#I dunno I'm being sentimental again lol

[solarshadow]

So I was looking at my YouTube profile and apparently. . .I haven't changed it since I was 17. And in some cases, I'm rereading it and cringing because- well-

But in a lot of ways, I'm still the same person.

[sammunmak]

Specs & Max Freelance Police in: Hells-A-Poppin'!

+ sam’s vices !!

this is basically an au idea i had for the alt timeline! i wrote out all the changes to the first two seasons, but it's a bit on the longer side so i'm sticking it under the cut.

this takes place immediately after sam and max steal the elevator from their future selves. there’s no obvious changes at first. the director gives them another contract after telling her they misplaced the first one, but not without threat of not giving them another one if they manage to misplace this one. once they wrap up the case and free myra stump from the hypnosis, they take the elevator (and their music contract) with them and put it away in storage, vowing to never speak of the possibility that they just killed their future selves again. ah well, knowing themselves, they probably survive. everything else afterwards is pretty much the same, though when sam and max see superball for the first time sam asks max if he looks familiar. max takes one look at him and proudly declares nope, not at all, and that’s the end of that.

the first major change happens in 106.

hugh: for in all the universe, there’s only one force chaotic and destructive enough to stop me now! but you wouldn’t do that, would you max?

max: who, ME? well, i’m- i’m flattered, but-

hugh: no you wouldn’t, not without your trusty partner, at least.

max: huh?

sam: what exactly are you implying?

hugh: i’m going to… drumroll, please… [drumroll] separate your bliss!

max: really?

sam: what does that even mean?!

hugh: it means i chop off every part of you i don’t like! it’s like circumcision, but double the laughs.

max: he-ey!

sam: quiet, knucklehead.

sam gets split into 3 vices. gluttony, greed, and wrath. wrath is formed from sam’s right ear, greed is formed from sam’s left hand (it even keeps the wedding band!), and gluttony is formed from. well, the stomach. max loses all romantic interest he had in hugh bliss in that moment. 

max is very annoyed about the whole situation. he never has to do work on their cases, and suddenly he’s being forced to figure everything out on his own! but seeing sam’s awful blissed-out state is worse. blissed-out sam is basically just a big puppy. all smiles, completely clueless about everything around him, and has to be led around by his remaining hand if max wants him to go anywhere. max considers shooting him every time he makes a comment about hugging trees or something sentimental crap like that, but one look at that big dopey grin on sam’s face and he just can’t do it. he needs to turn sam back quickly, he’s turning into a sap just being near this… shell of his partner.

wrath is in the sanctuary, threatening the COPS for information on max’s whereabouts (yes it’s just noir sam lol). when max and bliss sam finally make their appearance, wrath almost immediately tries to shoot bliss sam. max stops it, of course. it seems like max is the only person wrath won’t lash out against. max has to open one of bluster blaster’s side panels, then get wrath close enough to it to shut the panel on his ear, pulling it off wrath when it tries freeing itself.

once sam gets his ear back, he seems to randomly decide to shoot at max.

max: what was that for?!

sam: i dunno, it just felt right.

when max walks into bosco’s store, he immediately makes eye contact with gluttony sam, who’s sitting on the floor eating a giant tub of ice cream. it doesn’t seem very interested in eating actual people (haha foreshadowing?) in the freezer are a bunch of popsicles. max can grab one and give it to gluttony, who’ll chomp it down wrapper and all. max has to put jimmy two-teeth into one of the wrappers in order to get gluttony to eat him, then pull out jimmy and sam’s stomach with the magic hat.

sam: anyone else suddenly got a hankerin’ for a fudgie freeze?

max: you don’t know how glad i am to hear you say those words.

greed is inside the office, hoarding just about everything in there and more. somehow there’s items in here max didn’t even know they had. or maybe greed just grabbed everything not bolted down to the floor on the way back to the office.

max has to buy bosco’s invention (which is just a big magnet), then use the spoon bending talisman to pull the spork out of the hugh bliss statue’s hand, give it to greed, and then use the magnet to drag its ass towards him and just yank sam’s hand off it.

sam: are you using that magnet?

max: nope! it’s all yours.

upon collecting all 3 vices, sam returns to normal, and they can now go fight hugh bliss. cue world of max :)

not much else changes until 204.

once they enter momma bosco’s store and accidentally reveal max’s lack of interest in girls, momma bosco becomes infatuated with him. sam and max try and argue against this for a while, until max tells her that he’s a married man.

ms b: i don’t see a ring on your finger.

max: well check again!

max flashes his left hand, revealing a bare ring finger. oh. he didn’t put on his ring today. sam is missing his ring as well. seems they got a bit excited when flint invited them on a case with him and forgot them.

(not gonna lie this whole puzzle isnt fully fleshed out. the whole plan would be that they have to go back to their prom and essentially crash it in order to help max realize he doesn’t like girls. i did also have the idea of superball printing marriage certificates instead of patents, which they’d need to grab one from him and hang it on the corkboard in the near future, then go to the distant future and take their wedding rings from their future selves. if i do ever have an idea of how exactly this all pans out i’ll make it into a fic or something. for now tho this is the best i could come up with.)

max is very proud to show off his new wedding ring to momma bosco.

later on, sam is glad he kept that music contract on him, once one of the pedros asks for one.

of course, despite keeping their past selves from boarding the UFO, the elevator is still oddly enough missing when they run back to it.

max: hey, the elevator’s gone! what gives?

sam: hmm… remember what got us into this whole mess, the temporal anomalies and whatnot? maybe it’s another one of those? maybe this is the universe’s way of trying to correct the timeline, and we have to leave the same way our future selves did, since we’re-

max: alright, alright! less talky more- figuring out how to get off this dang ship!

ah well, having two elevators seems a bit overkill anyway. 

not so long later, in 205:

sam: you better release our pals’ souls from hell, cause my excitable little friend is getting angry.

max: and i’m angry, too!

satan: there’s no need for that kind of talk. i’ll gladly release your friends. just sign this release.

max: hold on sam, i got this!

sam: …you sure, max? 

max: positive! watch this. [he pulls out a crayon and scribbles his name on the contract]

satan: and that’s that.

sam: well that was pretty easy.

satan: now just do me a favor and think of the most horrible thing you can imagine.

max: ooh, that might take a second, there’s so many- oh, maybe- wait no, i’ve got it!

satan: good. now off you go!

[max disappears]

sam: sweet summering sausages sweltering on a busy sidewalk, what did you do?!

satan: he traded his soul for that of all your friends. they never read the fine print. now max will spend eternity in his own personal hell!

max: back in the office? where’s my partner?

specs: i’m over here!

max finds himself stuck inside a now very tidy office with specs, the neat freak of the soda poppers.

max: so where’s my REAL partner?

specs: what are you talking about, i AM your real partner.

max: uh, no. last i checked my partner was a six foot tall dog in a suit, not… you.

specs: oh, max. clearly you’re confused. you’ve always had a terrible memory. but don’t worry, i’m here to keep everything in order for you.

max is just about ready to start ripping out patches of his fur when he sees sam, sticking his big nose through the hole in their office wall. after a bit of arguing, max remembers the key card. he yells at sam to use it so they can kick demon’s spec’s ass together. when sam gets in there they do just that, ending in sam throwing the demon out the open window. with max’s personal hell defeated and leonard’s soul free they leave and finally go and confront satan.

as a bonus, a fun change to a piece of dialogue in 201:

sam: how long do you think it’ll take for one of us to kick the bucket?

max: i dunno, but i think if one of us were to go, the other would follow very close behind. maybe not even by choice!

sam: does that mean if i go first, i can take you with me?

max: sure does! in fact, i encourage it!

[melonteee]

"A pirates life means leaving lovers at shores, because your first love is the sea! I can't see Sanji canonically with Pudding, or with anyone, because that's not the life a pirate lives! After all, his dad was 60 without a partner and a crew of his own (ie the Baratie chefs), why would Sanji be any different?"

I want to push back on this a bit not for any shipping reasons, but because we have canon examples of this not being a hard truth in the series. Aladin/Praline + Bege/Chiffon & now Lola/Gotti are examples of couples seamlessly being part of a pirate crew. Bege & Chiffon even have a kid who constantly sails with them. So I'm just confused where this idea of romance being impossible if the Strawhats want to stay together comes from. We already know they're different from other crews what with lack of offical hierarchy & how they feel comfortable to boss Luffy around so why not this particular case? Luffy even implies if any of his crew wants to get married it's no big deal to bring them aboard. This goes for ANY crewmate btw not just Sanji.

Lastly, not only did the literal king of pirates have a whole family sail with them (Oden+Toki & kids) but even he fell in love and had a partner. The only reason he gave up the pirate life was because he was dying. Sure, he could've met her after he got his death sentence, but I really don't think he still would've stopped being a pirate had he been able to keep doing it. Probably would've taken her aboard ship too. He already knew what having a family aboard would be like.

I dunno. I think it's a bit silly to think you cannot be a proper pirate AND have a partner sail with you. I mean if you can take a baby from a chest and raise it on your ship I don't see why you can't have your gf/bf travel with you if you both choose to do so. Isn't the freedom to live how you want the core of the pirate way?

I just feel this sentiment is just a preemptive way to hate on any possible ships for our strawhats just because it might not be the one we want? Like a way to go ha! see it's ~bad writing~ IF the hypothetical becomes reality. I feel Oda has left enough hints through worldbuilding that romance is not 100% off the cards for our mains.

I'm not trying to start an argument, but I do think people might want to try deconstructing the whole "No Romance in One Piece" mentality that was built upon misinterpreted quotes by Oda very long ago & perpetuated by sexist male fans because we're nearing the end lol and if it happens fans will unfairly rage about it all over the internet like with so many other series when they don't agree with endgame couples. People can still engage in ship content even if said ship isn't canon after all. Canon isn't a binding contract.

*sorry if this comes off condescending I promise it's not meant to be!

It's just mainly because, again, Sanji's own mentor didn't have a partner, and while Sanji LOVES women and everything it feels...strange?? For him to like, end up with anyone, when he says he's a man for ALL ladies! I'm not saying it's impossible, as you've pointed out, but I just cannot see the Strawhats getting partners by the end of One Piece, at most I can see it being heavily implied but that's it.

There is romance in One Piece, of course, but it always has a point to it, and the greatest romance within One Piece is the world of adventure and fantasy itself. I personally would be very disappointed if there were end game pairings that were solid and set, because not once have I thought any of these characters want to settle down and marry anyone. It's cute to have crushes here and there, but I have just have never seen any indication of marriage being in the books once for them.

Big Mum's children were very specific cause that arc overall was about marriage and family, and while Pudding did fall for Sanji, he still rejected her and her marriage. Yes Luffy said it wouldn't be a problem, but in the end, Sanji still didn't want to. Sanji only accepted the marriage when making the promise that the Strawhats would be safe, so I'm unsure why it would suddenly flip in the future and he'd have his sights set on marrying someone lmao

Oden and Toki were also different because the purpose for their marriage was to continue on Oden's lineage. Yes, they fell in love, but Momo and Hiyori ultimately existed for Wano's plot.

I think I also just really fucking hate endgame pairings LMAO like if One Piece ends with Strawhat endgame pairings instead of open interpretation I will just pass away because I really don't want this series to box itself and its characters in by doing such a thing.

[slightlyhopefulromantic]

i was gonna wait until i finished the bitd and deadlands line-ups before posting these, but i'm not gonna get those done before the final season starts, so might as well bite the bullet now XD woohoo, oxventure d&d designs! i'll go into further detail below the cut for all of my thoughts on these designs and reasoning for smaller details, but for now, just know that i will never draw a cape. i simply cannot do it. hoods and weird draped fabric or nothing XD

okay i put like. waaay too many thoughts into a lot of these small details so im gonna allow myself to geek out here X3 firstly - though they're way too small to read properly, i did the little symbol eye shines i used in my first art for them! dob gets music notes, prudence gets fire, corazón gets hearts, and merilwen gets flowers. i usually draw egbert's pupils pretty thin to resemble a reptile, so he just gets normal eye shines, but i probably could have given him some here... he would get suns if i thought of that

dob - muscular in a wiry and dehydrated way, lol, hence having a more defined stomach/hips despite not being as strong as prudence or egbert. he has sad/down-turned puppy dog eyes at all times because i think the big-eyed endearing look is fitting for him, though i do make them darker blue than his canonical baby blues because i just... like how dark blue eyes look, lol. i'm pretty sure he canonically has the stomach scar, and obviously his facial scar has always been there, but i gave him a couple other ones just to show that hes pretty reckless. and he gets freckles because even though they arent mentioned in the dragon dogma's video, i noticed luke added some and. i like freckles a lot

prudence - i've said this before, but i love the thought of pru getting muscular after the werebear bite <3 i just think she should be a little bit hench. as a treat. once again, the heavy stomach scarring comes from the dragon dogma's video, because i found their design choices in that really fun. i change prudence's outfit the most out of any of the characters, just because her canonical outfit confuses me. i'm really bad at understanding/drawing fantasy wear as is, but her fit... i'm lost entirely XD so i free-balled a bit. her inner sleeves that hook around her fingers are based on jane's various prudence looks, and then the looser outer sleeve is just because i love prudence with a dramatic sleeve. originally the colors were closer to her canon outfit, but it just looked messy without all the details of the original, and then i tried red like jane's prudence looks but it didn't contrast enough with her skin. so i restricted them to just deep purples and black with pops of gold and dark magenta!

corazón - what can i say besides. transgender. LMAO honestly though, besides adding the top surgery scars, i just really like his canon look. i simplified the details, obviously, but i really love his big coat and his tall boots and the earrings and the black-on-black-on-black of it all. i didn't particularly feel like drawing hats when i was doing this, lol, so i stuck with a red bandana instead. the beads that are strung from it are black, red, purple, green, and yellow to match their guild's canonical color associations/the colored name plates they get in later seasons :] because corazón is the sentimental sort, even when he won't say it. also he gets a little cateye for his eyeliner, i dunno if i've ever said why i do that before haha

egbert - egbert my dearly beloved. literally just his canon look except he has la vache mauve on his tunic instead of fire! and the nose spikes i give him, i guess, but i forget those aren't canon. i actually usually draw him in mike's egbert get up, with the black robes and the golden dragon sigil, but i kinda wanted to move away from that to lean more into the end of legacy of dragons, where egbert fully commits to never going back to the dragon d'or. also i just love drawing little cow heads <3 also! i like the idea that rather than typical scar tissue, dragonborns grow thicker scales over places where they've been injured. so the thicker patches of small scales on egbert's body are meant to be scars! including his kidney scar, lol. the larger scales and the ones on his face were always there though, that's just dragonborn biology baby

merilwen - if i said i based merilwen's body on cartoon bears, would you forgive me... i just think it's cute LOL tummy <3 for the final dragon dogma's video reference, that's where her freckles and tattoos come from. ellen was right, merilwen with floral tattoos fucking rules. who am i to deny it. as a hairy woman myself, i also like making merilwen a hairy woman. she's a hippie, she would NOT shave. i also really love the red earrings she wears in her canon art, so i tried to carry that through to some other small parts of my drawing for her, and landed on the bands she has on her pants as well as the odd feather for her arrows. fun archery fact, for those who may not know - in modern archery at least, you usually will have a differently colored feather (or for my arrows, rubber fins lol) that indicate how youre meant to string the arrow! so i took advantage of that to give merilwen some more red, hehe

[ddlcbrainrot]

Alright, I need to speak to SOMEONE with more of a vast understanding of characterization than me and considering well you can piece it together why I'm saying this to you specifically there's just a little bit of signs that point to you liking DDLC I dunno Anyhow but I got into ddlc about a month ago? I think I don't really remember, could've been a month and a half but from what I've seen, the wiser fandom belief is that Monika in no way feels any real romantic attraction to the player, and is just feeling like they are due to their desire and need to be real or that she's faking her attraction but, that doesn't exactly make sense to me, yknow? because in partial matters, the reason she starts doing what she does in the events of ddlc is because she wasn't given a romance route, so that points to her, in fact, craving romantic attention but being guarded off by the fact that the game literally doesn't have a route for her so even if by the end of the game she doesn't hold that sentiment, she did start it all because she wanted to be loved which by the end of the game? I still don't think it's just a masked desire to be real, sure, that can be present, but I don't think it's the singular thing that's on her mind and whilst the idea of her love being just the desire to be real, does make a lot of sense to be honest I really don't like it being the only thing, yknow? because to her at least, she does love the player, and I don't think the desire to be real would make sense for her actions after you delete her because post deletion she does outwardly reset everything so that you can be happy with the literature club and that doesn't make sense to me if she's just craving to be real, yknow? it can be a combo of wanting to be real and loving the player, but just wanting to be real alone doesn't explain why she chooses to set back the literature club and as well as the post-deletion-full-deletion I feel like people see her as being way more emotionally distant than she is I mean, place yourself as the only "real" one in a scenario, unable to achieve what could be your only lifeline to be real you'd do the same, right? but when she deletes the club it's because of Sayori getting admin permissions due to being head of the club, and Monika seeing herself doing all she did, going again deleting the club out of a mercy because, fairly, there's no happy endings in it I think that's it I write out alot, so yknow but yeah! those are all my thoughts seeya!

i feel like calling my takes "a more vast understanding of characterisation" gives them wayyy more credit than they should lol

in my experience, the fandom is kind of split between "monika did not love the player at all" and "monika did everything for the player and no other reason". which seems to be kind of a pattern when it comes to monika's character, shes either a complete monster or she did nothing wrong, she either loves the player or doesn't, she either cares deeply for the girls or she never cared at all. shes kind of always either one end of the spectrum or the other. and personally i think trying to fit her in such black and white categories really limit what you can do with her character.

my take on the whole "does monika actually love the player?" is yeah she definitely thinks she does, and maybe she does truly as well, but also it's way more complicated.

anyway, ive spent a lot of time questioning if monika's love for the player is real and the conclusion ive reached is that i don't think I'll ever be 100% sure if its not or if it is, simply because i dont think monika herself knows. she definitely truly believes its love, the main question is can we take her belief of it at face value?

Actually @beddhead-red and I had a convo about this a whileee back in the comments of this post so id suggest looking through that as well if you want a more detailed response

[shrimplymoray]

I was told I could request more so….

Can I have a funny Ruggie x Sapphix story, about Ruggie (or Sapphix, either one is fine lol) getting jealous over her hanging out with someone?

Like i dunno what else to ask except for maybe more sea kelp content 😭

STARES INTESIVELY AT YOU If u request Sea Kelp i will cry, ily beeeeee/p Also, hope u don't mind me taking inspo from that one drawing u did full of Sapphix and Ruggie stuff!

Ruggie Bucchi x Sapphix Laurentius - Jealousy

Sapphix was excited to come see this years VDC. She had come to the last years one, but due to how... torublesome, it was, she was afraid to attend to one of the musical performances again. However, even though left and right she had to give her autographs, she was happy to see so many interesting researches and artistic renditions of the world. And she had the company of her favorite Hyena, to make it even more fun. "Shihihi did'ya see the price those dumbasses are paying for those snacks? I could make them for half the price and it would be thrice as better." "Oh I bet it! I still remember when you made me those donuts, what did you even put on it to make them so tasty?" "Chef's secret. Buuuut every secret can be paid to be spread..." "Oh shush it!" As the duo (couple? who knew at this point!) made their way around the stands, they found the... Mountain Lovers club? What even is this? "Oh no..." Ruggie said before the tall teal haired boy gave his soft and lowkey condenscending smile at Sapphix and his Hyena almost-boyfriend.

"Hello there Sapphix-san, Ruggie-san. Would you care to hear about my research?" "Hell no, we were just going to-" "I want to! These mushrooms look so adorable, is it about them?" "Wha- Hey! He is gonna try shoving them on ya or something, i've seen Jade do that before." Jade put his hand to his chest, and looked almost hurt, though his tone didn't seem to share that same sentiment. "Your words wound me profusely, Ruggie-san. I was merely trying to explain the intricacies of this mushroom species I've so carefully and effortly cultivated myself." "Aww look Ruggie, it looks like it has a little veil on it! Let's hear it, pleeease? I'll pay you some food in return."

Ruggie mumbled and grumbled about not wanting to, but accepted nonetheless, he was actually hungry and wanted something fancy for once. "Thank you for your attention. My name is Jade Leech,, Junior from class 3-E, and I am the founder of the Mountain Lovers club. My research is solely based on the phallus Indusiatus, or Veiled Lady mushroom. You see these species [...]" Sapphix kept intringuinly looking at the examples Jade cultivated, and inquiring him about the little mushrooms, which only helped to sour Ruggie's mood even more. He wasn't really the jealous type, usually. He was pretty confident that he could do whatever he wanted if he wasn't caught, but with Sapphix it was different. He didn't want to steal from her, or do something that would hurt her. He actually, genuinely, liked to be around her and to hear her laugh and see how she would smile so cutely at him. Seeing all this attention, he is used to only seeing being given to him, given to someone else... It actually hurt.

Ruggie didn't even noticed that his ears and tail were droopy, and that he had instinctively gotten closer to Sapphix. It was like an instinct, protect the mate or whatever. One who noticed, however, is Jade, he looked at Ruggie and smiled "Would you have any questions about the mushrooms, Ruggie-san?" "No, Sapphiiiiiix can we go now, i'm starving in here hearing him ramble" His glare was clear as day, however Jade didn't retort at all. "I do believe I've finished my presentation. Hope you have a great date." "Oh, btu we aren't-" "Yeah, thanks, bye forever or whatever" ruggie pushed sapphix away into a fancy food stall, still with a pout on his lips. The girl was not dumb, and she had noticed his jealousy, but all she did now was get near him and hug him, making him all flustered. "Hey Hey! What's that for?!" "Consider this my revenge from you playing spelldrive with Vil's pupil instead of Going out shopping with me" "Wha-DO YOU MEAN EPEL? YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE?!!"

Ah yes my fave romance troupe: payback jealousy to the hyena boy. God I love ur ocs so much bee, hope u enjoy this!!

[aspartaime]

I'm in a mood tonight so if anyone who i have ever known see this, let's read further. This is truly so stream of conscious. It's just a general life update.

CW: drug use, mental health themes, emotional?? idk it was to me, SA

My friends on this site, I know we've been out of contact for years. I have been in a season of life where I am extremely sentimental. I look back on my friends I made here/friends I have IRL that also followed me here, and it makes my heart swell.

I was going through some severe mental issues when I was on Tumblr regularly. I've since pinned it down to "being a chronically online, easily influence teenager". There were a lot of things either glorified, justified, and normalized on Tumblr that messed up my nerf ball brain. I was not a great friend because of it. I realize in hindsight as an adult whose brain is less nerf-bally that the lot of you who cared about me must have really cared about me to stick with me through that shit show. This is my formal apology in the least direct or awkward way for my behavior. Know that I love you all and pray your lives are full of home cooked meals and laughter and peaceful Sunday mornings.

Since my PTSD diagnosis I have done a lot of making sense of old memories. My life from age 13 through age 17 is such a blur. My girlfriend doesn't know what to say when I bring it up. You all would love my girlfriend, by the way. We live together now. She's the light of my life. She makes things worth remembering again.

I finally stopped acting like a doormat. My constant need for validation that I experienced in my youth has become a mildly nihilistic disposition. But like, the cool nihilism, where nothing matters so everything is super chill. I realized it doesn't matter if I don't like someone or someone doesn't like me, we all have different preferences and needs and all. I dunno. It's kind of nice to be free of clingy baby hell. I'm attributing that to the PTSD diagnosis as well.

I got into weed. This is not a surprise to anyone who have ever had a conversation with me, I'm sure. I started smoking to take the nightmares away. Then it became just a normal part of my day. I don't abuse it though. I just find that it helps keep my head quiet.

I got in a lot of fights along the way. It's kind of funny. This last fight was really my tipping point into my "go-with-the-flow" phase. Given it was the third (or possibly even fourth? PTSD makes it difficult to care about keeping track) I was sexually assaulted, I just had to make a decision then and there I was done caring. It also reinforced my belief that people who go through hard stuff have a flashing sign over their heads that tell other predators this isn't their first rodeo. At least it felt that way to me. I digress. This person was my best friend, allegedly, and it just blew up on me.

Anyways. All that negative aside I have been doing better than I ever have. My mental health is taken care of. I stimulate my brain and challenge myself with my three jobs, LOL. It keeps e out of trouble. I am with the most darling woman I've ever met. She saved me. My two cats are my prides and joys. I'm in a longplay of the Sims 4 right now.

I sign off on this post by requesting:

If you knew me and took the time to read this, I care for you always. Thank you for helping me get to where I am now, getting me through the hardest years of my life when I was also constantly using this site, and teaching me so much about true friendship. You guys rule.

[twinkleember]

My Homie challenged me with this.

Character: Number 96, Dark Mist, Black Mist, Anger issues ghost.

Character ask game!

A classic character ask game lol, but with a little deeper digging into them

Send a character and a number/several numbers, and i'll answer:

My first impression of them Honestly? I saw him as a facebook icon from my homie and thought he was super weird.

When I think I truly started to like them Until I got to see clips of his personality. Now I smother myself in Mist content.

A song that reminds me of them Solence - Heaven

How many people I ship them with I have two AU's for him. so....two.

My favorite ship of them Dats a secret.

My least favorite ship of them Tentacle/Lock ship - Just personal preference. I don't hate it. I just find it odd.

A quote of them that you remember "Sentimental mumbo-jumbo" "Because I can."

Your favorite outfit of them er.....he's naked? but I do like the human clothing I gave him haha.

Your least favorite outfit of them again. he be naked.

Describe the character in one sentence Impulsive, quick to anger, loveable douchebag.

What’s the first thing you think about when thinking about the character? The character I ship with him. and his dub voice. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Sexuality hc! Normally? very gay. but depending on the AU. Prolly Pan.

Your favorite friendship they have I wouldn't say friendship. If we go by AU. its more acquaintance? but if we go by canon. Joining Astral and yuma as an 'ally' in that one duel. He's a fussy potato :/

Best storyline they had Any time he was visible in the show. gimme more screen time you lovable douche!

Worst storyline they had We dun talk about this stupid Puppet.

A childhood headcanon When he was a wee ink bloob. nah seriously. He didn't have one lol.

What do you think their first word was? "it means, when you dropped your key I was able to escape." aww babies first words of potential malice!

How do you think they were as a kid? (Like, were they shy, noisy, wild, etc) Aggressive chaos bloob noises.

The most random ship you've seen people have with them Vector and Mist? I dunno. I don't see many other ships around with him specifically with canon characters.

A weird headcanon When Mist is all soft and caring...for some reason.

When do you think they were at their happiest? When he took steroids/Chaos/Barian power form.

When do you think they were at their lowest? I guess when he got so salty/mad at Astral in the temple duel. Not gunna lie, it made me chuckle.

Future headcanon No puppet allowed! if he yeeted himself to get to Astral. There would be an alternative to restore him and have him be a further pain in the ass.

What do you think is a secret they have that they never told anyone? Swiggity swooty, Comin for that Astral booty~

When do you think they acted the most ooc I don't recall he ever did? I would beat him with a rolled up newspaper if he did. Get back to being evil!

When do you think they were being "themselves" the most? every time his ass appeared on screen?

If they could meet a character from another show/movie/etc, who would be the most fun for them to meet? I'm going video game. Diablo from Diablo 3. They both want power and destruction and both look fabulous.

The most unnecessary thing they ever did? When he possessed the major. like. I understand you were screwing with humans, but I don't think you can get very far my dude xD

How do you think they would be as a parent? (and if they are a parent, how do you think they would be if they weren't?) I aint touching this with a ten foot pole.

The funniest scene they had?

not so much scene. More like how he can be such a salty sandra and get super mad when things don't go his way.

Source: https://www.tumblr.com/ask-games-from-a-weird-girl/673569359300640768/character-ask-game

[eggmeralda]

🖌💚💙🥀😳! :D

thank youuu <3<3

Do you want/have any tattoos?

okay so I can never answer a question succinctly

but anyway, I have this bet with myself that I have to get a [Relevant Blorbo] tattoo if any of the following happen:

- if my old south park hyperfixation comes back YET AGAIN and it falls on either 16/sep/2026 (10th anniversary of when I first got obsessed) or 12/apr/2027 (10th anniversary of when I read the well and the lighthouse by petroica traversi and it rewrote my dna), then I have to get a tattoo of kenny

- if my notre dame de paris obsession comes back at all between now and 9/feb/2029 (10 years after I first bought the book), then I have to get a pierre tattoo

- if I ever end up actually becoming an archivist before july 2027 (5 years after the swag archive made me realise I wanna do that as a job), then. swag tattoo (not looking likely though, applying for archive related jobs is horrendous lol)

- and if coronation street ever ends before I'm 33 (10 years after I was obsessed with it bla bla etc) then yeah. hilda tattoo

and then if none of these things happen then I win. against myself. idk what the prize is yet.

do I actually want a tattoo? probably not (based on how much my earlobes are still overreacting after over a year, I don't think my skin likes things being done to it)

if any of these things happen will I actually go through with it? I also dunno yet lol

why did I decide this in the first place? bored

What's your favourite colour?

I feel like green is my default colour, but I do also like that hazey ethereal dream pop aesthetic type pink or purple. I guess those kind of shades would be my fav colour visually, but sentimentally it's probably green

What colour is your bedroom?

lilac (with a lot of beige areas bc the walls are kind of peeling lol)

Favourite animated movie?

the aristocats <3

Do you like your name?

yeah tbh I was thinking about it the other day and it's actually a vibe? like I've never really thought about it bc it's always been just. always been My Name. but looking at it on its own as just a name that exists, it's quite nice tbf

[lucaonthropy]

My (definitely biased) analysis of why Volt Tackle by Deco*27 is a good love song:

First of all: I noticed that Volt Tackle's vibe, despite being Deco*27's usual song about unrequited feelings, is not gloomy or depressing or resigned as his other unrequited feelings songs. Volt Tackle is, at it's base, a fight song. The whole thing is about fighting, both to get the attention of your crush and to defeat them (as said by lyrics themselves; 'Can’t stop, won’t stop, till I catch you, battle me again!')

It's unconventional. Maybe not in the show/anime/cartoon range because there's a lot of 'MC fights LI to get their attention' trope in them, but in songs? Generally, love songs are about love and very feeling-centric, describing the falling, the success/rejection, then the coping. Volt Tackle's MC straight up volt tackles their LI lmao.

I also love how in the first two chorus, the lyric is 'My cheeks are burning in the recoil of my Volt Tackle! It’s super effective! But to only me!?' that insinuates MC's choice of using volt tackle on the LI is a desperate choice, a random pick that they hopes would work. And it could've been! But it backfires. Then, in the last chorus the lyric changes into this: 'My choice is this, to catch you with this Volt Tackle! It’s gonna be super effective! Even on you!!'. This time, the volt tackle is a definitive choice. This time, the MC has faith it won't recoil, that it will work. Or at least, even if it recoils again, they will be ready - they will not give up.

Another part that draws me in is the self-awareness of the MC. In the start, the lyric says: 'Sentimental? Doesn’t matter! Eyes meet, and bam! Sucker punched to the max with love!'. It implies insta-love, sure, but it doesn't bug me as much as other songs about love at first sight because it fits with the previous lyric: 'I’m a jitterbug party of one, the guiding star of my life is always “I wanchu!”'. The MC is a certified reckless and impulsive person, they say it themselves, so the insta-love makes sense. But what makes it more interesting to me is it is also implied that the MC falls in love when they are defeated by the LI. They were 'sucker-punched', right? It could be just metaphor, but as I said before, this is a fight song. I think it wouldn't be farfetched to say this love is budding inside the fighting arena lmao.

The stubborness of the MC is very endearing, too, I think. The whole song is a bit forceful, what with the MC being a stubborn hothead that just. Won't stop. At one point, their effort even feels straight up desperate. But I think this is a deliberate choice in the song, because before the lyric notes that 'Giving up was always the easiest path' but then the rest of the song describes the MC not giving up even once. It is intentionally forceful in vibes, because otherwise it will play into its own trap and make it sounds like the MC starts to give up at any point - which they don't. Not even in the soft-sounding bridge. The bridge is usually where the true feelings of a POV character in a song confesses their deepest thoughts and feelings (usually how they think the love is hopeless or hopeful, depending on the song). Volt Tackle's MC, in the bridge, only states "Well I'm actually not that brave. I'm shy, even. But! Don't you start underestimate me because of that! I still will catch you!"

Truly, I love this song for how not sappy it is. The MC is a tsundere (confirmed in the bridge part) but they have genuine pride in themselves, they have fighting spirit, and they won't give up on this! Screw you! I'll defeat you and you will love me back, LI! I love the vibe honestly, very 'fuck it we ball' but in love lol.

(Also it is implied that the LI has Digglet for their Pokemon. Dunno what it has to do with anything other than to make a witty lyric, but I love details so. In the analysis it goes!)

[leffee]

The answers (I hope I got all of them)

The snow - so I know hate is a strong word but it may be his least favorite of all the weather don’t get me wrong he loves playing in the snow with his friends and hot chocolate that comes with the cold BUT can’t stand falling and slipping on ice and snow and being the main target in snowball fights plus he tends to whine after being outside for longer then an hour because he’s wet and cold and done with all of it lol-

Shivers- so I picture everyone in about mid 20’s but shivers is still slightly younger :) the reason they even hang is because vinnie was roommates with him while Sunil was in college so he wouldn’t be lonely but eventually moved out because of his hoarding problem-

Drinking- yes they drink alcohol they like to do it at peppers or at a local bar vinnie sometimes go way overboard with it but has fun in fact a lot of the time when he goes out drinking with the girls he’s the one to stay sober and keep an eye on them (plus when he’s sober he gets to get the biggest kick out of drunk karaoke night from Zoe)

Baking- so it’s not so much that he’s embarrassed he just thinks that he’s not that good at it so he’s never really wanted to make a big deal out of it BUT side story- Zoe entered a baking competition at a fair for fun but realized that she was horrible at it so vinnie jumped in and started helping and giving her tips on a tester recipe and it turned out amazing and everyone had asked him how he hasn’t mentioned this before and that he’s got a gift and he just said “dunno I didn’t think it was anything special” but he really did enjoy the praise he got from that for the rest of the fair week and now he makes dessert for everyone once in a while as a surprise-

Russell’s dates- yes he’s very jealous and he will do anything to makes sure they don’t happen like hide Russell’s wallet, call and cancel reservations and even delete Matches he gets on the website ( yes you are right he is very obsessive because he takes so long to like someone so he never wants to lose them ( side note Russell is not into the whole thing to begin with he’s just trying to be nice and give what the girls say a try because he is deep down very lonely but very picky)

I have so much more to say I’m so happy that I found someone who likes to hear my little ramblings

Let me know if you have anymore thoughts if you want I can send more things or maybe help you with fanfic ideas? I can also DM you at some point I’m just a bit shy about my obsessions haha /~\

What a delightfully long answer you gave me, I am genuinely so happy about it and of course, will happily throw in my own two cents. You get me anon. Let's a go again :]

Snow snow snow: okay, I am genuinely so stupid for not having thought that before, it clicked so well once I read your reply. Of course Vinnie the clumsy man would hate the slippy weather. I think he must be used to it by this point, but when it's this kind of overload he surely would be just done with it. Also I loove love the last part, he's so done, my poor baby. He's just like "Okay, I'm done now, Imma head out". Somebody take care of him, stupid lil maaan <3. Also I think personally he's the kind of person who would drink hot chocolate no matter the season, though of course in winter it's so much better.

Shivers (speaking of winter lol): so I guess that Vinnie wasn't in college? I mean, makes sense xd, or maybe he was in a different one than Sunil. Either way I can see him eventually being done with Shivers' shenanigans, though I personally headcanon that he, though on a way smaller scale, likes collecting things too. Not to a point it's a problem, not at all, but he just likes sentimental things especially if they are from his friends. So he would try to understand, but eventually just give up on it because nope, that is clearly not for his patience

Yummy drinks: okay, alright, I just wanted to make sure, I mean they could just be drinking grimace shakes or something, you know? I mean, they would 💀. You and me are the same, because yes, he definitely goes overboard sometimes, because it's easier to keep up that cheery demeanor when drunk. A side note: I actually headcanon that it's hard for him to get properly drunk i.e. he has to drink a lot to get to that state and he's not happy about that. Oh, and I love what a sweetheart he is with the girls this is so heart-warming honestly and I love it. I can see him as their bodyguard of sorts at those moments, making sure nobody tries anything funny with the girls. AND him with Zoe having a karaoke night? Hell yeah, so cute and good.

MMm cake: I love, love, love it so much. I love it when a character is good at something but thinks they're not, especially when the said character at the same time has a passion for something (dancing in this case) and says it out loud but is not good at it. Angst potential anyone? AND SIDE STORY OMG I LOVE IT AGAIN I LOVE SIDE STORIES. I love those Vinnie Zoe interactions you spoil me with, I really do. I imagine Zoe must have been reluctant, but also desperate, so she just let him, and then it came out amazing and she was so confused but also relieved and happy. AnD THen They hUg :3. Pls. In short, let him cook.

Russell being silly: oh but this one I love perhaps even more than the rest. He is so real for doing that, my little insane son. Yes, be unhealthily jealous to the point of making sure your beloved doesn't even have a chance with anyone else. Good that Russell doesn't want those dates either hehe. Like Vinnie goes so far, I mean, deleting matches, canceling reservations? Gold. Oh yes, obsessive is like his biggest characteristic I gave him in my mind. He's very silly in other words. Oh, but I wonder what would happen if Russell somehow did end up going on one of those dates.

Once again, I absolutely love what you've got to say, and also i am obsessed with it, would absolutely love to hear more from you, be it a reply to what I said here if you have any more thoughts, any other headcanons for Vinnie (or anyone else too!) or just thoughts. Yes, I absolutely want you to send more things, whatever it is, I will happily see that. Fanfics though, well, I don't have enough motivation to write them if no one's gonna read them, that's why I said I might write requests, because that alone would show me that someone's interested, but as for now I didn't get any, so I guess I'm not planning to write anything lps related. And believe me, I am shy about it too ;-; like I am not normal about it in the slightest. But! I do get you, so no need to be shy around me, though of course I understand your need to stay behind anon for however long you need.

[nosferatufaggot]

I love going through my art tag cuz like, most of it isn't good. For the most part, I am not good at drawing and shit. But I still really like all of it and it brings me joy.

My two latest art posts were literally stick figures. I coulda sticked those figures when I was four it's nothing special. And yet :) :) :) :)

[glaivenoct]

!!!! how would the "i never felt abandoned" line translate over for nyxnoct sandman au? also any ideas for the other endless?

(The first NyxNoct Sandman AU ask) for anyone interested!

"How?" Noct would ask when they're still sitting on those crumbled steps together. "All those years without a word or sign of me. How did you have the heart to stay when others fled?"

"Others began to feel abandoned. I never did. Not to overstep, but," Nyx will look at him slowly, and Noctis' eyes will flick down quickly to pretend that he hasn't been staring at Nyx deeply this whole time, "I know your heart, Noctis." Fine fine fine, Noct will look at him again. "I know the care you put into this realm and for the people in it. You would never abandon it so carelessly or without reason. If you did, there would be nothing left. Not even these ruins before us. I held onto that. Told myself to keep going if I wanted to see the day you returned."

Noct will be silent for a minute, because again, the sentiment. I think the sentiment Nyx shares here might be a level that he's never really expressed. At least not so vulnerably or verbally. And then -

"Your perseverance is admirable, Dear Knight. I can't help but feel I'm in your debt."

"You owe me nothing. Besides," Nyx will lean back on the steps, relaxing and taking a breath, a crooked smile as he looks at Noct once more and, "it was worth the wait."

helllpppp, I love them ;u;

As for the other Endless, I'm going off of the ones I've seen in the show so far. I never read the comics before, and a quick google search tells me there's 7 altogether :o

For Death, maybe that could be Luna? Might sound funny given she's literally the whole white mage healer deal. But! I think the way Death really loves and takes pride/care in her work, and has this calming way with people are qualities that go well with Luna. And if Death is one of the siblings Dream really confides in and he values her insight so much? I'm here for it even more, give me big sis Luna for Noct to look up to!!

For Desire - Ok idk if this is gonna sound weird either! But I feel like if anyone from XV could match their energy, I think it'd be Loqi lol. I know he's barely even in the game but.. akdjsfkd I dunno!! Out of everyone else, I can just see him being the sibling that has some fuckery up his sleeve to derail/destroy Noct. Give me that scene of Noct pinning Loqi down in the AC Festival DLC but with much higher stakes and full on animosity lol.

For Despair - HMMM I'm actually stumped on that one lol. Not sure who would be a good pick to match that energy. Another excuse for a rewatch lol even tho Despair only has like two short appearances in the show so far.. am I remembering that correctly?? Idk!! But need to rewatch for sure lol.

If you have any other ideas or suggestions I'm totally open to them! :D

[qrbits]

Hi! Not sure if my previous ask went through so I'm submitting again, sorry if this one shows up twice. I saw you were studying art at CMU, I'm actually deciding if I want to go to their School of Art currently, but their program seems super conceptual / fine art focused so I'm not sure if it's the right fit for me. I'm really interested in their interdisciplinary stuff, I'm not sure if it's worth going to CMU just for that though. I'd love to hear any input/advice you have, thanks so much!

From a pure curriculum standpoint, CMU School of Art is indeed very conceptual and modern art-y. I find that most art majors who aren’t super into that side of it get the most out of CMU by going some sort of interdisciplinary route, like minoring in IDeAte (I ended up w an accidental minor in Animation bc I took so many animation classes lol), doing a BXA degree, doing HCI, or just supplementing their art curriculum with a lot of classes from other majors of interest. Lol CMU is really into those types of students too, it’s like the school’s whole deal.

I dunno what kind of art you like to do, but in the last few years, I’ve seen CMU’s animation and game design side grow a lot, altho it’s still fairly technical. For example, more emphasis on rigging, modeling, pipeline, 3D, coding rather than concept art, illustration, character design. There’s not much support here for learning hard skills for preproduction or even drawing in general looll, but if you wanted to do that stuff you’d go to CalArts or smth right

Personally, I chose CMU for reasons completely unrelated to what the curriculum would offer me lmaooo, I’d done precollege there so I knew what kind of art the school liked, and I knew it wasn’t exactly what I wanted to learn. The major deciding factor for me when it came to picking colleges was the types of people I’d get to meet and make friends with. In middle and high school I was like the only Asian kid in my grade, and I just really wanted to go somewhere that I could make friends w other Asian ppl and nerd out abt shit like anime and kpop hahaha, and so it happens, CMU attracts such a crowd. I was also able to explore other interests like dance, videography, tabling at anime conventions, cosplay, and leadership through the student orgs here.

I’d suggest no matter where you go, consider your holistic experience over what the curriculum offers you. There are lots of ppl who choose colleges purely for the education without considering if they’ll even be happy there, they end up being miserable and end up blaming the school or major. Unless you’re studying something super technical like computer science, engineering, premed, law, your major in college doesn’t actually influence your postgrad success that much. But ofc college and CMU esp is very expensive so I understand wanting to get the most out of ur education as well. 

My concluding sentiment is that you should choose somewhere that will give you the most character development lolol don’t put too much expectation on education to hand you success on a silver platter because people who will succeed will succeed despite the harshest circumstances, and ppl who will fail will still fail even if they have all the best resources. Good luck!

[luulapants]

Steter prompt: "Did you honestly think that would work on me?" I'm imagining cheesy pick-up lines or failed seduction attempts, something along those lines, maybe? Dunno lol, it's just the first thing that came into my head 😂

I love this. My brain went a slightly different direction, but I think I still caught the spirit of it!

---

“Deputy,” the bartender greeted, tone stiff.

Stiles glanced down at himself and saw that his badge was still clipped to the front of his uniform shirt. He sighed, plucked it off, and tucked it into the front pocket. “I’m off-duty, Mike,” he assured the man, leaning his elbows on the bar.

Mike settled and stepped up to the opposite side. “Should I be worried that you’re coming here before you even go home from a shift?” he asked.

“Nah, worry not. I’ve got people coming over for the game tonight. Figured I’d pick up a few six packs on my way. You have that new lager canned yet?”

“As of yesterday.”

“Awesome. One of those, one of the IPA, one of the coffee stout.” Stiles shot him a grin. “We probably won’t need that much, but we’re up against the Saints tonight, so who knows.”

Mike disappeared into the back to get the cans, and Stiles let his tired eyes scan over the bar. It was a narrow place, hardly more than a covered-over alleyway with brick walls behind the aging wooden booths. This early in the evening, there weren’t too many patrons. A man and a woman in a booth that looked like they were on a first date. A couple of old-timer regulars sitting at the bar. In the far back corner, mostly hidden in shadow, a solitary man sat in a booth, his face turned away. The cut of his jaw and neck looked familiar, though. Stiles squinted at him. Then the man turned his head to the side, and rage immediately settled into his chest.

Stiles stormed over to the side of Peter’s booth. “No,” he said.

“Deputy Stilinski, what a pleasant surprise,” Peter replied coolly.

“No!” Stiles repeated. “Whatever you’re here for, I’m not having it. I have plans. Plans that do not involve –” He began counting items off on his fingers. “– finding dead bodies, fighting supernatural threats, foiling evil plans, or otherwise endangering myself and the citizens of this county.” He put his fists on his hips. “No. You get the hell out of my town.”

Peter rolled his eyes and took a long sip of what looked like whiskey. “I’m not up to anything, Stiles, and I don’t know why you would think I am.”

“Oh, so you haven’t been leaving a wake of destruction in your path as you road trip across America?” Stiles slid into the booth across from him. He saw Mike at the bar out of the corner of his eye. He signaled that he needed a moment, then turned back to Peter. “I’ve been keeping tabs on you, Peter. I may not know exactly what brand of fucked-up shit you’re into these days, but I know that Beacon Hills wants no part of it.”

A long beat of silence followed. Peter took another drink, then set the glass down. His voice was soft and somber when it came. “Believe it or not, I’m trying to put all of that behind me.” He lifted his eyes to meet Stiles’s. “I’m coming home,” he said, and there was a haunted quality to his expression.

Stiles frowned. “Put all of what behind you?” he asked, because he really didn’t have an accurate picture of how Peter had been involved in the incidents in Tucson and Kansas City, the ones that had left bodies behind.

“Everything, I guess,” Peter said with a shrug. “I don’t know. How does a man decide in what order to abandon his life?”

The weight of those words caught Stiles by surprise, and for a moment he didn’t know how to respond. “Why?” is what he settled on, finally. “Did something happen?”

Peter shook his head. “Not… not anything in particular, no. But I’m tired, Stiles. I’m tired of fighting, tired of that car, being cold and eating the same goddamn road food every day.”

Something about the way he said it set off an uncertainty in Stiles’s mind, like the faintest tickle of a memory that he couldn’t quite place. “I didn’t figure you would give up so easily,” Stiles commented.

“I’m old, Stiles,” Peter told him. “I know I don’t look it, but I'm beginning to feel it in my heart. I feel...” He paused, sighed, stared off in the distance. “...thin. Sort of stretched. Like butter scraped over too much bread.”

Stiles gaped at him.

“What?” Peter asked, frowning at his expression.

“Did you honestly think that would work on me?” Stiles demanded. “Dude, you just quoted Lord of the Rings. And I’m pretty sure the thing before was from The Matrix.”

Peter shifted uncomfortably, lifting his chin in a haughty expression. “So, I may have borrowed some sentiments – just some wording, really – from other sources. I’ve been living out of hotels, Stiles. I’ve been watching a lot of movies.”

“Un-fucking-believable,” Stiles muttered. He got up from the table. Jabbing a finger at Peter’s face, he warned, “If I get even a whiff of trouble from your direction, I will shoot your ass so full of wolfsbane, it’ll be smoking all the way to the state line, you got that?”

“That hurts my feelings,” Peter told him with a pout. “I thought we were closer than that.”

Stiles laughed and shook his head. “Oh, no. No. You and me?” He gestured between them rapidly. “That is so not happening again. Ever.”

Peter took a sip of his drink, murmuring, “We’ll see,” into the glass.

Scowling, Stiles headed back to the bar for his beer.

“Never nice running into an ex,” Mike commented as Stiles handed over his credit card.

“Shut up, Mike.”

[shadow--writer]

Through That Mist I See the Shape of You and I Know That I'm in Love With You

h

after WEEKS of writers block and rewriting this bitch I HAVE FINISHED. TITLE (it slaps)

Maeve x Lucas. Sometimes I wonder what it’d be like to tell you I love you. 6k

CW (im changing it lol): mentions of past trauma (Lucas), some bat hisses n hatred, flirting, these are dorks in love

@dela-png​

A headache was starting to build behind her eyes. 

Were all dates with Lucas going to be this...eventful? 

...unlucky? 

Incredibly unlucky?

She stared at the bat on the table, who was currently locked in a hissing battle with her partner. Tehi had fluffed herself to look bigger than she was, wings spread on the table. The high pitched hiss was directed at the one and only Lucas. 

Who was shooting her a wounded plea for help. 

Oh this was going swimmingly. At least she didn’t get bit by an eel this time. 

...unless he could summon them to land, which she almost doubted. But knowing him and the magic of this town? It was likely. 

She sighed, massaging her temples. 

“You royally pissed her off,” she said after a moment, cracking an eye open to look at him. She giggled, watching him rest his head on the table. He banged his forehead, making her snort. 

“Why! I didn’t do anything,” he moaned, looking over at her. She patted his head, Tehi letting out another hiss. 

Currently, Tehi was in front of their dinner, biting his hand every time he reached for something. His hands had suffered quite a bit in the past ten minutes. 

He stared longingly at the apple rings and the butternut squash he brought. “She’s even guarding dinner,” he grumbled. 

The situation was...delicate. 

Tehi, bless her heart, was on thin fucking ice. Lucas, bless his heart, was treading on eggshells. 

And her? She had no heart to bless but she was ready to give up and go on without any more squash (sadly enough). 

Having a territorial protective bat had its downsides. She grew up with Tehi, finding her in a tree injured and eating the fruit for harvest. Broke her ankle trying to get her down, her father lecturing her for hours after. 

But Tehi knew her. And she could read how she felt about Lucas just by body language alone. 

And Tehi was not happy. 

Of course, the sentiment was sweet, Tehi was being protective because of things in the past (that she was currently trying to viciously ignore), but...now she was just making sure Lucas starved. 

And Lucas…

Was sulking. She saw no end in sight unless Tehi stopped hissing. 

Second date was going worse than the first. 

“Most animals like me,” he said, reaching for Tehi, jerking his hand back as she lept for him. “Why not her? Is it a scent thing?”

“It’s uh...me thing.”

He looked up at her as she scooted closer to him, resting her hand on his knee. “Tehi doesn’t...like people getting close to me...romantically. Friends are fine, but you are um…”

“No longer a friend?”

She patted his knee with a smile. “No, I still treasure our friendship, we’re just different now.”

“So she just doesn’t…”

“Like you. Being with me. Like this.”

“How does she know?”

She felt herself flush. “She um...just knows! She’s been around me most of my life so she can read me pretty well.”

“Oh...like Jolie and me!” His brows furrowed. “So she doesn’t like...me being with you?”

“It’s a very horrific crime, I’m afraid. Mo mhuirnín dílis,” she said, kissing his forehead. He settled into her touch, Tehi letting out an indignant squawk. “I don’t think she’ll ever forgive you for this.”

He made a face. “Well she’ll have to get over it.”

“Mmhmm, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for a while longer.”

He opened his eyes, smiling a little. “I like being stuck with you.”

She flushed. “Don’t be sappy in front of my bat. She hates you enough already.” 

He puffed his cheeks out in a pout, the face strikingly similar…

...to one she made. 

“I don’t want her to hate me though,” he whined, looking over at Tehi. She clutched her strawberry close, letting out a very angry hiss at his gaze. He turned away. 

“I’m afraid you have no choice. You’ll grow on her eventually.”

“Eventually,” he repeated with a grumble. “Eventually, is not a now.”

“Be patient, mo grá. She’ll come around. You have a way of getting to people.”

“I do?”

“You did with me. It was very shocking how fast you managed to wedge yourself in my life.”

“Yeah. Then you tried to get rid of me.”

“Strong words! It was more like...give you a nudge elsewhere.”

He raised an eyebrow, making her giggle. “Fine. Maybe I was getting rid of you. But I had very good reasoning for it.”

“Did I do something wrong?” he asked softly, making her blink in surprise. 

“No...it was just...you scared me a little,” she murmured with a small smile. “You still do.”

“Why?”

“You’re...different. From what I’m used to. You’re just...so...open.”

“Is...that a bad thing?” 

Curse those eyes, big blue and pleading. It was like he didn’t even notice how he affected her when he looked at her like this. 

She brushed his hair back. “You built a window instead of a wall. You wear your heart on your sleeve.”

Tehi watched them, perched on a plate. Lucas reached over and she bit his finger. He let out a curse, shaking his hand as he pulled away, sticking his tongue out at Tehi. 

She bit back her laughter. “I can help with those.”

“It’s fine,” he muttered, popping the finger into his mouth. 

“Is it bleeding?”

“A little.”

“Lucas.”

“Mm fine. I’ve gotten worse.” Her eyes were drawn to the scar around his neck, and the ones disappearing into the collar of his shirt. They felt familiar, like something she’d seen before. She reached out, brushing one of the scars. The ones that looked like the marking of an animal. 

Or the symbols on her walls. 

He jolted under her touch, staring at her with wide eyes. She pulled away quickly, not thinking. 

“I’m so s-sorry! It’s just…” her brows furrowed. “Those markings feel familiar. I’ve seen them before...not just when my clinic was broken into.” She met his gaze. “What are they from?” 

His eyes darted away as she asked, wringing his hands. “Made some...bad choices,” he said gruffly. “It’s nothing.”

She blinked, shifting away. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

He reached over for her hand and hesitated. She bridged the gap and laced their fingers. “You’re fine,” he murmured, sitting up and leaning against her. “Just stuff I don’t want to talk about.”

She hummed, resting her head on his shoulder. “I understand. I won’t ask if you don’t wanna talk.”

He squeezed her hand. “Thank you.”

“It’s the least I could do,” she said with a smile. “Besides, we have bigger fish to fry.” She looked back at her bat. “...and that’s getting dinner.”

He winced. “Does she have to bite me?”

“Apparently.”

Tehi chirped, preening. 

He glowered. “She has sharp teeth.”

“I offered to help.”

He slouched against her, knocking her off balance. She let out a small squeak, wrapping her arms around his neck before she fell out of her chair.

He laughed, resting his head against her shoulder. 

“Lucas I’m gonna fall!”

“Mmhmm.”

“And take you with me.”

“That’s nice.”

“Get offa me!” She was giggling, bumping her head against his. “You’re too heavy!”

“Mm but if I can’t eat tonight then I guess I’ll just sleep.”

“I can move her, you know.”

“Yes but that’s not gonna stop her from biting me.”

“…or trying to eat your hair.”

He cracked an eye open, wincing. “That too.”

She giggled, kissing the top of his head. “Good news is, she tries to eat everyone’s hair.”

“Is that just...a Tehi thing?”

“Yeah. I think she thinks it’s going to taste any better the more she tries it. Though, watching her chase Malory around was pretty funny.”

“What did he do specifically? You mentioned lying, calling the guards and erm…”

“Murder? Trust me, I have thought about it.”

“I’m aware.”

She flicked the tip of his nose, making him wrinkle it back. “He accused me of stealing. Tehi, well, she’s a bat. No sense of money and trade, only get food to live. I paid for what she took, but he...wasn’t happy about her taking it in the first place. He has the best fruit in the market so her taking things...became a habit.”

He winced. “So he calls the guards on you?”

“Every time he sees me near his booth. Sucks the best fruit in the market has to be sold by an asshole.”

“I could always go grocery shopping for you. If you’d like me to.”

“You...would? For me?”

He nodded, resting his chin on her shoulder. “If he’s the one making you walk all the way to Center City to get fruit, then I’d be happy to go for you.”

She turned and hugged him, burying her face in his neck. “Oh thank the stars. I was close to trying to grow my own fruit. It would have been a disaster. I can barely take care of my medical herbs.”

He let out a small squeak, arms slowly wrapping around her. She made eye contact with Tehi, and if looks could kill. 

“You’re a disaster,” he murmured, making her giggle. “Amani grows plants if you ever want to ask her about them. I dunno if she grows any...fruit, but I know she has aloe. I get some of my spices from her.”

“She has plants? That’s amazing!” She brightened at the thought, letting him go. He smelled deliciously sweet, like nutmeg and cinnamon. “...you think she’d teach me how to keep a plant alive?”

He grimaced. “She could barely teach me. I killed a succulent and she quit.”

“I don’t have the time to take care of plants. Or I just don’t balance my time wisely.”

“I um...don’t manage my time well either.”

“...yeah, you workaholic.”

He blushed. “I-I’m not that bad.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “Mmhmm. Working yourself to the point of passing out is not that bad.”

“That was one time.”

“I had to carry you home!”

“You had help!”

“Same thing!”

He snorted, making her giggle. Tehi blinked at them, seeming unimpressed. 

And now they were being judged by a bat. 

He moved over to grab a strawberry, Tehi chirping at the sight.

“I think we found our way to get her to like you,” she said, leaning against him. 

“Food?”

“Always a good choice.”

He prodded her side, making her swat at his hands with a squawk. “Is that how I won you over?” he teased. 

She wrestled his hand away from her side, struggling against him trying to poke at her again. “What if it was?” she said, sticking her tongue out at him. “I might just marry your pumpkin squash if I could get to it.”

Tehi chirped as if she liked that idea better.

“Hey! Don’t take her side!” Lucas said, turning to the bat on a plate. “She’s mean, I’m the nice one.”

“Aww, are you mad that she likes me better?” she teased, kissing his cheek. “What? Can’t win the affection of one little bat?”

“She’s not little and you know it.”

She giggled, tapping the tip of his nose. “If it makes you feel any better, my family would love you.”

“They…would?”

“Mmhmm. Especially my father and grandma. Cooking fanatics. I grew up trying new dishes. But…sadly I got my cooking ability from my mom.”

He laughed, a blush warming his cheeks. “I could teach you if you’d like.”

“You’d quit.”

“I would not!”

“Oh please! Most of my dishes either explode or are inedible. You’d quit within two minutes.”

“If we don’t have another great Jolie flour incident I’m sure it’ll be okay.”

“…Lucas, I am the great Jolie flour incident.”

“You can’t be that bad.”

“Try me. I’ve burnt eggs that weren’t cracked.”

“…how did you even do that?”

“Long story.”

“Trouble,” he said, ruffling her hair.

She grinned. “You like it.”

Tehi chirped again, staring at the strawberry he had. He tentatively reached over to give it to her, Tehi snatching it from his fingers and holding it close in her claws. He jumped back, the chair toppling over at the force.

He fell backwards with the chair, making her crack up. 

“Did I not warn you she’s protective of her meals?” she asked, looking down at him. 

“Apparently.” He winced, rubbing the back of his head. “Not.”

She giggled. “Whoops.”

“Does she do that to people she hates?”

She grabbed a strawberry, handing it to Tehi, watching as the same thing happened. A wicked little smile played across her face as she mimicked what he had done, down to the facial expressions and knocking her chair back.

Her head hit the floor hard, but she was giggling.

He shot her an unimpressed look, fighting his smile. “Gee. Thanks. I feel way better now.”

She looked over at him with a smile, her hair spilling out across the floor. “That was the funniest reaction I’ve seen to her.”

“…thanks.”

She snorted, squishing his face. “Don’t pout.”

“You’re so mean though,” he said, voice muffled due to her squishing his cheeks. “I don’t think I’ll ever get over this slight to my pride.”

She kissed him lightly. “Mmm I’m sure you will.”

He shifted closer to her, wrinkling his nose. “Don’t patronize me.”

She giggled, running her hands through his hair and rubbing her nose against his. “I would never.”

He snorted, kissing her softly. “She really likes strawberries, huh?” he whispered after a moment. 

She bit her lip, smiling. “She’s gotten me to like them just as much. Back home we had strawberry plants growing everywhere! Blueberries and blackberries as well. My Mhamó would bake so many pies during the first pick of the harvest. Our fingers would be stained red,” she said with a giggle. “Once Aislin ate so much her mouth was stained for a week. Someone thought she ate a person! Devoured them right off the bone!”

He snorted. “Are they your favourites?”

“Well…” she pursed her lips, thinking. “Have you ever had the first strawberry of the year? Ripe and sweet? I could eat them for hours and not tire...so...I guess they are. Tehi loved them from the get-go and I always carry some around.”

“Is that why you always taste like strawberries?”

She blushed, blinking. The question was innocent, she bit her lip and giggled again. He brushed her hair back, thumb running against her skin. “I um...guess so! But I don’t hear you complaining,” she said, nuzzling his cheek. 

He shifted his face to capture her lips, burying his hands in her hair. “I think I like them better this way,” he said with a soft smile, nose brushing against hers as he kissed her again. 

“We should get back up,” she murmured, being cut off by him kissing her again. “Lucas.”

“But if we don’t get up Tehi won’t keep hissing at me.”

“But squash.” She pouted, thinking about it. “I’m serious about marrying it.”

“How about you marry me instead, then you’d get all the squash you’d want.”

She snorted, kissing the tip of his nose. “Want me to have an affair with your cooking? It’s very tempting, I must say.”

He laughed, resting his forehead against hers. “Well? What do you say?”

She giggled, tugging at his hair. “Let me think about it.”

“Don’t take too long.”

“Oh yes because I’m the one asking you. What? Many people flocking to your door? Struggle tying you down?” she joked, kissing his cheek. “I’ll have to have more before making my decision.”

“If you can get around Tehi, that is.”

“I can get around her. She loves me. You on the other hand...”

He sulked. “Don’t remind me.”

She giggled, rising to her feet and picking up her chair. “Need help?”

“View is nice from here.”

She raised an eyebrow, squatting down next to him. “I’ll sic Tehi on you.”

“...you wouldn’t.”

“It’ll get her away from the squash.”

Damn, the puppy dog eyes. “You wouldn’t.”

“Don’t give me that look.”

He kept at it, she groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Fine! I wouldn’t. But you should get up at least.”

He sighed. “If I keep feeding her will she like me?”

“It’s how you got me to marry you.”

He snorted, getting off the chair and putting it back up. “Well I guess it’s not all bad then, huh?”

“Make a fruit pie and she might love you forever.”

“...she can eat those?”

“She sure damn tries. My dad tried making one and she had eaten most of it by the time we finished dinner. He was so mad he tried to ban her from the house.”

He laughed as she sat down, reaching over Tehi (and giving her a pat) to pile more squash onto her plate. She let out a happy hum, biting into it. “Mmm alright maybe I will marry you,” she said, cracking an eye open to look at him.

He plucked a cinnamon apple ring, dramatically holding it out for her. He raised his voice an octave. “Maeve O’Connor, will you do me the honour of marrying me?”

She snorted, laughing. Her cheeks warmed, she knew it was fake. He was joking. But it was nice. He was looking at her with a soft affection, like he actually meant it.

But he couldn’t have. He didn’t even love her.

“And then have an affair with your cooking?” she joked, pushing down her feelings. He was just flirting. 

He slipped the dessert on her finger, kissing her knuckles with a wink. “If it gets you to say yes.”

She giggled, staring at the treat on her hand. She bit into it, smiling at the familiar taste. 

He gasped in offense. “Maeve, that's your engagement ring!”

“It’s delicious.”

“I worked hard to earn the money to get that! I spent weeks working up the courage to ask and you eat it?!”

“But it’s good!”

He kissed her once, then twice. “You are going to make me work every damn day of my life, eating my hard earned money like that.” 

She smiled, tilting her head up to kiss his chin. “Mmmhmm. But you asked me.”

He only shook his head, stealing food from her plate. 

“Hey!” she yelped, reaching for the fork. He held it just out of her reach, teasing her. 

“Aww can’t reach?” he said, kissing the tip of her nose. 

“Curse these short limbs,” she replied, crawling into his lap. He blinked as she wrestled his hand, tugging the fork back down to her. She bit the squash off the end, grinning smugly. 

He flicked the tip of her nose. “That was mine.”

“No you stole it from me. I’m not gonna marry a thief.”

“But Tehi won’t let me get any more!”

“I can get it for you!” 

“No! You’re just gonna eat it all!”

She pursed her lips. “That’s true.”

“And you think I’m a thief.”

“You stole it from my plate!”

“You don’t have any evidence.”

“I watched you! And don’t repeat my shitty logic back to me!”

He laughed, ruffling her hair. “Can I at least have a bite of your engagement ring?”

She gasped, clutching her hand close to her chest. “Never. It is my engagement ring. I can eat it if I wish!”

“But I gave it to you!”

She made a face at him. “But it’s mine now!”

He made a move for her hand, she pressed her hand against his cheek, holding her other hand above her head. “No!”

“But Maeve!”

“No!” She was giggling so hard her ribs hurt. 

There was a flutter, and the makeshift ring was snatched off her finger. 

Tehi chirped, perched on a nearby bookshelf with the apple ring. 

She and Lucas stared for a moment before cracking up. “Looks like neither of us got it,” he said.

“And it looks like someone objects to this marriage.”

He tilted her chin, smiling softly. “She’ll have to try harder than that to stop it.”

She blushed at the sincerity of his words as he kissed her. For a moment she thought he was serious about it. He’s really gotta stop that, messing with her heart and head like that. 

“So...a bat huh?” he started, looking back at Tehi. “Like animals?”

She smiled, trying to fight her blush away. “Yeah. Tehi was an unexpected twist during a hide and seek game, but I grew up loving animals. My older sister has two dogs now.”

“Oh?” “Yeah! They’re very sweet girls, energetic as well. I dunno how she deals with him all the time. She’s written to me many times about how much they get into the baby food back home. She and her fiancée have four kids, one is a wee baby. Cutest little thing.”

“Do you like dogs?”

“Depending on the dog, but yes.”

“Depending on the dog?”

“I’m uh…” she flushed. “Scaredofbigdogs.”

His brows furrowed as he mouthed her word jumble back. “Scared? Why? They’re babies! Big sweethearts!”

She scratched the back of her head. “Well um...I got attacked by wolves when I was a teen. Kinda puts a damper on the whole...big dog thing.”

“...well. That’s a good reason.”

“Oh wow thank you for your approval, oh mighty big dog master.”

“Hey, they get a bad rep. Big dogs are amazing. They just get labeled as dangerous because they’re big.”

“Oh, so like you?”

He let out a choked noise, blushing furiously. “Well I-I mean...y-yeah?”

She smiled, brushing his hair back. “Hmm...I guess you’re okay.”

“Thanks. My fiancée is so loving.”

“Only for you.”

He rolled his eyes with a smile, chasing her for a kiss. She giggled, cupping his face in her hands. 

“I’d like you even if you were a big dog,” she murmured, kissing the tip of his nose. 

His cheeks reddened as he chuckled. “I’d like you even if you were a small dog.”

“Hey!”

“Thumbelina, you couldn’t be big in any form.”

She sulked. “You don’t have to say it though.”

He smiled, kissing her fingertips. “It’s true.”

“Hmph.”

He squished her face, rubbing his nose against hers. “Don’t pout.”

“I’ll pout if I wanna,” she sniffed, making him smile. “I’m small but I pack a punch.”

He winced. “I’m aware. I think you broke my nose.”

She giggled, biting his fingertip. He yelped softly, pulling away. She grinned at his glare, him holding his hand close. “Don’t be a baby. It was a love tap.”

He muttered to himself, looking at his hand. She left a small indent. “I felt no love in that tap.”

“You didn’t look hard enough.”

He snorted, resting his hands on her thighs. “Yeah let me rethink about you kicking me in the nose lovingly. That’s for sure what I felt.”

“In my defense, you insulted my honour twice. If you won’t defend me, who will?”

He tapped his fingers, making her squirm. “I learned my lesson. Next time I’ll win.”

“Mmm next time huh?” She giggled, throwing her hair off her shoulder. “Want a rematch?”

“Absolutely. This time I know your secrets.”

“Someone’s a sore loser,” she teased, flicking the tip of his nose. “And you only know some of my secrets. I am a mysterious woman, you may not know all of my secrets! I’ll kick your ass every time.”

He kissed her softly, holding her hands and lacing their fingers. “We’ll see.”

“Oh I know it.” He rolled his eyes, making her smile. She looked at their clasped hands, hints of cinnamon sugar still dotting her ring finger. He raised her hand, kissing the sugar away. 

“Hey, that's hints of my long lost engagement ring!” 

He smiled, kissing her inner wrist. “You were right about it being delicious.”

She rolled her eyes, fighting back her smile as she slowly climbed to her feet. “I know.” She looked at the food on the table, long forgotten. “I’ll...put things away. Take some home?”

He kissed her palm, letting her hand go. “You can keep the squash. I think it’ll get eaten.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “I have enough food at home, and you need it more than I do.”

“I don’t need it.”

“When was the last time you ate?”

“...yesterday.”

He raised an eyebrow, she blushed. 

“...morning…”

“Exactly. And I get lectured.”

“Well, you had time to eat, I didn’t.”

He rolled his eyes. “Potato patato. Take it, and please eat. Who will kick my ass if you’re too tired?”

“Amani.”

“...touché.”

She giggled, picking up the plates. “If you want to keep trying to win Tehi’s affection, I’ll leave the fruit bowl out. I’ll pack some of the apple rings for you.”

“Okay.”

She hummed, wrapping the squash and apple rings up in a cloth, looking over her shoulder to see Lucas making kissy noises at Tehi, holding a strawberry out for her. She hissed when he moved close, stopping when she saw the gift. 

Maeve giggled, placing the plates in the sink. 

“...is this yours?” he asked after a moment. 

She looked up, moving closer to where he was pointing. It was a sketch, one of many she had scattered about. Her brows softened as she looked at it. “Yeah. It’s of my home.”

“It’s beautiful, I didn’t know you drew.”

“I usually paint, but sketching is nice. My aunt taught me how, since drawing is a good skill to have with magic.”

His eyebrows shot up to his hairline, watching her with soft eyes. “Magic?”

“Yes! Like sigils! Those can be used in different ways, drawing helps guide it. I have a sigil on my neck at the base of my skull…” she lifted her hair up, showing the three swirls. Mind-body-soul, as her sister said. It was her first, a stick and poke they did on a whim. “It helps amplify the magic I want to use, it can’t amplify raw magic, that comes from you but…” she blushed. “Sorry, I’m rambling.”

He blinked, smiling. “No no! It’s interesting, tattoos are a way to transfer magic?”

“They’re a way...to channel it. To draw from you and your surroundings. Tattoos are more permanent versions of sigils, but they are some of the most powerful.”

“I think I have one of those.”

She lit up, bouncing on her toes. “Really?” He nodded, cheeks reddening. “Where is it? Can I see? What does it do? What are the side effects?” 

The look he gave her was startled, she blushed, rocking back onto her heels. “I um...sorry. I just...love this type of magic.” She laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. “Most people don’t do tattoos with it, since they are permanent. I could...ask slowly?”

“O-Okay!”

“Where...is it?”

“On my back. Between my shoulder blades.”

She furrowed her brows, wrapping her arms around him, prodding at his spine between his shoulders. “Here?”

He nodded, staring at her wide eyed and blushing. “Y-Yep!” he squeaked out, making her giggle. 

“What does it do? Magic wise, I mean.”

His brows creased, overshadowing his eyes. “I...don’t know exactly. I think it makes me...stronger? When I want to be. It helps with...healing and I have a higher pain tolerance.”

“So a strength sigil? It would...feed on your strength you have and help aid you when you tap into it. The pain tolerance and healing could be a meaning behind some of the symbols, but I’d have to study those.”

He smiled, laughing. “If you wanted me to take my shirt off you could’ve asked.”

She blinked, going over the implications before blushing. “I um! I didn’t mean it that way! S-Sorry it just-”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “You're fine, I’m teasing.”

She grumbled, wrapping her arms around him as she stood on her tiptoes. “I wouldn’t mind it either.”

He blushed, making her bite her lip as she smiled. 

“I have been studying sigils for a while now. I just made another breakthrough with some! Currently looking into light sigils due to how easy they are…”

“May I see?”

Her lips parted in surprise, eyes widening. “Y-You’d want to see it?”

“Of course I do! It’s something you get excited about, even if I might not understand it...why wouldn’t I?”

“Not um...everyone likes to listen to me ramble.” She giggled, nervous. “It’s fine! I tend to be long winded.”

He kissed her softly. “I think it’s cute, I like seeing you talk about it. I’d be happy to listen.”

She kissed him back, harder. She knocked him off balance as she pushed herself off the ground. His hands hovered over her waist for a moment before he bundled her close. 

“I’ll show you,” she murmured, letting go of him. He set her down, letting her take his hand and guide him to her room. “My room is a mess because of it, I must warn you.”

He laughed. “I’ve seen a messy room before.”

“Yeah. Yours,” she teased, winking as she nudged her door open. Tehi followed them, chirping as she fluttered up to a small bookshelf cluttered with small trinkets. Tehi snuggled close to the dog Lucas had given her, so many weeks ago. He stared at the bat and the wooden dog, his smile growing giddy. 

“You still have it!”

She looked over, smiling. “Of course I do, why wouldn’t I?”

He wouldn’t meet her eyes with a bashful smile. “I didn’t think you’d keep it.”

She squeezed his hand. “It was a gift.”

He looked at her with a soft smile, letting her guide him to sit on the floor. She gathered the pages on the floor, lips twisting as she looked at the symbols. “Do you want to draw your own?” she asked, half bent over, looking over her shoulder.

“Draw my own?”

“I can show you, if you’d like.”

“Alright.”

She smiled, face warming. Her freckles on her arms started to glow brighter as she scooped up blank paper. He held out a hand for her, helping her sit, nestled in the crook of his side. 

“I’d like to see your tattoo eventually,” she said, laying out the papers. “If you’d let me.”

He kissed her cheek. “Sure, I’d be happy to have a magic expert analyze it.”

“I’m no expert. You’d be better off seeing the magician in Center City.”

“I’d rather have you.”

“I’m touched.” She reached over his lap for her pens, chewing on her lower lip as she looked at the blank sheets of paper. 

“What’s first, oh mighty powerful witch?”

She giggled, handing him a pen and scooting a paper over. “Drawing the sigil. Here’s the light one I’ve been using.” She showed him the page, a line curving down and another tucked in it. Three lines connected the swirling ones. “These symbolize balance. Balance with light, no light can exist without shadow and shadow cannot exist without light.”

He traced the three lines connected the swirled. “And these symbolize the bond between the balance?”

She grinned, clapping her hands. “Yes! Exactly!” She leaned into him, holding her pen. “Sigils are all about the idea and magic you’re trying to put out there. What you want to happen, putting that want into the drawing and the magic in the air, activating it with the same.”

He watched her draw the sigil, copying her movements. “And how do you activate it?”

“Some are powerful enough to use a look, or a connection. I usually use my hands. Your hands are powerful.” He finished drawing the sigil, letting her take his hand and hold his palm open. She traced the lines, like she had some time ago. “Remember your palm reading?”

“Yeah.”

“Lines hold meaning. Heart, sun, fate, head, life. Magic flows through your hands. Hands are the start and the finish of magic, the connection between you and the earth. Am I making sense?”

“Kind of.”

“Think of it...like a connection. Magic from your hands seeps into the thing you’re trying to activate, a sigil in this example. Your hands are...an anchor.”

“Oh…” he whispered, looking at his hands. Peering at them with critical eyes. “That makes sense.”

“And now that you’ve drawn the sigil with the intent for light, you anchor and channel that magic into your want for light.”

“How?”

“I can show you.” She got to her feet, blowing out the candles. Tehi chirped, bouncing on the shelf as she watched them. 

She reached out blindly, letting him take hold of her hand again and lead her back. Sitting back down, she placed her hands on her sigil. 

“Palm against the drawing,” she murmured, trying not to break the fragile air of intimacy hanging around them. “Think of light and the sigil will answer. Think…a fire. A candle. The sun on your face.”

“You?”

She stiffened, blushing. “I-I guess s-so,” she squeaked, making him chuckle. She watched him place his hand on the sloppily drawn sigil. 

She chewed on her lip, trying to hide her giddy smile. His eyes fluttered shut, leaning against her. She leaned back, breathing in and letting it out with the idea of light. 

Her sigil folded, and started to glow. She smiled, satisfied, before turning to look at him. His face was set in concentration, the room was quiet, their breathing soft. 

Slowly, the sigil folded, glowing brightly. She cheered, the sound startling him into opening his eyes. He paused when he saw the ball of light at his palms. 

“I did that?” he asked, eyes growing wide.

She grinned, tackling him in a hug and kissing him fiercely. He laughed against her mouth, cradling her head in his hands. “You did!” she said, glowing brightly. 

“What else can you do?” he asked, staring at the two lights. When he looked back at her his excitement was infectious, making her bounce. 

“Ice, earth and I once made a gust of spring air appear in the middle of winter! Plants didn’t work out well, but we can work on it! Imagine what we could do!”

“We?”

She blushed at her mistake. “I-If you want to. T-That is.”

“You’d let me help?”

She nodded, biting her lip. She wasn’t meeting his eyes, in her excitement she thought he’d...like to. 

But he wouldn’t. Why would he? 

He grinned, tilting her head back to look at him. Her thoughts evaporated. “I’d be honoured to help. If you’d have me. That is.”

“Hey I offered don’t get insecure on me now.”

He laughed, kissing her softly, sitting back up with her in his lap. She giggled against his mouth, burying her hands in his hair. 

“Okay,” he murmured. 

“Okay!”

They stared at one another for a moment before giggling again. 

“I did magic,” he murmured, staring at the light floating by her shoulder. “I made that, right?”

“Your magic. I didn’t do anything.”

His grin was quick to creep across his face, as he reached out to hold the light. She cupped hers in her hand, blowing it into his face softly. He sneezed as it exploded in a bunch of tiny lights, floating around his hair like a halo. 

Tehi chirped again, chasing a few of the lights. 

Smiling, she brushed his hair back and scattered the glitter that sat there. 

He blew his into her face, making her giggle as it exploded across her cheeks. “Oh look. More glowing lights to add to your already glowing face,” he teased, brushing her cheeks. 

She tilted her head to kiss the pad of his thumb, smiling. 

“So what’d ya say? Wanna explore magic with me?”

He tilted her face up, kissing her with such affection it made her heart skip a beat. 

There was a softness to his gaze when he pulled away, his brows set in content and his lips upturned in a gentle smile. A tender look settled into his eyes as he kissed the top of her head. 

“I’d love to.”