#I mean - it makes his heart race to no end buuuut

[virtuous-absolute]

[mrskurono]

I- AHHH KIDS PLEASEE, I feel like both Joker and Victor would be amazing parents. Joker would definitely teach him to defend themselves and take care of there siblings if any and Victor would 100% wanna teach him anything and just turn them into the most curious lil babies. And im just full of cuddles and love and my babies just would have the best dads. And i would try to be the best momma ever 🥺

I fell like Joker would constantly be rough housing with him and probably spoil them so much cause he didnt get it as a child and when even he says his doesnt believe “everyone is different which makes them special, i never believe none of that.” He does a 180 and tells them that everyday. I jsut would love to see Joker with a baby carrier on his chest, sunglasses and like the diaper bag and some single women hitting on him and just pulls victor and myself over and shows the rings on our hands “we’re married and this is her baby.”

Victor, oh my god is he a nervous wreck with a new born so many books trying to find the best of the best to take care of his baby/babies and only when he first hears the baby cooing in his arms does he relax and see the the whole world in his arms. Victor with a like baby sling, while working or on the phone and hes bouncing the baby or walking back and for with them with a bottle or toy, my heart would melt. He will home school the kid/s till he realizes they need friends and Joker and me have to push hin out to school and hold victor down cause doesnt wanna let his baby go.

Ahhhhhh. So much word vomit ahh sorry hope you enjoyyyy!! And hope you are doing well i have some ask lock and ready when you are feeling better, much love!

The sunglasses and baby carrier have me screaming.

Man of the shadows who? Not Joker. Nope he gotta go pick up that extra set of diapers bc the coupon says buy one get one half off. Trips to Target? You mean redecorating the kids entire room. Swears up and down they aren't spoiled. But he has the means to give all the things he didn't have to his kiddos so why wouldn't he?? Joker oozes both protective dad vibes while also maintaining just enough of that "crazy, still kinda childish" vibe that most often results in wrestling matches on the floor and crab walk races. And in terms of the presents, Joker is sooooo that parent that's like "alright, you turned 13 you know what that means." and everyone's like puberty talk?? and he just shakes his head "Nope, YOUR FIRST KNIFE" and just straight up whips out a pocket knife as a gift 😂

Viktor is the king of over doing the prep. Man has three books alone on teething all written by different people. While being the most observant parents also comes with the title of most worried parent. Like if you guys just have one? He's a nervous wreck at every milestone. The second one, he mellows out a tiny lil bit. And then anything from the second on Joker finally takes a big glass of wine and calls it good if they're not dead at the end of the day 😂 Joker and all those like, grossology books and putty/slime making books, if it's got a form of experiment on it. Bet your ass Joker has it wrapped and under that tree. He likes to inspire a thirst for knowledge in his kids buuuut he might also wanna make slime volcanos too 😂

Lets see Kurono...I mean biologically, he gets one. But lets be honest I end up with Nataku too so yay me and two kids! I still laugh at the idea that outwardly he's "the grinch" but inwardly he's making sure everything on the traditions list is getting crossed off. Kids decorating cookies, tree where it's supposed to be and presents written with only the best forged Santa signature. Part of me belives he impulse buys toys too like...he lowkey wants to play with them too soooo just pop it in the cart and put it under the tree so he can play with the kids too 😂

Send me your self ship family/holiday headcanons!

[ca-8]

Zuko x Reader Scenario: When You First Meet

She could get in so much trouble.

No disciplined, sane child would ever dare to sneak out at night, especially those with parents who act like the most important people to have ever existed. Parents who always expected their children to be well-behaved, respectful, quiet, and incredibly boring for every second of their life. Parents who don't have a clue of what relaxation meant, even if some sort of high-class professor gave them a month-long lecture about it.

Basically the kinds of parents (Y/n) was so sick of.

The nine-year-old bit her bottom lip as she ever so carefully pulled the door to the beach house shut. Once she was sure no one had woken up and was on their way to give her another five-hundred-hour lecture on her ‘ignoble’ actions (whatever that meant), she snuck down the stairs and dashed toward the direction of the beach. 

‘Is it this way? Or was it the other way?’ she questioned. She forgot, and her mind wouldn’t let her remember. Her heart was racing; she had never done something this audacious. If her parents had already woken up and discovered that the pillows under her covers were not her, she’d be better off being alone with a fully grown dragon while covered in the finest jewels. 

And yet, at the first sight of the moon just barely hanging over the ocean as its light painted a shimmering white streak over the water, she instantly abandoned the worry. Here, on the quiet, isolated beach, she was free.

(Y/n) took off her shoes, and her toes instantly sunk into the cool sand. Her eyes scanned the beach, from the giant rocks asserting an aura of dominance, the tranquil ocean reflecting the twinkling stars that partnered the moon, and instantly to the lone turtle crab. 

A wide smile spread across her face, and she quietly approached her favorite animal. It stood at the end of the ocean line, gazing up at the stars. Something tightened inside of her; it looked so...lonely. 

“Hello!” she greeted, perhaps a bit too loudly than she intended, when she bent over it, suddenly covering its view. The turtle crab jumped and shrunk back a little in its shell, though (Y/n) still could see its upside-down face. 

“Why're you by yourself? Where're your friends?” she asked, jumping down beside it and making sand fly all over her pajamas. It stared back at her, then ever so slowly emerged from its shell. (Y/n) gasped. “Do you not have any?”

The turtle crab only blinked in response. “That’s terrible!” she exclaimed. "Buuuut then again, I don’t have any either, so… Hey, why don’t the two of us be friends?” She got on her knees, and the turtle crab’s only view was her giant smile. It blinked again, not saying yes, but also not saying no. 

“Great!” she cheered, embracing her new friend. Though a turtle crab wasn’t really her original ideal friend, every single kid she met proved themselves to be the most stuck-up, boring, rude people in existence, so maybe this was the better option. “So what’s your name?”

She immediately felt stupid when it didn’t, or, rather couldn’t, respond. “Ehehe, right, uh, you can’t talk,” (Y/n) realized. “But don’t worry, I can give you a name! What abooouuuttt….” The young girl scanned the animal for a quick moment before saying, “Misterrr...Snapper?”

It stared right at her, the moonlight reflecting off of its black eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes.” She got up and bowed respectfully to the small creature, just like how her mother taught her whenever they approached someone important. “Nice to m-I mean, my name is (Y/n) (L/n), and I’m delighted to meet you, Mr. Snapper.”

She glanced at the turtle crab again and let out a soft laugh, then carefully picked it up and put it on her head. Her stomach flipped, and she couldn’t help but envision how loud her mother would be when she’d tell her to get it off her head. But, for now, she put the thought aside and focused on being glad it didn’t panic and run off. 

“You’re weird,” she giggled, “I like you, Mr. Snapper. Now, what should we play tonight?”

The night always seemed to last forever, so (Y/n) and Mr. Snapper could do whatever they wanted without anyone saying otherwise. When the moon would lose the war over the sky with the sun, it could be the second she’d stop running around the entirety of Ember Island. 

But doing that seemed pointless. And Mr. Snapper didn’t look like the type to enjoy marathons or running in general anyway. 

“I know!” (Y/n) abruptly exclaimed, making Mr. Snapper bounce on her head. She gazed up, expecting to see his curious eyes, but only obtained the sight of the twinkling stars. “What do you think about being the Dark Water Spirit?” 

~

“He...He’s gone,” (Y/n) whispered in the deepest voice she could make, staring dreamily at the ocean line where the moon had almost touched the water. She glanced back at her princess, Mr. Snapper, who stood silently with the white shell on his head. She didn’t know why she expected him to say his lines in a high-pitched, princess-y voice. 

“Yes, this glorious land is finally free from the Dark Water Spirit,” the young noble said, moving Mr. Snapper in a way that made him appear as if he were talking in the high voice she was doing for him. “And now, we can be together, Noren.”

(Y/n)/Noren picked him up and stared into her mortal girlfriend’s eyes as huskily as she could (she also tried not to burst out laughing when she thought about it). “I never thought I’d fall in love with a mortal, but I can’t seem to take my eyes off of you, Yua.” 

Mr. Snapper/Yua blinked, the moonlight reflecting off of his/her eyes. The shell began to fall off his/her head and (Y/n)/Noren fixed it quickly. “Does that mean you’re going to stay mortal? I can’t exactly marry a dragon, you know,” Mr. Snapper/Yua “said”. 

“Hm, let’s just say you’ll be seeing the best of both worlds. Now kiss me, Empress!” Yua and Noren gazed into each other’s eyes for a blissful eternity, and they slowly leaned into the moment of affinity. Their lips were close, even though Yua seemed to be pulling away for some reason, and then-

“Um, what are you doing?” 

(Y/n)’s soul was yanked out of Noren’s body and forcefully transported back onto Ember Island. Inches away from her face was no longer Empress Yua, but Mr. Snapper without his crown. And standing a few feet away from them was none other than Prince Zuko. 

The Prince of the Fire Nation was here. He was standing right there. Staring at the daughter of a lowly noble as she was about to kiss a turtle crab.

Had the air only turned unbearably hot and heavy to her or did something set the moon on fire? 

“Nothing,” she answered immediately in Noren’s voice. (Y/n) cleared her throat, mumbled an “I mean”, quickly held Mr. Snapper by her side, then put on the most innocent smile she could muster. “Nooothing,” she said in a voice much higher than it was supposed to be.

The Prince stared at her like she was standing on water and speaking three different languages all at once. “O...kay…” he said slowly. 

'Who taught you to talk in such an absurd way to the Prince?' her mother's voice suddenly echoed within her mind. 'Fix your posture and throw away that ridiculous smile. And please, dear, speak NORMALLY.'

“S-SO!” she yelled, making him jump and instantly breaking every one of mind mother's rules. “What’re you doing here? On this beach? That my, uh, family bought? I think? Cause you, uh, have your own beach, cause you’re a prince, a-and...um…” Her smile widened despite her infinitely growing urge to bury herself as deep into the ground as possible and hide there forever.

“This is actually my family’s beach,” he said with eyes knowing this was the dumbest girl on the planet. “You’re the one not supposed to be here.”

'Once again, you're acting like an embarrassment to our family,' mind mother muttered.

Everything inside her twisted and tightened and told her to run. Though there were tsunamis of embarrassment hitting her relentlessly, there were also tiny ripples of realization. “Huh, so that’s what that sign meant when it said ‘Prince Ozai’s Beach’,” (Y/n) commented. 

The Prince winced. “What? Are you-?”

Her eyes widened as they caught the animal he held in his arms. “IS THAT A TURTLE CRAB?” she shouted, then ran up to the boy and bent down to get a better look at the other turtle crab. Prince Zuko jumped back and hissed at her to be quiet, and her instincts told her to bring back the courtesy for him she had just thrown out the window. However, she only inched closer because LOOK AT THAT ADORABLE LITTLE FACE HOW DID SHE NOT NOTICE IT EARLIER?

"Awww, so cuuuute!" She reached out to pet it, but it sank back in its shell. Mind mother sighed, creating a tiny hint of guilt inside her. 

"H-Hey!"

(Y/n) looked up at the nine-year-old Prince, glancing back at the turtle crab every few seconds. "Keep your voice down or else you'll wake up the whole island!" Prince Zuko whisper-shouted. 

She stood up, cocking her head, then caught a glimpse of the turtle crab again. "What're you doing with it anyway?" 

"Um…" He glanced down at the turtle crab. "N-None of your business!" he insisted hurriedly with a hint of pink on his face.

She squinted her eyes at him, and the stern look in his onyx pupils faded away to the same confusion from earlier, then discomfort when more quiet seconds had passed. "You're...here because Miss Green broke into your room but you couldn't keep her there so you brought her back to shore because you wanted to make sure she made it back home safely!" (Y/n) took in a large breath, filling her almost-empty lungs.

The Prince stared back at her with widened, bewildered eyes. "...Who?" he said. 

"Your turtle crab's name! I named it that because it reminds me of my first teacher, Mrs. Red, but since it has a green shell, well, you know. Also, totally off-topic, but have you noticed that red and green go so well together? I've been getting into sewing lately, and I was thinking that Ms. Green and Mr. Snapper, that's my turtle crab's name, by the way, could have red and green sweaters! Wouldn't that be adorable?" 

He said nothing. He didn't exactly look angry, but not really pleased too.

Her smile dropped, then she giggled nervously. "Sorry, I'll stop talking. A-And you don't have to call it that if you don't want to! Or name it at all! I-I was just-"

The Prince went against his fear of being caught as he let out the loudest laugh (Y/n) ever heard.

Her entire body felt like it had been engulfed by every firebender's element. Her family might as well have formed a crowd around them with their disapproving gaze. 'Maybe Mr. Snapper can help me start a new life under my bed,' she thought as she gazed at her feet.

"You're weird," the Prince suddenly said, chuckling. 

(Y/n) snapped her gaze up at him and saw his weirdly relieved smile. "Oh, thanks!" she said, feeling her own smile curl upon her lips. She wasn't one hundred percent sure if he really meant that as a compliment, but his face didn't hold any signs of mockery. 

Her stomach did a backflip. Was the Prince, one of the most important people ever, being...kind of nice to her?

Prince Zuko laughed again, then after a quick moment, his face went back to being serious. "Um, please don't tell anyone I'm doing this, okay?" he said.

(Y/n) beamed and nodded. She stood in silence for once while Prince Zuko sighed, walked over to the edge of the water, then placed the turtle crab on the rolling water. 

Mr. Snapper wiggled out of her arms and crawled over to Ms. Green. Zuko stepped back until he was next to (Y/n), and the two animals stood together facing the moon with their claws just barely touching. 

"Ah, that's so adorable!" (Y/n) squealed. "It's like Yua and Noren!"

Zuko turned and raised an eyebrow at her. "You know about Love Amongst The Dragons?"

The girl gasped dramatically, swiftly putting her gaze on him. "Know it? I'll have you know that I've memorized every single line of that play!" she said, holding her head high with pride. "I can perform every character at any time! In fact, I was doing just that before you interrupted my final act." 

'You do realize you're still talking to someone much more important than you, right dear?' mind mother whispered. (Y/n)'s grin was wiped off her face along with most of her pretension. 

Surprisingly, he didn't look offended. "That's my favorite play, too," he said with a hint of enjoyment on his face. "Was that why you were about to make out with your turtle crab?"

She blushed furiously and pouted, averting her eyes. "M-Maybe…and his name's Mr. Snapper..."

Prince Zuko chuckled again and after a moment of weirdly comfortable silence, a frown appeared on his face. "Hey, I need to head back. And you should go in case the guards kick you out."

"...Th-There are guards here?" (Y/n) whispered. She ran over and fiercely hugged Mr. Snapper, then went back over to him, her voice slightly increased. "Why didn't you say so?!" 

He smiled the most carefree grin in the world. "I thought you knew, since you're on my dad's beach."

"Well, it was nice meeting you Prince Zuko, but now I need to figure out how to escape before my parents have to get me out of prison." She quickly bowed, her heart fluttering at the sound of the Fire Lord's grandson enjoying her joke (hopefully it stayed like that). 

"Wait!" he suddenly called.

She was beginning to run back to the beach house when he did. (Y/n) turned around and said, "Yes?"

"Um," he started, hesitating. The young girl cocked her head; someone like him shouldn't be nervous about talking to someone like her. If anything, she should still be the one hesitating and worrying about what to say. "What's your name?" he finally asked. 

She flashed a grin as the moon began to lower into the light pink sky. "(Y/n), Your Majesty." Before he could respond, she ran off the beach as fast as she could, hoping to see her parents still asleep within the beach house.

[kanene-yaaay-o-retorno]

You’re a WHAT

Kanene’s Notes:

I’m weak for carzy scenarios  and glitter, so BOOOM!! Why don’t get these two things together??? :D)/ This fic marks the end of my break, I will be (trying to) going back to my old projects and probably won’t be writing for some weeks kjnhgfvghjkjhg. Wish me luck! <33

This wasn’t suppose to take so much to be written but I lost my PC and life got in the way :v   Buuuut! I manage to finish it and I already count this as a victory! xP

Warnings, fun facts, random things and stuff:

* That fanfic has Remy and Roman. They’re friendos yay :3. Oh, and this is pretty crazy. Context: The morning after Black Friday when you’re grumpy and wanting to kick the society in the face. A LOT of swearing, Patton does not approve.  

* This characters do not belongs to me. They all belongs to the amazing Thomas Sanders in his series of Sanders Sides.

* Something around 2.900 words. -w-)b.

* Sorry for any spelling, pontuation and grammar mistakes! Any advice is very very welcome!

* Tô com preguiça de postar a versão em português brasileiro aaaa! Thankys for reading, my lollipops! Try and have fun with new hobbies, be safe, talk with the one that you love, drink water and sleep well! Byeioo!~

                             [~*~]

Roman thought himself as a really lucky human being. Unbelievable lucky.

 It wasn't due to the apartment where he currently lived - Too much dull for his personal taste and space, getting even smaller from the day he admitted a messy, sassy and with sleep problems roommate, since Roman just started his musical career and couldn't afford an own house yet. - or the fact that was finally able to pursue his dream after years and years of just picturing, painting this moment on his future, only to find out his fantastic breathtaking and incredible goals weren’t nearly close of the cold reality, at least for now (Who would know that, after umpteenth days of hard studying and training he would need years and years of experience in order to even START wondering in get out of his partial-time job on that Electronic Store) or any other reason someone would be able to consider himself a receptacle of pure, brute luck, enlightened by the spotlights of the good, pleasant destiny...

 ... Or at least the most pleasant it could be in the horrible and exhaustive middle of the night after a whole day filled with his attempts to survive and treat respectfully the unmerciful, dirty jungle that humanity was at Black Friday. Something around fifteen  hours working with massive hordes of unscrupulous zombies starved for a sale and able to even kill and die (more likely the first option) to get what they want and with souls (if they still got one) free of any slight sight of education, patience and morals to be inserted in a society which, as it seemed, was equally rotten as them. View point only proved as Roman was obligated to be working after his shift to "clean all the mess" - more like hide the bodies of exhausted warriors after such bloody battle. – the store because those sons of a...

 "... Bitch, YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!!!!" The poor, frustrated employed shouted to nowhere specific, his face turning towards the sky, seeking in some way to show his all his hate to the cinematography - because this was too much coincidence to NOT be part of a movie or some random fanfic on the black hole that was internet - rain falling at full force leading the weather to became even more freezing as soaked them both with its cool, thick drops.

Anyway, what he was daydreaming about?

"Roman." Oh, yeah, the reason why he viewed himself as a truly lucky person. "My gurl, if you try to impersonate a fucking, dramatic, bitch crow in my ear even again, I swear in the name of my life juice bean that I'm going to KILL you with my bare hands and these sunglasses."

 At least his best friend since, honestly, diapers, who coincidentally was his roommate and even more coincidentally, his coworker was just screwed as Roman himself. Which automatically made the duo less screwed, however equally pissed off, something that neither of them discovered if that was a good or bad thing, yet.

 "Fuck you, Remy" Roman whispered between an tired yawn, too much tired to even think about some nickname or to put real heat in his words as he got instinctively closer to the other, the one called taking off his jacket and lazily throwing it over their heads, doing his best to cover they both with the small available black leathered fabric, the act intertwined with grumpy grumbling and motions which would probably slap Roman's face if he wasn't careful. "I'm the one who buys your coffee."

 "Having my incredible, unique personality in your life should be motivation enough for you to buy me the entire Starbucks Company, be glad I'm weak to your cute face and am going easy on ya."

 " 'Cute'? Excuse me, I'm the most handsome, hottest and fabulous man you will ever met in your lowly life, mortal."

 Remy snorted at this "Whatever helps you sleep at night, babe, but if it's going to be like that your ego soon will have to pay his part at the rent."

 "Well, this 'ego' here was the only thing between your highness and jail after stopping you from committing all those murders today."

 "Bold of you to assume I wouldn't use my contacts to hide the evidences." Their tune were already completely sleepy, bodies instinctively leaning onto each other as the words stumbled, mixed and almost lost themselves in the soundly wind as slipped from their lips. Roman just laughed.

 "Well, if by ‘contacts’ mean 'Virgil' good luck getting him out of his bed on his free day. You would became the fucking new King Arthur." Roman rubbed his eyes, trying to physically force his eyelashes to not close, a new yawn finding its way to his mouth. He didn't even know about what they were talking anymore.

 "I roll the dice to cast Badass Nerd Bitch."

 “Logan??”

 “He likes to study nature stuff, especially at night, I’m sure he already knows some good spots to hide bodies. Glasses.”

 “Glasses?”

 “Glasses.”

 “OMG, the anime character with glasses.” Roman stopped, his mouth wide open as if all the secrets of the universe had been revealed to him.

 “Exactly.” Remy extended each syllable, grinning smugly.

 “I’ve never-“

“THIS IS A ROBERY!!”

 The sentence, which appeared to came out from nowhere, cut the air in a harsh, sharp tune, breaking the barriers and tying them up in the same place in a frozen position and wide eyes staring astonished the hooded form and their unreadable features under the bad illumination of the light poles helped by the increased storm. The wind trespassed them, stirring their clothes and making the muscles shake both of the alone employees in the middle of a dark, empty street at the dawn, even if the dangerously shiny knife directed towards their direction still in a hatred silence. 

 “My.” Roman knew he probably should be afraid, the freezing feeling running across his veins and frightening his brain and actions as infected his words in an unspeakable terror impossible to ignore nor escape. “fucking.” However, the only thing that slipped through his next was the purest, deepest, truest... “ASS.” Indignation.

 Roman thought about a lot of things. He thought about running away, grabbing Remy’s arm and sprinting across the street, about scream in the top of his lungs the waterfall of swearing already racing half way to his throat and even about kicking the knife out of the other’s hands and then kicking him - with a couple of cool moves he saw in some actions films - together with their frecking audacity to try to rob him of all the people in the world. Roman, who asked himself if he would have enough money to eat in the next week with a concerning frequency, who wondered if this is the life he will have until the end of his existence, if he will ever be able to accomplish his dreams.

 His gaze changed to Remy, who was paralyzed, trembling between the poor light of the street and the massive rain. Roman swallowed. Everything was in his hands.

 For a piece of Roman felt the strange urge to spill to the figure before him the story of his life, all his tries, all his battles, his everyday fights to make his dreams real. Blow by blow. Day by day. A life destined to go after everything he wished to himself, everything he wanted to life, to experience, to savor, to do everything in his hands to ignore and one day maybe, hopefully forget all the ghosts - these ones always accompanied by those emotionless, sharp whispers - asking, doubting nonstop if he ever would be able to do all of this, if he was doing the rights thing, if it was really worth all of it.

 However, before the first word even slipped of Roman’s tongue or his mind came fully back to Earth, Remy was already positioning himself strategically between the robber and his friend, the currently only one with the leather jacket falling on his shoulders. However, Remy didn’t seem nearly soaked as he should be, and for a heartbeat, the same one which Remy moved his hands to his jeans’ pocket, his fingers touching and firmly holding something there, Roman could swear that the unexpectedly shiver running across his spine wasn’t due the cold wind.

 Nor the sentence hurled in the clouds.

 “You know what?? Fuck it.”

 And then he unsheathed his magic wand.

 Roman loved with the entirety of his heart all kind of magic, he could easily spend an entire afternoon (which he already had, by the way) listing his favorites movies, musicals and stories with that theme. That also could be easily said by the thousands and thousands of worlds, universes and lifes he invented – in and out of his head - about the subject trough his childhood and handful of teenage years, random ideas and inspirations appearing and dancing in his mind until nowadays. If that only wasn’t enough to convince someone then the umpteenth memories of mornings and afternoons bathed in the smell of books, rocked by the calm silene of the public library as he turned one more page, his back lightly aching by the bad position assumed behind the shelters, in a place he strategically found and claimed as his own Bridge to Terabithia, enjoying every moment as if nothing else mattered. Perhaps you wouldn’t even need to swim in such deep, ancient waters to find out his love, since at least fifty percent of his day was dedicated to shout, hummer or murmur Disney songs.

 However, as rays of pure energy  - shiny and kind of glittery one - involved and swirled from Remy’s, who now was floating a few centimeters above the ground, wand in stripes that got lighter and lighter, begging to spin faster around the aforementioned, creating a spere of a power stunning and big enough to stop the rain in the corner.

 The silence resulting from the lack of the storm didn’t had the opportunity to fill the moment, being obligated to give its space to a soft, intense melody whispered in their ears. The notes standing some more moments in the air, the beating following the changes in the shadowed figure inside the spere. Hesitations taking over the loud, quick heartbeats when the song finally stopped.

 The power’s spere finally exploded, the impact leading to an unbelief and intensive force push both human meters away.

 “Get. Out.”  Remy’s tune still the same, his form – Now adorned by a gleaming crop top, his fluttering skirt over shorts floating in synchrony with the veils which surrounded his clothes and wrapping his arms, the ending spreading in the air as a bunch of angry powered and fancy snakes. - even with the new vestments full of glitter (this probably would be a hell to get off, later) still the same, his gaze, powerful – a new meaning pouring from this word – strong, still the same. But yet…

 Yet his wide eyed, heart hammering in his chest friend since he could remember found himself struggling to connect the same Remy who he had known – if he could still say that? -  all his life with the same being who gleamed dangerously before him.

 The magic wand danced in a quick flick and a trash can came of what seemed nowhere to hit the wobbled and absolutely terrified robber, who fell with a soft thumph in the ground, unconscious.

 “-man, Roman!!! Don’t just stay standing there like a tree, help me here, gurl!” Suddenly the called snapped from his own sea of thoughts, submerging and astonished blinking in Remy’s direction. The rain started to fell on them again, and when their eyes met, when Roman saw the same guy who spent afternoons climbing trees and pretending they were knights and dragons attacking or saving the world, when he recalled the silent sleepovers where they just sat near of each other enjoying the mutual company, the grumpy mornings in their apartment, the comfort hugs, the looks full of words, the smiles filled with meaning, the friendship stuffed with so many, many memories... 

 Nostalgia. The feeling that everything was changed albeit something… something important always stayed. Roman felt, truly felt it and fixed his glare into that brilliant – quite literally - glare adorned with a ‘I’m about to punch your cocky face if you keep fucking narrating every freaking second of your life, ya bitch’ he realized... 

 It was Remy.

 He took a deep breath, moving closer and gradually relaxing as the aforementioned focused in trying to lift the guy, swearing more frequently than raindrops fell from the sky.

 “Remy?”

 “Yeah?”

 “First crush.”

 The other stopped, frowning confused. Roman didn’t quiver, feeling he deserved some sort of answer. At least about this. “What?”

 “My first crush. Who?”

 “Kovu.” Remy maybe was a bit cold hearted, maybe he wasn’t the best with human interactions or knew exactly what Roman wanted with that… but he knew Roman enough to realize this was important. Essentially when the said seemed to relax, his form untensing itself and being allowed to get closer of the magic being.

 “Okay. Okay, okay…” Roman took a deep breath, grounding himself. Their gaze met, his next words coming a little calmer. “Okay.”

 “Please don’t make me sing that serenate you made for him. I’m gonna fucking quit.”

 “Oh, shut up!! Our first love is something special, mister I-Can’t-Choose-Between-The-Beast-And-The-Beauty.”

 Remy decided to ignore the words, slightly lowing his sunglasses with his special Judgmental ‘Bold of you to assume I have enough shame to be mocked’ Look. Roman just flipped in his direction, taking advantage that the other’s hands were occupied.

 It was still Remy, with a whole more of style and glitter – Why are there so much glitter here?? - but it was just Remy. Like just any other day.

 Before he even realized, Roman was already at his friend’s - and as it seems a magical being - side, helping him to carry the robber’s body to somewhere dry so he wouldn’t die of hypothermia.

 “Why don’t you- Ouch!! My feet, dammit!” His breaths came out as puffs, the effort leading to his already exhausted muscles only protest even more and very much probably curse him later with sore movements for the audacity to transport anything heavier than a pen. “Why don’t you use your... Wizard magic or something to carry him??”

 “Oh. My. Gosh. Roman, you are sooo intelligent, why aren’t you in Harvard? Ow! Ow! Ow!!” Remy’s sarcasm was cut when the other kicked, or did his best to with their actual position, him in protest.  “Homophobic.” He exhaled a mix of irritation and a snort, receiving a playful punch in his arm by their inside joke.  “I’m your Fairy Godmother, brainless. Unless it was you laid in this stupid, cold ground I can’t use my magic anymore... Except if this is someone of your family but I doubt-”

 “Wait, wait, wait, WAIT!!! YOU ARE MY FAIRY GODM-”

 “No, no way, nope, we are NOT having this conversation right now.” Remy, the Fairy Godmother let go of the unconscious body in a way that probably will make the guy wake up sore, perhaps with a concussion even, directing his index finger in Roman’s direction in a deep, determined stare full of darkness and things that Roman could swear would make Remy be expelled from the group of Friendly Fairy GodmotherS  or whatever... thing he was inserted. “Let me tell you what we are doing right now: We are going to home, change our clothes then I’m getting coffee and you will get sleep so I don’t have to face nor care about the freak consequences of my damn actions.”

 ...

 “That...” Roman stop, as if was considering his next words. Remy’s face just scrunched in a bigger, firmer frown. “That would be hella scary if you didn’t look like someone who just stole a store of glitter and got attacked by the gay, glitterly, shiny fairies who protected the place.”

 “Go fuck yourself. I’m locking you outside when we get there.”

 “Noo, please don’t! My evil stepmother didn’t let me go to the prince castle and now I need help! Crying emoji, crying emoji.” Roman mocked, imitating sad sobs and sniffles as quick his pace to follow the other, who flipped him.

 “I’m this far from knock you out with my magical wand and then you will see who is the evil stepmother.” His wand gleamed in warning, the red color getting mixed and trembled by the fast movements of his veils, one of them getting dangerously next to Roman’s face, who cleverly got silent for some heartbeats, the sound of the rain slowly calming their heartbeats and rocking them, the tiredness gaining the space which, piece by piece, was being unhanded by their adrenaline.

 They arrived home, both still quiet, feeling free as a relieved sign left their lips. Remy threw his soaked jacket in some dark corner, the bed being the only thing which was allowed to take over all his thoughts and will. 

 An awed gasp echoed behind him and he immediately regretted his move.

 “YOU HAVE WINGS????”

 Before his eyelashes closed, the shiny of the wand disappearing gradually as an ungodly amount of sleepiness gained complete control over his body, relaxing each one of his fibers and as a warm, magic good feeling fills every single cell in his being, Roman wondered if ‘Fuck it’ was the name of Remy’s spell.

[amwritingmeta]

15x05: How to Fight God

Proverbs 17:3 --> The crucible for silver, the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.

This proverb really gets to me when looking at it in the light of 15x05, but also when looking at how it relates itself to the series as a whole, because our boys are going through nothing short of a trial by fire, their whole world and sense of self is beginning to take flame and that sounds poetic af, but it’s also so fucking poignant that I can’t even. 

Because isn’t this what their whole journey has been? And what it’s been about, too, meaning that the trial by fire serves an actual purpose, the get rid of the impurities (if you will) while the actual trial isn’t by fire, but lies truly in the aftermath, in the lessons and the learning curve: the heart stuff.

That aside, of course, applied to 15x05 it’s quite literally God testing their hearts - and what they’re really made of - by throwing them a proper curve ball in Lilith, not to mention this revealing the fact that he’s still a presence. 

We open on Sam, who’s checking his phone to see if Cas has finally replied to all the concerned texts Sam has sent him (my heart leaped I loved it so much!) (of course Sam wouldn’t not reach out) (and amazing that Cas literally decided then and there to walk out the door and he just removed himself entirely) (also - poor Sam!) (he lost a friend!!) and Cas hasn’t gotten back to him.

Buuuut!

Cut to the end of the episode and Sam is just hanging up from having an actual conversation with Cas. Sorry, this was me remembering this entirely wrong and not double-checking - it went straight to voicemail and is clearly stated as doing so, pls, ignore my ignorance!

There’s still a nice, subtle bookend here, and it still underscores the change we get from the opening scene to the closing: the brothers both believing they’re back to business as usual (with the difference of how now they’re actually holding the reins) vs. realising God isn’t gone and that the status quo is not something they can fall back on here.

Speaking of the status quo, the way things have always been, the saving people, hunting things, family business side to the brothers’ lives that is, as far as they’re concerned, the cornerstone of their identities... yeah, let’s speak of that for a bit, because if we look at the episode I believe the status quo, or perhaps the repeat patterns, is/are actually the answer to the question Dean finishes the episode with: 

How do we fight God?

So then.

How To Fight God

This is basically speculation based in my meta reading of the episode so pinches of salt, loves, but it’s intriguing to me to think about what the rules of this world actually are, because this is GOD the CREATOR, right? Yeah.

How can you, the puppet, defeat your puppet master when your puppet master determines which of your strings are pulled at any given moment? 

Well, firstly, I’m stuck on the exchange between Dean and Cas from 15x02:

Cas: You don’t think I’m angry? After what Chuck did? After what he took from me? He killed Jack. But that doesn’t mean it was all a lie. [...] Even if we didn’t know that all of the challenges that we face were born of Chuck’s machinations, how would we describe it all? We’d call it life, because that’s precisely what life is. It’s an obstacle course. And maybe Chuck designed the obstacles, but we ran our own race, we made our own moves, and mostly we did well with that. Dean: Did we? I’ll tell you what we do know - nothing about our lives is real. Everything that we’ve lost, everything that we are, is because of Chuck. So maybe you can stick your head back in the sand, maybe you can pretend that we actually had a choice... I can’t. Cas: Dean. You asked what about all this is real -- we are.

I mean technically Dean didn’t ask anything, he stated that nothing about their lives is real but alright I get that you want to break through, Cas, because this is Cas trying to make Dean understand that not everything has been pre-determined by Chuck.

If free will didn’t exist at all in the narrative, then there would be no room for any kind of stakes, emotional or otherwise. 

If it didn’t come down to what choices each situation brought about and the lessons derived from the consequences of those choices, then the meaning of the character journeys would be completely nullified. 

And these rules of the world we’re watching are most clearly demonstrated to us in the S14 season finale, when Dean makes that epic choice of not shooting Jack, effectively ripping up Chuck’s perfect ending and forcing him to go all mental deity on a power trip on all of their asses. 

So Cas is clearly right in the above exchange, but Dean can’t hear it, and because Dean just refuses to listen, Cas sees no other choice but to leave in 15x03. Because all Cas can see is how Dean refuses to let go of old patterns of thinking, old hang ups and fears, and how Dean finds refuge in blaming an external source rather than gaining perspective, accepting his own level of responsibility (in any situation) and moving forward. 

I’m very curious about the prayer and what level of exposition it will entail. Imagine it being an actual callback to the confession scene in S11, where the exposition of Dean’s internal struggles with his longing for more is so beautifully balanced. Anyway, digression.

What I’m getting at is that choices seem to play an enormous part here, and of course they should, because that’s one of the most prominent thematic threads the writers can pull on. 

Our choices make us who we are. 

It’s not what you are, but what you do. 

No one can tell you who you are, you choose who to be.

And along these, all the times we’ve heard I didn’t have a choice. Often this has been true, when put in a situation that is about not only saving each other, but the world itself as well, but then those world-saving situations wouldn’t really have been brought about if Dean, that first time Sam died, hadn’t made the choice (echoing Mary) to sell his soul to save him, and, of course, none of the choices would’ve been necessary if Mary had let John die, but we know the world that would’ve brought about, so thank...... fate for bad choices.

Perhaps it’s time for good ones.

How do you fight God?

I think you fight him by breaking old patterns, and the only way you can break them is by recognising them for what they are and truly, definitively, moving out of them and into new ones. 

Chuck represents the writer not keeping up with their own character’s progression, right? He’s not seeing what this world he’s created has actually become, without his influence. All he sees is what he wants it to be, rather than all that it is, and he believes in his own control to the extent of not adjusting the obstacles he’s throwing at the boys to their ever evolving view of themselves and what they want for themselves. 

Which is why the plot point of Dean being seduced by Lilith wasn’t even hinted at until she stated, in dialogue, that apparently it wasn’t happening. Thanks to Dean’s progression away from who he was way back when, yeah? Not exactly the same, are you, Dean? 

And which is why I believe the moment when Sam says-->

--> is quite possibly crucial, because Sam can see the pattern, he knows the grooves of it so well that he immediately feels something is off when they’re just handed the solution on a platter, and this hunch proves right, because they know how Chuck’s story works, innately, they’ve lived it for over a decade. 

If they can catch up with this fact, if they can begin to use it to their advantage, that would be very cool. If they begin to go against their old mode of being, if they try to think outside of their own box (as it were), then not only is that a viable way of beating Chuck at his own game, it sets the stage for their final leg of character progression rather beautifully. 

Because it forces them to grow wholly self-aware, to question their choices and weigh the pros and cons. Realisation City. 

And how gorgeous then to have the setup be that to survive and have a healthy sense of control over their own lives, they must evolve away from their old ideas and ideals. *fingers crossed*

And then there’s Chuck as representative of the over-arching shadow, representative of all those things that the boys have battled throughout their journey, and if integration is the goal, then Chuck shouldn’t really be reaped by Billie, should he? I mean, him being reaped by a representative of strong, assertive femininity works on a symbolic level as well, but integration could mean that he simply has his power stripped. 

I’d quite like that, to be honest. The way to fight God is to stop worshipping him, stop believing in what he represents, stop allowing his obstacles to be real obstacles and simply move out of the narrative he’s been telling and into a new one, where his chosen ending makes absolutely no sense. And if Jack returns there may be a player with enough power to actually tell God that his time as ruler of this particular universe is done, because they will fight him, now that they see him for what he truly is. Every step of the way. 

Alright, lots of speculation here, but the thought of the brothers’ progression actually playing a role in how they can defeat Chuck makes me get all goosebump-y! 

The werewolf brothers acted as a Chuck tool of foreshadowing for his chosen ending: one brother killing the other, but there’s a deeper psychological symbology in the werewolf brothers’ story, where one brother’s control and deceit made the other see no other choice but to kill him and then himself, because they were the same. 

So looking at them as representative of the codependency, it’s actually the aspect of control and self-deceit that has to die, in both Sam and Dean, for the codependency to finally break. Sam leading the way (as per the water bottle scene at the start of the episode) and freeing them both in his process of breaking away from Dean. 

And when Lilith says that she had to die in order to get what she wanted, it could be seen as a statement of that same symbolic subtext, and how the brothers’ progression is moving them away from who they have always been, into who they truly are and want to be: they have to kill off their past ideas and ideals, and embrace the truth of this if they’re going to be victorious in this fight.

We shall see, my loves! We shall see!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t say this, though, to a writer who has given us so much:

Thank you, Steve Yockey.

For everything.

[yoshizora]

mostly incoherent thoughts about tyrea because i love angry assassin bird lady

put under a cut for spoilers in general

- tyrea’s genuine about wanting to help her race but is initially too entrenched in the zealousness of the bionite order/yumea’s dogma. she thinks she’s in the right, essentially, because she literally doesn’t know any better. does it excuse her for being a horrible person? no! but also, it wasn’t her fault lol.

- yumea treated her like shit. in the two scenes we see them interacting she a) calls tyrea and idiot and tells her to shut up then b) is sinisterly ~scheming~ melia’s assassination while tyrea promises to fulfill her orders

- yumea’s maid, in colony 6, recounts the eve of the bionis’ awakening: tyrea visited yumea, and yumea told her the story of her conception. she found out that her father was half homs. the bionite order would have had her aborted but yumea chose to keep her for some reason. according to the maid, yumea “poured her heart out” to her child that night. kind of puts tyrea’s behavior during her sidequest into perspective. 

- i think... it’s possible..... that tyrea grew up without knowing that yumea was her mother?? it would make some sense seeing as tyrea only had referred to her as First Consort and she makes no mention of having a right to the throne in her first confrontation with melia. and yumea could have very well pretended that tyrea wasn’t her daughter out of some shame for having a half-blood child. 

- tyrea speaks VERY highly of yumea in future connected, mainly citing her strong will and desire to see a good future for the high entians. yumea hated homs and half-blooded high entians though? yumea needed more screentime tbh. 

- how did yumea even feel about kallian. what did kallian think of her. did they even have a close mother-son relationship. hm

- yumea actually regretted the plans of the bionite order, at the very end (she asks tyrea to kill her). it’s possible that she was just strung along and influenced by lorithia the entire time........ who knows. it would’ve been in lorithia’s best interests to get rid of melia and wipe out homs genes in the high entians anyway. maybe yumea realized what a horrible mistake she made at the last minute. but i don’t think she ever forgave melia or stopped hating her.

- tyrea had clung to yumea’s beliefs her whole life, so when yumea suddenly revealed everything and wanted to die as soon as possible after transforming...... oof. bad times for tyrea. after her sidequest she wandered the bionis looking for somewhere to die. 

- all in all tyrea really did believe she had her species’ best interests in mind. finding out she was half homs like melia all along was uhhh probably really fucked up for her. she calls melia “a hypocrite, just like me”. she calls herself a hypocrite?? she had probably killed other half-blooded high entians for the bionite order. 

- that self-loathing in FC!!!!! holy shit!!! tyrea is miserable and depressed!!! but then she’s working hard to find a way to reverse the telethia transformations with teelan. likely learned to work past her ingrained species-ism after briefly staying with the refugees and then rescuing teelan, who is visibly half homs.

- personally i imagine she went to the villa when the fog king appeared in order to die, saw teelan there instead, and heard him crying for his mother. and that’s when she grabbed him and got the hell out of there instead of dying by the fog king’s hand. 

- tyrelia.

- imo she accepted teelan as a brother of sorts but she has trouble seeing melia as family, all things considered. she grew up in a cult with an abusive mother while melia grew up sheltered without any friends. both of them.... learning to love........

- buuuut when she accepts melia’s offer, tyrea had said she’s going to continue doing what she’d always been doing: meaning, melia is her new yumea, in a sense. lmao

[justjen523]

The Celestial Bride

Chapter 1

The Reception

The King had bestowed many gifts for this special day yet we all knew better. It was simply a form of extreme entertainment for him and we as usual had absolutely no choice in the matter. The first was an epic reception in which every single god in the Heavens attended. To see one of the twelve married would have been something, but all twelve on the same day to one woman? Yeah, it was definitely a full house to say the least.

I however did not find this enjoyable at first considering every goddess was staring daggers at me and most likely wishing for my death. 

“Guys....I can’t do this. Seriously, all the goddesses are staring!”

“Awww that’s just because they are jealous Goldie! You have nothing to worry about though, we only have eyes for you.” While Teo meant well I don’t think he quite understands the kind of pressure I’m under.

“You have nothing to fear Little Lady. Every single one of us will protect you and keep you safe.” 

“Thanks Lou.” While sweet it did nothing to take my mind off the way I was hatefully being stared at. Just as I was starting to feel down Zyglavis leaned over and whispered in my ear.

“You have nothing to fear. Once we have completed the traditional wedding dance we are all free to leave whenever we choose as the party will continue all evening regardless of our presence.”

“Really? Oh thank goodness!”

“Yeah but if it’s left up to these old farts we’ll nevvvvvver get this party underway! Buuuut.....I have an idea.” Before I had a chance to protest, Ichthys had pulled me by the hand to the large empty space in the middle of this massive hall. 

“Ikky what in the name of-”

“Unh-unh. This is YOUR wedding day and you are my wife now. No one makes my wife sad especially when she looks this beautiful.”

“I-Ikky...” 

“Get ready to have some fun and forget about everything else kay?”

“Kay.” With a beaming smile he snapped his fingers and an upbeat dance song came on. He grabbed my hand, kissed it and then twirled me into his arms and just like that we were dancing. Not your typical awkward homecoming kind of dancing, more like something you see on television for those modern dance competitions. I had no idea what I was supposed to do but somehow my body perfectly followed Ichthys’ lead and in no time at all I had completely forgotten my surroundings and was laughing.

When my dance with Ichthys ended, Teorus picked a new one and cut in. Just like before my body somehow seemed to know exactly where and how to step and I was beaming from ear to ear as more and more gods began to cheer. Teorus easily and gracefully lifted my body into the air several time making so many goddesses jealously swoon. However, not once did Teorus take his eyes off of mine. He smiled as tenderly and lovingly as his best friend before had. 

Next up was Dui who waltzed with me gracefully and made flower petals rain down around us. It was so romantic and I couldn’t keep from smiling as both Dui’s for once agreeably took their turn. At the end he handed me to Hue who danced so gracefully I hadn’t even noticed right away that he had changed our surroundings to mimic the night sky as we danced across the stars.

Huedhaut handed me to Krioff who was surprisingly elegant and an amazing dancer if a little quiet. He smiled at me however in a way I had never seen before. Something akin to contentment shone in his beautiful silvery eyes as he twirled me around the dance floor. Krioff then handed me to Aigo who held me close and rested his head atop mine as we swayed to the music. His body was warm and comforting making me feel so peaceful and happy I never wanted to leave his arms. However the song had ended and once more I was handed off and this time Partheno took me by the hand.

He too held me close but our particular dance was a lot more....provocative. Not that I would have expected anything less from this particular husband. Our bodies moved together in sync to the music and at the end he pressed a steamy kiss to my lips stealing my breath away as he gracefully dropped me into Lou’s waiting arms. Tauxolouve was nothing short of prince charming tonight. A nickname I had usually reserved for Teorus but tonight Lou took the cake. We danced like the Kings and Queens of old as everything around us transformed to look like we were outdoors in nature. I felt like a real life Cinderella. 

Scorpio was next and I was shocked that he chose a rather intimate song and style of dance. Usually he would have been far too embarrassed to do such a thing even in front of the others just at the mansion. Not tonight. He only had eyes for me and what was even stranger, he smiled almost the entire time making my cheeks burn hotly. Scorpio handed me to Karno who also chose a waltz as he dreamily swung me around lightly making me feel as though I was dancing on air. He kissed both of my cheeks before handing me to Zyglavis and all at once I suddenly became nervous.

“Pfffft. What is with that expression? Are you really that afraid to dance with me?”

“Would you be disappointed if I said yes?” He smiled devilishly and kissed the back of my hand before pulling me to him abruptly.

“Not at all. However you must understand, there are higher standards for a Minister’s wife.” With a snap of his fingers my dress transformed into a gorgeous black gown still made of all the stars as the lights dimmed into darkness. My dress lit up the entire room and the pair of us as he pulled me flawlessly around in perfect grace. I could hear all the goddesses sigh dreamily. When alas our song had ended he sweetly kissed the corner of my mouth as though it were a promise for more to come later warming me to the core.

The lights remained dimmed as I felt a body press up against me from behind. When the music started it had an almost Latin style rhythm as our bodies moved against one another’s. It was sexy and intense and the way his hands expertly guided me had my heart racing. As always, Leon was smirking knowing full well what this was doing to me. 

“You’re too easy. We’re going to need to work on that if you wish to be mine. The others will take advantage of your weakness and exploit it for their own amusement.”

“Hmm...something tells me you would never allow that in the first place my Lion.”

“Oh-ho? Since when did you become so brave?”

“Since the moment you and I became one.”

“We have yet to become one and believe me when I am through with you, you will absolutely recognize the difference. You have no idea what it means to receive love from a god. You will learn however, tonight I will savor every sound and expression as you crumble under the weight of our love.” My eyes go wide when I realize he used the word “our” and not “my”.

“Had you forgotten already that you married the twelve most powerful beings in the Heaven’s besides the King?”

“I-I didn’t forget! I just.....wasn’t sure how this night was going to go I guess.”

“Fear not goldfish, you won’t be able to think of anything other than how good we will make you feel.”

“When you say we, you mean one at a time right?”

“Pffft. How presumptuous indeed.”

“W-What do you mean by that?!”

“You are in the realm of the gods now. You are wife to all twelve gods of the Zodiac and as such, you will give everything that you are to us. In return we will love you so deeply and exquisitely you’ll be unable to process a single conscious thought. I told you did I not? The love of a god is powerful. Let’s see what happens when you receive the love of twelve.”

[youremymiracleelliot]

Im: Great Priest Imhotep (vol.8) || review

I pretty much raced through this volume and actually there were so many amazing moments I loved, making me happy and whiny, I should rate this with 5 of 5 stars but I unfortunately can’t without feeling like betraying myself because there was a certain revelation which might have been meant to be mind-blowing (and it was in some way) but I kind of predicted it, so I couldn’t admire this situation as I was supposed to. This is disappointing and I only can give 4 stars which still is pretty good, honestly.

So, why did I love this volume so much?

Firstly, Djoser!! Well, actually Im and Djoser. I felt so proud of Im when he told Djoser he’d free him from Apophis and Djoser’s reaction was pure gold. 

One might have assumed, our prince loathes his deceitful best friend, oblivious to what truly happened. But Djoser literally sheds tears of happiness and is “overjoyed”! 

I felt so endlessly happy at this moment and how Apophis called it a friendship was highly appreciated by me! This entire scene only serves to fuel my hope for Im (and his crew) succeeding! Im was also so brilliant how he growled at Apophis: ”Would you stop imitating my pharao?” Seriously, I wish time to be rewound and Djoser becoming the pharao three thousand years ago and Im his vizier! It’s amazing how greatly Im fights to reach his aims, always keeping Djoser but also the others in mind and I always tear up whenever Im is happy and grateful not to be alone anymore. The character growth here is satisfying in all means. And Im really fights hard and is unstoppable putting his body over edge...

I actually was speechless when Im ... ...... ... died. But the following scene was more than I could have asked for. I’ve always been quite intrigued and amazed by Atum, the head of the ennead, the first god, the godliest of gods! Though he seemed ...well, not entirely indifferent about what was going on (I mean, if he was, he wouldn’t have decided to wake Imhotep up) but at least more like the observing kind of protagonist. And of course he knows more about literally everything, also more than Im. Okay, not really surprising, considering Im didn’t even know all details about the black snake, the creation of hell, hell’s gate, miasma, etc. In contrast, it’s actually mind-blowing when Im’s informed there’s even more about himself to know and when that term ”true name” was used, I was confused, just like Im. Confused but curious. The actual truth followed soon and if you’ve read my review of volume 7, you’re aware I had already surmised Thoth to show up sooner or later buuuut I would have never ever thought, it would happen in this way! No spoilers...but I’m intrigued, confused and worried all the same!

Whooopsie, I meant to talk about Atum. There’s actually too less I know about him. But there were words he said which touched me so deeply. About the persons you love and wish to protect. And about forgetting yourself. 

This is Atum’s vessel talking here but I wonder how much of those words weren’t spoken by Atum himself. Maybe all of them. Maybe none. It’s mysterious in the way I love it. Whatever the answers might be, he is one of my favorite characters and I can’t await to learn more. It’s quite satisfying to even see more... ”human” sides and traits of the gods! Plus, considering how Atum (‘s vessel) talked about the ones he loved... what is this supposed to mean?:

Oh, while I’m talking about my favorite characters, let’s direct the focus to....Ausir of the house Osiris! //fangirl squealing// This volume actually was greatly about him! (No surprise as he’s on the cover.) I loved it. He made me cheer and squeal but he also made me go crazy about what he did. I experienced quite a rollercoaster thanks to that noble guy. His past was devastating and I’ll add him to the list of character I want to protect and keep warm and comfy. Luckily, he has Hapi, Lato and Yuuto on his side. Despite all his insanity, I could see a sort of reasoning and don’t we all ask for the purpose of our live one time or another? It must truly feel like the end of the world if you lose you’re purpose and destiny. 

I can’t relate but I do my best to understand him and eventually I’m glad what great development he achieved within this volume. It’s such a warm feeling to the heart to see him with his siblings, together and happy about it. I hope, their bond will last and they can be a true family from now on. And I hope Ausir and Hapi will join team Im because, seriously, team Im seems to be in need of great help. I mean, there’s Apophis, there’s Thoth, what about Im now...?

The plot, all its complications and revelations, has become pretty thick and more so the situation seems desperate. But hey, the moon was up, a new day just started, and with it hope may raise and shine~

[fairytales-magic]

The gift that is LONG overdue! For the magnanimously patient @kiooart!! You asked for Mitsukiki (i chose romantic instead of platonic cause why not?) as well as a battle scene, so here it is! I hope you enjoy!! :D

It’s also up on AO3!

~~~~~~~~~~ 

Love Is A Battlefield

“A wedding in the midst of battle.” He told them. “Not completely uncommon, but definitely not something often heard of. When all hope seemed lost some soldier’s final wish would be to marry his beloved.”

She was not so easily convinced. “How can a marriage take place during battle? Wouldn’t their ladies be waiting for them back home?”

‘Not if they fought alongside them.’ He explained, poking at the fire with a stick. “According to soldiers, going to battle with their loved one is what made battlefield weddings so uncommon. Some recall seeing both couples captured and, before being dealt the final blow, they would request to be joined together in matrimony.”

Their group was silent, pondering over his words.

“Buuuut of course that’s just an old war soldier’s tale. Who’s to say if it’s true or not….”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kiki gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, pivoting her left foot and swinging her blade to block her opponents strike. One hard shove, a quick slice followed by another, and he was down. A steady fall of rain had began, quickly soaking through her short cloak to her skin. Arms and legs aching, chest heaving, hair undone long ago, Kiki gazed through her bangs to check her surroundings within the courtyard. She caught sight of Zen not far off fighting his own opponent, Obi near his side, fists raised and eyes focused as he took on one after another, vaulting over a half formed wall like he was part monkey. Alongside she found Kai and Shiira—guards of the Poet’s Gate—back to back with swords drawn as they held their own keeping soldiers from overwhelming their prince.

Ex-nobles with a grudge against His Majesty Izana for stripping them of their rank had rallied, whispering false stories to others like them in want of power, encouraging to take part in going to war against the crown. Were it not for the messages sent from Tanbarun with growing concerns over scout reports, things would surely be far worse than they already were. Soldiers on either side fell one by one as they continued to fight, the soil of Clarines stained red with their blood.

It was a very grim sight indeed.

As much as she hoped for a triumphant outcome, Kiki was not so naive as to be certain they would obtain victory. The entire west entrance had been captured by the enemy, forcing Clarines’ soldiers to hold their stance upon the outer east section of Wistal Castle. Numbers on each side were rapidly falling, neither managing to grasp the upper hand for long.

And while she hated to admit it, that fact alone terrified her. Taking up arms once more Kiki fought through the fatigue that tugged at her every limb, working her way back to Zen. The thought of her life ending now appealed to her about as much as it did the next person. She had so much more she wished to do, to protect, to be with.

To think she may no longer have that chance…

A sudden idea came to mind. Something Obi had once mentioned before that at the time sounded utterly ridiculous, but right now might serve as her only chance. Quickly scanning the area once more Kiki found him fighting not half a length from her, cutting down his nearest opponent, wiping the precipitation from his brow. Apparently unaware of the foe approaching from behind she rushed to guard Mitsuhide’s back, striking down the soldier with ease before turning to face him.

“Mitsuhide,” Kiki grasped her partner in a firm forearm grip, “will you marry me?”     

“What?!?” Zen and Obi yelled incredulously, both stumbling fending off opponents from surprise. Of all the things for her to talk of in the heat of battle, that was…not what they expected. Perhaps the fatigue was starting to get to her…

Mitsuhide’s face was the only thing which topped the others shock. He couldn’t have looked more dumbfounded by her words then if she’d just announced King Izana had been turned into a toad.

“I’m really not sure now’s the best time!” was all he could think to reply before the next soldier came at him, metal clashing upon metal.

Never, in the entire kingdom of Clarines, would Mitsuhide have dreamt Kiki of all people would be bringing the topic of marriage up in the middle of battle. And in regards to him no less!

“Now may be our only time.” Raising her sword, Kiki fought vigorously beside Mitsuhide until they had a moments pause, then turned to face him once more. “I love you.”  

A phase said so simply, yet with such affection he beheld in her eyes. Such love.

“I’ve made my choice. What’s yours?”

Mitsuhide gazed hard into his partners deep violet eyes. Her intense stare never wavered. She was dead serious. He felt his heart racing for a whole new reason, and it wasn’t due to adrenaline.

“Zen!” Mitsuhide called, the two aids to the second Prince squinted through the rain towards where he stood atop a short wall fighting. “Marry us!”

“I’m a little busy at the moment!” Zen yelled in exasperation, plunging his sword through the man’s center and withdrawing it quickly as another immediately came after.  

“Zen! Now!”

The only command that had ever been made by either of them. And done in perfect unison no less. Zen let out a growl of frustration. “Fine!” Bloodied sword in hand the second prince began.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of our Lord to join these two in holy matrimony!”

“Well this is happening. I’ll take this moment to reserve the right as ‘Best Man’ then.” Obi inserted himself into the mix, striking down three on-coming men with his shuriken.  

Not missing a beat whilst fighting separate opponents, Mitsuhide and Kiki reached out to clasp together their hands not holding a weapon.

Mitsuhide began first. “Kiki Serian, will you take me to be to be your husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health?” A parry, strike, then looked back at her. “To protect our Prince and stay by my side, as not just my partner but also my wife, for long as we both shall live?”

Spinning her under his arm, the two looked as though to be half dancing while fighting. A spin, trade places, slash, stab, duck and block. Their movements were fluid, perfectly timed, as though their minds were one. And at no point did they break hold of each other.

Kiki didn’t miss a beat. “I do.”

“Great!” Mitsuhide couldn’t help but grin, the small smile she sent making his heart take off in flight.

Kiki wiped her wet bangs away from clouding her vision. “And will you, Mitsuhide Louen, take me to be to be your wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health?” Blocking an oncoming sword with her own, Mitsuhide took the moment to thrust his blade into the man’s center. “Health being the less likely.”

Mitsuhide then wrapped his arm round her waist. Secure in his embrace, Kiki lifted both feet off the ground and with a sharp kick to the chest, sent the enemy hurling backwards.

“To protect our Prince and stay by my side, as not just my partner but also my husband, for long as we both shall live?”

His voice was deep, eyes steady with his answer. “I do.”

“Great.” Kiki smiled at him amiss the war-torn setting.

It was funny. They were to be married in the middle of battle, and yet Mitsuhide felt oddly comfortable with it all. Was he insane? Mayhaps so, but right there and then he felt just as she did. If they were to die then it would be joined as man and wife. Marrying his closest friend and confident. Marrying her greatest support and partner. It was oddly fitting in a way.

Their vows now complete His Highness Zen continued. “You have pledged yourselves to one another. May you never forge–i’m trying to conduct a ceremony here you swine!” Zen barked as a soldier made a swipe for his ankles, jumping to avoid the hit. A swift kick to the face and he was down.

“–the promises made this day.” Zen completed. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss—“

Zen paused to engage two oncoming men. Mitsuhide stepped wide and lunged at his attacker. Kiki moved a moment after and balanced on her partners bent knee with her own, hand on shoulder, body horizontally stretched to stab her opponent. Feeling Mitsuhide’s arm catch round her waist, Kiki turned to take his collar in her hands, both leaning in towards one another.

Right as she felt his breath brush across her lips yet another enemy came at them, driving the newlyweds to part.

“You may kiss—“ His Highness tried again but his attention was once more forced to focus elsewhere. Sensing movement behind her Kiki quickly struck down her opponent, continuing to turn sharply and swing her sword downward, only to clash against Mitsuhide’s as he turned the exact same moment. The two froze, both breathing heavily and staring at one another, finally a small gap in the endless fighting.  

“Just kiss!” Zen declared exasperatedly.

That was all the encouragement they needed. Taking his sword arm by the wrist Kiki pulled her partner close, his arms winding round her waist and back. They leaned in as one, lips parting in anticipation. Kiki let her eyes slide shut just as they were to make contact…

“Will you stop that! This has gone far enough!!”

Sharp words cut through the warzone’s illusion, bring four companions sitting round a crackling fire into reality.

A strikingly red-faced Mitsuhide glared daggers at Obi, who was taking great pleasure in his friend’s flustered composure.

“What do you mean Mister? It was just about to get good.” Obi grinned mischievously, not at all disheartened at his story being cut short.

“It’s pure nonsense and you know it!” Pointing his stick at the raven-haired attendant, the second prince’s advisor looked to be contemplating on whether or not stabbing him was worth the risk. Friendship be damned.

“I’d have to agree. Either one of us distracting Zen in the middle of battle for a wedding is just ridiculous.”

“That was your problem Kiki?!?”

Zen for his part gave an indifferent shrug, fixing up his bed for a night under the stars. “While i have no problem with a wedding should you choose to, i’d appreciate it being done properly and preferably not when we’re all in danger of dying.”

“We’re not–i’ve never even thoug—i jus–” Mitsuhide let out groan of defeat.

“Ya know Mister, they say the harder one tries to deny it the more true it actually is.”

“Obi!”

The second prince couldn’t help but lightly laugh, setting in for the night.  “Ok ok that’s enough storytelling for one night. Get some rest, all of you. We ride for Wistal castle at first light.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some time later the soft snap of a twig had Mitsuhide opening his eyes. Not that he had been asleep. No matter how long he tossed and turned, sleep was an elusive being. Rolling over to find his partner’s bed empty, Mitsuhide caught sight of her silhouette a ways off leaning against a tree, her attention on the glittering sky.

“Can’t sleep?” Mitsuhide joined her side, also gazing upward.

“Not yet.” “Mmm. Thinking about what Obi said earlier?”

The corners of Kiki’s mouth tugged up ever so slightly. “Not quite. But i’m guessing that’s all you’ve thought about.”

“I’ve been found out.” Mitsuhide was only mildly surprised she’d guessed what was on his mind. She always seems to gage what i’m thinking. Can even interpret emotions i have trouble putting to words. Perhaps she’s secretly telepathic.

“I’m no mind reader.”

His head whipped back to stare at Kiki. Wait what?! Now she’s inside my head??

Kiki turned to face her partner, her eyes boring into his own, that ghost of a smile still on her lips. “You’re just too easy to read Mitsuhide. Like an open book.”

Oh.

“Yeeeeeah, so i’ve been told.” He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, catching the shine of a shooting star as it raced across the black sky before disappearing as quickly as it came. Mitsuhide felt a strange sense of calmness in the familiar diamonds twinkling mysteriously. For some reason it reminded him of the mischievous glint in a certain golden-eyed friend. Thinking back on his earlier shenanigans round the fire, Mitsuhide couldn’t help letting out a chuckle, shaking his head fondly. “I just can’t help it. I almost can’t believe the crazy stories Obi manages to spin sometimes. Almost.”

“I don’t know. I didn’t think he was that far off on some parts.” Kiki made a show of brushing off her clothes, her monotone voice cool and composed as always.

Mitsuhide tilted his head in curiosity, his eyes still fixated heavenward. “Really?” 

She gave a nod, turning her back towards him once more. “Mmm. I rather liked the idea of us getting married.”  

With that Kiki walked off, leaving a crimson-faced Mitsuhide stammering after her retreating form.   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Obi you sneaky storyteller you. :P (hope that wasn’t too sudden of an end!) Please note this was completely, totally, and utterly inspired by Will and Elizabeth’s scene in Pirates of the Caribbean 3, with my own twist at the end.

But can you imagine if that HAD happened? After they’d won, the full extent of what just happened would finally hit Mitsuhide. Sort of a “Oh my gosh i married Kiki.” We’ve seen how flustered he got just sharing the same room as Kiki, can you imagine the scene with him sharing the same bed? ;D

Thanks for reading, i hope you enjoyed!!

[dammitadolfnomorecake]

Waking cocooned in Keith's arms, Lance let out a rumbling purr as he nuzzled his mates neck. Keith had been so busy lately, that waking to find his mate with him was a nice surprise. Even though he was like 80 percent sure he'd fallen asleep next to Hunk...

"Good morning beautiful. How did you sleep?"

"Good... like really good. What are you doing here?"

"Can't I sleep next to my mate?"

"I thought you'd have to work"

"I do, buuuut, this is nicer"

"Mmmm, you do feel nice. Can we spend today in bed?"

"I would if I could, but I've already been sleeping for the last 10 plus vargas, so I have to pretend to human today"

"Humaning is over rated"

Wriggling back down in his nest, Lance really didn't want to human. That meant getting up and doing things 

"I feel the same way. Hey, about yesterday. I shouldn't have gotten angry"

"It's ok. I mean. How many times have you had to put up with me being stupid"

"You make it sound like hard work"

Lance was dying to tell Keith he knew it was, but didn't want to start another fight 

"I suppose we should get up. I need a shower"

"Do I get to join you?"

"If you promise not to poke at my bruises"

"Do I need to poke at them?"

"No. They're all healing"

"Lance, if you're lying..."

"I'm not lying. Mood ruined. I'm getting up"

Pouting as Keith pulled him back down, Lance wasn't impressed. He was trying to have a nice morning, but Keith was all "Mr Serious". Kissing his pouty lips, his alpha stared him in the eye 

"Baby, I love you"

"That's not playing fair"

"I know. And as for getting up, I think I can help you there"

Hefting him up and onto his shoulder, Keith carried him through to the bathroom. Lance kicking and giggling as his mate plopped him down on the counter

"I could have walked"

"Too bad. Besides you already seem to be plenty up"

Snorting as he wrapped his legs around Keith's waist, he shook his head

"Who's faults that?"

"Mine? Or at least I hope it is"

"Well it's no one else's"

"Good. Now, I think we have a little time before we have to play being parents. And as your alpha, I feel like I'm responsible for making you happy"

"You do... most of the time. Sometimes you're just a jerk"

"I'm trying to be romantic"

"Because sex with a guy covered in bandages is sexy"

"It is when it's with you, but if you don't want to have sex, I can think of plenty of others things we can do"

"Can we shower? I really smelly"

"You just want to shower?"

"A shower where I can actually wash my hair would be heavenly"

"I can think of something better"

Not only did Keith wash his hair for him, his alpha gave him one of the most intense blow jobs to date, rubbing his prostate while doing this weird thing with his tongue that he wasn't sure how it worked, only that it was amazing. He was left shaking so badly that Keith had to pin him up against the shower wall while they had sex because he really couldn't hold himself up. Keith had barely knotted him when the twins started screaming. Smacking his head back against the shower wall, Lance groaned. Couldn't they just have half a varga to themselves? He knew he shouldn't feel that way, but...

"I quit"

"You quit what?"

"I don't know. I just feel like no what I do, I mess up"

"You don't... but if you're feeling this bad, maybe we could find a counsellor?"

"And how would that look? The Red Paladin of Voltron needs help. No my planet wasn't destroyed and everyone I love killed or enslaved, instead I'm sympathising with Galra soldiers who didn't want to die. And oh, no matter what I do, the pups barely sleep, but that's ok because even sleep deprived, I'm still going to run off to battle. Just ignore me... I shouldn't be whining like this"

"Lance, do you remember when we all found out I was part Galra?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"You're the only one who just... you accepted it. You accepted I was part Galra and still fell in love with me. You could see that not all Galra were bad, even when I hated my own blood and Allura wouldn't even talk to me. This war, it's not black and white. Both sides have done unforgivable things, but you... baby you're the most important thing in my life, you and our sons. You love and you give until you have nothing left, and I love you for it. But I hate seeing you suffer. How about I take the pups today? Even for a few vargas?"

"You have to work"

"So? You need to rest"

"Hunk... Hunk said we could try taking them outside for a bit. It might help"

"Do you want to take them outside?"

"I don't know. I know I slept a lot, and I feel really good because I did, but the moment I heard them starting to cry I just couldn't help but wonder what I was doing wrong"

"I can definitely tell you, this morning you haven't done anything wrong. In fact, you did a lot of things right"

Rocking upwards, Lance moaned as Keith's knot tugged

"Keith, we can't. They need feeding and bathes and changing and..."

"And it can wait until my knot goes down. You're not doing anything wrong taking a 5 dobosh break"

"We both know your knot lasts a lot longer than that"

"Then you're on time out until it goes down"

"Did you just put me on a time out?"

"If it'll get you to stop"

"I haven't even started. I've only been allowed to take care of the pups. I didn't even know we were back on Olkarion. You, Hunk and Shiro, you're the only ones I've seen since we landed... and the twins"

"Is that it? Do you want me to assign you something to do?"

"No. I just. I was lonely. Everyone's busy, and all I have are the pups and my thoughts and they keep going round in circles. I keep wondering if maybe they were actually on our side... the three soldiers that died on the way up to the bridge. It that's why he told me he didn't want to die, and if that's why Lotor's twin finished him off"

"We don't know... and we probably never will. I know it's not what you want to hear, but I am truly thankful you weren't seriously hurt and that you found a way to save us all"

Great. They were having the same conversation over and over again. Maybe he should just accept that Keith didn't understand or couldn't?

"I think I'll just try taking them for a walk. Or maybe take Red for a fly..."

"Will you be ok?"

"Yeah. If Hunk can come with me, I should be fine"

"Take you're commutator. I tried to call you yesterday but it didn't go through"

"I was probably asleep. Um... Hunk slept next to me. Nothing happened, but I kind of just needed a friend"

"I know. He was still next to you when I came in"

"Oh... I promise nothing happened"

Why was his heart beginning to race when he hadn't done anything wrong?

"I know. I trust you..."

No he didn't. Keith might have thought the hot water pouring down his back was enough to wash away or dilute his scent, but Lance smelt the shift in it. Keith... 

When his alpha's knot finally deflated, Keith pulled free before sliding his fingers into him to clean up the slick and cum inside of him. Usually Lance liked knowing it was there, but given he intended to spend as much of today outside as possible, it was probably best his pants didn't end up wet from their morning sex-capeds. Once deemed clean by his mate, Lance slipped out the shower and over to the bathroom counter, grabbing his towel as he continued to nursery and straight into view of Shiro and Hunk. Squeaking, he turned beat red as he tried to cover himself up

"Lance?"

Padding up behind him, Keith pulled him away from the two alpha's. Both of which were trying their hardest not to look at him

"What are you guys doing here?"

"I was going to help Lance with the pups. I thought you must have already left and Shiro just kind of tagged along..."

"Krolia said that Kolivan wanted to talk as soon as possible. She's up on the Bridge talking to him at the moment"

"Right, well Hunk you can help with the pups... Lance, I'm sorry, but I have to go deal with this"

Kissing his cheek, Keith walked across the room in his towel

"Keith, you're going to need something more than a towel on to talk to Kolivan"

"I need to get a new uniform from our room. Lance, have you got clothes in here?"

"I... I think so"

His voice was still a squeak, and he was absolutely mortified that he'd been seen naked by Shiro and his best friend. It didn't matter that they'd seen him naked before, but he'd had pups and... no. His thoughts were spiralling. He was naked and nothing happened. Probably because Keith and Hunk were there

"Good. I love you"

"I love you too"

Leaving, Keith took Shiro with him. Lance let out a tiny sigh of relief 

"Don't worry. I didn't see anything"

"Sorry. I... I wasn't expecting you to be in here"

"We only just arrived. I didn't know if you were trying to settle them or they were crying because they'd just been bathed"

"We didn't get that far. Um... can you give me like a couple of doboshes to find some clothes?"

"Can I have cuddles with the pups?"

"If you don't mind the fact they probably need changing"

"Then I'll get them ready for their bath"

"That would be awesome. Thanks Hunk"

 The moment Lance stepped out the castle and into the warm morning sun, his embarrassment over what happened diminished. Hunk was tactful enough not to bring it back up as they'd bathed the pups, but Lance still felt like he'd done something wrong. Like he'd cheated on Keith, even though Keith was there and he'd never even got close to Shiro. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. This was way better than staying cooped up on the castle 

"Lance?"

"I'm fine. I just missed the sun"

"That's ok then. You kind of looked a bit off"

"It's nothing. Um... thanks. I was kind of nervous about taking the pups out, but I feel better with you beside me"

"I thought maybe we could walk down to the village, but if that's too many people, we can walk in the woods"

Hunk had a point. Just seeing Shiro had sent him spiralling and he didn't want to have a panic attack or an episode or whatever the actual name for whatever he experienced was in front of everyone. He didn't want to tarnish Voltron's reputation just because he was damaged

"The woods would be better. But not to far"

"Knowing you, you just want to find somewhere to nap in the sun"

"Now that you mention it..."

Hunk rolled his eyes with a huff as he readjusted his hold on Kelance

"Your mum's addicted to the sun"

"But the sun feels so nice"

"Mhmm. I bet you didn't even put sunscreen on"

"Nope. I was so excited when Keith bought me all those expensive skin are products, but everyone morning I get up, I never get around to putting them on"

"I've noticed"

Hunk's tone was joking, his friend smiling broadly as they started down the ramp, but Lance's stupid messed up mind took him straight to "you're ugly" and "your mum would be so disappointed", both thoughts he really didn't want to be having. Not when the day was so beautiful.

 Heading off the path that would lead them to the village, Lance let Hunk pick their trail. He didn't really care were they ended up, as long as the pups were safe. If worse came to absolute worse, he had his communicator and Pidge would be able to track them down. Though whatever was left of his own self pride didn't want to have to ask for help. After following the path for around about 15 doboshes, it finally opened into a nice, small grassy clearing

"This place looks alright"

"I was hoping you'd say that. Man. That walk..."

Carefully sitting down, Hunk laid Kelance on the grass in front of him, so the pup was covered by his shadow. Taking just as much care, Lance sat down beside him

"Let's put you next to your brother. You're going to love this. The sun feels so nice and warm"

Laying Laneith down, his son's hand sort out Kelance's, and Lance wished he could take a photo of it. They were both just so precious 

"So you and Keith didn't make it to dinner last night"

"I kind of slept through..."

He hadn't made it to breakfast either, but Hunk had raided the nursery for food and had found some kind of granola bars hidden under Laneith's cot, so he'd been forced to eat one before Hunk would let him out the nursery 

"Just sleeping?"

"Hunk, are you leading into something?"

"No. Maybe. I had a fight with Pidge"

"What about?"

"You. She wanted to know if I didn't want to sleep with her because of you"

Rolling his eyes, Lance couldn't believe Pidge would actually think that

"I thought she'd be too busy with her sentries"

"So did I. I tried to talk to her, but she keeps telling me she loves me how I am"

Ok. Now he wasn't quite as mad at Pidge as he was

"That's because you're amazing"

"Lance"

"I know. But if she understands, then I would say she's ok with it all. Not that I think there's anything you need to change about yourself"

"It just feels like a really big step"

"And like I said, if you're not ready then you don't have to take it. Sex isn't the ultimate declaration of love"

"I know... Sometimes when I look at the pups, I wonder what it would be like to have kids of my own"

"Loudly. Smelly. Grumpy. Adorable. Chubby. Precious... let's not even go into the nappy thing"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence"

"Hunk, you know if Pidge was to fall pregnant, I would do everything I could to help out. I mean, I know in new to this mum thing, but if I could, I would"

"I know, but that's a long way off. Besides, with Pidge being an alpha, it's harder for her to conceive"

"I suppose. I never thought I'd end up pregnant twice, or the mother of twin pups... twice"

"At least they're adorable"

"You know, Keith was actually prepared to take them today"

"He was?"

"I think I scared him yesterday. But he's got so much work to do, so it's not fair if he has to handle the pups as well"

"Can you imagine him on a call to Kolivan with the pups crying. Kolivan would probably demand they stop crying"

"Do you know why he called?"

"Something about a mission. Maybe Krolia has one coming up"

"Maybe. We haven't talked much lately... I kind of miss her... I kind of miss everyone"

"You know you can and join us"

"Nah. I'll only get in the way"

"You won't be in the way"

"Hunk, if I tell you something, do you promise not to laugh at me?"

"It depends what you want to say"

"Well thanks"

"You know I'll try my hardest"

Busying himself with Laneith's blanket, Lance took a shaky breath 

"I do keep trying to get better... but I don't think I know how to anymore. First it was Shiro, and then he disappeared and we got not-Shiro, and the pups and both pregnancies, and fighting this war and going to Earth, and the rift and giving birth. And then everything since then. Sometimes it feels like so much time has passed so I should be better, and then something small happens and all my ideas and plans fall apart. I mean. I found Blue, but I never really felt like I was truly part of the team. I picked fights with Keith because I was jealous. I flirted with everyone just to feel better and the girls because I was jealous of how pretty they were. Somewhere along the line, I feel like I lost myself and I don't remember who I was... so I wonder sometimes if I've always been like this. If I've always been hiding and waiting for someone to swoop in and protect me. Maybe I don't know how to be better because I never was any better than this? Does they even make sense?"

"Lance, you are doing better. Your episodes and attacks aren't on purpose. You can't control something like that"

"But today, I felt like I'd cheated on Keith when you both saw me naked. When we were in the shower, when he was knotted inside of me, he said he trusted me but he lied. I know you don't want to hear about our sex life, but being knotted by your mate... there's nothing like it. It's a rush of love and affection. Like you really are connected and... it just feels amazing... and he lied"

"Maybe he wasn't lying?"

"His scent changed"

"Well maybe he was joking but got worried you would take it the wrong way?"

"I don't know. Hey, I don't suppose you feel like doing some training? No ones around and the grass is pretty soft"

"You want to train?"

"I want to feel normal and it's such a nice day"

"I'm not going to get into trouble with Keith am I?"

"Nope"

Popping the "p" Lance brushed his hands off on his pants as he rose to his feet. With the sun rising behind them, the tree shadows now stretched across the pups, and their blankets would protect them from most of the sun

"Alright. But you're helping me make lunch after this"

"How about the loser makes lunch"

"And how are we going to decide who's the winner?"

"If I can get your headband before the pups start crying, I win"

 It was literally the moment he pulled a crane style fighting pose that the pups started crying. Shooting his sons a mock angry look, he straightened himself back up

"That doesn't count"

"You said it was over once the pups started crying"

"Well I didn't expect them to turn traitor on me quite so soon"

"Are you, you know, going to check them?"

"No. That's they're I'm awake, but I'm tired cry"

"So they'll be alright?"

"They'll be fine. They're safer than your headband"

Both of them were ignoring the fact that Hunk could probably stop him with one hand if he really wanted. Resuming his crane pose, he eyed Hunk's headband, while Hunk just stood there with his arms crossed.

 After nearly a varga of Hunk casually evading all his efforts, Lance resorted to his secret technique. Jumping on his friends back, he and Hunk were both howling with laughter as he failed to grab the headband, which hunk had whipped off and was now holding an arms length away. Trying to crawl up his friend, he wasn't making any progress at all, and he also failed to hear the approaching footsteps. Spinning around, he was throwing head first over Hunk, and landing with an "ooof"

"Well you two seem to be having fun"

Running into Shiro once was bad enough, but twice. Panting, Lance rolled over 

"You could say that. We'd say we were training seriously"

"And what about the pups?"

"They're fine. Hunk was about to give me his head band before you interrupted"

"He was?"

"Yep. Weren't you Hunk"

"I don't know about that..."

"Well the deal was, I was the winner if I could get it from you"

Walking across the clearing, Shiro walked straight up to Hunk and took the yellow headband from his hold. Turning, the alpha held it out to him

"So what do you win?"

"Not having to make lunch"

Taking the headband from Shiro, Lance was confused. Why did Shiro bother interrupting them in the first place? And why did he care what it was all about? Scrambling to his feet, he handed Hunk back his headband before returning to the pups

"Do you need a hand with them?"

"I'm alright"

Not thinking about anything other than the fact he was hot, Lance pushed up his left sleeve before lifting Laneith. Shiro was by his side before he even realised what was happening, lifting Laneith from his hold

"Shiro... what..."

"You're hurt. What happened to your arms?"

Grabbing the end of his left sleeve, he yanked it back into place 

"It's nothing. It's just from the Galra attack"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine. I can carry my own pups"

Bending back down, he lifted Kelance onto his shoulder, before reaching for Laneith 

"Hunk, can you carry the other pup. If Lance is hurt, he shouldn't be carrying them"

"Excuse me"

Narrowing his eyes at Shiro, his anger flared

"I shouldn't be carrying my own son's?"

"I just meant that if you're hurt, you don't want to make it worse. I didn't mean to upset you"

"By implying I can't take care of them"

"That's not it at all. I was just worried... I really didn't mean to upset you"

"Lance, maybe he's right. Now that I can breathe and smell again, I can smell blood"

"They're fine. The bandages rubbed, a little"

"Why don't we carry them back up to the castle?"

Now Hunk was siding with Shiro? What was this? Reaching out, he lifted Laneith onto his free shoulder, his hands coming to support their heads

"It's fine. I'm fine"

"Lance"

"No. It's ok Hunk. I've got them. Thanks for today. It was nice to get away from everything and everyone"

"Speaking of that. Kolivan has a mission for Keith and Krolia. Keith tried to decline, but apparently its urgent and its to do with that black goop infecting the Galra soldiers"

"Shouldn't Lotor be dealing with that?"

"He is, but this is regarding a Galra ship where the infection may be coming from"

"Which is all the more reason Lotor should be dealing with it. Not Keith and Krolia"

"Look, I only came down to get you so we could all discuss this"

 Clamping his mouth closed, Lance scowled all the way back up to the castle. Keith and Krolia would naturally go on the mission, and it wasn't like he was in any position to say no. If he did, he'd sound like the biggest hypocrite ever. He couldn't tell his family not to go and let someone else's die.

  *

Standing towards the back of the Bridge, Lance had his mouth closed in a thin tight frown. As he'd predicted, Kolivan wanted both of them to head out as soon as possible, leaving him internally panicking over the impending absence of Keith. How was he supposed to take care of both pups without Keith, or Krolia? And how would the pair of them get on without him... well they'd obviously be alright, but Keith had been soon possessive, and now he was leaving him alone... and the pups, if either of them found themselves thinking about the pups at just the wrong moment, that could mean death. No. He just needed to take a few deep breaths. Krolia and Keith were professionals... or rather, more professional than he was.

 Pacing back past him, Krolia kissed Laneith's cheek. Thanks to stupid Shiro everyone knew his arms were bandaged, so Krolia had taken Laneith, while Keith was holding Kelance... leaving him "holding himself" and feeling lonely. He was perfectly fine holding the boys, but Shiro had to go pick a fight and now everyone was acting like he'd done the right thing. It felt like his only ally in the whole castle was Hunk, and even Hunk was too busy to talk. He and Pidge were planning the route that Keith and Krolia would be taking to reach the infected Galra ship. Spinning round again, Krolia looked to him

"Would you like him back? You smell distressed"

"I just miss holding them"

"Here"

Closing the distance between them, Krolia placed Kelance into his hold

"If you wanted to hold him a little longer, that's ok"

"No. You look better with him"

"I don't know about that. Shiro said I wasn't allowed to hold them both"

"I think Shiro's busy with Allura, and they are your sons"

"Really? I hadn't noticed"

Placing her hand on his shoulder, Krolia smiled

"I'll look after Keith. We'll both be just fine"

"Keith didn't even bother asking me about it"

"Probably because he knew if he did, he'd want you to say no"

"I know he has to go... but it would have been nice not to be the last to know"

"It was kind of sudden"

"It still sucks"

"Maybe this will help it suck less, I found it in your old bathroom"

Sliding her free hand into her pocket, Krolia pulled out the ring Pidge and Ryner had made for him. Lance's eyes widened as he snorted. Fat lot of good it had done preventing his pregnancy... though technically he'd already been pregnant when they'd given it to him...

"I had no idea where it ended up. Not that it turned out being all that useful"

Tucking the ring in his jacket pocket, Krolia kissed his cheek softly

"I for one don't mind that it didn't. I have two beautiful grandsons because of it"

"Yeah. They are rather beautiful. Even when they're screaming"

 Keith must have noticed them standing together, because their small moment was interrupted by his mate coming to his side and wrapping his free arm around his waist, like absolutely nothing was wrong. Struggling with the need to both pull Keith close and push him away, Lance stood stock still

"Everything alright?"

"I was just promising Lance that I'd protect you"

"The mission shouldn't be that bad. We just need to ascertain the level of infection and if the ship is the only one infected"

"And what if you end up infected?"

Quiznak. So much for keeping his mouth closed

"Baby, I'm not going to get infected. They aren't even going to know we're on board"

Unless they scanned the ship and found too many heat signatures...

"I know you're not happy, but the sooner we leave, the sooner we return, and everyone's more than happy to help out with the pups"

It was all so official. They were really going and he couldn't stop them

"Baby?"

"Whatever. It's your job. I'll just stay back here, looking after your son's like a good little omega"

"Lance, that's not fair"

"No, what's no fair is that you have to go in the first place. We finally got back to Olkarion and it's been hectic. I get it. I know you have to go, and I know we'll have to go on missions without you. Ok. I get it. Now give me Laneith, I'm going to take them both back down to the nursery"

"Lance, I am coming back"

Bitterness filled every part of him. Keith's words should have been comforting, but they left him so cold that he shivered. He really was a total hypocrite

"I'll believe it when I see it"

Turning and taking Laneith, Lance ignored the way Keith's fingers curled around his arm, trying to prevent him leaving. He was angry and lashing out, so it was better he left before he said anything else he regretted.

 Settling both pups down in his nest, Lance dropped down next to them. Why was he so stupid? Keith didn't want to leave him. Neither did Krolia. But they both accepted that this black goop issue was bigger than all of them, and if it was spreading throughout the Galra fleet, Voltron would be the only way to stop it. So realistically, they couldn't be gone that long. A few quintants to fly out there, a few to poke around, then a quick call back to the castle and home. One, maybe two, movements? And it wasn't like he was going to be alone. He had the pups, and no doubt Hunk and Allura would hover around making up excuses as to why they were there or coming to check on him... but they weren't Keith. Coming back to Olkarion had been another stupid dream. He'd been hoping maybe they'd be able to borrow a house and play happy families, even for just a little while. He'd cook all the meals and look after their pups, while Keith dealt with his daily duties. The others would come and visit, but at the end of the day, it would be just the four of them. Together in their own little world. He really was too much of a dreamer. Maybe with Keith gone, he'd try and create a new routine. Training, morning bath time, breakfast, cleaning up the nursery, afternoons with Hunk and then maybe spending the night in Red? It wasn't a bad routine... and it was probably much more thought through than when he'd been waking up at 4 in the morning and starving himself. Remembering the ring in his pocket, he pulled it out and stared down at it. He loved his sons. He'd do anything for them, but... he wasn't in the right place mentally to even think about having any more pups. And the truth was, that the idea of falling pregnant again scared the quiznak out of him. His pregnancy hadn't been all that smooth, even if the sex had been amazing and even if his mate definitely had a stomach kink... the birth... well... they all knew how that ended up playing out. He was lucky he lived on the castle. If he was on Earth, there was no way he could have survived it. Sliding the ring onto his free ring finger, he nodded to himself. This was definitely the right choice.

 Having stripped his jacket, jeans and boots off, Lance was now curled around his son's. Both boys were wide awake, but for a change they weren't crying. Instead they were staring at each other. Having a twin must be nice. Having some one beside you, even before your born and knowing they'll always be there. Even if he died, his pups would always have each other. Leaning in, he kissed both pups on the forehead before taking a deep lungful of their scent. Like Keith it was rich and calming, with just the tiniest hint of his own sweetness. Even though Krolia, Hunk and Shiro had all handled the pups, all he could smell on them, was them

"I love you my babies"

They probably had no idea what he was on about, and he was being completely snobbed by them as they stared at each other, but he really did love them. Settling back down, he closed his eyes as he forced out a long breath. He'd have to go find Keith later and figure out something to say.

 "Lance, baby?"

Groaning at the insistent shaking of his shoulder, Lance blindly smacked towards the direction of Keith's voice 

"I know. I woke you up, but I wanted to see you before I left"

That got his attention. Capturing his hand, Keith laced their fingers together as Lance forced his gritty eyes open 

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah baby. Everything's in place"

"So soon..."

"I know it's soon, but we can't risk the infection spreading"

"But..."

"It sucks, but you'll be so busy without me, you won't even notice I'm gone"

He could have punched Keith for that. Of course he was notice the other half of his soul wasn't beside him

"Voltron has a mission to help reestablish a village tomorrow, so Hunk said you can ride with him"

He couldn't fly Red? Why? What?

"I tried wait as long as possible for you to wake up, but I really need to go. I don't know how long we're going to be, and I don't know when I'll be able to call in. But I wanted to tell you I love you before I go"

Releasing his hand, Keith cupped his face with his other one as he leant in for a quick kiss. And just like that, without him getting to even say goodbye properly, his mate was gone. Striding from the nursery without even looking back. As his eyes filled with tears, Lance looked down to his pups, before letting out a miserable and needy whine. If it came to goodbyes, he'd rather be the one leaving instead of being left behind.

  *

When he was right, he was right. The first day after Keith and Krolia had left, they indeed had a mission. The planet had been liberated by Voltron earlier on when they forming the coalition, and the reason Keith hadn't wanted him in Red was because Galra had once again "enslaved" its occupants. Trying to convince them that they'd known nothing about it, and that Lotor wasn't behind it had been a headache and a half, which some how Shiro had finally managed to solve. The citizens wouldn't listen to him as he was just the Red Paladin, but Shiro. Shiro had been the Black Paladin. The leader of Voltron that everyone loved. So what if Keith had said he was second in command during his absences, he didn't have the charisma Shiro did. Even one armed, the alpha was smooth as silk as he talked to the scared and confused masses. Repeating almost the exact same things he had, Shiro managed to calm the citizens and then plan out how to go about rebuilding the village like it as natural as breathing. Given he was no use when it came to the finer math side of things, he'd returned to where the pups were still sleeping in Yellow. Like Hunk, Yellow just seemed to accept things as they were. She didn't even seem annoyed that she was essentially an intergalactic taxi service for him and his sons. Hiding away in Yellow, it was well after sundown that anyone remembered he was missing. He could hear the celebration happening down in the village, but because he'd alienated himself and hadn't actually helped in any way, shape or form, he didn't feel like he really had the right to go down there. It would be different if Keith was there. He missed him so much it hurt, and they'd only been apart for quintant. How the quiznak was he supposed to handle being apart for any longer?

 After finding him in Yellow, Hunk had dragged him down to the village celebrations while the pups slept back in Yellow. His friend practically force feeding him, before Allura stepped in and spent the rest of the night clinging to his arm, as royally and gracefully as she could. Over the three quintants they were stuck there, Hunk and Allura were never far away... even Pidge and Shiro were starting to hover close on the last day. Annoyed over it all, it only made him more adamant that he was going to get his life in order while Keith was gone.

 Once they'd returned to the castle, Lance went straight to work. He moved everything he thought he need during the night for both himself and the pups to Red, setting up a rather large and overly intricate nest for himself and his sons, that only contained Keith's pillow. That was it. Well, they shared the blankets, so it wasn't impossible to rid himself of Keith's scent completely and it probably would have broken him completely to do so, but he wanted space to work through what he felt like he needed to do. 

 Pushing down his feelings of loneliness, Lance was still guttered when he found out he'd missed a call from Keith. His mate had then called the castle directly apparently demanding to know if he was ok. He was, he'd just been training and he'd left his communicator in Red without thinking. Arriving 5 doboshes late to breakfast because Kelance had decided throwing up was the best thing to do the moment he was dressed, Hunk had been the one nominated to tell him that his mate was going to be away longer than expected. The ship they'd snuck onto was now headed to whatever its destination was, which meant he and Krolia were staying on board until they ended up wherever that was. Or something like that. It'd taken two whole movements to even hear from Keith, and having thrown himself into his routine, Lance found himself handling it better than he'd expected. Though his omega was definitely still struggling with the absence of their alpha. The only slight hiccup had been that now Shiro was back and Keith was going to be gone so much longer, Shiro had stepped into the role of leader again, despite the fact that it was supposed to be his job as Keith's second in command and his bond with Black was gone. With Shiro taking command came extended team training sessions, and team bonding time. Breakfast, lunch and dinner all had to be eaten together. Even on the days he struggled to stay awake because the pups missed Keith and had cried all night. Training was almost straight after breakfast, which was a varga of personal fitness followed by a varga of hand to hand, provided they didn't have a mission, and after each mission they had to have a debriefing. Sure their missions were mostly helping move cargo or rescuing stranded travellers, and didn't really need a debriefing, but Shiro said it was good for moral. His and Keith's leadership styles were so different, that Lance couldn't understand why everyone seemed so willing to jump to attention and do everything Shiro said or rather "suggested". Yet somewhere along the line, he ended up swept up in the flow. He was never left alone with Shiro, but he wasn't quite as scared as he felt he should be. Maybe it was because of the new routine, or maybe it was because he had his ring back on and felt in control of his own body, but he did feel better. Being together so often meant there were times when he'd had to talk with the alpha, but as time continued to tick by, he found himself not feeling so compelled to run screaming. They weren't friends, but they'd kind of managed to find a semi-comfortable distance that allowed them to get work done, and once or twice Shiro and Coran had been left baby sitting the pups together. Each night when he fell into his nest with his pups, he found it a little easier to breath. It wasn't like he didn't miss Keith like there was no tomorrow, but with all this team time and all the missions, he never really felt as lonely as he had.

 And then. Just like life always did. Everything went to Quiznak.

 A whole phoeb had passed since he'd last seen Keith. Since he'd last heard his mate's voice. Since he'd failed miserably to say goodbye to his mate. Not completely sure why, Lance found himself in the middle of the night walking through the halls. No. He knew why. It was the fact it had been a whole phoeb. There was difference between knowing something and seeing it. He knew Keith had been gone that long, but seeing the pups go up a size, it'd hit him just how much Keith had missed during this last phoeb. He still had nightmares over the invasion of the castle, and when they'd encountered Galra soldiers, he'd shaken so badly he hadn't been able to pull the trigger, but he could shoot sentries again without feeling the same level of guilt over it he did. It wasn't just his mental health that had improved. Eating three meals a day, training and missions had helped cut right down on the belly fat he'd hated so much. His stomach wasn't flat and toned like it used to be, and it probably never would be, but he could fit back into some of his pre-pregnancy pants and he'd been ecstatic. The stuff he couldn't fit into was mostly because of the widening of his hips, not because he was muffin-topping. All these small things on there own had made him happy, but putting them together... he missed Keith so badly he felt like his heart had been torn out. Leaving the pups sleeping in the nursery, he'd left the room before he'd even really realised.

 Wandering up to the Bridge, he'd expected to find it empty, instead Shiro was standing in front of a sensor screen, moving tiny images of ships around it, while Hunk was snoring his head off in his chair. Not wanting to be alone, but also not really looking for conversation, he padded across the Bridge and over to the window. The night was uncharacteristically cold, and his bare feet were red as he sank down into a ball

"Lance, is everything ok?"

He should have expected Shiro to ask. Hunk would have too if his best friend had been awake 

"Yeah. I just really miss Keith"

"Well he's been gone a fair while now"

"One phoeb, 4 vargas and a few doboshes..."

"A few doboshes"

"I don't really know what the time is"

Resting his head against the cold window, he felt like some totally lame character in a sad music video. Snorting mentally, he blew against the glass, before drawing a love heart with Keith's initials in it, just to completely the scene

"Do you want to try calling him?"

"No. It's ok. I know he's busy and I know mum will do anything she can to protect him"

"He'd be proud of you. You've been working really hard since he left"

"Of course I have. I'm supposed to be leading Voltron, it's my job as the Red Paladin. I swore to Alfor I would, and I swore to myself I would do everything in my power to back Keith"

"I guess that means I took your job"

"Yeah, but you're better at than me. People listen to you and respect you. If it gets results, that's the main thing"

"Lance. I know what happened between us can't be undone, but I am sorry"

"Why are you bringing this up now?"

"Because we're actually talking. Lately you haven't seemed like you've had to try so hard when I'm around"

"I'm not as scared of you as I was... but things are never going to be how they used to be. I had so many nightmares... and sometimes I have episodes where I can't even remember what I did. You broke something inside of me that can't ever be fixed, so don't think we can be friends"

Tracing around the heart he'd made, he watched the condensation run down the window. Coran would probably freak over the castle glass being dirty. 

 Letting out an exceptionally loud snore, Hunk sprung to his feet, before looking around the room

"Lance! What?! Did something happen? Is it Keith? Is it the pups?! You smell funny"

"I'm ok Hunk. I just wanted to look at the stars. It's been a phoeb since Keith left"

"Oh bud... I'm sorry. I didn't even realise"

"It's not your fault"

"You've been doing so well. He's going to be proud of you"

"Shiro said the same thing"

Looking to where Shiro had been, Lance frowned. He hadn't even realised he alpha had left

"You talked to Shiro?"

"He was still working when I came in. I didn't think anyone was going to be here"

Walking across the bridge, Hunk squatted down next to him, sliding off his jacket as he did. Draping it carefully over his shoulders, his friend beamed at him

"It's cold, we don't want you getting sick"

"Thanks Hunk"

"Do you want me to walk you down to your room?"

"No. I'm going to watch the stars a little longer. You go ahead and head to bed"

"Are you sure?"

No. No he didn't want to be alone, but he didn't want Hunk to feel obligated

"Yeah. I'm just going to watch the stars a little longer. Do you think he's alright?"

"This is Keith. He's so head over heels for you that he wouldn't risk getting hurt and making you mad"

"Sometimes you can't help getting hurt..."

"Lance..."

"Sorry. It's ok. I just miss him and I miss mum"

"But you miss him more"

"Yeah..."

"How about I come down to the nursery and help with the pups in the morning?"

"Hunk, you come down most mornings and if it's not you, it's Allura"

"That's because they're so cute"

"I thought it was because you liked watching me get vomit out my hair"

"Yep. You got me"

Forcing a smile, Lance nodded

"Go to bed. I'll see you in the morning. You should bring Pidge down, hands on experience will be good for her"

"I think she'd like that. Night, Lance"

"Night, Hunk"

 Without really meaning to, Lance fell asleep against the window. His hand against the cold pain as he whined in his sleep for Keith.

  *

"Lance!"

Rudely awakened from his sleep by Shiro yelling his name, it took Lance a moment to realise he wasn't actually dreaming and that Shiro had his hand on his shoulder. Flinching and trying to pull back, he groaned in pain as he doubled over. He felt sick. Incredibly sick. To the very bottom of his rolling and cramping stomach

"Lance, you need to get up!"

Trying to pull him up by the arm, Lance wasn't able to stand

"Lance!"

Each time Shiro yelled his name, Lance head throbbed in response

"Quiznak. This would be easier with two hands"

Pushing him up the glass, Shiro then grabbed him by the chin

"Lance. You need to stand"

Lance's eyes widened. His body shaking as it tried to obey the command Shiro had just issued. What was going on?

"Al-alpha..."

"Lance, you're in heat. You need to leave the bridge"

Heat? This didn't feel like he was in heat... he wasn't slick and he wasn't horny. He just felt gross. Shaking his head, he realised it was horrible mistake as he threw up down the front of Shiro. Whimpering, he tried to raise his hands to protect himself as he started to slide back down to the floor 

"Lance you need to get up before the others come"

"'an't move"

"Yes you can"

Nope. He really couldn't 

"Lance!"

Yelling his name so loudly that Lance thought his heart was going to explode in fear, Lance burst into tears as Shiro tried to pull him up again.

 "What's going on here?! Lance! Oh my gosh"

Allura. Allura was here...

"Shiro, what happened?! Did you try to do something to him? Lance, can you hear me"

Feeling her cold hands on his face, Lance immediately nuzzled into the sensation

"No... I feel sick"

"No what?"

"No I didn't try to do anything to him. He came up here last night because he missed Keith, and he must have fallen asleep because that's Hunk's jacket. I was trying to get him on his feet, but it's a bit hard when you have one arm and he's just thrown up on you"

"Then you should have gotten one of us. Lance, can you stand?"

"N-no..."

"Ok, I'm going to help you up, and then we'll get Coran to take a little look at you"

"He doesn't need Coran. He's in heat"

"What! Oh. Lance, it's ok. I've got you"

"I don't feel like I'm in heat"

Drooling from vomiting and sobbing in fear, he didn't know how Allura could understand him

"He is. He stinks of it. That's why I wanted to wake him up before the others arrived. He's likely to send them into a rut"

"That's enough Shiro. Go get cleaned up. There's things that will need to be organised. The pups will need to go into a pod, and Lance will need to be kept seperate from everyone"

He really didn't feel like he was in heat, and it was way too soon. He was supposed to have six months 

"Allura, what's going on... is Lance in heat?!"

Pidge. Why? Why did they have to see him like this?

"He says he doesn't feel like he is"

"He smells like he is. Is that Hunk's jacket?"

"He fell asleep up here last night. He was with Hunk when I left"

"You didn't hurt him, did you?"

"No! I was trying to wake him up"

Sagging against Allura, Allura staggered sideways. In an instant, Shiro was at his other side, propping him up. Like so many phoebes ago, the alpha's touch felt revolting and he whined in response 

"Yeah. He's in heat. I'll call Hunk, he's down with the pups"

"Pups... ' want my pups"

"Lance, you can't look after them right now. It's ok. We'll make sure they're ok"

"Nooo"

Letting out a low growl, Shiro readjusted his hold on him. Between Lance's legs, slick finally began to run. Whimpering, he tried to pull away from Shiro but the alpha didn't let him move at all

"Get him to his room"

 Lance didn't remember the walk down to his and Keith's quarters, only that the moment he smelt Keith, he wanted to be bred. He wanted to be filled over and over. Dropping him down on the bed, he squirmed as he tried to rut against the mattress in need

"We need to contact Keith"

In the background Shiro growled, but the sensations he was feeling from grinding against the mattress drowned everything out as he came with long mew. Panting as his body slowly began to listen to him, his face flushed red with embarrassment. Rolling over, he found the room empty. At least that was something.

 After being reduced to crawling, Lance was now stuck on the floor of the shower as his whole body burned. Without Keith there to knot him, he'd wrecked his throat crying out for his mate. Fingers weren't enough, and despite the fact he'd cum from just rutting against the bed, he couldn't come now. He'd worked his erection until every part of him needed to cum, but his orgasm hung just out of reach, leaving him a sobbing mess. He didn't know what to do, or how to care of himself.

[weapon13whitefang]

Beth: You have to stay who you are, not who you were (S4E12)

Gareth: Can’t go back, Bob (S5E1)

Gareth: Can’t go back, Bob (S5E2)

Rick: Can’t go back, Bob (S5E8)

Eastman : You saw it happen, that’s how this started, right? It’s all happening right in front of your eyes, over and over again. Your body’s here, but your mind is still there. There’s a door and you want to go through it, to get away from it, so you do, and leads you right back to that moment. And you see that door again, you know it won’t work but hell, maybe it’ll work, so you step through that door and you’re right back in that horrible moment every time. You still feel it every time, so you just want to stop opening that door, so you just sit in it. But I assure you, one of those doors leads out, my friend. (S6E4)

Carl : We can go back to how it was. We can go back. And you saw it. What it did. How-How easy it got... That's why you changed why you brought those people from Woodbury in You brought them in, and we all lived together. We were enemies. You put away your gun. You did it so I could change, so I could be who I am now. What you did then How you How you stopped fighting it was right. It still is. It can be like that again.You can still be like that again. Rick : I can't be who I was. It's different now. Carl : You can't kill all of 'em, Dad. There's gotta be something after. For you and for them. There's gotta be something after. (S8E9)

This doesn’t account for every time this kind of mentality has been brought up on the show, but these are the ones that stick out to me.

Since season 2, everyone has been saying that things aren’t the way they were and that you can’t be like you were in the old world. Shane was constantly telling Rick “it ain’t like it was before”.

I find this concept interesting because, while agree it can’t be like it was and you can’t be like you were… You can be better. No, you can’t go back. Team Family can not go back. They can not be who they were when the outbreak started, who they were when they were at the prison, who they were when they first entered Alexandria.

But they can be better.

Rick can’t be sheriff Rick anymore. At least not the one he was. Not the one that was shot and left in a coma... But yet he can put on the hat again. He can be the Sheriff. But he can be better. You can come back from things. You just can’t be who you were ever again.

That’s what I feel like Carl is trying to tell his dad as he’s dying. Rick can’t be the Sheriff he was, but he can be a Sheriff. People can come back to something. They won’t be the same. They’ll be better or worse, but they’re back. If they have people that they care about – that they love – with them, then they can be more than they were. They can find who they're meant to be.

Recently, @twdmusicboxmystery made a post about the magazines seen at the end of S5E8 [Coda]. In that Meta, they talked about a specific magazine that was seen by Morgan as he came across the school that Father Gabriel had stirred the walkers from. The same walkers that he lead to the church and almost got everyone freaking killed over but also the same church that Morgan finds the map in that has Rick's name on it.

That magazine was this thing

Kinda hard to make out, right? Well @frangipanilove found a clearer image of it.

Okay, awesome. In the past I did a HUGE and obnoxious Meta on the magazines that Skybound had posted. Here.

I was kind of fascinated by some of the things that musicboxmystery talked about in their META. Keep in mind, they lean more on connecting pretty much everything to Beth (I myself do not). This is more of a simple observatory thought I had after reading the META.

First off, I'm gonna focus on the giant red box that was placed on the image for me. The word “Palendrome” is supposed to be the word “Palindrome”. It's been spelled wrong. If you try to look up the word as it's spelled above, the real spelling for the word – I instead of an E – constantly comes up and a suggested word search is given. So there's been a spelling error.

What is a palindrome? A palindrome is “a word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backward as forward.” Examples: madam, nurses run, race car, Dammit, I'm mad, mom, dad.... Bob or Hannah. The word palindrome comes from the Greek word “palin” which means “again” and the Greek word “dramein” (or drom / dromos) which means “to run”. Together they become “palindromos” which means “running back again”.

So while the word is meant to describe words that can be played backwards and forward, it can also be related to the saying “running back again” or “going back again” or “to return to the beginning”. Because a palindrome can return to it's beginning. The word starts where it ends. Hannah will be the same if you flip it backwards or read it backwards in a mirror.

So what is the palindrome of Hannah Fairlight? Why use that word to describe Hanna? (Besides her name being backwards, there's no sense to the stitle then). Well I tried to do some digging into Ms Fairlight to get a feel about who she is and why this particular word was used for her. The title states “The Palendrome of Hannah Fairlight : Turning Heartbreak into Gold”.

I couldn't find anything that would explain why they would sentence it like that... Buuuut I did find something else kinda fun.

Hannah is from the midwest and she has a few EP's out, she's had a few roles in television, and she's currently known for being in Pitch Perfect 3 as one of the Veracity members. Coda was released in 2014. Filming for S5 began in 2014... There's no record of Hannah doing ANYTHING in 2014. In 2013 she was doing sound work for Double Divas, Love & Hip Hop, Jersey String, and Say Yes to the Dress. She's listed for the music department of the series The Adventures of Ben & Sarah in 2014. Otherwise... She hasn't had anything “big” until 2017 with Pitch Perfect 3... So why use Hannah in the magazine?

Because she does bare some similarities to Emily Kinney's career. Both are self promoted musicians, both are from the Midwest (EK in Nebraska and Hannah is from Tennessee), and both have a very unique type of voice. Also, I think because Hannah's Album “Creatures of Habit” was also being released in March of 2014. The album includes a variety of love songs. Sad love songs. Emily also has a habit of posting love songs. Hers sometimes are more lovesick and sugary. But she has the occasional naughty undertone or angry love or love is a battle feel to them. Like “Mermaid Song”; it's a broken heart song.... But in 2015 Hannah was releasing an album called “Bright Future”; which is music about things will get better. This Is War from EK was about love but also fighting to keep together or accepting the fall or just angry love. Hanna went from sad love to things can go on and get better. So both have shown that they use what relates to them or use heavy inspirations of life to express their music. Finally, both are under-appreciated in their music because Hannah has some pretty great songs from what I've listened to and EK deserves. If I knew more about Hanna, I bet I could find more similarities between her and EK.

So we have a self-promoted musician from the midwest singing about lost love and sad love being shown on a magazine in an after scene of an episode where a character who sings and was lost to loved ones after being shot... My head is VERY tilted to the side like “HMMMMMMM” because even I – who really doesn't like to get into relating everything to Beth and Emily – can not help but notice the simple but glaring similarities there.

While I'm still perplexed about using palindrome to describe Hannah... If they're using Hannah as a sort of representation to EK/Beth, then using that word could mean that the beginning is the end. Morgan said everything comes around; karma / life works in circles. What you do onto others will come back onto you. So if everything comes around... How does Beth come back to the beginning? Well that could mean a lot of things. It could mean we go back to the beginning of where this whole mess began for Beth; Grady. We might be able to go back to the prison or the farm, but there really isn't much left for anything there besides maybe triggering memories. The whole thing of “we can't go back” started with Terminus, so we could go back to what remains of Terminus, though Carol and everyone kinda left that place to burn to the ground... Or perhaps just going back to Gerogia in general is what could happen. Georgia is where everything is; the farm, the prison, burnt remains of Woodbury, burnt up Terminus, and Grady... There's all kinds of things left behind in Georgia and that's where a lot of these characters stories began; Rick, Morgan, Michonne, Carol, Daryl, and Tara all started in Georgia. Maybe it means to turn back to what happened in Georgia; what made them change and what changed. Who they lost and what they lost.

I'm wondering if this magazine cover is meant for Morgan. He's the one that stumbled upon it. He's the one who Eastman gave the door analogy to. Morgan's the one who wrote the infamous wall of CLEAR. Morgan may be the one who needs to go back to the beginning to reach the end. Or it could be about Beth because of the similarities we see in her and Hannah... Or it could be both and they're connected in a way that we the audience have yet to see. Hell maybe they don't realize they're connected yet... It's possible.

Either way, I am a bit fascinated by this magazine here. I'm not sure it's what musicboxmystery thought it was, but I can see why they got excited about it.

[lettersofsky]

Sorry if I overwhelm you, buuuut, Kingdom Hearts and FFVII for the fandoms meme. 'Cause I love hearing about your interests.

Don’t you worry about overwhelming me Wings, I’m always happy to ramble about things! Besides, it’s a good way to unwind after a not-too-great shift! This is big and rambly, hopefully just what you wanted!

FFVII

Character I first fell in love with:

The first character I fell in love with the very first time I played the game was definitely Barret. It was his interactions with Marlene that just made me go; ‘yes, this is a good character, he will stay with me for many hours’. He did in fact stay with me for many hours, being one of the first I got all the limit breaks for and part of my final party at the end of the game.

Character I never expected to love as much as I do now:

Probably Sephiroth. I enjoyed him very much as the villain of the OG but Crisis Core went a whole ‘nother yard in making me sympathise with him, because holy shit, no, that’s sad. Also I really love all the small, minuscule details on him in the Crisis Core cut-scenes, namely those one’s where he actually does hide behind his hair, it’s glorious and I love him so much.

Character everyone loves but I don’t:

I’m gonna cheat and put down three because they’re all kinda equal in my eyes and I want to. Angeal, Tifa and Aerith. They’re all just kinda meh to me and that’s basically it. They’re good characters definitely, there’s no doubt about that, I mean I rambled a whole think-piece about how Tifa may have manipulated Cloud into believing that they were actually close before he left for Midgar which is a really interesting parallel to Jenova manipulating Sephiroth in order to get what ‘she’ wanted.

Character I love but everyone else hates:

Probably Rosso, but only for the fact that she’s from Dirge of Cerberus which a lot of people dislike in general (I enjoyed it, I can’t play it because I can’t Shooter for the life of me, but it was fun to watch). But maybe Yazoo as well? I have no idea what characters the majority of the fandom hates; except Hojo, I’m pretty sure that most of the fandom hates Hojo… Maybe Don Corneo too.

Character I used to love but don’t any longer:

Aerith. I used to fucking love Aerith so much but then she kinda started a trend of female characters needing to die in Final Fantasy games and my feelings towards her soured, the worst case of this was Lunafreya in FFXV, which is a beautifully composed scene but it’s just so hollow and it’s fairly obvious that it’s trying to get the emotional response that Aerith’s death scene did without having earned it. Kinda a stupid reason to stop enjoying a character but that’s what happened.

Character I would kiss:

Nanaki, he’s a big fire kitty and I love him. Very much.

Character I want to slap: 

Don Corneo, though I also don’t want to touch him in case I contract something that I can’t get rid of easily. Maybe Joe because I did the Chocobo Racing Mini Game too many times to be a good idea; Penelope was a freaking Champion and nothing Joe says can change that.

A pairing I love:

STRIFESODOS AND CLOSSO!! My favourite rare pairs! I love them so much! So, so much! I will keep them forever and never stop writing things for them! Especially Soulmate AUs because I adore those, they’re my Coffee Shop AU and they’ll need to be pried from my cold, dead hands. 

A pairing I hate:

… I don’t know... I don’t think there is one. I mean I’ve got ships blacklisted but that’s more because they’re my squick and don’t want to see them but I don’t hate them. I guess

Kingdom Hearts

Character I first fell in love with:

This was actually Vexen, the first time I played Chain of Memories (which is my favourite game of the series). I wasn’t too impressed by anything in the first game (which became a trend with me, I don’t enjoy the main titles that much but I absolutely adore the side games) but then Vexen showed up in CoM and I loved how animated he was. I’m certain that whoever got to animate him was having a great time, because his facial expressions (he’s surprisingly expressive for an unfeeling Nobody) are some of the best things ever.

Character I never expected to love as much as I do now:

Riku, I was kinda meh with him for the first game and then the rest of the series kept building on him until, finally, Dream Drop Distance happened cementing him as one of my favourite characters in the series.

Character everyone loves but I don’t:

Axel, entirely because of petty reasons. He set my scientist man on fire. I’m not ok with him.

Character I love but everyone else hates:

I freaking Love Braig! Especially in Birth by Sleep, where you can beat him without touching the attack button! It was a complete accident the first time I fought him and beat him using the block button but repeat attempts revealed that Cure Block was an amazing ability against him because it heals you while deflecting his attacks back onto him. That’s a fun boss fight when you realize that, it’s basically just a big game of ‘stop hitting yourself’!

Character I used to love but don’t any longer:

Damn it! I can’t think of one off the top of my head…

Character I would kiss:

Goofy! He’s such a good dog-man! He’s such a good team mate! I love him!

Character I want to slap:

Xaldin. I spent so many days trying to fight him until eventually I just gave up and got a friend to fight him for me. (Actually I still haven’t been able to finish a full game of KH2. I always stop around the last three boss fights and move onto another game that I can actually enjoy)

A pairing I love:

Terra/Even aka Frosted Earth. I will go down with this crack ship and be perfectly understanding towards those who would jeer me for writing it! 

A pairing I hate:

Roxas/Namine. It’s just a big nope for me, especially after KH2 tried to force it for some reason that I don’t get?? Why’d you attempt to do that square? They’re interactions narrow down to; ‘I wanted to meet you before you die because someone decided Sora’s life was more necessary than yours,’ and ‘You need to murder yourself now so that Sora can wake up despite the fact that you have thoughts and feelings of your own and it’s of no fault of yours that Sora’s memories leaked into you’… Yes, this is how I actually perceive the KH2 prologue. 

[wilderwestqueen]

Poison In My Veins (Hiccstrid)

[SPOILERS FOR RACE TO THE EDGE 5x10]

sidenote: this isn’t what i think should have happened in the episode, i thought it was great to have an episode where Astrid’s character development isn’t based around Hiccup, buuuut i also saw an opportunity to be hiccstrid trash, so I took it.

Summary: The antidote for the Slitherwing poison takes much longer to take effect. Hiccup is forced, once again, to see what the world might look like without Astrid in it.

(fanfic.net) (ao3)

“I hope you can make two doses,” Astrid said, her voice already far away, eyes drooping shut as her legs swayed, and she toppled down onto the floor.  

The Slitherwing poison dripped from her wrist, and Fishlegs dropped to his knees, gathering it all together before it could seep into the ground and both Astrid and Stormfly would be lost.

“Astrid,” he said, panicking leaking into his voice as he shook her shoulder. “Astrid?! Stay with us! Guys, go get her some water!”

Ruffnut and Tuffnut stumbled off into the other direction – “Wait!” Fishlegs yelled, turning to them, mouth set in a grim line. On the floor, Astrid’s breath came out in short shallow gasps, her body trying desperately to get air to her lungs. “Get Hiccup.”

Hiccup knew that something was wrong almost immediately.

The fact that the twins weren’t cracking jokes or talking nonsense when they came to get him was enough to make his stomach sink, and when Ruffnut said, “Astrid got poisoned by a Slitherwing,” he was already marching back down the hill before she’d even finished her sentence.

Down in the clearing, Fishlegs had propped Astrid’s head up against one of their satchels, her limbs lying limply at her side, and Hiccup was reminded, with a horrible pang to his heart, of the day months before, when she’d been sick with the Scourge of Odin. He still thought about that day, the image of Astrid pale and sickly and so close to the death, appeared often in his nightmares. He’d hoped never to see her like that again, yet here she was, a perfect mirror. Bile rose in his throat.

He knelt on the ground, one hand gently brushing her fringe from her face, the other entangling their fingers together. “Astrid?” he said, his voice thick.

No response.

“What happened?” he said, turning his attention to Fishlegs, who was working furiously with the Slitherwing venom.  

“She ran off to get the venom, and came back like this,” Fishlegs said. “I’ve been trying to get antidote ready, but—” his voice cracked – “there’s not much of it.”  

Hiccup looked from Fishlegs to Astrid, back to Fishlegs again. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know if it’s going to be enough to cure her,” he said. “I’m going to make as much of it as I possibly can, but it’s fifty/fifty whether it works or not. All we can do is wait.”

“We don’t have time to wait,” Hiccup said, his fingers gripping hard onto Astrid’s hand. His voice quivered. “You said dead by the next moon.”

Fishlegs didn’t say anything, his mouth pressed into a thin line. He turned back to his work, messing around with vials and Slitherwing venom.

Hiccup frowned, turning back to the lifeless girl in his arms, now faced with the very real possibility that he might end up losing her.

“C’mon, Astrid,” he muttered. “Don’t leave me like this.”  

He put one arm around her shoulder and the other underneath her knees, pulling her close and cradling her to his chest, listening to her make very small and shallow breaths and holding on to them as a sign that she was still alive.  

When those breaths stopped, panic seized his heart. “Fishlegs!” he called.

Fishlegs came running, antidote in hand. He lifted Astrid’s head and forced every last drop down her throat.  

“Make sure Stormfly gets some too,” Hiccup said. Thor knows he wasn’t going to let Astrid poison herself for nothing.  

“Already done,” Fishlegs said, kneeling at Astrid’s side and taking a breath. “All we can do now is wait. She’ll have to fight it off.” He saw the look on Hiccup’s face. “She’s a fighter, you know that, Hiccup. If there’s anyone who can get through this, it’s Astrid.”

“I know,” Hiccup said. “Will you give me some time alone with her?”

Fishlegs nodded, and wordlessly got to his feet, disappearing off to give his friend his privacy. Hiccup turned his full attention to Astrid, bending his head and listening to her breathing.

“Come on, Astrid,” he said, his voice low. “You’ve gotta fight this. You’re not going to let this beat you. You’ve survived so much, and you will survive this.” His voice wobbled. “I need you to survive this. I can’t do this without you. There isn’t a me if there isn’t a you.”

He pulled her closer still, nestling his nose into her hair. “I love you,” he whispered. “I love you so much.”

Then, as if in answer to his prayer, her chest rose, her eyelids fluttered, blue met green and-

“Hiccup?”

He let out a breath and wrapped his arms tight around her. “Oh, thank Thor.”

She listened, her ears straining at the door, as she lifted herself up onto the tip of her toes to creep out of the room, and down onto the island. When she’d made it out of the threshold and onto the grass, she grinned and pelted her way towards the dragon stables, almost making it to the door, when:

“Astrid.”

She stopped still, sighed, and turned around to where Hiccup was standing, arms folded. “Come on, Hiccup, I’m fine,” she said, “stop playing prison guard.” 

“Fishlegs said the antidote is still passing through your body,” he said, taking a step forward. “You’re supposed to be resting.”

She knew it was childish, but she folded her arms and stuck her tongue out anyway. “You can’t make me.”

He knew better than to say he could, so he didn’t say anything at all.

She sighed, rolling her shoulders and wandering towards Stormfly’s pen. “I wasn’t trying to leave,” Astrid said, opening the gate and kneeling next to the dragon’s sleeping form, rubbing her snout. “I just had to know that she was okay.”

Hiccup’s features softened at that, and he followed her in, kneeling by her side. Her eyes flickered over towards him, watching the way he was looking at her. “I’m okay, Hiccup.”

She shifted down into a sitting position – she was feeling woozy, not that she’d admit it – and wrapped her arms around Stormfly. Hiccup joined her, wrapping his arms around his legs.

“You scared me,” Hiccup said, his voice small.

“You would have done the exact same thing for Toothless,” Astrid said, her head rested against Stormfly’s scales.

“You were just lying there, limp, and you stopped breathing,” he said, his voice as solemn as she’d ever heard it. “For a minute there, I thought you were gone.”

Astrid loosened her grip on Stormfly, turning back to Hiccup, her expression flooding with understanding. Hiccup took Astrid’s hand in his, threading their fingers together.

“For a moment, I was thinking about how I’d go on if you weren’t there,” he said, “and a world without you would be a pretty lonely place.”  

She leaned close and kissed him softly. When their lips parted, she pressed her forehead against his. “I love you,” she said, “but I’m Viking, Hiccup. I’m not going to stop putting myself in danger when it comes to my dragon. You’d do it with Toothless too.”

“I know,” he said, rubbing a hand against his face. “I know, I know, I know. And I don’t mean to stop you from punching any terrifying, venomous dragon that you want, but... I worry.”

“That goes for me too,” Astrid said. “You think I don’t worry every time you test out some new ridiculous invention only to narrowly miss death? I’m always worried about you, Hiccup, but I have to push it out of my mind because you are our leader and I trust you to make the right choices and come out of every hare-brained situation alive. I need you to do the same for me.”

“I know. I do,” Hiccup said, looking at her. Then a smile tugged at the edge of his lips, his eyes sparkling as he tried to suppress it.

“What?”

“You punched a Slitherwing dragon,” he said, a full grin spreading across his face. “You just went up to it and punched it.”

“Yes, I did,” she said. “What about it?”

Hiccup looked at her, his eyes shining, still smiling. “I love you so much.”

Astrid grinned, leaning down and nestling her head onto Hiccup’s shoulder. “I love you too.”

They lay like that, hands intertwined, heads touching as they succumbed to sleep, content with the world and content with each other. For now, it was enough.

[deheadcanons]

Jared x reader cuddle headcanons?

-Jared loves to go by the name “The Cuddle Monster” (only around you though. He doesn’t want to lose his “macho” wrap)

-Honestly, a very snuggly guy

-A lot of times making out with him doesn’t actually lead to anything but snuggling.

-He prefers to spoon when you’re cuddling, but it doesn’t necessarily matter to him

-Cuddling you is still cuddling you lol

-He likes to bury his face into you neck, which is a reason he prefers to cuddle.

-He thinks your shampoo smells gr8

-Likes to cuddle in silence, and by that I mean without background noise

-Doesn’t mind talking, because most of the time when you’re cuddling he’s making sweet comments.

-BUUUUT that doesn’t exclude the occasional playing-video-games-and-cuddling-date

-At the end of it all, though, you’re sleeping soundly and his heart is racing because that precious thing in his arms loves him.

[sufferthesea]

Pink Peonies (Kakashi/Reader) Part 5/5 💐

Is it actually possible that I finished a fic? Pushing myself to write and allowing myself to finish a story are my biggest obstacles as a writer. But I like this feeling of accomplishment and closure. I think I’ll try harder to write more and finish my other stories! 

A/N: I owe a huge thanks to everyone who liked, commented, reblogged, left Kudos, bookmarked and read this story! Especially @thetoxicstrawberry​ and @thefoxthief​ because without you guys I wouldn’t have finished this story at all! It would’ve just been another one of my hundreds of unfinished ideas gathering dust ... and tears. I hope you guys like the ending and that it was worth the wait! ✨ Of course, Kakashi is always worth the wait. 💙

Also some friggin’ cool pieces of fanart for this story?! Heck yeah! Piece 1 // Piece 2 💖💖💖💖💖 

Words: 3.057 

Rating: General

Part 1: Tumblr // ao3 Part 2: Tumblr // ao3 Part 3: Tumblr // ao3 Part 4: Tumblr // ao3 Part 5: ao3

Botan restaurant was not as fancy as you had imagined, but you were thankful since you weren’t exactly ready to go to a high-end restaurant. Kakashi was still in his uniform, and you had worked up a sweat walking around the village to get rid of the flowers. You could still feel sweat running down your back and pooling at the base of your spine, and you were pretty sure there was a layer of grimy dirt all across your face - but Kakashi didn’t say anything about it if you did. Neither of you appeared to be upper class diners, and Botan ended up being a good place to go after all. Of course, you had already eaten at Ichiraku and weren’t as hungry as before.

But, you were eager for the food to arrive because you were dining with the Copy Ninja; the one whose face was so well hidden, only a handful of people had ever seen it. Now that you were sitting down with him, you realized just how soon you’d get to see his face while he ate. You’d get to see Hatake Kakashi’s face, finally! Sure, you hadn’t been waiting as long as some people to see it, but you’d done a year and a half of waiting which was plenty long enough for you. You tried to keep cool, smiling nicely and folding your hands together.

“What?” Kakashi asked, turning his one dark eye to you. “Your mood changed suddenly. What is it?”

“Oh nothing!” you laughed, waving your hand through the air. “I’m just happy that we got to come here after all that work! I’m glad your plan got those kids out of our hair for a while.” Kakashi eyed you before looking around the room. “You aren’t disappointed?” “Hm? About what?” Yikes! Is it that obvious? I mean, I was disappointed before when he sent me off with the flowers, but now I’m not … not really, at least. “The flowers.” Your breath caught in your throat and you blushed warmly, looking away. “Wh-What about them? We used them as a distraction so we could have dinner. How could I be disappointed about that?” “You got rid of all of yours?” “Yeah, of course. You told me to.” Kakashi hummed in approval. “Good. I thought maybe for a moment you’d try to keep them and that would’ve spoiled the evening.” “Well, no … you asked me to get rid of them - I’m capable of following orders, you know!” “That’s not what I meant. I meant that if you’d kept any of them, it would’ve made this gesture a little less … hm, anyway.” He laughed lightly and scratched at his cheek, looking away. “What? What do you m —” You didn’t get the chance to finish your question before Kakashi pulled out - seemingly out of thin air — a single pink peony. It looked just as fresh as it had earlier in the evening, as if it hadn’t just been carted around in the summer heat for several hours. He reached across the table and handed you the flower, nudging the rigid end of the stem into your open hand. “This is for you,” he said casually, sitting back. “Wh-What?” you gasped, holding the flower up to your nose to breathe in the earthy scent. “It - I - what? I thought you got rid of them all. Wasn’t that the point?” “Well, what kind of man would I be if I didn’t even get you flowers on our first date? I had to bring you at least one.” Your face burned hot and your eyes darted away from him when he turned to look at you. “Uh - well, thanks,” you mumbled. “But I … I didn’t save one for you! I hid all three of them.” “I know. You did really well. And actually,” he pulled out a second peony and held it up for you to see. He gave a bit of an embarrassed laugh and said, “I kept this one too. I figured I might as well … Maybe by hiding only a few of the flowers instead of all of them, they’d be preoccupied with trying to find the last ones —” “That were never hidden. I see. So you bought us even more time.” You nodded slowly in realization, turning the flower around to inspect the outside petals. They glowed nearly orange in the restaurant’s lighting. Wait … if he kept TWO flowers and only gave me one … Is he keeping one for himself?! You looked back at him but only briefly as you saw he was still staring at you. “Uh! Well … thank you! I appreciate it.” “Here you go!” came a rather chipper voice. You both turned to see your waiter carrying two plates of food. He set down a hot plate in front of you and the other in front of your date. Only now did you regret ordering hot food - it was air conditioned in the building, but you were still sweating. There was no way a piping hot meal would help that any. “Thank you!” you exclaimed anyway. “That was really fast!” “We’d love to make a good first impression,” the young man explained, his face shining even brighter than your sweat-coated one in the dim light, “since it is our grand opening after all. Please - enjoy!” “Ahh - Kakashi-san! This is so -” You moved to pick up a fork but you never got the opportunity. Faster than you’d ever seen the man move before, Kakashi was up, had you by the arm, and was walking you towards the exit. “What - What are you doing?” you protested, gripping the flower tight in one hand and trying to free yourself with the other. “Are you seriously not eating? I told you I didn’t mind that I’d already gone to Ichiraku - I’d make room! Our food just got here!” I didn’t even get to see his face! “Sorry,” he said, his voice far more jovial than his tense body would suggest. Once you two were near the hostess stand, he released your arm. “I hate to part ways like this, but unfortunately we’ll have to reschedule our dinner.” “Was it something I said? I actually don’t mind that you kept a flower for yourself! You didn’t have to get me anything!” “That’s not it.” He looked out towards the front street and your eyes followed his. Two girls were idling under the awning, holding a peony of their own. Although it was dark, the lights inside the restaurant illuminated part of the street and threw orange-tinted light across the girls’ faces; you recognized them from Kakashi’s descriptions. Sakura and Ino. “They found us?!” you choked in disbelief, doing your best not to screech out your frustration. “I did all that running around the village for nothing?” “I don’t think they’ve noticed us, but I don’t want to give them the chance. We’ll have to leave separately.” He looked at you and for the first time, you noticed that his attitude had changed. He didn’t have his usual laid-back demeanor or could-care-less stance. Even wearing his mask and hitai-ate, you could see that disappointment was crossing his face. For a brief moment, his eye met yours and he feigned a smile, shrugging rigidly. “Oh well! I suppose this is what happens when you don’t tell your students what you’re doing. I’ll let you leave first.” You hesitated, clutching at the stem of the peony. Your eyes searched his face but he turned away, shifting so his back was to the entrance just in case the girls looked inside. Your feet seemed cemented to the spot, your heart was turning inside your chest, your mind was racing. All of that - that running around and duping those kids, for nothing? They found you anyway? And Kakashi was giving up, just like that? That didn’t seem like something a legendary ninja would do. Kakashi threw a sideways glance to you, “You can go now. I’ll leave in a bit. I don’t want them to see us together - I mean, I don’t want them harassing you because you were with me.” Stubbornly, you shook your head, trying to think of something to say. “Really, Y/N,” Kakashi said in a low voice, “you should go. I know the genin in this village. They won’t leave you alone if they think we’re —” “Well we are, aren’t we?” you blurted, finally managing to speak. “We are on a date, aren’t we? And I can handle a few curious genin. I - I didn’t run all around Konoha, give away all my flowers, get covered in sweat, and nearly starve half to death just to be bested by a few kids! I mean, I’m actually really impressed with their tracking skills but … but this was our time and - and well, I … I’m not going to miss out on a date with you, even if it means I’ll be harassed the rest of my life by your students!” Kakashi seemed taken aback by how forward you were, but he dispelled any of your fears of the date being cut short by relaxing his shoulders and giving a shy but genuine smile that spread to his visible eye. “Oh, well - if you really feel that way … I guess we can continue, then. Do you want to go back to our table?” You glanced back towards the front of the restaurant and saw the girls still waiting outside. A bit of boldness rose up in your chest and you started to say no - you wanted to confront these genin who were so keen on stalking Kakashi - but before you could open your mouth, both of them stepped inside and headed for the hostess stand. A surprised squeak escaped your lips and you nodded vigorously. “Yes! Let’s go back to our table!” You grabbed Kakashi by the wrist and dragged him back to where you were sitting. When you got there, you were greeted by the waiter who looked dumbfounded at your absence. He had obviously returned to ask how the meal was. “S-Sorry,” you wheezed as you sat down, hoping no one noticed how anxious you looked. “We just stepped outside for a bit! Ah ha - we’ll eat now!”

You sat transfixed on the man in front of you. He sat, staring right back at you. Your hands were trembling in your lap as you waited for him to pick up a fork or spoon or something and start eating. You watched intently, aware of any small movement his shoulders or arms made. You were ready. You were going to see his face.

Okay, maybe that shouldn’t have been your only concern about the date (especially since Sakura and Ino were only a hundred or so feet away at the front of the restaurant) - buuuut it certainly was a nice bonus. A date and a dramatic reveal? You couldn’t resist. “You can start,” Kakashi began, motioning towards your own plate of food. “Don’t wait for me.” “Oh, no, Kakashi,” you said sweetly, “you go right ahead yourself! My stomach is still kinda full from Ichiraku. Just give me a few minutes and I’ll be good to go.” “Alright. If you insist.” Kakashi reached for a fork with one hand and raised his other hand towards his face. All but his index finger folded against his palm as he hooked his short nail under the edge of his mask. “I’m glad we decided to come here,” he said, gently tugging at the dark fabric. You could feel your palms sweating even more than before and you watched eagerly as the mask was slowly pulled down the bridge of his nose. Just a few more inches and I’ll get to see his face! I wonder how many others have gotten to do that? Maybe that’s why those girls were following him … Not to see who I was, but to see HIM! Oh, right - I can’t look too eager or else he’ll know. You could see the curve of his nose and a little more of his cheek than before. So close. Just another inch and you’d get to see his mouth … There was a sudden crash and you looked over, your heart somewhere in your throat. Your waiter was lying prostrate on the ground across the room, surrounded by shattered dishes and food. “I’m - I’m so sorry,” he cried, wiping soup off of his face with the back of his sleeve. “I tripped! Please, sir, let me get something to clean up and I’ll have your order out in no time!” He hoisted himself up and began clearing away the bigger pieces of the dishes. “Did you see that —?” You began, turning back to Kakashi. “WHAT?!” Kakashi was sitting back, his mask on, his plate empty. “That’s - That’s impossible!” you shouted, slamming your fists onto the table. “Are you kidding me?!” “What? What’s wrong?” Growling in annoyance, you threw your hand into the air. “Waiter! Can I get a to-go box?”

“I had a nice time,” Kakashi said, strolling out onto the street with his hands in his pockets and the peony tucked behind the collar of his flak jacket. The soft petals pushed up under his chin, gently brushing against the fabric of his mask. “Thank you for joining me.”

“Mhm,” you sighed, holding your paper box against your chest. “It was a lot more … eventful … than I thought it’d be.” “Yeah, sorry about that.” “Oh no! I didn’t mean it that way! I meant … well, everything is an adventure with you, huh?” Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck and glanced up at the star-speckled sky. “That bad, huh? It won’t hurt my feelings if you decide not to see me again. I mean - not too much, at least.” Despite the teasing tone, you could tell he was serious. You reached out and gently placed your hand on his forearm, your thumb and index finger resting along the section of bare skin between his sleeve hem and the cuff of his glove. He looked over, his eyebrow raised in a question. “Actually, it’s been a really nice night. And I think it was better this way … I have a better understanding of you and what you do. And now I know what to expect! Thank you, Kakashi-san, honestly. I think this has been my favorite date - ever!” “Oh, good!” Kakashi laughed in relief and stuck his hand back into his pocket. "I was a bit worried maybe you thought … I’m glad I didn’t ruin it. Maybe it’s sudden but …  would you like to join me next weekend? I promise I’ll try not to raise anyone’s suspicions before we go out. Maybe I should use a disguise …” Laughing, you squeezed his arm and shook your head, “I really don’t care what technique you use, as long as I get to see you again. Outside of the Hokage’s office. Next weekend sounds wonderful. I’ll see you then. Should we meet at the same place? The dango shop?” “Sure. We could probably eat there. Maybe it’d be less trouble.” You stepped back and bowed, pressing the pink flower against your rapidly beating heart and making sure your food didn’t spill out of the box. I didn’t get to see his face, but … I don’t think that matters. I had a great time after all. And I’ve already got a second date planned! Plus I didn’t even have to pay the bill! And I’d heard he was such a cheapskate. Standing up, you gave him a broad smile and said, “Goodnight, Kakashi-san. I’ll see you next weekend!” “Goodnight, Y/N,” Kakashi replied calmly, giving you a slight bow. “See you then.” Quickly, he disappeared into the night. You strolled along the street, burying your nose into the soft petals of the peony. The smells of the summer night drifted lazily around you, mixing with the flower and sending a burning blush over your face. One successful date down - another one to go! Even though it was far different than what you’d imagined, your time with Kakashi had turned out a lot nicer than you probably could have expected. You hummed to yourself as you sauntered down the path, your mind preoccupied with remembering the night’s events. “Hey! Hey you!” You turned around to see Sakura and Ino headed your way. Both of them held to-go boxes much like yours and looked as if they had worn themselves out. You smiled inwardly as they stopped in front of you, trying to catch their breath. “You - Where -” Ino panted, bending over in pain. “Ugh! Why did I run so much today? I’ve got an awful side ache!” “Where did …” Sakura picked up, her eyes frantic and hair wild, “Where did you … get that … flower?” She jabbed at the air in the direction of the peony you held. For a fraction of a second, Kakashi’s masked face passed through your thoughts and you felt yourself blush all over again. You were thankful it was too dark for them to see it.  “Oh, this thing?” you feigned confusion, proudly holding up the peony in the dark. “It was a gift. From a really nice person. Someone ..." You paused and sighed lightly, almost too giddy to keep your poker face up. "Not very remarkable … I couldn’t even tell you what he looked like.”   “Aw man, really?” Ino cried in defeat. “Well, that’s it! I’m done! I don’t care if there’s one more out there. I’m through with searching - he obviously got rid of them all just to mess with us! Come on Sakura. I’ve gotta get home and I’m sure your parents are wondering where you are, too.” “Well, thanks anyway,” Sakura sighed, her eyes dropping to the ground. “I hope you enjoy that flower … Whoever gave it to you must’ve really wanted you to have it.” “Yeah,” Ino cut in. “They’re really nice flowers. Whoever bought them must’ve been thinking about someone truly special.” She turned and grumbled, “Or had been onto us the whole time!” You watched the two girls drag themselves home, their silhouettes fading into the shadows. Giving one more twirl of the peony in your hand, you couldn’t help but grin foolishly and practically skip all the way home, your heart feeling as light as the flower you held.

[birbwrites]

Title: Time Waits For No Man Pairing: Leonard Snart x Female!Reader. Words: 2,009 Rating: T.

Time.

Time was always the problem. And it was time that brought her love and support, but it was also time that brought her pain and suffering. In this situation time is exactly what Emily was trying to beat.

There was less than 18 hours to find an extremely powerful and regenerative source to energize the Speed Force Bazooka. Everyone at S.T.A.R. Labs was working hard to find it, but all seemed hopeless. Emily had spent hours searching and calling in favors, that all turned out to be dead ends.

Suddenly, it dawned upon her, hitting her like a freight train. Emily rapidly started typing away at her keyboard. She held her breath and hoped to God that this would work. A moment later there was a ping on the computer. Without hesitation, Emily rolled over to the speaker.

“Cisco, please come up to the cortex. This is something you might want to see.” She spoke, trying to keep herself composed. Within a few minutes, Cisco appeared in the cortex and walked over to where she was sitting. “What did I might want to see?” Cisco asked looking at Emily expectantly as she turned around to face him.

“Well, I was thinking of any solutions to help us with the power problem after my assets couldn’t find anything and then I had an idea. What if we task the S.T.A.R. Labs satellites to scan for anything that emitted 3.86 terajoules of energy?” She explained looking up at Cisco as he crossed his arms. “Okay, what did you find?”

“I found a possible source and lucky for us it’s in Central City.”

“But...?” He asked, sensing a ‘but’. “Buuuut, the only place we can find it is at the ARGUS headquarters.” Emily responded sheepishly, pushing up her glasses. “That’s real good! Leyla could hook us up!” Cisco laughed excitedly. “Great job Emily! I’ll tell Barry, you go home and get some rest, okay? You earned it.”

Emily watched Cisco walk out of the cortex and once he was gone she sighed, taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes. “Rest, huh?” She gave a humorless chuckle got out of her seat.

Emily gathered her stuff and exited the large building, walking to her car. The ride to her home peaceful and short. She walked up the steps to her apartment, her keys jingling in the silent night.

Once she was inside and away from the cold, a content sigh slipped past her lips. Emily sloppily dropped her bag on the floor, followed by her coat, and made her way to her bedroom. As soon as Emily was out of her clothes and into her pj’s, she slithered into bed and embraced the wave of exhaustion that rolled over her form.

Sleep welcomed her to its domain as sweet dreams wove their way into her mind. However, nightmares always find a way to invade and completely shatter her peace. And every time it was the same recurring nightmare.

She could see him so vividly, standing there, holding that damn button, saving all of time, and telling her he loves her. But what haunts her the most was his face. It held so much pain. His eyes, pooled with sadness and longing. They stared into her soul and burned her that day. That was how the nightmare usually ended. With his crystal blue eyes staring deeply into her own emerald ones.

Emily sat up with a start, sweat dripping down her forehead, heart racing a mile a minute. She sighed and looked over to her clock that sat on the night stand. It was currently 8:00 am, which means she slept about 4 hours give or take. That is more than she has slept since his death.

Determining she probably couldn’t fall back asleep, Emily decided to take a nice soothing shower to ease the her tense and aching muscles.

By the time she was done it was 8:20 am. This particular morning was chilly so Emily grabbed a gray sweater, some black leggings, and a pair of white socks. After she was done dressing down, Emily threw her hair up in a messy bun and made her way to her kitchen to prepare some breakfast.

Once she was done with breakfast, Emily put on her black converse, and headed out, wallet and keys in hand.

Halfway down the stairs of her apartment, Emily felt a sudden weight of dread settling in the pit of her stomach. She paused for a moment assessing her discomfort. However, Emily deemed that her unsettling feeling of dread did not hold as much importance as saving Iris’ life.

On her way to S.T.A.R. Labs, the feeling increased ten times fold. Once more she pushed it aside and continued her drive. When she arrived it was 10:00. Emily dragged herself through the lobby and to the elevator.

Before she joined everyone else in the cortex she stopped for a cup of coffee. There she saw Tracy, probably making her 5th cup of coffee. “Emily! Good morning!” Tracy beamed. Emily gave her a lazy smile. “Morning Tracy.”

“Come here for a cup of coffee, I see.”

“Yeah, I didn’t feel like stopping at Jitters for some hot chocolate so I settled for the S.T.A.R Labs brand coffee.” She replied, pouring the coffee into a beige mug. After putting in some sugar and stirring it, she headed towards the cortex. “Ooh! Emily, could you tell Barry that we’re out of coffee and he needs to order some more!?” Tracy called out towards Emily’s retreating figure.

“Sure!” Emily called back, taking a huge gulp of her coffee to properly wake her up. As she neared the corner, she could her several voices speaking, and a deeper one that sounded very familiar.

“Hey, Barry, Tracy says we’re out of coffee and that you should b-” Emily began but was soon cut off by the sight in front of her. “Len…” She gasped almost inaudibly. He half empty mug hit the floor and splattered pieces of ceramic and coffee all around her.

Everyone's attention turned to her as she stared unwaveringly at Leonard. He stared back and a look of confusion flashed on his face but it was gone as fast as it came.

A long moment of silence passes before Leonard clears his throat. “Awkward. I can see you all have a lot to talk about. I’ll be down in your lab getting everything ready.” He says looking briefly at Cisco before turning his gaze back to Emily. Leonard stayed there for a second then made his way to Cisco’s lab.

“Barry, are you out of your mind?” Iris started once Leonard was out of earshot. “I thought he was with the Legends.” Stated Joe. “He is.” Barry answered, his hands firmly grasping his hips. “No, he dead.” Cisco said, catching his words too late before a wave of regret hit him. He looked toward Emily who looked like she was about to cry. “Cisco…”  Iris whispered. “I’m sorry Emily, I didn’t me-” He began, but Emily cut him off.

“Do you have any idea of what you’ve done?” She looked at Barry sending him a harsh glare. “How could you bring him here Barry?” Said man looked at Emily with eyes full of remorse. “Emily, I’m so sorry, I didn’t think of how this would affect you.”

“No, Barry, you didn’t think. That was your problem. This doesn’t just affect me. It affects time. There will be consequences for this. This could cause so many problems Barry! You’re lucky he knows how to keep his mouth shut.” Rage seethed out of Emily.

“Emily I think tha-” H.R. started but was also cut off. “No, I’m sorry Barry, I didn't mean to snap at you.” She said, rubbing her face. “It’s alright. But if you need someone to ta-”

“What I need is just a minute to recompose myself. Alone.”

With that, Emily exited the cortex and jogged past Cisco’s lab towards the Speed Lab. Unfortunately for her, Leonard saw her rush past Cisco’s lab in a hurry. Having the sudden urge to follow her, Leonard abandoned the white board he was writing on, and followed Emily to the Speed Lab.

When Leonard entered the Speed Lab his gazed went straight to Emily who stood in the middle of the room with her back to him, hugging herself tightly. A small sob escaped her lips as she held a hand to her mouth to muffle any other painful cries.

“Emily.” Leonard called, making her gasp and hurriedly wipe the tears that stained her cheeks, putting her glasses back on, before turning around to face him. “Yes?” She replied, moving her left hand to hang off on her right hip as her right hand went to play with the necklace of Leonard’s ring he gave her just before he died. He was silent for a minute as he observed Emily. Leonard was always adept at reading people and noticing the small differences in their body language.

Emily for one, is usually more confident and her pose suggested so. However in this case, she was holding herself as if she was insecure. Her usually bright and shiny eyes were now dark and dull. The bags under her eyes suggest that she hasn’t had a good night’s sleep in a long while. Emily’s face also held no trace of her beautiful smile but instead was replaced by a frown. She also looked a bit older.

Once Leonard was done picking out the differences he made a conclusion that this isn’t Emily from his time, rather Emily from the future. “You aren’t my Emily, are you?” He drawled, but the look in his eyes said that he already knew. Emily gave a breathless chuckle and sniffled. “No, I’m not.” A small silence filtered through the room as he still gazed at her intently.

Emily cast her eyes down too look at the ring in her fingers. She couldn’t bear to look at him, not when he wasn’t the same Len.

Leonard followed her gaze only to see that she was fiddling with his ring. He briefly glanced down at his pinky finger, the same ring glinting in the sunlight that shone through the windows. “Future Leonard, he meant something to you, didn’t he?”

Emily nodded weakly, a few tear escaping her eyes. “What happened then?” Leonard drawled out, stepping closer to her. “You know I can’t tell you that.” Her voice cracked.

“Must have been something terrible I presume.” A sigh escaped his lips, as he leaned on one foot. “You have no idea.” Emily whispered more to herself than to Leonard.

“Well if there’s one thing I sure, it’s that you’ll move past it as you always do, presuming you’re still stubborn?” A hearty laugh made its way up her throat as she looked up at him. His eyes still held that unmistakable mischief and thrill along with the sadness that hid behind all of that confidence.

Emily’s eyes brightened slightly, regaining some of its former brilliance. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He smirked, towering over her. Truth be told, this version of Leonard had attracted some sort of feelings for his Emily. The way she challenged him all the time and how she always had a sharp tongue to match his sarcasm, made him look at her in a completely new light.

“For being you.” She replied smiling softly at him. “Who else would I be if not myself?” Leonard quickly retorted. Emily snorted and kissed his cheek. When she pulled back his smirk had widened a bit. “I think you missed doll.” He raised a hand to his mouth and tapped a finger against his lips. Rolling her eyes, Emily brushed past him and out of the lab calling back to him. “Save it for your Emily! I know she’d like it.”

“Good to know.” Leonard said watching Emily’s back retreat. He chuckled huskily shaking his head. Well it looks like he has a theory to test when he gets back to the Waverider.

Okay! This is the longest one-shot I’ve written so far and I’m so sorry it’s late! I also know this isn’t really an x reader but you can totally imagine yourself in her place. I bestow this gift as a happy belated birthday to a very good and close friend AND fellow tumblr user. She whished to stay anonymous so I will respect her wishes. Sorry for any typos and enjoy!