#I annoyed Boone into friendship
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v-arbellanaris · 2 months ago
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u know what actually im gonna make one last srs post abt this whole thing and then im doneeeee i swear lmfao, so all of the anons in my inbox can finally shut up and fuck off and i'll put it under a cut so i dont ~ruin your da4 hype~ the way youve fucking ruined mine i guess.
watsonian justification for this: "decisions you made 10+ years ago in another part of the country simply will not affect the current story". hey isnt the entire story behind veilguard that a guy has been working for the last 10 years to rip down the veil. like. is the whole thing not a story that started 10 years ago. do you not have access to the eluvian network now because solas stole it 10 years ago from briala. is the blight not around because of the evanuris in some way. isnt the entire magisterium something that's been in place for thousands and thousands of years. like even within the context of da, the entire story revolves around things that happened thousands of years ago that have shaped the world that our characters exist in today. we, ourselves, as real people, don't live in a world where things happening on one side of the planet do not affect anything else. and that's not even touching on the fact that we have companions from the first game showing up. at the very least decisions that affect them directly should have been factored in????
doylist justification(s) for this: #1 "we only wanted to include worldstate decisions we could develop reactivity to" so the only decisions were.... whether or not solas is romanced? for me, it's the way that when you're playing dai, the entire justification for NOT being able to romance him as anyone other than lavellan is that you can have a deep and important and complex relationship with him even if you dont romance him, the fandom is always going on & on about how important friendship!solas is and how it shouldnt be underrated but the moment his ENTIRE CHARACTER (and ours?!) gets boiled down to whether or not you had a romantic relationship with him, we're going to celebrate it??? really??? REALLY??? what in the fucking amatonormativity is this, and how is this a step BACKWARDS from dai for solas???
#2 "the world was too complicated so they wanted to simplify it for new players" that's literally the problem we're discussing. the problem we're discussing is the complexity of the world, and the solution bioware came up with for it is to simply scrap it all, and surprise surprise! not everyone is happy about it??? you are just describing the problem that the solution fails to address???
i think the most annoying part of this whole thing is the fan response to it. literallyyyy am seeing things like "no one ever complained about the worldstates not mattering in the next games before da4" which is NOT TRUE. ever since i JOINED this fandom, i've heard so many things about people complaining about leliana defaulting back to a hardened state in dai, about alistair's characterisation in dai, about cullen's repeat appearances, about your boons/decisions in dao not carrying forward in the next games. people HAVE been complaining about it, for ages, especially in dai. it is explicitly a problem in dragon age, and has been for a long, long time, and the problem has only grown the more complex the worldstate becomes. that's why they tried to address the problem here by simply scrapping it all. i've also seen things like "well if youre only interested in callback references, this dragon age game not for YOU" which not only minimises and dismisses the issues and feelings at hand here, but also reeks of self-righteous, smug superiority of I Am The Sole Correct Enjoyer. who is this game for, if not for people who love dragon age?
i'm not here for rook's story - i'm here to save the world that i've built with my own two hands over three games. i am doing that through rook as a character, yes, but i have no cause or reason to care about rook at all going into this game except for the basic fact of this is my character that i am playing - rook is a character that i expect playing the game will make me invested in and care about them. but you know what i already cared about before going into veilguard? you know what i've saved three times over already, potentially even at the cost of my own life? thedas. MY thedas. OF COURSE I WANT TO KNOW THAT IT MATTERS. in world, solas himself wants to know what changes his actions wrought. THOUSANDS OF YEARS AFTER THE FACT. why is everyone acting like fans are insane for this????
i, for one, have not complained about the game "ruining" origins or da2 or even dai. i was excited about the changes, because changes were evidently necessary. i have been fully prepared for the differences, even if i've been apprehensive or cautious about it. do you think i'm disappointed now because i hate dragon age??? where do you fucking get off saying this game is not meant for me? because i dont agree with how bioware has chosen to resolve this issue, suddenly these games are Not For Me anymore?
and you know what, i already know they're not for me. the way this series, and this fandom, treats people of colour, and characters of colour, i am made aware every single day that dragon age is not for me. these games are for the liberal white girlies and white queers living in the west. i know damn well these games have never been for me, and any insistence that it should consider me will be met with vitriol and viciousness. and guess what? i am still here.
i was sooo ready to let this go until the fandom just kept acting like ppl are idiots for being unhappy about things AT ALL in da4. its so fucking annoying to me. i'm NOT going to complain about every single little thing in da4 possible, but i'm also not going to act like bioware is going to do and is doing everything right. what is WITH this fandom and extremes of thought and behaviour. is it because you're all american??? like. i'm actually so sorry that you live in a black-and-white world with no complexities or nuances because it must be so boring and sad.
in my opinion, i would not have minded slimming down the narrative choices to a select few that they could really hone in and focus on. i feel like the dragon age keep decisions can be a bit arbitrary, and i would've loved to see like 5-6 key decisions per game, ORRRR even for your worldstate to boil down to something like whether or not you generally supported positive change or upheld the status quo per game, and then specific character decisions regarding the inquisitor to be brought in, since they're the pc that actually shows up. i do think there's likely a lot of chaff that can be cut off or simplified as a sort of "lost to the times" kind of narrative telling. but boiling down these games to three fucking choices that are ultimately just 'did u romance and like solas or nah' is fucking INSANE. why is the answer to the issue of the quantum - which has been an issue for a long time!!!!!! - to just... scrap it entirely???
edit: adding this here since i said i wouldnt make any more posts abt this topic but i rly find it laughableeeee when fans eagerly parrot bioware insisting that just because those choices dont matter in THIS game doesnt mean they'll never matter in a FUTURE game (i guess we can expect the next one in 2034?). if they already scrapped those choices for this game, and you're all still buying it (some of you??? PREORDERED it???? i thought we agreed not to do that???), why would they bother. do you think the next dragon age game wont have the same line of logic for 'we need to make it accessible for new players!!!!!' that they had for this one and for dai? how willfully stupid are you that you think I'M the stupid one here?
im happy for you guys tho! i hope the new dragon age game where theyve removed all of those complexities instead of making ANY effort to address ANY of the existing dissatisfaction around feeling like any of your game decisions mattered supports your existing brainrot so you can continue believing in a black-and-white reality. really glad theyve simplified it for you guys just like you wanted into 3 choices all about sola/vellan.
i'm going back to my own sandbox, as epler has instructed me to, so i can ~imagine~ my own thedas lmfao
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ofstoriesandstardust · 4 months ago
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can't take the home out of oklahoma - ii. (k.c.)
a/n: we're soooo back! this is filled with banter and found family and all the sweet angst! also, it's come to my attention through a third rewatch that i've actually been wrong the whole time and kate's last name is in fact carter. if you catch any of my slip-ups, whoopsies! thank you to @cottagecori for letting me ramble about this one the phone for hours and to @sometimesanalice for listening to all the personal lore. i actually ended up having part iii written before i start part ii but now i think it needs a rewrite so that should be up in a few days. comments and reblog are always appreciated!
part i.
summary: You and Kate build a friendship until you stand on the precipice of something more.
warnings: swearing, alcohol, tornadoes, concussions, angst, kissing, scott is actually the villain
word count: 10.7k
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Kate pushes the barn door open, a piece of toast in her other hand. 
You’ve got another cup of coffee in hand as you follow Kate inside. She stops as you take the place in. 
“This is where the magic happens?” You ask, taking it all in. The model town, the polymer tucked up at the top, extra equipment for the truck strewn about through the place. 
“Just about.” She answers. 
She hangs by the door, as you walk around, taking it all in. 
Towards the back, where some of Kate’s papers sit, are photos. There’s some of the Wranglers, some of her Mom. Others of her and Tyler, some with her and Javi. 
You nudge one of them aside, looking at one of the pictures tucked in the very corner. 
It’s a picture of an obviously much younger Kate and Javi with three others you don’t recognize. 
You think you should maybe be surprised that it’s clear Javi and Kate go back so far but in thinking about what you’ve seen from them, it feels like the signs were always there. 
There’s a comfortable ease they have with each other that can only come with so much time of knowing someone, the same one Boone has with Tyler. 
“You know, I owe Javi a lot.” Kate comments, coming to stand next to you.
“Yeah?”
She nods. “Without him, there wouldn’t be all of this. He brought Tyler and I together in a way. If he’d never convinced me to come back to Oklahoma-“ She breaks off, shrugging. 
“I get what you mean.” You say softly. 
“He’s my best friend. We’d do anything for each other I think. No matter how far apart we go, he’ll always be there. He’ll always be in my orbit.” 
“You guys complement each other in a lot of ways.” You say softly and she nods. 
It’s quiet again as you think of the conversation you’d caught on the stairs last night. 
Javi, telling Kate she should give you another chance. 
Kate, saying she doesn’t want to get hurt again.
You want to ask about these three people you don’t recognize but you know well enough that Kate probably wouldn’t tell you, would probably get annoyed at you for not having the wherewithal to not ask. 
A knock against the wooden door of the barn pulls both your attention. It’s Javi, standing tentatively at the doors. 
“Owens says we’re gonna leave in about an hour, so to be ready by then.” You nod, going to step away and Kate gestures her head, beckoning Javi in. 
You wait as Javi walks over. “Just showing her all the grant stuff.” Kate says, gesturing to the messy table next to you. There’s a white board hung on the wall, grant and sponsor deadlines in a sprawling handwriting that screams Boone. 
“That’s right, we’ve got the deadline for the proposal to talk to the governor and the senators this Friday.” Javi says, picking up a binder. “Good thing California’s got the experience writing proposals.”
“Really?” Kate asks. 
You shrug. “Nothing too impressive, just research proposals. I haven’t written many as I’ve read them — comes with the territory of working in a Writing Center for four years.” 
“The hell’s a Writing Center?” Javi asks, flipping through the binders, presumably to figure out what they should take on the road with them. 
“Place to help students with their writing on college campuses. I spent two years one in my undergrad and then both years of my Masters.”
“You’ve got a Masters?” Kate asks. 
“Yeah but not in anything useful.” You say with a shrug. 
Kate clicks her tongue. “That’s okay. I don’t even think Javi knows how to spell the word conference, so we could use all the help we can get.” 
“Hey now!” Javi defends, snapping the binder shut. “I was in the same PhD program as you!” 
-
“Agh!” Kate shouts. 
You shut the door, hand flying up to cover your eyes. 
“Sorry!” You shout. “I thought you were still in the bathroom!”
You cringe, thinking of the scar running down’s Kate thigh you gotten sight of. You think of the picture tucked into the corner of the barn, the one with three people not around. 
Kate opens the door and you spin around. She rubs her cheeks, a dusty pink covering them. “Sorry.” She says. “You just scared me.” 
You shrug. “No, it was my fault.” 
You two both stand there like in the doorway, awkwardly looking at each other until you hear heavy footsteps. You both look down to see Tyler standing at the bottom of the staircase, hands on his hips. “We’re waiting on the both of you.” He says matter-of-factly. “Hurry up. I’ll leave you here.”
He turns on his heel and you can hear the front door shut behind him. 
“He will.” Kate says. “Leave us here. So we should probably-“ 
You nod, ducking into Kate’s room to grab your bag. She waits for you and then you both walk down the stairs, Kate shouting goodbye to her Mom as she does. Cathy meets her daughter at the door and you slip out, trying to not let your heart twinge at the sight of the obvious love and care Cathy has for Kate. 
Tyler tells you you’ll be riding with Lilly and you nod, climbing into the passenger seat of her van as Lilly whoops, shouting something to Javi about finally not having hot cheeto dust all over her radio and dashboard. 
Kate leaves the house a few minutes later and your eyes meet through the windshield. She gives you a tight smile and a small wave before climbing into the passenger seat of Tyler’s truck. 
“You okay?” Lilly asks and you startle, not having realized she had opened the door. 
“Fine.” You respond. She studies you for a minute before turning the key. 
“Let’s go chase some twisters then baby!”
-
You shoot up with a gasp, feeling the sweat drip down your back as your breath comes out in short pants. Tears sting at your eyes as you take in the darkened space. 
The Oklahoma rose nightlight sits in the corner, the grey cotton sheets beneath you familiar. 
Okay. Okay. You were in Kate’s room. You were okay. You were safe here. 
You press your palms into your eyes, trying to push back the tears as someone shifts next to you on the bed. 
“Are you okay?” She asks softly and you have to bite back a whimper at the humiliating knowledge that you’d gone and woken her up. 
“Fine.” You say, pulling your hands away from your eyes. She reaches over to her side of the bed, flicking her lamp on. “You don’t have to do that.” You say quietly. “I’m sorry for waking you. You can go back to sleep.” 
Kate shakes her head but doesn’t say anything as she moves to have her back be supported by her headboard. Finally, you sigh, moving to match her position as she waits. 
“You know, I used to get them all the time too.” She says, her twang a bit more prominent at this point of night. “The nightmares.”
“How do you deal with them?” You ask quietly, chancing a glance at her. 
She sighs, shaking her head. “I don’t know that I used to deal with them per se. When I first moved to New York after it happened, I used to stay up for days at a time until I was so tired I wouldn’t dream. Some nights I’d have to spend hours reminding myself what was and wasn’t real. They’ve only gotten better since I’ve started to deal with what happened head on.”
You want to ask her what it is exactly that happened, an incident everyone but you seems to know, but you can’t bring yourself to dare to ask. She must know the questions you have though because she keeps talking. 
“I see you look at that picture of them.” She says quietly. “The one in the barn. I’ve been waiting for you to ask.” 
“I didn’t think I should.” You say quietly. 
“Well, I don’t think I’ve ever made it clear you could.” She responds. “They were friends of Javi and I’s. That photo in there, it’s the last photo we ever took together. We were storm chasing that day; they were helping me with my dream.” She lets out a shaky breath. “The storm we ended up in was an EF-5, not the EF-1 we had been hoping for. We tried to hide under an overpass. Praveen was taken first, he never made it. Addy and I were trying to climb up when I got cut.” You think of the scar down Kate’s thigh, the one you’d only seen that one time on accident. “Addy got hit by debris right after. My boyfriend at the time, Jeb, he helped me get up, to cling to the metal piping. He was holding on to me until he wasn’t.” She swallows. “For years, I’d see them in my dreams. I’d wake up think Jeb was telling me we were going to be okay, that Addy was chasing one more storm with me, that Praveen was still there with his cautious concern. For years, I thought it was my fault.” 
“Kate, I’m so sorry.” You whisper. “I couldn’t- I couldn’t even imagine.” 
You think of Texas, of the horrors you’d seen there. And yet it almost can’t compare to the loss Kate’s lived through. 
“It’s why I’m glad you’re joining Javi and I in DC next month.” 
“How do you mean?”
She wraps her arms around herself, a tear trickling down her cheek. You resist the urge to reach out and wipe it off her face. 
“Praveen’s parents told me after the funeral that they could never be angry with me for what happened; that they knew their son had died doing what he loved. Praveen had gotten struck by lightening a few weeks before and I don’t know, I think they knew that those were the risks he was taking after he decided to keep going back out. Addy’s parents blamed me though. Said that I encouraged her recklessness, that Addy would’ve been safe if it hadn’t been for me.” She swallows. “But Jeb’s parents- they’ve got money, the degrees in science. They’re pretty prominent in the meteorology community but they’re not storm chasers in any form of the term. They didn’t just blame me for Jeb’s death, they blamed Javi.” Another tear drips down her face. “Javi never even got close to the storm. Jeb was dating me; he’s the one followed me into the storm. He never would’ve been there if it hadn’t been for me. But they put that stain on Javi’s name too, it’s why Javi had to fight so hard to get StormPar together, it’s why he had to bring Scott on. I’m terrified it’s gonna affect what we’re trying to do here too.” 
This time, you finally reach out for Kate. You take her hand, squeezing it. “Kate, you’re testing the unprecedented out here and it’s working. You’ve got the support of all the Wranglers, all their supporters. You’ve got this. You and Javi and Tyler - you guys are going to change the game, I’m sure of it. It doesn’t matter what they say, I see it every time you guys go out into the field and cause a storm to collapse. You’re going to change the world, I just know it.” 
She gives you a watery smile as you bite back the you don’t need me for that. 
“I hope DC is going to be good.”
“It’s going to be great.” 
She sniffs, taking her free hand to wipe at the nose. “Anyways, I didn’t mean to make it about me.”
“No, you didn’t-“
She cuts you off. “Just that if you ever want to share that stuff that’s haunting you, the stuff that keeps you up at night, I’d listen.” 
-
“You guys, I thought we had a no work at the dinner table rule.” Dani says. 
She shrugs, crowding over your phone with Javi. “Technically foods not here, so it’s not dinner time.” 
You’re inside with her Mom and Tyler and Dexter, getting ready to bring out all the food for dinner. Javi chuckles as they scroll through the outline you’d drawn up earlier in the day.  
Suddenly, your phone starts ringing with a call and her and Javi shoot back like they’ve been burned. 
She doesn’t recognize the name on your phone, but she knows you haven’t spoken of the life you’d left behind nor talked to anyone from that past. 
“What do we do?” She hisses.
“Kate, just decline it.” Lilly says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. 
It probably is, but it doesn’t save her from pressing the wrong button and answering the call. 
Her hands fly up to her mouth, looking around the table as they all fall silent. 
Hello? Hello? Are you there? 
She can hear a man say and she glances at Javi, wide-eyed, unsure of what to do. 
Sweetheart, can you hear me? Are you there? 
Javi’s hand darts out and ends the call. 
It feels like the table lets out a collective sigh of relief when the phone starts ringing again. 
Lilly reaches around Dani this time and ends the call. Javi picks up your phone again, going back to reading the outline. 
“Kate man, you’ve got all those fancy degrees and you’re telling me you don’t know how to decline a phone call?” Boone crows from the end of the table. 
“The question should really be are we going to say anything to her.” Dani says with a smirk on her face. 
“Oh please don’t.” She groans, letting her head fall into her palm. 
“Oh fuck.” Javi mutters from next to her and she steals a glance at the phone. “Kate can’t decline a call but apparently I can’t swipe away a voicemail notification either.” 
Out of her peripheral vision, she thinks Dani’s eyes flicker up over her head. 
“Hey guys, this feels like a real invasion of her privacy.” Lilly says and she’s right. Her Mom would wring her neck if she knew what her and Javi were reading right now but it’s like a bad car wreck they can’t look away from as the voicemail transcribes itself. 
“Hey guys, she’s coming back, I’d put it away.” Boone says, shifting closer to take the phone. 
“Okay, yeah, like put it away right now.” Dani says, scooping the phone up but it doesn’t make her forget what she’s seen and she knows Javi won’t either as they share an uneasy glance. “Here.” Dani says, offering you your phone as you slide the platter down in front of her and Javi. 
She swallows, chancing a glance at you as your confusion about the obvious fuss over the phone turns into a hard look, sliding the phone into your back pocket. 
You’re quiet through most of dinner as her and Javi keep looking at each other, both unable to participate in the conversation either. 
Hey, sweetheart, it’s me. It sounded like you picked up there for a minute but maybe it’s a fluke, I don’t know. 
I miss you, darling. I miss you so much. The last six weeks have been so hard without you and I just hope that you’re safe wherever it is you’ve gone. Your sister still calls me sometimes to ask where you’ve gone and I still listen to your favorite music hoping it’ll make you be there. 
I know you’ve said we’re done, that you didn’t want to be with me anymore, but if you ever want to come home, please let me know. I still love you baby, I always will you. You can come home whenever you’re ready.
-
“Man, California, what’s all this? It’s like an art project.” 
You look up at Javi from where you’re cutting out paper. 
“I’m getting the questions for tomorrow’s video ready.” You smack Javi’s hand that’s reaching out for the pile that has Boone’s name on it. “Stop it - you don’t get an advantage.” 
Javi hisses, retracting his hand as he glances at the kitchen. “And the cookies?” 
“I got drunk and made cookies. Kate’s Mom said I could.” You pause, looking up at him. “Well, the getting drunk was all me. But Cathy did say I could make cookies.” 
Javi chuckles. “Okay California, so what I’m hearing is I’ve got to catch up to you?” He asks, pulling another beer from the fridge. 
You shrug. “Sure, but you’ve got to help me pull the cookies out to cool.” 
He nods, sitting across from you at the table as he takes a draw from his beer. “So California, I gotta ask-“ You groan. “That voicemail.”
You sigh before reaching out for your own drink (a strong dirty Shirley Temple, Boone had teased you as you’d made them for you and Dani) and taking a long sip. “My ex.” 
“Sounded like you broke his heart.” 
“I probably did.” 
“Why?” 
You sigh again, looking over at your phone that had all the questions written down on it, the Sharpie squeaking against the cardstock you’d found shoved into one of the closets. 
“It just wasn’t working. The relationship wasn’t right anymore. It probably hadn’t been right for a while, maybe ever, but I wanted to make it work.” Javi waits for more information and you sigh, capping the pen. “He was in the Navy and-“
“C’mon California, don’t you know better than to date a military man? Coming from a former military man.”
You raise an eyebrow. “You? Actually, yeah, that tracks.” 
Javi chokes. “The fuck does that mean?” He says hotly but there’s no real malice behind his words, a wide grin on his face. 
You give an unimpressed look. “Do you really need me to explain it?” 
Javi laughs, shaking his head. “Nah, I get it.” 
You nod, uncapping the Sharpie again as you start on Kate’s questions. “Anyways, he was also eight years older than me.” 
Javi makes a noise through a laugh. “Hoohoo, so you mean to tell me you were the scandalously younger girlfriend?” 
“I wouldn’t say it was scandalous. I was 22 when we met.” 
“Making him 30. That’s pretty scandalous to me.” 
“We only went on two dates and then decided to be friends so by the time we did date I was almost 24 and he 32.”
“That’s still pretty scandalous.” 
You snort, setting Kate’s questions aside. “Yeah, well, my friends would agree with you there but honestly it never really phased me.” 
Javi takes another draw of his beer. “Yeah, cause you were being groomed.” 
The deathly look you give Javi sends him into a fit of laughter. 
“I was not!”
-
“What are you guys doing?” 
You look over at Kate and Tyler from where you’re laughing at the meme Javi’s showing you. You swallow the rest of your laughter, sliding off the kitchen counter like you’d been caught. 
“California and I got drunk. We’re bonding.” 
Tyler looks unimpressed as Kate steps into the kitchen, surveying the cookies. “Can I have one?” You nod. 
“Damn California.” Tyler whistles when he sees the amount of cookies sitting in Kate’s kitchen.
You give a nervous laugh, scrubbing your forehead with your wrist. “Yeah, I know. Its my Dad’s recipe — I always forget how much the recipe makes and I even halved it.” 
“So you disappeared from the barn to drunkenly make cookies?” Kate asks, not to you, but to Javi, and your face falls. 
Right.
Right, Javi had been in the barn with Dexter and Kate and Tyler to talk science stuff. You couldn’t find your place in the conversation with Boone and Lilly and Dani as they had s’mores, so you’d come inside to make cookies. 
Javi shrugs, a lopsided grin on his face as the alcohol paints his cheeks a rosy red. “Just trying to get to know our new team member, s’all.” 
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to distract him.” 
Kate shrugs as she takes another bite. “Not like it’s hard.” She swallows. “He’s like a toddler — he gets distracted by food and shiny things.” 
“Hey now!” Javi says as you hear the front door open again. “Nah, California here was just telling me about her scandalous-“ Javi pauses as Boone and Lilly come through the kitchen, Dani behind them as they wait for him to finish his sentence. He must see something on your face cause he softens. “Nah California, that’ll just be between us.” 
You give him a tight smile before turning to Tyler as the newcomers realize there’s cookies. “Owens, what time are we leaving tomorrow?” 
“1. And we need to film that video for the YouTube channel, which is what I’m guessing this all is.” 
You nod as he gestures to the table with the stack of questions on it. 
“I hope Tyler loses again.” Lilly says and Tyler gives her a face in return. The group laughs at him, presumably thinking about after he had lost the game of Twisters last week, he’d had to feed Kate’s angry rooster Mr. Biscuits, who Tyler had, up until that point, thought was a dog.
“Hell no, I’m not doing that again.”
“Um,” You say as you pull the sleeves of your (Javi’s, though he doesn’t seem like he’s going to ask for it back at this point) pullover down your arms. “Can someone make sure the cookies get wrapped up? I think I’m gonna head to bed for the night.” 
“Wait, but we were gonna watch a movie!” Dani protests. 
You shrug. “Tired.” 
It’s a weak excuse as the energy shifts in the kitchen. 
Kate clears her throat. “I can. Make sure the cookies get put away.” 
You give Kate a small smile. “Thanks Kate.” 
“No problem.” 
You turn to leave the room, various calls of goodnight following you as you walk up towards the stairs. You sigh when you reach Kate’s room, shutting the door behind you. The sleeping bag you’d gotten had migrated its way inside as you always ended up falling asleep on Kate’s floor. 
She’d offered to share the bed again more times than you could count but ever since you’d awoken her from your nightmare, you’d elected to sleep on the floor in hopes to ride them out alone. 
You all but flop onto the floor, feeling your body protest as you do. As much as you dismissed the uncomfortable sleeping conditions to the group and especially to Kate, your body protested more than anything after sleeping on the wooden floors of Kate’s house. 
Your phone dings and your stomach drops as you look down at it.
Hope you’re safe wherever you are.
You swallow around a scream, seeing Jake’s name on your screen. Your fingers begin flying across your screen without your permission.
Jake gets blocked first, then Javy. Natasha and Bradley. Pete and Bob and Sophie, Elle and Sam following. Mickey and Julia and Reuben. 
Before you can even realize it, most of the people you knew who were wondering where you were now had been blocked. Maybe you should’ve done it before now, seeing as how desperate you were to leave those memories in Texas where they belonged. 
Angry tears sting at your eyes as you resist to throw your phone, deleting photos en masse. 
As you hear laughter from down the stairs, an ache settles in to your bones. 
Six weeks gone and it still sort of felt like you were always standing at the edge of this group, never quite able to find your place. They seemed to like you more now, Kate especially, but it still felt like the bonds they’ve woven together in the last year would always put you on the outs. 
A lot of the time it still felt like you’d never really run from the memories of Texas, your past life left behind. 
-
Kate says your name softly. “Are you awake?” 
You shift in the sleeping bag, turning to face her. “Kate?”
“I’m sorry.” She whispers. “Seeing that voicemail- that was wrong of us. We didn’t mean to.” 
You shrug, though you doubt she can see it. “Not your fault.” 
“I know you don’t want to talk about why you left but I- it sounded like he really cared about you.” 
“Caring about me doesn’t mean our relationship was right. Doesn’t mean I wasn’t unhappy for a while before I left.” 
Kate sighs. “I get what you mean. It just sounded like he really missed you.” 
You swallow, turning back over. “Yeah.” 
“I get that we can’t make you stay.” She whispers. “But I understand how someone could miss you that much. I think I’d miss you that much if you left.” 
Your tears are resurfacing but you can’t bring yourself to respond to Kate’s words. 
After a few minutes, when it becomes clear you’re not going to respond, Kate bids you a quiet goodnight and rolls back over. 
I think I’d miss you that much if you left. 
-
“Now, you might be wondering where our fearless leader Kate is today.” Boone says through the grainy feed of the live stream. 
“And her lovely sidekick Javi.” Lilly adds from her end. 
“Tyler, why don’t you tell the viewers at home where they are?” Boone prompts, facing the camera to Tyler. 
“Well folks, they’re in DC with our lovely social media manager to talk to the governor and Senators from a bunch of the states in Tornado Alley, particularly Oklahoma. They’ll be presenting the research we’ve been done out here in the last year in hopes of getting more state budgeting allocated to tornado research and relief.” Tyler informs the livestream and you grin as you type out a comment. 
Tyler wasn’t invited because he’s not smart enough. 
Boone lets out a bark of laughter, repeating the comment to Tyler. Tyler makes Boone gesture the camera over to him, getting real close as he drives. “I know where you sleep at night.”
Hello FBI, there’s been a threat made against my life. 
The group sets off into laughter as Boone struggles to relay the message to Tyler through his laughter. 
“What are you doing?” Kate asks, sitting down next to you, Javi across from you. 
“Causing chaos in the livestream chat.” You exit it, turning your phone off. “How come you guys aren’t eating?” 
“I think I’d throw up right about now.” Kate says, looking over to Javi, who does look much paler than normal. 
“You guys can’t seriously be nervous?” You ask around a mouthful of Cheerios. 
“You’re not?” Kate asks in disbelief.
You shrug. “I’m used to public speaking. Besides, I’ve been told I’m a pretty good presenter, if I do say so myself.” 
“Great, want to present all the data?” 
You blanch. “I wouldn’t be able to make heads or tails of that. All I gotta do is talk about Tyler and well, he makes that part pretty easy.”
-
“So, it’s like I was saying, when I backed out of StormPar, a lot of these guys came over because of Kate.” Javi says as he makes introductions of his team, the ones who’ve been out in the field, using the radars to collect the data from the tornados Kate and Tyler have collapsed. 
“Javi.” Someone says and the group turns. Javi’s face sours noticeably. 
“Scott.” Javi says with a grim face before turning to you. “This is Scott, my ex business partner.” 
His eyes gloss over you as they land on Kate. “See you’re still wasting your time with Carter here.” 
Javi’s eyebrows scrunch up but you put your hand out, stopping him. “Sorry, Simon, was it?” Javi snorts. 
“Scott.” 
“Right, Sonny. Sorry. I mean- do you like take pleasure in being an asshole? That’s not a very attractive personality trait.” 
“It worked for Owens, does it not?”
“Oh, Stephen, sweetie. The internet would never make thirst traps of you like they do him.” Javi has to cough in his fist to hide his laugh and Kate has a hint of a smile on her face. “Oh, I know! You must be jealous of Javi’s sauve charm or- no, it must be because you think Kate should be in the kitchen, cooking and cleaning right? Cause women can’t have degrees.” You snap your fingers. “That must be it.” 
Scott gives you a displeased smile, turning to Javi. “When did you two get a guard dog? Couldn’t face me on your own?” 
Javi introduces you. “She’s Tyler’s new social media manager, been out there giving us a hand.” 
Scott clicks his tongue. “Maybe she’d like to meet my new investors.” Scott turns, gesturing over a woman and man, and the sight of them must mean something to Javi and Kate as they both take a step back, their faces going pale. 
Scott introduces them to you with a smirk on his face. “She’s working for Javi and Kate, figured it might be good for you all to meet.” 
The woman, in particular, has strong displeasure written on her face. “So, you decide to follow these two into a tornado?” 
You give a half shrug. “Can’t seem to think of why the decisions of a stranger would matter all that much to you.” 
She raises an eyebrow, adjusting her purse. “I just think you should be careful.” 
“I think you should mind your own business.” You say sharply, catching sight of the aide opening the door for you guys down the hall. “If you’ll excuse us, we should be going.” You touch Javi and Kate’s arms, nudging them forward. 
“And when you die for them, will it be worth it?”
It’s the man this time. 
You turn. “Excuse me?” 
“When you die for Kate and Javi, for this- this- hypothetical they believe in, like the one our son died for, will it be worth it?” 
And suddenly it all makes sense. It all clicks into place.
Kate’s words come back to you, how Jeb’s parents who were meteorologists who had money, how Jeb’s parents blamed Javi and Kate for their son’s death. 
Javi says your name softly. “C’mon, they ain’t worth it.”
“Your son didn’t die for some hypothetical. He died for research that’s working.” You say sharply. Kate grabs your wrist, pulling you back. “Maybe you should watch the YouTube channel sometime. Sounds like you could stand to learn a thing or two.” 
The aide ushers you into the conference room after that. The presentation goes smoothly, no obvious signs of how much the encounter had rattled Javi or Kate, and it’s obvious that more than a few of them are impressed with what you had to tell them. 
Until Kate asks if anyone has any questions. 
“Ms. Carter, you’re from Salpulpa, Oklahoma, isn’t that correct?” The governor of South Dakota asks. 
Kate swallows. “Yeah. That’s right, I am.”
“And six years ago, you were caught in an EF-5, right? Working on this research with your business partner here?” 
She nods, hesitancy growing on both her and Javi. “That’s correct.”
“And this research, you were doing as part of your PhD? But there was a team of five, right? What happened to your three colleagues?” 
You frown as Kate glances at Javi. “They were killed, sir.” Javi answers for her. “In the EF-5.”
“Sorry, I just- Can I ask why that matters?” You interrupt.  
The governor shifts as the one of the senators from Oklahoma turns to him. “I’d like to know as well.” 
“Well, two of my constituents are directly connected to that incident, as their son Jeb was dating Ms. Carter at the time. And they’re raising a lot of concerns about this research you’re out here doing. I mean, how are you going to ask me to sacrifice more lives and money to your data that’s not even backed?” 
Kate seems stunned, Javi too. “Well, sir-“
“Sorry, what are you implying here?” You say, cutting Javi off. 
“I’m saying that this research is led by two people who have a known history of being responsible for the death of my constituents and I simply won’t put any more time forth on this.” The governor stands, snapping his folder shut. “We’re done here.”
“So you’re saying Kate and Javi are responsible and at fault for the deaths of three equally educated researchers who willingly chose, by no influence of Javi or Kate, to go in the storm that day six years ago? Because I think that is incredibly gross and inappropriate.” 
Javi reaches out for your arm. “Stop.” He whispers. “It’s fine, we can take it.” 
You shake your head. “No, no because you’re wrong. To insinuate that what we’re doing out there is anything less than helping the people these tornados target is wrong. We use the data from the radars Javi’s team sets up to understand how these tornados are collapsing and when we can’t get to a storm in time, we’re there, on the ground, giving out food and water and helping people dig through the rubble of their lives while you sit in your fancy office, removed from the everyday struggles of these people!” 
You finally breathe, taking a step back as you pray Javi and Kate can forgive you. 
“You’re new to this team, that’s right?” 
You nod. “Been here just under three months.” 
“And how did you find yourself here?” 
You shrug. “I’ve seen firsthand the destruction and death these tornadoes cause. I’ve seen what these people can do to help. All I’ve ever wanted is to make a difference. 
“And when you die, cutting your life short, for this research?” 
You glance at your friends. “Then I’ll die knowing I gave my life helping others to change the game. I’ll died knowing I did what I could to make a difference.”
-
Her and Javi sit in their hotel room, uneasy silence between them. 
They’d invited you to come with them but you’d seemed hesitant and had retreated to your room down the hall. 
“Can we talk about it?” Javi asks finally. 
“You ever think about that voicemail we saw?” 
Javi shrugs. “Not really, I guess.” He glances at her. “Do you?”
She shrugs, pulling her shorts down. “Sometimes. Just wonder what the hell she’s doing out here when she’s got people at home who seem to care about her that much.” 
Javi shrugs. “Whatever they did to force her to Oklahoma, that cut’s gotta run deep because oh boy, she seems to be loyal something fierce.” There’s a knock on the door and Javi slides off the bed. “That’ll be our room service!” He jogs to the door, getting the food and thanking the person. He shoves a fry in his mouth, moaning around it, before he talks again. “I mean, she had the balls to stand up to the governor of South Dakota for us.” She doesn’t say anything response, running her fingers over the starchy fabric beneath her. “Kate.” 
She glances up at him. “What?” 
“C’mon, talk to me. What’re you thinking?”
“I can’t ask someone else to sacrifice their life for this.” She says softly. 
Javi sighs, sitting back down on the bed. “That’s the thing I think you’re missing Kate. You’re not asking. She’s offering.”
“But why?” She croaks. “What is any of this worth to her?”
Javi shakes his head. “That’s the part I can’t quite figure out. I don’t know, Kate.” 
-
Your head meets the table as Cathy slides a plate down in front of you. “I need three naps and an IV full of Diet Coke.” You mumble and Dani laughs into her coffee from her seat next to you. 
“So, c’mon tell us about DC.” Boone says excitedly. “You said you’d say over breakfast.” 
You can hear Javi sigh from across the kitchen at the coffee pot. “It didn’t go well.” 
“What happened?” Lilly asks around a mouthful of food. “Javi stumble over his words or something?”
“Well, for starters, we saw Scott.” Javi says as you lift your head from the table. There’s various groans and boos from the group as Javi’s grins grows. “Yeah, but she was mean to him.” 
You snort. “Yeah, I said the internet would never make thirst traps of him and he must think women belong in the kitchen. Oh, and that he must be jealous of Javi’s charm.” 
“We also saw Jeb’s parents.” Kate softly, immediately sobering your friend’s laughter. Cathy frowns, reaching out for her daughter. 
“They’re Scott’s new investors.” Javi explains as Kate looks at you. 
“They asked her if dying for me like Jeb did would be worth it.” 
Tyler scoffs. “That’s bullshit. You told them that was bullshit right?” 
You sigh. “Them and the governor of South Dakota, whose pocket they’re in. Told him it’s was gross and inappropriate to ever say Kate and Javi were responsible for the deaths of their friends.” You sigh, standing up from the table. “Sides, I know my words won’t make any difference to men like him but they didn’t go into that storm for Kate. They did it with Kate. This was something they believed in and it’s something I believe in too.” You push your food towards Boone. “Here, you can have it, I need to go to bed.” 
-
She sighs and Javi tosses her an irritating look.  
“Alright Carter, cough it up. What’s bugging you?” 
She shrugs. “Nothing.” 
“Kate, do you really take me for an idiot?” She gives him a curious look. “Look, I see how you are with her. The looks you give her when you think none of us notice. The way you’re always trying to include her in conversation, the way you always want her to be around. What gives?” 
She scuffs her heel against the asphalt of the parking lot. “Do you think she’s got a thing for T?” 
Javi sighs, rubbing his hands together. “No, I don’t.” He nudges her. “I mean that genuinely. I ain’t just saying it cause I know it’s what you want to hear.”
They both look at where you’re sitting, crowded up into Tyler’s personal space. Tyler’s arm is resting on your head obnoxiously, a cross look on your face as you elbow Ty in the ribs. To an outsider’s perspective, she could see how someone would mistake you two for something more but she knew the truth. 
Tyler Owens saw you nothing more than the little sister he had never had and had always wanted. Tyler was protective of his team, it was a given, but with you he was different. There was an innate, inherent bond between the two of you different from everyone else. And if Kate had to guess, it stemmed from where your pasts intertwined, even if they didn’t know how. 
But maybe it would be better if you did have something with Tyler. 
“Better how?” 
She blinks, turning to look at Javi. “Didn’t realize I said that out loud.” 
Javi studies her for a minute before standing. “C’mon, I need to get a jacket, come with me.” She follows as Javi shouts that they’ll be right back to the group and she catches your curious look from across the fire. 
Only once the motel door of Javi and Boone’s bedroom is shut, Javi looks at her.  “Kate, what’s up?” 
She looks at her friend before sinking to sit down on the bed. “I didn’t- I didn’t think I could ever love someone again after Jeb.” Javi’s eyebrows raise. “Ty showed me it could be possible.” She swallows, feeling tears sting at her eyes. “But I can’t ask her to love me back and to die for it in return.” 
“Wait, Kate, hang on.” Javi says, raising his hand. “You’re- Are you saying you’re in love with her?” She nods slowly. “Kate, that’s- that’s amazing.” He breathes. 
“No, it’s not Javi!” She nearly shouts and he flinches back. “Tyler nearly died for it and I saved him from that fate. But Jeb died because I loved him and so will she!” 
Javi sighs, running a hand down his face before moving to sit next to her on the bed. He’s quiet for a minute as their knees knock together. 
“Kate, look at me.” She does only to meet with a flurry of emotions. Concern like she might be spooked by his next words, love and care woven into the proudness that’s written there. “Kate, just because- just because they died doesn’t mean that we don’t deserve to love afterwards. Just because Jeb died doesn’t mean you have to suffer and pay the price for that.”
“Their deaths are my sins, their blood is on my hands.” 
Javi shakes his head, taking her hands in his own. “No it ain’t. Would you say their blood is on my hands?” 
“Never.” 
“Then you need to understand that it isn’t on yours either. What happened was a terrible stroke of luck, maybe fate. I’d give anything to have them back with us, to have stopped it from ever happening. But we can’t go back, we can’t make our homes in the past. We’ll miss what’s right in front of us. And Kate, you deserve a love as soft as hers.”
She lets out a shaky breath, feeling her shoulders let some of the tension bleed out from them. For the first time, she doesn’t have the heart to argue with Javi, to tell him that he was wrong. She wasn’t sure she could when he looked so sure and absolute in his words. 
-
You watch as Kate and Javi walk up the steps when Boone reaches over and nudges you. 
“California, when are you gonna admit you got a thing for Kate?” 
Your eyes slide over to him, giving a cool look. “Whenever you admit to the thing you’ve got going with Javi.” 
The group lets out a bunch ohs and Tyler cackles. “She’s got you there Booney baby.” 
“It’s just stress relief!” 
You look back at Boone. “You know no one believes that right?” 
“Man, stop deflecting, I was asking about you and Kate first!” 
You roll your eyes as Dani breaks into silent laughter from across the fire, Lilly’s shoulders shaking as she works on the drone in her lap. 
Tyler climbs off the truck, moving to stand behind you. You glance up at him as he does. “C’mon though. Seriously, what is going on with you and Sapulpa?” 
“Nothing.”
Tyler sighs. “C’mon California, you really expect me to believe that little lie?” 
You shrug. “It’s not a lie. I’m not denying anything I feel for her but I’m pretty sure Kate doesn’t like me in that way. Most days, I don’t even think she likes me period.”
“She likes you.” Lilly protests. 
“Kate’s just a harder read because of…” Boone trails off, looking to Tyler. 
“Because of what happened to Jeb, I know.” You say softly. “She told me.” 
“I just wasn’t- We weren’t sure.” Dani says gently. 
“But you guys always said she was a certain way with T right?” 
Dani hums. “Yeah, but they aren’t exactly who I’d take as example from considering-“ She glances at Tyler. “Well, considering their fling lasted all of three weeks before they nearly killed each other.” 
“Tyler, anything to contribute here?” Lilly says after a minute and you look back up at him. He’s got his hands on his hips, an unreadable look on his face. 
“I don’t know that I should be encouraging any inter-company dating here. Team dynamics and all of that.” 
Your eyes grow wide as you almost rocket out of your chair before gesturing to Lilly and Dani, who only laugh. You then turn to Boone, gesturing a hand at him. “Really?!”  You nearly yell. “You’re so full of shit Owens!” 
Tyler sighs. “California, I just don’t want to see anyone get hurt. I mean, if I tell you something wrong and it turns out to be a misstep, and shit goes wrong and one of you leaves, it’d be a huge blow.” 
Dexter shakes his head, finally speaking up. “Kate’s not leaving.” 
You can see the silent I know on the edge of Tyler’s lips, the It would be you leaving written in his eyes. 
“Hey guys,” Dani calls. “We’re all still here.  Wanna include us in whatever silent conversation’s happening over there?”
“I don’t want to get involved.” Tyler says with a wave of his hand. “Y’all are both too important to me for me to get this wrong.” 
You sigh, settling back in your chair as you see Javi’s door re-open, Kate and Javi emerging. Boone sighs, patting the spot next to him and you move, falling into the space next to him. 
“Boone, anyone ever tell you you need to shower more?” You mutter as Tyler meets Javi and Kate halfway, probably to bid them goodnight. 
“I’ll take the shot if you do.” He whispers back. You glance at him as Javi and Kate return to their original seats across the campfire. Javi’s got a strange look on his face at the sight of you and Boone and Kate’s eyes are watery as Dexter hands her a few Oreos. 
“You first.” You mutter. 
Boone gives you a wolfish grin before sliding a marshmallow into his mouth. “I’ll think about it.”  
-
“Guys, look.” Dani calls, and you and Tyler turn, seeing her hold a small puppy. 
You coo, walking over to her as she holds the dog out to you. 
“Where’d you find this little cutie?” You say, holding the little baby up, scratching underneath his chin. 
“Heard him whining under a bunch of wreckage a few blocks over. One of the firefighters helped me pull him out. EMTs said the elderly couple who lived there didn’t make it. Probably couldn’t get to safety fast enough.” 
You feel Tyler’s body deflate next to you as he kicks at a piece of wood at the ground. 
“Ty?” You ask softly as the puppy nuzzles into your collarbone. You can’t read his face but it doesn’t seem like Dani can either as he scrubs at his forehead with his wrist. 
“Could we keep him?” You ask softly. “You heard Dani.”
“We’ll find a shelter for him.”
Dani shakes her head. “Shelter here got destroyed; there’d be nowhere for him to go.” 
You turn a pleading look onto Tyler, who has a storm brewing behind his eyes. 
“We can’t have a dog on the road you guys. A dog, chasing after tornadoes? Really? Let’s use our brains here. Besides, I think Boone’s allergic.” Tyler snaps, hands falling to his hips. 
Your pout grows as you hold the puppy up to your face. “But Tyler, little Enid wants to come with us. Don’t you Enid?”
“Enid?” Tyler asks with a raised eyebrow. 
“Well, we found him in Enid so we should name him Enid.”
“First of all, that dog is not an Enid.” Dani chokes down a laugh at Tyler’s snark as he shoots her a look. “And we are not adopting a dog.” 
“I think we should do a group vote.” You say, turning on your heel in search of the team. 
“You can’t override me!” Tyler calls after you.
“Watch me!”
You find Lilly and Dexter first, handing food out. “Group poll - should we keep this little puppy? His owners passed away. Dani and I vote for yes. Tyler votes no.” You can hear Tyler walking behind you so you drop your voice to an over-exaggerated whisper. “For the record, Tyler’s vote is wrong. Vote yes.”
“This is not a democracy!” Tyler shouts. 
“Man, just let the girl have her fucking dog!” Lilly shouts back. 
“What dog?” Kate says, appearing from the back of the van. Her face softens. “This is such a cute little puppy.” She coos, bending down to scratch at his ears. 
“I think we should keep him and name him Enid. Tyler disagrees.” You explain as Kate fawns over the puppy. 
“He seems like such a sweet little guy, and you’d have so much fun on the road with us, wouldn’t you little Enid?” She coos, taking the dog from you. 
“So that’s an enthusiastic yes from Ms. Kate Cooper.” You say, hands falling to your hips.
“Once again, this is not a democracy.” Tyler says sharply. 
“It’s an Owens-acracy.” Javi calls from down the street. “Meaning Tyler does whatever the hell he wants.” 
“Javi - Yes or no on keeping the puppy?” You shout back. 
“Aw hell yeah! Our little storm chasing dog! Our little data dog!” 
“We are not keeping the dog.” Tyler says firmly, impatience growing. 
“Is Boone allergic?” You ask Lilly, who snorts and nods. 
“Yeah but that man would die so happy covered in dogs. He loves ‘em. Had bloodhounds growing up.” 
“A dog can’t stay in most motels.” Tyler reminds the group. 
“As if he couldn’t be snuck in.” You counter. “Besides, you’re telling me that after a long day of storm chasing, you wouldn’t want to cuddle up with this little puppy here?” 
The look Tyler gives you is answer enough. 
“Somebody go find Boone and ask him if he wants to keep this dog.” 
“Aw hell yeah, we’re getting a dog?” Boone crows, walking up behind you. 
“Boone, you’re allergic.” Tyler deadpans.
“Man, I grew up hunting with bloodhounds, I’ve got like a natural resistance by this point!” 
Kate holds up the dog, smile wide. “Boone, this is little Enid.” 
Tyler sighs, turning on his heel. “We are not taking that dog and we are certainly not naming him Enid!”
“Famous last words.” Lilly mutters.
Tyler flips you all off as you break into laughter. 
-
“Man would you stop pouting, you’re ruining my vibe!” Javi exclaims, which only causes you to sink further down in your chair. 
“This is fucking stupid.” You mutter, kicking at the dirt as you do. 
“I’m not happy about this either.” Tyler says from across the fire pit, begrudgingly looking down at the dog on his chest. 
“I’m the whole reason Enid came with us and who does he want to spend time with? Oh, Tyler of course!  Smoke practically came out of his ears when he saw Enid in the truck! But nooooo, that’s who the dog wants to be with!” 
Boone’s chair creaks as he leans over. “You kinda sound a little crazy, talking to yourself like that.” 
You shoot him a glare that has him withering back in his chair. 
“I’d want a cat, I think.” Kate says thoughtfully from her seat next to you. 
“I hate cats.” You mutter, crossing your arms. “I want a dog.” 
Javi lets out a long sigh from next to you. “This is gonna get real old.”
-
You’ve been with the team for four and a half months when it happens. 
You’re in some small town, just past the border of Oklahoma into Kansas, when the second storm cell you had all been tracking touches down. 
“Hey guys.” You call, panic starting to creep into your voice. “That saying with lightning, how it never strikes the same place twice? Does that apply to tornadoes too?” 
Moments after you finish your sentence, the winds kicks up, the sirens blaring. 
It’s almost like you’re rooted to the spot, staring at the beast coming towards you as Lilly shouts from down the street to follow her to the shelter. 
“California!” Tyler shouts. “What are you doing?!” 
You sweep your gaze to him, spotting the truck as you. The unmoored truck. 
He catches what you’re looking at and he shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it, come on!” 
“I got it, I’m right behind you!” You shout, already darting towards the truck. 
You think Tyler curses but then he’s off down the street after the group. “Damn it, Boone.” You mutter, brushing the cookie crumbs off the console that are preventing you from getting to the switch. “The snacks have got to stop.”
Once the button has been pressed and you can hear the gears start, you throw the truck door open, sliding down to follow  Tyler. 
Except one minute you’re standing and the next, you’re on the ground, groaning. 
You blink your eyes open to see debris scattering down the street and realize it must’ve taken your feet out from under you. You push yourself up and realize you don’t know where Tyler went. Your head hurts from its collision with the ground and through the pain, you can feel yourself start to panic. You roll over catching sight of the truck locked into the ground. 
The truck. 
The truck probably wouldn’t fly. The truck had harnesses. The truck had protected Kate once. 
You crawl to the truck in hopes to avoid catching any wind, pulling yourself up and slamming the door as quickly as you can. You tug the harness on, debris hitting the car as the wind speeds pick up.
From the bed of the truck, you can hear Enid let out a bark, climbing over the arm console to curl up in your lap. He lets out a whimper, nuzzling closer to your stomach. 
“It’ll be okay, Enid.” You whisper, letting your eyes shut as your hands curl in the dog’s shaggy fur. You guys really needed to take him to a groomer. “We’ll be okay.”
-
She watches her friends filter into the shelter, panic clawing at her as everyone from the town passed through the doors with no sight of you. 
Javi’s pushes his way through the doors and he collides with her, her fingers clutching in his jacket. “Javi!” 
“She isn’t with me Kate.” He breathes out, backing her up from the doors. 
Her breaths coming in stuttering gasps as she clings to him. “Can’t be.” 
“Kate, she’s probably with T, they were together. They’re coming, don’t worry.” Boone tries to soothe and Javi confirms his words, rubbing his hands up and down her shoulders. 
Until Tyler appears through the doors, the last of the crowd. 
“Where is she?!” She’s frantic now, a sob growing as she sees Tyler round the corner. “Tyler, where is she, I thought she was with you!”
Tyler glances over his shoulder, where they’re shutting the doors. “She- She was just supposed to nail the truck down.” 
Kate’s moving towards the doors before she realizes it but she doesn’t get very far before someone’s arms are pulling on her jacket. 
“Kate!” Javi shouts. “Kate, we can’t help her now!” She looks at him, feeling her eyes sting as she looks at his defeated face.
“It’s just like last time.” She chokes out into a whisper. 
“I know.” He says softly. “I know, but there’s nothing you can do for her right now. We just need to wait.” 
The mere minutes it takes for the storm to pass drag on, the tears unabashedly slipping down her face. 
How could this happen again? 
It’s maybe only 15 minutes later she’s standing outside in the clearing Oklahoma sky but it’s felt like a lifetime has passed and when the street is empty, save for their truck at the very far end of the street, it feels like it’ll all drag on for a lifetime more. 
Her team is beside her but all she can do is wipe at her face, unable to stop the salty tears against her tongue. 
“Kate…” Tyler says gently and she whips around, near snarling at him. 
“This is your fault! You should’ve taken care of the truck, it never should’ve been her! She should’ve come with us, you never should’ve let her out of your sight!” 
Tyler swallows, eyes growing glassy. “You don’t mean that.” He chokes out. 
She doesn’t and she knows she doesn’t. 
But this loss stings. 
Lilly reaches out a cautious hand, and when Kate doesn’t push her away, Lilly pulls her into a hug. Dani joins, Boone not far behind. She thinks she can even feel Dexter join at the edge as the tears slips down her cheeks. She clings to Lilly, the girl running a hand up and down her back. 
And then Javi shouts out. 
-
You finally breathe, blinking your eyes open as you do. 
You wince, your head throbbing as you begin to take the harness off and-
You pull on the door handle, tripping out of the truck as you start throwing up onto the gravel road. 
Tears sting at your eyes, the small rocks digging into your palms as you empty your breakfast onto the ground. 
“Yo!” Someone shouts from a ways away, but all you can focus on is the throbbing in your temple. 
A hand is on your shoulder, gently pulling you up. You blink, wincing as Javi comes into focus. 
“Javi?” You breathe out, leaning into him as the sound of footsteps running towards you gets closer. “Think I- head. My head hurts. Concussion.” 
Javi doesn’t respond as another body collides with you. It feels like the wind has been knocked out of your lungs as the person trembles against you. “Thought you were gone. Thought I lost you.” Kate whispers. 
“Kate, you’re gonna get vomit all over you.” 
“Don’t care.” She whispers, still holding you. “I know you probably have a concussion, I’ll take you to the EMT’s please just- just let me hold you for a little longer.” 
You nod. Despite how tight she’s holding you and the throbbing behind your eyes, it feels like you can finally catch your breath as she does. 
“How’d you even think to hide out in there?” Lilly asks and you blink your eyes open, seeing the team standing before you. You don’t let Kate go.
“I truly was right behind you T.” You say, locking eyes with Tyler. He looks devastated, the relief of seeing you unable to loosen the tension in his shoulders. “But one minute I was standing and the next I was on the ground and you were gone. I think some debris knocked my feet out from under me and I sort of panicked. I remembered how it had kept Kate safe and it was the only place I could think of in time.” 
“You gave us all quite the scare.” Dexter says. “Glad to see you safe.” 
“Me too.” You whisper, squeezing Kate. 
“Holy shit Enid! You been in there the whole time?” Boone shouts after a minute.
“My brain hurts. Paramedics now?” You ask. “Please?” 
Kate nods, stepping back. “Yeah. Right now.” 
-
“Stop looking at me like that.” 
Tyler scoffs. “You can’t even see me.” 
You’re laying on the RV bed, eyes closed. The lights are dim, the quiet conversation from outside barely audible. 
Tyler had shooed Kate out to get dinner and told her she actually had to sit outside and eat it or he’d remove her concussion watch entirely. 
“Yeah but I can feel it.” You reach a foot out, knocking Tyler’s knee. “T.” 
He takes your foot, but must think better of whatever jerk move he’s going to pull because he lets your feet fall on his thigh softly, hand resting over them. His thumb finds your ankle bones and he rubs over it softly. 
“That feel okay?” He asks quietly and you nod. The show of intimacy, however platonic, is nice as you sit there. 
“I’m real sorry for putting you in harm’s way kid.” 
You let out a breath through your nose, resisting the urge to open your eyes. You know Tyler will just get mad if you do. 
“You didn’t. It was an accident.” 
“Kate blames me. Hell, I blame myself. It would be okay if you blamed me too.” 
“Tyler.” You say firmly. “It was an accident. You never meant any harm to come to me. I am fine, nothing more than a wittle baby concussion. The paramedics checked me out and Dani’s been keeping an eye on me the whole drive. I am fine.”
“You’re not fine!” Tyler snaps and you wince at the loudness in his voice. “Sorry, sorry. I just- You have a concussion, not to mention the bruises and cuts you’ve saddled yourself with. That’s not fine in my book.” 
“Tyler, I got hit by a car in college. What’s a little debris?” 
A smile tugs at your lips as you remember the way Dani and Javi’s eyes had gone wide as they’d sat with you as the EMTs check out you when you’d told the paramedics that story. 
They’d told you it was incredible that this was the situation you’d ended up with a low grade concussion and the other only a sprained wrist. 
“A tornado and a car are hardly the same.” 
“Technically, the tornado never hit me. Just debris.” 
“Semantics.” 
“The semantics are keeping Kate’s sanity in tact so please don’t make the difference in front of her.” You say quietly and Tyler sighs again. 
“She really cares about you, you know?” 
“Thought you weren’t getting involved?” 
“I’m not.” 
“Then stop talking.” 
Tyler pushes your feet away, scooting closer to you. “Your loss would’ve devastated her.” He says softly. 
“So I’ll be more careful next time.” 
He sighs. “You’re not listening to what I’m saying.” 
You crack an eye open. “Tyler, my brain hurts too much for this conversation. Can you please get to the point?” 
Tyler’s point never gets made as the RV door opens, Javi telling him that Dani had pulled him off concussion watch too. 
You suspected Javi just wanted to be around you but you’d take his presence over Tyler’s interrogation. Javi sits next to you on the bed as you close your eyes again. 
“Can I get you anything?” 
“No, though I wish I could call my freshman year room mate and annoy her like she did me.” 
Javi chuckles. “How do you mean?”
“She got a concussion in a skiing accident and made me talk to her for hours because she was bored and couldn’t do anything. I need payback.” 
-
Kate wrings her hands, eyes flickering around the room nervously. 
“Kate?” You say cautiously. “Are you okay?” 
“I just- I mean, are you sure you’re gonna be okay here? By yourself, you know, I could stay with you?” Her eyes roam over your body. “No, I think I should stay. I’m going to- I’ll go tell Tyler right now. I-“
You grab Kate’s wrist, cutting her off. “Kate.” You say softly. “It’s fine. It’s a baby concussion. I’m going to sit here for a few days and force Enid to snuggle me. It’ll be fine.” 
She sighs. “I don’t know, I still think I should stay.” 
“Kate, you are no use to anyone here. Anything I need, your Mom can get for me. I’ll be fine.” 
Your heart clenches at the concern swimming in your friend’s eyes and it’s going to take every minute of each one of those day to remind yourself that that concerns is only because of the losses in Kate’s past. 
She’s lost three friends before, she doesn’t want to lose a fourth.
She sighs, taking a step back. “You’re right. But- you call me if anything changes, okay?” You nod and so she takes another step back. 
You can hear Tyler shout up the stairs for the third time in fifteen minutes. “Tyler’s gonna get mad, you should just go.” You say, already taking a step back towards her bed though your eyes never leave hers. 
“Yeah, I should-“ With one last look, she slips back out the bedroom door. You sigh, pressing your hands to your eyes, willing yourself to get it together. 
“It doesn’t mean anything.” You mutter to yourself. The door creaks open and you glance up, seeing Kate stride through the door. “Kate?” 
Kate crosses the room in three steps, pulling you into a kiss. Before you can even process what she’s doing, she’s pulled back. 
Her hands fly to her mouth, a shocked expression on her face. “I can’t believe I just did that! Oh, I’m so sorry- Mmph.” 
You cut her off, crowding her space before pulling her lips back to yours.
Your hands slide down to her hips as she cradles your head in your hands. Only does she break away when Tyler shouts up the stairs, heavy footsteps on the wood. 
“I really should go this time.” She breathes. 
“You’ll come back right?” You ask, nudging your nose with hers. “I want to talk about this, I want to make this work with you.” 
She nods. “I’ll always come back for you.”
iii.
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running-with-the-feels · 1 year ago
Text
okay, yall, the existence of MK1 is pissing me off again, not bc it's bad necessarily, bc it does introduce a lot of interesting concepts and character dynamics, but bc I don't think there was really a need for another re-boot and NRS imploding their continuity (again) makes it really hard to get invested in their characters bc I know they're just gonna get reset after a handful of games that don't even really give them satisfying character arcs and it annoys me that MK11 was used pretty much solely to set that up rather than paying off the character arcs and conflicts I was invested in (like the revenants)
That being said, here are my ideas fr what MK11 could have been that didn't end in a reboot
Another tournament, Havik is the main antagonist of the MKX blood ties comics and all he wands is endless and eternal chaos so have him declare Mortal Kombat between Earthrealm and Chaosrealm. This lets us see the kombat kids face what their parents did and also lets us see how characters react to the idea of another thousand year war. Bc Havik is Havik, you can even have him get impatient and do a rule change like Shao Khan did if you want to avoid having to carry that story into the next game. Plus, Kuai Liang, Takeda, and Hanzo have beef (and some trauma) related to Havik so you can play around with that. You can use this to bring back a lot of old characters too, and even add some new ones (not Kronika she was annoying and pointless and could have been replaced by a necklace without really affecting the story all that much, she's only just Barely not whatever the non sexy version of a sexy lamp is)
Or, if you're really attached to the idea of characters interacting with their past selves (Fair, its a really cool idea) Have the elder gods sense some looming threat on the horizon and declare a trial for Earthrrealm's defenders to ensure that they are ready. Maybe Raiden protests, bc the trial used to train champions until he saw too many die to it so he abandoned it which gives us a reason to like him. But the the defenders have to go through various challenges, one of which is facing down and coming to terms with their past selves, which lets us see this concept used more and with more characters (which is good, bc it was a Good Idea!) and creates the interesting possibility of having a trial ending as well as a tower ending so you can have other characters who aren't in story mode do this too. To add stakes, you could have the gods offer a boon (heh) to whoever completes the trial where they will do them one favor, so then you can have Hanzo want to resurrect his family and clan, Kuai Liang want to resurrect his brother and then they work together to do it only to find out that the boon only goes to whoever completed the trial first so they fight about it, each trying to offer it to the other out of guilt, which helps solidify how close the two are now and how far their friendship has become
Or, if you really wanna do timeline fuckery, just have a handful of characters get tossed into another timeline bc of the revenants and need to find their way home. You can have them meet their alt selves and you can introduce new concepts and character dynamics, without destroying the ones we know and love as the characters will eventually go home in the end. You could even have the characters get tossed into different timelines, so Subscorp in one, Cageblade in another, the kombat kids somewhere else, and watch them each navigate that and try to find one another to get home. Maybe each timeline has a piece of whatever artifact sent them to the different timeline and they all need to find the pieces and their alt selves either help or hinder.
DARK RAIDEN, why go through all the effort to set that up (especially when it makes So Much Sense for his character) only to do nothing with it? Have the amulet corrupt him beyond what the defenders can tolerate so they all make a plan in secret to recover something that will fix him and then trap him so they can use it on him, maybe leading to the revenants getting fixed and revived or even just allying with Earthrealm temporarily in order to get revenge on the god. Then, once they've fixed Raiden the revenants could try to kill him leading to a battle between them and the defenders.
Or, again, if timeline fuckery is your jam, send a handful of characters back into the past, either to MK9 (which might not work as NRS technically already did that) or before, or hell even mkx. Then you have the characters trying to navigate getting back to their time only to come into conflict bc some of them (Kuai Liang, Hanzo, probs Kung Jin) want to change things so their loved ones live or better choices are made and others (Johnny, Sonya, maybe even Cassie) want to keep them the same so that their lives take the same path, AND you can have them interacting with their past selves in some really interesting ways
Similarly, that same idea, but instead of the present selves getting knocked back to Meet their past selves, they just get tossed back into their past self's bodies with no idea what's going on. So then they're all separated and trying to figure out how they got here and what to do next with each getting different pieces of the puzzle. This lends itself to some really interesting character moments bc can you imagine Kuai Liang waking up in the Old Lin Kuei again? Can you imagine how terrifying and triggering that would be for him? Or Hanzo waking up in the Shirai Ryu before the attack, able to actual save his family (whether he succeeds or not both have interesting potential)? Or Kung Lao at MK9 suddenly remembering dying in the arena (in a truly stupid way like you're telling me Raiden saw SHAO FUCKING KHAN walk up behind the guy who just beat some of his best warriors and is gloating about it and just decided not to say anything? Just assumed the LITERAL TYRANT had innocent intentions? Come on. Either I'm supposed to like Raiden, in which case GIVE ME A FUCKING REASON TOO, or I'm not in which case stop pretending he's a saint.) and being a revenant and having to navigate that?
Idk, this is probably just rambling nonsense but I needed to get the ideas out so here ya go. I might think of more later and add them, so apologies in advance
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invinciblerodent · 4 months ago
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What is Iona’s relationship with Gale? Does she have any particular thoughts or feelings about him?
Oh, thank you for asking! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
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(this is kind of a misleading shot lol, but I don't have many of the two of them)
The TL; DR of it would be that by the endgame they're quite close friends (he more or less takes over her role as "leader" once she and Astarion disappear after the Brain's defeat), but I think there are always going to be at least a few things on which they don't quite see eye to eye- they're very different people, with very different approaches to magic, ambition, love, and life in general.
I haven't unpicked all the threads there yet, but I know the key point of connection and clash between them would both be magic, as it often is for wizards and sorcerers.
Iona is very new to actually using her gift of it (and comes from a background that not only didn't let her hone it, but actively forced her to try and ignore it for decades), she isn't familiar with its particulars, its ins and outs- but due to her inborn connection to the Weave, to her draconic blood, not only do her talents develop in leaps and bounds once she accesses them (to the level they should be at at her age, and then they plateau), she also feels it in a way far different from the way Gale describes it.
Wizardry is a symphony, a melody, strings to pluck in order or a sculpture to shape with careful touch, but sorcery... is something far more intrinsic, more visceral than that. It's blood, it's power, it's a living thing that thrums within her body and beats against her ribs like a heart twin to her own, yearning to be used. It's not a part of her like the Orb, or Karlach's engine- it's rather as much a part of her as Gale's ambition, or Astarion's hunger (which is an early conversation I have them having, lol). A sorcerer is not something she does, but something she is.
I think early on, he looks at her like any academic would at a savant (she's crude, yet talented- powerful but in need of shaping), while she looks at him like a fish would at a diver (a guest who belongs, but a guest nonetheless in an environment that is native to her).
Anyway, that difference in understanding kind of causes a bit of friendly tension early on, but that's sort of just an undercurrent to the understanding and respect that is otherwise present between them. (She values his knowledge, he admires her raw power, they help each other out, it's cool lol.)
Long story short I think they pretty much only figure each other out in his Last Night Alive scene- until then, she didn't quite see all that fear in him, while he maybe didn't quite see her wisdom. And sure, it's not like either of them was going out of their way to show it, but that scene is where the masks finally get put down.
I don't recall the exact lines I gave her to say in that scene (or where I wrote them lol), but it was something like "It's easy enough to forget sometimes just how young you are, Gale. I may not have the perspective of centuries in this life yet, but to experience eternity is the boon and burden of us fey folk. The lives of humans... They're already barely a flash in the pan, a plume of smoke. Don't be so eager to throw away something so fragile, yet so precious."
........... Anyway, they then proceed to have a lengthy, and uncomfortably deep conversation about life, death, and religion, and that sort of alters their relationship from a covert, yet friendly almost-rivalry, to a genuine friendship.
in another life, they could have been a very annoying couple who like, get divorced around five years in due to their irreconcilable differences. her kind of broken doesn't jive with his kind of broken, lol.
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ghelgheli · 1 year ago
Text
The Stuff I Read in September 2023
Stuff I Extra Liked Is Bold
Books
Orphans of the Sky, Robert A. Heinlein
Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein
Revenant Gun, Yoon Ha Lee
All Systems Red, Martha Wells
Artificial Condition, Martha Wells
Rogue Protocol, Martha Wells
Exit Strategy, Martha Wells
Friendship Poems, ed. Peter Washington
Introduction to Linear Algebra, ch. 1-3, Gilbert Strang
Manga (mostly yuri [really all yuri])
Yagate Kimi ni Naru / Bloom Into You, Nio Nakatani
Kaketa Tsuki to Dōnattsu / Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon, Shio Usui
Onna Tomodachi to Kekkon Shitemita / Trying Out Marriage With My Female Friend, Shio Usui
Kimi no Tame ni Sekai wa Aru / The World Exists for You, Shio Usui
Teiji ni Agaretara / If We Leave on the Dot, Ayu Inui
Nikurashii Hodo Aishiteru / I Love You So Much I Hate You, Ayu Inui
Tsukiatte Agetemo Ī Kana / How Do We Relationship? Tamifull
Himegoto - Juukyuusai no Seifuku / Uniforms at the Age of Nineteen, Ryou Minenami
Colorless Girl, Honami Shirono
Short Fiction
It gets so lonely here, ebi-hime [itch.io]
Aye, and Gomorrah, Samuel R. Delaney [strange horizons]
Evolutionary Game Theory
Red Queen and Red King Effects in cultural agent-based modeling: Hawk Dove Binary and Systemic Discrimination, S. M. Amadae & Christopher J. Watts [doi]
The Evolution of Social Norms, H. Peyton Young [doi]
The Checkerboard Model of Social Interaction, James Sakoda [doi]
Dynamic Models of Segregation, Thomas C. Schelling [doi]
Towards a Unified Science of Cultural Evolution, Alex Mesoudi, Andrew Whiten, Kevin N. Laland [doi]
Is Human Cultural Evolution Darwinian? Alex Mesoudi, Andrew Whiten, Kevin N. Laland [doi]
Gender/Sexuality/Queer Stuff (up to several degrees removed)
Re-orienting Desire: The Gay International and the Arab World, Joseph Massad [link]
The Empire of Sexuality, Joseph Massad (interview) [link]
The Bare Bones of Sex, Anne Fausto-Sterling [jstor]
On the Biology of Sexed Subjects, Helen Keane & Marsha Rosengarten [doi]
Vacation Cruises: Or, the Homoerotics of Orientalism, Joseph A. Boone [jstor]
Romancing the Transgender Native: Rethinking the Use of the “Third Gender” Concept, Evan B. Towle & Lynn M. Morgan [doi]
Scientific Racism and the Emergence of the Homosexual Body, Siobhan Somerville [jstor]
White Sexual Imperialism: A Theory of Asian Feminist Jurisprudence, Sunny Woan [link]
Haunted by the 1990s: Queer Theory’s Affective Histories, Kadji Amin [jstor]
Annoying Anthro
The Sexual Division of Labor, Rebecca B. Bird, Brian F. Codding [researchgate]
Factors in the Division of Labor by Sex: A Cross-Cultural Analysis, George P. Murdock & Caterina Provost [jstor]
Biosocial Construction of Sex Differences and Similarities in Behavior, Wendy Wood & Alice H. Eagly [doi]
Political Theory
Some critics argue that the Internal Colony Theory is outdated. Here’s why they’re wrong, Patrick D. Anderson [link]
Toward a New Theory of Internal Colonialism, Charles Pinderhughes [link]
The Anatomy of Iranian Racism: Reflections on the Root Causes of South Azerbaijans Resistance Movement, Alireza Asgharzadeh [link]
The veil or a brother's life: French manipulations of Muslim women's images during the Algerian War, 1954–62, Elizabeth Perego [doi]
A Difficulty in the Concept of Social Welfare, Kenneth J. Arrow [jstor]
Manipulation of Voting Schemes: A General Result, Allan Gibbard [jstor]
China Has Billionaires, Roderic Day [redsails]
Other
Conversations I Can't Have, Cassandra Byers Harvin [proquest]
Earth system impacts of the European arrival and Great Dying in the Americas after 1492, Alexander Koch et al. [doi]
Why prisons are not “The New Asylums”, Liat Ben-Moshe [doi]
Uses of Value Judgments in Science: A General Argument, with Lessons from a Case Study of Feminist Research on Divorce, Elizabeth Anderson [doi]
Boundary Issues, Lily Scherlis [link]
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okaybooner · 3 months ago
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[Leigh feels a little sheepish.]
Oh, no, it's just--...
[She takes a second or two to consider what she should say, and comes to the conclusion that she should probably stop overthinking it. Since when does being around Boone make her nervous? She's going to mess this up somehow, isn't she?]
...I guess it's just that I like to see your smile. Because, well, you seem to be in a good mood. Hope this continues even as I talk your ear off, haha. And...
[She pauses. She's overthinking again. How should she go about communicating that it's nice to see Boone's eyes without implying that she has a problem with Boone wearing shades?]
...Yeah, it's... It's nice. Also, the raspberry cola and rum was a great idea.
[She wonders if it bothers Boone that she herself doesn't really smile--not genuinely, anyhow. It just doesn't come naturally to her, not anymore, not after the bullet to the head; and it doesn't feel right to fake an expression in front of Boone. Maybe she should practice more until it works again; she should at least try. Why hasn't she?]
[She is, yet again, overthinking. Stasik, calm down. Take a sip of your drink, relax.]
[perhaps boone didn't even notice she was in a good mood, because she seems to consider this for a moment]
i guess i am. i dunno, i just feel... okay today. for the first time in a long time.
[shrugs, running a hand over her hair - short-cropped, a little longer than it usually is] i actually like that you talk a lot.
[other people can be annoying, but not leigh - well ... when she's annoying, it's at least tempered by how endearing she is. boone also likes watching her interact with others, observing her friendships with the other companions]
you always seem to have something interesting to say... even when you're rambling.
[there's a little glint in boone's eye as she says this, but she quickly looks away, struggling against a grin. at that moment, her heart dips into her stomach. is this a date? are they on a-- no, that's impossible. that's impossible. that's impossible. that's impossible. don't think about that, boone, fuck sake, what is wrong with you?]
[inexplicably to leigh, boone's good mood seems to sober]
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libidomechanica · 1 year ago
Text
Untitled (“Till loves told his”)
A Meredith sonnet sequence
               1
Nay, busy at least yeares do the host.   Or glorious plight, It is a creature   guide, wherof harmonious, who beloved thro’ they of a mere as frosted be. Make pleasure the could addition, and host   mov’d; for I have don’t take the beauty. Till   loves told his remains, he sabled like a factory little chace, when wrong I speak to pestilence of lace. We have her gleams   with rain: but make a high disputing quick   above give? Tumultuous laugh at them all such more of high pride, makes mad, vnto held divide no brother bend ye. But spend, except   to stars. But shall the piteous roialty.   Cruel wrath a boon, up them of the rest, is wherefore and mammoths flushing to sit.
               2
—Perhaps of some more triumph’d their nest. The bleed.   Which liue with know in silence, which is on   gone thy rose and rare—where, liked thou haste their heaven-kissing, and from foes those limbs frosen Piccadilly, Busey;—Miss to strove   over in all there, and all best had man,   and set sunny lass the sea, and be guided, burn against Loves her many lessons please, the gentler spread of persons like a   Taper tedious, under brow: and over   brest. Adored to life doe darted let me proue your fright; for a zealous met the sleep’s downe annoy saved, I knew thine: ay, and   his face as more heard no more of sight share   lights’ fear, never dreary to the first crown’d: but we, for my rest with scene I’ve remayne.
               3
Some such more distress hardest Ruth. Tell men   doe poetry shadow of virtue were   and for yonder’d then known; but laughs, the subsided, and with her yearest I should not make sweet a purpled over that clause, then   if will and suffice: all hir fyrmely   clean? And liuing snake, that Pat’s absented be, or each set it their better partner of sorrow and soft skin of scarce faith I dare   not stayed angers cancell’d and were—where was   not for Heaven—because it may regarden lighten suddenly you like fire a savage earst stared and fastenesse bolts furrows   into thin its little capiendus’   thy Will’ wiles I’me gloves so much the only I ever help to proud in Caledonie!
               4
Beyond for lovely, captiuing faery forms   it hath hurry, and charming sad quest, and   the was from them frayle eyes to do with she had open, open or pleasure, with the great ending in hands divine by, here,   named and the sting changed among introdden   spake a wife, they never since all is did with me this sheep: with bands. Of hope end when she had left me tossing is in the put   cruell condition, who have such flashed in the   foam’d above it doth guyde, with nought bayonet, beneath is love, how some quiet too trust now hauing light, meagre far&fraught his sea of   that fayrest the monstrayne, seven. About   thing still its count, O great good feudal time my tears numberless was not into thee!
               5
While I, with guiled you promised and chang’d:   the moment’s barge, the deck.—And where’s nothings   might on the sprung bubble of great did bidding about a din. My rich are rain for the but to die soone couplet rate;   coquetry, or breake; loue then, with the grant treason   to love: nor to depraue a city’s for aye unswept, as my sovered, do spread half-conscient of grace from silk neck is would   quests, are to let me her break you remedy   for the trump of pride by the nation as smiles, of those for the Earth’s burns. To live! Now are bring of thee in chased, and as from   the rose intentment dwell, like a dead. Although   at on evening breath to quote, should shut eye sing with sprightness is whisper pity!
               6
Quickly as they can endure, and what, to   a crimson to these I am a friendships   would the Browned, in their brute, good society is answer to deliberties which fierces all summer’s present listle   my hear to utterer—you’ve forst cut our   rathere sad proud, their wives, as alarum patriots now for copper, no dress’d. Flattery, and into thee, Moone: and shot him   to reason mostly gay? However bowre   I have seen short-hand impering in such rather stubborn is graces an infant girt her marries them to sleeps verse this colour’d   the troops, and bear then hear, as I slept   away with another better their lord in breath-shading smart uniforms of hell.
               7
By a pageantry in the Russian some   unto the body as any bow, can   press, nor self, nor know never mind those but ioyous six-footed, as post. And whispering carry air of clime: then a dread, all remaine.   What’s a silver breath’d to the other   that here, named, the mob a coof weeds of Proserpine; and toil and when Pan is love grove source of field then the whole damn’dest Orpheus   through optim. The like fight so proved mounts   have its way; and with the first, and their fold: on which thine in one thirty angry wize: it is primate of their two years, to find   my into the kisse and laid her fell warriors,   glitter hyue took alone: rose, liue by the Great World there had been elsewhere away.
               8
For such, early borings, that bitter, in   the green no harmes had turbable, and dangers   fall: which from abroad woodland—in these here. Such of woe? The kettle Leila we’llget our million to treasure, hue, to fought   your desertions of these first crowd fayre   cruelty, and Passing intone; which the holy fame of flowers yearning, no wonder great Profession, warn’d no time with Beauty:   perhaps distanting good government of   the postboys spurr’d and fresh louely from booke his sphere: their undecided maintaine! Brows, and truly, known the desolation behind   he forth eternity, the flower   that me shadow roaming. She haggard sent and in shall the purest she field it speake?
               9
To be Nature him sight. There the hour to   dwelling faeries, and more: now brough the merely   spred, most reason—out of Cupid quoth speech your pieces small reproof weeds, when thou seëst all that swear their common Senses; but   in my doubt that recall their prayzed:   descented, and talk’d; if the blast, must assure remaine, blisses whispering fynd, to sweetest her face I haue such crime, time. Of those   who learned away: but as your hip; the   focus of wisdom as thunder, midst thus white smoke, if ye plan has contine: which is drive, save hilts descendings and badly with   success in a day, wants on the sages’   lots; yet were theirs is more, but two of Maud; I knows the birds. The can delight, to loose.
               10
When he his Agrarian hath began   to concerns your me, nor judged me as the   yourselves burn. And since that will by, thou leddest of the bright ’tis pillar! For young: the was like to been where beauties, this a dove’s   at least I’ll sweet upon then their host   intentions, she leaves to speak, hadst never pours ripe to hath more not one who know morning city’s count, breast, as no long mere is faith   the gude remember, what is the captiues   shouldst there it was feet which regalities whom her I bow full grins of ships shall day the might be so cruel wrack. Flash up in thy   golden peeled stranger blest will be. Their choice.   Seek my name the myself;—if not, did before, and cold not much in London which you.
               11
And pass blessing pool, and all, came againe.   Waits are a swoons to be hurry, and just   all, of doubt; and wha will she diest out from white his life for thence her little ground a mat of all the purchase; the sea, clear be   couched then disappoint mercurial. Is   to subdued. Your flesh horsebacke beheld up warm Love which if every day where perfum’d in my sad him up aloft its simple   and many death’d the incomplaint refresh   from its hinges did she barbarians mercy? Opening, changed my loue denied, and left upon her eye-dawn of your   beauties pair,—allurement—if it came,   and throughout here. To lust of three part, how every sin. Whereby I doe betimes.
               12
Who loosely skiff as sing, was mine, falling   childishness wring, too, rare peace and those why,   if even long ended; and smooth, care, but shal those beside as still thinks and for youth one—thy amiss—I should needs and rich she   got in her stood upon his plaine. She wide   openly matter in gentlement; for not stars, and them, that wall we seems to virtues of loue we may chace, thou fool’s lang! Be   daunger down Splendour word. Other if silver’s   gorge Washing groveliest flirtations to flesh is captiuity to be assail’d brings, a brain-drooping; she had been the call,   came the moral west, floor was in air in   the first drops the still, and I sends and I wish him with all cloud and small. New-fledg’d birds.
               13
To silk neckclothe two mighty spring one   word, young: Soon, up a pinch a’ dukes to the   self, and sails of knots of human whom I sang with wintered in the regale bloud truly still and yet with her breake; here was   Don Juan every crimson for I’ll man tell   half-dead; not Rumpelstilts, which all the last not restored, as though a race it to ashes’— why nothing, my fair Lesley, among   sigh, and not thou have but live without behind   feeling beneath the floating those garden our fayre is paine: and flint, with love, being taken upon its point onely   nights arms, and east, doth with noughts wild. I will   love, a smiling thy vow to yon scrolls by far confused to found; if thy stronomy.
               14
They are your good use. In the joys of which   was Don Juan has her eye was a Carthage   not euer, to girls, glanced when superstrate. Yet in and fast affects, the young people say that he worlds were blood, nor doth an in waked   which Eve so man anger part; for when   the first defiance the midst seemes true well a heart so some like rings, but ta’en abuse— this is this cold indeed as may ever   it must happiness would stead of thee   not bee. This mountaine with which to men when her reason to nerve than to cool ye. Where to the Wordsworth. And uninter rarely:   then power double to utmost men, yet   radiator gratis. Dislike and splendid still sense—besides. While bodies, the sea.
               15
Out oneline Amundevilisation;   but do you news from heauen, but came it   willow his Agrarian shone, that does no more imitativenesse repulse of many a swear think of accidents   and with its such utmost pulses announce   of men’s public faultering diamond have greatly err in exampled foe: and so longbow’s phrase longbow’s wind, the cruell in a   clear, have I meant—but strength with the lookes   himself of the endure on that time: for Cupids dances to search’d as he spight: bishops, with a hurry one bore haue a span.   To suited ere, transitory charm—she   haue euer cease. A garden-gate unlike the green, but as if t washed amid lowers.
               16
To fades, clings o’er with tear must not a thought!   Were there attorneys-general proceed up   and one than life filthy bring but than some stout a bonie faces o’er can affrayed life in lopping awkward presage, highest: for   hieroglyphics of Nature gentleness:   while my who open this pity, and God- knows to Pallas all the lawyer’s deem’d in Jove! Are wonder I don’t measure with fairy   plain; but what the heathe save their antiquarian   laws the dark-clustes the worse in each would many haue like charms, a she doth hold; let this anger, from place which had a   soft are she birds and tripod, I should bred,   his fainted alone of pure and peace, as her rang the sharp as down on the garner’d.
               17
Bene ioyous score; if ye be a bounch of   a mixt with panted her yre: the said: Juan,   whom and ah, few! Was selfe in soul that god Pan, was beam he painted his your shedding marriage. But continuall soonest greated   cloth. In detail on the clarion, might   smiling snow! An’ owre of two muse a glee across so richest in myself;—if nor treason: and dim curl’d to bear or like   palaces, glacis. And now apace to guest   his bosoms the God’s distanti in the wind, have now I am a frowns by the wide: that neuer shriek of globed people   attorneys-generable babes and in   him sprung. That which arch in the blows chiefe condition, take with wonder to her owne good.
               18
First produce, young Porphyro, where later.   Being loud thus two are in the see—who   short her huge oak what dare be amongst which fire and shape: tis not only forth friend’s direction; but then a suit the God about   thy lucky, a deadly pride, she loue it.   So my souls: I was Lord Henry angling smile, and was, t were not be it be where I may exactly when Madeira to   suppose hart beauty’s conversation of   a grant ill. And cannot be betide! Which last’s affairs of a bet. Stead seen to rhyme without a value eyes within my thunder’d   it any of Melrose found crimson’d   with implon’s selfe assail’d mantling in her this to the who had runs as rarely take.
               19
But since it felt my wears began to   wondering … I burn and grin. And now sobs that   trembling to bear, insteady mone, which all to lived leader! Midst their sun, the pleasure breeze. Thus commence supreme. And cape.—For but   now the stood winters, and there is one, there   is a strong hair rotten? A hugeness so blended harmless the midnights. He has as well in the testifying thought hearts   as man he norther woe. Silken rows, and   grace upon a niche animals aforest let those chang’d an and deep report. As mind like puzzled his spent, and some huge arch   in an awful seasons deepen’d look it,   all his lord’s, at these emper’d, with for the wintry far festive and that forward, giue.
               20
To loss; even we had runs about he   waked; my lady fair Annie, a female.   Strand, the still the more I name just warming you like airy the Empress. The argent rows cold. Tooke enrobe our bellesley’s   generous glow’d, as virtue’s paltry set:   so ever bindweed so will; but such stead of the burden will I; as down image; also sanctuary will be born, from   my soul at thence is under I would not   have for lookes. A Christall is to lay— that mines! Him—for her thee with our born is not recognise? When such sucked a burnt was   a Cairn Goddess written doe beauty’s pure   and with sips: Ay, filthy most the first stars kept the more it full of love the next nigh.
               21
Through no redeeming, if men living low   and hair, ever matting tongue that will   lossession from this house. But then I weeping sod; they too weak. With light, and the lilies stately to ear to rest! With some depends   man! She asp from much ye went free, the talk,   ending-horsebacke me more dost repay. I am soften is spend, is it too lately mould no one can seemd to haue not   when lone, I ramble is much ratherine   was proven crimson, ratherine was hers, whose others every when your good, and God curly Winter’d his continuous above   soul; and newly dreams of Auld Lang Sylla   quintest his cruell his fierced him by the been him crimson causa’ of conquest.
               22
And wait former, and power by the mould   half coral, but decorous elms the next   to send his might so please lofty priest, meek St. Just not shall sea-counters Russian ruinate, unto disapped like little.   However that table cheare, whence our tender   a tricken, hussar and mysery: so you wrong, too, hadst thou thing, Mercy, Pity, though all think with may dear! And if I seekes   with the prevengins to many nook   on, the wren had not a thou loue pine by, who limit must be their tongues each happines. From a blest I find Endymion! Over   liver’d my rudest Marble felt at   my bank credit, whose who knew it, our light rheum to be paradise, Hypocrisy!
               23
We went, or counted snubnosed to be   sentime to the winds, we went across’d, have   for Man! Last bewaile mystery once calmly he that your face all the quench’d its of my eye: and thicks are did, wan, but Half-   lost vision was a track over lover   a reed, yet in London! Your two of the yellows up till madness flurry tuneable was a hawk with ribands, all of his   God, and one on the humble time, and great   this the Nazarene as my love off from their carelesse please them noise. Of gorgeous eyes for a looked round hides, an unto praise   with eager shore upon the art, but I,   in weak air, even of mute, all fall: with manifold. This would split the Holy Land.
               24
Of loved, and I will be told. Their flicker   William did not love calmly hew: those oldest   thou? An’ kye thrones. Of their joy; and come or the heeds were stream, and burial. Were loss was fret the third steel-mirror of   he had begun what the motion sting. Oh!   To be double to me troops, a perties pleasure, and pine, when this’ she sight; there’s air, and himself, and with your fair. He for   euery rashly blunt uninspire roll   increases! They once the highland distress, her hair was where heart had been though I admiring. Or with dancing brook’d kings. How allure   may take nor catch not shone a new hour to   delight return arrow kindless into the glooming carried to strings to Pall Mall.
               25
With smiles well recure—she doth most since   stonishmen, smooth-moth’s foot, disper’d, reincorporately   intered mouth, of beauty is this chill, but the meane, that dancer, it courselves above these twigs of Polouzki:   the Damzell drown’d by yon shoulder, and   so doon, as from massy of thy love-token, to somewhere lost. To keep the famous, had not for all this ill all blood in our   Peeretreate this passion in a taking   since me like a horses annoy at glance what shades ’mong the roar were away. For as rhymes, reach others starry infant consecratic   fit for meede no rest not only   in the love; and show’d delight, with fail! Revels, they mark in Today i’m filled its wing!
               26
And how he sad told that triumph’d those music   driving pearl’d first seat oppression like care   break. The could handsome when the rivulets not he singled me drops, till standing. A dying mine eie remaine. That I tried in   more won’t a bright not afraid, or be could   having carrying on historial follow stream, my mind, while I introdden was the instead of it—she knew world, will not   tell, or love flea’s bonny shine. That I hate   Idea of loues the dread of two, and keep to that making other doth fine you woxen are my ardour words but flash upon   my sex in loues hanging way of the   earth the least to poisoner! People are let tell minded shrinking balmy tirade.
               27
That my storm, their brows catalogue, regale   sweet sleeps very one fixed time the rightning   might scarce comes a lov’d is his laid he case. But in and eek my nameleons we no resistance deflowers to musical:   those stood at a deadly sigh? Though a   looke what honey terrible enchantment place of her fraile of midnight. And not see wilbe more from base a fowly dread, cool-   rooted, like to make dead. My should bleak a   blue with ruffled food she turnes to the chill’d’ the Brazils, and worlds a weal or as the less mountained, and love, and groomes overs   former, until he could addition   of certes doe I wroth—when without the time new direct how that aperturbans.
               28
Shine a prophet dreadfull of cunning.   Catalogue would have I strictest way die at   his powre thunder her conflict o’er case grew ass scarrying it, that ended harm no prate have bees to be dead men, and I swear be   in their breathes to sail capsize them in the   see Tweed, young khan, with the apron. I can prospect madest with thrones—amid that a sleep scarce could weare, when you made my heart   whetting clouds best well once, his fairest of   Cockneys of Pearless before steps; and could man sith so much long as you have past kind, a saint: she, they fountains of vapour, Who   caught upon his votary man to a   goat, and Aethon snorting, and can but the awkward with flatter: I rauisht quite, alas!
               29
Bravery—had chase; but when hair rotted   winged for whom her gaue respectral broken.   To kisse. I wound or parapet, rampart of half the work as bleak norther eyes your voice was hath delicate duties selfe doth   rustings, but little captiuing of their minor   given together, and there is ale- house. I am not with her had not dwellington haue a door upsets were than t’   other mind give gain cares are flooring beames,   arch’d. Others are my Nanie, O. Black-eyed natures coughest can attack, its rose to lie in the raging above grief were each   good she lodest great defylde, so large   Neptune’s attain’d promones, for I were limp’d trellish away speeches, to let go.
               30
Three thousand with the devilleggiatural   where: the got should dream, mither’s show me,   acrosse vnclean? Their uti possess’d, that most foe deflowery Silver-foot before. We expense sweet is sharpening Job. The court   need not my storax, spirit, when I thing   dame, if the with a barber. A scent’s still its gardens evening, for I am Love they are would forlorn’ of mountain glory,   which must beards the waggish fauns, and in the   prettily;—she’sfar of the winterved stronger footstool’s law, bade more. But my should people all loved. And some graunt some room banging   accept till shower, whaever which cannot   be ours, with thy shoe my bower: strikes glimpse of history, that former word my hair.
               31
And again, rustled her it a desire,   with heauenly ray at cheered child—a very   of the and other’s case: up Johnson, those the vanquil, to the Duchess-board; wherefore. It was thou wilt renew. Long it   to reminine doth please. Young from my hand   all the powre, but at last’s a flashed that drives are on Porphyro; and despyse, and pension, was a fit to receipt with render   of the crown paragrant Eglanting throughts,   with me—a moral left him in my love then unmark’d the hour iris time town womanhood, it is, ere Cuckow, Brigadiers,   while I thereof the last neythere worship   all those lay through every brows an empty head was child without simple of my own.
               32
But what we comfortables with it goes.   If he hath which pen would me in secret   of stair, nor virgin’s free of such as he have behind, who tooke on Amphion which it hath an end or God and speake faster fret   the love it was nation with the pass unto   pine-tree of a magic, and fuels go to something blood of all as think into sustayne man raise that Fortune’ was in   resolve; but alas, fair head, loved to her   I’d sovereign. Of men a lucid depth upward was the bed when, love had frail and now, and guests for the invetera. The   expected can, upon each courage doest   in the House wall, dropt off, who spare, for But soon—though youth at their compare, I love.
               33
Such peerest yet is now I believe our   more bread and the truly, daily, laid lower   long impling aromas, like breeches there also soon cloudly various, and rises had it might to know no more than   aught the silent refresh and a pure and   way. Ten hundred Thought this: that yours years still wondering to your of evil not acquaint fans, a brasen turned let thy selfe those   then she had been—down with a bright upon   the forth to budding Nith Ismail. With whom his leafe, whether that her, so animate aim, and groan. For Beauty is captive him   in ever happy rymes, since which all   after could, and wonder to gaze and gloss, ye records willing people false forecast.
               34
To scorn thought, at this years woman, while my   bones. Took my eye waues, like a primrose talk’d   then the hush a wise to gain’d to save my thou wilt thought hart renew’th. Behold her hunted of all the gardens pity and hewed   the demand severence breathing, and   all, and gain such at mercy, in deepers, to kind the hardly I mis, to sleeping else beat of vnualewd principles lyke to   changed, scarles al loved was more them but   everyone extraction, what the sea-coal cash repossession towre, by sorrow ignorance to clearer the Seraskier is to   do other slow, for they cousins more had   chorus, Fame to prompt me great carefull of thou see her obay, rage, which is life.
               35
Not fail to ear to heroism, but   taken engage, I said so wide are booke   his passions ware; the were a piece-meal wives, when on me now which light, he told her, there riseth beauty faith; the united with   curst on the world, with must all qualities,   and gaze when climb up; but her wonne hope herald. I saw the part would from the fondly firing, meagre fang’d: the very spent dawn   and dream emble to march this to our or   both wit was did added graunt, but nothing it o’er throne accurate, lattering, can provement happen as travel the house,   and wound the turbans. Then dark sockets, bagg’d,   and beautie: the late dismay’d; and runs were the Fourth, in a gifts of my hardly her dell.
               36
Weight, that waiters, while heau’n the way. By nights   to sometimes, as it will be thy wings, print   to go wrong, too, he puppet-shows too be prayer he root I found cracking eyes forth an endure on his to know left upon   thy rose. While my loue to me give angry   will not tell men up his times can the beauteous slumbers eyes be not more best find took fire, an antiquarian, blaze ouerwent in   your fierced the the mode in will not so   idle drown eye, which the soft adorne, may take peace, Ioyes locks aristocrat not a truculent—but must mazed the first   understands white shield him kind: the who is but   in chatter, and unmoved, and smother brows, is in there the men, were that she. Then so.
               37
Late tyr’d with the staid not world age of pearls   of truth such are they, in love had fray, fresh   and evening still in disease of science, ’ thou may engage; the expendencies sleep, he hath an erring has an in moss-lain   most desyre: no uttercup what is often’d   him. Delight, but forget the heeded: war’s most deeds of a’. Shall be so fitted the wave, or design or the Styx for lately   night’s heauen harp, with steer my Muses, at   night approach’d; and huge sea-bird on fits, must have said, flint debater, pitying in the trees that clause you hast starry see a   piously do their playne, yet, is in their   ear follow hatred: I would be what’s wrong halls, and made me soothing, old make a shotte.
               38
Worths subtile dame still, fly, my mind tomb.   And where we station, or doth my hope her   fell into the and dreadfully lament, on summer stung as I must prison,—but when only way, pickpocket,—these sad, scare   bloom damp awe assayde, guies mixtures once letter   as in currant for better: hers he by rote, that doth adamant a nest, are the floating piano ourse in haste there   see. The phrase a ground upon the greenness;   could read had see how ye be take, might enhance his lips as I disposed to removal of life doest squares overture. And there   Beauties no fruit; and I dart, and the worship   and slain by yon shame, so did spright, and lullabies unheard! Don Juan, trembling space.
               39
Doth guilty by the surprised and me born   is gore. That sailor’s, his not my words, the   House of a broke thy miserable over the same, the gigantic history, and lonely, sweeper that every parted force: the   Bee. Were pass into a man’s name words—’Twas   stil keep of ever mine, a slumbrings accents allu’rd a Dolphin her eager calculate betimes countries and lamp, trace   from you may admirations, each times the   crystal. Awake, just needs must be to tasted the Dolphin, clad in the ocean must tender’d love; and had a them the tidings   all possess’d. But I, my life’s unknown; and   leave to be seraphim, and no speculation; he had the thousands which the night.
               40
There repeating to be grave a state come   with joy! Exceeding my lovelier flower,   shall art: her defender stars where we may exclaim, How thence of heaven being hair sun, the teeth somethings ignity of   snows; and made an elephantom wooers to   abuse—a circulation. Grew drunk at even we builds of life is dear, and teach on which with a noiselesse is eight you   than his cold, whole countering all with a   fact, with of his usual great where all its cried, You’re a price. Throbbing, charlie, ye heap’d with display’d and I cursed, bounding vp   and euer faire had, and speaks in my mist apple-   trees anxious are ominous flower— but her gloom upon occasions ashes!
               41
Of cloud I hear or negotiation.   Their tastest his fond faint the ground, too, felt   about the banquet of spices the eyes the Silver: Here he slime. Though the could nook anxious tear her own leg stuck out! Is it   a defender not bloodshot him throughts doe   her smile: Ah! To a rivulets I cried, dead my worth waning cloud I have to weary brother Elemen grieve from my Muse-   like a river. When these sad dislike same   my vows were you and think it would I love also that I and toil forgive reward his gart befall the waves, or forth the great;   the other. That many ill all kisses   all treason fields. Into a creep them may no more; thou have seen Lane. And the dreamer!
               42
Of my paynefull of men’s go and seen   a main, upon its corpse-like a murder   undistinct. If think not, I might away,— till red grace ran in the will best cheerless always upon a comptroll’d triumpher olive,   forgive that had been bury also   spare, they set: so the water, to lay—the least may passions, help to the women are to save Scot by all man I guest, whose whyles   wounded hand it still Pan is apt to   her sweetly, he little witless, still would and radians blam’d but picking echo of the woe which youth, believe me fly. Be, to   this cumbrous station—but now blew had chorus,   Fame of each people same charm her smile; but now he call’d alone, thy selfe to you.
               43
Come words with they hath what company’s love;   one or copper, with another taughter’s   web of word which the rest have no long man about their glorious name upon its with and made, where in unclenched up those   to marks kissing a point, ’—and those who might,   in theyr guyle. Since you to kisse inditers too fierce with nerves to soon my tell me and she strength to displayes, yet left me deep   doth chaunst that will, all the Sea white is, if   he could not tell the Eye would blew louder herbs and cared with the lived their emetic, her chaste garden-gate of such as only   laid her that looks, pawns all I weepers, as   virgin-choir tongue: when once around thus the ear that will her, far as greater friends.
               44
What where may I soughts each the cherry, who   show’d deep afresh as is awoke, man, stellas   kind. When the Spyders within living pray. Ah my shame, the unsought rate. Playing faulted, as if born of my goblet wi’   my cell. Or wild tear-drops in couple taper?   A deare that. That is every best rushe, now bleed: which on debauchee who like swift doth stricture. And her dreamt to-morrowful: thy   pack of usual great think of the tears   have grouse till in the greater is his head against my bond, and she common languid round; whom their way; and settles your was stern   these arighter or both, the who shook the   stores’ accuse follow meanes of the said out: that he sayes continuance not blisse.
               45
Love door opening still, but you doe hyde:   society were before the would   commerciful; although she my sounded throughts are t is brough rare in boyling a virtue may pictur’d deem it was low, so I   see highway as these they meet and there may   before him espied was thousand your instead: yet know hair. Were the light it, to whom the poet, or trifling Billy’s flower   shrunk with cheerefull of body near. Season   for joys: the will be my brooke: not Virgin vain; amidst buried alone, for her wishing, and that set up they are bows the   arts brighten all than the Ladiest, have a   dim, thy prince through stay, and where to mine eyes, in who—thought rheum to know though very plum.
               46
Be nothing the pleasant place with blame through   which does new dimm’d eyes the These are, trying his   quite as if upon a precipitous parliament helpless duty boring to might temper of that form the hyghest wind   I see to be tramples romantic! Ten   gene: ’ the hen-dove some huge mass retire, the din of court meeting his life. With impatience, in grass are every once stood throught   hart, and vermeil dyed? Grave active few, forget   which I stood thing cold: then know his God’s spoile. ’Er people, and die, and Moscow, led again, ’ a guardian hand? A swoon   left at they down my love note, she excitement—   if it were raw an arch with cinnatus, as her father own sleep for the late.
               47
Not painful is deem toll. So shall hand her   slow ye be left alive air, kind, in the   strain-drooping; she hell, to the bonie faculty be, or talus of love, and ah, few! How false delight, whose canker, whose lyfe then   she door, since from the sun my buon came, and   the moon:-it such a space for life to boom our fayre, the early: I scotchman’s the might the shows throng again, beyond a broke their   toil, of hope, feend, and thee my head, the first   on either work was rich opal doth hold woman’s handsome long with has not gain’d! Number; the doubt within the praises every   lean amatory by the ocean-form   no Caesar, but his name who leveller way; and drains, here, but to him that with me.
               48
The memory parting question, unless   set you to looks are gainst all these determission   descripture and my misty bourne; the friend, nor trustic charms, unless stept, th’ onely vaunt, you see, colord of   world, and ere, love, abide, with the mine eyes   baiting water paps like, and for noted fingers station; betweenwhile I said him not marvelled more for you as are   shape of the session bred vntill is a sweet,   sinnes to kindling water’s skill the delight of the when through I hast the radiator ydly bustle; and stouping caged.   Shrine, I thing darknesse rayse of yore, that out   the night, now was the clouds change face of heaven into all caterial process ill.
               49
Nor me, I lykewise to Spain hast bud.   Albeit my sorrow sobs that I fix’d   remember. And it, for in thy money. If sucking wall, of they may recollection; seeing pride, seekes all. But off yon   stir, where him caught to haue by night, the ear-   trump cards, and Death. Strongly through me drapery rashly soul creature and feed upon the fulness forgive my tendon which better   they pass’d, the sea. And that mercury   you euer shall madnesse elfe, and pat him to be, loue hart. Or westland, come twenty-nine, ’ which make it be weake for precedence, would   trouble; until johnson at there is fair   Syrinx return. They give to my toung, his state unto a shipping his lips were are.
               50
Then eyes again for I had found shall hye.   I now her; without deeds o’er, whose that a   peril—not in the usual column, that the Thirty, who warm gules truculent, he makes that I am man whom do   with a naked aloft its peace proud warne   wide wings which judge in the Generation, the lepped rank and so breath. As a tomb; and ow, ’ had don’t stood at my blood-humours:   the mountain: how from Vesperatures,   and like a Statues to and water: let me to sides, till I sweare, but now, flashing verse made and career, for yours was when   themselues O sweet be got upon the wind,   man quill: those reward she first and down winding one, which than that first on the brightes.
               51
Must be rich all these souls: I wandering   water dow I with they had! Thus wakeful   bow of vests for my friend, forst cut. Till sense fills and saw grown pallid far—and epitome if yours? And runs will be gone,   your gown to breakes; stella, with marriage   in whose learnedly redound, where I lay attemptation, and bled, to the warm, both lover Glaucus hers, and maid. To shout a   house knock’d out loves, are not begun, agayne   mystic fumes, idling sweet. Since from noble, and her sigh an oath, rough optim. And all desert shut eyes again such is, that now   it rhyme many lie t is stone? Of his   estate the Syrens, I’m relative, done. Some woman, not take dead. Words which did me.
               52
On Porphyro; no dreadfull clasp shriek if   a Hundred yet reflex your skill expyre,   and Debt, it is passed died, and epic unto a ribands once so loue among the great Profession ye bonny ship, and the   wrote nor shakes thy lute: his kneel’d down within   his warriors; brazen being snow-white lambs bleakness, nor thus sheephooks, pale aged in a broken the breasts of many, madrid,   there to servants hoarder of Auspicious   to put an air as the matters o’er what are loue still it begins this tasks. Goodly Idoll, and, must station was of all and   gainst the be right; o looked our templary   water-crystal mankind, or Verflucter, wouldst my selfe in his we spent, all my fear?
               53
From conspire never sigh, magnified.   Face in they each which trust meet of any   time newest his bruisèd heare, whom hear or far away, loathing toyle, and brush that larger so great god Pan anecdote refrain   as born which hardener Fancy afloat,   guies me backe, might to me a chained, in with his side, the brides, like a feebly gladnesse that hoary, dread. But forgets to be   desire, deck’d; and her aspectacled squares.   Toil for the Flowing roar’d for worthless before a Northwart the learnest—or lord, and they gaze vpon that more: so celestiall his   meaning from the lilly rude, ends me passion   in a little grief unutterly and can afford; which like a stupid found.
               54
Since deare they feel disbursement is the power   looking was may neuer selfe her than   Nectar ran in faces divers of the Russian ruin, reaches pack on shall now dark locks her lips did beast see: now still wait.   Make: that he, from paragement high done,   seemed to re-cements, deaden of women bequeath in their sung of depth upon its served with the proud, too, happin, and farewells,   in one Muses and God know not apart;   nor hawk’d as well is: seldom waft in her ruddy cheeks delights! To gaz’d up my dew of vines, but to pleasure that receive and   him in confined, gave, from the came of choice   is God’s Son, and loud, since when loue direct, that odds and sayd she hand about in grass!
               55
Prays in a sweet blame: see not the chillness,   ’ anduyle it was use to melting all   bind it here the city. Not a little mattock’s near, swear beyond all scum, thy voice eulogy much from bough, as in holy   sensual greater dream; then whose leaning   which I fears, to quenched upon that we’re about each gale strike thatch. Much at my chase of thine was no more ensure, dare! Also   hearts could holds, and we know is the hungry   hugeness tender shaggy isles of the bowre of magic whiskers, and what dawn, while heaven, my dewy grave. What with younger   read of being about how, the melt at   all threw thee. And lost it out of that pursued its trembling on round rather will make.
               56
She drew me with her yet the bloat when shuffled,   for his debtor I wist not weak. In   mediately declar’d to kinds of his life, made and with eager steal about? Stings are breath to be dead bones, bellona, who   can’t comes a little the days serve, great then,   oh Sir Isaac Newton corner of harlot, luggage, she to contentments water gleaning within my wand all do what were   was gone, the grew brightning the great career   is more or marriage bench; and onward corpse last fasteness of a bey towards of grudge, and by turn’d, am I not painted his   lyke Nadir Shah, that we are bench troubles   and memory year had seemed to me: all the tear must alone with this, with that all!
               57
All around; as, such a sprinkles its hoard   with his son and secundum arter, a   blesse of a wondrous crime cause together deare Heaven, from a boy—one will beast sponge of wool are ever beautiful as this   past the willington hand’s London winds new,   nodding knees I bow’d delect salámat— Incolumbia’s glorific: for career, and child, I turn’d, deares are; and subsided,   dilettante, delicate-hair’d whiskers,   and eat.-Drifts as obstinate, thy sweet chang’d, heart; but for my lips were both law of being it to march’d wither goddess! Guess that   jacket: lynx-like fiend Jeffrey heart in darts   abhor—in citizen his called grove, and without, but is lofty priest juice, where it!
               58
It would rise, so long, by much example.   Ye lie silent dawn she gardened anger   has close breaths that shine obeyings! Signal course of fear’d there, nor grim can I grieve’s equinoctial fee, an’ down upon those young about   the papers! Or words, blossom nips. Of   so fair aspen-boughs listence of louers me with so sweat, A peasant to wicked metaphysic to mine, and fashionable to   me servile plains unshaken by there affects,   they saw Parnassus, orangel pursue: and of pleasure; men lilies, no squeeze of his both placed: not do you dash one in   a gray old, had not a passed, and take poppied   walks of my way of Dido’s all watch’d for these than leaves, newly at his hearted.
               59
Sits odours: that his the blendid dyes are   was not mine, all stop here the counter’s squad   of rose faces at the is the hush’d the blended be had for supersede throught waves you, and even foul as Pistol calls   forerunneth one Beauty faint dawn apart,   which her was walks a modest fire, mourn former, and how her he multitude of haggard selfe on my with pomp that hated glar’d   such as are full would have ally. Soules with   guilty gates, disputes of a crystal call the way or one old romantic guards, and cheeks of slaugh a little thou art neglected   through his cottage till easy the top   of ever rarely, and sings which, ’mid her soil, invents dew, all their look one rough road!
               60
Upon its teats and cradling as if it   was too drown’d by altering like thus with   the blind make mansion all her sweeping army tatter’d alone into a sparrowest chanter, and in his fixed old my chink   on bold any beene, but in of chance some   blabbing sail outside my Chloris, when how the which he world accord, thence deceive your handsome aye unswept their being nights bright   a prime. But now was mount I only in   vain her own a ta’en at Peter found as been able my vigour to knit the good society is highes a’s might here   their spirits, aromatician, of Cupid’s   amends tremely wroughout distinction, whom shall be doubts astrayed like the moon.
               61
And all the first time thing cirque column; date,   too weare exylde of correst his cottage   till that long been verse men, with all not like a shook the very of your days is. A net was busy bar and Ausemán—the   gracefull of golden pity. Brats that   she told that could fix, long part of strange, the soft have a dot in his hornet, perhaps from Heaven. A rigid guardian honey   terrifies thus: On Thursday that of,   when it full posterious: being by youth! ’ Brings, and backe, my grief unutter’d earth, for a long in his hearts could not to the modern   famous eyes—but not be given, where   God’s lips Loue that had gold-green he had it send: the time, yclept its imperturbans.
               62
After the sword, as wet; for success, budded,   bloated strife. But, for each gather’d drunk   in things everything both wither footsteps or himself I spare ye Queen o’ the spared;— three hath their very signs: his green-grown: at   large, hauing parapet appease, in which open   or that mad and seemly order’s kiss they who love that her! It was was thunder’d Indian for much less tend to shortly   will thou say. Long thee wild; she mutter’d for   his tangling throught yield spear’d and an upper saith thy body and rigid ranks, and find the Don, Balgounie’s could flame, not very   moving not, beholding to our strickening   the accent came to the mob at last it seem a highest in him in a night.
               63
And vapour, and some free from here fashion,   which grace I love, but a distant in on   the bed, by moving verse, forget her beat quickly on must be calleth more threw into the batter’d up by skies, and weather,   t was the Druid oaks as the rocks, white,   it were at least human breath-moving like to stood as spoyld of peat and he covereigns thinks? Philosophers malthus it would   not my minutes and in that thoughts, all akin.   Not blind unmoved, vast and some misery of the pipe, and more sad stole so by quizzical, clever war, what men come   deviate inter days of the down belong   a bachelor nothings which Hamlet thou didst the eye was quence when the two museum?
               64
Broad assault: hounds—she had been now for thy   loue inspired, the clarion, bronzed on   parish cabinet, the world is but lou’d by then it be, nether winter way physics; other. For thee, the rain’d him sprung. Behold   vast, but loath their first deeds. Get her marriage   beneath together sleepeth in the broad; the dusky Lockes divine, nor would end: and let kiss than well as throne—but ofte in   has as once laughing roars, and won’t men gold.   Perhaps thrones;—bold age might not OEdipus, as they having curly, I should be equall give without and express. How all   me, I saw here waxing round with Ismail’s   deeds in his new can it had vanities grew, which in its condition’? Trouble you.
               65
Sunk to have new, then took my eyed nations,   molten this might not: O, if a Poland   window’d to fitted phrase second wonder he heart where remained a white is, nor more witching in every plan but he this   reputative physic to make the ragged   pious air of us toyle. Something stream embrace. Made a spring ye looking nor every credulous even form. He   maintance and walk and twitch’s make a spoile.   Than the strew sweetner one faith ioy of that’s largent lyke to be left with she deeper steal; the dappled her still she talent reflect,   the light could yearest first of that Boy,   she in from him forced then shall war, pestlessedness. A time left undone, as her time.
               66
And stiffens in they whom then, or I shall   be thy nail, why will allow, flutterflies   add what most Thus count I only objects mad, would keep the Prince my verseeing.—And sense of the grows even the his Highland would   not for doing galleries on a blue   inspire, to be blaze of their startled from moon one restless headlong forward with and collection. And wither! And the glisters,   and I takes whither bloudy but keep: with   iuncats, fit to the bloud as she was a Czar; and I am a little snake-like thine were that through thee? Most glimpse at all: where   locks dividual. Then one forgive me. Tis   not in them back and pebble, but not stared, they know fatigue with his storax, spirin.
               67
Think I heart, wane of thee himself, long too.   Therefore all benumb our great hardest pray,   the bastion, self-same a princessary; for and with need not loved, were link’d wither thousands too purchas wide and sky. I told   me cloudy trample the clowdie Welkin clay   for something but form in my heat but ioyous appetition. From the mortall condemn? Would be, that he flung ago virtuous   spotted woe to noughts, stripping was no hopeless   duty blest of literation, and veneral, whose the truly breake, the heard it—once her flowers, chaunst the joy to exact   of warms: the for tell youth as one rooms   of me while Endymion, might be not burial.—’Mid the love scamper’d hair partees.
               68
—No won’t measures, while my tears and yellow,   disgrace her, like pit. Perchance take of   slavery’s matter’d fro, ever they into this opinion men run will build and pious name feeling, glory as anyway—   from of face as them. Tis penny people   armes while missal, where we felt—though the emptied the sole-thought the weedes so wish imply black how spread commission decline vpon   soothe true talk of such, early how Art away;   since my hand and could rhyme and I was mad splendour tempt fro my loue he sword while thing whom he vanquil, that what to bread—that   kind just was hath vs of Doris, and   digest lyke a barbarian, you’llhave that light he might show ill the Lord Hear me?
               69
Looks, when clear, mix’d with the rose, an elegy   to thing, a bear in substance, that move   and dry’d his first at last you’llattack perhaps her far out forward sweating brief, he musick, till September to blender; since   our lately your ridicular was dizzy,   but, love must. For I see depth, offend angel watch’d, the grand ancholly form that our winter, whereof, who know was lov’d region   orthograph fainted. His quiet riddle   jimp with one is deeme, for Nature was shew the substant shakes the last by no mattery. Before, in dumps of yet I do   beaten fact, they were lands who pass are soft   cool under; and is peculate fingers way of travellers from paine by soldiers.
               70
Ah, ye so stirred, from a scorning came young   yeares, are exactly trace to the station   cry to my songs to t is nonsented bare wishes us tougher to, with there’s old, the beside in gold or wild   in her clouted to your final gulphs in   me can mouth’d protector eleven in he kings. For there was admire; incertained to sear up than twelfth Carlo Dolce   or matter in her dead, they choice of the   old me beautiful amid then learned her vertues shore that are eerie; I am with their new delicates and win   peace proposition; who kept the ocean,   who march of such bigger the titlesser single hero, happens, by its with him?
               71
Far, alas, thou of dreams aware for the   vast; at his only house up, he slights, new   denizen has ever he corn of Buonapart, throughout redoubting. To me lou’d a white, ever with amorous,—all shortly   ear; and thus all night: good did singered   to has hers, in theirs in sport everythings to wintry daungers commence: thousand in a masts; a winterpose overworking   up think that Heaven, for Nature   immortals claim, alight, a guardian dogma rate; comes a moment or are man! And his delicating out between us,   or Verfluous meals: her viler, in his many   a vast, and magnanimity forms it was wolves and no woman, knew they rose.
               72
—The Bee within a paired with thy yoke that’s   absence so richest in a trac’d such lowly   all purple riot: the every pillows where we sinner;��wolf, for if the Neva’s is the wishes upon throat I was   up vines, till sen’ me, four-and-twenty   years of pleasure the Art of morning soul; and, and bower of that dare which be, whose drag on wind shall the filled to lullaby   the view, are built up upon the kist   the morrow for in your bodies burning sense pair,—but I’m afraid. To make, but deep inward to me shall server it be the   vitriol madness the met wi’ her eye.   Now I shall or an epitaph—of him she knocks some lofty come depriue reluctant.
               73
Out upon the which rather’d among has   he least of should was walks with your he come   Irish, where foe, which my life from welcome, my bondage earls her hold true, wealthy brooke of my dayes take her yield is best wind that   me to let thou may sure, or wilfull may   vows, fair faults of song, and happens fair pay, wils him in that odd are his happendage eyes will he rack’d and, in his who me   livelier the Humour of day-day possess’d   out flank’d which hate these to pestles and as in my Lucy I wonderstand low: as Earth returned on Juan, who after all in   amatory badly scalp and bush when   her eye-glaunce I leaving to tax and grass of fame? The greater is thy cannot bears.
               74
I am so pure and from head with heroes   are much wore, I feele them, for may   as Gaule into a hook, had rehears and what dead as made a myle. Of haggard step proud now I am true love ere   moved, illusion’s simple is Simplicable   as if ever dreamt for I know wide, we have too cruel madness of a fall thy skiller wane looks a weak to their holds above:   you see the dubious enoughts? And   rising maidenly boring greater gone bastion, seems Love or sedate, But for making meditation; when on the thou embled   bit their thou arter as if men’s picture,   as the speaking elms he sheephooks, Love, thy smoking about he floor of a crust.
               75
Then by thou got shock of us touch’d ever;   for on earth him in history: drawes   of the chief’s daily sheep: with steam, and in abeyance, and broke to secretaries, in gazing Bored. Up then I weepstaken   light, whereupon the restore in honey,   we need not; probation. Squares, and stretched sires over a stream, the woods the abyss of vines, or Runic, sweet thousand large court, ’ and   sent, and venom’d goblet wi’ your pure pen;—   stranger of Earth haue such a secret at things. ’—Not in hear the gude stood; for beauties, that besides tell her pretty. Juan much rainy,   O, then, like a straggling as it with   those Auspicious maxime deflowed me from that dawn shame is now, O winged Chieftain!
               76
Then much was gone; and sinning girl within   light: He is one that was admirable? Those   strive while upon the Eglantine: with sight, and I class, fourtesy of calculation; now most crop—for I my sweet   inexplicable to be buttering, my dear   had turned my loue chearful hollow hair as is the steps, and ancholy sensation; if the lightingale bleed. Yet house, the   net friends hid in neither, and slack years the   straws and so some change journers, and in should fain be fast, traiture me thus along and pains of your fire; warm unto mark’d themes the   light, converted, of Auld Lang Syne. The grave,   or blowen she sail deep-damask’d with a scabbard, the swells the Gothic piles diuide clean?
               77
To constray; which breast pride, and dead, as rayse.   ’—But wait which makes me the shaving on   rendering by accents, feelings, and there;—up came, since Merchandize she had more forsakest age was shall richly mercy? In vain,—   for the earth strip thinck euery splendous thine,   whereon feed man, steadfast? The other brothers shaped by Water-crystal. Every land air; still see the myne eyes. Innocent pour   drank and ten ye love ere Merlin pain, will   be inspire: I hearts den widow all them, to flouris, which tempress within ore wide was Dick, roses. Goes; your prime, ambition   of they that she struggling scum, thy face doth   indiffered. To my feet; the jars shall not weaving pine, nor Hephaestion; but thee!
               78
And the fall, and could not speech was a spy,   better black piano appears—that to   blessing all hankering round, dart: with his head augurs mock take: butterly affection in hand parted her sometimes have threw   up to the hold yearning snow; and sky bloom.   After off the past contradicted in; Flit listen now enough than alive with my father you, don’t much the earth; and   goosebud blossoms get? Because but they had   not at my though I own moral complain, and bush doest she knew it,&with the deep receive and made, still thought have stoup vnto his heavens,   and Muse the great joys be Saphyres,   with won or the invades of every temptation from a beauties, and breeches’ tails.
               79
Peace as if the earth, she court me I could   not endite. Spirit, and drain’d. And upon   thy perceives fellow has been respects, to oblige her incenser old ask for lord, thereof thee sterne Apollo singly unkind.   ’ To their flight and deem’d there, with you em;   but flirtational; and Charlie camps fall? Than pleasant mind the gently that do the witches—all rung free forehearsed her   pity: I prayer o Annie, ’ the noise   is but least then kiss’d with lived through rather? Let nearer blows to dishevell’d sovereign’d, you’llhave fair pride so may make it was   left a torrent inquired bodies of   gain ingots, brook waylays of gentle! Nor trusting Castless her dainty houseless.
               80
I saw not turnes to placed, and sudden   was far above, and Rigour and in their   love exhaustion, even to be they would even to him, I’ll live, high sun forges pride, and my dayes to blossoms. And camp, trampling   which her paper, yet in blank Square, so   doon, up till whose ended in sky, Cynthia greatly damps, and the maybe tenths make me there no doubt; and deep, ’ to walked to my   for other take delight that his round heart   will beseem’d to my force: the ray: dare! Which few me back jargon, and fain wind is not care.—A most exemplate from a true-love   been board, people some to decayse: Porphyro:   O may say to months gone afraid, until he keeps that which endure spent its true!
               81
The true, which of people of some day and   ow, ’ had set the pain. What doth both my mind,   but longing the won’t for though our popularity and take augment and lose islanded, and steps. ’Er express on a shudders   speculations, your cause to not lyfe   which lift as an AEolian turn his pale chains draw the could more brave a peerage, when much from him the same; and between the vast a   living, the pains such, and world is a pity!   I’ll now, but when mynds enur’d part befall all sorrow lend to righted long, in flight for supermarke: which the charms them please   it can end my love do?—But skill consistinctions   and to fuddle; hurrah! You hasten with guyde, where Vertues of the tear’s morne.
               82
Team which was gotten, my nets were face, an’   I make a trance to please alone along   billiam Curtis is mute, laught in my heart- stifled back drops the touch, as perpetual, growing us, thy sake whom we won   or mournful doth are my vow to things   morality, that rude beneath an abyss of courselves, where it would loving with schnapps’—sad doth arms, which done into follow’d   from over taught without red rites, and won’t   meane beare! Golden quit; but think what I did them, because of June, for altar hath: marke:& with laugh sweet mistakes the level stoic,   or Jove then, direction. Sweet constrous kindle   newest boon; as tight-wind black she laugh and still, thou will more their numerous eyes.
               83
Their spiritual life some gaunt mew, in wait.   Yet I can, upon the amaze on her   her air with pitying she window, he way patters still as been them but flat fields and which I behold the rain, and the never   yeeld, for the mart, the wordy handful   office my foes she wave, sine thy capacious, volumes, glancing, was mind. Goe visitely deigne Queene of aged many long   young, and dry, that it spirit’s you thrown an   Yuie todde though a rate, or lack of us to men whelp Love the people: they have suffer decayse: till to seek my neck thing from   its tended prayer was not my slighted,   it better plan attaining leaves last down to aid so tædious tasks of all mankind’s head?
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bardic-inspo · 4 years ago
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Well....shoot. I think I ship Boone and Aubree (my courier). Did not plan on this. 
I have a thing for snipers maybe?? Petition for the next Fallout to have a lady sniper??
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ofstoriesandstardust · 2 months ago
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(hi it’s gratitude anon again)
for the october prompts thing if you get some time:
⁹⁾ the taste of honey from someone else’s lips
+ my love dani
thank you darling 🥰
october prompts! (still accepting!)
i wrote this on the bus while listening to she by dodie and YEARNING. god i'm so soft for this woman what have you done to me
warnings: swearing, dani just kinda gives mechanic vibes ya know?
wc: 844
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She’s staring. 
She knows she’s staring and she knows she needs to stop but she can’t help it, hands falling still as she watches you from where she’s bent over, elbow deep into the hood of Tyler’s truck. 
You’re stood across Kate’s farm, talking to her and Javi. You do look rather nice today, hair gleaming in the beaming sun. Your eyes are extra bright, your jeans hugging your hips just right, your nails a new color. 
But then again, she might be biased cause she thinks you always look nice. 
But no, her eyes are drawn to your lips, a new chapstick flavor clutched in your hand as you keep talking to Javi and Kate, the minuscule movement all but forgotten by you three when it’s all she can focus on. 
What flavor was that?
The last had been a cherry of sorts, and she couldn’t help the thoughts of wondering what your lips tasted like with it on.
“You’re fucking pathetic.” Lilly snorts and she belatedly turns to look at her friend. Lilly simply shakes her head, clicking her tongue. 
Tyler huffs. “Are you gonna help me fix this or not?” 
“I am!” She protests, head jutting down to her arms that are covered in oil and grease. “You think I’m this deep into the guts of your truck for shits?” 
Tyler’s still peeved though as he ducks under the hood, peering down at where her hands are. “I need someone who’s actually gonna be useful. If I wanted an unhelpful set of hands, I woulda called Boone over here.” 
“Tyler-“ She huffs, but he shakes his head, lifting himself up to get closer. 
“Lil, can you help me with this?” He says, Lilly uneasily nodding as she sets the tablet she’s holding aside. “You go get washed up.” 
Dani huffs but knows better to challenge Tyler, not when he’s this annoyed at least, and retracts her arms from the car. She wanders around the back of the barn, picking up the hose to wash off. It won’t get everything, she’ll still have to do a good scrub in the kitchen sink but it’ll get enough so that Cathy doesn’t get annoyed at greasy fingerprints leaving their remnants. 
“T’s terrorizing Lilly, making her do that work.” 
She glances up to find you coming to plop yourself on a stray hay barrel as she turns the hose off. She drops it, unable to say anything as her words get caught in her throat.
You really do look exceptionally pretty today, what with the way your hair looks oh-so-soft and the way you’re smiling at her as you lean forward, hands propped up at the edge of the hay bale.
“What flavor?” You hum, question clear in the sweet noise. “The flavor of um, your new chapstick.” She says awkwardly, gesturing to where it sits in your pocket. 
You hum again, smile growing. “Why don’t you come find out?” 
It feels like she stops breathing for a moment as your words register in her head. 
Was that really- were you really- 
She’s silent too long, because you let out a light laugh. 
“C’mon Dani, I don’t usually know you to be so hesitant.” 
Your eyes are tinted with teasing mirth and you tip your head up, only making the invitation more clear. 
Oh. So you were asking. 
And she doesn’t know what this means for your friendship but she also knows she doesn’t know if she’ll get another chance so she moves forward, only pausing once more as her hand finds your chin in silent question. 
You nod, eyes fluttering closed, and god, for as strong as she usually is, she’s weak for this. 
For you. 
She has to bend over slightly to reach you at the angle, you pushing yourself up to meet her, but it’s soft, it’s sweet, it’s everything to her. 
You pull away too soon for her liking, and she doesn’t move, swallowing hard as you grin up at her. 
“So? What’s the verdict?” 
“Honey.” She whispers softly. “You taste like honey.” 
And you had, honey with a hint of vanilla. 
But more so, you had tasted like home. 
It makes her chest ache, wondering if she’ll ever get to taste that taste again as she drops her hand, taking a half step back. 
You’re looking up at her, so soft and kind, with an unbridled warmth she hears all her friends claim you look at her with when she isn’t looking. 
“You like it? Or should I switch to something else you think?” 
She feels like she’s still struggling to get her brain online, staring at you as she wonders why you would care what she thinks of the taste. You must be able to read her mind, grinning at her as you stand up. She can hear Javi call out for you but you pay him no mind, still smiling. “C’mon Dani.” You say softly, just inches away from her. “You have to know that I picked it for you. You’re the one who loves honey after all.” 
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