#And I shipped Rolling Stone so freakin much

[iwasbored777]

My dumb a$$ thinks ML writers are not so dense to ruin character arcs so much according to the bible but then I remember what they did to Jagged Stone and it makes me genuinely afraid for the future of everyone else again

[imnotoverlyobsessive]

Mabel’s All-In-One Guide to Being a Shooting Star: How to Avoid Being Caught and Other Tips You Should Know

Chapter Four: Not Gravity Falls

Whoops I forgot to post it my b you guys

Shoutout to @edward-or-ford and @pacific-ship for being bangs

When I wake up, the dream isn't done, I wanna see your face and know I've made it home. If nothing is true, what more can I do?- All Time Low, Painting Flowers

There was something… off about this Gravity Falls. Which was, of course, to be expected; alternate reality and all that. It wasn’t as different from her Gravity Falls as Not Dipper was from her Dipper, it just… It just felt strange. Like it was just a little bit wrong. It was darker. Everything was darker. She didn’t quite understand why.

She was still somewhat out of it, and walking was a chore. She really missed her bike. Why didn’t she have her bike again? Right, because she’d been abducted by gnomes, and then abducted-slash-rescued by an alternate version of her bro.

He was walking beside her, this alternate Dipper, and there was something different in the way he held himself. Her Dipper was… awkward, for lack of a better word. Adorably so, of course; it was one of the many things that had made her fall in love with him to begin with.

But this version… this version of Dipper walked with an easy sort of confidence Mabel wasn’t used to seeing, not on anybody, or at least not to that degree. He wasn’t awkward. Not even a little. He was sure of himself, perhaps even arrogant. He stood at his full height, not slouching or hunching his shoulders.

He didn’t just walk, either. He strutted, and he didn’t seem to notice when the townspeople (who had all stopped dead in their tracks and were looking at her, slack-jawed and wide-eyed) gave them both an unnecessarily wide berth. He didn’t glance at them, not even briefly to take mental note of their locations in relation to his own. He simply continued on as if they weren’t there, as if they didn’t exist.

They were looking at her with such unmistakable horror that Mabel had to say something.

“Hey,” she murmured at Not Dipper. “What’s the deal with these guys?”

“Hm?” He didn’t appear to have been paying attention to them, so when she voiced her question, he glanced around haphazardly. “Oh, I suppose they might think you’re… the other Mabel.”

“Huh. Weird.” Before she could comment further, her words were cut off.

“Mabel?” came a shocked voice that was almost familiar, but not quite. And when Mabel slowed her pace along the sidewalk and turned her gaze to her right, she found herself looking at a very… well, it was just odd, wasn’t it, almost as odd as Not Dipper’s mannerisms and general Not Dipper-ness. The contrast of these weird versions to the people she knew was lowkey freakin’ her out.

It was… “Pacifica?” It did very much appear to be Pacifica. The girl looked like Pacifica. She had the same face, eyes, and general appearance, but it looked like Pacifica if Pacifica had aged several years and gotten a hippie costume from a Halloween store. Or a Summerween store. Y’know. Whatever.

“You’re, uh… how are you…?” Pacifica was asking, and Mabel still felt a bit wobbly, but she smiled at this strange version of Pacifica all the same.

“Hi!” Mabel greeted with a cheerful wave, sticking her hand out for the other girl to shake. “I’m Mabel, nice to meet ya!” There was murmuring of words from the crowd that Mabel couldn’t hear or understand, and Pacifica was looking at Mabel’s hand like it had a shark’s mouth and the corresponding number of teeth (which was, fun fact, three thousand), and would give her hand similar treatment to that of those teenagers in Jaws.

Realizing Pacifica wasn’t gonna take her hand, Mabel lowered it with a pout. Not Dipper wasn’t looking at her. He’d stopped walking when she had, but he was staring off into space, his expression blank.

“I… I don’t understand,” Pacifica said, eyeing Mabel warily. “How are you… how are you here?”

Suddenly, Mabel remembered: ‘nother universe, concussion, blah blah blah.

“Right!” She snapped her fingers. “Sorry, I totes magoats forgot!” Pacifica (and everyone else) raised their eyebrows at her. “Have a bit of a concussion here,” she explained, knocking on the side of her head. “Yowch, prolly shouldn’t’ve done that. Anyway, the long and short of it is,” she paused for dramatic effect, “I’m from an alternate dimension! Ta-da!” She did jazz hands. Dramatic effect really was important. Essential, even.

“Okay,” Pacifica said slowly, looking immensely confused. “So, how, exactly…” she glanced at Not Dipper, and her eyes widened. “Holy crap, what happened?!” she exclaimed, rushing towards him. “Are you okay? We need to get you to a hospital, ommigod!”

He rolled his eyes, allowing them to land on her. “It’s none of your concern.” His voice was bored, disinterested, like the absolute last thing in the world he wanted to be doing was to be talking to her, and the fact that he was having to was nothing more than an irritating waste of time.

“Worry not, little missy!” Mabel gave her a double thumbs up. “We’re gonna get it taken care of and the not-broseph over here will be a-okay!”

Nobody else said anything. Pacifica was still looking at her nervously. If they thought she was the alternate universe’s Mabel and they were acting like, well, that, then what in the hell had her other self done to them? Dang diggity, they were looking at Not Dipper the same way; what had he done to them?

She glanced at him. He wasn’t looking at Pacifica anymore. He was staring off into space again.

“Um, well, I-“

Pacifca’s nervous stuttering was cut off by Not Dipper sighing, taking Mabel’s hand in his, and pulling her forward again. “Time to go,” he said, not bothering to look over his shoulder.

Had he always been so... apathetic? Mabel wasn’t sure. Her head was still pounding somewhat, and she couldn’t remember suuuuuper clearly, but she was pretty sure he’d been paying attention to her before. In fact, he’d been focused entirely on her, she had thought. But just then, he wasn’t focusing on anything. He’d totally snubbed Pacifica, too!

“Where are we going, exactly?” Mabel asked, doing her best to wave over her shoulder at the bewildered and fearful-looking townspeople as Not Dipper dragged her along behind him, his hand gentle but firm around hers.

“Home,” Not Dipper said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Not her home, obviously, but his. Was it her shaken brain, or was his distinct lack of the word ‘my’ weird?

“Not… uh…” she took a moment to collect her thoughts. Stupid concussion. What was that word again? “Not a hospital?”

“Not a hospital,” he agreed.

“O...kay…?”

After several minutes of him walking in strides that were a bit much for Mabel, particularly since she was having difficulty walking at all, he looked over his shoulder at her with one of those stupid stupid stupid grins-

“You seem to be having a bit of trouble there, Mabel dear. You’re quite sure you don’t want me to carry you again?”

“Yes, I’m sure!” She nodded emphatically. But, wait a second. “Again? What do you mean again?”

“Oh,” he glanced over his shoulder at her for a second, as if he’d forgotten he’d mentioned it to begin with. “I carried you earlier. When you were unconscious, you know.”

“R- right,” she stuttered. He’d carried her? How terribly embarrassing. She was far too heavy to be carried, and she was massively uncomfortable with this random version of her twin she loved in a very un-sister-type way knowing that she was far too heavy to be carried. “Thank you for saving me, by the way.”

“Of course,” he said easily. “Though please do try not to get into too much trouble now that you’re here.” He paused for a moment. “I’d hate to see something happen to you.”

“Honestly, the only place weird stuff ever happens to me is Gravity Falls,” she chuckled a bit. Her own need to escape had trapped her in a way, hadn’t it? “I’m probably no safer here than I was in my dimension.”

They’d migrated from sidewalks to dirt walkways along the side of a long, winding road that Mabel couldn’t see the end of.

“You’re safe with me,” he told her firmly. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

He was pulling her along the dirt path still, the earth and gravel crunching beneath her shoes. It was fairly dark by this point, so the chill of the evening air bit into the bare skin her shorts and loose crop top revealed.

“Sorry for complaining, but like. We’ve been walkin’ for a hot minute here, and I’m not seeing any houses in sight, so I’m just…'' she paused to take a break. Words were hard when one had a concussion. “Just kinda wondering if we’ll ever actually get to your far-far-away abode, y’know?”

“We’re almost there,” he assured her, and she could’ve sworn he squeezed her hand, but she really wasn’t sure. She might’ve imagined it. Actually, she probably imagined it. Almost certainly.

Which, side note, but why was he still holding her hand? They weren’t exactly walking side by side, no, but she was close enough behind him to where he didn’t really need to lead her anywhere.

Before she could formulate the words to question it, however, a wall came into view. A very high wall. Perhaps ten feet? Mabel didn’t know; she’d never been great at math. Sue her. It was stone, it looked like, but it was difficult to tell for certain because it was covered in ivy from top to bottom.

“You see?” He smiled at her slightly. “We’re there.”

The road they were walking beside appeared to end at a very large, ornate wrought iron gate that the wall-slash-fence appeared to house, and beyond that lay a driveway, leading to…

A… castle? It certainly looked like a castle. It was very very tall, and she couldn’t see much, but it definitely looked like a castle.

She sped up her pace a bit so she could match his long strides and poke him lightly on the arm. He looked down at her with mild amusement, it looked like. “Hey, uh…” he raised his eyebrows at her. “Is that where you live?”

“Yes, that’s why we’re here,” he said as if it were obvious. As if anyone living in a goddamn castle in the year of our lord 2019 was an obvious conclusion for somebody to jump to.

She noticed that some of his hair had fallen from its slicked back style and was falling over his birthmark. She wondered what it would look like down. She wondered what it would feel like. She wondered- no no no, bad Mabel, very bad, he’s not your Dipper!

“So…” she trailed off for a second. “Just to be clear, so we’re like, one-hundred-and-ten percent on the same page here, you live in a castle. Have… have I got that right, oooorrrrrr…?”

“If you consider this a castle, then yes, I suppose.” Not Dipper was looking down at her again, and he looked like he found her surprise quite funny. Which she didn’t exactly appreciate, but y’know. Beggars can’t choose their rescuers and all that.

They’d finally reached the gate, and it appeared to have a very large G in very fancy cursive on it.

He pressed his thumb to an electronic pad. The gate creaked open, and he strolled through it, pulling her along after him. It closed again as soon as they went through, and she found herself looking around every way she could without making herself all dizzy again.

They navigated around what appeared to be a hedge maze (that she would later discover was also in the shape of a giant cursive G), and it was several more minutes before they reached the overly tall wooden doors.

It wasn’t until he pushed the door open, taking his hand from hers in the process, that she realized he’d never let go of her hand. He’d been holding it the entire time, and she’d never even noticed.

[amelialincoln]

So Sorry

Her head was pounding, aching maybe? Nope, more like throbbing. She shook her head in frustration as her sutures broke for the fourth time. She ignored a couple of the confused glances from around the OR. Her sutured were always perfect but today her hands wouldn't stop shaking. It was probably due to dehydration and couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten. It had been back to back traumas all day, every specialty was swamped but neuro had gotten it worst. Owen wasn’t working today which made matters worse. She’d heard the nurses gossiping about him getting a call about a possible lead on his sister. Her heart had swelled a bit at that. She wished she could be there for him but was reminded that being Owen’s therapist wasn’t her job anymore. It was Teddy’s now. Something she might feel jealous about if she wasn’t so happy with Link. They’d planned to get married a year ago but realized some fancy ceremony seemed dumb. They loved each other and that seemed to matter more than anything else.

"Everything okay, Doctor Shepherd?" Deluca asked from beside her. She missed Stephanie, Deluca’s polietness was starting to piss her off.

“Everything's perfect, why?" She squinted into the brain cavity, her eyesight was starting to blur ans she realized how badly she needed a nap.

"No reason." Deluca shook his head. "I can close if you want."

On a normal day Amelia might snap at her him for pointing out her incompetence of a simple skill she'd preformed hundreds of times, instead she just sighed. "Sure, page me when your finished, I'd like to follow up." She handed her instruments to the resident. "Watch the lep–"

"Leptin receptor, I know," He assured her. "Get out of here." Amelia nodded, thanking the scrub nurses beside her, she quickly fled the room. Dizzy didn't even begin to cover how she was feeling as she began to scrub out. Everything was spinning. She waited for a moment of relief, gripping to the edge of the sink.

"Amelia?" She didn't have to look up to recognize her boyfriend's voice.

She took a deep breath, splashing her face with cold water and turned to meet his gaze. "Hey. You all finished for the day?”

"You don't look well," he observed, ignoring her question.

Amelia shook her head as another wave of nausea rolled over her. Her hand flew to her mouth to prevent her from throwing up onto his scrub top. "I don't want to get you sick.” Link held out an arm for her to steady herself and watched the dizziness pass before pulling her into his chest. Normally his cologne would calm her but today she couldn’t help but wince at the strength of it.

"I'll take you home," he assured her, removing her scrub cap and running his hands through her hair to remove the tight braid.

"No," she paused, shutting her eyes tight, "you're busy, I'll be fine."

He took a minute to survey her before placing a hand on her sweaty brow. “You're hot, do you feel feverish?"

"Not particularly, just nauseous."

"You've been spending too much time with Zola at daycare. That place is covered in germs. You probably caught a flu bug." She nodded before suddenly pulling away from him. Her entire body heaved as she threw up in the scrub sink. “The nurses are gonna love that.”

“I just wanna go home,” she mumbled weakly.

"Okay," he promised, "let’s go get your things and I'll take you home."

"It's rush hour, we could be here for awhile," Link muttered, slowing the car down to a stop behind the car in front of them. Amelia peered over the dashboard, a large line of cars blocked her view.

“Ugh,” a groan escaped her mouth as she noticed the traffic blocking her view.

"We're almost home. Another twenty minutes with the traffic." Link tried to sound optimistic as he glanced over at his girlfriend, curled up in her seat with her head leaning on the car door. "Please don't throw up in the car."

"Thanks I'll keep it in mind," she snapped.

"I told you that daycare is full of germs. You're in there almost twice everyday,” he tried to dismiss her anger, knowing she’d been up all night.

"I like how you're making visiting my nieces and nephew seem like a bad thing."

"There's a flu bug going around, you can always visit them at home," Link argued.

"If I have a break I'd rather make use of it then talk to stupid interns for half an hour!" She yelled, pressing her index fingers to her temples.

"Why are you so stubborn?!" He finally huffed, slamming his hands on the wheel of the car.

"Why do you always have to act so freakin righteous? She cried. Link pressed his lips together, gritting his teeth. Traffic has always agitated him as it does Amelia. They weren’t the most patient people.

"All I'm saying is–"

"Can we just not fight right now?" She interrupted. "I'm just really tired."

"Alright,” he tried to soften his voice.

"Good," she answered, cupping her forehead in one hand and squeezing her eyes shut. He felt slightly guilty for adding to her headache. They’d been at a stall for ten minutes when Amelia began to squirm again. Her index fingers roughly massaged her temples and she jumped as Link placed a soft palm on her forehead.

"Hey, hey," he muttered as she relaxed. "Your forehead is still hot, are you sure you're ok?"

"I told you, I'm fine," she mumbled, staring out the window.

"Amelia..." hot red tears rolled down her face and she wiped them away with frustration.

"I said I was fine," she tried to sound irritated but it came out a lot weaker. What she looked like was frail and unhealthy. Something Link had been noticing more frequently about her appearance, always tired, always shaky. She'd lost weight for sure but she keeps telling him that she’s just been swamped with work. He went to caress her side but quickly pulled away in horror as she yelped in pain.

“Okay, what the fuck is going on,” he was surprised by the anger in his own voice. Their relationship was built on trust which was something Link was grateful for every day. Lately he couldn’t shake the fact that she was lying to him.

"Stop yelling at me!" She cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Tell me what's going–"

"I thought I was pregnant!" She blurted out finally. Link’s voice went silent.

"What?"

"We've been t-trying for months and n-nothing was happening," she stumbled over her words as he stares at her in shock. "I was getting nauseas, I-I had this terrible back pain and I was tired all the time." She looked to Link for any flicker of emotion but his face had gone stone cold. "I didn't have time to go get a test at the store and I was so excited," her voice was starting to break, "I went to see Carina and I asked her to run some tests."

Link drew in a shaky breath, trying to hold back any flicker of excitement that might be showing up on his easily readable face. "Okay..."

"But they all came back negative. Carina was as confused as I was. We didn't know what to do except run some more tests. I had an ultrasound done, still nothing. And then I started bleeding and everything started to make sense."

"Bleeding?" Did you have a miscarriage?” He reached for her hand as he forced his own feelings down. Why hadn’t she told him? That was something they should’ve gone through together.

"I went to the bathroom and there was blood," she replied, she took in shaky breaths.

"Okay," Link waited for her to tell him, his heart thumping in his chest. He was almost a father.

"Carina was worried about the same thing as me, considering my family history, so we got a couple scans. They were positive.”

"For..." Link urged her to finish.

"For ovarian cancer. I didn’t want to tell you because initially we thought it was okay. With your history and everything I didn’t want to scare you but it's spreading really quickly. Carina said it could be in my bladder by next week and then possibly my liver. The tumor is located right beside a major bloodstream so it's just shipping cancer cells all over the place." She smiled through her tears, the classic Shepherd appreciation for tumors was written all over her face. "it’s pretty perfect, it’s margins are–"

“Stop,” he suddenly felt like it was him who was going to throw up. The car jolted a little too hard as he pressed in the brakes and stared into her eyes in disbelief. “Are you kidding.” She shook her head, not able to read any of the million scenerios that were running through his mind.

"I had my first round of chemo today.”

"Why the hell are you working?"

"It’s a distraction, I just–”

"And you didn't think that my opinion, being practically your husband, would matter?" He had never been much of a crier but he found himself biting back a sob. “You don’t think that the one who is directly impacted by your wellbeing would want to have a say in any of this?”

“I didn’t want to worry you. I’m trying to figure things out. I didn’t want to drop a major bomb on you without being sure of my prognosis.”

"So your telling me that if I was your position you would've preferred me not to tell you if I was dying?" He glared at her through blurry eyes.

"I didn't say that!" She protested, curling her hands into fists.

“I trusted you to tell me everything. You’ve made me promise you to keep you updated on my cancer shit but you can bother to do the same yourself? This is a joke.” He knew he was projected his issues on her and he hated himself for it.

“I thought I was doing what was best for us,” she tried to explain, running her hands through her hair in frustration. Link stopped, staring into her palms. His hands began to shake on the wheel and his knuckles went white in an attempt to squeeze his hands hard enough to stop the shaking. Amelia glanced down at the hair caught between her fingers and let out a tiny whimper as the couple pulled into the driveway. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms, tell her it was all going to be okay. The idea of watching her go through what he had made him want to run in the other direction. The idea of her hurting was too much for him to bare. He looked at her pale expression, knowing exactly how she was feeling and recounting on all the times he’d prayed to god that her nor their children wouldn’t have too. Children were most likely out of the question at this point though he didn't care as long as she made it. Was this really their reality now? If she made it? He leant over to kiss her, hoping it would suppress his thoughts and prayed that he’d be able to kiss her for the rest of his life. 

an anon requested that Link and Amelia be together rather than Owen and Amelia during her cancer situation. sorry its sad but what were u expecting lol. 

[psychosistr]

FOWL Facets- Chapter 2

Summary: Domino and the others wake up their captive to ask him a few questions. Will he cooperate, or is he as stubborn as the real-deal?

Notes: Wanted to go ahead and give a trigger warning for some PTSD in this one because Domino’s past trauma plays a big role throughout this story, but it really starts to show in this chapter.

-First Chapter-

“Wake up.” A harsh voice says right before the melanite feels something hard and metallic strike him across his face.

“Nh..” He slowly blinks his eyes open, looking around as he tries to reorient himself in the dark room lit only by a single lighting crystal above his head.

As he takes in his surroundings, he finds that he is seated in a silver chair. Looking down, he notices that he’s tied up with what he at first thinks is a black and white rope, but he quickly learns it is actually the arm of the spinel from before when he sees a grey gloved hand wave at him. Looking to either side of him, he sees the spinel on his left and the star-sapphire on his right. Finally, looking in front of him, he sees the snowflake obsidian glaring down at him with one of his pistols- presumably what hit him across the face- held in one of his hands where his arms were crossed in front of his chest.

“Now that you’re awake,” Domino looks down at the melanite with a menacing expression on his face as he begins the interrogation. “We have a few questions for you. Namely, who you are, who you work for, and-” He uncrosses his arms to reveal that the watch the melanite had been wearing before is now clutched in his hand. “-what you’ve done with my partner.” He puts the watch down on a nearby table, only the corner of it visible in the dim lighting of the room. “Let’s start with who you are and how you managed to activate Steelbeak’s gem-ID-locked beacon.” He narrows his eyes at the other gem in warning. “Now drop the disguise and talk.”

“……” The melanite smirks after a moment. “Gee, was my actin’ that bad? I thought I really nailed the lingo.” His gem glows for a moment as his appearance begins to shift. His body proportions and colors remain largely the same, but his outfit changes from the suit he was wearing before to a pair of black and white pin-stripe pants held up with black suspenders, a white button-up shirt with the top three buttons open and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, black suede chukka boots, sheer black shortie-cut gloves, an undone red bowtie hanging loosely off of his neck, a fedora that matches his pants with a white band holding up a red rose on his left side sitting on his head to push his comb down so that it hangs down to the left rather than sit straight up, and a white surgical mask with a black X and O on the front covering his beak. One thing that doesn’t change about him, however, is his gemstone- the gem still being a black ball-cut melanite in the exact same location. “I gotta know,” He says with a chuckle. “What gave me away?”

“Everything.” Domino looks the gem over, taking in his true appearance indifferently. “Where do I even start?”

“Oh! Oh! I know where to start!” Loony raises her free hand and jumps up and down a few times before looking at the melanite. “You called me ‘sweetheart’. Steely never calls me that! Plus, you said you forgot to bring me back a present- and Steely never, ever, EVER forgets!”

“He also never apologizes for knocking someone over.” Gandra leans against the wall beside the melanite with her arms folded. “If it was Loony, sure, he’d probably help her up, but they’d both just laugh it off. If it was Domino, he’d be too busy running to the other end of the ship. Me, though?” She rolls her eyes with an annoyed sigh. “The big jerk just laughs and tells me he ‘can’t see me down there’.”

“To put it simply, you were way too polite to be the real Steelbeak.” Domino says with a slow shake of his head. “You knocked instead of just walking in- Steelbeak hasn’t bothered knocking on my door for the past few thousand years. You also didn’t try to correct me for using the wrong code- Steelbeak is an egomaniac and loves showing off how much more he knows then everyone else, he’d jump at a chance to tell me that I said something wrong for a change. Not to mention you called Loony and Gandra ‘ladies’.”

“Pfft!” Gandra barely stops herself from laughing out loud at that, bringing a fist up to her beak as her shoulders shake with suppressed laughter. “Wait, he seriously said that?”

“Hahahahahaaahahaaaa!” Loony, on the other hand, doesn’t even try to hold in her giggles. In fact, she ends up falling to the ground and holding her stomach as she rolls around in a hysterical fit of laughter. “St-Steely..calling US ladi-pfft, ahahahahaaaa, I can’t even say it!”

The melanite glances back and forth between the female gems with a cocked brow. “What should I have said?”

“Dames.” Gandra answers first, a grin still on her face from the apparent absurdity of the idea.

“Dolls.” Loony gets out between chuckles as she gets back up to her feet, an immensely amused smile still on her own face.

“Even ‘girls’ or ‘gals’ would have been more acceptable.” Domino seems to be the only one still able to maintain a sense of seriousness for the moment. “Still,” He looks at the melanite’s gemstone, reaching over to tap it with his pistol. “I suppose we can give you some points for the voice and appearance..the stone looks like the real deal.”

“That’s ‘cause it is, bright eyes.” The melanite’s beak may be hidden, but they can all feel the proud smirk in his tone of voice. “I’m the gen-u-ine article: Black melanite, facet 3J8B-NVSB.”

“Another melanite..” Domino muses aloud. “And the same cut, no less…well, that explains how you were able to use his beacon: We hadn’t accounted for there being another black melanite within the closest five solar systems- let alone one with the exact same cut. The odds of that happening by mere coincidence would have to be at least 100,000,000,000,000 to 1.”

“Guess I’m just that lucky, huh?” The melanite says sarcastically. The sarcasm is short lived, though, as the pistol in the snowflake obsidian’s hand strikes him across the face with even more force than before. “Ow! Freakin’ STARS! Can’t you take a joke?!”

Domino glares down at his captive, moving his gun so that it’s pressed to the melanite’s head threateningly- his finger on the trigger. “My apologies,” His tone is calm, contradicting his threatening body language in an unsettling way that sends chills down the restrained gem’s back. “But I’m afraid I’m not one for jokes when my partner is missing.” He brings his empty hand up to grip the other gem’s stone, a thick white barrier appearing over the hand like a glove with the dual purpose of keeping him from directly touching the melanite as well as adding more force to the grip he begins applying to the stone. “Now, tell us who you work for & where they’re keeping Steelbeak and I’ll consider ending your existence painlessly.”

He hisses and winces in pain from the force on his stone, speaking quickly. “Hey, hey, now, no need for any of that, I’ll talk!” He lets out a relieved sigh when the pressure on his gem decreases, though the hand doesn’t retract at all. “Now, I ain’t gonna tell ya who I work for-” He receives a glare of warning, but continues speaking before the painful pressure can return. “-because this ain’t a work-related thing. This is just me doin’ a favor for a friend of a friend.”

“And just who would this ‘friend of a friend’ happen to be?” Domino’s patience is clearly running thin.

“A mutual acquaintance of ours by the name of ‘the Liquidator’.” The melanite watches the previously irritated look in the snowflake obsidian’s eyes briefly change to one of surprise before he schools his features back to their previous state.

“Liqui?” He doesn’t seem to be the only one surprised to hear the name, though, as Loony looks at the melanite with a confused expression. “Why would Liqui take Steely? I thought they still weren’t talking to each other??”

“They aren’t..” Domino eyes the melanite skeptically. “Which begs the question of WHY Liquidator would bother taking him?”

The melanite shrugs. “Sorry, bright eyes, he didn’t give me all the details. Most I know is he wanted t’ talk t’ YOU and your partner wasn’t too keen on cooperatin’.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right for him…” Domino sighs in mild annoyance before looking at their captive again. “I’m assuming Liquidator wants to do a hostage exchange?”

“Wooooow, you really are the smart one here, ain’t ya?” The melanite’s tone is sarcastic again as he leans back as much as he can with Loony’s arm still binding him. “Yeah, that was the plan from the beginnin’. Honestly, actually gettin’ ya to tag along was, like, Plan C. He figured you’d peg me for a fake before we got too far- said you’d be smart enough to tell I wasn’t the real-deal, but even I didn’t think you’d figure it out that fast.”

“Oh, please…” Domino rolls his eyes, quickly getting annoyed by the bound gem’s sarcastic praising in a voice that was far too familiar for his liking. “We’ve fought together since Era One. I could hardly call myself his partner if I couldn’t tell the real deal from a cheap imitation after all this time.” He taps the melanite’s gem to show his irritation and loss of patience with the conversation. “Now, are you going to cooperate and give us the coordinates for the rendezvous, or are we going to have to pry them out of you?”

To his credit, the impostor did a good job of not flinching or giving away how nervous the obsidian’s touch to his gem made him feel. “Hey now, I wasn’t forged last century- I ain’t givin ya the coordinates THAT easily.” His eyes clearly communicate the smirk hidden on his beak under the mask. “Start flyin’ north by two degrees east towards the country called ‘Oilrabia’ for about 500 miles. I’ll give ya the next direction after that.”

“……” Domino glares at the arrogant gem, gripping the melanite’s stone in his fingers harshly once more to make him squirm and wince from the pain. “You seem to forget that WE are the ones calling the shots here- not you. I could break you right here & now and leave your shards scattered around this worthless world for your ‘acquaintance’ to find over the next few years.” He narrows his eyes with a scowl, the look in his eyes speaking volumes’ worth of murderous intent as he grips hard enough that the pressure could start cracking the gem at any moment. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t grind you down to dust and scatter you to the wind.”

The melanite cringes from the pain of having his gemstone squeezed so harshly, knowing instantly that the snowflake obsidian is DONE playing games with him by this point. Well, might as well use his trump card, right?

“You ain’t gonna let another partner you care about get shattered ‘cause you weren’t there, are you?”

“?!” The comment makes not only Domino’s eyes widen in surprise, but Loony’s as well. “How did you-?” He begins to ask, but is cut off by the melanite.

“Liquidator didn’t tell me much,” He relaxes slightly when the obsidian’s grip relents, even if the hand does still stay on his gem. “But he told me sayin’ somethin’ like that would get a good reaction outta ya- and he was not wrong about that.” He glances at the female gems on either side of him. “These two figured me out pretty quick, but you-” He looks back up into startled red eyes confidently. “-YOU knew from just one look that I wasn’t the real deal, right? You only bothered baitin’ me int’ talkin’ as a formality. That means you care about this Steelbeak jerk enough t’ know ‘im like the back of your hand. You did say you were partners since Era One, right? That’s gotta be, what? Five, six thousand years together? Probably longer than that with how close you two are.” There’s that look in his eyes again- the look that shows he’s smirking behind that stupid mask of his. “You know what Liquidator’s capable of…and ya know he don’t like Steelbeak enough t’ keep him alive if he doesn’t think he’ll get anythin’ for the trouble…do ya really think you’d be able t’ handle findin’ his shards floatin’ in the sea just ‘cause you couldn’ get t’ ‘im in time?”

Domino’s eyes are wide as he stares at the melanite- actually, no. He’s staring THROUGH him. The words he’s said echo in the obsidian’s mind, causing images to flash in front of his eyes as his consciousness teeters between the present and a point far in the past:

“…couldn’ get t’ ‘im in time…”

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, turning sharp corners and using his barriers to keep him from crashing into anyone or anything in his way. His part of the base had just been cleared of enemies, they couldn’t fault him for going to assist the next section, right? He-They weren’t responding, so they must have needed all the help they could get! He would get there in time to help and-!

“…findin’ his shards…”

He froze when he came around the corner into the next hall. It couldn’t be…those shards could belong to anyone, right…? His body moved of its own accord, bringing him closer and closer to the gleaming red and black shards sitting on top of a red scarf that he knew all too well- after all, he’d given the appearance modifier to the fire opal to celebrate their first successful mission as partners…

“…partner you care about…shattered…”

He fell to his knees, his hands trembling as he reached for the small shards and slivers. The once smooth stone now felt so jagged in his palms. But…why…? Why had this happened? He’d just spoken to him- just seen him not that long ago! Why was this all that was left of him?!

…Wait…why WAS this all that was left of him…? There were only a couple of the fire opal’s shards, where was the rest of him? He ignored the stinging tears in his eyes, shouting to get the attention of the nearby eggmen and demanding to know where the rest of the shards were. Their lack of solid, coherent answers only added to the rage and sorrow warring in his gem and he began to lash out at the soldiers. The last thing he remembered was one of the higher-ranking generals pulling out a broken white gem destabilizer before everything went dark. When he woke up again, he was alone with nothing but the red scarf in one hand and his shattered partner’s remains in the other…

“…you weren’t there…”

“Dommy…” Loony sat on the floor in front of him, the two of them in his private quarters- the same place he’d stayed since “the incident” that was both too long ago and not far enough in the past yet. “It’s not your fault…you weren’t there…you couldn’t have-” Her words, some of the words that she’d repeated to him over and over again over the years since it happened, were cut off by a ringing sound in the other room. “Uh oh, I’ll be right back..” She sprung up from the floor and went to the other room to answer the call, accidentally leaving the door open in her haste. “Hiya! Sorry, but Domino’s not quiiiiiiiite ready to talk to anyone yet. Just gimme another year or two and I’ll have him rarin’ to go-!”

“You’ve said the same thing every month for the past thirty years. We are done waiting.” A harsh voice rudely interrupted Loony, making Domino’s eyes narrow and a scowl form on his beak as he pushed himself to his feet after who-knows-how-many-years of sitting in the same spot in the corner of his room. “Now tell him to get in here or we will-”

“There’s no need for that, sirs.” He walked into the room, coming up to stand beside Loony in front of the large hologram-monitor displaying three shadowy gems. “What do you need?”

“It’s about time you finally answered, Agent Domino.” The gem in the middle gave him a harsh look that would’ve made a lesser gem shiver in fear. “You are being reassigned to a new sector. We will have a ship there to collect you and your spinel-” Domino’s fist clenched slightly, but he bit back the usual reply he gave when someone said those words. “-in three days. Do not keep your new partner waiting.”

A new partner? Already? But it had only been-

“Understood, sirs.” He gave the automatic reply and bowed his head, ignoring the thoughts swirling within his mind.

Loony gave him a worried look when he didn’t look back up after the screen vanished. “Dommy? Hey, Dommy? Domini-?”

“-my? Dommy, you okay?” Loony’s neck is stretched so that her face is close to Domino’s, looking him in the eyes with a worried frown.

He blinks twice, shaking off the visions plaguing his mind so that he can return to the present- and to the task at hand. “I’m fine.” He looks past her to the melanite in the chair, the jerk having the nerve to still be smirking at him for his earlier words. “……” He sighs and closes his eyes for a moment to calm himself, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “Fine.” He opens his eyes once more and directs his next statement to their captive. “We’ll keep you alive…at least until we find where Liquidator is holding Steelbeak.” He can just tell the cocky gem is about to say something annoying, so he glances at the star-sapphire beside him instead. “Gandra.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” She takes off one of her fingerless gloves again, the lines on her palm lighting up like before.

The melanite sees the hand approaching him and tries to back away, though it proves futile with the spinel’s arm still wrapped tightly around him. “Woah, hey, that wasn’t part of the-!!” His protests turn into a startled yelp of pain when the destabilizing current makes contact with his head, causing him to spasm and twitch like before until his eyes turn a blank, vacant white color and his body goes limp.

Loony laughs as she unwinds her arm from around the now-unconscious gem, shaking off the stray sparks of white electricity on her extra-long limb. “That always tickles!” She grins before noticing Domino turning the lights back on and heading for the door. “Dommy?” She stretches her upper body over to meet him on his way out. “Whatcha doin’?”

“I’m going to the controls to adjust the auto-pilot’s path.” He looks back at her as well as Gandra with a calm, unreadably neutral expression on his face. “We’ll follow standard F.O.W.L. protocol: Keep two guards in the room at all times. Destabilize or bind him if he shows absolutely any signs of consciousness. Don’t keep him awake any longer than necessary.” He glances between the female gems. “Think you two can handle the first watch?”

“Sure.” Gandra shrugs, leaning against the wall behind her in preparation for a long shift.

“Abso-tootly-lutely!” Loony stretches and loops her arm up to her head so that she can give a playful salute. “You can count on me!” She smiles brightly at him, making him smile back at her fondly.

“I always do.” He says sincerely before exiting the room, leaving Gandra and Loony alone with their unconscious prisoner.

<-First Chapter Next Chapter->

End Notes: Warned you guys there’d be some PTSD and trauma involved in the story. Also, apologies in advance, but the story as a whole DOES involve a lot of flashbacks, as well, so be prepared for lots of jumping around between the past and the present in the rest of the chapters ^^”

On a more fun note, if no one guessed it already, the impostor is actually my own version of Nega-verse Steelbeak, who will likely be making an appearance in my next installment of my Friendly Four series! I wanted to give him an outfit reminiscent of a 1920′s gangster, but tempered with a bit of fun and a relaxed demeanor (hence the rose in his hat, the face mask that hides his metallic beak when he’s out in public, and the tie he never bothers remembering to ACTUALLY tie). He’s a clever and strong guy with a good heart, and while regular-universe Steelbeak specializes in espionage and manipulation, negaverse-Steelbeak specializes in psychological profiling and rescue missions.

[kiranerysismyhero]

Homeric Epic

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19807252

Jadzia drags Kira along on an odyssey on the holodeck

For @primatechnosynthpop on tumblr for the @sapphicstartrek fanwork exchange

“I do not believe you.”

Jadzia replied without turning. “No one asked you to believe anything, Worf. I was just letting you know that I’m busy this evening.”

“The major has expressed her disdain for the holosuites many times. She would not willingly join you again, especially after her experience in the Camelot program.” 

“Who said anything about willingly?” 

Jadzia smiled when she spotted Kira arriving at Ops. “Nerys! Perfect timing.”

“Oh?” Kira said, joining Dax at her station. “Why’s that?”

“You can tell Worf here that I did in fact get you to agree to join me in the holosuites tonight.” 

Kira sighed, but her expression wasn’t without mirth. “That’s right. Against my better judgement.” 

“Hey!” Jadzia turned to Kira, “I won fair and square and you know it.”

“Only because you violated the spirit of the rules!” Kira protested. “I spent all week fundraising the old-fashioned way, and you just spent a couple evenings playing Tongo and called your winnings ‘donations from the Ferengi waiters!’ You may have won the bet, but I wouldn’t call it fair and square.”

“Oh come on,” Jadzia argued. “Deep down, you wanted me to win anyway or you wouldn’t have taken the bet. You know I usually donate to the war orphan fund around this time of year anyway. That little spark of imagination within you just wanted an excuse to get some exercise.” 

Kira merely gave her a look. 

“If you two are finished bickering,” Worf interjected, “we have a meeting in the Wardroom in a few minutes.”

Jadzia turned. “We were not bickering.” 

“And even if we were,” Kira added, “what’s it to you?”

“We’ll make it to the meeting on time, don’t you worry.” There was a bit of playful condescension in Jadzia’s voice.

“I just meant-” Worf sighed. “I hate it when you two…” he gestured for the right words “...combine your sass.”

Jadzia smiled. “I suppose maybe we should save it for tonight.”

“I can hardly wait.” Kira’s voice was deadpan, but she wore a smile.

---

That evening Kira and Jadzia walked onto the turbolift as the next shift started their watch. 

“So,” Kira started, placing her hand on her hip, “are you going to tell me just what kind of holographic misadventure we’ll be having tonight?” 

“A classic from Earth, one of their foundational epics.” Jadzia mirrored Kira’s pose teasingly. “Don’t worry about the costume, I already picked up your toga from Garak.”

Kira eyed Jadzia with a bit of suspicion. “What’s a toga?” 

---

Kira was beginning to grow impatient with Jadzia’s absence. They were supposed to be running this program together, weren’t they? So why was it that Jadzia had decided to play some apparently minor character back on the island with all the narcotic fruits, if Kira and her crew were meant to leave that island and wash up here?

Speaking of Kira’s men, she didn’t much care for the holographic crew she’d been given. First she had to drag them all out of their lotus-induced stupor to get them back on track, and now they’d decided without her permission to raid this cave of the meat and cheese they found. She absently tangled her fingers in the wool of a sheep in one of several pens around the spacious cave. 

Kira was uneasy. The crew had insisted that the laws of hospitality would compel the person who lived here to grant them a gift that would aid them on their journey, but Kira had her doubts. By the look of the cave this dwelling belonged to someone or something rather large, and there was no guarantee that the occupant shared the same cultural rules of hospitality as her crew. 

As Kira rethought the plan to wait here to meet the homeowner, the ground began to shake with thunderous footsteps. The sunlight from the cave entrance was blocked out, the only remaining light the fire that had been lit by the now-quaking crew. A flock of sheep streamed through the darkened cave entrance, followed by whatever it was that cast a shadow so large. 

The gargantuan form, back turned, rolled a large stone into place at the mouth of the cave. With the only exit very much blocked and no idea what sort of giant creature it was whose food her men had helped themselves to, Kira felt anxiety pool in the pit of her stomach. At least the program was about to become a little more interesting than just trying to command a ship of buffoons, Kira mused. 

The figure turned slowly, standing up to its full height as it stepped closer to the light cast by the torches. It dropped the wood that it had been carrying with a crash that sent Kira’s men scrambling to hide. A voice like the rumbling of a volcano called out “Who is there?”

Kira took in the looming form before her. It was dirty, a bit lumpy, and approximately fourteen feet tall but the trail of spots from the bare feet to the misshapen temples were unmistakable, as was the twinkle in the big, singular blue eye. 

“Jadzia? How are you doing that?” Kira marveled. 

Jadzia switched back to her normal voice, albeit in a stage-whisper. “Imagination, remember? Don’t pull yourself out of the story!” 

Kira gave Jadzia a look that made it clear that she wasn’t moving forward without an explanation.

“Fine, technically I’m in a sectioned-off area of the holosuite controlling the cyclops through VR. It’s a hologram that just looks like me. Well, fourteen feet of me.” Even with teeth like mossy boulders Jadzia’s smile was charming. “Now back into character!” 

Her voice boomed out “Who are you?” 

Kira rolled her eyes but adjusted her posture to that of a brave leader speaking on behalf of her men. “We are Greeks, and come from Troy. We’re trying to return home, but adverse winds blew us ashore.”

---

Kira stood tied to the mast of her ship as her crew worked around her, wax plugging their ears. They had been warned of an island ahead on their journey where Sirens lured men to their deaths with irresistible song. Kira just knew Jadzia would be one of them. She had made sure that her men wouldn’t be drawn in by the siren call but her own ears would remain unplugged. Only, she wasn’t just curious to hear the Siren. She was ready to give her a piece of her mind. 

“First you were a hippy Lotus-Eater that helped drug my crew, then you were huge freakin’ Polyphemus and ate everyone, then you… ugh, I swear you picked this program specifically so you could frustrate me!” The fire in Kira’s eyes was giving Jadzia life, though admitting as much would get her in even more hot water with her irritated friend. 

“No,” smirked Jadzia in Siren form. “I just thought you’d look great in a toga.” 

Jadzia didn’t look bad in one herself, Kira thought. For this character Dax hadn’t used any fancy holographic tricks, save for a bit of a glowing aura that only accentuated her natural beauty. 

Not that that was the point Kira wanted to focus on right now, she reminded herself. 

“If you had to pick an old ‘Earth epic’” Kira punctuated the term with finger quotes, a difficult feat with her arms pinned to her sides, “you could have at least had us be on the same side.”

“But that would take the fun out of thwarting you again and again.” Jadzia’s grin made Kira want to ‘thwart’ her right in the face. 

“You said I would like this program better than Camelot because it’s about my character trying to get home to his beloved wife, who is meanwhile using all her tricks to keep suitors off her back and stay faithful...” 

Jadzia nodded. “No kissing of married women.” 

“... and yet here you are trying to seduce me, a married man!”

“It’s the nature of my kind,” Jadzia shrugged. “You resisted Circe well enough, you honorable hero. Besides, if it really bothered you, you could have plugged your ears like the rest of the crew.” Jadzia’s voice grew sultry. “My dear Odysseus, one might think you wanted me to seduce you.” 

A heat grew in Kira’s stomach as a blush formed on her cheeks. “Your choice of holoprogram,” Kira objected, “has cast you to pursue me twice now. Maybe you’re the one who wants the seduction to happen.”

“Yet you haven’t ended the program, or attacked anyone you’re not supposed to.” Jadzia pointed out. “You may object to the Siren calling to Odysseus, but maybe you don’t mind me pursuing you.”

“Maybe I’m exercising my imagination!” Kira spat back with a bit too much bluster. “Like what I’d like to do to you if I weren’t tied to this mast!”

Jadzia completely sidestepped the threat, purring “Maybe I should come aboard ship and find out exactly what you would like to do to me.”

“Maybe you should!”

Jadzia stepped off the island, her footsteps gliding across the water as she made her way to the ship. Within a few moments she stood on the deck face-to-face with Kira, who pulled at her bonds to lean closer to Jadzia. 

“Maybe I should untie you,” Jadzia murmured.

“Or maybe you could just kiss me already!” 

Jadzia couldn’t help but smile at the genuine impatience in Kira’s voice. Leaning in closer so that her lips were a breath away from Kira’s ear, she cupped Nerys’s chin with her right hand and whispered “Okay.”

Their kiss was long and deep. Kira’s senses were overwhelmed as the taste of Jadzia mingled with the brisk fresh smell of the sea air. Maybe the holosuites had their merits after all. 

“You know, this isn’t how the program is supposed to play out.” Jadzia smiled, breathless as she pulled back a millimeter. 

Kira wore a smirk as she went in for another kiss. “You know I like to make up my own endings.” 

[rose-gold-romantic]

Feel You: Chapter Four

A Loki x reader based in the Tesseract fic universe! Avengers: Infinity War AU follow-up fic where the snap never happened. NOT CANON to the Tesseract fic series, just a little something to help me deal with IW feels. Links to Tesseract, Lokasenna, What Heroes Do, and Fidelity.

I WOULD LOVE FEEDBACK! Want to be tagged in updates? Let me know! P.S IM SO SORRY THIS IS SOO FREAKIN LATE

@malignentmac @fandomsfanman @i-am-supermerwholoked221b @markusstraya @sincereleygmg @pandaqua​ @person-born-winchester

“Can you read any life forms?” Thor asked, leaning forward.

“This ship doesn’t have that capability.” Quill said, messing with his control monitors.

“Not since you broke it.” Rocket complained, rolling his eyes.

“Nobody asked you, Rocket!” Quill countered, gesturing to the outpost. “What are we supposed to do now?”

“There are still ships everywhere.” I said, pointing to the outpost. “We find one that works, and we take it. The place looks completely deserted.”

“We should still be cautious.” Thor warned, “There may be looters still hiding.”

We touched down, each of us slowly fanning out to survey our surroundings. Loki, Thor, and I stayed fairly close to each other, and the others in their own groups.

“I don’t like this.” Loki muttered, “It’s too quiet.”

“Maybe Thanos came by here on his way to get the power stone.” I said, “Or maybe on his way back?”

“In any case,” Thor added, kicking a discarded helmet aside, “Let’s find this ship we need so we can leave quickly.”

The longer we looked around, the more anxious all of us became. Loki eventually brought his knives out, walking closer and closer to me the further along that we went. More and more debris littered the street, evidence of the sudden disappearance of the outpost’s inhabitants. Pieces of armor laid discarded on the ground, empty helmets staring up at us with hollow eyes.

“Where did they all go?” I asked, “Did they really all escape? With as quickly as Thanos and his goons worked, I doubt that everyone made it out alive.”

“Given the absence of any bodies, I’m assuming they made it all out.” Loki said, “Though, admittedly, that doesn’t mean much.”

“There’s a ship the same size as the one Thanos destroyed!” Thor exclaimed, happily pointing to the large vessel in the near distance. “As long as it’s still in operating order, we can use that one to gather the rest of Asgard and bring them home.”

“Then let’s get it and get out of here.” I said, my stomach still unsettled from our trip, “All of this silence is making me anxious.”

We crested the small hill that the ship sat upon, Quill and the rest of the crew joining us.

“The boarding ramp is down, and the doors are wide open.” Quill said, activating his helmet. “This smells like trouble.”

“I do not smell anything.” Drax mumbled, “You can tell what trouble smells like? Does it smell like fish?”

“Drax, come on, we’ve worked on this!” Quill groaned, ascending the ramp slowly.

My eyes took a minute to adjust to the dark interior, but once they had, I wished they hadn’t.

Bodies lay strewn across the floor, in varying stages of decay. Blank eyes stared forward, fearful expressions still plastered on their faces. My stomach, still upset from our space travel, decided it had endured enough. My lunch ended up all over the ground outside the ship.

“Is there any sign of who it was?” Gamora asked, turning over a body to look for a cause of death.

“There’s no signs of a struggle anywhere,” Quill said, “They must’ve gotten jumped by whoever did this really quickly. They all look like they’re from the same crew. ”

“Except these.” Rocket said, gesturing to a few bodies that lay face down on the ground, laserfire scorches covering their clothing. “These guys fought and lost, and they don’t look like the rest. Did they get here after?”

“If they did, what killed them?” Quill countered.

“Or who?” Loki frowned, stepping closer to me.

A slight breeze drifted through, dust blowing about. I remained in the entrance to the ship, my stomach still turning. There was a noise resembling a footstep behind me, and every hair on my body stood up.

“What was that?” I whispered urgently, frozen in place.

“I believe that it’s the ‘who’” you’re looking for.” a strange voice called out from behind me.

Our group turned to look, everyone raising their weapons to meet the weapons raised at us. Several enemies stood at the bottom of the ramp, their approach silent until the very last moment. Their apparel was disheveled, but their weapons clean and humming. The central most figure stepped forward, lowering his weapon and smirking.

“Hello, Starguy.”

[goforwardgreenwriter-blog]

The Worm Reads: Empire of Storms, Ch 11 - 12

Luckily we’re not in the boring Elide/Lorcan subplot in this chapter, but back to Manon!

Everything had gone to shit. Everything.

Kinda like this series, huh?

In the end, she’d barely participated in Rifthold’s destruction, leaving it to the others. But she’d again donned her crowned helm, then ordered Abraxos to sail to the highest spire of the stone castle and roar his victory—and command. Even at the distant white walls of the city, ripping apart the guards and fleeing folk, the wyverns had paused at his order to stand down. Not one coven disobeyed.

Yesss I freakin’ love Manon so much. Can this book just be about her and Abraxos conquering evil kingdoms for their own?

Iskra had landed on the only space left: a lower bit of roofing below Manon. The positioning had been intentional. Iskra’s brown hair had come untangled from her tight braid, and her haughty face was splattered with human blood as she’d snarled at Manon, “This was my victory.”

I really like how Manon plans it all out, even down to the positioning so she’s looming over the other witches, reminding them of who is in charge. I propose a Manon fanclub, she deserves one.

Iskra trembled with rage. Not from the words. The wind had shifted, blowing toward Iskra. Blowing Manon’s scent at her. “Who?” Iskra seethed. “Who of mine did you butcher?”

Manon lies and said that the first witch had attacked Manon while she had been supposedly hunting Dorian, and also says that the other witches were killed by Rowan. Isarka all but announces that Manon is a liar and that she killed those witches, and now Manon has to deal with the consequences and face her grandmother.

Manon said to her Second and Third, “This will be messy.” Sorrel said quietly, “We’ll deal with it.” Manon clenched the helmet a bit harder. “If it goes poorly, you are to take the Thirteen and leave.”

Again, another character who is a much better leader than Aelin, looking out for her group’s safety. And Manon is a blood thirsty murdering witch.

So Manon goes in and all the witches have gathered.

“The Crone’s Sickle hangs above us,” Cresseida intoned. “Let it be the Mother’s blade of justice.” This was not a meeting. This was a trial. Iskra began smiling.

Oh my god, characters facing consequences for their decisions?? It isn’t just swept under the rug or dismissed?? In MY SJM novel??

“And, as the sentinel was a part of the Yellowlegs’ heir’s own coven, it is also a crime against Iskra.” Her grandmother’s face was tight with rage—not for what Manon had done, but for getting caught. “Through either your own neglect or ill-planning, the lives of four other coven members were ended. Their blood, too, stains your hands.” Her grandmother’s iron teeth shone in the candlelight. “Do you deny these charges?” Manon kept her back straight, looked each of them in the eye. “I do not deny that I killed Iskra’s sentinel when she tried to claim my rightful prize. I do not deny that the other four were slaughtered by the Fae Prince. But I do deny any wrongdoing on my part.”

I like how it balances each character’s viewpoint. To the witches, Manon has murdered five of her own kind, but to the reader, Manon did it to save a main character and hero, so you’re sympathetic towards Manon but the witches disowning her doesn’t seem like a contrivance.

Petrah, who Manon saved in one of the previous two books, asks Manon if she considers her an enemy or ally, and Manon says she sees her as a rival. Then Petrah asks Manon why she rescued her then while another wyvern killed hers.

Manon lifted her chin. “Because Keelie fought for you as she died. I would not allow her death to be wasted. I could offer a fellow warrior nothing less.” At the sound of her dead wyvern’s name, pain flickered across Petrah’s face. “You remember her name?”

Awww.... this is so heartwarming. It shows Manon isn’t entirely heartless and has a kind side, and it’s really good pay off for Manon’s earlier actions helping her now. Manon really is the best part of these books.

Because of Petrah speaking for Manon, her grandmother decides it’s not worth losing Manon just to fulfill the blood that has been lost.

“The blood shed must be equal,” her grandmother intoned. Her attention flicked over Manon’s shoulder. “So you, Granddaughter, will not die for this. But one of your Thirteen will.”

Oof, that’s super cold. Her grandmother addressing her so personally adds to the impact of the blow. Seriously SJM, you struck gold with the witches, why couldn’t the books be about them?

At this point Manon’s grandmother announces that Asterin will die the next day to pay the blood debt, and the chapter ends. I turned the page after that desperate for more, only to see that Chapter 12 is Aelin’s POV. Isn’t that just...great.

Without Evangeline slowing them down, Aelin, Aedion, and Lysandra traveled with little rest as they hauled ass for the coast.

“hauled ass” are you fucking kidding me... this is a fantasy novel and you’re gonna describe the characters as hauling ass....

Aelin tried not to dwell on it too much—on the threadbare estates, the abandoned farms, the gaunt-faced people whenever they ventured into town, cloaked and disguised, for desperately needed supplies. Though she had faced darkness and emerged full of light, a voice whispered in her head, You did this, you did this, you did this. That voice often sounded like Weylan Darrow’s icy tones.

Yeah, because it’s totally Darrow’s fault that you’re a spoiled snot who did nothing to help your kingdom for years.

The town of Ilium was as ancient as Terrasen itself, and would likely have already been forgotten by traders and history were it not for the crumbling temple at the northeastern edge of the city, drawing enough pilgrims to keep it thriving.

So they arrive at Ilium and Aelin wastes no time missing her fae prince’s dick. I understand she’s worried and all for his safety, but I know as soon as he’s back they’re gonna fuck like animals because they can’t stand to leave each other for two seconds and I’m not looking forward to it.

Some soldiers of Lord of Meah,one of the Lords in Adarlan, are camped in the port. Apparently after Dorian left after the witches attacked, all the Lords are starting to try to take over bits and pieces of land. Naturally this should upset Aelin, since Dorian is her friend and here are the people supposedly on his side claiming territory for themselves, right?

Aedion kept quiet as they rounded a corner, aiming for the small seaside inn Lysandra had also scouted that morning. On the other side of the city from the temple. The temple the soldiers had the nerve to use as their barracks. “Is this about sending a message to Adarlan, or to Darrow?” Aedion asked at last.

FUCKING FUCK OFF WITH THIS DARROW HATE I S2G!!!! Aedion has his nose buried so far up Aelin’s ass he can’t take even one tiny piece of criticism directed towards her!!! Darrow was right to not trust you assholes hoooooly shit

“It is about freeing my people, who have dealt with these Adarlanian pieces of shit for too long,” Aelin snapped, reining her mare in to a halt before the inn courtyard. Lysandra’s talons dug into her shoulder in silent agreement.

At least Aelin doesn’t agree. And whoa, Lysandra, are you trying to tear Aelin’s shoulder apart? Unless Aelin is wearing something over her shoulder to protect herself, those talons have gotta hurt!

Aedion mentions the Mycenians, and maybe it is just my short attention span, but who are they...? Man, SJM just keeps adding new people and groups and I honestly cannot remember who any of them are.

“And [the Mycenians] disbanded and vanished soon after that, never to be seen again,” Aedion countered. “What’s your point? You think liberating Ilium will summon them again? They’re long gone, Aelin, their sea dragons with them.”

OH SHIT SEA DRAGONS??? Sign me up. Gimmie bad ass warriors on ships commanding their sea dragon companions. Hell yeah.

[Aedion] double-checked that Rowan’s knife was securely buckled at his side before he said to Aelin and Lysandra, still by the window, “I know you two are of the opinion that we males are here to provide you with a pretty view and meals, but I am a general of Terrasen.

Aedion, I used to like you, but now SJM has ruined you.

“That temple is my birthright,” Aelin said. “I cannot allow that insult to go unchecked.” She rolled her shoulders. Revealing her plans, explaining herself �� It would take some getting used to. But she’d promised she’d try to be more … open about her plotting. And for this matter, at least, she could be.

Yeah, we’ll see how long she sticks to that. Also, love how she’s implying she’s only mad they took the temple because it is hers. As in, if they stole one of Dorian’s temples she wouldn’t care.

So Aedion mentions this kingsflame flower that used to bloom in the kingdom. Darrow is in possession of the last one. I have the feeling this is leading up to a scene where the kingsflame flower will bloom when Aelin takes back her crown. I love symbolic shit like that, but I know SJM is gonna make it allll about what a great ruler Aelin is and we’ll have 300 pages of everyone gushing about her.

Aelin and the rest leave to eat, and the chapter ends.

[mmtions]

wedding: impossible (pt.2)

(pt.1)

michelle jones/peter parker - college/future fic (wip)

Against his better judgement, Peter has agreed to be MJ’s fake date to a wedding so she can usurp the bride, or something. Considering how much he’d like to be her not-fake date, he’s not really looking forward to it.

Despite all her apparent indifference to them both - and, really, most of her peers - MJ had become a close friend to Ned and himself. So much so that he freely told her his big, spider-themed secret. (She’s actually the only person he’s deliberately told, which is a milestone he’s not keen on analyzing too deeply.) 

She’d reacted pretty calmly, actually, only hitting him with a medium-sized Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche novel, rather than the special edition hardcover that was also in reaching distance.

So, they survived high school together, becoming an unexpectedly tight-knit trio (with absolute no parallels to Harry Potter, shut up Ned). They even survived the entry and violent departure of Harry Osborne from the group, which caused all kinds of angst for Peter, definitely revolving around the supervillainy rather than the whole dating-MJ thing, thank you very much.

And they’d even survived college applications together. Ned and Peter had been talking about MIT since they realised it wasn’t a fictional place on spy TV shows, and Harvard should consider itself lucky to get MJ as one of its alumni. It was a happy coincidence that they all lived within a twenty-minute car ride of each other, really.

None of this, however, explains why exactly Peter is currently on a ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, trying to make conversation with MJ that isn’t horrifically awkward.

He’d picked her up from her college dorm in the car guilt-gifted to him by Mr. Stark after the whole Infinity War mess, and most of the words exchanged during the whole hour-and-a-half trip had been about which radio station to play. They’re currently sitting inside the main ferry, a booth to themselves, looking out onto the passing waves. Peter’s already wearing his suit, the plain black one he last wore to graduation, but MJ told him that she’d change on the journey. (As long as she’s not expecting him to keep driving while she strips off in the front seat next to him, he’s perfectly happy with the plan).

“Hey,” she suddenly says, apropos of nothing. “Does this remind you of that time with the Vulture and the ferry splitting in half?” Because of course she’d gone into scary-research-mode with she’d first found out his double life.

“Um,” he looks around. The smell of seawater is stronger when it’s not filtered through a fear-sweaty mask, and the view isn’t quite the same, but, “Yeah, kind of, now you mention it. Thanks for that.”

She snickers. “No problem.”

And, well, he finds himself smiling, because he can’t help himself, and because this is their status quo, her making fun of pretty much every aspect of his character, and he didn’t realise how much he missed it even in the past week.

He readjusts his tie - although maybe he could just have taken it off for the journey - and of course MJ’s eyes narrow in on the movement. “I like your suit,” she says.

“Thanks,” he says. “May said I should match the tie to your dress, but you won’t tell me anything about it, so…”

Laughing easily, she replies, “Gold medal to Aunt May for remembering prom etiquette. Anyway, I’ve brought two dresses with me, and they’re different colours.”

“I’m sure I could have packed two ties,” he counters with a perfect poker face.

“Shut it, Parker.” She leans to teasingly shove at his shoulder. “Seriously, thanks for coming. I was considering Ned, but I’ve seen him on Dance Dance Revolution, and I can’t afford to lose an eye during the macarena, you know?”

He snorts. “Sure, happy to save you from that. But who turned you down before you considered me?”

He meant it as just a joke, ready for her to roll her eyes and say a cheerleader or her current debating rival, but as soon as he says it, he realises how desperate it probably sounded. He swallows, and prepares his commentary on the weather, when she frowns, a crease between her brows like every-time he says something stupid.

“I didn’t consider anyone else,” she says, and she actually seems sincere, which, honestly, has happened maybe five times during their entire friendship.

He rolls his eyes. “I’m joking, MJ, don’t worry.”

“Peter,” she says, and she puts her hand over his where it rests between them on the bench. “Seriously. You were my first choice.”

He casts his gaze anywhere but her face. “It’s okay, I’m here, you don’t need to-”

“Peter, I needed someone charismatic, and hot, and nice, and who I trust. Your waltz skills were a big bonus, I’ll admit,” and here, she grins, disarmingly casual, as if his whole world hasn’t stuttered a little bit at so many compliments coming from her mouth. “But I wanted you to come with me.”

“Uh,” he says, eloquently.

“I’m gonna go change into my outfit,” she says, abruptly, standing and edging out of the booth.  “Stay here. And try not to sink the boat this time, yeah?”

He shakes himself. “Not funny!” He yells after her retreating figure. She flips him off in response, and a mother shields her daughter’s eyes from the gesture as MJ stalks past them, duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Great.

While he waits for her to return, he nervously fixes his hair - and probably messes it up more - and considers texting Ned. Although what would he send?

(hey, has MJ been complimenting you recently? unrelated q: how’s that alien mind control detector coming along?)

He could maybe text May, but she’d get the wrong idea. Well, probably the right idea, but she’s always liked MJ, even more after the whole first semester mess that was his month-long relationship with Carlie Cooper. Even thinking her name makes the smell of burning strong in Peter’s nostrils, and he shivers. Bad mental path to go down, Parker.

He decides to just refresh Twitter, liking Pepper Potts’ (@CEOStarkPotts) tweet about fracking, and Mr. Stark’s subsequent reply about where he’d like to drill for oil, which he only likes out of courtesy because the actual mental image is bleach-drinking worthy.

He quickly finds himself then in a internet spiral, and he’s watching a Youtube restoration of a dug-up axe when there’s a cough from somewhere near. He startles, and looks up, and then thinks that maybe the ship did sink and he’s dead. Completely and utterly dead.

“It’s red,” he chokes out. At this point, it might be easier to just tattoo ‘giant dweeb’ across his forehead.

She rolls his eyes. “Cheers, Parker, consider your next opticians’ appointment postponed. Seriously, is it okay, or should I try on the other one?”

He shakes his head so fast he’s in danger of dislocating his jaw. He’s staring, definitely, but he doubts anyone would blame him. Because MJ - Michelle freakin’ “fashion is capitalism’s worst industry” Jones - is wearing this long red slinky dress that looks soft and shiny and amazing. “Nope, no,” he says. (Smooth.) “No, I think that one works. It’s, ah, you’re really - it looks good. Yeah,”

God, it’s almost the exact shade as the red on his suit. Don’t worry, Dr. Octopus, MJ is going to murder Peter Parker by just wearing spaghetti straps, you’re welcome.

She slides back into the booth, and tucks her hair - which is out of its usual ponytail and falling all around her face in all its wild glory - behind her ears. “Thanks.” Then the soft smile is quickly hidden behind a meaner grimace. “This’ll show Anna.”

“You still haven’t told me what your big problem with this girl is,” Peter points out, thankful for the distraction of conversation.

She sniffs. “It’s a long story. And I can only tell it when the sun’s down.”

He rolls his eyes. He has no idea why he likes her so much, honestly.

-

They follow the GPS’s directions and arrive at the hotel, a charming place with white stone and a long gravel driveway accented with pretty, flowering trees. Naturally, MJ pulls a face at it.

“This is so typical of her,” she says.

“It looks nice,” he rebukes.

They follow the signs to the car park, and Peter only takes three tries, amidst MJ’s laughter, to get it into the parking bay. They traipse to the main entrance, other guests mingling and following their path.

"Wait," Peter asks as they reach the lobby and join the queue of people for the reception desk. "We're staying here tonight?"

"Yeah," MJ replies casually. "The ceremony and reception are here, so."

"You booked the rooms?"

At this, MJ suddenly seems distracted by her fingernails. "Room. Singular. And, yeah. Least I could do for dragging you out here."

He's too afraid to ask the other question he has, which is promptly answered when they get up to their designated Room 342. It has exactly one double bed, right in the middle of the room, like it's taunting him.

"I-" he swallows. "I'll call reception, get them to send some more pillows so I can sleep on the floor."

"Don't be stupid," she dismisses, already chucking her bag onto the right side and popping the complimentary pillow mint into her mouth. "You can't help little old ladies cross the street if your back's as bad as theirs. We can share."

Right. They can share a bed. Sure.

"When does the ceremony start?" Peter asks, a little desperately as MJ sits on the bed and bobs a little, testing the springiness, which is not a turn-on, shut up.

"In half an hour, probably." She shrugs. "I'm not bothered if we turn up late though."

He narrows his eyes. "You want to turn up fashionably late to a wedding ceremony."

"I'm not saying I want to, I'm just saying I wouldn't be bothered," she counters, with a straight face, until she breaks and stands back up. "Kidding, kidding. Let's go. I think one of my cool cousins is here."

He frowns, following her out into the hallway and only just remembering to grab the keycard from the small table by the door. "How come your cousin is here? I thought you knew this girl from middle school?"

"Yeah, we went to middle school together," MJ agrees, and perhaps Peter should know not to be fooled by her casual tone by now. "But she's my aunt's daughter."

Peter stops. Like, he actually stops walking, right there on the patterned carpeting. "So, your cousin.”

She mockingly shudders. "Gross. I try to pretend we're not related."

“This is your cousin’s wedding,” he says slowly, the horrible truth dawning on him.

She stops at the elevators just in time to give him a side profile of her rolling her eyes. “Yes, if you want to be pedantic, I guess.”

He swallows. "Exactly how many of your family members are going to be down there?"

She finally halts as well, and turns to look at him, raising an eyebrow like he's the one being ridiculous. Then she twists her lips, thinking. "Hm," she says, and he waits with held breath. "Only the ones on my mom's side."

Yep. He's going to die.  

He throws his arms in the air. Possibly he's being very dramatic, but come on! "MJ! Are you kidding? This would have been vital information before we got here!"

Something weird and undefinable flickers across her face. "Would you have not come if you knew?" she counters, which is really beside the point.

"Of course I would've come," he says, immediately, because it's the truth. If MJ asked him to come as his date to a wedding between a disapproving Steve Rogers and Electro, he would've turned up with his shoes shined. Regardless, he thinks he has the right to be a little thrown. "You're seriously going to introduce me to your whole family as your boyfriend? To get revenge on your cousin?”

He at least expects a little contrition from her. But instead, the elevator doors slide open with a small chime, and the corner of her lips are curling, like she’s daring him to do something. “You up for the challenge, Spider-Man?”

God help him. His head rolls back in defeat, and she slips into the elevator. He has a split-second to decide: and then he’s darting forward to slide in before the doors shut. 

She looks up at his entrance, as if maybe she hadn’t been all that sure, and he shoves his hands in his pockets. “Fine, I’m in,” he says, and his smile is met by one of her own. “But you have to tell me the story behind your hatred of Anna, and I get to tell everyone you cried at the ceremony.”

She bites down on her bottom lip in that way she does whenever she wants to laugh at one of his dumb jokes but is too proud to. “Deal.”

“And,” he adds as she presses the button for the lobby, because something feels different, and he’s still sparking from the sight of her in that dress. “You have to strongly imply I’m the best you’ve had in bed.”

He’s expecting her to laugh straight in his face. But suddenly her expression is… different. Before he can work out exactly what’s going on, the elevator doors are opening again, and she’s striding away.

He takes a deep breath, and readjusts his tie one last time. Come on, Spider-Man, he thinks, and follows her. 

thanks for the amazing response so far!! I think this is going to be my last update on tumblr - I’m going to finish the rest, and then probably post the full thing as a one-shot on ao3. hope you enjoyed this next part! 

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Rokuhoudou 1 - 12 (REWATCH) | Fruits Basket 25 (FINAL) | Demon Slayer 25 - 26 (FINAL) | Mob Psycho 100 II OVA | Cop Craft 11 - 12 (FINAL) | Dr Stone 11 | Ahiru no Sora 1 | Shinchou Yuusha 1

New anime of the season, here we go!

Rokuhoudou 1 (REWATCH)

I’m doing a new project where I rewatch some of my favourites to test their integrity in that regard. Here’s the first show - Rokuhoudou. So what I remember about Rokuhoudou is that it’s very simple – the guys make food and help people, occasionally there’s cats – and that was enough to help me through a mental rough patch I was going through at the original time of airing.

Being sick and watching with a cinnamon roll really brings home the idea of Rokuhoudou as “comfort food for the eyes”…No, it’s not what you think. I’m eating a cinnamon roll.

I always assumed the title was translated to “Four-Coloured Daily Life at Rokuhoudou”, because that would be the best translation if the title was fully in kanji. It’s not though, so the hiragana-rendered parts could mean anything.

Rokuhoudou almost gives you this sensation of being spirited away by good food (and Good Boys).

Sui sometimes reminds me of Kunikida (BSD)…must be the glasses.

Gure’s such a tease, LOL.

Tokitaka’s so refined, yet also has the heart and patience to help old people, plant things and make pottery. I love him~!

“You don’t need to show appreciation with bodily functions!”

I only just noticed it…but Gure has a nice eye colour.

Oh…I just realised this since I now know Tokitaka grows the veg and herbs out back, but Tokitaka must’ve grown them.

Hmm…I was wondering why you’d need a spoon for chazuke, but then I realised it’s because of the soup…D’oh.

I wonder if Tokitaka also made the chopstick holders…

Update: The ikura reminds me of Hinamatsuri…

Rokuhoudou 2 (REWATCH)

(Sorry, I had a note, but I didn’t write it down fast enough so I don’t have any for this ep…)

Rokuhoudou 3 (REWATCH)

Tokitaka has a flower in his hair (during the pottery wheel scene)…cute~!

Rokuhoudou 4 (REWATCH)

“You need to chill out.” – More like “you need to calm down”, amirite??? (LOL)

Look at how badass my bois are!

Now that I’ve been seriously working on my customer service skills, I sort of get the ethic behind the Rokuhoudou workers in general.

Rokuhoudou 5 (REWATCH)

Oyaji ga Susumeru Café Iko! – “The Old Guy Recommends Cafes to Go To!”, literally speaking. However, it’s quite slang and seems to be hinting at the positive connotations of an oyaji (fondness, the sort you’d have for your dad), so I approve of the chosen translation “Daddy-o’s Café Go!”.

Oh yeah…this is the weird delusion from Isago, isn’t it? I still rmembr writing a blog post about it!

Why does Tokitaka look so evil in this one scene (where he’s helping Tsubaki), anyway?

Rokuhoudou 6 (REWATCH)

(no notes, sorry!)

Rokuhoudou 7 (REWATCH)

(no notes, sorry!)

Rokuhoudou 8 (REWATCH)

I love how Gure gets all fired up just to pedal a duck boat.

Is it just me, or does young!Gure look like he was designed by Rihito Takarai (creator of Ten Count)…?

I can’t believe this…my stomach grumbled in the middle of an espresso episode…

“Who else could it be for?” – The dog?...I’m kidding, man…don’t get so angry at me, dog lovers.

I think this might be the 2nd time I thought the kid was called “you” (2nd person pronoun), but his nam is “You” (given name).

Oh! I don’t think I noticed this special ED the first time around.

Update: Gure is a happy drunk, LOL. Also, Gure is half-Italian, with his father being Japanese. (see ep. 1 of original watch-through for corresponding notes)

Rokuhoudou 9 (REWATCH)

Is the land of love France or Italy…?

Shinchosha is real…in fact, they’re the ones who publish Rokuhoudou’s manga!

Oh, seriously, I ship it now! Isago x Hayashi, that is…and Sui x kittens.

Update: Somehow I only just ralised it…but the titular “Mont Blanc Boy” is Tsunozaki, even though technically the only boys we see in this episode are young! Kyousui and Yakyou.

Rokuhoudou 10 (REWATCH)

The Napolitan episode…this is where Astral’s post comes from.

I get the feeling this segment’s title is a shoutout to “You Don’t Know Gunma Yet”, which is in…Kurage Bunch, also by Shinchosha, if I’m remembering correctly.

Gure and Tsubaki are like children sometimes, I swear…

Kuromitsu = brown sugar. (It means “black sweetness”, literally translating and it used to confuse me so much that I want to mention it here.)

VAINO computer, eh?

Tokyo NX, LOL. (Parody of Tokyo MX, which has a lot of anime.)

Short-haired Tokitaka!

I think Koto(ko…?)’s words, in particular, were one of the best monologues in this series when it comes to relaxing by realising I wasn’t alone in my doubts of the world. “Can I make it to my dreams?” I was asking the first time I saw this and even though I haven’t achieved the dreams of past me, I just had to adjust my expectations, make some new dreams and keep on going.

Rokuhoudou 11 (REWATCH)

Good heck, Gendo-I mean, Kyousui. (re: finger tenting)

Also, there is one univeral truth about this show: don’t watch it on an empty stomach…I had to go get some food a few eps. back in this rewatch because my stomach grumbled…

When I thought of “something rich”, I thought of a pudding too. Maybe my memory is better than I thought, huh?

I thought there was something dirty on my screen…turns out it was just Gure’s beauty spot.

Rokuhoudou 12 (FINAL, REWATCH)

“I’ll wake you up, then.”

I learnt this from the manga, but Itou is the old tea vendor.

Gin-chan reminds me of the inventor Logicalist from Hina Logi.

Karamimochi. By the way, from earlier in the ep…ankoro mochi.

Neneko was meant to be into kimonos, wasn’t she…?

Nion (sic) camera, LOL.

Okay, that’s the end of my first rewatch. It’s a keeper!

Fruits Basket 25 (FINAL)

Shihan = shisho = instructor.

Notice the Jizo, protector of children.

“…didn’t have to block…”

LOL, Tohru’s shocked face going from Kyo to Yuki.

Ooh, Makoto Takei and Machi Kuragi…

Isuzu!!!

Okay, that’s the end of that. See you next time!

Demon Slayer 25

So the other butterfly mansion girls (aside from Aoi, Shinobu and Kanao) are called Naho, Kiyo and Sumi, huh?

Tanjiro is seemingly a freakin’ masochist right now to those girls…

Ooh, there’s a butterfly in a chrysalis on the title card!

It seems, based on the kanji for Tsuguko, the word literally means “inheritor”, “successor” or “one who makes [another person’s role flourish by being in it]”…Like a Legacy Character from TV Tropes. Also, “Tsuyuri” literally means “chestnut flowers fall”, if I understand the characters right.

Kanao does the Naruto run. She wants to see them aliens too!

“Putting in effort isn’t my thing.” – Now there’s a sentence after my own heart!

Why does Kanao not talk???

Kanao’s coin says “front” and “back” instad of heads and tails.

Hmm, hmm…very heterosexual reading of Kanao here. It almost makes me lose hope in the “gay Shinobu” department (not that I’m angry about that).

This guy with the hat…I swear he looks like a jellyfish…

Why do all the swordsmiths wear that mask???

There’s one thing I realised this episode…anime humour means I expect exaggerated reactions to a lot of things, such as Inosuke chipping his swords like that.

I remember being a bit annoying about the interchangeability between the translation of honoo as “fire” and “flame” when I was a Boueibu rookie...*sighs happily* good times.

Okayyyyyy…Tanjiro’s gone cuckoo…

Nezuko, Inosuke and Zenitsu, huh? There’s a combo I’ve never seen!

Mob Psycho 100 OVA

Isekai hot springs, LOL.

I think I can see Saitama’s bald head, LOL.

I think there might be CGI on this hot springs establishment…

This is Reigen, king of bulls*%$, everyone!

Nanbanzuke.

“[P]air of plumbers”, eh…?

Ooh, 8-bit graphics! Remember season 2’s early scenes? That 8-bit one was good.

Dude, Reigen…just leave the train already…then you’ll get out.

LOL, “Mobpis”...Mobpis 100, maybe?

Strangely, Teru looks vaguely hot in one frame of one scene where he has his eyes closed.

Why do I get the feeling the capybaras on TV will be relevant later…?

Now, this parallel world brings a new meaning to “Infinity Train”!

Nice callback to the opening words of s1 and 2.

…and randomly, Dimple can be seen in the red waves.

It seems Dimple likes sprouting legs these days.

Cop Craft 11

Tourte’s career…almost sounds like Trump’s…

“No one treats me like an alien.”

Don’t bring a sword to a gun fight, Tilarna…

The name “transitional crises” is perfect for this episode…geesh. Just like episode 1, there’s a cliffhanger.

Dr Stone 11

Notice the focus on E=mc2 when Senku talks about passing on knowledge.

Ahh, science…the cliché says it’s for loners, but truth be told, science works in tag teams just like anything else. (Yes, even IT, if you look at it a certain way – such as how creating your code builds upon the people who built that code and the people who made the programs you code in.

Why do all the villagers have platform shoes anyway???

Demon Slayer 26 (FINAL)

Is that woman (not the Biwa player, the other one)…Muzan?! Update: Yes.

Genya…he got so tall in 2 years(ish)…poor Tanjiro. He’s fated to kill Kibutsuji, but he’s also fated to be short.

Does every girl in this series have to fall in love with Tanjiro?!?! (or be implied to be shippable with him, even Nezuko???) I obviously don’t like that kind of direction, as you can see.

Ah, Kanao speaks…for once.

I guess Nezuko has a really loud heart voice, to contrast Kanao’s tiny heart voice, so to speak.

How does Inosuke eat anything through the boar head if he’s taking it off all the time now to do things with his mouth???

Darn that ninja Giyu, leaving as soon as he feels sentimental. (LOL)

*starts yelling at top of lungs* MU-GEN TRAIN! (roughly to the tune of TM Network’s Love Train, which I heard about a few months before this)

I just realised Tanjiro’s probably never seen a train, considering the only transport he’s ever known is maybe a carriage/cart…or maybe just his legs.

As Zenitsu’s struggling to keep up with the train, I almost expect the Harry Potter theme to play and a flying car to appear in the distance…okay, I’m kidding about the car, but I did wish for a second the Harry Potter song would play. Nur-nurr-nur-nurrrrrr-nur-nurrrrrr-nurr…(or something)

Cop Craft 12 (FINAL)

“…taking the lead in the mayoral lead.” – That sounds redundant.

Hey! It’s that one Demon Slayer joke again! (i.e. Kei used his head.)

Dead Randall: too much for TV.

I still can’t believe they properly managed to incorporate the porn case into the finale…

I watched Hellsing today and all this “Sir Matoba” this and “Sir Matoba” that made me wonder…why is Integra a “Sir” as well…?

Zelada does look like Alucard in some senses…hmm.

I think the large bruise over Kei’s eye disappeared in one of the scenes…Now it’s just under his eye.

Wait, Tilarna has a sibling??? Wuh???

I like how they transitioned into the OP, but man…talk about a fast ending. That’s a Hellsing kinda ending fo’ sure. Oh well, see you next time.

Ahiru no Sora 1

New season, new faces, new series. Let’s get into it.

Man, this sparrow freaks me out…

Lyrics from the outset. This must be something special to warrant such a thing.

I always thought Kuzuryuu (“nine-headed dragon”, literally translating) was a cool surname to have! Or just a place name, in this case.

LOL, his name is Momohara (peach field).

The arcade machine says “fist” in the back.

Uh-oh…nothing ever goes right when a boy tries peeping into the girl’s locker room…

*sigh* The male gaze…geesh.

“What are you doing?!” (Nani yatterun da?!) doesn’t translate to “This isn’t the circus!”.

Oh right…Momo = 100, chi = 1000, haru = spring, aki = autumn.

Hey, Chiaki actually got Sora’s name right for once…

Basically everything I know about basketball is from Kuroko no Basuke, so…uh…Sora’s reminding me of Kuroko right now.

Shinchou Yuusha 1

I just call this “TUEEE” instead…don’t mind me. Obviously, my target here is Ume…y’know that, right?

Most of these gods and goddesses look suckish, but I wouldn’t mind an anime about the one with the long hair and Monkey King headband.

Ristarte’s already a bundle of fun…although her leg jiggling’s a bit annoying…

(mocking) There must be a downside to this, right, Listarte…?

Can we not with boob storage??? I bet no matter how big a woman’s knockers are, you can’t store anything between ‘em in real life! (I think we’d need an anime Mythbusters for something like that…make it happen, someone!)

YesyesyesyesYES! OOH, Ristarte, you sure know how to pick ‘em! The fact he’s over 180 cm in height is…well, it’s bad for trying to kiss him, but otherwise it’s just a cherry on the cake of smokin’ HOT!

“[F]ish story”??? You mean “fishy”, right? (Oh well, seems like synonyms work too…)

I…don’t quite get this song…but I think I saw a hot guy (might’ve been a woman, but I’d like it to be a man since there are already so many women in the OP as is) about halfway through the OP. It’s a real 2 for 1 bargain here, people. Update: Argh…that’s a woman after all…

Argh! *is suddenly sabotaged by one Ariadoa* If you’ve read the Spellbook, you’ll know one of my aliases is “Aria Noyed”. It just happens to be the same as an anime and manga already, but now I have it ruining my fun here too…

LOL, did you hear that “ba-bing!” acquistion sound when Rista produced the money?

To be honest, I think regular Seiya (with the purple-highlighted armour as you see here) looks pretty hot anyway (plus Ume’s voice, which I came for), so I think I have a lock-in for the season right here.

The sakuga in this show is way too good (according to all the cubes of soil I keep seeing)!

This ED is a pretty cool bop, yo.

[crystallinekingdom]

"Are you scared? ... Then why won't you look at the screen?" (Prompt)

hey this got a little long… also im sorry it took 2 days

Movie Night

Taako’s sprawled out on the couch in their suite, painting his nails a shimmering blue and watching the world below through the now-exposed porthole that makes up most of the living room’s floor, when his Stone of Farspeech starts ringing where he left it on the coffee table.

He had expected this to be a quiet day. Apparently, in the aftermath of saving the world, nobody cares if you take a few extra days off work - Merle was planetside visiting his kids, while Magnus had gone to spar with Killian and Carey.

Whilst attempting to grasp for his Stone with semi-wet paint all over his nails, Taako drops the bottle of polish onto the counter, and the device is suddenly covered in tacky blue sparkles. He curses three different gods as he brings it up to his ear, inwardly praying that the person at the other end isn’t Brad ready to lecture him for thirty minutes about his use of expletives and how it isn’t beneficial to a teamwork environment.

It’s not. His sister’s voice crackles through the speaker, muffled by bad reception but still audible, and a grin spreads across his face.

“How’s it hanging, dork?” Lup asks. Taako can hear gravel crunching under her feet as she walks.

“Just chilling up here. What are you and the nerd up to, do-gooding in some random village again?” Lup and Barry had not been as blasé about the aftermath of the apocalypse as him and the boys - every day they were assisting a cleanup effort somewhere, trying to get areas that had been hit hard by the Hunger back in working order.

“Not today, actually, and that’s why I called. We aren’t scheduled to be in Goldcliff till Wednesday morning, which gives us, like, a day and a half free. Figured we’d drop by the moonbase and say hi. Want to hang out, or do you have better things to do?”

“No can do, sis, I’m busy curing cancer and making shoes for orphans - of course I’m down to hang out, who do you think I am? What time are you gonna be up here?”

“I just summoned a sphere, so.” The audio crackles a bit as she pauses, presumably to check her watch. “Around six, give or take?”

“Hell yeah. I’ll be in the suite. See ya then, goofus.” Taako puts the stone in his pocket, taking care to cap the bottle of blue polish on the table before hefting himself off the sofa.

The glass face of the clock on the wall has a large crack down its middle, but he can still make out a time that’s somewhere around 4:50 p.m. Enough time to whip something quick up, he thinks as he makes his way over to the kitchen.

Taako is halfway through mixing a bowl of dough for a yet-unfinished batch of glazed lemon cookies before he hears a light knock at the door. It’s much earlier than the ETA Lup had given him, but he trudges over, leans against the wall with one batter-sticky hand, and looks through the peephole.

In the hallway is Angus, newsboy cap slightly askew and clutching his wand to his chest. Taako is momentarily taken aback until he remembers what day of the week it is. Oh, shit. Monday is magic day.

He unlocks the deadbolt and pushes the door open with a flourish, feigning ignorance as to why the kid is here. “Hey, Django. What brings you to our neck of the woods?”

“Hello, sir!” Angus shifts from one foot to the other. “Uh, I’m sorry to trouble you, but I was just wondering if our magic lessons are, um, still a thing that’s happening? I mean, I totally understand if you’re busy, or if you’re finished training me now that I’m done being a Seeker and not really useful to you guys anymore, or-”

Taako cuts him off with a wave of his hand. “Sorry, kiddo. Don’t think we’re going to be able to do a lesson today.” Angus’s face falls and he opens his mouth to say something, but Taako continues, “Lulu and Barold are coming up for the day. Want to stick around and ask them all those nerd science questions you’ve been asking me? Might even be some baked goods in it for ya.”

He leaves the door open and turns around to retreat back into the kitchen, catching Angus’s “Th-thank you so much!” and the sound of the door shutting, then small footsteps following him inside.

“Now that you’re here, bubbeleh, I’m gonna have to put you to work. Child labor isn’t illegal if it’s on the moon,” Taako says, lightly clapping Angus on the back. “Want to go grab me a half tablespoon of vanilla extract so I can add it to this sick batter?”

Lup and Barry open the door an hour later to the sight of cookies left to cool on the stovetop and Taako sitting on the couch with Angus, teaching him some particularly nasty Fantasy Yiddish curses.

After a bout of small talk (considering the twins have fallen back into their old habit of constantly keeping tabs on each other for blackmail material, there isn’t much catching up to do) and a brief trip back to Lup and Barry’s makeshift moonbase quarters, Barry lays out a stack of old DVD cases on the kitchen table in front of Angus.

“It’s my movie collection from back on the Starblaster”, he explains. “First thing I salvaged once we got the ship back up here. We haven’t seen any of these in at least a decade, so take your pick, kiddo.”

Angus takes his time opening each plastic case and reading the blurb on the back. By the time he’s done, the other three are in an angry debate over the Fantasy Star Wars prequels (“They give context for episodes four through six, you uncultured swines!”), and Angus has to throw the case he’s chosen at Taako’s head to get their attention.

Taako looks at the case - Fantasy Alien. He briefly questions whether the whole chestburster thing is too frightening for an eleven year old boy, until he realizes that said eleven year old boy has fought eldritch abominations and been thrown off the back of a moving train. So much for childhood innocence.

“Good choice, Agnes,” he says, twirling the case in his hand.

Twenty minutes later, the lights are off and they’re all piled onto the couch under a knit throw covered in yellow embroidered ducks. Barry’s got an arm around his girlfriend and is staring at the screen with an expression of childlike wonder, Lup is whispering suggestive comments into Taako’s ear between mouthfuls of cookie, and Angus…

As the characters onscreen argue about what to do with the young halfling lying on the operating table with a squid-alien-thing on his face, Angus’s eyes are anywhere but on the action. The blanket is wrapped tightly around him up to his chest, and he’s staring directly into it.

Taako wrestles his right arm free from where Angus had pinned it while leaning on him and uses it to ruffle the boy’s hair. “Are you scared?” he asks softly. Maybe Angus is more squeamish than he’d thought.

“Oh, no, sir! If this were a real mission, they would have listened to containment protocol and prevented all this from happening. This whole situation could have been avoided if not for the sake of dramatic irony!” Angus responds, without looking up from his blanket cocoon.

“Then why won’t you look at the screen?” Taako lightly noogies him, then tugs on Angus’s piece of the blanket.

Out falls a small spiral-bound notebook with blue and silver trim, hitting the floor face-up with a small thump. Honestly, Taako doesn’t know what else he expected - he reaches down to pick it up, and surveys the page it opened up onto.

Below some indecent Fantasy Yiddish phrases (he’s both proud of the kid and terrified Lucretia will come after him once she hears Angus using said phrases in conversation) is a detailed sketch of a spacecraft. It’s surrounded by liner notes, detailing the workings of each part of the craft, its name - SS Nostromo - and physics equations describing what looks to be its capability for interstellar travel.

“Woah, is this the ship from the movie?” Taako asks.

“Yes, um. I’m sorry for not paying attention, I just thought it was a really interesting concept and-”

“Angus. It’s really dang good. Consider me thoroughly impressed.”

“Thank you!” Angus grins. “I’m just wondering, I know the Starblaster was made for hopping between dimensions, but did it have the raw power required for regular-old third dimensional travel on a larger scale like in this movie? Like, interstellar spaceflight?”

Lup, who has apparently been paying more attention to this whisper-conversation than Taako would have thought, turns towards Angus and wipes a few stray crumbs off her face. “See, the thing with bond energy is that because it’s freakin’ everywhere, it only takes a small core to process a huge amount of it. That’s how we could use such a small exploratory vessel. Of course, traveling in five dimensions takes a lot more power than in three, but if you factor in gravity and antimatter-”

Taako cranks up the volume on the television just as Barry shifts to face them, presumably to point out some obscure law of astrophysics. Adorable. They should set up their own little think tank. Taako smiles fondly at them as they continue their conversation, his face lit by the dim glow of the screen, then turns back around just as the alien bursts out of the halfling’s chest.

By the time the credits roll, both Angus and Barry are out cold - Angus holding his notebook and curled up against Taako’s chest, Barry clutching a throw pillow with a picture of a corgi on it. Lup has extricated herself from the cuddle pile and is raiding his pantry, and Taako is trying to figure out the best way to reach for the remote without waking up the two nerds asleep on his couch.

“You know,” Lup calls out from the kitchen, “I still feel kinda bad about blowing up his macaroons. He’s a good kid. You think it’d be cool if I made it up to him by baking him some more?”

Taako looks down at Angus, takes off his glasses, and places them on the coffee table. “I think he’d like that a lot.”

[lawchan89]

“Hold my hand. You’re going to be fine”

You know what ship

I do? :D

“Hold my hand! You’re going to be fine!”

He had no choice but to obey her. Star had managed to grab the edge of the cliff before they both went tumbling into the gorge below, snatching Marco out of the air with her other hand. She felt as if her body was going to be ripped in two between each strain: Keeping her grip on the jagged rocks, and keeping her grip on Marco’s hand as he dangled below her.

“Your Wand,” Marco grimaced, staring down at the drop briefly before he became dizzy from their height up and squeezed his eyes shut. He tried not to think about the painful cramping strain in his arm, and he tried not to think about the fact that the only thing keeping him from falling was the hand of the girl he loved.

“Screw my Wand,” Star panted, “I’ve got you – that’s all that matters.” Grunting, she kicked her feet against the side of the mountain, digging her heels in to give herself some leverage. “See? I don’t need it! I’m just gonna hoist us back up and–-!”

Her triumph turned swiftly to terror as she shrieked, the piece of the crag she was clinging desperately to beginning to fracture. A string of Mewnian swear words dropped from her lips in quick panicked whispers. The icy wind swirled down from the mountain above, whipping their faces like laughter from the deities above. How foolish she was to think mortals stood a chance against the natural world, even a magical warrior princess.

“This…this cliff isn’t gonna hold both our weights.” Marco spoke in hollowed voice, bile rising in his throat that he struggled to swallow down. He knew what needed to be done, what was going to be the only way to save her. It made him nauseous, absolutely sick to his stomach, but he couldn’t say he was surprised. With all the scrapes and adventures they got themselves into, this was bound to happen sooner or later.

Who was he anyway? Just some kid from Earth. She was the heir to a throne. AP classes and honor roll status had nothing on a kingdom’s legacy. If only one of them was getting out of this, there was no contest who it had to be.

“Star?”

“Kinda busy, Marco!” Star shouted back down to him in a strangled voice, then gasped as the stones under one of her heels crumbled.

“You’ll be able to get your footing with two hands.”

He said it so casually that for a few moments, it didn’t register what he was actually suggesting. Then Star stopped struggling, freezing in place as her eyes widened.

“No…” First it was quiet, easy to be mistaken as the howling of the wind around them. Then it got louder, until it was so shrill it could break glass, “No – no, Marco no!”

“Yeah,” Marco nodded.

“Are you outta your freakin’ mind?!”

“We don’t have a choice.” He was wearing the same grave expression her mother had worn the night she retrieved her from Earth upon Toffee’s return. Where she had also told her she didn’t have a choice, and just like then, Star was defiant.

“I’m gonna get us out of this!”

“You can’t, Star.”

“Don’t say that!” Star screamed brokenly, kicking the side of the cliff. “I’m Star Butterfly, the all-powerful warrior Princess of Mewni!”

“You sure are,” Marco breathed out, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. “And you won’t have to worry about some Earth Turd weighing you down anymore.”

Neither of them laughed at the irony of his words. In fact, now Star was sobbing, her face scrunched tight and red as tears pushed their way past her lids. She kept shaking her head as if doing so would make this all go away, squeezing Marco’s hand tighter still as if the roles were reversed and his grip was the only thing keeping her alive. And Marco couldn’t hold her like he normally would, just whisper her name over and over as she wept.

“Listen to me.”

“No,” Star repeated – whatever it was, she didn’t want to hear it.

“Star, listen,” Marco tried again patiently even though every part of his body was either throbbing in pain or trembling with dread. “I’m gonna let go now, and you’re gonna pull yourself up. You’re gonna climb back over the edge, march right back to the battlegrounds and show Toffee you’re not dead, and that you will defeat him.”

“I can’t – if you let go, you’ll–”

“You’re gonna take back the Castle. And you’re gonna go on to become the queen Mewni didn’t even know they needed.”

“I can’t!” Star wailed, choking on her own words. “Not without you, I-I can’t do any of this without you!”

“Since when?” Marco tried to smile, his own tears trailing into his hairline. The princess just continued to cry vocally, and he felt her tears fall onto his face like raindrops.

“Wh…why are you doing this?”

The answer was so simple and cheesy, but it was the absolute truth. “’Cause I love you.”

Her breath hitched both from sobs and the edge of the cliff breaking away further, and she shifted her hand around to grip something sturdier. She was so panicked, so broken, so lost that she couldn’t clear her mind to channel her inherent magic. Everything in her told her to just wait for the rocks under her hand to cleave completely, then both of them would tumble into the gorge. At least they would be together. At least she would die beside her soulmate, as it should be.

But Marco was right, as usual. That would be the selfish thing to do, leave her kingdom with no heir and a strong potential to fall at the hands of her mother’s archenemy. And for who? No one – just her best friend, her rock, her joy, her comfort, her prince. Her everything. There wasn’t a prince in the universe more perfect for her, and in moments he would…

They wouldn’t even be able to share a kiss. Star couldn’t remember exactly when she kissed him last – maybe at the pizza-bowling alley earlier that week? Sweet Mewni, if she’d known that would be their last…what kind of sick torture was this?

“Marco please…please…I can’t let you go…”

“I’m sorry, Star…” Now they were both weeping openly, Marco ever so slowly loosening a finger at a time from around her wrist, savoring ever last second he had with her.

“I love you, too,” she whimpered helplessly. “I love you so so much, Marco Diaz, you’ll never know how much.” She stared down at him, her streaming baby blue eyes locked onto his deep brown ones, swaying below her with his dirt and tear-smeared face, his hoodie and cape nearly shredded from battle. But it was his gaze she clung to, the eyes of the bravest hero she’d ever known. She never would have made it this far without him, and she never would have felt such warmth, tenderness and completeness without him so close to her heart. She would have made him her king, no question about that.

And he stared transfixed, utterly mesmerized back up at her, so beautiful and fiery and full of love, her eyes nearly glowing through her face darkened with mud, her dress and leggings torn up and deep scrapes along her arms. She had never looked more flawless, even with tears and snot gleaming thickly. Why had he realized so late that this princess was everything to him? They could have had so much more time. He wasn’t going to be beside her as she was crowned queen and led Mewni to a new era.

But now wasn’t the time for regrets. She has to be saved…he said this over and over in his mind as his fingers relaxed from her wrist. He was ready to leave her the world.

But she just wanted him.

“Marco – Marco, stop!” Star shrieked, his limp hand sliding out of hers, her reinforcement around his wrist giving way. “I need you – I need you!”

“Goodbye, Star…” His eyes never left hers. They were the last thing he saw as fate dealt its cruel hand…and all at once, Star was holding nothing but empty air.

“Marco!!!”

He heard her screams, and at first he was enraged she had survived. Then deep pitifully wracking sobs echoed towards him at the edge of Mewni’s battlefield, and the smug smile returned full force to his sharp reptilian face. The boy was gone – nothing would cause such a reaction otherwise.

Good. If I can’t have a dead Butterfly, I’ll take a broken one.

But when Toffee turned around to taunt her, he froze in shock. Star stood with her eyes and heart emblems blinding bright, her entire body vibrating, her hair blown back by a forceful gust of wind. She was doing this all herself, no wand required, completely silent. But her mentality and intent were unmistakable.

History was about to repeat itself: Toffee of Septarsis was about to feel the full brunt of Princess Butterfly’s rage.

[gifsbysimplysonia]

@stevieang

This is a feel good great chapter, and I’m here for it. I honestly did not know WHAT to expect after being blindsided by the end of 17 lol. And a part of me was VERY worried that lives were going to be thrown back into chaos as villains came out of the woodwork or something. Cuz in my life, as SOON as something good happens, before I can enjoy it, something bad has to come along and take the wind out of my sails :\

But Steph and Steve just get to ENJOY each other and their blessings and I am HERE FOR IT!

The ring? IS GORGEOUS! OMG! I saw the blue stone and was like, holy crap, I didn’t know there’s, like, a perfect Captain America engagement ring but THERE IT IS! Absolutely stunning. Amazing choice, Steve!

Steve? Really made me smile so hard my cheeks hurt and silently cry thoughout, like, this whole thing. I could tell his feelings were kind of hurt when Steph told him she never ACTUALLY thought he would propose. I think he internalized that and took it as, “Oh, so she doesn’t WANT to marry me.”

And it’s not that at all, and I think Steph did a REMARKABLE job at explaining herself. Seeing how far she has come, emotionally, in these 18 chapters is a testament to how thoughtful you’ve been about her development and journey.

“Remember our first date, when you told me to trust you?  Well, since then I have worked very hard to do that.  For me, that meant letting go of what might be and focusing on what is- the present moment. I knew I loved you and I just tried to stay secure in the knowledge that you felt the same.”

That right there is such an intimate confession because being vulnerable is DIFFICULT. I haven’t figured out how to do it myself. And Steph has so much baggage to deal with, and that she has been dealing with. Then getting involved with Steve inadvertantly added, like, a whole new set of luggage that she wasn’t expecting. But she’s REALLY been faithful to that promise she made to him, trying to BE with him and just enjoy what they have. So I’m glad that she reminded him of where she started and just what it means that they are where they are. 

Pretty much EVERYTHING Steve said throughout this WHOLE CHAPTER was a freakin’ dream. His declarations of love don’t come off cheesy or make me roll my eyes; maybe it’s cuz I’ve been on this journey with him or maybe it’s just cuz I love your Steve so much. But every time he opened his mouth to reinforce how much he loves Steph here, I was freakin’ crying. 

“Well, this is what is.  You, me, the girls, Bucky, my life, your life, all of it - I want everything, I want it all.  I want it for as long as we live.”

I MEAN OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVE! I adore adore adore him. 

The way he was a total brat the morning? Texting her to find out where she was cuz she wasn’t in bed and she said she’d be back in a bit and he yelled at her “NO! NOW!!” It was like, so funny, so sweet, and so sexy at the same time (cuz, hi, tell me what to do when we’re alone lol). 

OH BTW, reading this at work, I didn’t know what to expect but I certainly didn’t expect them to go home and have an intense encounter. Her asking him to help keep her quiet so as not to tip the guards off made me laaaaaaaaaaaaugh. But it’s also like, honey. Come on. They know. We’re all grown lol. 

“I’d bet folding money they have a pretty good idea. But If it makes you feel better, if you get that loud, I’ll just put something in your mouth.  Any ideas?”

So ... the way you worded that is just very Steve? “Folding money” in particular, I just love the way you put that sentence together cuz it feels right for him for some reason, maybe harkening back to some 40s lingo or something, I dunno. It just really worked for me.

But ALSO?!? STEVE ROGERS MAKING DIRTY INNUENDOS! I LIVE!!! And, of course, it’s a joke but yesplz. :P I love your Steeeeeeeeeeeeeve!

And then, andthenandthen....we went back to an issue that we hadn’t visited in a while AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT. I’ve said many times on my blog that Plus Size Reader stories that FOCUS or are ALL ABOUT self loathing just ... are so not my bag. BUT, for the topic to crop up sometimes? Yeah, that’s more real life speed, at least for me. And it came up here and the way Steve handled it? Again, TOTAL DREAM. 

“I’ve told you before that you don’t need to hide any part of your body from me.  Let me remind you - you just said you would be with me forever, right?” You nodded as he took hold of your left hand and kissed your ring finger.  “It’s a two-way street.  This is as all-in as we can get.  Any hang-ups or insecurities either of us have we can get through together.  You have me, forever, but even better, I get to have you for just as long.  Now trust me, will ya?”

Like ... A DREAM. He needs her to know how committed he is, and he wants her to be right there with him. And this isn’t Steve fulfilling some sense of DUTY, WITH STEPH IS WHERE HE WANTS TO BE!! Dude keeps PROVING THAT WITH ACTIONS, and it just ... it like makes my heart BURST in an oddly painful but enjoyable way? Cuz like, that part of my brain that’ll never be open with anyone is like THIS ISN’T REAL but the romantic part of my brain is like BUT IT CAN BE AND THAT IS WHY IT IS SO AMAZING lol You just honestly write Steve to be so incredible; he’s loving and affectionate and proud of being with Steph but he has his faults and sometimes he pushes and it doesn’t work. But he shows up and he is SO IN LOVE with Steph and it’s just a joy to read. 

He’s also, like, VERY into Steph being his wife? LOL he made mention of it more than once and it’s like, ‘Oh, so Steve has a kink.’ BUT WHAT A KINK! An amazing man who can’t WAIT to call you his wife! *swoon*

I loved Bucky popping up, scaring everyone, being proud and claiming Best Man status. Him and Steve’s friendship feels SO spot on because it isn’t just, like, them? I dunno if that makes sense but in a lot of fic I read, Bucky is THERE and works as a tool of sorts to push Steve towards the protagonist but then ... that’s it. Here, he’s his own person but also a big part of Steve’s life, and Steph WELCOMED him into the family and always makes SURE he is invited and a part of their lives too. I LOVE that you have INCLUDED Bucky and not just used him to further the plot. He feels real and fleshed out. And Steph confiding in him/asking him about the ever present threat that still lurks ... I’m glad you reminded me of what’s out there and what is (no doubt) going to come into play soon. Bucky’s such a reassuring and strong presence and I feel so much better knowing that he is looking out for the kids and Steph and STAYS vigilant. 

The surprise engagement party was crazy lol cuz I legit thought that Steph was about to walk into a ponderosa with Maria. Like, yeah, it was supposed to be a general get together, but I was SURE Maria was gonna see the ring and pull Steph aside and an emotional confrontation was going to happen. But it turned out so much happier. 

I will always and forever love Tony, and Steph’s assessment of him made me giggle

You always liked Tony - his brilliance and philanthropy, his bravery and loyalty to Steve, and even his sarcasm and petulance.  He was truly happy for you, and offered anything you needed to make the wedding happen whenever, wherever, and however you wanted.  He was really a sweet guy underneath all that iron.

Happy sigh. I feel like that’s a good sum up of the man. And that everyone chipped in to help put all this together ... Steph had literally JUST thought, “Huh. I don’t need fanfare this time around” only to have Steve put together ALL OF THE FANFARE lmaooooooooooooooooo But I LOVE that because it not only shows how enthused HE is about this, but that he always wants to do THE MOST just to see Steph appreciated and celebrated and happy. *dies* 

I come from a Latin family so tradition states a partner SHOULD ask for someone’s hand in marriage, so that Steve did that made me SWOOOOOOOOOOOON. It was a really great detail to work in. And, I mean, him AND TONY making sure her parents were there. Steve & Tony are an underrated duo I think sometimes; like, I know people ship them, but just as friends/teammates ... the things they are capable of when they are on the same page are just amazing. It made my heart hurt a little to think of them in this ‘Verse where they obvs work together and have a relationship :’| I appreciate that you are allowing me these glimpses and to enjoy that bit of business/relationship. 

And, shame on me, but I didn’t really think of informing like ... her ex? That’s not something that would’ve ever crossed my mind (cuz I’m like, why the Hell does he need to know?!?), so I thank you for constantly bringing me back to the fact that this is a big family that has a lot of moving parts and Steve, prince among men, is considerate of ALL of them. Imagining the girls screeching and screaming and asking all the questions  made me hiccup and cry cuz they wanted this for their mom probably as much as Steve did? LOL so now that they get to be a part of this, it must be SO exciting. 

Just a really warm, lovely, feel GREAT chapter. I worry cuz I know conflict has to be coming up and I STG IF HYDRA RUINS THE WEDDING, I WILL RAGE QUIT LIFE lolz 

Thank you again for this tale!!!

[mirkwoodshewolf]

One thing can save the world; Rocket Raccoon

THIS IS NOT A READER INSERT!!! This came from an anon conversation I had when I first came onto tumblr with imagining Rocket cloning himself to create an army of Rockets taking over a fleet of airships AND with the big hub-bub of the Avengers Infinity War at Disney Expo 23, I thought I’d combine the anon request with a prediction of what’s to happen in the upcoming Infinity war movie coming next year *CAN’T FREAKING WAIT RELEASE THE TRAILER ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!* Now this is just my enterpretation of what could happen, I DO NOT own any of the characters and I hope whoever requested the Rocket army request will enjoy this :) And sorry in advance if it sucks. 

__________________________________________________________

They were overwhelmed.  Even with all the superheroes united together it was still too much for them.  Thanos had come to take over the Earth and he brought with him a stronger Chitauri army as well as any other scum he could bride with a “promised share” of the Universe.

“How many more of these guys can he bring?” proclaimed Tony.

“Thanos had unlimited connections, he must’ve called every single one of his partnerships in hopes of sharing the Universe, but he’s never one to share” Gamora stated as she kicked one Chitauri in the head and tossed another one towards Natasha who caught it and electrocuted it with her spider-bite gloves.

“We’re overwhelmed, it’ll take a miracle to get us out of this mess” said Natasha.  In the sky it was as much of a war zone as it was on the ground, aircrafts and superheroes who could fly were flying in the air with explosions booming like fireworks. Inside the Milano, Peter Quill and Rocket took control of piloting the Milano firing all their weapons at any oncoming spacecraft.

“I’ll have to agree with Gamora #2, everytime we take down one aircraft, hundreds more keep coming in”.  As Rocket began to process something in his head, he suddenly got an idea.  He taped on the comms link on the Milano and said.

“Hey Stark!”‘

I’m a little busy at the moment!’

“Just answer me this, how far advance is your technology?”

‘Pretty high-tech. Not to brag but its state of the art. Why?’

“Ahh no reason, just want to know if I can sneak back into that high tower of yours and play with some of your stuff” Rocket said as he got out of his seat and prepared his jetpack.

‘Whoa, whoa, whoa no one touches my stuff but me!’ Stark proclaimed. Rocket grabbed the handle switch that would open the lower escape doors and Peter hollered to Rocket.

“What are you planning Rocket?”

“Just keep them off my back till I reach Stark Towers. I have a plan!”

“You’ve got a plan?” Peter asked skeptically.

“Yes. Much better than your last plan back on Xandar”.

“It wasn’t my fault!” Before Quill could say anything else, Rocket jumped out of the Milano and flew towards Stark Towers and soon coming up behind him was Ironman himself.

‘So what’s this great plan of yours?’

“You’ll find out soon enough”.  The two of them soon ignited their thrusters faster towards the tower. 

In Stark’s lab, he and Rocket were putting together a special machine that could turn the tide in their favor and save the galaxy once and for all.

“Now I’ve never really invented something like this, you sure it’ll work?” Tony said to Rocket.

“You Terrans claim to have the most advance technology in the world and you have yet to invent a cloning device?” Rocket mocked to him as he connected some wires together on the machine.

“Well sorry but it never occurred to me to ever clone myself, especially after watching Multiplicity”.

“Multi-what?”

“Oh come on now don’t tell me you guys don’t get movies out there on alien planets!”  Rocket only remained silent then Stark went back to work and muttered, “Okay geez, I thought out there there’d be some entertainment like we have here”.

“Just hand me that pilot’s driver and duct tape”. Stated Rocket.  With a few more modifications, the duplication machine was finally ready.

“You sure about this? We don’t know what’ll happen since we didn’t test it”.

“We don’t have time to. If anything goes wrong, tell Quill to not take my stuff and Groot to take care of the others for me”.

“You got it raccoon, you ready?”

“Let’s do this”.  Stark then activated the machine which sparked and buzzed and Rocket grinned before leaping through the arch of the machine. 

Back on the battlefield, half of the heroes were barely scrapping the floor trying to get up while unfortunately some of them the help would come too late.

“Damnit where are Rocket and Stark!” Sam groaned.

“They’ll come, I know he will. Mr. Stark always likes to make a dramatic entrance” Peter winced.

“Well they better make it now, because I don’t know how much fight I’ve got left in me” stated T’Challa.

“Guardians and Avengers! Your time on this realm is over! The Earth is now mine”. Thanos’ voice proclaimed as he levitated in the air with the infinity gauntlet on with all 6 Infinity stones in each slot.  He raised his hand and suddenly coming down towards the Earth was almost what looked like another planet heading towards them.

The remaining of Earth’s heroes and Guardians all looked up in horror.  There was no way they would be able to stop a whole freakin planet from dropping on their heads it would take a miracle to stop this.

“Hey yah big purple monkey!” Rocket’s voice echoed out from an Intercom.  Everyone looked up and saw something heading towards them.  It looked like a swarm of some kind.  “This here is our town! You want it, you gotta kill me and all my little friends here!”  Suddenly swarming the air were millions of Rocket Raccoon clones all lined with jetpacks and all of them getting into each Chitauri air-fleet ships.  “Alright you heroes you all take care of the aliens down there and leave the rest to me!”

“Son of a bitch” Bucky muttered.

“Way to go Rocket!” Peter Quill proclaimed from the Milano’s intercom.

With that motivation of seeing an army of Rocket Raccoons flying in space crafts, the remaining heroes all got up and proceeded to fight off the rest of the Chitauri army that all the Rockets had tossed out from their aircrafts.

The real Rocket soon stood before Thanos and the two of them glared at each other.

“You won’t be able to stop what’s coming!”

“Yeah, yeah but I can stop you”.  Rocket then activated one of the Chitauri guns and aimed it right at the Infinity gauntlet.  He then fired with all the fire-power it had right at the gauntlet and Thanos held out his hand which deflected the attack but Rocket kept hold on Thanos.

Soon coming up beside him was Stark who used his repulsor beams to give Rocket a hand and soon coming beside him was Peter on the Milano as well as Thor who used his newly built axe to fire the same lightning he would get from Mjolnir.

With the combined fire power, the gauntlet actually began to crack.  Thanos’ eyes widened and within a few more firepower from all four heroes combined, the gauntlet was destroyed sending all six infinity stones flying in the air. Stark then grabbed the Time Stone and called out.

“Yo Strange!” He then threw the Time stone towards Stephen and with the help of the cloak of levitation, Stephen opened up the Eye of Agamotto and the stone landed safely inside of it which activated the relic once more.

“Everybody stand back!” His arm then became wrapped with the green magic crypt.  He raised his arms and focused right on the incoming planet.  “IN THE NAME OF THE SORCERER SUPREME. I BANISH YOU TO THE FAR REACHES OF THE MULTIVERSE. BE GONE THANOS AND TITAN!!!” The Eye of Agamotto soon fired a powerful green beam which hit right at Thanos’ planet Titan as well as Thanos himself.

He let out a scream and soon the planet and he disappeared into one of the infinite universes never to be released again.

Stephen Strange levitated back down to the ground panting in exhaustion and soon the four heroes landed in front of him. Quill and Rocket got out of their space crafts and stood beside Thor, Stephen and Stark.

“Did we just—”

“Yes Star-lord, we are victorious”. Stated Thor.“Where did you banish him?” asked Tony.

“Somewhere not even Thanos can get out. And I have you and Rocket to thank, had you both not decided to make a cloned army of raccoons, I’d never get the stone back into the Eye of Agamotto”.  The rest of the Avengers and Guardians soon came out from the smoke all of them in complete silence for a moment not believing that they had won.

When it finally came to them that they did, they all cried and cheered and hugged each other.  The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Antman and Wasp, Black Panther and Spiderman all saved the galaxy from the mad Titian Thanos and the galaxy was finally at peace. 

As a few weeks went by and after some sorrow filled funerals of those who had unfortunately lost their lives in the battle against Thanos.  They all had drinks at the newly rebuilt Avengers compound.  

While everyone was sitting around drinking in celebration as well as in remembrance to those who gave their lives Bucky’s voice cried out.

“Where is my replacement arm!?” Rocket snickered as he sat on the counter with a drink in his hand.

“Don’t you think it’s time we got rid of the clones now Rocket?” asked Gamora.

“Are you kidding me? I ain’t never getting rid of those guys”.  Everyone soon let out a laugh while the girls mainly rolled their eyes at Rocket’s response.

[dwarven-beard-spores]

Chicago Hamilton Notes 06/06/16

So I saw Hamilton in Chicago last night, and HOLY SHIT IT WAS GOOD. So my observations and thoughts are below the cut. (There are a LOT)

Disclaimer that these are all subjective, and what i chose to include/exclude is based on what specifically caught my attention/memory and is informed by things I have previously read/seen. 

Feel free to send me an ask if you have any questions! I would LOVE to talk about it :D

ACT 1

The performance was GREAT, everybody was fantastic, and the emotions in this show were so raw, more so than on the cast album. It was intense. 

The set is beautiful, and even without context I would love to just run around on it. Every time it did something new I gasped. Very roughly, it’s a center with a turntable, and a balcony all around the sides and back. We talked about how it felt very Shakespearean. 

The lighting is holy shit, there are so many layers to that and variations and wow I was impressed. I was in the balcony so I could see the lighting patterns really well. 

Same with the choreography, like you could go to a dance recital with just the ensemble cast and be not disappointed at all. It’s so intricate, oh gods. 

The sheer amount of PAPER in the musical is astounding. People are constantly writing letters and documents and flyers and pamphlets, and they are getting passed here and there and thrown and stored places, and idk how anyone keeps track of them all. 

Aaron Burr Sir and My Shot were so great. One thing I didn’t know is that the Rev Set were pretty well established in the bar, they weren’t coming in when they did their initial introductions, they were chilling at a table, and like beatboxing for each other, and having a great time (until Burr spoils it)

Then My Shot happens, and it’s all going well, they form like four points of a circle and it looks really visually cool, until Ham goes “tell me where the ammunition is” and the spotlight just zooms in on him, so the lights and everyone around is just like “OH SHIT.” and it’s really awkward, until Laurens is like “yeah let’s roll with it.” 

They take “sing it to the rooftops” out into the street, and Laurens has a GREAT time rousing the people, getting them to stand on the balconies and hang off the sets, and it’s super exciting. 

Then everybody FREEZES on the turntable in the middle except for Ham, he’s in a front corner in a spot doing his “I imagine death” bit, so it looks very much like an internal monolog/anxiety, rather than something he’s confessing to his bros

And it stays like that until he goes “this is not a moment it’s the movement” and the moment that was frozen in time starts moving, and I cry at puns and layers of meaning

They get wasted in Story of Tonight, and Burr lurks in a corner, until stepping forward into this blazing diagonal of light to start Schuyler Sisters (all chill like, y’know) 

It seems to be the next morning, because the Rev Set is out on the street handing out pamphlets. Laurens gives one to Angelica, and she reads it while Eiza and Peggy argue, and it starts her off on talking about revolution. 

At the beginning, Peggy’s “and Peggy” is SO bratty, you wouldn’t believe, but at the end she is having SUCH a ball. 

Seabury gets up, he’s standing on a box to give his speech, dressed in like scholar robes or smth. Ham is ready to Fight, and Mulligan and Laffayette totally want him to, but Burr holds him back. 

So Laurens comes in, chats with an ensemble member and reads the scene, and then goes and grabs Burr and takes him back to distract him with a book or smth, and while he’s gone Ham goes in for the kill. 

At first he stands next to Seabury, but Seabury moves his box to upstage Ham. It doesn’t work, and eventually Ham is on the box with him, right up in his face. 

Burr notices eventually and is like “What? Oh fml.”

Up until this point everybody’s been all over that stage, there’s been so much bustle and movement. Then two redcoats sweep everybody off with their Message From the King and King George is on stage alone. And he’s TOTALLY STILL. Except for a few contained gestures, and a walk forward, he doesn’t fucking move. (Yet)

But he’s HILARIOUS, in his voice and the mannerisms he does do, everyone was laughing. 

On “everybody” a bunch of nervous ensemble people come to join him in singing, and they are also very still. 

32000 troops was accompanied by lighting that looked like water. 

Gwash is just freakin’ INTENSE man. He is so angry and so determined. He’s got an army of like 6 ensemble members to be his meager forces at the beginning. (But it’s all better once Ham’s three friends come in lol)

And Burr? Burr is so freaking Done With Ham’s Shit. He’s really angry at the beginning of Winter’s Ball. But he pulls it together to flirt. 

It may have been my imagination, but it sure seemed like Laurens was watching the people around him for Flirting Tips bc his gay ass doesn’t know how to be reliable with the ladies. 

For Helpless, these square lanterns descend from the ceiling, and they’re gorgeous and I gasped. There are also tables of candles in the back. 

Eliza is truly fantastic, she’s running around the room. And they made use of the turntable during the scene in the living room, which was really cool. 

There was so much pain in Angelica’s voice during “if you really loved me you would share him.” :’(

Eliza is pretty concerned about Angelica nomming Ham, but he reassures her. 

She gets a veil for the wedding, and they do the procession. Mulligan is the flower girl as per usual, he threw like 3 petals and looked so done with it XD

Then they smooched center stage, for quite a long time, until Laurens interrupted to bring us into Satisfied. 

Angelica sounded so ANGRY during her opening toast. Like “may you always be satisfied” was like “you’d fucking BETTER be satisfied” O.o

They rewound the action, to the kiss, and then in chunks, like, notable tableaus. Went all the way back to “we’re reliable with the ladies” so they were doing that choreography for the “I remember that night” bit. It was further than I expected but worked really well. 

There was this weird bit when she was introducing Ham and Eliza. So Ham and Eliza froze when Angelica did "number one" and "number two," and for at least one of those freezes there were a bunch of ensemble members who were like, posing Hamilton? Like moving his head and his joints while he was frozen? And I'm not entirely sure what it means but it was cool

In The Story Of Tonight Reprise, Laurens was just as draped on Burr as I’d hoped he would be. 

And when Lafayette said “you are the worst, Burr,” it was RIGHT in front of him, DIRECTLY to his face. It was great. 

Ham’s “oh shit” wasn’t just a tiny noise, it was like “oh SHIT.” 

Wait for It was another really really still number. Burr and some ensemble members. It was really really powerful. But when Burr was like “I’m not standing still” it was like “yes you definitely are though.” 

Stay Alive started with a single redcoat shooting at Hamilton and an ensemble member coming in to hold the bullet and show it’s path. 

Idk the battle scenes were so intense, I was right there in the action but I can’t pick out that many things that actually happened. 

Eaker was totally out there, out of control. A very frenzied “Wheeee!” 

The Ten Duel Commandments was mostly done with Laurens and Lee on opposite points of the spinning turntable. Ham and Burr would meet in the middle. 

During the “moment of adrenaline” there was a line of ensemble members between Laurens and Lee, all doing this fluttering motion over their heart that looked really striking. 

They cross the circle at the same time to switch positions, then turn and fire from there. 

Gwash is PISSED. 

He takes Ham to the downstage right. They have most of their argument standing side by side and facing out into the audience. They switch places I think, but don’t really face each other until “CALL ME SON ONE MORE TIME.” 

For That Would Be Enough, the set is mostly this once curved stone bench. 

Eliza is Preggers, and at the beginning she wants Ham to touch her stomach and feel the baby, but he doesn’t until the end, when he reaches for her very tentatively. 

This Eliza’s voice had the most round-sounding “around” ever, I love her voice so much. 

Lafayette was smoking at guns and ships, and the choreography was really fast too. 

He and Gwash talk about Hamilton by Washington’s desk. Washington writes a letter, which Lafayette then passes to an ensemble member, who passes it to another, and they go up around the balcony passing it until it finally gets to Hamilton. This is when Gwash is singing his slow bit, i believe. 

History has its eyes on you was one of a few numbers where there were ensemble members all around the balconies and edges of the scene, just kinda chilling and watching. 

Yorktown was also super intense. Mulligan killed it. 

“We gotta go, gotta get the job done” was with the whole army lined up right near the front of the stage. 

When the world is turned upside down, people come out with upside down chairs and furniture, and they make pedestals for the main players to stand on all dramatically at the end. 

King George comes back, and he is slightly more animated this time as he loses his grip on sanity! He’s also in a front corner as opposed to center stage. Still so many laughs. “I’m so blue” is when he stamps his foot and the lighting goes blue. It’s great. 

The staging for Dear Theodosia is really simple. It’s Burr at the very front of the stage, in a soft spotlight, holding the back of a chair which is facing towards the audience. He stands there and sings, and then sits down. Ham comes out with another chair and does the same thing. 

For the most part, I was fully in the moment while watching the musical. But I couldn’t help but think at this point of the comic where Hamilton goes “LOOK AT MY SON” and hurls a baby in Burr’s face. Oops. 

They are interrupted by Eliza (which is kinda cool, considering she’s the one who’s been really invested in kids) with a letter. This is the Laurens Interlude and it is very sad. She reads Hamilton the letter while Laurens stands next to him in a bluer spot and goes through The Story Of Tonight. 

At the end Eliza asks “are you alright?” and Ham answers by saying “I’ve got so much work to do.” 

By this time he’s in his green silk suit (I believe he changes right before Dear Theo). 

The Levi Weeks trial is on the turntable, so even when the players are stationary they’re still moving. Ham does sit down when Burr tells him to, but gets up like two seconds after. 

Angelica and Ham walk diagonally across the stage while she tells him that she’s going to London. He is a bit put out to find out she’s going with a husband, but does agree that no one can match him, and seems pleased with Angelica’s saying it.

Then the turntable takes her away, and brings Eliza forward at the same time. 

Everyone clears out for Ham and Burr’s midnight conversation. Burr’s “no” was like “noooooo” and I laughed. 

They pull out a chunk of the balcony!!! And it’s a set of stairs with a platform at the top, and they roll it to the center of the stage, so there’s stairs going up from the center onto the balcony! I gasped then too. 

Annnnd, INTERMISSION.

ACT 2

It opens with Burr on the top of the stairs (I think. Or else he climbs there promptly while giving his introduction.) He’s at the top when he calls out “Thomas? THOMAS!” and TJeffs comes out from the top of the stairs as well. 

His stage presence is so great, he is having a BALL. When he gives the audience a kiss it’s with his face out, he’s not blowing one. He just leans into it like “mwah!” 

And he gets wheeled around on the staircase, which goes back into the balcony afterwards. 

Madison shows up and is like “shit’s going down!” and Jefferson’s like “sure, but I’m the shit.” 

And when Gwash and Hamilton show up, Hamilton zooms forward and cuts Gwash off to shake Jefferson’s hand first and introduce himself. 

Then they cabinet battle! Someone comes with a case that has microphones in it, and the stage gets set up so there’s an upside down V with Gwash at the point and Tjeffs and Ham on this inside. 

Jefferson finishes his things and then drops the microphone like it’s hot. Madison makes a show of picking it up with his hankercheif. 

Ham’s body language while mocking Tjeffs is fantastic. He doesn’t do the same little hop Lin did during “Montechello,” but he did some disparaging wiggle that was really funny. 

Gwash has to physically separate the two and tell Ham to chill out. 

Take a break! Phillip is adorable, and it’s very clear that Eliza’s teaching him to play, and they’re really cute. 

Eliza has to physically take the pen out of Ham’s hand before he’ll come to dinner. 

Phillip is so nervous! And Eliza’s beatboxing for him, and gesturing to him like “you got this, come on,” and then he hits his stride and it’s so exciting. 

Hamilton’s teeny “hi” remains one of the best things ever. And Angelica is barely there three seconds before getting dragged into their problems. 

Say No To This has streetlights set up, and the outer ring of the turntable is going while Maria walks along it. She’s in Seductive Red (tm) and is circling the stationary desk where Ham is being angsty and tired. 

The ensemble members going “No! NO!” are SO DONE WITH HAM’S SHIT. On every “no” they change poses, and every pose is one of despair/exasperation/just general Done-ness. 

James Renolyds is a dirtbag, and calls Maria away with a slap to his leg. She and Ham share a longing glance before she goes. 

The Room Where It Happens was amazing. When Burr is setting the scene, Ham, Tjeffs, and Madison are standing in a line, facing away from the audience. They set up a table with Tjeffs and Madison seated and still facing away. Ham pours everyone drinks. That’s what the meal itself looks like. 

During “Thomas says” narration, Hamilton sure does simper for his help. It’s cool bc it’s maybe subjective based on the narrator, whoo!

Based on that post connecting Say No and The Room that had to deal with Ham borrowing strategy from Maria rather than Burr, it was interesting to have her red dress compared to Tjeff’s maroon suit… the warm colors contrasting against Ham’s green were a little similar. 

Burr gets on the table to emphasize his point, and at one point he jumps and someone pulls the tablecloth out from under him. The table is mirrored! I haven’t explicated the meaning behind that either, but it was really cool and unexpected. 

Everyone’s favorite, Schuyler defeated, was pretty chill. Eliza and Phillip were up on the balcony, Ham and Burr were center stage. Ham was pissed. 

They set up the second cabinet battle the same way as the first, and it follows the same format. Gwash dramatically flips his coattails every time he sits down. (He’s in black, btw)

Ham does a very nice imitation of King Louis’s head. 

Washington On Your Side was amazing. It started with just Tjeffs on stage complaining, and then Burr shows up and is like “I wanna complain about Hamilton too.” Madison doesn’t come on until it’s to remind everyone that he wrote the bill of rights. 

They’re so sinister. And the way the number builds in intensity is just right. 

During the song Tjeffs writes a letter, which makes it to Gwash’s desk for the beginning of One Last Time. When Hamilton comes in he is given the letter and reads it, and isn’t really paying that much attention to Washington until he announces he’s resigning. 

They’re BOTH in black now, btw. 

For the speech it works like this: Hamilton goes front and center and starts writing/reciting the speech. Gwash is in the back, right next to him but a stage behind. Then Ham starts walking backwards as George walks forward, until they’re next to each other in the middle. They pause, then George walks the rest of the way forward and Ham walks the rest of the way backward. As they do this, their voices match how far forward on stage they are, until George is carrying it by himself. 

At this point, people are watching: Ham and Eliza and Phillip are there, clinging on to each other, Madison and Jefferson are there, groups of ensemble members. 

George Washington’s stately walk away is matched by King George back. he’s completely lost it, and his gestures are so much wilder. 

“looms quite as large” reeeeaaaaallly sounded like a dick joke when he said it. 

Also his estimation of Adam’s height was like four feet tall maybe, and he lowered it upon further consideration. 

Then he decided to stay and hang out! He pulled up a chair on the side of the stage and sat there to watch shit go down!

Hamilton’s retaliation to John Adams was a giant bundle of papers, which he dropped from the center of the balcony. When it landed the lights and sound followed like an explosion. 

He goes to work at his desk, and is visited by Jefferson, Madison, and Burr, all in a line. They wave receipts in his face, and he grabs the letter from James Reynolds out of a drawer off to the side. Madison reads it while Jefferson hangs out near Hamilton to bother him, until “that was my wife who you decided to-“ when he dashes over there to read the letter for his own eyes. 

Desperation is rolling off Hamilton like waves in this scene. He is just barely hanging on as it is, and he does not need this bullshit. 

Burr’s cryptic answers are still cryptic… but in this performance they also sounded threatening. 

Hurricane starts with hurricane lighting swirling all around Hamilton, he’s in the eye. 

For most of the time he’s not alone onstage. He’s got ensemble members acting out the storm, and the scenes he’s talking about, and generally adding to the chaos. 

There’s a brilliant moment, and I can’t remember the exact line right now, where the entire stage is lit neon green and purple. Like cartoon radioactivity. It’s only for a few seconds and never anywhere else in the musical. I got chills. 

The Reynolds Pamphlet is CHAOS. Papers are going everywhere. Phillip gets shown the grisly details. Hamilton just stands in the center. 

It clears away when Angelica arrives, then it’s her and Hamilton. 

Then it comes back, and papers get thrown in the air and everywhere. Jefferson placed a sheet on Hamilton’s shoulder, which stuck. King George got into the action, he was having a ball. 

HIS POOR WIFE. 

Burn was just absolutely wrenching. The set? Was so simple and painful. A coal bin. A lantern just like the ones that had come down during Helpless. The stone bench from That Would Be Enough. Even thinking about it I’m tearing up. Eliza read the letters there, looking for her sign. She burned them in the lantern and tossed them in the coal bin. Wow it hurt. 

Pain and resolve is what came off her in waves. Her VOICE. 

And then Phillip shows up, all scholarly and ready to have threesomes.

The play is actually there; there are two actors in a harsh white square of light (stage) acting out some scene when Phillip comes in to get Eaker. They stop what they’re doing and watch the confrontation! Who’s on stage? It’s in flux! Then they’re like “screw this” and leave. 

Phillip and Eaker are on opposite points of the turntable too. Phillip is center stage when he gets shot. He falls back in slow motion, and is caught by an ensemble member who lowers him onto a table. The table keeps spinning around slowly as Hamilton comes in to look for him. 

*cries forever*

Eliza screams “NO!” after he dies. It hurt. 

At one point, Hamilton reached for her hand, and she wouldn’t let him touch her. 

Uptown was lit in a purple stone pattern, at least for some of it. Eliza and Hamilton weren’t alone, there were passersby all over the place. 

Angelica says “she takes his hand” before Eliza actually does, which surprised me. It was almost like Eliza was listening to Angelica and then responding. 

Can we get back to politics? Please? 

Hamilton trying to mourn, in black, just sort of wandering through the enthusiastic crowd asking about his opinion was really striking. 

Okay so the best part of The Election of 1800 for me was this realization. Something about the way Burr and Hamilton played the scene made me think of it in a whole new way… When Burr says “I learned that from you” it’s the absolute WORST thing he could have said. Because Hamilton is still dealing with the fact that his advice is what killed Phillip. He is realizing that his entire worldview may be flawed. And NOW Burr wants to take his advice? That can only end in disaster. 

So his decision to support Jefferson is not just because of Burr’s politics (though they are pretty awful) but is also because he’s trying to save Burr from following his advice. (In the least tactful way possible). 

MY HEART. (I need to write fic about this). 

Also, Jefferson is just really disgusted with the way Burr’s like “I can’t wait to work with you!” Like, dang. Not only did you miss out on the presidency, but your “wait for it” strategy got you kicked out of being VP. No wonder Burr is pissed. 

Speaking of pissed, he is SO out for blood in Your Obedient Servant. 

The lights turn red and put him and four ensemble members in white diamonds of light that reminded me of playing cards. 

He sits down at a desk and writes out a letter, which is then delivered to Hamilton.

Hamilton then sits down and starts writing his massive response, and it get delivered page by page by a different ensemble member each time. 

When he’s writing his 30 years of disagreements, he just kind of scribbles across the page, and it made me laugh. 

At the end, they both sign letters at the same time, and they get delivered in the order A. Ham (to Burr) and A. Burr (to Ham). 

Best of Wives was short and sweet. Hamilton kissed Eliza’s arm. 

This was set up much like the rest of the duels, with people going everywhere but the focus being the turntable.

During Burr’s “confession time” two ensemble members came up behind him and did the heart fluttery motion that meant “adrenaline” in Ten Duel Commandments, and it was a cool callback and also meant something different so I really liked it. 

When Burr shot, someone came up to hold the bullet, just like in Stay Alive. The table stopped turning, but Hamilton moved a bit. 

Laurens/Phillip, Hamilton’s mom, and George Washington all showed up on the balcony, but when Eliza showed up, she went right between Burr and Hamilton, so it looked as though she might be getting shot, or Ham would shoot her if he decided to fire.

Hamilton crumples into this tiny black ball when he’s shot, and he starts turning with the turntable. Two ensemble members sit next to him and act out rowing him back across the hudson. 

He ends up climbing the stairs to get to the balcony where his dead loved ones were, while Burr ends up center stage. 

Then WLWDWTYS happens and it’s so sad. Eliza comes into the spotlight, and the strength of her greif is overwhelming, especially in, like, “he gives me what you always wanted, he gives me more time.”

She ends it crying.

END

[mnetruinedmylife]

Fine

Just some unfinished IOI drabbles

“I’ll be alright.”

Three words that are so easy to say. So easily believed. Not because they’re particularly convincing, oh not at all, but rather because people want to believe them. Everyone wants to know that she’s going to be ok, no one actually wants to entertain the notion that she’s not. Because that’s a complication, and as Sohye as found out in the last few month, complications aren’t appreciated in the music industry.

Which brings her to the crux of the matter, she’s in the music industry. Which deity had deigned it fit to have that happen? It’s not like she didn’t want it, no she did want it. Perhaps not at first when the dawning horror that her company had thrown her under the proverbial bus came to light.

“How would you rate your singing and dancing skills?”

Confused wide-eyes stare at the two casting directors, “Um…I can’t sing or dance?”

The two women in front of share a look – eyes shining, teeth slightly wider than before, Sohye is reminded of those sharks in Finding Nemo.

The one on her left leans forward, resting her elbows onto the table, “Really now?”

Sohye isn’t stupid, she knows what they wanted when they accepted her onto the show. A butt monkey, the focus of a few laughs, some uncomfortable flailing – because it was a total coincidence that Heehyun and Chaeyeon were waiting in the wings with five cameras pointing at each of their faces when she performed – maybe even an inspiring ‘most improved’ story, and then boom bang, pack your bags and leave little actress girl.

Only it didn’t quite work out like that. They definitely underestimated their little underdog story segment and she became a little too popular than planned for.

“Nervous Sohye?”

Sejeong’s concerned face greets her, and Sohye nearly bows her head in deference – habit, she’s supposed to be a good natured, meek, and polite girl after all. She didn’t understand Sejeong, not at first. Why choose her of all people to be on her team? Why waste time correcting her instead of practicing, when Sejeong herself isn’t that much of a strong dancer?

Then it becomes obvious why, and Sohye nearly curses herself for being so stupid – something about the show must be sucking her brain cells out because she wasn’t stupid before she joined. Idols do just as much acting as actresses do, only it’s not seen, or praised – they all have images. The words get thrown around so easily that Sohye doesn’t think many people understand what it actually means. An image isn’t just something an idol presents, an image is a persona that an idol adopts. One that is cultivated through training, one they took classes to perfect, one that is put on from the moment they are in front of a camera and sometimes even after.

When she learns this, everything is easier to navigate. She can do this, she’s been taught how to act for years now, it should be easy. And it is. In the beginning she fumbles because of embarrassment, sheepishness, and a little intimidated at being in front of a two hundred judgemental eyes – but now it’s hers, the fumbling, shy, Kim Sohye, and the audience loves it.

Being an idol isn’t that much different to being an actress, as Sohye discovers. Only the acting is almost 24/7. She kind of likes it even.

“I’ll be alright,” Sohye says with a smile, “The choreo for Dream Girls isn’t that hard anyway.”

For a moment she wonders if Sejeong would believe her, the elder girl is scarily perceptive sometimes. But all she does is curve her eyes into smiles and nods, “Good. Let’s do our best ok?”

Sohye nods, “Ok.”

She might not have originally intended it, but between the beginning and end of the show, she grew to want it. While it might not be as strong as those who have wanted it for all their lives, chased it for all their lives – it’s a start, it’s something, and when Sohye wants something, she never lets anything get in her way.

_______________________)

“Never let anything get in your way.”

Somi gasps, heart pounding in her throat as her eyes shoots open. She stuffs her fist in her mouth and holds herself perfectly still. She learns the skill while on SIXTEEN, midnight sobs and thrashing nightmares were common, but Somi didn’t want to bother her roommates, didn’t want to show weakness. She picks it up from Jihyo – who probably had a lot of experiences with it in the past ten years, and then perfects it while on Produce 101.

Never let anything get in your way. Never let anything get in your way. Never let anything get in your way.

She holds her father’s words in her mind. Repeats it over and over again like a mantra. Because if you want something, you have to be willing to do anything for it. She wants this, oh so badly. When the lights are blinding her eyes, and the roar of the crowd deafens her ears, it’s worth it. When she dreams of scowling faces, of shadowy masses, of taunts and jeers and wakes up in cold sweat, it doesn’t seem to be.

Sighing, she slides out of bed, picking her blanket and pillow off the floor as she did so, and throws them back on her bed. Everyone else is asleep, and she’s careful not to wake them when she slips out the door.

The lights are all off, but someone left the blinds open and the moonlight streams through. A shadowy silhouette approaches her and wordlessly shoves a mug in her hands.

Somi fights the urge to look down. Hot chocolate. It makes her feel like a whining kid. Then again, Sejeong has always had that effect on her. They sit down on the kitchen stools opposite one another. As the warm drink slides down her throat and warms her belly, Somi closes her eyes, as if she could will her tiredness away just by doing so.

Sometimes Doyeon joins them, opens the fridge door, pulls out the ice tray and sits down at the table, crunching down the cubes one by one. Chaeyeon never actually comes into the kitchen, but she sits outside on the couch. They know she’s out there, and she knows they’re in here, and no one says a thing.  

None of them ever ask why the others are up, they don’t even speak to each other, and by morning no one mentions it. The first time it happened, Somi could almost believe that she had imagined the entire episode – only for Jieqiong to bust that bubble when she loudly complains about where all the ice went.

---------______)

“If you keep smiling, people are going to wonder where all the ice went.”

Nayoung nearly rolls her eyes, but she supposes she’s luckier than most, “I really hope this stone image isn’t permanent.”

The first time she walks into the Pledis training hall, they’re having lessons on maintaining an image. The instructor takes one look at her and sighs, pinches her nose and probably sends a prayer to whatever deity she believed in. Nayoung knows that she can’t emote very well when stressed, it’s just the way she is – only idols are expected to smile and be happy all the time and those that aren’t, get branded by labels like ‘Ice princess’ if they’re lucky, or else they get ‘rude’ and ‘bad attitude’ tacked onto their image if they’re not. Or sometimes both, the Jung sisters seem to manage both.

Nayoung ends up with a character out of it. She should be thankful. It’s pretty much the entire reason why she got noticed in the first place. If it hadn’t been for Mnet’s little ‘Stone Nayoung’ segment, she wouldn’t even be on people’s radar. What could she possibly bring to the group that hasn’t already been given, and better too? Can’t sing as well as Yeonjung and Sejeong – can’t even sing as well as Jieqiong, or speak any foreign languages, can’t dance like Chungha, nowhere near charismatic like Somi and Sohye, not adorable like Mina or Yoojung, can’t act like Chaeyeon, not even as pretty as Doyeon. They’re going to realise their mistake voting her up soon enough, what could she, Im Nayoung, possibly—

“What are you thinking about?” Yebin interrupts her thoughts, poking her forehead with her index finger. It drags her back to reality, sitting on her bed, trying to pack because she’s supposed to be moving into a new dorm soon.  

Nayoung shrugs, folding a t-shirt, “Nothing, just…this whole IOI thing, seems like dumb luck that I got in and…” she trails off, flushing slightly, feeling extremely guilty and insensitive for bringing this topic up with Yebin.

“I’m not a delicate flower who’s going to burst into tears you know,” Yebin says wryly, “You can talk to me if you need to.”

“I can think of other things we can be doing aside from talking,” Nayoung points out with a smirk, right as a thud sounds against the far wall and there’s some muffled cursing on the other side, “See? Jieqiong and Eunwoo have the right idea.”

“Don’t distract me,” Yebin says, swatting Nayoung’s aside, “You know it’s not healthy for you to bottle up your feelings oh great leader. We only have a few hours before you’re shipped off for months, so talk.”

“We only have a few hours,” Nayoung repeats, running a finger down Yebin’s chest, “I’m going to miss you.” She gets her way in the end, Yebin always gives in.

She’s not avoiding talking. No, she’s definitely not. Because for her to avoid talking, there has to be something to talk about. There’s nothing to talk about – she got in as a fluke, and sooner or later, they’re going to realise what a horrible mistake this is.

-______)

This is a horrible mistake.

Chaeyeon paces back and forth along the corridor. Mind twisting into messier knots as she fidgets. What in the world possessed her to do this? She made it in, because of course she made it in, after the stunt Heehyun pulled. Makes it to A, one of the fastest runners, first one to pick her song, and what does she do? Pick one with a rap and fierce image like 2NE1’s Fire to prove herself?

No, because that would be sane.  

No, instead Heehyun picks Into the New World, with the fresh, cute innocent concept, grabs JYP’s Jeon Freakin Somi, Heo Has Already Debuted Chanmi, Jung Been On Two Mnet Shows Eunwoo, and sticks Chaeyeon’s face right in the middle of their formation. Stupid Heehyun. Insane Heehyun. Stupidly smart and insanely loyal Heehyun. Urgh.

She can’t be in two groups at once, there has to be some kind of rule against that somewhere! But apparently there isn’t, and she is.

It’s tiring, bone-breaking, exhaustive work, but that’s nothing new. Her sleep schedule is completely out of whack, she eats maybe once a day if she’s lucky, catches an hour or two of sleep if she’s really lucky, and is shunted from schedule to schedule. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like she’s even in her body, it feels like she’s sleepwalking through everything.

Stand there. Pose here. Run like this. Wear this. Put this outfit on. No try this one. Sit still. Smile. Look pretty. That’s a good girl. Devious little girl aren’t you? A perfect idol. Greedy isn’t she? So pretty though. One group isn’t good enough, has to have two. So well mannered. Kind of rude actually. Soft spoken, like a lady. Did you see the look on her face? Kids these days, no manners at all. She should be grateful. Did you hear what they say? Ah yes. Plastic surgery. Selfish. Down that road. A beautiful path isn’t it? Dreaming of a flower path. Do this CF Chaeyeon. That one too. Wait no we need you to fly to France now. Do you dream girl? I—

Chaeyeon’s eyes flash open. She slowly steadies her breathing, staring up blankly at the van ceiling as she did so. She should go to sleep. She has a schedule at four am. Wouldn’t do to look tired, the last thing she needs is more articles about her. Didn’t really matter all that much really, people would say what they want no matter what.

-____)

[hamelott]

You write some of the best fanfiction in the Librarians fandom! If you have the time, could you maybe write some casseve? Thanks so much for everything you've given to the fandom so far!

Oh my goodness, you are so freakin’ sweet! This means so much to me because I know there are quite a few good writers in this fandom, so I really am honored you consider me a part of them!!

Anyhow, I really hope you enjoy this! I think these two are so cute, especially just imagining them all blush-y and nervous, haha! Plus, it was fun delving into other ships in the fandom; I think they’re all great!

Cassandra had never really been in a realrelationship. That wasn’t to say she didn’t want to be in one. There hadbeen plenty of cute boys and girls in her high school, but her parents didn’treally let her actually go to high school so she didn’t really get theopportunity to know any of them. After school, she either spent her time in thehospital or at her job…in the hospital. The only people she really got to meetwere her coworkers and none of them really held any respect for the first floorjanitor.

Still, despite all this, she apparentlyhad ‘game.’ At least, according to Jake she did. When she’d asked what the hellhe meant, he’d come up with several examples.

“Remember that time you were princess charmin’?”he had said. “That Italian girl liked you too. Oh! And that little Lucy Lyonsgirl definitely had a crush on you by the end of the day.”

She’d told Jake he was just being silly,but she also knew he wouldn’t lie to her about something like that. Becausedespite their arguments sometimes, Jake and her were pretty alike. And, despitetheir initial dislike towards each other in the beginning of theirLibrarianship, they’d become intimately familiar over the years with each other’spasts.

For example, Cassandra knew Jake wasbisexual, and he knew she was too. He knew she’d never really dated anyone, andshe also knew, despite his constant boasting, the girl in the Tesla town,Mabel, had been the first person Jake had kissed in a very long time. She knewthat she was the first person Jake had had real feelings for for the first timetoo.

This also meant that Jake knew ofCassandra’s feelings for someone too. And he was constantly egging her on. He’d point out that Cassandra wasapparently good at flirting and that she could get anybody she wanted, noproblem. But Cassandra knew there was one person she couldn’t get, and it wasthe one person she wanted the most.

When Cassandra had first met Eve, she knewshe was beautiful. There was just simply no denying it. Then she got to knowher and found her to be stubborn in the best way, loyal, just, and caring. Shewas also strong, and the way she punched people and knocked them out in one gocould be really hot.

Sure, she and Eve had had their disagreements,but now Eve thought of them as a teamand not her soldiers. Now they worked together flawlessly. Now there wasnothing for Cassandra to convince herself that it would be a bad idea to act on her feelings because sheand Eve were perfect together as teammates; why wouldn’t they be perfecttogether as girlfriends?

Or, at least, that was Jake’s argument.

“Just talk to her,” Jake was saying nextto her. She was sitting next to him at his desk trying to covertly stare at Evefrom across the Annex. She was sitting at Flynn’s-desk-that-was-really-hers andwas flipping through a book. She did that a lot. Ever since their missions hadslowed down, Eve would do whatever she could to teach herself about any and allbad guys they could possibly go up against in the future. Did Cassandra mention that Eve was alsosuper protective? And that it made her feel safe for the first time sincefiguring out that her life was going to be scary and short?

“I talk to her all the time, Stone,”Cassandra said stubbornly. She was basically pouting next to him, but she justcouldn’t help it. Eve was just soperfect and perfectly imperfect, and Cassandra was falling for her so hard. But she was Eve and Cassandra was going to diesooner rather than later and she couldn’t do that to her.

Jake rolled his eyes. “Not what I mean,Cass.” He sighed, glancing at her from his computer that was open to somethinghe’d been writing. “It’s just…you like her, right? Like you really like her…and she’s the first personyou’ve ever liked like this, right? Then why wouldn’t you at least try…right?”

Cassandra glanced at him. “You said ‘right’like three times in a row.”

Jake sighed again and closed his laptop, starting tostand. “Look, I get that you’re scared of her rejectin’ you or something, but,at the end of the day, I know Baird likes you. You owe it to yourself to seethat too. Just talk to her.”

Cassandra watched him walk away, nod a silent goodbyeto Eve who had looked up at his movement, and go upstairs. She glanced back atEve to find her flipping through the book again. She inwardly grumbled toherself, debated walking upstairs to find Jake and mope some more but thenstopped herself.

He was right.

She hated it, but he was right. She should just…testit out. She was a scientist for goodness sake. If it hadn’t been for peoplelike her, the world would’ve thought the earth was flat, or that once you got acold you were dead, or that the moon was just a god that chased around the sun,another god. This was her big experiment. Hypothesis: If Cassandra liked Eve,then Eve could like her too. Now for the test.

Cassandra quickly got up and walked over to Eve’sdesk. When she got to the edge of it, she cleared her throat a little. “Um…Eve?”

Slowly, Eve raised her head. When her eyes metCassandra’s, they lit up and a smile tugged at her lips. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“I-I was just wondering…” Cassandra started. “Y-Youturned down Flynn when he first asked you out b-because you said you d-didn’tlike guys, right?”

Eve’s smile turned down a little bit into a confusedfrown, but Cassandra could not let herself get distracted no matter howfreaking cute it was. Eve nodded. “Uh…yeah? But that was, like, two years ago,Cassandra.”

“I-I know!” Cassandra quickly said. “B-but my nextlogical assumption would be that you like…g-girls. L-like me.”

Suddenly Eve’s face was as red as a tomato, andCassandra’s brain was going insanetrying to figure out how she could make her blush again because it was adorable. Eve opened her mouth to saysomething, paused, closed it again, and hummed nervously.

So Cassandra plowed on. “I was j-just thinking that,if you did like me, the n-next logical step would be to ask you on a date…withme. W-we could go to the movies. I kn-know you really like popcorn.” Shestopped herself, tried to get control of herself again, and said, “Logicallyspeaking…of course.”

Eve slowly nodded, her blush getting harder andstreaking down her neck. “W-well…I dolove logic.” She gave Cassandra a grin that was both equally excited andnervous. “And I do love popcorn.” Hercheeks grew redder. “And I do like you…quite a bit actually.”

And, logically, the only thing Cassandra could do nextwas lean over the desk and press a kiss to Eve’s cheek. “Okay…I’ll meet youback here at seven, and we can find a movie.”

When she pulled back, Eve’s eyes were alight and asmile threatened to split her face in two. She nodded. “That sounds wonderful.”