#Thirteen sounds so cool from what very little I know about her

[mageofseven]

Would you ever consider writing for the new side characters (Mephistopheles, Raphael, and Thirteen)?

As I have explained before, I can't write for these three 😅

In the first game, I was locked out of my account long ago and never got to read about them.

I can't write for them because I literally don't know them. It's like asking for me to talk about a friend of a friend that I've rarely seen and barely know their name.

If I ever do get to read about them and get to know them, I'd happily write for them. Sadly, it's just not an option right now.

Sorry to disappoint ya 😔

[vulpixisananimal]

(Ramos) [A:3 C:54] [TW: Child harmed.]

(You washed your hands nervously. Are you going crazy? No, no you're not. You're SURE you're not. It's, just, just your mind craft getting stronger! Okay? Okay? O-okay. . .)

(Okay!)

(OKAY!)

(You dry your hands. Garden work is dirty, and you doubt Odile wants grimey hands on her head, heh. You walk back to the living room, Mirabelle and Odile chatting happily. The latter had her notebook and pen ready and waiting.)

(Mirabelle turned around as you walked in, a big smile on her face.) "Ramos!!"

"Uh-" (You start-)

(She cuts you off.) "So can you do mind reading now?!? Like telepathy?!? That's, that's SO COOL!!!"

"Mirabelle, please." (Odile comes to your rescue.) "I'm sure Ramos is quite overwhelmed already."

"R-right, sorry." (Mirabelle cleared her throat.) "I'm, just very excited!"

"T-that's fair, haha." (You fiddle with your bandana as you go sit down.) "Uh, thanks for, offering to help Odile."

"Ha! It's nothing. I'm curious on how exactly it works."

"Me too, hah. . U-uh, Mira you, well, I might read your thoughts if you stick around. Is that alright?"

"That's fine!" (She bounced her leg all excited.)

"Aaaalrrright! Uh. . . S-so uh. ." (You look away, then back.) "O-kay, I'll, just relax, and if I hear your thoughts I'll, let you know? Right?"

"Exactly." (Odile clicked a pen and picked up her notebook.) "Now, let us begin."

"Okay." (You take a breath, and lean back in the chair. Breathing, breathing, relax, and listen. Tune out the world around you, the sights, the sounds, the. . . The. . .)

(. . . . . . .)

(Seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven-) (Oh I wonder if they'll think I'm weird if they go into my head?!? I don't know if there's anything weird in there but-) (thirteen, fourteen-)

"S-seven, seven seconds." (You keep your eyes closed as you speak.)

"Hmm, interesting." (You heard the scribble of a pen.) "Did you only hear my counting?"

"I uh, heard Miras thoughts too."

"H-HUH?!?" (Mirabelles voice sounded some mix of excited and worried.) "W-was, was it anything weird?!?"

"N-nono It's okay! It's okay!" (You take another breath, focus, focus.) "Just, okay, gimmie a second to, get back there-"

"What're you doing?" (Bonnie walked in from the kitchen.)

"O-oh!" (Mira turned and waved.) "Ramos was testing their mind craft with us!"

"Want to join us, Boniface?" (Odile offers.)

"NO!" (Bonnie pouted.) "Stupid, have fun being weird."

(They stormed past you all and walked up stairs.)

". . . . ." (You rub your shoulder.) ". . . A-are, they. . ?"

"Bonnie hasn't been sleeping well." (Odile sighs.) "Don't take it personally, Nille thinks we should see a professional about it."

"R-right. . ."

". . . Let's continue."

"Alright." "O-okay-"

(You breathe in, breathing. . . Focus. . .) (Four, five, six, seven, hello Ramos.)

"Hi Odile." (You laugh a little.) "Four seconds this time."

"Hah!" (More scribbling.) (We'll have to try more trials on this later.) (Okay okay s-so they can, read your mind! O-okay! You can be normal about that! U-uh. . .) (Hmm, how clear is it? How easy is it to tell thoughts apart?)

"I can tell them apart, it takes a second but I can, i-it's actually pretty clear." (You breathe.) (Interesting. This could be very useful Ramos-) (I-I wonder if, uh, do you think it would be okay to try think talking to them? Through the mind?) {OF COURSE. IT SHOULD BE FINE.}

(?!?!?!?!??!?!?!)

(You sit up, looking between Odile and Mirabelle, confused. That was a voice, third voice. It was incredibly similar to Mirabelles, but just different enough. . . Ah crab. . .)

". . . Everything alright, Ramos?" (Odile squinted at you.)

"U-uh. . . I-I mean. ." (You ruffle your hair, take a breath.) "Did, did either of you, talk to someone in your head."

". . . No. I didn't." (Odile glances at Mirabelle.)

"I-I, uhm, I don't think so?" (She looks nervously between the two of you.)

"Don't think so, Mirabelle?" (Odile turned to you) "What did you hear."

(Change. . .) "Well, it felt like, Mirabelle was asking someone if it's okay to think talk to me? And someone responded?"

"Oh!" (Mira perked up.) "O-oh yes! I just ask myself questions like that sometimes! A lot of the time for if I need to check if it's alright to ask something."

(You and Odile give each other a look.)

". . . I-it's, it's not plural things! I think." (Mirabelle taps her chin.) "I always feel like me, the voice that responds is similar to mine, it doesn't really, well, show up until I'm asking myself questions. Kind of like some, self check?"

"Hmm, I have an idea. . . But there's one sure way to check." (Odile gestured to you.) "Mind taking a look?"

"U-uh, if, Mira's okay with it?" (You look at her, she nods.) ". . O-okay, then."

(You walk over to where she was, she sat up straight, one hand rubbing her leg nervously.) "J-just, what do, I, need to do?"

"Just, just breathe, and try and relax, okay?" (You hold out a hand.) "I just need a peek, hand is fine."

"Okay. . ." (She sat back and gave you her hand. You took it. You both breathe in. . . . . . . And out. . . . . . .)

(You tune out the world around you, let it all melt away. You heard Odiles thoughts briefly, but they passed as well. You focus on Mirabelle. On her mind. . .)

(. . . Okay, back in her head. Just, a mess of shades, weirdness, abstraction. Like, flowers, like scents, like plums. . . You float around. There's blobs of, of something. You don't know what it was, it was some, mind stuff. . .)

(Despite the strange, abstract nature of her mind, it's still, well, normal? Not everyone had a mindscape. Not like you or Siffrin. So when you don't have a mindscape it usually just looks like a void, or abstract, or something.)

(You turn, hearing something. . . No, nothing.)

(Last time you were in Mirabelles mind, the only thing here was that sadness. And even then, it was just a knot of emotions. Strings of memory and feelings knotted into a scribble. It moved through the mindspace, bouncing around.)

(Was it still-)

(You were grabbed and thrown into some abstract cloud, which solidified onto a giant drop of water which you stood on. Looking up, your attacker landed in front of you.)

{WHY. HERE.}

(That, THAT SADNESS AGAIN?!? It looked like before, but, more unique? Different? But also it looked. . . Only, half there. Blurry. Why, is it-)

{WHY HERE. THREAT? REMEMBER YOU. SHOULD BE GONE.} (W-what's going on?!? Is, i-is, Ramos okay?!?)

(Mirabelles voice! Or, mind. R-right, she can't hear your thoughts back. You speak softly to not lose focus.) "That. . . Sadness-"

{THREAT, MIND INVADER, SHOULDN'T BE HERE.} (N-NONO!! WAIT!! THAT'S A FRIEND!! You open your eyes.) "R-Ramos?!? Are you okay?!?"

(You felt a little shaky, the sadness was looking at you, it tilted its head.) "I, calm. Breathe. I'm okay."

{. . . . . TRUST THEM?} (I, okay, calm down. Y-yes! Yes, they're, they're my friend! I, o-oh Change this is weird. Am, I, are you, really there?!?)

(The sadness was silently looking at you. {. . . .} You felt weird hearing it's thoughts. It was so, quiet.)

{. . . . YES. AND NO. TALK BACK. GIVE OPINION, TELL YOU, TO EXPRESS YOURSELF.} (. . E-express, myself?)

(Uh. . . So, you're here, but, I can see you're all, blurry. Fuzzy. Like a lot of this place, not, fully there. . .)

{. . . I. AM NOT. LIKE. YOU.} {HUMAN. ALTER. HEADMATE. MIND. SOUL.} {NOT. A. LIFE.}

(That's. . . . .)

". . . Well, it's, good to know you're there, helping, right?" (You talk aloud, so Mirabelle and Odile can hear.)

{HELPING. . .} (W-well, I think you're helping! I get indecisieve a lot a-and, I ask myself questions, a-and you answer them! They're helpful answers!) {. . . . . .}

(The sadness dissappeared, leaving you alone again in the headspace. You let go of Miras hand and shake your head.) "Hoh. . . O-okay."

"Everything alright, Ramos?" (Odile leaned forward.)

"Y-yeah, I'm good." (You stand up, rubbing your eye.) "That was. . . Something."

"I, I-I'm sorry Ramos." (Mira looks away.) "I, I didn't, want you to get hurt."

"It's fine, Mira!" (You chuckle.) "I, I think it's, actually just being, friendly? Protective? It doesn't seem like-"

"Hey do you guys know where Bonnie went?" (Nille popped her head in from the kitchen.) "Oop- sorry, did I interrupt?"

"No it's fine, Pétronille." (Odile gestured to the stairs.) "They went upstairs."

"Thanks! Have to ask them something." (Nille waved and headed up.)

". . . Continue, Ramos."

"O-oh! Right, uh, it didn't act like any of Sifs headmates. And your mindscape isn't anything like theirs, either." (You rub your head, thinking.) "So. . . Not a plural thing, so, what is it?"

"Hmmmm." (Odile wrote a few things down, then flipped through her book.) ". . . . . . You don't get memory loss? Personality changes? Imagining yourself as a different version of yourself?"

"No, nope, and no." (Mira nods with each answer.)

"Hmm, then. . . Not memory, nor personality. . . No real mindscape either." (Odile turns a page, reading from her own notes before stopping, and tapping her book.) "It could be a form of Daemonism. A way to organize ones thoughts, talking to oneself by forming an other persona, even."

". . . Huh!" (Mirabelle thinks for a moment.) ". . . That, fits? I think? I do do that. I didn't realize it wasn't, normal?"

"That's fine." (You chuckled.) "You have a little daemon, I have a mindscape, it's fine even if it's not normal."

"You have a mindscape?" (Odile and Mirabel ask together.)

"Yeah? It's a greenhouse." (You tilt your head.) "Did I never tell you?"

"No! That's really cool!" (Mira was excited again.) "Wait does that make you like Siffrin then?!?"

"Not necessarily." (Odile smirked.) "I have one also. A grand library. But, that does make me curious about your Ramos-

"BONNIE!!!!!!"

(The three of you jump to your feet. You bolt to the stairs, ready to jump up three at a time. Nille however, was already running down, Bonnie in her arms, a, a bright, shade coming from their mouth.)

(You freeze for a fraction of a second before instead bolting to the front door and slamming it open.) "W-what happened?!?!?"

"I, I-I DON'T KNOW?!?" (Nille runs out the door, skids to a stop, turns to you.) "Medhouse?!? Where?!?!"

"J-just follow me!!" (You're off like lightning. Looking back, Nille was right behind you, Odile, Mirabelle, and Isabeau not far behind. Oh right, he was clearing your room for you, and definitely heard the scream.)

(You take a second to look at Bonnie. They were so tough for a preteen, but they looked so, small. . . That shade. . .)

(Look ahead. You look ahead. Don't look at anything else, just, guide them, to the medhouse. You're in a rhythm, your feet pounding on the stone below you. Your element. Siffrin was fast, sure, but you were an endurance runner.)

(Change, the medhouse was still, far! You had to hurry, speed up, but, you look behind you. Blind it all Mira and Odile were already falling behind, Nille was looking tired, Isa could keep up for now, but. .)

"L-let me!" (You slow down a bit and get next to Nille.) "I'll run ahead, faster, please!"

"I-" (Nille stares at you for a moment. Her hair a mess, her face a painting of fear, before she nods.) "I, I trust you."

(She hands you Bonnies barely conscious body, and you're off. You hold them close, letting your body sway and bounce with your feet under you. You pulled away from the others.)

(Bonnie was breathing, they're alive, they're okay. You, stars you shouldn't think about what happened. Why they, they're like this all of a sudden.)

"OUTTA THE WAY!!!" (You were coming up on a busy part of town.) "EMERGENCY OUTTA THE WAY!!!!!"

(Thank the stars people moved. You kept up the speed, your lungs starting to complain, your legs grumbling in annoyance, but you didn't care. Bdum, bdum, bdum, bdum, just focus on the ground, and the world, and your destination.)

(If you didn't know any better, you would have thought you left sparks when you skidded to a halt outside the medhouse. You jump forward and burst in the door.)

"HELP!! EMERGENCY!!!!"

(It didn't take long for a doctor- Gina, to rush through. Seeing Bonnie in your arms, he gestures you to follow him to the back.)

"W-what happened?!?" (He asks as you both move quickly.)

"I-I don't know!! They, they're bleeding, from the mouth, and, u-uh" (You follow him into one of the rooms, and place Bonnie on the bed inside.)

"Alright, just, let me." (Gina holds up a hand, you step back.)

(You watch him work, feeling Bonnies pulse, stethoscope to their chest. . . Your eyes flick around the room, trying to distract yourself. Bed, window, desk There's a table with a Change God statue, and above that, copper disk, with. . .)

". . . They'll be alright." (Gina says eventually, you let out a sigh of relief.) "I have, a lot of things to check. You can wait in the lobby if you want."

"O-okay. . ." (You stand up and go to the door.) ". . Their sister will be here soon, what should I. . ."

"I'll come get you once I'm done." (He glances at you.) "They'll be okay. Promise."

"Thank you. . ." (You nod, and walk out. Taking a second to breathe. In, out. In, out. . .)

(You hear someone yelling in the lobby, right, she's here. You walk back to the front quickly, opening the door back to the lobby to see Nille pacing and practically pulling her hair out.)

(As soon as she saw you, she ran over and grabbed your vest. Her eyes were wide with fear, desperation, anticipation. She didn't even say anything, her face asked it all.)

"They're okay." (You reply, softly.)

(She stares at you, then breaks into tears. Burying her head in your shirt. You could feel the relief, the lingering fear, the uncertainty. You could feel the bundle of emotions that were too complex to describe.)

(You put your arms around her. It'll be okay, they'll be okay, it'll be okay. . .)

(. . . You close your eyes. You couldn't get that vision out of your head. Little Bonbon, Bonnie, Boniface, with that weird shade dripping from their mouth. With all the nightmares they've been having. . .)

(. . . They'll be okay for now. But you had to find out why this was happening, so they'll be okay for longer.)

[jeasuswithaknife]

catchphrases in nuwho

so i was thinking about the many catchphrases the doctor has gone through in nuwho and thought they kinda all have a little meaning. heads up, this is gonna sound like im way overthinking things lol. also, idk how much of this has been said before, im sure some of it has at least.

to start off, the ninth doctor uses the word "fantastic" as a catchphrase. hes very enthusiastically happy about a lot of things, saying it super easily. for me, this feels like a way of coping. hes just gotten out of the time war, and, as far as hes aware, destroyed his own home in order to save the rest of the universe. he desperately needs whats left to be fantastic in order for his actions to be justified.

then we have ten, using "allons-y", which, as we all know by now, is french for "let's go". by the time he becomes the tenth doctor, hes back to his old ways; travelling around with a human companion, fixing problems throughout the universe. it makes sense that hed be excited to run around and feel like how he used to before the time war. it being in french also adds a feeling of him not really caring about the differences between cultures, holding everyone in the universe to the same standard.

eleven goes back to just using one word, this time "jeronimo". imo, this kinda just signifies his general attitude of just jumping into problems with no real regard for his own safety or what the consequences may be for him. its also a word thats less frequently used in media, therefore making him seem just a little out of touch with humanity.

twelve doesnt ever use a catchphrase, which still kinda says a lot. right before regenerating, he was finally ready and willing to die, but he had to stay around. hes far too miserable about still having to exist to appreciate the little happiness that might come from having a little catchphrase. he instead just talks super poetically and from the heart, choosing to use a lot of words to get his point across properly this time.

thirteen doesn't have a catchphrase per se, but she uses the words "brilliant" and "fam" anough that they kinda serve as like a pseudo-catchphrase. i think shes still not too happy about having to keep existing longer than a timelord is supposed to, and, kinda like nine, her "catchphrases" are just her clinging to little things that make her happy in spite of that.

after finally healing and getting to a good place mentally through fourteen "doing rehab out of order", fifteen doesnt really have a catchphrase, but he does call people "honey" quite a lot. this ones fairly simple, hes just happy, and naturally views the people in his life as people he could be close to, automatically addressing them with familiarity. hes always done that to a degree, but, now that hes in a good place, its even more normal for him.

anyway thats my understanding of it all. in conclusion, theres a lot of cool storytelling in just little catchphrases that the doctor uses, even if its just me watching it and making it up lmao. if you have a different interpretation of anything, feel free to tell me.

<3

[if-loki-was-a-fox]

@juiceboxxjamie @rhyme-draws-stuff

Rhyme wanted to see these too, so I'm making this a separate post.

Based entirely on the fanarts I've seen on my dash, or what Rhyme has told me of plot points — my current impressions and speculations on the Homestuck characters:

Karkat is angry and insecure and a little tsundere. He really wants to be cool and awesome and have people look up to him, but instead he just thinks everyone else is cooler than him so he gets very loud about it

Nepeta is maybe your typical catgirl/fangirl type character? Cute and feisty, maybe kinda nosy and pushy. I could probably draw her with some level of accuracy from memory, but I don't have a very deep impression on her personality or story

Either Eridan or Equis (I think it's actually Eridan but I had him crossed with Equius as Nepeta's moirail(?)), going almost entirely off of his design and nothing else I have the mental image of his as the sort of stern, thinks their so smart, often kinda suave and hot character archetype, except he'd come off as more full of himself than hot

Gamzee? I think? Is the purple clown guy? And I have been imagining him as like. Off-putting. In a hard to describe way. Maybe like a middle aged alcoholic sort of vibe. His clown make up makes it look like he has a five o'clock shadow. I think everyone's thirteen in canon tho so like.

Vriska is manipulative (and violent maybe? I've heard all trolls are kinda violent tho) and needs to be the center of attention. Maybe kind of an evil mastermind type character, but like, in a misunderstood maladjusted thirteen year old girl way. Maybe more just a toxic friend or bully. Unsure. She's definitely got something complicated going on with the whole morality thing given her reputation. Is she Terezi's girlfriend? Who also blinded her? Oh and she's also a pirate. And maybe obsessed with legacy and family?

I don't think I know any of the other trolls well enough to have impressions of them. I just looked at an image of all the trolls and I had so many of their names and faces crossed. Apparently Aradia and Terezi are different characters. And so are Kanaya and Vriska. And Equius and Eridan, but that already came up.

Actually I did kinda know Kanaya and Vriska were different I just assigned them both the same face/hair. Kanaya is Rose's girlfriend? She's the most human-typical-feminine of the trolls, and also a lesbian, and that's just about my entire impression of her.

One of either Kanaya, Vriska, or Terezi used lipstick as blood one time. And another one of them thought it was super hot

Looking at their sprites, Sollux and Equius both look like the kind of gamer guys who get told to use more deodorant. I think Sollux has more card gamer who is constantly explaining the rules and niche plays to people who don't really care but are to polite to tell him to shut up vibes. Partially because the last name "Captor" sounds like an on the nose name for a pokemon card game player

Jane is like. Nice? But also cool. And nerdy. And lonely. Very lonely. She's like, even more homeschooled and an orphan than the rest of them. I kind of think of her as a fairly typical nice kinda nerdy girl character, but also very much able and willing to kick you if needed. She's another one I could draw better than I could explain her personality

Dave is cool. Theoretically probably not legit-cool, because everyone here is thirteen. But he wears fancy sunglasses and I think he's also the guy from that one backflipping-off-the-sword post ("motherfucking pirouette of the handle" I think is what rhymes said). Also his brother sucks so bad and he doesn't realize this until super far into the story. I kinda think of him as everything Karkat wishes he was, given what little I know about the two having something going on with them. But he's also still thirteen. So like. He's still not actually that cool he's just good at faking it. He's also the edgy teen kind of cool so he's maybe kinda offensive sometimes

Rose and John I have actually met and remember from the not even two hundred pages of Homestuck I've actually read. Rose is a lot more faux psychologist than I expected I think I expected her to be more of a legit put together big sister friend sort of character. John has actually been pretty much exactly how I expected him to be so far. He's kinda cute tbh, his smiley faces are adorable

There's also like, the whole alpha/beta versions of the cast? But I only know Roxy from that so I'm not gonna do any of them

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

The Right Place in Time

Summary: What if Steve was in the woods with Chrissy and Eddie getting weed for his headaches?

@disrespectedgoatman @estrellami-1 @darkrose517 @panicatthediaz @mandriice @nightmareglitter

Tw Laura is only in memory, but she does hit little Chrissy.

Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Chapter Eight - Chapter Nine - Chapter Ten - Chapter Eleven - Chapter Twelve - Chapter Thirteen - Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chrissy's POV

Chrissy slid to the floor of the kitchen, having just said goodbye to her boyfriends. She hated parting with them, but she knew that they needed confirmation and that someone needed to be here for Max.

"You didn't have to stay here for me, you know?" Max said as she slid to the floor next to her.

"I wanted to," Chrissy said and squeezed her hand. "I'm just worried about them. I'm worried about all of us."

"Me too," Max said softly.

"It's just utter bullshit that we had to be benched!" Dustin complained.

"Oh, man, come on. You know that Steve was right," Lucas said.

"I know, I just want to be helpful," Dustin said. "I hate the waiting around."

"You have been helpful, son," Wayne said. "And there's nothing to be done about the waiting around part."

Vickie joined Chrissy and Max on the floor.

"We have yet to talk about you and your new boyfriends," Vickie said and paused. "I like them much better than Jason. You seem happy."

"I am. They're both very kind, not to mention dashing. . .," Chrissy said.

"Eddie? Dashing?" Lucas snorted. "That's not the word that I would use."

"Hush, you," Chrissy said playfully. "Anyway, they're both handsome and funny. Although, Eddie can really go on about the things that he likes, which I find very endearing."

"You think he talks a lot now, just you wait," Wayne said, scoffing. "Boy even talks in his sleep."

"He does? That's so cute," Chrissy grinned.

"I'm glad you like him so much," Wayne said in amusement. "I'm glad he's found someone like you two."

"We wouldn't change a thing about him," Chrissy said, and then she paused. "Well, he can be a little set in his ways sometimes, but it's nothing we can't handle. . . Vickie, tell us about you and Robin."

"She's so great! She rambles on just like me when I get nervous, you know? It's so cute when she does it. Did Steve tell you that they've talked about opening their own buisness together?" Vickie asked.

"Yeah," Chrissy said in amusement. "Kind of like us wanting to collaborate on a book together."

"You guys want to write a book together?" Max asked.

"Well, it would be Vickie doing the writing and me doing the illustrations," Chrissy said. "I love to draw."

"That's actually really cool," Max said.

They all talked about their hopes and dreams for a while until they all nodded off, the moonlight streaming in through a crack in the curtains and casting a line on the wall. She watched it for a while, watching the tiny dust particles float through the air. Eventually, sleep caught up with her, and she closed her eyes, her cheek pressing against the top of Max's head. She wasn't sure how long it had been, but Chrissy and the others had awoken to the sound of their secret knock coming from the front door in very loud bangs. Wayne opened the door for Jeff, Frank, and Gareth. Their faces were bleeding and bruised.

"Jason and his friends are coming. We stole Nancy's car," Frank said. "The others got pulled into the lake when they showed up. Jason and his goons must have been patrolling the area. We got away and tried to turn them away, but Nancy's car is low on fuel, and we needed to get to you guys. They're coming! We need to leave now."

"Okay, we'll take Steve’s car, too. Grab what you need. Turn on the lights and pull down the curtains. Rearrange the blankets," Wayne said. "And let's go."

"Steve gave me his keys before they left," Chrissy said.

"Good. Do you know how to drive?" Wayne asked, and Chrissy nodded. "Let's go!"

"Where are we going?" Max asked.

"The other gate. At the high school," Dustin said. "I'm hoping that's where they'll be."

It wasn't as difficult as she thought it would be driving with her cast. Max and Lucas had squeezed into Wayne's truck with Wayne. Vickie was sitting up front with Chrissy while Jeff, Frank, and Gareth squeezed in the back of Steve’s car. Chrissy's tape was blasting in Steve’s stereo, drowning out any possible conversation, not that Chrissy had anything to say. All she could think about was Steve and Eddie. Were they okay? Were they still alive? Chrissy suddenly imagined Steve’s body being broken in the sky, and she bit her lip to hold back the sob. No, Vecna wasn't going to kill Steve. She wasn't going to let that happen. Their tires screeched as they pulled into the parking lot. They all ran towards the spot where Fred died and stopped when they saw the gate stretched out on the ground.

"Fuck," Jeff muttered.

Dustin scurried off and came back with a big stick. He moved toward the gate, but Chrissy stopped him, pushing him back. She gestured for the kids to move back while Wayne grabbed the stick. He started pushing through the skin like texture spread over the gate. Soon, it was open, and she was in the arms of her boyfriends. Then suddenly she wasn't.

"Chrissy. . .Chrissy Cunningham. You and Max escaped me once before. . .You won't do it again. . . Chrissy. . .let me end your suffering. . . "

Chrissy was standing in what looked like a hospital hallway or a lab, possibly. There was a set of double doors at the end of the hallway. She ran as fast as she could and burst through the doors into a blue Victorian style house. It was beautiful and new. A family was moving in, and on the outside, they looked beautiful, happy. . .almost too happy. Chrissy could tell when people were trying too hard. She had seen enough of it from her mother. The girl was dancing through the hallway. The young boy looked bored, and there was something off-putting about him. The wife called her husband Victor. Chrissy's eyes widened. This was Victor's family. She could only watch as the family was haunted and then brutally killed. The only one who was calm amongst them all was the boy, Henry. The scene ended with Victor cradling his little girl in his arms.

It changed, and she was back in the lab again, watching as a creepy looking doctor tattooed Henry, looking at him like he was a weapon to be used. 001. The look on the doctor's face was absolutely gleeful. The creepy feeling she got from the kid was similar to the one she got from the doctor. Dr. Brenner, she later learned, was his name. The scene changed again. A girl, her head shaved, was sitting on the floor in a rainbow painted room. A blond haired man was sitting next to her. He looked familiar to her, and as Chrissy moved closer, she realized that the man in front of her was Henry Creel. He was clearly manipulating the girl.

"Chrissy," a familiar voice called out.

She looked up to find Matty standing in the doorway.

"Matty?"

"You have to fight him. You have to fight it," Matty said.

He turned and ran down the hallway. Chrissy ran after him, and she was reminded of all the times that they played tag together. She followed him through one door and found herself in her house. She was looking at a younger version of herself. She was four, maybe five. Laura was trying to make her wear an ugly, frilly orange dress. Young Chrissy hated it.

"I don't wanna!" Young Chrissy screamed.

"Christine Cunningham! You will listen to me!" Laura exclaimed.

"No!" She shrieked.

To Chrissy's surprise, the lights flickered, and the dress was torn out of Laura's hand. It was flung against the opposite wall by an invisible force. Young Chrissy's nose started dripping blood. Chrissy's eyes widened. She did not remember this at all. Laura's hand shot out and slapped young Chrissy's face.

"What did I say about using the devil's magic?!" Laura yelled. "Get on your knees."

"Mama!" Young Chrissy cried.

"On your knees," Laura said softly.

Young Chrissy got on her knees while Laura did the same. Laura took her hands in hers, gripping it tightly, and started to pray. Young Chrissy continued to cry. Suddenly, Chrissy was standing in her living room watching the TV. It was showing Hawkins being split wide open. It was like hell on Earth. Matty was standing beside her again.

"You have to fight it, Chrissy. Stop him. You have the power. You've always had the power. You don't have to run from it anymore," Matty said softly.

"Are you really Matty?" Chrissy asked.

"Yes and no. I'm the part of him that you keep alive inside of yourself, and I'm the part of you who wants to keep fighting. Chrissy, you fought for me every single day of my life. It's time you fought for yourself too," Matty said. "Do you remember how I died?"

"It was an asthma attack," Chrissy said.

"That's what mom told you," Matty said.

The screen flickered, and it was early November 1983. It was right around the time Will Byers had gone missing. Chrissy was doing her homework when Matty screamed. She watched herself run out the door and out into the backyard. A shadow loomed over Matty, his body still. The creatures head snapped up, its lower part of the face dripping with blood. The face opened up like a deformed flower, and it screamed at Chrissy. She hadn't used her powers in a long time, but she tried to use them then, and she did everything she could do to blast it away from Matty. She pushed it away from him with her powers and watched as it ran off. She collapsed to the ground, Matty's lifeless eyes staring at her.

"It came for you that night. Henry came for you. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mom told you it was an asthma attack because you couldn't remember what happened after. She thought you killed me. You thought so too, I think. You tried to save me, and you've always tried to save me. You don't need to be afraid of your powers anymore, Chrissy," Matty said and took her hand. "Save us."

Suddenly, she was standing in pitch blackness and in water. A girl stood before her, the same girl from earlier, but she was older now. Her head was still shaved or maybe it was shaved again.

"I'm Eleven, but my friends call me El," she said.

"Chrissy," she said softly. "You're friends with Dustin, Lucas, Max, and Mike is your boyfriend?"

"Yes," El grinned. "You are friends with them too?"

"Yes."

"You're like me and Henry?" El asked.

"I'm like you, yes," Chrissy said. "And we do have powers like Henry, but we're not monsters like Henry or like Dr. Brenner. We don't have to be their puppets, not for either one of them."

"No, we're not puppets," El said determinedly.

Chrissy smiled and took her hand.

"Let's cut the strings then," Chrissy said. "Together."

"Sisters," El said nodding.

"Sisters," Chrissy agreed.

Suddenly, the connection with El was cut off, and Chrissy was standing in the rainbow room again. Henry was standing in front of her, a crooked smile on his face. It was twisted just like he was.

"Join me, Chrissy. Your suffering will end, and you will be stronger than ever," Henry said.

"You only want one thing from me: my power," Chrissy said.

"A power that you didn't even know you had," Henry said. "I showed you that."

"You're getting nothing from me, from El, or from this town," Chrissy said.

She dug down deep, letting the anger take control. The door that she kept locked burst open, and she felt the power building up inside of her.

"Chrissy. . ."

Matty stood next to her, slipping his hand into hers and holding on tightly. The power inside of her grew bigger, and Henry scowled at her.

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" Chrissy screamed.

Suddenly, she was floating in the school parking lot. Her boyfriends and friends were screaming her name down below. She raised her hand and pointed it at the gate, blood gushing from her nose. It started stitching itself closed until there was nothing left but the smooth pavement. She could feel the other gate still wide open, but she was too tired to close it from here. Suddenly, she was aware of just how tired she was, and it was like the strings were cut. Then she was falling and fell right into the arms of her lovers. She clutched Eddie and Steve, exhausted but still holding on.

"I'm not a fucking puppet," Chrissy said and then she fell asleep.

Chapter Sixteen

[kolour-me-kourt]

Chapter Thirteen: Getting my lick back

****2 days later****

She calls him and he answer pretty quickly "yooo?" He sounded confused it had been forever sense they actually spoke. "Um I'm outside your place can you come out? Don't feel force but could you?" "Yeah I'm on my way" he was very serious simply because he heard the sadness in her voice the way it wavered like she had been crying forever and the way her voice cracked he hated that she sounded like that the first time he had heard from her in so long. She was upset at herself for still being this sad she needed clarity from someone other than Jayson. Someone who she knew understood his side of this situation so who better than Melo....

Soon enough he was outside in his shorts that had his name spread across the front some slides and nothing else. She noticed he had updated his tattoos they looked fresh. She unlocked the door "nah come out here" he says to her very sternly So she turns her car off getting out of her car walking around to him still sniffling he looked down in her eyes "so what's wrong?" And as soon as she tried to open her mouth to tell him she lost it completely. Crying he stood there and watched waiting for her to calm down and then he just pulled her close letting her cry into his chest.

He tried to remain hands off because he didn't know where her relationship with Jayson last time he saw them they were happier then ever. "I need you to calm down so you can tell me what's wrong YN try to calm down" she took deep breaths but couldn't get herself together however to kill the suspense she struggled to say the words Jayson cheated on me. Maybe it's because she hadn't said it out loud to any person that wasn't Jayson. That was the important part and through the tears and the heavy breathing Melo heard her.

"Are you fuckin serious?" She nodded her head "and it got you crying like this?" She pulled away due to his disappointment she heard all in his voice. He knew YN up and down backwards and forward but sometimes he truly forget how soft she could be when she opens up so seeing her cry like this over this nigga left him partially confused and partially disappointed cause YN was supposed to be a real nigga when it came to this relationship shit

"I just thought he was different and he cheated with his ex I feel like it's worse than just fucking some random he has feelings for her he loves her or it was to hurt me" "did he tell you that?" "Why else would he cheat with his ex?"Melo sighed because for once he was gonna give Jayson some grace "I hate that I'm even about to say this shit cause I don't wanna take up for him but maybe he was trying to get it out of his system if she was around and he felt that old vibe it's better he do it earlier if he was gonna do it y'all still pretty early.I would hate for you to be married for ten years going through something like this " She sniffles again. "But he had me stop talking to you cause he thought I would fold and then he goes and fucks her and he wasn't even gonna tell me he was just gonna be a dick about it" "yeah it be like that.... But do you want me to keep 100 wit you?" "Always"

" I feel like you should adjust your expectations a little bit " "why? Cause every nigga cheats?" "The type of Niggas you like cheat" he stresses the word you "you would cheat on me?" "YN..." he drifted off "just be honest with me like you always have would you cheat on me?" "Not if you got me in the right time of my life I wouldn't need to cheat but we all still young and it's just so much thrown at us and it gets harder and harder to resist it when it's being offered everywhere " "so men need to cheat? Or basketball players have to cheat?" "YN—" she cuts him off "MELO IM JUST ASKING" "calm down" she sighs becoming frustrated. She wanted Melo to kiss her ass and tell her all the things she wanted to hear .... And if that lined up with the truth cool but if it didn't ... we'll that's this situation. YN lied about wanting honest cause niggas being honest with her had her crying for two days straight. She tried to get herself together she tapped his chest lightly.

"you know what this was a bad idea" she started to walk to her car door" he pulls her back "stop" "no you just basically told me everybody will cheat on me and they need to do it so I'm just supposed to be okay with that? Well I'm not that type of girl" "why did you come over here then? You remembered when I told you that he would cheat and if you wanted to get your lick back come to me? That's why you here" "Lamelo"

"just admit it weather or not you about to go through with it that's why you here.... To give your pussy back it it's rightful owner" she laughed for the first time in two days that was his goal he knows his cockiness always made her laugh "even if that's right Melo I gotta go before I do something stupid" "I respect that.... Uh but don't just call me when he fucks up.... We were friends we are friends don't do that shit no more I Fr missed my friend I know how not to touch you inappropriately or flirt but that's only if you in a relationship but I do miss you " "I won't I promise" "come give daddy a hug" she laughed again going to hug him he kissed the top of her head innocently

" so...you staying with him?" "Should I?" "Only you can make that decision... but let me know what you do" she pulls away "okay I'll text you tonight" she gets in her car "drive safe too don't do anything stupid" "I'm going back home to meet him" "still don't do anything stupid" "okay"

When she got home she found Jayson In there staring at a blank wall. She should've took his key. She bit her lip due to being nervous  "You ready to talk to me?Should I have waited outside for you?" He asks when she walked in. She nods her head "yes and it really doesn't matter at this point " "okay You wanna go first?" "you can say what you have to say first" she noticed she was being aggressive so she tried to stop

"I want you to stay with me and I want us to work through this I'm sorry I betrayed you like that it's never gonna happen again I couldn't imagine seeing you look at me like this again for two days I've been going out of my mind"

"For the past two days I've been wrecking my brain trying to come to some conclusion or find something that'll make me wanna stay with you and I honestly just don't feel like I can love you the same Im not one to give up I don't want to but it won't be the same like I know I keep saying this but it's because it's true " "you right it's never gonna be the same it's gon be better you gon love me more ima make sure of that" "well I have one rule for if we stay together " "okay you get anything you want right now" "me and Melo get to be friends again" he sighed "YN—-" "before you even start him and I were friends before we dabbled ....into the other things im capable of just being friends with him and vice versa" "I'm the one that fucked up not you so .....okay" "okay?" "Yeah what else you want" she stood there really thinking "was she better than me? Did she give you something I can't?"

"It wasn't nothing like that it was a weak moment I'm in love with you I don't just say that to anybody" " I guess that's just hard to believe cause I know you Jayson and you don't do things lightly... you're trying to be honest but In order to do that you have to tell the full truth" "I am in love with you but I honestly don't know if I'll ever truly be over her because all this time I thought I was but when she touched me I folded her and I have always been on and off but when I met you I only wanted to be with you "

"okay now we're getting some where so does that mean anytime she comes around she can have you?" "No not at all next time I see her I won't be alone with her or even talking to her but it does means she's always in my heart" "more than me?" "No" "you sure?" "Hella" "okay I believe you" she really did it's something in the way he spoke "thank you baby" "I'm still gonna need time so .... I'll need space but I'm working on Forgiving you truly but you don't get another chance"I understand that.... So where you coming back from?" "Melos" she said with a stone face "to do what?"

"To get some clarity if anybody else knows about cheating and you cheating it's him.... And he actually kinda helped you out so you might wanna say thank you" "let me say this now so you don't have these expectations even if y'all are friends me and him are not..... the way he thinks he should be with you.... Will never make it okay for me to be homeboy friend" "it's kinda like the same way Ella owns you.... Im a renter... and when you make peace with that we can move alot further"

"so you belong to Melo? Is that what you telling me? This why I didn't want y'all to be friends I'm in love with you that shit hurts to hear you say that " "no at this point I own my body nobody else nothing else does what I was saying is even if I'm not talking to Melo he's in my heart he's somebody I care about he's my friend " "do you love him?" "I love all my friends " "stop playing...." "Did you love Ella?" "At one point but we were in a relationship"

"when you were fucking her did you talk to her like you talk to me?" Her voice cracked getting choked up again. That was one of YN's favorite parts during sex the way he talked to her and handled her it was totally different from how they were in public she loved the duality.

"YN.... The things I do to you are only for you I wish it was a way you can truly know that when I Fucked Ella it was just that quick and to the point I didn't cum I didn't kiss her I didn't talk to her I didn't look in her eyes none of that " she rolls her eyes "sounds lame anywayyyyy  I never loved Melo like a boyfriend it was never on no romantic shit but as far as a person and a friend yeah I love him" "present tense" "yes" "ight"

"do you love Taylor?" Taylor Rooks was another bad bitch one of the prettiest women on the planet and about her business and she knew all about basketballl they could probably talk for hours just about that sport  and they were friends close friends YN never suspected a thing so that was her point "I never fucked Taylor though you can't compare those two friendships together but regardless I already gave you my blessing to talk to the nigga ....just please"

"yeah yeah yeah yeah  I won't do you like you did me" "YN!" "Huh?" "Yn" he said sternly "okay okay that was a low blow I'm sorry" she slightly laugh "why are you laughing" "idk cause it's not funny but like it is" he shook his head "well you'll get your space cause I gotta head home and be with Deuce" "okay thats fine you'll be gone for like a week?" "A little over a week we have an appointment looking at elementary schools" "oh yeah well good luck" "thank you" "his mom will be there?" "Yeah .... My mom will be too" she smiled even though the tears threaten to fall again

"this is why you wanted resolution cause you gotta go" she sniffles while her voice begins to crack "do you want space YN? What do you want tell me cause I'm confused" "I thought I wanted space until you said I'll have it....but it's not about me right now it's about Deuce I'll manage just call ... when you have time?" "Yeah I'll call" "when you leaving?" "I don't have to leave until tomorrow afternoon" "you wanna get your stuff and come here?" "That's what you want me to do?" "Do you wanna spend time with me?" "Yes of course" "then yes thats what I want" "okay ... wanna ride with me to get my suitcases?" "I would love too" he reaches for her hand leading her out of the house.

She wanted desperately for this to work but it was gonna take a lot of work from the both of them. He seemed down for it. But not only did she have to forgive him she had to forgive herself.

.

[fangirlwriting-stories]

Afterlife Lessons

Masterlist

Art For This Chapter: @junicane-dp link

Chapter Thirteen:

It took a little bit for Sam to decide how she felt about the fight with Phantom.  They didn’t see him again that day, and neither of them felt particularly inclined to go looking.  Some time to cool off sounded like the best idea.  It gave Sam some time to think, and by the end of the day, she’d realized a couple things.

For one, Phantom was clearly not doing so hot.  People don’t insist they’re fine and can handle everything themself while bleeding out of a wound in their side unless they’ve got some stuff going on.

But his motives still aligned pretty neatly with what Sam understood about him.  He wanted to protect her and Tucker.  The intensity was a little confusing, but mostly because Sam wasn’t really confused by it.  The three of them had only technically met a little over a week ago, but she didn’t question Phantom’s very firm insistence that he needed to protect them, she just knew it made him an idiot.

Idiot or no however, it did make him a great example to give to Danny in regards to a ghost that clearly wasn’t malicious.  So the next morning found her in front of Danny’s locker, waiting for him to show up.  Before he did, however, Tucker got there first and headed over to her.

“Hey,” he said.  “So I figured something out.”

Sam turned to face him.  “Yeah?”

Tucker nodded.  “We shouldn’t talk about it here.  After school?”

Sam nodded back.  “Okay.  You sure?”

“Yeah.  Before we meet up with Phantom.”

Sam gave him a curious look but didn’t argue.

“Uh, hey, are we all having hangouts by my locker now?”

Sam turned to see Danny approaching and started grinning.  She stepped aside and let Danny open his locker, and then started taking.

“Hey Danny,” she said, trying to keep her voice more casual than mischievous or smug.  “I have an argument for you.”

Danny sighed, long and exhausted.  “First thing in the morning?”

“Phantom saved our lives yesterday.”

Danny set his bag in his locker and slammed it shut.  “No he didn’t.”

“Hey, how would you know?” Sam asked, crossing her arms.  “You weren’t there.”

She saw Danny clench his jaw, and she knew she was getting to him in at least some way.

But then Danny said, “I know because there’s no way that menace actually did something helpful,” and Sam felt her own jaw clench.

“Don’t talk about him that way.”

“Why not?” Danny said, starting down the hallway.  “He’s the worst ghost out there, isn’t he?  That’s what everyone says.”

“No, that’s what your parents say,” Sam said.  “And if you got your information from literally anyone else in addition to them, you’d know better!”

“I know enough,” Danny snapped.  “He’s a worthless excuse for a hero who can’t even save people right, and he’s gonna get someone killed one day.”

“Hey,” Tucker said, sounding just as angry as Sam did.  “You really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, and honestly Danny, I think we might know Phantom a little better than you do,” Sam said.

Danny snorted.  “Oh, do you,” he said, and then he turned and walked into homeroom before either of them could respond.

Sam huffed and crossed her arms.  She was a little surprised by how angry that conversation had made her, but only a little.  It wasn’t a conversation about all ghosts in general, it was about Phantom, and he was her friend, and she cared about him.  Maybe this “using him as a good example” idea was a double edged sword.  And she’d let it go, except now Danny had directly insulted her friend, and she couldn’t just let that slide.

So, she walked into homeroom, slid into the seat across from Danny, and said, “What exactly does he do that makes him not a hero?  You think—”

“Well, just for starters, he’s fought my parents before,” Danny said without looking up.

“No, your parents fought him.  There’s a difference.  They initiated things.”

“He’s a ghost,” Danny said, glaring up at Sam.  “If they hadn’t, he would have.”

“You understand how biased that is, right?” Sam snapped.

“Doesn’t change the fact that he fought them while they were trying to protect everyone,” Danny said.  “He made it harder for them to do their jobs.”

“Your parents couldn’t hit a ghost if one hovered in front of them and asked them to,” Sam said.

Danny blinked in surprise, then narrowed his eyes.  “Hey.”

Okay, maybe that was a bit too far.

“Hey, let’s all calm down,” Tucker said, drawing both of their attention.  “People are starting to stare at us.”

Sam glanced around and saw that it was true.  And yeah, having a knock-down drag out in homeroom maybe wasn’t the best idea.

“Fine,” she said.  She turned a glare back on Danny.  “But don’t think this conversation is over.”

Danny rolled his eyes and turned his own glare back to the table.  Neither of them spoke again for the rest of homeroom.

…

“So your only problem with Phantom is that he fights your parents sometimes?” Sam asked as soon as Danny walked up to the lunch table.  She’d use the loud noise as an excuse when Tucker got there.

Danny groaned as he sat down.  “Honestly Sam, just drop it,” he said.  “Why do you care so much, anyway?”

“Because you’re being really unfair and insulting to someone I really admire,” Sam said, crossing her arms.

“Why do you admire him?” Danny asked, looking up at the ceiling.  “Pick a better option.”

“Well the only reason you’ve given me not to so far is that he’s mean to your parents sometimes,” Sam said, narrowing her eyes.

“That is not the only reason,” Danny snapped.  “That’s not even the reason I gave you, but that’s hardly the point.  You want reasons?  How about the destruction of property following him everywhere he goes, ruining homes and livelihoods?”

“That’s not his fault!  It’s not like he goes around destroying buildings!  They get smashed up when he’s fighting ghosts!”

“And?  He should be better at this by now,” Danny said, and he shoved a chicken nugget in his mouth.

“Oh sure, and of course you’d be much better at protecting property during fast paced dangerous ghost fights,” Sam said.

In response, Danny shoved another chicken nugget in his mouth.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

“You know what, I really don’t have to sit here and take this,” Danny said.  And before Sam could ask what that meant, he picked up his lunch and walked off.

“What— Danny!  Get back here, you prick!”

Danny didn’t give her any kind of response, and Sam glowered after him.  Whatever, she had food to eat, and he wasn’t worth chasing after over that.  She’d catch up to him later and keep giving him a piece of her mind.  For now, Tucker was walking over to her, looking at Danny leaving the lunchroom as he did, which meant she’d have to explain.

“What’s up with him?” Tucker asked as he sat down.

“He can’t stand the fact that someone’s trying to defend Phantom right to his face,” Sam snapped.  “As if it’s impossible for a ghost to be a benefit to society.”

Tucker sighed and sat down.  “Do you want to give it a rest?  We knew he’s like this.”

“Yeah, but that was with ghosts we didn’t know,” Sam said, stabbing her fork into her salad.

Tucker sighed.  “Yeah, I know,” he said.  “I’m annoyed too.  Just, you’re not gonna change Danny’s mind in one day.”

“No, but I can sure try.”

“Sam.”

“I just want him to admit he’s not the worst ghost out there,” Sam said.  “Seriously.  I need to hear him say that.”

Because she did.  Both because Phantom was her friend, and she didn’t like hearing him talked about that way, and because… she wasn’t sure.  But there was something else bugging her.

Tucker seemed to read at least some of that in her face, because he nodded.  “Okay,” he said.  “Just, make sure you don’t push too hard, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sam sighed.  “Okay.”  She thought for a minute.  “Maybe we talk about it more casually in a hangout.  Like we offer going over to one of our houses to play Doomed or something.  So we’re not just arguing back and forth.”

Tucker nodded.  “Okay,” he said.  “Let’s do that.”

So next time Sam saw Danny in class she asked if he was up for Doomed after school.  Danny gave her a suspicious look, but ultimately agreed, and offered his own house as the place to go, since he had the console they were most familiar with all playing together.  Sam agreed, and Tucker was down with it too, meaning after school found them all there on bean bags in front of Danny’s console.  The feeling was casual and lighthearted enough that Sam almost didn’t want to ruin it.

But the something else that was bugging her wouldn’t leave her alone, so eventually, in a pause after she beat a level, she turned to face Danny.

“Okay, genuine question,” she said, hoping to at least try to keep the lighthearted tone.  “You really don’t think Phantom is a hero?”

Danny groaned, and put his hands over his face.  “God, again, really?” he asked.

“I’m asking!  It’s not a stance most people have,” Sam said, crossing her arms.  “You know, with all the ways he fights ghosts and protects everyone in Amity Park?”

“Stephanie Bacon,” Danny said, counting off on a finger.  “A five year old who got caught in the crossfire of a ghost fight with Technus.  Donna Smith, a middle aged woman who got crushed against a building and broke her leg during a battle with Ember.  Anthony Walker, an old man Phantom grabbed too roughly to pull to safety, breaking his wrist.  Riley Adams, a teenager who got a bad concussion after Phantom failed to catch them in time and they hit the ground—”

“Uh, hold up.  What is that?” Sam asked.

“Everyone who’s ever gotten hurt during one of Phantom’s ghost fights,” Danny said, looking down at his controller and fiddling with the buttons instead of meeting her eye.

“Dude,” Tucker said.  “Do you have that memorized?”

Danny nodded.

“You—” Sam took a very unsuccessful calming breath and ran her hands through her hair.  “Danny, do you understand how completely unfair to him that is?”

“Oh, yeah?” Danny said, glaring up at her with so much fury that it actually caught her off guard for a minute.  “If he’s going to claim to be this big hero, he needs to be held accountable for his fuckups.”

Sam shook herself, and went back to glaring at him.  “That’s not how you hold someone accountable,” Sam snapped.  “That’s how you hold onto an unfair grudge.  Ghost fights are fast and dangerous.  You can’t expect him to make perfect decisions all the time.”

“If he wants to say he’s actually helping people, he needs to learn how to do better than that,” Danny said.  “People could get hurt in ways that don’t heal.”

“That wouldn’t be his fault either,” Sam snapped.

“You’re going way too far to defend him, Sam,” Danny said, glaring back down at his controller, which he was squeezing so tight Sam was a little concerned it might break.  “When would you stop?  What if someone gets killed on his watch?  Is that something that you should just let go?”

I already did, Sam didn’t say.

Instead she said, “Do you honestly think Phantom wouldn’t try absolutely everything to stop that from happening?”

“Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn’t,” Danny said.  “That’s not the point.  If it’s not enough, that makes him just as much of a monster as every other ghost.”

And honestly, Sam had about had enough of this.  Maybe Danny had gotten most of his knowledge from his parents, and Sam had tried to give him a little grace with that.  But she’d been consistently pointing out flaws in that kind of thinking, examples of ghosts being different than his parents thought, and he hadn’t changed his mind at all.  And if he was going to be this prejudiced towards one of her actual friends, Sam was done putting up with it.

So, she walked over to Danny’s bedroom door, locked it for safekeeping, turned and met Danny’s confused face now gazing back at her, and transformed.

Danny’s mouth fell open.

“I’m a ghost, Danny,” Sam snapped.  “Am I a monster?”

Danny looked faint, even as he stood up from his bean bag.  “Y-you— you just—”

“Sam!” Tucker called, running over in front of Danny and sticking his arms out as a barrier between him and Sam.  “What are you doing, you idiot?”

Sam saw Danny look at Tucker, probably processing that Tucker “knew” or something.

“Wh- I don’t understand,” Danny said, taking a couple of steps back.  “Why would you show me that?”

Sam noted with slight confusion that Danny wasn’t asking any questions about “what” or “how” and had instead jumped straight to “why.”  But she could wonder about that later.

“Because you’re being a total prick and I’m tired of dealing with it,” Sam snapped.  “And because, somehow, I trust that you’ll keep it a secret.”

She felt a little crazy even saying it, but she did.  There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Danny wouldn’t tell anyone.  Even now.

Apparently there were a couple of doubts in Danny’s mind, though, because he shook his head and took another step back.  “How— how do you know?” he asked weakly.  “What if I just go and turn you right over to my parents so they can rip you apart molecule by molecule?”

Sam snorted.  She turned intangible, flew right through Tucker, dropped the intangibility and leaned right into Danny’s face.  “Go on then,” she said.  She pointed behind her towards Danny’s bedroom door.  “Do it.”

Danny stared back at her with wide eyes, and Sam met his gaze with a firm determined one.

Finally, Danny pulled his gaze down, away from hers just slightly.

Sam leaned back, satisfied.  “That’s what I thought.”  She turned to Tucker.  “Come on, Tuck,” she said.  “You want to fly home?”

Tucker looked hesitantly at her for a second, then back at Danny, and then nodded, and transformed just like her.  He looked at Danny for a moment, and Sam looked back over to see something strange and broken on Danny’s face.

But she was done cutting him slack.

“Come find us when you stop being a dick,” she said.  Then she flew through Danny’s wall and started home, Tucker right behind her.

Sam took off as fast as she could as soon as she was outside Danny’s window, letting the anger and adrenaline fuel her into getting as far away from Danny, as fast as she could.

“Sam!” Tucker called, flying faster to try and catch up with her.  “Sam, wait!”

Sam stopped with a huff and turned around, only for Tucker to soar right past her.

“Woah!” he said, spinning around and doubling back.  “I uh, thought I’d have to chase you a bit longer.”

“Can you believe him?” Sam snapped, gesturing angrily back towards Danny.

“Uh, yeah,” Tucker said, looking… not angry?  Why wasn’t he angry?  “Sam, I… I don’t know if he was being a hundred percent honest there.”

Sam blinked.  “Honest?” she asked.  She’d attributed a lot of things to Danny’s behavior.  Prejudice, ignorance, stubbornness.  She hadn’t really put ‘dishonesty’ on the list.  “What do you mean?”

Tucker looked back over his shoulder, seeming hesitant.  “Sam, that thing I was going to tell you?  It’s about Vlad Plasmius.”

Sam blinked.  “What?  What are you talking about?”

“That thing I discovered is about Vlad Plasmius.  Phantom said he was a half ghost too, right?  Well, I think I figured it out.  His human half is Vlad Masters.”

Sam blinked again.  “Vlad Masters like Danny’s piece of shit godfather who won’t stop hitting on his mom?”

Tucker nodded.  “Yeah.”

“Okay?  So?”

“So, don’t you remember what he said?  When we were asking panicked questions about what he wanted and who he was?  He said we’d get a much better explanation from Danny.”

Sam nodded, vaguely recalling something like that.  “Yeah, okay.”

Tucker looked at her like that meant something.  “Sam, why would Danny know anything about that?”

“He knows about ghosts?” Sam said.  “Or, he thinks he does.”

“Okay, sure, but knowing about ghosts is one thing.  Knowing about half ghosts seems to be another thing entirely.”

“What’s your point?” Sam asked.

“And you know,” Tucker said, ignoring her question.  “Didn’t Phantom seem awfully sure what Danny’s reaction to us telling him anything about ghosts was going to be?  And then Danny reacted exactly like Phantom thought he would?”

“Maybe Phantom was just a good guesser,” Sam said, though she didn’t really believe it.

Tucker shook his head.  “Sam, Vlad seemed so sure Danny knew things about half ghosts.  And that he’d be talking to us about them.  But Danny hasn’t said anything to us about them, ever.”

“Okay,” Sam said, trying to ignore the queasy feeling in her stomach.  “So that’s… what does that mean?”

Tucker gave her a look, like he didn’t want to believe it either.  “Sam, come on,” he said.  “We know what it means.  I know I’m not the only one who’s noticed everything.”

Sam opened her mouth, but nothing came out, because Tucker was right.  Everything familiar about Phantom, and Danny’s sudden hatred of ghosts that seemed to come out of nowhere.  The weird something else that had been bugging her the whole time Danny had been shitting on Phantom.  The way he’d asked “why” instead of having any questions about “what the fuck are you.”

Sam squeezed her eyes shut.  “Oh, goddammit.”

[bat-in-the-machine]

You know what I did not expect to be writing when I sat down to work on a Maribat fic? Several paragraphs of Clark and Kara bonding over Kara's trauma. You know what I wrote tonight?

Supergirl sighed and took a sip of her root beer float. Kal was right, it really was a fantastic float. After a moment, she looked over at him, looking more vulnerable than she had the first time she realized that he was the little baby she'd been sent to protect all those years ago, when she told him she felt like a complete failure. "You know how I said I kind of sort of have a maybe girlfriend?" "Mm," Kal said. "Bruce's new kid, right? The one you were dancing with at the gala?" "Someone tried to assassinate her today." "What?!" Superman dropped his drink, then quickly flew down to catch it. "Well, my goodness, Kara, why didn't you head down to Gotham as soon as we finished up here?" "I will," she said. "I will. I just... I need to calm my nerves first. Plus, she's still dealing with the investigation right now, I'm listening in. We were going to go out flying tonight, but now, even if I showed up in uniform with half the Justice League with me, I doubt Batman would let her out of the house without a security detail. Not until they catch whoever's behind it." Superman grimaced. "You're not wrong," he said. "I'll see what I can do to help. I may not be the World's Greatest Detective, but I do all right." Kara let out a choking sound, somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "You do," she said. "You know... I never really talk about your parents, but they would have been so proud of you, Kal-El." "I try to do Ma and Pa proud," he said, shrugging. "I'm not talking about the Kents," Kara said. "I know," he replied, "but they are my parents, at least as much as Jor-El and Lara." "That's..." Kara grinned. "That's so human of you. It's one of the best things about this world we were sent to. None of the 'Noble House of El' stuff. Rao, by the time I got here, I was so terrified of failing Jor-El and Lara, especially Lara. And here you were, all grown up, wearing the crest of the House of El and being every bit the idealist Lara was and even more steadfast than Jor-El. If that's the influence of Jonathan and Martha Kent, then I understand why you're so proud of your Earth name." She sighed. "Don't get me wrong, I love Eliza and Jeremiah, but I still... I don't know. When I think 'parents' I think of Zor-El and Alura and all of their expectations. The Danvers are like... the cool aunt and uncle. They let me stay up past sunset, even!" "I thought I was the cool uncle," Kal said with a grin. "Also, your parents made you go to bed at sunset?" "You're my baby cousin and don't you forget it," Kara said, returning the grin. "And no, not really, I just... they were very strict. I was thirteen when they put me in that pod and sent me after you, and they put the weight of the world on my shoulders. You, at least, got to choose to shoulder that weight. I got here, and you were all grown up without me and I was already a failure before I even started." "Hey," Kal - no, Clark - said. "You're not a failure. Kara, you're not. You're an incredible woman, and I am proud to call you family." He slapped his thighs and shifted from his floating/sitting position to a standing one, as though he were standing up from her bedside. "That's it," he said. "We're heading to Gotham. I want to meet this young woman you're 'kind of sort of' dating, and see if she's good enough for my favorite babysitter."

[mamamittens]

Hello ☺️

I would love to send you my request for your spooktober event, which sound very cool!

I Afab fem go with Hongo (Wizard). I have dark hair pale skin and blue eyes, and I wear a short yellow dress, which I like I’m not very used to wear because I’m a professional artistic gymnast and almost never wear dresses.

I have a salt treated wood bucket with pop rock chocolate and ring pop.

We drink White russian, Hot damn and we share a Pineapple upside down cake.

I hope it’s everything ok, have a nice day 💖

It is, I'm just really bad at doing things in a timely fashion~!

For context, this is part of my Spooktober Event 2024!

From Coast to Coast (+18)

Summary:

You'd been warned a very long time ago that your life was spoken for. You assumed, of course, that it was superstitious nonsense. Best left behind like the coastal town you came from to pursue a career in artistic gymnastics. But duty calls you back, and you find that those dire warnings were much more severe than you expected. A trip across the ocean to settle old debts reveals a Debt.

Your hand, long since promised to Hongo, Wizard of the Deep.

(AFAB!Reader/Wizard!Hongo)

Warnings: Deeply inaccurate fishing vessel kitchen (not relevant but feel free to tell me how this is solved irl lol), arranged marriage, oral sex (male and female receiving), mild overstimulation, implied marathon sex, creampie, praise kink, marriage kink, very flexible sex position, and unprotected sex.

Word Count: 5,296

You never expected to go back.

Your small island home only seemed to grow smaller with every year that passed and you took the first boat out with a desperation that bellied your youth. You could remember the looks people gave you as you hurried to the ship that would carry you away on a sports scholarship.

The store clerk that looked longingly at you, at the opportunity that was so rarely afforded to those that lived there.

The old women bartering for fish, clicking their tongues at ‘the youth’ behind your back.

The fishermen that glared, spitting at your path across old cobblestone.

Your mother, desperate and pleading, torn between duty and duty. And Hongo at her side, unusually severe expression on his face but otherwise unreadable.

You’d been born in the middle of a storm. The lighting striking your doorstep thrice and seagulls declaring the break on your windowsill. You weren’t even sure half of that happened but, well, you were just born so what would you know? Still, it was an omen, everyone could agree—of one thing.

You were doomed to be a Bride of The Sea.

It was an old tradition where, upon an unusual birth, someone is marked to eventually marry the entity known as The Wizard of the Deep. Some strange figure in folklore you never took stalk in, said to command the seas and winds to their every word and whim. You weren’t entirely sure when you were ‘supposed’ to marry this figure, seeing as it wasn’t when you turned thirteen, sixteen, seventeen, or even eighteen. And assumed it was a weird way of declaring some poor bastard as perpetually single.

Certainly, no one dared to look your way while on the island. Though you were too busy with gymnastics to really dabble either. It was still incredibly noticeable growing up. Every holiday your already small class would group up for activities as they aged, only you would be left standing alone. Hongo was a year older than you, so he was little help in the matter.

Hongo was about the only boy that dared get close, and even he had to deal with dirty looks from the older folks every time you played in the surf together. Brash and wild, you remember spending hours in the saltwater until gymnastics took up your attention. He watched you practice eagerly enough that your guilt was buried until it became clear that was how you planned to leave.

The man who built the gymnasium for the local community was certain you could go far. And you did go pretty far in your time away from home. There was a certain limit to how long one could tumble so recklessly though, so you were looking into places willing to accept teachers in the coming years. Somewhere to settle down.

And that’s when the call came in.

A lawyer managing affairs.

Death affairs specifically.

Your mother passed suddenly and left her possessions to you. Unfortunately, you couldn’t settle them from a distance—neither the legal matters nor your heart allowing such a thing. So, to your reluctance, you got a ride on a ship back home.

For the first time in years, you were returning.

The ship you got onto was a fishing vessel. Modest and willing to make a few extra bucks to take a passenger to the little island you once called home. You’d go back in a few weeks after making sure everything had been settled properly, having no interest in returning to that island full time. Until then, of course, the ship would be your home. The eerie creaking and swaying late at night a familiar lullaby to the trip you’d taken so long ago. It would be another few days before you reached the island, but you could already feel the heavy weight settle on your shoulders again.

The stares.

The strange expectation.

You had to soothe yourself with the knowledge that it would only be for a little while.

And, hey, it wouldn’t be all bad!

You’d get to see Hongo again. Calls between you both few and far between as schedules and weather patterns clashed. You must have begged him to come see you at competitions dozens of times, but he could never seem to make it. Always busy with ‘work’—what kind he never clarified. You almost wondered if he wanted to actually see you at all or if he was still upset you’d left to begin with. It was hard to tell with him sometimes. His temper rare but explosive, buried under genial layers of pleasant words.

The ship creaked ominously as thunder cracked above so loud you thought the mast broke for a moment. But the heavy vibrations that followed just a hairsbreadth after clarified the matter.

It was a storm.

Sudden, too. You don’t recall anyone mentioning a storm coming in during lunch. That was the sort of thing that got the fishermen to pull in lines and prep the deck for turbulent seas. The wheelhouse settling down for a rough night of ensuring they didn’t stray too far off course or get slammed in by a wave unexpectedly. No one wanted or was advised to leave their rooms during bad weather—the amount of folks willing to be thrown overboard about as numerous as those willing to do the dishes.

You ducked out of your room to retrieve a quick snack, certain that the cook wouldn’t want to try and make a substantial meal on the odd kitchen stove that moved with the waves to remain stable. They could, but that didn’t mean they wanted to, really.

As you expected, several deckhands were running around with last minute prep, cursing at the unexpected squall. One that no weather service announcement had warned of to boot.

“—Fuck! This shit came out of nowhere! Thought the sky was clear an hour ago!” One man hissed as he ran past, pausing to address you. “Bad storm suddenly. Just stick to your cabin—you getting something to eat? Good, try not to get soup or something, wouldn’t want it thrown onto your lap—hah!” the man barked with laughter, ears a little red. You assumed from personal experience.

“No, wouldn’t want that. Good luck.” You responded politely, bracing yourself against the wall as the ship swayed hard. It was pretty easy for you to keep your balance, considering your career for the past few years, but that didn’t mean you wanted to risk a concussion.

The kitchen was manned by the cook, an older woman who hisses as she finished what she was cooking with practiced efficiency.

“Ah, lassie, its you! Just in time—if you can manage to eat it before the storm gets worse, you’re welcome to it! Chicken soup—was about to secure it in a pot to be reheated. Last time old Ricky got burns all over his chest and face trying to eat at the tail end of a hurricane!” You smiled, admiring the easy way Betty braced herself as the stove tilted, revealing just how severe the waves had gotten.

“I think I’m good. I’ll just… fix a sandwich? Less likely to spill everywhere, I think.” You huffed, shifting your stance as the ship crested another wave. “Think she’ll be okay in these waters? Feels pretty… bad.” You asked, stumbling to the counter where the breadbox was slotted into a rack on the counter.

You just slapped some cold cuts and cheese between bread slices, moving quick to avoid the quick meal from sliding away from you and into the floor.

“Should be—we had a maintenance check before we left and everything was in good shape! We’ve had worse weather than this—oomph!” Betty grunted as she twisted the lid onto the hot pot and lifted it onto a secured rack inside a lower cabinet. Clicking down the bolts to keep it from sliding. “Well then!—it’s just sudden is all! Usually, we’ve got better warning than this! Woulda make chicken strips if I knew we’d be tossed about so bad!” Betty complained.

“Chicken strips do sound nice—maybe tomorrow if this keeps up!” You huffed, quickly scarfing down your sandwich as you braced against the counter. “At least you have something to keep the soup secure while we ride it out.” You sighed, taking a water bottle from the fridge between waves.

“Yeah, sometimes I like letting things marinate but can’t afford the fridge space—so I got the captain to agree to something like this rigged up. Got one in cold storage too. If this keeps up I’ll move it, but I’m hoping it goes as fast as it came!” Betty huffed, quickly washing up what she could. After you polished off your sandwich you helped, certain Betty would like to leave the kitchen quickly. “Thanks, love. That’ll do it—go ahead and rest in your quarters while you can. With luck you’ll sleep through the worst parts. I’ll come get ‘cha if it passes quick enough to have dinner on time.” Betty offered with a wink.

“Sure thing, night B-Betty!” You stuttered as the ship pitched sharply.

You hurried to your room, watching as the last of the crew hunkered down, their duties done for the night.

Your room was small, more akin to a walk in closet, with a loft bunk over a little desk and locking drawers. The key dangling from the sill of the port window. It wasn’t much, but it was cozy and pretty safe from things getting tossed around. Little touches to the room suggesting it had housed many crafty people in the midst of a storm.

A water bottle holder strapped to the frame of the bed. Phone charger port in the wall with a little cubby. A loop of tough fabric on the far wall so you could hold on if the waves made you nervous while laying down. Nothing suggested these touches were built into the cabin—all of them Macgyvered up over years at sea.

You looked out but saw nothing but tongues of lighting over the water and the crests of waves as they foamed at the sky.

Getting ready for bed was a quick affair, having no desire to be thrown off the toilet for dallying or giving yourself impromptu dental surgery. Dirty clothes stuffed into a sack to be delt with later and a yellow dress tossed on for bed. It wasn’t your favorite dress—not that you had many—but it was soft and comfortable. Easy to sleep in and stumble out of bed with for breakfast if the weather is kinder in daylight. Cotton and lace curling around your knees as you scramble into bed. It bunched up around your waist as you settled down finally, much more secure than before.

Sleep, of course, didn’t come easy. The rain and wind beating down against the ship as it was tossed about. But eventually, it did come.

Something awoke you a little while later.

Knock-knock.

At first, you thought it was just your imagination. Or maybe something knocking loose in the hallway. The waves still throwing the ship about but much calmer now. Almost rhythmic and soothing. Your eyes squinting into the darkness where brief flashes of distant lighting cast sharp edges across the room. Highlighting the bed and your abandoned shoes.

Knock-knock.

You rubbed your eyes and carefully stumbled out of bed, nearly slamming into the door as a wave curled beneath you just as you stepped closer.

You opened the door groggy and a little irritated.

“Storms still going—something happen—ing…” You froze, looking at an unfamiliar chest. Toned muscle cast in silver light as the ship shook with rolling thunder. Water glistening down his chest and open shirt, your eyes following them briefly as they dripped down to his hips before casting upwards.

The man had tanned skin and hard features, eyes looking down at you in the dark. A scar cutting down to his eyebrow in a quick flick. His features softening as he huffed, water dripping down his jaw from silvery blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, revealing an undercut that bristled with dewy drops. It took a moment to recognize him.

“…Hongo?” You asked, jerking fully away. “Hongo?! W-What are you d-doing—in this weather—are you mad?!” you hissed, pulling him in as you fretted over him, eyes flicking over his body to see if he was hurt.

By all appearances, it just looked like he walked through a downpour and right up to your room.

“Hey, tidepool.” Hongo murmured with amusement, pulling you into a hug despite your protests. “What, afraid to get a little wet?”

“ACK! Yes! I was nice and dry, you ass! How the hell are you here right now?!” You sputtered against his damp skin, noting how warm he was despite the rain outside definitely being freezing. “You didn’t hide from me until now, did you?” you asked, finally relaxing into the embrace.

It felt… well, wet. But good. Steady and encompassing, like all the years didn’t matter anymore.

His laugh was deep and soft, rolling like the thunder as he nuzzled your dark hair.

“No. Didn’t hide from you. Didn’t realize you were coming back so soon.” He huffed. “Missed you.”

“Missed you too, dork—but seriously, how are you here right now if you weren’t on board? You… you didn’t sail out this way did you?!” you asked in a horrified whisper, unsure how he’d even know where you were. His hand patted your bared back and stroked down your spine in a slow, soothing motion. Water smearing into your skin as he stepped further into the room. Kicking the door closed behind him.

“Didn’t sail out.” Hongo finally huffed, pulling away from you. The lighting was frequent but distant, providing a consistent, soft glow to his features. His hand cupping your cheek. “Finally…you’re here. Ready to pay the debt, tidepool?”

Your brows furrowed as you clutched his open shirt.

“Debt? Ah—you were mad I left, weren’t you?” you sighed. “You know I couldn’t stand staying there forever. It was just so… small and everyone always acted… weird. About me.” Your nose wrinkled in distaste as he chuckled, shaking his head.

“No, tidepool. I understood why you left. I felt it too, you know. Thought I’d have to hunt you down. I’m sorry about your mom. Even if she brought you back to me, this isn’t how I wanted this to go.” Hongo sighed, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. Your throat swelled and you struggled to speak in the tender moment. His hands stroked down your shoulders to your arms, pulling up your hands to inspect them. His thumb stroked over your left hand and he smiled. Kissing the bare fingers as he gave you a look of pure satisfaction.

“H-Hongo?” You asked cautiously. “Seriously, w-what’s going on?” his breath washed over your hand in a soothing wave.

“Just… so glad to see you again. And nothing is standing in the way now. You’ve had years to explore the land and now its time to pay the Debt.” Hongo purred, a sharp smile twisting his features.

“What debt, Hongo? What are you tal—mmmmn!” You moaned, shocked as his lips pressed against yours. Tongue slipping against yours as he groaned, hands gasping your face as he walked you back to the wall. You pushed weakly against him, shocked at his boldness until he finally pulled away. Face smug at your flustered state. “What the shit, Hongo?! H-How long have you…?”

He huffed in amusement, smirking as he loomed over you, the space between you growing intimate and heated.

“Since I understood that you were meant to be mine.” Hongo sighed, stroking your flushed face. “Everyone knew it but you—silly girl. Born belonging to me.” He whispered.

You froze, face twisting in confusion.

“…Hongo, are you talking about that whole ‘bride’ shit? You know I don’t believe in that nonsense. Besides, it’s supposed to be some weirdo at the seafloor or something.” Hongo laughed, his amusement running deeper as he kissed your face. “S-Some old guy or folktale figure—it’s not real—Hongo!” you yelped as he nipped your throat.

“Well if that’s what you thought, I can’t blame you for being skeptical, tidepool.” Hongo lapped at your throat, pinning you against the wall. “But I assure you, the Wizard of the Deep is real. A title, but still very real.” He chuckled, nipping your skin.

“I-Is this some nerd shit you’ve gotten into, Hongo?!” You gasped, clutching at his shoulders. “Y-You could just ask me out like a normal person—aahhn~!” you whined suddenly as he turned his attention to your dress. Nuzzling your breasts as he sank lower, kneeling now and holding your hips firmly.

“Ask you out? Why would I do that when you’re already promised to me?” Hongo purred, pushing down the neckline of your dress until your breasts were exposed. Hot tongue laving over the soft skin as your hands carded through his hair, slowly pulling it free from his hair tie. “Besides, doesn’t seem like you’ve got a lot of complaints, do you, pretty girl?”

“N-Not the point, Hongo!” you gasped as you were suddenly lifted up high against the wall, legs tossed over his shoulders. His breath washing between your thighs as he laughed. Kissing your panties with a bemused hum.

“Not going to lie, was hoping you slept without these. Rode all the way out here because I couldn’t wait another day to feel these pretty thighs on my face. I can have just a taste, can’t I? Maybe a little more?” Hongo teased, rolling his wet tongue against your covered pussy, soaking the skimpy fabric as he groaned. You moaned, head rolling back as you lifted up your dress to tug on his hair. For more or less, you weren’t sure. Your heart racing as he did his best to shove his tongue into your folds through your panties. Sucking on your clit with a deep growl. “Worth the wait, but fuck, did I hate waiting for this. You like it when I lick your cute pussy, baby? I think you do, can taste it already. Dripping wet for me. Shocked I haven’t sunk this whole ship just to have you all to myself at the bottom of the ocean. You’d look so pretty beneath the waves. You’d never have to come up for air—it would just be us.” Hongo rambled, licking at the seam of your panties, pushing them slowly aside to run his hot tongue into your folds eagerly.

“H-Hongo-oooh~! W-What are you talking about, baby?! S-So good—I can’t—what are you—ooo~!” You moaned, swallowing hard as something ripped. Hongo moved, hand curling low on your ass and shoving your thigh up, pinning you with one hand as his thick fingers curled into your pussy, your other leg curling against his back to try and ground yourself. Rough digits slipping against your walls as he licked up the mess you made with every desperate clench. Savoring every drop with a pleased groan.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m calling in my Debt.” Hongo purred with amusement into your pussy, the vibrations electric against your clit. “My pretty little bride—promised to me forever. Keep making those cute noises, tidepool. They’re my due, just like this pussy is mine to do with as I please.” Hongo sighed, spreading out his fingers wide and slipping his tongue between them. Letting you feel the hot muscle squirm against your walls as you cried out. Clenching onto him as your world tipped over. No difference between the violent waves outside and the ones in your blood. Called at his beckoning grasp for his pleasure as he drank you down eagerly.

Lapping between your folds and sucking your clit as you rode out your orgasm, tears in your eyes. Playful nips spread across your quivering thighs as you panted for air. Slowly, Hongo let you down. Grasp firm as you struggled to stand. Tossing waves no help to your shot balance, Hongo the only reassuring figure you could touch.

After a moment, he let you fall to your knees at his feet, back against the wall as you looked up at him in a daze. Weak, your hands grasped his pants and tugged for his attention—that he was already giving you all of—as you leaned against his knee.

“Y-You’re… so full of shit. But I don’t care—I want more, Hongo.” You sighed, gathering yourself.

His smile was etched in silver flashes of light, the ship trembling with the fury of the storm. Hungry as the depths of the sea, he chuckled at your state.

“I’d never deny you this, pretty thing. Go ahead and release me, tidepool. Want to see you take my cock with those pretty lips.” Hongo whispered heatedly, watching with intense eyes reflecting the violent seas as you settled onto your knees. Reaching up to the belt fastened around his waist. Buckle falling open with ease even to your trembling hands. Fabric falling past the hard bulge after some weak tugging, dragging over his cock. With another soft pull, his boxers fell down his hips as well, cock bouncing free.

The storm rumbling with promise outside as you examined his cock. It was thick and long, curving up with a rosy tip. Soft veins curling around the shaft as pearly pre caught the light from the porthole in flashes like a diamond. Balls heavy in the shadow of his thighs and blond curls crowning the base. You breathed deep, preparing yourself for the endeavor under Hongo’s sharp eye. One arm braced against the wall and the other hand petting your hair.

Your tongue licked up the curve hesitantly, suddenly uncertain under the intense gaze and intimidating girth. But his groan vibrated the walls of the cabin as his fingers twitched in your locks. Desire to shove his cock down your throat brief but violently clear despite his restraint. Perhaps, because of his restraint. Hongo was still as a statue otherwise, letting you take in the taste of his hot, silky skin. The salt and musky undertones pleasing on your tongue as you licked up to the tip. Sparing him a glance before returning your focus onto him.

Your hands stroked across his thighs as he spread out a little more, giving you room to move in closer. Lips falling open to let the heavy, leaking tip rest on your tongue. Teasing him with your breath as you glanced up at him through your lashes. His expression was hard—any other circumstance you’d think he was furious. Face flushed and eyes locked on you as the storm began to rage again. Thunder cracking in the sky as your lips sealed around his cock, the suddenness jolting your forward a little.

Despite the accidental fright, you didn’t back down. Grasping his ass in both hands as you slid your tongue under the weight of his cock, wetting the skin for a smooth slide down your throat. The taste of salt intensified as his tip brushed across the roof of your mouth. Your soft moans answered with heavy throbs against your tongue. All the while his hand weaved into your hair, anchoring low on the back of your head as he whispered praise down onto you.

“Yeah, that’s it, baby. Like it, don’t you?” Hongo whispering between cracks of lighting, the rocking of the ship helping more of his cock slip in and out of your mouth as he encouraged you to swallow him down. “Nngh! G-Good thing we didn’t do this before—I’d have never let you go if I knew I’d be missing this. Look so good on your knees, tidepool. If I ever tell you no, just drop down and I’ll change my mind real quick—f-fuuuck~!”

“L-Love the hands, baby, but I want you to play with yourself a little. Go on, touch yourself.” Hongo ordered. And you hardly had reason to refuse besides letting go of his tensed ass. Reluctantly, you brought one hand down to your breasts, fondling yourself and flicking your nipple. Moaning softly at the stab of pleasure low in your body. Suddenly aware of the slick dripping down your thighs. “Ya wet, baby? Let me hear how wet you are just from sucking my cock.” His words carried down to you like a prayer you were reluctant to ignore. Free hand falling to your knee and slipping under your dress.

You were shocked at how wet you were. Arousal already soaking you to mid thigh as your fingers slipped up higher. Puffy folds slick and practically melting on your cold fingertips. Falling apart at the slightest touch with wet sounds. Pussy eagerly sucking your hand in as you whined on Hongo’s cock. The torn edges of your underwear soaked against your thigh, the bottom completely ripped apart.

“Shit, that wet, huh? What a good bride I have. Guess it doesn’t matter if I am the Wizard of the Deep or not when you’re that wet just from tasting me, does it?” Hongo snorted. “C’mon, pretty bride. Cum for me. Let me know how much you love my cock before I fuck you nice and proper~”

You rubbed your clit desperately, fingers slipping in the thick mess as his hand slowly forced your nose into his curls. Throat vibrating with moans as your hips rocked into your hand.

“That’s it—you’re such a good bride for me. Shaking that ass for me like that. Can hear how wet you are over the storm, ya like that? Like being so good for me? Hope so, because I love it.” His hand pressed hard on your head and you whined, feeling his cock throb down your throat as you swallowed with difficulty. Musk and sweat thick in your nose as you started to quiver.

He groaned suddenly, gasping for air as his cock jerked hard in your mouth. Thick cum flooding your sore throat in a relentless wave, your pussy clenching down hard in sympathy. Orgasm overwhelming you as you swallowed down his hot cum eagerly, fingers drenched as his seed slipped down your lips in heavy spurts. Your hand still grasping his ass as the other bullied your clit, riding out each other’s high until his cock fell still—but didn’t soften.

He pulled free with a sigh, slowly releasing your flustered face with a bubbly laugh. Almost boyish as he took in your messy face. Swiping up the dripping strand of cum with his thumb and pushing it back onto your hanging tongue. Rubbing it in deliberately as you panted.

“My perfect bride.” Hongo sighed dreamily, kneeling down to pull free your soaked hand. Inspecting it critically as your cream dripped down your fingers. After a moment, he licked up the worst of the mess before bringing your hand to his cock. Encouraging you to wrap around his thick length and stroke it, smearing your cum onto his skin. “Ready to be mine?” he asked softly.

You swallowed hard, licking your lips free of his cum.

“I-I thought I already was?” you whispered softly.

His grin was instant and sharp, almost predatory.

“Good answer.” He purred, pulling you up and turning you towards the window. With a firm push, you were pinned against the wall, dress shoved up your waist as he pulled back your ass. Grinding his wet cock against your weeping folds. His breath hot against your neck as he laughed. “My perfect bride!”

You screamed as he hilted in a single thrust. Body barely protesting as his cock pressed in deeper than you thought possible.

Hongo didn’t pull out so much as grind against you, pulling apart your walls with his girth alone as he panted. The sea awash in violent weather to your teary eyes. Pleasure almost as violent as the waves around you as he fucked you with a desperation you hadn’t known he was capable of.

“Take it, pretty girl. Want you to fall apart on my cock—show me how much you want me. My bride—my wife—mine! Mine! Cute pussy just taking it, huh?��� he panted, kissing along your shoulder and up your neck. “G-Gotta get deeper—deeper inside you—can’t let you forget me again!” his hand grasped under your thigh and pulled up sharply, dragging up your leg until your thigh and calve was flush with the wall. Splitting you for his cock as he pinned you in place for his ragged thrusts.

Your mouth fell open, protests barely comprehendible as you turned towards him. Body aching from the strain while being so tense, holding the extreme pose under his command.

“A-Ah! Ah!Ah! H-Haaaahn—go~! Hongo!” his hand was like a steel band on your knee, pinning it against the wall as he silenced you with his tongue, free hand curling up your thigh to your clit. “Mmmngh~!” you moaned wildly as you came onto his cock hard, but he didn’t stop. Fucking you against the wall like he had something to prove.

He pulled away with a wet gasp, licking at your trembling lips with a fire in his eyes.

“Who am I?” He asked, fucking your quivering walls harder, wind howling against the frigid glass your sweaty face was pressed against. “Say it. Tell me who’s making you feel this good?”

“Husband~!” His eyes were wide with shock as he slammed into your ass hard, cock jerking as he came instantly inside you. You licked at his tongue, sucking it as your whined, cumming onto his cock with harsh trembles. “You’re my husband, Hongo.”

His smile was soft, fingers circling your clit, much to your weak protest. Encouraging you to cum on his spurting cock again as it dripped down your thigh. Foot barely scraping the floor, all your weight pinned against the wall and onto his cock.

“T-That’s right, baby. I’m your husband. What a good little wife you are to remember that when I make you cum~” Hongo murmured against your lips, the storm falling into silence. “You won’t mind repeating that again, will you? I’ll keep the storm going until I’ve had my fill of you—make sure we’re left alone.” Hongo sighed with a mischievous smile.

On cue, lighting struck and the waters were tossed about again. His cock jerking against your walls like a threat.

Somehow, you didn’t mind.

You just… couldn’t bring yourself to care about wizards or magic or Debts when his hips canted forward like that.

“P-Put my leg down, husband. I’m flexible but this is a bit much.” You could only offer in protest.

Hongo laughed, gently putting your leg back down but keeping his cock inside you.

“Hmm, guess I should let you rest a little bit, shouldn’t I?” He asked rhetorically before picking you up under your knees. You yelped, feeling his cock dig deeper into your walls. “This’ll be like… hmm, an early honeymoon. Until I get tired of you—no, wait—not happening. Until…? Well, I can’t think of a reason to stop fucking your cute pussy. Guess we’ll have to wing it until we find one, won’t we, wife?”

You whined, laughing a little as he started bouncing you on his cock again. Fucking out the cum that hadn’t dripped down your thighs yet.

“Hongo~!” you wailed, throwing back your head as his cock dragged against your walls. But he only laughed, kissing your cheek.

The storm made no signs of breaking anytime soon—magic or not—so you supposed there was nothing for it but to let your husband have his filthy way with you.

[nighttimeebony]

A collection of my thoughts, reactions, predictions and whatnot that I had and wrote down while I was reading The Sea of Monsters. So spoilers for that under the cut.

EDIT: part 1, part 3, part 4, part 5

Ah, I just now realized that Percy’s sword, Riptide, is another nod to his Poseidon heritage

Where the hell was this kind of school when I was Percy’s age? You don’t get grades, and you just get to blow shit up in science class?? I fucking wish

Tyson kind of reminds me of some of the special ed kids I knew in elementary school. Or kids with low-functioning autism. That’s probably what Percy figured, too, since he didn’t know that Tyson was a cyclops at first. Percy is such a sweetheart, and he does his best to treat Tyson kindly and to protect him from bullies. And he does it not to feel better about himself but because he wants Tyson to feel better. And he doesn’t just protect Tyson and leave him alone afterwards and hope he doesn’t talk to him. He genuinely considers Tyson to be one of his friends and he cares about him. I just. I love this kid.

Ah, yes. Tantalus. I remember you. Your son had sex with Percy’s dad.

I like that whenever Percy sees Grover in a wedding dress, he says nothing about the fact that Grover is a boy wearing a dress, he’s just like, “bro, that does not fit you at all, you need a size 9 at least before we can call it kosher”. I love these kids.

I like Silena Beauregard and Charles Beckendorf. I imagine that they're a couple, because it would be a cute reference to the fact that Aphrodite and Hephaestus are technically married. In a very crack shippy kind of way.

I just now realized that the name of Luke's sword (Backbiter) was foreshadowing for his inevitable betrayal. Backbiter is a term used to describe someone untrustworthy, or used to describe a traitor. It’s basically a synonym for “backstabber”. The trickster Norse god Loki is actually frequently referred to with the epithet Backbiter. It could also be a reference to the fact that Hermes is not only a trickster god, but also the god of liars and thieves, which would make sense considering that Luke is a son of Hermes.

Holy shit, Luke is trying to Voldemort this shit!

“‘Percy,’ Annabeth said, trying to keep her cool, ‘we’re going to Polyphemus’s island! Polyphemus is an S-i-k… a C-y-k…” She stamped her foot in frustration. As smart as she was, Annabeth was dyslexic, too. We could’ve been there all night while she tried to spell Cyclops.” I love this book.

Percy’s like, a donut shop in the middle of nowhere is a little weird, but donuts aren’t all that high on my list of threats to worry about. Percy, last book you were almost murdered by Medusa at a diner. I think you should know by now that free food is sketchy as hell when you’re you.

“‘I DON’T CARE WHAT IT SAID!’ Ares bellowed with such force that his image shimmered. ‘You will succeed. And if you don’t…’ He raised his fist. Even though he was only a figure in the steam, Clarisse flinched.” Oh, baby…

I think Clarisse should swear. She deserves it.

Annabeth talking about weaving and Athena’s skill with weaving specifically makes me wonder if we’re ever going to meet or get some other mention/reference to Arachne.

“‘But…’ Annabeth’s voice sounded hurt. ‘What’s wrong with my hair?’” Annabeth saying this broke my heart, but then I remembered that she’s going to be Black in that new live action series, and thinking about this scene with that context in mind hurt me even more considering how Black kids are often shamed and punished for their natural hair texture. I’m just imagining little Annabeth getting made fun of by other kids for her hair and teachers punishing her for being “dirty” or “ungroomed”, and then thinking about the way this cunt is manipulating Annabeth to feel like she’s lesser than because of it. That new live series Disney+ is making better not mess this up.

Holy shit, did C.C. also invent the concept of Instagram?? Why is she obliterating these thirteen-year-olds’ self-esteem???

Oh, because she’s a witch. Yup, Circe, that checks out

Amelia Earheart was a half-blood? I love that. Also, yes! Thank you for mentioning Atalanta, I adore her! She’s one of my favorite characters in Greek mytho-history.

Also, Blackbeard being a son of Ares makes way too much sense

Percy being good at sailing is amazing. Finding that one interest that’s very niche and obscure that’s almost useless in modern society and nailing the hell out of it is very neurodivergent of him and I’m so proud of him for that

“I looked over, expecting to see Annabeth, but the girl wasn’t Annabeth. She wore punk-style clothes with silver chains on her wrists. She had spiky black hair, dark eyeliner around her stormy blue eyes, and a spray of freckles across her nose. She looked familiar, but I wasn’t sure why.” Wait. Is that Thalia?

"'But… you're still getting married?' Grover sounded hurt." Grover, baby, he was going to kill you. This is not about you not being hot enough for him.

Annabeth calling herself Nobody to get Polyphemus's attention—I remember that myth; I read it in elementary school. I thought it was hysterical. It still is. Also Annabeth's burn game is on point.I didn’t know that that hero was Odysseus specifically, but now that I do, it makes a lot more sense.

By the way, isn’t Odysseus related to Poseidon? I can’t remember, but I could swear that Odysseus was a grandson of Poseidon… (two Google searches later). Nope, it was Hermes. He’s a grandson of Hermes, which, yeah, that makes more sense than Poseidon.

"'Not a traitor,' Tyson said. 'And you are not my kind.'" YES, BABY!!

Percabeth. Just Percabeth. I love these children and I love them together.

Percy is one of the best protagonists ever. When Polyphemus was crying and asking Percy not to kill him, Percy spared him. Not because Polyphemus didn't deserve to die, but because Percy didn't want to kill him and felt bad for him. He sympathizes with Clarisse when she's upset, even though she's insulting him and Annabeth is angry with her. He remembers the way Ares had treated her on the boat, and instead of yelling back at her, he treats her with kindness and patience. He lets her complete her quest and have the glory that comes with it, because Percy doesn’t care about getting recognized by the camp for what he did—he just wants the camp to be saved, and as long as the Fleece is delivered to do that, he doesn’t care how. I just. I love him so much. He's such a sweet kid.

I love that Annabeth is the bloodthirsty, petty one between her and Percy.

Holy shit, Tyson's watch thing!! Damn, Tyson!

Percy proudly calling Tyson his baby brother is everything to me.

I love that at this point in the story, Percy is only 13 and has canonically been wanted by the police on two separate occasions.

HOLY SHIT!!!!! THALIA'S ALIVE!!!!!!!!! I AM READY TO LOVE HER!!!!!!!!

[sinsiriuslyemo]

Chapter Seven: Breaking the Statute of Secrecy

“So let me get this straight,” Penny said, her eyes pointed at a spot on the wall behind him.

They had been sitting on the sofa for nearly forty-five minutes as he tried to explain everything in a way that someone without knowledge of magic would understand. Or at least everything that was necessary for her to know, which as it turned out, was quite a lot, and to her credit she seemed to follow his explainations thus far. She also had yet to look at him as though he had gone mad. Instead, she listened, asking very few questions whenever he mentioned something that as a muggle she wouldn’t understand the context of. Most of all she appeared sad as he explained everything to her, from the Marauders, to the first wizarding war, and James and Lily’s death leading up to his arrest. By the time he finished, she seemed to have relaxed quite a bit more than she had been when he’d first revealed himself, which was more than a bit of a relief. At least he would no longer have to worry about her screaming.

“Thirteen years ago, there was a war," she pointed at him, "which you fought in….”

“Mhm.”

“And your friends also fought in that war, but then one of them did a one-eighty, and betrayed your other two friends to the… Volde — or whatever, the bag guy...”

“Right.”

“And that same friend killed twelve randos when you confronted him about James and…”

“Lily.”

“Lily, right. But you were blamed for the randos and for James and Lily being," she made a slicing gesture by sliding one finger across her throat, her lips stretched to one side as she made a clicking sound, "and you went to prison for it. Everyone thinks he’s dead, but he’s not actually dead, and now he’s… someone’s pet?” Her brows made waves above her eyes, as though she recognized just how ridiculous and complicated it all sounded.

“Yes. He’s a rat,” Sirius answered.

“Yeah, I got that, I mean, he betrayed his friends that he’d known for —”

“No, I mean he’s a rat,” Sirius repeated.

“As in…” She brought her hands up under her chin, fingers pointed down and parallel to her palms. Then she drew her upper lip in to reveal her teeth and made little tsking sounds.

“Yes. He’s like me. Only instead of turning into a dog, he can turn into a rat,” Sirius explained.

Penny grimaced. “Gross.”

“It was actually quite useful back in our school days,” Sirius replied with a shrug and what might have been a smirk if the memories didn't make him so sad. “But the point is that the boy he belongs to goes to school with Harry.”

“Whoa, who’s Harry?”

“Oh right, sorry, that’s James and Lily’s son.”

“So many names,” she whispered to herself. “Okay, so the two friends that he betrayed had a son, Harry.” She paused for a moment as though she were piecing something together. “Wait… if that Volde-whatever-guy killed Lily and James… where was Harry when that happened?”

Swallowing thickly, Sirius lowered his eyes. He’d never had the chance to speak to anyone about what happened that night in Godric’s Hollow, or the state he’d found Potter Cottage in. “He was only a baby, but he was there. He saw his mother die.”

“Oh my God,” she whispered. “That’s horrible. Where is he now?”

“He lives with his aunt and uncle in Surrey,” Sirius said.

“Got it. Oh!” Her eyes went wide and she absently pointed a finger at him. “Wait, is that why you were there? Because you wanted to find Harry?”

He nodded, picking at a hangnail on his thumb.

“Did you find him?” she asked. “You know, I mean before you…” He looked up just as her hands came up in front of her again and turned to one side, illustrating something tipping over.

A smirk tugged on the corner of Sirius’ lips. “Yes, I did. He’s fine, he got on the Knight Bus.”

“The What Bus?”

“The Knight Bus, it’s a bus that runs throughout Britain for stranded wizards.”

“So cool,” she whispered to herself.

“But he’ll be starting school again soon, which means Wormtail will be able to get to him —’

“What the hell is a Wormtail?”

“Peter,” Sirius clarified. “I have to be there to be sure that bloody rat doesn’t have a chance to hurt my godson. That was the only reason I escaped in the first place, to protect Harry.”

“What about your other friend, um… Renal? Can he help?”

“Re — You mean Remus?”

She pinch her eyes shut and shook her head. “Uh, yeah. Sorry, Remus. Couldn’t he help you find Wartail—”

“Wormtail.”

“Yeah, whatever. Couldn’t he help you find him before Harry gets to school?”

“Possibly, but as far as he’s concerned, I was the one who betrayed the Potters. Besides, I don't want to put him in danger with the Ministry. As it is… technically, I’m already doing that with you. The difference is that the Ministry is much more likely to come poking about a wizard’s home. It’s doubtful they would find a reason to come round to your flat, you’re just a muggle.”

Penny grimaced. “What the hell did you just call me?”

“A muggle, it just means someone without magic.”

Nodding softly, Penny frowned and looked him over. “What about you being innocent? Don’t you think Harry would be super bummed if his godfather had to get locked up again? And for something he didn’t do?”

“I doubt they would merely throw me back in Azkaban, they would likely make me take the kiss and then throw me back in my cell.”

Again Penny furrowed her brows. “They kiss you?”

One side of his lips curled into a smirk, but there was nothing at all happy nor amused about it. “It’s not quite the kiss you’re thinking of. It's considered a fate worse than death.”

She frowned. “Isn’t there a way to prove that you’re innocent?”

“You believe me?”

“Look, I don’t know what I believe, all I know is that an hour ago, you were a dog and now you’re…” She gestured up and down to him and mumbled, “Hot magic guy.”

Doing his best to suppress a smirk, Sirius lowered his eyes and picked at a loose thread on his prison robes.

“Did I say that out loud?” she asked, her eyes squeezed shut.

“'Fraid you did, love,” he answered, deciding that she looked rather adorable when she was embarrassed.

A sarcastic smile found its way to her lips as she looked straight ahead. “Great. I guess I couldn’t convince you to hit me over the head again so I forget it happened?”

“Sorry. I’ve told you, I don’t have any desire to hurt you.” Licking his lips, he shifted his eyes away from her and swallowed, clearing his throat. “There is actually one thing I wanted to ask you about. It’s why I revealed myself in the first place.”

“Okay…”

He looked sideways at the glass case above the mantle and waited for her to follow his gaze. There was always a chance she wouldn’t be willing to part with it, but he had to try. If only to convince her to allow him to see if it was even compatible with him.

“What, my artifact?” she asked, her eyes widening slightly as she added, “Wait, was that yours?”

“No,” he replied. “But it may be something I could use… with your permission, of course.”

She looked surprised at that. “My permission? You have magic, you want my permission?”

“Yes, of course.” He left out the bit where he hadn’t been able to get the case open himself. It had been enough that she seemed to believe what he’d told her. “I’m not sure if I'll be compatible with it, but the only way to know is if I hold it, and try to use it.”

“What is it?”

He almost lied. It was bad enough that she knew as much as she now did. The more information he gave her the more danger she would be in, not to mention the more likely it was that he would be recaptured before he could complete his mission. Still, he saw very little possibility that she wouldn’t see him attempt to use the wand, especially since he needed her in to get ahold of it in fhe first place.

“It’s a wand,” he said.

She snorted, a smile falling on her lips. “You’re joking.”

“I’m afraid not,” he replied.

“You guys actually use wands?”

“We do. I can do wandless magic, but it’s becoming more and more difficult. I’ve been without a wand for quite some time, and even though I didn’t always need one, it’s getting to the point where transforming is really the only wandless magic I’m able to do anymore. Pretty soon, that may also become difficult, and then I’ll be essentially a squib.”

Her brows knitted above her eyes as she said, “I’m gonna need you to write down all these terms for me. Make flashcards or something.”

Standing up, Penny went to the mantle and retrieved the glass case, bringing it back with her to the sofa. She set it on her lap and used her thumbs to flip one side of the frame open and slide the top off. Of course; the one method he hadn’t attempted. Pulling out the wand, she looked up at him cautiously.

“Promise not to turn me into a pumpkin?”

He smiled at her, nodding his head. “I won’t turn you into anything, I promise.”

Nodding once, Penny held out the wand toward him. Taking a breath, Sirius reached out for it, wrapping his hand around the base. Almost instantly, a warm energy crawled up his arm, spreading over him like a flame catching oxygen. The buzzing of the wand’s magic seemed to seep into his skin, sparking the blood that coursed through his veins as though it was breathing life into him.

“Is there supposed to be fireworks or something?” Penny asked, watching him carefully.

“No,” Sirius answered with a slight smile. Lifting the wand, he tried the easiest charm he could think of, pointing it toward the coffee table at the small rectangle that controlled the box in the corner of the sitting room. Swish and flick. To his delight, the object began to float above the coffee table. Penny gasped beside him while Sirius guided it through the air slowly, bringing it to land silently into Penny’s open hand.

“Whoa,” she mumbled softly, staring down at the black rectangle in her hand. “You just made the remote fly.”

“It’s a levitation charm,” he replied. “I needed to be certain I would be compatible with the wand.”

“Compatible? Like a relationship?”

“In a sense, yes,” Sirius answered. “If you’re not compatible with a wand it won’t work as well for you if at all.”

“Huh…” Penny replied, her brows slightly furrowed as she looked down at the remote again. “What else can you do?”

Smirking at her curiosity, Sirius thought up a slightly more complicated charm. He stood and went into the kitchen, Penny following close behind him as he approached the sink. He swirled his wand over the dishes and muttered, scourgify, before he tapped the air above the now cleaned dishes and swooped in the direction of the cupboard. One by one, the dishes floated up to the cupboard, which opened itself to allow the bowl and mug inside before it closed itself.

“You’re doing the dishes from now on,” Penny said, earning a grin from Sirius. “I can’t believe I was right all this time. There is magic in the world.”

“Yes, you were,” he answered, turning to face her. “You can’t ever tell anyone about this, Penelope. I know it isn’t fair, especially given your field of study, but the Ministry would take your memories if they ever found out. For all we know, they would take all of them, including what you’ve learned on your own. I don’t want that to happen to you.”

“I know,” she replied with a nod. “Something as amazing as this would only be exploited if people knew about it. The murkels or whatever would totally ruin it,” she added, mumbling, “Just like they do most other things.”

“Muggles,” he whispered to her.

“Right. Them, too.”

Smiling softly at her, he held the wand upright in front of him and twirled it, pulling it down a bit and conjuring a Dahlia with white petals that turned to a deep red from halfway down to the base. Taking it between two fingers, he offered it to her. “Dahlias are symbolic of gratitude.”

Her eyes lit up at the sight as she reached out and accepted the gift, bringing it to her nose as she looked up at him. “It’s beautiful.”

“Like you,” he said before he could stop himself. Swallowing, he gently cleared his throat and tried not to read into the pink that had bloomed on her cheeks. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. I’m not sure I would have survived much longer if you hadn’t found me when you did.”

Smiling bashfully, she lowered her eyes. “I think you would’ve been okay… but you’re welcome.” Looking back up at him, her brows bounced slightly above her eyes as she held up the flower. “I’m gonna find a cup or something to —”

Before she could finish her sentence, he conjured a small, narrow vase, just big enough for the single flower. Handing it to her with a smirk.

“You know, if you keep doing that, I’m not gonna remember how to do anything myself after you leave,” she teased, taking the vase from him.

Their fingers brushed and a spark crackled gently on his skin, one he tried to ignore. A growing attraction to a muggle woman was the last thing he needed at the moment. He snorted as she filled the vase with a bit of water and set the flower inside.

“Well, if it’s alright, I’d like to stay at least until the school term starts. It's just another couple of weeks, though I’ll understand if you prefer me to go.”

Shaking her head, she brought the vase over to the coffee table and set it in the center. “No, you’re more than welcome to stay… I just… I don’t have a spare room or anything.”

“I’m perfectly fine on my dog bed,” he answered, following her back into the sitting room. “Really, it’s the most comfortable thing I’ve slept on in years. I don’t mind.”

“Well, if you want a break from it, the sofa’s not so bad. I can grab an extra pillow and a blanket for you.”

Nodding softly, Sirius ran his free hand through his curls, which weren’t quite as tame as he would like them to be. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Okay,” Penny answered, her eyes wandering for a moment before she added, “So… you wanna watch a tape or something?”

He arched a brow slightly. “Sorry?”

“A movie,” she clarified, pointing at the bottom shelf behind the box. “I don’t have that many but… we could watch one if you want. Ever seen The Goonies?”

Trying to suppress a smile, he shook his head. “Can’t say I have.”

Penny stood and went to the shelf, taking out one of the thicker… not a book, though it was a similar shape. “Do you not know what this is?” she asked, noticing his expression as she pulled something black with a white label in the center out from the bottom.

He shook his head, taking a step closer. “I’ve only been to a muggle cinema twice when I was young… is this how they get it on that huge screen?”

“Not exactly,” she replied. “When you go to the movies, they have these things called projectors in another room. The movie is in a huge film reel that they feed through the projector, which then plays the movie onto the screen.”

“Interesting,” he mumbled. “Is that what’s behind that window above all the seats? Where the light comes in?”

She grinned. “Exactly! But when the movies are released for sale, the reel is much smaller and comes in a smaller tape, like this one. You put the tape in something called a VCR and it shows the movie on the TV.” Going to the box in the corner, she squatted in front of it and pushed the tape into a vent. “This is the VCR,” she said, going to take up the small rectangle he’d levitated earlier. “You turn on the TV with the remote.” She pointed the remote at the box and it turned on, a green image with writing on it displaying on the screen with the letters FBI much larger than the rest of the words.

“That’s brilliant,” he mumbled, sitting on the sofa with his eyes still on the TV. “So that box is called a TV…”

“Yep. British people call it a telly sometimes.”

“Telly,” he repeated under his breath. “And the rectangle is a remote.”

“Mhm,” she answered. “Remote control to be precise.”

She sat beside him as the green screen faded away and a new one emerged. Sirius set the wand on the coffee table and settled back into the sofa, trying not to notice too much that her shoulder was touching his.

[trashboatprince]

SO!

The Star Beast!

Let's talk about it!

(Major spoilers under the cut)

-First off, I fucking love Fourteen, absolutely a delight, I wanna hug them (Okay, technically I HAVE hugged them when I got to hug David at the con this year, but still!). Also, 'male-presenting Time Lord', bah! Still gonna use they/them when I refer to them because please just let me have this, I don't care, the Doctor canonically doesn't give two shits about gender and even refers to going by the article Doctor over a pronoun in this special anyway.

-Second, DONNA! OH DONNA! I love her, I love her so much, just- oh, she hasn't changed a damn bit! Including missing the fucking alien spacecraft because that was exactly what I expected from her. <3

-Also, most supportive mom, love that.

-Rose~! Oh, oh Rose, how I love you! No notes, she's amazing! It did hurt to hear her dead name being used, but considering that it was done by a bunch of dickheaded kids, it makes sense. But we will never use that name for her here, nope, she's just Rose. <3

-Shaun is a delight, Donna got herself the most excellent of malewives ever

-Sylvia, ah, exactly as I expected, though she is trying to be better for her daughter and granddaughter, so points to her.

-Meep! So much to say on the meep but I'll keep it brief: transphobic little shit.

-UNIT is always fun to see, but how well known are they nowadays because the BBC report actually referred to them. I dunno, I've still working my way through the Third Doctor's era where UNIT was a major plot point and I haven't... finished watching Thirteen's era yet (only because I want to watch it with my gf the next time we see each other).

-Fourteen interacting with the Noble family was great, especially with them trying to see the Meep and Sylvia panicking and wow, this face cannot escape being slapped I wonder if Donna will get to do one herself.

-The action stuff is so much fun, exactly what I expect from this series.

-Being on the Meep's ship, the fact that Donna went to help the Doctor and just... oh, oh, them freaking out and crying because they were scared she'd die when she remembered. I started sobbing.

-Hell, I was crying when they held her in their arms and said he didn't care if the grunts shot them... uuuuhhhhhggggg... Fourteen cares about her so much! That's his best friend!

-Rose! Rose and Donna, Time Ladies! Lord, Lady, and neither! Don't care what anyone says, I loved this. I didn't voice it, but I had a very strong feeling that Rose would inherit the DoctorDonna.

-Was a little confused about them 'letting go' but... yeah, alright, okay. Still, I wonder if there is still a bit of Time Lord left in them.

-Is there any chance that they can sell Rose's plushies. I really want the Ood one.

-THE TARDIS!

-Oooooh, she's beautiful and big and very classic and yet so very nuwho at the same time, a perfect blend, and just so gorgeous! And Fourteen freaking out in excitement, running around like a child, being so happy about a coffee maker in the TARDIS! <3<3<3

-And Donna's reaction! She was so happy too!

-But then the 'killed me' scene... oh, oh honey, you've been holding onto that for centuries, those memories and the guilt. It's honestly heartbreaking to know that the Doctor, through all their new faces, still held onto those feelings about what happened to Donna.

-I'm excited, don't know what the fuck is gonna happen in the next episode since we didn't get a preview and I think it's the least known of the episodes so far.

-I saved this for last, but I wanna talk about the sonic screwdriver cause I know some people are gonna be all 'oh, it's too OP!'

First off, the sonic has always been, it always will be, it's a fucking sci-fi tool, sci-fi series always have some sort of tool that does everything.

Second, whatever the hell it did to make the shields was awesome, that's such a cool trick and I love it. I bet it's done using sound and light waves, which makes for a very interesting concept and something I'd love to explore in one of my sci-fi aus. Not sure how it made that cool schematics things, but whatever.

Also, leave me alone! I love the new sonic! I need to get my hands on one, but they're always sold out or too expensive!

(Okay, not really last, just a bonus, but damn, no offense to Ten, but Fourteen is a bit more attractive to me. I dunno, I mean, I was crushing hard on the DT at 15, but at 31, it's like, oh. Oh no. He's aged so well, he's so pretty. This is probably Crowley's fault.)

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Dragon Reborn! Chapter 18: Healing

It's been awhile but you still know the drill, don't you? Don't read this if you haven't read the entirety of The Wheel of Time, including the prequel novel, the comics, all interviews with the cast and crew of the show, the New Testament, the Frank Herbert Dune novels, the Mahabharata, and the Big Book of Awful Art or whatever we're calling it now.

Don't lie. You haven't read all of the stuff on that list.

This chapter begins with a heron-marked sword because Mat's having a past life flashback, I guess???

The Black Ajah had struck at those storerooms. And if some of the Black Ajah were lying in wait in one of those dark side corridors, if Sheriam were leading them not to Mat, but to. . . .

Egwene's being a bit paranoid here (who can blame her after the Seanchan?). After one obvious attack failed, the Black needs a little more time to get another one going.

“Do not think of it,” Sheriam said, and for once she sounded like the Sheriam of old, kindly if firm. “The Black Ajah will not be your worry for years to come. You have what the rest of us do not: time before you must deal with it. Much time, yet. When we enter, stay against the wall and keep silent. You are allowed here as a benevolence, to attend, not to distract or interfere.”

Sheriam of course doesn't want any of her charges thinking about the BA unless she's recruiting them.

The Amyrlin Seat stood at Mat’s head, and Leane at his feet. Four Aes Sedai stood down one side of the table, and three down the other. Sheriam joined the three.

So that's ten total. I'm surprised they're not pulling out thirteen under the circumstances.

Despite the outward calm of the women around the table, Egwene thought she saw signs of uncertainty. A tightness to Anaiya’s mouth. A slight frown on Alanna’s darkly beautiful face. The cool-eyed woman kept smoothing her pale blue dress over her thighs without seeming to realize what she was doing.

Egwene's ability to read the body language of the very controlled Aes Sedai is a nice bit of setting up for her being in charge.

From its nest in the red silk lining, the Amyrlin took out a white, fluted wand the length of her forearm. It could have been bone, or ivory, but was neither. No one alive knew what it was made of.

Probably not plastic, considering the AoL's general vibes.

Egwene fought the urge to open herself to saidar and add her flow to the tide. It was a pull so strong she was about to be jerked off her feet. Elayne tightened her hold on her hand. Nynaeve took a step toward the table, then stopped with an angry shake of her head.

Mat's lucky none of the girls joined in and promptly got him killed.

She paused as if she had just heard her own words—that she could channel half of what ten full Aes Sedai did with a sa’angreal—and her voice grew even fainter. “Light help me, I want to.”

And she will and it will be amazing and also really horrible!

That much, she knew; but in some way it seemed for a moment that she should understand the rest, too, as if the meaning were just out of sight, and all she had to do was turn her head to know.

While this is probably just explicitly supposed to be about Egwene having plenty of the Old Blood like Mat, I do think part of it is the likelihood of her having been the Queen of Manetheren in a former life as well.

Anaiya bent again for a set of tongs such as a goodwife might use in her kitchen, and grasped the floating dagger in them as carefully as if it were a poisonous snake.

Poisonous snakes are much less dangerous if you think about it.

“Only time will tell. Carrying something with Shadar Logoth’s taint for so long . . . who knows what effect it will have on him? Perhaps none, perhaps much. We will see. But the bond with the dagger is broken. Now he needs rest, and as much food as can be gotten into him. He should live.”

I think the effect is relatively minor (because Mat's lucky): merely the holes in his memories that he will report. However, Mat being ta'veren means he'll get quite a bit more out of the experience than someone else might have.

“For a time,” she said finally, “I believe the past and the present were one. He was there, and he was here, and he knew who we were. He commanded us to release him.” She paused again. “ ‘I am a free man, Aes Sedai. I am no Aes Sedai meat.’ That is what he said.”

I suspect this is an immediate effect of the holes in his memory forming. He was so close to death (and Old Blood besides) that he was more connected to past lives than the living usually are and so while he stayed on the threshold older memories could come rushing in to temporarily fill the gaps. Possibly this affects his later power development, possibly not; I'm so far into headcanon that it's not worth saying one way or the other.

“Mother,” Egwene asked anxiously, “could we not stay with Mat? If he may still die. . . .”

I just want to highlight this to again show that the Egwene hatedom is a little overstated. She's definitely got flaws, but she's the one who seems to be most worried about Mat at this particular moment.

Anyway, next time: Mat gets a POV of his own!

[mrsfrecklesmarauders]

"Okay, McKinnon... Why do you hate me so much?"

If they were going to be stuck in that shed, arranging things as a punishment for an hour and bickering every two seconds, at least Dorcas needed to know.

McKinnon gasped as if the question was ridiculous.

"Why do I hate you?"

"Yes??"

"Why do I hate you, seriously?"

"Yees...."

Because Dorcas didn't hate her. She thought McKinnon was one of the most prettiest and coolest girls in the whole school. But perhaps that was too gay to think about. Dorcas had been trying to hide away her sexuality and her stupid crush for the girl next to her.

"Well it is obvious, isn't it?"

"Is it?"

"Yes!"

"It is not obvious for me!" Dorcas put her hands on her hips.

McKinnon was looking at her with that little frown of hers which made her look adorable.

"Beginning of my fourth year..." McKinnon explained "You were the new thrid year student... The first time we met I defended you from some wankers who were being idiots to you... Remember? After that, I thought we would be friends... Or something" Was McKinnon blushing? No that couldn't be "But you didn't speak to me again. You pretended like you didn't know me after that"

Dorcas did remember. She had been curious about McKinnon. She thought it had been cool how a fourteen year old girl had put some older boys in their place. And maybe that was when this crush started actually.

"You were right" Dorcas sighed "I was a dick to you... But I heard many rumors about you, after that. How you were crazy and obsessive... And weird... They told me I better stay away from you"

"What?" McKinnon asked offended "Who told you that?"

Dorcas was embarrassed.

"Nick..."

McKinnon snorted.

"And my friends too"

"Oh right! So you believed them? Just like that? Marlene is a crazy girl... She is bonkers! Isn't she?"

"You are kind of bonkers, McKinnon..." Dorcas smiled. In a cool way.

McKinnon gasped and touched her chest.

"I am not bonkers!"

Dorcas was still smiling.

"I was thirteen... And I really wanted to fit in within my circle so..."

Dorcas started acting like her peirs... And she hated McKinnon and her friends. Because he her peirs hated them.

It sounded like a stupid excuse, actually.

"I am sorry..." Dorcas added "I was just a stupid girl..."

McKinnon shrugged. But perhaps Dorcas saw the ghost of a smile somewhere.

"What else?"

"What?"

"Surely that's not the only reason you hate me" Dorcas said "What else have I done to you?"

McKinnon stayed silent. Dorcas had to smile.

"That's it? That's the only reason?"

"It was important to me, okay?" McKinnon protested as Dorcas laughed "I was very offended!"

Dorcas was shaking her head and smiling.

"Plus, you're very superficial and self centered... And that's not my vibe..."

"I am not superficial!"

"I mean you think you are better than the rest, don't you? That's why you don't speak with anyone that isn't your friends..."

"I am shy!"

"No you are not!"

"Yes, I am!"

"How come are you talking to me?"

"I guess... I guess I know you..."

Dorcas tried not to blush.

"You are always bickering with me"

"Because you start bickering first!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

After seconds of silence, and trying to stay angry at one another, they began laughing because they couldn't take it no more.

This was ridiculous. This stupid rivalry between them.

Dorcas found herself staring at McKinnon again. How she laughed throwing her head back. How she bit her lip afterwards. And shook her head. Dorcas' heart was racing. Shit.

And when McKinnon noticed Dorcas was looking, she stopped laughing and she stared back.

They looked into each other's eyes. And it was so intense that for a second Dorcas felt temped to just kiss her and be done with it.

But of course she chickened out. McKinnon wasn't into girls surely.

"We should probably... Continue... With.. The... Cleaning..." Dorcas said, swallowing.

McKinnon looked away.

"Yeah.. Yeah... Sure..."

"And don't distract me again, McKinnon"

Dorcas turned and began picking things.

She imagined her rolling her eyes and smiling.

"Don't make me distract you then, Meadowes" McKinnon tutted "Bloody princess" she whispered later.

That made Dorcas smile widely.

******

Conversation based on the supply room scene between Alex and Henry from Red White and Royal Blue because they remind me of Dorlene's dynamic.

[the-knight-of-the-stars]

Son of Neptune. First reading thoughts:

— Ok, I actually read this two months ago, but forgot to post it, so this is a short review, beacuse my thoughts are a little scrambled now.

—Let me tell you, when I got on the "Heroes Of Olympus" ride, I thought it would be a diferent story, with totally diferent characters and I was on board with it.

I went expecting AT MAX a cameo from Percy. Imagine my excitement when I saw "Percy" written in the firts chapter.

—I really missed Percy guys.

—And I really hate Juno

—“But be warned, you will sacrifice much! You’ll lose the mark of Achilles. You’ll feel pain, misery, and loss beyond anything you’ve ever known. But you might have a chance to save your old friends and family, to reclaim your old life.” BITCH EXCUSE ME?? JUST LET HIM BE HAPPY.

—Ok but, Camp Jupiter sounds so cool???!! I adore roman architecture, it was a delight to read about the temples, the baths, everything, ughhh. I kind of liked it more than Half-Blood Camp

—Ok, more new characters!

— I adored Hazel and Frank, I'm loving how unique and intereresting all the new characters are.

—My poor Hazel, like are we gonna talk about how she DIED?? In a horrible way??. She was dead for YEARS. And the whole thing with her mother losing her mind and the cursed stones, and all that wtf.

And she is super little too, she is like what, thirteen?? She is still a kid, most of the others are borderline teenagers by now (wicj is still horrible, but like??). She even has like, trauma black outs. Poor girl, I dont think we focused enought on how messed up everything she went through was.

— Also her powers are really cool. Like her power controling gems?? Earthbenders who???

—Frank was amazing too, I kind of guessed his father was Mars, and I love the contrast beacause Frank is adorable.

—All the buildup to his special power being turning into animals was AMAZING. That power is so incredible, I was so excited when the reveal happened.

—I love Percy so much. He takes ONE look at the god of war and is like "I may not remember anything, but I remember you're a bitch."

—Reading Mars claime Frank felt like watching that one kid's dad who was way too intense with anything regarding his child, and would passive-agressively fight with the teachers during school making it akward to anyone because nobody could tell if he did all that for his kid or for himself.

—The only thing Percy remembers is Annabeth HOW ADORABLE IS THAT

—Reyna was cool too, I thought she was a very fun and cool character, I hope we see more of her.

—Octavious was annoying af. He tried to be creepy but I know who you are sir, and what you are is cringe.

— You are telling that, while Groover was traumatized in The Lighting Thief because he had seen so many demigod kids at Camp Half-Blood die before they turned into teenagers, the vast majority of the demigods in Camp Jupiter were just... fine? Thriving? Living their lives?

—Not Nico pleading insanity the second he sees Percy and lying to his face. MY BOY WHAT ARE YOU DOING.

—The whole book it was hurting me that Percy didn't remember anyone or any past adventures.

—Loved Ella, such a fun character.

—AMAZON, is from the AMAZONS?? I... sure why not

—I was not expecting the circe island adventure to come back in any way, ever. It was pretty interesting to see that conflict with Percy, Reyna and her sister.

—Mars gave Frank... a zombie. Yeah, alright.

—It was so cool to see Thatanos, I was excited the whole book and it did not disapoint. I loved how he is potrayed, that aura, his beauty .

—AHA! THEY MENTIONED EROS (or cupid, whatever). SO YOU DO KNOW HE EXISTS, RIORDAN.

—"Death has more in common with love that you might imagine" Oh yes, give that methaphoric stoytelling to me.

—It actually caught me by surprise that death was a recurring theme on this book. Hazel and Frank coming to therms with their experience with mortality, the exploration of grieve, the almost philosophical discussions abut it (some even coming from Mars, wich has even more meaning) On top of the whole mission being to free the literal Death.

It was fascinating to explore characters with these themes, and it made a lot of the scenes between Percy, Frank and Hazel very touching.

—All the final battles were amazing, I enjoyed them a lot.

—Oh right, and Tyson was here! I loved to see him again.

—Okay the thing about Leo looking like Sammy is making my head hurt. Is it goint to turn out he is like his grandson or something?

—The way I screamed when the book ended. JUST WHEN THEY ARE ABOUT TO REUNITE.

—Ok, I've restrained myself from reading the next book for long enough, I'll go read it now.

[always-andromeda]

Meda, i am well and truly SOBBING 😭😭🥰🥰 your words in your response to my last ask were so so so so so incredibly sweet and I can't even express to you how much it meant to me to read them 🥹🥹☺️😭

and HELL YEAH WEIRD KIDS UNITE!!!!!! I was also majorly into the titanic (and shipwrecks in general) and I actually got that enormous lego titanic and it takes up the top of like two of my bookshelves 😅

in terms of weirdness, my specialty tends to be in macabre history, so I'll bring the stories about body snatching and that time I almost could have gotten Certified Vintage Victorian Smallpox™️ and you can tell me all about the Kennedy assassinations and true crime cases!! and we can bake treats while we do it!! ☺️☺️ honestly sounds like a dream 🥰

this is also a super random story but it's related to being The Weird Kid and really made me laugh: so at the end of the semester I asked my students what was one thing they learned from the class. it didn't have to be like a dry academic fact or anything, just something super cool or shocking or mind-blowing or whatever - something they would remember after the course ends. and in one of my sections I had one student say "I don't think I can ever forget how you told us that the Victorians ate mummies" and another one who said "pretty sure I'm always going to remember that time when you explained how they buried too many bodies in the cemeteries of Edinburgh and when it rained that one time all the decomposing corpses just floated out into the street." like, I am so incredibly proud that this is my legacy 😂😂

I think that's about all I have for the moment, but I hope you are doing well and taking care of yourself! I made a chocolate cake yesterday and I'm about to frost it with my famous Nutella frosting, so I'm cutting a slice and virtually sharing it with you 🥰🥰

love and hugs always,

charlotte 🎨

I owe you a massive apology, Charlotte, for taking so long to get to this!! I’ve been sick for the last week and this ask just got buried in my notifications and I didn’t see it until recently. So apologies for that and thanking you endlessly for the virtual cake!! I’m sure it was absolutely delicious!! 🥰

(Putting a read more cut because I ended up typing up a lot more than I thought I would lol)

That all being said, you talking about your Lego Titanic reminded me of a little memory I have. When I was thirteen and on a trip to Las Vegas, there was this Titanic exhibit at one of the hotels on the Vegas Strip. They had recreations of various rooms from the ship and even a little section of the ship itself?? I’ll include pictures because I swear, it was one of the coolest experiences ever. It was equal parts euphoric because it was a hyperfixation of mine at the time and I was going into such overload but also kind of haunting because of this one detail.

When you started the experience, they’d give you a ticket with the name and information of some random passenger. You’d get to see details of where on the ship they were staying, who they were traveling with, where they were going and everything. Then by the end of the whole experience, they had these massive walls that had the names of who died and who lived through the sinking. And I remember the card I got was for a woman who was traveling with her father and stayed in the servants quarters. And she didn’t make it.

So being like…thirteen years old. It was this haunting experience sitting there and realizing that I now knew the existence of this woman that may have otherwise been inconsequential if she hadn’t died the way she did.

I’ve had a few different little experiences like that with certain museums and they’re certainly very emotionally heavy, but they’re meaningful to me. They fuel this want in me to be more connected with humanity? Which sounds super alien to say lol. But I just…it blows my mind sometimes knowing that as vast as the human experience is, it’s also so unifying to see how people before us experienced it.

Anyhoo, long ramble aside, UGH, I LOVE THAT STORY ABOUT YOUR STUDENTS. Sometimes I think that’s one of the greatest things about being neurodivergent. Just having the largest mental catalogue of absolutely bonkers information like that that almost no one else knows?? Like that’s how you get people interested in learning lmao.

I always love our little chats, Charlotte 🫶🏻🥺 I’m planning on making some brown butter chocolate chip cookies soon so just know that I’m saving a few to send to you virtually as well, dear. Take care of yourself!! So looking forward to the next time I hear from you!! 💛