#also those chocolate bunnies are actually done by me and my sisters

[dumbsterchild]

HAPPY (very, VERY late) EASTER!/ Joyeuses (en retard) Pâques

this took longer then expected. i meant to place this sooner. but, because of school, i couldn't post this here sooner. also ever since watching the rescue rangers movie, i was spending my time rewatching the 1989 version so that a review can be made. thus delaying any Loonatics content for now.

Ce prendre plus longtemps que je l'attends. J'avais l'intention cet ici plus tôt. Mais en raison de l'école, je ne peux pas. Et, depuis que je regarde le Rangers de Resque, je passe mon temps revois les Rangers de Resque 1989 tellement je sais que l'examine le film et émission. Sens les Loonatics contenu est en retard.

[punkcupcakestyles]

Love Song

Part 13

Catch Up!

“How’s Camille, Harry?”

“Greedy, ain’t he?”

“Well, when you have that face, mate, girls just don’t care.”

The words were still ringing in my ears, even though days had gone by. 

We were back in L.A., and I was back at my house. I didn’t go to his house, I mumbled excuses and went back home, to Cat and my mom. To Sam. 

That was always the plan, to go to Sam, to follow him wherever he went. I was supposed to go to Stanford while he went to UCLA and we were going to visit each other every weekend, go to San Francisco and Las Vegas. We were supposed to live college life like there was nothing else after it. And somehow, someday, he was supposed to realize that I was it for him. I was the one he was looking for. That he loved me almost as much as I loved him (I had come to terms with the fact that I was always going to love him more). 

And then, that night happened and my life turned upside down. 

It could’ve been worse, I guess.

“Your sister wore me off,” Sam complained as soon as he let himself plop down on the bed. 

The mattress shifted its weight and the mascara wand ended up poking my cheek as a result. I scowled, but Sam didn’t notice. He had his face buried into the pillow and his long arms and legs spread open over my covers as if he were a tiny, tired star. 

“Fuck, Sam!”

“Sorry,” he muttered at the same time he rose on his elbows to look at me. “You still look pretty. Where are you going?”

There was a certain edge on his voice as if he already knew the answer to his question and he disapproved of it. I peered down and poked my tongue out at him as he rolled onto his back, drumming his fingers on his tummy as he waited for my answer. 

“Dump his ass.”

“Sam...”

“No, for real, tell him to go fuck himself and dump his ass.”

“I will think about it, Sam. Now stop.”

Sam didn’t know, Sam couldn’t know. The moment he did, he wouldn’t look at me the same way. And I couldn’t stand that. 

“In this outfit?” I asked him, as I tried to remove the black smudge over my cheek. I looked down at myself, at the dark blue cotton shorts and the lavender lace of the teddy I was wearing. I had gotten it as a gift from a brand that wanted me as their ambassador, but I had never really had a use for it, up until now. “I’m going to the library.” Sam was still frowning. He was always frowning lately. “I need to take some photos for my IG. I’m gonna take it off right away.”

“Oh,” he muttered, and I felt a tinge of guilt in his voice. Not enough to say sorry, though. 

I pushed my makeup to the side, and let my fingers run through my hair to mess it up a bit, so it wouldn’t look perfectly sleek. My makeup was dewy and rosy, long lashes and glossy lips as if I had barely done something to my face instead of wearing a ridiculous amount of creams and balms and powders. It looked like I was in the middle of the golden hour when in reality it was past 8 and the sun had already set. 

I had definitely not woken up like this. 

I took a few pictures, trying to pose sexily casual, if that’s a thing, and making silly faces to the camera so I wouldn’t take myself so seriously. It was something I did from time to time, so my Instagram feed wouldn’t just be random pictures. 

Sam burst into giggles as he looked at me and took the phone away from me so he could snap a couple of pictures himself. I posed shyly, now that he was the one doing it, and he handed me my phone back once he was finished, with the photo already chosen. It was simple, I was looking at the camera with my lips slightly parted in a coy smile, and my hand on my neck. My eyes were cast down, and my nose was a little bit scrunched up, so I looked nice and happy.

“That’s the one you should post. You look beautiful,” he mumbled, and I managed to offer him half a smile, feeling my tummy bubble softly with his words.

“Thank you.” I took my phone back and went to post it on Instagram with a quick 🖤 as a caption, before I put it on my bed and fell back on the bed and lie next to him, so close that the tip of our noses was almost touching. 

“Are you gonna tell me what’s wrong?” I asked him softly and he rolled his eyes in response, attempting to get up from the bed before I pulled him back. “Sam.”

He was in a mood, bitter, sour, unbearable. He was lucky I liked him. 

“Annie broke up with me,” he muttered, avoiding my eyes as he did so.

“Oh,” I said. Oh. “When?”

“About a week ago. When I saw the photos of Harry with his ex.”

“Why would she break up with you because of that? That’s none of her business.”

“She said I cared too much.”

“You’re my best friend!!”

“She doesn’t think that’s the only thing going on.”

He finally looked at me and his eyes shone with worry. He seemed like a little kid, hopeful and scared at the same time. Hopeful I might feel the same. Scared I would laugh at him. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to, and neither did I. 

Fuck. Fuck. 

I couldn’t think of anything to say, nothing good, at least. I blinked and gulped, looking him stupidly in the eyes as he waited for me. To do what?

This is what I had wanted my whole life. Why wasn’t I jumping on the opportunity?

The sound of the phone almost made me jump out of my skin and I sat up, darting to it to give myself something to do. Harry’s name popped onto the screen and I rolled my lips into my mouth, wondering if I should answer his FaceTime call. Sam waited for me to decide, scoffing as I pushed the green button to take the call. Shut up, I warned with my eyes. 

Deep breaths. 

“Hi,” Harry smiled to the screen, widely and sweetly and I felt myself melt at the sight of him. 

God, I had missed him. It was the first time I was seeing his face, his actual face (he was everywhere, even if his album was not out yet) in a week, and I thought I knew just how much I had missed him every single day, but I was now realizing I had missed him so much more. “How are you, baby?”

Confused would be the right answer. 

“Good.” He was wearing some sort of hoodie, light blue and plush, and his dimpled smile and his bunny teeth made him look adorable. I could see Sam out of the corner of my eyes, and I shifted uncomfortably as he got up from the bed. 

“I’m gonna help Cat with dinner,” Sam muttered, loud enough to be heard. It didn’t matter if he had done it on purpose, cause Harry had notice and the sweetness on his face slowly disappeared.

“Who was that?”

“Uh...Sam.” I shifted on the bed, looking uncomfortable as Harry looked back.

“He’s there?”

No, that was a hologram. Jesus.

“He is, he stayed here while I was away.”

“You’re already back…”

“Harry…”

He looked pissed but didn’t say anything. Instead, he took a deep breath and let his tongue sweep over his lips.

“Come here tonight,” he finally said. 

“I-I can’t.”

“Why not?” 

Cause I had to figure things out. Cause I couldn’t offer him all of my attention. Cause there was a chance Sam loved me back. 

Did I love Sam? 

Fuck. 

“I was thinking about spending the night with my mom and sister.”

“And Sam,” he smirked and I rolled my eyes in response. “Let’s do something, yeah? Spend the night with them and come sleep here. I miss you.”

“I, uh, I’ll see what I can do, H.”

“That’s not a big promise, S.”

“I’m sorry, I have to go and help with dinner. I’ll let you know, yeah?”

He was displeased with my answer, rolling his bottom lip into his mouth and gnawing on the inside of his cheek. His jaw was set and he looked away from me for a second before he nodded. We said short goodbyes, and I grunted as soon as the call ended, and dropped the phone away from me so I could bury myself into the sheets.

I felt bad, so fucking bad. All I wanted to do was to go him and hide my face onto the crook of his neck.

But I also wanted to find out what was happening to Sam. 

Harry’s smile was gone too quickly, I didn’t get a chance to enjoy it. 

***

I put on a hoodie and went down to the first floor, to join my family in the kitchen. It was a mess, Cat had decided to do chocolate pudding and carbonara pasta from scratch so there was flour everywhere and an explosion of melted chocolate was stuck on the wall. I was pretty sure she had broken an egg on the floor. 

“You’re late,” she accused me, and she looked like a ghost with her face plastered with flour. 

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, side-eyeing Sam as he busied himself with the boiling milk. “I got distracted. What do you need me to do?”

“Fry the bacon and beat the eggs,” she ordered and I put myself to work, trying to avoid Sam as much as I could. But still, big as the kitchen was, it didn’t seem big enough for the two of us. 

My mom came home, still wearing her scrubs from the hospital, she looked so happy to see him, as if he were family and that was his natural place to be. She went to take a shower and came back with a big, satisfied smile just as we were serving dinner. 

It was a big, happy family dinner, even though the pudding was clumpy and that the eggs had cooked a little in the pasta sauce. It was easy to forget the problems of the day or the fact that Sam kept looking at me as if he wanted to figure me out. 

“So, when are you gonna bring your boyfriend home?” My mom asked she was finished and I looked at her and then at Sam nervously. 

“We…mmm...He’s not my boyfriend, mom. We’re just hanging out.”

“That’s not what the gossip sites say,” Cat mocked and I turned to look at her with my eyes big like plates. “What? They say you went to London so his ex would stay away. Did you really chase her with a knife?”

“I did not! Stop reading those shitty things and read a real book instead!” 

Cat shrugged her shoulders as my mom gave her a warning look. The thing about Cat was that she was less afraid of us as time went by and she grew older. I guess that’s what happens when you have a mother that’s put together with tape on her broken parts and a sister that’s about to crack. 

“Your sister did not chase anyone with a knife, that’s not the way we raised you, and we don’t beg for love,” my mom said sweetly. 

“Well…” Cat started, but suddenly shut up and whipped her head to look at Sam. She grew red and cast her eyes down as she filled her mouth with some more pudding. 

I was pretty sure what she was going to say. We all were. It was a good thing Sam had stopped her, cause I would’ve had to kill her. 

Dinner was done soon enough and Cat looked to suck up to my mom by helping her with the dishes, while Sam and I went upstairs. 

“Thanks…” I whispered when we reached my door and I leaned onto it, with my palms behind my back. 

“It’s alright,” he smiled. “She would’ve regretted it anyway.”

He barely managed to finish before I kiss him. My fingers pushed into his hair and I brought his closer, which he took as an opportunity to press me to the door. 

It was a nice kiss, more than nice, intense and slow, as I enjoyed the taste of his lips. They were sweet and juicy, just as I had always imagined them.

But the world was still there, I was aware that my mom was downstairs, and that Sam’s hands were looking for a way to sneak under my hoodie. It hadn’t disappeared around us, just like it did when Harry kissed me. 

I slowly pulled apart from him and he untangled his arms from around me. I turned around and opened the door to my room while Sam stood there, his brain probably pounding with a million questions about what had just happened. I knew mine was. 

“Sof…” Sam spoke softly and I turned around as I was about to close the door, to look at him. “Let me in.”

No. 

“Oh, no, you’ll have to wine me and dine me first, Sammy,” I tried to mock, but it came out flat and Sam’s brows furrowed deeply, as he took a step closer so no one else would listen to us. Fuck, my mom and Cat could come up at any second.

“What about Harry? You told me he was your boyfriend…”

“He is…” I nodded, biting the corner of my lips as a sudden feeling of shame filled my chest. Fuck. “It’s, uh, it’s complicated.”

“Do you love him?”

“Go to your room, Sam. We’ll talk tomorrow, yeah?” 

He finally nodded and turned around to go to his room, that was by the end of the hallway. He had always had a room at my place, it was the least I could do after he left us crash at his tiny apartment when we just got to L.A. When my mom was more a robot than a person and I worked as a waitress so we could eat. When I was still afraid every time I heard a police siren, and I saw blood in my nightmares every night.

Fuck me. 

***

@TeenVogue: Imagine looking THIS good🔥🔥🔥🔥

@Sarah1980.: Harries out there be thinking this chick can turn a gay man straight. He likes dick, ma’am.

@MikeG: Only reason I will be watching the new Marvel Era.

@Selenass: Those lips Kylie Jenner could never ���🏽‍♀️

@pinkbae: 🤡🤡🤡🤡

***

I needed to come to terms with the fact that I wasn’t going to sleep that night.

I kept watching reruns of Law and Order: SVU and I turned the TV from time to time and closed my eyes to see if I could fall asleep. But I tossed and turned on the bed, snapping my eyes open to go back to Olivia Benson and her not-so-calming stories. 

I had fucked up, I was aware of that. I kept coming back to the moment when I decided to kiss Sam, to the pressure of his lips on mine and the sweet taste of the pudding on his tongue. I scrunched up my eyes and buried my face onto the pillow, so it would muffle my groans

I needed to see Harry. 

It was an idiotic idea, but it was well established by now that I was a fucking idiot. I was still wearing the lavender teddy and the blue shorts, so I just put on a gigantic hoodie before I left my room. I hadn’t snuck out of my house in the middle of the night in a long while and I tried to be as silent as possible, stealing Sam’s keys on my way to the door. 

I took Sam’s car and drove around the familiar routes of my neighborhood. I was good there, I felt almost confident even though I was a terrible driver, the problem was when I had to leave the comfort of my zone. Soon enough, I was parking in front of Harry’s house and I pulled out my phone, begging that he would be awake so I wouldn’t have to go back home. 

You up? I wrote.

@H: It’s so late for a booty call. I feel almost used. 

I’m outside your door. 

@H: Oh, so literally a booty call? gimme a moment, I’m naked. 

I didn’t need to know that. 

@H: I’m gonna get naked again as soon as we enter the house, just so you know. 

I smiled for the first time that night, looking at the screen while I thought of something to reply. A billion things came to mind, but I settled with staring at the screen and smiling like an idiot at his words.  Oh, how I wished I was bold. 

The garage soon started to slide open and I tried and failed to start the engine again. I could see Harry standing by the driveway and looking at me with his arms crossed over his chest and a mocking smile on his face, as he saw me struggle for a bit with the car.

“Hi,” I smiled shyly when I finally parked in front of him and rolled down the window to look at him with big, sorrowful eyes, so he wouldn’t have any other choice but to agree to whatever I wanted. “Can I sleep here?”

I had learned that trick from Cat. 

Harry’s hair was messy and he wasn’t wearing a shirt, only his sweatpants that hung low on his hips. He didn’t seem like he had just woken up, he looked divine. It was almost sinful how good he looked. 

“Sure,” he smiled as he leaned into the door and looked down at me with eyes full of curiosity. “but you do know it past 3 am, right?” He asked. A mop of curls fell over his forehead and I had to restrain myself from the need to touch it. 

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, biting my lips as I looked at him. “Should I go back?”

Harry chuckles rumbled in his bare chest and he stood straight to open the door. His eyes made their way down my body as I stepped down from the car and I was painfully aware of the fact that I was barely wearing any clothes. Neither of us had seemed to have gotten the memo of how freaking cold the dawn was going to be. 

“I didn’t know you drove,” he said.

“I don’t. This is Sam’s car. I kinda stole it.”

Like a petulant child, Harry’s rolled his eyes at the mention of Sam’s name and I smiled, pressing my cold fingers to the nape of his neck to bring him closer so I could kiss him, softly, sweetly. The weight of his body pressed up to me, trapping against the car as one of his arms went around my waist.

It was all I wanted to do, all I had been thinking that night: His kisses and the way the world seemed to blur around its edges when he was close to me. He took over my mind and every one of my senses, and a warm feeling settled in my tummy. It was like nothing I had felt before and I was pretty sure that I was probably not going to feel it after he was gone. 

I was starting to think that everyone else would have to compare to him. 

“We should fuck in this car,” he muttered as soon he broke the kiss and I giggled, still pressed up to him, still refusing to let him go. His forehead was against mine and his warm breath rose little goosebumps on my skin, but he looked dead serious about his offer. 

“Why would we do that?”

“So he knows you’re mine.”

“Am I?” I smirked. 

“Yes.”

“Sam’s just a friend,” I said, pushing the kiss we had shared deep into my mind, just for now. I would deal, with whatever that was, later.

“We both know that’s not true.”

That was the perfect moment to tell him about the kiss, or at least it was as good as any other chance I would have. I kissed him, and I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have. But I needed to know. I still don’t really know. 

But it was a messy thing to say, selfish as well, cause I wanted him to forget it right away and not mention it anymore. I wanted to let it out, so my mind would calm down, without having to suffer any of the consequences. 

I didn’t say anything. I let Harry lace his fingers with mine and guide me into the house until we were both in his room, and he walked to his closet to get something to sleep on. It was a shame, I had been promised that he would be naked. I quietly took my own hoodie off and stood there for a second feeling silly as I noticed I would actually have to sleep with the stupid teddy on. It was itchy, what was I thinking. 

I sat on the bed while I waited for Harry to come back, and stared at his phone as it kept buzzing off. His screen was lit up with messages, some from Jeff, some from Mitch and some from Camille. Her name popped up on the screen again and again and I felt my heart pound in my chest as the short moment of bliss slipped away from my fingers. It was so late, why would he be texting her? Had he texted her? Was that why he was naked?

Fuck.

Harry back to the room wearing only a black pair of boxer and he took his phone just as a FaceTime call came in. I pretended not to notice it was her as I lied down on the bed and he silenced it and joined me. His arms went around my waist and he pulled me close, so my  back was pressed to his warm chest and our legs were tangled between the sheets.

“Aren’t you gonna answer?” I tried to ask as casually as I could. “What if it’s important?”

“It’s not,” he mumbled, and his words rose little goosebumps down my arm as they fanned over the nape of my neck. 

“I could go to another room or you could…”

“You’re in my bed, why would I go anywhere, Sof? S’not important, I swear.”

He may be right and I may be his, but he was definitely not mine. 

He was never going to be. 

***

I had no idea what time it was, but it was probably late. It was difficult to tell cause Harry had blackouts to cover the big windows. 

I could feel the weight of Harry’s body against mine as I blindly looked for my phone, which had been buzzing somewhere on the bed for a while now. 

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath as I squinted at the bright screen and saw Sam’s name on it. 

“Turn it off, baby,” 

“It’s Sam. He probably needs his car back.” Or was wondering why would I take it in the first place. 

“I’ll buy him a new one, just turn it off.” Harry was still more asleep than awake and he turned his face away from the light coming from the phone. I stared at the screen, biting my lip as I felt like the tears started to prick on my eyes. 

What was I supposed to tel Sam anyway? Hey, I’m sorry I kissed you and then stole your car so I could sleep in someone else’s bed? Remember I told you it was complicated? It’s really not, he loves another girl, I’m just keeping her place warm for her. I know it’s pathetic, Sammy, but I’ll take what I can get. Don’t hate me, please. I need someone that would take me back when this is over. I’ll buy us an apartment in Paris, make it worth losing my soul. I’m sorry, I definitely fucked up. 

I silenced the phone and closed my eyes as I laid back down on the bed, staring into the darkness as Harry rolled to his side again so he could hug me. I shifted, until our chest were pressed together and I nudged the tip of my nose against his jawline, pressing sweet kisses on his neck as he sleepily brushed his fingers over my waist. 

“You’re really wearing lingerie?” Harry whispered almost giddily and I wish I could see the smile on his face. “I thought it was just my dream.”

“Were you dreaming about me?”

“Yeah, I was eating your pussy and you kept screaming my name.” Even if I couldn’t see him, I could hear his smirk and a little bubble of fire lit up right by my lower tummy, pressing between my legs. I had been there, it was definitely not a dream.

“You like it when I do that?” 

“Mmmm...I can’t really remember. Maybe you should sit on my face…Freshen up my memory.”

[happyhollow-mellowmarsh]

A Day in the Life of Gumi

“Zzzz…��”

The camera continued to film the sleeping bunny for a while longer, before a small banana was brought into the frame, closer to the camera. The stem was cracked, and immediately the rabbit woke up with a start, looking around for the source of the banana… Before letting out a yawn.

“Awawawa…” 

Yawn finished, the rabbit hopped over, and began to munch on the banana. A smattering of Japanese kana floated across the screen, with the corresponding English translations captioned.

“Ohayou, everybunny! It’s me, Bubblegum, everyone’s favourite bun-bun!” The subtitles spelled out even if the rabbit herself didn’t actually vocalize anything. “Sorry for waking up late, peko! I was celebrating my third birthday yesterday… There was so much soda and I tired myself out partying!”

As she continued to munch, the camera was set down on a table. Their owner stepped into the frame of view still holding the banana, revealing a young Japanese woman in a white dress and a black hair bow: those of you who had knowledge of the idol scene (or had just read the channel’s about page) recognized her as the underground idol known as TASOGARE, or Dusky to others.

“Mama’s here! I mean, she’s always behind the camera, but she’s here now! And I love her so much!” Her free hand gently ruffled the back of the bunny’s ears. “Awawa! She always pets me just right!” 

A soft melody started playing over the two of them, before the overlaid intro card spelled out just what you were in for:

The next scene faded into a lounge room, where Bubblegum was being chased by what looked to be a tiny italian greyhound, barking as he went. Watching them frolic from atop a couch was an interesting animal, one that looked like a large cat the size of a boxer dog, but had fluffy wool much like a sheep possessed. She regarded the two on the ground impassively, as if waiting for the perfect time to strike, or simply because there was nothing better to do.

“Today, I want to introduce everyone to my familiar friends! The iggy chasing me is Bucephalus, though most of us usually call him Buce as a nickname. Say something cool, Buce-kun!”

“Yipyipyipyipyiphellohellohello!!” The tiny dog finally caught up, and booped his snout onto the fluff of Bubblegum’s tail. “Tag!”

This prompted the bunny to turn tail and chase after him back, and would not have been able to catch up to his superior speed if not for the sudden appearance of the sheep-cat, who bounded off her couch and down to block one of the greyhound’s escape routes.

“And this is my cousin, Baaby! She’s a really strong and magical sheep-cat hybrid! Please don’t call her a shat, she doesn’t like that.”

He dodged the large feline with a whine. “No fair! Why are you on her side?” 

"Because you slept on me... again. And you drool in your sleep." Baaby mewled lazily, licking one of her paws.

The chase continued for a few seconds more, before Buce bounded straight into the camera and knocked it into a black screen, setting up the next scene transition.

An underground lake framed the scene this time, as Bubblegum hopped along the water’s edge. Finding the first of her two friends, she thumped a foot in a high-five against the tailfin of the winged magical fish that leapt out of the water.

“This is Astrid! She’s a fairy koi, and she likes to swim down here. Mama likes to help her friend feed Astrid whenever she has the time to.”

The camerawoman, presumably Dusky, holds out a handful of apple blossoms towards the water. The fairy koi’s eyes light up from a distance, and she jumps out of the lake in a miniature water bubble controlled by her own magic, before swimming in the air over to munch.

“OMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM!!”

Finishing up all of the flowers, the fish let out a burp and smiled. “Thank you! Much appreciated! Astrid is very happy and full.” She blew some water bubbles into the air above Bubblegum before swimming back to the lake, popping her own water bubble as she did.

“See you around, Astri-tan!” Bubblegum waved, before continuing to hop along the perimeter.

Eventually, she came across a majestic horse-like creature resting on the side bank of the lake, with mottled green skin and a mane that looked more like seaweed than hair. A bright red eye cracked open at the sudden presence, as the sea-horse lifted her head to regard the rabbit.

“This is Undaria! She’s a kelpie, and she’s also my sister! Well, technically, half-sister, her dad and my mama are dating and all, but she’s my sister all the same! Say hi, Unda-chan!”

The kelpie neighed softly, prompting Bubblegum to hop closer. “What is it now, Bubbles?”

The bun hopped onto her half-sister’s back, before beginning to run her face through the kelp. “I’m helping to groom you! Because I can!” As she continued to trim through the kelpie’s mane, Bubblegum chirruped softly, “I love my sis so much! She’s the tsun-tsun to my dere-dere!”

“What does that even mean?” Undaria whinnied haughtily. It did not stop her from allowing the grooming to happen, or from gently setting the rabbit back down onto shore once she was done.

“See you later, nee-chan!” Bubblegum thumped happily, before skittering away to a new setting.

Now she was in the middle of a pumpkin patch, nibbling on some pumpkin leaves. “Hello again! My next friends are flying at the moment, so I’ll introduce you to them when they come down!”

A few seconds later, and they did. A white pigeon with streaks of purple and red in his wings glided down to land on a pumpkin, followed shortly after by a pale yellow budgie with a dash of small white spots on his head. They raised a wing in greeting. 

“I’m Berry!” The pigeon coos, before he scratched his head. “Still don’t know what kind of berry I’m supposed to be, but I guess it depends on the day.” He eyes the camera, and the person behind it extends a baked cracker, which he comes over to eat.

“And I’m Alkonost! I- ooh, cracker.” Distracted, the budgie hopped over to munch on the cracker. “Where was I? Oh yeah, I’m visiting today! Mom works somewhere else usually, but her girlfriend was in the area so I tagged along.”

While the birds were busy, Bubblegum moved further down the pumpkin patch; once they were done consuming the cracker, they led the camera over to their next pair of familiars.

Unsurprisingly, the massive clydesdale horse stood out first. Towering over Bubblegum and the two birds by a magnitude of at least ten, he had a dark brown mane with a matching brown tail, and a chocolate brown body with white patches around his face and legs. A loose red bandana was tied around his neck, and part of his mane had been braided to rest behind one of his ears.

At his feet was a strange snake-like creature, but this one was distinctly less long and slithery, and more compact and chubby. A glow stick necklace circled around this one’s neck, and his forked tongue stole chunks of pumpkin flesh as he vibed, brown and green stripes vibrating.

“This is Johnny Kane!” Bubblegum introduced, gently thumping her paw against the stallion’s leg. “I’ve been trying to get him interested in Unda-chan for a while now, but since he only comes to visit every now and then, there’s never really been much time to schedule a date.”

Judging by the long face on the horse, both metaphorically and literally, she was the only one in support of the idea. “Charmed.”

“And this is King!” Despite the natural tendency for rabbits to fear snakes, she approached him with no fear whatsoever. “He’s a tsuchinoko! Yes, tsuchinoko real. Do you wanna say anything?”

“Flpflpflpflpflp…” Retracting his tongue, King gave a toothy half-smile. “I mean… party rock is in the house tonight? I dunno, but I’m always down to have some fun.”

While rabbits weren’t usually capable of smiling, Bubblegum could trill happy vibes very well. “Aren’t we all? Thank you guys for showing up, I’m going to go find the others now. Stay sweet!”

Hopping away, she sped past the camera to the final pit stop in her adventure quest, a snazzy recreation room that contained a karaoke machine and a countertop bar. As she hopped inside, something ran outside, a black blur of an animal with the briefest flash of yellow eyes.

“That was Teto! It’s alright if we didn’t get to see her, she’s not very sociable.” Bubblegum sniffed. “Unlike the other black cat in the mansion… my mom’s boss, Trouble!”

She pauses in her tracks, scrunching up her face. “At least I know I’ve seen her as a black cat at some point a while ago… Maybe she likes transformation magic? Or maybe that’s just her fursona.”

Hopping onto a bar stool, the rabbit came face to face with a rooster on another stool. This was no ordinary rooster however, as instead of brown or white feathers, every inch of the sun bird’s body was covered in multicoloured flechettes. Both his comb and tail feathers had little balls of what looked to be concentrated fire, and he let out a cocky crow at the sight of the camera.

“This is Bata! He’s a sarima… sarima…” The subtitles were clearly poking fun at Bata’s species, even if both rabbit and mistress probably knew what he was. “Sun chicken! He’s a baby.”

“I am not!” He clucked back. “I am a very proud rooster who eats lots of big man food and can still find the time to give my Dad feather hugs whenever he wants them!”

Bubblegum blinked. “That’s… oddly specific.”

“Shush, don’t judge me, you get hugs from your momma all the time too.” He stuck out his tongue.

“Fair enough!” Bubblegum conceded with a trill. “And you will always be a baby because that’s what I remember you as when you were still a chick. A baby!”

Bata let out a squawk, preening his feathers. “Lies! Slander! I’m bigger than you, Bubble-brain!”

The two continued their friendly banter as Dusky stepped into view and pressed the service bell on the bar’s top. A little scratching noise was heard, before a mouse scampered up onto the bar: this mouse looked to be a little old, with a small witch’s hat that had probably seen better days, but he nonetheless squeaked cheerily to ask for orders.

“A tall glass of apple cider, please. And some water for them.” Dusky requested, giving the mouse a gentle pat on the head. The mouse moved to go make those drinks, and seconds later the order was set out in front of all three of the bar’s current occupants.

“And that’s Jeffrey! He was, um… he belonged to mom’s teacher before she passed away, but he’s still working here out of loyalty to my mom’s bosses. Really great mouse, who serves great drinks!” Bubblegum happily starts lapping at the water.

Once they were done, the idol scooped up her rabbit, waved goodbye to the other two familiars and walked out of the door. The scene cut back to the inside of their room, where Bubblegum is set down gently, and the bun hops around the room to exercise, just a little.

“As you can see, there’s a whole bunch of friends here with me in the mansion, and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and some of them are plenty magical, too!” Rubbing the back of her ears with a paw, Bubblegum yawned. “Familiar or not though… we’re still like everyday animals and we all have our own needs. Food, sleep, and of course, love!”

Dusky shows up one last time, simply to press a kiss onto Bubblegum’s eager forehead. “And I’ll always give you as much love as I can.”

“Yay! That’s all for tonight! I’ve been Bubblegum, and I wish you all a gumi-goodnight. Goodbye!” While the outro music played, Bubblegum hopped around in a circle before she binkied herself into her bed, waving at the camera one last time before the ending card signalled the vlog’s end.

[talesofsonicasura]

Guardian of the Forest

This has been stewing in my Google drive for quite a bit. It's when you play tons of Digimon, binge watch Attack On Titan and have a love for Demon Digimon that resulted in this little story here.

She was punished from the unrighteous sin of another. His entire species caged in stone walls like sheep to the slaughter. Both refuse to accept their fate and it was time to strike back and rebel.

Monster. A word that has many meanings to describe something. A term often used for otherworldly creatures or those with peculiarities. Something that fit the Evil Digimon species. They were called Evil for they represented the demons, horrors and undead of legends. Demons, ghosts, ghouls and vampires are such a small sample amongst the variety. Yet, not all of them are actually evil.

They are called that mainly for their power to manipulate the element of darkness. Darkness to many was considered malevolent, vile and unneeded. On the opposite, Holy Digimon were considered pure and absolute good. They held angelic appearances and wielded the element known as light. Light to many was blessed, sacred and untainted. Yet, not all Holy Digimon were good.

Yet not many could look past the black and whites of the world. This led the innocent to be punished and the wicked to be rewarded. It was how many innocent Digimon were sent to the Dark Area or worse, deleted. Amongst them was a Granddracmon who was only trying to protect his young. A Holy Digimon with a heart darker than any abyss had struck the family with unequal hatred.

Clash between Mega Digimon was intense and devastating especially one as powerful as GranDracmon who are said to surpass many Demon Lord Digimon vastly in power. In the end, Granddracmon had been subdued and punished. Punishment? The youngest Digimon had the power of Digivolution taken from them and cast out of the Digital World trapped in the In-Training stage with no hope of surviving or returning home.

Yet, hope was something no one could manipulate or control. For it granted the impossible in unpredictable ways.

Shiganshina, the outer town of Wall Maria. Long ago, giant creatures resembling emerged all over the world. These beasts held unbelievably sturdy hides, near godlike regeneration and incredible size from a simple three meters to a towering fifteen meters. To animals, they leave them undisturbed and vice versa. However when it involved humans was where the horror laid.

These creatures hunt down humans and devour them with no emotion. The terrifying part? These beasts only did it for the kill not for substance or vendetta. It was for the kill and no more. It didn't take long for humanity to be pushed to the edge of extinction overnight. Survivors crafted three walls ranging from 50 meters and over to keep the creatures out and these creatures earned their name. Titans, for they only brought death and destruction.

Shiganshina was located in the first wall that was made, Wall Maria. It was where farmers, common folk and those who were considered low status dwelled amongst vast abundance of nature. One forest in particular was special amongst the others. The Legend of the Red Eye. The Red Eye was a mysterious creature that dwelled within the woods. It was called Red Eye for the large glowing red orb that emerged before it strikes.

Deer, wolves and even bears fell victim to its claws with all of their blood drained. Yet to a single boy amongst thousands of people wasn't afraid. Hair short and the color of dark chocolate with eyes as bright as emeralds but a soul that burned like fire. This child was Eren Yeager, son of Doctor Grisha Yeager. An act of bravery was what set the greatest ripple of all history.

The sound of footsteps and crunching of leaves could be heard as a young child barely 3 ft in height ran through the Red Eyed Woods. This child, Eren, was carrying an empty firewood container on his back and in his hand was a few rabbits freshly killed. "Hmm… She should be somewhere around here. Garnet! Garnet! Where are you?" Eren called as his youthful slight raspy voice carried out through the vast woods.

A large bright red glared at the boy from deep within the brush of brambles and leaves. Claws clicked in the sticks they grasped. When the child draws near, it leapt out at him. Eren only turned before being knocked to the ground by a bluish violet blur. The boy laid on his back as green orbs stared into a single large red orb. Pinning the child to the ground was a large violet blue hand like creature.

It was half the boy's size with two wispy antennas, small white claws on each leg and a single giant red eye on the front of its odd octopus/hand body. Though what was peculiar was that Eren had a small pin on his shirt shaped just like the red eyes beast. "Get off me Garnet! If I come home with scratch marks in my clothes again, mom will get very suspicious about what I been doing!" Eren yelled in annoyance.

"Sorry Erenmon. Garnet is just hungry." A childish little girl's voice came from the creature as it walked off the boy. "What do you expect from your large appetite? All that pigging out on bears lately got you triple the size of a normal Tsumemon!" Eren exclaimed as Garnet looked at him. "I can't help it. Not being able to digivolve screws up any Digimon's natural biology. Size is the only thing that has been keeping me alive and not some wolf's dinner." Garnet replied walking over to Eren.

It was actually comical on how the duo met. Eren was being chased by a wolf when he had accidentally walked into its territory. This wolf was the one that actually was being hunted by Garnet. It was an alpha predator hunting a predator who was stalking a potential prey. It ended with Eren throwing a stick at the furball causing it to trip and Garnet the chance to grapple the creature to feed on it. From then it was the beginning of their odd friendship and years of trading.

Eren would visit Garnet with animals he hunted. Then he would exchange it for something the Tsumemon found in the forest or help in tasks like wood gathering. It benefitted both parties for Eren would get stuff he could use or sell and Garnet got more food to eat or store. "Do you need anything while your here Erenmon?" Garnet questioned the child. Apparently adding -mon to someone's name was a sign of respect and endearment for the In-Training's point of view.

"Nah. I just thought of giving you some rabbits to eat today. You have been a big help lately considering dad's work has been going slow." Eren states giving said forest creatures to the Digimon. "Hey, you are my friend and friends help each other. Ain't the Scouts coming back today from their latest expedition? You don't want to miss it." Garnet said as Eren flinched. "Oh crap! You're right! Thanks for the heads up Garnet. I have to go before Mikasa finds out I disappeared." Eren exclaimed as the little Digimon chuckled.

"Go Erenmon! I 'see' you tomorrow!" Garnet giggled with an eye pun as Eren took off. "I wonder when he will ever introduce me to his friends. Though considering everyone's views on the Survey Corps and this Titan nonsense of late, he does have good reasons." Garnet said as she took her claws and dug them into the three bunny corpses. "Why do I have this feeling that something bad is going to happen?" The Tsumemon asked herself before feeding her on food's blood.

Survey Corps or Scout Regiment, it was a military faction dedicated to exploring the outside world beyond the walls. It also had the highest death count of over 40 percent each expedition. This regiment was the only one who also did research on the mysterious titans and it was thanks to them for what precious knowledge they had about the giants.

Many thought they were fools for there was barely anything to cover the massive loss of life per trip but this isn't what Eren saw. To him, the Scouts were the only ones looking for answers to forever ending the titan's reign but also the world they were forced to abandoned for these insufferable walls. Some of the many who didn't support the Scouts was Eren's own mother Carla Yaeger.

She absolutely despises the Survey Corps and couldn't help but belittle them with each chance she gets. Eren could remember the many times she has done so in double digits. It was that attitude that made their relationship rough but meeting Garnet had made it worse. Garnet doesn't insult or belittle his mother whenever they meet up.

She could understand her wanting Eren to be alive but attacking the only thing willing to fight for the better of their face miffed her like a bad itch. "Nothing is forever. There will come a time where these walls will fall. The Survey Corps are the only ones trying to find a solution. They chose to risk their lives for change. To make fun of them is disrespecting their sacrifice. No one should insult their cause or souls" Were her words exactly.

Garnet had not just supported the boy but also teach him skills that could help if he ever enlists in the military. She taught him how to mask his presence, observe his surroundings and develop a sixth sense for danger. Eren had kept his goal to join the Survey Corps secret from his mother. The only ones who knew other than him and Garnet were his foster sister Mikasa and his best friend Armin.

Though he didn't feel it was smart to tell Mikasa. Mikasa was adopted into their family when her parents were brutally murdered by slave traffickers. Her onyx hair and near solemn black eyes with the crimson scarf was the only thing to identify her amongst any crowd. Mikasa was overly protective which was something Garnet believed she needed to hold back on.

Eren easily agreed with the Digimon during his current situation. The Survey Corps had returned to the walls but this expedition was a bust so to speak. A lot of casualties and broken spirits amongst the group of soldiers. The worst was when a mother looking for her son amongst then was brought back his arm and told they didn't learn anything new. That it was a waste. He recognized the look in Mikasa's eyes from the scene and knew what happened next was something he didn't like.

'Traitor!' Eren screamed in his head as he ran from his home in a rage. Mikasa had told his secret to his mother and the reaction was one he expected for her. 'Get that idiotic thought out of your head! I won't let my son go out to get himself killed for something pointless!' His mother's voice bellowed at him. 'She doesn't understand! I don't want to live a life as a bird stuck in a cage! I want to go see what's out there and the answers it holds! We can't sit around or this nightmare will never end!' Eren thought trying to hold back tears.

He needed to do something. Anything to resist the urge to scream in rage and go berserk. He looked up to see a boy around his age being picked by bullies. Eren recognized this particular child as Armin from his sun yellow hair, blue eyes and skinny frame. Despite being frail, Armin was the smartest of the three. Eren was the trio's courage and Mikasa served as the powerhouse. "Leave my friend alone you bastards!" Eren howled before jumping into the fray. It wasn't anyone's day at all.

"Nail Scratch!" A tree limb was suddenly sliced into pieces as Garnet leapt past it. The Tsumemon had decided to up her training by working on her techniques. It was something she did so on the day Eren made it to the Scouts then she could support him in battle. Titans only had one weak spot which was located on the nape of their neck. Her Bubble attack would be useless in a fight but her Nail Scratch had the best chance of actually breaking through their tough hide.

"Alright! I sliced clean through that limb and it was twice as thick as the last one too!" Garnet cheered happily. The sun was beginning to set as Garnet faced the wall far from her home. She felt confused as something was tapping into her senses. Then her pupil shrunk and her antennae shot up in alert. "That aura…! Danger! Really really deadly! It's… a catastrophe in the making! Eren in danger!" Garnet hissed wildly as a giant bolt of lightning crashed down from the distance.

"Find Eren! I gotta find Eren!" She cried out before darting off in a frenzy of worry and desperation. It can take one thing to remind the last remnants of humanity of what kept them caged. Giant skinless fingers hung over the 50 meter as what belonged to it rose into view. The face of a skinless behemoth of a titan with a corpse like mouth and verdant eyes that only promised devastation looked down on the people of Shiganshina.

In an instant the outer gate between the outside and Shiganshina had exploded inward taking into the air. Debris rained from above crushing both people and buildings underfoot the pure terror was the soulless face of a 15 meter titan peeking its head through the breach. A mass of panic had broken out as Mikasa and Eren were trapped in the chaos. "Come on Mikasa! We have to find mom! Part of that gate went flying where our house is at!" Eren screamed as he ran with all his might.

Garnet amongst the panic was also searching for Eren. The Tsumemon wove through the crowd looking desperately for her friend while dispatching any Titans in her path. "Nail Scratch!" She cried out as her claws ripped through the nape of a 12 meter Titan who was about to grab a child. "*huff* That's 7 of them but no sign of Eren. Where is he?!" Garnet shouted. She looked to her right and saw what remained of Eren's house.

How did she know? The corpse of Eren's own mother peeked from underneath the tile roof specifically her hand. "She wasn't eaten since that roof obviously crushed her. Irony on how ones fear of being devoured is to be replaced with death by their own home. Yet, where's Eren?" Garnet questioned before her single eye laid on something that chilled her core.

In the hands of an ugly blonde 15 meter Titan was Eren! "No!" She screamed as she flew desperately towards her friend. Eren was fighting to break the monster's grasp on him but it merely ignored his attempts to the likeness of a fly. 'I'm not going to make it but I can't leave him!' The Tsumemon thought. 'If only I could Digivolve but that bastard took it away from me!' The thought made her want to scream.

A memory flashed through her mind. 'Hey. Do you have a name other than Tsumemon?' A young Eren asked the little Tsumemon. 'No. Tsumemon is the only thing I got. No one really gave me one.' Garnet replied. 'Do you want one? I think you deserve an actual name than something you share with your species.' The boy said as Garnet looked confused. 'Um, okay? What do you think my name should be?' The Tsumemon questioned.

'Um… I got it! I'll call you Garnet! It's this stone Armin showed me in his special book! It said that a Garnet represents a strong spirit and will of defiance! You fight against all the odds and still come out on top yet keep a level head! ' Eren explained as Garnet couldn't help but feel happy. 'Then call me Garnet.' The Tsumemon soon had a determined look on her face.

'I won't give up! Eren put his faith in me! I am a Garnet and Garnets always overcome every challenge! I don't need Digivolution because I have something better! A friend!' Garnet thought picking up more speed. "We are going to see what lies beyond these walls together. Eren… I'M NOT LETTING YOU DIE!!!" Garnet cried out with all her might as Eren felt her resolve. "Garnet!!!" Eren cried as he turned and reached out for his friend.

And at that moment, hope had brought forth a new power.

"Spirit Rebellion! Tsumemon EXEvolve to…!" The Tsumemon cried as a bright red light engulfed her in a brilliant flash. The sound of torn flesh pierced through the destructive chaos as boiling red splattered everywhere. The head of the 15 meter sailed through the air along with other pieces of its body before crashing into different parts of Shiganshina and even one piece splatting onto the wall.

Eren had opened his eyes that he didn't know he closed to find himself still alive. "What happened?" He asked before noticing the surface underneath him was red, furry and eerily shaped like a hand. "Erenmon, you're safe now." A soft, kind and exotic woman's voice spoke as Eren looked up in shock. Only one person called him Erenmon. Holding him gently in their hand was a centaur like creature.

It was around 20 meters and looked capable of carrying a 15 meter Titan on her back. The top half was human with gray skin and the face of a woman that was obscured by a dark blue eyeless mask, red straps, black belts, a blue bat shaped cowl that a beautiful carved garnet gemstone and dark red fur covered the top half of her body and chest, long curly blond mane of hair on her head and a spiralling tail of yellow hair, half black and half white bat like wings on her back, twin curled horns, razor sharp claws, a beautiful woman's face that held sharp fangs behind soft ruby lips.

Her bottom half could be described as something from hell. The bottom half was more wolf and bear like than horse from the bulk and talon wielding paws, two giant eyeless shark like heads snapped from the side of her front thighs practically big enough to swallow a 12 meter Titan's head in their jaws, back curled spikes behind each of her legs guaranteeing pain for those careless to strike and on her lower was some sort of horse armor with a sheath that made home to a sword with a black bat like hilt.

"Garnet...You digivolved…" Eren spoke breathless at his friend's incredible transformation. "I don't think this is Digivolution but it's something more powerful. EXEvolution..." Garnet answered. "EXEvolution… Garnet, is my mom?" Eren asked as Garnet couldn't help but shook her head. Tears welled up in the child's eyes as he looked ready to cry. "The house killed her from collapsing. She was dead on arrival. Though there are more pressing matters." Garnet explained as Eren looked at the madness around them.

"Garnet. We have to get everyone out of here. As much as I want to kill these titans, there are still people alive who need to be saved." Eren said wiping the tears from his face. "I'm with you partner. Do you wish to give this form a name before we begin?" Garnet asked facing her friend. "Yeah I do. No longer are we going to sit back and let these bastards trample our dreams! It's time to fight back! Let's show them your new power Garnet! The power of GranDracmon: Rebellion Mode!" Eren shouted with all his might.

"GranDracmon: Rebellion Mode… Yes! That'll do my friend! Time to break our chains and rebel!" Garnet declared as her twin shark heads roared in challenge. Hope can come in many forms and often comes in moments of rebellion. To rebel against fate is to prove yourself worthy to face the impossible. That is the power of EXEvolution. Something this beauty and cruel world will easily understand because of two spirits who fought against fate!

That's it! GranDracmon line is one of my favorite Digivolution lines other than Cherubimon Evil or Venommyotismon from the Demon Digimon family. EXEvolution is like an alternate version of Digivolution which I created to avoid being a complete hypocrite since quote on quote Garnet can't Digivolve.

Eren's pure hatred stemmed from watching his mother get eaten but since she died an alternate way, he's resolve is more towards saving others than 'I'm gonna kill all the Titans'. Plus GranDracmon Rebellion Mode is came from a dream along with the thought of it being badass with a Rogue Titan Eren riding into battle on Garnet like a badass.

That's it for now! Until next time, stay fresh!

[angsty-nerd]

Fictober 21

#21. “Change is annoyingly difficult.”

Roswell, NM fanfic

Max & Arturo, Isobel, Mr. & Mrs. Evans.

Just as a mini note... this one is also the (rough) start to one of my bunnies hopping around in my head, so it might pop back up at some point in the future as Ch 1 of a multi-part fic.

Again, below the cut for a bit of length...

Year 1

There was a slight bounce in his step when he entered the kitchen that morning, and it was enough to draw his entire family's attention.

"Well look who is up and moving early this morning," his father greeted him dryly. "Got plans to do something with your life today, Max?"

Isobel snickered, so Max shot her a glare as he dropped into his seat at the table and poured himself a bowl of cereal.

"Cut him some slack," his mother protested on his behalf. "It's been rough for him lately. And I think it's nice to see you doing better, Max."

"Thanks, Mom." He replied with a grateful smile. It was a fairly typical family exchange. His father would criticize him for his lack of drive; for not being at college or having a full time job. Max would usually protest that he was working on his novel, or that tutoring students from the Military Academy was a real job, but his father would hear none of it until his mother shut the conversation down.

At least, that's how it would go on the days that Max left his room at all. Some days he had trouble even facing the outside world. Sometimes he couldn't even get out of bed, held prisoner by the crushing weight of his guilt in a queen-sized bed.

"Oh dear," his mother suddenly sighed with a shake of her head. She and his father were reading the newspaper over breakfast like they did most days, trading sections back and forth between the two of them as they ate.

"What is it?" His father glanced up from the sports section curiously.

"Oh, it's the anniversary of that accident last year where those poor girls were killed."

"Tragedy," his father mumbled with a shake of his head, as his eyes went back to the baseball box scores.

"The Daily Record has a memorial on the front page today for the two girls who were in the car. And an expose on that Ortecho girl that was driving. It says that her autopsy showed that she was drunk and high at the time of the accident. And she was known around town for being both a vandal and a drug dealer."

Max just kept his eyes trained on his cereal bowl. He didn't want to look at Isobel. He didn't want to know what was going through her head listening to their mom talk about the worst day of their lives.

Thankfully, he heard the newspaper pages rustling as his mom moved on to a different page. "Such a shame that she had to take two innocent girls with her when she decided to go."

He winced at her words, wanting to defend Rosa, who had no say in the matter, but knowing that he couldn't. After all, she was drunk and high that night. He saw her.

Needing to escape, Max shoved the last few bites in his mouth, and then rinsed his bowl, calling out a goodbye to his family as he hurried out the door.

It was a big day, after all. It was a day a year in the making, and he had plans.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He went straight to the Crashdown.

One year ago today, Liz Ortecho's sister had died. A few days later, she abruptly skipped town without saying goodbye and essentially broke his heart in the process. Since that day, he had spent twelve months fighting depression and trying desperately to write his feelings out, all while missing and longing for Liz.

His father wasn't wrong when he complained of Max having no direction in life. He had two plans at the end of high school. One involved following Liz on her road trip and falling in love and just allowing her life to take him along on her adventure. The other involved traveling Europe with Michael and writing his first novel. Both dreams burned to ashes in that blue car alongside the bodies of Rosa, Kate, and Jasmine.

But now a year had passed. And Max was heading to the Crashdown with a single minded purpose: to see Liz Ortecho again. After all, she would want to be with her father today of all days, wouldn't she?

As Max drove his Jeep into the town square, he slowed, startled at the sight of a number of sheriff's department vehicles parked haphazardly in front of the Crashdown, lights flashing.

He pulled into a parking space about a block away and sat there, watching and worrying. He could see Sheriff Valenti speaking with Liz's father, while his deputies seemed to be cataloguing evidence from a crime. Arturo Ortecho looked stressed out. He was talking with animation, his anxiety clearly high.

Suddenly the sheriff stopped writing notes, placed a hand on Arturo's shoulder and seemed to ask him a question. Arturo nodded firmly.

Just like that, Valenti ordered his men to pack it up and call it a day.

"No crime to report here," he announced, loud enough that even Max could hear.

Within a few minutes, the police presence was gone, and Arturo was alone with a broom, sweeping up the broken glass on the sidewalk all on his own.

Angry and determined to help, Max stepped from his Jeep and crossed the street to speak with Liz's father.

"Mr. Ortecho." Max greeted him. "Can I ask, what happened?"

Arturo nodded at him. "Max Evans, right?" Max nodded. "Liz always liked you." He said thoughtfully as he swept.

"I always liked her." Max replied, trying to not laugh at what an understatement it was coming from him. "We were friends. How is she doing? Is she here?"

"Oh, no," Arturo dismissed, with a long emphasis on the denial. "No, she's working hard, summer classes and a research internship. My little genius. No time to come home to her Papi. It's good though. Better for her this way."

Max nodded, because as he surveyed the scene he actually did understand what Arturo was saying. Broken glass littered the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, and it looked like both the door and the windows along the square had been busted in.

"Can I help you clean up, Mr Ortecho? It's a hard enough day for you and I don't have anywhere to be."

"Oh, I…"

"It's the least I can do for Liz." Max insisted, and it seemed to be the right thing to say. Arturo swallowed his protest and nodded.

"I can handle this mess just fine, but there's plenty more inside. There's another broom and more cleaning supplies in the break room closet."

"Got it."

Max stepped through the frame of the door into the restaurant and froze, surveying the scene in front of him. Liz's father wasn't exaggerating when he said there was more of a mess inside. It looked like there had been an earthquake, tornado, or some other natural disaster. The floor was covered with broken glass, broken plates, mugs, bowls…anything breakable had been strewn around the room and destroyed. Even all of the restaurant's cutlery was tossed all over the floor.

It also looked like there had been a food fight. Clearly the intruders had gotten into the store room as well, and made as big of a mess of the place as possible. Gobs of ketchup dotted the tables, melted ice cream was dripping down the long front counter, and chunks of chocolate cake were sticking to the walls in a number of places.

But the mess wasn't the worst part. The worst part was the bright red paint on the wall screaming, "MURDERERS, GO BACK TO MEXICO".

Max's heart started pounding and he suddenly felt like he was losing his breath. He braced himself against the wall beside him and tried to force himself to take long, even breaths, but it quickly became harder, as he started crying and gasping for air.

We did this. He kept thinking. I did this. Because of me, Rosa was named a murderer and Arturo is a target.

Guilt flooded through him, overtaking the initial panic that he felt at the sight of the disaster in front of him. He forced himself to pull it together, surveyed the room, and got to work.

I did this. I will fix this. He decided.

He went to the back closet and grabbed a broom and a dustpan. He prepped a trash can for himself, and finally snagged a few of the plastic tubs from the bussing station. Slowly and carefully, he started sweeping up the debris, dumping a dustpan full at a time into one plastic bin so that he could fish out any silverware or anything else salvageable, before dumping the rest in the trash.

He had worked through about a dozen loads when Liz's father joined him from outside. Working together went much faster than alone, and soon the floor was clear and they shifted their focus to cleaning the booths, and then the countertops.

It was mid-afternoon, when Arturo emerged from the store room with a bottle of solution and a tag. "Since youve been so kind to help me, I will ask one last thing...can I please take advantage of your height and ask you to clean that for me." He gestured distastefully to the painted walls.

"Of course," Max agreed, and immediately went to work trying to wash away the stain of racism that the town had left behind.

"Oh no!" Max exclaimed sadly when he realized the paint thinner was cutting straight through the mural beneath as well. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Ortecho."

"There's nothing to be done," Arturo said sadly with a shrug. "At least it is only the one wall. I'll have Maria come over to see if she can fix it when you're done. She isn't quite as talented as Rosa, but she's the next best option."

After he was done with the wall, Arturo offered to make Max a burger, but Max refused. "No, you take care of yourself, Mr, Ortecho. I'm good. I have something else I need to do anyway."

"Okay," Arturo replied, and he grasped Max's hands in his own. "Thank you for your help today."

"I'm glad I was here." Max started to leave, but as he reached the door, he paused and turned back. "Mr. Ortecho? Please don't tell Liz about this...me helping with the cleanup I mean. She doesn't need to know."

Arturo just nodded in agreement, and then Max was out the door and gone. He passed the window repair guy, who was just arriving to replace the windows. Max smiled and waved as he crossed the street and hopped back into the Jeep.

One year ago his entire life had changed for the worse, and for the last year he'd been lost, treading water, despondent. But today, a year later, he was going to change his life again. Because he knew after spending the day with Arturo exactly what he wanted to do with himself.

So Max drove straight to the Chavez County Sheriff's Department office in Roswell and enquired about the process to sign up for their academy program. He filled out the paperwork on the spot, and by sunset his future was no longer this nebulous unknown thing that he feared.

He walked into the house that evening and flopped onto the couch next to his sister, feeling lighter than he had in days, and it showed.

"What's with you?" Isobel asked curiously. "Did Liz come home like you dreamed she would?"

"No, actually, she didn't. I just finally figured out what I want today."

"Oh yeah, and what's that?"

"I...I want to help people, Iz. I want to feel like I'm standing up for what's right. I don't want being a bad person to define me for the rest of my life. I guess...I want to make up for my mistakes. So I signed up for the Sheriff's Academy."

"You what?" Isobel gaped. She stared at him for a long moment and then finally nodded. "No, actually, I can see it. You've always been a pain in my ass, brother. Now you can focus all of that 'do the right thing' energy on other people instead of me."

"Hey now!"

"Seriously, though. Change is annoyingly difficult, Max, and so far you've kinda sucked at it. I'm glad that you found some direction. I hope that this is good for you."

"Thanks, Iz."

Two months later, the next freshman class initiated their training program at the Academy, and Max was sworn into civil service. That day, while standing in his freshly pressed uniform in front of the U.S. and Zia flags, he officially became Deputy-in-Training Evans. When the oath was over, they handed him a white cowboy hat, which Max held in his hands for a long time, before carefully placing it on his head and following his training officer to his first assignment.

[foreverbeingthunderbuddy]

Just Say It [one-shot]

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Prompt: “Not to be dramatic, but I am going to die if we don’t do something … like now.”

Summary: Tony throws a Halloween party – the first ever for the reader. What to wear when you want to impress your superhero crush, Steve, but also want to hold on to your dignity? light, fluff, and one or two cuss words ;)

A/N: This is my piece for @starksparker’s 10k Writing Challenge! I’m so so sorry this is coming so late ://  Prompt is in bold. Also first time I wrote for Steve so please don’t kill me :) Word count around 5,5k. Gif by @drunkromanogers .

Masterlist

Until you moved to New York, Halloween was never really a big thing for you.

Your little group of friends in your hometown never bothered throwing an actual party or attending one, it was always more like a coming-together while wearing cat ears and eat chips in candlelight kind of thing. Of course a scary movie would play on TV and you’d spend your night screaming at too many badly done jumpscares while your friends would laugh and talk about how badly done these jumpscares were.

You like to think you never went to a party dressed like a slutty bunny because you are better than that, but behind that carefully built wall of denial you know it’s because you never got invited.

So? There are worse things in life.

For instance, being invited by your boss Tony fucking Stark to come to his probably way-over-the-top Halloween party with no Halloween party-experience on your side whatsoever. Do people still go slutty these days or are scary costumes actually in now? Should you come alone or bring someone? Besides, for a party of that scale, do people even put on costumes or is that just an excuse to have another sinful fête (how May, your supervisor, always calls it) and everyone wears the usual glamour and glitz-attire?

Google doesn’t seem to be able to give a clear answer.

Another question. Assuming people actually go scary nowadays, what could you wear that would both showcase your funny, spontaneous side by committing to a creative, spooky outfit, and your sexy, I’m-single-too-must-be-destiny side by, well, wearing something sexy? 

Even though sexy isn’t usually the style you feel most comfortable in, a party is a party and a party whose guest will be Steve “strongest BDE” Rogers calls for special actions.

“Before I forget, have you finally figured out your costume for the party next week?” Roxie asks and takes a sip from the cup filled with hot chocolate in her hands. Her dark eyes roam over your face curiously, eager not to miss the smallest hint of emotion. Roxie knows about your crush on Steve.

“Nope. Last night I had a drink, or four, and I thought it’d be super funny if I showed up as Captain America. With a shield and angry eyes and everything. But then I thought, maybe that’s weird to dress up as … Steve basically to impress said Steve.” Your last words hang in the air like a question and you see Roxie raise her eyebrows.

“Odd mating call, I have to admit,” She says and breaks into a grin but collects herself when you threateningly lift your index finger. “But of course, I, too, think that’d be a great idea. Or you don’t dress up as an Avenger when going to a party hosted by the Avengers. Just a suggestion.”

You sigh and look down into your own cup on the table in front of you. You’re sitting in your little kitchen, both gulping down hot chocolate like it’s water and listening to old songs playing on the radio.

She came straight from the hair salon to show off her now super short hair à la Danai Jekesai Gurira and you spent the last fifteen minutes admiring every single inch of it. And then you spent another ten minutes praising the white eyeliner she’s wearing that builds the perfect contrast to her dark skin and got all the details about the collection that “Never gonna buy anywhere else, Y/N, I’m serious”-eyeliner comes from.

“What if- I mean, we know Steve lived in the 40s right, so what if you went all retro and dressed up as someone from the fourties or fifties? That’s trendy nowadays and you like old stuff, right?” Roxie asks and you don’t miss the teasing sparkle in her eyes.

“You like old stuff?” was the exact question she asked the moment you told her you fell for Steve Rogers. She didn’t intend to be mean, she just wanted to provoke you out of your Finally-we-have-world-peace, trance-like state that you were in during the first weeks of having a thing, a huge thing, for him.

“Isn’t he like a hundred years old?”

“Um, no, I mean, uh- no. He didn’t age, Roxie, not his fault he was frozen.”

“….. Imagine the diseases he could have. I’m sure a hundred years ago diseases were different. I don’t think our modern bodies are made for 40s’ STDs. You could die.”

“Um, I don’t think our bodies are made for any kind of STD but that’s not the point.”

She has admitted she finds him kinda hot, too, but she’s too proud to go any further than that. Sometimes you wish you could read her mind. Or more accurately, all the time.

“Yes, I like old stuff. Old music and clothes, everyone does. It’s called vintage,” You say and try to distract her before she gets the chance to start philosophizing about Steve’s STDs again.

Alleged STDs. She has no proof he actually has them and you’re definitely not going to tell her that he probably was a virgin until he woke up in the modern day. Again, no proof, but people talk and people speculate, especially people who work for Stark in the Tower or Upstate Facility and who regularly pick up a couple of words and sentences here and there, making six out of two and two.

You probably shouldn’t believe anything that gets exchanged in the daily Stark Industries gossip meetings in the hallways and kitchens but … believing Steve didn’t bang his way through the country in the 40s does help calm your jealousy a bit. A tiny bit. 

You know he had girlfriends since starting to work for Tony but a girl can ignore that and wait ‘til she’s home and has a glass of wine in her hand before she turns to google to figure out what the “Ten Signs He Likes You” are. Preferably, there’s a phone in her other hand and her best friend (Roxie) on the line.

Cliché, you know, but … there’s a reason why these things are cliché, they’re just too fitting. And relatable. Roxie disagrees.

“But just imagine. You, in a 1940s vintage style tea dress, grey tartan, short sleeve. Black T-Strap Pumps, but sexy. I’m talking five inch heels. You’re going to a Halloween party, not church. Ooh! And one of those little hats that women wore on the side of their heads. And red lipstick, heavy eye make-up, some rouge. Did they have anything else? A highlighter?”

“You look remarkably excited about your vintage ideas for someone who doesn’t like old stuff,” You comment but can’t hide a smile. Your best friend is a stylist first and a lawyer second. Only the latter professionally, but the former at heart. If you let her, she would give you a complete make-over. Needless to say, the thought alone scares the shit out of you. She is just too unpredictable.

“Y/N, maybe try to contribute to this brainstorming, would you, I’m trying to get you somewhere.”

*****

You shouldn’t have made brownies. What made you think bringing brownies to a Tony Stark party was a good idea? You are going to make a fool out of yourself if you walk in there with two loads of self-made goods in your hands. What made you think this was “cool and spontaneous”?

Ah, yeah, right. Ally told you this year’s party wouldn’t be held in one of Tony’s mansions or the Tower. Due to some mild excesses last year, Tony – and the various authorities involved, yikes – has decided to keep it small and personal this year. His words, not yours. The party will be at someone’s apartment in New York where you live, but rumour has it that that someone is loaded as fuck, so apartment probably doesn’t apply entirely.

Read: a gigantic loft.

The fact that there aren’t going to be as many people here as you thought, makes you a little nervous because your anonymity and option of turning invisible, if everything gets too much, go downhill the minute you step through the front door. Hard to disappear without leaving if there’s hardly any space to disappear into.

Why the brownies?

How Ally put it, it sounded like this is a cozy, little get-together among friends and bringing something is usually what you do when you’re invited to something like that, right? Right?? Roxie talked you into it, to be honest.

“Men love those!” She screamed whilst wildly pointing at the freshly baked goods on the counter, “Everybody loves chocolate caramel layer scares, trust me. He won’t know what’s happening to him.”

Ha. You can guess what’s going to happen to him if he tries more than one of these: diabetes. Not that you told her that.

It’s fine, Y/N, it’s gonna be fine, just drop the brownies on the diamond counter and never get near the kitchen again, so no one will suspect any connection between you and these health risks.

You take a deep breath and one last look at the intimidating building in front of you before you start walking to the entrance. It’s been a while since you last wore heels, but thankfully Roxie doesn’t just understand style but also comfort and picked a pair that looks and feels good. You shouldn’t get too optimistic, though, the evening hasn’t even begun yet.

Before you reach the glass door, you see your own reflexion in the dim street lights.

Your outfit is exactly what she envisioned in your kitchen, grey, very 40s, very femme fatale and tight on the right places. She even got you one of those “little hats women wore on the side of their heads”. Her sister Florence took care of your make-up which means you have your face all done up, smokey eyes, lashes who aren’t exactly your own, dewy cheeks and serious red lipstick.

To add a tiny scary factor, Roxie and Florence put some fake blood on your stomach area to make it look like you got stabbed, some on the side of your head where the hat sits – “Someone crashed the hat needles into your skull, Y/N, and blood is dripping down your temple” – and on one corner of your mouth.

You wish you could have taken Roxie with you as your plus one, but Ally said no companion – small circle. Well, judging by the music already coming from a window on the, what, sixth floor (?) small circle means something entirely different to Tony. Who knows how many people he invited.

You step into the building and walk to the reception. Yes, you heard right. Reception. This is going to be fancy, you can tell. Doesn’t help your goddamn nervousness. The box in your hands gets heavier and heavier the longer you hold it and there’s one needle attaching the hat to your head that just pokes into your scalp like it’s holding on for dear life. You need to fix that as soon as you find a bathroom.

Nothing in this lobby hints at the ongoing party or its theme, everything looks as sterile as possible. Not Tony’s style, admittedly, but you guess he had trouble with the neighbours, so he refrained from decorating everything.

“Good evening, Miss, can I help you?” The man behind the desk asks and looks up to you over his round little glasses. Is that a smile or just a coincidental shadow illusion on his face?

“I’m Y/N Y/L/N, I was invited to Tony Stark’s Halloween party,” You answer (um look at my costume?) and try another smile that doesn’t get reciprocated, instead he nods and pulls up a piece of paper that looks like a list. Oh, there’s a smiling pumpkin candle on his desk, right next to the little box of paperclips. Mister Dead Inside rebelling against the stuck up neighbours, what a nice touch.

Within a few seconds he finds your name, puts a check mark behind it and meets your eyes again with a sober look on his face.

“The elevator is over there, the party is on the fifth floor, 1-0-3-1 is the code for tonight. I hope you’ll have a very nice evening, Miss Y/L/N.”

I hope so, too.

You thank him and walk to where he pointed, punch the numbers into the little keyboard on the wall and step into the opening elevator. The last thing you see before the doors close is him pulling out what looks like another pumpkin candle from one of his drawers and positioning it on his desk.

There’s no music coming from any speakers in the elevator during your ride up, but there’s definitely music coming from outside the elevator, growing louder and louder the higher you get. Hrrr, your pulse really has no business speeding up like that. It’s not like you’ve never been to a party.

You’ve just never been at a party smaller than Tony’s huge orgies (basically) and therefore never got the chance to talk to Steve with a champagne glass in your hand and no “I have to go save the world now, sorry, dear” between you two. All you know is Business Steve, stern eyes, determined eyebrows, important stuff to do. You have no clue what Private Steve is like. And that’s … kinda scary.

What if Private Steve is a douche? No. He isn’t. You don’t need to know him to know that. But what if Private Steve is boring and stiff (hmm) or … what if he likes to collect stamps or miniature trains? Is there a bigger mood killer in this world than collecting miniature trains and would you be able to stand above it?

Roxie would be of great help right now, it’s a shame you couldn’t bring her.

The doors open and reveal an open, dark hallway that is decorated with spider nets, candles, two skeletons, fake blood on the wall, a couple of pumpkins, a crooked mirror and various dusty boxes and murder equipment. This looks surprisingly awesome. After what you saw in the lobby, your expectations fell to a humble level but this is really cool.

At least a dozen voices can be heard from around the corner and the music is a notch too loud for your liking. You hesitate for another second before entering the apartment and slowly walk around the corner. What you see definitely has Tony Stark written all over it.

Take the decorations from the entrance and multiply it by a hundred. You have never seen this many different candles, and someone really had a blast with the fake spider nets. There is even a broken chandelier hanging from the ceiling, adding to the dim, mysterious atmosphere produced by the candles and blinking chains of lights.

It looks like a great party.

Oh and the people? As diverse as it gets. From vampires, werewolves and witches to pirates, various animals including a giraffe, to cartoon show characters, murdered people, injured people, angry people, to clowns, zombies, princesses, nuns, nurses, monks, angels and devils, the KFC guy and oh, is that one-armed Spongebob?

Looks like people go scary, sexy and funny. Questions answered. Time to drop off the brownies that are still in your hands and that feel like two hundred pounds at this point. No one seems to notice you as you walk past the Power Rangers and follow Ernie and Bert into a hallway that hopefully leads to the kitchen.

It doesn’t. It leads to another hallway with several closed doors which could be bedrooms. Ah. Ernie and Bert want to make out. Your bad. You turn around and walk back to the gigantic living room that in itself looks like a loft and try to make out the way to your admired location.

“Am I having hallucinations or did the 1950s just arrive at my party?” A voice suddenly asks and you jump, not expecting the noise next to you. The person who the voice belongs to turns out to be a black Aladdin, open vest showcasing abs and everything, completed by silver eyeliner and a fake wig to get the typical 1001 Nights Prince’s hair but doesn’t quite fit the rest of his appearance. But who are you to judge a dedicated man’s Halloween costume at his own party?

“Yeah, that actually might be a hallucination because I don’t represent the 50s, but the 40s,” You say and smile, just as Albert Einstein walks past you. Something to tell your grandkids about.

“Oh, I’m sorry M’lady, I got the decade wrong but the costume looks, um, fetching.”

Is this really how people talked in the 40s? Probably not. You laugh and feel a little of your nervousness go. Only a little, but still.

“So this is your party? Can you tell me where the kitchen is then?”

“Over there, next to the skeleton on the wall and the bloody unicorn. Thank you for bringing something, Miss 40s, I really hope this is dessert.”

“It is. Brownies,” You say and watch as Aladdin punches the air in joy.

“Nice! I’m glad Tony invited you, no one else brought Brownies yet. Speaking of, Tony should be here somewhere,” He informs you and roams the crowd.

Oh, please let him be Genie! Please let him be Genie, God, please!

Tony Stark topless in blue body paint and a little ponytail on the top of his head is something that would make the whole stress worth it.

You scan the room and look for Tony but you find someone else. Steve. Standing with a small group of people, a beer in his hand, he looks too beautiful to handle. So much about getting calmer.

“Okay, I’ll bring these to the kitchen, thank you!” You quickly announce and start to move.

“It was my pleasure, a lady in distress, how could I not help? The royal court has raised me to be a Prince, not a dizzard,” Aladdin proclaims and tips his fedora- you mean, his little hat. Didn’t Aladdin grow up on the street and only got access to the palace when he met Jasmine? This Aladdin here either forgot his own origin story or had more than a couple of drinks already.

While dodging guests, you walk over to the skeleton and the bloody unicorn (another guest) and enter the kitchen. Having a will of steel, you didn’t once look at Steve or check out his outfit. Like a powerful queen.

You walk around the kitchen island and put the box on the huge counter (not diamond by the way) and start unpacking. It looks like a lot of people brought some stuff, thankfully, and you place yours at the dessert side of the buffet. There are a couple of vampires with you in the room, but suddenly you hear more people walk in behind you.

“… like it’s the worst, Abe.”

“If anyone makes another theatre joke to my face, I think I’m actually gonna shoot someone,” A deep voice answers and you turn around. 

Abraham Lincoln and a zombie nurse are deep in conversation while the nurse pours glasses of bowle on the kitchen island for them. You need a couple of seconds to recognize them as Mark and Jess from your department.

“You chose the outfit, Mark- um Abe, so you gotta live with that now. Just suck it up like a real man and get drunk with me. I never drank with a president before,” She says and hands him his glass. That’s when she notices you.

“Y/N, hi! Good to see you! Nice costume, are you … I don’t know who you are. Someone from the 60s? A celebrity? Meryl Streep?”

Did she just say 60s? Wait, did she just say Meryl Streep??

“Um, no. I-“

“Jess, why would she be Meryl Streep, she looks nothing like her, look at the hair. There were other actresses besides Meryl in the 60s, by the way. Also, I don’t think Y/N is going for the 60s, I think she is going for first World War,” Abraham Lincoln muses and takes a sip from his cherry bowle.

1910s definitely wasn’t what you envisioned.

“That’s why she is all bloody, because she served in the war and got killed by a grenade splinter in her chest,” He continues and seems very sure of his ability to identify vintage fashion.

“Women didn’t fight back then,” Jess retorts and pushes a strand of red hair out of her face. Even if women had served in the World War, they wouldn’t have worn a dress and heels. Time to solve the mystery.

“I’m a lady from the 40s and I got brutally murdered by my unfaithful husband who didn’t want to pay for a divorce.”

“Makes sense.”

“At least you got the decade right, Abe,” She says and pinches Mark’s side who squinches his eyes at her comment.

“The first World War wasn’t in the 40s, that was the second one. Did you leave your brain at home tonight?”

Geez.

“Y/N, by the way, Steve was asking about you.”

What.

WHAT.

Your eyes grow wide as you stare at Jess.

“He was?”

“Yup. Wanted to know if you’d be here, too, ‘cause he had overheard Ally telling you about Tony’s invitation. I said I didn’t know and that you’ve never been to Tony’s Halloween party before, so who knows if you’d be going.”

Yeah, because you’ve never been invited before but that’s the details. Steve asked about you!! Is this even real?

“I, um, okay? Cool. Well … I’m here. Um … do you know why he asked?” Okay, can your voice sound any more unstable? Try to keep your cool, for god’s sake!

“Nope,” She simply says and eyes you curiously. Poker face! Poker face!! You smile.

“Okay.”

Short silence.

“Wow, Y/N’s got a thing for Cap. That’s cute.”

“Mark!”

“Jess, I’m Abraham Lincoln, please respect your presid-“ A rather violent punch against his shoulder cuts off his sarcastic remark.

At that moment, a small group of people walks in and to the dismay of your previously relatively steady heartbeat you see Steve with them, now being nerve-wreckingly close. The kitchen seems quite crowded now.

Did he dress up as Han Solo? Heart be still!

Before he can catch you staring, you quickly turn back to face the counter and pretend to be occupied with inspecting the cover of the box you brought the brownies in. Oh, click-closure, interesting. But is it purple from both sides…?

From the corner of your eye, you see someone push in right next to you, and you don’t need to look up to know who it is. You’d recognize that cologne anywhere. You dare a glance to your left and realize that Steve has his back to you and is talking to a fantastic-looking blonde in a Super Woman costume.

It’s easy to see that every single woman in this room and a couple of dudes are subtly staring at Captain America and you can’t blame them.

He doesn’t notice you and you think you’d get away when, on the other side of the room, two of your co-workers in sexy Harry Potter costumes (Hufflepuff and Slytherin) come up to the kitchen island. Hufflepuff sees you, claps her hands and laughs, getting everyone’s attention.

“I didn’t think you would come!”

Slytherin whistles approvingly at your costume and excessive make-up just as Steve turns from having his back to you to looking at you. His expression is kind of friendly when he turns, surely because he’s having an inspiring discussion with Wonder Woman, though he also looks curious to see who Hufflepuff is yelling at, or at least that’s how it seems to you. The minute his eyes meet yours, he freezes and stares.

“Look at you!” Slytherin calls out and grabs an empty glass to fill it with bowle, “That dress is beautiful, so retro, I love it. 50s? You should come to work looking like that, no wait, we should all come to work looking like that. Every Wednesday. We’ll make it our Mean Girls-inspired theme day. Minus the fake blood of course.”

You want to run. You don’t want everyone looking at you.

“You have no idea how long I have waited to hear those words,” Hufflepuff comments and goes for her own glass, “I’m a sucker for everything vintage. It’s so cute.”

“I’m actually a lady from the 40s, whose, um, whose husband cheated on her and now doesn’t want to pay for a divorce, so he, uh, killed me,” You explain, now not so sure about your costume idea anymore. You also try to avoid Steve’s beautiful eyes which are so painfully close and they are looking at you! One might think you never had a boyfriend before, it’s pathetic.

“Ooh, drama! I like that,” A guy who you don’t know says, “Trouble in paradise?”

Trouble in paradise? Does he think you had beef with your *non-existent* boyfriend and now you went for Murdered Wife? That’s something Roxie would do, no doubt.

“No, just liked the idea.”

The general attention in the room moves away from you and the little groups get back to their own conversations.

You chance a look at Steve out of the corner of your eye and see he’s still staring at you, no longer frozen. There is activity behind his eyes, lots of it. Just nothing you can understand. You stop trying to look at Steve without looking like you are looking at Steve and take a step forward.

“Can you pour one for me, too?” You ask Hufflepuff and she does as you ask. Steve’s gaze burns into the backside of your head. Why isn’t he saying anything? He never seemed shy around you.

The music in the living room changes into a different song and a Pink Power Ranger shrieks and pushes against the pirate next to her.

“Let’s go dance! Please!”

“No, let’s just stay here for a while.”

She sighs and looks annoyed, as far as her body language tells you because the mask covers her face completely. All of a sudden, you feel a heat at your back, like someone came up behind you and you think you know who it is. For the sake of your reputation – ‘cause you’d definitely ruin that if you turned around now and stuttered like a horse – you keep your back to him and hold on to the surface in front of you.

“We’ve been standing around all night. I need to move!”

The pirate doesn’t answer and demonstratively takes a sip from his cup. You do the same and listen to the music blasting through the apartment (Steve has moved to stand next to you now), all while ignoring the tension between the two of you in the air.

The music goes into the chorus and the bass booms.

“Not to be dramatic, but I am going to die if we don’t do something … like now.”

“Sarah, if you want to go dance, go.”

Seriously. You start to grin at her childlike crossing of the arms.

“Y/N.”

The blood in your veins freezes at his voice, so close, so him, captivating you instantly although you try not to let it show. You turn your head, still smiling, and look at him. You barely smile around him, let alone at him, because you are usually too nervous but he took you off-guard this time. Then you realize where you are, only a few inches away from Steve fuckin’ Rogers, and your smile dies on your face.

He is still staring at you, but now he is staring at your mouth.

You feel your knees get a bit weak.

The tension gets unbearable, so all you have in mind is ESCAPE. You turn away and attempt to walk around the kitchen island when Steve grabs your wrist.

“Hang on, Y/N,” He says.

He pulls you back gently and you involuntarily get close again, head tilted up to meet his eyes but immediately regretting it because how are you going to get out of this situation now?

“Hm?”

“I like your outfit. Been a while since I saw someone dressed like that.”

Roxie would high-five you now if she was here.

“Thanks.”

“I was actually … hoping to see you here, I-“

“Oh my god, who made these brownies?!” Someone cries out next to you and both of you turn your heads to the side. Albert Einstein stands at the counter, eyes huge, one of your brownies in his hand and his mouth is chewing wildly.

“Me,” You inform him and hesitantly raise your hand.

“These are unbe-fucking-lievable. I’m in love. Everyone please leave me alone now, I need some me-time.”

You smile at him, what a nice thing to say, especially from a physicist that legendary.

You look back at Steve and realize he is watching you again, this time a small smile plays around his lips. Seeing a Private Steve Smile up-close creates a tingling flutter in your belly and kind of detaches you from reality for a second. Where are you again?

“Y/N, what did you put into th-“

“Okay, that’s it,” Steve declares, interrupting Hufflepuff, lays one arm around your waist and starts to move, so you have no other option than to follow him. “I can’t even have one solid conversation with you without anyone interrupting.”

You don’t say anything because you’re way too overwhelmed by the sudden physical contact. He has never really touched you before, aside from shaking your hand or platonically laying a hand on your shoulder, and now you don’t really know how to react. The wild beating of your heart doesn’t help the matter.

He guides you out of the kitchen and you find yourself standing in the loud living room. Pink Power Ranger is dancing like there’s no tomorrow and if this wasn’t such an important moment, you would laugh. Are you being dramatic or just needy?

“I mean, I’m sure the brownies are great, but … well,” He says, arm still around your waist, blue eyes looking down at you, his smell has long catapulted you into a Steve-induced trance, “What I was saying is, I’m glad you’re here because- actually I was trying to approach you at the Tower this week but you’ve been busy and I didn’t want to interrupt, and … well, I was wondering if you want to go out-“

“Han Solo and Lady 40s, arm in arm in my living room! Never thought I would see that happening,” Aladdin booms a few steps away from you. Is this night even for real? Since when have you been so popular??

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Steve bursts out, grabs your hand and drags you past Aladdin into a hallway. You shoot the host an apologetic look but don’t bother stopping the grin on your face. This is kinda funny, not gonna lie.

The hallway is empty and there seem to be no other horny guests so far. As soon as he knows the air is clear, he turns around to you and moves way into your Personal Space (like always, it seems), his beautiful blue eyes locking on yours.

“What I was trying to say is-“

“Hey, Steve my man-“

“You better piss off now, Carl, or I can’t guarantee for anything anymore!” Steve growls at Carl, who just appeared behind him, without even looking over his shoulder.

At this moment he sounds so threatening that you can’t help but wince a little, your eyes grow huge as you watch Carl do a 180 and walk into the direction he came from. Your gaze flickers back to the man in front of you and it’s obvious he is trying not to lose his temper – a trait you never thought he had in him, losing his temper, you mean.

A small muscle in his jaw twitches and his eyes look unusually dark while they stare at the corner of your mouth, so you try a smile. At that, his face changes and he looks up into yours.

“You wanted to ask me something?”

Phew, who would have thought you would be that fucking courageous. Roxie won’t believe this.

“Yes.”

He gets even closer, so you retreat until your back hits the wall, and he puts his big hands against the surface next to your shoulders. Caging you. It’s just that it doesn’t feel like it. He could show you a way out and you would still stand glued to this spot.

“Before anyone gets in the way again, I’m gonna make this short. Do you want to go out on a date with me?”

****

Permanent Tag List:  @izzy-the-teawitch @wowpeterparker @brightcolorsoffendme @strangequakson @rosegoldquintis @thirdwheelchurchill  @hazel-eyed-bi @goldenkillmonger @yourwonderbelle @spyderparker @irondadandspidersoncute @thirtiethnovember @kaitsepticeye @appalo0 @lionheo04 @vivideley @mae-shower @jitterbuck @bookgirlunicorn @stanningissohard @chook007

[fluidityandgiggles]

Sleep Is For The Weak - Chapter 5

Previous Chapters: Prologue, Chapter 1, Last Chapter

Writing Masterlist - for previous chapters not otherwise linked

Notes (I guess): Welcome to ‘I’m bad at describing stuff’, part 1. This chapter was planned out way in advance, before I wrote the prologue even, and yet it gave me a lot of trouble because I had no idea how to wrap it up. So I hope that, for what it’s worth, this is a good one.

As always, thanks @broadwaytheanimatedseries for the original suggestion, to @whatwashernameagain for her fantastic creation on which this fic is based, and to @anony-phangirl and @asleepybisexual and @winglessnymph (hey Nymph look you’re on this list now!) for dealing with my crazy ideas. And a particularly special thanks to Miranda, again, for her poetic additions. She is the absolute best.

A quick note to any of you who are underage or have never been in such a situation (aka a massive fucking party) before - do not do anything that happens in this chapter. Please, drink responsibly, or don’t drink at all if you don’t want to. I made my mistakes so that you won’t have to. Do not do anything that happens in this chapter, watch your drinks, you know the drill. I can’t stress this enough.

Tag list (sort of): @bunny222, @ab-artist, @secretlyanxiouspersona, @your-username-is-unavailable, @virgilcrofters, @why-things-go-boom, @ilovemygaydad

(If you want to be tagged or removed, please let me know! Preferably via notes/reblogs, I have bad memory, but… you do you.)

Trigger warning: period appropriate transphobia (the early 00s were not exactly trans-friendly). This chapter doesn’t have as much. Also mentions and slight talk of dysphoria, drinking, drug use, mentions of blood (aka periods, don’t worry, it’s periods)... yeah, that’s all I remember for now...

—————

It was around one a.m. when Remy was ready to crash, and Emile was nowhere to be seen.

Remy had just the slightest idea of what happened.

——

22:38, Thursday, October 31st, 2002

"I really would've rather gone trick or treating."

"I know, boo, but you look great and my friend is gonna love you. I promise."

There were several wrong things about tonight where it came to Emile, and Remy knew all of them. One, he was sensitive to extreme temperature changes, as he told him over hot chocolate just the other day. But as things were, his costume exposed his midriff and he was snuggling up to Remy before they even left the building. Two, too many people made him incredibly uncomfortable. Strangers only intensified that feeling. And three… he couldn't bring his bunny with him to help with problems one and two.

This was building up to be a disaster.

"Well, isn't this party just so fun," India stated the moment she found Remy. "I'm surprised nobody is a Playboy bunny this year. Well… here's to hoping things will get more interesting later."

"It's totally fine, sweetie—"

"She said it's boring, can we go now?"

"Yeah, you two are better off coming back in about an hour, but you're already here. It'll be a waste of time. You're Emile, right?"

"Yeah, hello!"

"Nice to finally meet you. I'm India." Her smile was as bright as the lights reflecting off her Wonder Woman costume. "So how was Murder week? Did anyone strip?"

"No, not at Weld. What about you?"

"I'm not allowed to strip for immunity anymore, not after what happened two years ago, but… we had a couple of people walking around in towels."

Chris was there, piling red solo cups into pyramids. India and Emile kept talking about Murder and strategies for later years, and Chris was there.

He was… so beautiful. His skin reminded him of the sand on a beach. Warm and inviting beckoning him in. Caramel never looked so good on anyone else. The black hair a stark contrast. Dangerous but looked soft. Like if you touched it it would feel like cotton candy. What he wouldn't give to bury his hands into it—

Yeah... was there any way for someone to get drunk without actually drinking...?

"You're staring for far too long without actually doing anything," Remy heard someone whisper in his ear - Emile? - "go talk to him!"

"Are you trying to play fairy godparent with me?"

"No, but you're worrying me. And it's always best to talk to someone you like. How would they know you like them if you don't tell them?" Emile looked incredibly uncomfortable, even more so than before. "It's too cold…"

"Sorry, angel, don't got a sweatshirt for you." Emile huffed. "Why aren't you with India?"

"She's bringing me Fanta. Did I tell you that my sister is coming over from Evanston next—"

Definitely Emile.

"Yes, you told me. Five times already."

"Oh. Oops. But… really. He would never know you like him unless you tell him, and now is as good a time to tell him as any. And if it fails, I'm here and you can always come back here and we'll go back to your suite and order pizza!"

"I am so not into discussing Fahrenheit 451 with those assholes over there," India declared as she joined them. "What… are we waiting for?"

"Remy wants to talk to his crush but he's not doing anything about it."

"Stop saying that…"

Remy went anyway.

——

"And that's why I think that…"

Remy spaced in and out of the conversation with Chris. It was just… boring. He was talking about Blade Runner for twenty-five minutes out of the forty-five they've been talking, it was almost ridiculous. But he stayed, because… maybe he could… change the topic? Maybe? There was a certain number of times one could say radical or awesome before it turns into a chore, after all.

If only he'd shut up about his fucking crush on Harrison Ford…

"Have you ever seen Pulp Fiction?" Chris choked on his soda. "What?"

"You saw Pulp Fiction? I'd never think someone like you would—"

"Someone like me? And that's what, baby?"

"Just… you seem like the type of person who watches Beverly Hills 90210 or Gilmore Girls."

"And what stops me from liking both 90210 and Pulp Fiction?"

The conversation was incredibly boring, and Remy couldn't help it. He didn't even like 90210. Chris was… well, he was boring, and that wasn't part of the plan at all.

But… he didn't want to fuck this up at all. So… he'd put up with the boring. Okay. He can do it.

And he zoned out on him again…

"...me for a second." And then Chris was gone. What did Remy just get himself into… it wasn't what he imagined it would be like.

Huh. Maybe that's why you should never meet your heroes. Or… something like that.

And then someone jumped on his back.

"Did you tell him yet?" Emile didn't seem quite alright. "India let me out of her sight ‘cause I wanted to ask you, and—"

"Did you drink, sweetheart?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Emile didn't look him in the eyes. Nothing new, really. But Remy was still worried. "Well…"

"Emile, you're sixteen."

"Remy, you're eighteen. Stating obvious facts can be a two-player game, you know!" He sighed and hugged Remy again, only… not quite. "You wanna dance with me? Please?"

His big blue eyes were open so wide and he pouted. He actually pouted.

Remy wanted to kiss him.

No, wait, what?!

"Cutie, we can't dance right now. You look sick."

"I'm totally not sick! It's prolly just the makeup!"

"...no, you definitely look—"

"Sorry about that." Oh, great. Chris was back. "Hey, I'm Chris."

"I'm Emile, it's very nice to meet you, is this Fanta?"

"Yes, but—"

"Good, thanks."

Remy was convinced he was going to regret that night. His crush was one of the most boring people he knew (he might not be, but at least right now he was, and they did talk for almost an hour and that definitely means something), he couldn't find India anywhere, and Emile—

"That Fanta tastes funny… is that vodka?"

"Yeah. Sure."

"What did you put in that cup?" Remy whispered angrily at the upperclassman.

"Vodka. I swear it was only vodka."

——

00:17, Friday, November 1st

No, it wasn't only vodka. But Remy couldn't care at this point.

Yeah… that sounds awful. Of course he cared, but… yeah, he had a bit to drink. And he was making out with Chris in the corner, so it wasn't exactly his biggest concern at the moment.

"Your makeup's coming off," Chris laughed between kisses.

There was a slight issue with this situation. Chris kept trying to… touch. Which was usually a problem, thanks to his body being… well, his body, but today was even worse. For today was day two of shark week. And, like, it wasn't enough that he was trying to get to Remy's not yet existing dick, which even under sober circumstances Remy probably wouldn't have let him, but it was happening during the worst possible time to do that.

There was no better time in history for Remy to feel the dysphoria kicking in, and kicking in hard. Yeah. Look at how much fun he was having.

"Okay, lover boy, time to fuck out of here," someone screamed in his ear a couple minutes later. And forcefully pulled him away from Chris.

India.

"What do you want?"

"I get that you don't have much experience with booze, Skellington, but your friend is missing and I'm not going to look for him alone. And I can see you're enjoying yourself very much."

"Fine… oh. Oh shit."

"Yeah, oh shit. Now you gotta get fixing to get going, anything we gotta do before we leave?"

"...stop at the bathroom."

It was just changing a pad. He could manage going to the girls' room just for that. He could manage that—

"Make it quick, though. Any second we don't look for him is a second gone to waste."

"Alright. Just don't scream at me."

"I ain't screaming!"

It was just changing a pad. It couldn't take longer than two minutes. Just go in there, change it, get out, and—

Yeah… this was going to be tough.

——

It was around one a.m. when Remy was ready to crash, and Emile was still nowhere to be seen.

Remy had just the slightest idea of what happened.

India only called it a night because she had early classes that day, and Remy tried to reach Emile's cell for a while before giving up and falling asleep around three.

It didn't feel right. He could be dead… Remy should've done more…

And then his phone started ringing. At around nine, his phone started ringing.

"Yes, hello, what—"

"Remy… everything hurts…" Emile was crying. Shit. No, no, that was—

"Where the fuck are you?"

"I don't know… but everything hurts. And…"

"Are you still on campus, sweetie?"

"I… I hope so."

"Can you tell me where you are, what's around you? I'm coming to get you."

Remy started looking for a jacket, still half asleep, as Emile kept talking. He described something that sounded a lot like Harvard Law to Remy. (Well, actually, more like what he imagined Harvard Law looked like after watching Legally Blonde fifteen times).

"Do you mind if I sing?" Emile was calming down. Great. He was still—

"No, not at all. But… one song, alright? I still need you to tell me where you are."

"Alright."

As Remy ran outside, still putting his shoes on, phone glued to his shoulder and ear, he heard a thing he never thought was possible —

"Whatever happened to Saturday night? When you dressed up sharp and you felt alright?"

"...are you crying while singing Hot Patootie?"

"It was the first song I could think of!"

Remy found Emile sitting on a bench (like when Elle met Emmett in Legally Blonde, his little voice told him), his costume still intact but incredibly messed up, the wig thrown to the side. He looked… sick.

There was no real way to describe what he looked like other than sick. And Remy felt guilty.

"Hey, hot patootie, where's your glasses?" Emile shivered, pulling his shoulders.

"I left them in my room... I had… I had lenses on last night… and then I lost them. I can't see much…"

"Do you remember anything?" Remy sat down next to Emile, holding him tight. He was freezing. It was…

Remy felt like he failed. It was the worst feeling. He failed his best friend.

"No. I know I drank… I know this… this guy, he was really nice, he asked me if I wanted to eat something… I don't remember more than that…"

"Sweetie… it'll be alright. I promise." He couldn't exactly promise. Not at this state, anyway. "Let's take you to the clinic, okay?"

Remy had to help Emile walk. Support him on the way, sometimes carry him bridal style, all for about two minutes of walking. But… he was clearly not okay. Remy wasn't going to just… not help him, this was his best friend on campus...

It was only when they made it to the incredibly familiar (at least to Remy) clinical wing that Remy realized he didn't even wear a bra. And only because Emile told him "if any of the people in the clinic call you miss, because your boobs are out, I'm gonna punch them."

He was not going to let Emile punch anyone, but that was not his main concern at the moment.

[toopliss-chewtoy]

HiJack Week Sum. 2018 Day 4: Past Accomplishments

A never before published but old as hell fic counts as Past Accomplishments, right? This has been sitting in my ‘to edit’ pile for way longer than I’d care to admit... So enjoy! Lots of super sweet fluff!

Summary:  Two huge-ass grocery bags filled with sugar, butter, chocolate and other ingredients was not how Hiccup had envisioned this Friday night to go. Warnings: n/a Size: 2299 words Also on AO3

Cupcakes

At long last, he was home. If he walked through that door, he could forget all about work. Once he put his key in the lock and twisted, it would be just him and Jack and maybe a cocktail or two with mandatory chill-time on the couch. Just a few more steps and it would be weekend.

He dropped his bag in the hallway and kicked off his shoes. “I'm home!”

No response.

“Honeypot, my sweetest dear?” Hiccup called out in a high little pitch. He walked into the living room. No Jack. Kitchen? Ditto. He wasn't taking a nap on the bed either. All there was to greet him was their cat and a note on the kitchen table: 'doing groceries – Jack'.

Hiccup shrugged and made himself a screwdriver with a liberal amount of vodka. He had no plans for tomorrow, after all.

Right when he was done, he heard the front door. He turned and was about to take a sip... but the glass froze mid-way to his mouth. Jack came into the kitchen with a big, fully loaded shopping bags in each hand and his little sister in tow.

“Hey, Hic!” Jack gave wide smile with a hint of apologetic worry in it. Before Hiccup could press him on that, Emma flung herself around his waist, almost making him spill his precious cocktail.

“Umf! Hey Emma, long time no see.” He gave her a little hug. “That's a surprise!”

“Good thing you like surprises!” Jack said. “Cause I have another one!”

Hiccup squinted at his boyfriend. “Jaaack, what's in the bags?” This guy was up to no good, he knew it.

“Have I mentioned how much I love you?”

“Is it that bad?”

“Cause I love you a lot!” Jack came over and took the cocktail, taking a little sip. He scrunched up his nose – too strong, probably.

“Out with it.”

“You see, Emma has a baking-sale tomorrow at school.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And I kinda said I'd help her out.”

“Jack promised to bake tons of cookies and cupcakes with 100 flavours!” Emma happily chipped in. She beamed at Hiccup and Jack in turn, obviously very excited about it all. “We just did the groceries, we can make TONS of stuff!”

Hiccup forced a smile. “That's sweet. Why don't you go give Toothless a treat, we'll get started here.”

Emma didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed the pack of treats from the cupboard and ran off to find Toothless. The moment she was out of the kitchen, Hiccup fixed Jack with a deadly look.

“You promised what.”

“Well we don't actually need 100 flavours...”

“Why do I only find out now, huh?” Baking a shit-ton of cupcakes and cookies was not the Friday night Hiccup had in mind. “You need these tomorrow! Why just now?!” Hiccup hissed. Jack shrunk away more and more, holding up his hand apologetically.

“She asked me a month ago and-”

“A MONTH?!”

“-and and I forgot! Come on buttercup, please don't kill me!”

Hiccup took a big gulp of his cocktail and squeezed his brow. “Damnit, Jack.”

“I can't say no to Emma... I’m really sorry, cupcake.”

Hiccup sighed. “Fine. I’ll help. Also, poor choice of petname.”

“I owe you one.” Jack promised. He gave his disgruntled boyfriend a hug, but Hiccup’s scowl only partially dissolved.

“Oh no. You owe me a lot more than just one.”

Emma came back into the kitchen, followed by a black, meowing beast. Somehow she always managed to twist Toothless around her finger; a feat not many were able to pull off. “What can I do?” She beamed at Hiccup.

“Let’s heat up the oven then…”

Dinner consisted of take-out pizza while the first batch of cupcakes was in the oven. They settled into a cycle of alternating cupcakes and cookies, with Hiccup making all the batters and Jack and Emma taking care of putting it in/out of the oven and bagging things once they had cooled down. Cookies were iced, the more wildly flavoured cupcakes were decorated, and everything got a nice foil, bow, and tag thanks to Emma. All the while, Hiccup himself was receiving an inexplicable amount of love too.

“You feeling bad for making me bake?” He asked when Jack was hugging him from behind once more.

“A bit…” He kissed Hiccup’s shoulder. “But I have to say I also quite enjoy it.” Jack slapped Hiccup’s ass. Hiccup frowned, mouthing ‘behave’ at his SO.

Immediately Emma dissolved into giggles. “There is a hand on your butt!”

Then Jack had to leave the kitchen for a bit, or he would find out exactly how sharp their kitchen knives were first hand. Later, when his back was turned, Hiccup took revenge by dropping ice down his shirt.

“I’ll geeeheeet you for that!” Jack promised as he performed the icecube dance. Emma and Hiccup just laughed… until a sheet of rolled fondant landed square in Hiccup’s face. And then there may or may not have been some flower and chocolate chips flying around. A full-on food-fight was only narrowly avoided, but Emma still needed to take a thorough shower before she could go to bed. Turns out blobs of unbaked cookie are very tasty, but also very annoying to wash out of your hair.

While Jack tucked Emma in, Hiccup crashed on the couch for a bit. He was deathly tired, and they weren’t even half-way yet.

He felt Jack sit down next to him. He kept his eyes closed.

“Thanks. You saved my ass.”

“You make it sound like we’re already done. We’re only just half-way.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too. I think.”

“You think?” Jack softly punched his shoulder and Hiccup creaked an eye open.

“You’re the one making me bake so much.”

“You’re going to use that against me for a long time, aren’t you?”

“Yup.” He closed his eye again. He felt Jack’s lips against his cheek and smiled a little.

“How many kisses would it take?”

“A gazillion.”

“That’s not even a number.”

“Yes it is.”

“No it isn’t!”

“It is.”

“Is not.”

“No no, I know how much it is. I’ll tell you when you’ve reached it.”

Jack kissed him again. “Now?”

“No. That was two.”

“Now?”

“Nu-uh.”

“Now?”

“Keep trying. Maybe-” beep beep beep beep.

Hiccup sighed and got up, dragging Jack back to his feet as well. “Aaand back to work. Only about half a gazillion cupcakes left.”

As time progressed, more and more cupcakes and cookies of various flavours started to fill up the inlayed boxes Jack had bought. At the same time, more and more hugs were exchanged, as Hiccup was drained of his last bits of energy. He shoved a new batch into the oven and threw his arms around Jack, who was wrapping cookies. He buried his face in Jack’s shoulder.

“You smell of sugar.”

“How sweet of you.”

Hiccup giggled, mumbling “Sugar daddy”.

“What?!” Jack tried to turn around, laughing. “Did you just call me daddy? You never call me daddy when we-”

Hiccup put a finger on his lips. “Pumbaa! Not in front of the kid.”

“Oh. Sorry. Ahem. WHEN I WAS A YOUNG WARTHOOOOOG!”

“Very nice.”

“Thanks!”

Hiccup stared into the bright blue eyes of the love of his life, and he realized two things: 1) Jack was just as tired as he was, which reduced the kisses required to just a mere billion, and 2) he too was trying really hard not to dissolve into a fit of giggles. His eyes twinkled and his lips were pressed tightly together to keep from bursting into laughter in a most unflattering manner. Hiccup chuckled… and that was the beginning of the end. He could feel Jack’s chest start to shake. Teeth broke through that smile and giggles poured forth.

“You’re saying I smell too, pegleg?” He managed between fits of laughter.

“I never -- hahaha -- never stand down- hihi -- downwind from you for a reason!”

It probably wasn’t all that hilarious. But then again it was late and he had had a few cocktails already, so anything could be funny at this point. Hiccup clutched at his sides as they roared with laughter. They held on to each other to stay upright. It really didn’t help when Hiccup fashioned a hula-skirt from a tea towel and started to do the hula-dance like Timon. Jack fell over, nearly taking a tray of cookies with him. They were wheezing when the oven bleeped the next batch was done.

“You dork.”

“Hakuna Matata.”

And there they went again. It was nothing short of a miracle they didn’t let those cookies burn.

Their temporary burst of energy didn’t last forever though. Another batch was in the oven, and wrapping was all ‘wrapped up’. Hahaha. Ha.

They were dead. They crashed on the couch together. As soon as they were comfortable, Hiccup put his head on Jack’s shoulder and closed his eyes.

“I love you.”

“I’m glad you still do.”

Hiccup wanted to reply again, but talking was just… so much effort. While simply thinking a reply and keeping your mouth closed was so much easier. Just like keeping your eyes shut was so much nicer than forcing them open again. Maybe just a little nap. The oven would wake them up again.

The oven did not wake them up again.

The fire alarm did.

WHIIIOOOOO WHIIIIOOOOO

“Holy shit!” Hiccup shot upright, instantly wide awake. He ran to the kitchen with a slightly groggy Jack on his heels. There was smoke coming from the oven. Hiccup opened it and was forced to step back, coughing. Black smoke filled the kitchen and he rushed to open a window. Meanwhile, Jack shut up the fire alarm.

“What’s going on?” A sleepy voice said from the doorway. Emma was standing there with her cuddle-bunny.

“We had an accident,” Jack explained, picking her up.

“Are the cookies all right?”

Hiccup retrieved a black baking tray from the oven.

“It’s all right. Lets go back to bed.”

When Emma was asleep again, they decided to take turns on the couch if they wanted a break. That way one of them would always be awake, and prevent this from happening again. Hiccup got the first nap.

The oven time did wake him up. He went to the kitchen, to find Jack taking care of things. Finally, the last batch was done. All the butter and sugar and flour had been converted into sugary goodness. There was only some stuff left to package, but it wasn’t much. Hiccup squinted. Wasn’t there supposed to be one more cupcake on that cooling rack over there? There were only 11, but a tray held 12. Maybe Jack ate one?

Jack took a break while Hiccup finished up in the kitchen, covering everything so cakes and cookies wouldn’t dry out or become soggy respectively. Then he called it a night. They’d package the rest tomorrow. It was already - he looked at the clock - HOLY SHIT! It was 4am! He groaned and trudged to the couch. Jack was sort of half sitting half lying on it. His mouth hung open and he was snoring quietly. Hiccup smiled. Very charming.

He sat down with Jack and snuggled up against him.

“Jaaaack. Beeeeed.”

No response. He shook his arm, being more insistent about going to a surface intended for actual sleeping instead of their couch. But Jack groaned and mumbled ‘no’, and went right back to sleep.

Too tired to argue, Hiccup gave in. Jack’s arm was an excellent pillow too. His hoodie was nice and soft, and even though eh smelled a lot more sugary and flowery than his usual self, it was still nice. Jack was safety and comfort. The white-haired man was usually more vocal about it, but Hiccup really loved him just as  much. Pressed close against his boyfriend, he quickly dozed off.

“You guys should marry.”

Hiccup moaned and opened his eyes. His neck and back were about as flexible as two slabs of concrete, and felt just as heavy. Sleeping on the couch in that position? Not his best idea ever.

“Emma? What?”

“Cause you are cute together!”

“She’s right. We are adorable,” Jack mumbled.

“Oh shut up. We need to finish wrapping.” With a groan that would put any eighty-year-old to shame, Hiccup sat upright.

“You got some chocolate on your cheek.” Emma pointed out.

“Oh. Thanks Em.” Hiccup wanted to wipe it off, but Jack beat him to it by licking his face.

“Jack!” The brunet protested.

Emma ran off to the kitchen making ‘ewww’ sounds and both men laughed. “Well. You make breakfast, I’ll finish with the wrappings.”

By the time Emma was ready to be driven to school, all sweet delights were nicely packed up for the drive. Emma was already at the door, bouncing happily, but Jack needed to say goodbye first.

“I’ll come back quickly, I won’t stay the whole time. Mom will be there too.”

“It’s okay. I’m probably gonna nap in bed.”

“First I want to give you this.” Jack went to the fridge and rummaged around in it. Then, he produced a cupcake with a huge, gorgeous rose of icing on it. Resting in the middle of it was a chocolate heart. “Made this for you. While you were asleep.”

“Awww. That’s so sweet! I didn’t know you could do that.”

“Youtube. Took a few tries but hey. Nothing less for my darling dear.”

“Oh please, you’re so sweet it’s making me sick.”

“Also you might want to shower before you go to bed, you’re a mess.”

“Ah that’s more like it.”

“Jaaahaaaack! Come on!” Emma called from the hallway.

“You better go before she sets the cat on you.” Hiccup warned.

The white haired man laughed and kissed him. “K thanks bye.”

[callioope]

Writer’s Meme

Tagged by @grexigone , thank you!!!

1) How many works in progress do you currently have? Two fic that are up on AO3 (Learning Curve and How to Lose a Spy in 10 Days). Like, 30+ ideas rattling around in my brain/hanging out in my brainstorm docs. I daydream a lot but have trouble disciplining myself to sit down and write them. Unclear what will become of these neglected plot bunnies. Undecided if I’ll continue after finishing Learning Curve.

Um. I also have like 3 original ideas that I abandoned when rebelcaptain took over my life. Plus 1 finished work that I was querying, again until rebelcaptain took over my life.

2) Do you/would you write fanfiction?  lol if you’re here you know the answer to that is yes

3) Do you prefer paper books or ebooks? Paper books. Nothing like holding a paperback, curled up on the couch, sipping hot chocolate (or tea!). That being said, I actually do most of my reading on my phone these days.

4) When did you start writing? Also third grade, like @grexigone! I wrote my first fanfic with my best friend Laura--it was something about Jacen and Jaina Solo and involved magical, invisible creatures that escaped from their cages. It was also third grade when I decided I wanted to be an author when I grew up. Sorry, nine-year-old self. Still working on that (sort of).

5) Do you have someone you trust that you share your work with?  Yes! For fic -- the lovely and wonderful @allatariel & @theputterer have beta’ed Learning Curve. Before these two, my poor fiance served as a sounding board and pseudo-proofer (he proofed mainly for plot/believability on Whatever I Do, I Do It To Protect You). (So blame him for any plotholes I’m just kidding he was a lifesaver for that fic.) and my wonderful sister @jessseri was so involved in plotting The Last Stark that I sort of consider her a co-writer on it (she also looked it over before posting). 

For original works, my best friend Dan is the master of finding all plotholes, and my friend Andy has also read my finished novel. oh my god, and my dad repeatedly asked me for it, I did share it with him eventually and that was terrifying. It went okay though. He likes to hound on how unnecessary my prologue was (a feeling my college prof shared) but otherwise he was positive. 

6) Where is your favorite place to write? My beautiful, wonderful, desk that I bought about ... probably a year ago at this point... it is (fake) gray wood and an L-shape and it was the desk of my dreams and i did *so much shopping* to find it and then one day there it was, in one of those google ads. 

also the couch or on my porch. I move around sometimes to try to get inspiration flowing.

7) Favorite childhood book? When we say “childhood” how young are we talking here? In elementary school, my sister and I were obsessed with the book There's a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake by Hazel Edwards. We bought it online a few years ago for nostalgia reasons and this book is so bizarre???? Idk what we were thinking??? or what my dad must have been thinking when he was reading it to us? Here is a quote for you: He watches. I know he does. It’s supposed to be talking about how the hippo on the roof watches their television but like it’s so creepy sounding. ANYWAYS. I was also super obsessed with Animorphs in 4th-6th grade, Harry Potter for ... ever. Oh! And I liked Jane Yolen’s Pit Dragon trilogy? That’s middle school, is that too late?

8) Writing for fun or publication? Both. I mean, aspirationally at least, for the latter. But like I said in question 1, I haven’t done anything with original works in over a year and a half.

9) Pen and paper or computer? Computer, but pen and paper if I get raging inspiration or if I’m trying to break writer’s block. Quite a few ideas are scribbled down on post-its at work.

10) Have you ever taken any writing classes? I have a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing. So, uh, yeah. I’ve taken a few.

11) What inspires you to write? lol like, anything? it just depends. Reading: Whatever I Do was inspired by a line in the Rogue One novel; when Jyn first enters the temple she thinks of her mother. So my mind naturally went, okay but what if Lyra WAS there. Music: whenever I listened to “The Way We Move” by Langhorne Slim & the Law I got such a clear image in my head that it nagged me until I wrote it. 

For fic, I also like the idea of filling a void. I lost interest in Harry Potter fic after the last book came out; the story had closure, in my mind. But Rogue One gave us so very little, and I thought there was a lot more to explore there. This is why I’m really happy there isn’t more canon material. I really like writing and reading all the varying what ifs. It could have been this way, or that way, or -- maybe a combination of ways! I love that. (Also why I’m not a huge fan of prevalent fanons. Unless they’re sort of silly/fun, benign ones. One set standard sort of kills things for me.)

For original stories, my best, most interesting (to me, at least) are all based on dreams. Every single one, even the one I finished. That was based on a dream I had my sophomore year of high school -- 2004?? I think??? It took me over ten years to write the damn thing. (and a million drafts) And actually, the scene that I dreamed isn’t even in the story anymore. But it gave me two of the main characters and the setting.

Tagging: @theputterer, @allatariel, @skitzofreak, @siachti, @estherlyon, @ruby-red-inky-blue, @threadsketchier, @caffeinosis 

The usual disclaimer: sorry if any of you have already been tagged, no pressure if you don’t want to do it, & MOST IMPORTANTLY if you see this and haven’t been tagged and want to do it, consider me tagging you!!! I want to tag ppl who haven’t been tagged; I’m just really bad at paying attention to who has been tagged and who hasn’t. Tag me so I can see your answers!

[actionjaxkol]

Crystal #?? - Interview with Jaxkol

“Alright, Interview... whatever number this is. Trixie Spinwhistle with the Gift of Gob --”

“Wait -- wait so how does this work?”

“I ask you questions and you answer ‘em, babe. S’not rocket surgery.”

“Oh. So what is --”

“Don’t hurt yourself, kid, save the brainpower for the answers.”

BASICS

► Name ➔   “Jaxkol Dawnsedge. Previously Shadowriot. Previously-Previously Shadowfel” ► Are you single ➔ “Nope! Some beautiful weirdo had a terrible lapse in judgement that I am not letting them weasel out of.” ► Are you happy ➔   “I actually don’t remember being this happy before. It’s... nice.” ► Are you angry ➔  “Weirdly, I get angry easier than I used to. Only when people are treating others unfairly though.” ► Are your parents still married ➔   “As far as I know. They’re Nobles, ‘divorce’ isn’t a thing they do. I think my mom has a consort though.”

NINE FACTS

► Birth Place ➔ “Silvermoon City” ► Hair Color ➔ “White blond naturally, the illusion makes it grey-black.” ► Eye Color ➔ “Green naturally, blue with illusion. Sometimes I wonder what color they’d be if they didn’t glow. I’m kinda jealous of humans and dwarves and stuff, their eyes can be all different colors.” “Focus, kid.” ► Birthday ➔ “May nineteenth.” ► Mood ➔ “Restless, anxious, eager but shy. Lonely, but the temporary type. At odds with myself” ► Gender ➔ “I’m a guy, but I’m also an elf and on the small side, so I get mistaken for a girl like, once an month. Not as much in Stormwind though, but it’s happened. It’s amusing.” ► Summer or winter ➔ “I dunno. Living on the streets, both suck, but it was easier to cool down than it was to warm up when you’re skinny. I have a home now, so I’m curious to see what winters are like. ...and now I’m thinking of Pryn as a snow bunny. Yeah I definitely want to see Winter.” ► Morning or afternoon ➔ “Afternoons. That’s when everyone is starting to wind down and relax. But lately I’ve had to get up super early for Argent training and watching the sun rise over the harbor is just... spiritual or somethin’.”

EIGHT THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE

► Are you in love ➔ “I keep... trying to tell myself ‘no’, that I’m being stupid but... yes. I absolutely am.” ► Do you believe in love at first sight ➔ “So, it kinda works opposite for me. If I fancy someone right off the bat, it’s gonna end bad. If my first thought is like ‘who the fuck do you think you are?’ then we’ll probably be friends forever. Or mortal enemies. Like, Noah and I fought when we first met, but we were friends until.... Anyhow. Jiang and I hit it off immediately, but fucker was married. I hated Vyn when we first met, but... I trust him with my life now, he’s my brother. Totegar I was smitten with from the start and he.. Yeah. Let’s not talk about him. I didn’t know what to make of Pryn at first, I thought she was my exact opposite and that we’d be at odds but she’s my best friend. Oh shit, and Izzy! I was fucking scared shitless of him when we met and now he’s my baby brother!” “Yes or no would’a sufficed, kid.” ► Who ended your last relationship ➔ “Totegar was afraid to come to terms with being gay, so he kinda settled for me. I was safe and harmless and non-threatening. When he figured out that sleeping with another guy wouldn’t bring about the next Cataclysm, he dropped me like a bad habit and went after someone better. Like. The very next morning. ...It’s whatever.” ► Have you ever broken someone’s heart ➔  “I wanna say ‘no’ but, I mean, maybe? I know I really hurt Jiang’s wife, Yue, when I told her but... I didn’t know so I couldn’t stop it. I might have broken Red’s heart by telling him no. Over and over and over again. And probably a few more times to come...” ► Are you afraid of commitments ➔ “I’m not afraid to throw myself body and (what’s left of my) soul into things, but I’m terrified that I’m going to let people down...” ► Have you hugged someone within the last week? ➔ “Yeah! I used to be really afraid of contact, anytime anyone touched me it was ya know. Never for good stuff. Vyn started making a point to hug and touch me just in a friendly way. And then I get to the Keg and people aren’t afraid to hug me and it’s.. Nice.” “Man, you are a talker...” “Sorry...” “Nah, this is good.” ► Have you ever had a secret admirer ➔ “I don’t... think so? I’m just amazed I have not-secret admirers.” ► Have you ever broken your own heart? ➔ “Yeah... a lot. Like... daily. Wait is that not normal?” “...No, kid.”

SIX CHOICES

► Love or lust ➔ “Love. I mean, I think you need some lust in a relationship, but you need that love first. Otherwise it’s just... meaningless.” ► Cats or Dogs ➔ “So my sister Jaelys used to have a cat, and she loved that damn thing. In Silvermoon, cats are everywhere, right? But this one used to like, ride on her shoulder and sleep in her lap while she studied. She even got it this pretty collar and like... we didn’t have spending money so I don’t know how she got it. Anyhow, my brother I guess didn’t like it as much, cuz when he was rising into the Fel arts, he used the cat for a ritual. I’ve never seen my sister cry, but... I did see something die in her eyes when he brought her the little body...” “...Kid?” “...Hmm? Oh! ...Dogs. I like dogs.” ► A few best friends or many regular friends ➔ “I get... really attached to people fast. Like, if I’m going to get close to someone at all, I’m in for everything. So... probably a few best friends. But I’m friends with everyone until they give me a reason not to be! Hey, like a dog I guess!” ► Wild night out or romantic night in ➔ “It’s hard to say. I really like going out and getting that energy out, but being alone with someone special, just... watching them do those little, meaningless, private things that make up their secret world... It’s so beautiful I never want to leave it.” ► Day or night ➔ “Day is hot and involves a lot of running. Night.”

FIVE HAVE YOU EVERS

► Been caught sneaking out ➔ “Growing up it never crossed my mind to disobey. If had to leave the apartment for any reason, I got permission from either Mother, or Father or failing that one of my two eldest siblings. Jaelys and I always had to have escorts. When I was living with Vyn for a while, I’d sneak out if... my brain started eating itself, I guess. He always found me though. So. Yes?” ► Fallen down/up the stairs ➔ “Yeah my feet and I don’t always communicate correctly. I’ve tripped over my own shadow.” ► Wanted something/someone so badly it hurt? ➔ “Yes... But it’s this weird, beautiful pain. I like being close to her because when she’s not there, I can’t believe that I have someone so amazing in my life. If I told her that she’s just call me stupid and whack me with her tail though.” ► Wanted to disappear ➔ “...yes... I have disappeared a few times. I can’t... seem to make it stick though. I guess for the best.”

FOUR PREFERENCES

► Smile or eyes ➔ “I like a smile that takes up the entire face. I mean the kind that makes the eyes bright like the stars. I like it when the mouth and the eyes agree with eachother. Izzy has an amazing smile that just lights up everything. Vyn’s is strong, protective, kinda like Ash’s. Jiira’s has secrets. Pryn’s has light that like... changes colors. Vali’s is hard and cold, but there’s fire beneath it. Drex’s is mischief. Kae is fire, white hot or smouldering embers, rarely anything in between. Aida... Aida is made of chocolate and cheesecake and -- oh shit chocolate cheesecake that’s a great idea.” “What about mine?” “...Sharp. Your smile is a blade and your eyes cut through people...” ► Shorter or Taller ➔ “I got a thing for people bigger than me. Which I guess isn’t hard.” ► Intelligence or Attraction ➔  “Humor. I’m not smart, so everyone is more intelligent than me. And I don’t.. really get attracted to people’s outside the same way other people do I guess. I don’t go ‘DAMN that dude has a nice ass, I must pursue him’ it’s more like... ‘your personality is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, I need to see every angle of it, good or bad’. Fuck, I would probably fall for a blighted murlock if we got along well enough.” ► Hook-up or Relationship ➔ “I’ve done the hookup thing, it doesn’t... it just... makes that void worse. Like drinking saltwater.”

FAMILY

► Do you and your family get along ➔ “No.” “...what that’s it? Kid you’ve rambled on ‘cat versus dog’ and that’s all I get?” “I... failed. I’ll pay for it when my luck runs out, but.. No. Three sisters, two brothers, and my parents - no we don’t get along.” ► Would you say you have a “messed up life” ➔ “I really don’t think so, but I’ve been told otherwise. I think everyone goes through their awful shit, just cuz mine is more colorfully explosive, doesn’t mean it’s any more messed up than anyone elses’.” ► Have you ever ran away from home ➔ “Not before the Incident, and after that, I didn’t exactly have a home to run away from. I ran away from Vyn when I was supposed to be staying with him and got overwhelmed, but I don’t think that’s the same thing.” ► Have you ever gotten kicked out ➔ “Yeah.” “...is that all you’re gonna say on that?” “Yeah.”

FRIENDS

► Do you secretly hate one of your friends ➔ “What?? No that’s fucked up. We might not get along, but I don’t hate anyone.” ► Do you consider all of your friends good friends ➔ “I mean, some are better or closer than others, but I think everyone is exactly how they need to be.” ► Who is your best friend ➔ “Ah shit, hard question. I don’t have just one ‘best’ friend, they’re all amazing in their own ways. Sera is pretty awesome, I love Izzy. Kae is amazing and strong and I envy her. Pryn knows me probably better than Vyn at this point. Aida is adorable...I can’t... really answer this. Though now I’m curious if I’m anyone’s best friend.” ► Who knows everything about you ➔ “Pryn or Vynlluthein.”

(Art by @attractive-zombies Big ole stack of art here. )

Tagging: @attractive-zombies @wests-wow-gang @rouilleandcompany @lemmeaxeyousomething

[alien-origins]

                               💞 let’s start 2018 with loads of love💞

through this year i’ve gotten to know a lot of lovely people and i’ve had the chance to get to know some of them and some i hope to talk to more in 2018! you all make me so happy💞💞💞 and i’m so full love :(( thank youeveryone for brightening up my dash with your silly posts and support! 2017 was rough so let’s hope for a better 2018 now! writing ‘love’ this many times is hard for me being a aqua but my libra moon can’t stop!! i’ve written little messages to those i’ve talked to this year and i really hope i haven’t missed anyone i’d feel horrible, but i hope i get to talk to all of my lovely mutuals more in 2018 and i care about each and every one of you sooooo much!!💗💞💞 

i also want to share a few words that i learned at the start of 2017 that might be good for people to read now when things are rough and to keep in mind once 2018 starts! you can’t be happy every day, but there’s something to be happy about every day💓💗💓

                                     🎉🎊🎉 happy 2018! 🎉🎊🎉

💝@alphahailang jovi, my sweet child whom i love very much... i’m pretty sure you were on of the first people i talked to on here and i adopted you within 0.003 seconds. you’re one of the sweetest people i’ve ever come across and you care so much about other people, it’s really beautiful. i’m lucky to have you as a child friend, you really are the sweetest. every time i declare i want to protect you you always tell me you’ll protect me and you just make me feel all warm and cosy. thank you for putting up with my krisho spams and thank you for lighting up my days with your presence!

💝@1adyluck shit girl i still have a drunk ask from you in my ask box when we talked about yifan i think. and how can i forget the nasty round of would you rather we had in the beginning of the year when i sat at a café for a whole day until my ass died. you’re really kind and i always smile when i see your url and i miss talking to you but i guess i can try to do better in 2k18 with that! i hope you’ve had a good 2017 though darling!!

💝@bunmyun my fellow nordic binch whom i love... i always get so hyped when i find out that my mutuals are from up here bc we suffer in more ways than one. and i love yelling abt myeon with you and you’re so sweet and i love checking out what you’re doing on snap. we haven’t talked in a while and sjdoaish shit i’m sorry i really suck at holding conversations but ily sm my amazing gal and i can’t wait to yell abt kim junmyeon with you in 2018!

💝@crownkingzyx not to be a libra moon but ily??? you never fail to make me smile and is2g in some way all our conversations are laced with “i’m a aqua so...” and tbh a fellow aqua friend??? best thing ever. tho we can never get into an argument bc then we’ll just never talk :// aquas are so annoying ugh why are we like this? either way, we’ve talked for a while and i remember complaining about my school when we were sewing and someone changed the thread in one of the machines to talking abt kpop zodiacs and i love talking to you!

💝@bulba-suho-r :^) krisho huh, girl i promise you, i can feel it in my bones, that 2018 will be the year of krisho. we gotta get one fresh moment of them right?? this is the year! and girl, i love yelling about our boys with you :(( you’re such a nice gal that i love with my lil heart. let’s never stop yell about them and wow i hope this year has treated you good!

💝@taos-left-eyelid my child! god i’m so proud of you really :(( like you work so hard and i’m glad to watch you grow and help you when i can. you’re so sweet and adorable i’m really glad to have you as a child friend !! you’re the sweetheart and i’m just all happy when i see you on my dash, but i swear to god if you try ramen with milk i’m disowning you. your dad will have to take care of you after that :// i bet he uses milk in his rame :/// ily i hope you can take it easy in 2018!

💝@co-kai-ne askasjio like i feel like all i’ve ever done is send you weird asks and drawings and bothered you with furries since i followed you and i’d say that i’m sorry and i won’t do it in 2018 but we all know i can’t hold that promise. however!! you’re really chill and you make me laugh a whole lot! in 2018 me and myeon won’t come by at 6am to do yoga, we’ll be giving you and pcy some privacy!

💝@kai-aaah sis :(( my bunny sis as well i hope that the buns are glad and healthy and i hope that you are as well! i tbh will never get over your url, i love it so much and just like i love you sweetie! i’m lucky to have such a nice sister, when can i replace you with my real sister??? we can do a exchange program! and i can make you soup and we can talk bunnies! ily darling take care <3

💝@bbtoben ah big oh, idk we’ve barley been mutuals for a few months???? but damn do ily??? from writing in casp about how your father is a failure to planing a trip to korea! and honestly you’re so much fun to talk to and i get really happy when i see you reply to my messages, ily !! :(( you’re such a cutie and i hope things will be good for you in 2018 and that you can meet my bunnies bc they wanna meet you <3 take care now!

💝@ratbyun we haven’t been mutuals for very long but we’ve exposed so many kinks to each other i don’t think we can go back from that :// we have to stay like this now so no one can rat out the other haahah i love my attempts at jokes! it’s always nice talking nasties with you bc neither of us have any shame and that makes me feel at home and ily!

💝@saranghaeyeols sweetie you’re such a warm hug :(( the sweetest :( i’m sorry i haven’t talked to you much and tings got messy nowin the end of the year. but you’re really caring and amazing, i hope you’re taking care of yourself and get rest! all i wanna do is bake you cookies and hug you like you’re so nice it hurts me <3 ily and i hope 2018 will treat you good!

💝@princeksoo aaskjdoi my sweet child! i have no idea how to convince you that i’m not cool but i’m a huge nerd that loves you :(( i like talking to you the little convos we do have here and there, you’re just so cute and happy i’m <333 wow a sweet pea :(( all i wanna do is hug you and be here to give you advice in life even if most of it has been nsfw oh god what kind of mother am i??? i’ll gladly answer any questions you have in 2018 as well and take care in the new year darling!

💝@dwlwrma we haven’t talked all that much but i still consider you a dear friend and i care about you :(( you’re really sweet and thoughtful and i hope i can talk to you more in the new year and that you take care of yourself! <3 it was really kind of you to check on me and i can tell you i’m doing much better now and i hope you’re doing well as well!

💝@snowmanguk hey darling i hope you’re doing good and taking care of yourself <3 i love you loads and i really wish i could hug you, wrap you up in a blanket and take a nap with you? you deserve the whole world and i hope that 2018 will treat you so well because you deserve it so much and if not i’ll personally fight time (tao???) for you to be happy. take care and relax okay sweetie? ily!

💝@atttaboy :(( we’ve talked a lot this year and most of it has been rather serious i think but we’ve had cutesy light hearted conversations as well! and i’m so happy to see things go well for you <33 you mean a lot to me and so does your happiness™ i really hope that 2018 will be even better for you and that you can stay happy for long and that we we can continue talking! <3 ily darling!

💝@mr-kris-wu-yi-fan binch, i legit think i cried when i realized you were a kris stan from one of the nordic countries like??? i didn’t even think they existed? but here we are!! i love crying over kris’ dick with you it’s really nice actually and i can’t believe we haven’t seen it yet :// we deserve™ to see it and sit on it honestly. i’m so happy to have found a nasty kris stan like me and some day we gonna sit on his dick girl i swear...have fun in china and try to get him! <3

💝@fxrlife i’ve exposed so much to you i can never not talk to you now ashiuhdu, i’ve been a lil off the past weeks but i’m doing better and i miss talking to you. i need to yell abt nasty stuff and exo! also like i am gonna make that mood board i just got so much to do rn it’s coming up tho you wait!! you’re a sweetheart and so much fun to talk to, i really hope 2018 will be good to you darling!

💝@deathbykaisoo god i can’t wait to move to a farm with you with loads of puppies and bunnies! we gonna have it so chill and i’ll bring all my sheet masks and we can have such a nice time petting puppies and have nice skin :(( you’re a sweetheart and the times we talk i always get happy and i hope to get more of that in 2018, take care sweetie!

💝@moutonrose first of all i can’t believe that i found a mom??? for my whole life i’ve had the mom title and wow it’s amazing?? i love yelling about all our damn aus we come up with and i can’t wait to share them with the world askhdoiash. i’m so glad that you liked the care package from japan i got and you gotta tell me once you try the candy if it was good bc i only like the chocolate in that one really! you’re amazing and such a beautiful person inside and out ily :((

💝@lofiloey we haven’t been mutuals for very long??? maybe half a year??? but you always send me pics of daddy kris that make me cry and you gotta stop this!!! ok not really it’s a lot!! you’re a nasty and as your mom i guess it’s partly my fault :// you’re a kind soul and i hope that 2018 will treat you good because you deserve it!

💝@oshzt honey :(( <3 ily a whole lot and i’t been some time since we talked but i still treasure you so so much and i’m still gonna take you to gotland to watch the sunrise from the boat and we can chill by the beach and listen to the best summer playlist ever! you’re a amazing soft person and i hope the rest of 2017 was good to you and the start of 2018 is even better <3 can’t wait to talk to you more in 2k18 and yell in caps!

💝@glitzyeol darling shit i really do suck at holding conversations but won’t stop me from loving you! i hope you’ve been doing good the last part of the year and that you’ve been able to have fun and smile <3 you’re really nice and fun to talk to :(( i’ll try be better at talking to you in 2018! you’re sunshine personified and i always smile when i see you on my dash, take care darling!

💝@suho69 honestly we haven’t talked that much but you talked about space with me and i instantly hooked on and like :// your url?? perfect. you have a lil special spot in my heart and i hope 2018 will be good to you and that you take care of yourself!

💝@sehunsbff i feel like our mutualship is me annoying you in the reply under text posts??? we don’t talk all that much but i always smile when seeing you on my dash and you tipped me that kmodboard thing??? it was real nice you thought my work was good :(( and you’re a real sweet person and maybe i can be better at talking in 2018, either way take care and i hope the new year will treat you good <3

💝@04gf bby i love u so much i hope you’re doing good!! <3 god i haven’t talked with you for ages??? i’m so sorry abt that but i guess we’ve both been bussy but i hope you’re taking care of yourself and school is nice!<3 god you’re such a beautiful gal on the inside and out you light up my lil heart! take care and i’ll try do better talking to you in 2018 and i hope the new year will be good on you!

💝@xiuminscheeks we haven’t had that much of a conversation but you’re so sweet and caring it really warms my heart and i smile whenever i see you pop up on my dash!<3 thank you for being such a sweet person and i really hope 2018 will tread you well! take care!

💝@xiukitty how are you doing darling? i hope the last months have been good and you’ve had time to smile and have fun! <3 i hope you get time to rest and relax. you’re such a sweetheart and i’m so glad to have met you and been able to talk to you wow! thank you for being so nice and amazing you deserve the best 2018, take care sweetie!

💝@bright-black-blunder my sweet child, it’s been ages? i hope you’re doing good and having a good time! i hope that the last few months have been easy on you and that you’ve taken care of yourself! you’re really sweet, like wow such a pure soul ily :(( please take care in 2018 i miss talking to you and i’ll try to be better with that in the new year, stay hydrated and remember to have fun!

💝@suhosbulge i went back to look at our messages and the last thing was literally talking about keeping nut in a jar and nut diet and idk if i should laguh or cry. you’re fun and such a nice person i really hope to talk about nut more in 2018 with you wow. i hope you get to swallow some nut and take care :(( ily!

💝@trumpsluckylady hey i really hope you’re doing good! we haven’t talked in a while but i still care loads about you and you’re so much fun to talk to sorry i suck at holding conversations omg!! :(( you’re a darling and wow such a nice and neat person :( <3 i really hope you’ll do good in 2018 and that the new year will be good!

💝@niniandnoodul my dude :(( ily sweetie i hope you’re doing well! you’re such a cutie and you are really lovely :( we haven’t talked all that much but omg i feel like we have talked forever and i always light up when i see you on my dash and i hope 2017 has been good for you and that 2018 will be even better. take care sweetie ily!

💝@localgaylad we haven’t been mutuals for all that long but i remember i got a ask from a anon saying they shipped us and i had to check you out aiusgdus i hope you’re doing well and having a good end of the year! you’re neat to talk to and really nice! thank you for lighting up my dash sweetie, take care in 2018!

💝@suhosbread bro...where do i even begin? i wrote some no homo to you on christmas but shit i really appreciate you a lot and it feels like we’ve talked for forever even if it only was about a year ago? amazing isn’t it... you’re such a soft sweet boy and wow i’m lucky to have you as my bro :(( <3 2017 has been rough but let’s make 2018 good and let’s continue complain together and can’t wait to see what work you have for 2018 and to watch you have fun :(( a lil homo but ily a whole lot, thank you for being such a wonderful person like really :((

💝@jinsflower girl, first of all i miss you but i hope you’re having some sweet ass time in korea now! it looks so amazing and god i wish i was there with y’all! you’re like such a sweetheart for real, you’re such a libra and wow :(( thank you for being such an amazing friend and let’s have so much fun in 2018 when we graduate and all! <333

💝@exogege we talked a lot in the beginning of the year and i hope the rest of the year has been good to you and you’ve had fun! you’re a whole load of nice things and i really hope 2k18 will be good to you and you can have loads of fun and do what you want to do, take care sweetie!<3

💝@chanhee

we haven’t talked in forever i’m a bad person i’m sorry :(( you’re really fun and you’re so sweet but i suck. i hope it’s been good though, and that 2018 will be good to you! and i can’t believe the last thing we talked about was how damn short i was wow, iconic?? 

                                           💗 123 - e 💗

 💞 @7deer-ofthe-dawn7💞 @baekshitbyun💞 @baekstockings💞 @bebebyun💞 @bunnyleader💞 @baekiexing💞 @bitchasschanyeol💞 @buzzcutsoo💞 @citruscake💞 @chogihuns💞 @cyberksoo💞 @chanyevol💞 @chonyeol💞 @chilyeol💞 @cuntykai💞  @daesaurus💞 @exoblesso💞 @exordiam💞 @exoistheuniverse💞

                                             💗 j - z 💗

💞@juhyeol💞 @joonmeow-ing💞@junmyeon-please💞 @junmyonenie💞 @kardsine💞@kaihunnies💞@kimjonginsmom💞@littlephoton💞 @luflute💞 @mochibobohu💞 @my1ady 💞 @sakura-gucci-panda💞 @suhocentric💞 @shinelike-hobi💞 @suh01💞 @shimmie-shimmie-kokobop💞 @taem-jinki  💞 @taegnsic💞 @wheatleyoppa💞 @xiaoluxury💞 @xingmi4life💞 @yeogibuteora💞 @yifangalaxies💞 @yeolsofly💞 @yowlie💞 @zyex💞 

[staytheb]

Red Day Festival

Genre: college!au, slice of life, slight fluff Word Count: 2,879 Summary: It’s Valentine’s Day and two pair of sisters are roped in to help with one of the events for the special day thanks to their friend who happens to be the president of the student council.

Day Festival masterlist.

Warning: semi-proofread

hello, hello! this story is part of a series, but i’ve been stumped for awhile on how to continue it. so it left me with just writing it as one-shots and hopefully completing it that way with certain events and what not. not sure if y’all like that, but it’s what is going to work for me to write in general. anyways, this Red Day Festival itself has been in many drafts with different male leads, but i’m only sharing this one since it gives me room to write the other boys of NCT and what not. lol but yeah, i think that’s about it, so happy reading and kthxbai, Admin Lia~

"Hello everyone!" Jasmine greeted the audience as the de facto leader of the group of four.

She, her twin Katherine, and the other pair of sisters, Serena and Melanie, were dressed from head to toe in a red. Each wore headbands with two spinning hearts attached, glittering eye masks, long-sleeved mid-thigh dresses, and red knee-high socks. The only difference was that each one had an assigned color accented to the outfits to celebrate their school's Red Day Festival for the lovely day of Valentine's Day. Thanks to their friend, Gina, who happened to be the president of the the student council had roped the quartet into helping them out last minute for the Red Love Stage event at Seoul University.

"One, two..." Jasmine started off.

"We're Cupid's Angels!" The quartet sang in unison as they introduced themselves with their stage names thanks to Serena.

"Almond Kitty."

Katherine stated first with purple accents on her outfit. She was followed by Melanie with blue accents, Serena with green accents, and ending with Jasmine in yellow accents.

"Papaya Puppy."

"Rose Bunny."

"And I'm Melon Monkey." Jasmine concluded the introductions before starting the actual ment.

"So this was honestly and seriously unexpected as we didn't think we would be standing here to perform for all of you so early in the morning. Still we hope that you enjoy our covers to celebrate our school's Red Day Festival with our participation in the Red Love Stage event. Also we wish all of y'all the best of luck of your feelings reaching the person or persons that you want to convey them to! Anyways, please watch over us kindly."

The crowd of Seoul University cheered for the quartet as Jasmine introduced the first song.

"The first song are for those in love or want to be in love and just can't help, but think of that special someone. It's UU, please enjoy!"

The quartet got into formation as they stood in pairs with Jasmine cutely playing with Melanie before Melanie joined Jasmine while Katherine and Serena played some sort of clapping game with one another just before Katherine started off the song. After that Melanie introduced the next song once they took a mini breather.

"Okay, the next song is dedicated to those that are close, but still far away with their special one. It's WoW!."

Cupid's Angels got into formation again and danced to the rearranged choreography to fit their group of four compare to the original. They sang altogether before Serena started out the actual first verse. When the song came to an end Serena spoke next to announce the next song.

"Oh, this is fun, isn't it?" Serena said in a rhetorical way than as an actual question with a laugh. "Anyways, we're hoping you're having a lot of fun so far. Because honestly, I'm actually am having fun."

Serena laughed again before speaking again.

"Yeah, so, the third song is MY OH MY. This goes out to those who can actually claim or soon claim someone as theirs. Enjoy!"

Getting into the groove of things and feeling more awake the group performed the song with as much energy as the song itself sounded. They once again sang together before Katherine started out the song. When MY OH MY ended did they take another quick breather while drinking some water that the student council committee that was supervising the invent provided for them earlier. This time Katherine spoke.

"Whew, it's a good thing that I don't do this for a living." Katherine joked before continuing. "So, hopefully y'all are liking Cupid's Angels so far as we continued with this. The next song goes out to those that will muster up the courage and be brave to confess and say what they want to say to their special someone. Please enjoy our cover of Hi~."

The quartet once again got into formation and performed the song to fit them as compare to it's original. Melanie started out the song followed by Jasmine. After the song ended Jasmine spoke to give the final ment.

"Thank you all so much for your time and patience in watching us sing and dance for you."

Jasmine looked at the other three as they nodded to signal for her to do their final greeting.

"One, two..." Jasmine as the quartet sang the last part together, "This was Cupid's Angels!"

The quartet slightly bowed in thanks.

"Thank you all so much." Jasmine thanked the crowd before announcing that it would be their last stage.

"So unfortunately this will be our last song cover."

The crowd booed as the quartet chuckled. Jasmine continued talking while thanking the rest of the student council.

"Cupid's Angels would like to give a big thank you to Milo and Jiwon for supervising the overall Red Day Festival. Also major thanks to Haru for making sure we look presentable and Kyle cuing us in before each song. Thank you four as well as all the others that assisted in making this a big success. Thank you all so much."

The quartet clapped in appreciation. Now Jasmine got around to introducing the final song they would be covering.

"Okay, so yeah, without further ado, the song fitting to our group name and the holiday itself, CUPID. Thank you once again and enjoy the rest of the activities provided by the student council!"

Once again Cupid's Angels got into formation and danced to the new arrangement of the choreography that fitted them better. Serena sang first with Melanie ending the song. Once that was done did the quartet bowed once more before being dismissed by both Jiwon and Milo, but not before being intercepted by Gina. The quartet were confused until they saw their friend holding several red bags filled with chocolate goodies and groaned already knowing that their part wasn't over yet.

"So all we gotta do is give these to people and take a picture proof and we're good." Serena reminded the other three as they were still in their get-up, but were now walking around campus with goodie bags in hand.

"That's easier said than done." Katherine remarked with a sigh. "There's like twenty or something of these goodie bags."

"For real though." Melanie agreed as she stared at the bags. "Actually, I'll just eat them myself. It's not like she can do anything about that."

"Very true since this all voluntarily work in a sense as we don't have to attend classes for today, but we can still get credit for helping out the Student Council." Serena agreed, but Jasmine disagreed.

"Wait, no, guys. C'mon. It's not that hard. It's like mingling without actually being in the event itself."

"Of course you would say that." Katherine remarked with a pointed look. "You're just looking for a chance to give one of these to Johnny."

"Ooh la la." The other pair teased as Jasmine nodded without hesitation.

"Of course. Why not? He won't know it's me though dressed like this. Besides, Gina wants proof of us giving this out to people on campus."

"Gina would ream us for that, but anyways, why not just confessed? It'll make things a lot better for you in the long run." Melanie suggested.

"It's hard. He's constantly surrounded. Like all the time. Whether it's his friends or members of Nu Chi Theta or the rest of the school in general. Like, for reals, he's always surrounded." Jasmine emphasized on the 'always surrounded' part. "It's hella crazy."

"Oh, look." Serena said as the rest turned their attention to where she was looking.

Several feet away was Johnny and his entourage of friends from NCT and it was no joke. Jasmine wasn't kidding about him being surrounded by a crowd of people as there was just something about the guy that drew your attention to him besides his staggering height. The corners of Serena's lips moved up mischievously as she could finally get payback the last time Jasmine had meddled in her love life.

"Johnny! Over here!" She yelled to the male as Jasmine glared at her.

"What are you doing?"

Katherine answered instead with a chuckle.

"I'm pretty sure it's payback for what you did to her with WinWin."

"What? I thought they would make a good couple."

"I'm pretty sure it was just a way for you to get one step closer to Johnny by using WinWin as he's also a part of NCT." Melanie countered with a laugh as Jasmine sighed with a nod.

"Yeah, but I didn't know they already tried that and stayed as low-key friends afterwards."

Serena scoffed.

"Says you. You made it kinda awkward that day, but luckily WinWin and I worked it out."

Serena then dismissed the topic.

"Anyways, there must be like twenty or something of them and we can give these out easily and just be on our way."

Jasmine rolled her eyes.

"Okay, true, but fine. I won't meddle in y'all's love life again."

"For real." The other three agreed as Jasmine cast them a look.

"But we're still gonna do group dates."

The others groaned before they heard Johnny's voice grab their attention.

"Um, hi. I heard my name being called from this direction."

"Yeah, Melon Monkey has something she wants to give you."

Serena pushed Jasmine towards Johnny with the other two giggling.

"Oh? Really?"

Johnny's sweet demeanor focused onto Jasmine as Jasmine mustered up the courage to deal with the situation that her friends had put her in.

"Uh, yeah. Here you go. Happy Valentine's Day."

She presented the male with one of the red goodie bags. Jasmine then slightly retracted having a second thought about it all.

"Uh, well, actually, you don't have to accept it."

"Oh, no. I'll definitely accept a gift from a pretty girl. Thank you."

Johnny took the offered treat with a bright smile.

"I really appreciate the thought, Melon Monkey."

"Ah, you're welcome, Johnny."

"Okay! Picture time!" Melanie announced with a grin as she brought out her phone with Katherine explaining.

"Yeah, we have to take proofs that we handed out these treats for the Student Council."

"Wait. What about us?" One of the them asked as the others started speaking up about not receiving a goodie bag.

"Ah, don't worry. Rose Bunny will be handing them out to you." Melanie informed them as she cast her sister a grin. "Right, Rose Bunny?"

Serena shot her an indignant look, but nevertheless passed out the treats to the others.

"And twenty-three."

Serena handed the last person a goodie bag with a polite smile.

"Thank you." The male thanked her with a bright smile.

"You're welcome."

"Hey, Jaehyun's birthday is actually on Valentine's Day."

Johnny pointed to the said person as Jaehyun's ears turned slightly red.

"Do you think he could get extra goodie bags?"

Serena's lips quirked in a mischievous smile while gazing over at her sister.

"Oh, well, that was my last one. I'm sure that Papaya Puppy has extras."

The other two snickered as Melanie tried not to glare at Serena knowing fully well what she was doing.

"Yeah, Papaya Puppy still has a lot left." Katherine added with a laugh before pushing Melanie towards Jaehyun.

"Hi. Here you go."

Melanie smiled at Jaehyun while handing him one more goodie bag.

"Thank you, Papaya Puppy."

Jaehyun cast her his signature smile and Melanie tried not to swoon over it and kept her cool.

"You're welcome, Jaehyun, and Happy Birthday."

"Thank you."

Melanie smiled at him once more before dumping the rest onto Serena.

"You can deal with the rest."

"What? Why?"

Serena made a face as Melanie smirked.

"So you can socialize more."

"Gee, thanks."

"Always.

"Alright. That's the last of it. Thanks."

Serena got an idea and thrust the container towards Jaehyun while taking out several bags.

"Here you go. Consider it a generous birthday gift from the Student Council."

"Are you sure?"

Jaehyun cast her a skeptical look as the others looked on interested. The female trio knew what Serena was doing, but they didn't stop her as they, too, wanted to get this whole event done and over with since Jasmine already did what she wanted to do.

"Positive."

"Ah, cool. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome."

Serena cast him a smile as Jaehyun shyly held the red box in his arms.

"Okay. That's all settled. We can take the group picture now." Katherine announced.

"But who's gonna take it?" Jasmine asked as Serena chimed in.

"I will."

"No." The pair declined. "You have to be in it."

"Boo."

Melanie was able to wave down another classmate as the group of twenty-seven posed for the picture. As a thanks she gave him a goodie bag, much to the dismay of Serena losing a free stash, and took a picture with him as well.

"Hey, Rena, let's take one just the two of us, too."

Serena heard a familiar voice ask while using her nickname as she felt an arm was placed around her shoulders.

"No." She automatically answered without thinking before glancing at the person.

"Ignore that, Ten."

Ten chuckled mischievously.

"I don't think I want to though now that I know you like to do this for fun, Rose Bunny."

"Ignore it or you'll be bedridden for a month."

"I think I have something else in mind."

Before Serena could ask him what he meant by that she heard him call out a familiar name.

"Hey, Taeyong, Rose Bunny wants to take a picture with just the two of you."

"Hmm?" Taeyong hummed not really catching the full extent of Ten's words.

"Nothing. He was joking. Don't mind him." Serena quickly responded while pushing Ten away from her.

"You're so annoying."

Another member came to bother Serena with a mischievous grin.

"Reika-chan. Let's take a photo!"

Serena sighed while eyeing the male as she allowed him to wrap an arm around her.

"I told you that name was for like online purposes, Yuta."

"You say that about all of your names." Ten remarked as Serena ignored him.

"You're fun to mess with. That's why. Now say cheese!"

The trio posed for the camera as she manuevered away. Before she could dismiss herself she felt herself being pulled towards somewhere by Yuta.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing. Just thought we can take more photos with the others."

"You're just as annoying as Ten."

"You know you like it."

"Ugh. You're just as bad as Lucas."

"But you still like it."

Eventually Serena broke her grasp from Yuta while Ten caught a hold of her.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you."

"That's mean. I was just gonna help you escape, but I guess I'll help Yuta out instead."

"No."

Serena broke free and took off running as everyone looked after her.

"You really just had to tease her, don't you?" Melanie remarked with a laugh to a chuckling Ten.

Ten glanced at her like he didn't do anything.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Lani."

"Right. Sure you don't."

Ten walked closer to Melanie with a smirk and whispered for only her to hear.

"Hey, better leave me alone, Melanie, or I'll do the same to you that I did to Serena."

"Try me."

Ten didn't hesitate with a mischievous grin.

"Jaehyun! Papaya Puppy wants to take a picture with just the two of you, too!"

"You're such a brat." Melanie stated with a roll of her eyes.

"Why do you always gotta react different than Serena?"

"Because unlike her I don't run away from my feelings."

"Ah, that's true."

"I heard my name," Jaehyun interjected, "But I didn't catch the rest. What's up?"

"It's nothing. Ten's just being a jokester. Sorry." Melanie answered with a polite smile as Ten eyed her.

"Oh, okay."

Jaehyun nonchalantly returned to conversing with the other males.

"Don't run away, huh?" Ten remarked as Melanie shrugged.

"I didn't run away. I deterred away."

"Whatever. I need to get the others in on messing with y'all. Yuta's great with teasing Serena."

"Obviously since y'all get under her skin."

"True."

"Anyways," Katherine interjected to focus the attention onto her, "We should be going now. Thanks so much for helping us out."

She smiled at the twenty-three males before hooking her arms with Jasmine and Melanie.

"We'll be on our way now."

"Wait, what about the pictures?" Another one of them asked.

"It'll be posted on the school's website under the Student Council's event section by the end of the day or something like that." Jasmine replied.

"Okay, bye!" Melanie bid them farewell.

She and Katherine practically had to pulled Jasmine along with them as she was making progress with Johnny and didn't want to leave. Luckily the trio met up with Serena back at the Student Council's room since Serena didn't have any photo proofs to get her goodies from Gina. Gina ended up teasing the groups about the photos they took since it was a majority of the NCT members. Jasmine asked if Gina could make copies for safekeeping and informing the president that she's down for something like this in the future involving handing out presents and taking the pictures. Gina happily agreed while Katherine and Melanie already knew and Serena groaned at the prospect of it all.

[preservationandruin]

Oathbringer Liveblog, Interludes 1

Our spread here is Puuli, Ellista, and Venli. This will be interesting. Also, I’d just like to specify--any question I ask in these liveblogs is meant to be rhetorical, more me musing than actually looking for an answer. I want to accurately chart the questions I have, but I also want to discover the answers as the book goes, not get the answers handed to me. I realize that might have been confusing. 

I also want to note that I don’t read ahead of these liveblogs, so please don’t tell me anything that happens after the point I’m at. You’re getting my first reactions to everything and I want to keep it that way,  for my own enjoyment and for the posterity of these records. 

With that housekeeping out of the way, onward to the interludes! We talk about some local legends, romance novels show up, we get some interesting linguistic history, Brandon Pokes Fun At The Massive Size Of This Book, and then he chucks my heart down into a chasm where it shatters into a million tiny fragments because of course we can’t have nice things now can we. 

Puuli is a lighthouse keeper, looking forward to the coming highstorm. We get a nice local legend: 

Puuli’s grandfather had been able to remember when those cliffs hadn’t been there. Kelek himself had broken apart the land in the middle of a storm, making a new prime spot for homes. 

Of course, given that the Radiants are real, this could have happened--but it also reminds me of how every colonial-era house is a house George Washington slept in, or all the places King Arthur was supposed to have sat/slept in England. I love local legends like that. My town’s version of one was that Dairy Queen got the idea for the Blizzard from the Blizzards that one of the local ice cream shops, the Chocolate Moose, made. True? Probably not, but does it matter? 

They’re in Natanatan, I think--Puuli is mentioned as having blue skin, thinking that tan skin is strange. Puuli is apparently excited for the storm because of another thing from his grandfather: 

Had the time finally come, that his grandfather had warned of? The time of changes, when the men from the hidden island of the Origin at last came to reclaim Natanatan? 

So that’s an interesting snippet. In any case, he agrees externally with everyone else that the storm was a tragedy, but internally doesn’t really believe it. He named his lighthouse Defiance, and he sacrifices fruit to Kelek for the storm. And one last bit about the men from the Origin: 

They’ll come with Light in their pockets, Grandfather had said. They’ll come to destroy, but you should watch for them anyway. Because they’ll come from the Origin. The sailors lost on an infinite sea. You keep that fire high at night, Puuli. You burn it bright until the day they come.  They’ll arrive when the night is darkest. 

One might say they’ll come during the night of sorrows, something we’re still waiting for a fuller explanation of. It seems like it’s just another name for the Final Desolation, but that’s what it seemed the Everstorm was, too. Also, Light in their pockets seems to imply that they’re Radiants--but Radiants, ideally, are not coming to destroy things. 

Over to Ellista, an ardent. I think I’ve heard this interlude, too--it was another one that a reading was done of. She’s just trying to find somewhere to read, but everyone has to keep arguing about what this new storm means!

And, of course, what she’s reading isn’t a scholarly text but a romance novel. Also, props to Sanderson for taking what is a fairly stock romance-novel scene and giving it enough Rosharisms to be hilarious (not that romance novels aren’t well-written; honestly, good romance novel writers have mastered the art of reworking a genre to make it both new and what readers are looking for and I deeply respect that). And, in the grand tradition of any book you’re reading, Ellista is angrily critiquing the characters’ actions. 

I love that this bit so accurately captures what reading a book is like when the characters are doing something so in-character...but so stupid. So far Ellista has yelled at the main character for turning down a guy, cursed at her, said “damn right you better wait” (basically) at another character,  gets really into the characters about to kiss aaaand--

Gets interrupted by Ardent Urv, another of the Ardents. 

The young Siln ardent was tall, gangly, and obnoxiously loud at times. Except, apparently, when sneaking up on colleagues in the forest.  “What was that you were studying?” he asked. “Important works,” Ellista said, then sat on the book.

Anyway, what she was supposed to be doing was working on the Dawnchant, now that Navani--in the last book--cracked it. She doesn’t believe Navani’s story about how, of course. We get some interesting notes about language: 

-The Dawnchant wasn’t a primarily spoken language, it was a primarily written one that spread across Roshar as a unified scholarly language -A desolation hit, wiping out knowledge of where/how the Dawnchant had spread -People tried to use it to phonetically transcribe their languages; didn’t work well -Glyphs and modern writing developed

So the reason the Dawnchant was lost was because it was mostly written--there were no native speakers. It would be like if the Catholic mass was still said in Latin, then all the priests got wiped out, or something. People would be like how did they forget the words to their own mass but it would be because those words were in a dead language. 

And then Urv notices the book she’s reading, admits he’s read it too (it’s an “Alethi epic,” and I love the possible implication here that the Alethi just are huge suckers for romance novels. I’m not even surprised you cannot tell me that like, Adolin hasn’t gotten emotional over dramatic romance novels. Alethkar is Extra; Romance novels are dramatic. it’s a match made in the tranquiline halls). But...Urv disagrees which guy in the love triangle the main heroine should go with. 

Bugs Bunny voice: of course you realize, this means war. 

“She really should have picked Vadam though. Sterling was a flatterer and a cadger.”  “Sterling is a noble and upright officer!” She narrowed her eyes. “And you are just trying to get a rise out of me, ardent Urv.”  “Maybe.” 

And, of course, he’s got the sequel--with three love interests this time--and offers it to her in return for her help translating the Dawnchant. Also, Brandon is making fun of himself: 

“Sequels always have to be bigger,” he said. 

I’m looking directly at the page count of this book. I’m glaring at it. I see you, Sanderson. I know what your game is. 

And now to Venli, in stormform. We get more of the changed rhythms--the Rhythm of Craving is mentioned here, and the Rhythm of Command. Venli is confirmed to no longer even hear the normal rhythms. She’s descending into a chasm with some of her fellow Voidbringer soldiers. 

There’s a real difference between the Voidbringers--the Fused--and the ordinary Parshmen now returned to autonomy. Every Voidbringer perspective reinforces that. Venli’s spren, which looks like rolilng lightning, is named Ulim, but he takes a humanoid form sometimes, “with odd eyes” and long hair. Venli notes that it’s weird that a spren of Odium would look human--but Odium wasn’t ever really of the Parshendi, was he? He used them, but do we know what Rayse actually was? 

Given that his spren look human, probably human. Although the unmade sure didn’t look human. 

Anyway, Venli is starting to get irritated at having to obey Ulim. It also seems like even Venli--in the moments where Odium and the new rhythms are less present--has doubts and regrets about what she did, how many of the Listeners were lost to summon the Everstorm and how little they’ve gotten in return. 

Anyway, it’s confirmed that Ulim isn’t a spren she’s bonded; instead, “lesser spren” are used for changing forms. 

They...they find Eshonai. And she’s dead. Venli thought that when Ulim said they needed to find her sister, he meant find her alive--but he was only ever looking for the Plate and the Blade. Eshonai probably drowned in the floodwaters. 

Eshonai can’t be dead. She can’t be. 

Well, if anyone would recognize her, it would be Venli. Venli manages--somehow--to go back to one of the old rhythms. The Rhythm of the Lost. And she touches Eshonai’s body. 

Venli stared into Eshonai’s dead eyes. You were the voice of reason, Venli thought. You were the one who argued with me. You...you were supposed to keep me grounded.  What do I do without you? “Well, let’s get that Plate off, kids,” Ulim said. “Show respect!” Venli snapped.  “Respect for what? It’s for the best that this one died.”  “For the best?” Venli said. “For the best?” She stood, confronting the little spren on Demid’s outstretched palm. “That is my sister. She is one of our greatest warriors. An inspiration, and a martyr.” 

And Ulim brushes her off, pointing out that Eshonai never really transformed properly, that she resisted. God, I can’t believe Eshonai’s dead. Ulim and Venli get in a full argument--Ulim calls himself “the one who escaped, the spren of redemption” and reveals that he still blames Eshonai for trying to prevent them from returning--and the Parshendi as a whole for being traitors. And then an alarming line: 

“We must be away and see what your ancestors need us to do.”  “Our ancestors?” Demid said. “What do the dead have to do with this?”  “Everything,” Ulim replied, “seeing as they’re the ones in charge.” 

And it’s noted that the small, cometlike spren is still with Eshonai. Eshonai’s body. 

She can’t be dead. She can’t be. I don’t care that we’ve seen the body. Eshonai can’t be dead. 

I’m going to be in denial for the next 48 hours at least. Eshonai is fine and that’s a convincing body double. Or she learned lightweaving. Or something. Anything. 

[doodle-roon]

11 Questions Tag

I was tagged by @dangerousluv1

Hi!! 

Rules

1. Post the rules 2. Answer the questions given to you by the tagger 3. Write 11 questions of your own 4. And tag 11 people

My Answers

1. Did you drink any water today? If not, please do and stay hydrated.

I did! Well, a little bit heh but this reminded me that I wanted to get more so thanks~

2. If you could travel to any place, where would you go and why? Can be fictional.

Actually! There are two movies that I love for their beautiful art and I’d love to go there! Wolf Children (ookami kodomo no ame to yuki) and Your Name (Kimi no na wa)! The worlds in these films look so beautiful and friendly and just… They seem so damn beautiful!

3. If you had a chance for a do-over in life, what would you do differently?

I would change my earlier mindset of living not seeming worth all the work. Life is hard and sometimes it sucks, but there can be happy things too. And sometimes to get those happier moments, work is required. And that work can be anything from mental, emotional, or physical work. Sometimes it might even mean helping someone else. I wish I had learned that earlier and not hindered myself with my complacent attitude. I didn’t care much for anything growing up. Sometimes I still battle with that feeling.

4. What do you want your tombstone to say?

Its funny, me and my sister talk about this a lot but only in terms of what she would want on her grave. I’ve never really thought about it… maybe just something simple, like “Beloved aunt, sister, and daughter.” And if it ever happens, maybe even add a “mother” in there. I don’t want anything fancier or whatever. I just want to know that I was loved by those that I loved.

5. Do you have a favorite horror movie?

Oh man! I love horror films but I don’t think I have a favorite?? I have a deep deep fondness for the Saw Series. I really loved all of them haha I also liked the Cube films as well, those were freakin awesome! Umm Texas Chainsaw Massacre was good too and I still really love the Child’s Play movies. Chucky used to haunt my nightmares hahaha I think it’s just a bunch of older films that I really love cause I was also going to mention the Nightmare on Elm street heh

6. What do you like to do on your free time?

I draw, read, or play video games but mostly I draw. I also like to watch different cooking videos and wistfully imagine myself cooking all of those delicious dishes haha

7. What are your top three favorite books and why?

My favorite books… Well, my all time favorite is the Death Note book, Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases haha At first I read it mainly because I really loved the characters and series but the more I read it, I just fell for the book itself because of its own merits. I thought the plot was really well done and interesting, plus it expanded nicely on a character that only really briefly appears in the main series.

My second favorite is this book called Room by Emma Donoghue. It has a fascinating premise where the book is told in two parts; the first half is about a child and his mother and their life inside this one room, while the second half is about them adjusting to living in the world. Honestly, I give this book no justice in that dull description but its sooooo good. I strongly recommend it! It’s so, so good!

And finally, my third favorite is this book called Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler. I don’t know why but I always strongly connected with the narrator of the story. And I say that still with a lot of confusion because I’m nothing like the main character/narrator. But there’s just something about how she describes everything, every moment, that just captured me and made me relate to her in high school. I still like to go back to it and re-read it for nostalgic feelings.  

8. What was your most embarrassing moment?

Most embarrassing moment… its a toss up between the day that I was finally introduced to this guy who I really admired and thought was really cool and the day that one of my best friends finally confessed to me. I don’t even wanna write down the stories because both of them just make me go: “Ugh why did I do that?!”  

9. What is a skill that you’d like to learn?

I wanna say something classy like the violin but honestly, I would really like to get myself back into a woodshop because I briefly had a class like that in high school and getting to mess with all the wood and machines was so exciting and fun. Best class ever! I wish I had been a little more invested in high school back then and done more exciting projects then just making a stupid octopus and cat thing. So stupid! I would give a lot of things just to be able to learn more about woodworking and stuff~

10. Any language that you’d like to learn?

Any language!! Though… I’d really like it if I could be fluent in Spanish. I can understand it to an okayish degree, but I’m really self-conscious about speaking it.

11. How was your day today?

It was a good day! My sister is out of town for a work event and so I spent the day playing video games with my nephew, making pancakes and jello together, watching Cry play the walking dead, and finally winding down on my own with reading and drawing!

My Questions

1. Can you explain your favorite color without saying what it is?

2. Describe your favorite thing about one of the people you’ve met online.

3. How are you feeling today and can you find a quote to go with it?

4. Did anything memorable happen this year?

5. What genre/type of book do you typically avoid? What would change your mind about it?

6. Dark, milk, white, or no chocolate?

7. What’s something that you’ve learned as you’ve aged?

8. What’s your favorite thing about your favorite holiday?

9.  Are you more intrigued by the past or the future?

10. Where did you get your taste in music?

11. Top three things on your bucket list.

Now I tag

@zefyre @masquerabe @kagomes-lover @saey0ungs @fenrae-l @shikikira @yoursalwaysfics @kitkags @mizukixtsukiyomi @cassielfbapyz @bunny-wk-fanfic

(Also hey guys haha! I’ll probably be back on discord soon~)

Oh! And don’t worry about doing this, feel free to disregard it if you’re not into this stuff! 

[pendragonfics]

A Frown a Day Keeps the Christmas Cheer at Bay

Paring: Bucky Barnes/Reader

Tags: female reader, set after Captain America: Civil War, Christmas, advent calendars, Bucky Barnes returns, Bucky Barnes Remembers, fluff, crack, Christmas fluff, ugly holiday sweaters, mutant powers (but not really?? it was more like a freak accident sort of superpower-inheriting situation).

Summary: Reader just really wanted to join the Avengers. And then she really just wanted to be friends with Bucky. With all the Christmas that's going around, maybe her wish came true...

Word Count: 2,087

Posting Date:  2016-12-08

Current Date: 2017-05-31

For as long as you could remember, you'd wanted to make a difference in the world. That had been a normal idea, before you had gotten into a car accident with your sister, Jess, and adopted out into a home where you were the freak of the family, and subsequently, weren't allowed to reach out to your sister. Perhaps being able to move things without touching them was a little too much for the small suburban home of the Dersluy's, and you held your abilities at bay in order to keep a sort of peace under their roof.

Now, at twenty, you're out and free, and still wanting to do the same thing you'd wanted as a kid; to do good, to make a difference in the world. Except, now there had been an alien invasion in New York City, and the Fantastic Four had decimated a small town and there was the whole thing where the Avengers had actually been a superhero team, and then as soon as they were together, there was the rift, and end of the team.

But that wouldn't stop you from joining them. It's how you found yourself on the bus out of Hell's Kitchen, hitchhiking, catching a handful of trains and walking to the facility you'd heard rumours of in upstate New York. It's also how you found yourself knocking on the door, and waiting for the figure of Tony Stark himself to open the entrance.

"We're not a bed and breakfast, kid," he ran a hand over his beard, and squinting his eyes, he began to close the door. At once, you felt it; the need to use your abilities. There was no way you went this far out of your way to be rejected by Iron Man himself. With just a flick of your wrist, the door stilled, and with not a tug more he couldn't shut the door. "Uh, I think you got the wrong big building. X Mansion is that way," he pointed over your head.

You shake your head. "I'm here to join the Avengers. I can't sit around watching my city turn to shit and people in masks without agendas try and hold the world on their shoulders." You fish into your pocket, and show him your I.D. "I'm _______ Jones. I'm not a mutant, and I'm not letting a pompous arsehole like yourself stop me." You push past him, eyes taking in the facility's high walls and glass displays of many trophies and things collected.

"You're determined, I'll take that," Tony's door clicks behind him, your telekinesis is weakened at your distraction of being in the place you'd dreamed about ever since you'd been a teenager. "But the boy band is broken up. Everyone's gone their ways -,"

You shake your head. "I've done my research. Dr. Banner is working in Haiti, Ms. Romanov in Germany, the archer's in his home, with his family." You shoot back, ignoring the shock on Mr. Stark's face. "Vision is in this facility here today, and Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes are one state over with Miss Maximoff."

The Iron Man's eyes widen like he's just heard the impossible. "That's classified information -,"

You nod. "I can read minds easier than moving things outside my body, Mr. Stark," you interrupt, facing him. "You need to call the team back together. I don't care how many broken hearts and shields there are, but there needs to be a team. We're a planet without heroes, we need defending."

The AI speaks up, a female voice intoning before she is instructed to, "I shall have all of the Avenger I.D. holders contacted to arrive here within forty-eight hours," she tells Tony, and adds, "_______ Jones makes a good point, sir."

He grumbles under his breath. "Fine. But I'm not making eye contact with Barnes until he apologises for what he's done."

But he makes eye contact with him as soon as the car arrives with the two beefy guys you'd seen on social media, and the waif-like Scarlet Witch who seems both warily skirting away from Vision and wanted to draw nearer to him. Tony Stark seems oblivious to it all, especially when the spies arrive; Clint has a tan and Nat is grumbling in a new language she picked up on her flight, pointedly ignoring everyone by playing with a gameboy. But it's your stubbornness that brings them all together; it's the trademark stubbornness of the Jones' who reunites the Avengers and, ultimately, earns you a place at their table. 

---

It's Christmastime before you know it, and while everyone is just working out and being generally superheroes, you find yourself on recuperation after a mission gone slightly south (someone from something called IGH broke your arm slightly) alongside Sergeant Bucky Barnes himself. After some Googling, a few talks with Steve Rogers (and his permission for you to read his memories of the old Bucky) you had to say that the man you were sitting beside playing Call of Duty wasn't too much of a different guy to what everyone said he was. He was still the ladies man, but quieter. He was still snarky, but only to those he trusted. And, he was a huge science geek, and you knew he freaked out every time he saw a new invention like a true fanboy.

"It's snowing outside," you comment, trying to reach under your cast to itch the skin. But, no avail.

All your words do is make Bucky pause the game, and glance to the big window that's adjacent to the television. After the trouble that he and everyone had been through, Bucky had a new arm attached, but from what you gathered, it wasn't as great as whatever technology he had before. He nods, placing the controller beside his knee, and goes to stand. "Whenever it snowed back in Brooklyn, I'd make Steve wear all his clothes, and we'd go out to make snow people." He shares without a thought.

You raise an eyebrow. "Sounds cool, dude. Want to go out and build one?" you ask him.

He shakes his head, and stretches his back, a cracking noise coming from within. "I'm an old man, ________, the wind goes straight through me," he deadpans, facing you with a smirk on his face. You couldn't help but grin back, all the more amused by his black humour, his dry wit. You weren't sure how it was, but out of all the people at the Avengers facility, he chose to be your friend as well as Steve's.

And it felt good to have a friend.

---

"I'm going to the store, we need to stock up before Christmas," Clint announces one day. He's made it clear that he is not staying around for Christmas, thank you very much, he has his baby's first Christmas to celebrate, and he's very into Laura, and prefers to see her face over any of our ugly mugs. But, by this claim he makes, you find it hard to believe he isn't going to try and sneak a whole roast turkey home to his family just because he can.

You grab the keys for the team van from his hands using your abilities, and motion for him to follow. "I'm driving. I'm clean out of dry shampoo, and I can't look like more of a mess that I am when this bad boy is broken," you gesture to your arm.

There's a wrestle within your palm, and the keys are out of your fingers by the familiar cold metal ones of your friend Bucky. "You can't drive with one hand, and Clint either drives like my mother or he's panicking because he has a dead body in the back seat." His voice is monotonous, his intimidating murder-walk leading the way to the van.

You glance to Clint, giving him a rueful smile. "Hey, at least you've got another pair of hands to carry the shopping in with, yeah?"

Clint stocked up on all the things everyone needed; whiskey and assortments of puddings, a turkey to roast and many other things. But it was on the confectionary isle when Bucky stood still.

"What's up, Buck?" You stood beside him, trying to figure out what had struck him dumb. On the shelf before him was a stack of advent calendars, each with a different picture to do with Christmas. "You okay?"

He points to the calendar. "Are those the ones with windows with chocolate in them?" He asks you, releasing the frosty the snowman decal from his pensive stare.

You nod. "Yeah, advent calendars. You had them back in the forties?"

Silently, Bucky nods. "Stevie was going through a rough time, after his mom died. I found the pennies to buy one for him, but he insisted we shared it." He smiled at the memory, his lips nearly hidden under the whiskers  he'd allowed to grow. "I'm buying one for Steve."

You grab three from the shelf. "And I'll get one for you, and me. It's no fun watching the two hot super soldiers have chocolate without me." You state, throwing them into Clint's trolley. 

---

On Christmas Eve, Tony pushes Clint out the door - sending his love to Laura, and season's greetings - and serves everyone eggnog spiked with enough whiskey to make everyone grow a Stark beard themselves. Bucky seems to be already in the motion of keeping his beard, the hairs scruffier than ever when he's stuffed into an ugly sweater Natasha had brought him from Germany, knitted by someone who liked the pattern of white bunnies on the red snow. Under the sleeve, his arm looks normal enough. 

Your're in Nat's ugly sweater, as it fits almost like she knew all your sizes and things before even meeting you. The pattern is of white stags in a mandala formation on a green background ... whoever knitted it probably had too much German lager to drink. But it's nice, and for a moment, where from the corner of your eye, you see it all. Steve is settling beside Tony, and they aren't slapping each other like teenagers. Wanda's hand is encased by Visions, silently sitting before the fire content in each other's company. Nat has a too-large t-shirt with the picture of mistletoe and the words kiss me if you don't want to keep your face written underneath. And you're sitting beside Bucky Barnes. The guy you rooted for ever since you saw him on the news when Nat cleared the name of S. H. I. E. L. D after the information dump. Perhaps the cutest soldier you'd ever met. 

"You're frowning," he nudges you in the side, jolting you from the daydreams. "My Ma used to say something about being off in your head at Christmastime..." he muses.

You can't help but wonder what Mrs. Barnes had said, and without thinking, you settle your head onto his lap like you're a married couple or in a romantic novel like Pride and Prejudice and not the real world where he was a brainwashed assassin and you were a young girl separated from your superhero twin after the death of your family. 

"Tell me, Bucky," you drawl, trying your best to sound like Elizabeth Bennett. 

He stroke the hair that had fallen into your eyes aside, and leaning down, murmurs into your ear, "A frown a day keeps the Christmas cheer at bay," his voice is soft, breath hot and perfumed by alcohol he can't be intoxicated with. "It's just a silly saying..."

You shake your head, and before he straightens his back, you grab his face, and pull him down onto yours, connecting your lips onto his. The scruff around his face is not harsh and needle-like, but soft, and smells of sandalwood and hotel soap. Before you know it, he's kissing back, and the Avengers around you are ooing, and cooing, and someone's taken a photograph of the two of you on the sofa. 

"I wasn't sure how to ask you to kiss me, but if that's how, I'll be reciting my Ma's things all the time," he grins, voice a whisper as he breaks away. 

You beam. "Sure thing, Sergeant."

Maybe you had always thought that you would make a difference in the world. But from that day on, from the sparkle in his eyes, the life in his voice, the way Bucky Barnes looked at you, at the world; you knew you sure as sweet Christmas that you'd made a difference in his world.

[prettycooregrey]

just a bunch of Deltarune spoilers about Ralsei tbh and a bunch of things I (and other ppl ofc) have noticed abt him and similarities to another much-beloved character from its predecessor, Undertale, compiled for my personal amusement and pleasure. 

major, major spoiler warnings!!!!!! putting all this under a cut but involves spoilery imagery if you’re on mobile. ]: 

>the game opens with Kris in their bedroom and what ends up being their brother’s bed and stuff on the other side. their brother is, in the next couple of scenes, revealed to be Asriel, a major endgame character from Undertale. this makes sense, of course, because we’re already been treated to various scenes of Toriel being matronly as heck! Toriel then mentions that Asriel has gone to university, and wonders if he’ll be bored visiting their quiet hometown.

>at the end of the game, the player and Kris are allowed to walk around town together, greeting old friends (who remember us, of course, but in very different ways than we remember them) and just generally poking around. various characters tell us a little bit about what our brother was like before he went to college: 

Bratty and Catty give the impression that he was kind of a heartthrob, and both mention having done to dances with him, having had crushes on him, and Bratty makes a joke about almost having been your sister in law.

the preacher at the church mentions that the choir has been lacking a little bit ever since he’s moved away, and if you want more of their SICK FRUIT PUNCH you should consider joining in his stead!

the Bunny who worked at the Snowdin shop selling cinnabunnies now works in a cafe selling hot chocolate instead! she talks about how, even after your family split up and stopped going to church and then the cafe together, you and Asriel always made time on Sundays to get hot chocolate and draw pictures in the window. she gives you a cup of hot chocolate on the house and tells you not to be a stranger. if you drink it, you’re treated to the flavor text: it’s delicious! your throat tightens...

Burgerpants works at what looks like maybe a pizza place now, dancing around in a mascot costume and was apparently good friends with your brother and mentions hoping to hang out with him when he visits.

both your parents have a little to say about him. Asgore says he’d like to drive around in the truck together when he comes to visit. Toriel talks about how the two of you played video games together (and indeed, in your shared bedroom there’s a box with one real controlled and one knock-off one under the bed).

>we can gather that Asriel was quite popular with everyone before he left, and that everyone is quite happy to see him when he comes. and we can guess that, probably, Kris misses him very much. many character note it in their dialogue about him. maybe it only comes off to me this way but I think the main theme of the game is lack of choice, which is noted several times in the game verbally and through mechanics, such as being unable to truly fight monsters, or having very little of your dialogue options being ignored. even your best buddy Ralsei cuts you off a couple times! speaking of Ralsei...

>many people have already noted this, but RALSEI is an anagram of ASRIEL.

>Ralsei is a very friendly little Prince of Darkness who shows up early in the Dark World found in your school’s supply closet, who gives you a little information about in-game battles such as fighting, which you should never ever do because heroes don’t do that, and acting, which is a great way to end fight nonviolently. he looks like this...

>what a cute little fluffball, right? well, it turns out that he’s wearing a hat, and the hat actually covers his face, making his fur appear black! what he really looks like is this:

>an extra thing worth noting about his revealed form can be found on his character’s wiki page: his horns are pink, and it’s noted by Toriel that you, a human, for want of fitting in with your family, wore a pair of red horns for months when you are young which have been lost for a while. either way, he looks rather familiar, doesn’t he?

>another extra thing worth noting from the wiki page...

all of the above images are found here

>as anyone who played Undertale (or was spoiled for it, like I was) knows, Flowey is the form Asriel took after losing his soul, and describes Frisk’s at the beginning of the game as it being “the culmination of your being,” something Ralsei also does, drawing parallels between both of Asriel’s forms. but that’s not actually the only parallel we get in the beginning of the game.

>if you allow Ralsei to talk about the legend of DELTARUNE, he says this:

images found here, provided by the lovely @kipicongames

>now where have I heard that before? oh, right.

image found here

>for those that don’t remember, this was Asriel’s boss music in Undertale! I did not catch that the first time around, and almost started foaming at the mouth when I watched Kip play it and it sparked this whole messy post. well played, Toby Fox, well played.