#and it could be really easily fixed with a couple of concepts and some practice

[sailing-ever-west]

it occurs to me that not everybody studied art books religiously as a kid like I did and weren't always taught super useful basic stuff

so random psa for any beginner artists trying to figure out proportions: the eyes go in the middle of the head

This doesn't have to be exact of course and there's always room for stylization but basically the whole area above the eyes is supposed to leave room for the hair, bc it doesn't just sit flat on top of the head separately. If the eyes are below center, the nose and mouth usually end up too small and the forehead is huge. If they're above center, it makes the person's face look unrealistically long and makes it seem like their skull ends at their hairline. Anyway, that's mainly what the cross lines are for on the face, to properly center the eyes. It makes everything else fall into proportion way more easily.

[hxneydreamers]

Hello, could u share your journey in the law of assumption and how u started and what progress you've made till now, what you had trouble with at first and how you resolved them, and finally what concepts made everything click for you and made manifestinf super easy like being on a roll for you? And thank you for starting this cool blog 😊

Hey! I'd love to!

I'll first point out that I am still learning and whilst I am here to help people manifest, I am learning alongside you! I want you to know that I am very well educated on the law of assumption, and I am also currently manifesting an SP. I have manifested lots of things in the past (like traveling, meeting a celebrity crush, as well as multiple specific people including my current SP), but I never really pushed through because I never properly tried. I was always on and off my game for a number of reasons, so I would receive my manifestations, but not in full, and this was all because of my self-doubt and self-concept.

I first discovered manifesting with the Law Of Attraction a few years ago after watching the documentary 'The Secret'. I had NEVER EVEN HEARD about manifesting before, and I felt like it was a bit far fetched.

For a very long time, I was extremely non-religious, I didn't believe in God or magic, the afterlife, spirits, fate, NOTHING! I was the biggest non-believer out there. When I watched 'The Secret' I tried to simply change my attitude to be positive as much as I could so I would only attract positive things in my life, and I noticed it worked for a little while, but it wasn't anything significant. I pretty much forgot all about manifesting very quickly, because I never took it seriously.

The next year one of my friends was obsessed with the law of attraction and twin flames and all that spiritual stuff, and she was trying to convert me a bit. I was intrigued by the concept, but I didn't really believe in any of it at all. I just liked making vision boards with her for fun. I never took any of it seriously.

My friend made me go to a psychic with her for fun one day and I resisted and said no, but I eventually gave in because I got curious. Seeing this psychic was extremely earthshaking. I won't go into detail about my experience with her, but some things happened that pretty much changed my view of life and way of thinking. I was much more open to the possibility of things like manifesting.

A year ago, 2 people close to me sadly passed away. I felt very lost and I spent many nights awake and I stumbled across 'Sammy Ingram' on youtube and discovered the Law Of Assumption. I began to binge watch her videos and I did sooooooo much research about the law. I was immediately obsessed.

I started manifesting text messages and instant replies and dates so easily because I was so excited about it and felt no doubt that it would work.

I had success manifesting an internship, consistent shifts at work/consistent money flow and other money manifestations, I manifested dating a specific person (but I ended it for natural reasons), I manifested another specific person literally within a night, just to see if I could do it, and I manifested my current specific person as well (we have a past).

After these successes, I ended up having to deal with some personal issues with my grief for a while, as well as finish my studies, AND my internship, which took my mind off manifesting, and as a result, I manifested negative circumstances in many areas of my life, because I let myself spiral.

I won't tell you the old story too much, because I don't want to revisit it, but basically, for years I had been stuck in a cycle of being abandoned. I felt unlovable and my self-esteem was quite low. All of these beliefs were reflected in many ways, and I was constantly worrying about everything. My internship became toxic and I wanted to leave, my relationship also ended temporarily, and my self-concept was very very very bad!

I felt like I was obsessing over everything in my life going wrong and I wanted to manifest my SP because I thought that he would fix everything, but by putting him on the pedestal I was stalling.

As soon as all this happened, I was of course upset, HOWEVER, I had suffered so much loss at that point that I was determined to make sure that I turned my life around. So I decided to manifest ending my internship naturally, rather than me leaving or being dismissed.

I started visualizing a conversation with my superior where they told me that something came up and we would have to pause the internship.

Literally, two weeks later, he met up with me and told me this exactly, and he said that the decision was ultimately up to me if I wanted to continue later or not. So I said that the timing would not work with my studies, and I successfully manifested leaving the internship naturally.

Next, my SP.

- I literally went to sleep every single night repeating my affirmations.

- I affirmed every single day, I affirmed through tears and I affirmed with my friends. EVERY CHANCE I GOT!

- I started affirming from a place of peace, indifference, faith, and trust that it would work out

A week later we were back together again.

My struggles with the law were mostly that:

- I KEPT CHANGING MY AFFIRMATIONS

- I was on and off my mental diet

- I kept looking for confirmation in the 3D

- I kept repeating the old story

- I focused too much on my SP and not enough on me

About 2 months ago, I had a breakthrough where I decided I needed to completely change everything in my life to put myself in control.

- I started listening to music that made me feel extremely happy and would watch movies and shows that put me in a great mood

- I decided to pick my affirmations and stick with them NO MATTER WHAT!

- I started having a better mental diet, and I noticed results immediately

- I started being able to say 'I don't care what I see, I'm getting my manifestation, and genuinely feeling relaxed and peaceful about it

Once I shifted the focus onto myself and even took some space from my SP, I felt amazing 24/7 and my mental diet was practically perfect.

He has started implying that we are a couple, I don't feel needy, and don't even text him much anymore, he is the one chasing me and constantly blowing up my phone. He is constantly asking to see me, begging me even. He initiates ALL CONTACT NOW! Finally, the whole tone of our relationship has changed and our interactions have been extremely amazing! I have never felt so confident in myself and I can see it reflected in how he treats me.

I manifested him in steps to build our relationship to this point, and I didn't want to begin manifesting commitment until I felt my self-concept was perfect, as I want a healthy relationship with him. Now I am finally beginning to manifest the final stage: official commitment, and I am certain that I will get it!

My biggest tip based on my own experience is to:

- Persist in the same affirmations.

- Do not affirm from a place of desperation and lack

- Keep yourself busy and prioritize yourself and your life, they must reflect this and prioritize you as well

- Trust that it is done and don't check the 3D for confirmation

- If you started having negative thoughts, PERSIST! Do not be discouraged!

- If you know that you have been doing everything right, but suddenly everything feels wrong and your negative thoughts are coming out all at once and/or the 3D looks like shit, you could be in a transition period. THIS JUST MEANS THAT YOU ARE FINALLY GETTING RID OF THE OLD BELIEFS AND YOUR MANIFESTATION IS REALLY CLOSE! SO PERSIST THROUGH THIS!

So for whoever is reading this, please remember that I am here to help you, AND I am on this journey with you! We are all human and none of us is perfect!

I'll share updates on future manifestations in the future, but this is my story so far and my current manifestation in progress!

I will probably make a post in the future about past manifestations such as celebrity crush and travel etc.

[romanceboys]

(interview) w korea september issue 2020 — reptile

1. i was surprised to learn that this is your 13th year since debut. within a company, the years almost reflect the experience of a vice department head. that’s right. though there are things i’m seeing for the first time at this point, i think there’s a lot that has remained the same. shall i tell you something funny? early in the year, i transformed into my debut appearance from when i was 16 with a bowl haircut and had my picture taken. i put it up on instagram and as i watched my fans briefly mistake it for an old picture, i thought to myself ‘well at least my face hasn’t aged much yet.’ haha. 2. today, i get to meet one of the personalities i’ve been very curious about personally. how should i put it, you seem like a person who possesses a perfect narrative. oh my, thank you. 3. maturing steadily after debuting with shinee in middle school, you broke away from your image as the group’s youngest and instead donned the clothes of a solo musician. all 5 of your solo albums have been recorded as hits. now you are a member of superm that has gone global. even a narrative within a coming-of-age novel could not be as sturdy as this.  when i look back on my life, i find it quite fascinating. i entered the company at the age of 13, and this year i turned 28. i’ve lived half of my life as a singer, i realise this when i think ‘i’ve run along the same path for a long time’. i think... i’ve been very greedy. it was through this greed that i was able to debut in a team called shinee, and consequently receive solo plans. once, producer lee sooman told me to bring him a recording of any pop song. wondering ‘what’s going on?’ i prepared for it and submitted, and soon after my solo album was released. thinking back, it must’ve been a test. i felt a sense of accomplishment in these things. that too very deeply, of course luck was on my side too. 4. a methodical company like sm couldn’t have proposed a solo career so lightly. there were a couple of tell-tale signs as far as i could tell. my singing parts were little during debut. after all taemin had the image of the one in charge of dancing. then my parts started to increase gradually, this could’ve been one of the signs. back in the day i used to stay back in the practice room till dawn. the employees working late would see me and the word probably went around. they must have felt sorry for me. a skinny boy practising by himself till dawn (laughs). 5. were you the type to stay back later than the rest in the practice room? i would go to the practice room as soon as we wrapped up our schedule. i’d practice till sunrise then return to the dorm and prepare for the next schedule immediately, i spent a long time doing this. 6. it was at the time of ‘sherlock’ in 2012 that your stage presence started to shine in shinee’s stages. thereafter, it seemed that you enjoyed your time on stage thoroughly. when did you begin to realise that only you were in command of your own stage? there were a couple of times... sherlock was one of them. sherlock was an album that came out when i was 20, right after becoming an adult, it was then my attitude towards performance changed. in those days i challenged myself to ‘not to do what was expected/fixed.’ usually our gestures at certain sections of the song are fixed beforehand, from sherlock onwards however i tried my hand at different things without reserve. it was my way of approaching the audience with sincerity, and my way of improving in the future. back then i would notice variations (in my performance) everyday when i monitored myself. 7. frankly, isn’t it difficult for someone to have made such a prominent leap? i think it might have been because of the long hiatus before sherlock. i was able to prepare well so my growth was likely more obvious when i stood on stage after a long time. how should i put it, my members were very stimulating for me. since the hyungs aren’t ordinary people (laughs). this is something i’m confident about, even if you say that most of the shinee members are main vocalists, none of us is inferior to the other, everyone is so talented. with these thoughts verbatim ‘i must survive in here,’ ‘i need to finish what i started,’ i practiced. i couldn’t not have made the leap with such stimulation and not to mention my greedy nature (laughs). spending time together with the members made me realise that we started to resemble each other in some aspects, thanks to them i was able to broaden my perspective and become aware of my undiscovered talents. 8. the prologue single ‘2 kids’ of your third album ‘never gonna dance again’ released in august. as i was listening to the song, i suddenly became curious about the lyricist and looked them up. my impression was that the language of the lyrics was raw and honest. the lyricist turned out to be you. my intention was to include everyday, colloquial speech. i’ve written poetic and abstract lyrics before, but while working on ‘2 kids’ i wanted the listeners to easily grasp the emotions at once. since i’ve released many songs like ‘danger’ with vivid concepts and sensual performances, i expected there to be some distance between me and the public. i found that i shouldn’t stray too far. in any case, i’m a pop singer. i thought to myself let’s meet the public halfway, and the result was the lyrics for ‘2 kids.’ it’s the brightest of all my title tracks (laughs). 9. i find two interesting points here. first, you are completely aware of your identity as a pop singer, second, to do that you work hard to keep close to the public. of course there are times when it doesn’t work out (laughs). for instance, when we’re deciding on the title track for a shinee album, my opinions always diverge from the members’. after listening to our fourth album title track ‘view,’ i said ‘no way, it can never be this!’ (laughs). what i’m after is, how shall i put it... there is a side to me that wants to experience things profoundly. for example, if i were to express love, instead of depicting it one-dimensionally, i’d prefer to do it maniacally. i like taking it one step further to appear twisted.  10. that’s amusing. it’s probably because i’ve seen your easy-going appearance on tv a lot, i would have never guessed for you to approach things ‘deeply’. profound people tend to be like that. ‘multi’ people are able to do several things at once, i can’t do that. i have to dig into things deeply at a time. that’s why when my members and i receive the same schedule notice, i’m the only one who always forgets it (laughs). 11. oho, this makes me curious about your taste in pop culture.  i really like the british drama <black mirror>. i get hooked on the unusual. like mind-boggling things? i used to watch movies that weren’t popular because such movies are less likely to repeat contents that have already been consumed. but then i slowly began to enjoy light films as well. these days i leave a movie running in the background while i do other things. back when i would look for an independent film or thriller of my liking, i’d get extremely exhausted after watching it. they require so much focus that they sap my energy. 12. we were talking about lyrics but somehow ended up here (laughs). if you were given the opportunity to write lyrics again, what kind of story do you want the lyrics to convey? i like philosophical lyrics. for instance, a song called ‘soldier’ from my solo album deals with religious content, it varies from time to time of course but well if i were to write again... i think about this a lot these days. i want to change myself, i want to shake off my image uptil now and be reborn again. 13. why is that? i want a colour that is more concentrated and unique. as if i'm debuting again, i want to show something completely new that i had not before. 14. but aren’t your comebacks always novel? a musician like you who does diverse and experimental concepts is rare. is that so? sure the concepts are always new but... these days i think about how i want to change myself as a person from the very inside. instead of putting a facade on display, i have a thirst for wanting to show a more humane, genuine appearance. all humans experience moments of weakness and dysfunction. i think these moments definitely hold some beauty in them. the moment a person breaks down. it’s the only way one can get up and overcome difficulties again, i believe showing these sides of me, all of me, unabashedly is a path i need to walk as an artist now. 15. honestly, i’m excited for your third album because i heard this album reflects your ideas the most. what aspects of the production were different this time? firstly, i personally cast and liaised with the music video director. i thought it was important to work with the director one-on-one by keeping mediators to a minimum. through several meetings we mulled over every single thing like concept, outfit, hair and makeup. i offered my opinions too: ‘because i’m thinking of leaving a connecting link in the prologue, since there are two albums that would release following ‘2 kids,’ i want to drop certain keywords in the music video.’ fans usually call this a ‘bait’ (laughs). 16. the choreography stood out the most in the ‘2 kids’ music video. you weren’t simply moving to the rhythm, rather weren’t you moving your body guided by emotions? actually there were barely any plans to include dancing scenes. but i thought you never know so i quickly prepared a choreography the day before i left for paris. initially, i had a ‘dramatised’ (borrowing elements from drama) choreography in mind, but the director was expecting something modern. in the end, we expressed it well with a choreography that the director and i came up with after finding the perfect common ground. 17. personally i think a dramatised choreography would have been quite alright because ‘2 kids’ is a universal love song. i told the director i wanted to look miserable and pathetic through and through, like falling into a bottomless pit, wrecked, to be found waking up in the middle of the street, that would do too. why did i want to be that wrecked? i don’t know. there’s just a lot that exists within me. and i might have wanted to express that.... 18. with your first solo mini album <ace> you proved your grit as a solo musician to the public, and i believe your second album <move> reified your colour. i think taemin is a musician who doesn’t need to prove himself anymore. having reached this status, you’re releasing your next album <never gonna dance again>. did you ever think that this album could be it? rather, i hope that this album can be my ‘turning point.’ just as how it was during sherlock, i hope this time it changes my identity completely, as an individual and as a performer. people might like this album or find it mediocre, but i try not to care about these things now. 19. were you the type to stress over feedback? yes. because there are many people who are uncomfortable with change. but then i realised we’d never be able to free ourselves from within if we continued to be tied down. so now i’m trying to notice these things less. 20. have you ever had this thought? that looking back, the experimental has always revolved around you. as i said before, i think there is a lot of something within me (laughs). people have recognized that, there’s a lot i want to do. there is a greed for wanting to be different from others. it’s not that i want to ‘appear’ different but truly be different. 21. do you think there is an aspect of you that others can’t follow? i can’t seem to figure it out. i’m looking for it. however, my satisfaction level with myself tends to be low. and it’s something that has been guiding me till now. 22. what helps you recharge the most? i like lower-body bathing so much (laughs). as soon as i get into the bath, i automatically end up going ‘euu’ ‘aah.’ i soak my body completely, light up a scented candle, then let my body warm up like this. 23. while watching your vlog-like youtube content taem-log, i wondered ‘does he have an affinity for household goods?’ since the camera often captured your surroundings, i noticed pretty glasses and a colourful coffee machine adorning your cupboard. not at all. my mother did all of that (laughs). she’d say ‘this would suit taemin~’ then set it up prettily for display on the shelves. sometimes i do think i’d like to furnish my house with antiques if i were to move in the future. this is a bit funny but i find the houses in old horror movies so pretty. 24. i saw a bottle of moët & chandon in your refrigerator, is champagne your regular choice of alcohol? i rarely drink. i usually receive gifted alcohol quite a lot, it all goes to my father (laughs). my mother brought the moët & chandon and left it in there. i asked her to leave a pretty bottle in there at least for decoration purposes, so she probably brought it just for that? (laughs). 25. what kind of a person is 28-year-old taemin? i sort of want to set things ablaze. i want to put up a spectacular finale of the opening act. 26. how do you want to be remembered as a musician? as a great person. i say this knowing it sounds a bit grandiose but it’s my mission.  27. i can see it. the bigger you become the larger the impact you can have on society. i will become that person. so that many people can hear the message i want to convey.

translated by romanceboys — take out with full credit (source)

[tylluan-blodeuwedd]

Aisha! For the alphabet! She doesnt get enough love.

Hard agree, Aisha barely gets any love at all and she's such an interesting, fun character. I love doing these alphabets, they're a lot of fun, hope you like it.

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

You like to go on long walks, binge watch series together, she likes to take you to practice with her to watch, you also go to the beach club together, go to the mall to hang out, hang out in each others houses.

B eauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

Aisha loves a lot of physical things about you, but mostly she loves your consideration for other people, their circumstances, their lives. She loves that you just don't judge anyone, that you treat everyone equally while also being accommodating to them, and that you don't get angry with people for not doing something your way, at your pace.

C omfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

Aisha is familiar with panic attacks and feeling quite down in the dumps, she gets it, she doesn't try the "go outside maybe you'll feel better", "try exercising" rubbish that a lot of people spout. She's just a comfort, she'll just wait it out with you and try to calm you down, try to cheer you up and make you feel better, but if you can't, then she won't push it. 

D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

You're both really young, ideally you just want to get through high school together, intact, college is a whole other concept right now, beyond that isn't even something you're considering. Living in the moment is much better to Aisha.

E qual - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

Fairly passive, her parents taught her communication and honesty is the best way and she wholeheartedly believes it, everything is discussed between you two. You make a lot of decisions as a couple and Aisha isn't really into pushing to take the lead on anything.

F ight - Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?

Forgiveness isn't something that comes easily to Aisha I don't think, it really depends on circumstances of the problem

G ratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?

Aisha is grateful for things people have done for her, she's grateful to her Sensei and Miguel for helping her find her confidence, grateful to her parents, her teachers, everyone who's helped her in some way. When you do something for Aisha, you best bet she's aware of it, if you give something up to spend time with her, or you get her something, she's grateful.

H onesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

Aisha is really open and honest, she doesn't believe in secrets between partners, and her parents taught her that open honesty is best in the long run, so she tells you everything. Literally.

I nspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

You don't really change Aisha except to bring her a little more peace, Aisha is a fairly well balanced person. You do however push her a little to try some new things she may not have because of a low confidence. Aisha helps you a lot with personal problems.

J ealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

Not really, she only gets jealous if someone is flirting with you, but even then it's a passive aggressive jealous, not full out brawling jealous. No fights just a "Hey babe" and an arm around you.

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

She takes super good care of her lips, they're always soft and moisturized, no dry cracked kisses for you. Considering her first kiss was you, she's pretty good, they can be a little clumsy, but you can work on that.

Your first kiss was pretty simple, closed mouths, just a press of lips before pulling back to look at each other.

L ove Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

The gap between the realisation of feelings and the confession was pretty big, a couple of months. She told Miguel about it, not knowing what to do, and the advice was to just go for it. So she took a while to build up the courage, then asked you to go out to a cafe after practice to talk, so over a cup of tea (I'm a tea drinker, soz guys) she told you. It was quite simple, there was really no misunderstanding when she said that she had feelings for you.

M arriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

I guess in future, you're teenagers rn so it isn't something she's thinking super hard about. If she were to propose though it would be really cute and private. Being married to Aisha would be so easy, she's so level headed and sensible, plus she takes no shit, though sometimes you'll have to de escalate a situation if someone really offends her.

N icknames - What do they call their s/o?

Mostly it's just a shortening of the name, she uses Babe a lot though.

O n Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

She's pretty much the same, outwardly she doesn't change that much, it's obvious you two are dating, but it isn't an in your face "look at me, here I am" ordeal. It's a cute, sweet, easy relationship. Aisha is very forward with her feelings, because bottling it up does nothing, and her parents taught her that honestly really is best.

P DA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?

Aisha is super proud of you, when you started dating you kept it just to close friends knowing, then a few weeks later everyone knew. Low-key brags about you at the dojo and to her parents. Has zero fear of showing any kind of affection in public.

Q uirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.

Aisha just KNOWS stuff, she just knows, she can deduce things from a glance, and you get to nonverbal communication very quickly in your relationship.

R omance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

Aisha is super romantic at heart, Valentine's day is always going to be a treat, she does the cliche stuff, but is also very creative with romancing you. Aisha would do anything, barring a few extremes, to make you happy, and it really shows.

S upport - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

Aisha will go above and beyond to support you in anything and everything, she will always want you to succeed and be happy.

T hrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice up your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

Your relationship is spicy enough with Karate war 2 going on, you're happy just as you are, you don't need to go cliff diving together or jump out of a plane to feel closer.

U nderstanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

Aisha knows you better than you know yourself, when something is wrong she knows what it is and how to fix it before you do 70% of the time. She's insanely empathetic towards you, she just gets you, and because of past bullying, she understands a lot of negative feelings and what they could lead to. She's a great source of stress release.

V alue - How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?

To Aisha, your relationship is really important, not only are you partners, you're also best friends, confidants. Your relationship definitely places in the tied top 3. Comparability to material things, possibly water, your friendship, your love is a necessity to survival.

W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

Aisha loves it when you play with her hair, she almost never lets anyone touch it, pretty much just you and her mother, but she loves it when you play with it and help her care for it. It's a pretty big sign of trust and love from Aisha.

X OXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

Somewhat, Aisha just really loves being in your presence, there's a lot of heads on shoulders, sitting close, walking with fingers linked. But you're not the kind that spoons watching tv, or makes out 24/7.

Y earning - How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?

You're both very chill in the relationship, even though you spend pretty much every day together you can still go a while without seeing each other and just text. If you're really really missing each other though, you both have a stuffy from the other, and you facetime/skype a lot.

Z eal - Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

Aisha would run into a burning building for you, she would go to the ends of the earth and back again just to see you smile because she knows you'd do the same for her. She defends you against every besmirching of your name.

[theleakypen]

OYZZ/A-Qing, AU where they meet while she's alive, kiss meme?

(uhhh so this accidentally turned into a full-on fic. Unfortunately, it's only a fix-it for A Jing, not for Songxiao 😭; I’m going entirely by book canon here, except my brain has settled on CQL aesthetics for OYZZ and A Jing, hence the “burgundy robes.”)

Kissing prompt

"Excuse me, are there any powerful people around here? Powerful people who cultivate?" Ā Jing swallowed hard as yet another passerby shook her off. She wouldn't cry! Her dàozhǎng needed vengeance and so did Song dàozhǎng; she had to keep trying to find someone.

"Excuse me, gūniang," came a voice from behind her—a young voice, a boy about her age. "I'm a cultivator. Perhaps I can be of service?"

--

It took some doing to convince first the boy — Ouyang Zizhen — and then his father that Xue Yang was indeed in Yi City and not dead as he should have been these last many years, but in the end Sect Master Ouyang had reached out to his patron, the master of the Jiang sect, who was known for his hatred of demonic cultivators, and the full might of both Baling Ouyang and Yunmeng Jiang was brought to bear against Xue Yang. Ā Jing insisted on being allowed to accompany them — she had to see this through.

Ouyang Zizhen seemed to have decided that she was his responsibility and he stuck close to her while his seniors prepared for and then fought the battle. "I'm not allowed to night hunt unsupervised, anyway, so I will be your protector, Jing gūniang!"

Ā Jing wasn't going to say no to protection. Ever since she saw her dàozhǎng killing people under Xue Yang's guidance she had felt an overwhelming terror. It was lessened now that she had an entire army between her and Xue Yang, including this strangely earnest boy, but until she saw Xue Yang's dead body with her own eyes, she wouldn't feel able to truly rest.

--

She took one look at the dead bodies laid out in a row, the two Daoist priests and their murderer, and flung herself weeping into Ouyang Zizhen's arms. He stroked her back, while she shook and wet his burgundy silk robes with her tears, and murmured soothingly in her ear. She liked that he called her "Jing gūniang," as if she really was somebody, and not just an urchin with no family name to speak of.

"What will you do, now that it's over?" he asked, when they were all seated in an inn, waiting for food to be delivered to their table. He kept his arm around her and seemed to be daring his seniors to say anything. Ā Jing was still feeling shaky and uncertain, so she wasn't going to complain. She clutched the little pouch that the cultivators said held Xiao Xingchen’s soul close to her chest, afraid to let it out of her sight even for a moment. They said his soul was shattered into little bits, but that it might heal with time. The least she could do was take care of it until it did. Every time she thought about her poor dàozhǎng, shattering himself to pieces because of his horror at what Xue Yang had made him do, she felt fresh tears prickling her eyes.

"I don't know," she said. "I was traveling with Xiao dàozhǎng so long, I don't think I know how to travel alone anymore." This was probably not true, but all these people knew that she was sighted — she had to play up her helplessness somehow!

"You can come with us to Baling," Ouyang Zizhen suggested. "You could learn to be a cultivator, like us."

"Aren't I too old?" she asked, looking at him sidelong.

"You'll probably never be exceptional," he agreed, "but that doesn't mean you can't learn to use a sword the way we do."

It sounded appealing. It sounded like a lot of work. Well, if she didn't like it, she could always leave. Traveling alone in Baling couldn't be any different from traveling alone in Shudong.

--

Baling was nice. They let her call herself Xiao Jing, to keep her dàozhǎng's name alive, even if he was now dead. They gave her a room and nice clothes and they didn’t try to take away the two bags that held everything that mattered to her in this world — the wallet she had stolen from Xiao Xingchen, and the Spirit Capture Pouch that held his soul. They added her to the rolls of junior disciples. She had to practice next to seven year olds, and it was hard work, but she never had to worry about her next meal and Ouyang Zizhen came by all the time to see how she was settling in. One time a couple of his big sisters came by and told her to tell them if he was bothering her.

"We'll beat him up for you, don't worry," said the second young mistress of Baling Ouyang. Xiao Jing thought that maybe that was backwards — shouldn't they be threatening her on his behalf? After all, she was a swindler and a thief. But, then, they didn't know that part of her past.

Everyone knew she was a tragic orphan, victimized by the horrible Xue Yang, and she'd played that up as much as possible. Pity was good — people mostly didn't want to hurt you if they pitied you. Mostly people were patient with her uneducated speech and her inability to read and that she picked up cultivation concepts slowly, except the physical ones. The exercises came easily — she'd had to be deft to steal without people noticing, and that came in handy now.

"He's not a bother," she said aloud. "I like Ouyang gōngzǐ."

"Oh?" The fifth young mistress pounced on that, smiling like a cat. "And in what way do you like xiǎodì?"

Xiao Jing blushed at that, and did her best to deflect.

--

"Your sisters came to see me today," Xiao Jing told Ouyang Zizhen. She pulled a couple of sweets from the wallet she still kept close by, the one she stole from Xiao Xingchen all those years ago, and offered one to him. Their fingers tangled briefly as he accepted the sweet and she flashed back to Ouyang Ruoyin's question. In what way do you like our little brother? She shook herself, willing her cheeks to stop blushing. Back to doing the teasing; that was way better than being teased. "They said they'll beat you up if you keep bothering me."

"They told me the same thing," Ouyang Zizhen laughed. "Am I bothering you, Jing gūniang?"

"Obviously not," Xiao Jing retorted. "I don't give sweets to people who bother me."

"Well, that's a relief, then," he said, smiling at her as he popped the sweet in question into his mouth. He had a very nice smile, distractingly nice. She realized she was staring at his lips, which was definitely inappropriate, and dragged her gaze up to his eyes, which were crinkled in that same smile. Hell.

“Jing gūniang, I—” he began, before she cut him off. Oh well, it wasn’t as though she hadn’t been impulsive before.

“Ouyang gōngzǐ, do you like me?”

Now it was his turn to blush and stammer, which filled her with an obscure satisfaction. “I— yes, I— yeah?” he said. His voice steadied as he took up his thread. “I like you a lot. Your courage in the face of extreme adversity, your devotion to your dàozhǎng, the way your eyes flash in the sun when you train—”

“Okay, okay,” Xiao Jing cut him off again. There was no stopping Ouyang Zizhen when he got poetic. She wasn’t anticipating the danger of letting him get poetic about her, the way it made her skin feel hot and prickly all over. “I get it, you think I’m admirable. Do— Would—” She swallowed hard. Get it together, Ā Jing. “Would you like to try kissing?” she asked, the words coming out all in a rush.

Ouyang Zizhen stared at her, mouth falling open in a pretty silly-looking way. Xiao Jing almost laughed at it, except for how her stomach was turning somersaults. Did she misread things? Ouyang Zizhen did get poetic about all sorts of things, but she did think he showed her particular attention! She scuffed her foot on the floor of the pavilion. “I only meant...” She looked down. “I like you, too, and I thought...”

“Yeah.” His voice was breathless and Xiao Jing looked up with new hope. He was still blushing, and his eyes seemed almost to sparkle as he stepped nearer to her. “Yeah, can I kiss you?”

Xiao Jing smiled and took one of his hands and tilted her face up to his. She’d hit a growth spurt recently—probably all that good Baling food—but he was still taller than her. He tilted his head consideringly, and then lowered his face until their lips met. She felt his nose brushing her cheek and the little sigh of his breath on her mouth. His lips were soft on hers and just the slightest bit sticky. He tasted a little of the candy they’d both just eaten. His hand tightened its grip on her hand, even as his other hand came up to cup her cheek, and she felt that same heat and prickle on her skin as she did when he had been complimenting her.

When they parted, Xiao Jing stepped forward and buried her face in his collar, hiding her flushed cheeks. Ouyang Zizhen wrapped his arms around her almost automatically. “That was nice,” he whispered into her hair.

She nodded and then murmured, “Yeah,” in case he couldn’t tell what her movement meant.

“Do you... want to do it again?” he asked.

“Give me a minute,” she said.

He chuckled quietly; she felt the wind of his breath ruffling her hair. “As long you need,” he said.

[woolieshubris]

OK SO IM GOING TO WRITE SOME BACKSTORY THEN CLICK THE CUT TO SEE THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE WITH NO EDITING.

OK SO BASICALLY. At this point in the series, (season 1 had been out and season 2 kept getting hints dropped) every main love square ship had gotten their "scene", except for marichat. Marichat, argueably, was the (and still is) most popular ship on the show. Suddenly a still frame (or concept art?) was released of marinette and chat sitting on her balcony together looking out at the stars. This was quickly dubbed the "balcony scene" and many many many ficwriters quickly made fics of the scene, people made art for it, and people were overall, generally super f/cking hyped for it. Then, glaciator dropped, and reviews were... mixed to say the least. So here, presented in its full, unedited glory, was my hot 2016 take.

enjoy.

Yes. I will be talking about THIS episode. The episode so anticipated by shippers everywhere. The episode that was supposed to finally give marichat shippers a chance, and we ended up with this.

I hate this episode, for many many reasons, but do not worry. The balcony scene isn't one of them.

Here is my summary, (which is very long, so if you would rather just rewatch the episode feel free to do so)

The episode starts out, with chat asking lady out. Nothing out of the ordinary. She says no, but chat takes it as a maybe. (Which is already really stupid, but I'll let it slide)

After they wrap up the escapade, Mari goes to Andre the sweetheart ice cream man, and becomes disappointed when Adrian says he can't go. (Which is not his fault, so I'm letting this slide as well)

Mari feels like a third wheel and declines Andres ice cream because she's heartbroken? (You can get ice cream any day? And it wasn't Adrian's choice either, she should know this by now?)

Andres feelings are hurt.

Cut to chat, who is waiting for ladybug, and lady isn't showing.

Cut to hawkmoth who akumatizes Andre, and then cut to mari, who feels bad about the who ordeal.

Chat blows out candles angstily (even though lady clearly said no, AND thought he was joking) and decides that lady doesn't love him.

Mari is sad about Adrian and goes out to her balcony, balcony scene happens and chat brings Mari to his date he had planned.

Mari is surprised that chat hadn't been joking this entire time (ehh it makes enough sense) and now she feels double as bad.

Andre attacks.

Chat leaps into action and ladybug comes right after. Chat is angsty, and ladybug doesn't show any kind of remorse (what?)

She says sorry, but with no meaning. (maybe bad voice acting, so I'll let this one slide as well) chat is still mad. They soon make the discovery that he doesn't hurt couples, so lady asks if they could pretend to be a couple and chat says no. (Which makes sense) then lady like 1 minute later asks the same thing and chat says yes. (What why would he say yes? ) And they pretend to be a couple but it doesn't do anything to help them?

It helps them escape but they could have done that without pretending to be a couple? Anyways, they save the day and then lady comes to go see chats surprise. He offers her a rose, and lady says she only wants to be friends.

(Chat should have still been mad at her, since she never even said sorry properly, I mean I know I would have,) and chat smiles and says that's fine, then he blasts off.

We follow chat to his room and he's smiling in his bed. Plagg tells him it's ok to be heartbroken, and that a little cheese can help, but Adrian says he isn't heartbroken, and that he's glad she sees him as a friend.

Oof that summary was longer than expected, but it was hopefully shorter than the episode.

Ok, so now that we are all refreshed, I will now list m problems with the episode, in order to make it easier to fix.

First problem, Marinette is heartbroken over the ice cream.

We can easily fix this by making it a special day, like maybe it's a blue moon that night, and Mari wanted to see it with Adrien. It could be the same for Chat with Ladybug, they wanted to see the blue moon together. He takes the, "maybe, I have plans" as a, "sure I'll make it a plan" because he really really wants it to happen, maybe even have plagg mention it, say something along the lines of, "She said she had plans," and Adrien says, "She said maybe!" (I know they already say this, but it isn't portrayed very well in my opinion.

Problem two, Ladybug never says sorry, and chat doesn't care.

Honestly, throughout the entire episode, I was waiting for ladybug to give chat a hug and just say sorry properly. Throughout most of the episode, chat looks on the brink of tears, and lady acts like she can't see it, and chat forgives her almost instantly. It would have been much more interesting to see a chat begrudgingly doing as he's told, just to save Paris, and go home.

Problem 3, Chat isn't heartbroken.

As stated in the show, we don't ever see the sensitive side of chat noir, and the show seems to want to avoid the subject. Chat got friendzoned. He says he's happy to be lady's friend, but he always was, from the start. All of this buildup, only for it to be knocked down in a single episode. Adrien should have been devistated, but then again, this is one of those "reset" type of shows, where everything must resolve before the credits roll, and it becomes very obvious with the awkward transition. You can tell that they were planning to have him heartbroken in bed, mad at ladybug, but someone said, "kids don't want meaningful character exploration, they want happy endings!"

Ok, so now I write my script doctored version of this episode. Warning, it's pretty long.

Ladybug and chat are talking it up as they help the people get off the bus.

"So, you heard about the blue moon tonight chat noir?" Lady asks.

"Yeah, when there is a full moon twice in a month? It's very rare!" Chat says, explaining to all the kids what a blue moon is. "Well, m'lady, can you visit me tonight? You know, to see it together?" Lady shakes her head.

"I have plans," lady thinks it over for a bit however, "but maybe I can come." Chat looks at the time on his baton, and realizes he has to go back home, his piano practice is almost over.

"Gotta go, see you later ladybug!" He says, as he runs off. Lady goes home and realizes that's she's almost late to go meet her friends. She runs out the door and we cut to Adrien, who is texting Nino.

"Sorry nino, father said I can't come" he's talking as he's texting. Plagg flies by and says, "you didn't even ask your dad, how do you know he'd say no?"

Adrien responds, "I have plans with ladybug remember?"

Plagg rolls his eyes. "She said that she had plans."

Adrien looks at plagg and says, "she said maybe."

We cut away from Adrien and we now see a heartbroken Mari.

"It's the blue moon, the most magical night of all, and we were going to eat Andre's ice cream, the most magical ice cream in Paris!" Mari sighs sadly as she sits down on a bench. Nino shows her the text and says, "It's never adrien's fault, so don't blaim him for not being able to show."

"I know, I know." Mari stands up and they all start looking for the ice cream cart.

Cut to chat, who's has just finished setting up the date.

"I really hope she comes." Chat says this with certainty, showing his trust in ladybug. Without having to OUTRIGHT SAY IT. (cough cough episode 12 cough cough)

Cut back to mari, who is exhausted from the chase to find the cart, and salty about Adrien. She sees alya and nino holding hands as they get their ice cream, and looks at the ground while she sits on the bench, not wanting to see it. "We can never be like them" She says, salty. Andre notices this and gives her the ice cream.

"Perfect, just like your love!" Andre says, with a smile. Mari's twisted salty head decides that she doesn't love him, because she and adrien will never be like alya and nino, so when Andre is passing the icecream to Mari, she doesn't grab it, and it falls to the ground.

"I don't love anyone." Mari says, as she stares at the fallen ice cream. Under her breath Mari says, "because no body loves me." Mari looks up at Andre who looks very sad. She realizes what happened and runs to her house. Cut to chat, who is doing the candle thing he did before because that was a really good and powerful scene and I don't want to change it. Start balcony scene, and everything is the same up until the "reveal" of the surprise to ladybug. This time, she hugs him, and you see chats eyes tearing up as she friendzones him. He lets go of the hug prematurely, and smiles, putting the rose in lady's hair. He goes back home and no more cuts to chat or Adrien so we can let the viewers draw their own conclusions. Everything is the same up until when Adrien gets the ice cream. This time, Adrien looks a little happy/sad when Andre prepares him the ladybug ice cream. Happy because he knows he still loves ladybug, but also sad because he knows she will never love him in the same way.

I'm sorry for making you read that entire thing. If you made it through, please, tell me below, which version you like more, and I really want to see your criticism of both. I'd love to have a conversation about it.

[decendingfromgrace]

Thumper

Miruko x fem!Reader

So @mirukobecomingbothered and I had the head cannons that Miruko thumps her foot when mad, this fic is inspired by that!

Words: 2,200

Warning: Pure, unadulterated Fluff

Tags: @cutesuki--bakugou, @mirukobecomingbothered

The soft clicking of the shopping cart you pushed could not drown out the grumbles behind you that had been following you for the past thirty minutes. You looked over your shoulder at the brooding bunny hero, her arms crossed over her chest and fingers tapping irritably over her bicep while her show white bunny ears twitched and turned with irritation. You rolled your eyes for the tenth time that minute at her before pushing on to the next aisle your grocery list required. Before this, you and Rumi had been out running errands, doing the simple daily tasks that needed to be done while spending time with your lover chatting about nothing and making one another laugh.

Since that day when you literally bumped into the bunny hero, spilling her and your groceries onto the pavement, the two of you had become close. For some reason Rumi had refused to tell you, the bunny hero had taken a liking to you, and became stuck close to your side. She made excuses each time you both seemed to end up in the same places in the city, and each time you welcomed her confident, strong, beautiful self with a large smile that made her cheeks turn rosy. Soon Rumi began to look for you, purposefully trying to spend more and more time together doing whatever task she caught you doing, be it just on a walk or going to work, Rumi wanted to be there. Eventually those chance encounters became meaningful get togethers and ultimately dates. For the past three years, you and Rumi had basked in the others' loving warmth daily, barely separated, and the world soon had a new hero couple to gossip about, but you didn’t care because you had each other.

This day had been pleasant up until now when you had told the seething women behind you that you wouldn’t be home tonight for movie night.

You reached for a container of sugar, Rumi had to hand it to you since you were too short and she could easily use her powerful thighs to reach up high. While you checked the exasperation date, you assessed the upset woman scowling beside you, her gaze angry at the canned soup in front of her. Her anger would soon pass as it usually did, though the temper was intense and it reminded you of that one angry blonde guy you have seen around her agency, it was nothing you couldn’t defuse with your soft touch and calming words. Another aspect of your relationship was balancing out each other’s qualities.

Rumi may have a bunny quirk, but she never acted like one. She was strong and confident. Beautiful and tenacious. Intelligent, funny and soft, but that was mainly around you. She was everything other than a scared, timid rabbit, and you loved that. So you often wondered what she saw in you, this bashful, humble, quiet woman that saw Rumi as a fallen star. Yet when Rumi asked you out, you were dazzled once more by her and with the honored title as her lover, soon her traits rubbed off on you. With Rumi’s help, you seemed to be able to grasp the sun itself, reaching higher and higher as she encouraged you to reach any goal that came to your mind. Even when her encouragement became harsh, you knew she only wanted you to reach your untapped potential and in the end it was worth every bit of struggle.

“You can’t stay mad at me, fluff butt.” She growled at the nickname, even though she thought it cute, it still instilled annoyance in the bunny hero. Such a nickname came about when you saw her fluffy tail shake when she first saw you after a long work day or when you laughed.

“I won’t be out for too long, it’s just a dinner for my hero agency.” A low growl was accompanied by the sudden rapid thump against the tiled floor of the grocery store. This caught your attention, the sugar container held in your grasp but forgotten in the moment and you turned to be staring at the heated flushed face of your lover, her white ears and tail continuously twitched in irritation and you felt your heart flutter at her utter cuteness. You giggled at her expression and she puffed her cheeks out, a red glow coating over them subtly once she was caught tapping her foot in that special way you found adorable, though her thumping only increased in tempo and volume once she saw you stifling giggles.

“Rumi, are you really thumping your foot at me? You can’t be that mad, are you?” The white ears a top Rumi’s head twitched and then tilted back slightly, a way, you researched, most bunnies did to show anger. That was not part of your relationship you didn’t expect, learning on bunny behavior in order to tell what your lover felt, but it did come in handy.

“I’m not mad at you dammit! I’m pissed that- that you won’t be around tonight, Carrot.” Your face flushed at her nickname for you, one that she quickly came up with when you started calling her “fluff butt” Rumi didn’t miss the way your face heated at her words and that signature smirk on her face and her ears twitched with your reaction. Her palms came to wrap around her hips, their muscular bulk caged you protectively, as her lips peppered kisses over the side of your jaw. You tried to brush her off and she laughed.

“Aww what’s wrong Carrot? My little nickname get you all flustered, you know it’s cause I think you’re so tasty-“ You huffed, that blush refusing to go away as you pretended to reread the sugar container before putting it into the cart.

“I’ll be there for a few hours then come back home, ok? We can watch that one horror fic you wanted when I get back.” Miruko came to walk close to your side, feeling accomplished with making you blush as her ears and tail twitched in triumph. Her fingers locked with yours with slight possessive intent, but the promise of you coming back to spend time with her made that anger fade and her rabbit-like foot stopped it’s angry display.

“I’ll make you carrot cake too, as a thank you.” To your statement Miruko smiled wide and practically began dragging you through the store, the smallest of hops in her step.

“Alright fluff butt, I’m off.” You fixed your earrings into place and checked your makeup one last time before heading down the stairs of Rumi and your home, your gown elegant and beautiful. This hero dinner was a large affair, one that was to honor the retirement of one of the oldest heroes in your agency, so casual dress would be inappropriate. A whistle, similar to a cat call, sounded from the couch and you saw the vermillion eyes of Rumi trailing over each inch of your body. You blushed as she stalked over to you, her ears attentive to each subtle sound you could make, you swore she could hear how your heartbeat quickened when she gripped your hips softly and gave you a kiss.

“Damn Carrot, you sure you can’t stay? I’m sure we can do something much more exciting than some boring dinner.” Her hands began to wander, trailing over your hips and butt, to your upper back then ending on the zipper of your dress. The intent was clear and mischievous, but you made all her movements stop once you squeezed the incredibly soft plush of her white tail. A violent shudder came over her and from her tan shoulders up to her cheeks became a deep shade of red and you giggled lightly at her embarrassment.

“Later, but I do have to go.” Rumi gave an angry pout and cupped your jaw, her hands were warm and you leaned onto her touch. With a last, deep, lingering goodbye kiss you were out the door, leaving your lover to sit in the all too quiet house.

The silence drove Rumi crazy, the image of you looking so stunning teasing her mind as she paced around the home in search of something to occupy herself. She couldn’t help the thumping of her foot as she sat on the couch, the involuntary movement only made her more cross and so her foot pounded against the floor with more furosity. Rumi missed your voice, that cute airy laugh that filled her slow moving surroundings. To Rumi, the world moved slower compared to her bunny biology, she moved incredibly fast as did her heart, so the concept of sitting still made her anxious. You were her grounding, the one person that could make her stop and take in the world rather than speed by, so without you the world began to speed back up.

When Rumi stumbled into you, she was in awe. Your eyes dazzled in a caring way that day when you kept apologizing to her even after helping her gather her fallen groceries, and in that moment she thought you were the most stunning person in the world. You had hit Rumi like a truck, a piercing arrow to the heart that made her lips twitch up into an uncharacteristically soft smile whenever she saw you. You were beautiful, kind, loving, smart, and attentive to each small detail of the world. Before you, Rumi would impatiently wait for each day to pass, never stopping to admire anything, only wanting for those dull quiet seconds to speed by, but then you came. You noticed beauty in places Rumi had never seen, you showed her parts of her life that Rumi had never thought about. And after a while Rumi began to see the world in a different way, in a more appreciative way. Thanks to you she learned how to be less abrasive and brash in situations, how to be gentle and calm and she was thankful for each special quality of yours she picked up on. You were her everything, her life, her love, and she hated not being near you.

It had been three hours of Rumi frantically cleaning, trying to organize her and your fan mail, organizing her schedule for the next month, and then re-cleaning the house before Rumi had enough.

Once the sound of the wall clock ticking began to make Rumi have the urge to punch it, she realized she was going to crash your dinner party.

“Fuck this” Her voice was evidence enough that she had reached her boiling point. The bunny hero leaped up to your shared bedroom, skipping up the steps four at a time until she threw open the wardrobe and haphazardly put on a gown she knew you would drool over and headed out the door to your agency.

The chatter of the room was small, a dull murmur in the air that gave no excitement to you. Dinner had ended with a small speech from the retiring hero, said retired hero then left the party, leaving the rest of the guests to mingle. You swirled your glass of wine, upon tasting it you decided not to drink the dry bitter alcohol anymore. You began to let your mind wander, the conversation you were involved in being blocked out with thoughts of your wife. You imagined her trying to figure out what to do at home, bored as hell and thumping her foot in that adorable way out of pure unexpelled energy.

That thumping first happened when you two were out on a date, you had gone out to dinner with Rumi, a sweet little place that you and Rumi visited often. Rumi had gone to the bathroom, leaving you to sneak pieces of her dinner when a random guy walked up to you. He had begun to chat you up, you trying to give him a hint, when a loud thumping noise caught your attention. Rumi stood, practically trying to obliterate the guy on the spot, but her foot continued to pound against the floor. Needless to say the guy backed off when Rumi threatened to punch him, but you were beside yourself with the fact that your girlfriend thumps her foot when mad. You smiled after recalling the memory.

Then the oak door burst open, to your and everyone startle, but a warm burst bloomed in your chest when a familiar ruby gaze instantly found yours. Rumi, with the attention of everyone in the room sauntered over to you and you began to walk in order to meet her.

“Rumi, what are you doing here. I thought-“ You were silenced by Rumi’s lips which drew you in as her hands held your face. Once you two broke apart, her arms draped over your neck, your hands on the small of her back.

“Come on Carrot, let's get out of here. I’ve been wanting to dance with you since you left the house.” You giggled and Rumi’s heart swelled as she pulled you by the hand out the door, your goodbyes quickly thrown over your shoulder as Miruko practically pushed anyone out of your path.

That night, instead of small talk and boring dialogue, Rumi and you slow danced in the kitchen of your home, the carrot cake you promised to make sitting half eaten along with a bottle of vodka. And you wouldn’t have it any other way.

[darkpoisonouslove]

I'm offering you an empty salt shaker - asks 2, 5, 6, 15 (go ahead, I know you have something XD), 16, 20, 25 (about Bloom searching for her parents storyline)

Starting this again because guess who accidentally hit the key combination for undo and lost half an answered ask! This bitch right here.

I answered 2 here.

5. Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?*

Not that I can think of. It’s usually the source material that ruins things and fandom is tasked with fixing them later.

6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?*

I didn’t hate it but Bloom x Icy was incomprehensible to me. Fics helped a lot and so did other posts from here and there and I can see it now. Also, I totally couldn’t see Griffin x Codatorta but that changed, too. Though, that was less fandom and more trashcankitty12 with an ask that made me think about it a little more in-depth so it was pretty much me roping up myself into yet another ship. But ooh, I also don’t think I had considered Palladium x Avalon before fandom but, yes, indeed, it is right there in canon. And I was so puzzled over the Riven x Nabu content I was seeing but after watching seasons 3 and 4, I can totally see where this is coming from. The people are right. That is a bromance right there.

15. Unpopular opinion about the manga/show?

I have no idea what is popular and what isn’t (but you’re right that I have something aka A LOT) so I’ll just list my strong opinionsTM, okay? I will try not to dump on Bloom too much also because it is not a secret that I don’t like her so there is no need for me to go in too much detail.

4kids is the superior dub. That is probably the most controversial opinion I hold. But don’t worry, I’ll try to top it and up the ante. XD

I love Enchantix but it has so many flaws as a concept and even more as an execution and the thing that is really pissing me off is how obviously centered around Bloom’s arc it is. It was clearly created for the advancement of her character and the other girls’ stories came as an afterthought which is why Tecna’s Enchantix was total bullshit. And for having a transformation that is specifically created around Bloom, hers was bullshit as well. I think they should have let her reearn it in order for her to be able to use all of its functions like miniaturizing. Also also, at so many points it totally sounds like Bloom is not upset about the fact that Domino and all of its people were destroyed but about the fact that that means she won’t get her Enchantix. Which btw was a hasty conclusion because at the time Enchantix became a thing, she was still on a mission to find her parents which would have definitely been a way to earn her Enchantix and she had a sign that they were alive. So her angsting over not getting an Enchantix because of what happened on Domino was bad form on the writers’ part.

That spell for good decisions in 1x05 was one of the show’s lowest and most ridiculous moments. It was only included to flaunt in your face how naturally being a leader comes to Bloom because “See? See!!!!!! She can make a good decision without using magic to help her!” So can the majority of the population (note that we are talking about ONE good decision, not an unbreakable sequence of such). She ain’t all that special. Plus, Tecna was written wildly OOC there in order to boost Bloom’s stats so to speak. I’m sorry but Tecna would’ve known that three against four doesn’t give them advantage since they are freshmen and the Trix were seniors at the time. God, that scene was stupid.

Flora is the most boring character in seasons 1-3, fight me about it.

The writers totally had no idea what they were doing with the witches throughout most of season 1 which is why Griffin’s characterization in that season is so inconsistent. Also, wtf was that in 1x06? She straight up tried to kill a bunch of 15-year-old girls. Take a chill pill! I’m glad they figured out a much better balance with her later on.

Not using the fact that Cloud Tower is a living organism more was a fucking wasted opportunity. Especially in season 3 when Valtor took over it. That could have made everything so much better. Also, the witches should have been used more. They were interesting but deserved so much better in terms of development.

Sky should have just fucking died in 2x10. What were these resurrections and Bloom getting healing powers out of nowhere for a total of 5 seconds? You know, that could have been a good setup for a Bloom x Diaspro romance. It would have been so much better if they’d gotten together right after 1x17 and dumped Sky’s sorry ass. Also, Diaspro deserved better.

Riven is the best Specialist but he is especially better than Sky. Remember 1x22 when he was trying to escape CT? He was trapped deep in enemy territory with monsters everywhere and so high above the ground, yet he found his way out. Sky would’ve fucking died out in the open at Magix against one single monster if Bloom hadn’t shown up to rescue him. And the show has the gall to imply that Sky is a better Specialist than Riven is? Please!

The teachers should be fined and sued for emotional and physical damage they haven’t protected their students from. Especially the Alfea teachers who in 1x02 practically admitted that the witches might maim a fairy and they still won’t do shit about it. Nice one!

Griffin and Valtor is canonical subtext and I have nothing more to say about this. It is all there.

Valtor up until 3x18 and Valtor from 3x19 to 3x26 are two different people and the prior is superior in every way. The show ruined him in the last third of the season because there was no other way for Winx to defeat him.

Speaking about Valtor, his whole thing with the Trix is despicable and I hate it so much. It is extremely cringy on their part and extremely underhanded on his and I can’t stand it. Not to mention that it is wildly OOC for the Trix because they are obviously better than that.

I cannot understand saying that Bloom x Valtor is love-hate. I see only hate.

It is ridiculous how easily the Trix beat Griffin in season 6 and how they nearly take control over CT in season 2. And it is also ridiculous that she had to wait for Winx to unspell CT in season 3. She is a teacher, the headmistress of the most prestigious school for witches, a veteran and has been Valtor’s partner (and he himself admitted that together they were unstoppable which means that she has to be pretty powerful and even somewhere close to his level of power). Can the show stop acting like she is defenseless?

The teachers should have been used more. It would’ve been so much better if they were there to at least help Winx if not lead their battles. And it would have made much more sense. Also, how come Ediltrude and Zarathustra literally disappear when it’s convenient and then reappear again (like they did in season 1 when the witches went to Alfea)? That’s just bad writing.

Sky is adopted. He doesn’t resemble Erendor or Samara neither in appearance, nor in character and I hate them enough to headcanon that he was adopted but nobody knows because they don’t want to have claims that he is not an “official” heir of the throne because he isn’t part of the bloodline.

Mike and Vanessa are much more parents to Bloom than Marion and Oritel are, especially when the latter were first released from Obsidian, and the fact that Bloom starts calling them Mike and Vanessa instead of mom and dad after she learns she has other parents is abysmal. Also, they are literally the best parents ever and I love them to death. (I also like Marion and Oritel but Mike and Vanessa are definitely the superior pair of parents if we’re ranking them. I like the idea that the two couples are actually super close and love each other like relatives, in fact.)

What the fuck is up with the magic in this show? There is literally, like, NO FUCKING CONSISTENCY WHATSOEVER! You can’t blink without the rules of it changing in some way. But what am I saying? That would imply that there are any rules which is just not true. Also, there is no clear distinction of how powerful anyone is after season 1. The balance of powers especially between Winx and the Trix is pretty much whatever works for the episode. Same for Winx vs Valtor. The fuckery on that account is unreal. Plus, some of Bloom’s major power explosions happen due to her getting angry. According to the official Wiki - “While practicing or harnessing positive magic, one must keep a compassionate heart, primarily by keeping their thoughts and feelings clear of all negativity, making them capable of attracting positive energy more easily. Thus, if one is plagued with negative thoughts or feelings such as sadness, anger or fear, then their magic will grow   weaker until they may even be left incapable of casting magic until said feelings pass.“ Read that and then read it again, let it sink in. According to the rules of the Winx universe, during some of Bloom’s most powerful moments she was actually using dark magic, not light such because it was fueled by rage. Way to keep it fucking consistent. And that is not just Bloom! FLORA out of all people attacks the Trix in rage in 3x12 when they hurt her sister aka she was also using dark magic at that situation (and then you have Wizgiz scolding Mirta for it in SotLK like it is a sin to use dark magic, smh). In some instances I would argue that it was more of determination to protect rather than anger which I would say would still result in light magic. But The Flora thing, Bloom vs Stormy in 1x09 (Bloom even says she got so angry so that was not a case of protectiveness), Bloom vs Icy in 1x26 and Bloom vs Valtor in 3x14 were definitely rage aka dark magic. And then Bloom is all “fairies don’t have any demons”. Guess again, bitch! Also, writers, you need a dictionary to start comprehending the words you are actually writing?

Now that I think of it, the whole arc in the Resort Realm was bullshit. If it is a magic-free realm, nobody should have any magic in it, period! What is this bullshit that you can use Charmix and Gloomix there because they have higher magical energy? That absolutely doesn’t matter! If there isn’t any magic in the entire realm, having a higher amount of magic in you will not matter because you still can’t use it... because there isn’t any in the realm!!!!!! What the hell! Honestly, the writers can’t comprehend what words mean and that is not the only instance in which it shows.

Someone told me that SotLK is better than Magical Adventure and I don’t mean to offend but that is simply not true. Magical Adventure is leagues above SotLK even if it has some structural problems. Like, literally everything is better. Bloom and Sky are even likable and communicate!!!!!!!! Literally when have you ever seen a better moment for their relationship than in Magical Adventure? If it had been all like that, I would have liked them as a couple.

I think I got everything that comes to mind rn out. Might think of more at some point. I was done and then came back to rage some more because I remembered I had more material.

16. If you could change anything in the show, what would you change?

I would have them make smart decisions because 99% of the shit they pull is so stupid it is unreal. I literally cannot tell how they are still alive. Oh, no wait! Plot armor. Yep, that’s it.

But if I had to pick something specific? Bring Nabu back. I sure as hell wouldn’t have killed him. That was an asshole move and I have no idea what the hell the writers were thinking when they wrote that.

And my second choice is - implement a magical system into the series because there isn’t one. Magic always works the way the writers need it to work to pull off their bullshit plot even if it contradicts everything that we’ve seen before. Please, for the love of god! Consistency is already dead; stop stabbing its corpse!!!!

20. What is the purest ship in the fandom?

Purest ship? Lmao, asking me this question is underhanded. XD If you mean no drama, then Flora and Helia Mike and Vanessa. But I think my actual answer would be Griffin x Faragonda because they have been through so much that we know of or we can deduce and they still stuck together. Sure, they had their ups and downs but it is obviously a love for life that has lasted through so many obstacles and keeps lasting. The reason why I can’t say the same for Mike and Vanessa is because we don’t really know that much about their relationship with each other. But anyway I love both these ships so much.

If you’re talking about a canon ship, though, then Brandon and Stella (I do not recognize the stupid relationship drama in season 4 as canon). He did lie to her about his identity in season 1 but it was for his friendship with Sky (alternatively, for his job and duty as Sky’s squire). I just love how obviously in love Brandon is with Stella and how much Stella doesn’t care about anything but him. She didn’t care that he was a “commoner” and - one of my fave moments - in 1x08 she only cared about his well-being rather than the competition. It was adorable and they are adorable and I love them so much. Pure serotonin, right there!

25. How would you end the Bloom searching for her parents storyline/Would you change the ending?

I would certainly change the logistics of the whole thing because, boy, did it make no sense at all. As for the actual ending, I’d argue that physically finding them is not the end of that storyline and she needs to “find” them emotionally as well which would definitely take more time than SotLK cared to address. Like, she got them out of Obsidian and boom, everything’s fine! She literally doesn’t know them! Those are her parents and she doesn’t know anything about them! Their touch and their voices are unfamiliar to her even and they have missed on so much that they will never be able to get back and you’re saying that everything is fine? Yeah, right.

I would have had her spend a year on Domino with them before season 4. The school year that started in SotLK? She spends that with them. Possibly even the one that starts in Magical Adventure as well. She learns everything she can about them and the family history. She also learns how to be a proper royal because she is the Crown Princess now and she has no idea what the fuck she is doing. I would have made seasons 4 and possibly 5 about that and added more politics in it. Layla and Stella are also princesses who will run their kingdoms one day so we could have had adventures in political relations with Winx Club. They are pretty famous so I am sure there would be rulers of other lands that see them as threats and don’t like them. There could have been tension about that and the whole thing with Domino being the planet of the Dragon Fire could have been addressed. Who would dare oppose them when they are the most powerful force? Are they the most powerful force after the 17 years the planet spent as an ice block? Are there old alliances to be reforged? What is the political climate in the Magic Dimension? All absolutely fascinating questions that would have helped the worldbuilding and made place for Marion and Oritel in Bloom’s life and in the show. We could’ve gone back to the feel of season 1 when they also had other things going on besides the big baddie of the season and it could have been a little more episodical with a loose theme to connect the season and the overarching story of Bloom finding her parents and her place in the world she was born in. That could have been positively epic... And a great way to retain the cast because the Company of Light were allegedly friends so we could have seen Marion and Oritel reconnecting with Griffin, Faragonda, Saladin and Hagen. There could have been resurfacing debates left over from the war. Kingdoms angry at Domino for something that happened back then in order to include flashbacks with the events. AND that would work out with the fact that the Ancestral Witches were still around and could have led to another epic battle that wouldn’t end with the destruction of a whole planet. Like I said, there were amazing possibilities... and they were all wasted.

Well, this was long... and just what I needed. I hope some (civilized) discussion will spark out of that because I am tired of screaming in a void and I want people to talk to me.

[hoodwinkd1]

the stars that shine Ch 2

Ch 1 here.

Chapter 2: woke up to find that summer gone

Evangeline sat at the dark cherry desk in her bedroom, staring down at the piece of parchment which seemed to be staring right back at her. She had picked up a pen almost half an hour ago and had successfully written one line.

Dear Lys,

“Damn this!” Tossing the pen to the side, she stood and began pacing around the bed. Normally, her letters back to Caraverre were pages and pages of stories, filled with every minute detail and every silly joke that Lysandra and Aedion might enjoy. Tonight, she could barely get her thoughts in order enough to discuss what she’d eaten for dinner two hours ago.

Evangeline knew exactly who to blame for this conundrum. Hollin Havilliard.

Her first two weeks in Rifthold were amazing. Ever the social butterfly and lacking peer friendships back in Terrasen, Evangeline absolutely loved getting to know the other students in her lessons.

“You should come shopping with us next week,” Regina suggested, her smile genuine. As the third eldest daughter of the Callot family, the largest noble support of Adarlan’s fashion industry, Regina would certainly have good taste. “Anya and I are looking for springtime outfits.”

The other girl had jumped in then. “How long will you be staying? My parents always plan a trip to the country house right after the Spring Solstice and I can bring a few friends.”

So yes, Evangeline had no problem making friends. She was downright delightful and ready to try anything, go on any adventure.

Her lessons were equally wonderful. Part of the reason she came to Rifthold was to expand her education, filling in gaps that Darrow had no expertise in, and she enjoyed the challenge immensely.

Point being, she should have plenty to write home about. The shopping trip, the mathematics concept she finally mastered, even the amazing duck stew she tried two nights ago.

Unfortunately, the fond memory of her duck stew faded when she remembered what had immediately followed.

Dear Lys,

I had the most awkward night of my life. I’m relatively confident I’ve made my first enemy and I may never go back to the ballet after this traumatizing experience.

No, she couldn’t possibly send that. Aedion would charge into the palace and demand revenge at the mere thought of anyone disliking Evangeline, if he didn’t laugh himself to death trying to imagine the concept first.

Her popularity aside, she was still in disbelief. Hollin had approached her first, offering to escort her to the royal box at the Rifthold Theater for a travelling dance troupe that evening. Evangeline accepted (delightfully and more than ready for an adventure). She even dug through her closet for the stunning cerulean gown Aelin had gifted for her fourteenth birthday.

And then the prince proceeded to ignore her. All night.

“Who goes two entire hours without speaking one word?” Evangeline grumbled, moving towards her closet to grab a nightgown. The letter could wait until tomorrow. “Why bother inviting me in the first place?”

Whatever. She would be just fine with her new friends, who’s families also owned boxes at the theater.

----

“It’s been two days.” Dorian dropped into the chair next to Hollin. “Two whole days, and I haven’t heard a word from either of you. Quite rude, if you ask me, considering it was my idea to take her to the ballet.”

Hollin kept his eyes on the book in front of him. “Some people think it’s rude to speak in a library. And yet, here we are.”

The king sighed, as if his little brother’s social life was as draining as running a nation. “At least tell me if you enjoyed yourself. Or if you think Eva enjoyed herself.”

“The dancers were talented.” Hollin turned a page. “I can’t speak for someone else’s opinion.”

Dorian huffed. “I meant, did you enjoy spending time with her?”

Hollin shut the book with a bit more force than needed. “Do you have nothing better to do than force me to go on dates with your friends’ wards? I’m working on something here.”

“It wasn’t meant to be a date!” Dorian protested. “Just...Evangeline is so delightful. And friendly. I thought she could, you know, be a friend?” His words trailed off at the end.

He heard the unspoken words. Hollin was not delightful and not friendly. Dorian probably hoped this picture-perfect girl could change him, mold him into a better prince.

“She has friends. And I have work to do.” He looked pointedly at the book strewn across his lap.

Dorian, finally, took the hint. “Fine. Enjoy your suspicious research.” He stood up, fixing his tunic. “I expect to see you at the merchant’s council dinner tomorrow night.”

Hollin waved him off. “See you then.” He’d been searching for some excuse to get out of that event, some way to avoid all the grouchy, greedy men that tried to grab the king’s attention.

Maybe if he fell off a horse, he could avoid politics for a few days.

----

The two months passed quite quickly. Evangeline was expected home in time for Aedion’s birthday celebration, so she took the last day in Rifthold to search for a gift. He might grumble about her spending money on him, letting his annoyance over aging take over his usual good mood, but Eva knew he would secretly cherish something special.

Anya had offered to join her, commandeering her family’s carriage for the trip. The two of them, along with Regina, had become inseparable during Evangeline’s stay.

She had never had friendships that were entirely her own before, outside of her family’s vast and unyielding legacy. Spending the day shopping tasted like freedom and youth.

“Where are we heading first?” Anya asked, shifting her long skirt to make room for Evangeline to sit on the bench next to her. “What does one even buy for the most infamous General in the world?”

So maybe she never could fully escape that legacy. Evangeline chose to ignore the honorific. “Aedion? He can be quite the sentimental type. I was imagining some sort of calendar he could use; one that I’d add drawings and photos and secret notes to. Something useful, but still personalized.”

“Oh, thank the Gods. I was terrified you would drag me to some boring weapons shop.” Anya fanned herself in mock horror. “Minsky’s has the best stationery.”

Once they arrived, Evangeline lost herself in the rows of parchment. She adored the smell of the shop, somewhere between a library and perfumery, thanks to the variety of candles that lined the walls.

She wandered for a while, enjoying the feel of books, journals, scrolls, and other trinkets underneath her fingertips. Anya struck up a conversation with Minsky, the elderly owner who apparently had very strong opinions about what time of day one should light lavender candles.

Evangeline stopped in front of the rack she’d been looking for, eyeing the different color choices. Each calendar looked sturdy and durable, perfect for Aedion’s regular travels, but only a few had carrier cases. She selected the emerald one, to match Lysandra’s eyes.

“Oh that’s lovely!” Anya beamed as Evangeline joined them at the counter. “Very practical.”

Minksy nodded solemnly as they checked the price. “Smart child, finding a way to stay organized.”

“It’s actually a gift,” Evangeline corrected. “Would you have any wrapping supplies?”

They pulled out a few choices of paper, and the girls left the shop with the package securely tucked under Evangeline’s arm.

Anya opened the door of the carriage to let her enter first. “Do we have any other errands - Gods!” Her question was cut off with a curse. “Galen, you scared the life out of me.”

Evangeline found herself face first with Anya’s older brother. He shot her an apologetic look.

“I spotted the carriage and didn’t fancy a walk back to the house,” he explained, musing at his dark locks with one hand. “Any change you two lovely ladies want to go out for lunch?”

“You are unbelievably annoying,” Anya sighed. She moved to sit next to him, glancing at Evangeline. “What do you think? One last meal before you go?”

Galen turned to face her as well. “Leaving so soon?”

Evangeline hadn’t had many interactions with the older boy. Galen had danced with her at one of their parents’ parties, and had teased her a couple times when she joined them for dinner. But all of a sudden, Evangeline found herself wishing for some more time in Rifthold for an entirely new reason.

“I have to return to Caraverre tomorrow,” she informed him. “It’s my....it’s Aedion’s birthday.” Explaining their relationship was difficult enough, and easily avoided since everyone knew exactly who he was.

“Pity,” Galen replied. “But that just means I have to treat you to the best sandwiches Rifthold has to offer before you go.”

Anya groaned. “He always drags us to this tiny little place, when there are plenty of nice restaurants around.”

“A tiny little place sounds perfect,” Evangeline reassured. The carriage jolted forward, carrying them away from the main streets.

An hour later, she wasn’t lying in the slightest when she praised her meal. The sandwiches were really quite good. And the twinkle in Galen’s eyes when she stole one of his chips was even better.

“Oh goodness,” Anya interrupted as they stepped outside into the twilight hour. “I left my pouch at the table. Be right back.” She strode back into the restaurant, leaving Galen and Evangeline alone by the doorway.

Galen leaned against the stone. “Do you have plans to return to Adarlan?”

“Not in the next half-year,” Evangeline admitted. Her thumb rubbed the edge of her pointer finger, a nervous tick despite her calm tone. Was there meaning behind his question? “I’m due to spend two months with one of my mentors in Arran after some time at home.”

“Pity.” He offered her a light smile. She prayed to the former Gods to keep her face from turning pink. “Next time you come around, I’ll have to move faster. Ask you on a date at the beginning of your stay, instead of the end.”

Evangeline couldn’t hold back a wide grin. “Yes, I suppose you will.”

---

Hollin threw himself onto his bed, head spinning a bit from the wine he snuck during dinner. Evangeline was leaving tomorrow, a fact that wouldn’t affect his life much since Dorian had stopped forcing a friendship between them.

Maybe the wine was a mistake. The prince didn’t like alcohol much, knew he was far too young to start drinking, but insomnia had plagued him for weeks now. Hollin tried so many home remedies, from herbal teas to meditation, before attempting to drink himself to sleep that night.

It wasn’t working.

He still couldn’t force his mind to relax. Ideas for new experiments and inventions swirled around, mixed with memories of his most recent failures that stabbed him with self-doubt. Then came the childhood memories, the horror of being raised by the devil without noticing and the shame of past cruelties keeping him far from relaxation.

Hollin groaned into his pillow. He wanted someone to talk to. It was such a simple solution, one that most people would find easy. Dorian had even hired a specialist, a healer who worked with minds as well as bodies, for palace staff who needed help after a traumatizing war. Hollin had paced by their office more times than he could count, never entering.

Somehow, he fell asleep before sunrise. A sharp knock at the door yanked him out of restless dreams.

“Hollin?” He recognized Herina’s voice, one of his personal servants who was years past using formalities. Changing a baby's diaper gave one that privilege. “I have your schedule for the day.”

Hollin stood up, blindly feeling for the robe hanging next to his dresser. “Come in, thank you.”

She pushed the door open, pulling a cart of food behind her. “I didn’t see you eat nearly enough at dinner last night, certainly not enough to be stealing drinks of wine like you did.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but shut it quickly. “I - thank you,” he said again, too tired to form a better sentence.

Herina left the cart by the entrance and walked further into the chamber. “You have a couple lessons scheduled, one before lunch and one in the evening. Light day.”

“Not too terrible.” Hollin took the parchment from her. “Herina..” He trailed off.

“Yes?”

“Could you - do you know how to add things to my schedule?” he asked.

She nodded. “Of course. What grabbed your interest?”

He pushed past his discomfort at the idea. If he didn’t sleep well after, that would be the end of it. “Training. Physical, that is. I’d like to learn how to fight.”

Herina eyed him warily, no doubt taking in the lanky and awkward features that haunted most fourteen year old boys. “You know the king would never expect you to fight. He knows that isn’t where your interests lie.”

“I know.” Gods, he was blushing now. “It’s for myself, just a new hobby.”

Thankfully she moved on. “Well, alright then. Don’t be late today.”

With a final meaningful look at the breakfast, she left. Hollin thought about ignoring the food and falling immediately back to sleep, but his stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. He would need the calories if he planned to actually follow through with his new training idea.

If getting knocked on his ass for two hours a day didn’t help him fall asleep, then nothing would,

[badger-writes]

Star Wars OC Ship Week 2021 - “for light and life”

Day 4 - Action/Adventure

Then...

Sskeer came at him like a feral Nexu, leveraging a ferocious primal strength into a totally unrelenting barrage of lightsaber strikes. He assaulted Kelto’s defense with a flurry of fast, sweeping slashes, battering his sides with wide swordstrokes and raining down heavy overhead blows from above - the hallmarks of the Aggression Form, Ataru, his skill at which he had honed to razor keenness over the long period of his Knighthood.

Kelto wished he had foreseen that the intensity of his friend’s fighting style would match that of his demeanor. More than that, though, he wished he had kept up with his saber practice. His style was that of Resilience, Soresu, a style which valued ultimate defense - a fitting form for a practitioner of the healing arts, but not for a duelist. As the Rodian himself now proved, being buffeted as he was around the sparring circle, preventing the Trandoshan from landing a blow by last-minute movement or the skin of his teeth.

Kelto had assumed working in the medical ward precluded the possibility of encountering lightsaber combat in his daily life. Sskeer had made it his mission to thoroughly deconstruct that notion.

“Focus,” he hissed over the electrical crash of their plasma blades. “Do not let the fight dictate your reality.”

“I’m not,” Kelto protested. “I’m - I’m enduring!”

“Survival alone will not guarantee victory. If you spend all your energy waiting for a counterblow, you will lose. You must seize control, not wait for it to be given!”

He lifted his blade as if to strike Kelto’s right quarter, then swung instead for his feet. The Rodian jumped back, landing unsteadily on his feet, and attempted to reestablish his guard. With a thrust, Sskeer pushed it away.

“Just give me a second,” Kelto grunted, swatting away another incoming blow.’

“Your opponent will show no mercy. Why should I?”

“Just - just slow down! I can’t - I can’t keep up with you!”

 “You’re in over your head,” Sskeer lectured. “Becoming flustered. The fear, the anger - it is taking hold of you.”

“Sskeer, please--!”

“Without balance, we lose discipline. Without discipline, we lose control.”

With a cry, Kelto lashed out - a clumsy, sloppy swing that was born of no style save frustration. Sskeer dodged it easily. Then he reached out with his free hand and seized the front of the healer’s tunic in an iron-clawed grasp. This was followed with a leg sweep that knocked his feet out from under him and a simple throw that sent him definitively down to the mattress. The impact forced the breath from Kelto’s lungs and his lightsaber from his fingers, its training blade disappearing with a sad hiss as it deactivated.

Sskeer held the point of his own saber over Kelto’s heart where he lay. His reptilian face was sympathetic, but pitiless.

“And that is why we must drill,” he said.

Groaning, Kelto forced himself up on his elbows. He was panting hard, sweat shining on his face and darkening the collar of his robes. By contrast, Sskeer didn’t seem to have a hair out of place, insofar as one could say such a thing about a Trandoshan.

“Dammit,” the Rodian gasped. “I just -- I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”

“You were unwise to lower your defenses,” Sskeer began, fixing his hilt to his belt. “Your last swing created a clear angle of attack on your center.”

“I figured that part out, thanks,” Kelto snapped, drawing his knees to his chest. “It’s everything else that’s a problem.”

“The fault isn’t yours alone. Soresu prioritizes defense above all others, but a shield alone cannot win a battle. You must bring a sword as well. That is what I am trying to show you, Kelto.”

“Well, all you’re showing me right now is that my shield sucks.” 

“A problem that can be solved. But not by ruminating on your failures.”

The Rodian sighed violently, glaring between his toes. Turning towards the edge of the circle, Sskeer reached out and used the Force to levitate a canister of water into his waiting hand. Then he sat cross-legged on the floor beside Kelto, offering Kelto the canteen. He took it like a secondhand trophy.

“This time you lasted much longer,” Sskeer informed him as he gulped down the cool liquid. “Against an Ataru as aggressive as my own, that is no easy feat. I commend you.”

“I still lost,” Kelto observed grumpily.

“This is true. When your attitude about saber combat changes, this will change, too.”

“That’s just it, Sskeer - I don’t think it will.” Kelto let out a guilty breath. “Saber combat was never important to me. It never felt - right. A pacifist shouldn’t carry a laser sword. And neither should a healer.”

“A pacifist can be a healer, and a peacekeeper as well. More than that, he ought to be able to defend himself. All of these concepts can coexist.”

“I understand that, but - come on, you don’t really believe we’ll be having lightsaber duels again, do you? The Sith have been extinct for ages by now. Who would strike at the Jedi or the Republic on such a scale again?”

“I don’t know,” Sskeer said slowly. “I hope such a conflict does not occur for many generations to come. But I believe in being prepared for the galaxy’s sake, if not only my own. And so should you.”

“But - but I barely leave the Temple,” Kelto protested. “I barely even leave my quarters!”

“You cannot rely on routine and habit to shield you from the world. The future will find bring you to many dangers, Kelto, whether that be a patrol in the Coruscant underworld or a mission of peace and relief to the Outer Rim. It may even bring danger to you, here, in the place where we Jedi feel safest. Will you feel very wise then, if you allow yourself to become comfortable and complacent? Will you feel safe? Will those in your care?”

Kelto had no answer. He went back to staring uncertainly at his toes.

Sskeer heaved a breath through his nostrils. “If I upset you, I apologize. It is a matter I care deeply about. For the sake of the galaxy - and for your own. It is… the way of the Guardian.”

“I know.”

“When we continue, I will… slow down, and offer more suggestions for improvement. From now on, we proceed at your pace, not mine.”

“...Thank you, Sskeer. That… means a lot.”

The Trandoshan reached out and rested a palm on Kelto’s shoulder. “I seek only to serve you, Healer. And to help.”

Kelto offered him a shaky smile, covering his hand with his own. “Don’t we all?”

Now…

Oh good. The pirates had sliced a loadlifter.

Kelto swore under his breath and ducked as a Class B medium cargo container went hurtling through the air overhead, smashing through part of the hastily-erected CSF barricade. The ziggurat platform of the derrick major squatted over them all, offering the criminals and their reprogrammed muscle an opportunity for raining blasterfire and shipping crates down upon the police frontline. The sting operation had clearly failed; the pirates weren’t leaving without a fight, and the police were horribly outnumbered.

And the only thing standing between them and death by volleys of laser fire was Kelto and Sskeer.

One thing Soresu was good for was deflection training. As bolts of sizzling red plasma plunged towards them, Kelto intercepted them with his blade, sending them harmlessly into the ground or off to the side. Beside him, Sskeer, too, was bouncing shots off the edge of his saber, though his technique lacked refinement; in trying, perhaps, to reflect the pirates’ own shots back at them, they instead bounced wildly back into the loading bay, spalling off chunks of permacrete or ricocheting off the surface of blast-resistant cargo pods.

“Injured to our left,” Kelto called out as he sensed them. “I’m going to get them.”

“I’ll give you cover,” Sskeer nodded. “Let’s move.”

Carefully, they sidestrafed through the wide open space of the cargo landing. Kelto relied on intuition to lead them to the wounded, and for intuition, he trusted the Force. It brought them to the foot of a gantry crane where two dockworkers and a security official were taking cover. The officer was slumped against its foot, bleeding slightly from the mouth, a darkly-singed crater on his stomach where a blaster bolt had breached his body armor.

“Give me cover,” Kelto ordered, and Sskeer obliged; he held his lightsaber out before him through the Force and made it spin until a single spear of light became a dazzling electric-blue shield, almost completely circular in the perfection of its cycle. Incoming fire was all but spattered harmlessly away.

Sheathing his own blade, Kelto crouched down beside the cop, examining his wound. “What’s your name, officer?”

“J-Joh,” the man sputtered. “Joh Andaris.”

“It’s good to meet you, Joh. I’m Kelto. You’re gonna be fine.” He took a stim-shot from a hip pouch and injected it into the man’s shoulder. “That’s to get you on your feet. In a couple of seconds my friend and I are going to have some words with those gentlemen up on the warehouse level, and when we do that I need you all to run back towards the police line, yes?”

“How are we supposed to get all the way back there?!” one of the workers, an Aqualish, quailed. “We’ll be ripped to shreds!”

“We’ll draw their fire.” Kelto lifted the man up onto his feet. “Be ready.”

“All by yourselves?!”

“It’s what we do. We are all the Republic.”

He turned back to Sskeer just in time to watch a blaster bolt slip through his defenses. It slid perfectly through a gap in his deflection pattern and sheared over the surface of his shoulder; the Trandoshan hissed, almost dropping his concentration, calling his saber back to his hand for a more conventional defense.

To the far right of their position, back across the way, Kelto sighted a Class C cargo unit - a long trapezoid of rust-colored durasteel, taller than him by quite a bit and by Sskeer by not much more. But size mattered not. He stretched out his hands and cradled it in the Force, lifting it - pulling it close to the point it blocked all the incoming fire that Sskeer was drawing.

The Rodian edged out behind it as the civilians used its cover to limp back to safety. Sskeer, in turn, took hold of the container as well; they moved in concert, step by step, pushing forward to the center of the plaza.

“How’s your shoulder?” Kelto called. He had to raise his voice, otherwise Sskeer might not have heard him over the hailstorm of blaster shots pitting the other side of their durasteel wall.

“I’ve had worse.”

Kelto glanced at the wound. It was oozing emerald green blood into Sskeer’s white-and-gold Jedi robes. “Not that by much,” he commented. “Sure you don’t want a stim?”

“Save it. Maybe one of the gentlemen shooting at us needs a pick-me-up,” the Trandoshan retorted.

“Hey, you wanted me out here!”

“Just be ready--”

“I’m with you--”

“For light and life!”

Together, they angled the container upwards - and hurled it through the air towards the pirates. They scattered back, falling away from the walkway above, as it crashed through the railing and rolled to a stop somewhere beyond the edge.

Leaping to a phenomenal height, Sskeer and Kelto followed after it.

Then…

When he landed, Kelto ducked into a roll, swiping out at Sskeer’s shins; the Trandoshan moved to push the blow away, realized there wasn’t enough time, and only just managed to jump back from it before it connected. He grinned even through his blocking when it was followed by an evenly-spaced series of strikes.

“Good,” he said over the clash of lightsabers. “Good! Seize the offensive. Build on your momentum.”

Kelto smirked at him through their blade lock. “Now who’s waiting for a countermove?”

In response Sskeer levered his blade away, moving his own smoothly back and up through the air for an overhead slash. Here, Kelto did something he did not expect; instead of intercepting his attack directly, he sidestepped to his right and brought his lightsaber upwards at a diagonal angle, following the edge of Sskeer’s blade in almost perfect parallel.

In spite of himself, Kelto grinned triumphantly as he made his attack. His saber’s edge would travel directly into Sskeer’s belly, framed by the position of his knees below and his arms above; it was a guaranteed hit. A guaranteed victory, even!

But then Sskeer reared back hard, forcing himself to bend at a near ninety-degree angle to the floor, supporting his body almost solely through pushing down through the balls of his feet. As Kelto’s strike swung harmlessly over him, brilliant turquoise energy passing right above his face, he pivoted hard on his toes, swinging out from under Kelto’s arms and pirouetting away from his opponent’s zone of control. Transforming a decisive blow into a near miss.

Spinning his saber in one-handed agitation, Kelto gave him a Rodian stink eye. “A giant like you,” he said crossly, “should not be allowed to move like that.”

Sskeer fixed him with a sly stare. “That’s not what you thought last Fete Week.”

“Don’t go there,” the healer laughed, pointing with his sword warningly. “Do not go there.”

“Try and stop me,” the Guardian said, huskily.

Kelto gave a cry of action and surged forward, clutching his sword like a spear--

And at the last moment Sskeer stepped to one side, and Kelto saw how close to the edge of the sparring circle he’d been standing. In a panic, he threw out his free hand and grabbed the front of Sskeer’s robe, his toes digging into the mat and dragging him to a stop, hanging almost completely over the short dip down to the floor below.

“Your next lesson,” Sskeer declared passively. Having an entire Rodian come to an emergency stop by clinging desperately to his shirt hadn’t so much as budged him. “Don’t blind yourself to your surroundings.”

“That’s not fair,” Kelto protested half-heartedly. “You distracted me.”

“That is the point.” He grabbed Kelto by the arm and pulled him back to his feet on the sparring mat. “I’m supposed to.”

 “It wasn’t the fair kind of distraction.”

“No fight is fair, Kelto. You must adapt to anything and everything that your opponent may have in store for you. Focus on the reality of the fight, not temporary diversions.”

The healer crossed his arms, crinkling his snout puckishly. “Even if they’re big, tall, incorrigibly sexy distractions?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Especially then,” Sskeer chuffed, turning. “Now come - back to first position. Now that you’ve got the hang of things, let’s go again.”

“Lose the tunic first, big guy.”

He stopped, turning on his heel. “Exssssscuse me?”

“Hey - you wanted to train me to block out distractions, right?” Kelto strutted to his marker and crouched down into beginning stance, grinning. “So start being distracting already.”

Sskeer smirked. “As you wish,” he said, shrugging out of his top.

Now…

In the heat of the battle, Kelto’s awareness had developed into a kind of double vision - an immediate center of attention where his focus narrowed to encompass the most immediately pressing complication, and a wider, peripheral awareness where the details of his environment and surrounding happenings were sorted into neat piles to be confronted later.

The two men before him leveling carbines in his direction rated his immediate attention. Sskeer was to his right, on the other side of the warehouse; the pirates occupying that half, accordingly, became a secondary concern. The loading crane coming unmoored with an explosion and falling to the floor with a hideous crash was concerning - almost distracting - but ultimately of no consequence; he could safely ignore it, as it had landed on no one and nothing important.

The pirates in front of him didn’t realize this, and flinched, looking back over their shoulders. He seized the opportunity and sliced the barrels off their weapons before throwing them back against a cargo pod with a gesture, where they passed into unconsciousness and out of the fight. One of them had managed to pull the trigger before his saber ruined his gun; the bolt blazed a trail past his temple and nearly singed off his topknot, but aside from some lingering heat on the side of his face, he was otherwise okay.

Sidestepping to the right, Kelto next leapt the vertical meters up to the gantryway above, cresting the railing with a kick that caught a waiting sniper in the jaw and sent him sprawling over the side. The thump that he made when he hit the floor was a curiosity; equally unimportant, in the scheme of things, as the fallen loading arm. He duly discarded the thought.

Men shooting at him on his side of the catwalks? Immediate threat - he deflected their shots back at them in turn. Sskeer joining him on the upper level, opposite side, similarly engaged, carving through the opposition with his usual intensity? Important situational note - make an effort to link up as soon as possible.

A heavy repeater being wheeled out on a repulsorpad from behind a heavy warehouse door on their level?

Well, details like that tended to... confuse his ordering system, just a little.

“SSKEER!”, he shouted, pirouetting back towards a tall, thick support column. “E-WEB! E-WEB!”

Glancing, Sskeer saw - and jumped out of the line of fire just before the blaster cannon opened up. The warehouse rang from floor to ceiling with the staccato drone of its report as the dreadful weapon poured its destructive firepower into the Trandoshan’s general location; it pounded Kelto’s ears as he watched, heart in his throat, as Sskeer scrambled for cover.

The cannon’s operator must have been a genius among smugglers, for instead of trying to perforate a target that moved faster than he could aim, he shot the catwalk out from under him. It collapsed with a terrible crash and sent Sskeer spilling down to the floor; he recovered in a rolling crouch as the other gangsters, emboldened, turned all their attention to the fallen Jedi, blasters raised.

His partner was in danger. Intellectually, Kelto knew this should have bothered him. Instead he pushed through the spike of emotion and found his discipline again.

Then he went to work.

Darting out from behind the pillar, he sprinted at full tilt past one - two - three snipers on the catwalks, slashing each of them in passing. The cannon operator, he knew, would see him coming - and even now he was orienting the giant gun accordingly. He couldn’t possibly reach the cannon before it found a bead on him - so instead he brought the gun to him.

Kelto skidded to a halt, whipped out a hand, and pulled the mounted cannon towards him; the cannon, a slave to its hoverlift, jerked forward violently, throwing its gunner to the side when he had finished coming along for the ride. Sidestepping the drifting E-Web, Kelto slashed downwards through its barrel in passing, pivoted sharply on his heel, and delivered his booted heel to the pirate’s chin as he attempted to rush him with a vibroknife. The blow knocked him out cold, and Kelto noted with uncharacteristic satisfaction the crack it made when his foot collided with his jaw.

With the gun out of commission, he turned back to the warehouse floor below. He needn’t have worried, he realized; with brutal Trandoshan ferocity, Sskeer had made quick work of the pirates who had made the fatal tactical error of attempting to charge a single lightsaber-wielding opponent. He snarled his way through a final broad slash that sent two more men collapsing to the ground, growling in challenge at any unseen gangsters left bold enough or stupid enough to approach him.

“I got the gun,” Kelto reported, belatedly.

“Very good,” Sskeer called back up. “Lower floor is clear.”

“Was that all of them?”

“I believe so.”

Kelto vaulted the rail and dropped back down to the ground floor, softening his landing with the Force and landing in a crouch. “That’s a pity,” he commented, straightening and padding over to Sskeer. “I was hoping we could resolve this without much loss of life.”

“CSF casualties were low. And we are both still standing.”

“I meant on both sides.”

“Save your pity,” Sskeer sniffed. “If these Outer Rim scum are so low as to murder innocents for smuggled wealth, they deserve just what they got.”

“I suppose,” Kelto shrugged. “But I still feel conflicted.”

“Your compassion does you credit, Kelto. But don’t waste it on those who don’t seek it.”

“I offer it freely. It’s a healer thing.” He reached up to brush the suckers of his fingers against Sskeer’s injured shoulder. “A Jedi thing.”

The Trandoshan grunted, closing his eyes. “I know, I know. My… zeal, sometimes exceeds my beliefs.”

“We’re all the Republic, Sskeer. Even the baddies.”

“Thank you for reminding me.”

Slowly, Sskeer’s fingers reached up to touch Kelto’s where they lingered at his collar, brushing the underside of his cheek.

Then Kelto said, “You don’t think we’re forgetting anything, do you?”

The loadlifter droid crashed through the ceiling, landing on the permacrete with enough force to create a small crater, screeching at them in corrupted Binary.

“Dammit,” Kelto grunted as they ignited their sabers once more. “Dammit dammit dammit.”

“Keep calm. It’s only a droid.”

“I know, I know. Just wishing I hadn’t broken the big gun.”

Then…

Only a few short months of consistent drilling later, and Kelto was already matching Sskeer step for step in the dueling ring. And from the look on his face, he knew it, too.

“Surprised I’m doing so well?” he asked, striking probingly at his opponent’s left and right quarters.

“On the contrary,” Sskeer replied, batting them away. “I couldn’t be prouder. You learn well.”

“I had a good teacher.” Kelto ducked under a first horizontal sweep, and punished the second by needling the point of his lightsaber into the joint of Sskeer’s shoulder; on training setting, it made contact with only an electrical sting. “But not that good, apparently.”

The Trandoshan growled, pacing in a circle and rolling his arm in its socket, working out the pain. “I don’t recognize that move,” he said wonderingly. “That wasn’t Soresu, was it?”

“I’ve been doing some research in my free time. Been looking into the Persistence Form - Shien. Do you know it?”

“Hm. A more aggressive style than what you’re used to.”

“Certain parts of it, yes, I agree. But you were right - you have to cover a good defense with a good offense. There’s no room for clinging to ideology in a real fight -- ” 

Kelto flinched suddenly to the right, provoking Sskeer into following him with his guard - then he juked back the opposite direction, capitalizing on the fake-out by swinging his blade into the underside of his wrists. 

“But being able to fight isn’t what defines you,” Kelto finished. “What you fight for does.”

“Yesss,” Sskeer rumbled. “Yes. Exactly what I’ve been trying to show you!”

He threw himself into another series of full-power overheads, and grinned widely as Kelto countered each of them in turn. Under locked blades, the Rodian beamed back at him.

“Though I can’t help but notice that this revelation comes after a steady string of losses,” the Guardian snorted.

“Every failure is an opportunity to learn,” Kelto replied smoothly. “And I’ve learned enough to finally beat you.”

“Then prove it,” Sskeer demanded.

“You know -- I think I will.”

And then it was Kelto who broke the block, with enough force to send Sskeer staggering back a half step; and when Sskeer attempted to counter with an overhead chop, he sidestepped the stroke before it arrived and leapt, corkscrewing up the air and planting himself on Sskeer’s shoulderblades, pushing hard through the balls of his feet. The Trandoshan grunted with the extra weight, wobbling fatefully on his feet before finally tipping and falling face first to the padded floor, saber jarring from his grasp on impact.

One foot on the small of Sskeer’s back and the other on the thick slope of his shoulders, Kelto lowered the edge of his blade to rest against his opponent’s neck. “And done,” he smirked.

From the floor, Sskeer glared - and then began to laugh. A deep, resonant sound, from the pit of his throat. “Well done, little healer. It seems your training is complete.”

“The student becomes the master,” the Rodian preened.

“Indeed. Let me up now, so I can congratulate you properly.”

Extinguishing his blade, Kelto said thoughtfully, “I don’t know - I worked pretty hard for this. Feel like I’ve earned the right to rub it in a little, don’t you?” And so even as he was stepping off of Sskeer’s back, he was plunking himself down to sit upon the curve of the Trandoshan’s spine. 

“Urk-!”

“Oh, yes,” Kelto giggled. “That sound just made it all totally worth it.”

Sskeer glared at him warmly as he straightened up onto his elbows. “You are lucky to be pulling this juvenile nonsense on me and not someone like Master Engle.”

“After the protracted thrashing I just took, you’re lucky you’re still with me at all!”

He chuckled at that, softening. “I am, aren’t I.”

“And don’t you forget it, mister.” Kelto tapped the emitter of his lightsaber against his temple to underline the point. Then he stood, and offered his hand. “C’mon, up and at ‘em. Let’s go again.”

The disparity in their sizes and masses meant that Sskeer ended up doing most of the work of standing up. “Again? I thought your training was through.”

“My training. Now I help you work on your defense.”

“Ah, of course. How unexpectedly generous of you, ‘Master’ Lem.”

“Not generous at all. I plan on giving as good as I got.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

Smiling at each other, they folded their arms and bowed.

“Now look - it’s not so much about where you put your blade as where you put your feet, see? Watch…”

Now…

The loadlifter must have attempted to break through the police line; it was the only way to explain the amount of carbon scoring pitting its chassis. But the CSF’s sidearms had clearly failed to stop the berserk droid; if anything, they had only made it angrier.

The Jedi had two things working in their favor. First, the machine’s primary offensive implement, its two massive lifting arms, made its attack pattern slow & easy to predict; second, its sheer mass made it difficult for the droid to attack them with any kind of subtlety or dexterity. This meant much of the incoming danger would be coming from wide sweep attacks, and easily dodged. This was about where their list of advantages ended.

The droid, meanwhile, had been fitted by its criminal masters with heavy hydraulic legs and a microscopically thin layered shell of energy-resistant material - neuranium, perhaps, skimmed from shipments bound for projects related to the Republic’s Great Works initiative? Kelto wasn’t sure, and frankly, right now he didn’t care. Either way it meant their lightsabers weren’t easily cutting through its hide, and it had the speed to match and catch their every maneuver. It was a heavy bruiser, and no mistake.

If this was what they’d managed to cook up right under their noses on Coruscant, imagine what they were up to beyond the frontier?

The machine screeched and rushed them yet again, blitzing across the warehouse at a blistering pace in an attempt to pancake them against the wall. With scant seconds to spare they threw themselves in opposite directions, Kelto landing in a roll and turning sharply; the machine, split between two targets, chose to pursue Sskeer.

It shattered the ground around it with its huge fists, apelike bashing aimed at squashing the Trandoshan into the floor. Sskeer moved with a deftness that belied his own size; his feet carried him out of or around the rapidly-shifting crush zone with supreme economy of motion and exertion, and above them, his body shifted minutely to maximize his effective positioning. His arms, meanwhile, slashed and jabbed at the droid’s reinforced chassis with his lightsaber, creating trails of shallow gouges in the metal where his blade had passed.

Watching from the sidelines, Kelto almost wanted to cheer him on. Then the droid caught Sskeer in the gut with a side-swipe and sent him flying into the far wall.

His focus remained on Sskeer, sitting in his own impact crater, long enough to see his chest heave; he was badly shaken, possibly stunned, but still alive. Then his attention shifted back to the droid, which had taken its first step towards finishing the job.

The cowling around its shoulder joint had come loose. Not by much - but perhaps just enough.

Kelto charged. Sliding under a wild reactive swipe, he rolled to his feet and thrust the tip of his saber upwards, straight into the chink in the droid’s armor. In attempting to pull away, the droid inadvertently drew the unprotected coupling which lay beneath its shell across the edge of the energy blade, and the limb fell away lifelessly. It screamed in Binary, orienting to smash the offending Jedi with its other arm, but Kelto jump-flipped up and over its shoulder, shearing away the linkages connecting its armored collar to its vulnerable neck.

“Sskeer!”, he cried, landing as the armor segments clattered to the floor. “Now!”

The loadlifter reared back for one last overhead smash. It never got the chance to deliver the blow. Behind it, Sskeer bounded across the floor and sprang into a corkscrewing leap which carried his blade into position to strike the droid’s head from its shoulders. He executed the wayward machine with a roar.

The head landed with a dull clang and a dwindling electric whine; the rest of the body shuddered and ground to a complete halt, like a grotesque junkyard statue. The same could not be said for Sskeer, who came down heavily to his hands and knees upon returning to earth.

“Sskeer!” Kelto rushed to catch him, dropping his lightsaber and pushing him back up straight by his shoulders. “Are you alright?!”

“Y-yes,” Sskeer hissed. He clutched his head in one clawed hand and screwed his eyes shut, still sitting on his haunches. “I’m alright, it’s only -- nng-- a concussion, perhaps.”

“Sure you don’t want that stim now?”

“I’ve… reconsidered.”

Obligingly, Kelto injected him with an ampoule of kolto - and one more for good measure. Soon enough, Sskeer could see clearly again, though the ringing pain in his head still remained. The blaster wound, though, had almost completely closed over.

“Nice footwork back there,” Kelto murmured with a smile, massaging his uninjured shoulder. “Good placement, good tempo - ever consider taking up tap dancing? You’ve sure got the rhythm for it.”

“They don’t make patent synthleather in Trandoshan sizes.”

“Hey, you gotta have something to fall back on in case this Jedi thing falls through.”

Wearily, Sskeer met his eyes, grumbling in his throat. “Always the joker,” he said, tipping the underside of the Rodian’s jaw with his knuckle. Then he stood, groaning. “We should inform the police the situation is contained.”

Kelto tucked himself under his arm, half-carrying his weight across his shoulders - well, more like quarter-carrying. “Not bad for my first big patrol, huh?”

“You were more than capable. In some places, you surpassed even myself.” Sskeer slid his hand back to rest on the closer of Kelto’s shoulders. “As I said you would, if you trusted yourself to.”

“Ah, you’re just saying that.”

Sskeer stopped him in his tracks so he’d know he was being serious. “You would have made a fine Jedi Guardian, Kelto Lem. And should you ever desire such a path, I would be honored to walk it with you.”

He stared up at him, bug-eyed. “You… really mean that?”, he asked quietly.

Sskeer shrugged. “Consider it something to fall back on, in case being a healer doesn’t work out.”

“And I thought I was the joker around here,” Kelto snorted, as they left the ruined warehouse behind.

[umbruch-modus]

How To Begin With Your Very First Invention

The little light bulb inside your head has lit up as well as you are stuck with the idea that you developed something You are uncertain yet just how useful your idea goes to this time around, however, something. informs you that this may be the Luck you were searching for. What you do next and exactly how you approach your next actions is exceptionally vital as well as will certainly either lead you on to splendor or will ruin your endeavor. The steps that I will certainly lay out a little later may appear unneeded; nonetheless, I want to guarantee you that in the end, you will certainly be happy that you took my suggestions.

Before we wage the discussion, I would love to provide a couple of words of knowledge. While working with your concept you will certainly experience individuals who will slam your job and also attempt to prevent you from forging ahead. Several of the objection will certainly be deserved as well as the need to be taken into account. If you see that a valid point is raised that you never thought about before - the much better off you are. It permits you to stop briefly as well as see your concept from another perspective (or angle). Nonetheless, you might additionally encounter a supposed devastating objection that is not based upon any type of facts.

When you learn exactly how to separate these two, you will be far better off. My recommendations to you -

- Do not be afraid to inquiry experts, since the majority of specialists are one-track minded and oblivious to various other points

- Do not be afraid to test other people's ideas, wait for your principles and also be firm

When you are ready to market your idea, you will need to take care of big firms. Bear in mind that the bigger the firm is, the more bureaucratic it is. Lots of big companies lose focus and also often work with staff members who are either not received the job, or just not interested in what they are doing. If you stumble upon these individuals that are attempting to make you feel trivial (and also your concept unimportant as well as not practical) don't get dissuaded by this - opportunities are you will certainly be far better off dealing with a smaller company that is extra focused and also going to take dangers!

- Do not be afraid to find that your idea is malfunctioning. Time out, make corrections, re-analyze as well as move ahead

Action 1 - Stay Focused and Document Your Idea

This action has significant benefits, because -

1. You will plainly define your invention idea 2. While documenting your idea, you may locate means on exactly how to increase your invention

Constantly attempt to place on paper what it is that you designed - precisely define your suggestion, its objective, restrictions, and target audience. If you can not exactly define your idea, after that this implies that you need to take an action back, re-analyze your reasoning, and streamline things.

Case Study 1

In the final evaluation, John K. should have stopped right before making any type of adjustments to his initial Automatic Knife System and also asked himself the adhering to - am I better off with the original system or with a pedestrian mechanism that has extra features? Are the extra attributes also required?

While laboring difficult on his invention, John K. creates technical illustrations and decides that his future product will profit from the enhancement of additional things - a scissor as well as a screwdriver. The enhancement of these products makes the last product larger and much heavier.

The above example clearly shows the following - focus on your initial concept and also disregard additional, superfluous attributes that could muddle your vision. Additional attributes will certainly enter into play later on, as soon as you clearly explained as well as formed your invention.

Action 2 Exploratory Stages - Determine if your concept is distinct

Once you've documented your concept, you should start thinking about the following - exactly how unique is my concept? To answer these questions, you will have to do some legwork and hit your local library and also the net. Unless you allowed a huge quantity of your spending plan to Patent Attorney, who will investigate for you, you will certainly be much better off doing a preliminary study by yourself. Why? Because you might uncover during your exploratory searches that your style is not one-of-a-kind and also save yourself from paying Large Legal representative fees. A note of care - don't get dissuaded if you determine that the suggestion similar to your own already exists and also already patented. The reality that a person concerned similar conclusions as you, just a bit previously is excellent - you have competitors! Competitors are good, competition is healthy and balanced! Very carefully check out the contending item, even take it apart, if required. Determine what separates your concept from rivals, its restrictions, and also just how effective it was an additional individual (or a business) with marketing it. As you can see, you can really learn from the mistakes of others, prevent their blunders, as well as advance fully aware of the competitors and also their constraints.

Action 3 - Product Security Considerations

Whether you determined to create a baby product or some sort of house device, special care must be absorbed describing potential hazards associated with using your product. If you invented a new plaything developed for small children, attempt to come up with the listing of parts that can damage your little customers. Remember that lots of people, regrettably, neglect exploitation handbooks. Establish what can or might fail with the operation of your product and also identify means on just how to boost item safety. The questions that you might ask on your own are the complying with -

1. Am I using proper materials? 2. Maybe the part which contains the most risks should be revamped?

Attempt to find up with a comprehensive list of parts that can be potentially unsafe as well as fix your style before you start marketing your item. You might think of this step as unneeded, but let me alert you - most advertising business will need you to explain all Safety attributes of your idea, and you could save yourself a long time by doing preparations in advance. Find out more advice by visiting InventHelp Wiki

Step 4 - Demographics and Determining who will Utilize Your Item

Ones you have a clear image of your item and also you worked out all nuances of product style, attempt to determine that will certainly utilize your item, when, and where. Try to ask on your own the adhering to inquiries -

1. What is the age brace of the target market? 2. Is my product developed for Guy, Females, or Both? 3. Where and also when can it be made use of?

Your product is most likely customized for sure sectors (for example, farming); after that think about those that will profit the most from your invention! If your product is designed to collaborate with certain dirt or crops, then you ought to target geographical region rich with preferred features. As one can see, this action needs comprehensive study, preparation, as well as leg job; the advantages, on the other hand, will be payoff satisfying!

Appropriately responding to these questions will assist you properly market your product and also remain abreast of the competition. Also, recognizing the solution to those questions will help you in putting finishing touches on your product. Exactly how? If your item is made for youngsters, then it should be brilliant as well as vibrant. If your item is designed for a chilly environment, you need to stay clear of advertising it in areas where it's warm all year long.

Step 5 - Create Complete or Little Range Design of Your Item

It is exceptionally essential to create a working model off of your concept. Why? By having a real-life design of your idea (or a scaled-down variation of it), will help you to -

1. Determine its constraints as well as provides you a chance to re-think some aspects of your preliminary layout and also make necessary improvements 2. Improve your last style

Along with those things, the last version will certainly help you psychologically. There is no much better feeling than having the ability to physically see and also touch the production of your mind! The truth that you are touching the real-life version of your last style will certainly provide you a positive mental increase equal to no other you've experienced during the design procedure, encouraging you much more to succeed!

As soon as you prepared your version, try to determine what materials will enter right into the building of the real-life product. Will your item be developed of plaster or metal? If metal, after that what kind of metal - is it lightweight aluminum, copper, or some type of alloy? As soon as you establish the essential materials, estimate the manufacturing price since the rate that you'll charge for your item will certainly depend on the production cost of each device. You do not need to be 100% appropriate at this phase with your product options, yet it's great to recognize what materials will enter into the production of your product so that you have a ball-park figure on the last cost of your item.

The best method to approach this step is to attempt as well as make use of a notepad the final version of your product, the method you see it now. Your illustrations ought to show your final idea/product under various angles, in a 2-D and 3-D. The picture could not be rather because not many people have essential illustration abilities. However, this attractive task will assist you profoundly strengthen your style and pinpoint products that you still require to service. Also, I highly advise that you produce your initial item prototype from clay or any other material that is easily available. Why? This model together with initial illustration will assist you to discuss your concept to the technical individual who, subsequently, will change your layout right into a very technical design illustration.

Step 6 - Estimate Cost and also Gross Profit

When you established that will certainly use your product as well as where (or your product's market), it is time to believe "huge" - try to exercise cost/benefit analysis of your product. Below is a case study -

Mary A., a homemaker with 3 little children, designed a plastic bottle holder for babies and also tiny young children. Her bottle owner was designed as if it would hold both the bottles, spoons and also container caps. Mary A. developed countless illustrations of her product as well as with the help of her hubby handled to create a major variation of her product constructed from clay. Before entailing an engineer, Mary A. approximated that her item will be made totally out of plastic. The approximated manufacturing cost of 1 bottle holder is $3.00 (we assume that the factory lies in China and also delivery prices are currently factored into the approximated manufacturing expense). Mary A. did comparative purchasing and established that other sorts of Child Owners are marketing around 15 dollars. Also, Mary learned that three local baby shops each offer 1000 consumers per day (including online purchases); also, each shop calls for a 40% compensations per each acquisition - implying that $6 is paid as a commission to the store for every $15 purchase. Mary A. promptly figured out that her total earnings will be $6 per each container holder ($ 15 - $6 - $3). Assume that one-third of all consumers in each store have either infants or toddlers who still require container owners (roughly 330 customers per shop), Mary A. can create earnings in the quantity of 330 X 3 X 6 = $5940.

Step 7 - Product Advertising

The right advertising technique is necessary for the success of your suggestion. Partnering with an advertising and marketing company that you can trust and also rely upon will pay large rewards over time and also need to not be neglected. What should you find out about marketing firms? The majority of these businesses are split into two groups (I will call them groups An and B) -

Team B: These businesses provide inventors complete flexibility in marketing their suggestions. Inventors pick what to state and also concentrate on highlight locations that they believe are most relevant to their invention. IdeaJets is a market where individuals with suggestions as well as companies who look for sharp minds fulfill. Along with assisting you to find an appropriate partner that can aid you to understand your suggestions as well as desires, IdeaJets likewise brings inventors in contact with various other enthusiastic people to cultivate as well as advertise the society of creativeness as well as success. You can meet your other inventors making use of the IdeaJets messaging system or in Online forums. With any luck, by sharing concepts and points of view, individuals might see their inventions or concepts in a new light, improve, and also re-define them to more increase their possibilities to succeed. Since now, IdeaJets is completely complimentary!

Team A: These companies assert that they have particular expertise and inside connections in a broad variety of sectors. In addition to been expensive, numerous firms that belong to this group are implicated in scams, and also the creator must very carefully consider who they are dealing with.

[loveau]

You + Me = ? | Wendy

Genre: highschool!au, fluff

Word Count: 2,989

Request: Hi, there! 😁 May I request a high school!AU scenario with Wendy where the reader needs help with math and she becomes the reader’s tutor, then the reader improves in math and they fall in love and all that fluffy stuff?

Summary: While your math grade seems to be falling, it’s not the only thing that does once a pretty math tutor comes in to help you. You can only hope she’s there to catch you like she’s doing for your grade.

You curse at the dumb equations staring mockingly at you from your paper. Stupid algebra, stupid factoring, stupid polynomials. Nothing was sticking in your brain, and, at this point, it was pretty much fried. You bang your head on the desk and groan into the multiple eraser markings sticking on your cheek.

Yeah, you totally shouldn’t have convinced the counselor to let you take that extra elective instead of the math class. The entire year’s worth of not doing math had been both a blessing... and a curse. You sat in a class of mostly sophomores as the only junior taking that algebra course. It stung your pride to sit there staring at a low mark as they seemed to be passing with ease. 

The only other junior in the class was the TA, and she stops by with a concerned look. However, one glance at your half done worksheet (with most of the answers wrong, by the way) she concludes that you’re frustrated and need help.

“Hey,” she calls. At this you put your head up and come face to face with her. “Do you need help with this? I can tutor you after school if you’d like to get help outside of class.”

“Oh my gosh, really, Wendy?! You’re literally an angel!” She smiles at you, only proving further to you that she not only acts like an angel, but she looks very much like one too.

She waves you off dismissively, but the red in her cheeks shows that she appreciates the comment. One look at your paper shows her that you really were in need of the help. No offense, of course, but the factoring you had done so far somehow led you to completely get rid of the variables. While this led to much confusion on her part where to begin, she was amused by your doodles on the page.

“You draw?” You peer down to see what she’s referring to. There’s small little sketches of your favorite characters from some show you were currently watching. A slight flush of embarrassment moves across your cheeks, as if it were a crime to like your shows. However, you just shrug to play it off cool.

“Kind of... I usually do this when I’m bored.” You realize that you’ve just admitted one of the reasons why you are behind in class. Wendy only reassures you with a smile, deciding not to point that out if she caught it at all.

She tries to help you as much as she can before the period’s over. You’re much too distracted by the curve of her bangs over her forehead and wonder how she must have done it. Done what? You know... looking so effortlessly stunning. You’re well aware of how she uses a hair curler in her bangs sometimes. You’ve seen it at lunch a couple times when she’s laughing loudly with her friends, but you could never bring yourself to look away.

About to be caught again, you quickly busy yourself with whatever problem you left off on. Wendy watches you for a couple more moments before deciding that she should start packing up and taking some last minute questions. You’re scribbling down the answers to the next couple of questions and she makes a mental note to check in with you later. In the mean time, she hopes you don’t mistake her number she wrote on the corner of your page for some polynomial without variables.

Luckily you caught it fairly quickly before the school day ended, when you had decided to continue your doodling on a previous sheet. And just like that, you were meeting Wendy after school to go over your homework that you had completed in class. Nerves began building up inside of you. Both at the idea of seeing Wendy again, but also... her relation to your math class reminded you of an upcoming test. As well as your low grade. It wasn’t that bad per se, but it wasn’t exactly ideal. You were bordering from a C+ to a B- and you knew you’d be in for it if your parents saw that as a final grade. 

Your leg bounces as you wait by one of the lunch tables, and it distracts you so much that you miss the text from Wendy that she’s on her way and should only be another minute. By the time you’ve formulated your runaway plan and to make sure your FBI agent can’t track you down when you fail your next test, Wendy arrives with a chipper smile and taking a seat right next to you. Immediately her smiles drops at your worried face.

“Hey, are you alright? We don’t have to be meeting up right now if you don’t want to.”

“No! You’re fine.” Her concerned eyes don’t stop trying to figure out what’s eating you until it clicks.

“You’re worried about next week’s test, right?” You nod and Wendy pats your shoulder. However, she doesn’t take her hand away and instead squeezes your shoulder so that you feel the warmth through your shirt. You’re not that surprised to find that warmth has spread all throughout your body as well. “I can totally help you with that! I often see you looking frustrated in class but didn’t want to pester you. I figured today wouldn’t hurt.”

You shake your head and find that you were grateful she stepped up today. You could never with how preoccupied you were with trying to reteach yourself concepts as well as her being almost intimidatingly pretty. If it wasn’t obvious, your crush on her really made you freeze up. You remember developing your crush on her in your sophomore year, when the two of you shared a literature class together. The two of you got to interact some, but not much. What stood out to you was the reenactment of Romeo and Juliet where she played Romeo and you read the part of Juliet. Her character building and voice somehow made you feel as if you were really Juliet, easily swooning by her love confessions. You really began to daydream that they were real... and in modern english.

“If I bomb this next test, then I’m easily set to get a solid C instead of a C+. I have almost an 81 in the class, but just barely.”

Wendy hums and fixes her ponytail to stall while she thinks. Suddenly she brightens up and snaps her fingers. “Have you thought about doing the extra credit? It could definitely bring your grade up to an 85 at least! It can act as a safety net in case you do poorly on the test, but I won’t let that happen!”

“How so?” She takes your hands into hers and looks you earnestly in the eyes.

“Starting today, I will tutor you everyday to make sure you feel prepared and confident for the test. It doesn’t have to be just after school either. We can meet at lunch, during class, before school, or any time we can work it out. I promise you I will be there for you so that you don’t fail.” Your heart beats a little quicker at her promise, but the intensity also adds butterflies to your stomach. You can only nod in response and realize you’ve been holding your breath by the time she turns around to get some papers out. “Here, I keep these on me in case anyone approaches me outside of class for help. These are some of the extra credit sheets that’ll help you. They also pertain to the test so it’s a double whammy.”

She helps you get started on the sheets, telling you they’re honestly easy points to boost your grade. They really are with how much time Wendy spends talking you through the concept and making sure you’re not iffy on a problem. It’s like this the rest of the week. However, you also realize she’s been super affectionate once you get a problem right or giving herself whatever excuse to get as close as possible.

Sometimes her pencil might roll away from her as you work and she allows it to roll far enough so that it hits you. She either brushes her fingers against your hand or arm or she purposely touches her fingers loosely against yours if you happen to pick it up before she does. Some comments or corrections she makes on your paper also come in the form of hearts. It’s hard for you to keep your cool when she is being playfully flirty with you, but it also saddens you that it’ll most likely no longer happen once the week is over and you’ve taken your test.

“Here,” she interrupts during your last session on Friday. The two of you are sitting together at lunch and she decides to write down some problems for you to practice.

“Wendy, this is basic math. I did this in, like, second grade.”

“I just want to warm up your brain. Go ahead!” You look back down at the 2+2 written on the paper. Once you write down a hesitant 4, Wendy adds more simple math problems to your paper. The lunch bell rings signaling that you get to your next class. “Make sure to do the last one! I’ll see you next Monday on test day. Oh! And make sure to text me on the weekend if you have any questions.”

You’re too busy packing up to see what she’s written on your paper, but you assume it was something like 1+1. You figure that she must be doing this to reassure you and give you a slight break since all you’ve been doing is working on factoring for the past couple of days. By the time you get into your history class, a friend of yours points to the paper on the top of your notebook.

“How’s it going with Miss-I’m-too-pretty-to-make-you-function?”

“Shut up, it’s not like I’ll be seeing her after the test. She’s just tutoring me.”

“But you said the touches-”

“I’m overthinking it. It’s fine.” They roll their eyes at your dismissiveness. You’d been trying to swallow down the crush over the past couple of days, but Wendy honestly made it too hard. Her subtle touches and words of encouragement did nothing but make you hopeful. It also didn’t help that her bright smile plagued your mind whenever you went home and you were... looking forward to going to your math class.

“Hey, I think you’re overthinking the part where you think you have no chance.”

“That’s because I don’t.” They tap your paper and say otherwise. You’re unable to question them since they turn away to focus on the teacher beginning the lesson. You try to focus on the material about some revolution somewhere, but you can only focus on running through equations, the quadratic formula, perfect squares, and Wendy in your mind.

She stays on your mind the entire weekend as well, and you’re worried about the material even though you’ve run through it so many times you can practically do it in your sleep. On test day, you’re so focused on your work that you can’t even bring yourself to look at Wendy in fear of all your work together going to waste or seeing her be disappointed. But her quick squeeze of your hand as she passes by while handing out the tests lets you know that she’s rooting for you. She doesn’t mention the last problem she wrote down for you on that Friday. You don’t mention it either because you forgot.

It feels like time flies by so quickly, and you practically run up to the front desk to turn in your test. You’re unsure how to feel about it and wring your hands nervously. Wendy gives you a thumbs up with a determined look while mouthing “You did it. You made it through.” The gleam in her eyes sets your heart fluttering with all the confidence she has in you. It makes you disappointed that soon the two of you would part ways just like you had after the brief interaction during your Romeo and Juliet reading. However, Wendy makes sure to continuously check in with you about the material of the test to see what you thought of it. 

The day you get your test back, Wendy looks just as nervous as you. It’s been only two days since the test, and your teacher has graded the test faster than normal. You look at Wendy while your hands are balled up into fists on the top of your desk. She’s biting her lip and you can she her feet are kicking at the floor in anticipation. It looks like she’s running while sitting, and you wish you could do just that. Run. The teacher has her pass the tests back while they begin writing up some commonly missed questions. Before they could, they call for Wendy’s attention right before she reached your row of desks.

“Wendy, could you pass me one of the tests? I can’t find my answer key.” She nods and immediately hands one of the tests over. Once she’s finished passing out the tests you realize whose test is up with the teacher. Ah, how fickle fate seems to be with you. Wendy realizes that she’s passed your test up when she looks over at you and your anxious form trying your best to peer at the front of the paper by the board. She hadn’t seen your score either, which makes her just as anxious as you. From where you were, you couldn’t figure out what red marks meant what on your test.

The rest of the period was spent with you writing down all the right answers on your test just in case you got something wrong and you could figure out why, hopefully with Wendy’s help. Throughout the class, the two of you had been communicating with nervous looks while trying to put each other at ease at the same time. It didn’t work for both of you since you had started biting your nails and she was picking at threads of her sweater. You absolutely hate that the test review spent the entire period. Especially the fact that the teacher asked to see you when the class ended. Dread fills you when you hear the bell ring. Your footsteps seem heavier as you walk up to the front desk.

Wendy wanted to hang back, she really did, but she knew that it’d be better to respect your privacy and head out with the students. She waits for you to come out and you find her tapping her foot to a song in the middle of the hall. The second you spot her you squeal and throw your arms around her.

“Oh my gosh, Wendy!”

“What’d you get? How did you do? Are you okay? I’m so nervous, I didn’t even know it was your test!”

You shake your head and show her the test. You got nearly full marks, some rounding errors or accidentally using the wrong amount of sigfigs cost you a couple points, but not enough to bring it lower than an A.

“I can’t believe you practically saved my grade!” You’re jumping now and she’s still in your arms. It’s not a problem since she’s also jumping along with you with a large smile on her face. You pull away with a frown.

“What’s wrong now? Did your grade not rise enough to where you thought it was?” There’s panic in her voice and you’re quick to deny her question, but a pout remains on your lips.

“I won’t get to hang out with you anymore since I won’t need any more tutoring...” Wendy pauses for a second and looks as if she’s trying to find something in your eyes.

“... Did you see the last problem I gave you on Friday?” You think back on it and return her questioning gaze.

“You gave me basic addition. Are you telling me I need to work on what I learned in elementary school?” She shakes her head quickly and asks if you still have the paper, to which you nod your head since you haven’t cleaned your binder yet. She has you take it out and you’re about to tell her you’re not that bad at math until you see the problem she wrote.

Underneath the 2+2, 4+4, 3+7, and 1+9...

You + Me = ?

You look up at her and she smiles, but it’s wavering. She’s nervous about your reaction, but she’s somewhat relieved. She thought you had seen it and decided to ignore it, thinking she was weird or that you were trying not to be mean by rejecting that.

“What... Wendy, does this mean what I think it does?” Wendy puts on an air of fake confidence and takes a pencil out.

“Well, it’s simple really. You, that’s you, plus me, Wendy, equals...” She trails off and begins to write on the paper. A little drawing of a heart takes place at the end of the equation and you can only look at her in shock. She decides that it’s now or never to explain what it meant. “I was just... too nervous to approach you since I didn’t want to scare you away thinking I was there to bug you about getting help. I thought you were really cute at the beginning of the year, and after I finally got to talk to you I started developing a crush... I really worked the courage up to write that.”

You look back down at the heart and can’t help but smile at her. Wendy smiles hesitantly in confusion. 

“You know, since it took me that long to solve such a simple problem... I think you’ll have to continue tutoring me. Why don’t we set up another study date to work on it!” 

[connorandersons-blog]

Oh goodness I wrote the prompt and kept going. So uhhhh warning for smut! (I'm so sorry fksbsk)

@fortyfivefries

-----------

Their computers were glitching. It wasn't too uncommon but it was still incredibly frustrating. He had to actually submit a report into a computer, and now the high-tech computers they had were out of commission. 

So they had older models brought in. They were so much bulkier than the other types. They should still be fairly easy to use. 

He sat down in front of the computer and booted it up. Why he had to actually use a computer and not do it from his brain was beyond him. Police politics, ugh. 

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. The report. He started writing it up, easily doing so from his memory. The case was simple enough but it had ties to red ice, so they had asked Gavin to help out. 

He worked for a bit until Gavin interrupted his train of thought. 

"Hey, Tincan it's about lunch, so we're gonna head out. You wanna come?" Gavin calls. He still didn't have the necessary parts to eat, but he appreciated the offer nonetheless. 

He looked down at his half-written report and stood up, turning the computer off. He stands and grabs his jacket from the back of his chair. "I'd love to." 

Gavin nods then squints just slightly. "Did… did you save? Some of these older computers don't save automatically." Connor felt his heart stop. Everything saved for you now, he hadn't even thought of that. 

Now he had just hasted so much time. He should have known! If he wasn't so distracted by Gavin's request he would have thought to save, but he hadn't. "Shit," He grumbled, reaching up and tugging at his hair. 

Gavin chuckled and walked over. "That was by far the stupidest thing you've ever done." Connor sent him a glare and sat back down. There was no way he could take a break now. "Don't worry, I'll help." 

Gavin grabbed a chair and wheeled it over, plopping into with a sigh. Connor really wanted the help, and Gavin's company but humans needed to eat. 

"Detective-" he starts, but Gavin sends him a glare, "Gavin, you don't need to help me. It was my mistake. You should go enjoy lunch." He turned the computer back on, trying to stare at it instead of Gavin. 

"Eh, not that hungry anyway." He shrugged. 

"Do you know how to fix this? Is there a way to get it back?" He really fucking hoped there was. If so then they could go to lunch, if not? Well Connor was screwed and not in the fun way. 

Gavin snorted and shook his head. "For a computer with feelings you don't seem to know much about computers." That was fair but that didn't stop him from reaching over and cuffing him over the head. 

Gavin yelps, even though he didn't hit him that hard. "Fucking androids." Gavin muttered, but he didn't mean it maliciously. He hadn't meant it maliciously since before the revolution. 

The old computer finally loads up and they get back to work, this time with many more interruptions. "Get me a coffee, dipshit." Gavin mumbles. Connor rolls his eyes and stands. 

He really didn't mind getting him coffee, after all, he was helping him. He jogged over to the break room and quickly made the coffee the way he knew Gavin liked it. It wasn't the first time he'd helped him and Hank on a case. 

He walked back over and sat down, handing Gavin the cup. He looked at the screen and sighed, rolling his eyes. "Gavin, using bullet points isn't acceptable in an official report like this." 

He reached over and batted Gavin's hands away from the computer, trying to keep his blushing at bay. Gavin was definitely a tactile person, and Connor could be too, but hands were generally very… personal part of androids. They could interface with other androids this way, which was often used between couples or loved ones. 

"So pushy, if I didn't know better I'd say you just like touching me." Ah, yes. How could he ever forget that fact. Once Gavin's friend it seemed he'd flirt with the person, no matter his interest in them. 

Connor hummed and bumped him with his shoulder. "Maybe I do." Gavin snorted and rolled his eyes like that was an impossible concept. That was another thing about Gavin, no matter how confident he acted he was always so self-conscious. 

Most people wouldn't notice the way he tried to blend into the background when he didn't want to be seen. Or how he made self-deprecating jokes. He almost never doubted himself on a case, but Connor could tell he overthought most other things. 

"Let's get back to work." Gavin said, changing the subject. Connor sighed but nodded, looking at the computer. 

Gavin made remarks, not all pertaining to the case, as they worked. He did give good insights, but he was more distracting than anything else. That was completely Connor's fault, but he did his best to stay focused. 

He tapped a pen against his lips in thought, before holding it between his teeth as he used his hands to type. It wasn't unusual for him to bite, suck, or just hold things in his mouth as he worked. 

He didn't even realize he was doing it until Gavin reached over and pulled it out of his mouth. He blinked a few times and looked over. Gavin's face was flushed, and eyes wide but he wasn't looking at Connor. Actually, it seemed like he was trying to look anywhere but. 

"Gavin?" He asked, tilting his head just slightly. Gavin glanced at him, then quickly away, his face becoming even redder. 

"You were fucking sucking on this thing like a-" he cuts himself off, shaking his head. 

He tries to go over his memory of what he had been doing but it mostly comes up blank, his mind being too focused on the case and Gavin. "Like a what, Gavin?" 

Gavin sighs and drops the pen onto the desk. "Like a fucking dick. Or maybe a sucker, I don't know!" 

Connor's eyes widened and quickly looked at the pen. Had he been doing that? He hadn't meant to, but maybe he did. Oh goodness, he knew his face was turning blue. 

But… he quickly looked up at Gavin. He didn't even need to scan him to know his heart rate was higher. Gavin shifts in his seat and Connor's eyes slide down and… fuck. Huh. He was not really expecting that. 

"I… uh," he stutters out. 

Gavin quickly stands, "fuck." He practically runs to the bathroom before Connor can stop him. 

He had a few choices. He could go after Gavin, talk to him and maybe… help with his problem. Sit here and wait until he comes back and talk to him about it. Or, he could try to forget. Yeah, two out of the three options didn't sound as good as the first. 

He quickly stood and jogged over to the bathroom, not bothering to knock. He walked in, and saw only one stall occupied. "Gavin?" 

"Fuck off, Tincan." Gavin calls out. There's a thud which Connor assumes is Gavin banging his head on the stall. 

Connor walked over to the stall, hesitating for a second. "Gavin… I could—no—I want to help." He knew his voice didn't sound as confident as he wanted it to. 

There was a brief second of silence where Connor was sure Gavin would turn him down. Then the lock clicked open, and Connor took the invitation. 

The stall wasn't big so he didn't have too much room as he walked in, locking the door behind him. Gavin's eyes were wide, and his pupils were huge. 

He once again hesitated for only a second before reaching out and gently cupping Gavin's face. He knew he could just slide down to his knees, do it and be done. But he wanted this. He wanted Gavin. 

"Fucking hell." Gavin muttered before closing the very small distance between them. Connor makes a small, please sound at the back of his throat as they kiss. It was far from romantic, being in a bathroom and all, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable. 

It doesn't take long until Gavin is panting, and Connor pulls away to kiss and bite down his neck. "Fuck! Fucking-ah-fucking hell Connor." Gavin moans out, eyes fluttered closed. 

Connor grins and finally sinks to the floor. He unzips Gavin and pulls his pants and underwear down in one fluid motion. Gavin's eyes fly open and he looks down at Connor. 

Gavin runs his hands through Connor's hair as he licks him from base to the tip. He looks up through his eye lashes as he slowly takes him into his mouth. 

Gavin's hands tighten in his hair, trying to keep himself at least somewhat quite. The pulling makes Connor whine, but he doesn't pull off. He doesn't need to breathe and he doesn't have a gag reflex, benefits of being an android. 

He starts off slowly, holding Gavin's hips still against the wall. Of course, Gavin tries to squirm, but Connor keeps him still. He swirls his tongue around the head, smirking when Gavin's breath caught. 

"Fuck, Connor!" Gavin sighs, wanking on his hair, and Connor takes him completely in his mouth again. Part of him wants to draw this out, he wants to watch as Gavin comes undone. But, they had work to do. 

He gently massaged Gavin's thighs where he held them, making a pleased hum when Gavin sighs. "Fuck, Con, I'm close." 

Connor hums around him and speeds up his pace. Gavin whines and yanks on his hair. Connor takes the hint and takes him all the way, swallowing around him. That seems to do the trick as Gavin let's out a mix of a shout and whine, coming down his throat. 

Once Gavin is completely finished Connor leans back, and wipes at his mouth. He'd have to do a system clean, but he didn't mind. Gavin is still panting and leaning heavily on the wall as Connor stands. 

"Fucking hell, Connor. Where the fuck did you learn that?" Gavin mumbled, not even bothering to clean himself yet. 

Connor smiled and brushed a few strands of hair out of Gavin's face. "I just did what felt right." Gavin gave a small hum, then his eyes went wide. 

"Wait, fuck have you even been kissed before?" Gavin reaches out and gently holds his hand. 

Connor blinks a few times. "I have been kissed, but it didn't go anywhere." He had been kissed exactly three times, and one of them he'd rather not think about ever again. 

"Shit," Gavin cursed under his breath. "Sorry your first time, well first time blowjob, was in a bathroom with me."

Connor frowned and gently cupped his face again, leaning in to kiss him slowly. He pulls back, even though he doesn't want to. "I'm very glad it was with you." 

Gavin's eyes slowly open and he grins at Connor, pulling him into another kiss. 

They both freeze when the bathroom door opens, but thankfully the person just goes into a stall. They don't say anything as they stare at each other. 

Whoever it is doesn't take long, and is out of the bathroom quick. Connor sighs and Gavin chuckles, finally reaching for the toilet paper to clean himself up.

Connor tried to give him room, but the stall was quite small. "We should get back to work." He says, pulling them out of the stall once Gavin's pants are back on. 

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't suck on any more pens and we'll both live." Gavin said, reaching out to hold Connor's hand. 

"I make no promises."

[fandom-collective-writers]

Nexilis (Edgar Bright x Reader)

nexilis (adj): woven together or intertwined

→ pairing | edgar x unnamed female reader (alice)

→ genre |  angst + fluff

→ word count | 2,664

→ written by | @dangerousfe-l

→ requested by | anon

→ prompts | “you look like you could use a hug.” + “who hurt you?”

→ note | i might write edgar a lot, but at least i have good taste. and i live by that. (also, i recommend listening to ‘i found’ by amber run while reading this~)

☽

It was a normal day, as long as you ignore the fact that it wasn’t.

It began with him slipping out of his bed hours earlier than usual, careful not to wake the princess sleeping oh so peacefully beside him. She, rightfully, had little idea of the things he was orchestrating in the shadows, and looking back on her still features contorted by sleep, he couldn’t help but be glad. It was in his best interest to keep his pure lover separate from the things that continued to dirty his hands further.

His groggy eyes trailed down to his hands, lit up by the moonlight shining through the dull panes over his bed. To the naked eye, they were merely calloused by years of handling a sword, but to his more knowing ones, the phantom stains of old blood never disappeared. He reached over to the bedside table and pulled on the dove white gloves he was never seen without and felt himself physically relax as the soft fabric slid over his knuckles.

He had always felt safer with them on. Vulnerability is a deadly concept when faced with the crimes of a guilty man, after all.

Edgar’s vision adjusted routinely to the bright lights of the red army headquarter’s hallway as he eased the door shut behind him, the quiet sound signifying the start of his hellish day.

Later in the morning, she gradually awoke to the sounds of robins chirping from just outside her window. It was as if the very sunlight itself that illuminated the surrounding room was straight out of a fairy tale. But, there was one thing missing that subdued her into leaving the thought behind.

The moment she grasped a fist full of strategically tucked sheets in the place beside her, she sighed.

It wasn’t necessarily odd for Edgar to leave before she would wake and get home past the time she could stay up, but every time he did, it left a blank space in both her day and the explanation she tried to give herself in her head. Even after she’d been with him for months, she could never provide more than a simple excuse.

Yet, seeing as he quite literally closed up whenever she thought to ask, she decided not to push him further some time ago.

Then something changed. Something within the day, the hours, the seconds — that greatly twisted the course of events that would soon come to be. Because finally, Edgar’s concentration began to slip.

She made an effort to drive him far away from her thoughts through the slow morning, not letting the absence of the man beside her adhere her concentration. Whether he was there or not, the day still went on. She might’ve been the only person who needed to be reminded of it, but her purpose was nonetheless important.

Thankfully, she still had her friends to distract her. The little threesome of Alice, the ace of hearts, and the red army doctor gathered by chance in the hallway a ways after noon, and it seemed as if Kyle was practically teeming with new information from the moment they did so.

“So ___,” Kyle started off the conversation with a small but jovial smile, immediately setting off warning bells in her head. “Do you know what Edgar’s up to today?”

She couldn’t help but stay silent, turning the question over in her head. What he’s up to?

“Don’t ask her things like that, Kyle. If you want to know where Edgar is so bad, then go and find him yourself.” Zero said.

She shot him a grateful look.

Kyle didn’t notice the exchange, though, just shrugging. “You know that I couldn’t find him even if I tried. The guy’s too good at everything to be caught.”

“...I really have no idea where he is today, sorry.” she admits sheepishly, her eyes darting away under the two men’s gazes. “But he does this occasionally, so it’s not the biggest deal, right?”

Zero smiled gently at her.

“Edgar really got lucky with you. You’re so supportive.”

“A bit too much”

Kyle added this in a quiet mumble, but Zero shut him down with an elbow to the ribs quicker than she could reply.  

“Don’t say that.” He chatsied the younger with a click of his tongue. “She has every reason to believe in Edgar.”

“You just can’t ever be sure of what he’s doing, is all I’m saying.” Kyle croaked, his voice a mix of light pain and a hangover, flinching when Zero feigned hitting him again.

She couldn’t help but sigh as they bickered amongst themselves, crossing her arms over her body in an attempt to ward off the worries in her head. Kyle was right, not unlike usual, about Edgar being hard to find on days where he disappears. But, was he right that she supported him too much? She had no reason to think that he’s acting odd.

Do I? Her lips twisted in thought.

The boys didn’t notice her forlorn look as she excused herself, consumed in proving each other wrong in whatever point they’d since moved onto.

It’s just a coincidence. She tried to convince herself this as she made her way back to the kitchens, preparing to push her lover’s dealings from her head once again. Kyle just had bad timing. What the Red Army decided to send him out for, that was his own business -- not hers.

Yet, she still found herself frowning over the warm apple pithiviers she had helped the chefs prepare, the warm steam not the only thing contributing to her uncomfortable mood. To think all of her worry was from a hungover doctor’s blabbering. It was laughable, but the anxious feeling she felt in the pit of her stomach was from something her friend had said, rather than his stereotype. And she had no reason to doubt her friend.

But she didn’t think she had any reason to doubt Edgar, either.

She groaned softly, squeezing her eyes shut until one of the chefs still mingling around noticed. And only until then would she allow herself to dwell on the topic that was hurting her so much: she promised herself that.

And, well, that went about as well as expected. It wasn’t even her own fault -- at least, she didn’t think it was. Soldiers had just chosen then to become talkative about the discrepancies considering her lover that day, which only further fueled her anxiety until it peaked when the sun dipped below the horizon.

It was a beautifully clear night, the light of the moon and stars reaching Edgar’s bedroom even when shut out by the thick curtains. It bathed the room in an effervescent hue, giving it an almost celestial aura. It did little to calm the unapologetic beating in her chest, but looking up at the black sky through the delicate window panes, her thoughts were momentarily subdued.

Though, the door opening startled her out of her short-lived peace, making her jump slightly in the spot she sat on the bed. She almost began to yell at the person for not bothering to knock, but was stopped in her tracks when she noticed who stood in the doorway. Edgar winced as her eyes met the dried blood running up his normally pearl white uniform, and widened upon noticing the slash through his skin that came along with it.

He silently cursed himself for mindlessly assuming she would be out, and not bothering to wash up before coming inside.

“___,” He mumbled, not looking her in the eyes as he schooled his expression. “...I thought you would still be working.”

Edgar spoke shamelessly, as if not to startle her, but to still convince her that everything was okay.

But his Alice -- she had never been easily fooled.

She stood with a frown, taking hesitant steps over to where he still stood in front of the closed door. “Edgar, what happened to your arm?”

His eyes travelled down to the arm she specified, swallowing what felt like the equivalent of razors as he forced out, “It was just an accident, don’t worry. It doesn’t hurt very much.”

Not much to his surprise, but still to his dismay, she took his arm gently in her hands and inspected the gash beneath the bloodied fabric. He resisted sucking in a breath. Upon closer look, there was no other passable excuses: it was a wound from a sword, and that much would be obvious to anyone.

Without looking up at him, her lips thinned and he expected the worst. But instead, he heard small words escape her lips that had his heart dropping into his stomach, ridden with guilt.

“Who hurt you?”

He stared down at her with wavering eyes.

“No one, ___.” Edgar reached down and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear tenderly. As if it would make up for all of his lies. “It’s alright.”

“But… it doesn’t look fine. Maybe we should go to Kyle just in case.”

The idea genuinely wasn’t bad on her part. Except, by that time, it was almost expected that the doctor would have a couple of drinks in him, making him a lousy information holder. Edgar didn’t think he wanted to risk a slip in the conversation, so he shook his head.

“I stopped there before I came here.” He lied with a crafted sad smile. “He was out, probably in town.”

Her adorable mouth twisted in thought, but she still nodded after a few moments. She didn’t want to admit it to him, but it made more sense than she wanted to give him credit for.

“Then I’ll fix you up myself.”

Edgar reached out to her a moment too late, just grasping the fabric of her shirt beneath his fingers before she slipped away. She took long steps to the other side of the room that he couldn’t follow, where a small cabinet stood sturdy and majorly unused, and pulled out a small medical kit that was kept for emergencies.

He wordlessly peeled off his jacket and sat down on the bed as she rummaged through its contents. But on the inside, he was scrambling for something, anything, to explain what was going on. He bought time for his thoughts with her back turned to him, and bit down on his lip in a small effort to get out the nerves that had accumulated in his chest.

But before he could fully recuperate, she turned around, medical supplies in hand. Her expression was uncharacteristically solemn, as if the thoughts that were whirring through her head were rapid yet still abridged. He couldn’t find it in himself to react, though.

She had every right to be feeling whatever she was right then, whether it was anger or something in between, it was only courtesy to let her have it. He didn’t want to deny her anything else ever again.

“You know,” She began in a soft voice as she wiped her hands down with a bacterial cloth, making him wince for the pain that was about to come. “I was worried about you today. I heard some things, and I couldn’t help it.”

But..? He waited.

Her lips twisted as she met his eyes with a small smile. “But I guess I didn’t have to worry, did I?”

Edgar didn’t dare react. So, she continued, taking a different cloth and motioning for his arm. He gave it to her quietly.

“People told me I was naive for believing in you, but I will until you give me reason not to.” Her expression was the same soft one he’d grown used to, but there was an intense edge to it that kept his eyes anchored to her.

“And I haven’t already?” He spoke without thinking, but didn’t regret it upon seeing the small smile that quirked her lips.

“No.” She took the now dirtied cloth and put it casually aside, but his eyes finally left her and followed it. It was much dirtier than he would’ve expected, the cloth that was white just minutes ago now the terrible colour of blood and dirt. “You haven’t.”

“How have I not?” He asked, his brows pinched. “I told you from the start, ___. I’m not the person you think I am.”

Her head whipped up for her gaze to meet his head on. Her eyes were narrowed, and she looked almost angry at his profession.

“The person I think you are is unique to me,” She said, a small irritated hiss lining her voice. “You can’t tell me, no matter what you’ve done, to change my perception of you.”

“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t--”

“That doesn’t mean I should!”

They stared at each other for a few moments, their eyes intense and breaths suspended. It was as if the world itself had stopped in their wake, waiting for no one to catch up. But, she chose to break it first, her gaze retreating to the kit behind her.

“You’re hurt, and that’s my concern right now.” She grumbled quietly, reaching for a small jar of medical salve. “So kindly wait to preach about how bad of a man you are until I’m finished.”

He was stunned, and it must have shown, because there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes that he could never miss.

She worked in silence for the next few passing minutes, the only sounds in the room their breathing and the occasional estranged tap on the bedroom window. It felt like years to his anxiously beating heart, but he didn’t dare speak to disturb the quietness he knew that she loved.

When his wound was finally clean and bandaged, he allowed himself to look at her once again. But, he hadn’t been expecting the awful turn of her quivering lip, nor the tears hanging at the edge of her vision as she struggled to hide them.

“Woah,” He couldn’t help the sound that escaped him, as panicked and confused as the look adorning his features. “Are you okay?”

She refused to look at him as she put away the materials she’d used in the bandage that wrapped skillfully around his arm, but he couldn’t help but notice the slight way her hands shook as she did so.

“___…” He trailed off, reaching out his good arm to plant his hand lightly on her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

She mumbled a few indiscernible words before reaching up to wipe her tears with the back of her hand. Then, taking the small medical kit by the handle, she started to get up in an attempt to put it back. He was faster than that, though, reaching for her arm and pulling her back down to where she sat that time without any repercussions.

“Ed--”

The moment her head instinctively turned to him, it ripped an involuntary breath from him. Her eyes were full of tears even after she’d taken measures to get rid of them, and her cheeks were puffy and tinted with red. She looked beautifully sad, and he firmly believed that she was the only person who ever could.

“___…” He trailed off, at a momentary loss for words. “You look like you could use a hug,”

Her lips pursed ever so slightly as she looked away, slightly embarrassed at the albeit serious offer.

“You can’t hug me,” She mumbled, a blush darkening her cheeks further. “Not with your arm.”

He opened his arms to her anyway. And even if every nerve in her body was screaming for her not to, she met him there head on.

He hugged her tightly despite his arm, and despite the pain, only did so tighter. After what felt like a decade of stress smashed into one night, he felt comforted to know that no matter where he chose to run, there would always be someone waiting for him when he made his way home.

In her, there was something special that saw that reflected in him.

And desperately, he sought to hold onto everything that she gave him.

[gii-heylittleangel]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! The best holiday of the whole year, in my very humble opinion.

I’m so happy I managed to finish this fic to post it today because I really wanted to post it. This is just Charlie and Dean being their usual dork selves and going to a Halloween party in matching costumes. I hope y’all enjoy it and that you have a nice holiday!

Read it on AO3 or keep reading it here.

Dean was pacing up and down in his apartment, waiting for Charlie to show up. He checked and rechecked his costume a thousand times, fixing a thing or another every time he passed by the mirror—even when there wasn’t anything to fix it. Time didn’t pass fast enough and Dean was just about to finish the whole candy bowl—supposedly for the trick-n’-treating kids and that would probably make him sick later that night, but he was too anxious to care.

He was excited for the party and excited for his and Charlie’s costume: Dean so wanted to have everyone turning around to check their costume because it’ll be the coolest. Having two other friends go with them would be a lot better but no one wanted to go; everyone had other plans or said they didn’t like Halloween—e.g. Sam—so they ended up saying screw it and going just the two of them.

When the doorbell finally rang, Dean basically ran to it, throwing it open to see Charlie dressed just like him: a beige jumpsuit, a black tag with their name written in red, a very detailed backpack, with wires and lights, a belt and black gloves, just like the Ghostbusters. The only difference between their costumes was the name: Dean’s said “Winchester” while Charlie’s read “Bradbury”.

When she walked into the apartment, Charlie’s excitement was easily seen in her smile and it matched Dean’s exactly. She went straight to the candy bowl, without even saying hello, and searched for something in it.

“Oh, come on, man, you ate most of the Twixes already. You know they’re my favourites.”

Dean sighed while he rolled his eyes. “There’s more in the cupboard,” he pointed to the kitchen. “You know where to find it.”

Charlie smiled broadly before making her way to where Dean pointed. “That’s why you’re my best friend.”

“And you’re mine ‘cause you always save M&M’s for me.”

“Damn right I do.” Charlie walked back with a couple of Twixes and two packets of M&M’s, which she threw to Dean.

“So, just the two of us in the end, huh?”

“Yeah. Jo, Kevin, Meg, and Lisa insisted on not coming and the rest didn’t even answer me. Something on your end?”

“Nope,” Dean popped a few chocolates in his mouth. “Benny, Sam, Cas, Eileen, no one wanted to go, all saying they had better things to do. Not even Ash wanted. He said costume parties are lame and that we’re lame for going to one.”

“Now that’s just mean,” Charlie took a bite of her chocolate, sprawling herself on Dean’s couch. “They’ll all gonna be so jealous when we tell them how amazing it was, regretting their decision of not going.”

“They are too lame for that. They won’t even realize how cool it was.”

Dean took over the other couch, eating his own candy while he and Charlie chatted before it was time for them to leave—he wished he could just get there as soon as possible, but he knew there wasn’t going to be anyone there yet and so they wouldn’t have much to do. 

With Charlie there, though, the clock moved faster as they talked, and soon was time for them to finally leave. The party was close and they decided walking was better than taking their cars; Charlie would probably spend the night in Dean’s apartment anyway and neither of them wanted to risk driving back drunk if they ended up drinking.

Seeing all the kids knocking on the houses as they trick-n’-treated also made their walk be more fun; it allowed them to comment about all the costumes they saw, rating them on what they thought were the best concepts to judge: coolness, if it was based on a movie/book/show, if it was a costume they would wear themselves, and if it was cooler than their own—no other costume won over theirs.

The house the party would be at could be seen from the other end of the street; there were tons of decoration on the outside, carved up pumpkins—most of which the own guests carved up earlier that week—spider webs, made-up tombstones, fake skeletons scattered around the golden grass, and a few fairy lights put on the trees. It looked beautiful and very cadaverous, perfect for what Dean was sure was going to be an amazing party.

There were already half a dozen or so people inside, but more were arriving every minute. Dean and Charlie paid attention to every little detail, from the others’ costumes to the decoration inside the house—because just the outside wouldn’t be enough. Even the food and the drinks represented Halloween; there were some foods in cauldrons, steam rising up from the liquid inside; the cupcakes were decorated with zombies, vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and any other monster Dean could think of; he even saw ice cubes with spiders, roaches and tiny skulls inside them. 

He had to give it to the owners of the party: they knew how to throw a party.

As they walked deeper into the house, Dean was able to see more of the decoration: there were monsters scattered around the rooms, looking so real that Dean was sure one was going to jump on him before the end of the night. There were spider webs inside the house too and the lights were just enough for him to be able to see his surroundings. Even the bathroom was decorated: some mirrors had red writing on them, while others had an almost translucent image, making it seem as if a spirit was right behind you.

Once they finally finished looking the whole house and checking some of the costumes—Charlie insisted on both, saying she wanted to see if someone would have a cooler costume than theirs—they went after food and people, getting to know a few amazing people and finding out the food tasted amazing.

The two of them soon got glued to a group of five people who shared a lot of their interests—they were all dressed as one of the main characters from Scooby-Doo, so they won Dean’s heart easily. They played all the games available, going against each other or against another group—and winning, of course. 

When it was around 11p.m., the hosts announced a horror movie marathon but with a twist: actors and actresses came from the shadows to scare you when there was a jump scare in the movie, sometimes simply appearing right behind you, their voices on your ear. Dean hated to admit it, but he jumped every time someone scared him and sometimes when someone else got scared and screamed. Still, it was one of the best horror movie marathons Dean ever had and they all finished the last Friday 13th movie laughing.

Some of the actors and actresses stayed for the rest of the party—which didn’t last long, considering the fact that it was almost five in the morning and everyone was tired—and Dean got entertained talking to one of the actors who pretended to be Freddy Krueger, one of Dean’s favourite horror villains. They got along pretty well and they had just exchanged numbers when Charlie came after him, her eyes practically closed from sleep, and begged Dean for them to go—and Dean, being an amazing friend and tired as hell too, complied.

He waved goodbye to the actor—Nicolas Broughton—before crossing the door, one arm around Charlie’s shoulders while she kept one of hers around Dean’s waist. They supported the other as they walked to Dean’s apartment, talking about the party, what they liked the most, but mostly about the people they talked to; Charlie said she had an amazing time with the girl dressed as Velma and that they agreed to meet sometime the next week for a coffee; Dean told her about Nicolas and that they had a lot of in common, especially about horror movies and books and that Dean hoped to keep in touch with him.

When they got to the apartment, they were both exhausted and wanting nothing more than to sleep. Dean and Charlie took each a side of Dean’s mattress and dragged it to the living room, settling it in front of the TV. All of Dean’s pillows and three blankets for them—because Charlie had a tendency of stealing Dean’s blanket during the night. The only two other things they did were change their costumes for their PJs and brush their teeth before falling on the mattress.

Still, for Dean, it was the best Halloween party he had ever had.

[stillebesat]

Spilled Milk

Sanders Sides: Logan, Roman Blurb: Logan never expected to get in the middle of a fight while at the self-checkout of a grocery store.  Fic Type: Hurt Comfort Inspiration: From a story an acquaintance told as well as a news article I read. Warnings: Hitting, Blood, Yelling.  Taglist: At end of fic.

With how far technology had advanced in the last decade, Logan would have thought that upgrading the way machines read dollar bills would have been on someone’s list of ‘things that needs to happen ASAP.’

Beep Beep Whirr

Apparently not.

Logan barely kept a scowl off of his face as the machine at the self-check out spit out the five again. For the fourth freaking time.

“Could you hurry it up at all?” A whiny voice demanded right behind him. “Just pay already!”

Logan hunched his shoulders, doing his best to keep his distance from the lady who’d  been breathing down his neck practically the entire time he’d been standing in line for the self-checkout.

He hated when people had no concept of personal space.

“I’m trying.” He said, his voice barely above a whisper as he grabbed the bill back out of the machine, doing his best to smooth it out by running it over the edge of counter before trying again.

“Try. Faster.” She hissed, edging her cart full of groceries ever closer to him to the point where the wheels threatened to run over his foot. “Some of us are in a hurry here.”

Beep Beep Whirr

Abraham Lincoln’s face again confronted him as the machine spat it back out.

Logan briefly closed his eyes. “Come on.” He didn’t have the energy for this.

“JUST Pay with a CARD already! I don’t have all day!” The woman bumped his thigh with her cart.

He took a breath, fighting to keep his ragged emotions in check as he shakily grabbed the five back with trembling hands, smoothing it once more. If only more than one self-checkout lane had been open. Then he wouldn’t be dealing with this--this dragon witch along with the finicky check-out machine. 

“I only have cash.” He said, barely keeping his voice civil. Specifically this five dollar bill. He had nothing else. His bank account was empty. His credit card maxed out.

All because the gaming company he worked at, MantiCore, had folded. The Ceos vanishing with all the funds, having claimed bankruptcy, their stocks plummeting within seconds as word spread. And Logan...had been left without his job of nine years and the paycheck he’d been counting on having for the past two weeks. For the last ninety-eight and a half hours he’d sacrificed to work nonstop on his passion project.

He’d barely gotten more than a handful of hours of sleep frantically working to get his newest multiplayer verse ready for its release tonight at midnight...only to handed a pink slip two hours ago and unceremoniously tossed out on his ear, the game officially axed.

Logan exhaled, again sliding the bill into the slot, absently pressing his hand against the faint bulge in his pocket.

Until he found a job that would actually pay him like MantiCore had promised him, that five was the last of his funds. Enough cash to buy a quart of milk and the smallest jar of Crofters he could find.

All for nothing.

Beep Beep Ding.

Logan looked up, shoulders relaxing as the stupid device finally took his money. Finally. Two pennies and a nickel clanging into the change dish as the receipt printed out.

“Don’t just stand there like a stick in the mud!” The blonde-haired demon lady shrilled, rushing forward to take his spot. “MOVE.”

Logan flinched, hurriedly reaching out to grab his groceries to avoid getting elbowed in the gut.

Only his hand miscalculated the distance, knocking into the milk carton instead of grabbing it, sending it into the Crofters right as the woman pushed her way in front of the machine.

He yelped, barely managing to stay on his feet as the pungent floral perfume overwhelmed his senses like a sneak attack, his reflexes sluggish as he reached out to save the milk and his precious Crofters before they tipped over the edg--

Thud.

Crash.

Sploosh.

A shriek.

Logan dropped to his knees. “Sorry, I’m sorry!” He said, heart sinking at the red and white mess now covering the floor. He grabbed at the shards of glass and shattered carton of milk in a pointless attempt to keep the mess from spreading.

WHAM.

Stars danced in Logan’s eyes as the sharp edge of the woman’s fake leather purse caught him on the side of the face, knocking him straight into the liquid disaster.

“MY. SHOES!” The woman screeched, her purse again coming down on his head. “MY DRESS! YOU RUINED THEM YOU HORRID LAYABOUT!!”

Logan cried out, unable to find the words to tell the lady to stop hitting him. He curled up in a ball covering his head with his arms in a futile attempt to ward off her attacks. Why? Just...why?

“YOU. DID. THAT. ON. PURPOS---HEY!”

“I believe.” A cool voice said in the sudden silence as Logan cautiously looked up to see a man around his own age, wearing a red and white jacket, easily holding the woman’s raised arm in place. “That that is quite enough, miss. This guy isn’t at fault--”

She gaped at him, before tugging fitfully at her arm. “NOT AT FAULT?! HE--LET GO OF ME YOU--!”

The stranger let go, stepping to the side as the store’s security guard reached them.

“You ruined your own clothes.” He interrupted at the same time the guard said “Ma’am I need you to come with me.”

She gaped at them both, strap of her purse held loosely in her hand. “What? WHY! HE’S--!”  

“Because you assaulted another customer, ma’am.” The guard jerked a thumb over his shoulder to the wall. “The cameras caught it all on tape--”

The rest of the conversation faded from Logan’s ears as his rescuer crouched in front of him, his warm brown eyes searching his face. “You okay?”

It took Logan a moment to remember he should be answering the question. “F-fine.” He winced at the tremor in his voice and looked away. “Just...fine.” What was one more thing going wrong compared to his entire nightmare filled week?

The man snorted. “Doubtful, you’re covered in jelly.”

“Jam.”

“Same thing.”

Logan scoffed. “They’re completely different!”

His rescuer picked up a shard of glass that had the Crofters label on it and smirked. “Alright. I’ll give you that. Crofters is on a whole different tier really-” He abruptly shook his head, holding out his other hand. “Geez man, don’t get me on a Crofters kick! You’re wet, injured, and look like you haven’t slept in a week.”

“Four days.” The correction slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it as Logan allowed his rescuer to pull him to his feet.

He gritted his teeth, his right leg protesting the movement as crackling zings of agony made themselves known and glanced down, shuddering as he noted the shards of glass sticking through the fabric. It was obvious that not all those dark stains on his pants were from the Crofters.

The man clicked his tongue. “Well, no wonder you look like death, Specs! Come on.” He scooped Logan up into his arms like he weighed nothing. “I don’t even know how you’re holding a conversation with me.” He said, ignoring Logan’s undignified yelp as he threw his arms around his rescuer’s neck. “I mean, I’ve done forty-eight hours before and I was positively loopy by the time I finally crashed.” He said, carefully moving them out of the liquid puddle while a couple of workers from the store descended on the spill with brooms and mops, heading for a bench nearby. “Unfortunately for me, my roomie at the time got video of it so I can’t just pretend it never happened and I haven’t yet found a way to get my own blackmail against the guy--” He sat Logan gently down, kneeling in front of him. “Mind if I look at that leg?” He asked, hand hovering over his knee.

Was this guy for real? “Are you a Doctor?” He asked, wincing as he pulled up his stained pant leg for the man to see.

His rescuer ruefully shook his head. “Hardly, that’s my Ma actually.” He grinned sheepishly, pulling out a pack of bandages and neosporin with a wadded up receipt from his jacket. “When I was nine she told me. ‘Ro, if ya gonna keepa getten in dese imeeginery fights I will needa teacha how ta fix yaself up.’” He shrugged, frowning at the glass embedded in Logan’s skin. “Not my fault I had to battle so many Dragon Witches as a ki--

Wait. Dragon Witches? But he’d...Logan snorted, raising a hand to his mouth trying to turn his laugh into a cough.

The man--Ro raised an eyebrow, shoulders hunching slightly. “What’s so funny?”

Logan shook his head, glancing to the woman still shouting at the self-checkout. “That’s...that’s what I mentally called her, before…” He gestured to his soaking clothes. “A Dragon Witch.”

Ro’s eyes lit up. “Oh really?” He drawled, giving the woman another considering look. “I always thought she’d be taller...more...scaley.”

Logan stifled another laugh, shaking his head. Perhaps it was the stress getting to him. Very likely the lack of sleep too. “Same. I designed her that way in….” He exhaled, sitting back, briefly touching his shirt pocket. “In One Knight Joan-Lee.”

“YOU!” His rescuer was suddenly nose to nose with him, hands on his shoulders. “You are---you--the Joan-Lee games are Ah-May-ZING!! I couldn’t believe it ---Did you---How were you connected with--”

Logan blinked, caught by surprise at the adoration in Ro’s vibrant brown eyes. “I…” His hand gripped his shirt pocket. “I am--was--one of the Creators.”

Ro inhaled sharply. Eyes going wide. “You’re---”

“Sir?”

The two of them looked up, Ro sitting back on his heels as the medic adjusted the strap of his bag. Behind him and his partner, a handful of police officers were attempting to sooth the wom--Logan’s lips quirked in a small smile. The Dragon Witch as she railed against them, obviously refusing to come quietly.

“Can I see your injuries?” The medic asked, placing his bag on the ground as he knelt, quickly setting to work once Logan nodded, his attention quickly drawn away from his rescuer to answering questions asked by the men treating him and then giving his statement to the police once they’d taken the Dragon Witch out of the store. By the time the paramedics were packing up their things with a word of caution to go to the hospital if he experienced any dizziness or vomiting, Ro had vanished.

Logan exhaled, rolling down his pant leg over the bandages before cautiously standing, glad to not be going to the hospital. It wasn’t like he could afford it with no money to his name.

“Yo, Specs.”

 He turned in time to catch a soft cloth bag thrown at his chest. “Wha--”

Ro grinned, holding up a bulging grocery bag. “The store replaced your food and then some, but I figured you could use a change of clothes too. I wouldn’t want to drive home covered in milk and jam.”

And blood.

Logan clutched his bag tighter to his chest, tearing his eyes away from the extra food and peered inside of his own to see a pair of jeans, socks, and a dark t-shirt inside. Truthfully, he hadn’t expected his rescuer to stick around after giving his witness statement, let alone give him clothes. This was--He licked his lips. “Ro, I couldn’t--”

“Sure you can and…” Ro hesitated, looking uncertain as he slipped a hand in his pocket. “I’m also sorry you got axed from MantiCore today...Logan.”

Logan started, looking up. “How!--” He didn’t recall giving his rescuer his name.

Ro raised an eyebrow. “Come on, ‘one of the Creators,’ Specs? How about the Creator of One Knight Joan-Lee. I would know your design style anywhere which is why.” He held out a card, tilting it so that the logo to MantiCore’s top rival, ChiMera, was visible. “My company would welcome you with open arms.” He shrugged as Logan gaped at him open mouthed.

No. It couldn’t be. Ro wasn’t...was he? His rescuer couldn’t be Roman Prince freaking CEO of ChiMera! The rival of the gaming world had been gunning to take sales away from MantiCore for years! Why would that CEO, why would Roman himself, even deign to walk in a grocery store let alone this grocery store? How!

“No strings attached of course should you decide to try elsewhere.” Ro--Roman? fidgeted under Logan’s bewildered stare “The clothes aren’t a bribe or anything, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

The thought had crossed his mind.

Roman spread his arms, grocery bag swinging. “But the offer stands. A talent like yours shouldn’t be wasted, Lo.  You would have a good, well paying job with us. I promise.”

Of all the ways he expected today to end-- “I…” Logan cleared his throat, a small smile spreading on his face, the weight of the flashdrive holding his entire One Knight Joan-Lee program warm in his shirt pocket as he reached out to take the card. “I would like that, Roman. Thanks.” 

End.

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