#would come in handy someday /j

[candycoatedrox]

looking through the tcrf pages for the splatoon games i am so. normal. oh my god

[possiblytracker]

got dragged to a pub quiz with some of my housemates buddies and was fully convinced i was not really gonna have a good time and itd probably be too loud and i wouldnt be much help etc etc etc bc my mood is still not great but i forgot im a competitive motherfucker when it comes down to it and the sheer rush of euphoria that comes from knowing a few more obscure answers that had the rest of the room hemming and hawing is gonna carry me through the next week probably

[hana-bobo-finch]

Dingo’s dialogue on base:

Well, you may be good, but the best ranger in this Rescue Corps will always be Dingo! (Did I say that with enough confidence? It’ll be OK now. I’m still number one.)

You’ve improved substantially with my guidance, which just proves how great I really am. (They investigated every area of a planet? Even I haven’t done that.)

You know the comms guy, Collin? He’s pretty handy to have around. Very detail oriented. He’s not one for physical labor, but his project-management skills are legit. And his eyes light up when he sees a machine.

I joined the corps before Shepherd was the captain. At the time, she was still an officer in training like me. I was undefeated in everything back home, but then she absolutely crushed me at martial arts and cross-country. The cool part was how modest she was about it. She never tried to rub it in my face. I’d never met anyone else like her…

I don’t mess around when I’m in a fight. When I move, it’s at lighting speed. Too fast to track! I don’t need anyone’s help. I don’t want anyone’s directions. Yeah, that’s how you handle things Dingo-style!

The Rescue Corps has many excellent officers like the captain and me, but our budget is barely enough. You know why? Because the captain loves dogs. The food bill for the pack of mutts the corps maintains is just…ugh.

You’ve probably met the science guy, Russ. The captain is always singing his praises. He’s decent at what he does, I guess. It’s just…whenever he opens his mouth, a bunch of science gibberish spews out. Makes my head hurt.

There are some things I just can’t do, not even on the captain’s orders. Like taking a mutt along on a rescue. I’ll leave that up to you. (I just don’t get the whole dog thing.)

When I was a kid, there was this mountain near our house. I mustered up the courage to climb it one day. The higher I climbed, the more lost I got. Then it started to snow, and suddenly it became a life-or-death situation! The prior captain rescued me. I still recall how cool he looked standing heroically there in the snow. I knew right then that j was going to be a ranger someday.

The science guy’s family runs a prominent megacorporation on Giya. I hear he joined the Rescue Corps out of sheer curiosity. They throw a huge party for him every time he comes back from a deployment. Can you believe that?

The comms guy is a… Whaddaya call it? Oh yeah! He’s a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. He’s willing to take on anything you throw his way. Problem is, others tend to take advantage of him. (I suppose “others” includes me too, heh.)

The gear that the science guy makes is definitely impressive…but always too complicated! Not the way I’d do it. Instructions should be like, “Do this, do that, and bam, boom, done!” Anything longer, and everyone starts zoning out.

When I joined the Rescue Corps, I trained hard, sunup to sundown. Every single day. You though…Must be nice it have it so easy. You got dropped into the action and just started cranking out achievements.

The captain is top-notch in pretty much every way, but there’s just one thing…Why does she have to love those fuzzy mongrels so much?! Every time she takes a break, she heads out to the dog run with some Rescue Pups. Every. Single. Time.

The comms guy sounds all his free time fiddling with machines. He says it’s the mental equivalent of working out. Like how if you don’t use your body, it gets weak. Supposedly your brain works the same way. I’m not sure I buy it.

That dog you go everywhere with seems capable enough. But I don’t need any mutts running around! That’s all I have to say about it. (It’s not that I’m afraid. I just don’t trust ‘em.)

If you think about it, the comms guy really is our lifeline here. With our his navigation, rescues would take at least twice as long. We literally couldn’t do this without him.

You remember the reason I decided to be a ranger? Stranded on a snowy mountain, rescued by the prior captain? Ring a bell? So, I had collapsed. When I came to, there was this open mouth right in my face. All sharp teeth and drool…I ran like a wild thing, trying to escape, but no matter how fast I went. The beat hounded me! I couldn’t get away! The captain finally brought the mutt to heel, so nothing bad happened, but every time I see a dog now, I remember that day.

also this very important image I made

[twstarchives]

Sebek Zigvolt・Voice Lines

School Uniform - R

Unlock Card “Get to class now! You’re wasting time.”

Groovy “Someday I ought to teach you how you’re supposed to behave towards your superiors.”

Home Setting “I take close care of my appearance.”

Home Transitions “I was miraculously able to enroll at the same school as the Young Master. I’d like to watch his growing success from as close-up as possible.”

“I’m hungry... The bread from the school store isn’t filling at all. I want more meat.”

“I joined the horse-riding club because I thought it’d be wise to pick up practical activities. All knights should be able to ride a horse.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “To make sure that you’re not a threat to the Young Master, I’ve decided to observe you all day today. Don’t run out of sight.”

Home Taps “Styling my hair every morning is a chore, but I never want the Young Master to see me looking sloppy.”

“Silver is the only person I know in the Valley of Thorns from the same generation as me. ‘My friend’...? As if I’d call him a friend!” 

“The Young Master is also taking classes here. It’s 1000 years too early for us to be skipping them!!”

“I have a loud voice? What are you saying? Your voice is just too quiet!!”

“Are you trying to play tag? I’ve long since outgrown childish games like that.”

PE Uniform - R

Unlock Card “As if I’d lose any contest! The training all of you have done is nothing compared to mine!”

Groovy “Want me to tell you my training routine? Only if you can keep up.”

Home Setting “Let me take you on.”

Home Transitions “To improve yourself, you need to eat well, work well, sleep well, and play hard! ...That’s what Master Lilia taught me.”

“I train so that I can be the Young Master’s sword and shield whenever he needs me.”

“I heard we’re having a long-distance race for our next PE class. I’m better at short-distance, though... No. You aren’t a guard without good stamina.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Why is your back hunched over like that? You look sloppy! Stick out your chest and fix that posture!”

Home Taps “Whenever I go to practice for the horse-riding club, the horses always get scared of me. I’m not going to eat them or anything. They’re so skittish.”

“Being left-handed often comes in handy when I’m sparring. But no matter which hand I use, my victories will always be in the name of the Young Master.”

“There’s no point in training without a reason. It’s important to me that I gain power to protect the Young Master.”

“Don’t waste your breath. All that matters while you’re training is willpower, persistence, and a fighting spirit!! That’s it!”

“You want to play soccer together? ...Alright. I certainly have no plans of losing to a human.”

Lab Coat - SR

Unlock Card “Your appearance reflects who you are inside. I won’t let a single wrinkle to pass.”

Groovy “You want to study with me? Very well. Show me what you’ve got.”

Home Setting “I don’t have any blind spots in today’s class either.”

Home Transitions “I’ll get the highest score on our next test. And then the Young Master will praise me...!”

“The environment in the greenhouse is just amazing. It’s warm, humid, and so easy to relax in there.”

“I learned everything that was covered in our lesson last period when I was in middle school. Education in the Valley of Thorns was very intensive.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “The most I’ll do is give you a few hints for your assignment. I’d rather not be dragged down during our joint class.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “You look exhausted. I’ll share some tips with you on how to remain focused.”

Home Taps “I’m very good at solving both numerical and chemical equations. But there’s never a need to use cheap tricks like that when the Young Master is around. Heheh.”

“Do you have any Awakening Potions? I want to try making Silver drink an entire bucket full.”

“Master Lilia gave me this drink. He said it’s an excellent beverage that lets you take in your meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables all at once!”

“I’m not good at art, since it’s so subjective. Subjects where the solutions are very clear is more my speed.”

“Stop tugging at my clothes. I can’t appear in front of the Young Master looking indecent!”

Home Tap (Groovy) “Could you recommend a book for me? I’ll try reading it tonight.”

Ceremony Robes - SR

Unlock Card “The Young Master would never get upset over something as minor as a school assembly.”

Groovy “Hmph. Even you look befitting today.”

Home Setting “I don’t want to see the Young Master look so dejected...”

Home Transitions “As if I’d ever feel nervous at a school event of all things! Festivals in the Valley of Thorns are so much grander than this.”

“Have you seen the Young Master anywhere? I haven’t been able to reach him in a while. ...Don’t tell me he— ...Again?”

“It’s not worth having a ceremony if the Young Master isn’t participating. They should just stop it midway through.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “YOUNG MAAAASTER!! Where did you go...? Oh, perfect timing. Come look for the Young Master with me.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Grim was causing a ruckus again. I swear, I can’t believe how much of a pig he is. ...What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Home Taps “Before coming to this academy, I spent an entire year dedicating myself to my studies. I did it because I had faith I’d be able to get into this school too.”

“No matter how alert you think you are, Master Lilia will always find a way to sneak behind you. Oh, see? Turn around.”

“I feel like I’ve gotten taller again lately. These robes might even end up being too small for me.”

“Do I look okay? Nothing’s out of place? It’s fine if I appear in front of the Young Master like this, right..? ...Oi, are you even listening to me?”

“Stop with that mumbling. If you want to say something then say it loud and clear!!”

Home Tap (Groovy) “The Young Master’s ideas are so grand. Sometimes, I can’t even begin to understand them. That’s why I admire him so much.”

Birthday Celebration Outfit - SSR

This card was only obtainable during Sebek’s birthday event (Mar 15 - Mar 21, 2021).

Login on Birthday “Human, have you come to give me a birthday present? I see... Thank you! I was just giving the Young Master my gratitude earlier as well. I am the luckiest man at this school!”

Unlock Card “No matter if it’s my birthday, I’m not going to abandon my duties as a guard or stop being vigilant!”

“I-I never thought I’d be able to receive a birthday blessing from the Young Master... How lucky am I!!”

Groovy “Despite being a human, you’re celebrating to make me happy... I’ve improved my opinion of you, just a little. J-Just a little!”

Home Setting “Alright! I think I can still perfectly carry out my guard duties in this outfit.”

Home Transitions “This cutlery and tableware is placed in the wrong order. Did you not know I’m left-handed? You didn’t do enough research beforehand!”

“Lilia told me that ‘a sound soul lives in a trained body.’ I must not forgo my training, even on my birthday.”

“My magic manifested at a late age. When I was little, I always wanted to be like my older brother and sister, who could magically light the candles on a cake.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “I’ve gone hungry all day to get ready for this party. I only had three servings for lunch!”

Home Transition (Groovy) “I-I lost again... This may be a party game, but I can’t stand to keep losing to the likes of a human! One more round!”

Home Taps “Azul told me ‘I heard you liked Magical Analysis’ and gave me a rare book on it... but I feel like he wants something big in return.”

“Riddle gave me a special horseback riding lesson. You don’t often get a chance like that. I’ll remember it as a fond birthday memory.”

“Silver, that bastard! He gave me dumbbells as a gift! That can’t mean anything but him thinking my training isn’t enough!”

“Epel gave me a fruit carving of the Young Master. It’s an incredible piece of work... but there’s no way I could bring myself to eat it!”

“I-I hear an explosion!? What’s happening!? ...Oh, you’re popping party poppers? It’s so loud! You know you’re bothering the people around you!!”

Home Tap (Groovy) “Here, I went and got you ten plates of food. ...You’re good with just one? Heh! I know you’re a human, but you eat so little.”

Duo Magic Sebek: “Let me thank you for your blessings, Cater!!!” Cater: “HBD, Sebek-kins~!”

Tutorial “Follow me, human! Make sure you commit the grand sight of the Young Master to memory.”

Lv Up “Did you see that!? Look at the progress I made!”

“I’ll be able to take even more action now with this!”

“Mm. Not bad.”

Max Lv Up “Maybe now I’ve turned into a man who can gain just a little of the Young Master’s approval. ...No, I shouldn’t act conceited. I need to get rid of these thoughts and focus on keeping myself devoted. Let’s go!”

Episode Lv Up “I always viewed you as nothing but a meager human, and yet you’ve become someone I rely on so much... You’re just always surprising me.”

Magic Lv Up “This power...! Young Master! Did you see that just now!? Wait... He’s not here. Kgh. That must mean this still isn’t enough...!”

Limit Break “I need to get even bigger, smarter, and stronger to be a proper servant for the Young Master!”

Groovy “I’m feeling happy and energized! This really does feel nice. Make sure you never forget all this success I’ve made!”

Lesson Select “Human! I decided to take a class with you today. Which one do you want? Hurry up and pick.”

“What? You look so nervous. Isn’t the point of classes you’re weak in to be a challenge for you?”

“Master Lilia taught me that your classes are just another part of your training. I’m not going to slack off in any of my subjects.”

Lesson Start “Let’s give today our all!”

Lesson End “Knowledge enriches the body and soul! Let’s work hard next time too!”

Battle Start “I’ll swallow you whole!”

Battle End “This win is for our king!”

Other

Profile Quote “Don’t even think that you can come close to the great Lord Malleus Draconia, lowly human!”

January 2020 Trailer “Are you a new student too? Take utmost care not to be rude to the Young Master.”

Countdown Poster “Meager humans ought to bow down before the Young Master.”

Login Bonus “Hmph! You’re pretty capable for a human. But I don’t go a single day without training myself.”

Player Birthday Wish “What are you doing here? On your birthday, you’re supposed to eat your favorite food, sing, and celebrate. You didn’t even know that…? Very well, then. I’ll teach you how to spend your birthday the right way!”

Magic History

Good ★

“Come at me anytime!”

“I’m... not tired!”

“Humans are so shallow.”

“I learned a lot from this.”

“The Young Master is even more incredible.”

“Cat! Shut up!”

“Serve the king.”

“The Young Master will make history.”

“Silver’s asleep?”

Great ★★

“I want to get closer to the Young Master.”

“Fascinating...”

“Piece of cake!”

Perfect ★★★

“Easy.”

“I have no business with weaklings.”

“Don’t make light of me, human.”

Special Lesson Perfect ★★★

“My answer is this!”

“How old is the Headmaster...?”

“I won’t let you disturb me!”

Flying

Good ★

“It’s a beautiful morning.”

“I’m not letting Silver win.”

“I’m not scared of getting hurt.”

“I can’t turn smoothly.”

“Trust me on my speed!”

“My stomach growled.”

“I respect our coach’s stamina.”

“Take control of your problems...”

“I’m going to master this.”

Great ★★

“Oh...! Young Master!”

“I feel like jumping for joy!”

“I’m never off my guard.”

Perfect ★★★

“No one can catch up to me!”

“All right!”

“You want to challenge me?”

Special Lesson Perfect ★★★

“Headmaster, what do you need?”

“Don’t stand where I’m about to go!”

“Everyone’s so slow!”

Alchemy

Good ★

“You’ve looked miserable all morning.”

“I’m keeping an eye on Master Lilia.”

“I’m very adept.”

“Let’s do this!”

“Immortality, huh...?”

“Did I get ahead of Silver?”

“That’s a gross color...”

“I’m hungry...”

“I’m not a dog!”

“Did you read the footnotes?”

“I see.”

“Humans are so greedy.”

“Gold isn’t going to satisfy me.”

“This jewel would suit the Young Master.”

“Be quiet and take your lesson!”

Great ★★

“There’s nothing I can’t eat.”

“Please praise me!”

“You think I could fail at this level?”

“Hmph. Piece of cake.”

“Gape at the power of the Valley of Thorns!”

Perfect ★★★

“Young Master, please accept this.”

“No trouble at all.”

“This is probably how the Young Master would do it.”

“What do you think? Perfect, huh?”

“You still can’t do it?”

Special Lesson Perfect ★★★

“Stay cool... and composed.”

“No one could outshine the Young Master.”

“Hm? He’s watching me.”

“I’ll get grades that won’t tarnish our dorm’s name!”

“A perfect brew.”

[juderoths]

what’s poppin , el here. i’m 21 & from the uk.  i go by she/they. this shit got erased cause my laptop died so heres a shitty summary i’ll write a better one someday i apologise in advance. but anyway heres my himbo child,  J U D E  &  if you would like to plot with him, give this a like.  tw  for  abandonment  &  learning  difficulties

⌜ZETHPHAN SMITH GNEIST, CIS MAN, HE/HIM⌟ welcome to chatsworth academy, JUDE ROTH. it says here, that you are TWENTY, in SECOND year and that you’re here for your ATHLETIC skills? is it true high school you were voted most likely to WIN THE LOTTERY AND LOSE THE TICKET , well, that’s interesting.╱ awkward love poems scribbled on toilet paper , late night phone calls with his family after feeling homesick , a bin full of energy drinks ╳

STATS

full  name  :  jude  roth

age  :  twenty

hometown  :  berlin  ,  germany

gender :  cis  man  -  he / him

sexuality  :  heterosexual

BACKSTORY

karl zimmerman met eudora roth on a business trip while she was waitressing yada yada yada. BOOM. dating. then BOOM babies. specifically : jude & mona.

KARL IS A MAJOR DICKHEAD. turns out the dude was already married with kids. and also richer than he made out. eudora found this out and went to his wife with this. as you may have guessed, both women dumped the man on his ass. don’t let the door hit you on the way out, karl. hate him.

eudora, the angel that she is, let him visit for mona’s sake cause she was a lil baby gremlin at the time. but nooooo mr business is everything over here had to go fucking ruin things again. he stopped visiting, he stopped the money. he fucked off like the lil piss baby he is.

money was tight for ages after this. his sister was often sick and constantly in and. out of hospital. his mum was working relentlessly. jude was struggling with dyslexia. but the three of them had each other. it wasn’t much but they loved each other SO fucking much.

fuck school. that’s all i’ve gotta say. being a kid with learning difficulties at a shitty school is never fun. but sport helped him through that a lot. he felt his PE teacher was the only person who hadn’t given up on him yet. 

college was out of the question for him in his mind. he’d pick up some job somewhere, probably at the local tech store fixing phones. he didn’t see himself making any money doing sport which SUCKED ASS. but, he’d rather help out at home than waste money on some degree that probably won’t mean shit cause the unemployment rate is so high for graduates.

but by some miracle, a rep of chatsworth was at one of his football games at school and he was approached with an offer. what jude didn’t know was that his lil piss baby father was the one that arranged it, cause the bitch felt guilty. the dude he swore he’d never get any help from getting into a prestigious college. not a dick move, but also dickish at the same time

don’t get me wrong. jude felt like a fish out of water his entire first year at school. it was only at his mother’s insistence that he accepted.

I HAVE PLANS TO FUCK THIS UP THO. turns out his half siblings also go here. basically their mum was a model & karl had become a CEO eventually. so obviously they got in. he didn’t really talk to them in first year so didn’t know them. but jude doesn’t know they’re his siblings but they’ve recently discovered that they’re his siblings. and they know about their father’s role in getting him in. it’s all very confusing i know. i like convoluted plots like that.

EXTRAS & HEADCANONS

you can find his pinterest here & playlist here (will put in links later cause neither is finished)

my guy is a soft jock himbo with slight fatherly abandonment issues. he doesn’t like to admit how much it affects him. just wants to prove he can do shit without help ya know. 

fluent in both german and english, but speaks with a berlin accent

no common sense

honestly just wants to chill 

bin is always full of energy drinks

he’s on the football team and on the runners

surprisingly good with tech. will fix ur phone if u need it. when u break ur phone like three times a week it comes in handy

he’s a hopeless romantic. will write love poems at 3 am on toilet paper cause he’s misplaced actual paper

has always had an unhealthy obsession with parkour

calls his family up at least once every couple of days

hufflepuff. nuff said.

CONNECTIONS

gonna keep this short and sweet cause i’m a broken human being right now, but i’d love to see like his number one ride or die, best friends, crushes (dude loves people), unrequited CRUSHES cause i’m an evil bitch like that, sport team mates, someone who tutors him, frenemies, enemies (maybe in the form of elitists at the school) tho he tries to keep it to none if ya get me he doesn’t like having enemies what’s the point why not get along, comfort buddies, buddies that just comfort and shed tears together (he makes for a great cuddling pillow), and of course, his half siblings cause i’m a sucker for pain. but, honestly i’m open to anything you throw my way. 

@chatsworthinfo​​  

[ineffably-good]

Have a Little Faith in Me (2/3)

Read Chapter One

If there’s one thing guaranteed to make a demon who’s feeling unworthy feel worse, it’s being reassured by his loved one that the thing he secretly wants isn’t actually on the table to begin with.

Crowley noticed at breakfast that the angel appeared to have something on his mind. He was a little distracted, not as absorbed in the lovely morning rituals he enjoyed of making tea and breakfast. He carried breakfast over to the table and laid out two plates of blueberry pancakes and then all but fiddled with his fork, not appearing even remotely interested in eating.

Crowley looked up from stuffing at least half of the top pancake into his mouth, to find Aziraphale watching him, with an cautious expression in his eyes he couldn’t read.

“Wha?” he mumbled around the huge mouthful of food.

Aziraphale smiled a little at that. “Please,” he said, making a gesture, “feel free to swallow first.”

Crowley mock-smiled at the angel but did manage to chew and swallow the food before he tried again. “Why are you staring at me like that?” he said.

Aziraphale sighed. “I just – I just wanted to tell you. In case you were wondering – “ He paused, clearly trying to choose his words carefully.

“C’mon, angel, out with it. I can’t read your mind.”

“It’s just that – well, I love you, for one.” Aziraphale said, putting a hand over Crowley’s on the breakfast table. “And if you’re at all concerned about it, I’m absolutely fine with what we have. I don’t need anything more than this.”

Crowley knew he should be patient and understanding, but his morning musings about why anyone would love a demon enough to marry had left him feeling raw before Aziraphale even said anything. This – this disavowal certainly didn’t help.

He put his fork down decisively. “What in the blazes are you on about, angel?” he snapped.

Aziraphale looked taken aback at the unexpected level of aggravation he’d encountered. “Why – just, I see how it bothers you when people make assumptions about our relationship, and I wanted to reassure you that –”

“Assumptions?” Crowley said. “Why would I mind people making the assumption that we’re together? It’s you who’s bothered by it.”

Aziraphale sat back, eyes wide. “I most certainly am not!”

“Oh, yes you are,” Crowley said, pointing a finger at him accusingly. “I saw how you reacted last night when that waitress said the m-word in front of us. You pounded down your port and gave her one of those brittle smiles that are all strained around the edges and looked like you’d like to discorporate.”

“I did that because you were completely frozen in shock!” Aziraphale retorted. “Couldn’t even swallow your drink for horror at the thought of us being married!” He heard his voice rising and somehow couldn’t seem to control himself at all. “And then you shouted at her! Made it quite clear how you felt about it!”

Crowley balled his napkin up and threw it onto his plate. “Oh for Go—Oh for Sata—Oh for fuck’s sake, Aziraphale, I wasn’t horrified! I was just afraid you’d take it badly! You’ve pretty much shut down every time it’s come up.” He took a deep breath and tried to rein the shout back down to a speaking tone, but he knew he didn’t quite succeed. What came out instead was more venomous than he intended. “Didn’t want you to decide it was all going too fast for you again!”

Crowley watched in angry, agonized desperation as that unfortunate comment lofted its way across the table and detonated on impact. Aziraphale looked like he had had the air knocked out of him.

“Oh,” he said finally, his voice oddly breathless. “Oh. That.”

Crowley, unable to bear the tension and a rising sense of guilt, got up and paced over to the counter, where he stood with his back to the table and ran his finger over the various bottles in their spice rack, not really seeing any of them.

“Crowley,” Aziraphale said, his voice very small. “That was a long time ago, and I assure you I don’t feel that way any longer about us. I thought it had been rather obvious, actually, that I’m up to your speed, now. We’ve been living together for almost a year!”

Crowley felt a tightness in his chest that defied all rational sense. “I know we are. But I don’t know, do I, what you feel about the rest of it? If this is as much as you ever want us to have, or if you want to move to the country someday or if you want to have a big ridiculous wedding or if you’re still – still thinking it over on some level.”

Aziraphale’s heart ached. He stood and walked over to Crowley and hugged him from behind, laying his head against his shoulder blade. “My dear, I had no idea you were still doubting my commitment to you!” He swallowed the hurt he felt at the concept and tried to continue. “I love you. I adore you. I’m not going anywhere, not ever again. Not without you, that is. How could you doubt that?”

Crowley relaxed and tried to discreetly wipe his eyes. “’m sorry, angel,” he said, “I’m being ridiculous.”

Aziraphale reached up and turned the demon around to face him, reaching up to lay a kiss on his forehead. “You’re being a little more human than demon right now, that’s all,” he said. It was natural to be scared sometimes when you love someone as much as this, he thought. Love makes you so, so much more vulnerable to loss.

“It’s fucking unbearable,” Crowley muttered, as if he’d somehow heard the angel’s thoughts. “how much it would hurt to lose you.”

Aziraphale wrapped his arms around Crowley even tighter, and just held him. “You won’t. I promise you won’t. Just... have a little faith. In me, I mean.”

They stood that way for a few minutes, pressed up against the sink with Crowley’s head cradled on Aziraphale’s shoulder, just feeling the rise and fall of each other’s breathing. Aziraphale ran his fingers through the back of Crowley’s hair and felt the demon’s heart beat slow from a frantic, racing pace to a more comfortable thrum, and bit by bit some of the tension left his shoulders.

“I’d love to get married,” Crowley said, finally, his face buried in Aziraphale’s chest. “I just figured – you know, ‘m a demon and all. Makes sense, really. Can’t exactly be a feather in your cap to marry a demon.”

Aziraphale pushed back, affronted, and maneuvered Crowley until he was looking him right in the eye. “Anthony J. Crowley, don’t you dare say things like that about yourself. You are perfectly -- well, perfect for me. I don’t need a feather in my cap from Above. I need you. And if we ever did get married, I’d be delighted.”

Crowley searched the angel’s eyes and found only sincerity and an intense, mortifying level of love. “Ngk,” he said, his tongue suddenly several sizes too large for his mouth.

Aziraphale’s affronted look fell away and he laid another kiss on the demon’s forehead. “You’re a silly serpent, Crowley.” He kissed him again. “To be honest, the only reason I don’t care about whether we get married is because I essentially already think of you as my husband,” Aziraphale said. “I don’t see how we could possibly be more wedded to each other – do you?”

“Well no,” Crowley said. “You’re right, mostly. But, er, it could be kind of nice, couldn’t it? To make it official and all that. Have a big bloody party.”

Aziraphale smiled delightedly. “And rings?”

“Yes please,” Crowley said. God yes. “I’d love to wear a ring, for you. And for you to wear one! Be super handy for flashing in the face of all the hopeless, romantic twinks that come in the bookstore and make eyes at you, for one thing. The bigger the better. Maybe we could even get one that lights up, to really attract their attention.”

Aziraphale scoffed. “I really don’t think that happens anywhere near as frequently as you think it does, love.”

“It does, actually. You just don’t notice.” Crowley felt a lightness in his chest that he hadn’t experienced for weeks. “All right, then,” he said. “I’m not asking today, like this -- not after an argument. When I ask you, it will be a much nicer experience than this. I promise.”

Aziraphale smiled a little mischeviously. “Or perhaps I’ll ask you,” he said.

Crowley grinned. “Not if I ask you first.”

“Oh, lovely,” Aziraphale said, his smile almost painfully bright. “Just what we need, another competition.”

“Oh, shut up,” Crowley said, leaning in to nip at the angel’s lower lip. “You need a distraction.” He bent down to kiss his neck in a particularly sensitive spot.

“Fine,” Aziraphale sighed dramatically, nearly bubbling over with sudden happiness. “Have your way with me, dear. Do your worst.”

Crowley did his best to comply.

[teddystrap]

[神なる君と] 天津国星縁尊 (Mikoto) + Final thoughts

Finally!!!!!!! I sacrificed one night’s sleep to finish this route, but I did it! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و

I had originally planned to spread it out over a couple of days, but there was a lot of recap of stuff we already know here, so I got kind of impatient and rushed through some of it. So apologies if some of the minor details are off. I got all the important bits I think.

- Amatsu-kunihoshi-en-no-Mikoto -

Is it just me or does his silhouette give off a HAIR METAL / 1970s Alice Cooper vibe???

Mikoto is the former God of Kunihoshi Shrine who gave his position over to Sakuya for some reason. He is kind of a comedic/jokester character, but occasionally reveals a deeper and more serious side, much like Yakumo-nii-san.

His route happens if Sakuya chooses to help him grant his wish instead of investigating the school haunting rumours. Her first task is to time-skip slightly into the future, on hoshimatsuri night, to take a message for future-Mikoto. 

After she arrives she sees her future self running along the river searching for Mikoto and crying. Yorihito stops her from talking to her future self, and tells her that Mikoto is under the tree in the shrine. She finds him and passes along the message, which is to ask him if his wish has been granted.

He replies yes, but he wishes he had done a better job and made ‘her’ understand his actions.

Back in the present, she asks Mikoto what that’s all about but he doesn’t want to tell her. The rest of the route is basically her process of figuring out his secrets.

The side arcs in the other routes are briefly recapped here, except each one now reveals something important about Mikoto’s worldview. Following the order that they appear in:

*

I. Yorihito/Nisei

This time Mikoto tells them straightaway that Nisei has travelled here from the past through a time warp, and has to return. Sakuya accepts his views, and he tells her that every beautiful meeting has to eventually end in parting, and that the memories not only tie us to the future, but they also drive us forward... It’s kind of like his ‘going away speech’ in a way, but Sakuya doesn’t know that at this point.

II. The Sanshin incident

‘YOU no DOGEZA = VERY BEAUTIFUL datta-ze!’ #yuri

The Sanshin tell Sakuya that they sympathise with Mikoto, because he has been on the receiving end of much hate and anger from people whose wishes he wasn’t able to grant. 

Later Sakuya asks him if he hates people, and he turns the question back to her. She replies that people come in many different personalities, and he agrees. He thinks that it’s his misdeed that he wasn’t able to save everyone. But Sakuya feels that he has done nothing wrong - to which he thanks her and says that her kindness has saved him time and again.

III. Aki/Kunugi arc

‘You...! Be my grrrl.’ #kunugi

This ends in pretty much the same way as in Yakumo’s route. Aki tells Sakuya that things worked out for the best, because love between a human and a supernatural being is bound to end in tragedy. Sakuya realises that there are other alternative endings besides ‘happily ever after’. She ofc thinks of Mikoto,... and so she goes and asks him if he has ever been in love. He tells her that gods have to love everyone and everything equally (including Yorihito and miscroscopic bacteria lol).

Then he tells her that she is very important to him, and that he prays for her happiness.

IV. Fuu-san

After hearing rumours about evil spirit moaning in the old school building, Sakuya wonders if Rei is having stomachaches XD.

Anyway, here Fuu-san again confides in Sakuya about his friend Yuuya, and she wonders if there’s a way to ease his pain. Mikoto says it’s possible to erase his memories, but Fuu-san would refuse to do so. He believes that there are some painful histories that one just has to live with - and surprisingly Sakuya accepts his view. I feel like she is accepting too much in this route XD.

*

.: Going back to Mikoto’s backstory, we already know about the 1000-year-old love story between the miko and the Great Demon from the other routes, but we missed a few key points which are revealed here:

1. The sesshouseki itself is not the Demon’s remains. It’s a fragment of a star that was used to absorb the Demon’s curse/evil energy. And Mikoto is the living embodiment of this stone. 

2. The Demon’s remains are actually buried under the *magical tree* in the yard of the shrine. And his spirit communicates to Sakuya and others through this tree.

3. The 1000-year promise: Before the Demon’s death, Mikoto promised to watch over his remains to prevent the curse from escaping. This would only work for 1000 years, so after that time, Mikoto promised to absorb all the curse energy himself and disappear from the face of the earth.

What actually happened is that 10 years ago on hoshimatsuri night, when Mikoto was supposed fulfil his promise and disappear, he hesitated and started crying under the tree, because he was afraid of death. Child Sakuya came over to comfort him, and ended up in the energy transfer danger zone.

So, to save her from dying from the curse, Mikoto decided to make her a Goddess 10 years later to build ‘immunity’, and then on hoshimatsuri night transfer all her curse energy back onto himself and disappear as promised. At first he didn’t want to tell her all this, but she’s super しつこい so eventually he told her everything.

Sakuya found herself falling for Mikoto and didn’t want him to disappear, so she asked Yorihito how to prevent his plan from working using her Goddess powers. On hoshimatsuri night, she successfully stops Mikoto from fulfilling his promise, and seals it with a kiss.

Because the curse energy remained in her body, she grew weaker and weaker and died three months later. THE END.

...

Lol j/k.

Good end: Mikoto can’t get over Sakuya’s death, so 1 year later on hoshimatsuri, he decides to use the same time-travel method (and the power of Sakuya’s amulet) to go back in time and stop her from thwarting his epic disappearance plan. Everyone supports him - except Yakumo, who thinks that Mikoto shouldn’t force his own plan against her will. He wants Mikoto to do what makes them both happy, even if it means defying Fate.

Sooo, Mikoto goes back in time... to 11 years ago, before hoshimatsuri night. He finds child Sakuya on the shrine grounds, and gives her an amulet and sends her away, telling her NOT TO COME HERE TONIGHT. 

...With that taken care of, nighttime comes and he proceeds to fulfil his promise. But to his surprise, Sakuya shows up again - to give him back his amulet and tell him to stop being an #emosadface. He is all like #headpalm #Orz #omgthismustbeFATE.

In that moment he decides that, instead of letting the curse transfer take place this time, he will try to fight it so that no-one has to die. Basically the same thing that Yuzuru did for Yakumo in all his routes = Zzzzzzz (fight the curse while sleeping). At the last moment, he tells Sakuya that he’s going away for a while, but promises to meet again someday.

...

Loop back to the beginning of the game, except in this new alternative future, 17-year-old Sakuya has a more enlightened view on religion and shittier luck in omikuji. In the shrine, she meets Mikoto once again - and this time she remembers him from her childhood meeting, and he is willing to tell her the whole Kami Naru Kimi to story, with no secrets.

*

[Thoughts] Let me first take a moment to marvel at the coherence of the whole story...... 

...Ok. Moving on.

Mikoto’s route wasn’t as much a tearjerker as I thought it would be. Or maybe I was just too tired/brain-dead to cry at 3am _(:3」∠)_. It also doesn’t feel much like a romance love story. I mean Mikoto was preparing for his *ultimate demise* and in no mood for a relationship for the most part lol. So a lot of Sakuya’s actions/thoughts felt very one-sided.  

It was nice that the recaps of the four side story-arcs were kept short (I guess for the benefit of those who didn’t see all of them? not sure if possible to get to the hidden route without unlocking all four events, but anyway).

Piecing together the info from the other routes, I had some guesses as to what the ‘full picture’ was... but this route totally took it in a different direction than what I was expecting. I kind of figured from Sakuya’s surname (「神」 and 「木」) that she’s the descendant/reincarnate of the spirit who lives in the tree, who must be Mikoto’s old lover from 1000 years ago. Lolol was I wrong about that XDDD - although I think my version would’ve made a more romantic story. ^_~

Overall, I like how the route challenged/changed Mikoto’s views about the impenetrability of Fate. You come away with the feeling of understanding a lot more: why gods exist, the true purpose of prayer, why individual wishes are/aren’t fulfilled, the role of free will, etc.

‘I have come to show you the Truth... with my really nice hair’ ;)

(It does make me sad that in the good ending version of events, some of the characters probably never got a chance to meet - e.g. Narumi & Mikoto, Yuzuru/Rei and everyone else.)

As I feared, there was no clear explanation for Rei’s existence. In the ending it’s revealed that he is/was a 生霊 (a soul that got separated from a living body), and that after Narumi failed to send him off to the other world during hoshimatsuri, he ended up in hospital and was able to recover his body (and some temporary memory loss) with Aki’s help.

...Which STILL doesn’t explain who he is, and how he landed in this condition, AND in his own ending why he disappeared for 10 years and came back as a living human... Unless I missed something in my haste, but I doubt it. Otomate was probably counting on the fact that nobody would fall in love with Rei so nobody cares. But I want some answers damnit!!

Also, Yorihito makes a brief appearance here in his human form. #wtf O_o

...This is probably where Yakumo’s catchphrase ‘細かいことは気にしなくていい’ comes in handy. スルーしようと思います...

IN SUMMARY, ranking of routes from favourite to ...less favourite (there were no bad routes, I honestly enjoyed all of them and I thought all the characters were awesome in their own way ¯\_(ツ)_/¯):

Yuzuru > Yakumo > Mikoto >/≃ Narumi ≃ Rei

Ranking of side arcs from fav to less fav.:

Fuu-san > Aki/Kunugi > Sanshin > Yorihito/Nisei

ハイ終わり― +(人*´∀`)+゜:。*゜+

*

[N.B.] I actually started KamiKimi as a break from Diabolik Lovers More Blood - I’m about 3/4 of the way through Mukami Ruki’s route, and can confirm that this guy has no redeeming features whatsoever. It’s doubtful whether I’ll be able to sit through the rest of his story to get to his (hopefully sweet) ending. At least KamiKimi was a nice world where Sakurai Takahiro’s character is actually ahem *NOT AN ASSHOLE*.

(Low bar, I know, but DLMB challenges my view of common decency every time I open it...)

(Also Mikoto cried/had many emotional outbursts towards the end of the route, which is a side of Sakurai-sensei that I have never heard before. Not sure how I feel tbh. Like Sakuya in the game, I actually prefer his funny/lighthearted persona more.)

Also I’ll probably be busy with exams + school stuff for most of this month, so it would be a good idea to go for more fun/relaxing games that are not so heavy and tragic. 

One recent discovery is an old game by Broccoli called 「恋戦隊 LOVE& PEACE the P.S.P」 , which is based on the Power Rangers concept (all my childhood dreams are coming true...! *≧ω≦*) ... I previewed a chapter or so and it seems absolutely hilarious, although it’s not fully voiced so the reading part will be a P in the A but HIT ME UP YO.

And ofc, there will always be drama CDs to save the day...

[starspatter]

I think you should do ALL THE ASKS :D

WELL ALL RIGHT THENA - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.1) DCAU TimSteph2) ItsuHaru3) Logan x Diana Prince4) Itsuki Koizumi x Kyouya OotoriB - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.*looks at WonderWolf and SuperBats*C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will.BatCat.  Even back when I wasn’t a fan of Batman I remember I read one DCAU comic involving Catwoman, and her character just didn’t appeal to me.D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t.Any Kagepro ships tbh.  Idk I’m just not really invested in the romance of the series.  I prefer them all as friends/platonic.E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?Ahaha…  I’ve contributed a fair bit of Kagecrack through vids/posts, though I think my favorite are these BTAS crossover edits.Also Kyorange and Skitzo!Kyon for TMoHS.  (Plus the “genderbent cast is the previous generation” theory if that counts?)F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?Well I’ve been a Pokémon fan since elementary school.  While I no longer watch the show/play the games, I still follow the new generations and RP on occasion.G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it?Eeyup.  While I don’t ship too often, when I do I ship HARD.  ItsuHaru was my first real “obsessive” OTP, but I think the honor for the *very* first ship I had goes to… Cody x Ken from Digimon S2, in a sense. *shot* ^^; Idk I was just really focused on the idea of them making up and becoming “friends”. XP Though I also shipped Ken with Kari too bc of the Dark Ocean stuff.  (Also Gary Oak x Molly Hale from Pokémon but that’s a whole other story. >.>; )H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)?I’m still mostly a weeb so animu is my go-to, but I’ve been branching out to more Western stuff lately.  (Although when it comes to Kagepro the songs are still the best medium. =3=)I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why?Steven Universe.  While I still love the show, hearing about all the toxicity in the fandom really turned me off so I just try to avoid it.J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. (You don’t have to care about it or follow it; it just has to be something that Tumblr made you aware of.)Again, Steven Universe.  Also Over the Garden Wall and Bojack Horseman (the former of which I still really recommend you see).K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?I’m also gonna say Sunset Shimmer from Equestria Girls.  She went from being a seemingly one-off villain to a fully redeemed good guy and leader in her own right.  Though she still has her insecurities, it lets her relate to and help others in the same situation to not let those feelings of inadequacy or jealousy overcome them.Also Midna from Twilight Princess.  Her change of heart from servicing her own needs to selfless sacrifice after observing how hard Link tried to save others mirrors my own feelings when I met Link in OoT/MM and watched him grow into a true hero, working to help both the people of Hyrule and Termina even when he had no obligation or was openly blamed for Ganon’s rise to power.L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.)So I’m not a big fan of Dick Grayson in the DCAU (or any of his animated adaptations aside from Lego Batman; his YJ version being especially egregious) since I see him as rather childish and bad at dealing with conflict, but he’s admittedly a lot better in the tie-in comics, which give him some much needed development as Nightwing (whereas he barely got any screentime in TNBA).  There he acts as a genuine big brother to Tim, and is shown to not be as nearly as bitter at Bruce as the Old Wounds ep would have one believe.  I also like that they highlight Dick’s fondness for music, wherein his musical knowledge actually comes in handy to solve a couple cases.M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend.All of the Mekakushi Dan, SOS Brigade, or Host Club tbhN - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).1) More Kagepro content in general2) More DCAU TimSteph 3) More ItsuHaru

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?Growing Up - Run River NorthDefinitely a Timmy Todd/TimSteph song now that I think about it.  Especially the lines “I found my way without your help, with a broken family” and “monsters in my head”. ;(P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas).…Tbh I’m really liking the “Legion x Ouran” idea lately. XD *shot*Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why.Hm…  I don’t think there are any I’ve really “abandoned”, per se.  Most of them are still there, just not at the forefront anymore.R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?All the relationships in Kagepro *shot*S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)Molly Hale from the third movie is the god of the Pokémon world.  Just… don’t ask lol.T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending?Already answered, but I’ll add a few of my favorites for DCAU TimSteph:1) Tim cuts his own hair after RotJ (or rather just lets it grow long) since he doesn’t trust anyone else with sharp objects around him.  Steph is the first person he allows to trim his hair for him (even though she has no experience with it either), since I imagine him feeling comfortable enough around her that he even falls asleep like Sousuke does with Chidori in Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid.  (For context, he was raised as a soldier from an early age and this is what happened when they tried to take him to a salon.  Played for laughs, but probably an accurate portrayal of people suffering from anxiety/PTSD having to deal with mundane tasks that trigger them.)

2) Similarly, Steph plays piano to help calm Tim down whenever he’s having a panic attack.3) After RotJ Tim refuses to wear red for a long time until Steph knits him a red scarf and tells him it “suits him” bc red is the color of heroes.

As an aside, I also recently like the idea that Logan was at Lex’s party in the DCEU and saw Bruce and Diana together, based on this playlist that I made.  U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.Gonna talk about a few I don’t mention too often nowadays.

1) Link from The Legend of ZeldaLink will forever be my greatest true love.  He’s the first real “hero” I believed in, and he honestly changed my life at one point to actually want to be a better person.  While that faith has faded and I don’t think I can ever reach his example, I still wish I had that kind of courage and kindness - or at least be able to inspire others in the same way he did me.2) Meroko Yui from Full Moon wo SagashiteIf Link was the first (and only) person I ever truly fell in love with, Meroko was the one who taught me what “true love” was in the first place.  I won’t say too much since I still sincerely hope you will check out the series someday, but suffice to say there’s a scene towards the end where she makes a choice that shows how much she has personally grown, and come to understand what it really means to “love” someone wholeheartedly.

3) Gary Oak from PokémonThis is a bit of an odd one, but Gary is a character I related to a lot when I was an adolescent since, of the main series cast, he was the first and one of few to really change his “status quo” by quitting training and deciding to become a researcher instead.  In my eyes it seemed like a shockingly conscious choice to “grow up” in a world where you can ostensibly remain a “child” forever, and I both admired and deplored him for it (especially at that tender transitory age I was going through at the time, where it feels like you’re being forced to “become an adult” whether you want to or not).

V - Which character do you relate to most?Already answered.W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom.Romance in general is really not my thing, so I dislike when it’s the focus/the writers feel the need to pair every character.  I’d rather leave things open-ended most of the time.X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom.Family/friendship stories + tragic adopted children wanting to be heroesY - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?X-Men, Kingdom Hearts, Dangan Ronpa, Fate/Stay Night, Various Magical Girl series, Various RPG Horror games

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! (Prompts optional but encouraged.)I feel like I’ve rambled enough already phew. OTL Thanks for asking though. =P

[recentanimenews]

Altina the Sword Princess, Vol. 6

By Yukiya Murasaki and himesuz. Released in Japan as “Haken no Kouki Altina” by Famitsu Bunko. Released in North America digitally by J-Novel Club. Translated by Roy Nukia.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of these books are devoted to scenes of battle, with clever tactics and lots of cool action. It’s well-written, but it does leave very little for me to talk about. I am reminded of reviewing those titles like K-On! or Sunshine Sketch, which rely on cute girls doing cute things. Here we have soldiers doing soldier things. Or, in the case of this particular book, sailors doing sailor things. The enemy is simply better at everything right now, and so Regis is sent to try to stop their supply line. This involves trying to outwit their naval force, something Regis is once again able to do with the help of some books he read once. That gimmick, I fear, will only take him so far. That said, there are more important things going on here that will affect future books: first, Regis won the battle but lost the war, and second, battle commander Latrielle has a war injury that is far more serious than anyone thinks.

The scene with Latrielle and his aide meeting up with Altina and Regis is a very interesting one. Regis notices Latrielle is acting oddly, and is puzzled, but doesn’t really get to the bottom of what’s wrong, and neither does the reader until it’s revealed to us afterward. In the meantime, Regis finally gets listened to by actual powerful people. He also gets a promotion that comes with a title, meaning he can add ‘du’ to his name – not that he plans on doing this. His attempts at remaining a quiet little adviser who reads books seem to be growing less likely every day. Altina also sticks by his side throughout the book, which is handy as he gets to explain everything to her muscle brains. (Her loathing of reading is palpable here.) We also meet a version of what the two of them would be if they were commoners, as Regis hires a boat run by the perky Narissa and her aggrieved childhood friend Phip. Altina is nice enough to forgive Narissa being rude to a princess, but is also immature enough to be jealous of her and Regis getting close.

As for the naval battle itself, we don’t see much of it from the other side except from the perspective of one ship captain, Morins, who would prefer to spend most of his time in bed with his adjutant, Laurelin. He’s clearly meant to be an antagonist who will crop up again someday, so it’s rather annoying that he’s such a sexist asshole. On the bright side, that means I’m quite pleased to see how he gets routed by Regis, who comes up with such clever strategies as “ram the ship with a rowboat full of explosives”. His seasickness means we’re unlikely to see him putting his brain to use for the Navy all that often, but it’s still impressive. Now if only he could take some pride in his achievements. Or even notice that both Altina and Clarisse are clearly in love with him.

The rather imperfect victory at the end of this volume means, I suspect, that the next book in the series will be a bit more serious. Till then, though, this is another fun example of a military potboiler, with a likeable lead couple (even if they aren’t one yet).

By: Sean Gaffney

[letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked]

Into the Water Part 1.5

Tony Stark X Reader

A/N: Sorry this took forever, I am in the middle of finals week! I got a request for this, and I thought it was a really good idea, so here it is! I am so happy with how many people enjoyed Part 1 and part 2! You guys are awesome! (P.s: I have a few more fics that are almost done!)

y/l/n = your last name, y/s/c = your skin color, etc.

Summary: Tony rushes to save Y/N as her car fills with water.

Part 1 / Part 2

Masterlist

God, why did I do that?

Why did he have to be such a prick, sometimes?

Tony walked into the kitchen, sulking. He knew that being a prick to Y/n was going to bit him in the ass, once the team found out she had left. They always knew that it was his fault when they fought.

“What’s your problem?” Nat asked, grabbing a milk out of the fridge, “Where is Y/n?”

“She left.” He sighed, sitting at the kitchen table and putting his head down, “We fought and I fucked up.”

“What did you do?” She sat next to him with her glass of milk, resting her hand on his shoulder.

He told her about the fight. He told her about how she was just worried about him, and how he freaked out. He told her about how Barnes got brought up and how she insinuated that he was straying from their relationship. “She has every right to feel that way. It looks really bad, but I would never cheat on her. I love her more than I have ever loved anyone, before.”

“Did she say anything when she left?” Nat asked, leaning back in her chair. “She is probably just going to her Mom’s house.”

He nodded, “She said that she was going to her Mom’s and that she would call me in a couple of days, when I was cooled off.” He felt so guilty. He had never meant to kick her out, he was just upset and didn’t know how to deal with his emotions. You never know how to deal with your emotions, you idiot.

“Why don’t we all have dinner?” Nat suggested, “Take your mind off things.”

“Mister Stark, there is an emergency.” FRIDAY’s voice came through the speakers in the kitchen, “Patching Miss Y/l/n through to your phone, and sending location.”

“Emergency? What?” He picked his cellphone out of his pocket, remembering that he had flipped it on silent when he was working in the lab. He put the phone to his ear, but something loud was coming through the speaker, “Y/n? Why is FRIDAY sending me your location and-”

“TONY!” Y/n sobbed into the phone. His heart picked up at the sound of panic in her voice. “I crashed the car! It’s filling up with water! I can’t get out! Please! Help me!” He abruptly stood, eyes wide as the chair behind him fell to the ground. “I don’t want to drown!” That was the loud rushing. Water.

“Y/n!” He motioned to Nat, yelling at her to get everyone in a Jet and go to her location. Then, he yelled at FRIDAY to get his suit ready as he broke into a dead sprint towards the lab, “We are coming to get you, you are not going to drown!” Oh, God. Oh, God. What is happening? This is all my fault. She wouldn’t be driving if I hadn’t kicked her out.

“I love you!” She sobbed in the phone, voice shaking in fear. “Tell my mom and the team that I love them! Oh, god, I’m all my mom has left! I don’t want to drown!”

“Y/N, baby, you aren’t going to drown.” He made it to the lab, getting his suit on and blasting through the windows to get outside. “We’re on our way, okay? Just hold on.” She will not drown. I will get to her. She will not drown. He kept repeating it in his head, trying really hard to believe his own words as he followed the GPS to her location. “How deep is the water? Can you keep trying your seatbelt?” Oh, God. I am still so far away. He willed his suit to go faster. His heart was painfully beating – what felt like – a million beats per minute.

“It’s almost to my shoulders, Tony!” He let out a shaky sob, hoping that she could not hear the fear that was consuming him as he kept trying to go faster. He was still too far out.

“I’m going to drown.” The dead calm in her voice sent a wave of nausea through his body. She was starting to accept her death. She wasn’t stupid. She knew he was still so far away.

“Y/N, baby, please stop talking like that.” He begged, tears streaming down his face as he watched the little map get closer and closer to her location. But still so far away. “We’re coming, okay? J-just please, baby, stop talking like that.” She can’t give up hope. She can’t drown. She was all he’s ever wanted in life, and life was about to take her away.

“I’m sorry for what I said,” Her voice was shaking, and she sounded like her teeth were chattering. She was going to die from the cold if he didn’t get to her in time. “I didn’t mean it. I w-was just u-upset.”

He was, also, just upset. There were so many things he needed to say to her. He needed to save her so he could tell her how sorry he was, and give her-

“My windshield is cracking, baby.”

Dread washed through him. If the windshield cracked, he would never make it in time. He was still too far away. “I… I’m almost there.” He choked out, trying to will the sobs that were building in his chest back down. “I’m sorry, too.” That was never going to be enough. He needed to say more. Just hold on, Baby. Hold your breath as long as you can. I’m coming. I will save you.

“I love you.” She whispered into the phone. Crack! The sounds of rushing water filled his helmet…

…Then everything went dead silent.

The line disconnected.

“No. No. NO!” He sobbed. “I love you, too!” His breathing was near hyperventilation, at this point, and he was blinded by tears. “FRIDAY, can’t this fucking suit go any faster?”

“Sir, we are going as fast as the suit will allow.” FIRDAY’s voice didn’t bring him any comfort. “You are just a few minutes to Miss Y/l/n’s location.”

“Fuck!” He roared, wishing that he had something to hit. “FRIDAY, patch through to all emergency services and get them to her fucking location.”

“Yes, Sir.”

It took 5 minutes and 14 seconds for him to reach her location.

Still in his suit, he dove into the water and found her car pretty quickly. When he tore off her door, he saw her. Her usually y/s/c skin was pale blue, her hair was floating around her like a y/h/c halo, and her y/e/c eyes were open and unseeing.

“Y/n!” He shouted, as he ripped off her seatbelt and pulled her from the car. “No, Baby, no!”

He blasted out of the water, setting her down gently and ripping the suit off his body. He needed to start CPR.

One, two, three, four… He was lucky that every Avenger was forced to do CPR training when they all started. Y/n had always told him that it could come in handy, someday. He just never thought that he would have to do CPR on the love of his life. Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty… He did the two breaths, and continued again, and again…

“Tony!” Rhodey’s voice came from right next to him.

Tony was vaguely aware of the deafening sounds of sirens, and the sight of emergency lights flashing. He felt big arms pull him away as the paramedics rushed to her, and he fought. “No! She needs to come back! She can’t be gone! Stop!” He tried to pull away from the arms – Steve’s arms – and rush back to her as they loaded her up into the ambulance, “I need to- I need to-”

He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t catch his breath. He was hyperventilating.

“Tony,” Nat’s tear-streaked face came into view, and she put her hands on each side of his face when the arms let him go, “Listen to me: you need to breathe, okay? They’re still working on her. Breathe. You, me, and Rhodey will follow behind the ambulance with the sheriff, okay?” She pulled him into a hug as his knees gave out from under him. “Come on, Tony. Let’s go.” She murmured into his ear as she and Rhodey pulled him up and led him to the car.

He couldn’t hear. He couldn’t feel. He couldn’t think.

All he could do was see.

He saw the shadows of the people in the ambulance, working over Y/n. He saw Nat, talking on the phone with tears streaking down her face. He saw Rhodey, his usual composure cracked. He saw them pull into the ambulance bay of the hospital, people rushing to meet them at the doors. He saw the white lights of the hospital, momentarily blinding his wet eyes.

Worst of all…

…He saw them call her Time of Death.

It was the same moment – the moment they called her Time of Death – his heart shattered into unfixable pieces. That the colors of the world drained from his eyes.

The moment that the love of his life was gone.

TAGS (I’m going to tag everyone I tagged in Part 2, as well! XOXO)

@luckynumber1213 @cinema212 @buckyfvckmebarnes @kasiarella @iamnothereimnotlistening @cleverwatson125 @the-witching-hours12-3

[freackthejester]

What Freack is reading:

I have not done one of these in a while, and I also have 20 books out of the library. This is too many books to fully read all of them but the fact that this costs me no monies is the beauty of libraries. 

So here is a list of all the books I have out, organized by height, starting with the shortest.

- Robotics: A Very Short Introduction Alan Winfeild, short little book about robotics that I am reading to get some ideas for an AI character I dream of writing someday. It is from the Oxford series of Very Short Introduction books, which a pretty handy. I have read two others already, and the tiny overview is exactly what I need. [~30% complete]

- SPOCK MUST DIE! James Blish, an original series Star Trek novel. So far it is that episode where there become two Kirks in the transporter accident, but with Spock instead and I like it. [~8% complete]

- INTERCOURSE Andrea Dworkin, I need to read this, but it is pretty heavy and I have not been feeling it yet. [not even done with the foreward yet, and she already got me all riled up]

- Wobblies & Zapistas: Conversation on Anarchism, Marxism, and Radical History: Lynd & Grubacic, What the title sounds like. A lot more actual person on the street information that I generally get out of books on these topics, which is what I want. [~12% complete]

- Toward the Future Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Suggested in a book I read on Utopianism. Not started yet. It has a pocket in the front for the pre-digital organizing system, and smells really nice. [0%]

- NO LOGO Naomi Klein, A boyfriend of a friend of mine said that this book changed his life and he has a very marked up copy. It is about the history and power of branding. Sometimes it is tough to get through stuff where the author is not assuming that I am already coming from a super anti-capitalist position, but it has a lot of good solid information. [~5% complete]

- Earthsea: A Wizard of Earthsea Ursula Le Guin, This was suggested by a Youtube guy I like, because he said the tv series was singularly awful. Not started yet. 

- Boxers Gen Luen Yang, Author of American Born Chinese which I loved. This is a graphic novel about the Boxer Rebellion, and part of a set of two. I know nothing about Chinese history or culture or, like, anything. I am hoping that this will be a good step in to learning more. Of course, it would help if I could actually, like, finish a book in this lifetime. [~25% complete]

- Neuromancer William Gibson, A classic, basically started the cyberpunk genre. Not even started yet. 

- Depression Folk: Grassroots Music and Left-Wing Politics in 1930s America Ronald D. Cohen, nice descriptive title, I think it gets the point across. I am so behind, I mostly plan on skimming through for music recommendations since I have no renewals left of it. [~9% complete]

- This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All Marilyn John, One of the few I have actually gotten a lot through, and I think that is because it is just so good. I look to the idea of libraries as organized information hubs and a way to share resources throughout a community as a potential way to set things up in a non-capitalist way, so this appeals to me a lot. Very personably written. [~46% complete]

- Esperanto: Learning and Using the International Language David Richardson 

- English Esperanto English Dictionary John C. Wells, I am combining these two. I am so behind on my Esperanto studies, and the books are actually due soon, even though you can renew things seven times if no other patrons request it. I am getting the hang of the language and the grammar, and the vocabulary is fairly easy to pick up. I just need to get my ass in gear and make some flash cards and really practice, and you can guess how hard that is going.

- Dialect Diversity in America: The Politics of Language Change William Labov, I really really love this subject. He starts right out with the argument that language is actually diversifying more in the US rather than homogenizing, and has whole chapters on AAVE and I am so upset that I have not gotten further in this yet. [~10% complete]

- Myxomycetes: A Handbook of Slime Molds Steven Stephenson & Henry Stempen, I read a book recently about fungi that was super interesting, if a little technical for me to understand all of, and the author had one on slime molds as well. It really piqued my interest in trying fungus-cultivating techniques again, and I got this book when I planned on re-building my slime mold cultures. I am waiting to get the spare room space set up before really diving into this though, so it sits unstarted. 

- The Fifth Sacred Thing Starhawk, I saw this author yesterday! I asked her a question after her speech and everything! So far the book is interesting, built around the idea that there is a tiny refuge culture of ecotopian spiritual ultra feminist super diverse nature loving hippe witchy good times in the mid 21st century, after a world wide collapse, surrounded by a teeming awfulness that is modern society but moreso. I am barely started, but do plan on finishing it. I have a tough time with spirituality, but the world building is good and hopeful, and I should get over myself a bit. Long though, going to take some time, especially considering that (since the author visited and all her books are on hold by half the town it seems) I have no renewals at this time. But I can just put it back on hold once I return it, and finish it later, which is probably how I was going to end up reading it anyway, so that is fine. [~13% complete]

- Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis J. D. Vance Suggested to me after I pointed out to someone that it was not that working class white people were dumb so much as it behooves those in power to keep them uneducated. When I put this on hold there were about 30 people in front of me, so I am hopeful that it is good. [Not through the introduction yet, but I did just check it out last night]

- Evolution’s Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People; WHy Darwin Was Wrong About Sexual Selection Joan Roughgargen, Suggested by @e-cryptid (well, she posted an excerpt and I liked it). A lot of my reading recently has been about animal intelligence and diversity. I like the idea of a book about biology that will treat my existence as a benefit to the species and not just something that is not quite bad enough to be wiped out. [~4% complete]

- Bicycle: The History David V. Herlihy, I got a bike for Easter, and want to be able to fix it up myself. I tried looking at some books on maintenance and repair, but a lot of even the beginner guides were going over my head. So I am taking a different track and learning about the history and the invention of all the individual parts and the discoveries of the scientific principals behind what makes the cranks go. For my brain, this is the best way in to learning about the whole modern machine, and so far this is a really good book to start with. It contains a lot of pictures, particularly of all magazine ads and cartoon relating to early bicycle-like things, and the machine has a truly fascinating history. If you like cars, or technology, or the French, or learning about how capitalism can ruin everything even back in the 1890s, learn about bikes. [~45% complete]

And finally, the tallest book I have checked out currently:

- The Curious World of Carnivorous Plants: A comprehensive Guide to THeir Biology and Cultivation Barthlott&Perembski&Seine&Theisen, What I have learned so far from this book is that I probably should not be trying to cultivate any carnivorous plants any time soon, because they take more experience than I currently have. This book is a very useful overview (one of the only ones according to its own introduction), but probably better reading for people who like reading dense sciency stuff or already know a bit on the subject. Great pictures. [~27% complete]

Considering that I spent the time writing this all out instead of reading anything should give you an idea as to how likely I am to ever finish all of these. But You do not have to finish everything. I have put in the effort recently to forgive myself for just skimming sometimes. Especially with non-fiction stuff. If a particular chapter or specific subject is not what I am into, I skip it. Why not! Life is short and I am honest with myself about the fact that I aim to have a passing knowledge of most things, and some people like to master a few things and it will take all types to make the world go round. 

[seanmalatesta]

10 Rules to Read More Books This Year

One New Year’s resolution I frequently hear from people is that they want to read more books. Makes sense if you consider reading a key component of personal growth and development.

Ray Edwards recently wrote about his reading goals here at MH&Co. He planned to read fifty-two books in a year. Instead, he read seventy-six! Edwards said he invests in reading because it helps him learn new ideas, upgrade his thinking, and improve his leadership. But seventy-six books! Who’s got time for that?

My fifty-book challenge

I read a lot and have done so since my teens. But even fifty-two books in a year would have seemed like a stretch to me—until a decade ago. I was an editor at a publishing house and on the phone with one of my authors. I mentioned being on a fiction bender and offhandedly gave the number of novels I’d read during my spree. He was encouraging but unimpressed. Fifty books a year was the norm for him. At my then-current pace, the best I could hope for was a sum in the low thirties.

The next year I started keeping record of every book I finished. As a writer and editor, I’m in and out of far more books than I actually read cover to cover. I wanted to know how many I had actually completed. After twelve months, I finished thirty-five.

How on earth did my author friend hit fifty? It seemed impossible given my job, family, and social obligations, not to mention other claims on my time. But I kept at it, and the number rose the next year. And the next. And the next. Nowadays I typically read fifty books a year on top of the countless books I browse, scan, or quit.

And here’s how I do it.

10 rules to read more books

Whatever your reading goal, these ten rules might help you finish more books this year than last.

“ If you’re looking to read more books this year than last, one of the easiest methods is simply logging what you read.

—JOEL J. MILLER

1. Keep track. If you’re looking to read more, one of the easiest methods is simply logging what you read. When my list of completed titles is short, I want to read more. When it’s long, I get a surge of pride and excitement and want make it longer. I also get a charge when I survey what I’ve learned or felt in my reading over the past several months. More, please.

2. Switch formats. I love physical books. I also love audiobooks. I tolerate ebooks. But I’m happy to switch between all three formats to finish a book, especially paper and audio. I’ll listen while I drive and then find my place in my copy on my nightstand later that evening. For books I regularly reread, such as Montaigne’s Essays, I keep all three formats handy so I can read whenever, wherever the mood strikes.

3. Cut back on TV. There’s so much great TV being produced these days. But there are only 8,765.82 hours in a year. Deduct for sleep, work, family, dining, and driving and than ask: Do I really want to binge watch that new series? No judgment if the answer’s yes, but opportunity costs are real. I can’t read and view at the same time.

4. Kill your social media apps. I have a Kindle but never use it. My iPhone 7 Plus is my preferred digital reader. It’s also my audiobook player. I regularly use the Kindle, Audible, and Scribd apps. To safeguard my screen time for reading when opportunities arise, I have deleted social media apps from my phone. Social media (and news) apps present the same basic problem as TV. I backslide from time to time but quickly remember the opportunity cost.

5. Take books everywhere. I always have a book with me: sometimes one or more physical books and several dozen audio and digital a few taps away on my phone. If I’m waiting, I’m reading. If I’m walking, I’m reading. Every week there are minutes that come to hours of unclaimed time at the margins. I can use it to stare at my shoes, thumb through abandoned magazines, or read three more pages in my book.

6. Follow your whims. In his book The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction, Alan Jacobs expresses his “commitment to one dominate, overarching, nearly definitive principle for reading: Read at Whim.” This has served me well. I let my tastes, curiosity, and passions steer my eyes. That way I read more of what I love—with the bonus that I also love more of what I read.

7. Vary your genres. Part of following my whims is reading across several genres. Even during times I narrow my focus, I try to let random titles land on my list. If I’m digesting a lot of history, a zany novel might be called for. If I’ve spent months cornering one subject, I try to find something utterly different to break it up.

8. Read several books at once. I don’t mean simultaneously. That’s impossible (though I do hope they figure it out someday). I mean I have several books going at any given time: two or three history books at various stages, a bio, a business book or two, something spiritual, and usually a novel. With that much variety, I’m always in the mood to read at least one in the stack.

9. Seek suggestions. Where social media does come in handy for me is reading suggestions. I’m great at finding new books, but I love hearing what my friends, industry colleagues, mentors, and others are reading. There are hundreds of thousands of books published every year. There’s simply no way for an individual to know all the best books on any particular topic. One of the things I love most about our LeaderBox program is the surprise subscribers express when they see the new books each month—sometimes titles they’d never discover on their own.

10. Quit at any time. Over the years I’ve heard several people say they stopped reading for a while because they just couldn’t finish a particular book. It was boring, bad, whatever. That’s like saying you stopped eating because you don’t like meatloaf. Drop it in the trash and try tacos. Or salmon. Or curry. Or something! There are a million books available, at least some of which are better than whatever you can’t finish.

I’ll quit any book at any time. Life’s too short to soldier through a book I have no interest in reading. And I’m certainly not going to let one ill-fitting book stop me from reading a dozen more-likable volumes.

“ I’ll quit any book at any time. Life’s too short to soldier through a book I have no interest in reading.

—JOEL J. MILLER

You can read more than you think

So how many books are you planning on reading this year? My guess is you’re capable of more than you think. Consider that the average book is about 65,000 words long, and a typical reader can cover about 300 words a minute.

At that rate, you could finish in just over three and half hours. If you read thirty minutes each day, that’s one book every week, give or take. Fifty or so a year. Reclaim a few extra minutes here and there throughout the day, and it’s easy to see how Edwards found his way to completing seventy-six books in a year. Whatever the right number for you, there’s more than enough time this year to reach it.

from Michael Hyatt, Your Virtual Mentor http://ift.tt/2CrqVAV via IFTTT

[fiftyshadesofkarishma]

Bottle of J, coming in handy

You might not think you're a supermodel But you look like one to me I'd rather have your picture on my phone Than on the cover of a magazine It's hard to think that a girl like you Could have any insecurities It's funny how all the things you would change Are all things that are cute to me And I know you don't believe me And you think that I'm a fool But I don't care Maybe You'll never see in you what I see The little things you do that make me go crazy I'm not crazy You're perfectly perfect to me You brush it off every time I tell you Your smile lights up the room And I'm guessing that you don't even notice The whole world notices you You think you're clumsy I think you're cool You say you're typical But I think you rule Sometimes I wonder if you'll ever believe That I wrote this song for you Maybe You'll never see in you what I see The little things you do that make me go crazy I'm not crazy You're perfectly perfect Someday You're gonna see you're beautiful this way And that you're always gonna make me go crazy I'm not crazy You’re perfectly perfect to me You don't have to try Change a single thing ‘Cause just the way you are Is sweeter than anything Maybe I’m a fool but it’s always been you ‘Cause no one ever makes me smile the way you do