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saeyoungs-sunflower · 4 years ago

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Strike a Chord (Gavin x MC)

Summary: Gavin learns to face the music.

Prompt: First time they saw each other cry.

Notes: This was part of @belovedstill ‘s New Fandom February event :) so it’s my first fic for MLQC and my fav Gavvy boi (just in time lol) <33 The prompt was also provided by @stehkotori ‘s collaborative writing event ‘Our Firsts’! (Both from discord). Also, do yourself a favour and PLEASE go check out these lovely ladies’ blogs, they are extremely talented and hardworking and I weep a little thinking about it hahah, I promise you won’t regret it!!!💛

Word count: ~2000

(Psst, if you wanna have an idea of what the piece MC plays in this sounds like, I imagined something like this: youtube / spotify)

***

Another day, another pair of knuckles striking another face, painting another cheekbone red, another eye stained purple.

Gavin stepped out of the teacher’s office, clicking the door shut and sighing as he dragged his feet away. He studied his red and bloodied knuckles as he wandered through the hallways, grimacing as he ran his fingers along a particularly nasty cut.

There was a slight tremor in his hand, the effect of the pure adrenaline that had coursed through his body finally catching up with him. He heavily fell against a locker for a moment, surveying the golden-dipped leaves that whirled around the tattered bench across the path from him. The inevitable crash hit him, like waves against rocks on the shore. He should be going back to class now, he thought, and he almost entertained the idea until piano music began to fill the hollow hallway. The ethereal echo sang to him, calling for him in his temporary haze. A siren in a sea storm.

His budding curiosity got the better of him as his unsteady legs carried him towards the music. It wasn’t unusual to hear students practising during school hours, yet it often wasn’t as pleasant on the ear as it was now.

Gavin wandered past each practise room, only offering a quick glance into each one. All were empty except for one, and his stomach flipped as he did a double take.

It was her. Of course. How had that not been his first thought when the music started playing? Only her music had the power to captivate him so completely.

Rose brushed his cheeks as he found himself staring, yet he was physically incapable of breaking the gaze that focussed in on her hands, as long but delicate fingers danced tenderly across the keys.

It took Gavin a minute longer than it maybe should have to pick up on the subtle glisten that rolled down her cheek and the occasional jerk of her shoulders. She was crying, and the tears continued to run with every second that Gavin remained on the other side of the glass, helpless.

Except he wasn’t, not really. He could walk in there right now and comfort her. It would take no more than ten steps and he would be there for her, just like she was for him the last time she played. How could it be that something which had saved him before was now tormenting her?

Gavin pondered as reached for the door handle, the cool metal against his palm bringing a prominent reality to what he was about to do, and he started to question himself. Whether she would really want him in a vulnerable moment like this, whether he would actually be able to comfort her in the way she needs.

In a rare moment of weakness, Gavin decided he didn’t want to know.

So he walked away from her song, heavy with guilt but heavier with doubt. He would watch over her, like he silently promised her he would, but it was better for both of them this way. He didn’t need to be personally involved to look out for her, and she needn’t bother herself with him.

After all, she was a girl whose hands left subtle fingerprints on keys, whilst his left bruises on skin.

***

She defeatedly slid down the wall and swiped the back of her hand against her brow, wiping away the sweat from her efforts.

Gavin followed close behind, three boxes stacked high in his arms and not even a glisten on his face. His eyes tracked down to find hers, a chuckle escaping his lips at the state he found her in, “Done already? We’ve not even brought up the kitchen stuff.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

Gavin couldn’t help but laugh again when she completely sank to the floor, her hand pathetically waving an imaginary white flag in mock surrender. He placed the boxes down, “Okay, I hear you. We’ll take a break before we bring up the rest.”

“You always know what to say to make my heart flutter, Officer.”

Gavin rolled his eyes, but the curving of his lips followed swiftly after. He managed to pull her up to her feet, wrapping her arms around his waist before moving the damp wisps of hair out of her face, “Actually, I have something to show you.”

“Oh?”

He smiled, “Mhm. Come on, let’s have a look round.”

He laced his fingers with hers as they wandered through each room, mentally placing each piece of furniture. The vase that she had bought from the market on one of their first dates would look best on the windowsill, and the lucky elephant figurine that Minor got them as a housewarming gift would beautifully compliment the books on the shelf, standing proudly above the fireplace. The pair couldn’t restrain the smiles that crept up their faces or the occasional squeeze of their intertwined hands. Little pieces of them started to fill the space before they were even out of the boxes, their future unfolding before them.

Gavin stopped her before the conservatory, the curtains drawn and the door locked.

She raised an eyebrow, “Gavin?”

He said nothing, he simply unlocked the door and led her into the bright room. Her eyes took a second to adjust, but when they did her jaw fell slack, her eyes widening.

Standing there splendidly in the centre of the room was a sleek grand piano. There was not a fingerprint or smudge to be seen on its surface, completely untainted, as if it had always been there. Untouched, waiting patiently for her melody.

She looked to Gavin then, unable to formulate words as tears pricked her eyes. She stumbled over a few words of disbelief before Gavin chuckled, taking mercy on the girl, “Somebody owed me a favour, managed to settle on this. Isn’t she a beauty?”

She nodded, her smile reaching her eyes as she lunged towards Gavin, practically leaping into his arms. He caught her, he always did. Enveloping her in his arms, he held her closer, nuzzling into her neck as she spewed her gratitudes.

“Anything for you,” he said, pulling back and looking into her eyes before pressing his lips against her forehead, “Play me something?”

She nodded enthusiastically, plonking herself onto the seat. Gavin slid up next to her, noticing the instant shift in her energy as she admired the keys. She became serene, focussed, pondering over what song she should play for him. With the slight curve of her lips and a glint in her eye, her fingers began to move.

Within the first few seconds, Gavin felt his heart drop.

It was the song.

Not the song that had saved him all those years ago; not the one that had pushed him over the edge, but the one that he heard as he fell for the second time -- fell deeper in love with her. The first real snippet of her that he got; the first time he wanted to hold her, protect her from whatever caused her tears to run. It showed her vulnerability, an intimate moment formed between them unbeknownst to her.

He was so lost in her song that he only registered the tear long after it had fallen. One perfect drop, sliding down his cheekbone to lay rest at the point of his chin, before falling into his shirt. He tried to blink away the remaining moisture in his eyes, but only when he saw the glisten of droplets on her eyelashes did he stop himself.

Here she was, emotionally bare before him, unguarded and unafraid. A piece of music so personal played so freely, for him. The simple idea that he was trusted enough, that she felt safe enough, to be this vulnerable with him and let him into this sanctuary she had created made his eyes burn more, but now he didn’t care. They were on a path to a deeper, more vulnerable place in their relationship with this song, and he would meet her half way.

When her fingers seized, they finally looked at each other, sparkling pool staring into sparkling pool. There was a tender, warm silence shared between them before they erupted in giggles, palms wiping away the aftermath of their shared emotion.

She softly brushed the hair that obstructed the gold of his eyes and cupped his cheek, guiding his gaze to fall on hers, “I know why I’m crying, but what’s got you all upset, hm? You never let me see you cry.”

Gavin placed his hand over hers, leaning into her touch, “I’ll only tell you if you go first.”

She told him it was a song her grandfather had composed - for her. It told the story of her childhood, her growing up. She would often hear snippets of it when she visited, always in the background, the soundtrack of her youth. The first time she heard it in full was after he had passed, having left her the score to do with what she pleased. The first time she had heard it in full, was the same time Gavin had heard it in full. Completely unknowingly, by chance, an act of fate.

He could hear it now. The piece was absolutely riddled with her. Everything she was, and everything she became. This song, it was her.

Perhaps that was what pulled him in all those years ago in the barren school hallway. In fact, he was certain that was it. That song was what tied the knot in the rope they held between them, pulling him to shore every time he drifted away.

It was the second time he had been saved by her song, and he was saved every moment after.

“Would you believe me if I told you I’ve heard this song before? The day you played it in the music room?” he asked, her eyes widening at his confession. He continued, “I saw you, and nearly came in but...I was too much of a coward to go to you. I should have-”

He stopped when she threw her arms around him, burying her face into the crook of his neck and taking in his clean, fresh scent. He was so silly sometimes.

“You know, after I finished playing that day, I felt a huge wave of relief and...comfort. I thought it must have been the release from all the crying, but from that day I couldn’t help but feel that someone was watching out for me, protecting me. I assumed it was my grandfather looking down, but that never felt right. It didn’t feel like him,” she pulled back, meeting his eyes once again, “But I know now. It was you, wasn’t it? You didn’t need to come in, I felt it. I knew you were there, and that was the greatest comfort I have ever felt. You have a way of doing that, you know,” she rested her head on his shoulder, “Making people feel safe.”

Gavin could hardly keep it together, but he held on long enough to wrap an arm over her and pull her close, planting a long kiss on the top of her head. He focussed on the feeling of her against him, reminding himself that she was there, that he had truly found his way back to her. That, after all his years of doubt and bitter regret, he had never actually failed her.

That was his new favourite song. Not because it saved him, but because it saved her -- saving them.

***

Thank you so much for reading!! Have a lovely day <33

#mlqc #mlqc gavin #gavin bai #gavin x mc #gavin bai x mc #mlqc gavin x mc #love and producer #mr love queen's choice #mlqc fanfic #my writing

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hufflautia · 4 years ago

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A Hidden Darkness

A/N: I wish I had thought of this idea in time for Halloween.

Warnings: This story is a little creepy and has something to do with the supernatural. If you are not comfortable with that kind of stuff, avoid this fic.

Dedicated to @sophiexteresa; thank you for helping me out with British slang :’)

Summary: Slytherin notices that Hufflepuff is acting strange...a little too strange.

Boom!

Ravenclaw immediately drew back from the table, laughing as he pointed at Slytherin; the mini-explosion singed the edges of his hair.

“Bloody hell,” Slytherin grumbled, gingerly rubbing his slightly-burned face. “This game is a load of bollocks.”

He raised an eyebrow as he gathered the remaining cards. “Mate, you were the one who wanted to play Exploding Snap.”

“Yeah, because I wanted the cards to explode in your face.”

Ravenclaw rolled his eyes and grabbed a handful of popcorn, chucking it at him.

Slytherin managed to block the attack with his hand, but some landed on his shoulder. As he brushed the popcorn off, he suddenly felt something prodding at the back of his neck. It felt like someone was...sniffing his hair?

He turned around and saw Hufflepuff standing there, her face so close to his that he could feel her breath. “Hey,” he smiled, not registering the fact that it was likely she who just sniffed him. “Alright?”

Hufflepuff gave him a blinding smile and grabbed his hand. “I need you,” she replied, tugging him out of his chair.

“But I’m—”

“Playing cards with Ravenclaw? You can do that later.”

As she led him out of the Great Hall, Slytherin wondered how she knew what he was gonna say. He brushed it off quickly; she could clearly see what they were doing. However, something was definitely strange about her. Hufflepuff would usually greet Ravenclaw kindly if she saw him, but she barely spared him a second glance.

Hufflepuff came to a stop after they passed through the entrance of the Great Hall and turned to face him. “I need to ask you something.”

“Why couldn’t you just ask me before?”

“Because Ravenclaw was there.”

He frowned and said, “But you’ve never had a problem with him before.”

She made a face at him. “He’s an ickle know-it-all. Should’ve socked him in the face, I should.”

He was taken aback—Hufflepuff never behaved like this. She was always sweet and kind, but she was the complete opposite now.

“What’s up with you,” he asked. “You’re acting like a completely different person. And ickle? You’ve never said that before.”

She glared at him. “People change, Slytherin. Besides, I didn’t bring you out there just for you to berate me.” Her tone was calm, but Slytherin could sense the repressed hostility hidden beneath her words.

She seemed to realize that he was staring at her strangely because, in the next moment, she suddenly straightened up and smiled at him widely. "But no reason to fuss about it any longer," she cooed in an oily voice, pinching his cheek. "You're here now, and that's all that matters."

Slytherin studied her face and immediately picked up on the fact that her smile was forced. "Right then," he said slowly, still put off by her demeanor. "What was it you wanted to ask?"

Her expression immediately darkened, and she stepped forward. He fought the urge to take a step back. What was going on with him? This was his girlfriend he was dealing with. She never meant any harm...so why did he feel so uneasy? Her next words sent chills down his spine.

"Would you be able to tell if someone—no, if something were to possess my body?"

Slytherin stared at her, hoping that she would crack a smile and burst out laughing, saying that it was just a prank and she successfully fooled him.

However, she did no such thing. Instead, she stared at him with those dark eyes that he usually found endearing, but there was a coldness to them. An emptiness.

"I..." He trailed off, unsure of what to say. What could he say? A feeling of discomfort festered within him, and he spoke again. “Uh, maybe? I think it'd be obvious if you started climbing on the walls or something.”

Nodding, Hufflepuff seemed to mull over his answer before her face broke into a huge smile. “Alrighty then.” She suddenly plucked a piece of popcorn that had been lying in the collar of his shirt and popped it in her mouth. “Can I watch you play Exploding Snap with Ravenclunk?”

“I thought you didn’t like Ravenclunk.”

“I wanna see the cards explode in his face,” she shrugged.

Slytherin hummed a laugh, momentarily forgetting how unusual she was acting, and began leading her back into the Great Hall. He felt a tug at his hand and turned back, only for Hufflepuff to smash her face onto his.

The kiss was rough and sloppy, an alarming contrast to how they normally kissed. Drawing his bottom lip between her teeth, she bit down hard enough to make him pull away abruptly. He gingerly touched his lip and found his fingers to be stained with blood. He looked back up at her, shocked.

A bit of his blood smeared across her teeth, she smiled coyly. “Sorry,” she said, not sounding sorry in the slightest bit. “You know I get carried away sometimes…”

Slytherin didn’t respond and simply stood there like a statue, face awash with horror as he stared at her.

“I’ve gotta go now. I have lots to do today.” With that, she ambled away, leaving Slytherin standing there and looking as if he had just seen a ghost.

Hufflepuff wandered through the corridors, letting her hands brush against the cobblestone wall as she inhaled the sweet smell drifting from the Kitchens.

I have to admit, the voice cackled. This is quite luxurious. It’s interesting to be human for once. Smell, taste, touch. I have much to explore.

Please, Hufflepuff begged, trapped within the confines of her body against her own will. Let me go!

Peeves laughed gleefully inside her mind.

But I’m having so much fun.

FIN.

Check out my masterlist! | Kind comments and reblogs are most appreciated :)

Author’s note:

This may be my least favorite fic out of all that I have written. Last night, when I was writing it, I didn’t feel happy and a part of me wanted to discard what I wrote so far because I was like “jessica this is so dumb” but I didn’t wanna throw out what I wrote so far. I’m not even sure if Peeves is able to possess someone’s body, and after I finished writing, I thought “well what if I keep it ambiguous and it’s just some random demon?”. However, I had done some research on how Peeves talks, hence the “ickly”, and I didn’t wanna take out the hints of Hufflepuff not really being Hufflepuff. In addition, it doesn’t seem very hogwarts-like or harry potter related if it were just a random demon. That’s why I thought Filch to be the best option. I thought of this idea yesterday when my sister was acting creepy while we were in the bathroom in the morning. I was brushing my teeth and she was on the toilet, and she straightup looked at me with dead eyes and asked “Would you be able to tell if a demon possessed me?” and I was like

She was twitching and everything, and as I was walking out of the bathroom, she came up right behind me and SNIFFED MY HAIR. Yea, so that was my inspiration for this fic. My initial idea for the ending was that as Hufflepuff walks back with Slytherin to the table, her eyes glow a little and she smiles wickedly. However, I was like hmmmm what if she bits his lips and he bleeds a little?.. Yea, don’t ask me why I thought that. I don’t think I would ever write a fic that includes that bit because slytherpuff doesn’t have that rough-love type of vibe, so I just thought, oh whatever might as well do that now when I have the chance.

In other news, happy March! This is gonna be the month in which I get the rest of my college results and I am a little nervous. Also, I’m going to go on a hiatus because I feel myself going down a spiral right now and it’s likely because my period is coming😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀What fun, am I right??? I get bad PMS, so I’m just gonna leave and focus on my own wellbeing for some time because I tend to get depressed during my period. I might write a bunch of stories and then come out from the dark and then post consistently. I think I am kind of posting consistently already; I have never posted as many fics as I had in February, which is interesting and hopefully not a once-in-a-lifetime thing because I’m done with the college process but now I also have to deal with my own issues in terms of mental health and stuff. It sucks but I will get better.

I hope you enjoyed reading this fic. Let me know what you think!

Tags: slytherpuff-shenanigans @axieleration @sunnniiee @just--another--bean @determinedpines @zenobiagrace @asterinflower @cinnamon-roll-unicorn @mossy-axolotl @dumbbitch11 @hitchhiker-of-the-galaxy @notsowiseravenclaw @arianatorpotterhead @eatacrackerandstop @luciferswife16 @walkinganomaly @asunshinepuff @lewispoolerpayton @adreameratdawn @thewitcheswords @oncergleekpotterhead @princessstoopid @stardustzainy @flvrqnce @multi-fandom-nutjob @eunnieah @iamahufflepuff @1hufflepuff @introvertedrae @princessstoopid @jasminedayz @magnoliamermaid @HOPEFUL-HUFFLEPUFF-PEEVES @peanut-in-the-goal @pufflehuff929 @sophiexteresa @da-fox-rangerrr @dawinehouse @shipping-book-keeper @xxavaloraxx @silverhetdanes @im-a-solanum-lycopersicum @elegantcroissantplaidpony @theoriginaljohnwatsonsblog @theoriginalsherlockholmesblog @vickeyunicorn @arianatorpotterhead @hmilkwhoney @simpering-simpleton @grandcyclecreation @sweetinvisiblewriter @marvelenthusiast10 @mvlpksvthisht @qiaopa @beardedhumanoid @jadefox05 @justanotherperson @inkedintothepaper @minty-malfoy @trippy-morgan @fangirlgeekandfreak @boilyourteeth @absentmindeduniverse @colettedelaurel @halfelven1 @happy-puff @coloring-bud @in-love-with-remus-lupin @autumnpleaves @crakencc @flyme--tothemoon @hedgepuffgirl @littleemotionalpanda @pancakes-and-sugar @korra4321 @aquietkindofthunder @qixnsriess @porksoba @thatfann @hellounicorn @i-have-a-bad-feeling @aasa2102 @zuko-28 @annie-mcl @clementines-x @writtenfoxscreams @randomwriter23 @cryingabtwandavision @coolninjavoid @urfaveslytherin @malfoys-demigod @tumlbr-trasher @violayaxley @wolfpack-arts-industries99 @zainieees-stuff @milk-leaves @priii @capt-sparrow @blueberry-9-pancakes @stressy-depressy

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feminaexlux · 4 years ago

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Chartreux

This is from Lukanette February 2020 (which feels like years ago at this point, doesn't it?). I wanted to repost it as a whole story because I went back and re-read some of my old stuff that I posted separately and I'd like to share it again :)

Enjoy! AO3 chapter link

⁂

Note

Plagg floated in front of Adrien. "Kid, you're sick. How are you gonna be Chat Noir if you're delirious?"

"Ladybug needs me," Adrien groaned. Last time he checked his temperature it was around 39c. "She… she shouldn't handle the akuma on her own!"

"She'll be fine," Plagg sighed. "Get some rest! Take a nap, you'll feel better after."

Adrien frowned. "No, I need to help her. Plagg, claws ou-!" He coughed. It was a hoarse, lung-bruising cough. "Oww."

"Eww, gross," Plagg complained. "Humans are so disgusting."

"Ladybug needs backup…" Adrien sighed. "If she gets caught it's game over, Plagg. Hawkmoth wins and everyone loses!"

"She's got plenty of other helpers, Adrien! You gotta relax."

"No, it's dangerous because Hawkmoth knows who they are! She needs Chat Noir."

"Ugh, fiiiine. Leave it to me, again, to save the day," Plagg griped.

Adrien smiled. "I knew you'd come around. Plagg, claws-!" Plagg threw a pillow at Adrien and knocked him backward into his bed. Adrien immediately passed out.

"Knocked over by a feather. You sure woulda been useful to Ladybug like that." Plagg huffed and floated over to Adrien's hand, gingerly pulling off the Miraculous. "I gotta find Ladybug's other boyfriend," the little kwami sighed.

⁂

Luka Couffaine was watching the livestream of the latest akuma through his phone. For some reason Ladybug was fighting the twin gorgons by herself and Chat Noir was nowhere to be seen, which worried everyone. Hopefully Chat Noir was alright… it wasn't like him to let Ladybug handle everything by herself.

Suddenly a wide silver ring dropped into his lap. Luka's immediate impulse was to look up and find who dropped it, but he wasn't able to see anyone or anything that might have possibly done it. There was a voice in his head that told him to put it on, but he wasn't going to start wearing someone else's prized just put it on you blockhead

What?

for gouda's sake just put the darn ring on kid

Okay. The ring was talking to him. Luka reluctantly put it on. Plagg appeared before him. "Finally. I'm Plagg, kwami of Destruction, you're gonna be using me today to help Ladybug. Your power is Cataclysm and after you use it you only got 5 minutes to wrap it up. Once you guys have won hand me over to Ladybug and it'll alllll be done and I can finally get a nap. You got it?"

Luka breathed out the breath he hadn't known he held in. "You're Chat's kwami. That's why he's not dealing with the akuma right now."

"Smart kid, you've already figured it out. You get to be Chat Noir today. But maybe you should call yourself something else. How about Chartreux? Transformation phrase is Claws Out, detransformation is Claws In. Got it? Let's go already."

⁂

Ladybug had already used her Lucky Charm and… she wasn't able to figure out which of the two gorgons had the akumatized object in time. She kept having to dodge the petrification beams from two akumas (though she was sure one was a sentimonster clone), and her Lucky Charm had been a guitar pick! She had no idea what to do with it. Actually, scratch that, she knew Tikki or the Lucky Charm wanted her to reach out to Viperion, but… that was dangerous. Hawkmoth knew Luka was Viperion, so she'd try her best without his help right now. But where the heck was that cat?! "Chaaaat, I really could use your help right now!" She yelled out to no one in particular.

A dark figure landed nearby. "Sorry, Ladybug," said a familiar voice that was not Chat Noir's. "Chat's out of commission today, but… I'm his substitute." A tall figure in Chat's outfit - no, it was kind of… spikier? and dark gray? - spoke to Ladybug, spinning the baton to create a shield to block the petrification beams. Oh no. What happened? "I'm… Chartreux."

"Ummmm, hi," Ladybug said. "Well, if you're on my side then I'm glad to have you." She looked him over more closely when she had a chance. Taller, black fluffy hair with green tips instead of all blond, and he had black earrings? Earrings? Oh no. She knew his voice sounded familiar. Oh no. She'd know those lips and that jawline from anywhere since she spent so long staring at them as Marinette. Oh no.

"I got some explanation of things, so… I'll try my best."

Ladybug had to make a mental note that Chat!Luka was going to be very, very distracting.

Teddy Bear

Ladybug sighed heavily as her earrings kept beeping. She gave Chartreux a rundown of everything she saw with Madusa (times two, ugh) and what she was attacking (seemed like mostly other girls? Yikes). Ladybug gave her thoughts on how she might have been a jilted girl(friend) with Valentine's Day coming around the corner and Chartreux gave a lopsided smirk.

Dang it stop doing that Luka, she thought, staring at his lips again. She shook her head to focus. "Chat… I mean Chartreux, I'm so sorry but I have to recharge. I really hate to leave you alone like this but…"

"It's alright, Ladybug. I understand. I'll try to distract them and lead them away from civilians."

She put a hand on his arm and squeezed. For encouragement. "Good plan, thank you. I'll be back as soon as I can. Alright, bug out!"

⁂

Marinette detransformed behind a building and watched Chat!Luka leap away surprisingly gracefully from the building they had just been on top of. She was fascinated at how… fluid everything looked with him. He was kind of a natural at strategically using his baton as an impromptu high-bar to swing himself between spaces and levels while keeping buildings between him and the Madusas for cover.

"MARINETTE!" Tikki yelled, apparently not for the first time. "Marinette?"

"Oh! Oh gosh, Tikki! I'm sorry."

"We have to figure out which one is the sentimonster first. I think we need to separate them and find out where the amok is."

"Alright, good idea, Tikki! Let me see if I can find a safe place." Marinette ran toward the end of the alleyway and ducked her head out to take a quick scan and nearly got hit by a beam. "Whoa!!!"

Unfortunately, it appeared that while Chat!Luka was able to get the attention of one of the Madusas and lead her away, the other one kept circling back to the apparent epicenter of the akumatization. That gave Marinette an idea. She was looking around for cover when she felt an arm around her waist and yelped as she was pulled sideways.

"Marinette, what are you doing here?!" Chartreux yelled, stumbling a little but recovering when she turned to face him and threw her arms around him reflexively.

"Ch-Chat?! Wait, what?!" While Chat!Luka was making an abrupt quarter turn, Marinette got further pressed into him as he made a braking maneuver against a wall and then launched them into an adjoining alleyway. It happened so fast she got slightly dizzy. "Whoa," she moaned.

"Marinette?! Sorry, I'm much faster than I thought I'd be," Chartreux said apologetically.

"It's okay, L–CHAT–I mean! Wh-who are you?"

Chartreux snickered a little. "Just a friend," he winked. "Let's get you somewhere safe."

That was what Marinette had been trying to do… She noticed something in the corner of her eye and turned her head, spotting the wax museum. "Um! Can you drop me off there?" She pointed her arm and directed his line of sight. Chat!Luka slowed down and pulled her in tight against him, weaving around the two streams of the petrifying lasers from both Madusas when they spotted the hero running across the street.

⁂

Adrien woke up a bit less headachey than when he went to sleep, and he groaned sitting up on his bed. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. There was something… different about things, but he shrugged and assumed it felt off because he was sick. He sighed and got to his couch, turning on the television. He was hardly paying attention until he heard Nadja Chamack talking about Chat Noir rescuing a civilian and how Ladybug was missing.

He blinked his bleary eyes. "Plagg?" There wasn't a response. "PLAGG?!" He was suddenly wide awake and stood up a bit too quickly, getting lightheaded and dizzy. He fell back to his couch and looked at a close-up shot of "Chat Noir" and the civilian. That "Chat Noir" was… taller? And That "Chat Noir" was holding Adrien's favorite civilian Marinette Dupain-Cheng up against himself (pretty intimately, Adrien thought irritably) while heading away from the akumas. Maybe Adrien was hallucinating. Yeah, that was it, this was all just a bad fever dream.

The Real Chat Noir needed to go help Ladybug right away.

Adrien stumbled back to his bed in his exhausted state and pulled off the covers off of a lump on his bed, assuming he'd find the kwami settled in like the lazy cat he was. Instead Adrien found a teddy bear with a heart pillow, inscribed with a "Feel Better Soon ❤️".

Letters

If the Madusas were turning people into stone, then running through the wax museum where the "people" there were already immobile seemed to be a good plan. That had been the thought process running through Marinette's mind before she realized that she and Chartreux needed to evacuate the real people inside. Luckily Chartreux was already on that as soon as they opened the doors, directing people to go down to the subway, goodness bless that boy.

Marinette helped him as much as she could while she kept trying to lose him in the evacuating crowd to duck out and transform back into Ladybug. Of course of all the people the black cat Miraculous could have gone to, it went to Luka Couffaine, who ten times out of ten could find Marinette in the chaos. Marinette had counted.

"Chat-um-whatever, could you let me go? Don't I need to go hide?!" Marinette yelled at Chartreux, who had unabashedly let his tail wrap around her ankle to keep tabs on her.

"I know you're brave, Marinette, but you don't hide, you keep throwing yourself into danger as soon as I turn my back so I'm going to personally drop you off at home. Good idea on using the wax museum, though."

"But I can get Ladybug!" Marinette groaned.

Chartreux's ears twitched with irritation as he glared at her. "Ladybug's going to get here on her own, you don't need to-" Marinette saw one ear rotate backward and Chartreux ran, pulling Marinette along with him after taking her hand. The twin gorgons burst into the museum and started using their beams on the wax figures. They were temporarily confused when no one turned into stone.

Once they got their bearings, the twin gorgons ran in the same direction they saw Chartreux and Marinette run. The hero and civilian pair had hidden behind a relatively large dupe of Horrificator and were able to sneak past the Madusas into a staff locker room. "Well, I think I can hide here, at least," Marinette sighed.

"Can't say it's too comfortable, but it's better than nothing," Chartreux reluctantly agreed, opening a large locker for Marinette. "Sorry. I guess I should have taken you home first." Both Marinette and Chartreux heard one of the Madusas walk closer and try to open the door. Marinette made a split second decision and pulled Chartreux in the locker with her and closed it behind them.

The Madusa broke down the door and prowled in, scanning the room. She sniffed, annoyed at finding nothing of value, and left. When Chartreux heard the gorgon's footsteps fade away he burst out of the locker, red-faced and stammering out a hasty "S-sorry!"

He was about a full head taller than she was, so when they crammed into the locker he ended up occupying way more of her personal space than either of them expected. He pressed himself into the furthest corner away from her but his head still ended up on her shoulder and his arm braced against her and her legs in between his. He kept thinking how he was getting kind of hungry because she smelled like freshly baked bread and warm apple pie and man was he ever getting distracted by the fact that Marinette Dupain-Cheng had pulled him in by the collar and now her hands were in his hair because they had nowhere else to go?

He stayed hidden with Marinette for several long seconds after the Madusa had left, ostensibly to make sure the akuma/sentimonster was far enough away, but maybe some part of him just kinda liked being held by Marinette.

"I'm sorry! I just pulled you in i-i-it was my fault so, so sorry," Marinette apologized back, also pretty embarrassed but fighting back a smirk at finding Chat!Luka so flustered. "I'll s-stay here and be out of your way, promise!"

Chartreux blew out a breath, composing himself, and nodded. "Stay safe. I mean it, Marinette, no heroics. That's my job."

She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Good luck," she giggled, closing the locker. Chartreux went red again, slightly taken aback, but then he chuckled to himself and turned to leave.

"Marinette, you're teasing the poor boy," Tikki giggled.

"I think we're both enjoying it," Marinette giggled back. "Are you ready, Tikki?" The little kwami nodded. "Alright, Spots On!"

Ladybug stepped out of the locker and called her Lucky Charm. She got a pack of fridge magnet alphabet letters? What was she going to do with that?

Composition

It was actually a pretty straightforward plan. Chartreux and Ladybug ran in opposite directions and the twin gorgons split up to chase the both of them. The heroes lead them into the same room at opposite ends, Ladybug tied them up together with her yoyo, Chartreux Cataclysm'd the floor and the Madusas got caught hanging upside down. The magnets caught the Madusa's dislodged necklace and pen before they fell into the molten hot wax.

Amok and akuma were dealt with, the akuma victim reassured, and the Miraculous Ladybugs deployed. The heroes bumped fists and called out "Bien Joué!"

Ladybug's earrings beeped and Chartreux stopped her from running off. "Wait! Plagg said I needed to give you the ring."

"Plagg said what?!"

Chartreux raised an eyebrow. "I'm supposed to give you Chat Noir's ring back."

"I… I-I don't know who Chat Noir is, actually," Ladybug laughed uneasily. "I'm not sure who to give it back to! How did you get the ring?"

"Really?" Both of Luka's eyebrows rose. "It… just dropped into my lap. What should I do?"

Ladybug's earrings beeped again. "Umm. I-I guess keep it? For now? I'll ask my kwami what I should do. Anyway, thank you for your help! I gotta run!"

⁂

Marinette yelped as Chartreux opened the locker she was hiding in. "Wow," he laughed. "You actually stayed safe."

"I-is it over?" Marinette asked.

"Yeah. I wanted to make sure you were alright." Chartreux extended a hand and helped Marinette get out of the locker and onto her feet. "I also said I was going to personally drop you off at home."

"You did!" Marinette giggled. "That would be great!"

⁂

Chartreux landed softly on Marinette's balcony with her in a bridal carry.

"You definitely know who I am because I definitely didn't tell you where my house is, and I still don't have your name," Marinette laughed.

Chartreux hummed. "I don't know if I'll be coming back as a hero so I don't think it matters if you know my name. I promise I am a friend though." He let Marinette down and she kissed him on the cheek. "Careful, you don't know if Alya's nearby taking pictures and you don't want to give the boy you like the wrong idea."

Marinette blinked. "The boy I like?"

"Adri-" "Luka?" Chat!Luka and Marinette said respectively, at the same time.

Chartreux was taken aback and flushed. "I think I'm giving him the right idea," Marinette giggled. "Your ring is beeping, by the way."

"Oh. Really? I mean. Right. Thanks. I'm… gonna go." He turned away awkwardly, still flushed.

"Chartreux?" Chat!Luka spun back in surprise. Marinette went up on her toes and kissed him. "Thanks for helping out today. You did a great job."

⁂

Chartreux detransformed in a quiet alleyway and Luka made his way home in a daze. Luka barely heard Plagg complain the lack of camembert and about how the Guardian should know who Chat Noir was and how the kwami apparently needed to do things himself and to haul the ring back across all of Paris and how much of a pain it was.

Luka got back onto the houseboat and went to his room and sat on his bed. Plagg had noticed that the boy was more or less unresponsive and sighed, deciding to hide in Luka's jacket pocket. Luka finally shook his head to get his bearings and looked around him, pulling out a blank sheet of music staff paper.

He was pretty sure Marinette knew he was Chartreux. He was pretty sure Marinette just let him know she was Ladybug.

He had some brand new music to compose.

Noir & Gris

"I hear that you're a big fan of Chat Gris," Adrien smirked as he leaned into his right hand, silver ring glinting off the sunlight that streamed into their classroom. "You and the Chat Noir from last week had a moment it seems!" He gave Marinette a sly wink.

"A-Adrien!" Marinette squeaked, turning red. "Shhh!!!" Marinette had already had to tamp down all the rumors around her and "Chat Gris" as they called him. Alya had been nearby and she did take pictures and of course one of the pictures was of Marinette when she kissed Chat!Luka. (How did that girl even get that angle?!) Alya thankfully had only shared it with Marinette… and then the rest of the girls, after Marinette had been too embarrassed to deny anything about it.

"I think you may be a cat person after all, Marinette," Adrien laughed.

"How did you find out?!" Marinette stage-whispered. "Alya promised not to show anyone else!"

"It wasn't Alya, I promise. I had my very own informant. But interesting detail, you have a picture?"

"I'm sure not showing you!" Marinette huffed.

"That's alright!" Adrien laughed. "Well, since you seemed to be so familiar with Chat Gris and Chat Noir, I was wondering what you thought of Gris versus Noir?" Adrien had leaned in further, intensely focused on Marinette.

Marinette blinked at him. "Uh… they were both… good."

"Really? You didn't miss anything about Chat Noir?"

"Well, I mean, both Chats were very… nice. They saved me from the akumas. I guess Chat Noir is… um. More of a jokester?"

"I'm hearing Chat Noir is more fun," Adrien smiled. "But go on."

"You have some weird selective hearing there," Marinette said. "Anyway I mean, I don't really have anything else to say?"

"Aww, too bad. I'm jealous, Marinette. You got to hang out with two different versions of the same hero!" And kissed both, but she wasn't going to mention that.

"Getting caught up in the akuma attacks is not something I'd call ‘hanging out', Adrien." Marinette rolled her eyes. "But they were cool."

"Do you think you'd wanna see Chat Gris again? Instead of Chat Noir?" Adrien asked, way softer than he spoke before.

"Hmm, I like Chat Noir. I think Chat Noir is great at being Chat Noir. Ladybug and Paris would miss him terribly if he wasn't going to show up anymore. I liked Gris and he helped everyone out really well, but I think Chat Noir is who Paris loves."

Adrien blushed. "Well, it's nice of you to say that. Chat Noir seems like a great guy, whoever he is under the mask."

Marinette smiled. "I think so too."

#rating G #fxl fic #lukanette endgame #marinette dupain cheng #luka couffaine #chat!luka #lukanette #endgame lukanette

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duhragonball · 4 years ago

Text

[FIC] Luffa: The Legendary Super Saiyan (150/?)

Disclaimer: This story features characters and concepts based on Dragon Ball, which is a trademark of Bird Studio/Shueisha and Toei Animation. This is an unauthorized work, and no profit is being made on this work by me. This story is copyright of me. Download if you like, but please don’t archive it without my permission. Don’t be shy.

Continuity Note: This story takes place about 1000 years before 66 years after the events of Dragon Ball Z.

[24 December, Age 762. Planet Namek.]

Luffa was the Legendary Super Saiyan.

And then she wasn't.

A harrowing battle on the Planet Nagaoka had left her power exhausted, and then a wish on a magic dragon brought her centuries into the future, where she recruited into a temporal police force. During a mission on the Planet Namek, she was horrified to discover that the Saiyans of the future knew nothing about her. She was neither legendary, nor super.

And now, thanks to the body-swapping technique of Captain Ginyu, she was no longer a Saiyan either. She watched helplessly as her own body attacked Son Goku.

"I was going to take your body!" Ginyu said as he battered Goku's forearms with Luffa's fists. "But then what's-her-name spoiled my shot! But I gotta admit, I could get used to this!"

Luffa looked at her hands, which were actually the hands of Captain Ginyu. He was over two meters tall, with purple skin an a swollen cranium adorned with two black horns. Luffa's eyes went wide with fear. There was no tail, or even a phantom pain one might expect to sense when one's tail was removed. Everything felt... wrong. Her senses reeled with the conflicting ki signature of this alien body. It might have been easier to adjust if she had been stuck in a body from a species she was more familiar with. But she had no idea what sort of life form Ginyu's body was supposed to be.

And suddenly, it dawned on Luffa that Captain Ginyu probably had no idea either. This couldn't have been the first time he had used this trick. It was the perfect secret weapon. If he ever faced an enemy that was too much for him, he could turn the tables and increase his power with a single stroke. This giant purple creature couldn't have been Ginyu's original body. It had to be the body of one of his enemies. Ginyu probably stole it on a whim, and knew nothing about its homeworld, or its culture, or anything...

Then she finally noticed Guldo and Jeice flanking her.

"Not so tough now are ya?" Jeice asked. "Did a real number on Burter a minute ago, but now? Looks like yer luck's changed, hasn't it? Yeah, changed to bad luck, that is."

"Enough!" Guldo seethed. "Let's just put this creep down, once and for all!"

To her credit, Luffa still had enough wherewithal to defend herself, but the body of Captain Ginyu was too bulky and strange for her to use well. Worse, she was having trouble focusing on anything but the existential horror of being trapped outside of her own body, with no way to return. Only Ginyu knew the secret of this power, and he would never be foolish enough to switch back. A chill ran down her spine as the realization settled in. She was trapped. Trapped!

And this state of terror proved to be Luffa's downfall. Guldo kept her in check with his psychic powers, and Jeice teed off with some of his ki attacks, but this was a formality, whether they understood it or not. Luffa was already beaten.

"Crusher Ball!" Jeice shouted as he launched a globe of red energy at her. Luffa struggled for all she was worth, but there was no escape. Her telepathic powers and guile had helped her escape Guldo's psi-lock before, but that was in her own body, and Guldo wouldn't fall for the same trick twice. Jeice's attack connected, and she blacked out from the pain...

[27 February, Age 850. Toki Toki City.]

...And then Luffa found herself back in the Time Nest. To her relief, she was also back in her own body. She was hurt, but not as badly as she had been in Ginyu's flesh. She stared at her hands, which were now shaking uncontrollably.

"Wh-what happened?" As she asked the question, she suddenly realized how dry her throat was, and how small and pathetic her voice sounded.

"Nothing good, I'm afraid," Trunks said. She was sitting on the floor of the Time Vault, beside one of the stools at the large octagonal table in the center of the room. He loomed over her like a long shadow, then reached down to help her up.

She didn't take his hand.

"I... I... was..."

"The short version is this: you got your butt kicked," Trunks said. He eventually gave up on pulling her up by the hand, and crouched down to scoop her up in his arms. "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital."

"No!" Luffa shouted. "I mean... I'm fine! I'm fine!"

She swatted his hands away, and Trunks backed off and left her where she was. "Look, I don't know what went wrong out there," he said, "but you're not 'fine'. Luffa, we need to get you checked out..."

"I don't need your help!" Luffa screamed. She started grabbing at her short black hair and making snarling noises that sounded like gears grinding together.

"Luffa, you're hyperventilating!" Trunks said. "Let me--"

He reached out to her again, only this time she scrambled to her feet, knocking over one of the stools.

"Get away from me, you bastard!" she shrieked.

"Not until you've calmed down," Trunks said firmly. "I can't let you run amok in the Time Vault--"

He took one step forward, and she threw a punch at his face. The impact sounded like thunder.

Trunks didn't budge. Luffa pulled her hand back and bared her teeth. She wasn't sure whether to back off or to try again. He wasn't even bothering to defend himself. In her present condition, he probably didn't need to.

"If that helps," Trunks said, "then keep going. As long as you don't damage the Time Vault, you can hit me as much as you like."

"Your father was a coward and royalist fool!" Luffa screamed. It had nothing to do with the matter at hand, but she felt the need to shout something at him.

"I know exactly who my father is," Trunks said evenly. "Believe what you want to believe. Nothing you say about him alters the truth."

"What gives you the right to stand here and choose these jobs?" Luffa seethed.

"I did."

They both turned to find the Supreme Kai of Time had entered the room. There was neither mirth nor anger on her face, but a look of abiding concern. Trunks bowed his head as she approached.

"I don't allow fighting in the Time Vault," she said. "Trunks knows this, Luffa, but you're new, so I thought I should mention it. Can you fill me in on what's been going on?"

"It's my fault," Trunks said. "I should have pulled Luffa out of there the moment her earpiece stopped working, but I couldn't find her at first, and then she seemed to do so well afterward."

"Don't make excuses for me, you--"

Chronoa held out her hand to Luffa. "You're hurt," she said. "I can take care of that."

"Wait!" Trunks said. "You don't need to do that! The hospital--!"

"It's all right, Trunks," she said without looking away from Luffa. "I know what I'm doing. And I think this might help Luffa trust us a little better."

Luffa wanted to refuse her, to slap her hand away and scream obscenities at them both. And yet, in spite of her turmoil, there was an even greater dread beneath it. Toki Toki City was the only life she had left. If she turned against the Time Patrol now, what was left for her? Where else could she go?

Reluctantly, she took Chronoa's hand into her own.

"She's hurt pretty badly," Trunks warned her. "You should sit down, at least."

"I'll be all right," Chronoa said. She closed her hand around Luffa's, and placed her other hand on Luffa's shoulder. Then she closed her eyes and concentrated.

The sensation was very similar to the healing effect produced by Pulmon, the Namekian healer from the Toki Toki City Hospital. Luffa closed her own eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to relax. Gradually, the aches and pains faded, and the cuts and abrasions on Luffa's skin were reversed. The mental wounds remained, however, but with her body restored, Luffa could at least see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Luffa finally opened her eyes, only to find Chronoa wincing in pain. It looked as though she had gotten into a fight of her own during those few minutes. The wounds looked familiar to Luffa, and then she realized the Kai's body was hurt in the exact same places that Luffa had been. The Namekian healer's power was nothing like this.

"What did you...?" Luffa asked as Chronoa withdrew her hands.

"Supreme Kai!" Trunks said as he reached out to steady her.

"I'll be all right," Chronoa said. "You weren't kidding, Trunks. She was in rough shape. I'd better head for the hospital myself..."

"I don't understand," Luffa said.

"She has the power to heal," Trunks explained, "but it's an empathic ability. To mend your injuries, she has to take your pain as her own."

"That's crazy!" Luffa shouted. She followed Trunks as he led the Kai to the nearest stool. "You shouldn't have done that! Not when the hospital--!"

"H-here... in the Time Patrol," Chronoa said, "we take care of each other. I can see... that you're deeply troubled. I can't take that pain from you, but... but I can share some of your burden. Now... can you tell us what happened?"

Luffa regarded her for a moment, and felt ashamed of herself for lashing out at them. Despite Trunks fretting over her, Chronoa seemed to bear Luffa's wounds with greater dignity and strength than Luffa had done. She wanted to run and hide in her apartment, but Chronoa had made her point. The least Luffa could do was to honor the Kai's sacrifice with a field report.

"Vegeta was influenced by the enemy's power," Luffa began. "So I went after him first. Then Recoome attacked me. He burned out my earpiece, so I lost contact with Trunks."

"Y-you were right," Chronoa said to Trunks. "You should have pulled her out then and there."

"I'm sorry," Trunks said.

"Kakarot showed up," Luffa continued, "and we fought the Ginyu Force. We thought Vegeta was going to fight alongside us, but he turned and fled. Then Ginyu came back with reinforcements. A few dozen guys from Frieza's spaceship. They were all infected with the enemy's power."

"A few dozen?" Trunks repeated.

"It sounds like whoever's behind this is getting bolder," Chronoa said. She held her ribs and took short shallow breaths. She was a very small woman, even compared to Luffa. It pained her to see the Kai hurt like this. It bothered her even more to know that she was directly responsible for the pain Chronoa was now experiencing.

"Kakarot and I fought them off," Luffa said, "but then I caught Ginyu using that technique of his. The one we saw in the scroll, where he switches bodies. I knew it would mess things up if he swapped with Kakarot, so I tried to stop him... only I ended up in the line of fire myself."

"Ginyu swapped bodies with you?" Trunks asked.

"And then his cronies finished me off," Luffa said. "I couldn't... there was nothing I could do. They would have killed me if you hadn't brought me back here."

"We didn't bring you back," Trunks said. "The Scroll of Eternity does that automatically when you die during a mission."

"Die?" Luffa asked.

"Not literally, I mean," Trunks said. "When you use the Scroll of Eternity to travel back in time, your ability to alter history is limited. That's why you could participate in that battle on Namek without changing the past. If you get hurt badly enough on a mission, the Scroll will pull you back for your own safety."

"Then... then we can try again?" Luffa asked. "I think if I start over, maybe I can--"

Trunks shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea," he said. "You've had a rough time of it, Luffa. Shenron may have chosen you to be my partner on this case, but I can't keep putting you in danger like this."

"No," Chronoa said. "I'm afraid we don't have a choice, Trunks. At least, not as far as Captain Ginyu is concerned."

They both looked at the Kai, who was now leaning on Trunks' arm for support.

"We can't send Luffa back to the beginning of the mission," she explained. "If we do, we risk jeopardizing the progress she's already made in correcting the flow of history. And we can't send another Patroller in her place, for the same reason."

"That's fine," Luffa said. "Now that I've seen Ginyu's trick, I'll be able to avoid it, and--"

"It's not that simple Luffa," Chronoa said. "At least, not in this case. When you resume the mission, you'll be going back to the moment when you left. That means you'll be back in Captain Ginyu's body. Whatever happens next, you'll need to proceed from that status. I'm sorry."

"The enemy must have been counting on this to happen," Trunks said. "That's why they chose that particular moment in history. They knew if Captain Ginyu used his ability, it would make our job a lot harder, leaving them free to move on to their next target."

"We're in a pinch, sure, but it's not all bad..." Chronoa said. She looked up at Luffa and smiled. "It'll be difficult to win, but you've still got Goku and the others to help you. It might take a few tries to get it right, but I know you can do it."

"A few tries?!" Luffa said. "You've got to be kidding. I could barely control myself in that purple meathead's body, and you want me to go back?"

"We can't send anyone else in," Trunks said. "If the body-change weren't involved, things would be different, but our priority is to contain the changes to the timeline. If we send a second patroller in now, it could destabilize the flow of time in that era."

Chronoa nodded. "It's a risk we can't afford. I'm sorry, Luffa. I know how difficult this must be for you, but there's no other way--"

"No!" Luffa shouted. "I'm sick of hearing that! You're a god, aren't you? You told me this whole city sits outside of time, right? But it all depends on me putting myself through that again? You're insane! Both of you!"

Trunks was about to speak up, to chastise her for stepping out of line, but before he could speak, Luffa ran out of the room, knocking over one of the stools along the way.

"Hey!" was all Trunks managed to say, and then Chronoa gestured for him to stop before he could run after her.

"Trunks. Let her go," she said.

"But no one else can finish the mission! We need her--!"

"Exactly," Chronoa said. "We need her. She's got to work this out for herself. Besides, I still need some medical attention, remember?"

"Oh! Oh, of course!" Trunks said. "Right away."

*******

Luffa spent the next two hours in the shower. There wasn't any particular reason for this. Having nowhere else to go, she returned to her apartment in Toki Toki City, and then she retreated into the bathroom, and then she retreated further still behind shower curtain. The running water offered a distraction, at any rate.

She felt sick and ashamed of herself. It wasn't just the trauma of switching bodies with Ginyu, although that certainly crystallized the panic and fear she had been dealing with all along. Luffa was trapped in the future, a future where her former glory had been nearly forgotten. Her friends and family were all dead, and it seemed that all she had left was herself. Now they wanted her to give that up along with everything else.

She had seen the resentment in Trunks' eyes. He only cared about getting the job done for his precious Kai, and all she cared about was the preservation of a history that Luffa had never known. And what was so great about it anyway? Who was to say that the changes being made weren't for the better? Luffa hadn't given the matter much thought before now. It had been a lot simpler when it was just a matter of busting heads. But now...

Her hands were still shaking. She couldn't remember the last time it had been this bad. Centuries ago, her wife had rubbed scented oils into Luffa's palms and whispered gentle words into her ear. None of it actually helped, but it was the thought that counted, the idea that she wasn't alone in her suffering.

And then she remembered how the Kai had healed Luffa's wounds. Not only healed them, but took the damage onto her own body in exchange.

Luffa didn't want to think about that. She curled up on the tile floor around the drain, and shut her eyes tightly. She didn't want to think about how small the Supreme Kai of Time was. Or how there was no hesitation or fear when she used that empathic power. Or how she endured Luffa's pain with a friendly smile on her face.

It wasn't fair. Luffa wasn't the strongest, not anymore. So why did she still have to be responsible for these kinds of things? Hadn't she done enough? How far was she supposed to take this? How much more would she be expected to sacrifice?

"Hey."

Luffa's eyes snapped open and she sat up and backed to the far corner of the shower. "What the hell!" she shrieked.

It was her roommate. Jayncho simply stood there, holding the shower curtain in one hand as she leaned inside to see what was going on.

"I knocked, but you didn't answer," she said glumly. "I wasn't sure there was anyone in here."

"I locked the door, dammit!" Luffa yelled. She was suddenly grateful that she hadn't bothered to change out her tattered clothes. They were thoroughly soaked by now, but it was far better than the alternative.

"I thought you might have locked yourself out and then left," Jayncho said.

"How did you even get in here?" Luffa asked. The bathroom door was still closed.

"Slid underneath," Jayncho said. The Majin woman was a shapeshifter, and Luffa was still getting used to that idea. Even now, as she noticed Jayncho's black one-piece swimsuit and an inflatable inner tube with a bird's head sticking out of it, Luffa had to wonder if those were actual clothes, or just part of Jayncho's flesh, made to resemble clothing.

"What do you want?" Luffa asked, now more exasperated than furious.

"The shower," Jayncho said. "If you're done, that is. Not used to sharing, really. I've never had a roommate before. Do all Saiyans spend this long in the shower? Nothing wrong with that, I guess. I just didn't know."

"No..." Luffa said after a long pause. "No, we don't. I was just... Never mind. I'll leave you to it."

She rose to her feet and shut off the tap. The hard part was getting around Jayncho while she was holding the pool toy around her waist. Luffa didn't understand what it was for, and wasn't particularly interested in finding out.

"Wait," Luffa said, just as she was about to unlock the door.

"What?" Jayncho asked.

"What does everyone do around here?" Luffa asked. "Everyone here is a Time Patroller, right? So why am I the only one going on these missions?"

Jayncho shrugged. "Lot of things, I guess. Research. Investigations. Upkeep on the city is a whole thing by itself."

"What do you do, then?" Luffa asked.

Jayncho shrugged again. "PQ's, mostly. If you get bored, that's a good way to kill an afternoon. I'd show you, but... I won't."

Luffa nodded and opened the door, leaving Jayncho to her shower.

Before she could step out of the door, she noticed something strange out of the corner of her eye. Luffa turned, and saw Jayncho melting her entire body. Within seconds, Jayncho--swimsuit, pool toy, and all-- collapsed into a puddle of red liquid, and she began to flow through the drain. A moment later, and there was no trace of Jayncho at all.

Luffa made an audible gulp and hurried to her bedroom to change into some dry clothes.

*******

It didn't take Luffa very long to find the PQ station. There was a whole section of the city devoted to this, and crowds of people were gathered outside the registration counter to participate. Luffa felt out of place in the crowd, but she had already tried solitude and found very little solace there. She needed something to do, and there was usually some sort of action to be found in large gatherings like this one.

"Is this your first time?"

A man tapped Luffa on the shoulder, and it startled Luffa so much that she nearly jumped.

"Whoa, sorry there," he said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't," Luffa said indignantly. "I was just... distracted."

"It's cool. My boyfriend's a Saiyan like you. Seems like he's always half a world away, too. Hey, Mosh! Over here!"

Mosh was tall and had a wiry physique. His fluffy black hair was bundled up behind his head in a ponytail, and his tail was wrapped firmly around the beltline of his armored vest. He wore a scouter device similar to the one used by Frieza's men, but this one extended across both eyes and ears, and looked more like an expensive pair of sunglasses with rose-colored lenses.

"You find us a partner, Ravi?" he asked as he waved hello.

Ravi was shorter than Mosh, but still taller than Luffa. He elbowed Mosh in the ribs. "Can we at least get to know her first before we jump right into that?" he asked.

Mosh rubbed his hands through the bleach blonde curls on Ravi's head. "She's a Saiyan, right?" he asked. "What else do we gotta know?"

Ravi chuckled. "Sorry about him, he's just rude like that."

"Nah, you're outnumbered now, Ravi," Mosh said. "With the Saiyans, small talk is rude. You wanna be polite, you gotta throw up your hands and say 'wanna fight?'"

Luffa couldn't help but smile a little. "He's not wrong," she said to Ravi.

"Oh, is that so?" Ravi asked. "Then how do Saiyans introduce themselves, Mosh?"

"Aw, that's easy," Mosh said. "What you do is you put up your dukes, just like this--" He held his closed fists close to his own face. "Then you look her in the eye and go: Tell me your name, warrior, so that I'll have something to call you when I tell others of my glorious victory."

Part of Luffa wanted to play along with this, but she just couldn't find the words. "I'm Luffa," she said. "Sorry, maybe I'm not up for this. My roommate told me I could find a little action here, but I'm not sure I'm ready for this..."

"It's cool, Luffa," Ravi said. "Maybe you just need some time. Your ki feels kind of choppy, if you don't mind me saying so. I know some guided meditation techniques that could help--"

"Aw, not again, Ravi," Mosh groaned. "You always gotta show off that fancy New Crane School diploma, don't you?"

Ravi gestured at his green gi. The fabric only went over one shoulder, exposing the right side of his chest. Luffa noticed something iridescent in the fabric, which added a little flair to anyone who happened to be looking Ravi when the angle of the light changed.

"You're just jealous because I look so good in this," Ravi insisted. "But I forgot, I'm outnumbered. What do the Saiyans do in situations like this?"

"Simple," Mosh said. "Girl needs a breather, she might as well join us on a PQ." He gestured to Luffa. "You can chill out and watch us do the mission, and if the mood strikes you, you'll be right where you need to be. How about it?"

"Well... yeah, I guess that sounds okay," Luffa said. "I need to see how these things work, anyway."

Ravi was amazed. "You've got to be kidding me!" he said to Mosh. "Since when were you so good with people?!"

"I told you, babe," Mosh said. "She's a Saiyan. Me and her are on the same wavelength, that's all."

Ravi eyed Luffa with mock-suspicion. "Did he put you up to this, Luffa?" he asked. "Be honest. If you don't feel safe, just blink once for yes, twice for no, okay?"

Luffa chuckled in spite of herself, and followed them to the registration desk.

*******

"So, long story short," Mosh said, "There's these things called 'Runaway Time Fragments.' When the Time Patrol cleans up an anomaly or a change in history, it can create after-effects. Some are easier to deal with than others. The ones that need some, ahh, percussive maintenance? Those get assigned to us."

"I still don't get how fighting can fix a time anomaly," Luffa said. "Not that I'm complaining, but it doesn't make sense."

The three of them were gathered around an egg-shapped vehicle parked on the Time Plaza. The top section was covered with a blue canopy, just large enough for three passengers to fit inside. Four struts protruded out of the sides of the fuselage, making the whole thing look like an oddly-shaped insect. Ravi opened the hatch and they all squeezed inside.

"It's complicated," Ravi said as he activated the controls, "but I'll give you my take on it, if you're interested."

"Sure," Luffa said as the canopy lowered over their heads. She noticed Mosh had to stoop quite a bit to fit inside.

"Time, well, it's a lot like a river. What happens upstream defines what will happen downstream," he began. As he spoke, the machine began to levitate and the view of the Time Plaza outside suddenly vanished, leaving only a nondescript swirl of colors in its place.

"It's easy to think of a river as being simple. Like, uh-huh, big deal, it's just water moving down the path of least resistance," Ravi said. "Divert the path, and it flows somewhere else. But there's a whole world in a river. Think about all the things that live up in there, and the sediment along the banks. And it doesn't just flow in one direction, no. You can have eddies and counter-currents along the way. Most of that is natural, and it's the Supreme Kai of Time's job to preserve that natural flow."

"Way I heard it," Mosh added, "she used to do it all by herself, for millions of years."

"Sometimes the flow gets choked off in places, or diverted where it isn't supposed to go," Ravi went on. "She can set things right--don't ask me how-- but even setting things right can have unwanted side-effects. It's like using a squeegee to clean up spilled water. You can shove the spill around, but a little of it always goes off where you don't want it to go. So you have to go back and shove that part too, and so on."

"Okay, but how does fighting figure into it?" Luffa asked.

"Same way fighting figures into everything else," Mosh said. "The really big changes usually involve some kind of conflict. Wars, invasions, duels, revolutions. The Time Fragments are leftover moments from a spill. The little ones aren't hard to deal with, but the big ones? Now, those have enough conflict in 'em that they could escalate. But if we defuse those conflicts--the hard way-- then it keeps them from breaking out and contaminating the rest of the timeline."

"Not bad," Ravi said. "I didn't know you knew so much about Time Fragments, Mosh."

"Took a training course at the annex, that's all," Mosh said.

The view from the canopy had changed once again, and they appeared to have arrived at a rocky wasteland. Ravi used the controls to unlock the hatch, but Mosh shoved it open, as he was anxious to get outside and stand up straight.

"This looks like the place on Earth where I fought Vegeta," Luffa said.

"The Gizard Wasteland," Mosh said. "Lot of PQ's go down here. You got assigned to a mission here?"

"Yeah," Luffa said. "Vegeta and Nappa invaded Earth, and I guess they were supposed to lose, but someone tried to rig the fight."

"I hadn't seen anything about that," Mosh said. He shared a concerned look with Ravi. "Stay on your toes, you hear me? This might be a little different than what we're used to."

"Relax," Ravi said. "We're strong enough to handle this, or the robots wouldn't have authorized us to go on this mission. You just chill out with the time machine, Luffa. This shouldn't take long. Ooh, speak of the devil."

Both men's scouters suddenly chirped, and yellow characters appeared in the eyepieces, though Luffa couldn't make out the readings. Mosh pointed to the southeast. "Got three bogies coming in from this side. Fourth one behind that rocky formation out there."

"Setting up an ambush, maybe?" Ravi suggested.

"Mm-hm. Let's take out his crew first," Mosh said, "and see how he reacts."

Luffa sat down in the shadow of the time machine and made herself comfortable. There was something pleasant about seeing them work, and that made it easier for her to stay on the sidelines and take it in. She recognized the "crew" as more of the Saibamen she had fought in her previous mission. Mosh and Ravi defeated them with ease.

"Piece of cake," Ravi said as they flew back to the time machine. "The robots who handle the PQ database figure out when and where to send us, and all we have to do is defeat the enemies. In this case, looks like it was just some rogue Saibamen. No trouble for us, but if they ran loose in this Time Fragment for long enough, they could cause trouble for the Earth."

"That'd be something," Mosh said. "Imagine a Saibaman taking over the whole planet."

"What about their leader?" Luffa asked. She could still sense the ki of the fourth one. Whoever it was, they hadn't moved from their hiding place.

"Yeah, I guess he wasn't in league with those Saibamen after all," Mosh said. "Might be a coincidence. We should go check it out."

But before they could move out, their scouters chirped again, and Luffa could sense the enemy approaching. "Looks like he's not waiting around," Ravi said. "I can't recognize the ki of this one. It's like an Earthling's, but... different somehow."

"What would an Earthling be doing out here alone?" Luffa asked, but there was no time for anyone to answer. Their mysterious foe suddenly appeared right in front of them, his massive form blocking out the mid-day sun.

"What the--?" Mosh said.

"M-master Chiaotzu?" Ravi asked.

Luffa didn't recognize him until Ravi said the name. She had briefly fought alongside a band of Earthling warriors during one of her Time Patrol missions. There, the one called Chiaotzu was the smallest of their number. His bone-white skin was interrupted only by a pair of red spots on his cheeks, and between that and his ominous thousand-meter stare, he had seemed more like a mythical creature than a flesh-and-blood humanoid.

But here, in this time fragment, Chiaotzu was much, much larger. He was at least as tall as Mosh, but with a much thicker musculature. His gaze was as inscrutable as ever, but this time there was malice in his expression, and a red gleam in his eyes.

"Watch out!" Luffa warned them, "he's going to--!"

The word "attack" never made it out of Luffa's mouth, as Chiaotzu unleashed a powerful wave of destructive energy from his body. She managed to block the brunt of it, but couldn't resist the force of the blast, and found herself tumbling backward. By the time she managed to right herself, she looked around and saw Ravi lying face down on the ground, while Mosh was in the air, fighting a desperate battle against this strange new Chiaotzu.

As Luffa rushed to Ravi's side, she spared a moment of concern for their time machine, but then she spotted it in the same place they had left it. She supposed that the Time Patrol had designed it for these kinds of battles, but all that mattered was that there would be a way to get Ravi to safety if it came to that.

"He's been possessed!" Luffa said breathlessly as she knelt down at Ravi's side. "I've seen this before on other missions, but it looks like it's transformed him somehow."

"Luffa, you've got to... get out of here," Ravi said. "He's too strong. Taught me... everything I know... Mosh can't hold him off for long."

He was right. Luffa could tell that, in spite of Mosh's valiant effort, that he was outmatched, and it was only a matter of time. She decided the best thing to do would be to load Ravi in the time machine where he would be relatively safe. But when she tried to scoop him up in her arms, she found it nearly impossible to move. It was similar to Guldo's paralysis technique, including the rising panic Luffa felt as she struggled in vain against it.

"Luffa, hurry!" Ravi gasped.

"I... I-can't!" Luffa grunted. All she could manage was to lift her head up to see the battle overhead. Mosh was clutching his arm, and Chiaotzu raised his index finger. A bright light appeared at the tip, and it seemed that he was ready to deliver the final blow...

NEXT: Menace of the Mega-Chiaotzu!

#dragon ball #fanfiction #lssjluffafic #luffa #captain ginyu #jeice #guldo #trunks #supreme kai of time #ravi #mosh #chiaotzu #toki toki city #namek #earth #jayncho #finally got the fic synced up between tumblr and ao3

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actuallyadhd · 6 years ago

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My husband is autistic, I have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, social anxiety, ADHD and have a provisional autism diagnosis. We both have executive dysfunction issues. I'm 38 weeks pregnant, and my anxiety just keeps getting worse about how we're going to deal with getting things done once the baby is born. I normally have it under decent control, but with the anxiety getting worse and the resurgence of depression symptoms, the executive dysfunction has gotten so much worse. (1/2)

Really hoping I don’t have to deal with post-partum, but even if I don’t, we’ll still be dealing with lack of sleep. I feel like we’ll be able to adequately handle the baby and clean up after changing diapers, but I’m worried about everything else like cleaning the house. I know we can ask for help, but I don’t want to get dependent on the help either. I couldn’t find anything on the blog about parenting with ADHD, especially executive dysfunction. (2/2)

Sent February 7, 2019

I’ve been meaning to write some posts about parenting with ADHD, now that I’m nearly four years into it. I gotta add that to my list. *does so* Okay.

Now, I will note that you’re ahead of me in all of this because I have never in my life had the housework under control. But we are all doing well, my kid is generally healthy, and that’s the biggest thing.

You have a couple of weeks until the baby comes. In that time, figure out what things are non-negotiable: that is, things that if you can just stay on top of them, you will feel like things are going okay. For me, that’s dishes and laundry. When those get behind, I start to feel frazzled.

And next comes a whole lot of suggestions and advice.

Try to get the house clean before baby comes, and enlist help to get it there because you are not as mobile or flexible as you will need to be in order to get everything done.

Choose a couple of locations where you will be feeding the baby, and get those places set up ahead of time with reading material, phone charger, etc. Make sure you have a blanket for your legs, and you definitely want a comfortable chair, preferably with arms so you can rest your arms with baby’s head on your elbow. Think about including non-perishable snacks and drinks you can enjoy at room temperature. I mostly fed my son in the living room, and I breastfed him, but even if you’re bottle-feeding you’ll need stuff to do and you may be sitting there for a long time sometimes.

Think about where you’re going to change baby’s diaper, too. Again, I mostly did that in the living room, but sometimes I did it on my bed in the bedroom. Set up all potential locations with wipes, diapers, etc. (we did cloth initially so I had pins and diapers and diaper covers and diaper cream in a box that was easy to grab and carry wherever I needed it).

I’m not going to advise you about sleeping arrangements beyond the recommendation that baby sleeps in the same room for the first six months. This helps with SIDS. We put my son’s bassinet next to my side of the bed, and when he woke up for a feed I got up and carried him out to the living room. This worked for us because my husband has a regular job with a half-hour commute each way. Of course, executive dysfunction being what it is, my son’s room wasn’t actually fit for him to inhabit until he was 18 months old, when we decided to finally put him into a proper crib because he was climbing out of his travel crib in our room. Remember that for a baby, 5 hours in a row is “sleeping through the night”; it’s easier to deal with the interruptions if you’re not expecting different. By about six months, baby should be sleeping longer and longer at a stretch. You can find more about sleep solutions at Precious Little Sleep (really helped me; so did the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child, by Marc Weissbluth). (Note that I am not into “Attachment Parenting” but I am into Respectful Parenting.)

Okay, here’s what saved me when my son was tiny: if he was awake, and happy, and fed, and had a clean diaper, I put him on a blanket on the floor in the living room and let him do his thing. I lay him on his back, which gave him lots of opportunity to move his body however he needed to, and I didn’t bother with mobiles or anything, though sometimes I did put a toy where he could bat it with his hand or see it if he turned his head. Babies are new to this world, and there is loads for them to take in this way.

I talked to him all the time (oh, wait, maybe that’s why he doesn’t stop talking now). I told him what I was doing before I did it. If I was leaving the room, I told him where I was going and when I’d be back. If he cried, I responded by talking first, letting him know that I heard him. If he cried for longer than a couple of whimpers, I went over to him and asked what was wrong, commented on whatever was going on, and put my hand on his chest if he seemed to need my touch. If that didn’t help, I picked him up and investigated. After a little while I knew what cries meant what, and I didn’t need to wait and see most of the time.

The idea here is that you don’t have to hold your child constantly, so you can do other things when they’re awake (not just when they’re asleep). In addition, the wait and see approach to crying allows you to support the baby when they’re upset and to learn what different cries mean, while also giving them space to figure stuff out for themselves (like self-soothing, for example).

As baby becomes mobile, you will want to set up a play space that is totally safe and doesn’t require your supervision. A lot of parents who do this use a playpen initially and then move to gated areas in the home. You’ll need to think about furniture (it should be anchored to the wall if there’s a possibility of it toppling), outlets (block them with those child safe thingies), and so on and so forth. You don’t need a lot of toys in this space (if you Google “yes space” you’ll get the idea), and they don’t need to be extravagant. This gives your child somewhere to play independently, and you can do things elsewhere (checking in regularly, of course).

Back to new baby stuff: you’re going to be tired after baby is born. If people offer help, take it, especially for the first month or so.

Giving birth is a physically demanding activity. I had an emergency c-section, and if that happens you will be recovering from surgery as well as caring for a newborn.

I have a good friend who gave birth to twins in September (no c-section and I’m pretty sure no painkillers either), and they were in NICU for a while, and she went back to work (she’s a paper carrier) after two weeks because it’s good for her mental health. (She’s married. Her husband did her routes while she was off, and he also cares for the kids—they also have a 5yo—when she’s sleeping as he’s seasonally employed.)

Everyone recovers at a different rate, but it does take at least a year to fully recover physically from being pregnant and giving birth. So cut yourself some slack and ask for help if you need it. You won’t become dependent on it if you want to eventually do it all yourself again.

You can ask any questions you have and I will do my best to answer. Congratulations, and I hope everything goes well with the delivery!

-J

#ouzoathena11 #ADHD #Actually ADHD #asks #parenting #babies

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gayboy9904-blog · 6 years ago

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Red Leaf Clover December 19th, 2009, My mom thinks it's a good idea to “write my emotions down on paper.” I think she’s full of crap but it's better than telling her about them. I have therapy every week on Tuesday where all I have to do is sit and talk about “how I feel,“ or “how my day was,” and other stuff she probably does not care about unless she gets paid. My job is better - I still hate my boss - but other than that I get paid five more dollars an hour so that's good. I have depression, anxiety, and signs of being suicidal so whenever she can my mom checks up on me saying “you okay?” or “wanna snack?” I’m tired of people asking me how my day was or if I’m okay. I just want to be normal. December 23rd, 2009, Today is my birthday, I’m fifteen today and as always I hate today. My dad was caught selling drugs and was sent to prison for about 20 years and I just played video games and ate cake. An hour of playing Grand Theft Auto 4 and eating cake someone knocked on my door, it was three hard knocks like they ran all the way here. “Hello is this Rich’s house?” The boy’s voice had a sweet flavour to it, it was strange. “Yeah who is it?” I said hoping they left. “Can I come it?” He said with passion. “Sure?” I said as the door opened, and the boy was... I don’t know, he was something. “So why are you here?” I asked as he tried to get comfortable on my couch. “I wanted to come down and say hi, and ask if you wanted to be friends .” confused I keep moving in my seat feeling a little uneasy aground him but not in a bad way.”sure” I say “yeah” trying not to look happy about it. he sits next to me and for some reason…….my heart start picking up speed….my face was burning and I was nervous talking to him, so I put in mortal kombat 9 and play it with him so we don’t talk about anything but the game. By 15 minutes of me beating him to a pulp in the game he says he has to go, “sorry man I gotta go me and my mom just moved here so we got some stuff to unpack.” he makes a smile which makes me smile, and then…….my heart starts to speed up again. He walks out the door and I watch him disappear into the night like a plane disappears into the clouds when it gets off the ground. My mom walks in and says “how was your birthday?” I look at her and say “it was alright.” and then she leaves the room, but that boy…...I never felt like that's before around…...anyone……..he’s cute…….I like him. January 15th, 2010, It's really early and I’m making my mom breakfast, I finish to see the time it’s 7:30 am I put my backpack on and shoes and leave a note to tell my mom that I made her breakfast and leaves to go to school. I take my bike and ride it to school, than out of nowhere I see him…...I’m so focused on him I crash into a tree and scratch my leg, he hears the noise and runs to see if I’m okay. “Are you okay?” he says worried “yeah i’m fine.” ~no I’m not~“I’m gonna go to school want to walk with me?” his hair white hair blows in the cold air “yes” ~I would love to being honest~ “ how’s your day?” he says “it’s okay” ~better now~ where walking and all I do is look at him sometimes look to where i’m walking so I won’t die but I like looking at him. Where at the school and he’s asking me something but I can’t hear what he’s saying I just see his breathing and say yes. “Perfect see you at your house after school.” he walks away, I walk in to my classes and work on tests and assignments but….all I can really think about is him sometimes the teachers would tell me to pay attention and shouting. “Mr. clover please pay attention!” I zoom up “yes sir.” he nodes his head as he….falls asleep. As I walk out of the school he walks behind me and screams in my ear. “HELLO BRO!” it felt like it busted my ear drums but no matter what his voice was calming, “sup” he smiles a pretty smile “you okay?” I ask about to laugh but holding it in. “I have army of two for you” my face lights up as I grab the game from his hands screaming “ OH MY GOD THIS GAME IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES I HAVEN’T PLAYED IT IN 3 YEARS!!!!” he just starts laughing and walks ahead “hey” he turns back at me “yeah?” “What’s your name?” he turns and says “my name is ghost” I ask why he’s named ghost he replies “it’s just a name I gave myself.” and he walks away disappearing once again. January 29th, 2010, “How are you Richard?” Mis.Ruby says I say good and she asked about my month and I say “pretty good, better than last.” she smiles and says good than I say “my birthday was….better.” Mis.Ruby looks at me with a face that says explain, “This kid…...came to my house and played video games with me.” I say face turning red “boy or girl?” I say boy while my face feels like it’s on fire. She smiles and writes it down, than erasses it. “That's good.” she says with a smile “what about your thoughts?” my face stops burning as soon as she said that. “I have…..done it…..” she puts her notebook down and says to me. “Look if you keep doing this I’m gonna have to turn you in.” I look up at her and basically scream “NO!!!” I pull my arms to my chest and tear up. “I’m sorry but I have to but this is the last chance to stop this if not its the 3 moths to a year in green waters psychic housing I’m sorry.” I look at her and say okay i’ll try and leave, before I could go she gives me a button and a drink “you're a good kid I known you can do this.” I open the bottle of coke and take a sip while walking to my mom’s car, I get in and my mom looks at me with a concerned face. “Let me see?” I pull up my sleeves and red marks up and down my arm shine off my pale skin. “Get out..” my mom says about to cry. “What?” I say with confusion “GET OUT OF MY CAR NOW!” I step out of the car rolling down my sleeves and my mom’s car speeds away. February 2nd, 2010 I’ve walked inside to see my mom on the floor….drunk , “mom?” she pops up with a look of disgust, “what do YOU want?” she looks at a half empty bottle of beer next to my feet, “nothing.” I leave the room to go to bed. The next morning I wake up too the smell of bacon, I put on my jacket because I can’t find a shirt and walk down stairs. “You want toast?” my mom tries to smile and not cry, “I’m sorry rich, is there anything I can do for you?” I look at her trying not to yell at her for what she did yesterday but I smile and say “you can hand me a pancake?” we both laugh. February 5th, 2010 Ghost pushes me to join a club, to be honest the only reason why I’m doing this is to get away from my mom and to be with ghost. “Hey, you okay?” he asked me and I jump “ye..yeah I’m fine.” he looks at me with his frozen blue eyes and my heart melts ( he just doesn't know it) he walked in a room and pointed to a bunch of people that I’ve seen in the hallways but never talked to. “This is max, philip, and jessie.” he smiles at me and yells “WELCOME TO THE SUPERNATURAL CLUB!!” I say hi like the anti-social person I am and for the rest of the day I just sit there and watch people and they stare at me, than ghost says “you know what the club has a meeting tomorrow wanna come?” his face looks concerned for a bit then he smiles really quickly too cover up he’s sad I know because I do it. “Okay, I guess I can come.” he smiles and pull me to the group and we just start talking about ghost sightings, legunds, and huntings and for the first time in a while….I was happy and if never meet ghost than my life would be worse. After the meeting me a ghost raced to my house and ghost won, “hey what are you doing tomorrow?” he asks me and I start to feel...warm “uhhh a movie?” his face looks surprised and turns red a little “like a date?” my face burns “m...maybe” he stepped closer to me with a smile “ you're gay?” my face burns and I step a little closer “I...I guess?” he puts his hand on my face and steps closer to me “well than why not.” ~his hand is so warm~ he comes closer to my face kissing me. My face melts off, “did I invade your personal space?” I look at him smirking, “shut up cute boy.” March 1st, 2010, I’ve been sleeping a ghost’s house for the passed month, it’s way better than at my mom’s because I have a real reason to wake up in the morning. He wake me up with a huge smile. “How was your sleep?” he says smile growing wider “really good cute boy” I say as he blushes and turns to get some clothes to wear down stairs. “You looked peaceful, which is cute because you always look on edge.” he says as he puts on pants and a shirt. “Yeah I guess?” I replay as I set up and get to the bathroom to take my meds and make sure that ghost doesn’t see me, after I get out and turn on ghosts ps3 and play fear than I put on a hoodie and go too my house too get some more clothes. As I walk in I see over 5 beer bottles on the floor and a note on the kitchen table and read it. “Dear waste of space of a son, your so pathetic you think that EVERYONE hates you well they do most of all I HATE YOU goodbye you, From no longer your mother.” I crumble the paper up and throw it outside because I left the door open, and then break a beer bottle. At first I just picked up the piece of glass, then i rolled up my sleeve and added a new mark……..”rich?” I look remembering that the door is open seeing ghost walk back and run, I run after him pulling my sleeve down but his house is an hour away from mine and by the time I got there the police was there with my therapist. “Ghost?” I say as my face is overcome with tears and so is ghost. “Let’s go Richard.” I start to run and before I could get too the corner the police catch me. “NO PLEASE I DON’T WANT TO GO!!!!!” the tranklize me and as my world got black ghost ran up to me and said with his sweet sounding voice “sorry ri…” I blacked out. March 2nd, 2010, “How are you feeling?” mis.ruby asks, “you haven’t talked to anyone, it’s worrying me.” ~of course I’m not okay my boyfriend turned me in and my mom left me on top of that I’m in a mental hospital, so yeah I’m fine~ “I’m okay.” she puts her hand on my shoulder as if trying to say she cares about me. “ no you're not….you need help.” I say nothing “that's all for today Richard goodbye.” the two staff workers take me back to the cafeteria and out ide the window of the waiting room for guests I see him….standing there with a smile, the staff worker says go outside he’ll be waiting. I walk outside and he’s standing there. “Hey ho….” I hug him as soon as he starts talking, “I’m so so so sorry please don’t hate me…….” he pats my back and I here is heart race, “i don’t” I start crying and he hugs me tighter. “Me and my mom are gonna to take care of you from now on oaky?” I say that's fine and we watch the sun set. “My name is ross by the way...my real mane.” I smile “last name?” he blushes “my full name is ross redleaf.” I hug him “I like it ross.” he puts his hand on my head. “But at school you call me ghost okay?” I laugh “okay ghost, and my full name is Richard clover.” he starts to laugh and say “ put our last names together you get red leaf clover.” I hug him and say with a smile that I can only do in that moment with him alone. “Love you cute boy.”

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septic-dr-schneep · 7 years ago

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MP Fanfiction - A Day of Remembrance

Summary: Five years ago today, the Author was born. These days, the Host has learned not to expect a proper celebration, but that tingle of hope in his chest simply refuses to be suppressed...

Sometimes the Host wasn’t sure why he bothered to count this as the day he was born. It was the Author’s birthday, not the Host’s. The Host wasn’t born. He was manifested out of the Author’s power in a moment of desperation; he was a completely different man. Unfortunately, his inner Author didn’t seem to understand that. As soon as he woke, he felt that instinctive stir of emotion that told him today was special, something to be celebrated. He did his best to stifle it, since it would only lead to disappointment, but it kept perking up as he slipped out of bed and shrugged on his coat.

It was an ordinary day, he decided, and that was absolutely fi—

As he placed his hand on the doorframe, the Host stiffened, ducking his head against the approaching vision. His Foresight was kinder than usual, softer, spilling over him like warm water, and that made the pictures clearer and cleaner for him to make out. He opened his mouth to narrate, but the words caught in his throat as soon as he realized what he was Seeing:

Dr. Iplier was rushing back and forth from the cabinets in his lab to Bim, waiting at the door with open arms to receive the packs of balloons.

“How many packages did you buy, doc?”

“…Fifteen. You think that’s too much?”

“Of course not! You can never have enough balloons!”

Wilford was eagerly leaning over Bing’s shoulder, urging, “Put more glitter, would ya? It’s not colorful enough! It’s gotta be blinding!”

“You think he’ll actually get to see it, dude?” Bing questioned even as he acquiesced and reached for the jar of glitter, dumping the glittering green onto the front of the card.

“Wilford knows what’s best,” the older Ego chuckled knowingly. “I’ll make sure it gets into the right hands, don’t you worry!”

Smoke and frosting. “Oh, gee, I think I burnt the cake…” Silver Shepherd agonized as he waved the smoke away from the oven.

“You kiddin’, Shepherd? We had a perfectly good store-bought one over here!” Ed exclaimed as he threw open the refrigerator to show off the evidence. “I got seventy-five percent off on it an’ everything and you try makin’ one of your own? Those mitts of yours aren’t made for baking!”

“W-Well, my cupcakes turned out okay,” Shepherd replied sheepishly. “I’ll just…start frosting those, I guess!”

As the vision faded, the Host exhaled softly, the tingle of excitement kindling into a flame of gratitude. For the first time in a long, long time, he didn’t bother to stop it as he took half a step back, smoothing down his coat and running a hand through his hair to look a little more presentable.

Of course his friends had thought of him! He should never have doubted them; as of late, they’d gotten much better about celebrating birthdays and anniversaries of their video appearances. Why should his be any different? Bittersweet relief and hope welled warmly in his chest and despite himself, he giggled.

There wasn’t any reason to let them know that his Foresight had given them away; he’d be sure to act surprised on their behalf. Schooling his features into their natural grim pose and wiping a stray trickle of blood off on the back of his hand, he slipped out into the hall, hoping to go unnoticed. Perhaps, if he was careful, he would be able to avoid them until his Foresight let him know it was time for him to be summoned and surprised. That plan wasn’t meant to be, however; as soon as he heard the Host’s footsteps, Wilford spun away from Bing and fairly launched himself at him.

“Well, if it isn’t the late sleeper!” he crowed, nearly taking him off his feet as he tackled him around the shoulders.

“The Host bids good morning to Wilford,” he replied patiently, unable to resist the smile tugging at his face. Naturally Wilford couldn’t contain himself; whenever there was a party, he tended to let his anticipation spill over the entire day, bounce madly off the walls at the celebration itself, and then crash hard at the end of the night. “He wonders if he might have his morning coffee before—”

“Ahh, forget coffee, we’re havin’ cake for breakfast!” Wilford cut him off gleefully, pushing him toward the dining room table. “And you’re just in time to pitch in and sign this card; I managed to finagle almost everyone else into signin’ it and Bing just forged the rest, but seein’ as we don’t know what your chicken scratch looks like, you gotta do it yourself. Just try not to get it bloody! Yandere already did. You put more glitter over that, right, Bing?”

Just like that, the Host’s smile faltered and the flame of gratitude lost a bit of its oxygen. That request didn’t make as much sense. He had planned on “overlooking” Bing and the card he was making, not signing it. Why would he sign it if it was for him? Unless…

Warning bells rang quietly in the back of his mind as he let the mental images return for a split second, double-checking. There was no question that they were preparing for a party and it couldn’t be for anyone else; no one shared a birthday with him. It was too early to have a Valentine’s Day party, even by Wilford’s standards. That would likely come in a couple of days.

What had he missed?

Glancing between them in confusion and unease, the Host tuned out Bing and Wilford as they shot back and forth about the glitter, trying to process what Wilford was asking him to do, and as soon as there was a lull in their banter, he interjected cautiously, “Th-The Host would like to know who he’s addressing the card to.” That was the best way to get an honest answer—perhaps a little too honest, if the way Bing scoffed was any indication.

“Well, c’mon, it’s only all over the internet, bro!” he exclaimed, half-rising from his chair and swiping a search engine screen into the air. “Right there under ‘Famous February Birthdays’, see? Wait…Oh, I guess you can’t see that, sorry. But my buddy Chase called me up and let me know that tomorrow is his creator Jack’s birthday! He’s gonna be busy tomorrow, so we’re having an early party for him! It’s gonna be totally lit!”

Within the first five minutes of leaving his room, he had already let himself hope…

Why hadn’t he Foreseen this? His visions had never been selective before, had they? Had his own feelings dictated what he Saw and how he interpreted it? They were never meant to do that. How could he have let them cloud his judgment? Stupid, foolish, ignorant…

Stomach twisting into painful knots, he fairly collapsed into the chair Wilford pushed him toward, taking the pen Bing tossed at him and, after several seconds of hesitation, pressing it hard against the paper. He could feel the excess glitter catching underneath the pen nub and he tightened his grip against it, dragging it heavily along its course.

It was nothing. It was fine.

“Uhh…you better not tear that paper, bro; it took all morning,” Bing pointed out.

As soon as the last dark t in “The Host” was crossed, he rose, knocking his chair over and not bothering to pick it back up as he brushed past Wilford, muttering acidly, “The Host will be in his room and would like to request that he not be disturbed. It’s the best gift he could receive from them today.”

He wanted to bite his tongue as soon as he made that last remark—even more so when Wilford only responded with a puzzled, “What’s that s’posed to mean?”

“The Host won’t be going to the party; he has many other ways to occupy his time. He wants Wilford to convey his best wishes to Jack.”

Slamming his door as an end note to those venomous words didn’t feel as good as the Host hoped it would; as soon as it was securely locked, he slumped against it, pressing his lips tightly together.

He shouldn’t be a victim about this. He should return to them and tell them the truth, tell them that they had overlooked his birthday and that he was disappointed, but then they would feel bad for being unprepared. They would celebrate him out of guilt and pity; knowing them, he would become a hasty add-on to Jack’s party that no one wanted. Not even he wanted that. They shouldn’t go to the trouble…but even while they laughed and joked and celebrated someone else, their knowledge that it was his birthday too would have been enough for him.

When was the last time they had celebrated it? Not since he was the Author, at least. That realization let a bitter noise escape his throat—a laugh or a sob, he didn’t know. It was no wonder they’d forgotten. The Author was no more. If anything, this should be a day of mourning him.

That was what it would be then. Even if it was forgotten by the others, he would have a day of remembrance. He remembered the Author waking up to the sweet smell of cake and smiling into his pillow before he even sat up because he knew that the others were waiting for him. He remembered the light, the sounds, the food melting in his mouth, the proud voices praising him, fondly calling him their Author, and the hands playfully ruffling his hair and patting his back. He remembered how loved the Author had felt, for the first time since he was born.

He held onto that memory now as he drifted away from the door toward his desk chair, sinking into it and putting his head in his hands. Breathing deeply, he let his Hindsight replay it on a loop, occasionally hovering over the better parts, rememorizing their details. Every time he tried to imagine a scenario with the Host in the picture, however, the memory blurred and his head started to ache.

It wasn’t meant to be for him. For him, it was an ordinary day, and if the blood flowed a little faster after this thought, no one else was there to notice.

The Host wasn’t sure how long he sat there, reminiscing on the better times, but by the time he was jostled out of his thoughts, his cheeks were wet, his throat was dry and his stomach was achingly raw. He never had gone back out for coffee and food, he realized distantly as he straightened in his chair, spinning it around when he heard a few quiet taps at the door.

He was unaffected, the Host reminded himself fiercely. He would ask if the party for Jack was enjoyable and he would make sure his voice was steady and sure when he did so.

When his flash of Sight came, he realized that the visitor wasn’t at all who he’d expected it to be, so the question never made it out. The Host took half a step back, his fingers tightening on the edge of the door as he leaned a little more of his weight against it. The King of the Squirrels fidgeted, gnawing on his peanut buttery lower lip and not quite looking the Host in the face.

“…Hello,” he ventured, bobbing a brief bow before glancing over his shoulder. “You aren’t busy, are you?”

“Whether or not the Host is busy depends on what the King needs,” he answered warily.

“I don’t need anything, thank you. I wanted—well, I don’t know if anyone else remembered, but it’s your birthday. I expect you already know that,” the King assured him, a touch of shyness coloring his voice. “Or maybe you forgot too, since you haven’t come out of your room all day. I never got the chance to give you my gifts.”

The Host barely had a chance to react before the King had squared his shoulders and was brushing aside his cloak’s folds to push a well-sized rectangular box and a large, lumpy, lopsided package into his hands. The Host fumbled with them slightly, holding them tightly against his chest as he glanced between them and their giver.

“How…or w-why…did the King remember?” he stammered gingerly.

“It wasn’t hard,” the King brushed it off simply, though the Host sensed he was doing his best to hide the sadness in his words as he continued. “The Author was my best friend and I gave him a good deal of gifts when I celebrated his birthday. You…hm. You may not be him anymore, but you deserve the same. So I wish you a kingly birthday, Host.” That said, he swept another bow, deeper and more graceful, before spinning on his heel and striding down the hall, no doubt toward the backdoor.

The Host stayed where he was for several seconds, processing what had just happened, and then he lowered his head over the box and the package, huffing lightly in disbelief. He barely registered the trip back to his chair, more focused on choosing which gift to open first. Eventually he opted for the lumpy bundle, twirling the ribbon around his fingers a few times before tugging it loose.

Into his lap spilled a thick scarf, made of real fur, if his Sight wasn’t deceiving him. That did leave him to wonder where the fur had come from; it wasn’t from the squirrels, surely! It didn’t matter; the scarf was astonishingly soft as he picked it up, automatically narrating his appreciation for it to the empty room. He couldn’t resist lightly nuzzling his cheek against it before wrapping it loosely around his neck and turning his attention to the box.

From the sound of it, the box was filled with sheaves of paper, he noted in puzzlement. As soon as his fingers brushed the top sheet, however, Hindsight struck in full force. The King and the Author. The King and his “scribe”, bent over their latest story, bickering over the edits to be made. Hands with dramatic gestures, rubbing tense shoulders, offering food after hours of work, dragging him outside into the fresh air.

“Bring your bat, Author, and I’ll pitch for you! We’ll get your blood pumping and your brain bursting with ideas again in no time!”

“Heh. What would I do without you?”

So many stories. So many characters poured onto the pages by the Author and given life through the King’s reading. He read late into the night—their fairytales. What was a King without a fairytale? What was a tale without an Author?

Surprised laughter. Needed warmth. Unlikely friendship. Unexpected care.

The Host took a shuddering breath as his Sight faded, returning him to his room and letting the nostalgia fade into a lump in the back of his throat. Swallowing around it, he returned the lid to the box and slid it to the edge of his desk. It would stay there until he was prepared to look through the memories again. It was a beautiful gift.

“I see I wasn’t the only one thinking of you today.”

Any hope that the lump in his throat would ease was promptly quelled by that voice. Again the Host spun his chair around, rising before it had even stopped its motion.

“I don’t suppose this has been a particularly happy birthday for you,” Dark mused aloud, his tone bordering dangerously on the anger he’d worked meticulously to suppress. “Seeing as only one of the others remembered it.”

Inhaling deeply, the Host took a step closer; he could feel Dark’s aura stirring, tickling his exposed skin as it twitched in agitation. He knew the anger was on his behalf, but he offered a slight smile against it.

“Thanks to the King’s gifts and Dark’s timely arrival, the Host holds out some hope that his birthday evening will be better than the day itself.”

Though he wasn’t using his Sight at the moment, he could hear Dark forcing a smile in return as he hummed in agreement. After a beat of silence, Dark cleared his throat, drawing closer and wrapping his arms snugly around the Host’s shoulders for a long series of seconds. Taken aback by the hug but unprotesting, the Host leaned into the contact until Dark was the first to withdraw. As soon as he did, the Host perked up, pulling his new scarf in closer around his neck against the unexpected chill of the evening air as he Looked around.

“Oh…Dark has taken them to their favorite walking route,” he realized with a wry laugh, shaking his head.

“I thought it was appropriate. We do come here most often when the others are otherwise occupied, and since they’re more than happy gallivanting around with the Septic Egos…”

“Dark ought to warn the Host next time before transporting him somewhere,” the Host pointed out, doing his best not to let on how grateful he was for the consideration—for any of this. “If he’d pulled away prematurely, he could have ended up in two places at once and that would be distinctly unpleasant.”

“As if you had any intention of pulling away,” Dark shot back just as easily, sliding an arm through his and pulling him into an easy stroll. “Now allow me to take you wherever you’d like to go for dinner. I suspect you haven’t eaten.”

How had he—? The Host stopped himself mid-question, ducking his head to hide a grin. Of course his friend had thought of it. He should never have doubted him.

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gossipnetwork-blog · 7 years ago

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Celebrities' Best Transformation in 2017

New Post has been published on http://gossip.network/celebrities-best-transformation-in-2017/

Celebrities' Best Transformation in 2017

A lot of things could have changed in a year, some for the better and some for the worse. While it’s undeniable that shocking and tragic news often gained a lot of attention, we just cannot ignore these celebrities who amazingly made significant positive transformation, either gradually or in an instant, within the past twelve months. To honor their personal achievements, AceShowbiz has compiled the list of nine celebrities with the best transformation in 2017.

These selected stars may have transformed physically or mentally. The likes of and lost weight to get healthier, while bulked up for his own reason. In other cases like ‘s, a moment of enlightenment may have been part of their journeys to be better persons this year. So without further ado, let’s take a look at which celebrities who deserve the praise and what they have been through to earn it.

LENA DUNHAM

Even before her drastic transformation, never hesitated to show off her figure on her HBO series “”. But that doesn’t mean she wanted to be stuck in that size forever. A strong advocate for body positivity, she surprised everyone when she showed off her toned arms and smaller waistline at the premiere of the comedy show’s final season in February. Turned out the 31-year-old actress/writer’s slimmed down frame was the result of working out with Tracy Anderson, which she started years ago as a way to manage her anxiety.

JOHN GOODMAN

wasn’t always overweight, but his weight continued to rise along with the rise of his fame. His weight loss started to show in 2015. He looked much thinner and his wide waistline was gone. But he wasn’t sure that his weight loss would last. Appearing on “” in March 2016, he jokingly said, “Just wait another six months and I’ll be back to normal,” when complimented for his new look. More than a year later, Goodman looked healthy in a much smaller frame at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony. Revealing the secret to his weight loss, the “” star once opened up, “I decided to stop stuffing food into my mouth every five minutes.” He added, “I took it slow. I just wanted to change my lifestyle. You look in the mirror everyday and go, ‘I gotta deal with this the rest of the day, I gotta deal with this schmuck?’ ”

MELISSA MCCARTHY

Known for her image as a fat, funny lady, proves that she can change, too. The “” star has shed 75 pounds and the secret is simple. “I truly stopped worrying about it,” she shared. “I think there’s something to kinda loosening up and not being so nervous and rigid about it that, bizarrely, has worked.” However, in reality the 47-year-old actress followed a fairly strict diet that’s low in carbs and high in protein, and maintained a consistent exercise regimen. Worth to be noted though, Melissa didn’t get the result in an instant as her journey to significant weight loss reportedly began in 2015, when she got into shape for her role in “”.

JOSH BROLIN

Like many actors, is required to undergo a physical makeover for his role in “”. Playing a comic book character, the time travelling mutant Cable who has a bulked-up body, the “” actor gained muscles by hitting the gym and having a strict diet. Clearly proud of himself, he could not wait until the movie is released to show the result of his hard works as he has taken to Instagram since summer to share photos of his bulging muscles and veins. With such fit physique, the “” star definitely makes being 49 years old look better.

MAMA JUNE

It might be initially not for the right reason, but Mama June a.k.a. June Shannon showed what strong determination should be like. The former “” star started her weight loss program to get back at her ex Sugar Bear who was getting married. Making financial gain of it, she filmed her journey for a reality show on WE tv, “”, which captured her painful surgeries and the great challenges she had to face to make sure she kept her strict diet and regular exercise. June indeed achieved her goal and showed off her new size 4 figure at Sugar Bear and Jennifer’s wedding, but even better than that the mother of Honey Boo Boo (Alana Thompson) has the result of 300 lbs-weight loss months after the show aired.

MILEY CYRUS

It could be who made change, or it’s Miley’s change which then resulted in her rekindled romance with the Aussie hunk. The “” star had previously ditched her Disney darling’s persona during her twerking days, but she appeared to have left her wild side behind after she got back together with Liam. Confirming her transformation was the artwork of her new single “Malibu”, which is a throwback to old Miley, the sweet country music star. In an interview with , she talked about her new image, “I feel really kind of far away from that person.” She added, “I didn’t want to show up to photo shoots and be the girl who would get my tits out and stick out my tongue,” she added. “In the beginning, it was kind of like saying, ‘F**k you. Girls should be able to have this freedom or whatever.’ But it got to a point where I did feel sexualized.”

AARON CARTER

definitely had a tumultuous year. After a DUI arrest in July and a feud with his brother , the 29-year-old star, who had previously revealed that his skinny body was because he’s suffering from hiatus hernia, confessed to drug addiction before entering rehab to seek treatment for the issue September. In October, he checked back into rehab, a week after leaving treatment, leaving an impression that it hadn’t worked out just yet during his first attempt. Breaking up with his girlfriend Madison Parker after coming out as bisexual in August, he didn’t let it bring him down. Instead, in October, he posted a new photo on Instagram showing his healthier self after 30 lbs weight gain. “Continuing to focus on myself and my health,” he captioned the snap, adding, “Needed some time to heal and this is a direct result.” Moreover, he has since made up with his brother Nick.

JONAH HILL

Having had his weight fluctuated over the years, showed the most consistent result of his strict diet this year. The actor slimmed down after gaining 40 pounds for the filming of 2015’s “”. People started to notice early this year. Unlike his previous slim down which didn’t last long, he has been able to maintain his slimmer body until now. The “” star revealed he turned to his good pal and “” co-star for advice, hired a nutritionist and kept a food journal to get back in shape. After such a lot of hard works, it’s no wonder that he wanted to his fit biceps on the set of his directorial debut “” in New York City in July.

MACAULAY CULKIN

We all were used to see the concerning and gaunt-looking since his heyday was over, but this year there’s something dramatically different with him. Having been away from the spotlight for years, one day he made headlines for a good reason. He looked happy and much healthier when stepping out with his girlfriend and goddaughter in Paris in early December. Rocking a clean-cut look, he even sported a slightly round belly like a wealthy businessman. But what inspired him to change his lifestyle remains a mystery.

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