusted his glasses and huffed, that big white mustache twitching. "I know what you're doing."

"Then skip ahead to the part where I win so we don't hafta fight about it. Begin at the end and work your way back, isn't that how you said your process usually goes?"

Craig sat in his boxy old easy chair, sinking into the orange-and-brown plaid. After some digging in the side pocket, he found the remote and turned on The Weather Channel. They were running the ball lightning story again.

"God, are you ever Jolene's kid. You know she used to play peaknuckle whenever she wanted to prove a point."

"Pinochle, like the card game?"

"No, the one where you lace your fingers together and then thump each others' knuckles until someone wants out."

Dani rolled her eyes, and they sat idle for a moment, watching the weather radar. The chyron across the bottom simply asked- MAYOR SEAN, BALL LIGHTNING VICTIM?

"Look, we would ride the rails back in the '70s, yeah. But we did it so we could talk to computers. That was how we partied, eheh. We got tore up and hooked a Xerox Alto into a ham radio aerial, then coded ourselves up a cosmic bluebox and started cold-calling anyone in the galaxy who was out there listening."

There was a nostalgic glint in the grayish eyes behind those thick, grandfatherly bifocals. He only sniffed at the end, and even then, regarded Dani with a toothy grin.

Oh, those are weirdly perfect. Probably false. My man looks like Teddy Roosevelt with those choppers.

"Alright," she finally replied. Her tone was even and patient. Moreso than she could usually muster, certainly. "And was anyone out there?"

"Ohoho, yes. Yes, yes, yes. I never met him, but Andi did. Sat in his chair, too. I never had that sort of impulse. Takes a real uninhibited flower child type."

"And that's... Andi?"

"Andromeda Rainflower, god bless her. Never did find out her birth name, but I suppose that's none of my business. She and the rest of The SLAPP would get zooted on mushrooms and go out-of-body, seeing what they could see."

"Do you know anyone who isn't doing hard drugs?"

"I mean, none of us are doing them now. At least not regularly. Most of us eased off, some of us died, and- hell, the real loss in our little community came when 'ludes got the axe in '85. All of a sudden none of the Dreamboats could get their fix, and they just... disappeared. They didn't have anything like beaver math or spiritual astronomy to fall back on, so anything they knew, we lost."

"Any more weird little team names?"

"Come on, you're into this. We used to get away with a hell of a lot. --But no, far as I know, it was just the three of us. And we only touched base and started working because of the craziest kind of coincidence."

Dani raised her eyebrows and took a drink. If Craig was going to talk, there was no sense stopping him.

"We- Milton, who you've met- and a man named Reese Castle, and myself- were up late one night playing with some data from the Big Ear. We were experimenting with something that we'd later name the Langolier Mechanism- had to wait for Steven King to help us out- basically it's time shear, if you move across a fourth-dimensional axis against the grain, you invariably incur damage that isn't undone by the reversal of time. This is why it's so hard to build a time machine that doesn't just strand you with the dinosaurs."

Time machines, now? She stopped herself from speaking, and drank again. Pretend it's not bullshit. He's crazy, but he's gotta be getting at something.

"I'm getting off track."

"See? Happens to everybody."

-snif-

"Long story short, we ran into them while they were tripping out. We fired off our signal expecting to bounce it off some space rocks and write down some numbers, but instead, we hit people. And they were out there at the edge of everything, checking out some... structure."

"What was it?"

"Now Dani, I respect you, but take my word for it that you aren't ready to hear that. It'll just make you mad at me. Maybe I'll get Andi on the phone sometime and she can tell you."

"Alright, sure. So you were just, sending signals off into space, and you happened to hit... as you say, people."

"Sure did. And they followed the signal back to us, and next thing you know, we've all got pen pals. So, to circle aaaaaaall the way back," he held out his arms dramatically, then flit a little ash into the ashtray. "Sometimes when you reach out, you find something. In our case, it was something good. In yours..."

What if there's something good in there?

"...In your case, I suspect there's only pain in there."

"Are you willing to help me check, Craig?"

At that, he grinned.

"I'll get the Alto."

<-Prev Next->

[hi-my-name-is-dotdotdot]

combined jumbled ds9 I watched a lot today

mirror Kira. she- I- um. HELLO??

I wanna read like a character study now. also implications for non mirror kira???

got long again and this is about many episodes and it’s all jumbled up, so here’s a cut

I kept thinking that by the amount of times they said “no changeling has ever harmed another” that would change soon, and I was right. feel bad for odo :(

lotsa invasions happening. romulan-cardassian invasion of the dominion, klingon invasion of cardassia, when is the full out war gonna start? also the maquis still exist but they haven’t done much in a while

oh wait, except for when ruler version 2 (tom) pretends to be will and steals the defiant. also I never got to finish tng (it left netflix and I just never got around to watching it on my own on my laptop) so like what happened between will and o’brien?? like. that “I have nothing to say to you” exchange was SO unexpected.

also apparently the enterprise gets destroyed. that was news

back to ds9, umm oh we finally see the ferengi planet! andddd yep, seems right, pay to enter someone’s house, pay for an elevator, pay to sit, pay to stand, pay to find out who’s been charged with a crime and what the crime is, etc

quark and rom’s mother seemed quite interesting. kinda want her to pop up again, see how her secret financial empire is going

nog got into the academy!

rom stood up to quark!

that one episode that’s pov is old Jake and it’s the story of how ben dies but not really was. so sad. good thing his plan worked and it was fixed! but also, feel like it should come with a suicide warning? technically?

who in their right mind thought sending dukat on a mission alone with kira was a good idea? and then he had the nerve to say “actually, I think the occupation was good for Bajor but I’m not here to debate you on politics” THEN WHY’D YOU BRING IT UP, MISTER

also, dukat of all people was in love with a Bajoran? and has a half bajoran daughter? who he couldn’t bring himself to kill even with a weapon pointed at her for a few long minutes? surprising

don’t know if taking her back to cardassia is actually the best thing, sorry major, but I can’t believe most cardassians would ever treat her as equal or respect her. not to mention like. I’m assuming dukat would take her home to his home. and his wife and seven children. so not only would the rest of cardassia think she shouldn’t exist, she’ll probably have to live with people who resent her and just think she’s a “mistake” by dukat. who knows though, maybe cardassian “family is everything” values have a broader definition of family than I’d pessimistically include.

worf is here! funny thing - when we watched tng my mom never liked worf but now that he’s here she’s happy to see a(nother) familiar character lol

JADZIA AND LENORA AND DS9’S FAMOUS LESBIAN KISS why is this episode so tragic I wanted to cry

alsoooooooo I love how not a single complaint was they’re both women but only that they were married in previous hosts like yes go star trek written in the 90’s you did it

oh that reminds me! this was a few days ago, sisko and bashir were talking about reassigning an ensign because he’s “budding” and then have a whole, happy conversation about how “he’s pregnant?” “yes, twins” “well congratulation, of course he’s reassigned” “we’re having a baby shower for him” “I’ll be there are you getting him anything” that just made me happy

also I like how julian and miles’ relationship went from miles hates julian and julian annoys miles and then they grow to like and understand each other and sometime they start spending fixed times together (racquetball, darts) and go to each other with problems, become basically best friends to the point where when they get captured by some jem’hadar who want a cure to their genetic drug addiction and julian refuses to leave with miles because he wants to cure them, miles is willing to risk his career and everything to get julian back to their ship with him no matter what. even if julian’s his superior officer. even if he has to blast his work apart. even if julian might always resent him for it. (happily the end cues seem like they can start hanging out again in a few days, but I don’t think it could be quite the same as before after something like that, not so soon at least)

during jadzia’s (????) ceremony where she meets her previous hosts and curzon somehow joins with odo and both decide they want to stay in odo’s body but eventually realize it’s not for the best. I just. that was sad ok.

also, speaking of odo, he’s in love with kira? I feel like there are literally never signs besides like. two episodes. one is when it’s the bajoran gratitude festival and odo’s like “I was thinking of coming this year… I’ll see you there?” and kira said she’d be with bareil and odo was visibly disappointed

the second episode was when another changeling pretended to be kira stuck in a growing rock and odo admitted it when he thought she was gonna die. (also! I KNEW it was a trap, the second they split up something happens to her? really? also she sounded way too panicked to be kira over getting her foot stuck in a rock)

another point - because of odo I just assumed changelings are bad at being humanoid, but changelings besides odo can imitate humanoids (so far, one vulcan and maybe two humans? including scanning as that species with a tricorder!) so why can’t odo? does he just need more practice or is it some result of being separated from his planet and people so young? or maybe something to do with this great link?

oh and about that episode where odo and garak go off to investigate and then garak is like “huh! I can be a good cardassian again? I can be back in the obsidian order? yes!” like. dude. of course I understand his desire to go home and feel bad for him but do you really trust that? really?? you were EXILED for betraying this man and - even if you say you didn’t do it - you think he��s just gonna let you back into the fold? back into cardassia? after you ran off to save him from ab assassin only to learn he sent the assassin after you? really? I suppose he figured it out at the end, somewhat.

odo in that episode too. so when he can’t turn back to liquid he starts falling apart? like. geez that’s harsh. also why does he always wait until the whole 16 hours have passed? like, 16 hours is his regeneration period, it’s the longest he can hold a form, but wouldn’t it make more sense to go back to his liquid state whenever he has a safe few minutes time? that way his 16-hour “time bank” would always be as full as possible. or does it only count at the 16-hour marks?

also the scene when odo is flaking apart and looking in all sorts of pain and can’t stand anymore and garak runs over like “just tell me something! anything!” and odo bursts out with “I want to go home! not to the station, but to my people! I want to be part of the great link” and he sounds tortured and agonized over it. well. goodness, that hits right in the heart, doesn’t it? (the “goodness” makes me southern in that sentence, lol)

also the whole thing with “need to bleed to prove you’re not a changeling because when separated the blood goes to what I’m now calling default changeling mode (dcm?)” why oh why are they always making big dramatic cuts in their palms? a finger prick would work just as well! at first I thought, just yank out a strand of hair but then I remember wigs could easily make that useless. but seriously. finger pricks! also get something sterile, why is everyone in the room using the same klingon’s knife?

my dad promised to get paramount+ after wimbledon’s over, so I’ll probably finally actually finish tng before I come back to this. since I’m not under “BINGE BEFORE IT LEAVES” constraints it’ll probably just be one or a couple of episodes a day, which’ll hopefully mean I’m actually coherent if I’m possessed to write about it like this

[nerdgatehobbit]

11/11/22

Don’t worry, Lugia, Billy, & Kim will return, but I wanted to mix it up for a bit with my new Mew plush sitting on my Beckett jacket because they’re both associated with genetics! … Listen, it’s the simple things that amuse me sometimes.

Edit: Hang on, it’s acting up on me. Hmm. :/

Edit 2: I figured it out! \o/

Speaking of Pokémon, yes I’ve heard the good news although I am concerned/curious what will be next. Right now I’m still really enjoying Sun & Moon Ultra Legends. Although the Adventures in the Orange Islands are coming up soon- probably less than a year at this rate!

I’m also increasingly curious/hopeful about if Pokémon Masters will have PLA sync pairs after the game’s first anniversary. I mean, if nothing else, it’ll give the app new content while waiting to do Paldea sync pairs. And yes, there’s likely to be Scarlet commentary from me once I have it.

I’ve been playing Dreamlight Valley; I’ve been enjoying it but I haven’t had a lot to say about it. No Milo nor Kida yet. Although to be fair, Belle & Stitch haven’t arrived despite being on the original loading screen. And only Gothel and Scar represent their movies. I don’t even know??

I haven’t yet re-watched SGA’s first mid-season two-parter, but you all will know when I have done so. >:)

XWP’s 3rd season has been a bit of a mixed bag for me so far but I’m still watching & reviewing for my blog. … I still need to resume ALOK’s first season. At this rate I’ll have to start over like I know I’ll have to with Princess Tutu. Though there at least I’ll be able to get screencaps on my second watch now that I have my Blu-Ray disc drive. I’m still figuring how to review Sailor Moon.

Sooner rather than later I’ll be doing my Power Rangers mini-watch. I won’t lie, it’ll be interesting to basically zoom through the first seventeen seasons. Lots of revisiting my favorites! 2023 is going to be the year of Power Rangers & DS9 on this blog. >:D

Speaking of anime, I really liked the first 2 volumes of the Spy x Family manga so hopefully I’ll be able to obtain the anime sometime.

My DS9 watch isn’t especially coherent; on a first watch I’m on the second season but clearly I’ve been going back to rewatch & get screencaps because I want to be just watching on the first time. The important thing is that I’m having a lot of fun! :)

… Although I will say that it’s weirdly impressive how accurate Julian’s hasty backstory will be. Him taking an acute interest/concern about whether or not Rugal’s adoptive parents mistreat him due to who he is. That’s not just Julian being compassionate and/or getting caught up in Garak’s riptide, it’s him projecting due to his own childhood, isn’t it? Same with him calling out Melora’s coping mechanism because he’s aware he’s on the other side of the coin in how they react to people due to a fear of rejection because of who they are.

Meanwhile, Rom hasn’t gotten his development yet, but I have come up with a somewhat depressing Watsonian theory on what was going on in “Babel”. It’s not that Rom couldn’t do the repair, it’s that if he had, Quark would have griped about how long it took him to do so. The idea that Odo caught Quark out because he oversimplified the lie is amusing one. The depressing part is why Rom didn’t actually do so.

I think it’s similar to what went on with Daja and her birth family before the events of the Circle of Magic quartet, where doing manual work was looked down on in Trader culture to the point Daja was scolded/punished for her curiosity about it. To lean into my foreknowledge, Quark hasn’t drunk the root beer enough to encourage his brother’s interest in mechanics, even if it appears to be necessary to do so for profit.

Admittedly the animated Justice League has gone up in my media backlog list after learning about Conroy’s passing. … Not quite literally yet, but odds are I’ll redo the list for real closer to the end of 2022. That’ll probably be the next ramble post.

[puckyess]

You won’t regret it | Pat Moynihan

Words: 8k

“Ten” your friend, Kat says with a smirk on her face.

You vaguely register that her remark is directed at you. “What?”

“That’s the tenth time you’ve locked eyes with Moyni” she says, now nodding over to where he was still watching your group, more specifically, you.

There was a smile on his face and he was still talking to the couple of guys around him, but his eyes never left you. Every time you glanced in his direction that night they had always been on you. But neither of you made a move toward each other. You just continued to share curious looks from opposite ends of the room.

“That is so not true”, you say lamely, turning your attention back to your friend.

Of course she calls you out, claiming that the first time was when you guys had first walked in the door, the second when you were in the kitchen with Mike, then out on the balcony, when Tyce came up and hugged you. She trailed off but she had made her point clear.

You roll your eyes, “Fine, I'll go say hi, but that's it” you tell her. The grin on her face was enough to say she was appeased by your answer, even if it was reluctant.

Taking in a steadying breath and an equally big gulp of your drink, you turn around only to find the boy you were looking for no longer there. A frown settled in your features, a tap on the shoulder has you spinning the other way.

“Hi, I’m Pat” he says, holding his hand out to you.

You look down at his hand with an eyebrow quarked and a hint of a smirk plays at the corner of your mouth. But you extend your own hand nonetheless and it earns a bright smile from him. His hand is warm and as cliche as it sounds, your hand fits perfectly in his. He shakes it up and down and the whole scene makes you giggle.

“You’re laughing at me, what’s so funny” he asks, still not letting go of your hand.

His smile lets you know he’s just teasing and you already feel so comfortable with him. “I’ve just never shaken someone’s hand in the middle of a party” you say motioning to where your hands are still connected.

It’s hard to tell with the glow of the multicolored lights but you swear you see him blush as he releases your hand with a little squeeze. He plays it well, “Well now you have, I’m honored to be your first” he says. and now it’s your turn to blush.

Normally this is where you’d go to look away but something about the way he says it, with a hint of insinuation, a challenge to see if you’ll comment that has you maintaining eye contact as you take a sip of your drink. Who was this guy and how did he manage to have your stomach in knots and make you feel at ease all at the same time?

He asks for your name then and it takes you a second to realize that you haven’t known this man for more than 10 minutes because it feels like you’re already good friends.

“Y/N” you tell him, extending your hand to him with a smirk. He picks up on you mirroring his action from moments ago and tips his head back in an easy laugh that you join him in. You wouldn’t mind hearing that sound more often.

Just as your hands connect once again, one of his teammates barrels over and throws an arm around his shoulders. “Moyni! There you are! We’ve been looking for you” he calls over the noise of the room and based on the eye roll from Pat and the shit eating grin on his buddy’s face, you would guess that his friends knew exactly where he was.

“I’ve been gone for what, all of 5 minutes? Can you guys not handle being alone that long?”

The boy holds his arms up in defense, “Hey don't shoot the messenger, Tyce sent me. You guys are up next”. Pat glances back to where his teammate is waiting at the pong table with a smirk and gives you an apologetic smile.

“It was nice meeting you, Y/N. I’ll see you around” he calls as he’s pulled away. The wink he shoots you over his shoulder replays in your mind as you lay in bed that night.

--

The next few days pass by pretty uneventful, until Wednesday that is. You’re eating dinner with your roommate, Kat when your phone lights up on the table. You have this thing with your friends where if you’re out to dinner, phone’s stay in the middle of the table so that you can all enjoy the present with each other.

You ignore it, listening to Kat tell you about the plans for that weekend. When it lights up again, you give it a look but your will power holds steady and you continue to listen to your friend. When it lights up a third time though Kat pauses and gives you a look. “Who is that?”

Her guess is as good as yours though. The person who normally would be blowing up your phone is sitting across from you. “I don't know” you say honestly.

She rolls her eyes, making a move for your phone and her face lights up when she reads through the notifications. She hums, “It seems a certain Mr. Moynihan has taken an interest in you”

At the sound of his name your hand shoots out to snatch the phone from her, quickly scanning the screen.

3m ago Twitter: @pmoynihan19 has followed you

2m ago Instagram: @patrickmoynihan_ has requested to follow you

2m ago Instagram: @patrickmoynihan_ wants to send you a message

“The boy works fast” your friend chirps, a smug smile on her face.

You somehow manage to hear her over the sound of your heart beating in your ears. “It’s been four days, I'd hardly call that fast” you say as you swipe up to unlock your phone.

“What’re you doing?” Kat asks, narrowing her eyes.

The alarm in her voice makes your thumb hover over the twitter app. “I’m following him back?”

She grabs your phone again and you know it’s no use to try and get it back so you sit back in your seat with your arms crossed, waiting for her explanation.

“You can't follow him back right away, are you crazy?”

You raise an eyebrow at her, “and why not? You said it yourself, he’s clearly interested. And if I remember correctly, you were the one who was excited for me 30 seconds ago”.

“Well that was before I knew this was the first time he was making contact with you since the party! You said it yourself, four days is hardly fast. Make him wait a day or two before you follow him back” she says, throwing your words back at you.

You think about what she said and while you hated to play games, you did have to say she had a pretty good track record with these kinds of things. Or at least more experience in this area than you did.

“You know I'm right,” she quips, knowing you’re mulling over her words.

“Fine,” you say finally, “I'll wait one day. But that’s it”.

“You’ll thank me later” she smirks over her wine glass.

--

“You don't even like Chipotle” you muttered to yourself as you pulled into their parking lot. You were one of the few people who was not a Chipotle fiend but for some reason you had been craving it all day long. And after the day you had been having you made the logical decision to not cook tonight.

Unfortunately, your boss had kept you a little longer after work and you hadn’t been able to beat the dinner rush like you had hoped you would. You let out a sigh, taking your place in line alongside the slew of college kids looking for their fix. With the line moving unbelievably slow, you pull out your phone and answer a few texts and then aimlessly catch up on social media.

“Burrito or Bowl?” the worker asks you and you tuck your phone away, reciting your order.

When it comes time to pay you go to hand him your card but he shakes his head, “You’re all set” he says, sliding your bowl across the counter. “Moyni already paid for you”.

You look down at the shiny silver lid and there’s a simple message scrawled on the lid “hi Y/N  :) - Pat”.

Your card is still in the air and your jaw is practically on the floor. “How…”

“He’s over there,” he says motioning over to a table. Your eyes follow and soon you’re walking over toward a table full of hockey players.

When he spots you his face lights up and he removes himself from the group. “I shouldn’t have bought your Chipotle” he tells you and your smile falls. Was this some kind of joke?

“What?”

“I'm mad at you ya know” he continues, but he wears a smile that says otherwise.

He gives you a little nudge with his arm, hands in his pockets. “I followed your socials, why didn’t you follow me back? Did you see my message too?” he asks, completely calling you out.

You can hear some of the guys snickering and you can't tell if it’s for your benefit or his, but it makes you extremely aware of your current situation. Curse your friend for getting you into this, if you had just followed him back last night this wouldn't be happening.

Lie and deny chants the little devil sitting on your shoulder. “I haven't been on social media lately” you offer lamely.

“That’s a lie, you were just on instagram” he states, his smile growing wider. He was clearly enjoying watching you squirm.

Your face starts to flush, getting caught in your own lie. “How do you know?”

He reaches up and taps the side of his glasses with his finger, which you have to say make him look even more attractive if that was possible.

You tip your head back and groan. You were still wearing your bluelight glasses from work. You wore them so often these days that you forgot you were wearing them at all. “You can see the reflection huh?”

His smile is softer now as he nods. “I could see you scrolling from a mile away and still not following me back” he tsks.

“I was advised not to,” you tell him honestly, throwing your friend under the bus.

“By who? It was Kat wasn't it? I'm going to have to have a word with her'' he teases.

“You and me both” you mumble.

He laughs and you’re relieved that he’s not mad or annoyed at your foolishness.

“I was hoping the Chipotle might persuade you,” he jokes.

“Thank you for this” you say, motioning to the bowl in your hand, “I really needed this today”.

A hint of color dusts his cheeks and then they lift into yet another warm smile as he says, “of course. I’ll let you go eat it while it’s still warm”.

You send one last thank you his way and then reluctantly walk away.

“Remember to follow me back, Y/N! You won't regret it!” he calls after you as you walk out the door.

Your friend was going to hear it for this one.

--

Pat’s words echo in your ears as you get ready for bed that night. “You wont’ regret it”. A cute, friendly, easy going hockey player; he had “regret” written all over him. But there was also something else there, something that made you feel excited and comfortable to be yourself. And that’s what had you throwing caution to the wind when you hit the follow button on twitter and then again on instagram.

You chewed on your lip as you opened his DM and chuckled at his message. It was simple, yet effective.

Hi, I’m Pat

🤝

You type out an equally short response.

Y/N

🤝

The bubbles pop up immediately.

It took you long enough

You shook your head as you read it, the boy was honest you had to give him that. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t throw a little sarcasm in there, chirping his incredibly fast response was a good start.

I could say the same to you

The bubbles pop up again and then disappear and you hope that he catches your sarcasm and doesn't just think you’re being rude.

I could reply slower if that’s really what you want…

You hate that you can hear him saying it, were you really falling this fast?

Not at all.

Yes, yes you were.

--

You lean against the counter with your mug, letting the warm steam fan your face. “Alright, why are you looking at me like that?” you ask Kat finally.

“Well I was going to say someone’s in an awfully good mood today, but I take it back. You do realize today is Friday right?”

You ignore her comment, but answer her question. “I do, I called off today”.

“And why is that?” she asks. She gets a weird smile on her face like she knows something you don’t and you don’t like it.

You narrow your eyes on her suspiciously. “What’s going on? Do you have something you need to tell me?”

She jumps off the couch, excited all of a sudden. “Do YOU have something you need to tell ME?”

“What? No! Seriously what’s up?”

She practically explodes then. “Were you with Moyni last night?”

You flush at the mere thought of that. No you weren’t with him in the sense that she meant, but had you spent the wee hours of the night talking to him? Maybe.

She catches it and screeches. “I knew it! I told Tyce this morning and he didn’t believe me-”

You cut her off in the middle of her excited rant, “Wait, you what?”

She takes a breath then and backtracks, still pacing around the apartment. “I was facetiming Tyce this morning and Moyni walked in all smiley asking for something and T chirped him asking how he was in such a good mood when he was up so late last night and asked who he was talking to. And boy did he blush like you just did”, she was down right gleeful telling the story.

“Anyway, Moyni tried to deny it, but Tyce was like ‘no dude I could hear you talking through the wall so who was it’. And he wouldn't say. And that’s when I was like wait, I didn’t hear you leave for work today and you never miss so you had to have had a long night and so I told Tyce I bet she was over there last night and now you’re all bright eyed and bushy tailed, like glowing actually and that only comes from one thing…”

By the time she finished her storytelling you were feeding off her energy. “Ok that is so NOT what happened” you laugh at the disappointed look on her face, “But. He DID ask me to come to his game tonight”. You try to act casual but the minute she lets out a squeal, you do too. You can’t believe you had become one of those girls, but you were just so damn happy.

“What?! When?! How?! Ok, rewind, spill!” She finally settles herself on the couch, somewhat patiently waiting for you to dish out the details of last night.

--

Between the lack of sleep and the adrenaline coursing through your veins all night, your nerves were shot. Pat and Tyce had managed to get yours and Kat’s seats not only next to each other, but with the best of views of both the ice and them. Watching warmups was fun, seeing the guys interact and show off a bit for your own personal entertainment.

The game delivered too. The goofiness, relaxed form the guys had taken during warmups was gone as their competitive sides came out and they battled for the win. Having someone to cheer for on the ice and your best friend by your side made it that much better. You even caught Pat glance up into your section once or twice and you could see that smile even through his cage.

In all it was the perfect night but this side, well you’ve never done this side of it before. You’ve never been on the side that waits for a player after the game. You’ve never been part of that group.

You stood next to Kat as she easily mingled with some of the girls and players that had formed a group near you. You only really knew Tyce and Parker and neither of them were part of the circle.

Groups had never really been your thing, you were more of a listener than someone who could handle the spotlight. You were often talked over or couldn’t really get your words out the way you wanted to so you kept quiet. In your usual friend group it was fine, you still felt part of the group, but tonight not so much.

Everyone around you seemed to know each other and had no problem interacting. You watch as the conversation bounces from person to person until you almost zone out.

That all changes when Pat makes his way into the group. He seems to be looking for someone, maybe even you but your small frame is hidden behind the wall of guys. You catch the warm smile he throws at you across the group of people engaged in conversation and asks if you saw his goal, a moment that you did in fact see and you respond without hesitation.

It’s like he flips a switch in you. You’re no longer uncomfortable on the outskirts with his attention on you. It’s as if there’s not a whole conversation going on around you with the way he talks to you, singling you out in the best way.

He nods his head to the side, motioning for you to follow him. “This is better, it’s quieter and you looked like you could use a break” he jokes once you’ve moved away from the noise of the group.

You grimace at whatever must’ve given you away. “I looked that bad huh?” you tease him.

He doesn't comment, just shrugs. “Don’t get me wrong, I love being around everyone and the energy is great but I also know that sometimes after a whole night of being wound up it can be nice to step away for a bit”

His response surprises you, you weren’t expecting something so honest and sentimental. “Thank you for that. It was a pretty crazy night. Fun, but crazy!”

At that he grins. “The boys were pretty chippy tonight yeah? There’s a little extra bite there when we play BC”.

“I could tell, you were really running your mouth out there”

He laughs, “I was doing no such thing”

“So all that pushing and shoving happened for no reason? You were such an instigator, not saying it’s a bad thing but you should own up”

“Yeah Moyni, own up” Tyce says siddling up next to him.

Pat just shakes his head. “Butt out Tycer you don't even know what we’re talking about”.

“Well of course I don't, how could I when you two wandered off to have your own little conversation” he points out with a smirk.

Pat catches you rolling your eyes at him and starts to laugh. “Relax, Y/N here was just telling me what a loud mouth I have and now she knows I get it from my roommate” he says, throwing an arm around you and pulling you into him, “Isn’t that right Y/N?”

You were very aware of the weight of his arm on your shoulders as well as the heat of his still warm body with yours turned into him. It didn't help the warmth that was spreading across your face nor did the sly smiles from both of your roommates.

“Those weren't my exact words, Pat” you said poking his side.

The movement of him reacting to your little jab has him pulling you further into him to where you have to put a hand on his chest to keep from completely falling into him. You can feel his heart beating surprisingly fast and you look up at him.

He gives you a soft smile and the whole moment is ruined by Tyce making gagging sounds and Kat hitting him. “Ow! What was that for?” he asks obliviously.

She rolls her eyes. “You are such an ass sometimes, Tyce. Let the kids have their moment, come on”. She turns to you and Pat, “You’ll have to excuse my child of a boyfriend” she says glaring at Tyce and pulling him away from you two.

Pat laughs it off, “Well then… What do you say to doing this all over tomorrow for game 2?”

“Hmmm. I think I can swing that”

“You won’t regret it,” he says, giving you a squeeze.

--

Somehow Pat managed to weasel his way into different parts of your life. What started as showing up to his games turned into hanging out after, going out to party on Saturday turned into nights in, homework sessions turned into brunch dates. You hung out whenever your schedules allowed but less that, there was no contact in between. It left you feeling confused until you were with him again and then you forgot all about it.

“Are you home yet?”

“No, Pat, for the tenth time; I’m on my way home from the gym. You’re a country away from me right now, why do you care when I’m home? Aren’t you supposed to be playing hockey or something?” you tease him, wedging the phone between your shoulder and the side of your face.

“I thought you went to the gym right after work on Wednesdays? It’s like 7 o'clock there now isn't it?” he asks confused.

You chuckle into the phone as you get out of the car and grab your bag. “Should I be worried you know my schedule?”

“You always make me wait after practice to get food with you after your workout on Wednesdays, thank you very much. That’s how I know your schedule. You’re also just a very predictable human” he chirps you right back.

“Stop rolling your eyes at me” he says almost as if on cue.

“Like I said, a country away and you’re still a pain in my ass, Pat” and just like he could see you rolling your eyes at him, he can see your smile too.

“I actually do have to go to practice, there’s something waiting for you when you get home!” he rushes and then hangs up without even giving you the chance to say goodbye.

You sigh as you unlock your door. You really did miss him and you really needed to get a grip. He had been gone less than a week and you were already moping...moping over someone who wasn’t even yours to mope over.

“You want to tell me how you manage to have someone so wrapped around your finger from thousands of miles away?” Kat’s voice makes you jump as she walks into the kitchen with you.

“What?” you ask her confused.

There’s a grin on her face as she nods to the island where there’s a Chick-fil-a bag and a card waiting for you.

“Ohmygod, he didn’t”

“Ohhh, but he did! Now open it, you’re lucky I haven’t read it already”. She’s almost more excited than you are.

You were trying to not get worked up over what the little note could possibly say, but it was hard not to when he had clearly been excited about it all day- and made a point to ask you about it multiple times that day.

“Hi, Y/N, you’re halfway there! Have some nugs for me and remember...treat yo self! I’ll see you soon. - Yours, Pat”

You’re smiling like an idiot as you read the words, his words over and over.

“What does it say? You know what, just give it to me” she says, snatching the small piece of paper from you.

“Awhhhh what does it mean? Halfway to what?”

You couldn’t get rid of the grin on your face if you tried. “Halfway through the week. Pat and I always get dinner after his practice and my workout on Wednesdays to celebrate.”

“Well shit, where’s my Moyni? I’m going to have to train Tyce better. What about the ‘treat yo self’? Is that an inside joke too?”

You shake your head remembering the first time it came up. “He asked me where I wanted to go and for once I was actually able to make a decision and I chose Chic-fil-a because I was craving it. He gave me a hard time about choosing fried chicken right after I had worked out and I waved a nugget in his face before popping it in my mouth and saying I earned it and was going to treat myself. It’s dumb…” you trail off.

“It’s not dumb if it makes you smile like that. I’m just mad he didn’t send any for me”.

“How did he get it here if you didn’t pick it up?”

“He sent Tyce over with the bag and card before you got here” she answers.

“It sounds like it’s Tyce you should be mad at” you point out.

She agrees and runs off to her room to reprimand him.

You sit down with your bag and note and take a selfie to send him.  I’m one happy girl. The only thing missing is you.

After you send it, you wonder if maybe it’s too much and then you remember that he arranged for his teammate to deliver you chicken nuggets and a handwritten note simply because it was your Wednesday tradition and you feel like it was just right.

--

Pat’s giddy mood carries into practice and overflows once he gets back to the locker room and checks his phone for any indication that you had gotten his surprise. He had told Tyce to drop it off and was going to kill him if he didn’t follow through.

When your smiling face holding up both the red and white bag and the little note fills his screen, he can’t help but match your grin.

I’m one happy girl. The only thing missing is you.

- The nuggets are my replacement! At least they can’t chirp you for ruining your workout (;

Haha I would take a few chirps to have you sitting across from me.

- We both know you wouldn’t be able to handle that 😅

Ummm false. But thank you! Tyce is a good messenger

- You didn’t think just because I was in a different country I’d forget about our Wednesday tradition, now did you?

Never.

“What’s got you smiling at your phone like that, Moyni? Could it be your….girlfriend?” Trevor shouts extra loud, making sure the locker room hears him, earning some chuckles and shouts from the guys.

Pat doesn’t embarrass easily, he just rolls his eyes at his teammate. “Don’t have a girlfriend, Z”

The couple guys around him laugh at his denial and Trevor steps in front of him, stomping his foot with his hands on his hips. “Give me the phone, Moyni”

Pat stops untying his skates and looks up to see a very sassy Trevor Zegras waiting on his demand. “Hand it over, Mister Moynihan”.

Pat shakes his head, but hands over his phone. He knew Trevor was immature enough to not let up and honestly he wasn’t ashamed of anything that was said.

Surprisingly he doesn’t broadcast the messages to the locker room like Pat was sure he would. Instead, it was a lot of mumbling as he read through what had his buddy all keyed up.

“Mhmm”

“Yup”

“I see”

Finally he handed the phone back to Pat and clapped him on the shoulder. “Well, buddy. I’m afraid you are one sick puppy”.

Trevor was known for saying things that just didn’t make sense and this definitely made the list. “Dude what? That’s what you got from my messages? Were you looking at the right thing?”

“Yup. One love sick puppy” is all he quips before walking away

--

You had been on pins and needles all day and you knew exactly why- the World Juniors final roster was supposed to be announced anytime now.

You knew in your heart that Pat would make the team but it would make you both feel a helluva lot better if you could see it in writing, this year especially. Not only had he not made it last year but you swore every other day you saw someone was getting sent home because of the virus. It didn’t make dealing with the waiting process any easier.

In the few texts and facetimes Pat had been able to squeeze in since camp started, you both carried positive energy but you could tell he was holding back. He would light up when he talked about the guys and odd little activities they were required to participate in like superlative voting and bob ross painting nights. You knew he was having a blast being back with his old buddies, especially after all of the quarantine and protocols they had to go through.

There was something else there though whenever you brought up how he was doing personally. Pat was a positive guy, the glue guy of the locker room. He liked to keep things lighthearted and loved to make everyone around him smile. So when his own smile doesn't quite reach his eyes you know something is up.

“You’re holding out on me, Pat. What’s up?”

“Nothing’s up, I just missed you”.

“I know what you’re trying to do here, but telling me you miss me is not going to distract me from the fact that you keep dancing around my question,” you try to give him a little grin but the way he’s acting makes you worry.

“Do you know when the roster comes out?”

He lets out a sigh and rolls over from his back to his stomach, hugging the pillow and propping the camera up again. His hair is adorably messed up and his glasses make him look incredibly soft and boyfriend like. You almost forget you even asked him anything as you memorize him through the screen until his voice cracks through the silence.

“I don’t know if I want to know when it comes out” he admits.

His answer confuses you. “Why would you not want to know?”

“Because then this all could come to an end and I don't want it to end”.

Your eyebrows furrow and you frown at him. “What do you mean, Pat? All of what and why is it ending?”

“This”, he says motioning with his arm, as if that’s supposed to help you. “Camp, the guys, this team. I don’t want it to be over”.

Your expression softens when you finally realize what he was talking about and it breaks your heart.

“Pat”.

“What if I don’t make it again this year, Y/N?” he asks quietly, almost as if he’s afraid if he says it too loud it might come true.

“Come on, Pat, you know that’s not going to happen. You’re going to make the team.” You don’t know how you can convince him to not doubt himself because if you were being honest, you had thought he was a lock to make it last year, before you even knew him, and he had been cut.

As if hearing your thoughts he says, “yeah, but I thought I would make it last year too and that backfired and there’s even better players here this year”

“Where is the confident guy that stuck his hand out in the middle of a party to introduce himself? The guy that has a smile or a smirk on his face 100% of the time? I miss him. You’re allowed to have doubts and worries, but not on this. I won’t have it. You are going to make this team Patrick Moynihan, I believe in you bub”.

He’s silent for a moment too long and you think maybe you stepped over a line somewhere, but then that smile that you love so much makes an appearance.

“Wow, you’re going soft on me, Y/N”

You roll your eyes, but your grin matches his, “As much as I said I wanted to see that smirk of yours…”

At that he lets out a chuckle and your Pat is back. “Really though, thank you. You make a pretty good glue guy with that pep talk.”

“That’s what I’m here for. Now get to bed, Mister. You’ve got a big day tomorrow”.

Apparently your speech had worked because he says, “Call me tomorrow, you wont regret it”

-

Exactly 12 hours later you’re impatiently doing just that. “Come on, Pat, answer your damn phone”.

“Did you need something?” and even almost 3,000 miles away you can see the way the right side of his pulls up into a smirk that drives you crazy.

“Do you have something to tell me?” you drawl out, despite the burst of energy you had.

He hums in response. “Nope. Can’t think of anything”.

“Pat you made the team!” you practically scream into the phone, too excited to play his games. You chant it as you jump around your room, probably pissing off your downstairs neighbors to no end but you didn’t even care.

He laughs at how excited you are and you can hear how much lighter it sounds from last night.

It’s like he reads your mind because he says, “you’re going to royally piss off your neighbors if you keep jumping around like that”

“I don’t care, you made the damn team, Pat! I’m so happy for you, so proud of you. I hate that I can’t actually be there with you”. And it was true. You hadn’t noticed how strong your...whatever it was with Pat had grown, how close you two had become until he was gone. You hadn't even been apart from him for 2 weeks yet and yet you’re pretty sure you missed him the second you sent him off on his way to Michigan. And now that he made the team, you wouldn't see him for at least another month.

“I know, I wish you were here with me too. You’d love it here.”

You’re surprised at his admission, you had expected him to chirp you for being soft again but his comment was anything but and you have to pull yourself together because you absolutely cannot let him see you tear up or he would definitely deliver on that chirp.

“Well as much as I want to see you, I better not see you until next year”

He scrunches up his nose at that. “It sounds so long when you say it like that”. It almost sounds like he’s whining and for once you actually love the sound of it.

“You better bring me a souvenir too. I like gold in case you were wondering”.

“I’m sure you do”

“I can always ask Zegras” you tease.

“You’re lucky you’re a country away from me, Y/N” he threatens and you swear his voice is three levels deeper but you try to not let him see the way it’s affecting you.

“And what is it exactly that you’d do, Pat”

“You’ll see. You might want to take it back though, you’ll regret it if you don’t”. His words are a contrast to the ones he left you with last night, a promise and a threat all rolled into one.

-

Missing Pat made the anticipation for World Juniors that much better. The content that USA was pushing was something you looked forward to seeing everyday. You loved getting a glimpse into the guys Pat had history with and could see why he had formed such a bond with them.

The newest little piece of the team media was an interview from Landon Slaggert. With him being Pat’s roommate for the duration of their tournament, you had gotten to know him pretty well. He would usually pop into Pat’s facetimes and give him a hard time for a few minutes before giving him the room.

The interview was pretty standard, asking a little bit about his draft experience, the hurdles of the college season, college in general, but then it turned interesting.

“So what’s one thing you learned about your roommate, Patrick Moynihan, that you didn't know before having spent so much time with him in this setting?”

Slaggert gets a big grin on his face and now your interest is piqued.

“Well I knew him pretty well before since we were teammates in the NTDP program, uh but I probably figured out that he’s more of a girlfriend guy than he is a single guy. He likes having a girlfriend, so that’s one thing I learned about him”.

To say you were not expecting to hear that response was an understatement. Your jaw fell on the floor and your heart followed. Girlfriend guy? Who the hell was his girlfriend. You didn’t know whether to feel pissed or sad, but settled on hurt.

You shook your head at yourself and willed the tears welling in your eyes to go away. You should’ve known that after months of being with him and never actually being with him that he was never yours. This information shouldn’t even affect you, much less hurt you and yet it did.

The worst part was he hadn’t even told you about her. You thought you would at least give yourself credit as being an important person in his life, someone that you at least had shared almost everything with. And he hadn’t bothered to share this huge part of him with you. The more you thought about it, the more worked up you got.

It’s like he could sense he was in trouble because your phone lights up with his face. You’re in no state to talk to him, so you hit ignore. He was persistent you had to give him that as he gave it five more tries followed by a slew of text messages that ranged from “why are you ignoring me” to ok “im getting pissed”.

Hah. He was getting pissed, what did he have to be upset about. He finally gives it a rest even though part of you wishes he hadn't.

The words “you won't regret it” taunted you. You knew better and played with fire anyway.

--

“Damnit Pat'' you curse him as he stumbles and loses the puck. It seemed that every time the puck was anywhere near his stick tonight he’d turn it over. He wasn’t himself out there. He was trying to overcompensate in all the wrong places and it was noticeable.

With no fans in the stands you could hear him getting an earful when he hopped back over the boards. “Next shift Pat, next shift” you mumbled like he could hear you.

The period couldn’t end soon enough after back to back unanswered goals from Germany. You watched as the boys made a beeline for the locker room, one in particular making your heart squeeze as he hung his head.

As mixed up as you were about your emotions for him, he was still one of your closest friends and you knew he was blaming himself for the mistakes that had led to chances and goals. He was normally the guy to lift everyone up and keep them focused on the prize. You knew better than anyone how his energy affected a room. It was hard to see him like this, you only hoped he would find it in himself to get through the last period.

With your heart in your throat, you willed the third period to be better for him. It could have been worse but it still wasn't pretty. He was only in the box once but he didn't see the ice too much after that. You didn’t really blame the coach on that one with Pat playing more as a liability tonight than someone who could help them win the game. Regardless, you saw the way his shoulders slumped on the bench despite doing his best to congratulate his teammates.

Luckily USA ended up pulling out the win. As selfish as it was, you felt like you had something to do with the way Pat played tonight and you knew you needed to fix things with him. It was unfair for you to ignore someone who had no idea there were unsaid expectations.

When the phone rings more than the usual three it takes him to answer, you begin to worry.

“So now you want to talk to me? Save yourself the lecture, Y/N I'm not in the mood.”

You knew you deserved it, but it was the first time he was anything but nice to you and it made you flinch.

He sighs. “M’sorry, I’m just not having the best time lately” he apologies.

You can hear how tired he is and you would bet that he's running his hand through his hair and over his face.

“Does it have anything to do with the game?”  

His end of the phone is silent. You knew he didn’t necessarily prefer to talk about losses even though they claimed his brain.

“I didn't think you’d watch the game”

“Well you must not know me then. I’d never miss one of your games”

“Even when you’re mad at me?”

“I’m not mad, Pat. Not at you anyway.”

“Well you could’ve fooled me. Who are you mad at then if it’s not me? Because you’ve been completely ignoring me and I don’t even know why. I don’t know how I’ve managed to piss you off 3000 miles away”

“I’m not mad at you, Pat! You’ve done nothing wrong. I’m mad at myself.”

His mood instantly shifts when he hears that. He’s always been such a good listener and shoulder for you to lean on.

“Why is that? What’s going on honey? Hang up the phone and Facetime me. I need to see you.”

Hearing the pet name makes your heart ache even more than it already does and makes you equally as confused. You have to pull the phone away from your ear just so that he doesn't hear your sharp intake of breath as you grasp for any kind of solid ground, your head spinning. Your phone begins to vibrate against your chest like it’s trying to soothe your heart.

“Hey, Y/N, look at me. Are you okay?”

For the first time since meeting him at that party months ago, you can't bring yourself to look at him.

Even without seeing his face you know his lips are turned down into a frown and his eyes are full of concern. The loaded question hangs in the air, waiting to tip the balance of your life and this relationship. How could you be okay when the person you felt the most for had someone else, someone he hadn't even bothered to tell you about.

“When were you going to tell me you had a girlfriend?” you ask him, trying to muster a smile for his benefit but there’s so much hurt in your voice and sadness in your eyes that there’s no use.

You expect him to play it off, act like he was going to tell you all along. What you don’t expect is for him to turn red and start scratching the back of his neck. And suddenly you have a very bad feeling. If he was acting like this, it must be more serious than you thought.

“What? What girlfriend would you be referring to now?”

He’s acting goofy and it’s not adding up. Your eyes narrow in on him through the screen. What was he up to?

“The girlfriend that was mentioned by your roommate in an interview? Are you seriously going to keep lying? It’s bad enough that you didn’t tell me about her in the first place”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, come again?” He still had that stupid look on his face like he was in on some big secret and it was really starting to aggravate you.

“The interview of Landon that USA posted. They asked him if he learned anything new about his roommate and the first thing he came up with was how you’re some big girlfriend guy, Pat. So cut the crap, who is she?” you deadpan.

He scoots closer to the camera, still with that smug look and says “He did what now?”

Apparently you had to spell it out for him. “Do you have a girlfriend or not, Pat? Why are you dancing around the question?”

“No, I don’t have a girlfriend. Yet.” he tells you, rocking back in his chair.

Now you were more confused than ever. “What?”

“Unless you want to change that?” he pauses, waiting for you to connect the dots. “You see, I’ve been waiting and waiting on this girl to finally give me a chance but I couldn’t tell if she was interested in me. Until now, when she’s 3000 miles away from me and is pissed over a comment Slaggs made in an interview about a girlfriend that I don’t even have.”

You knew he was saying words and all the right ones too, but you just couldn’t comprehend what he was actually saying. So you echo the only word your brain seemed to know, “What?”

“It’s you, Y/N! You’re the girl.” he laughs.

“But….since when? When did you know?”

“Since the night I shook your hand at that party. All the guys knew I had the biggest thing for you, they’ve been giving me a hard time for not making a move.”

“That was the first night we officially met” You said finally putting it all together, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t know how you felt and we were good friends, I didn’t want to mess that up” he shrugs like it’s no big deal.

You sit back in your own seat now and take in all that he’s revealed in the last few minutes. This much you could understand because it’s exactly why you hadn’t said anything yourself.

“So Slaggs outed your secret huh” you tease him and he’s relieved to see a smile finally grace your face.

“I really didn't know about the interview, but I guess I’m going to have to thank him for that later”

You raise your eyebrow at him and even in another country he can see the troublemaker gleam to your eyes. “Thank him? You think this ends well for you, bud?”

He looks way too smug for your liking, “Of course it does, I’ve finally got the girl of my dreams and I’m on my way to a gold medal”

“And what makes you so sure that I’m yours”

“Just say yes, Y/N. You won’t regret it”.

[aion-rsa]

Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2, Episode 2 Easter Egg and Reference

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Spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 2, Episode 2, “Kayshon, His Eyes Open”

In The Next Generation episode “The Most Toys,” Kivas Fajo tried to keep Data forever. The idea that someone thought it was okay to “collect” was an oddly self-referential concept for Star Trek even in the 1990s. Just like now, the idea of a Star Trek collectible was a thing hardcore Star Trek fans thought about all the time. But, other than the fact that everyone would actually want to “collect” Data, “The Most Toys” wasn’t actually about Star Trek collectibles. 

But, the newest Star Trek: Lower Decks episode, kind of is? In “Kayshon, His Eyes Open,” the crew of the Cerritos encounters one of those famous collectors, while the crew of the Titan deal with some very familiar transporter clones. It’s almost like this is an episode that is filled with as many Easter eggs on purpose. Here’s everything we caught.

Beta Shift 

When Jet joins the Lower Deckers at the start of the episode, it’s implied they are on “Beta Shift.” This seems to check-out with Season 1, in which it was clear that the Cerritos was on a four-shift duty rotation, which included the night shift known as “Delta Shift.” (This idea was first introduced in the TNG episode “Chain of Command,” an episode Lower Decks LOVES to reference.)

Sonic Showers 

Although sonic showers are referenced a lot in Star Trek, we’ve only seen sonic showers a few times. The first time was in The Motion Picture, and since then we’ve only glimpsed the showers. The visual effect for the communal sonic showers here is very similar to TMP, but the idea of communal showering for the lower officers vaguely references the novelization of The Motion Picture, too. If you know, then you know.

Collectors

Again the idea of various “Collectors” in the galaxy references Kivas Fajo and “The Most Toys.” This is what Freeman means by “they all tried to collect Data.”

Dr. Migleemo

 Notably, the Cerritos’s counselor, the avian Dr. Migleemo returns in this episode, once again, voiced by Paul. F. Tompkins. Echoing Counselor Troi’s non-standard uniform, Migleemo appears to wear whatever he wants while on duty, even sitting on the bridge.

Items Owned By the Collector, Take 1

When the landing party for the Cerritos first boards the ship, just in the first room alone there are a ton of Easter eggs. Getting all of these is gonna be tricky, but we’re gonna give it a go. Here’s what you can spot when you pause the first couple of shots in the first room of the Collector’s Ship.

Captain Picard paper mache head from “Captain Picard Day” (TNG, “The Pegasus”)

The Game (TNG, “The Game”)

Baseball Bat and ball (Possible DS9 Sisko reference?)

Giant Unicorn (Possible Blade Runner reference?)

Marty McFly’s Shoes (Back to the Future)

Terran Empire Flag (TOS, “Mirror, Mirror) 

Khan’s Necklace (The Wrath of Khan)

Valiant flight recorder (TOS, “Where No Man Has Gone Before)

Gold TOS Uniform

Giant Pink Tribble (TAS, “More Tribbles, More Troubles)

M-113 lifeform (TOS, “The Man Trap.” Also, this is AT LEAST the third time the Salt Vampire has appeared on Lower Decks. And, having the M-113 lifeform as a collectible not only references “The Man Trap,” but also, “The Squire of Gothos,” in which your boy Trelane had an M-113 creature as a museum piece, too!)

Special Shout-Out: Betazoid Gift Box 

First appearing in TNG’s “Haven,” this was a talking box that was meant to “bond” with the person who got the gift. 

The existence of this artifact here is also possible a double reference to two other things: In “Haven,” the face of the Gift Box was played by Armin Shimmerman, more famous later as Quark on DS9. But, on top of that, back in 1994 the Star Trek: The Next Generation Collectible Card Game (published by Decipher Inc.) had a very powerful card based on the Betazoid Gift Box. If you played the game, you know this was a rare and useful card that was well…very collectible.

Special Shout-Out: Whose trombone is that?

We briefly see a trombone in one of the collector’s cases, which seems like an easy reference to Riker. But, which one? Because this episode also directly references “Second Chances,” and Will Riker’s duplicate Thomas Riker, it’s possible that this is the trombone that Will gave to Thomas at the end of that TNG episode. Briefly, here’s the case for that being Thomas Riker’s trombone: In the DS9 episode “Defiant” Thomas Riker tried to steal the Defiant, but was later arrested by Starfleet. Presumably, this would mean all of his stuff would have been confiscated, including his trombone! 

Keyshon is a Tamarian 

Tamarians or “the Children of Tama” originate in the TNG episode “Darmok.” In case you forgot, Picard cracked the case with this species by learning they spoke exclusively through metaphor and analogy. Mariner mocks this by pointing out all you have to do is listen for “context clues.”

Riker loves…Rogue Squadron?

Riker tells Boimler to use “attack pattern delta,” on the Pakled ship. This seems to be a reference to The Empire Strikes Back in which Luke tells the snowspeeders of Rogue Squadron, “Attack pattern delta, go now!” 

Items Owned By the Collector, Take 2

Here’s another go at seeing how many Easter eggs were jammed into like less than 2-minutes of screentime.

Kataan Probe (TNG, “The Inner Light”)

Vulcan lirpa weapon (TOS, “Amok Time,”)

Klingon bat’leth (TNG, DS9, Voyager et al.)

Andorian dueling weapon (Enterprise, “United.”)

Shark in a Tank (A reference to the real-life artist Damien Hirst, probably?)

Mars Rover 

Kadis-kot game set (Voyager)

Château Picard wine crate (Picard)

Isomagnetic disintegrator (Worf’s bazooka from Insurrection)

Tendi is later holding:

A trident scanner (Scotty loved this thing in TOS)

And…a Kurlan naiskos (TNG, “The Chase,” a very big episode for canon!)

Kahless’ fornication helmet 

Tendi says that this specific Klingon artifact is clearly something Kahless (the Klingon Jesus) wore while…well, the name speaks for itself. But which Kahless? Hmmm? The fake clone Kahless from “Rightful Heir?” or the real-deal Kahless from the 9th century? The Kahless reference gets doubly meta, because, as you’ll see later, Lower Decks eventually references the very first reference in canon to Kahless, too. 

Data’s Picasso-esque painting of Spot

Barely visible, just as Mariner and the gang are trying to escape, we see Data’s painting of his cat Spot, first seen in the TNG episode “Inheritance,” and later in the background in the movie Generations.

Boimler’s description of the Enterprise-D

Let’s combine two scenes here! In two pivotal moments in the episode, Boimler is defending the honor and relative coolness of the TNG adventures on the Enterprise-D, which he just calls “the D.” Here’s what it seems like he’s referencing.

“They went to other dimensions… (This seems to reference the idea that “The D” did go to another dimension in the episode “Where No One Has Gone Before.” It also could reference “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” but nobody would remember that.)

“They fought the Borg…” (This references “Q, Who,” “The Best of Both Worlds,” and “Descent.”

“They insurrected!” (This seems to reference Star Trek: Insurrection, which was not the Enterprise-D, but instead, the Enterprise-E! The Lower Decks writers surely know this. Why doesn’t Boimler know this? Maybe the game of telephone in the Federation is a little inaccurate? In LDS Season 1, the news of Data’s brother seemed to travel…very slowly?)

“They had a regular string quartet.” (This references several TNG episodes, notably “Sarek,” and again, “Inheritance,”) 

“Riker was jamming on the trombone” (A ton of TNG, including “The Next Phase,” “Future Imperfect,” and of course, “Second Chances.”)

“Catching love disease” (Probably TNG’s “The Naked Now”)

“Acting in plays” (This mostly references Riker acting in one of Crusher’s plays in TNG’s “Frame of Mind.”)

The remains of Spock Two?

In the spooky skeleton room, we see what appears to be a giant humanoid skeleton wearing a blue TOS–era Starfleet uniform. Who is this? The best guess? This is the giant Spock clone from The Animated Series episode “The Infinite Vulcan.”

Excalbian Bones and Abe Lincoln

Toward the end of the episode, the gang is trapped in a diorama that seems to have an alien and a skeleton of Abraham Lincoln. This references the TOS episode “The Savage Curtain” in which the Excalbians produced copies of Lincoln, along with Kahless and Surak. This episode was the first reference in Trek canon to both Kahless and Surak, and so, basically created the backstories of both Vulcan and Klingon cultures through historically inaccurate versions of those people. Funny, right? 

Transporter clone 

When Boimler beams the away team out through the distortion field, Riker says “oh, I’ve heard this tune before.” This references the TNG banger “Second Chances,” in which Riker’s transporter duplicate was discovered on a planet years after the fact. In this sense, Boimler’s transporter clone got off easy. Also, the idea that one of the transporter duplicates makes different decisions that the other also references “Second Chances,” in which “Thomas” Riker ends up being a different person than Will. The idea that both can’t serve on the Titan anymore might reference the idea that the TNG writing staff considered killing off the “first” Will Riker, and replacing him with his duplicate. This would have meant Data would have become the first officer in Season 6, and Riker, the operations officer. It didn’t happen, but from the point of view of the Titan crew, something like this basically DID just happen.

The Riker lean 

While talking to the Mr. Boimlers, Riker puts one foot up on a couch. Classic Riker lean. Classic. 

“Computer play Night Bird”

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Just before Boimler leaves the Ready Room, “William Boimler” and Riker are sharing some Romulan Ale. Riker says “computer, play ‘Night Bird.’” This also references “Second Chances,” in which Riker is unable to play the trombone solo for this song, which Troi teases him about endlessly. “Night Bird” also appears to be a made-up song. But who knows, maybe William Boimler will be able to master it? Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 airs on Paramount+ on Thursdays.

The post Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2, Episode 2 Easter Egg and Reference appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[ezrisdax-archive]

Thoughts on a fun way to make a Star Trek/Mass Effect crossover? Or characters interactions cross-series?

like a full crossover? hmmm, certainly it’d be a parallel worlds type situation where I feel in Trek world the Leviathans didn’t evolve and create the Reapers and thus life wasn’t constantly wiped out and that’s why there’s more of an alien populace in the galaxy to explain the stark differences. And then time travel would get involved too since ME takes place before Trek.

So depending on which Trek you’re gonna go with (which for me I can pick any) there’s some wormhole shenanigans going on only what they call wormholes are the dark energy spots that Reapers use in ME time. The crew is investigating them when they go through it and end up in ME time (or if you want the ship accidentally goes through a la Voyager crossing over quadrants).

At first the crew is clearly trying to not get involved but can’t resist the chance to explore and learn the differences and when they realize this isn’t their actual past and can interact with the place more, which brings them into contact with the Normandy which has been sent to investigate the strange readings so we get to crew interactions of (which I’ll put under a cut cause it got long):

Spock and/or Tuvok, and Liara discussing the Vulcan Mind Meld versus the Asari meld and coming to the conclusion that they might have a genetic link back

Tali and B’Elanna having a field day comparing notes (and complaining) on what it’s like keeping a ship together when you don’t have all the parts you really need since Tali used to do that with the Quarian ships and B’Elanna does that now

Kirk and Shepard discussing choices made that shape worlds for better or worse despite the best of intentions and geeking out over model ships. You can’t tell me that doesn’t happen.

Bashir and Mordin are the only people able to understand each other in their speed talking and excitedly sharing notes about different aliens.

Worf and Wrex and Grunt immediately start a fight (bonus points for Wrex insulting Worf for sounding like Uvenk whom Dorn voices)

Seven and Legion (in a world where he lives, what do you mean he dies) discussing what it’s like going from a hive mind to being individuals and coming to find yourself and who you are as a person, like Legion clearly was more involved in finding this aspect for his people as opposed to Seven who had it forced on her but they share the desire now to learn and become an individual and protect those they care about

Janeway and Shepard blow something up by accident while trying to investigate something because of course they do

Samara and Deanna sitting down and just discussing life because I feel like these two would be friends and smirking at their friends antics and secretly betting on who’s gonna get into what danger

I actually have a lot of thoughts about paragon!Shepard and Michael being similar characters in the sense of having this burden of the galaxy placed on them and speaking out against things that people refuse to see except for the crew they’re apart of and trying to warn people of a war and do their best to prevent it and bring people together

Tilly and Tali and Gabby together would be a delight I feel, just talking excitedly about everything under the sun. including the sun.

Sulu and Joker arguing who's a better pilot and Sulu being fascinated how Mass Effect fields work when it comes to piloting and Joker proudly explaining it

Sisko tries to adopt Grunt from Shepard (no I’m mostly kidding, I think that Sisko and Shep have a great deal of respect for each other in caring for the crew and having in placed in an almost god like reverence in certain situations and the struggles with that. and then also Sisko brings back baseball to the Mass Effect world. Shepard absolutely hates that)

I figure the EMH would actually be most interested in biotics and the science of that and writing down to make a paper to publish as the first hologram to do so.

Likewise EDI is fascinated with hologram technology that Trek’s have and if the ships have ever developed sentience in any way and if she can incorporate some of that technology into the Normandy to further her own development

I think Kira gets along with Wrex and is angry at Salarians on his behalf once she hears what was done to the Krogan because the genocide of a species hits hard with her

Tilly and Samantha are even worse than Bashir and Mordin at talking so fast no one gets it but them and they very much do enjoy talking to each other

Tom and Steve have shuttle races until they’re ordered back by their bosses because really guys

Geordi has a lot of talks with EDI, some about his friendship with Data and the human side of interacting with a being that’s trying to learn about humanity themselves but most about the ship and the benefits of integration with it that allow you to be aware of everything that’s happening on it

also Data and EDI tell the worst jokes and everyone regrets this

Picard and Thane drink tea together and discuss philosophies and Thane talks about his species old artifacts and how they were lost to his culture and Picard just listens with interest and some ideas on how you could maybe get those back

Jadzia and Jack get along surprisingly well, they have a holodeck fight at one point and Jadzia takes tricorder readings of biotics and then they go out drinking together

on the flip side Ezri and Miranda get along in terms of being forced to live up to unreasonable family expectations (all though far less harsh in Ezri’s case) and having to carve out your own identity and also like...weirdly everyone hating you for no other reason than your character exists

Bev gets into playing poker with Kaidan and Steve and now they’re all trying to beat each other constantly at it

Saru and Liara get along the easiest at first and discuss the wild things their crews get up to and how they eventually just started to go along with the madness

Kasumi keeps trying to steal from Tuvok but can’t manage it and thinks it’s the best challenge she’s had in years. Tuvok just wants to talk to Thane and get back to the Delta Quadrant already captain.

Harry and Jacob get to talking about having to prove themselves and always being looked over and the troubles of trying to get your own command

Bones hates all of this, Kirk what the hell have you done now. That said he and Zaeed get to drinking and talking about the bullshit that comes from space travel. All though Zaeed’s is more about how annoying it is to try to kill someone in it. Bones thinks he’s just over exaggerating and not a mercenary at first.

James keeps showing off for literally everyone and turning things into a competition with whoever he can when it comes to physical activities, he’s still sulking that Data beat him until he finds out that Data is an android and then calls foul on it.

Odo and Zaeed grumble about everything together

B’Elanna and Ashley have a book club that they don’t tell anyone about and share romance novels and poetry while complaining about how everyone doesn’t expect it from them and that’s part of why they don’t tell people those parts of themselves

Uhura gets the translators turned off on the Normandy to listen to everyone’s dialect and language and is quick to pick up on it, she’s especially good with Drell and enjoys conversing with Thane in it

Liara is absolutely freaked out that Deanna sounds like her mother and Deanna is absolutely using this to troll her whenever she can because it amuses her

Grunt and Chekov get into arguments about history of all things despite that people keep pointing out that they’re from alternate worlds and therefore it’s different anyway

Chakwas and Chakotay sit down to talk about what it’s like sorta taking care of the crew and just ridiculous stories of things they’ve put with

Riker at one point talks to Miranda about clones and dealing with someone who is the same genetically as you but isn’t you and do you have a relationship with them or leave them be (they don’t come up with an answer really)

Mordin gets banned from taking samples of other aliens

Nog and Gabby talk one point about being sorta new to the experiences of war and frontline suddenly and the horrors that come with it and share their experiences of being trapped by the Reapers vs being in a Jem’Hadar fight and coming back from that

Guinan doesn’t care much for Javik but they do have one good discussion about what it’s like being one of the last of your species and seeing so many of them die due to a machine race (and worse, converted to serve that race) that you just can’t fight back against no matter how much you try (or that’s what they thought at the time)

Samantha and Spock and Kirk and/or Airiam have strategy game nights and really get into it and Spock will typically leave while Sam and Kirk are still geeking out over it until the morning

Quark is banned from the Normandy point blank

Worf tries to get everyone to appreciate Klingon opera, the only one he manages to get into it are Grunt and Legion

Scotty is especially fascinated with the drive core of the Normandy and talks to Adams about it constantly

Chakotay and James having a boxing match at one point

Jake interviews like everyone and is thinking about turning this experience into a novel and enjoys listening to everyone’s stories

O’Brien and Garrus get caught up in calibrations, can you come back later

okay this literally is getting too long already but I could keep going. I think then there’s a group discussion about the Borgs vs the Reapers and the troubles everyone faces in those fights and a lot of back and forth about things that have worked for one crew that may help someone else out (like the Changeling cure to maybe help the Genophage cure or vice versa)

[luckyspike]

Aziraphale doesn’t talk on the phone much but, to his surprise, Crowley does. They spend more time together after the Nah-pocalypse, and Aziraphale notices. Phone calls to television personalities (Aziraphale recognizes the names), and actors, and politicians, and all sorts of people, about all sorts of things. Most of it is mildly, Aziraphale assumes, evil.

And Crowley doesn’t sit still when he’s on the phone. He paces, he spins, he - on one memorable occasion - climbs onto the roof and lays up there while he talks, one ankle propped on the opposite knee, hand drawing intangible vague pictures in the sky.

It’s why Aziraphale doesn’t really think anything of it when he comes back to the bookshop one day and Crowley is there, bonelessly slithering (not literally, on this day) over the back of the couch, until his shoulders bump onto the floor and all that is visible from the front of the furniture are his snakeskin shoes*. It is not until after he has put the kettle on, and started dithering over the quantity of sugar he feels like indulging in in his tea today, that the phone conversation gives him pause.

Because he hears A Name.

“No, Adam, you’re not listening to me.” Crowley sounds exasperated. “No, you - no, don’t do that. Alright, yes. Wait. Now before you do that you want to take count of the left side of the equation. Right? How many?” There is scratching - pen on paper, Aziraphale thinks, although he can still only see the demon’s feet. “Okay four. Right, now you look on the right side and - yeah, right, there should still be four. How many?” There’s a long pause. More scratching. “Do you have models or anything?” Another pause. “What about like ... like marbles, coins, something like - yeah, okay, candy works. Right, so take four of - what do you have? - four lemon drops, and six tootsie rolls, and you want to put them to the right side of your desk.”

Aziraphale goes with five sugars. He thinks he may want a bit more than that, especially if this is a conversation with the Adam he is thinking it probably is, however seven seems indulgent and six is ... well, he doesn’t care for the number six. It seems spooky.

He sips his tea and waits. There are numbers, and names of candies, and occasional scratching of pen on paper. Crowley’s legs disappear at some point and Aziraphale can see him, just behind the couch, rolling onto his belly, the better to write something down. 

“Right,” he says, after Aziraphale’s tea is mostly gone. “Right! There. Yeah, all accounted for, yes? Good. Great. Alr - yeah, you got it? Right. Good. Okay. Right. Alright, Adam, good luck. Yeah, of course. Okay. Bye.”

Aziraphale counts to five before he asks, “Was that the Adam I’m thinking it was?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.” Crowley appears over the back of the couch, and then stands, only to somersault over the back of the couch and onto the cushions, reclining into Aziraphale’s plump velveteen pillows**. “Yeah, that Adam.”

The angel waits for any elaboration on that, but it doesn’t seem to be forthcoming. He clears his throat. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah.” Crowley is distracted, tapping at the screen of his phone while the speakers play some repetitive tune, presumably related to some game or another. Aziraphale frowns, and something about the sudden expectant silence - possibly the tapping of the angel’s fingers on the tabletop - prompts him to look up, and then elaborate. “Oh, ah. Just needed some help with something, is all. Homework.”

Aziraphale raises his eyebrows. “Homework?”

“Oh, yeah, you know.” The demon waves a hand vaguely, before returning to the game on the phone. “Chemistry.”

“Chemistry?” He sipped the last of his tea. “Since when have you been a chemistry tutor?”

“Well, I’m whatever kind of tutor Adam needs, I’ll tell you that.” He swipes a few times across the face of the phone, and then drops it to his belly with a frustrated hiss. “‘Cept English or literature or whatever. I’d probably leave that to you.”

“I didn’t know you knew much about chemistry.”

Crowley looks affronted at that, all the more so because his glasses are - elsewhere, probably, yes, there on the coffee table. “Don’t know much about chemistry?” He props himself up on an elbow. “I made nebulas, angel!” He gestures to the ceiling, although Aziraphale assumes he is indicating the sky. “Big bloody nebulas out in space, like at least four of them, and you think I don’t know much about chemistry?”

Aziraphale shrugs. “You don’t just make them, then? Just wave a hand and pull them out of nothing?”

“What? No! No, you bloody well don’t, you have to know what the elements are and the ratios and if you get it wrong instead of a nebula you end up with a great dusty mess!” Crowley makes a face. “Come on, Aziraphale, surely you remember Creation. It wasn’t just wave a hand and off you pop there, Gliese, have a lovely orbit.”

“I didn’t have much to do with Creation, honestly. I was more, you know ...” He sighs. “I am a Principality, Crowley. Guardian of the Eastern Gate. Someone had to guard over the Creation while it all got sorted.”

Crowley slumps back into the pillows, and retrieves his phone from where it had fallen to the floor. “I’m a Principality,” he sneers, in that way he does when he’s not really angry. “Big flaming sword, me, and no time for chemistry. Big strong Principality.”

“Everyone has their strengths, Crowley.” He smiles faintly, remembering the early days, of Creation, and before the rebellion. And then, because Crowley is going on about looking important while everyone else got busy with the really good stuff, he says, “We can’t all be nerds, my dear.”

“I - nerds? I - you ... what?” He sits up again, the better to glare and level a pointed finger at Aziraphale. “I am not a nerd.”

Now it is the angel’s turn to smirk. “No? My mistake. I must have forgotten all the really cool people who genuinely enjoy balancing chemical equations in their spare time.”

“Now you just wait one -”

“And the maths. I didn’t forget the maths, Crowley.” He takes his tea back to the sink, and calls over his shoulder, “The only reason Hell approved of you passing on the concept of zero and calculus is because only nerds like them and everyone else despises them!”

“You read Ulysses for fun.”

“That book was transformative - .”

“Oh, now who’s the nerd? At least chemistry is useful. Look at all this - everything! It’s all chemistry! Atoms and molecules and quarks and whatever!” He looks triumphant. “What did Kerouac ever do for creation?”

Aziraphale’s hand hovers over the kettle for a second, and then he turns, and grabs a bottle of wine instead. “Well,” he considers, as he returns to the couch, and waits for a beat while Crowley rearranges himself to make room for the angel among the cushions. “Kerouac, eh? Well ...” He pours them each a glass, and sets the bottle on the table. “You like that Bob Dylan fellow, don’t you?”

“Yeah. What about him?”

“Kerouac was an influence on his songwriting, I’m given to understand.” Aziraphale clinks his glass against Crowley’s. “Lit a light of inspiration - Creation - in him, I’d daresay.”

Crowley takes a sip, and manages to look resentful but not really while doing so. “Did not.”

“Did too. Look it up. Like I said, my dear, everyone has their strengths. For some it’s Creating art, something that stirs in the souls and the minds of humans and, well, us alike, gives us all joy and sorrow and raison d’etre, and for others it’s Creating the tangible  - the bones of reality and the world we experience it in.”

“Yeah, well,” Crowley says, after a moment’s consideration and a swig of wine. “So I’m still not a nerd.”

Aziraphale pats his knee, which elicits a hiss. “You are,” he says, with a broad smile and a warmth that Crowley visibly has trouble being annoyed with. “You are very much a nerd my dear Crowley, but what a funny old world - or no world at all, really - would it be, if we were all the same, eh?”

--

* Which are not, Aziraphale knows, actually shoes.

** Definitely Aziraphale’s. Certainly not purchased because of a “oh yeah, those seem nice” passing remark from Crowley in a home goods store five years ago, on the way to a quick temptation/blessing.

[blaperile]

Homestuck Epilogue(s) - Prologue (page 1)

I've just read right until the end of the first Prologue page. Under the Read More are my initial reactions!

Oh boy... it's time. Time for the Epilogues... assuming it's available yet and/or the link on homestuck.com doesn't lead to a VIZ Media buy link for a book form of the Epilogue, I could also see that happening. xD plainWonder also had a good point that perhaps the first part of the epilogue will simply be the snaps we already saw on the MSPA Snapchat. ...Snaps almost feels like a weird thing to say now. I think they've just gotten a way darker meaning for me ever since watching Avengers: Infinity War. xD ANYWAY, without further ado, here we go!!! *clicks link* Hehn, kind of looks like the start page of an all new adventure! And yay, looks like the epilogue IS indeed simply on the website itself and not externally, for I see a command leading to the next page! *hovers over link of > Start and sees URL* www.homestuck.com/epilogues/prologue ....SERIOUSLY??? PFFFFFFFF, typical Hussie right there. Only HE can give an epilogue a prologue. xD Oh boy this is gonna be a long epilogue isn't it. The question is, how much of it is available here already? And what is the prologue even going to be? Will they just be the snaps we've already seen? I'm very curious where this is going now. > Start ....HOLY FUCK. Archive of our own parody??? Or an actual Archive of Our Own "fanfic"???? Oh jegus god. We've truly come full circle now that Hussie is doing a parody of a website famous for housing Homestuck fanfics. Looks like Andrew collaborated with a few people? "Rating: Mature" Sounds about right! "Category: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Other" Sounds about right! "Fandom: Homestuck" Sounds about right! "Characters: John Egbert, Rose Lalonde, Dave Strider, Jade Harley, Jane Crocker, Roxy Lalonde, Jake English, Dirk Strider, Barack Obama" Sounds about ri...WAIT A SECOND. PFFFFFFFFFFFFF Hell fucking yes xD "Aradia Megido, Tavros Nitram, Sollux Captor, Karkat Vantas, Kanaya Maryam, Terezi Pyrope, Vriska Serket, Gamzee Makara, Eridan Ampora, Feferi Peixes, Aranea Serket, Meenah Peixes, Davepetasprite^2, Calliope, Caliborn, Lord English, Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s)" Well if this isn't a joke, I'd be VERY happy to see Eridan and Feferi again along with the rest of the gang! Aranea though!!!! That's got me very curious. Is she alive (as in, dead but not double dead)??? I know that was really ambiguous on whether or not she was double dead or not after being killed by GO!Condesce. Kind of sad the other A1 Trolls aren't on the list. Hmm, mention of Davepetasprite^2 but nothing of the other Sprites! Makes sense if this is mainly taking place in the Furthest Ring. Wait a second.... I only just noticed how Equius is the only A2 Troll missing from this list!!! And no true separate mention of Nepeta either. Oh man. Looks like Arquiusprite (who should be on Earth) is also sitting this one out! ...Equius got voided out. :P I also find it very interesting how Caliborn receives a separate mention from Lord English! Are we going to see something from the fight that took place between Caliborn and the Kids? ...Wait, that DID feature Arquiusprite though, who is missing from this list. HMMMMMMM And oh boy, what should we expect from the "original male character(s), original female character(s)"????? Are some of the people from Universe C going to factor into this? Assuming we can take this list of characters seriously... which I kind of doubt considering Barack Obama is on the list. xD ...THOSE CONTENT WARNINGS. OH MY GOD. Oh god I love this already. Kankri would be so proud. :P "The Economy" ==> I got that reference! xD I love all the Gamzee related content warnings. "Trickster Mode" I DARE YOU HUSSIE "Ten years after their adventure began, the heroes are enjoying a well-earned retirement on Earth C. But John still has one last choice to make." HOLY SHIT. 10 years later?! That's... 2 years later from the last thing we saw from John, when he celebrated his 21st birthday and was challenged by Caliborn! Wait... 10 years after the start. THAT'S NOW. It's frickin 2019!!!!! Oh hell yes, Andrew has made it catch up to reality once more. HELL YES. What is the "one last choice" John has to make? To go after Caliborn, which will presumably get them trapped inside the Plot Hole (which is still a term I love to use)? Jeez... that probably means it's also already been so many years since Terezi left. I can't recall on which of John's birthdays it was. Was it his 17th? 18th? I'll check that later. In the contents there is only a "Prologue" link... Oh boy, is this going to lead straight to Archive of Our Own? *hovers over link* www.homestuck.com/epilogues/prologue/1 Nope! Unless this redirects, we're staying on the Homestuck website. *clicks on link* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Oh god WALL OF TEXT. Looks like... this really is going to be like a "fanfic", without any images?? I suddenly feel like we're reading one of Hussie's recaps and/or Rose's walkthrough. xD "It starts with a crack. Everything else rises up from that like steam: a trembling thread that cuts through space in jagged lines, splintering the void into razor-sharp shards of putrefying leptons and quarks popping apart like raw eggs in a microwave." Only Hussie could write a sentence like that, ahahaha. Seems like he's talking about the cracks in the Furthest Ring? Are these... going to turn out to be, like,  notes taken by his self-insert who was also right there in the Furthest Ring? :P "raw eggs in a microwave" Well, that explains the "eggs" content warning. xD "At the center of that hole the edges can be heard fraying. Pandemonium, as continuity buckles in the middle and the two ends come smashing together. Around the hole, ghosts scream. They claw at the dying borders of their dreams with fingernail-chipping desperation." Dang, these descriptions are giving me shivers. It reminds me of the sight that Terezi saw in the Furthest Ring and sent to the others on Earth. "At the center, that distortion turns into an eerie music. That’s where the cacophony ends—the shattering, the screaming, the squelching, the sounds of elemental particles being torn apart like string cheese shoved through a meat grinder, then dumped down a strangely melodious garbage disposal." Okay I'm sorry, but I can't help but think of the garbage disposal in Dave's appartment. ...I was saying that as a joke, but now that I think about it actually, this reminds me of how I once made a theory of how that disposal scene was some foreshadowing for the creation of Lord English, mostly because of the Saw and purple Smuppet stuff, but now suddenly the garbage disposal element comes into mention here too. HMMMMMMM "This is the end of everything. This is the end of Paradox Space. You..." Oh man, where is this going? Is it going to turn out there's some kind of other realm beyond the Black Hole that all of the ghosts got sucked into? Like, a true kind of afterlife? "Your name is John Egbert, and you have just had a terrible, deeply pretentious nightmare. You snap out of bed, soaked in sweat, your heart hammering like a fire alarm. It is just as you feared." And suddenly we're John! Has the images Terezi sent them been leaving him with these kind of nightmares? Eeesh.... "You’ve been dreaming in anime again. And you have no idea what it could mean." ...OH GOD DAMN IT HUSSIE YOU BRILLIANT BASTARD. XD "> Look outside just to make absolutely sure the world is not ending." And suddenly we're in Act 1 all over again. :P "The only sound you can hear for miles is the wind skimming the hollows of your neighbors’ pipe homes." Oh hell yes, reference to the wind skimming the void. And heh, at least that last part confirms we're really in the present now where John lives in his salamander neighborhood, not that we're actually somehow back at the events of Act 1 or something. "It’s a normal day in the salamander village, which you refer to as Salamander Village because the damned salamanders never bothered to give this village a name, you guess." ...I could see that. xD That must mean there are like hundreds or thousands of those kinds of villages, hahahaha. Really mustn't be convenient for any non-Consort people trying to navigate over there. :P "Beside your pillow, your phone is vibrating. Rose is calling. The screen of your phone reads 9:30 a.m. April 13, and also the number forty-six, which is how many text messages your friend left you while you were sleeping. A bit excessive, even for her." Rooooooooose! Okay, that's a huge relief to me. I kind of feared they'd all completely drifted apart in the past few years and hardly heard from each other anymore, so I'm really glad to see Rose talking to John is apparently still a thing. And that she's still apparently as wordy as ever. :P I wonder if we're gonna get a dialog (or Rose monologue) now? "Answer the phone" Oh hell fucking yes, here comes some sweet, sweeeeeet dialogue/monologue! "ROSE: Since when are you known to operate your telephone? JOHN: since... i don’t know. has it really been that long since i called? ROSE: I can’t remember the last time. JOHN: neither can i. anyway, what’s up?" Awwww, okay that's sad to hear. I take back what I said earlier, looks like they really don't hear from each other that often anymore. :( "ROSE: Am I correct in presuming this April Thirteenth will be as uneventful as the last? JOHN: yeah, i don’t want to do anything this year. i hope that’s ok." Looks like he still feels the same way like the past few years. D: I feel so sad for John. This really doesn't feel like a happy ending for him. If only he still had his Dad... "All over the neighborhood, the little dad-salamanders are putting on their little rumpled hats and picking up their little suitcases and kissing their little families goodbye for the day" Okay, on one hand the comparisons with John's own family situation are really sad, but I can't help but ROFL that Rumpled Hats are still a thing in this society. "You’ve always been confused about what, exactly, they contribute to the global economy. But it’s pretty cute how much they love playing at being suburban businessmen." Hey, there's where the Economy content warning came from! And it didn't even have to do with Barack Obama! xD "The silence over the phone is growing awkward. You’ve stalled long enough. You decide to just come out and say it." Oh boy... what is he going to say? Something about how sad he is with the current situation? "JOHN: i’ve been dreaming in anime again lately." PFFFFFFFFFFF, JOHN. JOHN NEVER CHANGE. We're getting some hella sweet new quotes here. :P Also, I'd find it really funny if it turns out he's been dreaming of the events of Act 7 which, from our perspective, were rendered in anime form. "JOHN: i have no idea what it could mean. ROSE: I see." Rose, looks like you've found someone to psycho-analyze again! xD "JOHN: whenever i have these dreams, everything’s breaking apart. JOHN: millions of people are screaming and dying. JOHN: i mean, dying permanently. not the kind of bullshit dying that we’ve been doing a lot over the years." Okay so he WAS actually dreaming the stuff we read at the beginning of this prologue then. I love how he calls "their" dying bullshit. " JOHN: what do you think it all means? ROSE: What do I think ‘what’ means? JOHN: what do you think it means that i’ve been dreaming in anime? ROSE: I don’t have the slightest idea what it means that you’ve been dreaming in anime, John. ROSE: To be honest, I... You wait for Rose to finish her thought. She doesn’t, which is troubling because you have never known Rose to leave a thought unfinished in over ten years of acquaintance." That's... indeed quite troubling! Normally this kind of thing is truly Rose's specialty. What's going on over on her side? I mean, it did seem like there was more she wanted to say than just "happy birthday". ....Thinking back to the content warnings... is Rose or Kanaya pregnant??? I don't want to put too much trust into those content warnings though. :P "ROSE: I held out for as long as I could. I figured your birthday was as good a time as any to let you know. JOHN: let me know what?" HERE IT COMES!!!!! "ROSE: It’s crept up on me, these last couple of years. ROSE: Gradually enough to ignore as it was happening, but I can’t anymore." ...Wait what??? Oh god, that does sound different from having a baby. Oh man, please don't tell me she wants to divorce from Kanaya. D: "ROSE: Lately the visions have been overwhelming. JOHN: visions??" Ohhhh, visions! Huh. What kind of visions? About Caliborn? About what's happening in the Furthest Ring? Something else? "ROSE: Would you mind flying to my apartment, so we can continue this in person?" Wait a second. She lives in an apartment now? Looks like unlike John she didn't stay in her old house! Interesting how she moved into an apartment, like Dave originally lived in. "You move the phone away from your ear and assume an expression you haven’t practiced in years. It is the look of a man who actually has something to do." Dang, he must have been getting REALLY bored all this time. That time alone on LOMAX must have been peanuts compared to this. "As you hang up the phone, a familiar feeling settles over you. A feeling of...standing?" ...Has he been floating the entire time? "Standing, and being alone. In your bedroom. As a young man. On your birthday." OH SNAP. I got the reference now. xD "A young man stands alone in his bedroom. It just so happens that today, the 13th of April, is this young man’s birthday. Though it was twenty-three years ago when he was given life, and ten years ago when he was given a name, it feels like it is only today that he will begin to understand what all that means. That young man is YOU, John Egbert. What will you do?" HOLY FUCKING SHIT. OH DAMN. OH SHIT. THAT IS WAY FUCKING EPIC MAN. This is giving me HELLA goosebumps! I'm VERY curious about that final part means, about "understanding what all that means".... Okay, this seems like a good place to end for the day, but I'm VERY excited to start reading the rest!!! Homestuck is BACK IN ACTION baby! Last Edit: 1 minute ago by Blaperile

[cyrelia-j]

[Drabble] Deuces (Garak/Bashir)

In honor of Ziyal I had to do this one to take a look at a parental relationship between the two of them so here goes:

AU (no Dominion) Garak and his surrogate daughter Ziyal find themselves on Deep Space Nine on a stopover to Bajor. They chance upon a gorgeous Federation doctor, but who does he have his eye on?

“Yad’ he’s coming over here.” Ziyal’s excitement is palpable as she looks at him over her sketchpad. Her mouth doesn’t move as she speaks the words through her smile. He’s so terribly proud of how far she’s come with her lessons; Tain himself couldn’t read her lips. Elim Garak, former Obsidian Order Agent had not imagined when he was given the choice of exile on Terok nor as a tailor of all things or nursemaid to his most hated enemy’s bastard daughter, that he would become so thoroughly enchanted by his young charge. His first year of guarding both her and her mother Tora Naprem was one of the most trying of his life and he’d often caught himself with a sewing needle full of murderous thoughts and what ifs. But when her mother had died, Garak was all that Ziyal had between Dukat’s infrequent trips. It pleases him to think that Ziyal regards him as much more a father than that arrogant slag sucker.

Garak hadn’t thought there would be much fun to be had on the trip from Cardassia Prime to Bajor where Dukat had finally deigned to allow her to study art. Garak had expected if anything to be stoned by primitive Bajoran natives upon their arrival but the detour to the current Federation occupied Deep Space Nine and former Terok Nor has at least provided a blessed stay on that execution. Vedek Bareil, a thankfully open minded man had gladly offered them a home while they settled in but it seemed they would have a temporary refuge on the station for the next month while that was finalized. Garak said a prayer to the Ancients that he’d have another month to keep his head. Ziyal had told him he was overreacting. They agreed to disagree on that point and Garak endeavored to at least keep his defensive skills prepared.

But nothing could have prepared Garak for the delectable specimen of a doctor who’d introduced himself during their brief arrival guidelines letting them know that he and his helpful group of nurses would see to all their needs should they require his services. Somehow Ziyal- damn observant girl!- had caught Garak’s less than discreet once over of said delectable doctor and teased him about it with their old hand signals during the course of the tour. Oh to be sure, Garak could imagine a pleasant fling that would have few strings attached, but he too was observant and he noticed that Ziyal’s eye lingered a bit longer than it had on the other men and women they’d met on their trip so far. Now Garak was just as protective as any murderous interrogator turned surrogate father but Ziyal was more than old enough to know her own mind and if say she happened to become smitten with a certain Federation doctor and that affection was returned in a manner which prolonged their stay well then as the Bajorans would says it was merely the will of the Prophets.

So when Ziyal makes that announcement Garak swears on the State that he will do everything in his power to be nothing but a doting father [far too old for a luscious young human doctor to ever give a second look to] and not even think about the taste of that lovely tanned skin. “Good morning,” Doctor Bashir says to both of them quite boisterously. Garak waits for Ziyal to look up first but she’s looking at him instead. Oh dear. “I hope I’m not intruding,” he continues, “But I like to introduce myself a little more personally to the new residents of the station- even temporary ones. I like to think it helps put people at ease.” He has a  lovely smile and he’s completely full of it but Garak isn’t completely sure to which of them the doctor’s attention is directed. Statistically speaking Ziyal would be the more likely but Garak’s been surprised far too many times on their adventures to take anything for granted.

“Well now this is an unexpected but pleasant surprise!” Garak exclaims supposing it won’t hurt anything to take the lead for a moment to try and get a little more information. “Doctor Bashir, is it?” Doctor Bashir nods at that and Garak continues indicating the empty seat between the two of them. “Please, have a seat. I can assure you you’re not interrupting anything. My name is Garak. and my daughter Ziyal and I were just enjoying a spot of breakfast and the atmosphere of the station. She’s a fantastically talented artist you know and they say that a true genius can find inspiration anywhere.” There now, that’s a perfectly nice endorsement without seeming like some country yob trying to foist his plain middle child off on a wandering merchant. “Your daughter?” Doctor Bashir says incredulously as he sits down looking between them both. “You’re having me on, you couldn’t possibly be old enough to be her father.” He turns a smile to Garak and as tempted as Garak his to happily throw himself across Doctor Bashir’s lap, he can’t quite tell if it’s plain parental flattery or actual flirting. My, perhaps he is getting old.

“You flatter me doctor, but while we Cardassians wear our age well, I’m certain that I’m old enough to be your father as well.” Ouch that one stings. Ah, the things one must do for family... “You’re always so quick to put yourself down, yad’.” Read the cues, read the cues, Garak silently begs. “Maybe that was his way of saying he finds me old.” Oh my dearest Ziyal, he’s a human, you can’t flirt with him like a Cardassian. Either he’s taught her too well or she’s spent far too much time on Cardassia Prime. True to Garak’s assessment, Doctor Bashir looks a bit taken aback and his charming and awkward attempt to correct what be must surely believe to be some sort of cultural faux pas would be amusing if it weren’t getting in the way of progress. “She’s just teasing you, doctor,” Garak assures him with a hand to his shoulder that nearly makes him jump and well he wasn’t intending any significance there but well, the more put off by Garak he is, the better for her. “Be nice, Yaya,” he says using the nickname Ziyal had given herself as a young child when she couldn’t quite say her own name properly. It’s their subtle signal that she needs to act more Bajoran. She catches on right away.

“Yes! I was just teasing you, Doctor Bashir.” Good, she looks like she more at ease now- she’s always preferred to catch regova with sweet berries as the saying goes. The two of them share a quick look to see who would be better making the proposal. They don’t need to say much, each of them weighing the pros and cons quickly. Guls, Garak hopes this human has an intellect worthy of her! Ziyal sits back just a bit, subtly adjusting her upbraided hair and Garak takes his cue. “You’ll find that we Cardassians, even those of us who are half Bajoran enjoy a little banter amongst friends. Really, there’s so much that we can learn from each other. Though if you absolutely feel that you must make it up to her, I’m sure that Ziyal would be happy to teach you more over dinner.” Garak makes that proposition, sitting back, letting Ziyal feign embarrassment at that. Really, he’d almost feel bad for Doctor Bashir as his eyes get wide and he realizes how nicely he’s been set up. Right, doctor. You wouldn’t want to be insulting to her father now would you? Garak imagines this isn’t the first time that Doctor Bashir has found himself in this scenario and he almost thinks given that he’d be better at extricating himself if that wasn’t what he truly-

“Actually,” Doctor Bashir says with a breath and a clearing of his throat. “While I’m ah flattered and I’m afraid that I em...” He doesn’t seem particularly smooth and Garak almost feels bad. Almost. “The truth is,” Doctor Bashir says with a strangely intense look at him and Garak catches a small smirk from Ziyal, “I was hoping that I might take you to dinner, Mister Garak.” Garak blinks at that honestly stunned, and he sees Ziyal’s enthusiasm on his behalf poorly hidden behind her hands. Well, they can continue working on that as well, he guesses- but as for the... incredibly sexy doctor who apparently has taken her glee as some sort of go ahead... “Oh it’s not Mister, just Garak,” he answers stupidly, actually at a loss for words. He feels her lightly kick him under the table and alright, so marrying off Ziyal to forestall his doom this time around isn’t going to pan out but well, if this is to be his consolation prize for a certain death on Bajor in a month he can certainly think of worse things. Garak does decide to play just a bit coy with him. “I really am old enough to be your father, Doctor Bashir,” he says as a token protest knowing that humans can be funny about things like that.

“You can call me Julian,” Julian answers with a brief look to Ziyal before continuing with his next words. He offers her a bit of an apologetic look that hardly concerns her and he looks to be gearing up to say something particularly scandalous as he leans in naughty, whispering in Garak’s ear. “You may be old enough to be my father, Garak. But I’d rather you be my “daddy”.” Which is a hell of a thing to risk the universal translator getting right, but Julian uses the exact right words necessary for them to filter properly. Which means this definitely isn’t his first time doing this. Garak’s eyes are rather wide with a wondrous glaze to them as Julian sits back looking rather proud of himself. Ziyal is shooting him a look like details are going to be in demand in the future and there is no way, grown woman or not he is ever breathing a word. “Dinner at Quark’s?” Julian asks looking far too smug. Garak opens his mouth, realizes that its somehow stopped working and says a silent prayer to the Bajoran Prophets when Ziyal picks up right where he needs her most. “I promise, Doctor Bashir. He’ll be there.”

(Part 2 is here)

[hazel-eye-coffee-shop-girl-blog]

White Lie (working title)

Hey everyone!!! Below is the second section of my story. Again please reblog if you like this, send me questions/comments/suggestions. I love riffing story ideas with people on this fandom! ❤️ the boys!!

This sections is a bit long, coming it at 1,748 words, but I love the interaction between the characters. Set in a coffee shop in a small town in Michigan, during February, so winter time.

This is my own work, so please don't reblog as your own. Hope you all enjoy!

**********

“Look Dean, I don’t know why we should be here, I just know that Bobby left me a message, that something is going on in this town and that dad was looking into it before, but never finish” I look up to see and overheard the guy, tall, shoulder length brunette hair and hazel eyes in jeans and long sleeve dark green Henley shirt, tell his buddy. A few inches shorter, brunette, in jeans, brown leather jacket, and a well fitted grey t-shirt, as they walk up to the counter of the coffee house, that I am working at.

“I just don’t see anything going on in this town, if you can even call it that, one stop light, over one intersection, I don’t think they even have a population listed” the shorter one says, in huff.

I could tell right away, that he was older one, the one who felt in charge, so having his younger…brother I would guess, tell him something, was not going over well. I was wiping the back counter down, I decide to give them a few more moments before I decide to interject in their conversation.

“It’s 1,893” I say, over my shoulder to them.

“What?” The shorter one says to me, with a bit of an attitude.

“the population of the town, and yes it’s considered a town, with a bank, high school, and a gas station on the corner near the highway that you will be talking to get out of this place” I say, turning around. Although Baymont Bay was a small town, it’s home to me, and guys like him, these fly by night tourist who think they are better then everyone, are the reason I have an attitude some days…okay most days.

I Decide in that moment as I turn around I am not going to let him off easy, or let him dis my town, my home, “So what can…” I start to say, leaving my rag on the counter and facing the boys and I am immediately taken aback by the gorgeous green apple eyes I have ever saw on a guy, and of course he has to have an attitude. I catch my breath, and try to hid it with a slight cough.

“Yeah whatever, black coffee,” he says to me, not even caring or acknowledging that I have stop mid sentence. He looks around seeing the few tables that we have in the front are taken he turning to his brother “I am going to get a table, in back, and…research” he says, walking away, and towards the back.

“Sorry about that, just been a long day” The brunette says with a smile. Pulling me back to reality, I shake out of my daydream of those green eyes, and focus on the cute boy in front of me.

“It’s fine, he’s not the first. Yeah the town is small, but nice, a tourist spot in the summer with it being near Lake Michigan.” I say, trying to make small talk. I can tell he must have to apologize for him a lot, he seems the nicer of the two, the one that wants everyone to like him.

“I guess, we just came during the off season. Can I get a medium roast coffee, with some soy milk, and the black coffee for my brother” he says, pulling out his wallet. I knew it, they are brothers, I think to myself, ringing in the order, and taking his money.

“Sure, I will have those right up.” I say, giving back his change, I turn back to steam the milk. I can tell he doesn't know what to do next, so cute, and although I would love for him to just stand and watch me make drinks all day, it’s also distracting. “You can go sit, I will bring the drinks to you” I say.

“Right, okay, thanks” he says, and walks towards the back.

“Sam, their is nothing here, I have looked no weird deaths, no unexplained phonemes, not even weird urban legends, I mean what did Bobby actually say…” Dean stops talking as I walk up with their coffees.

“Urban legends hum that’s an interesting topic, especially for this town” I say, setting the coffee down, along with two pieces of coffee cake.

“Ease drop much” Dean says to me, snapping his laptop shut, and running his hands thru his hair. “What is this?” He says pointing to the cake that next to his coffee, he grabs the cup and takes a drink, not even looking at the cake. Okay he is on my last nerves, trying to be nice I thought I would bring them something, but you know what…thats it! Taking a breath I put on my most sincere go fuck your self smile and say.

“Well first, I could hear you from the front, so lower your voice if it’s a private conversation” I say mater-of-fact, I am over his attitude, just because he’s cute doesn’t give him the right. I hear Sam trying to hold back a snicker. “And that is coffee cake, actual the best coffee cake you will ever have. thought you boys could use something, show you this town has more to offer then just a stoplight” I say with a smile, I turn back to head towards the front.

As I am walking I hear, “It’s good Dean” Sam mumbles as he has a bit, I smile to myself knowing that I have at least Sam on my side.

**Later that Night**

It’s 10pm and closing time for me, I turn off the machines, and start wiping down the last few tables. I move to the back to lock the door, and notice my last two customers are still here, Sam and Dean, focus on their computer screens with earbuds in, so they don’t noice me right away. finally I pull one earbud out of each boys ear.

“Guys you have to go, I am closing up, and unless you want to help, you have to go” I say, picking up their empty cups and plates, I hold back a smile seeing both plates empty, although that could mean Sam ate both pieces of cake, but whatever.

“Hey, sorry, I guess we just got focus” Sam says, shutting his laptop, and gather up, what I can asset are journals. Dean on the other hand is moving at a snail pace, leaning back in this chair he looks up at me with his hands behind his head.

“So you’ve lived here long?” He ask, I turn back to him, setting the dirty dishes in the buss tub, and giving him a look like, what the fuck now you want to be nice and talk?

“Yeah…born and raised, why?” I ask, now questioning where this was going, I look to Sam, for some explanation, but he’s focus on packing up his messenger bag, and making sure he has everything, his hair falling in front his eyes.

“So you would know a lot about the history, and everything of this town, right?” He says, causing Sam head to snap up and look at him with curiosity. I can tell he wants his bother to stop taking, or at least let him in on where his question is going. Not sure where this was going I am cautious to answer, I decide to break eye contact with Dean and move to another table to clear off, and distract me as I answer him.

“I mean yeah I know stuff, why? What are you looking for?” Trying to get a better read on what he wants know. Thinking back to the conversation I walked in on early, “Wow, you guys are really into this ‘urban legend’ stuff” thinking maybe they want some stupid stories or something.

“Yeah, it’s kinda our thing, when we get stuck in these little towns. Finding out all the little quarks” Dean says casually, I look to Sam seeing a bit of relief come over him, I am not sure what that is all about, but before I can press it,

“Look, Dean we better go, I am sure she wants to get out of here” Sam says, getting up from his chair, “Sorry for keeping you late…” he trails off, not knowing my name, I give him a smile, and help him out.

“Ella, and it’s fine, I mean I want to go home, but like I said before, you pick a good town to be in for urban legend stuff” I say, grabbing the bus tub and heading towards the front. I hear Dean get up from his chair, the legs scraping across the floor, both of them follow me to the font.

“What do you mean by that?” Sam asks, I grab the last few glasses off the counter and head through the doorway of the kitchen, leaving them both out their waiting for my response.

“What did you mean you guys were stuck? Car trouble?” I say, shutting the kitchen lights and walking up to the front counter to face them. I lean up against the back counter and face them both, and both look to me like I hold winning numbers in my mind, or that I am going to tell them the secret of life. Deciding not to give them what they want right away, thinking it would be fun to let them sweat it out or at least give me more information about what they want.

“No it’s fine, why won’t you answer the question?” Dean says, with an edge of annoyance in his voice, he really doesn't like getting the run around. Sam on the other hand is quite, not pushing for answers, letting his brother take the lead, this is all interesting.

“Look, Baymont Bay has a bit of a reputation, with the locals, and some believe that the town is curse” I say, pushing myself from the counter, I walk past them and towards the front door. They both don't say anything, I am sure they think I am crazy, and will have a good laugh at the girl who thinks her town is curse.

“What do you mean curse?” I hear Sam say behind me, I look out the window to see that it has been snowing and I curse in my head that I decide to walk to work today, it’s going to be cold as fuck out their.

See you next week guys! ❤️

@wotinspntarnation

[suburbantimewaster]

Most Hated Characters

This is a list of characters I hate because they’re poorly written, not because they’re written to be hated.  So Joffrey from Game of Thrones is safe.

Ross Gellar (Friends): Where to begin with this guy.  He obsessed over a girl since high school and, when he gets together with her, acts like a possessive douchebag to the point that he doesn’t like Rachel going to a work lecture with a colleague.  Then complains about her actually having a life outside of him when she gets a career in fashion.  Even though, earlier, he didn’t like that Rachel was just a waitress.  Not to mention his misogyny, where he refuses to hire a male nanny who was qualified in every aspect expect for being a man.  Then makes a huge deal about Ben playing with a Barbie doll.  Not to mention that he whines and whines about every small thing that goes wrong in his life, even though a lot of them are his own fault.  People who complain about the live-action Jafar being too whiny seriously need to take a look at Ross Gellar, the king of whine.

Dawn Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer): While I absolutely love this show, and Buffy Summers is my hero, there is one thing I would desperately change about this show and that is Dawn Summers.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved her whole key arc in season 5 but, in season 6, I just wanted to strangle her.  She complains constantly about how Buffy doesn’t spend enough time with her because she has to work at a crappy job to support her.  Which, if Dawn hadn’t purposely flunked her classes, Buffy wouldn’t have had to quit college and get anyway.  Dawn regularly does stupid stuff, such as accidentally inviting a vampire in the house, and we’re supposed to side with her because “she’s just a kid.”  Other than being the Key, this girl contributes nothing to the show.  They should have just killed her off in season 5 instead of introducing that stupid plot hole just to keep her.

Every Single Character in the Big Bang Theory: That’s right, I hate them all.  Sheldon for being a whiny spoiled brat, Leonard for being an entitled “nice guy,” Howard for being a perverted manchild (the latter staying even when he married Bernadette), Raj for being a whiny douchebag, Penny for acting like an entitled alpha bitch who mocks the guys’ interests even though they’re scientists and she’s a waitress, Bernadette for being an evil bitch to the point of making Howard give up his Tardis (I’m never forgiving her for that), and Amy for being every bit as evil and manipulative as Sheldon, even though she’s supposed to be the one that suffers.  That’s right, everyone in this show has done something that makes me want to throw my shoe at the TV and my mom and I continued watching it just for the sake of completing it.  Don’t get me wrong, I watch many sitcoms where the characters are insufferable douchebags, such as Seinfeld, but the difference is that the writers embraced the douchebags and rolled with it.  Not try to make us sympathize and say that they’re good people deep down, which they’re not.

Ahmed (Thief of Baghdad): Okay, I did like his storyline in the beginning about how he learned not to trust his Grand Vizier Jaffar (the one Jafar was based off of) and how he went out into the world but, after that, everything interesting about him goes out the window.  Throughout the movie, all he does is whine about his nameless princess and how he can’t live without this girl he knew for all of five minutes and who he met by breaking into her garden.  The first time I watched the movie, my thoughts were “My God, shut up about your stupid princess already.”  Is it any wonder that, when the movie was out, so many women wrote to Conrad Veidt saying that they would’ve chosen Jaffar over Ahmed any day?

Jack and Kate (Lost): That’s right, I gave Jack and Kate an equal spot.  I’ll admit, Jack got cool at the end when he was all about the island but it doesn’t make up for seasons of bad writing we had to sit through about how everything on the island doesn’t make sense.  Jack, you live on an island with a giant smoke monster and you saw your father’s ghost.  The laws of reality are being severely challenged for you.  Also, you had no proof that not pushing the button wasn’t going to blow up the island and you were willing to risk everyone on said island just to prove that you were right.  Not to mention all the pointless flashbacks I had to endure starring you, such as that stupid flashback about the tattoos.  It couldn’t have been something he did in medical school when he was drunk, it has to have some super special significance.  Kate, on the other hand, started out cool but quickly became disappointing.  You had a hardcore criminal on the show and her major plot was her stupid love triangle between Jack and Sawyer.  Her reason for killing her stepfather (actually her real father) wasn’t because he was abusing her but because he was part of her.  Seriously, what the fuck?  She forces herself into the final climax by shooting the smoke monster, even though she had no personal conflict with him, and she wanted to get off the island, despite being a wanted criminal.  I know some people have to want to leave the island, but you have to give them a legitimate reason.  Wouldn’t it be more interesting if Jack wanted to leave and Kate wanted to stay, giving them a conflict that didn’t have to do with the love triangle?

Wesley Crusher (Star Trek: The Next Generation): The very character who started the trope Creator’s Pet, which used to be called The Wesley.  He was the irritating boy genius that was smarter than everyone, even the super smart robot.  Wesley played around in Engineering on duty, seeing how he could boost the sensors.  When Data asked how I was asking why.  He’s forced into the plot just to prove how smart he is, one time being given command of an entire project filled with older and far more experienced officers.  He’s the only one who figured out that Data was Lore, even though it was super obvious to the point that a 5 year old could’ve figured it out, but everyone else was taking their stupid pills so that Wesley can look smart by comparison.  Even Will Wheaton himself admitted to hating the character of Wesley Crusher.  This is how NOT to write a boy genius while Peter Parker from the MCU is a great example of how to do Wesley Crusher right.

Neelix (Star Trek: Voyager): Words cannot describe how much I hate this stupid alien.  He was supposed to be the breakout character of Voyager, a combination of Odo and Quark, and he came off more like Michael Scott on a starship.  When he wasn’t incessantly bugging Tuvok, who made it very clear that he wants to be left alone, he was making adjustments to recipes no one asked him to make adjustments to.  Neelix also forces himself into situations where he’s not wanted or needed, such as insisting that he be part of the security team.  Not to mention his possessive jealousy over Kes makes Ross Geller look like a supportive boyfriend.

Connor (Angel): Meet the son of Angel and Darla that nobody wanted.  He’s an unlikable bigot who tried to kill Angel and, even though he was misled, wouldn’t even consider that he was wrong.  Then there was that whole Jasmine arc where he knew all along that Jasmine was evil, but went along with it anyway.  At no point does he try to help Fred, who’s been there for him and cared for him, and he screws over not only the Angel crew, but everyone on Earth because he went along with a lie.  Supposedly it was because it was “the best lie he’s ever heard,” but if that’s supposed to make me feel sympathy for him, you’re barking up the wrong tree.  He got less annoying once Angel rewrote his memory.

Lana Lang (Smallville): I have saved the best, or worst, for last.  Meet Lana Lang, Clark’s love interest who’s so amazing and strong, even though we never see evidence of either of that.  All she does is get captured, have various stalkers declare their undying love for her, mope about her dead parents, who died before she could even remember them and was raised by a loving aunt and makes Clark mope about how he can’t be with her.  She’s supposedly running the Talon (the coffee shop), even though she’s in high school and has no business training whatsoever.  So many men declared their undying love for Lana Lang, it was ridiculous.  This small town nobody had more stalkers than Lex Luthor, and he was the heir of a wealthy entrepreneur.  Later on, she gets tougher by learning martial arts in the span of one day and ends the show by getting navy seal training.  Then we have to have this whole sad scene about how she and Clark can’t be together because she sucked up kryptonite inside of her.  Though, when they were together, she wasn’t really a great girlfriend considering that, when Bizarro replaced Clark, she had to be told by Chloe that her boyfriend’s an imposter.  When Lana leaves the show for good, you’d think we’d get a break from it but no, we have to hear over and over about how amazing Lana is and how no one can ever dream of matching up to her perfection.  Every time people talk about what an unbelievable Mary Sue Michael Burnham from Star Trek: Discovery is, I want to show them Lana Lang.

[verdigrisprowl]

June 5 Dancitron Movie Night - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine “In the Pale Moonlight” and “Our Man, Bashir”

I don’t remember what happened tonight. In the Pale Moonlight blew my mind a little. What a good episode.

Me 9:19 pm ((just pretend im not here, im just lurkin)) ItsyBitsySpyers 9:19 pm ((np!)) Shock 9:19 pm (( I, too, am mostly lurking, eheh.)) Windchill 9:19 pm (( I am using hotel wi fi in a tiny shitty town using local AK carriers so if I disappear, u know why. )) ItsyBitsySpyers 9:19 pm *Soundwave stretches out on his usual couch, knowing he won't be sharing it this week, and waits for others to arrive. Everything's ready for them when they do.* ((roger!)) Res 9:21 pm :> *slides right into the couch* HI ItsyBitsySpyers 9:22 pm *Soundwave stretches a long arm to point at a different couch where all the minis are piled.* Res 9:22 pm *skitters over to the BETTER couch* Windchill 9:23 pm *APPEARS.* B 9:23 pm *trundles in and looks around to see who all is here* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:23 pm *Small nod to Windchill. Good to see he's not locked up in confusion anymore.* ((SEVEN MINUTE WARNING)) Windchill 9:24 pm *He gives a sweeping wave of the entire room: everyone is effectively greeted.* Res 9:24 pm *literally rolls into the mini's couch* *is a bowling ball* *chirp* Shock 9:25 pm (( //Casually jamming to all of this.)) ItsyBitsySpyers 9:25 pm *The pile seems to engulf Swoop. He has been Absorbed.* Shock 9:25 pm (( Man, I am gay.)) Res 9:25 pm *peep* Whirl 9:27 pm *trots on in, empty-c;lawed tonight* Me 9:28 pm ((... who decided "ex's and oh's" is a love song??)) ItsyBitsySpyers 9:28 pm ((...Tarantulas?)) Windchill 9:28 pm ((*SPITS* )) Me 9:29 pm ((it's like an anti-love anti-commitment sex song)) Whirl 9:29 pm ((PFFT)) B 9:29 pm [[*wills love song playlist to play love stinks for giggles* Whirl 9:29 pm ((it needs to play the Most Romantic Song, Ever, which is Tender is the Night)) ItsyBitsySpyers 9:29 pm *The pile now scatters, leaving Laserbeak perched on one of Swoop's knees and the twins charging over for Whirl and, presumably, Windchill.* *Ravage parks himself near Bevel and uses the side of her leg for a pillow. Goodnight.* ((Warnings I can think of off the top of my head: the first episode has authority doin Things, the second episode pokes solid fun at james bond movies and their tropes so expect those)) Whirl 9:31 pm *well, he's got excellent company tonight; he takes a seat with his three pals* Pfft. "Single Awareness?" Does anyone actually SAY that? Res 9:31 pm *waves hi to bird* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:31 pm //Huh? Say what?// B 9:31 pm *Ravage has given Bevel a gift. Bevel is pleased* Whirl 9:31 pm The whole "singles awareness" thing. That's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard. ((YEEEEE)) Shock 9:32 pm (( Oh ***shit*** we're watching star trek???)) *Shockwave is here, hello.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:32 pm ((you're damn right. two of my favorite episodes. two more once prowl is released)) Windchill 9:32 pm *Time to sit his giant butt down, as close to Whirl and the twins as is possible without actually sitting ON them.* B 9:32 pm [[\o/ Star Trek ItsyBitsySpyers 9:32 pm *Soundwave tips his helm to Shockwave. Long time, no see.* Whirl 9:32 pm *gestures magnanimously to Windchill, looking at the twins* Either of you care to make use of my footstool? Windchill 9:33 pm ...What? Shock 9:33 pm *He nods back. It has been a while indeed, but he has time for the occassional sci-fi.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:33 pm \\HOW 'BOUT IT, FOOTSTOOL?\\ Whirl 9:33 pm ((arrgh gotta refresh)) Windchill 9:34 pm I dunno... *He makes a show of scratching his chin.* I was under the impression that we had an /exclusive/ relationship. Whirl 9:34 pm ((thank u, sorry about that)) Shock 9:34 pm *He takes a seat.* Windchill 9:34 pm But, perhaps, I'll make an exception for one night. Whirl 9:34 pm Well, you're so good at holding my feet up, how could I NOT offer it to my pals? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:34 pm //Ain't like ours weigh much.// And up they go. Windchill 9:34 pm ..I AM good at holding your feet up. Whirl 9:35 pm *settles for crossing his own legs, hugely amused by all of this* Res 9:35 pm *carefully picks up bird so he can sprawl out on the couch, one wing over the back of the sofa, the other laying off the edge, and then sets Bird on his tummy* B 9:35 pm *would probably break something if she even tried to put her feet on most bots* Res 9:35 pm Swoop couch now :> Windchill 9:35 pm *Windchill is only vulnerable to people being nice to him, not to feet.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:35 pm {{Neheh. Warm couch.}} Whirl 9:36 pm ((JEFFREY!!!! COOOOOMBS)) Res 9:36 pm Could be on fire couch keheheh Whirl 9:36 pm Pfft, hell yeah, Swoop! ItsyBitsySpyers 9:36 pm ((he plays so many roles snif you don't even know. not so much in these, but across the series.)) Windchill 9:36 pm (( GDI I'm stuttering so bad pfffft. )) B 9:36 pm [[Jeffrey Combs is the best in Trek ngl Whirl 9:37 pm ((he is always a JOY)) ItsyBitsySpyers 9:37 pm ((MY BOYYYY)) Res 9:38 pm What movie? ItsyBitsySpyers 9:39 pm {{You see, you see.}} Res 9:39 pm Surprise? :V ItsyBitsySpyers 9:39 pm {{Us call it that.}} Res 9:39 pm Explodey surprise? :> ItsyBitsySpyers 9:40 pm {{Nooo, that other time.}} Res 9:40 pm :< Windchill 9:40 pm *Is, as usual, content to sit and do little but be an effective footstool.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:42 pm [[One should.]] Res 9:42 pm Talk talk talk Whirl 9:42 pm *squinting at the screen; he's piecing together this from his position of no context* Pfft. Shame you didn't show this while Prowl was visiting. *sidelong glance at Soundwave* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:44 pm [[Indeed.]] *Glance back at Whirl.* [[Perhaps he'll send it later.]] Whirl 9:45 pm *pauses and considers this* ... *deep breath. Whirl is struggling with an internal, unseen force. it's difficult. It's one of the most difficult things he's had to do. With some emotional wrestling, he manages to do it: something decent, for once* Me 9:46 pm ((why are the movie nights prowl misses never the movie nights with stuff that prowl wouldn't care about. :,) Whirl 9:46 pm @Soundwave: Y'know, my own snide commentary aside--maybe not. Don't think he needs to see this sorta thing right now. Res 9:46 pm Blue ItsyBitsySpyers 9:46 pm ((i had planned this one before he got restricted ;; but i picked two more he might like for another night don't worry)) Me 9:46 pm ((i know, it's always a surprise which nights I can't come to)) Res 9:47 pm Fish Me 9:47 pm ((usually a surprise to me too)) Res 9:47 pm Blub blub ItsyBitsySpyers 9:47 pm @Whirl: [[Why is that?]] {{Where all him water?}} Res 9:47 pm Cup ItsyBitsySpyers 9:48 pm *Laserbeak cackles. A good answer.* Res 9:48 pm *immediately joins in the screechy laughter* Bad movie. All talk. No stabbing. B 9:49 pm Stabbing happened off screen. Whirl 9:49 pm Q-Quark. Pfft. Windchill 9:49 pm It's not the same. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:49 pm *She paps his head with a feeler.* {{You wait, it in second one.}} Res 9:49 pm <3 Whirl 9:49 pm @Soundwave: Well, you might have noticed, he's been kinda down lately. Res 9:50 pm *no longer cares about the movie even a little* <3 <3 <3 Whirl 9:50 pm I gotta say, I like this guy. The man puts pressure on him, he takes advantage of it. Weaselly. And hilarious. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:52 pm @Whirl: [[Of course he's noticed. You have some insight on it, then?]] B 9:52 pm *leans forward a little, really into this* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:52 pm //Hey, desperation's good for everybody who ain't.// Windchill 9:52 pm *Is, externally at least, not responding to the show.* Whirl 9:53 pm *swivels his helm to look at Soundwave, somewhat surprised* @Soundwave: I figure you'd know more about that than me, all things considered. Ask Prowl, if you wanna know so bad. *nods* Windchill 9:54 pm (( I'm just here for the chat lololol I can't react to the show because I see and hear maybe 5% of it. )) Whirl 9:54 pm ((i am sorry...)) ItsyBitsySpyers 9:54 pm @Whirl: [[One-sided stories are incomplete stories.]] @Whirl: [[And it seems to him you two were speaking the other night.]] Windchill 9:54 pm (( It's FINE I'm just explaining why you're not getting much out of me in that regard. )) ItsyBitsySpyers 9:54 pm ((D: i'm sorry... if you ever get a chance, it's a star trek episode called In The Pale Moonlight and worth watching)) Whirl 9:55 pm Yeah. Wish I had that kinda leverage a long time ago. *shakes his head* Of course, if you're tough enough, you can make your own leverage, right? Windchill 9:55 pm (( I'll try to remember to look it up when I get home. :Oc ))\ Smart enough, Whirl. Smart enough. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:55 pm //Both.// *Grin.* Res 9:55 pm These funny humans ItsyBitsySpyers 9:56 pm {{Them not human! Them alien.}} Res 9:56 pm What alien? B 9:56 pm ... Windchill 9:56 pm *Whispers.* You. Res 9:56 pm Keheh Swoop not alien. Swoop pterodactyl. Windchill 9:56 pm *No, Swoop, you ARE the aliens.* B 9:57 pm That alien sounds like Ratchet. *is uncomfortable* Windchill 9:57 pm *Then Swoop was an alien.* ItsyBitsySpyers 9:57 pm {{It living thing from other planet, not own planet. You all aliens, nehek.}} Pause. {{Not Bevel. Other all.}} B 9:57 pm *preens, not an alien ha* Windchill 9:58 pm *Hand SHOOTS up towards the ceiling.* I'm an alien /invader./ Which is even cooler by Earth standards. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:58 pm \\WHO YOU INVADIN'?\\ Whirl 9:58 pm @Soundwave: We were. It was personal. *shoots Soundwave another look, this one wry* You're going to have to learn to talk to him sooner or later. Might as well get an early start. Me 9:58 pm ((he should maybe have made that threat BEFORE the program was made on the unalterable crystal)) Windchill 9:58 pm I invade everyone and everything. Me 9:58 pm ((since now it's too late for the threat to motivate him to try harder)) Res 9:58 pm Nuh huh Whirl 9:59 pm It's true. He does. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:59 pm ((he's new to this, gotta give him some slack)) Whirl 9:59 pm ...and you're absolutely right, Sh--Bevel. He... I thought that guy sounded familiar. ItsyBitsySpyers 9:59 pm @Whirl: [[Amusing.]] But fine. For now. Whirl 9:59 pm How much you wanna bet this plan backfires hilariously and they make new enemies instead of new allies? Res 10:00 pm Me Swoop no care. Want fights now. B 10:00 pm It is really weird, Whirl. Windchill 10:00 pm I do. Earth...Tarn...Other places...my boyfriend...my boyfriend's house...Whirl's room... *he taps his chin* There's not much left that I haven't invaded. Res 10:00 pm Dinocave never get invaded. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:00 pm *Soundwave freezes.* Windchill 10:00 pm I've even invaded movie nights, technically. This is an occupation. Whirl 10:00 pm @Soundwave: Just the truth. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:00 pm [[Tarn?]] Windchill 10:00 pm Tell me where it is and I'll invade it. Whirl 10:00 pm Add my neck to the list. Res 10:01 pm Inside volcano Windchill 10:01 pm Yep, I invaded that. /Never again./ Which volcano? Res 10:01 pm Mount St Hilary ItsyBitsySpyers 10:01 pm *"That". Not "them". The city. Okay. Relax.* Res 10:01 pm You come. Dinobots beat up. Keheheh. Windchill 10:01 pm *He turns, albeit briefly, to Soundwave.* Yeah, Tarn. Whirl 10:01 pm Did you invade Tarn by stabbing him? Or shoving something up his tailpipe? Like... a grenade? Windchill 10:02 pm I'm gonna come. *Waits a beat.* And beat YOU up. *Fist, meet PALM.* Whirl 10:02 pm Oh, damn. It's on, now. You two GOTTA fight. Res 10:02 pm You TRY, keheheh. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:02 pm {{Peh. Him Swoop crush you.}} Res 10:02 pm *internal screaming* <3 Windchill 10:02 pm I'll kick your butts. With my butt. And, no, Whirl. I don't know WHAT you're talking about. *He's never even heard of anybody calling themselves Tarn, that whole spiel got lost in translation, buddy.* Res 10:04 pm *chitters and fidgets, bird ur the best* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:04 pm *Naturally~* Res 10:04 pm Him have blue energon. Like Bird. Whirl 10:04 pm *stares at him for a moment, nonplussed, but does not pursue the subject* Res 10:05 pm Swoop energon pink. *pulls out what's left of his rations* See. Pink. Windchill 10:05 pm Pink is a good colour. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:05 pm *Bird tries to steal some* Windchill 10:05 pm I'll get to see a lot of it when I kick your butts. Res 10:05 pm *gives* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:05 pm *OM NOM* Res 10:05 pm Pffkeheheh! You come fight Us. Us KILL you. Kehehehheheheh. Whirl 10:06 pm Not allowed. Res 10:06 pm Dinobots allowed to kill people :> Whirl 10:07 pm I'm not saying YOUR bosses will stop you. I'm saying if you permanently remove any of my friends from the multiverse, I will come and kill you back. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:07 pm [[No killing.]] Windchill 10:07 pm If they kill me I might actually be impressed. It's not as if anyone's managed before. *He preens.* Whirl 10:08 pm Well, I wouldn't do it HERE, obviously. Res 10:08 pm *totally chill and giggly from Laserbeak compliments* Kehyah! Whirl 10:08 pm And scuff up a perfectly nice bar? HA. B 10:08 pm *laughs* FAKE Windchill 10:08 pm Yeah, I mean. What if I leave a butt dent in it? Whirl 10:08 pm Oh, this is GREAT. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:08 pm *Saves that line* B 10:09 pm *ok actually paying attention again* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:10 pm //Good riddance.// Me 10:10 pm ((holy shit)) ((that twist)) Whirl 10:10 pm *BURSTS out ;laughing* B 10:10 pm [[Best twist [[Wait for it Whirl 10:10 pm *UNCONTROLLABLE* Res 10:10 pm *huffs* All good stuff just SAYING. No seeing. *still totally all smiles cause of you Bird* Me 10:10 pm ((BETTER TWIST)) ItsyBitsySpyers 10:11 pm ((this is an absolute fan favorite for a reason yo)) Res 10:11 pm Keheh! Him bad at fighting. Maybe him get lucky. Other guy cut fist on tooth! Me 10:12 pm ((hot damn)) Whirl 10:12 pm ((oh my go my internet DIED RIGHT AS HE BEGAN)) B 10:12 pm [[i'm so sorry Me 10:13 pm ((and I didn't bring prowl)) ItsyBitsySpyers 10:14 pm ((he'll send it later if you like)) Whirl 10:14 pm *gestures to the screen* This is basically Autobot command. Right here. Me 10:14 pm ((nah, no good/no fun if I don't get to react to it live)) Whirl 10:14 pm Underneath all those noble speeches OP likes to give. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:14 pm [[Of course it is. We knew that long before your faction did.]] Res 10:14 pm Grimlock better. Optimus talky talk talk bot. Grimlock bite stuff :> Windchill 10:14 pm (( Why is it playing for me now?? )) B 10:14 pm :| Windchill 10:15 pm (( Nevermind lol. )) Whirl 10:15 pm *sidelong look to Soundwave* I knew he was a hypocrite before there WAS a faction, Soundwave. Me and him go way back. Res 10:15 pm You Whirl Optimus friend? Whirl 10:15 pm No. We're not. Res 10:16 pm Ok B 10:16 pm *hunches in on herself at all this Optimus talk* Res 10:16 pm KEHAHA! Pop! Windchill 10:16 pm I like her eyeliner. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:16 pm @Whirl: [[One of many reasons he finds your company enjoyable.]] Res 10:17 pm Eyeliner? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:17 pm *Ravage stretches and paps Bevel in the process.* Windchill 10:17 pm Eyeliner. It's a line, around your eye. Whirl 10:17 pm Doesn't mean I won't do what he SAYS, of course. Who's ever been FRIENDS with their commander? *snorts* Res 10:17 pm Me and Grimlock friend Brothers Whirl 10:18 pm *okay, points to Soundwave, that takes him genuinely aback; Soundwave gets a brief, startled look* @Soundwave: Well. ...good, then. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:18 pm *Small nod.* Whirl 10:19 pm ((garak u did that on purpose)) ItsyBitsySpyers 10:19 pm \\HE SAID THE THING.\\ B 10:19 pm *looks at Ravage, yes?* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:19 pm *Frenzy groans and flops* Whirl 10:19 pm Yep. They're doomed. Res 10:19 pm keheehee Whirl 10:19 pm So, does this count as eyeliner? *looks to Windchill and gestures to his whole. Eye. Situation* Res 10:19 pm Big ship ItsyBitsySpyers 10:19 pm @Bevel : =Ignore.= Windchill 10:20 pm Hmm. *Squints, and leans a little closer.* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:20 pm {{It space station. Like Trypticon! ... Thinner.}} Windchill 10:20 pm I figure, if you say it does, then it does. Res 10:20 pm Trypticon ship? B 10:20 pm @Ravage: It is really hard. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:20 pm {{No, him-- Okay, yes, him ship NOW. Not ship before. Station before. Then dinosaur. BIG dinosaur.}} Res 10:21 pm :V ???? Dinosaur????? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:21 pm {{Biiiiiiiiiig.}} Whirl 10:21 pm I'm going to say... no. Res 10:21 pm BIG big? Windchill 10:21 pm *Shrugs.* Whirl 10:21 pm I feel like you have to earn that sort of thing. This just came with the head. Windchill 10:22 pm Earn...? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:22 pm {{BIG BIG BIG.}} Whirl 10:22 pm Like, apply it. Artfully. Res 10:22 pm OH, that lot of big. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:23 pm *Ravage has nothing to say to that so he'll just. Rumble quietly and be a little heater.* Whirl 10:23 pm Like when folks paint themselves for special events, or use those foils, or whatever. Res 10:23 pm KEHAHA DEAD ItsyBitsySpyers 10:23 pm \\THAT COUNTS AS GOIN' WRONG, YEAH?\\ Windchill 10:24 pm *Shrugs.* I don't know. It's just makeup, unless you're one of those folks who have it built in. Res 10:25 pm Them kill ship? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:25 pm {{It... sleep.}} B 10:25 pm *hums gratefully* Whirl 10:25 pm *shrugs back* I'm gonna assume that nothing about this head was designed to make me MORE attractive. Res 10:25 pm Him spy. With bar like Bird :> ItsyBitsySpyers 10:26 pm {{Peh. Him place small.}} Whirl 10:26 pm So we'll go with, "no." If I ever do decide to do that eyeliner thing... believe me. You'll KNOW. Res 10:26 pm Bird better! Windchill 10:26 pm Okay, I trust you. I'll know. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:26 pm [[And he certainly doesn't have anything that does -that- in his home.]] *...Not this one anyway.* Whirl 10:27 pm Pfft, here it is. This is the something wrong, all right. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:27 pm *Rumble snickers* Windchill 10:28 pm *Streeetches his upper half, so he can't dislodge feet from his lower half. CONTROLLED STRETCH.* Ew, green. Whirl 10:29 pm *snickers at that file folder manuever* Res 10:29 pm *yaaaaaaaaawwwns* back to talk talk Windchill 10:29 pm *That's it, that's his commentary. Green sheets.* Res 10:30 pm Her was sleep on datapads Windchill 10:30 pm Man, her boobs are about to escape. Whirl 10:30 pm Honey Bear. Res 10:31 pm oh dead keh Whirl 10:31 pm If I get another pet barnacle I know what I'm gonna name it. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:31 pm *Frenzy's face wrinkles up* Windchill 10:31 pm ... ItsyBitsySpyers 10:31 pm \\FOR REAL? BUT IT'S... CUTE.\\ Res 10:32 pm Him have bird eye :V Whirl 10:32 pm So's the barnacle! Res 10:32 pm 😶 ItsyBitsySpyers 10:32 pm \\NUH-UH. THE BARNACLE'S COOL. THAT'S DIFFERENT.\\ Whirl 10:32 pm I happen to find them adorable. Windchill 10:32 pm Barnacles are kinda cute. They have like...tongue things. And they eat. Whirl 10:33 pm *gestures to Windchill* See? Res 10:33 pm Barnacle is boat thing Windchill 10:33 pm And they sit around. Whirl 10:33 pm They live in space, too. I've got one. Windchill 10:33 pm *That's his criteria, apparently.* Res 10:33 pm Space boat Whirl 10:33 pm Once, it dismembered someone who was trying to come and get me in my room, so I named it Killer. Res 10:33 pm Awesome! Whirl 10:34 pm *nods* Windchill 10:34 pm *Thinks.* Whirl 10:34 pm And then over the next few months I fed it the tentacle that it bit off. Windchill 10:34 pm It didn't try to kill ME. Whirl 10:35 pm Well, obviously, it didn't feel threatened, Windchill 10:35 pm *Maybe because he stayed on the opposite side of the room. Maybe because he wasn't hostile. Maybe because Killer wasn't hungry.* Res 10:36 pm No life support. Them not live long. Bleh! Keheh. Windchill 10:36 pm *COULD choose to take that as an insult, but doesn't.* Good, 'cause now I'm still alive to appreciate Killer being a barnacle. Whirl 10:36 pm *nods graciously* Windchill 10:36 pm Doing barnacle things. Whirl 10:36 pm Lemme know if your Junxy ever decides you lot need a living garbage disposal. Windchill 10:37 pm *Mutters.* He is a garbage disposal. His spawn, too. Whirl 10:37 pm *SNICKERS* A match made in heaven, right? *nudges* Windchill 10:37 pm I don't eat GARBAGE. Res 10:37 pm Beachcomber geologist :> Windchill 10:38 pm ...Usually. Whirl 10:38 pm *laughs louder* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:38 pm //Duh. He's a stoner, ain't he?// Whirl 10:38 pm *LAUGHS EVEN LOUDER* Windchill 10:38 pm *Jaw drops.* Res 10:38 pm Yup *no idea what he's agreeing with* Windchill 10:38 pm *Doesn't know what the context is, but knows a pun when he hears one.* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:39 pm *Rumble looks smug. He's proud of that one.* Whirl 10:39 pm *gets a hoild of himself* I... I still can't get over this guy's name being Quark. Res 10:39 pm Why? ItsyBitsySpyers 10:39 pm //How come?// Whirl 10:39 pm I know a guy named Quark. Res 10:39 pm oh Whirl 10:39 pm Microscope. Has a long head. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:39 pm //PFFFFhfhfhf// Windchill 10:40 pm Sounds like a NERD. Res 10:40 pm Perceptor is microscope :> Whirl 10:40 pm Yep, I know that guy, too. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:40 pm //Naw. Their Perceptor's a sniper.// Res 10:40 pm nuh uh Whirl 10:40 pm He is. Crazy about plants. Paid me good money to make him a clock out of wood. Res 10:40 pm Bluestreak sniper ItsyBitsySpyers 10:40 pm //Uh-huh! I think. That's what I heard.// \\...WOOD?\\ Whirl 10:40 pm Our Perceptor--*draws himself up* Isn't just a sniper. He's a WRECKER. Windchill 10:41 pm What a combo. B 10:41 pm Cool. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:41 pm \\AN' YOU WAS SURPRISED 'BOUT WHEELJACK.\\ Whirl 10:41 pm I don't think anyone made it official, but he went to G9--he counts. Res 10:41 pm G9? Whirl 10:42 pm And, yeah--wood. Plant material. Windchill 10:42 pm *He's going to try to avoid indulging in any sniper discussion. Last time ended in more trouble than it was worth.* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:42 pm \\I KNOW WHAT WOOD IS!\\ Grunt. \\JUS. WHY?\\ Whirl 10:43 pm Also... fair. But Perceptor's a crack shot. G9 is... a pretty awful place. City-wide prison. Got run over my an unstoppable Decepticon, turned it into his own little torture-park. Res 10:43 pm Sucks Whirl 10:43 pm And, I dunno, ask Quark. He loves plants. Windchill 10:43 pm *Thinks really loudly about wood. The euphemism. You're welcome, any telepaths snooping about.* Whirl 10:44 pm I carved one, and I'm gonna grow the other. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:44 pm *Soundwave gives Windchill a sudden Look* [[Must you.]] Res 10:44 pm Me Swoop feel earthquake before. Not so bad. Wobbles. Windchill 10:45 pm *Was expecting that, gives only a sly, sidelong glance in return.* I must. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:45 pm //What, like - grow the whole thing? All the gears 'n scrap?// Res 10:45 pm What that movie..... Water world Whirl 10:46 pm *nods* It's an experiment. If you come visit, I'll show you. Res 10:46 pm Blub blub Windchill 10:47 pm Sounds like a slow experiment. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:47 pm //...'N don't his plan mean all the lava makes rock on the outside? Like. Sure, the planet's shrinkin', but it's growin' a new shell, so... what's to drown?// He scratches his helm. He's not a scientist. Maybe he's wrong. Windchill 10:47 pm *He likes quick experiments, if you know what he means.* Whirl 10:47 pm It is. All told, it's gonna take about a year from start to finish to do, maybe longer. It's been about... six? Seven months? So I've got a ways to go. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:48 pm //...Yeah, I wanna see.// Windchill 10:48 pm Don't confuse me with your big numbers. Res 10:48 pm Lava fun. Me Swoop go flying to islands. Pacific. Throw stuff in. Fwoosh! Glub. Ahh! Kehehehehhheeee! ItsyBitsySpyers 10:48 pm //Uh, the clock wood stuff. Shrinkin' planets too, but.// B 10:49 pm *finally tunes into the conversations happening around her* Wood clocks? Whirl 10:49 pm *bobs his head* Sure th--pfft! Yeah. Just lemme know when. *looks to Bevel and nods* Yep. ItsyBitsySpyers 10:49 pm ((god i love garak)) Whirl 10:49 pm (9he is GREAT)) Me 10:49 pm (("he only wants you for your mind, he can't appreciate your body." That sounds like a good deal to me.)) Whirl 10:50 pm ((omg garak)) Windchill 10:50 pm (( Tbh. )) *Is biding his time, waiting for someone to say something he can turn into another loud thought innuendo.* Res 10:50 pm ???? : / Whirl 10:50 pm ((but she looked so cute in the glasses for real)) Res 10:51 pm Fighting now? B 10:51 pm That sounds really cool, Whirl. Res 10:51 pm teeny tiny itty bitty gun Me 10:52 pm (("it's my fantasy. trust me." "NO!!!!!!!!!")) Whirl 10:52 pm *nods to her, a little uncertain but pleased; he is not used to such frank compliments* Quark really liked it. *stunning banter, Whirl* ((I KNOW RIGHT)) Res 10:53 pm *looks at bird, headtilt* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:53 pm *Rude, serpent human. A -little- bit of ego hasn't left him dead.* {{What?}} Res 10:54 pm Bird have ego *not at all an insult* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:55 pm {{Noooo. Bird just tells truth~}} Whirl 10:55 pm A lot of people say I have an ego. I like to think of it as assurance. Res 10:55 pm *snickers* Always truth bird? ((Omg)) Whirl 10:55 pm (ajdlks HA)) ItsyBitsySpyers 10:55 pm {{About best Bird? Always.}} Res 10:56 pm You Bird aaaaaare best :> Windchill 10:57 pm *He just had a thought.* *A murderous plot.* *And a rhyme.* *He'll leave a few minutes early, and wait outside the door for Whirl.* *Then he'll PUNCH HIM IN THE TIT.* ItsyBitsySpyers 10:59 pm *...Should he tell Whirl about this?* Whirl 10:59 pm I still have... very little idea about what that show is even all about, but that was surprisingly entertaining. Windchill 11:00 pm *Causing said tit to fire and blow his hand off, killing him instantly.* *Tell him he DARES you.* Whirl 11:00 pm *THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WINDCHILL* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:00 pm [[Well, you don't expect him to run all of it in order, do you?]] Windchill 11:00 pm *BUT THE PLOT GOES DEEPER.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:00 pm ((rabbit where is my screen)) Res 11:00 pm *reaches out with the tips of his claws and touches the very tippy tips of Bird's wings* Windchill 11:01 pm *Like some other things he can think of, you're welcome.* B 11:01 pm Oh, that was a tv show. Res 11:01 pm *makes said wings flap just a teeny bit* Whirl 11:01 pm Actually, yes. You seem like an "in order" kind of entertainer. But I have no idea how much of whatever-it-was there is. Res 11:01 pm keheeheehee ItsyBitsySpyers 11:01 pm *Bird huffs* Res 11:01 pm *mimics the huff* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:01 pm [[Approximately 8000 minutes.]] [[He decided to make an exception.]] B 11:02 pm I want to watch the rest now. Whirl 11:02 pm Oh. Pfft. Well, damn. Windchill 11:03 pm *He'll be dead, and his butt buddy will surely avenge him. He'll hunt Whirl down and sit on him. Death by the Biggest Butt. That's it, that's the plot.* Whirl 11:03 pm *what a horrible fate* Windchill 11:04 pm *Almost as horrible as someone lying in wait to punch you in the nipple.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:04 pm @Bevel : [[Perhaps later. Buzzsaw has insisted on your lessons resuming.]] Res 11:04 pm *yawns and streeeeeeetches, wings and twiggy limbs everywhere* B 11:04 pm @Soundwave: *surprised* Really? ItsyBitsySpyers 11:05 pm @Bevel : [[Of course.]] boomtank 11:05 pm -trots in- Windchill 11:05 pm *Well, look what the cat dragged in.* B 11:05 pm @Soundwave: Ok! Whirl 11:05 pm *uncrosses his legs to he can streeetch* Res 11:06 pm *flops his hands on Bird and offlines his optics* sleep Windchill 11:06 pm *Waits.* *Gives Whirl a /look/ from the corner of his optic, just so he knows something's up.* *But not in THAT sense.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:07 pm {{What? Why sleep? Bird not sleepy.}} Whirl 11:07 pm *catches it; tilts his head and blinks back. He looks nonplussed* Res 11:07 pm Swoop sleepy. What Bird want? No sleep. Windchill 11:08 pm *Just smiles, slyly.* B 11:08 pm *why so many love songs?* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:08 pm {{You Swoop sleep. No fighting if tired, bad fight.}} Whirl 11:08 pm You taking requests, Soundwave? ItsyBitsySpyers 11:08 pm *Because the mun got stuck in that mood earlier, mostly.* [[As always.]] Whirl 11:08 pm If we're doing oldies--Come A Little Bit Closer. Jay & the Americans. Res 11:08 pm Sleep then fight, play. Ok? :> Windchill 11:09 pm *The moment you turn your back, Whirl, he will strike.* B 11:09 pm *oh good. she's worried she missed a romance that didn't seem to involve a fake person in the show* Whirl 11:09 pm *the real romance was us + the discussion about barnacles obv* Windchill 11:09 pm *Truly.* boomtank 11:09 pm -what did he miss?- ItsyBitsySpyers 11:09 pm *Well, there's Whirl and Windchill, Bevel.* Windchill 11:09 pm *SHHHHHHHHH.* Whirl 11:10 pm *join the mass misconception that they are somehow dating. It must Grow* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:10 pm *An episode Prowl would have loved about decisions like the sorts he made, and one Soundwave found amusing about a program imitating a human spy story* Windchill 11:10 pm *Feed it, make it grow big and strong until it's unkillable.* Whirl 11:10 pm *going to lean back to enjoy the song* boomtank 11:11 pm -missed the entire show?- Res 11:11 pm *falls straight into ZZZZZs, fully intending to wake up and terrorize the multiverse with Bird* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:11 pm *Unfortunately, this time* boomtank 11:11 pm -whoops- ItsyBitsySpyers 11:12 pm *Rumble listens carefully. This is a bit mushy for Whirl, ain't it? Must be something to-- oh there it is* boomtank 11:12 pm ....I missed it all, huh? ItsyBitsySpyers 11:12 pm [[You did. It will not be the only foray into that world, if he can help it.]] Whirl 11:13 pm *snickers softly* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:13 pm *Rumble suddenly explodes into laughter* Whirl 11:13 pm *looks to him* Right? B 11:13 pm *has been struggling all night with the urge to pet Ravage because he'd probably hate that because he is not a pet even if she wouldn't mean it like that* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:13 pm //That's -great-, sweet Onyx.// boomtank 11:13 pm Ah. Uh...what world? Whirl 11:13 pm Hilarious, AND catchy. ((omg the lyrics. beautiful)) Windchill 11:14 pm (( CRIES. )) ItsyBitsySpyers 11:14 pm [[A collection of alien creatures navigating the troubles of their world.]] Me 11:14 pm ((the lyrics are beautiful)) ItsyBitsySpyers 11:15 pm ((it's PAINFUL)) Me 11:15 pm ((did u see the transcriptionist's note)) Whirl 11:15 pm ((please don't knock on Pipes)) Windchill 11:15 pm *He can knock more than three times, he's pretty sure.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:15 pm ((i missed it what was it)) Me 11:15 pm ((they put a note at the very beginning that said "stop telling me i spelled things wrong, i was 11 when I made this video")) ItsyBitsySpyers 11:15 pm ((HAHA)) Whirl 11:15 pm ((AWWW OMG)) B 11:15 pm [[awww Whirl 11:15 pm ((THAT MAKES ME LOVE IT MOPRE)) Me 11:16 pm ((RIGHT?)) boomtank 11:16 pm -curious noise- That sounds like most shows, really ItsyBitsySpyers 11:16 pm ((it was star trek, ftr)) boomtank 11:17 pm ((aw man! ItsyBitsySpyers 11:20 pm [[And one for the disillusioned in the crowd.]] Whirl 11:20 pm I'd go wit Love Bites. Shock 11:20 pm ((Alright, I need to sleep. It was great hanging around again. Will there be more star trek in the future?)) B 11:20 pm *tries to think of love songs she knows if this is the theme tonight... oh never mind theme done* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:20 pm ((eventually yes!)) Windchill 11:20 pm It sure does. *Wink, wonk.* Whirl 11:21 pm *snorts* You're in A MOOD tonight. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:21 pm {{That more than Bird wants knowing about Whirl, nehekhek.}} Windchill 11:21 pm I'm ALWAYS in a mood, haven't you noticed? Honestly. *He tosses his head.* Shock 11:21 pm (( //Waves.)) Windchill 11:21 pm It's like you don't even know me. Shock 11:21 pm *With the stream over, he exits.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:21 pm ((byee! good to see you around 😃 )) boomtank 11:21 pm ((g'night! Windchill 11:21 pm (( Goodnight! )) B 11:21 pm [[Nice to meet you, Shock Whirl 11:22 pm ((night!)) You must have a hell of an imagination if you think I can bite anyone or anything, Laserbeak. ...also, this is true. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:22 pm {{Bird meant bite -getting-.}} Whirl 11:22 pm ...*considers* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:22 pm {{It not funny if joke explaining. Meh meh meh.}} Whirl 11:23 pm Nobody's ever bit me. I mean, not unless they were trying to kill me. Windchill 11:23 pm *Another very sly expression.* *Not YET, fucko.* Whirl 11:23 pm *LOOK YOU FARTKNOCKER* Windchill 11:23 pm *Shhh, you love it.* Whirl 11:24 pm Anyway, on that... probably weird note, I'm out, losers. *Gonna hop up and stretch again* Windchill 11:24 pm *Waits. Turn around, sonny jim.* Whirl 11:24 pm Drop me a line when you wanna swing by. *nods to Rumble, and then pauses... and looks briefly to Bevel* You, too, if you're interested in this clock I'm growing. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:25 pm //Yeah! Yeah, sure!// B 11:25 pm *nods enthusiastically* I can do that! Whirl 11:26 pm *bobs his head in farewell to the room in general. Well. He feels good about tonight. And now it's time to leave and possibly get punched in the tit* Windchill 11:26 pm *Cups his hands for the world's loudest stage whisper.* HEY WHIRL. Whirl 11:26 pm *pauses, one foot raised* What? Windchill 11:26 pm NICE ASS. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:27 pm *Rumble howls and falls over* *Frenzy joins but in the opposite direction* \\I KNEW IT\\ Whirl 11:27 pm *instant deadpan stare. After a moment he spares a similar look for the twins* Windchill 11:27 pm *And thus the REAL plot unfolds.* B 11:27 pm *so lost on what's happening right now* Whirl 11:27 pm *it's honestly a lot better this way* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:28 pm *They are now 100% convinced Windchill has a thing with Whirl.* Windchill 11:28 pm *Wolf whistles.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:28 pm *Even if the Boss says otherwise* Windchill 11:28 pm *Note that, while he seems pleased with himself, he's not laughing.* Whirl 11:28 pm *once he makes sure everyone gets their dose of deadpan stare he puts his foot down and gives an elegant leg, bowing* I aim to please. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:29 pm //Got good aim.// Windchill 11:29 pm *HEY, HITTING ON WHIRL IS HIS JOB.* Whirl 11:30 pm *actually snrks in the middle of his bow, that was clever* boomtank 11:30 pm -muffled snickering from over here- Whirl 11:31 pm *straightens* Are you done? Anything else you lot need to let me know before I'm out of here? Windchill 11:31 pm *Shoos at Whirl with his hand.* That's all you get. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:32 pm *Rumble scratches his chin* Windchill 11:35 pm Goodnight, Whirl. Go home to your butt-dent bed. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:35 pm //I was thinkin' kind of a nice everythin', but what he said's good too.// *Shrug.* //Seeya, nerd.// Whirl 11:36 pm *snorts, once again pleasantly surprised by a compliment. Y'all are spoiling him* Windchill 11:36 pm *They luv u.* Whirl 11:36 pm And that's rich, you calling me a NERD, Pun-meister. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:36 pm *Suddenly a spooked look. No no no don't tell.* Whirl 11:37 pm *he points at Rumble with a claw, but doesn't say anything* Time for me to go home to my butt-dented bed. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:38 pm *A wave from Frenzy, who's still upside down-ish.* Windchill 11:39 pm *Hand over spark.* When you lie down on your butt dent, think of me. Whirl 11:39 pm *will bob his head at Frenzy, who has clearly not recovered* Lord. Would that I had the luxury of IGNORING IT. One day you're gonna fix that. Windchill 11:40 pm *Briefly wonders how comfortable a butt-dented berth can be, but says nothing.* Whirl 11:40 pm When I finally get tired of complaining about it. Windchill 11:40 pm One day, when I pound the rest of your bed level with the original dent. ItsyBitsySpyers 11:40 pm *Noisy, NOISY snickering* Windchill 11:40 pm With my fists, probably. *A smooth recovery that is not, and too late besides.* Whirl 11:41 pm No, you have to do it with your butt. Windchill 11:41 pm Fine, I accept, Whirl 11:41 pm I'll get, like--Grapple or someone to just. Hold you like a hammer. Windchill 11:41 pm I think I can manage my own butt, Whirl. I am the master of my own butt. Whirl 11:41 pm Only one person can handle your butt. That's, of course, Riot. boomtank 11:42 pm -annnnd this conversation is taking a weird turn. He's out. G'night!- Whirl 11:42 pm Damn, you're distracting me with butt talk again, I'm ESCAPING while I have THE CHANCE. Windchill 11:42 pm Yeah, get out of here. Before I say something you actually regret. Whirl 11:43 pm *ESCAPES* Windchill 11:44 pm *And now, Chill will sit there with tiny feets for company a while longer.* *Even if those feets fell on the floor a while ago.* B 11:44 pm *is content to listen to whatever direction the music went in for the moment* boomtank 11:45 pm ((tanks for the music though, gotta go, byyyye ItsyBitsySpyers 11:45 pm ((byeeee)) Windchill 11:45 pm (( Goodnight!! )) ItsyBitsySpyers 11:45 pm *The tiny feets will try to get back up on him despite being on the floor.* *So they're sorta sitting upside down now.* Windchill 11:46 pm *Listen you guys, footsies is not a game you can win with this one.* *OR IS IT.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:47 pm *Is that a CHALLENGE because Frenzy WILL find a way to get on anything anywhere at any time* Windchill 11:48 pm *If they weren't so small, comparatively, he'd rest his giant feets on them in turn. However, he's not actually in the mood to piss off Soundwave by doing anything that might be misconstrued as threatening, so he'll make grotesque CHALLENGE faces instead.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:50 pm *Frenzy sits up and walks around to Rumble's side of Windchill. He then keeps walking and gets a good distance away.* Windchill 11:51 pm *Oh joy.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:51 pm *If Windchill doesn't move, Frenzy's going to run, get a boost from his brother of the mighty upper body strength, and aim to land on Windchill's head* Windchill 11:52 pm *Holds only EXACTLY as still as someone who has absolute confidence in his own survival can do, which is completely.* *THEN he howls.* B 11:54 pm *entertaining as Frenzy is being right now, Bevel should get going, but first...* @Ravage: Can I pet you? ItsyBitsySpyers 11:55 pm *Ravage squints up at her.* *He holds out one paw and gives her A Look. You may pet that. Briefly.* *Meanwhile, Frenzy will sprawl out, like you do.* Windchill 11:55 pm *Has a mini for a hat!* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:56 pm \\I CAN SEE THE WHOLE WORLD FROM HERE.\\ Windchill 11:56 pm *Stops screaming.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:56 pm [[Thank Primus.]] B 11:56 pm *tries not to look too happy while she briefly gets to pet the offered paw* Windchill 11:56 pm Look, you guys. I have a fancy hat. B 11:56 pm @Ravage: Thank you. Windchill 11:58 pm *Tilts his head and purses his lip JUST ENOUGH to blow up at Frenzy's toes.* ItsyBitsySpyers 11:58 pm *Ravage pulls his paw back in and flicks it a few times before loafing. At least he didn't clean it.* *He laughs and wriggles around to try to escape the air. And falls off. Also like you do, but like you wish you didn't.* Yesterday ItsyBitsySpyers 11:59 pm *Rumble just facepalms.* Windchill 12:00 am *SHUDDERS like someone dropped an ice cube down his figurative bra, but it's just a flailing mini.* B 12:02 am I am going to go now. *stands up finally* Goodnight, everyone. ItsyBitsySpyers 12:02 am {{Byeeee!}} *Bird will fly out with Bevel. She's been wanting to hit New Praxus today anyway.* Windchill 12:03 am *He waves, lazily.* B 12:03 am *the company is not unwelcome* ItsyBitsySpyers 12:05 am *Soundwave stretches. One more bit of music and then he's going to have to handle some... business... elsewhere.* *That sounds worse than it is. He's just telling secrets and poking around someone's head.* Windchill 12:07 am *Streeeeetches, and grunts.* Time for me to go, you punks. ItsyBitsySpyers 12:09 am \\AW, OKAY. NEXT TIME, HUH?\\ //We oughta beat Whirl to his seat 'n footstool on him.// Windchill 12:09 am ...Do what next time? ItsyBitsySpyers 12:10 am \\SEEIN' YA 'ROUND HERE, 'N ALL.\\ ((i was gonna make that the last music but i like this one lmao)) Windchill 12:12 am (( *Squints at you, Rabbit.* )) ((I think it ate a whole TWO MESSAGES. )) ItsyBitsySpyers 12:12 am ((what's the last you got)) Windchill 12:13 am (( I wrote two but see them nowhere. )) ItsyBitsySpyers 12:13 am ((:( rewrite?)) Windchill 12:13 am (( As much as I feel like, HEH. )) Windchill 12:14 am Yeah, next time. *He perks up suddenly, the words 'next time' triggering some sort of recollection.* ItsyBitsySpyers 12:15 am *Curious glance* Windchill 12:18 am *Hands clap together.* The bitty likes the bug songs. ItsyBitsySpyers 12:19 am *And now they both perk.* //Yeah?// \\REALLY?\\ *PUFF WITH PRIDE* Windchill 12:19 am Yeah, her eye gets all WIDE. Windchill 12:21 am And her arms go...*he raised his fists, then thought better of it.* Well, I'd show you but it's not cute when I do it. ItsyBitsySpyers 12:21 am //Naw, c'mon. We got a couple minutes.// \\I WANNA SEE.\\ Windchill 12:22 am Okay, hold on. I have to do it RIGHT. Windchill 12:25 am *He picks his feet up, puffing out his cheeks and screwing up the rest of his face and slowly windmills his limbs in tight, hilariously ineffective circles until his eyes go wide enough that they threaten to pop out of his head.* ItsyBitsySpyers 12:27 am *Both twins snort and giggle* Windchill 12:27 am *Holds this for a few seconds before he realizes he's too old to do it for any longer, and vents EXPLOSIVELY before sagging back into his seat.* Like that, but more hideous. ItsyBitsySpyers 12:28 am //Listen, if her optics - or jus' one, right? - if it pops out, I ain't responsible.// Windchill 12:29 am Just one. It's NOT going to pop out. ItsyBitsySpyers 12:30 am //Good. That's only fun in fights.// *Stretch.* \\OKAY, THE BOSS IS FUSSIN'. WE GOTTA SCRAM.\\ Windchill 12:30 am But...can you scram faster than I can? *Forgets how old he is just long enough to bolt to his feet and out the door, into the night.* ItsyBitsySpyers 12:32 am *Rumble snorts again.* //How're we supposed to tell him if he ain't around to hear it? C'mon, bro.// *And upstairs they'll all head.*

[terrifyingrenegadelibrary]

New Story

Hi! So, the main reason for the existence of this blog is so I have somewhere to post a story I’ve been working on for a couple years now.

That story is called This Show Sponsored by Death! (exclamation point mandatory), and it’s about a girl named Morgan.

Because I’m that sort of person, this story has only ever been written in script format, so that’s probably a fair thing to be aware of before going in.

The other primary thing to be aware of is that, while hopefully reasonably humorous, this story has the trigger warnings you might expect from a story with “death” as one of the words in its title. That being...you know. Death, death-adjacent, violence, etc. No sex though.

Anyway, without further ado, the first chapter of This Show Sponsored by Death! (exclamation point included here both because it’s mandatory and because I’m excited)

Draw Aside the Veil

-a band’s playing-

-bass thumping-

-electric guitars strumming-

-singers singing-

-and flames arcing through the air around them-

Morgan (off): There but for pretty much everything go we.

-the band is only a scene on a phone screen, being watched by four people. The one who just spoke, a tall, pale girl with dark curly hair, is Morgan. Next to her is a much shorter, dark-skinned girl with short curls-

Quinn: And a brutal strike by Morgan to Allen’s self-esteem. But wait, there’s more…

-the two turn to Allen, a tall, dark-skinned boy with close-cropped hair. He sighs-

Allen: We’re never going to be as big as the Firestarters if that’s your attitude. Where’s your team spirit?

Quinn: Here it comes…

Morgan: I think my team spirit gave up the ghost when we spent an entire practice session just watching other people perform.

Quinn: And there it is. Pack it in, everyone, Allen’s dead. This is a murder scene, nothing to see here, just move along…

Allen: Quinn…

Quinn: Time of death, 3:41 PM, September 16, 2089…

Allen: Come on.

Quinn: Cause of death, Morgan Stein.

Allen: Quinn, this isn’t funny.

Morgan: …It’s a little funny.

-she and Quinn high-five-

Allen: Jacob, back me up!

-the three turn to Jacob, a heavyset, pale, and very, very pretty boy. Who is also fast asleep-

Allen: …Maybe you’re right.

Quinn: Yeah, what’s a band without its triangle guy?

Allen: Morgan’s the one who said he should play the triangle.

Morgan: You wanted him in the band. Not my fault you made it my job to find him an instrument he’d play.

Allen: But the triangle?

Morgan: What can I say? I’m a problem-solver.

-Allen laughs, despite himself-

Allen: Okay, okay, go away. Shoo. You’re obviously not taking this seriously, so practice over.

Quinn: I’m beginning to pick up a sense that we’re not wanted, Morgan.

Morgan: Such a shame. See you at school, Allen. Bring Jacob if he ever wakes up.

Quinn: Boom. Roasted. Back me up, Morgan.

-Morgan snaps her fingers, and a small firework explodes-

Quinn: And we’re out.

-and off they go with Morgan’s drums, laughing-

-cut to the two walking-

Morgan: Do you think Allen is ever going to realize that the only thing we’ll ever have in common with the Firestarters is an attractive lead singer?

-Quinn turns a vague red. Morgan doesn’t appear to notice-

Quinn: Oh, he’s pretty hopeless.

Morgan: Poor guy.

-she fiddles with a fireball, making it detonate playfully-

Quinn: It doesn’t bother you at all that you don’t know why you can do that?

Morgan: It doesn’t bother me that we don’t know why electrons do the thing, right?

Quinn: …Do the thing?

Morgan: Magic’s like that, I think. It just sort of is. I turned 13, I relit the candles on my birthday cake because I was mad at Holly for blowing them out first, and now I can do magic. That’s how it is.

Quinn: I think people do know how electrons work…

Morgan: ….Quarks?

Quinn: …I wouldn’t know.

Morgan: I rest my case.

-Quinn sweatdrops-

Quinn: As long as you’re happy.

-Morgan makes the fireball detonate-

Morgan: Everyone needs a little mystery in life.

-Quinn smiles as the two reach a house-

Morgan: I’ll see you tomorrow?

Quinn: Yeah.

-she pauses-

Quinn: I—

Morgan: Huh?

Quinn: Nothing. I’ll see you.

-Quinn smiles again and walks off as Morgan goes home. Morgan seems to see something in the bushes, but she shrugs and goes inside anyway. Inside, there’s a girl who looks almost exactly like Morgan, but with a different haircut and dressed in purple instead of black, sitting on a couch using a tablet to do something-

Holly: Practice go well?

Morgan: Allen mostly just wanted to show us inspirational videos of better musicians.

Holly: Somehow I had a feeling.

Morgan: Hence why you didn’t show up?

Holly: Some of us have homework on Sundays, Morgan.

Morgan: Well, uh…you’re a nerd.

Holly: You’re not wrong.

Morgan: I’m going to get some fresh air, nerd.

Holly: You haven’t gotten enough?

Morgan: Some of us like more than an hour or two a day of it, Holly.

Holly: I’ve never been partial.

Morgan: And that’s because you’re a nerd. Bye, nerd!

Holly: Mmm-hmm.

-Morgan deposits her drum, and goes back outside-

-cut to her in a graveyard, where she’s standing in front of an angel statue-

Morgan: Dear Creepy Angel Statue in the Cemetery…

Today was a pretty good day. Practice was…uh, impractical, but I think Allen’s maybe starting to get that we’re never going to be that good. Hopefully the next step is where he stops taking Gazillion Degrees so seriously and just lets us have fun?

The world can only hope.

-Morgan giggles, and then pauses as she seems to see something move-

Morgan: Did you…

-she sighs-

Morgan: Probably nothing.

-she turns to the statue-

Morgan: You think spending time talking to statues is making me see things?

-cut back to Morgan at home, Holly still on the couch.-

Morgan: You’re right where I left you.

Holly: A little consistency in life is important.

Morgan: Whatever you say.

-she goes further into the house, and then sticks her head back out-

Morgan: Nerd!

Holly: Good night, Morgan.

-Morgan ruffles Holly’s hair before retreating-

-In Morgan’s room, she looks out of the window, frowning as she examines the darkening street-

Morgan: …Just a shadow.

-and she goes online-

-until she sees it again. There’s a dark shape in the bushes outside Quinn’s house-

Morgan: …Okay then.

-cut to her leaving the house-

Holly: Are you going somewhere?

Morgan: Yep.

Holly: Again?

Morgan: (sharply) Yep!

-and she goes out the door, sprinting towards the shape in the bushes as flames flicker from her hands-

Morgan: Hey! Get away from my friend’s house!

-the shape moves to see Morgan, and then flickers away, taking off down the street-

Morgan: …Okay, I know I said get away, but actually stay right there so I can kick your ass!

-and she’s off after it-

-it flees through the town, Morgan pursuing it and passing a number of interested-looking people along the way. Despite the figure’s speed, Morgan manages to keep up with it, pulling some reasonably impressive parkour moves-

-until she loses it at the graveyard-

Morgan: What, you think this creeps me out? I practically live here, asshole.

-fire still sparking from her hands, she makes her way into the graveyard-

-she slowly moves by tombstones-

-and suddenly the figure is in her face. It’s what appears to be a black cloak, but there’s nothing underneath it but an inky darkness-

Morgan: Ah!

-She jumps back. The cloak regards her in almost a quizzical way, and she quickly recovers her composure-

Morgan: What the hell are you doing, stalking my friend?

-no response. Morgan holds up a crackling fireball-

Morgan: Well?

-the cloak lets out a hissing noise and pulls back. In a shower of black sparks, a wickedly sharp knife appears in its hand, and it lunges at Morgan, who jumps out of the way-

Morgan: Got it. No clue what you are, but I’m going to make you burn.

-Morgan sends a fireball flying at the cloak, which dodges easily-

Morgan: Okay, you’re fast. I can deal with that.

-she launches more fireballs, but the cloak zips around them and strikes with the knife. This time, it manages to cut Morgan’s shoulder-

Morgan: Aaah!

-she clutches her shoulder, but oddly, while it’s clearly causing pain, there doesn’t seem to be any damage-

Morgan: Was that…was that magic?

-the cloak gives no answer, instead continuing to slash at her, but this time she’s more careful to keep out of the way-

-at least until it tackles her to the ground-

Morgan: Ack!

-she grabs up a handful of dirt from the ground, and jams it into the cloak, but there’s no reaction. The cloak summons another knife and brings it down, but Morgan catches it by the handle-

-the knife starts to glow black, and Morgan winces in pain-

Morgan: Come on…what kind of magic even is this?

-little flickers build up around her hands-

-the cloak, meanwhile, summons a second knife and brings it down, Morgan only just moving her head out of the way. More knives appear, spreading out to different angles-

Morgan: No…

-and then something clicks-

Morgan: No!

-a spiral of fireworks burst from Morgan’s palm, throwing the cloak away. She leaps to her feet, flames whirling around her-

Morgan: I don’t have the slightest clue what’s going on here, fine! But let me tell you something, tall, dark, and silent! Nobody creeps on my friend and gets away with it!

-the cloak hisses, dozens of knives appearing, and lunges at Morgan-

-and a column of fire bursts from her palms, swirling around the cloak and knives-

-Morgan stares at the fire, eventually clenching her fists to cut it off-

-she’s left in an empty graveyard, staring at where a cloak used to be-

Morgan: …What just happened?

-suddenly, a pulse of black energy lights up behind her neck. She screams-

-pan around to the cut on her shoulder, which is glowing with black energy and appears to have become necrotic very rapidly. Morgan topples to the ground as her vision starts to fade-

Morgan: This…sucks…

-cut to a boy and girl standing over her-

Boy: She really killed it in one hit? That’s fairly impressive.

Girl: Is that really the immediate concern?

Boy: Whatever.

-The boy reaches down and says something that Morgan can’t make out, and suddenly the pulse goes away-

Boy: See? I saved her life. Are you happy now?

Girl: You don’t think that was sort of the least we could have done for her?

Boy: Ugh. Tell me if she lives or dies.

Girl: Yeah…

-he wanders off as Morgan blacks out-

-Morgan awakens, still in the graveyard, a little while later. She sees someone leaving, but can’t make out who-

-she looks around, seeing no evidence of the fight from earlier-

Morgan: …Did I really just fall asleep in the graveyard? And it was such a weird dream, too…

-she makes her way back home, ignoring the long, thin scar now present on her shoulder-

-when she gets there, she’s greeted by Holly-

Holly: Where were you?

Morgan: Uh.

Holly: I called your phone, and you didn’t answer. Was something wrong?

Morgan: Oh, no. I…uh…I fell asleep in the graveyard.

Holly: What?

Morgan: I’m as surprised as you.

Holly: I don’t think that’s possible.

Morgan: Well, I thought I saw someone outside Quinn’s house, so I chased them away, and somehow I ended up at the graveyard again--

Holly: As per usual—

Morgan: And then I was really tired so I guess I took a nap. Had the weirdest dream.

Holly: Your dreams aren’t really my priority here.

Morgan: Anyway, I’m home now.

Holly: …You should go to bed.

Morgan: Probably.

-Morgan walks past Holly-

Holly: Hey, Morgan?

Morgan: Huh?

Holly: Where’d you get that scar?

Morgan: Scar?

Holly: On your shoulder. Look.

-Morgan looks. Where she was sliced by the Reaper, there is a thin line that looks marked with a small burn-

Morgan: …Huh. Looks like a glue gun accident to me.

Holly: Really?

-she sighs-

Holly: Honestly, what you’d do without me…

-another timeskip. Morgan is in school, looking largely uninterested as she stares uncomfortably out the window. Quinn is more attentive. Allen is deeply focused on something else. Jacob is asleep-

-the day ends, and everyone mills out of the classroom, Quinn and Morgan going together-

Quinn: I think that’s probably an all-time low for attention.

Morgan: Uh…yeah.

Quinn: Including right now. Something on your mind?

Morgan: …Nah. Start-of-year doldrums.

Quinn: As opposed to your usual end-of-year apathy, and the middle-of-the-year exhaustion, I guess?

Morgan: Uh, right!

Quinn: Well, consistency’s important.

Morgan: You sound like my sister.

Quinn: Yikes. Walk you home?

Morgan: You say this like we don’t live next to each other.

-even so, she follows along-

-cut to the house. Morgan and Quinn are walking along, Morgan playing with a fireball again-

Quinn: So, uh, Morgan.

Morgan: Yeah?

Quinn: We’ve been friends for a while, yeah?

Morgan: Sure. What’s going on?

Quinn: Well, I was thinking...

Morgan: I’m not gonna kill Jacob for you, no matter how much you beg.

Quinn: No, Morgan, that’s not it. I—

Morgan: Quinn, have you been a ghost the whole time? Or wait. Are you a magician? I could use another magician friend. There’s like one other person in town, and he’s weird.

Quinn: Morgan! This is important!

Morgan: -laughing- Sorry, sorry. I’ll be serious. –swipes hand across face- See? Serious Morgan. What’s on your mind?

Quinn: Morgan, I think I-

-Morgan’s phone rings-

Morgan: Um, sorry, is it okay if I get this?

Quinn: Uh, yeah, fine.

-Morgan checks her phone-

Quinn: Sooooo? What is it?

Morgan: …Holly got hit by a car.

SCENE FADE

-Quinn and Morgan are in the hospital. They’re looking at Holly, who’s unconscious in a hospital bed-

Quinn: Is…is she going to be okay?

Morgan: (quietly) The doctors don’t think so.

Quinn: Morgan…I’m sorry.

-she puts a hand on Morgan’s shoulder. Morgan subtly shrugs it off-

Morgan: …I need some fresh air.

Quinn: Oh, I’ll come—

Morgan: Empty air. Thanks.

-She’s gone before Quinn can protest. She walks through the town, passing by people. A number of people recur periodically-

-suddenly, a boy appears out of nowhere. He’s about Morgan’s height, with light skin, soft features, and rather long hair-

Boy: Excuse me, I—

-she brushes past him-

-the camera pans to her perspective, showing the angel statue, and she begins to speak-

Morgan: So look. I don’t know who to talk to right now, but you and I? We get along. I don’t know if you’re supposed to be a real angel, but just in case anyone’s listening, maybe pay me back for the years of conversation?

-she stares hard at the statue, looking it in the eyes-

Morgan: Please, just…give me my sister back.

-Silence-

???: And if I do? What do I get in return?

-Morgan looks around-

Morgan: Who said that? This isn’t funny.

???: It is not funny at all. I can offer you your sister back, in exchange for your service.

Morgan: -pops a fireball- If you’re some ventriloquist with a sick sense of humor, I’m gonna roast you. But if you can really save Holly…you’ve got whatever you want.

???: Then the Contract is made.

Morgan: What?

???: Under normal circumstances, I might demand a task of you as a token of your service, but you have already assisted me once.

Morgan: I have?

???: The creature from earlier. It was a threat to the town, and I had been tracking it for some time, but you destroyed it for me. So thank you.

Morgan: Wait, what was it?

???: It was a Spirit of Death, a Reaper. A creature made of pure magic given physical form. Nominally a servant, but as demonstrated here…occasionally dangerous.

Morgan: Wait, but—I killed it. How did I do that? Since when can magic be a weapon?

???: Magic has always been a weapon. It is in your genes. You simply needed the proper impetus to tap into it. Now, I believe I owe you a favor.

-Morgan’s phone buzzes-

Phone: Holly’s up and fine

Morgan: Wait, what?

Phone: Total miracle. Someone’s looking out for us.

-Morgan stares at her phone, and then looks up at the statue-

Morgan: …Did you do this?

???: I certainly did.

Morgan: …

-she drops to her knees-

Morgan: Thank you.

???: Think nothing of it. Welcome to my service.

Morgan: Who are you?

???: I am Zaresi. Goddess of Death.

-Morgan blinks-

Zaresi: I will be in touch.

-the presence fades from the area. Morgan slowly rises to her feet-

???: Uh, welcome to the team.

-Morgan leaps to her feet, reaching for magic-

-energy pulses from her hands, but unlike before, it’s black, and instead of fireworks, it twists into the shape of a scythe-

-or begins to, but is destroyed by a sphere of black light. Standing behind the sphere is a girl about Morgan’s age, with brown skin, straight black hair, and at the moment, a look of shock-

Girl: Dios mio, we’re on the—

-she sees Morgan’s face, and pauses. She coughs. Morgan stares at her for a long time as well, before eventually speaking-

Morgan: We’re on the?

Girl: …Uh. We’re on the same side, is what I was going to say. I’m—

Morgan: Wait, so what happened to my magic?

Girl: Well, you work for a goddess of Death now, so you use Death magic, not Fire magic. Anyway, I’m—

Morgan: Wait, what?

Girl: Uh, look, this isn’t the best time for me to be explaining this. I’m—

Morgan: So what just happened?

-the girl sighs-

Girl: Si pararia de hablar por un segundo…long story short, the Reaper used to work for us, but it went nuts, so when you killed it, we wanted to hire you.

Morgan: …Right. I’m going to write this off as a hallucination and go see my sister.

-she walks off-

Girl: Hey, w-wait!

Morgan: What?

Girl: I’m Laura! It’s nice to meet you!

-she gives a weak grin-

Morgan: …Yeah. Bye.

-as Morgan leaves the graveyard, she nearly runs into a boy about her height, with long hair and soft features. As Morgan attempts to step past him, he coughs politely-

Boy: Ah, hello there. Again.

Morgan: Hi. Look, I’m trying to get home, so I’m not really in the mood to talk with people. Can you—

Boy: So, I heard you swore in with Zaresi. Shame. I heard the news, and I was hoping this might be an opportunity to make an overture, but I guess it’s too late now.

Morgan: …Who are you?

Boy: An enemy, at least for the time being. See you around!

-he strolls off lazily. Morgan stares after him uncomfortably-

Morgan: …Whatever. Too many weird things for one day.

-and she continues walking-

-Morgan arrives home, to see Holly, who is standing up, and immediately runs to hug her-

Holly: Hello to you too, Morgan.

Morgan: You’re… okay!

Holly: I certainly am. I can’t say I understand how, though.

Morgan: Yeah, been hearing that a lot lately…

Holly: Huh?

Morgan: Nothing.

Holly: Well, it’s good to be up and about again.

Morgan: Hey, Holly?

Holly: What’s up?

Morgan: You know I love you, right?

Holly: Of course I know that. You’re my sister.

Morgan: Just thought you should know. Get some sleep, okay?

Holly: Don’t act like you’re older than I am.

Morgan: Last time I checked, I was.

Holly: By eight minutes!

Morgan: Just go to bed. Love you, nerd.

Holly: Good night, Morgan.

-cut to class the next day-

Quinn: --She just woke up! It was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen.

Morgan: It was lucky. I don’t know what I would’ve done otherwise.

-Quinn hugs her-

Quinn: She in school today? We should go bug her.

Morgan: She’s still at home, despite her best efforts. I thought it was better if she stayed home to rest up, and my parents agreed.

Quinn: Can’t hurt.

Morgan: Unless you’re a perfectionist like Holly, of course.

Quinn: Still can’t hurt to live life like the rest of us people who are occasionally sick.

Morgan: Or just playing hooky.

Quinn: Or just playing hooky.

-she laughs-

Quinn: So, Morgan, do you have some time? I was kind of hoping to talk to y—

-the window shatters, and a massive tendril of darkness rushes in, knocking Quinn into a wall. She doesn’t get back up. Morgan steps in front of her, hands flickering. The tendril expands outwards, surrounding Morgan in darkness-

Morgan: What.

-the cloud continues swirling around her, before looming in on Quinn-

Morgan: Hey, don’t touch her!

-the flickers grow stronger-

-the cloud doesn’t pay any attention, and tendrils begin growing out of it, wrapping around Quinn-

Morgan: I said…

-the flickers form a cohesive shape-

Morgan: Don’t touch her!

-and she lashes out, the flickers solidifying into the shape of a wickedly curved scythe. It slashes through the tendrils, which withdraw. Morgan stares at the scythe-

Morgan: What…

-and then her face hardens, as the tendrils start regrowing, and she slashes at them again-

Morgan: Hey! Maybe I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m pretty sure that attacking my friends isn’t part of the water cycle!

???: I’ll give it a 5 out of 10. That’s not a cloud.

-a boy slips around the fog, strolling over to Morgan. He’s white, with bright green eyes and buzzed brown hair, and while he’s shorter than Morgan he’s still of reasonably average height-

Morgan: I don’t know who you are, but I think I hate you.

Boy: Evan. Zaresi’s right-hand magician. Pleasure. You’re the new girl, right? Laura mentioned you. I’m on your side.

Morgan: That’s great for you. Mind helping out?

Evan: What, with this?

Morgan: Yeah. It’s another Reaper, right?

Evan: Obviously not. Reapers are Spirits. This is just a Fae; it causes trouble from time to time. You seem to have things well in hand.

Morgan: I do?

Evan: Of course not. You’re hopeless. Now distract it while I do something that works.

Morgan: Aren’t you a ray of sunshine?

-nonetheless, she moves to the side as much as she can while still slashing away-

Morgan: Uh…distraction!

-Evan takes her spot, removing a small mat from his backpack and unrolling it. It’s covered with runes and a pentagram-

Evan: Not the most creative, but I suppose it’ll do.

-he steps onto the pentagram-

Evan: Fae, understand that your actions here today are in violation of the Divine Convocation. While it is indeed perfectly plausible that you are not necessarily self-aware in a way humans would understand, ignorance of the law is no excuse. Larus.

-the runes glow as Evan steps onto the carpet. A tendril of shadow reaches for him, but is burnt away by a sudden burst of black light-

Evan: Now for some real magic. Argentatus.

-a beam of darkness blasts out from the runes, piercing through the cloud of shadow. It recoils, and retreats back out of the window, coiling away into the sky and dissipating-

Morgan: …Handy. Don’t suppose I could get my hands on one?

Evan: If you’re nice, I’ll teach you how.

Morgan: So, situation dealt with, right?

Evan: It’s not dead, so it could definitely be more dealt with. But I guess that’s not bad for your first fight.

Morgan: Second fight.

Evan: Definitely bad then.

Morgan: Great. So, I’m going to go out on a limb and assume—or, perhaps, pray—that we have some masquerade to keep up, and I can pretend I don’t know you when we’re not working together to kill angry thunderclouds.

Evan: Nah, that won’t be necessary.

Morgan: Damn it.

Evan: Watch and learn.

-he saunters over to Quinn, who is still out cold, and pulls a pouch from his backpack, taking a pinch of clay out of it and making a small circle on her forehead-

Morgan: Hey, what are you doing?

Evan: Nothing dangerous. Buteo.

-the clay fizzes and vanishes, and Quinn’s eyes snap open-

Quinn: What happened? Who are you?

Evan: There was a little storm, and a tree branch went through a window and conked you on the head. Don’t worry, I saved you.

Quinn: …That’s nice?

Evan: Yes, yes it was. Anyway, I’m borrowing Morgan.

Morgan: You are?

Evan: Yes. Aren’t you excited?

-Morgan and Evan are now outside-

Morgan: What did you do to her?

Evan: Memory spell. Pretty simple, really. We use them all the time when people see things they shouldn’t.

Morgan: …That can’t be ethical.

Evan: Oh, don’t worry. You get good at making things up after your first few days on the job.

-Evan shrugs and continues walking. Morgan stares after him for a moment, her face hardening, but she follows-

Morgan: What about the rest of the school? Didn’t they see the Fae too?

Evan: Of course not. Only Magicians see magic. And only Magicians who are contracted to a proper god can see everything.

Morgan: But…when I cast for the band, everyone sees the fire.

Evan: Sure, because that’s a side effect. But only you can see the magic keeping it all in shape. The only people we need to wipe are the ones who were actually in the middle of the whole mess, like your friend back there. Everyone else, they’ll just assume there really was a little freak storm.

-there’s a pause, and Evan snickers-

Evan: Did you really think the gods could keep themselves secret if John Q. Public could see them walking down the street?

Morgan: This is the third time in the past two days someone’s mentioned gods. What are you talking about?

Evan: …Didn’t Laura explain anything to you?

Morgan: I think she might have tried to.

-Evan gives a sigh of disgust-

Evan: Look, a thousand years ago or so magic was a big deal, and it was apportioned out by real gods, not whatever crappy two-bit Spirit was managing you.

Morgan: Hey!

Evan: But then there were a ton of wars over territory and magic and whatnot, they held the Divine Convocation, the gods all agreed to go into hiding, and magic turned into a cheap joke. Nobody knows how it works, and everyone thinks all it’s good for is bands.

Morgan: The voice in the graveyard, uh, the goddess of Death…Zaresi?

Evan: That’s the one.

Morgan: She said magic was always meant as a weapon, and that I knew how to use it like that. And she was right.

Evan: Well, of course.

Morgan: And my magic is different now.

Evan: Obviously.

-Morgan glares-

Morgan: So people do know how magic works?

Evan: You thought it was all a big mystery? Nah. A lot of work goes into keeping that true, but the people who matter? They know what’s up.

Morgan: I don’t know if I agree with your assessment of who matters or not.

Evan: Fortunately, I don’t care what you think.

Morgan: I don’t like you.

Evan: See previous comment.

-Morgan sighs-

Morgan: Okay, but if the gods all hid, what’s going on now?

Evan: Well, nothing stays hidden forever, obviously. After a while, gods started resurging, just a whole lot more secretively. Now we’re here, and I’m standing in front of you explaining what a blinkered moron you and everyone else in the world is. Any more questions?

Morgan: …Can I talk to Laura instead?

Evan: Nah, she takes online classes. Point is, Zaresi has the two of us and a few odd Spirits, and that’s just one god. Maybe there aren't so many Magicians in this town, but believe me, there’s plenty of mind-wiping to go around. The Fae could have killed half the people in the school, and after five minutes, the survivors would be going along with their day.

Morgan: And you’ve done this before?

Evan: Pretty frequently.

Morgan: To me? Or my sister?

Evan: -shrugs- Probably. You people all just blur together after a while, honestly.

Morgan: …You’re sure I can’t talk to Laura? I think I liked her better.

Evan: Funny, she said the same thing. But no, you’re stuck with me. Exciting, isn’t it?

Morgan: In a Russian Roulette-y sort of way, sure.

Evan: I’ll take it.

-he starts to walk off-

Morgan: Evan!

Evan: Morgan.

Morgan: You can wipe minds, right? Can’t you just…wipe mine? Make me forget I saw this, and let me go back to a normal life where magic’s just a cool thing some people can do and nobody really cares about it past the icebreakers?

Evan: I could.

Morgan: Great.

Evan: Seems a bit cowardly, though. You’ve already had two encounters with the magical side of the world, the Reaper in the graveyard and the Fae here.

Morgan: So what’s a Fae?

-Evan waves a hand dismissively-

Evan: I’ll explain it later. There’s all sorts of supernatural mischief going on, even in a small town like this one. It’s our job to keep people safe from it.

Morgan: I can’t picture you being into that line of work.

Evan: I’m insulted.

Morgan: Look. I only fought the Reaper to keep my friend safe, and I only agreed to work for Zaresi to save my sister. Zaresi did something for me, I did something for her, so why can’t I just be done?

Evan: The agreement you made was your service for your sister’s life. By backing out now, you’d be reneging on your Contract.

Morgan: What?

Evan: If you aren’t willing to hold up your end of the deal…

Morgan: You wouldn’t.

Evan: Of course I wouldn’t. Just making a point. You’re kind of a limited resource, and we’re fairly invested in you sticking around.

-Morgan glares. A spark plays around her hand-

Evan: So, Morgan. Are you in, or are you out?

-he walks off without a backwards glance-

-Morgan stares after him for a while, until her gaze hardens, and she follows-

[trashtfcanons]

Human Reader aboard the LL feeling out of place and lonely, so they seek out the company of Drift/Brainstorm/Tailgate/Rung. Bots' (re)actions? Btw, what's your character limit per ask?

Hello! Great prompt, I’ve been working on this for quite some time~ I don’t mind if people ask for the whole lost light crew really! It just depends on what the prompt is and how I feel about it, I try my best to write out at least most of them, but sometimes I end up with only one or two because I feel that they are the best/most interesting. For this one in particular, I only really fleshed out Drift and Brainstorm’s reactions because the other two just didn’t sit right with me/ wouldn’t make for an interesting interaction (If I do think up a better one I’ll definitely come back to it, hope you don’t mind ;w; ) Hope you enjoy!

Also warning to other readers: This is a hella angsty and the character is having different types of panic attacks, so if you believe this is triggering I wouldn’t delve into it!

Tried two different styles here, let me know what you think!

It’s only been a month or so since you’ve somehow ended up aboard the Lost Light, but the magic and wonderment of traveling deep space with giant alien robots has frustratingly begun to wane. You miss Earth terribly, you miss the sun’s warmth on your skin and the sound of the rain pitter-pattering against your windows on a gloomy day. You miss being able to text your friends, or going out to movies with them on Saturday nights. You miss having access to good music wherever whenever. Most importantly you miss your bed, soft and clean and comfortable.

You’ve tried desperately to feel more at home, but nothing ever works. You’re more often than not dodging and weaving underfoot to avoid being squished. This is really what peeves you the most: being so small and fragile in a great big world. Everyone talks to you as if you are a child, but you know you are not and this is disheartening, so you begin to feel rather lonely as a result. At some point you snap, and you run to the only bot you know you can confide in …

After checking almost everywhere, you find Drift in his habsuite, having one of his daily meditation sessions. As soon as he opens the door after hearing your tiny but urgent knocks, you find you can’t even look at him, you just stare at the floor, shivering. Everything just seems too bright and too loud, even if the hall you stood in was, for the most part, empty. He notices your distress, and upon asking what is wrong you being to cry. In a slight panic, he immediately scoops you up and brings you into his habsuite, holding you close. He helps you calm down a little, gently petting your back and reassuring you that you’re here now and you’re safe. When you feel you are able to speak, you tell him everything you’ve been feeling, everything you’ve been missing.

He is mute as you explain, a look of concern plastered on his face, grinding his dentae. After a while, when he finally does speak, it’s to ask you more about your home, wanting you to describe it to him by every finite detail. You spend the rest of the evening doing just that, Drift is genuinely fascinated to know about your life on Earth and he asks many questions. You laugh together, you reminisce, you have another good cry, Drift even sheds a little coolant. At the end, you thank him, and he thanks you in return for the stories. You yawn and Drift takes this as a queue to return you to your own habsuite. He stands from where he had sat on the floor and begins towards the door, telling you that are welcome to come to him and talk at any time, and that he would make sure to remind the crew to treat with you with more respect. When you don’t reply he looks down to have see you have fallen asleep. He returns to his own berth with you and quietly watches you, deep in thought.

—–

You always know where to find Brainstorm: in his lab, tinkering away at something to impress someone with. He has his back to you, suspended upside-down in one of his ridiculous feats of impracticality, but knows you are there immediately. “Ah, I thought you were Perceptor for a nano-klik, I’ve been working on this bad boy for two days straight, and you really should see how it makes things go kaboom,“ he says, as if enchanted by the contraption. You’re not in the mood to hear him preen himself about his devices now, you just shuffle forward towards him, shaking a little, wanting to talk.

You call out Brainstorm’s name quietly, hoping he’ll notice and stop his shenanigans for a second and look at you. But he doesn’t, he doesn’t even notice! He just keeps shifting the device from hand to hand, fantasizing about showing off to Perceptor in hopes of proving to be the better scientist. “Brainstorm.” You say it a little louder, balling your fists and biting your lips as you eyes shift to the floor at his feet. He continues rambling notions of glory and scientific accomplishment. “Brainstorm, please–“ Your shaking is almost uncontrollable now, you feel tears welling up in your eyes and you tuck your hands underneath your arms as your vision becomes a little blurry from the stress. You can’t tell what he’s saying anymore it’s just incessant mumbling and it’s building in your head like hot water in a kettle. Your chest keeps tightening like it was caught in a vice, all of you senses are being attacked and you want it to stop so badly.

“BRAINSTORM!” you hear yourself yell at last, you wipe at your eyes and let out a small sob.

It’s as if all the whirring and humming of the technology in the lab ceases at that moment, because you can’t hear anything anymore, just eerie silence. After what seems like an eternity, the room shakes, and several seconds later you are no longer on the ground. Brainstorm carries you to the nearest tabletop and places you gently on a pile of soft mesh, scraps from another project he’d been working on. He sits and quietly apologizes, still a little shocked himself. You let yourself get another short sob out of your system, and try to breath slowly as to calm yourself down.

When you feel you are ready, you begin to explain, shivering in exhaustion. Brainstorm’s natural smugness is nowhere to be found, instead he wears a pained expression, watching you suffer like this. He doesn’t speak, he just watches and listens intently, not knowing what to say. The bot cautiously moves his hand towards you while you tell a story about your best friend, and you grip his finger when it’s close enough, finding the contact reassuring. Brainstorm’s mind drifts to thoughts of Quark, knowing how it feels to lose contact someone you cherish dearly, but the prospect of feeling so small is foreign and frustrating to him and you can see it clearly in his optics. Worth is everything to him, and he couldn’t even fathom feeling devoid of it.

When you finish, you both sit in silence for another couple minutes, staring at each other at a loss for words. This is the first time Brainstorm shows you his face. He removes the mask and places it aside on the table, before returning his attention to you, some kind of fire burning behind his gaze. He promises– no– he vows to do whatever it takes to help you feel like you are enough, no matter the price.