#ah rant reviews I missed you

[idontwantrobyntodie]

I think if my husband killed a bunch of women including my best friend but had a legitimately good reason, and then he DIDNT kill me because he actually liked me, that’s like. Worse. Like we’re just gonna insult the memory of the women you DID kill like that?? Okay 

More under the cut as requested by @daisywords! Warning it gets. Long. 

The Wrath and the Dawn has reminded me of the time I read basically exclusively YA fantasy written by authors who did not understand how fairy tales, royalty/courts, OR romance works; it was a dark time and I’m thankful for the growth I’ve experienced. It is ostensibly a retelling of 1001 nights; or technically, the frame story of 1001 nights, but after THREE stories told that part is abandoned and it’s just a straight romance. 

And maybe if the romance was good that wouldn’t matter but I have no idea why these people are attracted to one another, especially because, you know, he killed her best friend! Complicating this is the fact that when she entered the palace, she already had a perfectly good childhood friend/fiance/first love, who she forgets about the moment the Caliph starts being nice to her. I understand this was put in to up the ~drama~ and romance but it makes the romance even less convincing because how am I meant to believe that Shahrzad’s love for the Caliph is real if she abandoned her first love so quickly?? Huh?? The role of the fiance/first love in the “plot” (there wasn’t much of that) was to rally a force to get Shahrzad back, but that could have been achieved by anyone! A father, a brother, an uncle. But no, we need another love interest to make this more interesting, so let us cheapen her love by making it seem incredibly fickle. 

So with the love story thoroughly discredited by itself, there’s nothing left but the fairy tale retelling, and that’s. As aforementioned. Not great. Like I said the storytelling thread is abandoned very quickly, but even so there was never much done with it anyway. 1001 nights is a story about the CLEVERNESS of a woman, who SCHEMES with her younger sister to take down the evil king. This Shahrzad goes into the castle to avenge the death of her best friend Shiva, WHO HE KILLED, and she gets soo many chances to kill him, but she doesn’t, and I couldn’t tell you why. Also, we never learn anything about Shiva except her name, and she’s basically forgotten about as soon as the main couple start making eyes at one another, so yippee for sacrificing a dead woman who we claimed to love for the good of the romance with her killer. I love it when novels written for young women in 2015 are less feminist than stories from the middle ages! 

Also this is petty but there were soo many descriptions of clothing and food and people’s appearances that were borderline uncomfortable. “Hazel orbs” “bronze arms” please stop. I literally laughed out loud when Despina, the Greek handmaid, was described as having “eyes bluer than the Aegean” because she’s GREEK did you know she’s GREEK!! The way Greece/Ancient Greece is treated in fantasy novels is so wild to me did u know that’s a place? People live there? I’ve actually stepped foot on this mystical soil! 3/10, I had an allergy attack and my friend Luka got stung by a wasp. How would Shahrzad even know what the Aegean was? Do ur eyes always just happen to be the color of the body of water nearest to where you were born? Are my eyes the brown of the mud on the banks of the Lana river? Pls say they aren’t, that river is full of sewage 

That said the one (1) plot thread I did enjoy was the one where Despina the Greek (did u know she’s Greek?? Got the eyes to prove it) handmaid is secretly pregnant by the captain of the guard/Caliph’s cousin and isn’t telling him. I live for trashy gossip-y plotlines like that and also I’m ovulating, so. If I ever find the second book in a used bookstore or at the library I would consider picking it up to see how that one wraps up, and because hatereading is unfortunately fun

spent three dollars on a used copy of this YA retelling of 1001 nights that I never finished in high school. fully expect it to be bad but I want to see how they redeem the serial wife-killing king in the name of feminism

[starillusion13]

My Muse

Pairing: Hongjoong x f!reader

Genre: Friends to lovers, fluff, College Au

Warnings: orphan (nothing else).

W.C: 3k

Note: Thanks to the people loving my works and supporting them. I love to read your reviews in my dms so feel free to dm me. Thanks for joining the event.

Network: @cultofdionysusnet @k-vanity

Request from @lunehong

Taglist: @mymoodwriting @justhere4kpop @vvshere

💟

*under the cut*

The university classes are meant to be fun and boring consecutively.  Well, how you are experiencing them is depending on the memories you are building for you to remember. The morning classes are always being cursed by you and your friends because of your lazy asses not wanting to leave the bed. The afternoon classes are always tiring to you as you keep telling your friends every five seconds that how hungry you are and might die of this pathetic hunger. The over-dramatic self of yours.

Aside from all these usual aspects of life. There is something else tingling in your life or maybe a someone. University campus is really a vast area with different faces, some you remember and some you don’t. There is one face which always catch your eye is the campus heartthrob, KIM HONGJOONG.

He is the topper of your university and also well known for his charming and intelligence in many other fields like his designs are showcased in fashion department, he has his own composing team for the art and music department and so on. He is the icon for an all-rounder student of this national university. Apparently for being so talented, he is known as the perfect walking man who has come out of every girl’s dream. A perfect man with a pointy nose, flawless attractive features with black brown mullets walks around the campus just like every girl’s dream man has come to reality. Well, you also belong to these girls but maybe a bit more than them.

He is your best-friend.

“Hey! Y/N.” Your cause of suffering has finally arrived while you were just trying to pass through the crowds for next class and avoiding every chance to meet him.

You halted in your path to turn around and face him. You give your brightest smile to him just to get an excited and bright look from him. Those smiling eyes and that smile is the reason for your suffering. He is your best friend since high school and you both were inseparable since then even some people have claimed sometimes you to be a couple which you both waved off by laughing loudly at them or showing them your true friendship and annoying friends both of you can be when together.

This was all fine until the incident happened in the mall last year. You were supposed to go on a date with your boyfriend that day but later that evening you found out the ugliest truth about him cheating on you so you called your first go-to escape, your best-friend Hongjoong to cry your heart out. He without wasting any second time, arrived to your house when he stayed with you whole night just to comfort you and hear about your rantings on everything possible. Next day, he insulted your ex and exposed him in front of the whole campus and that’s when your perspective towards him changed. The friendship between you both started to have some tension of falling it apart. Well, this is only from your side because he still sees you as his best partner for every situation to go through and a perfect best friend.

“Hi, Joong. What are you doing here in this sector of the building now? You probably have the music production meeting with the professors.”

“Ah yes, I still have and will go after meeting you. I came here to ask you whether you are free today after classes or not.”

Hongjoong asking you whether you are free after classes? Oh! He is your best friend so you should not think so afar. It’s just regarding your upcoming exams. Right? He just wants to take all the due notes on the classes he had missed.

“I don’t think anything important is there rather than going home to eat and take a nap.” You both laughed at your reply.

Hongjoong seems to scan his surrounding as if to catch any intruder who is trying to interfere in your little moments. He turned his attention back to you.

“So do you want to hang out with me later in the nearby market or to any place you like. We don’t get much time for us and it’s been so long we have shared our life updates with each other. I miss you.” He tried to give you his puppy eyes and pouty look which you found so cringey that you hit his arm laughing. Other girls would have got heart attacks if he ever done this to them.

“Stop it joong. This does not suite you. You are the dreamy boy of every girl in this campus so you need to maintain your high profile and an attractive image.”

No Joong, please don’t change. I always want you the way you have ever treated me, the way you have only showed me your particular phases that no one has ever seen and will get to see. You can call me selfish but I want all these just for myself and to let you know that Joong I am different from every girl. I am your girl. Maybe just as a best friend at least.

Hongjoong stared at you with an amused glint in his eyes as if he is seeing a comedic scene unfolding in front of him. He always finds your ramblings cute and especially when you are a bit annoyed with something and complaining.

“So, are you not one of those girls as well?” His question caught you off guard for a second but then you played it cool. He is smirking in the wait of your reply.

“Of course not.”

“Why? Don’t you find me cool like they see me?”

“No. You are just my annoying friend who always teases me whenever a boy tries to approach me and then you scare the shit out of that boy.” You looked up a little because of the height proximity to show your glare at him.

He again laughed on your act. “They are not good for you.” His expression suddenly shifted from goofy to dark. His jaw look so tensed and bright eyes are now dark.

“Yeah sure as if you are good for me.” You whispered it so that he cant hear you. You just smiled tightly at him “Thanks for caring but I have to go now and I will then see you in the evening.” You waved at him and with quick steps you went to your class.

“You really can’t see it Y/N right?” Hongjoong chuckled sadly and looked up at the sky.

A blue bird was searching for a shelter moreover a home to protect herself from the upcoming storm.

“Everyone has a home to shelter themselves but I have a shelter but not a home.” He left the scene with a single tear rolling down his eyes.

“Hey Joong, so are we going now?” You are so excited to finally spend some time with your best friend after so long.

“Yes, we are going to your favourite park. Remember the one where we first met? I have got some snacks with me so that we won’t be feeling hungry.”

 “Omo how thoughtful you are.” You faked gasped and put your hands on your chest just above your heart. You can feel how fast your heartbeat is even when you are trying to act normal as best friends in front of him.

“So, lets sit by the side of fence, the view will be nice during the sunset and you can click pictures of it to save it for later.” Spring sunsets are always so beautiful and you both like it so much that no matter wherever you are, both of you take your time to cherish it.

Settling down by the side of the fence, both of you are sitting on a outdoor mat with your belongings kept aside and you facing towards the river to take in the beautiful view of the park as its your favorite meanwhile Hongjoong had a quick call with a professor.

“I miss spending time with you here. I still remember how we both met here when one evening your mother was late to pick you up and you were sitting on the bench with a scared face.” You averted your gaze towards the more beautiful view, towards Hongjoong. The boy is smiling at you with his sparky eyes and how bad you want to hug him right now. He is looking perfect under the warm essence of dusk and in the surrounding of spring season.

“Me too….” You replied still mesmerized by his presence beautifully so close to you.

“What happened? Are you thinking something? Are you hungry?” Hongjoong asked you in a very concerned way in which you simply smiled his way.

“It’s okay Joong, I’m okay.”

“Y/N?” his professional deep voice which he only uses when to confront with your exes or meeting anytime for the first time. He never uses that voice to you but maybe you were wrong.

“Hm?”

“You are bothered by something and I can clearly see the effect on your face.” On his remark , you cupped your face with both of your hands and close your eyes tightly to face him with an excuse other than explaining how you feel different meeting him alone now when you see him more than just best friends.

“No Joong, you are just overthinking. It’s nothing like that.”

“Come here.” He is now sitting facing the river with legs resting straight and leaning his upper body on his two arms on both the sides. His face with no expression asking to move towards him. You are sitting with your legs crossed with a towel spread on your legs and eating your favorite snack.

You didn’t understand why is he calling you towards him so you waited for him to say anything further. He extended one of his arms towards you which you gladly accepted with your own. Suddenly he pulled you towards him and make you sit on his thighs. You attempted to complain for his actions because he always does something like this out of his childish acts with you but you find it difficult for you to control your feelings for him in this situation.

You mentally scolded yourself to feel his actions like differently but this was all normal for both of you since childhood. Your questioning look asking him to speak why is he pulling you like this and waiting for him to clarify your thoughts.

“Now tell me Y/N, what is bothering you?”

‘You Hongjoong! What do you think? You are thinking you are helping me in this situation? You are making it more difficult for me.’

You pushed him and run towards the fence and hold them tightly to calm your heart with your eyes closed. It was always so nice meeting him before and spending time with him and ranting about each other’s life but the conditions are no more similar.

You felt someone hugging you from behind and resting his chin on your right shoulder when suddenly he spoke breathily.

“Why are you so easy to read Y/N?” His smiling lips hovering near your neck, this feels make you feel so safe in his embrace.

“What are you saying?” you nearly whispered but still audible for him to hear clearly for so close proximity.

He made you face him by turning your body. Your body resting on the waist level fences and his leaning forward when he put his arms on top of your hands on both of your sides holding the fence.

You looked up into his eyes to understand what does he mean by reading you easily.

“Why don’t you say it directly to me? How long do I need to wait for it?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you pretending not to understand?”

“I- “

“Do you like me?” His expression explains everything that he is not joking at all even he wants a valid reply from you that moment.

“I don’t know…….” You are avoiding his gaze when deep down you know how much you are lying in the moment when you want to hug him tightly and scream how you don’t want to lose him to someone else and make him yours.

“If you can’t say it then let me tell you Y/N, I like you. No wait I love you.” His right hand lifted up to your face to cup the side of your face.

He continues, “You are the reason for my life. I asked you out today not just because I haven’t met you for so long but to finally let out my feelings to you. I don’t know when I started having these feelings for you but I am happy that they are not atleast late.”

“Hongjoong, I have to-“

“Let me say mine first then I will let you to say all your parts.” Maybe he is your bestfriend but he always has this demanding aura whenever he is serious.

“I don’t like when you tell me that boys are trying to hit on you and whenever anyone approaches you with a proposal. I don’t want you to be someone else’s girl. You are my girl. You are my muse. All these designs and songs you see around and the recognition I got from them are inspired from you. It’s all because of you. I never had anyone to call mine as I have been raised in an orphanage till middle school and the family adopted was always too busy to spend time with me and that’s why I always play alone in that park when one day I met you.”

“Don’t you feel afraid of heartbreak if I reject your feelings for me?” You confidently ask him.

“No.”

“No?”

“I know your reply and I wanted you to feel the same for me and that’s why I waited so long just to realize that our feelings are mutual.” He is smiling at you happily which is hurting you more as you still haven’t said about your feelings for him.

“How?”

“Your act of ignoring me when am around. You avoiding eye contact whenever you are telling something private convos. Your jealousy visible on your face and in your actions when girls literally drool over me. Its so simple to read you and trust me I loved it. I enjoyed your possessiveness over me and I want that to feel when we are together not as bestfriends but as lovers.”

“I know….. I have to say you that I like you more you know. You don’t know how much it hurt to see with your classmate roaming around the building and people gossiping you both as a perfect couple when here am left back with feelings for you which I cant even tell you.”

“We are just working on same project you know nothing more.”

“Yes I know but people make up so much stories at some point they hurt you know. I tried to convince myself that I should not feel like that for my bestfriend but I failed miserably each time and fell for you harder.”

Hongjoong hugged you and caressed your back of the head. “Thanks for not giving up on your feelings and that’s why I got the chance to express myself to you.”

“I like you Hongjoong.”

“Oh that’s it?”

“Huh?”

“I love you because you are the poetry to my arts, you are the muse of my life to inspire me to proceed with life in a right way and always being my home but….”

“But?”

“You just like me?.....” He mimicked a sad hurtful expression and you realized what he is referring to.

“Joong! You are playing with me again. Okay listen I love you. Happy?”

“No.”

“Now what?”

“Kiss me.”

“…..Joong”

He gives you a small peck on the lips. “I have to seal the bond when I got the opportunity.”

You hit him on the chest and went towards your belongings on the ground to pack them for you and him. He watches you intently standing there.

“Wont you help me?” you asked him.

“With what?” An amused glint in his eyes and a mischievous smile dancing on his lips.

“Hongjoong!”

"Y/N!"

He laughed and proceeded to wrap up everything.

“Y/N? What are we now?” You both have your backpacks on and standing facing each other.

“Bestfriends?”

“But bestfriends don’t kiss.” You become shy when you realised few minutes back Hongjoong kissed you. He comes closer to you and pecks your lips again and then kissing your forehead, he holds you gaze when his hands cupped your face.

“um I am your muse so you are my artist then are we contracted partners?” You joked a bit to calm down your heartbeat. He laughed along with you because the way you were embarrassed with your own joke.

“You are my girl and I’m yours.”

“Mine.” You smiled at him heartily because finally you know you don’t have to lose him to someone else and now, he is completely yours.

Your bestfriend and also your man. Oh maybe your artist, come on you are his muse.

You hugged him tightly which he happily returned you with keeping you in his embrace. Under the thousands of blinking stars in the night sky, there is a beginning of a new love story.

[banannabethchase]

Now (Is the Perfect Timing) - also on AO3

~

They did it. The Bad Kids graduated. Kristen graduated. So why doesn't she feel more excited about it?

~

Thank you, second full watch through of the entire Fantasy High series, for forcing me to write yet another Trackerbees fic. O no. Title from Waking Up Dreaming by Shania Twain.

~

“This sucks.”

Kristen blinks awake and almost falls out of bed. “When the hell did you get here?!” she shrieks, ignoring the sore spot on her ass from where she crashed to the ground.

Fig stares over her. “Been here, like, an hour. Stole Jawbone’s coffee. Woke up Adaine by shaking her bunk bed, which was fun.” She sighs. “Didn’t expect Aelwyn to be there.”

“You’re terrible with boundaries,” Kristen says. She stands and wraps her arms around Fig, holding her as tightly as she can imagine. “I missed you.”

“Of course you did,” Fig says, patting her on the back. “I’m irreplaceable.”

“So, what sucks?” Kristen asks. And then she recognizes a very conspicuous absence. “Oh, Ayda didn’t –”

“Nah, she’s downstairs,” Fig says. “My mom wants her to try the pancakes she’s bringing to the brunch. What sucks is that you’re all graduating and because I love you guys I can’t nuke the stage.”

“She’s making a joke,” says Ayda, as she pokes her head in. “Fig, I thought we reviewed that interrupting Adaine while she slept didn’t go well.”

“Kirsten’s different,” Fig says. She reaches out and grabs at Kristen’s ponytail, and Kristen only slightly puts her in a headlock. “Hey!”

“Deal,” Kristen says. She adds a kiss to the top of Fig’s head, just for good measure. “You woke me up.”

“You love it,” Fig says, batting at Kristen. Eventually she lets Fig go, but not before ensuring that her hair was well and fully messed up.

“You deserved that,” Ayda says. “Kristen. It is good to see you.”

“You too, Ayda.” She opens her arms. “Hug?”

“I would prefer something with less contact.” Ayda comes up and bumps Kristen’s shoulder with hers, a wing extending to pat at Kristen’s back. It’s almost better than a hug. “Ah. That’s nice. Thank you.”

Kristen isn’t sure she’s ever been thanked for a hug before, but she’s got no problem with it.

They make their way downstairs where Ayda pronounces the pancakes the best she’s ever had, and Kristen grabs one as they dart out the door. They’re good, of course. But not quite the best she’s ever had.

“Kristen,” Ayda says, at her best attempt at a whisper. Luckily everyone in Mordred Manor is arguing about which of the Bad Kids is going to fuck up graduation. Kristen wishes her name was less frequently mentioned, but you win some you lose some. “Kristen, may I tell you something?”

“Yeah, Ayda, of course.” She leans in a little more.

“These are the best pancakes I’ve ever had because I have never had pancakes before,” Ayda says in a rushed whisper. Kristen turns to her and she looks genuinely concerned as they walk down the driveway. “Does that count as a lie? I’d hate to lie to my future mother in law.”

Kristen grins at her. “Not a lie. Also, you’re fucking adorable.”

A little flame sparks across Ayda’s cheeks. “Thank you. I will return to Fig now.”

“I’ve missed you like hell, Ayda,” Kristen chuckles.

Fig nearly kills all of them as she drives them to Fabian’s. They could hear Sandra Lynn from behind them yelling at her to slow down while she rode on Baxter, but it only made Fig gas it more.

“And be nice to Gilear,” she demands toward what Kristen hopes is the end of a rant. “When I got in last night he was covered in baby puke and had those little puff things stuck in his hair.”

“We can’t mention that?!” Kristen asks. Adaine whaps her gently in the arm. “Oh, come on.”

“He’s got a baby,” Adaine says. “He’s bound to be exhausted, especially since Fig’s been gone.”

“Hallariel still looks hot as fuck,” Kristen mutters.

Adaine hits her again on her arm, accompanied by an impressively flexible thwap on the forehead from Fig.

“Ow!” Kristen yells. “Pay attention to driving!”

“Stop hitting on my step mom!”

“You can’t hit on somebody who isn’t in the room,” Kristen retorts.

“Fine,” Fig hisses. She pulls into the driveway, already full with Gorgug’s van and Gilear’s car. “Stop being weirdly horny about my step mom.”

Kristen sighs. “Fine. God. Can I say it to Fabian though?”

“Actually?” Fig says, pausing as she opens the door. “Yes. Yes, you can. Once. Out of my earshot.”

“Hell yeah.”

They’re halfway into the house before Adaine dives away to go find Fig and Fabian’s baby sister.

“Let me kiss her!” Kristen yells after Adaine. “You don’t get to hog her!”

“Try me!” Adaine calls back.

Fabian, looking bizarrely forlorn for a kid on the day of his graduation comes out. “Hi.”

“Who shit in your cereal?” Kristen asks.

“Nobody. I’m just miserable,” Fabian says. His battle sheet is draped over his shoulders. Kristen is pretty sure he still hasn’t showered.

“Why are you miserable?” Ayda asks. “Is there something we can help with?”

“Yeah,” Fig says. “Hey, what about a graduation party tomorrow night or something? The Maximum Legend’s major rager?”

“Yeah, Fabian,” says Kristen, and she swears she’s not trying to sound like a dick, “you love house parties.”

“I can’t have a house party!” Fabian says. “Those days are gone, Fig, because of her.”

Fig rolls her eyes. “She has a name.”

“Yes, and her name is my mortal enemy.”

“And your name is big fuckin’ baby,” Fig says.

“She is horrible!”

“Fiona is a baby,” Kirsten says, “and you are out of your mind.”

“Fiona is a demon!” Fabian says, and he throws his hands in the air. It’s more dramatic, now that he’s got a baby sister, the way he acts. Kristen likes to poke at it.

“She’s cuter than you,” Kristen muses. “Do you think you’re jealous she’s getting more of your mom’s attention?”

“Fucking hell, Kirsten,” Riz says, coming out from the kitchen. He shakes his head, the cap barely moving from where it sits between his ears.

Kristen is about to say the thing about Fabian’s hot mom but, before, she can say anything else, Fabian has her strung up, upside down from what seems to be some weird tangle with his battle sheet.

“Aha!” He says. “Take it back!”

“This is exactly what I was trying to do with that stupid ribbon in sophomore year,” Kristen says. She tries not to sound like all the blood rushing to her head is slightly screwing with her senses.

“Take it back,” Fabian says. If she squints, he may be smiling.

“Don’t take it back!” Adaine says in a squeaky little voice, and Kristen turns her head to see Fiona in Adaine’s arms.

“Oh, the baby is here,” Ayda says. Kirsten watches her expression catapult between multiple emotions. “Hello, Fig’s sister.”

Fiona replies somewhat favorably by giggling and wiggling the hand not held by Adaine.

“Oh,” Ayda says. Kristen can’t totally read her expression, but it’s unexpected. “The small baby waved at me.” She turns to Fig. “She is adorable. And much larger than last time. But not as adorable as you, of course. You are the most perfect.”

Kristen fake gags at the way Fig gazes at Ayda. It doesn’t go well. The sudden action makes her incredibly aware of the pressure in her head. “Alright, fine, I cave!” Kristen crunches up and grabs at the sheet, but it collapses as she tries to climb. “You suck, Fabian.”

“I don’t.” He reaches down to hold out a hand, and Kristen takes it. He hugs her quickly. “Now, up. We have a graduation brunch.”

They do, in fact. It’s fun and giggly, with Fig and Ayda sitting on either side of Fiona as she plays with her food. And Kristen allows herself to be just the tiniest bit jealous.

She and Fabian start tossing chunks of strawberry from the fruit salad into each other’s mouths, and they were on a 26 in a row record-setting run when someone walks in and smacks the strawberry slice out of the air.

“Damn, good aim,” Kristen says. She looks up at Adaine. “What’s up?”

“I need your help to make Fig do something other than the ponytail for graduation,” Adaine explains. “And, also…”

“Also you want me to do your hair,” Kristen guesses.

“Well if you insist.” Adaine grins, and it’s a level of relaxation in her eyes Kristen hasn’t seen in months. Finals took her through hell, and that was after midterms during their battles with the invisible armies of the dead. Her hair is longer now that she hasn’t cut it in months. “Come on.”

“Ah yes, I need to get ready too,” Fabian says. “Gorgug? Riz?”

“Are you asking us to come shower with you?” Gorgug asks. “Because I don’t know how Mary Ann will feel about that.”

Riz and Fabian laugh so hard that Fiona joins in, and it gives Adaine, Fig, and Kristen the cover to duck upstairs into Hallariel’s fancy bathroom.

Kristen twists and braids Adaine’s hair, pinning the braids up to mimic a crown.

“There,” she says, taking care of the last piece of hair. “Done.”

“Thank you,” Adaine says, beaming. She looks so happy that Kristen doesn’t even want to mention that this may be one of the last times that Adaine wants her to do her hair. “Now, let’s go get Fig up to snuff.”

Kristen fiddles with her collar as Adaine puts Fig’s hair in a pretty good set of French braids.

“You two match,” Kristen says. “It’s cute.”

“Are you going to wear your hair down for once?” Fig asks. “Because it’s about time you quit it with the ponytail.”

“It’s functional!” Kristen says. “And I wear it down all the time.”

Adaine rolls her eyes. “Two or three times a year isn’t all the time.”

Kristen immediately loses the battle, as Adaine knocks her out at the knees and Fig shoves her in a chair. She complains the whole time, just for good measure.

When Adaine is done, she takes a look at herself. Her hair is holding a soft wave. She looks different, she guesses. Her hair is neater than usual. It looks nice. It looks. Different.

“Guys, do I have curly hair?” she asks. She tugs at it. “Do – what do I do with my hair like this?”

“Deal with that crisis later,” Fig says, clapping Kristen on the back. “Come on. We have places to be.”

“Wouldn’t you rather make a big entrance and, like, interrupt things?” Kristen takes the jacket Fig is shoving into her hands. It goes on perfectly, and Kristen once again must acknowledge that Fabian was right about the tailoring idea. “That feels more your vibe.”

Fig shrugs. “Maybe I don’t want to be late for once.”

Kristen makes the executive decision not to think too far into that.

~

As she walks across the stage, she disconnects a little bit. She hears Cassandra and Ankarna cheering for her in her mind. She sees herself shake Arthur Aguefort’s hand. She feels the hard wood of the stage under her sneakers. She can smell Griffothy Andrews’ excess body spray. She can taste the mint that Adaine had given her to get her to shut up mid-rant in line right before she crossed the stage.

She is graduating, and the world did not end. She fought battles and defeated Helio and Sol and, hopefully, Galicaea and her general are about to take out the last of their soldiers in Fallinel.

She won’t think too hard about that general. It’s been long enough that missing her feels natural. And she has the crystal messages. When they come.

It’s okay.

She wipes a rogue tear or two from her cheeks as she catches Jawbone taking a photo of her and beaming.

“Good job, kid,” he says. “Oh, screw it.” He reaches out and yanks her into a hug, and Kristen lets herself cry, just the tiniest bit, onto his shoulder.

“Thanks, Dad,” she whispers.

“Goddamnit, Kristen, did you and Adaine plan that?” he chokes out. “I’m supposed to be professional here.”

He guides her out of the way and toward the steps as the next guy behind her goes up to get his diploma, and Kristen catches up to the line to get back to her seat. She’s fully settled and back in her own body once it’s Riz’s turn across the stage, and she finds herself incredibly grateful for the chance to do this with her best friends. She knows Fig and Ayda are in the audience, cheering her on. She hopes Bucky’s there, too, but she won’t hold too hard to that. Disappointment has no business here today.

It’s friends and acquaintances in between Fabian, Mary Ann, and Gorgug crossing the stage, and then it’s over. They stand. The throw their various hats in the air. They have graduated.

She didn’t expect to feel a little bit empty about it.

“Kristen!” Fig crashes into her from the crowd, and there’s a chance she threw a little magic into her trek through the giant number of people. “Kristen, over here!”

Kristen squeezes between where Gertie is hugging her dads and where Lucilla Lullaby is weeping over one of Fabian’s bard friends. She dives into Fig’s arms and lets Fig spin her. “You did it!”

“I did it!” Kristen replies. “I’m done! I graduated!”

Fig pulls back and glances over Kristen’s shoulder. “You did!”

“What are you looking at?” Kristen tries to glance behind her, but Fig yanks her into a hug again.

“Nothing,” Fig says. “Making sure nobody was trying to hex my president.” She winks, and Kristen realizes just how much she’s missed her over the past few months. Fighting next to each other in battle is very different from talking during dinner. “Let’s go find everybody else.”

Ayda pops up from behind Fig and grabs her hand without a second thought. “Yes, we have to make sure everyone is here.”

“Everyone is here,” Kristen corrects. “We were all either getting ready to graduate or in the crowd.”

Ayda’s expression goes confused for the briefest flash of a moment before Fig grabs her and kisses her so hard Kristen has to look away.

“Oh, my god, you two,” Kristen grumbles.

Fig pulls away, leaving Ayda a little dazed and looking a little less put together herself. “What? Like we didn’t have to suffer you doing this with Tracker for a year and a half?”

Kristen shakes her head and makes herself smile. “Alright, Bad Kids together. We’ve got to get some pictures.”

Ayda helps collect everyone by flying above the crowd, and it only takes a few minutes to wrangle the whole crew. They shove at each other and get into a terrible facsimiles of family photos, adults and kids alike. Kristen’s up on her toes to try and shove Fabian out of the way, but this might be the right way for the photo to be set up.

“Get here out of here!” Fabian snaps as Fig grabs Fiona.

“Nope!” she says. She places Fiona on her shoulders, and Adaine reaches out to settle a reassuring hand on Fiona’s back. “She’s a Bad Kid. A Bad Baby, maybe.”

“No,” Adaine says.

“Absolutely not,” Riz says. “Not when we have the other connotation for Bad Baby.”

Gorgug shudders, and Kristen is pretty sure he’s thinking about Fabian’s rager for Gorgug’s and Riz’s eighteenth birthdays. “Never again. No more bad baby milk.”

Fabian pouts through all of the pictures. But Kristen does catch him reach out and hold Fiona’s foot with the tiniest smile in between pictures.

“Alright, that should be enough,” Aelwyn says, sliding her phone into her pocket. “I’ve made a folder for all of us to share, in case there are other pictures.” She points to everyone. “It’s linked to everyone’s crystals with a notification triggered any time additional photos are added.”

“When did you become techy?” Gorgug asks.

Aelwyn raises an eyebrow and stares at Gorgug. Menacing is the wrong word, but it’s close. “When did you determine you were allowed to speak to me like that?”

Kristen opens her mouth to intervene, but another person steps to Aelwyn.

“Are you flirting with my boyfriend?” Mary Ann asks.

Kristen has to slap her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing.

“Excuse me?” Aelwyn asks, staring down at Mary Ann. “Who the fuck are you, pipsqueak?”

“It’s weird you think you’re cool,” Mary Ann says. “Gorgug, can I kick her ass?”

“She’s my sister,” Adaine explains. “I’ll do it.”

“What?!” Aelwyn says. “I’m sorry, I do you all a favor and somehow I’m the bad guy?”

“Let’s just go get – I don’t know, a water or something.” Adaine grabs Aelwyn’s arm and steers her away.

“What’s her deal?” Mary Ann asks. She takes a sip of her soda. Kristen doesn’t even know when she could have gotten it.

“Easy way to say it is she and Fabian had a thing two summers ago and it fucked both of them up,” Fig offers. “Hard way to say it is she was raised by the same people who raised Adaine except she’s still learning how to be a person about it.”

Mary Ann shrugs. “Cool. Gorgug, let’s go to the van.”

“The van?”

Kristen notices an expression cross Gorgug’s face. “Yes,” he says, a little too carefully. “The van.”

The two of them walk away, hand in hand.

“I still don’t get it,” Fig says, almost in awe. “I mean, I love it, but I don’t get it.”

“Philosophically or anatomically?” Ayda asks.

“Philosophically it makes perfect sense,” Fig says. “Anatomically…I have never been more confused.”

“Okay,” Kristen says. “Nope. Don’t need to hear it.”

“Unfortunately you now understand our feelings when you get naked around us.”

“Huh,” Kristen mutters. “Damn.”

Hallariel, Gilear, Fabian, and Fiona take some family pictures while Kristen waits. She decides not to look around. She knows nobody else is coming.

“Are you feeling uncomfortable?” Ayda asks.

Kristen shrugs. “A little. Kind of weird to be here with everybody’s parents.” She offers he best attempt at a smile.

Ayda’s expression goes a little weird for a second. “Oh. I understand, to a degree.” She reaches out and touches Kristen’s hand, just the littlest bit. “Figueroth and I had dinner with my father last night and it…it went alright. But I expressed to him that I would prefer space today in order to recover from the time we spent together.”

“Damn,” Kristen says. “Fair. Me and my parents can’t exactly have those conversations. Every time I talk to them it kind of feels like that battle in the Nekronomikron in March.”

Ayda nods sympathetically. “A losing fight against those who cannot lose.” She rests her forehead against the side of Kristen’s. “Never again, Kristen. We won.”

It��s a strange thing, her friendship with Ayda. Sometimes it feels like Ayda prefers Adaine. Sometimes it feels like she just talks to Kristen because Kristen is Fig’s friend. And sometimes it feels like this: family.

“I shouldn’t be sad today, right?” Kristen asks. “It’s supposed to be a happy day.”

Ayda pulls away and gets herself right in front of Kristen. “If there is anything I’ve learned, it’s that there is no right or wrong way to feel.”

Kristen opens her mouth to respond, but she and Ayda see the ball of excitement and strawberry blonde hair barreling toward them at the same time.

“Hey, Bucky!” Kristen wraps her arms around her little brother. “Where the hell did you come from?” She can’t stop herself from looking for their parents. Hope is strong, but doubt is stronger. Cassandra wraps herself around the thought like a hug, and Kristen comes back to what’s actually happening.

“Oh,” he says. “Oh, no. They, um. They aren’t here.”

Kristen won’t let herself be disappointed. She knew Mac and Donna wouldn’t be here. There was no doubt in that. Not even a little. “Right.” She nods and steps back. “You look great, Bucky. New suit?”

Bucky nods. “For church,” he says, rolling his eyes. “But I snuck out and brought it to wear today.” He adjusts the lapels. “Feels better like this.”

“I’m glad you feel good in it, Buck,” Kristen says. She gives him another squeeze. “Let’s get some pictures.”

“I can do that!” Ayda says. “Give me one moment.”

Ayda manages to come up with about two dozen poses until she determines she’s satisfied, and she gives Kristen’s phone back with a bit of a flourish.

“Bucky, you have a wonderful sister,” she says. “It’s good to see you again.”

Bucky beams at her. “Same, Ayda.”

Kristen squeezes him on the shoulder, another reminder that he’s here and this is really happening. “Do you want to come to dinner with all of us?”

“Oh,” Bucky says. “Oh, I’ve already – it’s been two hours. They’re going to start wondering where I am.”

“Right,” Kristen says. “Of course. I get it. Thank you for coming. It really means a lot.” She hugs him again. She hopes it’s enough. “Love you, Bucky.”

“Love you too, Kristen.”

One last squeeze and then Bucky is waving as he walks to the bike rack. He’ll bike home and change next to the trellis. Probably stores the bag under the shrubs by the window and throws it over his shoulder before he climbs back up the wall.

There’s a lot of things Kristen wishes she could have saved her brothers from. But at least they’re figuring out a little bit without her.

“You okay?” Fig asks. She reaches down and squeezes Kristen’s hand.

Gorgug bumps her other shoulder.

“I’m okay,” she says. “Bucky came. My parents and my other brothers didn’t.”

“Aw, Kristen.” Gorgug pulls her in and hugs her. She lets it go on longer than she usually likes. Gorgug will be gone for a few weeks in the summer at an artificer internship, and it could be a while before they get to do this again. If he likes it enough, he might be even longer.

She’s sick of missing people.

She’s sick of people leaving and not coming back.

Kristen sighs and pulls away from Gorgug. “It’s okay,” she says. “I mean. I have all of you, right?” It has to be enough.

Someone clears their throat, and Fig’s face lights up.

“Oh, no, Kristen,” she says, sounding in no way upset about the way she shoulder checks Kristen backward. Usually Kristen would be able to flatten her to the ground, but there’s something about this a little too weird for her to react in time. Kristen bumps into somebody. “So sorry for bumping into you.” It’s followed by a hilariously excessive wink. Ayda looks as baffled as Kristen feels, but then somebody puts their hand on her shoulder to steady her.

Kristen turns to a bouquet of flowers in front of her face. “Oh,” she says, a little confused. She takes them. “Thanks.” She sniffs, and almost falls over when she moves the bouquet from her face. “I – you’re here.”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” Tracker says. Her eyes a sparkling, just the tiniest bit. Kristen remembers that look. “I wouldn’t miss this if the world depended on it.”

“It kind of did,” Kristen says. She doesn’t know what to do with the way Tracker is looking at her. It’s poking at memories Kristen usually only pulls up when she’s alone. “How’d that war in Fallinel end?”

“It hasn’t,” Tracker says. “Almost. But Galicaea’s got it. Those Sol nutters are gonna cave any minute now.”

Kristen stares. “You left a war where you’re a general to come to my high school graduation?”

Tracker shrugs, and Kristen feels her heart do one of Fabian’s weird dances. “You’re worth it.”

Kristen has a million questions, all of them surely eloquent and smart or whatever, but what comes out of her mouth is, “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you come?” Kristen knows what she hopes for. She’s also done enough in her eighteen years in Spyre that she knows hope often isn’t enough.

Tracker’s face goes a little weird. “I figured it was obvious, Kristen.”

“The thing I think is obvious seems kind of impossible.”

Tracker sighs and looks a little frustrated, but it’s not exactly unexpected. “Fucking hell, Kristen.”

Before she can move, before she can think, Tracker’s grabbed her around the waist, yanked her in, and is planting a reality shattering kiss on Kristen’s lips.

Kristen swoons – actually fucking swoons – and has to throw her arms around Tracker’s neck to keep from falling over. Her brain is frying in the best way possible, familiarity and a strange flicker of novelty recalibrating her entire system. Tracker’s arms are bigger against Kristen’s back than they used to be, stronger than ever, and it strikes Kristen that, just maybe, she should be asking some questions about whatever is happening.

“What?” Kristen asks as she pulls away. Tracker’s hair has gotten longer. It looks good.

She has got to focus.

“Not – okay?” Tracker drops her immediately, and Kristen is fully considering a temper tantrum over the loss of the touch.

“I changed my mind about talking. Get back here,” Kristen says. Words can wait. She throws herself into Tracker’s arms again and gets an arm around Tracker’s waist. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed Tracker. She doesn’t think she let herself know how much she’d missed Tracker. She still kisses the same way – firm and determined, holding Kristen so tightly it’s like she’ll never let go. The desperation feels different now, though. It doesn’t feel as frantic. It feels more focused, more intentional.

Kristen will not swoon. Not again.

She pulls back again for the sheer sake of breathing, which seems like it doesn’t deserve priority right now, and stares at Tracker. “You’re here.”

“I’m here,” Tracker says. She tucks some hair behind Kristen’s ear. “I like your hair down,” she murmurs. “It’s cute.”

“Tracker!” Kristen turns around to see Adaine bounding toward the two of them away from Gorgug, Mary Ann, and Fabian. “You got here!”

“Thanks for helping me get here,” Tracker says, grinning.

Kristen blinks. “Helping?”

“Surprise!” Adaine says. She half dances in front of Kristen and Tracker. It’s kind of new, after all her time hanging out at Fabian’s house both with and without him, but Fiona has somehow shifted a lot of Adaine’s anxiety. And, Kristen assumes, being done with her advanced honors level Wizarding classes. That probably will do it.

“You knew?” Kristen asks. “How the hell did you know?”

“Tracker contacted me first,” Adaine says. One of her braids is threatening to break free of the bobby pin holding it to her head, and Kristen thinks that she’ll let it fall in revenge for Adaine not telling her.

“And you didn’t tell me.” Kristen sighs. “We live together, Adaine.”

“Which makes it even more impressive I was able to keep it from you for a month.” She leans in and kisses Kristen on the cheek. “We did it. We’re done. You deserve some celebration. Let yourself enjoy it.”

Kristen raises an eyebrow at her. “What are you letting yourself enjoy?”

Adaine shrugs. “Fig and Fabian actually did plan a rager at Seacaster, but tomorrow? Probably going to watch a movie with Aelwyn. Get ice cream from Basrar’s.” She sighs, looking impressively relaxed for a person surrounded by a couple hundred people. “A couple days without saving the world or studying sounds pretty great.” She squeezes Tracker’s shoulder. “It’s really good to see you again.”

Despite the noise and the chaos around them, Kristen wants to hold on to this moment for a while as she watches Adaine walk away, and memorizes the feeling of Tracker by her side again. “So,” Kristen says. She turns back to Tracker, a hand on her waist. “You left your war for my graduation.”

“It’s not that dramatic,” Tracker says. Kristen knows that tiny flicker of yellow in her eyes. There’s suddenly a wave of heat over her skin that has nothing to do with the setting sun. “Winning the war was a given. You graduating wasn’t.”

“Hey!”

“I meant that you almost die, like, twelve times a month,” Tracker says. “It’s not that I didn’t believe in you. It’s that the world is deadly.”

“The world is deadly and I graduated high school,” Kristen says.

Tracker nods and presses her lips together, eyes looking over Kristen’s shoulder.

“What?”

Tracker nods again toward where she’s looking. “Fabian’s holding a baby that makes me worry he’s about to throw it.”

“That’s Fiona,” Kristen explains.

“That’s Fiona?!” Tracker says. “Wasn’t she born, like, last week?”

“She was born back in November, but okay,” Kristen laughs. “I guess it has been a while since Christmas.”

“It has.” Tracker’s eyes flicker down to Kristen’s lips, then back up. “A long while.”

Kristen remembers what happened during Christmas. Tracker had been gone for weeks, after being back for an awkward summer of trying to be friends. And then – well, similarly to what happened right now, Tracker showed up out of nowhere. But it wasn’t in front of other people. It was in Kristen’s bedroom, in her bed, on what used to be the altar.

And then Tracker left again.

Kristen takes a step back. “Let’s – go talk,” she says. She can’t meet Tracker’s eyes.

“Yeah,” Tracker says. “Of course. Mordred Manor?”

Kristen nods. “I think everybody else will be busy here for a while. Pictures. Family stuff.”

Tracker’s lips part for the briefest of seconds. “Yeah,” she says quietly. “Yeah, I can – yeah.”

Kristen follows Tracker to a beat to shit sedan. Boxy, grey, probably ancient.

“New car?” Kristen asks as she slides into the passenger seat.

“Yeah, there’s not a lot of options last minute,” Tracker says. “Jawbone helped me find one. Been in that extra driveway at Mordred for a few months.”

Kristen nods. “I think I remember seeing it, but I thought it was just a pile of junk.” She throws a smile at Tracker, praying for one back. If there isn’t one, she might be done for.

Tracker, to Kristen’s relief, smiles and laughs, if a bit darker than she’d like. “Yeah. It looks better than it did when I first started driving it, though.”

Kristen nods, and the car falls into a strange silence. Tracker’s music starts playing, and Kristen recognizes the voice but not the song.

“Did The Growlers come out with a new album?” she asks.

Tracker nods. “Sort of. About a year ago.”

“Oh.” Kristen missed it, because they’ve barely talked in the past year and half. “Right.”

The silence grows uncomfortable, and Kristen feels like she’s about to crawl out of her skin. They pull into Mordred. Kristen doesn’t even wait for Tracker to throw the car in park before jumping out and half running to the door.

“Are you good?” Tracker asks. She’s far less frenetic than Kristen, which feels almost embarrassing. “You’re being weird.”

“I’m being weird?” Kristen asks. She fumbles with the key, incredibly aware of how close Tracker is behind her. “You showed up and didn’t tell me.”

“It was a surprise!” Tracker says as they walk through the door. Tracker pushes past Kristen, just a tiny bit, and starts walking toward Kristen’s bedroom. “You like surprises!”

“You don’t know that,” Kristen grumbles. It’s slightly annoying how Tracker knows exactly the path to Kristen’s bedroom, how to get there without stepping on creaky boards or tripping over unexpected dips in the old floor.

Tracker throws a grin over her shoulder as she pushes open Kristen’s bedroom door. “I don’t? Officer Kristen says differently.”

“Okay,” Kristen says. She kicks off her shoes and leaves them next to the door, and then pulls the door shut. “Officer Kristen says shut up.”

Tracker sits down on Kristen’s bed. “You gonna make me?”

There are two very clear paths in front of them right now. One leads to what happened over Christmas. One leads to a conversation about 3 years too late.

“Tracker,” Kristen says, as carefully as she can.

It doesn’t work. The hurt flashes across Tracker’s face before Kristen can say anything else. “Oh,” Tracker says. Her voice is tiny. “I’m so sorry.”

“No, it’s – it’s not that,” Kristen says. She starts walking back and forth, pacing a familiar path in the floor of her bedroom. “You and I both know it’s not that I don’t want – this is a lot, okay? And I know I suck at dealing with things, but I’ve been working really hard on taking things seriously ever since you called me out that Christmas junior year about looking for the easy way out.” She yanks her hair back in a ponytail, about to start searching for a hair tie before Tracker hands her one from the bedside table drawer. “Thanks. Anyway, I’ve been doing the hard stuff. But that means I’ve had to look at why I didn’t want to do the hard stuff before, and that’s because it all goes away, no matter how hard I work.”

Tracker looks at her, blank. Kristen decides to wait, because maybe Tracker is processing and is worried Kristen will keep talking. But Tracker keeps looking.

“Kristen,” she says, after way too much time, “what do you mean, it all goes away?”

“What – first off, I was the chosen one for an idiot frat boy who then went on to try to literally enslave the world to follow his and his dad’s stupid rules,” Kristen says, ticking it off on her finger. “Then, because I decided to peace out on Helio, my parents decided I wasn’t worth the effort of parenting anymore. Two of my gods died. I’ve died twice trying to save the world.” She sits down on the bed, closer to Tracker than she means, but it’s muscle memory. Her body alone knows that the closer she is to Tracker, the more at home she’ll feel. “I’ve died twice saving the world, and it feels like it helped everyone but me.”

Tracker reaches out and Kristen automatically leans in. She probably shouldn’t have, but Tracker still smells like that apple hair mousse stuff and she always liked it. “Tell me more,” Tracker says quietly.

Kristen sighs and pulls back after the moment of indulgence. “The Bad Kids are going to the same college, but we’ll all be in different departments. We only get to see each other once a week on whichever day our Party Dynamics class meets.” She can’t meet Tracker’s eyes. “What if they find another person, a cleric who hasn’t killed two gods?”

“To be fair, you’re also a cleric who has resurrected two gods,” Tracker says.

“Okay, well, that was all of us,” Kristen says. She looks at Tracker. “What if they decide it’s not worth it and they leave?”

For the first time, Tracker looks fully confused. “What? Why would you think that?”

“Because everyone always leaves,” Kristen says. She feels more defeated than she should. She just graduated from high school. She did something big. Instead, she feels wrong. “Or they give up, like my parents.” She chokes back tears. “And I can’t do that again. I can’t be left behind again.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” Tracker says. “Not unless I had to.”

“But you did. You left,” Kristen says. She has to stand up. It’s hard to resist the urge to drop and do twenty pushups, but she prevails. “Again. The first time, we both moved on. We figured it out. We tried –  and then this past – the summer.”

Tracker winces.

“Okay, good to know I’m not the only one who found those two months awful,” Kristen says. She begins pacing again, anxious energy building worse than lactic acid. “But you left again. After.” She looks up, and Tracker is sitting there on her bed, like she belongs there, like she’s always been there. And she does and she has, and she doesn’t and she hasn’t. “And you came back and – Christmas.”

It’s clear she’s trying to keep a more serious expression, but there’s a flash of yellow again in Tracker’s eyes and Kristen isn’t strong enough to keep resisting. She has to get it out now. “Christmas,” Tracker says gently, “was the first time in a long time that things felt right.”

“You can’t say that,” Kristen says. She leans against the door. She’s still in her graduation robes. She’s still dressed to leave high school and leave so many things she loves behind. “You can’t say it felt right when you left the next morning”

“I had to!” Tracker says. “We had a war on all fronts, and Helio had made his move. Galicaea needed me in Fallinel. You and I both know those elves weren’t prepared to lead themselves.”

“You could have stayed,” Kristen says. It comes out as barely more than a whisper. “You didn’t.” She can’t look at Tracker. Not right now.

It feels like a decade passes in the silence between them. Kristen won’t look first. She’s said her piece. It’s Tracker’s turn.

“I know,” Tracker says. “I wanted you to come with me. But it – it wasn’t fair.”

“You – what?” Kristen has to look at her now. “You wanted me to come with you?”

“I couldn’t stay, and you couldn’t leave,” Tracker says. “And – and if I didn’t go back to help, then there wouldn’t be a chance for whatever happened next.” She’s keeping her face very carefully blank, and Kristen hates it. “If I stayed, we were all dead. If I left, you would hate me. But if I asked you to leave everything, you’d hate me more.” She swallows. “I hate making those choices, Kristen. But when you’re here to save the world, sometimes the right choice for everybody is the wrong choice for you.”

“You should have asked,” Kristen says. “Tracker, if you had asked, I would have come with you.”

“And that’s the problem!” Tracker stands. “If I asked you to come, you would have dropped everything to do it. And then – and then you would have regretted it.” She exhales and runs her hand through her hair. “That’s why I didn’t ask. You deserved to graduate. You deserved to figure out who you are without me to, like, mirror or whatever.”

Kristen frowns. “You think I’m just your mirror?”

“No!” Tracker holds her hands up. “God, no. But we got together when we were really young and you were as inexperienced as they get, and I worried that I – that you were building too much around me without building anything around yourself.” To Kristen’s shock, the first tear drops down her cheek. “And you did, Kristen. Look at everything you did without me.” She laughs, a little staccato, and Kristen doesn’t know what this feeling is flooding her entire body. “Class president. Resurrecting a god – again. Building a pantheon of goddesses right in time to defeat Helio and Sol. Defending Elmville and, hell, Solace from all kinds of armies.” She rubs the tears from her cheeks. “You never needed me, Kristen. I didn’t want you to think you did.”

Kristen watches her. And watches. “Tracker,” she says quietly. “I never needed you. Not like that. But I always wanted – I always want you.” She forces herself to meet Tracker’s eyes. She wants Tracker to see her when she says this. Not matter what the outcome. “I always love you. But you’re the one who left.”

Tracker nods. “Yeah,” she says. “Yeah, I know. I’m not sorry, though.” Kristen doesn’t know what expression is on her face, but it makes Tracker panic. “No, not like that! I mean – if it meant you could find yourself and build your life without me, then it was all worth it.” She takes a shaky breath. “Every single night I woke up reaching for you was worth it.” She smiles. “Because look at you, Kristen. Look at everything you can do.”

“Are you going to leave again?” Kristen asks.

Tracker shrugs. “Maybe, for a little bit. To finish up in Fallinel. It should be quick, though.”

“Are you,” Kristen says, and she walks up to Tracker, “going to leave me again?” She gets right into Tracker’s space.

Tracker shakes her head slowly, eyes right on Kristen. “Never again,” she says, and it feels like a promise. “Not unless you ask me to.”

Falling into Tracker shouldn’t still feel this easy, this familiar, this right. It’s been months since the last time and a year since the time before that. It’s been lives and heartaches and exes and breakups and gods and monsters. And Tracker still feels like home.

They tangle the same blankets, touch the same skin, draw the same sighs. They curl together when they’re sated and exhausted, Kristen still desperate to feel the warmth of Tracker’s skin against her own.

“Not like last time, right?” Kristen asks. She traces I love you into the skin across Tracker’s ribs and wonders when she’s allowed to say it out loud again.

“Hmm?” Tracker looks at her, an arm behind her head and her gaze on Kristin.

“Christmas you left the next morning.” Kristen adjusts herself, props her head up on her elbow. “Is that what you’re going to do now?”

“What?” Tracker sits up. “No. No, I’m not leaving. We went over everything, like, half an hour ago.”

Kristen allows herself a smile. “Maybe you were just trying to get in my pants.”

Tracker snorts. “I always want to get into your pants.” She reaches out and brushes some hair from Kristen’s face. “But that was secondary to everything else.”

“Stop being romantic,” Kristen demands. “We just fucked.”

“Never stopped us before.”

Another ten minutes and the two of them are a giggling, boneless mess.

“Okay, people are absolutely going to realize we’ve been MIA by now,” Kristen mumbles. Her mouth feels a bit numb. Worth it. “We should get dressed at the very least.”

Kristen checks her phone when her clothes are back on, only to find half a dozen texts from various group chats. “Oh, we’re in trouble,” she says. The Mordred Manor Fam group chat in particular has two separate messages of Sandra Lynn texting variations of Kristen Applebees if you don’t show up at Krom’s in the next thirty minutes so help me god.

“We have, like, five minutes before Sandra Lynn sends out a search party for us,” Kristen says. She shows the text to Tracker.

“I can’t read that,” Tracker says, and she takes the phone to read while Kristen tries to find her shirt.

“Hey, Kristen?”

“Yeah?” Kristen asks. She knows her wallet is on the floor somewhere.

Tracker wiggles her phone. “Why’s Fig asking you when the wedding is?”

Kristen snatches the phone out of Tracker’s hands. “Why were you so desperate to see me you planned a whole surprise for my graduation, hmm?”

“Fair point.” Tracker leans in and kisses Kristen, soft and sweet. Like they used to every morning before Kristen would go to school. “To be fair, though, you were the one who said you wanted to marry me first.”

“I was sixteen and stupid,” Kristen retorts.

“And now you’re eighteen and…?”

“Shut up and get dressed,” Kristen says.

They manage to get to Krom’s just as Sandra Lynn is stomping out the door. Relief paints her face for the briefest of moments, but it’s quickly replaced by mild fury. “Kristen goddamn Applebees, where the fuck have you been?”

“Sorry, Sandra Lynn,” Tracker says, stepping in front of her. “It was my fault.”

“Damn right it was your fault.”

Kristen isn’t sure what she expected, but Sandra Lynn steps forward and yanks Tracker into a hug. “Hey, kiddo. I missed you.”

Tracker’s expression is a little baffled but she leans into it. “Hey, Sandy.”

“Don’t call me that,” Sandra Lynn laughs. She pulls back and takes Tracker in. “You got taller than me. I didn’t say that was okay.” She sighs deeply, then looks at Kristen. “Separate bedrooms. You hear me?”

“I mean, we’re legal adults.”

“Not under my goddamned roof,” Sandra Lynn says. But she is smiling, so that might be a good thing. “Come on in. Krom let us block off a whole group of tables.”

Tracker grabs her hand as they walk in behind Sandra Lynn. It feels like, to Kristen, like the beginning of the rest of her life. As she looks at everyone she realizes something so suddenly it hits like a brick.

No one here will leave her.

~

Shout out to my 1993 Volvo for being the model for Tracker's car here.

Also, I know this is generally my wrestlefic thing, but here have a mini playlist: In Too Deep - Sum 41 All to Myself - Marianas Trench The Mighty Fall - Fall Out Boy Down to You - Marianas Trench Ain't My Fault - Zara Larsson Waking Up Dreaming - Shania Twain

[aro-attorneys]

God. Second attempt at writing a sort of coherent Good Omens Season 2 rant/review/thoughts. Whatever you want to call it.

First, things I really enjoyed:

Pre-fall Crowley scene. Though this was not liked as much by some other critical Book fans. I understand from canon-conflicting perspective, but TV and Book Omens are separate in my head (sorry Neil Gaiman I can't buy the Same Canon thing)

The flashbacks scene (especially the one with Job and the Resurrectionist, the zombie one was kinda bad though)

Aziraphale getting to use the Bentley

Ok that's all that stood out to me of what I really liked. Time to complain!

God I'll just...start with The Kiss. I saw spoilers for it before I got a chance to watch it and immediately felt disappointment. I do like the Ineffable Husband ship, but I liked it as this...vague thing they kinda had going on in the back. They absolutely did not need an angsty one-sided confession scene with a forced kiss. Everything about it felt so inorganic too. I was trying to be open to the possible (different/romantic) chemistry they might have in s2, but it never happened. Instead there was Nina and telling Crowley he's in love with Aziraphale. Even though nothing really indicated that? To the public they could just be friends?

They did make more "gay jokes" (like they did once in season 1, which I did not like, it was very amatonormative which goes against the vibes those two have). Did not like those. Felt forced.

I have made posts before about the lack of aro and qpr representation in media and Yes that does play into why I did not like this ending of the season. It felt like this possible representation was forcibly taken away from me. I get to be sad about that. It's technically a separate argument but I'm throwing it here anyway.

Aside from That, the vibes of season 2 was...not really Good Omens? I really love the season 1 adaptation on so many levels. It is not perfect and there is valid criticism to be given, but overall it catches the absurdist comedy and relevance of everyone at play Very Well. Both the book and the show have this "ah it's all coming together" thing that's executed so well. I agree Crowley and Aziraphale got more of a main character role in the Show vs. The Book (where the humans and nonhumans are equally important/get similar screentime). And they amplified this in season 2. This post-book "canon" seems to focus a lot on Crowley and Aziraphale, which feels Wrong. They don't work on their own like they did in the Book/s1. It was their interaction with Earth and its Humans that made them shine in the end. Giving them their own problems to deal with was incredibly uninteresting. This is probably why the flashbacks stood out to me more. ...Yeah, I think it boils down to them not being as interesting on their own.

(of course when fans draw Book Omens Ineffable Husbands it's a different thing altogether, but art or comics usually don't have TV-style drama)

I feel I should say something about Gabriel and Beelzebub? It caught me by surprise that I just laughed when I saw it unfold. It was just very weird idk. I will miss Beelzebub though, I loved their trash gender vibes (then again, the new actor did not sell the vibes as well as the previous actor).

This season made me dive a little into the Book Omens fandom again and made me realise how much I missed the Book. I read it back in 2017 and a lot of fine details are lost on me. I want to read it again for sure. I see a lot of mixed reactions from Book fans on this season. Oftentimes criticism of different kinds, sometimes someone who did kind of like the season.

Overall I hate it when a screen adaptation takes a fandom over. I have to see incredibly bad takes on the Ineffable Husbands every day since the show came out.

In short: it was mostly not as interesting/memorable and I am pissed off about the kiss scene that I have to see everywhere.

[crowley-the-1-true-king-of-hell]

A review of Spn 5x20 "The Devil You Know" as part of the Crowley tour

See the link for more information about what episodes are for what days

What I liked about the street light scene

Crowley being absolutely dramatic. I also really liked how Crowley briefly had a pleading look on his face when he said "please." Emotional vulnerability isn't something you see often in demons and I would have loved to see more of that. Although the vulnerability might have been fake, as I will talk about below

I also loved the humour in that scene. Crowley gives a dramatic monologue? and then he says he's under a spotlight, like he's performing on a stage. It's this crazy juxtaposition because Sam and Dean are treating this seriously like it's real life and Crowley is acting like he is under a spotlight and Dean had the audacity to give him bad reviews. When Dean gave him one star and a "holy crap we don't care" Crowley upped his drama game

Also lbr Crowley had a point that he didn't make Sam & Dean bring Jody and Ellen

I love how Crowley's expression doesn't change in the slightest even when Brady said Crowley would be tortured forever. You can just tell that even though Brady won't talk, Crowley is absolutely sure of himself as we will later find out

Dean being beat up as part of Crowley's plan. Oof. Ouch. I loved how Crowley was so determined for Brady not to suspect anything, that he wants Dean to look confused and unsure. That way Brady wouldn't see confidence on Dean's face and think there is something more going on. Crowley did this by giving Dean false information. Truly delightful. It reminded us that Crowley is still a demon even if he is on their side. Might also have been punishment for Dean not caring about his pain

It is so unfair we didn't get to see the demon hive fight. However given that his suit got ruined he did also get into close quarter combat. So we know he doesn't just have to rely on his powers. I believe the short middle age of Crowley's vessel as well as him being a salesman means demons tend to underestimate his fighting capability. This would also suggest that Crowley went to combat classes as a demon, and I find it so funny imagining Crowley doing weekly krav maga, MMA and other martial arts with other humans

Ah remember that expression Crowley had on his face when Brady told Crowley Satan would torture him forever? Well, it turns out that was Crowley being inspired by Brady's words about eternal torture. It shows us that Crowley is able to use rants from his enemy to inform and inspire strategic moves. He got information from Brady that Lucifer wouldn't let him die and he knew exactly what to do with it. This isn't the only time Crowley is able to do this

Mark Sheppard and Jim Beaver bounce off each other so well. All of their scenes together are amusing

I would give the Crowley parts a 9 out of 10. The missing star is because they didn't show the demon fight

[nvrcmplt]

//. @ksaru​ "I am looking for Kurotsuchi, is he available?" He wouldn't want to disturb him if he was busy (which he almost always was). He spoke to the young, masked Shinigami in a gentle tone, as if not to frighten him away. Since he was wearing a mask, Ashitaka imagined he was shy. Several members of the 12th weren't the most social creatures. [for Uekawa.]

True and true, they were a weird bunch down here but they weren't completely ill-equipped to dealing with other shinigami! Uekawa, was so! He's had a few times of clashing with people popping on by with documents and things to be passed over. Rightly so, only a few months ago he got to speak with Kuchiki-sama! A rare face in this place, that's for sure! Uekawa would retell his talks with his Captain in the following days, documents were reviewed in unison and spoken of in times of need of Kurotsuchi-taichou's one-sided ranting. It was fascinating all the same though for his jellyfish lover.

Red hair that reminded him of a sunset and sad set eyes had the masked being taking a stance of stillness. How sad. This aura was terribly sad? A strange sensation for the lonesome mask man, but still, he moved again eventually to step closer to their visitor of politeness to bow his respects before speaking up through the muffled leather. "You just missed him, Ashitaka-san! Kurotsuchi-taichou's currently surveying the remnants of the latest hollow attack. A few materials were founded to be of some interest so he'd taken the task personally with Akon-san." A proud nod of the masked figure showed his pride with such adventures, but still it wasn't his area of interest - so he wasn't on the team.

"Ah - though I'm sure they'll be on their way back soon. They are reaching their slots end in five minutes." After all, everything thrived on a schedule here. "Ah - I'll make you some tea, take a seat!" Bouncing, he motioned his desk, covered in jellyfish memorabilia, his umbrella hanging at its edge, the desk itself scattered in graphs and data sheets, but two very comfy chairs were pulled up by Uekawa as he turned to the side kitchenette to begin brewing two cups and popping open some senbei.

[taiblogcomics]

Grim Grinning Ghosts Come Out to Social Media

Hey there, rapping in French. We're as close to Halloween as we'll get without going over, so we might as well do something spooky, right? And I'm doing the spookiest thing I can think of: I'm going out of order and reviewing an issue a little bit ahead. This might be unprecedented! True horror! So yes, if you're reading this in the backlog later, this is issue 11! We'll do issues 9 and 10 next month~

As soon as you see this cover, though, you'll understand why we had to do this one today:

Yeah! Do you see why this is our Halloween episode this year~? Like, come on. This might be one of the best MLP covers we've ever had. Even if you don't like G5 that much (and there's certainly reason not to), you gotta admit you'd be tempted by this cover. This is one that's gonna catch your eye. This honestly brings me back to the good ol' days of Tumblrpon askblogs, when every other blog had some kind of spooky-edgy content (including mine!) that was just like this. Ah, fantastic~

So we're skipping ahead only slightly here, just past the conclusion to the Discord arc. I don't think you need to actually know anything about how that arc ended to read this one though--I hope you don't, because I haven't read it yet either--so we can probably just jump right in. Which we do! Pipp is doing her livestreaming thing, and Zipp is annoyed by it. Their usual sibling dynamic. Particularly, Pipp is thrashing about, agonising over her likes counter, and Zipp is mocking her for being invested in her made-up internet points.

While Izzy explains to Zipp how engagement works (though Zipp is also right in that Pipp shouldn't be chasing likes), Pipp retreats to her room to rant. So the only thing about the Discord adventure you need to know is that actively adventuring is what has been driving up Pipp's view count lately. Now that the adventure is over, folks are unsubscribing because her normal content isn't what they're interested in. This is a little disenheartening, because Pipp puts a lot of stock in being authentic and giving her fans what they want at the same time.

So, to that end, she starts to delve into what I can only describe as creepypasta. It's a legend about the Old Nag, and she shows several posts about her history and how to summon her. Long story short, nopony came to her birthday party, and she will grant a wish to somepony who recreates it perfectly. Pipp thinks it's a really good idea to try and summon this ghost entity she read about on the internet, especially since these videos and posts get lots of likes. Oh boy, somepony's about to get Slenderman'd~

So while the pega-sisters go out shopping for supplies, Zipp expresses her skepticism with this whole plot. Namely, trying to summon a ghost whose motivation is revenge is probably a bad idea. That's why Pipp isn't doing it for the wish, she's giving Naggie the birthday she never got! Yep, and finding Samara/Sadako's body and burying it solved the Ring curse, right~? Ghosts don't follow your mortal logic, and Zipp knows this. She tells Pipp she's missing the point of the story, while Pipp ignores her to poll chat about cake flavours. Now, somepony livestreaming in public, that's way scarier than any ghost~

Despite Izzy and Sunny being equally skeptical, the plan commences, and we get the next scene in "Paranormal Activity" filter. It is genuinely a ritual, as they offer the completed plushie of Old Naggie the chips, light some (birthday) candles, blow them out around the plush, and so forth. And this is just the first night of three! Pipp has a whole script she's working from (thus making her ghost show barely better than any on basic cable), but what none of them planned for was a glass suddenly falling off the table. Is the ghost already here~?

Izzy confronts Pipp the next morning, asking her if she really believes in all the ghost stuff. Despite last night's freak-out, she's actually undecided on it all. Izzy then asks her motivations. She does arts and crafts because it makes her happy, and thought it was the same with Pipp's livestreams. But if she doesn't really believe in the ghost stuff and she's only doing it to get more followers, is it really making her happy? Aren't they really just baiting Naggie, like the ponies who ditched her party did? "Except they were mean and I'm not!" Pipp replies in an angry tone of voice. See this? This is my cocked eyebrow of skepticism~

Night two! This involves recreating the party itself to invite Naggie in, which is always a good thing to do with a supernatural creature. The lights go out during the filming, causing everypony to freak out. When they come back, Pipp has dropped her Paranormal Activity filter, and is instead chatting about some of the anecdotes posted online about what to expect during night two. But none of it prepares them when the plush they made suddenly begins floating in the background and flies over to attack Izzy. Jumpscare!!

Next morning, Pipp has to really reassure Izzy to get her to come back for the final night. Which she does! Not much else to say, so they move on to the third night. The ol' green filter is back in place, and they're now eating of the cake in order to "consume the curse". Zipp feels ill from too much cake and excuses herself. As the other three wait and Izzy keeps a wary eye out for any rogue plush toys, the lights go out again--and when they come back, a looming specter of a mare with flowing hair and tattered clothing looms over them!

The ponies scatter, with Pipp retreating to her closet, terrifiedly confessing with her remaining followers. She's terrified, but in those terrified moments… she's had an epiphany. An e-Pipp-phany, if you will. By chasing likes and seeking adventure, she may have gotten involved in something dangerous. But worse, she exploited somepony else for entertainment, which makes her really no better than those ponies who ditched Ol' Naggie on her birthday. Pipp apologises to her viewers, and then exits the closet to go apologise to Naggie as well.

Pipp steps out to make her wish: that Naggie had gotten a nice birthday party like she deserved in the first place. The ghost appears as she begins her apology, somewhat awkwardly thanking her in an ethereal voice with a southern twang. She tries to slip out while Pipp is still apologising, which is when Pipp notices the clothes aren't quite as tattered as she thought. Indeed, they're actually made from paper streamers. And as the ghost flees, Pipp pounces, tearing the dress off and knocking her wig aside--for it is a wig, you see~

Yep, the ghost was Zipp all along. Hence why she had to duck out after eating the cake. Pipp is so furious that Zipp doesn't even get a chance to apologise until the next morning, while they're packing up the seance stuff to take back to Hitch's house. I guess he got too scared on the cover and ducked out for the rest of the issue. Once again, the long and short of it is that Zipp felt like a jerk after making fun of Pipp's social media stuff. But when she heard the backstory on the Old Nag, it just made her sad, even more so when Pipp started making it all about her.

Both ponies kind of learned their lesson, and on the way to Hitch's, they get some ice cream. Pipp's followers also forgave her, thinking they were doing a found-footage kind of thing. Pipp casually mentions Hitch has all this stuff because he started a cold-case true crime podcast (see next issue). Zipp also wonders if it's okay to eat this ice cream, since it resembles their dog, Cloudpuff. He has his own line of sweets, it turns out, and Pipp pulls out her phone to show Zipp proof that it's okay to eat his likeness, since he'd eat theirs. I'm glad we don't see those photos.

To close out the issue, the sisters have decided to respect each other by trying out each other's interests. Zipp is really bad at blogging, struggling with the keyboard. As she posts a photo, though, she catches a mysterious face in the background. When she looks up, the same face is smiling at her, only to disappear when Pipp looks over. Pipp asks her to knock it off with trying to scare her, already having already learned her lesson. She's ready to go try one of Zipp's extreme sports. And as they leave, the image on the laptop shows the ghost of Naggie enjoying a slice of cake…

This is, honestly, a pretty great issue. It's got some decent lessons that are also fairly applicable to modern life. And it's a well-constructed urban legend/creepypasta to boot. Honestly, the G5 comic seems to do really well when they lean into the spooks. (Pipp even lampshades this, saying she hasn't done numbers online since that selfie with Lightning Rod.) And even if the main story doesn't grab you, you can at least look at the cover for a while. And imagine that thing behind you. And maybe that will grab you~

Happy Halloween~

[handmemyglockenspiel-imgoingin]

No hate at all to any fans of the movie

BUT this is my first time seeing Coppola's Dracula and I am d y i n g so writing these random little notes is all I can do to cope

Disclaimer: This is not a review, this is not constructive criticism, this is me clinging to sanity by my notes app and laughing through the pain, commentary is all in good fun

[Bestie, if you're seeing this, don't read it, there are lots of spoilers. Yes, you. Hi! Ily <3]

uhh spoilers, language, and general ranting warning let's goooo

Wooooooo backstory

Everything is happening soveryfast and I don't quite like it. Slow burn whomst

They really kicked in with the intensely ominous background music early

Not Drac ranting to Jonathan about his oh-so-great family history on NIGHT ONE (this was so funny though)

I missed the part where he threw the mirror out the window :'(

"Foul bauble of man's vanity" bitch have you seen yourself? Well- actually no, but

"Maybe you should grow a beard" oh?? kinda gay

They quote the book word for word so often, but the characters are just - not- themselves

Keanu Reeves Jonathan has no survival instincts. 0/10 would not survive the paprika.

That was a clawed-ass hand that patted you on the shoulder just now, bro!!

They really went "hey what if sweet, kind, loving Lucy "I shouldn't say such things" Westenra was an absolute sex fiend!" and ran that into the ground

And my Mina, poor Mina

The way the juggled the proposal scenes-

Ah, yes, the 1890's nightgown!

Also why they gotta make Lucy sound like that

My poor girl

The way Art, Jack & Quincy see her suffering and go "oof" while they just kinda watch from a distance

like idk you should probably call a doctor or somethin' bro

I don't wanna talk about the vampiresses

[I'm currently typing to distract myself from the Drac/Mina happening on screen because I simply cannot]

[now she's?? hitting him? loves him? why not]

[MINA NO]

"Hey what if Mina cheated on her lame-ass unfaithful husband with some fucking old guy! No, it's hot! Look! He drinks blood!! Yum!"

"Perhaps I am a bad, inconstant woman" Mina NO

Why did they throw such a beautiful romance out the castle window like that

Quincy "Sounds like a goddamm witch doctor to me" Morris

Wrong cowboy but I'll take him

also What the FUCK, Van Helsing??

"Whore of darkness" I am so mad. "She is the devil's concubine" stfu

Whoever wrote Lucy like that needs to apologize to Ms. Westenra right now

Lucy being brutally murdered while the newly unhappily wedded Harkers make out in a church is also a no

"I just wanna cut off her head and take out her heart" SIR

I do love how absolutely unhinged Van Helsing's dialogue is for him to sound so casual

Jon's just... so very Keanu

"Gentlemen, must we desecrate poor Lucy's grave? She died horribly enough." Arthur's tone delivery got me on that one

Where is the Suitor Squad camaraderie?? The bromance?? The love???

I expected my boys to be forgotten and instead we got some assholes with their names

ARTHUR HAS A GUN TO VAN HELSING'S HEAD. IN WHAT WORLD-

Arthur's mustache is the only Arthur thing about him

THE WAY SHE DROPPED THAT BABY

Oof

Ah, cockblocking with the crucifix, classic Van Helsing

WHAT THE FUCK VAN HELSING, redux

"During your infidelity to those creatures" MY JONATHAN WOULD NEVER

Those grey streaks don't make up for what you did to my boy

Oh, how could I forget the atrocities they committed against Renfield

"It seems I've been rather naughty" hwhshshsh Renfield. Baby. Stop talking.

Mina is not trying to seduce Van Helsing right now. If I don't look it's not happening.

"You are whores of satan" that's not very nice, Van Helsing

Is Mina... practicing- witchcraft? Aight

Mina has a gun on Jonathan, what a turn of events

I- noooo

...that. Uh. Was that. Huh.

[suprsingr]

I posted 2,376 times in 2022

That's 347 more posts than 2021!

46 posts created (2%)

2,330 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@hailtothepumpkinqueen

@grand-theftautumn

@spockoandjimjim

@petimetrek

@luckygirlworld

I tagged 1,358 of my posts in 2022

Only 43% of my posts had no tags

#trekkie things - 161 posts

#star trek - 161 posts

#what we do in the shadows - 154 posts

#wwdits - 154 posts

#videos - 64 posts

#tiktok - 59 posts

#tumblr - 44 posts

#nature - 44 posts

#my posts - 41 posts

#cats - 38 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#i love saying ''this is a very normal and very healthy response everyone knows this'' when i am having a very not normal or healthy response

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

*slams this on the table* WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS

132 notes - Posted March 6, 2022

#4

Up with insomnia and was wondering how tf Guillermo has managed to not go certifiably insane after over ten years of hacking up bodies and stuffing them in garbage bags before I realized... Oh right. He's a literal serial killer. He was born insane. Right.

Now I'm thinking about Nandor picking up this weird goth teenager from Panera Bread and saying, "Yeah, Idk, just get us virgins and then get rid of the bodies, I don't care how you do it," and Guillermo just like. Pulls out a circular saw.

198 notes - Posted February 7, 2022

#3

Why is every fanfic just Tweek freaking out and Craig either getting annoyed or sweetly telling him his delusions have no basis in reality.

It’s South Park. Literally nothing Tweek has ever freaked out about was outside the realm of possibility.

Underwear Gnomes are real. Tweek wasn’t the only one who saw the damn things. Garrison being back in South Park was real.

Idk, I kinda just want Tweek to freak tf out and everyone to be like, “Omg, chill,” but Craig’s there just silently listening and once Tweek’s finished with his rant, Craig’s like, “Shit, you right.” 

And then they just spend the rest of the day devising ways of avoiding whatever bullshit’s about to go down. And Tweek ends up being right every time, because of course North Korea was going to bomb them, of course Garrison was going to nuke Canada, of course this that and the other thing was gonna cause some epic shitstorm, and because Craig’s the only one who believes him, they end up the only two people able to avoid it.

The whole town of South Park is screaming, and Tweek and Craig are sitting in a bunker twelve feet underground sipping cocoa and reading comic books with their guinea pig.

217 notes - Posted January 28, 2022

#2

Obsessed with the fact Laszlo was both Jackie Daytona and Jack the Ripper. Obsessed with him using the same dumbass name every time he takes on a human alias. Obsessed with Laszlo being just. The dumbest smart person in existence. "Ah yes, I will leave town, wear a different shirt, change my name to... Jack. Yes, perfect. No one will suspect." Spectacular. Gorgeous. Precious. Unique. Outstanding.

439 notes - Posted February 4, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Nandor is such a weird character cuz as a human he was just. I'm gonna set everything on fire. I'm gonna steal shit and kill my way to the throne. I'm gonna fuck everyone just for looking at me. And then he became a vampire and somewhere along the line he was like. I'm gonna make glitter crafts. Please tell me I'm a good leader or I'll sob violently for no less than one hour. I miss my pretty horsie. Guillermo please stay until I fall asleep I'm scared. This lesbian is the love of my life. I wanna feel something so bad I'm gonna join a cult and wear shorts.

1,501 notes - Posted January 16, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[thatscarletflycatcher]

I liked episodes 3 and 4 more than I liked 1 and 2, and that was probably half the Thornton/Higgins dynamic (ah! if the whole series had been like that! it recovered the bits of humor the book has!) half that absolute nonsensical ending scene that melts one's heart and makes you smile like an idiot.

The Great Exhibition is, with "Thornton beats a worker into a pulp. Twice" the bigest "but, why???" of this series. Sandy Welch, the screenplay writer does this sort of thing in other stories (she gives Mr Rochester an interest in natural history, and there's a whole thing about twins and psychic bonds and phrenology) to give the audience some historical context on the time/place of the action. Which is fine and sometimes a really good addition, but here it just... breaks so may things.

Because one of the main elements of Margaret's arc is how experience changes the way she sees people and places. At the beginning she's contented with her position as a sort of pet sometimes a bit of a ladies maid, and then shocked and later on stifled by her life in the north. But then, once her father dies and she goes back to Aunt Shaw, she begins to realize the freedom she had in Milton, and the way people in Milton always treated her as a rational being worth engaging with, no matter how mistaken they might have thought she was. She goes from liking Henry's wit and cockiness to seeing it as fireworks and self importance. We as readers go from seeing her extended family as just a bit silly if loving, to objectifying and controlling (in small things to what times she keeps and how she dresses, to their making a plan to isolate her from other eligible men so that she'll marry Henry). That she cannot leave Milton until her father dies is essential to this shift in perspective (as is the forever cut in adaptations seaside holiday). If Margaret can leave whenever and have a holiday of fun, then the weight of her burdens is narratively eliminated.

I'm always a bit surprised when I see people that think Mr Lennox is more sinister in the series, because I always felt the opposite? We don't get much of his inner thoughts in the series, vs the book. I won't bore you with it here, but I wrote a book analysis of the character, sort of here, if you happen to be interested.

Oh, Miss Latimer. Why is Miss Latimer XD Worst part is like... At that point Thornton's business is already in trouble, he stops going to lessons because he's so busy, but he has time to go romancing a girl to get a rebound? It's silly.

It's sad that we got so little of Frederick, because I love Rupert Evans and he just has the perfect energy for the role...

I wonder if setting that train station scene at night was because they were filming in some sort of studio? But yeah, as audience it's like "but what are YOU nosy b Thornton doing at the train station at this hour?" XD

I laughed out loud at the "Live Lennox Reaction" bit

I never noticed the handkerchief thing! That is so interesting!

Re: Margaret leaving unchaperoned: she made the trip all the way to Milton and back, unchaperoned, with Henry Lennox, immediately before. Thornton makes NO assumptions out of this at that point. Which is a dropping of the ball considering how much more the series harps on the "GASP HER REPUTATION" thing than the book does (i.e. makes it mentioned during the proposal and then Thornton himself screams at Margaret how she has no care for her reputation).

I enjoyed reading your review, it made my evening! Sorry for the ranting.

Edit: I also have the conspiracy theory that the "your hands are cold" scene from P&P 05 is inspired in the ending of this one. Mostly because Margaret kissing Thornton's hand does have a bit of the "I'm not worthy" thing from the novel, but it's just... so random in P&P? IDK

Carrie watches “North & South” (2004) Ep. 3 & 4

we were robbed of the omnibus scene! (for perfectly good reason, that scene does *not* translate to screen) but still! Robbed, I tell you!

they kept the dialogue between Thornton and his mother! Yay! Honestly, this dynamic is currently the most endearing part of this adaptation to me.

Bell meddles now, actively. He seems vaguely machiavellian. That’s a… choice, for sure. I don’t understand where this is going, but we’ll see? I guess?

Thorton’s panicked and horribly stiff exit from that conversation is quite amusing though. For the first time, he’s tall and towering in an awkward sense instead of in an imposing to frightening sense. Good. (This show runs into the issue of most visual media, basically - the people are too hot to fit their characters. Armitage has that sharp, statuesque look that just messes with the characterisation.)

Keep reading

[give-soup-please]

Platonic Prompt!! The reader is a Podcaster and convinces the Narrator to do an episode with them! What happens? :0

Narrator on reader’s podcast

If you give him a mic and tell him there’s an audience listening on the other end, you can bet he’s going to hog it. Doesn’t matter what sort of podcast you’re doing- comedy, horror, news, whatever. He wants as many listeners as possible, so you can bet that he’s going to take over your show.

You’ll be trying to pry the mic out of his hands, or have an additional setup, while he’s on a roll. You thought his rambing was bad before, you haven’t seen anything yet.

“...And that’s why the themes of choice were relevant to my story, and the nature of video games on the whole. It’s quite simple, really, and yet so interlaced with deep meaning-” 

“That’s nice, but I believe the question I asked was, ‘How are you doing today?’

“...I was just getting there, reader. I’ll thank you to not interrupt me again.”

I hope you’ve got a good sense of humor and a lot of patience. 

Whatever your usual podcast is like, this one ends up being an hour and a half of the narrator talking, rambling about whatever comes to mind. 

He gets so excited as you edit your podcast before uploading it. “Oh, just imagine the positive reviews that will come swarming in. Cookie9 will be so impressed!”

You have no idea if Cookie9 listens to your podcasts or not. You hope they don’t, for his sake. 

He watches the number counter tick up as your collaborative episode is released. “Ah, yes. Just what I expected. Except I think there are a few zeros missing. Hmm. Must be a glitch.” You don’t have the heart to tell him that most podcast episodes don’t pass the billion listener mark.

Keep him away from any negative reviews you get, or you’ll end up in a situation where he wants to redo it over and over until he’s got 100% audience adoration. The nature of humanity means this will never be possible, and the situation will devolve until it's just him ranting about not receiving the praise he deserves.

Of course, if you show him too many positive reviews, he’ll want to do several more episodes. “This is what the audience wants, reader. Me, talking to them. How could we not give them more?”

If you want peace of mind, keep him away from your show. If you’re looking for something interesting and entertaining, and don’t care about the consequences, let him have free reign. You’ll have a blast.

[doderyscoffee]

froth hearts & baristas | n.jm

ever since you found out about a small coffee shop near your dorm, you’ve gone there every day to study. it didn’t take long for one particular barista to catch your eye, but what you didn’t know is that you caught his eye as well.

PAIRING: barista!na jaemin x fem!reader

GENRE&AU(S): fluff, strangers(ish) to lovers, college!au, coffee shop!au, barista!au

WARNINGS: language, y/n being really awkward and denying she has feelings

LENGTH: 1.1k

AUTHOR’S NOTE:      this fic came from me ranting to @lebrookestore​ about how barista jaemin is living rent free in my head, and she persuaded me to write a small fic of barista!jaemin. so here it is :) it’s cute and i love it, okay? please let me know if you enjoyed this! feedback is very much appreciated <3

TAG LIST:      @lebrookestore​ @quokkacore​

You closed your biology textbook with a yawn, rubbing your eyes with the back of your hand. Even though your exam was a week away, you still felt the need to review every chapter you had ever learned and it was kicking your ass. Why did you have to be so efficient? It wasn’t like you were in fear of failing. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Picking up the coffee mug that you had temporarily forgotten about, you brought it to your lips and drank the remainder of its contents. A warm buzz ran through your veins, jolting you awake on fake fuel. Nothing beat a good ‘ol cup of joe and luckily for you, there just happened to be a small coffee shop right next to your dorm. It wasn’t well known to outsiders and the most loyal patrons were your classmates, but it was cozy and the staff were unbelievably attractive. Who wouldn’t want to frequent a shop like this?

The interior was always clean and never smelled of Lysol or any other cleaning agents. Instead, it smelled of vanilla and ground coffee beans, perfectly fitting the shop’s theme of beige and white. The low-hanging lights illuminated the space in bright, but not too bright light. It was the perfect place to just exist with a coffee and a good book. Oh, how you wished to be reading and fantasizing about some far away, imaginary land than stuffing your brain with the plethora of biology chapters that you didn’t really need, but convinced yourself you did.

You had just closed your eyes to enjoy the music flowing through your earbuds when your phone vibrated, making your eyes pop open and a quiet groan slipped past your lips. Turning on your cell, you found an avalanche of messages appearing on your screen, and it was as if the sender was having a panic attack. One look at the contact confirmed that, indeed, the sender was on the verge of another heart attack.

Brooke: What are you doing?

Brooke: I think I might just faint

Brooke: Holy shit, holy shit

A chuckle left your lips as you typed your response.

You: Stop dying. I’m sure it’s not that big of a deal.

Brooke: I can assure you that it is a very big deal

You: Well, spit it out.

Brooke: Ten looked at me!!

You were right. It wasn’t a very big deal at all.

You: He looks at you every day? Aren’t you his project partner?

Brooke: That’s not very supportive of you

You: I’m studying.

Putting your phone on do not disturb, you pulled your earbuds out of your ears and picked up your empty cup. The counter was tucked in a corner of the shop, right next to the ‘Employee’s Only’ door and the bookshelf that stretched across one wall. When you first found the place, the first thing you did besides order a coffee was study the titles they offered, and you could say with confidence that you liked their style.

Behind the counter stood a boy about your age with the softest black hair you had ever seen. Like his coworkers, he had a face that was chiseled by the gods and a smile that could brighten the darkest room. You were sure the twinkle in his eyes could even rival the stars. He glanced up from the till when you approached, flashing you that smile that could make your knees weak. But it didn’t. You didn’t fall in love that fast.

“Do you want a refill?” he asked, eyes focusing on the cup being held so tightly in your hands that your knuckles turned white.

His name is Jaemin, you reminded yourself even though you already knew it from the many times he had served you. Plus, it was on his name tag. And somehow, it became more pretty being pinned to his apron. 

“Yes, please,” you said, shaking your head slightly as you placed the mug on the counter and shoved your hands in the pocket of your hoodie, internally slapping yourself for going mute for a second. Normal people, who didn’t like people at first sight, didn’t go silent staring at the beauty that was Na Jaemin. But you didn’t start liking him at first sight; this was like your… tenth encounter with him? And you didn’t like him!

“I always meant to ask what you’re studying for,” Jaemin said as he began to prepare your drink. He would never tell you, but he had memorized your favorite coffee—caramel macchiato—and your favorite pastry—blueberry scone—which you only allowed yourself to buy once every two weeks.

“Biology,” you told him, rocking on the balls of your feet. “It’s my major.” You nodded as if to confirm what you just said was true before scrambling to ask, “Are you a college student?”

Jaemin nodded, pouring the froth into your drink, hiding the design from your gaze behind the machine. “I’m a photography major. I like it and it’s pretty easy, in my opinion.”

So the pretty boy took pretty photos. Who would’ve thought? 

“That is actually very fitting, now that I think about it,” you laughed softly, missing the way his cheeks tinted a rosy pink. “What’s your favorite thing to take pictures of?”

“The coffees I make,” he said without hesitation. “Especially if I really like the design. Just like I like this one.” He moved the mug into your peripheral, and you gasped at the heart staring back at you. “I hope this doesn’t come across as cheesy.”

“Huh?” You glanced back up at him, making yourself shut your gaping mouth. “Oh! I-It didn’t.” You forced a laugh. “It didn’t. I like it.”

“Ah, okay.” He placed the mug on the counter and moved his hand to rub the back of his neck. “Good.” He went silent for a moment, seemingly mulling over something in his head before asking, “Do you mind if I study with you after my shift?”

“Yes! No! I mean...” Your cheeks turned as hot as an inferno. “I would like that.”

“Cool.”

“Cool.” 

“Great.”

“Great!”

Jaemin smiled, raising his brow as you continued to stand there as still as a statue. 

“Oh!” you exclaimed. “I’ll see you soon. Yeah!” You smiled with an awkward chuckle, taking your coffee and practically running back to your table. Picking up your phone, you sent Brooke a text.

You: You’ll never guess what happened!!

Brooke: “I’m StUdYiNg.”

[treenissanderssidesstuff]

One

A03 Link

Thank you to @edupunkn00b for helping me beta this story!

Words: 4222

Pairing: Roceit (Platonic Demus)

TW: None that I know of, feel free to inform me.

Summary: Janus decides to play "prince."

Inspired by @aidensm8's work in the request they filled for me. Also loosely inspired by some of the drawings @reddstardust made in response to aiden's work as well.

Link to post.

Ah HAH! I found it! Link to original ask.

The darkside’s corridor had been quiet recently, annoyingly so in Remus’ opinion. It’d been quiet in general since Virgil left and the terrible trio became a dinky duo, but now that Janus split his time between the sides, Remus had found himself increasingly uno. It was usually fine, he had the entire imagination to keep him busy and entertained, after all. He could make sides if he wanted to. But… it wasn’t quite the same. That was probably the only reason he had bothered to hang around at all when Janus went on another tirade about how insufferable and brainwashed the lightsides were, how Roman was being pushed, blah blah blah. After the last video release, the dialogged had temporarily shifted. That had gotten Remus’ attention. It seemed that Roman had rejected Janus, not just chosen someone else’ way over the deceitful side’s own, but outright stood against Janus even when the others folded around him. It would be funny, if it weren’t so sad.

All of Janus’ plans had been for Roman’s sake.

And in three miscalculated moves, Janus had managed to push away the one side he sought the approval of.

“Do you think this will work?” Janus asked, tugging at the yellow sash hanging off his shoulder again.

“Oh, definitely not,” Remus said flatly, flipping through an upside down fairytale book on the couch with a bored expression on his face. The duke had been forced to hear about Janus’ plans to woo—“reconcile” with Roman for days and at this point it was honestly slightly obnoxious how invested Janus was. “But it’s just the right side of disgustingly cheesy that Roman’s sure to love it even when you inevitably fall on your face.”

“I will!” Janus “I- I mean I won’t!  I mean-!“ Janus shoved his face in his hands with a groan.

Remus quirked an eyebrow in the snake’s direction, watching the self-proclaimed “Lord of Lies” try and compose himself. Thankfully, Remus did know what he meant, even when Janus wasn’t sure of it himself. It was one of his special skills as the bestfriend™.

“Look, J, I’m going to tell you this very clearly and carefully, as your friend,” Remus said, pushing up into a sitting position from his previous sprawl across the couch. “Your plans suck.”

"Excuse you?!" Janus nearly shrieked in retaliation to Remus' brand of hard truths. “They do!… not!”

Remus couldn't have stopped the subsequent string of chuckles if he wanted to. That was the biggest lie he'd ever heard Jan tell and Remus had heard plenty over the years given how rarely the two were ever apart. The darkside pair just meshed well. Janus was the liar, sure, but Remus was the secret keeper. Even if Roman struggled to understand Janus, Remus never had. The snake couldn't hide from him, even when he wanted to. It came with Remus' position as the holder of intrusive thoughts; he got a front row seat to every dirty little secret the others tried to lock away and bury in their little shame closets. What they didn't realize however, was that Remus had the master key. Remus quite literally was the little hint of truth behind every one of Janus' lies. The truths that Janus tried to tug and weave and bend around the others to get his way.

Remus was the keeper of the blatant, harsh, and often downright uncomfortable truths, not just what the sides tried to hide from Thomas, but also what they tried to hide from each other. It was a lot like the story The Giver. Someone had to hold all of the knowledge the little utopia unit tried to hide from and Remus had been designated. Though, he usually thought of himself more of a receiver than anything. Roman was the giver of the pair. The giver of dreams, wishes, and fantasies. Remus was more like a radio with the dial gummed up and stuck on where the power switch had broken off ages ago. Not that all of the secrets were so bad to tune into, some were sweet, some were shy, and a few were even downright adorable, but more often than not, secrets were kept that way for a reason and the Deceitful side had the most secrets of all.

They worked because Janus could never ever keep a secret from Remus and likewise, Remus would never ever tell.

The Deceitful side trusted him, was the only one to trust him and Remus was adamant to keep that trust. Remus locked it in a little box and kept it close, in the few little hideaways he had. In his pockets, within little small nooks of the imagination, and under the bed on the nights when Thomas’ thoughts turned up to an 11 and even Remus started to wonder what he still had left to give.

He had that.

A tiny little secret of his own.

Most of the time, it was enough.

"Your. Plans. Suck." Remus emphasized, slowly, pushing up from the ratty sofa Janus had sewn back up after Remus’ countless escapades over the years. Janus complained about it every time. He cited everything from the loose springs, and flattened stuffing, to the threadbare upholstery and warped base. He always told Remus just to replace the broken thing, but that never stopped careful fingers in yellow-clad gloves from systematically putting the thing back together again each time, always working away at it before Remus could even consider replacing the old lump.

That was his friend’s best and worst trait after all. Janus could not let things go. He wrapped and coiled and held on to any little scrap that he could get a hold of. His problem was that when he panicked, that coil became a death grip.

That's how they lost Virgil.

And that's how Janus was currently losing Roman.

"My plans are ama--mph--" Janus glared at Remus with fury striking like lightning in his eyes after Remus willed a zipper to appear across Janus' lips to force them shut, fully closing even the snake side.

Even best friends needed a taste of their own medicine every now and again, lest they forget how bitter it can be.

"Ah, ah, ah my sweet snoot," Remus nearly sang as he skipped over to his favorite danger noodle and reached out to boop Janus' nose. "It's my turn to talk now.

“You went in and pretend to be Patton, just to have him show up on you and made Thomas want to tell the truth more. Even then, you had almost had Roman on your side, but got so focused on semantics, you missed the actual benefits. You reviewed, revised, and waited to try again after deciding Logan and his facts were the problem, right?

“Then—“ Remus started, holding his mace up threateningly as Janus made some displeased, but muffled noises from behind the zipper, likely some kind of litany of curses. Had Remus not been prepared with his mace, the other side likely would have already tried to strong arm him into getting rid of the bound. “You tried to play Logan and just… ugh, Janny you are not allowed to act anymore. That was a terrible performance. Anyway! The trial starts and you get into it and try to defend what Roman wants, right?”

Janus’ incomprehensible complaints cease, only for him to squint at Remus suspiciously and give a slow nod.

“Wrong!” Remus proclaimed, swinging his mace toward the snake and stopping so close to his face, the metal spikes brushed some of the bangs hanging over the bridge of Janus’ nose. “Instead, you got carried away again. You got caught up in semantics and made it about who Thomas is as a person rather than what would be the better choice to make.

“In short, you made it all about you. Again,”  Remus said, letting his morning star drop as the energy was sucked out of him with his rant. “Sure, you won the argument, but you lost what you actually wanted.”

Remus wasn’t usually one to insert his opinions on things, that was more Janus’ thing and, gosh it was exhausting. How did the snake even keep up with just… caring so much about everything?

It seemed Remus wasn’t the only one suddenly exhausted though, because after rubbing some of the strain out of his own eyes, the duke watched Janus slowly slump backwards until he was all but sitting on the arm of their scrap couch. He wasn’t fighting the zipper any longer, his extra arms were tucked away and his normal pair were laid listlessly on his lap now as he stared down at his own yellow gloves.

“How was my brother meant to make any other decision when you put what Thomas wanted, against who he wanted to be? I wouldn’t care, indulgence is my territory. But Roman’s job is to be the dream, the ideal. You should know that.”

When Janus finally looked up at Remus, he just looked sad.

He looked pale, his eyes were shiny, and all the regality he tried to hold himself with in that dupe prince costume just fell away from him as he pressed his palms to his temples.

Remus finally let the zipper fall away into nonexistence.

He wasn’t done yet.

“Look J, I know you had good intentions.”

“But?” a slightly rough voice asked from a newly freed mouth as a yellow glove brushed the remaining ghosting sensations of the enclosure away.

Remus sighed, already imagining the hoard of grotesque creatures he’d be battling through in the imagination after this “talk.” He needed something to balance out all of the gross feelings and shit.

“But I don’t think Roman or Thomas would have chosen the wedding if you hadn’t gotten side tracked. You tried to prove you’re ugh ‘goodness’ by arguing you’re a part of Thomas. Your whole argument backfired and made him question if he’s any good. What else did you expect but for him to try and prove he is? Not to mention the after incident.”

“That was meant to be an apology,” Janus murmured miserably. “I had taken Logan’s place with the intention of leading Roman to work out his own mistreatment.”

“But you showboated.”

“I-“ Janus started, clearly ready to argue again, but stopped himself with a single look from Remus. “…I did what I thought was necessary.”

“Did you now?” Remus snorted. “Sure, going and pretending to be the nerd I get, but why change went Patton went full kaiju? You could have kept up the act and stood alongside Roman. It would have been an all around win for the lightsides as everyone would think Roman and Logan worked together to reign in one of their own.”

“I… I just wanted….”

“You wanted to be accepted. You saw an opportunity to be the hero and you took it, not caring who you hurt along the way. First you took Patton’s role as morality, then you took Logan’s role as logic, and to round it all out, you took Roman’s role as Thomas hero. That’s your problem.”

“Is wanting a place at the discussion table so bad?” Janus asked with a sigh, folding his arms in his lap.

“No, but taking it is,” Remus said, tugging the tiny chain that typically held Janus’ cape to his shoulders. It was currently re-purposed to secure the cape into a makeshift sash.

“Because that’s not a hypocritical statement at all, coming from you,” Janus replied swatting at Remus’ hands that still fiddled with his sash. “It’s not as if you, oh I dunno, knocked out Roman and took his spot during your entrance or anything.”

“True, but when I did it, I made Robro their hero.” Remus said, letting himself fall back onto the couch lazily as Remus saw the first sign of real recognition budding within his friend’s heterocromatic eyes.

“He is their hero.”

“Does he know that?”

“He wouldn’t believe me if I told him so.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

###

Roman groaned and carefully maneuvered his skirt from the grasp of yet another birch tree. It was fair to say that the photo shoot wasn’t exactly going how he had pictured it when he had chosen a full gown paired with an outdoor setting. He knew there must have been a reason why the others had all chosen knee length skirts and stayed indoors. Instead of just taking a picture, Roman had to build a scene. He had to wow his audience and every part of the image had to be carefully designed. He just… hadn’t exactly thought everything through. Roman had imagined something more along the lines of sweeping gracefully through the forest as the gown swished around him as his every movement was made even more graceful by the gentle sway of the fabric.

He hadn’t accounted for how often his outfit would catch on the branches and foliage around him.

It wasn’t fair.

Disney princesses usually seemed to magically get along with the flora and fauna around them, long skirts or not, unless they were being trailed by some evildoer of course, but that didn’t count. Roman was by himself at the moment. On break from getting frustrated one too many times as his own outfit betrayed him during the photo shoot. The photographer and set designer needed some time to reevaluate the next set and Roman needed some time to clear away his current frustration.

So, into the woods he went. He carefully lifted his skirt to protect it against nearly ripping for the fourth or fifth time today as he gingerly stepped around branches, dearly missing his boots as stray twigs tried to impale themselves into his sandled feet. At least his hair wasn’t so long that it would get unexpectedly tangled in the branches above, but he did have to pick some burrs off of his bolero already after he had tried to catch himself on a bush during an unfortunate stumble. The maneuver saved his outfit from getting muddy, but he didn’t make it unscathed.

Roman had dreamed of being on the cover of magazines his whole life. Though, in those dreams it was usually due to a movie deal but he had never been opposed to the idea of modeling like some of the other sides were. Logan found the idea of it mindless, Virgil was anxious about the attention, and Patton wasn’t fond of the rumored cutthroat environment. Still, Roman had thought it seemed so glamorous. However, he hadn’t taken into account how much work it was.

Sure, it seemed simple. Pose and shoot, right? In reality though, it was tedious work as the photographer rapidly took hundreds of pictures at just slightly different angles so they could all be evaluated later for the “best” ones. That meant not just holding a pose, but also holding an expression. Roman felt like his acting skills were being put to fill use as he tried to strike the idea of power into each click of the camera.

Absolutely nothing about this had been simple though.

Roman found himself sighing and leaned against one of the scattered trees for moral and physical support after carefully maneuvering his gown around it. He would be fine. He was royalty after all and the first rule was to never let them see you cry. It would all be okay once he took a chance to catch his metaphorical breath. Though, the literal sense wasn’t a bad idea either. He imagined the breathing exercises that Virgil had gone through with him when the prince accidentally shown up at Virgil’s door in a less than royal state after the whole wedding debauchery and name reveal sham. The near panic attacking pulling him there unwittingly.

It was… it was nice. Roman and Virgil had been getting along better than ever after his own acceptance video, but it was like a new wall had broken down around the pair. Virgil had stationed himself as Roman’s personal bodyguard since the events that need not be named and… it was nice. A little lonely, but he appreciated everything that the anxious side was doing for him and especially appreciated how he kept between him and the-side-who-probably-lied-about-his-name-anyway.

Roman didn’t think he was ready to open up that can of snakes quite yet.

Hey Princey, it’s going to be okay, yeah? You’re better than this… and him.

The words rang around Roman’s skull once, twice, and then he straightened his shoulders. Even when Virgil wasn’t around, he was right. The prince could practically feel the anxious side aiming a smirk his way from somewhere in the incomprehensible distance. Still, it was good to remember.

He was better than this.

He was going to march right back to that photo-shoot, take some fabulous as fuck photos, and then march home with his head hell high because he was going to look damn good in the final set!

Hiking up his skirt again, Roman prepared himself for the trudge back, feeling ready to take on the world once again, except—

—except something caught his eye.

Well… there was a well… a literal one out in the distance. It was old looking, some of the bricks were broken or even just missing, and there seemed to be this misty haze that hung around it, a little thinner than full fog, but something about it felt slightly… otherworldly? With only a moment of hesitation, Roman found himself taking a step towards it and then another, and then another…

…the others would be fine without him for just a few minutes longer, right?

It was such an oddly beautiful scene, broken down and uncared for, but there was still something just so striking about it. Plus, how many chances would be get to interact with a real life well? This could be a great location to take some shots and he’d be remiss if he didn’t take advantage of it!

There was also one other advantage to it as well. It wasn’t often after all that real settings lended themselves so pefectly to the Disney aesthetic. Mind you, Snow White was by no means his favorite movie. The plot-line was a bit... outdated. Still, he admired the film for everything it represented as the first Disney classic of the golden age, the film that really started it all! Snow White was a marvel of animation for its time and the well song was the sound engineers of the time showing off.

He could respect that.

Roman crept closer, one careful step at a time until his toes of his sandles nearly touched the stone. He, ever so gently, let himself kneel down slowly, until his knees began to rest upon the well’s edge. He carefully let his shoulders relax as he watched the light reflecting in the water’s slightly cloudy surface. It was just for a tiny bit longer, after all. He let his hands slowly unclench from around the skirt as the velvety material draped and flowed around him. It was nice to have something else bear the weight of the heavy material for a little while.

“Make a wish into the well,” Roman whispered, letting his fingers trace over the loose stones circling the murky opening. To be fair, it was the tiniest bit more decrepit then the one pictured in the film. He sighed and slowly let his form drape across the layered bricks as he let one hand hang over the side as his fingertips danced across the water’s surface. “That’s all I have to do, huh?”

“And if you hear it echoing, your wish will soon come true~”

The sweet bell chime of Snow’s voice only sang the next line within Roman’s own mind, but it was enough to spur his continuance.

“I’m wishing~” Roman quietly sang, trying not to feel too silly as his voice carried to no one at all. At least Snow had some animals to sing to. He had nothing but the ripples of a moss covered and slightly over-flooded well that had certainly acted as a catch all drainage for the recent string of storms.

Roman tried not to empathize with the stacked pile of rocks.

He wasn’t sure if it was the well or his own internal imagination still remembering the movie, but he could almost hear an echo reply back with, “I’m wishing”

“For the one I love, to find me,”

“To find me”

“Todaaay.”

“Todaaaaay~” came a smooth voice behind Roman’s back, causing the royal side to literally jump up and onto their feet from their previous position lounged across the well edge.

“Deceit,” Roman glowered, hiking up the lengthy gown to take a couple cautionary steps backwards. He wasn’t sure what to make of what he was seeing. There Janus was, decked out in an outfit modeled after his own typical princely gear, right down to the sash that was—wait—was that his cape?

“Not today,” Janus said simply, taking slow steps forward until the fake prince came nearly nose to nose with the real one. “Today, my darling, I thought I’d try something new, just for you.”

And then the humming started.

“Now that I’ve found you, hear what I have to saaay~”  Janus started, singing along to the familiar tune. “One song,~”

“~Ever entreating, constant but true~”

A gloved hand tried to weave its way between Roman’s fingers as the other hovered just to Roman’s side and would have been only a moment away from resting against his hip, had he not jerked away the moment those gloves touched him.

“There’s nothing ‘true’ about you!” Roman yelled, not caring anymore that the edges of his skirt swept the soil beneath him as he pulled away.

Roman had planned a second round of photos after his break, but couldn’t stand the thought anymore. No, Janus had ruined this for him, just like everything else he had systematically ruined in Roman’s life recently.

Roman was about to start again, blaming the Deceitful side for this, for mercilessly pushing and shoving his way into Roman’s space, his things, his life, except—

—expect he had this look on his face. Big, mismatched eyes stared back at Roman, wide, and shimmery and open. Roman had to remind himself that the hurt shining his way was probably just another trick, just another ploy to manipulate the prince again.

...Okay, not even Roman totally believed it.

“What do you want from me?” Roman whispered, he didn’t know if he was asking the other side or himself from how quietly his voice whispered the words.

“I just want one.”

One what?

“One chance,” Janus said, taking a slow step forward toward the prince. “One opportunity to apologize properly.”

As Janus moved forward, one of Roman’s feet took a preparatory step backwards for balance, ready to move, ready to defend or flee. But Roman stayed rooted in place as the snake in princely garb moved closer.

“One day, that I can pretend that my actions and intentions had aligned, my dear,” Janus said, only stopping once his chest nearly brushed against Roman’s own. “One day, to pretend that I was your savior.”

“I don’t under—“ Roman muttered, before he could curse himself for engaging with this at all. His brain was just the smallest bit frazzled from the proximity and Janus had no shortage of charm in the way he could deliver a line.

“Shhhhh,” Janus hushed gently, tugging the yellow gloves from his hand before he reached up to trace his thumb against Roman’s cheekbone. “Can’t we just  have a fantasy for a little while my prince? Just this once?”

Roman swallowed as Janus leaned further into his space.

“Fantasy is my specialty, I suppose,” Roman muttered, clinging to the fact that the sweet talk was simply to get him to conjure some kind of indulgent daydream rather than trying to lead Roman to some other kind of nefarious goal. “What kind of fantasy were you looking to dive into?”

“I want one where I gave you your happy ending in the way I intended Roman.”

Roman just stared, his jaw dropping slightly at those words.

Janus didn’t flinch, didn’t throw his voice, or quirk his eyebrows, or any of number of little tells that the Deceitful side expected the others to pick up on in conversation. No he just met Roman’s stare with something heavy behind those heterochromatic eyes.

“Please Roman? I know it’s selfish to ask, but we both know selfish is what I am. Just let me be one today. Can’t we pretend for just one day?”

“What ‘one’ do you even mean?” Roman huffed half-heartedly. Even he could feel the fire slowly extinguishing in his chest as the conversation continued. “Who are you today then? The liar or the saint?”

Janus paused a moment, his gaze unwavering from Roman’s own face. Roman watched the scales on his neck glimmer in the sunlight as he swallowed, before taking the last final step into the prince’s space as a gloveless hand sat itself on Roman’s hip.

“Neither today my dearest,” Janus said with a cocky smile as he used his free hand to brush Roman’s fluffy bangs from his eyes.

“Today, I simply want to be the one in your fantasy.”

[kuroo-shitsurou]

Weekly Meal Prep (Yandere!Omi Fushimi)

note: this is my first attempt at working with the yandere theme so i don't really know if i did good or bad,,, but something about messed up omi just sends me straight to hell. hope you enjoy!

word count: 2.9k

Monday.

"This is so good! This has got to be one of my favorite curry dishes so far." You gushed, shoving another spoonful of the new curry in your mouth.

"Glad you liked it. The place had bad reviews, but I think it's just because normal people don't know how to appreciate the raw and concentrated flavor of curry." Chikage grinned as he looked at you endearingly

"Ugh," You scoffed, "Why can't people understand that the raw flavor of the spices are supposed to taste like this? I dislike the artificial flavors of watered down and manufactured spices because of how... fake it tastes in curry dishes." You were about to go on a full-on rant about how using real spices in curry dishes should be the only way to cook curry.

Chikage watched you with his emerald eyes, admiring how beautiful you looked when you talked about something that you were so passionate about. Yeah, sure, he disliked women, but being here with you made him realize that maybe the other gender wasn't all that bad. Actually, he still hated women; He just didn't hate you.

You weren't a woman. To him, you were a goddess.

"Thank you for taking me out, by the way." You suddenly spoke, breaking your rant about the whole curry ordeal. "You didn't have to, but you did. I appreciate that a lot, Chikage."

His lips curled up in a warm smile.

"Don't mention it, director."

After you two finished your meals, you had to go back to the dorm immediately to hold several meetings with the troupes regarding their next projects. As Chikage held the door open for you, his eyes darted back inside the bustling restaurant.

"Hm? Is something wrong, Chikage?"

Again, he smiled at you, but it was more strained than the last.

"Of course not. Let's go home, shall we?"

-

Tuesday.

"Oi, careful." Juza wrapped an arm around you and pulled you closer to him. A motorcycle was speeding by and it nearly hit you, but thankfully, Juza saw it before it impacted. "Tsk, careless drivers piss me off. Stand here." He then guided you to walk inside of the sidewalk.

"Oh crap, I didn't see that. Thank you, Juza! You're so nice." Juza blushed at your kind words, but he shook his head to rid of the thoughts.

"'S nothin."

"Hey, look at that! They're selling a new flavor of crepes! Come on, let's check it out!" You grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him over to your favorite crepe place. They didn't have a line yet, which was good, because you were able to purchase the new crepes for you and Juza.

"Here!" You grinned at him, handing him one of the crepes

"Lemme pay for them."

"Nonsense!" You gently pushed the crepe further into his hand, and his mind went wild when your fingers brushed his skin. "Consider this a thank you gift because you saved me earlier."

He took the crepe hesitantly, and muttered a quiet "Thanks." before he bit into it.

His face lit up immediately.

"'S sweet. I like it."

"Marshmallow crepes. Genius! We should bring one home for Hisoka. I'm sure he'd love this!"

Juza smiled. He adored how you were always considerate and thoughtful of other people even when you weren't physically with them. It's one of the many things that he loved about you.

Suddenly, he felt a shiver down his spine. He looked around, but was suddenly distracted when you were spilling the cream all over yourself.

"Crap!"

"Oi, tissue!"

He handed you a few tissues so you could wipe your shirt, and you had to admit that was a little mortifying to be that clumsy in front of the younger male.

"Thank you for being so reliable, Juza. Makes me feel

As you were mindlessly walking home, Juza couldn't help but think to himself why that motorcycle looked so damn familiar.

-

Wednesday.

"Come on, director-chan! I promise you, it tastes good!"

"Kazu, I am legitimately going to HURT you."

"No you're not! That's so mean!" Kazunari wept crocodile tears.

"Come on, director-chan! It's just a bite!"

"Kumon, I'm going to die. If I don't make it, tell everyone in Mankai that I love them and that I always treated them as my own family."

"Director-chan, you aren't going to die here." Kumon sweat dropped.

"No, I've accepted my fate. If this is what I must do for love, then at least I'll go out knowing that I did it for you boys.

"Director-chan, it's just a salad. You don't have to be so dramatic about it!"

"It's a death trap! I know you boys want to kill me so you can always get free time!"

"If anything, we're concerned about you health! That's why we want you to eat this!" Kazunari made sure that the fork had greens, kani, and a mishmash of everything before he held it in front of your mouth. "Here, say ah!"

You wanted to throw up. Vegetables. Disgusting.

"This store sells the best kani salad! You have to try it, I promise you'll like it!" Kumon looked at you with big doe eyes and you sighed in defeat.

You leaned forward to eat the portion on the fork and Kazunari blushed because he realized that he was feeding you. It was an adorable sight, and maybe peer pressuring someone into eating healthy food could be an addition to his growing list of love advice.

You blinked. "It's... actually pretty good."

"Right?!" Kumon beamed before giving the restaurant owner a thumbs up.

"Here, director-chan!" Kazunari filled the fork again, "Say ah!"

Your face bloomed red and you snatched the fork from his hand, "I can feed myself just fine, Kazu!"

"You really are the cutest!"

"I wanna feed you too, director-chan!"

Kazunari watched as Kumon bothered you while you ate the rest of the salad. It was off-putting how there seemed to be a cold atmosphere in the room. He looked around to see that there were just a few customers sitting in the dining area. His eyes landed on a hooded figure who was sitting in a lone booth in the corner of the room. The figure had his face hidden behind a menu, but there was something about the person that reminded Kazu of a certain brunette that they loved in Mankai.

Maybe that was just coincidence.

After all, there were a lot of brunettes in Japan.

Right?

-

Thursday.

"It's odd for you two to take me out for Chinese." You stated. Your eyes were scanning the menu of the new Chinese place that opened just a few blocks away from the Mankai dormitory.

"Tsumugi found out about the egg drop soup because apparently it's famous outside of Veludo Way. He was insistent that we take you to try it." Tasuku replied, eyeing how excited Tsumugi looked.

"I've heard great reviews about the egg drop soup and I've been dying to try it." Tsumugi's usually calm and gentle tone of voice was laced with a child-like glee, and it took all of your willpower not to reach over the table so that you can pinch his cheeks.

"He already ordered individual soups for us, but if you want anything else off the menu, go ahead and order it as well." Tasuku won't admit it aloud, but he liked spending time with you and Tsumugi. Being with his bestfriend and his favorite director made him feel a sense of comfort that just made him feel all warm and gooey inside. He felt at home with you two and he wouldn't exchange that feeling for the world.

"It's refreshing to be with you two, especially since it's a lot calmer whenever Tasuku isn't at your throat, Tsumugi." You giggled, ignoring the deadpan look that the athletic male beside you was giving you.

"I'm glad you feel that way, director-san." Tsumugi chimed, smiling. He took your hand a placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. "Spend some more time with us, alright?"

Your face immediately felt hot and you pulled your hand back to save yourself from being more embarrassed than you already were.

"Is it just me, or does it feel like we're being watched?" Tasuku murmured as his eyes quickly scouted the room. Ever since you entered the restaurant, Tasuku already had this instinct in his guts screaming that there was someone watching you. Not just you in particular, but the three of you. You heard him speak, but what he said was unclear.

"Sorry, did you say something, Tasuku?"

"Oh, I was just mumbling. Don't worry about it.

"Three orders of egg drop soup. Can I help you with anything else?"

"No, thank you!"

"Enjoy your meal!"

Tsumugi immediately began to eat his soup even though it was still hot. His face melted into pure bliss as he felt the delicious components sliding down his throat.

"It's so good." He commented, masking his elation.

"It really is!" You added, taking quick slurps from your spoon. The soup itself tasted rich in flavor; It wasn't too runny, nor was it too starchy.

"It tastes okay to me."

"That's so disrespectful, Tasuku." You jokingly said with a mocking tone. "This soup legitimately changed my life. I wish I could have it everyday, along with curry."

"You somehow managed to sneak curry into the conversation again, huh?" He sighed, smiling at the way you laughed afterward.

Tasuku continued to consume his soup while observing how you and Tsumugi were practically worshipping the soup. He decided to ignore the eerie feeling building in the pit of his stomach gnawing at him alive.

Maybe it was just the soup.

-

Friday.

"Hurry up. We don't have all day."

"Gee, you don't have to be so mean about it!"

"I told you to make it quick. We have to get back in town because we have another meeting to attend to."

You and Sakyo just got out of a business meeting outside of Veludo Way. It was regarding a sponsorship for the Autumn Troupe's next play. Sakyo, the greatest cheapskate and money-pinching Sakyo, was more than willing to accompany you to the next town over if it meant saving the company tens of thousands worth of yen. As long as it involved finances, the blond always needed to be a part of it.

"I know that, but we need to grab lunch before we head to the next meeting. It's bad to miss out on meals, you know! Come on, we'll just grab something from this store and rush back to Veludo Way."

Sakyo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, but you did have a point. He was also feeling the hunger starting to rise inside of him. It was already lunchtime by the time you guys finished with the first meeting of the day, and he didn't really have a proper breakfast earlier.

You walked into this quaint little restaurant on the side of the road owned by a lovely old couple.

"Good afternoon, may I help you with anything?" The old lady asked warmly.

You felt your heart soften, "Is it possible to get two yakiniku bento boxes to go?"

She smiled, "Of course, dearie. They'll be right out."

"She seems nice!" You whispered to Sakyo, who was sitting across from you.

"She reminds me of you."

"Eh? Don't tell me I'm already aging! I don't wanna be like you yet!"

"I can and will leave you here."

"Eh, but seriously, how?"

Sakyo sighed exasperatedly. "She... sounds nice. Lovely, even. She just has a nice smile and it reminds me of how nice you are when you talk to other people."

"S-Sakyo, is that really you? Who are you? Are you an alien? How are you being so honest right now?"

"I'm going back to Veludo Way without you.

"Hey, I'm kidding!" You pouted.

"Two yakiniku bento boxes to go?" An old man, presumably the husband of the lady they talked to, walked over to you two and handed you the bag of bento boxes.

"Ah, thank you!" You bowed before taking the bag from his hands. You took your wallet out to pay, but Sakyo already left money in the box where you put your payment.

"Hey, I can-"

"Consider it my treat. You'll be working hard today, after all." For a brief second, he gave you a warm smile. However, it was quickly replaced by his usual scowl. "Now hurry up and let's go."

"Geez, I was just about to call you cute as well!

"I am not cute, _____."

As you two were walking out of the restaurant, the old couple gave you a fond smile.

"We were like that too when we were younger."

"Mhm. They look good together, don't you think?"

When you got back to the car, you began to snack on the onigiri part of your bento. You didn't notice how Sakyo's eyes were glaring daggers into the figure who was idly sitting on his motorcycle just a good few meters away from the car.

The figure was wearing a denim jacket and a black helmet, but he could see a few tufts of brown hair sticking out from above the nape of his neck.

His hand grasped the steering wheel in a tight grip until his knuckles turned pale. What was he feeling? Anxiety? Hostility?

The sensation of being... followed?

His mind was racing at the thought, but he decided to rid the negativity filling his consciousness to the brim.

"Sakyo, here's your onigiri." Your voice snapped him out of his daze, and he shot you a small smile.

"Thanks. Let's head back to town now."

"Mhm!"

Seeing the pure innocence, joy, and trust in your smile made him content. He wanted to protect you and your smile forever.

If only he could.

-

Saturday.

You woke up earlier than usual because you promised Itaru that you'd go with him to the game store down the street since today was the release day of the new game he'd been itching to buy.

You sat up to stretch and noticed that Omi was in your room.

"Gah!" You gasped, pulling the sheets up to cover yourself. "Omi?!"

He gave you a warm smile, "Oh, good morning! You're finally up. Sorry for barging in like this, I just wanted to call you over for breakfast."

"Th-Thanks for waking me up but um, do you mind? I'm still kinda in my nightwear." You blushed, knowing that your bra was still unhooked.

Omi's eyes darkened for a brief moment, but it was gone as soon as he blinked. It was replaced by the usual hazel eyes that gave you the warmest and kindest looks.

"I'm sorry! I'll be waiting for you outside." He then left your room, shutting the door behind him without making a sound.

"Jeez, Omi." You muttered to yourself. You quickly hooked your bra together then changed into a more decent t-shirt, appropriate enough for the other boys in the company to see you without being flustered or bewildered out of their minds. Seriously, Azami acts as if he's never seen a girl's shoulders before, what's up with that?

You tied your hair in a ponytail and went out of your room to head over to the kitchen where a bunch of familiar platters were waiting for you.

"Oh, wow, isn't this quite a... variety for breakfast?" You spoke, careful with your words. You always appreciated Omi for making food for the company, but the dishes he served this particular Saturday morning seemed like a mishmash of different food combinations and you just couldn't put your finger on why the food looked and smelled so familiar to you.

"Dig in, my dearest director." He replied, with his back facing you. It seemed as though he was still preparing something by the sink.

You took a seat and viewed the selection he prepared for breakfast.

Curry. Delicious, by the way.

Yakiniku.

Kani Salad.

Egg drop soup.

Crepes.

"Hey, didn't I..." You whispered to yourself, finally realizing that the meals he prepared for you were all meals you've eaten that week.

How did he know? Did the guys tell him about it?

"Well? Aren't you going to eat? You've been enjoying these all week, why not relive the moments one more time? I made sure to prepare them just the way you like them, after all." Omi's voice was laced with something... unknown. Was it possessiveness? He didn't sound like the warm and loving Omi you knew and love.

This Omi was... dangerous. He was terrifying. His back was still facing you, but you could feel a threatening aura from his broad shoulders because of how they looked so stiff.

He turned around and you froze upon seeing his half-lidded eyes. There was a crazed look in his pupils, something that reeked of want, lust, and obsession.

"You had curry with Chikage on Monday. Marshmallow crepes with Juza on Tuesday. Kani Salad with Kumon and Kazunari on Wednesday. Egg drop soup with Tsumugi and Tasuku on Thursday. Then you had a yakiniku bento box with Sakyo yesterday, right?"

Your eyes widened. The boys were pretty aware of the places you went to and who you went there with, but how in the world did Omi know everything?

"Don't worry about it. You don't have to go out with them anymore. I'm the only one who gets to cook for you from now on, okay?" Omi took steps closer to you. You wanted to scream, to run out of the room, to call for help from anyone, but you felt as if you were paralyzed with fear.

This wasn't Omi anymore.

He stopped when he was directly in front of you from across the table, and you could see his thin lips twist into a sadistic smile.

"Dig in, my precious director."

[nowujustlooklikeanyone]

a very off topic Song of Achilles review/literally a rant that not a soul asked for and is literally one big fat fucking spoiler

from my notes app

ok

i’m not even finished yet but i know what happens because it’s based on the greek myth but omfg i keep crying because the happy moments are sad and the sad moments make me hate real life ugh gods sake i can’t deal with it

also my context with reading pjo since third year means im so familiar with the mythology so i even know the side characters and it’s making me even sadder and sadder its like ah i just want to go back to reading magnus chase for a forth time and chill and laugh but then i get sad like oh shit those guys have had so much loss too, my poor babies, i’m miserable, i’m going to go cry, but THEN i read a solangelo fic and i’m like THANK FUCK and there’s a new book coming and rick probably hopefully can’t kill them off (ask me for an explaination why i think this if you are interested) bc i would kill HIM. literally so excited for the book i love Mark Oshiro(the person the solangelo book is in collaboration with) ahhh okay i think i’m fine now WAIT NO BECAUSE NICO DI ANGELO HAD THE SADDEST BACKSTORY OF THEM ALL I LOVE HIM SO MUCH IM SO SAD I MISS BIANCA at least he got some good things in the end thank fuck for will solace they are my otp solangelo is the best ship AND best ship name besides fierrochase. like ever. i don’t think i will ever love any other characters more than them they’re the best characters in all of literature. okay i think i’m fine now BUT NO BECAUSE THEN JASON GRACE DIES LIKE WHAT? FUCK MY LIFE POOR NICO OH AND PIPER DONT GET ME STARTED HER RELATIONSHIP WAS BASED ON A LIE PLACED IN HER HEAD BY A GODDESS AND HE DIDNT HAVE THE MEMORIES BUT SHE DID FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE IT FELT REAL FOR HER SHE CANT JUST GET RID OF THEM SO THEY BREAK UP BECAUSE ITS TOO HARD WHICH IS A GOOD DECISION BUT OH AND THEN JASON DIES? THAT IS THE MOST AWFUL DISGUSTING THING I AM SOBBING AND BARFING ALL OVER THE PLACE ugh and leo is the most precious thing i kin him and i did before i even knew what kinning was when i first read about him in year 5 (i think it was year 5) or maybe i’m just in love with him it’s one of the two, when i was younger he was my favourite character but now it’s like all of them. calypso is perfect for him kinda? like i don’t know when you read it it makes so much sense and you can practically feel his happiness radiating of the page and it made sense like story wise it fit in very very well so i love that… however when i think about caleo vs solangelo and fierrochase… eh. it’s just #lame i can’t explain! even frazel is cuter than caleo because omg they are just COMPLETELY PERFECT i never realised but i have a crush on hazel AND frank… not that that means that much because i have a crush on every single character but i think i love them most? theyre sort of the most memorable because i loved them as soon as i got to know them in the second heroes of olympus book idk i feel a different way about them hm🤨 okay i’m done. i think i’m done. this wasn’t even about song of achilles really HOLY FUCK NO NOW IM THINKING ABOUT PATROCLUS AGAIN NOPE IM SAD I CANT DO THIS. i was actually crying before more than i have in weeks like it was a build up of things in my life,!but mainly when achilles said “i have traded love for glory, and it cost his life. to any god who is listening, end my suffering.”

god. this is fucking embarrassing and unreadable

NEWSFLASH i’m still too scared to finish it and i am finishing every happy book i can find before this jesus christ this book it going to wreck me and today as already been emotional😫

ok a few weeks later and am i insane? girl? i wrote so much anyway i’m still reading other things and i don’t in any way want to finish song of achilles atm so we’ll see i guess!

[descendantofthesparrow]

Welcome back to the “the d3 outfits don't fit the characters age” side posts; this version? Evie

small review, last time me n @darkprinceofdarkness​ said the outfits of D3 fit the actors and not the characters and Mal dresses like a 40 year old white woman.

MOVING ON

we gon do this in order this time, so to start!

gttb....i gotta be honest, i do like this, its blue, its loose, it has a fun skirt, it has accents of red instead of it taking over her main color, tiny crown, fab velvet heels. pretty solid Evie outfit. i think the only complaint i have with it is her hair? like, where's ur braids? where's the Evie braid? i loved that shit, she has her curls but they are only at the bottom and i miss when they started like a half inch off her scalp, give Evie back her curls 2k21 9/10 i want her curls and braids. wouldn't wear but its cute

VK pick up day....okay i also like this one, it still feels Evie to me, fun skirt, fun jacket, leggings, cute boots, just change out her necklace for a smaller charm one (possibly the one from D1 that she wore all the time), and curl her hair, maybe braid her bangs or twist them back to pin them to the back of her head. 9/10 change hair and necklace but def would wear.

at some point between designing these last two outfits, someone fucked up and decided Evie was a 40 year old relator who watches gaudy fashion shows.

i hate it i hate it i hate it i hate it i hate it i hate it, what the fuck is she wearing, i hate it so much, Evie you are 19 not 40. i have NEVER liked this outfit on her, it hasn't grown on me one bit, nada, no hate it, burn it. the top could be cute but the paired it with the worst pants ever, she looks like a fucking pta mom who needs to go pic up her kids from soccer practice, what the fuck who did this to you bby. the only thing good about this look is the shoes, and her hair, her hair is pinned back a bit and curled at the end, its the only good thing, the gloves are okay but again, the whole outfit ruins the good shit. pair the shirt and the other good stuff with either skinny jeans or a loose skirt and then maybe- MAYBE it'll look good. why the fuck was she even wearing this?? it looks like they maybe planned for Evie to join in on the meeting then took her out last minute and decided Sofia should still wear the outfit for the next scene?? this is the same day as Janes party right?? just put her in the blue romper?! it would make sense?!  0/10 get it the fuck away from me and burn it.

then someone turned their brain back on and gave Evie this cute ruffle romper for Sofia to wear, its simple, but i like that it is, the core four party outfits are simple anyway and its fine since they are going to a forest and they do need free moving outfits to get around easier, so its nice, its flowy, its got ruffles in cute places, and this does feel like something a 19 year old would wear, it also feels like something a 40 year old would wear but that's fine, it doesn't feel like Evie is dressing 20 years older than her. cute outfit, cute boots, red gloves and basic Evie accessories. 8/10 wouldn't wear but it suits Evie 

and now....gug

the motor cross gear...after the success of the romper, they once again took a dive and just...yuck. Blue is Evies main color, RED IS HER ACCENT COLOR do NOT overwhelm her outfit with red!!!!! the color blocks are in odd places and ruin the pacing of the outfit. i hate the jacket, i hate the skirt, i hate the pants, the boots are like, the ONLY good thing on this damn outfit. that and her tiara. thats it, thats all i like about it. whenever this damn thing comes on screen i have a physical reaction, i hate it, i hate it so much. it has not grown on me on bit. i would probably like it more with they switched the red with Blue and then it would feel more Evie to me, because RED IS HARRYS COLOR (red is also an accent color for colors, his main is black&white) oh and funfact! i was looking at the motorpunk concept art and inspiration stuff, Kara kept using inspo from looks that were fitting for people over 30 n shit, that's why that feels so old, because there was no younger styled motosport stuff. so the Motorpunk gear isnt even inspired by a younger gens style! its all 30+ inspo of older people wearing it and its just AH!!! like COME ON!! its not that hard to take inspo from younger gen style! hell! they could have gone with biker punk! it would have fit the C4 more! biker punk is leather, spikes, denim, loose-tight pants, boots, fingerless gloves BASICALLY THE VKS MAIN STYLE LIKE IT WAS RIGHT THERE!!!!  3/10 it had potential but they lost it and ruined it.

Break this down/engagement party...i don't know why, but i don't like it, i think its the TWO GIANT FUCKING BOWS. they look so out of place and distract from the entire outfit, make the bottom one smaller and slimmer with a looser fabric, and just remove the top one completely and BOOM its actually a good dress. shoes are fine, i hate her gloves, her necklace is lowkey ugly, and curl her fucking hair properly (aka from her scalp and not the last couple inches of her hair). 5/10 it had potential and they added bows...bows are always a downfall if you don't know what ur fucking doing with them. 

there we go Evie’s outfits rant.

again, i will say Kara Saun is a good designer, but she wasn't the best fit for a series about TEENAGERS.