#almost wrapped with galactic seasons too

[greyias]

A run of weeklies or two to grab a bunch of gray items to throw at unsuspecting party guests? Check. The last known stacks in the galaxy of non-legacy bound snacks for sharing? Check. Inventory stupidly full? Check. Me and companion decked to the nines? Check.

Aw yis. Ready to party. (On Saturday.)

[tsukikento]

Empathetic Chapter 17

Pairing: Bakugou Katsuki x Reader

Summary: After your mom, the number 1 hero in America, gets offered a teaching position at U.A., you two pack up your things and head to Musutafu, Japan to start a new life. Pressure for you in America was at an all-time high, and now you’re in Japan, where almost no one knows you, or your family’s past.

This tale starts on your first day of class where your new teacher decides the best way for you to fit in is to fight against the strongest person in your class: Bakugou Katsuki.

Warnings/Genre: This piece will feature some angst and reference to an abusive parent, if you are ever worried about other tw’s feel free to send me an ask and I will let you know. There will also be fluff, slight angst, pining, and slowburn.

A/N: Had to write this chapter three times because somehow everything kept getting deleted!! I’m sorry for my inconsistent posting. Please leave comments, reblog, or send me asks if you like! They always keep me motived :)

(masterlist)

When you came back out for dinner, Bakugou was already sitting at the head of the table, eating away, and chatting away with Kirishima and Sero. To his left was an empty seat, but a plate filled with food.

I wonder if Bakugou made that or if someone nicer prepared it, you wonder as you and Ashido made your way to the table. If Bakugou made it, then damn. However, you wouldn’t be surprised if Kirishima made it or Kaminari who was on dish cleaning duty and needed to put away the leftovers. Regardless of who did it, they still sat you down next to Bakugou in your usual seat.

Don’t read into that, you told yourself as your sat down at the table. Instead, you focused on the delicious food in front of you that you immediately began to chow down on. You found yourself, much like Bakugou, simply eating away while Ashido, Kirishima, and Sero kept the conversation going. Both of you were much too hungry to stop and add your own commentary to the conversation.

Bakugou finished before you and chugged down his water before taking both yours and his glass to the kitchen to fill them back up. Gratefully, you mumbled out a “Thank you” before you continued to eat. Play it cool, he’s just being polite, you told yourself and Ashido proceeded to elbow you and wink.

You rolled your eyes at the pink girl and focused back on what was left on your plate.

Conversation flowed easily until Bakugou came back. The blond placed the cups onto the table before holding up his arms and stretching in a way that clearly showed his stomach. At this point, each of you were still in casual athletic clothes and his simple t-shirt lifted just enough to show his stomach.

It was an action you should be used the at this point. The blond often stretched without a care or used his quirk in ways that ruined clothing. And yet, you still found your face heating up and your eyes glued to the sight.

When he finally sat back down, he leaned in close to you. “I’m ready to go whenever,” He explained before leaning back into his chair and sipping on his water.

“Go where?” Sero, who was to Bakugou’s immediate right, questioned.

You looked to Bakugou, expecting him to reply. Not only were you hesitant to explain the situation and possibly misunderstand what Bakugou was thinking, but the blond typically made habit of answering anyways.

“The gym for yoga and cardio,” Bakugou explained, just like you expected. Luckily, it wasn’t any different than what you thought.

“Really?” Kirishima questioned, his eyes lighting up. “That sounds so manly!” He turned to look at Ashido, “Do you want to go do yoga and cardio too?”

“Um,” Ashido immediately turned to you, concerned that she and Kirishima would be intervening on your alone time with Bakugou.

Part of you wanted to welcome the company, ultimately nervous about having to hold up a conversation when neither you nor Bakugou were all too talkative. However, you spent hours alone with Bakugou each week and it wasn’t awkward then so why would it be different?

Bakugou also hates how couple-y they are so he may be more inclined to talk to me and spend time with me if they are there doing PDA, you thought before subtly nodding to Ashido.

“I’d love to go if Bakugou and Y/L/N don’t mind,” Ashido finally spoke after a few moments.

“I don’t care,” Bakugou measly replied.

“What about you, Sero?” Kirishima questioned, “Do you want to go too?”

“No way,” The black-haired boy replied, leaning back in his chair. “I had interning today and had to chase a villain down seven blocks, ugh!”

“Weren’t you using your tape though?” Ashido shot back curiously.

“So? It still drains me and my poor arms. I could not do yoga like this.” Sero flailed his arms around before letting them fall to his sides, effectively showing how absolutely dead they were. “I’ll just stay here with Kaminari and make him watch the new season of Galactic Guard again or whatever.”

“Your loss,” Kirishima jokes before chuckling lightly. “I’m going to go get changed, be down soon.”

Ashido followed him with the same explanation.

Awkwardly, you looked at Sero, expecting him to say something. You and Bakugou were already changed and had your waters with you, there was no reason for you to go upstairs. Unfortunately, due to the silence and the awkward atmosphere of a nervous you and an ever-rigid Bakugou, the black-haired boy immediately slid out of his seat, claiming to need water. However, you watched as he dropped his empty glass on the counter and simply talked to Kaminari.

You rolled your eyes and took a sip of your water, wishing there was more to do. Thinking on your feet, you stood up abruptly. “I’ll clear the dishes,” You said before stacking the plates and silverware. “Do you want your water anymore?”

Bakugou shook his head so you proceeded to grab his water, place it into your cup, and make your way to the kitchen slowly.

Kaminari and Sero greeted you happily and Kaminari immediately took your dishes.

Their rather boring conversation did not leave room for you to interject, so you simply made your way back to the dining table. Sighing, you grabbed your half-full water and reached for Bakugou’s as well. The blond watched you wordlessly.

You wondered if his lack of comment was a bad thing or if it showed comfortability and a willingness to let you touch his belongings.

As you debated the notion, you silently, almost like you were on autopilot, filled up the waters, and went back to the table. With nothing left to do, you sat back down into your seat and awaited the arrival of Kirishima and Ashido

“Thank you,” Bakugou said as you sat down with the two glasses of water.

“No problem” You replied. Despite this comment being typical for literally anyone to say, it still felt nice for him to say thank you. Maybe it was because he rarely used his manners.

Bakugou grabbed his water from the table and put it back into his bag. The two of you sat in a comfortable silence as you waited for Ashido and Kirishima. The only noise was the people talking in the kitchen and the small group watching television in the living room.

A few minutes passed by before the couple finally emerged from the elevator and greeted you both with wide smiles. Kirishima had on black basketball shorts with a red stripe down the side as well as a red hoodie. Ashido adorned a matching two-piece set of leggings and a conservative sports bra that was cheetah print. She also had on a black zip-up jacket that was currently wrapped around her waist.

You and Bakugou quickly got up from your seats, grabbed your belongings, and slowly made your way to the door. Ashido was by your side while Kirishima ran the kitchen to fill up his and Ashido’s waters. The pink girl moved from being attached to Kirishima’s side and was now attached to yours.

Giggling, she whispered in your ear, “Yet another double date!”

Sheepishly you rolled your eyes and dismissed the thought. “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”

“What?” Ashido questioned, moving away from you to give you a confused look.

“What do you mean ‘what’?” You shot back.

“I mean,” She began, emphasizing her words, “What does that even mean?”

“What does what mean?” You replied, absolutely clueless to the confusion.

“She’s asking what ‘don’t count your chickens before they hatch’ means,” Bakugou butted in as he stood opposite you by the front door. “Personally, I think it’s rather obvious.”

“Oh, shut it, Bakugou!” Ashido exclaimed, giving the blond a dirty look.

Laughing, you explained, “It’s just an American saying.” You debated how exactly to explain it before once again continuing, “Just because you have, say, 10 chicken eggs, 2 could break before they hatch and 3 more could be simply eggs, no baby in them. So, they saying means that you shouldn’t expect something until it happens. You can’t expect to have 10 chickens just because you have 10 eggs.”

Ashido harrumphed, clearing having trouble understanding. “Sounds dumb.” Something you also expected her to say considering she was the one ‘counting her chickens before they hatched’.

You shrugged, “It’s hard to understand sayings from other countries if you didn’t grow up around them. I’m sure some common Japanese sayings don’t make sense to me.”

At this point, Kirishima joined back in and made quick work of putting on his tennis shoes.

“My mom used to always say ‘even monkeys fall out of trees’ when I made mistakes,” Ashido explained, testing you to see if you would understand a common Japanese phrase.

“Everyone makes mistakes,” You replied after a few seconds to think it over.

“Dang!” Ashido replied as the four of you made your way out of the dorm and to the gym.

“What about this one,” Bakugou interjected. “My dad would say this all the time, ‘the stake that sticks up gets hammered down.’”

Oh, this one is definitely more complicated.

You tried working through the saying out in your brain, sure it had someone to do with being seen in society. “Um,” You began, “The person who stands out will…” You paused, unsure how to finish. Sighing, you shrugged your shoulders, “I don’t know.”

“Ha Ha!” Ashido shouted in joy. “It means the person who stands out is often subject to criticism.”

You nodded your head in understanding as she explained.

“How were you so good at those?” Kirishima asked.

“Well, word association is taught in elementary schools,” You explained, reminiscing on the problems you solved in second grade. “For example, we would get something like “cow is to barn as man is to ‘blank’ and we would have to fill it in.”

Ashido and Kirishima proceeded to exclaim “house!” while Bakugou simply nodded, actions that represented each of them rather well.

“Nice!” You laughed, high-fiving the two who guessed.

You rounded the corner at this point, entering one of the school buildings with multiple classrooms. You followed the group as they made their way upstairs and weaved through hallways. Fairly naturally, the conversation died down as the couple of Ashido and Kirishima clung to each other and dawdled behind.

Aggravated, Bakugou led your group, clearly annoyed with how slow they were. Honestly, you were pretty sure Ashido planned this so you could have alone time with the blond.

Trying to utilize this opportunity, you kept stride with the blond. “Pretty annoying, huh?” You asked, gesturing to the couple and silently apologizing for throwing them under the bus and using them as a conversation starter.

“Aren’t they always?” Bakugou replied, looking to the couple before rolling his eyes and groaning.

“Sometimes they are cute,” You shrugged, flashing a smile to the blond. “At least they’re happy, you know?” You asked, attempting to reason with them.

Bakugou simply “tsked” in reply. “Doesn’t mean they aren’t making me nauseous.”

“Very true,” You responded, unable to stop yourself from chuckling loudly. “Especially when they talk in baby voices and make little smooching noises!” You altered your voice slightly to mimic Ashido’s baby voice that you hear her only use with Kirishima.

Bakugou cackled loudly at the comment, clearly amused by your impersonation. “Or when they go off to each lunch by themselves, cuddling under a tree, and then coming back like giddy teenagers,” He added.

“Oh, yeah!” You animatedly exclaimed, “How could I forget? Kirishima ends up staring out the window all of class!”

As your laughter died down, the two of you arrived at the double doors that led to the small gym. Luckily, no one else was inside due to how late it was. In fact, you four might be here past curfew. Despite this, you entered into the gym which had a few different weight machines and treadmills as well as a room to the left that was dim and specifically designed for yoga.

You knew this was the gym that Ashido frequently used late at night but weren’t familiar with the layout. Slowly, you put down your belongings, chugged down a few gulps of your water and made your way into the yoga room. The room had too large baskets on wheels that came up to about your waist. Inside, were blue and white yoga mats with the school’s logo on it. It was for student use and cleaned every week, a small perk for going to such a prestigious hero school. By the time you grabbed a mat, you heard the large metal and glass doors once again opening. Waiting for the couple, you rolled out your mat and brought your water to your side.

Although you did yoga frequently and could easily start your own routine, you figured the four of you would want to do a routine together. Once inside, Kirishima and Ashido quickly came into the yoga room and set up mats.

“I’ll hook up my phone to the projector so we can play a video,” Ashido explained as she plugged her phone into a wire that connected to the projector.

You watched the pink girl search up a yoga routine that was primarily focused on stretching the body pre-workout. The video was about half an hour-long, so you simply prepared yourself by sitting on your knees and waiting for the introduction to finish.

Yoga went by rather quickly, which each of you silently following the video. You were all in your own worlds, thinking about your own problems or simply letting your mind go black as you followed the routine. You could tell it was something your mind and body was craving after a long day of theorizing and sitting at the desk.

Once the routine finally ended, you let out a big breath and stretched your body one final time before grabbing your water bottle to drink from. “Ah, that was so good!” You sighed, completely satisfied.

Kirishima and Ashido hummed in agreement as they rolled up their mats.

“And now it’s time to put that stretching to good use,” Bakugou added, as he passed by you with his own rolled mat. He grabbed yours, which you just finished rolling, and went to put them away. Once done, he made his way back to you and held out his hand to help you up. “Shall we go run?” He asked while he effortlessly pulled you up.

“We shall,” You replied, a wide smile on your face.

Bakugou had never, not even when he was kicking your ass in training, helped your up or touched your hand. Immediately, you felt heat spreading up your face and your heart beating faster.

Ashido, who was putting her own yoga mat into her bag eyed you suspiciously. Subtly, you gave her a surprised look and shrugged your shoulders. Bakugou inevitably let go of your hand after you were standing up straight. He was surprisingly warm and you held quickly went cold without his touching.

In an attempt to play everything off cool, you simply followed behind him, grabbing your bag and moving to the treadmill next to his. You placed your belongings down, took one last gulp of water, and got onto your treadmill.

Bakugou, who had already started, was going at a slow pace and you decided to follow in line with him. The slow speed was an ideal way to warm up your body and prepare you for a faster pace.

You didn’t have to wait long, however, because Bakugou soon sped up his treadmill by two. He gave you’re a clear look and you didn’t even have to take out your earbuds to know he was subtly saying there is no way in hell you will run faster than me.

After a few more strides, you also increased your speed, clicking three times to be running one faster than him.

Almost immediately, Bakugou gave you another look and increased his speed. This game of tug-of-war continued for a few minutes, each of you slowly increasing your speed in order to one-up the other. It was fun when you started slow, and you even found yourself smiling when you were running at a speed just below a sprint. However, you were now sprinting at a breakneck pace and craving this game to stop.

You once again, and quite stubbornly, pressed the up arrow to increase your speed.

Bakugou attempted to groan under his breath, but he was going too fast to have control over his voice and you clearly heard the roan of indignation. The blond pressed his finger onto the up arrow and increased his speed just as he had done before. This time, however, he notably did not go past your speed.

The both of you were now running at the same speed, and although you were tempted to go up at least one more to irk Bakugou, you knew it was best not to. It was all down to endurance now.

You focused your attention on running, moving your arms to help your speed, and focusing on your breathing to make sure you were taking in big and consistent breaths.

“Woah, Bakugou and Y/N-chan!” Kirishima’s voice rang through your ears. Despite only being two treadmills over and a total of 12 feet, you could barely hear him. “So manly!” If you were looking at him, you would see him send a cheeky smile to Ashido before increasing his own speed.

However, you were all too involved in your own competition to worry about him.

You felt your legs burn and crave for a break. You felt so hot that you were sure you were steaming. In fact, you saw steam.

Steam? You looked to your left from where it was coming and saw steam emitting from Bakugou’s palms. You could have gasped in surprise if you weren’t so already short on breath. The next thing to smelled was an intense caramel. Or is it burning sugar? You questioned as you realized it was coming from the blond next to you.

It smells so sweet, you thought, clearly distracted. It made you think of caramel apples at amusement parks, chewing on the delectable treat as you walked around, surrounded by vibrant lights.

You inhaled deeply, trying to take it all in. Suddenly, you tripped. The floor fell out from under you, and you did not have enough speed or traction to keep up. Quickly, you clutched onto the railings and got back up to speed. The difficult action, which would surely leave bruises on your arms, lasted only a few seconds. Although Bakugou noticed, he didn’t say anything, so you simply kept up with running.

However, now your body ached even more. All you wanted to do was stop and you couldn’t drag your brain away from the idea. You felt your limbs begging to slow down and you could no longer deny the request. Reluctantly, you slowed down the treadmill with a sigh. Bakugou immediately noticed the action and shot his arms up with a small “woop!” in excitement.

At least seeing him so excited was worth it, you thought as you finally stopped the treadmill.

With exhaustion running through your veins, you got off the treadmill and made a beeline to your water. Your legs gave out and you sat against the wall, arching your back to give your lungs room. You chugged a few gulps of the cool beverage before you brought your hands above your head. It was the best way to get air into your lungs and control your breathing again.

Bakugou quickly joined you, copying your actions but while standing up.

“Good job, guys!” Ashido exclaimed, giving you both a thumbs up as she jogged at a much more reasonable pace.

You returned the gesture before grabbing your water again. Slumped up against the wall, you closed your eyes. Mentally, you made a note to not go out running tomorrow.

While you rested, you heard Ashido and Kirishima turn off their treadmills and join you against the wall. They chatted amongst themselves while Bakugou sat next to you.

Immediately, the caramel smell emitting off him wafted into your noise and filled your senses with euphoria and anxiety. He smelled so good, and yet you were certain he was much closer to you now. You could practically feel his body heat against your left arm.

The chatter from Ashido and Kirishima provided white noise, while Bakugou’s sweet aroma and warm body provided the ultimate guide to sleep. Your tired body craved it and you slowly felt yourself falling deeper and deeper.

Too tired to notice, you slowly leaned to the left, your shoulder eventually touching Bakugou’s. It was slight, a small brush of skin, but the blond immediately noticed the action, who stared at your sleeping body which found comfort in the purchase of his body.

You weren’t sure how much time passed when you were woken back up. In fact, you didn’t realize you fell asleep until you were waking up and opening your eyes to the sight of Bakugou’s own crimson orbs.

Quickly, you noticed the feeling of a warm arm against yours and moved abruptly away.

You could feel the heat spread from your neck to your cheeks and ears. If you weren’t in such shock, you would have also been certain that Bakugou’s own cheeks blushed pink. You shook your head in confusion, pushing away the ridiculous thoughts that came to mind.

“S-sorry!” You stuttered out, your voice barely emitting a sound.

“It’s fine,” Bakugou confidently laughed, brushing off the topic. “I just thought you would want to head back soon since you are falling asleep.”

“Uh, yeah,” You mumbled, “Thanks.” Looking away, you set your eyes on all your belongings and began picking them up. Sometimes it was difficult to look him in the eyes. Despite how warm and entrancing they were, they made you feel hot all over and spread nerves all throughout your body. You swallowed the lump in your throat as you stood all the way up and awaited Bakugou.

It only took a moment for the blond to stand upright after you. Gingerly smiling, you turned and made your way to the door.

“You guys coming?” Bakugou asked, walking backward so he could face the couple.

“Later,” Ashido mumbled, waving him away as she continued to smile at her boyfriend.

Bakugou hummed in acknowledgment and turned to you, a signal to open the door into the empty hallway.

“Today was fun,” You remarked, sparing a glance at the blond as the metal door eased closed. “Although I am sure tomorrow will be tough.” You paused, thinking over your schedule, “At least I only have class tomorrow.”

Although you were too nervous to look long, you saw the blond smile shyly and nod his head. “Yeah, I’m just glad I am done with the assignment due in English tomorrow.”

“Ah,” You replied, “How I wish I only had English assignments instead of extra Japanese assignments.”

“You’ll need to learn if you plan to stay here,” Bakugou remarked.

You scoffed, “I would argue that my Japanese was quite good already.” Rolling your eyes, you spared a teasing smile to him.

“What about when you are given a paper report and expected to read it all in minutes? Or when you have to write a report after a mission?” Bakugou shot back.

You groaned loudly, simply imagining how torturous a kanji-filled report that you would need to run through quickly. “Maybe you’ll be nice enough to write my reports for me?” You joked, opening your eyes and pouting in an attempt to look cute.

Bakugou blew air out his nose in a short laugh. “Bold of you to assume that I would even hire you to work at my agency.”

“Rude,” You replied, knowing full well that this was all a joke. “I think I would be a good hire, I could keep you calm during idiotic interviews or meetings too.” You looked into his eyes, “So, you want to start your own agency?”

“Need to if I’m going to be number one,” Bakugou curtly answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Well,” You began, “If I’m still in the area, and you are in desperate need of a hire, I would be happy to help.”

“Thanks.”

A small laugh and a brief look had your insides twisting. You once again felt hot. However, you were now, luckily, in the cool air of the night. You calmed yourself as the two of you approached the dorms.

Bakugou took a few quick steps to get ahead of you to reach the door. He moved to the side so you could enter in first and you smiled and nodded politely.

However, when you entered the dorm, your mood quickly changed. Practically every student was in the living room, some standing, some sitting. Most notably, Aizawa-sensei stood in the dining room, leaned up against the large wooden table, and clearly lost in his thoughts. Multiple sets of eyes turned to look at you. Your anxieties pooled in your stomach as you looked at your teacher.

Is it that bad that we are past curfew?

You felt Bakugou’s body pressed close up against yours. You were too scared to move, so the blond had to squeeze in. He was about to jokingly push you out of the way until he noticed the concerning scene in front of him.

You had no time to think about how comforting the action was, especially as he placed your hands onto your shoulders. He squeezed the slightly, but you were unsure if it was an action that was supposed to make you feel better or to make your move. You stumbled forward, but the blond hardly moved.

Aizawa cleared his throat and moved from his perch at the table. Silently, he approached you. “Let’s talk outside,” He whispered so only Bakugou, and you could hear. “Just you,” He elaborated, looking into your eyes.

You gulped and let Bakugou push you away so Aizawa could reach the door and lead the way out. You only snapped back to reality when your shoulders were suddenly cold at the lost touch.

“Okay,” You mumbled, stumbling to follow after your teacher. Maybe he was going to lecture us separately? You wondered, clinging to the hope that this was a simple scolding and not a disastrous event.

It must be my mom, what else would it be?

“Is my mom okay?” You immediately questioned when the door Bakugou closed was finally shut.

“Yes,” He abruptly replied, “Let’s talk this way.” He led you around the building to where there were multiple benches.

“My siblings?”

“Sit,” He spoke and motioned at a long bench.

You sat quickly, hoping it would make the news come quicker as well.

“There is no easy way to say this,” He began, “Please just listen.” Aizawa rubbed his eyes, clearly drained. “There was a prison escape at the North-Western prison. A total of 117 inmates escaped and are being rounded up. Your father is one of them.”

[superhusbands4ever]

DinLuke (Skydalorian) Fic Rec List

Hello all! Like many of us, I have fallen into Dinluke hell since the season 2 finale of The Mandalorian, so I have compiled a list of Dinluke fics that I love for you all to read. I’ve sorted them by series, and long fics, and one-shots. Incomplete/in-progress fics are marked with **. If you are like me and you absolutely LOVE force-sensitive Din Djarin, those fics will be bolded. If you want a rec list of just force-sensitive Din fics, let me know!

Enjoy!

Series

**Seperate Ways by PepperPrints - Explicit - iconic, exquisite, 1000/10, peak art, would recommend

With Moff Gideon defeated and the Darksaber reclaimed, the rumours of newly named Mand'alor Din Djarin spread through the galaxy... along with the stories of the Child he carries with him. Determined to meet him, Luke Skywalker arrives on Mandalore -- but before he can get any closer, he has to prove himself worthy of Mandalorian standards. 

**Skydalorian by Celestial_Alignment - Explicit

What if Din and Luke met pre-episode 4 and continued to run into each other through the years.

The Mandalorian ends up at Tosche Station and meets a desert youth who is apparently named "Wormie."

**The Vanishing Breed Series by @dosmit-raeh - Mature

The first thing Din noticed was the fire in the hearth. Near the hearth was a small, handmade crib, and from the crib came an excited cry. It spread through Din's chest like a bloodstain, perhaps it had in fact pierced his heart. He knew that little voice.

“Hey, you,” said Din softly. He dropped to his knees as the Kid scrambled out of the crib and scampered to him, crawling into his lap and burbling happily.

“That’s the most excited I’ve seen him in months,” said Skywalker. Din hadn’t even noticed him sitting across the room at a rough-hewn wooden table, nursing a cup of something. He wore the same carefully neutral expression he'd had on Gideon's ship, but his clothes were now desert-colored and hung loose around Skywalker's wiry frame. His hair was in disarray and it made him look much younger than he'd seemed on the ship; there, he'd seemed world-weary and ancient. Now, Din felt an insane need to protect.

Skywalker raised his cup at Din in greeting, a lopsided smile on his face. “He’s missed you," he said.

“Feeling’s mutual,” said Din gruffly.

___

The Mandalorian becomes Din Djarin. Din Djarin becomes.

(Luke helps.)

**Beskar and Kyber by Insomniac_with_dreams - Not Rated

“This is going to be awkward,” Luke sighs down at the baby in his arms. R2 beeps besides him and Luke nods in agreement. “Nothing to do but go back.”

His X-Wing is almost completely dismantled, sparking where wires hang limply. There is no way he’s getting off of this cruiser until it’s repaired. There aren't even any escape pods on board all of the docking bays empty. He hadn’t anticipated this, and now he was going to have to walk back to the bridge with the baby and explain himself to a heartbroken Mandalorian.

**you and i have memories by itBlackLeader - General

“What are you doing ?” A quiet voice asks behind his back.

Luke only responds with hums of contentment and a gentle tap on the grassy ground next to him.

(Luke and Din enjoy a quiet evening.)

Long Fic (Multi-chapter & 10K+)

Smoke Signals by Thestorans - Explicit - 23.5K

"Din Djarin"

He hears his name and it scares him enough to throw up his blaster, finger hovering over the trigger that is pointed right at Luke Skywalker's heart.

(or the one where a Jedi meets a Mandalorian and things get complicated.)

More Than His Armor by twoseas - Teen - 12.6K

Din visits Grogu at Luke’s academy more than any other parent. Luke isn’t complaining.

**Fates of the Force by starkjoy - Explicit

Six months after Grogu's rescue, an unexpected encounter launches Din on a quest throughout the galaxy alongside Jedi Master Luke Skywalker—a journey that may alter their fates forever.

the warmest bed i’ve ever known by ceedawkes - Explicit - 11.5K

pre-original series, din djarin is injured on a remote planet and found by an incessantly chatty farm boy named luke skywalker || i won't ask you to wait, if you don't ask me to stay || aka "making out with hot farm boys doesn't count as breaking the creed if he's blindfolded during it". edit 12/29: now with a post-series chapter 2.

**Worlds Apart by PepperPrints - Teen - honestly an absolute favorite, it only has 3 chapters so far but I’ve already re-read each one a million times

Having safely delivered the Child, Mand'alor Din Djarin inherits the Darksaber, a ruined planet, and the burden of Moff Gideon's fate. That burden brings Din to the New Republic on Coruscant, where he's thrown into a shimmering world of galactic politics even less familiar to him than the planet meant to be his home.

Din isn't the only one on Coruscant with his hands full of a once forgotten order - the Jedi is here too, and as their paths cross, Din will be forced to navigate both what's expected of him, and what he wants.

**we could be enough by @snap-dragon-pop - Teen

Din Djarin fights a war he never wanted to be a part of, and Luke Skywalker slowly makes a place for himself in a family he never knew he needed.

**he feels like home by bilgegungorenoo - Teen

Luke is in love.

And Leia doesn’t even need her strong Force bond with her twin to know that.

Or, 5 times people try to convince Luke to ask Din out, and 1 time Din takes it upon himself to do it.

**Family is a Funny Thing by SkylaDoragono - Mature

He promised the child he would see him again; he just didn't realize how hard it would be for him to stay away, even with the responsibility that came with the Darksaber breathing down his neck.

**Kir’manir by @iamonewithyouandyouarewithme - Teen - this one is one of my top 5 favorites already and it only has 2 chapters so far lol

He lets go of everything.

He reunites with his son, sees with his own eyes that he is safe, and just as quickly loses him again.

He gives the child to the Jedi, watches them prepare to leave. He sins, removes his helmet; feels the faintest touch of his son's tiny hand against his tired skin.

And then Bo-Katan shoots the Jedi in the back.

**For All The Things My Eyes Have Seen by Strawbebbi_Daiuiri - Teen

“He missed you.” The Jedi laughed. For a moment, Din didn’t respond, too wrapped up in the moment. Not that he probably would’ve responded anyways, but his focus was on the child in his arms. The feel of the other man’s stare, however, brought him back to where he was. ---- Or, the one where Luke and Din don't realize they're in love with each other for way too long and raise children together.

**no path runs smooth series by @andillwriteyouatragedy - General

"I don't know what game you're playing, here, but you know you have to go with the Jedi. This is your destiny."

"Luke." Din looks up to the Jedi, scanning him through his visor. As if he can see his face — and Din hopes even the most powerful Jedis can't see through beskar — the Jedi smiles at him again. He clarifies, "The Jedi? Has a name. I'm Luke Skywalker, Din Djarin."

One Shots

HOT SINGLE DAD IN YOUR AREA NEEDS YOUR HELP by coldishcase - Teen - crackfest but honestly relatable and funny as hell

A bright red box appears in Luke's vision, declaring in big, bold basic lettering: "HOT SINGLE DAD IN YOUR AREA NEEDS YOUR HELP." He's seen several just like it by this point, each more insistent than the last.

Someone needs his help, apparently. They sure have an interesting way of asking him for it, though.

How (Not) to Meet Your Son’s Boyfriend by fifteenminutesoffame - Not Rated

“You’re blocking the sunlight,” Obi-Wan chides, cast in shadow from Anakin’s hovering, his eyes still closed.

“Will you pay attention?” Anakin snaps. “Luke has made me a grandfather.”

i think i’m gonna marry you by snapdragonpop007 - General

It is an ancient tradition on Mandalore, that before you can ask for someone’s hand in marriage, you first have to defeat them in battle to prove your abilities to care for and provide for the family you’ll have. If you are not a capable warrior, you are not a capable spouse.

Luke didn't realize he had already skipped that step.

Got Me Hypnotized (So Mesmerized) by wasted_wallflower - Teen

“Thanks. For what you’re doing, I mean.” The words come out stilted and slow, and not for the first time, Din curses his inability to talk to people like a normal person. Luke Skywalker smiles at him, ducking his head with an undoubtedly bashful expression on his face, while the kid (Grogu, he reminds himself) chatters between them. “You’re welcome.” He says, that smile still on his face, and oh.

Oh no.

Din Djarin does not have a crush, despite what everyone else thinks. Enter Luke Skywalker.

[animebw]

Short Reflection: Summer 2021 Anime

Let’s be honest, Summer 2021 was a break that anime fans desperately needed. Winter and Spring were so stuffed to the gills with fantastic shows, it was impossible to keep up with them all. Anime has been overwhelmingly good lately, to the point it’s almost too much of a good thing. The pressure to keep up with everything worth watching in the past couple seasons means it’s almost certain a few worthwhile shows slipped through the cracks because there just wasn’t enough time. So it’s a bit of a relief that Summer has turned out to be such a low-ebb season. Thank god I only have to worry about a few shows that are worth checking out! Thank god so much of this season has been disappointing and can easily be cast off to the dustbins of history! After how incredible Winter and Spring were, we needed a season that was just plain mediocre to decompress. So sit back, relax, and let me walk you through the few anime this season that are worth a look.

That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime Season 2 Part 2: 3.5/10

At this point, it’s time to admit that the slime show is dead on its feet. Whatever spark of life it once had back when it started is gone, and it’s never coming back. The characters are flat and boring, the politics are hackneyed and overwrought, and it keeps pretending to have stakes only to solve everything instantly with half-baked bullshit. It’s honestly baffling how averse this show is to the idea of dramatic tension, how regularly it undermines every last attempt to make you think that something, anything, might pose the smallest challenge to Rimuru’s OP isekai protagonist self-insert masturbation powers. At least when Legend of the Galactic Heroes spent six straight episodes on political discussions, you knew there were actually gonna be meaningful conseqeunces when the bullets finally started flying. And at least those politics were more complex than a fifth-graders idea of “cool fantasy worldbuilding” shoved down your throat in a single indigestible chunk. The only reason I rate the second part of this season higher than the first is because of Veldora, who is easily the show’s most entertaining character by a country mile. Every time he’s on screen is a moment worth celebrating in this otherwise brain-dead piece of lavishly produced pig slop.

The Case Study of Vanitas: 4.5/10

Is it just me, or is anime on a steampunk vampire kick lately? Last season gave us Mars Red and Joran, and now we’ve got this tale of Parisian bloodsuckers fighting cursed beings, based on a manga from the author of the similarly Victorian campfest Pandora Hearts. Unfortunately, while Bones’ lavish production values are a step far above Xebec’s dismal treatment of that latter show, The Case Study of Vanitas only exacerbates its predecessor’s flaws. It moves way too slowly, the world feels underbaked, and it can’t quite find the sweet spot between goofy camp and high melodrama it’s so clearly shooting for. And whatever charms can be found amidst its deliciously gothic set design and action scenes, they’re quickly swamped by one of the most distasteful protagonists I’ve seen in recent memory. Say what you want about Pandora Hearts, at least it doesn’t have a prominent subplot where the main character repeatedly assaults a woman to somehow make her fall in love with him. Jeanne deserves so much better than this crap.

My Next Life as a Villainess Season 2: 4.5/10

What happens to a story when it outlives its premise and keeps going anyway? Is it able to continue justifying its existence, or does it lose the spark that made it special in the first place? In the case of Villainess Season 2, sadly, the results are far from promising. Now that we’ve “cleared” the game and wrapped up Catarina trying to avoid her characters’ doom flags, the story has lost all sense of direction. It aimlessly wanders from one slice-of-life scenario to the next, repeating several beats from season 1 along the way and coming up with few new ideas of its own. And that might be acceptable if this were a show with a truly iconic cast who are just fun to watch hang out and shoot the shit. Unfortunately, without the plot’s tension backing them up, it quickly becomes clear that most of Catarina’s harem is just kind of... bland and boring. There’s nowhere near enough personality and chemistry between them to sustain a show without an overarching plot to drive them. And that causes some serious issues when this season finally tries to bring some romantic progression to the table, resulting in a series of confessions and kisses that are more creepy and uncomfortable than enjoyably saucy. I really don’t want to be this down on a genuine bisexual harem. but outside of a few lovely moments scattered throughout this season- episode 8, in particular, might be the show’s best episode of all- I don’t know if it’s got any gas left in the tank.

I’m Standing on a Million Lives Season 2: 5/10

Is there anything more frustrating than a show that’s almost good? I’m Standing on a Million Lives took me by surprise last year as one of the few modern isekai to genuinely excite me, with smart writing and clever twists on the expected formula. Its characters were strong, its worldbuilding was engaging, and the protagonist’s arc toward self-improvement felt like a rebuttal of all the many misanthropic power fantasies saturating the market. By all rights, this show should’ve been hailed as an exemplar of the genre, maybe not Re:Zero tier but pretty damn respected all the same. Unfortunately, there was one small problem, a problem this season exacerbates even further: the anime adaptation is ass. Not only is the animation itself barely competent at the best of times, the seams where the story’s been cut for time are so visible that even I, having not read the source material, can tell where things are being rushed. Barely an episode goes by without at least one stupid, badly executed moment that pulls you out of the experience, and this season’s arcs were particularly littered with dumb contrivances. If only this property had been given to a studio with the talent and resources to bring it to life, this could have been something truly special. But no, pandering garbage like Shield Hero and Mushoku Tensei get lavish budgets and huge marketing pushes while actually entertaining, challenging isekai are left to beg for crumbs. And people wonder why this genre is so fucking broken.

Magia Record Season 2: 5/10

At this point, I’ve made peace with Magia Record. It’s nowhere near as good as the original Madoka, and it was probably never going to be even if the adaptation wasn’t such an obvious hack job. What it does have in its favor, though, is some of the most jaw-dropping action sakuga in the entire franchise. Season 1 looked pretty decent in its own right, but with season 2′s reduced episode count and increasingly battle-heavy plot, there’s at least one animation cut in every episode that absolutely knocked my socks off. Some of them are even a match for Rebellion’s movie budget! Couple that with the plot finally kicking into overdrive, the plodding slog of a narrative giving way to propulsive forward momentum, welcome returns from every member of the OG cast, and some of the first genuinely affecting character beats this anime’s managed to hit- seriously, Tsuruno gets more character in the final episode of this season than she did in the entirety of season 1- and Magia Record managed to actually excite me this time around. It’s still hampered by the bloated worldbuilding and underwritten arcs from the first season, but it’s a step up in every conceivable way, and I’ll be damned if I’m not looking forward to seeing how this all ends. Maybe the final season will go a step further and manage to be overall good!

The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace: 6/10

The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace is what you get when you take your standard-issue dumb shonen battle manga and stick it in a seinen magazine. It’s a Dragonball Z-style meathead punch-em-up where immortal beings beat the snot out of monstrous demons with crazy superpowers, only with way more blood, the gruesomeness amped up to Takashi Miike levels, everybody having sex, and edgy rape and pedophilia jokes. In other words, it’s trash. But it’s surprisingly entertaining trash, provided you can overlook how terribly it treats its female characters (because good lord, this show loves treating assault as tittilation). There’s some genuinely cool worldbuilding behind the seemingly simple gods vs demons concept, the plot progresses in unexpected ways that keep you unsure what’s gonna happen next, and Mappa’s fantastic production brings it all to life with an almost Jojo-esque flair. Plus, something about taking your standard anime violent slapstick and amping it up to R-rated levels of carnage really does make for a fantastic running joke. I certainly can’t recommend this show to everyone- seriously, if you are at all squeamish about rape or pedophilia being depicted badly in media, stay the fuck away- but there’s enough treasure buried in this trash that I’m glad I watched it.

Re-Main: 6.5/10

At first glance, Re-Main looks like your standard-issue pretty boys sports anime, water polo addition. Start watching it, though, and you very quickly realize that... wel, yes, it’s a standard-issue pretty boys sports anime, but it’s also filtered through a Jun Maeda-esque lens of surprisingly grounded melodrama. The main character, Minato, has suffered a head injury that’s made him forgot the past three years; he doesn’t remember playing water polo or any of the friends and teammates he played with. And the show takes the time to portray the reality of that amnesia, showing him slowly re-learn what his life has become and consider what path he wants to follow now. Even as it turns its attention to hitting all the typical sports anime beats- building a new team, teaching the amateurs the ropes, giving every central character a motivation and struggle related to playing water polo- it keeps finding new and interesting story beats to hit with Minato’s amnesia. There’s a massive turning point about halfway through the show that’s so audacious it really shouldn’t work, but god damn if Re-Main didn’t actually pull it off. On top of that, the writing is crisp, the characters are fun, and it know exactly how to hit all the tropes you expect from the genre. Sure, there’s shamefully little actual water polo in this water polo anime, but as a fun-sized snack to pass the time with a few genuine surprises up its sleeve, it was well worth a watch.

To Your Eternity: 6.5/10

It’s nothing short of agonizing what happened with To Your Eternity. Its first episode was about as perfect as premieres get, flawlessly setting the stage for an emotionally devastating tale of an immortal being’s journey to self-actualization through loss and love. But from that stellar starting point, it just gradually got worse with every arc. The story grew more bloated, the characters grew less interesting, and the slow march of its tearjerking moments started to feel more pointless than moving. And it all comes crashing down in the final arc, seven straight episodes of terrible writing and even worse production values that drive To Your Eternity into a fucking ditch. It is baffling how bad this series gets in its back half, to the point that incredible first episode barely feels like the same show anymore. Thankfully, its final episode is also incredible; in fact, it may well be the show’s strongest, most emotionally powerful episode yet. So at the very least, I remain hopeful that season 2 can continue that upward trajectory and restore what made To Your Eternity so special to begin with. If it can’t, though, then this show’s fall from grace will be a far greater tragedy than anything within its fiction.

Kageki Shoujo: 6.5/10

The biggest problem with Kageki Shoujo is that it’s a show split in two. The manga it’s based on originally started publication in a seinen magazine, but finished that run and switched over to a shoujo magazine after less than twenty chapters. And you can feel that shift even if you haven’t read the manga, because this show’s first five episodes are radically different from the tone and focus it eventually ends up taking. Yes, they’re still about a Takarazuka-inspired theater school and the young girls attending it with dreams of becoming the top star, but they also dive headfirst into a whole mess of thorny social issues like stalking, pedophilia, eating disorders, and predatory idol culture. It’s a powerful fucking start, marrying hilarious character antics with gut-wrenching Serious Topics(tm) in a way that would make Mari Okada proud. And then it reaches the end of its initial seinen run, and it almost instantly abandons those more weighty topics in favor of becoming a more straightforward theater school show. Still a good theater school show, but nowhere near as electrifying as that opening stretch. I still highly recommend Kageki Shoujo; it’s got some damn fantastic direction, and the odd-couple chemistry between its two leads is endlessly delightful. Just don’t expect it to maintain the power of those first few episodes as it goes on.

Fena Pirate Princess (Incomplete): 7/10?

If you asked me when Fena first started airing, I would’ve called it a shoe-in for one of the season’s best anime. A grand sense of adventure on the high seas, a lush production that hasn’t wavered a bit across its run, some of the best damn animated slapstick I’ve ever seen, and a story about freaking pirate ninjas? How could this not be one of the most ridiculously fun anime of the year? Now, though... I’m not so sure. It hasn’t lost any of its endearingly corny charms, but the longer it goes on, the more I’m frustrated with how it treats its titular protagonist. Fena is introduced as a spunky go-getter who’s constantly fighting impossible odds to pursue her dreams, even when she gets in over her head. She’s an instantly lovable heroine, the kind of ditzy-yet-undaunted wunderkind who brightens every scene just by existing in it. So it’s frustrating to see the story continuously strip her of more and more agency, turning her from a self-motivated character to a destined Chosen One who gets dragged around by the plot more than she actively engages in it. All she’s gotten to do lately is be told exposition about how special she is, get captured, get pushed around by other characters, and scream for her male love interest to save her. She’s barely an active agent in her own story anymore! I hope the show’s final stretch finally gives her cool shit to do again, because there’s so much to love about Fena Pirate Princess, and I’d hate for such a black mark to mar its charms.

Sonny Boy: 7.5/10

So, I don’t get Sonny Boy. I’m not sure it’s possible to get Sonny Boy. And yet, I’m pretty sure I love it regardless? Sitting at the stylistic intersection of Yuasa, Ikuhara, and Serial Experiments Lain, this show is a surreal, at times nigh-incomprehensible dreamscape journey, following a group of middle school students who one day get whisked away from their world and set adrift through a series of parallel universes, each with their own increasingly byzantine rules. It’s hard to pin down exactly what it’s saying, but it’s definitely saying something, and the philosophical puzzle it presents for the audience to unravel makes for one of the most engaging anime-watching experiences I’ve had in a long time. I have never seen another show this dedicated to capturing the feeling of being lost in a transient dream. I have never seen writing so good at capturing intensely specific feelings while simultaneously being completely open to interpretation. I have never seen animation put to such experimental, abstract use in storytelling, submerging and synthesizing so many different thematic concepts through visuals alone. Shingo Natsume has created a true art-house masterpiece here, and I can’t wait to see what new projects he’ll cook up next. Until then, though, you deserve to check out Sonny Boy for yourself. I can’t promise you’ll understand it, but I expect you’ll end up thinking about it for many years to come.

The Aquatope on White Sand (1st Cour): 8.5/10

I shouldn’t be surprised by how good Aquatope ended up being. It’s made by the same creative team behind 2018′s criminally underrated Iroduku, the show that set a new gold standard for portrayals of magical realism in anime. And yet, this tale of two girls working at an Okinawa aquarium on the verge of closing is even better than I expected. It’s a tender, gut-wrenching tale of facing down the end of a lifelong dream, how to move on when life diverts from the path you thought you were walking and you suddenly have to build yourself up from scratch again. As someone who’s currently struggling with paralysis in getting my own future goals up and moving, the fight to keep Gama Gama Aquarium alive struck me on a level I was in no way prepared for, and it all builds to a climax that left me sobbing on the floor. Add to that a cast full of endearing characters and a typically lush, lived-in production from PA Works, and you have the recipe for a true slice-of-life masterpiece. The first cours alone could’ve been the entire show and it would still be a triumph; the fact that the story gets to continue after what seemed like a natural stopping point only makes me all the more excited. How will this story’s second half expand on the first half’s fantastic foundation? When will the hinted-at magical realism elements finally step into the spotlight? Is it ever gonna grow the balls to let Fuuka and Kukuru actually be gay for each other? Eh, probably not that last one, but Aquatope is fantastic enough that even without explicit yuri, it’s still far and away the best anime of summer 2021. If it’s slipped under your radar, check it out now; I promise, you won’t regret it.

[the-weeping-author]

Can’t lose you.

This was a request from @phoebethepheebs

Request: Can you do Steve Harrington x Reader. Where it’s the battle of Star Court Mall and the reader almost dies and Steve is a panicky boi.(The drugs are worn off at this point)

Warnings: cussing, blood, broken bones, death, season 3 spoilers.

A/N: hey guys this will be my first AU so not everything will be spot on with what happened in the show so sorry, my request are open so feel free.

Word count: 1,510

Also thanks ahoy-stevieboy and thehair-harrington for the help with this request!! ❤️❤️

Tag list: @ahoy-stevieboy @thehair-ington @galactic-kitten-nonsense @linkispink1995 @theworldisugly-22 @harringtown @spiritsent

@ahoy-stevieboy helped me with this so thank youuu so much!! ❤️❤️

(Please don’t copy my fics and use them as your own please.)

Please enjoy 😌

I was currently in the Starcourt mall with the party along with Robin and my best friend. I have no idea how or when I ended up here but I was here.

The splitting headache made it almost unbearable to keep focus, the left side of my side hurt, my ears ringing like a bomb went off right near me.

I had to worry about that later right now El’s life depended on us, I refuse to let her or anyone else down.

We were currently throwing fireworks at the Mind Flayer El was currently on the main floor of the mall with Billy along with the mind flayer.

I noticed that we were running low on fireworks and soon our idea was going to flop, Steve was across the way with Johnathan and Nancy while I was throwing with Robin.

I looked at robin then grabbed her wrist.

“Hey Robin we are running low on fireworks.”

She looked at me when she tossed the one in her hand.

“Yeah Y/N I know they need to hurry up or we are all fucked.”

She had a point, my attention looking towards the mind flayer then flashing to everyone. I knew exactly what I had to do.

“Robin take care of Steve for me please.”

Before she could respond I stood up running towards the stairs. I bolted down there with a firework in my hand.

There was a small voice telling me to turn back, I tuned that voice out seeing billy, El and the mind flayer’s legs come into view.

I continued walking until I was about 15 feet away I pulled out my lighter holding it near the wick lighting it. then I got closer so I could get a clear shot at it, I pulled my arm back getting ready to throw it then I looked at El then at the mind flayer.

“Eat this mother fucker.”

I quickly tossed the firework near it, instantly it exploded. The Mind Flayer let out a shriek taking a few steps back, everything immediately went black.

*Steves pov*

There were only a few fireworks left in the bin, panic set into everyone. I was worried about everyone, how could I keep them safe if this didn’t work?

Most importantly how can I keep Y/N safe? When I looked across the way towards Robin I noticed Y/N wasn’t with her, on the spot relief washed over me.

“Good she got out of here.”

I thought to myself as I lit another firework tossing it over the ledge. As Lucas threw the last firework at the Mind Flayer I felt nauseous.

We all ran to the railing on the ledge looking as Billy stood up standing in place, the mind flayer's mouth opened slowly.

Mike and Max ran stopping as soon as they saw Billy, shock showed on their face I think we were all shocked honestly.

As the mind flayer’s little tentacle thing shot out of its mouth Billy stopped it, fighting back everyone was frozen, even El.

Six more tentacles came from the sides of the mind flayer shooting into billy, Dustin coming loud and clear over the walkie talkie.

“CLOSE IT NOW, CLOSE IT.”

Billy let out a yell then the tentacle from the mind flayer’s mouth went into Billy��s chest, then out letting his body fall to the ground covered in blood.

“BILLY!” Max yelled tears filled her eyes.

Then the mind flayer let out a noise while stumbling around, running into the railing Johnathan, Nancy and I were then just dropped to the floor.

I felt relaxed now robin walking over to us.

“Robin it’s done we beat it.”

She smiled sympathetically at me.

“Y-yeah we did.”

I felt uneasy she was keeping something from me.

“Robin, why do you look like that you should be happy.”

“W-well Steve it’s about Y/N.”

I looked at her.

“Yeah I’m glad she got out of here she could have ended up hurt.”

Her gaze left mine falling to the floor, that nauseous feeling came back.

“Robin what happened? What happened to Y/N?”

She wouldn’t say anything, I felt tears prickling at the corner of my eyes. I grabbed both her shoulders.

“Robin where’s Y/N? What happened to her?”

“S-She went down there to distract that thing last I saw was it hit her, then I didn’t see her anymore.”

My heart dropped to the floor, Worry settling into my body. I let my hands fall off her shoulder then she looked up at me.

“She told me to take care of you for her.”

The more she talked the more I felt a sob coming along.

I turned away from her then I rushed down the stairs.

“Y/N!! Y/N please answer me.”

When I reached the bottom mike pointed.

“She’s over there Steve.”

My head snapped toward him then followed where he was pointing. My gaze followed where he was pointing, then my eyes went wide. There you were laying there not moving it didn’t look like you were breathing either.

*No ones pov*

Steve ran over to You, lifting your head on his lap he shook you by your shoulders.

“Y/N come on please.”

Nothing

He let tears stream down his face.

“Y/N please come back to me you’re okay, you’re gonna be okay we just gotta get help.”

Again nothing.

He put his forehead against yours and started sobbing as best as he could with an eye swollen shut.

“God damn it Y/N you’re the only girl I have in my life, you’re the only one who I can depend on, the only one who makes me feel like a million bucks, the girl I’m in love you can’t just leave me.”

Again nothing.

The party, Johnathan, Robin and Nancy walked over to Steve and you.

“Steve come on we have to get outside.”

He smacked Mike's hand off his shoulder.

“Get off me, I’m not leaving her here.”

“Steve come on she’s gone we have to go.”

He sniffled letting more tears fall.

“She c-can’t be I love her, she can’t leave me.”

Nancy started crying at Steve’s desperation he sounded so broken. Johnathan, Mike and robin grabbed his arms pulling him up.

He thrashed against their hold.

“G-Get the fuck off me, I’m not leaving her I can’t leave her.”

They tightened their grip on him slowly turning him around. Him struggling against their grip. As they started walking away a noise stopped them.

*Your pov*

When I came too I started coughing and gasping for air. My lungs felt like they were on fire, if I thought my headache was bad before nothing has ever compared to the headache I had now.

When I opened my eyes I saw Steve’s face I smiled softly.

“Hi.”

He wrapped his arms around my neck and cried into me.

“Y-Y/N I thought I lost you.”

I wrapped my arm around him while my fingers found his hair.

“As much as I love feeling you body heat can we please get out of here?”

He pulled away and nodded as fast as his head would let him.

“Y-yes of course.”

He picked me up so softly I knew it was because he thought he was going to break me. Then he looked at me.

“When I bend down jump on my back only if you can.”

I nodded as he turned around and bent his knees, I jumped on his back no matter how bad my side was hurting.

He carried me all the way outside, when we went out to the parking lot there were helicopters, ambulances, cop cars and fire trucks. The medics immediately took everyone to different vehicles.

Steve’s eyes wouldn’t leave me as they checked me out. I had a concussion and a broken ribs. They told Steve he had a concussion along with some bruised ribs.

After they finished they went to check others out, Steve grabbed my hand.

“Hey Y/N when we were in there I was so scared-“

“Sh sh sh Steve I’m okay don't worry about me going anywhere. I won’t leave you.”

He let out a light chuckle.

“How can I not worry about you when I’m in love with you?”

My breath hitches and my eyes widened.

“Steve-“

“I know it’s okay that you don’t feel the same way I just wanted you to know.”

I grabbed his hand then kissed his cheek.

“I’m in love with you too dork.”

He smiled brightly at me then put his head on my shoulder, I followed his action just letting the past 24 hours sink in.

“Hey Y/N?”

I pulled my head away and looked at him.

“Yes Steve?”

“May I kiss you?”

He asked, waiting for my answer. I leaned close to him connecting our lips. I didn’t know if this was completed over but all I knew was that as long as Steve and I were together nothing could stop us.

A/N: hey guys thanks for reading I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did, Mores coming in posting one more one shot soon then chapter three will be out so keep an eye out thank you guys for supporting me and liking my stuff. ❤️

[maladaptive-ninja-returns]

It’s The Avengers (03x02)

Loki x Reader Avengers The Office AU (Slowwwwww Burn)

Season 3 Episode 02: The Boyband

Series Summary: Living in the Avengers facility post-apocalypse in a better timeline   Tony Stark has decided to capture every moment by pulling The Office on the Avengers. All of housemates are pretty used to the idea except for you, who had just come here to finish her degree, and the newest member- Loki.

Warnings: cute? mad? possessive?

Word Count: It is not until the blood gushes out do you realise that those stupid tears you cried in the office in front of everyone due to some fucking pentup emotions was the PMS all fucking along.

Written for @serpienten ‘s 1k Writing Challenge. Thank you so much for letting me participate! I was supposed to start with the Season with the challenge but due to some stupid screwup from my end I wasn’t able to. My apologies.

MASTERLIST in bio, darlings. Tags are open (check bio)

The camera panned in on your face, recording your hair flying in the desert loo while you had your face covered with your shirt, your jacket wrapped around your waist, letting the maroon tank top absorb the sweat your body had churned up on the walk to whatever town you and Loki were supposed to head to.

Speaking of Loki, the camera moved a few degrees forward to show Loki walking ahead of you, his face covered by a helmet 'borrowed' from the wolf army. Though both of you were in boots, the movement through this slippery sand had not made any of it easier. Which was why Loki wanted to cover more of this hard ground you three were on before nightfall.

"You okay, Javi?" Your weak voice called out, making the camera come back to you, panning out to take the entirety of your defeated figure in one frame. Javi's shadow by your side on the ground did a thumbs up.

"We're close," Loki announced, "let's keep moving."

"But I'm tiiiiiiiiiiiii-yu-huh-huuuuuuuh-d!" You moaned, on the verge of tears, coming down on your knees at the nearest pile of husk shining under this alien sun. "Let me just rest by this grass bunch."

The camera caught Loki turning around, his eyes on the edge of rolling till he saw you. "Uh...Y/N, that's no-"

You felt something fluffy stroke your head, making you scream and jump; which in turn made the little pile of grass scream and jump away from you.

"IT MOVED!"

"Because that's not grass. That's a living breathing organism."

"THAT THING MOVED!"

"That's a Has-krot Nuer."

"That Grass-got-boo MOVED!"

"Not gra-"

Loki stopped midway, the camera taking a subtle angle to catch the clench of his perfect jaw as he closed his eyes and breathed in a lungful.

Loki: *looking far away into the barren land* I have survived the craziest of creatures. I have even survived death. *stops as the camera zooms just a little to record you looking at the hairy creature with crazy curiosity and shouting 'Loki, it's not doing anything. Is it okay?!'* *blinks at the camera without any change in this facial expression* I don't think I can survive her.

*In the background, you raise your finger cautiously to poke that creature*

Loki: *instantly* *without even looking* Do not poke it!

"They're amphibians. Versatile creatures. They can live in any environment. But they're usually in groups," Loki contemplated, getting down on one knee and taking the back of his fingers to stroke the creature. "It's unusual for one to be alone like this. They can't survive without their family for long."

The creature purred at the touch, bending a little towards Loki's hand. Loki's eyes shifted from the purring being to you, followed by a furrow of his brows.

The camera turned too, catching you face experiencing an emotional rift.

Javi moved a few feet back to catch both of you in a single frame, making the camera jiggle a little as he did.

"Y/N, no." His words came out like a soft cautious tale. Almost too poetic.

Your lips pressed on to each other, while your brows stood arched in a sad curve. "Loki-"

"No," he raised his hand, pointed his finger at you to stop, "don't."

"Come on!" You whined.

"But-"

"We're already three people with no means on a foreign planet. There is no way we're taking this one with us."

"Loki, pl-"

All through the bickering, the golden husk kept turning between the two of you, making a low hooting noise like an owl.

"No!"

You didn't speak this time. Your eyes went wide while your lips pressed into each other. Loki was already shaking his head at it. Your cheeks- already red from the heat- blew up a bit. "Mm-mm. No." And the combination of it all created the best puppy-eyed face.

"Y/N, we are not taking it with u-"

Loki: We're taking it with us. *sigh* *camera focuses out of Loki's face to show you scratching your little hay-buddy and it purring back at you* *camera focus back on Loki*

*closes his eyes* *whispers to himself* curse those stupid eyes.

"We'll help you find your family, okay?" You tried to convince the little one, who tilted- what apparently was its head- at you. "Hopefully before we find a way back to ours. So-" you got up and turned in the direction you were heading earlier- "wanna join us?"

The head tilted up in your direction, then towards the way you were looking, then back at you.

Loki meanwhile stood with his hands on his hips. "I don't think this is a good time to make promises, darling. Especially not for someone who has zero ideas about the universe."

A chirp came out of it, bringing your- and Loki's- attention to its cute little motion of 'walking' a few steps ahead of you before what seemed like an arm protruded out of it and pressed somewhere in the middle of his anatomy. Out came a click sound.

"Did it just press its stomach?" You asked your universe guide, not realising he wasn't looking at you or the creature. But at something far out in the barren land.

"Yeah, not the thing we should concentrating on for now."

Your eyes were barely able to register the dusty whirlwind at first. "Is that a sandstorm?" You asked Loki while shading your eyes with your hand.

"A sandstorm does not rise like that. Not with aliens in it."

You tried to squint hard to look at it but could not see anything except riled up dust. Suddenly it wasn't the sandstorm that was taking away your attention.

Music.

There was music coming from somewhere.

Clearly, Javi knew it before anyone else, for the camera was pointing at the little guy as the tempo and volume increased a little.

"It's coming from...this one," you told yourself.

The little one was doing little jumps on the beats while seemingly looking at the dust storm.

And soon enough, the camera too could see what Loki was seeing.

A vehicle shaped like those monster trucks from Mad Max hoarded an entire bunch of aliens on it. Aliens that looked human enough as the monstrosity on wheels got closer.

I don't trust nobody I don't even trust my mind

Faces started to appear out of the dust. And oh! What faces indeed. You could feel your eyes wanting to blink again and again just to make sure they were not dreaming.

Losin' everybody They can never take the grind People always switchin' sides People always hit my line Never ask me how I'm doin' They just wanna waste my time

The vehicle stopped a few feet in front of the party. The creatures- all looking like humans but coming in various shades of the galactic rainbows- came with quite some attitude, stepping down onto the ground.

So I don't hate nobody Just stay up out my life And I won't hurt nobody So just stay up out my sights

"Holy fuck," you whispered, scrutinising those perfect beings from head to toe, "looks like Tom Hardy had kids with a K-Pop band."

Indeed. The close slo-mo zoom-ins by the camera on every face could vouch for the fact.

People always hold me down They just told me that I'd drown When you livin' how I'm livin' All these leeches come around

Loki's brows furrowed as he turned to you. "Tom who?"

You tskd, a little annoyed to have to rip your eyes away from the buffed up alien boyband.

'Cause we don't trust nobody We don't even trust our minds Losin' everybody From them lows to them highs I was always gettin' high Never took a look outside I was livin' in the dark Thinkin' I would never shine

"You know that guy from...did I show you Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy?"

No answer from Loki assured you you didn't.

"How about Batman?"

"...a man who is a...bat? Is that a comedy?"

"... you're lucky no batman fan can hear you right now. Okay...um...oh yes! Remember that guy Eddie we met at the tavern?"

"Eddie who?"

"That guy who's got a parasite. He goes by the name Venom."

"Oh yes, I remember him. And the parasite. Is that Tom?"

"Oh no. He looks like Tom. Just a little more rugged...and weird. Hot, no doubt, but a little weird."

Loki couldn't help but notice you lick your lips and hide that hint of a smile on the edge of your lips.

Loki: *gives a knowing look* so, she has a thing? A thing for the weird. *smirks at the camera* Well, aren't you naughty, Y/N Stark.

"You guys lost?"

You and Loki watched as those seven boys- aliens- stood in a perfect formation and the one who looked like a leader addressed your party of four.

"Yea, we were looking for the nearest tow-"

"We're fine," Loki cut you short, "are you all travelling northwards? I'd suggest you prevent those rocky hills. Met some weird knuckleheads in those parts."

You looked at the camera and blinked.

"Come on, Y/N. Javi. And...and you," he addressed the little hay, who chirped back with excitement and followed him.

"Actually," you started, making Loki stop and turn to grab your arm but not before it was too late, "it would be really helpful if we could hitch a ride to the nearest town. If it's not too much trouble for you boys." You clasped your hands in peace, not resisting the need to whisper, "Gods, you look so much like that familiar K-Pop band. They have no idea how many girls could go crazy over them."

"Yes, it would be too much trouble for them," Loki insisted, trying to pull you in his direction, "come on, we'll find something on the w-"

"We don't mind at all," the leader spoke, stepping forward towards you. You did not see it coming. Neither were you ready when his pale hands took your left one ever so gently, making you let out a muted a gasp while Loki stood there watching the whole thing unfurl with dull shock. "This is the least we could do for a heavenly beauty like you."

Loki's eyes rolled so hard it felt like they might go all the way back.

Another click sounded through Little Hay's stomach and out came another song.

You're so beautiful, girl a blind man could love you (Woo! yeah. woo! yeah)

"Really," Loki called the new member out flat. Little hay shrugged and hooted while pointing at you and the rainbow K-Pop.

You're so beautiful, girl a blind man could love you (Woo! yeah. woo! yeah)

"Stop it," he ordered, making it let out a whine before reluctantly clicking its stomach to stop.

Loki was about to speak but you cut him away like a sharp sword cutting the wind in half.

"Alright, listen, you galactic rip-offs," you started, taking your hand away from that pale- almost white- guy and crossing your arms across your chest, "we need a ride to the nearest town. Drop that sweet talk, start your engine and get us there before it's dark."

Loki, mouth just a little agape, stood there in veiled awe, sharing a look with the camera.

"Now." You pressed your authority, making the leader call out for the green-skinned boy to start the engines.

"Anything for you, my love," he declared ever so sweetly, trying to take your hand again.

"Touch me and I'll rip your arms off your body," you announced every so softly.

The leader paused where he was, bowing in respect and directing you towards the vehicle.

You turned towards Loki and Javi, your expressions making a one-eighty, replacing the dark with the cheery, "shall we?" And then you skipped away towards the vehicle.

Loki: Hm. Maybe we will survive space. Or maybe we will land up in more trouble. *Shrugs* Guess it'll depend on what mood she is in.

You: I think we'll be fine. *scoffs* Hm? Oh, I don't like it when someone is too forward. Too flirty. Blame my childhood and those stupid truth or dare games where boys would dare each other to tell me they liked me. My defence mechanism got a bit strong since and whenever anything like this happens I metaphorically smack that person into just getting away from me.

*looks at Javi* *furrows brows* what? Ugh? Why would harsh words be a kink?

You turned to look to your left where Javi was pointing. The camera panned out to show Leader looking at you all starry-eyed while resting his face on his palm as the vehicle moved over the rough terrain, letting you all shift with the inertia

You shifted a bit away from Leader, never turning away from him while he continued looking at you with a smile. Uncomfortable, you got up and made your way next to Loki, who turned at the graze of your arm on his, watch you cocoon yourself while staring at Leader with an uncomfortable glare.

"Don't worry," Loki sighed, looking at the road ahead, "He's just a puppy. He isn't going to come near you till you tell him to."

You grunted with disgust at the fact. "Bad dog."

Leader whimpered while speaking something you didn’t understand. Two of his companions, one the colour of the sky and the other looking more orange than a tangerine, looked at you the same way, with different undertones. The sky guy practically blushed and shied away looking at you. The tangerine oozed with sluttiness, biting his lips and licking them, often moving his fingers over his jaw or his neck, trying to throw hints in your direction.

And you? You sat there with disgust plastered on your face the whole ride while Loki chuckled silently and closed his eyes for a nap.

 The Lounge- Night-Time

"Oh my God!"

Disgust-filled curses, shocked exclamations and scoffs echoed through the dark lounge with the only light coming from the big screen showing the white alien taking your hand in his.

"The audacity of this alien bitch," Peter whispered with a mouthful of popcorns, pointing his hand- again, filled with popcorns- at the screen, "right in front of my O-" he stopped, watching eyes turning to him, freezing for a second- "my popcorn. Right in front of my popcorn."

Peter relaxed only when everyone went back to the screen -whether in confusion or agreement- and looked at Scott who mouthed, 'dude!'. 'I got caught in the moment,' Peter mouthed back. Both of them immediately whipped their heads to the screen when Bucky turned back to look at Peter, almost sure he heard him whisper something.

Steve sighed with a worried look on his face. "These aliens don't seem that bad."

"Why didn't we ask for Thor's help, again?" Sam asked a logical question, once again.

"Tony did," Natasha acknowledged, "He said his people needed him and that Loki was smart enough for the three of them to figure his way back home."

"... okay?"

Vision looked at Sam with questioning eyes. "You don't seem okay with that decision."

Wanda, Peter and Scott were the only ones still crunching on their popcorns through the judging silence where everyone waited for an answer.

"What. I know y'all thinkin' the same thing. If it were my brother I'd go look for him, no matter how bad that s-o-b is."

Natasha narrowed her eyes at him.

"I saved Bucky's ass in the Philippines, didn't I?"

Bucky looked at the camera with a tensed jaw and a tired look while everyone else silently agreed.

"Someone should talk to Mr Hammertime about this," Sam stressed. Everyone paused, looking at each other before immediately raising their fingers shouting 'not it'. Everyone except Sam.

Sam: *resting bitch face* kids.

"Wait," Pietro interrupted, "what did that guy say to Y/N?"

"Something on the lines of 'your boyfriend doesn't know how lucky he is'," Natasha murmured while busy licking the remains of tater tots in the bowl in her hand. She stopped midway as all eyes rested on her in question. "What."

"How do you know?" Scott asked.

"Their dialect has a strong base of Korean," she simply shrugged, going back to the bowl.

"She's right," Bucky chimed in.

"Huh," Pietro wondered out loud, "are they really a space K-pop band?"

"Yeah, space band or not," Steve declared, "let's just keep the boyfriend thing under wraps. Away from Tony."

Everyone agreed.

"Or Clint," Wanda added as she munched on the chicken wings.

"Yeah," Steve agreed, "what is with him lately? He seems to act pretty defensively whenever Loki's in the room."

"Tell me about it," Scott muttered through a mouthful of popcorns and an eye roll.

"He still ain't over the whole monkey business?" Sam asked Nat.

"He told me Loki apologised and told him how Thanos was pulling the strings. As far as I know, Clint's over the whole thing. There's something else he seems to be mulling over."

Everyone seemed to take a few moments- between the crunches and munches to think it over. Steve, with his brows of justice, suddenly seemed to have a realisation before anyone else who was actually trying to think.

Steve: I think I know what's bothering Clint. *smiles*

Nat's voice: What?

Steve: *nearly jumps* *hands curled into fists* Jesus! Where the heck did you come from?

Nat: I've been sitting here the entire time, Steve.

Steve: *tries to speak* *stops* *shifts in his seat* *exchanges glances between the camera and Natasha*

Nat: So? *rests one leg on another* *tilts towards Steve* what's bothering Clint.

"Those aliens look quite, how you millennials call it, hungry," Vision stated as he watched Mr Tangerine try to make his move on you. Everyone shouted curses and made faces at him. Vision observed the reactions before looking at the camera.

Vision: I think I...*slowly raises hands to make finger guns* nailed it.

"Suddenly, I'm really glad she's got Loki by her side," Steve mentioned, surprised at his own words. Bucky and Sam agreed. Scott and Peter smiled at the exchange, fist-bumping at the back of the sofa.

"The moment she gets back, we gotta work on that defence mechanism of hers though," Sam added, "otherwise she'll never get a date."

"I think she'll be fine," Nat enunciated, "I'm sure when the time comes she'll like the right one."

"As long as she gets to enjoy it all," Sam raised his beer bottle to get a cheer from Nat's.

"I have to say I like that little hay," Sam pointed out, getting 'amen' from the room, "dude's got a freaking boombox inside him."

"Y/N's going to adopt it, isn't she?" Pietro chuckled.

The cutest howl left Zuko as he sat beside Bucky, looking at Pietro with angry eyes.

"Ay, you're makin' her baby angry," Sam guffawed. Everyone laughed, cuddling and cooing at the little fur-face to calm him down. He did calm down, but he was still furious at Pietro.

On the screen, the camera showed the vehicle come to a halt. Leader-Kun got out first, along with Loki, and had his hand out for you.

You paused, looking reluctant to do anything with those eyes stuck on you. Taking a step to your side, you waited for Loki- who was scrutinising the place- to turn to you.

When he did and took in Leader-Kun’s eagerly waiting arms, he didn't just open his own.

"Oh I'm sure your lover here is happy to help you ou-"

"Shut up and get me down," you spat back, your arms stretched out, waiting for his shoulders to come close.

"Are you sure?" Loki stressed, "Because I don't want to make him jealous-"

"Loki, for f***'s sake, I don't like being teased about men I don't like as much as you don't like being compared to your brother. So, if you don't want me to blabber about Thor for the rest of the way-"

"Alright, fine! Fine!" He quipped, feeling the sour taste in his mouth.

He stepped forward, letting you rest your hands on his shoulders as he grabbed you by the waist, helping you down safely.

"Damn," Sam chuckled, "our girl plays dirty."

"You play dirty, woman," Loki stated right after, earning a smile from you. "Thanks," you raised your shoulder in appreciation, "I learned from the best."

Natasha looked at the camera with a smirk.

Natasha: *holding out a knife with sharpest edges, its hilt holding a beautiful carving of Black Widow's symbol* this is my birthday present. The one Y/N made me and was supposed to gift me before she left for space.

*swings the knife in her hand* I've been preparing her since she arrived. If anyone's going to take advantage in space, it's Y/N. If anyone tries to hurt her, then they *catches the knife in attack position* and Loki will answer to me.

The new place greeted them with a tavern by the road and all sorts of creatures going in and out of it. The tavern, seemingly made of wood that was entirely blue, stood with neon signs spelling out something supposed to attract customers.

Feminine figures, green luminescent blobs, purple tentacled odd creatures stood outside the entrance at different corners.

"O...okay-" you narrowed your eyes at the whole scene- "I may be wrong...but this does not feel like a place one normally visits."

"It's a tavern cum brothel," Loki acknowledged, looking around the area, at the minimal housing along the road. "Looking at the size of the town, it seems like it's for the crowds that travel here from other planets. This might be a stop."

"Good, we can ask for a lift back home then," you agreed, ready to walk towards the building.

"What?" Loki stopped you short, "you cannot just walk in there?! Heaven knows what kind of miscreants hoard this place."

You sighed. "I'm guessing that's what's to happen any place we visit."

Loki scoffed. "Of course, it will. You should be more scared of space."

"I am scared, Loki," you stated, taking his arm that was holding onto yours, "I'm scared like hell. I barely go around town for the fear of being mugged or raped or murdered. Think what I'm going through right now. Look, the thing is, bad guys are everywhere, your survival skills are peak perfection and I am a weight you'll be carrying around till we find a way back. Come in terms with the fact that I will be going to places I shouldn't even know about and you can only do so much."

A warm breeze blew Loki's hair, letting shadows play over his face in this planet's golden hour.

Wind blows Blew me to where I belong

"Not now, sweety," you called out, making Little Hay hoot and click his stomach and stop the song.

The silence was used by the two of you to come to terms. "I don't like it either but judging by how little you've said about ways to get back, I figured we don't have much to work with right now. So we'll need all the firepower we can," you declared softly. “Don't worry. Being there for each other in grim times, that’s what friends are for.”

Loki took in a lungful, closing his eyes, dropping his head before finding back his stature.

"I hate you," he finally admitted.

"Aw-" you broke into a smile- "I love you too!"

"If we're going in there, you have to stay close to me, not touch anything strange, no talking to strangers, especially the ones who look alluring."

"My my, if I didn't know better, I'd say you're being possessive."

"..."

"What. I like it," you teased him, "as long as it's healthy."

A chirp came from Little Hay, as he rubbed itself on your leg while moving around.

"Come on, guys, stay close," you announced, walking with Loki towards the tavern while turning towards Loki, "you know, we should really give a name to our little hay baby."

"He's not out baby, Y/N."

"Hey! Don't say that in front of it. You might hurt its feelings."

 The silence in the lounge was suddenly broken by low sniffles, slowly making heads shift towards teary-eyed Scott and Peter barely holding the moisture in their eyes, their smiles too wide to contain.

"You okay, Peter? Scott?"

Both of them nodded. "We're fine," Scott's broken voice reassured them. "Mmhmm," Peter added."

"There was too much spice in my tater tots." Scott nearly broke again at the end of the sentence.

"I just remembered Mr Barton has my special Spider-Man suit and he said he won't give it back to me," Peter sniffled while poking at the empty popcorn bowl in his hand.

"Oh, he won't be saying that anymore," Natasha pressed, "I promise you that."

Sam: Well, Clint's 'bout to die.

"Let's try calling Carol in the morning," Steve declared before getting up and looking at the screen. "Everyone, get some shut-eye. We'll catch up with them in the morning."

Everyone greeted goodnight and made their way to the dorms- all except Scott and Peter.

"No, Cap," Scott nearly shouted, making Steve freeze halfway to the screen's power button, "leave it like that. Please?"

Steve stood back straight, a shade of concern over his face. "Sure you guys okay?"

The camera focused in on Scott and Peter.

Scott and Peter: crying with joy Scott: Babbiees! *squeals and sniffles* Peter: ow my heart! *clenches his chest* 

“Yes,” Scott nodded with the purest smile, “we’re okay.”

[bd-wan]

Movie Night

Cal Kestis x Nightsister Merrin

Word Count: 1,337

Summary: Cal explains the galactic culture around friends with benefits, but Merrin is still curious. Fluff ensues.

Notes: I’m so SOFT for these two. Them together in any capacity just sends me over the moon and writing this was definitely self care. At 3am. Enjoy!

***

“Why do you have to complicate things?” The damsel twi’lek cried onscreen, “We’re friends, just that. Nothing more!”

“Friends, yeah,” The man looked intently at her, watching how she turned away but still watched him from under her lashes.

“Friends,” The twi’lek said, softer, less assured.

“Friends,” He whispered as he took her in his arms, staring into her eyes. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, enveloping him in a passionate kiss.

“Is that how friends act in the rest of the galaxy?” Merrin asked Cal, dragging him right out of the immersion of the moment.

“Hm?” He said blinking.

“Do most friends behave like that? It wasn’t like this on Dathomir, but I suppose we were fairly cut off from outside influence.” She seemed to genuinely not know, which Cal found very sweet but also made him feel the beginnings of a blush creep across his cheeks.

She had always asked Cal for clarification on wider cultural norms, wanting to learn as much as possible about the galaxy. He gladly answered but felt like a poor excuse for a reference on that kind of stuff. He hadn’t experienced much until Bracca and only just now had any real travel under his belt.

“Uh, I mean sometimes friends have something... like that,” he gestured vaguely to the show they were watching on the HoloNet, “but usually not. That’s almost strictly a romantic expression.”

“Oh.” She said simply. She seemed to be turning his answer over in her mind, which made him nervous. He wished she’d just drop the topic, the scene was almost over and he’d been waiting three seasons for these two to finally confess their love for each other.

“In what circumstances would friends kiss?” She asked, turning her body to face him, dumping a bit of the snacks they were sharing onto the blanket they were also sharing.

“Oh no, my bad-“

“Whoops, here let me-“

They both swooped in to start picking up the mess and then laughed at their shared reaction. Cal swept the crumbs into the packaging and hoped she had forgotten her question.

“So?” She pressed. She searched his face and Cal felt like a germ under a microscope. She’d think he was acting weird if he didn’t answer soon. Well, he was acting weird. Why was he acting weird? Why was this weird?

“Yeah, oh sure of course,” He started, trying to approach this tactfully, “I mean there might be lots of reasons for friends to kiss. Maybe they want that kind of - ah, connection? - and they trust that person to provide that without any other expectations. Or they’re just curious what it would be like with that person. Or they have feelings for the other that they haven’t confessed yet. There’s probably more but-“ Cal felt himself start to spiral and cut himself off with a “yeah...”

“I see.” Merrin sat back and turned again to watch the TV. It had cut back to its normal care-free adventures without the romantic tension that had been there minutes ago. Cal had just started to settle back into watching quietly when Merrin asked him another question.

“Have you ever kissed a friend for those reasons?”

Cal felt blind-sided. Whoa, he wanted to say, that’s a heavy question to ask someone. But that was a very defensive answer and wouldn’t be productive for anyone. Plus, they were friends and friends talk about this kind of stuff.

“To be honest, I haven’t had a lot of friends let alone friends with benefits.” He told her this, but looked across the room to avoid seeing her intense gaze.

“That’s what they’re called? Friends with benefits?” She laughed. “Don’t all friends have their own benefits? To me, that seems to minimize what ‘friend’ means.”

“You know what,” Cal laughed too, “you might have a point there.”

She was always so insightful, always making Cal look at the world differently. She saw beyond what the current mold was, she asked why things couldn’t be different. He loved that about her.

“So what if,” Merrin asked when their laughing died down, “what if we kissed?” She smiled in an innocent mischievous sort of way, like she only asked if they could pick up a sweet treat on the next planet. Cal’s heart stopped.

“What- what do you mean?”

“I only meant that I have never kissed anyone before and I am curious and I trust you. Those are the reasons you gave, correct?” She sensed the change in Cal’s demeanor and grew more serious. “I didn’t mean to offend you-“

“No!” Cal finally got over himself and saw that she had started to shut down after seeing his blank face, “I mean, no - you didn’t offend me. I’m just surprised is all.”

He took a few breaths to steady himself. His eyes flickered from Merrin’s hopeful face to his hands and back again. This was a moment he didn’t think would ever be a moment. For sure he’d thought about it before but he wouldn’t ever admit it! It felt so silly before, like a little boy breaking the rules. But, you get curious, you know? And with their connection and similar trauma, it almost felt inevitable to him. Was that wrong? He still thought it all the same.

“I’m glad you feel comfortable enough to ask me that, I trust you too.” Cal felt the courage building in his chest. Jedi or not, he wouldn’t die without having done something as simple and chaste as a kiss. “And... I’ve never kissed anyone before either. I’m curious too.”

“So it would be alright if we kissed?” Merrin asked, her eager eyes betrayed her resigned body language. Cal thought she had never been prettier than right then, as she shared her hopes and fears with him and he could understand them without any words being exchanged. He knew her well enough to know that she tended to restrain herself from expressing the full extent of what she was feeling. Even as brave and free as she was, she too had precautions in place to protect her heart.

“Yes,” Cal said breathlessly, smiling at the way her grin came so instantly. She was so joyful, he couldn’t believe the intensity of the emotions she felt. The two of them created a feedback loop of being happy that the other was happy to kiss them, giggling like little kids.

“Okay,” Merrin whispered.

“Okay,” Cal whispered quieter.

Neither one moved in to kiss the other.

This was, in fact, the funniest thing to ever happen. They bother realized how painfully shy and inexperienced they were about this, and lost it. Raucous belly laughs, tears of glee, and holding onto the other for support ensued. It was ridiculous, they were ridiculous.

Cal wiped away at his eyes as he felt himself coming down from it. He was still chuckling as he watched Merrin hug her sides and burrow into the couch to recover. Cal had been wrong, she was the prettiest she had ever been right then. Right now. He knew exactly what he wanted and needed to do.

Cal leaned forward as her giggling sputtered out, placing the softest, most deliberate kiss on her cheek. He didn’t know he closed his eyes until they fluttered open, and Merrin’s eyes were right there in front of his. She looked surprised, but still as happy as earlier. He watched as she cupped his cheeks and as her eyes fluttered closed. The kiss was tentative, soft, and slow. It was sweet like breakfast on a special day, and Cal never wanted it to end.

He thought that, until Merrin broke the kiss with a smile. That was the new standard for how Cal would measure absolute bliss. Again, eyes fluttering open, he saw her. And she was more gorgeous than she ever had been. They both giggled breathlessly and sat, holding each other’s faces close and drinking up this new intimacy between them. Whatever came after, this moment was perfect as it was.

[skywillsometimeswrite]

Pieces of Glass Ch. 1

Read it on AO3

The Angry-Comforting Mother

Scar knew his "magic crystals" were absolutely worthless, just shards of glass he spent way too much time making look good so he could really sell the wizard vibe he was going for this season. The whole thing annoyed Grian, too, so that was an added bonus. It was fun, and Scar didn't really care if Grian didn't play along with his magic bit as easily as some of the other hermits. What Scar wasn't prepared for, though, was finding out that Grian was a huge hypocrite, and the wings that appeared on his back are a dead giveaway. 

Grian: you ready dude?

The beep from his communicator made him jump, causing him to drop the diamond helmet he had been enchanting. He flinched at the loud clang it made against the floor before picking it up again, looking closer at the small glowing runes etched into it. His Galactic was getting better, he figured, since he was able to recognize when the useful enchants were placed on his gear. None of which were on this helmet. He shrugged and fitted it on top of his wizard hat before pulling out his communicator to reply.

GoodTimeWithScar: You bet! Let’s go get ourselves some wings!

iskall85: you two are going into the end? alone? you guys are so going to die.

Grian: no way. not until i have an elytra in my enderchest

Grian: then i can die

GoodTimeWithScar: I’d rather avoid dying as much as possible.

ZombieCleo: can’t wait to see how that goes for you scar

Grian: im outside larry

Sure enough he heard a rock land on the ground next to him, thrown in from his doorway -- that was missing his door, for some reason -- and when he looked over the edge of the ladder he saw the iconic red sweater underneath the diamond armor. He didn’t understand how Grian could wear that in the jungle, when it was always so hot and humid. Scar was uncomfortable as it was, and he wasn’t even wearing pants! At least, he didn’t, most of the time. The armor was not making him sweat any less over his robe, though.

He quickly scurried down the ladder, jumping the rest of the way onto the slime blocks below to greet Grian with a smile. “Hello!”

“Hey Scar. You ready for this?”’

“Yes! Dude, I miss my wings so much.” Grian chuckled in agreeance and pulled out his communicator, presumably to look up the coordinates for the Stronghold. Then Scar remembered: “Oh, before we go, I prepared these for us.”

He handed Grian three small crystals: one green, one red, and one a pale orange. Grian held them in his unoccupied hand, staring at them with a confused glint in his eyes. He looked at them closer, testing how the light reflected off them, then looked at Scar unimpressed. “Bits of glass?”

“What? No! They’re magic crystals!”

“Dude, these are just shards of glass you sanded down. Great craftsmanship, but, like, these are totally worthless.”

“No they’re not. They’re- they’re magic! See, the red one gives you a health boost, the green one gives a little extra luck, and then the orange one-”

“Just sits uselessly in my inventory taking up valuable end-loot space? Yeah, thanks, but no thanks, dude.” He tossed the crystals back to Scar who scrambled to catch them midair before starting to walk away.

“W-Wait! They’ll be helpful!” He caught up to walk side by side with his friend, holding out the shards to him again. “Come on, Grian, trust your friendly neighborhood wizard, huh? The End’s a dangerous place and we can’t fly to get around yet so we could use all the help we can get, right?”

Grian gave one last look at the “crystals,” then to the man trying to scam him out of inventory space. Scar was giving him that look. That “I can do no wrong and I will win everyone over in the end” look that Scar had realized worked just as well on Grian as it had on Cub and Doc in the past. With a long sigh and an overdramatic groan he took the glass shards from the wizard. “Fine. But if I run out of room these are the first things getting tossed into the void.”

Grian led them to the stronghold, having gotten the coordinates from Xisuma after he had ventured in with Tango a few days ago. They made idle chat, Scar pointing out little observations, but their trek was mostly silent as Grian was focused on making sure they didn’t get turned around in an extraordinarily unremarkable section of the jungle with no orienting landmarks other than trees, trees, and more trees.

After guiding them through the greenery, a boat ride, and getting only a little turned around in the Stronghold, they stood above the end portal. Scar did one last check through his inventory, making sure he had his water bucket, a pumpkin, some food, and, of course, his magical crystals. Satisfied with his preparedness he looked over at Grian, opening his mouth to ask if he was ready to go, but he stopped when he saw the other man’s glare that looked like he was trying to rip the portal into atoms with his mind.

“Uh, if you stare into it for too long you’ll get dizzy.” Scar offered, noticing how Grian’s glare only faltered when he blinked, morphing into one of poorly hidden concern. “Everything alright?”

“Uh, yeah. Of course it is.” The smile Grian gave was strained and he didn’t look Scar in the eyes as he spoke, glancing between the spot behind him and the portal. “Are we certain that the dragon’s already been killed?”

“I don’t see any reason it wouldn’t be. Usually if the portal’s activated it means one of the hermits have already gone in.” He paused for a second, but when Grian’s concern didn’t fade he followed up: “That means the dragon’s been defeated, yes.”

“That’s good.” Silence dragged on between them for a few awkward moments before Grian decided to elaborate on that. “W-We don’t have to deal with that, I mean. It’s good we don’t have to deal with that.”

Scar rested a hand on Grian’s armorer shoulder, looking down at him with what he hoped was a gentle, comforting look. “It’s okay to be scared of the End, Grian. It’s a scary place! But that’s why none of us ever go in alone. We watch each other’s backs. And I’ll watch yours with all of my magical ability.” He placed his other hand on his own chest, standing proudly and attempting to fill the other man with his own confidence.

Grian’s eyes grew distant at Scar’s words, their dark color glassing over in a way Scar had never seen before, but it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared. Grian gave Scar a small smile, it much less forced than his previous one. “Yeah, you guys are cool like that. Come on, let’s not waste any more time. We have wings to find and flying to be done.”  The small hermit’s grin was wide as he gripped Scar’s arm with a firm hand and pulled them both into the starry, inky blackness awaiting them.

Scar wasn’t foreign to the feeling of being transported to the End, the strange tingling, numbing feeling that came with travelling beyond the overworld. It wasn’t like transporting to the Nether, which felt like weights were dropped onto your shoulders and took some time to get used to again if you hadn’t experienced it for longer than a week.  The End didn’t feel kinder than the Nether, per se, but it was calmer, at least until you saw the endless void below you that would swallow you and your items up if you made one misstep.

This time, though, as Scar materialized into the dimension he almost believed he stepped into the wrong portal, as an unfamiliar feeling covered him. It pulled at his hair and flowed underneath his armor and circled around his arms. He wasn’t alarmed by it, entranced more than anything, and he felt whatever it was slip down his arms and off the tips of his fingers, leaving him almost reaching for it, as soon as Grian appeared at his side.

Scar stood there, staring dangerously towards the main island from the platform they were on, and tried to wrap his mind around what had just happened. A hand waving in front of his face snapped him out of his trance, his eyes blinking furiously to return the moisture they desperately lacked. He rubbed at them with his hands for a moment but then looked at them and tried to imagine the feeling wrapping itself around his fingers again.

“Scar? Dude? You good?”

Grian’s higher pitched voice was like a needle popping the balloon of dense fog that had surrounded Scar’s thoughts. He blinked a few more times, shaking his head, and looking down at his friend whose hand was still lingering in the air.

“Yeah. I’m fine. Guess it's been longer than I thought since I was in the End. Caught me off guard, that’s all.” Scar rubbed the back of his neck, patting the hairs down that were still raised.

Grian narrowed his eyes at Scar for a brief moment, as if to deduce if he was lying, before letting out what he hoped was a sigh of relief. Grian turned to face the main island, shoving a pumpkin over his head, and made his way across the rickety path that Tango and Xisuma had made. Scar wordlessly followed behind and paid special attention to where his feet landed.

Hours passed by them, friendly banter was shared, but they were getting tired. Grian all but pushed Scar into building the next bridge, and he carefully placed cobblestone slab one after the other. The mindless task he had done several times in the span of the last few hours left his mind to wander. And it wandered right back to the feeling he had when he entered the dimension. He wanted to know what it was. He had experience with stuff like the Vex in the past, but it had felt nothing like the overwhelming surge of power that he had come to know with that magic.

This had felt gentle, yet purposeful. Powerful, but cradling. It was like a mother’s hug when comforting a guilty child for breaking her favorite vase because they had played baseball inside when she had told them not to. It was unwarranted, unexpected, yet it was comforting, but foreboding because you didn’t know how long it would last or when it would change, if it would change. Scar knew, deep down, he should be terrified, but he could only find intrigue in it all.

“Scar.” Grian’s quiet voice once again grounded him, Scar was noticing this trend, and he looked up only to feel his heart stop in his chest. He was standing on a lone slab that was disconnected from the rest of his bridge. Grian stood on the rest of the bridge, pickaxe in hand and mischievous grin on his face.

“Oh geez! No, no!” Scar yelped, placing down some more blocks in his white-knuckled grasp. The devilish snickers from the other made a smile creep on his face, and when he looked up he saw the path repaired. “Y’know, I’m a magic man, but I’m not that magic.”

They returned to silence again, it comfortably hanging over them. Scar stood up from his hunched position to stretch his back, and felt his stomach twist at the drop that awaited them without the bridge. He glanced over at Grian, the other man lazily staring at the cobblestone beneath him.

“Do you have your lucky crystal on you?” Grian’s eyes shot up to meet Scar’s and his hand rummaged in his pocket until he pulled out the shards of glass that he had given him earlier. Scar smiled and went back to his bridging. “Thank god, I was worried that-” A green glint of color sped past the corner of his vision and his eyes followed it as it fell into the void below, face contorting in what he could only assume was comical fear by the way Grian laughed at him. “No! Dude! That was magic, man! You just brought bad luck upon us!”

“No, no, no. We’ll be fine. What could possibly go wrong?”

Scar’s grips on his blocks tightened at that, something itching at the back of his mind and making his nose wiggle. “At least- At least hold the health one.” He told him, exasperated, as he shook off his uncertainty.

“Okay,” was the simple response he got, and before he could utter a thanks he spotted a red dash fly near him.

He knew it was just glass. He knew that, realistically, they didn’t actually do anything. It was all a bit. A little bit of fun annoying Grian by insisting that these shards of glass actually had magical properties. 

And yet he still reached out to grab it.

Something told him to.

Something told him not to let it fall into the void below him.

That something left him as soon as his hand wrapped around the red shard, and his feet slipped from the platform.

“Scar-!” was the last thing he heard before the rushing wind invaded his senses and whatever had come over Scar was ripped away as he felt nothing beneath him. He managed to spin and look up at the quickly retracting bridge he had just spent the last few minutes building so this very thing wouldn’t happen.

“Grian! Help!” He didn’t even hear his own useless, panic laced cries as he quickly fell away from the sound towards his painful death. He knew Grian couldn’t do anything. They hadn’t found an elytra yet. Grian was just as helpless as he was in this situation.

Scar gripped the crystal to his chest, wishing it had been the green one instead, and shut his eyes, bracing himself for the suffocating feeling of dying in the void. Why did Grian have to throw away the glass? Why did he have to try and catch it? Why couldn’t he have let it fall? They were useless, anyways. They wouldn’t save him now.

Against the encroaching darkness that was consuming him, a bright yellow light managed to make it’s way past his eyelids. He cracked one eye open but opened both as he saw something shining a bright golden color right behind his now faraway bridge. He distantly felt the feeling of the calm-angry mother tugging at the crystal in his hands.

Something was falling off the bridge now, towards him. It was falling incredibly fast and was incredibly big, and it took Scar way too long to realize that it was his fellow Hermit. Panic spread through his body tenfold at this realization. No! He thought. Both of us don’t need to die! As Grian got closer and closer to Scar at speeds that didn’t make sense, Scar noticed that the other’s back was… glowing?

Before he could make any sense of this observation, the faux wizard felt the breath in his lungs ripped from him, leaving him gasping painfully. He shut his tearing eyes against the pain that blossomed in his chest, and attempted to curl in on himself. His mind was overwhelmed with his own near death, that he completely forgot about Grian’s impending one.

It would be painful, much more than it was now, and long, but at least he would have an excuse to lay in bed for a few days while his internal wounds healed. That was the worst part of dying to the void, how it killed you from the inside out. That and that there was no way to retrieve what you lost. He would have to get all his good gear back, but he was used to that. He distantly realized he would have to come back, unfortunately, and most likely soon if he was going to get an elytra.

It felt like he was being stabbed through the throat, chest, and stomach all at once with a barbed, poison-tipped blade. Part of him wondered if his health boost crystal was actually working and prolonging his pain by healing him. It didn’t really matter, he didn’t think he could get his hands to let go of it at this point if he wanted to.

Next thing he knew, what little breath he had left was knocked out of him and a firm warmth surrounded him. Huh, well that’s new. The weightlessness that he had been experiencing had disappeared and a nauseating feeling flipped his stomach as he coughed up his lung trying to breath again. Have I already respawned?

Scar slowly opened his eyes only to be greeted with red, not the comforting purple and brown of his bed in Larry’s shell. He figured that the air was still as thin as it was in the End, because he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. He was pressed up against the soft, red whatever, and the hand not holding the crystal gripped it weakly. 

As soon as it felt as if he was finally breathing comfortably again, the air was knocked from him for the third time in what he could only assume was the last ten seconds. He rolled away from whatever he had been by, his armor no doubt denting at the way he bounced along the hard endstone. When he came to a stop he simply stared up at the void-sky and decided to focus on the chorus flowers instead. It took yet more coughing and shaky breaths before he was breathing easily and Scar finally processed what had just happened. Or rather the fact that he had absolutely no idea what had just happened. 

He had just been falling, hadn’t he? He had just been falling, with no elytra, into the void after he basically jumped in after a useless piece of stained glass that his end busting partner, who also had no elytra, had thrown. He had felt himself dying in the void. He knew he had. And yet here he was, lying on the uncomfortable, uneven endstone.

He groaned and slowly propped himself up on his elbows, making a note that he was indeed still holding the red glass in his hand so at least that venture hadn’t been in vain. His head spun at the new orientation but it didn’t last long and he was scanning his surroundings. He spotted the narrow cobble bridge he had built but felt his heart stop when he saw no red-sweater clad, crystal throwing Hermit standing on it. “Grian?” He rasped, his throat raw, as panic started to seep into him.

A groan from his left caught his attention and his head snapped over to look at the culprit and gaped. Propped up on his hands a few blocks away was the familiar, unmistakable features of Grian: red sweater, blonde hair, short stature. Scar wasn’t occupied with the fact that his friend was there completely fine, no that was normal, what wasn’t normal was the giant golden feathered wings that sprouted from the small hermit’s back.

Scar’s near death experience was completely forgotten, and he felt what was becoming a familiar sensation tug at the back of his collar when he began connecting pieces without fully understanding how they fit together. Grian was the only other hermit here, and he was clearly the one in front of him. It was undeniable and yet completely unbelievable. Scar had been presumably carried by something red and warm back up to the island he was laying on now from at least 100 meters below it. Grian had a red sweater, was definitely strong enough to carry the twig that was Scar, and had gigantic wings that looked more than capable of making the treacherous journey from death.

The other pushed himself up to sit on his knees and his eyes slowly opened. Scar made a strangled noise as he noticed the white glow that faded from them and returned them to their usual dark brown.

Grian’s head snapped over to him. “Scar! Oh my god, Scar are you okay?” His voice was echoing with worry. Literally. There was a reverb to it that garbled his words. Grian must have noticed this since he slapped a hand over his mouth.

“I…” Scar didn’t have words, his mouth dry and mind too blank to think of closing it. He blinked. “Yeah.” He said lamely, his voice pitched three octaves to high.

Silence covered them as Grian seemed hesitant to speak and Scar was still wrapping his mind around everything. Why did Grian have wings? Why had Grian’s eyes been glowing? Why did his voice sound like that? Was all of this actually normal? Did Scar just not see Grian nearly enough during last season to know this about him?

“Uh,” Grian mumbled behind his hand, shoulders falling from his ears when it didn’t come out like a bad feedback loop.

“So,” Scar tacked on, finally closing his mouth. He tried to think of a proper way to go about this but his brain was apparently still fried since all he managed was: “What just happened?”

“I don’t know!” Grian quickly responded, throwing his arms up in the air above him.

“You have wings?”

“I just saw you falling and-”

“Is this normal for you?”

“No! Well, I mean, I guess I panicked and-”

“Why were your eyes glowing?”

“My eyes were what?” Grian’s voice matched Scar’s in a panicked pitch. He sat up on his knees, patting the sides of his head.

“They were glowing. They aren’t anymore though.” Scar quickly reassured him, sitting cross legged and facing him. They shared a staring contest of sorts, Scar searching for answers and Grian’s expression providing none. “So, wings, huh?”

Grian sat up straighter, head swiveling to look behind him at the appendages that were attached to his back. Scar couldn’t see his face from the angle, but the way he hesitated when reaching back to touch them and how he flinched back when he barely grazed the feathers made him wonder if they hurt. Grian had gotten as close as Scar had been to the void, after all. Scar flipped the red glass in his hand, almost offering it to the other as a way to lighten the mood, but stopped when he remembered it was these stupid things that caused this whole ordeal in the first place. Grian turned away from his wings, hands curled up in his lap. He stared at the endstone and Scar glanced between it and Grian, trying to find whatever it was the other was looking for. He didn’t find it, though, because Grian stood up and offered a hand to help Scar up.

They both seemed shaky as Scar stood, and Grian made sure he didn’t fall as soon as he was on his own two feet again. Looking down at Grian, his wings didn’t look nearly as big. He wondered if they had shrunk or if it had been perspective the entire time. He also noted that the golden color they had been had dulled significantly to a pale yellow.

“Do you think you can make it back home without falling off another bridge?” Grian asked quietly, a steadying hand still on Scar’s arm as he looked up at him with concern.

“Uh,” Now that Scar was standing, and attention had been dragged away from Grian’s sudden transformation, the weight of what had nearly happened hit him like a falling anvil. His chest and throat still burned, his head pounded with a headache right behind his eyes, and his stomach felt like it was sloshing around inside of him. The hand that held the “crystal” was beginning to cramp and he wiggled the glass into a pocket on his robe under his armor. He took a deep breath in from his nose and let any remaining tension in his body fade and gave Grian as reassuring of a smile as he could manage. “Yeah, I think I’ll be fine.”

Grian looked relieved, giving him a nod. “Good, then you head back.”

“What about you?”

Grian walked back out onto the bridge that Scar had built what felt like hours ago and looked down at it, pulling out some blocks from his inventory. “I’m gonna keep going and see if I can find anything.”

“What? Alone? Grian, there’s a reason we use the buddy system. Heck, you just proved why-”

“Scar, it’s fine. I’ll be fine. You go rest, okay?” Scar opened his mouth to protest but Grian didn’t let him. “I need some time to think, anyways. May as well try and get something out of it in the process.” Scar still wasn’t convinced. He gave Grian a hard stare and watched as the younger man sank in on himself under the scrutiny. He looked down and then back up at Scar, a pleading look in his eyes, and spoke with a quiet voice. “Please, Scar. I’ll be fine.”

Scar gave him the same look he had given Cub and Doc countless times last season when they were working too hard, but gave up when the effort made his headache pound and he brought a hand up to rub his temples. He sighed. “Alright, okay, I’ll go home. But you better come see me the second you get back, okay?”

Grian stood up a little straighter, seeming surprised that Scar had agreed. “Okay, Scar, I will.”

Scar turned around the way they came and found the bridge that they had made to get to the current island. He carefully made his way across it and many others as he trekked back to the portal home. He tried putting a pumpkin over his head as an extra safety measure but decided he would risk the angry endermen instead when squinting through the face of the halloween decoration made his headache worse. He kept his tired eyes on the ground for the most part anyways. Who knew that nearly dying in the void was just as tiring as actually dying in the void?

Before long his feet splashed in water and he risked looking up, smiling happily as he spotted the bedrock circle that would drop him right back into his comfy bed in Larry’s shell. He let himself fall into the portal, embracing the numbness that came with it until he was on top of the purple blanket that he so desperately wanted to curl up in. He had enough of a conscience left to shrug his armor off and even take his robe off, haphazardly throwing it somewhere on the floor. Not waiting a second longer, Scar snuggled up into the soft wool of his bed and drifted to sleep.

[rangerslayer-97]

An Analysis of Ahsoka and Windu's Interaction in TCW Finale Season 7 Episode 11 - Why Windu's Comment is in the Right

It's been 28 days since the Clone Wars finale finished. It has been 31 days since Episode 11: Shattered aired. This was the infamous episode that had a good majority raging anger at Jedi Master/General and Council Member Mace Windu.

In the opening 5-6mins, we see the Jedi Council meeting via hologram, the scene we see taking place on Coruscant in Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. Moments after, Ahsoka walks in with Rex. Now, this opinion might put me in the crosshairs of some people who will think differently, but I have an inkling or belief some are misinterpreting this particular scene.

Let me make it clear first: I love Ahsoka. She is one of the greatest characters brought into the Star Wars mythos by George Lucas and brought to life by Dave Filoni and voiced wonderfully by the talented Ashley Eckstein. Do you want to know how much Ahsoka Tano means to me? I wouldn't have come back and embraced Star Wars again had I not discovered her character watching random Rebels clips on YouTube which led me back to the Clone Wars ~2yrs ago.

I greatly thank Ashley Eckstein for bringing me back to the fandom. Back to the main point, separating voice actor/actress from their character. In my point of view, I'm NOT directing it at EVERYONE, but some of those who love or big fans of Ahsoka so much there's no fault in her. Her character had faults in the beginning and she's still a flawed character. Ahsoka is flawed, but so well written, she is relatable and to a certain degree, perfect. That's not what I'm on about. It's about the lash and some giving Windu the slap because of how he addresses and speaks to Ahsoka post-capture and detainment of Maul.

We all know, but to refresh some, Ahsoka Tano left the Jedi Order, this effectively removing her status as a Jedi Padawan and Commander of the 501st Legion of the Grand Army of the Republic. She chose to walk away and strip herself of everything, military rank and privileges. She is essentially a standard citizen trying to survive and make ends meet of a cruel galaxy, in a dying Galactic Republic. We are well aware, the twilight of the Republic and the Jedi was near, inevitable and unavoidable. So let me reiterate Ahsoka's stance, because this is an important point. Tano is a CITIZEN. She's a CIVILIAN.

Push forward to the Siege of Mandalore, without a doubt, some time has passed and Ahsoka's walkabout took place before the Bad Batch arc, with Republic on shaky battle grounds against the Separatists on Annaxes, which it's sitting on a major hyperspace lane direct to Coruscant (way too close for comfort).

By the time Ahsoka fills in the Council about the status of Maul and Mandalore, here comes the scene that had a lot of people running up the walls of how Windu addresses and treats Ahsoka. Let's remind ourselves of some vital quotes and points. Ahsoka was not a Jedi, she gave that up. She could have chosen to enlist directly into the GAR instead as a commissioned officer or take back her position as Commander via the GAR. Positions and military rank were given to the Jedi by their own status in the Order. Knights and Masters given General, Padawans ranked Commanders (Obi-wan an exception since he had a Clone Marshal Commander).

The Siege of Mandalore was going to be a sticky one despite success because Mandalore is a neutral planet, though it had links to the Republic, but is very much neutral. I won't go into complexities, but visit the YouTube channel Generation Tech, they did a very good exploration into it. I'll avoid politics standpoints for now.

Back to the primary point. Ahsoka stated she only fought in the siege as her duty as a citizen, but as not a Jedi.

"I did my duty as a citizen." - Ahsoka Tano

She also says prior to that statement:

"I will escort Commander Rex when he delivers him to Coruscant." - Ahsoka Tano

Finished with:

"No, not yet." - Ahsoka Tano

This is the key point here. Ahsoka is a citizen. She aided as a citizen, fought as a citizen and she is taking time out to escort Commander Rex and the 332nd back to Coruscant. After that, she would have went her separate ways (but we all know disaster strikes). To make it clear: Ahsoka Tano is a citizen who freely involved herself in what would have been a campaign, part of the Outer Rim Sieges and in extension, Jedi business.

Now, the statement Windu make upon the 'wrapping up' of the meeting.

"I'm sorry, citizen, but these are matters for the Council to discuss." - Mace Windu

And this where lovers of TCW nearly flipped the table. The scenario was read and interpreted as rude and maybe even condescending on Ahsoka, despite her service in the siege. However, I think the scene is being read incorrectly.

Ahsoka openly stated before the High Jedi Council that she is a citizen, only fought as her duty as a citizen. How often in real life do you hear a citizen involving themself in a military campaign? It's almost unheard of, but this is Star Wars and it's fiction, but there is real life influences that make logical sense.

In this case, there is without a doubt somewhere in the regulation handbook of the GAR that under any circumstances are civilians NOT to be disclosed to military information. Military information and even to involved in the Council meeting, it's something not be shared with a civilian. Sharing what is classified information is a MAJOR breach in security. I'm not saying Ahsoka is a spy (though she does become a pretty badass one one in Rebels), but because of her status as a civilian, she cannot be disclosed such information. Heck, even if the boys wanted to see her again, Ahsoka cannot walk into the Clone Barracks anymore. She probably can, unless someone escorts her, people like Rex or a fellow General such as Anakin.

We already know Windu is getting stressed by the war, almost desperate to end the war and we all know the action he takes in the film. Windu does love the Republic, if I'm correct, it was quoted in Stover's ROTS novelisation, he thought he is doing best for the Republic.

Anyways, I think there are those being too harsh on Windu. Think about it again, I'd you were in Ahsoka's shoes, a citizen after fighting in a siege, essentially part of the Clone Wars, neither you would be privy to sensitive information. Windu is stoic as it is, it's not his attitude, it's his tone that came across as condescending. He was only repeating what Ahsoka stated to them, so his mindset was: "alright, you called yourself a citizen, then you shall be treated as such". Yes, his tone might not have helped much, but he is right. Ahsoka could be disclosed what is highly sensitive and classified information. If they did, just because she used to be part of the Order, it is A MAJOR BREACH in security protocol.

To repeat: Windu is correct to tell Tano that she cannot be disclosed what goes on in a Council Meeting or the situation of the war. It is all down due her status as a citizen. It would be a different story if after leaving the Jedi, she reinstated herself by enlisting with the GAR.

Just remember that despite misgivings, Windu is a highly valued member of the Jedi Order and a highly skilled one. He is also powerful in the Force. Before the war broke out in 22 BBY, he was trained as a Jedi Guardian, up to the events of TPM, he was already a Master of the Order and even one of the best swordsman of the time. He was first taught under Grand Master Yoda, then his years as Padawan up to the Jedi Knight Trials learning under Jedi Master T'ra Saa. At a very young agree too, he discovered his rare Force ability to see shatterpoints in the Force. This skill greatly aided Windu at how hissy would his future actions, along with the vulnerability of the opponents he faced. Because of his ability in shatterpoint, Windu even had glimpses into parts of the future of how he works build his lightsaber.

Windu also created one off the most difficult lightsaber forms that the Jedi Order forbade except to even and perhaps even his own student: Master Depa Billaba. Quinlan Vos is another notable practitioner. A counteract style to Form VII: Juyo. He created Vaapad, along with another Jedi Master named Sora Bulq. Quoting Windu on his description when he created the form:

"I created Vaapad to answer my weakness: it channels my own darkness into a weapon of the light." - Mace Windu

Windu had his own struggles with the Dark Side and he channelled that into a form. To use ones own inner darkness and channel it into a weapon of the light and not even fall in the process. It's an opposite of Juyo, the style being more of a 'state of mind' and not just another fighting style. To channel their own darkness and accept the fury of an opponent whereas Juyo as described by Kreia:

"Predictably, he seeks to unbalance you with his erratic attacks. His technique is called Juyo, the most chaotic of the lightsaber forms. This form sacrifices much to bolster offense, leaving one exposed to attack by the Force." - Kreia

This post had gone on long enough, all I'm saying is to maybe read the interaction between Ahsoka and Windu a little bit differently. Windu is correct not to disclose classified information, even council information especially with her status as a civilian. Perhaps don't be quick to judge Windu or even just think twice. Sorry for the long post, but I needed to get out of my head.

[missmassacre]

Hey I’m here for my usual forty post pile-up pay attention to me

Tagged by @subversiveawareness

RULES: Answer 20 questions, then tag 20 bloggers you want to get to know better.  

Name: Minerva Qubeley Massacre

Nicknames: Minnie, ‘Nerva, Fuckass

Height: 5′6″

Languages: English

Nationality: German and Irish aka Hyperwhite

Favorite season: Fall, it’s good and cold but not *too* cold

Favorite flower: All flowers are nice. It’s like asking if you prefer boobs or ass, it’s all gorgeous baybee

Favorite scent: Anything citrus. Love me some cleaners

Favorite color: Red to Orange

Favorite animal: Vermin. All of them

Favorite fictional characters: Okay so like. I can’t answer this. All the characters I latch too are incredibly embarrassing and not even from good shows. I am secretly an extremely fandom girl but I keep that under wraps because I am a decent human being and no one needs to hear my RWBY takes. They just have to listen to my Gundam ones

OH WAIT I LIED IT’S DUSTY ATTENBOROUGH. WATCH LEGEND OF THE GALACTIC HEROES

Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate: All of these are good but only hot chocolate is inherently good in nearly all forms

Average sleep hour: Damn bitch, that’s a good question, especially with quarantine destroying time. When I’m working, like, 2am?

Dog or cat person: Fuck dogs. I hate them. Except certain small ones

Number of blankets you sleep with: One to two depending on wife preference

Dream trip: Nowhere. If I wanna go somewhere I can Google pics. What would I even do in another place

Blog established: 2012 because of that definitely fake post about the guy watching the Muppets in a motel

Number of followers: Like, two hundred? I know it’s just at or above that because I block all bots and Gundam nazis

Random fact: I have like, a foot long scar from the bottom of my armpit to my elbow because I crashed through a window in 2007. I almost died! I almost died another time because a dog tried to maul me at my overnight job

I am tagging only @o-hybridity and @lovingmagicgemini because while I love all my other mutuals they’ve either already done this or definitely will forget

[omniscientspinelfanatic]

Just The Darnedest Thing; Chp.1: Spinning In Circles

Xana didn't think she could ever really get tired of this view.

The sun slowly trailed across the mid-morning sky, its rays of warmth on the balmy fall day giving her the perfect homey feeling. When she breathed, she could taste the calming sea-salt from the ocean on her tongue, attempting to keep her relaxed as her eyes lingered on the light that reflected off the languid waves heading towards shore.

While normally a calmer individual, today the young woman couldn't help but feel somewhat restless as she rested her back against the Lighthouse and looked over the view past the cliff. This position and place had become quite common for her for the past five years or so-- Ever since she made friends that were of the Gem Species that lived peacefully among the human denizens of Beach City. Xana had always been intrigued by these aliens ever since she had heard about them one day on the news several years ago, and upon learning that a few had made a permanent settlement on earth, she had run away from her terrible home and made a new one in the quirky seaside town. Curiosity as her besetting sin, she had wanted to learn more and more about the extraterrestrial race, and as time passed and tensions with the main faction across the stars had eased and alliances had been formed, she became friends with quite a lot of them due to her fascination with their culture.

But there was one Gem in particular that Xana had become particularly attached to.

Spinel.

The woman had known of the stretchy elastic being's existence for a while (quite hard not to, considering the rather rocky introduction she had with the earth) but had only really been introduced to her after Steven's... Well, what could only be called an emotional breakdown and transforming into a gigantic pink kaiju, the poor guy. Steven had been one of her best friends since Xana had first come to Beach City, and she'd be damned if she wasn't going to be there for him in his time of need--And as terrible as the situation had been, she was sure it was the only reason she had actually gotten to talk to the hyper pink dynamo.

Xana herself didn't know exactly what had drawn her so strongly to the squeaky Gem, but she had been taken with her from day one. Armed with a sassy Brooklyn accent and always down for a good laugh, Spinel could definitely be classified as goofy, but Xana knew a deep and complex individual when she saw one. It had taken them a few good months to be actual good friends, despite how friendly and cordial they were to each other, as Spinel had her own home on the Gems' Homeworld planet and Steven leaving Beach City to make himself a new life elsewhere had given her less of an incentive to pop down to Earth. They both had hang-ups from past painful experiences, and it had been hard for Xana to actually get completely comfortable with people; but as the seasons changed and the months passed, they had become a lot closer, to the point of being almost inseparable. And...

Well.

Xana was fucking smitten.

Not that she had any intentions at all to enlightening her friend to said feelings; ohhhh no, talking about love was the biggest no-no when it came to Spinel. Thanks to Pink Diamond (the one who literally abandoned the poor gem on a fucking floating garden in deep space for six thousand years, the absolute clod-), the subject of deep feelings was a suuuuuuper touchy one when it came to the lovable joker. She was the type to smile and laugh off any pain she was feeling, which the human woman couldn't really judge cause she was pretty much the same way. But even so, Xana valued Spinel's friendship way too damn much to let her awkward self ruin something so great by even hinting at the fact that she was craving more; especially not when friend-zoning phrases were practically coming out of the gem's metaphorical ears. It kinda hurt, sure... But it was definitely better than the worst-case scenario Xana couldn't help but cook up in her head.

She had been noticing something a bit different in their dynamic lately though... Sometimes, during their hangouts, Spinel would laugh particularly hard at a joke Xana would tell and lean her whole weight against her squishy human body trying to catch an unneeded breath, or linger just a tad too long in one of the hugs they'd share, or give her a compliment just to see her flush red, or she would catch the gem staring at her with an expression of fond quiet awe when she rambled on excitedly about one of the many useless facts she had stored in her brain, or lean in so very very close to her face and just stare at her with a mildly frustrated look as if the gem was trying to figure something out and her face held the key to the mystery answer.

Xana couldn't help but daydream that one day, maybe she would lean in just enough for their lips to touch, even for a simple reason like being curious and wanting to know how it felt... But the poor human woman was just resigned to the fact that she'd be pining after the magenta goober for the rest of her life.

But anyway, getting off-topic.

Spinel had made the habit of, for the past two years, coming down to visit every couple of days to hang out; while she liked visiting with the Crystal Gems, of course, Xana was her main reason to visit and the young woman couldn't help but feel an amazing kind of special to know that. They had been to every place in Beach City together at least ten times, but the Lighthouse was without a doubt their favorite place to hang around and enjoy each other's company.

Today, though, was ultimately a very special day.

It was the second year anniversary of the day the two of them had originally met, and when Xana had brought it up to Spinel about a week or so ago and jokingly said they should do something special to celebrate, Spinel decided to roll with the idea and come up with something significant for the occasion. The rosy jester had excitedly called her up last night (she would forever thank Bismuth and Peridot for setting up an inter-galactical communicator in her home) and told her to meet her at the Lighthouse for a surprise, and of course, the curious young woman had been totally game for whatever her friend had planned for the day. She wondered what the activity would be...

'Are we gonna visit one of our usual haunts?' Xana couldn't help but muse as she chewed on her lower lip. 'Maybe prank a few Gems? But we do stuff like that all the time, she seemed really really excited today, so that can't be it... Right? Hm.' Watching her feet sway side to side in front of her, a curious smile took her lips as a breeze flirted with her dark curly locks. 'Eh. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's gonna be lotsa fun as long as I'm with her.'

With a soft bittersweet and lovestruck sigh, her eyes fell shut as she let the sun's rays warm her mocha skin, the minutes ticking away as she fiddled with the hem of her violet sundress.

........

Behind her eyelids, the sun's insistent shine was suddenly blocked by a looming form. Frowning, she moved to open her eyes and saw a quick flash of pink before her eyes were covered by a pair of gloved hands. She squeaked and flailed a bit, panic rising in her throat before freezing as a distinctive voice giggled out teasingly above her.

"Guess who~?"

Unbidden, Xana's lips stretched into a wide smile and she relaxed automatically. Oh, she knew exactly who it was. "Hm, lemme think... Bismuth? Garnet? Oh, oh, I know!" The human teased back playfully, before snapping her fingers. "You're definitely Peridot."

The fingers slackened slightly as she heard a raspberry being blown beside her ear, causing her to cackle and crane her head away from the ticklish feeling. "Boo. Yer terrible at this. Guess again! Here, I'll give ya one hint."

"So generous~."

"I know, right? But don't try ta weasel out of this! It's me, yer most special, irreplaceable friend!" The 'mystery' figure declared with an air of overdramatized smugness.

Xana snickered cheekily, shaking her head in fond exasperation. "Well, in that case, it couldn't be aaaanyone other than my absolutely adorable friend, Spinel, right??" She chuckled loudly as she moved to sit up out of her relaxed slump, moving a hand up to remove one of the hands from her eyes and taking a peek at the owner of the sweet, silly voice. Sure enough, standing proudly as can be before her with the oh-so-precious gem glittering enticingly in the sun, was Spinel smirking cockily down at her. She watched as her magenta pigtails whipped around gently in the mid-morning air, a slender hip cocked sassily to the side in her comely stance.

Just like every time she had seen her for the past half-year, Xana was hit with the same soulful longing that swelled so large in her chest it ached.

The gem giggled, quickly giving up any pretenses of annoyance. "Please, yer th' one that's adorable." Like clockwork, the human woman sputtered out a firm denial, making the rosy alien laugh aloud in glee. Extending her arms to wrap several times around the human's waist in a cartoonish embrace, Xana was lifted up off the ground with an easy strength and swung around in a circle with accompanying laughter. "Hiya toots!! I missed ya somethin' awful these past few days!"

The nicknames. If only she knew just how much the nicknames flustered the taller human. Ignoring the giddy fluttering in her chest at such a statement and her touch, Xana responded in kind. "I missed you too, Spins! Always do!" Wrapping her arms around Spinel's shoulders, she hugged her tight with a wide grin and giggle. "It's always a lot more boring when you're not around~."

"Aww, aren't ya just a charmer?" The smiling gem looked over her captive with an ecstatic blush and happy eyes, taking in how the human's eyes crinkled in that delighted way when she grinned. Spinel loved that smile; it was just so full and... genuine. "Y'ready for an adventure?"

"Sure am!" Xana nodded her head so excitedly, it's a wonder she didn't get dizzy. "You gonna finally tell me what we're doing today, Spinny? I've been dying to find out!"

The gem adopted a mock thinking pose made even more ridiculous by the fact that while her hand was at her chin, the rest of her arms were still looped around Xana; this made the human snort with amusement and that had clearly been Spinel's goal, judging by the triumphant grin stretching across her face. "Hmmmm.... nah! Not yet anyway!"

Xana made a noise of playful frustration and threw her head back dramatically with a groan, even though nothing could wipe the entertained smirk off her face. "Aw, c'mooooooon... I've been waiting patiently like a good girl! Have mercy!"

Snickering loudly at the lighthearted whining, Spinel smugly shook her head as her arms tightened around the woman just a little. "Nnnnnnnnnope~! You'll see when we get there--Otherwise, it couldn't be called a surprise, ya silly human~." Snickering turned to cackling as her friend promptly cried foul, but she lifted a hand to gently boop her captive's nose reassuringly. "Aw, don't be like that! It'll be worth th' wait, I promise; Yer gonna love it!"

A huffy pout was her particular reward as said nose was wrinkled at the sheer audacity of such treatment, but got an eye-roll of acquiesce soon after. "Yer puttin' me through the wringer here, Spins... But fine--I guess I can be patient since it's you asking me to be." She sighed with faux exasperation, before catching sight of Spinel's gleefully evil grin splitting her face. She blinked in slight confusion. "...What's with that look?"

"Look? What look~?" Spinel's grin widened even further, lashes fluttering with innocence so fake it could pass for botox, "I 'ave no idea what yer talkin' about.~"

Xana narrowed her eyes suspiciously, searching the gem's face as she whistled angelically but it suddenly came to her as Spinel's grip on her shifted; here she was, a rather frail human in comparison to Spinel's deceptively strong form, wrapped in a snuggly hold of said gem's arms at least a foot off the ground and absolutely no hope of ever escaping if her mischievous friend didn't allow it.

This was planned.

"Spinel." Xana murmured warningly, giddy alarm bells blaring in her head as she was visibly hoisted higher into the air above the gem's head, who's impish grin remained firmly in place. "Spinny. I know what you're thinking, don't you dare~!"

"What whazzat doll? I can't hear ya all the way up there~." Was the sly call she got as the gem turned towards the direction of town and strut around the Lighthouse, glancing up saucily. "Yer gonna haveta speak up fer me!"

"I mean it, you goober!"

"Whaaaaaaat~?! You wanna be carried through town?!" Spinel giggled deviously as she lowered into a running stance. "Why sweetheart, I was thinkin' the same thing! Good idea!" And with that, she sped off down the hill, arms trailing behind and above with a firm grip on the human, laughing uproariously all the while.

"Noooooooooooo, Spinny whyyyyy~?!?!?!" She shouted down with a breathless laugh as she wriggled half-heartedly against her friend's arms, trying her best to slow down her excited heartbeat at being lifted like she weighed little more than a paperclip. Xana had never been the lightest woman, so to be swooped up so easy like it was nothing did embarrassing things to her heart.

It didn't help that it was Spinel doing it either.

Trying not to think about it and hoping Spinel couldn't feel just how hard her heart was thudding in her chest, she patted at the Gem's noodle arms with a snicker as they reached the city limits. "You can't manhandle me like this, I have my rights~!"

"Yer human 'rights' mean nothin' ta me!" Spinel snarked back, speeding her way through town with gleeful laughter joining the human's own. She felt a warmth pulse one good time within her gem as Xana gripped at her unconventional binds in an ineffectual attempt to hold on, cause there was no way the pink jester was ever going to let her fall and get hurt. She'd be damned if her human got even a bruise on her watch.

Almost noticeably, the gem's stride stuttered as she immediately began to scold herself in her head for such a possessive thought.

...Unfortunately, this had been becoming a regular thing for Spinel when it came to the goofy human. The sweet twenty-two-year-old woman had been by her side unwaveringly for two whole years at this point--Despite knowing she had tried to destroy all organic life on Earth at one point in time and all the abandonment baggage she had packed up tightly in her psyche. Regardless of whether Spinel needed a laugh, a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to listen to her vent, the unassuming shy human had been there for her through it all with a warm smile and caring gaze and expecting nothing for it in return. After everything she had been through, Spinel had never imagined that she'd find someone like Xana.

A true best friend.

Maybe that was why she had been feeling all weird around her lately. Actually, no, strike that--Spinel had always felt funny when she was around Xana, ever since they had first met; but she had originally thought it was because the human was always so nice and kind and attentive to her needs, and she just... wasn't all that used to it at first. Xana had been so shy when they first met but she was a great listener and damn, could she tell a mean joke. She was full of surprises; from being adept at something called 'gymnastics' (she had been in awe the first time she had seen the human contort herself out of a Quartz' wrestling hold like it was nothing) to the ease she could craft little trinkets and art out of seemingly worthless ingredients to the innate understanding Xana just seemed to have when it came to the feelings of others (an 'empath' was the word she used if Spinel recalled correctly), every day spent with the dark-skinned human with ultramarine eyes was... the best. Spinel couldn't remember ever feeling so free and cared for with someone before, not even back when Pink Diamond actually seemed to like her.

She was sure that was why she started thinking of the tall woman as hers, specifically. Her best friend and her... what was the word that Xana had used again? Crush? That was most likely the word. After all, feelings for friends eventually stopped growing at a certain point, didn't they? But not when it came to this human; every day they spent in each other's company seemed to drive her tender feelings to new heights. It was honestly terrifying. Even for Pink, the person she had been made to... love... the warm encompassing feeling Spinel felt when Xana smiled, laughed, teased her, hell, even when she got annoyed and made those cute puffy expressions far outstripped the feeling of satisfaction when she had made her Diamond laugh. Xana was everything she wished Pink would have been.

And she was so soft and warm! She had a feeling all humans kinda were, but her hugs would always be the absolute best. Not to mention she was incredibly pretty. She'd be the first to deny it though and that low self-worth just wasn't gonna fly with Spinel, no sirree--She did that enough herself, thank you very much. And after one certain rainy day she got to see the pain hidden behind the human's own smile, the gem made it her personal mission to make sure Xana knew just how special she was by giving her at least one compliment a day. And if Spinel's daily little ritual got her friend to flush that pretty red she always did when she was embarrassed, well, then...

No one had to know just how warm and tingly her gem felt when she saw Xana sporting her colors... Right?

"Heeeeey, Spinel!? Ya alright down there?! You blew threw, like, two stoplights and we're about to reach Little Homeworld!" Forcibly pulled from her reverie by the concerned shouting above her, she pumped the breaks on her running, skidding to a stop and looking around in confusion.

Huh... They had arrived at the outskirts of L.H. even faster than she'd expected. Perhaps she was having too much fun to notice. The alien hesitated a little at this, not really wanting to let Xana go but finally, Spinel decided to lower her, gah, the human back to her feet.

Giggling like a maniac when they came to a sudden stop, Xana stumbled slightly as she was placed on solid ground again but quickly regaining her balance as she leaned into her hyper companion. Shaking her head and blowing a twisted dark lock away from the space between her eyes, the organic being looked down at her smaller friend and grinned cheerfully as she shook out her unruly hair. "If I had known you were gonna do that to a girl, I wouldn't have bothered to comb my hair today. Now it's a mess!"

Ha! A mess?? Yeah, right. More like attractively windswept.

Not to mention her cheeks were flushed from all the laughter and wind, and her deep blue eyes glittered with mirth even as her nose crinkled in that cute way it did when she was trying really hard to fake irritation (an effort entirely wasted by the large grin on her face) and oh, there was that tight, warm feeling behind her gem again. Oh no.

Almost unconsciously, Spinel released her victim, only to take ahold of her hand and start pulling her into L.H.'s limits squeaking with each step. Now wasn't the time for such confusing stuff, dangnabbit! "Oh quit yer yappin' dollface, I know ya like it more than you let on."

Xana, on the other hand, felt her heart do ditsy flips as she was tugged further into Earth's Gem colony, holding back a squeal of delight. The pink dynamo must have been in a super good mood, and that fact only augmented Xana's own. She squeezed the gloved hand a bit tighter in her grasp, vainly hoping the moment would last forever.

And perhaps it would have if it weren't for their nosy friends hanging about.

"HEY LOVEBIRDS!!" Xana squeaked as she stopped and pulled her hand away from the elastic gem's grasp, not noticing the look of annoyed disappointment flashing quickly across her face as Xana turned to look towards the well-known forge, owned by Bismuth--Who, coincidentally, was peering out of the open doorway with a knowing and waaaaay too smarmy grin for the lone human's liking. "What naughty bismuth are ya up to today?!"

The woman snorted, snickering away at the buff builder gem (the joke was overused but it never got old, at least not to her) while Spinel felt her eye twitch just a bit; she loved Bismuth, really she did, but today was just supposed to be about her and h- the human. Xana was more of a conversationalist than she looked; if she got caught up in a chat with others it would take precious time away from her surprise!

The normally jovial jester thus responded back a little snappishly before Xana could open her mouth, reaching up to grip the confused human's arm and pulling her closer to her shorter form. "Nunya Bismuth!"

The woman blinked in slight surprise as Spinel's somewhat prickly tone, but the architect just took it like a good sport, laughing boisterously at the quick remark shot back at her. "Alright, alright! You guys just stay safe--And don't cause too much damage around here, mkay?!"

The pink gem's ponytails bristled slightly, but she huffed and yelled back as she pulled Xana further down the road. "We ain't even gonna be anywhere around here today, calm yer rocks!"

"Wait, we aren't?" She just barely managed to bite back a curse as her taller companion blinked curiously, eyes gleaming with the acquisition of new information. "Heh, then what are we doing around here then? Didya need to pick up something first or whatever?"

"Gah, you weren't s'posed to know that, but no! We needed ta come here first because we can't get there otherwise!" Glancing back and feeling satisfied upon seeing total befuddlement in the human's pretty blue eyes (she was so gosh darn cute when she was trying to figure something out), she led them forward to the center of L.H., ignoring the weird looks of those cliquey Lapises, the arrogant scoffing of that one Aquamarine and Ruby, and the intense stare/glare of the Jasper with the chip on her shoulder. Honestly, they needed to get a life already.

Though she couldn't help but giggle when Xana stuck her tongue out at them, daring them to say something with her own glare. It was HILARIOUS when her human's sass came out to play-

Agh! Not her human, not her human!! Damn it, she really needed to get better at that and fast--It'd be way too embarrassing if she accidentally said that out loud and Xana heard. Spinel was sure she'd poof from mortification if the young woman was offended by it...

"Huh...? Wait, Spinny, are we going to another place on Earth or something~?" The human asked as she seemed to put two and two together and realize their destination: The Warp Pad nestled in the very center of Little Homeworld. She looked somewhat confused but no less anticipatory. "We've never done that before!"

Spinel took a giddy sort of delight to mimic the sound of a buzzer, cackling at Xana's startled expression at the harsh sound. "Nope, wrong!! Yer gettin' warmer though, I'll give ya that toots!" Barely able to smother her snickers at the responding pout she was rewarded with, she finally came to a stop beside the warp and raised a brow at the uncertain organic being as she smirked. "Whatsa mattah, darlin'? Don't tell me yer gettin' cold feet on me--Our day hasn't even started yet!"

Xana's pout deepened into a frown as she regarded the giddy jokester before she glanced over the warp, crossing her arms and biting her lip. "Not really...? It's more like I just like to know where I'm headed. Not knowing just makes me a bit anxious, that's all..."

Her ponytails drooping a bit at this knowledge, Spinel felt a tiny sliver of guilt poke at her gem as she realized why Xana felt that way but she persevered. "Hey... I wouldn't take ya anywhere you could get hurt, ya know-"

"I know, ya silly slinky~. I trust you with my life." The woman chuckled as she looked at her feet, not noticing the light happy flush that rose to Spinel's face at those words. "It's just... Baggage. You understand. I'll get over it, I'm just being ridiculous." Taking a deep breath, she shook her head violently, tossing away all the uncertainties. She was with her best friend, she'd be fine! "Wherever we're going, you probably went through a lot of trouble to get it set up, so I'll deal with it. So, moving on!" Clapping her hands firmly, the squeaky jester watched with admiring awe as her friend bounced back from whatever uncomfortable thoughts were swimming in her head and gave her a shadow-free smile. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?" Giving a mock bow and gesturing to the Warp Pad in a silly way, she giggled slyly. "Cutie pies first~!"

...Was her gem glowing? She felt like it was glowing. Stars she hoped not, that would be entirely too embarrassing. Get yourself under control, BF-07! It was just a normal compliment!

At least the bow gave her a moment to regain her composure and even some of her mischief. "Ah, well, if you insist!" With those words, she lifted the human by the waist and deposited her neatly on the pad before stepping on herself. Trying very hard to calm the excited thrumming in her gem, Spinel lowered herself into a half-bow of her own, offering up a hand and a smile and speaking in an almost insultingly stereotypical British accent. "Shall we be off, m'lady?"

Ooh, the little sneak. Xana felt like her face should be melting with how hot it was from that little move. Ignoring the flustered mental screaming in her head, she played along as a way to distract herself from the giddy fluttering in her heart. "Oh, I do declare~!" She sighed dramatically in a Southern Belle voice as she placed the back of her hand against her forehead in a faux swoon. "When asked so kindly by such a cherished companion, how could I ever refuse~?!" She cracked open an eye to look at Spinel and winked cheekily as she took the gloved hand with excitement lining her movements. "Lead the way, sugar!"

'...Now that's just totally unfair.' The gem thought, sputtering a little. The playful tone, the sway of her hips, the clear amusement in the curve of her lips. It was too much. The warmth in her cheeks felt just short of burning now, and she was pretty sure her gem really was glowing this time.

Ah well, at times like this?

Distract through befuddlement.

With a quick pull, she minimized the distance between them to almost nothing, her free hand taking ahold of Xana's elbow, making sure she wouldn't lose her in the beam. Light engulfed them with three quick words: "As you wish!"

One moment the human woman was giggling at Spinel's absolutely adorable shy face, and the next, she was brought flush to her friend's form. Spinel's grip on her was firm as the ground beneath them disappeared and they were suddenly launched out of the stratosphere. Hoping the faint whistling she could hear in the distance wasn't the steam she just knew was bursting from her ears, Xana took the opportunity to wrap her arms around the flexible Gem's shoulders. It wasn't weird if warping was rather difficult to get a hang of, right?

But soon her attention was pulled from her embarrassment as they zipped past something absolutely massive; had that been an actual planet?!?  Whipping her head to the side, the human stared with child-like wonder as celestial bodies wooshed past their rapidly traveling forms, missing just how invested Spinel seemed to be in her reaction. "Whoa..... What?! Omigosh, look at all of those stars...!!"

"Uh-huh..." Spinel responded absently, taking in Xana's illuminated features as she looked around in awe, "It's a sight a'ight." Knowing that the young woman was decently distracted, she shifted her hold from her elbow to around her waist and pulled her just the tiniest bit closer to herself. Something stuttered in her chest as she just focused on the feeling of her friend pressed against her.

The arms around her shoulders were warm - almost unbearably so - and soft, and oh so comparatively delicate. Everything a gem wasn't. Everything Spinel wasn't, all rolled into one beautiful packa- Oh look the ground, better land now! "O-Oh, uh, we're aboutta land dollface! Brace yourself!"

Brought back to attention by the call and the slight jarring of their forms, Xana's head whipped around to see the gigantic sight of the two of them closing in on a looming planet; with a loud gasp her arms tightened further around her friend as their speed stopped so suddenly upon reaching another Warp Pad, their forms floating above it for a split second before letting them drop and she did her best to land as gracefully as possible on the new surface.

.....Which was not all that much. She stumbled, her weak knees buckling a bit as the new gravity and air pressure hit her, squeaking as she practically clung to Spinel and attempted to fix her jelly legs. Having expected this from hearing Steven's childhood anecdotes, Spinel tightened her hold on the human, although it also imbalanced her, making her loom above Xana as she kept her grip around the woman's form. Knowing she probably looked ridiculous, Xana looked up at Spinel with a wide grin and laughed. "Haha! I don't know if my body will eeeeever get used to Warping!"

The goofy pink being snickered in return as she carefully lifted Xana back onto her feet and kept her stable so she could find her balance. "Oh, you just need practice. Your squishy organic body will be fiiiiine." She emphasized this by poking the woman's cheek playfully.

Xana giggled as her cheek was squished by Spinel's blithe gesture, finally being able to put pressure on her legs again without wobbling (too much). "Well, with someone as great as you helping to look after it, how can it not be?" She teased, grinning as her friend puffed up proudly at the light-hearted but genuine praise before their positions finally came to her attention.

The gears in her head slowly turned, as if trying to understand how and why Spinel was suddenly looming over her until it registered just how close their faces... hell, their whole bodies were! Red crept along her face as that little lightbulb in her brain flickered on.

"O-Oh gosh, I'm so sorry-" Xana swallowed a bit hard as she made the distance between their noses better suited for polite company, chuckling with fluster as her arms (though twitching a bit as if she wanted to squeeze tighter) slowly slid from around Spinel's shoulders. She had a feeling today was going to really test her sanity. "H-Hehe, ah, thanks for catching me!"

Spinel smiled, mentally dropkicking and suppressing the twinge of disappointment that accompanied the pleasant ache in her chest. She really didn't want to step away or let go, but seeing that cute little blush over her human's face was worth the loss of contact. "Anytime sugarplum! Now look, look! We're here!" Watching her blink and turn away to look at her surroundings, the gem gently slapped herself upside the head with a mental rebuke. Focus you utter pebble, stars!

"...Spinel... Wh-Where are we...?" Coming to attention at the soft astonished reverence that settled into Xana's voice, Spinel cartwheeled off the warp to come to a stop in front of her, her arms lifted up in a cheerful 'ta-da!' pose.

"Weeeeelcome to Homeworld, Xana! I'm so excited to finally have you here!" Taken aback, Xana's eyes went wide with surprise before she took another good look around at their awe-inspiring surroundings with new knowledge in her dark blue eyes.

This... was Home Planet of Gems??? That was just... wow! It looked so bright and clean and... free! Were those trees?! It didn't look anything like Steven had described to her during his 'coronation' two years or so ago!

"Sooo, whatcha think?? Pretty cool, riiiiight?!" Spinel bounced giddily on her pointed feet, grinning from cheek to cheek at Xana's stupefied expression. Said grin faltered slightly as apprehension appeared on the young woman's face, worry pinching at her Gem. Did she not like it...? "What's wrong, sweetheart? This... This is great, right? I mean, we've been rippin' and runnin' all over your home, so I just thought that... I'd uh, show you mine now! Homeworld!" She clarified, trying hard to keep their gazes connected and hoping her sudden insecurity wasn't showing. "That... That's a'ight with ya, ain't it?"

"Wh-Oh, no, no, this is amazing, I'm honored!! Really!!" Xana was quick to assure, twiddling her fingers anxiously as Spinel gave her a slightly nervous smile. "It's just that, ah..."

Humans didn't really get to go to Homeworld; not unless they were really good friends with a Gem that lived there, and even then visits were rare and had to be sort of coordinated to do. While the Gem Race as a whole was a lot more tolerant of Humans than they had been in the past, they still viewed them as... odd. Which she could understand of course, but...

Ooh boy. She was going to get stared at a lot, wasn't she?

"S-Spinny, sweetie, is this... Okay?? I mean-" Xana sort of stumbled with her words, feeling herself blush further as she gave Spinel a concerned look of her own. "I'd be happy to go anywhere with you, trust me, but uh... Bringing me here isn't gonna get you in trouble... Will it? I'd hate to cause a fuss..."

Ohhhhhhhh, so that's what it was.

Golly, she was just.... too cute. Always worrying about others, how in the universe did this sweet being come to be? Spinel's eyes softened, smile turning reassuring as she bounded back over to her friend's side and gently took her hand, "Of course, there won't be any trouble at all. Besides," she gave an exaggerated wink and a grin, along with a pose to match, "I'm friends with the Diamonds! Even if we get into trouble, I can get us out of it no problemo!" Finally, she gave the woman her brightest smile as her expression relaxed, hold tightening around her slender fingers. "So don't worry, a'ight? Lil' ol' Spinel's got everythin' covered, I promise."

'Well, she definitely has a point...' Sighing softly with relief at this, Xana gave a slow nod, allowing herself to relax. As long as she stuck with Spinel, everything would be just fine. Bashfully making eye-contact, she smiled back trustingly. "Whatever you say, hon." The term of endearment came out with little thought, and as she realized exactly what she had said, she cleared her throat and glanced away as she tried to play it off by giving her a playful nudge with her hip and grinning. "Howzabout a tour then?"

"Hell yeah, let's go! I've got so much to show you!" She exclaimed, once again excitedly pulling her forward down the walkway and up the steps, just barely able to keep in mind that she had to keep a steady pace for the human. She slapped her hand against a terminal placed before the grand entrance to Homeworld's main center, giggling gleefully as the massive doors opened and she pulled her friend inside.

They entered a large, glittering, green and blue hall filled with warp pads, the walls covered in murals depicting scenes of gem and earthern history. Spinel let her friend look her fill, pleased as punch at the excitable expression the usually shy human was pulling, before walking decisively towards one of the many heavily adorned exits. She pointedly ignoring the stares and whispers of other gems, keeping Xana close to her side. Bringing organics to Homeworld wasn't exactly unheard of anymore, not in Era 4, but it was also certainly not common.

Straightening the ruffles of her violet summer dress, the young woman did her best to keep up with Spinel's confident strides through the glimmering halls. Xana's eyes roamed with amazement with the futuristic architecture, wondering what materials Gems must have used to build such strong-looking structures. Maybe she could ask for a few materials to make some knick-knacks back home? Would that be weird to ask about? She could make several gorgeous things she was sure...

She was so taken with the sights, the woman didn't realize at first that the two of them were being watched as they took their stroll through the corridors until a flash of out of place color caught her eye.

Oh.

Xana tightened the grip of her hand involuntarily around Spinel's as she spotted a few passersby staring their way, some looking surprised, others looking curious, and much to her delight, even a few smiles of welcome. She smiled shyly at those looking on, giving a small wave of hello but also speeding up her walk to stick just a tiiiiny bit closer to her pink friend's side at the one or two sneers she had also caught pointed their way.

Not all Gems had been satisfied with the turn around that the Diamonds and Steven had made (particularly those that were considered high class and the mercurial types such as Jasper), and even if they weren't going to complain and cause a fuss, they still had their hang-ups. Humans were a tense topic with dissenters these days...

Spinel glanced back at her companion as she shambled closer, forehead creasing momentarily. She squeezed back comfortingly, gritting her teeth at the sight of a few snooty busybodies clearly whispering to each other and glancing their way. With an irritated baring of her teeth and a quick 'try me, clod' glare, they quickly turned their attention elsewhere, tittering nervously.

Huffing with smug satisfaction, the pink gem started up a ramble of inane chatter with wide, exaggerated gestures. She wasn't even sure what she was talking about, although it may or may not have involved that mean Iolite they had just passed by that manned the Blue Arm's navigating system and a bunch of chickens she'd 'borrowed' from Earth, but paid close attention to Xana's expressions from the corner of her eye as she talked.

This was supposed to be a fun outing and she'd be damned if she let a bunch of party poopers ruin it for her friend.

Being brought out of the self-deprecating thought path her mind was heading towards, Xana's form unknowingly relaxed as she returned her attention wholly to Spinel. Xana hadn't been all that sociable before she had moved to Beach City, much too scared of rejection and hate to really reach out to others. She had changed much over the years of living there, blooming out of her wallflower stage, but new places and people always seemed to bring that shyness back just a bit.

Xana felt super comfortable around Spinel though. The two of them had shared so many moments, from happy to embarrassed to dark repressed memories, that she never felt safer than when she was with her flexible alien friend. The human's expression warmed from anxious to entertained so quickly that you could almost believe the self-doubt on her face had simply been part of your imagination.

"Haha, what is it with Gems and chickens~?!" Xana couldn't help but cackle out as Spinel finished with the story's punchline, grinning at her teasingly. "Chickens are cool, sure, but you guys seem to be really taken with them!"

"They're so weird! Birds are s'posed to fly, yeah? That's what Pearl told me, at least. But they? Don't??? They're just loud and mean, but they still have feathers! What's the point of havin' them if they can't fly?!"

"Most birds do fly, yeah, but there's a fair amount of species that don't. There's Kiwis, Ostriches, Emus, Cassowaries... Where their ancestors lived, they didn't have the need to fly in order to escape predators, so they just... Grew out of it over many years. The beauty of Evolution, I guess." The woman shrugged, still snickering. "I can't claim to know why it went like that, I'm just an ignorant little human."

"Oh, come off it! You literally just named several different bird species that can't fly like it was nothin'! 'Ignorant little human', my facets!" Spinel complained in a lighthearted manner, throwing up a hand in exasperation but smirking at Xana's tickled pink frame. "Besides, you humans eat their babies! How is that not weird!?"

"Well, Gems don't need to eat to survive, so of course it's gonna be weird to the lot of you. And hey, eggs are tasty. Great source of protein for our muscles." The curly-haired woman lifted up her free arm and flexed her bicep, cackling away at Spinel's completely unimpressed expression. She supposed in comparison to a Quartz, it was a very mediocre sight; limber though she was, her muscles were a lot more lean and unassuming. But Xana liked it that way. "Don't get me wrong, I respect those who don't eat meat like Steven, but I very much prefer having meat in my diet. Humans are top of the food chain for a reason."

"Pfff, those things are tiny compared to some of the other organisms on your planet. I remember ya tellin' me there are many animals could rip a human to shreds. How in the name of the Universe did your species come out on top of Earth's food chain???"

"There's something to be said about intelligence. And thumbs." Getting an amused snort in reply, Xana couldn't help but smirk smugly at her disbelief. "We also did something called Persistence Hunting."

"...The hell is that?"

"We stalked after our prey at our own pace until it got tired, gave up, and accepted death."

................................................................

"....Wait, really???"

"Yyyyyyup."

...............................................................................................

"...That's... Terrifyin'. Barbarians, the lot of ya!" Xana exploded into silvery peals of laughter at Spinel's disturbed expression, muffling her wild giggling by slapping a hand onto her mouth as the gem very maturely stuck her tongue out the highly amused woman before chattering on, elaborating on the further weirdness of penguins as they continued their stroll down the glimmering halls. Xana vaguely noticed that Spinel had yet to let go of her hand, but said nothing as she simply gripped it tighter within her own; she was loving life at the moment. She was sure nothing could blow her high.

...Xana may have thought this a bit too soon though, as they came to a sudden stop courtesy of the hyper dynamo.

Blinking as Spinel paused in her speech, she looked over at her gem friend in confusion. "Spins? What's the matter?" She didn't receive a reply however, her expression blank and attention clearly caught by something off to her left. Frowning, the woman was swift to look for the reason of the sweetheart's distress.

And immediately stiffened upon seeing what could be the only explanation.

A garden. Clearly recently established, it was a communal garden that several gems could be seen relaxing inside and enjoying the fruits both figuratively and literally of said labor inside. There were several kinds of flowers on display, but what was closest to the entrance were the well-known pink flowers called Hibiscus. Which was apparently the favorite flower of Pink Diamond, and Spinel's most hated for very obvious reasons.

Oh shit.

"Spinel. Spinel, honey, can you hear me?" Xana jostled a pink noodle arm, trying to redirect her attention away from the possible trigger and back to her. "I'm here. You're okay and I'm here, breathe." At the soft command, Spinel sucked in a deep breath, blinking away the hurtful memories that had whisked her several light-years away from the present and shaking her head.

'I'm not in the Garden. I'm on Homeworld, with my true best friend, and showing her around my home. I'm safe, cared for, and loved.' Gulping down the painful lump in her throat, she exhaled slowly, letting her eyes fall shut as she admonished herself mentally for letting her trauma sneak up on her.

Now wasn't the time for baggage, it was time for fun. Fun with her Xana.

Spinel very pointedly looked away from the entrance to smile widely at her human, fake cheer attempting to cover up the raw anguish that settled in her voice. She had gotten pretty good at it over the last couple of years, even if there was no fooling Xana. "H-Heh, sorry 'bout that dolly~! I just... Got caught off guard is all, but I'm alright! Dontcha worry about lil' ol' me, mkay?"

The young woman simply stared back, deep concern and understanding swimming in her gaze, and Spinel felt it that much harder to keep up her blaze grin. She felt herself fidget under the knowing look and glanced down at their joined hands with a bit of shame.

"Hey, Spinel." Glancing back up sheepishly, she had no time to react as Xana let go of her hand only to throw it over her shoulders and pull her close, squeezing her tightly in a side hug affectionately. She gasped, the move so unexpected that Spinel basically fell into her side, flushing a deep red as her eyes went wide. Her mind skipped a beat in thought as Xana smiled down at her, warm as can be. "Did you know humans also made a language out of plants?"

"W-Wha???" The sudden topic change along with the close contact clearly left Spinel floundering, but the human was going to try her best to take her friend's mind off the past. She watched as the gem spluttered, clearly trying to think of something to say before she slowly shook her head from side to side. "Ah, uh, I... I didn't!... B-But that sounds really interesting!" She was quick to latch onto the generously given out though, her smile weakening into something a little more vulnerable and shy as she nestled in closer to Xana's pleasant temperature. "...D-Do you think you could tell me about it while we continue walking...?" She asked softly, trying her hardest not to look over at the garden entrance again.

Later on, when the day was done, Xana was sure she'd scold herself later for the utterly ballsy move of hugging her friend out of her dark thoughts without permission, but for now, she was just happy that the pain on the pink sweetheart's face was starting to drain away. So she nodded and led her forward away from the large doorway, allowing herself to babble about her own random topic now and dutifully doing her best to distract the small alien.

"I'm not exactly sure how it first started, but humans have been using flowers and plants to state their intentions to others for... Hell, before history was being written down! Of course, the meaning can change somewhat according to culture, but overall, we somewhat agree on their meanings. I've studied it for years, ever since I was a kid; My family owned a flower shop a long time back before y'know... Mom ran out on Dad and I." The woman gently waved away Spinel's concerned look, smiling assuringly. The event was so long ago that she couldn't even conjure her errant mother's face in her mind. It didn't really bother her all that much anymore, at least most of the time. "If someone couldn't figure out what words to say to a friend or a lover, or they just wanted to make a statement about themselves or their current situation, they would use flowers or plants instead! It's not common knowledge these days anymore, but it's quite fascinating!"

Having been slowly led away from the garden as the cute human rambled on, Spinel felt herself relaxing due to the increased distance and the human's soothing, passionate voice. She had always adored the enthusiastic and animated glimmer in Xana's eyes whenever she was talking about something she was interested in. "Yeah...? But wouldn't it be a moot point if th' recipient doesn't know what the flowers are s'posed ta mean?"

"Yeah, it's a bit disappointing... But it can be really romantic if people put thought into it for the ones they love." Xana agreed with a soft defeated sigh, before raising a brow as Spinel made a quiet noise of question.

"Ah, so... Dat one flower you like so much? What's it called, uh... Delphinium?" Surely if such a sweet human liked a certain flower a lot, it had to have an equally sweet meaning, right? "I don't really remember what it looks like, but... What's that one mean? S'it a nice meanin'?"

"Oh!! The Larkspur!" Spinel's smile turned genuine as Xana's face brightened significantly at the mention of her favorite flower in the whole entire world. "Larkspur's commonly a purple flower, but it can also come in blue, red, yellow, and white. It holds the meaning of ardent attachment, but also stands for levity, fun, joy, and big-heartedness." Just as she thought; they were sweet meanings, just as sweet as Xana. She startled a bit as the taller woman suddenly gasped gleefully as if a great idea came to mind. "Oh hey! Maybe I should make small larkspur crowns for your pigtails! Or maybe scrunchies!" She giggled, and Spinel flushed pink in surprise as dark slender fingers reached up to gently stroke one of the soft bundles of hair resting atop her head. "The meanings fit you perfectly in my opinion!"

Her blush darkened from pink to red as she clasped her hands together, fiddling with her fingers as she smiled shyly. "You'd... Make somethin' for me...?"

"Of course, I would! I've only drawn stuff for you before, so why not make something that'd accent your cuteness~?"

"Oh golly, that... Haha, t-that'd be just swell!" The magenta jester giggled excitedly at the offer, feeling something light and bubbly stirring behind her Gem (a gift from her absolutely adorable human? She couldn't wait, she'd treasure it forever!) until the earlier words fully registered in her mind and she skid to a stop once more. "Wait... The... Th' whole meanin' fits?" She found herself owlishly staring into Xana's vibrant eyes, feeling a slight blush rise to her cheeks. Levity, fun, joy, big-heartedness; those words made the warmth inside her chest expand, but... That first part...

Was it possible that she'd...?

"Eh?" Xana blinked in surprise as she was brought to a halt again, before giggling as she rose a brow down at the elastic being. "Of course the whole meaning fits, silly, why do you-" her words died a swift death in her throat as their gazes connected, finding herself taken by the swirling emotions in her friend's rosy eyes. Confused for a long moment as to why she was being looked at in such a way, it was then that the true weight of her own words hit Xana with full force.

Did... Did I just accidentally confess without even thinking about it?!?!

'Nice going, you complete Space Cadet!!!!' The human screamed at herself mentally as she felt her face flush a deep hot red, before she looked away with a nervous laugh and snatched her arm away from Spinel's shoulders as though it was burned. Gotta play it off, gotta play it off...!! "Y-Yeah! Makes sense, ya know? After everything we've been through together, hehe~!" Oh no, oh no, oh nooooo, she really hoped didn't get the wrong, or rather, the right idea of how she felt about her; she could lose her friend forever if she didn't word this right!

Spinel watched blankly as Xana panicked, launching straight into another info babble. "Oh, hey, don't make fun of me for this, but you know those flower patches I have in my yard back home?" She rambled on as she rubbed the back of her neck, trying her best to salvage her dignity without lying. She really hated being dishonest, but damn was that virtue working to her detriment at the moment! "Each one represents the people I care about most, and the flowers in them represent what I think about them. Dorky, I know~."

Ahhhhh, she was in trouble. She was in sooooo much trouble. The way she nervously fidgeted, hands moving every which way, speaking so lovingly about her flowers and what they represented in her heart, Xana was sure it was quite the amusing sight. Any moment Spinel would burst out laughing at her, calling her silly for even suggesting the highly ludicrous thought-

"....Heh." A gloved hand brushed across her cheek to slip a stray dark curl behind her ear, the touch causing Xana's whole body to freeze in place. "So endearin', babydoll."

...

At that moment in time, the record in Xana's brain didn't just skip. Oh no, the entire record player was thrown against a stone wall and smashed into itty bitty pieces. Struck dumb, she simply blinked blankly at a nearby wall for several quiet seconds while her brain did a reboot from its' blue screen of death.

Did...

Did she just say...?

No... No way, she couldn't have-

But she did...!

She couldn't have meant it like that!

....Could she?

Slowly looking up to peer at over at the pink dynamo, she was greeted by the sight of fond eyes widening in dismay and a soft smile going rigid. For once, it seemed Spinel found herself at a loss for words, mouth flapping open and closed unflatteringly like a fish. The two of them stared at each other with fear and anticipation lacing every shaky breath they took in that single tense moment.

"....What... W-What did you say...?"

"A-Ah, I, uh, I s-said... U-Um..." What the hell had she been thinking? Oh, wait, Spinel already knew the answer to that--Absolutely jack all, that's what!! The words had slipped out with absolutely no provocation, not even a tiny reason as to why she shouldn't just blurt out such an intimate sounding phrase when Xana was just looking oh-so-adorable and sweet and precious, and now here she was due that oversight; regretting her very creation! What the utter fuck?!?!

In a fit of sheer panic, the gem just said the first thing that came to mind at that moment-

"Fountain!!"

-And headed down the corridor swiftly, unwittingly dragging the reeling human woman along with her.

"Whoa!!" Just like that, whatever spell between them shattered like a mirror, and Xana was left wondering what in the fresh hell just happened. Thrown extremely off-kilter, she clutched at the space above her galloping heart, silently hissing out a breath in an attempt to calm herself down. Adrenaline was racing through her veins, the nape of her neck was prickling with the beginnings of sweat, and she had the idle passing thought of how she was sure the current heat of her face could compare to that lava pool the Crystal Gems had in their temple.

Endearing...?

Is that what her friend thought of her?

Stars... She could feel her stomach doing flips as that soft fond look Spinel had given her flashed across her memory...

Today was starting to get reeeeeeally dangerous...

'I'm fine...! Everythin' is completely fine! Nothin' is wrong in the slightest!!' Spinel repeated like a mantra within her mind, her face burning with mortification. Now if her gem would just stop glowing and humming, she'd be perfect. Wracking her head for a distraction of some kind, she tried to ward off risky, unsafe thoughts as well as wipe that blank emotionless look from her human's face, was she even breathing still?! "Y-Y'know, I c'n make flowers grow too!"

"H-Haha, uh, t-that right?" Xana gratefully took the out, absently patting at her cheeks with her free hand to will away the red blush staining her tanned skin.

"Sure can!" The gem exclaimed, lengthening and twisting her fingers into a nondescript, balloon-like bouquet, "They, uh, t-they don't mean much of anythin', though... But still, pretty cool right?!"

Taking a moment to chuckle weakly, the woman felt something ease juuuust a bit at the familiarity of their usual goofy banter. "W-Well... Every flower had no meaning at one point in time! We could always, um, m-make something up for them?" She snickered a bit hesitantly, looking over at Spinel's hand and starting to relax back into her teasing. Her flexibility never ceased to amuse the powerless human. "Uhhh, ever-changing? Adaptable? Resourcefulness? Feel free to stop me if I'm just being stupid."

...What? Oh hell no- "Stupid? Yer neva' stupid, Xana." Spinel slowed down, looking back at her straight in the eye, trying to find an answer in a storm of offense on the pretty human's behalf. "Yer one of the smartest people I know! And... It's nice that ya wanna give my silly finger flowers a meanin'." She couldn't help but look away with a smile, scratching one of said flowers against her cheek, "It's very, um... Sweet."

"E-Eh...?" Blinking slowly in incomprehension a different type of timidity took the human woman's face at the compliment, her shy fidgeting trying to hide her flattered smile as she looked down at her feet. Even now, after everything Xana had gone through in life, compliments were... difficult for her to accept.

When you were told for the majority of your years that you were worthless by many people, you kinda figured it was just the truth.

"W-Well, coming from someone as witty as you, I can't think of a better compliment!" Xana decided to just take her usual route of making light of such nice words, before speeding up and pulling excitedly on Spinel's hand. "B-But anyway... You said something about a fountain~?"

"Ah! Right! Um, it's just down this hallway, c'mon~!!!"

[rebelsofshield]

Star Wars Resistance: “The Escape” - Review

After two years, Star Wars Resistance comes to a close in a strong episode that can’t quite carry the burden that has been placed upon it.

(Review contains spoilers)

The First Order has stepped up its reign of galactic terror. In an effort to punish those who assisted the Resistance, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren has ordered the destruction of civilian targets, including the water world of Aeos Prime. Witnessing the carnage that her allies are committing, Tam Ryvora decides that she has had enough and decides to officially return to the Colossus. Kaz and Yeager make a desperate leap of faith to rescue their former friend. However, doing so will put them in harm’s way and may risk everything they have fought hard for.

This is it everyone. Star Wars Resistance has ended. This oddball little series has finally reached its conclusion, embodying its main hero, Kazuda Xiono at every step: well intentioned, energetic, colorful, occasionally very cool, and clumsy as hell. Fans and critics alike will likely spend years debating whether Resistance was cut short or if this one hour season finale was always intended to be the endpoint for this show. “The Escape” lends credence to both sides of this argument, but ultimately, at this point debating this only does so much. Our show has ended and it’s time to reflect on its big finale.

On its own, “The Escape” is the most tense and action packed episode that Resistance has ever turned in. Writer Brandon Auman and co-directors Steward Lee and Brad Rau concoct a story that is split into three dramatic acts, each with its own narrative goals and genre. We begin with a story of forgiveness and reconciliation in Tam’s flight from the First Order and her reuniting with Kaz and Yeager. We transition into a cat and mouse game in the halls of a First Order Star Destroyer. And we close out with a rallying cry of defiance against galactic tyranny. It makes for an episode that feels more consequential than almost any that this series has accomplished and it is filled with great action and character beats throughout.

If anything, it feels like “The Escape” maybe tried to bite off more than it can chew. Not everything gets the focus that it should, especially for a series finale, and it’s easy to see some fans walking out of this finale a little disappointed. Poe Dameron and other iconic Resistance members never appear. Synara is limited to just a few lines of dialogue and her former pirate family never appears. The orphans of Tehar are just kinda there. Only a few of the Ace pilots get a moment to shine. (Poor Bo Keevil and Freya Fenris feel like they never really got their moment in the sun.) The show makes a point of allowing the Colossus and its many denizens to rally against the First Order, but it feels more like a cameo parade than anything of weight. For a show that spent so much time this season stopping to explore different aspects of its ensemble and universe, many of them really feel like they didn’t amount to much at all. There’s really only so much you can do in forty four minutes, but it does make the moments of goodbye feel a little bit hollow and incomplete.

This is not to say that “The Escape” is a poor finale. It is far from it. It without a doubt struggles from being overworked, but there is quite a bit that Auman’s script does that is very successful. In particular, Tam Ryvora really gets the opportunity to stand out. Tam’s story of fear that turned to selfishness is without a doubt the most potent thing that supervising director Justin Ridge and his team ever managed to accomplish in this series. To turn a supporting cast hero into a traitor was a big step and the emotional landscape that the writers and Suzie McGrath pulled together for her journey is commendable. It’s fitting then that “The Escape” closes the book on this in stellar fashion.

“The Escape” feels like Tam’s story, and in a way that feels appropriate. The rift that Tam’s betrayal made last season remains one of the deepest emotional scars in this little family of characters and no conclusion would be complete without an attempt at healing it. Auman and Lee create a stellar first act that sees Tam’s frustrations and fears towards the First Order finally boil over and manifest in a great game of subterfuge between her and her superiors. When Tam finally escapes and makes contact with her former friends, it feels suitably cathartic and earned. The wounds are still there but all sides are willing to make amends and it sends a great message to its younger audience. People you love may lose their way and they may do terrible things, but if they come back to you and want to do the work to do better, it is good to accept them and welcome them home.

In this manner, Yeager and Kaz mostly spend the episode as the family members that are willing to risk their lives to welcome Tam back. They don’t have much of a character arc of their own to speak of, but how they fit into their friend’s own journey is utilized effectively and feels earned.

Once Team Fireball is together again, they don’t have long together before they are once again in the clutches of Commander Pyre and Agent Tierny. Auman sets up a fun dynamic that sees a trio of heroes (Tam, Kaz, and Yeager) face off against a trio of villains (Tierny, Pyre, and Rucklin). It makes for a fun series of encounters as all sides scramble to capture and outwit one another. The introduction of Kylo Ren at the outset (no matter how goofy and awful Matthew Wood’s Adam Driver imitation is) adds added stakes for the baddies too. Their lives are on the line in this too and any attempts to capture The Colossus and its heroes will be their last.

Resistance sets a Stormtrooper blasting record here as our heroes sprint through First Order corridors, blazing through bucket heads and dodging villains. (Jarek Yeager is a real badass here. Guy, slipped back into rebel hero mode in no time at all). Rucklin gets a much deserved punch in the face and that’s how we leave him, which is delightfully fulfilling, and our heroes try their best to assist the Colossus in their final stand. Pyre and Tierny meet fiery ends and the First Order machine is dealt an explosive blow that feels suitably populated with explosions. So many explosions.

While it is all certainly thrillingly shot and dazzling in its execution, it does end up feeling a little too neat though. Despite the apparent stakes at hand, our heroes get out pretty much scratch free. That melancholy joy felt at the end of every great Star Wars story is absent here. It’s great that our heroes end up happy and the citizens of the Colossus are safe, but there is no real sacrifice in their victory. Even if Star Wars Rebels’ only heroic death in its finale was aging clone commander Gregor, the death of mentor figure Kanan Jarrus still propelled the series into its final moments and series protagonist Ezra Bridger still took a heroic step into an unknown fate to save his friends and family. “The Escape” lacks that gravitas and it ends up sporting a sweet and spectacle filled finale, but not a whole lot more.

In the end, maybe that’s fitting. Resistance always seemed content to show its viewers a fast paced and colorful time in the Star Wars universe and for the most part never really bothered to shoot higher. Its finale feels content to keep that up while also wrapping up its longest running and most fascinating character arc with a message of forgiveness and hope. It’s as fun, pretty, and awkward as ever, but at this point what could you want. It ends with a group hug and a toast to heroism and honestly, maybe that’s just fine enough.

Score: B+

[luna-memoria]

edge of perception

Hey I’m here at last with the multi-chapter fic I promised! This is the Rocket Of Whispers AU I’ve been talking about since forever huehue I hope you guys enjoy it! (AO3 link here for anyone who prefers reading there!)

..

“The universe is in our bones and the stars power our souls. The cosmos… It’s the beginning and also the end. It’s… home.”

“I just want the ghosts to go away,” mumbles Felix under his breath.

..

Things are ever so different since the plague.

Felix just wants them to go away, the horrible voices that haunt his every waking and dreaming moment - quite literally. Naturally, it’s more complicated than that.

..

Galactic Calendar 15310

September 23

..

It is a cold morning, and Felix is sitting on the floor near the entrance of the rocket factory, struggling to get his boots on.

Adrien rushes past him, long having slipped into his new sneakers, bouncing around excitedly. He goes up and down on his toes, a huge grin on his face that stays intact despite the chilly wind entering through the wide-opened metal front doors. "Hurry up, Felix! It's starting soon!"

"I'm trying to," he grunts, pulling on his shoes again. This is ridiculous. He is ten years old and hasn't stepped outside the rocket factory more times than he can count on one hand, not to mention get the chance to go out and see an actual space burial for himself. And now he's being stopped by a pair of stupid shoes.

This is stupid. He wishes he didn't have to bother with it and could just leave like that, but it would be a foolish thing to do.

Adrien kneels down next to him, his lips in a thin line and his eyes fixed on Felix's boots. "You know, you wouldn't have to go through all the trouble if you just wore shoes like mine." There is amusement in his tone, which Felix simply elects to ignore.

"No," he insists stubbornly. He struggles again, this time finally managing to pull the boot up to fit comfortably. Father chooses to grace them with his presence this exact moment, finely dressed in a beige coat and hat like the elegant man he is. Felix is thankful that he's managed to ready himself by then, immediately standing up and straightening himself next to Father. Adrien does the same, except he's too excited to bother with little things like these. Father doesn't even try to lecture him too, so Felix allows himself to loosen up. Just a bit. Adrien notices this and immediately slings a hand over Felix's shoulder, startling him but warming his insides. He adjusts the scarf wrapped loosely more on his shoulders rather than around his neck; grins at his brother. Adrien returns him with a big cheerful one.

Father speaks up, an unusual softness to his voice, although that could very well be Felix's imagination. "Alright, boys. Let's go. Wouldn't want to miss the space burial." Adrien yells out with enthusiasm, skipping his way out. Felix nods simply, then breaks into a run after his brother. Father stares for a few seconds before he catches up behind them.

This is going to be a day.

..

The air is humid and there is a scent of rain and dirt all around, somewhat refreshing and a reminder of autumn, when seasons were still a thing - the kind of weather that usually makes you want to lie down in the middle of the day and let the earth reclaim you. 

But not today. 

Groups of villagers are scattered around the plaza and space burial altar. He takes a deep breath and braces himself as he sees the ever-increasing crowds - he's never really been out that much, but it's enough for him to know that he doesn't like crowds. They just make things louder and harder than necessary. He squints at the sight of an even larger crowd gathered before the dirt path that leads to the Earthology church. They form a line leading to where he supposes is the launch site, a tall silvery rocket seen in the distance.

The church is a grand building, looming over the rest of the village like a silent protector; its dark brick walls standing out in the dust-filled, greyish background. The grass around it has long overgrown but does not spot a color remotely close to a healthy green - when did plants last look like that? Certainly not after the plague, that one's for sure. Felix faintly remembers reading in a book that the church was built sometime in G.C. 15100. More than two hundred years ago. He wonders, looking at the silhouette of the building, how many times had it undergone renovations and rebuilding. 

Adrien is already eagerly making his way through the crowd surrounding the church, which makes their father shake his head disapprovingly and Felix fasten his steps. He, too, is excited for the same thing everyone is here for; the thought of seeing them making him hold back a grin.

Ardently, he pushes through the crowd, accidentally bumping into someone's back or getting tangled in their too long scarves. He mumbles a few apologies, then continues squeezing past villagers, using his small figure to his advantage. It doesn't take long for him to come out on the front at last, where he finds Adrien kneeling in the grass, a hand on his head, the gesture of an eager explorer. He smiles at the sight of this, then moves it further along the trail, seeing them at last.

A small group stands there, a fair distance between the church and the launch site. Witches, a voice whispers in his head as he watches them carefully, taking in their every movement. Each figure is dressed in a cloak of different colour; all of them with their hoods on. There is something special about how they all move, Felix manages to tell this much, despite seeing them for the first time - something, something he doesn't know, makes the air almost seem vibrant and colourful and filled with life. 

There is a reason the villagers trust them so much, Father has once told him.

Maybe it's this. This- magic, or whatever one prefers to call it, fills people with hope. With belief in the possibility that despite everything, things will turn out to be okay in the end. Felix thinks otherwise, according to all the cold hard evidence, according to the fact that the plague is spreading fast in other areas, and so does Father; but Adrien believes in the better telling. He often tells Felix to be more optimistic too, because honestly optimism is all they have left. Felix didn't really see the meaning in running from the truth then, doesn't know why people choose to believe in something like magic, but he thinks he understands. He tries to, anyway.

"Aren't they cool?" asks Adrien, eyes starry as he gestures to the witches with a thumb. He sighs dreamily. "I wish I could be one too…"

Felix places a hand over his mouth to hide a giggle. "Too bad then. Only girls can be witches." His eyes fly towards the small group again as he says this - there are only 12 of the witches, he had counted. They're the only ones in the country, which is also the reason why they're not seen often out in public. Most of the time, they only come out to conduct space burials, take care of the rituals that help guide people back to the cosmos. There is a certain romance about it that draws even Felix to it, the whole thing with returning souls to the stars. Father must have been drawn to it too, or else he wouldn't have become a rocket engineer.

One of the elders once said this: If the cosmos was not what brought us together, then the cosmos never was.

He doesn't know about everyone else, but that certainly was what brought his family together. The reason it's still together. He treasures it for that reason.

"Who's the new witch this year?" Someone in the crowd asks. Adrien's head perks up at this question, then he starts inching closer to get a better look. A hand reaches out and stops him from doing so, and both brothers turn around to see Father there, a stern expression on his face.

"You shouldn't go near them. You might disturb the ritual."

"Do you know who's the new witch, Father?!"

"Yes, I do." He points to the middle, where a shorter figure stands. A girl cloaked in red. Felix's eyes widen with realization - the girl cannot be but a few years older than himself, but normally witches are at least in their late teens when they are chosen. This girl looks thirteen at most. Father seems to realize his surprise, offering an explanation.

"She's a child prodigy, also the youngest witch to ever be. The elder seems to see something in her that no one else does."

Felix watches the witch with great curiosity. She must have plenty of talent and wisdom to earn this place. But do witches have the freedom to do what they want? Do they have time to read books unrelated to rockets, space burials, or the saints who came before them? Those were details his books never told him, and Father refuses to tell. Everyone has their hopes pinned on the witches - on this new, young witch.

How must it feel like, having the weight of the world on your shoulders? 

Felix would never know.

And it's not like he wants to, either.

The girl chooses that moment to turn round, meeting his eyes with her curious and soft gaze. Startled, Felix looks away. When he looks back, the girl has already been pulled off to the front of the line, no doubt the main focus of the day.

He lets Adrien pull him all the way towards the launch site after the witches. The next part comes in a blur, but he remembers his father's hand on his shoulder and Adrien's fingers tightly wrapped around his as they countdown. The villagers count too, some of them holding memoirs of their loved ones as they do so. Father grips the necklace he says once belonged to Mom tightly in his other hand. Felix wonders if he does this at other, previous space burials too - Mom has died a long time ago, with Father being the only person in their household to remember her.

But it's really the thought that counts, he thinks as he watches the rocket ascend into the twilight, a hundred trails of soft bluish light tracing after it as it travels, up and up and up until it disappears among the clouds.

That would turn out to be his last memory of proper, magnificent, dreamlike space burials, but of course, he wouldn't know that until much later on.

..

Late in the night.

Felix wakes up from someone shaking him - Adrien, all the time, every time. He squints his eyes at the faint light of the oil lantern next to the bed, frowns, reaches for his covers. His brother pouts and pulls the covers away.

"What are you-"

Adrien cuts him off, putting a finger to his lips. "Shh. Don't wake Father."

"What are you doing? What is this about?" 

"C'mon. Don't you want to check it out? The rocket, I mean."

The rocket Father is working on, he realizes. Father never let Felix and Adrien into his workplace - or never let them stay long enough to see how things work in there anyway. It's always just a passing glance, nothing more. He knows about them, how their curiosity works, how they always try to touch things that fascinate them.

He always used to say he'd let them in when they're ready to become rocket engineers. Of course they're not ready yet. They're just kids. Felix doesn't even know if he wants to become a rocket engineer in the first place.

But he wants to see it. The rocket. He wants to see it so badly, especially after the space burial.

Father has always expected better from Felix.

But...

It's okay to be childish sometimes, right?

"Okay," he tells Adrien, and then they quickly tiptoe past Father's room and head straight to the largest room of the factory, the only home they've known. They pause just a bit as they stand before the huge doors with the words DO NOT ENTER emblazoned across them. Felix, for once, ignores the words and does what his childish heart desires, pushing open the door. A loud squeak sounds out as he does this, and both of them tense up for a moment. Then there is nothing but the sound of the wind in the night and the creaking of the old lamp hanging above them. Nothing comes from Father's room, just an imaginary figure who does not scold them or see them sneak past at all. Nothing more.

They look at each other silently, then with a shared nod of agreement, step into the darkness that fills the room. Felix pulls out his small torchlight - a much more practical and subtle choice than Adrien's lantern - and switches it on. He feels his heart pounding. Adrien takes his hand and squeezes it.

He takes in his surroundings. The floor is littered with accessories and metal parts that he does not know the name of yet - messy in a way Felix didn't know was possible for Father. There are posters and papers all over the wall, small and neat words and drawings filling them like they could barely contain the ideas of the person who wrote them. He approaches the wall to better see the writing on one of the papers - Rocket 11 Blueprint, Thrust: 600 kg, Specific impulse: 200s. And way down there below the huge sketch of the rocket, stashed there in impossibly tiny handwriting like it's the last thing that matters on this paper, is this: 

Designed by G. Agreste.

He chews on his lip. Is this what he'll end up doing one day? He tries to imagine holding a blueprint of a rocket in his hand, signing it with the words F. Agreste. It feels weird and funny as a thought in his head and he quickly shakes it, makes it go away.

And it's not like it's bad, either, but he wonders anyway, about the small possibility of him being something other than this in a world like the one he is in. What would he even be? What does he even want?

"Psst. Felix. Felix! Over here."

He turns around to find Adrien standing next to the workbench. And there on the racks above the workbench is Rocket 11, incomplete but an incredible sight nevertheless. The moonlight streaming in from the skylight glints off the metal plate, and he has to resist his urge to lay a hand on it to feel the cool metal. He doesn't touch it, but Adrien does. He sends his brother a warning glare, and receives a sheepish half-smile in return.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

Adrien's voice grows distant - Felix doesn't have to look at him to tell that he's moved his gaze from the rocket to the view of the purplish night sky outside the skylight. It happens a lot. Felix does that too, sometimes, but when he does it he doesn't come out of his trance as easily as Adrien does. "Do you ever wonder what it's like? Building your own rocket?"

"I don't know," he replies honestly. He doesn't say I would like to know like he originally planned to, because he doesn't know if it would be a lie. And lying is the last thing he wants to do to his brother.

Adrien takes a deep, deep breath. "I think- I think I would like to. It's just- this whole idea. It sounds amazing. And especially after today-"

"-Yeah. Yeah," he says lamely. "I know what you mean. It's- really cool."

"Maybe we could build one of our own, y'know. After a few years or something. Father would definitely let us do that, right?"

He nods thoughtfully. "He did say he'd teach us, or something like that."

"Then it's decided! We're gonna- we'll build a rocket by ourselves!"

"That sounds good," Felix tells him with a small smile. It does sound good, this idea. If it's Adrien's dream, then Felix thinks he could do this. He could live with this, supporting his brother. Then possibly they'll make something that their father approves of for once, or maybe they won't. It doesn't matter. Either way, it'll work out fine for them. Adrien's got all the hopes and dreams and motivation to keep on working. Felix - he has enough skills and interest in rocket engineering. They could do this. They will do this.

They'll build their own dream.

"It's a promise, okay?" Adrien says, reaching his hand out for a fistbump because that's a special thing in this family - they don't do pinky promises or things like that. Adrien likes their family traditions to be special and unique. Felix smiles, reaches out his own, completing the fistbump.

"Promise."

Then both siblings break out in soft laughter and creep back into their room before anyone could find out. It was their secret, something only known to them, a promise with only the walls of the empty workshop and the moon as witnesses.

.

..

Galactic Calendar 15313

..

.

The promise is broken. So is the Agreste family. 

Felix stays in the rocket factory and doesn't go out for a long time.

[mleighlikes]

M’L Instants Planet Zodiac Series #21 :)

Mercury…

Heavenly body celestial one, how small you are as you sit closest to our solar sun. Inner most orbit, short and sweet you spin not on an axis thus one side is toast which your other side is a deep freeze. Named for a god, carry messages to and fro, Mercury the sun will never let you go. Around our system of solar ellipsis you pass the quickest of them all. Marvel and wonder how you exist you this microwaved rock ball.

Venus…

Heavenly body celestial two, one of the brightest points in the darkened sky. Wrapped in clouds of smoke and fog, your mysterious ways remain all your own. Second from our sun you still feel it’s warmth and thus it’s glow. Named for a god of love and beauty Venus to watch you twinkle brings such joy, more than you’ll ever know. Turn as only you do wide and strong, crossing the paths of others is never wrong. For you get to see what others only dream, closer than further a space case dream.

Earth…

Heavenly body celestial three, hold on to all life our souls trusted to you to keep. Spin near our star the sun, not to far but not to close just right for everyone. From you witness the wonders of space all around, so near yet so far the stars, other worlds are only twinkles in our sky seen from the ground. Keep your orbit tried and true, Earth our life’s keeper we stand in awe, behold you. Turn bold turn free, never can you ever stop spinning. From oceans to mountains, stages of evolution’s zoo. Hold on to us all gravity keeps us bound to only you.

Mars…

Heavenly body celestial four, the last of the terrestrial spheres. Like Earth’s dirty cousin you spin I the cosmos. A little shorter in stature, slimmer around the waist. Less gravity can’t hold us in place. Sky’s of a reddish pink hue, kept safe by an atmosphere very lite but suits you. Sharing in wonders such as seasons, weather, and polar ice caps. Also keeping secrets of volcanoes, canyon’s and faces that wink at us from afar. We are coming to you very soon cousin, you are the systems twinkling red star.

Jupiter…

Heavenly body celestial five, everyone’s big brother it’s mass too hard to hide. Wrapped in clouds made of ammonia and water, floating on hydrogen and helium. A gas giant for all of the solar system to see. Surrounded by thin rings, circled by 67 moons. You spin so fast that for us your day is done by noon. We know your out there we can see your great red spot, this is the Mack daddy planet so cool yet so hot.

Saturn…

Heavenly body celestial six, another gas giant tilts in it’s orbit. Best known as the solar systems beauty, adorned by rings made of a moon coming in to closely. Seven rings in total make up your dress. Four main groups and three fainter, made from ice and water. Each ring is made up of thousands of smaller rings, like a tree it will never give away it’s age. In Earth’s sky a faint

pale star, yet up close it’s a fan favorite by far.

Uranus…

Heavenly body celestial seven, named for the sky, dim to the naked eye. Need a telescope to be seen. Like your fellow Saturn house many rings. Yet, faint like those of Jupiter, they make you lean to one side. You are said to role not orbit the sun due to your tilt, you are a darker more hidden planet shaken not stirred among the stars.

Neptune…

Heavenly body celestial eight, the ball of blue gas spinning faster than almost all the other bodies in the heavens. Like those before it, the planet holds five rings, an ocean in space named after the good of the Roman seas. It calms the fury of it’s main moon Triton, as it erupts in the silence of space. A cold, cool, beautiful planet full of poise and grace.

Pluto…

Heavenly body celestial nine, once part of the greater system of solar bodies now demoted to dwarf status. So small, cold, distant from our planetary star. Given the name that represents the Roman god of death, this guy has it so hard. The reverse situation of Mercury, Pluto freezes I it’s track around our great star. All who know it as a planet give it a shout out, let it know who you are.

PlanetDwarf…

Heavenly body celestial in number, to small to complete planetary status. A mass object orbits a star, not thought to be as impressive as the rest. Have you cleared the area around your orbit or do you get mixed in with the debris of space. A solar system full of possibilities, one day you will grow and be a planet once again.

PlanetRouge…

Heavenly body celestial rebels, fly through the solar systems of the cosmos, let nothing or no one keep to tied to their rules of orbit. Orbit only a galactic center, ejected from the systems in which they were formed. Set lose to roam on a path of their own, never standing still, taken in, made to conform to the boundaries set by a stars super Nova threats.

ExoPlanet…

Heavenly body celestial not within, formed, made, stands on the outside of a solar systems radius. Extra solar, pulsar planets made from the existing death of another solar form. Travel in no orbit around a star, but rather around a system. Gravity holds it, yet for only how long? Come into the walks, the system will welcome you. Yet, if they do how will there be after that enough room…?

Hey there Inter World, I hope you’ve enjoyed my last two Zodiac series. If you missed them please do feel free to scroll back and check them out. May you all have a beautiful and blessed day :) . 

[cam-cat-writer]

Klancetober/Fictober 2018

Whoa I did two days in a row...? Pretty excited about this whole thing, I wrote another short fic! You can read it on AO3 here or under the cut!

       "Alright, this is a strictly diplomatic mission. We're going in to officially welcome the Alsupa into the Voltron Coalition, there's a celebration we need to attend, and then tonight we'll be back on the castleship. Everyone clear?" Shiro asked. There wasn't anything too difficult about these types of missions- there wasn't anything to fight, and that meant that all the paladins were really there for was to make the people feel more protected. Which meant that this would be a breeze.

      Allura walked back into the bridge where the team was standing around Shiro for the briefing. "Are we all ready?" She asked. She pulled up a holo-screen and scrolled for a minute. "We should be able to easily make the descent in two doboshes. Let's get to the lions. Shiro, I'll be coming with you in the Black Lion, as discussed."

      So, what do we know about this planet, Shiro? Allura?" Pidge asked over the comms as they neared the planet.

      "According to the ship's records, Alsupe is one of the more Earth-similar in this galaxy, in that the atmospheric content and the atmospheric pressure are similar. Some of the vegetation is also close to the same, and while there is a water-like liquid, it has a different chemical makeup, so don't drink it if you see any. Are Green's scanners picking up anything strange?"

      "No, not that I can see. There's nothing that should be harmful to us, at least not that I can measure from this distance. Temperature reads sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit, and the atmosphere is slightly higher in oxygen content than Earth, actually. This is the most Earth-like planet we've found since, well, Earth."

      "Yes, it is a fairly hospitable planet. You should find the atmosphere comfortably breathable without the aid of your helmets, as shall I. But I must ask, what exactly is "fair-en-hate?" While Shiro explained the measurement to the Altean princess, Lance had a question of his own.

      He had been quiet, trying not to feel so horribly homesick, but before he could talk himself out of asking, his mouth was moving and the words were out. "Hey, Pidge? What season is it down there? Earth seasons, I mean."

      Pidge paused, and Lance could tell she was taking more readings. "Um, I guess it's pretty similar to Earth Autumn? Generally? It's hard to really tell without being down there to experience it, sorry." She sounded apologetic and Lance could hear her typing, probably trying to get more accurate measurements.

      Lance couldn't decide if he was thrilled to hear it was the alien version of his favorite season or if it made him more homesick than ever. Time to put on a brave face. "Pidge, don't be sorry, that's amazing! I love Fall, this is great!"

      "Just remember to focus, Lance. We don't want anything going wrong while we're on this planet, and that goes for everyone. Keep your wits about you, be cautious. Got it?" Shiro's voice crackled over the comms again.

      "You got it, Shiro," Lance said. The team chorused agreement and fell into comfortable silence as they piloted the lions to the ground.

      It was beautiful. There was, in fact, enough oxygen in the atmosphere to breathe comfortably, so they gratefully removed their helmets when they touched down. Lance couldn't believe his eyes. When Shiro had said the vegetation was Earth-like, Lance hadn't even thought about trees. As the leader led them from their landing site to the city, he couldn't tear his eyes from the bright red and orange leaves on the trees. Their boots crunched over the leaves strewn on the path and the air bit at his cheeks. It reminded him so much of Earth, if he just closed his eyes for a second he could almost convince himself it was Earth.

      Lance put his hand on Hunk's arm to steady himself as he closed his eyes, and when he opened them, Hunk's face was full of concern.

      "You okay?" Hunk asked quietly, taking care to not draw any attention.

      "Yeah. I'm... I'm fine. It just... really, really reminds me of Earth." He sighed. A moment later, he spoke again. "Do you remember that time in your backyard during Thanksgiving Break when we got all those leaves and made a giant pile? We thought no one could see us moving around, but then out of nowhere your mom just reached right through the leaves and scooped you up." Lance chuckled. "We screamed so loud."

      "Hey, I was terrified! One second I was safe and hidden in my little leaf cave, and then the next second I was four feet in the air! What I don't get is why you screamed," Hunk said.

      "Well, for one-" Lance started.

      "Lance, Hunk, you coming?" Lance looked up to see Keith turned backward to look at them.

      Lance flushed at having called attention to himself like this. "Yeah, yeah. Just breathing in the fresh air, Mullet." He nudged Hunk forward and they caught up to the group.

      Oh, thank quiznack the negotiations were over with. Lance didn't hate the diplomacy, per se. When diplomacy meant handing out medical supplies and helping people, that was fine. All the technical mumbo-jumbo was just irritating. Thankfully Allura was equipped to handle it and the Alsupa agreed to join the Coalition. Now all that was left before they could head back was the celebration. The leaves and the planet itself were beautiful, but the longer they were there, the stronger the sense of melancholy got, hanging heavily in Lance's chest. Hunk could tell something was up, Lance knew he could. Just a few more vargas, and then he could sleep it off and they'd be back to fighting Zarkon, business as usual. And if they never came back to this planet, well Lance didn't think that'd be so bad.

      Lance managed to stick it out for much longer than he thought he would. Why was he the only one that was feeling like this? Everyone else seemed fine with the whole situation, why was the only one on the team who missed Earth like this? He slipped out of the brightly lit room and sat in the first darkened hallway he found. Breathing deeply, he leaned his head against the wall behind him. He sighed loudly and closed his eyes. He just needed a minute, that's all.

      "Uh, hey?"

      Lance's eyes shot open and he looked up to see Keith standing awkwardly next to him. Panic at being seen in a vulnerable state, he moved to stand up. "Keith! Hey, what's up?" Keith stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Lance looked up again and Keith sat down next to him on the floor. Lance settled back, albeit warily.

      "Lance, are you okay?" Keith broke the silence after a minute, staring at his hands. "I'm horrible at this sort of thing, but... You've just felt.. off. All day. Did one of us do something?"

      "No! No, it's just... me. It's no big deal, I'll be fine by tomorrow." Lance hurried to reassure him.

      "So something is wrong." Keith finally looked at Lance, and the concern in his eyes made Lance's heart thump wildly.

      "...Yeah, I guess. It's stupid though, I can deal with it." Lance tried to brush it off. He really didn't want to tell Keith how weak he was and how he couldn't even handle seeing autumn leaves on a planet with oxygen without breaking down entirely. What kind of paladin gets homesick and can't manage on their own?

      "Lance... Please. Just tell me what's wrong, you don't have to deal with it. We're a team, right?" Keith bumped Lance's shoulder and smiled. "Come on, I won't judge you for it."

      Lance hesitated.

      "It's just us, Lance. I won't tell the others if you don't want me to, not even Shiro. Just let me help you."

      Lance screwed his eyes shut. "I... I'm homesick." He felt tears well up in his eyes. Great, now he was crying too. "It's just... I miss Earth so much and then we got here and I was thinking it would make it hurt less, but... It hurts so much, Keith, it hurts and it hurts that I'm so weak that it can do this to me: look at me, I'm crying. A paladin of Voltron, supposed to help defend the entire universe, and I'm crying on the floor... And the leaves-! They... they remind me of all the years I spent playing in the ones on Earth back when we weren't fighting a galactic war and we were just on Earth living life. And the air smells just like it did at the Garrison, and if I close my eyes for a minute I can almost convince myself we're there instead of here, who knows where and who knows how far away from home and no matter how much I want to believe I'm on Earth I'm not and-" Keith held up a hand to stop Lance's rambling.

      "Can I hug you?" Lance broke, tears running freely down his cheeks. He nodded and wrapped his arms around Keith's middle, silent sobs shaking his body. Keith was taken aback, but he placed his hands gently on Lance's back, rubbing up and down slowly and murmuring quietly. "Listen for a sec, okay?" When he heard Lance try to calm his breathing, he waited for a bit until he felt him relax slightly. "First of all, you aren't weak. You're so, so strong, Lance. Being homesick doesn't make you weak, I promise." Lance didn't seem to be crying as hard anymore, so Keith kept talking. "And second of all, we're all just kids up here, being paladins doesn't mean we are or have to be Shiro or Allura. The Blue Lion chose you because you're Lance, doesn't that count for anything?" He released Lance and pulled back slightly to put both hands on his shoulders and look him in the eye. "You're the one that misses Earth the most because you love it the most, Lance. Do you really think I care about going back to Earth? Everything and everyone I care about is here, in space. You love Earth and everything on it, you always have."

      Lance chuckled softly and wiped his face with his hands. "You know, for not being very good at this sort of thing, you're really good at making me feel better." He finished wiping his face and hugged Keith again. "Thank you, Keith," he whispered. Keith felt his cheeks warm as he hugged Lance back.

      "Any time, Sharpshooter. We're a team, you and me."

[fawninthewinter]

K, I watched all of Diamond and Pearl and am now into Best Wishes.

I didn't enjoy Diamond and Pearl as much as I did Advanced. I think all the filler with the usual formula kept me from really loving it. Same problem I had with most of Johto. Yeah, Advanced had filler as well an I didn't absolutely adore it, but I think Hoenn contests, May, the interactions between Ash and the companions of that saga, and the humor kept me entertained. Maybe the English dub lessened my enjoyment of Diamond and Pearl as well. I don't remember laughing at too many of the jokes this saga. Still miss the 4kids dub. I didn't dislike it entirely though. I really liked Dawn! And her interactions with Zoey. She totally had a crush on her. No one can convince me otherwise. I loved my son Barry, of course. He was funny. Oh, and Looker made his first appearance! And he's voiced by Jason Griffith, only elevating my love for him. When things picked up, they really picked up. Specifically the Team Galactic and Hunter J plots. God, J's death was gruesome as far as deaths in Pokemon go. I was shocked they kept it in the dub. Hate to think how 4kids would have handled that if they had still been dubbing the show at the time, honestly. And the final episode was one one the saddest goodbyes in Pokemon history. Period. Probably the best saga wrap up in the show to date. Off course, it also marked Brock leaving for good.... It's kind of disappointing I didn't get into this series as much as a lot of other fans did. Because it had some really good stuff, and Sinnoh is my favorite region.

As for Best Wishes, It's actually pretty interesting so far. I love the interactions between Ash, Iris, and Cilan. Oh, and Cilan is also voiced by Jason Griffith in the dub. The dub itself is actually not bad this season like it was for most of dp and battle frontier. The main character's Pokemon all have unique personalities, and I love Iris. Back off haters. It's pretty quick paced and fun, and we've got an interesting villain plot building up with team Rocket. Not entirely sure how I feel about the trio's more serious personalities, though. On one hand, It's nice for them not to be shoved into every episode as a means of conflict like they were in DP and even most of Advanced. Like, they don't even follow Ash around just to get Pikachu, and they blast themselves off with jet packs now. They also do some secret undercover stuff for the first few episodes, and have a serious mission from Giovanni. It is nice to see them succeeding in their work after constant failures. On the other hand, I could have done with a bit more humor from them. It is a bit jarring for them to go from being comedic and dorky to calm and serious. And I miss Wobbuffet. I know he didn't do much in Advanced or DP and was sort of just there, but something feels missing without him popping out of his pokeball all the time. Guess something just feels off in general about serious rocket trio. I think the writers wanted to try something different, and I'm all for them experimenting. Anyway, I'm almost finished the very first season in Unova, and I can't wait for the arc where Meowth travels with Ash and the others for a few episodes. I'll see how much I like or dislike the saga.