#I made this to be wholesome and then I get to the last panel

[fatedroses]

The chaos of god uncle atticus, young zenos, and solus trying to keep them in line.

[yumeka-sxf]

In addition to Yor's epiphany scene, this scene was the other one I was most looking forward to in season 2 - a scene that, in my opinion, is one of the most Twiyor-ish scenes in the series so far 💖

Why is it so significant? Because there was no reason for Twilight to put on any Loid Forger acting in that moment. He wasn't conversing with nor being scrutinized by anyone. So why would he give that soft smile followed by such affectionate, comforting words as "お疲れ様/otsukaresama"? (this can be translated in many ways, but generally it's something you say to thank someone for their hard work).

The answer is because it's something he truly felt...he understood the sacrifice Yor made for Anya's happiness and genuinely appreciated it (if only he knew the sacrifice she made on the larger scale, lol). While he's a bit perturbed at first since some onlookers were snickering at him, it didn't take long for him to soften and then graciously carry his queen and princess the girls back to the ship 😭

But Twilight overall was really soft in this episode and I loved it~ From his blush upon seeing Yor to the several times he gave that same soft smile when talking with/looking at her...I think Anya was right when she called him out on the ship about missing his wife 😅

I liked how the anime conveyed his shock when noticing her bruised face...what must have been his thought at that moment? 👀

The scenes of the family activities translated better in animated form in my opinion. While they were each only a single panel in the manga, they lasted a few seconds each in the anime, plus the addition of the insert song helped the with the comfy, wholesome vibe~ Also the part where Yor inadvertently chucks Anya across the ocean is still hilarious.

Loid's dorky skip at the beginning of the episode translated very well in animated form too 😅

The ending of this chapter in the manga always felt a bit rushed to me...it quickly jumps from the aforementioned scene of them returning to the ship, to suddenly being home, reuniting with Bond and Franky, having a meal together, then Twilight meeting Sylvia, all within a few panels. Even though I wish the anime added more than just some additional scenes of the ship leaving the island, I felt it flowed much better in the anime since, just like the family activities, each scene in the ending lasted a second or two instead of being a single illustration.

But I love how this chapter/episode ends, with Yor, Anya, and Bond napping while Anya draws about her family vacation. This seems to take place the next day or maybe later the same day they got home, so makes sense they'd still be tired from the trip!

By the way, the manga has this additional scene showing that Olka and company are safe. Weird that the anime didn't stick it in at some point.

Also, the anime team didn't have to go so hard with this episode's key visual but they did...and I love it 😍 Might actually be my favorite of the key visuals so far!

I was very happy to see the "surrounded by liars" panel finally animated! This is such a funny scene and a great way to fully wrap up the cruise arc.

I also burst out laughing at Yuri's locker 🤣

Damian is surprisingly laid back in this episode. I think the reason is because Anya's antics aren't directly involving him. He tends to go total tsundere only when she's actually talking to him, lol.

The new scene of Yor getting the keychains for her coworkers was a nice addition! Guess it's canon that Yor and Anya didn't sleep for the entire trip back, lol. Glad they got to spend family time on the ship too! (though I wish we could have seen Yor's reaction waking up in Loid's bottom bunk bed, haha. He must have brought her to his room since he wouldn't know where her room is. Unless she woke up before he even put her in a bed, in which case she would have been super embarrassed knowing he was carrying her around in public 😆)

Looks like next week the anime will be changing the order of things a bit and giving us the Becky home-wrecking and Fiona chapters (the latter of which seems to have some anime original content?) The Becky chapter is one of my favorite stand-alone chapters...I'm already dying of laugher thinking about it 😂

[dianagj-art]

Am over here biting each art you post, each info you post about One or onion as if it's 5★ dish BECAUSE IT IS THAT TASTY 🩷🩷🩷

Few questions (remember if you don't feel comfortable about or don't want because of spoilers feel free to ignore):

- What causes you to have the genius idea of putting an animation in few panels of the comic? Like did you thought of it? Did somebody/friend suggested it?

- name one friend/ROTTMNT AU you don't mind to have their character/OC in your comic even as a background character?

- What causes One to change his mind about the mad dogs and decided to join their family?

- If you have a plot about making a new episode of ROTTMNT that involves One (and maybe somebody else; could be one of the brothers or splinter or anybody you want) what the plot's gonna be about?

- if onion (i keep calling F!One that, the disrespect is unimaginable am sorry 🥲) followed the movie plot would he end up ashes like canon F!Leo or will he make it back alive with casey JR?

- how's One's bond with Cassandra?

- how does One feel about Draxum demoting from an alchemist to a lunch lady? (LBH this's funny job for him).

- do you plan on putting an episode about One & Draxum AFTER their redemption? Like will they forgive and (probably not) forget?

- Name or draw one outfit you would love for One or draxum to wear as their casual clothes.

- any cute, funny or wholesome HCs about One after his redemption arc?

That's all for now! Again thank you if you answered my questions but if not then it's all good👍

Have a great week and take care of yourself 🩷

1)Oh, I just answered something about this here, but the short version is: I've wanted to do a mix of animation and comics for a long time (a zelda comic was my first inspiration for this) When I started this au it was gonna be an animatic so when I changed that to comic form, I still had a few things that I really wanted to have animated

2 )I'm not gonna @ them to not bother them, but I think I'm gonna end up having the sep council on the bg at some point lmao, this ask is from october and the reason I have been holding it back from answering is cause I kind of already did with the wall of champions on the last update!

3) for spoilers reasons I wont get too deep into this one, but while there IS a defining moment of him taking a choice, is not that what matters, what matters the most is the journey, after all, is the time he has spend with his brothers up to that point is what makes him flip sides

4)I do have a few episodes planned like that! right now I'm following the episodes that already exist cause is fun to see them change with the au, but I also have some that are things I made up! One I'm excited about is with Raph and One having some solo time on the Hidden City

5) "the disrespect" LMAO my brain refused to call him Oneion too at first, but is just easier with all the leos of the crossovers. He's not gonna go back with Casey Jr, sorry, his fate is not set in stone yet but I do know he's not gonna end up in ashes. I'm not gonna explain more than that lol

6) this has been asked a lot so I'm just gonna throw these here too @damonagel04-blog

One and Cass end up having a weird little friendship, based on mutual respect. After teaming up with the Foot Clan for canon plot reasons, One fights all the foot recruits as a training/demostration kid of thing and the only one who can stand their ground against him is her, and of course he finds her fun to fight, cause he can actually have a fight with her. After that they go on missions together, cause they force One to be with a team and he doesn't do teams but agrees if she goes, because she is actually a good fighter and competent enough to carry out the mission

Also, I have the headcanon that they can't use their real names on the Foot Clan, that's why they call her Recruit. you just give out your name if you actually trust the other person, but given the fact that everyone serious on the foot clan is a shady ninja and the other part of the foot are random people, she had never actually given her name to anyone. After a few missions together, Cass decides she can actually trust One with her name

They do end up being friends, tho One would never call it that, at least not pre-redemption

7) One doesn't really think much of it, he knows Draxum likes to cook, he has cooked for him his whole life, so he ending up with a cooking job on the surface is not so weird, and he knows Draxum has to lay low so it makes sence for him to be on such a crappy place. Plus One's gonna have another things in mind to worry about, he wouldn't have brains to judge that.

8) Oh I have so many things planned for their journey post redemption, but those are spoilers, they will eventually end up in a better place

9) I do have some doodles of one on casual clothes (1) (2), Draxum I honeslty have no idea

10) I'm gonna give you one thing with each of the hamatos:

Mikey teaches One to cook, he learn the hard way that you have to give One very specific instructions on what to do or he'll fuck up

One likes spending time on Donnie's lab, just lounging while Donnie works (is familiar to him), Donnie has a beanbag where he goes to nap sometimes while pulling consecutive allnighters, One ends up claiming that spot for himself

Raph helps One work through his anger issues, having experience working on his own, he's also the one One opens up the most

Splinter overhears One saying he used to wear a robe when being at his home and gets him a few. One ends up getting suck into watching telenovelas with Splinter

One likes putting on face masks with April, they end up having full "spa days" at April's at least once a month

and that's it! thanks for the ask!

[transient-winds]

HI YES HELLO I’M ALIVE and the yapping is back (it never left)!!

Just when the summer bbq is concluding. 🥹

Uhh looking back at this post, it’s highkey a sako character analysis post in disguise. Spoilers Ahead for Wind Breaker Chapters 160 & 161! (as promised with doodles)

This last panel with everyone toasting to each other feels like the end to the Summer BBQ event, at least to me. *shakes and wails off into the corner*

So many friendships being strengthened, healing/healed and being made in this one event is making my heart do somersaults. GAHHH!! I would’ve loved if we stayed in this wholesome moment a little longer if it is the last but oh well at least these recent two chapters have given me two things to brainrot about for a while. 🤧

Sako Kota and his relationships

Hooray!! We finally get to see the (much needed) closure of HiraSako’s *gestures wildly* everything, in that moment my spirit synced up with Inugami. 

I’m sure it doesn’t take a genius to point out Sako had an unhealthy dependency towards Hiragi from when they were kids up ‘til the Shishitoren arc. On the surface level, Sako’s reasons for getting back at him may seem very immature and they are but I also see where it stemmed from. Hiragi was essentially the first to take a chance on him when he was at his lowest and gave him a chance to better himself.   Hiragi to him was the pinnacle of strength and security, his guiding light (Chapter 15). He likely thought that even when things change, he would always be by his side because with him, he’s safe—with him, he’s strong. Stronger than he was before, someone who wouldn’t let bullies trample over him.

So when the latter told him he was following Ume and that he should follow his own path, which is normally very inspiring, Sako took it as abandonment. In his eyes, his pillar of strength was no longer holding up the weight of his (Hiragi’s) own roof but rather someone else’s (Umemiya’s’) and he was left in the ruins (dramatic ass analogy I know but it works).

“If Hiragi had been the source of his strength, then if he beats Hiragi that means he’s reclaiming that strength as his own right?” was what probably went through his head when he started picking fights and joined Shishitoren.

His reliance on Hiragi was still there but now it was twisted and he likely started hating himself for having been content with remaining a follower. If you asked my personal thoughts about this, I would say it was unfair. Not just for Hiragi bearing the weight of his unreasonable expectations, but also for Sako himself whose helplessness as a child manifested into the ugly beast that is emotional dependency. 

Deep down, he was still the same hurt child who couldn’t fight back against his bullies and needed someone to support him. When that support came and fell through, he thought defeating Hiragi was his way of proving to himself that he can stand on his own without relying on others. The point when things finally climaxed (aka the Hiragi vs Sako fight) was the moment when Sako had begun letting go of his heart demons. Turns out he just needed to have a talk or two with Hiragi. Communication and respect are the keys to any healthy relationship after all, even if said communication is thru fists but they are delinquents so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. 

With that tangent on Sako’s previous ideologies out of the way, another thing I noticed in his official apology was that he called Inugami “kohai” and also like other things he said, but mainly that part. Maybe I’m reading into it or im late to the party, but me thinks he was somewhat of recluse in Shishitoren. Like sure, he wouldn’t be outright hostile but he wouldn’t be actively making friends either.

When Inugami first appeared and was very comfortable talking to him, it made me think “ah this is Sako’s new bestie when he came to Shishitoren, it’s good someone was there for him while he was gunning for Hiragi”.  But with this new context, in my head it makes sense if he only joined because he wanted revenge so he likely wouldn’t have reached out if he was so fixated on his goals. And with the whole uh pre-Shishitoren arc Choji and Togame thing going around, yeah I wouldn’t also be eager to make be friendly with them too. But somewhere along the way he got attached to them, he just didn’t realized it at the time.

After Bofurin bulldozes in with their life changing fists and kicks, Sako leaving wouldn’t have been a hard decision for him to make since (1) he’s got presumably no friends and (2) he wants to wallow in self pity alone for a good long while. Then comes crashing in sweet boy Inugami and honestly? I don’t blame Sako for spilling his entire backstory on the guy. I mean look at his face!! 

He’s Sako’s emotional support dog. 

Anyways, in my heart I’d like to believe Inugami was the second person to reach out to him. Offering him another chance to lean on support and start anew on learning to be okay with accepting a hand or two but not to the extreme. Trusting others and letting people in again, but also learning to trust in himself too.

And so far, things are going pretty well for him. Found family within Shishitoren, got someone who’s unafraid to keep him in check and repaired his relationship with Hiragi & his other childhood friends! Throwing all the confetti and sweets for him <3

HOO-WEE THAT WAS SO FUCKING LONG 😭😭 

I wanted to add more to this latter half of this discussion but the Sako-brainrot took over, so i’ll just briefly cover my thoughts on Sakura’s progress.

Two words: SAKURA’S GROWTH! 

HE IS BLOOMING IN THE SUMMER HEAT OF JULY, HE’S RADIANT AND HIS SKINS GLOWING AS HE SMILES, IM SMOTHERING HIM IN A PILE OF FLOWER BOUQUETS -*ahem*

Sakura really has come a really long way from the person he was 4 months ago and it’s a real tear-jerker. Even if he didn’t say it to their faces directly, he called his class his friends and he hangs out with the others (their allies) on his own whenever he has the time. Sakura’s getting comfortable with all of them and I cannot believe that after 160+ chapters this is the first canonical mention of the “stray cat” analogy. His first year and he already won the hearts of so many people, deserved really 🙌. 

Honorable mentions:

The Kanuma and Suo reunion I’ve been waiting for 👏👏. But it’s not enough,, so I’m gonna post a doodle of their mini interaction to satisfy my craving for enemies to friends and/or lovers suonuma 🏃🏃

!!Togame and Choji apologizing to Kaji!! I almost forgot Choji completely trashed him and other Furin students on his way to the school.  

This panel is my everything, it’s so sweet like y’ALL I’M HERE THINKING ABOUT WHO KNOWS HOW LONG YANAGIDA AND MATSUMOTO HAVEN’T SEEN AND TALKED TO THEIR CUTE KOHAI WHO FOLLOWED HIRAGI AROUND LIKE A DUCKLING. IM UGGHHH- *stumbles to the ground and wails pathetically*

Sugi? Sweet boy, what are you contemplating about 👀? If you asked me, I hope it’s about Sakura AND/OR will be relevant to the next arc of the series because my body is simultaneously ready and not ready for new antagonists.

—

Once again singing my praises to Nii-sensei, their team and the official english translation staff. My head is constantly in a spin for these characters and their interactions with one another. And thank y’all for being patient with me for this post and for reading til the end.

[sw33tsnow]

Beautiful stranger

Firefighter!Simon Riley x illed!F!Reader (18+)

Summary:

Warnings: NOT FOR MINORS, protective!Simon, soft&sweet!Simon, "single-day memories" illness!reader, misunderstanding, (slight) angst, metions of injuries and blood, wholesome, etc. Wordcount: 3k

NOTE(s):

I'M TERRIBLY APOLOGIZE FOR ANY GRAMMAR AND LANGUAGE ERRS.

This blog is quite silly but it's adorable too, so I hope y'all enjoy it🙏🏻🙏🏻.

Simon could list a thousand reasons why he despised the humidity and fog in Manchester, and at such an odd time of year, the snow had started to melt, making the roads so much more treacherous and sticky.

But standing in front of this cozy book café with minimalist yet refined decor, all of the stubbornness vanishes. Taking a deep breath, it felt as if he's living again. Because behind that door is you, the blond's most important person who has been, is, and will continue to be. The one he would crawl back to, even if it is hundreds of miles away.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Simon was sent back to Manchester with the fire department a few years ago. Simon didn't want to go into details how it happened, let alone consider returning here, but he was extremely annoyed because the big boss had denied his request not to move him. The blond lost his family in the fire, which served as incentive and desire to become a fireman. Fortunately, he met a new family and was sent to another area to work, but still eventually returned to where he came from.

The first few days were bland, so Simon opted to go strolling around the neighbourhood, which was understandable given how much had changed since his last visit.

And he stumbled into your café.

To his surprise, your café is rather small and pleasant. It's nestled in a narrow lane and hence well hidden from the main road, making it difficult to spot. With the main brown and cream tones, along with plenty of doors with glass panels and vines clinging to the walls outside, indicated that the owner is a calm and hospitable person. Wholly opposite him in every way. 

Simon had initially intended to stick to the plan exactly: visit and take note of a few noteworthy locations, without loitering. But even a tea junkie like him was lured in by the aroma of the roasted coffee beans.

"One cup surely won't kill me" The blond thought to himself.

Pushing the door open, the pleasant sound of the small bell hanging right above the door rang out. The bell wasn't loud but due to the quiet space of the shop, it rang for a while before stopping. Simon glanced around, and as soon as his gaze fell behind the cashier, you got up, grinned so sweetly, and tilted your head slightly to invite Simon to approach.

"Good afternoon, sir" You said in a soft tone so as not to disturb the other guests and bowed your head slightly, "What can I get for you today?"

"Nothing in mind, do you have...uhm, any suggestions?" Simon replied in his baritone voice, trying not to seem overly snarky, 

For some reason, he didn't want to scare you, you looked so small compared to him and so approachable or he didn't want to make you feel nervous because of his rigidity.

The smile returned to your face. Without makeup, your long, slightly downturned eyelashes and smooth skin give you a serious, aloof look when you're not smiling. But the dimples, the large eyes and the way you have to look up to meet his eyes due to the height difference made the man know for sure that he has terribly misjudged you.

Your pupils fixed at the blond's for quite a while, truly taking him in and then sparked up, "A warm cuppa Earl Grey is all you need but I think a Mont Blanc would brighten your mood also, sir"

Simon gave you a nod, but he didn't seem convinced.

"Don't worry, I guess you're not a sweet tooth so I suggested that specific dessert." You turned to face him after glancing at the glass cabinet next to you that was holding an array of cakes, saying, "The choice is still yours."

The man was quietly pretty impressed by your dexterity and persuasiveness, rarely was Simon wowed by anyone since Johnny was the closest with his exuberance.

"All heard you" The blond nodded and kept his tone flat.

"Lovely" Your voice dropped to a whisper at the end of your sentence "Tha'll be £7.49 total" Your fingernails clicking on the screen behind the register desk.

"If you need anything else, feel free to call for me"

It was odd how Simon, far from being happy that he was back in Manchester as his mates had assumed, was secretly pleased for this transfer. However, the blond's frequent visits to this tiny bistro were becoming more frequent. For the first time in many years, Simon had to spend part of his personal income on more delectable cakes and coffee for his coworkers in order to allay suspicions. Simon also increased his frequency of gym visits, citing his need for extra coffee from his workouts as his justification, and for no other reason at all, when he bought it for everyone.

And gradually, the man and you also spoke more. The familiar time and your gorgeous smile were what greeted him every time, could probably say Simon felt at ease in this quaint café, so all of his awkwardness slowly vanished and was replaced by a naturalness between the two of you.

"Mr. Riley" You beamed, "You’re late today"

Simon chuckled lowly and shook his head before saying, "Told ya t' call me Simon, luv"

"Right, my apologies" You gave a cheeky smirk, "Usual?"

"Nah, I need something stronger t'day" He looked at the blackboards written in crisp white chalk hanging behind you, above the stacks of washed cups.

"How 'bout an Egg coffee from my hometown?" You tilted your head, "It's sweet enough so ya won't need a tart but the coffee is strong"

"Yeah? Still wanna 'ave a taste of your new recipe though" He smirked, "Ya forgot, 'aven't ya?"

Raising your eyebrows a little as you giggled gently in front of your lips, "Of course not, I'll get it for you right away" 

"Do ya need anything else, Mr. Riley?" 

"Uh, yeah....Can I take tha' Pumpkin Pie? Need to bring some treats back for the mates” The man scratched his head and looked at you.

"Already in love with ma baking, Simon?" You sweetly asked.

Simon blushed and coughed, but he knew you weren't the kind to make fun of people too much, so he kept quiet.

And you… did it on purpose. The fact that you described Simon's first meeting in over eight pages was embarrassing. The voice, the towering height and sturdy shoulders, and of course the messy wind-blown blonde locks. Oh my, the deep tone that used to give you butterflies in your stomach, as though you were bewildered by your own muscle memory. It seemed as though falling in love with this gentleman was possible without even knowing his face. However, as soon as he removed his thin mask to savor the flavor of the tea you had prepared, that dashing visage was glued to the front of your notebook.

Although you didn't have any intentions on those previous days, it was definitely the reason you called his name, Simon, to see the light pink layer spread across his ears.

"Here you go" You handed the pie, "My treat"

And of course the blond refused you, but what could he do, you're more stubborn. So Simon had to leave with you seeing him off at the door, because he couldn't stop insisting on paying for the pie.

Bidding the taller gentleman farewell, you blew on your hands and rubbed them together to warm them before rolling up your sleeves and began to wash the dirty plates and cups.

"Someone's in love" The young girl gave you a prod and spoke with your mother tongue, it's your sister.

You laughed and rinsed the soapy cup, wiped your hands on your apron, and without hesitation aimed straight at this little employee's chubby cheeks and pinched them. As usual, the little girl just cried out in pain and gently pushed you hand away.

"Watch it" You glared, teasingly threatening her.

The girl stroked her cheek and murmured, "I'm not wrong." "Not like the other customers you mentioned to me to help you remember, Mr. Riley is indeed very special to you."

You didn't object, just smiled warmly and shook your head, turning back to wash your cups. If you were to talk, you didn't know Simon that well. You were always curious to know what he did for a job, how his family was, and so on. You just wanted to hear that honey-like voice respond to all of your queries. God, though, how do you open up?

.....And how would he react to your condition?

_-_-_-_-_-_

The familiar chime of the bell caught the attention of the girl who was occupied with the mop and the wet wooden floor was decorated with footprints of mud and melted snow. With a quick glance at the clock, it was late enough for the shop to be open, as evidenced by the chairs driven upside down on the tables.

"Mr. Riley!?" Leaning the mop against the wall, the young girl looked surprised before turning directly to face the older man.

Simon's dark brown eyes quit darting around, as though he was looking for someone, and he nodded a greeting. As if understanding his gesture, the girl pointed towards the back door of the café and he immediately followed the direction she pointed, not forgetting to also grunt out thank you.

It was difficult to tell the difference between hot breathing and cigarette smoke owing to the chilly weather, but the aroma was unmistakable - that's how Simon found you. Standing in a jet black turtleneck dress that accentuated your skin, the waistline hugging your lower belly and the shapely hips that made him gulp. You leaned against the wall, holding a lit cigarette between your index and middle fingers while the smoke steadily out your mouth and nose. You were wearing a long trench coat and matching boots that nearly reached your knees. Although you were worn out, Simon thought that didn't take away at all from your beauty.

"I thought you're gonna to keep the cigarette fo' me like you said?" The man came slowly toward you and cleared his throat.

Startled that you hadn't heard the footsteps, you whirled around. You glanced at the person in front of you and blinked. Messy hair neatly combed, big palms with a beautiful bouquet, and warm eyes looking straight at you. Simon gently took the cigarette from your hand and brought it to his lips to inhale.

"My apology....do I know you, sir?"

What?

Simon must have heard it wrong, mustn't he? The blond gave you a subtle glimpse before giving you back the half-burnt cigarette. You weren't upset with him, were you? The man chuckled softly, he grabbed your chin and brought you closer to his face.

You didn't back away nor did you push him off, but your eyes were distant and confused even though you tried to hide it. Simon's panic was starting to set in. What happened while he was gone?

You, on the other hand, had no fear of this man. You had no idea why, yet he treated you so gently. His deep voice and stern appearance went against every gesture. You couldn't recall what it meant but you know there's something going on between you and this man.

“I'll see you later”

The man spoke after a long silence. After offering you the bouquet with a "This's for you," he gingerly withdrew and swiftly vanished from the view.

You immediately stubbed out your cigarette and ran after him but it was so contrasting to his muscular body, Simon silently disappeared into thin air, as if he had evaporated from the earth.

Even after two days had passed, Simon was still haunted by the incidents of that evening. Did he do something wrong, did he forget to bring you the souvenir he promised or did he buy you the flowers you didn’t want? Or did you just…..want to forget him? Negative thoughts continued to torment the blond, making it impossible for him to concentrate on his duties, which explains why Captain Price disciplined him with 200 push-ups and cleaning the training area.

Yet Simon couldn't help but think of you. He longed to see and to speak with you, words couldn't describe how much he missed you. He wished to convey to you his true feelings for you. But you're so cold, so distant, is it because you didn't feel as close to him as he did to you?

As if recognizing that he would never be able to answer these questions for himself, Simon made the decision to investigate the reason behind this. The man began by going over the fire station reports and surprisingly found that there had been a gas explosion in your apartment complex.

Your sister was on her way home from her friend's house that evening when she unexpectedly received a call from an unknown number asking her to come to your building and pick you up. The cop cars and fire trucks were so many that their blue and red lights were flashing all over the place as soon as she went onto the street where your flat was located, hurting her eyes. Narrowing her eyes, your sister stared up at the destroyed building and the horrible smoke rising from the fire that was being put out. When she regained consciousness, she looked about for you. She rushed to the area labeled with caution warning tape and saw you on a stretcher being taken into the ambulance as your cat remained by your side. The process of getting to ride in the ambulance with you to the hospital as your acquaintance was lengthy, even had to show her ID for proof.

It took your sister a long time to win you over to the idea that you could trust her when you woke up. She had given you her phone to see how she saved you in the contact and pictures of the two of you. Fortunately, the cat was nearby, so you assumed that it was also your pet because animals never lie. That day, she also had to help you remember that you owned a café, your exceptional baking and cooking skills, and pretty much everything else that matters.

All of your personal stuff was burned so you had to stay with your sister. The girl was so terrified and worried about you at the time that she only remembered what was immediately relevant and neglected Simon due to his lack of presence for such a long time.

Simon, after learning everything, was just as astonished. Stumbling into his truck and making his way to the address of your flat, which was mentioned in the report. Simon flashed his badge to get on the scene and discovered your notebook on the rotting wooden floor, with a corner burned.

Flipping through the pages, afraid they might crumble, he read your handwriting. The notebook was mostly filled with recipes and reminders, and there are a few pages dedicated to regular visitors. And there’s Simon, with his stolen side profile that was taken by you probably, and dozens of pages about him. The more he read, the more the blond felt like you’re keeping a diary with him as the subject. On how sweet his tea should be, what desserts he loves, and oh, how you describe his smile.

And then a tear, two, until the man's vision blurred. He realized how much you loved him too.

Gently tucking your notebook inside his thick coat, Simon walked out of the apartment building and straight to his car. He needed to see you now, you needed his help, he knew that for sure.

The café is quieter than normal today, which you had a lot of time walking about behind the cashier counter. Occasionally, you'd catch a glimpse of someone passing by the glass door, but they didn't stop by. You let out a sigh and bent down to clean the tabletop for the zillionth time before throwing the towel over your shoulder.

The engine of the car heavily stops at the curb opposite your shop. You narrowed your eyes to get a better look and oh, it's the same man who handed you the bouquet the last time and well, vanished. He still has the same good looks as the notes you wrote in your brand new note.

The man entered, his gaze falling on you right away. You didn't know why, but you instantly froze and flushed. He came over to where you were standing in an instant, grabbed your face in his hands, and gave you a passionate kiss. Alright, that was a bit too much. Despite your best efforts, the man in front of you continued to kiss you while holding you so closely that it was difficult for you to breathe.

“Gosh, get a room you two” Your sister made the disgusted face towards both of you.

"What do you think you're doing?" With a mixture of embarrassment and anger, you asked.

There was no response from the man, just an embrace that took away your ability to chastise him. You saw that his shoulders were trembling a little and that your shirt was damp, which made you anxious because you couldn't figure out why he was sobbing.

With shaking hands, the blond man pulled out your charred notepad and gave it to you, saying, "I'm really sorry"

You took it in surprise, flipping through the slightly burned pages, then the beautiful smile of the man in front of you appeared through the polaroid on the page with the notes written by you. Your eyes were also filled with tears, reading back the memories you had for him.

Then you looked up at him, to see his warm eyes still following your every move. Your small hand tightly grasped the man's jacket, your lips pressed tightly together even though there were so many words that wanted to be said.

“Hush, don’t cry, luv” He cooed, kissed your forehead “Let’s start again….”

“Simon” You cried into his chest.

“Yes, it’s me, your Simon”

Taglist: @shadowlali , @ghostlythots , @brickwall035

[confirmeddead]

Hello!

I very much enjoyed reading your theories about Devil’s Minion so if you don’t mind I’ll add some thoughts? Would love to hear what you think! I’ve found some hints online - so there might be spoilers so feel free to skip obviously if you’d prefer!

1. I agree that if Daniel is turned it’s going to be Armand who does it. Nothing else really makes sense to me, especially since the show has emphasized the maker-fledgling bound to such an extent. Armand’s possessive tendencies have also revealed themselves already. If Armand wants Daniel to be turned, I don’t think he would feel comfortable having anyone else do it.

2. I don’t believe Daniel will be turned this season. Listening to EB on a podcast recently he made a comment, following explaining how wanting to play a vampire basically lead him to the show, about how on these shows almost everyone who is around vampires gets turned in the end. Which is true, but more importantly this kind of speculation and the way EB spoke about it made it sound like this hasn’t happened to Daniel yet. That he doesn’t actually know if and when Daniel is getting turned.

3. I do think however that Daniel might be bitten. Can’t really justify it, but I feel like something will happen to Daniel in the finale. Might be bitten by a vampire, maybe by Armand - maybe this triggers some more memories. Thus far Daniel’s memories have been triggered by similar noises/actions. In episode two when Louis started recounting the facts of a “shameful” memory this triggers Armand doing the same in San Francisco. In episode four Armand leaning forward and the noises of Louis slamming the binders of photos on the floor seem to heighten his memory of Armand walking around in that room/leaning towards him etc. I’ve seen some speculation about a medical event happening, but I’m unsure. I just feel something will happen…

4. When asked in an interview with the Nerdist EB replied when asked if viewers will see anything of Daniel and Armand’s complex relationship this season: ”We’re going to have to leave that to your imagination because there is a lot coming. But I guarantee there will be some cool stuff happening by the end of the second season”. And: “But, it’s also going to be heavy. There’s going to be a lot of heaviness.” This could just be the trauma and torture of episode five but I would say it seems to hint that something will happen in the season finale between them - or something will be revealed. The romantic in me think it’s revealed that they were in love, that some of Daniel’s memories of Armand has been mixed up with Alice and that the feeling freer in Paris thing might be about Daniel’s internalized homophobia. He felt freer in Paris because either it was long away from home (so no one would know him) or because Paris was less homophobic (not sure if accurate though). And Armand might have had someone who saw him at his worst but still loved him, i.e someone who loved and accepted him fully. The heaviness could then be the separation, be it due to Daniel’s addiction, want to be immortal, Armand believing him to be better off living a full life - or something completely different. All of this does however sound a little to wholesome in a way for iwtv tbh. So to adjust expectations, the comments could very well just be about Daniel’s trauma in episode five.

What do you think? Also, if you would speculate where do you think the show is going next with the DM relationship? What would you like to see? Thank you!

Hi! Thanks so much for sending your thoughts. Let’s discuss!

1. Yes! I think the majority know this will stay the same. They haven’t changed anyone’s maker as of yet so why start now?

2. No, he won’t be turned. I’ll reference Rolin’s words from last week when answering a question at the Texas panel. It seems a lot of stuff is up in the air regarding DM and he exasperated the point that it’s three books ahead. So, in saying this, we know he wants to do TVL for season 3 meaning QotD would be season 4 (possibly). Of course they could change things but I think he wanted to really drive home the point that they have a lot to do to get to the point of Daniel being turned.

3. Going back to one of my theories, I do think Daniel’s SF memories will be a big trigger for Louis. Learning the extent of what happened might really upset him (whether it was his attack on Daniel or what Armand proceeded to do). As for the sounds triggering memories, this is a great point! And it seemed every glance at Armand triggered Daniel’s memories.

So about the medical event… I’ve seen people theorize Louis will attack Daniel. I genuinely don’t think this will happen but if Daniel were to be hurt (book falling scene in trailers), I could see either Vampire rushing to his aid. I’d say only Armand would but I think Louis cares for him enough to help him.

4. Okay, so when I hear heaviness I hear trauma, I hear broken hearts, I hear a LOT. I think a lot of Daniel’s trauma will be addressed next episode or even episode 6, so what is left for the final two episodes? Revelations. The interview is ending, Armand and Louis’ relationship is probably ending, but the rest is kind of… unknown. The trial is happening episode 7 and the secrecy of the title of episode 8 and what even happens has my brain scrambled. The “surprise character” Rolin (?) mentioned appears at the end of the season is likely Lestat or someone else entirely.

So what’s left regarding Armand and Daniel? I think a lot of people want to see Armand as controlling and straight up evil, but in the books HE left Louis. He left Louis because his (Louis) passion for anything was gone and Armand knew there was nothing he could do to fix that and it was dead in the water. Who is there to turn to? The flame whose memories you erased? I could see Daniel comforting him and so begins the chase (again).

Of course that last part is just a theory but I think this is the “end of the season” event that might happen. Daniel is a different person now. The internalized homophobia of his youth is gone. He’s an old man with all the triggers that come with it. He’s twice divorced and an empty nester. What’s there to lose? I always go back to the first scene of Daniel and how bored and over it he was with his life.

[sebadztian]

Random ask, what do you love about Sebastian and Ciel's dynamic? What made you ship them? What are your fav SebaCiel moments from the series and your fav headcanon for SebaCiel?

I'm so late into sebaciel fandom, just realized that many sebaciel blog are not active anymore. Imagine my surprise when I found your blog and your fics. Thanks for still being here for newbies like me. Now I'm still reading your fic "The Spare" (and it's so good feels like I'm reading canon divergence au novel version, because all of them are in characters) 😄😁🤩

One of my moot, said to me that Sebastian and Ciel's relationship are like father and son. And tell me please ignore sebaciel shipper if I got into the fandom. Now, after I read the manga and watch the anime, I'm confused of those who hate sebaciel shipper and insist that the relationship is just wholesome platonic (including my dear moot)....

Hope you have a wonderful day, @sebadztian ....

Hello! I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to answer your ask!

First of all, welcome to Sebaciel nation!

What I love about Sebaciel dynamic is their power struggle. On one hand, Ciel is the master, but on the other hand, Sebastian is a powerful centuries old demon. Ciel might be the one holding the leash, but at the end of the day, Sebastian is the one who gets to decide how far he could go. He's a very tricky demon who'd try to find loopholes that benefit him or those that allow him to mess with his little lord (like in BoC with the snakes).

But then that changed. Slowly, but surely, he grows to care for Ciel and now he's finding loopholes that would benefit them. He sees himself as Ciel's butler and whatever he does now is for his master's benefits (and his too, of course). However, despite all that, he still continues to challenge Ciel at every turn. It's that complexity of their relationship that makes me ship them. They're constantly trying to out-power the other, but at the end of the day, they're a team.

Another thing that makes me ship them is because they're the only ones who know each other's true self. Ciel knows who, or rather what Sebastian is, and Sebastian knows who Ciel really is. Everyone else saw him either as the weaker, sick little brother to r!Ciel, or they know him as r!Ciel (because he's inpersonating him), but nobody has truly know him as the boy who has grown into his own person. He's not that weak, sickly boy anymore, nor was he the boy that he's trying to impersonate, and Sebastian is the only one who knows him better than anyone.

Headcanons... Funny you ask... I have two kinds of headcanons. If you've read any of my fics, you'd see that my Sebaciels are mostly fluffy & romantic, with some angst here and there, but when it comes to canon, I don't ever see them kissing, let alone saying 'I love you' or anything of that effect. Of course, I'm hoping to see them kiss in the last panel of the manga, but for them to be all lovey dovey? Eh... I don't think they have it in them...

I have some headcanons, but my one consistent headcanon is that they're soulmates and that Sebastian has finally find his match in Ciel. Even from the start, he's acknowledged that.

My favourite Sebaciel moments... BoM might be my favourite arc, but I really love Germany. From how worried Sebastian is about Ciel that he's willing to lower himself and serve Sieglinde, to how devastated he is that Ciel keeps rejecting him, and then he tries to eat Ciel and Ciel chooses him, and how relieved Sebastian looks afterwards, and of course, the part when he admits that he enjoys playing Ciel's butler. And then I love what happens after, ehen they're just hanging out in Ciel's room and teasing each other. This arc is the turning point of their relationship, or at least, these moments are when Sebastian shows us (the readers) that he has changed.

Thank you for your ask!

[yakumtsaki]

It’s the morning after Felina’s birthday disaster and the bozo bros are interrupted on their way to work-

-BY TWO SEPARATE THUNDER FIRES. HOLY HELL. Xander, I get that undying loyalty is the dog unique selling point, but could you please stop following these morons as they run towards the fire??

-Oh wow bro, that was a close one! -I cant’ believe none of us has died in a fire yet with how many of them we’re getting! -Tell me about it! It’s like something is trying to kill us!

Um ya, your own stupidity?? Just go to work. 

-Look at us, Servilia, two old ladies and still so limber, huhu!🌸 

Ok Cyn I’m starting to worry with all your wholesome pet interactions, don’t you wanna hook up with at least iVan?? I mean he’s right there!

-I don’t know, what’s the point of romantic interactions without Don here to catch me cheating?😔💗

Aw Cyn, so loyal, up there with Xander!

20K?!? FFS SANDY, at this point it’s literally costing us money to keep your dumb zombie ass employed.

-̵B̴U̶T I̷ G̵O̴T P̴R̴O̵M̵O̶T̷E̷D A̴N̸Y̵W̸A̷Y🧟‍♀️

Ya and made 3k total, so you still owe me 17k!

-̵A̸N̵D̷ Y̴O̶U O̷W̵E̴ M̷E̴ M̸Y L̴I̷F̴E🧟‍♀️

Ok well, we’ll call it even!

Look who finally managed to get an A+ now that he didn’t opt out of school.

-One day was all it took me, IN YOUR FACE, FAILINA

Ugh.

-Uncle Sugar look, I finally bested Failina! 

Felina always had good grades, what you did was finally REACH her.

-Great job, buddy! Now go take your nap and Uncle Sugar will be here to train you tomorrow for your big birthday fight!

Your big what?

-Failina is obviously going to counterattack and ruin MY upcoming birthday, idiot, so we’re training for it and I’M GONNA DESTROY HER. MUAHAHAHA. Now if you’ll excuse me it’s time for my nap-nap time with gram-gram.

Barth how can you be so wholesome and such a demon at the same time, I can’t. 

-Ah, nothing better than just standing here, getting drunk in this open space while it’s raining!

Sounds good to me, time to leave you unattended for even a second and go wash the dogs with Sophie-

-um, Sugar, why is your portrait missing from our family panel??

SUGAR??? SUGAR WTF

-With my last breath.. I’m gonna use this death animation as aesthetically as possible.. and slide down the bathroom wall..

OH MY GOD WHAT

OH MY GOD IT’S REAL WHAT IS HAPPENING 

-WAAAAAAAAAAAH BRO NOOOOOOOOO

WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED IM

-WHY SUGAR WHY. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DIE FOR NO CLEAR REASON 

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY WHAT ON EARTH. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW HE DIED

-Ok can you people take this somewhere else, I’m trying to admire myself here. 

-WAAAAH first my husband and now my nephew noooooo🌸

CYN PLEASE NOT NOW. Bro literally HOW did Sugar die, I feel he was struck by lighting or something and then made it to the bathroom and crawled up to die there?? I mean what the-

NO. NO WAY. JOJO.

-Hello :)

YOU KILLED SUGAR???

-Well all the fires weren’t working so I had to get creative!

OH MY GOD

-Great job, grandpa Jojo! Let me just clean all the death stink from in here..

YOU TWO ARE INSANE

-Grandma Sophie helped too, why do you think she rolled the want to wash the dogs?

OH MY GODDDD YOU ARE ALL PSYCHOS. Well whatever cause you know what?? Where others see a problem.. 

..I see a romantic opportunity! 

-Please don’t do this, we have suffered enough.

You really haven’t, now get dialing!

-̶I̵'̵M A̶L̷I̸V̵E̵!!!🧟

You got that about right!

-W̵H̴Y̴ A̴M ̵I̵ G̷R̸E̸Y. ̸O̵H̸ N̶O.F̴U̶C̴K̷ Y̶O̴U̴, A̷U̸N̴T̵ S̶H̸A̶J🧟

-😠😠😠😠😠

Welp.. You look great! 

Real talk, I STILL don’t know how Sugar died, he doesn’t have a memory of seeing a ghost OR being hit by lighting! Spontaneous combustion?? Wtf

-H̶E̸Y̴ ̵S̵A̷N̴D̸Y̶, N̸O̷T̴I̷C̴E A̵N̶Y̸T̴H̸I̶N̴G̵ D̴I̶F̷F̷E̶R̵E̸N̴T🧟 -I̴ ̸D̵O̵N̸'̴T̷, I̵ A̸L̸W̴A̷Y̵S H̶A̵V̵E T̸H̴I̶S S̵H̸O̵C̷K̴E̵D̵ A̴N̸D̴ A̷P̵P̵A̵L̶L̶E̷D̵ E̶X̸P̸R̶E̵S̸S̴I̷O̴N̷ ̶O̶N̴ M̴Y̸ F̴A̸C̷E🧟‍♀️

SANDY NO. PLEASE ACCEPT THE NEW HIM OTHERWISE I BROUGHT HIM BACK FOR NOTHING.

-Y̴O̷U̴'̶R̴E̸ E̵V̷E̷N̸ H̴O̵T̷T̴E̴R̵ N̷O̴W̶, Y̵O̵U̸ ̷B̴I̸G̶ ̵R̶O̷T̸T̴I̵N̴G H̴U̵N̶K🧟‍♀️

OH THANK GOD. Let’s take you crazy zombie kids out on a proper date!!!

-̴H̸E̶R̴E̶'̵S̴ T̷O̵ U̸S̴ A̴N̵D̵ A̸ ̵C̸L̴A̵S̷S̸Y̴ ̶R̶O̶M̵A̴N̵T̵I̵C E̶V̸E̶N̵I̷N̶G̵🧟 -C̸L̷I̷N̷K̴ ̷C̸L̴I̸N̵K̴🧟‍♀️

-N̶O̸M̷ ̴N̶O̶M̴🧟‍♀️   -G̶O̶O̴D B̸R̷A̵I̵N̸S̵ T̶O̶N̶I̶G̷H̷T🧟

Ya ok I officially ship it.

CUTE❤️

AWWWWW🧟‍♀️❤️🧟

-̴I̷ L̶O̴V̴E̸ Y̷O̷U S̷A̶N̵D̶Y̵, W̸E̵ H̶A̴D̸ T̸O̷ D̴I̷E̵ S̶O̵ W̴E̵ C̷O̸U̷L̶D ̵B̸E̸ T̷O̴G̵E̵T̷H̷E̵R🧟 -W̴E̷L̵L I̸ D̵I̸D̸N̴'̷T H̴A̷V̷E̷ T̸O D̴I̵E T̸W̴I̸C̵E🧟‍♀️ -B̷O̵T̸H̴ Y̴O̶U̷R̸ D̵E̴A̸T̴H̴S̴ W̴E̸R̴E G̴R̷A̶N̷D̶P̴A̵ J̵O̶J̵O̷'̷S̴ F̷A̵U̸L̸T̴ A̸N̶D N̴O̸W̷ H̴E̷ ̷K̶I̷L̸L̸E̴D̴ M̶E T̸O̵O🧟 -Y̶O̷U̶'̵R̸E R̷I̵G̶H̸T̴,W̴E̵ ̵O̶W̷E̸ O̴U̸R̸ H̶A̸P̵P̸I̸N̷E̸S̵S̶ T̸O H̵I̵M🧟‍♀️ -I̶ W̷A̸S A̵L̸W̷A̴Y̴S H̴I̸S F̷A̷V̸O̶R̵I̶T̸E🧟

[wirewitchviolet]

A Teachable Moment

So I hopped into some freshly minted Discord server, maybe a month ago, and the norms of it still haven't settled into place. It's open to the public and focused on a game, so there's a bit of a mixed crowd, let's say, and prior to the incident I'm setting up the backstory for, there hasn't really been a test of their ability to moderate their damn public spaces.

Also when I say there's a mixed crowd I mean there's both a good number of trans women (because if you are making a deep game for a niche audience, we're gonna make up a shockingly high percentage of that audience every time), and a few right-wing extremists doing their best to "hide their power levels" (because if you create and promote literally any sort of social space, they WILL show up to test for whether local conditions are suitable enough to build a nest). In the early days of things they mostly kept their masks on aside from using the nazi frog as a reaction image to things (which IS something everyone should have a zero tolerance policy towards, but I feel like I need to know someone fairly well before I can explain that one), and their eyes lighting up when they see the server rules include "no politics" (a perfectly fine policy to have but you need to understand that if you post it you WILL have to constantly ban nazis who think you're using "politics" like they do- a euphemism for all the people they want dead).

Anyway, there's a few people on my radar here, but everyone's been civil enough, and it's a pretty relaxed vibe. Pretty quiet. Mostly just icebreaker talk. The most prolific poster is this one guy who saw there was a pet photo channel and just kinda sat down and made a point of posting several images a day to it, of a particularly uncommon sort of cute pet. Naturally this lead some people to ask some follow-up questions about whether these are his and how long he's had them, and this yielded the pretty damn weird in retrospect response that no, he has no pets at all, but would like one of these some day.

Now, this isn't at all the main thrust of this, and I wouldn't like, start keeping vigil for this as a sign of troublemakers, but a thing that undercover bigots do all the time as can be seen here is set up in a community and just kinda spam harmless generic platitudes and such to try and establish themselves as a known chill person. This goes double for anywhere that has a general public/trusted community members split. Never just go by "well he seems pretty chill" for giving people access to more private spaces, they can wait as long as they need, generally, as long as they don't have to improvise a normal person response to a situation where bigotry is in play.

Anyway, getting to the main event, a few days ago in this server, someone posted some cute little comic which... you know let me just find it.

Clever little subversion there. Got a polite chuckle out of the bulk of those paying attention, but seeing a nice wholesome bit of trans positivity incensed pet-poster guy, who immediately shouts "I've seen another version of that comic!" and posts a variation I am absolutely not going to share where the girl in the last panel is dead.

That is as clear cut of a do not pass go, do not collect $200, ban that piece of garbage permanently without a word and delete the post as soon as you can before anyone has to see that sort of hate directed at them offense in absolutely any community. Even moreso in this case as in the time it took a moderator to notice, this creep was going full mask off and responding to everyone's horrified reactions with grotesque anti-trans propaganda of a particularly hardcore "my other hangouts have openly posted swastikas" variety.

Here, people did delete the profoundly offensive comic, but then, to be blunt, otherwise handled this like a kindergarten teacher seeing a kid grab the blocks another kid was playing with and just nonchalantly explaining some basic manners. First off, nobody goes that hard on hate speech accidentally, and more importantly, showing a lack of willingness to dole out any real consequences for such an open act of hate has an emboldening effect. Sure enough the other sleeper agents present jumped up to try and push things farther, encouraging them to also remove the comic above, ban any mention of trans people, and jump the gun with prepared responses that don't work in context (you call everyone you don't like a nazi! Both sides are wrong! etc.).

I came pretty close to just quitting the server on response to that, but stuck it out a bit to double check if this wasn't just one particularly green mod trying to put the fire out before double checking if that's ban worthy when someone else was awake, or if I needed to explain the code-talk in the following conversation, or hell, if they just need more mods. I'm decidedly overqualified for that sort of thing.

Anyway, moderation policy handled that poorly... and to be clear, I'm not pinning that on any one person, basically everyone who ends up in a position of authority has a gut instinct to moderate as laxly as possible and needs some real training, reading, or tragic experience to learn how vital a firm swift hand is if you don't want people like this to show up and drive everyone else away. Especially not going to put this on the one green volunteer awake at 4 AM or whatever.

Still, the ball was dropped here, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how the rest of the community stepped up to hold their ground. Over the next couple of days, people just started casually dropping every cute trans positive thing they had handy in there, agreeing with each other that it was all nice and sweet. This both reestablished that chat as a relatively safe place to exist with a kind general vibe, and really got under the skin of these mask off nazis who started throwing tantrums. Apparently they just started privately messaging the mods to flag every single wholesome little image or comic as offensive to the point where people higher up the food chain came in, did some more serious reprimanding, and added an explicit policy against transphobia to their TOS... and threatened to ban these people if they pull this crap again.

Now, that increased firmness plus the community in general making it pretty damn clear they don't tolerate hate does seem to have scared the bigots into hiding (the one guy made this pathetic desperate effort to retake power by threatening to stop posting the animal pictures... that he's just pulling out of an image search, it was pretty funny), but... they're still there. The people they were threatening both broadly and as specific individuals still have to be careful not to share anything these scumbags can screencap and weaponize against them, and I'm sure at some time in the future when it's clear there's no mods awake they're going to pipe back up to do as much damage as they can in a blaze of glory if spying on all the queer people doesn't pay out for them, so while it is nice to see how just actively rejecting this sort of ideology can at least temporarily shut this crap down even without people in authority taking real action, I want to reiterate what responsibilities those in authority are neglecting here.

As a moderator of literally any sort of space, your basic duties are to keep things safe and to keep things civil. Those are two separate duties. Don't ever try and merge them together, and don't ever forget that safety must always take priority over civility.

If you see a situation where people are just getting randomly heated and angry over something inconsequential (happens a lot), yes, by all means, try to just deescalate things by stepping through just taking a stern tone, formal warnings, timeouts, 3 strike rules, temporary bans, etc. These are situations where we can hope that people who otherwise get along just let their emotions get out of hand and will hopefully shake hands and make up after having some time to cool off.

If on the other hand you see a situation where someone is threatening/antagonizing/intimidating someone else, especially in a case like this where the reason is transparently that the offender is a bigot who genuinely wishes harm or death on the target, there are no steps to escalate through. You remove the dangerous person from the community immediately, no exceptions, no warnings, no escalating response scale. That nazi posting crap about trans women in nooses, Jews in ovens, black people holding spears, women being raped etc. is not a friend having a rough day. There can be no reconcilliation no matter how much time you give. You just have a predator here to whittle your community down, and a vulnerable person who needs you to reassure them that they are safe in your community. The only option that should be on the table is the permanent zero appeals ban, and you should have no hesitation in deploying it.

Oh and here's the part where I remember that I am going to lose my home by the end of the year if I don't ask people to throw more money at me (this is a link). I hate doing this, but my other options for income went up in flames so completely I don't even know how to start to rebuild.

[roydeezed]

Chainsaw Man-Chapter Round-Up(Chapter 128)

Nevermind what I said last time ya’ll, they make each other worse. While there isn’t a lot to talk about this week, I still want to talk about this chapter ‘cause it was way too goddamn funny.

Asa is so ace-coded here, I love her so much. On a side note I am really curious about the direction Fujimoto will take with Asa in terms of being Ace or not. Like with Togata from Fire Punch we know that Fujimoto is down with depictions outside of the gender binary but I wonder if her being possibly asexual is something that will be explored. Though she was down to kiss Denji before Nayuta came in so I think it might be because she's just uncomfortable talking with someone she perceives as a creep. (I posted this and then I had to come back and make a dumb pun. More like Ace-A Mitaka amright?)

The way she goes from freaking out about dying to just straight up insulting Denji. My favourite autistic girl.

But honestly, I know this chapter makes it look like they make each other worse, but it makes me believe that they're gonna work through things together. I could see it going several ways, with her not even finding out about Denji's identity and falling on love with both halves or only just his human half. Depending on what happens there could be really wholesome message about accepting flaws. This interaction makes me think that their Human sides will fall for each other's human sides while the devil sides will fall for each other's devil sides.

Can I just say how much I love Falling Devil. While she's unphased by almost everything, she still calls Denji a pervert. Which he is. I love her characterization so much. I know there's basically no permanent cast but if there was, I would want her to be in it.

This panel makes me wonder who fakesaw man is. Like it's probably Yoshida, right? The way he doesn't call him Denji. I also would love to see some Spider-Man like shenanigans with Denji's double identity, because I could see him hiding it just so he can get with Asa. Also, hiding till sunrise is such a weird request, I wonder why that is. Maybe whoever made the contact with Falling was only able to summon her till then? This chapter was hilarious but I do miss when Fujimoto got to take his time and put out longer chapters. It's kind of the opposite of One Piece in that regards. I don't know why but it feels like Fujimoto just thrives in longer formats. I wish he had more room to breathe.

[my-excellent-bicycle]

Taskmaster Dream Contestants

Whenever people bring up their dream contestants, a few names always rattle around in my head, but I've never actually sat down and wrote out a proper list until today.

I should mention that Ivo Graham would be on this list if I wrote it several months ago, and I'm incredibly hyped to see what disastrous things he gets himself into during S15.

David O'Doherty

I mean, if you've been following my blog at all, this should be a no-brainer. He's a perfect mix of silly, wholesome, and weird that would be perfect for the show, with a hint of athleticism as well. And he hangs out with lots of TM-related people like Alex Horne, Tim Key, Rose Matafeo, Dara O Briain, and others to the point whether I question why he hasn't been on already. Only time will tell whether he becomes one of the fandom's beloved "old men." (A term I use loosely since he's in his 40s.)

Rob Brydon

I'll admit I only know him from Would I Lie To You and his Brydon & podcast (I haven't seen his stuff with Steve Coogan), but Rob seems like the type of contestant who isn't afraid to get into humiliating situations, while also having that combative banter side that Greg would waste no time trying to put down. And I guarantee you he'll try to squeeze in an impression whenever he can.

Susan Calman

Whenever I see Susan in the lineup on a panel show, I already know I'm gonna enjoy it. Her enthusiasm is insanely infectious, and I just know she'll want to throw herself head first into any task she'll get. Her QI episodes are legendary, and the way she can steer the entire room towards the weirdest situations has made me cry laughing numerous times. And she also seems to have a sweeter side to her that will surely make her a fan favorite.

Harriet Kemsley

There's a specific clip I saw of Harriet Kemsley on Hypothetical that was just pure insanity, and made me go "yeah, she's gonna be great on Taskmaster." Unfortunately the clip isn't accessible on US YouTube anymore for some reason, so you're gonna have to take my word for it. Between that one wild Hypothetical appearance, and her appearances on Catsdown and Guessable, Harriet is sure to be among the "chaotic" contestants, bursting with nervous energy. Something tells me that she'll also torment Alex during the tasks. Think Bridget Christie on TM but x20 at least.

Adam Hills

Can you believe I nearly forgot to include Adam Hills on this list? He's always a joy to watch on The Last Leg, and just appears to be a great human all around. He's athletic and has a great competitive spirit, but also very down to earth. Oh, and he's also hilarious and witty, and I bet he'll bring some level of sass to the studio portions of the show, with maybe a joke or two about his leg thrown in there.

Henry Paker

A bit of a left-field choice, but anyone who listens to the Three Bean Salad podcast (which also features Mike Wozniak) would agree that Henry is an odd man. His tangents on the podcast are legendary, and happen so often that someone actually calculated the speaking time between all three podcast hosts, determining Henry spoke over 10x longer than the others. His Wikipedia page sorta reads like a press release, and says Ivo Graham once called Henry's 2010 show the "funniest stand up he's ever seen." I could see him reaching Ardal or Bob levels of absurdity on the show.

Miles Jupp

I don't really know much about Miles' comedy outside of his appearances on Catsdown, but every time I see him show up during the introductions, I already know it's gonna be a great watch. His chemistry with Sean Lock (who would have easily been included on this list if things were different) was always a treat to watch, and I could watch them shoot the shit for hours on that show and not get bored.

Jamie Laing

This might be a controversial choice, since I've seen lots of people call him irritating. I know Jamie has his roots in reality TV (which I haven't watched), but the instances in which he's rubbed shoulders with comedians have really warmed me to the idea of seeing him on Taskmaster. Watching him be "confident" on House of Games despite being absolute shit at the quizzes is the perfect attitude I'd want in a Taskmaster contestant, and the comedian interviews he's done on his Private Parts podcast were excellent, and shows he already has great rapport with more established comics.

Richard Ayoade and David Mitchell

Both of these are cliche answers to the question "who do you want to see on Taskmaster," but they're brought up often for a reason: it would make for amazing television. A prevailing notion that's repeated when the prospect of Richard on TM is mentioned is that he "has a persona that he wouldn't want to break." This might also be true for David, but the joy of Taskmaster is how the show pushes back against personas and presents comedians for who they are, rather than how they would necessarily prefer to be seen. The idea of David having a breakdown over a silly, inconsequential task given to him would be the stuff of dreams, and I could already see Richard starting a task saying "I wouldn't want to do that," before immersing himself in the weirdness presented to him. Will they ever go on TM? Probably not. Do I still want it to happen? For sure. Listen, if VCM could agree, so could her husband.

And as a bonus, here's a list of comedians I don't know as much about aside from brief appearances on shows or podcasts, but have impressed me enough to want them on TM:

Jayde Adams

Cariad Lloyd

Darren Harriot

Ahir Shah

Sam Simons

Huge Davies

Nick Helm

[namshyeee]

Lynn Yamada Davis, a TikTok creator who entertained millions of people with her zany style and cooking tips on her account, Cooking With Lynja, died on Jan. 1 in Red Bank, N.J. She was 67.

The cause of death, in Riverview Medical Center, was esophageal cancer, her daughter Hannah Mariko Shofet said. Ms. Davis lived in Holmdel, N.J.

Ms. Davis began creating the wholesome Cooking With Lynja videos in 2020 with her youngest child, Tim Davis, to help keep up his cinematography skills during the pandemic lockdown.

Her social media accounts have remained active after her death, because she had asked him to post videos that had already been edited. One such video shows the two of them looking for truffles in Italy.

“My mom was like my partner in crime,” Mr. Davis, 27, who edited the TikTok account, said in a phone interview.

Something else she requested, Mr. Davis said, was that he post a few older videos that they had made together about a decade ago.

Those early versions of what would later become an international TikTok sensation known for their lightheartedness were a way for Mr. Davis to learn how to make the food his mother cooked “as well as have a time capsule,” he said.

After the last Cooking With Lynja videos are uploaded the account will stop posting, he said.

Cooking With Lynja began in 2020 and gained wide attention with a video in which the 5-foot-tall Ms. Davis makes a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich while showing off some quirky dance moves. Soon, about one million people were following her offbeat content. (Today, the account has more than 17 million followers.) Potential sponsors noted the videos’ success and started contacting her.

More than three years later, the Cooking With Lynja YouTube account has nearly 10 million subscribers, and Ms. Davis’s Instagram account has more than two million followers.

In 2022, Forbes included Ms. Davis on its annual “50 over 50” list, which pays tribute to successful women over 50 years old. And she won Streamy Awards, honoring online videos, in the editing and food categories. In 2023, she attended the Forbes Women’s Summit in Abu Dhabi, where she spoke on a panel.

Lynn Yamada Davis was born on July 31, 1956, in New York City and lived most of her early life in Fort Lee, N.J. Her father, Tadao Yamada, was a businessman, and her mother, Mabel Fujisake Yamada, ran the household.

She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and earned a master’s degree in business administration as well as public health from the Columbia University Business School.

Ms. Davis worked for Bell Labs (now AT&T Labs) and had a long career in telecommunications before her unexpected TikTok fame, Ms. Shofet, her daughter, said.

“She had this whole chapter as a groundbreaking female engineer, and she was very proud of that,” she added.

As a TikTok star Ms. Davis would get recognized around the world, including in Japan and Italy, where she traveled with her youngest son, Tim. Sean Davis, her other son, is a professional soccer player who used to be a midfielder for the New York Red Bulls and now plays for the Nashville Soccer Club.

“She was my first coach,” he said. When she would visit him in Nashville, he said, she’d get recognized in the street, often by young people who use TikTok a lot.

“That’s how I realized how famous she was,” Sean Davis said. “People would ask for pictures, and I would take the picture.”

Most of all, Cooking With Lynja provided Ms. Davis with much fun, Tim Davis said. With special effects that have tiny versions of Ms. Davis flying across the screen and quotes like “Lynja’s got that dope!” her videos appealed to several generations of viewers. In her videos she is seen preparing all kinds of foods, heard sinking her teeth into crispy sandwiches or potatoes, and shown karate-chopping Ramen noodles and much more.

Ms. Davis was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2019, which affected her voice. Two years later she was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. In one video, Ms. Davis bakes cookies for the medical workers who treated her.

In addition to her daughter Hannah and her sons, Ms. Davis is survived by her second husband, Keith Davis; another daughter, Becky Steinberg; two siblings, Jay Yamada and Karen Dolce Yamada; and two grandchildren. Her first marriage, to Hank Steinberg, ended in divorce.

In her final years Ms. Davis got to travel around the world, meet people as well as cook and eat amazing food, Sean Davis said. He added, “I just think her final chapter was exactly how she would have wanted it to be written.”

A correction was made on Jan. 12, 2024: An earlier version of a picture caption with this article misstated the surname of Lynn Yamada Davis’s brother. He is Jay Yamada, not Jay Davis.

Article by: Claire Moses

Related link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/11/dining/lynja-davis-cooking-tiktok-dead.html%23:~:text%3DLynn%2520Yamada%2520Davis%252C%2520a%2520TikTok,daughter%2520Hannah%2520Mariko%2520Shofet%2520said.&ved=2ahUKEwj54vHkmNmDAxUCwjgGHcmJD4IQFnoECBAQBQ&usg=AOvVaw3LVu4CRgXFfh9eWXrv6Yhy

Namo, Julius

Sarmiento, Jizel Chinnji

Salamanca, Amalia

[lan-star]

I've been scrolling last night liking any Laserhawk post I thought was either wholesome, funny, generally nice, or was something I've seen around on Google or Pinterest already and I figured I'd share to my fellow members in the Laserhawk community one of my ocs for a fan project I currently have a prequel Q&A for (the project basically follows the show's plot but in my ocs' perspective as citizens mostly in the background) [FT. Some others for some context/mentions]

Her name is Rosea (I have yet to confirm ages for any of my ocs in the project but most of them are adults) she is a mushroom hybrid who was raised with her brother Robert with her aunt and uncle who work with a friend of hers at the diner (the one shown near the end of the show) she's a swordfighter (based on Scarlet from Brawlhalla even though I've never played the game so apologies to Brawlhalla fans if Rosea doesn't have any similar traits to Scarlet her design is based on multiple skins from the game that I looked up on Google)

I'll drop a link to my tiktok for the prequel Q&A but first some art I have of Rosea already

^

| Redraws of two Bullfrog Screencaps (+ a bonus version with Rosea blushing I kinda hated how I drew her mouth for the open mouth one although I was trying my hardest to get it to match it's respective screencap)

^

| More flustered Rosea doodles because I felt silly when I made these

^

| A frame from an animatic for the project (Robert [Rosea's brother], Rosea, and Billy Gruff [Another one of Rosea's friends] helping Rayman/Ramon rescue Bullfrog from the execution- the animatic was a joke about Billy Gruff's little buddy Pistachio- a tiny chipmunk distracting one of the Eden workers/guards and failing)

(For context this is Pistachio- I used a real photo of a chipmunk when making Pistachio on the spot for that animatic)

Getting back on track

A panel from the Q&A intro (spilt it into two parts, the first part already up and the second to be up when I get some asks to have the cast respond to)

|

v

"At least you have a love life unlike my sister here"- Robert

For context the first mentioned friend of Rosea and Robert is Sheila- a fish hybrid is distressed about how she's never had a long lasting relationship {all of the relationships she's had were short lasting and kinda crappy} meanwhile Rosea has never shown any interest in pursuing a relationship with anybody mainly out of focus for her swordfighting in case of an event where she would need to protect her friends and family (I don't have a good refrence in my artstyle to reveal Sheila yet but I do have a picrew refrence to share with you all)

[CREDIT TO RAWRAVERA ON PICREW]

Her design is inspired by Ariel from the Little Mermaid (The animated one from Disney not Live action also from Disney- but if I were to make a human design for her, her skin tone might be like the Live Action one) She's also a huge fan of Rayman's show and wants to have of show of her own one day, to start she decides to provide a sort of phone hotline service at the diner to provide entertainment for patrons who are there by having her and her friends respond to any questions or comments for whoever calls the hotline (thus the Q&A)

If you have tiktok and you would like to leave anything for the Q&A I'll drop the link here (if not you can leave any asks in the comments here and I'll share the responses on both here and my Tiktok)

I might also drop the animatic I shared some frames for in the future depending on if the Q&A for my fan project gets anywhere (yes the project is called Secrets Of Eden as mentioned in the Tiktok to save any confusion)

[peach-the-owl]

Good grief that last post! So cute! I NEED more Matt interacting with the child reader that dynamic seemed so cute and wholesome. So if your comfortable I'd like to ask please, please for a Matt x child reader. Maybe just little kiddo being a regular crew member, attending comic con and being asked who their favorite cast member is and almost everyone at the panel responding with Matt. When Matt's like um?¿? They remind him of cute moments that support their claim. Like a clip show. Just an idea, really I'd be happy with anything. Thanks! Love your writing.

I had fun with this one 😊 Now is this an older ask? Yes. Is this cheating because Matt is a real person and not an npc? Well, Matt’s the DM which by extension means that he plays every npc so therefore I’m saying it counts.

Who’s Your Favourite?

Crit Role Cast & Child!Reader

(Mostly Matt & Child!Reader but you get the idea)

Disclaimer: I do not speak on behalf of any of the actual cast. This is just a fictional scenario meant to be for fun

You loved Comic Con, the sights, the cosplays, the merch, the panels, just everything. You skip around the con taking everything in.

“Hey, don’t be wandering off too far without me.” You hear Matt chuckle as he walks over to your beaming face.

“I can’t help it! Look at all the cool stuff.” You gesture to everything around you.

“I know, believe me I know, and we’ll have plenty of time to look around but we need to set up for our panel.” Matt reminds you.

“Oh yeah! Let’s go! Let’s go!” You bounce in place. Matt let’s out another chuckle as Marisha finally joins the two of you.

“Whhaaat, are you two having all the fun without me.” She teases.

“No, never… maybe a little.” Matt teases back. The three of you finally making your way to where you’ll be holding your panel. You sat and watched while everyone scrambled around preparing the last few touches for your panel, being joined by Matt who sits next to you acting over exhausted.

“Whew! Boy am I beat!” He sighs, you giggle at his antics.

“No you’re not, the staff did most of the work.” You point out matter-of-factly.

“And it was exhausting watching them.” He jokes. You give him a light shove, the both of you laughing before having to be called back while they open the theatre for fans to be seated. You wait in impatient anticipation to start, and finally, once the audience was seated you all took your seats at the table to start the panel.

The panel had be going really well and it was now time for any audience members to ask you guys any questions they had, you listened to fans questions and answered any as best as possible.

“Uhh hi, I have a question for (y/n).” You perk up and look to the dark auditorium. “So I was wondering, who is your favourite member of the cast.” You hesitate, genuinely trying to think of how to answer, you liked everyone and being put on the spot like this made it extra hard.

“It’s Matt!” Everyone says in near unison, except for you and Matt himself.

“Ummm… what?” He looks to everyone confused.

“Don’t act like it isn’t true. (Y/n) follows you everywhere around the studio.” Liam starts.

“Not to mention that time when they came running to you first during a blackout. (Y/n) could’ve gone to anyone else but they specifically sot you out.” Taliesin adds.

“And I haven’t forgotten when they shared their snack with you and not me.” Travis ‘accuses’, some people in the audience giving a soft laugh at the memory.

“This goes both ways just so you guys know.” Laura jumps in, talking directly to the audience.

“Yeah, don’t think we didn’t notice the rolls you’ve fudged for (y/n)’s sake. There have been plenty of times you gave them a free win.” Marisha gives Matt a smug side eye.

“You mean those cool moments weren’t real?” You speak up confused and everyone quickly goes a into a little bit of awkward silence.

“Of course they were kiddo, they’re all just jealous they couldn’t be you in that moment.” Matt encourages, giving a small but playful glare to the rest of the cast. A few more fans got to ask some questions before the panel officially came to a close and you were free to roam the con again, getting some food to re-energize yourself before going around and admiring the different cosplays people had.

After a few more scheduled panels and meet and greets with fans the day was coming to a close and you were exhausted. You try and fail to fight back a yawn rubbing your eyes in an attempt to shake the feeling away.

“Someone tired?” Marisha asks, you shake your head stubbornly. “Awww, I think you are.” She crouches down to meet your eye level, seeing the obvious exhaustion in you eyes. You look away from her with a small pout, you didn’t want the day to be over just yet and you certainly didn’t want to miss any fun activities that could take place. Marisha gives Matt a side look.

“What?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Well you are the favourite, so do something.” He gives her a playful eye roll followed by a chuckle.

“Am I really your favourite?” He asks you. You don’t respond, instead lifting your arms up to him and making grabby hands, he lets out a content hum. “Alright, alright. Come here.” He lifts you up and adjusts you so your head is resting on his should, instantly you pass out. The two adults almost laugh at how fast you gave up trying to stay awake.

“Told ya so.” Marisha lightly teases.

“Yeah yeah.” Matt waves off. “You head over to restaurant with the others, I’ll drop them off at the hotel and meet you all there.”

“Sure thing.” With that the two head in separate direction.

You’re placed in bed and handed your favourite plushie you unconsciously snuggle into, Matt whispers a quick goodnight to you before heading out leaving you to dream away in wonderland.

[hehevoldy]

Didn't know Wells was Clarke's first boyfriend I hope nothing happens between them in the books or any other love triangles but since it's a YA it might I just thought it would be interesting if they kept that aspect in the show for when Jaha enters the story and we see that relationship on the show because he basically shot his own father for Octavia lol Okay I'm going to be real Bellamy's death was because of Jason being petty Bob wanted some time off for his mental health so Jason wrote his death there's been confirmation that Bellamy wasn't supposed to die I actually think the entire plotline with Bellamy was horrible and should never of happened it made no sense I hated how everyone turned their back on him. Did they relly go "uggh" evertime someone mentioned Bellarke how come I thought they liked the ship? I will never watch anything from Jason again he ruined this series I was only watching the last season because of Bellarke and we didn't get anything with them I thought she would of done what he did last season doing everything to save him but nope we never got them to even kiss unless you count the cpr scene :(

At least in the books he is. The love triangle is very one-sided, though.

I don't remember if he knows that Jaha is his father at first 🤔 I donated the books to, so I might have to find an ebook if I want to reread them at some point.

Bob didn't deserve all of that. For me, he carried the show from the start. There were amazing characters on the show but one of the only ones that was giving the 100% from the start was Bellamy's character.

They were annoyed by the questions about Bellarke, but from what I understand, it was because at every freaking panel somebody asked about Bellarke.

I feel so sad about all the wasted potential with them. Jason did everyone super dirty. They deserved a good and wholesome storyline. Not a 'happily ever after,' but a 'they have each other so they'll be ok' kind of thing because that's what their relationship was all about. Instead, we got a Bellamy who was ok with torturing Madi and a Clarke that killed him for nothing.

Now I want to watch Bellarke edits on youtube just to remember all the possibilities 😩

[j-graysonlibrary]

Heartbeats; Paradise Chapter 9

Title: Heartbeats; Paradise

Author: Jay Grayson

Word Count: 112K

Genres: Psychological thriller, drama, sci-fi, LGBT+

Available on: Kobo and my website

Synopsis: Melvin Hardy and Kade Axel appear to be a match made in heaven. After a meet-cute in the rain, the two quickly find themselves in a burgeoning, wholesome relationship.

Yet, things feel…off. It isn’t the ghosts of their pasts that resurface to test the strength of their partnership—no—it’s something nebulous. Something indescribable. Melvin can’t put his finger on it but, the more time he spends with Kade, the more he starts to wonder what’s real and what’s pure fiction. 

Full chapter 9 under the cut:

Chapter Nine:

I follow the directions my phone gives me to some ritzy apartment complex in a part of town that I usually ignore. None of Kade and I’s dates have ever taken us remotely near this area and I wonder who he knows here. There is no name on the note so I’m going in blind.

Perhaps an old friend, I assume, and someone Nate doesn’t know about. Or, my heart warns, an ex that Kade hasn’t felt comfortable enough to tell me about.

It would be a perfect revenge for what I did.

It makes sense.

I still hope that’s not the case even if my gut screams that it’s probably true.

I swallow down my fears and my pride, knowing that when I see Kade I need to be kind and apologetic. Though I can only hope that I say what I mean to say instead on instigating things further. I feel I have a little more control over myself, at least, and I practice what I’ll say when I see him.

‘Kade, I’m so sorry about what I said. I didn’t mean any of it and you were right. I absolutely should have told you about Gladis. You have every right to be mad. What can I do to make it up to you?’

It’s a little wordy but I think it covers everything. And, if it doesn’t work, I’ll throw myself at his feet and beg if I have to.

The apartment complex is even fancier on the inside and my thoughts are stolen by the majesty of the interior design. Large paintings, marble sculptures, and gold trim are everywhere and the floors are so clean that they’re reflective. The walls too—I keep getting startled by my own reflection as I pass through.

I reach the elevator and, based on the apartment number, I push the number five on the panel. I don’t run into any other people and the halls are quiet, unnerving me in a way I find hard to describe. It’s almost as if I’m somewhere I’m not supposed to be.

My palms begin to sweat as I approach the correct door and I repeat my script in my mind again, just to be sure I have it down.

The door is black with gold lining, like all the others I’ve passed, and I freeze in front of it. Underneath the number, there is a name plaque and I read over it several times as I’m sure I must be reading it incorrectly.

It doesn’t make any sense.

O. Friar.

My heart thunders but now it’s got less to do with nerves and more to do with a vicious rage I had, somehow, forgotten about. Friar is not a common last name and there aren’t many names that can start with the letter O. If it isn’t him then I will be surprised but I know that it’s him.

I know it is.

My hands clench into fists and I resist the urge to beat the door down without warning. The one thing that sticks out to me—that centers me—is the fact Bree gave me the address. She knows something I don’t and I want to see what that is and, probably, I’ll need to be calm to understand it.

I push the buzzer and I try not to swallow my tongue or be overcome by my red hot anger. I need to be able to get answers—especially if Kade really is in there with this man.

I hear footsteps on the other side of the door and then the shuffling of metal as the locks are clicked out of place. “Are you finally here for my sample? I’ve been waiting—”

The door opens and the man stops instantly as he realizes I’m not the person he thought he was talking to. I’m frozen in place as well but for a very different reason.

Oswald is a few inches taller than me, enough to leer down at me and enough for a shadow to be cast over his eyes. I can still see that they are brown, matching his wild and curly hair and his unkempt eyebrows knot together in confusion. Spotty stubble covers his face and I see a forest of hair peeking out from the top of his white T-shirt, similar to the hair on his head.

He smells strongly of alcohol and cigarettes with an after hint of general body odor. I doubt he’s had guests for a while unless they don’t mind the state of him.

But, apparently, Kade must not mind if Bree thinks he’s here.

“You’re not from the agency, are you?” Oswald asks and frowns down at me.

I shake my head and then push my way inside with surprisingly little resistance from the giant man. “KADE!” I call out and search the immediate vicinity for him.

Like Oswald himself, the living room and kitchen areas are a mess and covered with discarded clothes and empty dishes. A piano is set up in the far corner and sheet music is scattered about haphazardly. It’s hard to imagine he’s some prestigious teacher with this scene before me.

I hear the door shut and I turn to see Oswald looking at me with narrowed eyes. “Did you say…Kade? Kade…Axel?”

“Don’t play dumb,” I snap and point a finger at him, “He’s here, isn’t he?”

I continue to look, ready to intrude into his hallway and bedrooms if I have to.

“He’s not here,” the man tells me and brings my attention back to him, “I’ve never even met him.”

“What?” I say before it fully sinks in. All of my anger simmers and I drop my arms, staring at him as if he’s spoken in a foreign language.

Hasn’t met him?

How can he say that?

As if thrown into a crackling fire, my rage returns just as ferociously as when I first heard Kade tell the awful story. I grab the man’s filthy white T-shirt and I roll my fists in it, wringing the material tight in my hold. I throw him against the wall dividing the kitchen from the living room. I don’t even question the fact he doesn’t resist me. It doesn’t matter.

“You bastard! How can you say you’ve never even met him when you molested him?!”

I see nothing but red and I swear I can kill him.

I should, after all.

He hurt Kade.

He hurt the person I love more than anyone in the entire world.

He deserves to die.

All people like him deserve to die.

I’d be doing the world a favor by snuffing out his life here and now.

Yet…his blank, unbothered face sucks the fury right out of me.

I can’t stay as mad when he’s not responding.

The silence permeates the room until Oswald takes my hands and removes them. He’s incredibly strong to do so without hurting me because I’m still gripping as hard as I can. His fingers lock into mine, loosening them and pushing them away.

I’m no longer so sure I can fight him and win.

“I mean…” he sighs. “I know that I, Oswald Friar, assaulted a fourteen year old boy named Kade Axel but I don’t remember it at all.”

I don’t understand and I’m not sure I want to either. Still, I ask with a snarl, “What do you mean?”

“There’s text in my mind, telling me this.” Oswald points to his temple. “But I don’t actually remember it. I have things that I just…know. Like how your name is Melvin Hardy and you’re currently dating Kade Axel but I don’t think I was supposed to meet you yet.”

“How do you…?” I step away from him, my anger entirely replaced with bewilderment and a small dose of fright.

He shrugs. “I woke up in this apartment the other week with a few chunks of text in my head. The thing about Kade and the fact that I’m a composer who does commissions and…well, that’s about it. I don’t remember any of this myself—I couldn’t even tell you what Kade looks like. Couldn’t pick him out of a crowd but, apparently, I molested him. It doesn’t feel like something I’d do but…who am I to argue? I don’t even know who I am.”

This is scary—mostly because I’m inclined to believe him. It’s a weird lie, if it is one, and it doesn’t help him much. My stomach twists into knots and I feel the hair rise on the back of my neck.

“You…you don’t remember anything about your past? Do you have amnesia or something?”

“I can’t say for sure.” Oswald looks up at the ceiling as he says, “I don’t know anything about my childhood, what I like to do, what my beliefs are…nothing. I tried to go out into town and jog something in me but, each time I leave my building I’m compelled to go back inside. It’s only in here that I have some peace in my mind but this emptiness tortures me.”

My hands begin to shake and I hang on every one of his words.

I feel my lips tremble as I ask for clarification, “What do you mean…compelled?”

Oswald’s head snaps back down and there is life in him for a change—a spark in his eye. “Do you feel it too, Melvin?”

It’s more than a little weird to hear him say my name when I never introduced myself. But I push that aside and give a terse nod. “I think so…”

“It’s her, right?” He starts to smile at the prospect of a connection but I’m lost again.

Her? I think and then repeat it aloud, “Her?”

“It’s a female voice—I’m pretty sure.” Oswald starts to pace back and forth in front of me. “It sure as hell isn’t my voice. It’s not my thoughts. Not my actions.” He then stops and stares at me. “What is it making you do?”

I’m uncomfortable being put on the spot but I gulp and think back to just a few hours ago. I intended to say completely different things to what actually came out of my mouth. If someone besides me is experiencing this, I’d like to know about it. Mostly, what is it, exactly, and what I can do about it.

“I fought with Kade…said things I didn’t want to.” I shift my attention to the side as the memories replay in my mind. “And not in a heat of the moment fighting kind of way…I tried to say other things but the confrontational words came out instead. Is that…is that what happens to you too?”

“Well I haven’t spoken to anyone until now—to you,” Oswald admits as if the statement, alone, isn’t bizarre, “So I can’t say on that front. But I certainly can’t move on my own outside.”

I take it all in but I’m still baffled. My mind is at war with itself and I can’t decide on what I want to think—what I want to believe. I’m not sure I’ve ever had this much on my mind before. Usually, it’s one or two issues at a time and not exactly complex ones. This is a lot.

And I don’t have an answer.

Oswald doesn’t appear to have one either.

“How do you get food to eat?” I ask after a long moment of silence. Strangely, it’s one of the only things I can pick out of the mess in my brain.

“Bags have been showing up outside my door each Monday since I woke up.” Oswald gestures with his thumb to the entrance. “I don’t order it but…it’s just there.”

“I don’t get it…” I cover my mouth with my hand. The wheels are certainly spinning in my mind but nothing is coming of it.

“I don’t either.” Oswald lets out a dry laugh. “I’m working on a few theories but I can’t prove any of them. At least now I can be sure this is happening to someone besides me.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” I stop him and the glint in his eye disappears. “I haven’t heard a woman in my head so I don’t know if what’s happening with you is happening with me.”

“Oh…right.” He frowns and exhales loudly through his nose, deflated. For him, it’s probably back to square one.

I’m surprised to find myself feeling bad for him.

Whether it’s amnesia or some elaborate lie, he still hurt Kade. I have to remind myself of this. His strange circumstances don’t absolve him of his past actions.

And I still really need to find Kade.

A sharp sensation pokes the side of my head, sticking into my brain and causing me to raise my hands to my head. I grunt out in pain and hunch over.

“Melvin?!” Oswald calls out in concern.

I push my hand out to keep him away and slowly straighten myself back up. It’s not so bad any more but there is still a dull ache. “I have to go.”

“Is she in your head?” he asks, wary.

I set my jaw and shake my head. “No…I need to leave.”

I hurry out of the apartment despite Oswald yelling my name after me.

I can’t stay—he’s keeping me from getting back to Kade.

He’s a gross, awful man and I can’t stand to be in his presence any longer.

I’ll have to confront Bree about this misdirection whenever I see her again.

But she’s the last thing on my mind when I step outside and back toward my car. All I know is that I need to return home—to my apartment—where, if I’m lucky, my love will be there, waiting for me.