#NOW THE CAR IS GETTING SOLD YOU NEED TO G O

[revivify-inn]

me: "I'm gonna do things! Clean the house! Clean my office and studio space!"

The Possum in my brother's truck:

[purplesurveys]

1252

A - Appearance.

What are you wearing? I have a gray turtleneck and brown shorts at the moment.

What are on your feet right now? I never wear anything for my feet when I’m at home.

What color are your fingernails? I say this a lot on surveys but mine are never painted. Nothing against them, I’ve just never felt the need to spend on something like my nails.

What does your hair look like right now? I have apple hair at the moment to temporarily get rid of my bangs, which I am more than sick of at this point.

B - Best Friend

Who is your best friend? Angela and Andi.

What was the last thing you two did together? The last time I saw Angela we went to the BTS pop-up store. I haven’t seen Andi since January, but when we hung out that evening we just had Korean barbecue and we also parked somewhere in UP to just talk about life in my car. My breakup had been fresh at the time and back then I just needed someone to whom I could vent.

What is (s)he doing right now? I’m sure Andi’s doing something with Leigh, maybe having a video call or something since I think they tend to have one every evening. I’m not sure what Angela’s up to but considering her replies have been a bit slow tonight, I guess she’s somewhat busy at home.

Are you talking to her/him online right now? Angela just replied to something I sent her around 15 minutes ago but the exchange wasn’t meant to be a full-blown conversation, if that’s what you mean.

C - Crush.

Who is (s)he? Eh, I don’t have a crush these days; too obsessed with work to figure out what I find attractive lmaooooo. I do have a main celebrity crush and I might just cite them instead so that I can at least fill this section out. 

What does (s)he look like? Curly hair; mismatched eyes; moles underneath his right eye, on his nose, and on his lower lip, and the widest smile I’ve seen on any person.

What was the last thing you two talked about? He’s a celebrity crush...

Does (s)he make you smile? Yes.

D - Dad

What’s your dad’s name? Edgardo.

What does he do for a living? He’s an executive chef for a luxury liner company. He hasn’t worked in a year and a half due to the pandemic and has stayed in the country this whole time, but we’ve *very* recently been informed that he can go back abroad in around two weeks! Of course it will suck letting go of him again after having him back for such a long time, but I’m just glad the family can finally be on track again, financially speaking. It had been something I’ve been worrying silently about.

What was the last thing you two did together? Had dinner last night, but we did that with the whole family too. We don’t really do things that’s just the two of us.

Do you get along better with him than your mother? Yes.

E - Ebay.

Have you ever bought anything from ebay? No. I’m not sure we have eBay here anyway.

Do you just shop around when you’re online? I don’t really shop ‘around.’ I usually have an idea of what I want to get myself, and it’s just a matter of finding the right shop from which to buy.

Do you know anybody who is addicted to it? I know a couple of co-workers who love shopping, like Gabi.

Have you ever sold anything on it? I’ve never tried selling, but I’m actually in the middle of doing something for the very first time – I’ve decided to get into trading! I got my BTS Butter album yesterday but didn’t get to pull the photocard I was vying for – the pull I got, though, was of the most popular member, which means it would be a very easy trade. I put the trade offer up the other day and I finally got a match yesterday.

F - Facebook.

When was the last time you logged on? Like five minutes ago. I constantly check it.

How many friends do you have? Just checked and it says I have 686. I wanna get rid like half of them though.

Do you hate when your facebook chat messes up? Hmm, that doesn’t really happen.

Who was the last person to leave you a wall post? Angela.

G - Google.

Do you Google everything? Yeah, I think I look up a random item or phrase at least once a day. Doesn’t hurt to learn a new thing each day. :)

What was the last thing you Googled? The K-Pop group g.o.d., since my teacher mentioned them in our Korean lessons earlier.

Would you ever trade Google in for Bing? No, I haven’t used Bing in like 12 years.

What do you Google the most? Synonyms, I think, since I’m constantly writing for work.

H - Hair.

Do you like your hair? It’s a love-hate relationship most days because I hate how thick and frizzy it can be...but I recently had mine trimmed all the way up to my neck and for some reason it’s taken on a wavy form, which I didn’t expect to come out at all. And I’ve found that it actually suits me quite a bit, so I’m enjoying my hair for now.

What color is your hair? Black.

What does it look like right now? Slightly damp since I took a shower not too long ago.

What kind of shampoo for you use? Just a normal Dove one.

I - Ibuprofen 

When was the last time you took ibuprofen? I don’t think I’ve ever taken it? I usually take paracetamol...idrk the difference either. Do you rely on it for everything (cramps, headache)? I only ever take medicine for headaches/migraines.

Are you so thankful people made it? I mean sure, I’m glad there are those who have been able to create products that can instantly relieve pain or discomfort, but I’m not obsessively grateful.

Do you have any right now? I don’t think we have any.

J - Jobs.

Do you need a job? Nah, I already have one.

Where do you work? Media/PR industry.

Where would you work? I wouldn’t change jobs/industries. This is where I wanted to end up in, and I’m really really glad and fortunate to have landed here on my first shot, right out of college, and during a pendemic.

How much money would you like to get paid? An additional P5k (~$100) would probably be more satisfying, but considering my parents aren’t the traditional Filipino parents who suck 100% of my earnings right out of me the second payday comes, I’m able to enjoy a substantial chunk of money to myself, give them a portion of my earnings, and still be able to save.

K - Kissing.

Who was the last person you kissed? That would be my ex.

Will you next kiss be a mistake? I have no idea when that would be and with whom it will be shared, so I won’t be able to give you a definite answer.

Do you kiss someone everyday? Other than my dogs, nah.

Who was your first kiss? The aforementioned ex.

L - Love.

Who do you love the most in your life? My best friends. I’m also doing a whole lot better in the self-love department these days, so that too :)

Have you ever been in love before? Yeah.

Does it make you so happy when you feel the feeling of love? Sure. It feels light and comfortable, especially when it’s shared.

Why is this word so hard to describe? Because everyone feels love differently. < There we go.

M - Mom.

What is your mom’s name? Abigail.

What is she doing right now? She was watching The Good Doctor the last time I checked on her like five minutes ago. It’s her latest obsession.

Where does she work? She works in the food and beverage department of a 5-star hotel in the city.

Do you two shop together a lot? I rarely do my shopping with either of my parents.

N - Netflix.

Do you have Netflix? Technically, I guess. My dad pays for it and we have a family account.

If not, what movies would you order? I don’t think I’ve ever ordered a movie before. Before streaming on Netflix, I just used to get illegal torrents lol.

Do you rent a lot of movies? I’ve never rented a movie. Was too young for it, I think.

Do you have the tool where it just downloads to your tv? No.

O - Ohio.

Is this the state in which you live in? I don’t even live in the US. Never been there either. < Same.

Is Ohio State your favorite football team? I don’t like football.

Did you know Ohio Is For Lovers? I’m not familiar.

Have you ever been to Ohio? See first answer in this section.

Q - Quitting.

What was the last thing you quit doing? Practicing on Duolingo. I had an extremely short period of using the app again a couple of months ago, but I lasted all of two days hahaha I had been trying to get back on learning Korean, but I enrolled in official lessons not long after that anyway so it didn’t make sense to continue the stages in the app.

Do you need to quit talking to someone right now? Nope. The people I’m talking to right now in between this survey are all welcome conversations.

Would you ever quit school? That wasn’t an option for me and I never would’ve done it anyway. 

Don’t you think quitting is stupid? No. Sometimes it can be the strongest thing you can do for yourself.

R - Reading.

What was the last book you read? Does my Korean lesson textbook count hahaha...if not, I haven’t really read anything in years.

Do you own a lot of books? I do, but they are all books from my childhood and teenage years. It’s been a while since I last updated my bookshelf.

Do you have a library card? No, haven’t had one since Grade 1.

Have you ever read a book that changed your life? Without Seeing the Dawn was pretty influential to me, but I dunno about ‘life-changing.’ I need to read more to find the book that would have that effect on me.

S - Safety.

Do you always wear your seat belt? I do these days. I didn’t really practice it when I used to drive to school, whoops. Always forgot to do it.

When riding a four-wheeler do you wear a helmet? I rarely get to do that.

Did you ever wear knee pads and a helmet when riding your bike? Nah. I can’t ride a bike either. Do you always think safety first? In COVID terms, yeah. I have a face mask and shield on as soon as I find myself outdoors.

T - Talk

Who was the last person you talked to? Reena. Who are you talking to right now? Nobody. It’s just me, this survey, and some music in the background.

Who did you last talk to before you went to bed last night? Angela and Reena, if I’m not mistaken.

Do you need to talk to anybody right now? No, I’m good.

U - US ARMY

Do you support it? I don’t know enough about it to have a bold opinion, considering I’m not even from the US and it’s been a while since their army has had any strong contact with my country.

Do you know anybody who is in the army right now? I think one of Angela’s uncles has a high position in our national army.

Don’t you ever wonder why their camo doesn’t match anything? Not really.

Would you ever go to the army? No.

V - Virgin.

Are you a virgin? Nope.

When did you lose your virginity? I was 18.

Do you wish you would’ve waited? Nah, it felt right when I did it the first time; and I maintain that stance now even though I’m no longer with that person.

Do you think you could have stayed a virgin until marriage? I could. Sex isn’t a big deal to me.

W - What.

What are you doing right now besides this survey? I’m also listening to mono. and taking bites from my doughnut every now and then.

What are you craving? Spicy tuna salad, but it can wait. Andi got me my favorite truffle baked macaroni because it’s CM Punk day today :D :D and that’s able to satisfy my savory cravings for now.

What do you need to buy? Shelves.

Why are you taking my survey? I’ve mentioned this before but I like categorized/themed surveys, so alphabetical ones are always fun for me.

X -Xanax 

Do you know anybody who is addicted to Xanax? I don’t think so.

Have you ever taken it before? No.

Do you even know what it is? No, actually.

Have you ever suffered from anxiety or depression? I’m sure I have.

Y - Yourself.

Name. Robyn.

Age. 23.

Do you smile a lot? Sure, I’d say that’s common these days.

Z - Zebra.

Are you addicted to zebra striped? Not really.

Do you own anything zebra striped? Nah. I have some stuff that come in black and white stripes, but not zebra print. Is anything on any of your websites zebra striped? No.

[themanicgalaxy]

SPN 4X19 Jump the Shark

Oh hey is this the illegitimate brother plotline

boy I love me some sweet sweet ANGST

whelp she's fucking dead

picture of JOHN?

Sam's peacefully brushing his teeth and Dean's Not a Morning Person

boy he's having a bad morning

to be fair, living out of the car is kinda not fun either

"I'm his son" Dean: I'm gonna fUCKING KIL-

he's..premed?

they're going to ruin his life too aren't they, Aren't The-

Dean is taking this really well

I mean he did get the brunt of John's Issues, so I get it, yike

ASDFPIHP them discussing their dad's ~sex life~ is very funny though

Dean was...preteen? when this kid was born? Sam was under ten definitely

Dean Please

No that's your Actual Brother guys PLEASE

hunting accident "ah fair enough"

"who is a nuclear family these days" FEELS SO LOADED

Dean...Dean please don't fUCKING KILL HIM DEAN

THE IMPALA NOOO

"he took you to a baseball game" IDSFHAPF

He's Trying not to CRY OH MY GOD NO WAIT

Sam resonates with the away from college thing oh NO

Dean is trying SO HARD not to snap

at least he's...trying..to keep adam out

corpse snatching => HEY LOOK IT's THE BONE STEALING WIT-

I think I need to stop being online jesus christ

the [both sigh] was so good

well...that's a lot of blood

How the hell do you break it to your illegitimate brother that you're ~technically Wanted by the FBI

at least he's not an idiot

HE'S SO MUCH YOUNGER THAN THEY ARE

I mean obligatory dead mom

"do i get a say in this?" "NO!"

no..no SAM DEAN HAS A POINT

Middle sibling + younger sibling gang up on elder

"have u thought about eternity" "bro i've literally been to hell Idk what to tell u"

Dean doing it solo but Sad is...:(

Oh he worked the old case, that's neat

"so it's over for you" welllllll

OO THE TRUCK SHOT WAS COOL

dean + long dark coat truthing tonight HE LOOKS G O O D

it wants revenge

YOU FUCKERS AND YOUR REVENGE BELA WAS R I G H T

and Adam Instantly wants revenge, you sir are definitely a Winchester

"it's life" WELL IT SHOULDn'T BE

the stupid isolationism I hate it

NO GO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE KRIPKE WHY

Sam's becoming his dad, and Dean isn't

...SAM WHAT THE FUCK

DAD MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT DO RIGHT BY YOU

HIS GODDAMN GRIEF SPIRAL GOT BOTH OF YOU

LET HIM BE NORMAL! HAPPY! IT IS TOO LATE FOR YOU RIGHT NOW(NOT ALWAYS)(Also very close to the thing with zachariah in placement(eye emojis) BUT LEAVE HIM ALONE!

I do appreciate Dean Eldest Sibling'ed it up even if he didn't like the kid/was jealous. Goddammit I wish we got connection in this stupid show

I was expecting a jump scare but somehow the squish is worse

sOn oF aBitcH

Ah FUCK NOT ADAM TOO

I do like the little angel Icon though, that's what's Dean's way out

Ghouls is a racist term?what????

no john winchester was 100% a monster

ah it was their father

yada yada father killing circle idk

YAY! DEAN'S INGENUITY IS BACK!

Ghoul!mom is really really good. I liked Scared Adam better though

the slicing sam scene is BRUTAL jesus christ

So...John got his own son killed in the end...

SERIOUSLY HE WAS TERRIBLE

Dean JESUS CHRIST

awww caring Dean is nice

AWW HUNTER'S FUNERAL

"Adam's in a better place" :(

Dean tried to fit himself into the Dad box, Sam's actually him

"you take it any way you want" oh for FUC- HE- I-

he looked so Sad, so like...he's stopped idolizing him

jesus christ.

boy there's gonna be overlap ok here we go.

1. poor dean. Ok couple things: 1) he elder sibling'ed it SO HARd! he didn't even like Adam, but he still tried to keep him safe(I think). he gave him a hunter's funeral! I just. It was nice to see. It was also INCREDIBLY painful to hear the realization of "you were always like dad, I never could be" and the fact that he didn't even see it as a good thing anymore? fUCK man, that huRT me. Dean tried so hard to be something he wasn't, he got probably the brunt of the abuse(because he didn't measure up to that metric like Sam always would), and in the end all it got him was...just. so much pain. Like it felt like John left his Broken children behind to get a new one, and just turned them into his quest for revenge. It was SO So fucked

Hey actually speaking of

2. AM I SUPPOSED TO LIKE BEING A HUNTER/JOHN? WHAT HTE FUCK?

YALL ALREADY MARTYRED HIM BUT UR MAKING HIM WORSE?

LIKE ok listen. John's kinda set up as the ideal of hunting. They martyred him! And I was halfway sold provided they didn't mention him again. Then! he did this thing where he abandoned his kids, seeing them only as tools to fulfill his quest for revenge, literally broke them(that too late thing+zachariah saying "it's in your blood" when really it was just trained from a young age), got a NEW family he treated a lot better. I just. I have...NO idea how I'm supposed to see him as a good guy here. Maybe I just kin Dean, or his plight is WAY more sympathetic(it is, Sam is kinda pissing me off), but John's just...coming off worse and worse and they KEEP doing it!

Also! this whole cycle of revenge thing! about how if you keep taking an eye for an eye, everyone ends up blind! they barely escaped this time, and I think this was the second revenge plot that I can think of with MONSTERS alone! it was a BIG theme! Like!! hunting sucks! revenge makes you end up in worse places! it's like this one episode was made to show how SHIT hunting was!

wait who wrote this

Dabb+lofflin. The hunting sucks always comes from-

this GODDAMN INCONSISTE-

3. Fuck John Winchester

4. Individualism. Ok this is a big one. Alongside the whole revenge plot thing(which is BIG, and a hunting sucks), this one drove home the sheer individuality of hunting. But while some of the writers see that as Badass, this one made it seem lonely, and painful. Like the flip side to American Individualism is American Chronic Loneliness. I know this one was used to process the ennui of the post recession/post 9/11 time, and it's doing very well for that, but it kinda ends up like this show is EVERYONE'S therapy all at once! the gang's all here! and we're gonna traumatize you in the process as well.

EDIT: and yeah yeah yada yada american individualism is King and then so is it’s accompanying loneliness in the post 9/11 post war in iraq post recession world(we were not having fun in 08/09)

and I get that this show is the writer’s therapy and whatever

(I just thing this is phrased better)

5. bring him back. Connect! Look. I know it breaks the core ethos of this episode. But having Weird Esoteric Hunter siblings would have been SO FUNNY!

give me more sibling content! Sam+Adam teaming up against the Eldest Sibling Dean WAS SO FUNNY! I WANT MORE OF THAT

6. SAM WHAT THE FU-. Look. I hate John. I very much hate John. They set up the Sam/Dean dichotomy in regards to John first episode, and Sam acting more like an ass+like his dad is. Not making me like him. Also I feel like this was written to sympathize with Dean. Which makes the finale even more ironic, I feel.

7. Listen. Listen. One of you has to keep track of continuity. Like I know this becomes a WAY bigger problem later in the series, but if a certain writer wants to process/examine a certain part of the Life/Story(and they should, they set up a lot of interesting stuff), they have to keep track! Because then the show becomes everything all at once.

Like this show has ALREADY started feeling like fanfic of itself, where it just kinda does whatever it wants with its own concepts. And the concepts are GREAT! but you can TELL how inconsistent it is, even in the kripke era

like it ends up being Study of X, Riff on X! and I think that's where the inconsistency comes from. It's also why it's so fucking Excellent in places.

whelp this was a lot holy hell.

OH AND ONE MORE THING!

Bela didn't fit the narrative. That's why they didn't like her. I said at the beginning that an Int'l art thief does NOT fit the vibe of "grungy Angsty American Midwestern gothic" and I was right. With the lucifer story and the vibe she didn't fit, and so they just killed her as foreshadowing, and only used her like that. God I wish they'd riffed on her, especially because her callouts were all completely correct

we're Bela Salting again

listen she was preppy Jack Sparrow with some spiritualism, how dare you tell me not to like her.

[mostly-anime-trash]

NSFW Alphabet - Katsuki Bakugou

I love reading these, so I wanted to make one of my own :)

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Katsuki’s aftercare is more practical than anything. If it’s been a particularly strenuous session, he might lie there for a bit, panting next to you. But once he’s caught his breath, he’s up quickly and fetching a towel or tissues for clean up. And he won’t be the one to clean you up himself- he thinks you’re probably more efficient at it than him, so he’ll let you handle that- but he’ll always provide the supplies.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

His favorite body part is his arms. Why do you think his hero costume is a tank top?? He spends a lot of time sculpting and developing his arms, and he wants to show off his hard work! His favorite body part of his partner’s is definitely their ass. It’s the first place his hands roam to when kissing his partner. During sex, if he’s not in a position to be able to see their ass, he’s definitely grabbing onto it.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Katsuki has a fantasy of cumming onto his partner’s face, but he’s too embarrassed to ask. Maybe he’ll work up the courage one day, but for now he just hopes he’ll wind up in a situation that calls for it. Otherwise he’s not picky- he’ll easily oblige to his partner’s preferences (as long as he’s not gonna make no babies!!)

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

He likes to collect his partner’s underwear, kind of like trophies. Not all of them, but a few select favorites. He always has a pair in his backpack, and he’s slightly paranoid that he might accidentally pull them out with his book in class- although he’s not sure whether he’d be more embarrassed or proud in that moment.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Katsuki is surprisingly inexperienced for someone with so much confidence. His bold personality tends to scare intimidate most potential partners, so he’s learned everything he knows from the 1 or 2 partners he’s had. However, he’s a quick learner and competitive as hell, so of course he wants to be the best, at everything. He lets his intuition (or is it primal instinct?) get him started and relies on his partner’s body language to guide him the rest of the way.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Doggy. A position that allows him to watch his partner’s ass, grab onto his partner’s ass, and take control? Sold.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

This boy is serious as hell. He wants to get everything just right, so if there are any fumbles or blunders in the bedroom, he is more likely to get flustered than to just laugh it off. After being with his partner for a while, he’ll warm up to the idea of teasing, but mostly he’s just focused on trying to knock their socks off.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Katsuki definitely doesn’t shave bare. He thinks it makes him look stupid as hell, so he prefers to keep his pubes trimmed short instead. He is so fixated on impressing his partner and not embarrassing himself that for the first several months, he keeps it meticulously groomed. He’s obsessive about it, so much that he’ll even make excuses to avoid sex if he feels he’s not tidy enough, and then just jack off angrily at home later. (Is it an insecurity thing?) Once he’s more comfortable in the relationship though, he’ll go longer periods between grooming, although rarely more than an extra quarter inch or so.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Katsuki isn’t necessarily romantic, per se. He is very attentive to his partner however. His ego couldn’t handle the blow of being bad in bed, so he needs to make sure his partner is enjoying themselves before he can enjoy himself. He’s secretly just a giant baby who seeks validation as much as anyone else.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

This boy’s sex drive is high af and you know he jacks off on the daily at least. Katsuki has an incredible amount of will power and he could restrain himself if he wanted to, but he’s also impulsive as hell and he doesn’t see masturbation as bad or shameful, so he indulges. Plus with his tendency to fixate on things, he often finds himself unable to concentrate if he’s sexually frustrated, so he’ll masturbate just to be able to think clearly again. You better believe this boy is the king of procrasturbating when he’s supposed to be studying.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Bondage. Katsuki is a control freak, of course his kink is bondage. He won’t ever mention it and he won’t try anything until he feels comfortable that his partner would be open to it. Then he’ll experiment with it slowly- pinning up his partner’s arms against the wall during a steamy makeout session, pulling their shirt over their head and wrapping it around their wrists during sex, tugging their hair while he fucks them from behind. If it’s well received, he’ll be investing in some full bed restraints in no time.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Katsuki likes to fuck in the shower. Something about it just feels raw to him. You’d think with his favorite position being doggy that he’d like nothing more than to have his partner bent over, palms pressed against the tile, taking him from behind buuuuuuuut *surprise* he actually prefers to hold his partner up, hands under their ass, and fuck them against the shower wall. He tends to be a bit more animalistic in the shower.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Phewwww boy, nothing lights a fire under Katsuki’s ass like a little competition. He wants to be THE best. Any sort of teasing from his partner, and Katsuki is ready to pin them down and show them exactly what he’s capable of. He’s also a sucker for seeing his partner in clothing that hugs their assets. He’ll be pawing at them all day until he can finally get them alone and rip their clothes off.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Threesome. He might like to show off his partner, but he doesn’t like to share them. Plus he might be a teensy bit insecure they’ll enjoy sex with the other person more than him.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Katsuki really, really enjoys receiving oral. It feels great of course, but more than anything he loves to see his partner on their knees, looking up at him with his cock in their mouth. Somehow, that’s when he truly sees how much they desire him. He like giving too, as he feels he can get a more accurate sense of his partner’s level of enjoyment. He gets off if they get off.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Fast or slow, but always hard- he makes sure that every thrust counts. His pace is moderate, usually on the fast-side. When he’s fully consumed by passion (which is almost every sexual encounter), he wants all of his partner, and he wants it now.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Katsuki’s a big fan of quickies, especially when he’s sexually frustrated. And let’s be honest, he basically always frustrated. But he’s never one-sided. He makes sure his partner gets off too.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Risk excites the fuck out of Katsuki, although he’d likely be mortally embarrassed if he ever got caught. Storage closet, bathroom, car parking lot… he wants to try it all, but it will probably take some encouragement or teasing from his partner first. More than anything though, Katsuki gets off on his partner almost getting caught. He likes to tease and pleasure them while they’re talking on the phone or when there’s someone just on the other side of the door.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Katsuki will go as long as his partner can. It’s rare for him to find someone with as much stamina as him, so he is happy with whatever they can afford. The only exception is when he’s extremely tired, in which case he can usually only manage one round (and we all know Katsuki has a very strict bedtime).

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

He doesn’t feel much of a personal need to use them, but he will eagerly use them on his partner. He’s no stranger to the cock ring, and he prefers when both he and his partner cum at the same time, so he’ll throw in a some extra vibrations if he feels he’s much closer to the finish line than they are.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Once Katsuki has gotten comfortable with his partner, he loves to tease, to the point of his partner literally begging for him. This does depend, however, on how turned on he is already. His seriousness is directly correlated to his horniness, so if he’s too consumed by lust, he’ll get straight to business.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Katsuki is quiet in bed, aside from a few pants and grunts (because that’s what’s #manly or whatever, but mostly because he’s too terrified he’ll make a stupid embarrassing noise that will haunt him for the rest of his life). His partner can elicit some moans from him though, by nibbling on his ear or by gently pressing underneath his balls while climaxing.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Katsuki thinks he has a fantasy of watching his partner masturbate in front of him, but truth is he’s way too damn impatient for that. Every single time he caves, unable to resist the urge to replace their hand with his and just do it his damn self. (He does it better anyway.)

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

We all know Katsuki is ripped, so let’s just get to the good stuff, shall we? This boy is #blessed. He’s a shower and a grower at 5″ soft and 7.5″ erect. His dick is pretty too, straight and curved slightly upward, with a few healthy veins. While his length is nothing to sneeze at, it’s his girth that’s impressive. It’s a good thing he wears those baggy pants (or is it?), because that outline is hard to conceal.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

H I G H. It’s unlikely he’ll ever find a partner that can match him, but regular sex with his partner (daily, please) keeps him satisfied. He’ll be crawling up the walls, resisting the urge to yank it every 30 minutes should he and his partner be separated by distance.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Sex usually gives Katsuki a zap of energy any time throughout the day, with the exception of close to bedtime. Then its zzzzzz lights out!

[theatresweetheart]

Desperate Measures [ 3 ]

Fandoms: Sanders Sides, G/t

Warnings: Swearing, fear, main character being treated like a pet, feelings of hopelessness, depressive thoughts. (If I missed something, please let me know!)

Pairings: Romantic/Parental Logicality, Platonic Logince, Platonic TLAMP

Word Count: 1538 words

Taglist: @isle-of-gold @anonymous-bean @sandersships @kaytikitty @picklesandbeyond

Chapter Navigation: Chapter 1, Chapter 2

                                     +~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

The nausea that had hit him was unexpected and he felt lightheaded. The fact that he was going to be taken away from the only place he had known for these past six months was stomach churning.

If he were to be taken even further away from the University where his family lived, then there was no way for him to even think about getting back to them.

The fact that his awful behaviour hadn’t been enough to turn this guy away was upsetting and harsh, cold and biting.

It always worked.

It had always worked. He would talk back and people would shut down and turn away from him, almost as if he wasn’t there.

This patron—he found it amusing.

And that was infuriating.

“What?” Logan finally voiced his thoughts. “You can’t just…just decide like that! I’m a person too, I can’t just be sold like property! This is absolutely absurd.” Almost as if, for once, he couldn’t find the right words to express his distress, he became far more gesticulate. “I have thoughts and— and feelings and the fact that I’m just as human as you are only to be bought and sold is incredibly dehumanizing and—”

“Oh relax your pretty little head about it, Four-Eyes,” the patron spoke up, easily and effectively shutting Logan up—something that was rather difficult for anyone else to do, might he add—and stayed knelt down on the borrower’s level. “You’ll be fine. I’m not that bad a person, you’ll see.”

What in the holy hell did that mean?

“Well,” the man clapped his hands against his thighs before standing up to his full height. For the first time in a very long time, Logan actually felt nervous with the human at his entire stature, towering over the cage and sealing his unspoken fate. “Where do I sign for this adoption?”

“O-oh right!” The shopkeeper startled out of their transfix and turned on their heel. “Come right this way and I’ll get the papers ready.”

While the shopkeeper took the patron away, Logan felt physically sick to his stomach. The way the human had looked so set in his ways, like he knew that he wanted this without a doubt. He felt horribly ill. He couldn’t prevent this fate from being sealed and he needed to find a way out.

Now.

His eyes flickered over towards the hole where the water basin was on both sides, between the bars. It was a bit smaller than he was but that wasn’t going to stop him from trying in his desperation.

Logan’s eyes moved up to see the patron and the shopkeeper at the front of the store, signing the papers and finishing up.

He needed to act as quick as possible.

Immediately Logan was up on his feet, going over the mess of blankets he had created as a somewhat resemblance of his bed back home and dug through until he found a small golden chain and slipped it over his head. It had been a gift from his husband and he only took it off—if ever—to protect it from prying eyes of a human passerby in case they got a bit too curious.

Ignoring the fact that it may be chilly outside, he left his jacket behind and went to the hole in the bars dressed in his worn jeans and black long-sleeve shirt, which he had pushed up to his elbows to allow full use of his arms.

Peering out through the hole, he needed to wriggle his shoulders through first. The drop down to the floor was dizzying, but that meant nothing if he could actually get himself free.

This was not how it was going to end.

He was not going to be some simple pet.

He was losing time and the chatter from both of the humans near the front were getting closer. Heart now hammering in his throat, he twisted just enough so that his hands were grasping the bars that were above him and was trying to pull his waist through the slot. If he could get out, he could find a way out of this place and he could find his way back to the University.

Logan just wanted to go home.

What was so wrong with that?

He had never yearned more than now to hear the onslaught of puns from Patton, to repeat himself when Virgil asked questions about the most obvious things. While those moments had been draining in the moment, that was all he wanted to hear now.

To feel Virgil tug at his shirt. To hear Patton’s laugh ring through the home like bells.

It was all he wanted.

Those tears of frustration were back, prickling the corners of his eyes as he tugged harder on the bars, trying to pull himself free. The strain in his forearms was burning, the tugging was pulling at the muscles in his shoulders that he hadn’t used in what seemed like ages.

Borrowers were naturally stronger than the average human because they used their upper body and arms a lot more than people did. Climbing and swinging from things allowed them to use a strength that most humans didn’t know they had themselves because they never needed to work those muscles. All for the fact that they didn’t need to. Not to survive.

But Logan wasn’t moving. Caught by the waist of his jeans, hooked on a rogue piece of bar that was sticking just a bit too far out, and no amount of pulling from himself was going to get him free of it.

His strength was failing him and he could feel it.

“Logan!” The shopkeeper’s voice came from behind him, sounding worried and surprised.

The borrower’s trials were all for naught. As soon as the shopkeeper had grabbed his torso between two fingers, the young man was tugged free with nothing at all and was held uncomfortably in a secure fist to ensure that he didn’t hurt himself further.

“Dear God,” they said, breathless. “Whatever possessed you to pull a stunt like that? You could have gotten hurt!”

“Let me go!” He demanded, shoving at the finger that was pressing against his chest keeping him from getting to his freedom. “Just let me go back to my family, damn you!”

There was no point trying to hide the fact that they existed if humans already knew that borrowers as a whole existed completely. He didn’t care anymore. He just wanted his husband. He wanted the comforting touches they shared during the early morning or late into the evening, the way that if he was having a rough night, Patton would know what to do without so much as saying a word. He wanted his son’s cold hands pressing against his face in the morning, trying to wake him up.

He wanted so much that he would never get to have again.

The saying was true: you never knew what you had until it was gone.

“God, you just keep going on and on about your family,” the shopkeeper rolled their eyes before brushing past the concerned patron and grabbing a small carrying compartment. They pried it open before letting the borrower drop into it. Quickly folding it back up, they held the box out to the patron. “There. I do warn you, though. He’s got a bit of a temper.”

“So I’ve noticed,” the patron chuckled, though it almost seemed uncomfortable.

Feeling helpless, Logan tried to gain his balance as best as he could as the box shifted and moved from person to person and he threw his shoulder against the side of it. He bounced backwards and stumbled to his knees, but he would not be bested by this cardboard.

The box began to move in a swaying gait and there were farewells being passed overhead. The sound of a bell jingling high above his head made his stomach sick.

So, he did whatever he could.

He tried pushing and shoving, kicking, shouting profanities and insults. As much as he hated it, Logan had even been reduced to begging—pleading for a release that he would never get.

His only answer had been a car door opening and closing before the engine started with a roaring purr.

Feeling powerless and overwhelmed with his reality, Logan sunk to his knees finally, hands dragging down against the inside of the box and stayed in a slumped position. His shoulders rose and fell with his panting breaths, listening to the world as it continued on without so much as a qualm about his well-being.

Desperation.

Desperation clawed itself into his chest. It was difficult to focus, but he knew he couldn’t do anything.

It was over.

It really was over.

The resolute silence from outside of the carrying box, save for the music that seemed to be put to a lower volume, was irritating and frightening and worrying all at the same time. All of his advances had been met with nothing, no words, no snarking back. Nothing. And he didn’t know how to feel about that. If he should be feeling ignored or discarded.

This sharp feeling was settling deep into his chest and he could hardly focus on anything else.

[detectivejigsawpines]

A Pinesmas Carol-part 5 (A pretty messed-up memory)

Happy Easter, everyone!  A new chapter that’s...not exactly in the spirit of the holiday, since it contains references to trafficking, torture and attempted murder, but still.

Xander was disappointed when they left the downtown early.  But Stan placated him somewhat by carrying him on his shoulders again, and when they got home Rebecca took him off to play in the living room, while the men sat down at the kitchen table so Stan could explain.

He stared down at his hands, feeling his stomach sink with the knowledge that this all had to come out in front of them, including multiple revelations he wasn’t proud of.  But keeping his family safe outweighed his dignity every time.

“...It all happened about two or three years ago.  I was in Iowa, tryin’ ta get some business dredged up for these things called Stan-Vacs.  Not one of my better sales. But one night I ran inta this group-” his hands clenched a little- “and Archer was the guy in charge.  I needed money badly, and he said he’d give me some if I did a job for them, no questions asked.

“They needed help with, um, secretly moving some crates from one state to another, which they said were full o’ just a bunch of animals.  Rare, exotic kind, who were gonna be bought by some collectors. And I figured, what the heck, they’re not gonna eat ‘em or kill ‘em, they just wanna keep ‘em in their menageries or whatever, so what’s the harm?

“So I took the job.  I went ta the warehouse where the crates were bein’ kept, and helped load them onto a truck.  But…” He closed his eyes for a second. “I heard something in one of the crates make a noise.  And I peeked inside, cuz it didn’t sound quite right...and it turned out that they weren’t animals.”

He let that sink in for his brothers, hoping he didn’t need to elaborate that much.  Xander let out a peal of laughter in the living room, and he inadvertently flinched.

“Oh my g_d,” Shermie whispered, recognizing the implications for what they were.

“Yeah.”  His gaze remained fixed on the table, studying the mixture of light and dark grains in the wood, not wanting to see their potential disgust at him for getting himself mixed up with that kind of people.

After a moment he went on, “I-I volunteered ta drive the truck to the drop off spot...but when I was outta sight, I drove to a few blocks from a homeless shelter instead.  Then I opened the crates, and let the kids out, and told ‘em where ta go ta get help.

“I tried ta make it look like they’d broken out on their own, and then drove back to where I’d left my car, planning to get as far away as possible...but they found me.  And Archer figured out what I’d done.”

“What did he do?” Ford asked.  His voice sounded like he wasn’t sure if he really wanted to know, but he was making himself ask anyway.

Stan huddled in on himself even more.  “Nothing too-”

“What.”

It had been a long time since Stan heard that level of rage in Ford’s voice.  And while it was nice that it wasn’t directed at him...it was still creepy.

He hesitated, and decided it would be easier to just show them.

So he stood up, pushing back his chair, and hiked up the side of his shirt.

“This.”

Shermie and Ford both gasped, and Stan was guessing that it wasn’t at the amount of hair he’d managed to accumulate as he got older.

No, it was probably at the jagged white scar running along his gut.

Stan lowered his shirt.  “But hey, it could’ve gone a lot worse…”

****

Flashback flashback flashback flashback

Stan was beginning to realize that getting involved with Archer had been a mistake.

Mainly because he was chained up and dangling by his ankles in a slaughterhouse, surrounded by dead pigs that were similarly strung up, and one of Archer’s goons was coming towards him with a cleaver in one hand and a meat hook in the other, and they weren’t for giving him a fancy haircut.

The big gorilla of a man looked like he was going to enjoy this way too much; a grin leaked its way onto his face as he got closer, and his eyes were bright and excited, like the chance to butcher Stan like a hog was the most exciting thing he’d gotten to do all day.

Archer was at his side, staring down at Stan.  Unlike in books, his eyes weren’t at all unusually colored-just a normal light blue.  The only thing that made them scary was the cold way in which they were staring at him, and the fact that they were in the face of a murderous psychopath who sold children for kicks.

“You know this is nothing personal, right, Pinowski?” he asked, pushing on Stan’s legs with two fingers and making him swing back and forth.  “I like your moxie; really, I do. But it’s bad business if I don’t make an example of you, so no one else gets dumb ideas.”

“Yikes,” Stan muttered, feeling a little woozy from all the blood rushing to his head, “you always talk like you’re Edward G. Robinson or somethin’?”

Archer smiled thinly, and stepped back, giving a nod to the gorilla.  He twirled the cleaver in his hand, clearly about to decide where to make the first cut.

By now, though, Stan had put the paperclip he’d kept tucked in his sleeve to good use, and as the gorilla stepped forward, he swung his newly freed fist, with the chains wrapped around his knuckles.  It hurt, but it was worth it to knock the thug into Archer, sending them both sprawling to the floor like a couple of ninepins.

Stan instantly started wriggling, trying to pull himself up so he could pick the locks on his ankles.  It was about as hard as it sounds, though, so instead he found himself swinging, his back slamming into one of the dead pigs behind him; he felt the line behind him starting to move, and it put him in mind of those weird things people kept in offices, those balls on strings where you pull on one end and when it smacks into its buddies the one at the other end moves-

Newton’s cradles, that’s what Ford said they were called.

Ugh, of all the times for him to remember his brother-

Stan barely managed to twist out of the way of the cleaver, which was swung with a vengeance at his neck; almost on reflex his hands flew up, grabbing the gorilla’s other wrist and trying to force it back.  Even using all his strength, though, the meathook stubbornly pressed forward, digging into his stomach and pulling down in a jagged line. The only benefit to this was that it gave Stan, fighting through the agony, a chance to pound him with an unexpected fist in the gut.

It took a bit more effort, but through a series of near-miracles Stan managed to escape into the night with his life and a deep gash in his gut before the cops showed up.

End of flashback end of flashback end of flashback end of flashback

****

“...I dunno if the kids got away or anything,” Stan finished, staring at the table again.  “I...think I just passed out in my car for a few days, after I cleaned and stitched it up best I could.  Somehow no one found me, and as soon as I could I got outta Dodge.”

“...You stitched it yourself?” Shermie asked, aghast.

“Didn’t think I could exactly go to a hospital,” Stan said.  “They’d wanna know what happened. Besides, I couldn’t go anywhere right then, I was hurtin’ so bad.”

“You’re lucky you didn’t get some kind of severe organ damage!” Ford whispered.

“Yeah, tell me somethin’ I don’t know.”  Stan rubbed the back of his neck. “My point is, if that was Archer I saw, he’s probably still gonna be mad that I screwed things up for him and then got away before he could finish makin’ an example of me.”  He swallowed, hard. “Maybe I should leave. If he sees that you guys’re my family, you’ll be the first thing he comes after, so-”

“No.”

His brothers spoke at almost the same time; Stan gave them a very bewildered stare.

Shermie spoke next, firmly.  “You’re not going anywhere, Stanley.”

“But Sherm-”

“We’re not letting you handle this yourself.  End of story.”

And as scared as that made Stan, because of how much danger they were potentially putting themselves in...having his family standing by him right now made a warm feeling grow in his heart.

[minijenn]

Universe Falls Chapter 74

Merry Early Christmas, ya’ll! Here’s an early present for you, UF’s first musical chapter! As fun as this was to work on, its honestly just... ok. Some things about it could be better but eh I was already taking way too long to get it done in the first place so I figured might as well get it out of the way. Either way, I hope you enjoy it all the same! 

Previous: https://minijenn.tumblr.com/post/189362205964/universe-falls-chapter-73

***

Chapter 74: Mr. Greg

PUJV'S ERQ AAMVF XF DHHNT HL XTI GADW DCM NEUR CIVH VPBQ AUPC AWZCGL JEEX ZT'D GQVX, GX'E SMEC, LV'A YGRUWYEO, LV'A ZMRQ, MK'S ZYGZ BQR'F MK, WSB EIG'R XTIP MZYG WG?

"From the moment the meat hits the flame, my stomach is growling without any shame!"

"And I know in my gut, it's been worth the $5.95!"

"Would you like a burger? From Pepe's Burgers?"

As the catchy, all too familiar jingle brought the commercial to an end, the TV buzzed to static once again, though that static was soon filled in by the flood of reactions to the ad itself.

"Whoa! Your song is on TV!" Steven exclaimed, looking to his father absolutely starstruck as he sat alongside the twins.

"Yeah, but is it just me or was there something sorta… different about it this time around?" Mabel wondered, curious.

"The words, Mabel, it was the words," Dipper pointed out, rather deadpan.

"Nah, that wasn't it."

"Well, I'll hand it to ya, Greg," Stan remarked, arms crossed as he leaned against the side of the van. "Looks like one of your songs finally accomplished something after all these years: it made me want a burger!"

The conman let out a joking laugh at this, one that Greg joined in on, just a bit more good-naturedly. "Ah, well, that wasn't the only thing it accomplished. You guys remember my old manager, Marty, right? Well, turns out he sold my song as a burger jingle. He sent me a letter explaining the whole thing, and included in that letter was this." The former rock star pulled a small slip of paper out his pocket, presenting it to the others. At first, none of them were really sure what it was until Stan happened to be the first to notice the one, followed by a very lengthy string of zeros, written on it. Topped off by a dollar sign, of all things.

"No," the conman gasped, eyes wide as he took the check to look over it himself. "No way… G-Greg, i-is… is this real?"

"Sure is," Greg nodded, grinning. "I honestly didn't believe it myself at first but it's true. Guess I'm filthy stinkin' rich now! Ten million big ones for something I wrote years ago! Crazy how things work out, huh? And-uh, Mr. Pines? Are you ok?"

Everyone turned to look at Stan, who was obviously beside himself with glee based on the massive grin on his face as he held onto Greg's check as if it were the most precious thing in the world. And, based on how much money it actually was worth, it might as well have been. "Greg," he began, his tone uncharacteristically pleasant and saccharine. "Have I ever told you that you were the best employee I've ever had?"

"Uh… no?" Greg raised a confused eyebrow. "But… thanks?"

"But Grunkle Stan, what about Soos and Wendy?" Mabel asked.

"This isn't about them, pumpkin, it's about Greg and his millions-o-of great qualities, that is!" Stan quickly saved himself with a tight laugh as he waved the check around. "L-like his generosity for instance! Always so giving and selfless. In fact, I'm sure that if you found a worthwhile charity or, oh, I dunno, former boss of yours to donate a few hundred or thousand or hundred thousand to, then you wouldn't hesitate, right?"

"Gee, Mr. Pines," Greg smirked knowingly as he finally took his check back from the conman. "You wouldn't happen to have anyone in mind, would you?"

"Well…" Stan began quite leadingly.

"Oh please, Stan, can't you think about anything other than money for five minutes?" Pearl finally spoke up, sending the conman a critical glance.

"Uh, I would, Pearl, if there was anything else worth thinkin' about," Stan shot back with a smug grin.

Pearl simply ignored him, rolling her eyes as she took another look at the burger commercial playing out on the TV. "I still don't understand…" she said, confused. "What exactly is this?"

"You know when Rose came to my concert?" Greg began with a wide grin. "The night we met? I was playing this song!"

"...This is what did it?" Pearl asked, baffled. "Burgers?"

"It wasn't about burgers back then," Greg clarified. "But she probably would have liked this too, right?"

"...She would have loved it…" the white Gem sighed, defeated as she turned to walk to the far side of the van.

Likewise, Greg also let out something of a dejected sigh as he turned the TV off, though none of the others really seemed to notice. "So what are you going to do with all that money, Mr. Universe?" Dipper asked, curious.

"Oh! I know!" Mabel enthusiastically raised her hand. "You could buy a swimming pool and then buy another swimming pool to put inside it and fill that swimming pool with jelly beans! Or you could buy a pet monkey and a fancy tuxedo for him to wear! Or-or… a rocket ship piloted by your pet monkey, with a jelly bean filled swimming pool inside another swimming pool to take you to your own personal planet!"

"Geez, Mabel, reign it back a bit, will ya?" Stan remarked, crossing his arms. "Besides, I thought we already established that Greg was gonna donate most of that money to me-I mean, a charitable cause. Yeah, there we go."

"Heh, well, you guys have some pretty… interesting ideas there," Greg said with a small smile. "But to be honest… I'm not really sure what I'm gonna do with the money."

Despite the bewildered looks the others gave him at this admission, nonetheless the former rock star took a seat in the back of his van, pulling out his guitar to strum a simple, relaxing tune. One that he was more than happy to sing along with.

"Bright sunny day, don't cost nothin'. Light summer breeze, don't cost nothin'. What do I do with all this money? When the only thing I want is you?" he smiled to his son in particular, who instantly perked up to hear one of his father's classic, off the cuff songs.

"Palling around, don't cost nothin'. Singing a song, don't cost nothin'. How do I spend all this money? I'd rather just spend time with you."

"You could buy a house," Steven piped up, offering suggestions through song himself. "And a car."

"I guess that I can, but I've already got a van," Greg noted, nodding back to said van, a loyal, longtime vehicle he had no interest in replacing any time soon. "I could put you through college."

"But I'm with the Gems all the time," the young Gem pointed out with a shrug.

"...Or I could buy you all the finest courses online."

"What if we took a trip?" Steven ventured after a moment or two of thought.

"Do you think?" the former rock star inquired, intrigued by this suggestion.

The young Gem nodded. "We could go somewhere new! We could take a vacation, and you guys could come too!" he finished, smiling brightly to Stan and the twins as they listened in.

"Woo! Yeah! Vacation!" Mabel cheered, immediately excited by the prospect. "I've been dying to get away and see somewhere new!"

"Mabel, we've just spent the past several weeks on end away at the barn," Dipper pointed out, reigning his sister's zeal in with a small laugh.

"Yeah, but we were there to work," Mabel countered. "This trip is gonna be for fun! Right, Grunkle Stan?"

"Hey, if Greg's payin', I'm all for it," Stan remarked. "What do ya say, Greg? Tropical cruise to the Bahamas? Or are you more of a luxury beach house in the Keys sorta guy?"

"Hm…" Greg took a moment to think over these vacation ideas, before he came up with a suggestion all his own. "I know a place that's always exciting! The shows and the sights and the lights that are blinding!" the former rock star's tempo picked up from his previous song as he rummaged through the back of his van for a postcard featuring his chosen destination. "Emerald City! I'm talkin' Emerald City!"

The kids exchanged an excited glance at this, immediately taken by the idea of venturing out to the famously beautiful northern city. Still, Greg sold the prospect of the trip to them even more as he jumped out of the back of the van, his upbeat tune continuing all the while. "The streets and the sounds and the buildings heightening! A place that's so bright it's like clear, white lightning! Emerald City! Let's go to Emerald City!"

This momentum continued as Greg and Steven began leading the way up to the temple so the young Gem could start packing for the trip. The twins joined in on this energy as they followed, with Mabel dragging a much more begrudging Stan along with them.

"I know a place that's always exciting," Greg began a refrain of his first verse as the group burst into the house, startling Pearl in the process as she stood near the kitchen. "The shows and the sights and the lights that are blinding!"

"We don't need money, but it could be funny," Steven harmonized under his father's melody, quickly throwing his things into his hot dog duffel bag.

"The streets and the sounds and the buildings heightening!"

"So let's go today-"

"A place that's so bright it's like clear, white lightning!"

"Just point me the way to-"

"Emerald City!" Steven and Greg finished together, with the young Gem bringing both Dipper and Mabel into this bold final lyric. Though perhaps not the final lyric as Steven tacked one more onto it at the last second. "And let's bring Pearl!"

"W-what?" Greg balked, caught off guard by the idea.

"Ugh, kid, what's wrong with you?" Stan scowled. "I thought the whole point of this trip was to skip town and have fun. And everybody knows Pearl doesn't know the meaning of the word fun."

"Hey! I do too know what 'fun' is!" Pearl protested, offended. "Why, just yesterday, I had an exceptional un time sorting and organizing every single pot, plate, and utensil in this kitchen. And if that's not fun, then I don't know what is."

"...Well then, I stand corrected," Stan said, absolutely deadpan.

"Aw, you should come with us to Emerald City, Pearl!" Mabel said, offering a bright smile to the white Gem. "I heard there's this magical wizard there, and to get there, you have to drive on this really pretty yellow brick road. Not sure how great that is for your tires, but still, it sounds really cool."

"That's a different Emerald City, Mabel," Dipper pointed out dryly.

"Wait… you mean there's more than one?!"

"Um… still, you gotta come with us, Pearl!" Steven made another attempt at convincing the white Gem. "You always work so hard, keeping the Earth safe, keeping the house clean; you deserve a vacation!"

"Er… I don't know, Steven…" Pearl frowned, clearly uncomfortably as she turned away slightly. "Past experiences have taught me that three is a crowd…"

The young Gem was rather confused by this, at least until his father interjected in an equally uncertain whisper. "Steven, me and Pearl haven't gotten along that well, since… uh, well, since I started dating your mother." Greg frowned, casting a brief, bittersweet glance back at the portrait of the aforementioned pink Gem hanging over the door. Almost as if she was still watching, even now that she was gone.

"Oh, come on," Steven pouted earnestly. "We're all one big family! So this will be a great family vacation! Featuring the Universes," he grinned as he wrapped an arm around his dad's shoulder before nodding over to the twins and Stan. "The Pines, uh… Pearl. And don't forget Mom!"

Greg and Pearl in particular flinched as Steven pulled his shirt up a bit to reveal his Gem. Or rather, what had once been Rose's Gem.

Pearl was still clearly hesitant, taking in a sharp hiss through her teeth as she exchanged a rather uneasy glance with the former rock star, neither of them really sure how to feel about this situation. Ultimately though, the white Gem folded upon taking another look at Steven's pleading expression, one that was accompanied by similar looks from both Mabel and Dipper alike. And under that sort of pressure, how could she even hope to resist? "Oh, alright…" she sighed begrudgingly. "I… I'll come…"

"Yes!" Steven and Mabel cheered in delighted unison, though as they did, Dipper happened to consider something neither of them had.

"Wait, so if this is a 'family' vacation," he began thoughtfully. "Then shouldn't Great Uncle Ford come with us too?"

"Oh yeah!" Mabel exclaimed. "It can't be a Universe/Pines family vacation without Grunkle Ford coming along! It just wouldn't be complete!"

"Uh, yeah, it would!" Stan interjected somewhat harshly. "Who says we need Ford to come with us? Heck, he'd be an even bigger killjoy than Pearl's gonna end up being on this trip."

"Stan!" Pearl huffed, annoyed, though the conman ignored her as he continued.

"Anyway, he's not coming," Stan concluded staunchly, stubbornly. "And that's final."

"But Grunkle Stan, this is a family trip," Mabel argued.

"And Great Uncle Ford is just as much a part of the family as any of us are," Dipper added much more firmly.

"Oh yeah," the conman scowled bitterly. "Well if he's really a 'part of this family' then why doesn't he ever act like it?"

Stan didn't give either of the younger twins a chance to respond as he gruffly turned on his heel and walked out of the house without another word. A somewhat awkward air filled the room at this, at least until Greg filled it with an apologetic frown. "Aw, sorry, kids. I guess it's just gonna be the six of us heading to Emerald City, huh?"

"Wrong," Steven spoke up, placing a reassuring hand on both of the rather dejected twins' shoulders. He offered them both a kind smile, one that was more than enough to tell them that he was going to help them bring their entire family together on this trip, no matter what it took. "It's gonna be seven."

"No. Absolutely not."

Steven, Dipper, and Mabel barely managed to hold back a shared sigh of disappointment upon hearing Ford's outright rejection of their proposal, one that came the moment they so much as mentioned Stan would be coming along on the trip.

"But Grunkle Ford, Emerald City is gonna be great!" Mabel urged, stopping the author in his tracks as he moved about his study by grabbing onto the edge of his coat. "We'll have an adventure in self-discovery and melt a witch with a bucket of water and sing a whole bunch of songs! It's gonna be so much fun!"

"Again, Mabel, that's the wrong Emerald City you're talking about," Dipper corrected, though he interjected once more after a beat of thought. "Well, aside from the songs part, I guess. This is a musical after all."

"Well then, you children are more than welcome to go and have a marvelous time," Ford remarked dismissively as he reclaimed the edge of his coat. "But I won't be joining you. I'm afraid I have far too much to catch up on here and besides, I have no interest whatsoever in going anywhere with-" The author stopped short, sparing a glance down at the trio of kids before he decided to cap his statement off on a seemingly different statement altogether. "I-I… I'd simply rather not go. I'm sorry."

While the twins exchanged a dejected glance at this, Steven wasn't about to give up so easily. "But Mr. Ford…" the young Gem began leadingly, grinning to the twins beside him to tip them off to his plan. His musical plan. "Wouldn't you like-a chance to escape and just break from that boring old routine?" Steven began, taking on a bright, optimistic melody, one that Mabel and Dipper were both quick to catch onto with their own additions.

"Wouldn't you like-a chance to go where you know there are things you've never seen?" Mabel sang brightly, offering the author a convincing grin.

"Wouldn't you like-to explore so much more than you ever have before?" Dipper added trying his best to match Steven and Mabel's enthusiasm.

"Cause wouldn't you like a chance to get away?!" all three kids harmonized, capping their first verse off well and aptly confusing Ford in the process.

"Why are you three singing?" the author asked, bewildered.

"Cause like Dipper said, it's a musical!" Steven grinned, though even so, Ford was still absolutely lost.

"...What? "

"Wouldn't you like-to try something new with a few of your favorite friends?" Mabel kicked off the next verse, slipping to the still-confounded author's side as Dipper did the same.

"Wouldn't you like-to be free, to go out and about to find out what's waiting 'round the bend?" he turned in with a hopeful shrug as Steven came in to finish off another verse.

"Wouldn't you like-to go searching and find everything you're looking for?"

"Cause wouldn't you like a chance to get away?!" the trio finished off in unison once more, briefly giving Ford another short-lived attempt at cutting through the song once again.

"Now, children, I-"

"Wouldn't you like-" Mabel interrupted, as vibrantly as ever. "An adventure with friends where excitement never ends?"

"Wouldn't you like-" Steven sang with a warm, brimming grin. "To go see what the world's all about, see what's flashy and brand new?"

"Wouldn't you like-" Dipper chimed in, joining Steven and Mabel as they came together for the song's grand finale. "To check out what you've missed while you gone for so long?"

"Cause wouldn't you like-" all three of the kids sang before splitting off to build up towards the end.

"Wouldn't you like-"

"Wouldn't you like-"

"Wouldn't you like…."

"A chance to get away!?" they all finished, presenting their case to the author with matching, earnest, almost pleading smiles. Smiles that even Ford was powerless to say no to.

So instead, he let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose before he finally gave in. "Fine. I… suppose I can spare a night away from my research." The author cracked a small, somewhat wry smile as Steven, Dipper, and Mabel all let out a shared, excited gasp. "But only because you kids asked in such a… unique way."

"Well, I've learned from experience that when in doubt, nothing works better than a song," Steven shrugged with a small laugh, one that Dipper and Mabel readily joined in on before they sang one final, triumphant refrain of their successful song.

"Now it's time to take that chance and get away!"

It was quite a lengthy drive in Greg's relatively packed van to get all the way up to Emerald City, though as the kids spotted the sparkling metropolis on the horizon, it soon became apparent that it was worth the trip. Emerald City certainly lived up to its glamorous reputation, with towering skyscrapers glittering against the deep night sky, casting an almost ethereal reflection upon the vast lakes and rivers and bays that surrounded it. These clean-cut, futuristic buildings became even more impressive up close as the van winded through its narrow, maze-like streets, allowing everyone a grand tour of the town, at least until they pulled up to their destination.

According to a brief internet search, Le Hotel was the fanciest, ritziest hotel Emerald City had to offer. And indeed, it fit the bill as it towered high as one of the city's tallest buildings, elegant and refined from the outside in as its grand lobby carried the same radiant theme. The group entered with various levels of amazement towards this sophisticated atmosphere, even if they did look quite a bit out of place in that atmosphere given their relatively normal attire and attitude. Even as Greg stepped up to the check-in counter, the clerk simply looked over him with a brief, haughty scoff. His manner hardly changed as the former rock star confidently presented him with his new business card, which colorfully read "Greg Universe: Bazillionaire". However, it was only as Steven peered over the edge of the counter and plopped down one of the many large stacks of cash his father had brought along that the mood of the entire hotel seemed to change. Staff passing by stopped dead in their tracks, the clerk eyed the money being presented to him with obvious shock, and all the while Greg stood by, grinning to the others about the upscale experience they were about to receive.

An experience that of course, kicked off with a song.

"Hey, shake a leg!" the clerk called the rest of the staff, who chimed in just as enthusiastically.

"Hey, shake a leg!"

"It's Mr. Greg!"

"It's Mr. Greg!"

"And he's here to spend his dough all over town!"

At this, the staff mobilized efficiently, quite literally sweeping the Universe, Pines, and Pearl up to carry them off to the hotel's fine, five star restaurant. Without any hesitation, they sat them all down at the finest table in the center of the banquet hall, serving up the finest (most expensive) meal they had to offer.

"He's got the bucks!" the staff sang once again as Greg blithely answered them.

"I've got the bucks!"

"It's all deluxe."

"It's all deluxe!" Greg agreed, much to the excitement of not just the kids, but Stan in particular as he greedily began to tear into the massive, steaming steak placed in front of him. "When you're dining out with me, it's the finest steak and brie." The former rock star was clearly caught up in the somewhat manic, celebratory mood as he hopped up onto the table, catching the others off guard while he began to dance. "And if I break a table, it ain't no-whoa!" Inevitably, Greg did break the table, splitting it clean in half as he fell and knocked nearly all of the food off of it, save for Stan's steak, which the conman had wisely managed to save just in the nick of time. An awkward beat of silence passed at this as the surrounding staff looked to Greg expectantly, but all the same, the former rock star simply laughed his faux pas off as he pulled yet another large bill out of his pocket and handed it to the clerk. "Just bill it to my bank."

"A hundred bucks?!" the clerk exclaimed, amazed. "Gee, thanks!"

Before anyone had a chance to finish up their meals, the staff members led them off again, this time out of the restaurant and towards the elevator, which carried them all the way up to the building's hundredth floor. Its penthouse suite.

Said suite certainly rivaled the decadence and splendor of anything any of them had seen thus far. It was a massive complex, with several rooms, enough for everyone, all connected to the grand main room, which was completed by its very own full-sized swimming pool and slide. However, the lavish accommodations weren't the only surprise the hotel staff had in store. For after a quick round of measurements, they had managed to outfit everyone, kids and adults alike, in matching fine tuxedos and top hats, garbing them all in a look befitting the wealth they were all enjoying.

As elegantly clad as they now were, Greg and the kids alike didn't waste any time in indulging in all the penthouse had to offer, namely, its massive pool. Even despite the expensive, top line suits and ties, they all jumped right in, Greg taking the slide as Steven and Mabel canonballed into the deep end without any second thoughts. Dipper did hesitate for just a moment, that is, until the pair ultimately hopped up out of the water and pulled him right in along with them.

Yet, despite the fun the kids and the former rock star were all clearly having as they quite literally dived right into their vacation, not everyone was joining in. While Stan clearly appreciated his new upscale suit, Ford wasn't as taken with his, particularly the top hat and bow tie and the memories he couldn't help but associate with them.

"Well, these won't be missed," the author frowned, handing both off to the nearest staff member. His brother, on the other hand, gladly touched up his own with a wide, cocky grin, clearly enjoying what was perhaps his first real taste of a life of luxury.

"I could get used to this!" the conman proclaimed, barely even noticing Ford's annoyed scowl at all.

"Of course, you'd find this exciting," he remarked, arms crossed as he glared away.

"Better than your boring old writing," Stan jabbed back, reclaiming the author's top hat and pulling it down over his eyes.

"Would you grow up!?" Ford huffed, frustrated as he tossed the hat aside again.

"You first!" Stan taunted, helping himself to the penthouse's wetbar.

"Is it just me or are they getting worse?" Dipper asked, noticing this exchange from the pool as he exchanged an apprehensive glance with Mabel. Likewise, Steven spotted the obvious tension between the brothers, though that wasn't all he saw as he happened to spot Pearl, lingering quietly near the far side of the pool. Even compared to Stan and Ford, she hadn't engaged in the festivities whatsoever, instead opting to observe alone from the sidelines, seemingly unamused. That is, until Greg and Steven decided to get involved.

While Pearl didn't often change her attire, she was quite surprised to see how nicely her own suit looked on her as the kids came together to convince her to try it on at least. And from the moment she did, she couldn't help but finally join in on the lighthearted spirit of the evening. "I must admit-" she began with a growing smile.

"You must admit," Greg and Steven echoed happily as they posed alongside her.

"It's a perfect fit!" the white Gem grinned, adjusting her top hat gracefully.

"You look great in it!"

"And those fountains I found wasteful," she nodded over to one of the several elegant fountains lining the penthouse. "Are actually quite tasteful! This city's got its charm, unlike that termite-ridden barn. And any time with Steven makes for a delightful evenin'!" She laughed, falling in step alongside the young Gem for a spirited round of tap-dancing.

"You're having fun!" Greg exclaimed, pleasantly surprised.

"More or less," Pearl shrugged, grinning. However, that grin quickly fell the moment the former rock star grabbed her hand to pull her into another dance.

"So dance with me, just say-"

"NO!"

Pearl's stark shout echoed through the lofty halls of the penthouse suite, bringing both the song and the cheery mood to an abrupt end. An air of startled, awkward silence filled in for both instead, one that seemed to grow even more awkward and heavy as all eyes turned to the crestfallen white Gem herself. Pearl flinched, unsure of what to say at first, especially as she met Greg's sad, yet earnest expression. "I-I… I mean…" Ultimately, however, she let out a bitter sigh, turning away from the entire group as she sulked off to some other part of the penthouse just to get away from it all. "Maybe later…"

"Boo!" one of the hotel employees called after her, disappointed. "You ruined the song!"

"Er, uh… sorry, guys," Greg frowned, dispensing a handful of cash out to the staff to compensate them as they took their leave. "Thanks for singing with us."

"W-well, I guess our super fun city vacation could be getting off to a bit of a better start than this, huh?" Mabel asked with a fretful frown.

"Yeah…" Steven sighed, looking off in the direction Pearl had retreated to. "It really could…"

"Aw, don't worry about it, kiddo," Greg reassured his son, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, all while hiding his own lingering regret well. "It's always been this way…"

"Hm… perhaps I should go talk to talk to her, Greg," Ford volunteered thoughtfully. "After all, I think it's safe to say I have just as much experience as you do when it comes to Pearl and this… particular problem…"

The former rock star offered the author a grateful smile at this, catching his drift all too well. "Thanks, Mr. Ford."

"Yeah, go on, Ford, while the rest of us have fun, you and Pearl can have your sad little nerd party of two," Stan remarked with an obviously teasing smirk. "See, kids? I told ya both of them would end up being nothing but a bunch of killjoys on this trip."

"Grunkle Stan-" Dipper began, shaking his head disapprovingly over such a tactless remark.

However, Ford was more than ready to intervene on his own behalf instead. "Oh, so now I'm a killjoy?" the author countered, turning back to face his brother. "Well, forgive me that I have no interest in losing my mind over a bunch of big-city frivolity."

"Tch, obviously," Stan remarked, rolling his eyes. "So if you aren't here for any of that, why'd you even come in the first place? 'Cause as far as I can tell, if ya ain't here to have a good time, then you might as well not even be here in the first place."

For a moment, Ford simply sent the conman a bitter scowl at this, much to the worry of the younger pair of twins as they watched this icy exchange unfold. However, what none of them, not even Stan himself, could have expected was what the author did next. He reached out, his expression completely unreadable as he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder… and abruptly shoved him right into the swimming pool behind him.

Ford was the first, and for a long time, only one of the group to break out into a heavy burst of laughter as Stan splashed into the deep end before floundering back up to the surface, completely flustered. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you," the author chuckled, beside himself with amusement, especially as he caught sight of the conman's dumbfounded face. "But I'm certainly having a great time now!"

At this, Dipper and Mabel finally let out a small, shared laugh themselves, one that Greg and Steven slowly joined in on themselves. With the tension in the air finally cleared, Stan couldn't help but crack a small, subtle smirk himself as he pulled himself out of the pull and wrung his hat out in the process. "Alright, fine," he scoffed playfully. "Consider this payback for that time when we were in 6th grade and I pushed ya off the diving board at the public pool."

"Please, Stanley, I'd hardly consider this payback," Ford remarked with a flippant wave of his hand, even though he was still chuckling somewhat. "Especially since you did that right in front of Cathy Crenshaw."

"Aw, c'mon, sixer, you always knew a square like you would have never been able to land a catch like 'Cold-Stone Crenshaw'," Stan jabbed, elbowing his brother wryly.

"True, though at the very least I never struck out with her like you did with Carla McCorkle," Ford retorted just as confidently.

"Hey! I never 'struck out' with Carla!" the conman protested. "It was that stupid hippie and his stupid bellbottom jeans that stole her away from me! I can still remember the day they rocketed out of the Juke Joint without me and she left me behind…"

"Believe me, so can I, seeing as how you wouldn't stop crying about it for at least a week after," Ford said with a knowing smirk. "Who was the 'sad nerd' back then, Stanley?"

"Pfft, you, sixer, 'specially after your dumb 'ol bust of-what was that guy's name again? Tulip? Toyla?"

"Tesla," Ford corrected pointedly.

"Sure, whatever, 'Tesla', fell off the shelf and broke that one night."

"Well, of course I was upset about that, Stanley, it was a collectible!"

"Oh yeah? Well so was Carla McCorkle!"

A beat of silence passed between the brothers at such a bizarre remark, but ultimately, the humor of just how strange it was wasn't lost on either one of them. At the exact same moment, they both burst until yet another round of bombastic laughter, one that was completely warm and genuine, much to the delight of the younger twins observing. As they shared a delighted grin with Steven, the young Gem offered them a supportive thumbs up before gently shoving his father away to offer the family some much-needed privacy.

"Wow! Aren't we all having such a fun time!?" Mabel chimed in with a bright, leading smile. "It's nights like tonight that just make you wanna forget all of the bad stuff back in the past and look ahead to a bright and happy future, don't you guys agree?"

"Try not to be too on the nose there, Mabel…" Dipper warned in a worried whisper. And yet, neither Stan and Ford's bright mood was dampened by this as they instead offered each other a relenting, yet lighthearted grin instead.

"You know… perhaps it does…" Ford said with a humbling sigh, noting his brother's growing relief and excitement. "After all, what else are vacations like this for than for… getting away from it all?"

Needless to say a line like this was more than enough to prompt another song, one that, much to Dipper and Mabel's continually elated surprise at this situation as a whole, Stan ended up starting off. "We came all this way to give us a fresh start," he began on a tune that was fittingly airy and easy. "And now I'm wondering how we even fell apart?"

"You know it's so strange, I can't help but agree," Ford shrugged incredulously. "Maybe its this city air, or maybe it's just me."

"We've been fallin' out for way too long," Stan sang, picking up a hint of an upbeat swing. "So let's forget who's right."

"And forget who's wrong."

"Ok!" Dipper and Mabel chimed in brightly, so, so happy to see their uncles finally begin to repair all that had been broken between them so long ago.

"And here I thought making amends would be our last resort," Ford added, this time gladly accepting the reclaimed tophat his brother was holding out to him.

"But life's too short!" they sang together, back to back as they shared a cordial grin.

"To always feel shut out, forgotten by the brother I used to know," Stan's smile dimmed only somewhat at this, remembering those nearly 40 years of bitter separation, as well as his own countless mistakes along the way that had brought that separation about to begin with.

"Life's too short!"

"To never let the pain and regrets that defined both our pasts just go," Ford did his best to hold back a sigh here, knowing that those regrets were far too many to name. And as heavy of a weight as they were, maybe it was indeed finally time to just let them go altogether.

"Whoaohoh!"

"I never understood," the brothers sang in harmony, both in tune and in spirit as they both came to meet each other halfway for the first time in a very long time. "But now I do! Life's too short-to miss out on a brother like you!"

The duet came to its apparent close with another strong laugh between the brothers, one that more or less solidified the newly-revived warm feelings between them. And as far as both Dipper and Mabel were concerned, considering the tense bitterness that they had always seen between their uncles before, this was more than a welcome change.

"So are things finally, you know, cool between you guys now?" Dipper asked, aptly hopeful.

"Well…"

"You bet they are, kid," Stan interrupted, catching Ford off guard by tossing an arm over his shoulder. "Well, at least they will be once this guy gives me the 'thank you' he's owed me ever since he got back."

"Thank you?" Ford asked, genuinely confused. "For what?"

"Uh, for busting my butt for the past 30 years so I could bring you back from wherever you were, duh," Stan remarked as though it was obvious. "Geez, and I thought you were supposed to be the smart one, sixer."

However, instead of providing the thanks the conman was expecting, the author instead looked to him incredulously, almost as if he was baffled that he'd even bothered to ask for it in the first place. Which, by most accounts, he very much was. "Thank you?" he asked, scoffing right off the bat. "Thank you? Why would I thank you when you were the one who got me sucked into the portal in the first place?!"

"Ugh, that was 30 years ago, Ford!" Stan groaned, annoyed. "You just said so yourself, it's time to finally let that go."

"How can I when you essentially ruined my life?!"

"You ruined your own life!"

This dig clearly struck an all-too painful chord with both of the older twins, calling back far to many agonizing memories from 30 years past to keep any of them straight. At the same time, their niblings exchanged a distraught, desperate glance, realizing that just as quickly as things had started to come together between their uncles, in much of the very same way, they were rapidly starting to fall apart.

"So we make up and hug? That's how your story ends?" Ford began again, his tune much more sharp and harsh than it had been before.

"Uh, yeah, it'll be just like it was," Stan countered, still somewhat hopeful that things could turn themselves around. Even though he knew the line clearly had already been crossed. "Ya know, when we were best friends?"

"So that's your big plan? To force me back in a cage?" the author accused, glaring his brother down coldly.

"Whoa, let's not freak out!" Stan countered, trying his best to ease the growing tension. "Let's get back on the same page-"

"Gee, thanks for telling me that to my face!" Ford's glare turned to a false, sardonic grin as he made an attempt at shoving Stan away. "And showing off your mastery of tact and grace!"

"No way…" the younger twins sighed, realizing just how south things really were going.

"Nevermind how you spilled my secrets, gave a full report!"

"Wait-" Stan attempted to interject, but Ford clearly was having none of it.

"Cause life's too short!"

"There it is! The door you love to slam in my face!" Stan immediately shot back, his tone every bit as fierce as the author's as he spun back around to face him. "You did well there for a spell but now we're back in the same place. Tell me off if you want, but I'm the only one who wasted 30 long years on trying to save you!"

"You can waste whatever you want 'cause I don't care!" Ford huffed crossly, throwing his hands up at his equally disgruntled brother. "You're a fool who opened the portal!"

"That is SO unfair!"

"I swear!" both brothers sang in a harsh, hardened lack of harmony. "I'm through with taking your unshaking brotherly support!"

"Support!"

"Support!"

"Ha! 'Cause life's too short!"

"To let you get off it all so scott free," Stan scowled, his hands in tight, practically shaking fists at his sides. "Without thinking about thanking me!"

"Life's too short!"

"To listen to a reckless fool!" Ford argued hotly, borderline hatefully even. "Who only ever sees what he wants to see!"

"You don't know-"

"You have no idea-"

"What I've been through! Because of you!" they both sang together, hostile and explosive and completely unaware of their niblings' immense dread as they helplessly watched all this unfold.

"Life's too short to waste another minute!"

"Life's too short to even have you in it!"

"Life's too short!" They finished fiercely, abruptly turning on their heels before they both walked away in opposite directions, their stance on each other very clear. And as they parted ways, they left the younger pair of twins behind, awash in the echo of their angry, bitter refrain.

"W-well that… didn't go great…" Mabel frowned, disappointed. "Heck, so far almost none of this vacation has… 'specially not with those two... What are we supposed to do, Dipper?"

Dipper didn't answer right away, instead catching the briefest of glances between Stan and Ford right before they both slipped into their own respective rooms on the opposite side of the penthouse for the night. In the end though, he sighed dejectedly, not even sharing any of the same sparse shreds of hope Mabel was still clinging onto. "I don't know, Mabel…" he admitted quietly before he turned to walk away himself. "I don't know…"

And with that, the younger twins parted ways, if not in words than in sentiment, repeating the very same empty, hopeless verse their uncles had before them.

Despite the upbeat excitement that had been going around as the group pulled into Emerald City earlier that evening, those celebratory feelings were in short supply by the time they all ended up turning in for bed. With the former levity drained from the penthouse in its entirety, its guests soon slipped into slumber instead, with just about everyone taking a separate room in the sizable suite, save for Greg and Steven who ended up bunking together. And it was as they lay on the luxurious king-sized bed, quietly snoozing away, that Pearl quietly entered.

After that initial song, the white Gem had made herself rather scarce, not really wanting to face anyone, the former rock star in particular. However, as she softly stepped into the room to stand alongside the bed, she couldn't help but crack a small, somewhat bittersweet smile, especially as she spotted the bouquet of roses resting on the nightstand beside it. Pearl let out an almost inaudible sigh as she plucked one of the flowers, holding onto it gently as she let her many mingled thoughts and feelings out in a soft, solemn tune.

"I was fine with the men, who would come into her life now and again." Men such as Ford and so many others even before him, all of whom had captivated Rose in some sort of way, be it romantic or otherwise. But all of them had come, in and out of her life in a constant flux all the same, always dwarfed by just how broad and brightly the pink Gem had always shined. "I was fine, 'cause I knew that they didn't really matter… until you…"

The white Gem's smile finally fell as she looked back to Greg, unknowingly slumbering before her. Still clinging onto her rose, she slipped her top hat back on and stepped out onto the nearby balcony, all the while unaware that she had awakened a certain young Gem in the process.

"I was fine when you came and we fought like it was all some silly game." It really had seemed so silly back then, so innocent, just like so many of the others had been. Just another human who would happen to catch Rose's fancy for a while before ultimately being left behind. Another human who would never be able to stay by her side for as long as Pearl herself had. "Over her, who she'd choose. After all those years, I never thought I'd lose…"

"It's over, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it over?" she sang sadly, mournfully almost as the dull lights of the sparkling city seemed to float and drift around her. "It's over, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it over?"

"You won, and she chose you," she admitted, knowing it was the truth. But even if it was the truth and it had been the truth for several years now, that never made facing it any easier. "And she loved you and she's gone… It's over, isn't it, why can't I move on?"

At this, Pearl performed an elegant leap onto the balcony's narrow edge, balancing skillfully between it and the city streets far, far below her. All the same, she danced deftly on that fine line, all the while reveling in both her memories and the grief that came along with them. "War, and glory, reinvention." She smiled discreetly down to the rose still in her hand, knowing just how much 'reinventing' both of them had done in their hidden, yet shared past. "Fusion, freedom, her attention." All things that she adored, that she only ever got a glimpse of, that they only ever had won because of each other. "Out in daylight, my potential, bold, precise, experimental." As she swung her rose out like a blade, once again she was reminded of just how different she had become, just how much she had broken away from everything she had ever been made to do. Then again, she supposed Rose had broken away from all she had once been before too. They both had changed, and the best part of it all? They had changed together.

But that was then. And this was now. And now… Rose was gone.

"Who am I now in this world without her?" Pearl lamented as she lay against the railing, her gaze cast up to the sky as she felt that all too familiar pain ring through her once more. A pain that she never seemed to be able to shake away, no matter how hard she tried. "Petty and dull with the nerve to doubt her." To doubt her decisions, her choices, be they good or bad. To fail to understand what she had done, what she had sacrificed even now, even still, years after the fact when she should have known, she should have understood. But… she didn't. And sometimes, she wondered if she ever really would.

"What does it matter? It's already done!" And it was. Done, finished, over. And yet… in so many ways… it wasn't. At least not to her. "Now I've got to be there for her son!"

Speaking of said son, Pearl didn't even notice as Steven quietly slipped out of bed in the room behind her, listening in on her mournful melody with apt sympathy. All the same, the white Gem slipped back onto the balcony with resignation, looking back to the city as she tried, so hard, to make it past this. To finally move on and just let it go. The only problem was, how could she let go of something as precious as the love she felt for Rose? The love she still felt for her, even now that she wasn't there?

"It's over, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it over?" She gripped the railing tightly, shaking her head at her own stubborn foolishness. While she didn't technically have a heart, she knew that if she did, it would be aching beyond measure. And it likely would have for quite some time now. "It's over isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it over?!"

"You won, and she chose you, and she loved you and she's GONE!" On this, she tossed the rose, hoping to release it and everything it represented. And yet, try as she might, those feelings, bitter, painful, and agonizing as they were, still remained, just as they always had. Just as they very well always would.

"It's over, isn't it? Why can't I move on?" She wondered softly, a stray tear finally streaming down her cheek.

"It's over, isn't it? Why can't I move on?"

Slowly, Pearl turned away from the balcony and back toward the bedroom, only to find that her song had an audience. Steven sat on the near edge of the bed, looking to the white Gem with a sad, sympathetic frown. However, the one Pearl was immediately more concerned and alarmed by was Greg, sitting on the far side of the bed, his back turned away from her and his expression unknown.

"G-Greg!" the white Gem exclaimed, gripping the edges of her top hat tightly. "You were… a-awake?"

"Nothing's gonna fix this…" Greg sighed tiredly, standing as he threw a bathrobe on over his suit. "Is it?"

Pearl faltered, unsure of how to answer this question, especially as the former rock star began to sulk out of the room. "Greg!"

"I'm sorry you had to be around me…" Greg muttered dismally as he walked out, despite both Pearl and Steven's protests.

"Dad!" the young Gem called after him worriedly, though his attention was soon turned back over to Pearl as she let out a small, guilty sigh behind him.

"I shouldn't have come along…" she said, now more forlorn than ever before, this time entirely thanks to her own doing.

"No," Steven said, his devout, serious tone catching the white Gem off guard. "This is exactly why we brought you."

Startled and confused, Pearl looked to the young Gem, bewildered, but all the same, she followed his lead as he began heading off in the same direction his father had gone. Though as they passed through the penthouse's den, they soon discovered that they weren't the only ones awake at such a late hour of the night.

"Dipper? Mabel?" Pearl frowned, noticing the pair first as they listlessly sat together on the couch. "Why are you kids up so late?"

"Why do you think?" Dipper asked, clearly exhausted as he broadly nodded over to the other side of the penthouse. Even from the den, the sound of Stan and Ford's noisy bickering could be heard, something that had been a constant for at least the past hour or so now. A constant that had, in the process, was robbing the younger pair of twins of sleep all the while.

"Admit it, Stanley! All you've ever done is hold me back!" Ford shouted furiously from somewhere down the hall.

"Oh yeah?" Stan's challenge echoed just as loudly through the penthouse. "Well at least I've done way more for you than your old pal Rose ever did!"

"Don't you dare bring Rose into this!"

"Oh my…" Pearl muttered to herself, shaking her head. "It seems I'm not the only one having a hard time moving on…"

"They're still fighting," Mabel groaned into one of the couch's plush pillows. "Which is crazy cause it actually seemed like things were finally going to be ok between those two!"

"But who are we kidding?" Dipper shook his head in resigned defeat. "They've hated each other for this long, why did we ever think there's anything that could make them stop now?"

"You guys can!" Steven interjected earnestly, offering the hopeless twins a hopeful glance. "They love both of you more than they hate each other, I know it! Which is why if there's anyone who could get them to make up, its you two."

For a moment, neither Dipper nor Mabel said anything to this, instead simply meeting Steven's encouraging smile halfheartedly. Until they both decided to go out on a limb in the hopes that such an idea could possibly have some merit. "Well, at this point, I guess it's worth a shot?" Dipper ventured with a small shrug.

Mabel nodded in support of this plan with a reassured smile, though before she could speak to it, the sudden simultaneous slamming of two different doors thundered through the entire penthouse. Something that signaled the fight was over, but the "war" was far from done. "Uh… how about you go talk to Ford while I smooth things over with Stan?" Mabel suggested, figuring that splitting up might be able to help.

"Sounds like a plan," Dipper agreed, both him and Mabel exchanging a hopeful, solidifying nod with Steven before they parted ways. At the same time, the young Gem continued on his own mission, taking Pearl by the hand as he led her out of the suite on an equally important mission all his own.

Meanwhile, Dipper and Mabel wished each other a silent bout of luck as they turned to their respective doors and respective tasks. While initially hesitant, sure enough, Dipper did work up the nerve to finally knock on Ford's door, only to receive a very harsh reception from the other side of it.

"For the last time, Stanley, I'm through wasting my valuable time on your childish games!"

"Uh… actually, it's Dipper…"

Unsurprisingly, Ford didn't hesitate to open the previously locked door for his nephew, greeting him much more fondly than he certainly would have had it really been Stan instead. "Sorry about that, my boy," the author straightened the edges of his suit, calming himself considerably. "What can I do for you, Dipper? It's awfully late, you know."

"Yeah, I do…" Dipper frowned as Ford let him come into the room. "But do you and Grunkle Stan know that?"

"A-ah… so, you heard?" Ford said, somewhat flustered.

"Pretty sure the whole hotel heard…" Dipper said as he sat alongside the author on the edge of the bed. "Great Uncle Ford, I'm sorry, but… I just don't understand."

"Understand what?" Ford asked, confused.

"Why you and Stan won't just… let this huge grudge you guys have for each other go. I mean, I guess I get where that grudge came from in the first place but, who knows? Maybe it's time for the two of you to just bury the hatchet and... start over?"

For the longest time, Ford said nothing to this, instead letting out a long, tired sigh as he stood to face the room's large window overlooking the sleeping city outside it. When he did speak, however, his tone was surprisingly melancholy, perhaps even tinged with hits of both regret and worry alike. "We can't do that, Dipper," he said softly, simply. "And to be perfectly honest, I'm quite surprised that you don't understand why we can't."

"W-what do you mean?" Dipper asked, quite confused himself now.

"Well-and I mean absolutely no offense to Mabel in saying this, but-haven't you ever felt as though she's… weighing you down?"

"I… uh…" Dipper frowned, unsure of what to say to such an odd question.

"Uh… huh?" Mabel asked on the other side of the hall, sitting on a different bed as she watched Stan angrily pace around the room.

"Ford thinks that I need the two of us to make up and be best friends, but I don't, not anymore!" the conman huffed hotly. "I don't need him, I don't need anyone! From here on out, there's only one person I'm lookin' out for and its good ol' numero uno: me! And if you were smart, kid, you'd do the same."

"B-but Grunkle Stan," Mabel protested. "That's no way to be! Why would I only look out for myself when I have so many other people to care about, like you, and Grunkle Ford, and Dipper-"

"Ha! Good luck with that," Stan scoffed bitterly. "I really hate to break it to you, pumpkin, but just you wait. I bet good money that in 10, maybe 15 years time, Dipper will end up leaving you behind for some dumb nerd thing, just like Ford did to me. I love the kid, but let's face it, he's way too much like sixer for his own good."

"But… n-no… Dipper wouldn't…" Mabel muttered, suddenly distraught as her own mind echoed with a question she didn't dare ask aloud: would he?

"N-no, Mabel's never…" Dipper trailed off, unable to honestly finish the thought. For indeed, there had been more than a few times where Mabel's own wants and pursuits had come before his own. The all-too bitter, far too familiar memory of a certain puppet show that led to an ill-fated deal came to mind above all else. And try as he might to shake that memory so many times before, the thought of all it had nearly cost him, of what she had nearly cost him, it was a shadow he'd yet to step out of, even still.

"Dipper, you're a brilliant kid with so much potential," Ford said, turning to his nephew with absolute earnesty. "You shouldn't let anyone, not even your own family, hold you back from all you could achieve. Believe me, that's a mistake I let myself make far too many times in the past, and while it might be a bit too late for me to change that, it's not too late for you."

"Look, Mabel, I just don't want to see you get hurt," Stan sighed, placing a hand on his niece's shoulder. "Better to see it coming and be ready for it than to let it take you by surprise and knock you off your feet. 'Cause take it from me, that's a road you don't wanna go down."

"But… me 'n Dipper aren't like…" "You guys" was what Mabel wanted to say, though she didn't quite have it in her to speak it aloud. So instead, she went off on a different tangent entirely, all the while desperately trying to convince herself, perhaps even more than Stan, that it wasn't true, that it wouldn't be true, that it couldn't be true. Because if it was… she couldn't even begin to imagine just how painful that would really be.

"But… Mabel and I don't… w-we aren't…" Dipper took in a deep breath, trying to steady both himself and the newfound rush of doubts starting to fill him.

"I-I mean… sure, Dipper isn't always on board with my ideas."

"I mean, I know sometimes Mabel can come on a little too strong…"

"And yeah, sometimes he has a bit of a problem of trying to do everything by himself instead of asking for help when he really needs it…"

"And she does sometimes go way overboard and she can be kind of selfish every now and then…"

"And… And… I guess he is just a little, tiny bit-"

"A-and… and she's just so… so-"

"Stubborn." All four Pines said at practically the same exact time, acknowledging the dark thread that seemed to taint their family in more ways than one.

Ford turned back toward the window, shaking his head sadly as another song began, jazzy, yet melancholy in tune and tempo. "He listens, but doesn't hear, he looks, but doesn't see," the author closed his eyes, blocking out the sight of his own faint reflection in the window. A reflection that always seemed to remind him of his twin in some way or another. "I talk, but it's so clear. I'm talking to only me."

Stan scowled, crossing his arms after he finally removed his top hat, glaring briefly toward the door as he began an icy verse all his own. "He acts so smart, all of the time. I'm always wrong, he's always right!" He scoffed, knowing that's always how it had been, ever since they were kids, and even now. A common refrain that had been a constant all his life, one that he had always tried to break out of, but could never quite rise to the occasion, no matter what he did or how hard he tried. "Not worth the effort, and that's why I'm-Done, it's over. Hang up the fight."

Dipper couldn't help but let out a small, sad sigh, recognizing just how many unfortunate, almost painful parallels really did exist between him and Mabel and their uncles. And in light of seeing those parallels clearly for the first time, he was unable to avoid the practically crushing worry that their own usually close bond was just as similarly doomed as their uncles' had been before them. But if it was, then who's fault would that really be, all things considered? The answer to that, seemed so simple. After all, he knew very well whose fault it usually was whenever they ended up falling out with each other. "She acts out, for a response," he began, just a hint of knowing bitterness in his tone. "She acts out, and I don't mind. She always does just what she wants. I'm forced to act, like its just fine." But it wasn't, it never was, because whenever she ended up getting what she wanted, he was always, always the one to lose out in the end.

By this point, Mabel was practically holding back fretful tears, overwhelmed by fear and dread. All coming from the long, singular though that, perhaps even sooner than later, her and Dipper would fall away from each other. That the close bond they both had always known between them would be broken. That they wouldn't need or even want to be around each other anymore when they always had been. Or rather, that he wouldn't want to be around her. "Right by his side, I try to stay," she sang almost mournfully, pulling her knees to her chest as those tears finally began to well up in her eyes. "And it's ok, but it's a lie… He goes alone, on his own way, and when he does, I always cry…"

"And nothing changes," all four of them sang, sharing the same sentiment, the same sharp, yet dull ache ringing through their song and through their hearts all the while. "It's all the same. Despite the ages, it's like a game."

"It's in the family-"

"In the blood."

"It's never over."

"It's like a flood-"

"Of bitter feelings-"

"Of old regrets-"

All things running so deep in their family, so far that it was practically the foundation they were all built upon. A foundation that was crumbling, breaking until the day it would inevitably fall apart completely, taking all of them with it in the process. A day they all knew was coming, but couldn't bear to face.

"It's in the family…"

"Don't forget…"

"It's in the family…"

"We can't forget…"

While Le Hotel's grand restaurant never really closed, it was rather empty at such a late hour of the night. In fact, it's only current patron was Greg, who sat at the bar, dully, dejectedly snacking on a glass full of cherries in the hopes of easing his sorrows. That is, until his sulking was interrupted by an arrival he admittedly hadn't been expecting.

Upon hearing his son clear his throat from behind, Greg turned to find both Steven and surprisingly, Pearl standing alongside him. The white Gem offered him a pensive, awkward smile, though ultimately said nothing. Greg did the same as he stood, even as Steven offered both of them a silent nod, urging them to do what they both knew needed to be done. The only problem was, neither of them had the faintest idea as to where to start.

Which was why Steven decided to take the initiative instead. He marched dutifully over to the restaurant's grand piano, handing off a large stack of cash to the pianist to curtail his inappropriately upbeat ragtime tune. Delighted by the sizable tip, the musician hurried off, leaving the piano open for him to take over with a gentle, earnest melody of his own. One that he hoped would finally accomplish something that should have been done quite some time ago.

"Why don't you talk to each other?" Steven sang up front, catching both Greg and Pearl off guard by just how forward the question really was. "Why don't you talk to each other? Just give it a try."

Despite this soft urging, Greg and Pearl still averted each other's gaze, neither of them knowing what to say to finally break the ice that made up the frozen wall that had been built between them years ago. "Why don't you talk about what happened?" the young Gem continued with a small, yet sad smile. "I know you're trying to avoid it, but I don't know why."

"You might not believe it." The pair slowly, hesitantly turned back toward each other, sparing a brief glance over at Steven along the way as they listened to his lyrics and the warmth and care behind them. "You might not believe it. But you've got a lot in common-you really do…"

"You both love me and I love both of you."

It was true. A fact that neither of them could deny even if they wanted to: that they loved Steven, deeply and fully, just as they both had-albeit in a different way-loved his mother before him. And it was the realization of that fact that, at long last started to bring both of them together.

With tired sighs, Pearl and Greg largely ignored the rest of the restaurant, lying down on the floor as a conversation finally started to brim between the two of them. "Look, if I were you, I'd hate me too," Greg began, looking down fretfully.

"I don't hate you…" Pearl assured softly, earnestly.

"But… I knew how you felt about Rose and I stayed anyway."

"That wasn't the problem…"

"Then… what was?"

"She fell in love with you…"

"Well, you know Rose," Greg sat up, finally cracking a smile. Pearl couldn't help but do the same, sharing that same sort of fondness that they both had-and still did have-towards the pink Gem. Fondness that they always had always had in common, they just hadn't been able to see it until now.

"She always did what she wanted!"

"I know you both need it." On a bout of tearful laughter, the pair stood, and as Greg extended the offer to dance once more, this time, Pearl had no qualms about taking his hand and joining in. "I know you both need it. Someone who knows what you're going through…"

"And you might not believe it." The pair took to the floor, dancing slowly yet cordially along to Steven's song and enjoying it, and the newfound, much-needed solidarity between them all the while. "You might not believe it-but you've got a lot in common, you really do."

"You both love me and I love both of you."

"You both love me and I love both… of you…"

As both the song and the dance came to a close, Pearl and Greg still exchanged a warm smile, one that only grew as the hotel employees came out to applaud their performance. Still, both of them knew there was much more worth celebrating than that. Because for perhaps the first time ever, they could finally see things eye to eye. And the flood of good feels from that alone made both Pearl and Greg never want to return to the bitterness and shame of the past again in favor of embracing a newer, kinder future instead.

This newfound camaraderie was inevitably interrupted however as one hotel staff member came up to Greg with a silver platter, offering it out to him. "Le bill, sir."

As soon as Greg took the bill, he jolted, shocked by just how much of a hefty charge their one night stay had racked up. Of course, he now had more than enough to cover it, but that didn't make the high cost of the life of a nouveau riche any less startling. "Tailor made suits, those cost somethin'," he sang, frowning as he unfolded the lengthy bill to get a glimpse at its full scope. "Room with a view, those cost somethin'."

"Dancing with you…" Pearl interjected with a knowing, playful grin.

"Don't cost nothin'," Greg chimed in gladly, especially as the white Gem let out a small chuckle.

"Why'd we even come? We could have done this at home," she pointed out, eliciting a delighted laugh from Steven as he came over to join them. In fact, that delight continued as they returned up to the penthouse to pack their things, their expensive vacation having come to an end before anymore money could be poured into it. And yet, for relieved as Steven was by the newly cleared air between Pearl and Greg, he quickly realized upon meeting up with Dipper and Mabel again that they hadn't shared the same sort of success when it came to Stan and Ford.

In fact, if anything, all four of the Pines seemed quite forlorn as they prepared to head home, expressions equally downcast and words sparse as they all made the trip back down to the lobby. And as he took stock of this, Steven's own smile couldn't help but fade as well, even if things between Pearl and Greg were still every bit as bright as he had wanted them to be.

"Singing a song, don't cost nothin'," Pearl sang as she helped the former rock star pack up the van. "O-or was it, palling around, don't cost nothin'? Getting it wrong…"

"Don't cost nothing!" Greg cut in with an amused chuckle.

"I tried," the white Gem shrugged.

"I'm surprised you remembered any of it," the former rock star pointed out, still laughing.

"What can I say? Its catchy."

With their time in Emerald City coming to a close, everyone climbed into the van, Pearl and Greg taking the front as they kept each other entertained with reminiscent conversation-most of it focusing on fond memories of Rose-as they began the long trek home. Stan and Ford sat as far apart as they possibly could behind them, arms crossed and moods sour as they both tried to go to sleep to avoid any sort of further interaction. And then, in the back, sat Steven, wedged worriedly between Dipper and Mabel, who, much like their uncles, seemed uneasy at the very thought of so much as even looking at each other, much to the young Gem's confusion.

Steven hadn't the faintest idea as to what had transpired between the twins while he was gone, and at this point, he wasn't sure if he even wanted to ask. And yet, his unspoken question soon got something of an answer in the form of a morose, quiet, yet unwitting duet between the two, one that Steven listened in on with growing concern all the while.

"Tried so hard to fix it all, to let it grow…" Mabel started, her usual cheery tune currently anything but.

"From the ground up, but it wound up that now we know…" Dipper continued with a sigh, staring out the window as the cityscape passed them by.

"Life's too short…" the twins sang together softly, almost mournfully over an agonizing truth they'd never once considered before. And in the process of discovering it, indeed they were a bit wiser, though certainly much more sadder for it.

"To see there's much more out there," Dipper kept his sights on the window as Mabel slowly, fretfully spared a discreet glance past Steven over at him.

"To see that you don't care…" she lamented, fighting back tears.

"Was it them who were wrong?" they both sang, looking toward their uncles sitting in front of them. "Or was it us all along?"

"I wish I saw things clearly," Dipper closed his eyes, shaking his head in gentle frustration.

"I guess I'm not the sort…" Mabel faltered, barely letting a small sob choke out.

"Now all we know as life's too short…"

Silence filled in between the twins at this, striking Steven the hardest as he sat in the middle of it all. While he still didn't know what had really happened, he could tell that whatever had managed to harm them both. That it had broken something between them, even if there was no real telling what.

Which was why the most the young Gem could hope to do was to repair that break before it inevitably ended up tearing two of his closest friends apart.

"But… it's… not over, isn't it?" he sang to himself, echoing Pearl's own song with the same sort of woe and regret the white Gem herself had sang it with.

"It's not over, isn't it?" he sang, even as they left Emerald City and everything that had happened there behind. Or at least, that's all he could do to hope, even as he realized it wasn't true. For as one problem had indeed been solved on this trip, it was all too clear that an entirely new one was only just beginning in its place.

"It's over… isn't it?"

Next:

[our-smooty]

Flowerbeds and Fertile Soil: Chapter 2

Fandom: Good Omens Rating: Explicit

Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens, )Anathema Device/Newton Pulsifer

Tags:  Kidfic, Mpreg kind of, they can choose to present however so idk, Crowley Has A Vulva (Good Omens), Crowley Has A Penis (Good Omens), Aziraphale Has A Penis (Good Omens), Aziraphale Has A Vulva (Good Omens), OCs Galor, parenting, using your snake form to avoid confrontation, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Pregnancy, if I missed a tag lemme know

Summary: They could do anything, go anywhere, all without the worry of Above or Bellow making a fuss. Even so, they mostly kept to their little patch of Eden, their cottage and garden and the simple life they’d carved out among the locals. Aziraphale opened a book shop in town, where he only occasionally sold any books (and the ones he did sell, were all modern and stocked specifically for that purpose). Crowley focused his attentions on the garden, and if he occasionally helped their elderly neighbour with her disobedient willow tree, then that was a secret no one needed to know. Lately, however, they had both been feeling rather restless, unbeknownst to each other. Aziraphale tried reorganizing his store, changing the way he tied his bowtie and even ate pizza –something he considered to be far too messy for him personally. Crowley had branched out into birdwatching, and then car maintenance (the human way), and even reading. Nothing scratched the itch for either of them.

Ao3 Link

My Ko-Fi

“Oh Crowley,” the angel moaned right in his ear, breath hot and damp and making the baby hairs near his temple stick down. Crowley was pressed into the bed below Aziraphale, the entirety of his back in contact with glorious, soft skin. The hot hardness of Aziraphale’s cock inside him, splitting him open and really making him feel it. “So good, love, so good for me.”

“Aziraphale,” Crowley moaned into the pillows, canting his hips back, trying to get more of the angel inside him. Aziraphale’s cock was thick and long, hitting all those perfect spots inside. “Aziraphale yes.”

“I’m not going to last dear.” Crowley shuddered and thrust his hips again, trying to force Aziraphale to move. It worked and the angel began pulling back, then thrusting in at a slow, indulgent pace. “You’re so wet for me, so soft.”

“For you, angel, for you--!” And it was true, Crowley had never felt this way with anyone else. He’d had many human partners over the years, some he’d even sort of cared for, but none of them could compare to what he felt for Aziraphale. His love for the angel was a white-hot, burning thing that ate up anything in it's wake. “Take me, take me, take me.”

"I will,” Aziraphale answered darkly, keeping the slow speed but pushing in harder and there--! “I’m going to take everything you can give me Crowley, and then I’m going to give it all back.”

That was a very Aziraphale way of saying he was going to cum inside the demon, filling him up in that way Crowley craved from time to time. Tonight he’d practically begged for it, rutted into Aziraphale’s lap as he read until the angel noticed the dampness seeping from Crowley’s sex onto their trousers. Crowley hadn’t outright said anything, but Aziraphale always seemed to just know what he needed.

“Oh please angel, do it, do it!” Crowley was mindless with pleasure, clawing at the bed and howling as each thrust pummeled his g-spot. His clit barely brushed the bedsheets on the downswing but it didn’t matter, he was going to cum no matter what. Even though he’d already come twice with Aziraphale eating him out and once from his fingers. Whenever Aziraphale took it upon himself to spoil Crowley he always did a very thorough job.

Aziraphale removed his hands from where they’d been pinning Crowley’s arms to the bed to ghost over his hips. One of them cupped the demon’s lower belly, pressing and kneading at the flesh there. Crowley moaned at the added pressure. Though it really shouldn’t have, it shot a bolt of lust through him. There was something about the protectiveness and maybe the possessiveness of the action that made things that much more intense. 

“Built to take me--oh Crowley good Lord you wicked, lovely thing!” Aziraphale was babbling but Crowley didn’t care. He liked hearing Aziraphale’s voice, and he especially liked hearing Aziraphale’s voice say those things. There was a gathering heat in his belly, right under the angel’s hands and he began whining, high pitch and needy.

All of a sudden the only thing he could think about was how it would feel when Aziraphale came inside him. How wet he’d be, the noises, the sticky-satisfied feeling he’d leave behind. How Aziraphale would, possibly, beg to eat him out afterward. What would happen if Crowley, for just one brief second, gave in and tweaked his anatomy, switched a few things on. The mere idea of having something of Aziraphale and him inside him, some proof of their love and their devotion to each other, was enough to make him clench down subconsciously. 

“O-oh Crowley!” Aziraphale stammered his cock thickening and then spilling honestly excessive amounts of cum inside him. Between the pressure of the angel’s hand on his belly and the swelling of the cock inside Crowley felt so full, so full--he couldn’t help but come, convulsing against the sheets with a strangled, low moan. 

The moments between when they came and when Aziraphale pulled out were nothing but warm, contented bliss for Crowley. He couldn’t have cared less about what was going on around him; his mind was stuck somewhere in that gentle, soft place created by the bed and Aziraphale’s weight on his back. He’d been right, things felt downright soaked down there, and the stickiness was more than a little unpleasant. It was worth it though, for a sense of pure satisfaction he felt. Behind him, Aziraphale was nuzzling against his spine, staying as close as possible. 

“Crowley?” the angel hummed, voice sleepy and sated. Crowley wiggled happily, grinding his arse back against the soft cock still pinned there. 

“M’good angel, s’good,” he slurred. There was cum leaking out of him and onto the bedsheets. He reached down to stick a few fingers inside, keeping it there for a little while longer. “Why’d you pull out?”

“I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable, darling,” Aziraphale answered. “Normally you’re so sensitive after.” 

“I am sensitive, that’s what makes it good,” Crowley laughed, shuddering as Aziraphale ghosted his hands over his hips and arse. They could go again, of course they could they weren’t actually human. They could fuck as many times as they wanted in a row without the need to stop and rest if they so chose. It just happened both of them both chose to let themselves be a little more human than the average demon or angle. Eventually, Crowley removed his fingers from his cunt and Aziraphale rolled onto his side, pulling Crowley along with him so they were spooning. 

“Are you tired?” Crowley asked. Sometimes Aziraphale didn’t feel like sleeping, though he did so much more often now that they lived together. Crowley still preferred to sleep on a regular schedule, however, so he always asked before passing out and trapping the angel. 

“Very, you wore me out thoroughly, Crowley,” Aziraphale murmured into Crowley’s hair. It’d come free of the braid the demon normally kept it in and fell in sweaty hanks around his shoulders. Between that and the drying cum between his legs, Crowley was beginning to feel uncomfortable, so with a snap, they were both clean and the bed linens were fresh. 

“Good, wanna sleep with you.” He was already drifting off when he felt Aziraphale shifting behind him, running soft hands up and down his sides. Usually, when they were about to sleep, Aziraphale would go still and silent. Even after 10 years of sporadic sleeping, it didn’t come naturally. But now he was moving, keeping Crowley awake with his constant petting.

“I wanted to ask if you’ve given any more thought to that… thing we talked about a few days ago?” Aziraphale’s voice was still quiet, but much less sleepy than Crowley’s own. 

“What thing?” He was more interested in getting reacquainted with their comfy pillow and sheet set than doing much thinking. The 1000 thread-count sheets had been one of his choices since Aziraphale knew nothing about fabrics outside of his clothes. The colour had been a compromise, a nice earthy green that they could both agree on (though Aziraphale had fought long and hard for tartan, Crowley stood his ground). 

“The, well, the baby thing?”

For a few moments, Crowley could only think about the strange thoughts that had taken over him right as they both climaxed. They’d been nice thoughts, little fantasies he’d planned on keeping to himself. But they were fantasies and he knew that. Apparently the angel couldn’t understand that. 

“Told you no, thought I made that clear,” he said, sobering some and shaking off the afterglow. His desire to snuggle further into the pillows and sheets was immediately crushed; all he could think about was getting away from this conversation. “You said you wouldn’t keep going on about it.”

“But you want the same as me, Crowley, I can feel it!” So much for sleeping in his nice comfy bed. Crowley slithered out from under Aziraphale’s arm and to the edge of the bed. Sure, Azirahale could feel things in the way that angels and demons could feel lots of things others were experiencing, but it was all up to interpretation. Crowley wanted, yes he wanted, but there was a difference between wanting and getting that his angel didn’t seem to understand. “It’s not like you to be scared like this! Id we could just talk--”

“Shut, up!” Crowley seethed, willing his legs not the shake as he left the bed in search of his trousers. Surely there was a bar open somewhere where he could drink himself silly and no one would try and talk to him. Or maybe he could take the Bently out for a drive, burn off all this extra feeling on a long country road.

“I don’t even think this is about Heaven and Hell!” Aziraphale shouted from where he sat on the bed, arms crossed and face ruddy. “Crowley I see how you look at the girls, how you never want to leave after our meetings with them. And I’ve seen you for 6000 years being especially kind of children. I can sense love and you love children. I’ve never known you to let Above or Below stop you from getting something you want. Why now, that we’re finally free to--”

“We are a demon and an angel! Can you even imagine the things Heaven and Hell would do to get their hands on our children? You remember what they did to the Nephilim, yes? How they were destroyed, or turned into monsters haunting the lowest pits of Hell? N-now think, just God-damned think Aziraphale, if that was our kid! I couldn’t live with myself if that happened, or if they came out all wrong because of what I am, or--”

“Because of what you are?” Aziraphale interrupted brown furrowing. “Crowley is this about you being a demon?”

“Of course it’s about me being a demon! We don’t even know if an angel and a demon can… and if we can if the demon bits will work with the angel bits or if they’ll just ruin everything. Oh Somebody what if they turned out s-sick or s-something, because of--” He hadn’t even considered the fact that him being a demon could taint the kid. Or maybe he had, but he hadn’t thought about it because kids could not happen. And if they didn’t happen, he didn’t have to think about how his Fall was still torturing him over 6000 years later. 

“Crowley!” Aziraphale called, getting out of the bed and rushing over to where Crowley had stopped dead in the middle of the room. “Crowley dear calm down!”

“Don’t tell me to bloody calm down! I told you to drop it! And you won’t stop asking! It can’t happen!” He was getting hysterical now. Hadn’t they been over this before? Why did Aziraphale have to keep dragging everything back up? Rubbing what they couldn’t have in his face over and over. There were tears at the corners of his eyes and he wasn’t sure if they were from anger or frustration. Aziraphale stood a few feet away hovering guilty.

“It’s not fair!” Crowley bemoaned through clenched teeth. That was the core of it, wasn’t it? That they could have anything they wanted not, except for this. Because he’d asked questions, stupid questions 6000 years ago. The regret was strong enough to make him gag a little. “If I h-hadn’t Fallen, we could h-have--” 

“Crowley, Crowley, Crowley,” Aziraphale said breathlessly. “I didn’t realize--I’m sorry.” Aziraphale was often a little tone-deaf to situations like that, but he usually knew not to push once Crowley said no. Stupid, headstrong angel, who was moving too fast now?

“I told you we can’t, you said you’d drop it but you aren’t.” He took a deep breath before turning away from the angel to look for his shirt. “You aren’t fucking listening to me, I said we can’t! I can’t! And you going on and on about it isn’t going to change that!”

Aziraphale watched him get dressed silently. It was unusual for the angel to have nothing to say, but then again it was also unusual for Crowley to get this upset. Crowley rarely raised his voice, not in anger at least, and never towards Aziraphale. The fact that he’d gotten close made it abundantly clear that unless one of them backed off, this fight was going to cause some serious damage.

“I think I’m gonna go back to my flat for a while, cool off.” It nearly physically hurt him to say, but it was necessary. If Crowley didn’t put some distance between them now he knew from experience that one of them would say something truly hurtful. But even if it was for the best, it was still extremely difficult.

“O-oh,” Aziraphale whispered, hie eyes immediately beginning to shimmer with unshed tears. Crowley had kept flat for instances like this, where one or both of them needed time to themselves. He hadn’t had to use it very often in the last decade, but there were occasions where one of them felt strongly about something, and the other disagreed, so it had come in handy. The transition from hereditary enemies to lovers wasn’t always as smooth as expected. 

“I’ll be back in a few days, call if you need anything.” Of course he’d answer if Aziraphale needed anything, he wasn’t that mad. The angel wiped at his eyes and nodded glumly. It was a sorry sight, and enough to make Crowley soften a little. “Two days, OK? Just give me some time.”

Aziraphale looked up and offered a sheepish look. “Yes, OK. I’m sorry dearest.” Suddenly he seemed to remember he was completely naked and snapped his fingers so a soft, taupe robe fell around his form. “If you could let me know you’re alright… I would appreciate it.”

Crowley sighed again then snapped his own fingers so he was wearing a full outfit. It was late outside, and getting colder, so he added a jacket and scarf before turning to leave. “I’ll text you, angel. Get some sleep.”

The Bently was, of course, waiting for him in the driveway where he’d left it after running out to pick up lunch. Crowley stalked over to it and flung himself into the drivers seat. Right before he pulled out he saw a swish of the curtains to their bedroom window, then a shock of light hair. It really was hard to stay mad at the angel. But if 10 years of cohabitation and 6000 years of waiting had taught him anything, it was that boundaries were important. And Aziraphale had stamped all over his.

[longtimereaderfirsttimewriter]

Reverse Circumstances

The Royal Romance AU. Jenna is mine, all other characters belong to PB.

Thank you to all who reacted so kindly to my prologue. I’ve decided to continue this story and see where it goes. The first couple of chapters came pretty quickly but I’m realizing now how much goes into writing character arcs, subplots, and the like. I’m going to keep plugging along - we’ll see where I end up!

Chapter One

Six months earlier

“Oh my God, Max!! We’re in New York!!! I’m so exciiiiiiited!!”

“O! M! G! Jenna!!! This is just the beginning.” Maxwell’s squeals were almost as high-pitched as Jenna’s.

“OMG,” Drake mocked, lagging behind as they walked towards baggage claim. “This is just the airport. We’ve been to hundreds.”

“Stop being such a grump,” Jenna scolded. “You’re half-American, isn’t it exciting to be on your home soil?”

“I’m not on my home soil yet, Crawford. I’m in an airport. And my actual home is halfway across the country.” Drake had been to visit his mother at the family ranch in Texas only once after his father’s passing. The entire Walker family used to spend vacations there, but that was another time.

“Do you miss Texas, Drake,” Hana asked. Drake looked at her with a snarky comment on the tip of his tongue, but he decided to keep it there. Hana was Jenna’s best friend and a sweet girl. Jenna was Drake’s closest friend, and anyone who cared about her like he did ranked high in his book. As long as they were a female. Or Maxwell.

“Sometimes.” Drake sighed. “It’s been so long since I’ve been there, it’s hard to miss a place I can just barely remember. I miss the great times we had there though.”

Jenna held back until Drake caught up with her. Before he could process what was happening, Jenna had Drake engulfed in one of her trademark hugs. “Her hugs should be bottled up and sold worldwide,” Drake thought. They had the power to heal anything that ailed you. These days he looked forward to receiving a hug from Jenna they way a dying man might look for water. Or the way a grumpy Drake might look for whiskey.

As if reading his thoughts, Jenna gave Drake a final squeeze and declared it was time to find a bar. “Drake needs whiskey, STAT,” she declared.

“I know just the place,” Maxwell boasted. “My cousin is a bartender at a place not too far from our hotel. I promised we’d try to meet up with him while we’re here!”

“I don’t know that my life can handle any more Beaumonts,” Drake chuckled, “but if whiskey is involved, I guess I can make the sacrifice.” Jenna wrapped her arm around Drakes and they walked to the baggage carousel together.

The trip to New York was meant to be one last adventure before the social season began. The Royal Cordonian Social Season a biannual even that Drake dreaded. It was a marathon of traditional events and visits to several of Cordonia’s most important towns and cities. Traveling with a dozen or so nobles, each one phonier than the next, was not high on Drake’s list of things to do. But since Jenna had returned from college, and Drake realized that his feelings towards her were changing, he decided to make the sacrifice and tag along.

He was particularly dreading this season as it was specifically designed to find Jenna a “proper” match. She’d be courted by nobles from around the region, and would have to choose one as her husband and future king. Before he was properly able to wrap his head around the feelings he had for Jenna, Drake was going to lose her.

Jenna had begged her father, a man known to capitulate to most, if not all, of Jenna’s requests, to allow her to take this vacation to New York as a “regular” girl, not a princess. After making sure she received some self-defense training from Bastien, Constantine allowed Jenna to travel incognito — as long as Drake went along. Drake put on his best “why me?” face, and agreed to go with Jenna, Hana, and Maxwell. In truth, he was almost as excited about the trip as Jenna.

Now safely in New York, the group gathered their luggage and made their way to the street outside. Jenna let out a piercing whistle and flagged down a taxi. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” she shouted gleefully.

Drake couldn’t help but laugh as he slid into the cab next to Jenna. “Jeez Crawford, I think maybe you’ve watched too much Sex and the City,” he joked.

“I don’t want to know how you know about Sex and the City, Drake!!” Hana’s laugh came as close to unladylike as Hana could get.

“I made him binge it with me when I had the flu last year,” Jenna laughed. “Two episodes and he was hooked!” Hana laughed harder as a blush crept its way across Drake’s face.

“Whatever, a bunch of hot women having sex and drinking booze,” Drake countered. “What’s not to love?” He winked at Jenna. She blushed in response and once again wrapped her arms around his. “God, I love it when she blushes,” Drake thought. He immediately cursed himself. “This is Crawford. She’s like my sister. I’m not attracted to her... except when she blushes. Smiles. Laughs. When she’s frustrated as hell and gets that little crease in her forehead.... No, dammit dude. You’re her friend. She trusts you. And in just a few days she becomes top prize to a crop of horny nobles.”

Drake attempted to push any feelings he thought he might be feeling deep down where even he wouldn’t see them. “She’s not mine,” he lamented to herself. “And she never will be.”

The quartet dropped their bags at their hotel, then took an Uber to the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.

“Maxwell, tell me about this cousin of yours,” Hana asked. “Oh, he’s the coolest, Hana!,” Maxwell responded. Drake chuckled internally, thinking that no Beaumont could ever be deemed “cool.”

Maxwell continued, “He’s smart as heck. He went to Princeton and graduated top of his class. He’s working as a bartender because he’s trying to write a book.”

“How interesting,” Jenna commented. “Does he look like you or Bertrand?”

“No, nothing like us. He’s my mom’s half-sister’s son, so he doesn’t really share any of the famous Beaumont genes,” Max said.

“Lucky guy,” Drake laughed. “Laugh it up, Mr. Grump,” Jenna chided. “He sounds like a nice guy and he’s Max’s cousin. Be polite before I tell everyone about how you cried when Carrie and Big broke up!”

Drake sunk into his seat while Max and Hana howled in the middle seat. “I TOLD you, Crawford, there was something in my eye!”

“It’s OK buddy,” Maxwell said, trying to stifle his laughter. “We all know you have a soft spot in there somewhere!”

“Whatever, looks like we’re here, anyway. Let’s go meet this cousin of yours Maxwell,” grumbled Drake.

“That’s my Marshmallow,” Jenna cooed as she squeezed him tighter.

As they made their way out of the car and into the bar, Drake couldn’t help but smile. A warmth that he had once only associated with whisky spread through him. It wasn’t the booze this time, though. It was the girl. Before Drake could process how that made him feel, they were inside and Maxwell was hugging a man... a tall, blonde, muscular man who seemed to only have eyes for... Jenna.

Maxwell turned back to his friends and declared, unnecessarily, “Jenna, gang, this is Liam!”

Well crap.

@drakeandcamilleofvaltoria

[givedeanhisangel]

Was tagged by @supernaturaldevoted thank you!

1. When did you start watching Supernatural?

December 2017. It was an accident, I swear. I used to be really into Overwatch (before uni took over my gaming life (I dont play anymore)) and I came across this post. At first I thought it was like Dr. Who or something, I didn't know. So I reverse image searched it on Google, and found Supernatural. I found out it was on Netflix, and watched the pilot. I was scared, but didn't think it was anything special. But then Jess burned. And then at Sam's "we have work to do" line, I was sold.

(And then I sat through 7 seasons trying to spot the scene that was in the gif that started it all.)

2. Who is your favorite in TFW?

Castiel, easily. That isn't to say I dont like Sam and Dean though. I love all of them. All of them. I just have a preference for Cas

3. Who is your least favorite in TFW?

Stop.

4. Tag your top 5 Supernatural blogs.

@aloha-cowgirl @malevolent-dean @alexander8calvert @bisexualdemondean @dimples-of-discontent

5. Who is your favorite character (not including TFW)?

I lump Gabriel into tfw 2.0, so i'm gonna go with Garth

6. Who is your favorite woman in Supernatural?

Claire. I love Claire so much, but i'm probably biased b/c I'm a huge Kathryn Newton fan.

7. John or Mary?

Uhhh I loved Matt Cohen's Michael!John, but I've had more time to love Mary

8. What were your first opinions of Sam, Dean, Cas, and Jack?

Sam: I was genuinely worried about him not making it back to his interview on time. I just wanted him to be alright.

Dean: I wanted him to be my older brother ngl. He just cares so much, and I loved that about him.

Cas: "Holy shit that's Castiel. Oh my god that's his voice?" (I thought he would lose the voice and the trench coat over time. He did neither.)

Jack: I just wanted him to be good so bad. I was so relieved when he turned out to be an actual bean.

9. What’s your favorite season?

Season 12, probably. I didn't like the whole BMOL thing, but 12 has a ton of my favorite episodes (Stuck in the Middle (With You), Lily Sunder has Some Regrets, Baby, All Along the Watchtower)

10. What’s your least favorite season?

Season 7. There's just... not a lot there? Leviathan weren't as big of a threat as I thought, and there was a substantial lack of Cas.

11. Opinions on Destiel?

Oh god, it's taken over my life. I love it, I really do, because you know what? It's so goddamn sweet, and soft, and romantic, but at the same time it's tough, it's gritty, and it's just two guys trying their best under almost impossible circumstances. And at the end of the day, when the world is safe, they deserve each other. They've earned some semblance of peace, which they can find in each other. No one understands Castiel like Dean does and vice versa. They're a match made in hell and they're perfect for one another. I just want them to be happy

12. Do you believe Supernatural queerbaits?

Well, to some extent yes, but not on purpose.

13. Seasons 1-7 or 8-14?

8-14. Maybe it's because there's more Cas, or maybe it's the character development. Maybe it's just personal preference.

14. Favorite villain (plot wise)?

Lucifer from s4-5. In case any of you didn't know, I used to adore Lucifer when I first watched the show. He was my favorite character when I was watching seasons 4-5, (like almost toppled Cas for 1st place favorite). I really liked Lucifer. When they brought him back officially in season 11 I was ecstatic. Then they kept him in 12, but his personality wasn't the same. Then 13. It just really ruined the character for me, and I wish they just let him get his closure in 11 before ending his storyline completely. But no. They just. Kept. Bringing. Him. Back. And now he's like a whole different character entirely. I hate it. I miss old Lucifer :( Sorry for the rant

15. Do you think they should end the Lucifer plot line?

Lucifer is dead, so technically it's already over. But I would be really upset if they brought him back if that answers that question.

16. Who do you think has gone through more trauma (Sam, Dean, or Cas)?

It's not a contest.

17. What’s your favorite Supernatural episode?

It's a tie between Stuck in the Middle (With You) (12x12) and Lazarus Rising (4x01)

18. Do you like case episodes?

Yes. It reminds me of Old Supernatural, and it's just nice to see the boys helping people no matter what. End of the world be damned that lady has a poltergeist and hell, if they aren't gonna help her who will?

19. Who do you relate most to in TFW?

Dean. I dont know if it's the music, the cars, billiards, humor, cowboy obsession, or being a closeted bisexual, but we've got a lot in common.

20. Why do you like Supernatural?

It's such a unique show. When I first joined the fandom, and I saw the tag SPN family, I was like haha sure. But once I got involved, holy hell. Absolutely no fandom is like the Supernatural fandom. Yes we may have our differences in opinions, ships, characters, but everyone here loves this show. And I love everyone here. It really does feel like a family. This is kind of the same reason I adore the show. The theme of found family, and the way that Team Free Will will always find a better way because that's what they do. I love this fucking show and I love this fandom. Thank you

21. If you could bring back one character and kill off another who would they be?

G o o d b y e  N i c k. I would like one (1) Gabriel back please

Tagging @aloha-cowgirl @malevolent-dean @moosesquirrelandwings @cas-you-assbutt-dean-needs-you @trenchcoatsandfreckles and whoever else wants to play

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Norwegian elkhound rejected by Sun Myung Moon

an extract from the book, Heavenly Deception by Chris Elkins (1980)

Chris Elkins joined in Tucson in June 1973. He left to think about things on January 5, 1976. He spoke at the Fraser House Subcommittee on September 27, 1976.

___________________________________

Chapter 13

January 1975. Washington/New York

During my months in Washington I hadn’t much time to think. The schedule was as hectic as ever, and I was realizing that this was the course of life in the Unification Church, whether one sold candles or “influence.” There was always something urgent to be done, and it was strongly communicated that individual effort, or rather, lack of it, could be the hand of Satan sabotaging the movement’s divine mission.

By now I was living on Military Road in northwest Washington, and I was managing the staff of the Ginseng Teahouse. I had been transferred away from the Freedom Leadership Foundation because of a conflict with one person there, and I had desired to move on because of personal doubts concerning the direction of the political wing of the movement after Nixon’s resignation. I had been sent to work in some congressional campaigns for a while, and I had participated in Moon’s Madison Square Garden Rally on September 18, 1974.

Now I was enjoying the work at the teahouse. It was a new venture of the Unification Church and everyone had hopes that it would turn into a chain restaurant operation. We served Moon’s ginseng tea, the Il-Hwa brand, and we prepared health food lunches. We had a staff of twelve but hired some waitresses from outside in hopes of winning them to the movement.

I kept busy, but not quite as busy as I had been at FLF. Certain doubts crept into my head, especially about Moon. At times, the only thing which confirmed my faith in the Unification Church was the conviction that there were no other alternatives—my parents hadn’t trusted in me, I felt, and the church Christianity that I had known before wasn’t a Christianity of commitment and action as this was. And it certainly didn’t manifest the sort of love that I experienced with my Moonie brothers and sisters.

I learned that other Moonie friends had doubts too, but that they were stronger than I because they had spent more time studying the Divine Principle. They had moved up in the Church more slowly than I had. Moon had captured my heart and will, but it seemed that his grasp on my mind was not quite so firm.

Once I was sent on an errand that challenged my feelings about Moon and the Church. I was called out in the middle of the night to buy a birthday present for one of Moon’s children. At first I thought it was a joke. But as it was explained to me, I realized that this was a serious and important project.

Keith, an administrative aide, was telling me, “We know that Father has been wanting to get the children a dog and is really fond of Norwegian elkhounds. Since they are rare and extremely expensive we feel that the best bet of finding one fast will be in New York City.”

I still did not see how this all tied in with me. Why not get someone in New York to get the dog and take it out to Moon?

Neil Salonen explained, “We need someone to do the job quickly and efficiently. If the gift arrives after noon, it will seem as if we have forgotten the birthday. Since I can depend on you to do a job well, I want you to fly to New York on the next available flight and find an elkhound.”

Then, half jokingly and half seriously, he said, “And who could better find a good elkhound than someone named Elkins?”

I dutifully chuckled at the humor, but I knew that he was serious. “Sure,” I said, “I’ll be on the next plane.” Paul, the Unification Church treasurer, handed me an envelope with several fifty dollar bills in it and asked me to turn in all of the receipts.

On the way back to the Center, I heard a voice behind me.

“Excuse me, sir.”

I wheeled around to find a clean-cut young man with a bucket of carnations under his arm. I knew that he was one of our fund raisers on a mobile team, but catching me off guard the way he did gave him the opportunity to continue his sale before I could say anything.

“I am working with an interdenominational youth group raising money for missions,” he continued.

I decided to play along. “Oh,” I said. “And what is the money used for?”

“We’re using it to help kids on drugs and to start mission work around the world to help people,” he enthusiastically told me. I had to work at keeping a straight face. This was the first time I had ever been on the receiving end of a fund raiser.

Coyly I asked, “Is this connected with Reverend Moon in any way?” I knew that that was the hardest question to answer. To say yes would kill the sale, to say no would be a lie too easy to be caught in.

“We support many churches,” he said. “We just want to share God’s love with everyone.”

“And all of this money is used for mission work?” I asked, knowing what he would say.

“Yes, sir!” he said, almost straightening up to attention.

“You do an excellent job at fund raising,” I replied. A bewildered look formed on his face. I laughed. “I, too, am a Family member,” I said. “If I hadn’t been, you would have had me sold.”

As we bid each other good-bye I almost told him about the mission I was being sent on. I am sure that he had no idea that the several hundred dollars that he worked eighteen hours a day, seven days a week to earn would be spent on a dog for Moon. Although he would not have questioned the expenditure openly, in his mind it would have indeed raised doubts. I chose to let him remain naive.

Once in New York, I quickly started phoning. Elkhounds were hard to find and soon I realized that I would not be able to get the dog to Moon by the middle of the day. But I continued, knowing that Salonen would want a gift to get there no matter how late.

I finally found a dog in Greenwich Village at a rather posh pet shop. Filling out the papers, I had to disclose to the clerk who would own the pet.

“The name of the owner?” the clerk asked me.

I paused for a second and obviously was hesitant about saying it. Suddenly everyone around seemed to be listening. “Let me spell it for you,” I said. “S-u-n M-y-u-n-g M-o-o-n.”

I could feel the atmosphere grow thick. Although the clerk did not say anything at first, she looked as if she had become frozen.

She looked up and said, “Is this who I think it is?”

“I don’t know,” I answered. “Who do you think it is?”

“The guy with the posters up all over the city. The Korean guru,” she said.

“Well, yes and no. He is the guy with posters up everywhere, but he is not a guru.”

“Do you believe in him?” she asked. By this time a small crowd had gathered around me.

That question always sent me into a tailspin. I knew deep down that I still had major doubts, yet after being in for several months I had an obligation to answer yes.

“That’s a long story,” I said, trying to evade the question. “I am a member of the Unification Church, which is a Moon organization.” A lady standing nearby asked, “Well, don’t all of you believe that he is the messiah—the return of Christ?”

I found myself automatically giving the answer I had been trained to say. “We believe that he is perhaps a prophet, much like a John the Baptist figure, preparing the way for Christ’s return.”

“That’s not what I have read,” she said.

“Do you believe everything you read?” I asked.

“Of course not,” she said, trapping herself.

“Then, I suggest if you want to know who Moon is and what we believe, that you come see for yourself.” Obviously this frustrated her.

“Well,” she said in a last ditch effort, “I believe in the Bible.” “Good,” I said, “so do I. And in it you will find instructions to judge a tree by its fruit.”

By this time she was flustered, and rather than argue any further she simply turned and walked away. Although visibly I had won the encounter, I felt inside that I had been deceptive, and it disturbed me.

By the time I got the dog it was two o’clock. I rented a car and immediately left for East Garden, the estate where Moon lived in Irvington, New York. If I made good time, I would be there by three.

Once I arrived, the guards at the gate were hesitant to let me in. They had not been informed to expect me, and until someone from the main house gave clearance I wouldn’t get further than the gate. The security around Moon was always tight.

Daikon, Moon’s driver, was at the main house, and when told of the purpose of my visit he gave permission for me to come in. By the time I reached the front drive, Daikon was there to meet me.

He was a very pleasant man, quite trusted, and extremely close to Moon. “Hello,” he said, making his l’s sound like r’s. “You have gift for Hye-Jin?’

“Yes,” I said gleefully. “We have a Norwegian elkhound puppy for her from the American Church. May I present it to Father?’

“I think maybe not,” he said in his Oriental English. “Father expect gift this morning. Maybe I should take to him.” At that he disappeared into the house for what seemed to be hours.

When he returned, he still had the puppy in his hands and motioned for me to walk with him over to the garage. Daikon was in charge of Moon’s cars and he slept in a small apartment above the garage. Upon entering the garage, I noticed the limousine and the Mercedes Benz. Daikon told me that Moon had a sports car too, which was being repaired.

He put the puppy down and said, “Father would not receive puppy. But, I keep him here and soon Father will love him.”

The puppy playfully ran around the garage while Daikon and I talked. The more I considered the situation, the angrier I became. I had spent most of the night and all that day finding that dog. Besides spending a fortune on it, my airplane ticket and car rental had made the venture quite expensive. And for him not to receive me and then to reject the gift only further increased the growing conflicts in my mind.

“We’ll need at least fifteen San Juaquins and probably ten Poconos,” I said, referring to our teahouse sandwiches. We spent most evenings preparing the food for the next day. While talking in the kitchen, I heard the jingle of the bell on the front door signaling that someone had come in. Assuming it was a customer thinking we were open, I walked toward the front of the restaurant to tell him we were closed.

To my surprise I found Randy Remmel, the choir director. “Randy!” I said as I ran to embrace him, “It’s so good to see you.” We laughed and talked for a few minutes and I asked him in for a cup of tea, which he gladly accepted.

We sat down in a quiet corner of the restaurant and began to talk. I was pretty much running the teahouse myself now and was worse for the wear. Often half of the staff would be called off on a special mission at the last minute and leave the rest of us to try to handle the situation. Many times we almost crumbled during the heavy lunch rushes. Keeping up the morale of the staff when I could hardly keep up my own morale was getting more difficult. Randy was a breath of fresh air for me, someone I could talk to.

Randy reached across the table, put his hand on my shoulder, and said, “How are you doing, Elk? I mean really deep inside, how are you doing?”

Randy had a way of reaching down inside me, going beyond the facade that I often put up for everyone else. Just calling me “Elk” made me comfortable with him and reminded me of our abiding trust in each other.

I opened my mouth to respond, but words did not come out. Suddenly my eyes were flooded with tears, and great sobs began to well up inside of me. For several minutes all I could do was cry. Randy sat there and soothed me and told me not to feel bad about crying and just to let it all out. He knew that I had been under a great deal of pressure.

Once I gained my composure I said, “Randy, I don’t know why that happened. I had everything under control until you asked about it. But, things are pretty rough. We are expected to make this restaurant an ideal business, yet I can never be sure from day to day if we will have enough people to run it. We are behind on our bills because we have been using Teahouse funds to support other church activities, and sometimes I feel the weight of all of this on my shoulders.”

Randy smiled sympathetically. “But you and I both know that that is not the biggest problem you have,” he said.

Knowing what he meant, yet afraid to admit it, I asked him, “What do you mean?”

“All of us are asked to do the work of a dozen people everyday in half the time, and unless we have absolute faith in the True Parents none of us will ever make it.”

“I know what you mean,” I said, looking down at the floor.

“Chris,” he said. “Don’t think that you are the only one having doubts. If we had all of us together at one time, over half of us would seriously doubt the validity of our actions. If we did not need each other so badly, many of us would leave.”

There was a long period of silence between us. Several times we had been interrupted by teahouse staffers asking me questions. Randy began to see how trapped I felt....

______________________________

Writings of former members Many recount their experiences in the Moon organization or their journeys out of it.

Sam Park reveals Moon’s hidden history (2014)

Nansook Hong In The Shadow Of The Moons

[passionate-baker]

24 Hours in Galway, Ireland

Hello friends, happy Sunday!

Today I’m taking the opportunity to share a little something I’ve been working on: 24 Hours in Galway. What I’ve created below is a small guide, retracing the steps my mum, my sister, & I took earlier this year. Together, the three of us traveled all the way to Galway for some quality bonding time, lots of fantastic food, and plenty of drinks to keep everyone cheery. Ain’t nothing wrong with treating ourselves every once in a while, right? 

And yes, before you ask - that is a real photo-bombing seagull up there. 

Below is roughly how our 24 hours in Galway panned out. The only moments of our trip that I’ve excluded are a) when we came back to take a long nap after pints & before dinner, b) when we had more drinks in our hotel room after our night cap, and c) when we had a pre-brunch breakfast in the hotel because it was included. I didn’t want you to judge our laziness or our gluttony, but I guess the cat’s out of the bag now!

Enjoy!

F R I D A Y

1 P M   :   C H E C K   I N

We wanted somewhere very central for our overnight stay, but also somewhere that didn’t cost us an arm & a leg. Enter: Harbour Hotel. Conveniently located on New Dock St, it’s a speedy 4 minute walk into the city centre - just far out enough that you can’t hear any drunken escapades from your window at night. We checked in early, refreshed ourselves after the long drive, dumped our bags, and set out for the remainder of the day. 

2:30 P M   :   C A F F E I N E   F I X

We were in serious need of a caffeine hit after having spent so long cooped up in the car. Everybody I talked to prior to our trip recommended the same place: Coffeewerk + Press. An adorably yellow building located bang smack in the centre of town. As if the exterior wasn’t cute enough, the inside space is very aesthetically pleasing! A bright & airy space, filled with quirky pieces of art and stunning lamps etc. Thankfully, the coffee was fantastically strong and one flat white fueled me through the remainder of the day. Time for food!

3:00 P M  :   F O O D   F O R   T H E   S O U L

The original plan had been to hit up the pizza bar at O’Connell’s, but that doesn’t open until 5pm on Fridays, and our grumbling stomachs couldn’t wait any longer. Mercifully, The Dough Bros - a casual pizza restaurant - is extremely close to O’Connell’s and opened at 12pm. We ordered a few glasses of wine and two pizzas to share: one Posh Pepperoni & one Hey Pesto, both of which were delicious. Thin crust pizza at its finest, enjoyed in a casual, chilled-out kind of atmosphere. 

4:00 P M   :   E X P L O R E 

As terrible as it sounds, we mostly trekked all the way to Galway to eat & drink, not to go sightseeing. That said, it would be sacrilegious to drive all the way to the other side of the country & not do a small bit of exploring; reluctantly, we dragged ourselves through the pouring rain to some main sights. Highlights include: the Spanish Arch, wandering out to get that view of the houses along the dock, Eyre Square, and the large street market. With that out of the way, it’s time for a well deserved reward...

4:30 P M   :    P I N T S

At last - beer! O’Connell’s Bar is probably the most well known in Galway, and for good reason: it’s fantastic. The bar has so much charm it would be impossible to disappoint even the fussiest of customers. We picked up our pints & walked through the labyrinth of small quirky rooms to the impressive beer garden beyond. Honestly, it’s unlike any beer garden I’ve visited before - the only resemblance coming to mind is how I imagine Diagon Alley from the Harry Potter books to look. Seated under the heated lamps, it was the absolute perfect place for a pint. Some of Ed Sheeran’s Galway Girl video was filmed in the bar, so clearly we aren’t the only ones who think it’s cool. 

7:30 P M    :   F I N E   D I N I N G   W I T H   O R G A N I C   W I N E S

As soon as I saw the website for Tartare Cafe + Wine Bar, I was sold. Think: small marble tabletops in a cozy-not-too-small room with exposed brick walls & lighting provided by small candles dotted around, but also from a large neon sign on the wall. An impressive menu in the style of Frenchie’s in Paris, filled with small (perhaps too small) sharing plates, accompanied only by organic/natural wines. We devoured: lamb with wild garlic pesto & kale / ham hock with cabbage & smoked potato foam (!) / mushrooms with sage & garlic / an Irish charcuterie & cheese board / and sourdough with fermented butter. The three of us fought over every single plate put in front of us - the quality of the food was impeccable. 

11 P M   :   N I G H T   C A P

In all honesty, we probably didn’t need a nightcap after all the lovely wine at Tartare... but what’s the point of staying in a hotel with a cute bar if you aren’t going to avail of it? Dillisk on the Docks was the perfect place for one last drink. We chose a cozy spot in the corner & ordered some cocktails: one espresso martini, one cucumber gin cocktail & one refreshing glass of frizzante. An excellent way to round off the night!

S A T U R D A Y

10:30 A M   :   B R U N C H 

After a few cups of coffee in the hotel, we ventured out for food, deciding to use brunch as a two-birds-with-one-stone kind of occasion. On our stroll down to the Spanish Arch the day before, we spotted The Kitchen Cafe inside the Galway City Museum. I have to say, the place is so lovely! An adorable room decorated with fairy lights and populated by a seemingly hipster staff. We tried the Bacon Bagel, the Eastern Eggs, and a large stack of their pancakes, all of which were delicious. Obviously, we also opted for a couple of bellinis to wash everything down. Added bonus: the museum the cafe is housed in is free to wander!

12:15 P M   :   C O F F E E ,  M O R E   P L E A S E

One last coffee before setting off on the road again. We passed Tribeton earlier in the day and were very intrigued by the unending stream of people going through the door, but also by the fact that there didn’t really seem to be anyone inside? We wandered in, followed a couple up a very large + very grand staircase, and came out into a spacious open plan restaurant buzzing with activity. Who knew!? We chose a good people watching spot, fueled up on a couple of flat whites, and were eventually ready to face the long drive back to Dublin. 

R E L A T E D   P O S T S

Bremen, Germany  //  Paris, France  //  Amsterdam, Holland   //  Copenhagen, Denmark  //  Cork, Ireland  //  Edinburgh, Scotland  //  Westport, Ireland  //  Barcelona, Spain  //  Munich, Germany  //  Vienna, Austria  //  London, UK i - ii - iii  //  Florence, Italy  //  Bologna, Italy

[serendipityseulgi]

soccer boy.

— lee jeno

･*:༅｡ the one where you fall for soccer player jeno.

aka, a really cute headcanon :)

so let’s make your best friend in this story our dearly beloved Mark Lee ™.

as your best friend he often tries to drag you to his soccer practices since soccer season has been coming up but you never rly got the chance to bc

p o i n t l e s s and b o r i n g

just kidding

you’ve just been super duper busy so you haven’t been able to attend

but AT LAST your schedule has finally freed and you get to see your bff in his element

so after school Mark’s dragging your arm onto the field and he’s all changed into his clothes and knee high socks with his new cleats that he made you buy with him

homeboi was so excited for soccer season

anywho

he’s dragging you on the field and all his teammates r giving him The Eyes ™ and the coach is all like

“Lee, is that ur girlfriend?”

and your eyes widened and he started fake gagging and you’re just about ready to scream

“EW NO WTF”

“no swearing, Lee.”

“sorry coach.”

but you’re literally retracting in disgust at the assumption bc

you love Mark more than anything yes, but he’s your bff and he’s just gross

anyways enough about Mark, let’s bring in Jeno.

so the moment you arrive on the field with Mark, Jeno instantly sees you

and he’s all **heart eyes**

he thinks you’re so pretty

and boom.

just like that,

he’s in love with you.

jk, not yet but he’s extremely interested in you and he's heard Mark talk about you a few times and from what he's gathered is that you’re super nice and smart and really funny and that you annoy Mark A LOT but that’s not important

so when Jeno sees you for the first time he literally loses his breath because what Mark failed to mention was that you were sO PRETTY

so you on the other hand are once again being dragged by Mark so he can introduce you to his teammates

you meet Jaemin and Donghyuck first, then Lucas, and a few other guys, but the last person you’re introduced to is Jeno

and when you meet Jeno

boom.

now YOU’RE the one in love.

and you notice his pretty eye smile, and his pretty face, and he has such a nice laugh

so there you go,

now you got a crush.

and if Mark finds out, then you’re in for hell of a shit show.

so you keep quiet and take a seat on the bleachers

now you promised Mark you’d come for him, which you did

but you couldn’t help but stare at Jeno

the whole time, might I add.

and you notice how .. freaking good he is??

see like i don’t know a lot about soccer but

this boy is scoring goals left and right

when he kicks the ball to pass it to another member it’s spot. on.

at a point he had to play in the position of the goalie and he managed to block every single damn goal???

HOW

you don't know

but what you do know is,

you're so impressed,, and it makes your heart go !!!!!

so about an hour and a half later the boys finish up and you go to meet Mark and he’s all like

“so how good was I doing?”

and you're all like “uhhhhh”

and he’s like

“you weren’t watching me were you.”

and you're like “I WAS AT FIRST.”

and he's not mad at all, because you've been to past practices before in the past many years you've been friends.

but he does question WHO you were watching because ..

if it wasn’t him then it was someone else on his team

you shrug it off and change subjects

but what you didn’t know what was that, while Jeno and Mark were taking breaks on the bench Jeno was asking so many questions about you

“Dude you didn’t tell me y/n was so pretty”

“Ew are you gross??”

“??”

“She's so ugly lmao.”

“Shut up she isn't.”

“Yikes.”

Mark is such a bitch but you know he's only teasing

anyways, he catches on to Jeno’s peaking interest in you

“You know, if you like her I can ask her about you.”

Jeno starts choking on his water as Mark starts patting his back.

“Wha- I don’t l-like her wha??t the ?? fuck ?? lmao stopnfnsns”

that’s enough indication that does in fact like you he's just too scared to admit it because he's only met you like .. half an hour ago and you guys talked for .. 30 seconds at most

anyways,

on the way home Mark starts asking you questions about Jeno and you're getting hecka nervous bc ???

he wasn't supposed to know so soon ??

“Mark why do you keep asking me about him, I met him like an hour ago.”

“I’m just wondering what your opinion is on the guy, am I not allowed to ask questions?”

“well for your information, you nosy fuck, he seems really sweet and he’s really cute.”

“ah, noted.”

“noted for what??”

“lmao did i say that out loud?? lol dwbi.”

so of course you started freaking out because Mark is about to expose your ass

“Mark don’t tell him oh my god, don’t ruin my life!!”

“RELAX. i’m not.”

and so to your better judgement you trust that your best friend will do as he says.

(( spoiler alert: he doesn't ))

so for the next few days you’re forced once again by Mark to attend soccer practices

in turn, Mark gasses you up to Jeno and he gasses Jeno up to you

to Jeno:

“so as much as i want y/n dead sometimes, she’s a really good best friend. she cooks for me, she takes care of me when i’m sick, she can be kinda strict but she’s also super fun to be around, she likes to drag me to different places to explore and she loves going to new restaurants and she especially loves getting ice cream or donuts at 2 in the morning and then sitting on the roof of her car to talk. see, if you date her you’re in for a fun ass adventure ;)))))”

to you:

“Jeno is very dedicated to soccer but this boi is hecka smart, so friendly, he really likes going out and having f u n and he also enjoys volunteering at that daycare next to our school bc he likes kids, and YOU like kids and wow, he’s amazing-”

“are you sure you don’t wanna date him Mark?”

“stfu and listen to me bitch, he is very nice as well so I KNOW for a damn fact that he’s gonna treat u really well. and you know how protective i get when guys try to talk to you, but clearly i like Jeno enough to let him date you.”

after that, you two were instantly sold for one another.

sO, it’s thursday right, and after a practice Jeno taps you on the shoulder and is like

“s-so I heard you um, liked, ice cream,, do you maybe wannacomewithmeandgetsome?”

and you nearly combust on the spot bc JENO JUST ESSENTIALLY ASKED YOU OUT

on the inside ur like!!@$@$#%!

but on the outside ur like, “ya sure why not.”

so you go to Mark and tell him you’re going with Jeno and Mark just winks at you and tells you to have fun and aLSO “DON’T FORGET OUR FIRST GAME TOMORROW” before pushing you off to go with ur soon to be man ;)

so Jeno can drive which means he has his own car and he opens the door for you and you get in and it smells so CLEAN AND FRESH

(stan a hygienic king)

he suddenly pulls off his shirt and you're like o_o

and he’s like “oH MY GOD IM SORRY. force of habit?? I always change in my car.”

and you’re like “DW IT’S OKAY” like really, you’re not complaining

but anyways, he relaxes because the last thing he wants is to already make you uncomfortable and he's relieved he hasn't royally screwed this up

so you two drive to your local ice cream place and this boi pays for you

you told him it was okay but he refused 

so you guys go outside and the sun is starting to set and he helps you onto the hood of his car and he sits beside you

you guys start to talk

you tell him some stuff about your childhood, what subjects you liked in school, how Mark became your best friend,

all that Good Stuff

and then he begins to tell you about himself

he loves science and gym

hates math (but doesn't everyone tho lol)

he’s really close with his parents and he thanks them everyday for getting him into soccer

“My dad would play soccer with me when I was like 4, everyday he would take me out onto the backyard and set up a small net and I would play with him for hours until my mom would call us in for dinner, and then my mom noticed how good I was and she signed me up for a team and I’ve been playing ever since. They always encouraged me to get scholarships and to do my best, but only to do it so long as I was happy. And I think that’s why I love it so much is because they always made me feel confident about it and always encouraged me but they never pressured me to continue if I didn’t want to.”

you melt on the spot

and he would tell you what kinds of things he enjoyed doing other than soccer, and he, similar to you, liked going to new places and going on adventures 

“we should make a bucket list and go on adventures together”

“really?”

“Mark might get a little jealous, but he’s always complaining, and I’ve spent too much of my life with him.”

Jeno laughed and your heart skipped a beat bc he has such a nice smile

“okay, we’ll make a bucket list.”

and so you do.

and now you have a whole list of things Jeno and you plan to do together.

you haven’t realized how many hours you’ve spent in the parking lot, laying beside each other on the hood of his car, your ice cream finished a long ass time ago

you check the time on your phone

it’s almost ten o’clock

you’ve spent nearly six hours with the kid, not that you’re complaining but you really need to get home bc school tomorrow

so he drives you home and you’re watching him

you realize right then and there that you’re in deep for the kid

when he drops you off you feel kinda sad but it’s okay bc he knows you’ll text him

“Thank you for tonight”

“Don’t thank me, I would do this again a million times.”

your heart? sNATCHED.

“You’re coming to the game tomorrow right?”

“Of course I am.”

“Good.”

he leans over and kisses you and you’re STUNNED

but you kiss back obviously and 

you’re kissing for a solid minute before he pulls away, and his eyes crinkle into that eye smile

“I’ll see you tomorrow beautiful.”

“see you tomorrow”

aND YOU’RE ABOUT TO COMBUST BC WOW

and you walk into your house with biggest grin on your face and you go to sleep so so so happy

sO IT’S FRIDAY the school is joining for their first soccer game

everyone’s hyped as fuck and you’re wearing your school colours.

you get front row seats bc ur special to now TWO boys on the team

before the game starts Jeno sees you

“okay, fun fact, i always do a lot better when you watch me during practice, so now you’re my good luck charm. oh and also, if we win this game, you're my girlfriend.”

and with that he runs off and you’re just O_O but again

you’re not complaining

so the game starts and

things are going rly well

but then Mark gets benched for nearly assaulting someone on the opposing side and Mark is one of the best players 

and a few of the other guys are benched to give the other players a chance in the game

you’re currently winning anyways so you don't worry too much

but then

no offence but now the sucky players are on

and now,

unfortunately, they’re losing by a lot

and you feel sad bc you know how hard these boys worked and also, Jeno’s words “if we win this game you’re my girlfriend”

sO DAMN YOU RLY WANT THEM TO WIN

they’re losing by a lot and you’re all in a slump and even tho the coach is starting to put back the better players they have a lot of catching up to do

it’s down to the last minute and you’re tied to the other team

you’re now feeling hopeless and everyone is on edge hoping for the best 

Mark is now put back on to play

he passes the ball to Jeno and Jeno iS DOING THE FUCKING MOST

and guess what??

HE SCORES THE LAST GOAL SO

Y’ALL WIN!!

and so you run down the bleachers and you’re screaming and you practically tackle Jeno to the ground but boi is strong as fuck so he catches you and you’re so glad he won that you just

KISS HIM in front of the whole school

and everyone’s like screaming too now

and you pull away and he’s like

“you’re my girlfriend now.”

and the last thing he cares about is how he score the winning goal, all he’s focused on is that YOU’RE HIS GIRLFRIEND NOW

so fast forward, you’re officially dating

you’re dedicated as fuck to going to every single soccer game, and as tradition, you, him and Mark will go out for ice cream or pizza

sidenote, Mark gets a girlfriend so y’all will double-date a lot but also when you and Jeno hang out alone Mark no longer complains that he’s being left out

you’re still BFFs with Mark tho,

after all, he is the reason why you and Jeno are together.

Jeno as a boyfriend is honestly the most amazing feeling. 

he is exactly how Mark described him to you, and after practices he’ll often take you to that daycare he volunteers at and you and him have a good ass time with the kids

one time he accidentally blurted out that he couldn’t wait to marry you and have kids of your own

of course he was embarrassed but you reassured him that you were perfectly fine with having that future

so he often talked about your future kids a lot

“-And our little boy or girl is going to be the next best soccer player. He or she will take after their mother’s good looks and their father’s amazing ball skills.”

you feel like your heart is going to burst

and Jeno will often take you out onto the field and try and get you to play soccer

you suck at it

but he enjoys spending time with you

and he’s so happy you’re wiling to do the things he loves

because yeah, soccer, and you (and school) are his biggest priorities

he begs his coach to make another jersey with his last name and number on it so you can wear it to his games

which you do

your coach lowkey loves you guys together so he does it

and Jeno forces you to take cute couple pictures with the jerseys and captions it something cheesy like “the two things i love” with your username and a soccer ball and heart emoji next to it

and Jeno has two soccer hoodies and he gives one to you because it smells like him and you LOVE the way he smells

and he loves the way you look in his oversized hoodie

OH and that bucket list you two made?

you complete every single one

and add more to it

every day is an adventure with him tbh

you two have so much fun

and you two have the best late night talks

you become each other’s lovers and best friends (shh don’t tell Mark)

you guys are so close

“All thanks to me fuckers” - Mark Lee, 2018.

Jeno loves you so damn much man

and you love him so much too

he makes you so happy

and you’re so glad that he came into your life

(thanks to Mark)

[possiblypeachy]

the hostage.

--; summary: After an unheard of deviant threat is called in, Kassandra and her fellow S.W.A.T officers are called in.

You determine the outcome

> part 1

[determinant factors are in italics]

[warnings that apply to this chapter are in bold]

–; pairings: connor x xk-100, captain allen x xk-100

–; word count: it depends on the path you take ;)

–; themes: slow burn romance, angst, violence, romantic fluff, platonic fluff, eventual smut

–; warnings: depictions of violence, death, suicide

–; note: howdy y’all! so, finally, i have a multi-choice thing out with my wonderful xk-100. it has eight total endings, with two additional (and entirely optional) after-ending choices that you can make-- if you find the pathways that lead to them.

i warn you: some of this will be shit. others might be superbly written. i apologise in advance /: 

i hope you enjoy and feel free to send me messages n whatnot concerning it, if you’d like. i’ll also probably be making a ‘requests’ post soon so i can dabble in writing other things!

please don’t like/reblog/follow the account that the links send you to!! if you enjoyed it, give this post and this account all the love, por favor :) however, feel free to comment under the posts that you get led to

–; tags: @wayablack, @gespirida, @robin-rokossovsky, @heartsarecompatible (just hmu if you wanna be tagged, my loves!)

August 15, 2038

8:27pm

It would've been a serene night-- a clear sky and the gentle thrum of cars on the street, storeys below. The neon lights of Detroit bounced from building to building, illuminating the masterfully constructed apartment blocks and bringing clarity to the all-night stores and evening restaurants. If one was still enough, they would hear the chatter of humans from all around. Nearby homes were settling down for the night and slowly the city would settle into a sleep of its own.

Screaming, sirens, and spotlights tended to break that cycle.

         [ M I S S I O N:

                 SAVE EMMA PHILLIPS ]

Her LED circled yellow for a few moments as she glanced to the deviant outside. It held a gun to the child's head, its expression contorted-- a horrifying mix of complete devastation and rage. The look was not real, she knew. Its emotions were simply mimicry of the human conscience. Was it feeling guilt, she wondered. Regret? Another circle of yellow then back to blue. If its simulation of emotion was as true as it itself believed, it'd certainly feel regret soon.

The sound of her boots upon shattered glass added to the hectic symphony throughout the room. Though, unlike others who were put off by the noises, she appeared unfazed; her features were stoic-- determined. Kassandra gave away no indication that the stress of the situation affected her negatively. Her mind was made for this. Where humans fail, she would thrive.

“I have enough people up here to take a dozen androids out-- let alone fucking one! We have it surrounded!”

“Captain Allen?”

“My men know the risks. Our only goal is saving the girl and the more time you waste the less time we have to acco--”

“Captain Allen.”

Her voice was stern and accompanied by a curt fist-slam to the table. With a slowness that indicated his annoyance, his angered gaze met hers of ice. He wasn't this pissed off all of the time-- just the mix of the deviant and the deaths and her was grinding on him more than he'd have liked to admit.

“We have approximately seven minutes and fifty-four seconds before the most possibilities in which the deviant jumps from the roof occur. Deciding to attack now could kill up to seven of your men and put the child's life at risk.” The certainty in Kassandra's voice and the flickering of her LED as she reeled off values made him falter momentarily. She knew that she wasn't wrong but he doubted. She understood. Dealing with a deviant who had just taken multiple human lives is highly likely to remove trust from any slither of a friendship they had to begin with.

Allen's jaw clenched. Nothing. Audio came through his earpiece and he turned away from her, though Kassandra still listened intently, tapping the fingers on her right hand together as she assessed his next words. She would intervene on his orders if need be; she knew of the best ways to save that girl and she would enforce them.

“I don't give a shit! My men are ready to step in-- just give the order!” The captain paused and he was met by silence through his earpiece. The android watched as his brows furrowed and his teeth bared, hissing a “Fuck!” before moving to inspect the live feed of the child and the deviant on the rooftop.

From what she could see over the shoulder of the overseeing S.W.A.T member, the situation was only getting worse. The deviant's LED was bright red-- never once flickering to a differing colour. Its stress levels were rising at an unhealthy rate. Just by way of noticing that the gun was shaking in its hands, she realised how close it was to arriving at peak instability.

Kassandra's own light blinked yellow for a second-- her eyes narrowed and the artificial muscles around her brows tensed. She was unaware of its model, its name, its I.D; she didn't know how much more an android like it could take. What was its manufacturing date? What physical condition was it in? With a lack of general knowledge on the deviant, she could only make stereotype-based guesses. Her accuracy was wavering with each new development.

The deviant pushed the gun closer to the child's temple, the barrel making a harsh indent into soft skin.

        Seven minutes and four seconds.

“Captain Allen?” The mentioned man turned, his sight tearing away from the surveillance and locking onto-- “My name is Connor. I'm the android sent by CyberLife.”

Kassandra's own gaze moved to stare at the android, her posture straightening. He was decidedly taller than both her and the captain though looked less threatening. While she was clad in an ensemble of blacks and reds, he was wearing delicate greys and blues. Upon analysing him for a few moments-- committing his facial structure and build to memory-- she came to the quick conclusion that he was the negotiator that had been due to be there at 8:30; he was exactly on time. A pale gaze flitted down to his jacket. RK-800.

          [ S E A R C H I N G . . . . . .

                     No results.                 ]

One blink of yellow then black to blue. He was unrecognised in her database; he wasn't commercially sold nor did there seem to be a manufacturing line for his model. Though, the android did not appear to be faulty or possess the wrong indicative measures. As far as she was concerned, he was legitimate. If he did anything to get in the way of her task, however, Kassandra wouldn't hesitate to deactivate him.

The heavy sigh that left Captain Allen made Kassandra's sight lock back onto him and, in turn, the live feed of the deviant. “It's firing at everything that moves. It already shot down two of my men.” Allen's tone was weaved with hints of anger and remorse, his body tensing somewhat. “We could easily get it, but they're on the edge of the balcony. If it falls,” He paused, turning to look at Connor, “She falls.”

     A stream of scenarios. A little girl screaming. A hand is reaching for her. The balcony is wet with her tears. Her body is falling, falling, f a l l i n g.

Kassandra's LED flashed a blinding red then bled back into yellow. Her eyelids worked to blink the scene from her vision, pupils contracted and expression tight.

Finally, she was back in the present-- the lights of the outside were clear, no longer dull as they were in her depiction, and the soft sound of background chatter trickled back into her sensors. The conversation appeared to have moved on without her too, much to her dismay. She might've missed valuable information.

“...So either you deal with this fucking android now, or I'll take care of it.”

Kassandra's body lurched into motion and she moved to take a step toward the pair; there was already enough conflict-- they didn't need more. Yet Allen, despite his own levels of stress, was far less volatile toward the RK-800 than she'd calculated, and her overseer simply moved past him. Connor's gaze followed him for a moment or so before his dark eyes began to bore into her.

“Do you have any information on the case?” His voice was calm-- unaffected by the show the captain just gave him-- and held a pre-programmed inquisitive lilt. Kassandra scanned him once more, her lips pursing, before giving him a curt nod.

“I'll transfer all that I know on the case to you now.”

Both their LEDs were struck into a yellow colour, flickering erratically. She noticed how his facial muscles began to spasm during their connection, which brought a myriad of questions to her mind.

         [   TRANSFERRING FILES TO RK-800 #313 248 317 – 51 . . . . . .

                             - Elapsed time of case . . .

                             - Deviant stress level . . .

                             - Biological information of EMMA PHILLIPS . . .

              . . . . . . TRANSFER COMPLETE. CONNECTION SEVERED.       ]

A brief, perhaps intrusive, dip further into her files allowed him to deduce a few more things about her before she snapped the link between them: her assigned name was Kassandra, her manufacturing date was July 21st 2038, a permit signalled that she carried a weapon--

Nothing.

He stopped twitching and gave her a small, thankful nod before turning away in obvious search of more information to fill in the gaps of the case. Kassandra's eyes narrowed as she stared at his back, as though she was still unsure on him. He appeared to have developed unusual habits much like herself. Undoubtedly, she decided that he wasn't the average android and was perhaps developed in a similar way to her. He was advanced-- human-like.

A gunshot was fired and the cry of a S.W.A.T member followed. That was the first thing that pushed that string of thought to the back of her mind-- the questions becoming background noise now. “Kassandra!” Her name was the second. Blue eyes turned in the direction of the call first, then her head followed. Captain Allen. “Get him away from the door.” From his position in the next room over, he pointed at the wounded officer, blood leaking out of a bullet wound in his shoulder.

Other men were moving toward him, ready to drag him away, but Kassandra barked out a short “Leave him!” before hurrying through the apartment-- stepping over glass and the body of a dead police officer on the way. As she hooked sturdy arms under the man's shoulders-- him hissing in pain-- her cold gaze gave the deviant a glance through the window.

She wanted nothing more than to destroy the malfunctioning being.

“Your wounds are not fatal but the blood loss will make you feel light headed.” Her tone, despite usually sounding adamant and stern, held a degree of care within its depths. Unbeknownst to the officer, it was faux but, nonetheless, it made him feel more at ease as he was dragged along the apartment floor, a horrid trail of blood following him. For a moment, Kassandra's LED flickered yellow. “I've informed the hospital that you will be checked in and, in accordance to your injury, I've booked you off of work for a month.” She finished as she propped him up against a wall, far away from the constant commotion near the window. The medical team on the floor with them practically jumped at him, immediately applying pressure to his wounds.

Kassandra stood, looking at the officer's blood that painted her sleeve. Over her black gloves, it glistened in a painfully morbid way. She could wait to clean it off. The crime scene had already been contaminated enough and the android had far more important things to deal with that a streak of human blood on her equipment.

An icy sight moved away from her own body and toward the door-- toward Connor. One of her hands tore through her dishevelled locks, moving curtain-like strands of hair out of her line of sight. He appeared to be preparing to move outside. He was making his attempt to apprehend the deviant and save the girl.

She took a few steps in the door's direction. Her mind was working overtime, producing outcomes to each possible reaction she or Connor made as she moved to get a closer look at the deviant.

Time seemed to slow.

[ X ] GO OUTSIDE WITH CONNOR

[ O ] STAY INSIDE WITH THE REST OF THE TEAM

[voicenxtes]

( joe keery )? no that’s ( antoni windsor ) the ( twenty-four ) year old ( athletic trainer ). who has been in town ( six years ) and reminds everyone of ( mismatched socks, dirty cleats hung outside the door, wearing sunglasses indoors ). maybe it has something to do with the fact the ( cismale ) is always ( self-deprecating & prideful ) or ( loyal & easygoing ). either way ( he ) is apart of the town.

alright this is my son, he goes by tj but yeah that’ll be down below

pinterest board

b i o g r a p h y

okay so he was born to a super poor single mum in New Jersey about 10 minutes out of NYC

he was used pretty much by his mother to scam people for money

really sucked at pretty much everything except sports !! and by sports i mean lacrosse (i mean only naturally right) 

like he suucked at school, pretty much had to cheat for everything & when he graduated both high school & college, it was pretty much like that one moment in hsm3 where it was like “you did it jason.. you graduated” 

spEAKING of college, he got a basically full ride playing lacrosse to the school by tallow idk what its called but about two months into his first semester his mum called him saying that she pretty much disowned him & that she sold all of the stuff that he left at home.

So he pretty much became an orphan pretty quick & was pretty much homeless/living out of his car for most of college & grad school when school was out of session

oh yeah was both a trainer & grad assistant during college to help pay for it bc he couldn’t do it without it!

Worked a shit ton of jobs & pretty much did w h a t e v e r he could to get money

now has a stable job & finally got an apartment as of like a year-ish ago (although prolly needs a roommate bc he’s still poor)

p e r s o n a l i t y

pretty low self-esteem bc his mum pretty much told him he was a failure every single day!

if he’s got free money there’s a 10/10 chance he’s using it on alcohol!

also drunk like 90% of the time

jokes about his self-deprecation 24/7

tries to be super masculine & says bro literally ALLL the time

super very gay but hides it bc he thinks its bad

although it’s pretty obvious he’s gay tbh, he’s bad at hiding it.

rambles & has to be center of attention 24/7

tries really hard to be a fuckboy but literally ends up taking drunk girls home & like tucking them in n shit & talking to them until they pass out and then getting them water & advil and going to sleep on the couch (wanted connection)

loyal + protective + impulsive = lots of fights

never turns down a dare, waay too prideful for that

okay so im too lazy to list out connection ideas but y’know the hook ups, def the failed hook up part, a roommate please, maybe he did something shitty in the past for your muse for money?? idk like an ex girlfriend? antoni → 

[denouxments]

dylan minnette. cismale. he/him. — did you see { alex mercier }, i haven’t seen the { twenty-one } year old in a while! you know, they’re a { musician }, and have been living in jersey city for { twenty-one years }. some say they're { cynical & indecisive }, but i think they're { generous & talented }. regardless, i’m glad { alex } is here.

backstory

aaaaaand in the door to the right we have trash son #2, alex !! ( woo ! ahh ! ) you can find his dossier page HERE, his biography does not exist yet ( i’m gonna kick my own ass ), and there is a pinterest board for him HERE.

ok so boy is a middle child through and through LOL. his dad is a writer who also works as an english professor at new york university, meanwhile his mom works in human services helping people who have fallen off their track in life and stuff.

alex is essentially a male carbon copy of his mom in appearance but his personality is 100% his dad’s lmao

his siblings are a wanted connection !

also his household includes a deaf cat named shrimp that alex literally fished out of a gutter when he was 14. she’s his baby despite the fact that he’s mildly allergic to both cats AND shrimp ( i r o n i c ). here’s the instagram of the cat i’m saying she looks like

real mundane middle class life. there have been highs and lows like any other family, but there’s no tragedy here folks ! that comes later and has nothing to do with his family !

his dad was really into rock music and playing the drums when he was younger cuz wow the 80s and really wanted at least one of his kids to have good taste in music, so he kept the drum set and all the old records despite the fact that they were just collecting dust in the garage . . . until alex came along !

first was the drums, then it was the guitar, then it was being dual-enrolled in both the band and choir classes, and then, finally, it was starting his own band with 2 friends at only 11 years old

his dad got real lucky cuz alex clearly loved music, and he considers the 80s to be legendary. 

i'm gonna revisit his music in a moment cuz we gotta start getting into the tragedy that i mentioned ! so alex was like a really chill dude when high school started. he was a bit of a pretentious hipster bitch, but he was chill. he didn’t really say no to things ? like if something or someone just fell into his lap, he’d roll with it and didn’t really think too much about the consequences ? he was a big stoner and lost his virginity and probably way too young of an age because of it. he just didn’t really Care too much lol

he was essentially that quiet stoner that played his guitar in the courtyard and didn’t pay much attention to anything going on around him 

. . . unless he overheard you talking about something that was stupid or he didn’t agree with. then he’d butt in to be like “l o l that’s wrong !”

then he met molly ! if you’ve read chloe’s intro for bobbi you know molly ! we love molly ! molly was cute in that girl-next-door way and she was funny with good taste. it was hard for alex not to fall in love with her, really. they were friends first before they started dating, and it was through her that he met all of his current ride-or-die friends. he had never been good at making them, so she was a blessing for his social life. she was amazing. he loved her, his parents loved her, they were good. she was good and then she was gone. just like that. a car accident in which she wasn’t even the driver.

to say the loss devastated him would be an understatement. he shut down completely. he stopped hanging out with friends, stopped playing guitar in the courtyard; his presence in class was like that of a ghost. nobody ever knew what to say to alex before, and it was twice as true now. he just sort of Existed for the remainder of junior year, throwing himself into his studies instead of ever really taking the Time to Deal with it all.

it really hit him like a truck when summer hit and it was at this point that his parents forced him to start seeing a therapist.

his therapist recommended he use his band and music as an outlet, since that seemed to be his healthiest coping mechanism. ( see, i told you we’d get back to that ! ) taking this advice, he threw himself headfirst into it. like, he got really into his band. it’d been a bit of a hobby between friends before, and sometimes they worked small gigs, but now alex was also trying to produce them on a bigger scale. this helped him through his grief tremendously, especially because if felt like he was doing molly proud.

alex was 18 and had graduated when all this hard work paid off. after releasing a self-made ep entitled after molly, the band started gaining some serious traction. we’re talking getting featured on spotify’s indie hits lists and their fanbase skyrocketing in size from the couple hundred monthly listeners it had been. suddenly they were getting booked sold out indie gigs left and right all across the manhatten area. it was nuts and it is still nuts. they even have a well demanded

they’ve put out a 2nd ep since the initial takeoff and are now working on a full blown album ! exciting !

so, yeah, that’s definitely an exciting exchange for being utterly heartbroken i suppose. its been years since molly passed now, so he’s okay now for the most part. he still gets sad sometimes, and he still has all the pictures they took together and all the cheesy playlists they made for each other saved. she’s always gonna be the first girl he was ever in love with,, and i don’t think he’s yet to have a serious relationship since her, but don’t worry about him just being a clay jensen 2.0. my boy is faaaar from that and he’s had his grace period, y’know ? he good.

personality

fuuuucking hiiiiipster buuuuullshiiiit ! coffee and vinyl aesthetic all day bby. will call out your shit taste in music

loves to debate and argue semantics. will always play devils advocate even if he agrees with you 100%. also will go on for hours about the political climate and existence if you accidentally get him there

a bit antisocial. he doesn’t really know how to, like, approach people ? and then when people approach him he has a tendency to rub people the wrong way with his lackluster people skills

tries to go to parties and bars and stuff sometimes because that’s Normal, right ?

a ride or die pal when you do manage to befriend him though ! would drop e v e r y t h i n g for his friends and loves to spoil them relentlessly. the type to randomly show up at your house in his 3,000 year old mustang and take you to lunch or just go driving. 

big ole hufflepuff

he’s not really that super free spirit that he was before molly passed. now he actually cares a more about his actions to the point of being lowkey paranoid, honestly. like he’s always wanted tattoos but he constantly second guesses what he wants to get cuz he doesn’t wanna be the guy that got a shitty tattoo, y’know ? so he hasn’t done it at all

cynical boyyyyy. he’s one of those guys that’s like “i’m a realist, not a pessimist”. definitely doesn’t have a whole lot of faith in others outside of his friends and family. will always assume the worst out of people and question their motives

thinks of himself as really boring. not in a self deprecating way, but a factual way

hobbies include music, video games ( he does streams of him being shit at pubg on twitch sometimes ! ), watching movies ( horror specifically is a favorite ), sitting on his roof at 3am to look at the sky, going on walks when there’s nothing else to do, and aggressively frowning when his car breaks down in the middle of nowhere

seriously he really enjoys horror. halloween is his favorite holiday even though he isn’t really big on candy or dressing up. he just thinks the spooky aesthetic is real fun and its cool to see what everyone else is doing

he’s a skeptic on all things supernatural so all you boogaras better snatch him up !!

i drew this expression doodle page that honestmeme sums up his personality pretty well ( it is messy so plz be kind . . . )

connections

his bandmates is a given. i just need 2 others , , , any gender any fc. i have a wc for it.

either of his 2 siblings . . . another wc

any music friends tbh

rival musicians ? yes

people he just doesn’t get along with in general. he’s a pretentious snot so its pretty easy

unlikely friends ( probably someone super idealistic and bubbly )

childhood friends

he hasn’t had a serious relationship since molly so maybe someone he’s kinda into and that’s kinda into him but they taking it REAL slow

on the off hand some exes from him trying to see if he was ready to date again and just wasn’t

someone he debates with a lot. friends or not, they’re just really fun to banter back and forth with

horror night movie buddies !!

gets blazed w/ him on the roof in the middle of the night rambling about if ants have a conscious

he’s got his own place but a roommate or 2 would be nice !

anything anything anything. he’s constantly finding himself in bizarre situations that he just rolls with so long as it doesn’t leave a bad butterfly effect. hmuuuuuu and we can brainstorm