#a lot of what's currently happening with louis kind of reminds me of back in january

[wlwanakin]

ok i’m reminding everyone that i write and that’s like my main thing so here are my wips if anyone would like to motivate me by expressing interest:

what i have coined the “murder au” which i have posted about and in essence started as me toying with the concept of a modern au where anakin still does murder. basically a modern au exploration of that thing padmé does where she can kinda rationalize murder if anakin does it. while they’re on a road trip! and anakin is a woman in it. inspired by so many movies but mainly love lies bleeding, badlands, thelma & louise, and bones and all. this is currently my main project and top priority and the idea is what sent me hurtling back into star wars hyperfixation

sabé anakin weirdness. i posted about this one too! basically i’m just taking the crumbs of stuff in queen’s hope and reinventing the entire dynamic of a foundation of mutual identity weirdness. i’m fucking the timeline and making up a third sabé anakin interaction and exploring the idea that a non-hierarchical relationship breaks anakin’s brain and sabé represents an occasional subconscious perverse desire of his to completely lose all of himself not only To padmé but also Under her like sabé has.

companion to the last one, basically i think the queen trilogy was mid as fuck and i kinda wanna rework a lot of it to my liking and i wanna make sabédala end on bad terms. so it’s that. sabé and padmé’s last night together but it’s more a fight and sabé is kind of bitter and mean about everything.

i keep going back and forth on writing what i like to call loustatnidala which is just MY padmé kills anakin au (the only in character one ever) where the actual killing is sooo romantic and then a guilt-hallucination of anakin chases padmé around afterwards like hallucination lestat did with louis in iwtv s2. very gothic!

anidala hollywood au. this one is extremely not happening any time soon but it’s on the back burner currently as i develop it. basically the “actors au” premise but it’s really ugly and mean and entirely about industry abuse and exploitation. padmé is a child actress who was able to transition into a beloved critical darling adult actress and anakin is a washed up child actor with the worst reputation imaginable (she’s Also a woman in this). sheev palpatine plays the exact role you would expect. keeping the feel very grimy and generally unpleasant. maps to the stars and bojack horseman influences abound

[dianaladrislovebot]

random gone headcanons that have popped into my unhinged little brain, likely part 2

ayo we back my guys. i’ve had many gone related thoughts (and conversations, shout out to the gone brainrot gc on ig 🫦) since i made the last one of these so y’all are gonna have to bear w me while i get them out of my system. okay thanks bye onto the hcs (also my current fancasts for some of the characters at the end !!)

tall lanky astrid truther. alternatively, short ass mf drake truther.

diana is a skin care girly for sure. when the boys use those several in one things she goes into a frenzy.

everyone at coates bullies diana w diana by one direction but can only get away w it bc caine does it too (i’m not sure when that song came out but pretend it works okay. i like this.)

drakes whip is gross as fuck. like veined and slimy and shit like a genuine tentacle it’s the worst. thank you user inkskxtch for reminding me of this fact

astrid has scottish heritage on her mothers side. her grandfather is genuinely from scotland so she has a slight accent

diana is named after princess diana and took it extremely personal and demands to be treated as such

caine fell first but diana fell harder

quinn has consistent issues w his dad. in the first book he says he had a fight w his dad the night before the fayz which leads me to believe that happened a lot

because of this i think he spent a lot of time at sam’s house and saw connie as a surrogate parent figure. which is adorable

after he got over being a douchebag to edilio, quinn actually had a crush on him and never told a single soul, not even sam.

astrid is asexual, quinn, diana, orc and lana are bi, howard is gay and caine is some kind of fruit. there’s no way to convince me he doesn’t like men. you cannot do it.

i also like hcing drake as pan bc 1) i don’t like the stereotype that the bubbly happy character is always pan and like to combat it w making the most vicious angry violent characters i can find pan and 2) he has way too much chemistry w every man he’s ever been in a room w to be straight

okay hi also i thought i’d add some of my fancasts bc i’m very proud of them and need everyone to know what they are. some are set in stone, some of them i’m still on the fence about. pls i am begging you give me other ideas bc i’m losing my mind trying to place the other characters i will take any kind of suggestion i’m serious. anyways here are the scrunklies i lobe them so much

isabela merced louis partridge

as diana ladris as caine soren

joshua bassett anna cathcart

as quinn gaither as mary terrafino

hunter schaefer sadie sink

as astrid ellison as brianna berenson

i’m still on the fence about these two. i don’t know is sadie truly gives brianna’s chaotic energy justice and hunter is 24 which is slightly older than i’d like my fancasts to be due to the characters being like. 14. but she fits my vision of astrid well so for now i’m going w it. but besides those i’m completely sold on the rest. these are my children and i adore them. i am also open to suggestions for the other characters (especially sam give me my boy) bc i’m struggling so bad w everyone else

anyways that’s all the thoughts i have for now have fun w this messy ass post

[quelsentiment]

3, 15, 17, 18 for the weird writing asks!!

Thanks Fee!

3. What is your writing ritual and why is it cursed?

Okay, so I used to write on Google Docs for the longest time and then a few months I told myself that maybe it wasn't the best privacy-wise. So I've switched to using Open Office, which I think helps me focus better because having it on a separate window away from my web browser reduces the temptation to stop mid-sentence to check another tab, you know? But at the same time, this feels VERY cursed because my version doesn't have any kind of spelling check, plus my WIPs are now saved on my internal drive, and since I don't make backups of them that often, I live in fear or my laptop dying on me and making me lose weeks of progress

Oh also, there's basically no word count lololol

Am I gonna do anything about any of this though? No, we're raw-dogging life over here 😎

15. Do you write in the margins of your books? Dog-ear your pages? Read in the bath? Why or why not? Do you judge people who do these things? Can we still be friends?

I already answered this earlier but the short answer is I currently don't, but I don't judge people who do (unless it's a library book or something)

17. Talk to me about the minutiae of your current WIP. Tell me about the lore, the history, the detail, the things that won’t make it in the text.

I guess I'll talk about my fic for the Zouis Fest (although it might not even be part of it in the end, because I keep writing for the Dream Team fandom instead rip)

Anyway, I'm still not sure exactly what I'm doing with it. Like the main idea is that it's a Zayn-POV, canon-compliant(ish), present day fic where they run into each other in Hong Kong and are kinda forced to acknowledge what happened all those years ago, and figure out how to move forward. So like, lots of angst and feelings of betrayal and conflict and serious conversations because that's basically all I know how to (and all I want to) write lol

At the moment I'm not sure whether to keep it focused on their friendship or introduce some kind of romance aspect to it (toying with the idea that they had some kind FWB situation going while they were in the band). But since it's canon-compliant I'd feel kinda iffy doing that. I've never actually written canon-compliant before, and I have to admit that it scares me a bit, also because I've been extremely removed from the 1d fandom lately

Anyway one thing I'm sure about is that I want a scene to be inspired by the following verse from Blur's My Terracotta Heart:

And when we fly tomorrow over the Java seas And my younger maps will be there with me 'Cause they remind me of swimming out too far one day Then the coral was gone, but I didn't care anyway

Something about Zayn going too far to swim and Louis watching him almost drown but not realizing what's happening, as a metaphor for what went wrong between them

Yeah, that's pretty much all I can share at the moment. I should really get back to it

18. Choose a passage from your writing. Tell me about the backstory of this moment. How you came up with it, how it changed from start to end.

Zayn Malik is, without a doubt, the most beautiful person Louis has ever had the privilege to lay his eyes on. To the point that if he were to explain aesthetic attraction to someone, he’d probably say something like: “The feeling I get when I look at that gorgeous guy in my English 586 class.”

That's the opening line from Situations Like These, my aro/ace Zouis fic from the first Zouis fest.

It's one of those stories that really started out with just a scene rather than an idea/concept, which I think is the case for a lot of my fics actually. I mean, I did have a prompt for this fic, which was something like "they're both ace but don't tell the other for fear of driving him away", so it was pretty vague in terms of setting and everything else, really.

I remember coming up with that opening scene and the bits of dialogues at my grandparents' place right before getting on the road back home with my parents, and since I'd rather die than write in front of them, I just had to make sure to commit everything to my memory by repeating it all in my head throughout the day, until we were finally home and I could write it down. But that's something I do a lot, I think, just come up with stuff (typically dialogue) at inconvenient times and praying that I remember it by the time I can write it down 😬 And then of course when you actually settle in front of your computer, you feel like all your inspiration is gone

Anyway, I think this might be one of my favourite opening scenes I've written, I feel like it's pretty fun while setting the tone and dynamics for the whole fic

writing asks

[lululawrence]

Hello! Your reply made me think of two things I wanted to tell you. 1. I was listening to a podcast about cryptozology and the hosts are from Ohio and even they were talking crap about Ohio and it reminded me of your tags about it lol 2. I cannot stop thinking about Could We Live With Just A Taste? I loved it so much and keep thinking about those silly in love boys. If you happen to have any head canons you are willing to share or scenes that didn't make the cut, I would not mind it one bit 🤭

Lmaoooo okay listen. Here’s the thing about Ohio: Ohioans are allowed to talk shit about Ohio. It’s like people on tumblr talking shit about tumblr. We legitimately have complaints, but also… we’re attached. Right? That’s us with Ohio. That said, if you’re not from Ohio, get off our backs lololol I will defend this state to the death, alright? 😂 I love her, I hate her, I can’t live without her. I have tried moving away from Ohio so many times and I loved where I lived!!! But ultimately, I still came back. ¯\__(ツ)__/¯

As for my sushi fic, I love you??? 😭😭😭 thank you!!! There were a few scenes I thought of that, for one reason or another, didn’t end up working out. One of them was Harry hanging out with Nick at the studios in a flashback to when grim was still doing the late night show, after they’d first met. It was just a boring little thing with them flirting and then Harry bringing Louis in when he came to pick up Harry and take him home, introducing them to each other, and the instant chemistry there.

Another was a scene with Harry and Nick in the car on their way to get some sushi together, Harry singing the bit about music for a sushi restaurant again and Nick being all appalled and embarrassed but also secretly pleased Harry remembered what he’d said.

There was also gonna be a really soft larry scene with them just cuddling together before anything had been confessed, all these thoughts and hopes and dreams and longing slowly drifting through their heads.

There was gonna be another scene where Louis was in his office at work doing the ledgers and listening to Nick and he ends up calling in and somehow getting through on the show for a game of ball bag or something and Louis has to act like he defo called in for the game and Nick has to act like it’s all fine and dandy but really louis just called in to banter and be a little shit with Nick but now he’s playing the game and Has To Win because he’s Competitive™ and has to now show that he really does know his shit (he gets some super niche and random category that he just happens to know everything about and Nick KNOWS he knows everything about it because Louis was secretly the reason that he put that category in the ball bag in the first place, so he knows this poor current champion of five weeks or something stellar like that has NO chance at winning again) and Louis ends up forfeiting when he makes some sort of comment on air in anger at Nick for counting his answer wrong when technically it’s correct and it shows he and Nick know each other so Nick gives the win to the previous champion pissing Louis off again but it’s okay, because Nick brings Louis his favorite biscuits next time he comes over.

Can you tell that I thought a lot about my sushi fic? Lol I love them very much. I’m glad you did too!! I hope you like these little headcanon/bits that never got written or slipped in! Thank you again for being so kind! 😘😘😘😘

[1ddiscourseoftheday]

Thurs 4 Feb ‘21

Confirmation is here at last of Harry’s role in the film adaptation of My Policeman, brought to us by queer fave Greg Berlanti (and his husband). Harry will costar with Emma Corrin, who you may remember from the at the time inexplicable seeming Harry/Emma cross promo last August-- given the pains they took then to emphasize that the relationship was platonic, one assumes this film will go for a different promo tactic than the current one! They share a stylist though, so they’ll no doubt be beautifully coordinated. Harry will play Tom, which some people object to on the grounds that Harry is the wrong person to play the role of a closeted man which is certainly… one opinion. Aaaaand there’s plenty more of that discourse (and about him playing a policeman) to come over the coming months so I’ll just leave it there for now! Anyway and as for that current project, we got more DWD set pics today, featuring Harry in various costume outfits! There’s ones where his character looks bloodied, and ones where his character looks clean but absolutely terrifying, grown up frat boy from hell looks to give you CHILLS, plus some of Harry as Harry in a bright orange hoodie designed by his friend Kunichi Nomura.There was also {moustache spoilers} some weird facial hair on display. Okay then!

Project Defenseless has been launched to push Defenseless up in the streaming charts and push for radio play! The fan single project offers resources and organized pushes to get people streaming and promoting on all the platforms and reaching out to radio, and has fans making lots of very cool edits besides! “I see what you’re doing with defenseless! You are all incredible!” said Louis. That song is such a fitting choice for this kind of project! Its journey has been all about the fan response from back when Louis played it for us for the very first time in 2019 (it was the one everyone was screaming about from soundcheck clips for the few hours between that and hearing the songs for real even) and afterwards he told us about how although he’d always liked the song it clicked for him in a new way after getting the fan reaction, saying “something happened to it when I performed it live, and ever since then it really kind of got me,” and “the fans make everything sound amazing, they made it sound so good,” and “the fans for whatever reason really took to this song, so now it has a special place in me heart definitely”. Plus of course there was the long saga of fan stress when it seemed like it might not be on the album and rejoicing when Louis finally definitively confirmed that it would be, after what seemed like might have been a reversal on his part due to the outcry about it. And now she’s climbing all kinds of charts like a the star she is! The song shot up on itunes (#3 worldwide, #1 in 16 countries) just for starters and the project has only just got going. Louis commented on the stats-- “An album track off an album that’s a year old. You lot blow my fucking mind! Thank you so much!”

Louis also commented on a Jack Saunders (BBC indie music DJ) tweet and followed guitarist Johnny Took of the DMAs on twitter which is weird only in that he didn’t already.

There’s news about Zayn’s Zach Sang interview, and it’s not the most surprising news but it is very sad; Zach says “hi beautiful humans, this convo was scheduled for last week but we got a rain check from his team. this conversation can still happen, it ain’t over yet! we’ll keep ya in the loop. I listened to this album 7 times! we’re determined” Well... damn. However Zayn DID pop up with some spon-content but like… the WEIRDEST ad content?? It’s for Coors Light and, well I’ll let Zayn tell you about it! “They’re gonna see if they can put a commercial inside your dreams... which is kind of messed up.” HAHAHAHA I have nothing to add! What Zayn said!!! “So we’re gonna give that a go and uh see if it works,” he says, sounding appropriately skeptical, followed by “wish me luck”. Does this kind of sponcon count as malicious compliance? Technically he DID say the stuff he was supposed to- and he’s doing an instagram live for them Sat, supposedly. I can’t wait to see how that goes! Wish him luck! The latest installment of the NIL comic book video series is also out today, but just one this time instead of a pair. This week’s song is Connexion and the new comic shows us that the figure pursuing our hero is, drumroll-- himself! The call is coming from inside the house!

Unlike interview shy Zayn, however, Gigi is out there ready to overshare, as long as it���s to Vogue. She has plenty to say about giving birth to zaby Khai (newly revealed nickname: Khaiba) at home at the Pennsylvania farm. The article says that they decided to have the birth at home due to COVID placing restrictions on hospital births that would have prevented Bella and Zayn and Yolanda all being present, and after she and Zayn watched the documentary The Business of Being Born. “They placed a blow-up bath in their bedroom and sent their three cats and border collie away when the midwife expressed concern that the sphynx and Maine coon felines might puncture the tub with their claws,” the interviewer learns while horseback riding with Gigi. The article also says Zayn “caught the baby” but it isn’t a direct quote from Gigi and I’m thinking a bit of an exaggeration perhaps. Gigi had the baby at the Hadid family farm but she and Zayn have since relocated to live at his farm, which is nearby, where they say they will be raising the child, with Z’s mom Trisha coming to stay to help out for the first month, that Khai sleeps with them, and that Zayn said his experience of the whole thing reminded him of the birth in a lion documentary they’d watched. Neither mentioned it but it has been spotted that Gigi and Zayn each now have tattoos of the name, Khai, in Arabic.

Meanwhile, Niall surfaced only in golf guy mode- a Modest Golf announcement and a podcast appearance to promote the new Modest initiative to get young people into playing golf. He says they want to “get rid of that thing that’s been holding golf back for a long time, that it’s a boring sport…” and I know he means he’s trying to combat that idea but when I tell you I LAUGHED!

[borkthemork]

Fanfic based on the Biker AU by @cnyicalnoodle on Twitter!

-----

The Thai Go Diner had always been busy at this time of day. Marcy had seen people go in and out, tipping the jar with their coins and dollars, lugging their take-outs for the daily grind, always with something new to eat and talk about. People loved this place; Marcy reasoned that it all came from the delicious Thai food, the quick word-of-mouth, and the fact tourist areas were always the rage with these places.

Knowing this, one would think Marcy Wu was a regular at Thai Go but she wasn’t.

Actually, she’d been antsy to even pass through the door. She didn’t prevent herself out of anxiety, of course, perhaps...not really. Maybe.

For Marcy, it was because the waitress from across the way — the one with the pink dress, the bright smile, and her tied chocolate hair, all frizzled with crazy curls — did a lot of stupid interesting things to her heart and it was hard to not look her way when she got the chance to. Or be in her presence without feeling like Marcy was waayyy out of her league.

And somehow Anne liked to talk to her, a lot. It might be because of the current strategy Marcy had, but whether that was the cause for her luck was up to debate.

The current strategy Marcy had in getting Anne’s attention was to first order food. If she ordered food weekly then she would become a regular, then being said regular would bring Marcy Wu the chance to ask about the waitress’s day — probably see if she liked the talk of mechanics or the current Space Race or insect biology — and go from there. Waitresses liked bugs, right? She hoped so.

Anne didn’t seem to mind. She didn’t seem to mind Marcy at all, except for the whole biking attire at first, but that was in the past.

Today was the now.

So here Marcy was, tapping the menu while she perused the contents. Her lips were itchy, jacket a little tight on the collar. She must’ve been nervous again, but before she could adjust herself to a more comfy position, the waitress had poured her a cup of coffee, giving her a lopsided smile. “Hey, it’s you again.”

“Yep!” Marcy leaned onto the table, putting on her best smile. “It’s me, how’d you know?”

Anne raised a brow. She plopped a few sugar cubes into the cup and stirred — the usual. “A waitress remembers every face that comes through the door, and I know my eyes, you must be pulling my leg.”

Sadly, Marcy wasn’t. Her mouth had blabbered out something stupid rather than something smart. Just like the previous twenty or so visits. Marcy chuckled nervously. “Haha, you got me. You know me, I’m always a leg puller. I need coffee or I’m gonna be pulling a lot of legs today.”

A tiny grin grew on Anne’s beautiful face. “Yeah, we don’t want that.”

With that, Anne left for another table.

A few seconds past by, then another, before Marcy fully eased back into her seat, wiping a quick swatch of sweat from her forehead. So far so good, nothing messed up in the last hour and it was nice to see Anne pleased to see her again. Marcy might even have a chance to ask her big question.

Anne returned with the panang curry platter. It wafted of spice, of sweet seasoned chicken, and Marcy couldn’t help but hum her praises when she plopped the first serving into her mouth. Didn’t help that Anne observed her a little, that warm smile of hers making Marcy’s heart wallop against her chest.

“Soooo,” Marcy started to drum her hands against the table. “Anna Banana.”

Anne blinked at the nickname. Not in an unpleasant way, at least Marcy hoped so.

“Do you have anything after this?” Marcy asked, and flinched at how dry her throat sounded. “I mean, anything after your shift, not the specifics of what you’re currently doing after you leave this table.”

Anne giggled. “Well, Miss Wu, if you really want to know, I’m going to go on my lunch break. And I’m not gonna come back for an hour.”

Marcy straightened up. “That’s—” She cleared her throat, quick to calm herself down. “That’s great!”

“And why you so interested today, hm?” Anne leaned more on the table, cocking her head in a way that reminded Marcy of an intrigued cat. Her smile though? Definitely fox-like. “Are you asking for a date or something?”

Marcy choked. “Nah, nah!” She gave a sharp inhale. “I’m just thinking, since I fixed my motorcycle after the...yknow, the incident, it would be cool to finally show you what the bad boy’s made of.” Just like I promised.

Anne whistled, all sharp and impressed. “Dang, it’s finally fixed? You’re pretty fast for a biker.”

“Why be a biker if you can’t even fix your own bike?” Marcy said.

“Fair point.” Anne placed her notepad down onto the table. Marcy saw the previous orders she’d written out, with Anne scribbling a border onto a clean corner. “Where do you want to meet up? In front of the diner? At the mall?”

Marcy rubbed her chin. “Hmmm. Front’s the easiest way to get to you. I can drive in, wait for you, and then we can zoom off to wherever you want.”

The smile Anne wore grew even more. The jukebox played some Louis Armstrong, the music drifting between them in a content silence. After a moment, Anne had written the location and some digits down, and ripped one section off — the one section being her number. “Here. If I get kidnapped or something, then you know how to track me down.”

Marcy beamed and took the paper off her hands. “Cool. I’ll not be late.”

She made sure not to.

Later that day, Thai Go would light up in hazy glow. The streets were cold, drifting with the trickling traffic as everything started to slow down, people now in their offices and homes, settled down for the night’s end. Not for Marcy, of course. She leaned against her bike in the Thai Go lots, and thumbed the folded piece of paper in her pocket.

The streetlight reassured her that no one was going to jump her, but she preferred not to be out at such a time without a friend. In a few more minutes, she wouldn’t have to worry about that.

“Have you been waiting here this whole time?”

Marcy spotted Anne walking toward her, still in her dining getup. “Oh, hey!” She folded her arms, trying her best at a carefree smile — the cool smile, just like Sash said. “You ready for a ride?”

Anne grinned. “I didn’t walk out in the cold for nothing, definitely!” Her eyes drifted upward, much to Marcy’s confusion. But before she could ask, Anne responded. “What type of gel do you use? I swear it’s been hours and it still looks good.”

Marcy’s cheeks flushed. “Oh, well. I use a strong source.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, the kind that binds the strands together for ten hours.” Aka, she needed to thank Sasha later for the product recommendation. “When you’re on the road, anything can happen. Bad engine troubles, wheel problems, not looking...cool and getting bugs stuck to your hair. That kind of deal.” Smooth. “Best to be prepared!”

Anne smiled more. “Alright then, so how do we get started?”

“With what?”

“With riding,” she said, and patted the hub of Marcy’s motorcycle. “Do I just...?”

“Oh! Riding, yeah.” Marcy kicked the stand back in, remembering to scoot to the clear front of the seat, and patted the spot behind her. Anne hesitated. “Don’t worry, there’s enough space for both of us.”

“You sure? Doesn’t look comfy.”

“Trust me,” Marcy said. “There’s enough room. You can hold onto me if you’re worried.”

“Alright, if you say so.”

Marcy wanted to pinch herself. Okay, the last sentence just came out of her mouth but she couldn’t take it back. Not while Anne saddled on behind her, arms lingered now at Marcy’s waist.

Marcy took in a small breath. The engine growled to life below them, and the hold Anne had on her tightened even more as Marcy adjusted her hold on the handles.

This was the time to impress her. No going back.

Joe Sparrow, don’t fail me now.

“Okay.” Marcy stifled her excited giggle. “You ready, Anne?”

“Uhm, sure.” Anne sounded unsure to the fullest extent. “Hate to break the mood a bit, but how do you even sit on this thing?”

“Just hold on to me,“ she reassured. “It takes some getting used to.”

And if Anne didn’t get herself seated soon, she was going to endure the speed bumps in full force. Not like Marcy was going to go full throttle — she knew her driving limits...kind of.

“Alright, hold on to your seat, I’m about to break so many speed limits!”

“Okay I’l—WAIT WHA?”

The motorcycle zipped forward into the streets, Anne holding on all the way.

[horansqueen]

New Angel - Chapter 8

story masterlist [x]

chapter 1  ☆ chapter 2  ☆ chapter 3  ☆ chapter 4  ☆ chapter 5  ☆ chapter 6  ☆ chapter 7

NOTES

☆ written from Niall’s pov ☆ i don’t proofread, I never do, I hate it. ☆ AU comedy/fluff/smut/romance ☆ 2.7k ☆ i accept requests and ideas for this story, so message me in my inbox! ☆ if you want to be notified when this story is updated (or be taken off the update list) CLICK HERE

NIALL

"Your friends are nice."

I turned my head to look at Summer, laying next to me and my lips curled slightly on the left. Despite what happened between Millie and Louis, we still had a lot of fun together. It was something that always impressed me when it came to Millie and I had just realized it at that moment. I thought she was someone who didn't care much about anything but the truth was, she was just extremely good at hiding it. It was in the tone of her voice, in the fraction of a second when she hesitated, in the quick glances she'd send and in the way she played with the mood ring on her middle finger. I had never noticed that before, and I wondered if it was because I never cared to look or just because it never happened. Millie and Louis used to be happy together, even if they were not officially a couple, but in the span of a few weeks, everything had changed and somehow, it reminded me of my own relationship with Grace.

I thought it would last forever and reality had hit me so hard. I could see all the reactions and feelings I had been through in the weeks after Grace left through Millie's eyes, even if she was clearly better than me at hiding it. I knew I was probably the only one who noticed it but it didn't matter. I knew, and even if I wanted to take that pain away from her, I knew it was impossible, or at least, I had no idea how.

"Yea, they're great." I admitted with a fond smile. "I don't know what I'd do without them."

I turned on my side to face Summer who had her arms crossed on her chest, her naked breasts hidden by the sheets of my bed. I held my head with my hand, my upper arm against the mattress and sighed low. It was amazing to have someone to have sex with, and also someone who would just lay in bed with me for a while. We never really talked about anything deep or serious, but Summer was funny and sweet and it's definitely what I needed. I had been in the same relationship for a while and now I just wanted to have fun. I knew I wouldn't be able to get into a new romantic relationship before I'd stop thinking about Grace multiple times a day, or before I compared everything to her, or wondered what she would have said or how things would be if I was with her instead. I also knew it would take time, because that's what everyone says, right? Healing takes time.

"And what would you do without me?" she asked, her lips curling right before mine did too.

"Use my hand. And it would be a shame!" I joked, making her chuckle.

"A shame uh?"

"Oh yea," I insisted, shaking my head slightly and bringing my hand to the sheets, pulling on them a bit, trying to expose her. "Because that body is incredible darling."

She brought her shoulders up and closer to her face holding the sheets up. I gave up and chuckled again but when I realized how uncomfortable she was, I lost my smile.

"Sorry, I didn't want to upset you."

"No no, it's alright." she pointed out in a soft tone, sending me a fake smile. "So, Niall, tell me about your ex girlfriend."

My eyebrows raised up and I moved my head back slightly as my eyes left hers. I was surprised by her question, it was really something I didn't expect and I was not sure talking about my ex girlfriend with my current fuck buddy was a good idea.

"Uhm, there's not much to say." I admitted, bringing my hand up to scratch the back of my head. "I mean, I guess everything started very quickly between us. Sparkles and all that. And when it stopped, I didn't expect it at all."

"How is she like?"

"Pretty. Smart. She knows what she wants and what she's worth. Cheeky." I enumerated, making me realize that perhaps, Millie was right about my 'type' of girl. "She.. liked to be the center of attention. She's the kind of girl who needs all the eyes on her when she enters a room. And she gets what she wants."

"Okay, so, she's pretty much my opposite."

I thought she'd laugh but I finally looked down at Summer and I could see worries in her eyes. I knew that talking about Grace was a bad idea, and I didn't want Summer to compare herself to hers, even if secretly, I did it, too.

"Why do you say it like it's a bad thing?" I asked gently, making her raise her eyebrows. "It's not a competition, you know. She's not here. You are."

Her eyes ran on my face quickly and she finally sent me a small smile and nodded.

"Do you think you're ready to meet my friends now?"

I smiled more, happy that she decided to talk about something else, and slowly nodded. "Yea, why not?"

Her face illuminated and she licked her lips. "Great! So, tomorrow, 6pm, my place?"

"Alright." I bent down and kissed her lips gently. "What are we gonna tell them? I mean, did you tell them we were just friends or... did we also tell them we have sex?"

"No, I just... I said we were friends."

I was surprised her friends didn't ask more questions. After all, we had met in a bar, she had sent one of them my phone number and my address and we had ended up at my apartment. This isn't really how you make new friends. Still, Summer had mentioned she was not the kind of girl who had sex on the first night and her friends probably knew that.

Anyway, I didn't want to rush things and it was better this way. If Summer didn't want to tell her friend she was in a friends with benefits relationship with me, it was her business. Besides, we had made it clear we were not exclusive, which meant there was definitely no strings attached, at least for now.

"Okay, that works for me."

-----

When I got at Summer's apartment and walked in, I heard laughs coming from afar. We walked towards them and I couldn't help but let my eyes travel on Summer. Her hair was down, for once, slightly wavy and falling on her back. She was wearing a simple tank top and a pair of blue jeans but it made me want to get on top of her immediately.

"Okay so everyone, this is Niall." Summer said shyly, standing next to me. "Niall, this is Meredith, Kate, Lena and Andrew."

They all got up and walked closer to kiss my cheeks and we finally sat at the table together. Dinner went by really fast and we laughed all together. Meredith and Lena were funny and talkative, and reminded me a lot of Summer. I didn't know how to react to Kate's way with me, though. She was looking at me in a weird way and I could swear that at some point, I felt one of her foot slide on my leg under the table. I quickly brought my leg away but it's the small smile she sent me right after that made me feel bad. I knew Summer had mentioned we were just friends, but to have one of her friends flirt with me that way seemed uncalled for and I was not sure how to react. Andrew seemed to study me a lot and for some reason, I felt like he was trying to be funnier and more interesting than I was and I felt completely stupid when, after a few hours, I noticed how he was looking at Summer.

I thought about what had happened between Louis and Millie the day before and realized that tonight was just as awkward, if not more. We finally sat together in the living room with a glass of wine and I realized most of them were getting tipsy, which probably was not the best idea.

"Okay so Niall, d'you work?"

"Uhm, yea. I'm a cook, actually. Part time." I nodded, shrugging a shoulder. "And I give guitar lessons."

"Oh really? I was just thinking I wanted to learn an instrument."

My eyes found Kate's and I raised my eyebrows, not answering her smile. I knew she was important for Summer and that she thought we were only friends, but I didn't like the way she was talking to me and I was certainly not going to flirt back with her.

"I already have enough students for now, sorry."

I glanced at Summer who sighed low as a smile spread on her face and I knew my answer was the right one. I was not going to be impolite but at the same time, there was no way I would encourage her.

"Kate, you're annoying." Lena pointed out, rolling her eyes at her. "Can't you see he's not into you? Why do you always do that?"

"Mind your business, Len." she replied, her eyes never leaving me.

"Okay, enough, we're leaving. It's late." Meredith added, getting up quickly.

It took a few minutes or so of argumentation but Kate finally agreed to leave with the rest of them. They said their goodbyes and I tried not to react when her hand slid down my back slowly. I let out a sigh of relief when the door closed behind them and felt Summer's hand on my arm before turning my head her way.

"I'm so sorry about Kate." she apologized in a soft and guilty tone. "She really loves attention. Especially from men."

My eyes roamed on her face and I once again thought about Grace. I didn't mention it, obviously, but I knew Summer was thinking about the description I gave her of my ex girlfriend too and finally, I just licked my lips and shook my head.

"Not your fault, don't apologize."

She took a step closer and tilted her head before pressing her lips together. Her eyes dropped to my chest and she brought her hands against it, sliding them down a bit before gripping my shirt.

"Do you want to see my room again?"

I held my breath as I stared at her and my lips parted slightly. I wanted her, I really did, and it took everything out of me to let out the words I wanted to say.

"It's late, I should leave, too." I admitted in a whisper, making her pout. "Rain check?"

"You could stay the night, maybe?" she proposed, getting on her tiptoe.

I swallowed hard now that her lips were close to mine and blinked a few times. "You're being unfair right now, you know the puppy eyes are very hard to resist."

"That's the whole point."

I kept looking at her but my thoughts were back at home. Maybe Louis and Millie were together at the moment, or maybe Millie was sad and alone. Maybe Louis was gone or maybe he told her it was over between them. I couldn't help the thoughts running in my head and I didn't want to leave Millie to deal with it by herself, and if Louis hadn't talked to her yet, I wanted to knock at his door and remind him that he should do it as soon as possible. I couldn't stay and if I wanted to be honest with myself, I didn't want to stay either. I wanted to be there for my friends they way they had been there for me.

"I can't babe, I'm sorry." I repeated in a soft tone, grabbing her hands in mine and squeezing her fingers. "I'll text you tomorrow though, alright?"

When I walked back in my apartment, I heard yells coming from behind a door and sighed low, glad that I decided to come back. I knew it was none of my business but at the same time, I couldn't just pretend it didn't affect me. So many things were left unsaid between these two but even if I was happy they were finally sharing their thoughts, I would have hoped it would have been calmly with a drink or something like that. It was stupid of me to have expected something like that, though, knowing that both my friends had explosive and strong personalities.

I let my keys fall on the coffee table and walked slowly to the hall, leaning against the wall right in front of Louis' door.

"Really Louis? Really? You're serious?" Millie seemed angrier than I had ever heard her and I leaned my head against the wall.

"What now?" Louis yelled back. "What the fuck did you fucking expect Millie? That this stupid thing was gonna last forever?"

"Stupid? No you are stupid Louis Tomlinson!" she screamed again, her voice cracking slightly. I was sure Louis didn't notice, but I did. "What we have matters! It's important ok!"

"What we had, Millie! It's over!"

"Why? Because you found some new bitch that you wanna shag? Shag her as long as you want and then come back! What we have is stronger than just a fucking lust story!"

"Oh Mill..." I whispered very low, closing my eyes and shaking my head lightly.

"She's not just some girl okay! I... I have feelings for her!"

Silence. I waited a few more seconds and opened my eyes again, moving my head back to look at the door. I almost expected Millie to storm out but she didn't and I waited for what seemed like half an hour. All I could hear was the thumping of my heart in my chest.

"I thought you loved me." Millie let out softly. "You said you loved me..."

"I do Millie, I love you. You're my best friend. But I'm not in love with you." Louis explained, making me let out a low curse word. That must have hurt Millie so bad I had to swallow hard as it reminded me of my own pain. "Please, Millie."

"Don't touch me!"

"Come on, Millie, I don't want to lose you." Louis confessed, making my grimace and groan low. It was such a hurtful thing to say to someone you just broke the heart to, and I wanted to open the door and force Millie out so she wouldn't have to hear any more of his painful words.

"You should have thought about that before."

I held my breath and got back on my feet, my back straight, when the door opened. Millie came face to face with me, her eyes red but her head high and I was fucking impressed by her strength. We stared at each other for a while until Louis appeared behind her, holding the door, his eyes moving from me to Millie and then back to me.

"What are you doing here?" he asked me with a frown.

"I live here."

"Right here? In the hall?" Louis let out sarcastically.

I decided it was useless to answer and just looked back at him. I knew he was somehow right and that I probably shouldn't have listened to their fight but it's not like I wouldn't have been able to hear it from my room anyway.

"Okay, I'm going to bed." Millie let out rudely, throwing one of her hands up and shaking her head. Her voice became softer when her eyes met mine, though. "Good night, Niall."

"Good night, Mill." I replied gently, searching for her fingers and squeezing them.

She didn't look at me but walked past me and my eyes found Louis again. We glared at each other until we heard Millie's door close roughly and Louis finally sighed loud.

"I told her." he pointed out in an angry tone as if I didn't already know. "Happy now?"

I knew he was mad at me and I didn't really care. I still thought it was the right thing to do and I would never think otherwise.

"Very."

[jimmygibbsjrrr]

I have a lot of thoughts about the Slaters

namely, I've been wonderin why the Fairfield Survivors got thrown off the boat in Death Toll

in this panel of The Sacrifice comic, Francis confirms the fates of three of the rescue vehicles:

Image ID:

A panel from The Sacrifice: Part 1. Francis is sat in the rescue vehicle from Blood Harvest, speaking to Louis. His dialogue is as follows:

"Louis, I hate to be the one to break this to ya, but we been heading to the safe zone four times now. Helicopter: crashed. Plane: crashed. Boat: kicked us out and left us to die."

/end ID

the chopper from No Mercy was confirmed crashed in Crash Course, and as for the plane from Dead Air, it was pretty easy to guess (and would have been confirmed in the cut campaign Dam It).

but the part about the boat? that's the Slaters' boat from Death Toll. this is the first time we learn this information.

so...why? what happened?

(more under the cut, ended up writing wayyyy more than I expected over these past few days and don't wanna clog people's dashes lol)

so. let's take a quick dive into the last chapter of Death Toll, to see what we can discern about the Slaters from their dialogue.

the rescue vehicle in Death Toll is a civilian boat, Saint Lidia II, owned by John and Amanda Slater, a married couple. Amanda is never heard in-game, but John's reactions to her can be heard over the radio.

the Slaters are explicitly looking for "anyone out there with firearms". John later adds that "once you get on this boat? Your job is keeping our asses alive". it appears that their motivation for saving the Survivors is selfish from the get-go.

this is undoubtedly true in Amanda's case, however, some of John's lines betray a more selfless attitude. he will berate Amanda for not "think[ing] about the little guy". he will ask, "So what, then? We leave 'em to die? I can't do that, Amanda." whilst Amanda is thinking purely of their own survival, John still feels compassionate towards his fellow survivors. despite this, he says that "I don't want our first act of kindness to be our last", acknowledging the conflict between his compassion and his self-preservation.

so. these are the Survivor's saviours in Death Toll. a conflicted married couple looking for bodyguards, offering to take the Survivors upriver to a military safe zone in exchange for protection.

as for why they get thrown off the boat...well, the easiest explanation would be Amanda.

but, stay with me here, because I think it's a little more complicated than that.

this boat? fulla tension. there's the obvious tension between the Slaters, who we've established seem to fight and disagree regularly. then there's the inevitable tension between them and the Survivors. I reckon Louis, with his generally positive and friendly attitude, wouldn't have much of a problem with them, might even attempt some friendly conversation or something. however, he's about the only one.

the comic fully establishes Bill as caring about nobody except the Fairfield Survivors - the most obvious evidence of this being the words he lives and dies by, "we look after our own". he isn't particularly interested in other people, unless they can help the group out. and he'd likely recognise the unstable and conditional nature of their rescue. while I'm sure he'd try and keep the peace, in any reasonable disagreement or fight Bill's likely to take his friends' side, and if anyone's getting thrown off the boat Bill is going with them. this goes for the whole group, to be honest; I don't think they'd want to split up at this point.

Francis hates boats, hates water, and can't swim, so (and I'm getting a little speculate-y here) would probably be in an even sourer mood than usual on the journey. being as abrasive as he is, plus this additional stress, it's fully possible he could piss off the Slaters enough to get himself (or all of them) thrown off the boat.

as for Zoey? well, I don't imagine a married couple who constantly argues is gonna sit well with her, considering her backstory. similarly to Francis, the situation they're in would make her far more stressed, making it more likely for her to lash out.

Amanda didn't want to save the Survivors in the first place, so while I think that John wouldn't throw them off the boat without reason, I reckon she could persuade him to throw them off if they 'caused trouble' - and they would get into an argument with her far easier than they would with John.

in short: yeah, I can see them getting thrown off the boat by the Slaters after some huge fight or disagreement. I think that's a reasonable interpretation of canon, and definitely an interesting concept.

...however, I do wonder if this tension would really be enough to destabilise their mutual need, after everything they went through to come together.

which is why I'm going to bring up The Last Stand!

I gotta quickly address something before this segment: yeah, I'm totally aware this campaign isn't canon. this evidence works with the fact that it exists in an 'alternate timeline'. also, I am missing a few citations for this section - if anyone can provide them I'd really appreciate it, but just a disclaimer that I currently can't prove some of the things the wiki claims members of the Last Stand Community Update Team have said. here and here are the wiki pages where I got this information. in short - the above explanation is simpler and more canon compliant, the conclusion I draw at the end of this post is backed by shakier evidence but I believe is more interesting, and you can make of all that what you will.

allegedly, members of the Last Stand Community Update Team confirmed a strongly-suspected fan theory about The Last Stand: that it branches off from Death Toll in some way, in a non-canon alternative timeline. as well as this, they allegedly confirmed that in this alternative timeline, the Survivors still end up in Newburg for Dead Air. even without the confirmation, this remains a solid fan theory, due to the constant references to Riverside and re-use of many of Death Toll's assets.

who rescues the Survivors in The Last Stand? John Slater. no Amanda - just John. despite her lack of voice actress, if she was still present John would give some indication of this at some point. it can be speculated that whatever happened to her contributed to the lack of rescue at the boathouse that forced the Survivors to take an alternative route. either way, he ends up at the lighthouse when the Survivors call for rescue, alone, and picks them up.

and then later...throws them off the boat. into Newburg.

what reason would John have to do that? without Amanda, surely he wouldn't have that push, as he wanted to rescue the Survivors for multiple reasons in the first place. without his constant arguments with Amanda, Zoey wouldn't be nearly as stressed. and between the three of them I'm sure the other Fairfield Survivors would stop Francis from pissing John off enough to get them thrown off the boat. in short, less Amanda = less tension, and no reason for the Survivors getting chucked off the boat.

...right?

I'd like to remind you that a symptom of the Infection is paranoia.

what if, in both The Last Stand and Death Toll, John and Amanda are infected by the Survivors on the way to the military safe zone? after all, the virus is confirmed to occasionally be airborne, and I doubt two civilians have completely effective, sustained protection against that. likely the only reason they hadn't already been Infected is because they got out on the water early on in the pandemic, and hadn't come into contact with anyone else since. it's unlikely that one of them is immune, and even more unlikely that they're both immune (especially considering those with XX chromosomes may be genetically less likely to be carriers). wouldn't Francis have mentioned it if their rescuers turned or were obviously Infected? yes, but it's possible that the airborne strain works slower as well, meaning that the Survivors are thrown off of the boat after the symptoms kick in but before the Slaters fully turn. even Church Guy had at least an hour from being Infected to turning, and he was bitten. Newburg isn't too far from where the Survivors are rescued in Death Toll anyway (the burning city in the background of the finale is Newburg), so the Survivors clearly didn't last long on the boat anyway. as a result, the Survivors wouldn't realise it was the Infection intensifying the Slaters' paranoia - they'd just think the Slaters were being dicks. Francis also explicitly mentions that they were "left to die", implying negativity or even hostility from the Slaters as the Survivors were being thrown off.

so yeah. that's why I think they got thrown off of the boat in Death Toll - a combination of the intense tension between the two parties, and the Slaters falling victim to Infection-induced paranoia. but an explanation minus the Infection is equally as plausible. it all depends on what you find most interesting, I suppose, and both feel like they fit pretty well into the world.

lord this is a long chunk o text. I know most fandoms prefer art and fanfic over this sorta thing, so please let me know in replies or something if you're interested in more stuff like this. also if any of this makes sense because I like to ramble.

oh and if you'd like to use any of my interpretations in fanworks like art or fic, I'd love to see it :)

[worldcakecakecake]

Feliciano and the King of Hearts

Chosen by the gods as the Queen of Hearts from the moment of birth,  we follow Feliciano’s story as he grows into royal life, learns to rule,  go against age old customs, and his relationship with his husband to  be, the King of Hearts.

Chapter 1 I  Chapter 2 I Chapter 3 I Chapter 4 I Chapter 5 I Chapter 6I Chapter 7 I Chapter 8 IChapter 9I Chapter 10I Chapter 11I Chapter 12 I Chapter 13 I Chapter 14 I Chapter 15 I Chapter 16 I Chapter 17 I Chapter 18 I Chapter 19I Chapter 20 I Chapter 21 I Chapter 22 I Chapter 23 I Chapter 24 I Chapter 25 I Chapter 26 I Chapter 27 I Chapter 28I Chapter 29 I Chapter 30 I Chapter 31 I Chapter 32 I Chapter 33 I Chapter 34 I Chapter 35 I Chapter 36 I Chapter 37I chapter 38 I Chapter 39 I Chapter 40 I Chapter 41 I Chapter 42 I Chapter 43 I Chapter 44 I Chapter 45 I Chapter 46I Chapter 47 I Chapter 48 I Chapter 49 I Chapter 50 I Chapter 51 I Chapter 52 I Chapter 53 I Chapter 54 I Chapter 55 I Chapter 56 I Chapter 57 I Chapter 58 I Chapter 59 I Chapter 60I Chapter 61 I Chapter 62 I Chapter 63 I Chapter 64  I Chapter 65 I Chapter 66 I Chapter 67 I Chapter 68  I Chapter 69 I Chapter 70 I Chapter 71 I Chapter 72 I Chapter 73 I Chapter 74 I Chapter 75 I Chapter 76 I Chapter 77 I Chapter 78 I Chapter 79

Yes, yes, yes! I know, it's extremely late! But you have to understand that I am going through A HELL LOT right now. I am working on an important qualification here in Berlin, so basically studying, plus working, plus German classes, and my school will force me into a volunteer program soon...so that’s more time out from writing. None the less, it does not mean that I will abandon any projects, just know that it could take some time. I wrote this chapter in three different locations since I was moving a lot these last few months :’D Another reason why it took so long. As always, all I ask for is patience, updates will come, I am determined to finish this, especially when we are so close!

But oh boy...chapter 80...sometimes I never thought this story would get so far...but here it is! Enjoy!

                                                              Chapter 80

All Ludwig needed was a simple day of resting and healing. Afterwards, he was heading out of his ward, tall, strong, fixing his hair and buttoning his jacket as the regular business of the day. Feliciano hadn’t stopped crying, constantly asking those around to remind him again that he was indeed…alive. He waited before the room, ready for the embrace that came, tight and loving as the one they had shared before the castle when Ludwig turned back. They would have stayed in this bliss forever, if it wasn’t for an annoyed cough and the applaud and giddiness of a child. Yet in their sway, they turned to spot Lovino, who shone with a gracious smile despite, the very one Augustino alighted the hall with as he was held at the hip.

 “Reminder that there is still another 900 meter tall monster rampaging across Spades, soon to make entrance into Diamonds and well…we should be doing something about that.” He spoke the words with such normality as if he was talking about what he had for breakfast that morning.

 “Where are we to meet?”

 “The usual place, doofuses,” rolling his eyes and moving away. Augustino waved and the couple smiled at him as promise that they would follow.

 They departed, but keeping yet a hold of their hands as they now met a hurried pace with the rest of those who quickened in the halls with the continuing business.

 “All right, were back at this. What has happened?” Ludwig asked with the serious intent he wanted to stay dedicated to despite where he just came from.

 Truly like he had never been gone.

 Feliciano couldn’t help the sudden smile, the tightening of his hold, before he had to breathe it all out and bring forward the seriousness this matter still meant. “The Club kingdom is utterly destroyed, as well as much of the Southern Hearts and Spades kingdom. Khaos took the west to the Spades kingdom, while Destro went on to the east to the Hearts kingdom.” Feliciano was determined to keep this entity separate from Ludwig. “Many of the refugees are here in Hearts under our protection or in Diamonds under their crown.”

 “What are we to do about the lost territories?”

 “I have a plan that I prefer to discuss in the meeting with everybody.”

 “Where is Khaos now and what is he doing?”

 “The last messengers arrived this morning saying that Alfred is preparing himself to defend his capital. Arthur and Yao might leave to join depending on what we decide to do now.”

 “And what are we deciding now?” Ludwig asked just as they arrived before the current meeting room.

 “They’re waiting on us for that,” Feliciano said just as he pushed upon the doors to make their entrance. And to Ludwig’s big wonder, they all stood with brightening smile like stars, glimmering more with whistles and applauses, many with grins that Feliciano hadn’t seen in a while. Ludwig blushed and held ever tighter to Feliciano, showing a prideful smile that told Feliciano enough about how he was there and how it made him more than joyful.

 “Enough of this! We have to act immediately!” Louis shouted, forcing guards to push the King and Queen in and slam the doors behind them, a sort of alarm that brought them back to the stage of it all.

 “I’ll be honest…I never thought I would one day say this, but, Ludwig, Feliciano, we move at your command. What do we do?” Roderich stood, ready and surely with calls to initialize the use of his power.

 Many in the room already adorned armors and shined with weapons, ready to head out that instant to act on a battle they believed now was truly for victory. And Feliciano thought it perfect and with a shared glance to Ludwig, he knew it was the same sentiment.

 Feliciano took a deep breath, taking and leaving his hold with Ludwig’s hand to place them on the table, the simple gesture commanding and confident. Ludwig was rather startled at seeing it, but he was more than content, letting his husband take it all as he wished, trusting and knowing that all the power was in his hands.

 “We are taking everything back. Elizabeta, Arthur, Lili!” All three turned simultaneously. “You are heading back to your kingdoms and you are going to restore everything.”

 “Excuse me?” Elizabeta questioned, almost insulted.

 “I don’t think you’ve read the recent reports, but they’re poisoned lands with nothing we can do to change it,” Arthur cleared with hurt.

 “But we can change it!” Feliciano determined, a height in his voice that seemed like it had echoed all across the castle. He stood up yet again, starting simply with a breath, a meet in his magic to reach, to call. He glowed with marks, powerful and all felt inclined to bow. Yet they didn’t, frozen by the wonder.

 Feliciano didn’t begin to glow in red, to their surprise, he glowed in green, completely taking him until a different voice called from his mouth. “Elizabeta Héderváry and Roderich Edelstein.” Potent and god-like. Both the Queen and Jack trembled at such a force. “My chosen. Come forward and you shall receive my blessing.”

 This was not Feliciano…and Elizabeta and Roderich shook as they moved forward. Despite, they felt a great presence in this being, a refresh in their body that alighted and cleaned them of all kind of turmoil that had inhabited them for months. The closer they came, the more at ease they felt, with bravery to stand straight and unafraid before whoever currently took Feliciano’s body. Feliciano raised his palms to them, Roderich and Elizabeta knew by instinct to show their own palms, feeling a spike in their magic unlike anything. Not even the magic they felt in their crowning ceremony felt like this.

 They were given a new source of energy, an unthinkable power that was not at all of their world…but had created it. It was then that the voice seemed to introduce itself with the power, making clear its name as all was left in their hands. With it, they were given knowledge of its use, like it had been a part of them from always.

 When Feliciano moved back, they exhaled, at peace, smiling, the couple exchanging glances with enough understanding that was ready to act that instant. They gazed back to any Clubian soldiers in the room, and with a silent command, the soldiers knew to mobilize, all the Clubians in the room marching off, leaving the other inhabitants of the meeting lost and perplexed.

 Feliciano reverted back to normal, lights dimming and standing with only his usual childish smile like he had been exchanging some innocent secret of youth. Ludwig still did not understand what was going on, but joined in that smile, still believing and trusting. But quickly he alighted again, this time in blue, a new voice, this of a woman, a call to Arthur and Yao that had them following as they had seen the Clubian royals. And there, as they went through their own exchange, did they understand their mission, the plan and how the future looked brighter. Like Roderich and Elizabeta, they nodded with a glance and all the Spadians left. Lili and Vash took their same responsibility as Feliciano alighted in yellow, taking their action like the rest with a simple leave.

 Those who were left in the meeting room were yet dumbfounded.

 “Uh…excuse me, but…what do we do?” Kiku brought to question.

 “The same as everyone else. First, we heal our kingdoms, we rid of the poison, we bring our people back to their homes and to their normal lives, to their crops, their art, their families, their everyday lives that kept peace. We gather our surviving soldiers and at my command, we head and face Khaos.”

 Simple, straightforward and leaving everyone without a dare to question further.

 “Amore…how exactly do we do that?” Renata still found it unthinkable, to bring back their lands as they were before.

 “Don’t worry. Remember, I have the hand of creation…also Nonna is going to help us,” with a comforting smile that twisted then to a powerful grin, with a sway and jump that was just…not Feliciano. His eyes turned to a crimson red, the purest form of their kingdom color, presenting clear who it was that spoke now.

 “Nice to see you back, Ludwig dearie.” A woman’s voice, with a care that was familiar and belonging. Ludwig bowed, knowing who he was addressing and knowing well to show his respects. But she was gone in just the same twist, having Feliciano back to lead.

 “Follow me, we act now.”

 They were all out of the room that instant.

  As commanded, they all took their trip to the poisoned lands of their respective kingdom. All had blackened, anything that once stood grounded down to the floor in a stench that wanted to rip at the pristine silks and metals of the royals’ dresses. Ellizabeta walked these lands with a head held up high, as if it was the garden it had been before. She was barefooted…but they shined in protection, everything under not giving her a cut or a bruise. The soldiers behind her were aghast, yet they dared to follow behind in wonder, their own armors shinning beautifully under whatever shine Elizabeta and Roderich gave them.

 Elizabeta stopped to breathe it all…and she smiled, peace in her expression even as they stood before the most deteriorated her kingdom had been. To make things more confusing to the soldiers, Roderich took her side with the same ease, grasping her hand and smiling at her with bright confidence. They both gazed forward, closing their eyes and they began to glow in a rare transparency of colors, not green as they had expected.

 Something expulsed from them as they breathed, the light around them spread, slow, gentile, but living and rapid. The soldiers grew in wonder as they saw that ground that the light reflected began to rumble with life, purifying the dirt and letting actual brown healthy earth appear. Such mundanity made some of them already laugh. But the excitement did not stop there , for in that earth, little sprouts of green, with small leaves, began to grow in an impressive rapidness, coating more and more until the land under them was as green as it was before.

 To the soldiers, who had thought all their land lost without a way of returning, it was worth of celebration, some shouting, whistling or jumping. It was the perseverance that made Elizabeta and Roderich’s smiles grow wider. They shared a wink, which already made an agree, and so they breathed in much more, letting that light grow and grow, more of their nation green appearing in their land, bringing with them trees, stone…perhaps a twist of new that Roderich and Elizabeta created from their inner creativity.

 A new flower, a new route, a new curve to old streams.

  In Diamonds, Lili stood at the long shores of her kingdom. The sea had darkened, coating the shores in its misery, away from the beautiful golden it had kept for so long. Sure, her kingdom had not been destroyed as the others, but the royals knew well to fix and protect what they could.

 She had been instructed…by Jabbar…Ace of Diamonds. She felt him still in the power that flowed in her blood, still teaching and lecturing every move, how each point of energy was supposed to be flowed and how to release it all to the image he made in her mind. Yes…she would create it, she would call for it.

 She wrapped her arms around herself, with her breath, the winds around her became stronger, the waves began to pulse along with her heart and she opened her eyes. Like a breath, she could control how they moved, how they shone, beginning to give them back, slowly, their natural blue.

  In Spades, Yao could finally get the ground to still, to stop the shakes it had taken, letting the crumble finally halt. Arthur stopped the storms, for the first time bringing this part of the kingdom the natural light of sun.

 It was done simple, as easily as a snap or a step.

 Arthur and Yao had put their hands upon the ground and in their spread, they brought back the deep blues of the tiles that had been there. One by one they came back, growing just like the dirt, the flowers and grass that laid between them, up to the trees, the houses that had been there, even whole mountains began to wake back to color. Yao intensified that spread, wanting to cover the whole valley. Arthur aided him, adding to the push that could extend to all the crevices, to every single wall, well and plaza that had made it once splendor.

  None of the royals could only keep it to their place. They had to move, spread, fly in the process if they had to. Elizabeta swinging through thicket of vines, with each pull bringing back ancient large trees that covered well beneath them in green life. Lili skipped by the shores as she brought back its gold, adding shells and shine that made it all the more pristine. Arthur enjoyed shooting from the tall perks of mountains, running it all like an orchestra under his command. Feliciano, created music, he brought all the canvases he had ever made to life with the brush of his hand, mind and even his dancing steps as it stabled the ground, bringing back their famous pillars, architecture, sun kissed homes, their vines, their abundance of fruit and the colors that made Feliciano’s smile grow the more in its everlasting sunshine.

 It was starting to look just like home again.

 Ivan at one point had shed tears of relief, kneeling down to the ground to embrace the ground, with the greens he had never known he would have missed so much. Francis could now intensify the kingdom’s defense, a beautiful diamond wall shinning well, keeping the peace and life behind him. He let himself tower tall, like he himself was a shield that would be impenetrable to whatever Khaos would throw. Khaos wouldn’t stand a chance anymore, Francis smirked to himself. Alfred, atop one of the kingdom army dragons, actually cried as he began to lead people back to their homes. Many shouted in celebration, but others still paced with panic, those especially that currently still ran away from the threat of Khaos still in their lands, but now they actually seek refuge in their own kingdom, by a powerful king, queen and jack that healed their home with surely the help of Aces. It was just a miracle how the power, the control, seemed to move the very ground to their bidding.

 Many families returned to their homes to find it standing just the way they had left it. Many wept, finding it hard to believe that everything was there…back.

 And Ludwig, Ludwig rode on confidently on the back of a St. Mark, staring up to his husband, his beautiful, cheerful and powerful, daring, incredible husband, as he himself called upon vines and trees to arise from the ground, taller or just in their same glory with nothing to make different.

 Finally, finally, Feliciano had let the harp free, letting it take its large length, only to play, from the melody, whole new colors coming, bringing back a symphony of red that all sang along with. The air arose with freshness that all wanted to doze with, lay in its rest, confident that they would be safe. Feliciano heard as laughter, cheers, celebration, joined this new music he made, and he would smile down to Ludwig, glad for the shine in his blue eyes and just the hope and restoration in the views between them.

 Now this…was a world they could proudly show their children one day.

 But as the royals of the four kingdoms completed their healing, they met at a point where the darkness was at its strongest, where a fury continued to rage and roars still echoed across all their near distances.

 Khaos was still alive, still destroying, and they had all met where it was time to face him…and end him.

 They had taken camp, proudly the flags and shields of all four kingdoms shinning together in the small rotunda where they all watched as he ravaged on in his inferno. All the soldiers that were in charge of holding him for now had been evacuated, only a powerful shield, with the help of all four kings, over Khaos’s sky as he slashed and scream without a single consciousness of intelligence. They wondered if he had seen how they led the remaining soldiers away, if he knew how powerful they were, how they have healed the world behind him, that Ludwig was back and Feliciano possessed the power of the alignment along with so much more.

 His immense figure didn’t seem so powerful anymore. Kiku raised his hands and could squash him between the pinching of his fingers.

 As if it was as simple as that, Feliciano couldn’t help the chuckle.

 “What’s our strategy now?” Elizabeta asked with serious intent, a large and heavy sword in her hands that was utterly eager to begin cuts and slashes.

 Feliciano sighed, in that deep breath bringing with him seriousness, shinning so much more mature than any had expected. There was a new amber in his eyes that made him so much older and braver, almost exactly like the images they had been taught to believe of Romulus.

 “We take each a direction, you know what you have that is powerful, use it, at all the forces you can call on, weakling him, acting before any throw he can give. Now, whatever he attacks us with, is nothing.”

 Another screech that had them all turning, yet they listened on. For once, with Khaos acting his vengeance behind them, they were not afraid.

 “Diamonds, North, Spades, West, Clubs, South and Hearts, East. You have already been granted protection from the alignment power I will use. Do not be weary of it. No matter what happens, I won’t let anything happen to any of you.” Sure and a decree that was high. Feliciano didn’t have to say it for the rest to already know it.

 Pookie, who had taken his large form, stood ready by Feliciano, with a stance that instantly reminded Feliciano on the grand images they made of his great grandparents riding these very creatures. He petted him lovingly, trying to see, to believe that he could make his own images worthy of being painted on the ceiling of churches.

 “So…do we just start?” Vash was suddenly hesitant, after that show of strength, he started to shake.

 “Scared?” Roderich teased even as he himself began to tremble, all slowly noticing it as well.

 “I thought we were done with that,” Yao scolded.

 “I’ve seen everything fail, everything crash down right before we believed, we had hoped and thought we could make a change… what if this is but another of that?” Vash went on.

 The silence he brought made all explore these very words, a falling to them away from the power of gods they currently possessed.

 “I…I fear the same things,” Ivan…the tallest and biggest of all, the one who they had though would smile his vengeance as he bloodied Khaos…trembled and kept a heavy grip on his staff.

 “We haven’t even begun,” Ludwig tried to make them realize.

 “The most important battle is yet to take place,” Lili joined her cousin.

 “What will make this one stand out?” Alfred wondered.

 “It will be the last,” Francis assured.

 “I’m tired of having lasts,” Arthur complained.

 “Francis is right though,” Feliciano interrupted, mighty and high to get them all to stop, to leave a silence to listen. “It will be the last…” he was sure this time, taking steps forward, all parting to give him a space they felt was too heavenly to touch. “Hear me…” he called out…not just to the royals, but all, absolutely all that were there. “…Hear me…hear me all this very instant!” He commanded with a piercing anger that left some trembling by Feliciano instead. “It is not only Kings, Queens and Jacks that stand here today! Look behind you!” He spread his arms to the still surving armies under them. “You have the entire might of all four kingdoms here! And do you want them to see this…scared and disgraceful leaders with nothing but the armors they created? No!” Shouted like he had been insulted. “No! They see what all our kingdoms represent. Power, Wisdom, Trust…and love…” Feliciano took this opportunity to gaze to all, their attention well taken, the words being well planted. “They will see what these very stances give, power granted and given by the Aces! They will see us fight, they will see us bring Khaos to his knees and then for sure our world will see that we are not a force to be fooled with!” Feliciano saw as the ground seemed to be raised under them, just with the strong belief in their eyes, standing tall to surely meet the fiery eyes of Khaos.

 “The Aces have chosen us…we are the ones destined to make this battle, to make this war…and here, as it will be written about us…will we end this all.” With intent to kill, to finish. There was now no more space to doubt, to hold it, they all stood ready for that very finish. “My Clubians…My Spadians…My Diamonds…My Heartians…remember…we do this for glory.”

 A sudden shrill, and yet no one flinched.

 Some raised their weapons high.

 “For honor,” Ludwig was relaxed, but just as potent as his husband.

 “For riches!” Abasi shouted high somewhere in the crowd, getting many to join in his shout.

 “For the gods!” Antonio bellowed from the perch of his animal, with him hundreds to join in flight.

 “Yes…this…this is it,” Francis raised, along with the magnitude of this crowd that made him feel like the earth of the entire world was to trample over their foe now.

 “The Aces are here! They are at our side!” Roderich knew as he joined in the array around him.

 “For Clubs!” All the greens shouted as they made their movement to take their south, their colors and flags high.

 “For Spades!” Arthur and Yao led to their west.

 “Let’s bring this motherfucker down!” Alfred just had to add as he joined the flight with the dragons of their infantry.

 “For Diamonds!” Lili, raising a hand full of bright and dangerous magic. To the surprise of many, she was the one that gave that loud shout that pushed the forces of her kingdom to the north.

 Ludwig, Feliciano and Kiku stood yet, wondered like children over all the action that decorated even the skies. Khaos’s darkness was nothing compared to the festiveness of their colors as it began to tear about the void. Even so small, the Heartian royals felt taller than everything.

 “For Hearts?” Kiku raised magic, Ludwig raised his sword, looking both to Feliciano for his own decree.

 Feliciano breathed in and when his breath escaped, he turned with glowing marks, a golden halo coronated him, wings released, eyes a deep red, power beginning to ooze from him, and his two companions smiled as if they had always knew this as him.

 “For Hearts!” And he raised the harp, growing large to the desired length and comfort of a bow, Pookie leaning ready for his seating and thus Feliciano took that perch, motioning for Kiku and Ludwig to join him as well. To Pookie, especially in this form, their weigh was nothing. He just as easily sprinted high, to join the rest of the force that created the population of both the earth and sky.

 Feliciano lead them in their direction to the east, coming close to Khaos, who stood in his place surely wondering over all these pests that suddenly came, surrounding him well.

 “Kiku…” Feliciano reminded and the jack of Hearts knew. He bowed in promise and suddenly took a jump out of the flying lion, landing elegantly on the perch of a red glass he created. He extended his arms full of magic, raining it down in a cleansing shower that began to deteriorate the swinging arms and pillars of darkness. Many Heartians came to his aid in intensifying it.

 In each direction, the Jacks did the same, riding much of these dangerous arms that could make this more difficult. Before, just riding of one was a feat that had already killed many of their people. But now…many were rid in easy seconds, people glowing in happiness as there direction was clearer. Those in the ground could run or gallop on their animals free and without a single threat above them. Now, as these dark ribbons weakened, it was much easier to rid with the ease of their weapons or even their fists.

 “Ludwig…” Feliciano called his husband’s attention back, who had been starring at their already beginning success proud.

 Despite the wings, the halo, this new glow of marks, ethereal in gold truly like the grace of an Ace, Ludwig looked on to him like his adoring Feliciano, the friend he had since childhood and now his husband who was expectant to bring their first pair of children.  

 Ludwig nodded, although hesitant as he gathered slight bits of darkness from his power. It was the one thing that had ruined all, but Feliciano had gathered information from the eternal reserve that could help. Now, Ludwig was to test it for the first time. They had no time and place to practice. Yet Feliciano believed and Ludwig…didn’t feel it control him, overtake him. It was his free to do as he pleased. Yes…he could do this. He smiled and made his preparation to do his own jump, but not before leaning towards Feliciano and the Queen of Hearts let himself a freeing of his hands to take Ludwig to his embrace. Their lips came for one deep kiss, one magical and igniting. Ludwig felt himself lift from it, a power that helped him fall and take just the right aim even as he fell midair. He had it locked, just as the other King and Queens did their own. In a powerful slash, all their attacks met and crashed upon the shield that Khaos had been using the entire war. They had never known he had one, but now it was no matter, for they easily took it down. Khaos surely felt it for he stilled and looked upon himself as if he had been exposed. He was, clear, and already Feliciano knew the aim and where he needed to land it.

 “Take me there,” he told Pookie, and the St. Mark nodded and hurried in his flight, a swirl all around the great beast that granted Feliciano the best view to watch all the horror. He smiled to know how much less darkness there was, spotting the natural blues and greens underneath that was beauty of Spades. Suddenly he felt a burning, intense even with his own Ace protection. In his distraction, he hadn’t noticed how Khaos came right to his presence, his monstrous eyes and mouth a pool that with ease he could fall into. Feliciano wouldn’t dare, and at Khaos’s sudden roar, he didn’t even flinch, he only sent him his own wrath with his stare, before pulling on Pookie’s large mane and flying them away from the throws Khaos tried to swing at Feliciano. He made his slides, with the help of the wind he called, Pookie’s speed and just how small they were, easy to find crevices to make their escape.

 As Feliciano reached a good top with a good position, he raised his arms high, his fingertips glowing in light, in power that called and brought from all around as it met and Feliciano let it all rain at Khaos. He screeched horribly in pain, meteors and stars coming continuous. Khaos tried to smash some away, some successful in being thrown at Feliciano’s direction, but Pookie and him, went under or around them well.

 That’s when Feliciano began to worry over his St. Mark, already parts of his fur burning from the attacks. “Pookie, let me deal with this now,” he told him and of course the animal refused. Feliciano sighed, expecting this kind of loyalty, but then it gave him an idea, knowing he could trust it. “Go get Ludwig! Bring him to me!” Pookie understood and flew in that direction, Feliciano letting himself fall in a backward flip, a graceful one that let him play momentarily with the wind, the float, the freedom, before his wings caught them and lifted him up. He copied what he had seen Pookie do, the action coming easy, naturally like it had always been a part of him. He couldn’t help his grin as he went forward with his route, charging something powerful in his hands, growing in an intricate and beautiful symbol that alighted with him well. Khaos saw it that instant and went quick for his aim. He bounced against it, the symbol Feliciano made growing at just his size, with a sharpness and cling that resonated across the whole land. His immense figure fell, and the soldiers underneath feared the worst, but Feliciano spread a shield above them, quick as he made his flight. He had to be quicker as Khaos tried to stand again, not caring over the people he would step on as he raised.

 Feliciano continued with the lightning shields, intricate and beautiful, but this time Khaos was strong enough to stand against each shock, despite his roars of pain, intensifying as surely the stings got stronger. Feliciano abandoned the shield tactic and began to swing them as disks. Sometimes they were excellent and worked well to burn and tear apart at the target, other times, Khaos still swung on and Feliciano had to tactically avoid, under, over, breathing heavily as he quickened and forced to deal with the speed. For the first time, he took the harp, he prepared four arrows from the gold of his magic, powerful and with ease. He aimed and fired, the piercing one of deep lightning that alighted the sky like part of a storm. Some soldiers had to be moved away for caution as Feliciano intensified, as he kicked on with earthquakes in his force, fired arrows that made this storm bigger, called wind, power and light that exploded in burns that some couldn’t even look at, having to ground and stop whatever they have been doing.

 To their success, more of Khaos broke, with crumbles and pieces literally falling, revealing a weak white that some could easily use to bring more damage.

 Khaos was heaving, leaning, having to hold to the ground to give himself some stability.

 “He’s weakening!” Gilbert shouted, his tone and call one that could extend across the plain, some celebrating to it, but it made Khaos huff, a smoke coming out that poisoned once again. He used it to give him leverage, having to heave more and more until his weakening figure could hide in its grey. Feliciano was succumbed under it as well, but with his power, it was nothing. It didn’t sicken him or blinded him, but he couldn’t see all that well in this dusk. He could still keep his flight as he tried to strengthen his vision.

 “Feliciano!” Came the call of his husband, his armor teared, cuts and his hair a mess, but to Feliciano he shined beautifully and with perfection. He dared to stand on Pookie as the St. Mark brought them close together. Ludwig showed hurry and preparation, a leaning towards him that didn’t care over the precipice under him.

 “What do I have to do?” He already offered and Feliciano knew that whatever it was, he would fulfill instantaneous.  

 “I need you with me.” He offered his hands and Ludwig took them and let himself fall into his float, hold and security of staying midair in the midst of this blinding smoke.

 Pookie followed behind as Feliciano rushed them trying to find any sign of the main body. “The blackness works like another shield. It also must be what helps him to get power. All we have to do now is finish getting rid of it and not give him the chance to regenerate. Once it’s crumbled, I can give a finishing blow that will end it all.”

 They had a clear ending spoken, possible and sure. Ludwig nodded between all, finding no hardness even as the monster moved and awakened again, roaring and trying to swing at them between the now dimming smoke.

 “Any ideas as to how exactly were going to do that?”

 “With your help. With the dark magic inside you.”

 Ludwig sighed but found it indeed the best idea.

 “We have to get close.”

 “All for you, liebe.” And there was no fear as they plunged closer, enough that they could touch or even walk upon, for it was slowly losing its burn and hurt. Feliciano had to let Ludwig go, using force and power to run across the body while Feliciano continued his flight, sending slashes, ribbons and symbols intense enough to crack. Ludwig gripped hard upon the body, identifying, taking and putting himself into the magic to disrupt, to break apart with ease. Khaos, noticing Ludwig’s presence, tried to once again tame him, spreading through his veins in darkness, but Ludwig learned well to fight against it, using his exercises from childhood to push back, ever stronger, with burn and shocking pain that had Khaos reverting back, disgusted and without any intention to try again. Ludwig smiled to himself when he noticed, finding himself the winner in this specific battle. His grin only grew larger when no matter how he dug, how he broke apart pieces of black with mere force, Khaos did nothing, only dealt with whatever state this caused as his main target became Feliciano.

 As Ludwig plunged his own darkness into Khaos, even at the top reaches Feliciano flew upon, he could feel his magic working, tapping, using it and adding it to his own purpose. He enlarged the harp and placed one of its ends against the body. He changed it to the fierceness of a knife and let it carve aggravatingly as he flew on. Khaos roared and swung his arms and his whole body to try and rid of him as if he was a mere fly. Whatever reaches, Feliciano managed, even as he continued to move the harp across, cracking and disturbing. He would swing back with whatever part of him wasn’t focusing on flight or holding to the harp, with splashes like waves that extended across the valley in a beautiful gold that reigned to the rest of the soldiers in a wonderment that somehow took away horror from this. Or other times, in a large impress from the tiny figure Feliciano still presented himself as, he would punch with power, a force that shook the earth and pushed Khaos away in a tremble that some thought would blow up the monster finally. To their dismay, Khaos yet continued, if even slowed, if even as this cracking began to reach him all, breaking him and not seeming as intimidating as he had been the entire war.

 As Feliciano tried to finish a last carving spin around the back of his neck, in his focus, he didn’t notice how Khaos shook, how he reached and swatted him away like an insect. He broke from his flight, falling down and landing harshly on the ground in a bang that made some think it had been a meteor.

 “Feliciano!” Ludwig called from the standing he still took on Khaos, stopping his own work to make sure that his husband had survived.

 Of course he did, only groaning as he tried to find his own sitting once again.

 Once the dust settled and Ludwig could spot him, he sighed in relief, just in the distraction Khaos needed at him to plunge, Ludwig tripping not being able to keep his footing, falling but luckily taking a grasp that kept him hanging. Khaos continued his roars and swings hoping to have him, yet Ludwig always managed a holding that kept him still attached. He refused to let himself fall, not when they were so close…so close to finally ending it all. To make it work, he had to keep his place on Khaos’s body.

 Feliciano felt his husbands’ distress, even as he arranged himself, bones, even the ones in the wings he currently possessed, cracking fearsome, symbols on his skin changing, working to get him back to the powerful Ace outlook. Quick he managed to stand, to stretch and roll until he was standing as proud and even menacing. He could feel his love in danger, lightening up a fury that charged within him, angering, angering and angering until he released it in a powerful swing of fire, grabbing, taking all of Khaos and slamming him hard against the ground in a thrust that shook the entire valley. All his people that fought had to lay down in reverence.

 They had done their purpose…now it was Feliciano’s turn to make the last front.

 Dark shards spread across, more white was seen, Khaos was finding it ever harder to stand, to make again his shield of darkness. In whatever attempt he could still manage, he tried to take Ludwig in his clutches. He thought he could threaten, he thought he could still have an upper hand by putting him at risk, but Feliciano didn’t let him, and neither did Ludwig as he bit, as he released and continued on with his own attack, leaving Khaos, even in his immense form, helpless.

 Feliciano ran or sometimes flew as the obstacles came, all across the expanse, like a field all for himself to enjoy from and play in. He could already imagine taking this very field free from evil, beautiful Spadian flowers spreading, safe enough for even children to play. Feliciano was reminded of his own childhood with Ludwig doing the same things on the sunny hills of Italy that he had lived. He could imagine their own children laughing and running as they themselves had once.

 For them, for that future, he practically shouted to himself as he continued his shredding all across the body, with ease avoiding fumes of darkness or whatever minuscule attack Khaos tried to send on him.

 It was becoming less and less as Ludwig dealt with cutting off the parts that created attacks. Khaos couldn’t stand any longer, he could only manage a sitting by the time Feliciano reached the back of his neck. He didn’t even notice he was there. It was enough for Feliciano to take his harp and finish the last of the carving.

 It was time.

 Khaos swung at him weakly, Feliciano could avoid it with ease. All of the darkness in his body began to fall, more white appearing to the point that one could confuse him as a symbol of Pisa instead.

 “Everyone move away!” He had called with Ace potency in his tone, all shaking as they obeyed, other royals mobilizing a quick escape from the area. Yet of all, Kiku was the only who stayed in his place, his gaze locked up on his Queen despite how he stood by the immensity of Khaos’s fallen hip. He could easily be caught in any wail Khaos tried, yet Kiku found it unfair to run away, especially when his King and Queen were still in this fray. He didn’t follow the crowds, he went the opposite direction, trying to meet Ludwig or Feliciano.

 “Kiku! Kiku!” He heard Abasi shout after him, but he didn’t answer, in opposite, he moved faster. He began to reach places that had been emptied, or untouched because they were the most dangerous areas that were left for Feliciano to deal with, and he could tell, as he cough and began to feel stings even with the shields Feliciano had placed on them.

 “Ludwig…Feliciano! Ludwig! Feliciano!” He called hoping to reach them. No one…everything was empty and desolate even with Khaos roaring and shaking still. He leaned in failure, in loneliness, thinking that everything will end like this for him in a desperate reach to be with his friends in this moment of need.

 Something was coming near, warm, friendly, already a smile he could feel on his back. “Kiku!” Came that excitement that he knew well from his Queen. He smiled and fell into Feliciano’s arms as he swept him off with his speed and flight across the immensity. Despite how the marks glowed on his skin like rubies, the impotent halo, the red wine in his eyes and the great wings…Kiku saw Feliciano true, as any other day in the castle before everything.

 “Feliciano, listen, I will not be moving away with the rest. You have to let me help you, and I won’t take any-”

 “Ah, good! I actually need you right now.”

 Kiku held himself for a moment in embarrassment. “What is it?” He instead went straight to his duty.

 “First, we have to pick up Ludwig.” And finally his figure appeared in the distance, a debonair smile as he raised his hand in knowing, no fear at all despite actually standing on Khaos. Feliciano caught him just as some dimming darkness bubbled and exploded in their leave. The remains blended into white with the rest of the ruin Khaos was becoming.

 Feliciano, with simple ease, carried both his King and Jack over the last of the terrain, using the ending elevation to raise him up and start escalating high in the air.

 “This is it. I’ll be aiming him with the largest power in my possession. It’s one Augusta told me about, using the harp.” He suddenly stopped as he avoided a throw of darkness that Khaos tried to make.

 As they continued, he was forced into a sweep that was not the best to be carrying Ludwig and Kiku in. He whistled and in no time came Pookie, offering a stead that Feliciano placed them all in perfect accord. The winged lion didn’t mind at all, he actually purred at knowing the aid he gave, continuing the heights Feliciano intended while successfully avoiding whatever Khaos managed in his last attempts.

 “Then…it will finally be over?” Ludwig desperately hoped.

 “Not quite. Khaos still possesses something important and we have to take it away before we destroy him.”

 Kiku and Ludwig didn’t bother to question what. They just nodded and trusted whatever Feliciano planned. There was no time to hesitate or change especially when they were upon the final horizon.

 Feliciano, to be ready, began a calling, a raise of magic from all across the globe, meeting upon him to create wonderful pillars of light, far, large, slowly encaging the area for what his Ace power planned.

 “With me, you have to aim, and with me you have to fire a serene Teresa.”

 It was a high protective spell to act against large threats. It was mostly used by guards or sorcerers that worked with fire or other sudden emergencies, to protect those they found in wreckages or trying to get out people that were stuck while fires, earthquakes or tsunamis rampaged. Simple, yet with the force they now had, it would be a shield perfect to protect exactly what Feliciano needed. Ludwig and Kiku already began to thread the spell in their palms as Feliciano made Pookie take a pause…finding just the right place. They turned to Khaos’s direction, and despite how he was weakening, his being was still an inferno that they felt coming close to burn them completely.

 They weren’t bothered.

 Ludwig and Kiku already took their aim as they gathered the magic needed, Ludwig including even some dark magic that could be of great use. Feliciano finally let his harp extend in size, just as these far off pillars shined more, moving at the raise of his arms like giant arrows that worked alone in their own bows of air. Their citizens trembled at their immensity, scared if they would even get out of this attack, if the shields Feliciano had placed on them would work. This seemed too large for them to even witness. And then they lowered, setting their target, the harp burning along with the formation that Feliciano created, his being glowing more in its fire and with his own gold. A gorgeous deep red arrow was formed, engraved with vines of gold that seemed to breathe to Ludwig and Kiku. They almost lost their focus because of it.

 It was ready, the aim was set, just as Khaos erupted and tried to reach, tried to swat away Feliciano in his very last attempt. Feliciano only smiled, an intense glow in his eyes as he let go and fired, the arrow, along with the large ones all around him, aiming true at a center that obliterated, blew and exploded. Ludwig and Kiku joined in their own attack, embracing a center where surely laid what Feliciano wanted protected. Although their citizens were blinded in this immense show of power and light, the three Heartian royals saw as clearly as if they were in the purest of waters. Feliciano swam them through it with ease, using his power to protect them as they traversed this fire. His wings grew as extra shield, the gems and marks on his body glowing more to let them survive.

 “Is he gone? Is he really gone?” Kiku had to question in the mist.

 “Wait…” Feliciano told just as a shrill went throughout, chilling and horrifying, Ludwig and Kiku had to cover their ears from it and only Feliciano went through with it, having to maintain their safe within. He let his arms dance in a particular way that called creation, bringing to him any darkness and purifying it in gold and colors, flying off like petals to join the flourishing of this new field.

 He continued this cleanse as he made Pookie ride them throughout, a downward glide that to Ludwig and Kiku seemed like hours. The closer they reached the ground, the more it cleared around them, the more natural blue sky they saw, the more they could breathe, their smile grew and they were confident that no harm as Khaos would ever come again.

 Pookie landed on the ground, Ludwig and Kiku taking their descend with ease, walking now in the start of green grass, the dirt there with only but specks of darkness. Feliciano followed afterwards, still calling with him the remnants, spread across above them in damaged strings that they could think were just strange dark clouds. Feliciano called them all to him, piece by piece making each part disappear in glowing wind, the shrills getting lower and lower until they were only but a squeak in the palm of Feliciano’s hands.

 Now, as everything around them cleared to the usual rushes of this field, the last bits of darkness were but the ones that swam around the small call, the small wave Feliciano kept of a single hand. Whatever last shout Khaos tried to make, it came out like a child’s cry. He tried to whip, but even if it did reach skin, it did nothing, not even redden or create the slightest cut. Ludwig and Kiku stared on stupefied, finding it hard to believe that what was left of Khaos was just these tiny specks that Feliciano kept twirling around.

 “And…” a turn down, “…you are…” up, another spin, only but dust left… “…gone.”

 And there was no more darkness, everything disappeared entirely. Now surrounding them was the natural blow of wind, cleaning the field and bringing the aroma of flowers that was meant.

 It was silent, it was peaceful, Feliciano smiled in welcome to this new era, proper with this new sun that came.

 Khaos was gone. It was over…it was finally over. 

________________________________________________________

Only two more chapters to go ;)

[wrestlingisfake]

NWA 73 preview

This is the NWA's 73rd anniversary show, which kicks off at 8pm EDT from the Chase Hotel in St. Louis. It'll be streaming live on Fite.tv for $24.99. However, if you can still get the $39.99 bundle for this show and last night's Empowerrr, I'd recommend doing that.

Nick Aldis vs. Trevor Murdoch - For the third time, Murdoch is challenging Aldis for the NWA men's world heavyweight title. After coming up short on June 6 and July 24, Murdoch put his career on the line for this match; if he doesn't win, he will retire from pro wrestling.

Aldis has been champion for over 1,000 days. To put that into perspective, he won the title from Cody Rhodes at the NWA's 70th anniversary show, in October 2018. Prior to Cody's brief title reign, Aldis held the ten pounds of gold for an additional 266 days. In short, he's been the champion for most of the last four years. He's been so utterly dominant that I seriously think Murdoch may retire.

Murdoch is the embodiment of a wrestling journeyman. He got his first big break in the last days of ECW. Then in 2005 he debuted in WWE as a tag team with Lance Cade. This was at the peak of WWE's mentality of recruiting handsome muscle-y guys like Cade, so Murdoch's flabby, white-trash trucker look immediately made him stand out. He was different, which made him interesting, but WWE released him almost as soon as they broke up the team in 2008. At the time, getting cut from WWE usually meant no chance of getting back in, and few alternatives to make good money at wrestling. So he fell off the radar in the 2010s, only to re-emerge on Billy Corgan's version of the NWA, which seemed tailor-made for him.

The big question here is whether the NWA would actually take the world title off of their one heavily-protected superstar and put it on a guy who would be (and has been) a midcard also-ran in any other promotion. The other question is what happens with Aldis if he drops the belt--it's possible his contract is coming due, and that may be forcing the issue of a title change. If Aldis is on his way out, Murdoch is the best guy they have left to take over as champion. If not...well, I don't know how you book Aldis underneath Murdoch. I wouldn't mind finding out, though.

I'm leaning towards Murdoch winning the title. But it's a credit to how well they've protected Aldis that I can't shake the feeling that he'll win yet again and hold the title another 1,000 days.

Chris Adonis vs. James Storm - Adonis (better known as "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters in WWE) is defending the NWA national championship. Storm was a regular with the NWA up until January 2020. Other than coming in for some tapings where he dropped the tag title, he hasn't been around since then. So maybe this is a one-off or maybe he's back for good. The finish will probably depend on that. I'm sort of thinking Storm wins the title, but I could be wrong.

Kamille vs. Chelsea Green - Green won the NWA Women's Invitiational Cup last night to earn this shot at Kamille's NWA women's world title. I'm still kinda sore that Tootie Lynn didn't win after that huge hometown pop she got. It'll be worth it if they have something good planned for this match, but I'm not expecting a lot. Green is a free agent that could end up anywhere, but I don't think she'll end up in the NWA, so I don't think she's going to win the title.

Mickie James vs. Kylie Rae - When James was announced as the producer of the Empowerrr show, she vowed that she would not book herself to wrestle on the show, so this is her big chance to compete in an NWA ring this weekend. Kylie, meanwhile, is coming off a loss last night. It feels like Mickie needs to go over to establish her as the big star coming into the territory, but for all I know she's not sticking around, or she might prefer to put over the younger talent. This another match where I just can't be sure who wins, which is good for this card.

Aron Stevens & JR Kratos vs. Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf 450 - Stevens and Kratos are defending the NWA men's tag team title against representatives of AAA's faction La Rebelion. The last time I really kept up with the NWA, Stevens was doing a comedy karate gimmick with Jocephus dressed up as The Question Mark. Somewhere along the way (prior to Jocephus's death), Stevens ended up with Kratos instead. On paper you'd expect the team with Stevens on it to get clobbered, because he's the Wile E. Coyote of pro wrestling. But I doubt Bestia and Mecha Wolf are sticking around, so a tag title change wouldn't make a lot of sense. So look for Stevens to pull some kind of chicanery.

Thom Latimer vs. Tim Storm vs. Crimson - This is being billed as the "Brawl in the Lou" (i.e., St. Louis), which I assume means there are no disqualifications or count-outs, and falls count anywhere. Latimer is part of Nick Aldis's stable Strictly Business (along with Chris Adonis and Kamille). Tim Storm is 57 years old and sort of plays the role of an NWA legend without actually having been around when the NWA was really legendary. Crimson had been teaming with Jax Dane over the past few years but I'm not sure if that's still a thing. I have no idea why these three are fighting, and it may be just because there was nothing else for them to do on this show. I don't know who should win and I'm not sure it matters.

Tyrus & Jordan Clearwater & The Masked Man vs. Da Pope & Odinson & Parrow - Tyrus used to be Brodus Clay in WWE; currently he's the NWA television champion, with Austin Idol as his manager. Clearwater is part of Idol's stable. The Masked Man seems to be an x-factor in this match, and I don't know enough about the story to venture a guess as to why he's involved here. Pope appeared in WWE as Elijah Burke, and even though that's his real name he's tended to just go by "Da Pope" ever since. Odinson and Parrow are a tag team called The End.

The only storyline I can discern is that Tyrus won the TV title from Pope. I'm not sure what the Masked Man and The End have to do with anything. I tried looking for a promo on Youtube to explain things but I just ended up listening to a long, go-nowhere Austin Idol promo that reminded me why I don't watch NWA Powerrr much. I guess Pope's team wins, maybe?

12-man battle royale - This appears to be a standard battle royale, with everyone in the ring at the start, and eliminations occurring when the participants leave the ring over the top rope. The last competitor left in the ring wins the match and receives a future match for the NWA men's world title. No participants have been announced, and I'm real curious if the NWA even has twelve men available that aren't already booked for the other matches. For all I know the undercard guys may be doing double duty tonight.

This feels like a good place to have a surprise wrestler debut to win the whole thing and shake up the main event scene. Whether the NWA has anyone like that lined up remains to be seen. But WWE did lay off a lot of men who haven't shown up anywhere else yet, so maybe it could happen.

[louisweasleyisgonnakickyourarse]

The Boat is No Longer Rocking :(

Gabrielle Delacour sat cross legged in her sister’s living room arm chair, letter in hand as her blue eyes perused the all too familiar swirling french script. In her bag, a similar letter sat however that one belonged to her and her alone, this one had been sent to her sixteen year old nephew. Despite having two different owners, the letters were remarkably similar beckoning each to the summer home of Leontine, their Veela family line’s current matriarch. The letter though cordial and flowery was at best a threat. 

Come atone for your sins. Gabrielle felt her aunt would have herself a lot of time and ink if she had said that  and got it over with. Gabrielle’s eyes lifted off the letter and to the face of her nephew. Louis looked more haggard than usual, tired, worn out. Sad. If she had known she would have brought along her son, the sunny faced eight year old would have cheered Louis right up. He was currently tucked safely away with his father in the italian country side eating his weight in pasta and fish. 

She hadn’t known when Louis had written her to inquire about the whether or not she got a letter from Leontine what else was happening in the young wizard’s life. She didn’t know he had been dumped by the girl he loved, his potential mate, nor that she was currently holed up in Shell cottage as well due to a separate unfortunate set of circumstances.

“Does your mother know?” Gabrielle asked, shoving Louis’ letter back at him. The Ravenclaw took it, immediately going to playing with the edges of the stiff stationary as he looked down at his feet awkwardly.

“Perhaps that’s for the best.” Louis’ aunt anwsered with a sigh. If Louis had been younger Gabrielle would have been more responsible and told Louis he ought not to keep things from his mother. But she knew her sister, how protective she was. Fleur, if she knew, would show up at Helene’s doorstep in a rage. Though Fleur was usually composed and kind in her own well meaning way, she was viciously protective. She hadn’t understood it at first, that was until Gabrielle gave birth to her own son and she had felt that primal violent gut feelings that chanted eternally; protect protect protect. It was the fate of Veela to breed and kill and breed some more. They lived and died for their offspring, it was really all they lived for. 

But Louis was no longer a child, he was a man. In November he would be seventeen which while still so young was not young enough. He had made a man’s decision and now he must pay a man’s price. But she would be with him, if that was any consolation.

“So we are going, yeah?” Louis questioned, skipping over the uncomfortable truth that this was something he couldn’t share with his parents. He looked to his Tante who gave a nod. Not so much of approval, but of acceptance. She looked a bit nervous to be honest.

“But I’m not lying to my sister,” Gabrielle pointed out, “You need to tell her. . . whatever it is you are telling her.”

“I’m going to tell her I’m going to visit Grand Mere.” Louis confided in his aunt. Gabrielle gave another uncomfortable nod, neither of them liking the prospect of lying.

“And what will you tell Caerwyn?” Gabrielle questioned. Louis sighed. He had told Caerwyn he would be going to France and she had been less than receptive to the idea. But it really wasn’t her decsion was it. 

“She’s the one that broke up with me, I don’t owe her anything.” Louis reminded his aunt. The blonde woman only snorted.

“You say that like you didn’t fucking rescue her.”  Louis only frowned deeper at Gabrielle’s words. He didn’t regret rescuing Caerwyn but it did little to hide his feelings for her.

“We can leave on Sunday.” Gabrielle said, reaching out a comforting hand to pat her nephew’s hand.

“I want to leave tonight.” For the first time since the break up with Caerwyn, Louis allowed himself to sound pained. He had fallen into himself after the split. He had been angry at first, then he got home and got numb. Or rather, numb on the surface. He didn’t know how to deal with his feelings, he didn’t know how to show them, so he hid them. 

But something about the comfort his aunt offered, how Tante was always on his side, always there for him when he needed her, it broke down his walls reducing Louis to the emotional child he used to be. He wouldn’t cry, he refused to, but it was clear by the way his voice broke and the tightness in his throat that if he was forced to talk about it anymore he would. He wanted to get out of here, to be far far away from Caerwyn. He cared for her of course, he was happy she was safe and being looked after, but he couldn’t take seeing her everyday, not when he still hadn’t gotten over her.

Gabrielle moved towards her nephew soundlessly, wrapping him in the familiar circle of her arms. 

“Okay, okay.” Gabrielle agreed, pressing a kiss into her nephew’s red unruly locks. “We will leave tonight.”

o0o

Later that evening around eight as everyone was getting ready for bed Louis went into his bedroom and pulled the black duffle bag from the back of his closet. He had told his mother he was going to visit his grandmother for a little bit earlier that evening and surprisingly she had little to say on the subject. He had watched shock pass over her face, but then understanding. Finally, worst of all, pity. In the way her mouth turned down at the corners and the way she tilted her blonde head. 

“Okay,” Fleur had said. “That. . .it might be best.” His mother knowing his weakness hurt almost more to Louis than if she had denied him. Bill had a similar response and he realized perhaps this had been something his parents had predicted. It was embarrassing to say the least, that they should be so privy to his private feelings, but it made things insanely easier. 

What was harder would be saying goodbye to Caerwyn. Like a coward, Louis tried to avoid her and only went to pack his belongings after the house had started to wind down. Things were still a bit awkward and tense between him and Caerwyn so through out the day it wasn’t uncommon to find them on their own. Or rather, Louis on his own. Caerwyn was practically glued to Fleur’s side.

In a few hours though, Louis wouldn’t have to be tip toeing around his own house trying to run from the girl who didn’t love him but still demanded his affection. He would be on his way to get his ass handed to him by with terrifying veela cousins, but the prospect of physical pain was much more welcome the constant emotional pain he was currently living in. He has thrust  handful of boxers into his bag by the time he heard his door creak open. He knew it was Caerwyn, she didn’t need to announce herself. But stubbornly, Louis continued to pack, refusing to speak to her and risk losing his nerve. She had no right to keep you here, Louis reminded himself, you’re not her man any more.

[fizzyhosh]

tagged by @kabeswaters !!!! love u big time

1. on a scale of 1-10, how excited are you about life right now? .... 3

2. describe yourself in a hashtag? #onedirectionstan

3. if you could do a love scene with anyone, who would it be? gross Harry Styles

4. if your life was a musical, what would the marquee say? get ready for disappointment but the good thing is one direction would be to my musical as abba is to mamma mia

5. what’s one thing people don’t know about you? i have strong ambitions but they are outweighed by executive dysfunction so lots of adults like teachers just think I'm lazy 🤪🥴

6. what’s your wake up ritual? currently it's get up at 2pm, look at discord, snapchat, and instagram, then eat some gosh darn food

7. what’s your go to bed ritual? this is so unhealthy I know grab a snack and a soda and scroll mindlessly on social media until I get tired, get up and brush my teeth, go back to my bed and put on my sleep playlist (called sleeby) and set a time so it stops playing after I fall asleep

8. what’s your favorite time of day? despite the fact that I get up in the afternoon, it's actually like 10am that's a goooood time

9. your go to for having a good laugh? I look up Niall Horan laugh complications it genuinely works every time

10. dream country to visit? Germany or Italy

11. what’s the biggest surprise you’ve ever had? my 19th birthday my roommates had a surprise party for me and I was so shocked and almost cried bc it was so sweet and bc made me anxious

12. heels or flats/sneakers? I thought that said heelys :(( but sneakers

13. vintage or new? vintaaaage

14. who do you want to write your obituary? uh idk hopefully none of my current family bc I don't want to die before them cause that'll mean I die young??? this question is making me overthink so I'm just gonna say Ewan Gregor and move on

15. style icon? this chick named mathilda on Instagram you might have seen her on insta or Pinterest she's a redhead but her style is brilliant

16. what are three things you cannot live without? music, dr. pepper, eggos

17. what’s one ingredient you put in everything? I sound so white but SALT I salt the heck outta everything

18. what 3 people living or dead would you want to make dinner for? Steve Irwin, Harry Styles, Freddie Mercury

19. what’s your biggest fear in life? dying while I'm taking a shower and having my family find my naked, wet, dead body falling out of love. which makes me not want to fall IN love bc then the chance of falling OUT of love becomes a possibility

20. window or aisle seat? window window window window window

21. what’s your current tv obsession? not really obsessed with anything rn but I rewatch new girl every chance I get

22. favorite app? instagram

23. secret talent? I can wiggle my ears

24. most adventurous thing you’ve ever done in your life? i flew to New Orleans during a break with two of my friends bc they found $60 round trip tickets. We bought the tickets the day before. We literally got to NOLA at 7am and left 8pm the next day. only spontaneous/adventurous thing i have ever done

25. how would you define yourself in three words? funny, understanding, quiet

26. favorite piece of clothing you own? my overalls :'))

27. a must have clothing item that everyone should have? a jean jacket !! looks good on anyone and with anything and they're so cute

28. a superpower you would want? to make people see themselves as their loved ones see them

29. what’s inspiring you in life right now? music I'm fixated on one direction and harry styles and louis tomlinson rn of you cant tell by a lot of my answers

30. best piece of advice you’ve received? don't apologize because you like something. don't be embarrassed that you have preferences

31. best advice you’d give your teenage self? be unapologetically you. life is too short to feel guilty for having opinions.

32. a book everyone should read? me and earl and the dying girl

33. what would you like to be remembered for? being kind to all

34. how do you define beauty? kindness, humor, a sweet soul makes a beautiful person

35. what do you love most about your body? I think I'm proportional? like... my size and shape... I hate how that sounds but my overall body ,,,,,,,

36. best way to take a rest/decompress? crack open and nice cold soda and put on headphones and lay on the ground (it makes me back feel better)

37. favorite place to view art? art galleries the environment and ambiance is immaculate

38. if your life was a song, what would the title be? Everything is Outta Reach cause I fail a lot but also I'm sHORT

39. if you could master one instrument, what would it be? pianoooo

40. if you had a tattoo, where would it be? I want my forearms to be filled with random little doodle tattoos I get over time (picture louis tomlinsons right arm, like the "oops!" and skateboard, and dumb things like that)

41 dolphins or koalas? KOALAS

42. what’s an animal that represents you? .....koala. also chameleon...

43. best gift you’ve ever received? so I need to be hugging a pillow or stuffed animals to sleep and I lost some stuffed animals that I loved and were huge and my go to for hugging at night and that Christmas my brother got me a huge elephant and a body pillow to replace them and I actually cried

44. best gift you’ve given? im really bad at giving gifts but my brother searches everywhere for this book in specific print and language and after years I found one and got it for him for Christmas. he's not good at showing appreciation and excitement but I could tell that he was stoked

45. what’s your favorite board game? BETRAYL AT THE HOUSE ON THE HILL it's so complicated and so good and I love it so much

46. what’s your favorite color? yellow and red

47. least favorite color? o r a n g e I just realized it's between red and yellow make it make sense

48. diamond or pearls? diamonds

49. drugstore makeup or designer? drugstore! I don't wear makeup often enough to spend money on designer but occasionally I get some good stuff from ulta then immediately regret it and go back to my Walgreens makeup HAHA

50. pilates or yoga? yoga

51. coffee or tea? I don't drink either but I like the aesthetic of tea more

52. what’s the weirdest word in the english language? pneumonoultrascopicsiliconvolcanoconoiosos because it's the longest word in the English dictionary and it's has a very specific definition and it's so extra when I was 7 i had a friend who could spell it forwards and backwards

53. dark chocolate or milk chocolate? milk!! I only like dark chocolate if it's reisens

54. stairs or elevators? stairs I'm afraid of elevators

55. summer or winter? summer

56. you are stuck on an island, you can pick one food to eat forever without getting tired of it, what would you eat? mac and cheese

57. a dessert you don’t like? uhhhh... umm... uh... anything with tree nuts cause I'm allergic??? I love dessert

58. a skill you’re working on mastering? I'm learning guitar !!

59. best thing to happen to you today? I woke up before 2pm

60. worst thing to happen to you today? my family all decided to a be in a bad mood today so that's super exciting to deal with :))))))

61. best compliment you’ve ever received? that I'm a really good listener

62. favorite smell? candles right after they're blown out and the air outside when it's cold. it has a smell. it DOES.

63. hugs or kisses? hugs

64. if you made a documentary, would it be about? the one direction boys' solo careers and eventual reunion when it happens

65. last piece of content you consumed that made you cry? if that includes music, louis tomlinsons album walls. but if not, ehm the martian that movie makes me cry don't come for me

66. lipstick or lipgloss? lipstick

67. sweet or savory? savory

68. girl crush? lily james

69. how do you know you’re in love? I've been trying to figure that out... I think it's when everything reminds you of them and you can completely be yourself around them and feel a sense of home and belonging.

70. a song you can listen to on repeat? greyhound by calpurnia or baby driver by simon and garfunkel

71. if you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be? h a r r y s t y l e s I have questions I need answered and I wanna hear unreleased HS and 1D music

72. what are you most excited for/about this time in your life? going back to school so I can be with my best friend slash future boyfriend

tagging: @lupinlongbottom @outerlacy @fortisfiliae @theseuscmander @wizardwritings

[takemedancingmaine]

Home

The sun was still warm as it sank lower and lower toward the horizon, and the festivities were only just beginning. The candles were lit, the string lights glowing softly as twilight snuck upon us, and there was music already playing when we stepped through the doorway to the barn. 

Mehar and Andy were beside me, my sister’s eyes light with wonder as she took in the scene before her. Her maroon dress matched Andy’s pocket square, tie, and socks, as she'd pointed out to me four times already today. Andy took it in stride though, went along with it all and even seemed to be enjoying himself.

The ceremony had been filled with humor and love; Liam had done the officiating. Harry had cried, but then again, every single one of us expected him to. It was considerably warm for October, and the outside wedding had gone off without a hitch.

It was a miracle the Cubs weren’t playing tonight, otherwise, we would have had to have set up a TV somewhere so we could all watch while we danced. We got lucky; they were playing the next night. 

“Are you going to be boring and dance by yourself?” Mehar asked.

I rolled my eyes. She wasn't being subtle at all. It was not as if subtlety was a strong suit of Mehar’s to begin with, but it appeared as if she abandoned it entirely today. Many times in the span of a few hours my sister had commented on the fact that Niall looked rather handsome today in his navy suit and royal blue dress shirt. It did bring out his eyes, and she was right that he was handsome, but for five months now Niall and I have operated as simply friends and it's worked out really well. We were both really happy with our current normal.

“Drop it,” I chuckled at the face she made. “Let's get drinks and find Louis and the others.”

Andy’s cheeks turned pink at the mention of Louis. “Oh, you mean the man that isn't me that my girlfriend is casually in love with?” Andy hadn't met Louis yet, not officially even though they'd seen each earlier today, but he did know about her old crush and would join me in my teasing whenever he could.

I laughed and Mehar smacked me lightly on the arm. “I am not in love with Louis,” she told us both.

“Thou doth protest too much,” I continued through my giggles. Andy worked hard on not laughing, but a few chuckles left him when Mehar attempted to glare at us. Andy and I had gotten close over the last few months. He'd called me while he was preparing for my sister’s birthday, asking if we had any traditions, what kind of sweets she liked, and what he thought I considered the best plan of action. He even FaceTimed me when she opened the gift I'd sent him to give to her during the scavenger hunt he had set up. Since then, he'd send me the occasional meme or photo of my sister cooking or hiking or even kayaking. He was a good guy, and I could see how despite being completely different people he and Mehar fit together.

“Are we getting drunk tonight or what?” Cleo asked as we strolled up to her where she was at the bar with Liam. “Our lovely couple has decided to bestow upon us the gift of an open bar. Well, Ana’s parents have. It counts.”

“Have you dipped your toes in already?” Mehar asked, gauging my friends with a knowing smile on her face.

“Liam here brought his flask.” Cleo patted Liam’s chest and we could hear her rings clink against the metal flask in his sport coat pocket through the material.

“We may have had a few sips already,” Liam informed us.

“When? You were beside you the whole ceremony,” I gasped at Cleo. “And you were literally standing in everyone's focus!” I pointed at Liam, my eyes wide.

“Before,” Liam’s face was slightly flushed, “and after while everyone was walking over here.”

“You idiot. You were drunk when you were officiating our friend's wedding?”

“Buzzed at most.” Liam seemed unaffected and shrugged with a wide smile. Cleo giggled beside him.

I smirked and shook my head before I caught the bartender's attention, ordering for myself Mehar and Andy. I handed back the whiskey sour to Andy and the Prosecco to Mehar before I got my craft beer and took a sip.

“Is four drink Ruby going to come out to play tonight?” Louis came up behind us, Niall beside him, both men smiling wide.

“She might.” I shrugged. “My friends got married today and my boss gave me a three day weekend so who knows what might happen.”

Louis smiled and pulled me into a hug. “What a generous boss you have,” he said before kissing my head and disentangling from me to order a drink for himself. I caught Andy’s eye as he took in Louis and then raised his eyebrows at my sister, a smirk pulling on his lips.

“I, for one, am stoked about the possibility of meeting four drink Ruby,” Liam said, pulling my attention.

“Let’s just go find some seats,” I said. “They'll probably be coming in soon to do their first dance and I don't want Cleo stealing their thunder.”

“Why me?”

“Out of the seven of us, you'd have the best shot at being a crowd pleaser.”

“Fair assessment.” She smiled wide.

“Couldn't help but notice you're drinking a beer,” Niall said to me as Louis turned and handed him a dark beer of his own and we started our way over to find a table for ourselves.

“Do you remember that one pizza place we went to that had a wall of specialty taps?” I asked. That was back when we were together; it had been just the two of us. It wasn't awkward to bring up anymore. It had seemed like it might be at first, whenever one of us brought up things we'd done or places we used to go, but it wasn't.

“Where you had that dark chocolate orange stout?” Of course he remembered. I wouldn't shut up about it for months.

“The very same.”

“They got that for you?”

“Well, Harry and Ana are wine drinkers, so they did that selection themselves and then let Liam choose the beer and he refused to incorporate any boring beer, so there's this, your Guinness, a mixed berry sour, an IPA for himself, and something lighter from Belgium.”

“Remind me to thank Liam,” Niall said, taking a generous sip of Guinness before he took a seat beside me as we found an empty table for the group. Mehar sat on my other side, trying to be casual about observing Andy and Louis having a conversation while they took their seats as well. The two of them seemed to be getting along well so far.

“I will whenever we get him back.” I shook my head at the fact that someone had stopped Liam on his way over to tell them how much they loved the ceremony and how well he had done with it. 

“He's loving this attention,” Cleo said as she plopped down one seat away from Niall, saving a space for Liam.

“He probably thinks this whole day is about him,” Niall agreed.

“Look at him,” Cleo pointed, “working the crowd and attempting to look humble about it. He's a natural born super star. He knows exactly what he's doing.”

I laughed. 

“His head is going to be massive by the time this night is over. He might just float away from all that hot air. Someone should go get some twine or ribbons so we can tie him down.”

That got Niall laughing too, that contagious laugh of his with his head falling back and the sound echoing in the rafters of the barn around us. We could tease our friends better than the best of them, and Liam knew we meant it endearingly. Or at least he would know if he could hear us.

“All I’m saying,” Louis leaned over and whispered to me not so quietly while we watched Mehar and Andy dance goofily together, “is that he seems like a good kid. He seems to bring a lot out in her.”

“I have a feeling she brings a lot out in him as well,” I conspired right back. “He looks at her like she hung the moon.”

“It’s what she deserves.”

“It is.”

We sat there in silence for another minute or so and when a slow song came on I looked over at Louis and grabbed his wrist. “C’mon. We’re dancing.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded seriously and let me drag him out to the dance floor where we found ourselves wedged between Liam and Cleo and my sister and Andy. Harry and Ana were wrapped up in each other on the other side of the dance floor, her head on Harry’s chest as they swayed back and forth together.

It had been a long, almost exhausting night of dancing at this point. After the speeches and the food and the many, many drinks our feet began to hurt, our legs began to grow tired, and we’d all just settled into the winding down of the night. For my own part, my shoes were off and I was barefoot standing on Louis’ feet as he took point and moved us slowly back and forth. 

“Hard to believe it’s been a year since Niall’s been back in my life,” Louis said now. “I cannot believe it’s been over a year since Harry proposed, or since your incident, since you got Moggy... “ Louis sighed and I pulled my head back just far enough to meet his eyes. 

“Are you getting all sappy on me, Tomlinson?” I smirked as he glared down at me, but there was no malice in his eyes. “Weddings make you sappy. Good to know for future reference.”

He snorted. “I have three sisters,” he grumbled. “Of course weddings make me sappy. Do you think I’m not in my head right now thinking about the day when I have to give each of them away in turn? Just the thought itself is going to make me vomit.” 

“Okay.” I nodded. “Well, could you give me fair warning before that happens so that I can step back and get safely out of the splash zone?” 

I felt him laughing rather than heard it and then felt him shaking his head. “You’re a piece of work, Rubes.” The amusement was clear in his tone.

“I’m your piece of work,” I told him. 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

“Hey mate. D’you mind if I cut in?” 

Louis looked down at me rather than at Niall and I gave him a subtle nod before he looked up and smiled. “Of course,” he said. “I was just about to go get the sparklers ready anyway. I think it’s about time we send those two off.”

“Thanks, Louis.” Louis stepped back from me and before heading off he leaned down to kiss my head.

“I love you, Rubes,” Louis whispered in my ear and then he stepped away and turned toward where I knew he had stashed the farewell supplies earlier in the day. Why the lot of us had decided that Louis would be the one in charge of the lighters and the sparklers I will never know, but it was something we had all unanimously agreed upon.

“You look sleepy,” was all I could think to say as Niall stepped up and wrapped his arms around me, waiting patiently while I stepped onto his feet and wrapped my own arms around him.

“I would say so do you,” he smiled down at me, “but my dad raised me better than that, and I don’t have a death wish.”

“Good call, Horan.” I reached up and ruffled his hair a bit–not that it wasn’t already messed up from dancing all evening. I took a deep breath and the familiar smell of him comforted me as we swayed back and forth slowly.

It was odd, being this close to him again. We’d hugged countless times and he’d given me many piggyback rides since we’d agreed to be friends again. We’d even squished up against each other while ride-sharing and there was the time we got stuck on a particularly crowded, slow train for an hour and a half together. 

This though felt different. 

This was reminiscent of what we used to have, almost a year ago. Felt like one of the many times we’d danced around his kitchen after cooking dinner together or like when he took me out to the beach late one night and we danced barefoot on the sand despite the frigid temperatures. It felt like ‘us’ back when there was an ‘us.’

It felt like I was dancing with a ghost. 

“Does this feel weird to you, too?” He asked suddenly. He laughed it off, but I could sense his nerves. I knew him well enough. 

“I was just thinking that,” I agreed. We kept moving though, neither of us pulling back from the other. I settled into him, my head against his chest, his heartbeat thrumming in my ear as his hand drew circles on my back.

“Mehar thinks you looked very handsome today,” I said finally. “She said that your shirt brought out your eyes. I think it was all some ploy to make Andy jealous, but that’s just me.” 

“Mmm,” he hummed. “That was the plan. I know my assets, Singh. I have to work with what little I’ve got. Blue eyes are one of my few traits I can flaunt.” I snorted. “You look stunning,” he added.

This time I stayed silent, biting my lip, forcing back whatever was about to come out, a bit unsure of what that just might be.

“Sorry,” he said after a moment. “If that was weird we can just pretend I never–”

“S’okay,” I cut him off. “Just caught me off guard is all.”

“You’ve always caught me off guard,” he said now. “Ever since the moment I met you, you’ve always kept me on my toes. Whether it was getting more tattoos or spouting rap lyrics out of nowhere or that you dropped everything at a moment’s notice and flew across the country to go hiking with your sister over the summer. I’ve never known what to expect when it comes to you.”

Suddenly I wasn’t dancing with a ghost anymore. 

“Niall, I…” I trailed off, biting my lip as the words jumbled incoherently in my head.

“Are you happy?” he asked, his voice quiet again.

I took a deep breath. I knew the words now. 

“I’m always happy when I’m with you,” I told him truthfully.

“I don’t mean because of me,” he said, but I heard his breathing hitch. “Are you happy? Are you whole?”

“If you’re asking whether or not I need you, or anyone in my life in that capacity to make me happy,” I took a deep breath, “the answer is no. I’m very happy with my life and where I am within it. I feel complete and strong and I love myself. I’m not ashamed and I’m not hiding from my own mind.”

He stayed silent. Just as he always could, he sensed there was more to be said and was waiting patiently for me to say it as the song drifted out and the lights started coming up around us. 

“The thing is though, Niall,” I stepped back from him, my bare feet giving him a little added height as I looked up at him, “I never needed you. I didn’t use you to complete myself. Even when I was lost and broken, I didn’t need you. It was never about that.”

He took a breath and held it. 

“I wanted you,” I said slowly, making sure he heard me. “I still want you.”

I watched as he released his breath in a huff and his eyes searched my face, made sure what I was saying was absolutely true before he reached forward and laced his fingers through mine. A small smirk was pulling on his lips.

I squeezed his hand.

“God,” he sighed. “I’ve missed you.” 

“Me too.” I smiled up at him. 

There were a thousand ways that life can lead us, and sometimes the universe puts people in our way just to teach us lessons or help us grow. Sometimes people are constant, like Mehar and Louis and Cleo, like Liam and Ana and Harry. Sometimes those people are fleeting. Sometimes those shooting stars across our sky are so pretty to look at that they’re painful when they’re gone and sometimes they’re so blinding that their absence leaves us shrouded in darkness, even though we’re glad they’re gone. 

 There are those people still that are just in our orbit, coming back around every once in a while, and bringing light and warmth that we know will always be close by. Occasionally, the universe needs to test us though. It puts people in our path that knows we need to decide on our own if they’re going to be fleeting or constant. I had to go through what I did in order to fully appreciate who I was and who the people in my life were. I had to struggle and pick up the pieces and battle myself, fight against my own mind.

I was sure though, looking up at Niall now that he wasn’t just in orbit in my universe. He wasn’t a shooting star that burned too bright and left my sky darker after he left. Nor was he a painful memory as he burned my retinas for looking too intensely at him. Niall was one of my constants, of that I was sure. We had been tested, but what relationship wasn't tested? 

So when I smiled up at him and his blue eyes lit up as he smiled back down at me, I knew that his place in my universe was balancing itself out, that there was room for him all along and that I could have my own happiness and I could have him. Niall had helped me grow and that connection we shared wasn’t severed because we weren’t together anymore. Like the tide, when I’d left it had pulled me back in and I was settling in beside him. 

With my world settling it only made sense that I fell back into place beside Niall. Someone to share my completed world with. Someone to share in his world as well.

[dailyaudiobible]

07/18/2020 DAB Transcript

1 Chronicles 26:12-27:34, Romans 4:13-5:5, Psalms 14:1-7, Proverbs 19:17

Today is the 18th day of July welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian and it is an honor and a joy to just kind of walk and sit down around this Global Campfire and open up the Scriptures and just relax, exhale…ahh…and enjoy the word of God being spoken today. And, so, let’s get to that. We are continuing our journey through the book of first Chronicles as well as our journey through Paul's letter to the Romans. And we’ve been reading from the Lexham English Bible this week, which is what we'll do today since it's the last day of the week. So, let’s dive in. First Chronicles chapter 26 verse 12 through 27 verse 34 today.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for another day. We thank You for another week. We thank You for Your faithfulness. We thank You that You are ever present if we are even remotely aware. You are with us and we are still here walking forward, and You are still willing to guide and direct our steps as we surrender ourselves in faith and believe and receive the gift. So, come Holy Spirit. This is such a relief, and yet…and yet we so rarely partake. To consider that it is already done, that we aren't earning anything, that You love us period and that You are leading us as a Father would into the truth so that we might…so that we might shine the light into this world and so that we might live as we were created to live. This isn’t fencing us in this is setting us free. And, so as we release this week and it becomes a part of history, we look forward to living into this in the days ahead. Come lead us Holy Spirit. Show us what this looks like for us. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailaudiobible.com is home base, it’s the website, it’s where you find out what is up around here. So, be sure to stay tuned and stay connected.

Check out the Community section of the website. That's where you find the different links to connect on social media, that’s where with a Prayer Wall lives and there's prayer happening on a continual basis there so be aware of it. Check it out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you, thank you, first of all, thank you humbly. We wouldn't…we wouldn't be…we wouldn't be taking this journey if we weren't in it together. And, so, thank you for your partnership in the summertime here. There is a link on the homepage. If you're using the Daily Audio Bible app you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or encouragement 877-942-4253 is the number to dial or you can just hit the Hotline button, the little red button at the top in the app and share from there.

And that is it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hey DAB family this is the other Melanie from Georgia. I’m calling today because I saw on Facebook last night, Harold that you posted about the fact that the Chicago Marathon that you’ve been training for all these many months has officially been canceled. And it just reminded me of that first day that I heard you call in, just a guy from St. Louis who was not a believer but was listening to the podcast and really feeling encouragement. And just this journey that you’ve been on and all of us have been with you is just interesting to me that ultimately it turned out that that did not get to happen. But what a greater thing God is doing in your life and has done and will do just by your faithfulness and I just wanted to call in today and just rejoice with you that you are here and you’re a part of this community. And now you may not be running in the Chicago Marathon and you may not ever run in a marathon but you are running the race that’s really and truly important and you’ve been such an inspiration and I just wanted to call in and just recognize that and thank you for what you’ve meant to this community. And I just wanted to also just quickly pray this prayer from the book of common prayer. Oh, Holy Spirit beloved of my soul, I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do, give me Your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit that happen to me. Let me only know Your will. Amen. I pray that for all of us.

Hi Daily Audio Bible family it’s been so long since I’ve left anything on this prayer line. I think the last time I popped in was for the Christmas last year. So much has changed in my life and it’s hard to find the time dedicate to the prayers of all my brothers and sisters. So, I have decided to make sure that I listen to this month and not worry about the months that have gone on before and make sure that I’m current with July and then as the Lord helps me find the time I will go back to previous ones. But on July 6th Trusting Father confessed to the sin of arrogance and that prayer pierced my heart because I too have been thinking I have been better than someone else and I have shown it in my speech and it’s just gotten nasty. And, so I confess that I have been arrogant. And I want to be humble because O Lord I am a daughter of yours and there’s nothing in me, no wisdom, no skill, no anything that does not come from You. And, so, God I just want to shine Your light in the world and not worry whether I’m in shadow or not. Thank You, God. Amen.

Good morning this is Fenney from London I’m calling in response to GG from Gainesville message. My heart is so heavy for you. I am so connected to your spirit. I know that you are going through a lot now with the loss of your father. Wow. It’s only God Almighty that can strengthen you and I pray that the Spirit of the Lord will comfort you, the Spirit of comfort will overwhelm you and the rest of your family, that the strength…God’s strength will be made perfect in this time of your need, of your weakness. I pray that you will feel the embrace of the Lord God Almighty. Be assured that He never leaves you nor forsake you. The Lord is always with you and He’ll always be with you. Stay strong in the Lord and He will help you through this difficult period. Rest assured upon Him He never fails. It doesn’t matter what the situation might be, it doesn’t matter what we are going through, God is always there. You just need to continue to call upon Him …

Hey, my sweet DAB fam this is Kingdom Seeker Daniel from Chicago I apologize for calling again. Today is the 14th and I just heard GG from Gainesville’s call. My dear, I am so sorry, so sorry for your loss. I am praying for you and my wife and I will be standing in the gap for you. You sound like such an incredible young lady that God’s hand is on mightily and I want to pray for you, and we will continue to pray for you. As you said, your DAB family will be praying for you. Father, I ask You to please wrap GG, her four siblings, sisters and brother and mom in Your arm. Will You strengthen them and give them the ability to move forward? Help GG in her physics and her chemistry and prokaryotic diversity classes. Give her the strength to finish strong. I ask Father that Your grace will see her through this and the family as a whole. And I pray for Your peace to completely surround them and help them to take one step at a time. Let them know that You are a very present help in their very difficult time right now. Thank You for this precious Young lady GG and her family in Jesus’ name. Love you sis.

Hello DAB family this is Emily in Seattle I wanted to pray for everyone today who is affected by the COVID-19 virus, if you’ve been unemployed or if you came down with a virus or if you know of someone who has I want to pray for you. Dear heavenly Father, I lift up everyone affected by the COVID-19 virus right now and I pray Lord that You will show Yourself strong on their behalf and that You will help them in every way possible and I pray Lord that You will bring health to their body and prosperity to their life and that You will comfort them and be near to them. And also, that You will always be their comforter and their deliverer. I pray Lord You will deliver them and honor them in every way possible in Jesus’ name. Amen. God bless you guys. Hang in there. We love you. Bye-bye.

Hello, my beloved DAB family I can’t let the sun go down on this day July 13th 2020 without acknowledging that today is my 10th DAB birthday thanks to my beautiful daughter leading be here with my life was broken. Because of her love and Brian’s obedience my life will never be the same. Through nearly a year of unemployment followed by the best job ever, a trail of broken relationships, and a remarriage to an amazing man of God, praying my children through very difficult times and seeing them absolutely flourish today, moving to my moms hometown and feeling her presence all around me despite her passing in 1983, one family gathering, three trips to Israel, one more gathering, finding the most amazing church, many new friends and so many more countless blessings all while Brian washed the living breathing word of God over my life every morning without fail. As sure as the sun rises, the word is there, feeding, guiding, correcting, directing. Brian, you and your family’s obedience have saved my life and the lives of thousands. I humbly thank you and ask God in Jesus’ name by the power of the Holy Spirit to continue to bless you, your family, and your anointed work. This is Cathleen from the beautiful rolling hills of Taska Minnesota.

[endofjunee]

📚 Drunk in Love (last thing I remember) by @lovehoperomance He’s stumbling to the left of the street, hopeful that it’s in the direction of his flat, when he sees it. A food truck. Lit up in gold. It's as if God has taken a giant highlighter and drawn a halo around it. Okay, so it might be the streetlight shining down on it and the yellow light emanating from within...but Louis will still claim godly intervention if anyone asks.

He weaves across the pavement, shivering in what he now realises is a very brisk London evening, coated in fog.

“Hello. Hi.” Louis steps in front of the entire line, waving an aimless hand at the man in the truck who looks completely bewildered by Louis’ antics. The man is littered in tattoos and wearing a green headscarf that matches the sea foam of his eyes. “Do you have any fried chicken? Or a drink? Oh, oh, do you have chips? Oh please tell me you have chips?”

The man’s face, which Louis faintly registers is quite angular, shifts from bewilderment into a stunning, slightly crooked smile.

Or, the one where Louis wakes up, naked, in a stranger's bed and has no idea how he got there. Maybe it's foul play. Maybe it's just the kindness of a handsome stranger amused by his drunken antics. 🌹 Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy by @chloehl10 Harry whimpered as Louis pushed himself up onto his tiptoes, grazing his ear lobe with his lips. His breath tickled Harry’s ears, and Harry swallowed, already anticipating what Louis was about to say.

“I’d like to ride you, cowboy…”

Or, Harry's a barman at Flaming Saddles, a country and western themed gay bar.

Louis’ a customer who’d like to see if the tall barman is as good on the ropes as everyone says he is...

📚 And That’s The Tea by @2tiedships2​ I’d like an Earl Grey with milk and sugar, please.

Louis had the phrase memorized, even though it had disappeared off its place on his upper arm over thirteen years ago now.

At fourteen he didn’t understand. Soulmarks don’t just disappear. Not unless…

Unless one of them dies.

Or, the one where Louis loses his soulmate before even getting the chance to meet them, and he is in no way prepared for the kind of distraction his new friend Harry proves to be. 🌹 I’ll Fly Away by @vintage-harry​ “Harold,” Louis spoke, but not too loud. He didn’t want to startle the cat pile. “Louis? What are you doing home?” Harry greeted him with a toothy smile. “Why are there three cats?” Louis pointed at the third one. “That’s Hail. He’s so sweet.” Louis blinked and shook his head slightly. “Why is he on the sofa, in the house, on the cats?” “He lives here now,” Harry stated as if Louis should already be aware of this. He was not aware of this news until now. “Since when?” He poked the cat in the head, his tiny black curtained head with white ears popped up. He mewed softly before blinking a few times. Louis thinks he looked offended. He looked at Harry expectantly. Harry looked fond. “For three days now.” He smiled at Louis. It reminded him of Dori smiling at Marlin in Finding Nemo.

Or, Louis and Harry live in a small town in Texas of just over 500 people and Harry seems to be growing cats in his garden. Love and fluff.  📚 Baby Honey 2.0 by @vintage-harry​ A few weeks passed by and Louis had spent a large portion of his time with incognito mode on as he Googled ways to hint at pregnancies. He came up with a few ideas but was impatient and felt uncreative at any idea. The most he read about was for online announcements. Louis decided one day while he was at Niall’s with two kittens laying on his stomach to take a photo and post it. He knew Harry would see it pretty quickly as he had Louis’ Instagram notifications on.

Louis held his phone out and took a few shots of the sleeping kittens on his stomach, thumbed through them and found the one he liked best and posted it with the caption, “Three little kittens” he hit post and waited. It didn’t take long, ten minutes later Harry left a comment asking where the third kitten was. Louis rolled his eyes and deleted the photo.

Or, Louis is pregnant this time and tries to find creative ways to hint about it to Harry. Only it doesn’t go as planned. 🌹 fuck fake friends by @artxghoul​ It’s better to just stay away. So he does. He tries his very best to. It’s just weird when you can’t be happy for someone. When you can’t encourage their achievements anymore, because they did it alone or with someone else, when it was supposed to be with you. Harry was supposed to always be with Louis.

Or, if you love someone, set them free. if they don't come back, text them when you're drunk. 📚 The Daddiest Place on Earth by @chloehl10​ dilfs_atdisneyworld: Ooh he's popular. Is it me or has it got hot in here? #dilf #hothothot #gimme

louist91: What the hell? Why the fuck am I on a DILFs page again?"

dilfs_atdisneyworld: louist91, Hello! You're on here because you're a DILF. A dad I'd like to f...😜

Louist91: dilfs_atdisneyworld Oh my god. Fuck off mate.

Or, Louis. Harry. Instagram. A whole lot of confusion and a whole lot of laughs... 🌹 Harry Poppins by @jacaranda-bloom​ When Louis’ best friends pass away he finds himself with an instant family. Maddie and Thomas are wonderful children but take an immediate dislike to every nanny that sets foot inside their house. After nanny number six is summarily dismissed Louis is at his wit’s end, that is until an unusual man arrives on their doorstep. Harry Styles is like nothing any of them have ever encountered before, and perhaps, exactly what they’ve been looking for all along.  📚 tonight’s not over (come over and stay) by @microlouis​ Zayn doesn’t say anything for a moment, pausing and worrying at his bottom lip. Finally, he asks, “Have you heard that Cox guy is coming out with a new song?” Louis freezes, fingers hovering over his keyboard where they had been typing his password.

“No, I hadn’t,” Louis says truthfully. “Where did you hear that?” “Tell anyone this and I’ll kill you, but I’d consider myself a big fan,” Zayn says. His face doesn’t change in expression, completely serious as he admits this to Louis. “Big fan? Like run a blog and everything?” Or, harry is a famous singer and louis is a student who just wants to write his novel. 🌹 Fiction Romance by @rougeandtonic​ Harry has a type.

He likes older, sophisticated, mature men. Well-educated men. Men with life experience and passion for arts and social causes. Men who are established in their careers, who've sorted their lives out.

Niall knows this.

And so Harry can't understand why he's sat here opposite Louis Tomlinson.

Or, a punk Louis/uni Harry blind date AU. 📚 Hope when the moment comes, you’ll say I did it all by SilverShadow1  Standing in front of them with an amused smile was an — there really was no other suitable word to describe him — angelic creature. Soft brown hair that was shaved on the sides and bright blue eyes that Harry had only seen in photos of the ocean; the lad was probably close in age to himself, yet seemed entirely boyish.

“Dad, put me down!” demanded Jess with no malice in her voice. Harry looked down in surprise, forgetting that she was in his right arm. “Oops,” he said, flushing. That caused the other lad to laugh. “Hi,” said the man at the door.

Or, the one where Louis is a piano teacher and Harry and his daughter are goners for him. 🌹 Graphic design is my passion by @kingsofeverything Graphic design student Louis Tomlinson has exams to study for and final art projects to complete, if it would stop raining long enough for him to walk across campus. Luckily Harry Styles has an umbrella, and he’s perfectly willing to share.

Louis doesn’t plan to get his heart broken and he doesn’t plan to make almost a hundred silicone dildos. One of these things definitely happens. 📚 i gotta get better! by @dystopianharry  Harry’s sex life has been pretty nonexistent since he broke up with his last non-soulmate boyfriend. after a chance encounter with someone online, he decides to enlist them to help him out. no strings attached, obviously.

Or, soulmates can feel each others’ pain and harry has some kinks he wants to explore. 🌹 Dreaming of You by @mizzwilde The Begrudging Starbucks AU.

The world is winter and steamed milk and creamy espresso shots. The world is a never ending queue. The world is a Starbucks logo and a pink-cheeked smile from Niall and a bored scowl from Zayn and the world is Louis watching his best mate, Liam, fall in love with their newest customer, Harry. Who may or may not be in love with Louis. The world is cruel. 📚 Through a Mirror Dimly by @londonfoginacup​ Louis Tomlinson, in his third year at university, does not expect nor want the roommate that is being assigned to his room.

Harry Styles, in his first year at university, has just been kicked out of one dorm and doesn't want to deal with yet another snobby, rich roommate.

They don't get along, and that's just how it is, until circumstances force them to reevaluate. 🌹 Raise a Glass to the Four of Us by @2tiedships2 Louis stared at his luggage.

Well. Apparently not his luggage, because the clothing he was looking at currently was a: worth more than everything he currently possessed, b: not his size at all, and c: more suited for a fancy ass lawyer than a holiday in NYC with his best mates.

“Ooh, nice loafers,” Niall said as he pulled one out of the suitcase. “I love the rainbows.”

“Okay,” Liam began. “What do you want to do first? Eat, shop for new clothes, or spend hours on the phone with the airline?”

Louis continued to stare at the luggage. 📚 His and Mine by @kissyboystyles​ Harry is adopted by a wealthy family, soon to be cleared of his connection to his soulmate without discussion on his twentieth birthday-- a gruesome rite of passage. For the past eight years, Harry has been staring at one name: Louis. But what happens now that his heart starts fluttering for a stranger, helping him remain strong at his weakest points? Harry feels he should be cautious; what kind of person goes by the name Tomlinson anyway…

Or, Harry legally isn't supposed to meet his soulmate-- he's rendered physically unable to recognize him even if he did-- but yet, of course, he does. 🌹 Drop to Hold You by @becomeawendybird After the end of the Second Wizarding War and the ensuing diplomacy between Muggles and the Wizarding world, the long-defunct Merlin College at Oxford opened it's doors again.

The ultra-competitive programs at Merlin require a rigorous application process. None more than the Auror training program. Louis finally manages to get in with his best friend Liam after a few false starts, only to be faced with the most beautiful, distracting man he could ever imagine. 📚 The Lone Hydrangea by @lightwoodsmagic “Thank you again,” he smiled at Harry as he picked up the arrangement and headed towards the door, and Harry quickly realised he didn’t know the man’s name. “I – wait! Sorry, I just...what’s your name?” At the man’s eyebrow raise, Harry stumbled over his words, “It’s just, if you’re coming back, I thought I should…know.” As the man looked at Harry, his smile only grew, and Harry’s heart thumped in his chest. “My name’s Louis. Louis Tomlinson, and it was so lovely to meet you,” he shot one final grin in Harry’s direction, “I’ll see you next week, Harry.” And then he was gone. “It was lovely to meet you too,” Harry whispered to the empty shop, putting his head on the counter, “Louis”.

Or, the post Hogwarts AU where Harry's a florist, Louis' a muggle who edits fantasy books, and they both have no say in how quickly they fall for each other. 🌹 A Little Bit Like Fate by @28shadesofpink “So,” Harry starts. “Since I heard you and your friend are not getting married, uhm... Would it be appropriate to ask you to stay for the kiss-in?” “Really?” Louis says, light and playful. “And who would I be kissing?” He looks up and offers a sweet smile, perfectly innocent. “Oh, I don’t know.” Harry is playing along, keeping his tone airy, but he takes a step forward and smirks. “With those cheekbones, I think you could kiss whoever you wanted.”

Or, Louis stumbles upon a kiss-in protest for LGBTQ rights, and he meets Harry. They click. It feels a little bit like fate. 📚 come together by @bottomlinsons Harry and Louis slept together three weeks ago, and haven’t talked.

Their coming group project is gonna change that. 🌹 Seeing Blind by @that-idiot-overthere Louis finally turns his head in Liam’s direction, knows his face is showing the longing he’s been aching with ever since it took root in his chest. “What the fuck do I do, Liam? He wouldn’t want me like that, but I want-” his voice cracks, and he turns his face back downwards. “What do you do when you’re not perfect for the person who’s perfect for you?”

Or,  the one where Harry’s an independent omega who likes to have his fun and Louis is the blind alpha that changes Harry’s priorities. 📚 Sweet as Cherry Wine by @harrieberrie Broken hearts are healed by the luck of the Irish

Or, Louis and Niall are a mess, Niall’s daughter has a hopeless crush, and Harry is hopelessly clueless 🌹 at the end of my rope by @saffona "Baby?” Harry mumbles, voice laced with sleep and a shiver goes through Louis at hearing the term. He hasn’t called him that in so long, in that voice and, clearly, even Louis’ body fucking misses it.

“Did you cheat on me?” Louis finds himself asking. If he’s being honest it’s more so he can see Harry’s reaction, than a genuine question, but what has he got to lose? Sure enough, Harry’s face changes from sleepy to the most incredulous look Louis’ ever seen on him. He actually looks terrified, all wide eyes, mouth gaping like he can’t believe Louis would even assume that and Louis would laugh at it, but he’s so done with the way Harry’s been acting, he just wants to know what the hell’s going on.

Or, the one where they go to Crete and Harry is definitely hiding something. 📚 truth, justice, and the gay way by @hattalove Liam needs a costume. Louis needs a best best friend award, a holiday, and to get a grip.

(Harry’s just in the right place at the right time.) 🌹 Hello My Name Is Harry by @a-brighter-yellow Louis’s 20-year high school reunion takes a turn when a celebrity classmate – who also happens to be Louis’s long unrequited crush – unexpectedly shows up.

A famous/not-famous AU inspired by Chris Evans.

[Previous Monthly Recs]

[lunawings]

King of Prism SSS Episode 12 commentary (FINAL!)

Crunchyroll was awesome this time! 

No significant complaints on the subs!

You guys were awesome this time! 

So many people stuck around for the late viewing in the stream and even after just to chat! 

Now on to the actual episode. 

Once again sorry this is so long. But with this being the last one, can you really blame me.....?

.....As much I love this episode, this scene was just so painful. Worse than Shine’s show. Worse than that whole last episode combined. 

A lot of my predictions about Part 4 were wrong (will discuss later) but I was absolutely sure of one thing. I knew no matter what happened in Part 4 just one thing was FOR CERTAIN. And that was... I was going to have to see Shin cry. This precious boy who deserves nothing but love is going to suffer. And I tried to prepare myself. I tried. 

But somehow. Even though I knew. EVEN THOUGH I KNEW... It was way worse than I could have ever imagined.

I always assumed he would cry because he found out about something terrible about the past. But instead HE NEVER KNOWS THE TRUTH and we get him sobbing over something entirely NOT HIS FAULT... in front of everyone.... HOW.... HOW COULD THEY.... DO THIS... TO.... HI...M................ 

This scene upsets me so much I don’t know if I have ever even seen the whole thing. I always end up turning away at some point, or just curling up into a ball.....

Did anyone else feel like they were watching a totally different anime for a few seconds here? I’m having trouble telling if the style actually changed or if I.... just am not used to seeing Shin make expressions like this............. ba.....by..............

Leo always cries when anyone else is crying.

Even though everyone claps for him at the theater at cheering shows, it doesn’t make me feel better. AT ALL. Because Shin never knows the truth. NONE OF THEM DO. Okay we’ll talk about this more later but just..... gah it hurts........................................ So much that it actually hindered my enjoyment of what amazing thing comes next......

Back in the first movie era, the idea of a full CGI show of the Edel Rose boys with Shin as center was something that I could not imagine coming true even in my wildest dreams. And I love this show. I just wish it wasn’t proceeded by so much suffering. 

Shin being their center was something they decided at the Christmas live (before performing Dramatic Love for the first time) BTW. While it seems obvious to us that Shin would be center, it wouldn’t necessarily be as such in-universe. They had to decide at some point! And I’m glad it was a part of that story. 

I LOVE THESE OUTFITS. 

THEYRE PERFECT. The rainbows, the stars, the colors. Everyone looks AMAZING. And I know the rainbows are probably an homage to Over the Rainbow... BUT..

its just so gay

Prism stone beam???

This is orange I guess? It looks more yellow to me. A lot of the hand colors are kinda vague and I’m just like... WHO DID YOU TOUCH 

For anyone who read my I THINK I MARRIED ALL THE EDEL ROSE BOYS. OR THEY MARRIED EACH OTHER. ANYWAY EVERYONE IS MARRIED NOW shitty out of context spoiler I wrote in a comment obviously it was this ahahaha

I really do love this show, and like with the new Shuffle’s show last week I’m so glad I can finally watch it without the.... suffering. 

The first time I saw this in theaters, this exact frame right here was when I first started feeling any semblance of better after all that had happened. He looks so confident and gallant and his eyes are shining and he just.... Shin............... I love you so much....................................................................

Also this is a good spot to talk about their feathers I guess. So these are different from the other (male?) wings Shine had. Why? What does that mean? 

*throws hands in the air*

So, some folks may not be aware of this but the feathers from Rainbow Live were a feature of the arcade game. 

You could unlock them by raising the PairTomos, and even the night dream feathers look like they were available at one time during an event it seems?? I am not entirely sure how it all worked since I never played the game back in the heyday. (You can no longer obtain all the feathers now even if you bring a memory card to a currently running Pretty Rhythm machine since some just aren’t available anymore.)

But anyway, the actual point I was trying to make is that the feathers had a set  structure within Rainbow Live since it was grounded by the arcade game. But in King of Prism...... that just kinda do what they want.... s....o.............

The first time I went to cheering for this it was the premiere date, and it was also the first time I ever did cheering the same day. In between the morning/midnight showing a whole bunch of people had the idea to go to the 100 yen shop and get glowstick rings just for this scene. I was like daaaamn. 

But then...

Our first official non-Crunchyroll translation of prism no kirameki? 

Even the Juuouin group worships “the prism”. 

And I can’t help laugh at the irony that Crunchyroll abandoned using “the prism” but also just ignored the translation ALREADY ON SCREEN

I can’t take his scream here. It’s just like.... HE WAS ALREADY DYING, WHY DID THEY HAVE TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS. 

LOUIS. 

LOUIS NOOOOOOOOO. 

Even as late as it is, I am really, really grateful how they took a few seconds to establish for the new audience exactly how much of their shows are powered by prism sparkle. 

Note that they did not change out of their costumes though. But my headcanon on this is that Leo just prefers to make the real thing because he can. 

Singing at cheering shows is also everything I have ever wanted. 

I feel bad though since I pretty much always get tongue tied here every time. It’s hard to just sing acapella to a song you’re not that familiar with. Especially with the sparkely lyrics appearing and disappearing like this. I actually don’t hear that many other people singing in the theater, perhaps for that reason? But I always try my best. 

And now that this is finally out, I can finally practice at home and nail this down with confidence just in time for...... SSS to leave theaters..... um............ ye....ah........

I also mess this up like every single time ahaha. It’s just slightly too fast for me to read. 

Someday I will succeed in properly marrying all of the Edel Rose boys. Someday. 

(Also I don’t think this was rainbow-colored in the theatrical version.)

So Edel Rose and all their fans just up and created a prism goddess so we don’t need the prism gods anymore. Can they do that? Can we do that? I guess we can! 

WE DID IT GUYS

It’s oddly fitting that Hijiri is kind of an ugly crier. I mean, he’s just so beautiful the rest of the time. It’s only right. 

So let’s unpack this for a sec. Unbeknownst to them, because the Edel Rose boys all married each other they put a new seal on Shine. But this seal is entirely dependent on their marriage their bond with each other. 

How literal is that I wonder?

Because like.... Edel Rose won’t last forever. Kakeru, Minato, and Yukinojo are gonna be going to college in a year and a half.... ahah ha.....

I just imagine like. A couple of them meeting on the street in the distant future being like “Oh man I haven’t seen you in forever!” “Yeah! We really lost touch! Hey, have you heard from Shin lately?” “No, you?” And behind them is like a TV report of Shin become Shine destroying a city or something. 

.....................Reminder again that this commentary is coming from the place where I am after having a couple months to let this all sink in and get to the point where I am comfortable joking about it.... ahah ha........ 

This is one of my coping mechanisms for dealing with the idea that my favorite character basically has the devil living inside of him trying to take over at any moment.....

Another one is thinking back to older King of Prism media and wondering what Shine was doing at that time. Like, I imagine him floating there inside Shin all bored and pissed off making sarcastic comments at whatever the Edel Rose boys are doing. And I find this hilarious for some reason. I’d make a webcomic about it if I could draw.

ANYWAY 

So my understanding of this scene (which may or may not be totally correct) is: The Edel Rose boys’ rings put a seal on Shine which drags him down back into the depths of where Rinne first plunged him. But before he goes, he installs(?) his powers into Shin so that Shin is free to use Shine’s powers on his own now. (Up until now he was just like borrowing them?) 

If you also briefly wondered how they could have gotten a perfect score after failing a jump, my guess is the Prism System just wasn’t recording at that time due to the lack of prism sparkle ahah ha. 

They absolutely mopped the floor with the new Shuffle, and it did not matter.

What makes this so nuts to me is that even before I saw Part 4, like way back after I first saw episode 5 I was already comparing Joji to a twisted Hiro. (Elaborated on this in my episode 5 post.) And then this aha. 

So in the theatrical version I swear the crowd here has light blue lights. And I wondered if it was on purpose to be like inverted Hiro (who goes from light blue -> yellow in the Prism King Cup, so Joji went yellow -> light blue?) but nope, I guess somebody just forgot Joji’s theme color is yellow ahaha. In the TV version they just made it multi-colored. 

So to add more context to some things, you may remember I mentioned before that Part 4 premiered in Japanese theaters in the gap between when Taiga and Kakeru’s episodes aired on TV. So by the time Joji’s episode aired on TV... I already knew this was gonna happen. I already knew we were watching the number one prism show. THE CHAMP. The only 2D prism show.... SO MUCH IRONY. 

But you know what. Despite his show being what it was..... After all the time to let it sink in.. After all the dust has settled.... the one solo song which is my clear favorite..... The only one which has gotten stuck in my head WAY MORE than ANY other.... is Joji’s. 

(Well, Ace’s. But still.)

So. 

Congrats Prism Champ. 

Never thought I’d say this but poor Jin. Even when he ACTUALLY TRIES to do something fair for once...... still......

(Goddammit Shine.)

Poor Joji? Or not. It’s hard to feel bad for him when he’s THE PRISM CHAMP ahaha. Like. He made it. He has everything he ever strived to obtain. On the surface anyway. 

How Nori-kun feels about this though, who knows. Will we ever?

DOES IT REALLY NOT? Haha I really don’t understand this at all. Like. Was it really political pressure? Did Jin fold since he didn’t win in the way that he wanted to? Did Kakeru pull some strings behind the scenes again?

*throws hands in the air*

AND THIS

It’s framed to be this super significant scene but

WHAT DOES IT MEANNNNNNNN

I have already touched on this in separate posts, and this post is so long already that I’m going to kind of leave it hanging here but I consider Kakeru’s plot in SSS to be a loose end. He was the only boy who did not have a plot with some kind of resolution about himself. Instead Kakeru’s plot was only about other people.....

FINALLY, the ultimate conclusion to the infamous curry plot of Pride the Hero.

AND FINALLY

YOU

GUYS 

I WAS SO MAD 

The official King of Prism Twitter and such were actually pretty good at hiding Dorachi before Alexander’s episode aired. But Torachi was just EVERYWHERE and I was like COME... ON. REALLY.

So you may have noticed this but he was added to the opening too. For us seeing SSS in the theaters, we only get one OP per showing. So this means Japan actually got this spoiled before episode 10. 

But I didn’t. I didn’t even notice because I just wasn’t thinking to look for it. (Also I guess sitting in a terrible seat to the far right twisting my neck at an angle may have had something to do with it but.) When I first saw the reveal of Torachi in episode 12 it was TOTAL SURPRISE for me......

But as much as I love Taiga though, Dorachi is my clear favorite. My Dorachi merch collection will start as soon as I can get my hands on ANYTHING

Also I wonder at what point Alexander figured out that DJ COO was Rei, because he sure knows now ahah. 

But anyway, speaking of spoilers....

I know I said at one point Nikkanen and the twins didn’t have any significant appearances in SSS, but that was before Part 4 and I just decided not to correct that and let you guys be surprised AHAHAH you’ll just have to hate me *BLASTS OFF INTO THE SUNSET*

(I’m so glad they seem to have cleaned up Nikkanen’s face a little. He looked so weird in the theater. Or like.... weirder at least.)

(If you don’t know these boys they are already established characters introduced on the Prism Rush mobile game.)

And what do THESE feathers mean..... 

LOUIS ISN’T DYING ANYMORE DONT CARE *NYOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM* 

By the way I can’t believe the prism sparkle disappearing and Louis becoming the protector of the world WAS FORESHADOWED IN ROAD TO SSS 9. That’s why I reblogged this post the other day.

It’s so funny how much of Road to SSS didn’t matter. Then you get to event 9 and LITERALLY EVERYTHING MATTERS. 

And again.... speaking of spoilers............

The week before Yu’s episode aired I AGONIZED about whether to put in some kind of vague hint that the Edel Rose boys new unit name was revealed in that episode (as part of Yu’s prism jump). Ultimately I decided not to. Because even though I didn’t figure it out at the time, I think with even a vague hint I probably would have. Because even when I saw it back then I was like.... “...... huh........” 

So you’re just gonna hafta haaaaaaaaate ahahaahah ha sorry

But anyway! Now I can finally stop referring to our seven stars as the “Edel Rose boys” and from now on call them SeptEntrion! Since calling them just the “Edel Rose boys” isn’t really accurate anymore since it would also include the twins and Nikkanen, etc. I’m happy that the main seven finally have a good name to distinguish them. 

(Now I need to learn to remember how to spell SeptEntrion....) 

Also

You guys in the livestream ruined this for me so I’m ruining it for everyone too.

Look at the red letters. 

Then flip over your desk and storm out of the room like I almost did when I noticed. 

WHY

THERE IS NO WAY THAT IS NOT ON PURPOSE

WHY 

So, a few weeks ago I was in Tokyo and I decided to stop by the Yotsuya station area.

I found the site of the supposed Yotsuya Credit union  (which is actually a lottery ticket stand) and the KPO KFC almost immediately. 

I also found out there is a Catholic university in the area, and although it doesn’t look anything like Edel Rose that seems like not a coincidence. 

So I started to walk around that area, but try as I might I could not find any little  shopping streets like the one in the anime. The area didn’t look like it would have that sort of place at all. Also it was POURING RAIN, I was just at Aqours 5th live the previous day, I had at least 6 hours to get home, and I was anxious to make it there with plenty of time for the stream of Alexander’s episode which we were doing that night. I decided to give up and head to the KFC to console myself over chicken, coleslaw, and biscuits before beginning the journey home when LOW AND BEHOLD 

RIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE KFC

WAS THIS 

IT DOES EXIST 

And there is not nearly enough room for SeptEntrion to perform here ahaha. 

I can’t help but notice that while they used Prism One performance snapshots for all the other boys, Shin is in his old Over the Sunshine outfit. Well I mean. OF COURSE HE IS. But.....

But I really can’t help but wonder what the boys are thinking nowadays in retrospect about what happened. 

I mean, not that they shouldn’t love and trust Shin. Of course they should. 

But if my friend turned to pure evil for a solid 15 minutes I would be.... CONCERNED for him? ?? To say the least. 

The fact that THEY DONT KNOW AND MAY NEVER KNOW really just eats at me

I suppose Louis or June could tell them. But I don’t think Louis ever will since he just wants to protect Shin, and June..... where would she even start. 

Not to mention what does Yamada-san think about how Shin just BECAME Wataru Hibiki like I.... I just have several questions but......

The cheering audience for the half second we can see Torachi here: “..............................................................AHHHHH!..................................................”

I wondered for weeks what the TV ED would be for this episode, and as soon as Boy Meets Girl started playing I was like...... OF. COURSE.

Hahah I’m glad though. So far the only SeptEntrion version Boy Meets Girl we’ve had was live (at MRS) and I often thought of ripping the audio from the DVD just to have it, but now I won’t have to. The TV audience never got to hear the theatrical ending 366 Love Diary though, which is kind of a shame. That song is such a big part of SSS to me.

So when we do the livestreams, I often have the live episode playing on my actual TV with the sound off. The stream is delayed by a few minutes so it’s been great for cues to help prepare stuff to type into the chat about things coming up.

While you guys were still in the meat of this episode, I casually glanced over my shoulder and saw THIS on my TV

Shin in the outfit Leo originally made him for the Prism One.

And just started having a seizure that lasted until the credits ended BECAUSE THEN THIS. THIS RIGHT HERE.

Playing to the left is the theatrical weekly video we got in the third week of Part 4. 

(It has actual dialogue in the theaters, but here they just muted it and laid it over the credits. I went to the theater yesterday JUST to take notes on this for you guys ahaha. Glad I didn’t need to though.)

But like. When I first saw this in the theaters... 

I was so SO sure this was a joke. I mean Prism 2!?! Seriously!? 

But now I don’t know WHAT to think. 

ESPECIALLY ABOUT THIS

But um. Someone tell me the anime references I’m missing here:

And which of these are newly revealed YMT29 boys ahah:

And..... that’s it....

This is Louis’ coded way of telling Shin he’ll love him forever I guess. 

Aw man

you guys

we made it

ROUND OF APPLAUSE 

Ahhhhhhhhhh

ITS BEEN A JOURNEY

So Part 4 turned out way differently than I predicted. When the episodes were first announced and episode 12 was “Unknown”, my immediate thought was “it’s gonna be Shine.” Especially since the quote for Shin’s episode was something like “what have I done,” I assumed he would gain some memories of the past in episode 11 and was talking about something he/Shine did in the past. Then I thought Shine would perform in episode 12 and cause a bad end. Even though we knew Edel Rose was scheduled for a unit performance, I was skeptical if it would actually happen or not as I doubted Shin would be in any condition to perform in episode 12. (I also wondered if maybe we already HAD already seen their unit show in the OP and thus wouldn’t be getting a new song.) 

But when the CDs were announced and I saw the last one said “unit song” I was like.... ohhh.... I guess they will perform as a unit after all? That’s good? 

Turns out I was right at least in predicting that Shine would get a show, but not that he would STEAL SHIN’S SHOW, and that Shin’s “what have I done” quote was about THE PRESENT DAY and something that Shin DID NOT DO. AHHH THE PAIN. 

Although it really cuts me deep that Shin never learns the truth, I am grateful we got that unit show and a happy ending. 

But.... 

OR IS IT? 

says a voice in my head.

Shine’s coming back someday. And we can’t kill him without blanking Shin. Hghkhgkdhlkdh.

If I didn’t know any better I’d say the grand endgame climax of King of Prism would be SeptEntrion teaching Shine to love. But we already know from director spoilers that supposedly the grand climax is about saving Jin. I have a sinking suspicion Shine and Jin may be connected in some way though. 

Who fucking knows where we’re going from now. 

Other than WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON with Jin, another one of my big questions is does the Prism King Cup even matter anymore? Since the Prism One was supposed to replace it, but that didn’t go so well. HAHAH are we REALLY doing the Prism Two come on now..........

But anyway. I suppose there is no point in drawing this out it any further

for now

this is THE END

Thank you all SO MUCH for coming on this journey with me

It’s been such a joy sharing all this with you

And I hope to see you around

SHINY SEVEN STARS FOREVER

EDEL ROSE SPARKING