#With love from Metty

[tigirl-and-co]

Specks of Dust in Hallowed Halls

Part 2; Linguistics

Part 1, the introductory chapter, is here!

Now we get into the shippy stuff! And bonus points for anybody who recognizes the book I've chosen here

"Howlsong, who had fallen asleep at the outer edge of the canyon while he waited, led them silently back through the forest. Fritti, full of vague resentment and doom, had no conversation to offer, either. After a long stretch of unspeaking travel, Pouncequick finally broke the stillness.

"Just think, Tailchaser," he said, "we've actually been to see the Queen of Cats!""

You were curled up in a nook that you had unofficially claimed as your own somewhere in the human residence. Made more comfortable by a few blankets and pillows, you had chosen it for its out-of-the-way location and because Metroplex could both see the spot with a camera and use a nearby speaker to talk with you.

In your lap was your phone, currently accessing his personal communication line, which let him hear your voice.

Metroplex loved your voice. It was his favourite sound, the most wonderful melody he'd heard in all his unfathomable eons of existence. Every syllable, every stutter and stumble was permanently caught in his memory circuits, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

And when he learned you had a collection of books back on earth, he had practically begged you to import some to read to him. Not only was he desperate to hear your voice, Metroplex was also curious about you. What you liked to read, what the human culture you hailed from was like, what you thought about things...

So, you found yourself contacting a friend on earth to bring a few books to the supply ship every so often, and spending a bit of extra cash to get them shipped here and back. You didn't mind. It felt nice to be heard. To have your interests acknowledged and considered important.

And, quite honestly, you simply enjoyed hearing him speak. The deep rumble was both soothing and impossible to ignore, and his contemplative nature gave every statement the gravitas of some ancient philosopher comprehending the universe.

"So, Metty, what'd you think of that chapter?" you asked, keeping your own opinions out of it. You were just as interested in his thoughts as he was in yours.

A few moments of pause. "Hm... are human noble courts typically like that?"

You chuckled. Of course that's what he picked out- he'd borne witness to much more sophisticated councils time and time again. In fact, some other part of his processor was probably preoccupied with one now.

"Honestly? Never been. But if I walked in to one and it went like that, I wouldn't be surprised in the least. Fancy people looooooove making overly complex routines and rules and then not actually doing anything to help." You looked up into his camera and beamed at him. "But I get the feeling that sort of behaviour isn't unique to my species."

You felt as much as heard his merriment at that one. "No, it truly is not. Although I've found Cybertronians prefer bureaucracy to bloodlines."

You snuggled back into your nook, still making eye contact with the camera as you got ready for what was certain to be the nerdiest bout of flirting any human had ever partaken in outside of a lab. "Ah, humans most definitely get up to red tape and government nonsense too, but I'm afraid that compared to millions of years of rule-writing, ours would pale in comparison."

You smirked. "Although I'd like to see what would happen if somebody addressed Prime as 'Your Regal Softness.'"

Metroplex desperately wished he had finer control over his internal mechanisms so that he could embrace you right now. But he would have to settle for watching you curl up against his walls. "Knowing that mech, he would assume it was an actual title and wear it with pride."

You burst out laughing at the image, and how it didn't seem all that far-fetched. You both respected Optimus, but that didn't mean you couldn't be irreverent about him in private.

And as you chatted with the titan, book now just conversational fuel, you were struck by how easy it all was. The meandering levity, the way you each made both space and time for each other...

And how easy he was to love.

[haleigh-sloth]

All the Feelings

Yep. So manga didn't end how I wanted or anticipated, it's okay. Lesson learned lol. I will learn to live in fanon in my head lmao, it's an important life skill imo. I've never cared this much about a story, felt so much love for a story, I used to never even care how stories ended. MHA made me care about the stories I consume being good, actually. So I'm grateful, and MHA is good imo. I will just hold resentment for the last 15 chapters and pretend it ended differently lol.

That being said, I have no regrets. The impact this manga and fandom has had on my life is crazy. I've met solid online friends that have stuck around for years (wtf!) and I've met irl friends.

Like...2.5 years ago a group of online friends and I started a server. That server has been going strong ever since, it became a fun space for all of us to be goofy, be serious, vulnerable, whatever we needed at the time. And I'm so thankful! @mettywiththenotes @jecook @helga-grinduil @redphlox @transhawks @chocolate-biscuit @bootlickerhawks have been the best group to finish out this manga with. I can't wait to keep talking about all the manga to come in the future for us to gush over!

Julie (redphlox) and I met when we lived near each other in 2021 and have been super close friends ever since. Crossing state lines to visit each other, taking trips together, sleep overs, all the things. Best thing to come from this manga for me, life long friendships are precious.

@hamliet I've loved talking with you and Julie over the past couple of years! It's added so much to my life and I look forward to visiting in Boston one day. And squealing over Oshi no Ko in the near future.

Metty and Anya (helga-grinduil) sharing the Tomura and Izuku love with me until the very end. Metty and Cami (bootlickerhawks) having the best meme game, Hazel (jecook) and Cho (choco biscuit) having hilarious senses of humor and making everyone laugh.

Rani (transhawks), your humor is unmatched and your life perspective is always fun to hear. Watching Drops of God and Kids on the Slope together for weeks in a row is a core memory for me. Julie and I will see you in New York one day soon <3.

[kachikirby]

what are some of fetty and metty's favorite date spots?

Ooohh this is a nice question!

While they pretty much love going anywhere together, one of their favorites is definitely one of the Orange Ocean beaches. It's not too far from the Meta-Knights' base, but the eternal sunset is really beautiful.

Chef Kawasaki's restaurant is another favorite since he is one of hte best chefs in Dream Land in my AU.

Pretty much anywhere with beautiful scenery tends to be a favorite of them.

[spookitordukeit]

Augh. My fic concepts I posted a bit ago have been getting more attention lately, so mayhaps I will delve further…

I’ve already gone deeper into the Blue Joins The Bad San’s Gang idea, so next I think I’ll work on the anti-harem one >:3

Okay okay. Harper is our MC, and her sister is Kristen. They come from a very well off family, bulit off of high end jobs and generational wealth.

The parents are distant at best. Mother is a model and fashionista, and Father is the numbers guy everyone wants on their side. They all smile for the camera, but at home…

Kristen is the older sister and the apple of their parents eyes. The golden child. She and Harper look similar in appearance, some may even mistake the two as twins. They both have dark hair and bright eyes. They both have tanned skin and a rich, healthy flush that brings a warmth to their features.

And yet Kristen is the somehow always more wanted.

There’s nothing that Harper can see that would make her parents favor her sister over her, other then that Kristen is older. They get similar grades, receive similar awards. Get accepted into high prestige schools and make connections with people of similar standing.

They even share the same type of soul. And yet Kristen is always favored.

It leaves Harper to grow up angry and bitter. She’s not crass, no no. She wouldn’t purposely disappoint her parents. But she is snide and keeps a dark and curdling wickedness locked tight inside her. Something only Kristen brings out in her.

She is angry. Hurt. Shunned for no reason she can decipher. She’s quietly pessimistic and self sabotaging, she’s a confused, wounded animal who will flee at the first sign of rejection.

But Grandmother, her sweet, loving grandmother- she sees Harper. She knows her. She understands. She’s how Harper got diagnosed as a child, she helped Harper gain understanding on why she sometimes acted the way she did. Not that Harper knew what ‘autism’ meant at the time, but it was a relief for child-her to know that there was something different about her. It wasn’t just in her head.

Grandma is Harpers only friend for most of her life, as sad as it is to say. Harper spends her childhood and teen years running to Grandma’s with angry tears in her eyes. Face flushed bright red and blotchy. ‘Unbecoming’ Mother says.

Grandma never says anything like that. She just holds her tight and hums her old songs she likes to hum until Harper can speak again without her bones feeling ready to buzz out of her skin.

There’s no one to hold her tight and hum songs at Grandmas funeral.

It’s a long and aching affair that punches deep and bleeding holes into her already scarred soul. She grows even quieter, stewing in the black, broiling ichor that coats her thoughts every day.

She takes comfort in Grandmas house, left to Harper in her will. She doesn’t even care that Kristen moves in without so much of a hello, encouraged by their parents. It doesn’t matter.

She can keep Grandma close in the aged wood of the house. She can keep smelling traces of her perfum in odd corners, she can keep hearing her hum her old songs in the way the foundation settles. Harper can still keep Grandmas memory alive in her heart. And that’s all she cares about.

But living in the universal nexus, nothing stays simple for long.

Harper is in collage when the newest wave of verses appear from the mountains. It’s nothing new, verses pop up every few years or so, and either they stick around or go find a universe of their own to fill. It’s none of Harpers business what they do or where they stay.

… it’s none of Harpers business who Kristen befriends. It’s none of her business who she brings around in Grandm— Harpers, house.

Harper has her own friends that she brings around. It would be unfair of her. Nightbat and Metty are sweet. They care about her, they take care of her. They ask if she’s eaten and if she’s slept well. They hold her tight when she can’t speak, and they hum Grandmas old songs… her friendship with Nightbat and Metty is soft and gentle. It’s simple and unquestionable. Need a place to crash? Come stay with us. Hungry? Well me and Nighty made too much pizza last night, have some. Can’t sleep? Nighty’s real good at imbuing collars, and you know how strong his melatonin is. Can’t talk? Upset? Need a sec? Operation GH&H is a go!

It’s nice, and she wouldn’t trade them for anything. She’s… okay, with how life is. She doesn’t want anything to change. She can’t handle any more change.

… recently, Kristen has been bringing her new friends by. They look at everything in wonder, and Harper knows they must be the new arrivals. Blue is a loud and excitable fellow, eager to learn and conquer new ‘quests’.

Stretch is quieter, slouched in a way that Harper reads as purposeful. He talks slow and walks even slower. He looks calm, opting to hang back and observe his surroundings while his brother jumps from place to place.

She doesn’t quite know how, but her and Stretch end up talking. They watch each other, reading little movements and gestures, the things that go unspoken. It’s… new.

She isn’t sure if this is a good of bad new.

Kristen seems hellbent on bringing every skeleton Monster within a fifty mile radius into gran- Harper’s house. Harper hadn’t realized just how many verses had popped up this time. She counts five, if each set of brothers is from a different verse.

She isn’t sure why her older sister is dead set on befriending every one of them, or even how she found them all. She tries to keep her interactions with Kristen to a minimum. Harper has the whole of the attic to herself, Kristen can do whatever she wants down there as long as she doesn’t burn or break anything.

Things… get tense when Kristen gives her latest and most fantastical proposal. She’s always coming up with wild ideas, and sometimes they work. But lodging ten newly surfaced Monsters? Sure- they have the room, but…

But Blue is looking at her with stars in his sockets, and Stretch is trying (and failing) to not look as hopeful as she knows he is. Harper and him have talked, with all the new Monsters coming up at once, with five versus, finding homes, temporary or not has been difficult.

There’s an itch under her skin as she agrees, seeing Kristen look so pleased at having backed her into a corner makes her grit her teeth enough to ache as she excuses herself to take a walk.

There’s a parade of skeletons outside.

Harper gets into her car, fire ants crawling under her skin as she pulls up to Metty and Nightbat’s house. They don’t ask questions.

Harper doesn’t speak for the rest of the night.

It’s late so I’ll just leave this as is. Maybe I’ll expand more idk I’m eepy

[mrslectermoriarty]

Headcanon Series #18

In a universe where neither Mav nor Ice have English as their first language (loosely based on this - italian Mav, polish Ice) they love to fight in their native languages. They don't really understand each other, but it makes their rage so much more powerful.

Is this maybe low-key inspired by Love Actually? We'll never know.

There was this one afternoon when Slider (who's first language is German btw, I stand by that) wanted to pick up Ice for an appointment and when he opened the door, he was greeted with the sight of both pilots standing at the end of the hallway, shouting at each other.

"Dlaczego zawsze musisz zostawiać swoje rzeczy leżące w domu? Nie ma ani jednego pokoju bez twoich ubrań na podłodze, a gdziekolwiek nie spojrzę, widzę porzucone książki i w połowie opróżnione kubki po kawie! Nie zaczynaj też o plamach tłuszczu, które wszędzie zostawiasz! Po prostu zdejmij swoją cholerną koszulę zanim usiądziesz na kanapie, czy to takie trudne!?", was what Ice was currently complaining about. Slider guessed he was complaining from the tone of his voice.

Mav pipes up: "Oh mio Dio, perché mi critichi sempre, non ho fatto nulla di male, cosa vuoi da me, Ice!? Se faccio qualcosa di sbagliato parlami e non iniziare a urlarmi contro in polacco! È di nuovo per i piatti? Cosa ho fatto di male questa volta!? Sei proprio un'ipocrita, metti sempre i piedi sui tavoli, perché lo fai? Che schifo! E a volte hai un cattivo odore! E non sai nemmeno cosa sto dicendo, quindi posso continuare a insultarti! Probabilmente lo stai facendo anche tu in questo momento con me! Sei incivile e stupido come pensi che io sia!"

Slider proceeds to stand in the doorway and wonders how these two are still together and haven't killed each other yet. "Diese beiden bringen mich noch irgendwann um," he mumbles and drags Ice out before anything escalates.

***

When they pull into the driveway again, Mav is already at the door, looking apologetic. Ice gets out the car and hugs him right there on the front porch. "Przepraszam, że krzyczałem." "A volte sono stupida, lo so. Anche voi lo siete - è per questo che siete qui - ma è soprattutto colpa mia." "Posprz��tamy to razem, dobrze?" "Non è nulla che non possa essere risolto." "Peace?" "Yeah. That sounds nice."

Slider shakes his head and huffs out a smile. "Große Güte, ihr seid beide riesige Idioten. Wieso hänge ich immer noch mit euch ab?", he shouts out of the window, gets matching birds and some laughs in return and pulls out of the driveway.

I am very sorry, I speak neither polish nor Italian. This was translated by Deepl, which I've heard is quite a good translator, but I don't know whether that's true or not. Feel free to correct me.

Also, for everyone who also doesn't speak those languages, Ice is complaining about Mav leaving his stuff all around the place and Mav thinks Ice is ranting about dishes and insults him a little. Slider just grumbles how stupid they both are. They both apologise in the end and say they can figure it out.

[sayitaliano]

BALORDA NOSTALGIA | OLLY

Magari non sarà Maybe it won't be Nemmeno questa sera (not) even this night La sera giusta per tornare insieme The right night to get back together Tornare a stare insieme To get back (and be) together Magari non sarà Maybe it won't be Nemmeno questa sera (not) even this night Me l’ha detto la signora, là affacciata al quarto piano The lady over there looking out over from the 4th floor told me that Con la sigaretta in bocca, With a cigarette in her mouth Mentre stendeva il suo bucato While hanging out the laundry Io le ho risposto che I replied her that Vorrei I'd like Vorrei I'd like Vorrei I'd like Vorrei I'd like Vorrei I'd like Vorrei I'd like Tornare a quando Go back to when Ci bastava It was enough for us to

Ridere, piangere, fare l’amore Laugh, cry, make love E poi stare in silenzio per ore And then be in silence for hours Fino ad addormentarci sul divano Until we fell asleep on the sofa Con il telecomando in mano with the remote in our hand Non so più come fare senza te I don't know anymore how to make it with out you Te che mi fai, vivere e dimenticare, You who make me live and forget Tu che mentre cucini ti metti a cantare You who start singing while you cook E tu chiamala se vuoi la fine And call it the end if you want Ma come te lo devo dire But how can I tell you Sta vita non è vita senza te This life is not a life without you

Ma sai che questa sera But do you know this night Balorda nostalgia Foolish yearning Mi accendo la tv I turn on the tv (for myself) Solo per farmi compagnia Just so it keeps me company Che bella tiritera… What a nice rigmarole... Beh insomma Well anyway Ti sembra la maniera Is that any way Che vai e mi lasci qua That you go and leave me here Ti cerco ancora in casa quando mi prude la schiena I still search for you at home when my back itches E metto ancora un piatto in più quando apparecchio a cena And I still add a plate more when I set up (the table) for dinner So soltanto che vorrei, I only know that I'd like Vorrei I'd like Vorrei I'd like Vorrei I'd like Sì vorrei Yeah I'd like Vorrei I'd like Tornare a quando Go back to when Ci bastava It was enough for us to

Ridere, piangere, fare l’amore Laugh, cry, make love E poi stare in silenzio per ore And then be in silence for hours Fino ad addormentarci sul divano Until we fell asleep on the sofa Con il telecomando in mano with the remote in our hand Non so più come fare senza te I don't know anymore how to make it with out you Te che mi fai, vivere e dimenticare, You who make me live and forget Tu che mentre cucini ti metti a cantare You who start singing while you cook E tu chiamala se vuoi la fine And call it the end if you want Ma come te lo devo dire But how can I tell you Sta vita non è vita senza te This life is not a life without you

Ma chissà perché But who knows why Oh, sta vita non è vita senza te Oh, this life is not a life without you

Magari non sarà Maybe it won't Magari è già finita Maybe it has already ended Però ti voglio bene But I love you Ed è stata tutta vita And it was all life

[lunamagicablu]

Ci sono così tante cose meravigliose da fare nella vita, ma cosa sai fare meglio? Scoprilo, poi vai e fallo, e divertiti a farlo. Non sprecare tempo ed energia desiderando ardentemente di fare qualcos'altro, o desiderando di essere da qualche altra parte e avere altre opportunità. Renditi conto che sei nel posto giusto al momento giusto, e sei lì per uno scopo, per fare un certo lavoro. Quindi metti tutto ciò che hai in quel lavoro, e fallo con amore e gioia. Guarda quanta gioia può portare la vita, non solo a te stesso, ma a tutte le anime intorno a te. Se non dai il massimo al tutto, non puoi sperare di diventare parte di quel tutto. Ti tagli fuori da esso, e non c'è completezza in te. Quale profonda soddisfazione proverai quando farai perfettamente ciò che deve essere fatto, e lo farai per il bene del tutto. Eileen Caddy ******************* There are so many wonderful things to do in life, but what are you best at? Find out, then go and do it, and enjoy doing it. Don't waste your time and energy longing to do something else, or wishing you were somewhere else and had other opportunities. Realize that you are in the right place at the right time, and you are there for a purpose, to do a certain work. Then put everything you have into that work, and do it with love and joy. See how much joy life can bring, not only to yourself, but to all the souls around you. If you don't give your all to the whole, you can't hope to become a part of that whole. You cut yourself off from it, and there is no wholeness in you. What a deep satisfaction you will have when you do perfectly what needs to be done, and do it for the good of the whole. Eileen Caddy 

[burtlancster]

Do you know what are some of burt's most underrated films?

hello! frankly, all of his films deserve more attention. films like the swimmer and the leopard are thankfully getting their (third?) renaissance right now which is beautiful. i'm sure atlantic city will get it's second one soon. but there are many of his films that i think are underrated now and were underrated then:

ulzana's raid. in my estimation it's as good as any of the films i listed above. it's a controversial cult hit in western film circles but i don't think nearly enough people know about it. a german TV station compiled the aldrich and lancaster edits into a mega cut in 1986 and i'd love for it to be popular enough that it resurfaces or someone else does it.

the g*psy moths. suburban malaise, sex, skydiving, and suicide. get into it.

go tell the spartans. not much to say other than it's a vietnam war film that, as david thomson wrote, "remains exemplary as a pitiless survey of an insane, inept, and criminal incursion on history" and what the hudson review called the mind to platoon's body. also at one point burt’s naked in the mud at 65.

castle keep. an hysterical antiwar surrealist half-thought. maybe bc defeo jr claimed he was watching it on television before committing the amityville murders society decided to bury it, but i don't think they're connected in our collective conscious anymore if they ever were.

rocket gibraltar. hear me out. i thought conversation piece was burt’s most emotionally bare performance but after watching rocket i think he performs being suspended on the precipice of his own mortality in the quiet domesticity of that film to a superb, naked end. maybe it's all the billie holiday in that movie but the way his voice cracks when he tells his kids he'll be down to blow out his birthday candles is my field of dreams moment.

kiss the blood off my hands. even burt wrote this off but it’s a ballsy first independent production. a vet, expatriate with PTSD kills someone in a pub bc of his unpredictable temper and breaks into a woman’s flat to hide from the cops??? it's photographed by russell metty and it's fucking gorgeous.

[helltiervriska]

heres the last of them! my old worlds.

my poecilotheria metallica is the jewel of my collection. suspect female, but i dont want to confirm it until im 100% sure. another blue species that isnt twchnically blue, just light refractions! most people find this genera to be very reclusive, but my mettie is out constantly!! its such a treat. the yellow warning bands on her first three legs are meant to help scare predators away. theyre endangered out in the wild due to deforestation, loss of habitat, and over construction. there are more in the hobby now than in the wild; which truly is a good thing, given how many are killed solely for constructing more buildings.

my hmac is one of my FAVORITES !! the heteroscodra maculata. theyre an arboreal tarantula from the togo regions. like many old worlds, they have a bad rap in the hobby due to improper enclosure size and bad techniques to interact with them. they are thought to be incredibly reclusive, many owners never seeing their out at All. mine is out all of the time and has a lovely little tunnel she likes to stay in. i mean just look at her face. she looks so innocent. she is a confirmed juvie female!

my other poecilotheriinae! i had a rufilata at one point, but sadly she passed :( this is my poecilotheria tigrinawesselli. hand for comparisan, and she def hasnt mature out yet! suspect female, but only because i accidentally ripped the molt before i could confirm my suspicions looking at the flap. (stupid dyspraxia). they get very dark as adults, theyre the darkest poecilotheriinae outside of the ESA poecilotheria. gorgeous. just gorgeoys. she has Never given me a single threat posture, and despite having her since she was an itty bitty sling, she has never bolted on me either!

MY OBTTTTTTTT! the orange baboon tarantula. aka the pterinochilus murinus. oh my god. i love her so much. she gets startled easily; which is why shes constantly giving threat postures if i plop some prey in her enclosure. if she does, i simply close the lid, and leave her alone. her attitude kills me i adore her. she has such wet pitiful eyes ... these guys are also known as the "orange bitey things" and as cute of a nickname that is, it perpetuates that you should be scared of them, rather than respecting them. shes a confirmed female!

finally, my monocentropus balfouri! her name is fortune, and thats because i had another m balfouri before her! i named him lucky. he matured out quickly, and died fast, like most baboon males. he was such a little feisty bitch and i loved him to fuxking death so when i had the chance, i got a CF! shes very reclusive, but boy is she a sight to see :) m balfouri are known as "communal tarantulas", which true communal tarantulas dont really exist ( the requirements being no cannibalism), these guys just tolerate being around each other. its really interesting to have seen m balfouris enter the hobby first hand; how information has changed. theres lots of footage of m balfouris doing communal activities such as sharing a piece of prey and webbing up together. its fascinating, though i doubt ill ever have my own colony.

[projectionboothpodcast]

Episode 734: Love Circle (1969) Guest Co-Hosts: Spencer Parsons, David A Heath Passions swirl and reality bends in Love Circle (1969), the intoxicating tale of desire, deception, and dangerous games from writer/director Giuseppe Patroni Griffi. Also known as Metti, una sera a cena (Suppose One Night at Dinner), this stylish drama follows a celebrated writer, Michele (Jean-Louis Trintignant), who concocts intricate fantasies about his wife Nina (Florinda Bolkan) and his best friend Max (Tony Musante). But what if his imaginings aren’t so imaginary? Mike White, Spencer Parsons, and David A. Heath dissect this sultry, surreal web of passion, joined by Andrei Idu, who requested the film as part of our month of Patreon picks. With a screenplay co-written by Dario Argento and an unforgettable score by Ennio Morricone, Love Circle is a hypnotic blend of psychosexual intrigue and high-art aesthetics. https://www.projectionboothpodcast.com/2025/03/episode-734-love-circle-1969.html

[tonydaddingham]

alright next up on the list of ideas to dredge up from the drafts and talk about in more detail is the focus on books in this season, because its driving me around the bend

but because i literally have no answers whatsoever to this, im just going to do a crowley-core #justgirlythings and just ask questions:

ep2 goob (rip) lines: "books are key!" which ok yeah obvious but:

"and see, the big ones can be used as fly swats - and i know what you're thinking, but it's okay, because the beauty part is, it never works!"... hmmmm

but also earlier on, goob asks aziraphale "what [letter] comes after 'K'?", which is 'L', but goob then immediately refers back to his book that he's alphabetising, which is A Tale of Two Cities, and that starts with 'it'...? so why highlight the letter 'L'? (this might be something of nothing but given Book of Life idk could literally have been ANY other letter)

but then we have the rest of the episodes that cascaded from the two things above; first, the book blueprint of the universe in ep1, which AWCW was referring to, but only from page 11 onwards (so what was on pages 1-11?):

ep2: crowley discovering that jane austen wrote books (like, other than it being a comedic point of their conflicting remembrance of her as a person, and gives the "you think you know someone!" foreshadowing, it felt very pointed that crowley learns that she was a writer as well)

ep2 also sees aziraphale looking at a huge tome which, given everything that's going on, seems weird that he'd be randomly consulting? idk what the book is so not doubling down on this... anyone know if ive just missed something obvious?

but also makes a point of consulting the bible after goob recites what god said to job in the bookshop. which, given that he and crowley readily recognise what god says (he even says to crowley, "I most certainly do [remember]"), seems weird that they'd need to consult a book to remind them who job was and his story... could be exposition and for the cool fall-through effect, but possibly felt a bit unneeded. plus, it got aziraphale so absorbed that he totally conked out and missed crowley leaving the shop:

aziraphale writing in his diary at his desk on his bed, lying in his tummy, feet kicking in the air, in ep3:

the magician's pamphlet that not only follows aziraphale's epiphany of realising he's in love with crowley but also literally sets up the opportunity for aziraphale to demonstrate how much he trusts him, and is ultimately used against them in being discovered as (at least) being traitors to their respective sides:

plus the Hoffman book, and the angel field-guide:

like, oversimplifying, but literally all of ep5 being based on jane austen works

emphasis on muriel wanting to read books in the background of the Showdown going on in ep6, being chucked The Crow Road by crowley, and metatron being weirdly interested in the fact that they're reading it... like, how would he not know what a book is? why is it "excellent", and a "perfectly splendid thing to do"? odd choice of words even if you want them to take over the bookshop:

now this one i can believe is literally just about goob in the shop and that's fine, but again the emphasis on books anyway (and also michael's weirdly strong but conflicting memory? might write a different post about that bc i think michael got got by metatron somewhere along the line):

back to ep2 but fitting to bookend on:

so okay yeah sure, im certain the book of life comes into all of this somewhere (ive posted about it here but im fairly certain it's not what heaven/hell seems to claim it is, and i think only the metatron truly knows that). there's been a lot of emphasis on memory too in this season, but taking that out of the equation a minute, the main things giving me heebie-jeebies is goob's line about using big books as fly swats, and obviously metty-babes' weird reaction to the crow road...

idk where im going with this and ill probably look at this again but all of this was floating around my noggin and i couldn't take it anymore

[tigirl-and-co]

Specks of Dust in Hallowed Halls

pt. 1

This first part is just an introductory piece, to try to help me get the flavour down. To get me used to writing Metroplex. Also bc nobody writes anything for him but I love him so much. My beautiful sonsband who is three times the size of the Chicago metropolitan area <333

~~~

There was only one holoform who was a regular at the human's game nights. Sure, a lot of Cybertronians were curious about their organic allies, and quite a few of them counted the humans among their friends and would show up on occasion. But they were busy, they had other diversions, and quite frankly they just didn't 'get' it.

But every Tuesday night, as far as Tuesday nights can exist on a planet with a completely different solar calendar, Metroplex found himself in the company of mammals.

Metropex had been alive for so, so long, and he had lacked any intimacy for most of his lifespan. Being so large, close connections weren't really in the cards. He had tried, over the eons, to mix among the Cybertronians with a mech holoform, but they treated him too reverently. He could not be 'one of them.' He was an Other. A respected and revered Other, but an Other just the same.

But the humans... once they had become accustomed to him being truly sapient, a person in his own right, they even treated his city mode as casually as one of their own. When asking for assistance getting around they called him nicknames like 'Metty' and 'Plexiglass', and they had allowed him access to their private texting groups. There were occasional 'Let's go Mets!' memes, with images of his buildings over top the sports team logo, sent to him in displays of camaraderie.

He truly enjoyed every ephemeral klik of it.

So he would join them once a week to play their games. The silent scribbling during Boggle, the drama of Betrayal at the House on the Hill, and the playful trash-talk during a heated round of Mario Kart... all of it filled his spark. He especially enjoyed video game game nights, where a large portion of the humans would be packed in on the couches and chairs and he would often find someone's legs draped over his own. After so long spent being unable to touch anybody, the simple heat of shoulders pressing him in and backs leaned against his legs from those seated on the floor was holy. Every now and again one of the humans would fall asleep and lean harder against him, and he felt love pulsate through his circuits.

This was what he was protecting. What he was fighting for. All kind creatures in the universe were his fellow beings and his charges, and he would protect them. It was what he had been built to do, but more importantly, it was what he chose to do.

To reward love and compassion in kind.

[big-robot-fan]

Supercomputer Sonic likes to show his life love to War Machine Metal by sending natural lifeforms to him and/or caused nature life to infesting in metal's systems ("Love you too mets!" -sonic receiving yet another death threat message with graphic images of nature life that metal had killed from metal)

Sonic: I love hugging you Mettie <3

Metal: *Is being strangled by vines*

[renaiswriting]

Baci di Luna (part 4)

Pairing: Choi Seungcheol/Reader

Summary:

Saying I love you was never easy.

Having to say it in a language that wasn't yours was not easy either.

Imagine the struggle of that, and now add it to loving someone whose family thinks you're a monster.

It can't be easy at all.

Warnings: mentions of blood, mentions of wounds.

Word count: +4.8k words.

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Taglist: @lol6sposts ; @phoebe0 ; @mingycr

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"Where are you going? Arianna asked, dropping herself on top of your bed. You send her a quick glance, finishing packing your bag. "I'm so annoiato."

 

"Why don't you go and ask Noah to play or something if you're so bored? You asked your sister. You took out two different jackets from your closet, trying to decide which would look better, the red or the black one.

 

"I already asked him; he told me he was going to be studying all day. Mom was mad because he couldn't remember how to say riordiner la mia stanza, so she sent him to study."

 

You chuckled, shaking your head at your brother's antics. You finally choose the red one, liking the way the color of the jacket pops up with the rest of your outfit.

 

"He said rider nella mia stanza instead; can you believe it? Arianna shook her head, a teasing grin on her face.

 

"Why are you smiling that big when last week you said per favore, passami il sole instead of per favore, passami il sale?"

 

"How was I supposed to know that sole meant sun and not salt? They sound the exact same!"

 

"No, they don't." You replied, raising your eyebrows.

 

Arianna quickly erased the smile on her face, her cheeks turning a subtle shade of red as she looked away, knowing that out of you three, you were the only one that actually could speak Italian.

 

"You didn't reply to my first question." Arianna remembered you again, behind tight teeth.

 

"I'm going on a walk; we have been here for some time now, but I barely know the town. The forest seems so pretty."

 

"Mom will kill you if you go there alone; she said people reported big creatures coming from there."

 

"Big creatures?" You asked cautiously, suddenly not so sure about the trip you were planning. "What types of creatures?"

 

"I don't know; they say there are these big creatures; that's all I know. Mom says it is the Lupo Mannaro."

 

You rolled your eyes, now slightly more relaxed. "Mom always says there's a Lupo Mannaro." Remember when we were young and refused to brush our teeth? She always said that the Lupo Mannaro would come and eat us.

 

"How to forget? I think I might have "Se non metti in ordine la tua stanza, il lupo mannaro potrebbe venire a trovarti!" tattooed on my brain."

 

You chuckled; that was probably one of the few phrases Arianna could say fluently.

 

"The only reason I want to have kids is to tell them to tidy their rooms, or else the werewolf would come and visit them as well. You know, passing the trauma to new generations." Arianna joked.

 

"But seriously," Arianna's expression turned serious, "I don't think you should go there alone. Lupo Mannaro or not, it can be really dangerous going into such a place. You never know what could be there. Or who could be there?

 

"I won't take long, I promise. But you can tag alone if it makes you feel less stressed." You invited her.

Arianna stood up with more excitement than she pretended, trying to act bored, but the sparkle in her eyes for going on an adventure with her big sister definitely gave it away.

 

You hid your smile behind a fake cough, knowing that Arianna hated to be put on the spot. It had been a while since the last time you both had some sister time, and you were not going to ruin it with just some giggles.

 

"Bring a jacket; it's cold outside." You told her before walking towards the kitchen, where your mom was preparing something to eat and your younger brother was sitting studying, just like Arianna had told you.

 

"Mamma, io e Arianna andiamo a fare un giro, a che ora si mangia?" You asked your mom; dinner and lunch time were a tradition, and there was no way any of you would get away with wandering outside and missing it.

 

"Tra un'ora." Your mom informed you, and it was perfect; you just needed an hour anyway. "No, Noah, non guardarla cos. Non te ne vai, non ti muovi da qui finché non sai dirmi una frase di più di cinque parole in italiano, capito?"

 

By the look on Noah's face, you could easily tell he had not a single clue about the instructions her mother had given him, and by the time you and Arianna would be back, the only five-word sentence he would be able to say in Italian would be "I am Noah Giovanni Bianchi Smith."

 

Noah's pleading eyes followed you until you moved all the way from the kitchen to the living room, and it honestly broke your heart. You would have taken him with you and Arianna, but the last thing you wanted was to get into a fight with your mom; she was really passionate when it came to Italian, and, if you were honest, you totally understood where she was coming from.

 

Both Arianna and Noah were at the same level as a five-year-old native speaker; the extra study time would do nothing but benefit him in learning a language.

 

"I'll bring you a pretty rock if I see one." You promised him that Noah had a big collection of rocks. They were all different, some more shiny than others.

 

This seemed to cheer him up, because he went back to his notebook with a small smile on his face.

 

"So from where do we start?" Arianna asked, and once you both were outside, you waited until you were far enough from the house to reply.

 

"We can walk past the Loco Thud's butcher shop. and go straight from there; I think the path is clear there, so we would avoid getting lost, not that we are going to." You rushed to add it after seeing the scared expression on Arianna's face. "But you know, just to make sure we get back home before dinner's ready."

 

Arianna nodded, walking right next to you, not wanting to fall behind your quick pace.

 

"I've never been here." Arianna mumbled, looking at the big trees that were forming a wall that divided the town from the wild.

 

"Me neither," you replied, but, unlike Arianna, the excitement could be heard in your voice.

 

"I think I have never seen so much green before; that leaf is the same size as my head!" Arianna quickly ran towards it to pick it up and show you. She was right; the leaf covered Arianna's face completely. She admired the leaf for a while before carefully putting it inside her pocket. It was not dry, so it stood there perfectly without breaking.

 

You both continued walking, enjoying the silence and, occasionally, the sounds of birds singing as they flew above the tall trees.

 

You liked the sound your shoes made whenever you walked over a dry leaf, crushing it as soon as your weight was on it.

 

You closed your eyes for a second, taking a deep breath and letting your lungs fill in with such pure air.

 

You could get used to this.

 

You could picture yourself having a small house in the forest.

 

You would never get sick of this view or of this feeling.

 

"Mom was talking about going back to Italy this summer for a week." Arianna broke the silence. "She said her aunt is not doing so well, so she wants to pay her a little visit. I think that's why she's so stressed out lately about Noah and me learning and practicing our Italian."

 

"That could be, yeah." You nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. "It is important for her; it's her native language."

 

"I know, I just don't get why she is so pressed about it; it's not like we need it here."

 

"She wants us to be able to understand her and speak to her in a language that she is completely able to express herself in. She is already far away from her home, and the last thing she wants is for her kids to not be able to understand her. Also, all of her side of the family only speaks Italian."

Arianna kept silent, the frown on her forehead still quite present. You called her, but she didn't hear you; she was too deep in her own thoughts.

 

You let her be, asking for a better look at the green view that was surrounding you both.

 

Arianna kept kicking a rock until you both started hearing something.

 

Water.

 

It wasn't really a surprise, since the closer you looked there, the darker the mud was and the greener the plants and trees were.

 

It was to be expected to have some sort of water source there.

 

So taking Arianna's arm with your hand, you rushed her to run towards that sound, coming face to face with a beautiful lake.

 

The water was running so far to the end of it that you could not see it from where you both were standing.

 

"Come, I promised Noah that we would get him a rock."

 

Noah has found multiple beautiful rocks on other lakes and rivers.

 

One of his favorites had been found on a beach your family had decided to go to for five minutes, just to get some quick help with the hot weather and keep on with your day.

 

It didn't seem too deep, at least not where you were looking, so, as carefully as possible, you dipped your hand, cringing at the freezing feeling.

Even when you lifted your jacket and your shirt to avoid getting them all wet, they all slid down your arm, getting them as wet as if you were swimming.

 

You started moving your hand without really looking, hoping to bump into a rock that would be magically the most beautiful rock you have ever seen.

 

But instead, you felt something sharp cutting the skin covering one of your fingers.

 

You shank your hand back from the surface, biting your lower lip to avoid cursing while inspecting it.

"Cazzo!" You cried, the swear scaping from between your lips when the blood started coming out of the wound.

Arianna's head snapped at the curse you had said, because from the limited list of Italian words she knew, fuck was one of them.

"Are you alright?" Arianna rushed to see with her own eyes what had happened, but your hold on your fist was stronger, you felt as if you let go of the presiom on your hand, the pain will come back.

Arianna's eyes opened even wider once she got a little glimpse of the red coming from in between your hands.

"Oh no!"

In Arianna's desperation to check on your finger wound and yours to keep Arianna from touching it, your younger sister's hands accidentally touched the open skin. Almost instinctively, you jerked backwards, trying to get away from whatever had caused the pain.

Luckily, Arianna's reflexes were quicker than yours, which saved you from falling backward into the icy water of the lake behind you.

 

"Are you out of your mind? Arianna asked somewhat angrily. "Watch where you're going! You could have fallen and hurt your head on whatever cut off your finger!"

"I'm fine. I'm fine." You mumbled between puffs of air to try to calm the erratic heart that kept pounding loudly against your chest. "Should I stick my finger in the lake?"

 

"I don't know." Arianna replied doubtfully. "Don't you think it might attract some aquatic animals?"

 

"Like what, a shark?" you joked, trying to wipe the very serious expression off Arianna's face.

 

She rolled her eyes. "Obviously not; I'm not stupid, but we don't know what kinds of creatures might be here." Arianna set about inspecting the depths of the lake closely. Occasionally, some fish no bigger than half the size of Arianna's pinky would swim happily by. "Besides, we don't know how clean this water might be. I think we'd better head home; it's getting late anyway."

 

"But we haven't been here more than twenty minutes!" you protested. "I promised Noah a rock; at least let me find some for him."

 

"Noah's just a kid; grab some leaves on the road, and he'll be just as happy as he is with a rock."

 

"It doesn't matter. The poor kid had to stay in to study all day. If a shiny rock makes him happy, then how bad is it to find him one? Come on, if I haven't dropped my finger so far, I won't drop it by spending another ten minutes here." You laughed. While it burned pretty badly, it was only a small cut. You doubted it would even leave a scar.

 

Arianna pointed her index finger in your face, looking at you seriously. For a few seconds, you could see her face transform into one similar to your mother's. You could finally see the similarities that so many people said they saw between Arianna and your mother.

 

"With the first rock you find, we leave. I don't care if it's a dull color or if it's too small. We're leaving. Got it?"

And so it was that for about five minutes you were crouched on the ground, looking for the first rock you could take with you back home.

 

Every time you found one you didn't like, you looked carefully at Arianna to make sure she wasn't paying attention to you before throwing it in the lake so you could spend more time looking for a better one.

 

"For God's sake." Arianna complained, putting her muddy hands on her knees so she could stand up. "How could there not be a single rock in the middle of a forest?" Arianna sighed in annoyance. "I'm going to look further," she said, pointing her finger at a tree that couldn't be more than five meters away. "Surely that's where there will be rocks."

You didn't answer her, but she walked away to the place she had indicated anyway.

 

You were too focused on trying to find something your little brother might like.

 

"Do you think Noah will like this tree stick— Oh my god!" Arianna cut herself off mid-sentence with a scream of terror escaping her throat as she had been rolling over to stand up. In a leap, she was at your side, gripping your arm so tightly that you yourself had to omit a cry of pain to understand what was really happening.

 

Your eyes quickly found the figure of a tall, muscular person approaching you through the trees, with both hands raised in the air as a sign that he was not coming to cause any crime and a confused look on his face.

 

You felt the tension drain from your shoulders as Seungcheol finally stepped out from behind the wall of trees.

 

"Oh my god, you almost gave me a heart attack." You sighed in relief, bringing the hand with the cut on your finger to your heart. The fabric of your jacket brushed against the wound, and this caused a bit of discomfort. Your face transforms from a relieved smile to a momentary expression of pain.

Seungcheol's eyes quickly widened in a comically large way. It hadn't been until that instant that you realized how round they were. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice sounding quite concerned. Taking large strides, he reached your side in a matter of seconds, and his warm hands were taking yours, drawing the injured finger up until it was close to his face and inspecting it well. "How did you do this to yourself?"

 

You shook your head in response, trying to wipe away the worried expression on Seungcheol's face and bring some sense to your thoughts that were making your cheeks flush at the attention received. "I was looking for a rock in the lake for my brother. It was a silly thing to do. Really."

You smiled at him.

 

His eyes were watching your face carefully, trying to look for any sign that you were in any kind of pain.

 

His eyes sparkled with the smile you sent him, and his lips quickly returned the gesture.

 

His thick fingers began to massage the area carefully, trying to help the pain go away.

 

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

 

"I don't know if I'm well enough to get the cornettos ready for tomorrow morning." You sighed, feigning sadness. You knew Seungcheol was going to be first thing in the morning on the other side of your family's bakery, ready to buy his daily amount of cornettos. He had been doing it for weeks already. "But I'll survive." You finished joking.

 

"Don't worry, she's always this dumb, actually." Your sister added that, besides you, she has taken quite a few steps back when Seungcheol approached you and had been quiet until that second, making you almost forget she was there.

 

Your cheeks turned red once she spoke, and you didn't have it in yourself to look at her in the eyes because you just knew she would have that teasing, knowing it all look on her face.

"I'm Arianna." Your sister introduced herself, taking a few small steps forward and confidently extending her hand. "The younger sister of (y/n)."

 

Seungcheol chuckled at Arianna's attitude, accepting her hand between his. "I'm Seungcheol; nice to meet you."

 

"Ah yes, the person in charge of keeping the family business running—the pleasure is all mine." Your sister smiled, pleased with herself, when she noticed the slight blush on Seungcheol's face.

 

"What were you doing in the forest?" You decided to ask, moving on from the awkward questions. Seungcheol seemed to be mentally grateful because his back was once again proudly erect.

 

"I was on my way home until I thought I heard voices here and noises in the lake."

 

"Noises in the— (y/n)! That's why we weren't finding any rocks, isn't it?" Your sister asked madly, her eyes fiercely piercing into yours.

You ducked closer to Seungcheol unconsciously, trying to hide from Arianna. She could be so scary when she was mad.

 

"I probably heard wrong." Seungcheol took it back.

"Nah-uh, surely you didn't. I've known my sister since I was born." Arianna shook her head, her eyes never leaving your figure. It was clear she was somewhat annoyed.

 

"We should have your finger looked at; it could be dangerous if left unattended. One of my brothers got infected with a special kind of rock and almost ended up poisoned."

 

This clearly put you in a state of alert, and concern quickly ran to your face, ridding it of any trace of color.

 

"But if you just had it cut off, we can probably treat it in time." Seungcheol assured you, trying to calm you down. His hands traveled to the light jacket he was carrying over his shoulders, taking it and placing it over yours, trying to get the fabric to cover, especially the parts of your wet jacket.

"My home is nearby." Seungcheol commented. "One of my brothers knows how to heal and what plants to use for injuries."

"It's already getting late, we should head home." Arianna said to you, sending you a particular look.

"I'll just be five minutes, I'll walk you both home after I finish examining that finger." Seungcheol promised. "I just want to make sure it's nothing dangerous." Seungcheol said to both of them, his eyes didn't take off from your injured finger, there were still some traces of dried blood.

"How far is it to your house?" You asked.

"It's that way." Seungcheol pointed to the right, "It's about five minutes from here."

"Five minutes?" You ask, glancing at Arianna to see if she agreed.

"If Mom gets mad at us for being late for dinner, it's your fault." She replied with a shrug, following Seungcheol from behind.

"So do you have many siblings?" You asked Seungcheol, who was walking slowly beside you. Not hurrying.

"Twelve." He answered calmly.

"What?" you asked, not wanting to sound like you were judging him, but your tone of voice came something like that out of your mouth.

What worried you most was that you were walking in the middle of the woods to a house with twelve other men.

Seungcheol laughed at your reaction.

"We are not biological brothers, we don't share blood. But we've all been living together for a very long time, they're like my brothers." He clarified.

"How big does your house have to be to be able to live with twelve other people without constantly fighting?"

"Well, usually it's not all twelve of us in the house every day. Now three of them are on a trip, they went to a nearby town. And two others went to spend the weekend with their families." He explained. "Anyway, there is always something new to fix or do in the house, so we keep busy. I'm sorry for any mess there may be, Mingyu.... He's the one who's usually in charge of keeping the house clean, he hasn't been feeling too well lately."

"Is he sick?"

"Something like that." Seungcheol muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

"He's not the one who got hurt by something in the lake... Is he?" you asked worriedly.

"Oh, no!" Seungcheol laughed, "that was Minghao. He didn't speak Korean well back then, so it was hard for him to understand what we were trying to warn him about."

Seungcheol had been right because in a matter of five minutes you were standing in front of a large wooden house.

It was about three stories as far as you could see and from the outside there was a large staircase leading up to the roof.

The steps, also made of wood, led up to the front door of the house. There were two outside seats, which looked really comfortable, outside by the door. Both were being occupied by two young men.

"Hello!" one of them greeted energetically, standing up and approaching you and your sister quickly. "You are (y/n), aren't you?" he asked staring at you.

The assurance in his voice made you take a step back, bumping into the chest of Seungcheol, who was standing behind you. You were feeling a bit wary.

"Soonyoung." Seungcheol warned behind you. "You're scaring her."

"Sorry." He replied with a smile. "It's just that Seungcheol tells us a lot about you. And about your delicacies."

Your cheeks quickly warmed, and you could hear Arianna giggling beside you.

The words Jeonghan had mentioned that time he had gone to the bakery suddenly came back to your mind.

"Stop it." A guy with an American accent that automatically made you feel more relaxed. "Hello, my name's Joshua."

"My name's (y/n); nice to meet you. You both." You quickly added, remembering that you had not introduced the Soonyoung guy properly either.

Now that you could finally go back to English, you felt a little bit more comfortable. While you would understand Korean and speak it comfortably, there wasn't anything like speaking your native language.

"Joshua." The guy introduced himself, and Arianna made sure to do the same. "Are you both staying in for dinner?"

"No," you quickly replied, "Seungcheol said someone could take a look at my finger. K was at the lake and accidentally cut it."

"Oh, let's go inside so I can take a better look. Joshua nodded, opening the door.

 

You followed him inside, sending Arianna a look that said, "Don't touch anything and stay close."

 

Inside the house, there was a smell of vegetables being cooked and some meat as well, which made your mouth water with saliva.

 

There was an orangish light inside that made the place look warmer and homey.

 

You saw some heads turned from behind a sofa, some waving their hands at you and Arianna, and others walking toward Seungcheol and greeting you both.

 

It felt weird because, even though Arianna was just there as well, you could feel almost all of their eyes on you as you kept moving.

 

"I don't know where Wonwoo left the mirror I usually use. Joshua mumbled and looked at Seungcheol. "He's not coming home tonight, is he?"

 

"No, I think his brother needed him to help him with something; he should be back tomorrow."

 

"It's alright; we will manage." He said this, looking at you and smiling calmly. "That's quite a nasty cut, isn't it?"

 

"Yeah," you chuckled, "it burns when I touch it."

 

Joshua hummed, nodded, and went back to his room to search for something. Your eyes wandered through the rest of the house, and you could hear some loud noises coming from downstairs that made you jump.

 

"Sorry, some of the kids are playing a little bit too hard." Seungcheol apologized, walking towards one of the walls and knowing it softly. You didn't really hear it, but almost as if it had been a rehearsal before, the noises stopped.

 

"Look who's here." A voice that you knew spoke behind you. Your head turned to see Jeonghan's back relaxing against the doorframe. A teasing smile adorned his face. "The start of the house is finally visiting. Is this a new service of the bakery? That's so nice of you guys to give back a visit to your most dedicated customer."

Arianna seemed to really enjoy Jeonghan's humor; she was laughing loudly, crossing her arms over her chest, waiting for more to come.

"Hi Jeonghan." You greeted him.

"Hello, (y/n)," he replied happily, a smile decorating his face. "Are you staying for dinner? We made extra."

"We would love to, but our mom would disown us if we missed dinner at home without telling her in advance."

Jeonghan laughed, saying, "Oh, my mom's the same. At least bring some home. I'll prepare it while you're here, he said, turning to Arianna. "Why don't you help me, kid?"

And now it was your turn to laugh because of Arianna's expression.

She hated it when people called her a kid.

She always said she was a grown teenager already.

"Sorry about that too," Seungcheol sighed, closing his eyes and massaging them with his fingers. "Jeonghan's a pain in the ass sometimes; just ignore him and everything he says or does."

You chuckled, "It's alright. I like him, actually. You reassured him.

Seungcheol frowned. "You like him? He asked. "Like, you like like him or...?"

"Oh no," you said, shaking your head once it finally hit you how it had come out of your mouth. "I mean, I like him because he's nice, not like that. Sorry, my Korean can be a little bit too..."

"It's perfect." Seungcheol rushed to reassure you.

Joshua quickly came back with something that smelled awful.

It was green, and it felt weird on your skin.

"This will help with the burning feeling, and it will avoid getting it infected or causing inflammation. Leave it all night, and tomorrow wash it off, alright? If it still burns, please come back so I can take another look, but it should be fine."

"Thank you!" You sighed happily; it did feel better than the burning from before. But now you had to make sure you made up a good excuse for it before you went back home. Your father would not be happy if he found out you went to the middle of the forest, followed a man to his house, which was full of other dudes inside, and then let one of them treat your wounds.

 

Arianna practically ran towards you once she saw you coming out of the room with an annoyed expression and mouthing something under her breath. She was carrying a big container with food in her hands.

 

Soonyoung sent you a wink on your way out of the house, and Jeonghan told you to enjoy the food.

 

By the moment the door was closed behind Seungcheol and you were back outside, with the muffled noises from the house becoming less and less audible as your legs took you back home, you felt like it had been days since you left your house less than an hour ago.

 

Seungcheol did walk you both until he could see your house, and he made sure that you both reached it safely.

 

"It was nice meeting you, Arianna," he said, smiling at her before Arianna went inside. His eyes moved back toward yours. "I'm sorry for all the mess at home; some of it can be a little bit too much sometimes."

 

"It's alright; I really had a nice time there." You reassured him.

 

"I was wondering if maybe next time we could spend some time together outside the bakery." He chuckled nervously, his eyes moving to the ground and his feet tapping up and down the grass.

 

"Sure, Noah would love to go to the lake next time." You smiled at him.

 

"That would be lovely, yeah. But I was wondering if it could be just us, together."

 

"Oh." You replied surprised. "I would love to. I need to make friends."

[kachikirby]

Romantic Season

Story for Valentine's Day! Hope you all enjoy!

-

]After a half-hour trip in a star ship, Meta Knight stepped out onto the planet Patlantic with a small bag in hand. He adjusted the brim of his fedora and sunglasses in response to the sudden amount of sunlight.

“Well, we made it, Fetty.”

His wife, Fettuccine, exited the ship, nicely dressed in a blue dress for the occasion. “Oh, it’s as beautiful as I heard!”

This was the city of Pavega, one of the major vacation destinations in the galaxy. There were many restaurants, shops, casinos, and even a massive, picturesque boardwalk and beach that made it so popular. However, the place they were going to be staying at was one of the most luxurious in the city, Sparkling Seas Beach and Resort. The blue puff turned to Fettuccine.

“Would you like me to take your bag?” He asked, only to be picked up by her.

“No, this is my gift to you, so you should relax and enjoy.” She then took a deep breath, enjoying the ocean air. “Well, this sure beats handmade chocolate, doesn’t it?” She giggled.

“Anything from you is enough of a gift for me.” Meta replied in such a matter-of-fact manner that Fettuccine nearly stumbled due to how flustered she was by that response.

“…silly bat.” She mumbled, getting only a smile in response.

*          *          *

After getting checked in, the two went to their hotel room, which Meta was even more surprised, being a massive blue-themed suite with a king-sized bed, stellar views of the beach below, and even a giant hot tub in the room.

“Fetty, how expensive was this? I think I’ll have a hard time returning this three times the value on White Day…” Meta uttered, removing his sunglasses before examining the gift basket that sat on the massive bed.

“I’m not telling!” She giggled. “Besides, I rather you not worry about the price! My Metty only deserves the best!”

He couldn’t help but blush in response to that. “I… feel the same way about you…” He uttered, adverting his gaze slightly as he opened the fridge. He looked in it to see an all too familiar dish of chocolate fondant in a time capsule case.

“…now I know who helped pay for this.” He uttered, quickly reading the attached note from his mother, Kurabe. Before he could say anything else, he felt himself being picked up by Fettuccine, who then hopped onto the bed, holding him tightly as they locked eyes with each other.

“So, what do you think?” Fettuccine asked.

“Well… um… it’s amazing… I’m kind of overwhelmed by how big and luxurious it is…” He spoke a bit awkwardly, sounding slightly nervous. Of course, he wasn’t a big fan of flashy events or places. Only flashy battles. His wife seemed to frown a bit, showing signs that she was slightly afraid that he didn’t like it.

“I do like it though. It’s just a bit more upscale than what I’m used to…” He added, causing her worries to wash away. “Besides, I think it’s been a while since we’ve gone on a vacation as a couple… I hope Vul can handle Sieg and Freya…”

“They’re good kids. He’ll be fine.” His wife said before once more holding him close. “But for now, let’s focus on each other.”

“Yes, I know. It’s not just Valentine’s Day, but the anniversary of when we first started dating…”

Meta remembered that day well. It started with Kirby coming to him about his feelings for Ribbon and it led to him being forced to confront his own feelings about Fettuccine, how he often thought of them living together, how he had started to think about her more and more since Task Force Zetta first came to Dream Land. How he was dragged in the middle of the night to the VictoriousArc to speak to her about them, leading to him finally being able to tell her “I love you” with the same feelings she held for him. How it led to their relationship rekindling, dating, getting married, and now having children of their own.

As he was lost in his thoughts he felt the taste of cocoa enter his mouth and looked down to see Fettuccine’s finger.

“I did also make chocolate for you. It’s just a bonus on top of this vacation.”

Meta couldn’t help but smile at her. The woman he grew to love so dearly. He place a hand on her cheek.

“Fetty, I love you so much.”

His wife smiled and gave him a gentle kiss. “I love you too, Metty.”

[clacclo]

Bruce Springsteen

ADDICTED TO ROMANCE

from the film "She Came to Me"

It’s whiskey and it’s water and it’s one last dance

Stranger, pump that jukebox with your quarters,

We all deserve a second chance

Darling, let me tell you your future,

Slip your palm into my hands

You got me addicted to romance

Neon lights on the corner,

The rumble of a tired rock ‘n’ roll band

You’re this neighborhood’s broken daughter,

With all the blessings that it grants

I’ll tell you ’bout this dream I had,

If you tell me of your plans

You got me addicted to romance

Now the night is sweet and low, my dear,

Though the end’s always at hand

My muse,

The music you whispered in my ear

Reminds me of who I am

Reminds me of who I am

Reminds me of who I am

Love’s a cold beer, you near, and a kiss,

Your sweet and tender hands

Tonight I get all the love that I missed,

From you in just one glance

And if this isn’t love, my dear,

It’s more than what we planned

It’s more than just chance

You got me addicted to romance

Nicely, baby

Oh, that's right

Let's come a little closer

DIPENDENTE DAL ROMANTICISMO

È whisky, è acqua ed è un ultimo ballo

Straniero, riempi quel jukebox con i tuoi soldi,

Meritiamo tutti una seconda possibilità

Tesoro, lascia che ti racconti il tuo futuro,

Metti il tuo palmo tra le mie mani

Mi hai reso dipendente dal romanticismo

Luci al neon nell’angolo,

Il rimbombo di una stanca rock ‘n’ roll band

Sei la figlia distrutta di questo quartiere,

Con tutte le benedizioni che concede

Ti racconterò di questo sogno che ho fatto,

Se mi parli dei tuoi progetti

Mi hai reso dipendente dal romanticismo

Adesso la notte è dolce e bassa, mia cara,

Anche se la fine è sempre vicina

La mia musa ispiratrice,

La musica che mi hai sussurrato all'orecchio

Mi ricorda chi sono

Mi ricorda chi sono

Mi ricorda chi sono

L'amore è una birra fresca, tu vicino, e un bacio,

Le tue mani dolci e tenere

Stasera ricevo tutto l'amore che mi è mancato,

Da te in un solo sguardo

E se questo non è amore, mia cara,

È più di quanto avevamo programmato

È più di un semplice caso

Mi hai reso dipendente dal romanticismo

Benissimo, piccola

Oh va bene

Avviciniamoci un po'