#and coots going at him immediately

[barrenclan]

I do feel bad for Coot at the end of all this. I don't think she is ever going to change, but man she must have so few straws left to grasp at.

She didn't really come up during the entire encounter, and you would think that someone as vocal as her would have something to say given all the monologues going on (I know it's probably just because of pacing) .

I am sorta imagining that during the attack, for all her fire and brimstone attitude, she basically just sat huddled against a corner and tried not to attract any attention. No shame on her for that tbh, that was definitely the right call, but it must have hurt her sense of cosmic importance a little.

Raised in a barren wasteland and taught that it was for some higher purposes, that it was worth it, and then having what small sort of peace and safety then immediately ripped away out of nowhere, I can sorta see how she just decides to double down on everything for some sense of stability and comfort.

If it didn't have to matter before, it HAS to matter now.

Her exclusion from the "Death of BarrenClan" event was just because of time and space constraints, as I've mentioned before, but I also don't think she's a very brave person and I doubt she would've had the wherewithal to stand up to Deepdark, or agree with him, or do anything but cower in terror at all. Not that that's the wrong reaction for being in mortal danger, but it's still not something that lends to dramatic screen presence.

As the story has gone on I've really started to feel sorry for Cootstorm. Not because she's a sympathetic figure who's never done wrong, but she's so miserable and pathetic at this point. It's like watching someone stubbornly digging their own grave.

[ladykailitha]

A Love Connection Part 2

Hey guys! Did you miss me? LOL!

Just a heads up this chapter is a little angsty because we have get Steve desperate enough to try going on a game show. But have no fear, it doesn't last long.

Also in this Susan Mayfield never marries Neil Hargrove, but she moves to Hawkins because her job moved her there. So Billy and Max aren't step-siblings.

Part 1

~

Steve nearly had a panic attack right there in the car when Chrissy screamed. There wasn’t a crisis. Or at least not one that needed immediate attention. What it was, was their little drunk text about #needsmoregays at A Love Connection went viral. There were actual fucking news articles. Yeah, the first was from Pink News, but the rest? Actual fucking trades. Variety, Dateline, even The Hollywood Reporter, for fuck’s sake.

Steve was going to pass out, but he managed to get them to the school safely. Thankfully there was nothing on Chrissy profile that was her real name or where she worked. She had a work Twitter for that. And that one was only on her computer at work. She was very careful not to cross the two. So there weren’t any news people out front of the school. But her DMs were filled with requests for comments or even actual interviews.

He decided she could do whatever the hell she wanted, he wasn’t going to get involved in this. She’s the one that drunk tweeted. Yeah, it was because of something he said when he was also drunk. But still!

He also decided ignore Chrissy and Robin at lunch, choosing instead to have it in his classroom to avoid them. Because, yes, he was avoiding them thank you. He just wanted to see gay people have love, too. Last Saturday was a disaster and he wanted proof that gays like he could find love.

Luckily, it was only a nine day wonder and Chrissy’s inbox went back to normal. Or as about as normal as one can get after have a tweet go viral.

They were cruising through the school year, same as always. There were always the super smart kids and the ones that didn’t care about history. So Steve always tried to make it as fun as possible.

Gladiator days where they wrestled stuff animals. Letting the kids stab him in March. Building their own mini pyramids. His hallpass was a gladius for extra fun.

They were gearing up the for Olympic games just before Christmas when Mrs. Byers, the principal pulled him out of his class.

“Hey, Steve,” she said warmly, “you’re not in trouble.”

Steve looked over his shoulder at his class before looking back at her. “Okay...”

She smiled up at him sweetly. “I was wondering if you’d be willing to watch the AV club today after school? Mr. Jenner went home because he’s puking his guts out. Normally I would just cancel, but a couple of the kids are in the club because their parents can’t pick them up until after seven.”

He let out a long sigh. He was going to go home and get ready to go try a new bar Chrissy had found. But now, by the time he got home, showered, and ate it would be too late to go out.

“Yeah, sure, Mrs. Byers,” he said.

“Thank you so much, Steve,” Mrs. Byers said. “Mr. Jenner will be so grateful too.”

Steve nodded and then waited until she walked away to roll his eyes. Nate Jenner’s alcohol problem was the worst kept secret in the school. Even students were aware that there were times he taught drunk. Most kids didn’t know why he would be slurring his words or conked out on his desk; only that they were his ‘bad days’. But the kids who did know? They tended to shield the other kids from the worst of it.

The problem was that Mr. Jenner was two years from retirement and they didn’t want to make him lose his pension. Which Steve thought that he absolutely should. That old coot had no business teaching students like that.

He went back to teaching his class, wondering who they got to cover Mr. Jenner’s classes. He finally got through to the last class and went to the science ‘wing’ of the school. He walked up to Mr. Jenner’s class room and there was Robin coming out of it.

“Now that’s just unfair,” he moaned. “If you were watching his classes, why couldn’t you watch the AV club?”

Robin patted him on the shoulder. “Because I played the dumb blonde routine until Mrs. Byers gave up.” She waved at him as she walked away.

With a sigh, Steve went into the room and began getting out the equipment that they would need. He didn’t know much about radios and shit, but he did know what they did and didn’t need.

He had just gotten set up when the first of the kids arrived.

He wasn’t surprised to see Will come in first. With his mom as principal, all of the teachers tended to tiptoe around him as to not have any ‘misdeeds’ taken back to her, so his last class never went over. Ever.

The next couple of kids to file in were Dustin Henderson and Lucas Sinclair. They both had Robin’s Spanish class last period, so it was no surprise to see them together.

“Sinclair!” Steve said, fist bumping the kid. “What are you doing with these nerds?” He was only joking and they all knew that. Lucas had been friends with Will, Dustin, and their other friend Mike since Dustin moved in in the second grade. Lucas loved history and was one of Steve’s brightest students so he liked to pick on him for his choice of friends.

“Sorry, Coach,” Lucas said with a grin, “if I wasn’t around they’d fall into an uncovered manhole or something.”

Steve gave Dustin their secret handshake, complete with death and everything to make up for the nerd comment. But Dustin and Will took it all in stride. They were used to the teasing.

A couple other kids came in. One spotted Steve and immediately walked back out.

“Some people just aren’t made for fun,” he lamented to the kid’s retreating back. “I’m just too cool for some people’s children. It’s not my fault.”

They all chuckled and then finally the last member of the AV club arrived. Mike Wheeler.

He sighed when he saw Steve, but didn’t turn around. He threw his backpack on the nearest desk and slumped into the chair with a heavy sigh. “Why can’t we get a teaching advisor who isn’t such a flake!”

Steve wiped his brow internally. Mike didn’t like him all the time, so the fact that he was complaining about Mr. Jenner not being there rather than Steve taking his place was a relief, honestly. It meant he wouldn’t be grumpy the whole time.

“All right everyone,” Steve said, clapping his hands together. “Dustin is in charge, Will will take notes for next time. Let’s go!”

The club went as well as could be expected considering Steve really didn’t have any idea of how all this stuff worked.

After class while Steve was waiting on the curb with the ‘Party’ as they called themselves, waiting for their parents to pick them up texting Robin and Chrissy.

“Coach...” Lucas asked, “did we ruin your plans?”

Steve felt a stab in his chest as his head shot up to look the kid in the eye. He looked down at his phone where there were dozens of messages bitching Robin out for leaving him with the AV club because she had a girlfriend and Steve didn’t even have that. Or boyfriend, which was his preference. He had dated women in the past but he liked men more. Or rather liked men full stop. That was certainly a revelation and a half.

He put his phone away with a sigh. “No, Lucas you didn’t. It was due to the irresponsible behavior of Mr. Jenner. He’s the one to blame. I was just a little annoyed at Miss Buckley because she knows this stuff better than I do, but got out of it under false pretenses.” His eyes cut to Will. “Don’t tell your mom I just said that. I don’t want Miss Buckley in trouble.”

Will held up his hands in surrender. Steve nodded.

“I love history and sports and swimming,” he began, he held up his hand to stall whatever words were going to come out that kid’s mouth. “For fun, Dustin. I like swimming for fun, which is why I didn’t include it in sports.”

Dustin huffed and crossed his arms over his chest with a pout.

“I like going out with friends and meeting new people,” Steve finished, “and of course I love teaching you kids. But I look around me and I just see someone who’s stagnated before he’s even thirty.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know why I’m telling a bunch of teenagers this. Sorry.”

Will put his hand in Steve’s. “You’ll find someone. If my mom can find someone at her age, you can find someone, too.”

Steve gave his hand a squeeze and didn’t point out that Mrs. Byers, Joyce had already had two kids and had been divorced by the time she was thirty so it really didn’t count.

Mike’s mom Karen arrived first. Mike just waved goodbye and slipped into the passenger side of her car.

Steve shook his head. Mike was trying to learn how to balance friends and liking girls and after school activities. He’d get there.

Dustin’s mom and Will’s older brother Jonathan arrived at the same time. Jonathan was Steve’s age, but Will have been born over a decade after him as a last ditch attempt to save his parents’ marriage.

Steve waved goodbye to them and then it was just Steve and Lucas.

“My mom always told me,” Lucas said softly, “that there might not be one person out there for everyone, but there is the right person out there for what you need right now. I think she was trying to explain why Mrs. Byers had two husbands, but I think it works for you, too. You’ll find you right person at the right time.”

Steve blinked down at this boy, barely thirteen. He rubbed the top of Lucas’s head. “Thanks, kid.”

Just then his dad pulled up. “Go on,” Steve murmured. “I’ll see you after the break.”

Lucas re-shouldered his backpack to just the one shoulder. He paused as if he wanted to say something else, he just shook his head.

“See you later, Coach!”

He got into his into dad’s car and immediately started talking to him about school excitedly.

Steve pulled his coat tighter around him. He wanted to be that dad, but as time wore on it was looking less and less likely. He went back inside to clean up and grab his stuff. He had a pile of assignments he had to grade. He never gave homework and never did tests. Both were pointless in his opinion, plus it meant that he less stuff to mark and grade. He based his grades off participation and being able to stay on task.

He walked through the darkened halls and felt the weight of it on his shoulders. His best friend and her girlfriend were out having the time of their lives, while he was alone in more ways than one.

He didn’t even Garfield to keep him company anymore. Yeah, he was just a stupid goldfish, but he was Steve’s.

The cold seeped into his bones and buried into his heart. He was even going to be alone for Christmas. Chrissy was taking Robin to her brother’s for the holiday. They felt bad because they both knew Steve’s parents had cut him off long ago and didn’t have anywhere else to go.

But he had encouraged Robin going. Meeting her girlfriend’s family was important. And with Chrissy and her brother, Peter both being estranged from their parents it was even more important than usual. They promised they would be back for New Year’s and Steve promised he would be fine.

He stepped onto the curb and stopped, tilting his head back, eyes closed as he fought back tears. When the first snowflake landed it made him flinch at the sudden extra coldness to his cheek. That one was followed by another and another. It was hell.

He opened his eyes and let the snow melt on his lashes, the cold mingling with his hot tears.

~

Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Tag List: SEVEN SLOTS OPEN

1-@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @cryptid-system

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @justforthedead89 @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman

7- @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lingeringmirth

8- @gutterflower77 @a-lovely-craziness @just-a-tiny-void @w1ll0wtr33 @beelze-the-bubkiss

9- 9- @dreamercec @wheneverfeasible @garden-of-gay

[inactivewattpadauthor]

Shang Tsung x Reader: A Chance To Prove Yourself

~~~~~~~~~~~~ The leaves all swooshed on the tree they were bound to in reaction to the wind. The same tree you sat under, sulking as you usually did. A decent distance away from the Wu Shi Academy you used to be devoted. Now it made you sick in a way. No matter how hard you try to convince yourself, you pointed blame at the Thunder God that shut you down.

You remember all too well the secondhand embarrassment and devastation when Raiden bluntly turned you down from joining Earthrealm's champions. Right in front of your best friends, Kung Lao and Liu Kang. The demigod claimed you weren't skillful enough and your ego would get you killed in battle. Yet somehow Lao still gets to go?! The equally arrogant bastard was also confused on that part.

"Maybe Lord Raiden just wants to protect you." You recalled Liu Kang reasoning for his father figure. Bullshit. You may have started late but you train just as hard.

Ever since that situation happened, you became distant with those two. You didn't hold any resent for them, hopefully, but being around them after that made you feel negative. They're good friends and you didn't want to bring the mood down.

Dreading on about everything you were unaware of someone creeping up behind the tree.

"...And she sits alone, wondering if she will ever be good enough. Or perhaps wallowing in self-pity, believing all of them are wrong and don't deserve her strength."

You turned to whoever it was narrating you with a supercilious tone. Opening your mouth with the intent to tell them to shut the hell up, only a gasp would come out when that specific voice belonged to Shang Tsung. You knew Liu defeated him before, but it was definitely not so simple You hopped up ready for a fight with the old, evil coot.

He raises a steady hand as if he isn't looking for a fight. "Oh, so 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 going to defeat me? Do you think you'll win?" Shang asks with continuing patronization.

"No." You lost your battle stance and stood there normally, feeling stupid to even think that. Your ego couldn't be more destroyed so it's easy to be put in your place.

"Good girl. Smart." Shang chuckles and slowly walks to you. You only kept your head down. Carefully with his clawed finger guard, he tilts your chin up. "Poor Y/n. You have so much potential. Truly a loss for Earthrealm that Raiden doesn't let you fight beside him- or your close allies."

"What would you know?" You sneered, eyes following him as he walked behind but you didn't dare move your head even slightly.

"Quite a lot, actually. From the very moment he put you down, up to your friends deserting you."

"Deserting me?" Confused, you faced him and immediately corrected him. "Liu and Lao never deserted me. I just... hang out with them less. Purposely."

The old villain narrowed his maroon eyes at your rebuttal. "And have they ever asked you why? Check on you like they're supposed to? Have they ever even stood up to the foolish demigod and defended your progress?"

Being completely gagged, you couldn't defend that. The answer to those questions were all the same. "...No."

"You call them friends?" Shang shakes his head. "How does that make you feel? Don't you want to prove yourself? Show off truly what you're capable of?"

"Of course, I do!" You snap- not out of anger- but with newfound motivation. "But I train a lot every day. What more can I do?"

He pretends to think on it, you hardly notice. "I could offer my own mentoring to you, if you wish. Help you be advanced than whatever cheap combat monks do." Plotting with his back turned from you, his eyes gleamed at an extra part of the offer. Something you'd likely be interested in. "Say, do you have your own arcana?"

"I don't actually. Why?" As expected, you became more interested. You couldn't shoot fireballs or teleport annoyingly around the perimeter. But what you could do is deny the snake's offer and be a boring rejected fighter. Nope. "Could you get me one?"

"Easily." He nods, then extends his hand. "Is it a deal?"

Almost taking his hand, you retracted a bit. "Wait, what would you be getting out of it? I don't want to be accused of treason or you make me hurt them. They're not perfect but-"

"Oh dear, I would never make you hurt them. I'm trying to help you do the opposite actually. How lovely it would be to make them proud by being just as- pardon me- more powerful than them combine! And you wouldn't get in trouble unless you go chatting which I trust you wouldn't."

It all seems easy and promising. "Deal!" You smile and shook his hand, suddenly getting the feel of something awful overwhelm you. But you pushed it off thinking it was just excitement.

"Now why don't we return to my palace and discuss giving you magic." Shang begins walking away and you were quick to follow your new mentor.

"How long will that take? Won't Liu Kang or Kung Lao notice I'm missing?"

"You think so?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~

[huginsmemory]

Fiddleford and Ford's creations, and parallels

Just a quick blurb on how Fiddleford and Ford parallel each other in regards to their own creations, considering the memory gun and the portal.

First of all, if you haven't read journal 3 then you're missing some context about Fiddleford and the memory gun; that is, that it was created after Fiddleford ended up staring into a gremloblin's eyes and saw his worst nightmare (due to Stanford insisting on stopping to sketch it). Afraid, Fiddleford then created the memory gun as a solution to deal with the fear.

Now what's fascinating is there interaction around the gun, because just as Fiddleford warned Ford against the dangers of the portal and begged him to not use it and destroy it, Ford also did that with the memory gun. He immediately points out the dangers of the gun, and tells Fiddleford to destroy it. And ultimately, both of them refuse to acknowledge the valid worry of the others; Ford refuses to shut down the portal and Fiddleford even going so far as to use the gun on Ford to keep the gun. They both cling to their creations; Ford out of desperation for acknowledgement which the portal will give him, while Fiddleford is motivated out of fear, and the comfort that the gun will give him through erasing his memory. They both are driven so strongly by these motivators that they will put their creation's wellbeing over the wellbeing of others; Fords preoccupation with the portal and his work to the point that he endangers Fiddleford, and Fiddleford literally using the device to erase Ford's memory unconsented.

And both of them in the end fall victim to their creations; Fiddleford loosing more and more of his memory until basically nothing remains, and Ford with the realization the portal leads to the nightmare realm, and heralds the apocalypse, and literally going through the portal himself. Both of them as a result of not heeding the others warnings end up serving penance for the next thirty years of their life, Fiddleford as the local crazy coot who lives in the dump, and Ford dimension hopping, narrowly avoiding capture by Bill, his life devoted to taking him down.

What's also interesting is both of them are driven to create these devices that ultimately ruin their lives out of their devotion and seeking acknowledgement from people they love. Fiddleford, who left his kid and wife to work from Ford, chooses to stay with Ford even though he's afraid, and creating the memory gun instead of leaving; and Ford, who makes the portal in tandem with Bill who he openly worships, who suggests the idea.

Even absent, both their creations continue to impact the town. Fiddleford with creating the Society of the Blind Eye, a cult who literally kidnaps and erases the town peoples memory unconsented, all centered around the memory gun; meanwhile, Ford leaves behind what becomes the mystery shack, and Stan who is left in his wake, works on the portal for the next thirty years to get it running again.

And in the same way, in the end, the danger of the portal and and the memory gun double back on themselves; it is the portal used in the hands of Stan that brings Ford back, even if the rift in space causes wierdmageddon, and it's Fiddleford's memory gun that allows them to defeat Bill. By the end of the show, both powerful tools are dismantled and destroyed, as they should have been originally. In much the same way, both Fiddleford and Ford find happy endings, reuniting with what they had lost.

[doublekanble]

Orpheus and Eurydice

Alastor/reader (gnc)

romantic-platonic

word count: 3.3k

i want to go to bed. (deleted this without copying it by accident, its past midnight, if theres any grammar mistakes, no there is not) at some point wedding is mentioned, but this can be platonic, i am just a very touch-staverd thing.

“Al?”

“Yes, dear?”

“Do you know the stories about Eurydice and Orpheus?”

(some say that he journeyed on his own to find Apollo, the Olympian god, reigning over sunlight and all things beautiful and pleasant. others would say that after Orpheus have his fill of travelling with the Argonauts and finally ending their search for the golden fleece in joy, he’d returns home. it was both, as far as you concerned.

but in every version of the story, Orpheus, who was depicted as a gifted musician, personally tutored by beautiful and enchanted Apollo himself, deeply fell in love with Eurydice, an Auloniad nymph, and she would love him all the same.)

He looked down and away from his book, tilting his head to meet you with a glance, ears flickering while you’re stretching across his lap with that dammed electric box still in your hand. You continue.

“It’s a Greek mythology about a man losing his wife and him looking for her in the underworld. I couldn’t find the original, but most of them still have the same meaning for me.” You turn on your stomach and lift yourself up on your elbows, looking at him with a delighted grin. “It’s a really good story, I think! Do you want to hear one? I can read them out to you, just pick one.”

“’Pick’ one? Pray tell, how many is there for me to pick?”

“You tell me~”

You exudes nothing but warmth and content as you grin, Alastor held himself back from squeezing your face.

(one story described how, on their wedding day, to the happy couple on their happiest day, a present in the form of an omen was granted by fate.

all the candles and lamps of the temple gifted them with black and oily smoke, coiling in the lungs of guests and stick to their skin.)

“I see, now what a dilemma… Which one of these unknown stories should I pick?” Alastor hums coyly, his book left on the side table unmarked. Oh well, it’s close to your bed time anyway, when you’re off in your dream land, he can resume. “More importantly, how did you learn of all this, dear? Doesn’t seem quite like the sort of thing you’d naturally pick up on…”

“You’re calling me stupid, again.” Dropping your expression in an instant, your delightful demeanor only drives him to take you less seriously.

“Am I now?! Why, how utterly despicable of me! My most sincere apologies~.”

"You-"

You try to swat at him like a disgruntled old cat, only for Alastor to smile as he catches your wrist with no trouble. Immediately, you gave up and turn back to your thing as he pleasingly pecks your imprisoned hand, knowing you can’t do anything about it.

(some say that she was simply bitten by a sly snake. some said she was chased by a satyr into the forest first. in all of them, Orpheus find his wife, whom he haven't even the time to love fully, lying amongst the green. with the poison already spread through her veins and choke her heart, he held her cold body in his arms as he wept.)

“Anyway-” Alastor pats your head, ears perk up while refusing to let go of you, not that you bothered to take your hand back, already satisfied with lazily draping yourself across his sofa and in his lap. He silently felt your pulse as you snidely remarked, “I learn about it online, idiot. Something an old coot like you wouldn’t know how to navigah-owowow I’m sohry yor noh ouh!-“

This, he somewhat find annoying. You’ve been actively learning more words to try and keep up with his “flowery compliments” and “verbose vocabulary” (he would’ve taken sweet and articulated, but c'est lavie). It would’ve been sweet, if not for the fact you only and exclusively learn insults. Your pleas would’ve fallen onto deaf ears, but there’s still a story you need to tell, so he let go of your cheek and lean back.

“I will have to say, if this story is as popular as you boasted, there would surely be a book somewhere about it.” You open your mouth, then just as quickly, you close it and stare up at Alastor who plucked your device off your hand and all but threw it onto the side table. You looked like you’re considering the consequences of trying to fight him head-on while he gives you a cheeky grin filled with sharp yellow teeth. “You were saying~?”

(some described the nearby nymphs and deities grieved alongside Orpheus. moved by the love that he lost, they tell him to look for a way to the underworld, to meet the God of Death and all things misery and to beg for his wife’s life. some said he find his own way down with a lyre in hand and play a song by the river of forgetfulness, with water almost as oily and black as the smoke from his happiest day, he would find himself singing all the way to the palace of Hades.)

Glaring at empty air and refusing to meet his eyes, your expression wavered as you seethe through you teeth, determined not to be distracted and tormented by him. He chuckles as you clears your throat. It’s good that you’re getting better at picking battles when it comes to him, Alastor can’t risked you realizing the actual hold you have over him, yet.

He watches as you stumbled through your words at first, chasing thoughts too fast for you to catch as they come. Your stories overlapping with one another, but eventually, you’d find your pace, and the images you’ve been trying to paint with clumsy colors and bristle brushes come to life as he plays with your hair. Your free hand motioned along all while.

Orpheus comes back home from an expedition, Orpheus married Eurydice, in haste and in love. One day later, depending on the story, he would either give his beloved Eurydice a funeral first before he finds the river, or he would leave straight for the underworld.

One way or another, Orpheus would find himself in front of Hades and his wife Persephone with a near endless line of phantoms and one giant three-head dog following him. In front of Hades, he plays a melody with all of his misery and grief. His fingers nimble and skilled despite the long travel, his voice lamenting and steady, he all but begged senses into the Gods and for him to be able to live his life together with Eurydice, for just one life. The Gods, then, moved by Orpheus love, allowed him to take Eurydice back, but under one condition.

“Eurydice will not go in front, not even for a single second. And Orpheus will pass through the gates without looking back, not even one glance. Until they returns to the land of the living, together.”

You said it with such longing in your eyes, the pain vivid in his mind. Nevertheless, you continued.

“Some people said the Gods are nefarious and thought of Orpheus as a foolish mortal, coming to their door and demanding his wife back without the bravery to follow her into the dark, they gave him a shadow and tricked him into looking back and let him rotted in his despair.” You look into his eyes and he can see himself in yours, “I don’t like those one that much, but it doesn’t change the meaning of the story.” You looked away before he can decipher his own expression, he wondered what he looked like to you at times.

“Then what about the others?”

“Arguably, they’re much more heartbreaking.”

Orpheus would walk on, away from the hallway filled with the coldness of the dark and the warm of the fire. On and away into the path leading back to the earth, all on his own at first. Then somewhere along the way, his lone footstep was joined by another. Soft pitter-patter right behind him.

Sometimes, it would falter, stopping for a bit, as if it have something to say. Sometimes, it’s chased his heels, a breeze by the nape of his neck, as if wanting to touch. But she never talks, and he would never touch her.

“There’s also version where he hears her calling for him too, but Orpheus stayed strong.”

You pulled a piece of paper on the coffee table, but unable to do anything else, you tear it into small pieces with the end of your nails as he laughs and nuzzles your still-imprisoned hand.

Loving Orpheus walked through the dark tunnel and sat on the boat as Charon paddled them back to the opening, holding strong. Until they’re at the gate, Orpheus at the front, Eurydice walking behind. He would be right there before the end of his journey, and then,

“-one way or another, he looked back.”

You stop to contemplate, then with a heavy heart, you sigh. “Some said he doubted himself at the last minute, some said he never trusted it in the first place. I don’t mind any of them, but there’s also one where Eurydice stumbled and he couldn’t help himself from turning around and catch her in his arm. That and the one where he forgot she also needs to walk out the gate, not just him.”

He huffs. “What a fool he is. I sure hope you’re not telling me all this just to call me a twit, darling.”

At that, you sprang up, “Hey! You say that because you’re cynical! The point isn’t that Orpheus is an idiot!”  Alastor briefly mourned your warmth as you wildly gestured and sputtered. “Orpheus looked back and in every one of them, he saw her for a single split of a second before she disappeared!” you all but bemoaned, as if crying to Zeus himself for justice. “He'd try to go back to the underworld, but no mortal is allowed in even once, let alone trying to come back again!”

Deflating next to him, you flopped down and loses all your fight and bites, ending it with a solemn, “In all the stories, he got torn to pieces by women. That’s how his story end.”

You sink into the cushions and turned to Alastor as he clapped and cheer for you, “That was a fantastic recounting! You truly have a way of commanding attention from the audience! I should really get you on one of my broadcast some day!”

Alastor wasn’t fibbing at all, he really does love your story. Your passionate nature for things you hold dear, to the point where you can’t ever properly capture them in anyway -albeit juvenile at times- was, and always will be his most favorite trait of yours (especially since it’s often about him. Alastor is nothing but a prideful man, one who’s proud to admit he'd preened like a peacock at your attention); but he might as well call it all a bore to your face, with how your brows drawn together and your one visible eye squinted at him. He can tell your energy for the day is running low, alongside the fact you’re somewhat miffed by something he can’t wrapped his head around, so he pulls you close.

“Now, why so quiet, dear? Did Hades took your voice along with that fool's beloved muse? You know yours truly would never dare to make a mockery of you or your stories.”

You dissected his ever-lasting smile, as if looking for any hint of a lie. Which, admittedly, bruised his pride a bit. But his jest did go on for a bit too long in the beginning, so he relented. When you’re satisfied with your conclusion, you turned away. Thinking deeply to yourself for mere seconds before you ask, “What do you think about the story though?”

“Is this one of those quizzes where there’s a wrong answer?” he grinned as you lean a bit closer, silently asking for permission before setting yourself into his side.

“If there’s one then you would’ve failed Al.”

“Ah, what a pity it would be~.” He set his arm around you and close his eyes. “What do I think of it…Why-”

With a snap of his fingers, he cheerfully exclaimed, “It’s quite the tale. Quite the tale if I have to be frank! Such a wonderful and tragic story with such wondrous derivations too!" He waves his arms in the air, "I can see why you would be fascinated with this! The romantic you are. Orpheus love for his dear Eurydice is truly admirable, truly. Though, I’d recommend him to be more careful next time. There were black smokes running from the candles, for crying out loud!”

Seemingly satisfied, although with the slightest hint of disappointment, you nodded along. “I don’t think there’s going to be a next time, but it was really silly. If black smoke starts to come out of my candles at my wedding? The wedding would just turn into baptism for the day. But I also get them though.” You nudges your head under his chin. “I mean, if you die of a snake bite right after our wedding, I’d also go to the underworld for you.”

Never mind the irony in the fact you two are in Hell, or the fact that his rotting heart beats just a bit faster at the idea of your casual tone while admitting you would go so far for him. He slyly chides, “Why, you want me to die by poison in a forest alone? How bewitchingly heartless of you~.”

“Hey! you wouldn’t be there alone…the snake should still hang around for long enough!”

Throwing his head back and shaking it left to right, his cackles fills the room as you hit him square in his shoulder while clamming your mouth shut.

“Ah, yes, yes. I won’t be alone at all, would I?” he sigh, “After all, even in the underworld, you would be right there, looking for me! Charming thing as you are, putting everyone in a trance with your words as you walk through the path leading to that grandiose fire palace!”

You opted to settled back into his shoulder afterwards, sounding more and more drowsy as the time catches up to you. “And then when I walked out of the place, you’ll be right behind me, right?” He grips you just a bit tighter, even when your voice are this quiet, he still wants to keep it to himself.

 “I will be right behind you~. And I will do everything I can just for you to turn back and look at me.”

Alastor would be slightly concerned for your silence, if not for the fact that when he cranked his head to peak at you, you looked like the saddest little rodent in the world, head lulling back and forth as you try to keep yourself awake and formulate any slight resemblance of a respond.

“…You know, dear? I wouldn’t mind you resting here for the night. If you don’t mind sleeping on this couch that is.”

“Hm?…Oh. Oh! Thanks! You can drop me here once you’re done with whatever you’re doing then…” He choose to not mention the fact that he’s also going to be on the same couch for the rest of the night, you don’t need to know he’ll be sitting here until morning comes.

“Al…” As he’s reaching for his book, assured that you were dozing off, you suddenly call out to him, voice weak and droning.

“Yes, dear?”

“Which version of Orpheus mistake do you like the most?”

His claws weaves through your hair as he tries to recall the page number, knowing he’ll returned to it in just a bit. “What a delightful question! Personally, I find the idea of the fool forgetting about the rules and turning around because he just couldn’t hold himself back oh-so amusing!” he find it amusing, because not in a million years would he ever made that mistake. “What about you, dear? What do you think?”

“I think I like all of them. Because in all of them, Orpheus failed because he love Eurydice so badly.”

With ears pricked up and hand held in the air, hovering above your head just before he shake the feeling off and resume. “Hm, I didn’t quite catch that-” Laughing, just a tad bit taken aback, he look at you again, “Care to explain your thoughts?”

You yawn and nestled yourself against him, he can hear the sound of his own heart in his throat. He can feel his left ear flickering against the top of his head.

“Orpheus wasn’t ever going to get Eurydice back, either by interference or by normal circumstances. Because he go to the underworld and made a deal due to his love for Eurydice.”

It's a tragedy in the making, a mistake set to happen over and over again. Because Orpheus is a fool, and he loved Eurydice with all of his heart.

“He find his way to the underworld for Eurydice after losing her, only to then lost her again despite the trouble he went through. If he really is a coward, then he would’ve just live on without her from the start.” You shivered, a wandering breeze ran from the inner swamp to your spot. The fire place burns just a bit hotter. “But he made Hades and Persephone listened to his mourning, walked all the way to the gate, and then tries to go back and do it all again.” With eyes knitted shut, you mumbled to yourself, “He must’ve been so relieved and happy to finally have her back after everything …”

“To the point he would forget, and Orpheus looked back.”

"Yeah... you got it..."

Your head back in his lap, like how this silly story time began, except this time Alastor feels beyond unnerved by the churning in his stomach. It’s not exactly unwelcome, but he finds himself utterly exasperated by the fact he can’t properly recall what he was supposed to be doing.

“Alastor?” He thought you would’ve fallen asleep by now, but your eyes are still ever so slightly open, staring at him while your muttering something barely comprehensible, “Do you think you would’ve looked back?”

Just as easily as you said it in your hazy state, he's at a lost for words. Unable to properly be acquainted with the taste of honest word just yet, Alastor bend down just enough to placed a chaste kiss on the tip of your nose and try to find his voice as you hummed.

“Let’s us hope that we won’t ever have to find out, will we?” It’s unbecoming of himself, but he’s placing his all on you not remembering his wavering expression. “How about you then?” he whispered, Alastor don’t pray, but he hope you’ll forget the pain in his voice. “Will you promise me you’ll look back for me, even if it means we will never meet again until you rotted away?”

“I will.”

As your breathing finally evens and falls into a rhythm underneath a red duvet, Alastor find himself smiling a near unfamiliar smile, claws tapping in rhythm as he take a moment to himself.

“How very cruel of you, mon Chéri.”

He started from the beginning, already forgotten most of the plot in a night. He would look back, he thought to himself, eyes scanning a story about an old man beloved new coat. If looking back means he loved you more than the air he breathes, then Alastor will always look back. But unlike the foolish Orpheus, he will be the only mortal that entered the underworld more than once, as many time as it will takes him, as long as it means he can find you again.

(some say that at the end of his life and the beginning of his death. Orpheus would find himself amongst the phantoms, lost and wandering. and as Persephone see his wandering shadow, she plucked him from his misery. when he open his eyes for the first time again since his death, Eurydice is there, as beautiful as the day he lost her.)

[spell-cleaver]

One thing I've always wondered is how Vader didn't sense either Luke (or Leia's for that matter) force presence on the first death star. I guess he was super caught up in with the whole "I sense the old coot who cut off my limbs amd left me to burn" thing, but I like to think obi-wan was masking the pair by just being obnoxiously loud with the force (the force equivalent of him walking into a room with multiple air horns and a boom box blasting away)

Wow, I had THOUGHTS about this one.

Honestly? I'm not a fan of the assumption in a lot of fic and by fans that it's super easy to passively sense someone in the Force. I have used it myself, of course, but I say from experience it restricts writing a lot while... not actually having a ton of backing in the films? (I'm referring to the films here, not to any other media, just because when I want to analyse lore, I only take them as canon; when I'm just looking for cool worldbuilding for a fic, though, anything goes.)

It's not just Leia that Vader doesn't sense on the Death Star. He doesn't sense Luke either, even though Luke is right there screaming when Vader kills Obi-Wan. It's more of an issue with Leia ofc because he literally used the mind probe on her but only finds that "her resistance... is considerable". An easy answer is that I headcanon Leia is a naturally good shielder, which is why she was never found on the Death Star and also why all of the Jedi in ROTS were surprised there were two babies - Leia had been naturally shielding herself, so they just sensed Luke.

But if we go more in-depth into the films' representations of the Force, Vader only senses Luke when he's actively chasing him as a pilot; he comments that "The Force is strong with this one" only when Luke is using the Force to aim and fire his shot. For me, this implies that you can only sense other Force users powerfully or distinctly when they're actively using the Force. I know why fic prefers not to go that way - I for one have used the "Vader senses Luke immediately" plot to get Luke captured many a time - but it's a fun thing to consider. Also, the Force is a soft magic system. It does functionally whatever the story needs it to.* Which is why Vader can sense Luke approaching Endor in ROTJ when Palpatine couldn't, but he had to be told by an officer when Luke's ship was approaching Cloud City in ESB.** There are many examples where a Force user just didn't sense someone else. Luke not sensing Yoda in ESB, Obi-Wan not sensing Dooku's presence on Geonosis, the Jedi non sensing Maul in TPM, the Jedi not sensing Palpatine for the whole prequel trilogy.

You could argue that those examples are of trained Force wielders shielding themselves, but I would argue that Qui-Gon can't sense Anakin in TPM. He doesn't show interest in Anakin until after they've left Watto's shop and Anakin starts talking to him. Anakin is the literal son of the Force and the most powerful Force wielder ever, but Qui-Gon was talking to Watto for a while without batting an eyelash at the small supernova in his shop. He didn't start to suspect until he heard about his racing, his instincts, spoke to him to notice his insights. Then still he spoke to Shmi about him to confirm his suspicions that "he can see things before they happen", watched him while he flew, and took a midichlorian count. I think the Force might well have been nudging Qui-Gon to look at Anakin, to suspect something, but I don't think he sensed Anakin himself as Force sensitive - at least, not immediately. Which is how I think you can explain all the instances of people going "I felt his presence." They were either using the Force, or familiar as Force sensitives to the person sensing them, or the Force wielder in general had an instinct that there was something special about this person, I should pay attention...

This has been a long ramble, but the short answer is: I headcanon Leia as naturally good at shielding. I think it fills multiple Star Wars plot holes.***

But I think it's also worth interrogating the fact that fandom seems to approach and conceptualise of the Force as a hard magic system, with clearly defined rules, rather than the soft magic system it is.**** Anything goes in Star Wars! It can be annoying if the writing doesn't sell it well enough, but I really love that aspect of the worldbuilding. And considering that the Force is a big fat plot device as well as giving people magical instincts for things that are Plot Relevant and things that aren't, I think it's a lot more interesting to consider that the Force isn't a superpower that lets you sense everything. Vader didn't detect Leia simply because he didn't. Sometimes they fail to do that. And it allows you to show growth in character and situation when that fact changes. Vader doesn't sense Luke in ANH until he's Plot Relevant to Vader's personal story. He doesn't sense Luke until he's fighting him in ESB. But in ROTJ, once they're both invested in their relationship and fated to meet, they're drawn together like stars caught in a mutual orbit.

That's the explanation I prefer. Because although it's less consistent, it's not unbelievable. It leaves uncertainty, mysticism, the chance for exploration in the galaxy. And most importantly, it tells a damn good story. Which, while this may not be true of people who love collecting lore and figuring the galaxy out, is ultimately what I'm here for.

*This is why so many random new powers can get added and explored in later movies and such, and also why I don't really get het up about it when they do add them. It just depends how you incorporate that new power. Usually, if a villain suddenly has a new power no one knew about (like Palpatine's lightning in ROTJ) it just ups the stakes, while if a hero suddenly has a new power it can feel like it cheapens their victory, like they haven't earned it; a deus ex machina. So messing about with Force powers is fine, it just depends how you incorporate them in the story.

**Admittedly this can be explained by the bond being formed when Luke learned the truth, but you know what I mean.

***I was only talking about the movies here, but there's also that moment in the Kenobi series where she's captured by Inquisitors and still no one notices she's Force sensitive??? There's just a lot of moments like this littered all over Star Wars, so this headcanon covers a lot of them.

****I kept using the terms hard/soft magic system without really explaining it here, but here's some good videos to dig into it: Soft Magic Systems | Hard Magic Systems

[yellowhollyhock]

Mutant Mayhem Raph vs Batman Leo

Mutant Mayhem Raph lifted a car, swam with broken ribs and kept his head afterwards dealing with the PDs, he dreams about fighting every night. He's fairly green (ha), but he's a mean green fighting machine! Also the moment when he tells Leo he sounded like a leader, besides melting my heart in spite of being immediately undercut, shows that he's observant about people (I'd say we see that again with Hun).

Weaknesses: he needs to learn his body's limitations so he doesn't burn himself out. Also, in classic Raph fashion, can get overzealous and rush in without assessing the situation. I don't think either factor into today's fight, though; it's a pretty straightforward situation, and it's not like his body is gonna collapse here and now. Biggest relevant weakness I s'pose is lack of experience

Batman Leo is precise and relentless and resourceful and very internally conflicted due to paralyzing fear of something bad happening to his brothers. So let's see, how are his brothers doing so far?

Mikey - lost pretty soundly, and ough it was to a Leo... oof. Good news though, it was near the start of the tournament, he's probably all good chillaxing enjoying concessions and company now

Donnie did pretty well against COOTS Mikey, nothing to worry about there

Raph lost a close one with 07 Donnie. Might be a bit bruised, perhaps ego also. Actually I feel like Raph would handle the loss pretty well but what's relevant right now is how Leo would handle it.

So how dangerous does he consider alternate versions of himself and his brothers?

Having two brothers lose might have him a bit distracted and possibly he could feel conflicted about his fight.

However, having seen the tournament go on for a while now, he probably already has the idea that there's no real danger. He has more experience, so as long as he keeps his head he has a good chance

Although he did lose against Damian so maybe he'd underestimate Raph because of his age

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

“Leona!! There’s my cute baby brother. It’s so good to see you.” Farena smiles as bright as the sun, it’s blinding. He carries Cheka in his arms, and Cheka waves and squeals. “Ojitan, we came to see you!!” “That’s right, you haven’t visited home in so long so we decided to come to you instead. How’ve you been, Leona? How is school? Have you made new friends? Anything fun happen recently?”

While writing this interaction, I tried to keep the dynamic of Mufasa and Scar and Simba and Scar in mind. The brothers themselves were often in opposition, but Scar often said phrases which could be easily misconstrued as playful or caring in the eyes of a child like Simba. I wanted to get similar vibes down for Leona interacting with Falena and Cheka!

Not me making Falena basically drop an Uncle Iroh line--

Family means Nobody is Left Behind or Forgotten.

The second Falena and Cheka paraded into his room, Leona bolted up from the bed. Every hair on his tail stood on end, his eardrums ringing, as his senses rushed to process the nightmare playing out before him: his brother and nephew announcing their arrival. All sunshine, and too much of it.

Leona burrowed back under his blankets and buried his face in a pillow. It’s just a bad dream, he told himself. They’ll go away if you ignore them for long enough.

“Leona! Are you still taking a cat nap? Rise and shine, baby bro!!” He felt a hand on his back. Meant to be encouraging, he presumed.

“Who exactly’s your ‘baby bro’ here?” Leona grumbled, wrapping the covers even more tightly around himself. He despised it—the reminder of being second born, and how Falena said it with such ignorant glee.

There was a soft laugh, and the hand on his back retreated. “Old habits die hard. I’m sorry, I know you’re a man now—but to me, you’ve always been my precious younger brother. Please, won’t you see us?”

A mass came upon his mattress, excited bouncing causing the springs to creak. “Wake up, Ojitan!! It’s time to get up and play with me and Papa!! You promised to show me how to play magift, remember?”

Dread immediately set into Leona. If he didn’t move soon, Cheka would be jumping on his belly instead of on his bed.

Defeated, Leona irritably dragged himself up, wearing his blanket like it was a cloak. It fell low, hooding messy bangs and shading his eyes. Bright green and discerning against the shadows.

“Ojitan’s up!! I did it, Papa, I did it!!” Cheka cheered. He spun in a circle, pumping his tiny fists.

His father scooped him up with a hearty laugh. “Atta’ boy! You got your uncle good!”

“If you’ll pardon the interruption to your merriment,” Leona cut in with a drawl, “to what do I owe this pleasure? It’s not every day when the King of the Sunset Savanna deigns to walk among the masses.”

Falena’s cheer faltered. His sibling’s biting sarcasm cut deep, even after all these years of growing accustomed to it. “You don’t need to be so formal with me, Leona,” he advised patiently. “We’re family.”

“Fine.” Leona crossed his arms. He didn’t speak the counter that was on his mind: but family doesn’t have to like each other. “Where are your bodyguards? It’s dangerous for high profile people to roam the campus unattended, especially today, when the NRC gates are open to outsiders.”

“We have our ways of slipping away from them. Don’t we, champ?” Falena ruffled his son’s hair, and Cheka beamed a little too proudly.

… So that’s where the furball learned it from. He shouldn’t have been surprised.

“A king and a prince ditching their royal babysitters in favor of singing and dancing the day away… The people would be simply beside themselves if they knew,” Leona simpered. (A smirk tugged at the corner of hjs mouth at the thought of the old coot Kifaji’s panic at losing sight of his sovereign.)

“No one in the world would rather tend to royal duties than spend time with his family. I certainly wouldn’t.”

Leona scowled.

“Ojitan looks kinda scary.“

“He’s just making a funny face at you,” Falena reassured his son.

“Oooh, I get it!! I can make a funny face too!! Watch me!!” Hooking his index fingers, Cheka pried the sides of his mouth and wiggled his tongue. “Blegh!!”

“Real charming there, kid,” Leona said dryly.

“Thanks!!” The reply was earnest, not understanding one bit of the edge to Leona’s voice.

Falena smiled warmly at his son. "… Cheka, I have an idea. Why don’t you run along and prepare the magift equipment to play a round? You can get some help and form teams by asking the nice young men around Savanaclaw.”

“That sounds really fun!! But Papa… what about you and Ojitan?”

Falena gently set Cheka down. A hand found its way into the lion cub’s mane, ruffling it once more. “Your uncle and I will be out in a moment to join you. We need to talk about something important first.”

It was good enough of an answer for Cheka.

“Okay!! I’ll do a good job, promise!! We’ll have the most funnest magift game ever!”

“That’s my boy.”

Cheka took of racing out and down the hallway. His eager, high-pitched voice carries through the wide open spaces. Inquiries directed at passing students, asking if they wanted to play, or if they knew where the right gear was.

Falena waited for the noise to subside—for Cheka for be out of earshot—before he met Leona’s gaze again. His younger brother’s expression was sullen, gleaming eyes almost sunken into the darkness of his blanket hood.

“So kind of you to grant me a private audience, your majesty.”

Falena did not back away. He glanced at the unoccupied space on Leona’s bed.

“May I?”

“By all means. It’s not like you didn’t already barge in unannounced. What’s the use in denying you a seat?”

“… Thank you.”

Falena sat gingerly for a man of his size, careful to not disturb his brother. The bed frame creaked, now bearing the weight of two fully grown Kingscholars. A shared family legacy between them.

“… I know if was rude of us to surprise you like that. I apologize. I couldn’t help it. I wanted to see how you’d been doing at school.”

“A text or a call would have been more than enough.”

“Ah, but then you’d leave it on read or pretend the signal was bad and you were breaking up.”

Leona stared incredulously at his brother. Falena grinned like a cat that had gotten to the cream.

“I know most of your tricks by now.”

“Oh, good. I’ll have to brainstorm new ones to outwit you.”

“A text or a call wouldn’t have been enough anyway. I wanted to see the school that changed you for myself.” Falena gestured around them, at the blue sky waiting beyond the window. “And, of course, I wanted to see my changed brother for myself as well.”

“You’re mistaken. I haven’t changed at all. I’m still as miserable of a wretch as I ever was.”

“I beg to differ. You visited home for the first time in forever on winter break. You even brought some friends with you to Catch the Tail.”

“Whatever it takes to placate you and Kifaji,” Leona snorted.

“I think you’re deflecting. Big brothers know these kinds of things. It’s like my secret sense.” Placing his hands on the bed, Falena tilted his head back. His eyes were on the ceiling, but his words were directed at Leona. “You always avoided coming home before. Never quite liked it. Now you’re making a little more of an effort of it, even if it’s difficult for you.”

“Whatever would give you that impression, brother dearest?”

“Come on, Leona. I don’t have bugs for brains. I can tell when you’re uncomfortable or unhappy, or when you don’t want to do something. You’ve always been the stubborn type.”

Leona cursed internally. The palace servants would have called it the king’s sensitivity—but to the younger brother, it was nothing more than an annoyance.

Falena chuckled, elbowing Leona. “Something happened at school recently, didn’t it? Something that made you reconsider.”

Leona held his tongue. There was so much to tell, and none of it he wanted to be told.

I hurt other students to get a chance to prove myself. I plotted a stampede to take out the leader of a rival dorm. I Overblotted.

I conspired with fresh meat to infiltrate and steal. I dusted an octopunk’s contracts. I put together a stage.

I got hauled off to a secret underwater research facility and experimented on. I fought ancient Phantoms. And I… thought about the past, the future... and my role in it.

I survived all of that. I’m still here.

“A lot of things have happened,” Leona said vaguely. “There’s nothing for you to get your tail in a twist over. School's uneventful. It’s just me and my good chums livin’ it up.”

"Chums?" Falena's face brightened considerably. "Aw, so you have made friends after all! I'm so proud of you for finally opening up, Leona!"

He recoiled with disgust. "Hah?! Don't give me that 'power of friendship' bull crap, it sounds like something the Daikon Radish Sprout would quote from one of the shows he obsesses over."

"Don't be shy!! You've even got cute little nicknames for your buddies! I bet you stay up late into the night to talk about your hopes and dreams too."

"Hardly."

Falena laughed at the automatic, snappy response. Only he, the sunlight to Leona's shadows, could. "You're doing just fine. I'm glad."

"You're relieved that I won't disgrace the royal family."

Falena shook his head, letting red locks fall over his shoulders. "I was never angry or upset with you. I was sad because I was afraid you had lost your way in the dark. But you managed to find your way to the light again with the help of your friends. That's what I'm glad about."

Ever the brother's keeper, like a gnat to a wildebeest.

"Hmph. Despite what you say, you've yet to get out of my fur."

"As I've said, old habits die hard." Falena attempted at a chuckle, but it came out awkwardly. "... Say, Leona. Have you given some thought into what you'll do for your internship next year? Then there's your graduation...

"Things are changing so fast. It feels like just yesterday when father was still well, and we were still cubs wrestling in the savanna. Kifaji would tell us off, but we'd conspire to sneak off to explore the Elephant Graveyard anyway. You'd always beat me at chess, and Kifaji would beat you at your game. We'd dare each other to eat bugs from a pile, trying to find the one that tastes like chicken first.

"Still children, not yet king and prince, not yet shouldering the weight of our adult responsibilities. Now the older we get, the more and more we seem to drift apart, and the worse off father becomes."

"You're blabbering," Leona sighed, lowering the covers he had been cocooned in. His chocolate mane and lion ears made themselves known. "What's the point in reminiscing? We can never return to those days. Your eyes should be set on a future littered with prizes. You'll never seize them if you continue to fixate on the past."

"You're right." Falena smiled, looking properly at Leona still nestled in his sheets--but slowly inching out of them. "I've said this before, and I'll say it again. You're an intelligent young man, with a good head on your shoulders. You have skills and strengths that I could never dream of having."

"You're going to start on another one of your cooperation spiels, aren't you." Leona said it as a statement, not as a question.

"I hope you don't see it that way. No, I... I'd like to join hands with you again, brother." Falena offered an open hand, his entire being shining with hope. "Like we did in the past, this time for the future. Together, I firmly believe we can usher in a new era of peace and prosperity for the Sunset Savanna."

"What..."

Leona stared at the waiting hand like it was a bear trap with a tasty morsel. If he reached, those steel jaws would clamp around him, hurting him once more.

"What makes you think I'll accept the same speech you've thrown at me for years and years? It's the same song and dance."

"I know you, Leona. And I know that you must have had a change of heart, however small it may be. Here, at Night Raven College, you've become different."

Falena's fingers curled, and the hand retracted back to his lap. "You don't need to give me your answer now. Please, just consider it seriously. That would be enough for me."

"As always, you're endlessly optimistic."

"We balance each other out."

The sun had risen high in the sky, crowning another day. A fresh wave of heat pervaded the room.

Leona's blanket slipped to his waist, the material pooling at his legs. He emerged from the covers like a lion from its den.

"How fortunate," Leona purred, "killing two birds with one stone. A diplomatic meeting and a courtesy call rolled into one."

If only you were usually this efficient with handling your duties.

From down the hallway came the tmp, tmp tmp of footsteps. They grew progressively louder by the second, like a cheer swelling into an uproar. People coming closer, a crowd gathering.

A new game about to start.

“But unfortunately for you, my most exalted elder brother Falena…”

Leona stood at last, casting off his blanket in one glorious motion. It fluttered to the ground, no longer needed to shelter the beastman from the world--nor the world from him.

“I don’t play by your rules," Leona announced, his lips pulled back into a cocksure smirk.

BAM!!

At that moment, an out-of-breath Cheka came sprinting into the room, thrusting the door open. He was followed by a stampede of footsteps, hoots, and hollers--a whole pack of Savanaclaw students wielding brooms and a golden frisbee.

Through rosy cheeks, the cub declared, "Papa!! Ojitan!! We're ready!"

Chanting students echoed his sentiment.

"Perfect timing, furball." Leona languidly stepped off of his mattress, hands in his pockets. He was a king descending from his throne to be among his people.

He cast a glance at Falena, still seated on the bed, and felt his smirk widen. "I'm doing things my own way... and that includes wiping the floor with you in magical shift. Isn't that right, boys?"

The group broke out into rapturous barking. Stomping, clapping.

"Yeeeeah!! Let's body him, Leona-san!!"

"You could totally take him, dorm leader!!"

"Leona-senpai, fight, fight, fight!"

Oblivious Cheka, at the head of the group of absurdly burly young men, threw his arms up and squealed. "Everyone's so excited to play together!"

"Haha, you have such an enthusiastic group of supporters, Leona." Falena rose from the bed himself and turned to his brother. Sun and shadow, staring at each other in the face. "I would be honored to play a match with you. How about you and Savanaclaw on one team, and myself and the royal procession on the other team? We could ring up Kifaji to referee."

"What about me, Papa? What can I do?"

"Hmm... well, it'd be dangerous for a young one like you to play against older kids and adults. Maybe you could fetch water for the players?"

"Awww..." Cheka's ears flattened, his tail hanging in dismay. "But bringing water's not playing."

"Your dad's right, furball. Listen to him." Leona groaned, nudging the child. "You don't want to get caught up in the crossfires."

"Huh? Crossfires? There's no fire though."

"Oh, there is."

Leona's eyes, an immaculate shade of emerald circled by shadows, glinted with newfound promise and vigor.

This time, I'm settling the score... by my own rules.

[triscribeaucollection]

take it high, take it far (Take It Home)

The absolute best fics are the ones that make you constantly crack up while being written, right? Right. Also, does it technically count as "accidental baby acquisition" if the reason for the acquisition is Garp the Fist literally tossing an unknown baby at you? Who knows!

---

Later (much later) Shanks will absolutely take the blame for this.

His Observation Haki was far and away better than Buggy’s; even in the middle of arguing about their next step, whether to find yet another pirate crew or start finally one instead, whether to stay together or split up, Shanks should have noticed the all too familiar presence bearing down on them like the avalanche to end all avalanches. Instead, their impending doom didn’t register until a pair of enormous hand shot into the alley he and Buggy were using for their argument, and seized each of them by the shirt collar.

“BRATS!” Garp the Fist bellowed, hauling both teens out into daylight. “Been wondering where you two went!”

“Shit!” Buggy screeched. Bits of him immediately flew apart, trying to bolt back down the alley and presumably to safety - except Garp adjusted his grip, getting an Armament-coated hand around the boy’s neck, and holding on with just enough pressure to keep his head from going anywhere.

Shanks could have struggled as well. Could have squirmed against the hold on his shirt, tried slipping out of the loose garment entirely, maybe even put his own Haki to use for all the good it would do. But he didn’t. He just let himself dangle, like a wet cat, with a despairing attitude of this may as well happen. (Roger was gone, Rayleigh nowhere to be found, no home or crew he’d grown up with, probably no Buggy soon, if the other teen got his way about splitting up-)

Garp gave Buggy a good hard shake, prompting his loose body parts to come streaking back, and then started carrying both of them down towards the docks. “Come on, brats! No good hanging around a seedy port like this, we’ve got places to be!”

“We do?” Shanks asked, bewildered, even as his gaze caught on a bar they passed by. Apparently Garp noticed, or else just didn’t like the question, seeing as he gave Shanks a good hard shake next.

When the world finally stopped spinning, they got maybe three seconds of a nice view of the ocean, before the Hero of the Marines straight up tossed both teenagers in a high arc, clear over the docks to land directly in a small sailboat. They screamed, of course. And again, when Garp dropped onto the tiny deck himself, causing the vessel to bob sharply and send waves out in all directions.

“Hey wait wait wait-!” Buggy tried to disentangle himself from being wrapped around Shanks, presumably to jump for safety, but Garp untied their mooring lines and pushed away from the dock too quickly. The sudden shove and abrupt movement almost sent Buggy toppling over the railing; Shanks caught and hauled him back, causing them to fall into a heap again. Garp snorted at the pair, tugging on a couple of lines to drop the sail. It caught the wind and fully unfurled with a dramatic snap a moment later, at which point trying to get back to shore would involve a lot more open water than Shanks felt comfortable letting Buggy near.

So. No longer in possible imminent danger of losing his best friend, and also off the hook to choose his next step right away, the red-haired boy let himself sprawl across the deck and stay there, ignoring how Buggy continued to berate/bargain/beg Garp, demanding to know what the old coot was thinking, offering treasure they didn’t have as a bribe, pleading to be let go and not arrested.

The old man just snorted again. “You aren’t under arrest, brats! I don’t know what you’ve been up to in the past couple years, and I don’t need to!” Shanks flinched; nearly two years since Roger’s execution, he should be able to handle casual reminders, but... they still hurt. “I’m on vacation right now anyway, you might as well come with me! Say, maybe afterward, you could sign up to join the marines!”

“HELL no,” both Shanks and Buggy hollered, visceral in their rejection of that particular idea. Garp didn’t push it; the line used to be a joke, whenever he fought Roger, that a couple of cabin boys couldn’t possibly want to really grow up and be pirates, they should enlist instead! It always got a rise out of their Captain, the threat that Garp might poach his kids, which was really the point more than any sincere offer.

It used to be funny.

Emphasis on ‘used to’.

Apparently Garp recognized that he’d crossed a line, as the old man didn’t say anything else for a minute. Neither did Buggy, or Shanks. And that meant all three of them heard it clearly, when a baby started to cry.

Shanks shot upward from his sprawl. Buggy’s eyes popped open so wide they threatened to fall right out of his head. Garp just huffed, and lashed a line to hold the ship’s wheel in place before he ducked into the tiny cabin. They could hear his muffled words drift through the open door: “Ahh, what are you fussing for, huh? Hungry? Need a change?” The crying tapered off. “...hmph, guess you just don’t want to miss the excitement. Here we go, then-”

Sure enough, when Garp stepped back out, he came with a baby carefully cradled in one hand. Buggy squeaked, and Shanks finished scrambling all the way up onto his feet. “Whyyy do you have a baby?”

“He’s my grandson!” Garp grinned. “Here!” And without further to-do, he tossed the infant.

Shanks dove forward with a yelp; even as he caught the kid in both outstretched arms, Buggy’s disembodied hands pressed up from below, supportive despite trembling with panic. “GARP! You can’t just throw a baby!”

“Sure I can,” the marine said, dismissive, already turned away to rummage in a crate. “Ace is strong, he can handle it! Did a lot of tossing him up and catching him again on the way here, makes him laugh!”

Kid wasn’t laughing now. Granted, that might have been because he was too busy staring up at Shanks, and Buggy leaning over his shoulder. Cute little guy, Shanks could admit. Very squishy looking. Then, without warning, two tiny hands reached up, pudgy fingers grasping at red strands- “OW,” Shanks yelped, the grip on his hair a lot stronger than he’d have guessed a baby that small could manage. Buggy, the bastard, just cackled at him, leaning away from the other little hand waving in his direction.

Shanks really hoped Garp’s vacation destination wasn’t too far away.

---

Posted on AO3 as of about an hour ago!

[trashcanwithsprinkles]

Who do you think would be friends with whom between the Fatui and the people from Guili Assembly?

Say, the Tsaritsa and Labolas 'coz they're both Childe's mother figures.

What about Arlecchino, Guizhong and the others?

you're probably right about the tsaritsa and labolas, but i think the tsaritsa and guizhong would also get along rather well. also the tsaritsa and morax. that woman will adopt literally everyone that looks younger than her. arlecchino in this au is Actually A Good Parent to the orphanage kids, so she'd probably end up being all like "go spend time with your boyfriend, Tartaglia, i'll take care of the kids" and all the children of the assembly would immediately adopt her as their wine aunt from a different world. she'd also get along great with skirochka. i think you can add pulcinella to this as well. i think columbina and sandrone would get along nicely with madame ping, and sandrone would be like... fondly exasperated of guizhong's needling about how her wheelchair works. capitano would probably get along rather well with morax and depth claws. and like. zhihao. it'd be funny. i think moon carver and mountain shaper would inadvertedly adopt pierro and pulcinella into their old coots club. pulcinella would enjoy chatting with them while pierro just sits there wondering what his life has become. he'd never admit he actually finds the topics of conversation interesting. as for the rest, i honestly don't know. i think pantalone and guizhong and morax would have quite a bit to talk about, but i find it kinda funny to think that pantalone would get along like a house on fire with urth (sal vindagnyr's princes). i know she was hardly in the story but i had a bit of personality thought up for her and she'd get along great with pantalone. they would bully dottore to hell and back together. i'd also like to think he'd take a liking to nadezhda.

i think scara and trail clearer would get along well. also aspasia. like i think if you sit scara down to just chat with a pair of normal, kinda quiet, kinda lowkey ladies without any expectations he'd rather enjoy himself. free therapy. dottore would NOT let him live it down though.

i have no idea who dottore and signora would get along with. signora i could see ending up with moon carver and mountain shaper in the old coots group just to bully pierro with pulcinella and share gossip with them.

dottore i still got no clue. i guess like. genuinely? if he finds out about ajax' planning to see how he can bring about the blorbos' existence? i think he'd get overly invested in that. like run the calculations make the science do the maths kinda invested. he's a researcher at heart, and if he's not a piece of garbage in this au, then he's not doing reprehensible stuff on the sidelines. ajax comes in one day to visit and offhandedly mentions his idea to arlecchino, who comments it to dottore without really thinking much of it. when ajax next drops by the madman finds him and sits him down for a five-hour presentation on genetics and science and probability and the maths behind the entire operation. he saddles him with a backpack full of folders and papers that ajax can hardly read bc dottore's handwriting is absolute dogshit, and sends him off back to teyvat. ajax has no clue wtf happened. guizhong finds the entire ordeal hilarious.

[quitealotofsodapop]

More details on "Shane the Witch Child" au;

Shane sorta takes over as the "main character" in place of the Farmer in this au cus the Junimos aren't gonna let him forget it.

Shane can't remember his birth parents. Side effect of the Shrine of Memory. He does remember that his birth name means "Gift from Yoba" - though it isn't "Shane".

Although he recovered physically from being "dove'd" as a toddler, the experience was super tramatizing to Shane. Even if he can't remember it fully.

Shane is neurodivergent. It's unconnected to his "doving" experience, he's just born that way. Being undiagnosed for so long + trauma during his early 20s stoked the fire of his alchoholism.

Jas isn't directly related to Shane, but was the daughter of his best friends. Him and said friends followed eachother from childhood to college, and Shane was declared Jas's godfather. Then within one tragic car accident; Shane found himself Jas's only living legal guardian. And because of his injuries sustained in the crash, Shane lost his college gridball scholarship. He moved back in with Marnie after the accident and fell into the bottle ever since.

Marnie isn't an active magic user but being the Witch's sister, is naturally attuned to the magical world. It's why she doesn't question the existance of Void Chickens. To her, they've always just "been there".

Their family have almost always been farmers, going back generations - the sole exception being the Witch, and her and Marnie's father.

The family has had a business-type association with "Grandpa" from the farm north of the ranch for... wait. How old was that coot when he passed?

The "Farmers" that inherit Grandpa's old Farm aren't human. Shane is one of the few people able to see this. The lazy second-born Ffion, the one in charge of morning feeds and birds, loves to tease Shane about this fact when they cross paths in the morning. Shane hates this guy especially since he spends all day lazing in the sun and shade like all other serpents.

Shane and Emily get along so well because 1: shared special interest in birds, 2: related struggles with impulse control, and 3: neurodivergent besties. As a fellow neurodivergent person - we tend to accidentally flock together (birds of a feather if you will).

Shane gets super-attached to the birds he's raised personally and can't bring himself to eat bird meat. He's pretty much sees his birds as his kids. He's even ended up raising and releasing many wild birds who's nests got disturbed during Joja Corp development projects. Lapwings, Oystercatchers, Barnacle Geese, Plovers, Gulls, etc.. After his revelation that he wants to raise birds for a living, he starts taking in rescues. (irl reference that inspired this part A Chick Called Albert). He wonders if any of those birds remember him - they do.

Charlie the Chicken isn't allowed in the house unless she's wearing bird diapers. Shane thinks she looks ridiculous. Marnie refutes saying that Shane can sleep in the coop if he so wants - something he honestly considers. Charlie puts up with it so long as she gets to sleep in the bed next to Shane.

Shane encounters Leo early on (long story). He immediately finds a kindred spirit in the little parrot-kid. Leo thinks Shane is a "big blue bird" cus of his Joja Mart uniform, and Shane doesn't correct him. Shane acquires bird-son. Marnie was very relieved/confused when Shane made it back home with a kid and a few wild birds in tow.

The conflict between Joja Mart and the Community Centre is far more drawn out. In conjunction with Shane discovering that he has magic(!!!) despite not believing in the supernatural, he struggles with the ideas of putting Luddism/farming before convenience and stability. He's not gonna drop a decent 9 to 5 to chase a pipe dream if it puts Jas's future at risk. The Junimos will not leave Shane alone though.

Shane accidentally befriends Krobus and the Dwarf. The former because he found out that the shadow spirit was protecting Jas, and the latter because Dwarf admires Shane "protecting the Smoluanu birds" (chickens). Shane is very confused.

Song that inspired this au: "Devil's Train" by The Lab Rats. I leave it up to the imagination exactly who's offering to make Shane a deal.

Let me know what y'all think ;3

[autistic-crypt1d]

Stargate SG-1 Live Blogging:

Season 8

God season 7 was so good I'm so excited!

Seasons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Updates:

- New Order: (Part 1)

- it's so strange they replaced Weir immediately, I gotta Google why that happened

- Teal'c with hair!!

- I love Sam & Teal'c adventures

- Sam's hair looks so white on the ship!

- ahhhh I remember this Goa'uld group, couldn't picture them initially

- damn Replicators

- hell yeah Sam and Teal'c are gonna kick some asssss

- the reflective insulation walls in the ship is such a weird design choice to me, it doesn't look metallic at all but that's the only thing I can assume they were going for

- I'm sorry but Fifth is such a lame ass villain

- poor Sam 😭

- New Order: (Part 2)

- poor Daniel, that is some serious whiplash

- ew god I hate Fifths creepy ass dream of Sam

- Jack fucking with the lights is so funny

- PFFFFFT DANIEL GETTING JUMPSCARED BY THOR

- "ahh got legs" XD

- now that, is one big ass bug

- Daniel immediately calling out for her and running 😭

- "Do we know this... shrub?" XD

- Jack in charge time!!

- bro I was just waiting for him to get beamed up once he said "I'll make this short", it's such a bit at this point XD

- yay Sam promotion!!!

- Fifth is just a worse Michael, and not in a cool way

- Lockdown

- omfg I just remembered what this episode is, damn cockroach Anubis

- Zatted for the second time this episode, poor Daniel

- I'm so sad about this dude, he was so nice and he literally sacrificed himself to save O'Neill 😭

- Zero Hour

- "did I order-?" "No sir" "do I really need-?" "Yes sir" XD

- OM MY GOD THE PLANT

- not Jack locking them in there together XD

- General Hammond would have a fit witnessing this

- "Dear General Hammond, I wish you were here and I was not" poor guy

- the damn plant XD

- is this the one where they learn about Dakaara? I think that's how it's spelled?

- "is it really wise to provoke him?" "It's what I do" accurate

- Icon

- honestly I'm halfway through this and I do not care, too many episodes with this same plot line, I'm skipping

- Avatar

- oh god this one is so cool, but hurts my heart so much

- bro Teal'c's traps are HUGE

- Teal'c plays video games, hell yeah

- I recognize the doctor guy from somewhere

- JASON ANDERSON FROM EUREKA

- poor Teal'c :(

- god him sitting in the hallway defeated is so heartbreaking 😭

- "it will not let me out" ow ow ow

- "it is not possible Daniel Jackson, it is not possible." 😭

- god I love SG-1 so much

- Affinity

- oh god this one

- hell yeah Teal'c XD

- I would really like this episode if I didn't hate the Krista storyline so much

- "three K.O.'s, first round" XD

- ew, Pete

- BRUH I forgot he does that shit at a damn playground

- I just hate that this whole thing with her ruins his whole living off base thing

- not Daniel getting kidnapped AGAIN

- why tf are Sam and Pete in jeans

- ew

- I will say though, I hated the Krista storyline a lot less this time

- Covenant

- oh boy this one

- I'm sorry it's so fucking funny that Thor got on live tv and acted his little heart out

- I love Thor and Jack's friendship so much

- I hate him for putting Sam through that flight dive

- Sacrifices

- "What was my question again?" "How's it going..." "seemed so innocuous at the time" XD

- *finds out his son in engaged* "I have been betrayed" bruh

- omfg the ping pong game

- O'Neill getting nailed with the ball every single serve is so fucking funny. He doesn't even get mad he just continues the conversation

- *sneaks in a hit after Teal'c has already left* "got one" he's so unserious I love it

- his little "oh" as he remembers he's in charge XD

- oml the way Sam spun Daniel around with a hand on his stomach

- wow Kar'yn's smile and features remind me so much of Sha're

- the hand on Sam's shoulder

- "sit down you old coot" omfg XD

- THE HORSE

- Bra'tac is so funny

- this whole episode is funny tbh

- you tell him Bra'tac!

- ya know, I'm really not a fan of the new eye glow

- Endgame

- Daniel XD

- "man I hate to be the guy that has to explain this to the president" IS STANDING NEXT TO THE GUY

- oh man I forgot how many Jaffa die in this one :(

- Teal'c face 😭

- I don't understand why he didn't try to inject him with Tretonin, would it just nit have worked fast enough?

- let's go Daniel!!!

- oop

- the little smile between Daniel and Sam XD

- they're so god damn sassy

- HELL YEAH TEAL'C!

- Gemini

- I'm obsessed with Carter wearing those black tank top things, she looks so badass

- sorry I really don't care about this episode whatsoever

- the part where replicator Sam goes ballistic on everyone is the only cool part

- Prometheus Unbound

- "because I'll quit!" "Why don't you just hold your breath, haven't done that in a while!" They're so fucking funny man

- "please ignore me" "hard to" XD

- *GINORMOUS HICCUP* "damn it to hell!" *sluuuurp sluuuurp* XD

- VALA!!!

- "oh crap" yeeeeaaaaah you're about to have a weird ass time Danny boy

- "but you are very attractive" *wheeze* "what?"

- Vala!!!

- *hiccups* "sorry, kill me now" XD

- WALTER SAYING GODSPEED AHHHH

- "Excellent waking up sir!" BRUH

- Daniel lock her up first dumb dumb

- HELL OF A JAB DANIEL

- this is the funniest fight ever istg

- DANIEL STOP CRAWLING AWAY YOU BABY

- Daniel you're so bad at this

- "you're a fruit cake" XD

- bro not him squeezing her head on the screen like a damn child XD

- Hans Olo, Daniel you nerd

- HER FUCKING SMILE

- HIM CARRYING HER HELP

- It's Good to Be King

- "shifty fella? Beady eyes" PFFFFT

- the time travel jumper!

- this is another episode that I really don't care about very much tbh

- Jack's face as they're chanting for Maybourne XD

- Full Alert

- ugh, Kinsey

- I never remember what the thing is that they show him

- Daniel's face dropping when she disses his Russian is so funny

- omfg this dude has been 3 separate characters in 3 different Stargate shows wtf XD he was the other Runner in SGA, the main dude from the Lucian Alliance group in SGU. And now a Russian soldier in SG1

- ooooooh right, a Goa'uld

- Citizen Joe

- OH MY GOD THIS ONE

- not the Furlings mention XD

- bro the show is dissing on itself so hard right now 😭

- I think the team interactions are great!! They're funny and they act like a bunch of siblings loose in a workplace ever since Jack got promoted

- Joe sobbing in the streets over Daniel's death is so real

- HELP, THE WAY THAT SAM AND DANIEL ARE LOOKING AT JACK

- "didn't you used to be more gold colored?" BRO

- OH MY GOD THE WIG, STOOOOOOP

- it's so bad 😭

- Jack is something else, I love it

- Reckoning: Part 1

- DAMN I forgot she knifed him

- Jacob W

- it is Dakara time!!

- poor Daniel :(

- YEESH

- "insolence" "No, tuna" XD

- Reckoning (Part 2)

- Amanda Tapping is so good at playing replicator Carter

- "ya know, you blow up one sun and everyone expects you to walk on water" XD

- omfg I forgot the replicators got to Earth

- god I love how sassy and confident Daniel is in this

- "you can't control them" "not yet, but I'm learning" AHHHHH SUCH A BADASS MOMENT

- PFFFFT I FORGOT ABOUT THE WILL BIT

- as much as I love Jack out in the field causing chaos in the galaxy, I kinda love Jack defending the base with his life from both terrifying aliens and very persistent plants

- LET'S GO DANIEL!!!

- oh shit I forgot about that stabbing too

- AHHHHHH IT'S SO COOL

- HELL YEAH JAFFA!!!!

- Threads

- the only thing I immediately remember from the title is that Jack is dating someone and I hate it

- OH IT'S THE DINER ONE TOO

- god Pete WHY

- oh god the grill scene

- sometimes they do Sam so dirty and put her in the least flattering and least Sam-like outfits

- OW OW OW

- "I'm gonna die with him Sam" OWOWOWOW

- stop I'm don't remember this being so sad 😭

- AHHHH DANIEL REALIZING HE'S ANUBIS

- thank god Pete is gone finally

- naked flag Daniel XD

- Moebius: Part 1

- man Jacob last episode, Catherine this one

- The arm grab XD

- it's so weird to see SG-1 in a puddle jumper

- oh god, terrible Daniel wig makes a return

- DAVIS WITH A TINY MUSTACE NOOO

- them in the life jackets is so funny

- SAM'S HAIR

- THE CANADIAN EH

- ew, Rodney why

- Moebius: Part 2

- gate ship XD

- poor Daniel

- Teal'c with tears in his eyes at the video 😭 he's come so far y'all I'm gonna cry

- Daniel cannot catch a break man, he's died twice this season alone

- *mid makeout* "I can fix that" XD

- they finally went fishing ♡

Season 9

[trans-peridot]

FFxivWrite Day 4: Reticent

Saw this prompt and immediately knew it would have to be Urianger. Didn't know what, just knew who. In the end I settled on Tayfun's perspective of a certain scene in post-ARR. Spoilers for that, naturally. Urianger's dialogue is verbatim from the game, everything else is my writing.

Tayfun had never seen Urianger cry before. Perhaps simply because he’d never had cause in her presence, perhaps because of the dark goggles always obscuring his eyes. But more importantly than either of those reasons, because he went above and beyond in playing his emotions close to his chest. She had never seen him happy before, or angry, or really show any emotion. Alright, there had been one time. When Moenbryda first arrived in the Rising Stones and tackled him with a hug, Tayfun had gotten the briefest of glimpses to a rare Urianger emotion: flustered. Oh, Moenbryda...

Tayfun had never seen Urianger cry before. And even as he was speaking his soliloquy on her death, his voice remained as level as ever. But she could sense the effort he was putting into keeping it that way. “...Knowingly did I deny my friend the comfort she craved. And now she hath gone to her rest with doubt still in her heart.” Tayfun finally realized why he spoke like that. If every word was so strategically selected, emotion couldn’t sneak into one’s delivery.

“Urianger, you may wish to know what she said in her final moments. She spoke to Louisoix, said she finally understood his choice. She said, ‘In death there is life.’ I think she made her choice because she had cleared away that doubt.”

“Speakest thou in earnest? Did Moenbryda truly come to understand Master Louisoix's will before the end?” Tayfun had never seen Urianger cry before. On his face must have been the legendary Goggles of Reticence. “The realization hath set her free. She may now find the peace which hath for so long eluded her.” He remained stonefaced. “Oh, Moenbryda... My dearest... How I shall miss thee...”

“But her very last words weren’t to Louisoix. The very last thing she said was... She said, ‘Farewell, Urianger... you daft old coot.’ Her last thoughts were of you.”

Tayfun had never seen Urianger cry before. But as she studied his face, she could have sworn she saw a single drop of moisture slip past his defenses. “My lady Minfilia. I would mourn Moenbryda in mine own way. I beg your permission to return to the Waking Sands.” Tayfun knew that quaver all too well. He couldn’t hold it in forever and he needed to get out now before they saw him feel something. He didn’t even wait to hear Minfilia’s reply in the affirmative before he turned to brisky escape the eyes of his comrades.

For a moment Tayfun considered going after him, offering a shoulder to cry on, telling him he didn’t need to hide his feelings from his friends. But Tayfun had never seen him cry before, and that was clearly on purpose. Though it pained her to admit it, the best thing she could do was allow him to grieve alone. There were enough scions still in the room with her who would want her help, anyway.

[terrence-silver]

how do you think terry would react to beloved having a child who trains at miyagi-do or doesn't like cobra kai?

---

Why do I think Terry Silver would...just try and buy Miyagi-Do?

You know, buy it? Like someone buys a car? Or a watch? Or an expensive suit? His child likes Miyagi-Do? His stepchild? His ward? His whatever? Guess what? Terry Silver immediately starts making plans how to acquire this franchise and pretty much...you know, give it to his offspring like it's a mere thing. Why? The sole reason his kid likes something is enough reason for him to have an innate and almost burning desire to do this for them, and he would, if push came to shove, try to make this into a reality by any means necessary, no matter how long it took. Spreading around rumors to damage the rival dojo's reputation? Maybe someone mysteriously starts gossip how Miyagi-Do discriminates on the basis of...literally whatever to fuel some fake outrage? Sabotage the business so they lose students and by extension, money? Goodness gracious, does he have to go the route of paying someone to go as hilariously low as tipping off Sanitary Inspection on the place due to a termite infestation on dojo grounds (which he may or may not have personally planted to entire devalue the property to the degree the Larussos would be forced to sell?) Use a strategic middle man when conducting the purchase so nobody would immediately know he's the one actually buying the property? Tactics he'd utilize are as varied as human imagination and you'd be shocked what a man can achieve when he has money to blow and he's willing to step over literal corpses to get what he wants. Regardless, Terry's child gets Miyagi-Do. All of it. Every rock. Every stone. Every bit of hallowed legacy. Terry gives it to them and by extension, to himself, like a war trophy.

Now, they can train at that place to their heart's desire.

Quite literally go and knock themselves out.

The offense Terry takes at his kid not preferring Cobra Kai as a dojo option isn't as huge or as pronounced as one would think it is in this situation; not when you consider it's massively overshadowed by the triumphant, gleeful joy that he can go and turn whatever place he touches into Cobra Kai too --- especially Miyagi-Do, perhaps the very antithesis of everything Cobra Kai stands for. Oh, if that old coot that trained Daniel all those years ago could rise from the grave right about now and check out the new state of things, would he be in for a surprise or what! Heck, the very look on Daniel and Amanda Larusso's faces once they realize it's actually him who bought the place and not someone else is enough to fuel him for the rest of his life. And in Terry's own words vaguely paraphrased, he can utilize the literal legacy of these grounds for mulch, all while giving his kid the gift of a lifetime at the same time. His kid --- they don't like Cobra Kai? Well, guess what? Anything Terry Silver sets his eyes on is and can be Cobra Kai, whether they realize it or not. He could buy out a whole mall tomorrow and turn it into exactly the very same thing too. Can't ran from what you are. It keeps following you regardless of the color of your Gi.

Once Terry Silver's done buying out Miyagi Do, though...

The Larusso Car Dealership could be next.

[dalishthunder]

TES Summerfest Day 5 - Devotion

A day late, but I really like the prompt devotion and I already had a little bit of something I was working on with it so... enjoy some @tes-summer-fest fun!

Words: 1162 Characters: Dragonborn (gender neutral reader), Nebarra, Khash Notes: Based on my fic Destiny Waits for No One

"It's you...."

A rasping voice jolted you from your thoughts, and you turned to face a wizened old man that you were almost positive you had never met before in your life... or at least what you remembered of it. "Hello, Sir. Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?" You said, despite the cold, the snow had stopped last night.

He let out a soft, incredulous bark of a laugh, and it wasn't until he stood and took a step closer that you noticed his milk-white eyes. "Walking among us once more...."

The man reached out his hand, your gaze immediately darting to your companions. "I apologize if I've forgotten, but have we met before?"

His robes were that of a priest, a necklace of Talos around his neck, and he gave you a gentle, kindly smile, deep laugh lines and crows feet accentuating his expression. Slowly, he felt around, fingers finding your face, gnarled with age as he read your visage. "Yes. I... I had heard whispers of your return, the howling in the wind... the rumble of the thunder. I have known you my whole life, and even if you do not remember your humble servant, I could never forget you."

You let out an uncomfortable laugh, but you didn't pull away. Surely you couldn't be as old as he thought you were, but if he claimed to know you... maybe just maybe... "Then perhaps you can answer the question that haunts me every night...."

He gestured to the small bench he had been sitting on, shuffling and leading you by the hand.

You helped him sit, allowing him to brace himself on your arm before taking the seat beside him. It was impossible to miss the way Nebarra inhaled, and you shot him a look. For once, he held his tongue, leaning against the wall. Questions welled in Khash's eyes, but the altmer placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What would you ask of me?" The old man posed, and you swallowed.

"Who am I?"

He seemed to pause, a thoughtful expression on his face. "... You have gone by many names through the years, though I think my favorite has always been Dragon-Made-Flesh, The Child of Skyrim... the great Dragon of the North."

"I... think you may be mistaken." You gave him a pat on his hand. "Those titles belong to someone else. I am not the person you think I am... sorry."

You went to stand, but his fingers closed around your wrist. "Dragonborn... you may not remember, but know that you enter Nirn once more to enact great and terrible things. Do not forget your faithful."

A lump caught in your throat, and you wrenched yourself from his grasp. "I- I have to go."

"Do not forget your faithful!" He called out after you as you ushered Khash through the snow.

"What was that about?" She asked once you were down the street.

"Nothing!" It was impossible to miss the way she flinched when you snapped, and you took a deep calming breath. "It was... nothing. Just a simple misunderstanding."

"I'll say." Nebarra pushed past you, knocking his shoulder against yours. "It's obvious the old coot doesn't know what he's talking about."

"I do not understand. What is the Dragon of the North? Even I know you are acting weird." Khash crossed her arms as she stared at you, faltering for a moment, "You are acting weird, right?"

Your aldmeri companion placed a hand on her shoulder, "Yes. Your dragonborn friend is acting weird. Constantly. But moreso than usual...." He scoffed, "Dragon of the North, that crazy old bastard thinks the 'Great Dragonborn' is Talos."

You hated the way the words fell from his lips and twisted in your gut. The bane with which he said it made something in you ache.

"Why would he think that? You are not Talos, right?" Khash turned to you, and despite the bitterness on your tongue, and the scream in your throat, you closed your eyes and forced a smile.

"No, I am not Tiber Septim." You kept your voice level, but you could see a shiver pass over her.

Nebarra snorted, "I bet you wouldn't even use a Numidium on a dragon."

You narrowed your eyes at him, "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"So he really was just a crazy old man?"

"Most Talos worshippers are." He gave her a pat, facing you down. You could feel his sneer despite his impassive helmet, "We all ready to go, Little Dragon? You're not forgetting any of your true believers?"

You were going to punch him.

It was Windhelm, no one would bat an eye if you just decked him; He was a high elf. But he was also goading you, and if you gave in that meant he won. So you stuffed your hands into your armpits for warmth instead. "Shut up.…” You licked your lips, immediately regretting it as you felt the chill in the air. “At least… at least I give them hope. Do you know the meaning of the word? Hope? Do you ever hope? Do you even know how?” You peered into the eye slits of his helm, catching a glint of gold in the shadows. “And before you say, ‘Yes, of course I know how to hope, I hope you stop talking haha’ or some other stupid, witty remark, I want you to just… think for a moment. Because you must have once. I hear you muttering under your breath sometimes.”

For the second time that day he was silent.

“I know you don’t believe that Talos was a god, and I’m not sure that even if he were he should be worshiped, and it’s… overwhelming to be compared to someone like that, be they god or man; But at least they have the courage to have faith in something. To have hope.” You sighed, feeling the weight of it all sink in. “And that’s a powerful thing.”

You held his gaze for a good moment, and when he didn’t respond, you turned to Khash, “C’mon, let’s see if we can stock up on supplies and get back to the inn.”

She nodded, though her eyes flitted to the uncharacteristically quiet mer every so often.

It didn’t take long, and packs laden down with your spoils, you let your young ward run ahead of you into Candlehearth Hall. A hand on your shoulder stopped you from following her in.

You cast a glance over at your companion.

Nebarra’s voice was low as he spoke, “I do know what that sort of devotion to a cause is like. And I do have a hope; Just one…. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

With that he shouldered past you.

“Now, time for some wine!”

The door swung shut after him, and you swallowed, feeling both the snowflakes beginning to land on your nose, and the overwhelming realization of just how alone you were.

[ryanwrites05]

June 21 - Slytherin

@hinnymicrofic

A/N: I’ve had this scene in mind for a longer 8th year and post-Hogwarts fic (and ultimately postwar Hinny series) I have been working on. Context here is that Harry is (somewhat against his choice) currently back at Hogwarts for 8th year, and he and Ginny have unresolved stuff going on.

Content warnings: language/f-bombs directed at Harry for, once again, not thinking something through

“Slytherin”

The portrait hole barely opened and he could already feel the tension in the room. He should have expected the reaction, really.

With Auror classes and his own training and studying, he just sort of forgot that he hadn’t actually told anyone else after the conversation with McGonagall, Hooch, Cho and Daphne. It was only yesterday after all.

Plus, he’d been giving her space like she wanted, or so he rationalized. But he knew he should have bucked up the courage and told her directly after McGonagall gave the okay. In hindsight, before would have been better.

But he didn’t. And that was a mistake.

Upon entering the Common Room, he looked around and found Hermione looking at him exasperatedly. Ron was standing awkwardly next to her by the fire, giving him his best you fucked up now look. Peakes and Coote were huddled near with Demelza and Sophie, all avoiding his eye, the cowards.

Then his eyes caught hers and he knew he was in deep trouble.

Definitely should have run it by her before.

Her face hardened immediately, eyes flashing. She took the last few steps down the stairway in one jump and crossed the room quickly.

Hands on her hips that even with her short stature oddly reminded him of Mrs. Weasley, she let him have it.

“WHAT THE FUCK, POTTER?!”

He blinked at her lamely. “I…”

“SLYTHERIN?! YOU’RE FLYING FOR SLYTHERIN?!”

“They don’t have anyone…”, he retorted, but it had little effect.

“I DON’T CARE IF THEY HAD TO SIGN UP THE DAMN BLOODY BARON UP HIMSELF!”

It was plain for anyone to see the anger, the real hurt was much more hidden. He took a step forward and reached out, but her wary eyes and half step back made him pause. He lowered his voice.

“I know what this means to you, Gin.”

“DON’T-“

But, he pressed on quickly. “And I want that for you - I do. But they don’t have anyone. They could barely field a team this year, considering everything. And with Astoria now out, Hooch was going to make them forfeit…”

It was true, Slytherin house barely had over thirty students this year, and eight of them were first years. Malfoy disappeared, and so many others connected to Death Eaters. It was a minor miracle that Slytherin house could even field a team.

In truth, despite those disadvantages, Slytherin had done all right. Gryffindor had won all their matches, of course. Ginny had been nothing short of spectacular, in addition to a fantastic captain. Watching her fly was a thing of beauty, not that that was necessarily new information to him.

But, Ravenclaw had flown well too, and if Ravenclaw won the match by 200 points or more, they would win the Cup, and a Slytherin forfeit only nets them 170. If he caught the snitch early, then Gryffindor wins it all. But if Ravenclaw pulls further ahead or he doesn’t catch it….well.

He knew how much Ginny wanted to win the Cup, what with the professional quidditch tryouts looming and scouts at every match.

“It’s not right,” he continued after a moment. “They don’t deserve that…”.

He had tried to find ways to reach out to Slytherins since the start of the year - to somehow show that he didn’t think all of them were Death Eaters. But they were just as untrusting of him, if not more so, than others were of them. It was all part of the awful recovery from a war kids had no business being a part of.

They stood there, only feet apart, eyes set on each other. He knew why she was truly upset with him, and he knew she understood why he had to do it.

A familiar flicker of annoyance flashed behind her eyes, and her face mercifully softened. She started towards him, but then hesitated again. It hurt. He desperately wanted to reach out to her, to pull her in and hold her and never let go. But he hadn’t earned that right back, not yet.

Whatever it was passed, and she sidestepped him toward the portrait hole. Pausing at the entrance, she peered back but avoided his gaze. “Just let me know when pre-match practice is so I can heckle the prat seeker in green.”