#COULD HAVE JUST CUT IT OUT OR REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING ELSE BUT NAW

[rohad93]

Moonlit Masquerade: Turning Pages

Enjoy~

It was a warm, early summer day as Luz flew through the air back toward the owl house, grinning giddily to herself as the wind whipped through the long hair that laid over her undercut on the left side, her cloak flapping wildly behind her off her shoulders as the wind tugged at the short sleeves of her dark purple tunic.

She did a giddy spin and the leather pouches that held her glyphs and various other things flapped against the legs of her black pants.

The twenty-one-year-old zipped between the trees on her staff, she was so excited, she couldn't wait to show her mom and Lilith what she had bought today after packing up her stuff at the market.

"Luz, your home!" Hooty screeched the moment she burst through the tree line.

"Hey, Hooty." She smiled hopping off the staff with a flourish as he opened the door for her and she ran inside, dropping her satchel by the stairs.

"Mom, Lily!?" she called.

"In the kitchen!" Eda's voice called back.

She hurried into the kitchen where the two sisters were sitting at the table talking. It always surprised Luz at the wrinkles that had begun to line their faces over the last six years, though they both still looked great. Eda claimed hers were from Luz, and Lilith claimed hers were from Eda, which always made the young woman laugh, and Eda make a face.

Before she could think to say anything, Owlbrt was hooting at her from the counter.

"Hey buddy, you wanna play with Mochuelo?" She asked the small owl, who hooted wildly at her.

"Okay, okay, Owlbert, I know you missed your pal," she laughed.

She unscrewed the wooden tawny owl palisman from the top of her staff and set him on the counter next to a hooting Owlbert. Her palisman,  Mochuelo, gave himself a shake, fluffing his dark brown and white speckled feathers, golden-brown eyes blinking up at her.

She scratched both their heads and left the two to palisman play as she laid the empty staff against the counter.

"You're back early, already sell out all your potions in the market?" Eda cocked her head.

"Yup, not a thing left. I'll work on some more tomorrow, but forget about that, I have something to show you!" She stopped, looking around. "Is Amity here?"

"No, she hasn't come home yet, why?" Lilith cocked a brow at her and Luz grinned, digging something out of her pocket.

"This is why!" she exclaimed, pulling a small black box from her pocket.

"A box?" Eda asked. Luz rolled her eyes.

"No! Look!" She popped it open to reveal a bright gold ring inlaid with a deep, square-cut, magenta gemstone and two smaller, clear stones on either side of it.

The sisters both gasped.

"Luz is this…?" Lilith started.

"An engagement ring!?" Eda finished, looking up at Luz with wide eyes.

"Yup, I'm going to ask Amity to marry me," she declared proudly. "I mean, we've been living together for three years now and dating for six. I know there's no one else I want to be with."

"That's wonderful, Luz." Lilith stood and hugged her.

"Yeah, that's great!" Eda wrapped her up in a tight hug as soon as Lilith let go. Luz squeezed her back just as tight before finally pulling back. "Does this mean you two are finally moving out?" she asked with a grin as Luz blinked, wide-eyed.

"I mean… we can if you want us…" she started with a frown, but Eda just laughed.

"Naw, it'd be too quiet without you two. You two don't have to go anywhere unless you want to… and so long as you keep your bedroom door closed," she said seriously, making Luz chuckle.

How far they had come, from Eda being adamant that the bedroom door stay open when they were kids, to now demanding that it stay closed, lest she hear or see something she really didn't want to… again.

"Right, I'll talk to Amity about it later. I'm going to take her out to dinner tonight and pop the question." She grinned.

As if summoned by magic, the front door opened.

"I'm home!" A voice called from the living room.

Amity!

Luz shoved the box back into her pocket as her girlfriend of six years walked into the kitchen with a few bags in one hand and her staff in the other.

Her long auburn hair fell down against her back in a smooth curtain, except the longer sides she still kept pulled back, no longer in a ponytail, but in a neat braid that also fell against her neck.

Her white cloak was hanging from her neck and one shoulder to partially expose the sleeveless black shirt she wore beneath, tucked into her pants and the arm warmers that covered from her fingers to elbow in the customary dark pink of someone of the abominations track, and even after all this time, her nails were still painted black.

"Oh, Luz, you're home from the market already." She looked at her, surprised.

"Yup, sold out of everything pretty quick today, so I figured I'd come home. How was your day, mi amor?" She asked, leaning forward to give her a quick kiss.

"Busy, there's no shortage of problems that need straightening out since they finally put the new coven system in place," she sighed. "I'm exhausted…"

"You probably don't feel like going out tonight then, eh? She frowned.

"I don't think so..." She shook her head as she twisted the wooden dragon off her staff and let the long, golden lizard crawl up her shoulder to wrap his long, scaled body around her neck, beneath the curtain of auburn hair.

"Hey, Calliban." Luz smiled as Amity scratched under his chin. The dragon's long whiskers twitched happily, a puff of smoke coming from his nostrils, his long tufted tail twitched.

"Was there something you wanted to do tonight?" Amity looked down at her as she scratched the palisman.

"Uh… no. We can go out another night." Luz shook her head, she could see how tired Amity was, and it wasn't like she couldn't propose at any time.

Amity nodded and set her bags on the counter.

"If you're sure, I just want to lay down and never get back up," she mumbled.

"I'm sure that can be arranged, mi amor" Luz smiled, wrapping her arms around her waist and setting her chin on her shoulder, though only barely, the witch stood a good five inches taller than her. Amity smiled, leaning back into her.

"Just close the damn door…," Eda mumbled. Luz stuck her tongue out at her and Amity rolled her eyes.

Luz pulled her close, letting the taller woman relax against her for a few moments before she pulled free with a sigh.

"I need to go shower," she mumbled and carefully set Calliban on Luz's shoulders before kissing her cheek and walking out of the kitchen.

Luz hummed, petting his smooth scaly body, his tiny claws pricked at her skin as he settled himself around her neck. His horns poking her under the chin.

"Guess it's not gonna happen tonight?" Eda looked at her.

"No, but it's okay, there's no rush," Luz said and dug the box out of her pocket.

"Will you hang onto this for me? I'd hate for her to find it in our room and ruin the surprise," she asked, holding the box out to Lilith.

"Of course, Luz." She nodded, taking the ring and slipping it into the pocket of her dress.

"Hey, why not me?" Eda sat up, frowning.

"You lost King just yesterday…" Luz frowned.

"He found his way home eventually," she mumbled.

"I think I'd feel better if Lily held onto it. That's three weeks of potions sales I'd really rather not have to replace…"

Eda crossed her arms, pouting while Lilith gave her a smug look.

"I guess I'll just get started on brewing some stuff before dinner." She pulled off her cloak and laid it over a chair as she walked over to the counter, crowded with her and Eda's brewing stuff.

~

"So, you've been trying to propose for a week now?" Willow asked as she sat across from Luz in the Redstone bakery sipping on her tea.

Luz sighed, nodding.

"I just want it to be perfect but we've both been so busy, if I'm not out helping with the reconstruction or selling potions in the market, Amity is attending council meetings and helping sort out the kinks in the new coven system. We're exhausted half the time…I'm not even sure when the last time we had s-.."

"Stop! You're both very busy. I know what you mean..."

"TMI, sorry," Luz chuckled sheepishly.

But Willow just nodded.

"There's still a lot to do and a vacuum to fill since we did away with Belos, but you know, maybe you're trying too hard for the perfect moment?"

"Hmm?" Luz hummed, blinking at her oldest friend.

"We both know Amity doesn't really want the big over the top gestures, so long as you're you, she'd never said no."

"I know… I just wanted to make it special, ya know?

"I'm sure it will be, you'll find that 'Luz' way of doing it." She smiled and Luz snorted, the fact that her name had become some kind of verb her friends liked to use amused her.

"Yeah, I'll think of something… ya ready to head into town?" she asked. Willow nodded and they stood, leaving some snails on the table as they left.

They spent the rest of the day checking on things in Bonesburough.

It had been a year since Belos had been defeated and the old coven system and regime had been dismantled, and things were still being reconstructed in town where some of the heaviest fighting had taken place between the rebels and the loyalists.

Luz hummed as she walked along the streets with Willow, in some ways the town had changed a lot in the last year, but in others had remained just the same

Without the coven system that bonded people to only one type of magic, the covens looked totally different. They still existed, only now rather than only being able to perform one type of magic, people could do it all no matter what coven they were in, but many still choose to join the covens so they could work with other like-minded witches in the types of magic they specialized in. They were more brotherhood's than forced chains pulled by the Emperor, some people often belonging to more than one coven at a time. Luz herself, for her part in the rebellion, was welcome in all nine of the major coven houses, though she didn't actively participate in any of their politics or meetings.

She usually visited to get advice about certain spells from the more experienced witches of the discipline's. They were always glad to see her in their midsts.

The downside to it no longer being against the law to not join a coven was that crime had gone up some, with the less unsavory members of society now having access to all types of magic. The night market was still quite robust, especially during the rebellion when a host of unsavory things have been going on. Luz tried not to think about those days too much.

The new governing system, a council of the new nine coven leaders, was still getting to its feet in controlling stuff, so a lot of things flew under the radar as they dealt with the bigger, more pressing issues, like any remaining pockets of loyalists. It was a work in progress, one Luz was happy to help with when she could. She'd actually gotten pretty good at playing bounty hunter, though Amity didn't like it at all. She didn't go out of her way hunting down criminal witches, they just showed up a lot in the market when she happened to be there, and Luz had never been one to stand idly by.

Things seemed pretty quiet today.

As they walked past the library Luz took notice of a poster pasted to its wall and suddenly she had a brilliant idea.

"Hey, I think I know what I wanna do." She turned to Willow with a bright grin. “I’m gonna need your help.”

"Sure, that was quick…," she laughed and Luz shrugged.

"I just remembered something. I think Amity would appreciate it…" She smiled and Willow nodded. "You think Gus would be my best man?" she asked.

"He'd beg you… not that I won't pretend I'm not a little insulted that you don't want to ask me." She pouted, crossing her arms and making Luz laugh.

"Like Amity would want anyone but you to be her maid of honor." Luz grinned, making the plant witch smile. "Though you might have to fight Em for it," she warned.

"She can bring it on." Willow grinned, making Luz laugh.

~

"Hey, tonight's the night," Luz announced to the living room as she walked down the stairs.

"You're proposing tonight?" Eda looked up at her daughter's grinning face.

"Yup, I know exactly what I want to do and it has to be tonight. I gotta get some stuff ready, you've got the ring right?" she asked Lilith, who nodded.

"Of course."

"Great, I'm going to come back and get it from you in a little bit!" Luz said as she hurried out the front door, staff in one hand, and a dark green book in the other.

The door slammed and Eda shook her head, grinning.

"I can't believe she's really going to do it…," she chuckled. When there was no response she turned to her sister who was sitting on the other side of the couch, frowning, her fingers tapping nervously on her knees.

"What?" Eda cocked a brow at her.

"I...may have... misplaced Amity's ring…," she mumbled, biting her lip. There was a long moment of silence.

"Ha! Now, who's irresponsible?!" Eda laughed, jumping up with a grin.

"Are you serious right now?!" Lilith jumped up, scowling as Eda did that stupid 'moonwalk' dance Luz had taught them.

"I'm not the one who lost the kid’s engagement ring…," Eda sang smugly, dancing across the living room.

Lilith groaned.

"Yes, fine, I lost it, now help me find it before Luz comes back!" She stomped.

"And why would I do that?" Eda crossed her arms.

"Because she's your daughter, and she's going to be devastated that she can't propose because the ring was lost!" Lilith growled, and Eda frowned. Her sister had a point, as much as she liked getting one over on her older sister she wasn't going to do it at her kid's expense. She also knew what Luz sold her potions for, three weeks profit on one ring was nothing to sneeze at

"Alright, alright, where did you have it last?"

"It was sitting on my dresser last night, but when I woke up, it was gone." Lilith sighed, rubbing her temple.

"Well it can't have gotten too far then, let's check your room." The two hurried up the stairs.

They tear Lilith's room apart for over an hour searching for the ring and only find the box, sitting underneath the edge of her bed.

"It's not here!" Eda growls. Lilith sits on her bed, head in her hands.

"Luz and Amity are never going to speak to me again…," she moans.

"Yea…  not sure even Luz can forgive this one…," Eda mumbled and Lilith groaned louder.

"What's up witches?"

They look up at King, standing in the doorway.

"Lily lost Luz's engagement ring…," Eda sighed, hand on her hip.

"How irresponsible. She should have given it to me." He laid a clawed hand on his chest and there was a glint, drawing both sisters' eyes.

There, hanging on the tip of one of his claws was the ring.

Lilith and Eda tackled the small demon, who squealed as they jumped him, trying to wriggle out of their grasp.

"You took this from my room!" Lilith scowled, holding up the ring out of King's reach as he jumped up, trying to grab it.

"Oh, is that Luz's ring? I thought it was an offering." He crossed his arms.

Eda rolled her eyes and Lilith growled.

"Do you know how mad Luz will be if we tell her you stole her ring?" Eda looked down at him with a frown.

King hunched down at that, eyes turning fearful.

Then they heard the front door open downstairs.

"Guys?"

"Up here, kid," Eda called as Lilith quickly slipped the ring back into its box and closed it.

Luz poked her head in the room.

"Oh, what's everyone doing in here?"

They all glanced at each other.

"Nothing!"

"Uhuh… I don't believe that but I don't have time to question it. The ring?" she asked.

“Right here!” Lilith handed over the box.

"Great, thanks. Wish me luck!" She smiled before taking off back down the stairs. They all waited until they heard the door open and shut before sighing in relief.

~ ~

It was dark when Amity hopped off her staff outside the library. The tall building stood empty and dark, it was well after closing time after all.

She wasn't sure why Luz wanted her to meet her here, but she'd gotten pretty used to just rolling with her girlfriend's eccentric ways for the most part over the years. It was easier to not question it. She spun a finger and her staff vanished.

She walked up the steps heels clicking quietly on the stone as she looked around. The building had remained unchanged over the years, it had luckily been one of the few large buildings to be spared during the fighting, for which she was glad. She had many fond memories of the library, it was, for a long time, her only place of safety and solitude from her sometimes, over the top siblings, but more importantly, from her always overbearing and controlling mother, and then had been her and Luz’s secret place for the first some odd months of their relationship, until they had been allowed to be public about it.

The secret room in the romance section had all but been abandoned after her eighteenth birthday when she moved out of Blight Manor and into the owl house with Luz.

She stood at the top near the door, looking around. Now, where was her adorable doofus?

She felt the tingle of familiar magic pull at the back of her mind and turned in time to see Luz become visible, leaning against one of the library pillars as the glow of her palisman’s eyes faded, but her bright grin did not as she slipped the staff into the holster beneath her cloak.

“Buenas noches, mi amor. ¿Cómo estás esta noche?” She took a step forward to stand in front of her and Amity grinned back.

“Mejor, ahora que estás aquí, querida," She mumbled, taking hold of the collar of Luz’s cloak and pulling her in for a kiss, making Luz grin. “Now, are you going to tell me why we’re here?”  she asked, stepping back.

“I just felt like a walk down memory lane,” she shrugged, smiling. “Also considering what tonight is...”

“Tonight?” Amity blinked. Luz jerked her thumb at a poster on the wall and Amity’s eyes widened.

“The wailing star…” How long had it been since she’d thought about that? At least six years, since the time the twins had tried to take her diary as a kid.

“Come on, it’s about to start!” Luz walked over to the door, she flipped open one of her pouches and leafed through the many different papers before pulling out the one she wanted and pressed it to the library door. It dissolved in a flash of pale blue and the door made a quiet click and she pushed it open.

Amity smiled and followed her. When you considered all the trouble Luz could and had gotten into over the years, walking around the library at night wasn’t even worth the breath to protest, not that she really wanted to.

She closed the door behind her and as they walked into the main entry room of the library just as the large stained glass window above them lit up with the light of the passing star, the green glow settled over the books and Luz quickly grabbed a book off the shelf and opened it. Snakes slithered out, making her grin.

“I didn’t really get to enjoy this last time we were here during the wailing star... being too busy trying not to get killed by my favorite childhood book character and all," she chuckled and Luz grinned.

“Same,” she laughed as they moved up and down the aisles, picking up books. Luz saw a familiar book and grinned, pulling it off the shelf and whipping around to Amity.

“Hey, babe!”

Amity looked up just in time to be blasted in the face with a deluge of snowballs.

“You are so dead!” She yelled at her girlfriend’s back as she took off down the aisles, half screaming, half laughing as Amity gave chase, snatching her own copy of ‘A History of Snowballs’ off the shelf.

They chased each other around the bookshelves for a while before finally calling a truce.

Luz giggled as she closed the book and the remnants of snow vanished from Amity’s hair.

“Come on, I know somewhere we haven’t been in a while…” she slid her book back on the shelf.

“I have a pretty good idea of where we’re going.” Amity smiled, walking beside her to the romance section of the library.

“Maybe…” She smiled.

Amity chuckled as they stopped in the romance section and she reached up to pull at a familiar book.

The bookcase slid aside to reveal what once had been such an important place to her, then to them, and now stood dusty and empty, with cobwebs hanging off the candlesticks and rafters. She’d long moved all her books and more important things out of the room and into her and Luz’s room at the owl house.

“It’s dusty…," Amity hummed, running her fingers over the empty shelves inside.

“A bit…, I don't think we've really been here in three years,” Luz agreed.

Amity glanced around before she saw a book sitting in the middle of her old desk, it wasn't dull or covered in dust like everything else in the room.

She walked forward and picked it up, Luz watching her with a knowing smile.

It’s dark green, leather-bound cover was soft in her hands. She blinked down at the title, written in her girlfriend’s familiar looping writing.

‘The Tale of Luz & Amity’

She looked over her shoulder at her girlfriend who was watching her with a grin.

“What is this?”

“Why don’t you open it and find out?” she retorted, still smiling. Amity cocked a brow but turned her attention back to the book and flipped open its cover.

The first page had a memory picture pasted to its pages, one she immediately recognized as the magic of the wailing star worked on it and a small, fourteen-year-old version of her and her girlfriend materialized on the pages.

Them in the cafeteria at Hexside, Amity on her knees on the table, and her hands wrapped around Luz’s collar.

“I know you’re in there! Who are you, what are you? I want answers!”

“Blughhh...

Amity chuckled to herself, watching a younger her shake an abomination goo covered Luz like a ragdoll.

She smiled over her shoulder at Luz, who was looking at her with both brows raised encouragingly.

The next page was their meeting at the covention.

'Oh, it's you, Willow's abomination… thing.'

'Heyyyy Amity…. so, funny story, Not, an abomination, sorry for the confusion last week. I'm Luz, the human, hi.'

'Ugh, put that away.'

Amity shook her head at her younger self. If only she knew then what she knew now.

She flipped the page and this time the little figures of the two of them were partially sewed into a book, running from Odabin in this very library..

‘Now what?’

‘I don’t know! I didn’t even think that would work, I was all like ‘arghh!’

She still smirked at the sheer dumbness of that plan.

The next page held another familiar scene.

'Azura book club? Azura book club!?' an excited Luz bounced.

'As long as it's a secret club, okay?' Amity whispered, cheeks pinking.

She turned the page and watched as the next memory photo popped up, the two of them in Willow’s memories, just after sliding the flaming inner Willow into the lake.

‘Whoo, teamwork, baby!’ The younger Luz wrapped her arms around younger Amity and squeezed her.

She smiled to herself as she turned the page to watch the next scene play out in its entirety.

‘Well, if that’s settled, may I have this dance?’ she held out her hand, and Luz’s filled it.

She grinned at the next one, Luz scooping up her and her broken foot after playing grudgby against Boscha.

Then, pasted to the next page was one of the letters Luz had written to her as her secret admirer. She smiled down at it, though in the back of her mind she wondered how Luz had found it, she kept them all in a special box in their closet.

A younger and bashful looking Luz rose up from the paper with a handful of Blood-Blossoms.

‘These flowers could never be as beautiful as you, but I hope you like them anyway...”

There were also a couple of memories from the Masquerade, their dancing, and after the party had ended in her bedroom. Luz stood behind her, quietly, watching, waiting.

She flipped through its many pages, trying not to get too teary-eyed at some, like the night under the grom tree on their one month anniversary, their first fall shower, or her fifteenth birthday. Of course, Luz also included their fight with the illusion track upperclassmen, their first fight, her first numberry tripout when they were camping and that first, awkward dinner with her parents, as well as another first time she quickly flipped past, cheeks red and Luz, snickered behind her as she rolled her eyes.

Of course, she would add that...

She grinned, eyes glazed over with unshed tears at their second grom, graduation when she'd moved into the owl house, and a host of all the other things in between them were brought to life by the wailing stars' magic.

She turned the page about halfway through the book to find the last page with nothing on it.

This one did not contain a memory photo, instead, stuck inside it was a sticky note with a simple single line of text, the magic of the wailing star made the small magic copy of her girlfriend appear on the page, looking up at her.  

‘Will you help make the next one by saying yes?’

Amity blinked.

“What? Say yes to wh-” she turned and dropped the book, hands shooting up to cover her mouth as she looked down at Luz on one knee, holding up a small box with a sparkling ring sitting in it.

Luz’s heart was beating in her chest so hard she thought for sure it was about to break some of her ribs. Her mouth was dry, but she somehow managed to speak.

“Amity Blight, will you continue our story with me and marry me?” she asked.

What was in reality only a few seconds felt like an eternity as Luz watched the tears well up in her eyes and drip down her cheeks, her mouth working soundlessly.

“Yes!” she finally managed to shout when she could speak again.

Luz broke out into a bright smile and jumped up, pulling the ring out of the box and taking hold of her girlfriend's shaking left hand, and slipping the ring on her finger.

As soon as it was in place Amity practically flung herself on her, kissing her, even as tears slid down her cheeks.

Luz couldn't stop grinning even as her own eyes welled with tears, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around while Amity squeezed her neck.

She finally set her down but Amity didn't let go.

"I love you," She choked, face buried in her neck.

"Yo también te amo, Amity" she mumbled, squeezing her.

After several long minutes, she finally pulled back and Luz grinned at her, wiping the tears from her pale cheeks before she reached down to pick up the book and handing it to Amity.

"Try not to set these on fire…" Luz grinned and Amity gave her a gentle shove.

"Never," she promised as she really looked at the ring now sitting on her finger and tears threatened to fall again.

"It's beautiful, Luz…" she sniffled, and looked up at her, smiling, and Luz smiled back at her.

It was late when they finally left the library and headed home on Luz's staff.

All the lights were still on in the owl house when they arrived.

Lilith and Eda were both sitting in the living room, along with Gus and Willow when they walked in.

They were looking at them, trying not to appear expectant in case Luz hadn't asked but she grinned at them and held up Amity's hand.

"She said yes!" she declares and the living room erupted with cheers and congratulations.

"I'm going to get the good apple blood!" Eda grinned, disappearing into the kitchen, Lilith following behind her to help.

"Dibs on best man!" Gus called, jumping up.

"You got it." Luz laughed.

"So, was it everything you dreamed it would be?" Willow asked, sliding up to Amity, who smiled at her before glancing at her new fiancée as she talked excitedly with Gus and held the precious leather book in her hands.

"It was perfect."

~~

Before anyone absolutely loses their minds, no, this isn't the end, but a secondary plotline that will take place between their adventures as teenagers in the past.

[circlingravens]

“He’s probably a thief-- that would explain the whipping!”

“Valen, that doesn’t explain the accent.” “What accent?”

“Did you seriously not notice? He speaks extraordinarily properly.”

“So do you, Mora. You’re not a noble!” “He’s got the voice, though.”

The banter was cut short as the General strode up to the gathered soldiers. Minus Kien, of course-- the Prince was asleep, gently coaxed into slumber by Leon’s magic. It was best, the healer had claimed, that he rest.

“Let’s not speculate on our new arrival,” he interjected, folding both arms to eye the group sternly. For a moment, silence, before a slow smile spread across his face.

“Not when I’m not here to place a bet, anyway. He’s a soldier. Probably worked at the palace.”

Valen, for once, didn’t immediately jump in, but pondered the theory for a moment, then just shook his head.

“Naw, boss. You’re wrong on this one. They wouldn’t whip a guard.” Before the General could make his claim against that particular statement, Leon piped in, voice soft, but audible.

“I’m afraid you’re all wrong. He’s probably a commoner who married in to nobility.”

A heavy hand was placed on the healer’s shoulders, and a fond look passed between him and the larger elf crouching beside him.

“Leon, dear, the likelihood of this one being a rags-to-riches story is rather low.” “It makes sense!” He protested, but a soft grin from the other elf-- Reneth-- softened any indignity suffered.

“He’s a kid. Don’t think he’d marry so young. We should be careful, though. I don’t trust him.”

“He is not a kid!” Valen protested loudly, cutting the two short.

The argument erupted from there. Still, despite the raised tones, shouting, even, all of it remained perfectly friendly. Faux-punches were thrown, but never made contact, and varying smiles remained on everyone’s faces. Several bets were placed-- on Kien’s age, his status, his background.

The fight could have gone on for quite some time, with this particular group, devolving to any manner of ridiculous ideas, had the newcomer not silently padded up. Awake, apparently. And shirtless, given that Leon had cut his shirt open and he hadn’t been able to find any replacements within the healing tent.

Everyone fell silent, as one tends to when the subject of whom you were speaking of shows up to the discussion. Several awkward moments passed, before Valen broke the tension with a sharp whistle.

“You’re pretty buff, dude.” A soft chuckle ran through most of the group, if only to ward away silence.

“Speaking of which! Actually, not the same topic. How old are you?”

Kien blinked at the question, pursing his lips. Was that important? Did it reveal his identity? ...Probably not. Frankly, if they’d known of him, they’d have already guessed his identity, given the color of his eyes.

“Nineteen.”

Valen was… anything but subtle with his victory, and his triumphant woot! and fist bump revealed that to Kien, who just took it with a confused smile. Given the Prince’s observant nature (now that he wasn’t so completely distracted with fear), the quiet exchanging of coins from hand to hand wasn’t missed by him, and he raised an eyebrow at the group as a whole.

Still, though, despite the overall jovial mood, the General seemed rather bothered by Kien’s statement, and watched him for a long moment, frowning to himself. Before Kien could ask about it, though, the older elf had turned away.

“Would you like to come sit with us? They’re all hooligans, but we have drinks.” Mora’s offer was quiet-- she wasn’t nearly as loud as the others, but even without wearing the same grin most of them did, she was still politely friendly. Reneth was another story-- the hulking figure was practically scowling, now that Kien had joined the group. Gone was the tenderness he’d displayed towards Leon-- no, this elf was completely suspicious, if not downright hostile now.

“Sure. Thank you.” Kien wasn’t planning to drink-- he didn’t like how his senses were impared, and his injury left enough up in the wind should a surprise fight occur he did not need the additional barrier. And this was a war, he had to remember. Fights should be expected, as far as he knew.

Still, he joined them, taking a seat cross-legged on the ground around a low fire. The team was loud (most of the volume coming from Valen), but the atmosphere was overall quite pleasent. Kien said little, preferring to get a feel for the various soldiers he’d be fighting with. Of them, Valen talked the most, cracking jokes-- some clever, some crude-- and telling stories of his life outside of the war, the majority of which were about his wife back home. Leon and Reneth spent most of the time sitting close enough to touch, exchanging looks that made it quite clear they had a thing for each other. Mora’s inputs were usually startlingly witty, or calling Valen out on something stupid. The General, however, said very little, keeping his attention on Kien. Watching him. It was understandable-- he wished to keep his team safe, but Kien couldn’t help but feel a bit on edge. He had a secret to keep, and couldn’t have anyone learning it. Worse, he had no idea what the General would pick on, what tiny habits might clue him in. He’d have to think about every move before making it. Every gesture, every word, every step. Nothing could clue anyone in to his role as the Crown Prince, not if he wished to avoid his Father’s wrath. Assuming he survived this. Despite his worries, though, he found himself having a genuinely good time, and it seemed everyone else was enjoying themselves as well.

Until the flock of birds flew overhead, anyway. At the first rough squack, everyone, without fail, froze. Confusion flickered across Kien’s face, and he opened his mouth to express it, but a calloused hand clamped over his mouth. The General’s. A shutter wracked through Kien’s shoulders at the restrictive contact, but he too went still.

Mora tossed a bucket of water over the fire, letting the steam hiss up into the darkened sky, her eyes locked on the flock. Silence reigned for several seconds, until the birds had passed fully by. Only then did the General explain.

“This war is against the Shifters,” he hissed, tone still hushed. “They can assume any animal’s shape-- you can’t trust anything. They can usually be signaled apart from the natural-”

A crow’s croak cut him off. The sound was low, heavy, and stretched far longer than it should as it morphed into a scream, and the first of the birds dove. The rest followed in short succession, looping back and raining down upon the camp.

Before they hit the ground, each bird had assumed humanoid shapes-- lanky and graceful, with sharp-toothed smiles bared and long ears that angled downwards.

A single arrow split the air before the Shifters advanced as one, its singing filling all of the elves’ ears. Each of them knew the Lady Death’s tune all too well. Still, though, they rose, crouching to meet the advancing attack.

There would be blood spilled tonight.

[woodchoc-magnum]

911:Lone Star 2x06 Hate Watch

I finally watched it! Just in time for tomorrow’s boring ass episode.

Also I typed this as I was watching it so it is literally my stream of consciousness during the episode, apologies in advance.

Eddie to cleanse:

Disclaimer: I hate this show, if you love this show, that’s cool! You do you boo

Hate under the cut:

CONJOINED TWINS

This show is SO GROSS

They're not that close, wow

I mean yeah I would get so fucking sick of having someone attached to my head for sure

This show is the grossest

Naw they're friends again

Aw baby TK is learning how to drive the big boy truck what a good widdle boy

EXCUSE ME how did the guy in OG 911 drive the fire truck if it's this hard to start one?!

"Mom and Dad are having a BABY and they're ANCIENT"

I’m just throwing it out there, this baby ain't gonna be born

Judd is the best

They have to do laundry; why have I never considered this before?

Omg I have seen the lady who plays Paul's mother in so many things!

Oh the sister is straight up transphobic isn't she

I never met a Naomi I liked, just saying

(apologies to any Naomi's on my Tumblr, I'm sure you're great)

Are they going on a road trip in the middle of a pandemic?

Oh wait the pandemic doesn't exist in Lone Star does it

They do know they can't drive to the South Pole right, like you can't actually drive from Central America to South America

Oh no they have to replace zombie Tim

I miss zombie Tim

Remember when Tim got absolutely fucking annihilated by the lava rock that was so funny

The lady in the red sweater is Carla Gallo, she has been in a shit ton of things – but I will always remember her from Carnivale

Omg she headbutted that dude, they should hire her

Ooh potential new paramedic is hot but in a serial killer way?

In that he kinda looks like a serial killer

Some people have serial killer face I don't make the rules

Speaking of serial killer face, here's TK

"I am going to be a father" BITCH

YOU ARE ALREADY A FATHER

YOUR SON IS LITERALLY SITTING RIGHT THERE\

I mean I hate them both BUT STILL

Naomi says Texas is a little dull for her – that's just the Lone Star filter

Yo I watch these YouTubers and they have videos in Texas and there's like, no brown filter? And the sky is blue? But I thought the sky in Texas was blue with a layer of brown over the top?!

Oh biiiitch "you of all people do not get to play the gender card" BITCH

What's your fucking problem Naomi

Uh oh, oh no

Now they're making me feel bad for her

Rob Lowe "he's been a little chilly"

NO I WONDER WHY

GEE

WHAT COULD HE POSSIBLY BE UPSET ABOUT ROB LOWE

Cyanide poisoning

Did the new paramedic… give her the cyanide? No okay it was the flowers, still I am suspicious

See we've got this scene with these two kids and if you'll notice, they're standing outside with a blue sky above them – now my YouTubers tell me that the Texan sky is blue, not a shitty shade of brown

And honestly I’m inclined to trust my YouTubers, they seem like nice people

WHAT IS THE TRUTH

Oh no are these two kids gonna get shot

THEY'RE IN A MINEFIELD????

WHAT

THE

ACTUAL

FUCK

Is the guy with the gun gonna get blown up

PLEASE

PLEASE

PLEASE

PLEASE

YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES

YES

YES

THAT WAS GREAT

10/10 BRILLIANT

HAHAHAHAHA I WILL NEVER STOP LAUGHING

Why is Rob Lowe going into a minefield?

Oh this paramedic doesn't want to walk into a minefield wooow what a LOSER

I mean… I also wouldn't walk into a minefield

OH HERE'S TK

"I can do this" he says blandly

I hope TK blows up

How the actual fuck are they going to do this

What I love is that everyone else just stands around and watches them, no masks, no social distancing

Because there's no pandemic

Literally NO ONE IS WEARING A MASK

I'd really like Rob Lowe to get blown up

Disappointed that Rob Lowe and TK did not get blown up

Wow TK what a hero

This week in 911: Rob Lowe, Rob Lowe navigates a literal minefield!

Serial killer paramedic is gonna quit

Wow they know about union reps in Austin (that was just a little OG lawsuit-arc burn there)

"A cowboy culture" okay dude

The dude you replaced DID get hit by a lava bomb, it was great

Oh his name is Pearce, why am I only just learning this now

Is Carlos in this show anymore or no?

Oh wow he goes to the hospital and he's WEARING A MASK

The sister has MS???

Someone should have told him

Okay we don't need to compete with each other's traumas now

Wow she got over the transphobia quickly

I mean can he have a storyline that isn't about transphobia

Wow TK is applying to be a paramedic WHO DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING

PLOT. TWIST.

TK is getting even with Dad BY NOT WORKING WITH HIM ANYMORE that'll show you Dad

No Carlos?

No?

K.

Ooooooh Rob Lowe is a petty bitch

"Want to tell me what's going on with you?" "Well Dad you kinda act like me being your son doesn't fucking matter so that's why"

"TK is this really what you want?" yeah I get him not wanting to work with you

"Emotional reaction" TK has emotions?

This guy can't act

Someone needs to tell him that he can't act

"I don't think it's weird you're having another kid at your age" MATE I THINK IT'S WEIRD

HELLO I THINK IT'S WEIRD

Ugh god this is supposed to be emotional isn't it

Let's face it, this baby ain't gonna live

And if it does live I'll be shocked

It's nice that Paul's mother is so accepting of him though, she's so great. I pretty much love this actress anytime I see her in something

Oh they're having a boy wooow

That baby ain't gonna live

UGH "hey little brother I'll see you soon" I AM ROLLING MY EYES FOREVER

Overall verdict:

2/10 BUT a dude did blow up in a minefield and it was great so + 1000 for that makes it 1002/10, specifically - AND ONLY - for that one scene where that dude blew up

Diaz to CLEANSE THE SOUL:

[sceptilemasterr]

MW Act 3, Scene 4 - L.A.R.A.

Title: Most Wanted: The Hollywood Killer (A CIU Screenplay)

Main Pairings: Dave x Sam

Other Pairings: N/A

Genre: Full Rewrite

Rating: PG-13 for violence, blood, swearing, alcohol, and sexuality

Summary: At the L.A.R.A. gala, Sam and Dave are reunited and share a dance.

Previous Scene: It All Comes Together

Masterlist: Link

INT. L.A.R.A. BALLROOM - NIGHT

The L.A.R.A. gala, set within the historic Beijing Theater, is decorated lavishly, fit for a who’s who of Hollywood celebrities. Well-dressed men and women mix and mingle throughout the ballroom. Dave, Rebecca, and Rhea walk in through a side entrance, looking around for anything suspicious. Dave and Rebecca are both impeccably dressed Hollywood-style, while Rhea looks slightly uncomfortable in the old prom dress she is wearing. Rebecca places a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

REBECCA: Breathe. It’s okay. I know it’s a lot.

RHEA: I... oh my God! So many celebrities... I think I might faint--

REBECCA: Seriously. Just take a breath. We’re on a mission, remember?

RHEA: Oh, right! Sorry!

Rhea takes a deep breath, steadying herself.

REBECCA: Better?

RHEA: A little. Thanks!

REBECCA: Anytime. Now, let’s keep an eye out for...

Her voice trails off as she spots Dave making his way over to a poker table, where Ryan Summers and several other celebrities are fully engrossed in a heated game. Rebecca groans.

REBECCA: Dammit, Dave...

RHEA: What’s wrong? He might be able to get some good intel from those guys, right?

REBECCA: You’ve been spending too much time with Dave, haven’t you? He’ll be there all night if we let him. C’mon, let’s--

She is interrupted by a sudden commotion from outside. She and Rhea turn their gaze toward the entrance, where they see Cassandra Leigh emerging from a limo outside.

RHEA (excited): Wow! Is that the Cassandra Leigh?!

REBECCA (unimpressed): Do you have any idea how many celebrities are gonna be here tonight? If we stop to gawk at every single one of ‘em, we’ll be here all--

She stops talking and her jaw drops as Sam emerges from the limo behind Cassandra. Sam is nearly unrecognizable in a beautiful, flowing red dress that is the envy of every celebrity at the gala. Sam takes a pose with Cassandra, smiling and waving as the paparazzi swarm the two of them.

REBECCA: Is that--

RHEA: Sam?!

Dave looks up from his poker game and spots Sam. He is mesmerized by the sight of her.

DAVE (stunned): Holy...

RYAN (knowingly): No way. I know that look. Reyes, of all people?!

DAVE (annoyed): Don’t you say a word, Summers.

As everyone watches, Cassandra and Sam continue into the ballroom, pushing aside paparazzi as they do so. 

RHEA: Okay, Sam and Cassandra Leigh? I’ve gotta find out what’s going on there--

Rebecca rests a firm hand on Rhea’s shoulder.

REBECCA: Whatever Sam’s up to, she’s probably going for it undercover. I doubt we’d help by rushing in, guns a’blazin’.

Rhea starts to respond, then stops herself.

RHEA: ...You’re probably right. So, what now?

REBECCA: We mingle. Try and figure out who Hayley’s “enemies” might be... people Tull might think he’s “protecting” her from.

Rhea shrugs.

RHEA: Honestly? If I had to pick people Hayley Rose had a serious reason to be upset with... well, I’d just be listing the people Tull already got to. Who else could be left?

REBECCA: That’s what we’re here to find out. Come on, let’s go find some--oh. Oh no.

Rebecca suddenly looks out across the ballroom. Rhea follows her gaze--to see Dave walking straight toward the middle of the dance floor, where Sam is chatting with Aly Griffin and a few other well-dressed partygoers. Rhea cringes at the sight.

RHEA: This won’t end well.

REBECCA: Don’t I know it. (sighs) Better get over there before those two start drawin’ all the attention to themselves.

The two women make their way through the crowd as Dave approaches Sam.

ALY: Dave! Hey, glad you could make it! (turns to Sam) Where are my manners? Sam, this is--

SAM: I know who he is. Believe me.

ALY (awkwardly): Oh! Uh...

SAM: Dave, what the hell are you doing here?!

DAVE: I’m--uh--

Aly looks curiously at Dave as he tries to come up with a response, shocked to see him outside of his usual confident demeanor. Sam stares at Dave as, behind him, Rebecca and Rhea approach.

DAVE: Look, it doesn’t--I think I should be the one asking you that question! Last I heard, you were storming off for a flight back to Texas!

SAM: Oh, is that what this is about? You just couldn’t wait to be rid of me, is that it?

DAVE: What?! No--

SAM: Well, too bad, pretty boy. Beckham or no, I’ve never left a case unfinished, and I ain’t about to change that now.

DAVE: I... not that I don’t sympathize, but this really isn’t the time for--

ALY: I’m sorry, you two know each other? Have I missed something?

Dave and Sam are both startled out of their argument, remembering Aly is still there. Dave lowers his voice and explains:

DAVE: Er, right, sorry. This is Sam Massey. U.S. Marshal and former partner with me on the Tull case.

SAM: Gotta be honest, I can’t say I realized you’d be here, Reyes. Can we go somewhere for a sec? Privately?

At a nod from Dave, Rebecca motions to Rhea, and they back off.

DAVE (sighs): Fine. Just don’t draw too much--

He is cut off as the music changes to an elegant waltz. A D.J. announces over the loudspeakers:

D.J. (ON SPEAKER): And bringing it down a little, here’s a nice and slow one for all you happy couples out on the dance floor!

As couples begin to pair up and begin slow dancing around them, Sam and Dave look at one another awkwardly. Sam coughs.

SAM: I, uh...

DAVE (whispering): Should we try to, uh, escape?

SAM (whispering): I think it’s too late for that.

Dave shrugs and clears his throat.

DAVE: In that case... ahem.

He bows dramatically and extends a hand toward Sam.

DAVE: Deputy Massey. May I have this dance?

ALY: Oh come on! Why is EVERY guy I’m into already taken?!

Sam struggles to keep from laughing as she takes his hand.

SAM: Why, of course, Detective Reyes.

The two of them begin waltzing, slightly awkwardly at first, before finding their footing. They fall into a smooth rhythm, resuming their conversation in hushed whispers as they dance.

DAVE (whispering): So. Mind explaining what you’re doing here? Did Beckham reassign you to the case?

SAM (whispering): Don’t I wish. Naw, I’m just a private citizen enjoying a gala. A gala where there happen to be plenty of celebrities who might be targets for our... mutual friend.

DAVE (whispering): Well... can’t say much, but let me tell you, you’re onto something. That notepad from the trailer... forensics ran it. They found “LARA” written on the top page.

At Dave’s words, Sam begins scanning the room covertly while they continue dancing.

SAM (whispering): Wanna make a promise? If either of us find a lead, we tell the other. Deal?

They dance several moments in silence while Dave deliberates.

DAVE (whispering): Deal. I may still be mad about that move you pulled in the trailer, but I won’t say no to some capable backup.

SAM (whispering): Same. Gotta admit, you ain’t half bad in a fight.

DAVE (whispering): Right back at you. (louder) And I have to say, you look... well... absolutely stunning.

This time, Sam allows herself to giggle a bit.

SAM (awkwardly): Oh! Thanks. And, well, uh... you don’t look so bad yourself.

They dance in silence for another moment or two, until...

D.J. (ON SPEAKER): Aaaaaand that’s enough of the slow dancing! Put your hands up for some hoppin’ beats!

The couples around them start splitting apart as they dance to the energetic EDM that starts playing next. Sam and Dave take advantage of the confusion to split off again. The camera follows Sam as she heads toward the bar, when she notices Hayley in the midst of a very heated argument with her agent.

HAYLEY: Ugh! You are so... How dare you?!

BROOKS: Hayley. You know I only want what’s best for you--

Hayley stomps her foot angrily.

HAYLEY: Bullshit! I know you’ve been talking with other starlets; you just wanna replace me!

BROOKS: Replace you? I would never--

HAYLEY: SHUT UP!

As Sam watches, Hayley bursts into tears and sprints away from her agent, straight toward the gala entrance. After a moment’s hesitation, Sam sprints after her, shoving patrons out of the way.

SAM: Hayley! Wait!

Hayley sobs as she rushes through the doors, completely oblivious to Sam’s shouts. As Sam approaches the exit, Dave approaches, jogging alongside her.

DAVE: Rebecca’s already calling in for backup to protect Brooks. He might be Tull’s next target!

SAM: Good thinkin’. We’ve gotta warn Hayley!

DAVE: Exactly. No tellin’ what a creep like Tull might do to her...

The two of them burst through the doors into the L.A. night air.

_______________________

Next: Street Pursuit

CIU Tag List: @brightpinkpeppercorn @endlesshero1122 @bbaba-yagaa @acidsugar0

MW Tag List: @griselda1121

[illustratethestars]

NOT YET IN COLOR

Chapter 3: NOT YET IN COLOR

Penn sidles up beside you on the street, walking with head ducked under their hood. Inq, ever the showy one, steps gracefully along on your other side, silent and smiling.

“Psst.” Penn says, “I’ve found another chapter of Cyan and Yellow make Green for ‘ya, but it’s getting harder to get these chapters. I nearly lost an eye this time.” They hold a scroll, waving it, a temptation. “Yeah so I had to smuggle out a few words like the first time. I’m sure you can find someone knowledgeable to help you out.”

“This one? It’s got more of that ass, Dial. ‘Course it’s got RGB, too, and a special guest on his part. There’s some Character suffering, and I guess if you count frayed suits you could call it ‘body horror’, but it’s nothin’ you can’t handle, right? It’s going to cost you. How much is 1869 words worth to ‘ya?”

Penn seems surprisingly pleased by your offering of a blue ink pen, and happily accepts it as payment, giving it over to Inq, where the blue adds to her natural coloration.  “Much obliged.” Penn and Inq leave you, with a scroll and a new story to read.

CHAPTER 1 IS HERE

CHAPTER 2 IS HERE

Ch. 3 NOT YET IN COLOR

Dial had to watch over his shoulder every time he left the ☝🕆❄❄☜☼. Sure he couldn’t die by violence, and he could heal from most things, but that didn’t mean he wanted to meet an angry Magnus again-- or anyone else that cute little pumpkin Hero might end up recruiting. Adorable as she was, her habit of picking up big, intimidating friends was dangerous.

“Phew, I was right, ‘Y ‘ole talk-box. You sure did pick a prize fighter.” He wandered over to the 🏱✌🏱☜☼-thin cage. It had been only a few days, but the floor was covered in ink.

Cyan and yellow had been swirled together into lines vaguely resembling grass, with spatters of red imitating flowers, like a child’s drawing. In places, the colors had been trodden on, mixing them into an ugly brownish swirl.

One of RGB’s gloves, stained with ink and cut to shreds, rested on the floor of the cage in front of Dial. He was unsurprised, but intrigued. He tutted idly.

“That’s the thing about ☜👎✋❄⚐☼💧, ain’t it? When you’re indelible like we are, even the ☜👎✋❄⚐☼🕯💧 💧👍✋💧💧⚐☼💧 can’t take some things away from you. But they can sure do a number on you for a little while.” He stuck his hands in his pockets and waited.

Slowly, the screaming high-pitched whine came up again. RGB raised himself up from a corner of the floor, weight lopsided and movements jerky. Gold vines wrapped around the cage, with blue flowers blooming. His suit glitched and fizzled in white noise and static, black and white and inconsistent. A large black and white eye displayed on his screen.

It looked at Dial, at first. Then down, at all the ink. His own ink drifted upwards, slowly. This Version, the Negative, looked around as if perplexed.

Dial noticed it only had one shoe. Both he and the Negative looked around curiously.

A gold vine dipped down outside the cage and returned, bringing with it the shoe, small blue flowers beginning to bud and bloom over it. Negative reached for it, then seemed to notice his hands were missing.

He took a step, but without his shoe, he fell with a loud and painful-sounding crash.

Dial watched impassively as the negative ignored him, crawling with its arms alone toward the glove, until it reached the messy thing. Black and white with green and yellow smeared all over it.

It reached out to the glove, and the glove re-fit itself into its hand. The colorful ink glitched and faded to black and white again. The pieces were still shredded, but they fit.

The Negative pushed itself up and pulled itself to its shoe via the bars, and replaced that as well.

The Negative finally seemed to acknowledge Dial, looking at him with a tilt of its head.

Dial shrugged. “Dunno where the other glove is, I wasn’t there.” He admitted.

Whether Negative fully understood was anyone’s guess. It continued to wander slowly, pacing the cage, looking for the other glove. The vines kept looping around it, and the flowers grew bigger. They were starting to make Dial feel claustrophobic, as they were much less restrained than Negative was. The vines began to press outward, nearly blocking his exits. The high-pitched whine continued. Was it pain? Or just this whole creature’s existence? Were those the same thing?

He hesitated to call this ‘thing’ RGB, or even ‘He’. It seemed more… animalistic. Like Fears and Nightmares, without a true consciousness or stream of thought.

He looked up inside the cage and saw black spatters against the ceiling, like stars in reverse. He wasn’t sure when he had seen stars before. Had he? The vines began to press against his back. It didn’t seem like a conscious threat, more like a creature rolling over in its sleep threatening to squish him.

“Now you wouldn’t hurt ‘yer own cousin, would you?” Dial asked, more to hear his own voice than anything.

Negative turned to him briefly, as if just remembering his existence. Then it seemed to forget again, and went on looking. It knelt down and reached outside its cage. The bars 🏱✌🏱☜☼-cut into his sleeve, but he didn’t seem to notice, only picked up the glove and stuck it back on.

The whining grew louder, louder, ever louder. The blue flowers exploded around him as Dial’s head filled with the sound of the whine, until he had to clutch his head. He felt his knee hit the ground, but didn’t hear the ‘CLINK’, he only heard screaming.

After a moment, Negative hit the ground, too. Dial realized that at least some of the screaming had been his. The sound had ripped through his wiring like a band saw, then it vanished, leaving him with just a splitting headache.

He breathed heavily, ignoring the way the sound reverberated uncomfortably in his skull. Nothing could be quite so uncomfortable as that hellish racket.

The high-pitched noise had gone away. He briefly wondered if RGB had somehow found a way to die 🕈✋❄☟⚐🕆❄ ☟✌❄☜🕯💧 🏱☜☼💣✋💧💧✋⚐☠.

Dial stayed on the ground for the moment, collecting himself. He wasn’t sure what that was, but he knew he didn’t like it. He looked at the remains of the flowers. Blue roses. They were beautiful, yes, but very strange. Curiously, he picked up a few petals.

“So that’s how you’ve survived all this time, huh?” Dial mused. Whatever that negative creature was, it seemed to help RGB survive. He couldn’t explain the flowers, though.

He got up and went to fetch Hate. He could clean up the petals, but the vines would require some ☜👎✋❄⚐☼✋✌☹ 🏱☼✋✞✋☹☜☝☜💧 he didn’t have.

The whine picked up again, finally. It seemed to take hours, and it was only at first before the sound faded into the background. The vines were cleared away, and all but one flower had been ☜��✌💧☜👎. Dial toyed with the single handful of petals, intrigued by them.

RGB -and it was RGB this time- was a mess of colors. His suit was a horribly ugly yellow-green with cyan detailing, a true eyesore, with spattered colors around that had clearly come from the undried ink around him.

“Well hey there, sleepin’ beauty!” Dial chirped sweetly.

RGB looked at him, but said nothing. Not that it mattered, his volume was off, but he had free hands. He could have turned it back on. He just didn’t want to.

“Naw, that’s fine, you always were a better listener than me. I’ll do the talkin’ fer us.” Dial assured, rubbing the blue petals between his fingertips and letting them fall where they may.

RGB seemed curious about them. Then he looked at his hands. Yellow and cyan dripped again from his monitor. He didn’t get up. He just sat and curled up, arms around his knees, monitor to the ground. His antennae tilted back. He didn’t want to see or hear Dial, didn’t want to think about his presence.

“You’ll be pleased to know, your little princess is safe ‘n sound. Led her to the marketplace myself. Found an ol’ friend ‘a yours on the way!” Dial chirped, stepping over.

RGB hesitated before raising his head to look.

“Mmhm, that ex ‘a yours! Crystal-head. Magnus. Hoo-wee he was madder ‘n a rattlesnake in a roller rink.”

Guessing by the yellow and red dripping from his monitor, RGB was pretty pissed, too.

Dial leaned against the bars. Their ❄⚐☼☠ edges wouldn’t cut him on the outside of the cage.

“Oh, yeah. We didn’t talk much. Your kiddo kept him from killing me, what a sweetie! Guess my charm works on her after all!” He beamed in mock-pride, watching RGB seethe with hatred.

Dial knelt down to RGB’s height, lingering right in his space, to annoy him. His ‘On-air’ sign flashed on.

“You know she’s going to come back.” He finally allowed his feelings to slip in. Smug satisfaction, knowing how things would end. “You know she’s going to die here.”

RGB lashed out to grab the front of his coat, and pulled him roughly into the bars. He may have been on his knees and torn to shreds, but he still had a remarkable strength to him, even as his limbs shook and suit frayed.

Dial let him get it out, watching the red leak onto the floor.

“Hoo-ey, you know I love gettin’ yer goat there, Cuz’!” He laughed and reached in to pat RGB’s head. “I thought your meadow could use a few more flowers.” He took RGB’s hat and pressed his arm into the bars.

RGB made a sound of sudden static as the 🏱✌🏱☜☼ cut into his suit. He let go hastily and withdrew into himself again, and Dial stood back up.

A few more spatters of red littered RGB’s makeshift fields. He stared at the fingerpainted grass again and, after a moment, cyan started dripping, too.

He seemed to keep one relatively clean space in his cage, presumably to sleep, since that was where Negative had woken up. The rest of the floor, however, was an increasingly muddled mess.

He slowly started to mix the dripping cyan with the red left behind, to create dots of purple flowers. Something new to look at, perhaps.

“There now, see? That’s right pretty.” Dial hummed.

“Too bad. It would have been so much easier to just… change your mind. I used to do it all the time.” He looked at the boater hat, considering it.

No, he decided, These things look ridiculous.

He shrugged and tossed it aside, into the clean white room, away from the ink.

“Best to keep that clean, now. You might need it when… Oh, who knows? Maybe Hate will let you have it back when you’re mourning this one.”

RGB looked up at him again, briefly, before returning to his work. Dial was starting to wonder if he’d cracked.

“There’s no locks to pick, no keys to steal, here. Maybe you are changing your mind. The hard way.” He mused.

“I must admit, I’m a little jealous.” Dial stepped away, toward the door. He slipped his hands into his pockets and wandered almost aimlessly out.

“I’d have killed to get this much regret out of you.” He paused a moment, thinking.

“Say… that’s not a bad idea.”

He stepped out.

RGB looked up, monitor dripping yellow once more.

After a moment, he leaned forward and gripped the bars of his cage with one hand, ignoring the split in his glove widening painfully. No, he gripped harder.

Yellow: the fear of pain and suffering. Blue: The sadness of loss. Purple: The curiosity of what would come next. Red: The anger of having his plans go so far astray.

Green: The joy of having a plan.

From the ceiling, a single drop of black fell into the mess.

He looked up and saw the collection of drying black ink on the ceiling. He couldn’t account for or explain them, but he had a good feeling about them.

He raised his other hand to the bars and squeezed tight.

He emitted another high-pitched whine, and his body shook, but he wasn’t going to stop now. They had one chance. He had to be ready for it, in spite of the pain.

[tally-my-words]

Friends Have Benefits

For @thesneakyhobo who got me to watch the new Voltron show. Watch out or I will give you crypto/xenobiology posts on possibly wonderful ideas for the Galrans.

This, however, is purely weird Klance fluff to the max.

Keith knows looking back how it all starts is his fault. Of course, he goes to Shiro. Shiro has always been his person, the safe crush, the big brother now that he’s growing past idealizing the older pilot. Shiro was his hero. Shiro then went and somehow became his friend. Before robot lions or aliens or traveling to Pluto’s moons, it was Shiro who got him into a space program and made sure he had a roof. Of course, he used to have a crush on Shiro. Of course, somehow, Shiro’s still the one he goes to when he needs perspective.

“You have to help me avoid Lance,” he informs the other paladin.

Shiro’s concern is immediate and professional. He’s obviously concerned for his team. “Why? What’s wrong?” he asks.

Keith standing in the hanger bay wonders what he’d fall through if he cut a hole through the floor, probably some mechanical crawl space. “Lance won’t leave me alone… I’ve got a crush on him and he won’t leave me alone.”

Shiro wishes he could be phased. He’s not surprised. Instead, he holds himself still, wills himself not to fall over laughing, because it’s a close thing. He shoots a look at Allura who’s standing to the side. He can tell she heard and he glares that she better not make light. Keith isn’t always comfortable with caring. He knows the Keith better than almost anyone, though, so he knows what to say. “I’m pretty sure you could tell Lance to his face and he wouldn’t notice.”

Keith rolls his eyes, trying not to chuckle himself. His humor is self-deprecating but better than his anxiety over how Lance would react. “Yeah, he’s too busy being straight,” the red lion’s paladin jokes.

Keith misses Coran’s entrance. The man should wear a bell. He realizes when he catches Allura shooing him. He’s not surprised

"You're right, Princess, if they realize their feelings for each other those two will be more insufferable than they already are!" Coran exclaims. Keith feels his face heat up as bright as his armor. Why must Coran blow everything out of proportion and constantly make excessively bold assumptions?!

Shiro and Allura’s expressions approach incredulous while Keith grows still brighter red. The paladin’s timing and fate couldn’t get worse.

Lance walks up like a minute later, studies the suddenly quiet group and ask,. "What are you talking about?"

Of course, Pidge practically falls out of an access panel to answer, "How silly it is that someone has a crush on you."

Lance’s excitement in the room is palpable. He practically dances on the balls of his feet in victory. “Someone has a crush on me?” he tries to verify.

Shiro and Allura wonder for a long moment how weirdly this will go.

Anytime four paladin’s of Voltron are in a single room, it’s invariable that the fifth will join and Hunk proves that when in enters the bay. "What's up?"

Coran has grown interested in something else by this point and Allura considers how much it will help to strike her forehead with her palm. She’s watched Shiro attempt the act multiple times and banging a palm to one’s face seems to calm the humans.

Keith cringes when Lance reiterates Pidge’s bold statement "Someone has a crush on me!"

"You're just realizing Keith likes you?" Hunk replies, curious how the blue paladin could be so oblivious.

Lance beams in reply, the mistake makes sense, but it’s obviously flawed. "Naw, Keith has a huge crush on Shiro. It's super flattering that you all think that, though!"

Keith’s face turns pink once more. He feels the need to qualify it. It’s not the first time he’s considered why he liked Shiro so much. “Anyone will have a crush on the person who taught them to fly - who found them a thing and got them a home... it was a phase." He turns and leaves, feigning exhaustion with the subject and their petty drama.

Lance follows him out, never thinking twice or considering that Keith could need or want privacy. "Shiro is pretty awesome, so I get that."

If Lance wasn't, somehow, his best friend, Keith would be irate at the question from his crush. It's so simple and genuine. There's no judgment from Lance's perspective - just that damn genuine curiosity.

"What's it like having a crush on someone you're friends with?" Lance asks, effortless and oblivious, but well meaning.

Keith is vaguely confused at first. "You're telling me you've never had a crush on a friend? You like Allura!"

Lance blushes lightly. "Of course I like Allura. She's beautiful, kind, and all … but sort of boring. She knows everything. It would be exhausting to always be wrong!"

"Oh, that would be so horrible!" Keith counters, rolling his eyes as he laughs at Lance. "What makes you think like that?"

"Well, you meet someone and you think they're pretty, you go on a few dates, and then if you're friends you consider making it more serious, right?"

"It a romantic movie from the last century!" Keith teases. "You sound like you've never met someone you'd fantasize about touching or imagine waking up with?"

"Not yet. No one gives me the chance to get there," Lance replies, half indignant.

"That's why it's got to be better liking people you already know!"

"It is absolutely not better! It's awkward and embarrassing and there's constant fear of rejection. It cranks anxiety through the roof," Keith counters. "So, hotshot, ever kiss a girl?"

"Several. Nothing made much of an impression? I figure it's overrated. Sell more mints or something," Lance replies easily. "I figure when I meet the right girl and it clicks maybe it will be different. Anything memorable?"

Keith preens like a peacock. "Yeah, a few, but not girls?" His tone changes and he goes blush.

"No sweat. Not everyone likes the same things," Lance adds effortlessly. Keith wonders if Lance realizes he's talking about his sexuality and not just discussing the weather. "Depending on what you like, it can be the best, but that sense of hope is pretty good, too. You get this sense that you have an ally. Like ... if it goes right, you're not alone and you won't be."

"Yeah, always figure if I keep trying I'll find something like that!" Lance replies, smile warm. "But we're never going to be alone. You've got a whole team and that's better!"

Keith tries not to blush. "It is, but it's different."

"It can't be that different," Lance argues.

"Then you'd take me snoring over a swimsuit model?" Keith teases. He's trying to distance Lance. He thinks maybe this asshole move will. 

"I totally am cool with your snoring! Makes sure I know you're still in bed and haven’t run off to go fight alien overlords on some obscure moon," Lance replies, not really thinking it through.

Keith almost doubles with laughter. The world is cruel.

"You would totally lead a guy on!" Keith teases. His heart needs Lance to do something, anything to spur him past this stupid crush so he can go back to not caring so much about the other defender. 

Lance rolls his eyes before announcing, "Sharing a bed isn't anything to make a big deal out of.” Keith wouldn't really know. “I get that maybe sex or something would make it better, but for the most part, you’re still sleeping.”

"You're still telling me you wouldn't arise to the occasion of a hot girl in your bed?" Keith knows he's trying too hard, knows he’s pushing for crass.

"Dude, I get sex is supposed to be this fascinating concept, but I haven't had it yet and I'm pretty cool with what I have? I miss my family like crazy, but that's the cost of saving the universe!" Lance counters. Keith thinks Lance wouldn’t trade being home for someone else being away.  

"I am so jealous," Keith admits, feeling defensive. "You have no clue what it is to want something in front of you and not be able to reach for it?" Keith asks.

A blush stretches across Lance cheeks. "So you still have a crush on Shiro?" he asks. He's full of second-hand embarrassment for his friend. Of course, Lance isn’t convinced despite Keith’s instance he’s over Shiro. Lance leans against Keith's arm. Why must Lance he be so damn supportive?

"No, over that," Keith admits softly admits. Lance stares forward.

"I was pretty flattered earlier when I thought someone had a crush on me,” Lance adds. Keith tries not to laugh.

"Naw, you're not cool enough for that!" Keith counters.

Lance chuckles, "I really don't get it. How are you supposed to go up, befriend a stranger you have nothing in common with, and like them enough to pursue a lifelong thing with?"

"Yet you totally have a life-long thing with us," Keith teases. "Now get off me so I can go to my room."

Lance doesn't know why, but he grips Keith's wrist for a moment. "Anyone tries to take you away from us and I'll kill them."

Keith is used to being the bold one. He's stunned. "What if this is my home?"

"Then you still need to meet my Mama when I introduce her to Blue!"

"She'll be real happy with the giant robots and a tag along alien orphan?" he ventures.

"Of course. You're the family I've made. She's got to respect that!" Lance proclaims.

"Even the giant robot lion?"

"Especially the giant robot lions," Lance insists.

"And what if I get a boyfriend?" Keith jokes. He's jealous that Lance would do so much as his friend. He so desperately wants any place he can get with his friends.

"Then I will be insanely jealous that I've been replaced," Lance jokes and, despite the humor, it's as genuine as when he asked Keith about what it’s like to feel that way for a friend.

Keith blushes. He knows Lance didn't mean it like that.

This time Lance sees it. His eyes go wide. "Well, and I doing this all backward? Isn’t someone supposed to bring the other one flowers or some shit? I don't think I did anything to seduce you... I'm not seduced?"

Keith's blush just goes redder. "I could try," he manages at barely a whisper.

Lance's darker cheeks change the slightest tone. He nods. "Not... a bad idea?"

Keith knows it's probably stupid, but he remembers being kissed breathless and just the smallest chance of something like that makes him bold. He intended a quick peck to let Lance process this.

He forgot about the height difference. He steps into Lance's personal space and leans up to press their lip in what he assumes will be an awkward kiss. Lance isn't really impressed by the kiss, though. However, it feels insanely warm and comfortable when he accidentally winds up with a badly balanced Keith against his chest. It's an amazing hug. A second kiss follows, attempting to get it right. It’s soft, dry lips and warm skin.

Lance flushes from head to toe when the feel of Keith's lips pulling away feels like loss. The red paladin laughs. "No bad?" Keith dares, trying to be funny as he considers how to sneak out of Lance's embrace and go die of embarrassment.

"I actually liked it," Lance admits, trying not to look scared at how intense that fact feels.

Keith can't manage avoidance. "Good.