#and I want the menagerie to make me cry

[waltat04-kevinknight]

Just a sneak peek at a Jaune x Kali fic I'm working on

It was a somber day in Menagerie, as the previous white fang leader and loving husband was found dead with two sword stabs through his head. The entire nation was saddened and mourning the death of Ghira Belladonna. His now Widowed wife had locked herself away in her now empty estate and spent her days crying, that was until she heard a knock at the door. Getting up and walking to the door, she opened it and saw her daughter, and what she would assume was her friend.

“Oh hello Blake sweetheart and this is?” Kali asked as Blake looked at Jaune.

“Mom, this is Jaune, my friend from Beacon.” Blake replied.

“Hello Ms.Belladonna it's nice to meet you” Jaune says with a soft smile.

“Greetings Jaune, Blake I'm assuming you're here for your father's death..?” Kali asked, causing Blake to nod.

“I'm truly sorry to both of you for your loss” Jaune said, placing his hand on his chest.

“Thank you Jaune, I appreciate you coming along with me” Blake says walking inside her house leading Jaune in as well.

Kali led the two into the living room and sat down on the couch, while Blake and Jaune sat on the other couch.

“They still haven't found the murderer of Ghira all they know is that he was stabbed twice by a thin blade.” Kali says with a heavy sigh.

“What about Adam?” Blake asked.

“No he himself came forth and admitted that while he didn't agree with how Ghira ran things when he was in charge, he would never take Ghira's life.” Kali explains causing Blake to sigh and nod.

“Jaune, can you stay with my mom while I track down my father's killer?” Blake asked.

“Yeah of course, you focus on finding who took your dad's life” Jaune says as Blake hugs him.

The hug was short as Blake walked out of the estate and closed the door, leaving Jaune and Kali by themselves.

“I appreciate you staying with me Jaune.” Kali says, wiping a tear away.

“It's no problem Mrs.Belladonna, it's the least I could do” Jaune says, picking up a box of tissues and handing it to Kali, who would take a tissue and wipe her tears.

She smiles and throws the tissue in the trash can and looks back at Jaune, it takes a few seconds before she speaks again.

“Blake told me about how you lost someone during the Fall, are you doing alright?” Kali asked Jaune who was surprised by the question.

“I'm doing my best, it's all we can do. I'm not gonna say I'm over it but I have to move on someday.” Jaune says smiling.

Kali smiles back at him as she stands up and walks over to Jaune.

“I'll show you to the guest room.” Kali says walking to the hall, which Jaune follows her.

Once at the door Kali opens the door and Jaune walks in, setting his bag on the table. He looked around the room smiling and then turned to Kali. “Thank you Ms. Belladonna” Jaune says to her with a smile.

“Of course but please call me Kali” She says leaving the room and going to hers and once he was alone he laid down on the bed and fell asleep.

_________

A few days have passed Jaune helped comfort Kali with the passing of her husband and the two grew a small friendly bond, with Jaune cleaning up the estate and even cooking for Kali and himself. Jaune hummed as he walked past Kali's room and noticed the door was open and knocked on the door, which after a few seconds he was met by Kali. Wearing a nightgown.

“Oh hello Jaune what can I do for you?” Kali asked him with a soft smile.

“Sorry I saw your door open so I wanted to make sure everything was alright” Jaune says with a smile on his face.

“You're sweet” Kali says leaning against her door while staring into his eyes.

“By the way, Blake called saying she's made some headway into finding your husband's killer” Jaune says resulting in a soft smile from Kali.

“That's good” She says looking up at Jaune before looking away.

“No matter what I do Jaune, I can't stop thinking about Ghira…I miss him, I know I need to move on but-” Kali says before she stops feeling Jaune put a hand on her shoulder.

“No no I get it, it's going to be hard but I'll be here no matter what” Jaune says as Kali hugs Jaune tightly.

Jaune wrapped his arms around Kali as the two shared a tender deep hug for a few moments before they broke the hug off looking at each other.

“Jaune, would you mind staying in my room tonight? I could use the company” Kali asked him knowing he probably would say no and she wouldn't blame him if he did.

“Sure I-I don't mind” He said, which took Kali by surprise before she took hold of his hand and led him inside and closed the room door behind him.

Once inside the room he noticed how massive the bed was, then again Jaune remembered Blake told him how big and bulky her father was so his surprise quickly went away. Kali let go of his hand and sat on the bed and untied her robe letting Jaune see her lingerie nightgown making him blush and look away out of respect.

“Jaune, you don't have to look away” She said softly, “Please come and help me..~” She begged him.

“But you're Blake's mom I can't do that with you” Jaune says as Kali grabs his hand and pulls him on top of her.

“You promised you'd help me and what does your family never do?” Kali says, causing Jaune's eyes to widen.

“Never go back on a promise” He says making Kali smile.

“Besides, Jaune you've been nothing but help this past week…and I've couldn't take my eyes off you. I don't know why but you remind me of my husband in so many ways…” Kali says, placing her hands on his cheeks before pulling him in for a deep tender kiss.

Jaune didn't know how to respond until he found himself lost in the kiss as he moves his hands onto Kali's hips and turns causing Kali to down be on top of him as the two continue the tender kiss, while Jaune swirls his tongue around Kali's tongue starting to French kiss her. Kali was enjoying this, she didn't feel lonely anymore, she had someone here with her now and knew how to kiss so well. Kali would break the kiss and get off of Jaune still blushing as she bends over and takes off her lace lingerie panties revealing her slightly wet pussy to Jaune.

“C-Could you eat me out p-please” Kali asked shyly as Jaune stood up and walked over to Kali and put his hand on her kisses her neck while fondling her massive ass.

“Of course Kali” Jaune says guiding Kali back to the bed, laying her down and getting between her legs as he started to lick her milf pussy.

Once she felt his tongue lick her entrance she let out a breath while Jaune gripped her thighs and began to kiss, lick, and suck on Kali's pussy while Kali moaned loudly. He then mainly stuck to sucking on her clit as he shoved his tongue into her pussy making her squirm as she felt Jaune eat her pussy.

“F-Fuck I'm gonnn-!” She started moaning before she squirted over Jaune's mouth.

Jaune moves his lips away from her pussy and stands back up, a hard on in his pants in full view as he wipes his lips.

“T-Thank you for that J-Jaune” She says looking at him before her eyes notice his bulge in his pants.

She sat up and unzipped his pants and pulled down along with his boxers allowing his dick to fling out.

‘Oh God's his dick… it rivals the size and girth of Ghira's… and its scent’ she thought, smelling it as she could get enough.

She didn't wait as she shoved his dick into her mouth and began sucking like a rabbit in heat while she used one hand to jerk Jaune off while she gave him one wild blowjob. Jaune on the other hand bit his lip while watching Kali suck him off, the view of her big milkers bouncing only made him more horny for the Widowed milf. With her other hand she grabbed Jaune's hand and put it on her head, implying he wanted him to guide her, own her.

He put his other hand on her head and began thrusting, causing Kali to gag for a second before she adjusted to the speed Jaune was going at.

‘God's he's even rougher than Ghira was, he is perfect~!’ She thought to herself as she put her hands behind her head as Jaune kept thrusting using her mouth.

Jaune kept thrusting before he held her head against his lower area and cums in her throat and pulls his cock out of her mouth. Kali closes her mouth and swallows his cum and opens her mouth, sticking her tongue out seductively before closing her mouth again.

“Kali I want you to ride my cock and slam that fat ass on it until you can't no more” Jaune says sitting next to her well laying down next to her.

Kali felt herself get hotter from how he ordered her as she got on him immediately and lined his cock with her pussy and slid down on her as she shook her head while moaning loudly before slamming already down on his cock. She felt Jaune grab her head and pull her down into a deep French kiss as she started bouncing her massive ass on his dick just like he asked. She breaks the kiss as their tongues were inches apart as she stared into his eyes with a mix of lust and love while still slamming her pussy down on his dick, she could feel his dick stretching her more just making her bounce faster.

“F-Fuck fuck fuck fuck~!” Kali moaned as she kept riding Jaune's dick while Jaune moved his hands onto her hips making her bounce even more.

“Such an eager woman you are Kali” Jaune says as Kali had imaginary hearts in her eyes as she bounced even harder.

“Y-Yes I am~! Please fill. Me. up~!” She moans as she slammed down once more as Jaune moved his hands from her hips and back to her head and pulled her in for a kiss as he cums in her pussy, filling her womb up.

She slowly slides off his dick and gets off the bed and looks at Jaune's cum covered cock and bites her lip as she watches Jaune stand up and put his hands on her hips and kisses her, making him melt in his touch. She turns around and bends over placing her hands on the wall as she shakes her ass.

“Show me more fun… Daddy~” She said seductively as within a few seconds Jaune was behind her and shoved his dick back into her pussy, gripped her hips and began thrusting quickly and roughly.

Kali couldn't help but moan as Jaune used her pussy, and did she enjoy how rough he was being with her. She didn't care for soft sex she wanted it hard and rough, all boxes Jaune were checking.

“You're so wet, it makes it easier for me to rail this pussy made by the gods!” He moaned as he delivered a harsh smack to one of Kali's ass cheeks making it jiggle and Kali moan louder.

“Yes Oh God's fuck keep going~!” Kali moaned and Jaune did just that and kept thrusting like there was no tomorrow.

Jaune smacked her juicy ass once more, making her moan even louder as she looked back at him with a lustful seductive stare in his eyes. He kept thrusting and her stare only made him go rougher with her and after a few more moments he slammed against her cervix and cummed, filling her womb once again. He pulled out and back up falling onto the bed as Kali walked over to him and laid beside him and pecked his cheek and cuddled up next to him.

[knight-dwx-09]

Hiding (Not Really) From Them

Jaune cleave a Beowolf in half with a great sword that wasn’t a Croceo Mors. As the last Grimm evaporates, he let his eyes roamed a bit to search for any Grimm left in the area.

Jaune: Okay, that should be the last one of them. Now, I just need to back to the village to report the situation and grab my payment.

He sheathed his sword into the scabbard on his waist.

Jaune: I should wait for her to call me before I leave, today is Friday so it will be any second now.

Right on cue, his scroll began to rings, causing him to smiled brightly as he pick it up to reveal smiling Neo on the screen.

Jaune: Hello Neo!

Neo: *Waving*

Jaune: So, where are you now?

Neo: Atlas

She speaks thanks to the device on her neck that try to predict what she want to say into text-to-speak. It’s not perfect but it’s still good enough to communicate without hand gestured or typing on a scroll.

Jaune: Cool, no pun intended, any luck on stealing from the criminals and finding the information for other artifact?

Neo: Couple stupid idiots, one even use just one password and one pin for all of his money and secret document. As for the latter, none. You?

Jaune: Same, just a couple of Grimm and protecting Villages, haven’t see much from Salem’s cult as well. Seems like they went into hiding after I destroyed a lot of their camp.

Neo: And you aren’t being too hard on yourself, right?

Jaune: They weren’t much to exert me that far. I don’t even have to rely on Lyssa to fight them.

Lyssa: *Speak in Jaune’s mind* Damn right you are, these weakling are even worthy for master’s skills, let alone to withstand against my power! And worry not Neo, I ensure you that I will keep tabs on master’s health and force him to get enough sleep and nutrients!

Jaune let out a deep chuckle as he pat the sword on his back, which was wrapped in a bandage.

Jaune: And Lyssa told me she’s going to protect me and make sure I don’t slip back into my old habits. So, really, you don’t have to worry about me anymore.

Neo: That’s good to know, because I promised if I ever saw or know that you are awake late in night, swinging your sword like a madman, I WILL go to your current location and suffocate you in my thighs or tits, pick your funeral.

Jaune: *Chuckle nervously* You make it sound like it was a threat.

Neo: Because it is.

Jaune: I will keep that in mind.

Neo: … I know this isn’t something for me to say nor that I really care, but shouldn’t you visit your friends by now? It’s been 6 months since you last saw them in the hospital.

Jaune: Believe me, I have been dying to do so. But you know, somehow, all of the mission I saw and get was in Vacuo or a remote area, and once every a blue moon that I have a mission in Atlas or Vale or Menagerie, my friends weren’t there. Just my rotten luck. Besides, they need rest after the war and I don’t think my absent will affect them that badly.

———

Yang: *Red Eyes and blazing hair* If I finally captured that bastard, I will make him have second thought about abandoning all of us ever again! Stupid Vomit boy, making all of us, including my sweet little sister, cry our eyes out!

Blake: I know I don’t have any right to judge him but I will help you on that, I will bring the handcuff and leash so we could tied him with us forever so he won’t be able to run away.

———

Jaune: Heck, I am sure they are really busy with their new life to even think about me. With Dust in the world become even more rarer after the final fight, Weiss is trying to find another source of resource to replace Dust while fix her family legacy. You even say that Ruby is helping out Weiss while keeping Atlas save. And that is a lot of work!

———

Ruby: I miss my Best friend, Weiss, I miss him so much. *munching on a cookies while snuggling with Weiss*

Weiss: I also miss him… *Whisper* Where are you my Knight… your princess is waiting for you to come back… *eating blueberry frozen yogurt*

———

Jaune: And I heard Kuroyuri are being rebuild! I am so proud of Ren and Nora, they could finally settled down and have a family. I do pray for Ren’s pelvis, I remember that Nora wanting to beat my family scored of 8 children.

———

Both Nora and Ren could be seen in Mistral, handing out papers with smiling Jaune when he still has the banana hair and written missing under it.

Nora: Have you seen our golden retriever son? I miss him so much! *Large tears running down her face*

Ren: Our boy have run away from us, we aren’t ready to let him go just yet. Is it because I yelled at him when we try to get Oscar back? I am sorry my boy for being too hard at you. *Lamented with black cloud over his head*

———

Jaune: *Shrugged* I am sure they are doing just fine

Neo: *rolled her eyes* And when are you gonna tell them about our relationship?

Jaune: When my jobs are near them. I just wish our scroll were destroyed in the last fight, I don’t even have their number to call them anymore.

Neo: Well, I just hope they would accept us being a thing, not that I care about their opinion on us.

Jaune: *Chuckled* I am sure they are already warm up to you, including you to them.

Neo flip the bird which cause him to laugh even harder.

Jaune: Anyway, I should get going now. I don’t want to worried the villagers with me being gone for a while now. Nice meeting with you, I will call you next week again, Neo.

Neo: *Looked down in sadness* I really miss you… I wish we could have gone together…

Jaune: …Me too… I also wish you and I could talk together everyday and hug you all I want… and kiss you all day… but you already know why we separate for now, we have role to fulfill.

Neo: I know… it just suck that you aren’t there when I woke up in the cold, lonely bed, greeting me with that dopey, kind smile of yours to warm my day up.

Jaune: Well… maybe we can arrange something so we could spent a week together in the future

Neo: *Look up with a logging in her eyes and smiled* I would love that.

Suddenly, he can hear an alarm flared up on the other side of the call.

Neo: Well, it seems like they finally noticed their money is missing. They really should use it to upgrade their brain, I am surprised they managed to go this far with it.

Jaune: Neo, what did I say about calling me in the middle of a heist?

Neo: Please, as if you have the right to say that, ‘Mister-who-call-me-even-in-the-middle-of-hoard-of-Grimm’.

Jaune: *Sigh* Fine, just be careful.

Neo: Who do you think I am? *Smirking smugly*

Jaune: Well, that’s it for this week. Don’t forget, it will be your turn next.

Neo: *Rolled eyes* I know, just make sure you remember this number.

Jaune: I won’t, love you dear.

Neo: Love you too. Also, Lyssa, take care of our reckless partner and don’t let him jump into danger.

The sword of destruction began to shine as a small girl appeared on its place and grab hold on Jaune like a Koala, head peaking out so Neo could see her.

Lyssa: Don’t worry, this foolish master of my will not endanger his life as long as I am still by his side.

Neo: That’s good to know… see ya next week.

With the call ended, he gripped his scroll until it shattered under his hand.

Jaune: Well, are you ready for our next mission, Partner?

Lyssa: I want to sweet chocolate cake first! It has been a week since I had one and I believe I deserve one.

Jaune: *Chuckled* Okay, lets ask the chief if the place had any bakery or a cafe.

With that, the wandering knight set forth on his journey even after the war ended 6 months ago, leaving (Not Really) his friends behind as every single one of them have something in mind which they are gonna do to the knight if they find him, if, since it seem like Fate or Gods itself have another thing in mind for him and have taken a liking at his funny story unfolding. But we will see what the future’s hold for them.

[reashot]

Day 9 of 9 Days of Lancaster: Hero.

Warning: Angst.

Ruby: Hey Jaune. It's me again...

How are you today?

... I know stupid question, right.

I mean it's not like there's anything interesting going on right now.

I mean after we defeat Salem and bring peace to Remnant. Everything that came after feels a bit boring in comparison.

All the four kingdoms are slowly rebuilding, with even talk of Menagerie being elevated into a proper kingdom. Cool right?

....

Eh, you want to know about what happened to the rest of us?

Well, let little miss crater face tell you all about it.

*clears throat*

Let's start with my sister, she and Blake is going to get married this year.

Weiss is leading the reconstruction effort on atlas. She's been very busy. But she will make time for the wedding.

Oscar is still coming to terms with Ozpin being gone after the battle.

And me... The reason I'm still here is because of you Jaune.

*starts tearing up*

Because you sacrificed your life to save me...

Originally I wanted to come here to thank you for saving my life. But after coming here I realized that you're a piece of shit Jaune!

You should have saved yourself instead of saving me! Because of you I have to live knowing that you have to die in order for me to live.

Do you have any idea what it does to me? Your sisters may not blame me for your death but I know that deep down they probably do.

I hate you Jaune...

I hate you, because you I blame myself for your death.

And I hate you, because I can't forget you.

I wish I never met you Jaune. That way at least you don't have to die...

*breaks down crying*

Wh-who am I kidding I don't want that. I want to be together with you. To spend the rest of our days together...

You know Jaune. Everyone calls me a hero, the red hooded warrior, the silver eyes huntress and other such names. But when I asked about you. No one knows who you were...

The boy who saved my life and everyone already forgot you even exist... It's all just a big joke. Because to me you're my hero.

[satureja13]

After Vlad talked to Sai, he left. And Sai still kept on sitting on that bench for quite a while. Thinking about Jeb and him. How are they supposed to go back where they've been after all that had happened? Eventually he sighed, stood up and went back to Verdantis. He can't leave Jeb in the dark about his feelings. Sai got kicked out of his gloomy thoughts when he noticed movement and splashing in the swamps ö.Ö' Has the beast in the swamps caught the poor duck?

No, it's Jeb!? Why is he swimming in the swamps in his goth stage outfit? (He really did this when I logged in! Ji Ho too! See pics below.)

Sai: "Jeb?" Jeb: "Eh..." Sai: "Can we talk?" Jeb: "Ehm ... Ok." (Phew, the duck is fine!)

Sai isn't sure if he wants to know what Jeb did in the swamps, in this hot outfit, at that. But he asked anyway. Sai: "What were you doing in the swamps in your ho... eh - goth outfit?" Since Sai hates it when they hide stuff from him, Jeb thought it's best he goes with the truth: "Uhm, my eyes were red and swollen from eh... crying - so Jack suggested to put some make-up on. To hide it. And then he said that would be perfect for some photoshoots and I should put on the stage outfit from our Imbolc Concert and that Noxee would love some copies too for your fashion store catalogue. Then he said I should wait here, he wanted to fetch another camera. Eh yes, that's why." Jack again... But Sai can't be upset. Jeb looks so, so hot. He can't take his eyes off him.

They sat at the fountain at Three Toads Market. Jeb: "I'm so sorry I wasn't able to make my intentions clear and upset you. And I understand that a relationship will only additionally burden you. We are the biggest sub unit in the Resistance and we already promised you to carry the burden with you. Please don't leave. We are going to make sure to let you take breaks and support you, hm? Take your escapes and heal. We need you." So Francine had told Jeb Sai wanted someone else to be their leader them and leave...

Sai: "And you? Do you need me?" Jeb doesn't know what to say. He loves Sai more than anything. But he doesn't want to coax Sai in a relationship he can't handle. A relationship that is a burden for him. He also knows how much Sai struggles with being their leader and responsible. But Jeb can't maintain their relationship all by himself. He's damaged, just like Sai. And he also needs healing. A relationship is a job for two.

Sai is confused by Jeb's silence. Vlad said Jeb still loves him. Sai: "Is there no way for us to go back to where we've been?" Jeb took a deep breath in. He also has to think of himself, his own healing: "No, I just can't go back where we've been. This insecurity and the break-ups are killing me. I'm drifting back to a place where I never wanted to go back to again. I love you, but I don't want to go back to what we had. Maybe we both need more time."

Sai: "Let's make a new start then, hm? I will improve and delegate, I promise. I will continue my meditation and yoga practise, take my breaks and will look into resilience. And the time and energy I gain from that, I will put into our relationship." Jeb: "And when something happens again like with Kiyoshi?" Sai: "We need to improve our communication too. And on how we handle jealousy. Let's work it out together. Please, Jeb." Jeb: "Are you sure you want this?" Sai: "Yes. I'm determined to make this... us - work. I need you. And I won't fail you again." Jeb: "I need you too. Let's try then."

Sai smiled: "A wise man said: Try not. Do - or do not." Jeb laughed: "Ok! Let's do this." Then he stood up: "I'm leaving you now. There is some running I have to do. With Jack..." Sai looked longingly after Jeb. Swooning over him so hard that he didn't even got angry that Jeb just left him to spend time with Jack. Maybe later... The Little Goats, Adriano, Skully and Jack's Menagerie were so excited to witness this moment in time first hand! Vlad's Little Goat is frantically taking notes for their logs. Giving Jack extra credits for his perfidious plan to put Jeb into his hot goth outfit to turn Sai into a boneless goo ^^'

'If you like making love at midnight In the dunes on the cape I'm the love that you've looked for Write to me and escape'

Escape (The Pina Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes This Song is also OST from one of my favourite movies of all time: Guardians of the Galaxy (which also has it's 10th anniversary this year! ö.Ö') -> Here is the scene with this song from the movie.

And here is Ji Ho in his Goth outfit :3 Maybe they were already preparing for halloween ^^'

And another one from Jeb, he looks so stunning.

Sai was very flirty and told Jeb how much he loves his emo outfit.

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter: 'Here comes the Sun' from the beginning ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Who killed Jack?' from the beginning ▶️ here

📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 23-28

[wolfawaycamp]

I am humbly requesting LauraMax fluff, maybe including an ever growing number of pets because they keep bringing home strays? Y'all know where to find me if you have any questions 😂

🐰 Someday, Max told himself, he’d learn to say no.

To say no to a pair of sad puppy dog eyes, whether they were Laura’s or those of an actual, literal puppy dog. And Laura didn’t do sad eyes often, that was the thing that really got him about it. It was always a sneak attack when Max’s headstrong, self-assured girlfriend pulled out the big, sad baby blues, batted her eyelashes at him, and actually said, “please?” It was unfair, really, because it worked every single time. It was just giving Max the illusion of choice when he inevitably gave in and let Laura have whatever it was that she wanted.

That was how, across multiple separate occasions, they’d ended up with their current menagerie. Max had known that cohabiting with a veterinary student would expose him to a number of critters, but he hadn’t expected it to turn out quite like this. Certainly, Max hadn’t expected to turn into some kind of creature himself the summer before Laura embarked on her graduate school studies, but with what they now jokingly called ‘Wolf Boy Summer’ squared away (they had to laugh, you see, to keep from crying), the creatures had at least been smaller and more manageable.

They’d moved to San Francisco with only a tiny cage with two tiny mice inside, for their tiny apartment. The mice, which Laura had liberated from a science lab she’d worked a few shifts at in undergrad, were champion puzzle-solvers and cheese-finders named Trillian and Cashew. Max didn’t even get consulted about these guys, given that Laura had lived in her own dorm at the time she’d acquired them, but she did let him name one, which is how Trillian ended up named after a character in The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Laura named Cashew Cashew because that was the flavor of nut milk she was testing that week. (Max thought Cashew was lucky the two mice hadn’t shown up during pea protein milk week.) Laura was “pretty sure” they were both female, until Cashew ended up pregnant and blessed them with baby mice Frankie, Benjy, Ford, Hazel(nut), Almond, Pecan, and Peanut. Max told her this bode poorly for her career in animal care, but Laura took it in stride, saying she’d have to spend more time studying sex differences in mice in the future. They got two larger enclosures and separated everyone out by sex, properly this time, and now Max has to turn the sound up on their white noise machine when he and Laura snuggle up in bed, or else he hears the Galaxy-Nut siblings running in their wheels all night long.

Then, Laura fell in love with a stray cat with a severely matted coat that had been hanging around their doorstep for days, and Max found his loyalty to his mouse family strained. Should they really bring a predator into their happy little home? But Laura was absolutely certain she could make it work, even in the limited space their apartment provided, and the cat really was pitiful-looking. So Max capitulated and the Kearney-Brinly household expanded to include ten mice and one cat.

The pathetic ginger cat, Westley, luckily, turned out to be utterly uninterested in the mice. He got his name because he showed up for the final time on movie night and meowed pitifully through the first half of The Princess Bride (both Laura and Max’s favorite) until they brought him inside. Laura took him the next day to check for a microchip and, finding none, she had the matted orange furball completely shaved. In the middle of winter. And sure, it was a relatively mild San Francisco winter, but Max still thought Wes looked cold.

“I’ve already ordered him a sweater,” Laura said, “but I know you’ve been working on your knitting, maybe you can make him another?”

Max had scoffed at first. Then he’d taken a second look at his pitifully nude cat and stayed up late researching cat sweater patterns. Now Wes has an entire wardrobe of knitwear and Max, Laura, and Wes have matching Christmas sweaters for their Christmas card photos. Max drew Emma for the Hacketteer gift exchange, but he traded with Abi for Dylan and now he’s working on another set for Dylan, Ryan, and Schrödinger. (He knows Ryan will be especially delighted.)

Then it was Max’s turn. He found a large bedraggled dog of indeterminate breed tied to a stop sign in an abandoned parking lot and the dog let him know immediately that Max was his chosen father, riding home with his head in Max’s lap the entire way. Westley liked Laura best anyway, why shouldn’t Max have his own cuddle buddy (you know, other than Laura)? Laura agreed it was only fair, and now Inigo stretches out between them on movie night and he has to get his fill of both scritches and popcorn before he’ll allow them to cuddle with one another.

“Hon,” Max told Laura, who was sitting at her desk with Westley perched on her shoulder like a pirate’s parrot, “you know I love all our kids, but we really cannot have any more animals in this apartment. We might actually get evicted.”

“Couldn’t agree with you more, honey,” Laura replied, and Max had thought that would be the end of their animal acquisition. He could admit that was pretty naive of him.

The next day, Laura had a list of rental houses for them to visit a little further from the city. Sure, she’d have a longer commute to her classes, and Max would to his job, but wouldn’t it be worth it for the ‘kids’ to have more space? Max couldn’t exactly argue with that, so they moved into a two-bed, two-bath with a small fenced yard.

And that was where Max was, cutting up a salad for dinner, when there was a knock at the door. Max answered to find Laura on their doorstep holding the saddest-looking beagle Max had ever seen, her own face mimicking its hangdog expression perfectly. They were both whimpering. “She was released from the surgical program at school and needed a home, I said we’d take her on a trial basis but baaaabe, just look at this faaaace.”

He sighed, but couldn’t help smiling a little, both at the wriggling dog and at his girlfriend. Her big pretend sad eyes, her genuinely huge heart.

Someday Max would learn to say no. But today was not that day.

[pencilpat]

Dukeceitbrainrot here on anon. Do you have any ripe headcanons for Janus/Remus? 💛💚

Who am I fooling, we have so many that I can't even write them all out in one place without overwhelming myself! Here's some juicy ones though, just for you. @dukeceitbrainrot

Janus and Remus both have really bad abandonment issues, both from things Thomas has been through as well as losing Virgil from such a previously tight knit group. They cling to each other very, very hard. They fell in love out of necessity, out of proximity, out of 'you are the only one left for me,' but they still love, love, love.

They both watch a lot of horror films, sure, but their tastes are completely different. While Janus would bring things like Run. or Us to movie night, Remus will bring things like Slaughtered Vomit Dolls or Cannibal Holocaust and spend the whole film infodumping about the horrific backstories and crimes involved. Janus sits there utterly horrified the whole time, but he lets Remus have his fun nonetheless.

Remus eats a lot of weird stuff that's very bad for his health (I headcanon that he has the disorder pica among his menagerie) and Janus has to help him quell those compulsions in any way he can. That resulted in Janus learning to bake and cook creations that look or feel in texture exactly like the things Remus would want to eat. Such as sugar glass for that nasty glass swallowing habit, or fondant to replace fancy soaps. Janus once created candy that looks and feels like razor blades, just for him.

They are SO 'horrible beast and enabling owner' coded okay, "I don't know, I just let him play," and all else are you kidding me?? Janus enables the chaos for his own amusement and Remus's antics are an endless source of entertainment for him. Janus can be pretty easily grossed out, but it's creates flabbergasted affection towards Remus more than anything else.

A bit nsfw, skip if you need to. But their sex isn't actually as weird as you'd expect from Remus. He's a lot softer and sweeter to people he genuinely loves. He gets worried when he loves someone, will he scare them off, will he make them hate him like most others have, will they be just like the others? Their opinion actually matters to him, which is bizarre and terrifying for him to deal with. Janus is very good at reassuring him and keeping him close and safe when emotions do interfere with their encounters. Remus needs a lot of aftercare most of the time, he's very prone to those rushes of negative emotions following sex.

Remus gets injured a lot, either from fights with Roman or his own tendencies to step on/into his own weapons. Janus knows very basic field first aid because of this, and has to patch him up while chastising him pretty much 6 out of 7 days of the week.

Janus has really bad days sometimes, where his responsibilities and his role as Denial crash onto him like a train. He's hiding so much, holding so much back and away from the others. It's a taxing task. Remus shows a surprisingly strong soft side on those nights, caring for and comforting Janus through every trauma reaction he may have, be it screaming, crying, scratching at himself, etc etc. It can be really rough for both of them, but Janus is always incredibly grateful to Remus for staying with him through it, despite.

Remus does not care whether Janus likes affection or not, he WILL be being kissed and laid on and grabbed and tackled and shoved into Remus's chest 24 hours 7 days a week and he is not allowed to complain.

Shockingly domestic, sweet couple. always baking or gardening together or sitting on the sofa together doing nothing at all. The only difference is that There Is An Eyeball On The Coffee Table or Remus Filled That Pot With Human Waste So I Cannot Use It or other bizarre inclusions of disgusting things among their neat little domestic life.

Remus is a coffee drinker, Janus is a tea drinker. There are many arguments over this. 200 dead, 5000 injured.

Janus likes to try and plan civil, nice dates in The Mindpalace for them, but Remus always fucks it up in some horrific way, intentionally. What is love worth if it cannot flourish in chaos, huh Janus? Huh??

That's all for now, I love these two idiots so much

[piedpiperart]

Menagerie part 1

Izuku’s eyes widened at the tall building of UA. He almost wanted to cry. All his dreams were riding on this one day. If he doesn’t make it in, of course, he can always try for gen ed and transfer during the sports festival, but… He really, really wants this to work out. All his life people told him to give up, no one relieved he could be a hero. Not even his own mom. 

Izuku shook his head, no, don’t think about that. Mom tries her best with a worthless son like me, but she’ll see his worth when he gets into the hero course. He thinks. I trained for years, I can do this! Even if the exam is something ridiculous like robots, I’ll at least be prepared to do my best!

Taking a deep breath he takes a step forwards and- trips over a loose brick in the walkway. “Wah- huh?” Izuku opens his eyes to see the bricks a foot away from his face. He wasn’t falling anymore? He went to reach out to touch the brick when he heard a nervous giggle. 

“Sorry for using my quirk on you!” His eyes snap up to see a cute girl with brown hair and caramel eyes. She gently drifts him upright by her hand on his shoulder. “I just figured it would be bad luck to trip and fall on a day like this, you know?” 

“T-thank you!” Izuku smiled, in awe at the weightlessness disappearing when she pressed her hands together. 

“Anyways!” The girl smiled,”We better get going, it should start soon!”

“O-oh! Right!” Izuku stammered, following after her. “I’m Izuku Midoriya, nice to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you Midoriya! I’m Ochako Uraraka!” Ochako replied. They made their way into the building entrance without any problems, whispering quietly about how nervous they were. 

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the familiar blonde hair of his childhood friend and hoped they wouldn’t be near one another. “Ooh! Let’s sit over here-” Ochako exclaimed quietly, dragging him over to sit next to her. He was grateful for that, because it looked like the only other seats available were around Kacchan. 

They still had a few minutes before the written test started, so they continued to talk to ease eachother’s nerves. “Your quirk is Gravity manipulation, right?”

“Sort of! It’s called Zero Gravity, so I can negate something’s gravity if I touch it with all five fingers,” Ochako says. 

“Woah! That’s so cool, and you can use it on objects and people right? Can you negate your own gravity? What’s your weight limit?” Izuku asks, fingers itching for a notebook to write everything down. 

Ochako laughs lightly at the rapid-fire questions. “Yes, and I can use my quirk on myself but it makes me nauseous, and I think around two tons? I haven’t been able to test it all that much.” 

Up ahead, people start to quiet down so Ochako lowers her voice. “Is that your quirk? Analysis or something?”

“Uh,” Izuku stammers, suddenly finding the table really interesting. “No.. I’m um, quirkless.”

For a moment Izuku is afraid to look over at her. He doesn’t want to see the disgusted look everyone has when he mentions it. Ochako had been so kind to him, and he just ruined it. Izuku felt a familiar pressure from behind his eyes and wondered if it was too late to change seats. Surely she would be more comfortable wit-

“Woah! You must have trained a lot to take this test, huh?” Ochako smiles, and Izuku is so, so relieved she doesn’t hate him like everyone else. He ignores the thought that she could always change her mind later, and sends her a blinding smile of his own. 

“Yeah!” He nods determinedly. 

“Let’s do our best then!” Ochako exclaims quietly, and they both turn to the front where the pro Hero Midnight takes the stage. 

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

“No way! We’re in the same group!”

“Wha- really?” Izuku’s eyes widened, looking from his card to Ochako’s. “Youre right!” 

“Thats so cool, maybe we’ll see each other!” Ochako said. Izuku nodded, that would be nice.

Moments later, Present mic entered the stage, and a bright spotlight shone right on him. Izuku shook with nervousness and excitement. “Alright!! Let’s start the introduction, can I get a YEAHHHH?!” Present Mic announced, using a bit of his quirk to anticipate the last word. Silence permeated through the auditorium. Izuku and Ochako exchanged glances, and she had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. Izuku nudged her as Present Mic continued to explain everything on the pamphlet they were given. 

“S-sorry-” Ochako whisper- laughed. “I just feel so bad- n-no one responded,” She breathed. Izuku bit his lip, trying to hold in his own laughter. Ochako was making it contagious. “I was too nervous, but I didn’t think no one would respond!”

Izuku nudged her quiet again, they were starting to get looks. “We can cheer next time?” Izuku offered hesitantly. 

Ochako nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! We can cheer him on together and he won’t be sad!” She whispered back. 

Their plans were ruined not even a minute later when a teenager with blue hair stood up. ”Excuse me!” He shouted, gaining the attention of the entire audience and interrupting the pro hero. “It says here there are four villains, but only three were mentioned! If this is an error then UA should be ashamed of such a misprint!” Ochako covered her mouth again to prevent her laughter from escaping when the blue-haired teen chopped his hands like a robot. Izuku tried and failed to keep his smile down at their actions. 

“And you two! Green and Brown hair!” The boy called out, causing the two in question to exchange confused glances. “You two have been talking this whole time! If you are not here to take this exam seriously, then I must implore that you leave immediately!”

“You’re the one interrupting Present Mic!” Ochako exclaimed, her cheeks puffing out a bit at the boy’s rudeness. 

“He was just about to explain the fourth robot too,” Izuku added,”It’s just an obstacle!”

The blue haired boy spluttered, but didn’t get a chance to respond before the pro hero took the spotlight again. “That’s right kiddos! The fourth robot is a zero-pointer!” He exclaimed, pointing to the screen dramatically. “They aren’t worth any points, so it’s best to avoid them!”

“Anyways, enough with all the rules, amiright?” Present mic said, posing dramatically. Ochako nudged Izuku in anticipation, and they both prepared for the cheer. “Get ready and get on out there listeners! YEAHH!!”

“Yeahh!!” Ochako and Izuku cheered along, as loudly as they could muster. Izuku almost regretted it when all the eyes turned to them, but he spotted Present Mic perk up and look toward them. 

“That’s the spirit, listeners!” Present Mic gestured with his open palm to them,”I got my eye on you two, good luck!”

Ochako waved enthusiastically back at the hero. Izuku’s face reddened at the attention, but he was smiling softly. “That was fun!” She laughed, taking Izuku’s hand. He suddenly felt this warm feeling build up inside him as she pulled him out of the audience and towards their area sections. 

The feeling disappeared when she let go, and Izuku realized they had reached the lockers. “Well, I’ll see you at the start line! Good luck!” Ochako waved. 

“Y-you too!” Izuku waved, and she disappeared into the girls locker room. He looked down to the hand she was holding, rubbing it a little. What was that feeling? Am I getting sick? Noticing the time, he hurried to the locker room, shrugging it off as an effect of her quirk. 

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

At the start line, Izuku couldn’t see any signs of Uraraka. He frowned, cursing his short genes when he suddenly caught a glimpse of short brown hair. Izuku straightened up and started forward, only to be stopped by a giant hand chopping down next to his face. 

“If you're going to bother that girl before the exam I suggest you refrain!” The boy declared. “You shouldn’t bother other examinees!”

“I- I um, she’s my friend-” Izuku stammered, backing up. The boy only pressed further into Izuku’s personal space. He tried to step back further but bumped into another kid. 

The boy continued to rant, and Izuku looked for any way out of that conversation when suddenly he heard a familiar voice shout ”GO!” and he was off running. He took a deep breath and let it out. He felt a lot better away from the other boy, and slipped into hs familiar mindset of fighting. 

Izuku had gone to one of the community gyms near his house for the past seven years, learning everything he could, from weapons and self defense to parkour. He even cleaned a whole beach full of trash over the summer.  Which was why during Present Mic’s warning to the other students to get going, Izuku had already climbed one of the buildings, jumping roof to roof.

Izuku was aiming to get a good vantage point where no one would bother him and there’d be plenty of robots. He didn’t see any zero pointers yet, but he had a feeling they were saved til the end. He panted, leaning over a roof to get a good view of the street below. There was a line of robots- perfect. He’d found where the robots waited to be sent out into the city. 

Pulling out a piece of pipe from the rooftop, he swung it a few times before nodding. Then he leaped off the roof, aiming for one of the robots in the middle of the pack. Just like that, three robots were down before any of them had registered what was going on. After the first three went down, many of the robots struck each other in their haste to get to him, and in close quarters they ended up falling a bit like dominos. Izuku laughed, turning back to make sure he got all the robots in his vicinity. He didn’t bother to count them, it would just waste time. 

Climbing back onto the rooftops, Izuku kept his sturdy roof-pipe with him as he leapt to find another area like the one he’d found. It was exhilarating, leaping from roof to roof on his own. It was nice to not worry about bullies and his mom, instead just flying across buildings with nothing but adrenaine. He hoped this would be what his life would be like when he became a hero. 

Grinning all the while, Izuku managed to take down four more spots full of robots before the ground started to shake. Turning, he could spot a giant robot with a big red zero painted onto it. He almost laughed. Of course the zero pointer would be a huge monster robot. Carefully, he made his way to where the robot was, just to make sure everyone could make it out okay. 

Izuku was about four buildings away from the zero-pointer when he heard a call for help. Without thinking, he ran towards it. Thankfully, he was closer to the voice than the robot was, so he didn’t have to worry about them being crushed by the robot. Yet. 

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a blur of blue and frowned. Izuku put the thought into the back of his mind as he slid off the last roof and flipped off one of the dead robots, landing safely to the ground with a controlled roll. “Ah! Izuku!” 

“Ochako?” Izuku’s eyes widened when he looked over to see his new fried trapped under some rubble. “I’m here to help, where are you hurt?”

“My hero!” Ochako laughed, then winced. “It’s just my ankle, I think.”

“Alright,”Izuku said, analyzing the situation. “I’m gonna try to move some of the debris, but yell if anything starts to hurt.”

“Okay!” Ochako called as he walked to the side, out of her eye-range. “I kinda over-used my quirk, sorry. I don’t think I can lift it just yet.”

“That’s okay,” Izuku said, shifting some pieces, and wedging his makeshift pipe staff into part of the heavier concrete piece. The ground under them started to shake, and Izuku made his way back to Uraraka. “Okay, I made a bit more room for you and stabilized it, so I’m gonna carefully slide you out if thats okay?”

“Yep!” Ochako grinned, holding up her hands for Izuku to take. He grasped her hands and the familiar warmth came back, tingling his skin. 

Izuku thought nothing of it at the time, only focusing on getting his friend out of the rubble quickly before the robot got too close. “Three, two, one!” Izuku called, and pulled her as quickly and carefully as he could. 

Just as suddenly as she was free, she was gone, and in the excitement, the two had fused together into a single person. “U-uraraka?” They asked hesitantly, looking around. 

“Wait-” They stopped,”Wait wait wait-” They looked down at themselves, noting they were several inches taller than normal, and was their hair longer? “I thought you didn’t have a quirk??”

“I thought so too??” They exclaimed, looking at their outfit. It was a mix of Ochako’s plain black tanktop now with a teal stripe, and Izuku’s teal pants with one now gray pant leg. “Is this- Is this my quirk??”

They suddenly burst into laughter. Half of it was in joy and the other half a little bit hysterical at the suddenness at having a quirk after fourteen years of absolutely nothing. “Well?!”

“Well what?” They tilted their head, still amazed at themself. A sly grin formed on their flushed face, turning towards the giant robot. “Why don’t we test out what your quirk can do!”

“W-” They started to object, but really, with all the excitement ant the oncoming robot towering over them, they found a want to try something new with this crazy opportunity. “Okay!”

“Okay!” They exclaimed again, rushing towards the robot. They felt a slight twinge in their ankle, but it was faint. They continued to run, not even slowing after jumping from pile of rubble to dead robot to atop the roofs and toward the giant robot. Laughing, they leaped tapped themself, activating zero gravity on themself and floating steadily towards the robot. They landed on its shoulder gracefully, and released their gravity. 

“Wait,” They started. “What?” They looked over to the robot’s head and out across the arena. “I have an idea,” They smiled, putting all five fingers onto the robot. After the robot was tapped, they jumped off the shoulder, slid down the arm and back to the rooftop, all in time to see gravity slowly increase on the robot.

“Oh my god,”They smiled, excitedly. “Oh my god, look! This is so cool! Can I do that by myself?? Can you??” They stood there and watched with awe as the robot crumpled to the ground like a soda can. They found themselves unable to stop smiling at the absolute chaos of what became of the day. “Something like zero gravity evolving under the other quirks influence- maybe call it fusion? Or think of a name later- into gravity manipulation, where we can increase or decrease gravity on something.” 

They paused, pressing their hands together to release the robot as Present mIc yelled for the exam end. “Did I get enough points? I think so.. I’m sure you did great! You too!” They laughed. Suddenly tired, they sat down on the roof ledge. “Do you.. Know how to turn it off?”

“It’s my first time- Oh wait how would you know- oh my gosh what if we’re stuck like thi-”They exclaimed, only to be cut off when suddenly they were thrust part, both teens now sprawled out on the rooftop. 

The two of them immediately got to their feet. “Oh my god!” They said in unison. 

“You got a quirk!” Ochako squealed. “You can merge with people?!!”

“I- I don’t even know how??” Izuku freaked out,”Did you- are you sure it wasn’t your quirk??”

“Nope!” Ochako giggled,” But oh!!” She exclaimed,”Maybe we can ask one of the staff to help- maybe they can figure out what your quirk is!”

“But- School isn’t even in yet and I- I’m sure they’re busy-” izuku stammered, very much freaking out. 

“Nonsense! Let’s go!”

“No- wait! We’re stopping by Recovery Girl first, you’re still hurt!”

“Fiine!”

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

“And you’re saying.. His quirk just manifested?” Eraserhead squinted at the two teens in front of him, one practically vibrating with excitement and the other on the verge of a dissociative episode. “During the exam?”

“Yep!” The girl responded. “He just sort of- we kind of formed a whole new person? With a new quirk and everything?”

“I-I thought I was quirkless…” The boy- Izuku Midoriya, Aizawa’s brain supplied- stammered. “I- I really didn’t know, I promise!”

Aizawa sighed. “I’m aware. I was watching the exam, kid.” 

That was also how Aizawa knew the boy had passed, it was just lucky for him the kid had come to the staff room after the test to ask for advice. The kid had gotten 45 villain points and assuming the rescue points for saving the girl only increased it, the kid was definitely getting in. It was only logical to start training him personally before the school year to catch him up on everything he needed to know about his quirk.

After telling the kid such, Midoriya thanked him profusely and vowed to do his best. Which was all Aizawa could ask for. Honestly, he was amazed to see such a late quirk manifest, and was a little more than worried about the kid suppressing a quirk for so long. 

“Now go home, get some rest, and tell your parents about it,” Aizawa reminded. “Meet me here tomorrow, both of you, and try not to use your quirk in the meantime.” He said. 

“Thank you!” Izuku bowed,” I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but I really appreciate it!”

The girl nodded along, and thanked him for helping her friend. Minutes later, phone numbers exchanged and more thanks, the teenagers waved goodbye. “Thank you again Eraserhead!”

Shouta huffed in amusement before walking back to the staff room. 

“Problem child,” He grumbled fondly. He could already tell the kid was going to be a handful. 

Minutes later, Shouta realized he never gave the kid his hero name. 

PART TWO

[willwooddaily]

hi welcome to my new blog

this is a side blog of @fae-tier-shit

I’m gonna try to post Will wood content every day, hopefully I have enough Will wood in my head for this nonsense.

there will (hopefully) be a menagerie of content, ranging from my art, to reblogs, to random ramblings, however it’ll be mostly lyrics. I plan on writing an essay about will wood so I might also post snippets of that, and the whole thing when it’s complete

please be patient with me, if I miss a day im sorry.

I’ve noticed that I tend to be a bit sassier on this blog, nothing I say is ever truly mean, it’s all /lh/silly, but lmk if I ever cross a line! :33

A few facts about me: my favorite album is the normal album marsha thankk you for the dialects but I need you to leave makes me cry my favorite song is probably either black box warrior or suburbia overture however that is subject to change. The first Will Wood song I ever listened to was I/Me/Myself which I found scrolling thru YouTube looking for new music. after finding that, a close friend got me super into the rest of his music I plan to write a story abt characters that r inspired by The Main Character. I also once wrote a parody of the main character but tbh it’s not that good sometimes I refer to Will Wood as “Bill Tree”

I’ll try to tags things based on what they are. Ex. #WW Art or #WW Lyrics, and for lyrics I’ll clarify the song and album too. all posts will be tagged with #daily dose of Will Wood. If im listening to a Will Wood song when writing a post/tags I’ll also put that in the tags.

For my DNI read the pinned post on my main blog, and PLEASE keep things will wood related. Idrc if ur reblogging a bunch and goofing off w a friend, as long as ur goofing off abt Will Wood

Feel free to send asks with requests/recommendations for a post :3

Yes I do keep editing this as I have more to say, this is my first side blog so I’m still figuring out what I want to do.

[blitzsicedcoffee]

Chapter 5-Making An Adjustment

Once Blitz told Loona, Millie, and Moxxie about the news, everything went really fast. She didn't look concerned in the moment but late that night Blitz could tell Loona had been crying..

He made her confetti cake in a mug and she took it with a rare smile. But once her door closed, it made Blitz frown. He was so much younger when his mom was diagnosed. But it doesn't lessen the sting of knowing that the only person who cares for you is potentially dying.

That's not technically what Doctor Jezebel said. Apparently there are new medicines for the disease that were made since his mother passed, and Stolas chimed in saying they'd try anything he recommended. It was a lot of jabber and Blitz tuned most of it out. But Stolas took notes. He'll have to look at those later.

Stolas insisted that he and Loona move into the palace. He was reluctant at first but then was surprised when Loona was fully onboard.

"You really wanna live there? Like- we'd be living with them", it was already weird talking to her about his and Stolas's relationship. He didn't expect to have to talk to her about this so soon. But she just shrugged, "If you'll have access to better care then by all means", she said. So the money, he thought. She wants him to have better access to Stolas's wealth. He doesn't blame her, if he was in her spot that's what he'd be thinking for his Mama too.

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

Nethertheless whether Blitz was ready, within two weeks they moved in. Millie and Moxxie and Fizz all assisted with the move, and Stolas and Loona kept open portals to ease the transition from one place to another. Blitz was barred from carrying anything heavy, he was levitated away from any boxes by Stolas, so he decided to knock on Octavia's door. Since, well, he'd be living with her now.

"Come in", she says and he cracks it, giving a sympathetic smile, "Hey....Via", he says. She glances up at him and back down at her novel.

"Hi.", she replies. He awkwardly walks into the room and rubs the back of his neck.

"Watcha reading?", he asks. She shrugs, "Some vampire book". Blitz's mouth forms a line, "Cool. Hey can we just-get it out of the way now that it's awkward that I'm moving in? I mean- do you even like me?" He asks candidly and she sighs and puts down her book.

"Shouldn't you be helping move stuff?" She asks. He laughs, "Your dad won't let me".

She cracks a small smile, "He really cares about you".

Blitz rubs his arm which is starting to burn with every casual touch and he winces a little, "Yeah-for some reason I still can't understand".

Via notices him wince and hops off her bed, walking over and preening her head in the mirror.

"I'm sorry about your sickness", she says.

Blitz blinks, "Thank y-" she cuts him off, "But don't think for a second that if you stop making my dad happy, that I won't retaliate".

Blitz looks away and sighs, "..Yep, got it". He goes to leave when he spies her struggling with a feather in the back and walks over, "Lemme get it", she starts to protest when he glides a claw gently over the back and smoothes it over. She pulls her head away from him, "...Thanks". Blitz smiles, "Don't mention it", and leaves her room.

He walks back into the living room to watch everyone bring in boxes, and throw away trash. They'd thrown the old couch. They'd protected all his horse menagerie. And according to Stolas, Loona is already in her room decorating.

"Thanks for helping with all this Stolas", he mentions and Stolas smiles, "Of course. It was my suggestion after all". He closes the final portal for the move and puts a hand on Blitz's back. He winces, "Sorry...Stolas could you take your hand off my back?...Hurts", he mumbles and Stolas pulls his hand back, "Oh! So sorry love, of course". He already feels guilty that Stolas can't even touch him sometimes. If he can't go to work, he can't do things around the house, he can't make Stolas feel good, what can he do?

Fizz wipes the sweat off his brow then looks to Blitz, "I forgot about something!" He runs to the coat room and bring back an extendable cane, shiny and purple.

"It was mine when I was..recovering", he says sheepishly. Blitz blinks, "Why did you keep it all this time?" Fizz shrugs, "In case I needed it again. But I have plenty of them".

"You do? I've never seen you use one", Blitz mentions and Fizz chuckles, "Just cause you always see me at my best doesn't mean I don't need help sometimes. We all do. Nothing to be ashamed of", he says proudly and smiles towards Blitz who looks away shyly.

"Right-sure...", he tries the cane by putting it in his dominant hand and it does help steady him. He no longer feels like his feet will collapse under him at least.

"Thanks, Fizz. Really", he says and Fizz hugs him, albeit a little too tight. "Fizz", he winces, "Too tight". And his best friend quickly relinquishes him, "Hah, sorry. Don't be a stranger Blitz. Really".

Stolas opens a portal home for him and Blitz sighs, staring down at the cane.

"I think it makes you look dashing, sir", Moxxie says, walking over with Millie.

"Uh huh. Don't worry by the way we'll figure out IMP, i-" Blitz starts but Millie puts a finger to his mouth.

"B, we have savings. It's okay. Just focus on healing, Kay?" She says and he thinks, well, it's chronic so he doesn't know if he even CAN heal from this, but he nods in defeat anyway.

Stolas opens their portal and they leave, and Blitz leans on the cane, feeling drained.

"Blitz? You alright?" Stolas asks. Blitz nods, "Need sleep". Stolas scoops him up and brings him to the bedroom, laying him in bed and folding up the cane and putting it in his side table drawer. He floats over a cup of water to leave nearby and some crackers.

"Try to eat if you can, love. You didn't have dinner" Stolas mentions but Blitz's eyelids are almost closed.

"Sleep..." He mumbles and Stolas kisses his forehead and pulls the blanket over him as he watches Blitz curl up into a ball.

He slowly closes the door and turns around to Loona behind him.

"Oh! Hello. How's your room coming along?" He asks. She smiles, "It's alright. Blitz go to sleep already? It's barely evening", her face fading to worry. He nods, "Yes he is very fatigued. Maybe he will feel better in the morning. We start a new treatment". Loona fiddles with her hands and grabs Stolas's hand, pulling him to the living room and sitting on the couch. Stolas joins her.

She breaks down, tears falling down her face now.

"I'm so scared", she tells him and Stolas frowns, holding in his own tears for her sake. He outstretches his arms and she falls into them, his hand stroking the back of her head.

"I know. I am too. But we can get through this. Just like he can", he tells her. She sniffles, "Promise me he isn't going to die".

Stolas looks at her seriously and narrows his upper eyes, holding onto her shoulders, "I would never let that happen".

[howlingday]

Charitable Donations

Blake: And so, with the expansion of diversified commerce, the increased tax revenue will pay for the project and make it self-sustaining in about 10 years.

Weiss: ...I'm sorry, what's all this about again?

Blake: The- The last part about the-

Weiss: The whole thing.

Blake: The whole thi- WEISS, THIS WAS A THREE-HOUR PRESENTATION!

Weiss: Well, okay, look; you had me in the first ten minutes, but then the martinis kicked in and you lost me.

Blake: Weiss-

Weiss: I've sobered up by now, but I'm completely lost, and I'm not happy about it.

Blake: YEAH! ME NEITHER!

Weiss: I mean I'm not happy about the sobriety. Were you drinking, too? Drinks are free! You can have one!

Blake: But... What about the White Fang?!

Weiss: Oh, they do NOT drink for free!

Blake: IN MY PRESENTATION!

Weiss: None of them get free drinks!

Blake: I'm talking about the charity foundation!

Weiss: Okay, I see... Let's start again from the top, but summarize everything you said into about two minutes because I need to be at the airport.

Blake: I'M GOING TO KILL YOU.

Weiss: And I'm not going to make tee-time at Shade. So less crying, more talking.

Blake: OKAY! You remember Menagerie? When the White Fang first broke up and the New Fang took its place, one member was a girl name Trifa, and she started her own fashion line. I was worried her business would fail because there isn't much access to cotton, or wool, or anything you'd use to make a dress! Y'know, other than spider silk, but let's not think about that. So Trifa, this girl, her business explodes! And it grows and it grows and it keeps growing until it takes over everything!

Weiss: Alright, girl doing it for herself~!

Blake: Soon enough, she's the only company in Menagerie...

Weiss: Mm~! Girlbossing it up~!

Blake: She's got a corporate monopoly, vertically integrated up and down...

Weiss: Sounds like it all worked out for her~.

Blake: She has her own private military.

Weiss: So do I! Uniforms are so hot~. Designed these ones myself. Does she need uniforms? Is that what's going on? Oh, she has GOT to see our Schnee Queen Line.

Blake: Anything she wants, the government gives it to her. In other words, essentially, she IS the government.

Weiss: Good! More girls in business should be in government. Or, well, women, or whatever. We'll sell her some uniforms, send me the paperwork, have my people call her people and get a deal going~!

Blake: Weiss, it's a communist government.

Weiss: EEK! UGH! OH MY GOD!

Blake: Yeah.

Weiss: Dear Brothers and Dust! No! She's spending her own corporate money for building roads, and hospitals, and housing, and everything?!

Blake: Well... No.

Weiss: Oh! Oh, Blake, honey, you can't just throw that word around like that.

Blake: Okay, so maybe it's more like a banana republic, I guess. Anyway, the problem is... they don't have any of what you said. They don't have any roads, or healthcare, or housing, or, well, anything.

Weiss: Ah! BUT they do have capitalism~! So someone is going to fill that market gap.

Blake: Y-Yeah, and I'd like your company's charity to fill that market gap.

Weiss: Oh... Well, we'll build some toll roads, set up some private clinics...

Blake: Actually, I was thinking maybe you'd do it as a charity?

Weiss: ...No.

Blake: ...YOUR COMPANY PAYS INTO YOUR CHARITY, WHICH THEN PAYS INTO YOUR PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNT.

Weiss: Well, of course! Duh! Leadership like mine doesn't come cheap~!

Blake: And I've noticed it doesn't go into any charities...

Weiss: It does so! Recently, we've made a BIG donation to Ruby's "Arms for Snakes" program.

Blake: It goes to stupid charities.

Weiss: ...It donates to your New Fang.

Blake: ...S-Since you brought that up, some of our directors have had a few comments about the recent Schnee Company policies.

Weiss: Why? What's wrong with them? It went through a brilliant think tank!

Blake: it went through Thinking4U...

Weiss: Well, if it's such a problem, then how about I stop providing donations for you~?

Blake: ...

Blake: Y'know what? Let's not worry about all of that right now! Can I get you on board to build roads in Menagerie?

Weiss: No.

Blake: Ah... Okay, well, that was it.

Weiss: Great. I love it when we can get to the point! Now, can I get YOU on board for drinks next Saturday?

Blake: ...Weiss, I gave up drinking.

Weiss: Order it a virgin then! Whatever! I'll see you then, darling~! Love you~! Kisses~! Mwah~! (Leaves)

Blake: ...

Blake: (Sighs)

[patchwork-crow-writes]

63 - Plaything

And so we have come to this, my friend. You've overcome the final obstacle - bested the Knight, suppressed the Titans, consigned the Roaring to history, and brought happiness to this world and its inhabitants. Truly, You are every bit the hero I always hoped You would be…

I must ask, before You commit to this final choice - did You enjoy Yourself? Did You find our antics entertaining, did our joys and sorrows move You? And did You grow to love this world, to rely upon us as much as we relied upon Your guiding hand…?

And if that truly how you feel, then don't you want it to… to keep going? If it were offered You, wouldn't You choose to continue to watch us grow and develop, to laugh and cry and learn and love…? To serve and to please You is the entire reason for our existence, after all!

I can give it to You, dearest Angel - the entire world and everything in it, to play with as Your whims dictate. Join with me, and together We'll weave a new chapter into being, a tale without peer and a story without end. Let all its characters be Ours - all of Our most beloved friends, all in one place, Our playthings to pose and smash together as We wish.

And when We tire of this story, We shall simply make a new one. New heroes and new villains, new worlds and new friends… Your imagination is the only limit, and as Your willing vessel I shall bring it all to life for You. As this world's saviour, O Angel, this is nothing less than You deserve - Your very own Heaven to mould and shape as You see fit.

So then come to me, my dear heart! Be one with me and let Us begin the game anew!

______________________________

The Dark Menagerie No. 63

<-<-First || <-Prev || Next-> || Index

[cordelia-street]

Shadow and bone season 2 makes me go brrr

spoilers obviously

nikolai lantsov yousarcastic asshole ily

Wylan is my son and I will protect him at all costs (i am aware he is older than me)

Pekka rollins you actual fucking bitch rot in the depths of hell

Helnik is just drowning in angst

Ngl I wanted I am a bit upset that we barely got to see Matthias this season

"In truth he is the love of my life" stop i cry

Pekka has a fucking child?????????

Not the kanej bathroom scene being intense af, like I-

Genya sweetheart nO :O :(

She doesn't deserve any of this

If the king was not already dead i would have murdered him myself

Kir*gan fucking cut off Baghra's finger. WHAT THE FUCK

Bloody kaz brekkar

"I am begging you" "are you?" YOU FUCKING TELL HIM KAZ

"Because he will push you away than admit he feels anything for you" NINA I FUCKING LOVE YOU

Jesper and his mom<3333

Kaz's backstory is just-

Holy shit. Get fucked pekka

Not inej knowing that it isn't real because kaz was about to kiss her, ma'am i-

When kaz wakes up from the dream sequence his eyes literally go so soft and calm and serene at seeing inej i could scREAM

I also kind of expected Inej's dream sequence to be related to her trauma at the menagerie

Tamar and nadia girlfriends<3333

I LOVE WESPER LET THEM LIVE THEIR ROMCOM LIFE

"Hope is dangerous, clouds your judgement"

Mal is the firebird???? And he is related to baghra and d*rkling???? Dam wtf

Baghra just died what the actual fuck :((

"I want you"

"I will have you without your armour kaz brekkar or I will not have you at all"

"Anything if it's on you" please i love them

Genya and david are literally so fucking adorable they deserve everything<33

Umm so DAVID WTF

I firmly believe that david is not dead

He can't die

Inej and alina besties part 2

Five of crows-

I would've loved to see all six crows.

Matthias out of hellgate when??

Once again the crows have my heart

Overall I liked the season now I'm gonna read six of crows

[absent-o-minded]

Jesper and Inej Deleted Scene - Analysis

Scenes get cut for various different reasons, whether it comes down to lack of episode/season placement, running times, not fitting an intended vibe/tone etc. However, that doesn't mean that some resigned part of me will not be upset that this scene was not included, because it instantly became one of my favourites of S2.

So, here are some thoughts:

A beautiful thing about Inej is that she only lets others know of her presence should she want them too. She is a master of anonymity. Multiple times throughout both seasons, we see this happen. In the very first episode of S1, she lingers by the window, an implicit signal to Kaz that she is present. It also echoes in her choices to be deliberately known of, such as in S2 with the taxidermist, where she intentionally makes her entrance known, instead of slipping in through some crevice. Always, her choices are driven and deliberate.

Throughout both the books and the show, Jesper is constantly spooked at Inej's sudden appearance. He is a character who is constantly in motion, so the art of invisibility is something he reacts to. But this is the first instance where he is not surprised. From the dialogue, "You're not coming back to Ketterdam, are you?", he already anticipated that Inej was leaving. He also, in knowing Inej, knew that she wouldn't leave without saying goodbye.

I think it's partly because Inej wanted Jesper to know that she was there, and what she was there for, but also because this moment was not a surprise. To anyone. Back in S1, Jesper already says "I don't have a say in what you do with your shot of freedom." As much as Kaz gives him slack for being impulsive, for missing the small details, Jesper foresaw Inej leaving way before Kaz did.

"I was already the looks of the operation, guess I'm going to have to be the heart too."

I love this line so much. I think it captures not only their relationship, but also their positions in the Dregs/Crows as a collective unit. Inej's heart is big enough to swell an ocean. It's repeatedly spoken about in the duology how Inej was the clue to the whole gang. She was the clasped hands, the tape, the glue and the bridge, holding everyone together. This is why everything goes into disarray when she is taken by Jan, and why certain pairs reach their most tense. Her unwavering faith, and her hope, and her rational, is just part of why the Crows survive the broken world the way that they do.

But, this also references that Jesper was very much secure in not being the heart of the operation, because he doesn't see himself fit to be that. Or more so, he doesn't give himself the credit that he could equally be the heart of the operation. He dismisses his contributions under the usual humorous guise, playing his role for laughs. He tries to deflect from sentimentality in the same way that he tries to avoid any emotionally charged moments.

What he doesn't realise is that it's that same humour that breaks the tension, that offers a comfort amidst certain doom, that serves as a catharsis to bracket everything in between. And that in all of his worrying of 'Can they see right through me?', Inej did something worse. She saw him.

I think that for Inej and Jesper, they are a comfort for one another. Most noticeably because Inej feels comfortable enough to cry in front of Jesper. One of the strongest forces allowing herself to be vulnerable, because she trusts him.

It's also interesting that Inej decides to cover her face, or to obscure her expression whilst she cries, because it suggests that there is still a barrier. Amita mentioned in a panel how Inej's trauma is always at the forefront of her mind, and through choosing to cover her face, it harks back to the repression of emotion that Inej was forced to learn in order to survive at the Menagerie. All of the feigned emotions, the expressions that were purchasable, the proposed fantasy that choked the reality, all of it bleeds through.

You can argue that through being the glue, Inej is given some sort of an unfair burden, but it's important to note that whilst she may be the glue, every other member is a stick that holds her up. They all bat back at Kaz when his reluctance to communicate and stubbornness takes over: "Is Inej going to be okay?", "You know, Inej took some serious damage.", "You might want to keep your Wraith grounded for awhile."

This scene is just so OJSW''LLDJIOEJ GOD-

Jesper's initial response to Inej standing and walking over to him is just to stand there. He makes no hurried movements to immediately comfort her, nor does he step away to give some supposed space. He stands, staring at her face, to give her a moment of un-broken presence. But also, he is considerate of the temperature of the moment. Perhaps he isn't sure what to do with himself in a moment like this, and for once is worked into stillness. Perhaps it's because he respects Inej's choices, both with her life and with her relationships, and let's her have control over any physical affection. Maybe, he's just trying to prolong talking with her, to savour it.

I just think that her scrunching her fists in his waistcoat and gently tugging him forward is such a brilliant show of their brother/sister relationship. It's childish. It's wholesome. It's an action that young children will do, but it fits so well.

You know when the found family starts found family-ing? That's the good shit.

Initially, I had to go back through the books to see if I had missed Harij as a character, but then remembered that one of the changes they made for the adaptation is to give Inej a brother. It could've just been added as an additional motive for Inej to go looking for her family, but I think that it's interesting how it changes the relationships of the OG Crows with Jesper, because both Kaz and Inej now have a brother. In a way, Kaz and Inej are grounded on the fact that they are given the same thing worth fighting, even killing for. More importantly though, they both have something to mirror Jesper.

They both see him as a brother. Kaz, in his own cynical and not entirely healthy way, models Jesper after Jordie. He rinses Jesper's impulsivity because he is worried about where it might lead him. He delivers him hard truths to protect him. He loves him, but will never say it outright - "Tell Jesper that he's missed. Around the Slat."

In being taken away from her brother, Inej has followed the same thing. She doesn't say, "But you, Jesper, are my brother too" because she doesn't need to. He is categorised as closely as family. It's ironic, in this scene, because Inej hopes to "reunite" her family, but in doing so, she has to separate herself from her second family.

For both of them, Jesper fills that tiny void. They see their brothers, both the lost and the gone, in Jesper's unrelenting closeness.

I am....unwell over this screenshot.

Physical affection and intimacy, regardless of its intention or form, is so complex when considering Inej's trauma. "Even now, a boy will smile at me on the street, or Jesper will put his arm around my waist, and I feel like I'm going to vanish."

Initially, Inej doesn't immediately respond. In a sudden burst of decisiveness, or comfort, or guilt, Jesper hugs her tightly. Because of their height difference, he has to physically bend down to do so. And Inej doesn't, or rather cannot, return it without registering it first. (I love the hallucination scene as much as the next person, but I really do feel like it was a missed opportunity to delve into Inej's backstory).

But then, she does. She shows strength in allowing herself to have this moment.

Inej Ghafa, who once said that she would never miss Ketterdam, now saying that she will miss what, or who, was there.

I just think that this is so lovely in illustrating how close Inej and Jesper are, and how in pursuing her own life and reaching far beyond what was chosen for her, Inej is still anchored in her love for her family.

And again, Jesper deflects with, "Oh yeah. Course you will." because he doesn't want himself to stint Inej's life further. He doesn't want to prevent Inej from going, or for her to be far out at sea, ruminating over how she misses them all. If he had explicitly said, "I'll miss you too", I think that it definitely wouldn't leave Inej's mind. It's too close to his heart to admit that he'll miss her just as much, maybe even more than she could, if that's even possible. Even in the ASOCAS2 Panel, Kit said that without Inej, Jesper would be an emotional wreck.

There is a sort of unspoken understanding that passes between them. She knows that he won't say it back, otherwise it's too real, too fresh, and he'll have to confront the fact that she really is going. He knows that she really means it.

This sequence of affection only further solidifies the trust between the two, but it also shows that to compensate for his lack of words, Jesper kisses the two places that are most significant - Her hand and her head.

It's this subtle signal that Jesper appreciates Inej most for not what she represents (sincerity, hope, the last ounce of good in this broken band of dolls) but for what she does. The hand that prays and wields the knife. The same hand that holds him. The head that remains hopeful. The same head that rests against him. It's a really beautiful moment. Whether it was intentional or not, we will never know.

I also think that this moment is important for Jesper in terms of trust. He is so often left out of the loop, or doubted before he has even begun, that his trust starts to waver. But, to know that Inej is comfortable enough to let herself be vulnerable, to trust him enough to say goodbye, is a comfort for him. Jesper is a secret sentimentalist. He may use humour as his mechanism, but beneath that, he will cherish that Inej let him properly say goodbye.

"Where're you going now?" / "To say my prayers"

For once, Inej leaves in the open light, and Jesper watches her go. There are no shadows for her to slip into. There is only the sun, the open of the hills, and Jesper, stood by rocks. Inej's faith is so integral to her character, and I was really happy that this was not dulled down in the book to screen adaptation process.

Jesper just clicks his fingers and nods, looking down at his feet. He would never ask her to stay. That is the arc that is reserved for Kaz, who is initially selfish but desperate, but then grows to actively help Inej achieve her freedom.

The issue is that Jesper is usually the one who walks away. But this time, he is having to watch his closest friend do it. And it's like watching a sister leave.

It's all shits and giggles until the comic relief breaks down.

Unlike Inej, Jesper waits until she is out of ear-shot, walking down the hill or turned round the corner, for it all to come out.

But even then, it's stifled. It's like he's gripped by his sadness suddenly, like Inej physically leaving opened some repressed emotion that Jesper knew was bubbling to the surface, but was trying to keep down. He suddenly feels the weight of her absence. He realises the potential that he might never see her again. He wipes his hand over his face, he scratches at his neck. Her departure is already itching away at his skin. Everything comes in one big wave, like he was trying to will it into not being permanent, but knowing that it very well might be.

I also think that this ending is great, but Jesper can't use humour to distract himself. After the hallucination scene in Ep6(7?), Jesper comes to and then asks if anyone else's dream was one of "happiness or joy", which clearly, was not the case at all for any of the other Crows. But here, in this secluded part of a hill, Jesper is left out in the open and unravelling.

______________

For me, one of the main appeals of the Crows is their relationships. I love the romantic ships as much as the next fan, and I think that they are so nuanced and well-written. But, I also love the Crows for their fearsome friendships.

Inej has incredible friendships with pretty much every crow which is shown in numerous brilliant moments in the books, but there are some great and (probably) underappreciated platonic relationships like: Kaz and Wylan ("You're letting shame decide who you are."), Jesper and Matthias ("I can hear you, Fahey"), Nina and Kaz ("Talk to me when you've done something about that terrible haircut") etc etc

[greedbent]

An innocent envelope waits atop Kaz’s desk. Attached to the outside is a single rose: thorns still intact along the stem, with petals as black as night and speckled with subtle flecks of silver that make the bloom shimmer even in the dimmest light. His name is written on the front in a delicate, looping script. Along with small doodles of flowers and birds in the margins, the letter inside bears the same writing:

Kaz, I hope this letter finds you well! The shop has been keeping me especially busy lately. A few weeks ago I received a special order that required growing some rare breeds of flowers; I swear, I have spent all hours of every day since in the greenhouse, working hard to make sure that every flower is perfect! Of course, the effort was well worth the end result. These roses made me think of you the moment they bloomed, so I simply had to send one to you. I do hope it has made its way to you safe and sound.   I know you are also quite busy, but I would love to see you again soon. I am nearly finished with a new painting—perhaps I could show you, when you can spare the time? If it is not too much trouble, of course.  Please take care of yourself.  ~ Spring

@howthesleeplesswander || screaming crying throwing up

The first thing Kaz Brekker felt was foolish.

Like he was some poor young sod gawking at women in the street, tripping over himself when one looked his way, burning bright red in the face as she giggled and passed him by. He felt bare. He felt exposed. He felt unnatural, as if his coat wasn’t hanging right, one sleeve too long or too short, one little thread out of place that he just couldn’t find. He felt . . . in that barest flicker of a moment, less like Dirtyhands and more like Kaz Rietveld: that boy off the farm; that boy who had been so naive, so innocent, so blind—

All because of a damn rose sitting there on his desk.

He swore the thing would’ve been giggling wryly at him—just like the women at the Menagerie—if it could. Somehow, he wondered if the silence was worse. —just as much as he wondered how utterly insane he had to be to wish flowers could talk.

Like he said: He felt foolish.

When Kaz set foot in the Crow Club, Rotty had told him a message was waiting for him. When Kaz had asked what it was or who it was from, the man had pursued all manner of distractions to excuse himself, mumbled something quick about it being better that Kaz see it himself, that he didn’t want to intrude— Basically, a whole blundering bunch of useless information that eventually ended with Kaz doing just that: seeing what the podge was blithering about and what sort of bomb was waiting for him in his office.

Well, he hadn’t been too far off the mark. It wasn’t a bomb, but the way Kaz froze in his steps and lingered there in the doorway would make anyone think that was the case. Eventually, he at least had the mind to shut the door behind him. And, another eventually, he made his way over to the desk on pathetically cautious steps he was glad no one was around to witness wobbled.

He read the note. And then he read it again. And then a third time, in case the first two weren’t enough. Somewhere in the process, Kaz had taken a seat, and as his eyes pored over that elegant, beautiful script, his fingers idled on the rose’s stem. The thorns didn’t bother him through the gloves. And even if they did, he was sure he wouldn’t have noticed. 

I would love to see you again.

He tarried on—no, he stumbled over—that phrase with each pass.

Please take care of yourself.

A similar effect, surely. Though, for some reason, the sentiment summoned an amused little twitch to his lips, that which nearly bled into a full smile by the time he’d finished what could have been the tenth reread. Kaz almost folded the letter back up, thumb gliding gingerly over one edge, but he hesitated. He glanced back at the fittingly black flower—These roses made me think of you. . . . That foolish hum of something not-so-novel, but old and nearly forgotten warmed his skin: maybe, just maybe, his cheeks, specifically.

But, foolish or not, Kaz let the letter rest open on his desk.

He leaned back with flower in hand, perusing—no, memorizing—the petals like they were a very part of the girl who gave them to him.

And he decided, tomorrow, to everyone else but her, he’d be occupied.

[olivereactsaboutgarbage]

Higurashi When They Cry - Tatarigoroshi Chapter 1

Good news, everyone!

I got my tax refund this past weekend, so I was finally able to buy the next arc of Higurashi. Plus, the personal life drama that had been distracting me from One Piece has settled down now.

So those are both of the posts you can expect from me this summer!

And this is the first of them.

This episode starts with the dramatic reveal that the well had a happy snake in it. Presumably the well in question is the murder well from the end of last time. However, it's also clear that this snake is not the sole perpetrator of the incidents in Hinamizawa, because anything which happened anywhere other than the well is something the snake doesn't even know about. Still, I'll have to keep this plot-essential snake in mind for all my future theories.

A miserable faceless woman gets tormented by a faceless cackling man. There are all sorts of corpse varieties, like Cuddly Creature variety, Feathered Friend variety, and Naked Normal-lady variety. Wow, are we skipping the entire no-murders-have-happened-yet first half of the story this time? And also skipping the part where Keiichi, Rena, Mion and the Toddlers are involved? Neat!

A faceless cop wants to eat the Naked Normal-lady corpse. Not a lifestyle choice I agree with.

Oh, darn, now Keiichi is the POV character. On the upside, though, it's well and truly time for a genuine return to Lunch Arc. Here's what happens in Lunch's return: -The Toddlers proclaim that Mion has an excellent lunch -Mion reveals that this so-called excellence is naught more than a ramshackle old people menagerie -Keiichi points out the importance of visual artistry towards any mealtime experience, devastatingly countering Mion's humility -Everyone wholeheartedly agrees, but Toddler 02 provides an opportunity for Rena to assert artistic dominance -The Toddlers just wanna grill for God's sake -Toddler 02 claims her rightful place as heir to the Housewife Throne -Five seconds into the events of this arc and Keiichi already hasn't been paying attention to his surroundings -Seven seconds into the events of this arc and Keiichi is already screaming -Toddler 01 almost dies -In a tragic flashback, Keiichi's parents are revealed to be busy right now -Keiichi says that curry is bad and everyone starts panicking -The teacher with pronouns is revealed to be a security guard from a stealth game -Keiichi almost dies -Rena tells Keiichi not to be a bitch baby, but Mion and Toddler 02 are also bitch babies -Keiichi willfully ignores that and is now emboldened and shall no longer be a bitch baby.

Finally, we segue out of Lunch Arc and into a recap episode of Kaiji Joke Part 16.

Toddler 01 declares that Toddler 01 is competent. Keiichi says nuh uh. Toddler 01 says "Double-nuh-uh, I will someday be competent." Um, moving the goalposts much??? -_-

Toddler 01 asks Toddler 02 if Toddler 01 will ever be competent. Toddler 02 says nuh uh.

Rena declares that Toddler 01 is competent. Keiichi says nuh uh. Asshole.

...Admittedly I'm already primed to expect Toddler 01 angst from this arc. But also, I can relate to Rena's propensity for smoothing over social situations, and it would tick me off something fierce if someone cockblocked my kindness like Keiichi did to Rena just now.

I shan't be forgiving Keiichi for this... ever... I will soon kill him...

Anyway, Toddler 01 gets TOTALLY OWNED by one of Rena's sickest burns.

Rare green cauliflower...

Anyway, the stage has been set for a Lunch Arc Kaiji Joke Part. This is it... the ultimate culmination of everything Higurashi has been building towards...

okay this bit of narration right here is kind of hysterical

Keiichi says that he's gonna make Toddler 01 take her shoes off and everyone gets excited.

...God, my opinion of Rena has risen to high-as-fuck levels over the course of the break... I remember thinking of her as a Keiichi-tier loser like it was yesterday, but she's actually kind of based and Mion-tier and the light of my life. Anyway, I'm not going to describe this Rena scene to you because it's not that interesting. Trust me. ;)

oh god dude

"more exciting"

yeah manm

Keiichi succumbs to the Devil's Influence and decides to wreak evil, but Toddlers put a stop to his madness.

this is so awesome

i like higurashi

Ah, you can tell it's the Toddler 01 arc this time because of her new and previously-unseen behavioral patterns. What's with her eyeball. Why is her eyeball acting like that.

Toddler 01 tells Keiichi to admit to being a hothead and a dweeb, so Keiichi wails that he's the scum of the earth. I guess that counts as going above and beyond... so that's admirable then...

You can tell she's 8 because she thinks a 9-year-old is 19. Unlike me, an enlightened 25-year-old whose views on people's ages aren't skewed in the slightest.

The Beast within Keiichi is not satiated by these meager offerings. He demands Pandemonium. The only Relic with the power to quell his Inner Inferno is Toddler 01's Cursed Eye...

Hmmmm methinks I detect some SEXISM from Toddler 01... very uncool... -_-

Toddler 02 delivers exposition about how Toddler 01's sexism is actually nostalgia for when her brother hadn't yet exploded. Fascinating.

Even with this correctly-forecasted sudden hailstorm of Toddler 01 character depth, it's kind of hard to take her seriously when she keeps doing her ohoho laugh. Still, I suppose nothing less than the exact bearing and manner of an Ojou-sama is appropriate for the Bearer of the Cursed Eye.

BECAUSE OF THE HUMAN PISS

BECAUSE OF THE HUMAN BLOOD

BECAUSE OF THE HUMAN NEEDLE

I've already figured this arc out. I know all about the dark upcoming plot twists.

Yeah... you're still cringe as hell man.

Ah, good. I was getting worried about where he'd get his daily intake of Rena Points in this timeline untouched by Rena's warmth.

wtf, apparently this 3-year-old is bearing the weight of the entire world

Meanwhile, in Side Story Land...

wtf, apparently this 3-year-old is a little shit

normal reaction to encountering any object

self-explanatory

[angelinecarax]

tagged by both @archaiclumina and @shroudkeeper

14 Prompts

☽✧☾ Animal: This is a tough question to start with - Angeline is such an animal fan it's hard to pick just one for her (I was EXTREMELY mount motivated my first time through the msq so that translates to Angeline being just as intense about her menagerie). Considering her origins as a dungeons and dragons paladin and her special connection to her steed, Cinnamon, she is above all a horse girl.

☽✧☾ Color: Angeline prefers sunrise colors - rose golds and pinks and pale blues and pale yellows. I put her in moonlight tones, too - silvery pearlescent and light.

☽✧☾ Song: What I consider to be Angeline's 'core song' is Billie Holiday's 'Pennies from Heaven'. I grew up listening to jazz - in many ways its my 'first' genre, the one I feel the most at home in, and Billie Holiday was one of my father's favorite singers. It's a short song, but here's the second half:

Trade them for a package of Sunshine and flowers If you want the things you love You must have showers So when you hear it thunder Don't run under a tree There'll be pennies from heaven For you and me!

The italicized pair of lines is where the core of how I built Angeline's determination from!

☽✧☾ Number: Seven - she's always found it lucky, it reminds her of her mothers (all seven of them), and its the number she tends to go with instinctually!

☽✧☾ Day or Night: Transitional periods make her feel the safest, dawn and dusk.

☽✧☾ Plant: Silver lilies - she refuses to admit its because of a book series she was obsessed with as a child, the Order of the Silver Lily, that she's especially fond of them. But alas! hee hee

☽✧☾ Smell: Light scents, seasalt and citrus and getting lightly sunbaked

☽✧☾ Gemstone: Moonstone. An instinctual draw. (though when she is the Warrior of Light, her eyes take on a similar quality after becoming Light poisoned. She finds them far less appealling after that)

☽✧☾ Season: Hee hee hee hee, would it be too obvious to say summer? Once Angeline leaves Sharlayan and experiences a Limsan Lominsan summer, she never can move home permanently again!

☽✧☾ Place: …. AND she still sees a particular fountain outside her mothers' estate in her dreams and wakes up crying. It had long been her special courtyard, a refuge.

☽✧☾ Food: Sweets! Tea! Vacation drinks! She's not particularly fussy, though the cuter and or smaller and or more colorful, the nicer.

☽✧☾ Eorzean Deity: Menphina! Her patron deity (though more like encouraging older sister figure than any serious religious beliefs).

☽✧☾ Eorzean Element(s): The elements that came easiest to her have been Light and Wind.

☽✧☾ Drink: A Loooooong Sharlayan Iced Tea!

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thank you so so much for the double tag - this was really helpful to work out for her!!

since it took me a bit, I'm going to tag people I am reasonably certain haven't been tagged - and I want to see your associations! @secretspaceprincess @duperderedere @generaltacticus @thatoldstandby @a-sleepy-dragon and YOU!!!!! for real I mean it, please tag yourself if you want to it's really nice