#But I also fear it's too edgy and “out there”/nonsensical you know?

[sosadraws]

Sometimes, I think about this story that I was making for the chimera and mynah doll.

(Please, read in the tone of a friend telling you about the weird dream they had)

So like, this Mynah and badly injured Storch somehow managed to get to Nowhere. And like, since the fleshy floors and walls always regenerated when cut, Mynah as a last resort comes up with the idea of fixing her companion's missing parts with Nowhere flesh. It works, but now Storch has a foggy memory and it's implied that all of her has become fleshy (as in, looks like a normal Storch, but her inner components are fully organic)

Things go well for a while, but since organic cells need to grow and multiply she starts growing things like extra limbs as well as white hair. She's in agony but Mynah doesn't understand what or why it's happening. She still tries her best to comfort her, but it becomes too much, and she doesn't have the courage to kill her. There also was this whole thing about Storch feeling abandoned/betrayed by the Mynah (“YOU CHERISHED ME. YOU LOVED ME. YOU CARED FOR ME. YOU LEFT ME.”)

She tries to run away, but she gets swallowed by the flesh underneath her, being separated into three components (something something the mechanical, the organical and the soul). So now, both the Storch Chimera (that has been mutated beyond recognition) and Mynah doll (who is implied to still be sentient) are cursed to remain forever in Nowhere, serving as a tool for Elster to progress, but never allowed to leave.

Then I take a step back, look into the horizon and tell to my myself “...What the fuck was that?”

[suitupprincess]

❝ Haaave you met : Ellie Stinson { Elizabeth Ruby Stinson

— the product of one fleeting night in Barney Stinson’s infamous playbook days. Her mother, Kate, better remembered by Barney as “Number 31” of his many conquests, walked away soon after Ellie’s birth, leaving Barney with full custody of a child he was entirely unprepared to raise. From the moment Elizabeth was placed in his arms, Barney vowed to step up, but his version of fatherhood was anything but traditional. While his friends, especially Marshall and Lily were practically made to be parents, he was quite the opposite. Raised in the sleek but emotionally hollow world of New York City, Ellie grew up surrounded by her father’s extravagance and endless shenanigans. Barney’s attempts at parenting were a chaotic mix of overly indulgent gestures and emotionally detached moments. He adored Elizabeth more than anything else, eager to make up for his own lack of a father figure, but he sometimes struggled to connect with her in meaningful ways, often masking his discomfort with jokes and material gifts. For a time, his legendary stories came to an abrupt stop, as his focus shifted entirely to raising Ellie. But it was only a matter of time before Barney found his way back to his wild bachelor life, though now as a single dad of a teenager. As Ellie grew older, she developed a sharp mind and an even sharper tongue. At school, she was both admired and feared. Her biting sarcasm and no-nonsense attitude earned her a reputation as someone you didn’t cross. She became adept at reading people—a skill honed by years of watching her father effortlessly charm and manipulate those around him, especially women. Barney’s return to his old ways led to some awkward situations for Ellie. Though he tried to shield her from his escapades, she occasionally found herself encountering one of his dates in the kitchen—women who were often surprised to see a teenager in the house, especially since most of them didn’t even know her father’s real name. Puberty arrived like a wrecking ball, leaving Barney entirely out of his depth. He couldn’t understand his daughter anymore, while Elizabeth, on the other hand, discovered the intriguing sides of teenage rebellion. She started sneaking out and falling in with an edgy crowd that introduced her to the grittier, more thrilling corners of New York City — underground clubs, pubs reckless dares, and dangerous relationships, especially with older guys. Ellie also discovered an interest in seduction, though not necessarily for intimacy. For her, it was about the power she held over others. After all, she was a Stinson.

} daughter of Barney Stinson and Number 31 — inspired by how i met your mother

‎  “ Most kids get bedtime stories. I got ‘The Bro Code’ as my moral compass. Explains a lot, doesn’t it? ”

#FAKEVZ: Lange und kurze ROMANTEXTE und SMALLTALK, sowohl in Deutsch und Englisch ist gerne gesehen. Flexibel, Anpassungsfähig und offen für andere Ideen.

further ideas for plays in other scenarios, i would enjoy:

Squid Game: thanks to Elizabeths tendency for making bad decisions, it didn’t take long after starting college for her to find herself not only drowning in debt but also too proud to ask her father for help. Falling in with the wrong crowd always comes with a price, but, as so often in her life, it also brought along what seemed like the perfect solution.

All it took was one phone call and her name and birthdate. Number 444 and a green tracksuit seemed like the answers to her problems—or so she thought until the games started.

But after all, “A Stinson always plays to win.”

[sweaterkittensahoy]

Hi! I'd like to ask about your OC Nurse Ava. I don't know if it's okay to send multiple questions, if not, please choose whichewer you like most.

From the edgy/misc OC ask meme:

2. What's something about your OC that people wouldn't expect just from looking at them?

7. What's one way your OC has changed since you first came up with them?

18. Is your OC more cold and detached or up close and personal?

23. What emotion is the hardest for your OC to process? How about express?

Oh, yes! I was just having lots of thoughts about her!

(2) She is very strong. People don't think about how strong nurses need to be to move patients around. She and the other nurses on base do daily exercises but also figured out from a nurse who trained them that they need to lift weights to help themselves do their jobs better.

(7) She's gotten a little softer. She's not as no-nonsense as she was when I first started thinking about her. She's friendlier and her head nurse is nicer, too. It sort of started as a "she's going up against the expectations," and then I sort of went, "What if there ARE rigid expectations, but her head nurse understands those expectations need to be a bit looser?" It made a lot of things about her more fun.

(18) More up close and personal, though reserved in an understandable way for the time period. She's friendly and direct, but the directness is something she learned being a nurse, not something she's always had.

(23) Hardest to process is anger because she's so often been refused the chance to even admit anger. To express? Fear. You aren't supposed to be scared; you're supposed to just make it through.

[opinated-user]

Hey Lily recently had a round-trip podcast about the Owl house season 2 episodes. It'll take me too much time to tell about all the nonsense that was there, but if you want to get more whining about hunter and how he steals screen time from other characters you can check. The video is so bad that it actually good

well, i do need to have something to listen to while i do my chores so let's go:

separate tides:

good: i really did enjoyed the input of ginger, which was a surprise to me but because i never saw her analyzing a show before. i wonder if those are all her own thoughts that she developed on her own or it was part of a set script that LO had? either way, her parts are the most enjoyable if not for anything else because she's very fair and appreciates the visual aspect of this visual media. it would make sense for her as an artist to actually appreciate the collor pallete, something that usually feels lacking when LO's analyzing something on her own. bad: MO barely had a word in between ginger and LO talking. the comment about how “luz’s being punished for existing and puts herself in danger when she doesn’t need to” feel more flavor of LO refusing to engage with conflict at all. she specifically talking about “edgy fanfic writers who never grow up from edgy fanfic writers” is so painfully unaware considering that she keeps making contrive and unnecesary scenarios on her own fanwork just for the “melodrama”. LO gets very weirdly personal and gross about Dana, it reminds to how she ended up screaming how much of a creep rebecca sugar is on her one and only relevant video. apparently the only time that LO enjoyed hunter was on this first episode because he was just fun and then, when they actually explored him as a character, “suck all the personality out of him”. he was a fun character on that episode and they bring out a character from kingdom heart that was a more fun villain for comparison. ginger thinks this is something that happens on fanfiction a lot, where you don’t know “how to have a traumatized character that is also fun. Hunter is a wasteland of trauma.” the worse: ginger and LO going on a tangent about how people shouldn’t share their trauma through fiction is deeply upsetting. they all three laugh way too hard about how lilith had sex with hottie.

escaping expulsión:

good: LO admits finally that LO’s a protagonist of color that doesn’t get overshadowed by other character. you’d never know reading her posts. bad: LO thinks Luz lost her charm when she stopped being happy go lucky. worse: a tangent about how both LO and ginger do not understand the role of executive on shows. they both make it seem like dealing with executive is as easy as tell them no but that’s not how it goes for a lot of creators.

Echoes of the past: good: short. bad: they all bash fans for having fun fan theories about the connection between owl house and gravity falls. hunter and luz are at their best when they’re “fun”, but fans can’t have fun on their own. worse: ginger keeps doing something to her mic that sounds like she’s rubbing her hands all over it. keeping up a-fear-ances: good: also short. MO actually manages to get more than a full sentences in

bad: MO calls Steven universe ubermench worse:? through the looking glass ruins: good: they talk positively about Gus.

bad: anytime they say “this was overshawowed by this” they mean that the fandom gave more attention to one thing over the other. on this case, gus “of course” was overshadowed by the lumity b plot and the writers should have predicted this somehow. worse: Lo saying that the writers are out of touch because we only know that Luz is latina through an interview wich is just wrong, her name is a spanish name and her mom speaks to her in spanish on the very first episode. if you didn’t catch that she was latina from that moment forwards that’s not the fault of the show. LO might have a tendency of using Spanish names on characters just to make them more “interesting” but not everyone is like that. we didn’t know from where her family comes from and they could have done more to explore that on the show (like how they did on amphibia), but we knew that she was hispanic since the very start of the show. I also don’t understand how exploring gus’s issues and trauma is good, but doing that for hunter and luz is bad. It’s such an arbitrary standard.

Hunting palismen:

good: LO actually liked Hunter up until his mask was off and he had a tooth gap because apparently people were going to like him the wrong way or something. bad: LO complains about hunter being shipped with characters he interact with on the show. worse: hunter is boring. Ginger goes on a gross tangent about how 14-15 (the actual demographic for this show) are going to like hunter and they should have better taste than that. maybe we shouldn’t be shaming 14-15 little girls for having crushes on fictional boys. LO claims that she writes Alaina better than how Dana writes hunter because she has more ideas for cool stuff for Alaina to do. LO admits to only writing fanfic, not reading it and she uses as some kind of flex. eda’s requiem: good: they like Raine and gush over them. they enjoyed Darius too. bad: LO ships Darius and Eberwolf, calling it “finally some good monsterfuckery.” i don’t think Eberwolf’s age is brought up or confirmed anywhere. on the wiki for him he’s describe as having a “child size”… he’s a feral loli and LO just ship him with Darius. worse: MO makes a very loud snort that i did not love to have on my earphones. she comments on how she was the one editing the other podcast so i think she edited this one too? that’s three hours and a half of final result so i can only assume that at leas it was four hours originally that MO had to go through to piece what was important and what wasn’t, if not more. LO, pay MO. please. 200 for editing four hours of content is cruel.

Knock knock knocking on hoory’s door

good: generally positive review. LO and ginger gush about the plot and Eda’s harpy form. bad: LO trashes the fans for having fun theorizing again and “people always makes their gay character hot and steamy”, which is… something coming from her. worse: MO makes a joke about how she’d have found funny the break scene. LO: “what are you like this, mIkay?” MO: “i don’t know, please fix me.” LO:”that’s not my job to fix you, that’s why i paid the therapist for.” MO: “fair enough”. LO: “this’s the woman i married to, everybody.” MO: “no take backsies”. eclipse lake: good: generally poisitive reviw. I do like their reasoning for the worst vilains ever being “just some guy” since it makes the monster more human and also makes the audience think about the possibility of them becoming monster. It’s a good insight that LO’ll never apply in real life but it’s a good point her. bad: MO references the pose of Amity that she stole without credit for a piece of art as the only time she liked hunter on the episode.  MO has the most positive things to say about hunter overall.

worse: LO and Ginger both thinks the color pallete of Hunter is awful. yesterday’s lie: good: LO loves this episode. they compare the camp that Camilla was going to send luz to one about teaching neurodivergent kids coping mechanism, which is an interesting point i haven’t seen a lot of people make. she and ginger agree that Luz’s decision to be with eda was selfish and she’d have probably have a good time on the camp with other kids like her, as Vee in fact did. i still can’t comprehend how they got that from what little we could see about the camp but they missed luz being latina. bad: trashing hunter even thought he is not even on this episode. worse: trashing people who ship hunter with anyone. LO, someone who claims to have had covid twice already, “i think i had covid recently because i had a lot of gas and i heard that happens to people who have covid”. i think she just self reported. follies at the cover’s day parade:

good: MO likes Snapdragon, at least a more fun villain “in comparison to hunter”.

bad: more trashing hunter. a thing that’s quickly standing up for me here is that MO doesn’t really have a lot of opinions about hunter or doesn’t express them as strongly as ginger or LO. she doesn’t even agree when they talk about him with as much enthusiasm as LO does when ginger goes on another tangent about how boring he is. worse: something about the seth that made FG that i didn’t catch and i don’t want to hear again to descipher.

Elsewhere and elsewhen

good: short. bad: they all three missed the point that Belos already knew Lilith and knew that she needed her so that’s the reason why only Lilith was allowed to keep her palisman.

Worse: “at the end of the series luz is going to call eda the spanish word for step mom”. Madrastra. idk, something about that comment from LO rubs me the wrong way.

Any sport in a storm good: they liked willow and her team. bad: more hunter trashing and bashing of fans who ship hunter with characters he interacts with, unlike what happens with every other character on any other property ever. “hunter fans are the worst, literally the fucking worst”. Huntlow is a bad ship but willow and Skara would have been better because… LO: “hunter stand are violently antisemitic because of this one anonnymous message i got, on top of being violently racist, violently homophobic”. MO: “reylos never went everywhere, they evolved, they’re spreading”. more folder for my theory that LO’s dislike of hunter is projection from her previous hate of Kylo ren. worse: they blame hunter for not breaking years long of grooming and brainwashing fast enough until Steve said something, which was to set Steve up too. they also missed that hunter thinks everything he’s making the team is normal because that’s how he was raised to think normal was like and could only break that delusion when someone who also went trhough it all said that no, it’ not normal and it’s very bad. “this episode would have been better without hunter on it”.”how in five seconds Steve is a better character than you, stupid piece of wood”. reaching out good: they like alador and how the writers handled her relationship with Amity. bad: LO: “On su it was never going to work because it was made by someone who thinks blood is thicker than water”. SU was raised by three gems who aren’t related to him and they’re the main focus of the show but sure. the first time ever that LO catches herself bringing SU too much but only to say that sugar “doesn’t know what she thinks she knows.” worse: LO’s grossly personal about Dana and slips another comment about Sugar being racist. LO: “dramatic shows are not very popular.” them’s the breaks, kid good: generally positive review. bad: trashing on Dana for supposedly having hunter as her favourite character. hunter is not even on this episode. worse: they all keep shipping Darius and Eberwolf, the feral loli. LO doesn’t think that there’s any need for especulation on the show so there shouldn’t be any theorist on the fandom.

Hollow mind: good: MO talking about Belos until both ginger and LO drag hunter into it. bad: LO: “the worst episode of the fucking show.” worse: LO’s angry that hunter still hasn’t perfectly broken through years of grooming soon enough. all three of them miss the point that this is a show for kids so some thing need to be spelled out, like the theory that belos was phillip.

Edge of the world: good: generally positive review. short. LO gushes over a VA and they liked the writing on this episode. bad: they don’t like or care about the Collector, which they use to trash people who were theorizing about him. worse: labrynth runner good: short. they gushed over gus and the evil covenant head leader. bad: “hunter go, away” being literally the first words about this episode that they pronounce. “it’s not helped by the fact that Dana just had to put hunter here for no reason. you could remove hunter from the episode”. ginger: “Dana, you’re an idiot, don’t put hunter into episode where he doesn’t belong. but also if you’re on the hunter fans who’s saying what a good episode: smacking you, biting you and killing you.” we talked a lot about LO’s dislike of hunter but ginger’s the one who keep surprising with how agressive she’s about her dislike of hunter. a lot of her opinions too are almost verbatin the ones LO had on her blog. do they just happened to agree with each other a lot or someone’s copying someone else? considering LO’s history of plagiarizing and copying others without credit, it’s likely she heard ginger express such feelings and then repeated them but i don’t actually know. she sounds legitimately mad and i understand as little the why from her as i don’t understand it when it comes from LO alone. LO: “there’s no way that Gus wouldn’t know to differentiate a illusion of willow”. the point of that scene was to showcase that gus is still basically just a kid and because of that he’s very naive. that’s actually the perfect contrast to hunter who was raised expecting a stab on the back from everyone. the point of hunter being there was tos ay there needs to be an actual balance between the two postures to have a healthy life. this episode could not have worked as it did without hunter… which later sets up hunter being there for the final battle so that luz can try to be a hero on her own, a very common thing between hero characters. Lo: “you know, i don’t say this about a lot of characters but hunter is a mary sue.” i thought mary sue was a purely misogynistic insullt?

Lo: “i feel like Dana would be one of the producers and writers there is if she examined these problems that she definitely has” LO: “we only find out that Luz is afrolatina on a podcast and i hate when people do that”. ignores that she constantly gives details about her own characters through tumblr posts that almost never made it to the final product anyway. ginger: “hunter is unnecesary for the plot”. Without hunter we wouldn’t know about unity day plan. we as the audience hear about it from the collector on a flashback involving hunter. later hunter is the one to inform everyone at school and people believe him because he was the golden guard. they wouldn’t have believed luz the same way because she’s just another student like them and she didn’t had any evidence. LO: “Dana, i know you don’t have perspective because you’re one of them but hunter fans are a loud minority” LO: “they infantilize gus so fucking quickly”. did LO forgot that gus is 12? she seems constantly surprised that gus doesn’t know everything already. LO: “what the hunter stans ultimately is just a straight ship between two white people”. o titan where art though good: they gushed over Steve and King. they liked the plot with luz and eda. bad: MO: “bleached kylo ren”. confirmation that i was right. hunter is not even on this episode. worse: coulds on the horizon good: they gush first over how evil Odalia is. they liked luz and willow’s new outfits. bad: ginger: “willow is evolving to her pilot form” LO: “just don’t get the pixie cut.” worse: king’s tide good: they don’t trash hunter immediately and instead talk about how luz defeat belos. MO has been the one making the best commentary about Belos overall and now they do like the collector because of how powerful he is. bad: except LO who thinks he is badly written. LO doesn’t understand that Luz trying to sacrifice herself is her again trying to be a hero because that’s what hero characters are. they’re selfless by nature. a very common character arch for heroes is to find the point in which they can be selfless but not lose themselves. Luz still hasn’t come to that point. It’s called a character arch for a reason. worse: LO compares Luz putting herself on danger with how she wrote Alaina having suicide tendencies… something we all know for a fact was a poor rewrite that never was fully integrated on the story even to this day. she's using again her star wars fanfiction as proof that she's a better writer than the professional cartoon creator.

conclusion: good: short. ginger has a lot of positive comments. bad: LO: "i think this season would have been a lot better if they had kept lilith as the head of the coven". worse: LO: "i know we're all being very charitable to Dana but we need to adress that the fandom has a white favoritism problem and so does Dana, she's making actively worse and so i feel someone needs to tell her to stop." i don't disagree that there's racism in fandom (there's racism everywhere) but LO's not helping by dragging the white boy every chance she has for breathing. or by pretending to be cherokee without being claimed by the nation. or ignoring black people who talk to her about she makes them uncomfortable. or ignoring the native people who speak about she makes a mockery of their culture. or finding out about stereotypes or tropes regarding fictional black women only after she had already used the race of her OC as a shield. actions speak louder than words, LO. you can gush about gus all day long but you still need to treat other people better. LO: "if i had a show the first thing i'd do would be to hire sensitivity writers." just like you did hire a sensitive reader to write alaina. LO: "people ask me what i'd do if allie was included on the star wars universe and i always tell the first thing i'd do is hire six sensitivity readers because i don't trust myself and then other six to just do it better." i don't believe a single word of this. nobody asked that.

[florenceisfalling]

provenance, chapter one

wait holy shit the lightning outside just got so bad the campus power went out lmao how fitting for the occasion 

but yeah uh hi guys we are finally getting into my official ego lore. i’ve written and rewritten this chapter way too many times bc its hard to write beginnings and even harder to write shit with dumb abstract concepts. like. how am i going to explain some of this weird fantastical nonsense. also writing little kids is actually hard when you were skipping into the third grade at age six and don’t know the ages of the students you work with. but anyway. i hope it doesn’t suck too bad, if it’s too confusing i’ll retry for you all. 

happy birthday, anti.

◑◐◑◐◑◐

The story started with lightning. 

The year for this particular storm was 1994. Jack McLoughlin was a kid in Cloghan, Ireland, right about that age where monsters under the bed were genuine concerns, and pictures colored by his crayons were just now starting to form true faces on the paper. He lived with his two brothers, two sisters, and two parents, but he always felt a bit too distant from them. There was always something that set him apart, though he didn’t understand what it was until later.

Like most other children, Jack liked fairy tales and stories about magic. His favorite was Peter Pan; his babysitter liked to read it to him when he was in a bad mood. He always remembered the way that J.M. Barrie claimed fairies were born- a baby laughing for the first time, with that laugh breaking into “a thousand pieces.”

Something similar happened during the fateful lightning storm. Just as fairies are born from a child’s first feeling of giggling joy, some creatures are born from a child’s first feeling of terror:

One night, while lightning arced across the sky like flaming arrows fired from the heavens, Jack was shaking under his blankets. Tears spilled down his face like the water tracing down his window, and his tiny fingers covering his eyes only pushed him deeper into the panic. The bang and rumble of the sky, the whistle of the wind, the house trembling like a leaf in the darkness of a power outage -  beneath it all, he had the unsettling feeling that he was not alone. 

There was a monster in that room with him. Not under the bed, reaching its claws up to drag him to hell by the ankles. Not in the closet, staring out with wide and glowing eyes. The monster was not a many-legged, sharp-toothed, blood-spattered, rotten-brained thing, either. It was just a sleeping little seed that was buried deep, deep down in the back of Jack’s brain where his guilt and anger and fear festered. That part of Jack’s mind was a pitch-black space where the sun had been switched off, cold and empty and utterly silent. It was the loneliest place in the world, and it was the only place the monster had ever known. 

The creature had been waiting ever since Jack was born for an alarm to wake it up, for some light to shine down on it and help it grow. Another lightning strike hit - so close to Jack’s home it lit up the sky as if it was day - and it was just perfect for the occasion. Little Jack yelped, yanked the blankets even higher over his face, sobbed a little harder - this was the first time he felt fear and truly understood it, at that tiny age, and this was the spark that broke open the seed and let the monster form a voice.

“Goodnight, Jack,” the monster whispered, voice small and soft and scared just like the child that he was possessing; the darkness was not comfortable to wake up in, and this storm was not a happy place to take in his first breaths. And yet, while Jack brushed off the sound as just a dream, just a soft murmur, the monster felt hope in that moment. Hope to be Jack’s friend, hope to escape the shadows of Jack’s brain. So he dredged up all the strength he had to speak.

“Goodnight, Jack.”

◑◐◑◐◑◐

Time doesn’t heal all wounds, and things just got worse. The monster was immediately aware that his existence was incredibly painful. Not in an edgy, dramatic way, but in a literal sense. The darker parts of the mind are cold and stinging. Worst of all, though, was the loneliness. He couldn’t move, nor speak, nor catch the attention of anyone other than Jack. He could occasionally hear other people, but it was rare, just an echo reverberating through what was otherwise still. Even Jack was barely aware of him, at first. The monster hoped and hoped that things would get better when Jack realized more of his existence, that maybe he could find comfort in something beyond the void that he currently called home. 

That backfired.

The year was 1996. The older brothers of the McLoughlin family were sitting cross-legged in front of the television, a bowl of popcorn shared and spilled between them. Stupid jokes and laughs surrounded them, all eyes fixed on the TV screen, which was currently displaying some cheesy, cheap horror movie featuring blood about as realistic as that from a Halloween shop.

Still young enough to only be half as tall as his brothers at most, Jack wandered into the living room as soon as he smelled the salty and buttery popcorn. All he wanted was to grab a bite, but his brothers immediately tried to usher him out, “It’s a scary movie, bud, you’re gonna get nightmares.”

Jack should have asked them for a snack and left, but like most oblivious kindergarteners, he considered himself to be very mature, and wanted to be cool like his older siblings. So, with a rising stubbornness, he plopped down on the rug next to them, shoveling a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

It didn’t take long for him to realize his mistake. His baby-blue eyes were wide and starting to tear up at the sights and sounds of a B-movie massacre. The plot was definitely absurd, and even Jack already understood it was dumb. But the noises of squelching flesh and blood were still awful, and he knew the movie would haunt his dreams despite his brothers’ laughter. Even so, he tried to keep a straight face the entire time. No matter how scared he was, he was intent on convincing his siblings he was just as grown-up as them.

The credits rolling up the screen at the end of the movie felt like permission to sigh in relief and run back to his room, grabbing one last bite of popcorn before he sought out refuge among his stuffed animals. 

The monster was shifting, in the back of Jack’s head, during all of this. Fear fed him, giving him power to pull himself further from his empty home and closer to the surface world. His view was still mostly dark, but a light was starting to dimly wake ahead, sort of like a projector warming up from across the room. He could even imagine the softness of the stuffies and the light rise and fall of Jack’s chest, though it seemed far away and dreamy.

And as Jack shook in childlike fear, the monster spoke in a voice that was meant to be reassuring. “You’ll be okay…”

It came out more like a croak, tired and sickly, and the sheer suddenness of this voice echoing in his skull was enough to make Jack’s ears ring. A shiver ran down his spine and he sat up, dropping his teddy bear and searching all around the room for a source. But he knew the sound came from inside himself, unheard by the rest of the world, and he felt… heavy. Dizzy. Claustrophobia hit him, the knowledge of two entities in one shuddering space making him far more than uneasy.

“Jack?” That voice rang out again, so much like his own, and the boy covered his mouth, even gripping on tightly enough to know his jaw wasn’t moving. “Can you hear me, Jack?”

The monster saw more of the light as his host’s fear grew, less like a fading classroom projector and more like… sitting in the back of a movie theatre. Surrounded by the same old darkness, yes, but he could hear the world outside, he could see what Jack saw unfolding in front of him. If the monster focused enough, he could even feel the real world, and the physical pain of the shadow faded from him.

But that wasn’t an answer, was it?

“Can you hear me?”

The monster could feel Jack’s jaw starting to move, to respond, and he knew his host heard him. But before the next words could even get out, a knock came on the door.

Despite his terror, Jack forced himself to stand, pulling the door open a little too aggressively with his shot nerves. Harshly enough, in fact, that his older brother stepped back and raised his hands, as if in surrender. He frowned at the shaken look on Jack’s face. “Aw, man, I told you not to watch that movie with us… are you okay?”

Relief washed over the youngest at the sight of family; he sighed and wrapped his shaking arms around his brother. 

But as Jack’s worry faded, so did the monster’s view. Pain and cold tore at it’s very being as it was dragged back down into the empty void it called home. The feeling was like drowning, being yanked into a suffocating void far from the sun. It tried to resist, tried to stay in the theatre, in the forefront of the host’s mind, but there was nothing the monster could do. He was thrown into silence again, all alone.

He got a taste of the awful truth. To make himself heard, to earn relief from the pain, to give himself a taste of freedom in the light outside, the monster would have to be selfish. Jack would have to be afraid and alone, a sacrifice in his place.

He didn’t want to accept that, not yet.

◑◐◑◐◑◐

The year was 1997, and Jack was getting worse and worse at ignoring the monster in his head. Which only made things more troublesome for him, as the more frustration and fear Jack felt, and the more negative attention the monster received, the more power the creature seemed to gain as well.

Every time the monster had an opportunity to speak, it’d try to be as kind as it could. At best, a gentle, cautious “can we be friends?” At worst, “let me out, let me out, let me out” repeated for hours on end.

This kindness was not taken very well, though you can’t blame Jack for that. He tried to get a hold of books on monsters, sneaking through the dark wood shelves of the library and using his clumsy little fingers to scoop up any books with covers that he could identify well enough. He attempted to flip through them cover-to-cover until he got dizzy, struggling to read many of the words at his age, and never seeing anything quite right. It didn’t help that he got in trouble on the rare occasions that he got caught reading them, as his churchgoing parents weren’t very happy to see their seven year old feebly tumbling through tomes and horror tales about monstrous cryptids and dark myths. When he tried to find documentaries or movies to help, they just scared him worse. The only thing left he had to turn to was the church, which put vividly disturbing images of possession and pigs in his mind- he was now certain that the monster was a demon from hell, because that croaking voice creeping around in his mind was definitely no angel.

At least, he told himself, the monster can’t do anything but talk. Right? Wrong.

Jack was reading a worn-down library copy of a guide to mythology, a book the librarian told him to look at after seeing his strange reading history. In order to avoid his parents’ questioning, he had the book hidden under his covers and illuminated by a kids’ hand-crank flashlight at half past midnight. He didn’t even bother trying to read those foreign names and terms, instead focusing on the variety of old and new illustrations scattered throughout every page of the book. He ignored every page that had some hairy, big-toothed beast in it, flipped past the scaly lizard-like creatures and blood-sucking vampires. None of those were right; he decided that he just needed to find a page with no stupid pictures, preferably a page with that funny little word his pastor helped him define and write in washable marker so he wouldn’t forget how it’s spelled: “p-o-s-s-e-s-s-i-o-n.”  Once he found a good page, he planned to tell his older sister and ask her to narrate the page out loud so he could understand.

That never worked out. Instead, he nearly jolted out of bed after unintentionally flipping to a full-page spread featuring disgustingly realistic art of a distorted, freakish monster face that seemed to hungrily stare him down. Almost humanoid, but not quite.

It caught him off guard. He was ready to shut the book, hide it away inside his pillowcase, and go to sleep before the nightmares took hold on his mind. But his body kept turning the pages, no matter how much he wanted to just be done.

The creature in his head was the pilot, now.

It didn’t intend to possess him strongly enough to take control of the body, but the fear caught Jack in its hold and didn’t let go. The monster flipped through a few more pages before realizing how much control he suddenly had- he wanted to jump and run and play with sheer celebration! But instead he just pushed away the covers and stood at the side of the bed. The pain he usually felt all around him still settled as a stinging feeling over and inside him, but it was not as bad as the darkness, not by any means.

“Th-that’s so…. oh, wow,” he mumbled, scratchy words forced out into the real world, just like a real boy, all while Jack watched from inside his own body in horror. Now he was the audience, the quiet one, pushed to the background, dragged down to the depths he had never been in before. But the monster was too lost in the euphoria of newfound freedom that it didn’t care how Jack felt. 

First, he ran his hands across the blankets, feeling how soft they were, how the mattress squeaked a bit and slightly dipped under the weight of his shaking bones. Then, he walked around the room, each step a clumsy one, almost toppling over every time - he wasn’t used to being the one with a physical form. The night light by the floor flickered as the monster walked past it, but he didn’t notice, drawn to the wooden desk and tracing the corner to feel the edge.

Jack watched in terror as this continued for another five minutes, and then the monster grabbed a stuffed animal, nuzzled comfortably against it, held it tight, and rocked himself to sleep. He had some control now. The tables were turning in his favor.

◑◐◑◐◑◐

The year was still 1997. 

It was peaceful, really. 

The sky was blue, like the boy’s irises; a storm approached in the distance, but it wasn’t there yet. Casting uneven shadows, the trees stretched upwards like giants trying to snatch clouds from the heavens. The monster was in control of the shared body for one of the longest times so far in his life, and he dug his tiny, pale fingers slowly into the playground gravel beneath him. Miraculously, his skin barely stung, his bones only ached a little bit. He knew his host was trapped in darkness, in the back of his mind where the monster usually resided, but that didn’t matter right now. This moment in time… this was all that mattered. 

“Jack?”

The monster lifted his eyes, Jack’s eyes, and saw a kid above him. Shoulder-length auburn hair, hazel eyes, and a smattering of freckles on top of skin three shades darker than his own. The monster’s first thought was confusion; their hair was long like most of the girls he saw, but their clothes and face more like something he’d only seen on boys his age. But there were more important things to worry about than that, he wouldn’t ask.

“Um, Jack? You know words, right?” the kid asked again, tilting their head with more sass than the monster expected to see. 

Around Jack’s parents and older siblings, the monster would pretend to be his host, not revealing the secret for fear of getting in some sort of trouble, like those exorcisms Jack talked about and watched in the movies that scared him. But this was a kid his age, right? It could be different. He could… make a friend. His first friend.

The monster took a deep, nervous breath, shaking his head back and forth while Jack screamed and shuddered in the back of his head. “N-no. Not Jack, I m-mean.”

“Well, Not-Jack, that teacher lady said you’re Jack. I didn’ know ‘cause you’re new here.”

The monster hesitated. He didn’t plan this far ahead in explanations. “Um… yeah. Moved from Cloghan… sometimes I’m Jack. S-sometimes I’m… me.”

In bewilderment, the kid just stared ahead. After a brief intermission, where the monster grew more and more panicked over whether or not he’d made a mistake, the stranger just shrugged and sat down beside him. “Uh.. welcome to Ballycumber! I’m Sheridan Coil. What’s your name, then, Not-Jack?” They pronounced every syllable of their own name in a meticulous manner, as if making sure the monster remembered it dearly. They seemed like they were trying to be as adult as possible, imitating someone older than them but not getting it quite right. 

“Um… no.” “Didn’t your parents give you one?” they muttered, grumbling like they thought Jack’s parents were stupid. Or maybe they just thought the monster was stupid.

Sigh. “My… my p-parents don’t talk to me...? They just talk to, um, Jack.” 

Sheridan didn’t question that any further, perhaps not wanting to look like they were missing something obvious. “Oh. Well, we need to give you a name. Maybe something to do with your eyes.”

“My eyes?” the creature asked, letting his chin rest on his closed fist in contemplation. He was starting to realize this was the longest conversation he’d had so far in his life, and he was intent on making it last as far as it could. A name. A new name and a new friend.

“Yeah. I’ve never seen eyes like ‘em, why are they turning black at the edges? It looks like someone’s drawn on them with a marker.” Sheridan was very casual about all this, at least compared to Jack, who had previously seen the black in his own eyes during a particularly tough round of possession, and screamed with all his strength. It looked like ink dripping into water, the veins at the edges of his eyes growing darker and pushing further and further towards his irises. 

He just shrugged in response to their question.

They were very matter-of-fact, like no one had ever seen the sky but them, as they spoke. “Okay then, how about Night? Since they’re turning black, and the sky turns black.” 

But the monster immediately shook his head, drawing his legs closer to him and starting to scratch nervously at his skin. He did not want to be known like that, ever. He was suddenly far too aware of Jack’s voice crying out in the back of his mind, of each and every muscle and bone in this body not belonging to him. “No. No, s-sorry, I’m scared of the dark. Don’t like it.”

Sheridan didn’t mind, humming in thought and gently pulling the monster’s hands away from the skin he was tearing up with his nails. “How about Knight, then? Spelled other ways, y’know. Like a knight in shining armor, the good guy in the fairy tales.”

The idea of being called anything good made him sit up straighter, eyes wide and bright like the stars. “You… you really think so?” 

He already loved the name with his whole heart, a smile plastered on his borrowed face. He now wanted nothing more than to be a knight, a hero, shining and powerful and loved and known. 

Sheridan nodded, reaching out their hand for the other to take, feeling every knuckle and angle between them. “Mhm! Nice to meet you, Knight.”

[alpacaparkaseok]

Mine

4. Making friends 101

Genre: Yoongi x OC

Warnings: none

Word Count: 3.4k

“Have you decided what you’re going to wear to this thing?”

I nearly jump out of my skin as a wild Sebastian wanders into my room. I’m still a little on edge from the stalker a few days ago.

“What thing?” I ask, folding my clothes as I repack my suitcase. We’ll be heading out tomorrow morning bright and early for Hong Kong. It’s quite the trip from Paris, and I wish that we could have scheduled things out a bit better. We’ll be in Asia for the next three weeks before having to turn around and come back to Europe.

From there, we’ll finally head back to the states for the final stages of promotions and the premier. Nobody was too happy about the revised schedule, but neither did they dare pass up extra promotions in Asia thanks to a certain K-pop group.

“You know...this festival we’re invited to.” Sebastian makes himself comfortable on my bed, smirking at my agonizingly organized suitcase. “Don’t tell me you forgot.”

As if I could forget about that. “It’s my most reliable source of anxiety, what would I do without it?” I chuckle sarcastically as I struggle with a thick sweater that refuses to lay flat.

The film festival has been on my mind quite a lot since I first found out that we were invited to it. While now I know what really happened; that it was Kim Seokjin that invited me and not Min Yoongi, I still can’t help but feel a pang of fear every time it’s brought up.

Really, the topic of what I’m going to wear to what may be the most awkward meeting of my entire life is at the bottom of my long list of worries.

“I’ve been thinking about what I’m going to wear.”

I raise my eyebrows at my friend. This is the most he’s hung around me for the past week, and I welcome the promise of banter. Heaven knows I could let off a little steam.

“Oh? Do tell.”

Sebastian stretches like a cat on the bed and I giggle at the sight. His eyes light up when he looks at me, imagining what else he could do to make me laugh.

“Here’s what I’m thinking. People over there are...stylish. Like, they wear edgy cool clothes all the time. So I’ve got to represent, you know? I’m thinking of raiding Saint Laurent or something in preparation for this festival. It sounds like it’s a pretty big deal over there. There’s bound to be lot’s of people.”

It’s not very often Sebastian gets super into fashion, but when he does, it’s a guaranteed laugh for everyone involved.

“Saint Laurent? That’s your whole paycheck, buddy.”

“Hey! Don’t ‘buddy’ me, you little weirdo. If you’re nice to me maybe I’ll take you along.”

I roll my eyes at his offer, however tempting. “No thanks. I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard, you know? Everyone is already expecting me to be tripping over my feet the second he walks in-”

“He? C’mon, Car. He’s not Voldemort, you can use his name.”

I flush when I realize that I’ve been purposefully avoiding speaking about Yoongi directly.

“Whatever. What I’m saying is that it’s already awkward enough. I don’t want to show up looking like a girl getting ready to go to her first prom.”

“Nonsense,” Sebastian hands me another sweater when I reach for it. “More like your second prom.”

He’s met with a sweater to the face.

“Shut up, you’re not even helping me with anything. Why are you in here?”

Sebastian makes a show of folding my sweater. “I’m in here to make sure you’re getting ready to leave tomorrow and that you aren’t passed out on the floor from anxiety or something.”

I wince from the unspoken words. Like before.

“Yeah, I’m ready. And I’m fine.”

He doesn’t look all that convinced, but lets it slide for now. “You know, things are only going to get more intense in Hong Kong. The closer we get to Seoul, the more intense things will become.”

“Not. Helping.”

🌙

I wish Sebastian didn’t have to be right all the time.

The second we get off the plane, it’s a madhouse. Like a literal madhouse. People are shoving, cameras flashing, and the questions are being yelled right into my ears. They’re mainly in English, a few in Cantonese, but there are quite a few in Korean as well. It’s easy enough for me to drown out the latter language, but the ones in English do their job well enough.

“Cara! Cara! Have you been in contact with Suga?”

“Are the two of you attending the festival together? What are you going to wear?”

“Just give us a smile, Cara! Cara!”

We don’t have a lot of security, only about three guys. Soon enough they’re surrounding me, and I am being moved along within a sea of black clothing and mumbled orders. I’m just able to crane my neck to see Sebastian pushing through the mess of reporters, tugging Rhea along behind him. She catches my eye contact and waves me forward.

I fight against the pang of guilt that hits me as I realize that this is all because of me. Never did I think that things would get this bad. I never thought that I would have to be surrounded on all sides by bodyguards.  

By the time we’re shoved into the car waiting for us outside, I’m out of breath and so is everyone else.

Sebastian and Rhea share my car with me. I’m not sure whether I should try to sleep or apologize or resign-

“Cara?” Rhea’s hand grips mine as she gives me a reassuring squeeze. “You ok?”

I give her a shaky nod. “Y-yeah. I think I’m fine. We’re just going to the hotel, right?” I give out a sigh of relief when she confirms. Good. I could use a bed right around now. Especially because we spent a good chunk of our flight going over the promo schedule for Hong Kong and it looks like it’ll be pretty much nonstop starting tomorrow morning.

I hate to ask, but I also know that if there’s another stalker waiting for me in my rooms I won’t be able to sleep at all, no matter how tired I feel.

“Could we...check my room-”

“Already on it,” Rhea says with a sympathetic smile. “I sent a couple of people ahead of us to check all the rooms out. They should be done before we even get there, no worries.”

I relax a little, thanking her for her foresight. We fall into a groggy silence after a bit, the car ride from the airport to the hotel being about thirty minutes. Hong Kong is small, but it’s packed. With it comes traffic and bright shiny buildings that I can’t help but gawk at.

For living in the big city of Seoul for two years, I can’t help but be amazed at big cities like Hong Kong. They never get old.

I’m so distracted by those shiny buildings that I almost don’t notice my phone lighting up with an incoming call. Its vibrations finally pull me from my daze, and I smile as Bong-cha’s photo smiles up at me.

I took the photo for her on her first day of school after she changed programs. She’s grinning like an idiot in front of an intimidating building, holding up a big thumbs-up. Bong-cha has always hated the photo. She says she looks like a kindergartener on her first day of class. I agree, which is why it’s my contact photo for her. Purely just to piss her off.

“Wow the love of my life is calling me again? You must really miss me.”

Bong-cha’s laugh is either a beat too late or a touch too loud, but I notice it immediately. The knots in my stomach that were just beginning to untie themselves suddenly tighten up again.

“Yah, have you landed?”

Oh, right. I was supposed to text her when I landed. “Umm...yes. A little while ago. We’re in the car now.”

“I knew you’d forget to text me. You always do.”

“Hey, that’s not true! And you can’t blame me this time. The airport was a mess. I hardly had enough time to whip my phone out and text you when people were trying to claw their way down my throat.”

Again, she’s a second late in responding. “It was really bad, then? I was worried about that. You have bodyguards, right?”

“Yeah, we do. Just three, though. I felt bad, I had to ditch the rest of the crew to walk between the bodyguards. Everyone else had to fend for themselves.”

Now it’s silent for more than a few seconds, but something that sounds like hushed voices breaks it.

“That sounds hor-”

“Bong-cha, what’s going on over there? Are you at work or something?”

It’s as though I break some sort of spell, because suddenly a laugh tears through the silence, but I know it doesn’t belong to my friend.

Last I checked she doesn’t sound like a windshield-wiper when she laughs.

There’s something about it that has me furrowing my brows in a mixture of confusion and anger. Rhea and Sebastian share a look, not entirely sure what’s going on in my conversation but understanding my expression.

Bong-cha is in the middle of trying to explain. “Well, yeah, I’m at work. We got to talking about you traveling today and the boys wanted me to call you and check in on you and-”

“Am I on speaker phone?” Again, silence. I’m getting real sick of the silence. “Kim Bong-cha, I swear if you put me on speaker without even telling me, I’m going to catch the next flight to Seoul and-”

“Aaand there’s the Cara I know and love!” Bong-cha interrupts, confirming my fears. I’m definitely on speakerphone. “Please, we both know you’re too busy with work to come over here, even if it’s for a good cause like the one I’m sure you were about to explain. Also, the boys say hi.”

The boys. She says it so casually, as if we all went to high school together and are just checking in with each other to see how life has been.

“The boys? Like, all the boys? Also, you only called me because they told you to, and not because you were genuinely concerned for me? I see how it is, Bong-cha. That’s low.”

Before my friend can defend herself I hear a voice that sounds too much like a certain Kim Seokjin.

“You’re right, she is funny!”

I snort, fighting the blush on my cheeks. Am I really on the phone with BTS? What world is this?

“Is that Seokjin?” Even just saying his name makes me feel like a giddy middle schooler.

“Yeah,” Bong-cha responds.

“Well, you’d better watch out Seokjin. Once I’m done beating Bong-cha I’m coming after you.”

“M-me?” Jin has the sensibility to sound a little scared. “Why me?”

A dry laugh sounds, but I can’t tell who it belongs to. Few others have such a distinguishable laugh as Kim Seokjin.

“Bong-cha told me that it was you who started this whole mess with the film festival! Do you know how much anxiety you’ve caused me?!” My anger from this entire mess infuses me with more boldness than I could have mustered in this situation otherwise.

There’s some scuffling noises on the other side of the line, followed by a few grunts. Jin shouts in disdain.

“Yah! I was just trying to help! You’ll be thanking me!” A door slams, blocking out any further shouts from the man. I can’t hide the grin that splits across my face as I imagine what must be going on over there.

“Ok, he’s gone. I’ve banned them all from this room for the duration of this call.” Bong-cha reassures me. “I don’t have a lot of time, but I was calling to ask you something, actually. Don’t feel any pressure, but I think it may help relieve some stress on both sides-”

“What are you getting at, Bong-cha?”

She takes a deep breath. “Is it alright if I give Yoongi your number?”

My jaw falls open. I’m about to freak out when I realize that there’s a small chance that somebody may still overhear me on the phone. Barely composing myself, I respond to my friend, ignoring the obvious shake in my voice.

“Does he actually want it? Because it sounds like all of this has been thrown on him as much as it has me.”

“Er...yeah. He wants it. He was trying to ask about you today, but in that way where he doesn’t want it to look like he’s asking about you, you know? So I finally told him that he should just get your number so he quits bothering me about it. It’s been like this all week. So I figured I’d just give it to him, if you’re alright with it?”

In most situations, I know what to say. I’m usually pretty good at coming up with something to say in order to keep the conversation flowing. Maybe when Graham Norton dropped the bomb on me about Yoongi, I wasn’t the best at it but I at least inserted little comments here or there.

Now, I’m not really sure what to say anymore. It seems that the second I begin to relax and feel like I’m finally getting a handle on this, something happens.

It’s that same fear that I’ve had since I was a child kicking back in. It seems silly, in a time like this. I’m a completely different person since then, in a completely different environment. And yet, that fear that I’ve carried with me all my life comes bubbling back up to the surface.

“Bong-cha…” I struggle to keep a neutral expression as I’m aware that I’m not alone in the car. “I’m not very good at making friends.”

Any other person would be quick to jump in and reassure me. Any other friend would race to recall experiences that would prove my claim wrong.

I guess that’s why Bong-cha is my best friend. She doesn’t do any of those things, instead quietly listening and thinking before she responds.

“You know, Cara…” she begins in a sincere tone. “Maybe that’s not the point. Maybe you’re not meant to be amazing at making friends. But you’re really good at letting people be friends with you. Which, honestly, is a talent. A weird, obscure one, but a talent nonetheless.”

What’s meant to be a laugh comes out more as a sigh of relief. Bong-cha always knows what to say.

“I’m going to do some research on that talent, because I’ve never heard of it before.”

“So...are you alright if I give it to him? I think he wants to just apologize to you more than anything. I swear he won’t be weird with it.”

I chew on the inside of my cheek, mulling it over. Honestly, at this point, what do I have to lose?

“Yeah, go ahead.”

🌙

I’ve barely lugged my suitcase inside and collapsed on the bed when the first text comes through. I immediately jump up, senses on high alert. It would be a lie if I said that I haven’t been on edge just waiting for my phone to ding ever since I got off the phone with Bong-cha. Bracing myself for the bite of disappointment when it’s the “Young Rising” group chat, my heart nearly stops when I see it’s an unknown number. 

UNK: Is this Cara? 

UNK: This is Bong-cha’s friend, she gave me your number.

“Ah, he’s smart,” I note as I realize he didn’t give me his name just in case he mixed up the numbers. I quickly save his number in my phone, the action making me feel a little strange. 

ME: Yes, this is Cara. 

I overthink the four-letter message for way too long before I press send. I sound cold, but I don’t know what else to say. It doesn’t take long for three dots to appear on the screen. 

“Oh, no. He’s typing. What do I do if he’s typing?”

 I’m ashamed to admit that I consider chucking my phone out the window for more than thirty seconds. Only the ping of my phone stops me in my train of thought. 

MYG: Have you made it safely to your hotel?

I blink at his message. The fact that I really don’t know this man at all is hitting me like a ton of bricks. He seems kind though...from the twenty or so words he’s typed. That’s all you need to judge someone’s character, right?

ME: Just made it, actually. 

Pausing, I quickly type out a message before he can respond.

 ME: No need to worry

Well, if this isn’t the most dry conversation the earth has ever witnessed. I cringe when I see the three dots pop up again. He’s probably thinking the same thing and is looking for a quick way to end this entire conversation. 

MYG: Good, although I think I may need to worry. It sounds like the airport was out of hand today. 

ME: ...were you eavesdropping on my conversation with Bong-cha?

MYG: Speaker phone doesn’t count as eavesdropping.

ME: It does if the person doesn’t know she’s on speaker!

I have to wait nearly five minutes before he responds again, and the tell-tale ping of my phone has me rushing over to where I left my phone on my nightstand, leaving my toothbrush on the bathroom counter.

MYG: I’ve thought about it, and I think I need to apologize for eavesdropping on your conversation with Bong-cha earlier today.

 ME: That was easy.

MYG: I think I’ve made things difficult enough for you, don’t you think?

Huffing out a laugh, I nod in agreement. 

ME: You have.

When more than ten minutes pass without a reply, I convince myself to take a shower. Then I persuade myself to stand in the shower for more than three minutes, even though I’m itching to see if he’s replied yet.

Fifteen minutes later there’s still no reply. Cozying under the covers I stare at my phone, answering a text from Bong-cha asking if Yoongi has texted me yet.

Even though I’m a fan of the band, I can’t say that I’ve ever really gone out of my way to learn a lot about them. Beyond the music, I know very little.

At least, that’s the excuse I give myself as I watch video after video about Suga: the biggest baddest soft boy in the universe.

It’s nearly two in the morning before I force myself to put my phone down and get some rest. The thought that maybe my text came off more harsh than I intended it to has crossed my mind several times, but it’s too late now to try to take it back.

It’s nearly four in the morning when the sound of my phone vibrating drags me out of my slumber. Groggily, I reach for my phone, hissing as I hit my elbow on the nightstand.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I groan, squinting at my phone. “I swear, if it’s Bong-cha at this time of night…”

MYG: I’m sorry.

MYG: I’m trying to fix this, thank you for being so kind and patient. Things will get better.

MYG: You don’t have to come to the festival, just so you know. Let me know, and we can cover for you somehow. Make up an excuse. Don’t feel like you have to come, or even speak to me. I’ll understand.

MYG: Sorry for texting so late! I just realized what time it is. Go to sleep. Sorry if I woke you up.

MYG: Sorry.

I’m caught between feeling choked up about the apology and trying to even wrap my mind around the fact that Min Yoongi is up in the middle of the night typing out an apology text to some girl he’s never met.

“Who even are you? Who does this?”

Hardly trusting myself to write back a proper reply, I squint into the screen as I hesitantly type letter by letter. Writing in Korean at four in the morning is not one of my strong points.

ME: I think I’m more exhausted by the amount of times you just said sorry than with what time it is. Go to sleep, Yoongi.

It takes all of thirty seconds for a reply to come through.

MYG: 😅 I guess good morning, Cara.

ME: Good morning, Yoongi.

I fall asleep watching the three dots on my phone appear and disappear as Min Yoongi ponders what next to say in this unlikely forming friendship.

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[agent-cupcake]

Which fictional character was the first husbando you had?

Kelsier from the book Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson!!!! When I was around 12/13 I also had a Thing for Marvel's Loki, Cicero from Skyrim, and Klaus from the Vampire Diaries but Kelsier really set my standards for all men, fictional and otherwise, who have come since. He forged the way I over invest and obsess over characters so please hear me out about this guy. This dude. This literal and absolute legend. Blond hair, powerful Mistborn, crazy, the cool mentor trope, one of the best thieves in all of the Final Empire turned revolutionary, God complex... Here are some choice quotes to sell you (most of it is from the opening half of the first book of the trilogy so not spoiler-y) because I swear he is just the best

/

Mennis shook his head. “You jest, but Tepper might have been right. I fear your visit will bring us grief.”

Kelsier smiled. “That’s why I didn’t contradict him—at least, not on the troublemaker point.” He paused, then smiled more deeply. “In fact, I’d say calling me a troublemaker is probably the only accurate thing Tepper has said since I got here.”

“How do you do that?” Mennis asked, frowning.

“What?”

“Smile so much.”

“Oh, I’m just a happy person.”

Mennis glanced down at Kelsier’s hands. “You know, I’ve only seen scars like those on one other person—and he was dead. His body was returned to Lord Tresting as proof that his punishment had been carried out.” Mennis looked up at Kelsier. “He’d been caught speaking of rebellion. Tresting sent him to the Pits of Hathsin, where he was worked until he died. The lad lasted less than a month.”

Kelsier glanced down at his hands and forearms. They still burned sometimes, though he was certain the pain was only in his mind. He looked up at Mennis and smiled. “You ask why I smile, Goodman Mennis? Well, the Lord Ruler thinks he has claimed laughter and joy for himself. I’m disinclined to let him do so. This is one battle that doesn’t take very much effort to fight.”

/

Kelsier pulled a chair over to the table for himself and sat down on it the wrong way, resting his arms on the seatback.

(Look this mental image is just hot idk)

/

“Good wine,” he said with a grunt. Then he looked over at Kelsier. “So, the Pits really did drive you insane, eh?”

“Completely,” Kelsier said with a straight face.

Clubs smiled, though on his face the expression had a decidedly twisted look. “You mean to go through with this, then? This so-called job of yours?”

Kelsier nodded solemnly.

Clubs downed the rest of his wine. “You’ve got yourself a Smoker then. Not for the money, though. If you’re really serious about toppling this government, then I’m in.”

Kelsier smiled.

“And don’t smile at me,” Clubs snapped. “I hate that.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

/

"Ah," Kelsier said, "but being an annoyance is something that I am very good at. In fact, I'm far more than just a 'mild' annoyance--people tell me I can be downright frustrating. Might as well use this talent for the cause of good, eh?"

/

Dockson raised an eyebrow. “How do you ‘accidentally’ kill a nobleman in his own mansion?”

“With a knife in the chest,” Kelsier said lightly. “Or, rather, a pair of knives in the chest—it always pays to be careful.”

/

“You’re insane!” she said quietly.

Kelsier smiled. “I think that’s the second time today you’ve said that to me. You need to pay better attention—if you’d been listening to everyone else, you’d know that my sanity departed long ago.”

/

So he’s not a revolutionary, she thought. Kelsier was right again. I wonder if he ever gets tired of that.

/

Kelsier tapped lightly on the door, and Dockson strolled over, pulling it open.

“And he makes his stunning entry!” Kelsier announced, sweeping into the room, throwing back his mistcloak.

Dockson snorted, shutting the doors. “You’re truly a wonder to behold, Kell. Particularly the soot stains on your knees.”

“I had to do some crawling tonight,” Kelsier said, waving an indifferent hand. “There’s an unused drainage ditch that passes right under Keep Lekal’s defensive wall. You’d think they’d get that patched up.”

“I doubt they need worry,” Breeze said from beside the desk. “Most of you Mistborn are probably too proud to crawl. I’m surprised you were willing to do so yourself.”

“Too proud to crawl?” Kelsier said. “Nonsense! Why, I’d say that we Mistborn are too proud not to be humble enough to go crawling about—in a dignified manner, of course.”

Dockson frowned, approaching the desk. “Kell, that didn’t make any sense.”

“We Mistborn need not make sense,” Kelsier said haughtily.

/

Okay okay I'm going to stop before I just post everything he says but he's lovely and I adore him still and have for the better part of a decade.

There's also a boy named Zane in the second Mistborn book who comes close second to Kelsier. He's got the ego and skill but he's also unbearably edgy, hears voices that tell him to kill everyone, thinks a knife is a necessary part of sex, AND is a story for another time.

[walkwithheroes84]

Saved By the Bell (2020) Thoughts

 When the original Saved by the Bell ended in 1992, I was still in elementary school and certainly hadn’t watched it’s first run. But over the years - via repeats - it has become something of a comfort show for me, that I turn to when I’m feeling down or just need something cheesy to chill out to. So, hen I heard about a reboot on the Peacock network, I was unsure. 

Now, having finished the ten episode season in just two days, I’m really hoping people give this show a chance. It knows what it is and what it is the child of and it lovingly pokes fun at and embraces it. All while actually showing real issues that people are facing today.

Here are my real-time after thoughts on each episode. Warning for spoilers. 

1.01: Pilot

Zack becoming Governor to get out of a parking ticket and then having no idea what to do is a very Saved by the Bell plot line. But, I love that he's not getting away with doing a bad job and the people of California actually seem to be upset with him. Also random, but - I wonder if Kelly is a doctor and why she hasn't kicked Zack to the curb if he's become such a skeevy person? I guess it is true love.

Jessie and Slater and still adorable, even as platonic friends. However, it's sad that she's kept her son so dependent on her and that it appears that Slater peeked in high school.

Lexi and Mac would be completely unlikeable if played by anyone other than Josie Totah and Mitchell Hoog. Right now, they are just unlikeable, but could grow as the series goes on.

Devante and Aisha are good and I look forward to their characters being explored more.

Daisy is fine, but I don't think she's a strong enough character to be the "lead". Many reviews have called her the "lead" and the "character viewers follow the most" and I'm not sure the character is strong enough for that. Haskiri Velazquez is capable in her role and is doing fine, but the character is a bit bland at the moment.

Principal Toddman: finally a principal that is trying to make a difference and isn't bumbling around and letting the students get away with anything.

The "running for school president" story felt straight out of the old series, with Lexi and Mac doing it for a parking space. But, I liked that in the end (it was 2 days show time and just 30-something minutes our time) they only let Daisy have the job because they didn't want to give up their spring break - not because they learned any sort of real lesson.

From previews I was a little worried that they might try and go with a Mac/Daisy pairing, and I really glad that it doesn't look that way. Yes, it feels like they might pair them down the road (if the show gets a season 2 and beyond), but for now Daisy seems more annoyed with him and Mac seems indifferent to her. It looks like the show might go with Jamie/Aisha, which could work.

1.02: Clubs and Cliques 

The theater clique is basically so cliché that its amusing. I love that they were all desperate to get Devante involved and keep him in the group chat, but he was just so disinterested. Lexi's line that she would fall for him if he kept ignoring her? Ha.

Jamie's inability to basically function as a normal fifteen/sixteen year old is alarming. The fact that he couldn't tell he is bad at football and that he makes raw food? Like, Jessie, who did you raise? That said, the football team having a "Feelings Helmet" was just amusing to me. The Bayside students are just so over the top insane.

There is a large part of me that wonders what the heck happened in the raising of Mac. Kelly had six siblings. She was raised in a working class family. I can't see her raising her son to be this entitled brat who apparently calls her stupid. And, I honestly can't see Zack allowing his son to end up an idiot who just floats through life.

But, I guess that's the point of the series: the Bayside students are all clichés and over the top archetypes of rich kids. None of them are really all that likeable and I find myself rooting for Devante, Daisy, and Aisha while wanting Mac, Lexi, and Jamie to grow up.

1.03: The Bayside Triangle

Knowing that Jamie and Lexi have been friends since they were little kids and she now has a crush on him and doesn't know how to handle it? Very relatable and makes me like her a bit more. She's right - for a lot of reasons, it can be weird to have an old friend like you.

Aisha trying so hard to fit in with the Bayside students is a bit sad, actually. It feels like she's giving up a part of herself to be who they think she should be.

Mac and Jamie's fight felt like it was straight out of the original series.

It's sad to know that Zack and Slater are no longer friends. I wonder why.

Devante is totally my favorite at this point. He just wants a fresh start and it's sad that Aisha and Daisy suspected him of wrongdoing because of his past.

Again, the fact that the students do all this weird stuff and no one at the school seems to notice or care . . .I feel that is purely making fun of the original show, but I love it.

1.04: The Fabulous Birchwood Boys

Lexi and Devante need to become best friends and stay best friends forever. Let's keep it platonic and fabulous. Also, his friends from his neighbor? I need to see more of those boys.

Jamie and Mac Freshmen year? Dorky as all get out. Lexi's fear that no one would like her. So heartbreakingly real.

Daisy having access to money for one day and becoming an entitled monster...that also felt very real. And, I'm really glad that she didn't take the easy way out and said she was sorry to the other members.

Since Mac never even asked Post Malone and since he got the other kids back - I'm starting to think the kid has more depth and empathy than I originally gave him credit for. That or Daisy is rubbing off on him. If they did Daisy/Mac down the road, I think it could work.

I felt so sorry when Lexi realized that Jamie had asked Aisha. I think they are headed for a Lexi/Jamie/Aisha love triangle, and I have to say that while I see Lexi/Jamie (because of her crush), I don't see Jamie/Aisha just yet.

Finally, Slater obsessing over the gym floors? He really did become a stereotype of a gym coach.

1.05: Rent-A-Mom

Jessie still having anxiety about caffeine and knocking what she thought was caffeine pills away from Mac was great.

Speaking of which - poor Jessie and her marriage. :( How did she end up with such a wishy-washy husband?

Slater and Aisha bonding while trying to making the team tougher was great. I cannot believe Jamie gives heartfelt speeches before games. What the hell, man? They really are pushing Jamie as the "sensitive man-child".

Jamie also mentioned that he was starting to like Aisha, but I still don't really see it. Am I alone in this? A start of a friendship, sure. But, a romance within the next few episodes - that would move too fast. Then again, it is a "teen show" and romance on those tend to move quickly.

Lexi and Mac trying to help Daisy was kind-of sweet in a weird sort of way. I like the looks into the home lives of the gang. It gives us a better understand of who they are as people.

1.06: Teen-Line

DeVante clearly facing racism and even classism at Bayside was really well done. I love that Lexi was ready to help him, because he has become such a great friend to her. Those two have really bonded and I love it.

Mac becoming a payphone, but not realizing it kind of made me smile. But what was even better was the way the school completely went into chaos after the students lost their phones. It couldn't have been more than three hours and the school already looked like a deleted scene from a post-apocalyptic film. Oh, and Mac using the rope to get in and out of the room, while the rest of the group used the door. . .loved it.

Aisha and Jamie. . .I feel like she's with him because he's attractive and sweet. There doesn't seem to be any real depth to their relationship. Though to be fair, there isn't much depth to Jamie's character - he's a satellite love interest to Aisha and Lexi.

1.07: House Party

Lexi finally seeing that she is a good (or at least better) person? I like that she is growing. Out of all the characters, I think she has gotten the most character growth (out of the kids) this season.

So. . .Mac does all his schemes because he's scared of being abandoned by the people he cares about and feels neglected by his parents? It's cliché, but. . .okay.

I'm still not really feeling Aisha/Jamie, but I'm not hating it. The relationship lacks depth, so I'm not terribly invested. But, I'm sure if I went back and watched any of the TNBC shows (without my nostalgic glasses on) those romances won't have much depth either.

Daisy trying to go wild, but instead having to be locked in a closet and making out with a coat? Eh, I get that they were poking fun at the darker and "edgy" teen soaps, but, eh.

Slater really grew during the episode and realized that it's time to leave high school behind and start acting like a real adult, and I'm proud of him.

1.08: The Todd Capsule 

Lark looked amazing. I'm so happy that she is doing so well these days.

So now we know where Screech is: on the Space Station with Kevin the Robot.

I was actually sad to learn that Kelly didn't follow her dream of becoming an actual doctor and is instead selling a fake wellness brand or some nonsense. Though, I will admit the Zack/Kelly scenes had me giggling a bit. They have become so shallow and weird, but I'm living for it. And when Zack said she was the only woman he's ever been with? That was a great jab, at least to me, at the way teen shows always do the "one true pairing" thing.

So glad Jessie now knows that Slater still has feelings for her. Can't believe her husband is having an emotional affair with one of his characters. This show can be so ridiculous.

The time capsule was a great addition to the episode, especially as they remembered all the plots that didn't make sense or were just weird: Jessie's caffeine addiction, putting on a ballet so Zack could graduate, saving a hotel in Hawaii.

How dare the gang (expect Lisa, who is a Queen) not remember Ron-Ron!

I hate - hate - that the PTA basically went behind everyone's back and is going to use the money to send the Douglas children back to their school. Yes, they can use the money to buy new things, but they will still have issues in that school. It's pure racism and classism.

Devante having a crush on Nadia (I think that's her name?) is super cute.

Loved Lexi and Daisy bonding and Lexi seeing that sometimes guilting people into things works just as well as being fake-nice. Though, you think she would have learned that by now.

So, Mac has always struck me as a character that is straight out of a 90s teen sitcom, and he still acts that way. But, I love that the show is trying to show some depth to him: he's acting out for attention from his dad. He has modeled his whole personality after his dad's high school personality in order to get attention. It's a storyline that has been done a million times (and will be done a million more times), but it fits his character.

1.09: All in the Hall

The Douglas principal saying that every few years people try and come in to "save" the school ,but than get bored and leave, because they've already gotten what they want - to feel good about themselves? Yeah, I felt that. It was so true to life, the way people rush into some new cause and than abandon it once they have gotten praise or its no longer trendy.

So happy to see Principal Toddman standing up Jade and sticking up for his students. He and Devante should have more scenes together. I like how they play off one another. I really just love Devante - he's probably my favorite.

Aisha finding a way to stay at the school via sports was very smart, but I can also see how Daisy would see it as selfish. Aisha does have a way of thinking about herself first and than others after. I think that has to do with her ultracompetitive nature - she wants to win, even if it mean leaving others behind.

Jamie got a bit more depth in this episode - finally. It was sweet that he wanted Aisha to stay, despite only having dated her for six weeks or so. He went about it completely wrong, but it was sweet. It's good that he sees that he's more emotionally intelligent than anything else.

The Aisha/Jamie stuff - eh. I never felt it to begin with, so it was no big. I'm glad that they sort of acknowledged that while he loves her, she just likes him and it was a relationship built more on physical attraction and sweet moments than anything else. I mean, they are fifteen.

Mac and Lexi feeling empathy and trying to help Daisy was nice. It's clear that they have both grown to care about Daisy (and Devante and to a lesser degree Aisha). I also enjoyed the small tease of Mac/Lexi with them both agreeing that they would totally hook up, because they are both so hot. Who doesn't love two shallow people admitting they are shallow? Though, I still think the writers are slowly - maybe - setting up something with Mac/Daisy. Maybe. Possibly.

I laughed out loud when Daisy ran into Jean (or is it Dave?) at city hall and he just kept denying that they had met before, but they clearly had.

Daisy's breakdown and her nearly doing drugs and the group hug - complete with Jamie discussing some random talent show we never saw (a jab at the original show airing episodes out of order?) - was just so classic teen sitcom. I loved that they pulled back from that by showing Mac reaching for the joint during the group hug.

1.10: Showdown

Overall the season was much better then I thought it would be and I'm really hoping that they are able to work in a season 2. I don't know if they could do several seasons, but I think they could probably do 2-3 more seasons of 8-10 episodes each. They still have a lot to focus on: relationships, class differences, the fall of the Morris family, Jessie's marriage breaking down and how that plays out with Jamie and even Slater, etc.

I really liked the two throw away lines of: Zack asking "Remember Tori?" and Kelly responding with a confused: "Huh?" and then Kelly quickly telling Mac that his father is not Jeff.

I wouldn't say Zack learned a valuable lesson, so much as he realized that he only wanted to stay Governor because he didn't want to be a loser. Which I guess is a lesson in a way, but he's still a bit of a slime ball.

I'm so glad that Slater told Jessie he was sorry for teasing her in high school because she protested and that he's happy today's teenagers are more willing to speak out about their beliefs. And, I'm even happier that Jessie stood up to her stupid and selfish husband.

Aisha and Daisy ganging up on Devante and than realizing that the clicks at school need a common enemy was great. What was better was Lexi, who has had the most character grown this season, willingly becoming the scapegoat.

Mac still needs to work on his daddy issues, but he's getting there. Hopefully he and his parents can really bond during quarantine.

Jamie telling Lexi that the only reason he wasn't sure if he wanted to date her was because she's been mean in the past was very sweet. Do I think the show is headed for Lexi/Jamie? Yes. Do I think it will last? No.

I still have a feeling that, at some point, they will do a Mac/Daisy pairing. Or at the very least have Mac develop a crush on Daisy, which will be interesting to see.

Other thoughts: I love that the show was able to poke fun at the clichés, corniness, and weirdness of all the late 80s-early 00s teen sitcoms/dramas that people my age grew up on; while at the same time exploring current day issues, without getting too preachy or pushy. They used pop culture well, without it feeling overly done. Someone else has mentioned in several threads that the show reminds them of the show Community, and I have to agree - it really does have an "early" Community vibe to it. I know a lot of shows are being cancelled or not renewed due to Covid, but I really do hope they give this one a second season. I really want to see where they go next.  

Cast List:

Main Haskiri Velazquez as Daisy Jiménez Mitchell Hoog as Mac Morris Josie Totah as Lexi Haddad-DeFabrizio Alycia Pascual-Peña as Aisha Garcia Belmont Cameli as Jamie Spano Dexter Darden as Devante Young John Michael Higgins as Principal Ronald Toddman Elizabeth Berkley Lauren as Jessie Spano Mario Lopez as A.C. Slater

Recurring Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Zack Morris Tiffani Thiessen as Kelly Morris Ed Alonzo as Max Cheyenne Jackson as René

Guest Lark Voorhies as Lisa Turtle

[afterthelastreset]

Rules Of One’s Soul Ch25 Ending

(Hey everyone. I just wanted to thank everyone who read this far and liked my story enough to read it to it's end. I had a lot of fun writing it and it makes me happy knowing some people loved it enough to read it fully. Thanks to everyone for reading this, adding it, or leaving a nice comment. And thank you to Toby Fox for creating such wonder characters for us all. Mak belongs to @alois-toussaint)

It was...just as they promised.

Rouxls took the last day off, with supervision of course. After that little scare both Seam and Jevil insisted that he stayed right there with them so they could keep an eye on him incase anything happened. So, Seam (forced him to sleep in) offered Rouxls his bed for the night, and he at first refused, but he was too mentally exhausted to argue for too long. So he took his offer, and fell fast asleep. Probably one of the most peaceful nights he had. He slept in rather late as well, because when he woke up he saw the blurry vision of Seam STILL sewing the black cloak he had been working on for a while now and Mak passed out lightly snoring on the couch, still wearing the small purple suit but now it was wrinkled in their sleep.

"So you're awake I see" Seam said with a smile, not even looking up from his sewing. ''I hope you slept well."

The worm groaned and reached up a blue hand run through his messy shiny hair. Slowly sitting up and looking to the cat with a tired grin. "...Yes. Thank thee." The blankets were tossed over, and his legs swung off the bed, And he slowly stood to his feet. Slowly stretching out his dark blue body and still Seam didn't look at him when Rouxls looked in his direction. "And howest didst thou sleep?"

"I slept rather well, thank you. But you must've been more tired than myself as you slept in rather late today, it's almost afternoon." Rouxls ground and reached to grab for his suit coat hung up on the bed post. Seam busying himself by doublechecking the stitching he had just done, bringing the black cloak up to his one good eye to peer at it. He was almost finished really, he just wanted to double check on everything before he decided to wear it. "So when does this celebration start if I may ask?"

Rouxls had just finished buttoning his coat shirt and sighed. "Tomorrow afternoon at five o'clock sharp. I musteth leave tomorrow to make sure all are according to plan-"

"After you're break today. You did promise us you would take time off today after all, and it would be rather rude to go back on your promise."

The worm paused what he was doing and despite him wanting to go and deal with the nonsense and chaos coming to prepare for the ball..He sighed in defeat. "Very well. Thoust shall havest mine word on it, but has thou been up to now?" He finally turned to the duke, who was currently running his hands through his head to try and tame his wild bed head but nodded to the cloak in his paws. "Thou haseth been working on that clothing for a longe time. What ever tis it for?"

"Oh this?" He held up the cloak and the duke nodded. "Oh, it's just an old coat I plan on wearing tomorrow on our little outing. It just needed some fixing from all these years, but it'll do in a pinch. But that also begs another question, what do you plan on doing until tomorrow afternoon?"

"I shallst keep to mineself and reopening mine shoppe for today." A smile came over the duke's features and he chuckled. "Who knowest how many Darkners forgotten to gettest their special someone something last minute.~ Mine profits and funds shall rise substantially."

He hummed and went back to sewing his cloak again. "I see. Are you planning on doing that for the entire time you're waiting?''

"...N-Nay. I'm also going to best thinking about f-future events, and ..a-and what wouldst be best for mineself and Lancer."

"And have you decided yet?"

A pause...And he heard footsteps walk past him and glanced up to see Rouxls stand in the doorway but smiled and looked back to him. "N-Not yet. B-But I havest plenty of time to thinkest it over. A-And perhaps a new speculation on mine life is just what I needed for a long time."

Seam chuckled again. "I suppose we could all use a fresh start every so often, but I want you to know duke. I'll support your descicion whichever you decide."

Rouxls smiled wider. "Thank thee. I shall seest myself out. I shall pick thee up by four thirty sharp tomorrow."

"Just be sure to be ready by that time tomorrow. I'll be expecting you, Mr. Kaard.~"

It seemed the whole day and a half of waiting for the two went by in a blink of an eye. He wasn't sure what Rouxls was doing within that time frame, but for him he was quite busy. More busy than he has been in a while. It took most of the rest of that day to finish sewing up the cloak back to it's former glory and it...it still smelt musty so into the wash it would go. Mak woke up not too long after Rouxls left and awakened with a snort and looked up at him. "Breakfast time??" He chuckled and offered to trade a giant diamond to wash the suit they were wearing and they happily agreed seeing the baseball sized diamond in his paw. Ok. So he got the laundry to go, what else could he do to prepare? ...Well what else to do but do what he usually did to pass the time in his life, he opened his sheap for a limited time this day. So he took down the closed sigh from his flap, gave Mak some food they gobbled down, and sat down at his usually spot behind the counter and waited. It didn't too long for three panicked Rudinns to come scurrying in and frantically looking around for anything they could grab for...the holiday he guessed, and came up to the counter. Each having a small bag of dark candy and one also grabbing a can of food along with it and the three threw money at him before slithering off just as fast away from the sheap....Well. If this is certainly how Rouxls said it would be, things just might be a bit more busy around here in the next few hours. AT least that's what he thought as his paws calmly went and picked up all the darke dollars thrown at him and he got up to pick up the few that fell onto the floor. Yep. It was looking to be a profittable time. And he wasn't wrong. Throughout the one day alone more darkners, mostly Rudinns with the occasional hathy or club, would make their way in and look around for what exactly they needed before exiting just as quickly with what they wanted. Most of it was tiny bags of dark candy, but their was also the occasional darkburger, tea mix, and at one point he even finally sold his spooky sword to a hathy. She said something about her husband always liking edgy looking things. Whatever the heck 'edgy' meant. But it wasn't over crowding, the most everyone would be in there was maybe four or five at a time and they'd leave just as quickly. Mak certainly wasn't enjoying the big crowd and just stayed in the back while occasionally poking their head out to ask a few questions.

"When's Jevil coming back?" "Lunch time now?" "Is my suit done yet?" "Where's my crayons?"

He chuckled and sat there and did what he normally did, meditate the hours away until someone else dashed in and he'd watch them scramble, buy, then leave then start his whole process again. The hours ticked passed and when a small period went without anyone, so he thought it'd be a good time to close up shop. He just got done sealing the flap of the sheap with the closed sigh hanging up, when he heard the familiar sounds of Mak's maniac laughter which could only mean one thing. He smiled as he walked back into his home and sure enough the sight of a very tired Jevil sat upon the couch and Mak was happily showing him their new giant diamond Seam gave them. The imp smiled and patted them on the head before flopping back into the couch's soft cushions.

He chuckled as he walked in and made for the armchair he always sat in. "Well, how was your day of work and playing with the little king?"

Jevil didn't even look up from his tuckered pose position. "Exhausting, exhausting. Rouxls, Rouxls has much to do around the castle and watching a child, child while practicing tricks is not easy, easy work at all. Even for myself, myself."

"Says the one that can do anything?," he chuckled as he sat down across from him.

Jevil chuckled. "I never said I couldn't, coudn't do it. Only that it wasn't easy, easy. But where is Rouxls, Rouxls?"

"He's at his shop resting as far as I know. He said he'll be back here tomorrow to escort Mak and myself to the castle, but how is that routine coming along? I would've helped but I vowed to retire from that life long ago."

..Jevil sighed before smiling wider and finally opening to look at him. "I respect, respect your descision old friend. But I will be able to perform tomorrow, tomorrow if I sleep all night tonight. If it means Rouxls, Rouxls and you will like it."

He chuckled. "You know I've always loved your tricks my dear friend. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Thank you, thank you." He smiled at him...before his smile disappeared for a moment and he turned his gaze to the ceiling. "Seam, seam?" He hummed and Jevil deflated a little with a sigh. "You know I can never, never apologize enough for my actions all those years ago, and I may make up, make up for my mistake...B-But if Rouxls chooses you or neither, neither of us...Would you mind, mind if we were still, still......I mean..Have, have a second chance at what once was between us, us?"

A silence followed and the cat was staring in surprise at the nervous form of jevil silently laying on the couch awaiting the cat's answer with fear as to what he might say. There was no way he wanted to be left alone after all these years of having no company except for guards delivering food or Lancer occasionally, and after he had discovered he had two soulmates he made peace with. But...it all depended on their answers. He was still dreading what Rouxls would eventually pick, but Seam-...He feared more. But as the cat Chuckled he squinted his eyes shut, fearing the worst.

"But of course. I couldn't imagine life without you again."

Like a spring his eyes snapped back opened and looked to the cat in disbeleif. "WHAT?!"

He just calmly shrugged and smiled. "I already forgave you, you apologised, and life is as normal as it'll be under the circumstances. Why wouldn't I accept an invite like that from my dearest and oldest friend- OOF!!" He didn't get a chance to finish before a purple blur suddenly jumped on him in the form of Jevil hugging the much larger cat as best as he could, Seam freezing up for a good moment or two, before chuckling and reaching up to pat the gremlin on the back.

"Thank you, Seam, Seam."

"Of course. But perhaps we both should get some sleep now. We both have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

*************************************************************************************************

Seam awoke the next morning to Mak asking for Breakfast and Jevil gone. Guess the royal jester was needed for rehearsal and all that with a ball. Which suited him fine. Not only did he himself had to get ready, but it was going to be difficult to convince the child to do anything of the sort, and he couldn't very well leave them here by themselves. They would've probably been ok, but he would've been a bad caretaker if he left the child there alone by themselves. First order of business was coaxing them into a bath, but of course like any child they refused and he had to brib them by offering them more shiny objects for their collection if they did so, which thy did reluctantly but they didn't like it. He'd make it up to them later when he was finished grooming himself....He was not fond of baths himself. One being because it was a cat thing, and another reason being because whenever he did take a bath his cotten always felt weighed down by all the water soaked into it and his stitches always strained. Nothing a magic drying couldn't fix, but that always left him rechecking all his stitches and brushing all his fluffed up fur. Especially the orange tuft of fur around his neck, it always fluffed up to make him look like some kind if lion, Mak laughed when it happened this time as he rain his claws and brush along the dum mane of hair and the rest of himself, repatching stitches and sighing after the amount of work fixing himself always took. Mak wasn't any better. They would let any part of them be brushed and even after he offered them something in return, only let him fix up the top of their head before clambering back into their suit and letting Seam fix them up and straighten their bowtie back into it's proper place, before throwing on his own black cloak. It had been slightly over a hundred years since he wore it, so he wasn't surprised when it was kinda snug, but it still fit fine all the same at least. He straightened out what he could and even dawned a fancy dress pants to match with it. When he was finished he summoned a mirror with a snap of the fingers and took a look at himself. The cat in the reflection smiled back as he inspected the cloak around his shoulders. The smooth black velvet had gold stitchings on the shoulders and hem and while it didn't go all the way down to his feet, it was still long enough to sheild his arms from sight unless he poked them out, and two large buttons were sewn to the left side of the suit with golden strings attaching them to the other side. Why- He'd say he'd look just like he did nearly a hundred years ago in this, even after his accident which left one of his eyes to be replaced by a button, minus all the patches he had now. Below him Mak was smiling and messing with their bowtie as if still readying themselves for the giant event. He chuckled and patted their head before snapping away the mirror.

"Are you nervous about the party?"

"Nah. Just hungry."

He chuckled again and made for the armchair he was all so familiar with. "Well just remember to behave yourself while we're there, and don't cause trouble." He sighed as he sat down into the comfy armchair and relaxed back into it's soft seat. Snapping his fingers to summon a flame before throwing it into the fireplace, lighting a fire in it's place. The kettle over the fire slowly starting to heat up.

They didn't have to wait too long. Time flew by as he sipped his tea and Mak..was playing with whatever shiny object they had collected recently, but there was no mistaking the sound of the flap opening and fancy heeled footsteps approuching the backroom. Seam hummed and looked to the old clock against the wall. Four thirty sharp. Well the duke wasn't a lier, he did show up to get them at four thirty sharp, and he smiled and turned to the doorway- And blinked in surprise at the sight before him. This could NOT be the duke. This fancy dressed up make up wearing beautiful GODDESS!! Could not be the duke. The blue man that was standing there was wearing fancy white, shiny heeled boots that stopped by his knees, fancy black dress pants and an even fancier blue and white velvet coat shirt. Gold shiny buttons shined from the coat shirt and the long elegant blue cape drapping over one of his shoulders and flowed down until it was a few inches away from the floor. Black spade markings lined the coat and white velvet gloves pushed the coat away for a moment. A small necklace hung around his neck with a shiny black spade and matching earrings were hanging from his pointed ears, but all that was nothing compared to his face. The shiny white hair that usually drapped down his back was now styled in an elegant braid drapping over his left shoulder and any left over small strands were curled framing his face. His eyelashes, looking like they had been curled, brought out his pretty mitchmatched eyes as they fluttered at him and Rouxls smiled. The worm quickly took notice of the cat's staring and the small pink to his cheeks, he's always had this effect on people, but this somehow made him feel more...bashful as the blue man looked down and reached up to push one of the white curls away.

"Art thou pleased with mine look?"

Seam didn't respond at first but coughed before giving a polite smile. "O-Of course. You look rather handsome tonight, Duke." Despite his initial shock at first, he calmly stood up and Mak poked their head out of their corner. Upon seeing Rouxls, they clambered out and bounded over by Seam's side as he rose a hand and snapped his fingers. The fire instantly disappeared and Seam turned back to him. "Sorry. Have to take precations."

Rouxls just bashfully cleared his throat. "T-Thank thee. Art thou r-ready to go?"

Seam patted Mak's head. "Yes. Are you ready to take us?"

His Only answer was smiling and held his hand out. Seam reached down to pick up Mak and calmly put the child under his arm before his bigger paw grasped onto Rouxls's and for a moment the two stood there and flushed, before he felt a sudden build up of magic and a blinding white light captured them both. It was a very strange and weird feeling to be sure, the light bodied nothingness feeling just felt..Strange. So when the three of them landed down on a path, thank goodness, instead of hard stone of the castle and much to his embarrasment, he fell over flopping softly onto the ground and coughed a few times. Blinking away the bright white light and staring up to the dark sky as feeling came back to his body and he realized his fur was standing on end. Mak grunted and crawled out from under his arm and shook the dust off themselves, just as Rouxls leaned over him with a concerned look over his face.

"Oh my. I amst so sorry! A-Art thou alright?"

"Yeah. I'm good." He grunted as he sat up and Rouxls comically pushed his back until the taller cat stood to his feet. The nervous worm quickly dusting him off and he shook his head, feeling slightly embarrased he fell over like a goober. Rouxls's way of teleporting was MUCH more different than Jevil's. He was used to the tight compact feeling of Jevil's twisting teleporting, but he guessed even Rouxls's way was more fancy of doing it. But he paused as Rouxls was still dusting him off and moved to the front of his magnificent cloak. And paused. "Oh. We're here."

The giant looming figure of the Card Castle's shadow towered over them as the cat stared and his button eye spun. He didn't even realize Rouxls had grabbed his paw and began to pull them forwards towards the castle's grand entrance. And Seam only watched as the castle grew closer with Mak bouncing at his heels, the front doors being guarded by two giant Rudinn Rangers who lowered their weapons once the duke waved them away. It was almost like nothing changed. The pathway was still as stone cold as he remembered and the anxeity of all those eyes possibly on himself again for being the old magician. Would everyone look at him funny? By being the duke's date he was bound to get some attention, but that was the least of his worries. WOuld the kings be displeased to see him? It had been quite a while and he wasn't sure if Rouxls told anyone of him being his date for this whole night, but it was still terrorfying. Even if noone knew or remembered him, he was sure he would get some attention for just being on the duke's arm, or more likely the duke being on his arm, but it still made him nervous. And when he blinked, brain catching up with him, he finally noticed they were in the castle. The many, MANY red and pink decorations lining the other wise drab hallways. A lot of giggling and smiles from the many staff and guards were a refreshing sight and calmed his nerves even if only a little bit. Mak was giggling and running around startling some of them and eyes wide at all the shiny decorations, and startling a few of the people watching the child floating around. But no one was looking at him, but he noticed a few people gazing towards the duke then away again. Despite his calm and polite smile, he felt a bit of annoyance at seeing the smiles sent Rouxls way, guess he couldn't help it. Despite what Jevil said, he wasn't the best or young looking. Scars and patches here and there. One eye. Stitches. He was only a few years older than Jevil and a few they were both older than Rouxls by a few more, but he still gave off the aura off being much older. Jevil was always saying it was because of how wise and patient he was, but he always knew it was more his appearance. But he was most surprised when the pair turned a corner and ran into two tall darners wearing suits and with professional faces. He was sure with his limited memory this was the rather large throne/ball room and by the way Rouxls was smiling excitedly at it, his gut feelings was correct. The worm suddenly stopped when Seam did and looked over his shoulder, white brow raising in confusion. The cat had grabbed the stuffed bat for a moment and kneeled down eye level with them for a moment.

"Now do you remember what we talked about?," He questioned and they nodded. "And what did we talk about?"

"No biting or scratching."

"And behave yourself. Can you do that?" They nodded again and he patted their head before standing back up and letting them run ahead to the doors. ROuxls excitedly lead him to the doors and nodded to the two in front of the doors as the child bounced excitedly at the doors waiting for them to open.

At Rouxls's nod, the two Darkners in suits both reached over and grabbed a door each and pushed them open. Seam was NOT prepared for what was on the other side of the doors. His good eye widened and his button one spun about as the doors opened and bright candlelights lit the room and bounced off the many MANY giant glittery decorations lining the wall. His ears twitched towards the left where a band was playing ballroom dance music even though no one was dancing(yet) and he couldn't beleive he just now noticed these sounds. Even though they were around half an hour early arriving, their must've been around at least fifty fancy looking darkners around them wearing glittery jewelry and other fancy things he didn't care for, but it seemed Mak did as their eyes widened before they ran off in a seperate direction giggling to themselves and disappearing into the crowd. Not that the two noticed. Seam was still star struck at the incredible sight of it all. Over to the far left near the winows was a very VERY large and long tabled filled with food: two gigantic roasts, a giaint salad, a chocolate fountain with bowls of fruit around it, a few cakes king sized, a punch bowl, a...giant bowl of Salsa(??), some platter of some kind of cookies(they were shaped like something but he didn't know what), another giant bowl full of dark candy, and a few other things he couldn't make out from the crowd clocking it. And there sitting on the thrones, were the kings and Queens themselves. Ah! He remembered them well. The Clubs were talking to their four headed queen. AH! King Heart and his beloved Queen Amory, the two looked so loving together as Mrs. Hearts fed her husband one of those strangely shaped cookies, and the Diamonds-...Well. They still looked as unhappy in their marriage as usual. The giant Rudinn was rubbing his temples and Mrs. Diamonds was glaring boredly at her surroundings. He chuckled- Until he saw him! The little jevil himself! There was a few wooden stands were in the middle of the floor a few feet above the audience with 5 performers. Four of them were simple jacks. 2 juggling a couple of harmless pins to each other on the stands above the crowd, the third a contorshonist curving his body into impressive poses impossible to most, and the last one laying on a bed of hot coals. The coals safely inside a suspended fireplace for everyone's safety. And in the middle stand of them all was the man of the hour themself. The purple menace hand't noticed them at all yet and wore a jester outfit similar to his regular one, only this one was made of black and gold velvet. The gold parts shiny and flashing brightly thanks to the devilknives he was juggling....and the devilknives were on FIRE!! He sat cross-legged in mid air and easily juggling four devilknives on fire, smiling widely and cackling at his work-

"Sir Duke and Royal Advisor Rouxls Kaard of Puzzles and Card Castle!!...And his plus one Retired Royal Court Mage Seam!!" Seam flinched as someone inside the door way called out Rouxls's official title and a LOT of people turned to see them, the kings included...He guessed someone told them about him too. Rouxls gave a smile and squeezed his paw almost comforting as he gently pulled the startled cat along into the room.

At the announcement of them two specific people caught their attention. Jevil snapped he smile over to them and paused. His yellow eyes widened first at Rouxls. The worm's hair and eyelashes naturally glowing and lighting himself as his fancy eyes met Jevil's and he bashfully smiled back...Jevil's hands didn't stop that expert juggling as he had developed to perform as second nature but he visibly gulped and his eyes slowly widened and had a pinkish hue to the bottom of those yellow orbs. But they started to become fully pink when he turned to Seam and saw the outfit he was wearing. The old but fancy magician cloak was simple compared to Rouxls or his or anyone else's outfits, but it suited him to a T and all the happy memories of him and Jevil performing and being happy came rushing back- And his smile came back even more wide as Seam calmly smiled at him too. His cackling growing as he juggled. The second person jumped up on their throne as soon as Rouxls's name was announced before jumping off said throne and began zooming through the crowd towards them. Pushing past others and excitement dripping over their young face.

"LESSER DAD!!" Rouxls's head snapped to the left and smiled widely kneeling down and holding his arms out just as Lancer grunted and squeezed between two darkners before coming free and running towards the worm who easily captured the young boy in his arms and happily brought the giggling boy up in his arms. Seam smiled and peered curiously at the small boy in the duke's hold, finally getting a look at this famous young king. The child was dressed in a small fancy uniform and cape, with a white crown on his head. A blue tongue stuck out of his mouth as she giggled and his tail wagged happily as his face hole that was apparently his face stared at his father. "Where were you? I thought your break was over."

Rouxls chuckled and bounced him a few times. "I waseth...a bit busy with a fewest new things and visiting someone." He turned to Seam who reached a paw up and waved to the small pup who tilted his head at him. "Lancer. Tis a friend, Seam."

"...You look really fluffy and tall Mr. Grandpa cat!"

Seam's brow rose, not expecting that kind of reaction from the child, but chuckled either way as Rouxls groaned softly. "Well, I'm happy you think so, Young King. " He bowed. "And what a brave little man you are."

"YEAH!! Lesser Dad is my noble steed too!!...Whatever a noble steed is." He said proudly and both men couldn't help but chuckle.

"Were you good while I was gone?"

He nodded. "YEAH!! I got to play with Uncle Jevil, and he made sure I got all the food I wanted, and he let me watch him practice, and he made me do boring homework with the teacher guy, and then I had to take a bath." He sucked in a breath to keep going. "And then I had to wear this itchy suit, but I got to eat ice cream for breakfast today!!" He took a moment to look at his father. "WOW!! You look really pretty, Dad!"

Rouxls rose a brow at him at the ice cream bit, but still smiled at the compliment. "Thank you, and you look as handsome as ever." He gave him a kiss to the forehead to which the child giggled at but shook his head.

"And Ralsei's coming!! I don't know when because his letter said his parents were busy, but he promised he would come!!"

He chuckled. "I look forward to meeting this Prince officially. We haven't been properly introduced since mine encounter longe ago with thine Lightner friends."

"This young uh..Prince wouldn't happen to be a small white darkner with glasses would it?" Seam asked curiously and Rouxls blinked at himbut Lancer answered before he could.

"YEAH!! He really cool!! Not as cool as Susie, but he can do really cool magic and is really nice!!"

He hummed and smiled again. "Well then I remember this Prince of Darkness. He and his friends visited my shop and fought Jevil. I was honestly surprised they made it out in one peice."

Rouxls blinked..before scowling. "What?..Art thou telling mineself that Jevil battled against children and thou let them?!"

Seam paused sensing Rouxls's now displeased scowl and shrugged nervously. "They lived, and aren't you the one who tried to stop them using puzzles and a powered up K-round?"

His frown deepened. "Mine puzzles were not thine best true, but they were made to trap and not harm and mine control crown -before it was destroyed by thine lightners- made thine K-round under mine control and I waseth going to stop it once it weakened thine lightners enough to store them safely within thine dungeon....I was NAY!! Intending on causing any harm or did so so carelessly, Seam." The cat didn't say anything this time and Rouxls sighed. "We and Jevil are goinge to have a longe talketh about this later." He quickly turned back to a small smile to Lancer and chuckled. "Now. Art thou having fun?" Lancer shook his head no. "Nay? What ever is thy matter?"

"Ralsei's not here and Uncle Jevil's busy...and everyone said I couldn't bring ANY toys and I have to sit on the dumb chair until Uncle jevil does his trick Routine." He pouted and leaned against his father.

"Oh? And when is Jevil going to entertain us?"

"He promised before my bedtime but it's taking too long!!"

Rouxls chuckled at his pouting and nodded to Seam to follow. "Well then. Now that I'm here, why don'tst thou wait with me while you wait for thou's friend, and gettest to know Seam better?"

"Is he cool?"

"Very.~ He was a magician."

Lancer's interest spiked up at magician and the pup stared past Rouxls shoulder up at the stuffed cat as he followed Rouxls back to the giant thrones. He was pretty anxious to be stepping up in front of the kings and queens no less, but to his surprise and absolute releif, none payed much attention then the usually 'Oh, I remember you. How are you these days?' kinda talk. Two of the four kings were too busy making googoo eyes at their partners anyways and one was busy trying NOT to notice the giant lady Rudinn they were married to. Lancer looked up at the kissig faces and made a 'yuck!' face and pointed at his mouth. Seam chuckling at the sight. Such a innocent child. Rouxls set him back down on the chair and Lancer groaned, falling back into the comfy seat as the other royals greeted the duke before going back to their regular business. Despite being next to the gigantic royals, Seam's attention was on the crowd. His good eye scanned the many, many couples swapping small hearts or giggling with red faces. One or two kissing each other. He thought he saw a flash on Mak every few seconds but couldn't be sure, and his eye went to Jevil the imp smiled seeing him look at him juggling before doing a flip in mid air looking like he was doing a hand stand without using his arms to stand and looked at him upside-down without stopping juggling and winked at him. Seam chuckled and waved back over to him- He hummed and turned back to the throne. Rouxls was now sitting in the throne with Lancer in his arms and said child was tugging his cape with interest.

"Are you really a magician?," he asked.

He chuckled. "A used to be. But I'm retired now."

"What does 'retired' mean?"

His paw came up to pat his head where his crown wasn't. "It means I don't work that particular job anymore. Now I own a store."

"Like Lesser Dad?" Seam nodded and Lancer smiled wider. "Uncle Jevil said you used to do tricks too!" His tail thumped wider in excitement. "Can you show me?! Please!!"

Seam hesitated for a moment, he hadn't really performed persay any tricks in a long time. But one look at Rouxls's smile encouraged him. After all, Jevil had made peace with their soulmates child, it was only fair he made a good first impression too. So he leaned down and held out his paws, both empty and not wearing sleeves. Lancer glanced at them curiously but jumped when Seam suddenly clapped them together, and slowly opened them to where he was holding a small toy in his paws. Lancer gasped at the cute teddy bear in his paws and reached out excitedly for it as Seam handed it over. Lancer was happy to examine the new toy before holding it to him in a hug and looked back to him bouncing and saying: 'Again! Again!' Rouxls was smiling wide now as was Seam as he performed another trick for the small pup. This time reaching behind his crown and then suddenly pulling out a single dark dollar, to which Lancer gasped in wonder and also took it when Seam offered it to him, shoving it into his pants pocket and asking for him to do it again. He smiled and happily performed a few simple tricks he remembered. Pulling a strand of tied together hankercheifs out of nowhere, which lancer also reached for excitedly. Making a small flame appear and turning it into different simple shapes like a circle, cube, flat surface, etc. Pulling a button out of his ear seemingly. And a few other harmless little party tricks a child like Lancer found amazing, the child was just fascinated with magic and he chuckled at his excitement. In the meantime Rouxls watched lovingly as Lancer was giggling and enjoying himself as Seam bowed as he clapped at his small performances. While this was going on every so often the announcer would shout out another name as more guests arrived.

"Princess Clover Clubs of Card Castle!!" King and Queen Clubs were excited and babbled as their small three headed daughter came up to them wearing a small crown for each head but that was about it. "Baron Mr. Elegance and Mr. Society of Great Bourd Pass!!" Two strange all white darkners made their way in about thirty minutes later and mingled with the crowd. Thirty minutes later."Royal Court Healer Ms Valen and her Husband!!" A slightly bigger than average blue hathy couple. Seam was starting to get the impression that most of the folks here were important court members and their plus ones/partners or just important people invited to the royal shindig. As the next ones also arrived around thirty minutes after the last. "General of War Sir Punch-a-lot and his husband!!" A VERY scarred up red rudinn ranger slithered through the doors with a slightly smaller green one and the red one gave a grumpy look around before rolling his eyes and letting himself be dragged in. Thirty minutes later. "Head Of Treasury and Staff Ms. Royal Coat Jack!!" A strange looking jack came in, but she just looked nervous and skittered in without another word. Huh. Guess she was the secritary Rouxls often referred to helping him. But the next announcement made Lancer perk up from his new teddy bear again thrity minutes later. "Esteemed Guest and Hero of the Darklands Prince Ralsei Durrmee of the neighboring Durrmee Kingdom!!"

This time a LOT of attention was focused to the doors as they opened and Seam looked too, wanting to get a look at this hero once again, and a small hush came over the crowd. Behind the doors strode in a teenage darkner. He looked-..Well exactly how Seam remembered. Same outfit too. Green cloak and hat, wide circle glasses, and red scarf. The nervous looking boy paused looking at all the darkners suddenly staring at him and he smiled nervously before waving a paw.

"Uh...H-Hi, Everyone." He quickly excused himself and made his way towards them. It seems the only ones who didn't stop were the band and performers, taking their jobs seriously no matter what happened. The nervous goat monster made his way through the crowd and Lancer's tail wagged even more as he came closer. "Excuse me. Excuse me. Pardon me, Ma'am. Oops! Sorry. W-Watch your footing, Sir." He said as he walked even closer to the royals who were now looking with smiles- Except for Queen Diamonds who seemed more interested in her jewelry. But the boy still bowed once he got close enough to the giant thrones and their occupants. "U-Um..Greetings, Everyone. I hope I'm not too late-"

''RALSEI!!" Lancer happily jumped off the Duke's lap and made for the teen still holding his teddy bear, said goat prince looked up just in time to watch the small spade pup hug one of his legs and giggled. Tail wagging. "YOU'RE HERE!! NOW IT WON'T BE ALL MUSHY AND BORING!! YOU WANNA PLAY WITH ME?!" All the adults (minus Queen Diamond and Clover) awed at the adorable sight of the teen giggling and patting his head in response. Clover's three heads were staring at the small goat teen with blue blushes even though each head had a different face responding to the blush. "Sure. If your dad doesn't mind." He looked back up at the duke still sitting in the throne smiling and watching, and waved a paw at him. "Um. H-Hello Mr. Kaard. Wow. You look really nice tonight. All of you guys do too."

Clover flushed deeper at that and Rouxls chuckled. "Nonsense. Thou arrived with plenty of time to spare. How waseth thou's trip?"

"F-Fine thanks." He straightened his glasses before looking down to Lancer. "And if he doesn't have any other duties, I'd be happy to catch up-"

"HEY!!" Most everyone jumped up at the sudden shout from one of the clubs princess's heads. "YOU PROMISED YOU'D BE OUR DATE TONIGHT!!" "I-It's fine if he wanted to spend time with him instead, I'll just be a little sad." "OH! I'm so excited! Our first date with a cute fluffy boy!"

"Uh..." Ralsei glanced to Rouxls for any help on the matter.

All of King Clubs heads looked displeased and about to say something a whole lot of somethings before his wife's heads spoke up. "Dearest we talked about this." "J-J-Just...l-l-let her have this moment..ok?" "Im fine with anything really." "HEY!! SHE'S ALMOST SIXTEEN!! GIVE HER A LITTLE SPACE!!" The five heads of his majesty stared at each other for a moment...before grumbling and not saying anything. "THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT!!" "Thank you, Sweetie." "T-T-Thanks." "Im still fine with anything really."

Ralsei still looked quite unsure before looking back to Clover. "U-Um..Ok. C-Can Lancer come too? I promised to spend time with him too."

The three heads looked at each other before the middle one spoke. "Would that make you happy and like us more?"

"Uh," he said still really unsure and looked at Lancer who nodded eagerly. "Yyyyeesss??"

"OK!! We can start by getting some roasted tree!!" She shouted before standing back up and walking towards him.

"Roasted what?"

He was nudged away by one of Clover's heads and Lancer happily bounced next to the two (or five if you counted each of Clover's heads as an individual) teens. King Clubs still not looking the tiniest bit pleased at his daughter's 'date' for the night at all.

"Do you think we're pretty?" "I thought we looked nice." "OF COURSE WE ARE!! WE HAVE STYLE!!"

"Uh..Yes?"

The last Seam heard of THAT conversation was Clover happily squealing to herself and still pushing the poor boy off with Lancer at their heels. At least the boy would be around two other kids and get to spend time with someone closer to his age group. But speaking of food, Seam gazed over to the table full of goods and wondered if there was anything to his liking. He didn't really have to eat being made of cotten, but anything he did eat was converted into extra magic later and who knows when that might come in handy? Rouxls seemed to mirror his same thoughts as he stood up and bid good morrow to the giant royals before turning in Seam's direction and gesturing to the giant food table in question. Seam nodded and the two began their way there, with Seam politely offering Rouxls his paw and the duke gladly taking it with a smile. The two made their way over past the others in the room and finally his one good eye was able to make out all the stuff on the table that was previously blocked from veiw...and his smile disappeared as he blinked. The last table sat a ....bowl of roasted tennis balls covered in cheese and-...a atcually honest to lightner tree that looked like someone tried to burn it but didn't do a very good job. Clover was there sitting on her hind legs and her front paws held a plate with ease. The giant plate had a couple of the tennis balls and a chunk of what he could only guess was this 'roasted tree' she was so excited about. One of her heads was jabbering to Ralsei while another one scarfed down what was on the plate. Poor kid was smiling nervously holding a plate with a single cheese covered tennis ball, obviously trying not to be rude...and LAncer was bouncing one of said tennis balls getting cheese all over the floor. The cat chuckled and shook his head. The poor kids. The duke and him at first stuck together looking at things but as soon as his eyes spotted the mac n cheese bowl he lit up and made a beline for it, leaving seam chuckling and looking around at all the other foods. He wasn't really that picky but none of it was really appealing to him yet. The roasts looked too hard and chewy, and he was never a big fruit or salad fan. And all the deserts looked too sweet for him. And there was NO WAY he was about to eat cheese covered tennis balls or burnt trees- And speaking of deserts. He chuckled when he finally saw the strange cookies and now understood why they were called 'Lancer Cookies', because they were all decorated to look like the young boy. He sighed and shook his head, going to move past the punch bowl since he wasn't really that thirsty....But paused when something...(or someone) slowly rose out of the punch bowl making a few darkners around them cringe in disgust.

It took him a few moments of blinking and staring to realize who it was, and when he did he sighed. "Mak. WHY are you in the punch bowl?"

The child blinked back. "I got thirsty."

His brow rose. "And so you decided to go swimming in the punch bowl?...And where did you get those sunglasses?" He now noticed the new and shiny sunglasses on top of their head. And he sighed. They were all sticky and wet now.

"Waiting for the surprise."

He blinked. "Surprise? What surprise?"

Before they could answer the same announcer that was shouting everyone's official statuses shouted out his voice from near the king's throne and he turned to look. In the meantime Mak slowly drifted back down into the pink punch and disappeared. "ATTENTION!! THE ROYAL PERFORMERS SHALL BEGIN THE SHOW!! PLEASE STAND CLEAR FOR THE CENTER STAGE!!"

Seam looked confused for a moment, but then sudden flashbacks of his old shows reached his mind. The audience of around a hundred darkners all gasped and stood aside when the jacks all stopped performing including Jevil as he caught the devilknives that he had been juggling this whole time. Each one being put out as he did and he watched in mid air as the five jacks jumped from their set up stages and began to push their own stage towards the middle one Jevil was sitting above. The five giant puzzle peice designed stages coming to fit perfectly with one another as he remembered it would and a small smile reached his face. Well, well. It had been quite a long time since he'd even seen a royal performance. Now was a good oppurtunity to witness one. Rouxls walked up back next to him watching curiously as he ate and the lights dimmed out until only two spotlights remained, one on the band that had gone silent, and one on the stage where all the performers including jevil had hopped off.

"ANNOUNCING LADY PAPER DOLL AND HER WONDEROUS BALLERINA DANCERS DOING THEIR FAMOUS WATERFALL DANCE!!" The man announced. "PLEASE EVERYONE STEP AWAY FROM THE DOORS!!''

Most everyone scrambled out of the way as the band started up some ballet sounding waltz music starting with violins at the same time the doors opened and in came not one but FIVE different all white white some black thin looking darkners dashed in through the dark. Making the audience gasped in surprise as they all jumped expertly and easily onto the table and could now be all clearly seen the spotlight. The biggest one was all white and stood in the middle as the black and white ones, four of those, all stood around her. All made similar ballerina poses as the music faded for just a moment before starting back up again, them moving along with it it gracefully. With the four smaller ones standing on their tip toes and slowly swaying their arms going a few yards away from the bigger one (the stage was fairly large and well built for such things) as their leader stood on one leg and reached her hand up as the soft flute music slowly died out once again and the other four stopped in a pose which left them on their tip toes and their arms pointed to their middles. They could hear the music conductor tap his music sheet stand and begin to wave his hands. Trumpets and violins started to play and they moved. The four began to move in similar motions, twirling themselves in circles while also circling their middle leader in a bigger circle as they spun, and who he assumed to be Lady Paper Doll moved as graceful as one would expect. She expertly brought her leg up high to stand on one leg and twirl around before taking a few graceful steps forwards the edge of the dancing circle before stopping, hand to her chest in fake distraught befor doing the same thing towards the other side before holding a hand to her forehead and dashing back towards the middle twirling a few more times before expertly 'falling' to the floor and laying limp like a ragdoll in a fake faint.

Seam hummed and leaned down to Rouxls to whisper. It was easy to see the worm as his white hair and eyelashes easily glowed in the dark giving him a beautiful aura. "They're very good. This Lady Paper Doll is quite graceful."

Rouxls nodded without looking at him. "Tis based on a true story about what someone sometimes experiences."

"Oh really?"

Rouxls nodded and pointed to Ms Paper Doll who had just now sat up to her knees and was fake sobbing and twirling her upper body in graceful circle motion to the music. "She represents the struggle someone goes througheth with their sad emotions when something devastating happens. And the four dancing around her-" He gestured to the still twirling ballarinas still doing circles while encircling her. "-represent the obsticles and circle of emotions thoust tis feeling. Which is why she's also metiphorically trapped within thine middle. Trapped within her own emotions and problems, which only go downwards as if one tis in a waterfall. Hence thy name Waterfall Dance. They're truly a remarkable group."

Seam didn't doubt that as he looked back to the lit stage from the dark audience. Lady Paper Doll then expertly held her hands up and pushed herself up onto her toes that resembled someone lifting a limp puppet. Twirling around a few more times before she blinked and held her head up to the light. Pretending to just now notice the light shining down on her. Reaching a hand up towards the spot light before she flinched and curled in on herself head down in fake shame. The four dancer had now stopped twirling and were facing her, the for gracefully ran up to her and held their arms above her as if metiphorically holding her down- Before she suddenly snapped back up. The four smaller dancers recoiled and treated back to their circle. This time running back to their circle, but instead of their twirling from earlier, they gracefully lept and ran around in a giant circle as the middle tallest dancer twirled a few more times before stoppong in the middle and striking a proud pose of her chest out, arms back and head held high. Rouxls smiled excitedly next to him.

"This is thine best part, the next steps represent her tossing the stress and thinges away from her and crumbling in sweet defeat and rising to thine goals!" He sighed. "Such beauty tis a work of art.~"

He had to agree. She stood in that pose for the longest time as the four others encircled her before she suddenly pirouletted and pivioted to the middle of said circle of ballerinas before stilling. One ballerina suddenly breaking the circle the circle and running towards her gracefully, the taller woman easily caught her and held her up in the air, the two doing a graceful pose before she let go mid spun and the smaller ballerina expertly 'fell' to her knees and slid a little away, hand to her forhead before 'falling' to the floor in defeat. Followed one by one of the other three who slid away and laid down in similar defeated poses which the audeience awed at and even Seam had to confess the ladies' were experts at their job. Leaving the spotlight on just the tall one and watching as the depressing and exciting music from earlier suddenly became more happy sounding and she prirouletted and spun in other dance moves he couldn't name as the song came to an end spinning happily and doing the same proud pose from before with her head and arms pointed backwards as the happy music finally ended and left. There was silence for just a few seconds before cheers and applause came from the audeince watching all around the stage and the other four ballerinas stood from their position on the floor to go stand next to their leader as they all curtsied to their audience. Seam found himself clapping along and smiling at the performances the ladies did for them. One by one they jumped off the stage and gracefully leaped back to where they came from. The balloroom still quite dark other than the two spotlights on the bandstand and huge stage. He almost did hear the announcer shout the next performers.

"UP NEXT!! THE JACK BROTHERS AND THEIR AMAZING BALANCE ACT!!"

The same four jacks from before all flipped and jumped from different parts of the audience onto the stage and struck a pose. Everyone clapping excitedly for the next act. Except for Seam. He recognized these old jacks and already knew their whole routine, if he remembered right they would start out with two of them standing on top of each other balancing on a ball and two others throwing juggling pins over the two flipping on the ball. And wouldn't you know it, one made a giant green ball appear, so Seam busied himself by turning around and grabbing one of these lancer cookies as the four performed, the audience including Rouxls watched captivated. Upon eating the cookie, he discovered it was just a regular sugar cookie with icing. He still didn't watch the performance when the audience gasped when one of the jugglers suddenly jumped onto the ball with the other two while still juggling back and forth with the one on the ground before they jumped, and was suspended onone of the bottom jack's held out arms, the entire time two jack's still juggling but now they were rolling the ball around moving around on the stage as they rolled around and juggled with expert balance, making the audience awe in disbeleif and he had finally turned around to look around at the crowd. It was dark but he was used to seeing everything in the dark besides lanturn light or his fireplace. He was looking for one small purple gremlin dressed in black ang gold in particular but he didn't see him anywhere. Now where could that little rascal have run off too this time? He was wondering if Jevil was planning some kind of grand entrance to the act, most likely. He always liked showing off to others around him. The four jacks was bouncing on the ball now, up and down a few times before one by one they jumped off the ball and the two juggling caught the pins and did poses with the other two. The audience roared again with excitement at the second performance as the four bowed to the watching crowd. Seam did too, more out of politefulness of the situation than actually watching the performance, but the four hopped off the stage and disappeared somewhere within the crowd not to be seen again for the rest of the night.

"NOW FOR OUR FINAL PERFORMANCE!! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! PLEASE WELCOME THEE ROYAL COURT JESTER SIR JEVIL!!"

The crowd both gave a mix of excited and unsure faces but all that changed once a giant puff of smoke exploded on the stage and Rouxls's and his smiles became wider. A small BOOM! noise also went off and gold confetti shot out everywhere. Some landed on the stage but some fell over the crowd, shining thanks to the spotlight. Happy cackling was heard as the dust cleared and there was the purple jester in all his glory, he giggled to the crowd and bowed. The bells on his hat jiggling to his movements, the gold parts of his outsit shining in the light. Here we go. They were in for quite a treat.

"Ahehehehehe!~ Welcome, welcome!! Let there be chaos, chaos!! Fun, fun!! But a word of warning, warning!" His held up his hands. "Please, please do not try to do what my chaos, chaos brings at home, home! They are quite dangerous, quite dangerous!!" He snapped his fingers and suddenly the band started playing some kind of upbeat circus music and the audience's main focus was on the clown as he Suddenly whipped out a metal hula hoop. He sucked a deep breath and his cheeks puffed out, Rouxls recognized it as the face he made before he blew fire. And sure enough flames came forth from the fool's mouth and the hoop caught fire. The iron circle was tossed away from him quickly after that and they guessed he must've been using magic to make it suspended in mid air on the other side of him, before he yet again reach behind him and summoned more devilsknives, around five. He was floating now and stood on the stage. Really showing how small he was compared to Seam and Rouxls. Without so much as a warning he began to easily juggle the sharp looking weapons as the flaming hot hoop came shooting at him. While STILL juggling, he easily jumped up a foot and jumped right threw the flaming hoop's middle, the hoop stopped before it could even reach the other side of the stage and they guessed Jevil must've been using his magic to make it go back and forth as he still jumped threw it whenever it got close enough and still juggled those devilsknives, cackling and happy all around at everyone marvaling at his skills. Bells jiggling wildly. "This is fun, fun!! But more excitement should be expected, expected!!" Without warning the devilknives were all grabbed by him one by one and shoved back into his black cloak disappearing while he still jumped through that flaming hoop, when the last devilsknife disappeared, he reached a clawed hand out and caught the flaming circle. Giving it a few shakes until it was completely put out and he held it up, showing it off with a smile.

Everyone clapped again including them and Seam chuckled. "An old but classic. I wonder if he shall do his famous No-throat sword swallowing trick or fire images."

Before Rouxls could answer, Jevil had already bounded to the other side of the stage before reaching over into the dark real quick as someone (one of the jacks most likely) handed him what looked liked a couple of long rods wrapped in an old cloth, he nodded to whoever handed him the thing before he made his way back to center stage, the audeince watching in silent anticipation. With his back towards the half of the audience that his two soulmates were and only stood back up when he unwrapped said cloth on the floor, a metal SHING!! sounded off as Jevil produced a shiny average looking sword in his hands and showed it off to the audience. "Again, again! Please do not recreate what you are about to see at home, home! Sword swallowing and playing with fire is a very, very dangerous skill even for me, me." The sword was tossed up without another word and it was suspended in mid air by his magic. One person in the band gave a drum roll as it slowly desceneded dowwards and to everyone's shock, the fool's head sprung off his shoulder with a spring and he opened those jaws wide. Rouxls's jaw dropped to the floor as his mousetrap jaws opened and the sword continued it's decent down and THROUGH IT!! The audience gasped when the sword seemingly disappeard into the void of his mouth until the handle was left and his spring neck wobbled. WHERE WAS THAT THING EVEN DISAPPEARING TOO?! Seam chuckled. He knew, Jevil was using teleprtation magic to give the illusion it was going down his none-existant-for-the-moment throat and instead most likely making it appear under the stage where the audeince couldn't see it, but it was still amusing to see their surprised faces. Especially Rouxls who looked at him bulged eyes. The drum still played when Jevil's hand flicked it back up and the sword began to retreat out of his opened jaws. As soon as the last few inches of shiny metal left his teeth, there was a crashed of symbols from the band stand and his neck sprung back down to his shoulder. Instantly like it never happened and he did another pose as the audienc roared again in applause, the sword dropping and being caught in his hand as he presented it back to his fans. Before setting it back down to his feet when another long metal thing was picked up by him. This time it was a long metal rod with some kind of giant fuse at the end. Like a long torch. The same hissing breath and puffed out cheeks signaled the flames before it erupted from his throat, blowing onto the end of the rod and catching it on fire just like a torch. He smiled and giggled at his handywork, holding it up and he looked around to the darkened audeience! "Hehehehe!~ Forms and shapes I make with flames, flames. But helpers I need to pick, pick what to form and dazzle you all!!"

Seam leaned closer to Rouxls. "He means he's going to pick a few people from the audeince to choose what magic picture he'll make with fire."

Rouxls gave a small oh and watched as Jevil tapped his chin and looked over the watching crowd. "Now, now! Who shall I pick to choose the first picture-"

"DO ME!! DO ME!!" Jevil's head snapped to the right and Rouxls suddenly groaned as Lancer was jumping and waving his arms a few feet away from the crowd in a very unkingly manor. "PLEASE! DO ME!!"

Jevil chuckled and bowed in the boy's direction. "But how could I refuse, refuse a request from our beloved King, King?" Everyone watched as Jevil turned his face and the flaming rod up towards the stone ceiling and sucked in another hissing breath, though this one seemed to take longer as his chest expanded at well- Before it all broke loose!! A large stream of flames shot out from his mouth and hit the rod as the flames' path widened and a HUGE wall of flames shot out above the audeince and spread out into lines forming the shape that was similar to the Lancer Cookies clearly intending to be the small boy. The audeince's eyes sparkled as the flames fizzled into nothing after a few seconds and immediately applauded the clown as he bowed his head, Lancer giggled and clapping his hands together from seeing his flame protrait. "Hehehe!~ Thank you, thank you!! As tradition I shall take four more requests, requests to equal five!! Who shall, shall request next?!" This time a lot more people raised their hands and shouted requests to the purple imp! And he slowly did them one by one. A rabbick for a Noble. Another flame portrait for Mr. Society. A lovely flower for King Hearts dedicated to Queen Amory, Rouxls awed at the romantic gesture King Hearts made towards his wife who herself gushed at the sweet thought. And lastly a diamond shape after Queen Diamond ordered it of him. Well...He couldn't disobey the Queens but King Diamonds looked rather embarrased as he held a hand over his face when it all happened. The rod was put out when Jevil stuck the entire flaming end in his mouth- Before removing it quickly and a fire giant stream of hot flame was shot over one part of the audeince who leaned away and gasped before applauding his efforts again. "Now for some old classics! But first please, please welcome by adorable asistant, asistant!!" He snapped his fingers and another bang and small explosion of smoke appeared something purple and grey shot out of the smoke cloud. It slid up to him in the form of Mak wearing those sunglasses and a kazoo in their mouth, blowing on it before posing and a poof of confetti went off behind them. "Now we shall begin, begin the fun!!''

The rest of Jevil's tricks were pretty basic tricks, He would summon props he needed or someone would hand him what he needed from the audience, and Seam watched as it went as followed. The disappearing box. The classic (fake) sawing someone in half. And the classic having Mak stand against a wooden wall while he threw small show daggers at them, expertly missing. And at the end the two did a pose at the end as everyone clapped for them and Jevil looked to the two soulmates standing to the side by the table. Giggling and-.. blowing kiss in their direction. Rouxls froze with a small squeak sound, immediately turning a darker blue and Seam chuckled at both their reactions as he and Mak bounced off the stage. The candles were relit and staff quickly rushed over to grabbed at the stage, pulling the puzzle peices apart and beginning to pushing them towards the front door the dancers had run through before, making more room in the large ballroom for one obvious reason. But they would get to that in a moment, right now everyone was starting to chatter to each other excitedly about the performances that had just been shown to them while others made their way for the food table. Seam felt sorry for all the folks drinking the punch, and the band started up with the calm ballroom music again. And Rouxls turned back to him with a wide smile.

"Thine Jester's performance waseth astounding!!" His wide grin and excited tone made Seam chuckle.

"I told you. Jevil's magical abilities are quite impressive."

A stream of maniac giggled from behind Rouxls made the worm jumped and whirl around and blink at the side of Jevil smiling, sitting in mid air, tail wagging behind him happily. "Really, really?!" He giggled more at the worm's slightly spooked face. Dark purple rushing to his cheeks as his head fell to his hands staring at the two of them lovingly. "Thank you, thank you. You both l-l-look so lovely, so lovely.~"

Rouxls cleared his throat and gave a polite smile and bow. "Thank thee. Thou art looking splendid as well. Thine performance waseth wonderful!!"

Seam nodded. "I agree. You're performances were just as magical as I remember old friend."

Jevil giggled even more and if Seam didn't know better, he would say he was flustered in the presence of both him and Rouxls dressed up in fancy clothing. More purple coming to his cheeks at the compliments, but what perked the old cat's attention was the sudden start up of exciting violins and the excited gasp King Hearts made. He watched as the giant hathy pushed himself off from his throne and turned to the other giant than average hathy bowing and offering one of his giant tentacles to her. She giggled and of course accepted his offer to her. His one good eyes watched as the two intertwined hathys made their way down the small steps of the throne and into the crowd of the ballroom. Seam knew exactly what was about to start happening and sure enough, a whole bunch of other darkners were bowing or asking their partners to dance and the dancefloor area was soon filled with the dancing forms of couples as they laughed and made googoo eyes at each other under the candlelights and pink and red decorations. Jevil watched them all for a moment before looking back towards Seam and Rouxls with expectance- Rouxls jumped in surprise when a soft hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him against an equally soft body.

"Sorry old friend." Rouxls eeped when he looked up and found himself leaning against Seam as the giant stuffed cat gave Jevil a patient smile. "I know we agreed to be equals but you had your date, so please allow me to have mine. But I assure you, you can come to talk to us when we're not busy dancing or whatever it is people do on dates."

Jevil blinked, clearly not expecting that but gave a smile at them anyways, "Fair enough, fair enough. I was feeling a little hungry anyways. " He looked back to the table just as the Royal Clubs couple walked by talking loudly to themselves and making a line for the roasted tree and sports section of the table. And Seam chuckled again before tilting his head down to Rouxls.

"I know I don't know how to ballroom dance, but I suppose I Should ask you if you would care to dance anyways."

Rouxls blinked flustered up at him and cleared his throat, looking down. "W-W-Wellst if t-thou c-can't dance I shant make thee dance if thou are nay comfortable with it-"

"Oh, I'm comfortable with it. I just don't know how to do the fancy dances they're doing." He gestured to all the fancy waltzes and ballroom dances the nobles and court members were clearly doing. Chuckling when he saw the Prince Ralsei trying to dance with Princess CLover but she was so bigger than him she just stood on her back legs as Ralsei nervously held her front paws and sort of rocked with her. Clover wasn't complaining though as her faces were a dark blue and Lancer was sitting on the floor next to him and playing with the teddy bear he had given him hours ago now.

Rouxls reached a hand up to nervously grip his braid and still didn't look at Seam even as the cat let go. "W-W-Well..I-I-If thou insists- " He blinked nervously when Seam bowed and offered a paw then.

"Well then Mr. Kaard. Would you like to dance?"

Roucxls could only stand there with a deep blue blush and Jevil chuckled behind him. He opened and closed his mouth a few times like a goldfish before clearling his throat trying to look perfessional before shakily reaching a hand out and grabbing the soft paw. It closed around his smaller hand and Seam leaned back up before gently tugging him and pulling him towards the dancefloor with everyone else. Rouxls looked nervous and gave a look to Jevil behinde him only to see Jevil waving him good bye. The fancy shining light and jewelry everyone was wearing was almost blinding as he was lead into the crowd and stopped. Pulled against another figure suddenly as Seam put them into the tradional ballroom dance pose, but instead of the fancy waltzing around them, he just gently made them start swaying in small circles. Which he was releived at. He didn't know if he could handle any real fast and fancy dancing with his legs feeling like jello. He looked up to Seam's face for a moment as he smiled back, his heart skipping a beat before he cleared his throat and looked away nervously again. The silence still going on for a moment before he tried to speak and break the awkward silence.

"T-T-Thou art a b-better dancer than thou thinkest."

"Well thank you. I'm sorry if I hadn't said anything yet. But I wanted to be sure you were just as comfortable speaking." there it was, the patience and consideration of the cat he always loved.

Rouxls chuckled bashfully and fluttered his lashed up at him. "W-Well thank thou. I appreciate thou's concerns for mineself."

"But of course. Why wouldn't I? You and Jevil mean a lot to me." He chuckled. "It's been so long since anything really mattered to me as much as this."

Rouxls blinked up at him lovingly and in surprise as they still circled around. The taller form almost blocked out the light making it bounce around him and make it almost like the cat was glowing, a being of light similar to himself. Which is why his brain possibly wasn't really thinking and he suddenly stood on his tip toes and pressed a kiss to his nose tip. Seam stopped completely surprised and Rouxls suddenly pulled away. Blinking up at Seam's frozen form and a sudden feeling of guilt came over him.

"O-Oh. S-Sorry! I didst not mean to makest thou uncomfortable-"

He chuckled. "No, no. It's alright. In fact I would say it was the best part of my night."

He blinked up surprised again. "R-Really?"

Seam nodded and Rouxls sighed, releived he didn't do anything wrong by his sudden boldness but he would make sure to ask first before he did anything else like that. He wasn't sure how long they stood there dancing in each other arms, Rouxls giggling if Seam's made a small joke towards him and still smiling. But the two were soon interrupted when a white paw pulled at rouxls's cape and the worm turned around curious and came face to face with Prince Ralsei. The goat darkner looks at him with a slightly guilty face, Rouxls stared down in his arms and noticed he held a sleeping spade pup. Lancer was lightly snoring in Ralsei's arms and cutely clutching the small teddy bear in his arms, the crown lopsided on his head and that spade hole in his face closed. He shifted a little in the goat prince's arms and gave a cute puppy yawn before curling into his warmth like any cute child would.

"Uh. S-So sorry to bother you Mr. Kaard. But Lancer fell asleep and I didn't know what to do." He held the child up to him and Rouxls smiled and reached for him. Lancer's face blinked open for a second and his mind woke up just enough to recognize Rouxls so when the worm picked him up, the pup wrapped his arms around his neck and laid his head on his shoulder still clutching the bear.

He grunted as he shimmied him into his hold. "Tis quite alright. Tis rather late after all, tis only natural Lancer fell asleep." He patted Lancer's back and looked back up to Seam. "Mine apologies but I must get Lancer to bed."

He held up his paws. "No, no. It's understandable. ...*sigh* I think I better find my small one too. They're most likely tuckered out after the exciting night they just had."

The two men and sleeping child excited the dancing crowd and spotted Mak pretty easily. Jevil was hovering beside them as they snored and laid on one of the chairs placed out for the guests. The imp chuckled and waved at the trio as they arrived and Seam sighed, reaching over to take the sleeping bat in his arms and looking over them. The sunglasses were crooked on their face, and they were all wet and sticky from the punch, but he soon found the extra weight to be a whole bunch of shiny jewelry stuffed in their pockets. He didn't say or question it and instead turned and started making their way towards the exit with Jevil shrugging and the two men followed after, neither saying a word to each other in fear of waking either children until they got to the giant doors that were pushed open by servants and closed behind them as the trio made their way out. Rouxls watched the doors closed behind him before turning around to the other two smiling men.

"I...I Hadst a great time tonight. I thank thee and apologise for thine trouble."

"No apologies needed. We might as well get going anyways." He held Mak up. "Plus Jevil is my lift back, these old stitches don't feel like walking all the way back home in the middle of the night." Jevil giggled next to him and nodded.

"Doth thou need me to showest thou where the door is?"

"No worries, no worries. I can teleport anywhere!" Jevil proudly proclaimed and Rouxls smiled even more before bowing his head.

"Then I bid thee both a good night..I shall seest thoust two tomorrow.~"

The two watched as Rouxls turned and made his way down a hallway and what they presumed to be the young king's bedroom...Before Seam turn also and began walking, leaving the sounds of music and laughter behind him, but could feel Jevil right behind him floating. The two went in silence for a moment before Seam finally stopped and inhaled deeply, letting it out slowly and turned to Jevil with a smile. And the imp smiling back the two sharing the same loving thoughts of each other and a certain snow haired duke. He shifted Mak into one arm and held out his paw to the jester. Jevil happily took the paw with a giggle and flush of purple. In a second both were suck up into the void, on their way home after such a loving night.

[cannibalisticskittles]

Fans wanted a V route that's why we got a V route both him and Saeran weren't meant to be dateable in the first place

yeah that’s definitely the impression i got. hell, that’s why i started the saeran fic in the first place; i figured they didn’t plan to ever make a route for him, so i’d make one.

tbh tho i... think that v’s route straight up shouldn’t have been done. when you design a character around the central concept of How Absolutely Shit At Romance He Is, how he obsesses over a particular view of love to the point that he encourages unhealthy, violent behavior and enables massive harm (A CULT) for years, how he happily loses his eyesight for love because he thinks it’s a noble sacrifice, when he defends that love and that person with his dying death (“rika did nothing wrong” is a direct quote) and shows no sign of changing that mindset... you shouldn’t cave and make him a route because fans want it. all of those reasons why he’s Bad To Date are still there! they’re fundamental problems!

people who really wanted a v route.... well, not all of them, i know, but from the way so. so so many v stans talk about it. it’s like they looked at v and rika and thought “well, this utter shitshow only happened because rika was a crazy bitch. it’s all her fault. v was just her victim, an innocent martyr who did nothing wrong, or if he did something wrong, it’s only because she forced his hand. if she wasn’t in the equation, everything would have been fine. i bet if /I/ dated him, it would all work out great! he definitely would form a healthy relationship with ME!’ (never mind the fact that years before the story started, he not only knew about but had contacts in an incredibly dangerous and influential spy agency, and he shoved an abused 11-year-old into their arms, forcing him to cut ties with his brother and making him live in even more danger than he’d already been in. that’s totally logical behavior, right? that’s not intentionally endangering a child in the most unnecessary and bafflingly dramatic way possible, right? there’s no way that’s going to still be a problem when rika’s out of the picture, right? she had nothing to do with that batshit decision but it’s still totally her fault somehow, v DEFINITELY won’t do anything like that again!)

and, like, i’ve never been sure how aware of v’s problems the writer(s) for v’s route are, but it’s still THERE in his route. it hangs over everything. it’s almost funny; v’s route seems to me to seesaw between ‘yeah, this guy is totally dateable! there’s no problems at all, once we just... sweep them under a rug and never address them! pfft, his actions are toooootally heroic! it’s justifiable to let the kid he was supposed to protect die in a fiery blast because he’s been too useless to act for years, right?? yeah! let’s just not think about the implications! it’s fine!’ and in other places it comes off more like ‘is this what you want?? huh?? you want to date the sadsack obsessed with his girlfriend to the point that he helps a cult thrive and doesn’t stop it from kidnapping or drugging people?? that’s your idea of a good time?? well fine, TAKE IT’

his route feels Weird. and uncomfortable. and i don’t understand fans wanting a route for him but — while i think v fans OUGHT to have picked up on his penchant for nonsensical, harmful behavior, yknow, maybe they thought cheritz would... actually deal with these issues fully instead of vaguely acknowledging some faults and never resolving them? so — i definitely don’t understand cheritz going ahead and writing a route for him when he’s... him. because that weirdness and that discomfort and all the problems in his route stem from the fact that V Is A Miserable Little Man Who Fixates On Love To A Frightening Degree And Who Is Willing To Enable And Sometimes Personally Do Heinous Things. as a writer sometimes you’ve gotta say “sorry to disappoint, but no. have a nice day!”

it’s something that was a bit of a relief in saeran’s after end. the narrative very much embraces how shit v’s current AND past behavior has been. This Man Is Not Someone Who Forms Healthy Relationships, it says. all the stuff with the RFA mourning who they THOUGHT v (and rika) were — especially the scenes focused on jumin — make it clear that even his platonic relationships have huge problems. they’re based on massive lies! and he’s willing to betray their trust and throw them away for the sake of his Romanticized Love! it still doesn’t make up my mind about what the writer(s) behind v’s route thought about him bc damn, there was Too Much handwaving going on, but hey! circling back to how they presented his behavior in the main story/secret end! that’s awesome!

(and to contrast with v a bit, saeran is... traumatized and has shitty coping mechanisms and is willing to go extremely far for his cult and has years of brainwashing to undo, BUT. as a kid initially coerced into this situation, and then as a brainwashed adult who fully bought into the lies he was told and thought everything he/the cult did was to help people in desperate need, yes, he has made shit decisions, but it’s nowhere near the level of things that v or rika have done. he didn’t have the agency to make informed decisions! he was a kid! he was kidnapped! unlike them, he had no basis of comparison to say “hmm. maybe this is fucked up.” v DID have that, and he has no goddamn excuse for allowing saeran to be kidnapped, or drugged, or mint eye to thrive and do that to dozens if not hundreds of other people, For Love. so saeran has potential for a route! he needs therapy and he needs to be out of mint eye and his dad needs to be behind bars or 6 feet under so saeran doesn’t have to live in fear, but. i view him as Capable Of Healthy Relationships Eventually. moreso than v, anyway.

so while saeran’s route is a hot mess and i will Always bring up how shit it is to whip out the ‘wacky mental illness that has no basis in reality and is written just to maximize drama, never mind that it’s hugely insulting to those who actually deal with what they’re flanderizing AND that it contradicts all his characterization previously [unless they’re saying that saeran in the main routes/secret end ALWAYS went through that ~merging of split personalities~ before we see him on screen, bc his characterizations had already been a good mix of both personas]’ idea, the INTENT of the route seems more grounded than v’s; it’s about 50% ‘you wanted edgy, so we’ll give you edgy’ and 50% ‘well, this is as good a place as any to expand a little bit on the character growth alluded to in the secret end and go over a few more aspects of how he’s going to have to come to terms with how much of what he believed was a lie and reconcile with his brother.’ it’s also a weird route, and it clashes against some things that were previously established, but from what i remember, the route was at least internally consistent.

...even so, they should not have done saeran’s route the way they did. if they couldn’t come up with any ideas for a route that didn’t involve ‘jekyll and hyde suddenly!’ they just shouldn’t have done a route for him, either.)

[scribbleb-red]

Animal Whisperer - a Morning AU

They say that magic isn’t dead- that you can see fairy in the dancers whose leaps seem like flight, glimpse dryads in those who are never lost, spot nymphs in those who dive deeper and faster without fear or hesitation.

Magic isn’t dead - it’s diluted. 

It’s why some people are drawn to lonely places, old places. 

It’s why the full moon calls to people who look up. 

It’s why some say Neil Josten isn’t completely human - that he has an uncanny knack, an unseelie gift.

The way he helps animals, after all, can be nothing but magic. No one can sooth a horse like him, help a beaten dog back on its paws, understand why a cat is so anxious or why wild animals keep ruining your flowerbeds.

For the Foxhole Sanctuary, a wild life sanctuary run by David Wymack, the arrival of this strange boy is a boon. Starting as a recovery centre for injured animals found on the roads, it quickly became a place where people dropped off abused and broken ‘exotic’ pets.

There are fennec foxes and savannah cats, caracals and toucans, sugar gliders and wolf dogs, a collection of hedgehogs and chinchillas, snakes upon snakes. There’s a tiger that some asshole declawed and a family of rejected monkeys from the nearby zoo.

Doesn’t matter what the animal is, Neil whispers to all of them and they apparently whisper back.

No one knows where Neil came from - one day he was just there, knelt down by one of the sick foxes, making strange little crooning noises that the fox nosed up to almost instantly. 

And after that he stayed.

When the other workers of the Foxhole asked, Wymack shrugged and said they had an understanding. 

The boy would stay until he needed to go. 

He always seemed to need to go. He was edgy and strange - uncomfortable around humans and skittish as some of the animals.

When Matt and Dan tried to befriend him, their overtures were met with sharp words and a sharp grin and a twitchy, nervous Neil for the rest of the day. Later that night they would talk about it - would agree that they needed to help Neil, if only he’d let them.

Not everyone was so easy to appease. And the wild animals weren’t the only beasts at the Foxhole.

Andrew Minyard is a veterinarian by training and a specialist in rehabilitation. 

He's often found in pools helping animals to get their strength back up, making sure that wild animals remember how to be wild. 

He doesn't trust Neil Josten.

He doesn't like how the stranger just wove his way into the fabric of the Foxhole. He doesn't like that he speaks on behalf of animals. He doesn't like that no one seems to challenge him, or doubt him, or question him.

Consent is everything to Andrew and he's wary of anyone who claims to know what an animal is trying to say. He knows how animals express "yes" and "no", aversion - attraction, fight, flee, freeze, fawn, collapse, submit - that they can make informed choices. 

But Neil Josten's way of working seems to circle around that - soothing them into submission, nudging them into affection, coaxing them into agreement. 

It doesn't sit well with Andrew. So he watches. Tries to understand.

Neil and Andrew clash like two ibexes - stubborn and furious and crown with their own horns. Their dislike of each other cools every room, crushes every laugh or smile. Only the animals seem immune - sensing that these humans are looking out for them in their own way.

It’s the small moments that slowly ease Andrew’s misgivings.

There’s the time with an ocelot where he finds Neil sat, cooing about, “what pretty eyes you have, and what magnificent paws, so good for trees right? Do you like trees? Me too. Shall we hang upside down together?”

And they do. Neil and the ocelot clamber up a tree and dangle together.

Neil is not a good climber - he’s graceless and ridiculous, his hair a wild tangle of red around his face and getting stuck in his mouth. His face goes pink when he lets his arms hang about his head.

The ocelot looks... concerned? Playful? 

“Yeah yeah you’re a natural, no need to judge,” says Neil. 

But this is a cat who refused to climb until recently and it’s the first time Andrew has seen her try to act like ocelots naturally do.

There’s another time with an old dog that they just can’t help. Andrew is alone with Neil and as he has to put the sad, broken creature to sleep, Neil strokes its ragged ears and gentles it into rest. There’s heartbreak in Neil’s eyes and the usual heaviness in Andrew - he begins to see that maybe Neil isn’t so terrible and untrustworthy after all.

There’s not a single moment where the world shifts. 

Like coaxing a wild animal, it’s gradual, slow. They learn to work around each other and accept each other and finally, Andrew realises, he’s choosing Neil first for any case where he’s relevant. 

Not Renee or Abby or Kevin, always Neil.

But Neil still has secrets, still has a nervous habit of looking over his shoulder, still shrinks when Wymack gets too close.

Andrew asks him about it one evening when they're locking up. 

They do this sometimes - share truths the way honey badgers and honeyguides share their hunt (Andrew likes to think of himself as the vicious badger in this metaphor, obviously). Neil's eyes are blue and frozen.

"Why are you asking now?" Neil asks. "Do you still want me to leave?" 

Andrew doesn't know how to answer that. "You're always looking over your shoulder,” he starts. “The animals act like they want to keep you as some kind of hatchling, a cub to protect. If it's going to endanger you..."

"What? You'll try to protect me too?" Neil smiles but it's sad. "You can't protect me, Andrew. It's all up here." 

Andrew understands. His ghosts haunt the grey matter of his brain too.

"Stay, you don't have to be Bambi." 

"I relate more to rabbits actually." 

"Of course you fucking do," says Andrew. "But you're not one. You have far sharper teeth. You're a fox." 

Neil's smile is just a bit brighter when he disappears into the dark.

*

Andrew has scars on his arms and scars on his thighs and scars where no one can see them. Sometimes a warm muzzle or a soft ear will press against his chest and he imagines the animals he works with can feel those scars beneath his skin, hidden inside his ribs.

Neil is the same. 

His hands, his face, his arms, his shoulders, his chest and back - there are scars there that he doesn't (can't) hide. But the worst are those the wild cats try to knead away, that the mice try to fix, the dogs try to love, the foxes chitter and paw at.

*

There's a pregnant fennec and that's the first time Neil and Andrew's hand brush.

There's a beaten kinkajou and that's the first time Neil and Andrew fall asleep on the same sofa at work.

There's a slow lorris that won't detach from Neil's head and that's the first time Andrew smiles at Neil.

*

Over time Matt and Dan manage to persuade Neil to come for dinner. Later, they invite themselves to his flat - it's kind of shitty and empty and they end up doing a drive for furniture. 

Andrew visits during the official house warming. He ends up sleeping on the new couch.

*

Photos go up on walls at work and slowly Neil's face is as frequent as everyone else's. 

Andrew's favourite is of him finally coaxing the slow lorris to let got of Neil's hair - because Neil is looking at them both like they've hung the moon.

*

Andrew isn't sure when it happened, but Wymack makes a comment about how Neil's whispering magic works on humans as much as animals. 

It's true - he guesses - the whole team is more of a team now. 

But the lesson isn't that Neil is magic. That he's fae or fiction or false. It's that Neil lets animals in - he listens to them by opening himself up to them. And finally he's doing that with them - the humans of the Foxhole - as well. 

Andrew feels a painful thrum of warmth - he's been rehabilitating Neil, they all have. 

But he never asked permission. 

Guilt, hot and aching, wrecks through his chest. He has to speak to Neil. But doing so also throws into light a thousand other feelings he's been trying so hard to ignore.

He's not surprised when Neil's face goes blank when he explains what's happened. 

He is surprised when Neil's mouth tips downwards. 

He is downright stunned when Neil says, "So we're not courting?"

"What?" It's Andrew's turn to be frozen. 

"Matt and Dan told me that's what we were doing. I told them it was nonsense but then I guess a lot of it has been similar to the mating rituals of various mammals --"

"Neil, we've not been courting. And who calls it courting?"

"Matt and Dan did, when I told them I hadn't kissed you yet." 

Andrew's eyes grow wide. 

"I would quite like to kiss you though, I think," says Neil.  

"You think," says Andrew.  

"Well I've only done it twice before and I didn't really want to kiss them. But it would be nice to kiss you, I think."

Andrew looks at this man - this ridiculous, skittish, useless, impossible, brilliant, man - and steps a little closer. 

He lifts his hand, holds Neil's chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Yes or no, Neil? To me kissing you." 

Neil frowns. "So we were courting?"

"We can court from now," Andrew says. 

"Then yes." 

 And Andrew closes the gap until the only whispers are those in their chests.

The kiss tastes a lot like magic. 

-The end-

[yanderecandystore]

This, is one of the biggest oneshots that I ever made!! This is, wow, look, I'm insane XD

Look at this shit.

Okay, I'm going to put this warning:

-> Mentions of fail suicide attempt.

-> Sadistic bitch.

-> Reader may be a little depressed.

-> Death.

-> A lot of cursing?

-> Gay (lesbian) parring.

-> Also bad grammar and dumb edgy story (not that everything "edgy" is automatically dumb, is just so happens to be the two).

-> Also dumb author. But you already know that.

🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭

Prey - Chapter one

[ 1 . 2 . (...)]

You finished eating your breakfast pretty quickly that morning. Your mom was worried and tried to warn you that eating so fast could cause you harm, but you didn't listen to her as you were getting ready to leave the house. Honestly, you scared her that morning, she would be asking you "Are you okay, dear?" And then after telling her that yes, she would ask again if you were sure and if something had happen to you.

You waked up so early that morning. Actually, she might even think you didn't sleep at all.

And you didn't, you simply couldn't sleep.

Not after seeing what you saw, not after discovering the truth.

You live in a quiet little village. It was a simple, poor village. But you didn't mind that, even at hard times everyone helped each other out. Your village was known for your people's kindness and welcoming charm.

It's no surprise new families would come to leave in it, but you and all your fellow neighbors were surprised when a noble family decided to move in. Well, not really move in the village, they live in a beautiful mansion up the hills, nearby.

A family of a two parents and one daughter, although, you never saw any of them in person, you only heard humours about them being antisocial.

You helped your mom with her little shop everyday and would usually spend your free time reading books on the local library. The library wasn't exactly big, or filled of many books, but even if you had read all of the books you would still be amazed everytime by every word written in every page.

You could say that epidemics weren't so uncommon in your village, but the fact that no doctor that came from the capital couldn't even associate the symptoms to any known diseases made everyone very afraid.

People would get pale, loose appetite, be very tired, mumble nonsense, have strong fevers and eventually die because of blood loss. But what was causing the blood loss? No one knew. There was no way they could be losing so much blood like that naturally, there was no sign of cuts or any type external or internal bleeding. It started with most elders around your village, and then a couple of adults, and then a little boy, and now, your friend.

Oh, how you dread that twisted day. Your friend had just lost her little brother to a unknown epidemic and she had started to hate every second of her life. One day, she had disappeared for a whole day, and after the sun was down a group of adults decided to go search for her.

They only found her later at night, unconscious on the ground and with an dagger on her hand and a rope hanging on one of trees.

She was brought home, and you decided to spent the night with her, thinking it would be for the best to stay close to her. What was she planning to do with that rope and a dagger?

You honestly feared whatever that answer could be.

She opened her eyes and you tried talking with her.

"- Carol?" You asked trying to get her attention.

. . .

Nothing, she didn't seem to listen, she could only stare at the wall and mumble something you couldn't understand. Her mouth was dry and her voice was barely audible.

You were afraid for your friend's health, physically and mentally.

You slept on her room, hoping to be there to comfort her and help her out. And if something happened, you were supposed to call Carol's parents as quickly as possible. You couldn't remember the exact moment you falled asleep, but you remember hearing something that made you wake up.

You remember hearing your friend getting out of her bed and walking around. You opened your eyes and saw Carol walking towards her bedroom's window and opening it. After opening it she collapsed.

"- Carol, what are you doing? Are you okay?" You came up as fast as you could. Trying to help Carol balance herself on you.

She still didn't respond, it was dark but you could still see the lack of life on her eyes. The moonlight reflecting on them a empty beauty, as you're friend didn't seem to be there anymore.

She didn't seem to be fully awake.

You decided to pick an cup of water for her, so you let her on her bed while you were going to her kitchen.

At the time, you thought that maybe she was just trying to get some air in the room, that maybe you shouldn't bother her parents with something as simple as that.

You should had called them.

With the cup in hands, you were walking back towards her room, when you heard some weirds sounds in there. You were worried so without thinking you opened the door.

It was dark, but you could perfectly see a woman on top of the bed, drinking the blood of your friend's neck.

The woman's hair shined like the moonlight, a silver color tinted those beautiful curls. You would think it was beautiful if the whole situation wasn't so terrifying.

Dropping the cup on the ground, the woman looked up to see you, pitifully trying to say something, to scream, to make any noise come out of your mouth.

But you couldn't even scream. She got off of your friend and instantly jumped on you on a blink of an eye. You could barely see her face, the most noticeable characteristics were the silver hair and red pupils, staring right into your soul.

You closed your eyes waiting for the worse, the blood on her mouth was dripping in your face. But in the end, she didn't do anything, she chuckled and just disappeared. You don't even know how can she move so quickly, it freaks you out to this day.

When you managed to get back on your feet, you checked to see how your friend was. She was sleeping, like nothing had happened. Peacefully sleeping.

You noticed two bite marks on her neck, you called her parents immediately. Trying to explain to them what happened, which wasn't easy in the slightest.

You had read about this case once, vampires, granted that it was on a romantic fantasy book, but still! There was no way it wasn't a vampire! A demon of the night!

You were trying to explain to her parents that an stranger came in and attacked her.

But there wasn't any sign of that, the window was locked once again and your friend was peacefully sleeping. But when touching her forehead, you could tell she had a fever.

"-. . . But-" You tried to think of something to say, but you couldn't. There was nothing to say, it was crazy to say it was an myth that caused this!

Her parents saw the bite marks, but they insisted that it was bug bites, they thought they should contact a doctor to see this. "Maybe the epidemic was caused by a insect?" Was what they thought.

Bullshit, you knew it wasn't insects, you saw with your own eyes!

They wanted to believe in you but you were sounding crazy, panicking at your friend's state. You were telling the truth, but that didn't mean it sounded reasonable.

The next day you went home after saying goodbye to Carol and her parents. And two days later she was dead.

After two weeks of the funeral, after two weeks of studying about this creatures to the best that you could with your limitations, and after two weeks of innocent people dying in the fangs of beasts, you decided that you had enough of this.

No one believed in you, of course. After your friend's funeral you sounded like a crazy, angry lunatic. You tried to warn them earlier, but no one believed in you, you needed to prove them. You needed to find the culprits. You needed to make her pay for taking your friend's life like that.

That morning, you grabbed what you thought you would need to hunt down some vampires. Which was only a piece of carved wood. You start to get really suspicious that those books about vampires weren't too reliable. You remember how fast and silent that woman moved, how are you going to get close to her without getting bitten? And close enough to stab her with a stake? What happens if she bites you? Maybe you should go buy something in the market, see if there is something you could use. Garlic, maybe? Really, you have no idea if you should buy it just to throw it at a vampire. You may miss your target and it may not even have any effect on them, just a waist of gold and of fresh garlic.

People stopped talking to you after you said so many disturbing things about vampires and that your friend was killed by one. People would dismiss you as just a crazy girl, or either a stressed girl who couldn't take her friend's death.

You could hear them whispering. You couldn't understand what they said, but you could tell it was something nasty about you. Your cheerful village was becoming more empty, less lively, everyone was afraid for their family's lives and for their own lives. You don't want to stay in the market for too long, you decided to go look in the forest.

Carol was found there, so maybe they're hiding in the forest??

They're nocturnal, but maybe you can find some hints of them existing. You need at least something to show to the village.

While walking through the forest you start to feel, a bit sad, as the reality of the situation starts to settle in once again. You miss your friend, you miss how friendly your village used to be. How everyone was cheerful and no one needed to be worried about a "epidemic" spreading across land. You know what caused this, but no one will believe in you without any proof. Can you even do anything? Can you even help them?

You start to doubt yourself, step by step, thinking this is all foolishness. Maybe you were wrong, maybe your friend's death had made you mad and too stressed to the point you imagined a murderer. Maybe you didn't want to believe she was gone by some disease. Maybe you were going crazy after all.

No, that's not right, you remember what you saw, you remember how you felt! There is no way any of that was just your imagination!? How could it be? You remember those red pupils. You remember that silver hair!

That silver. . . Hair.

You stop on your tracks when you notice you had reached an river. Recognizing this place, you realized that you had walked a lot!

But that's not why you stopped. That's not even close to why you had stopped.

You hide against a tree, hoping it didn't see you.

You noticed a woman standing in the other side of the river, she seemed to be picking some wild berries. You noticed she is wearing a long purple dress and a even longer dark cape. It's kinda hot today, you can't see why she would wear that. Although, you had heard that vampires can't stand the sunlight, so maybe is because of that?

You could see some of her silver locks coming out of the cape. You have to admit, is pretty. But you hate every inch of it, how could you not hate it?

You were trying to hold your anger, to hold your need to go there and make her pay for her crimes. But maybe if you waited and followed her, she would lead you to her hiding spot.

And then you could go back to the village and call everyone so they can see for themselves.

Yeah, sounds like a solid plan.

You wait her to make her next move, she seems to have picked all that she needed and was now continuing with her journey. You wait a bit, you needed to cross the river, which isn't too difficult for you, but you can't let her hear you following her. These demons have better ears than you do.

After some time you start to follow her, trying to keep an good distance and pace but, goddammit, she is too fast, and she is just walking?!!

She keeps making quick turns, either she knows you're following her, or is some secret path to her den.

Whenever she stops, you make sure to be quickly hide behind some trees of bushes. But you can't hold your heart beats. They're going crazy! The anxiety is killing you and the fact that you need to keep up with her pace is making you're legs want to give up.

But... For a heartless monster, she does seems to have a bit of compassion inside her heart.

A little bird falled from their nest, she took them in her gloved hands and put them back.

She seems to be nice to the fauna around here. She seems to like the animals in the forest. You see her interacting with them, playfully. You can't see her face but you can hear her giggling at the curious animals around her, you can't see it clearly but you think you saw her feeding some of the animals with her berries. You wanted to laugh at the adorable sight yourself but you can't let her know you're there.

Perhaps you had misjudged her? You start to feel sympathy towards her, but deep down you know you can't forgive her. Maybe if things were different.

Maybe you two could get along, maybe humans and demons like her could get along.

She started walking again, dammit, you were distracted. You come up of the ground as fast as you could and started to follow her again.

She starts to run up a hill, fuck….

She runs as if it was nothing while you are just dying to get up there! At this point is clear that she knows you're following her and she is just fucking with you.

After getting on top of the hill, and feeling like your lungs may have been evaporated, you noticed the big, fancy house behind her. Wait, is she, is she one of the nobles??!

After feeling like the game of chase was finally ending, she turns her back to look at you.

"- Still following me, I see." She says.

"- Was it fun? Did you get what you wanted?"

"- Huff- Yeah I did, vampire!" Your legs can't hold you up any longer.

"- Oh, boo hoo. Is this all because of your little friend? Have you came here for revenge?"

"- Ho-How dare you?!" You try to strike a confident stand, but all you did was make the mistress laugh.

"- Oh Lord, pfft-Hahahahaha! You're pathetic, and your little friend is pathetic! All you humans go around acting like heroes that fight for the greater good, but when something like me comes around, I'm the bad guy~! Hahaha!"

"- ...You killed so many people! How can you-"

"- How can I what? How can I dare to try to survive? Oh, how bad of me, of wanting to survive. It's not our fault we can only feast on blood, is a curse that we all must deal with it." Her last sentence sounded a little more sad than what she probably intended.

"- I- I just, you can't go around killing everyone! Don't humans deserve to live too?" Your head is a bit dizzy, you wish you could say more but you can't process everything right now.

She takes her cape off, now you can see her face properly, silver hair, blue eyes, and a really pale skin. Looking straight at her pupils you can notice they're indeed red, but just looking at them made you light-headed for some reason.

Wait, she shouldn't be able to take her cape off unless-

The sun was setting down, you didn't noticed how long this took. You look at the orange sunlights shining through the trees, as the darkness of the night is near. You look back at the woman and-

"-Shit! Where are you, you demon?!" She is gone, fuck, all she left behind was her cape and the little basket with berries. You take the stake in your hand, you guess this is the time.

You can hear her, giggling like the psycho she is. Is like she is everywhere at the same time, you can hear her in the trees coming from all directions, you can see her jumping here and there. Maybe you can make a run for it, you know you won't be able to just stab her with a piece of wood, but you'll hold on to it to feel a little more safe.

You make a run for it. You don't care about anything, you need to get back to the village before is completely dark. You can see in the corner of your eyes, she is still following you, while using the trees to block the light from hitting her.

Shit, you feel dizzy, you feel like you need to rest for awhile, but this is clearly not the time to relax! Your heart is going to come out of your throat, and your head is pulsating with pain. If you can't run anymore, maybe you should hide from her.

You decided to try to lose her through the forest, instead of heading towards the village, you started to head towards the sunset, knowing that the lightest presence of sunlight would hurt her. She winced in pain after trying to follow you and getting hit by the light, she was burning and needed to recover herself from the sudden contact.

You may be able to hide from her for an while, just to calm your heart beats.

After running for what seemed to be hours, you found a little hiding spot against a tree. The bushes may be a little prickly, but you honestly don't care, you just need to survive a little more, you just need to be hidden here a little more. Until you're sure that she stopped looking for you, or that she had lost you.

Your heart aches, your legs are numb and your lungs are so heavy. You can't stop hyperventilating, you can't stop feeling terrified for your life. You're trying to calm down, but you can't stop feeling stupid for coming here.

Are you going to die?

"- ….Sorry mom, sorry Carol…" You whisper to yourself, if you're going to die, then you at least hope that someone else finds the truth, and that someone else saves your little village from this demon, or more demons if there is more. Are all the nobles in the mansion vampires? A family of vampires doesn't sound so unreasonable to you now. You put your face on your knees and start to cry. There is no hope left on you now.

"- Good evening." Goddammit.

"- . . ."

"- Rude, aren't you going to say "hi" to me?" You see her silhouette up in the tree sitting on a branch, two bright red dots staring at you.

"- Come on, make this quick. I can't run, I can't hide, I can't go back!" Your eyes might as well be waterfalls by now, your voice is shaky and you pray to whatever benevolent God is up there that this ends quickly.

"- Just do this already, I couldn't even save them…."

"- …" She becomes silent for a moment, thinking on how to answer you in such pathetic state.

"- No." Is all she says before coming down of the tree. She jumps off like is no big deal, apparently, no physical activity is too much for her.

"- Now, why would I do that?~" She grabs your arm and pulls you up, and pushes you with your hands up and your back against the tree.

"- You know, killing you right now you be interesting but I think that you be a little too easy on you. Don't you think?" You're starting to hate the "sweet voice" bullshit she is doing.

"- What do you want?" Even in this situation, you can't let her just toy with you around, fuck that.

"- Well, [Y/N], I'm feeling-" Wait, what?

"- How do you know my name?" You ask her.

She looked surprised for a moment, but that expression of shock had soon disappeared and got replaced by a little smirk.

"- Do you know how vampires pass their curse to mortals?" She whispers in your ear. What the hell is she is talking about?

"- Carol is a special one indeed. But also, she can't keep her mouth shut for a second. How did you managed to deal with her while she was alive?"

"- . . . What-"

"- You heard me." That, stupid, little grin on her face-

"- Where is Carol?! Where is she what did you do to her?!" You struggle under her grasp to no avail. She is stronger than you, but you don't care. You just want to punch that stupid little grin off of her face.

"- … Why ask, when you can join in?"

"- Don't- Don't you dare!"

"- Oh, shush! Is just one little bite. I'm a bit hungry." She bites your neck, it hurts so much, it's agonizing.

You can feel her fangs deepen, you can tell her breathing changed. You feel dizzy and your legs are shaking, you can tell she wants to drain every milliliter of your blood. You try to protest but you're too weak to push her off of you. Might as well die here.

She takes her fangs off in a rush, it sends pain through your veins. Fuck, at least be gentle about it!

"- Lord, is just-" She is panting. She looks so, high? She looks a bit out of character to you, her eyes are full of lust but you guess it could be she is just hungry.

Well, technically you can't even see anything in this dark. So what do you know?

"- Who would guess an pathetic little wimp like you tasted so marvelously?" Oh, back with that attitude. You don't know if you should take that as a compliment or not.

"- You know, I could suck all of your blood…" She takes a good look at you.

"- But I don't want to." She let you go, and you fall to the ground, you can't stand up and you can feel your eyes getting heavier and heavier.

"- I have better plans for you~"

You fall unconscious.

🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭

[aion-rsa]

Doctor Who: Why Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Needs an ‘Everybody Lives!’ Moment

https://ift.tt/39pw5MX

Doctor Who! The children’s own show that adults adore.

Doctor Who, as a format, requires an intrinsic joyfulness in its stories to be so adored. If adventures become too continually grim, or not sufficiently fun, then ultimately there’ll be a tipping point where it becomes implausible for the story to continue. Why, ultimately, would the character keep travelling if they weren’t enjoying it? And even if they did, would this be something that would sustain a family audience?

It’s not that you can’t have darkness in Doctor Who, it’s just that it can’t be sustained and eventually something has to give. As such, there’s an inherent optimism in a lot of Doctor Who, even in episodes where it isn’t high in the mix. For the show to make sense, there has to be some hope that wrongs can be righted.

For example: even though William Hartnell’s Doctor starts off trying break his own programme by getting rid of Ian and Barbara as quickly as possible, the show quickly settles into “a great spirit of adventure”; the Second Doctor comforting a grieving Victoria by pointing out that “nobody else in the universe can do what we’re doing” followed by the Doctor letting Victoria leave the TARDIS because it’s the best thing for her. In both cases, the gesture is one of compassion. The Fourth Doctor refers to Sarah Jane Smith as his best friend and she only leaves because he has to go somewhere she can’t (His home planet of Gallifrey, something that on original broadcast had more dramatic weight as he’d only visited it once before in the series and then been forced into regeneration and exile).

When Russell T. Davies relaunched the show in 2005, the unspoken idea became explicit. “Can I just say: travelling with you…I love it,” says Rose Tyler, who – despite portentous trailer statements – survived her travels. In episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures Russell T. Davies expanded on the Tenth Doctor’s victory lap in ‘The End of Time‘ to make it more celebratory, giving past companions happy endings (some in stark contrast to their grim fates in Nineties’ spin-off media). The departures of Rose and Donna are tragic, but the journeys to get there are framed in terms of joy and excitement.

The next showrunner, Steven Moffat, preferred happy endings. Companions had previously been married off (Susan, Vicki, Jo, Leela, Peri) as they left the show. Amy Pond got married and stayed, travelling with her husband. This was a leap forward, but unfortunately the following series’ pregnancy storyline was handled poorly and attempts to deal with its repercussions were not successful either. Clara, the next companion, dared to be like the Doctor but unlike Donna managed to both die and have a happy ending.

Moffat enjoyed Immortal LGBT+ Women Having Adventures in Space so much that he used it again for Bill Potts in Series 10. An important aspect of both characters’ storylines is that they suffer a terrible fate, but the version of Doctor Who in which companions die is rejected in favour of one where they get what they live happily ever after. Moffat, a comedy writer to his core, was unwilling to make Doctor Who a story where travelling on the TARDIS left you in a worse place. Davies also tried to give his companions happy endings of sorts to ameliorate their loss.

If we look at the populist peaks of the show, Doctor Who has never been overwhelmingly cynical. Whenever it’s been taken in a darker direction it usually rejects that approach in favour of a lighter balance. In Season 21 the show put its characters through a series of almost unrelenting grimness (‘The Awakening’, the story where a demonic entity attempts to get an entire village to slaughter each other is the light and fluffy one) culminating in the Fifth Doctor’s heroic regeneration story ‘The Caves of Androzani’– voted the best Doctor Who story in several polls – where the Doctor goes to extreme lengths to save his companion and distances himself from the violence that surrounds him.

And then in the next story ‘The Twin Dilemma’, the Sixth Doctor strangles his companion.

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TV

Why Doctor Who can’t sustain dark storytelling

By Andrew Blair

TV

Doctor Who : Revolution of the Daleks to Air on New Year’s Day, Trailer is Here

By Louisa Mellor

Taking ‘Grimdark’ storytelling to mean stories in which violence and misery is perpetuated throughout the story universe in a seemingly never-ending cycle, that period in the show’s history is a perfect example of it. Why diminish one of the finest stories ever by immediately negating the heroism involved? Why would you have the main character reject the violence that he’d become a part of only to immediately embrace it again? Among the many problems it means we have a Doctor/companion relationship that seems grim at best. Why would you keep travelling with someone who strangled you, refused to apologise and then continually harangues and shouts at you? I don’t watch Doctor Who to see the companion trapped in an abusive relationship. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that the ratings went down as the production team systematically removed as much hope from the show as possible, ridding it of that great spirit of adventure. After ‘The Twin Dilemma’,the show was put on hiatus, and ultimately cancelled.   

Which brings me to the current version of the show.

I don’t think Jodie Whittaker is miscast or that the current version of the show is woke nonsense – which is a relief because I think using the phrase ‘woke nonsense’ unironically is quite the red flag. I think that the enthusiasm Jodie Whittaker has for the part hasn’t been used well, because we currently have a Doctor who is great at showing unabashed joy travelling the universe, but whose stories lean towards grimdark and don’t give her anything approaching ‘Everybody lives!’

One of the most lauded episodes in Series 11 is ‘Rosa’, which was co-written by Malorie Blackman and showrunner Chris Chibnall. In it, the TARDIS crew see Rosa Parks in the run-up to her being arrested for violating segregation laws, and need to stop Krasko – a mass murderer from the future – interfering in this event and stopping it from happening.

The inclusion of Krasko makes an interesting and depressing point in this story, and I’d be fascinated to know the villain’s development in the writing process. For what we have here is a story about an important act of defiance that changed human history, and is celebrated for its impact, alongside an acknowledgement that there will still be racists in the future. In fact, there will be racists who murder 2,000 people in the future. Racism and its associated violence is not, the episode says, going to go away.

In isolation this might seem like optimism tempered with caution, but since Chris Chibnall became showrunner, edgy, provocative ideas have crept in and given stories a cynical edge. Small moments have a cumulative effect, such as Epzo’s story about his mother in ‘The Ghost Monument’, Robertson surviving ‘Arachnids in the UK’ without learning any moral lessons and indeed likely to cause more suffering, ‘Kerblam!’ ending with the system that blew up an innocent woman being allowed to continue (while closing the warehouse for four weeks and offering employees two weeks’ holiday pay), Daniel Barton escaping freely in ‘Spyfall’ while the Doctor wipes the memories of someone doomed to die, ‘Orphan 55’ shows us the unavoidable destruction of the human race, as does ‘Ascension of the Cybermen’. Under Moffat, we had some episodes ending with cynical quips that left a bad taste in the mouth, but under Chibnall the bad taste is there before the outro quip.

Series 11 showed us a joyful Doctor in a nasty universe, and the latter regularly overwhelms the former, but at least ended with Graham and Ryan clearly rejecting murder as a solution. Series 12 was less focussed on real-world evils, and uses them on the fringes of its storytelling (with the Doctor now seemingly embroiled in the universe’s cynicism, using Nazis to imprison a Master now played by a British Indian actor), but we’re still getting real issues reflected back at us along with the message that the Doctorcannot sort this, which is based on the false assumption that this is what Doctor Who is for.

I hope that this is building towards a reversal, that the Thirteenth Doctor gets her Androzani moment where she gets to take a stand against everything that she’s seen. However, we have now had a fully grimdark finale as the lasting impression of Doctor Who for nine months. ‘The Timeless Children’ has proven controversial for its approach to continuity; as well as the retcon of the Doctor’s history this was a ‘Twin Dilemma’(also the last story in its season) to ‘The Day of the Doctor’s Androzani. The heroism is now nullified. When we watch ‘The Day of the Doctor’and the day is saved at the end of the story, now we know all the Doctor has done is defer those deaths (those two billion children’s deaths) and the cycle of violence will continue. At the end of ‘The Timeless Children’the following is presented to us as the good guys winning:

The heroine cannot bring herself to destroy the animated corpses of her entire species, so Joe from Derry Girls has to do it for her. An entire planet now a lifeless husk. The main character’s centuries of trauma are revealed. Their best friend is now a genocidal maniac.

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This is Doctor Who in 2020: violent, cynical, cyclical. A mirror when it should be a window. If Series 13 repeats these trends then I fear history may repeat itself once more. But then, what is Doctor Who mostly about if not seeing a cycle of oppression and then breaking it?

The post Doctor Who: Why Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Needs an ‘Everybody Lives!’ Moment appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[petersmparker]

I Kind Of Think We’re Dating (Peter Parker x Reader)

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader

Summary: This isn’t how people normally start dating, probably, but even so… this is pretty damn good.

Word Count: 1953

A/N: does this make sense?? maybe not. do I care?? no!! I had fun!! enjoy my nonsense. this was almost entirely caused by the general Tone of those nights by bastille. not the lyrics, just the Feel

The couch is comfortably snug this friday night, like every other designated movie night, and wedged onto a too-small couch Peter and his friends are quite as content as they’re capable of being. That is, as content as one can be while you’re as teary-eyed as you’ve ever been. Nothing is really wrong, of course- simply the side effect of a sad movie and a habit of getting a super emotional. It’s a little silly, Ned teasingly points out as he pushes up from the couch to get a fresh bowl of popcorn, but you’re a loud crier and already laughing at yourself to boot, so you barely hear.

It’s endearing, Peter thinks. The way that you can express yourself so easily over something as inconsequential as a movie. He’s chuckling too, knowing full well that you’ll calm soon enough. Despite this, he throws his arm around you and pulls you closer against him. You melt into his comfort easily and turn to cry into his shoulder, still giggling at yourself.

It’s without really thinking that you raise your hand to cup his jaw as you wait for your tears to run dry. It doesn’t take too long, Peter rubbing your back, still laughing slightly,  and the sound from the next room of Ned humming while the popcorn pops. The microwave beeps, the door opens and closes, and the popping sound resumes as the next bag starts. With a shaky inhale and a last breathy laugh, you raise your head to make a joking comment about how you’re acting a bit ridiculous.

The words can’t seem to leave your mouth. Peter is very close. His arm wrapped tightly around your shoulders, thigh pressed against yours, skin warm under the hand still holding his face. He’s looking at you with an odd expression of endeared concern. Your vision blurs. You realize, rather nervously, that it’s because he’s leaning in. You meet him in the last few centimeters.

Despite the very prevalent fact that this is Peter’s first kiss with you- his first kiss ever- his fear is much overcome by comfort. This is new and scary, but you aren’t. He knows all too well that you are one of the most solid assurances of his life, next to Aunt May and Ned (the way Mr. Stark was, before) and with that knowledge it feels strangely as if this is not all that unusual.

He’s not sure what’s come over him when he initiates this, but the fluttering in his stomach suggests that it’s good.

The microwave beeps, cutting through whatever bubble you’ve fallen into in Ned’s absence, and you break apart. Face warm, you train your expression into something calm. You are undoubtedly consumed with nerves and yet… Peter looks back at you so free of distress. He seems so accepting of what had just occurred and of course, he had been in the first to lean in. His assured demeanor seeps into you.

Everything is okay. It’s better.

By the time Ned re-enters and throws himself down on the couch beside you, you’re turned away from each other as if it hadn’t occurred. Peter’s arm stays resting across your shoulders, barely sacrificing the distance that was gained over the past few seconds. Ned hands the gigantic bowl of popcorn over to you to hold and presses play on the remote.The movie finishes without any tears, the next rounding off the night with a much lighter plot, and it all concludes with chatting and laughter.

Despite the fact that Ned excuses himself from the Parker residence thirty minutes before you do, the kiss goes undiscussed.

Peter does, however, walk you across the hall to your apartment instead of waving from the doorway, leaving you to wonder if those extra few steps had anything to do with what had happened. You shut your door. Peter’s shuts after a few moments.

It’s several long minutes before either of you leave the entryways.

-

The kiss in Peter’s living room is the first to happen without preamble or explanation, but it is not the last. It happens several times in the following weeks without much influence on the rest of your world. They’re sun showers that weren’t forecasted. It becomes almost normal. A series of private moments. Not exactly secret, never truly hid from the people around you, just not a public announcement. Neither of you are sure that there is something to announce. Despite the lack of clarity, you find yourselves inexplicably content as is for now. Content to enjoy the moments as they come. Never quite expecting the next rainfall, but delighted to go outside to bask in it.

The first time that it happens in public, you’re beneath a tree in the school’s quad. You’re with the usual group, but not quite– several feet away and slightly detached from the rowdy conversation. Peter is leaning against the trunk of the tall birch, a heavy textbook in his lap and his lunch to the side, for the most part uneaten. You are lying in the grass next to him in a spot of sun that breaks through the leaves. Speaking lightly about your disastrous attempts to find a prom dress with MJ, your hands gesture into the air above you.

“She’s so stylish in this cool edgy way and she dresses herself so well, but when it comes to other people it’s like she’s blind,” you laugh, before gesturing vaguely down your body, “The most observant person we know and yet she didn’t notice that the dress with the tulle skirt was see through. About ninety percent crotch, just out there on display to the general public.”

Peter laughs, turning the page of his book. “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad,” he offers, kindly.

“Of course you would say so,” You say, propping yourself up on your elbows to shoot a glance at him, “You haven’t got a single impolite bone in your body.”

“I try.”

“Bless you.”

A laugh bubbles out of you once more as you’re smiling up at Peter, and his chest lightens at the sight. It’s without much consideration that he moves aside his textbook in order to lean over and kiss you.  It’s quick, barely more than a peck. When he pulls back, you appear as calm as ever. The smile left over from a moment before softens. Affection colors your features. Peter, feeling quite contented, reorients himself and pulls his textbook back into his lap.

Once you have fallen back down to the grass, continuing on as if you hadn’t just been kissed by him a few feet from almost every person you know, Peter risks a glance at the crowd. Only one person appears to have noticed. MJ, looking quite like she knows everything and also somehow more, gives Peter a smiling nod, and directs her attention back to their rowdy friends.

The world keeps turning, maybe a little more happily than before.

And though Peter clearly didn’t try to hide when he’d gone and kissed one of his best friends in full view of god and everyone, part of him, he decided, was somewhat grateful that you had maintained some privacy.

And it’s nice.

-

The next person to be made aware is Ned.

On wednesdays, you walk Peter and Ned to decathlon practice before embarking on your train ride home. Ned talks excitedly about the progress he’s made on the coding project due next week, pleased to be a couple days ahead of where he’d expected to be. The hallways are empty now that everyone has gone home or to clubs, and there is no one else around to witness the kiss.

Outside, it’s raining. The rain has been coming down in heavy sheets for most of the day, but now the clouds have opened up, leaving nothing more than a pleasant drizzle and a pretty grey sky. You point it out as you pass by the large window across from the door to the decathlon practice room.

“Looks like it’s almost cleared up for the day.”

Peter pulls his backpack off his shoulder to shuffle through it and is quick to pull a small red umbrella from the middle pocket. “Here, take this,” he offers, extending it out to you.

It’s a sweet gesture, but you decline. You actually kind of like the feeling of being rained on.

The attempt at helpfulness was appreciated anyway, though, and without much thought you reach up to grasp gently around the back of his neck. The kiss you pull him down into is casual, and yet somehow quite serious with the presence of your friend. When you release him his eyes are wider than they had been before. He’s still got the backpack and umbrella gripped in each hand, almost like he’s forgotten he was holding them.

“See you guys,” you say, trying for a smile, and turn to leave through the nearest door.

“Bye!” Ned calls after you, excitement in his voice.

Peter shakes himself back into the moment and packs away the umbrella. Ned is grinning like he’s been told a juicy secret, and Peter supposes that in some ways he kind of was.

And yet, after he’s gotten over the initial surprise, Peter recognizes that what had happened was so natural. So normal. His chest has never felt lighter.

“That’s new,” Ned says as the glass door clicks shut behind you at the other end of the hallway.

Peter swings his bag back over his shoulder. “Not exactly,” he admits, a smile alighting across his features, “Alright, time to go.”

Ned enters the room first, shooting Peter an exaggerated look of mostly-amused betrayal. Peter follows him in, laughing at Ned’s scandalized No fair!, and feels your affection on his skin for the rest of practice.

Things are great.

-

Midtown Tech’s academic decathlon team sails to a victory at the national competition in Washington two weeks later. You’re in the crowd, of course, having promised Peter that you wouldn’t miss it as long as he promised not to vanish at the last minute like last time. He hits the buzzer a fraction of a second before the other team can. His answer is right, because they always are.

The lobby is packed with teams and audience members, but Midtown is easy to spot in the crowd thanks to their lemon yellow jackets and the trophy that Flash is hoisting above their heads. You push through the crowd, spotting Peter at the front of the group, and rush forward to meet him.

“Peter!”

He looks over to gain sight of you as you appear between a pair of audience members. Delight of winning fills him to his ears, pride is emanating from you, and you’re running to him. His team is still surrounding him, but the fact that they’re there to witness you is meaningless. The distance closes between you. The world is more in focus that it has ever been.

Forethought isn’t even there. It doesn’t need to be. 

Peter catches your face between his hands and kisses you.

Your arms are thrown out for a hug you weren’t able to give. Peter’s nose bumps weirdly against yours for a moment before he can fit his lips into their proper place. The press of his lips is almost forceful, but only in his eagerness. When you bring your hands to rest gently on his sides, the pressure lightens, being replaced by the upturn of a smile that can’t help but appear.

Pulling back, he flashes you a bright smile.

“I kind of think we’re dating,” you say, almost an offer but mostly just a confirmation.

His laughter is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever heard.

“We’d better go on a date then.”

Everything is perfect.

Tag list

@souvenirsvisuels

[blackcatanna]

Kinky TB Adventures (probably) with Okita Part 1: Kyoto Winds

Finally playing another Hakuoki route because I spent 10 hours travelling yesterday and I deserve some imaginary romance, damn it! Choosing Okita because he seems fun and I hate that he disappears from the story pretty early on in most routes and then dies off screen :'(

WARNING: I wrote a lot :) 

Intro:

I don't know why but Kodo's evil old man face made me laugh so much during the intro.

Playing the prologue because it has a hearty chunk of Okita in it and it's been a while since I played the game.

Chizuru talking about the invisible wall between herself and other people is relatable af :')

"I'm not sure if I belong here... No. No, that's all in my head." < < < ME. Hello imposter syndrome, my old friend :')

I now feel like a li'l bitch for complaining about my journey yesterday when Chizuru WALKED nearly 500KM from Edo to Kyoto X_X

I'm loving this old timey film effect on the Kodo flashback.

I feel like Kodo's actions and motivations change depending on the route so I'm not going to try too hard to wrap my head around them here.

I love that "Ronin" is basically shorthand for "Evil Douchebag Thug" in this game X_X

Yukimura: "Be careful, father! Kyoto is a dangerous place!" Also Yukimura: "I have nothing to fear because I look like a BOY :) " Selfless but foolish X_X Although, you could argue that being reckless is selfish because it disregards your loved ones' feelings, should you get hurt.

At least the game gives these ronin names :') although... they don't have eyes. I think I'd rather have eyes, if I had to choose.

"I could still hear the ronin cursing loudly" I just have an image of these three guys running through the streets of Kyoto yelling, "FUCK. SHIT. PISS. ASS."

This game invested a lot in blood effects and sounds and I respect and appreciate that.

"He died with the first blow" Silver linings?

"They were... broken" :'(

Awe, the furies look so happy to see me :') JK, this scene is appropriately chilling. They do have big smiles, though.

More blood splashes and visceral blood descriptions :')

Okita, your sadism is showing.

Or maybe he knows that Saito doesn't like killing his comrades and that's why he wanted to kill them first :O :O :O

"if you just sat back and let them kill the kid, you could have saved us some trouble." -_- I enjoy Okita's banter but I have a feeling that it's going to be a bit one sided because Chizuru doesn't do back talk X_X

WAIT A FUCKING SECOND, WHY IS OKITA NOT BLINKING?!??

Oh here we go. Let's take a moment to worship Hijikata. I still think that Saito and Okita are better looking but sure, let's take a break to gush about "smooth, dark hair" in the moonlight and "the wistfulness of flower petals" "as if the cherry trees were blooming out of season" X_X ick.

HEY. CHIZURU. REMEMBER WHO RESCUED YOU. IT WASN'T THIS FUCKER.

OH GOD, IT CONTINUES, "His voice was cold and quiet, like a blade of ice. Blue-white moonlight lit his slender face.." blah blah ick.

OH, WE'RE STILL NOT DONE?!? "But it wasn't the sword making my breath catch. It was his eyes. They were fierce and hard, but somewhere behind them... I could catch a glimpse of... something else." Blah blah, troubled, mercy, blah

"Run, and I will kill you. Do you understand?" SPLOOSH (yes, I have been watching Archer)

I was sort of joking about being aroused by threats of violence but swords are definitely sexier than... whatever that whole flowery passage was...

Okita still is not blinking O_O

Hijikata telling Okita to shut up is a mood. Sorry, Okita.

Okay, NOW Okita's blinking. Guess all it took was Hijikata suggesting that they're going to kill me for a change. Apparently, only Okita's allowed to threaten to murder me X_X

Side note: if anyone reads this and is wondering if I'm aware that I switch between "You", "Me" and "Chizuru" then yes, I am and no, I don't care.

Apparently, Okita blinking was a fluke. Maybe he only blinks when he is pushed off stride or, like, flustered or surprised?

Also, I don't tend to think of Okita as being especially tall but he's taller than Hijikata!

"So we should just kill people now?" Um... you don't do that?

"What?! Come on, you can't be serious" HE SAID, BLINKING AND THUS BACKING UP MY THEORY.

"Almost as if I was being... drawn into their world..." Oh dear! We wouldn't want that to happen, that's not why we bought the game at all! :P

"A world where there is nothing strange in carrying on a normal conversation in the dead of night with corpses for company." Edgy. Although, I hope that this conversation is far from normal O_O

"As you wish." Hijikata is Saito's Princess Buttercup. I'm not jealous.

WHOA. I was just musing about death as usual and now Okita's RIGHT UP IN MY FACE.

"We did save you, didn't we?" WELL, TECHNICALLY, Saito saved me. You suggested letting the furies KILL ME.

"I didn't realise right away he was speaking to me." How? He's taking up the entire screen?

"Thank you very much." Fair. "I apologise for not thanking you earlier." Okay, calm down. It's not like they gave you a chance to speak in between death threats.

"The man called Hajime also looked confused. His eyes were wide and he had an expression I couldn't place." Then allow me: STARTLED ERMINE. Hijikata's is DISGRUNTLED HORSE and Okita's is SMUG LYNX. Aka: how three different animals react to the discovery that their prey is a girl. I know that horses don't hunt prey. However, they do have to deal with it when their animal subordinates unwittingly capture it.

"He broke out in laughter again, so much so that he was forced to wipe a few tears from his eyes" I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE HAVING SUCH A JOLLY TIME, YOU ASS.

Now that he's figured out that I'm a girl, he's suddenly keen to introduce himself :P

"The one you should be thanking for saving you is Hajime Saito" CORRECT.

Is he deliberately trying to let him kill me by giving out as much info as possible? O_o

"His fingers like iron cables around my arm." Kinky.

"The cause of my horror wasn't the gruesome end that awaited me, but something else entirely." Hanging out with these crazy fuckers.

Chapter 1:

Damn, I wrote a lot more than I had expected for the prologue X_X

"My limbs were tightly bound in tight knots" I wouldn't be surprised if Okita was a shibari expert...

"This is no way to treat a guest of ours" Obviously, Inou-bae is trying to be kind but this feels like something a supervillain would say after their minions bring you to their lair X_X

"he smiled at me and winked" get this man a route! Actually, wait, how old is Chizuru... OKAY, FORGET I SAID THAT. NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO FLIRT WITH THIS 16 YEAR OLD GIRL. Although, maybe a dad route? No romance, just familial love. He's a better dad than Kodo. NO DADDY KINKS ALLOWED.

Apparently, Harada and Nagakura being "lively" is supposed to reassure me?!

Ah, Okita and his hilarious jokes about invading my personal space.

I'm so glad that Saito doesn't let him get away with this nonsense <3

And now we're sticking up for Saito and calling out Okita's bs <3

"the smile lingered through his bright eyes" Oo-er

"He looked more like a boy than a man." Says you!

The baka trio look so done X_X

"Their faces were still blessed with youth" Phew. Looks like we'll have some eye candy while we're brutally executed.

A STICK?!? THEY'RE CALLING ME A STICK?! HAVE THEY NOT SEEN THE ANIME INTRO?! CHIZURU HAS TITS!!!

"The hell I will, boy!" Calm down, Kratos.

"You could be taken for interrogating" not if you assholes don't make such a song and dance about me witnessing your shady activities! How would anybody know to interrogate me in the first place?!

"Let's just kill the kid" How about no!!!

"I was just kidding." WERE YOU, or did you just change your tune because daddy Kondou told you off? -_- I don't think Saito's buying your shit.

"Hehe." XD best response!

Side note, how am I the first person to witness the furies in action?! They run around the streets, chopping people up and there are already rumours about the Shinsengumi committing brutal crimes.

Also, how often do they sentence men to death? There are a lot of men in the fury corps and I bet that some choose death or try and run for it and die in the process.

"I think that Souji has a point" BOO, HARADA!

"Uh-oh. Well, this is going to make it even harder for us to simply let you go..." He's doing the not blinking thing again! Maybe that's because his prey is in his sights... O_O Also, thanks a lot, Heisuke X_X

"A man should always be ready to face death. You should make your peace with yours." Okay, first of all, I look like a child to you! Secondly, bit sexist! Not all men choose the path of the warrior. Thirdly, AS IF, I'm just going to lay down and accept my POINTLESS murder just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. No, Nagakura, I am NOT okay with being MURDERED. How dare you imply that I'm a coward for not wanting to die for this BULLSHIT.

Not sure if I mentioned this last time but Sano's casual suicide comments remind me of being at uni :')

"there's something I want to look into." Is it my stuff? Are you going to go through my stuff now? X_X

"I... I'm sorry." I forgive you, Heisuke! As for everyone else who's acting like this is all my fault and you've done nothing wrong, fuck you. Y'all shouldn't be doing evil science in the first place, especially if you're then going to try and justify MURDERING everyone who glimpses the evulz.

This whole bit reminds me of a DnD party where everyone's arguing over whether or not to kill someone. This is definitely more like a DnD argument than your average movie argument X_X

"All right, Saito, take care of the kid." 😍 Yes, Saito, take care of me :D NOT IN A MURDERY WAY O_O

Time to RUN THE FUCK AWAY. Maybe, if they hadn't acted like murdering assholes, I wouldn't be doing this but they don't seem to give a fuck about me so AWAY I GO.

"I knew it was rude, but I had no choice but to try and open the sliding door with my toe." Priorities X_X They kidnapped you, tied you up and threatened to kill you countless times. Honey, you stick it to those fuckers with your shady toe opening.

WE DIDN'T EVEN MAKE IT OUT OF THE ROOM!!!

"Sorry," No your not -_- "but now we've got to kill you." No you don't!

"Then you may do whatever you like with me." Um, why is this the Okita romance option? XD Don't say those words to that sadist, who knows what he wants to do to you! O_O

"We aren't going to eat you or anything." ...Damn X_X I hope that your stance changes if we get married.

"Heh. Never seen such an innocent girl like you." Ugh. As if. Running around dressed as a boy. Can't be that innocent. Certainly not if he read my last comment :P . Anyway, YOU SOUND CREEPY, TALKING LIKE THAT XD

"All right, all right. Now, tell your big brother... Why were you cross-dressing around Kyoto?" THA FUCK DID YOU JUST CALL YOURSELF?!?? And MIND YOUR DAMN BUSINESS XD DON'T KINK SHAME ME!

"Well, 'she' claims to be a girl, but it's not like we have any actual proof, right?" Um, I'M not the one who said that I'm a girl and I DON'T LIKE WHERE THIS IS GOING. I WILL FIGHT YOU FUCKERS IF YOU COME NEAR ME >:(

"My apologies, but I took the liberty of checking through your belongings." I wouldn't mind, except NOT ONCE did they give me a chance to explain myself or plead my case. He could have just asked whatever he wanted to know and then checked my bags to verify it X_X

"Hey now," HEY NOW, NOW, sing this corrosion to me... No? I'll be quiet :(

"So, you've been withholding information from us?" YOU BARELY GAVE ME A CHANCE TO SPEAK, YOU DICK!

Welp, they've agreed not to kill me and yet Okita's still taking it upon himself to threaten me with death while fixing me with his unblinking, predatory stare X_X

"Gee, didn't take long for you to change your tune once you knew she was a girl, eh Shin?" TRUTH

"Having a lady here at headquarters is sure to brighten things up." Joke's on you: I'm a goth ;P

"you can't just pawn her off on someone else." Okita, nooooooo! Don't make me work for this grumpy bitch!

"I hope you you'll take good care of her." Wink wink, nudge nudge. What's the matter, Hijikata senpai? Am I not pretty enough for you? :'(

"You sons of BITCHES." HEY. HIJIKATA. NO NEED TO INSULT THEIR INNOCENT MOTHERS. Just call them straight up bitches :)

"The Shinsengumi keeping a woman here... If such rumours were to spread, tongues would begin to wag." Yeah, yeah, so we might as well just all fuck. People are going to say we're doing it, regardless, so let's get this over with...

Or I could keep pretending to be a man. That could also work.

"You're gonna get a room, and you're gonna stay in it." FUCK YOU

"I could have sworn we decided she was going to be someone's page" O_O FUCK YOU EVEN MORE, OKITA.

So... lonely... must... find... friends...

Okita and Saito friends :D

When I first played this game, I was really keen to find my "father" but now that I know what he's like, it's hard to muster quite the same level of enthusiasm X_X

"Draw your blade, unless it is merely decoration." Spicy! I'm glad that Yukimura is not so easily goaded into fighting.

"I'm not lying." You tell him, girl!

Saito and Okita's stunned faces when you suggest that you might accidentally hurt Saito are priceless! X_X I guess this shows that you take this seriously, though.

"Excuse me... You don't have to laugh..." XD Is this almost sassy?

Surprise, Okita likes it when I do what he says despite understandable reservations XD

Saito looks way too happy to be doing this XD was this just a chance for him to show off? :P

IS HE LAUGHING AT ME?!? XD RUDE!

WHA THA FUCK. I think that it was a glitch but there were suddenly about seven Saitos on screen. Maybe that's what it feels like when you're fighting him.

Woah, it happened again, only this time there were two and one was squashed.

I'm fine with there being more Saitos.

Aaaaand he's holding a sword at my throat... Sploosh? Shut up, swords are sexy. I probably watched too many period and fantasy films as a child...

"In the blink of an eye, his face was only inches from mine," O RLY? 😏 WAIT, I'm supposed to be playing Okita's route X_X Must... stop getting distracted...

"Your master should be proud." SAY IT AGAIN 😍

"I then noticed how wildly my heart was beating." Though not from fear, right? ;)

"You all right?" Kind words? FROM OKITA?!?

"polite applause" FROM OKITA!?!

"If you want, we'll keep you company." Yes, Okita, obviously I want that :D

First sign of madness: talking to your own head!

Okita could look less smug about catching me talking to myself -_-

"I wanted to scream, but before I could open my mouth, Saito stepped out from behind the door." X_X Well, they did say they'd keep me company.

"I think that's enough fraternising, Souji." Wait a second...

"I figured if I left the two of you alone, it would be longer before I saw either of you," ... Why does that sound slightly risqué? -_- I feel like this scene changes slightly depending on your affection levels...

-_- The only reason Heisuke is short is because Nagakura's stunted his growth by constantly stealing his food.

"How are we to deal with accepting such insanity?" MOOD.

Wait, does Okita subsist entirely on sake?! O_O

"Try not to worry about eating too much or being a freeloader or something. Just eat your little heart out, okay?" Surprisingly wholesome content from Okita :')

Takeda! <3 My douchey doppelganger!

"your adorable page" -_- Watch it, "big brother"

"I'm not having any of your insolence today." Hijikata temporarily transforming into a villainous English aristocrat.

And after aaaaallll that, I'm just going to stay behind to spend some quality time with Okita, probably X_X

"Huh!? Why? You're finally getting the chance to search for Kodo." GOOD POINT. However, gotta get that dick, amirite?

"Perhaps, I should have gone..." YUP. PROBABLY.

"Are you regretting it? If you are, then you should've just gone with them." TRUTH.

"He smiled wryly before continuing while touching my chin." WEEEEOOOOA WEEEEEOOOOA PHYSICAL CONTACT ALARM. WE HAVE INITIATED PHYSICAL CONTACT. IT WAS WORTH STAYING BEHIND AFTER ALL!

"You don't regret it at all? Not even if you knew that Hajime and I went out of our way to convince Hijikata?" Aw, y'all did that for me? Yeah, this is a terrible decision X_X Except for the part with the chin touching. I guess stalking you overrides all logic?

"I was surprised. Saito did make that promise" and what? You thought he was a liar? Girl.

"It was actually Hajime that convinced Hijikata." Not sure if Okita's being modest but this is making it reeeeally hard for me to stop myself fangirling over Saito. Again.

"When I see Saito later, I need to apologise and give my thanks to him." YOU BETTER. >:(

Did he just call me useless (in a battle)? XD I mean, he's not wrong... As we will no doubt soon find out...

Wait, wait... He just said that if I'm in danger, I will become a nuisance and he'll FRICKIN' STAB ME. WHAT?! DOESN'T THAT MAKE YOU THE GREATEST DANGER, OKITA!??

Chapter 2:

Did we ever apologise to Saito? X_X

"Please allow me to continue looking for my father!" Where was this enthusiasm earlier -_-

"If you want that risk, feel free to join us." Ooooooh, scary.

"Remember that you're here to keep me company" Um, excuse me!?

Burn down the city and kidnap the Emperor while everyone else is "losing their shit." This seems like the plan of crazy people o_O

"Would you care to join us." Kondou's making this raid sound like a dinner party X_X

Chizuru getting distracted by the more "elegant" night uniforms while preparing for the raid is a Big Mood.

Am I going crazy or does this game normally give me more choices here? Am I being paranoid or is it now shipping me with Okita? Can't I normally choose to go with Hijikata or stay behind?

"Giving the enemy a good, loud warning that he's about to kick the tar out of them. That's Kondou for you..." Okita kind of has a point X_X

"They sauntered towards the inn" Quite the image.

Oh shit! Okita's fighting Kazama O_O

"Okita was battling a ronin." Damn, you're lucky that Kazama can't read minds X_X

"Thanks for the dance, chump." -_- Kazama's such a dick.

"You're our enemy, so you've gotta die." Okita's philosophy is simple and elegant.

"His sword moved in large, crude arcs, while Okita fought with skill and finesse." Wow, SUPER glad that Kazama can't read minds O_O

EXECUTE PLAN: HURL BOWL AT KAZAMA.

IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE: OKITA SENPAI NOTICED ME.

Wait... WHAT WAS THAT "WET CRUNCH" WHEN KAZAMA KICKED OKITA'S CHEST!??!? O_O IS THIS HOW HE GETS TB?!? O_O

"Wet, tearing coughs." OH FUCK O_O

"I like watching children squirm." WTF, Kazama. BEGONE, THOT.

:'O Injured Okita is trying to put himself between me and that crazy bitch <3

Oh damn, he is coughing e blood :'O

"What a fool" UUUURRRRGGGGH KAZAMA IS THE WORST. SOME PEOPLE CARE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE, KAZAMA. AND SOME PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PUT THEMSELVES IN DANGER BECAUSE THEY CARE ABOUT MORE THAN THEIR OWN SELFISH NEEDS.

"I... I can still fight..." NO.

"You always said you'd kill me if I got in your way..." OOOOOOOOOOOH! HERE WE GO! THE FAÇADE BEGINS TO SHOW CRACKS *munches popcorn*

Iba... y u no mention our shared childhood?

ISHIDA POWDERED MEDICINE.

Nagakura says that it's delicious... I wonder if it tastes like cough medicine. Cough medicine is delicious. And addictive...

"I would never have thought that Toudou or Okita would return from a fight injured..." Why, Inoue? Are skilled and strong warriors invincible?

"The injured are a burden, so we shall remain here and guard the compound like obedient soldiers." O_O Ouch, Sanan!

Wait, I don't get a choice to go with them?! I KNEW IT. THIS GAME KNOOOOOWS! I'm too far down the Okita path to turn back now, I guess.

"Um... " Chizuru is me trying to make small talk.

Weird isn't necessarily a bad thing, Chizuru! Take it as a compliment!

I feel bad for not realising how badly injured he got during the raid during my other playthroughs X_X

I thought that I'd somehow missed the scene with the children because this playthrough's taking so long because I'm making so many fricking notes X_X Turns out, I have a lot more to say when you actually get to spend time with the chosen boi.

"Oh, don't worry. I didn't kidnap them or anything." ... GOOD!????

"I was bored" Hey, I get lonesome too! Why can't you come play with me? D:

"They take care of me." Pretty cute. :3

"You wanna come play with us?" Duh!

"No" GURL

He really does look like a happy cat when he smiles!

Wow, these children have a lot of attitude.

"It's a place for men to do, um, work." Yes, just normal human work. Nothing funny going on here.

"They're catching bad guys and keeping Kyoto safe" "No, they're not. They're just killing people." These kids are SAVAGE :')

"Can't deny that" ... Way to back me up, Souji...

"I probably hear him talk about death everyday." Wait, really? What exactly does he have to say about death?

"The Shinsengumi are a bunch a weirdos." :') And that makes them extremely lovable!

Last time, I tried defending the Shinsengumi and Okita ended up terrorising a child so LET'S PICK THE OTHER OPTION AND SEE IF THERE'S LESS CRAZY...

"Don't tell me you're taking this seriously?" CHILDREN ARE THE FUTURE, OKITA!

"They all look like bad guys." Why? Because they're hot?

"I didn't know what I was supposed to do..." Uh, maybe tell this childries not to judge a book by its cover? Idk, maybe try and suggest that the world is not so black and white? Definitely don't mention the bloodlust.

"Grinning like an idiot." You're just jealous of his happiness, you cynical-ass child

"He's a wuss." UM, pretty sure he's the most powerful member of the Shinsengumi so stfu :P

"He grabbed the child" Oh dear... Here we go...

Okita! Use your words to teach the children a lesson! Not whatever this fucked up shit is X_X

Ah, ruling with fear! :') When has that ever backfired?

"I'll tell them I'm sorry. Then I'll tell them how awesome Kondou is." GUD. >:(

Uuuuugh, I'm so so tired and I've written so much CRAP so I will SLEEP and play the next bit tomorrow! :D

[dansiere]

HOW I RUN MY BLOG

Speed:          sadly, I am quite slow. && by quite I mean HORRENDOUSLY slow. I often need several days to finish my drafts or ask replies. Sometimes the same applies to ims & discord messages. I am just very, very bad at replying at a steady pace whenever I do multiple things at once. I need absolute laser focus aka if I work on drafts I go silent for hours. That does by no means mean that I have no interest in you or our plot, I simply have to do one thing at a time, haha. 

Replies:       I usually queue my posts or keep stuff in my drafts until I feel ready to handle an immediate reply. I do, however, try to minimize the time my finished stuff stay in my drafts because said drafts are usually filled with half-finished hcs or memes that I keep in there for various reasons. My replies can get VERY long because I love to put a huge emphasis on Pearl's inner life / thought process. -- I do NOT expect my length to be matched at any point; just how I like to never limit myself I expect my partners to respond as they see fit. Sometimes a thread just doesn’t vibe with you & that is perfectly fine. I am also okay with waiting for a respond. Honestly, take all the time you need. Quality over quantity ! 

Starters:      well, I usually post one starter call, publish two or three starters immediately & continue to ignore those I still owe for weeks. -- joke aside, I write them whenever a fitting scenario strikes me. Most part of the time I plot before I start working on them. Again, I am slow & usually write LONG starters out of habit. I am trying to change that because I know how intimidating long starters can be but uh... yeah.

Inbox:        AH! My inbox is always open, honestly. It may take me years to reply but if I do, you will most likely get a huge ass drabble. Feel free to continue my reply at any given time! I also love anons, questions or just crack stuff. Never be afraid of just barging in there!

Selectivity:           I can be picky but most part of the time, I am inclined to give everyone an equal chance. I do have standards in regards to content & character; I reserve myself the right to not follow based on a ship or aspects of a portrayal that just... don’t vibe with me. However, as long as you have a rules page, a dossier & a nice attitude, I will most likely follow. I am private, however, and sometimes when my dash gets too cluttered, I will go on unfollow sprees. With that being said, I am also quite selective with my replies. Unless I have some really old drafts, I pick based on my muse & my personal state of mind. -- if I favor certain people it is solely because that is the kind of dynamic or interaction my muse responds the most eagerly to atm. Again, this does not mean that I have no interest in you as a writer or person, it simply means that I have been around long enough to understand how my inspiration works & how to best carter to my moody brain. 

Wishlist:            Young Pearl stuff; mainly Gem War-centric threads that allow me to develop her long before the Crystal Gems came into focus. After all, this era includes parts of her life which I consider pivotal to her development & growth as an individual. Everything that happened off screen interests me too aka sign me up for timeskip stuff such as the dismantling of the Empire, etc. I would kill for some Homeworld or Future Pearl interactions with other pearls or the diamonds because they belong to the group of Gems Pearl has unfinished business with in my opinion. Bonus points if it is a thread set after “Volleyball” or during the rebellion for whatever reason. -- also Jasper. I have several hcs in regards to the history Pearl & Jasper most likely share [again, war centric] & I have been dying to use them. Otherwise I really crave interactions between Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl. Give me early post-war stuff!! 

Honest Note:         I often fear that I might come off as intimidating at times or... too edgy? I know that my prose & content can come off that way & that muses like Pearl, who appear fine on the outside but are an utter mess on the inside can be tricky to deal with. I am simply very, very passionate about my character’s feelings, struggle & shortcomings. That can sometimes lead to me crying in my tags / writing tag novels that nobody ever asked for. Sometimes my uh... obsession with detail & love for it gets the best of me. All in all, I can assure you I am a meme. I still cry about “Rose's Scabbard” & howl along to “It’s over, isn’t it” at any given chance. I am an overly emotional person who just loves to put a lot of feelings into my replies. Send me asks, ims or like my nonsense posts & I will love you forever. I am also someone who writes a lot, may it be in - or out of character. -- like I said, ‘passion’ is my middle name so you can literally come into my ims at 3 am & scream about your headcanons or muse without ever fearing that I may be mad. You have an AU idea? Throw it at me! You have a headcanon about my muse? Gimme! Roleplaying has been a hobby of mine for 10 years & nothing makes me happier than having my followers / writing partners interact with me. 

Tagged by: the magnificent @bloodlot​. Tagging: let’s see, since this is more an information post than anything, I would say STEAL IT.