#and also grace and sadie who need no description

[shmackhaystack]

The Queen and Her Levi- Chapter 1: The Debt

King!Levi Ackerman x fem!reader

Description:

"All my life I have never known what it was like to love someone, if anything, really. Until I met you, and everything changed, you brat."

"Reader" has a name, if you don't like it, then change it to your own, the world is your oyster.

Will contain VERY mature and triggering content. Viewer discretion is advised and minors please DNI.

Posted on Tumblr April 2024, also on Wattpad. If you would like to message me please feel free! I would appreciate and encourage any feedback, as well as messages if you are wanting more! Hope you enjoy.

Prologue here!

Next chapter here ;)

[word count: 3.4k]

Chapter 1: The Debt

Levi woke up in the master bedroom of his castle within wall Sina, alone, as usual. A lot of the time he has occasional women who he decides to use for the night, whom he sends away after getting what he sent them there for. Most of them fall in love with him and wish in their heart they could marry him and become his queen. Their wishes were always just dreams, though, Levi did not care much about who he slept with nor what they wanted. He was frustrated, only feeling like he needs the pleasure of sex but feeling nothing more emotional than that. 

Most of the time he wishes he could feel like sex meant something to him, but it never did. 29 years old and he never felt anything. Was it his mind? Does he think it's something messed up in his brain that he thinks he could never feel any different when it comes to some girl in his bed. Who knew, and who cares. He had a kingdom to run.

He thought he was alone, in fact, most of the time he preferred it, but he turns to see a girl in his bed. Ah, of course. It was the handmaiden who he ran into after an all-nighter of paperwork and research, he was honestly disgusted with himself. 

"Why are you still here?" he says, to blonde haired girl who he doesn't remember the name of.

"Sorry... I was just leaving" she responds.

"I thought I told you to leave right afterwards-"

"Sorry, your Grace, I just thought-"

"Thought what?" he snaps, with a more passive tone than usual. 

The girl looked at him with fear, as he stared her down and gets up to put his clothes back on and get in the shower. She doesn't say thing, too petrified to answer. She knew it didn't mean anything, she knew that the King didn't give less of a rat's ass about what she felt. He didn't even look at her as he got dressed. She attempted not to cry as she got up, put on her handmaiden dress and walked out, without a single glance from the man who was just inside her the night before.

Levi took his daily morning shower and got dressed into his fancy clothes, ready to put on a show to those he couldn't give less of a shit about. 

"Morning, your Grace!" says the Military Police guards who watch his bedroom door every night.

He doesn't respond. He walks by with his casual stoic expression that engrains everyone's mind every once in a while.

As he walks by people to get toward his office, he sees all of them looking and bowing to him as if he was some sort of God. He wasn't a God, he was just a man. A man who somehow managed to become the King of the life as we know it. As if everyone knows, this is the only life in existence, nobody around him knew if there was life beyond the walls or if this was it. If they were stuck in a nightmare that was impossible to escape. 

Levi always dressed professionally and casually, except for when he was in his Scout uniform, he was a clean and professional person anyway. Nobody would ever see him look his worst, nobody would ever see him cry or look like he's been defeated, he refused.

As he walked to his office for his meeting with Commander Nile Dok of the Military Police and Commander Keith Sadis of the Scout Regiment, he runs into one of his closest colleagues, Section Commander Hange Zoe. 

"Leviiiiiii!!!" Hange says with passion. She didn't bother to call him 'your Grace' or 'my King' because it didn't matter to her. Whatever she says to him, he wouldn't punish her anyway. 

"Huh?" he says without looking at her. "I got somewhere to be."

"With Nile, right?" she responds. He actually looks at her with confusion. Hange shouldn't know about his meetings with commandments she has nothing to do with. 

"Yeah, about that," she continues. "It's about Dan Reiss."

The thought of that name made him fuel with rage, but he hides his anger deep inside him. Everyone he is surrounded with knows that he can visibly get angry, almost furious like he is about to murder everyone around him, but he stays calm this time. 

"What happened now?" Levi questions with a sigh. 

He knows all too well the name of Dan Reiss. A nobleman who is particularly rich within the walls. He has two other brothers as he knows, but never met them at all. Dan Reiss was the only Reiss who actually had a relationship with King Levi. They didn't make much of a friendship, but they had a particular type of business relationship after all. Reiss' money was scarce for a long time, and with his power hungriness, it became almost nonexistent. 

Dan Reiss is an alcoholic, and gambler. He spends most of his days drinking or playing poker at the local village next to his estate, without a care of the world towards his caretakers of his land or even his only daughter. He believed that his money and status would save him from anything. Though, when it came to his relationship with the King, he didn't have much luck anymore. 

"So, yeah" Hange laughs. "He's absolutely bankrupt! All the money he owed you is gone, I think?"

He looked at her with furious rage. Why did this man get to him so much? He was a nobody. Levi had all the money in the world yet this man continues to aggravate him to his limit. Maybe it was the reason that Dan Reiss had claimed numerous times that he would pay him back, and that he would help the kingdom with the constant famine and poverty that lies within it. Not to mention the orphans that continued to roam the street unwanted, the thought of all those kids out there with no family makes his blood boil. There was plenty of men and women who owed him money, but he didn't give them a second glance. For Levi, his anger was all put towards Dan Reiss. He kept betraying Levi at every turn, and Dan was going to pay for it. 

Levi gathered up all of his closest comrades and guards to his office. He didn't care about what he had to do that day with other political business that he secretly couldn't care less about. He was ready to storm Reiss' front door and make him pay for what he owes. 

Erwin Smith, commander of the scout regiment. Hange Zoe, section commander of the scout regiment. Hange's assistant, Moblit Berner. Nile Dok, commander of the Military Police, and all of his closest guards had agreed to accompany Levi on his trip to Dan Reiss' estate. 

Dan's estate was within a safe haven village of wall Rose, it took about half a day to ride there on a horse. Levi still didn't understand why he chose to pursue this man. It wasn't much for him anyway, Levi was rich, the most powerful man in existence for all that everyone around him knew. He didn't need to pursue anybody, maybe it was fate, because it led him to something he never thought he would ever be led to. 

It took longer than expected to arrive at Dan's estate. Levi with his many guards and colleagues arrived on the land of Dan Reiss's estate. With roughly 20 some men surrounding the estate, with Levi and Erwin at the front. Levi's eyes looked more upsetting than usual, which makes Erwin look at him in curiosity. Even Erwin didn't understand what Levi's motive was. Perhaps Levi was done with people taking advantage of him.

He stops at the front of the estate. Putting his hand up to let his men know to halt. He looks up at the estate to see the man himself looking at all of the royal men at his doorstep. Surprised, and drunk, Dan Reiss gets up from his seat on the porch deck of his estate, absolutely shocked to see the King himself with his men glaring at him on his property. 

He walks towards the men, stumbling and not being able to see clearly. He stands there without saying anything.

"Lord Reiss!" Erwin Smith says loud enough for everyone on the land to hear. "May we have a moment?"

Levi says nothing, he just stares the poor man down with his familiar stoic glare. Dan is terrified, though can sense why Levi and his men are here at his doorstep. 

"Your Grace!" Dan says with excitement. "Wasn't expecting ya!" 

Levi stops his silence. "Reiss, you and I both know that this isn't a friendly visit. Why do you continue to defy me?" 

Dan is absolutely terrified at this point. He knows why Levi is here. His gambling addiction has finally gotten the best of him. He used all the money he meant to sent to the King to use for himself. He doesn't even try anymore, he knows that him and his power are now gone. He expects execution. He expects a brutal beating from Levi until his brains are on the ground. He drops his glass of whiskey that he poured 5 minutes before they arrived. He gave up.

"I know why you're here, King Levi" Dan says quietly. 

"Do you now?" Levi says. Erwin and his men look at Levi and expect the worst. Levi walks toward Dan while he sits there defeated. Dan is ready for Levi's wrath, he doesn't expect any less of him.

"You owe me a debt." Levi continues. He pulls out his knife from the sheath stationed on his right hip, damn, it was sharp. 

That is when a girl he had never seen before walks out of the large house, with a basket of fruit to harvest. She looks at Levi and all of his men with confusion, wondering why the hell they are at her doorstep confronting her father. She continues to look at these men, and looks at her father as if she's asking a question without words, but looks right back at the King.

Levi's eyes widen. He did not expect to see a young girl during all of this confrontation that was about to be violent. She is wearing a casual dress, a pink and white layered outfit that seems to be soft silk fabric. It looks like something that would be worn when doing yard work or handling cattle. He doesn't take her eyes off her as she looks with confusion at him and his men. She puts down the bucket and looks right back at her father.

"What the hell is this?" the girl says. 

"Go back inside, honey." Dan responds. 

The girl doesn't do what she's told, she continues to look back at all the men who look like they are from the royal side of town and glares at them. 

"I'm sorry?" Levi interrupts, "Who is this, Reiss?"

Dan Reiss hesitates to respond at first, but knows that he is screwed either way. "Your Grace, this is my daughter, Asuna. She manages most of the work around here."

Levi sits there listening to every word. His eyes do not leave the girl in question. She looks back at him, not with lust, but with disgust. He isn't used to a girl looking at him like that. He wasn't used to someone not looking at him with fear or desire. Most of all, he wasn't used to being fascinated by a girl he has never seen before. 

Few seconds after she walked out of the house, another young man comes from behind the estate with a rake and some yard supplies. He stops in shock and quickly runs up to Asuna and stands next to her in a protective stance. 

Asuna had emerald green eyes that glowed in the sunlight, her dirty blonde hair was put up in a side braid that went down past her shoulders. The bags under her eyes made it look like she didn't get much sleep. She must be working nonstop on the estate and the land that came with it. She must be too overworked while her alcoholic of a father sits back on his ass and drinks day and night. She was a short girl, Levi guessed that she was slightly shorter than him. 

Dan stops and turns to his daughter. "Honey, I really think you should go back inside," he continues. "This isn't something you want to see." 

"You got in more trouble, didn't you? What the fuck did you do?!" she shouts at him. "And who the hell is this?"

Levi is shocked at her boldness, her strength, he doesn't think anyone had disrespected or stood up to him like this before. 

"You better watch your mouth, girl!" Nile Dok shouts at the girl for her defiance. "You're talking to the ki-"

"Nile- stop" Levi cuts him off. "If the girl wants to act that way then let her, it won't do her much good anyway." He smirks at her. She immediately backs off and continues to glare at this so called King of the Walls. 

Asuna didn't need Nile to finish his sentence, him about to say that she was speaking to the King gave her the answer to her question already. She realizes her mistake and quickly backs off, refusing to give eye contact any longer to Levi or his men. Though the expression on her face showed that she was more angry than scared. She denies her father's wishes for her to go back in the house, she just steps back and stands next to the unknown boy who appeared shortly after her. 

"Your Grace," Dan speaks up. "If you're going to arrest me, chop off my head, torture me, because of my poor actions, please, just do it already." He pleads with an almost crying emotion to his voice. "Just don't hurt my daughter." 

Asuna looks at her dad with a silent plea, tears forming in her pretty green eyes. The unknown man who stood next to her put his arm around her as she attempted not to cry, she didn't want to look weak. She was taught by her father and others in her life to be strong. Despite her external strength, deep inside she doesn't know what to do at this point. If this raven haired man who stormed her property was the King, then there was nothing she could do to change her father's fate. Levi doesn't take his eyes off her, almost feeling sympathetic for her feelings. Is he really about to take this poor girl's father away from her? He didn't know why, but he was infatuated by her, the way she defied him and kept looking at him with a glare, he had to be honest, he was slightly attracted, most would say turned on. 

Levi contemplated quietly, looking back at Erwin with a look that Erwin was all too familiar with. Levi was asking him without words on what he should do, but this was on him. He needed to make a decision now. Was he about to kill Dan Reiss in front of his daughter? For the first time in a long time, he was unsure what to do. 

"Dad?" she cries. Dan turns to look at his only child and gives her a soft smile. "It's going to be okay honey," he replies. "Be good, okay?" 

And with that Dan walks down his porch stairs and towards Levi and his men, preparing for the worst and sighing in defeat. Asuna turns around, hugging the man who stood next to her as he held her, she didn't have any wish to see what is about to happen to her father. He was a good man, except very flawed. The fact he is the oldest of the Reiss sons who came from a noble family life with a good amount of money. He became careless towards his estate and grew socially distant from his daughter and workers as the years went by. He became a struggling alcoholic who owed debts to countless merchants and noblemen, and eventually, the King himself. 

"Wait." Levi suddenly speaks. Dan, Erwin, Hange and all of his guardsmen look at their King in confusion and shock. Dan stops in his tracks, Erwin and Levi both glare at each other as Levi smirks back, he knew Levi better than most, almost every time he could tell what he was about to say or what his next action would be, but this time, he hadn't the faintest clue. 

Asuna turns around, wiping the tears from her face as she looks at Levi patiently waiting on what he is going to say. He turns his back to Erwin, then to Dan, then lastly, to Asuna. 

"Asuna, right?" Levi asks with curiosity. She looks at her dad in confusion for a couple seconds, took a deep breath and responded.

"Yeah." she replies. Some of the guards gasp as her response, mainly on how she responded first of all. Almost everyone responded to Levi as 'Your Grace' or 'My King'. Most people would consider not saying that to him as an act of defiance, and deep down she knew that. But the disgust that she felt towards this man fueled her with every inch of her being. Knowing that he was about to take her father away from her, the only family she really had left as she knew it, she didn't care at this point, she just wanted him to say what he was going to say and get on with it. 

"Okay, Asuna. How old are you?" Levi questions. 

She was surprised at this random question, secretly trying to find the true motive on why he was asking how old she was. She holds her chin up high, without losing eye contact with him, and doesn't say anything. Though deep down, she was terrified. 

"She's nineteen, Your Grace." Dan answers for her. Making her cuss him out under her breath. 

Levi doesn't say anything, he just looks down at the ground and sighs. Everyone awaited for him to respond. Erwin, still looking at him, still doesn't have the fainted idea what is on his mind. He sat there for almost a minute and stayed lost in thought. He knows what he wants to do, and knowing that he is the King and can basically do whatever he wanted in the world, he was going to do it. Suddenly, Levi looks back up with ease and looks right back at the pretty girl, then right back at Dan Reiss. 

"Reiss, I never liked you." Levi begins. "I always hated how you continue to push my buttons despite knowing all too well what it would cost you. You want to know why I traveled all this way today? I was going to kill you. I was going to make you pay and finally rid myself and my kingdom of your impulsive habits. You continued to defy me and my people, maybe you just want to be punished. Not sure. But now I realize killing you may be too kind for you, and for that, I will pardon your crimes and debt that you owe me."

Dan's eyes widen with shock. Did the King really just pardon him for his crimes? After everything he did? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Everyone else looked with shock and confusion. Levi wasn't the type of man to forget those who have wronged him, nor was he the type to travel half a day for no cost whatsoever. Finally, he speaks up.

"I will pardon your crimes, and your debt, if you give me your daughter's hand in marriage."

And just like that, everything changed for Asuna Reiss. 

AN:

[3500 words :0, good lord I really went overboard haha. Thank you for reading, it means the world to me. Honestly I am really proud of myself for finally writing it down and showing it to everyone. &' yes, her name is Asuna. It has nothing to do with SAO or anything I have just always loved the name I think it is very beautiful and unique. Yes, she has dark blonde hair and green eyes. This is mainly meant to be a Levixreader story, so if her features don't match with yours then feel free to change them to your own! In fact, I encourage it. I just think it's easier if the girl has a name. Some may think that this story with Levi as a king may be kind of dumb, but I believe the story in my head is actually very sweet and touching, especially if you love Levi Ackerman as much as I do, not to mention this story very brutal but what's the fun if its not? I'll make sure to include trigger warnings when the story gets dark! 

- Kat

[lorephobic]

happy new year :-)

[sundancetarot]

“Red Lights and a Suit” Kirishima x ENBY Reader // SFW COMFORT FIC

Hey Guys!! This is my first fic- I quite literally wrote it for my partner but if you want some of that comfort Kiri love, THEN COME GET YA’LL JUICE LMAOO

Description: After recieving news at school pertaining to a school dance, Kiri helps lift your spirits.

Pairing: Non-Binary reader x Eijiro Kirishima

Word Count: 2279

Includes: Loving relationship, affection, pet names, hugs, and appreciation.

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"Grab my hand and keep your eyes closed tight, I don't want the surprised spoiled!".

Hesitantly, you grab a shaken Eiji as he steers your blind eye somewhere you've never experienced but, it feels familiar... somehow, but how? Two steps turned into four, four into six, six into nine, and so on.

"Okay- one more step... watch out for the step.. another... a third- OKAY! Open.".

You want to see wants behind these hands but your brain is having trouble communicating with your bones. You're not nervous but... envious, in ways. Finally, after your self-to-self speech, your hands lower to come in contact with a foggy image of-

{BEEEEEP}

"SHIT-" That was all that could leave your lips... well, there was also FUCK, DAMN, ASS, and your personal "I've been awakened into a frightened state" favorite- CUNT!

You turn over to your phone to finally shut off the constant ringing of your most recent anime binge watch's opening credits song- not your favorite- your most recent.

After, the all too familiar urge of procrastination, you finally manage to shut off the CORRECT alarm this time. Even so, shutting off an alarm has never had many benefits besides reducing the antagonizing screech of above the volume music... however, until now, you have never been greeted by a sleeping Kirishima on your screen behind the alarm window.

That's right... we fell asleep on Facetime together.

You're not surprised that eventually, you'd have these moments- you find the idea of him next to you somewhat comforting.

His blood red-like hair falling onto his pillow has always been a pretty sight to you. His pointed teeth exposed to you, no one knows what he dreams, as he tends to forget but- the way he smiles, even in sleep... No, especially in his sleep, is behind adorable.

You could see from the angle of the phone he had his red LED lights on the highest setting, (typical, was your immediate thought), he has self-drawn art of him in his Red Riot costume with "MANLY" written in comically large lettering under, above, or to the sides of each portrait, this is too cute.

Eiji mentioned last night that he sleeps without a shirt on, he decided to give you this information the moment you started to dose off. Fortunately, waking up before him grants you the pleasure of finally witnessing his rock-hard exterior (I'm so sorry.).

{BEEEEEEEEEP}

"CUNT-" told you. Once again you mistake snooze for the off option. You pick your phone up off the carpet, after launching it several feet in the air. Luckily, your side of the facetime's audio is off and Eiji didn't hear the exaggerated explosion of sounds.

Picking your phone up off the ground which was disconnected from your charger immediately, makes your gut sink deep into your ass, your brain catches up to what you're seeing and pushes your body to practically fly into the bathroom seeing as you only have 40 minutes to get ready now.

That seems like plenty of time if you would have actually showered the night before. Rushing back into your room for your towel, you place Kiri on the sink's counter.

Starting up the shower was a difficult task when you're removing your clothes at the same time, you eventually set it to the right temperature and successfully remove your oversized hoodie with boxer briefs underneath with ease.

After washing your body, you manage to carefully launch yourself back into your room to moisturize and get dressed- you place Kiri on your dresser with a view of you after putting on your underwear.

"Well- aren't you glowing Bubbles?". That humbled cockiness in a person's tone can only come from one person and only this person can make you jump out of your skin in excitement. You turn to face him putting on his shirt because, unlike you, he takes a shower the night before to avoid a rush.

"fuc- don't scare me like that Red!". You definitely miscalculated the emotion there because that was NOT fear, it was a sentiment of emotions on how what he said made you feel inside. Nearly dropping to your knees you tighten up your composure and continue with your routine.

"Sorry babes, you do look unbelievable this morning though." Blushing was definitely out of the question, ain't nothing burning through that melanin babes. Instead, your stomach burns in butterflies as you muster up the words...

"You missed a button on your shirt, Red.". Cool, that was cool.

No, it wasn't.

You can see he wants to make another remark but you notice the new arrangement of numbers on your clock.

[7:27 AM]

Eiji notices your expressions and the faster tempo in your steps as you go from rushing to being quicker than the speed of light. As you reach the door you hear Kiri clear his throat in a way to tell you about the one thing you forgot... HIM! Nearly, slipping under your bed you grab your phone in one swift motion and bolt downstairs.

You don't have time to eat the breakfast your parents teamed up to make so you grab toast and a Capri Sun, hug your parents, pet Rubble; your St. Benard, and bolt for the door.

You hear Kiri's radio in his car blare indistinctive lyrics from his favorite genre "Rock-N-Roll" (I'm so sorry.). You finally start to make your way to school where you pass the place you and Kiri had your first date.

As you ponder the thought of the first time you ever saw him cry, the moment you saw him smile, and the day he said he's his happiest with you casts an unbreakable spell around you. A spell you would never want an antidote for.

After a handful of minutes, you pull into the parking lot across the street from the UA entrance and began the new day. You walk past your classmates greeted with the usual "Hey, Y/N!". From Shoji, "HEY KISSES!". From the always bubbly Uraraka, "Alright boo, heyyy- AH, mwah!" from your favorite person in this school (besides Red of course) Mina.

Speaking of favorite people...

"Guess who?" A pair of hands appear over your eyes and an obviously forced high pitched voice lets you know exactly who it is.

"Hmm... Koda!"

"YE- wait, huh?" Kiri stands there confused arms unraveled from you. You turn with a gigantic smirk plastered across your face, eyes slanted, with defined smile lines signifying your humorous poke at him.

"Oh- haha, laugh out loud- super manly of you." You can hear his sarcasm bursting through his lips. You quickly place your arms around his waist giving him the tightest squeeze letting him know without words how much you miss him. Almost as if without any effort, he grabs you and lifts you into the air, wrapping your legs around him you give him an even tighter hug.

This day, like most, was pretty uneventful so, you zone out... as usual. When you finally come to, you find yourself wrapped around Ojiro's tail, who doesn't mind the immense affection. After your third class period, you meet up with your friends in the cafeteria.

Like any other day, you offer to pay for Uraraka who happily accepts; even when she has enough for a meal you still insist. I mean- why not? Kiri always has your bill.

[2:38 PM]

We finally reach last period and the class president Tenya, announces the school's annual Sadie Hawkins dance. [Brief Sadie Hawkins dance explanation: A dance in a tradition where the girl asks the boy out.]

"Well- what are Y/N and Eijiro going to do?" huh.

"How is Y/N going to ask out Eijiro- they're not a girl therefore how will they find a date to go?" Stupidity graced this one early but, embarrassment graced you immediately.

You couldn't form your words properly to explain or defend, you could only leave. Eiji tries to come after you but you signal him to stay there.

"You're such a douche you know that, right?" Kiri says dropping his almost permanent grin.

"LANGUAGE!" Iida screeches while flapping his limbs completely missing his faults.

[8:13 PM]

You sit in your room foolishly stumped by Iida's uncalled for questions. It doesn't make sense, honestly, you would never let Iida's "no thoughts, just speak" way of speech get to you.

You pause your binge of "Criminal Minds" to go down to the kitchen for a quick snack when you see a bright flare of red pass by your kitchen window wrapping around to the front of your house.

Your immediate thought is that this must be a police car making its way to a crime scene- being a hero in training gave you the instinct of potential bad around every corner. So, this was not a threat nor surprise to you.

{My Red Riot❤️ one (1) new message}

You were wondering where he's been all day. You haven't spoken to him all day, you even tried texting him, and you were left on read by red (I'm sorry once again.) with no response. You are curious as to what he has to say though.

{My Red Riot❤️ : Come outside.}

I won't say I'm nervous but I am definitely confused. I make my way to the front door and take a deep breath while turning the knob...

"Hey, Bubbles." standing there in a grey suit with a red tie, red handkerchief in the left chest pocket, maroon shoes accompanied by burgundy calf socks, and a rose pinned to his suit to top it all off next to his Jeep Wrangler with modified red headlights was your Red Riot.

"We don't need a school dance to strengthen our relationship when we have each other to look at and each other to embrace- I promise to never have this become a rocky relationship..."

You chuckle at the very thought-provoking joke. "... I love you Bubbles." How could anyone be so lucky? You can feel the tears forming already as he walks towards you.

Lifting your chin up to face him he asks you one question...

"Can I kiss you?". You meet his eyes, you feel equal.

"Yes- Of course, you can Red...". He lifts your face up higher and your lips meet he has just confirmed that you are equal- more than partners, but lovers.

You don't know where to put your arms, what to think, or what to feel but it doesn't matter. You feel safe, you feel protected, you are loved.

You pull apart from each other for a moment before getting another quick peck before a grin paints his face, it resembles The Cheshire Cat's smug grin. You don't know whether to be comforted or genuinely terrified by the devilish stare.

"Well- aren't ya gonna get dressed?"

"For?". What has he planned?

"For our Sadie Hawkins- Bubbles, DUH!"

"Oh- I mean, um, YES; of course! Our Sadie Hawkins!". You don't know what he's talking about but, You trust what he does. You rush back inside to my room... time to do the damn thing.

After a while of searching for combinations, You walked out the front door in a black turtleneck, burgundy blazer with black buttons and lining, matching dress pants, and black Doc Martens for footwear to a stunned Kiri.

"Wow- you look... stunning, Y/N." You haven't heard him say my name since we started dating, it's such a genuine feeling. Kiri pauses and rushes back to the car, in a hurry he returns with a small box... this isn't a- right?

Kiri falls to his knee and lifts up the box to a petunia corsage that he slides onto your wrist, completing your look. He picks you up and carries you towards the car door where he reaches out his right arm to open it and places you inside with his left.

The car ride is smooth, no bums in the road and if there were you didn't notice- you could only pay attention to Kiri's presence. You feel a breeze sweep your hand and look down to Red's hand comfortably resting on yours.

He's warm and his hand is incredibly soft definitely the opposite of his Unbreakable form. Being with him in this car feels almost sheltering to you, like a second home of love.

While you were off daydreaming, the car stopped in front of Kiri's house. Your door opens to fully red Kirishima, clearly embarrassed by his blush, you don't react to it much. A sharp feeling strikes your brain as soon as his hand gently grasps yours... you've lived this before.

"Grab my hand and keep your eyes closed tight, I don't want the surprised spoiled!".

Right- your quirk of future vision. It feels dreamlike but as soon as it's put into motion you can pinpoint everything that'll occur after the first stage, it helps with catching villains in the act of their crimes.

"Okay- one more step... watch out for the step.. another... a third- OKAY! Open.".

You let down our hands to a bundle of streamers, lights, and a painted canvas of you and Kiri with a message written on the bottom of it "RED RIOT'S REASON TO RIOT". You don't even give yourself time to process before leaping into his arms with a kiss, you both fall back onto his lawn where you spontaneously combust into laughter.

This night has been the greatest you've ever had- he knew your favorite movies to watch, shows to binge, and music to dance to the entire night. He knows you.

"I love you, Red."

"I love you, Bubbles."

⬇️PLAYLIST BASED ON FIC⬇️

[thetimelordbatgirl]

Marvel Descendants OCs

Acknowledgment: When Marvel Descendants was first written in 2015, one year after I joined Tumblr, at the time I wasn’t aware of how bad certain things were and while I am aware this is a bad excuse for what I’m about to acknowledge, it’s all I have really for what I wrote into Marvel Descendants at 14-15 as back then, I was into DC’s Kingdom Come and when I saw them ship Nightstar and Ibn al Xu'ffasch (pre-Damien Wayne), I didn’t see anything wrong with it and as a result, used the adopted family excuse for shipping Locket Lokidottir and Theo Thorson. Now that I am older and know more over the years, I wish I had known back then, but I wasn’t deep into Tumblr until December 2014 and even then, it took me until a while back to realize Marvel Descendants was wrong for that, but by that point, book 5 confirming the ship two married in the future, was out and while its too late to fix canon, I try to fix it in AUs and ship the two with other characters.  Any other issues within Marvel Descendants, I am trying to fix and hope to avoid in the future as I continue writing. 

Description of Marvel Descendants: Marvel Descendants is a marvel version of Disney Descendants that follows The Isle of the Lost, Descendants 1 and Wicked Wold in first two books and mini-spin off and goes on its own plot in book 3, with it now being tied @disneyfan50​ ‘s series, Descendant of Loki, starting from the team up/crossover, Daughters of The Trickster, with the series continuing on right now with planned future installments and AUs. 

Timeline so far: 

Book 1: The Area of The Lost. Summary:  Twenty years ago, all villains from Loki to Doctor doom were sent to the lost part of asgard with a shield around it to keep them there and them from ever escaping. The villains and their children now live in total isolation, forgotten by the world. But now there is a price for grabs, Loki's sceptre, could be their chance of escape, but they have to prove their more then willing to do anything evil to get hold of it. In their quest, they also learn, that being good can also help and isn't so bad at all sometimes. Link: https://www.quotev.com/story/6739788/The-Isle-of-the-lost-Marvel-Version/1

Book 2: Descendants: Marvel Version. Summary: Thor's daughter is about to be crowned goddess of lightning when she suddenly requests for the children of the villains to be given a chance at redemption. When their parents give them a task to get hold of the Tessaract so they can take over the world, the children of Loki, doctor doom, Sabertooth, the leader and the Mandarin and the granddaughter of red skull, have their own choice to make, be good or be evil like their parents. Link: https://www.quotev.com/story/6677501/Descendants-Marvel-Version/1

Book 3: Marvel Descendants: The Art of Mischief.  Summary:  Its been a week after tori's crowning of her title and the attack of doctor doom and the villains kids have been living a normal half term, well, as normal as they could get anyway, but now school is on again, but also, a old enemy is rising in the darkness of asgard, and he is out for revenge on asgard and earth. Sometimes, heroes are born at different points and sometimes, its not a good move to judge someone based on their look or their background.... Link: https://www.quotev.com/story/6814801/Marvel-Descendants-The-Art-Of-Mischief

Mini-Spin Off: Marvel Descendants: Wicked World. Summary:  The marvel descendants are back, and good is the new bad in this case, with drama and pranks and mischief and of course, the children of the heroes and villains, this is wicked world. Link: https://www.quotev.com/story/6924709/Marvel-Descendants-Wicked-World/1

Crossover with @disneyfan50​ : The Daughters of The Trickster.  Summary:  When a portal opens unexpectedly in Locket's room, another girl falls out. Her name is Lilith Lokidottir, the daughter of another Loki from and alternate universe. The tides of evil are rising, and at their helm is none other than the Queen of Darkness herself. Can Locket and Lily stop this menace together? Link: https://www.quotev.com/story/6859006/The-Daughters-of-the-Trickster/1

Book 4: Marvel Descendants: The Trickster’s Curse.  Summary:  Life is starting to go back to normal for Locket lokidottir, daughter of loki, the battle against mariana over, but that doesn't mean that there is not a effect in all of this. There is a curse on the school coming out, and it may be lockets and theos fault, when Loki though falls to it next, locket, theo, tamora and a new ally, lucy selvig, have to find the cure and put a end to this curse before it continues, but who set it? who left it? why is it affecting locket and her father the most? and why does darkness and poison come with it? Link: https://www.quotev.com/story/6984816/Marvel-Descendants-The-Tricksters-Curse/1/

Book 5: Marvel Descendants: Sins of The Past. Summary:  Its the year 2032- and things have changed. The X-Men have failed in their one mission: to get human acceptence. Now mutants, metra-humans, off world people and even humans who were assoicated with mutants or could have mutant kids, are either in prison, on the run or killed. Jackie Haller leads a group against this and they have a plan- go back in time to save the future. In 2016, the past is about to commit the one act that makes this happen without knowing it..... The resistance in the future are on a ticking time bomb to stop this event with the pasts help.... ....Or its game over. Link: https://www.quotev.com/story/8099153/Marvel-Descendents-Sins-Of-The-Past/1

Crossover with @disneyfan50​ : Untitled. Summary: TBA.

Agent of Asgard: Volume 1:  Summary: Well now i have done it- i never thought that in my life, that i would work for heroes- But here i am, Locket Lokidottir, working as a agent for Queen Jane of Asgard, but now, now im in the deep end, i got a crazy version of myself after me, im meeting weird people and theres some plot going on- Why cant i just go back to being normal yet? Link: https://www.quotev.com/story/8471877/Agent-Of-Asgard-Volume-1/1

Crossover with @disneyfan50​ and Entity High: Untitled.  Summary: TBA. 

Agent of Asgard: Volume 2: Summary: TBA. 

Agent of Asgard: Volume 3: Summary: TBA. 

Agent of Asgard: Volume 4: Summary: TBA. 

Spin Off: Siege Perilous: Summary: Being a dragon should mean you should always be able to soar through the air, no matter what- the skies your limit. But what happens when someone tries to clip your wings? Jayla Del'Tazar thought her troubles ended with Mariana Malora- she was wrong. As soon, Jayla finds herself in her own battle against a man named Draeko, a pureblood dragon determined to take her out for her relations, in any way possible. Travelling to Wakanda with Princess Kiara and Jayla's girlfriend, Peregrine Wilson, Jayla soon finds that when pushed to the edge of possible surrender and near death, that sometimes, you have to fight fire with fire...and in this case, that fire is discovering hidden abilities she never knew she had until then, and things only change from there on. Link: https://www.quotev.com/story/11017793/Siege-Perilous/1

Agent of Asgard: Volume 5:  Summary: TBA. 

Untitled Sequel to Siege Perilous: Summary: TBA.

Book 6: Untitled.  Summary: TBA.

Untitled third book to Siege Perilous: Summary: TBA.

Book Set in the Future: Marvel Descendants: Up From the Depths: Summary: Its the year 2032, and the Area of the Lost has existed for more then 20 years as the grandchildren of the villains and heroes now exist and the previous generation have grown up. But soon enough, after a crack appears in a dome and a poisoning of the villains grandchildren at SHIELD Academy happens, its a adventure that soon leads to a truth about the Area and its residents...and how unlike the heroes....not everyone has a good path in life....and may need help more then ever at this point. Link: https://www.quotev.com/story/9912322/Marvel-Descendants-Up-from-the-Depths/1

*

Locket Lokidottir

- daughter of Loki-

Faceclaim:

India Eisley. 

*

Richard Creed

- son of Sabertooth-

Faceclaim:

Jason Scott Dolley. 

*

Victoria Von Doom

- daughter of Doctor Doom-

Faceclaim:

Raffey Cassidy. 

*

Alex Sterns

- son of The Leader-

Faceclaim:

Ferdia Shaw. 

*

Lucas

- son of The Mandarin-

Faceclaim:

Ryan Potter. 

*

Tamora

Schmidt- granddaughter of Red Skull-

Faceclaim:

Sadie Sink.

*

Torunn ‘Tori’ Thordottir

- daughter of Thor-

Faceclaim:

Chloe Grace Mortez.

*

Theo Thorson

- son of Thor-

Faceclaim:

Landon Liboiron. 

*

Lila Creed

- daughter of Sabertooth-

Faceclaim:

Mia Talerico. 

*

Johnny and Jessica (formerly Olivia)

- twins of Juggernaut-

Faceclaim(s):

TBA.

*

Lizzie Octavious

- daughter of Doctor Octopus-

Faceclaim:

TBA. 

*

Frigga Thordottir

- daughter of Thor-

Faceclaim:

Abby Ryder Foster.

*

Ravan Darkholme

- son of Mystique-

Faceclaim:

TBA.

*

Andrew and Ally Amoradottir

- twins of Amora-

Faceclaim(s):

TBA. 

*

Nathan Osborn

- son of Norman Osborn-

Faceclaim:

TBA.

*

Thorn Sifson

- son of Sif-

Faceclaim:

Spencer Boldman. 

*

Amanda Amoradottir

- daughter of Amora-

Faceclaim:

Sabrina Carpenter.

*

Devlin Kilgrave

- son of Kilgrave-

Faceclaim:

TBA. 

*Maria Stark- daughter of Iron Man- Faceclaim: TBA. *James Fury- son of Nick Fury- Faceclaim: Tyrel Jackson.  *Poppy Coulson- daughter of Phil Coulson- Faceclaim: TBA. *Snow Banner- daughter of the Hulk- Faceclaim: TBA. *Luke Walters- son of She Hulk- Faceclaim: TBA. *Riley Jones- daughter of A-Bomb- Faceclaim: TBA. *Mark Hill- son of Maria Hill- Faceclaim: Bradley Steven Perry.  *Margaret ‘Peggy’ Rogers- daughter of Captain America- Faceclaim: TBA. *Andrew Wilson- son of the Falcon- Faceclaim: TBA. *Harry Pym- son of Wasp and Giant Man- Faceclaim: TBA. *Nick and Jade Barton- twins of Hawkeye and Black Widow- Faceclaim(s): TBA. *Lauren Howlett- daughter of Wolverine and Storm- Faceclaim: TBA. *Joy Summers- daughter of Cyclops and Jean Grey- Faceclaim: Mackenzie Foy. *Gwen Parker- daughter of Spiderman and MJ- Faceclaim: TBA. *Jessica Storm- daughter of the Human Torch- Faceclaim: TBA.

*Lynn Richards- daughter of Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman- Faceclaim: TBA. *Atli Volstaggdottir- daughter of Volstagg- Faceclaim: TBA. *Heleo Fandralson- son of Fandral- Faceclaim: Ross Lynch.  *Vio Fandraldottir- daughter of Fandral- Faceclaim: TBA. *Ty Hogunson- son of Hogun- Faceclaim: TBA. *Andrea ‘Andy’ Barnes- daughter of Winter Soldier- Faceclaim: TBA. *Gordon Maximoff- son of Scarlet Witch- Faceclaim: TBA. *Millicent Maximoff- daughter of Quicksilver- Faceclaim: TBA. *Techna- daughter of Vision- Faceclaim: TBA. *Tee Strange- daughter of Doctor Strange- Faceclaim: TBA. *Kiara (formerly Ann)- daughter of Black Panther- Faceclaim: China Anne McClain. *Mick Gold- son of Mockingbird- Faceclaim: TBA. *Charles Danvers- son of Captain Marvel- Faceclaim: TBA. *Brooke Murdock- daughter of Daredevil- Faceclaim: TBA. *Willow Rhodes- daughter of War Machine- Faceclaim: TBA. *Destineva Heimdalldottir- daughter of Heimdall- Faceclaim: TBA. *Jake Amaquin- son of Crystal- Faceclaim: TBA. 

*Danielle Rand- daughter of Iron Fist- Faceclaim: TBA. *Toby Masters- daughter of Taskmaster- Faceclaim: TBA. *Kasey Parker- daughter of Spiderman and MJ- Faceclaim: TBA. *Maxine- daughter of Electro- Faceclaim: TBA.

*Alastair Quill- son of Star Lord and Gamora- Faceclaim: Bradley Steven Parry.

*Lucy Selvig- daughter of Eric Selvig- Faceclaim: Saxon Sharbino.  *Aidan ‘Acrylic’ Lokison- son of Loki- Faceclaim: Eka Darville.  *James Selvig- son of Eric- Faceclaim: TBA.

*Leela Theodottir- future daughter of Theo and Locket- Faceclaim: Grace Kaufman. *Leonardo ‘Leo’ Theoson- future son of Theo and Locket- Faceclaim: Logan Williams.  *Luna Theodottir- future daughter of Theo and Locket- Faceclaim: Lauren Boles. *Daniel Creed- future son of Richard and Joy- Faceclaim: Carter Hastlings.  *Roxanne ‘Roxie’ Thorndottir- future daughter of Thorn and Tori- Faceclaim: Caitlin Carmichael.  *Vanessa Wilson- future daughter of Andrew and Victoria- Faceclaim: Kyla Drew. *Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ Xavier- granddaughter of Charles Xavier- Faceclaim: TBA. *Elsbeth Wagner- daughter of Nightcrawler- Faceclaim: TBA. *Zelina Lebeau- daughter of Rouge and Gambit- Faceclaim: TBA. *Octave Lebeau- son of Rouge and Gambit- Faceclaim: TBA. *Cerise Wilson- daughter of Deadpool- Faceclaim: TBA. *Feliks Rasputin- son of Shadowcat and Colossus- Faceclaim: TBA. *Max Summers- son of Havoc and Polaris- Faceclaim: TBA. *Derek Worthington- son of Angel and Psylocke- Faceclaim: TBA. *Paige McCoy- daughter of Beast- Faceclaim: TBA. *Alix Drake- daughter of Ice Man- Faceclaim: TBA. *Screech Cassidy- daughter of Banshee- Faceclaim: TBA.

*Jayla Antoine- adopted daughter of Colin- Faceclaim: Skai Jackson.

*Ella- granddaughter of Elsa (in Auradon)- Faceclaim: Peyton Elizabeth Lee.. *Jamie Sterns- daughter of Alex and Snow- Faceclaim: Eve Moon. *Nike Stark- son of Maria and Lucas- Faceclaim: TBA.  *Dove Wilson- daughter of Andrew and Victoria- Faceclaim: Millie Davis.  *Tracy Octavious- daughter of Lizzie- Faceclaim: Bailee Madison.  *Misty Darkholme- daughter of Ravan- Faceclaim: Morgan Lily. *Alan Allyson- son of Ally- Faceclaim: Ty Simpkins. *Ava Allydottir- daughter of Ally- Faceclaim: Maggie Elizabeth Jones. *Renee and Brandon Creed- twins of Richard and Joy- Faceclaim(s): Kennedi Clements and Jacob Trembley.  *Kol Amandason- adopted son of Amanda- Faceclaim: Oakes Fegley.  *Usagi Del’Tazar- twin daughter of Jayla and Peregrine- Faceclaim: Sofia Wylie.

[flamehairedwritings]

The Fire In Your Eyes: Chapter Ten

Characters: Arthur Morgan x Original Female Character

Rating: The whole series will be E, 18+ ONLY for violence, gore, character deaths, animal deaths, parent deaths, swearing, grief, sexual themes and unprotected sex.

Summary: Saved by Arthur Morgan when her town is attacked, a young woman’s past comes back to haunt her when she has no choice but to join the Van der Linde Gang.

Read on AO3

The Fire In Your Eyes Masterlist

Please don’t copy, steal or re-post my work; credit does not count.

Light That Match

She turned their words over and over in her mind. Did she regret the things she had said? Yes... and no. She waited. Waited for someone to tell her Dutch wanted to see her. Waited to find out that they all knew who she was.

He’d given her his word but she’d said more than enough for him to break that, and she wouldn’t have blamed him.

Yet... nothing. It was business as usual. People came in and out of camp, there were chores to be done and animals to hunt.

Two days passed and she didn’t see him once. From what she heard around the camp fire, some of the men were exploring new ‘business’ opportunities in town, seeing what they could dig up to gain money.

Since their own foray into town, she and Sadie hadn’t returned to it. Ada wanted to, though. There was more space here, more land to roam, but she still ended up back at the house, wherever she went. The swamp land to the east was too dangerous to wander through and the west brought its own dangers; the possibility of coming across any of the Braithwaite’s who still lingered on their destroyed land. No one was allowed to wander far, anyway. Dutch’s orders.

She thought of Saint Denis and all the opportunities it could bring her. Passage to a new place, maybe acquiring a position in a store, being a new version of herself. She couldn’t help but reminisce on what had struck her about when Sean had taken her into Rhodes; the reinvention of one’s self.

Or maybe she just liked the idea of it.

But she couldn’t stay with them any longer. It was a complex situation growing more and more twisted every day. And at the centre of it... Arthur. The other night had been... wonderful, yes, but nothing. An outburst. An amalgamation of elation and joy at Jack’s return, the feeling anything was possible, and the attraction that had been simmering for both of them, apparently. That she could and would freely admit. You could be attracted to someone, anyone at all, and also not like them. She didn’t know how attraction worked but it was damn uncontrollable, they very much proved that. And Mary explained so much; the lost love that haunted him. It was almost right out of one of her books. He still evidently held a candle for her, too. They’d spoken about running away together hours after he had shared a kiss with her. Not any kiss, a heated, passionate one, but... It seemed it had really, truly meant nothing. And that was fine. That made things easier for her, actually, clearer. She would go into town soon, tomorrow, maybe, and enquire about positions. Or passage. Either would suit.

Around noon on the third day of living in simmering anxiety that she was to be ousted at any moment, camp activity slowed down, the heat becoming a little too much. Ada returned to her band stand after helping Pearson start to prepare dinner to read the new book she’d bought when she and Sadie had been in town.

She was only halfway down the fourth page when cantering hooves coming down the main path made her head lift.

Arthur pulled Ophelia to a halt, dust covering his boots, trousers and face. She hated that her heart stopped for a moment at finally seeing him. Dismounting, his gaze immediately began searching, darting between people.

Dutch wasn’t in camp but Hosea was around somewhere so—

Arthur’s eyes landed on her, and he strode towards her.

Frowning, her heart now began to beat faster as she pushed herself up, closing her book. Was this finally the moment?

His mouth was set in a thin line and he didn’t look away, neither did she.

“There’s a problem.”

She didn’t allow herself to relax just yet as he carried on past the bandstand, gesturing for her to follow, his features tight.

What the hell?

Tossing the book on to her pillow, she moved over the sandbags and down the stairs, following after him. He didn’t slow, heading to the fishing shed, secluding them. Picking up her skirt slightly to avoid tripping over it, she kept her gaze fixed on him, specifically his hands.

She slowed as they moved onto the jetty, the shed obscuring them from the rest of the house. Releasing her skirt, she kept her hands by her sides, her breathing steady.

“What’s the problem?”

Turning to her, he reached inside his jacket, making her stiffen, and pulled out a folded newspaper. Unfolding it, he held it out to her, showing her the front page.

“This is the problem.”

Her brow dipping, taking the newspaper from him, her eyes dropped a moment after to scan the articles.

“What am I—”

She saw the headline first.

MAYOR OF STRAWBERRY’S NIECE MISSING

She started to read immediately.

‘Nicholas Timmins’s niece, Adaline Timmins, has been missing for nearly two months now after the gang known as the O’Driscolls attacked the beautiful, peaceful little town of Strawberry in West Elizabeth. Mr Timmins believes the O’Driscolls have kidnapped his beloved niece, though the reason is unknown. The gang has not yet made contact with the Mayor about his niece, who is described as having red, curly hair, blue eyes, a straight, slightly turned up nose, average height for a woman, slightly larger than the average woman, ...’

Ada exhaled a long breath as her gaze drifted across the rest of the paragraph. No photograph. A saving grace, hopefully. There was only one, fairly recent photograph of her, anyway, that had been taken when she was 18, her mother having been sat beside her, smiling proudly. It had hung in their living room. God knew where it was now. If people paid any attention, though, the description alone could be enough to make the connection...

“Oh, Christ...” she murmured, rubbing her forehead with her fingers.

“Yeah, we could have a real fuckin’ problem on our hands...” he muttered, his hands on his hips.

“Where did you get this?” She glanced up at him, gripping the newspaper.

“In Saint Denis. I bought one just wantin’ to see if there was anythin’ about us in there.” Moving closer, he looked over her shoulder at the article, his lips pressed together. “Why does it say Adaline Timmins?”

That was the least of their concerns, but...

“We took on my mother’s maiden name when my uncle took us into his care. O’Driscoll wouldn’t exactly look good. For him, especially, and his image.”

“I thought you said he didn’t care about you?”

“He doesn’t.” She blew out a breath, lowering the newspaper. “This is... Why the hell is it in the Saint Denis newspaper? How has it reached all the way down here?”

He took the newspaper from her as she stepped away, folding her arms. “That’s what I was thinkin’.”

“Shit...” She turned to him suddenly. “Has anyone else seen it?”

Tucking the newspaper back into his jacket, he shook his head. “No, no, I went into town alone. Nobody round here bothers to read ‘em most of the time, hardly anyone of ‘em can read, but...”

She pressed her lips together. “There’s something else, isn’t there?”

He sighed, his hands returning to his hips. “Dutch is lookin’ for you. He’s gonna ask you to come to this party Angelo Bronte’s invited us to that the Mayor of Saint Denis’ holdin’.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it, watching him. “You’re not happy about that.”

“No, I’m not.” His jaw moved. “It ain’t right to get you mixed up in that business... and your uncle’s gonna be there, too.”

Her arms fell to her sides as her heart dropped. “What?!”

“Yeah, Angelo was name droppin’ and he said the mayor of some small town, Strawberry, had half-begged the Mayor to let him come, spoke of some business he wanted to discuss.”

“Oh, Christ...” Grazing her teeth over her lower lip, Ada shook her head slightly. “What am I going to do?”

Arthur’s hands lowered. “I don’t know. It’s your decision, though. You can say no, he ain’t gonna think anythin’ of it, he ain’t got a reason to.” Raising his chin at the sound of voices from the house, he sighed. “Come on, I said I’d find you and start to explain, he’s on his way back.”

Ada followed after him wordlessly, her gaze fixed to his back. Her mind raced as they walked, trying to get some form of an answer straight.

Despite his words, declining would arouse suspicion; she’d already expressed a desire to help out more, and she probably hadn’t been able to hide her restlessness. And who would turn down the chance to go to a party and possibly rob rich people, as they were most likely to do there. Yet if she were to go... she’d see him. How could she spend the whole night avoiding him?

It was an impossible, hopeless situation.

Rounding the house, Arthur raised his hand, gaining Dutch’s attention from where he’d dismounted and been joined by Hosea and Bill. 

A wide smile stretched across Dutch’s features as they walked towards them, his thumbs tucked into his waistcoat pockets.

“Ah, there she is.” They neared each other, coming to a stop near the unused fountain. “Annie, do your secret talents besides sharp shootin’ include acting?”

Ada smiled amiably, her shoulders lifting a little. “I don’t know, Dutch, possibly.”

“Well, how’d you like to come to a little party?”

She felt Arthur’s eyes on her, his words echoing in her mind, but she knew she had no choice. Why the hell did he want her to come to this, though?

“Guess I’m going to need a new gown, aren’t I?”

Dutch laughed as he clapped his hands together. “That’s my girl. Arthur, take the lady out and get her something pretty. See what else you can both find out, too.”

Arthur sighed and straightened. “All right.”

Dutch grinned, stepping around them. “Some enthusiasm, please, we’re going to a ball, Cinderella. Why don’t you get yourself somethin, too?”

Dutch’s chuckle lingered with them as they looked at one another, neither happy about the orders they had been given.

Faithful stayed close to Ophelia as they rode to Saint Denis, skirting the boundaries of Caliga Hall.

Her leg would brush against Arthur’s, making her back stiffen and his lips press together.

It was on both their minds, their heated words and the somewhat unspoken threat. Neither wanted to return to it, yet how could they strike up a normal conversation, bitterness and unsaid pleas weighing heavy on their tongues?

Still... There was a job to be done.

She was pleased, at least, that they were out of the camp. Their friendship had sparked teasing comments from some members of the camp, so the fact they hadn’t spoken for nigh on three days had started to be noticed. She was dreading the questions, of what excuse she could give, if one was called for.

As he coughed, she suddenly felt a different sort of irritation prickling at her, her gaze flicking to him. Oh, for God’s sake, they’d have to talk sometime. Prolonging the inevitable would just prolong the incredible awkwardness.

“I was thinking we should start down by the train station.”

His gaze flicked over to her. If he was surprised she’d been the one to initiate conversation he didn’t show it.

“People might be coming in to town for the party. If not, station attendants seem to know everything. At least the one in Strawberry seemed to.”

Arthur nodded, directing his gaze ahead. “All righ’.”

She thought he might leave it at those two words when he said no more, then, after a few moments, he cleared his throat.

“The party ain’t until tomorrow, we got plenty of time. We’ll see what we can find out, then buy some clothes.”

They were words, few and to the point, but words nonetheless.

“All right.”

Straightening, Ada clicked her tongue as the bridge came into view, urging Faithful into a gentle trot. Ophelia followed suit, Arthur’s eyes on the red-headed woman.

—

The station attendant was very helpful to the distraught young lady who’d lost her purse, particularly when she mentioned she was to attend the Mayor’s ball.

Arthur watched her from his corner of the room, his shoulder leaning against the wall. He hid his smile with his cigarette. She was good at this, both acting and getting information. Her daddy must have taught her.

Michael O’Driscoll.

He still couldn’t fucking believe it. From what he’d heard about him from Dutch and Hosea, years and years ago, he’d been decent, more savvy than his brother and more interested in getting scores rather than settling them.

As she smiled and placed her hand over the attendant’s in thanks, he pushed away from the wall and headed outside. Raising his eyes to the sky, he found it grey, dark clouds that had been forming in the distance earlier overhead now. Dropping his finished cigarette to the ground, he felt someone at his side.

“Come on.”

Ada moved past him, her hands clasped in front of her. He followed, his hands on his belt. His lips pressed together slightly as he watched her once more. They should’ve got a scarf or something to cover her hair,... then again they’d passed three women with red hair and blue eyes on the way in. People believed what they read, and if people were being told that a missing woman was with a gang, then, well, she was with a gang, not walking the streets of Saint Denis freely. That’s what he hoped they’d believe, anyway.

“What did your new friend tell you?”

“A lot and not much at all.” She led them towards the market, brushing hair from her face as a wind picked up. “It’s heavily guarded, local police and hired men. So I should ‘feel safe’.” She glanced at him as she echoed the attendant’s words, catching his mouth move slightly.

Was that a smile?

“He mainly talked about what I could expect, the music and dancing and food. Fireworks, too. I asked him how he knew so much and he said a friend of his works at the house, an Albert Fraser, so I could use that.” 

“That you could." He moved behind her as someone passed them, the pathways through the market narrow. “So, you’re wantin’ to do this?”

Her gaze returned to him as he resumed his position at her side. “Well, I’ve already said yes, haven’t I? Not that I had much of a choice.”

“That’s true,” he murmured, meeting her gaze. “Well, I think you’ll be fine. You were good back there, a natural.”

She snorted as they headed out of the market, moving towards their horses. “I used to make-believe all the time when I was younger, it isn’t so dissimilar.”

“Ah, I forgot you were a strange kid.”

Ada laughed as she lay her hand on Faithful’s neck, stroking lightly.

It felt good to make her laugh again.

“I had to entertain myself somehow. You’ve seen how small Strawberry is.”

“I would say I don’t know how you didn’t go crazy, but it seems like you did...” Arthur trailed off slowly as he felt a drop of water on his hand, another swiftly following as he looked up to the sky once more. “Shit, looks like it’s gonna come down hard.”

“Yes, it does.” Pulling a face, Ada lifted her shawl over her head, covering her hair, though it wouldn’t do much good with the decorative holes in it. “Should we wait somewhere until it passes?”

Arthur grunted, lowering his head to shield his face. “Yeah, I know a place. Come on.”

“What about the horses?” she asked as he began to move away, her hand falling from Faithful.

“They’ll find their own shelter.” He glanced over his shoulder at her, the beginnings of a smile forming. “Don’t you remember, from the church?”

Her breath caught slightly.

What she remembered most of all from that time was his arm around her and her body against his.

Following behind him, her shoulders hunched as the rain started to come thick and fast, she lifted her skirts, the hastening cold distracting her from thoughts of desire.

Soaked, she soon found herself stepping into a saloon, her lips parting with a quiet gasp as she was suddenly engulfed in warmth.

‘Bastille Saloon’ an engraving on a large mirror above the bar read.

The occupants barely looked up from their cards or drinks, probably accustomed to people bursting in due to the rainfall.

“Come on, there’s a fire upstairs.”

The shawl slipped from her head as Arthur placed his hand on her back, guiding her towards the stairs. She recognised two of the three women they passed from when she and Sadie had gone about finding their own answers. They nodded at her and she smiled.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Arthur led her over to the fireplace, dragging two seats over to it. Sitting, they stretched their hands and legs out to the warmth. 

“This should do us until it passes... which shouldn’t be too long,” Arthur murmured, pulling his hat from his head and dropping it to the ground to let it dry.

Ada settled back in her chair, quite grateful for a potential half an hour or so to just sit and be warmed.

—

Three hours later, the rain heavier and sky darker, the occasional lightning bolt illuminating it, Ada pushed her plate away and leaned her forearms on the table.

“Arthur?”

“Mmh?” Looking over his glass to her, Arthur raised his eyebrows slightly.

Her lips twitched. “I don’t think it’s going to pass.”

He grunted and drained the last of his whisky. “Not in the next year it seems.”

Pouring some whisky into her own empty glass, only a little because it still didn’t go down smoothly but it did warm her, Ada glanced around the saloon. It had filled greatly in the time they’d been there, some taking refuge from the rain, others coming for their nightly drink and card game. Sometime in the last few hours, they’d moved from the fireplace upstairs to a table on the ground floor, ordered a bottle of whiskey and some food, and watched those around them.

Returning her gaze to him, she took a small sip. “I think we should stay the night.”

“Here?”

“Unless you want to go out there.”

“I’m not afraid of a little rain, Ada.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Oh, so we’re sat here for me, are we?”

“Can’t imagine you want to be soaked again.”

“I don’t mind the rain either. I just don’t think it’s sensible for us to catch our death. At least we can warm ourselves here, I don’t think we could at the camp.”

"We’ll see in an hour or two,” he murmured before taking a sip.

Pressing her lips together, Ada sat back. She was tired, more than she’d like to admit and... perhaps a night away from the camp would do them both some good.

Pushing her chair back, she closed the short distance to the bar and smiled at the bartender.

He returned her smile; they’d actually bought something while they’d been here. “Good evening, ma’am. Can I get you another drink?”

“No, thank you, not right now. My husband and I would like to rent a room for the night.”

From the corner of her eye she saw Arthur stiffen, his glass pausing before his lips.

The bartender’s smile widened. “Of course, ma’am. That rain stoppin’ you from carryin’ on?”

She tilted her head a little, the picture of amiably put-out. “Yes, unfortunately.”

Her easy smile didn’t falter in the slightest as Arthur suddenly appeared at her side, his hands on the bar. He couldn’t say a word, though, they both knew that they didn’t need to draw the kind of attention that a single man and woman together would, and there was no way they could pass for siblings, or she a working woman. If he asked, those would be her reasons, anyway.

“It’s a dollar a night,” the bartender said, directing his gaze to Arthur.

“Yeah...” Arthur answered with a sigh, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing two coins. After placing them on the bar, the bartender then nodded at him and the coins quickly disappeared into his apron. 

Handing over a key, he inclined his head towards the stairs. “Just up there and through the archway, first door on the right. If you’d like anything else at all, just let me know.”

“Thank you.” 

Smiling, Ada swiftly took the key and turned. Heading towards the stairs, she grabbed the half empty bottle from their table on the way. Ascending once more, she didn’t check to see if Arthur was following.

After finding the room, as she slid the key into the lock, she then sensed him behind her. Opening the door, the sight of the room nearly made her pause.

Christ...

Withdrawing the key and entering, her gaze drifted over the room as a tension she hadn’t noticed before left her body.

A room. A proper room with four walls and a door that could lock. She’d once taken that for granted. Looking down at the bed, she placed the key and bottle on the nightstand before brushing her fingers against the covers. A proper bed.

“You could have said if you wanted to stay.”

Arthur’s voice and the sound of the door closing made her turn after a moment, her eyebrows raised slightly. He was leaning back against the door, his arms folded, that indiscernible look upon his features.

“I did,” she countered, moving away from him to inspect the washbasin on a nearby stand.

“You suggested.”

“Somebody had to make the decision.” She ran her fingers around the basin.

“Well, maybe it’s a good thing that you did. I’m tired as hell.” Straightening up, he rounded the bed and moved to the couch on the far wall, his gaze running across it.

“I’ll sleep on the couch, we’ll—”

She scoffed as she turned, lowering her arms. “Don’t be silly, Arthur, it’ll be freezing, we can both have the bed.”

Arthur turned to her, arching an eyebrow. “Nah, I’ll take the couch.”

Should I be offended?

“Arthur, for Christ’s sake, it will be freezing and that hardly looks comfortable.”

“I’ve had worse.”

“Arthur—”

“Nah, it ain’t... it ain’t appropriate.”

She actually almost laughed. Appropriate? From the man who had kissed her with such a passion that she’d wrapped her legs around him and he’d gladly pressed against her?

Her hands went to her waist. “Since when did you care about what’s appropriate, Arthur Morgan? No one will know. And if it makes you feel better, one of us can sleep on top of the covers with a blanket.”

She could see his next argument brewing as his jaw moved.

“I won’t take no for an answer and I don’t think you quite know just how stubborn I am yet,” she quickly added.

Sighing, he lifted his hands and shook his head. “Fine, fine, I’m too tired for this shit...”

Smiling triumphantly, she turned and, after checking the French doors to the balcony were locked, drew the curtains.

I’m going to sleep in a proper bed tonight.

She heard the couch make a quiet sound behind her as he sat on it. Returning to the basin, she washed her hands in the cool water.

She used to have a ritual before she’d get into her bed. Wait until Mama and Annie went to their rooms, have a cup of tea and read a chapter of her book, check the locks on the doors, check them again, check the Repeater was by the door, having one in her room would have only alarmed Mama, maybe check the locks again depending on how she felt, then head to her room. Only after washing her face, changing into her nightclothes and looking out of the window to survey the land would she get into bed, sometimes tying her hair back.

Now, though, her routine was to sometimes wash her face, sleep and wake a few hours later to take a watch.

She’d missed having a few minutes to herself in the day to do something that was just purely for her. Perhaps she should have requested a bath.

Instead, she took the small bar of soap beside the basin and washed her face. The towel she dried her skin with was surprisingly soft, and she carefully folded it, returning it to its place.

She had to resist the urge to caress her now smooth cheeks as she turned to the bed, heading for the side farthest from Arthur, facing the door. Locking it, she placed the key on the bedside table, then moved her hands to her belt. Unbuckling it, she let it drop to the floor. The sound of it colliding with the wood caught Arthur’s attention, his gaze rising.

He watched Ada as she stared down at her clothes, her lips pressed together. He smiled faintly. Her clothes were still slightly damp, particularly her skirt, the material thicker than what she was used to wearing, particularly this far down south, but she’d said she’d hope it would stave off the impending cold. Neither of them had taken rain into account. Why did it always seem to rain when they were out? A sign from God? He nearly snorted. Then her hands were pulling her blouse out of her skirt.

Christ...

Ada didn’t mind the rain, truly she didn’t, but damp clothes were not exactly delightful to feel. Her skirt had kept the bottom of her blouse damp so she pulled it free, shaking out the material. Moving her hands to the small of her back, she unbuttoned the six small buttons that kept the skirt up, her hands now only holding it up.

Hold on.

She glanced up at Arthur, and caught him quickly averting his gaze to the floor. How long had he been watching her? Was she truly just about to undress in a room with a man present?

Oh, come on, you’ve undressed around men for over a month now...

But this was... intimate. This man she’d kissed and had wanted to undress her. The memory was distant but the feelings very close. Even if those feelings were quickly followed by a coldness.

For Christ’s sake, pull yourself together, you fool, you’re both adults, and he’s not interested anymore. Do you want to catch a cold?

He didn’t say a word as she lifted her blouse over her head and dropped her skirt to the floor. Her flimsy corset undid easily. Those she all folded neatly, too, placing them on the chest at the foot of the bed.

Her long shift was only damp at the shoulders but she would certainly have to keep that on.

After blowing a candle out on the nightstand, plunging the room into semi-darkness, and locking the door, she lifted the covers and climbed into the bed. Lying back, she closed her eyes with a gentle sigh.

It was... soft. Perhaps a little too soft.

How wonderful... my body now prefers hard and uneven surfaces.

Turning onto her side, her back to Arthur, she faced the door, tucking her fist under her chin. It was wonderful to be in a room, however. She could hear the rain coming down outside, unrelenting. It was oddly soothing. Closing her eyes, she hoped for the first peaceful sleep in weeks.

She began to doze, after how long she didn’t know, when she heard the couch sound again and Arthur blow out the only other, dwindling candle in the room. Her eyes opened a little.

She heard him remove his boots and his gunbelt, metal scraping against metal. Then, the bed dipped behind her as he lay on it, a quiet sigh leaving him.

Did he miss a real bed, too?

There was a slight jostling as he reached down to catch the blanket at the end of the bed and most likely draped it over himself before he finally settled down. She was too tired to look over her shoulder and check.

Grazing her teeth over her lower lip, she adjusted her position a little before closing her eyes again.

This should have been bizarre, the forever awake voice in her mind told her. But it wasn’t. It was neither bizarre nor wonderful, it just... was.

“Goodnight, Arthur,” she murmured.

He just grunted quietly, maybe halfway to sleep himself.

—

Her arms wrapped around her pillow, she awoke slowly, as if her body knew she had no reason to get up, no watch to take, no hunt to carry out, her environment danger-free. Exhaling a long breath, she blinked her eyes open. A gentle light illuminated the room.

Lifting her head to find the source, a stream of sunlight blinded her for a few moments. It was quite the change from the previous night and most welcome.

Raising her hand to shield her eyes, she saw Arthur out on the balcony, leaning against the railing, a cigarette between his fingers, his back to her. He’d awoken before her, naturally.

Turning onto her back, she stretched her arms and legs out, arching her back a little, a contented moan leaving her. Oh, she could allow herself a few moments to indulge in the space and the warmth of the bed. Reality could spare a minute.

—

He’d slept some, he only needed a few hours at a time, and he’d spent the rest of the time lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling and listening to Ada’s slow, rhythmic breathing.

Occasionally he could hear people in the street or in the saloon below, quiet, muffled laughter rising. He didn’t think about much, instead just taking the opportunity to listen and rest, the mattress too soft for more than one night but good enough for now that his bones had refused to let him get up.

When morning came, though, he’d needed to stretch and have a cigarette. Thoughts of the evening ahead and what it might hold crept into his mind. Rising silently, he’d slipped his boots on and secured his gunbelt back around his hips, his gaze lingering on her for signs he might have awoken her. She didn’t move a muscle, curled up tightly, deep in her sleep. He stopped himself from foolishly brushing her hair away from her face.

Quietly unlocking and opening one of the French doors, he’d slipped out into the crisp air of the morning, closing the door behind himself. Lighting a cigarette, he moved to the railing, watching the city awaken, people wandering the quiet streets.

Blowing out a stream of smoke, he leaned against the railing, bowing his head. There was a slight chill to the air, the storm from the night before lingering.

It had been warm on the bed.

He hadn’t scolded himself for lying beside her because technically they weren’t, not with the barrier of the covers between them. And it hadn’t felt wrong, either, as much as he’d called it ‘inappropriate’.

Shit, he’d nearly made himself laugh.

When had he cared about appropriate, indeed. Nah, it was more about what thoughts would enter his mind at having her so close again. He wouldn’t kiss her again unless it was wanted but sometimes he got carried away in watching her and imagining, as he had as she’d readied for bed. But... it was dangerous, the thought of doing anything more than imagining and wishing what they could do. Days ago she’d quietly threatened to kill the man he owed his life to and loved more than anyone; he didn’t need to complicate his or her life anymore than they already were.

So he’d decided, that was to be it, imagining and wishing and nothing more... but what would it be like to watch her every night? That was the most dangerous thought of all.

Lifting his head, he focused on the street once more, watching people beginning their day. His own work would come soon enough.

—

After finally making herself rise, she’d dressed and gone out onto the balcony, bidding him a good morning. There was still that... disconnect between them, that barrier that hadn’t been there before. Still, she smiled as she suggested they go down to see what could be had for breakfast and he accepted.

Over porridge, they’d agreed to ask around town a little more about the party before purchasing some clothes. The weather held up, warming slowly throughout the day as they went from store to store, asking careful questions and not pressing too hard. They learned nothing new, however, people too afraid or too clueless to offer anything more than praise and excitement that they were to attend the party. He was anxious about her appearance again, but nobody said a thing or even squinted at her.

Crossing the road, Ada glanced up at Arthur as they headed to the tailor’s.

“I take it from Dutch’s comment, you don’t have anything appropriate to wear either.”

“Nothin’ fancy, no,” he half-grumbled, not looking forward to this part of their day at all.

“Mind your manners in here.”

He huffed. “I can be polite.”

“Be my kind of polite.”

“Christ, woman, give me somethin’ attainable...” he muttered, making her lips twitch as she stepped through the door.

“Good afternoon,” she called brightly to the man at the counter, smiling widely.

Looking up, the grey-haired man beamed. “Good afternoon, sir and lady, how may I help you?”

“My husband and I are in need of some clothes for a party we’re attending tonight.”

The man nearly gasped in delight. “Oh, that wouldn’t happen to be the Mayor’s gala?”

“Why, yes, it is.” Ada continued smiling, finding the man rather endearing in his excitement. “We’re sorely in need of the appropriate clothing, I’m just not happy with what we have at home.”

“Of course, my lady. If you will just head on into the next room there, Mrs Malcolm shall attend to you. Sir, if you would follow me?”

Glancing at Ada, Arthur pressed his lips together with a low sigh and followed after the man.

Ada couldn’t resist a small smirk. What she wouldn’t give to know what would go on in that room.

Stepping into the adjoining room, the decor decidedly more feminine, a buxom woman with greying blonde hair appeared from behind a screen.

“Oh, hello, dear,” she smiled broadly, her kind face instantly putting Ada at ease. “What are you looking for?”

“Hello. I’m attending a gala tonight and I just don’t think I have anything appropriate.”

“Oh, the Mayor’s gala?” The woman shared the man’s excitement. “Oh, aren’t you a lucky thing! So, we’re looking to impress?”

“Yes, I would very much like to.”

“Of course! Now let me see...” Mrs Malcolm stood back to inspect her, her eyes trailing up and down her form. “Yes, I think I have some ideas, ooh, this is going to be so exciting!” She took Ada’s hand gently and led her to a small box on which she was to stand. “... but first, a delicate question, dear, and I do hope I don’t offend, the question of money...?”

Ada smiled as she stepped onto the box, shaking her head slightly. “My husband is able to cover whatever the cost may be.”

That and probably more some.

Mrs Malcolm beamed, finding no reason to dispute the fact. Though she wasn’t dressed in particularly fine wear, she was grateful that her well-spoken accent gave cause for one to believe she was of some standing. 

“Oh, wonderful! The man you came in with?”

Ada nodded as the older woman pulled a measuring tape from her pocket.

“Yes, that’s him.”

“What a fine man. What does he do?”

As Mrs Malcolm began to take her measurements, Ada looked to her reflection in the mirror.

“Oh, we’re ranchers. We breed animals...” She took advantage of her own slight fumbling for words and laughed sheepishly. “To be quite honest, I don’t know much of what he does really, apart from rear and sell animals.”

“I understand,” Mrs Malcolm glanced up at her, grinning. “Let the men take care of business while we get to enjoy ourselves, huh?”

“Yes, precisely.”

“As long as they come back to us at the end of the day, who gives a damn?”

Ada laughed politely, though the woman’s well-meaning, cheerful manner was infectious; she was perfect for her job.

“Indeed. And he does, every time.”

Mrs Malcolm sighed dreamily as she stood to measure her waist and arms. “A loyal, hard-working man, oh, how wonderful.”

“Yes, I’m very lucky,” Ada agreed, her eyes returning to her reflection.

Was that a hint of a blush on her cheeks?

Ridiculous.

“How did you two meet?”

“At a party, actually.”

“Oh, how lovely!” The tape whipped around her, Mrs Malcolm seemingly mentally keep track of her measurements. “Did your eyes meet across the room?”

“Something like that,” Ada smiled, recalling their first meeting.

How far we’ve come.

“Oh, do tell me more, and don’t spare the details, I bet it was romantic.”

“Well, I was standing on my own and I looked up and I found him looking at me. He came over and asked me to dance and we ended up talking all night.”

“Oh, lovely. Did he kiss you?”

“Well...” Oh, why not. “Yes, he did.”

Mrs Malcolm looked nearly beside herself with joy.

“Yes, it was lovely. Then he got all shy and said he was sorry and that it wasn’t appropriate and I told him not to worry, that I liked it and he kissed me again.”

“Oh...”

“It was beautiful, all the stars were out and it was a warm night and I knew right then that he was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”

All right, ease up a little.

“Oh, goodness, that’s so wonderful!” Mrs Malcolm pushed the tape back into her pocket as she lay a hand over her heart. “That’s just simply perfect!”

Yes, it was a pretty fantasy she wove, one that might have actually been true if her life had been different.

Lowering her arms, Ada smiled politely, hoping to get the woman back on track. “Well, I’m hoping to impress him tonight, too, with what I wear.”

“Oh, yes, of course. And, you know...” Mrs Malcolm smiled, tapping a finger against her chin. “I think I have just the dress in store for you.”

—

Arthur drained his glass as he stretched a leg out, his gaze on the piano player though he was only half paying attention.

There was only so much one could prepare for a night like this. This was uncharted territory for them, they weren’t accustomed to fancy parties and fancy people, though that was perhaps why Dutch was so excited.

The starch collar of his new shirt was already starting to rub, though, as were his new dress shoes and that just added to his growing irritation. Not only would he have to achieve whatever Dutch wanted but he’d have to look out for Ada, too. They hadn’t spoken about it but it was a slim chance that she wouldn’t run into her uncle, it couldn’t be that big of a place. Keeping her out of sight without arousing anyone’s suspicion was going to be a task, though he’d find a way she could blend into the crowd.

A low whistle of approval pulled him from his thoughts. Lifting his gaze as someone else whistled, he paused as his eyes found her.

There was no way she would be able to blend into the crowd.

A royal blue, satin dress clung to her, falling in waves from her waist to the floor. It had capped sleeves with pearls dangling from them, and the neckline was cut a little lower than was probably acceptable, but an inch or so of black lace ran across it, though, to preserve some modesty. There was a hint of rouge on her cheeks and lips. Her curls were piled up and pinned back, a few framing her face, her beautiful face...

Ada pressed her lips together slightly at the whistles, an eyebrow arching. Two of the women who worked at the saloon grinned as they leaned over the banister, having helped her dress after she’d bathed and very appreciative of the reaction their work had garnered.

Arthur stood as she approached, pulling his waistcoat down. Her eyes swept over him swiftly, appraising him as much as he had her. He’d wanted to keep it simple, black trousers, shoes, jacket and bowtie with a white shirt and waistcoat, his hair brushed and swept back, beard clipped down to stubble.

She was going to shine like a sapphire beside coal next to him.

"Well, look at you...” he said, his even tone belying just exactly how strongly he wanted to compliment her... with his mouth and with his tongue and with his fingers—

“You don’t look so bad, either,” she answered, taking a seat and sweeping her skirt out as she sat rigidly, placing a purse that matched the dress onto the table and pouring whisky into his empty glass.

He sat as she took a long sip, grimacing slightly as she swallowed. Stretching his legs out, he laced his fingers together on his stomach.

“Lenny’s gonna come and pick us up with Bill, Hosea and Dutch.”

“All right.” She took another sip, her tongue darting out over her plump lips.

Tilting his head slightly, he lowered his voice. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She placed the glass on the table, one corner of her mouth then lifting. “A little nervous. And I can’t really breathe in this.”

 “You’ll be all righ’,” he murmured, taking the glass from her and having a sip.

She shook her head slightly. “I still don’t understand why he wants me there...”

“Probably thinks you’re the most refined of all the ladies—”

She snorted quietly.

“— probably hopin’ you’ll get some information out of some drunk fools.”

Raising an eyebrow, she lifted her gaze to him. “How am I to do that?”

He shrugged, moving the glass around in his hand. “I don’t know. Flirt with ‘em, that’s what the other girls do.”

“I’m to be a seducer, am I?” She smiled faintly, amusement lacing her tone.

“No, you ain’t...” He frowned, suddenly very opposed to this idea. “... you ain’t gotta— you just gotta flirt a little, make ‘em think you’re interested in ‘em, that’s all.”

“So no kissing?”

His gaze darted to her and her eyebrows rose innocently.

“No, you don’t—”

“No physical touching of any kind?”

“Why would you—”

“What if a kiss means I get more information?”

“I don’t—”

“It’s important, though, isn’t it?” Her chin was in her palm, leaning a little closer. “That we get information. So what if a nice young man and I are talking alone and he leans over and—”

“You won’t be kissin’ anyone,” he cut in, pointing a finger at her.

“No one at all?” she countered, arching an eyebrow.

“That mouth, Miss Adaline—”

“Arthur, Annie...”

Their locked gazes lingered for a moment or two longer before Ada smiled widely and turned in her seat at the approaching man.

“Hey, Lenny. Don’t you look smart.”

“Hey, woah...” Grinning, he held his hands up slightly. “Annie, you look beautiful. You’re gonna break those rich bastards hearts for sure.”

Glancing at Arthur with a faint smirk, Ada stood, grabbing her purse and lifting her skirt a little. “Thank you, Lenny. Does my carriage await?”

“Yes, ma’am. Come on, Arthur, why’re you just sittin’ there?”

“Oh, you have to compliment him, too, otherwise he’ll get grumpy.”

Lenny glanced at Ada, their wide smiles matching, before he looked to Arthur, taking a slight step back and raising his eyebrows.

“Wow, Arthur, I just can’t seem to find the words—”

“Good, don’t. Come on.”

They laughed at his grumbling as they followed him out of the noisy saloon, the evening’s revelries beginning.

The air was cool but not uncomfortably so. Lenny had halted the carriage in the street, thankfully to no one’s inconvenience, and he held the door open for them as Ada stepped up first.

The sight of Hosea, Bill and Dutch greeted her, each of them smiling widely.

“Well, look here...”

“Damn, Annie...”

“You both cleaned up well,” Dutch laughed as Ada settled beside Hosea and Arthur took the seat opposite, next to Dutch.

“Yeah, not too bad, huh?” Arthur answered as Lenny closed the door and pulled himself up into the driving seat.

As the carriage began to move, Hosea offered Ada a glass of champagne, to which she raised an eyebrow, though accepted.

“Champagne?”

"Yes, ma’am. We’re goin’ to a party, ain’t we?” Hosea smiled.

“That we are!” Bill said, taking a swig from another bottle of champagne.

Taking a sip, Ada then took another, finding it surprisingly smooth. This must be the good stuff she’d heard about.

“Don’t you all look fine?” she said, appraising them all with a smile. Alcohol and humour would keep the evening light, surely. If she joined in, there wouldn’t be a reason for any sort of suspicion. “Regular gentlemen, I’d say.”

“Well, thank you kindly, Miss Sawyer,” Dutch answered, inclining his head. “We ain’t a bad bunch, all slicked up like this.”

“Yeah, it’s like we do this thing all the time,” Hosea added, still smiling. “Ain’t we seein’ the King of England for tea next week?”

“Yes, yes we are. Tea and cake with all the trimmings for these regular old gentlemen!” Dutch laughed, and they all joined in, the absurdity of the situation quite plain.

Perhaps they’d had quite some alcohol before they’d arrived, for Bill, Hosea and Dutch found it particularly funny, though so did Arthur. Ada couldn’t stop herself from laughing quietly, too, though, their delight infectious.

“We are ridiculous,” Dutch chuckled as they wiped their eyes.

“Utterly,” Hosea agreed as he coughed and wiped his cheeks.

“I ain’t never been to a ball in my life,” Arthur said, running a hand through his hair before he took a swig of Bill’s champagne.

“Nor have I, if I am being honest,” Dutch answered, pouring himself a drink.

 “I used to quite often,” Hosea mused, “there could be fine pickings.”

“Oh, no, no, no, no,” Dutch chuckled, “No pick-pocketing. We are here to make real contacts.”

“What kind of contacts?” Arthur asked.

“Well, I don’t know, we’ll find what we can. All I know for sure is we are going to a party at the Mayor’s house,“ he began to chuckle again, “and the guest of honour is the worst crook in town.”

They all joined in with his laughter.

“I’m sure that we will find somethin’,” Dutch added over them.

Arthur raised the champagne bottle, grinning. “Okay, then.”

Their laughter continued as they clinked their glasses together and Ada drained her glass, the whisky and champagne easing some of her anxiety... until she realised the carriage had stopped and they were outside of the Mayor’s house.

They left their glasses and bottles on the floor of the carriage, Ada wishing they could have another round. Dutch was first out, then Hosea, then Bill, then Arthur. He helped her down, his gaze meeting hers. She hoped she didn’t look as unsettled as she felt. His fingers gently squeezing hers answered that she did.

You have to pull yourself together.

Steeling herself, she raised her chin and dropped her hand from his.

Understanding, he straightened and turned, walking beside her after the other men.

The doorman smiled politely as they approached. “Gentlemen, and lady. Luca...” he called for another man.

Dutch placed their invite in his hands, his wide smiling lingering.

Glancing at the invite then between them, the doorman also maintained his smile. “I’m afraid the Mayor does not allow guns at official functions, after last year’s incident.”

Wordlessly, the men pulled their guns from their belts and placed them on the table beside the doorman. No one inspected the lady or her bag. A good thing, too; she didn’t want to part from Sean’s knife, even for a short while. Once done, the man gestured to another behind him.

“Luca here will take you to Mr. Bronte. I believe he is expecting you.”

Luca smiled just as politely as the doorman, though he had a gentle Italian accent. “Follow me, gentlemen, and lady.”

Following after him, Dutch clapped the doorman on the shoulder, as did Hosea, and Bill, for some reason, too much champagne, probably. Arthur just nodded as him and Ada smiled courteously.

“This way please, gentlemen and lady,” Luca addressed them as they made their way up the steps to the front doors of the house, Ada having to lift her skirt to ascend. “Signor Bronte will be so pleased that you made it.”

“We are honoured to be here,” Dutch answered, sounding every bit delighted to be so.

“That’s wonderful, wonderful. Come, come, this way.”

Perhaps it was just his overly polite manner, but there was something about Luca that didn’t set her at ease.

“What a beautiful evening it shall be. Mr. Bronte is very good friends with the Mayor. Good evening, Pierre,” Luca said to a man as they passed through the doors.

Pierre inclined his head as he held the door open. “Signor Napoli.”

Luca continued. “As long as the Mayor behaves himself, you know? Mr. Bronte he has, uh, that thing you know? Respect.”

As Luca led them from the beautiful foyer through an archway, Dutch looked over his shoulder to them. “Hosea, Bill, you join the party. We’ll meet you out back after we pay our respects to Signor Bronte.”

Wait, what?

Ada’s eyes darted to Dutch.

Why was she going to meet Bronte?

“Come, come,” Luca said jovially as Hosea and Bill turned away from the group and out of the back doors that led out onto some sort of a balcony area and beyond it... groups of people laughed, drank and talked to one another as music floated softly over the proceedings. Her mother had often talked about the balls she had attended, how she would have loved for Ada to be able to attend one herself.

Well, Mama, here I am.

And, somewhere, within those groups of people enjoying their evenings, was her uncle.

Turning away, she followed behind Dutch and Luca as she heard Hosea murmur to Arthur, “We’ll meet you out on the balcony when you’re done.”

Luca led them up a staircase, walls either side of it, the carpet a rich red. Paintings of men, possibly former mayors, adorned the walls. Ada just stared at Dutch’s top hat. How ridiculous it suddenly seemed, him in his top hat, tails and white gloves, walking these halls, the real gentleman he’d always wanted to be.

Now she understood the joke.

At the top of the stairs, they passed doors and a large fireplace as Luca headed towards French doors. To their right, she could peer over and gaze down into the back foyer their party had split in. She kept her gaze on Dutch, though, as Luca opened the doors and masculine laughter suddenly came from the balcony outside.

Stepping onto it, she noticed the man with the Repeater first. He was dressed, almost comically, in finery, gloves and all, with a white bow tie. He nodded at Luca, and then they were welcomed by the sight of four men also dressed in their finest, standing together with drinks in their hands, chairs around them. One man, balding and shorter than them, turned to them, and smiled widely.

“Ah, the angry cowboys, you’ve arrived! And you’ve washed!” The men laughed, including Dutch, as the man said something to the others in Italian that made them laugh harder.

This was Angelo Bronte, then. He was slightly older than she had expected, and more jovial, which, like Luca, just left her unsettled. What about any of this evening settled her?

“This is quite a party you’ve invited us to,” Dutch said as he shook the man’s hand, beaming. 

“Yes, quite something,” Bronte agreed as he shook Arthur’s hand, Dutch taking a moment to gaze over the railing, down at the party below. “Although I’m not quite sure what.”

Then, his gaze was on her.

“My, my, my, buonasera, signorina.”

“Ah, yes,” Dutch turned back to them as she stepped forward and offered her hand to Bronte, smiling warmly. “Angelo, allow me to introduce Miss Annie Sawyer.”

Bronte took her hand and bowed, his gaze locked on hers as he kissed the back of her hand. “Charmed, signorina.” Straightening, he kept ahold of her hand and she kept her smile lingering. “And may I say, Signorina Sawyer, you look...” His gaze travelled her. “... bellisimo.”

“That’s very kind of you to say, Mr. Bronte,” Ada answered, refusing to pull her hand away.

Bronte’s own smile widened for a moment, then he released her as Dutch turned back to the party.

“So, this is Saint Denis society?” he asked the Italian man as he joined him at his side.

Ada clasped her hands in front of herself once more, gripping them as she inclined her head at the three other men, now making her smile coquettish as she listened to Bronte.

“Yes, apparently so.”

“And all these people,” Dutch marvelled as another man appeared, offering him and Arthur a cigar, lighting them for them, “these are friends of yours, Signor Bronte?”

Bronte chuckled. “No, no, no, not quite, but they certainly are afraid of me.” He pointed down into the crowd at a man in a top hat with glasses and a grey beard. “Like that one. See that wretch? He’s the Mayor.” He chuckled again. “Henri Lemieux. He’ll do anything for a dollar, and I mean anything.”

“Politics is a foul business.”

“Yes. Oh, and that one, too, that is Alberto Fussar. He owns a sugar plantation out on the island of Guarma...”

As Bronte pointed out and mocked various people to Dutch and Arthur, Ada found herself sat on one of the couches between two of the men, a glass of champagne that tasted better than Hosea’s in her hand.

“Signorina,” the man with glasses to her right began, “you have the most beautiful hair I have ever seen. It is like the sun.”

Ada lowered her gaze demurely as she smiled, and the other man to her left quickly added. “Signorina, you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, they are like the ocean.”

They were tipsy, at least, which would make this decidedly easier. Sipping her drink, she looked to the man to her left. “Do you really think so?”

“Oh, yes, yes,” he enthused, leaning a little closer, “Like... like zaffiro.”

She didn’t understand what that meant but she smiled anyway, and felt the hand of the other man lightly on her knee.

“Signorina...” Turning to him, she could smell the brandy on his tongue. “You are the sun, yes, you are like the light of the world.”

Christ...

Even though they were drunk and in competition with one another, she could get used to these compliments. As the other man bartered for her attention, though, a slightly uneasy laugh from Dutch caught her attention.

“... we’re not paid killers, as such, not in cold blood anyway.”

Bronte’s head tilted slightly. “I did not know you were so particular that, uh, you wouldn’t help a friend.” His tone was gentle, but it would take an idiot to misunderstand him.

“Oh, I’m willing to help in any way I can, within reason,” Dutch chuckled amiably, trying to diffuse the situation.

Bronte didn’t smile. “I’m going to pretend to understand what that means.”

“I meant no offence, sir.”

“Oh, none taken,” Bronte waved his hand. “None taken!” he suddenly said louder, gaining the attentions of the two men with her who laughed as everyone else did.

Ada glanced at Arthur, perhaps the only one besides her not laughing.

“All these vulgar people,” continued Bronte as he looked down upon them, “they hate me.” Leaning over the railing a little, he then waved down at them, calling something in Italian that made the other men laugh.

She looked to Dutch. For the first time, he looked uncomfortable; he was out of his depth here. She hated that that worried her. If he, if Dutch van der Linde, couldn’t get them out of this then who could.

“Well, uh,” he said as the men continued laughing, “it has been wonderful conversing with you, but I can tell that you are very busy, and I won’t waste anymore of your time.”

Bronte turned to him, smiling broadly now. “Yes, yes, yes, go enjoy yourselves and mingle with these vulgar scum. It’ll make you long for the days when you could shoot each other and screw cows out on the open range.”

The men chuckled, and Dutch paused slightly before he smiled. “Those sure were the days.”

Catching Arthur’s gaze, Ada stood, smiling at the two men as she handed one of them her glass and stepped away from them and their protests. 

“Good day, gentlemen,” Dutch added as they headed back to the doors, Ada joining him at his side.

“Good day to you. But before you go...” They stopped as Bronte continued, “what exactly are your plans here?”

“We’ve not made any,” Dutch answered, before tilting his head. “Well... we are going to need some money.”

Ada caught her frown before it appeared. It wasn’t like Dutch to be so... honest. Then again, she hadn’t known him that long, or exactly been out on an excursion with him like this.

“Money...” Bronte stepped closer, “... yes, of course. Well, there’s, there’s money at the trolley station. They keep a lot of cash there in the day.” He lowered his voice. “Now, I could not involve myself in such matters, but you, as a guest, yes! As my guest, do it.” He laughed. “Okay, good day, gentlemen.”

“Goodbye,” Dutch smiled, turning away as Arthur and Ada followed suit.

“And goodbye to you, Signorina Sawyer.”

Turning at Bronte’s voice, finding his eyes on her, Ada smiled warmly but didn’t say a word, deciding the demure female would be her act for the evening. As they headed through the doors, they heard Bronte say something in Italian, prompting the men, once more, to laugh uproariously.

Luca suddenly appeared again, quickly speaking over the noise. “I’ll show you to the party, gentlemen and lady. If you’ll kindly follow me.”

They went back down the stairs, laughter from the main party now taking over. Watching Dutch again, Ada wondered how he felt in this moment. Though they hadn’t been able to understand him, they all must have known Bronte was mocking them; how did that make him feel? He was so used to being a king amongst his people, at always having the upper hand; what was it like to have none of that?

Luca brought them back to the small foyer at the back of the house, the doors to the balcony open. He smiled widely as he turned to them. “Gentlemen and lady, enjoy your evening and welcome once again to Saint Denis! Ciao, ciao.”

Watching him leave, Dutch and Arthur then began to move towards the doors. 

Ada didn’t move. She couldn’t go out there. The balcony was too exposed, Jesus, why had she come...

“Dutch?”

They turned at her voice, Dutch raising his eyebrows somewhat in surprise and Arthur... Well, he had that indiscernible look again.

“I’m going to see what I can find out in the house,” she murmured, her hand automatically going to where her ring should have been so she could play with it. Instead, she had to clasp her hands together over her purse when she remembered. “I’ll say I’m looking for the powder room if someone asks.”

Dutch nodded, a smile surprising her. “Good idea. Or take a leaf out of Karen’s book and say you’re drunk.”

She smiled, it coming easily. “I could have some fun with that.”

“Yes, you could. But be careful.”

She nodded as he turned away, moving out onto the balcony. Looking to Arthur, she quickly shook her head as he opened his mouth.

“Go out and join them,” she murmured.

Pressing his lips together, he leaned closer. “Be careful, Miss Light of the World.”

Trying and failing to hide a smirk, she watched him as he joined Dutch, Bill and Hosea. It was short lived, though, as she looked beyond them to the crowd. Taking a step back, she then turned and looked to the archway they had first come through. 

Explore the front of the house or go back upstairs? Upstairs, if she was careful enough, seemed less guarded; there were servants moving back and forth across the main foyer, and she’d be noticed exploring one of those rooms or going up the main stairs. No, it would be back up the stairs they’d just come from and across the landing. If the men on the balcony were busy laughing and drinking then it would be just the armed guard to get by unnoticed.

Well, if it called for it, she’d often found if one walked with purpose then people had no reason to suspect you.

Glancing around to make sure she wasn’t being watched, she then quickly moved to the stairs. She kept close to the wall to her left, listening out for any movement at the top. Making it to the landing, she peered around the corner.

The men hadn’t moved from the balcony. Bottles of wine were now being passed around, each man grinning, their attention on Bronte. The armed guard was still there, too, his gaze darting from the party to the landing.

Pressing her lips together, Ada leaned back against the wall. Her gaze landed on a door opposite. Stepping towards it, she tried the handle.

Locked, as she’d expected.

It's been a while, but...

Dropping to her knees, she tucked her purse under her arm and pulled two hair pins from her hair, releasing a curl. Inserting them into the lock, she glanced to her left before carefully aligning the pins as she wanted them. After a few moments, the lock clicked. A smile pulled at her lips as she pushed the pins haphazardly into her hair and opened the door. A quick survey found no one inside and she crawled in, quietly closing the door behind herself.

Once on her feet, she smoothed her dress down as her gaze travelled the room. It seemed like some sort of office, shelves ceiling high full to the brim with books. A beautiful desk was to her left, a chair pulled out from it, with a couple of documents lying on them. Leaving them be, she headed instead for the door in the far corner. She could look over the papers later, she didn’t really want to return to Dutch empty handed, for a twisted sense of honour’s sake, but she could hide out in one of these rooms for maybe an hour or so. The door opened easily and she stepped through, not closing it entirely so she could hear if anyone else came into the office.

The second room was... Well, not a room at all, just a small space with another door. Probably a way for the Mayor to escape if needed as... Yes, passing through the door led her into a bedroom. It was dark, but cool, a window on the far side open perhaps an inch. The bed was large and made neatly, huge plush pillows reaching down to nearly the centre of it.

Why not.

She lay back on it, blowing out a breath. She was going to be here some time, why not be comfortable doing so? Her gaze wandered the room. It was smaller than she would have thought for a mayor but nice, warm. The walls were a deep red with paintings of countrysides here and there. There was a door opposite the bed that she could probably unlock quickly if needed. She could hear the party from the small gap in the window, voices from a small group below it also filling the room.

“... I just couldn’t believe it, how awful.”

“Completely. I couldn’t imagine going through something like that.”

“Yes, it was awful...”

Her heart stopped as her gaze snapped to the window.

“... truly awful, I can’t even begin to tell you...”

She was off the bed before she knew it and kneeling under the window, her eyes wide.

“... my only sister and niece taken from me by senseless violence,” Nicholas Timmins said, his tone full of sorrow, holding the attention of the small group. “But how many of our loved ones have? We haven’t found a body yet so we’re praying, the whole town and I, that she’s still out there, somewhere. Maybe the O’Driscolls took her. I think death might be a better fate than being with those barbarians, though...”

As the group murmured their sympathies, Ada raised herself up, peering over the edge. She could only see two members of her uncle’s audience, a man and a woman, the rest hidden by the roof of the veranda.

“... It is one of the reasons I’m so eager to talk with your esteemed Mayor. Officers walk your streets day and night, keeping you safe, and I believe my beautiful town would benefit from such actions, if I were to get funding of some kind...”

A sound came from the office.

Lifting her head, her breath caught.

“... locked it, I’m sure...”

Two people, possibly.

No longer thinking of her uncle, she grabbed her purse from the bed and scrambled across the floor to the door, pulling pins from her hair. She tried to keep her breathing steady as she pushed the pins into the lock, hearing people moving about in the office.

Shit, shit, shit...

‘I was looking for the powder room’ wouldn’t quite explain how and why she’d somehow unlocked the door to the Mayor of Saint Denis’s office and was now lounging in his bedroom, and neither would playing a drunken harlot.

The lock wasn’t moving. Gritting her teeth, she heard the door to the small room open.

Oh, for Christ’s sake...

The lock clicked. Pushing the door open, she grabbed the pins and rolled through the door just as she heard the other door open. Closing it behind herself, inhaling a sharp breath and knowing time was of the essence, Ada pushed herself up, gripping her purse and the pins tightly, and began to walk down the landing.

Shit, the guard... If there was ever a time to walk with purpose...

Ada kept her gaze ahead, striding towards the stairs. So close—

The door to the bedroom opened behind her.

Oh, Christ.

“Excuse me? Miss? Exc—”

“Signorina Sawyer.”

Halting abruptly, Ada turned at the two voices, her gaze darting from Bronte on the balcony to the man standing outside of the bedroom and back again.

Oh, shit.

Bronte smiled warmly and beckoned with fingers that held a cigar. “Come, I would like a word with you, signorina.”

She glanced to the stranger across the landing. He didn’t say a word, his mouth in a thin line. Then, he turned and disappeared back inside the bedroom, closing the door firmly.

With no possible way of refusing, Ada returned her gaze to Bronte. She matched his smile and clasped her hands together, moving out onto the balcony, holding his unyielding gaze.

Jesus Christ, what am I getting into now.

                                                              -

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[darkmindsthinktwistedthoughts]

Something wicked this way comes.

@umbralaperture

I played around in the land of Limbo for this holiday short. Forgive me for my terrible sense of humour, my dear. 

Warnings: fluff and ominous forboding

Masterlist

---

Something Wicked this way comes

Holidays and seasons were creations on Prime. They served to mark the passage of time and stave off the boredom of existence whilst creating distractions from daily obligations such as work and paying bills. At least that was how most of the residents in the twelve realms saw it. Here holidays that were celebrated on Prime were not common and treated as a kind of novelty. They were lavishly over emphasised versions of whatever was deemed the norm for mortal humans.

When the Princess of Limbo came into power these events that hitherto had only been recreated through descriptions passed on from word of mouth by someone who had documented the drunken ramblings of returning foot soldiers that had spent a full cycle on Earth and were eagerly regaling the scribes with the tales as more welcoming ales were handed to them. Now there was someone who had lived the events first hand and could present the real deal to them.

“I really don’t get why we are doing this.” Yukimura grumbled as he sunk the dagger in his hand into the tender flesh of the bright orange gourd.

“Oh, quit complaining and just do it already. Quicker it’s done the quicker we can get back to doing everything else.” Hideyoshi replied even though he was also struggling to understand why this was a fundamental part of a holiday. But it if was what the Princess wanted; he was more than happy to oblige.

“What are you carving anyway?”

“It’s a face. Sadie said you carve faces into these things.” Hideyoshi held the pumpkin to head height turning it to face front and show off his handy work.

“That’s a face?” Yukimura hid nothing of his shock allowing his jaw to drop at the creation being displayed.

“Of course. Why what do you think it looks like?” Hideyoshi arched his brow questioningly.

“You really don’t want me to answer that.” Yukimura muttered returning to his own creation, whittling away layers of the skin to produce a more three-dimensional look to its design.

“Have you two finished your little task yet?” A cheerful voice called out from the door as the owner entered with all the grace of a slithering snake.

“Nearly. How did setting up the audience hall go?” Hideyoshi replied while he added in a few things he had just thought of that should clear up the confusion over his pumpkin.

“Finished. I had a little bother removing some stains from the large cauldron but after Masa’s dragon helped jet wash it, it was a piece of cake. I must say Yukimura that is a splendid looking Pumpkin.” Mitsuhide bent down and peered over the to men’s shoulders showering praise on the younger one.

“Thank you.”

“And Hideyoshi…?” Mitsuhide turned to look at the second pumpkin for a little longer. Yellow eyes taking in the details carved out of the giant vegetable.

“Yes?”

“… well at least you tried.” Mitsuhide patted Hideyoshi’s shoulder as if consoling a child that had just lost some sort of race in school.

“Why you!”

“How’s it going in here?” Sadie entered carrying some candles.

“It would appear the pumpkins you have requested Princess are complete.” Mitsuhide turned ignoring the imminent threat from Hideyoshi who had stopped at the sight of Sadie from pointing his dagger at the white-haired menace.

“Really? That’s great let’s see them then they need the candles.” Sadie beckoned for the pumpkins taking Yukimura’s first and looking at it happily.

“You could just use some of your talents to create the light, couldn’t you?” Yuki picked up one of the candles and looked at it as if checking to see if it was really just a candle.

“I could but that would be like taking the heart out of the holiday Yuki. Wow, this is great!” Sadie traced over the intricate carving with her index finger.

“You said it had to have a face on it.” Yuki blushed a shade of crimson and rubbed his hand at the back f his neck avoiding eye contact. It made Sadie giggle as even after all this time he still could get so embarrassed easily over nothing much at all.

“I had no idea you could carve like this though it almost looks like a real gargoyle. And Yoshi…” Sadie put down Yuki’s pumpkin in favour of Hideyoshi’s turning it over and over in her hands as she tilted her head this way and that to look at the pattern.

“Before you say it I know. I have been told it doesn’t look like –” Hideyoshi began what was about to become a formal apology for failing in his task only to be cut off in his endeavour.

“It looks just like a Picasso. How fabulous! I mean there is an eye there and one here too. It’s wonderful.” Sadie beamed a happy smile that had any retort from the others dying in their throats.

“I thought you said they had to be faces.” Yuki asked as he was the first to snap out of his confusion and drew closer to get a better look at the “fabulous” pumpkin.

“Well, they are just different styles. Besides faces is tradition on pumpkins but lots of other things are also carved on them too. Dragons, bats, witches…” Sadie happily explained as she placed another candle into the second pumpkin and lit it.

“I wonder what our dear Hideyoshi would pleasure us with on his next attempt…” Mitsuhide drolled teasingly.

“Say that again snake and I’ll show you first hand.” Hideyoshi muttered just loud enough for the other man to hear him.

“Promises, promises.”

“What is up with you two today? You are fighting worse than usual.” Sadie asked. Both men had been like this all day. In fact, it had been since the previous night where she had asked Mitsuhide to help with the planning and decorating as Hideyoshi was busy with other work and Mitsuhide had requested some time to ask her questions about the requirements so they had spent a half-hour alone in her office discussing it all.

“Nothing at all.”

“Uhuh. Well anyway. Let’s go put these at the gate so the visitors can see them.” Suddenly realising the reason behind the tension Sadie smiled and sent out some calming emotions to them through the bond. The men visibly relaxed and followed after her.

“Oh, Sadie!” Hideyoshi called out about to grab back his pumpkin that was being carried by the Princess.

“Yes?”

“No nothing…” He pulled back his hand and tried to ignore the new sensation bubbling up in him.

“Feeling a little embarrassed are we Prince?” Mitsuhide hissed.

“Shut up!”

“If you two are going to start kissing or something can you warn me so I can get out the way? I have enough dealing with Shingen and all his antics without that as well today.” Yukimura cast out his words as he brushed past the bickering men and made his way to the gates with Sadie.

*

The audience chamber was decorated in coloured paper streamers and bunting, the autumnal harvest display alongside the abundance of candy looked like something out of a glamour magazine on Prime. It was perfect.

There was a bucket set up to bob for apples. Sugar doughnuts hung on strings from a washing line so you could eat them with your hands held behind your back. Mitsuhide had even cleaned up a few cells in the dungeon and set them up as a part of a haunted house. Something that was later inspected and deemed too dangerous by Orion and therefore shut down.

Creatures from all over the realms had paid a visit and received their treats and now it was down to the last few guests. The ones that would stay and drink till dawn. Dannie came bouncing in her vibrant hair offsetting the rainbow spiderweb pattern on her costume perfectly. Her luminous pink wings fluttered as she ran into the room.

“BOSS!” She practically jumped into Sadie’s arms as she wrapped her up in a big hug. You would have thought they hadn’t seen each other in years not just a few months.

“Dannie! I’m glad you made it.”

“Well, I had a little help.” Dannie looked over at the devil that entered the room. He had put on a pirate costume for the evening and Sadie had to admit it suited him, and not just because of the eye patch.

“Thanks, Masa.”

“No problem. I found her jumping around in the street.” He laughed patting Dannie on the head before moving towards Yasu and joining him in grabbing a candied apple.

“In the street?” Sadie looked worriedly at Dannie.

“I was not jumping around in the street! Ok, you know the Irish pub on the corner by work? They were having a singles night and –” Dannie animatedly tried to dispel the worry albeit in a rather flustered fashion.

“Ha-ha, it’s cool honestly. You look nice. Cobweb fairy?”

“Rainbow cobweb fairy if you please.” Dannie put her hands on her hips giving her best sassy attitude performance she could. The heels of her flower-patterned combat boots clicked on the stone making it seem even funnier.

“Well, naturally I apologise.” Sadie laughed causing Dannie to start laughing as well.

“AUNTIE!” Happy voices shouted loud in the room bouncing off the vaulted ceiling.

“Alcaeus! Saffie!” Sadie turned to scoop up the two little Angels. Alcaeus had the same flame-red hair like his mother, his father’s eyes and smoke grey wings. Saffie was the perfect representation of an angel, fluffy white wings with silver hair but she had the same magnetic amber flame hued eyes as her mother.

“Hey, you two little monsters don’t just run off from the gate leaving your Dad and me behind!” The angel of mercy appeared a little out of breath but smiling.

“Good to see you Aerion.”

“You too Sis.”

“Aerion!”

“Wha—Ack! Orion you’re going to dislocate a wing.” Orion in a slightly drunken display had grabbed his big sister in a bear hug. Sadie made a mental note to check the level of alcohol in the punch bowl or at the very least check to see if Orion’s cup had been spiked with something that affected only angels. It might be a family gathering but they were all living with demons and devils after all.

“Oh thank heaven’s you found them.” Uriel rushed in behind his wife openly sighing when he saw the two children clinging to their aunt.

“Uriel this is my plain you can hardly lose these two and even if you did I would find them.”

“I know I’m sorry.”

“Such a worrywart.” Aerion elbowed him in the ribs something he took easily before helping to get her released from her brothers embrace.

“Hey, you cherubs want to bob for apples?” Shingen called out from over by the games. Kenshin was sitting opposite him waiting for the tall redhead to make his move on the chessboard.

“YAY!” both angels ran over and were joined by Masa and Ieyasu. Masa explaining what to do and Ieyasu standing by with a towel reminding them not to drown or it would give him more work in the infirmary.

“Nobunaga don’t eat all the candy.” Hideyoshi could be heard with his usual reminder.

“Shingen that goes double for you two.” Yukimura echoed the demand causing everyone to chuckle.

“Hehe, it’s hard to see who the kids are and who are the grown-ups isn’t it?”

“Vad you made it.”

“Well large crowds are not my thing but you make allowances for family.”

“Well said.”

*

In the courtyard, the soul beasts were enjoying their own collection of treats and looking fondly at the bipeds as they partook of games and drinks. One by one the creatures began to drift into sleep.

Mochi curled up into a purple smoke ball held close by Kyrion. Ugo and Gualtero were laying side by side the great hellcat pulling on the furry ninetails to use some of it’s tails as a blanket. Savrog and Kirek had fallen asleep side by side on a branch above the collection of critters their wings touching making their glow look like it was shaped in a love heart. A fact that no one wished to say to the two bickering birds for fear of scorching. 

Takeshi-Akshai and Vode were close by. The former in his usual corgi sized form was curled up on one of Kenshin’s capes. Zilli was enjoying the dancing shadows in the audience chamber and played a few pranks on the children where they would make things float around and tickle them.

Sheverosh waited for a time before he moved away from the group and made his way to the roof. Something that Sadie had not failed to sense. As soon as the party had lulled into something close to the end she made her way to join him.

“Did you enjoy your holiday Sadie?” The great dragon enquired from the battlements.

“Yes, it was great. I mean it wasn’t exactly as it was on Prime but it was better than nothing. Why are you up here?”

“Clearing my head. I find that there are times that it is a little difficult to maintain myself in large groups. I have been alone for some time after all.” Sheverosh explained eloquently something that was certainly relatable.

“You too huh? I mean I get it. I obviously prefer to be surrounded by people I care for than to be alone but I get it there are just sometimes you want to be alone and hit that reboot button.”

“Reboot?” The dragon turned to look at Sadie his golden scales shimmering like golden grass in a summer breeze.

“It means to recharge and have some you time so you can get up the next day and be you again the next day. So, I guess we aren’t dissimilar.” Sadie smiled and looked out over the castle wall to the land that had become her home.

“No, we aren’t. I too would prefer the company to being alone but you are right there are times you crave solitude in the chaos.” Sheverosh nodded solemnly.

“Think we’re in the wrong plain for that.” Sadie chuckled maintaining her focus in the distance. Something was on the horizon she felt almost sure of it but for the time being, it was beyond her sight.

“Perhaps we are. But it’s a good balance.” Sheverosh turned to look in the same direction joining her in her nightly observations.

“Yes, it is.”

---

[galadrieljones]

The Lily Farm - Chapter 24

Formerly A Funeral.

Fandom: Red Dead Redemption 2 | Pairing: Arthur x Mary Beth | Rating: Mature

Content: Existential Angst, Friendship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Nature, Touch-Starved, Humor, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Angst, Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Fake Marriage, Epiphanies, Backstory, Banter, Deep Emotions, Sharing a Bed, Swimming, Arthur to the Rescue, Forests, Abduction, Angst, Heavy Angst, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, Sexual Content, Sexual Themes, Adult Content, Canon Divergence, Found Families, Brotherhood, Fatherhood, pregnancy, Drug Use, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Protective Arthur, Minor John Marston/Abigail Roberts

Summary: To help her process Sean’s death, Mary Beth asks Arthur to take her on a hunting trip, somewhere far away. He agrees, and on their journey to the north, they find quietude and take comfort in their easy bond. They’ve been friends for a while now, but life, like the wilderness, is full of uncertainty and complications, and in their desperate search for meaning together, they endure a number of trials, some small, some big, all of which bring them closer to one another, as well as to their future. But they’ve fallen in love during hard times. With the gang tipping dangerously close to a breaking point in a changing world, Arthur must make a difficult choice. Can he escape the past, as well as the outlaw life and start over, building a family of his own? With Mary Beth by his side, one thing is certain: redemption and second chances finally seem within his grasp.

***For the rest of this story, you can visit the masterpost or AO3, both linked in the replies to this post and also at my blog ^_^***

Chapter 24: The Heartlands

In any case, I have grown tired in ways I cannot rightly explain.

I’m not sure what might have happened to Kieran. Most likely, he ended up out on a fishing trip, or a gallavant that simply extended beyond his original intentions. Diana could have spooked and tossed his ass and hightailed it back to camp without him. It could be anything. Mary Beth wants to come along and I had no choice but to let her. I ain’t her father. And I know she can do okay in a whole host of situations, but if it comes to shooting I don’t know. She may be a damn good conwoman and a savvy pickpocket, but she ain’t no killer. I love her. I’d do anything to keep her safe, and in any case, I guess I’m just afraid. I can’t shake that part of myself. I fear it will always be there—after everything. She knows it. I just don’t know how to protect her and how to keep making this life work no more. And Jesus Christ I have been so careless. We’ve been. Careless. I don’t know why. It just feels right, letting go inside her like nature running its course, like the way it’s supposed to be but shit. If she gets pregnant while we’re still here, toiling in this war of ours…I’m right terrified. I don’t know what to do. I should’ve said no to Dutch, and yet, I did not. Hosea was right, as usual. I need to use my goddam head.

I just always want to believe. I’ve been so blinded by my desire to just…please Dutch. It ain’t fair no more. I’m still out on this limb, and now Mary Beth is out here with me. And if we keep making it like we do, soon it’ll be an innocent among us and I ain’t letting no more of my own blood spill into the earth. I ain’t doing that. Not again.

Dutch thinks we can get money out of this Bronte fellow. He talked to me about it last night, after that fool’s party we attended. Something about a trolley station. A poker game on a goddam river boat. I see things differently, and Mary Beth confirmed my suspicions. Of course, she did it with intelligence and grace, whereas my thoughts tend to come out as gravy these days. Mary Beth was a sight to see with Bronte. Once again she’s proven she’s too good for me, and yet here we are. We’re getting married. Still ain’t told no one—not sure why. It just don’t feel right yet to make a big deal. But I do know that it ain’t like last time. It ain’t Mary. Mary could not commit to huge parts of me, my life. With her, I was a fool. But Mary Beth’s love for me feels…honest. It’s for the right reasons. She is loyal to me. I don’t know what I have done to deserve this bounty she brings, but I ain’t letting it get away.

We are setting out to find the O’Driscoll boy as soon as this storm clears. It rains so goddam much down in this hellhole state I have forgotten what season it is. It’s perpetually the hottest it’s ever been, and I will say, I miss the fresh air to the north. She does, too.

They rode out of Shady Belle at about four o’clock. It was later than Arthur had hoped for, as this meant they would most definitely be gone into the night, but putting things off would have been worse. The rain had brought a chill to the air that made everybody uncomfortable. It was a damp chill. Mary Beth wore a brown leather scout jacket with an ornamental purple tether around the waist. It had a hood, which she kept fashioned over her tightly braided hair. Arthur outfitted her with that same shotgun from their trip to the north and a whole shitload of slugs. She wanted the gun, and it was the right choice. But once again he told her: “Do not use that gun unless you absolutely must. Understood?” by which he meant: “Do not use that gun unless you have reason to believe that I have died or will soon be dead and cannot defend you no more. Understood?”

Charles led the way to Rhodes. It was easy business, tracking Kieran at first. The clouds had gone on and most of the the townspeople were back outside and about their business. It looked like a big wind had come in and blown over a carriage full of feed corn right outside the train station. A couple of working boys were hustling to pick it all up, but the axel on their carriage was broken, and the the job looked too big for just the two of them. Arthur and Charles gave them a hand while Mary Beth went to the saloon to inquire upon whether anyone had seen a young man fitting Kieran’s description.

“He’s got long brown hair, to his shoulders,” she said, “a little scraggly, about this tall, has a scratchy voice. He would have been wearing a straw type hat, cowboy boots, dressed like a rancher, riding an Ardennes. He’s twenty years old.”

“May I inquire upon how you know the young man?”

“He’s my brother, sir. Been missing from our ranch in Scarlet Meadows for three days. Mama and I can’t make ends meet without him.”

The bartender was taken with Mary Beth. He did not even require payment for his information as he wiped down a glass with his linen towel. “I think I seen a boy like that,” he said, leaning in on his elbow. “Was in here two nights ago, waiting out the storm. Sat by himself, caused no trouble. Ordered a glass of milk.”

"That’s him,” she said. “Did he say anything about where he was headed?”

“No, ma’am,” said the bartender, topping off her glass of rose. “But toward the end of the night, a couple boys crowded him in the booth, right over there. They all left together. It was sudden.”

This was alarming to Mary Beth. “Do you know who they was?”

“Didn’t talk like they was from around here,” said the bartender. “Yankees. I heard one of them mention that they was headed in from Riggs Station, way out in West Elizabeth, if that helps.”

“It does,” said Mary Beth. “Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.” She finished her wine and left a generous tip. He tried to talk her out of it, but she insisted. She then went to wait for the boys in a booth at the front of the saloon. It took about ten minutes before they arrived, and she told them all about her findings.

“He said it was Yankees?” said Arthur, smoking, sitting next to her, wearing his hat with the pretty brown feather.

“Yes,” she said. “Said they crowded him and left all of a sudden.”

Arthur glanced across the table to Charles who became apprehensive.

“You think it’s O’Driscolls?” said Arthur.

“Sounds about right,” said Charles.

“What would they doing in Lemoyne?”

“Could be they tracked us here, after that nasty shootout with the Grays, then ran into Kieran by mistake, maybe took advantage of an unlucky circumstance.”

Arthur swore under his breath, looked around, smoked. Then he looked back at Mary Beth. “Mary Beth, I think Charles and I ought to finish this one alone.”

“What?” she said. “No. I got the information. I’m coming.”

“It ain’t safe,” he said. “I’ll ride with you back to camp.”

“How do you know it ain’t safe?”

“Because I just do,” he said. “I got a bad feeling. And my bad feelings got a bad habit of coming true.”

“He’s right, Mary Beth,” said Charles. “If it is O’Driscolls, there is bound to be bloodshed.”

"I ain’t scared,” said Mary Beth.

Arthur shook his head, serious. “Please,” he said. “This ain’t for you. Let me take you back.”

She stared at him in defiance. “You know what else ain’t for me?” she said. “Hitting a man over the head with a frying pan, saving your life. Or getting carried off by Murfree Brood in a thunderstorm. Or shooting a wolf mother in the face.”

Arthur sighed.

“What’s she talking about?” said Charles.

Arthur ignored him. “You near on shot me with that gun of yours in a panic,” he said to Mary Beth. “You’ll be in danger. These boys, they ain’t no turtles in the marsh.”

“Oh please. I didn’t shoot you,” she said. “I listened to you. Granted it took me a moment. But I can listen.”

Arthur shook his head. He didn’t mean to, but all this made her feel small. ���I don’t know,” he said.

“Please, Arthur. I can’t sit back at Shady Belle, just waiting on you. I can’t. Don’t make me.”

There was a commotion then, as two people walked into the saloon, coming through the doors with gusto. At first, Arthur didn’t know what was going on, but then he recognized their faces right quick. “What the hell?”

“Dutch and Sadie?” said Mary Beth standing up to see. “What are they doing here?”

“Only the lord knows,” said Arthur, getting up to tip his hat and address them. “To what do we owe this fine pleasure?”

“Sit down, Arthur,” said Dutch, pushing in next to Charles. He was looking serious. “We need to talk.”

Arthur glanced at Mary Beth. She was apprehensive. A hush came on down between them all like a big old curtain. Then Arthur looked at Charles who had stuffed a fat wad of dipping tobacco into his lower lip, and he was spitting said dip into a wine glass, and he shrugged.

“What’s going on?” said Arthur. He pulled up a chair. Sadie gave him a polite but serious nod and sat down in the booth next to Mary Beth. She was wearing a tough yellow blouse that made her look like a cowgirl.

“Sadie here tells me that Diana showed up at camp this afternoon without her rider,” said Dutch, real quiet.

“That’s right,” said Arthur, lighting a cigarette. “Kieran’s missing.”

“How long.”

“He went missing a few days back,” said Arthur. “Day of the storm. We’ve tracked him through here, all the way out to West Elizabeth—near Riggs Station. Mary Beth here got the information. We think it’s probably O’Driscolls.”

“Good work, Miss Gaskill,” said Dutch, nodding. This made her feel tremendous pride. “And, Arthur, it is O’Driscolls, but it ain’t just O’Driscolls, boy, and that is the reason we are here.”

Arthur smoked. “I don’t catch your meaning.”

“It’s Colm.”

Everybody straightened up. Dutch had his whole, massive hands splayed out on the surface of the table in front of him. The room became heavy and distant all around them. Dutch had a way of doing this, making any and every space into his own.

“Colm himself?” said Arthur, shifting in his seat. “How do you figure that?”

“Because,” said Dutch, staring down at those hands. “The last time a horse showed up to my camp without its rider, it was in Denver, Colorado, and it was Annabelle’s.” Then he looked up at Mary Beth, looking sad in the low light from the saloon. It was a strange sight to see. “A pretty little spotted Apaloosa, just like yours, Miss Gaskill.”

“Annabelle?” said Mary Beth.

“That’s right.”

“You think this is a trap, Dutch?” said Arthur, tense. “You think it’s Colm, trying to lure you in again?”

Dutch puffed up. “I don’t know. But this certainly ain’t no coincidence. We ride. Tonight.”

Arthur became tense. “I ain’t riding the women into no trap, Dutch.”

“Calm down, Arthur,” said Dutch. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with just yet. For now, we’ll get as far as the Heartlands and make camp. Tomorrow morning, we head into West Elizabeth and…see what we can see. Sadie and Mary Beth can be of use to us. They can get information where we cannot. Comprende?” He looked around to wide gestures of agreement.

Arthur hesitated, but he eventually played along, sighing, finishing his cigarette and tossing it to the floor where it burned out into black.

Riding out, for a long time, it was silence. The sun started to melt off over the horizon at some point, and the air got crisper, and there were coyotes, it seemed, everywhere, and wild horses hustling out to the coast. Around the time they they were passing through Scarlet Meadows, Mary Beth rode up beside Arthur and asked him to hang back. Arthur obliged. They slowed considerably, making sure they could still see the rest of the group up ahead, but far enough behind to stay out of earshot.

“Arthur,” she said after a little while. The air was purple. It was getting past dusk now as they crested into the Heartlands. Soon, they’d need to make camp.

Arthur wouldn’t meet her eyes. “What is it, Mary Beth.”

“I know you don’t want me here.”

This broke him. He shook his head. He felt bad. “That ain’t it, Mary Beth. Of course I want you here. I always want you here.”

“Okay,” she said, looking around with her hood up. She looked sweet and kind. She looked like his girl. “Then I know you’re freaking out.”

“Excuse me?”

“We don’t even know what we’re up against yet,” she said. “Just give me a chance. You were willing to do that a few weeks ago, when we left for our hunting trip. What’s changed?”

“You know what’s changed,” he said, looking at her, lowering his voice. “I took a leap. I landed on my feet, somehow, and now I’m looking around, and I see us going backwards.”

“Arthur—”

He took a deep breath, looking down at his hands on the reins. “We ain’t been thinking.”

“How do you mean?”

“I mean, we got real deep, real fast, before we paved our exit. Putting you in danger, with so much goddam uncertainty? It’s making me crazy, Mary Beth. And Dutch, well.” Arthur laughed, cynically, under his breath. “Well he’s making me crazy, too. First that god forsaken party, Angelo Bronte, and now all this nonsense about Colm O’Driscoll. He ain’t even explained what the hell he’s going on about yet. Just expects we ride along with him, and look at us, doing exactly as we’re told. I’m a goddam fool.”

“You’re talking in code, Arthur,” said Mary Beth, pulling Watson up a little closer. “What the hell are you saying?”

“I don’t know,” he said, shaking his head. “I just—”

“You said you talked to John,” she said. “Last night, before we went to sleep. Has he made up his mind?”

“Yes.” Arthur nodded. “They’re in. He’s just waiting on me.”

“Good,” she said. “He should be. You know what to do, Arthur. You need to stop second-guessing yourself. And try to just…breathe. I wanna get outta here, too. You know I do. But we gotta get Kieran back. He’s put in his time, and his heart. He’s one of us, and we owe him this. And you gotta deal with Dutch, Arthur. We can’t—there’s too much at stake.”

“I know,” he said. He closed his eyes, thinking. “I just—I know I’m talking nonsense, Mary Beth, but the more time we spend, heming and hawing in the swamps, the more foreboding the feeling in my gut. Like, the longer we wait around, the closer we get to the end. I can feel it. And riding out with you tonight, it’s bringing all that to the surface.”

“The end of what?” she said, watching him in the coming darkness. “What are we getting to the end of, Arthur?”

Arthur sighed. He shook his head again and again, staring off into the darkening path ahead where Dutch rode his pretty white horse at the helm. “Everything,” he said, real low and mean. He looked at her. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to remember what it felt like to be free. “Come on,” he said, opening his eyes again, picking up the pace a little. “We can talk more later. I’m good with you being here, I just—I need you to listen me, okay?” he said, switching gears, looking at her. “Whatever happens, Mary Beth, when we get wherever it is we’re headed, I need you to listen to me and listen to what I say to you.”

“Okay,” she said, earnest.

“I’m serious,” he said. “And I ain’t saying this because you’re a woman, and not because I love you and I’m terrified that something might happen to you. Or, maybe that second one, just a little, but mostly I’m saying this because you ain’t never been out on a job like this before. Because you’re a rookie, and I’m your lieutenant, and I need you to do what I say when I say it, or else we ain’t standing a chance. You understand?”

“Yes,” she said, becoming eager. “I understand.”

“Good,” he said, and he gave her a strong nod, and then he led the way out ahead so they could catch up with the rest of the gang.

She felt validated by his pep talk. He didn’t altogether know how much she aimed to be strong.

They rode till they found a good valley to camp in south of the Heartlands, not far from the lake. The scenery, even in darkness, reminded Mary Beth of Clemens Point. She became full to the brim with sadness and nostalgia. She almost started crying. The romance of it all, its highness and mighty feelings, had started wearing off, and now it was just her and Arthur, and she looked at him, stoking their fire, and she felt such love in her heart so as to help her do anything. Such fortitude. But everything seemed much easier when they were up at Deer Cottage, all alone in what had felt like a primitive world.

At some point Dutch Arthur and Charles grouped up beneath a nearby tree smoking and discussing their manly options for the next day. Sadie and Marybeth were aced out of this conversation, left to their own devices at the fire where Sadie was cleaning her sawed-off, and Mary Beth was making them a batch of whiskey tea.

"What do you think they’re talking about?" said Sadie.

"Who knows," said Marybeth.

"Fucking egos," said Sadie, looking crass. "The only reason Dutch brought me along was because I made a goddamn stink in front of everyone. For such a drama queen, he sure don’t like it when others cause a fuss."

Mary Beth laughed. "I know what you mean," she said. "You want some tea?"

"Sure," said Sadie.

Together they sat, by the fire, sipping their tea and looking at their boots. Sadie drew real quiet. She held her cup with two hands, looking down into it like it was no tomorrow. She took it down in three gulps. Mary Beth offered her some more. Sadie nodded and held out her cup.

“I hate this damn Heartlands country,” said Sadie. "It smells like fish and buffalo shit. Where are you from Mary Beth?

"Kansas," send Mary Beth.

"Do you miss it?"

"Not really."

"Why not?"

Mary Beth took a long drink of her whiskey tea. It was strong and dark and tasted good. "Too many reminders," she said.

Sadie laughed to herself, sounding resigned. “I hear that."

Mary Beth looked up at the wide open sky. The clouds had exited. The stars we’re bright and swimming like fishes. “Why did you want to come anyway?” she said.

Sadie swallowed down that second cup of whiskey tea. She set down the cup and went back to cleaning her gun, polishing it with a dirty linen rag. At first, she didn’t say anything. She just sat there, sullen with her eyes downturned. But sooner or later she spoke.

“I ain’t ever known a man as good as my Jakey,” she said, subdued. “Colm O’Driscoll took him away from me. I want my revenge.”

She said this with such clarity of mind. Such purity of darkness inside her. Mary Beth could feel the whole world narrowing around them, becoming a tornado, crushing into the walls ahead. She sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I can’t even begin to understand what you been through.”

Sadie looked up, surprised. She ceased cleaning that gun. “Sure you can,” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“You been in love,” said Sadie. “If somebody shot Arthur dead and left his body for wild animals to come and scavenge in the middle of a fuckin snowstorm, wouldn’t you do anything to watch them burn?”

Mary Beth got quiet after this. She was listening to the crickets. She looked down at her freckled hands, and then she closed her eyes.

Sadie swore under her breath. She seemed filled with remorse by what she'd said. She realized it was unforgivable. She set down her gun and leaned forward with her elbows resting on her knees. She dropped her chin to her chest. “Fuck, I’m sorry, Mary Beth,” she said. She placed her hand on Mary Beth’s hand, just for a second. “I shouldn’t have said that. I just get so…mean sometimes. Without him.” She kind of sniffled, looked away like she was crying. “So angry. It makes me say and do terrible things.”

“It’s okay,” said Mary Beth. “You don't have to explain.”

“It ain’t okay,” said Sadie, wiping her tears on the back of her hand. “After Jake, up in Colter, you was nicer to me than anyone. You and Arthur, I mean. And here I am, scaring you and making you feel bad.”

“You ain’t. I promise.”

Then she pulled herself together and looked back at Mary Beth with a whole lot of resolve in her face. “Arthur is strong,” she said. “He’s a survivor. He knows what he’s doing, and he loves you. That much is clear. You got nothing to worry about.”

Mary Beth nodded. She took another long drink of her tea. It was starting to cool.

Together, they watched the boys talking under that tree.

“Is he your first love?” said Sadie, getting dreamy.

Mary Beth smiled. “Mostly,” she said. “I mean, I had puppy love once. With a boy back in Kansas City, but it wasn't nothing like being with Arthur,” she said. She didn’t know how old Sadie was, but she figured she was at least enough older to be able to understand what it was she was saying. “He gets real protective sometimes, you know? But I don’t want him to think I’m weak.”

“He don’t think you’re weak,” said Sadie.

“How do you know?”

“Because he knows you, and you ain’t.”

Mary Beth watched Arthur, smoking, listening to Dutch, flexing his jaw like he was thinking real hard. She nodded, following Sadie’s gist. She was pretty sure she understood.

That night, in their tent in the Heartlands, Arthur and Mary Beth lie side by side with a little lantern lit up by their faces. Mary Beth was reading her Yates while Arthur was drawing something in his journal and chewing on a toothpick. Outside of their tent, it was a quiet world. All was calm except for Charles out by the fire, sharpening his knife.

“What are you drawing?” said Mary Beth after a little while, turning her head to look at Arthur.

He took a deep breath, studied his work. “You,” he said.

It was a surprise. Mary Beth felt herself kind of pluck up and blush furiously. She straightened and closed her book and asked if she could see.

“Sure,” he said.

He showed her.

It was two pictures. One of her eating a peach, wearing a dress, sitting on a blanket by the river. The other one was her with that shotgun, shooting a turtle. She laughed. “Arthur!” she said, wacking him on the shoulder. “Not the turtle again.”

He laughed, too. “What’s wrong with the turtle?” he said. “I like that turtle. I like that day. I don’t wanna forget.”

“Me neither,” she said, gazing up at him. She felt that whole host of romantic dreams returning to her. Then she kissed him, getting breathless.

[love-takes-work]

Steven Universe Podcast: Volume 2, Episode 5: Connie

In the second season of the Steven Universe Podcast, episode 5, released February 22, 2018, is about Connie! The official description:

We're spotlighting Steven Universe's best-friend, Connie, on the Steven Universe Podcast! Grace Rolek, who voices Connie, and Zach Callison, the voice of Steven, talk about their characters' friendship, and recent struggles on the series. And creator Rebecca Sugar and former EP Ian Jones-Quartey explain Connie's sword, her relationship with the Gems, and the yin & yang that dictate Connie and Steven's respective designs and personalities. Plus, Connie drops in to talk about school, Stevonnie, and her fabulous new haircut!

As per usual, the podcast is on the long side, so I'll open with bulleted highlights and include a more detailed narrative under the cut.

Highlights:

Connie has been planned as a character since the beginning; drawings of her are included in Rebecca's original sketchbook.

Connie is designed as a foil for Steven, with each of them possessing traits the other lacks so they can fit together smoothly.

Associating Rose's sword with Connie early on was a deliberate decision; they always wanted her to be the sword of the relationship, complement to Steven's shield.

The Gems treat Connie better than any other human and respect her as a member of the team.

The Gems talk to Connie's parents outside what we see on the show; they've been communicating with the Maheswarans a lot more since Connie decided to be upfront with them about her involvement with Steven.

The Cool Kids are partially based on Rebecca's college experiences when she joined a band. She was pseudonymously known as Rebecca Murder.

Lapis and Peridot making art in the barn was based on Rebecca's band member friends using a barn for their art.

Nanefua as Dewey's opponent was planned very early too. They always made sure to include her as a critical voice in the crowd when the town was gathering to react to his speeches.

The boardie character who's designed to look like Ian Jones-Quartey was originally going to be a pizza merchant named Everett, but they went from having a Pizza Man based on him to having a Pizza Family based on Ian's family. 

There was also a boardie named Baby originally, and some ideas associated with him got rolled into Fryman family characters, especially Ronaldo.

Ian Jones-Quartey says if you are a fan of Steven Universe and you haven't read the book Keep Beach City Weird, you're doing yourself a disservice.

Grace Rolek and Zach Callison both felt that the Connie/Steven angst from "Dewey Wins" to "Kevin Party" carried an authentic sense of what it's like to have relationship drama. Both invoked their own breakups which were reminiscent of some aspects of those interactions.

Grace and Zach are pleased to be past their "teenage angst" phase now that they're both twenty. They’re glad to have just regular angst now.

Grace thinks Connie cut her hair to help move past the need to define herself entirely through her relationship with Steven; she needed a change and some definition as her own person.

Grace, in character as Connie, says her favorite subject in school is science so she might study gems when she grows up, she'd love to go on another adventure with the Crystal Temps as long as she doesn't have to imitate Steven, and being in a Fusion is weird but awesome--and she'd be Stevonnie's left arm because she's left-handed.

Next week: Lapis!

The detailed summary, including Rebecca and Ian discussing Connie’s characteristics and character design; discussions of early boardie character concepts; Grace and Zach discussing Connie's relationship with Steven and recent developments; and fan questions answered in character . . .

Read it all below!

Rebecca Sugar and Ian Jones-Quartey:

McKenzie begins by presenting a discussion of Connie and the humans of Beach City, also known as the boardies. Ian opens with a complaint that the term "boardies" doesn't seem to be catching on with fans even though they've been termed that in the show. He doesn't know why some fans like to call them "townies."

McKenzie asks how early Connie was conceived for the show, and both guests say she has been part of the show since the beginning. When McKenzie asks whether Connie was always intended to eventually join Steven's battles as a participant, Ian says they had always intended a group of humans to have various relationships with the Gems--either on the outskirts as background characters, as interested parties, or as participants in their activities. These ideas for different characters were distilled into one in many cases, and Connie absorbed a bunch of their intentions for heavily involved human characters.

Rebecca says Connie's character design was intentionally a complement to Steven's, right down to their faces fitting together like puzzle pieces. Connie is reasonable and down to earth, while Steven is whimsical and magical, with both of them being attracted to what the other represents.

Together, Connie and Steven make the "ultimate person," which is why Stevonnie works so well as a wielder of the sword and shield. Associating Connie with the sword very early on was intentional; way back in "Lion 2: The Movie," Rose's sword's first appearance was deliberately done during a Connie episode so she could be there to help Steven use it against the Robot Shooty Thing.

McKenzie prompts Ian and Rebecca to discuss Connie's relationship with the other Gems besides Steven. Rebecca immediately brings up one of the first times all of them interact with her, in the beginning of "Lion 2: The Movie" when they warp in standing in cool poses. (That was a Jeff Liu drawing.) They really wanted to help Steven have a friend, enhancing his cool life to draw Connie in, even if they're not completely sure how to do that. Ian says they actually treat Connie better than they treat any other human. She's a full-on member of the team as Steven's best friend, fusion partner, and dedicated combatant, so she gets special treatment.

Rebecca comments that since Connie opened up to her parents about her role on the team, the Gems have actually been in more communication with Connie's parents about it, which we don't see onscreen because the perspective of the show is tied to Steven. Rebecca and Ian say it's implied pretty strongly in "Gem Hunt" that Pearl knows Connie's parents' rules. Ian thinks the conversations between Pearl and Priyanka would be "pretty boring." And Garnet, as shown in "Mindful Education," now respects Connie, Steven, and Stevonnie (each as their own person) in a more mature, "equal" way than she used to when it was more about just protecting them.

McKenzie brings up changes with the other boardies (naming Mayor Dewey and Lars and Sadie), asking Ian and Rebecca to comment on why they decided to introduce so many changes to their lives. Sadie was shown in "Sadie's Song" wanting to make changes in her life, and now in the latest episodes she's evolving to find out who she is without Lars to rely on. She thought no one really wanted to be friends with her, but although she had Lars around, she was discontent with who she was and thought nobody who was actually cool would accept her. 

The Cool Kids are said to genuinely like Lars. Sadie's experience in the band with them is based partially on Rebecca joining a band in college. They called her "Rebecca Murder." And after Rebecca left to work on her animation career, those band members began making art in a barn, inspiring what Peridot and Lapis did there.

Ian says Mayor Dewey's loss to Nanefua as mayor was planned early too; they always made sure to stick Nanefua into crowd scenes where Dewey was getting criticized. Rebecca reminds us that Nanefua is based on Ian's grandmother. 

And Ian brings up the voiceless character that's supposed to be him on the show--that he keeps getting prominently drawn in the crowd ever since he left the show. He was originally a pizza man they think was named Everett, but that idea blossomed into the Pizza family based largely on Ian's family members. 

They also discuss another character that didn't get used--a scooter-riding character named Baby who threw cans of soda at people. (??) They think he kind of thought of himself as an action hero but may have morphed into the Fryman family. (Ronaldo got some of his traits, as he's interested in the Gems.) The Keep Beach City Weird book comes up and Ian says you should read it if you're a fan of the show. (McKenzie admits that she hasn't read it. Author’s note: It’s great, I reviewed it.) They bring up the blog that the writers would use for extra-canon material, expertly timing posts to line up with the show's airing of related episodes. (Koala Princess was first mentioned on Ronaldo's blog and later was incorporated into the show.) McKenzie wishes she could know more about the concept characters like Baby.

Grace Rolek and Zach Callison:

In the wake of so many changes--Dewey stepping down, Sadie quitting the Big Donut, Lapis leaving--McKenzie prompts Grace to comment. Grace thinks there's a huge shift happening; unlike most cartoons where most elements stay the same, Beach City is moving on to a new era. (Zach starts singing a line from a Hamilton song: "The world will never be the same!") Zach thinks even though Steven and Connie have reconciled, there's still the unsolved murder mystery and there's no going back to the status quo. McKenzie thinks it's huge that Sadie left her job, considering the literal first scene of the show is Steven inside the Big Donut with her comforting him about Cookie Cats. (Grace also quotes Hamilton, saying "The world's turned upside down.")

When McKenzie asks Grace to discuss how she can bring authenticity to the story as it's changing, she says she's changed a lot herself from age 15 to age 20 on the show, so she's gotten life experience as the characters have and can relate more readily. She can pulled from her own experiences with, say, breakups, to filter those emotions into giving voice to Connie in her struggles with Steven. Zach comments that Grace was not there during his recording for "Kevin Party," and he remembers having a personal emotional reaction in response to the dialogue. (He later returns to this to express that it was where Kevin was giving Steven terrible advice; he had that happen to him too.) 

Grace says good writing really helps connection on a personal level; it automatically feels authentic. Grace adds that even though she's never fought Gem monsters or had a magical best friend, she still knows on some level what it's like to go through what Connie does in those moments because the writers build them on realistic emotional experiences.

McKenzie says she thinks Steven's emotional misfire at the beginning of "Dewey Wins" was very unlike him, and asks for the actors' comments on whether they think Steven was genuinely confused about Connie's reaction or whether he was suppressing something. Zach thinks Steven probably got it subconsciously, but was just confused about everything at the time. Grace thinks Connie just felt terrified about having faced the idea of not seeing Steven ever again and then when he returned he was so flippant about their pact, which she had invested so much into even if her ability to help might have been limited in that situation. 

Zach points out that anything bad that happened to him at age 14 was the end of the world. Zach and Grace joke about how nice it is to say "when I was a teenager" now that they're past that into their twenties. (Their birthdays are two weeks apart.) Grace says she just has normal angst now instead of teenage angst.

McKenzie brings up "Gemcation" and Steven's embarrassment to admit that he'd had a fight with Connie, worrying that they would side with her. What do Zach and Grace think of Steven's atypical reticence? Zach thinks Steven fears the Gems' reaction would be to be angry like Connie because he must deserve that treatment. When McKenzie suggests it would've been simpler to just leave and never come back to face it, Zach says that's the darkest timeline and jokes that Steven would join the Diamond Authority. This AU definitely exists.

The next subject is Connie's hair. Grace is asked to comment, and she remembers seeing it in the boards and asking about it, with Rebecca confirming that Connie had gone through a redesign. 

Grace says it's a common cliché to change your hair when you go through a relationship change, but there's truth in it. She thinks Connie's come so far from Season 1, from thinking she's going to die friendless to showing up at a cool party with a Lion and a new haircut, chatting with strangers. Grace thinks she may have changed her hair to help deal with moving forward, and although her relationship with Steven is very important to her, she needs to invest in her personal growth independently from having a magical best friend. Grace mentions feeling sort of bad for Kevin for the first time in that episode, despite his history of being unsympathetic. McKenzie thinks his past with having an ex he lost helped humanize him. They agree he deserves some sympathetic treatment but that he's still a jerk, and they joke about a redemption arc for him in which he'd have to sing and join the Crystal Gems.

Connie answers questions:

McKenzie: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Connie: Oh, I have no idea. Right now my favorite subject in school is science, so I'd love to do something with that, I think, learning and investigating the world is super interesting. Maybe I could study gems for a living.

McKenzie: Would you consider going on another adventure with the Crystal Temps?

Connie: I'd love to! I just hope they don't make me imitate Steven again. That was kind of weird. If we could just be our own people while doing an adventure, that'd be fun!

McKenzie: What's it like to be in a Fusion?

Connie: It's super weird but it's awesome. I mean, it's crazy, I get to share a mind with Steven.

McKenzie: Yeah?

Connie: Yeah, it's like, half of me is controlling half a brain and half a body, but at the same time it's just one person.

McKenzie: Is it like divided down the middle? Do you have like the right arm?

Connie: I guess. I mean, I'm left-handed, so it'd be the left arm.

McKenzie: Why did you cut your hair? Which by the way looks amazing.

Connie: Thank you! I think I just needed a change. I feel like, I'm growing up, and I've had this long hair for a real long time, and I wanted to assert a new side of my personality.

McKenzie: It's an image change, you gotta shake things up!

Connie: Exactly. I've had this long hair for a while now, and now this cute short hair, it's a cute chic new look.

McKenzie: What kind of podcast would you have if you had a podcast?

Connie: I would LOVE to have a podcast because I just love to talk about all sorts of things that interest me. It would be cool if Steven and I could get together and talk about all sorts of stuff. Maybe we could interview the Gems or interview people about--or I'd love to talk about all sorts of issues in the world today. I love to talk about the real stuff. Current events. And also pop culture, too, I think, books, television, movies, analyzing it all.

McKenzie: That sounds like an amazing podcast.

Connie: Thanks. I mean I certainly love talking to you on this one!

Next week: LAPIS!

[Archive of Steven Universe Podcast Summaries]

[writingsofadumbass]

Fight Me (Medieval!Jeongguk)

Admin: Sadie :)

Words: 4,429 (woww)

Description: Kicking people’s asses is your specialty, so the only role in life that suited this was to become a knight. Too bad the Head Knight has some--ahem--sexist views on women becoming knights. 

From a young age, you’ve never been the type to be the quotem quote “damsel in distress,” as your wonderful brothers put it. It was quite normal for you to join your brothers and kick their asses when it came to fighting with the wooden swords your father carved for you to beat each other up with. And frankly, it was very entertaining, especially to your parents. 

Your specialty, so to speak, was kicking people’s asses. You took pride in your ability to beat people in literally everything. Whether it was racing on foot, horseback riding, or archery, you could easily out run, out ride, and out shoot your opponent. It wasn’t long before you gained the respect of everyone in your tiny village, when they all realized that you were not the person they expected you were.

Aside from being this badass fighter, you were also quite the respected lady. Your mother had made sure you were somewhat literate, and could hold a respectful poise with ease. You knew how to sew, and could even make your own clothing. And the fact that you could kick ass didn’t stop you from wearing dresses. It was kinda your statement, saying, “I can wear a dress and I can still kick your ass. What are you gonna do about it?”

It constantly confused people both new and old to your village, and you only found that more amusing. What didn’t confuse the villagers was when you signed up for the royal guard to become a knight. Of course you of all people would sign up to train and be a knight. 

Being just a simple knight wouldn’t suffice for you. You wanted something a little more...special. The Head Knight’s personal regime, to be exact. Oh man, just the thought of being in the Head Knight’s presence, fighting by his side in battle, it made your smile wider. 

You had never met the Head Knight, much less seen him. All you’ve heard were stories. He was apparently a brave knight, who had fought by the king’s side in the third battle of Boanock at a very young age. He was brave, and very strong. Skilled in archery, swordsmanship, and hand-to-hand combat, he could take down five enemies at once. This was a man who could jump off of the back of a galloping horse, land perfectly and still take out his enemies. He was spectacular. 

You knew becoming a knight wouldn’t be easy, especially because you were a woman. You had respect in your village, but the outside world was a whole different place. It would take a lot more effort on your hand to gain the respect of your fellow knights. Thankfully, a few veteran knights in your village had put in some good words for you, as well as giving you some good tips that you swore to never forget. Those good words somehow even got you an assessment with the Head Knight to see if you were worthy or not. It was going to be a big change, going from your family’s pharmacy in the village, to the castle, where the royal family lived, where the Head Knight was. 

So here you are, riding on the back of your mare, your sword strapped to your back, making your way to the castle to begin assessment and training. Your village isn’t too far from the castle, just a couple of miles south, so it wasn’t going to be too terribly long of a trip. Regardless, your mother made sure to pack you a big slice of cheese, some bread, and three apples. She always remembered to look after you. 

You smile at the thought of your mother fretting over you before you left for the castle. She had cried a bit before pulling herself together and plaiting your hair for you. She made sure you had all that you needed: your blanket, needle and thread, your sword that your father made for you, a few concealed knives, your hairbrush, and a spare dress and undergarments. All the necessities. 

After a few more hours of riding, stopping to rest, and snacking on the apples, the you can finally see the top of the castle in the horizon, just over a few hills. You breath out a sigh of relief and urge your horse to go into a gallop, anticipation filling you. 

By the time you make it to the castle, it’s about sunset. You know you should feel tired, and that at this point, you’re probably running on adrenaline, but you don’t care. You’re actually here. 

The guards at the top of the gateway towers look down at you and you tell them who you are, making sure your voice does not shake as you address them. They yell back down in acknowledgement and open the gate. Your horse whinnies, and you gently coax her forward and into the castle. 

The castle is bigger than you expected on the inside. The walls are absolutely enormous, spanning at least 20 meters in height and 7 meters in width. There is a small road spanning from the first gateway to the second, and various buildings are neatly packed in between. You can smell bread being baked, hear steel being pounded, and see various people sparring together. The main castle is even bigger. It reaches heights you never knew were even possible to hit, and yet it does. You take a deep breath and urge your horse forward.

You get to the main castle, after a few minutes of looking into the small streets of the front area and the gateway opens for you. Letting out a small squeal of excitement, you enter the main castle. 

A tall, broad shouldered man is standing off to the side, brushing his horse carefully. Your horse nickers in acknowledgement and his horse responds. The man turns his head to look at you, a welcoming look on his face. 

“You must be one of the new knights!” He says, his smile growing. He puts down the brush, gives the horse one last pat, before brushing his hands off on his trousers and walking up to you. 

You dismount your horse and remove your hood, nodding and smiling. “That I am sir.”

A look of surprise graces his noticeably attractive face. “A woman?”

You frown and open your mouth to respond but he beats you to it. 

“Meh, it doesn’t matter,” he says, waving his hand. “What does matter is that badass sword you’ve got there. Who made it for you?”

A smile replaces the frown and you take the sword from your back, looking at it in your hands. “I know right? My father made it for me before I left.”

“That’s so cool!” He exclaims, his smile growing wider. “Do you mind if I hold it?”

You shrug and nod before handing it to him. He runs his hands over the blade and the handle. He gives it a few test swings off to the side before handing it back to you. 

“That is one hell of a sword,” he says. “My sword is most certainly not thi--”

A loud voice cuts him off. “Seokjin! What are you doing and who the hell is that?”

The man, Seokjin, apparently, jumps and turns around before sighing. “Jeongguk, I’m older than you and you call that respect?”

From over Seokjin’s broad shoulders, you see a young man, with simple clothing on and a sword at his hip. His light brown hair is fluffy and looks soft to the touch. He has noticeable cheekbones and very nice legs, you definitely take notice of that. But his eyes are what mostly speak to you. They’re brown and wise and look like they have seen some serious shit, but yet somehow, still have kept their youthful gleam.

“I’ve seen about thirty more battles than you have. I’m fairly certain that demands more respect.”

Seokjin sighs. He turns back to you. “Sorry about that. Jeongguk can be a little shit at times.”

“I’m still here!”

“I know, that’s why I said it.”

You let out a laugh. “Is this how it is here all the time?”

Seokjin shrugs. “Well not all the time, but often.”

Jeongguk comes up beside Seokjin and looks you up and down. Up closer, he’s much taller than you thought, towering over you by at least five inches. You put your sword back in your sheath and return his not so subtle scan of your body. 

“May I inquire as to who you are?” he says, raising an eyebrow at you. 

You raise an eyebrow in return, cocking your head to the side. “The name’s (Y/N). I’m supposed to meet with the Head Knight tomorrow morning for my assessment.”

Jeongguk nods, his eyebrows rising, and glances over at Seokjin. “The Head Knight, you say?”

You smile. “Yes, I’m to be assessed to see whether or not I can join his personal regime,” you say proudly. 

“So you want to join his personal regime?”

“As a matter of fact I do,” you say, taking a defensive stance. “Is there anything wrong with that?”

He holds his hands up in surrender. “No. There’s nothing wrong with that at all. Just asking.” 

Seokjin, after standing there awkwardly for the time of your short but tension filled conversation, takes this as an opportunity to cut in. “So, (Y/N), I’m guessing you’re pretty tired. Why don’t I show you where the barracks are and get you a nice meal?”

You tear your eyes away from glaring at Jeongguk and look at Seokjin. “That would actually be very lovely, thank you.” You smile. “I guess I am a little tired after traveling.”

You nod in Jeongguk’s direction. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be going with Seokjin now,” you say as Seokjin takes your horse’s reins and begins to lead her away. You jog off without letting Jeongguk say a proper goodbye to you and catch up with Seokjin. 

“Sorry about him again,” Seokjin says, leading your mare into a stall. “He’s not really used to meeting women who want to join hi-the Head Knight’s personal regime, much less become knights.”

“What exactly does Jeongguk do here?” you ask, going to help un-tack your horse. 

“Well, he’s a knight,” he replies. He loosens the reins and moves to take them off. “He’s actually a very well respected knight around here. I’m sure soon you’ll find out what role he has here exactly, though. You might run into him more than expected, just a fair warning. Although I’m sure you can handle him. He’s a bit stubborn and determined.”

You heave the saddle off of the horse’s back and place it on the stall door. “Yeah, he seems pretty harmless to me. I mean other than the sass and over confidence that oozes from his very being, he doesn’t seem too hard to deal with.”

Seokjin chuckles and hangs up the reins on a hook on the wall. You give your horse a quick brush to smooth down the fur that had gotten messed up in the process and swing your bag onto your shoulder. You look up at Seokjin, who moved to the door of the horse stall. He smiles and waves at you to follow him. 

He leads you to a cozy looking stone building. You can smell bread being baked and a stew being cooked from inside and your stomach growls. Suddenly you remember all you ate in the past 12 hours was an apple and a few bits of cheese. You sheepishly glance up at Seokjin, who merely laughs and guides you into the house.

It’s even cozier than you thought on the inside. With the fresh smells of food being made and a warm fire keeping the inside toasty and warm, it was like walking into a dream. You let out a sigh of relief and relished in the wonderful smells and warmth. 

“Seokjin!” A kind voice startles you from your reverie. You look over to see a man with big eyes standing behind a counter, a knife in his hands and a pile of freshly chopped vegetables sitting beside him. He gives a smile to Seokjin before moving his eyes over to look at you. “Who’s this?”

You open your mouth to respond to him, but Seokjin beats you to it. “This is (Y/N), she’s here to be a part of the Regime.” 

You nod and shoot him a kind smile. He gives a smile to you in return and it kind of startles you of how beautiful this person is. He’s got heart shaped lips, and big, deep brown eyes. He’s wearing an apron over simple clothing and you can tell he has some nice arms. 

“I’m Kyungsoo,” he says, and gestures to his apron with another charming smile. “The castle’s head chef, if you can’t tell.”

You let out a laugh. “I could have sworn you were the castle’s blacksmith.”

He looks down, a laugh escaping his lips and leans on the counter. “I’m flattered. Jimin is known to be quite attractive around here.”

You stifle a laugh. Yeah, you can tell that you and this Kyungsoo fellow here will be great friends.

“So, Kyungsoo,” Seokjin says, smiling at your interaction. “Got anything good for (Y/N) here? They just arrived and from the way their stomach was growling before we entered, she could use some food.”

Kyungsoo wipes his hands on his apron and makes his way to a pump. “Of course. Do you have anything particular in mind?”

He washes his hands off and dries them before turning back to you and looking at you expectantly. 

You shake your head. “Not really, whatever you have is fine. I’m not too picky.”

“I just made some stew and fresh bread if you’d like some of that.”

“That would be very nice actually.”

Seokjin looks between the both of you and yawns. “Hey Kyungsoo, after you finish feeding (Y/N) here, would you mind showing her to where she will sleep?”

Kyungsoo shrugs and then nods. “Sure, might as well. You go on and get some sleep Seokjin.”

“Thanks, buddy,” Seokjin gives one more polite smile to him before putting his hand on your shoulder. “Don’t be scared of Kyungsoo here, he’s a sweetheart.”

You chuckle and nod. “I’ll try not to have nightmares of him thanks.”

With a wave of his hand, Seokjin exits the hut, leaving you and Kyungsoo alone. 

Kyungsoo walks over to the steaming pot and stirs it a couple of times with a wooden spoon. “I don’t usually get the honour of sharing my dinner with anyone. I typically just make some for myself and eat it alone, but this is a pretty nice change.” He gestures over to you. “Do you mind stirring this for a little bit while I cut the bread?”

You nod and walk over to the stove, taking the spoon from him and continuing stirring the pot. Kyungsoo grabs a knife and slices the bread, before grabbing two bowls and spoons for the both of you. He takes over the stirring before spooning the steaming stew into the bowls. He hands one to you and gestures for you to take a slice of bread. He leads you to a table and you both sit down.

 You spoon some of the stew into your mouth as Kyungsoo looks at you expectantly.

 “Holy fuck this is good,” you say, giving him a thumbs up. He laughs and starts to eat his own stew. 

“That’s a relief,” he says, ripping a piece of his bread to dip in his stew. “I was afraid you wouldn’t like it. 

“Honey, from how good this place smells, do you honestly think that I wouldn’t like it?”

For the next thirty minutes, you and Kyungsoo spend time getting to know each other. You learn he’s from a village not far from your home and came to the castle as a servant for the king. He had always had an interest in cooking, and as the king started noticing his interest, he gracefully allowed for Kyungsoo to start training in the kitchen. He’s been working in the kitchen ever since, and the king never once regretted his decision. 

Soon, it was pitch black outside and you let out a yawn. You didn’t realize how tired you are until it all catches up to you. 

“Oh, shit, you’re probably exhausted,’ Kyungsoo says, noticing your eyes drooping. “I don’t know how it completely slipped my mind. Here, let’s find your room.”

You gratefully let him take your empty bowl from you and help you up. He places your bowls in the bucket next to the water pump and turns back to you. You swing your bag back over your shoulder. 

“Lead the way,” you say, gesturing to the door. 

He takes the lead and you follow him. He brings you to a building not far from his house and on the edge of the wall. 

“This barrack here is rarely used,” Kyungsoo says. “Probably because it’s too far from the stables. But I don’t really know, I’m not exactly a knight.” He lets out a laugh. “I think you’ll be fine in here. No one there to bother you, or anything. If you need anything, just let me know, you know where to find me.”

“Thanks, Kyungsoo,” you say, grinning. “You’ve been a real help to me.”

He sheepishly scratches the back of his neck. “No problem, it’s nice that I’ve found someone that I click with.”

You nod in agreement. “Well, good night, Kyungsoo.”

“Sleep well, (Y/N).”

_______________________

Morning comes quickly, but you’re too excited to focus on the amount of sleep you got that night. By the time the rooster crows a third time, you’re already washing your face and sword to prepare yourself for the day. Your assessment is with three other people, and it takes place at noon. 

You sit on your bed and polish your sword until it shines. You want this sword to look better than it has ever looked before. By the time you’re satisfied with it, you can see your reflection clearly in the blade. 

You’re busy polishing your knives when you hear a knock at the door that startles you. Putting your knives down carefully next to your gleaming sword, you make your way to the door and open it. Kyungsoo is standing there, a bowl with an egg and a piece of bread in his hands. He hold them to you. 

“I figured you could use some food before you went to the assessment,” he says as you take the food from his hands and nod in thanks. 

“Thank you,” you say with a smile. It was nice to know you’ve made a good friend here already. 

“You better thank me, I snuck out of the kitchen just to give this to you.”

“I assure you this, my dear friend, I thank you wholeheartedly,” you say and give a dramatic bow, making sure to not spill the eggs. He chuckles. 

“I gotta get back to the kitchen, but good luck with your assessment,” Kyungsoo says. “I’m sure you’ll do wonderful.” He gives one last smile before jogging back to the kitchen. 

You giggle to yourself. He didn’t even notice he had flour on his cheeks. 

____________

Noon came around as morning had, quickly. By the time the sun was high in the sky, you had already polished your weapons, brushed your hair and horse, and stretched. You stand in the courtyard, where the assessment was to take place. One of the other three people you were to be assessed with was already there when you got there. He has a kind looking face, one with innocence and warmth just emitting from his very being. He introduces himself as Youngjae. 

By the time the others arrived and you all got acquainted with one another, the Head Knight finally decided to show up. Your heart stops the moment he steps foot into the courtyard. He’s wearing chain mail armour up to his neck. On his head is a mask that covers most of his face, so you can really only see his eyes. They’re a nice brown colour, you notice. 

“As you all are aware,” the Knight begins. “You are here to be assessed on whether or not you are worthy of joining my regime. It’s not an easy task, but if you are determined enough and skilled enough, you will be able to join quite easily. But of course, I don’t just take anyone. I only take the best. Now, let us begin.”

He leads the four of you to a large field, and starts to tell you what will occur and what will be tested. The assessment consists of three different skills you must have. Archery, horseback riding, and swordsmanship. Thankfully, you know you’re good at all three. But what you don’t know if you’re good enough to be a part of the regime. Nevertheless, you try your best in all of the events. 

The Head Knight decides to include a bit of archery in the second skill, horseback riding, so for archery, you are only to make 15 bulls-eyes in a row, doing various stunts, like rolling, or dodging attacks. You make it past the first round quite easily, a little out of breath, but otherwise even more determined to prove yourself than before. 

For the horseback riding, he assesses the bond you have with your horses, and sees how well you can ride. He makes sure you can aim well with both your sword and bow while galloping at full speed. It’s not a simple task, but you make it through. At one point, he tells you to jump off the horse and hit the straw dummy set up. That was a little difficult and you could feel your ankle twisting as you land and go into a shoulder roll to take the weight off of your feet a little. You slice the dummy’s head the second you leap to your feet. 

The third assessment is to be a little more challenging. You are to fight against the Head Knight himself in a duel. Sword to sword, hand to hand. The others all go before you, and you take note of their techniques and study the Knight’s sword style. You begin to notice how unpredictable he is. When you think he will strike up with his sword, he kicks his opponents legs out from beneath him. When you think he will block the attack with his sword, he grabs his opponent’s arm and kicks him back. Just watching the fights make you even more nervous for your own turn. 

After watching the other three barely make it out unscathed, it’s your turn. You take a deep breath and step up to the challenge. 

“Are you ready?” The Knight asks, twisting his sword in his hands. 

“Are you ready?” You raise your eyebrow, challenging him. You can see a smirk in his eyes. 

“Good question, but I’m afraid sass won’t work on me,” he says, and starts walking to you, twirling his sword skillfully. “Now, let’s begin!”

His first strike comes from above, and you quickly dodge and swing your sword at his side. He barely blocks it. 

“Ah, that was a good start,” he says, and twists around swiftly, and goes for your legs. You jump up and try to kick him in the process. Your foot hits his shoulder and he jumps back, a look of surprise in his eyes. You raise an eyebrow at him. 

“I was planning on going easy on you love, but it seems that I don’t need to.”

You let out a growl and charge at him, acting like you’re going for his head.He goes to block your attack, but you twist around at the last second and slam the butt of your sword on his shoulder. But he’s too quick, he grabs your arm and throws you back, kicking you in the ribs in the process. You’re on the ground, clutching your ribs. That was a good attack, you admit. 

He crouches down beside you. “Given up yet, sweetheart?”

You glare up at him before punching him in the nose. He staggers back as you get up, glaring at him determinedly. “Not even close.”

This little dance goes on for a while. He gets you down, makes a jeer, and you get back up with even more fire than before. You’re able to get him a few more times, all unexpected, and at one point you knock him down. 

It’s beginning to get late, the sun is starting to touch the horizon, and sweat is dripping from your body. You’re tired and are starting to get fed up with all of the Head Knight’s bullshit. Funny, just yesterday you were raving on how amazing he was and now you’re calling out his bullshit. It’s funny how things turn out. 

You’re knocked down for the sixth time. “Just give up, sweetheart,” he jeers. “I’ll let you become a stable hand if you just give up.”

“Not on my life,” you swear as you get up, chest heaving. He shrugs and comes after you again. You roll out of the way of his attack and kick his feet out from underneath him. You hear a surprised and pained breath escape his lips as he hits the ground and you can’t help but smirk. He tries to get up and you take that opportunity of him being on the ground to jump on him. You straddle him and his hand goes to punch you. He hits you in the jaw and goes for another hit, but you grab his hand with one hand and punch him with the other. Too bad he has another hand waiting. 

He grabs your hair and flips you both over, so you’re the one who’s below him. He’s straddling you at this point, and you know a certain weak point that will render him in extreme pain for a few seconds. So you bring your knee up rapidly and hit him right in his crotch. For the few seconds where all he can feel is pure pain, you reach up and grab his mask to try and bring him back under you. You are successful, but a part of his mask came off to reveal most of his face. It takes a moment for you to recognize who it is as you raise your fist to punch him. 

“Jeongguk?”

________ So! That’s the first part of this story! Let me know what you think bc this is my first time writing something like this. Until next time, my friends! 

-Sadie :)

[tialovestelevision]

I Only Have Eyes For You Part 2

My posts have been getting longer, so I decided to split this one up! Yay!

30. The whole conversation between Cordy and Xander about Sadie Hawkins and hairy-legged feminists made me want to hit my head on the wall.

31. Snake noodles! Harmless garter snake noodles! Eh, better than most of what they served when I was in school. I ate so much pizza in high school...

32. How long did they have to train that snake to get it to try to bite Charisma Carpenter/her stunt double?

33. We are being reminded that Snyder knows what’s going on. Does he not know who Buffy is? Also, more groundwork being laid for season 3.

34. Any three places will form a triangle.

35. Um... it’s a possessing ghost. Isn’t Buffy, with super strength, the last person you want dealing with it?

36. What has Cordelia’s grandfather been eating to have breath that smells like sulfur?

37. Spike is tired of people being obsessed with the Slayer. “All hat and no cattle.”

38. Wishful Thinking Giles makes me sad. :(

39. Buffy is having a vision. She’s watching Creepy Ghost Boy. And... snakes. Snakes in the room where Xander is doing his chanting. Why snakes? I mean... they’re creepy, but why would this particular ghost settle on them? Why not rejection? Are the snakes symbols of rejection?

40. The bad mojo is trying to eat Willow. And why didn’t Buffy have her sulfur-bag on already?

41. Chanting time! There’s no way it was that easy...

42. Nope. Not that easy. Now bees! The bees of romantic angst!

43. Forgiveness - grace - is something very important to me. Giles actually gave a pretty good description of how it works and why it’s necessary there.

44. How is she carrying around a piece of paper from her vision? And why does no one ever go check on people when they leave rooms?

45. Visions sent both Angel and Buffy to the school... Buffy’s own vision, and Dru’s for Angel. Getting sent places by visions is something Angel’s going to become really, really familiar with.

46. The spirit can possess Angel, overriding the demon in him. That’s... very strange. Does that mean this ghost is more powerful than a demon? Or that the demon actually is “home” in a vampire?

47. Buffy being possessed by creepy murder boy and Angel by the teacher is compelling, visually interesting, and makes the whole episode work. It also really, really doesn’t fit the themes of the episode or season. Except... maybe it does, if you squint. Murder boy possesses innocents, and Angel’s not an innocent.

48. ... He brought a gun to school to threaten her with, pulled it on her, and yelled at her. Pulling the trigger might have been an accident, but I assure you, it was Murder Boy’s fault. To say otherwise is to lie, horribly... and having the teacher take responsibility for it is immensely misogynist. “Yes, it was your fault, but I forgive you.” That would have worked.

49. No, it wasn’t love, Angel. It was obsession. You should be familiar with that.

50. Sandbagging Spike is the best Spike.

Overall thoughts: There’s a whole essay about the presence of the student-teacher relationship and the huge can of worms that is thematically that I could write, but I’m not going to because it was a convenience point for the scriptwriters and nothing more - it gave a reason for breaking the relationship off.

Another well-produced episode that runs into a thematic brick wall in its attempt to give us a moral. The point was summed up by Giles - “You don’t forgive people because they deserve it; they need forgiveness because they don’t deserve it” - then the episode ran it over by trying to revoke responsibility by making the shooting an accident and having the teacher take the blame for it. They came close to landing this one, and made some decent television that wasn’t to my taste in the process, but it would have been far better with a few small tweaks.

[kansascityhappenings]

Girl, 3, drowns in grease pit at Alabama ice cream shop

AUBURN, Ala. – At what is normally the happiest of family destinations, a horror: Police investigating a call of a missing child at Bruster’s Real Ice Cream in Auburn, Ala., before 1pm Saturday arrived to find the 3-year-old had been located but was unresponsive.

Sadie Grace Andrews had been found in a 6-foot-deep in-ground grease trap and drowned, reports the Opelika-Auburn News. It’s believed to have been an accident, with surveillance footage showing her playing with two of her five siblings in a picnic table-studded grassy area on the property and apparently falling through the lid.

She was missing for no more than 10 minutes. AL.com reports on Lee County Coroner Bill Harris’ description of the incident, which occurred during a trip to a location the family had been to previously.

Harris says the grease trap’s lid wasn’t locked or fastened in any way, and opened when Sadie stepped on it; the lid then closed with her inside.

Mom Corrie Andrews shares a moving story with the newspaper: Sadie always slept with a blanket her grandmother had given her, but the morning before she died, she stuffed it in a bag and said she was a big girl who didn’t need it anymore.

Shop owners Lance and Kara Latham posted a statement on Facebook that reads in part, “Our deepest condolences go to the family of the child who tragically died Saturday. They are acquaintances of ours and have been regular customers. We are truly heartbroken that this happened. Our thoughts also are with our young crewmember who tried to revive the child. Like all of us, he is quite shaken.”

This article originally appeared on Newser: Family Trip to the Ice Cream Shop Ends in Tragedy

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from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports http://fox4kc.com/2017/10/16/girl-3-drowns-in-grease-pit-at-alabama-ice-cream-shop/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2017/10/16/girl-3-drowns-in-grease-pit-at-alabama-ice-cream-shop/

[love-takes-work]

Steven Universe Podcast: Volume 2, Episode 2: Amethyst

A new season of the Steven Universe Podcast launched January 25, 2018, and here is a recap of episode 2, released February 1, 2018! The official description:

The Steven Universe Podcast is celebrating Amethyst... with creator Rebecca Sugar, former Executive Producer Ian Jones-Quartey, Michaela Dietz (who voices Amethyst), and Deedee Magno Hall (who voices Pearl). Discover what inspired Amethyst's weapon and shapeshifting abilities, some of the original design ideas for her character, why she's the one who's changed the most over the course of the series, and what Amethyst represents about Rebecca Sugar's real-life relationship with her brother, Steven. Plus, Amethyst and Pearl both join the pod to talk favorite shapeshifts, snacks, and the benefit of a good remote control!

This is very long because the podcasts are getting long, and I don't want to skimp on the detail because it's all very interesting to this wonderful group of nerds who like to read these, but I also don't want to overwhelm anyone with all the text, so I'll give you the bulleted highlights first and a more detailed narrative under the read-more.

Highlights:

Amethyst's earliest character designs, before she was "Amethyst," were in Rebecca's Lars/Sadie comics from college.

Amethyst is based physically on Rebecca's college friend Valerie.

Amethyst represents the present.

The "we kept Amethyst" joke was written BEFORE the writers themselves knew Amethyst's real origin.

Amethyst's whip is meant to be Dionysian: fluid and flexible.

Amethyst's tendency to shapeshift reflects both freedom to be whoever she wants and feeling lost and confused about who she is.

Amethyst has changed the most since the beginning of the series.

Meeting other Quartzes has allowed Amethyst to define herself with more clarity, leading her flexibility to become a choice rather than a reaction.

Smoky Quartz's yo-yo moves were real tricks derived from Rebecca's observation of a real yo-yo master.

Smoky represents a Fusion born out of two Gems at their lowest points, reminding viewers that sometimes you do need to ask for help.

Michaela's favorite Amethyst forms are the baby and Purple Puma.

Deedee thinks Pearl would shapeshift into a graceful bird if she was interested in changing form.

Zach Callison has a theory that Steven and Peridot's Fusion would be smaller than either of them, and adding Amethyst would make a tiny Shorty Squad Fusion that's also super loud.

Michaela, performing as Amethyst in the fan Q&A, says she likes her eggs whole (including carton, plus motor oil), that she has indeed posed as someone’s cat for an extended period and has laid eggs as a chicken, does not like eating overcooked remote controls, and loves most of all to shapeshift into Pearl. WOMP WOMP.

The detailed summary, including Rebecca and Ian discussing Amethyst’s origin, Deedee and Amethyst discussing voicing the characters, and fan questions answered in character . . .

Read it all below!

McKenzie opens by describing Amethyst's physical appearance and weapon of choice, then introduces Rebecca and Ian to discuss her creation.

Ian and Rebecca talk origins:

First McKenzie prompts them to talk about Amethyst's earliest concept. Ian says he remembers her as a character in the Lars/Sadie comics from Rebecca's college years. Rebecca adds that she was based on drawings she did of her friend Valerie--so she was in the comics, but she wasn't "Amethyst" yet. Rebecca had been planning to do Lars/Sadie comic strips and never actually drew a strip but she had doodles. Rebecca drew and painted her friend Valerie all the time--getting any Vidalia/Amethyst vibes here? Though Amethyst, personality-wise, is different, there's a visual resemblance. Early Amethyst concepts included a plant concept that went away (would have involved flowers in her hair and whatnot), but one aspect that remained was that Amethyst would be the short one. (Her shortness being an aspect of being defective was not initially planned; it was developed later along with the Kindergarten concepts by other Crewniverse members.)

Amethyst represents the present (an idea Angie had of past, present, and future for the Gems), and was supposed to be the one Gem who was most comfortable being an Earthling, interacting with humans, being like them, hanging out with boardies and having relationships with them that we've never seen onscreen. Pearl and Garnet purposely avoid humans, but Amethyst has that connection to humans because of her origin. Ian points out the "we kept Amethyst" joke in "Steven's Lion" was written before they even knew she was from Kindergarten; it unintentionally made sense retroactively.

They did have plans for how Garnet and Pearl fit into Rose's forces, but felt that Amethyst was added later as a wayward Gem brought into the fold. They already knew the characters' ages but later had to work out how Amethyst was included.

Amethyst represents the "irresponsible, not a great role model" part of Rebecca with regard to how she acts when she's in a comfortable mode around someone (specifically, Steven) and doesn't have to care what anyone thinks. She represents just being a kid, being immature, relaxing. (Pearl tries to act older and responsible, while Garnet is "aspirational," but Amethyst is the older sister that has permission to be childish while leveling with a younger sibling.) Ian reflects on early Amethyst concepts, how Amethyst caused the conflict in the pilot episode by giving Steven the Time Thing, and how she chased him around in "Together Breakfast," establishing that she was the one who would "mess with him." Rebecca clarifies that it's good-natured ribbing. Ian points out that OK KO has characters based on the "dumb police" drawing.

Regarding Amethyst's weapon, McKenzie asks what made them decide on a whip. Rebecca and Ian agree that the weapons were super early decisions. Initially there were influences for Pearl and Amethyst from Apollo and Dionysis (Apollonian and Dionysian elements are used frequently in literature to set up a dichotomy). The spear is Apollonian (rigid, inflexible) and the whip is Dionysian (fluid, flexible). Rebecca also mentions that Paul Villeco brought in ideas of the characters being a knight, a cowboy, and a boxer. And unlike fists or a spear, whips have multiple uses, which is flexible like Amethyst herself.

McKenzie relates this choice about her weapon to Amethyst's shapeshifting tendencies, and Ian and Rebecca agree with that too. Ian says they figured she would use shapeshifting to mess with people, do useful things, do UN-useful things, sometimes changing into things just to make jokes . . . it's all about fluidity.

Rebecca says the constant flux in Amethyst's physical form felt right from the beginning, but made even more sense as they discovered she was searching for herself. To some extent it's freeing to be able to be anything, but it also could indicate how lost she feels.

McKenzie asks them to discuss the decision to have Amethyst as the first Gem to fuse with Steven. Rebecca compares Steven and Amethyst's relationship to her own relationship with her brother, saying it's really the closest to their real sibling relationship (especially throughout that arc). Rebecca says it just made sense to her, and Ian points out that Amethyst and Steven have a similarity in that they're both a weird kind of Gem who's only known Earth. Rebecca says at this point Steven really knows everything there is to know about Amethyst, almost, while Garnet and Pearl are more guarded about the vast amount of their history he does not know. She opened up to him as early as "Tiger Millionaire," and she's changed the most from the beginning of the show. Amethyst representing the present, changing right along with Steven, makes sense, when balanced against Pearl with so much of the past she can't reveal and Garnet being ahead of everything, focused on what's going on in her own mind (which makes it hard to even talk to her).

Next, McKenzie asks them to speak to Amethyst's relationship with Rose. Ian suggests she was kind of "the Steven of the group," as we see in flashbacks--her getting them in trouble. Rebecca thinks Amethyst's fluidity was encouraged by Rose, and that she protected her from having to know troubling truths. Amethyst is basically a kid who was raised by hippies. She was sheltered from knowing the full truth of her origin and therefore she was not free to build on that aspect of her identity. Both the advantages of freedom and the disadvantages of lack of structure manifested in her. Rose didn't want Amethyst to have restrictions of the Gem society they rejected, but that meant she didn't get a chance to rebel against or choose to follow anything associated with them. Especially with regard to her relationship with the Kindergarten, they compare Amethyst to being raised with a liberal upbringing--everything is fine now, even though it's apparent that NONE of this is actually fine in the larger context. Meeting other Amethysts inspired a growth for Amethyst where she can understand where she's from and can CHOOSE the flexibility she embodies, rather than having that be a symptom of floundering. Now she's developed the freedom to define herself as the kind of Quartz she wants to be, having seen the options and what her society of origin would have wanted her to be.

Deedee and Michaela talk bringing characters to life:

McKenzie introduces Deedee Magno Hall (Pearl) and Michaela Dietz (Amethyst), and begins the discussion by bringing up Amethyst's first full-scale arc in Season 3. She asks Michaela whether it was taxing to play a character who's really hit rock bottom, and Michaela instead says she could relate to how focused Amethyst was during that time. Because Amethyst was comparing herself to Jasper and feeling inferior as she scrambled for identity, Michaela relates to that through her experience being adopted. It was a little challenging tapping into that emotion to bring that performance out, though. McKenzie relates to the whole comparing-yourself-to-others thing, and Deedee and Michaela assure her that she's doing many cool things herself.

Deedee adds that she compares herself to others sometimes too, but in her business, there's lots of competition and you just have to be okay with knowing that sometimes you'll be right for the part and sometimes you won't; just do your best. Michaela recommends trying to "break the box" instead of trying to fit in it when it comes to auditioning for roles--define yourself by what makes you stand out. Amethyst does that in the show as well.

McKenzie leads into discussing Steven's role in inspiring Amethyst to find power in her difference, and they talk about their reactions to Smoky Quartz. Michaela says her reaction was a lot like Amethyst's reaction when Garnet asks her to form Sugilite; she had no idea that was coming when she got the script.

Discussing Smoky's design and weapon, Michaela brings up that Rebecca told her about consulting with a top yo-yo performer as research for Smoky, so the moves are real. (They don’t say so in the podcast, but this was Tom Black.)

Deedee mentions having dabbled in learning yo-yo tricks and knows from experience that a yo-yo will hurt if it hits you. They return to discussing the lessons Amethyst's arc brings to viewers, and conclude that shining as an individual is one of the central messages of the show. Deedee thinks many young people are embracing individuality.

However, Michaela wants to point out that Smoky Quartz's first appearance was born out of a low point for Steven and Amethyst. They bonded over both not being good enough--being the worst. So Smoky represented them reaching for each other's help, and being willing to do that when you need to.

McKenzie brings up the fact that Amethyst shapeshifts a lot, indicating a fluid personality, but also that she has been the only Gem to fuse with all the current Crystal Gems, which Pearl and Garnet have NOT done as such. (This isn't mentioned in the podcast, but apparently McKenzie is not including Peridot here.) McKenzie asks what the voice actors think about how self-image plays into shapeshifting, considering Pearl never does it and Amethyst does it all the time. Deedee suggests Pearl keeps such things in her back pocket unless it's really needed. Michaela agrees that Pearl doesn't compromise on who she is while Amethyst is malleable. McKenzie asks for Michaela's favorite of Amethyst's shapeshifts, and she says the little baby form was fun, and then adds on that Purple Puma is another favorite. Michaela asks her co-star what Pearl would shapeshift into if she did such things. Deedee said she'd have to think about it, and they decide maybe Pearl would like being a bird. Maybe a ladybird, a dove, or a swan. McKenzie thinks maybe a flamingo.

Next, they jump into discussing Amethyst's character in the context of some of the more recent episodes, specifically "Back to the Kindergarten" where Amethyst pulls Peridot out of her funk by taking her to the Kindergarten and starting a garden there. Michaela first has to give props to Shelby Rabara's voice acting for Peridot in those episodes, and reflects that she's heard some of those same moans in real life from her. Anyway, Michaela thinks that episode shows a ton of character growth for Amethyst; in the past she wouldn't have had the emotional resources to help someone who's suffering, especially when connecting it to a place she has such a complicated relationship with, but after meeting the Amethysts from there and learning she's allowed to be proud of where she came from, she's found enough strength to know how to help ground others.

She even kept her cool mostly when Peridot lashed out, which is a reaction she wouldn't have been capable of in the past. McKenzie contrasts this with "On the Run," and Michaela says even though the Kindergarten was a source of tension between Amethyst and Pearl, it also represents where they bonded and got a new start, and Deedee suggests maybe that's part of the reason Amethyst brought Peridot there.

McKenzie's last question for them is about Fusions: wouldn't they love to see a shorty squad Fusion of all three? And of course they would. But then Michaela says Zach has a theory that a Peridot/Steven Fusion would just be even smaller, and adding Amethyst in would shrink the Fusion even further but make them LOUDER. Yes, they agree, the world needs this. (McKenzie thinks being small would help them infiltrate places.)

Amethyst and Pearl answer questions:

McKenzie: What's your favorite thing to shapeshift into?

Amethyst: My favorite thing to shapeshift into is probably . . . Pearl. WOMP WOMP.

Pearl: AMETHYST. Really.

Amethyst: Heh heh.

McKenzie: Never fails. Never gets old.

McKenzie: How did meeting the other Amethysts change your outlook and your idea of yourself?

Amethyst: Oh man! I mean, meeting the other Amethysts was amazing. And it changed my sense of self in that now I have other people who look like myself! It's crazy! And I have like, the Famethyst, and they're so funny. They're, like, pranksters just like me who like to mess with Steven. It's great.

Pearl: It's nice to have friends.

McKenzie: Have you ever posed as somebody's cat? I'm thinking, like, long-term, like sneaking into their house for like a week or something?

Amethyst: Yeah! Did you say for a week? 'Cause I did it for two weeks.

McKenzie: Did they find out?

Amethyst: Um, yeah. So, it's like, my neighbor, Eleanor--oh wait. Sorry. I was just thinking about [dissolves into laughter]

Pearl: I hope you didn't get in trouble with the authorities.

Amethyst: You should talk, Pearl.

Pearl: I know a little something about that.

Amethyst: Okay, so for two weeks I snuck into this lady's house and I was like pretending to be one of her eighteen cats and I just, like, barked at her, and that kinda gave me up a little 'cause I barked at her. 'Cause cats don't bark.

McKenzie: Lesson learned.

Amethyst: Note taken.

McKenzie: Have you ever tried shapeshifting into a chicken and then laying an egg? Is that, like, physically possible?

Amethyst: Uh, yep. It's been done. I've done it and it was EGGcellent.

McKenzie: That would be a good source of financial income.

Amethyst: It was really speSHELL. I CRACK myself up.

Pearl: Always with the jokes.

Amethyst: Oh so many YOLKS!

Pearl: Oh! That's a good one actually.

McKenzie: How do you like your eggs? Country-scrambled, over easy, or the shells, carton, and everything on top?

Amethyst: How do I like my eggs? Whole. There's nothing worse than just, like, half of an egg. That's weird. Also, what's country-scrambled? Is there like dandelions in it?

McKenzie: Probably.

Amethyst: Or like, a map, and there's just like, Australia, like, cut up, and like put in your egg. I don't really get this question.

McKenzie: It's where you fry them on the hood of a tractor. It gives it a special flavor.

Amethyst: Ohhh, is that what it is?

Pearl: Really??

Amethyst: Man, humans are so fascinating. I guess, who am I kidding, I just like the shells, carton, everything on top. Preferably dipped in some motor oil.

McKenzie: The whole package.

Amethyst: So maybe that's kinda country!

McKenzie: Is there any food you DON'T like?

Amethyst: I cannot stand overcooked remote controls.

McKenzie: No?

Amethyst: Disgusting.

McKenzie: What's the ideal cook time?

Amethyst: For like, the perfect remote control, I would say, you know, one and a half minutes on 350 max.

McKenzie: Right. For the golden brown.

Amethyst: Yes, yes, yes.

McKenzie: I understand. I agree. There's not enough people in this world who appreciate a tasty remote control.

Amethyst: Yeah. It's true. Best food ever. My favorite.

Pearl: [sigh] If we have to purchase another remote control, Amethyst, it's coming out of your allowance.

Amethyst: Oh wow, I get allowance now? Boy, thanks, bird mom.

[Laughter]

(There was no news of the topic for next week's, but we're on for another one next Thursday.)

[Archive of Steven Universe Podcast Summaries]