#YEAH THEY'LL BE FINE NEXT LOOP BUT STILL

[chipper-smol]

when you meant to do the hang out at the favor tree to show Siffrin how the loops aren't triggered by the death of their friends, but instead they went sleepies and you didnt have the heart to wake them

so now you're realizing this whole plan was dumb from the start because knowing your friends had to go through the entire house and face the King alone makes you sadsies

:)

[sharkylass]

ALRIGHT, I ASKED FOREVER AGO, BUT WHO WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT MY ISA LOOPS AU??

Heads up this contains a lot, and I mean A LOT of spoilers for In Stars And Time. Including: = Act 6 spoilers, including main mystery and secret encounter = Minimal Act 5 stuff = And a bunch of extra stuff that happens through Act 3 and 4. SO BASICALLY ALMOST EVERYTHING, FINISH THIS GAME COMPLETELY BEFORE READING (ESPECIALLY THAT ACT 6 ENCOUNTER, IT WILL LITERALLY BE THE FIRST THING I MENTION UNDER THE CUT)

With all those warnings out of the way-

IN REPETITION AND CHANGE

Initial Concepts:

I feel it's important to show these sketches because they were the first ideas I ever had. I wasn't even entirely sure I wanted to make an AU at this point, I didn't even know how I'd approach it. But I started sketching and it's been on my mind since- SO! Isa is stuck in the timeloop. I know what his wish is and he DOES have a Loop equivalent! The grumpy dandelion guy is Roboro (it/they/he). Their name is a very small play on Ouroboros and they call Isa "Seedling". However, this post is not about them, as I'm gonna talk about it and Isa's dynamic in a separate post. In short, Isa is his normal loud self up until Act 3, right? They beat the King, they reach the end, and whoops, the loop isn't broken. So now, what happens is that Isa starts getting his brains out. He starts thinking more analytically and tries to problem solve.

The more stuck he gets in his head, the less he's able to perceive his friends as real people, and more like them holding him back. Because even if Isa explains that he's smart, that they shouldn't be surprised if he says something, shock of all shocks, reasonable- They'll forget it the next loop.

So Isa is stuck with trying to portray his confident, loud, supportive facade- Which is fine! It wouldn't be the first time! But it progressively gets more and more frustrating, as he tries to find answers and simply looses the energy to pretend to be stupid.

TL;DR: Isa in the timeloop, unlike Siffrin, becomes more distant and cold rather then something more akin to Sif's mania.

NOW, MORE ART!!!

KILL KILL KILL:

I imagine Isa didn't have this encounter the same way that Sif did. Yeah, frankly, Isa is pissed with the sadness- But that's not why he goes through with this.

In this moment, Isa is trying to kill two birds with one stone. He's trying to get through this quickly, as well as reassure Mira that they can do this! If he shows how strong he is, then she'll feel safe right???

Poor Isabeau forgot that whenever he shows that he thinks ahead, he scares people. How could he forget that? How could he forget that he's inherently---

Family Quest:

I still think Odile is the one to call out to him (same with sus quest).

The hangouts I'm still figuring out, cause I don't think they'd too similar to base game- But, fun fact, at the end of this run, everyone agrees to keep travel together!

Isabeau brings it up, can't hurt if you can fix your mistakes right? And everyone agrees. The relief on Siffrin is the most palpable thing Isabeau has ever seen.

In this moment they love you. In this moment they all love you. In this moment---

Death Screen:

He loops back anyways. (This is one of the initial concepts that I ended up animating. This line in particular is when he reaches the end)

Act 5 Tarot Card:

NOW TO SEE MORE OF HIS PASSIVE AGRESSIVE SIDE

Thanks to @the-bitter-ocean for prescribing tarot cards to Isa (THEY ALL FUCK SO HARD) and for the RAW ASS LINE

If interacted with in act 5, predictably, Isa tears it apart. He doesn't need the divine judgement upon him, he's faced everyone's perception his entire life.

However, he tears it methodically. Tears it once in even pieces, twice, three times, and one of the pieces once more. In a way he isn't even getting his emotions out, it's like he's actively trying to tear it apart so it stops nagging him, like he wants to shut it up. Though, the Judgement card symbolizes rebirth, absolution and inner calling. In Act 6 he'd be able to look at it and find comfort and confidence in the card.

Act 5 Mirror:

And lastly, I have the Act 5 mirror picture. I haven't quite figured out how to make the normal ones work yet, however, I couldn't let go of the idea that Isa would not want to be in the picture.

The idea of seeing himself at all makes his head hurt and his stomach squeeze. The memory haunts him as he stands to the side and says the word. He didn't think the mirror would catch him.

AAAAND THAT'S ALL THE ART STUFF FOR NOW!!

I still have quite a bit of it to post, especially about Roboro, but I'm gonna leave it here for now.

I still gotta figure out the hangouts and potentially the dagger equivalent- but I have ideas for Bad Touch, the glass equivalent, and some extra little things that didn't happen in Siffrin's loops.

I needed to yap about this, because I've been slowly stacking up ideas and writing and I needed to share it at some point- If anyone read all this and has questions and stuff I fully welcome 'em!!

[under-the-stars-au]

How are you feeling now, Bon?

Yeah don't worry, they're fine now, when your tummy is full you can't be mad, that's just science fact

________________

Okay ! Lots of stuff to say here ! There were some details I wasn't sure of about the lore of this mixed UT/ISAT universe, but recently I made myself a little memo of everything and I'm more sure of my stuff. So I made it clear in this one : Chara is here ! And they are here to help....maybe.

Siffrin thoughts and Chara's narration are kinda here at the same time...which must be super confusing to live honestly, but you can still see the difference. I will not develop here why Chara is with Siffrin instead of Frisk, but if you want a small explanation, their wishes mixed together

I personally think that there's a lot of ISAT stuff in this AU and not enough UT, so the next one (the one I really wanted to make for a while) will be more about UT, and it will be out...tomorrow ! Yep, I already started it before I decided to make that one first, so you'll have another answer really soon, whoo oh !

I hope you like this one for now though ! See you soon !

(Also did you notice the new brush I used this time ? I love it honestly, it looks super cool, I think I'll keep it)

_________________

DIALOGUES IN CASE YOU CAN'T READ MY HANDWRITING

1 :

Bonnie : Mh.........

2 :

Odile : Bonniface, I get that you are upset, but can you please be faster ? Even I don't walk that slow

Bonnie : I'm as fast as I can 'dile !...

3 :

Isabeau : Hey, Sif ? Sorry to bother ya but, huh... Could you talk to Bonbon ? I think they might need it...

Siffrin : Huh ? Why ? I'm not really the feelings person of the group

4 :

Isabeau : Listen buddy, I... I don't think I'm the good person to tell you about it. Just...talk to them, okay ? They'll tell you...eventually

Siffrin : Huh... Okay ? I'll go do that...

5 :

Mirabelle : Huh ? Why did we stop ? Siffrin ?

6 :

Siffrin : Heya Bonnie

Bonnie : ...Siffrin. What d'you want ?

7 :

Chara (internally): Oof, wow, such a sweet kid. They even "Siffried" you

Siffrin : It seems that you're still angry since you flee earlier, and that it's...kinda my fault ? I'm not sure to really understand, but huh, I'm sorry, for whatever happened. I didn't wanted to upset you.

8 :

Bonnie : Huh uh. Yeah, sure. I forgive you

Siffrin (internally) : It doesn't sound like they do though...

9 :

Chara (internally) : Stars, that kid sure is difficult ! Just continue okay, they are not worth it

Siffrin : ...

10 :

Siffrin : Hey Bonnie ?

Bonnie : Hum ?

Siffrin (internally) : No, no don't say that. They'll ALWAYS be worth it

11 :

Siffrin : What if I tell you that I still have a piece of Toriel's pie in my secret pockets. What d'you say ?

Siffrin (internally) : In every loop, every fun changes, you party will always be more important. If you have to proceed, it will be with them

12 :

Bonnie : ...Well. First, I say that it sounds super gross to keep pie in your pockets just like that

13 :

Bonnie : ...And then I say that I want it

14 :

Siffrin : There you go !

Bonnie : Thanks...

15 :

Siffrin (internally) : ...You know, it's nice to have new interactions with them. They almost became actual persons again, you even remember their names !

16 :

Bonnie : What ? WHAT ?! Why are you laughing ?! You makin' fun of me ?!!

17 :

Siffrin : No no, just thought you look like a bunny when you eat, a "Bonny" hehe. That's cute

Bonnie : GAASP. So you are makin' fun of me !

18 :

Bonnie : But huh, actually, I'm not mad at you somehow, guess it's because of the pie

Siffrin : Oh ? Really ?

Bonnie : Yeah, it's just that good

Siffrin : Huh, good to know

19 :

Bonnie : Yeah yeah, just go back to your place now. And stop being an idiot !

Siffrin (internally) : I guess they are okay now ?

Siffrin : Haha, okay okay

[twoidiotwriters1]

The Curse of Oenone (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: Somebody pls give this girl therapy -Danny Words: 2,213 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

XVII: Am I Clinically Depressed or Is It Puberty?

Ara goes to the port railing where Percy is staring at the sea with a scowl.

"It's not you," she tells him. "Whoever took them doesn't want you to see."

"But how can they keep me out of the loop like that? I don't like it."

Ara chuckles. "You sound like me."

Percy shakes his head. "Been a while since you sounded like that," He turns and leans his back against the railing. "Annabeth and Jason told me you went ballistic last night."

Ara makes a face. "You know I could've been worse."

"Yeah," Percy laughs, which sounds wrong at the moment, but he can't help it. They have a hard time being serious when they're left alone. "Many things happened yesterday, huh? I heard Reyna wanted to hold a witch trial or something."

Ara turns and leans on the railing the same way he's doing. "That was an option."

Percy looks at her knowingly. "You almost went with her." Ara keeps her eyes ahead and nods. Her brother sighs deeply. "I can't even be mad at you... I get it. It's not easy to step aside, you were brave."

"I have this urge in me," the girl gestures at her stomach. "To protect the whole world at my expense. There must be another way, but..." she shrugs. "Look at me, doing the one thing I didn't want you to do."

Ara meets Percy's eyes, her gaze is worn and unsettling, like a cry for help she's yet to utter.

"It was worth it, in the end," she continues. "I protected you and the others just like you protected me all those years," she sniffs and scratches her nose. "You regret being my brother yet?"

He snorts. "We were on a ship like this one when I placed the offer," Percy leans his head on top of hers. "And you snubbed me."

"You did it out of pity."

"Only a little."

"See, this is why Annabeth would've been a better sister—"

"You take that back—"

"OVER THERE!" Jason calls out suddenly.

Percy and Ara turn and lean over, they spot three pink bubbles erupting from the sea: Frank, Hazel, and Leo.

"Thank Poseidon!" Ara looks at Percy and pats his back. "See? Told you someone had kidnapped them!"

"Don't say it like it's a good thing!" He scowls at her.

Piper jumps overboard out of excitement and wraps her arms around Leo, fussing over him. The trio seems fine, so that's a comfort. They promise to explain everything once they change.

"You should change too," Jason nudges Ara's arm as he lands next to her. "You're covered in weird stains... And you stink of fish."

"My new aesthetic," Ara mutters.

"Incredible," Jason hums. "These are really good brownies."

"That's your only comment?"

"What? I heard the story. Fish-centaurs. Merpeople. Letter of intro to the Tiber River god. Got it. But these brownies—"

"I know," Frank's mouth is covered in chocolate. "Try them with Esther's peach preserves."

"That, is incredibly disgusting," Hazel states with aversion.

"No, no, he's onto something," Ara grabs a brownie, dipping it into the preserves. "Oh gods, that smells amazing..."

"Pass me the jar," Jason elbows her.

"They didn't want to meet me?" Percy insists while Jason, Ara, and Frank devour the basket of brownies.

"It wasn't that," Hazel says awkwardly. "Just... undersea politics, I guess. The merpeople are territorial. The good news is they're taking care of that aquarium in Atlanta. And they'll help protect the Argo II as we cross the Atlantic."

Percy nods, still frowning. "But they didn't want to meet me?"

"Come on, Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth hits his arm lightly. "We've got other things to worry about."

"She's right," Hazel says. "After today, Nico has less than two days. The fish-centaurs said we have to rescue him. He's essential to the quest somehow."

Hazel stares pointedly at Ara knowing she's the most hostile towards her brother, but Ara shrugs. "It'll be fun, rubbing in his face that I've saved his life like four times by now..."

Piper places a hand on Hazel's shoulder. "We'll save him, Hazel. We can make it in time. Right, Leo?"

"What?" Leo's been fussing over the control board, making sure everything works well. "Oh, yeah. We should reach the Mediterranean tomorrow morning. Then spend the rest of that day sailing to Rome, or flying, if we can get the stabilizer fixed by then. What do you think, doll?" Ara nods with her mouth full of brownie, she gives a thumbs up for confirmation. Leo smirks. "Great."

Jason pauses his eating and frowns. "Which will put us in Rome on the last possible day for Nico. Twenty-four hours to find him—at most."

"And that's only part of the problem," Percy adds. "There's the Mark of Athena, too."

Annabeth opens her bag and pulls out the disk. "This is the map that I found at Fort Sumter. It's... It's blank!"

Ara chokes and Jason has to hit her back so she breathes. "What?!"

Percy grabs the golden disk. "It wasn't like this earlier?"

"No! I was looking at it in my cabin and..." Annabeth stops to think. "It must be like the Mark of Athena. I can only see it when I'm alone. It won't show itself to other demigods."

"What did it have on it?" Frank fidgets. "And what is the Mark of Athena? I still don't get it."

Annabeth holds the disk at eye level. "The map was hard to read, but it showed a spot on the Tiber River in Rome. I think that's where my quest starts... the path I've got to take to follow the Mark."

"Maybe that's where you meet the river god Tiberinus," Piper suggests. "But what is the Mark?"

"The coin."

 "What coin?" Percy and Ara ask.

Annabeth shows them a silver drachma. "I've been carrying this ever since I saw my mom at Grand Central. It's an Athenian coin."

She hands it over so the rest can examine it until it reaches Leo. "An owl. Well, that makes sense. I guess the branch is an olive branch? But what's this inscription—Area Of Effect?"

"It's alpha, theta, epsilon. In Greek it stands for Of The Athenians... or you could read it as the children of Athena. It's sort of the Athenian motto."

"Like SPQR for the Romans," Piper hums.

"Anyway, the Mark of Athena is an owl, just like that one. It appears in fiery red. I've seen it in my dreams. Then twice at Fort Sumter..."

Ara claps once when Annabeth finishes the retelling. "So that's what happened when the door closed! I got so worried!"

"I should have been there for you," Percy says with sympathy, holding Annabeth's hand.

"But that's the point. No one can be there for me. When I get to Rome, I'll have to strike out on my own. Otherwise, the Mark won't appear. I'll have to follow it to... to the source."

"The giants' bane stands gold and pale," Frank quotes as he takes the coin from Leo. "Won with pain from a woven jail... What is it... this thing at the source?" 

"A statue," Jason says. "A statue of Athena. At least... that's my guess."

"You said you didn't know," Piper scowls.

"I don't. But the more I think about it... there's only one artifact that could fit the legend. I'm sorry. I should have told you everything I've heard, much earlier. But honestly, I was scared. If this legend is true—"

"I know. I figured it out, Jason," Annabeth sympathizes. "I don't blame you. But if we manage to save the statue, Greek and Romans together... Don't you see? It could heal the rift."

"Hold on—What statue?" Percy asks.

"The Athena Parthenos," Annabeth explains as she takes the coin. "The most famous Greek statue of all time. It was forty feet tall, covered in ivory and gold. It stood in the middle of the Parthenon in Athens."

Ara remembers Lily and Malcolm geeking about it a long time ago while talking about impossible dreams—one of them was to visit Rome and find the statue. It's funny, Ara's dream was to work for Hephaestus, but now her reality has surpassed that old ambition by a lot, and yet, she isn't happy.

"Okay, I'll bite," Leo sighs. "What happened to it?"

"It disappeared."

"How does a forty-foot-tall statue in the middle of the Parthenon just disappear?"

"That's a good question. It's one of the biggest mysteries in history. Some people thought the statue was melted down for its gold, or destroyed by invaders. Athens was sacked a number of times. Some thought the statue was carried off—"

"By Romans," Jason says. "At least, that's one theory, and it fits the legend I heard at Camp Jupiter. To break the Greeks' spirit, the Romans carted off the Athena Parthenos when they took over the city of Athens. They hid it in an underground shrine in Rome. The Roman demigods swore it would never see the light of day. They literally stole Athena, so she could no longer be the symbol of Greek military power. She became Minerva, a much tamer goddess."

"And the children of Athena have been searching for the statue ever since. Most don't know about the legend, but in each generation, a few are chosen by the goddess. They're given a coin like mine. They follow the Mark of Athena... a kind of magical trail that links them to the statue... hoping to find the resting place of the Athena Parthenos and get the statue back."

"So if we—I mean you—" Percy continues, "find the statue... what would we do with it? Could we even move it?"

"I'm not sure. But if we could save it somehow, it could unite the two camps. It could heal my mother of this hatred she's got, tearing her two aspects apart. And maybe... maybe the statue has some sort of power that could help us against the giants."

"This could change everything," Piper says in awe. "It could end thousands of years of hostility. It might be the key to defeating Gaea. But if we can't help you..."

"I have to succeed," Annabeth states. "The risk is worth it."

"I've spent my whole life hearing you say stuff like that," Ara points out. "And you wonder where I got my suicidal tendencies..."

Percy tosses a crumbled-up napkin at her. "Not funny."

"I don't like the idea of you risking your life alone, Annabeth, but you're right," Hazel says gravely, ignoring the siblings. "We saw what recovering the golden eagle standard did for the Roman legion. If this statue is the most powerful symbol of Athena ever created—"

"It could kick some serious booty," Leo concludes.

"That wasn't the way I'd put it," she scowls. "But yes."

"Except... No child of Athena has ever found it," Percy adds. "Annabeth, what's down there? What's guarding it? If it's got to do with spiders—?"

"Won through pain from a woven jail," Frank points out. "Woven, like webs?"

Now that they've gotten to this point, and Annabeth's mentioned the spiders, Ara's got a clear idea of what's waiting for her friend, and she hates it. "We need to talk," she says.

"No, we don't," Annabeth scowls. "You've got your own trials to worry about."

"What?" Percy looks at her sister. "What trials?"

Ara forgot Percy doesn't know about her prophecy. Her mind races trying to find an excuse but Piper saves her from the awkwardness of the moment. "We'll deal with that when we get to Rome. It's going to work out. Annabeth is going to kick some serious booty, too. You'll see."

"Yeah," Percy tries to sound cheerful. "I learned a long time ago: Never bet against Annabeth... or Ara."

"I'm glad you think that way," Ara grabs another brownie. "'Cause Janus talked to me while we were at the Fort—"

"What?" Percy interrupts her. "What did he want?"

"He's a recurrent visitor, that's not important," she points at the disk Annabeth's holding. "He showed me that when I talked to him. I have to do something, and we need to know what that is."

Annabeth gives her a sour look. "How does Janus—"

"Trust me, that's not relevant at this point." Ara cuts in. "I didn't say anything because, well—I couldn't even breathe when you brought me back to the ship."

Annabeth sighs. "And then Shrimpzilla happened..."

"But I'm telling you now," Ara presses. "And we'll figure it out together."

"Wait, no. Let's go back to Ara being stalked by a god," Percy frowns. "'Cause that—"

Leo presses a button and Festus spits out a large cloud of steam, interrupting Percy's train of thought. 

"Well!" He grins. "Good pep rally, but even though our General took care of the bigger issue, there's still a ton of things to fix on this ship before we get to the Mediterranean. Please report to Supreme Commander Leo for your superfun list of chores!"

Everyone gets up, but Hedge's bat pushes Ara away from the others.

"Sorry, Strategus," the satyr says. "You've done enough for a day."

"What—says who?" She scowls.

"All of us," Jason replies. 

Everyone's looking at her. "But—"

"No buts!" Leo pushes through and holds her by the shoulders. "You've taken care of us enough for a day."

Ara looks at him and doesn't know what to think. Having him this close makes her uneasy for many reasons and she's never appreciated not having answers at the ready when she needs them. She pushes his hands away, and although she does it gently, Leo's smile vanishes. 

"Alright."

The boy remembers what Hedge said the night prior, and guilt washes over his face. "Hey—"

She stops him and glances at the others, then lowers her voice. "We'll talk after dinner."

Next Chapter –>

Taglist.

@siriuslysirius1107 @ask-giggles1303 @asnyox-the-hoarder @im-planning-something-look @bandshirts-andbooks @coolninjapaper @thewaterlily @whenisthefall @1randomcomic @you-bloody-shank @sunflowergraves @owlalex44 @taylordaughter @typicalsolangelolover @writingmia @espressopatronum454 @slytherinnqueen @orbitingpolaris @obxstiles @ellipsisspelled @thepixiechicksh

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

India Lima Yankee - Bonus Chapter

Pairing: Rooster x Female OC

Word Count: 2411

Warnings: Mild pregnancy complications

Summary: Juliette Kazansky discovers Maverick is back in town for a special training detachment, but she's more than a little blindsided when Rooster arrives too. Having not spoken to him for almost ten years after their less than amicable break-up, Juliette can only imagine how the next few weeks are going to play out when she remains head over heels in love with him while he wants nothing to do with Juliette other than to forget her.

Or so she thinks.

Notes: None!

Chapter Songs: All I Want For Christmas Christmas Baby Cold December Night

Chapters: Chp 1 Chp 2 Chp 3 Chp 4 Chp 5 Chp 6 Chp 7 Chp 8 Chp 9 Chp 10 Chp 11 Chp 12 Chp 13 Chp 14 Chp 15 Chp 16 Chp 17 Chp 18 Chp 19 Chp 20 Chp 21 Chp 22 Chp 23 Chp 24 Chp 25Chp 26 Chp 27 Chp 28 Chp 29 Chp 30 Chp 31 Chp 32 Chp 33 Chp 34 Chp 35 Chp 36 Chp 37 Chp 38 Chp 39 Chp 40 Chp 41 Chp 42 Chp 43 Chp 44 Chp 45 Bonus Info Bonus Chapter

Rooster

Bradley Bradshaw discovered his wife curled up under a blanket on the couch with Raptor and Lightning, reading a book in the warm yellow lights of their Christmas tree. She looked miserable. Leaning against the wall, he asked, "What are you doing up?"

Juliette snapped her head up, and in the dim light, he could see her paleness. "I've been nauseous for the past hour, and nothing is helping, not even the anti-nausea medicine the doctor gave me. It's taking ages to kick in," she said sleepily, glancing over at the pill bottle on the coffee table with distaste. "What are you doing up?"

"Bad dream. Why didn't you wake me up? I would've sat up with you." Rooster moved to her end of the couch, intending to sit on the coffee table to be closer to her without moving the dogs, but Juliette sat up and moved over just enough to allow him some space next to her. He pulled her onto his lap and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. 

"You're not getting enough sleep as it is. Still having nightmares?" Juliette inquired, looping her arms around his neck.

"Yeah, I guess getting shot down and traipsing through an enemy base and evading fifth-gen fighters in a fourth-gen fighter can do some damage to your psyche. Nothing I can't handle, though. I'll be fine. I'm more worried about you. Do the docs know why the morning sickness is so bad?"

Juliette shook her head. "No, they're saying all my hormone levels are super high, and that's what's causing all this." Juliette chuckled weakly and added jokingly, "Maybe it's twins."

"Let's hope they take on more after you than me because I was a troubled-ass kid."

"Hey, you went through things no kid should ever go through. If they take on after you, they'll be extremely lucky. And hey, I've seen the pictures of the men in your family. If we have a boy, he's going to be a heartbreaker."

"And if we have a girl, she's going to be beautiful like her mother and all the women before her." Rooster kissed his fiancée, smiling into it. He started to say more, but Juliette's hand flung to cover her mouth, and she bolted off his lap faster than a jet launched off a carrier catapult. Rooster followed her to the bathroom and barely managed to pull her hair back before she hurled into the toilet. 

"Oh, I hate this," Juliette groaned, leaning away and sitting against the cabinets. Rooster grabbed some tissues for her, which she gratefully took to wipe her mouth. "I'm creating life, and this is how Mother Nature decides to thank me?"

"I wish there was something I could do to help," Rooster said sympathetically, hating seeing Juliette in this state. "Are you up to going to your mom's later?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine. I want to go. Besides, we're giving everyone the big news, and I don't want to miss that. If it gets much worse, I'll go to urgent care or the ER to make sure it's nothing else, okay?"

"I'll be by your side wherever you go. Come on, let's get you back to the couch."

"No, no, brush my teeth first, then bed. It's still a little easier for me to sleep in the bed. I only went to the couch so I wouldn't wake you up."

"You can always wake me up when you're not feeling well, Jules. This is what I'm here for." Rooster stood up and held out his hands to help her up. Juliette gratefully took them. The couple strolled hand-in-hand to their room, intent on getting a little bit of rest before the chaos of Christmas Day.

Things hadn't gone as planned. Juliette passed out the moment she got out of bed later that morning. She barely called out for Rooster before she collapsed, and he narrowly managed to catch her. He rushed her to the hospital, much to her protest when she came to. 

"I'm fine, Rooster. I'm sure it was my blood pressure dropping too low," Juliette insisted, bracing her head against the window.

"My mom thought she was fine for weeks before she went and saw a doctor," Rooster said sharply, a flashback of his mom eerily repeating Juliette's words almost exactly: I'm fine, Bradley. Just my blood pressure dropping too low.

It hadn't been that. It'd been something so much worse, and Rooster hadn't been able to convince his mom to go see a doctor sooner. Then again, even if he had, they would've told her she was fine, that it was stress. He wouldn't let it happen to Juliette or his future child. Besides, medicine had come so far now, surely they wouldn't make the same mistake now with Juliette as they had his mom?

Juliette had reached over and laced her fingers with his free hand, smiling understandingly at him. "India Lima Yankee."

Rooster smiled. "India Lima Yankee."

The trip and stay at the hospital turned out to be short. As Juliette stated earlier, it had simply been her blood pressure dropping too low, but they left with more information than they intended, and a flood of emotions went through them. It also sent them scrambling to buy new presents for Sarah and Maverick.

Upon arrival at the Kazansky house, as the last people to arrive due to the unplanned hospital visit, they had to park on the road, meaning a long trek for them up to the door. Rooster turned to Juliette and asked, "You sure you're up for this? You've had a hell of a day, and I know this year is... particularly hard since-"

"Dad's not here," Juliette finished, sniffing. "Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. I'm going to stay off my feet as much as possible. Besides, we have to give everyone the news. Trust me, there's no better surprise than this for my mom."

"Then let's get going." Rooster hopped out of the Bronco and rushed to the other side to open Juliette's door. As she stepped out, he kept a grip on her hand until she stood steady for long enough that there was no threat of her fainting. Then, and only then, did he let the dogs out of the backseat, who darted to the front door. The couple followed, and on the way, Rooster asked, "Hey, how many insinuations do you think I can make before people start to catch on that you're pregnant?"

Juliette grinned. "Let's find out."

Before they could knock, Sarak Kazansky threw open the door and enthusiastically greeted the two with a hug. In the blink of an eye, the pair found themselves going from one person to the next in the packed household: first Maverick and Penny greeted them, followed by Jack and his family, then Joey, and then the Daggers. Even Hondo, Warlock, and Cyclone came with their spouses. Rooster tried to stay near Juliette as much as possible, and if not near her, then at least have his fiancée in his line of sight, the events of earlier still fresh in his mind.

Two hours in, Rooster entered the kitchen, where Juliette sat at the counter chatting with Hangman and Maverick. He peered into the oven and remarked, "Ooh, got some buns in the oven."

Juliette hid a snicker behind a fake coughing fit, then said, "Mom's making two kinds as well, so it's double the goodness."

"Speaking of doubles, think I'm gonna have one." Rooster shot Juliette a mischievous look. "Mav, you want anything?"

"No, I'm good. I still have my beer." Maverick lifted his bottle. "Jules, you want something?"

"Nah, I was sick all morning and doubt alcohol will help. I'll stick with water."

Maverick's brow creased in concern. "How come you were sick all morning?"

Juliette shrugged. "Could be anything, but I'm fine now."

"Are you sure? You didn't eat anything weird recently?"

"Outside of the Prego's tomato sauce the other day? No. Hey, Rooster, what did you use to call Prego's when you were little?"

Rooster cringed, knowing Hangman wouldn't let him live down the truth for ages. Still, it was yet another hint for everyone at their big announcement later, and he couldn't resist it. "Preggers."

Hangman snorted into his drink. "Classic."

At that moment, Sarah Kazansky walked into the kitchen and pulled out the prime rib and roast chicken. She hollered out that dinner was ready, and everyone swarmed into the kitchen. Rooster sidled up next to Juliette, ensuring he stayed close to her while she stood and walked around in the event she passed out again. He doubted she would right now, but it'd scared him earlier to the point he found himself paranoid about her wellbeing.

The evening passed with good food, good company, and good conversation. Rooster mainly talked with Maverick and Juliette, who sat beside him, and Phoenix, who sat across from him. He and Jules even slipped in a few more pregnancy idioms and insinuations, mainly at the end of the dinner. Juliette leaned back in her seat and groaned, "Uh, I was so hungry, I ate enough for two or three people."

"Got a food baby?" Rooster teased, gingerly patting her stomach.

"I think there might be two."

"Well then, Merry Christmas to me! Best present yet!"

"Oh, speaking of presents, Mom, Mav, I want to give you yours before I forget." Juliette started to get up, but Rooster beat her to it, shooting her a disapproving look at how fast she tried to move. Jules sighed, evidently annoyed that she couldn't do what she usually did. Rooster returned shortly with the two presents and handed them to his parents. Then he sat back down in his chair and tried to hide his anticipation at their reaction. Sarah and Maverick opened theirs, although the former was a little faster. She blanched at the little onesie she pulled out that said: Guess what? August 2021.

"You're pregnant?" Sarah Kazansky squeaked, tears welling in her eyes.

"It's twins?" Maverick added in disbelief, staring at the onesie he pulled out that said: Guess what else? It's twins.

Juliette nodded, biting back a broad smile. "Rooster and I had to scramble to find new onesies because we just found it was twins today."

The shock finally seemed to pass for everyone because the group burst into cheers while hugs were immediately exchanged. It was Hangman that pointed out, "You were dropping hints the entire time, weren't you? The buns in the oven, the eating for two or three, the food baby, the 'Preggers' joke-"

"That was actually a true story," Juliette chirped. "And I give you full permission to never let him live it down."

"Perfect!" Hangman grinned and enveloped her in a tight embrace that lasted longer than any he'd given her before. Then, his voice full of sincerity and excitement, he said, "Congratulations, Juliette. I'm so happy for you two."

She smiled at his use of her first name as he rarely used it, always calling her 'Princess' or 'Jules' or 'Kazansky.' "Thank you, Jake."

Before they could converse any further, Sarah and Maverick reached her, and she found herself unable to catch her breath between hugs and conversation about her pregnancy until she and Rooster arrived back at their house with the dogs. They collapsed onto the couch, not even bothering to turn the lights on, as the Christmas tree provided more than enough illumination. 

"So," Rooster began, "I think it's fair to say everyone was excited."

Juliette nodded, fiddling with her locket. "Yes, I think so. Thought my mom was about to pass out when she found out with how much she paled."

"Pretty sure Maverick wasn't far behind her. How are you feeling?"

"Better. I think all the anti-nausea medicine finally kicked in. Now I'm just anxious."

"About what?"

"Being a mom to twins. I mean, I don't know the first thing about being a mom! I don't know what all milestones there are or what diapers are best to use or-or what is normal during pregnancy and what's not!" Juliette rambled quickly, her mouth moving faster than he'd ever seen. "I'm going to get so freaking fat, and I've never been able to lose weight easily, so losing the baby weight is going to be a bitch. Worst of all, you're probably going to be deployed when they're born and-" Juliette's voice cracked, and she bowed her head to hide the tears Rooster had already seen welling in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey, what brought this on?" Rooster asked gently, brushing her tears away with his thumb.

"Seeing pictures of my dad on the wall in all these different countries and ports and knowing that that's going to be you. And I'm so, so proud of you and supportive of you for being in the Navy, but I'm selfish in that I want you here with me."

"Well, then, your wish is granted."

"It's not. You're still having to-"

"I'm going to be stationed at the naval base here. I already talked to Cyclone about it tonight, and he's given his approval. Apparently, he has a few favors of his own he can cash in to make it happen if it doesn't happen when he asks nicely."

Juliette looked up, eyes full of surprise. "Y-you're staying here?"

"Yeah, I am. I'm never leaving you again, Jules, not as long as I can help it." Rooster placed a hand on her barely swollen belly. "I'm going to be here for you every step of the way, every bad morning, every anxious thought, every pound gained, and I'm going to love you through it all too. If you're scared about losing the weight, I can help you get back in shape afterward when you're ready. We have your mom, Mav, and Penny to watch the twins when they're born, so we don't have to worry about babysitters. And if none of those three can do it, we have the Daggers as backup, although we need to make a list of who would be best and who not to call."

Juliette smiled through her tears. "Have I ever said how much I love you?"

"You don't need to. I know." Rooster lifted her left hand and kissed the skin next to her engagement ring. "India Lima Yankee."

Juliette cupped his face and kissed him. Her lips brushed against his as she said, "India Lima Yankee."

****

A/N: Threw this together after @polikszena gave me an ask about what Rooster and Juliette would be like at Christmas time. I made it relatively short and sweet, but I hope you enjoyed! And for the record, the twins came a month early on July 4!

Tags: @lgg5989 @shanimallina87 @polikszena @summ3rlotus @souslesyeuxde @gleasonmalfoy @icemansgirl1999 @supernaturaldawning @thedarkinmansfield @lyannaforpresident @lapilark @getmyprettynameoutofyourmouth @simpofthecentury @shadeops21 @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @double-j @picklejuicesposts @bradshawsandbridgetons @majdoline @jakexfmc @catsandgeekyandnerd @peachiicherries @multifandomcnova @fandomsstolemylife00 @bookloverhorses @nicangelinee @mak-32

[dreamerchildunofficial]

they're scared that you're going to hurt them. you already did that, on three separate occasions, in the underground.

* Yeah, but that was before we were friends, and like I said, I told them that I didn't think them or I killing everyone was a big deal. Especially because everyone ended up fine!

* And maybe if I had understood better what they were so messed up about, I could have helped them, I guess.

* ...

* Shit, they're coming back to their room. I have to go, so I can tell them I know and give them their phone back.

* Kind of surprised they didn't tell Smiley Trashbag about the time loop we're currently trapped in since they decided to tell him of all people first, but I guess they did say it was for practice. They'll probably tell him again next loop only add the bit where, I'm guessing they're going to try to rope him into this.

* I feel like this should have been a group decision because I still don't trust him even after all these years, but I guess his reaction this loop proved that he can know for now, I guess.

[hinatastinygiant]

Chapter Forty

Pairing: Gojo Satoru x Fem!Reader Show & Tell Masterlist

"Yo!" a voice calls from within the group emerging from the fog.

You turn your head to face them, preparing yourself for impending death.

"Really?!" a female voice laughs wickedly, "That's all you've got to protect yourself right now.

Mai?!

Your head shoots up and there, standing before you, is the group of Kyoto students accompanied by Iori and Nitta.

"Don't interrupt!" Todo's voice booms past the barrier of rain falling to the ground. "Besides, the little curse is kinda cute!"

You watch, completely in shock that you're not actually about to die, as Todo bends down and pats your curse on the head. The poor thing looks so confused and stands still as it gets pet for the first time. You then release it, allowing it to evaporate away since it serves no purpose.

"Y/N, where are the others?" Iori then changes the conversation, looking as serious as you remembered her.

"You mean you didn't see anyone else yet?" you ask worriedly. "They're around here, I just haven't been able to see them because of the rain.

As a few members of the group begin to look around, Mai's eyes latch onto Gendo's dead body beside you.

"Who's the ugly guy you got there," she says with disdain.

"My dad," you sigh as you look over at his dead body, lacking empathy as much as ever.

"Shit," she scoffs, "I guess I can see the resemblance."

I swear I'll kill her next...

"Is he dead?" Kamo's monotonous voice asks skeptically.

"Yeah," you say quietly, unsure how they'll react. "I killed him. He was with the curse users..."

"We heard about that from the principal," Kamo assures you. "If you're ready, we should be moving along then."

"'K," you nod as you pass a glance down to your shin where you'd been previously stabbed.

"You okay to stand, Y/N?" Miwa asks worriedly.

"I'll be fine," you nod.

Mai scoffs at your quick answer. "Better not slow us down," she huffs as she crosses her arms.

"I'm not going to," you reply darkly as you shift your weight to begin standing up. Miwa runs to your side and loops her hands around your arm. "Thanks," you smile weakly as you stand up. "So you said you haven't seen anybody else, right?"

"No," Nishimiya shakes her head. "I can't even get a good view from above 'cause of the fog and rain."

"I think I know where they might be," you tell them as Miwa pulls your arm over her shoulder.

"Then let's go!" she smiles brightly at you.

With a quick nod to Miwa, you begin to lead the Kyoto group towards where you had last seen Gojo. It didn't take as long as you thought it would to find him, and soon you're able to see him standing over Geto's incapacitated body.

"Hey everyone!" he says excitedly as if he hadn't even lost a single breath in the whole time he'd been here. "Glad you came so quickly!"

Iori narrows her eyebrows at Gojo. "Of course we came to help! That's what we're supposed to do!" she says before lowering her voice to that of a whisper. "Not that you'd know what it's like to help someone out. Probably woulda watched instead of actually doing any work, you jerk..." Her voice then pipes up again at a new realization. "Wait, why are you helping?!"

Seeing as Gojo's completely ignoring Iori's comment, you move on with the conversation. "Have you seen Sukuna?" you ask worriedly for Yuuji.

"I haven't, Y/N, I'm sorry," he shakes his head.

"Well, why the hell hasn't he been dealt with yet?!" Mai groans.

"Can you deal with that, Todo?" Kamo asks.

"Hell yeah!" He beams and turns to walk off in a random direction.

"Wait!" you call out to Todo as you move out of Miwa's supportive hold and run up to him. "I want to help. Let me come with you!"

"You won't be any help to him," Mai interrupts. "Besides, you're injured."

"I can move fine!" you assure her.

"I say let her go," Muta disagrees with his classmate. "We all saw Y/N in her fight against Todo awhile back and I'm sure she's done nothing but improve immensely since then."

"I agree," Kamo nods. "Despite that pathetic performance before, something is different about her now."

Thanks, I guess?

"Fine," Mai groans. "Just don't screw it up!"

"That's right, Y/N," Gojo chimes in, waving carelessly to you, "Don't screw it up!"

"We won't!" Todo waves back before grabbing onto your back and leading you away from the group. Before you know it, they're all completely gone.

"Where the hell are we now?" you mutter to him as the two of you stand alone in the middle of the rain and fog.

"Hell if I know," he shrugs. "I was just following you!"

"Following me!? You were pushing my back!" you shout.

"Dammit, Y/N," he sighs loudly. "Well, it's pretty obvious that there's only one thing to do now!"

"I can't think of what's obvious to do next," you groan as rain and wind soak and freeze your poor body, sending chills across your skin. "Please enlighten me!"

Todo clears his breath and spreads his legs apart. He then rips his shirt and bends his knees. You watch him as though he's completely lost his mind as he cups his hands around his mouth and shouts, "Sukunaaa!! Where the hell are you?!?!"

You shiver and cross your arms, cold and completely sure that his ridiculous chant will bear no fruit. Not only that, but he lost the only covering between him and the wet, cold rain. How did he think that was a good idea?

Suddenly, a loud crashing lands a few feet away from you. As rain and fog clear from the figure, you find Sukuna standing before you with a huge smirk across his face.

"There you went, you damn little brat! I can't believe you slipped away!" he laughs wickedly. "Well, I'm glad to see that you've come back to me!"

"No chance in hell, grandpa," you snap back cruelly. "We're here to get Yuuji back!"

"Is that so?!" he hums as he extends his arms out to the side. "Come get him then! It's only fair for family to destroy family. You'd know that, wouldn't you?!"

Show & Tell Masterlist

next chapter

[nachotrash]

MORE INCORRECT QUOTES WITH MY MOOTS

ft: @catchmewiddershins @lilikags and @paradise-creator // no haikyuu boys this time

Pauline: No more making fun of me when I misuse dated cultural references, alright? Are we cowabunga on this? Wid, sighing: Fine. We're cowabunga.

------------------

Pauline: We're having a baby. Shiyu: Oh, congradu- Wid, slamming adoption papers onto teh table: It's you, sign here.

---------------

Pauline: Why are there little handprints all over the walls? Shiyu, whispering: Why are there little handprints all over the walls? Wid, whispering: Because I have little hands. Shiyu: Because they have little hands.

------------------

Wid: I was born for politics. I have great hair and I love lying.

--------------

Lili: Life keeps fucking me and I can't remember the safeword.

---------------

Wid: Pros and cons of dating me. Wid: Pros. You'll be the cute one. Wid: Cons. Holy shit, where do I begin-

(cons. you're the smart one😔)

----------------

Shiyu: Sure, you're verified on twitter, but are you verified in the eyes of god?

-------------

Pauline: Theater kids are just choir kids who joined forces with the band and strings kids.

-------------

Shiyu: Did you just call me a shrimp, you asshole?! I'm still growing, dammit!

(*lipbites in 166 cm*)

--------------

Wid: I don't dab. I stab.

(nOw WhEarE HAvE i SeEn ThIs BeFoRe)

----------------

Shiyu: I scare people a lot because I walk very softly and they don't hear me enter rooms. So when they turn around, I'm just kind of there and their fear fuels me.

(t-pose to assert dominance)

---------------

Shiyu, as a child, reading their school assignment out loud: I love my library because... Shiyu, mouthing words while writing: I love reading, fuck you.

(lmao baby nacho really be bold)

--------------------

Shiyu: The ‘how the fucks’ and 'why are you so dumbs’ don’t matter. All that matters is that I have a new gun.

------------------

Lili: It's not ugly, just aesthetically challenged.

----------------

Pauline: The last time I went to an urgent care clinic, I checked off 'excessive crying' on the symptom list, and then the nurse got really confused and said that was meant for babies.

--------------

Pauline: All of your existences are confusing. The Squad: How so? Pauline: Your presence is annoying, but the thought of anything bad happening to any of you upsets me.

(we are the squad now)

---------------

Lili: Blackmail is such an ugly word. I prefer extortion. The X makes it sound cool.

---------------

Wid: Real life should have a fucking search function, or something. Wid: I need my socks.

------------------

Pauline: New year, same me. Because I'm perfect.

(yes yes you are how dare you)

------------

Shiyu: Yeah I'm LGBT. Shiyu: cuLt leader. Shiyu: God hates me personally. Shiyu: cowBoy hat. Shiyu: *sniffles* Trying my best.

(my asexual ass be like;)

-------------

Wid: *plays shreksophone* Wid: Woo. Wid: Time to listen to this on loop for all eternity. Shiyu: ...Genius coping mechanism my friend

---------------

Shiyu: Treat spiders the way you want to be treated. Pauline: Killed without hesitation.

----------

Pauline: The next time I open up to someone, it'll be my autopsy.

---------------

Pauline: Sometimes, I don’t realize an event was traumatic until I tell it as a funny story and notice everyone is staring at me weird.

-----------------

Pauline: I hate Lili. Shiyu: "Hate' is a strong word. Pauline: I have strong opinions.

(oh no)

----------

Wid: How does that even work? Shiyu, mocking them: hOw dO yOu UsE a cOmPUteR aNd KnOw wHaTS GoiNg oN iT DoEsNt mAke SeNSe?! Wid: Your face doesnt make sense.

(...fair enough)

------------

Pauline: Get in, loser, we’re committing vehicular manslaughter!

-----------

Pauline: My stomach growled super loud in French. Pauline: I would like to clarify, my stomach did not speak in French. It growled during French class. Shiyu: Bonjour. Lili: Le growl. Wid: Hon hon hon, feed me a baguette.

(reminds me of the 'ill speak french between your legs' tumblr legend and im wheezing)

------------------

Shiyu: *tapping fingers on table* Lili: *taps fingers back furiously* Wid: …What’s going on? Pauline: Morse code. They’re talking. Shiyu: -.-- ..- .-. / - …. . / -.-. ..- - . … - Lili: *slams hands on table* YOU TAKE THAT BACK!

-----------------

Shiyu: For self defense reasons, I'm going to pretend to be a burglar and you guys have to act wisely. Wid, Lili, & Pauline: Okay. Shiyu: If you don't want to die, give me all your money. Wid: Bold of you to assume I have money. Lili: Bold of you to assume I don't want to die. Pauline: Bold of you to assume I can die.

(pauline is a goddess. goddesses cant die)

------------------

Lili: If I punch myself and it hurts, am I weak or strong? Wid: Strong. Shiyu: Weak. Pauline: An idiot, is what your are.

(as long as you dont flinch or scream youre strong. unless you get punched in the gut by someone like ushijima ofc)

--------------------

Shiyu: Those darn tall old people. Wid: Darm em' indeed. Pauline: Don't worry, they'll be gone soon enough. Lili: *sharpening knife* Yes. Dead. The Squad: Lili: Hahaha. Lili: ...Is this self-destructive behaviour?

-----------------

Wid: Oh god, they texted you ‘hi.’’ punctuation only means one thing, Pauline. They're mad at you. Pauline: No, it's Shiyu. They're just being gramatically correct! *meanwhile* Shiyu: And then I used a period so they'd know that I'm mad at them. Lili: A period doesn't say 'I'm mad', it says 'you're dead to me'. Shiyu: I stand by my choice.

------------------

Wid: What do we think of Shiyu? *pause* Lili: *sighs* Nice pal. Pauline: I think they're gay.

=------------

Wid: Where is Shiyu? Pauline: I'll do you one better, who is Shiyu?? Lili: Here's a better question, why is Shiyu?

(i dont know man. ive been trying to figure it out for the last few years)

--------------

Wid: On the count of three, what’s your favorite cake? Wid & Lili: One, two, three- Wid & Lili: Chocolate cake, peanutbutter frosting, and chocolate chunks! Shiyu: Our turn, Pauline! One, two, three- Shiyu: Vanilla! Pauline: I’ve never had cake before. What is cake?

----------------

Pauline: I am darkness. I am an power. I am your worst nightmare. I could kill a man in more ways than you can imagine. I am the night. I am fury, I am a weapon, I am- Wid: A doll. Shiyu: A cinnamon roll. Lili: A sweetheart. Pauline: Pauline: ...stop it.

(cant deny the truth bby)

---------------

Wid, Pauline & Shiyu: *screaming* Lili: *runs into the room* What's wrong, Shiyu?! Wid: Wait, why are you asking Shiyu that when Pauline and I are also here? Lili: Because Shiyu wouldn't scream unless it's an emergency. You two scream whenever you have the chance.

(i mean... its true )

-----------------

Pauline: What’s wrong? You look 10 seconds away from ripping someone’s throat out. Wid: Fucking Shiyu and Lili were trying to invoke one of the minor gods again last night. I didn't get an ounce of sleep, thanks to their bloody chanting.

(manifests dvalin cause i wanna ride on their back and fall off)

-------------------

Lili: Wake me up- Wid: Before you go go Shiyu: When September ends Pauline: WAKE ME UP INSIDE

(cant wake up- WAKE ME UP INSIDE)

--------------------

Shiyu, watching Pauline & Lili panic : What's going on? Wid: Pauline is having a midlife crisis and Lili is just having a crisis.

--------------

Lili: *Gasp* Pauline: wHAT?? Lili: What if soy milk is just milk introducing itself in Spanish? Pauline: *inhales* Wid, in another room with Shiyu: Why can I hear screeching?

(shiyu: same shit different day)

----------------------------

Shiyu: Christmas is cancelled. Wid: You can't cancel a holiday. Shiyu: Keep it up, Wid, and you'll lose New Year's too. Wid: What does that mean? Shiyu: Lili, take New Year's away from Wid.

--------------------

Pauline: So, are they your friend or... Lili: They’re like Wid, but if Wid was ordered to be around you. Pauline: Oh, so Shiyu. Lili: Precisely!

(if its about how annoyed i always look then you ahve a point)

----------------

Wid: You’re just being paranoid. Again. Pauline: When have I been paranoid? Wid: Um, when you first met Lili you thought they were an undercover cop…? Pauline: No one has a wart that big, I thought it was a surveillance camera! Wid: And last year you were sure Shiyu was a mermaid! Pauline: They hate wearing shirts! COINCIDENCE?! *Later, when Pauline’s theory is proven wrong* Wid: Do you have anything to say for yourself? Pauline: I still think Shiyu is a mermaid.

(id gladly be one)

--------------------

*Wid drunkenly wanders around the manor and Lili is drunkenly giggling* Shiyu, completely sober: *sighs* Well, looks like it's just me and you against the wold, Pauline. Pauline, going to their room: Nope, just you. *shuts door*

----------------

Wid: We need to distract these guys. Lili: Leave it to me. Lili: Centaurs have six limbs and are therefore insects. Discuss. Pauline & Shiyu: *immediately begin arguing*

(*pulls out dictionary*)

------------------

Police: You’re under arrest for trying to carry three people on a single motorcycle. Shiyu, with Wid and Lili behind them: Wait, what do you mean THREE?! Police: Yes…three. Shiyu: Oh, my God— What the fuck!? Police: Wha- Shiyu: Pauline FUCKING FELL OFF!

----------------------

Wid: What is love? Pauline: An emotional minefield. Shiyu: A neurochemical reaction. Lili: Baby don't hurt me.

(BECAUSE FUCK EMOTIONS)

--------------------

Pauline: I currently have 7 empty notebooks and I have no idea what to put in them. Any suggestions? Wid: Put spaghetti in it. Pauline: I am currently taking suggestions from everyone but you. Lili: Put spaghetti in it. Pauline: I am currently taking suggestions from everyone but you two. Shiyu: Put spaghetti in it. Pauline: I am no longer taking suggestions.

------------------

Shiyu, pointing to the wall: What color is this? Pauline: Gray. Lili: Grey. Shiyu, turning to Wid: Now tell them what color you think it is. Wid: Dark white.

[writings-of-the-otherworld]

Happy Gracesversary!

{To celebrate, here's what I've been working on!}

The strong wintry sun was peeking out above the windmills by the time the lord of Lhant clambered out of his bed. Wandering over to the window, Asbel took a quick glance at the calendar. He stopped. "No way…" He mumbled, surprised. That was far sooner than he thought.

"Huh..?" A mess of red hair appeared from under the blankets, blinking at him. 

"There are only six days!" 

"Of course there are, do you even pay attention to the date?" Cheria sighed, shaking her head and sitting up. Asbel smiled at her. 

"Maybe I haven't been paying any attent- Ah." He stopped mid-sentence, looking sheepishly down at her. "I haven't sent the invitations…"

"Asbel!" She chided, springing out of bed. "That's it! I've been telling you for weeks!" He winced under her glare, although she had a point.

"Okay, I know, I forgot- but I'll do them today!"

"Good." Satisfied, Cheria got out of bed and started getting dressed. Smiling to himself, Asbel sat on the windowsill and looked out. Sophie was watering her flowers, drifting around the garden. Her determination to keep them alive during winter was admirable, and really rather adorable. She looked up and waved. Asbel waved back. Unlike the rest of them, Sophie's appearance hasn't changed since their last adventure. Asbel thought back on it happily, trying to pat down his unruly hair. Cheria snickered at his attempt, and he laughed too.

After finally getting ready for the day, Asbel sat at the end of his long office. The chairs along the sides of the room were old, dusty, and useless, but the lord kept them anyway. The room had barely changed in the ten years he had been lord, and neither had his schedule. Working all morning, lunch, yet more work, then you guessed it, work. It kept him out of trouble, and it wasn't unpleasant. The noise of a quill scratching against paper filled the space as Asbel tried working out the draft. "Friends, I extend an invite from Lhant to celebrate- that's way too formal!" He huffed and crossed that one out. Invitations were surprisingly difficult. He tried another draft. And another. And even more. The sun had risen to noon by the time he settled on something. "Old friends, Cheria, Sophie and I want to know if you'll come to celebrate with us in Lhant in six days? Hey, that works!"

"Asbel?" Sophie blinked, leaning through the open window. "What's that?"

"Morning Sophie." He leaned over and patted her. "I'm inviting everyone to visit."

"Oh..!" Sophie smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Yay. We haven't seen them in ages!"

"I know, everyone's been really busy lately." Abel shook his head, typing the message into Pascal's wonderful creation of a messenger. "I mean, Richard's king, for a start… Hubert's really important in Strata, Pascal's running around both planets at full steam, and who knows what captain Malik is doing…" He laughed thinking about them. "And of course, we're busy here as well."

"Mmm." Sophie nodded, looking up at the sky. "I like this busy. It's nicer than the other busy, I think."

"Oh, I definitely agree. There's no better busy than a peaceful busy."

✿

One again in the town of Lhant, the sun raised late and bright. Large, fluffy, grey clouds filled the sky, and frost coated each house's roof. The first risers were out and about, wrapped up in thick coats. The day promised to be cold, freezing even, but that did nothing to dampen the young lord's spirits. The Lhant family were flitting about their house, each making sure everything would be just perfect for when the others arrived. Despite the weather, the manor was filled with pure excitement. Gossip ran rampant, ranging from benign topics to utter ridiculousness. All the chaos could, in an odd way, be described as organised. Everyone knew what they were supposed to do. Today was the day.

"Asbel, Cheria!" Sophie sprinted into the house, smiling wide. 

"Yes, dear?" Cheria poked her head out of the guest room she was setting up, as Asbel leaned over the banister and looked down at Sophie.

"Huh? Yeah?" 

"Richard's ship is docking now." Her grin spread as she looked between her parents.

"Really? How can you tell?"

"I saw Richard surrounded by guards." Sophie blinked. "I'm going to go look for the captain now."

"Aaand there she goes." Asbel chuckled, watching Sophie run back outside. Descending quickly down the stairs, he went over to Cheria, who was smiling softly.

"She's definitely excited to see everyone again."

"So am I! I mean, it's been ages since a full group reunion." Asbel thought about it. It really had been. Sure, Hubert and occasionally Pascal came over for family dinners; they used 'official lord business' trips to visit Richard; and Malik would show up sometimes; but never all at once. It made him smile. He missed them.

"It really has. Come on, now we know King Richard's almost here, we've got to work on everything!" Cheria patted his shoulder, a warm grin on her face. She went back to work, so Asbel wandered the town, making sure it was all in order.

A small commotion could be heard over by the apple tree. Huh, Richard was going to enter from the other gate. Unless? Asbel made his way over, the crowd parting for him. The mop of blue hair was unmistakable. "Hubert!" Asbel grinned widely as he looked at his little brother. The man clad entirely in blue put a hand up in greeting, giving a small smile.

"I'm home." He said as Asbel stood next to him.

"Yes, you are! Come on, we've missed you." The crowd moved out of the way, and the boys took their familiar path home, one they had walked together thousands of times. The same familiar person ran out to greet them, hugging both brothers. 

"Oh Hubert, you're early!" Cheria let go, clasped her hands together and looked back at the manor. "Come on in then."

"It's nice to see you again, Cheria. How've you been?" Hubert asked politely, heading into his old house and letting the actual residents follow him.

"Oh, you know, we've been fine and stuff-"

"Thanks you for asking, it's been great over here. How're things with you?"

"Oh, nothing much has happened lately."

The three of them wandered into the office, sitting at Asbel's table.

"Really? How are you and Pascal getting along?" Cheria asked sweetly, although there was a glint of mischief in her eyes. Hubert immediately looked down at the floor, and Asbel had to forcibly stop himself from laughing at his younger brother. He was just so easy to fluster, just so proper, he was hilarious. But he was Hubert, and the trio that grew up together wouldn't have him, have any of them another way. Almost thirty years, full of ups, downs, and more loops than a rollercoaster, yet still the three of them were thick as thieves.

They could have spent all day laughing amongst themselves. It was in the middle of an animated conversation about their old adventures that they were interrupted by a knock at the window. There stood Asbel's blank-faced child, staring at them. "Oh, Sophie." Hubert smiled over at her, and Sophie smiled back, then gestured for someone to open the window. Asbel obliged, stepping over and pulling it open. 

"Is someone blocking the door? Come and join us." Cheria called from her seat as Asbel went back to his. Nimbly Sophie hopped into the room, although she didn't move from her spot just in front of the window.

"Hello Sophie, it's nice to see you."

"Hello Hubert..!" Sophie nodded with a soft smile. "I'm glad you came." Finally, she wandered over and sat down next to Asbel. 

"Good morning." Smiled the king, sitting on the windowsill. Asbel froze, then burst into spluttering laughter.

"Richard, you made it!"

"Oh my-" Hubert mumbled, a shocked grin on his face. Cheria looked from Asbel to Richard, at a complete loss for words. It was… Hilarious. With a smug smile on his face, Richard stood up and walked over to the group.

"I take it I'm early, then?"

"Your- Richard-" Cheria spluttered, "We do have a door, you know."

"Well, me and Sophie thought this would be fun."

"It was!" Sophie chirped up, flashing a grin at Richard.

"It was definitely- something-" The lord of Lhant snickered, trying to calm his laughter, ineffectively. His brother wasn't doing much better.

"Well, um, uh… Richard, I don't think kings should be sliding through windows."

"I couldn't resist the chance. Anyway, you four did it first." A joyful glint filled his eyes, and that's when Asbel saw the poetic justice of it all. He laughed, and this time the others joined in.

"We've missed you, Richard."

"Same here. You should visit more."

Asbel's feet crunched against the remnants of frosty fallen leaves as he sped down the Northern path. With the promise of being back soon, he and Sophie were headed to the border. They had to collect their final guests, the rest of their group. He'd really missed the captain, and it was very easy to notice when Pascal wasn't around. He smiled; Sophie definitely missed them both. Malik was always helping her out, and Pascal absolutely adored Sophie. The looming wall came into view as the two of them crested a hill, and Asbel sighed. Lhant and Fendel had not fought for years and years, but bad memories came to him regardless. Clearing his head, he powered on. His two favourite Fendolians were waiting for him, after all.

"Sir!" A guard stood to attention, saluting the two Lhants. "What's your request?"

"We're here to meet our friends. Thanks, lieutenant." Asbel smiled at him, and he relaxed.

"Oh, we couldn't miss the arrival of those two if we tried." The guard smiled at his lord. "I'm sure they'll be here soon."

"Ah, we'll wait around then." Asbel nodded, then stood by Sophie, who was staring at the frostbitten Sopherias. "Those poor flowers, huh? It must be cold for them."

"It is cold this week. All of the plants have been like this." The young woman nodded, sighing. She cared about the flowers more than anyone else did. With a nod, Asbel tried to explain.

"I've heard it's because the wind is blowing weather from Fendel here. It's cold, but it might snow."

"Really?" Sophie tilted her head, and a gruff voice from behind them answered.

"Yup." 

"Captain-!" Asbel spun around with a grin, seeing Malik standing there. Before either of them could move, there was a thud as Sophie dodged a hug and her 'aunt' went flying to the floor.

"Owowow!" Huffed the chest woman, standing back up. "Not even a hello?" Sophie stuck her tongue out in response, to which Malik laughed.

"As you can see, we made it."

"It's nice to see you again! Uh, you too, Pascal. Everyone else is already at home."

"Really?" Malik thought. "Then I guess we're later than I thought."

"Oh well, let's go?" Pascal clapped her hands together, already setting off with Sophie. Asbel laughed; now the party could really get started. The two men shared a merry look, before walking next to one another, following the other two.

"Shall we, Asbel?"

"Yes sir."

✿

Asbel was right when he thought this would be a party, it really could only be described as chaotic. When the entire group reunited there was yelling, hugging, and most importantly, smiles all round. Even though they were all busy, had their own lives, the things they'd done together would stick with them for life. And, as Asbel remembered, certain people would live very long ones indeed. All cares forgot, the seven of them crowded around a circular table, having finally settled down, kind of. Asbel was content to smile fondly at his friends, until his wife nudged him under the table. Oh, right. He had to say something. Standing up, he didn't even have to cough to get their attention. They all respected one another so much.

"My friends," He began, but laughed and tried again. "Guys! Thanks for all showing up today."

"As if we wouldn't." Hubert scoffed, shaking his head.

"Anyway, it's our anniversary - the anniversary of us saving things!" Asbel looked proud, and the group cheered, although he couldn't help but notice Richard sigh. "Ten years ago we saved the world and a misguided boy, but most importantly, we, well, saved each other. So, um, thank you. Thank you, everyone." He sat down, a little embarrassed, but the entire table went up in applause.

"Mhm! Thank you, all of you."

"Of course. Someone needs to help out their brother."

"I've had fun!"

Everyone called out their own responses, then raised their glasses.

"To us?"

"To us!"

Many delicious meals, drinks, and laughs later, someone else stood up to make a speech. The king stood with a warm smile down at his best friend, before beginning. "Like Asbel said, thank you. Thank each and every one of you here. Ten years ago, you… As well as saving everyone on the planet, all of you, from my childhood friends to people who barely knew me, you saved me. And for that, I'm grateful. Really." He bowed, quietly sitting down.

"Oh Richard, it's no problem! I'd never let you down."

"Mmm, like Asbel said, we're your friends. We'll always save each other."

"Don't worry Richard. Nothing would stop us from doing it again and again."

"Hu's right! We're always free for a good spot of world-saving!"

"You shouldn't worry about it. Everyone here's far too noble to let you down."

"We're friends, Richard." Sophie smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you… You're all right. Now, onto the desert?" Richard smiled, and they all agreed, tucking into a cake almost as big as the table.

Wandering his home, Asbel came across a few quiet conversations that made him smile. Outside, Sophie was trying to explain the art of gardening to the clueless but curious Richard and the amused Malik. While making sure everything was alright, it was in their old room he saw his little brother and Pascal, so of course he watched what he could. It was a big sibling sort of thing, he figured.

"This is your old room? Wow, I didn't know you liked boats so much!" Pascal flitted around the place, curiously poking at the room that hadn't changed in seventeen long years.

"As a child I had a fascination with them. Me and Asbel used to watch them all the time. It was one of our favourite places to 'adventure'" Hubert muttered, smiling softly at the memories. It warmed Asbel's heart to think that after all he'd been through, Hubert fondly remembered those days. Good.

"Awwe." Pascal laughed, sitting on his bed. "How'd you keep it so neat?"

"Unlike everyone else, I tidy up after myself." Hubert shook his head, smiling. He had a point, no-one around here was naturally tidy.

"Oh, then you can help me clean, it's a pain."

"That's not how it works!"

Silently laughing, Asbel stepped away. He was glad everyone around here had found happiness.

"I know, they're all so happy." Cheria's voice came from behind him, and he jumped. "Yes, I was checking on our Hubert too."

"Woah-! I guess it's not just me then." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "He's not the only one who's happy, you know. I think we've done just fine." Asbel spoke with a grin, and Cheria blushed.

"You're not wrong there. We're very, very happy."

The two of them laughed as they linked arms and went to join Sophie's cheerful discussion.

✿

It was as the sun started to set, casting an orange glow on the ocean below, that our protagonist stood against a tree, watching the waves lap against the shore. Something in him figured the others would feel the need to come here too, so be waited. Occasionally the voice in his head muttered things he replied or laughed too, and the scene was filled with calm.

"I figured you'd be here." Spoke the calm voice of his best friend, standing in the field of flowers. "It feels like a lifetime ago…" Richard soft footsteps approached, and he traced the faded names on the tree. "Eternal friendship, huh? You know, I think it really does work." He nodded, and the two of them sat down on the clifftop.

"Of course it does. I will treasure you both forever." Added the other voice he was expecting, the soft voice of Sophie. The two of them turned their heads, waving at her.

"And we'll protect you for as long as we can!" Asbel smiled, as did Sophie. Sitting on the other side of Asbel, she spoke.

"I know you will. Thank you."

"No thanks needed." Richard leaned over Asbel and softly smiled. Linking arms with the both of them, Asbel looked up at the bare branches.

"Right. No thanks are needed, because we'll always be this close. Always and forever."

"Richard? Sophie?" Asbel began, distracted by the sun slipping away.

"Yes?" Richard turned to him, Sophie tilted her head.

"Lambda's sorry. He told me to apologize on his behalf."

"Huh?" Sophie looked at him blankly, and Richard frowned.

"What's he apologizing for? Without him I would've died. Yes, we made some bad decisions, but I forgive him."

"Me too. Just because I was… I was made to destroy him, doesn't mean I can't deviate."

"Yeah. You hear that, Lambda? No-one blames you." Asbel smiled, his purple eye twinkling as he stared up at Fodra in the sky. Each member of the trio fell into a companionable silence.

Shining purple petals, their tips coated with silver frost, started to blow through the air. "Asbel, Richard! Look!" A blossomgale. The mythical event of beauty started to happen while the three of them sat there.

"It's beautiful… Is this..?"

"Yep. This is it."

"Wow… Asbel, you were right. It's prettier in winter." Sophie nodded, her smile soft as she stared at the petals of the flower she was named after.

"Woah… I've always wanted to see this. Now I get to watch it with you." Richard muttered, looking up. Asbel held onto his two friends, his smile as bright as the moon above.

"Mmm…"

And in the morning, the three friends would be found holding onto each other, blanketed in petals as pure and soft as snow.

~Fin~

[infinitethree]

OOC::

I DIDN'T FORGET THIS TIME!

Chapters three AND four now up, rip Quackity, you pissed off the wrong people.

and because I'm not sure if I'll be able to work it in elsewhere; the chapter title that got yeeted was "A Crown of Eranthis". Erantis symbolizes hope, new beginnings, and rebirth.

It would be the next chapter chronologically, but uh...things got shuffled because of tone issues. So A Fistful of Petunias (one of my absolute FAVORITE titles) got shifted to be the first chapter of the next fic.

...Though, ngl, I could still have A Crown of Eranthis be the second chapter. Eeh. Depends on how the tone shakes out, and if I need to split things up again.

There are a LOT of words after the cut, largely about overall plans.

In other news, I have a decent chunk of the next chapter of Chaos, Fitting In, and Sibling Acceptance Rituals done. Shenanigans happen.

I hope everyone is ready for Caper and Spark, the time looping Tommy and Dream. And if his majesty decides to grace us with his fucking presence, Ranboo Prime!

++ I have a lose plan for how things will shake out from there. This plan is roughly:

2-4 chapters left for Chaos, Fitting In, and Sibling Acceptance Rituals. At minimum there will be the Prank Guild and a chapter wrapping it all up. A Path As Unlikely As It Is Inevitable: somewhere in the ballpark of 5-6 chapters. Interspersed multiverse travel & slice of life segments. Progress is a Relative Thing (as is Okay): Adjustments. You'll understand what that means when we get there. Unclear number of chapters. Swords, Shields, and a Beating Heart: 4+ chapters. Take a wild guess who shows their faces! Bastard lad is introduced for the (chronological) first time. There's a solid chance this will only be more confusing for people, but that's fine! That's what his whole goddamned backstory fic exists for.

...But the Stars Shine Brightest at Night: 2+ chapters. Setup is paid off, Daz is shown to be a terrifying fucker, etc etc.

And that's the current plan. Will things change? Probably, yeah! Do I know how? Fuck no, my muse is a chaotic bitch who just decided that tonight was the night to finish A Grave Tactical Error for no fucking reason.

Speaking of which, for those curious about the plans on THAT end of the timeline:

Quiet Strengths, Often Overlooked: 2 chapters. Reformation Team is formed. You get to see it this time! Favorite chapter title is "A Fistful of Petunias".

Plans and Revelations: 5 chapters. Reactions. Favorite chapter title is "Jaisone Choked by Columbine". It only slightly wins out over my second favorite.

Begrudgingly Accepted Assistance: 3 chapters. A visit. Technically, these are all done already. However, they were written before All Things Being Equal was started. There are definitely some major alterations that will need to be made. Favorite chapter title is "Azaela-scented Hope".

Fifty-Two Cards, Twenty Questions: 2 chapters. Healing and information. Favorite chapter title is "Is the Path Lined with Asphodel, or Mock Oranges?".

Something Close to Freedom: 2 chapters. An unexpected result. This is the final part of the reformation arc. While others might take place in that time frame, this is all that's currently planned. Favorite chapter title is "Solidago Hanging by the Door".

After that, things get a little murkier. I think I want to do something a bit more slice of life to fill things in and be a bit of a breather. This is where you might see ones like "To He Who Holds the World" or "An Undead Ex-President" be rewritten to adhere to the new timeline/events.

And then we have the BIG rewrites. These titles are, very obviously, placeholder ones. No idea how long they'll be, but there are mmmmm a few changes already becoming clear. :)

Visions 2: Electric Boogaloo (tentative title: The Past that Haunts): I have no fucking clue if Vio will remain the primary POV character or if Day will grab that from him again! I'm so torn, because on one hand...the glory of Vio realizing that Day knows about this reality because he lived through it. On the other, Day! Day POV!! I might start with Vio and swap to Day. Even so, that might mean losing out on the 'what the fuck am I experiencing right now' confusion of Day waking up in canonland. Some extra elements are in play that will alter things significantly. minor fun fact: Visions has the highest number of kudos by a notable margin! People really, REALLY like Day apparently! I can't blame them, he's so good. Vacation: The Revengence: The least-planned one. We're gonna get some fun interactions this time. Does this mean Theo spotting Niki and wordlessly radiating 'get near my family and fucking DIE' energy? Yes. Yes it does. That also might happen in the last one, again, still unsure. Dee and Tubbo still get along like a house on fire, and might even light a literal house on fire. Them being weird uncles to Michael will almost certainly be dropped, I'm sorry to the possible one person who liked it. Also likely to be dropped is the visit with Dream and Techno. I will absolutely find another use for the 'you're a garbage man with garbage words trying to build a throne from your TRASH' line from Orph because it's one of my favorites. Heavy Handed 2: 2 Heavy, 2 Handed (tentative title: Dies, Died, Will Die; Lives, Lived, Will Live): The current chapters will still more or less be there, just...redone. There's also two new chapters planned--Day talking w/ Sapnap, George, Ant, and Bad, and then Day, Vio, and Sam. Those are both FRAUGHT conversations that Theo isn't going to be present for for. Obvious reasons. Like, one is deeply personal due to feelings of abandonment and betrayal (which Theo would ABSOLUTELY resent them for) and the other is personal due to the literal torture that Sam condoned (which Theo would try to murder Sam for and tbh might STILL try and murder him for). There are a few other changes planned. Ones that maybe impact a few things. :) Still probably no actual fight though lmao. In all honesty, I would seriously consider throwing that element, and consequently this entire fic, out if it hadn't been referenced several times already later on. Day has a solid reason to want to move over (Atlas can't leave the SMPza due to admin bullshit, they're effectively all trapped there due to being unwilling to leave him behind) and Vio has a good reason to want to force Day to tell the truth about his past (if/when it got uncovered later nobody will ever trust him again + he would NOT want the angry, resentful immortal who went through horrible torture to skip out on therapy). But since it was, it's staying in. Aaand that's about it! I'll be using the tag RoadmapRoadtrip for any further talk of future plans.

We're...going to save the things going on with Blood & Gold (Daz's backstory, tentative title.) for another time. Bastard lad deserves his own post and also this one is getting LONG.