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inkabelledesigns · 3 years ago

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Sam and Jan’s Apartment - Nightmares are Reality Sims

So as of late, I’ve had a LOT of ideas brewing for yet another Bendy fic, and in some of my planning for it, I’ve built one of the locations in the Sims 4 to use as reference. It’s been busy at home, and I needed this to relax, so I’m glad I took the time to do that briefly. You may have seen my previous post about Nightmares are Reality, but if you haven’t, here’s the short version: Samantha Lorenzo from 2021 and Sammy Lawrence from 1946 wake up one morning with their bodies switched, and now both have to embrace the other’s friend group to not only find a way to get back, but also stop the inevitable fate of the studio staff as shown in the novel Dreams Come to Life. There’s angst, there’s fluff, and it get pretty rough, but there’s so much to play with for this story.

Come with me, and let’s dive into Sam and Jan’s apartment!

So first, we gotta talk about Sam and Jan themselves. Samantha is the curly haired one, and Janet is the one in the hat (she wouldn’t be caught dead without one). Unfortunately the Sims does not allow me to change heights (and I don’t have a mod for it), but imagine for me if you will that Jan is significantly shorter than Sam. I did not have a ton in mind in the way of colors for them, but together their wardrobes have a LOT of red and black, with a little white and tan thrown in. I have Sam with the lifetime goal of being a successful author, which falls in line with her love of storytelling in modern media. Jan on the other hand is a songwriter and musician that’s still trying to find her path. The two met in college and graduated not too long ago, and now they’re both hunting for work (which Janet has part time when the fic begins).

In addition to them, we have their cat, Figaro (named after the cat from Disney’s Pinnochio, Sam is a nerd like that).

Now, we move onto their apartment!

I chose the 1020 Alto Apartments lot for this, which came with the condition of the Romantic Fireplace that I can’t remove. But I added on Home Studio and Great Acoustics so they could bump up their skills a little easier. This is my first time playing with a lot challenge, and that is Spooky, which makes it so ghosts will come over now and again, which scares the crap out of both of them. And uh, funny story...

The ghost of Joey Drew was the third one to come, and he was VERY angry when Sam met him. X’’’D I did not see that coming, but now I kinda want to make more Bendy ghosts just to see if they pop in. Would you guys be into that? I mean Depths Henry is a ghost, so I probably SHOULD make him.

At any rate, let’s look at the layout. Bear in mind, I am not phenomenal at building houses, much less apartments, but I think this worked out.

It opens up into the kitchen, which is filled with all the essentials (these ladies are big on their caffeine). Currently I headcanon that Sam cooks while Jan cleans, but Jan is the better baker out of the two of them. Sam also likes to have fresh ingredients, and while I can’t do a window box on this lot, I can have some indoor vertical plants.

There isn’t much of a separation between living room and kitchen, but this is the living room! Some stuff is for playing with (since I actually play with my households now and then), like the dancefloor, but others are for actual use. They use a record player to listen to jazz and other music, and the furniture would be all mismatched like that (they were broke college kids, gotta sit on something, right? probably got it from a bunch of garage sales). The photo setup is something they use, but it belongs to their friend Vincent, which brings me to the first bedroom.

I haven’t made these two as Sims yet, but Sam and Jan have another duo living with them, Jess and Vincent, who are a couple. Jess is a makeup artist who often experiments on her friends, and she hopes to get into the makeup and wardrobe side of the cinematography scene. Vince on the other hand is a photography and film guy who’s an absolute sweetheart. Those two share this bedroom (Jess had more of a say in the decorating, Vince is pretty easygoing about the aesthetic).

I had to make sure there was a special corner for Jess’ makeup stuff, she’d want space to move around. The mirror is also something she loves, and they all borrow it a lot. Why?

Because of this creepy room nextdoor! X’’’D So I just learned mannequins are a thing, and I can dress them however I want, so I put some in this pretty much functionless closet. (Though the two masculine ones have been glitching in a way that turns their heads a little at certain angles, and it creeps me out a LOT) This is the cosplay closet, which mostly Jess and Sam use, but all four of them have some numbers in here. These four are a cosplay group, mostly for Bendy, but for other fandoms too. Jess likes going as Twisted Alice (heavy special effects makeup, go figure), Vincent likes Henry and Joey (he likes scruffy nerds and suits), Janet dresses as Jack Fain (though she’s also done some gender bends of other characters), and Samantha (as I’m sure you’ve guessed by now) is right there as the Sammy for their group. If I can ever learn how to work with custom content, I would love to have a cosplay for each of them on these mannequins, but we’ll save that for later. These nerds are absolutely the types to play around with cosplay photos and tiktok videos, I’m sure they duet often. XD

We have some bathrooms, which are pretty self explanatory, but then we have Janet’s room. She is big on the posters and loves having her instruments right there and ready to play. She plays guitar and piano, but I may have her pick up violin down the line. Both of them have the geek trait and are prone to playing videogames more often than not, but Jan is mostly found playing her music.

We have a small corner of the hallway for the cat. And then last but not least: Sam’s room.

This is Samantha’s creative space. Much like my space, when she’s working, it gets messy. She loves turning on some jazz while she writes, and while she’s crafting. I gave her and Jan the knitting supplies, since I don’t really know how else to simulate sewing for these characters, and they also have some clutter. Sam has one additional mannequin in her room, and she’s into figures, so there’s one of those on the desk. Her closet and bathroom are pretty simple, but that closet is gonna be really important when we get into the story, you’ll see why later.

As always, I have their Sims up on the gallery, along with the apartment, in case you want to play with them for yourself. Just note: because of how apartments work in this game, it’s uploaded as a room, so you’re going to have to fill some walls in and add doors if you want it to work like an apartment would (and you can totally turn it into a house if you want to, you don’t need to have 1020 Alto if you wanna use this). Just search for KatAlystDesigns in the Sims 4 gallery! I’ve also uploaded a few other houses recently, including the DCTL cast for my BATIM mermaid collection, and Buddy’s mother and grandpa.

I had a LOT of fun putting this together last night, and it’s given me a much better idea of how I want to work with things for this narrative. Bear in mind, Sammy’s the one who’s gonna have to live here and put up with it, so having these details established is gonna help me to make the fic go smoother. I may tweak some things, like actually using upper cabinets in the kitchen (which I always seem to forget about), but we’ll see. XD Either way, this was a good exercise.

I hope you’re all looking forward to exploring these two and their story as much as I am! As a quick final note, I actually have a blog set up for Nightmares are Reality to mimic the one Sam has in the fic, and I’m thinking of using it as a somewhat RP, somewhat fic and content delivery system for the story, so if you’ve got thoughts on that, or stuff you’d like to see, do let me know! Here’s wishing you are all wonderful day!

#long post #sims 4 #bendy sims #bendy sims 4 #batim sims #nightmares are reality #bendy nar #samantha lorenzo #janet fey #sammy lawrence #I wonder if anyone gets the animation reference in Sam's last name #throw me a message if you think you know it XD

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kmomof4 · 4 years ago

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The Moon... Tells the Sea

Oh y'all!!! I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally share this fic inspired by @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 were-mermaid aesthetic for the @cssns!!!! When she showed me what she was working on back in February, an entire outline of a story just spilled out of me. And with her blessing and tremendous excitement, I wrote it! I truly hope you enjoy it! Please make sure and give Kayla lots of love!!!

Muchos love and thanks to @searchingwardrobes for her outstanding beta services. I am truly embarrassed at how all over the place my tenses were before she got ahold of them 🤦🏻‍♀️. Also to @hollyethecurious for her help in brainstorming early on, and last but not least to Kayla herself for making this GORGEOUS and PERFECT aesthetic that inspired the entire fic!!!!

Fic Summary: Nearly a century has passed since she became what she is when a new figure enters her lonely world. Who is he? And more importantly, WHAT is he?

Rating: M (Violence and smut)

Words: Nearly 7100

Tags: Werewolves, Mermaids, Kidnapping, Smut

Find it on ao3 here

Tag list: @hollyethecurious @winterbaby89 @snowbellewells @stahlop @resident-of-storybrooke @jennjenn615 @kingofmyheart14 @profdanglaisstuff @branlovestowrite @thisonesatellite @ultraluckycatnd @flslp87 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @let-it-raines @shireness-says @kymbersmith-90 @darkcolinodonorgasm @bethacaciakay @searchingwardrobes @ilovemesomekillianjones @teamhook @aprilqueen84 @qualitycoffeethings @superchocovian @artistic-writer @donteattheappleshook @doodlelolly0910 @seriouslyhooked @tiganasummertree @lfh1226-linda @nikkiemms @xsajx @klynn-stormz

Please let me know if you’d like to be added or removed.

Under the cut unless Tumblr ate it.

He appeared for the first time just after the full moon. The pale moonlight shone down on his face, turning the dark hair on his head to almost a silver. He was tall and lean, and the scruff on his face lined a perfectly sharp jawline. The melancholy on his countenance was achingly familiar and somehow soothed the restlessness and agitation in her soul. She felt a drawing to him that she couldn’t explain, a kinship, a connection. He walked back and forth along the beach of the lagoon where she made her home, sometimes keeping his eyes on the white sand beneath his bare feet, other times gazing out at the water. She hoped that he saw her beneath the gentle waves, a flash of gold from her hair or the moonlight reflecting off the sea green scales on her tail. Alas, after several circuits on her beach, he turned back into the woods in the direction of the village that she once, long ago, called home.

It was nigh on a century ago when Emma walked this beach and splashed in this lagoon as a sixteen year old girl. There wasn’t much time allowed for leisure in her life, but she and some of the other girls were able to come down to the beach on occasion for a modicum of recreation. They would remove their shoes and wiggle their toes in the sand and splash in the surf which would inevitably devolve into a water fight, competing to see who could get who the wettest before they inevitably had to return to the tavern of their employ.

It was on one of these excursions that the most lovely music reached her ears. Music from across the water. When she walked further out into the lagoon seeking the source of the tune, she was suddenly pulled under. Her companions stared in shock, too far from her to even attempt a rescue. The water closed over her head, turning her screams into a gurgle, as she reached out for anything that would keep her from being carried away. Once underwater, she became aware of what exactly had pulled her under. The orange arm of an octopus was all she could see wrapped around her ankles and working its way up her body, pulling her away from everything that she had ever known, further and further away from the sunlight on the surface of the lagoon and closer and closer to the dropoff marking the boundary and the open ocean beyond. The sense of flying under the water intensified as the melody continued on, and even became louder the deeper she went. It was working its way into her heart and mind, telling her to not resist, that she was safe, that she would live forever. The assurances did nothing to assuage her fear and anger, even as a creeping lethargy enveloped her limbs, halting her struggles against the iron grip of the tentacle. Finally arriving at the bottom of the ocean, the tentacle released her to join its brothers as part of the most horrifying sight she had ever beheld. A green skinned man from the waist up, while below, a multitude of orange tentacles waved lazily in the deep water currents.

Neal had taken advantage of her passivity, brought about by the melody that apparently he had sent to lure her into deep enough water that he could take her and make her his own. Upon her arrival in his underwater home, he immediately gave her fins instead of legs. He spoke words of love and tenderness to her, thinking to woo her to his side, but when he was unsuccessful after several weeks, his supposed love descended into a violent possessiveness, making her his by force. It was at this time that the full moon rose high in the sky and even though its light didn’t reach the depths, she still nearly drowned in her wolf form. If she hadn’t been fighting for her life, Neal’s surprise would have been comical. His surveillance had obviously been incomplete as he had no idea that he had kidnapped a werewolf. His magic placed her back on land where she’d be safe from drowning, but he warned her when the sun rose and she reverted back to human form, that she belonged to him and that his eyes would always be watching her when she was on land. He would not hesitate to kill anyone that tried to take what was his, including her, should she try to escape from him. Resigned to her fate, she endured the transformation each month and returned to the lagoon from whence Neal had taken her when the cycle came to an end. At least he allowed her that, only summoning her to his side when he wanted to remind her who she belonged to, which was, thankfully, relatively seldom all these years later.

She shuddered as the memories washed over her. Pushing them back down where they belonged, she looked back in the direction that the man had gone. She could only hope that he might come back.

The next night, he did come back. And the night after that, and the night after that. Every night, about an hour after sunset, he arrived at her beach. Some nights he would simply walk. Back and forth. Back and forth. She wished that she could speak to him, bring him some comfort in his distress. Other nights, he would sit on her beach and stare out at the sea for hours, tears tracking down his cheeks. It was those nights that the desire to reveal herself to him nearly overwhelmed her. But then she remembered Neal’s threats. She would not put this man in danger.

The next night was the first night of the full moon. She swam to the shallows as the sun set and she could feel the first stirrings of her change coming upon her. It was one thing to endure the pain of the transformation as a human, but as a mermaid, it was so much worse. She first had to face the agony of becoming human before she became the wolf.

Once the transformation was complete, her wolf still trembling with the aftereffects of the torment that had lately seized her, she ran for the shelter of the woods, desperate to hide herself among the foliage before he came for his evening constitutional. Tonight, being on the land instead of the sea and possessing the enhanced acuity of a wolf, she became aware of his presence before he was even beyond the borders of the town, about a mile away.

His steps were a bit slower this evening, and she was able to perceive details of his appearance that had been hidden in the previous weeks. The scruff that lined his jaw was tinged with ginger and his eyes were the blue of the lagoon that she now called home. He was dressed in the garb of a laborer and his hands were filthy. She wondered if he worked in the blacksmith shop.

He made the cover of the trees and her nose twitched with the scent she perceived on the night air coming off of him in waves. It couldn’t be. He turned from the path and disappeared from her sight. She was still over half a mile away from him. She ran to him, desperate to see if what she could smell was correct. Jumping over the detritus and long fallen, rotting trees that lay along the unseen paths used by the inhabitants of the forest, she raced toward her goal, her salvation. Arriving at her target, she came to a sudden stop. There, nestled in the bracken of the forest floor, was a wolf. A wolf dark as midnight under a new moon. His transformation was complete, but he had not yet recovered enough to make any sort of move against her.

She trod gingerly over to him. A low growl, full of menace reached her from deep in his chest. He may not be quite recuperated from the transformation, but he was far from defenseless, if the strength of that growl was anything to go by. He lifted his head and stared into her eyes. Electric blue met verdant green in a dance as old as time. He rose from his forest bed and nosed along her muzzle. She held as still as she could while he nosed along the length of her, pausing below her tail to scent her. His tongue flicked out and the vibrating tension that had held her still since their eyes met broke. Emma spun away from him and mouthed gently at his muzzle before taking off through the woods. She didn’t need her heightened hearing to know that he was following her lead. The blood sang in her veins as she unleashed a howl at the full moon up above. He joined her in a chilling duet that carried both to the village and to the lagoon. She made to jump over a huge decaying log across their path when her back leg was caught in the rotting bark. A surprised and pain-filled whine was torn from her as she landed on top of the log. Mere seconds passed before the other wolf was by her side and ripping at the disintegrating log. Finally free, she jumped off the log, landing gingerly on the injured leg. The pain speared through her with each step she took, so she walked with a slight limp. He was by her side in an instant, bumping into her, supporting her as she tried to walk off the pain.

It took a few minutes, but the supernatural healing did its work and she resumed the chase through the woods until they burst through the foliage onto her beach. Suddenly mindful that Neal would have a much easier time seeing her and her companion when they were this exposed, she ran back for the cover of the forest. She came to a stop and turned back towards him, just as he burst through and tackled her. They rolled a few times until Emma laid on her back. The black wolf hovered over her before he lowered his face to hers and stretched himself out, half on top of her, half along her side. A wolfish sigh left her as she tentatively licked his muzzle. The crystal blue eyes half shut in pleasure and a pleased low growl left him.

She was still coming to terms with the fact that this man she had watched all month was also a werewolf like her, but as she snuggled closer into his solid bulk and her eyes fell shut, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she had found her true mate. Now she just needed to figure out how to get away from Neal.

~*~*~

The sun was just breaking over the horizon when Emma woke, back in her human form. She was naked and the huge black wolf stretched out next to her was keeping her warm in the chill of the dawn. She looked around and found that they collapsed under a small copse of trees that the morning light was just barely able to penetrate. She wet her lips as her attention was drawn back to the creature next to her. She couldn’t help but reach out to touch his fur to see if it was as soft as it looked.

She buried her hand in the scruff of his neck, eyes rolling in the back of her head as the softness enveloped her. She came back to herself and studied him again. In the light of the morning, she could see that his fur wasn’t as dark as she thought last night. There was some white mixed in on his head, making it more of a dark grey rather than solid black. His underside was also more grey than black. He stretched beside her and she snatched her hand away, not wanting to wake him. With his back legs stretched out, she could clearly see that he was taller than she was.

She looked around, trying to find a place to hide from him. He’d be awake soon and she didn’t want him to see her like this. Not for a first meeting, anyway. His eyes were starting to open, the deep blue shining through his still half closed eyelids. She stood and suppressed a shiver brought on by the sudden loss of his body heat, and moved to hide herself behind a tall tree just at the edge of their sanctuary.

She hunkered down, trying to conserve her own body heat when she heard him stand in the loam where they made their bed. Peeking out from behind her tree, she was captivated by the full effect of the vivid blue eyes as they met hers. She couldn’t look away as a full body shudder ripped through him and he crouched there without moving as his own transformation overtook him. Once it was complete, he stood before her, in all his glory. He was beautiful. Tall and lean, with a dusting of chest hair leading down to where his hands covered himself. He obviously felt the same way she did about their initial meeting. His arms and legs were strong, perfectly toned muscles that she’d love to feel under her fingers. She knew that he saw her, his blush and heavy swallow testimony to that. Her eyes widened and fell away from him as she felt her own blush spreading over her cheeks.

He moved a few feet away and hid himself behind another tree. Moments later his voice reached her.

“Are you alright, lass? No worse for wear from our romp last night?”

His accent seemed to wrap around her and draw her to him. She peeked around her hiding place once again to answer him.

“Oh, my leg?” She moved it just to make sure. “Yes, it’s fine. Thank you.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Silence reigned for a long moment. “I’m Killian. Killian Jones.”

“I’m Emma,” she replied.

“How have I never seen you in the village, Emma?”

“I’m not from the village. Not now, anyway.”

“What do you mean, lass?”

“I’m originally from the village, but I haven’t been there in many years.”

“I see.” He obviously did not see. She knew for a fact that he hadn’t been aware of her presence in the lagoon all month, and without that essential piece of the puzzle, there was no way that he could understand exactly what she meant. “Do you need anything? Since you’re hiding yourself from me, I can only assume that you’re also nude. Do you have clothes to put on?”

She blushed even harder at his perceptiveness. “Uh, no. I don’t.”

“May I bring you some from the village? My clothes are where I left them last night and I have some time before I’m expected in the blacksmith’s shop.”

“That would be lovely,” she breathed, utterly flabbergasted that he’d want to help her in this way. “Thank you.”

“No problem at all, Emma. I’ll return shortly.”

It was only about thirty minutes before he returned to her hiding place, bearing a white shift in his arms.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring you anything more substantial, but I didn’t have much money with me.” He reached behind her tree, where she was still hidden, and held it out to her. She took it and let the soft cotton slide through her fingers. She hadn’t felt anything like it in so long, she couldn’t wait to feel it against her skin.

She slipped it on and came out from behind her tree. She swallowed heavily before looking up at him from beneath her lashes, feeling very exposed and bashful now that she was face to face with him. He reached up and drew his knuckles down her cheek as he looked into her eyes. He smiled gently at her.

“It’s very nice to meet you face to face, Emma.”

“You too, Killian.” She couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“Will I see you tonight? The blacksmith doesn’t close down until the sun sets, and I’d assume that since you were already a wolf before I was last night and were human again before I was this morning, that you’ll be in your wolf form before I return to the woods tonight?”

She nodded. “Yes, I turn with the sunset and rise.”

“I can control my turning,” he shared with her.

“So that’s why you didn’t turn until you were in the woods, and were still a wolf when I woke?”

“Aye,” he acknowledged. “So will I see you again tonight?”

“Yes,” she answered, looking back up into his incredibly blue eyes.

He looked back over his shoulder in the direction of the town. “I have to get to work. Until tonight, Emma.” He turned back toward her and placed a tender kiss on her cheek.

Her hand raised to where the place he had kissed her still tingled as he walked away. “Until tonight, Killian,” she murmured.

~*~*~

Emma was never far from his thoughts the entire day. It’s a wonder he didn’t lose a hand, given the work he was doing and the level of distraction he was dealing with.

He may have only just met her, but the connection he felt with her last night and then this morning could not be denied.

A connection that made the wolf inside of him howl with delight and filled him with a joy that he hadn’t felt in ages. Not since long before he’d wandered into this small village about a month before.

Killian had been traveling from kingdom to kingdom, village to village after losing his brother almost three years before when he was only 15. He and his brother had been raised on the ship where their father had taken work after their mother had died when Killian was only a toddler. Today, he couldn’t imagine how hard it had to have been for his father to lose his wife and having to take work anywhere he could find it while raising two boys on his own. Two boys that were destined to become wolves when puberty hit. By the time his own time came, their father had passed and Liam was the one to help Killian through the transition and teach him how to control his shift.

It was the following year when Liam had been lost at sea during a storm and Killian had gone ashore. Life on the sea was in his blood, but with the painful memories that came with it, he decided to forge his own path on land.

Since then he’d drifted. Never staying in one place for more than a few months. Never long enough to form a connection with anyone, never long enough to put down roots. But meeting Emma last night changed everything.

She was the most beautiful wolf he’d ever laid eyes on. Fur as white as the freshly fallen snow. Green eyes that glittered under the full moon. He remembered the scent that had flooded him as he still lay recovering from his shift. The scent of were. He knew when he finally gazed upon her that she was not just a wolf. She was also a werewolf like him. He knew as they ran through the forest under the light of the moon that she was his and he was hers. His true mate.

Beholding her beauty in the flesh this morning, it was no wonder that even now, thoughts of her had his blood running south. Blonde hair that looked kissed by the sun, green eyes that had so captivated him the night before, firm muscles still supple with youth. She looked to be about a year younger than he was, or no more than two. She had said that she was from this village originally, but hadn’t been there in many years. How many years? Where had she been in the meantime? And why didn’t she have any clothes? The mysteries surrounding this woman swirled around in his brain until the sun finally set and he was free to leave.

Reaching the edge of the village, he looked up to the tree line. There she was. Mostly concealed, but the large pupils flashed under the light of the full moon allowing him to see her. He quickened his pace until he joined her under the canopy of the forest.

“Emma?” he asked. He knew it was her, but he just wanted that little bit more. Confirmation that she was what he thought she was. Her expression softened before she turned her back to him and moved forward. A grin broke out on his face as he followed her deeper into the woods.

She led him back to the same copse of trees that they slept in the night before. She turned in a circle a couple of times before curling up on the ground. Even with the white of her fur, he could barely see her in their safe haven. The light of the moon didn’t reach this deep into the forest, much less through the intertwined boughs of their shelter. It was more that he heard her settling and the pants of her breathing that told him where she was.

He settled down next to her and reached out to try and touch her. His hand found the deep, thick fur of her scruff. Never had he felt anything so soft. He moved his hand until it reached her ears and he could feel her raise her head, seeking more attention in that spot. He chuckled and proceeded to scratch at the sensitive area. After a few moments of the activity, Emma giving a contented low whine as he continued his ministrations, she stood from her spot, moved in front of him, and jumped up on him, placing her paws on his shoulders, pushing him backward into the earth. A laugh broke out of him as he lay still and waited to see what she would do next. This close, he could finally get a good look at her face. Her green eyes sparkled in the low light as she brought her muzzle close to his face and nuzzled into his cheek before she surprised him with a slow lick. He grabbed her scruff and nuzzled his own face into the softness that he found there. Pulling away from him, she turned around right above his head before she laid down again, scooching as close to his head as she could. When he raised up, trying to catch her eyes, she slid herself underneath his head, so that when he lay his head back down, it was the softness of her fur and underbelly that met him rather than the hard ground.

“Is this comfortable for you, Emma?” he murmured. His position allowed her to reach his face with another lick. She continued licking, as if she tasted something good along his skin. Laughing, he finally pushed her away when he’d had enough of her affection. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Laying there in their own safe place, he gazed up through the branches trying to see the night sky above. There was one area off to his left that was completely unobscured both by their little den and by the forest at large. He looked that way, seeing just a sliver of the full moon. He was pretty sure that he had time to tell her about himself before the whole of the full moon flooded their hideaway. Once it did, he wanted to turn and run with his mate.

He told Emma of his earliest memories aboard the ship and how he didn’t remember his mother at all. He told her about his father and brother, how they taught him about his wolf nature, and how he lost both of them. By the time he got to the current time, the full moon lit up their retreat. He raised himself up and looked at the beautiful wolf beside him.

“Are you ready to run, darling?”

She lifted her muzzle to the sky and let out a ringing howl. He raised his own face to the moon and joined her in her wolf song as he gave his shift full rein over his body. Short minutes later, his wolf senses much more attuned to the exquisite creature by his side, he tore through the underbrush of their oasis into the forest, Emma right on his heels.

They ran like the wind, indulging in their delight at being together. The scent of a rabbit crossed their trail causing them to run back toward the village that was Killian’s temporary home. Catching up to the terrified creature, they made short work of their meal before engaging in a game of tag that ended when Killian was so caught up in the presence of her that he lost track of where he was and instead of jumping to sidestep the edge of the ravine they were running along, lost his footing and fell to the bottom of it. Landing on his feet, he looked up at where Emma stood watching him, tongue lolling, her green eyes filled with mirth. Running back up the side of the ravine to her, he pounced, his front legs laying across her shoulders and neck, mouthing gently at her snout in a sign of affection. Her head turned toward his as she accepted his overtures before he got off her and she turned back toward their secret hideaway.

Once they arrived safely, they snuggled together and slept.

~*~*~

Emma was awakened by a hand rubbing up and down her naked back. She was snuggled into Killians side, head on his shoulder and the rest of her body flush with his side. She buried her face into his neck and let out a distressed moan.

“What is it, Emma?” he asked, gently, never halting his light touch.

“I should have awakened and hidden before you woke up. Like I did yesterday.”

Killian chuckled. “Why? I don’t know about you, but as far as I’m concerned, I’m yours. All of me.” He took her hand in his other one and brought it up to his lips where he kissed each finger tip before looking deeply into her eyes. “I’ve never met a female werewolf, darling. How could I possibly be with anyone else?”

“But you don’t know anything about me,” she protested. “You only met me yesterday! At least I had the benefit of hearing your story last night and watching you all month when you walked along the beach. I knew that there was just something about you. When I watched you walk along the beach or sit and stare out at the water, I wanted nothing more than to reveal myself to you. Comfort you. Be with you.” The last part was a whisper as she looked away from his piercing gaze, only to be met with his naked body.

“So tell me,” he encouraged her. “When I felt you turn with the sunrise, I allowed myself to turn as well. I thought it might be comforting for you and I to have a few minutes together as humans before I had to go back to the village.”

She looked up into the azure blue of his eyes that she thought she would surely drown in. Seeing nothing but honest sincerity in his gaze, she began her own tale.

“I was born in the village, but abandoned as a baby. I was raised by Granny along with her own granddaughter, Ruby.” Killian’s brow furrowed at the mention of the names. “They were werewolves and owned the Red Wolf tavern. Granny somehow knew that I was were and took me in because of it. Granny taught me everything I needed to know about being a werewolf. How to live as a wolf during the full moon, how to keep my secret the rest of the month. Ruby, the other girls employed at the tavern, and I would come to the beach on occasion for some fun. Just a chance to relax, play, forget our troubles. Just for a little while…” her voice trailed away into a whisper.

Killian had gone very still. “Yes, Emma?” he questioned, “Keep going. I’m listening.”

“I was 16. I had apparently attracted the attention of a merman, Neal. The girls and I were just doing what we always did when I heard the most beautiful music. Music that he sent to lure me to deeper water so that he could take me. When I was far enough away from Ruby and the others, he kidnapped me. Brought me to his underwater home, turned me into a mermaid, and tried to win my affections. When I refused him, he forced me to remain with him. When he realized that I was a werewolf, he allowed me to spend those days and nights on the shore, after making sure that I knew that he wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone that tried to take me from him. Including myself, if I tried to escape from him.”

Emma could feel Killian’s fury rolling off of him. “I’ll kill him, Emma. I’ll kill the bastard. When was this? How long ago were you kidnapped?”

She buried her face into his neck again, not wanting to see his face when she told him. “It’s been nearly one hundred years.”

Killian grabbed her shoulders and lifted her away from him. It was all she could do to meet his eyes as he scrutinized her. “I knew that it’d have to have been many years, because the Red Wolf tavern and most of the village burned down 70 years ago. By that time, Granny was long gone, and Ruby was killed in the fire. The old timers still talk about it like it was yesterday. But I had no idea how long it had been for you.” He pulled her to him and held her gently as the tears that had gathered in her eyes started to fall.

Once her tears were spent, she looked back up to him. Raising her with him, he sat up, tenderly cupped her face within his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. A soft moan worked its way out of her mouth as she opened beneath the cautious questing of his tongue. He was so gentle and loving that she never wanted this to end. Her arms wrapped around him, her hands plunging into his raven locks as they rocked together. He lay back down with Emma atop him, never releasing her lips as his hands began to roam her naked body. Her nerve endings fired wherever he touched, leaving anticipatory shivers in their wake.

When air became necessary, they broke apart, both panting heavily. “As much as I’d like to continue this, Emma, I’m expected in the village soon.”

“I know,” she murmured into the space between them. She was loathe to let him go, but knew she must.

“We’ll continue this tomorrow morning,” he assured her.

“But I’ll be a mermaid again with the sunrise!”

“Then we’ll wait until next month.” He pushed back on her shoulders until his fierce blue eyes bored into hers. “We will be together, Emma. I swear it. I will always find you.”

“I will always find you,” she whispered back to him. She pressed another kiss to his lips and rose from their makeshift bed. Donning her shift, she turned back to where he was pulling his own clothes on.

“Until tonight, Emma,” he whispered, pressing his lips to hers and running his fingers down her face.

“Until tonight, Killian.”

~*~*~

That night passed in much the same way as the previous night did. Killian arrived shortly after the sun set and joined Emma in their wolf form. They ran together under the full moon, played a game of hide and seek (Emma could only stand playing one round, her white fur making it very difficult to hide from another were), and hunted for their meal before they finally collapsed together in a fluffy pile in their temporary home.

It was about an hour before sunrise when she felt Killian change beside her. Still mostly asleep, she barely remembered him whispering to her that he’d be back in a bit before pressing a kiss into her scruff and leaving the copse. She had gotten so used to having Killian beside her the last two nights that she couldn’t fall back into the sleep that beckoned her. She finally gave up and rose to go look for him.

His scent led her to the beach. Was he walking along the beach waiting for the sunrise as he had been doing all month after darkness fell? She came to a sudden stop at the edge of the forest, just before it met the beach when she heard two voices raised in anger. One beloved, the other a voice that she would have been quite happy to never hear again as long as she lived. In the gray morning before the sun rose, she could see Killian, as a man, standing before Neal, his tentacles undulating on the surface of the lagoon. She could hear Neal’s laughter as Killian’s voice rose in a shout demanding her freedom.

Several things happened at once. Neal’s face morphed from taunting mirth into a sneer as one of his tentacles surged forward and wrapped securely around Killian’s middle, squeezing tightly and dragging him toward the water. Emma could no longer remain hidden. She knew that Neal meant to drown Killian and she couldn’t let that happen to her love. To her mate. She burst from the trees and raced to the shore where Killian was being dragged. He was transforming within Neal’s grasp, perhaps thinking that Neal would lose his grip on a wolf instead of a man.

She could see the fury in Neal’s eyes as she arrived at Killian’s side. His turn halted as his arms reached around her, resulting in a tug of war between herself and Neal. Killian’s arms grasped desperately and she pulled back with all her might, trying to get him away first from Neal and second from the dangerous waves that seemed to nearly be an extension of Neal himself. Perhaps it was only her imagination, but they seemed to be grabbing at Killian as well, trying to drown him within their depths. She was able to get close enough to one of Neal’s arms that she clamped down on it, biting all the way through, a clean amputation in between the adversaries. Neal roared, releasing Killian to fall to the beach, gasping for air. She leapt at her captor, heedless of his other tentacles writhing in agony and the waves where he could easily drown her.

Neal was unprepared for her leap, and though he caught her in his arms, her bulk pushed him beneath the waves as she clamped her teeth down on his throat and ripped it out. His blood painted her muzzle bright red as the water closed over them. His arms loosened from catching her and she watched as the light dimmed and was extinguished from his eyes. Blood continued to pour from the gaping wound into the water that surrounded them. Swimming as best she could for the surface, her head broke through just as the sun peeked over the horizon. Helpless to stop her change from coming over her, she nearly whimpered in relief as strong arms wrapped around her body and carried her to shore. Never had she been held in someone’s arms as she turned. Never had she felt so safe, so protected, so loved as she did at that moment. Killian gently lay her on the white sand of the beach, staring into her eyes so reverently as she recovered from her transformation.

When she came back to herself, cradled in her mate’s arms, staring into eyes the exact same shade of her lagoon, she reached up and pulled him down into a desperate kiss. It was when his hands began caressing her hip that realization dawned. She was human! The sunrise should have brought her mermaid form with it, but with Neal’s death, his curse on her was broken as well. She pulled away and stared down at her body before meeting Killian’s amazed and joyful gaze with her own.

“I’m human.”

“Aye,” he agreed, “That you are, lass.”

Her mouth opened and shut several times before she found her voice again. “I’m not a mermaid anymore.”

“No, you’re not.”

“I’m free,” she breathed, “Neal is dead and I’m free!”

Killian gathered her in his arms and held her close, their heartbeats synchronizing in their elation.

It wasn’t long, however, before they both became aware of Emma’s nude state. Drawing back from her, Killian raised a salacious eyebrow at his beloved. “We need to get you dressed, my love, before my desire overrides my good sense.”

“No one comes to this lagoon, Killian. No one,” she asserted, vehemently. Her green eyes were filled her own desire and her hands were busy opening his shirt and then pushing his trousers over his hips. “Please make love to me, Killian. Make me yours.”

A groan worked its way out of his throat as he acquiesced to her demand and crashed his lips to hers. With nothing but the light of the sun touching her skin, he drew back and drank in her beauty. Her pupils were blown wide in desire, the green only a thin ring around them. Her golden tresses shone in the light of the rising sun. If he was struck blind in that moment, he’d never forget the sight of the sun in her hair as his hands roamed her succulent body, memorizing her contours and all the places he touched that made her gasp, moan, and sigh.

She was not idle as he set about worshipping his love, his mate. Her fingers trailed through his chest hair, sending shivers throughout his body, before following the trail down to where he was hard and aching for her. He thrust his hips into her hands as they began stroking him from root to tip.

He nuzzled into her neck, placing open mouth kisses before sucking hard at her pulse point, drawing heat to the surface of her skin, and causing her to cry out in pleasure. One hand caressed the fullness of her breasts as the other sought out her most intimate place. When he found his treasure, he found her folds drenched in her want of him.

Pulling back from her, he looked into her eyes. “Are you ready for me, my darling?”

“Yes, Killian,” she cried, “Yes, please!”

He lined himself up and slowly pushed into her heat. Twin sighs of relief escaped them both as they were now joined in every way possible. He rolled his hips into her until her gasp told him that he had found that spot inside her. He determined to hit that spot every time until he watched her fall apart. He began measured thrusts into her, seeking the place inside her that would bring her the most pleasure. She wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him deeper, meeting him thrust for thrust until he was helpless in her embrace. He drove himself into her, staving off the tingling in his spine as he felt her walls begin to flutter along his length. He reached between them and caressed the swollen nub just above where they were joined until she shattered in his arms.

Murmuring praise into her ear as she shuddered with the strength of her climax, he began to chase his own release. Moments later, his climax rolled through him, joining his mate in the ultimate bliss of their union.

The drift back to earth seemed to take forever. He slipped out of her and rolled to the side, not wanting to crush her with his weight. He drew her back into his arms and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose.

“Still with me, Emma?” he murmured.

“Mmmmmmm,” she hummed, still blissed out from their lovemaking.

Killian chuckled and drew her closer until they were flush from shoulders to feet. “So what now?” she asked, “What do I do now?”

“Anything you want, my love,” he replied. “We can go anywhere you like or we can stay here. The blacksmith is getting on in years and doesn’t have children to take over when he is gone. I think that’s why he was so eager to hire me. He seems to be about ready to hand over his hammer. We could make a life here. Raise children here.” He blushed, scratching behind his ear in an adorably nervous gesture. “If you’d rather leave, I do hope that you realize that I’m coming too. I can’t live without you, darling. Please don’t ask me to.”

She closed the distance between them and found his lips with her own. “Of course, I wouldn’t. I can’t live without you, either. Don’t you know that? You saved me.”

“You are the one who did the saving, darling.” The sincerity in his eyes had her pulling him to her again in a kiss that threatened to spin out of control before she broke it.

“I’d be happy to stay here, if you are,” she asserted.

Killian let out a whoop of pure happiness as he hugged her to him. “Then let's go, Emma. We have time to get to the village and get you settled in my lodgings before I have to be at work.”

They rose and made it back to their copse where they dressed quickly and departed for the village. Killian was correct in his speculations about the blacksmith. When they got into town, Killian introduced Emma as his betrothed to his boss, Marco, who was absolutely delighted to hear the news. As soon as they celebrated their nuptials, just before the full moon the very next month, Marco indeed handed the hammer over to Killian in order to adequately provide for his bride and any little ones that God would see fit to grant them.

And so, Killian and Emma Jones built a life in the small village, enjoying their children, and eventually grandchildren in their own happily ever after.

The End

Thanks for reading and sharing!

#cssns20 #krystal writes #the moon... tells the sea #art by allons y to hogwarts 713 #were mermaid aesthetic

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womanfromblackwater · 4 years ago

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Modern AU Tattoo Headcanons

Dutch has a lion wearing a crown on his chest. It’s cliche and a little bit silly, but he is very proud of it and thinks it represents him perfectly. He also wanted the whole gang to get matching tattoos of a stylized “VdL,” but he was the only one who actually went through with it.

Hosea has a super old-fashioned, Sailor Jerry style mermaid, with the face and hair designed to resemble Bessie. He got it a long time ago and still cherishes it.

Arthur has a portrait of copper on one bicep. That dog meant a lot to him and he was devastated when he died. He has a stag on the opposite forearm that was done from one of his own drawings. He definitely believes in quality over quantity and is happy with two really good ones.

John’s has full sleeves, and there is definitely at least one super-detailed wolf portrait on there. He’s not a stickler for style, though, and his are noticeably sloppier than Arthur’s. Epilogue-era John probably gets a wolf cub added for Jack.

Charles has a deer, but instead of a stag like Arthur’s its a doe. He also has a forest treeline, and is looking to get more nature-themed tattoos. His fight promoter tried to convince him to get more aggressive-looking ones, but Charles is very picky about what goes on his body.

Javier has a knife with an elaborate handle. The level of detail in it is insane, and he’s very proud to show it off to anyone who will look. It’s an exact replica of the first knife his father gave him. He wants some kind of music-related image, but hasn’t decided on one yet.

Sadie gets something that was meaningful between her and Jake, and refuses to explain to anyone else what it means or why she picked that image. It’s their special thing and she doesn’t want to share it with everybody.

Lenny has a pocket watch on his forearm so he can feel like his father is always with him. He’s not really into tattoos, but after the watch itself got lost he wanted something permanent.

Micah has lots of gun and bullet themed tattoos. He thinks it makes him look tough. He’s not really creative, so he just gets whatever he thinks is going to look badass from the pre-drawn flash.

Karen would be into the bold lines and bright colors of traditional tattoos, and I could definitely see her with a tattoo of a gun on her thigh where her holster sits. She might also go for the pinup-style sleeves connected across her chest.

Mary-Beth would have been a bit hesitant about getting inked, then gotten a delicate flower in pastel colors on her wrist or ankle. It’s soft and feminine, and she likes that it looks romantic. If she got another it would probably be either a favorite book quote or the cover art from a classic.

Tilly also likes more feminine designs, but goes bigger and bolder than Mary-Beth. She likes bright colors that complement her wardrobe. She would get hers on her back and upper arms, because she likes to choose whether to show them off or not.

Abigail definitely has an old-fashioned rose with Jack’s name, birthday, or both on her arm or shoulder, somewhere she can see it. I could also see her having gotten a lower back tattoo when she was younger, but being really embarrassed of it now. John is the only gang member who has seen it.

Grimshaw has an elaborate, old-fashioned birdcage on her forearm. She likes the Victorian style, and even though she got it when she was young, it’s an elegant design and she’s still very happy with it.

Bill has a tattoo from when he was in the army, but it was done by one of the guys in his unit so it isn’t super well-done. It’s on his upper arm in the “classic” spot for military tattoos, and Bill tends to be judgy of people who have their ink in other spots.

Sean was super close with his dad, so he has a giant celtic cross tribute tattoo on his back. He also has shamrocks scattered over his body. He is the most likely to get a tattoo on his face.

Kieran has the most detailed horse portrait that’s ever been done, and he loves it. It’s on his chest where there was lots of room for the design, and just looking at it makes him feel calm and happy.

Trelawny has a rabbit coming out of a top hat on the back of his shoulder blades. He tells the gang that it looks a little off because the artist was drunk, but really it was drawn by his kids and he wanted the ink to exactly match the drawing.

Strauss did not want a tattoo at all. Sean and Karen got him drunk one night and got a gold dollar sign with diamonds around it tattooed on his ass. He never brings it up and sometimes they wonder if he even knows it’s there.

Swanson has a bible quote on his chest that is surprisingly beautiful. He got it before his addictions took over, and after he cleans up he feels connected to it again.

Pearson has old-fashioned navy tattoos. Anchors, compass, maybe a whale. He loves to show them off and makes up stories about why he got them, but really he just loves the nautical aesthetic.

Molly loves the “permanent jewelry” trend, and has intricate, fancy chainwork on her wrist as a bracelet. I could also see her getting a garter tattoo on her thigh because Dutch thought it was a good idea.

Uncle says he has a tattoo, but won’t say where or what it is. Everyone is too afraid to ask.

#rdr2 #van der linde gang #tattoos #headcanons #rdr headcanons

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doctorgerth · 5 years ago

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Hi darling! Matchup part 2 fun for the win!! ☺️ Alice (obviously,🤣) as much as a loved all four of my choices I think I’m going to stick with X Drake. I have no good ideas to give you, as I’d love to see your creative liberty with this second half of the fun! PS: you’re amazing and I love you. 🥰😊

Okay, but for real, X Drake has really been growing on me lately. 😳😳 You are a lucky woman to be paired with him! I took your love for swimming and kinda ran with it...after all, DF users can swim in swimming pools! 🤪 Under the cut because naughtiness~ (ps: you’re more amazing and i luv u more xxxxxxx)

“Come in, the water feels nice.”

Drake smiled at you as you rose like a mermaid from the water, your wet hair slicked back making you look utterly stunning, even though he was sure you’d think otherwise. As if it wasn’t hard enough to keep his eyes off your figure in that tantalizing bathing suit...He removed his shirt before diving in, giving you your opportunity to ogle at his toned body and feel a tingling sensation ignite within you. You could never get enough of that sight. His entrance splashed you, removing you from the trance you were in as he was quick to swim up to you and wrap you in his arms.

“You’re right, this does feel nice.” He cooed as he nuzzled into your neck, “Thank you for bringing me out here. The water feels very relaxing on these tensed muscles.”

You two swam for hours, splashing, dunking, and racing one another like two restless kids as you took advantage of having the pool all to yourselves. It was a great opportunity for you two to relax with one another, but the activities had you tuckered out after a while and you retreated to the shallow end of the pool, sitting on your knees to take a breather and watch the sun set.

As the sun disappeared, the lights illuminated the pool, casting an aesthetically pleasing blue to illuminate the both of you in return. Drake stared at you from the opposite wall, his eyes glowing dark even from a distance. You two exchanged intense eye contact for what felt like eons and you felt undeniably lustful under his stare. Your body ached in anticipation on who would make the first move. Just as you were about to give in to the pressure, Drake stirred in the water. With slow movements, he pushed himself off of the wall and began swimming towards you, floating obscurely atop the water like a crocodile coming in for the kill. You’d gladly be his prey.

He took his time swimming towards you and you swore you’d have him pay for making you wait so long. Drake could be a tease when he wanted to, and he always made sure to make it damn near agonizing. When he finally reached you, he settled himself on his knees before you and pinned you against the pool wall underneath his massive figure that adorably dwarfed you. His hands made way to your waist as he hovered above you, lips parted as he stared shamelessly at yours, “Can I kiss you?”

You wrapped your arms around his neck and fought the toothy smile that stretched your lips. Polite and charming as ever. “I’d be sad if you didn’t.”

With that, his lips crashed onto yours with utmost passion. Drake always gave his all in his kisses and they constantly left you breathless in the aftermath. Yet, you craved more and more as if you desired him to consume you entirely. He secured your legs around his waist and it was an exhilarating feeling to feel just in between being supported by him and freely floating in the water. Something stiff against your thigh caught your attention and suddenly the water felt unbearably warm.

Drake’s hands roamed your body, creeping up and up until he tugged at the straps of your swimsuit top. You arched your back to give him access to the ties and he welcomed the invitation as he bent down to litter your chest with kisses. He expertly undid the knot while you untied the neckline at the same time. With ease, your top was removed and began floating aimlessly atop the water. He blushed profusely as your tits spilled out for full view and access, as if he wasn’t the one ravaging you just moments before.

Holding his face between your hands, you could feel just how heated his skin was, “Don’t get all shy on me now.”

He smirked a little as he brought your waist down onto his hardened cock, grounding it mercilessly into your thinly clothed sex as you cried out into the open air, “I wouldn’t dare.”

His large hand pushed your back up, encouraging you to arch once more in order for you to display your chest out for his hungry eyes. He immediately dove in, attaching teeth, lips, and tongue all over your mounds while he slowly but powerfully humped into you. Your head fell heavy against the concrete and you floated limply while Drake lovingly attacked your chest and rocked against you. He attached his lips onto your pert nipple, sucking and nibbling on it till you were moaning his name wildly, completely ignoring the possibility of anyone hearing you. The water began splashing violently around you as Drake increased his thrusting speeds, and the overwhelming desire between the two of you was all-consuming, leaving you two yearning for so much more than this wet foreplay.

“Drake, please.” You whined breathlessly as your fingers curled into his arms in desperation. He released you from his mouth with a slick pop. His thrusts decreased in speed with each movement, but were still very much present. He stared down at you with equal breathlessness as he struggled with holding himself back; you just looked so enticing all disheveled and flustered.

“Do you want me, love?” His lips were parted, a small smirk just barely present though his eyes were suggestive enough to his real intentions. You rolled your eyes, yanking him down towards you for one more searing kiss, “More than anything.”

Needless to say, you two didn’t even make it to the bedroom before you could give in to your desires.

#doctorgerth #one piece #one piece romance #scenario #imagine #1000 follower event #follower event #part 2 #ns.fw #sinful #filth #x drake #drake #alice #drake x alice #alice1290

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locktobre · 4 years ago

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bitches will be like is it too early in the year to post cringe? and then not wait for an answer. anyway I’m bitches.

since I’m talking about Morton and family lately I thought I’d post his family tree + some thoughts since I don’t think I have before

truly my favorite MESS of a family. or like, one part of it, anyway (since all the Summers are a mess and I love them all)

anyway I don’t actually think it’s cringe I just think it’s funny there’s all this brightly colored hair and then Morton and siblings are 3/8 mermaid, 3/8 fairy, 1/4 human adskjnfdsf it just SOUNDS like something ppl would call “cringe” lmao!!! I call it fun bc I know how to have a good time and do whatever I want.

honestly getting to this point in my timeline (when Thea and Ian get together in the 2060s and onward) is when things start to get zany and magical since the masquerade is down and I love that, I really do. literally SO much fun. I waited a long time to develop it but I need fun in my life right now so full steam ahead in the wacky future!!! (it’s all fun and games til Rip dies in 2088 but we’re not going to think about that at all, ever.)

some thoughts:

Makayla is called “Abby” bc the butterfly sidekick Princess Power dolls were labeled as Maddy and Abby. since I like to use these things when I can, I imagine as she gets older and tries to differentiate herself more from her sister, she would start using her middle name, Abigayle, and eventually Abby. (Madison likewise goes by Maddy.)

Thea is short for Theano, and yes her name is indeed supposed to be a pun on “theorize.” (in-universe, I don’t think Abby and Jason realized this at all until she started being called Thea, and then it’s like wait...) her full name is Theano Hypatia Rise and she actually doesn’t hate it, it’s just a mouthful.

yes, Ian took Thea’s last name bc it’s the 2060s and why not? (incidentally, his uncle Odie also took his wife’s last name.) they briefly considered hyphenating, but both Summers-Rise (summarize) and Rise-Summers (the z/s sounds together) sounded really bad. (and of course, Morton’s surname is just Rise.)

Riley and Ian were born with mermaid tails and are identical, but their hair streak colors/tail colors are different. (bc of that, they never get mistaken for each other, which is nice. their personalities would also do that but visually they are pretty distinct.)

I gave Bonnie green hair with a pink streak specifically for the strawberry-kiwi aesthetic. she was born with legs.

Nalu’s surname comes from a mistake in the credits of Fairytopia that labels him as “Prince Kai.” again, I like to use these things.

also I can’t be bothered to draw hundreds of 100x100 thumbnails so I use dollmakers, for them it’s mermaid scene by azalea

anyway I love thinking about them and I’m glad I decided to tie Morton into the Summers family bc it’s been a lot of fun thinking about how it would work out, and I’m really happy with where I’ve ended up with it. can’t wait to see what the fuck I do with it in the future.

#mel irl #barbie babbles #summers clan blogging #morton rise #this post is just pure self indulgence i am having FUN this new year

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surveys-at-your-service · 4 years ago

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Survey #303

“if i can’t be loved, then i’ll be hated”

What color are your glasses, if applicable? Black. Candy corn or conversation hearts? They're both gross, don't make me pick between garbage. Do you own a lot of earrings? Not really after I weeded them out before moving. What did your backpack in high school look like? I dare say I had the dopest backpack of them all. It looked like a massive Ouija board, and the zipper was the planchet (sp?). Have you ever been to a rave? Nah. What is your favorite art medium? I have a particular fondness of oil paintings. They tend to look so smooth, and you can achieve incredible realism with them. How far away is the nearest hospital from you? Not even five minutes, I think. Who was the last person you visited in a hospital? My mom. What is your favorite car color? Pink, duh. How did you learn to type? We actually had a class specifically for typing in middle school. What style of wedding dress do you want? I don't have that set in stone yet, but I really do love ballgown dresses with long trains as well as a-lines with a moderate train. I love a lot, except really for mermaid dresses. Do you fit into any stereotype, or are you non-stereotypical? I don't know if I fit perfectly into any and really don't care. Would you want your first child to have your hair color? ???? I don't care about their hair lol?????? It would depend on the hypothetical father, in which case I'd probably find it cute, but this is so, so unimportant. Do you enjoy writing in cursive? Yeah, it just feels good and flowy to me. What is your favorite hair color? Natural? Probably blonde with natural darker undertones throughout. I like blonde hair because it's far easier to dye, haha. Now, if we're including DYED hair, rose gold or pastel pink is *chefs kiss* What is your favorite eye color? Sapphire blue, probz. Would you put your birthday on a different day if you could? Nah, it's fine where it is. What holiday is your birthday closest to? Valentine's. Do you vent on social media a lot? NOOOOOOOO. I barely post ANYTHING about myself on social media because I feel like I'm being annoying, self-absorbed, find anything I do actually interesting, or don't want people to think I'm a whiner. All I ever really do on social media is share or reblog funny shit, things I love, stuff I find relatable or inspirational, educational, important for whatever reason, etc... Do you have abusive parents? I am very thankful to say no. Is your house haunted? Doesn't seem like it. What's your favorite thing to watch on YouTube? I'm in a real WoW-related phase lately... Watching my favorite streamers, gold farming guides, and other various aspects of the game. What are five health problems that you have? I talk about the mental issues enough, so I guess I'll talk about physical stuff here. Uhhh I have very low blood pressure (it's a med side effect), I have extremely weak legs following muscle atrophy, I have bad tremors, especially in my hands (amplified by medication once again), maybe TMI but we're adults here and it's a legit issue that I have chronic and severe conspitation, aaaand then of course I have hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) to a fucking outrageous and also humiliating degree. Ooooonce again as a prescription side effect. This answer made meds sound kinda bad, I know, but really, I'd rather have the will to live and just have to deal with these than want to die everyday and not. Do you have surgery coming up? No, let's keep it that way until I lose enough weight and when I am 110% getting loose skin removal. Which family member(s) do you look the most like? My sisters, ig. People say my mom also, but I honestly don't see it. Have you ever cried while watching a YouTube video? Yeah, usually just in let's plays, but it's happened for other reasons. Are you missing a website that just shut down? Nah, none that I know of. NO. FUCKING WAIT. So, when my laptop was fixed, a LOT of shit was wiped from it, and that included all of my goddamn Lightroom editing presets. The site they were from no longer exists, so I had to use a different, pretty sub-par one to install at least a few because it helps me get a start on editing the photograph and leaning towards the "vibe" I want before spending like 15+ minutes tuning it myself. Would you be a barefoot bride? No. Which would you rather name your daughter: Eliana, Echo, Emerald, or Ellery? Ohhh, I like these. I think I prefer "Eliana," but "Echo" is a close second. "Ellery" is nice, but it sounds too much like "celery" to name my kid that lmao. Which would you rather name your son: Maverick, Matthew, or Moses? Ugh, none, honestly. But "Matthew" wins. When was the last time you gave a speech? Like a *legit" speech? Probably not since uhhh... I guess when I argued my disability case at court? Does that even count? Have you ever been in a stampede? Well, never seen this'n in a survey before, so good job, lol. No. If you were a fairy, what color would you like your wings to be? It would depend on what I wore, really. And my hair. But probably light pink. Would you rather name your son Storm, Skylar, Sorin, or Solomon? "Sorin." "Skylar" is SO Southern, and "Solomon" sounds like the creepy kid all his classmates avoid and I ain't putting my kid through that. Did you read a devotional this morning? Not my jam. Would you rather be named Arizona, Alaska, Cali, or Georgia? Hm... "Alaska" is actually kinda cool???? And I'm white as fuck so lol????? I wouldn't mind to nickname of "Ally," anyway. Are you repulsed by ugly reptiles? lololol bro get out Did all your friends know about your first crush or was it a secret? I was definitely secretive and shy about it when I first started getting crushes. Do you ever feel insecure about going out without makeup? I feel insecure either way, so... How many different natural hair colors are there in your immediate family? So, this is a hard question to answer. My mom was born with brown hair, but it darkened to almost black; only her daughter Katie inherited that. By some genetic magic, Dad had blond hair as a kid, but it also turned black. Like... how?????? I was born with dirty blonde hair like him, and mine turned an average brown with age. My immediate sisters have always had brown hair. What is your favorite online game? World of Warcraft is ballin'. Would you ever want to be famous and sign autographs? Ha, the idea of signing autographs is awful... I can't physically write very long without my carpal tunnel flaring up. Do you like your shirt to be loose or tight? LOOSE. Especially as a bigger person, tight shirts are just really uncomfortable. What is your favorite Spanish name? I don't know nearly enough to answer this. Would you rather visit Asia or Europe? I think Asia is, in general, more interesting and prettier as a whole, but I guess I'm drawn to European culture being more like my own and there are specific locations I'm interested in, like Germany or Scotland. So to answer the question, I guess Europe wins. Are there any Asians in your family? I don't believe so. Have you ever had colored braces? Haha yeah, I did that when I had them. Do you take birth control pills? Yes, just for period cramps. Without them, they can be immobilizing for me. If you live in the USA: do you feel free and safe? Ha, no. Well, not *entirely*. Have you ever been sick on your birthday? I was recovering from the stomach virus, if that counts. As in I still got sick the day before and felt iffy on my actual bday. 17th, I think? Is talking about your past painful for you? Yes. Are you a member of any support groups online? I'm a member of The Mighty site, if that counts. When I'm feeling very, very sound of mind and helpful without all the negativity being a detriment to myself, I do like going on there and trying to help or comfort people. Have you ever called a suicide hotline? Yes, and the line was busy, and that's when I decided I was a goner. Do you ever fantasize about revenge? I uhhhhh... sometimes. What's a movie you would recommend to someone who never watches movies? Ohhh, that's hard. I don't really watch movies either, and I'm trying to think of one that essentially anyone would like, so hm. Oh, Coco is absolutely a possibility. That movie touched me so, so deeply and is high on my favorites list. It's impossible to not feel the emotions. Do you want to have grandkids? Hell, I don't want kids. Do you want to be an aunt or uncle? I already am one, and I love being an aunt. Who was your favorite Spice Girl? I don't remember their names or characters in general. Did you make a lot of home videos growing up? I mean *I* didn't, but Mom filmed quite a few. Do you enjoy babysitting? NO. What's an unpopular opinion that you have? Avoiding some political ones, uhhhh. OH. HERE'S ONE. THE SCENE AESTHETIC IS FUCKING CUTE AND NOT CRINGEY AND YOU CAN FIGHT ME ABOUT IT. Are you attracted to the opposite gender, same gender, or both? Both are A+. Was your first crush on someone of the same gender or opposite? Opposite. As a kid, I didn't even fathom the concept that women could date women. What is something you'll never eat again? Why? Brussel sprouts. Fucking disgusting. What is currently happening that is scaring you? Besides the very obvious answer of "Covid," I worry about my mom a lot. She's so weakened after all the chemo and meds and can do literally less than I can without heavily breathing and sweating. I just worry a lot that cancer will return sooner than we hope; I don't want it to EVER come back, but doctors say it is very, very likely at one point or another because she was so very close to Stage 4. What would be your personal hell? Being completely and entirely isolated forever while somewhere hot and humid, lol. And play one of my trigger songs on repeat eternally. What made the "weird kid" at your school weird? There was this poor guy named Alfred that was VERY clearly depressed out of his mind, and I heard him speak maybe once through all of high school, and the entire class couldn't believe it. He always sat way in the back and never smiled. I wonder how he is nowadays. What is a word you personally find offensive? "Retarded" personally offends me the most when misused and spoken as an insult. What instantly puts you to sleep? Now that is HARD to do; I have a ridiculously hard time going to sleep. The easiest way though would probably be me being drained from an emotional breakdown. That is so exhausting that I'm capable of crashing pretty fast and hard. What song is in a language you don't speak, but you love it anyway? I adore Rammstein, so there's plenty. I'll probably say "Donaukinder" is their best. What is something you would like to do if you weren’t judged for doing it? I keep that I RP a complete secret in my "real" life for this reason unless it's like, pried out of me. What's a movie you think everyone should watch? Why that one? Johnny Got His Gun. See how goddamn disgusting war is. What was the most unexpected good thing that's ever happened to you? Ha, realizing I was bisexual after once being homophobic. What is the funniest fact you know? Oh man, I know a lot of random trivia shit, really, so it's hard to say. Maybe that quokkas throw their offspring at predators to distract and escape from them... As awful as that is, c'mon, you gotta admit it's funny and shocking with just how adorable they are. What was your 'mic drop' moment? Oh, I don't know. Possibly when I publicly came out as bi on Facebook and made it abundantly clear that I gave no shits about some homophobic friends and family & I was beyond willing to let anyone's ass go over it. What's the kindest way a stranger has treated you? I remember as a kid at McDonald's, the woman in front of our car paid for our food; apparently seeing a mom, dad, and three kids in a van was enough that she wanted to just be kind and give us a smile. We have no idea who she was, never saw her face or anything, she was just a sweet woman. What is the biggest design flaw of your body? Okay, I'm going to let go of all hatred for my body weight-wise and just think of this as from a strictly natural design perspective, in which case I'd say my toes are too small. What age are you afraid of turning and why? 30, because I'm terrified of getting there and seeing I've possibly gone nowhere. What is the strangest thing you have ever felt? I'm keeping this question in just because I think there could be some interesting answers for others, but I'm witholding my answer because nobody wants or needs to know lmao. What makes someone immediately unlikable? Acting better than others and belittling. Who's a villain you sympathize with and why? D A R K I P L I E R because of his origins and overall purpose and just simply existing. What is something you regret to NOT have done? I have this oddly weird regret of not going like, all-all the way with He Who Shall Not Be Named????? Idk why though????? Considering I loved him way too much and I was a reckless and impulsive person who probably at some point would have wound up accidentally pregs????? What a fuckin trip that woulda been. What movie changed your life for the better? None have really "changed my life." What book you think should be directed as a film? Oh, idk. Most I can think of have been. Of all the decades you've lived in, which one have you liked best? The 2000s, probably. A carefree kid. How are you doing today? I'm exhausted. While out with Mom and my sisters yesterday, we got behind a van whose driver was obviously drunk or high off his goddamn ass, and he was swerving EVERYWHERE, nearly shoving so many cars off the road. Mom called 911 to get in contact with highway patrol to report his dumb fucking ass in. I was having an absolute panic attack and cried quietly like the entire 45 or so minute drive home. I was just so, so upset because this is why I don't fucking drive, and I felt like I'd made my sister (who was driving) mad because she had to firmly tell me I had to calm down (I was hyperventilating and talking to myself to try to calm down) if she was going to focus and keep us safe. She later ensured me she wasn't mad, but I still wasn't the same the entire rest of the day. Anyway, I slept hard last night but had two nightmares, so I'm still really tired today. I'm trying to keep myself really distracted. What's something your relatives don't know about you? A whole lot really, considering beyond my very immediate family, I see almost nobody because they live many states away. What's something your parents did, which you have sworn never to do? Mom would spank us or slap an arm pretty hard if my sisters or I misbehaved or "disrespected" her by "talking back." I'm not having kids, but I would never, ever, ever, put my hands on them in any way that isn't loving. You do not teach children via inflicting fear. I also have this probably overly strong aversion to beer because that's what Dad always drank as an alcoholic. I'll probably never try it, not that I really want to because it smells awful. What's the most annoying thing your pet does? I feel like "annoying" is the wrong word for this, but Roman (my cat) can be incredibly demanding of attention and to lie on me when I'm on the laptop in bed, and sometimes I just want space and be able to clearly see the screen, haha. He will legit meow like a baby and gently swat my arm sometimes if I try to keep him back. Heeee usually gets his way. As for Venus (snek), she does nothing "annoying" either, but rather a bit concerning to a snake mom: she is usually very slow to find and strike her food. I feed her frozen/thawed mice, and she will first slither around her entire cage, tongue flicking and clearly looking for her food, even though I always place it atop the same spot on her hide, and she can have her head RIGHT beside it and still do nothing. She ultimately generally eats (as a ball python though, she's a picky eater and will occasionally reject a meal), but I of course wonder why she's odd about dinnertime... As a champagne, she does have the notorious "spider gene" in her, which can cause neurological issues, but idk if something like this could be related.

#survey #surveys #questions #lyrics: ''rise rebel resist'' by otep

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puckdaniels · 4 years ago

Text

Knew You’d Show Up

Tagging → Quinn Fabray, Noah Puckerman, Kiran Basanti, Sara Puckerman, Abril Briscoe

Time Frame → Late Saturday Night; September 5, 2020

Location → Miami, FL; Uncle Jami’s restaurant

General Notes → At Uncle Jami’s wedding reception, Puck and Quinn see each other for the first time in years… Things are different. [Pinterest ScMoodboard] [Song: Hate the Club by Kehlani]

Tired of going out, scared I’ll run into you

Damn, you know I hate the club But I came 'cause I knew you'd show up Maybe if I drank enough I'll make my way over to ya

Miami wasn't too bad of a place to get married, she supposed.

With the sun setting and the windows on the wall of the restaurant that faced the ocean all retracted to let in the warm, beachy breeze, Sara Puckerman would even say that it was nice. She still preferred Cabo, though. However, she’d never let herself say it out loud tonight because this wasn’t her wedding. It was her Uncle Jami’s.

So she put up with Miami traffic and the rest of Miami for him and his new bride, Evangeline.

“They look good,” her brother said unnecessarily because duh. Noah could be annoying at best, but redundantly annoying at his worst, so she just rolled her eyes and nodded all the same. “Can’t believe it took them ten years.”

“Hashtag: relationship goals.”

“Hashtag: follow me around for a decade so I know it’s real.”

“Hashtag: might as well make it official before we die,” Sara managed to snort out before they both devolved into giggles and got shushed (and poked) by their teïta. Oh yeah, Evangeline’s daughter was giving her little speech about her mother or whatever. But the couple really did look good; her uncle smiling his mischievous grin, looking every bit a famous music mogul in his expensive silk and gold chains in the setting Miami sun, his pretty wife on his arm in a flowing seafoam green gown and her hair draped with pearls like a mermaid who’d caught him with her song. They were made for this place - the city, the newly acquired restaurant that Sara surely would be contracted in filling with the most exquisite artwork from the galleries she worked with.

Her brother might complain that there were too many people at the wedding, but Sara and Evangeline had worked tirelessly to get it down to 300 guests, what with all of Jami’s contacts and celebrity friends made over the years. Of course, only 100 or so guests were invited to stay for the reception; company bigwigs and blood relatives. The most important concern Sara had about the guest list was whether or not they dressed in theme and when exactly Jami and Evangeline would realize that their niece made the theme Miami in the 80s without consulting them. Still, Chris Evans looked great in a vice jacket.

“Speech time,” Noah said and Sara sighed, but straightened so her shoulder pads wouldn’t droop as she made her way to the band stage and took the mic from Evangeline’s daughter with a hug.

“Hi everyone! I’m Sara, Jami’s favorite niece.” Sara smiled, a small thrill going through her like it always did when she spoke in public nowadays, not because she loved the spotlight, but because she overcame the shyness of it she had so long ago. “What can I say about Jamil Levi that hasn’t already been said - or isn’t being currently said?” She chuckled when she noticed the laugh she got out of her uncle. “Honestly, this wedding was such a long time coming, I thought this speech about my uncle would be delivered at his funeral, but here we are. Turns out he did right by my Auntie ‘Vangeline. Finally.” She had to take the mic away from her mouth to avoid cackling into it as the rest of the room echoed her “Finally!” The rest of the speech wasn’t too fancy, just a few stories about her and her brother being around her uncle and her finally aunt and seeing their romance and experiencing the fun of it with them.

“Honestly, you guys are legendary and I love you. And I’m very proud of myself for making it through this speech without crying… So anyway, here’s ‘Wonderwall,’” Sara said, signalling for Noel Gallagher to start his little song where he was waiting behind her on the stage with his guitar and walking off to hug her still laughing uncle. Then she pushed him towards his Evangeline so they could get their first dance on.

After a few minutes of feeling emotional, she decided to intercept a waiter with a tray of champagne and serve a few of the guests herself, thanking them for coming with a wide grin. She carried the mostly empty tray to her table and set it down to kiss Solo’s cheek before turning to beam at Quinn Fabray and her date. “Hey lovely! I’m so glad to see you!” She rushed in for a hug and cheek pecks giddily. “I missed you!”

There were very few people Quinn that would brave the sweltering Florida humidity for. Jami, luckily, was one of them. It was worth the trip, if only to see her mentor actually follow through with the nuptials with his frankly, fantastic intended. It'd been long enough, so long that at times if it hadn't been for the occasional piece in a magazine or celeb gossip site referring to Evangeline as Jami's 'longtime companion', Quinn would've figured they'd already tied the knot. It was sweet, having that kind of connection and Quinn was happy to be part of the day, watching them exchange vows with the rest of Jami and Evangeline's family, friends, and some famous faces because of course.

So she smiled along at Sara's speech, funny and heartfelt as it was. Her smile grew fonder when Kiran's arm curled around the back of her chair, his fingers brushing her shoulder in one of his sweet and subtle gestures. They watched as Noel took to the stage for the happy couple's first dance and Quinn chuckled at Kiran's nod of approval.

"Takes a hell of a guy to get Noel Gallagher's head outta his ass to play a gig," he mused and Quinn agreed with a hum. She'd only reached for her glass of champagne when Sara appeared, bringing her special brand of bubbly and a tight hug that Quinn returned. "Missed you too," she told her. "Feels like it's been forever. You look amazing."

With a giggle, Sara pulled back and shimmied her shoulder pads.

"And you - you look so good and, most importantly, on theme," she returned, a satisfied catlike grin on her face. With a tilt of her head that sent the waves of her bob swinging, she gave a wink to Quinn's date. "It's always so great to see you, too, Kiran. Thank you for coming to the last gallery showing! At least half of the dynamic could be there," she added, blinking innocently but deliberately to Quinn. "Not that I'm bitter that this is my first time seeing you in over a month or anything. In Florida of all places."

"Yeah, I have no idea how the hell you managed to get Jami to greenlight such a theme but I'll chalk it up to the power of Puckerman persuasion." Quinn definitely wasn't complaining, loving any chance to toss on something fun for such a happy occasion, and she knew as soon as she saw the colors and vibe it had Sara's artistic flair all over it. She didn't miss the dig about the long gap since their last meeting (it was hard not to, Sara's hint was as unsubtle as her shoulder pads), and Quinn shook her head while Kiran laughed.

"I'm just here as a designated purse holder," he quipped, lifting the clutch that'd been sitting in his lap since the pair had sat down. "But it's good to see you again. "

Quinn rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Please. I got the rundown since he wouldn't stop talking about your pieces. Feels like I was there too instead of being stuck in Atlanta." The Florida of it all made her smile, because despite the state, it was still a lovely setting. "Florida might not be so bad today, at least. I see that's your handiwork. But I should be around the city more in the next few weeks, so we'll make a plan."

"Well, you know I'm always all about the aesthetic no matter where we go, so I figured palms and neon will at least look good on the blogs." Sara started to tip back her glass of champagne, but paused when she caught a glimpse of someone over Quinn's shoulder. "And where are you two going?"

What answered her was a roll of eyes and the sound of flip-flops that had long ago been switched from her own borrowed pumps as her roommate flip-flopped around the couple Sara was speaking to and took a seat in the unoccupied chair beside them. Abril Briscoe didn't look too happy and neither did the almost 15-month old in her arms. "I'm sitting in my seat."

That made Sara's frown almost comical at that point as she looked between Abril, the empty seat next to her still and then Quinn and Kiran.

"Auntie Vange's seating chart sucks," she mumbled to herself before straightening and having a seat herself. "Quinn, Kiran, this is my roommate, Abril, and her little one, Ezekiel. Abril, this is Quinn and Kiran. Kiran owns that restaurant we went to for Amir's birthday and Quinn works on music stuff with Uncle Jami. It's more important than that, but I wouldn't be able to tell you."

Sara watched as her roommate's eyes went wide with recognition almost immediately, her back straightening as her face went suspiciously blank. "Quinn Fabray? Oh."

The pause in their conversation and the arrival of a new someone, toting another allowed Quinn to reach for her glass, taking a minute sip of the champagne as Sara made the introductions. Kiran offered a smile to Sara's roommate and a wave to the toddler in her arms while Quinn laughed at the broad overview of intros.

"That's the general gist, I guess." She nodded in greeting at the other woman, her smile turning curious at the reaction that followed, the shift in posture and expression. "Quinn Fabray, yes. I'm sorry, do we know each other?"

Quinn's gaze briefly shifted to Sara, but returned, polite but searching. Vaguely she wondered if Sara had ever mentioned having a roommate, and couldn't recall an earlier reference though the woman seemed to know who she was, and that was interesting.

Sara watched as more realization crossed Abril's face with a wince. "Oh, well, I guess you don't know who I am. That's fine. Okay." Then Abril turned to her expectantly.

"Oh, so I guess I don't really talk about my roomie that much," Sara said, mostly just so that there were words in the air taking up space and time until she could figure out how to spin this in the most gentle way. "It hasn't been that long; maybe 5 or so months, but I love being an auntie!"

Abril didn't look entertained as she shifted her baby in her lap and Sara didn't even glance at Quinn to see what she looked like. "Where's your brother, Sara?"

Quinn considered her reaction, further puzzled by the woman and her tone that edged on bothered. She looked at Sara just as Abril did, her confusion evident at the words offered that were in no way an explanation. In fact, it only seemed to add to the vibe, confusing and slightly awkward and Quinn felt Kiran shift beside her, his hand absently rubbing her shoulder while he reached for his drink and her gaze narrowed slightly at Sara's words. "I'm sorry, what? Auntie?"

Kiran had only lifted the glass to his lips when he glanced over, noting Quinn's question and the way Sara hadn't bothered to acknowledge Quinn after her comment. "Oh is this your son?" Kiran asked politely, smiling at Abril and the baby in her arms. "He's adorable."

When Abril turned back to Kiran to introduce Ezekiel properly, Sara felt a bit of relief from the heavy gazes, but she still knew better than to look at Quinn. Beautiful Quinn. Smart Quinn. Soon to shish-kabob her Quinn. Instead, she turned in her seat and stretched up to see if she could catch Noah. And there he was, her brother in his stupid Miami print shirt and gold chain dancing with their mother. She tried to set him on fire with her eyes as best as she could until he finally met her gaze and made his way over, confusion on his face as he pushed through the crowd. Abril was explaining that Easy was 15 months when Puck finally reached the table and frowned at the strained atmosphere. "Sara, what did you do?"

"Nothing! Why is - Why would I have done something? I'm just... sitting. Not drinking enough."

Rolling his eyes, he turned to nod at Quinn, then the man he recognized as Quinn's boyfriend Kiran, then finally smiled at Abril and the little boy in her lap who lit up at the sight of him and called out, "Honey!" Puck maneuvered around the table until he could pull his son out of Abril's lap and kiss his face all over. "Habibi! You having fun with Mommy and Auntie? Making new friends?" He turned back just in time to catch Sara dropping her face into her hand. "What am I missing?"

There were a few reactions she could sift through but so far, annoyed was winning out. It grew the longer Sara pointedly avoided her, and she grit her teeth. Watching Kiran make polite talk eased it a little, appreciative of his cool head in most situations which she supposed must come in handy working in a high stress environment like a kitchen. This felt like a damn setup. Her face was neutral, with a decidedly frosty expression in hazel eyes. The woman she now knew as Sara's roommate was clearly more. To Sara and apparently Puck. Who managed to breeze through, festive for the occasion, and she barely acknowledged his greeting though Kiran managed a hello. Her focus was on the child, who looked very much like his father. He was indeed adorable, and she could admit that despite her irritation.

"It would seem that I'm the one who missed something," Quinn replied, her tone even and deceptively light. "Guess I'm further out the loop than I'd realized. You have a son."

Despite Quinn's possession of the notion, Puck still found himself really confused at the way she spoke. "Yeah, well... we haven't spoken in a minute, so..."

He noticed Abril shifting awkwardly in her seat and sat down next to her, letting Easy stand on his lap and press moist (always moist) hands against his cheeks while humming, "Hnn-nee, hnn-nee." The mother of his child had a tight expression on her face, one he knew they would be addressing as soon as they got away from this table. "Weird seating arrangement, huh? Hey Solo."

"That's what I'm saying!" Sara burst out, ignoring how their step-uncle-slash-Noah's fucking ex boyfriend quickly looked away as if her wasn't paying attention and turning instead to Quinn, wonderful, beautiful, sizzling under the surface Quinn. "I really wanted to avoid all this awkwardness. This just sort of happened. I should've looked at the seating chart."

Puck didn't quite understand Sara's apologetic tone towards Quinn; despite them being broken up for longer than they'd been together, his sister had maintained a friendship with the woman and was careful not to flaunt it in his face. Unlike the rest of his family - oh, maybe that's why Abril was upset. He stood suddenly and tightened his grip on the boy. "Hey, Briscoe, let's talk a little. Excuse us, please."

Quinn wasn't entirely certain Sara hadn't been responsible for the seating arrangements, considering how involved she'd been with planning. And now she was saddled with surprises and forced small talk. She conceded Puck's point with a small tilt of her head, and fully ignored Sara's thin explanation about awkwardness. Awkward, she expected. There would always be a little bit in interactions with Puck's family. She could manage that, considering she was hardly around them much, at least in such great numbers. She hadn't even noticed Solo had also been seated there. Ambushed, however, was a different matter. A surprise in toddler form, looking like a perfect mix of her ex and the woman who apparently knew enough about her to be bothered. Quinn watched as Puck stood and excused himself, and turned to Kiran.

"Think we could both use a refill. Do you mind?" He nodded, and she knew he was grateful for an escape, giving her shoulder a squeeze before getting up and heading to the bar. With the table a little less crowded, Quinn turned her focus to Sara, irritation evident in her eyes. "Seriously?"

"Oh, don't look at me like that." Sara could understand that this was a lot of information to process for Quinn, but she was sure there was a way she could leave this conversation without blame. "How was I supposed to know my aunt was going to put every person Noah ever fucked at the same table as the cousins?"

"The fact that you think the seating arrangement is the problem let's me know you're full of it," Quinn replied tersely. She shook her head. "You seem to have left out a ton of important information in those sporadic phone calls."

"Well, ehh." Maybe now was not the time or place to argue about the seating arrangement, Sara conceded. She tapped acrylics together to give her fingers something to do and then looked imploringly to Quinn. "Okay, you have to understand how not fair this is for me, right? My brother hasn't spoken to you in years - you haven't spoken to me about my brother in years - so by the time I realized you didn't know he had a baby, it was kinda weird to bring the baby up. Right?" Suddenly, she snapped her fingers. "But you didn't even recognize Abril - did you unfollow me on Instagram?"

Quinn cut her a sharp look, but it was a fair point; the subject of Puck hadn't been brought up for a long time. That particular chapter of her life had closed and her relationship with Sara had operated independent of what no longer existed between Quinn and the elder Puckerman.

"Right, so the choices were say nothing or wedding ambush? Makes sense." She scoffed and wished Kiran would return with her drink. She was in dire need of something heavy on the whiskey or gin. Sara's question made her brow furrow; She'd unfollowed Puck a long time ago, feeling as if a clean slate would be better in the long run, but not Sara.

"No," she replied with a shake of her head. "But I turned off notifs ages ago and haven't really kept up with social media in some time." Saying it aloud made her sound like just the type of 'too busy for you' celebs she hated, but she had been preoccupied with a seemingly non-stop schedule, it was possible that the error was also on her, as well. Quinn sighed. Still annoyed, but slightly less, she turned to Sara. "How long has she been living with you?"

"Just since the beginning of the year when Abril's lease was up. It was Puck's idea. We collectively decided to buy a brownstone." She gave a dismissive wave of her hand at that and got back to what she wanted to talk about: her. "No ambush, sis. At the most, I thought you'd see them across the room and just come to the natural conclusion." With an impressive shrug of her big shoulders, Sara tipped the rest of her champagne back. "But you forgive me for this and I'll forgive you for being too famous for me, yeah?"

"I see." Quinn gave a short nod. The 'natural conclusion' seemed like a shitty way to avoid responsibility, but pointing that out felt like an argument she wasn't trying to have on someone else's wedding day, when there was alcohol to drink and exes to pointedly avoid. "You're not off the hook, not by a mile," Quinn warned, though there was no real bite behind it. That would come later when they weren't caught up in the atmosphere of love, and at least not in the presence of a handful of Grammy award winners. "But I'll consider this a truce."

"We'll chat in New York," Sara promised, more relieved than anything that nothing got loud. Though she was sure any incident would soon be overshadowed by the inevitable celebrity nonsense, but still she hated when Quinn was annoyed with her. She opened her mouth to say as much, but then was stopped at the return of Abril and her little boy to their seat. "Hi, Easy! Auntie missed you."

"I'm sure Auntie did," Abril said, shaking her head at Sara and turning to Quinn. "I'm so sorry about... that. There was some confusion, but I think Puck cleared it up for me pretty good. It's nice to meet you, Quinn, especially since you understand what it's like to be around these people."

Sara rolled her eyes and glanced behind herself to see where Puck had gone off too. Surprisingly, he and Kiran were standing at the bar, talking over glasses of something amber. She narrowed her eyes at that - typical men.

"I'm sure," was all she managed to get out before Abril returned, son in tow. Quinn offered a polite smile to the woman and her apologetic words. It seemed she'd been a victim of the weird circumstances as well and Quinn wasn't about to hold that against her. Her smile shifted to genuine laughter at 'these people', knowing exactly how Puck's family could be in any given situation. "No need to apologize, it's totally fine. They're practically a twenty-four hour telenovela." Her gaze fell briefly to the little boy. "You have a beautiful son. I'm sure Teïta has been very busy spoiling the hell out of him."

She'd only seen the older woman briefly but was sure there'd be an ambush in her future later on, especially with Kiran in tow. Kiran, who, as she followed Sara's gaze was apparently chatting up Puck at the bar. Quinn could only imagine that conversation but opted against it.

"Oh, thank you." Abril pressed a kiss to her baby's sugar brown curls, obviously grateful that the earlier tension was gone. She smiled a bit at the mention of Teïta. "I mean, yala, like, I'm surprised she isn't already over here scooping him up. She was in the hotel room last night with just snacks on snacks on snacks. He thought it was Christmas and tried to leave with her when she left to go back to her room. Noah had to bring him to her room this morning, too."

Quinn laughed, knowing few kids could resist a food haul and tempting grandparents. "That's adorable. And pretty relatable. That snack rush is a good one." Her gaze drifted back to the bar, noting the drink beside Kiran's hand that was clearly meant for her she shook her head. "I know he's forgotten all about my cocktail," she muttered, shaking her head as Kiran and Puck continued their conversation. She turned back to Sara and Abril and flashed them a quick smile. "If you ladies will excuse me, I need to go rescue my damn drink from that social butterfly."

Quinn got up and made her way to the bar, catching the tail end of conversation about...movies. Which seemed anticlimactic and no real excuse for why her drink wasn't in hand. "Almost thought you were behind the bar making it yourself," she told her boyfriend. She smiled when he did and accepted the highball glass he passed to her, taking a long sip and savoring the smooth bite of the whiskey sour.

"Sorry, we kinda ran into Chris Evans and that sparked a whole action movie debate." Kiran shook his head. "Plus some prime people-watching happening at the bar. Puck's good for the running commentary."

Quinn regarded Puck, and gave a brief nod. "I'm sure."

"Well, you know most of these people, right? I'm sure you already know what we're saying, Fabray," Puck said, nodding back to his ex. He took a sip of his drink and regarded the pair over it, hazel eyes deliberate in the way they swept over Quinn and her dress before dragging up the long form of Kiran in his suit. They looked good together. "Kiran, I know my uncle was interested in your opinion on the venue since he bought it. I don't think he even named it yet, but he wouldn't shut up about the kitchen when he gave us the tour yesterday."

She could, considering it was a weird mix of faces in the crowd. Quinn hadn't done much mingling since small talk with celeb types felt like work and this was strictly a non-work trip, so she could settle for petty snipes. "I've probably said worse, so yes."

Mentions of a kitchen and Quinn knew Kiran would be interested, face brightening and he glanced around.

"It's a beautiful place. If the kitchen's anything like the view, I'm sure he won't have a hard time finding a head chef to run the place. I know plenty of people looking to be poached if he's interested." Quinn shook her head. "Ruthless. Jami likes hijacking talented people, so he'll probably consider it."

She fished out the cherry in her drink, chewing on the sweet maraschino before speaking again.

"How's work?" she asked Puck, figuring his job was a safe topic and also, she was curious about where it had taken him.

Tucking away the idea of chef poaching to present to his uncle later, Puck gestured for the bartender to bring them all a new round of drinks. He arched a brow at Quinn's rather diplomatic question, but answered, "I'm with the New York Aquarium now. The team there is amazing - Abril's actually our director - and we're pretty excited about this year's exhibits. You should tell Frannie about it. I bet her kids would love it. I remember Vinni freaking out about the octopuses, but I'm sure she's over it by now."

That was surprising, learning he worked with Abril, though Quinn's expression remained unchanged. "That's great for you," she offered, the compliment simple but sincere, lips eventually lifting in a brief smile at the mention of her sister and niece. "Octopuses had a good run, but she's pretty deep into a mermaid obsession. I'm sure it won't take much convincing that the aquarium's got a few merfolk to get her excited about it. I'll let Fran know." Frannie would surely appreciate the gesture, getting the kids out and also seeing Puck. Though Quinn wondered how she'd take the news of Puck's baby-shaped surprise. "The twins have never been to an aquarium, far as I know. It'll be a good first experience for them."

"Oh God, mermaids," Puck snorted, remembering a whole debacle about the same subject when Abril first got the director position. "You guys might need to bring Vinni to Coney Island for that one, but I'm sure the twins will have a blast. Ever since Easy started walking, he acts like every visit is the first time. It's cute." He accepted his new drink with a brief quirk of lips to the bartender. "So what's new with you guys? Another restaurant? Another Grammy? Or is that just same shit, different day, hmm?"

Perhaps it was the newness of it all (and of course the surprise pelting of information), but hearing Puck mention his son (his son) was so surreal. Quinn knew a wedding definitely wasn't the time to process all of that, but the ease in which he casually referenced a moment with his son (his son, Jesus would that ever stop sounding so...next dimension), it was intriguing. And a little endearing. There was a flavor of the Puck she'd known, tucked beneath the palm-printed dress shirt. Something in the way he sipped his drink, what he ordered, and the way he could casually keep up a conversation without really revealing much at all. That, she could recall, despite the passage of time and the wildly different places they found themselves in. Quinn smiled at Kiran when he plucked her empty glass from her hands and replaced it with the new round that Puck had ordered, letting the small lift of lips linger when she turned to Puck.

"They're great at that age," she replied politely. "Everything's just fun and new and you're a bit jealous of their energy level. Vinni still kicks my ass with every auntie outing." She sipped her whiskey. "No more awards just yet but I'm good and busy. Can't complain at all."

Kiran nodded. "'Bout the same. New restaurant's opening in Atlanta in a few months. I'll be glad when it is, my hair can't take this stress." He patted the side of his stylish cut and Quinn smiled, gently rapping her knuckles upside his head.

"You're fine, stop fishing for compliments." She glanced at Puck. "Sara mentioned you bought a brownstone? Major level adulting happening."

At the mention of energy levels, Puck looked beyond the couple just in time to catch the sight of Ezekiel spilling something across the table causing Abril's face to twist in the way it did before curses in multiple languages started to fly. Snorting softly through his nose at both his son's antics and the humbleness of the pair beside him, he couldn't help but watch and admire their dynamic. Quinn gave nothing away as always, but he knew her enough still to see that she and this guy... Kiran - they were happy. One of those couples that made you imagine the intimacy between them, maybe not the kind Puck's mind automatically jumped to, but he could picture them laughing together on the cab ride back to their hotel, Quinn resting her head on his shoulder, Kiran knowing to twine their fingers together without asking. It was nice and it didn't hurt to see as much as Puck always thought it would.

"God, that fucking brownstone," Puck said when his mind finally caught up with the conversation. "For whatever reason, it's in my name, but that's all Sara and Abril." He took a sip of his drink, rolling the bourbon on his tongue at the thought of the check Sara had tried to give him then decided to give to Abril as 'our dad's gift to his grandson' when Puck rejected it. Sure enough, the Brooklyn brownstone they put a down payment on was in the seven-figure range, but there were enough people paying on the mortgage that by the time Easy was old enough to own property, it would be paid off.

"I got this deal, right? With the housing association? I'm the super for the block. So basically I haven't known peace for the last six months." As if he summoned it, he had to move to the side a bit so that someone long and dressed in something slinky could rub a hand against his bicep on her way to calling down the bartender, but he just rolled his eyes. "Just had a flashback; you wouldn't believe how many times this one mother of four 'loses' the battery to her fire alarm."

Quinn had noticed the subtle shift in Puck's gaze, and figured he was no doubt keeping watch of the happenings at the table. Which was interesting, seeing him in parent mode. Interesting, and still pretty damn surreal. She chalked it up to time, passing as it did. The only explanation she could think of that would've brought them to this point, Puck with a kid and a brownstone in tow...and apparently the complaints of a few floors worth of whiny tenants. The idea of Puck--he of the short patience--being anyone's super only added to the familiarity of that general chaotic weirdness of his life that Quinn was glad to see he maintained. She'd called them 'Wandering Jew' tales back in the day, and remembering that little tidbit was enough to make her smile, grin growing when Kiran laughed at Puck talking about the attention his position in the building afforded him.

"That's not surprising at all," she replied. "Those housewives always appreciate a pretty face who's handy with a step ladder. Sure you're very popular with all the Fabletics crowd."

"Fabletics..." At that, the man gave an over-dramatic shudder. "So much Lululemon and early afternoon red wine." With another shudder, Puck shook his head a last time, then tossed back the rest of his drink. As much as he, surprisingly, didn't mind catching up with Quinn and Kiran, he could sense a tantrum coming along - whether from Abril or Easy, he wasn't sure, but he knew he needed to intercept. "Well, it's good to see you guys here. I'm glad y'all are doing well and, Kiran, you gotta tell me more about Atlanta when we get back to the table, but let me go get habibi before he wanna be startin' somethin', y'know?"

He nodded at the couple and maneuvered around them to head back to the table just in time to scoop up the little boy who had just scrunched up his face. "None of that. Let's go step on the beach, huh? I know you're tired of everyone."

Ezekiel just whined and placed his face in his father's neck. Glancing over all the curls, Puck met his sister's eyes in a significant enough way to get her sighing. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about his ex... or his other ex... or his other ex, but they were all sitting at the table through duck and dessert, so it was now or never.

"Abril knows about you and Solo, right?" Sara asked as soon as they stepped out of the restaurant and onto the stone path towards the water. "Yeah, she knows about everything. I'm sure she just didn't expect to have him sitting across from her. Or Quinn sitting next to her."

"Why are you talking to me like I arranged the seating? Because I. Did. Not. I'm just as... flabbergasted as everyone else. It's like an episode of Maury or something," she huffed, halting as the stones petered off so her heels wouldn't sink in the sand. Puck was kind enough to stop with her, letting Easy slide down his body to hang off his leg. "Are you okay?"

At first, the question felt weird because people didn't usually ask him, but eventually he nodded. "I'm fine. It's... I'm fine. I expected to see her, but I didn't expect to be fine about it. Y'know?"

"I know," Sara looked at him softly for a moment and then gestured back to the party. "Go back in. I'll sit out here with Ease for a little while you mingle. We could both use a break."

"You sure?" At her nod, he bent and picked up his now wiggling little boy, then passed him to his aunt. Then he walked back into the party.

"Seems like duty calls," Kiran remarked as the pair watched Puck walk back towards their table to mercifully relieve Abril from what Quinn could see was the beginnings of a kiddie meltdown. That in itself was...surprising, and she gave a small hum at her boyfriend's casual observation. For her part, she drained her glass and debated another. She hated drinking too much around a work crowd but figured since it was a wedding (and she'd had enough surprises to make shit awkward), another wouldn't hurt. She ordered a whiskey sour, lips lifting in a small smile when Kiran's hand reached past her to tip the bartender. She caught his fingers in her grasp afterwards, linking them sweetly and turning her face to meet his, glad when he took the hint and leaned in for a brief kiss that was exactly right in the moment. They moved out of the way for the rest of the party goers, lingering on the edges of where tables met the dancefloor that many seemed to be taking advantage of and Kiran gave her hand a small squeeze.

"Just know if we're forced into some kinda line dance, that's our cue to exit" he told her, waiting for the laugh that would follow and sure enough, the rasp of it was enough to make him smile. "I don't know if the cupid shuffle is a valid reason to duck out, but it's a very strong case."

Running away just yet didn't seem like an option. Even if the seating arrangements were...less than ideal. Still, their brief interaction with Puck at the bar proved civil was possible. Hell, Quinn would even call it pleasant. Perhaps that was the liquor talking because she was still stuck on surreal with the son reveal, and figured that wasn't changing anytime soon. Still, it was manageable. Especially with Kiran. "We can take a lap around the party, head back when it's time for you to pretend like you aren't judging the food."

#fabrayonthetrax #puckdaniels #quick rp #1x1 rp #glee rp #quinn fabray rp #noah puckerman rp #para

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angelofarts · 5 years ago

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Of Crochet and Comas Part Two

Me visiting the hospital on a Sunday was practically unheard of – I had last minute assignments and chores and a dozen other excuses I’d used over the years. And yet I must have been losing my mind, because here I was, sitting in the hospital, anxiously crocheting at my brother’s side. I was listening for the slick sound of leather brogues, and wasn’t focusing on the hat taking shape under my fingers, so when I finally heard the clicking of high heels, I fell backwards in disappointment.

“Well, well, if it isn’t His Superior Craftiness the High Lord of Crochet,” a sarcastic voice intoned from the door. I almost gave myself whiplash as I swung my head around, and immediately wished I hadn’t.

Not only was Tesha there, so were Richard, Lisa, and a girl who looked so much like Lisa that she had to be a close relative. I felt blood seep from my neck into my face, making a blotchy flush that I hadn’t experienced in years, as I realized that Tesha must have complained to her friends about how I had spoken to her.

The younger girl crossed her arms. “So you’re the one who was mean to Tesha.”

“His name is Aaron, Julia,” Richard muttered. It was gratifying to see that at least he seemed as uncomfortable as I was, stuck in his wheelchair and thus forced to watch, since the girls were blocking the door.

“It doesn’t matter what his name is,” Lisa declared loftily, leaning against the door. “He was mean to Tesha, so we want him to apologize.”

“I’m right here,” I pointed out. “You shouldn’t talk about people in front of them.”

“You shouldn’t insult people’s hobbies and handmade gifts either, yet you did both,” Lisa countered.

I groaned quietly. “Just leave. You’re going to upset my brother.”

Tesha shook her head at Richard when Julia snorted out, “Your brother isn’t going to get upset, he’s asleep.”

I gestured for them to enter, which they did warily, as though scared I would use my big bad crochet hook to bite them. I pointed at one of the monitors.

“Look, you see that spiking? That measures brain activity. Kenzo is very much awake, so if you could please stop dressing me down in front of him, I’d appreciate it.”

Tesha smiled and took Kenzo’s hand, squeezing it softly. “Hi, Kenzo. It’s nice to think that you’ve heard me every time I come in here. Sorry that your main source of conversation is your self-entitled brother who can’t understand the value of a craft he doesn’t perform.”

I groaned again. “It was a misunderstanding! I didn’t know you knitted it yourself!”

While Julia and Lisa laughed together at my exasperation, I leaned over to reach my backpack.

“And actually I did come with an apology, I just didn’t think I’d be delivering it in front of anyone else. Here.”

I passed her a light blue lacy hat. Made in subtle heathering yarn, it had a pattern that seemed like it would suit her nineteenth century aesthetic, and surprisingly it matched the legwarmers that slouched over her calves and high heels where her knee length dark green skirt stopped.

“Oh it’s lovely,” she breathed, pulling it on. Richard reached up and pulled on the back of it, allowing the slouch to form, and suddenly Tesha looked less like a girl from the 1950’s and more like a girl from this century. As she moved into the sun to thank me, I was struck by the silver of her grey eyes – that couldn’t be a natural colour, could it?

“Where are our hats?” Richard demanded, ruining the moment. It was a good thing he did, before I blurted out something to embarrass myself.

I raised an eyebrow. “Were you not just telling me how Tesha’s stuff is better?”

“No,” Julia said as she folded herself onto the floor. “We said Tesha is nicer so we like her better. She actually talks to us.”

Lisa looked a little embarrassed at the way her - sister? Cousin? Random acquaintance that shares enough in the genetic pool that she looks like her and thus has claimed a strange form of family? – was talking to me, but she didn’t correct the statement.

“Is that what you think of me?” I demanded hotly.

Richard shrugged, making the blanket around his shoulders slip again. “Well, yeah? You only ever talk to Bert and Lizzie, and that’s if you talk to anyone before you rush in here.”

Tesha absentmindedly pulled the blanket back up to cover Richard’s bony shoulder as she addressed me. “I didn’t even know you existed until yesterday, and I’ve been volunteering for a year.”

“I tried to say hi to you once in the parking lot,” Julia piped up. We all stared at her, until she grumbled, “Okay, fine, but still.”

“Anyways,” Lisa said, resuming unofficial leader of the team, “what we’re trying to say is that you can’t say we don’t try to be nice to you.”

I shrugged. “I don’t have time. I have to see Kenzo.”

“Yes, because your brother is such a good conversationalist,” she replied drily. “If he was awake, can you honestly tell me he’d want you here instead of with people your own age?”

“He is awake,” I reminded her. “He can hear everything you’re saying. And yeah, Kenzo was never big on telling me what to do, so he’d let me stay here if I wanted to.” Lie. Big fat lie. In the way of older siblings everywhere throughout all of time, Kenzo adored telling me exactly what to do and how to do it, confident that a year gave him some kind of mystical ability to boss me around.

Julia stretched out on the floor, letting her blonde hair fan out. “It doesn’t seem like you talk to him much anyways, since when we came in you were quiet.”

“Aren’t you worried about dirt?” I inquired, distracted by the light hitting her hair. It was almost light enough that I could imagine it to be reflective, the kind of white blonde you only ever see on people of Scandinavian descent.

Lisa scoffed loudly. “It’s a hospital. This is probably the cleanest floor in the whole of the village, she’s fine.”

“I dunno,” Tesha said, sounding like she was reluctant to agree with me. “You never know what someone may have trekked in from outside.”

She and Lisa began to debate back and forth, until Richard interrupted with a loud cough that started fake and quickly turned real, hacking and deep.

“You okay Rick?” Julia asked, real concern clouding her features. He held up a dark hand, warning her from coming closer.

“Fine,” he said after clearing his throat three times. “Tesha, could you help me get back to my room?”

I was surprised at the request. From what little I knew of Richard, he hated to seem reliant on anyone, often rejecting the assistance of his nurses and operating the wheel chair himself on pure determination.

“Of course,” Tesha murmured, grasping the handles. “Lisa, Jules, don’t go anywhere.” They left the room in a blur of dark green skirts.

Lisa exchanged a worried look with her… relative. I was almost positive they had to be relatives of some kind. You don’t get eyes that pale a blue on two people by chance.

“Tesha will take care of him,” Julia reassured her. “And you know he doesn’t mind it. She doesn’t baby him.”

Aha. That answered one question at least.

Hesitantly, I sat back down and picked up the project I had been working on before this whole fiasco started. A bright red beanie, using a puffy popcorn stitch, and with a button band on the side for decorative purposes. The feel of the yarn gliding through my fingers soothed me, and I was surprised to find that I felt real concern for the boy I’d known in passing for a year. Knowing he was sick, and understanding the reality of that, appeared to be two different things.

“What’s that?” Lisa asked, clearly trying to distract herself. “What you’re making, I mean.”

“Another hat. My mom struggles with winter, so it’s an easy way to make sure she doesn’t get sick.”

Julia plopped down next to me and examined the portion I’d finished. “You know, I bet Odette would love this,” she mused. “She’s always in red.”

“Odette?”

“One of the cancer kids,” Lisa explained. “She comes in twice a week for chemo and treatment. She used to have this gorgeous mane of hair, like a mermaid, and it was about hip length, but she lost it about three months ago. Shook her, hard.”

“Odette?” Tesha asked, entering the room again. She took disinfectant out of her skirt pocket and wiped her hands carefully. Lisa nodded.

“Well, it was very nice shaking you down, Mr. Aaron,” Julia said as she rose, “but unlike my sister, I have school tomorrow and have homework to catch up on. Nice insulting you though!”

My confused, “you too?” was lost as she left the room in a rush, and Lisa, after waving at me, went after her, thereby confirming – sisters.

Tesha looked at the slim silver watch on her wrist and sighed. “I have to go too. I have homework due for two classes first thing tomorrow, and I should help Julia study for maths, otherwise Lisa and her roommate will end up killing her.”

I rose, unsure of what exactly I was planning to do, until I held my hand out awkwardly.

“Nice seeing you again?” I offered.

“Nice not being insulted,” she returned, laughing lightly as she slipped her hand into mine. “Let’s try this again next week, yeah?”

I stood staring at the door stupidly long after she left, my murmured “yeah” ringing in my ears softly.

I opened up my laptop, staring at the draft of my essay. Slowly, I pressed the backspace key and erased the words I’d typed last night. When a blank page stared at me, I took a deep breath and, for the third time, attempted to define myself.

Today, I spoke to a knitter, a sister, and two fighters….

#writing #spilled ink #writing about crafts #of crochet and comas #pandemic writing #its kind of bad #i havent written in ages #please dont judge #its just for fun

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writing-radionoises · 5 years ago

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seaweed

ship: kamukoma, little bit of nanamind genre: fluffy, alt universe ; mermaids prompt: mermaid! izuru and human nagito notes: idk where i was going with this this is all over the place and i don’t really like it that much

Nagito leads a strange life, a balance between good luck and bad luck, good things followed by very, very bad things. He was sent to live with his aunt and uncle when he was ten or eleven to get proper medical care for his developing muscular dystrophy. His birth parents had lived out in a tiny town by a shore, living on the beach side in a little house. His father was a fisherman, his mother a trophy wife. Nagito's family was wealthy, the fishing business was big in the tiny town and the town's neighboring. Nagito barely ever saw his father, though. His mother did not raise him, either. Their maid was really the one who parented and raised Nagito. She was a kind woman who Nagito wished had moved with him into the big city for his treatment. It has been seven or so years since Komaeda was forced to leave his family, and he was informed that his father, mother, and the maid had been missing for years, assumed dead. He got everything his parents owned. Including the house, his father's boat, their wealth. Everything. And so, here Komaeda stands in front of his childhood home, a suitcase in hand. And his childhood friend by his side and new caretaker, Chiaki Nanami. "Is it bigger than you remember?" She asked, her arm half mindedly wrapped around Komaeda's. He can feel the ds in her jacket pocket against his waist, her prized possession. "No, smaller actually," Nagito answered, using his free arm to fish for the house key. Eventually, he found the ring of keys given to him and unlocked the house. Chiaki snatched Nagito's suitcase and entered first, and Komaeda followed soon after. It was a tiny little shack, his mother lived for the aesthetic, his father could care less. Chiaki returned empty handed, having set Nagito's suitcase in his former room as she then inspected the kitchen. Komaeda closed the door to the house, stumbling and eventually setting himself down carefully on the sofa as his legs gave out from underneath him. The strength in his legs only grew weaker, and eventually it'd get to his arms and the rest of his body. At least, that's what the doctor said. Chiaki sighed, closing the refrigerator, "It looks like I'll have to go grocery shopping later. You need your medication refilled anyway, right?" Nagito nodded, "You need yours too, don't you?" He said, teasingly, to which Chiaki snickered. He was, of course, referring to marijuana. Chiaki was someone you could call a stoner, she had a friend who would deal it to her. Chiaki returned to the living room, sitting beside Nagito, "Nurse Tsumiki will be here next week, from the big city. She'll be coming down to do a check up every month. In the meantime, if you start having medical trouble, you'll have to go see Maki and Kirumi Harukawa, I left their address on the fridge. They both have some medical training and will be of use, I think. I'll be back later, going grocery shopping," Chiaki informs, standing up and grabbing her bag, then leaving the house and leaving. Leaving Komaeda alone with thoughts and memories. Had Komaeda not have been sick, horribly sick, stumbling and falling, scraping his knees on every surface, perhaps he would know where his family was. Perhaps if he had never left in the first place and just waited to die in this house, they never would've disappeared. Somehow, this must be his fault. Nagito rubbed away the tears threatening to spill from his seafoam green eyes, pushing himself up off the white sofa, knees buckling underneath the little weight he had. His braces could take the unsteadiness, though. They were built for that Nagito left the house, walking out towards the shoreline as he stood still, trying to take it all in. Grounding. The wind flowing through his white locks, the smell of salt and fish peppered in the wind. The feeling of warm sand from underneath his sandals, and the cawing of seagulls, searching for food. A familiar environment. … A lovely place to die. Nagito moved once again, out more towards the sea as he climbed on top of a large rock, pulling his scarred knees towards his chest. The sea is blue green, the water moving back and forth like a pattern. The sound of the waves swishing is comforting. Nagito wonders if his father is out at sea again. Maybe he just hasn't come home yet, and tomorrow Nagito will get the light morse code signals telling Nagito he's okay. Or maybe his father has drown. Never to be seen again. Maybe the sea he loved so much had claimed him. Something caught Nagito's eyes, a large looking fish stranded on land, looking to be covered in seaweed. Nagito slides off the rock, the back of his thighs protesting against that decision as he made his way over to the creature. Nagito got to his knees beside the creature, the cold water brushes against them as he hesitantly starts to move what he think is seaweed away from the creature. It is not seaweed, it isn't slimy and thin as Nagito thought. It's a deep brown color, feeling a lot more like hair than anything. Komaeda's pale hands hesitantly move it to the side, coming face to face with something unexpected. A human torso and head on top of a fish tail. Mermaid, that's what they would call this. The mermaid was dark in color, considerable tan and much darker than Komaeda could ever be. His nose, shoulders, cheeks, and hands were covered in darker freckles, the mermaid was considerably smaller than Nagito. His tail was black, few dark red scales littered across the black surface, the red sparkled in the sunlight. Komaeda couldn't believe his eyes as he gently began to shake the man. "Hey, hey, are you okay?" Nagito asked, as if the thing could possibly answer before it's eyes fluttered open. A bright red, big and wide like a doll's. Upon taking in his surroundings, the mermaid sat up and jumped back from Nagito in fear. "Wait! No, no, I'm not gonna hurt you!" Nagito tried to reassure, worry clouding his already dull green eyes, "Wh, what's your name?" The other relaxed slightly, taking a breath as he tried to speak. "I… I…" He started, struggling to get the words out of his mouth, "Izuru Kamu-" Before finishing his last name, he began to cough up water, ducking away to hide such a motion. “Are you ok-” “Kamukura. Izuru Kamukura,” Izuru finished. Nagito nodded along, “I’m, I’m Nagito Komaeda. Sorry if I startled you… Do you need help?” Izuru fell silent, looking down at himself. His chest was covered with a torn up black fabric, resembling a shirt, and a vial tied around his neck. He snatched the vial from off of his neck, the liquid a neon red as he looked up at Nagito. “Clothes. And a towel.” Izuru deadpanned. Nagito flushed but nodded, standing up and stumbling back into his house.

After trouble between Nagito struggling to help his new apparent mermaid friend with legs get into clothes without looking, and then struggling to get him into the house, Nagito found himself collapsing on the sofa, soaking the pretty white fabric with sea water. Not that it hasn’t had the same thing done to it multiple times. Izuru was leaned against the wall by the doorway, still struggling to get a hand of his newly found legs. His red eyes looked over to Nagito as he spoke. “Sorry,” he said, “For making you do… So much work. You are sick?” His english wasn’t amazing, sentences short and sweet. Sometimes he seemingly forgot words. “I… Have a sickness that makes my legs and such not work as well as they should,” He explained, sitting up with a smile, “My muscles are trying to eat themselves in some sort of sense, so I can’t walk very well.” Izuru nodded, “I cannot walk well either…” “To be expected,” Nagito replied, “Why are you here?” “Deliver… Message. But that can wait.” “Okay…” Nagito said, “Do you need a place to stay?” “Not necessary.” The two fell silent as Izuru made him way around the house, hands on the wall as he stumbled. Nagito wondered if that’s what he looked like whenever he walked. He had originally given Izuru one of his tee shirts, which ended up being like a dress on the other. So, he had nabbed some of Chiaki’s clothes. They seemed to be around the same size, so Izuru was now struggling to walk in a white button up and black skirt. He didn’t seem to mind the skirt, said it was cute, only confusing Nagito further. Chiaki eventually returned, opening the door with her arms full of two of three bags on each arm. She wasn’t alarmed when she saw Izuru, giving him a half wave as she set the bags down on the table. “Found friends already, Nagito?” She asked. “Something like that…” Chiaki smiled knowingly, though Komaeda dared not ask what she knew. “I bought more snack type foods, I’m sure you won’t mind. I’m not the best at cooking, and you sure can’t cook…” Chiaki added on, “Microwave meals, but… No microwave. For fuck’s sake, no microwave?” Komaeda shrugged as Izuru managed to climb up onto one of the chairs, sitting criss cross on the chair. Chiaki sat down in the chair next to Izuru, and Nagito watched intently, nervousness eating him alive. “What’s your name?” She asked. “Izuru Kamukura.” “Wearing my clothes?” “Didn’t have any.” “Mermaid?” Izuru paused, looking aside as he bit his lower lip. “... I thought so,” Chiaki answered, “I’m a local, we have heard plenty of legends and stuff about mermaids and things like that… Didn’t think they were real, but you’re not a very convincing human.” “Oh, sorry,” Izuru replied. “No, don’t apologize, let me help you, though,” replied the pink eyed girl, sliding off the chair and going towards her room. She returned with two hair combs and two hair ties, snatching the towel from off the counter as she began to dry Izuru’s long hair, then comb it out and braid it. It was not quick or easy work. If Nagito had to guess, the whole process took about an hour. She had also placed a black tie over the button up, declaring the look finished. Chiaki then proceeded to go back into her room, passed out in her own clothes, and leaving Nagito and Izuru to their own thoughts. Izuru left the house once again, Nagito watched him from the window, watched him sit in the sand and watch the waves, watch the moon. Eventually, Komaeda gave in, getting up and throwing on his own dusty green jacket and going outside, sitting beside Izuru to watch with him. Izuru’s head fell on Nagito’s shoulder, and a slight smile came to Nagito’s face. “You said you had a message, right?” Nagito asked, and Izuru nodded, “Who is it for?” “You,” Izuru replied, “Your family is missing, correct?” “... Yes,” Nagito replied, “They have been for awhile, I wasn’t informed until recently… What about it?” “I met them.” “What?” “I met them,” Izuru replied, “Not recently. But I did. It was an accident. My friend had lured them into a forbidden place, she is a siren, and i had accompanied her that night.” “Are… They alive?” Nagito asked, he felt goosebumps along his arms, a shakiness coming to his body.” “No,” Izuru answered simply, “I had caught them too late, drown. I felt bad, I knew them once, when I was young. I thought you would have wanted to know, but you did not return for a long time.” “You… You waited?” Komaeda asked, looking back down at the other. “I figured you’d come back at some point,” Izuru answered, “I was right.” “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Nagito asked, moving away from Izuru to look him in the eyes. “You were happy,” Izuru explained, “Having fun… Didn’t want to ruin it.” The two fell silent, Komaeda trying to take it in, and Izuru awaiting a response. The moon rose higher and glowed brighter, and eventually Izuru spoke. “I must take my leave,” he said. “You can’t stay a little longer?” Nagito asked, a slight whine in his voice. “No, I apologize,” Izuru replied, standing up as he looked back at Komaeda, “You will know where to find me if you need me. Tell miss Nanami I’ll return her stuff shortly.” Nagito watched Izuru make his way back towards the sea, he looked back at Komaeda and waved, and the white haired boy waved back. He was gone before Nagito could even blink.

“You just let him leave?” Chiaki asked as she began to make toaster waffles in the oven. Nagito nodded, sitting at the dining room table with a glass of water, “I didn’t know what else to say. He came, explored the house, talked to me, told me my parents are dead, and then left.” “Nothing else?” Chiaki asked, looking back at Komaeda. “He told me I would know where to find him if I needed him…” "Do you need him?" Nagito paused for a moment, glancing down at his hands, and then back out the window, eyes catching sight of his father's row boat. "You know, my father always wanted me to take after him." "Oh?"

Rowing a boat is harder than Nagito thought, and even harder because Chiaki wasn't helping, instead playing Fortnite on her DS. "Really? You can't help me out at all?" Nagito asked. "Your boyfriend," Chiaki replied, "Fortnite is my wife, Izuru can be yours." "What does that even mean?" "Means I am too high to care." Komaeda sighed, stopping for a second as he cupped his own face in his hands as he looked back at Chiaki, peacefully playing her game. "I'm gonna do something stupid," he said. "Do it," Chiaki replied. "You're horrible impulse control." "Yeah." Having gotten a confirmation, Nagito looked over the side of the boat. He had no idea where they were, but it felt right, and by god is that a good enough reason. He looked back at Chiaki, then standing up and taking a leap of faith. Literally. The water was cold and dark. Like falling, but slower. Komaeda was not the best swimmer, nor the sharpest tool in the shed, but something about this felt comforting, peaceful. Is this what it feels like to die? With your best friend above, playing fucking Fortnite while you may have just sentenced yourself to death? … Is this such a bad way to go? It wasn't Komaeda's objective, to die here, but somehow, it felt comforting. Knowing he may die the same way his family had. A pair of warm arms wrap around Komaeda's waist, stopping his falling and forcing Komaeda to open his eyes, his green eyes meeting with Izuru's glowing ruby eyes. He pushed a green vial towards Nagito, Nagito taking it into his hands as the other swam upwards. They reached the surface, Nagito gasping for air as Izuru seemed unphased, his eyes now returning to the dark red Nagito had known them as. "Impulsive, are we? It's barely been a day," he said, and Nagito laughed. "Perhaps, but I can't get you off my mind." "Well, don't drown yourself next time." Komaeda snickered as Chiaki looked back over to Nagito and Izuru, waving. "Hey! You lived, congrats!"

"So, what happens now?" Chiaki asked, her high finally wearing off as they say at the dining room table, eating shitty toaster waffles once again. "Well, he's gonna visit frequently, I guess, and I asked if he wanted to go on a date next time we saw each other," Komaeda explained, "He… didn't know what that was, so I tried to explain, but I guess that's happening." Izuru had guided them back to the shoreline, they had talked along the way, what Izuru's life was like, what Komaeda's life was like. Things like that. Nagito had practically begged to see him again, and the other eventually gave in. No one is immune to Nagito's puppy eyes. "So you guys are dating? Nice, maybe you should meet my girlfriend," Chiaki replied. "Girlfriend?" Nagito asked. "She's a foreigner, Izuru knows her." "What?" "Dude, I pulled the whole mermaid legends thing out of my ass," Chiaki explained, "Did you really think I'm stupid enough to just fall for it and assume it's true?" Komaeda flushed, "Well… I don't know." "You'll meet her next time Izuru's here. She's a princess of the ocean, you know?" "Oh, don't flex on me, Chiaki." Chiaki giggled, "Sure, sure, whatever you wanna say."

#danganronpa #danganronpa nagito #danganronpa fanfiction #Nagito Komaeda #komaeda nagito #izuru x nagito #sdr2 nagito #kamukura izuru #izuru kamukura #komaeda x izuru #danganronpa izuru #Kamukura #kamukoma #komaeda x kamukura #Chiaki Nanami #sdr2 chiaki #nanami chiaki

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badanimereviews · 5 years ago

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summer 2019 anime sum-up

lmao i realized i never did this and posted the fall season b4 this.... oops

kimetsu no yaiba: tbh started out kinda meh. and now it’s turned into one of the new big shounens. i was not expecting that. nearing the end got rly good and i was rly looking forward to more episodes! tanjiro gets cooler and cooler! animation is rly nice (thanks ufotable) and the way tanjiro’s water is animated. like. aesthetic asf. it’s so good. i love black-haired emo dude and zenitsu (my spirit animal) and ofc nezuko she is adorable im c r y. side note: the hashira? i think they’re called? some of the ugliest fkn characters i’ve seen in ages like flame boy? stone boy? i HATE them. and the gem dude too like man get a new tattoo artist on god.... he needs it.,,,,,,and inosuke is so pretty it’s unfair

dr stone: ok man dr stone rly went off. tbh. i’ve always been a whore for chemistry since reading the flavia de luce series (btw, i want more books of) and watching this just tickles my noodle brain in a good way... who needs prozac when i get a shitton of serotonin from watching senku dick around.... (btw what is going on with what’s his face and the girl. yuzuriha????? i can’t remember. i love senku don’t get me wrong but i need their perspective too... bc i hate lion dude... so much.... dick....) again i will repeat that i am a whore for chemistry so i get oFF on this. backgrounds are amazing/ animation so nice n clean (most o the time lmao). i thought i would hate the black n white haired trickster boi and ms yellow ponytail and suika but no! dr stone is such a good show that they are now great, loveable characters. also i am senku and chrome’s whore so jfc. man, i love the explanations of all the chemistry shabang, but some things i think would be better if explained! like senku doing physical labour at the beginning- ex. making all those pots and building that shit by hisself. i know he weak af. yes he smart but like. construction? difficult. pottery? even for me the artist . difficult. and that shed of his was filled to the brim. HOW. anyways, i love this so much i am crying constantly

just realized i didnt need to write about dr stone. oh well.

danmachi 2: wtf yo. haruhime is so pretty but not a fan of her personality! bell still cute af and still don’t rly like aiz! animation good as always, and my god i shit myself whenever the argonaut theme starts up bc that is ? one of the best pieces of non-sawano hiroyuki pieces i’ve ever heard? addicted to it. and the opening! love the dynamics, the brief ‘rain’ scenes like when mikoto slashes the raindrops and just her motion basically? as an animator that is what i aspire to accomplish because i just love that. tiny little scene.

arifureta: this would have been so much better had they dragged out mc’s op-ifying process! made him suffer more! i explained this briefly in my ‘first thoughts’ post for this season, but story-wise and pacing-wise his power-up could have been so much more deserved and gratifying. think shield hero- loser suffers, gets angry, slowly builds up power in an epic payoff! would have been so epic too. and also if they’d made his gained powers less.... crazy nerfed. again: HE SHOULD HAVE SUFFERED MORE AND THIS WOULD HAVE MADE A BETTER SHOW. harem thoughts: yue- meh. sucky char honestly. shea- my fav girl, she is a great character don’t judge- sexy and love her personality and love her character design and love how much fanservice she gets lol. panty flash ftw. dragon girl- discount darkness honestly , tho nice design. and mermaid girl- yuck, annoying, DO NOT like the ‘papa’ trope! (ahem sao.) it’s gross. also just fuck mc’s classmates honestly- paladin dude sucks ass, healer girl OOF that last episode ruined her, samurai girl is ok i guess. hate ai-sensei too like shut UPP annoying ass HOEEEEE (postscript: opening=very epic too)

kanata no astra: plot twist? check. trillion well-done plot twists? check. this was done very well. i am so happy. all those plot twists and turns would usually suck in any regular anime- but this was written with GODLIKE ability. thank you, lerche. legit, this was such an enjoyable ride, i eagerly awaited each new ep! typically i hate space-related stuff but like! survival stuff gets my goat.... like this was good- (tho maybe more technical-stuff in the survival theme would make it so cooler) what shocked me the most: (spoilers alert) didn’t end up hating quitterie or funi. (tho the puppet made me want to strangle smth) luca’s gender had rly confused me but i’d decided on him being a boy- so basically that reveal left me like WHOA. i died. did luca rly have to show emo boy their tity tho... kanata losing his arm gave me the yeeeks, charce being the traitor was made sO WELL into a surprise even tho i’d kinda already suspected him<- like that was just fucking amazing writing there. gj. and ares the princess! ok man! shocked! AND also the whole clone thing, just fucked me right up. up the ass. like there are probably more plot twist layers in this than a fkn ogre has.... anyway shrek aside, yun?’s character arc was very pleasing, i think that was done very well! and the ending made me UwU like BRO? goals tbh. yeah this is a hidden gem and is just so good, so well-written overall.

cop craft: didn’t have high expectations. i am now,,, quite,,, shocked &,,, blown away. sweetheart this is a good fucking show. so why @ livechart.me DOES IT HAVE 7.40 STARS WHEN FKN ARIFURETA HAS 7.72. can someone explain this to me? i’m outraged. LIVID. matoba and tilarna were amazing characters btw! loved their dynamic! briefly i thought it might get romantic! nope, it didn’t, so it’s all good. actions scenes were epic, tilarna’s design and outfits were so much nicer than i thought they’d be like. she is so cute. and the op- man, if that is not such a bopper vibe then idk what is. i could watch it forever. it deserves so much more than what it’s got rn.

naka no hito genome: (serious question: is this considered some sort of isekai?) genome gave me btooom vibes honestly but like- this is SO much better than btooom and most game/trap/ kinda shows. fkn BOP of an op, especially the sequence at the end with short clips of each character in action (nutt). paka-san was a good boy and he deserves irl merch. i fell in LOve with all the characters (bubble boy= hot, akatsuki= ok meh actually kinda boring, karin= hot and i want her to punch me, ruromori= beautiful 12/10 would let her stalk me, sleepy eyes boy= baby + dazai vibes and hot af, twin boy= also hot, onigasaki= hot and love him so much, and loli girl= her light grenades got annoying but nice char design) anyways yeah more of this would be epic. i wanna see sakura and her twin reunite, and how they get out basically! also animation quality was very good which is surprising considering it’s a silver link anime.

kono yo no hate de koi wo utau shoujo yu-no: i include the whole title bc this is a good anime. (also livechart.me why 7.27 stars i will fuck you up) only meh part of this is the return to earth from dela granto bc that was like a culture shock and honestly at that point i’d forgotten a lot about what had happened on earth and didn’t care as much. btw, f ayumi and f the other brown-haired oneesan. mio and kanna ftw. obvs i didn’t understand the sayless x takuya thing like dumbass horny teenager . why u gotta creampie the worst girl. u have mio. bruh. (tho mio x ‘oyabi!’ boy is a great ship) also, takuya’s mom? keiko-san? idk if you’ve noticed but that’s literally my name so yeah just glad to finally have some keiko representation. altogether goodass anime. the time travel/ rezero esque reset thing almost got me but this was done well. so no problems. both ops very good. first song was bae, second also bae (just realized it’s by konomi suzuki, one of my waifu idols, so yea nice) and ed2 also so pretty! also yu-no’s design was rly pretty, the outfit colours, and her pigtails rly suited her :)

granbelm: sorry this is the last one lol this was a long ass post! other than the fact i dont rly like mecha this was good.... action, CHARACTER designs aesthetic asf, honestly rly pretty ok. i liked the cast, very diverse and more depth than most shows of this ilk. op was nicely choreographed- especially the part where the girls’ faces are contorted by their gems, showing their magical girl side. nicely done. mangetsu didn’t end up being that bad a char, and honestly? suigetsu is best girl and deserved better. and the ending too- like, bro, that made me kinda sad. some off points: anna’s mom was a little unrealistic as a mom like woman- please learn to control your child, and, white-haired girl’s sister should have played a bigger part, based on how her parts in the opening were emphasized! (quick note- blue girl, love her, great bad guy, when she dumped anna made me so happy honestly, she is beautiful, and i couldn’t actually decide who i wanted to win between her and suigetsu....)

hope u enjoyed this bad review. pls share ur opinions w/ me on some of of these more controversial shows. thank.

#anime #review #anime review #textpost #long post #dr stone #danmachi #kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer

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ramblinganthropologist · 5 years ago

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Writober 2019 - 21 (Mermaid)

But the smile you gave me was more beautiful than any prism...

Just a little bit more (a little bit more)

That’s how close I want to be to you

But you might vanish if I touch you...

Like we’re jellyfish in love!

Conan and Prosperity get a beach break and one little sentence from the young man will set her heart to places she really doesn’t want it to go. Can’t he just shut his damn mouth?

---

…

Prosperity wasn't sure of many things, but she was all but certain they weren't going to find the dread wolf at the seaside.

“Check it out, that wave was huge!”

Conan had dashed ahead ages ago and had positioned himself close to the surf. She could practically picture a tail wagging behind him as he splashed through the water and foam, leaving bare footprints behind him. It would have been adorable if not for the giant maul he had strapped to his armored back – kind of killed the aesthetic.

“Do you even know how to swim if a rip current pulls you out?”

She knew, of course. You didn't learn from Isabela's floating school of pirates and bisexuality (the namesake's own label) without being a strong swimmer. Conan was... land locked, to say the least. The closest he probably got was a puddle. Which of course, meant if his ass started drowning she would have to go rescue him.

Great.

“I'm Dalish, of course I do!” He wheeled around on a bare heel, digging into the sand as he moved. The fact he hadn't fallen yet was a miracle. “But come on! We've been out here for almost a month! We deserve a little break.”

Prosperity wanted to argue, she really did. After all, they weren't going to find the Wolf this way. However, even she had to admit she was tired. Her back was aching something fierce from carrying her pack and staff together over all the miles. He might have been a goof, but maybe her traveling companion had the right idea for once.

Her tired shoulders sagged. “We'll set up camp where high tide can't get us. Help me with the tents.”

Lucky for her, Conan was as Dalish as it came when it revolved around setting up camp. He had learned at his mother's knee as a child, had it reinforced by his father and aunt. What might have taken others hours, he was done within twenty minutes without really breaking much of a sweat. And, unlike other men, he didn't lord it over her as he turned to face her, smile on his face and a light in his eyes.

“This should do it. I don't think the wind will bother us here.”

And then he was gone, with more energy than she had seen from him in weeks as he removed his armor with surprising speed and accuracy. It formed a neat pile next to his tent as he began his downward sprint in just his small clothes – she swore she looked away. The normally sleepy elf was making a break for the surf, kicking up sand in his wake. Prosperity watched him from her spot by the tents as she lowered her pack and rotated her aching shoulders. He wouldn't drown – not yet anyway.

Damn... did her shoulders hurt.

Conan hit the water hard and disappeared beneath the waves. Her heart skipped a beat, but it resumed as his head popped out of the water. He waved to her as he paddled around, calling for her to come join him in the water. According to him, it wasn't cold.

…

She... would be the judge of that.

Prosperity took more care in removing her armor. Her footsteps down to the beach paralleled the deep gauges left by the elf's long strides as he made a mad dash to the sea. She found him at the edge, sitting there. Waiting for her.

“Got bored already?” She sat next to him, shivering as the cold water passed over her naked feet. “You said it wasn't cold.”

He was grinning as he mopped wet hair from his face. “Well, I also lived outside for a potion of my life, so~ your mileage may vary.”

His laugh was what got him pushed back into the water. Conan sputtered and spat out water as Prosperity glowered at him from the shallows. He responded by sticking out his tongue and letting loose a massive splash that drenched her from head to toe.

Oh. So that's how it was going to be?

“Big mistake, Conan.” A smirk crossed her face as she dove in after him. The elf's eyes widened as he kicked off, swimming as fast as he could. Prosperity started to chase after, the cold water warming as she paddled. The sea air and salt water stung as she moved, but something about it made her heart sing as she chased after her traveling companion.

It reminded her of a ship, and a pirate that made sure she wouldn't drown should she ever go overboard. It was a good lesson to have, especially now that she was traveling on her own with an idiot who fell asleep pretty much anywhere.

“You better not doze off in the water, Conan!”

One blue eye glanced over a broad shoulder. “I'm not worried, you'll drag my ass out.”

He spoke with such friendly conviction that Prosperity was the one to stop her pursuit and trade it for treading water instead. Maybe it was the way the sun hit the water, but his bare shoulders and sopping wet face almost seemed to sparkle as he kept above the surf. Add in that bright smile... and well, her stomach flopped.

Shit. Not now.

Prosperity felt her face burn as she turned away. “And if I let you drown?”

“Well, that's still your problem isn't it?” He chuckled that dumb laugh and she could picture how his eyes glowed. “Anyway, I'm good. Not sleepy or anything. If I start feeling it I'll let you know.”

And then she got hit with a sudden splash of cold water. When she whipped around to grab the elf, he was already gone, swimming with a surprising amount of speed. Well... two could play that game. Prosperity smirked as she dove under the water, and the chase was on once more.

They swam like that until the sun started to go down and both pulled themselves to shore, shivering at the change in air temperature. By the time it was dark, they had gotten a fire going and dinner cooking. With the sea lapping against the shore in the background, it was eerily peaceful and Prosperity relaxed against the driftwood she had found to sit on.

Not a bad day... probably one of their better ones.

“Did Isabela teach you to swim so fast?” Conan was warming his hands in front of the fire. He still kind of looked like a drowned rat at some angles, but he seemed happy. “That last thing you did before you dunked me under was killer.”

Prosperity looked up from tending the flames. His eyes glowed green under the low light, reflecting the sea back at her. “More or less. You put up a good fight for somebody who mostly stays on land.”

Until the last half yard or so. She had gotten him in the end with one final push, thrusting him completely under the water with a triumphant yell. He had come to the water, red faced and sputtering, but with utter awe on his face. Again – not like a lot of guys she knew. Most would've stomped off angry. Maybe that was his father's influence.

“Well, I can't compare to a mermaid, but I think I do ok.”

The stick she was holding dropped into the fire. “Excuse me?”

Those sea eyes were back on her again. “Oh... in the water, after you dunked me under. You looked like a mermaid to me. It was nice.”

Prosperity's mind went blank. Her first instinct was to take it as an insult because she knew better – spent more time at sea than he did. Her second, a quieter one, made her face heat up as it wormed its way to the front. Damn thing could shut up at any time now...

She settled for finding a new stick. “Mermaids are dangerous.”

“And you dunked my ass under so you're no pushover.” He shrugged. “I like mermaids. They're pretty.”

With that, he went back to warming his hands, eyes heavy in a way that suggested his sleepiness was about to win out. Prosperity was left with a blistering hot face and no words to speak as she got up from the fire and wandered back towards the sea.

Why'd he have to go and say that?

“Damn you, Conan Lavellan...” She shook her head, face hot to the touch. Way to wreck a perfectly fine day at the beach by reminding her of her own damn... feelings. No, not feelings... just a passing fascination with a ridiculous elf with a bright smile and more hair than sense some days.

…

At least that's what she told herself as she stared out at the moonlit sea, smelling the salt air and listening as gulls called in the distance and the waves lapped at her feet.

Yeah... she was screwed. Hard.

#writober2019 #ramblinganthropologist's writing #Conan Lavellan #Prosperity Hawke #Yes I'm using Iron Frill

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