#and he missed frank so much that he literally bowled them over when he got back

[eelsrus]

these silly little fellers have a chokehold on me

also i was absolutely not intending for this to come off as nsfw but if it does pls let me know and i’ll take it down immediately!!!! i would hate to make clown (or rlly anyone!!!) feel uncomfortable with it!!!!!!

[tvmicroscope]

Hello again. I know you will send an email when a new post comes up but I am here checking anyway. Another question/comment. When Wilhelm visits our favorite therapist for the first time, he's wearing a VERY EXPENSIVE sweatshirt with a small heart with eyes on it. Is he signaling to the therapist his status/wealth? Is he 'wearing his heart on his sleeve' (chest)? There are brands on clothing sprinkled throughout but that sweatshirt stood out to me. And we never see it again. makes you wonder...

Thank you very much for your kind ask.

If it’s okay, I’m going to answer the question about Wilhelm’s clothes below and first reply to your question about my substack project.

My most recent post would be the one about the ‘Clementine’ Metaphor. (I don’t know if you’ve read that one. If you have and I’m somehow mixing something up, please forgive me. It’s hard to keep track of everyone.)

The ‘Clementine’ Metaphor post deals with the question of why there are so many satsumas/clementines/tangerines associated with Simon (and with a surprising number of other characters) and what they all mean.

As for any new posts, I’m currently working on two posts at the same time:

One will be a regular post (free for everyone to read) on yet another metaphor

One will be a paid-subscribers-only post

Please rest assured that the overwhelming majority of my substack articles on ‘Young Royals’ will remain FREE for everyone to enjoy, read, discuss and comment on. I will also NEVER retroactively paywall anything that’s currently free and I will never paywall the comment button. (I find a lot of this paywalling thing really, really weird, to be quite frank.)

The only (!) exception to not paywalling anything will be the occasional bonus post for my paid subscribers (basically a post every couple of weeks as a little dessert treat for them). I will make sure that these bonus posts are both a bit different and outside the usual chain of argument, so people who only read the free ones won’t feel like they are missing out on anything. Nobody should feel that there are any weird gaps in the chain of metaphors we’re discussing. There won’t be any missing links in the chain, so to speak. The bonus posts will be strictly additional info.

(Phew, I feel I should maybe make this a separate post and pin it at the top of my tumblr as soon as I work out how to do that.:D)

Anyway, as I said, I’m currently working on two things. I hope to get them both posted over the weekend, but one or the other might be a couple of days late. (It’s difficult to write two things at the same time.)

Now, as for your question about Wilhelm’s hoodie in that therapy scene…

Just so we’re on the same page, we’re talking about this one here, right?

You know…that is a great, great question!:) And you’ve got very sharp eyes because this, indeed, is a deeply meaningful costuming choice! This hoodie is a visual metaphor.

And no, I don’t think it has anything to do with the old saying about ‘wearing one's heart on one's sleeve’. If anything Wilhelm is doing quite the opposite in that scene: He’s not opening up to his therapist. We can see that both in the metaphorical subtext (remember the ‘Clementine’ metaphor: there is a whole bowl of unpeeled clementines in the therapist’s office in that scene, and it tells us that nothing is okay in that sense) and in the plain text (in the literal layer of the script): Wilhelm doesn’t want to open up. He’s not ready for that step yet.

(As I pointed out in the ‘Clementine’ metaphor article, though, there’s also a single apple placed among all the clementines in that bowl, and seeing as apples are symbols signifying temptation, I’d say that Wilhelm is at least tempted to say something…somewhere in the back of his mind.)

Anyway, so the heart on his chest is definitely not so much about ‘wearing your heart on your sleeve’, it simply means that Wilhelm is here because his problem relates to the heart. It’s because of ‘matters of the heart’ that he ended up in the therapists office, in the first place. In other words, it’s the fact that he loves a boy, but isn’t allowed to love him.

Which leads me to the next point: Why is this hoodie a visual metaphor?

Well, because it shows us more than just the heart image on Wilhelm’s chest. It also tells us what awful, horrible contradiction, what polarity, what faultlines there are in Wilhelm’s life: The hoodie is expensive, insanely expensive as a matter of fact. It reeks of wealth and privilege and high status and everything that makes it so impossible for Wilhelm to pursue that relationship with said boy that he loves. In other words, the hoodie is a contradiction in and of itself – just like Wilhelm’s life at that point, his emotional inner life, his psychological outlook on life, his mental health related life, his love life. In all of that, there’s a contradiction between the heart (the things that he actually wants) and the wealth/privilege (his background that forces him to deny himself these exact things). And he wears that contradiction on his very body, i.e. it’s plain for the therapist to see; it’s obvious, and Wilhelm carries is everywhere with him, wherever he goes, stands, sits or lies: it’s written all over him.

And all of that is encompassed in just one piece of clothing, which makes this hoodie a really good visual metaphor and an excellent costuming choice.

Anyway, thank you again for dropping by. I very much appreciate your kind words. My inbox is always open for lovely asks such as yours. Thank you for reading and letting me know you enjoy what I write.:)

[skylarmoon71]

Matt Murdock (Daredevil) - Chapter 17

You’ve gotten the hang of working at the firm.

The only issue you really have is with one of the senior reporters who’s obviously never learned how to talk to people. You thought it was just you, but Karen confirmed that the guy is a dick, so you feel much better.

You’re getting close to a few of the other employees, like Ben. He’s really nice and his wife has taken a liking to you. She came by to drop his lunch and spent the better part of that time gushing about how cute you were. Safe to say you’d been blushing the rest of the day.

The atmosphere is nice. You’ve worked in a lot of places, but this feels like a small family.

“My wife made some of those brownies, here.”

Ben handed you the tupperware and you smiled, taking it happily.

“Thank you Mr. Urich!”

You were basically skipping when it was time to leave with Karen. She was curious behind your smile, but the second she saw the bowl she didn’t even have to ask. She laughed, linking her arms with you as you both left.

It felt nice, being away from it. You knew it was impossible to just forget about him. You were trying to be strong, but you missed him.

Matt and Daredevil.

You weren’t sure why you were still separating them in your mind. It’s the same person, but it feels so different. Maybe that’s why it’s hard to grasp.

Sitting on the short staircase, you let out another sigh, watching the cars drive by. The door opening behind is what catches your attention. You glance over, smiling when Karen takes a seat.

“Are you ready to talk about it?”

She’s given you a lot of space, and you’re grateful, but you know she’s just worried. You can’t exactly tell her that your boyfriend is a vigilante that’s been running around New York. So maybe, maybe you just need to put a bit of truth in your words.

“Karen, what would you do if Frank kept a big secret from you? W-Would you be able to forgive him?”

She paused.

“It depends on the secret. For example if he told me he had a whole other family and I was a sidechick, you know I’d lose my shit.”

You smiled. That would be understandable. If it were that easy, maybe it would have been easier to just let him go.

Karen notices that you still appear distant, so she takes another approach.

“Has he ever done anything to hurt you? Physically, emotionally?”

You shake your head immediately.

Matt has always been there for you and Daredevil..he’d literally saved your life. In your heart you know that, but your mind won’t give you that peace. Because everytime you try, you just recall all the times he met with you and listened to you rant about your troubles that were usually about your feelings for him. It felt like he’d mocked you, and then exploited your trust pretending to be two different people.

“So aside from this secret, he’s never intentionally caused you pain.”

“Yeah..”

She nods.

“A year ago, Frank was shot in the head.”

Her statement makes your eyes widen.

“At the time I was in Alaska doing a piece. I’d left a week prior and I told him that for the two weeks that I was there the connection in certain areas would be a bit spotty. For a few days we didn’t have contact. I came back and everything seemed fine. It was all smooth sailing until I saw the bill from the hospital. I thought maybe it was a mistake, but then I read the injuries and I knew I had to confront him.”

You can’t imagine that. Knowing someone you care about has gone through that.

“The surgery was done in a day and in a span of a week he was released. Doctors couldn’t explain it. Everyone just thought it was some great miracle. This completely terrifying thing had happened to him and I had no idea. When I found out, Frank and I got into a fight. He kept saying that it wasn’t a big deal. He survived and he saw no need to worry me when the doctors confirmed that he had a clean bill of health, but I was pissed. I couldn’t understand why he would hide something like that from me. For two weeks, we barely spoke to each other.”

You can fully understand her point of view.

“I was angry with him. I kept trying to figure out why. Most people would have smiled and just thanked God for the miracle. But every time I looked at him I just got pissed and I realized I wasn’t really mad at him for not saying anything. I was terrified at the idea that in such a short space of time, I could have lost the man I loved. I was angry at myself for not being there even though I knew it was irrational. He was wrong to hide it, but I knew why he did it. He was just trying to protect me, even if he knew I would hate him for it. He just didn’t want to see me scared, sad or in pain. He didn’t do it out of spite, but love.”

You straightened and Karen took your hands in hers.

“I have no idea what your situation is, but from what you’ve said, Matt is someone who would do just about anything for you. This secret, you need to figure out whether it was out of love or not. When you have that answer, then you’ll know if you can forgive it.”

[tommyspeakycap]

Please could you write one with Grealish where you’re a Chelsea fan so refuse to wear a Villa shirt with his name on, and for bants Mount gets you a Chelsea shirt with his name and Jack gets all pouty?

omg I love this idea!! gets very smutty at the end ;) enjoy!

Villa Boy

A love for Chelsea had been something you adapted and grew to into as a young girl. Your dad was never entirely sure how to bond with his only daughter and your mother told him just to include you in what he loved. And so came your season pass with a little lanyard that still hung proudly in your childhood room right next to a shirt mounted in a glass photo frame with Frank Lampard's signature scrawled along the eight on the back.

It was actually how you met Jack in the first place, which is the only one single reason that he has for liking your club affiliation. Otherwise, it was one of the most annoying things in his world. It was often a source of teasing and taunting, you saying your team was better than his and him swaggering home and gloating for weeks when Aston Villa take a win over Chelsea. It was the bane of his life that he couldn't get you into that claret and blue. Not even to sleep in or wear around the house, you just would not dare put it on.

"I would feel my dad's shame emanate through the walls, maybe it would kill him. And then I'd lose every morsel of self respect I have, so not a chance." You'd snort, not even giving him a window for more persuasion.

His England shirt? that was fair game. You'd wear that with pride, to the shops, round the house, walking the dog and especially at his games but there was just absolutely no chance of getting you into his Villa shirt.

Though Jack may never admit it, it was one of his biggest wants. Seeing you in his England short was nothing short revolutionary - he'd said. It only made him want to see you in the Villa shirt more. That was his childhood club, getting to captain that was one of his biggest achievements and while he knew you were absolutely proud of him. You were the most proud and encouraging person in his life and there were no ifs buts or maybes in that.

But my god he knew you'd look fit in that claret and blue.

No matter how much it annoyed him, he wouldn't get you out of the darker blue home jersey of your favourite club no matter what he did. It was something he had come to accept over the course of your relationship, it was by and large fine.

Until that jersey said someone else's name across the back.

"Awh come on!" He yelps, mouth dropped open as you emerge into the kitchen with your toothbrush hanging out your mouth and only one shoe on. Jack knows you slept in because he switched off your alarm last night in hopes you'd miss the game, but Jack dropped a bowl when he tripped over the dog and woke you up anyway.

You going to the Villa v Chelsea game in a Chelsea shirt was bad enough, but now he's just clocked something that's sent his mind firing a mile a minute.

MOUNT

19

Not a fucking chance.

"Oi, you!" He calls out, throwing himself off the chair at the kitchen island, his feet fumbling over one another to get after you as quickly as possible. "What's up, Jack?" You hum innocently, a sweet smile playing on your lips as you stand in the doorway shoving on your other shoe. "Is something the matter?"

Jack gawks, opening and closing his mouth awaiting words to find his frazzled brain. "Yes!" He squeaks, a tone you'd never heard from a man before, let along your very deep voiced man. "There's no way that you're- what are you doing? Come back." He groans, his feet shuffling after you as you walk back through the house to find your car keys. "We're going to be late if you don't hurry up." You note sweetly, Jack drops his jaw. "We're not going anywhere until-"

"Hi Mason, yeah I got it. Fits like glove actually. Yeah, we're just leaving now. I'll meet you in the car park."

Jack's face was literally priceless. His agape, eye's wild, brows furrowed. A pout settles itself firmly into his lips the second he sits in the car with his arms folded over his chest like a toddler. You have to physically stifle a laugh at him as you beam the entire drive to Villa Park.

"M' gonna burn that." He states. You cast him a glance out the corner of your eye as you pull into the players parking. A snigger escapes despite your very best efforts and Jack resumes his frontward glare at the dashboard with his lips in a firm line. "Gonna win this game, burn that shirt and knock Mount flat."

You know he's not being serious about Mason. He's very fond of the player when they're on the same side. But you had become very close friends with him through the mutual love for the club he plays at and Jack absolutely despised that. He wasn't the kind to be bothered by your friends even to a moderate degree and even here he trusted you, he just fucking hated the concept of another club and another mans name over your back. It ticked him right off.

You know this very well. You knew what you were getting into the second Mason handed you that dark blue shirt. It was all fun and games really. You loved the club but you only wore the Mount shirt to get under Jack's skin. You thought it might even throw off his game a little.

The second he stormed onto the pitch and scored a goal 5 minutes into the game, you figured that might not be the case.

Every opportunity, every goal, every opening and every single tackle, Jack turned to you. He turned to you with fire in those brown eyes, sending you a cheeky wink. His passion, the very serious look etched onto his features and the way he was looking at you was fuelling a very different kind of fire in you.

Jack played the whole 90 minutes and he took Mason Mount down at every single given opportunity in a careful way that just evaded him getting a yellow card. He finished hot, sweaty and with a man of the match trophy for 2 goals and one assist with a majority of the game spent with the ball at his feet.

The 3 nil win should have been a lot more disappointing that it was, but he just looked so fucking good. The sweat stuck his hair to his temples, his muscles tight and protruding through exertion as he walks off the field after shaking every hand.

You're standing just outside the tunnel with Mason and John McGinn standing with you, talking about the match mostly. John makes a joke about you wearing that top more often, seems to be a good luck charm for Villa even if it's the opposing team. Mason scoffs and says; "More like an angry boyfriend wants to murder me charm."

That's when Jack appears and John barely gets his mouth open to greet him before Jack shoulders through the two footballers. His mouth finds your immediately. Hot, passionate, fiery and filled with his dominance.

He pulls back and grabs onto your hand tightly with his back to the two midfielders. Jack twists his body round with a daggering glare.

"Nobody," Jack growls, "fucks around with girl."

His tone, deep and gravelly, only serves to dampen your panties further in a way that makes your clench your legs together.

Jack's done with pouting, the teasing can resume later. For now, he's dragging you by the hand to a darkened conference room. Hiking you up his body before setting you on the table that sits at a miraculously perfect height that places you right against his bulge.

He wastes no time whatsoever ripping down your leggings and panties, his fingers finding you immediately to swirl pressured motions around your sensitive clit. "Ahh, who's got you moaning like that baby?" He rumbles, words vibrating through your lips.

"You Jack, oh god, you!" You pant as his fingers leave you feeling empty and needy. Jack easily tugs down his shorts and pulls himself out of his boxers to line up with your entrance. His victory sex is hot always, but usually there was a dry spell after a Villa v Chelsea game, so it had never been this hot.

"And who am I?" He grunts, pushing himself into you to hear your shuddering squeak of pleasure. He lays you down over the table, hands following you under your shirt to carefully and tentatively swirl his fingers over your nipples from under your bra. "Oh god, Jack," you move your hands to the hem of the blue shirt to lift it over your head, but Jack's hands stop them before you have the chance.

"No, no, no," he chastises with a smirk, "Want to fuck you in their colours," He continues to thrust roughly into you with each heavy breath, mouth and squeak that escapes you only spurring him on. "Want to fuck you with his name on your back, baby. Remind you who you belong to."

You shudder in pleasure with the feeling of his lips attaching to your neck, letting out a shaky, heavy breath as he snakes a hand down between you to swirl those circles around your more pleasureful spot once again. He knows the intricate details of your body better than any man ever has and he always ensures he uses it to his advantage, but nothing like today. His lips on the sweet spot of your neck, hitting and stretching you perfect between your legs with masterful work of his fingers pushing you closer and closer with each second that passed.

"Fuck , I'm so close-"

"Who's making you feel so good, baby?" He pants, skin slapping and heavy breathing echoing around the room. "You, Jack. You!"

"Not a Chelsea boy eh?" He grunts, teeth nibbling down over your collarbone. "Not a Chelsea boy baby is it?" He reiterates, pairing the movements of his hand only until you snap open your eyes again, "No Jack, it's all you. not a- oh god!"

Jack breathes a chuckle into your ear with an appreciative hum to follow.

"Yeah, Villa Captain isn't it? You're screaming out for a Villa boy, ain't ya?" He coaxes, edging you further and further as he speeds up to a pace he's never quite hit you with before. The adrenaline of the match, the irritation of that blue jersey and the passion for the win colliding to give him an energy he's never yet had. Watching your eyes roll beneath him wearing that stupid blue entices him on, only makes him want to pleasure you more if even possible. "Yes! Yes, I am, oh god just don't stop."

"Go on then," he encourages, voice deep in your ear. "Come undone for the Villa Captain baby."

He didn't have to tell you twice, that was for sure. The sight of your eyes fluttering, the feeling of you clenching around him with a steam of, "Fuck yes Jack!" sends him tumbling over the edge of his orgasm right after you, a strangle cry out of your name as it wracks through him.

When he lays down beside you in the table that very surpassingly withstood the pace of your antics, you're both breathless and shining with sweat. Your legs feel like jelly as you still throb from the pleasure. Jack turns his head to you with a lazy smirk, brushing some hair off your forehead as you turn to look at him.

"Well, I certainly do love a Villa boy."

[meat-wentz]

i had the most fucked up mcr-induced stress dream that i had to attend one of my concerts at this amusement park and i’d bought this like really cumbersome squishmallow-esque plush toy and like while waiting for mcr to start, i noticed a man in like, a child’s costume obviously bought from the park and i froze because i was like motherfucker that’s frank and he waved at me by wagging his foot at me and i was like nononononononooo and he came over and started talking to me and i literally could not do anything except double over my large and super inconvenient squishmallow (which happened to be the same amusement park character that he was dressed as, it was like, an aqua and orange colored dog robot idk) and like bury my face in it until he left and like had to stay very still because i was just speechless like you motherfucker why would you say hi to me i hate you i know it’s you despite your dog robot costume i could tell you anywhere any day of the week. so with my face filled with shame it was then announced that i was the winner of an exclusive fan vip contest where i could go meet the rest of mcr and I was like okay yeah let’s double, no, triple the shame here because wow i really handled meeting frank super well why not meet the rest of them and then go fucking bury myself and my stupid soft toy in a 10 ft grave bc i really can’t be buried deep enough after this. anyways i hiked like a mile outside of the venue to go meet them and when i met them it was in the middle of a fucking river??? like i had to wade out to the middle of a river and awkwardly hug mikey and gerard and ray in freezing cold water and i was like huh this must be why you guys are always wet???? and well i got invited to view the concert with kristin in a private box and the thing is that she kept eating these little candies, like she was so nice, but she kept eating individually wrapped candies and the show was about to start and i was like oh my god all i can hear is crinkling so i was like okay im devoting my attention away from you kristin, but first do you want me to throw away your pile of little plastic wrapping bits for you? and she was like omg yes, and well my hands are full of these stupid little wrappers and im looking for a trash can but they all have flip lids and THE TOPS ARE FUCKING STACKED WITH LIKE OLD PIZZA BOXES AND STUFF SO EVERY TIME I TRY TO FLIP A LID THE PIZZA BOXES FALL TO THE GROUND. and like there’s three trash cans this happens with and i am so distressed because im going to fucking miss the show because i was trying to be polite but now im making so much fucking noise with these damn pizza boxes, embarrassing the fuck out of myself in front of mikey’s wife, and also she’s now eating loose popcorn off a table like it’s like a bag of popcorn spread out on a table instead of in a bowl and im like what the fuck is happening here and i finally find like an open storage bin that has what looks to be trash in there and i throw all the wrappings in and that’s when i wake up. btw that whole time im lugging around my ill-purchased fucking squishmallow dog who is now so soaking wet and heavy with water and gross because i had to meet mcr in the middle of a river.

[celestialmazer]

Julie Mehretu, Untitled 2, 1999. Private collection. Courtesy of White Cube. © Julie Mehretu

Julie Mehretu, Hineni (E. 3:4), 2018. Centre Pompidou, Paris, Musée national d’art moderne/Centre de création industrielle; gift of George Economou, 2019. © Julie Mehretu. Photography:Tom Powel Imaging

Julie Mehretu, Mind-Wind Field Drawings (quarantine studio, d.h.) #1, 2019-2020. Private collection, courtesy Marian Goodman Gallery New York/Paris. © Julie Mehretu. Photography courtesy Marian Goodman Gallery

Julie Mehretu, Mogamma (A Painting in Four Parts) Part 1, 2012. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. © Julie Mehretu. Photography: White Cube, Ben Westoby

Julie Mehretu, Conjured Parts (eye), Ferguson, 2016. The Broad Art Foundation, Los Angeles. © Julie Mehretu. Photography: Cathy Carver

Julie Mehretu, Migration Direction Map (large), 1996. Private collection. © Julie Mehretu. Photography: Tom Powel Imaging

At home with artist Julie Mehretu

CAMILLE OKHIO - 25 MAR 2021

Julie Mehretu speaks with the joy and conviction of someone who has had the freedom to investigate all their interests. Curiosity has led her to the myriad topics, objects and moments that inform her work, among them cartography, archaeology, the birth of civilisation and mycology. Since the 1990s, her practice has expanded outwardly in all directions like a spider web. A lack of understanding and preconceived notions among reviewers have often led to her work being flattened – simplified so that it is easily digestible – but in reality, her work is far from a simplistic investigation of any one topic. It encompasses multitudes.

The artist’s recent paintings are mostly large scale, but her early works on paper (often created with multiple layers – one sheet of Mylar on top of another) are as small as a six-inch square. The works often comprise innumerable minuscule markings – tremendous force and knowledge communicated through delicate inkings and streaks. Their layers reveal, rather than obfuscate. And though Mehretu’s creative process springs from a desire to understand herself better, the work itself is in no way autobiographical. 

Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the tails of a continental rejection of colonialism, and raised there, then in Michigan, Mehretu has a flexible and full-hearted understanding of home. It is not one physical place, but many, all holding equal importance. On 25 March, Mehretu will present her first major retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art, with works spanning 1996 to 2019. The institution is an important one for Mehretu, as it played host to several pivotal shows in her youth.

Her exhibition has served as an impetus for Mehretu to look back at her already prolific career, observing and organising the thoughts, questions and answers she has put forth for over two decades. The six years it took to bring this exhibition together proved an incredibly valuable time of reflection, fatefully dovetailing with a year of quarantine. 

Wallpaper*: Where are you as we speak?

Julie Mehretu: I’m in my studio on 26th Street, right on the West Side Highway. I’ve worked here for 11 years.

W*: Are there any artists, writers or thinkers that have had a meaningful impact on you?

JM: I don’t know how to answer that because there are literally so many! It’s constantly changing. Right now, Kara Walker, David Hammons, William Pope.L, and younger artists like Jason Moran (who has made amazing work around abstraction). There are so many artists that have been informative and important to me: Frank Bowling, Jack Whitten, Caravaggio.

I also look at a lot of prehistoric work, from as far back as 60,000 years ago, as well as cave paintings from 6th century China and early prehistoric drawings in the caves of Australia. 

W*: What’s the most interesting thing you have read, watched or listened to recently?

JM: For the last few weeks I’ve been immersed in Steve McQueen films. I’ve been bingeing on lovers rock music. And a TV show that really moved me was [Michaela Cole’s] I May Destroy You. It’s difficult, but it was really well done and powerful. 

Ocean Vuong’s novel On Earth We Are Briefly Gorgeous is amazing. The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing is a really incredible book too – she studies this mushroom that became a delicacy in Japan in the 7th century. It started growing in deforested areas – it’s in these places destroyed by human beings that these mushrooms survive. [I find it interesting] that this mushroom grows on the edge of precarity and destruction. Like with Black folks, there is a constant aspect of insisting on yourself and reinventing yourself in the midst of constant effort of destruction. 

W*: What was the first piece of art you remember seeing? How did you feel about it?

JM: One of the first times I remember being moved by a work of art was looking through my mother’s Rembrandt book. We brought so few things back from Ethiopia and that was one of them. [Particularly] Rembrandt’s The Sacrifice of Isaac. That story is so intense. I was so moved by the light and the skin and the way the paint made light and skin. 

W*: Do you travel? If so, what does travel afford you, and what have you missed about it during Covid-19?

JM: I travel a lot, but I haven’t travelled this year. There has been this amazing sense of suspension and a pause in that. I miss travelling, but going to look at art, watching films, reading novels and listening to music is the way I travel now. For instance, I’ve been listening to Afro-Peruvian music and now I want to go to Peru.

Before I know it we will be back in this fast-paced, zooming-around environment – there is something I want to savour by staying here, now, in this time and absorbing as much as I can.

W*: You are said to have a vast collection of objects and images. Walk me through your collection – what areas, materials, makers and things have the largest presence and why?

JM: When you enter our home there is this long hallway. Framed along the wall we have around 20 fluorescent Daniel Joseph Martinez block-printed posters he made with words – almost poems. Our kids grew up reading those. One says ‘Sometimes I can’t breathe’ and another one says ‘Don’t work’, while some are really long.

We also have a great Paul Pfeiffer photograph of one from the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse series. We have a group of Richard Tuttle etchings right over our dining table. We have an amazing David Hammons body print as well, and my kids’ work is all over the house.

W*: As the daughter of immigrants and an immigrant yourself – how do you conceptualise home and how do you create it?

JM: There were a lot of times I felt very transient – as a student and a young adult, going in and out of school and residency programmes. It always came back to music and food. There are certain flavours, foods, music, smells that you take wherever you go. Also as a mother, I’m building a home for my children. Home becomes something else because of them. They are the core of home now. 

W* How has motherhood affected your practice?

JM: I became much more productive when I had kids for several reasons – one is that I felt a lot of pressure to make [work] in the time I wasn’t with them, which of course is unsustainable. A large part of making is not making – thinking and searching. 

When I got to work I could get into it much more quickly. Kids grow and change so fast, you feel time is passing so you need to use it. I wasn’t going to stop working, that’s for sure. All women who are pushing in their lives make that choice. 

W*: What is your favourite myth and why does it hold importance for you?

JM: Right now I’m reading Greek myths to my ten-year-old. We’ve read them before, but he wanted to read them again. I still read to him at night even though he’s a voracious reader himself.

The myths I remember the most are myths I’ve come across in visual works. Titian’s Diana and Actaeon – I know that myth so well because of his painting. Bernini’s mesmerising sculpture of Apollo and Daphne I saw in Rome, where her body becomes a tree. The leaves are so delicately carved into the marble, it’s a work of incredible beauty. I’ve been considering this deconstructionist approach to mythology. Storytelling becomes this place to interrogate propositions, which is what I think mythology does.

W*: Have you experienced a flattening of your work?

JM: I’m always concerned with flattening and pigeonholing. That is something that happens to artists like us all the time. When I first was working and showing there was a bit of that happening with my work. It was put into the space of cartography or an architectural analysis of it. It was said to be autobiographical work.

The art world tries to consume. There is this desire to flatten and the desire for Black artists to be a reflection of their experience. I don’t think any artist is like that at all. In reality, none of us are flat. We all contain multitudes and are complicated – that has always been the core of the Black radical tradition.

[twh-news]

Loki’s production designer on the Modernist inspiration behind the show’s stunning visuals | The Art Newspaper

By Helen Stoilas

Kasra Farahani explains why the Time Variance Authority waiting room looks so much like the Breuer building, and how the inside of a Fabergé egg became an alien train carriage.

Fans of Modernist design can find a lot to appreciate in Loki, the television series starring Tom Hiddleston recently released by Marvel Studios on the streaming channel Disney+. The stunning production is clearly influenced by Brutalist and Neo-Futurist architecture, as well as Soviet Socialist art and sculpture. Visual references can be seen from the very first episode, in which the magic-wielding god of mischief is apprehended by a universe-spanning police force known as the Time Variance Authority for “crimes against the Sacred Timeline” (stay with us).

One early scene, for example, was filmed on a custom-built set that bears a striking resemblance to the lobby of the Marcel Breuer building in New York which once housed the Whitney Museum—and now houses the Frick—while another was shot on location in the Neo-Futurist Atlanta Marriott Marquis hotel, designed by the architect John C. Portman, Jr (with some monumental statues later edited into the soaring atrium). The Art Newspaper spoke to the series’ production designer, Kasra Farahani, about his inspirations for the look of the show.

The Art Newspaper: Loki's director, Kate Herron has called this series a love letter to sci-fi and you see a lot of visual homages to films like Brazil, A Clockwork Orange and Blade Runner. But there's also a clear influence of Modernist design on the look of the series overall. You studied industrial design early in your career. Were there specific examples of Modernist architecture and design that you were looking at when you started working on the series?

Kasra Farahani: So many, everyone from Frank Lloyd Wright to Breuer, to Mies van der Rohe to Paul Rudolph—you have a shot in the John Portman building—to Oscar Niemeyer. And then a lot of Eastern European, Soviet-influenced Modernism played a big part in it as well. I can honestly tell you that my first and foremost inspiration was Modernism. Part of that is because the TVA (Time Variance Authority) is a bureaucracy and I think, archetypically, so much of what we know a bureaucracy to be is that post-war, highly funded institutional look. And there's a lot of different versions of that, whether it's the Washington, DC version, like the Hoover building, or whether it's what we had in Los Angeles, where I grew up, where there's a huge amount of post-war architecture built for the population boom. Like the elementary school, middle school and high school that I went to were all mid-century Modernist.

I was also looking a lot at Brutalism and the Modernism in former Soviet states, that are heavily influenced by Socialism and Soviet architecture, and where scale is such a big driving force of the design.

The size of some of the buildings in the show are kind of overwhelming. I know that some filming was done in the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, with that huge soaring atrium. You just completely get dwarfed by that kind of architecture.

Yeah, that's right. That one we used for the TVA archives because we couldn't justify building a big set, but once I scouted it, I saw that we could bring in these massive Time-Keeper sculptures at the scale you would typically only see in an exterior, which is a fantastical thing. The TVA sets themselves, which were almost entirely full 360-degree sets, were very much designed as an intentional paradox between the stoic, large-scale Brutalism form language, and the surfacing and palette and whimsical patterning, which is very much taken from American mid-century Modern. Those two things create these spaces that feel at once super intimidating and then uncomfortably inviting and warm at the same time.

That’s kind of the irony of a lot of Modernism, Brutalism especially, it had these utopian ideals of creating affordable social housing, but then a lot of the people found it really oppressive to live in.

Yeah. Modernism has been that way the whole time—it was designed to be super cheap and utilitarian and routinely it ends up being the most expensive kind of architecture. Another thing readers may be curious to know about is the TBA expanse, which is essentially the view outside some windows.

That futuristic cityscape you can see….

Yeah. They had very strange and unique parameters to try to design that. The TVA exists outside of the physical world—so there's no weather, there's no roofs, there's no difference between interior and exterior, there's not necessarily even gravity in the way that we know it. But there are these meandering colonnades that we took a lot of inspiration from Brasilia—and obviously a lot of the super cities that were drawn in comics. But also there's some really beautiful conceptual sketches that Frank Lloyd Wright did of a version Los Angeles in the early 20th century that had Roman-like colonnades and plazas and a lot of that fed into what the TVA expanse is.

You mentioned all the sets you built for Loki, especially for the TVA. There's two that where used a lot. The Time Theater, where so much of kind of Loki’s personal story gets told, and looks like its straight out of the Barbican in London, with these huge colour-coded directional numbers on the walls. And then there's the Miss Minutes waiting room with those circular lights that looks almost exactly like the lobby of the Breuer building in New York—to the point where I reached out to the museum to ask if you’d filmed there. You even got the silver-tipped light bulbs right.

We were very inspired by that, but it's different in some very subtle, but for me, very important ways. Number one, the size of the bulbs is much smaller, they were manipulated to create eyeballs, basically. Another important difference is that in the Breuer building, they have these dishes hanging in space, whereas in ours, they're negative space, there's a solid ceiling. It creates a matrix of eyeballs peering down, like the always-watching Time-Keepers. And maybe the most important difference is that the ceiling is slammed down—you know the cheapest apartment you can go into has an eight-foot ceiling, this is six inches shorter than that, and our actor is about six-foot-three. The idea was to create a sort of trash compactor feeling in this claustrophobic space with this matrix of eyes, watching as all of this is happening.

The time theater was for me very inspired by Pier Luigi Nervi.

I liked that waffle coffered ceiling you have in that room.

Thanks. We were very happy with it, and it created this kind of forest of light columns which helps set the neo-noirish, interrogative nature of the space. And the unnecessarily large super graphics that you mentioned are a very Paul Rudolph sort of a thing, he did that in his building too, and I love that.

For me, it’s very important not to reference a set design from other films, that why I reference architecture, painting, photography, these other art forms, more than anything else, because inevitably when you’re working in archetypes, there’s a lot of overlap.

And as Loki goes into different times and locations, you get a completely different design environment in those places. There’s a scene on a train car, that has a very Art Deco look.

That was inspired by the inside of a Fabergé egg, Art Deco meets Alien.

And when you finally meet the Time-Keepers in the most recent episode, it’s like they're in a pre-Colombian pyramid or a ziggurat.

I was looking at Indian stepwells, this almost fractal quality with these descending stairs going into one another—but we imagined them going out every direction, with an Escher-like quality, like they are tessellating themselves to infinity.

I read on Twitter that you literally bought a bowling alley from Omaha and brought it to Atlanta to create Loki's Palace in the Void in the last episode, which is this crazy, surreal, amusement park, junk yard-like place.

We bought the floor of a bowling alley, everything else we built. That was a lot of fun because the script gave us a lot of runway. The proposal was to do this bowling alley because essentially everything in the Void has been discarded from time, and more things fall into it and accumulate and so you end up with these strata. I liked the idea of like a bowling alley that's been smashed over your knee or something. The net effect is when you first enter, you have all these lane lines pointing down at this throne, which was supposed to be stolen from a mall Santa. And then there's these crazy alien plants that are growing through it that have taken parasitic hold of the place. In many ways, I think its a narrative microcosm of the Void itself, which is like a salad bar of these disparate aberrations slammed together. Things like the bowling alley all have these micro-narratives that we in the art department have come up with to help flush out the design and make them specific. For example, there's portraits on the wall of like bowler of the month, and they’re not quite human. It's not in the episode, but those things are important for us in the art department.

At the very end of the most recent episode, we get a glimpse into this city that Loki and Sylvie (played by Sophia Di Martino) are walking into. Can tell us anything about what inspired those scenes, what we're about to see?

You can call me back in a week. All I can say is that the TVA is definitely the visual and narrative anchor of the story, but there's a lot of great worlds to see. And I think what people are responding to is the breadth of the visual variety of the show. And episode six won't be any different. It's really cool, and maybe some of my favorite stuff.

[keiths3dart]

Max in the Black Lodge: A Life is Strange / Twin Peaks Crossover.

Part 2

Chloe headed through a gap in the trees, panning her flashlight to either side rather than in front of her. It was this that led to her literally walking straight into the man she had completely failed to notice. Chloe's heart froze and her blood ran like ice. Who the fuck could she have run into in the middle of the woods at night other than Max?

Regaining some measure of composure, she pushed herself away from the man, and brought her flashlight to bear on him. The sharp weathered features of a well built, grey haired native american in a Sheriff's department uniform were illuminated.

The man winced as the beam from Chloe's flashlight dazzled him. He put his hand on Chloes and gently but inexorably lowered the light beam from his face. His companion approached, a younger man but still with hair peppered with gray. He too wore the uniform of the Twin Peaks Sheriff's department. It was he who spoke first;

"Hey Hawk, have we found them?".

"I think so Bobby, according to the descriptions i got from Margaret i think this is Chloe"

"What about the other one? Max?".

"We got seperated, have you seen her?" Chloe blurted out, her head swimming. What were the cops doing out here? Why were they looking for them in particular? and how had they managed to find each other in an enormous forest which stretched all the way into Canada?

The older man, deputy Hawk looked concerned. "when did you become separated?" he asked.

Chloe had to think, she and Max had stuck together for most of the hike up into the hills but as the darkness set in, they'd taken slightly different paths around obstacles and before they had known it, they were no longer in sight of each other. It had almost been like the forest itself had gently and insidiously prised them apart and set them on divergent paths.

"I don't know" she stammered, and it was true, when it came down to it she had no idea how long she and Max had been wandering the woods separately.

Hawk looked at her kindly, an experienced woodsman as well as having a lifelong experience of Twin Peaks and its surroundings gave him an understanding of how strange things could get out here in the woods, especially for the unprepared or unwary. He was just glad that he and Bobby had found the first of the two girls without any harm coming to them.

"Bobby, get onto base and let them know we've located Chloe and she's ok. We're gonna continue on to find Max. And Bobby, make sure Lucy gives Margaret a call".

"Right away Hawk" Deputy Bobby Briggs answered and thumbed the transmit key on his radio.

"We took a call from Margaret, the woman you met in the Diner earlier".

"The one with the Log?".

"Lucy, it's Bobby, are you receiving? over".

"Yes, she told us she'd relayed a message to you and that you'd run off into the woods".

"We've located one of the girls, Chloe".

"Later, her log felt that there was something seriously amiss so she called us at the Sheriff's department".

"Yes, that's the one".

"So me and Bobby came to find you, there are hidden darknesses to this place".

"Yeah, this forest has been giving me the creeps for hours".

"No Lucy, i don't think she's a natural blue".

Bobby had raised his eyes to the heavens in exasperation.

"Im worried about Max, what have we got ourselves into?".

"Lucy, just put it on the damn form as 'Dyed', Tell Harry we're proceeding onwards, and get poor Margaret on the horn and let her know what's going on".

"A lot of things happened here a few years ago Chloe, We need to press on but i'll explain as we go."

Deputy Hawk motioned for Chloe to follow him and he began to tell Chloe about the strange history of Twin Peaks. Bobby followed silently to the rear. He had been a high school senior through the entire episode and it had been a tumultuous and traumatic time for him which he didn't feel like contributing to. He was lost in his own thoughts, heading he knew for the very place his own father Air Force Major Garland Briggs had disappeared from never to be seen again.

So Chloe learned that night about this strange town, about Laura Palmer's murder by her father Leland, Leland's own death, the investigations by FBI Agent Dale Cooper, Dale Cooper's own disappearance, reappearance, disappearance again. About Wyndam Earle, about The Black Lodge and "Bob".

Christ and she'd thought Arcadia Bay was fucked up. Why had Rachel and Frank come to this place? (Apart from Norma Jennings' heavenly Cherry Pie) and why had Rachel disappeared again? On top of it all, where was Max? Please God let her be safe, Chloe couldn't even bear to picture being alone again.

The room was neither cold nor warm, and the sounds of soft Jazz permeated the air, the hypnotic shuffle beat having an almost soporific effect on Max. She looked around to take in her surroundings. A second ago she'd been in the woods at night freezing her nipples off in the autumnal chill of North Washington State and now she was.... Well now she was sure she was tripping, she was in a room. The tiled floor was an eye bending zigzag pattern of black and white and the entire space was ringed with heavy crimson drapes. There were few furnishings. 4 easy chairs, a statue and a small table with a bowl in it.

If it had just been the surroundings and the circumstances, then Max might have been able to not freak out. But it was the fact that the room was not empty that made her wonder why she felt so fucking calm. Why everything seemed to happen slowly and calmly and in silence. An almost cloying serenity when her very soul should be clawing at the back of her head before making a bolt for the nearest exit.

Sitting in the chair in front of her, in a dapper red velvet suit was the oddest little man Max had ever seen, his head swaying in time to the music. To his right sat Rachel Amber, silent and unreacting to Max's presence. She simply sat, a benignly neutral expression on her face, looking over at the occupant of the chair opposite to her, on the dwarf's left.

Mark Jefferson.

Similarly oblivious to Max's arrival, he sat looking over at Rachel and Max's stomach churned with hatred for that despicable man, what he'd done to her in the dark room, what he'd done to Kate and those other poor girls he'd groomed then drugged. And how he'd manipulated Nathan into trying the same thing with Rachel with (Prior to Max's temporal intervention) fatal consequences for them both. How he'd killed Chloe, and Nathan, and Victoria and driven Kate to take her own life. But still Max felt like a puppet in somebody else's show. she still stood there just taking this bizarre scene in. The little man began rubbing his hands.

And laughed, the sound strangely distorted, almost reversed in sound, like the backing to one of The Beatles' more psychedelic studio explorations.

"S'TEL KCOR" The little man clapped his hands once.

"I EVAH DOOG SWEN! TAHT MUG UOY EKIL SI GNIOG OT EMOC KCAB NI ELYTS". He motioned his head towards Rachel.

"S'EHS YM NISUOC, TUB T'NSEOD EHS KOOL TSOMLA YLTCAXE EKIL LEHCAR REBMA?".

Max spoke for the first time since her arrival.

"But it is Rachel Amber. Are you Rachel Amber?"

"I LEEF EKIL I WONK REH, TUB SEMITEMOS YM SMRA DNEB KCAB". Rachel appeared pained as she said this.

"S'EHS DELLIF HTIW STERCES, EREHW ER'EW MORF EHT SDRIB GNIS A YTTERP GNOS, DNA S'EREHT SYAWLA CISUM NI EHT RIA".

The little man sprang from his chair as the music in the room began to not so much get louder but simply permeate Max's consciousness more and began to dance. Backwards. Max became lost and hypnotised by the scene, losing all track of time or reality.

Chloe's chest felt like it was on fire, the two policemen were setting a brisk pace through the woods, Hawk darting his eyes this way and that before deciding on a course. Like a hunter on the scent. Bobby had taken up station towards the rear.

"Christ, i'm hella unfit, i really should quit smoking".

"Just a little further Chloe, i think we are close. can you feel it in the air? like static electricity".

"Hawk" Bobby called out sharply, "is that a light off to the left?".

"Max!" Chloe called out as Hawk veered off to the left to investigate the light. No answer. Not even the hooting of the owls. Their damned racket had been driving Chloe nuts but now she missed their reassuringly natural presence. The watchful, expectant silence of the woods worked on her anxiety like a violent catalyst causing it to well up inside her like a tsunami choking, smothering, cloying and overwhelming. She staggered, her head reeling with every conceivable fear her subconscious could throw in front of her eyes. The strong arms of Officer Briggs caught her before she could topple over completely and Chloe allowed herself to be gently guided forward into the little sycamore ringed clearing Hawk had led them to.

The little clearing with the smouldering campfire. Max's discarded flashlight, still on. Max's bag.

But no Max.

[seavoice]

Horse Trading

(link to ao3 on title, or continue reading after the read more)

“Octavian was an asshole,” Reyna said, a contemplative look on her face as she laid on the floor of Hazel’s Praetor Villa, “but sometimes I think, can you really blame him?”

“Yes,” Hazel said, from her position on the floor next to her, where she was trying to sketch Reyna, a task made inordinately difficult by the older girl’s constant moving around. “I really can.”

Reyna sighed. It was a long and contemplative sigh. It wasn’t unusual to see Reyna with a brooding, thinking look on her face, but the relaxed and content expression added a new dimension to it. It was something structural; it somehow made her look younger yet more self-assured at the same time. “Octavian,” Reyna repeated, “was an asshole. But this Villa, Hazel. This Villa. I can see why Octavian was so desperate for praetorship. This house almost makes up for the stress of leading a child army.”

“It does not,” Hazel said. “It really does not, Reyna. Distance has just made your heart grow fonder. And delusional.” She sighed as Reyna shifted her position yet again. Reyna winced as a wordless apology. “Also,” Hazel said, reaching for her eraser, “Octavian didn’t want the praetorship for the house. He wanted it because he was a power hungry and blood thirsty politician.”

“At least you agree the bed is worth it?”

The bed was very nice, Hazel had to admit. Californian King, which seemed excessive, but was appreciated, and the fluffiest pillows Hazel had ever laid her head on. “Maybe. But I’m not agreeing with you when you literally opted for laying on the floor instead of the bed.”

“Fair enough,” Reyna said. She stretched on the floor, some complicated starburst. Hazel decided to give up her endeavour at drawing Reyna and flipped to the previous page in her sketchbook where she had been working on a drawing of Arion. It was half completed, and it was an attempt at drawing purely from memory, but Hazel enjoyed the challenge. “But it’s good for your back, believe me.”

“You’re an immortal Huntress now. Does that really matter?”

“Also fair enough,” Reyna agreed. Reyna rolled over to prop herself up on her elbows and peeked at Hazel’s sketchbook. She raised a single eyebrow. “Oh, that’s certainly more...horse-y than I usually look.”

“I gave up. You move too much.”

Reyna inclined her head in acceptance. Still on her belly, she folded her arms and laid her head down on them.

It was weird to see Reyna so carefree. Weird in an undoubtedly good way, but weird nonetheless. Immortality had, perhaps ironically, taken years off her shoulders.

Hazel hadn’t invited Reyna to New Rome to draw her, but inevitably, that was what the visit had come to. She had written to her asking for advice — advice on running an entire city, advice on leading a quote unquote “child army” in times of peace, advice on not going crazy with stress — and Reyna had accepted so readily that a ventus spirit had brought her letter the very day Hazel had sent hers. Hazel had prepared for the visit with a single minded focus; she had brought a notebook for note taking, three different colours of pens, a highlighter, and her firmest handshake.

But then they had skipped the firm handshake and instead had hugged, tight, and Reyna had snagged a bowl of jelly beans from the Praetor office, and for the next few hours they had done nothing but lay on the floor of Hazel’s newly acquired Praetor Villa, swapping stories after stories, lazing around and sketching. Reyna had told her about the Hunt’s newest undertaking, some mythological boar or the other, and also about Thalia’s new obsession with 80’s rock. Hazel had told her about Lavinia’s latest shenanigans, and Gwen’s new job as a much valued mental health counsellor for the Legion. No notetaking had taken place. No praetor advice had been shared.

“It’s very good,” Reyna said, gesturing to Hazel’s drawing of Arion. “The likeness is stunning.”

Hazel beamed. “Really?”

“Of course!” Reyna scrambled to sit up. “It’s uncanny. This is really, really good, Hazel. It’s like…” Reyna made a hand gesture like she was pulling something; Hazel recognised it as an unconscious tick that Reyna had, one usually employed in Town Hall meetings when she was struggling to find the correct words to use for convincing reluctant denizens. “It’s like make a career out of it good,” she finished.

It was a warming compliment. Hazel’s smile grew wider; this was a pride unlike any other, something simple and easy and painless. Hazel had convinced herself to take pride in the smaller things more often. It made a dreary life just a little bit happier and easier when she could take pride in mastering her mist magic, in baking a sweet cupcake to perfection, in a good sparring session, in making a friend smile. But this pride in her artwork was somehow—brighter. It was something she’d dedicated long hours to.

“Horse artist?” Hazel said. “You think there’s a market out there for that?”

“Are you kidding me? Pet artist! Lucrative as they come.” Reyna laughed, an easy, lovely sound, and this too was unusual, this too was good, this too warmed Hazel. “People go crazy when they get pets. Put them in all cute little kinds of outfits and hire professional photographers, artists...I’m serious, Hazel. Business idea.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Hazel said, with a laugh of her own. Then she sighed and set down her pencil. “I appreciate the business advice, though honestly, what I need more is Praetor advice. I feel I’m going insane.”

“You’re doing wonderfully,” Reyna said. “You don’t need my advice, Hazel. You’re a force of nature.”

This was a sweet sentiment, and Reyna probably meant it, but it didn’t help Hazel’s case. “Thanks,” she said. “Like—genuinely. But I do feel...I do feel like I’m going insane. It’s—it’s a lot.”

Reyna’s eyebrows furrowed. She looked older at once, older in all senses of the word. Like the Reyna of before the Hunt, and the break from her duties—Reyna in charge, Praetor Reyna, sixteen year old Reyna with the world on her shoulders. She sat up straighter. “Is someone giving you trouble?” Reyna asked. “I was joking about Octavian earlier, but gods, if someone’s coming up to take his spot as Asshole of the Year—“

“No,” Hazel said quickly. “It’s nothing like that. That’s nothing. I could deal with someone like that no problem. It’s just—like you said...child army.”

Reyna exhaled softly and closed her eyes. “Yeah.”

Hazel hated bringing the mood down, hated evaporating Reyna’s good cheer, but she set that uncomfortableness aside for the time being. She pulled up her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. And there was solidarity in this too, acknowledgment. “Yeah,” she agreed. “Everything’s—okay, now, for the time being. Doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way forever.”

“That’s not really ever in your control,” Reyna said with a rueful smile. “But I do...I do get what you mean. I understand.”

“I thought you would,” Hazel said. “That’s why I wrote to you.” She’d thought of going to Frank with these thoughts too, and she was sure he’d give good advice, and be kind about it, but a part of her—a stubborn part, maybe, a conscious part, sure, but a valid part, nonetheless—hadn’t wanted to show a weakness to her co-Praetor, even one as familiar as Frank.

“I don’t know if I can give you any great advice,” Reyna said at last. “I don’t know if I can tell you anything you don’t already know, and you are doing a great job.”

Hazel tried to keep the sadness out of her smile. “Hm.”

“What I needed?” Reyna said. “What I needed when I was a praetor was...gods, just a ear. Just someone to bear it with me. Someone to understand. Jas—he was gone, and it was just me. For the longest time. But then with Frank, it wasn’t as hard again, because we could...we could switch off. We could share. That’s the only thing I can really tell you, Hazel. Only advice I can give you. Share. Share it with me, always. With Frank. Lavinia. Nico. Your friends. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re alone. You don’t have to be.”

“I know,” Hazel said. She’d been alone for so long in Asphodel she had thought she could survive loneliness, if she had to. But she didn’t have to. And she didn’t want to. “And you sold yourself short Reyna—you do give great advice.”

“Sounds like I didn’t say anything you didn’t already know.”

“But I think I needed to hear that from you,” Hazel said. “From someone else. You said it yourself—I just needed to know someone else understood. Otherwise it gets...it gets lonely.”

Reyna’s smile was soft. “You’ve got good instincts, Hazel. You’ll be just fine.”

Gods, she hoped. “Thanks for coming out here on such short notice. You probably were busy with the hunt.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Reyna said, and there was that strange new lightness to her again, a relaxed happiness. “Haven’t you heard? I’ve got time now.”

Hazel picked her pencil back up. “You know, if you try sitting still, maybe I can still do a quick sketch. Before you leave.”

“Actually,” Reyna said, and was Hazel imagining things or did she actually look self-conscious? “I have a sketch request, if you’d accept.”

Hazel was intrigued. “Oh. Oh. Sure. Who?”

Reyna smiled a little sheepishly. “Don’t laugh okay? I miss him. Scipio.”

Pet artist...Hazel let out a small giggle. “Oh, so when you said people go crazy when they get pets, you meant—“

“I told you not to laugh!” But Reyna was laughing herself. It wasn’t sad, but it was sort of wistful. “I never dressed him up or whatever, but he’s been on my mind lately; I’ve been wondering when he’ll reform. Pegasi reform slow, apparently. I thought I’d never see him again in this life, but now that I’m a Hunter—holy Pluto, I can. And you drew Arion so well—“

“I think it’s sweet,” Hazel said. It was, exceedingly so. Hazel was trying to recall Skippy in her memories, and she felt a pang of sadness as she remembered him soaring above them during the War Games. It had been a long time since she had seen him, but she thought she remembered enough to manage a sketch for Reyna. “It might not be a perfect likeness—“

“I’ve got a photo.”

Now, Hazel absolutely couldn’t control herself. She smiled wide, a fond laugh bubbling in her chest. “Oh, Reyna—“

“Will it, or will it not make it easier to draw him?” Reyna asked, tips of her ears a faint pink.

“It’ll be perfect,” Hazel promised. “Where have you got it? In the Praetor office?”

Reyna reached into her pocket and brought out a worn out photograph. As much as it was hilarious, it was also heart-warmingly sweet, a touch melancholy. Hazel sympathised with her—she couldn’t imagine losing Arion. She probably would start carrying a picture of him everywhere too; it wasn’t a bad idea.

“Sure,” Hazel said, studying the picture. “I can do a drawing for you no problem. You can carry it everywhere along with the picture. A horse drawing in exchange for solid advice. My first political quid pro quo as Praetor.”

“That’s a terrible deal, Hazel. I can literally commission you, if you want.”

“I’ll settle for a refill of my jelly beans,” Hazel said, gesturing at the now empty bowl of jelly beans. They’d made fast work of it. It hadn’t survived the first hour.

Reyna sighed and stretched out on the floor. “Oh, I forgot,” she said glumly. “One more piece of advice, Praetor to Praetor.”

Hazel looked up. “Yeah?”

“Stock up on those beans,” Reyna said mournfully. “And never let anyone break into your stash. You’ll need them.”

[edourado]

Together, ch. XI

Here’s an homage for Jon’s look, that look when he was Shane and started to lose his marbles. 

I remember that literally making headlines, so here’s me, remembering it. 

Hope it pleases. 

Much love. 

---

It was a gloomy Saturday morning when Frank commented that he needed a haircut. 

He had just come back from his run, and was inspecting his own image on the microwave door. Karen was getting ready to take Lady for a walk.

“We might be a while”, she said, putting her hair up in a bun. “I’ll stop by the store to pick up some dog food, we’re running pretty low.”

And she did take her time, walking around the empty streets, sitting on a bench by the water, taking some pictures of Lady looking pretty, stopping to appreciate this little time outside. 

When she got back, it was a while before she actually went fully inside: leaving her shoes outside at the door, she first went through the routine of cleaning Lady’s paws, disinfected the bag of dog food before putting it away, took her mask off and hand washed it in the kitchen sink, leaving it to soak for a bit. 

Lady and Pooka were playing on the floor and Karen was in her underwear, making her way to the bathroom, when she realized Frank was in there. 

“Hey”, she greeted from the corridor, before getting to the door. 

“Hey”, he replied, voice low, relaxed. 

“I got the dog food, but they were out of-“

Karen stopped, mid sentence, mid step.

Frank was standing in front of the sink, shirtless, cleaning up after giving himself the haircut he said he needed, and she found herself staring. 

Shirtless Frank was anything but new to her, and she had seen him with many different hairstyles.

But there was something about that particular scene.

Maybe it was the light. Maybe it was the fact that it was gloomy and rainy outside, and the bathroom light, combined with the warmth of the apartment, created this cozy, lazy, indulgent feeling, or perhaps it was just Frank, and sometimes she would just be hit in the face in how, well, hot, he actually was.

He had shaved his hair off. So short he was practically - effectively - bald. His face was also clean shaven. His sweatpants rode low on his hips, and again, that light, that simple over-the-mirror low intensity light bulb, created shadows over him that made him look so… Appetizing. 

She kept staring, eyes running on the dips and swells of his chest, the tightness of his muscles, the flexing of his arms as he moved to clean the sink, the curve of his neck, and the surprising lack of hair on his head. 

Karen started and Frank noticed.

“What?” He asked, lifting a hand to his head to rub on it, and Karen’s eyes went to his bicep, noticing how the muscles moved, and she felt her toes curling. “You don’t like it?”

She blinked, surprised, and shook her head, smiling. 

“No, it’s not that, it’s just…” She took a step inside the bathroom, the tiles cold under her feet. “I’ve never seen you like this before.”

His hair had been getting a little out of control, lately, reminding her of when he had resurfaced for the first time, ambushing her in the street, the most dramatic way he could find of “saying hello” - actually asking for a favor. When he said he needed a haircut, she thought he meant the trim he usually got, and she liked it, was used to seeing him like that. She never expected this radical change, and it did suit him - a whole lot - but she was caught off guard. 

Karen spent so much time staring at him that Frank caught on.

“Did I miss a spot?” He asked, somewhat sarcastically, running his own eyes over her, standing there in nothing but her underwear, and she shook her head, lips curving in a little smile again, taking a step further towards him. 

“No, I don’t think you did…” 

Inches from him, she lifted her right hand to run it up his neck, around his ear, exploring this new style she had never seen on him - maybe a picture or two, but never face to face. Her left hand stopped on his chest, fingertips running the expanse of his collarbone, delicately, her toes wiggling lazily, and his smirk made her blush a little.

“You like it, then?” 

Karen nodded, smiling, and Frank dipped his face a bit, catching her lips on his in a slow, lingering peck, his own hands lifting, teasing the waistband of her underwear, the other one mapping the location of the clasp of her bra. 

“It’s reminding me a bit of… I don’t know, the time when you were this…” she started, practically melting right there in front of him. 

“What?”

Eyes running around his face, she shook her head, still taking him in.

“This dangerous man, you know?” He lifted his eyebrows. “The positively very bad guy I should stay away from.”

“Hmm. Great job with that, by the way”, he said, smirk back in place, hand squeezing her waist, and she smiled again, running that hand around his shoulders, now, the other one still feeling around his abdomen, turning her head to the side to allow him to place a kiss on her neck, closing her eyes at the feeling of his hands, which grew a tad impatient, squeezing. 

“I don’t think anyone can blame me, really. What was a girl to do, when you kept coming to my rescue every chance you got?” 

“A girl should thank me and move on with her life.”

“Hmm, we are not having this conversation again”, she decided, tossing her head back when he moved to run his lips on more of her neck, hands full of her, now, pressing her to his chest. 

Catching his mouth on hers, she kissed him, deep and slow, full of that familiar hunger that started to flare from deep inside her, hands running over his back, his arms, up his neck, exploring, feeling warm, feeling melty, she was always putty in his hands. 

“Oh no”, she said against his mouth, and her voice came out breathy and slow. “You shouldn’t kiss me.”

“Why the fuck not?” 

Karen turned inside his arms, and he immediately hugged her to him, dropping his mouth to that’s spot under her ear, and she looked at them in the mirror above the sink, pressed together, skin to skin, his strong arm around her torso.

“I haven’t showered after coming back from Lady’s walk. I could have the virus on me.”

His other hand rose and grabbed her jaw, sweetly and firmly angling her face to his, and he kissed her again, and her knees nearly buckled from the intensity of it. 

And then he let go of her, turned her to face him, and he looked so dangerous just then, looking at her like that, like he was about to consume her, like she was prey, she loved it, loved it, loved it, shivered all over when he pushed her, hand on her stomach, making her step back towards the shower, stepping with her, closing the shower curtain behind them, kissing her under the spray of water, peeling underwear and bra off her, letting her take his quickly soaked sweatpants off him, pinning her against cold tiles, maneuvering her any way he wanted, making her bite down hard on her own lower lip, the water was cold before they were ready to step out of the shower. 

And Karen was lazy for hours and hours after that, a bit sore from their shower, she felt that high for the rest of the day. 

“Stay here with me”, she asked him, borderline whining, from under the covers of the bed when he started to walk out towards the living room.

“I’ll just feed ‘em”, he said, that raspy quality of his voice making her want to wrap herself around him all over again. “And then I’m all yours.”

She heard him filling the puppies bowls with food and refreshing their water, and then he was walking back in, looking all big and brute and strong and perfect. 

“Gotta watch those eyes, Kare”, he said, almost in a warning, and Karen reached for him, sat up to kiss him when he knelt on the bed and pulled him on top of her, hands roaming, moaning when he squeezed the flesh of her hip just hard enough, like he knew she liked it.

“If I knew a haircut would have this effect on you”, he said, moving to get himself under the covers with her. “I’d have done it sooner.”

She enjoyed his attentions, like she always did. Especially when he acted like this, with a little bit more force, his touch a tad heavier than usual, Karen enjoyed that immensely, and did her best to show it to him: he liked it when she got vocal, and so she did, just to have him shushing her, telling her to be quiet, even if he didn’t mean that at all. 

And he left her feeling good, good enough that she felt like jello the rest of the day. 

“Hey”, he said, hours later, running his fingers through her hair, her head resting on his legs while they lounged on the couch. “Could you make some of that brownie of yours?”

“Yes”, she said - breathed, more like it -, moving to sit up, kissing him once, twice, three times. “I’d say yes to anything you asked right about now.”

Frank smiled. “Dangerous thing to promise.”

“It’s true, though”.

She got up, making her way to the kitchen, Pooka running after her to try and bite her sock out of her foot, Lady remaining behind on her spot by the couch, enjoying Frank’s scratches on her ear. 

Karen made him his brownie, lost her sock to Pooka while she mixed the batter, watched as Frank sat on the floor, teaching the puppy how to sit and stay and lie down. 

(Lady, staying very true to her name, learned all the tricks and commands extremely quick, and needed less lessons than her baby.)

When her timer pinged, Karen took the brownie out of the oven, cut it up into squares and took it to the living room, in it’s own baking pan.

“Hmm”, Frank said when she gave him a warm piece. “So good. Thanks, sweetheart.”

“You’re very welcome”, she said, kissing him again, sitting back on the couch, looking for the remote.

She was wearing a big long sleeved T shirt. It was complete with a hoodie, but it was of a very light, flimsy material, it would not warm her on a truly cold day. She wore it with loose pajama shorts and socks, and, some twenty minutes into her tv show, Frank turned to get another piece of brownie, and put his open hand on her thigh, sliding it until he was grabbing her ass, and squeezed, making her wince, and then dropped his face to bite on flesh, like he loved to do. 

“Ow”, she said, not serious at all, making a face, moving to make room for him by her side on the couch, gasping when he dipped his hand under her shorts.

.:.

Frank slept on his stomach, arm flung around her, face on the crook of her neck, while she watched the show he had interrupted earlier. They had retreated back to bed, and she was propped against a thousand pillows - she had bought more after the lockdown, figuring that if they were going to spend so much time inside, they might as well be comfortable - her leg curled against one of his own, her fingertips running up and down his back, gently, just a feather of a caress. 

Looking down at him, she wondered if it actually was his haircut that had put her in such a mood, because it was no news to her how handsome he was, how in shape he was, how attracted she was to him, but they had been together for months and months, now, and it had been a while since she had felt this… Thirsty.

Someone shouted, on TV, and there was a bang, screams, and Karen quickly grasped the remote, lowering the volume, but Frank stirred, groaning, his hand squeezing her again, settling more comfortably against her, and, again, she watched the muscles working under his skin. 

And that settled it, she thought. Living with a guy like Frank, perpetual thirst was pretty much part of the deal.

[scribeofmorpheus]

Chasing Tornadoes {3/6}

Pairing: Stephen Strange x Reader

Series Warnings: poorly written medical procedural, mild delving into spirituality, language, overbearing egos, graphic descriptions of medical procedures. more warnings to be added. 18+ Generally, like my blog.

A/N: suprisingly, very little to warn about. blood splatter?

Series Masterlist | Masterlist | AO3

Taglist is open -comment or send an ask!

<< Previously ○ Next >>

~

“God, you’re insufferable!” You slammed your clipboard into Stephen’s chest, it was surprisingly firm in a subtle way. You swallowed.

Stephen grabbed your wrist, not tightly, but firm enough to lock you in his grasp. He tugged, you moved forward against your wishes.

“And you’re so goddamn stubborn,” he whispered.

You shook your head, “I can’t believe you went around my back and interfered with my patient! That wasn’t your call. If I wanted your help, I’d ask for it!”

Stephen inched you towards the wall, back pressed to the familiar hospital walls. “You and I both know, I was the more qualified to handle this one.”

Why is he being so blasé about all this? Your breath hitched when he moved in a little closer. Why is he so close?

“Steph—”

He cut you off, lips prompting a rise in euphoria as soon as they met yours. They were soft, supple. But there was a boldness beneath it. You whimpered, finding it strikingly good. Deliciously good. And then while your head spun and Stephen stole your breaths, your surroundings changed to the familiar navy blue of the OR.

You gasped and pushed Stephen softly, “How did we…?”

Stephen followed your gaze.

A group of surgeons, masked up and gloved up, were performing surgery on a banana. You stuttered, at a loss for words. Stephen shrugged, unphased and then moved his attention back to you. Lips a mere millimetre away.

You recoiled, “Stephen.”

“What?” He asked, somewhat disappointed.

You pointed your ring finger at the operating table, “The banana.”

“Oh, right,” He turned. “How’s our patient?”

A beeping noise sounded out. A fellow spoke: “He’s going into cardiac arrest.” The beeping stopped. “He’s gone.”

“I’m calling it, time of death—”

You were shaken from your sleep by the sudden reorientation. With a loud thud, you landed hard on your ass, the sheets tangling one foot.

You rubbed your eyes, vision coming back blurry and spotted, “What the hell kind of dream was that?” Your fingers trailed over your lips. Dry and chapped and sorely missing the softness of the dream. You groaned, in no mood to deal with some romance drama in the workplace.

You were roused from the floor by the sound of something breaking. With heavy eye-lids and noodle arms, you hoisted yourself up and walked towards the kitchen, the source of the sound.

Rich loam soil and four fragmented pieces of a flower pot lay scattered on the floor. A small root system was peeking out from under the stove; it belonged to a cactus. The last cactus you owned.

You groaned as your eyes trailed up to the former resting place of the now destroyed flower pot and saw Spike’s fat reptilian body trying to slink away.

“Oh no you don’t, you leathery cat,” you hopped over the mess on the floor and grabbed Spike. You held him close to your face so you could stare into his eyes. “What is it with you and cactuses?”

Spikes tongue slithered out then in again before he let out a whiny growl.

You rolled your eyes and scolded him, “If you keep this up I’ll put you up for adoption.” You clicked your tongue in annoyance as you opened up the balcony door and let Spike down next to the arbour. “You stay out here and think about what you’ve done while I make breakfast.”

Spike made another lazy growl before moving away from the door at a snail’s pace. You hastily swept up the soil from your wooden floors and set aside the broken ceramic pieces in case you wanted to use them for another DIY home decor project.

While you put together a fruit bowl for breakfast, you noticed you hadn’t checked your voicemail. As you squeezed out the last two drops of honey onto your breakfast, you listened absentmindedly to the voice messages while making a mental checklist.

“Hey, Y/N…” Teddy’s soft voice reminded you of a lounge singer who smoked too many cigarettes in between sets. The kind of swaggerful baritone that belonged to men like Frank Sinatra or Nat King Cole. Ironically, Teddy’s face matched the softness of his name more than it did his pitch in voice. “I sent a few messages but I suppose you were on shift. That tornado…messy stuff. My cousin is local fire department, she told me—”

Remember to pay Mr Eliopoulos for the takeout. Teddy’s voice dissolved into white noise as you chewed your food. Get some bills out the ATM to keep on hand.

The next message played after a beep and you weren’t the slightest bit sorry you didn’t fully catch the rest of Teddy’s message.

“Y/N, it’s Irene.” –You froze. For a second– “I don’t know if you deleted my number after the last time we talked or not so…Yeah. It’s Irene,” your sister’s voice was a startling surprise to hear. She sounded as lively as a doornail, probably all the hours spent banging her head instead of her gavel in the courtroom. Irene thrived in the city, even if she never looked fully awake in any of her social media posts. You didn’t care much for city life and its exhausting churn.

Remember to save Irene’s number. Again.

“Mum called me, frantic that you didn’t call or text to say you were okay. She watched the news. The tornado rattled her. Your phone was off the whole day. I had to clear a whole day’s worth of meetings because her angina was acting up.” Irene was rambling in her monotone.

Angina isn’t a disease.

Irene paused as if she’d heard what you’d thought. Then she took a breath. You could practically picture her working her jaw muscles as she fought the urge to get emotional. “Call mum.”

Call mum.

The distance between you and Irene wasn’t consolidated to the miles between your cities. Irene was prickly, like a cactus. Maybe that’s why you had so much trouble growing them. But she was also the only person on the I-95 highway who stopped to pick up a wounded iguana on her cross-country trip that winter you moved into your apartment. That iguana was Spike. That was also the first and last time Irene ever stepped foot in your apartment. And the second time you’d deleted her phone number.

“Or at the very least, post one of those disturbing pictures of Spike dressed in baby clothes,” Irene’s tone turned condescending. There was some chatted on her end of the line. “I’m needed in the chamber.”

No rush saving her number. You swallowed the last spoonful of food before dumping your bowl in the sink. Then you opened the balcony door to let Spike back in.

A third beep. Another message.

“Dr Y/N?” the voice on the other end of the line was now very familiar to you. For a second, you wondered if you were still dreaming. “Dr Stephen Strange. The relief. I got your number from the on-call sheet. Just letting you know I got the go ahead first thing this morning to prep for the transplant. I’ll be the chief surgeon on staff. Marcy is in the best hands. Literally. I’ll see you at work.”

Ask about the transplant. You head shot up so fast you were convinced it’d crack like an Indiana Jones style bullwhip. Transplant?

“Marcy…” you mumbled before rushing to get to the shower. Just then another message played. The last. On it, Mike told you he was on his way to pick you up and that you should do something, but you weren’t paying much attention at that point. You had less than five minutes before he arrived.

Your shower was cold and quick. About half-way through, you realised the conditioner was practically empty. No time to fully detangle your bed-head knots, you raked your fingers through and washed all the shampoo away, making sure to add a little styling crème so your hair wouldn’t look like frizzy from the summer humidity.

You made sure to grab your go-bag, keys and lock the balcony door before rushing out the door just as Mike pulled into the driveway.

Mike had dark circles under his eyes, wind tousled hair that was still damp in places and an outstretched hand dangling out the car window with a coffee flask waiting expectantly.

You grabbed it and hastily made your way to the passenger side.

“Thanks,” you said out of breath as you unscrewed the cap and took a swig. Mike looked at you with a perplexed expression. When no coffee touched your tongue it was your turn to look back at Mike with a similar expression. “It’s empty.”

Mike nodded, “I know it’s empty.”

“Why’d you give me an empty flask?”

“Because you were supposed to make the coffee.

“Then you should have told me to.”

“I did.”

“You didn’t.”

Mike stared at you with a knowing look for a second too long. He sighed, rubbing his red eyes, “You didn’t listen to the whole voice message did you?”

You opened your mouth to retort but then you realised Mike was right. You clicked your tongue, “We can stop by the café near the intersection.”

“You’re buying,” Mike put the car in drive while you tried your best to distract yourself from thinking about Marcy.

“Tell me something new.”

 You got dressed into the maroon scrubs in the locker room. Your lanyard feeling particularly heavy that day. Maybe you weren’t as ready for today as you thought you were.

You had hoped and prayed to whatever constituted as a god on any particular day that Marcy would get a new lung. A healthy lung. And that she’d finally get to experience her youth, but now your hands wouldn’t stop shaking and your heart was so loud you wanted to scream just to shut it up.

But today was here and you only had the one heart, so you made a fist, took a long, deep breath and ran towards the OR.

Bach in C minor was playing over the sound of the heart-lung machine. There had been a slight pause when you walked into the OR mid-surgery, but everything continued without fail.

You knew, logically, that observing from the theatre was the right thing to do. The impartial thing to do. But this wasn’t any patient. This was Marcy. The girl you helped with her science homework that one weekend she came in for a check-up and stayed for a minor surgical procedure. The girl you watched rerun’s on cable TV with when you had the night shift. The girl you watched grow up.

Doctor Weisz was among the medical staff in the room. Strange didn’t bother looking away from Marcy’s open chest cavity.

“I don’t remember calling for a second pair of hands,” Strange said as if he was talking to himself. “Did you Doctor?”

Doctor Weisz’s words came out muffled behind her mask, “No.” She kept an impressive straight face. Come to think of it, you had never seen her smile. Or get angry. She was always professional. Even her haircut was a choice of convenience; short and slicked back.

You stepped out from behind Strange’s frame and moved in closer to Marcy. It was a little unsettling how normal she looked in a hospital gown with the elastic of her breathing mask drawing two red lines across her cheeks. The open chest cavity was different though. Unsightly.

Your fingers trembled, reaching out to hold her open palm lying flat on the table when the sudden loud beeping of the heart rate monitor shook you to action.

A squirt of blood sprayed out, turning the sterile blue operating gowns dark with plasma.

 “She’s bleeding,” Strange noted as if reading a catalogue. “There’s too much scar tissue.”

“BP is dropping. Fast,” Mike said. You hadn’t even noticed him in the room.

“Clamps,” Doctor Weisz’s hand was stretched expectantly to the fellow behind her.

Your feet were glued in place, like a statue with open eyes that couldn’t look away, just watching. Your brain yelled at you to snap out of it, let your training take over, set your emotions to backburner. But none of it worked.

“Someone get her out of my OR!” Strange’s composure shifted for the first time. It was then that you noticed your hand was holding tightly onto Marcy’s.

Just as Strange instructed, someone grabbed your hand and pulled towards the doors. Once you were out in the bright hallway you realised it was Mike.

 In the last couple of hours, you had treated a kid with tonsillitis, a man with a hangnail and one skateboarder with a concussion.

Why’d today have to be a slow day?

You sighed as you flipped through a medical chart Arlene had handed over for a second pair of eyes to go over.

“You said she came in with a fever?”

Arlene stammered before straightening her spine, “Y-yes.”

You kept quiet for a few seconds, waiting for Arlene to jump on cue and finish telling you the symptoms. She didn’t.

“Arlene?”

“Yes?” She looked up, big eyes fully attentive. Her innocence was endearing, but if not grown out of, it’d be a hindrance in this profession.

“This is usually when you fill me in.”

“Oh, right,” she fumbled with her chart. “Uh…loss of appetite, abdominal cramps and joint paint.”

“What’s your diagnosis?” You looked up at the wall clock, watching the hands tick.

Arlene fidgeted, “M-my diagnosis? I um…” She wiped her forehead as if there was sweat on it. “Cramps, fever and joint pain could be…stomach flu?”

“Viral gastroenteritis, yes,” you agreed with her diagnosis. “Treatment?”

Arlene was getting more confident, “Rehydration Solution, anti-viral—”

“Good, do it,” You excused yourself when you spotted Mike walking down the hall. The surgery was done.

“Mike!” You caught his attention. “So…how’d it go?”

Mike tried to miss eye contact, “She’s stable. Transplant wrapped up okay.”

“Something’s wrong, isn’t it?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” Mike rushed to place his hands on your elbows. “Marcy’s fine, taking well to the lung. She’s on assisted breathing until the rupture heals and the pressure is relieved on her muscles. She will have to stay in Recovery for longer but she’ll pull through.”

You laughed, a bright smile beaming over your face, “Then what’s the issue?”

Mike bit his lip, “Strange recommended to Weisz that you be put on probation for the time being.

Anger rushed unexpectedly, “What?”

Stephen suddenly appeared down the hallway. You marched over to him. He looked at you, expecting your oncoming aggression.

“You recommended I be put on probation?” You folded your arms to seem imposing.

Stephen glanced knowingly at Mike. Mike shrugged before disappearing into the lounge.

“God, you’re insufferable!” You flashed back to your dream and now you were confused as to what exactly you should be feeling.

“And if today is any indication, you’re too emotional,” he said softly.

You baulked, feeling insulted, “Too emotional?”

He rubbed his neck, “I told you about the operation out of professional courtesy. You had no right to barge into my OR and distract from the procedure. You put a bad foot forward, unprofessional. Weisz agreed. I suggested temporary probation to prevent Weisz from dealing a worse blow.”

You scoffed, “So you were helping me, is that it?”

“Yes,” he sounded on edge. “You’re too raw to be working right now. If I was your superior, I wouldn’t be assured that you could competently manage the rigorous expectations of the workplace.”

“Unbelievable, you really do walk around thinking you know everything, that your word is final. Mike was right, you have no reason to overstep your boundaries. You’re the relief, not my boss,” You threw your arms up in the air, ignoring the other residents listening in.

Stephen sighed, pushing passed you, ending the argument prematurely.¨

“Where are you going?” You demanded, following in stride.

“To get a drink,” he pressed his eyelids. “If you insist on still handing me my ass, you are welcome to join.”

You stalled for a second then decided to continue your squabble.

To be continued...

[geekgemsspooksandtoons]

My thoughts on Bioshock 1

I just wanna put this out there. It’s 12:01 am and I find it nice that I finished it before Sunday popped up. This post is gonna have major spoilers. I’ll post the screenshots in a different post. I don’t know if I should call this a review. But yeah I didn’t wanna make this quickly. Took time making some popcorn(two bags for a bowl) and getting a Diet Dr. Pepper.

But my thoughts on the game itself. A game that gamers have considered one of the greatest video games ever made.

I want you all to know. The reason I went back to playing it because I was looking up the terrible voice acting of the original RE game. That it got me to wanting to play a older game...which is the first Bioshock on my main computer. 

But in a nutshell I thought it was a pretty nice game. The gameplay is pretty stellar. Especially the combat. But I will admit, the game didn’t really scare me. Because it was considered horror by some folks. But the way I was playing I think a way how you would describe....something out of the Doom series. 

Yet this is because I was playing on easy mode. Because I wanted to experience the story. Especially when I upgraded my weapons. I was basically a walking powerhouse. Along with the fact I didn’t use my plasmids a whole lot. But I did use them when they seem needed or when I wanted to try them out. I was mainly a weapons guy. 

But yeah upgraded weapons made the journey easier. Even during the final boss with Frank. 

The story is pretty alright. Even though some of the audio diaries I decided not to listen to except for some. Especially when the big reveal was coming. 

I will admit and I think people may know of this. But I knew of the big twist and read stuff about how Jack was basically controlled through most of the game. Where the phrase, “Would You Kindly” Atlas was saying to control him. Where this becomes more clear when you enter a room that has, “Would You Kindly’ on the wall and...those diaries crap....a dog getting it’s neck snapped....to be honest I feel like the moment Jack see’s that. I feel like he was probably confused or just wondering, “What the fuck?”.

But basically where Andrew Ryan exposes this by saying the phrase a couple of times, and asking Jack to kill him with the golf club. Gonna admit to watch that twist in motion, for some reason I wasn’t expecting it to be that dramatic. Because I was expecting it to be simply casual with Andrew explaining what Jack is actually. Where Jack realizes when Andrew asks Jack to kill him, he was telling the truth. Yet I strangely like it how Andrew was trying to showcase more that using the phrase a few time to really showcase Jack was never in control. 

Yet it was nice to finally see the scene in full motion in the original game. Since I’m not playing the remastered version.

To be honest I think the most shocking thing was the fact when I went on the Bioshock wiki. That Jack is literally 4 years old. 0_0 Just....I actually found that to be the most surprising.

Including just the whole set up of why Jack is there isn’t by chance. Honestly despite the dimension hopping that surprised me a lot. Just Jack growing up and all that...surprised me the most. 

But I find it nice how Andrew during the game as you get closer to him. He’s alluding to the fact that it seems like such a coincidence that Jack crashed near that lighthouse above Rapture. As if it was some sort of miracle. 

I’ll stop talking about the twist sorry. So I was right, Atlas who is Frank didn’t really have a family. I will admit Frank’s a pretty damn good actor. Because I feel like people who first played this and if I didn’t look into certain stuff. It would of been more of a surprise. Because I find it amazing he can change his voice. 

Including the fact when you get closer to him. He’s just talking about you and him tricking you. Including why are you even still trying to get him. When Jack doesn’t have a family. I guess I can say he didn’t disappoint me as a villain. 

Again the gameplay is wonderful, Rapture was a interesting place. Both to look at and I guess to explore. I will admit I sometimes couldn’t find some stuff right away. Such as a Big Daddy helmet after a while.

The Splicer are cool and have some variety, the Big Daddies are pretty nice too. Yet what I’m amazed by and I’m glad I couldn’t find that Big Daddy helmet right away because the last two Little Sisters that were with Big Daddies were near by. 

I actually got all the Little Sisters that I recall. Basically rescuing all of them. Meaning I got the best and what I know canon ending. Gonna admit that last scene and just watching that cutscene. Despite it’s actually very quick. I can’t believe I had tears or so....despite I don’t seem to build a connection with these girls.

There is just something beautiful about that ending. Including to see they offered Jack the key to Rapture but he denies it. 

Also there is something of just seeing all these Little Sisters just literally murder Frank and I got a shot of that actually. I saw that in a video once and it’s just intriguing. It seems kind of ridiculous but once you play the game, you understand how they are overpowering him. 

The soundtrack....I’ll be honest I didn’t think about it much. Mainly because I was so focused on gameplay and getting through the game. Also weird thing this didn’t happen a lot. But I remember one time one of Franks line was up and he wasn’t talking. 

Listen to any fans of Bioshock, sorry that I’m rambling. But I’m sorry I’m not praising it to the heavens. But I felt like I did myself a favor because this is a very loved game. It was nice to finally play it and finish it. I think it’s because I’m still processing some stuff. Including during a time in my life I thought gameplay is more important than story. Which was a thought I started having when I became a fan of Doom. But then loving Resident Evil again got me to realize liking video game stories. Considering before the gameplay thing, I would always prefer a single player over multiplayer. 

But now I like both. It’s just I was I guess annoyed by how much praised Bioshock gets and it makes it seem like 2 and Infinite are hated on a lot. Including it just...bothered me and that I’d felt rebellious to not play the original. Because people made it seem like what I like to call it, “The Citizen Kane Of Gaming”. It was a game changer and I should understand that.

Yet you can thank my good bro and buddy @pikablob for being the reason why I got into this series more. All because I was wondering why does Elizabeth in Burial At Sea look so young but in the timeline she would be 66. Until he explained to me things about dimension hopping and after my surprise and shock of what he told me. That got me basically be like, “Okay I need to play these games because holy shit”. Even though I’ve played 2 before and finished Infinite and Burial At Sea episode 1 before. 

It was just so insane to learn that I needed to experience these games myself as I’m older now. 

I feel like overtime I’ll like Bioshock more. Because I had predicted this could become one of my all time favorites. But I don’t think so right now. Maybe when I ever replay it again and maybe even the remastered version. I may love it more. But I felt like compared to games like the original Doom, Doom 2016, Halo Combat Evolved(Because I recall from my experience that game is a classic), and even the Call Of Duty Modern Warfare trilogy. Especially 1 and 2, with 3 being a fitting conclusion to it. I got more out of those games.

Which I sound stupid for mentioning. Bioshock is a whole different beast. I’m talking about a game where someone like Andrew Ryan literally made a city underwater that wouldn’t be affected by what he considered, “Petty morality” and look where Rapture ended up as....a fucking shit hole. 

That I recall I don’t feel terrible seeing Andrew Ryan die. Yet it’s probably because he wants to die and he accepts it. Including his final words and the way the scene went. Yet I was surprised that golf club got stuck in his head when Jack did the final blow. 

But I think that’s just my mind set. Including on a silly note and I’m finally gonna say something I’ve had in my head. I just miss Elizabeth. Again I may enjoy it more as time goes all. Because it is a excellent game. 

Because even though I haven’t played the remastered versions of Bioshock 1 and 2. I feel like if you want to. I’d recommend checking out the original Bioshock if you want to. It’s a well made game and I hope I think it’s genius about the fact The Bioshock Collection exists and it’s on 8th gen consoles now(Especially it got released on Nintendo Switch last month) and for PC’s if you want remastered versions of the first 2.

Basically was looking at trailers for the collection. I think it’s genius because that package seems perfect for any new fan who wants to experience the complete saga as of now. 

I think I’ve said enough on my piece on the original Bioshock.

Anyway during the making of this post. I was listening to this kick ass rap. I find it awesome I finished the game and got to experience it for my own. Here’s JT Music’s Bioshock 1 rap, “Rapture Rising”. Been listening to this when making this. Warning in case even though I talked about spoilers in here, you have spoilers in this rap. Again well done rap.

[alediazpizarro]

Senior Soundtrack

Music is a love language. Lo he tuiteado, lo he dicho, y —con ustedes— lo he vivido. Parte de mis 7 años en ASF ha sido la música que he compartido: canciones que son intereses en común, recomendaciones, o hasta tracks de obras de teatro que nunca voy a borrar de mi memoria. After all, de eso se trata la música en parte: de acordarse. Y sepan que cada vez que oiga una de las canciones en esta lista, va junto con su recuerdo. A todos ustedes, de todo corazón, gracias. No sé que sería de mi vida sin ustedes.

Les dejo la playlist que construyeron conmigo, whether you knew it or not, de 2014 para acá.

PS: si no aparece su nombre en esta lista de canciones, lo único que quiere decir es que we have yet to share a song. Los adoro a todos. 

Abarca

Burn · Lin Manuel Miranda You have the voice of an angel, and every time I think of this song I no longer hear it in Philippa Soo’s voice, but in yours.

Tuyo · Rodrigo Amarante Dancing Kermit.

Alexander

"Eungenio” Salvador Dalí · Mecano We love the music, hate the lyrics.

Na Na Na · My Chemical Romance Debate bus trips. Blasting it from the backseat, with Nesquik and cold pasta at hand.

I’m Not Okay · My Chemical Romance “¿Estos son los Rolling Stones?”

Being Alive · Stephen Sondheim Life’s dream: be Bobby. Not literally. That would suck.

If I Could Tell Her · Benj Pasek & Justin Paul You once said this is the song you would dedicate to me. Though I think we’ve grown past that, I will always remember how warm it made me feel when you said it.

Ana

Isle of Flightless Birds · Twenty One Pilots Ya sé que me odias, pero DARARAAAARAAA

I’m Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket · Pierce The Veil El concierto que más he disfrutado en mi vida (and that’s saying a lot), y parte de por qué fue porque fui contigo. Lloramos en esta canción y en el video que grabé con mi horrible teléfono se oye lo feo que cantamos. 

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea · Neutral Milk Hotel De un Tiktok (de miles) que me mandaste pero de los pocos que sí abrí.

Numb · Linkin Park WAWAWAWAWAWA 

Anna

Fashionista · Jimmy James Really obscure pre-middle school memory, pero every time it gets stuck in my head me acuerdo de ver el lyrics video en el ballet y la miss Celia regañándonos.

Ari

Life Itself · Glass Animals It slaps. Plus, concert.

Remember When · Wallows My favorite song in my “Drive” playlist, cada vez que sale I remember sitting in the backseat of your dad’s car and you turning the volume up so we could drive over the Reforma speed limit with this blasting.

The Cave of Two Lovers · That LSD guy from Avatar SECRET TUNNEL!!!!!!!! SECRET TUNNEL!!!! THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN!!!! SECRET SECRET SECRET SECRET TUNNEEEEEEEL!!!! (No Spotify version, so here’s the surf rock cover.)

Covarrubias

Toxic · A Static Lullaby Flashbacks a clase de Ms. Miranda en 7º.

Back to Black · Amy Winehouse No puedo oír esta canción sin acordarme de tu audición para Grease. Rizzo could-have-been?

Diana

The Adults Are Talking · The Strokes Es chill yet vaguely nostalgic Diana vibes to the max.

Stuck on the Puzzle · Alex Turner Thank you for liking Alex Turner. :`)

Dark Red · Steve Lacy Memorias de una tarde que pasamos armando Repentinos con una mini guillotina y pláticas de Dinamarca.

Diego

Thinking of a Place · The War on Drugs La primera que me recomendaste, y la mejor para manejar de noche.

Vissi d’Arte · Giacomo Puccini No creo que hubiera visto Tosca si no me la hubieras recomendado. Qué bueno que lo hiciste, porque esta aria se volvió de mis favoritas. 

Money · Pink Floyd Alguna vez jugamos music trivia en el salón de Stearns y me acuerdo de que yo todavía no la ubicaba pero tú la adivinaste sin problema. Years later, eres la persona que sé que le gusta Pink Floyd tanto como a mí. Lástima de Roger. :(

Layla · Derek & The Dominoes Este año tuve un classic rock renaissance que empezó, you guessed it, cuando me recomendaste esta. Clapton no falla.

Klavierkonzert Nr. 21, No. 2 “Andante” · Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart También me hiciste escuchar mucha más música clásica de la que conocía, y aprendí a disfrutarla. Esta sigue siendo mi favorita.

Sara · Fleetwood Mac De las pocas de Fleetwood Mac que no conocía pero que me recomendaste en uno de esos exchanges a las 12 am y que oí con audífonos in the dark.

Resguardum Ether · León Larregui También de las pocas de este cuate que nunca había oído pero que se volvió de mis favoritas.

Fer

Good Life · OneRepublic Buenas vibes.

Can’t Fight This Feeling · REO Speedwagon Horton --> improvised conciertos en el baño.

What the Heck I Gotta Do · Lin Manuel Miranda Más conciertos de regadera/vestidor en lo que nos arreglamos juntas.

Beth · KISS El club Glee y el karaoke en el Wii.

Miss Jackson · Panic! At The Disco No lo vas a admitir, pero te gusta mi música y lo sabes. Anytime que dudas, sólo es cuestión de ponerte esta.

The Man · The Killers Nada como nuestros buenos trips manejando de noche.

Fernando

The Bad Touch · Bloodhound Gang You and me, baby, we ain’t nothing but mammals...

EugeRiq

This Life · Vampire Weekend Siempre que la oigo pienso en ti.

I Wear Glasses · Mating Ritual Me la recomendaste en alguna de mis countless Close Friends stories.

Jose

I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) · The Proclaimers Picture it: a gaggle of eight or so kids marching around Cumbres de Santa Fe loudly screaming this in a terrible Scottish accent after watching a horror movie.

Somebody Else · Clones of Clones A bop!

Ocean Man · Ween I will only say four words: Lord of the Flies.

Lauro

Desencuentro · Residente ft. Soko Clases de Domínguez contigo were always lovely. Plus, who could forget the iconic “NO HAY SEÑAL”?

I Don’t Know How to Love · The Drums Otra de cuando we were still developing our own music tastes.

Luz

Papaoutai · Stromae De cuando estábamos haciendo Haiti research and really wanted to get into the francophone mindset.

Moonlight Sonata · Ludwig Van Beethoven Those Knowledge Bowl kids never saw it coming.

Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke) · Panjabi MC Memoria tangible de Vancouver: cuando pusiste esta en el restaurante indio al que fuimos.

Madison

I Know Things Now · Stephen Sondheim No sé cuántas veces me ayudaste a ensayar esta canción. Me ayudaste muchísimo todo Into the Woods, y desde ahí en 6º sé que te tengo como amiga.

Mare

Rumour Has It · Adele ¿Te acuerdas del proyecto que hicimos de Mr. Kamm en 7º estilo “fleas on rats”? Literal después de que usamos esta canción ya no puedo cantar las lyrics de la original.

Mariana

Bitter Sweet Symphony · The Verve La oíamos dizque “para concentrarnos” en el salón de Austin.

Pas de Quatre from Swan Lake · Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky De cuando te fui a ver bailar ballet con Fran. :)

Tú y Yo Somos Uno Mismo · Timbiriche EL SOL

Manu

Fly Away · Laid Back The moment you played this at Montero’s party you literally made everyone be vibing. It’s like the Fairy Godmother of Chill. That was also the day you stopped being “Manu from TEDx” and were just “Manu” there on. Probably ‘cause you appreciated my ability to drive a stick. :`)

MDRH

Choke · I Don’t Know How But They Found Me I wouldn’t like this Dallon spinoff as much as I do without you. It’s like emo, but evolved, mature— like you. In a good, compliment-y way.

Oceans · Frank Iero Remember when we were gonna see him in concert? :( Thanks for being the only person with whom I can enjoy weird throaty emo screamy shit. At least the guitar is good.

House of Wolves · My Chemical Romance Something about the aggressive guitar and fast pace of this song has always reminded me of you.

Mich

Tear in my Heart · Twenty One Pilots Your Koreaboo initiation before you even knew it.

The Kids Aren’t Alright · Fall Out Boy Remember the lyrics from this I wrote as a dedication in your eighth grade yearbook? I meant them. 

I Write Sins Not Tragedies · Panic! At The Disco I CHIME IN—

She’s My Winona · Fall Out Boy Something about Folie à Deux, and especially about this song, always carries a you vibe.

Perfect · Simple Plan From when you got angsty and Montes called you out on it. Then it became a bit of a joke.

One of THOSE Nights · The Cab Back in seventh grade, this was the most ambitious crossover ever attempted. 

Montse

I Want To Hold Your Hand · The Beatles De cuando saturamos la rockola del Johnny Rocket’s con 15 canciones y pensaron que no servía. But we knew. Plus, a really fun Snapchat video de nosotras bajando las escaleras a tambos y aplausos con esta canción.

Something · The Beatles Too bad Eric Clapton stole George Harrison’s wife.

I Am the Walrus · The Beatles Want to feel what it’s like to do acid without actually doing it? Play this song on Rock Band!

Don’t You (Forget About Me) · Simple Minds De la única pijamada que me han dejado hacer, donde vimos tu película favorita. An unforgettable night with an unforgettable person.

Pato

Hit the Back · King Princess The best experience of my life was one I’m glad I shared with you. Still want to murder those Rock Lobster loiterers though— blocked us from KP. >:(

Just the Same · Bruno Major I had never heard of him, but to be next to you enjoying him, with our KP t-shirts in my bag and just-refilled water bottles, was one of the highlights of my night.

The Louvre · Lorde Remember when we played Melodrama in your bedroom? This is the song that I feel best captivates that: shoes on the floor, laying softly on the bed, sunlight streaming in through the window, the vinyl spinning, and a general feeling of levity.

No You Girls · Franz Ferdinand Friendly reminder of literally the worst physical experience of our lives. :))))

The Other Side of Paradise · Glass Animals The first GA song I ever showed you, which is a nice chain thing because it’s the first GA song I ever listened to that Jordan showed me. And a birthday vinyl we played in your room.

Romina

The Only Thing · Sufjan Stevens This entire album is your personality. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.

Futile Devices · Sufjan Stevens Same as above. It’s not your fault you’re a Sufjan Suf-stan. But every time I listen to Sufjan I remember you playing him at the Open Mic. That’s a very nice feeling.

Mama · My Chemical Romance Indisputably goes HARD and hey what are mommy issues without a little angst/general gender confusion?

Sam

Goodie Bag · Still Woozy El día del college fair que estuvimos juntas al principio y conocimos a la USC rep que nos cagó traías tu camisa de Still Woozy. Since then, el grupo me recuerda a ti.

Vale

Heart of Glass · Miley Cyrus Tú viviste esta out-of-body transcendental experience al mismo tiempo que yo, el día de mi cena. 

Don’t Stop · Fleetwood Mac Espero que ya te guste Rumours completo. :)

Yuhis

Chiquitita · ABBA I didn’t know you could sing. After listening to you sing this one (and almost crying), I wondered why you didn’t do it more often.

Beauty School Dropout · Frankie Avalon I am sorry pero literal I can only think of this song in your voice. Iconic!

Gracias por todo. Los quiero. Los voy a extrañar.

[saiilorstars]

Stars Dance

Ch. 9: All Gobbled Up

Fandom: Doctor Who Pairing: 11th Doctor x Original Female Character

[Previous chapters]

(Fairy Tale Memoirs, One Shot/AU Companion story)

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0

Chapter summary: The time travelling group must face a threat from under the planet and, in the process, save Avalon and Amy!

While his companions slept, the Doctor roamed the TARDIS trying to find some entertainment. By now, he was used to the silence that followed every night for an agonizing 8 to 10 hours. Sometimes he had companions who really loved sleep and wouldn't show up for 12 hours! Twelve hours! Who slept for that long!?

Things were a bit different right now, though. Amy and Rory slept the usual eight hours humans took. They were set like stones. Lena and Avalon would vary. Sometimes poor Lena wouldn't be able to sleep well due to her asthma. As much as the Doctor tried, her asthma would just suddenly kick in and make it hard for her to sleep peacefully. Those were the nights he would be on red alert in case she needed something. He didn't want to bring her to the medbay when she had her own comfortable room, but he would make it so that it was the first room next the console room. But other times, she would sleep as soundly as Amy and Rory would. He liked those nights; he didn't like seeing his baby sister suffer.

And then there was Avalon. Oh, Miss Avalon Reynolds was the case when it came to sleeping.

Some nights she would disappear and sleep like anyone else. Sometimes she'd sleep less hours than the others but she would still sleep. Other nights would have her poking her head into the console room and trying to start some type of adventure while everyone else slept. The Doctor admitted that it was nice having somebody around to talk to while it was 'night', but he often worried that she wasn't getting enough rest. It was when he voiced these concerns that Avalon would get irritated and leave the console room in a storm.

That's also when the TARDIS would throw sparks at the Doctor's hands, like she was angry that he upset Avalon. 'Whose bloody side are you on!?' he would yell at the console only to get another spark as a response. And if Avalon happened to be around, she would laugh at him.

The Doctor wasn't very fond of those nights but he was even less fond of the nights where Avalon wouldn't sleep at all.

Those were the nights he sometimes genuinely feared.

Sometimes, Avalon wouldn't sleep for days and it would take a toll on her. She was irritable and sometimes she'd almost doze off in the middle of an adventure. The Doctor would feel sorry for her, as did the others, because it was clear that she wanted to sleep but she just couldn't. He'd offer to help her out but of course she would refuse. Apparently, being hopelessly stubborn was another side affect.

There were various nights where Avalon simply could not sleep and it wouldn't affect her. She didn't seem tired, she didn't act like it, so she would wander through the infinite corridors of the TARDIS. And because the TARDIS seemed to outright favorite her above anyone else - including one possibly jealous Doctor - the box would give her access to nearly every room available. Already Avalon had seen the library, the swimming pool, the bowling alley, the gardens, the gym and one time the Doctor's workroom which she loved and possibly tinkered with until the Doctor had to physically yank her out. She was a wanderer and an explorer, but sometimes the Doctor wanted to shake her until she would just agree to go to sleep.

Of course the Doctor would also admit that they did have some fun together when they actually went out on small trips. He didn't have to wait eight hours to continue adventuring with the others because Avalon was more than ready to go out during 'night'.

To be frank, it was a hit and miss with her. At least the Doctor couldn't say anymore that the nights were boring. He could never be bored when Avalon Reynolds was around.

Tonight, however, the TARDIS began humming in an odd manner...like it was trying to tell him something. Stopping, the Doctor carefully thought what the hums meant. "Avalon and Rory are fine, I just saw them..." he checked the two off his list, "...Amy and Lena...Amy usually's fine, but Lena..." he nodded, "...it has to be Lena. What's wrong with her, old girl? Is it the asthma again?" He raced out of the room and just like the times before, Lena's door was right after the console.

As he neared the door, he began to hear Lena's cries. "Lena?" he knocked on her door. "Baby sister, what's going on?"

"I'M SORRY!" she had screamed and the Doctor, panicking, ran right into the room. Lena was sitting on her bed, chest heaving from the terrible nightmare she'd had. Her eyes were wide and looking from one thing to another to make sure she was in her comfortable room now.

"Lena?" the Doctor cautiously approached her bed, presuming she'd had a nightmare. That was rare, she never had one even with all the trips they had.

Lena's eyes locked with his and immediately softened. "Big brother, did I wake you?"

The Doctor smiled, a bit amused, and shook his head. "Lena, you're the one who woke up screaming. I'd like to focus on you instead."

But that didn't please her. With a snort, she looked down. "Story of my life."

"What's wrong? Do you want me to call Avalon?" the Doctor thought that maybe Lena would feel more comfortable talking with her sister. Seeing as there was nothing physically wrong with Lena, he could go get Avalon now.

"No!" Lena had gasped suddenly, startling him. "I mean...I don't...I don't want her to come for nothing." She swallowed hard.

"It doesn't look like nothing..." the Doctor noted. There was a different sort of fear sitting in Lena's eyes and it made him worry. "I know it's not the same because we haven't known each other for a long time, but...you could talk to me about anything."

Lena contemplated for a moment. Could she trust him with a secret that had been a burden on her ever since she could remember? A secret that she'd learned to put away in the deepest corner of her mind but was now forcing its way back to the surface because...because of where they were?

"Lena?" the Doctor called when the brunette had gone silent. Unlike her sister, Lena failed miserably trying to hide what was bothering her. Avalon was a master at it. Lena's eyes were too frail to act like nothing was wrong. Lena was generally less guarded than Avalon.

"You can't tell anyone," she began in a faint whisper.

"I won't-"

"I mean you literally cannot tell anyone, Doctor," Lena looked him directly in the eyes. "Especially not Avalon."

"I swear I won't," the Doctor raised a hand. "But what is it?"

Lena swallowed hard and looked down, biting her lip. "I...I know something...that I really shouldn't. That I wish I didn't." She closed her eyes for a moment, her lower lip becoming like a chewing gum. "Because it makes me feel really guilty."

"What is it?" the Doctor reached for her hand. The fact she was saying words like those and looking like she did was a big alert that this was no ordinary nightmare she had.

"When I was young, a lot of times I couldn't go outside and play because of my illness so Avalon would invite Amy, Rory and our friend Mels to play inside instead. Our favorite game was hide-and-seek and one time...when I was meant to be hiding...I heard something I shouldn't have from my parents." Lena closed her eyes again and gripped the Doctor's hand. "I really wish I hadn't heard it, big brother, because then I wouldn't have turned into an accomplice and I wouldn't be lying to my sister every day."

The Doctor, although confused, was beginning to make connections on his own but he decided to let Lena get it off her chest. He assumed she had yet to tell anyone and it would do her good to have one opportunity to do it.

"We don't look alike, Avalon and I, not because we're fraternal twins...but because we're not twins at all. I-I don't know what we are, if we're not, but I just know that Avalon isn't my mother's daughter," Lena sniffled more and more as she spoke the words out loud. "I was young, and I got scared...so I ran out before I could finish hearing my parents. Since then I keep getting the same dream over and over of that moment, like a plague..."

"You've been carrying that secret for a long time," the Doctor patted her hand gently.

"I was good at keeping it away," Lena admitted. "But then we came here-" she gestured to the TARDIS as a whole, "-where I thought that Avalon could finally start her own life but instead she keeps focusing on me and missing the bigger picture. It makes me feel awful that she spends all this time on me when I'm not even her sister."

"Avalon has a big heart, and I think she would rather die than let anything happen to you," the Doctor smiled. "But that's no reason to feel guilty, Lena. You should feel special that someone loves you this much."

"I can't, because I don't deserve it,"Lena shook her head.

"What? Lena!"

"It's true!"

"No, it's really not. You've given Avalon the gift of sisterhood, a confidant from the very start of her life. It's always been you two and that is something that no one can replace!"

"I can't tell her," Lena bit her lip, expecting for the Doctor to give her some sermon about telling the truth because Avalon deserved it.

"If you think that's what needs to be done, then you have my support," he surprised her with instead.

"You really...would keep this from her?"

"It's not my story to tell."

"I just...I just don't want you to think that I'm being selfish by not telling Avalon. I-I'm not a bad person, I promise. I just...I would like to spare Avalon from the truth. Because one thing I heard from my parents was that Avalon never had to know."

"I imagine they love her too much to tell her the truth," the Doctor reasoned, and Lena shrugged. "A usual case within adoptive parents. They fear the biological parent or parents would try to take the child from them."

"But Avalon isn't a child anymore. And I think it's really more about my Dad," Lena sighed. "Because my Mum was reproaching him why he never revealed if Avalon was his daughter or not. Isn't that weird?"

"A bit," the Doctor admitted but didn't put that much thought to it. "But parents make the oddest decisions for their children, trust me."

Lena looked at him for a moment, getting that same strange feeling that he was saying this out of experience. "Big brother...did you have children at one point?"

The Doctor's eyebrows rose, and he took his hand from Lena's. "Um..."

Lena saw the struggle to come up with an answer and smiled. "You don't have to tell me. But just like you, I'm always here if you'd like to talk." She scooted closer and hugged him, thinking that both of them needed one at the moment.

~ 0 ~

To say Avalon was upset of the newest destination the Doctor had for them was way past an understatement. He knew, Lena knew, Amy knew, Rory knew that she detested the beach and yet somehow...they had all decided to go to a beach. A big ole Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro, the biggest and 'coolest' as stated by the Doctor. Avalon did not care how flashy nor how big this Carnival was, she was not stepping out of the box and that was that.

Did no one understand?

"We're here!" the Doctor cheered when the box had finally stopped.

Nope, guess no one.

"Off we go!" the Doctor rushed towards the doors, Amy and Rory right behind him.

Lena cast a glance back to her twin who sat glumly on the chairs beside the console. Lena sighed and walked towards Avalon, "You don't want to see Rio?" she questioned softly.

"Frankly, the only thing I want to see is my pillow," Avalon mumbled and jumped off the chair, her hand rubbing a circle on her temple. She could feel a a headache coming on from her lack of sleep.

"You do look a bit...pale," Lena observed her twin with concern, "Have you slept?"

"C'mon, Lena, you know me," Avalon flashed a small smile and turned for the corridors, "Sleep hates me."

"Maybe we can ask the Doctor to help you," Lena tried following but Avalon turned back in an instant, making Lena bump into her.

"No, don't you dare," Avalon pointed a warning finger at Lena, "I don't want any help from no bow-tie wearing alien. Plus, I'm crossed with him right now. He knows I dislike beaches and yet..."

"Yeah, Avalon?" Amy poked her head inside the TARDIS with a crossed face, "You can come out, it's not Rio."

"It's not?" Lena turned with a disappointed expression, "Aw!"

"Surprise, surprise, he got it wrong," Avalon flashed a small smile and strode towards the doors, "Good."

"But I wanted to see the beach!" Lena trailed after her.

Avalon stepped out to see a cemetery as the environment, "Never mind..." she mumbled. Cemetery or beach? Today was definitely not her day.

"Big brother, what happened here?" Lena crossed her arms while she gave her best mock-irritated frown, "I was promised sunshine and music!"

"May have been a bit of a mix up," the Doctor walked a bit ahead and came to an abrupt halt, "Ooh, feel that, though, what's that?" he bounced in place for a second, "Ground feels strange...just me?"

"Yes," Avalon compelled to make the clarification.

"That's weird," he had ignored her as he looked around.

"What's weird?" Rory asked.

"Doctor, stop trying to distract us. We're in the wrong place," Amy sighed as the Doctor ran around to the other side of a church.

"Yeah, it's freezing here," Lena shivered and hugged herself. She committed to Rio and chose a green buttoned rib-knit top with jean shorts. It was not appropriate for where they were right now. "I dressed for Rio..."

"Lena go get changed. I don't want you catching a cold." Avalon had no trouble with colder weather because she hadn't dressed for Rio. She said she wasn't stepping out of the TARDIS and had meant it. She wore a white, short-sleeved, high neck shirt tucked under high-waisted brown and white plaid pants.

"But-"

"Go," Avalon pointed. With a sigh, Lena returned inside the box.

The Doctor was plucking some grass and sifting it through his fingers, "Blue grass. Patches of it all round the graveyard. So, Earth, 2020-ish, ten years in your future, wrong continent for Rio, I'll admit, but it's not a massive overshoot."

Amy noticed three people on the other side of the valley waving at them. Amy squinted her eyes but they were too far away to see the trio clear. "Why are those people waving at us?"

"Can't be," the Doctor murmured, too engrossed with the grass to notice.

Rory started waving back at the trio but Avalon pushed his hand down and shook her head. "Don't wave until we know who they are."

The Doctor finally looked up and took out some binoculars from his jacket to get a better look at the trio. He almost laughed. "It's...hm, it's you two," he pointed at Amy and Rory, "...and...Lena."

"What? That can't be right," Avalon snatched the binoculars and took a look for herself. Sure enough, it was Amy, Rory and Lena waving at them.

"But we're here," Rory looked at each other, "How can we be up there?"

"Ten years in your future. Come to relive past glories, I'd imagine," the Doctor said.

"But where am I?" Avalon frowned and lowered the binoculars. She tried searching for herself anywhere nearby but she wasn't around. "How come I'm not there?"

"Maybe you got married and moved away," Amy teased but Avalon didn't seem to like the joke.

"Don't be ridiculous, I'd never leave Lena."

"Maybe she forced you to," the Doctor mumbled, thinking no one had heard him, until...

Avalon whacked him on the chest with his binoculars, "What did you just say?"

God help the man who married her alright. He rubbed his chest and tried to move the conversation along. "I said nothing. I was actually thinking about-"

"No, you said she'd force me to leave, why would Lena do that?" Avalon moved to stand right in front of him, eyes narrowing for him to start explaining.

"I don't know, I..." the Doctor sighed and took a look at the pair behind the angry ginger for help. He had such a incredible talent at pissing her off and nobody seemed to help him when it happened, save for Lena.

"I'd measure your words very carefully, Doctor," Avalon warned with a pointed finger at his chest.

"Avalon, don't overreact," Amy moved to the ginger's side and swayed her. Fortunately, it rocked Avalon into a nearlike sleep, her eyes even closing momentarily. All arguments had suddenly been forgotten!

"Yeah...sorry," Avalon mumbled and walked ahead, still half asleep.

"That woman is asleep!" Amy exclaimed.

"I've never seen her like that before," Rory mumbled as he moved up as well.

"That's the only side I've seen," the Doctor remarked but still agreed the ginger had not looked so good, even for her natural feisty self. She was in one of her days-without-sleep spree and it would be a bad one.

"I should talk to her, see what's going on," Rory resolved, "She'll tell me and then we can fix it."

"Fix what?" Lena emerged from the TARDIS, now changed into warmer clothes as requested, ordered, by Avalon. Her jean shorts were exchanged for a regular pair and she'd thrown on a thick green sweater.

"Your sister nearly chewed my head off," the Doctor declared and made her laugh. So much for having Lena's help!

"You certainly have a way of pushing my sister's buttons, don't you?" she stepped off the TARDIS onto the mushy grass.

"It's not my fault she doesn't sleep," the Doctor shrugged, "And I'd really not get into that whole mess so how about we go check that big mining thing, eh?" he pointed behind him to the building.

Two different reactions surfaced in the trio: Lena, as expected, simply nodded, while Amy and Rory wore irritated frowns and shook their heads.

"We want the beach," the engaged couple declared.

"But it's a big mining thing," the Doctor insisted, "Way better than Rio! Rio doesn't have a big mining thing!"

"We're not going to have a look," Amy warned.

"Let's go and have a look!" the Doctor took Lena's hand and walked down into the valley.

Rory sighed, "If he can't get us to Rio, how's he ever going to get us back home?"

"Did you not see, over there?" Amy nodded up to the hill where their future selves remained, "It all works out fine."

"After everything we've seen, we just drop back into our old lives, the nurse and the kissogram?"

"I guess. He's getting away," Amy took Rory by the arm and started off when suddenly Rory halted them.

"Hang on. What are you doing with that?" he pointed to her ring finger.

"Engagement ring! I thought you liked me wearing it," Amy raised an eyebrow, not so sure anymore with the face Rory was making.

"Amy! You could lose it! Cost...a lot of money, that!"

"Hm," Amy removed the ring and handed it over, "Spoilsport."

"C'mon, let's go put it away...to safety," Rory eyed her, taking the groaning ginger back into the TARDIS.

After setting the ring back in its box and placed promptly on the console, the two headed back for the doors.

"If we get lost it's your fault," Amy warned as they stepped out.

"We won't get..." Rory stopped once he saw a woman and a little boy standing in front of him and Amy, as if waiting.

"Well, that was quick!" the woman, a brunette, remarked.

"...was it?" Amy replied in an answer as she nervously glanced at Rory.

"It's great that you came."

"Bit retro," the young boy was staring at the TARDIS, "What is it, portable crime lab?"

"Oh, er..." Rory looked back at the box, "...sort of."

"Ambrose Northover," the woman introduced herself as she shook Rory's hand, Amy next, "I was the one who called. I run the meals on wheels for the whole valley. This is my son, Elliot," she gestured to the boy.

"Where's your uniforms?" he questioned the pair.

"Don't be cheeky, Elliot, they're plain clothes," Ambrose scolded, "CID, is it? Anyway, it's over here."

As the mother and son departed, Rory and Amy exchanged uneasy glances...what was going on?

~ 0 ~

"Avalon? Avalon! What are you doing?" Lena gasped and ran forwards.

Avalon was already at the drill site in front of the gated entrance...which she was currently climbing up on. "What does it look like I'm doing?" Avalon grunted and swung one leg over before looking down at them.

"What? Get down from there!" Lena ordered in her best authoritative tone. But when she saw Avalon swinging her other leg she gave up on that and turned to the Doctor, "Do something!"

"Um...it's restricted access..." he looked around, "No unauthorized personnel. Mm..." he gave the ginger a smirk.

"Hm," Avalon smirked and hopped off, now on the other side of the doors. She curled her hands around the gate's bars and grinned, no longer looking like the sleepless night were an issue. "Come along!"

The Doctor pouted at her words. "Those are my words! I say that!"

Avalon smirked again. She pressed her face against the bars, almost reminding Lena of a few times Avalon had been sent to the local precinct, only this time Avalon seemed content. "You gonna stay there or what, Fairy Tale Man?"

"You watch me," he whipped out his sonic and let it tap Avalon's nose between the gates.

"Big brother!" Lena whacked his arm while he sonicked the gates. "You're not supposed to encourage her!"

"Why are the Reynolds hitting me today!?"

Avalon laughed and stepped backwards for when he opened the gates.

Lena groaned at his lack of attention. "That's breaking and entering!"

"What did I break, little sister?" he gestured to the unbroken locks, "I...sonicked and entered, totally different."

"You and Avalon are going to go to jail!"

"Ah, been there done that," the Doctor said as they stepped through the entrance. "We'll keep each other company."

Avalon's eyes widened at him. "You!? What!?" She promptly burst into laughter, once again making him pout.

"You might not believe me-"

"You're right, I don't!"

"Right, okay, so if you're not extra cranky you just make even more fun of me!" the Doctor shook his head at her and linked arms with Lena. "Let's go baby sister!"

~ 0 ~

Ambrose and Elliot had brought Amy and Rory to the graveyard where a plot laid with no tomb inside. Ambrose stepped beside it and peered down, "It's a family plot, see. My aunt Gladys died six years ago. Her husband, Alun, died a few weeks back. He lived in the house two doors down. There's not many of us left up here now."

"Mum, they don't care about that! They want to know about the dead bodies," Elliot reminded.

"Yes, sorry," Ambrose nodded in agreement, "Well, they always wanted to be buried in the same plot, together. But when we went to bury Uncle Alun, Gladys wasn't there. Gone. Body, coffin, everything."

"What?" Rory blinked, glancing at Amy who was just as confused as he was.

"The mad thing is, on the surface, the grave was untouched. No signs of it having been messed with."

"But..." Amy began but shook her head, "...nope, sorry, not getting it."

"Nobody has touched the grave since my aunt was buried," Ambrose reiterated, "But when they dug it open, the body was gone. How is that possible?"

~ 0 ~

"What about now, can you feel it now?" the Doctor asked the twins as they strolled through halls inside the drill station.

"It's the ground," Avalon sighed, "It just feels like...ground."

"But it doesn't feel like it should," he explained, unaware of the roll of eyes she'd given him behind his back.

"It's ten years in the future, maybe this is how the ground feels like now," Lena offered.

"Good thought! But no. It doesn't," he shook his head. They stopped at the sound of a whirring not too far up ahead. The Doctor listened carefully. "Hear that, drill in start-up mode. Afterwaves of a recent seismological shift and blue grass." He still held a few pieces of the blue grass he picked up from outside and placed it in his mouth.

Avalon made a distasteful face when she saw that, Lena simply giggling when he made a face and had to pulled the grass off his tongue.

"You are disgusting," Avalon declared, almost gagging. "Have you always had that...erratic quality?"

"No..." he genuinely considered, "That's recent."

"Ugh, don't ever kiss my twin nor me," Avalon shivered and moved on ahead.

"I gotta agree there," Lena made him shake off the grass still in his hand, "Repeat after me: blue grass is not food."

"Blue grass is not food," the Doctor muttered.

"Hey, maybe I can be a teacher," she clapped, "If I can make a 907 year old alien pay attention, I'm sure I can make 5 year olds do it!"

"That's what you want to be, then?" the Doctor took her by the arm and led her after Avalon, "A school teacher?"

"Mm, I always liked the idea," she shrugged. She never truly put much thought into what type of career she'd want because of her illness. Her father (and Avalon) wanted Lena to take it easy for a few years before she decided going to a college away from Leadworth.

"My baby sister as a teacher, I can see that. And what about Avalon? What super-twin team are you making?"

Lena faintly smiled, "I...don't know. I don't actually know what she wants to be."

"Oh c'mon, isn't that one of the primary teachings you humans always do with your children?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow, "Always asking your kids what do they want to be when they grow up?"

Lena just shrugged, her smile completely gone, "I don't know. Avalon doesn't say much, she doesn't say anything, actually..."

"Not even to Rory?"

Lena shook her head, "Rory's more of the comforting friend. But she doesn't really say much about herself. Still, I'd rather Rory be able to help her out than for her to have absolutely no one. I mean, she comes to me, we have good talks, sometimes...I can get her to talk about what she wants, but those are rare times."

"I'm sorry," the Doctor genuinely said to her, "I promise after this I will get us all to a nice place, no beach, something calm and I'll make sure you get some sister time with Avalon. How does that sound?"

"That sounds really nice, thank you," she softly smiled.

The two finally entered the room where they heard the sound from. They'd arrived just in time to see Avalon being questioned by a woman with short, black hair. The woman seemed to be getting upset that Avalon wasn't answering any of her questions.

"Time to go in and save your sis...again," the Doctor mumbled to Lena as he took out his psychic paper, the brunette chuckling as he moved ahead, "Hello, see you've met my friend here," he flashed the psychic paper to the woman, "Ministry of Drills, Earth and Science! New Ministry, quite big, just merged, lot of responsibility on our shoulders, don't like to talk about it. What're you doing?"

"None of your business," the woman looked at the trio with suspicion, even more towards the Doctor when he started moving around the monitors.

"Where are you getting these readings from?" he asked.

"Under the soil," the woman replied as she moved towards a hole in the ground with certain equipment around it.

Another man entered the room in a quick stride. "The drill's up and running again-" He came to a pause when he saw the newest intruders in the room. "What's going on? Who are these people?"

"Hi!" Lena waved, deciding to go ahead and give introductions seeing how the Doctor was at work and Avalon was...well..half-asleep again. "That's the Doctor and that's my sister, Avalon."

"Why's there a big patch of earth in the middle of your floor?" the Doctor looked up, curiously.

"We don't know, it just appeared overnight," the woman answered.

Lena walked closer to the hole and peered down, confused as she only saw soil. The Doctor stood up rather fast and looked at all of them, "Good, right, you all need to get out of here very fast," he rushed to the monitors.

"Why?" the woman raised an eyebrow.

"What's your name?"

"Nasreen Chaudhry."

"Look at the screens, Nasreen, your readings. It's moving," he pointed at the monitor.

"Lena, get away from there," Avalon instructed, currently rubbing her temple again. She felt a head-ache coming soon to her.

The man that'd walked in had moved to the Doctor and Nasreen, irritated to see the stranger touching all their equipment, "Hey, that's specialized equipment! Get away from it."

"What is?" Nasreen asked the Doctor, concerned of the man's words.

"Why is there steam?" Lena frowned as said steam rose from the hole, "Avalon, come and look," she motioned for the ginger to move over.

"Lena, move away," Avalon made her twin stand up, "Doctor?" she called, "There's steam coming out of this thing. I'm gonna go on a wild guess and say it's not good."

"Very correct," he looked over his shoulder and saw the steam, "It's shifting when it shouldn't be shifting."

"What shouldn't?" Nasreen asked, a bit irritated that none of her questions were being answered.

The ground started shaking as if an earthquake was striking, prompting the Doctor to quickly move his hands over the monitors, "The ground, the soil, the earth, moving, but how? Why?"

"Is this an earthquake?" Lena stumbled back.

"What's going on?" the man demanded.

"Doubt it, baby sister," the Doctor looked around, "Cos it's only happening under this room," he said just as more holes formed on the ground as it subsided underneath, "It knows we're here. The ground's attacking us."

"No, that's not possible!" Nasreen exclaimed.

"Under the circumstances, I suggest... RUN!" the Doctor grabbed Nasreen and headed for the doors.

As Tony quickly followed, the twins made move only to have Lena get trapped.

"No!" Avalon turned, gasping at her fallen twin.

"Stay back, Avalon! Stay away from the earth!" the Doctor, quickly looking for a way around the opening holes.

"No, Avalon, go away," Lena tried waving Avalon to leave, "Don't-"

Avalon leaped over a hole and pushed everything she could to help Lena, "Don't be stupid, Lena. Like I'd ever leave you, hm?"

"Don't...just go," Lena pleaded, whimpered.

"Look, I got - AH!" Avalon found her feet being sucked by the ground underneath, "What the hell!?" she looked down with wide eyes, "Ah! It's pulling me down!" she gave a cry as she went further down.

"No! N-n-n-no!" Lena cried from her spot, feeling so incredibly useless being stuck, "Someone get me out of here so I can help!"

Luckily enough, the Doctor had found a way around the holes and ran towards them, "It's okay! It's okay!" he grabbed onto Avalon's hands while Nasreen and Tony ran to help the other twin in distress.

"Something's got my feet!" Avalon yelped as she sunk to her waist.

The Doctor fell to his stomach with the great pull the ginger had endured, but he never let go, "It's okay, we're going to get you out of here, you'll see."

Avalon had stopped her shouts and looked around with shiny eyes, "Doctor, what is it, why is it doing this?"

"Stay calm, keep hold of my hand, don't let go," he looked over to the others, "Your drill, shut it down! Go! Now!"

Lena was finally pulled away from the hole she was in and so Nasreen and Tony rushed off. Lena tried moving to help the Doctor when Avalon gave a shout.

"Stay where you are! Don't move!"

"But Avalon, I can help-"

"STAY BACK!"

Lena froze in her spot once her sister screamed with full force. It even stopped the Doctor for a moment. "But..." Lena couldn't even open her mouth when Avalon shouted again.

"Just stay where you are! I didn't save you so you can put yourself in danger again! Whatever needs to happen, you let it happen!"

"Don't say that, Avalon!" the Doctor was the one to snap next. "Nothing is going to happen to you! We're gonna get you out! But you gotta stay calm. If you struggle, it'll make things worse. Keep hold of my hand. I'm not going to let you go."

"Ah!" Avalon's arms slipped from his grip as she sunk even lower, "I-i-it's pulling me!" she cried.

"Stay calm. Hold on," he gripped her one wrist with both his hands, "If they can just shut down the drill..."

"I can't hold on!" Avalon sunk down to her neck and arms, "Doctor, you gotta tell me what's down here..." she swallowed, her eyes becoming shinier as more water filled them, "What is under the earth? I don't want to suffocate under there! I'd rather drown!" And considering her hatred of beaches, that meant a lot.

"Avalon, just follow orders please. Concentrate!" the Doctor did his best to keep her spirits up despite the situation. He could feel her hands slipping from his grip so he squeezed as much as he could. He'd apologize for breaking her bones when she was safe in the TARDIS. "That's all. Concentrate. Don't you give up! That's not the Avalon I know!"

"Please don't let them take me..." Avalon whimpered as she went down again, her chin beginning to go under as well. Once she tasted dirt in her mouth, she realized this was happening. She would be going under no matter what. "Fairy Tale Man...look after Lena."

The Doctor's eyes widened. He recognized the resignation but before he could tell her things would be okay, her hand slipped out of his and she sunk into the ground.

"AVALON!" Lena cried and rushed forwards, forgetting all about the holes still threatening them.

"No! No!" the Doctor shouted at the ground, unable to believe he'd actually let that happen. "Avalon! Avalon!" he frantically dug through the whole, hoping nothing more than to see her fiery ginger curls. Suddenly, he wanted to hear her snaps and jabs! He wanted to take her night adventures and play cards when she couldn't sleep! The idea of never being able to do that struck chord that he hadn't felt a in a very long time. "No! No! No! No. No! No. NO!"

"Where did my sister go!? Where is she!?" Lena watched the Doctor use his sonic over the spot Avalon had been in but he got nothing from it.

Nasreen and Tony ran back inside the room thinking everything was good until they saw one angry man and one crying woman. It took them a few seconds to realize that Avalon was missing.

"Where's your other friend?" Nasreen asked.

"She's gone. The ground took her," the Doctor answered quietly, his eyes glued to the hole.

"And it's my fault...again," Lena dropped to her knees in front of the hole. "Always has to save me and then she gets in trouble!" she ran her hands through her hair, completely frantic, "Always, always, always me!"

"Is that what happened to Mo? Are they dead?" Tony questioned, the Doctor shooting the man a death glare as he was not helping the case.

The Doctor bent down and helped a frantic Lena to her feet, "Baby sister, baby sister, breathe," he gave the order, "I need you to be calm and to breathe!" he articulated the last word as he searched inside his jacket and pulled out her inhaler, "Breathe!"

Lena took the inhaler and took her breaths as requested, slowly calming down with each take, "Doctor, you have to save her, please," she sniffled, "I'll help you, but...she needs to be here and she needs to be alive!"

"Exactly what we're going to do," he assured her and took a breath himself before he started to think, "So...it's not quicksand, clearly. She didn't just sink..."

"She said something was pulling her," Lena reminded, wiping away some tears off her face, "If she was being pulled then it meant what ever was down there wanted her."

"The ground wanted her?" Nasreen raised a doubtful eyebrow.

"You said the ground was dormant, just a patch of earth, when you first saw it this morning," the Doctor looked at her nod, "And the drill had been stopped."

"That's right," Tony said.

"But when you re-started the drill, the ground fought back."

"So what, the ground wants to stop us drilling?! Doctor, that is ridiculous," Nasreen shook her head.

"Don't you dare call this ridiculous if it just swallowed my sister!" Lena snapped, surprising the Doctor as he sonicked the hole. Lena never snapped. But she looked so frustrated, so angry and so...sad. She was right in that somehow Avalon seemed to have a habit of getting hurt.

The Doctor felt a twinge of guilt as he recalled Avalon taking a death shot for him as well. Once again, she'd taken a bullet for someone and ended up hurt.

His thoughts were interrupted when the ground started vibrating, "Oh! Oh of course! It's bio-programming!"

"What?" Tony frowned.

"Bio-programming," the Doctor clapped, "You use bio-signals to resonate the internal molecular structure of natural objects! It's mainly used in engineering and construction, mostly jungle planets, but that's way in the future, and not here. What's it doing here?"

"Sorry, did you just say jungle planets?" Nasreen raised an eyebrow.

"You're not making any sense, man!" Tony added.

The Doctor took a moment to throw the man an indignant look. There was no time to waste and here this man was doing exactly that! "'Scuse me, I'm making perfect sense, you're just not keeping up! The earth, the ground beneath our feet, was bio-programmed to attack."

"Yeah, even if that were possible, which, by the way, it's not, why?" Nasreen asked.

"Stop you drilling! We find what's doing the bio-programming, find Avalon, get her back!" he suddenly spun around as if he had twenty people talking to him at the same time. "Ssh ssh ssh! Have I gone mad?! I've gone mad!"

"No time for personal questions, big brother," Lena sighed, "Can we find Avalon now?"

"Ssh ssh! Silence! Absolute silence!" the Doctor held a finger to them and shushed, "You stopped the drill, right?"

"Yes," Nasreen nodded.''

"And you've only got the one drill?"

"Yes!"

"You're sure about that?"

"Yes!"

But the Doctor dropped to the ground on his stomach and pressed an ear to the gun beside the hole where sure enough he heard that faint whirring sound again.

"Doctor, what is it?" Lena stepped forwards, for a second thinking he could hear Avalon still shouting. She shook her head and snapped out of those thoughts.

"So, if you shut the drill down... why can I still hear drilling?" the Doctor looked to Nasreen and Tony, "It's under the ground."

"That's not possible," Tony shot the idea down.

The Doctor ignored the man as he jumped back to his feet and ran towards the machinery with his screwdriver.

"Oh, no, what, what are you doing?" Nasreen quickly followed when she heard the screwdriver making its usual noises.

"Hacking into your records. Reports, samples, sensors, good, just unite the data, make it all one big conversation, let's have a look. So. We are here and this is your drill hole. 21.009 kilometres. Well done!"

"Thank you. It's taken us a long time," Nasreen faintly smiled with pride.

"Why here, though? Why drill on this site?"

"We found patches of grass in this area, containing trace minerals unseen in this country for 20 million years."

"The blue grass? Oh, Nasreen, those trace minerals weren't X marking the spot, saying dig here," the Doctor gave a small chuckle, "They were a warning. Stay away. Cos while you've been drilling down... somebody else has been drilling up," he pulled up a screen with a vertical network of the tunnels underneath the ground, "Oh, beautiful. Network of tunnels all the way down."

"No, no, we've surveyed that area," Tony said.

"Clearly you only saw what you went looking for," Lena shot him an irritated look. If they had paid more attention maybe her sister would still be around.

Nasreen noticed three little green dots that were moving up via the tunnels registered, "What are they?"

"Heat signals," the Doctor started looking into it, "Wait, dual readings, hot and cold, doesn't make sense. And now they're moving. Fast. How many people live nearby?"

"Just my daughter and her family. The rest of the staff travel in," Tony answered.

"Grab this equipment and follow me," the Doctor instructed and headed for the door with Lena.

"Why? What're we doing?!" Nasreen called.

The Doctor stopped ans turned around, "That noise isn't a drill. It's transport. Three of them, 30km down, rate of speed looks about 150km an hour. Should be here in...ooh, quite soon, 12 minutes," he picked up one of the computers, "Whatever bio-programmed the Earth is on its way up, now!"

~ 0 ~

The group were carrying computers and a wheelbarrow with more equipment as they trundled of the building.

"How can something be coming up when there's only the Earth's crust down there?" Tony insistingly asked.

"You saw the readings!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"But whoever is down there...they've got Avalon, right?" Lena hoped, "They took her..."

"Hopefully, and then we can have a nice little chat about that..." the Doctor mumbled, not so sure that a chat was what the creatures were coming for.

"Who are you, anyway?!" Nasreen cut in, "How can you know all this?"

They all stopped when a red light struck across the sky.

Lena gasped, "What was that?"

"No, no, no!" the Doctor took out across slingshot from his pocket and picked up a rock.

He shot the rock to the sky where a force field appeared at the contact in the form of a red light. He used the sonic and made visible the dome-shaped field around the village and drill site.

"Energy signal originating from under the Earth. We're trapped," the Doctor explained.

Rory and Amy joined the group with Ambrose and Elliot behind them.

"Doctor! Something weird's going on here, the graves are eating people," Rory really had no other way of putting it.

"And what was that in the sky?" Amy pointed above, "Red lights and stuff appeared."

"Energy barricade. Invisible to the naked eye," the Doctor waved them off, "We can't get out and no-one from the outside world can get in."

"What if we use the TARDIS?" Lena suggested.

"The what?!" Nasreen looked at the girl like she was crazy.

"No, those energy patterns would play havoc with the circuits. With a bit of time, maybe, but we've only got nine and a half minutes."

"Nine and a half minutes to what?" Amy raised an eyebrow.

"We're trapped. And something's burrowing towards the surface," Nasreen answered with and huff.

"Oh..." Amy nodded but blinked when she realized what had just been said, "No, wait, hold on, what!?"

"Wait, where's Ava?" Rory looked around, realizing they were missing some remarks from her.

"Get everyone inside the church!" the Doctor ordered the others as he picked up the computer he'd been taking out.

"Lena?" Amy asked, knowing the brunette would answer much easier than the Doctor.

"She was taken," Lena whispered guiltily. "Because of me."

"What d'you mean 'taken'? Where's she gone?" Rory demanded as he looked at the Doctor. A growing anger was taking over his expression and a well deserved one too if the Doctor was being honest.

"She was taken. Into the Earth," the Doctor sighed.

"Into the Earth!?" both Amy and Rory exclaimed.

"She saved me, as usual, and she got swallowed down into the Earth," Lena sniffled, "It's my fault."

As Amy moved to comfort the lonely twin, Rory raged at the Doctor, "You need to get Ava back!"

"I will, I'll find her," the Doctor assured, glancing at Lena, "I'll find Avalon. I'll keep you all safe. I promise. Come on, please. I need you alongside me."

Lena nodded and together they all headed towards the church.

~ 0 ~

The group was buy setting up the brought equipment inside the chaotic mess the church's room was in.

Ambrose was closest to the door, overlooking everything that was happening with a frustrated face. She'd been told that her husband, Mo, had apparently

been sucked down into the Earth along with another girl. The whole thing was just mad!

"So we can't get out, we can't contact anyone. And something, the something that took my husband, is coming up through the Earth," she recited what she'd been told and it still didn't sound very convincing

"Yes. If we move quickly enough, we can be ready," the Doctor said

"No, stop. This has gone far enough. What is this?"

"He's telling the truth, love," Tony, her father, looked up from the equipment he was setting up.

"Come on! It's not the first time we've had no mobile or phone signals. Reception's always rubbish."

"Listen lady!" Lena nearly shouted, shocking her friends her voice could actually reach a level like that, "You can sit there and not believe a thing or you can come and help! Your husband my sister are down there and I will not have you waste our time with your unbelieving rants!"

Ambrose stood still with blinking eyes, unsure of what to do or say next. The brunette looked awfully pale and frantic, something Ambrose didn't want to push even farther.

"Lena," Amy gently came forwards to her friend, "You need to calm down," she set an arm around Lena's shoulder, "It's not good for your health."

Nasreen looked between the frantic brunette and the stunned Ambrose. She stayed looking at Amberose and sighed, "Look, Ambrose, we saw the girl's sister get taken, okay? You saw the lightning in the sky. I have seen the impossible today, and the only person who's made any sense of it, for me, is the Doctor."

"Him?!" Ambrose cast a worried look to the Doctor.

"Me," he nodded.

"Can you get my dad back?" Elliot suddenly asked, making the room go silent as everyone looked at the Doctor for his answer

"Yes," he answered and walked towards Ambrose, "But I need you to trust me and do exactly as I say from this second onwards because we're running out of time."

"So tell us what to do," Ambrose breathed, resigned.

"Thank you. We have eight minutes to set up a line of defence. Bring me every phone, camera, every piece of recording or transmitting equipment you can find," he ordered, "Every burglar alarm, every movement sensor, every security light. I want the whole area covered with sensors."

The group nodded and rushed to do the task. The Doctor returned to Lena and Amy and signaled Amy to go ahead and follow Rory out. Once the ginger had left, he set his hands on Lena's shoulders and the brunette promptly looked up with tears in her eyes.

"It's my fault," she sniffled.

"No, it's not. Stop saying that, please," he hugged her.

"It's always my fault, big brother. I always get into trouble and need saving from Avalon. I don't deserve that."

"You're saying you don't deserve your twin sister's love?" the Doctor gave a short chuckle.

She parted to look up at him. "You know I don't."

"Doctor?" Ambrose poked her head back inside the room, "We need help outside," she pointed then rushed out again.

~ 0 ~

Ambrose and Rory finished hooking up cameras in ideal positions where the Doctor sonicked them as the last touch.

Once back in the room, the Doctor monitored the oncoming green dots, "Right, we need to be ready for whatever's coming up," he looked to Elliot beside him, "I need a map of the village, marking where the cameras are going."

"I can't do the words. I'm dyslexic," the boy shrugged.

"Oh, that's all right, I can't make a decent meringue," the Doctor turned to him and smiled, "Draw like your life depends on it, Elliot," the boy nodded and ran off. A moment later the Doctor checked his watch and read the time, "6 minutes 40."

~ 0 ~

Lena watched the Doctor going through Ambrose's van, still confused why he needed this particular car. She went around to the back and opened the doors, "Refrigerators!" she called.

"Oi! What're you doing!?" Ambrose hollered as she walked by, her arms full of garden tools, or...weapons.

"Resources! Every little helps!" the Doctor poked his head around the van, Lena closing the doors.

"I still don't understand what this vehicle can provide for us," she sighed.

"Well, it's a bit chilly for a hideout, mind," Ambrose had joined them and set the tools in the front seat.

"What are those?" Lena eyed what Ambrose had set down.

"Like the Doctor said, every little helps."

The Doctor gave the woman a suspicious look and checked the pile, "No! No weapons," he shook his head and stepped back, "It's not the way I do things."

"You said we're supposed to defend ourselves."

"Oh, Ambrose, you're better than this. I'm asking nicely. Put them away," the Doctor linked his arm with Lena and walked off.

"She was just trying to help," Lena offered as a valid reason, "Her husband's gone missing."

"Your sister's gone missing," he pointed out, "I don't see you carrying a weapon," he stopped and eyed her outfit, "You're not...you're not-"

Lena laughed, the first real laugh she'd given since Avalon had been taken, "No, silly."

"Sorry," he gave a small chuckle, "But I mean you have lived with a feisty ginger who hides weapons in her shoes."

"But she never let me near them," Lena shook her head and started walking again, the Doctor going at her pace beside her, "And you know, the only reason she knows how to use them is because she wanted to know how...protect me. It's not because she likes them. I mean, she kind of does but not for bad reasons."

The Doctor knew Lena was trying to sway his opinions on her twin with weaponry. Lena understood completely his opposition to them and knew that it was a big disagreement between him and Avalon. She just didn't want him to think that Avalon was a bad person for handling weapons. Avalon only used them because of, well...her...again.

"Everything Avalon is, is because of me," Lena continued, sighing, "She's stolen because of me, gone to jail because of me, learned weaponry because of me. But she's not a bad person, big brother. Honest. She's really sweet and caring, you two will be fine."

And the Doctor had to make another stop there, "Why are you saying that?"

Lena slowly turned with fiddling hands, "Because I'm going home after this."

"What?"

"I don't want to travel anymore," she continued walking again. She couldn't look him in the eyes just yet.

"But...b-b-but...what!?" the Doctor shook his head and quickly caught up with the brunette, "Lena, Lena, what are you saying?"

Lena gazed ahead so she could say what she needed to. "Let's be honest, big brother, I stink at traveling. I get scared of everything, I can't run very fast, and I'm not smart. This is not me."

"Lena, you're just saying that because of the circumstances. You'll see that once you have Avalon back-"

"No, Doctor," she turned to him with watery eyes, "I don't want to do this anymore. I keep getting my sister into trouble. She's supposed to be traveling and having fun and actually making a life of her own. But with me here she's just doing what she'd do at home, only here she can actually die," she swallowed hard, "I don't want to be the reason my sister loses her life."

"And you think that Avalon would just stay here when you go home?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow, challenging her thoughts, "The only reason she's here is because of you. If you leave then she'll leave."

"No, that won't happen. I'll make her see that she has a right to make her own life. She needs to go out and meet new people, talk about herself and not focus on me."

"But Lena-"

"Big brother, I've thought about this before. I've known that I can't handle this kind of life and...I think I've finally had my fill. It's okay," Lena touched his arm, giving him a soft smile. "You've shown me more things than I could've imagined. I'm okay to go now."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," the Doctor said almost with the tone of a child. He felt like he only just started traveling with her. She'd truly grown to become his 'baby sister' and he didn't want to have her leave him.

"Just because I won't be in the TARDIS doesn't mean you stop being my big brother," Lena said as if she'd read his mind. "In fact, I fully expect you to pick me up for a trip here and there."

"I guess so," the Doctor sighed. He couldn't be upset with her, especially his baby sister. It wasn't the first time a companion of his decided that the TARDIS life wasn't for them. "So how exactly are you going to tell Avalon this? Because once she hears you're leaving, she'll go too." And maybe he didn't quite want that either...

Lena smiled innocently, making it clear she'd already thought ahead. "I have a way for her to stay. And you're gonna help me."

"What? How and why?" the Doctor was genuinely fearful of what this idea would involve.

"You're going to drop me off home in secret and for no matter what, you are not to bring Avalon home. And why? Simple, because I'm your baby sister and I am asking you to help me."

The Doctor made a face and bowed his head, "I hate that line. I really hate that line."

"Please, Doctor? Please help me?" Lena took his hands and continued to plead, "Without me Avalon can finally live her life and explore the world with no worries about some sick ole twin and have some fun because she really deserves to have fun and even maybe meet someone who'll make really happy and-"

"Alright!" the Doctor gave up and sighed, stumbling back with the great hug Lena attacked him with, "But fair warning, if you never hear from me again it'll be because your sister killed me and buried me in some planet."

"That's...oddly accurate based off her personality," Lena admitted and shrugged, "But I'm sure she won't...ish," she quickly scurried off.

The Doctor took a breath and continued on his way, actually praying to every deity he knew that the ginger wouldn't react so...murderously when she'd find her twin had departed without her knowledge.

~ 0 ~

Back in the church, Elliot ran inside with his finished map paper in his hands, "I did it!" he exclaimed and handed it to the Doctor who was checking one of the computer screens.

"Look at that!" the Doctor saw the map, "Perfect! Dyslexia never stopped Da Vinci or Einstein, it's not stopping you."

"I don't understand what you're going to do," Elliot admitted with confusion.

"Two-phase plan. First, the sensors and cameras will tell us when something arrives. Second, if something does arrive, I use this to send a sonic pulse through that network of devices, a pulse which would temporarily incapacitate most things in the universe. "

"Knock 'em out. Cool," Elliot nodded.

"Lovely place to grow up, round here."

"Suppose. I want to live in a city one day. Soon as I'm old enough, I'll be off."

"I was the same, where I grew up," the Doctor related as he went back to a a monitor.

"Did you get away?"

"Yeah."

"Do you ever miss it?"

"So much..." the Doctor answered a bit late on it, could he be blamed though?

"Is it monsters coming?" Elliot peered at the screens, "Have you met monsters before?"

"Yeah."

"You scared of them?"

"No! They're scared of me," the Doctor smirked.

"Will you really get my dad back?"

"No question."

"I left my headphones at home," Elliot remembered and ran out.

~ 0 ~

After setting the last of the cameras, the group returned to the church but had trouble getting inside as the wooden door would not budge open.

"I can't open it! It keeps sticking!" Ambrose exclaimed as she continuously pushed, "The wood's warped."

The Doctor had gone to help Ambrose, Lena quickly hurrying to help, "Oi you two!" the Doctor looked back at Amy and Rory, "Any time you want to help!"

"What? Can't you sonic it?" Amy raised an eyebrow, heading over nonetheless to help.

"It doesn't do wood!"

Rory snorted, "That is rubbish!"

The Doctor stopped pushing to turn around, showing his offended face, "Oi! Don't diss the sonic!"

"Oi!" Lena grabbed him by the arm, "Get back to helping!"

Once inside, the ground had started shaking with the nearing creatures. The Doctor ran to the computers, dodging the falling objects from above, "See if we can get a fix!" he tried working on them but after a couple second it sparked and shut off with the power gone.

"No power," Tony remarked.

"It's deliberate," the Doctor mumbled.

"What do we do now?" Lena asked, already afraid as the shaking wouldn't cease.

Tony turned on a bright torch that gave some light in the room. The Doctor looked away from the screens with a face, "Nothing. We've got nothing! They sent an energy surge to wreck our systems."

Once the shaking stopped, everyone gathered together and took a look around.

"Is everyone OK? Is anyone hurt?" Rory questioned them.

"I'm fine," Nasreen sighed.

"Lena?" Rory turned to her, knowing out of everyone she'd be the easiest to hurt.

"Fine too," she crossed her arms.

"Anyone?"

"I'm good," Tony said.

"Me too," Ambrose nodded.

A loud rumbling emerged from the outside, making everyone freeze in their spots.

"Doctor, what was that?" Amy whispered.

"It's like the holes at the drill station," Tony remembered.

"Is this how they happened?" Nasreen asked the Doctor.

He knelt down and bent over to listen to the ground, "It's coming through the final layer of Earth."

"What is!?" Nasreen cried.

The Doctor stood quickly just as silence overtook the area.

"The banging's stopped," Lena mumbled, her eyes darting from one place to another.

Ambrose had started looking around and realized something very important, "Where's Elliot? Has anyone seen Elliot? Did he come in? Was he in when the door was shut? Who counted him back in? Who saw him last?"

Everyone looked around for the missing boy, no one seeing the Doctor stiffen, "...I did," he answered eventually.

"Where is he?" Ambrose turned to him.

"He said he was going to get headphones."

"And you let him go? He was out there on his own?"

Suddenly, they heard pounding on the other side of the door, followed by Elliot's pleading voice, "Mum! Grandpa Tony! Let me in!"

"Elliot!" Ambrose ran to the door, "He's out there! Help me!" she looked at the others.

"Open the door! Mum! There's something out here!"

Everyone hurried to the door and worked on opening it, the wood once again stuck.

"Push, Elliot, push, Elliot!" Ambrose called.

"Mum!"

"Hurry up!" Ambrose ordered the others.

"Mummy..."

"Come on!" Tony exclaimed and finally opened the door, Ambrose being the first to run out.

"Elliot!" she called but saw no one around anymore, "Where is he? He was here. He was here! Elliot!" she ran towards the graveyard.

"Ambrose, don't go running off!" the Doctor called after her, Tony going to follow her out.

~ 0 ~

By the time the rest of the group had caught up to Ambrose and Tony, a lot had happened. Ambrose had found her son's headphones and was attacked by a creature with apparently green scaly skin. Tony, in trying to protect his daughter, had gotten lashed with a...tongue? on his neck.

"My dad's hurt!" Ambrose was at her father's side, trying to help him up.

"Get him into the church now!" the Doctor ordered the others.

"Elliot's gone," Ambrose whimpered, "They've killed him, haven't they?"

"No, they can't have!" Lena shook her head frantically, "Don't say that!"

"N-n-n-n-no!" the Doctor tried calming both women down, "Listen to me, both of you, all of you," he eyed the remaining three silent humans, "Now, they've taken three people, when they could've just killed them up here. There's still hope, Lena, Ambrose. There is always hope."

"Then why've they taken him?" Ambrose sniffled.

"And my sister," Lena looked down, her eyes getting ready to release fresh new tears.

"We'll find Avalon and Elliot," the Doctor assured both, "I promise. But first I've gotta stop this attack. Please, get inside the church."

"Come on, Dad," Ambrose helped Tony up with the help of Amy.

"Lena, you go with Amy," the Doctor instructed.

She nodded and helped the women get Tony back.

"So, what now? Rory raised an eyebrow, still in the dark about the exact plan going through the alien's head.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor walked through the street wearing sunglasses that picked up heat signatures all around him. He noticed something move in the bushes that hadn't given off heat, "Cold blood," he smirked and started to sing-song, "I know what they are..." he moved towards the meals on wheels van where he took a fire extinguisher from the front seat and shut the door, all the meanwhile casually whistling.

Through the van's mirror he saw a creature heading towards him. He spun out of the way when it attacked and used the extinguisher on it. Once the creature screamed, Rory jumped out of the van's backdoor and together pushed the creature in the refrigerated back and locked the door.

"We got it!" Rory exclaimed.

"Defending the planet with meals on wheels!" the Doctor laughed and raised hands to do a high-five when a rumbling cut them off.

"What was that?" Rory looked around.

"Sounds like they're leaving..."

"Without this one?" Rory nodded to the van. The darkness went away and allowed the sun to once more hit the area, "Looks like we scared them off!"

"I don't think so. Now both sides have hostages," the Doctor mumbled.

~ 0 ~

"NO!" Avalon gasped awake, her hands flinging to her neck...only to have them crash against the clear wall in front of her that sealed her inside a near-like coffin. She panted as she came around from the awful nightmare. It seemed that even when she'd been swallowed by the planet and being unconscious wouldn't help her get some sleep. She placed her hands on the wall and tried pushing it off with all her might, "Let me out, whoever you are! I'm alive and you better RUN!" she slammed her hands on the wall repeatedly, "I am Avalon Reynolds and I'm not...I'm not scared!" she saw a distorted figure approaching her, "LET ME OUT!"

"Shh!" it said to her.

Avalon raised an eyebrow, "Did you just shush me? You're dead do you hear me!?" suddenly gas started to fill the coffin, "What are you doing!? Stop that!" she coughed, "Sop that..." she coughed some more then fell unconscious.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor was heading inside the basement with Lena behind him, a rather cautious engaged couple behind her, tentatively reaching for her arm in case the creature sat in the shadows attacked again. They all agreed that when Avalon returned, because she would return, she would definitely kill them all if anything happened to Lena.

"Are you sure? By yourself?" Lena whispered to the Doctor, "She could hurt you."

"Very sure," he assured her.

"But the sting..."

"Venom gland takes at least 24 hours to recharge," he stared at the silent creature, "Am I right?" he called to it but received no answer, "I know what I'm doing. I'll be fine."

Amy and Rory reached out for Lena finally and pulled her back upstairs, leaving the Doctor to deal with the creature. He walked down the remainder of the steps as the creature finally inched out of the shadows with chainmail and a mask over its face.

"I'm the Doctor, I've come to talk," he raised his hands up in peace as he grew closer to it, "I'm going to remove your mask," he he squatted down and removed the creature's mask to reveal a bright green humanoid, scaly face, "You are beautiful. Remnant of a bygone age on planet Earth. And by the way, lovely mode of travel! Geothermal currents, projecting you up through a network of tunnels. Gorgeous! Mind if I sit?' he stood up and reached for a folding chair which he placed in front of the creature and promptly sat down, " Now. Your people have a friend of mine. I want her back. Why did you come to the surface? What do you want?" the creature remained silent, making the Doctor sigh. "Oh, I do hate a monologue. Give us a bit back. How many are you?"

"I'm the last of my species," it responded.

"Really? No. 'Last of the species', the Klempari Defence. As an interrogation defense, it's a bit old hat, I'm afraid."

"I'm the last of my species."

The Doctor grew serious, "No, you're really not. Because I'm the last of my species and I know how it sits in a heart. So don't insult me. Let's start again. Tell me your name."

Seeing no other alternative, the creature responded truthfully, "Alaya."

"How long has your tribe been sleeping under the Earth, Alaya? It's not difficult to work out. You're 300 million years out of your comfort zone. Question is, what woke you now?"

"We were attacked," she spat.

But the Doctor knew that wasn't exactly what happened, to the human's perspective anyways. "The drill."

"Our sensors detected a threat to our life support systems. The warrior class was activated to prevent the assault," and by the looks of her face, Alaya had already made her decision on how best to eradicate their problem. "We will wipe the vermin from the surface and reclaim our planet."

"Do we have to say vermin? They're really very nice."

"Primitive apes."

"Extraordinary species," the Doctor countered. "You attack them, they'll fight back. But, there's a peace to be brokered here. I can help you with that."

"This land is ours. We lived here long before the apes."

"Doesn't give you automatic rights to it now, I'm afraid," the Doctor shook his head, "Humans won't give up the planet."

"So we destroy them."

"You underestimate them-"

"-you underestimate us."

"One tribe of homo reptilia against six billion humans, you've got your work cut out."

Alaya stood up, "We did not initiate combat. But we can still win."

"Tell me where my friend is," the Doctor stood up, "Give us back the people who were taken."

"No," she spat again.

He sighed, "I'm not going let you provoke a war, Alaya," he folded the chair up and returned it to its place, "There'll be no battle here today."

"The fire of war is already lit. A massacre is due," Alaya nearly cheered at the idea.

"Not while I'm here."

"I'll gladly die for my cause. What will you sacrifice for yours?"

The Doctor gave one last look then turned and left in silence.

~ 0 ~

"You're going to what!?" Rory exclaimed after hearing the Doctor's plan.

"I'm going to go down below the surface, to find the rest of the tribe," the Doctor repeated, "To talk to them."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Amy crossed her arms.

"You're going to negotiate with these aliens?" Ambrose nearly shouted.

"They're not aliens! They're Earth...liens!" the Doctor plopped down on a chair with an amused smile, "Once known as the Silurian race, or, some would argue, Eocenes, or Homo reptilia. Not monsters, not evil," he stood up, "Well, only as evil as you are. The previous owners of the planet, that's all. Look, from their point of view, you're the invaders. Your drill was threatening their settlement. Now, the creature in the crypt. Her name's Alaya. She's one of their warriors and she's my best bargaining chip. I need her alive. If she lives, so do Elliot and Mo and Avalon. While I'm gone, you six people, in this church, in this corner of planet Earth, you have to be the best of humanity."

"What if they come back?" Tony reminded, "Shouldn't we be examining this creature, dissecting it, finding its weak points?"

"I don't think dissection is going to keep my sister alive," Lena almost snapped again, "We hurt this creature and they hurt Avalon and I will not risk that, you got it?"

"Lena's right," the Doctor set a hand on her shoulder, hoping she'd calm down soon. Her emotions were rather radical and heavy today, certainly not the best way to keep her health in good state, "No dissecting! No examining! We return their hostage, they return ours. Nobody gets harmed. We can land this, together. If you are the best you can be. You are decent, brilliant people. Nobody dies today. Understand?"

Nasreen gave an applause but stopped when no one joined in, feeling a bit nervous afterwards.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor was heading towards the TARDIS when he heard two pairs of footsteps running closer to him. He looked back and saw Lena and Nasreen coming towards him, "No, sorry, no. What are you doing?"

"Coming with you, of course!" Lena panted for breath once they'd caught up, "Nasreen just came for her life's work."

"What is it?" Nasreen nodded to the TARDIS, "Some kind of transport pod?"

"Sort of," the Doctor answered her then looked at Lena, "You're not coming, baby sister. And neither are you Nasreen."

"He's right, you're not," Tony joined them, looking at Nasreen.

"I have spent all my life excavating the layers of this planet. And now you want me to stand back while you head down into it? I don't think so!" Nasreen shook her head.

"And I have to go," Lena declared, "My sister is down there. You can't expect me to wait up here. Amy and Rory didn't stop me and neither will you," she pushed open the doors of the TARDIS and stepped inside.

The Doctor sighed and let the brunette go, though he did look at Nasreen with a doubtful face, "It'll be dangerous," he warned her.

"Oh, so's crossing the road," she shrugged.

"Oh, for goodness' sake, all right, then! Come on!" he went inside the box and saw Lena already at the console, "Baby sister, your twin is gonna kill me for this."

"I'll explain to her that I forced you to take me," Lena crossed her arms.

Nasreen stood at the doorway, the doors now closed behind her, and stared with wide eyes at the bigger room inside, "Oh my..." she breathed.

"Welcome aboard the TARDIS. Now don't touch anything!" the Doctor called, "Very precious."

"No way!" she walked over with awe, "But that's... this is..." she slapped him on the arm and laughed, "What does it do?"

"Everything! I'm hoping, if we're going down, that barricade won't interfere," the Doctor said just as the box started pitching drastically, making everyone cling to the console, "Did you touch something?!"

"No! Isn't this what it does?!"

"Doctor, what's going on!?" Lena cried.

"We've been hijacked! I can't stop it! They must've sensed the electro-magnetic field!" the Doctor looked at the monitor, "They're pulling the TARDIS down into the Earth!"

The box shook for a couple minutes before it gave a final lurch and sent everyone the floor, finally becoming still. Nasreen lifted her head up and looked around before snapping one of the Doctor's braces.

"Oi!"

"Where are we?" she demanded through a small laugh.

The Doctor got up and helped Lena then rushed to the doors with her. They all stepped out into a yellow-colored tunnel with roots and fungus covering the walls. The Doctor looked up from the way they fell and whistled in impression, "Looks like we fell through the bottom of their tunnel system. Don't suppose it was designed for handling something like this."

"How far down are we?" Nasreen gasped.

"A lot more than 21km."

"So how come we aren't burning alive?" Lena asked the question that made them all think.

"Don't know. Interesting, isn't it?"

"Scary," she corrected and crossed her arms.

"Oh, not really," he swung an arm around her shoulders and the three began walking ahead.

"Is it like this is everyday to you?" Nasreen asked them, curiously.

"Not every day. Every other day," the Doctor shrugged. Nasreen couldn't fathom that type of life; she imagined it was what Lena felt like based off the facial expressions of the young woman.

In reality, Lena just really wanted her sister back already.

[robinrunsfiction]

I’ve been binging good omens and now desperately need an angel reader/demon frank AU where it gets kinda angsty but ends w/ fluff (smut it you want).

Garden of Sin

Pairing: Demon!Frank Iero x Angel!Female ReaderRating: GeneralRequested By: AnonWord Count: 1,500Author’s Note: I am so sorry that this took forever. First I wanted to watch Good Omens so that I could be familiar with the universe, and I finally did that one day over the summer then… I don’t even know, I’m sorry. I hope you enjoy this, although it did not get smutty, I’m not sure the last time I even wrote smut!

New Jersey. The Garden State. Just like any other garden worth its salt, thisparticular geographic region was home to both an angel and a demon.

The angel, Robin, was a beautiful creature, as angels are prone to be, and although she had served the good people of New Jersey in many ways over the centuries, her current occupation was tending to a community garden, feeding families with fresh produce that most food pantries were unable to provide.

The demon, Frank, was better known for his more terrifying form, the Jersey Devil. When he wasn’t in that form, he was a charming, although quick tempered man who took pleasure leading those same good citizens into temptation. His other favorite pastime was trying to get the attention of Robin. She had spent centuries rebuking his advances, well aware of who he was, but he was undeterred, having all of eternity to try to win her over to his side he reasoned. This afternoon in her garden was no different.

“Good afternoon Miss Robin, angel of beauty and grace, bringer of harvests to themasses, object of my desires, stirrer of my-”

“What can I help you with Frank?” Robin interrupted him, annoyance writtenclearly on her face.

“I wanted to know if you’d accompany me to the hockey game tomorrow, it’s one of the last games of the season. They named the team after me, ya know?”

“Yes, you tell me every time, and yet I’ve never said yes.”

“Except for today?” He asked with a grin.

“No.”

Frank’s face fell immediately, but before he could respond, Robin began speaking again. 

“And if you think pulling any of those big bad Jersey Devil antics on me are going to change my mind, please remember that I am not a human teenager hanging out around a 7/11 that could be so easily persuaded to your demonic lifestyle. Because you see Frank, while I am incapable of hatred, I really do not like you!” She spat, anger flickering in her eyes before she regained her composure.

“Have your way, angel,” he smirked before turning to walk away. He glanced back over his shoulder and saw she had turned her attention back to her work, but when he looked again, she was looking at him. She narrowed her eyes at him and huffed before turning again to the plants in front of her.

“She likes me,” he grinned.

~

“Any luck today?”

Frank looked up and saw it was his friend Ray. Friend wouldn’t actually be thecorrect word for the relationship between the demon and the mortal, as friendstend to share basic information about themselves such as where they grew up and whether or not said location was actually hell. But they drank together and for this moment in time Ray was someone Frank could confide in, at least a little.

“No but I think she’s coming around. She used a whole new speech to tell me off, which means she was thinking about me, and then she looked back when Ileft.”

Ray looked at him skeptically before ordering a beer from the bartender. “Youreally just think she’s playing hard to get? I mean it’s been what, years?”

‘Centuries is more like it!’ Frank wanted to say but he didn’t feel like explaining everything to Ray right then. For now, he was happy with how things were between them. “Yea, but she’s gonna come around, I can feel it.”

“If she’s as much of a good girl as you say, maybe you’re just approaching this all wrong.”

“She’s not just good dude, she’s an angel, a literal angel,” Frank replied with asigh.

“Then maybe you just gotta be nice,” Ray suggested with a shrug.

After tipping back a few more drinks with Ray, Frank headed home. He deliberately took the long route that lead past Robin’s home, and her garden adjacent to it. That’s when he heard the voices. When he rounded the corner and stopped at the gate, he saw a few young teenage boys stomping on the freshly planted vegetation and throwing clumps of dirt at each other.

“Hey assholes, get out of there!” He shouted.

The teens looked at him and then back at each other. “Fuck off old man, don’ttell us what to do.”

Frank started to see red at their disrespect and knew what he had to do. He began to sprout bat-like wings and his feet turned into hooves. Their cocky laughter turned into frightened screams as the Jersey Devil charged at them.

As they fled the garden, Frank changed back into his human appearing form and felt eyes on him. He glanced over and saw Robin, practically glowing in her whitenightgown. She looked shocked, but not afraid.

Frank walked over to her slowly. “They were ruining your garden, I was justtrying to help,” Frank explained.

“I know, I saw the whole thing. I… I thought you would have joined in orsomething,” she replied. “Thank you, and I’m sorry for… a lot.”

“No worries angel,” he said with a soft smile. “If there’s one thing I enjoy, its terrifying punk ass teenagers.”

“Thank you again,” she smiled.

He nodded. “Goodnight Robin,” he said and continued back on his way home.

~

After rescuing her garden, Robin had become much more hospitable toward Frank. She smiled and waved at him when he walked by, and in return he stopped being a total jackass toward her when he would stop and talk to her. He even stopped asking her on dates, figuring that she would let him know when she wanted to go out.

“I was trying to tell ya man, I was trying to tell you this whole time that youwere going at this thing with Robin the wrong way!” Ray said emphaticallyover drinks a few weeks later.

“Maybe, I dunno,” Frank replied, rubbing his hand over his face.

Suddenly the TV switched from a bowling tournament to breaking news out of London. The entire M25 was on fire.

“Shit, its going down,” Frank muttered wide eyed. He got up in a rush, throwingdown more than enough money to cover both his and Ray’s drinks.

Ray looked from the TV to his friend. “Something going on?” Ray asked.

“No, roads burn all the time in England,” Frank said rolling his eyes.

“Oh,” Ray replied, not completely believing his friend. “We still going to thatDevils playoff game next week?”

“Sure, see you there,” Frank replied as he shook his head in annoyance beforerunning out of the bar.

He was fully aware of what was happening. He didn’t get down to hell too often,but he heard about what was happening with some ambassador’s kid in England and the end of days being nigh, but he was more of the believe it when I see itmentality. But now he was seeing and believing it and he wasn’t about to lethis time on earth end without seeing Robin one more time. He ran up to her frontdoor, banging hard, calling her name.

She pulled open the door suddenly. “You know what’s going on, right?“ Sheasked breathlessly.

“Yea and before this all gets fucked up, I have to tell you, I wasn’t kidding when Itold you you were beautiful and kind. I think I love you Robin, even though thisis all gonna end soon, I can’t go into this last battle without feeling yourlips against mine.”

Before Frank could realize what was happening, Robin had reached up and her soft fingers were tracing across his cheek, down to his neck and she was pulling him to her, her lips softer than anything Frank could imagine. He wrapped his arm around her waist holding the small of her back. She took a step back, but not to break the kiss, rather to pull him into her home. He kicked the door shut behind him and she guided them to the couch, lips still moving together expertly as she sank down, him holding himself over her.

When Robin finally broke the kiss, she looked at him with wide eyes. “I… didn’t know something so wrong could feel so right.”

“Then maybe it isn’t wrong angel,” Frank murmured.

Robin nodded. “Maybe it isn’t all as simple as good and evil, right and wrong. Maybe all we need is each other.”

“I’ll stay with you through the end,” Frank said stroking her hair. “The combined forces of heaven and hell can’t come between us now.”

~

Luckily for Frank and Robin, the combined forces of heaven and hell were quite distracted by another angel and demon who had taken matters regarding the apocalypse into their own hands and had caused a lot of problems for management on both sides. This distraction served them well as both Frankand Robin had very much fallen deeply in love with each other.

But she still would not accompany him to a hockey game.

[zukofenty]

FWU

➜ Summary: The one where Katara (is sure) she's in love with the campus drug dealer. 

“Sokka, I swear! He’s not a drug dealer...he’s just an unlicensed pharmacist!” 

➜ Genre: Modern!AU, humor, DrugDealer!Zuko

➜ Words: 2.5k 

➜ Warnings: I will fight Katara for DrugDealer!Zuko 😩

AO3 

“We got the goods!” Katara squeals, throwing down flour, sugar, chocolate chips, and a sack of marijuana. 

Suki picks it up, sniffing the plastic bag. “This shit is loud and clear.” Her smile is dangerously devious. “Thanks, Zuko! This is going to be the best 4/20 ever!” Suki immediately begins to grab the proffered ingredients, shuffling them to the kitchen. She’s already taking some of the buds and putting them on a tray to prep in the oven. “Who knew fingering a drug dealer’s asshole would come in handy?” 

  Zuko immediately turns beet red. “Why do you keep telling people that happened?” Katara slaps Suki upside the head. 

  “Because I like seeing the two of you squirm, sue me!” Suki admits, shrugging her shoulders and dodging Toph’s slap to her ass. 

  Katara collapses on her futon, positively spent after spending the day helping Zuko drop off sacks for his clients, while buying all the ingredients they needed for baking edibles to celebrate the holiday.

  // 

  “Zuko, what the fuck are you doing!” Katara screams, almost losing grip of the wheel. 

  “How about you make sure your fucking Prius doesn’t eat shit?” Zuko screeches, coming back to his seat after sticking his entire body out the hybrid car. 

  Katara smacks her forehead. The pain where she hit is almost as bad as the frustration she feels. “This is the exact fucking reason I never get Chipotle with you!” She sees the car that was formerly beside her pulled over at the side of the freeway, the driver clearly angry with how hard he was pounding the pavement with his fist. His entire body is covered in Zuko’s half chicken half barbacoa burrito bowl. 

  “I’m not going to lie, that was impressive. The NFL’s vag must be positively pulsating,” Katara deadpans, rubbing at her temples to relieve the pressure from forming. Sokka always said her road rage was the worst he’s ever seen, but alas her shouting and occasionally flipping people off could never compare to Zuko’s hotheadedness. Her gut feeling about grabbing an extra bowl paid off, much to her dismay. This was not a rare occurrence. “How did you manage to throw your entire bowl through the crack of his window?” 

  “Well, the NFL can go eat a dick!” Zuko says, wiping his hands on a Chipotle napkin before taking a sip from his water cup filled to the brim with their lemonade. “And the shit dick had it coming.” He did, Zuko swears. It’s completely his fault for not only playing Michael Buble as loud as his Honda Accord was capable of, but also refusing to use his turn signal, and then screaming “fuck you, pussy hoe!” when Katara honked at him. That bitch. 

  “Right. Anyways, I’m recalling a conversation we had I think...yes! Two days ago. You’re still thinking about going to therapy, right? You’re moving on from your designated therapy toad?” 

  Zuko fully turns to face Katara. He accidentally bumps his head on the roof, and proceeds to smack it. “First of all, what makes you say that? Second of all, you know Frank has a name!” 

  “Not your anger issues, of course.” She doesn’t miss his eye roll. “Also, when you gave me your phone so I could text your uncle that you were going to pick him up, I went through your Youtube search history. Because I care. You deserve better than boxed hair dye tutorials, Zuko. I know you can do better.” At the red light, she grabs Zuko’s shoulder in an almost caring manner. He slaps her tiny hand away. 

  //

  Zuko was certain he was spending this 4/20 positively baked , so while he waited for everyone to wash their hands so they could whip up his favorite Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies edibles (with a gooey marshmallow middle), he took out his grinder from his hoodie’s pocket. 

  He grabs at the Sailor Moon bong he bought Katara for the one month anniversary of the time she saved him from being beaten to death by a group of frat brothers. She didn’t nearly like using marijuana as much her friends did, insisting on her maintaining her brain and lung health. She’d never admit to enjoying the cannabliss that came with huffing and puffing out some Mary Jane, but Zuko knows her sleepy smile after taking a hit lets her sleep just the slightest bit better. 

  Especially now that she’s working nonstop to pay off her tuition this semester. While Sokka was efficiently loaded, his record label was going through a rough patch after a scandal with one of their artists. Apparently, having viral toe sucking videos reflected badly on you as a person, and a number of investors pulled out after the news broke. Sokka was dipping into emergency savings, about to sell the Bugatti, but Katara insisted on taking on a few part time jobs. It breaks Zuko’s heart when he’s the first one to come home to her apartment, even after doing his runs for the night. She’s always blearly, insisting on taking a “quick nap” before she takes off her makeup. He likes feeling useful, when she instantly falls asleep and he’s the one using Micellar Water and a cotton pad to rub off her stubborn mascara of the day. 

  “I will literally curb stomp the Dean for you,” Zuko tells her, the fire behind his words that makes Katara doubt it was a passing joke. 

  “Zuko. No.” 

  He remembers being woken up in the middle of the night, Katara whispering into her phone. He invested in the Sailor Moon pipe after he found out she could only sleep a few hours, before being woken up abruptly from the stress weighing on her mind (her dark circles betrayed her).  “I started seeing someone,” Katara mutters, checking over her shoulder to see if Zuko was still sound asleep. She started wincing at the palpable silence that followed. 

  “As in dating or hallucinations?” Sokka questions, much too loud for her taste. 

  She sighs. “Don’t get like this! He’s a good guy, I promise. His name’s Zuko.” She hears shuffling on the other side of the line, after the prominent thunk of the phone dropping. “Why does that name sound so familiar? And so colonizer-like…” His voice is filled with suspicion, and she could almost see the cogs in his brain whirring to life. Before she could utter another word, her brother abruptly yelps. “Isn’t he the drug dealer who got beat up on campus?” 

  Katara sucks in a breath. “How do you know about that?” 

  “I read the Campus Crime Alert emails the school sends out, idiot! For such an expensive school, you would think they would have better security and less laptop snatchings. By the way, we need to buy you a laptop lock. You still have that self defense knife I sent you?” Sokka angrily whispers in the phone, mocking Katara’s quiet tone. 

  “Yes, dad !” She hears his irate protests as she flips her body to face Zuko. He looks a few years younger when he sleeps, breathing even and face forgetting the patented scowl. His bare chest and sweatpants hanging low on his hips were enticing. His hair was almost perfectly positioned, the strands messy and unruly but just screamed Zuko . The dangly cross earring doing too much to her heart. Down girl, down! Katara tells her pussy. “Sokka, I swear! He’s not a drug dealer...he’s just an unlicensed pharmacist!” 

  “I have the email right here! Right here! And tell me what about ‘student being violently attacked due to drug related incidents ’ doesn’t scream drug dealer getting beat up for drug dealing !” Katara bites down on her tongue, whether to hold back a laugh or scream she wasn’t completely sure. 

  Suki takes a hit from her Hello Kitty dab pen, a white, bedazzled one that Zuko had gotten her. Toph and Katara also had matching Hello Kitty dab pens, in green and blue respectively. She thinks Zuko has one in red, too. She added a second layer of soy lecithin to the weed infused mixture, before popping it in the oven again for another 30 mins. 

  In the meantime, Katara was preparing the ingredients for the cookies. Zuko’s laying on the ground, narrowly missing the futon, eyes glazed over. He hasn’t moved in the past twenty minutes. “Katara, that isn’t the hand mixer, that’s your vibrator .” Suko gently chastises, moving the device from her lax hands. Katara always complained her hands were numb when she was high, and once dropped a mug from their balcony after they packed a bowl together for the first time. Suki is still bitter. It was her favorite Gudetama mug. 

  After freezing the mixture for two hours, Suki, Toph, and Zuko were hard at work, mixing ingredients, and preparing to get fucked up. A few people have stopped by the apartment to exchange plastic bags for cash. 

  “Are you turning Katara’s apartment into a dispensary? ” Toph is absolutely incredulous. 

  “That’s a loaded question with an answer very much open to interpretation…” Zuko ducks the house slipper Toph propels to his face.  

  Katara has a dumb smile on her face, wide and threatening to split her head open. She’s an avid texter when she’s baked.  

 **

Katara: What are you doing right now? Come over! Zuko’s got apology weed for you <3

  Jet: I’m at McDonald’s!! Kinda of high lol 

  Katara: Ooo you got the munchies? 

  Jet: Nah 

  Katara: how come? 

  Jet: I smoke meth lmaoooo

**

  “Who are you texting?” Zuko asks, plopping next to her spot on the floor. She’s sprawled out, hair every which way and tangling into already unruly knots he’s going to have to detangle in the morning for her. Because Katara’s a lightweight, and suffers from weed hangovers regularly. Zuko’s already recovered from his many hits at the Moon Stick pipe. 

  “Did you know Jet smokes meth?” 

  Zuko rolls his eyes, curling up and trapping Katara with his outstretched embrace. “I really thought he would like my I’m sorry weed.” 

  “Me too.” He kisses the pout off of her.  

  Katara steadily crawls up (Zuko doesn’t miss her sleep shorts riding up) and tries her best to help Toph mix the marshmallow and Cinnamon Toast crunch mixture being heated up in their big pot they stole from Katara’s neighbor. 

  When Katara grabs the hand mixer to try assisting the cookie batter, Zuko knew he had to intervene lest something explodes. She smiles when he surrounds her with his body, the warm weight of his chest against her back and his hand wrapping around hers on the mixing device. 

  He loves her, he’s sure. Even while they roll the cookies together she tries to be funny (when she clearly knows she isn’t) and throws the dough at him, and it lands in his hair. He’s sure she peed herself with how hard she was laughing and scrambling to find the bathroom when her eyes could barely open. 

  Zuko shuts down his phone when the sweet scent of the pastries flood his nostrils. Even if 4/20 is like his version of Christmas, he’s determined to spend it with his girl. “I think my pussy just gave out. That shit looks dank ,” Katara squeals, shaking Toph by the shoulders to emphasize her point. 

  “Thanks for the visual,” Toph says, looking devious and wholly prepared to get stoned. 

  //

  “I could beat his ass if I needed to,” Katara loudly whispers in Suki’s ear. At this point, they were all laying down on the floor, the familiar tingle of an impending high at the forefront of their minds. 

  “Katara, you’re staring at a poster of 11 year old Frankie Muniz.” Suki shakes the girl off her. “Why do you always say that about any guy you see, sober or not?” 

  Zuko’s the most sober of them all, but based on the fact he killed a few joints on his own, he thinks he’s about to die. Toph’s on the balcony, weary of the smoke detector. She comes back in after repeatedly coughing, pounding at her chest to lessen the pain. She promptly lays on the floor with the rest of them, stupidly smiling. 

  Zuko sits, leaning on the futon for support. He pulls Katara into his lap, and she’s pliant, immediately melting in his hold. Hands coming out to wrap around his neck. “Check your school portal,” he says into her ear. She laughs at the sensation. 

  “Why?” She’s breathless, when he rubs comforting circles into her back. Zuko finds her phone, thrown carelessly on the futon, before gingerly handing it to her. After she types in the login information, she gasps, the sound reverberating through the room. Zuko blushes, and rubs the back of his neck gingerly. 

  “Happy 4/20, baby,” he presses a sweet kiss to her hair, wiping away the pricks of tears appearing at her eyes. 

  “ You’re lying !” She couldn’t believe her eyes, and thinks she’s a little dizzy from how many times she zooms in and out of the tuition financial statement. “You’re fucking lying!” The bill, formerly with a nauseating number of zeros was now only $0.00. “How?” she splutters, even spitting in her haste. 

  “Toph knew your portal login, so I just kind of...paid it off?” He’s doing the thing where he’s rubbing at his neck and looking shy, and so so positively adorable . The sheepish look he gives her makes it known that she was screwed . So absolutely in love. “I want you to not worry about it. Save the money from your job for something else.” The kiss she slams against his lips nearly knocks his breath away. 

  //

  “So what’s your plan, after paying all this off?” Zuko remembered Toph asking, after she entered Katara's password. 

  “After this, she’s catching all this ball juice. Going to suck her eggs out her ovaries like it’s boba. I’ll even use the straw and everything,” Zuko says, entering the pin of his debit card. 

  “You know what. She should have let you die that night.” 

  //

  “Who knew there would be perks to dating a drug dealer?” Toph teases.  “Girls be so single and then boom ! Baby shower pictures with some drug dealer in a Burberry shirt and Nike Air Maxes.”

  Suki groans. “Toph, I swear. You are a hindrance to society.” 

  “Well, you’re a cunt!” 

  She shoves the smaller girl. She gets up to face Katara, still staring at her phone in shock. Her hair is a bird’s nest after growing two sizes two large and painfully matted.  “You know, we thought we were bad friends for letting you date a drug dealer with mommy and daddy issues. We just sat there and prayed that our ‘we’re so happy for you guys!’ was convincing. But, I kind of like him.” 

  “Thanks for the support,” Zuko grumbles. 

  “Anytime!” The two say, perfectly synchronized.

  “Like MJ doctor, they killing me,” Zuko sighs, dropping his head in the crook of her neck, defeated. Katara’s heart nearly bursts because he’s so cute . A big bad drug dealer, but she still was squeezing at his cheeks like they were mochi, and he was dumbly smiling back. 

  “Why do you always quote Nicki Minaj lyrics when you’re high?” She thinks she can’t feel her face, the excessive smiling numbing her features. 

  He’s bombed, stomach growling from getting the munchies and devouring an entire box of Suki’s Wheat Thins cereal and he thinks he feels his heart about to explode. Whether it’s Katara’s sweet, sweet smile, or her body pressing to his, he’s not sure. She’s soft and perfect and everything he could have asked for. He’s sure he’s in love, the type of love that was dangerous and stupid and promised to consume him whole. Yet, he’s all but offered his heart on a silver platter to Katara. Her presence in his life was a constant he was willing to fight to keep. 

  “I love you,” he mumbles against her lips.

  “I know.” She stares into his eyes, before grabbing his hand. “I love you more.” 

  “Impossible.” 

  She pokes his chest in protest. 

  “Say it again, please?” Zuko begs, voice whiny. Her kiss was an adequate confirmation of the sentiment.